In attendance: Chair John Cronin, Vice Chair Tina Hein, Clerk Ben Sparrell, Town Administrator Travis Ahern

Public Forum: Review of DRAFT Town Manager Act language for May 2024 Annual Town Meeting

The draft language for the change from town Administrator to Town Manager – Since 1994 we have had a town administrator, and the role has continued to grow. The possibility of TM versus TA has been explored. The language is available by following this link.

Many neighboring communities have changed to this primarily to allow them more direct reports, and we do not plan on changing School Systems or Finance Committee.

Attorney Talerman: When carried out effectively, this has been a helpful tool for communities. This provides several backstops and relieves the Select Board of some of the burden they are carrying.

Ben: Appreciate the work that has gone into this, this is important. We’ve talked about it but we’re governing the community based on 30-year-old forms. We are not living in the same time as 30 years ago.  It’s time for us to get into the 21swt century and someone able to make day-to-day decisions is important. The Select Board should be a policy-making board, but not dealing with day-to-day decisions.

I’m looking at this as if the Town Manager is the CEO and we’re the Board of Directors and we can avoid the day-to-day operations of the town (which we should be).  We need to be able to look at these things as changing documents and this Town Manager will be no different.

Tina: Had several comments and ultimately agrees that to remain in line with our strategic plan that changing to a Town Manager is a good move to continue to bring Holliston up to date with neighboring communities of similar size.

May 2024 Annual Town Meeting

Travis spent a good deal of time reviewing the upcoming warrant which can be found on this page of the town website.  John asked for a couple of items to be changed around for the purposes of clarity.

Print copies of the town meeting information will be available at various locations including the library, police station and Senior Center.

Reminder to everyone that anyone voting at Town Meeting per MA laws is required to be a registered voter.  Adam Costa will be the General Counsel for the meeting.

Public Comment

Tina – Tree City, USA designation – celebration coming up on Arbor Day (April 26). Congratulations to Garden Club members and all who worked on this.

John – acknowledging the passing of Jim Moore who gave so much to our town.  John noted Jim’s decades of service including being a USAF veteran. Jim served 37 years with the Holliston Fire Department.

Weekly Warrants (A/P & Payroll) – Ben made a motion to approve this week’s warrant, 2^nd by Tina, passed.

Comments from the Town Administrator

Travis indicated he’d passed out the visit downtown draft that the EDC is trying to get accomplished. Some of this is related to the 300^th.

Progressive pride flag is on the calendar for the month of June from May 31 to July 1.

Travis informed us of several upcoming applications and meetings which will impact Holliston and information will be on the website as obtained.

Board Business:

Meeting Minutes March 4th and March 11th 2024 – Ben made a motion and Tina seconded.

Conservation Restriction (CR) for Community Farm on Rogers Road – postponed this temporarily due to a number of issues. This will be revisited soon.

Deed of Open Space – Beaver Brook Farm – as presented (approved by Conservation committee. Ben made the motion, Tina seconded and passed.

Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) – Town of Holliston & Laborers (DPW); MOU previously approved, full contract ratification – this is for FY 25 – FY 27 and is ready to have final approval. Ben made a motion to approve, and Tina seconded. Motion passed.

John commented on the CBA regarding Travis’s role and why he feels the Town Manager’s act is so beneficial to Holliston.

Other Business:

Ben made a motion to accept a $1,000 donation from Newcomer’s & Neighbors for the Summer Concert Series, Tina seconded, passed.

Ben made a motion to accept a donation of a sign for Blair Square from Bob Blaier carved sign). Tina seconded – John mentioned that this sign may not be in line with what Holliston generally considers uniform and suggested that in the future we make sure that we have explained signage to donors. Motion passed unanimously with thanks to Bob Blair.