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Member not present: Michael-Ray Jeffreys
Also Present: Heather Lemieux, Town Manager; Tim Murphy, Town Moderator; Adam Costa, Town Counsel;
Patrick Sullivan, Fire Chief; Jim Marino, Police Chief, Jim Garreffi, Nashoba District Sanitarian
Chairman Alonzo called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and announced in accordance with the requirements of
the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over YouTube Live.
Mr. Alonzo read the remote meeting information and everyone was present and could be heard.
PUBLIC COMI everyone a happy Memorial Dav Carl Tuck an Sunset Lane, hoped the Board would on.,.
postponing Town Meeting and implementing a 1/12 budget until the town understands better the ramifications of
the impact of the pandemic.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mr. Alonzo reminded all of the virtual Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 25" at 10:00 am on public
access television.
The Farmers' Market is continuing to hold the market on Sundays on the Ritter Building lawn during these
times. Opening Day is May 31 at 10:00 a.m.
I. OLD BUSINESS
Skateboard Park Tollbooth Request. The Lunenburg Skate park group would like to move their tollbooth
fundraiser out to September 26th.
Motion: K. Adams
2": D. McQuaid
To authorize the change of date to September 26th
Vote: Ms. Adams- aye, Mr. McQuaid-aye, Ms. Luck- aye, Mr. Alonzo-aye
2. FY 2021 Budget
Ms. Luck questioned Ms. Lemieux's decision to proceed with hiring a Principal Assessor during the
hiring freeze. Ms. Lemieux reported this position would be an allocation of existing funds effective July
1st. She considered this an essential service for the Town.
Ms. Lemieux reported one change to the budget, a prior year's bill of $476.20 to be paid out of free cash,
increasing our surplus to $1,066,425.
Ms. Luck requested Ms. Lemieux address a recent email from Senator Tran regarding reduction of local
aid. Ms. Lemieux noted there was no guidance from the state leadership in that email only Senator Tran's
opinion. Discussion ensued about future economic uncertainty.
Il.
CURRENT BUSINESS
1. Saliba Property: Vote to Declare Purchase of 994 Northfield Road a Unique Acquisition,
Vote to Execute Purchase of Property and Designate Member of Board to Sign Documents
Motion: D. MeQuaid
2nd: P. Luck
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and is contiguous to other open space parcels. The parties that have a beneficial interest in the property are
current owners John Saliba and David Saliba. The property will be purchased for $775,000, with $500,000
coming from state PARC and LAND grant funds and the remaining $275,000 from the Town of
Lunenburg, as was previously authorized at the November 12, 2019 Special Town Meeting.
Vote: Ms. Adams- aye, Mr. McQuaid-aye, Ms. Luck-aye, Mr. Alonzo- aye
Motion: D. McQuaid
2nd: P. Luck
I move to proceed with the execution of the purchase of the Saliba property at 994 Northfield Road as voted
at the November 12, 2019 Special Town Meeting and to authorize Chairman Tom Alonzo to sign the
necessary documents on behalf of the Town.
Vote: Ms. Adams- aye, Mr. McQuaid-aye, Ms. Luck- aye, Mr. Alonzo-aye
2. Discussion on Plan for Safety Precautions for the Annual Town Meeting
Mr. Alonzo acknowledged Mr. Murphy, Attorney Costa, Fire Chief Sullivan, Police Chief Marino and Sanitarian
Jim Garreffi for the discussion. Ms. Luck asked why not delay the Town meeting? Discussion ensued about the
pandemic and future conditions. The group moved on to safety precautions.
Mr. Garreffi suggested that public education about the procedure for town meeting and personnel safety be
addressed. Logistics of microphone(s) placement and seating were discussed
Mr. Alonzo noted the Town Clerk was invited to this discussion since the meeting falls under her purview, yet did
not respond to the email.
Attorney Costa stated he has not heard anything that concerns him that runs afoul of constitutional rights. Mr.
Murphy stated he would prefer to have all participants in one room in order to conduct the meeting. He
encouraged an early check-in system so everyone is not trying to line up for the meeting right before it. Other
details such as food and drink being allowed and how handouts would be addressed were discussed.
1. Warrant/Minutes/Action Items/Committee Reports
Mr. Alonzo announced he had signed the following warrants:
• A/P Warrant #57 20 $2,373,539.94
• A/P Deduction Warrant #58 20 $563,255.75
• Payroll Warrant #23P20M $11,810.88
• Payroll Warrant #23P20 $810,224.45
Ms. Luck asked Town Manager to ensure all town tires are free of water to prevent mosquito breeding.
Ms. Adams repeated her request for the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of meetings. She also asked to
discuss different actions with animal control at a meeting. She also wanted to advertise how to run for an elected
position. She requested an update on the intersection of Electric Ave and Mass Ave.
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•
•
Open Space Committee (1 vacancy-citizen at large)
Planning Board (2 positions appointed by the remaining members of the Planning Board and the Board of
Selectmen until the next Annual Town Election in May)
• Zoning Board of Appeals (2 Associate vacancies)
Talent bank forms can be obtained on the Town Website and forwarded to the Board of Selectmen's Office.
CARES Act Funding: As I reported last week, the Town has begun to receive some relief funds from the CARES
Act Relief Fund; we received $7,035.89 from the Department of Health and Human Services Emergency Relief.
Fund and the Department of Secondary and Elementary Education informed the Superintendent that we would
receive $198,000 specifically for the Schools. I participated in a call on May 14th set up jointly by the
Massachusetts Municipal Association and the Division of Local Services and the Executive Office for
Administration and Finance providing guidance to cities and towns on what we can anticipate for CARES Act
Relief funding, what is eligible at this point, and when we will be able to submit for reimbursement for COVID-19
related costs. The State also provided the total amount that each town is eligible to receive and Lunenburg's total
eligible amount for FY20 and FY21 is $1,027,771. At this point lost revenues are not eligible costs but Congress is
currently discussing changing the restrictions on the use of these funds to include loss revenues. I had a meeting
yesterday with the Finance Director and the Police and Fire Public Safety Coordinators to discuss spending against
the $7,000 CARES Act money we have already received, FEMA eligible costs, and CARES Act eligible costs. It
vas contirmed late today by the Secretary of the Executive Ottice of Administration and finance, atter
onferring with the federal government, that the CARES Act funds can be used as the 25% match to the FEMA
funds, which only reimburse 75% of eligible costs. The Police and Fire Public Safety Coordinators are tracking
FEMA eligible expenses and the Finance Director is tracking all other eligible costs that will be posted to the
Emergency Expenditure account. The first round of submitting for CARES Act funding for FY20, both already
spent and anticipated for remainder of FY20, is June 5*h. If we do not submit all eligible FY20 costs by June 5ht,
there will be another opportunity to submit but the goal will be to submit all anticipated expenses so this will
wipe out any deficit going forward into FY21.
17 & 23 West Street Property: We received three bids in response to the Request for Proposals for the West Street
property, with a high bid of $35,000. The high bidder met the conditions of the Request for Proposals. I am looking for
agreement from the Board on moving forward with the award of the bid to the highest bidder.
Memorial Day Ceremony and Gold Lights at Gazebo: The Chairman of the Board previously announced that there
will be a virtual Memorial Day video that will be aired on Monday, May 25th at 10 a.m. on Channels 8 and 9 and
will be aired again throughout next week. Also, the Veterans Agent asked if we could participate in a State effort
to light town buildings, memorials or flags in gold over Memorial Day in honor of the Gold Star Families of the
Commonwealth. Gold Star Families are spouses, children, parents, siblings or others whose loved one died in
service to our nation. Dave MacDonald has graciously taken this on and the Town Gazebo will be lit from Friday
evening until Tuesday morning in Gold.
Farmer's Market:
The Agricultural Commission Chairman Matt Allisonreached out about the opening ofthe Farmers Marketon
May 31 st and as Farmers Markets were deemed essential by the Governor in March, after conferring with our
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• The School Committee is meeting Wednesday, May 20th and I will be attending the Executive Session
portion of their meeting.
• The Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Workshopison Thursday, May 21stfrom 8:30a.m. until
12:30p.m.
COVID-19 Update
COVID-19 IN Lunenburg and Board of Health Notices:
The Board of Health issued their weekly update dated May 15" and it has been put on the COVID-19 Information Center
page on the town website under News and Announcements on the homepage. As of May 18* there are 54 confirmed positive
cases in Lunenburg, 22 of which are recovered and one death.
Re-Opening Task Force
The reopening Task Force will be meeting tomorrow May 20"h to discuss yesterday's guidance from the Baker-Polito
administration and the creation of our Control Plan to comply with these requirements. The Facilities Director and Town
Manager's Executive Assistant have been working on getting our stock of masks, gloves, cleaning supplies, sanitizer and
wipes to a level suitable for employees to start returning to the workplace and will continue to monitor our supplies to
sufficient levels. Our control plan will include ensuring we can maintain social distancing, adhere to proper hygiene
protocols, employee certification measures that they are in good health in the workplace, return to work protocols, ensure
proper cleaning/disinfecting of workspaces and provide training and posters for employees and eventually visitors to town
facilities. Our reopening will be a slow, phased approach that will be determined by having the necessary protocols, supplies
and protections in place to do so safely. More information on the released, comprehensive plan from the Baker-Polito
administration is included in this report under updates from the state and federal government.
UPDATES RECEIVED FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
COVID-19 in Massachusetts (as of 5/18/20):
As of May 18th there are 87,052 COVID-19 cases and 5,862 deaths 460,826 patients have been tested to date by the MA
State Public Health Laboratory, hospitals and commercial laboratories.
Safer at Home Advisory:
Effective May 18th, the Department of Public Health also updated the Stay at Home Advisory, replacing it with a new,
"Safer at Home" Advisory. The new Safer at Home Advisory instructs everyone to stay home unless they are headed to a
newly opened facility or activity. It also advises those over the age of 65 and those with underlying health conditions to stay
home with the exception of trips required for health care, groceries, or that are otherwise absolutely necessary. All residents
must continue to wear a face covering in public when social distancing is not possible, and individuals are advised to wash
their hands frequently and be vigilant in monitoring for symptoms. Restrictions on gatherings of more than 10 people remain
in effect.
Governor Baker's May 18" Release of the "Reopening Massachusetts":
The Baker-Polito Administration released Reopening Massachusetts, the Reopening Advisory Board's report, which
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sectors, and activities that present less risk will open in earlier phases. Those that present more risk will open in later phases.
There are Mandatory Safety Standards for Workplaces which apply for all workplaces and the Reopening Advisory Board
has issued Sector Specific Safety Protocols and Best Practices that detail how particular industries should operate upon
reopening.
Mr. Alonzo stated the next meeting was on June 2nd.
Discussion ensued about a draft safety plan for Town Meeting as well as the Annual Election. Mr. Alonzo
reminded all that the Town Clerk is an elected official and has purview over the election.
Public Comment:
Chief Marino stated he was sure the Town Manager would be consulting with the department heads for a plan but
these are fluid situations and will most likely involve department heads and there will be contingency plans. The
key is to have enough supplies and help on hand to handle situations.
Motion: D. McQuaid
To adjourn the meeting at 9:00 p.m.
2nd: P. Luck
Vote: Ms. Adams-aye, Mr. McQuaid-aye, Ms. Luck-aye, Mr. Alonzo-aye
Respectfully submitted,
Elainem Peterson
Elaine M. Peterson
Executive Assistant to the Town Manager