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Meeting Minutes 
February 19, 2025 5:30pm 
 
 
Members Present: Brian Lehtinen, Michael-Ray Jeffreys, Greg Roy, Matthew Allison, Tom 
Gray 
 
Members absent: David Blatt, Kristina Masaitis 
 
Town Employees: NA 
 
Community Guests: Tony Sculumbrine, Bob Doolittle 
 
Meeting called to order at 5:40pm. 
 
 
No public comment. 
 
Michael-Ray Jeffreys discussed the warrant article process. Calculations are being calculated 
for debt. Michael-Ray to work with bond council on cost escalators and detailed breakdown 
of costs between the $17 million and $22 million estimates. Michael-Ray also discussed the 
cost of the project, which was estimated at $17,000,800, but with a high range estimate of 
$22.3 million, including a 25% markup for soft costs and an owner's contingency for 
potential scope creep. The committee was asked to discuss and decide on the appropriate 
number for the project. 
Matthew Allison brought up the concern the hazardous materials were not included. Michael-
Ray to contact Chris Ruth for more details on hazardous materials in Town Hall and Ritter 
building. Michael-Ray to follow up with the architectural team on the screening plans for 31 
School Street and potential modifications to the parking lot layout. 
Brian Lehtinen to continue monitoring social media for public concerns and questions about 
the project.  Committee members to draft a public presentation addressing key concerns 
raised on social media, including funding mechanisms, project necessity, and transparency. 
Committee to determine the final number to request in the warrant article for the annual town 
meeting. Committee to explore the feasibility and cost implications of using fossil fuels vs. 
all-electric systems for the buildings. Committee to obtain more information on the capacity 
and payback period for the proposed solar panel system. Committee to include alternates (like 
EV chargers, Meeting House basement slab, solar panels) in the bid package for potential 
future implementation. 
 

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In the meeting, it was discussed the town should not install $281,000 worth of electric vehicle 
(EV) charging stations, but rather a couple of charging stations that cover 4 spots. Tthe town 
could add more stations in the future if needed. The town should put in a minimum of two 
charging stations. The team also discussed the potential for solar panels, with concerns about 
the infrastructure needed to support them. Michael-Ray mentioned that the center of 
Lunenburg is identified as having capacity for more solar, but there have been delays in 
connecting to the grid. The team agreed to further explore the feasibility of solar panels and 
EV charging stations. 
The commit1tee discussed various aspects of the town building project, focusing on 
alternates and energy systems. Michael-Ray explains the complications with the PV canopy 
funding due to the frozen Inflation Reduction Act funds. The group debates the merits of all-
electric versus fossil fuel systems, considering new energy codes, executive orders, and 
operational costs. They acknowledge the need for more information on energy improvements 
and their potential savings to make informed decisions and prepare responses for public 
questions. 
The committee noted that the town had passed a solar canopy bylaw, but the capacity limits 
were unclear. They also discussed potential hazardous materials in the Town Hall and Ritter 
buildings, with Tony confirming the presence of asbestos in the window glazing of Ritter. 
They discussed the possibility of remnants of underground oil tanks from the old fire station, 
but concluded that this was unlikely due to the construction of the new Public Safety building 
in the early 2000s. Michael-Ray proposed working with Bond Council to estimate escalating 
costs for the project, which is currently estimated at $22.3 million. Greg requested a more 
detailed breakdown of the costs between the $17 million price tag and the $22 million 
estimate. Michael-Ray confirmed that the 5% OPM (Owner's Project Manager) fee is 
standard and not negotiable. 
Bob Doolittle raised concerns about the impact of the proposed solar panel installation on the 
viewshed and architectural preservation district. Tony clarified that the architectural 
preservation district only deals with existing structures, and the impact would be more 
relevant to the planning board. Michael-Ray suggested that the design could incorporate 
screening to minimize the impact on the viewshed. Bob also questioned the extension of the 
parking lot, which could potentially impact the legal right of way. Michael-Ray confirmed 
that the parking lot's layout could be modified in the construction document phase, but it was 
not a significant concern in the schematic design phase. 
Michael-Ray leads a discussion about the town hall project and public engagement. The 
committee addresses concerns raised on social media, including prioritization of funds, 
transparency, and project necessity. The committee plans to create a presentation to address 
these concerns and provide more information to residents. They are looking for someone to 
take the lead on drafting this presentation using PowerPoint. 
 
The meeting was adjourned at 6:49pm, due to a technical issue with the zoom closing.