 Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Board of Selections meeting for December 21st. Is anybody cold? Good. So, first of all, we have the introduction of our new Deputy Town Manager. To do that introduction, we turn it over to our excellent Town Manager, Mr. Adam Chapter Lane. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So as the Board knows, we have hired a new Deputy Town Manager, Mr. Sandy Pooler. And I think I had mentioned to the Board at a prior meeting that we would, before he actually starts, come and have an opportunity to meet the Board. Currently, the schedule is for Sandy to start on January 25th. What he doesn't know is, when he's here tonight, I'm never going to let him leave. That said, you know, very happy to have Sandy coming to become part of the Arlington team. Most recently, he's been serving for the past five years as the Finance Director and Amherst. Before that, he's spent the better part of a decade, I believe, working for the City of Newton in several roles under Mayor Cohen's leadership. And he's got a great background. He's well-regarded throughout sort of the municipal finance industry. So without any further ado, steady. So everybody at home can hear you. Thank you very much. It's a pleasure to be here. I'm very much looking forward to the chance to work for the town of Arlington. Work with Adam and with all of you. As Adam said, I've been doing municipal finance for many years now. And I've really come to love it. I am a little bit of a nerd that way. I like to play with the spreadsheets and make them all balance, which is very important. So I hope to bring my experience both from Newton and Amherst, which were two very well-run communities to Arlington, which I know is a well-run community. And to build on the things that you've already done here, your balance budgets, your long-term financial planning, and your transparency are things that I know are hallmarks of the town. And I'll do what I can to continue those. So I thank you for this opportunity, and I look forward to working with all of you. Sandy, let me ask, have you already noticed the tremendous leadership in this town? Have you picked up on that already? I have. It's forward-thinking, it's progressive, and it's measured. But you know, one of the things I really admire already about Sandy is we would have loved for him to have started yesterday our excellent former deputy, who's now the town manager up in Andover. But Sandy felt, if this is okay if I say this out, he wanted to continue and make sure that he finished the budget cycle in Amherst. And so he delayed starting here, and I think that's quite a tribute to you that you wouldn't leave the town in the lurch. And we tingle with anticipation, though, for that January day when you get started here full-time. Well, me too. Thank you very much. Dan. Of course, I'm sure everyone, you know this, but other people may not. Your first day is our special town meeting. So that is just absolutely the right way to start. And so I gather you're a member of the bar. I'm serious. Tell me about your career path. You're a member of the bar and doing finance. Well, when I came out of law school, I really toyed with what kind of law to practice. In fact, I'd accepted a position at the largest law firm in Washington, D.C. at one point. But then a judicial clerkship came along and it gave me some time to really think about my priorities and my values. And so I turned down that job and went to work in the Massachusetts legislature, where I worked for eight years, doing a lot of policy stuff, a lot of legal work. At the end of that eight years, the guy I worked for, David Cohen, who was a state rep at the time, decided to run for mayor. And I took a year and went to the Kennedy School and got a master's in public administration. Because I'd seen how much budget decisions really affect policy. I mean, the power is where the money is when you get right down to it. So from there, I started doing budgeting, which of course is more than just numbers. It is policy together. And I found that a really rewarding thing to do and I've kept with it ever since. So I think the law background has been helpful to understand complex issues. I never intended to be a Perry Mason. I've always had an interest in public policy. I started my career after college doing public interest work. So I think it's all sort of fit in. Thank you. Welcome. Thank you. Joe. Thank you very much and welcome. Did Adam tell you your first job is to fix the heat? Energy conservation is a really good thing. Well, I see you initiated a program to convert buildings to gas and save funds in Newton. So that's a half serious observation. I also see that you had experience with high school rebuilds. So we have a lot of balls in the air financially right now. So I was really impressed with your resume. I think we're all just looking forward to you coming on board and getting to work. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Burton. Thank you, Mr. Greerly. And thank you, Sandy, for being here. Actually, as a current employee of the legislature, I certainly appreciate your time there. And I think, as you know, through your interview process, you're really joining a great team. And one that's really done a tremendous job here in town. And I'm sure you'll be an asset to it and kind of build off the great work that's been done. So thank you very much. Thank you very much. And Mrs. Mahan is sick that she couldn't, no, she's not sick. She's sorry she couldn't be here because the cross examination from her would have changed your life. But she's unfortunately late. But on behalf of Mrs. Mahan and this board, really we look forward to working with you. As Stephen says, Adam, Doug, Marie, we just have a really superb team. And you will be a great addition to it. Well, thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thanks, Sandy. Speaking of great additions to this town, next we want to talk about the scenic byway with the former chairman and member of this board, Clarissa Rowe and our director of development, Ted Fields. Clarissa. Hello, gentlemen. We will be very brief. I believe you've reviewed in detail the handout that we've given you. And we're here for some really preliminary approval for us to go work. We have to work with MassDOT, who are really in charge of signs. And Ted is holding the size of the signs that we will be. Eventually, if we get MassDOT's permission, they would like the signs to be brown, we understand. We would like red, white, and blue. But, you know, we have to get their permission because it's on their roadways. So we wanted to show you this. This is not quite the right color or the right proportion. If you look in your packet, you'll see what it's really going to look like. But I think this would be very eye-catching. And the idea is to have them in all four towns. So it would be in Arlington, Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord, which is where the scenic byway went. We are one of the gateways of the scenic byway. And it will start on the Cambridge Arlington line. So there are many, many steps in this process. But we had asked the town people for $5,000 to do the graphic design. And it was done by an Arlington company, Selbert Perkins. And I think they did a great job. And so we're just giving you an update. And eventually, you may have some of these signs. And the colors will eventually match much more closely to the colors you see in your packet. These came out a little bright. Mr. Dunn, I love the design. Do you have approval of the preliminary design? Second. For the discussion, Mr. Dunn, Mr. Kearo. I love it, too. I think it speaks to what the bad oral byway is. And, you know, I was traveling the Mohawk Trail scenic byway yesterday. Their signs are not brown. They have color pallets. So I think you've got a good guess to make. I'm looking at some of the applications here. I'm thinking of one particularly active member of ATED, who I'm sure can't wait to be selling these things out of our visitors' booth. You're right. So thank you for all the work on this. Great. Mr. Burr. Thank you. They look great. So if I may, just a couple questions. So we're approving it for the other three towns as well? No, just for Arlington. Just for Arlington. Arlington and Lexington are being very proactive. And I think they're very active. Comfort and Lincoln are much more careful about their signs. And they have not, this year they did not appropriate the $5,000 that we in Lexington did. So we get to go first. And then we hope they will follow. But they're sign phobic. We are, we're sort of the opposite end of the spectrum. There'll be a letter in next week's packet, I'm sure. We can put a U-turn sign up and just say, come back to Arlington. Can I just, as a colorblind person, I can't see the red. I know there's an image in there. Yes. That's the image of Paul Revere. Right. I can see that clearly there. But just so you know, there's a lot of men that are red-green colorblind. I don't know whether or not. But I love them. They're beautiful. Great. Well, it's good you're not in charge of the graphic design. Out of order. I'm going home tonight to work on. No, I love those. They look great. Thank you for the great work you all did. Thanks so much. Thank you. All those in favor of the motion by Mr. Dunn, please signify by saying aye. Aye. All those opposed. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Let's take care. Ct of course to take care. Consent agenda, the minutes of the meeting for December 7th. Is there a motion? So moved. Mr. Greenlee. Oh, sorry. There's also reappointment. Yeah. I apologize, Marie. And everybody else. I had found something in the minutes and then I forgot to follow up on it. Under item nine under the minimum regional agreement, we actually took a vote under there, I believe, which was to approve the regional agreement in principle. And I think we've, and I apologize, Marie, I forgot to call you up today. today and ask you about that so it's item nine yeah okay so how would you like it to read I just said like I think just we should record that there was the vote was taken to support the updated regional agreement draft so just so voted 5-0 would work yeah that's fine I think we did on that day okay I apologize for not doing it earlier and also under the consent agenda there's the transportation advisory committee Melissa Laub I hope I'm saying then Scott Smith comments discussion yes I just want to note that I also forwarded a comment on the minutes to to the office I think last night just regarding the air noise just clarifying that requests were actually to the FAA and mass port not from them to to the CAC thank you all right so the on mr. did somebody make a motion hey okay so move approval subject to the two addendums to the minutes of December 7th and the two reappointments all those in favor please signify by saying aye aye those opposed licenses and permits this time of year we do the license renewals for contractor drain layers wine and malt beverages only restaurants all alcohol restaurant all alcohol club all alcohol package stores theater licenses common victuers food vendor class 1 class 2 class 2 non-premise auctioneer lodging houses in keepers public entertainment automatic amusement and secondhand dealer is there a motion I move approval of the list as prepared by office second and is there a second okay and these are all these licenses are routinely looked at by the board so even though we're doing a mass renewal here they are watched throughout the year so moved and seconded further discussion all those in favor please signify by saying aye aye those opposed next up is a request for a common victual a license from a long established business in this town the Villa house of pizza and mr. Hurd good evening John herd here representing my clients yeshuda portal in Krishna Kumar Khatri they're of Ramla Shanti group LLC they are purchasing Villa house of pizza from mr. Andrews Dennis they've as you know it's been in business in the town for a while it's well established wonderful business I'm sure everyone frequents it they're pretty good about my clients have been in and out of the restaurant business for a few years but it's their intention to continue to operate the business just as it currently runs same outfit same vendors same menu as everyone that I've talked to has been saying about those and even some some of the same same staff all right thank you discussion comments move approval move approval is there a second second discussion samples of food it's not required and you can look at me you know I've had quite a few pizzas and subs so I like the tenders the tenders as well but thank you both for all of these years and wishing you both the best of luck and thank you for choosing Arlington and especially such a great business to take over all those in favor please signify by saying I I all those opposed also smart the council you chose by the way thank you very much a request by tango restaurant for late night entertainment on New Year's Eve hi yeah we're just looking to be able to stay open till one so that we can have our customers enjoying bringing the new year with us all right and last call would be at what time 12 30 okay yep mr. Dunn are you serving food the whole way through yeah we'll probably serve until midnight right so did you move that I haven't yet okay questions yep move it approval okay second I'll second would you consider conserving serving food until 12 30 I'm sure yeah I mean if there's if there's a need for it and people are still coming in and want to consume I mean absolutely it's just usually at that time kind of yeah kind of done with the food but yeah definitely yeah I think if even this you know appetizers being offered I think that would go a long way yeah yeah we have a right we have a set menu for the dining room but then for the bar we'll have appetizers so we'll probably offer that you know throughout the whole night awesome because two drinks can be served without food right anybody there is having a third drink that has to be with food yeah yeah I mean most of our customers are they come there to eat so so moved and seconded y'all mr. Dunn just one brief comment as you know this is a sensitive issue for us because of last year's New Year's yeah so take extra care I will thank you yes thanks any questions for us Alyssa no I don't think so you're a wonderful job all those in favor please signify by saying aye aye all those opposed thank you so much thank you yeah also Adam transfer CDBG funds thank you mr. Chairman so this request comes from vision 2020 and as the board may remember I believe at the last meeting if not the meeting before the board voted to reallocate a portion of what had been allocated to a zoning reclassification recodification study that won't be pursued in this funding year that transfer that the board voted on left a balance in that account of $17,000 this request here is coming again from vision 2020 as you know the annual town survey goes out every year the software that they've been using still was was quite labor intensive so under the new chairmanship of julie brazil working with vision 2020 committee they've identified a new scanning software to help with the processing from both town staff and volunteers so the request tonight is for the board to transfer $3,105 from the CDBG planning account to allow vision 2020 to purchase that software is there a motion approval second and second discussion all those in favor please signify by saying aye aye all those opposed marie can do you have texting on your phone i'm wondering if we should text diane whether she forgot it starts at six all right sorry if you don't mind although you're missing adam's debt shift discussion but mr chapterling um sorry thinking about getting it getting it right in the minutes so this is a vote that actually we should have included during the tax rate setting process annually when the board sets the tax rate we also should be asking the board to formally vote to shift what has been that frozen amount five million five hundred ninety three thousand one hundred and twelve dollars off and off the water sewer enterprise fund on to the tax rate to service mwr a debt so i would ask the board tonight is to take a simple vote to agree to shift that five point five million dollar figure to the tax rate we'll then document that sent it off to dor and there's no there's nothing being held up but getting it on the books was an important thing to do sandy say if you had been here this never would have happened is there a motion so moves so move second second discussion questions mr done so i know in the past we've hesitated so when i first was elected one of the things i was hoping to do was to reduce the amount that's on this shift and one of the reasons we didn't do it was because the water rates were going up so much it just was there's a lot of pressure on the water rates already we didn't want to put more now that we are seeing a little bit less pressure on the water rates i'm probably going to be interested in us taking another look at this next year yep i think that's that's probably now given where we've come that's probably a time to start looking at whether or not we want to shave down i'm definitely in that direction though i'm supporting the motion tonight for sure let's get to know okay Joe or Steve anything else no no uh moved by Dan Sacramento yes yep i did you move it why don't we discuss this i'm gonna make oh marie i'll tell marie when she comes back that on a brilliantly moved motion by mr dunn and seconded by mr burn and re-seconded by mr cure we have voted all those in favor please say the five i say nine i don't know supposed so um then uh dan moved approval seconded by steve um on the water debt shift Doug that's stepped in he stepped in he took notes okay oh as i said did i say something wrong wouldn't be surprised and next up mr chapter winning thank you mr chairman's municipal partnership in terms of the transportation so i was contacted by uh transportation for massachusetts there a non-profit coalition focused on improving transportation infrastructure in the commonwealth and i was actually contacted by member of the natik board of selectmen who professionally works for uh what they call t4ma and they've started a municipal partnership program there's no cost to the community there's really no even request for in-kind services i just think it builds a solidarity around their coalition and advocating for a modern 21st century transportation system so in the memo i provided to the board as well as in the supplementary information it sort of lays out um their five guiding principles that if you don't mind i'll read out for those uh you know watching at home uh the principles they adhere to and would ask the you know joining towns to consider adhering to our our transportation system is a vital part of our economy providing economic opportunity and ensuring everyone can get where they need to go number two massachusetts needs a transportation network that offers safe affordable and convenient choices to residents and businesses including public transportation sidewalks and bikeways number three people without cars including youth seniors and low-income residents should have the opportunity to get to the schools and jobs that will help them pursue their dreams number four transportation investments should enhance mobility expand economic opportunity reduce pollution and greenhouse gases and support healthy sustainable communities and number five public stewards of transportation funds should be held accountable for wise fare and transparent use of public dollars so as i said in the memo i provided to the board i think generally speaking these are all principles that this board is committed to via its goal setting process and that the town uh also through town meeting um endorsed via the master plan uh at last town meeting so i i see this as a bit of a a no-brainer to support this uh this coalition um for us to sign on with the board of votes favorably tonight i'll simply fill out their online municipal partner application and arlington's name will show up as a supporter of t4ma okay yeah mr curill yeah i i'd like to move approval i have a comment second that's okay um yeah i i think this is timely especially given the uh few meetings ago we we voted um for the support for the green line extension now that it's in the balance i think this is a small way to kind of underline that support again i'd also note i assume it's mr rostrov it is contacted you and he's not only a select member i think he uh was or or maybe he's still as the uh president of the massachusetts selectman's association yeah i think he's immediate past media past president i believe so he certainly understands um how these issues affect uh local uh communities so happy to support it thank you for bringing it to our attention thank you yeah i was going to ask that question in any way does this help us with the expansion of the green line you know i i think it just aligns us with people who are interested in keeping it on track okay all right if all those uh in favor of the motion by mr curill seconded by mr barn please signify by saying i thank you thank you marie any luck or texture i mean i you know this is not the normal meeting time i understand but so the uh next item is for discussion ladies and gentlemen board of selectmen handbook so please i deserve the least amount of credit mr burn deserves a great deal of credit certainly mr heim deserves a great deal of credit marie ann and eve uh from adam eve from adam's office and marie ann from our office believe me they did the bulk of this work so uh we would remind you this is two parts this is the handbook and then the full policies and the rest would would be in a second section but what we're asking if possible is if you would take this home and over the holidays if you would whether there's typos whether there's um uh grammatical issues whether or you know solid changes or something you feel we need to add or delete i'd like to ask each member of this board if you could by january 6th send an email outlining uh you know changes there are pages are numbered um outlining you know if you have one two three five ten uh send those to marie ann who will then put them all together and add our the goal is that our meeting on january 11th to approve this uh in a final form with any amendments that may or may not be necessary uh is that agreeable to everybody okay so really uh i i'm amazed how long it took us but i think how important to document this is uh you know and to realize that there's been 91 people since 1867 that have sat in these seats uh we we we need to go to cambridge to get the records for the west cleanbridge years before then and early on it kind of varied between um some had three sometimes nine so but for us really 1867 on from the time we became arlington 91 people have have sat here and we look forward to 91 more questions comments i have one comment actually and um i think i know mr grill is uh quite modest in his work but you'll see the history part and that's a part that he wrote up himself i'm sure it is uh the most informative part um and enjoy able to read all due to our great chairman well i had three more paragraphs on me but i turn it over steve and the bum did not include it or maybe by january he'll recommend that no but thank you steve it's uh that was a labor of love and hate uh but really dug really dug wrote everything you know basically for us and marianne and eve just did so much in terms of uh including everything steve and i you know we had i'd say bi-weekly meetings and a section at a time would go through and i'd have suggestions steve would have suggestions and they'd reworked it so i think it's pretty close as an example i think we went through seven pictures before we chose that one we just couldn't find one where the selectman's chambers didn't have trees or you know uh but we tried any of them okay and well said with is that is that reasonable in terms of getting because you you really have read all of this as we've gone along but this is uh this is the whole thing finally put together so under new business mrs quipelka god bless mr hind nothing sir and dug our condolences for your recent loss and thank you for extraordinary efforts while you've lived through all of that as well mr chapter lane one brief piece of new business i notified the board earlier today via email that eileen mesina the administrative assistant in my office uh towards the end of next month uh we'll we'll start a transition she'll be going over to become the facilities department's new administrative assistant so big sort of big loss but also very happy for eileen and pursuing a little bit of a change of scenery and a new challenge and i know she'll do very well by the new department so i'll be posting internally first for the position of my office and we'll keep things moving that's all i have mr burr not any business mr dun theoretically in the last 30 minutes the minute man school committee has met and voted to approve a new regional agreement to send to the towns i'm very interested to hear whether or not they proved a bond at the same time separately this morning long-range planning committee met and uh the school department made a case for additional funds for the growing student population they have and uh the size of the problem is was much bigger than i anticipated and uh it would it really changes the long-term plan dramatically uh so it's uh i mean there's so it's it's not an accepted thing but the proposal that they're making is uh it's going to be big okay so we'll look forward to that fight yep uh anything i'll stand no that's it thank you mr currow no business so uh you know i would just like we have on our desk um and i'm sure this is available the acmi annual report uh another great year i'd like to uh thank acmi for the coverage they give to this meeting and all the public meetings and also uh thank the advocate for your coverage as well uh and to all our intonians on behalf of this board we want to wish you um uh happy holidays hanukkah if you celebrated that kwanzaa and a merry christmas and a happy new year the next meeting of this board will be on january 11th motion to adjourn so we'll second all those in favor please signify by saying i i was opposed merry christmas everybody