 Good evening. Welcome. I am calling to order this meeting of the Arlington Select Board on Monday, December the 18th. I am Select Board Chair Eric Helmuth. Tonight's meeting is being conducted in a remote format consistent with provisions by the state legislature for remotely conducted public meetings. I will now confirm that all members present are all members and persons anticipated on the agenda are present and can hear me. Members, when I call your name, please respond in the affirmative. John Hurd. Yes. Len Diggins. Here. Staff, when I call your name, please respond in the affirmative. Town Council Mike Cunningham. Yes. And select board administrator Ashley Maher. Yes. Thank you. Before we begin, please note that this meeting is being conducted entirely over zoom. It is being recorded in simultaneously broadcast on ACMI. Both zoom observers and people watching on ACMI can follow the posted agenda materials found on the town's website. Specifically, the select board agendas and minutes page. Finally, because this meeting is being held remotely, each vote tonight will be taken by roll call. And we have an abbreviated agenda tonight. Give me a moment to get to that on my screen. We have the consent agenda items two through five. We have a reappointments. First to the, to the transportation advisory committee with the term to expire December 31st of 2027. That's to socks. Got Smith and Melissa. Third item number three, we have a request for a contractor and drain layer license from MTP communications incorporated from Bellingham. Specifically mark my bone. Item for proclamation acknowledging the 250th anniversary of the banal of monotony. This was requested by our economic development coordinator. And finally request for the monotony grill and tavern late night event on December 31st. By Billy Lyons. So do I have a motion on the consent agenda. That's a motion to approve. Move approval. And then if I could just make a comment. Yes, please. Yeah. Since we're all not rushing out to, to dinner. But the just relative to the reenactment. A lot of work that's gotten into this. There's a lot of planning that's ongoing. We're trying, you know, we've with the 2025 committee. We've been looking towards 2025, but we're really for all the communities that are involved 2024 is going to be a dry run. And so we are going to have a reenactment that's a lot more in depth than the usual reenactments that we have. So it really should be a site to see it's going to be the same type of reenactment that we're going to have in 2025. Yeah, we're trying to incorporate some sort of a parade in there as well to make it, you know, event for people that enjoy the history of the town and for kids that enjoy. Parades. So it should be a really good event and I look forward to it and all the planning still in process, but I'm happy to see that on the agenda and there'll be more information to come relative to that. Thank you. Do I have a second that and I'll say that I like the logo, you know, especially the little untold, untold stories of monotony at the bottom makes me want to hear about them. And also I can't let this pass without saying, you know, how much I am happy that Melissa and Scott Smith or rejoining tactic been there. I know Scott's been there since the beginning and probably Melissa assume they're after if not at the beginning. Also, and they are such a valuable resource, you know, to the tack and then and to the town in general. And so, I think between them, we just probably 100 years of work on tack. Anyways, I'm once again happy to second. One comment, Mr. Chair. By all means, Mr. You wouldn't believe how much time and effort we spent in deciding that logo with a lot of options and a lot of input. And it was a multiple meeting, excursion to land on that but everyone was pretty excited about what we have there to represent the town so. I can't believe you having been through these processes. He's like, yeah, yeah, they're an effort. But no, that's well done. So thank you. Yeah. Well, I hardly second all the all those sentiments. And I'm glad Mr. Dickens that you seconded the motion because I was about to run out of select board members. But the logo is fantastic. Actually, I love that I got a magnet, I think, or a sticker with it. And I'm really excited about the work that you've done you and your colleagues have done the committee, Mr. And I really look forward to it's kind of excited about the celebration. So I think all that time you spent on it really is worth it because it's going to be the face of Wellington for for an awful lot of people. And yeah, to to Mr. Dickens point about Scott Melissa, I'm a big fan of the tech. And I think these individuals in particular contributed so much. So I'm delighted that they are, they're ready for more. So any further discussion. So on a motion by Mr. Hurd to approve the consent agenda and secondly by Mr. Diggins. Mr. Cunningham, would you please call the roll. Yes, Mr. Chair. Mr. Hurd. Yes. Mr. Diggins. Mr. Helmuth. Yes. Three zero vote. Thank you very much. I will note that Tom manager Jim Feeney has joined the meeting. Welcome, sir. We have item six licenses and permits for approval we have license renewals, a whole list of them that are listed in materials on the agenda, available on the agenda's minutes portion of the website and and select board members packets. So if I have any emotions or discussion on those approvals for renewals. Mr. Diggins. Yeah, I'll make a motion to move the license permits. Do I have a second. You're muted, Mr. Second. And any discussion. I have a motion to approve the license renewals as listed in item six by Mr. Diggins and seconded by Mr. Hurd attorney Cunningham. Mr. Hurd. Yes. Mr. Diggins. Yes. Mr. Helmuth. Yes. Three zero vote. Thank you very much. I'm moving along to correspondence received. We have the Fox library housing feasibility study from Claire Ricker, the director of planning and community development. We have a request for speed bumps and stop signs and apple in the street from Jeff Elias that 384 Appleton Street and a memo from the town manager about vacation buyback. Intertain motions and discussion. Mr. Hurd. I'll move received. And I'll give our new town manager. The same advice that I think I gave a few town managers past. And that it's certainly happy to see that the hard work that you put in that have created excess vacation days, but we all know how hard this job can be. And we certainly encourage you to take your vacation days. And that's, I think I've said that to at least one time manager before. I don't know if I ever said to Mr. Mr. Puler, but just food for thought. Thank you. Mr. Dickens. I'm going to add to that vacation stress me out. So sometimes it's like, it lessens more, you know, especially when I have to like come back me to like a lot of stuff. And some people say back, you know, one person that we met with recently said when, when, when, when you do what you enjoy, you know, you're not really working. And I certainly get the sense that Mr. Feeney is doing what he's doing, but he'll, he'll take care of himself. But I hear we're coming from Mr. Hurd, you know, and I'm just, I'm just giving you a hard time. And I also say that I'd like to see that we send that that second letter on the second number item number eight, you know, to Mr. Feeney, you know, and he can direct it from he can direct it, you know, to where he thinks it should go. And also, I just want to say on seven, I'm so happy to see that the study about the Fox library putting more affordable, the possibility, the feasibility of putting more housing on top of it every time I walk as Fox library. I just think we, we can do more here either. So I'm happy to see us at least beginning to think about doing more. And I'm kind of curious about that technical assistance that 15k plus me on top of the 77 in how that's going to be utilized. But I'll just save that for my conversation with Mr. Feeney, you know, some time later. So thank you. And happy second. I guess I was wondering if there's going to be a second to get into that and Mr. Heard, do you, you accept the friendly amendment on the referral to town manager for the, for the traffic item. Yes. All right. Any further discussion. Okay, so we have a motion to receive with a referral for item eight to the town manager by Mr. Heard and seconded by Mr. Diggins. Turning on him. Mr. Heard. Yes. Mr. Diggins. Yes. Three zero vote. Excellent. All right, and this brings us to new business in septic cases of emergency the board will neither deliberate nor act upon topics presented in new business. I will go first this evening I'd like to take the opportunity to thank the voters of Arlington for giving me the privilege of representing you on select board for the past almost three years. My term is up in April. And I'm very pleased to announce tonight that I intend to ask the voters for another three years by running for reelection. In the April town election. So I want to say all to my colleagues that I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you the same to my colleagues in the town staff. I think it is a terrific team. It has been a deeply rewarding experience at times and exhausting one, but I think that's exactly how it's supposed to be. And I'm certainly the voters agree with me. I'm certainly willing to go into the three years. And I will now move to Mr. Heard. Thank you. First, I am very happy to hear your announcement. We certainly have been a valuable asset to the board in the past three years and done a very good job and continue to do as chair. So that is a very good announcement for the time of Arlington. I want to just mention that we. It was last week, we had, we had hosted a regional meeting for the. The four municipalities that are part of the inter municipal agreement for the 2025 event at the senior center. It was very well attended that we actually had more people than we thought that we had, but there was a lot of work work was put in. By town staff or economic development coordinator Katie. You sigh and Angela. Azuzki is on the, the 2025 committee with me. And it was very well. It was a great representation of the town of Arlington. So that was a great event next event is going to be in February. With that, I, in following Mr. Helmeth announcement, you know, I've had a lot. I don't take the, you know, the decision. To run for reelection lightly, you know, I had a lot of conversations with family friends and just kind of looking at my own family situation. And, you know, where I fit in. But I think at the end of the day, what came for me is I still really have a passion for the town. My, we're going to be here for a long time. My kids are still quite young and going through the school system and using a lot of the town resources. I really enjoy the board that we have right now. I think we have a really good mix of. Different viewpoints, which really is effective in governing. And, you know, we don't always agree and that's fine, but we do so. I think I said this, but when one time we agreed, we disagree agreeably. And I, I feel like I have more work to be done. It's been an amazing six years. I think we've accomplished a lot. I am at, you know, whether it's the 2025 or just event, you know, issues that are facing the town, such that are important to me, such as affordable housing and and whatnot. I have the passion to continue on and, you know, based on what discussions I have, you know, I have, I'm going to have the ability to continue to commit to the town. And balance my work and my life and my commitment shouldn't again the voters determine that they want me for three more years. So I'm happy to announce that I too intend to pull papers once they do and seek reelection for another three year term on the board. Thank you. And I don't think this constitutes deliberation to see how happy I am. Mr. Heard to hear that news. You served the town. Well, you do it for the right reasons. And Arlington is lucky that you're going to keep doing it. I'll now turn to Mr. Diggins. Well, you know, I'm happy that we're in Zoom, because as you know, we're in the room. I have my mask on so you can't see me when I'm smiling, but I'm smiling and I'm so happy that both of you, you know, have decided to run again. And yeah, as Mr. Heard said, we're a mix. We're the first mix, but I think we get along well. And I think particularly so when we disagree and I find it easy to be agreeable, agreeably disagreeable because I kind of feel that chances are I'm going to change my mind. You know, if any of you are all disagree with me, so it's like I listen and it's like, okay, what am I not getting right here? You know, so that I can learn from that and go on. That's because I respect you all a lot and the colleagues who aren't here. And so it's one thing to look different and come from different backgrounds being that's the diversity in and of itself. But when someone really does think differently and have a different viewpoint and to be not only tolerant of that, but accepting of that, you know, it really makes a big difference being in. And that's, I feel that we have this in this group. And we're also, everyone works on the benefit of the residents so much, you know, and, and so I learned from you all respect that the OML tends to hem us in a bit. That's the only challenging in this job. And I think I tend to be a little more paranoid about that than others. And as I say to folks, it's not so much about I'm thinking outside the box is this maximizing the space inside the box. I mean, so, so I'm thrilled. I don't have anything to add other than happy holidays everyone and hope you have a good transition to the new year. Thank you, Mr. Diggins. I'll turn to the staff for new business. Let's start with board administrator Ashley mark. I think she's probably busy administering the meeting. So I will take that as a no new business and we'll turn to attorney kind of him any new business tonight, sir. Happy holidays to all and remind Mr. Diggins that attention and detail to the OML is a good thing. Never never apologize for that, sir. Mr. Feeney time manager. No new business. Happy holidays. I'll look forward to continuing our good work in 2024. Thank you. I will say Mr. Feeney that it remains a delight to all of us that you are serving the town and I think we all look forward to your first full year service even though we've known you for a long time. Thank you again for loving this town and for serving us so so capable. And with that, that's the end of the agenda. I will entertain a motion to adjourn. Motion to adjourn. Second. All right, I'm in motion to adjourn by Mr. Hurd a second of Mr. Diggins attorney cutting him. Mr. Hurd. Yes. Mr. Diggins. Yes. Mr. Helmut. Yes. We are adjourned. Good night. Happy holidays.