This week’s Select Board meeting kicked off at 7:00 pm on Monday, August 15, 2022, with Chair Ben Sparrell promising an “action-packed” agenda.

Update on Solar Project at Marshall Street Transfer Station

Beth Greenblatt from Beacon Integrated Solutions, the Town’s consultant on developing a solar field on the capped town landfill on Marshall Street led an update by SolSystems (solar contractor) and Town Counsel.

This project has been in the works since December 2019 and continues to work its way through the regulatory and utility bureaucracy.  The delays caused through this extended review has caused the Town lost revenue, increased construction costs, and at best has the facility coming online in late 2023.

The Board expressed its strong support for Ms. Greenblatt and SolSystems.  Mr. Cronin voiced strong anger at what the utility bureaucracy has cost Holliston, summarizing by saying “Holliston got screwed.”  Cronin asked Town Counsel Lisa Mead (below) how the Town might recover lost revenue due to bureaucratic delays / red tape.

Counsel Mead will pursue what options are available.  She also reported that the revised financial numbers have been reviewed by the State Attorney General’s office and there is no impact to the current lease agreement.

The Board approved a motion expressing its commitment to continue partnering with Beacon and SolSystems on the installation of the Town’s solar field on Marshall Street.

Continued Hearing for Chamberlain Street Pole Hearing from July 11, 2022, for newly built homes

The Public Hearing was re-opened at 7:47 pm by Board vote.  Below right, Mr. Don Vonner representing Verizon reported back to the Board on two questions from the previous meeting: could the wires run underground, and were two new poles necessary? The cost of running the utilities underground would be borne by the Town.  No exact cost estimate was available.  The two poles are necessary to distribute the weight properly and to avoid “aerial trespassing” by having wires to one house cross a neighboring property.

Ms. Annmarie Osmer, below left, a Chamberlain Street resident added that in addition to the visual impact of two more poles, the safety concerns raised by a pole at the curve in the road should be considered.

The Board voted to close the Hearing at 8:00pm.  The Board voted to approve the addition of the two new poles as shown below.  Mr. Vonner offered to, at a later date, provide the Board with a rough estimate of underground utilities.

PUBLIC FORUM – DPW Facility Feasibility – Site Review and Deliberation

Shortly after 8:00pm the conversation turned to the “main event” of the evening – where should a new DPW facility be located.  Town Administrator Ahern set the context with slides below.  Mr. Ahern and the Board made it clear from the beginning that no decision on a site would be made at this meeting.

At one point there were 39 people logged into the Zoom meeting and several residents had e-mailed their input to the Town Administrator for inclusion in the discussion.

Mr. Ahern encouraged all residents to review the June 27^th presentation on the condition of the existing facilities and possible sites for a new facility.  https://www.townofholliston.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif706/f/uploads/holliston_dpw_presentation_06-27-22_updated.pdf

Mr. Ahern grouped the possible locations in four bundles based on ownership and feasibility.

The Board was shown some different options for moving this discussion to a Town Meeting vote.  Some residents felt like this was an aggressive timeline and that more time might yield a better (knowing that no option will be perfect).

Select Board members expressed their perspectives:

• Mrs. Hein:
  • Arch St and Central St should not be considered
  • Can’t wait until May 2023
  • Possible aquifer contamination is a concern
  • Supports an RFP process to find alternative adequate properties
• Mr. Cronin:
  • Arch St and Central St should not be considered
  • Axton-Cross is in land court and no timeline for resolution
  • Longer we wait, the more construction costs go up
  • Supports an RFP process to find alternative adequate properties
• Mr. Sparrell:
  • There is no perfect solution
  • “This can has been kicked down the road too long”
  • Delaying could invite Governmental intervention
  • Arch St and Central St should not be considered
  • Time is of the essence
• Public:  Approximately 21 different citizens weighed in – either via e-mail, in person, or via Zoom.  Virtually all who provided input were opposed to the use of the Pinecrest acreage as the DPW site.  Mr. Ahern forwarded the nine e-mails he received from eight residents to me.  Several residents provided input during the meeting.

I’ve summarized what I read and heard as citizen input below:

• Traffic safety on Prentice a concern
  • Destroying valuable hiking trails
  • Cutting down carbon absorbing trees
  • Reducing the size of the Pinecrest driving range
  • Reducing the value of the Town’s asset known as Pinecrest golf course and clubhouse
  • Reduced land value for abutting properties and neighborhoods
  • Will abutters be notified of future meetings?
  • Town Meeting voted to acquire and maintain the 183-acre parcel for the golf course and open space
  • Adding truck traffic on Prentice St. which is a scenic road
  • Traffic volume on Prentice is increasing and will test the new traffic pattern at Highland the intersection
  • How will the DPW site (wherever it is sited) effect the water quality in our aquifer
  • Siting the DPW facility in an area already zoned for commercial or industrial use was supported by several at the meeting
  • It was noted that nearby towns have their DPW facilities on main thoroughfares.  Is there such a site available in Holliston?
  • No one spoke in favor of using the Pinecrest acreage for the DPW site
  • There were several questions posed in the e-mail submissions that could not be readily answered at this meeting. (see below)
  • The consensus of those contributing to this discussion was do not use the Pinecrest acreage and seek a non-residential site.
  • Mrs. Hein did point out that the Arch St. facility is very near her home, and she has not seen that as a problem.

After about 90 minutes of dialogue, the Board thanked all those who participated and expressed the desire to continue the public conversation.  They described this as a “whole town decision” that will impact everyone in some way.

Mr. Ahern committed to summarizing the citizen input from this session and circulate the input and questions with Town staff and Weston and Samson for answers.

The Board voted to authorize Mr. Ahern to distribute a RFP for commercial / industrial property that meets the specifications outlined by Weston and Samson for possible acquisition for use as a DPW site.

The Board also authorized Mr. Ahern to apply to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency for a grant through the Brownfield Program to study the Axton-Cross property.  This study is independent of the DPW discussion and would be needed for future disposition of the property.

Public Comment:

• Mrs. Hein – None
• Mr. Cronin – None
• Mr. Sparrell – None
• Public:
  • Max Emery asked two questions via e-mail:  Why is there not yet a crosswalk sign on the Central St. crosswalk near the fire headquarters?  Why is there a cement sidewalk along a portion of Mechanic St?  Mr. Ahern and Chief Cassidy will check with the T.A.C. and DPW to answer the questions.

Warrants: The Board approved two warrants: $532,335 and $1,089,116

Comments from Town Administrator: Mr. Ahern shared the following:

• The Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) discussion with NEAG is progressing well.  A proposed TIF will be presented to the Board in the next couple of weeks
• Viktoria Sadlovska Anshu, has been appointed by the Town Administrator to the Economic Development Committee
• The MAPC has begun its look at the Town’s EDC structure / function with a report due later this year.
• The Town has received a $196,928 Green Communities grant to offset the Town Meeting approved expense to convert the Town-owned streetlights to energy-saving LED bulbs.
• The MassDOT construction has begun on Washington Street – expect delays

Selection of Representative for Select Board / Finance Committee Subgroup on Capital Planning

Mr. Cronin was nominated – and unanimously approved – by his colleagues to sit on the newly formed Subgroup on Capital Planning.  An anonymous source off camera in the meeting room, mentioned that the subgroup MIGHT meet next Tuesday, August 16^th.

Board Business: The Board took the following actions:

• Approved minutes from the June 27, 2022, and June 28, 2022, meetings.
• Accepted a $500 donation to the Senior Center gift account from the Joseph and Faith Tiberio foundation

Other Business:  None

At 9:50pm this week’s meeting was adjourned – without a preview of next week’s agenda from Chair Sparrell – guess we’ll just have to show up.

Publishers’ Note:  More than one person attending tonight’s DPW discussion mentioned that they “had just heard about the meeting.”