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Minutes of 1/4/24- Master Plan Steering Committee Meeting 
Roll Call of Attendees- Chair: Joeci Gilcrest (Economic Dev.), Vice-Chair: Tim Willsmer (Planning Board), Evan 
Watters (Finance Com.), Karin Menard (Parks), Debbie Lincoln (Council on Aging), Richard Bursch, Lou Franco 
(Select Board), Gerald Reid 
UPDATE FROM OVER/UNDER – Rami reported there will be 2 sessions on February 1st, and Over/Under will attend 
both. They are working out details with the other consultants and have been coordinating with Joeci to get the word 
out. He added that someone has been doing an excellent job at getting the word out about the survey. Last meeting, 
they had had 230 responses and now have a total of 336. Rami noted that they do have a print version of the survey 
which they can supply the Committee. They continue to meet bi-weekly with Matt Brenner and Joeci. Matt will be 
looking into the possibility of displaying the model at the Library. Rami said the next meeting will be to test the waters 
with the goals and vision that will shape the Master Plan. They have sent the Committee the link for the Existing 
Conditions report and it is also available on the website. The next task is to gage peoples’ thoughts, based on the 
survey, saying this is what we heard is important to you and to get feedback in person on 2/1. Later in the Spring, 
those goals and principles will be used to shape the different scenarios for the future. Rami stated that essentially 
they will present the community with possible futures, based on the consensus of the goals articulated in the Spring 
and probably Fall. The goals will be broken down into short, medium, and long term goals. Joeci asked when the 3rd 
survey would be available and Rami replied sometime in the Spring, but the content will be determined later, after the 
2/1 meeting.  If they feel confident about the goals and principles, then they can start to map out the scenarios or 
decide they need one more set of validations for the goals. A survey on the scenarios will take longer to draw through 
and explain. Rami said the early May Town Meeting would be a good deadline for the next reiteration and will 
hopefully be able to present some scenarios. Joeci asked if they could add a pdf link for the principles survey to the 
PlanLunenburg.org website and Rami replied they can. She noted a lot of people are saying they prefer a paper 
survey and Rami replied the only issue is collecting them. Rami asked to have all the surveys turned in by 1/25 so 
they can collate the results before the 2/1 meeting.  He added that he is still concerned that the renters are even 
more unrepresented. Karin stated she has a connection at the Arrive complex and Joeci suggested having a table to 
pass out surveys one evening. Evan asked if they knew the percentage of renters in relation to the total number of 
people in town and Rami replied it is about 12%. Only 4% of survey respondents are renters. Joeci put out a feeler 
on the Town Facebook page for renters to take the survey but she received no response, but she will keep trying. 
Debbie stated that the 300th Anniversary Committee is having a difficult time finding large open space areas in town 
to hold large events. She added that people may consider open space as a conservation area only and asked Rami if 
they could tease out the concepts of open space for events vs open space for conservation. Rami replied yes, noting 
they had interesting survey responses and suggestions for addressing that. Rich B. asked to clarify if there were 
specific conservation areas noted and Debbie replied she just mentioned that they can no longer use the area in front 
of the High School. Tim noted in Marlboro they would close off traffic in the center of town for large gatherings and 
asked if Lunenburg could consider something similar. Evan suggested asking the public about open space for large 
gatherings beyond the 300th anniversary and reaching out to large farms. It could be a survey to piggyback off of the 
Master Plan survey and Debbie replied they will have one. Lou noted they would like a large, flat open space for 
bonfires. Rami said there were 2 statements on the survey – one stating Lunenburg needs to improve their open 
space for recreation opportunities and the town needs to increase and improve spaces for gathering/events, so the 
distinction is already in the survey.    
UPDATE ON EVENT FOR FEBRUARY 1st   - Joeci reported that they will have 2 duplicate sessions on 2/1 to allow 
attendees an option that will work for their schedule.  The sessions will be held at the Lunenburg Adult Activity Center 
in the Big Room.  The first session will be 4-6pm and the second session will be held 6:30 – 8:30pm. The Model will 
be there for both sessions. Rami encouraged all to get the word out to their friends’ groups and they can supply flyers 
or other materials to use in emails. Joeci noted that there are paper copies of the survey available at the Town Hall 
and the Lunenburg Adult Activity Center. Surveys can be dropped off to Annie Aubrey at the Ritter Building and 
Debbie added they are collecting them at the LAAC also. Joeci noted that Rami will have his team add a pdf link for 
printing the survey from the PlanLunenburg.org site. Surveys can also be completed online.  
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COMMITTEE COMMENT - none 
PUBLIC COMMENT – Kim Duffy (1479 Mass Ave.) stated she attended the last meeting and asked if the previous 
Master Plan from 20 years ago was available to view online. Lou replied that he did not know if it was online but it 
should be. He noted that you can get a hold of one and will make inquiries as to how it can be put online. Kim said 
she was curious if they met the plan and if there were things not done but they would like to do now. Kim asked if 
there was a goal set for a minimum of survey responses. Rami replied the percentage varied up to 8%, which he 
thinks is unrealistic. Their group had hoped for 250 responses and they have surpassed that.  Lou pointed out that 
some of the 11,000 residents are young kids and 336 responses would be about 3%.  Richard stated the Master Plan 
from 2002 is on the town website. Kim noted there is a Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan that has 
energy reduction goals for 2025 and 2030. She asked if this energy plan would be part of the Master Plan, indicating 
how we try to meet those goals with Solar and energy reduction. There are a lot of grants available to help fulfill those 
goals as long as the community is in good standing as a Green Community. Kim noted the Green Community 
Committee is working on goals, such as electrifying school buses and adding charging stations, which could be 
incorporated into the Master Plan. She said the state goal is to reduce state emissions by 28% by 2025 and by 47% 
by 2030, based on 1990 baselines. They need to reduce energy by 20%, which they have done but will need more 
help to get to higher percentages. Rami said they will continue to urge and make recommendations for maintaining 
the Green Community’s good standing to continue access to those grants. It will also require that the community is 
interested in pursuing these goals. They have had good communications with the Green Community Committee, 
since the survey was developed so the questions do not reflect that, but he wants to make sure their concerns are 
not left behind.    
 
Motion: Joeci G.                                                                                                                              Second: Gerald R.  
To adjourn at 6:44pm         Roll Call Vote: Joeci, Gerald, Debbie, Tim, Carol, Karin, Richard, and Evan -all aye. 
 
Respectfully submitted, 
 
Jane L. Ranley 
Minutes Clerk