===PAGE 1=== Page 1 of 5 Select Board Meeting Minutes September 10, 2024 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes Tuesday September 10, 2024 PRESENT: Caesar Nuzzolo, Michael-Ray Jeffreys, Amanda Moore, Tom Alonzo, Renee Emkey OTHERS: Mr. Carter Terenzini CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by the Chair. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Chair Nuzzolo noted that it was being recorded and broadcast live on Lunenburg Public Access Channel, Facebook Live, and would be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel. BOARD COMMENTS: None PUBLIC COMMENTS George Burden, 39 Cortland Circle, raised issues regarding unfulfilled public document requests directed at the interim town manager. He highlighted issues surrounding a property dispute involving a shed on common land, tied to perceived retaliatory actions connected to potential preferential tax treatment for certain individuals, suggesting a connection to board member Mr. Jeffreys. He expressed frustration over non-receipt of requested documents and alleged obstructions in communication channels. Chair Nuzzolo assured that there would be follow-up on these document requests. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Nuzzolo shared announcements including a flu vaccine clinic hosted by the Nashoba Board of Health is scheduled for October 3 rd from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Lunenburg Library. The clinic is open to all ages and preregistration is required at neshoba.org/calendar. Attendees are asked to bring their insurance cards; however, those without insurance will not be turned away. Additionally, the Lunenburg Agricultural Commission will host an agricultural fair on October 5th, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at TC Passios. He also mentioned the second town official meet and greet, scheduled for Thursday, September 26th, at 5:30 PM at Lower Places Ranch. APPOINTMENTS Bicycles Battling Cancer Request to Pass through Lunenburg on September 22, 2024. It was noted that necessary approvals from both the police and fire chiefs had been obtained. Chair Nuzzolo and fellow board members, familiar with the event's history as it had occurred multiple times over the years, were satisfied that all preparations were adequate. Member Alonzo made Motion to approve the Bicycles Battling Cancer request to pass through Lunenburg on September 22, 2024, give the data and the map provided by the applicant. Seconded by Member Emkey. All, aye. Passed unanimously (5-0-0). ===PAGE 2=== Page 2 of 5 Select Board Meeting Minutes September 10, 2024 INTERIM TOWN MANAGER REPORT Mr. Terenzini provided a comprehensive update on staffing vacancies, reporting progress in the recruitment of various positions including the land use director, administrative assistant, seasonal laborers, and public safety desk staff. Despite efforts, certain roles such as the assistant sewer business manager remain unfilled. Mr. Terenzini acknowledged the critical role of volunteers in town operations, noting vacancies on multiple boards, including the Agricultural Commission, Architectural Preservation District Commission, Board of Health, Conservation, Cultural Council, Green Communities, Historical Commission, Open Space Committee, and the Sewer Commission. Mr. Terenzini elaborated on ongoing infrastructure projects and funding concerns. He reported on the community's need to find suitable candidates for the Sewer Commission and efforts to schedule a joint meeting between the board and the commission. In discussions with Chris Ruth, facilities director, Mr. Terenzini highlighted operational challenges, particularly focusing on municipal buildings such as the TC Passios, the Ritter building, and the Adult Activity Center roof replacement project. Financial concerns were raised regarding projected shortfalls for planned renovations due to escalating costs over time. Mr. Terenzini underscored the potential requirement to augment the facilities maintenance budget at town meetings to avert deficits. Efforts to streamline certain town processes, for example, making forms fillable online to facilitate volunteer applications, were also underway, promising to enhance operational efficiencies. OLD BUSINESS Review ARPA Funding requests and committed funds: Mr. Terenzini discussed concerns regarding committed funding deadlines related to ARPA. He noted that there had been concerns regarding wage rates, which led to a review with town counsel. Upon review, the conclusion was that the previously thought wage rates did not apply. Additionally, Mr. Terenzini mentioned that the senior center was preparing to order its equipment while promising the board an actual expenditure report by the next week. The interpretation of 'committed' funds under ARPA has been an issue as it changed from defined commitments to being under contract, which affected timelines for certain projects. Member Jeffreys highlighted concerns from the library trustees, who are striving to get their projects to the RFP stage by addressing delays, such as cost estimation, which is seen as the main hold-up at present. The board is very conscious of these deadlines and the need for projects to be under agreement to ensure funding is retained prior to potential reallocation. Mr. Terenzini reassured the board that there were efforts to ensure progress on these projects, with additional input from Chris Ruth regarding cost estimators and assistance from interim town contacts to push things forward. Draft Financial Policy Manual: Mr. Terenzini introduced a draft of the financial policy manual, encouraging members to review and provide commentary within three weeks. Board/Committee Handbook: No current updates were provided. Mr. Terenzini indicated the handbook would become a focus once financial policies were reviewed. ===PAGE 3=== Page 3 of 5 Select Board Meeting Minutes September 10, 2024 FY’25 Select Board Goals: Interim Town Manager highlighted the importance of involving various departments to identify necessary resources for achieving board goals in the fiscal year. The board considered implementing workshops, either within regular meetings or as separate sessions, to ensure in-depth discussions on aligning goals with actionable steps to establish a clear path for future town planning. Chair Nuzzolo: • Emphasized the need for strategic budget management, focusing on staffing and municipal buildings to meet financial and infrastructure challenges in the town. • Staffing and employee development were prioritized, with an emphasis on staff recognition, ongoing training, and structured annual performance evaluations to encourage continuous improvement. • Municipal buildings were a focal point; particularly the Ritter building and TC Passios, which face funding shortfalls and rising renovation costs due to aged infrastructure. • Maintaining alignment between select board and administration efforts on budgetary goals, project timelines, and staffing remained a discussion priority. Member Moore: - Goal-Setting Process: • Establish a formal annual goal-setting process • Engage town departments and key stakeholders. • Foster community involvement through public forums, surveys, and digital tools. • Establish clear and measurable objectives for transparent progress. - Staff Retention, Development, and Communication: • Create a town-wide employee recognition policy. • Conduct regular surveys to assess job satisfaction and identify improvements. • Offer training programs, workshops, and educational opportunities. • Enhance communication between the select board and town employees, within charter limits. - Transparency and Accessibility: • Launch an informative public dashboard for easy access to town data. • Guarantee timely posting of meeting agendas and minutes. • Make Select Board Meeting materials available to the public. • Enhance communication via social media, local media, and town website. • Establish regular public office hours for select board member-resident interactions. • Offer "Lunenburg 101" sessions to educate and engage residents in governance. Flat Hill Road Speed Limit: Mr. Terenzini informed attendees of ongoing discussions with key departments about addressing community concerns while adhering to regulatory requirements. ===PAGE 4=== Page 4 of 5 Select Board Meeting Minutes September 10, 2024 CURRENT BUSINESS Minutes/Warrants/Action Items Minutes: Continuous use of AI-generated minutes was criticized for its quality, with instances highlighted where the content was deemed unintelligible, underscoring the need for accurate and comprehensive meeting documentation. Mr. Terenzini apologized for the oversight and highlighted ongoing efforts to address the backlog. Member Alonzo and Member Emkey expressed concerns about the effectiveness of the current methods used for disseminating meeting minutes and the collective endeavor to enhance this process. Warrants: It was noted by Member Alonzo that the warrants received from this week's DocuSign process were not ideal as they primarily included the signature sheet, lacking the full documentation essential for an informed review. COMMITTEE REPORTS School Committee: Member Emkey reported updates on capital projects including: • Completion of primary school AC mini split project for 12 classrooms, with 1 classroom rolling into the next phase due to cost increases. • Turkey Hill window security film project is in progress. • Delays on the Turkey Hill exterior door upgrade, security upgrades, fire alarm system, and Primary School security upgrades due to pending asbestos testing report. • Draft FY’26 capital projects prioritized, with primary school driveway and playgrounds and Turkey Hill hot water tank as top priorities. Capital Planning Committee: Member Alonzo mentioned no meetings have been scheduled yet Master Plan Steering Committee: Member Moore indicated that meetings are starting again in October, with a date to be determined. Municipal Building Design Committee: Member Jeffreys reported that they met to discuss and review an RFP involving Julie's assistance. They plan to finalize and release this RFP shortly, with an upcoming meeting next week for further progress. Finance Committee: Member Alonzo mentioned the finance committee appointing committee met reappointing Tom Gray Upcoming Meetings: September 17 th and October 1st, with focus on further development on Board goals. PUBLIC COMMENTS Dave Passios, Whiting Street, shared updates concerning the Green Communities initiative, emphasizing the committee's aggressive collaboration with the school department. Their primary agenda has been the implementation of phase 2 of the mini splits in the October grant round. ===PAGE 5=== Page 5 of 5 Select Board Meeting Minutes September 10, 2024 Emphasizing joint efforts, he highlighted the productive meeting involving Kelly Brown from the superintendent's office, the business director, and the participation of Unitil's representative. Their efforts aim to secure funding between $100,000 and $125,000 from Green Communities to support their initiatives. The October timeline is crucial due to summer school infrastructural needs. Securing timely funding is essential to maintain operational efficiency and avoid disruptions to the school district's educational plans. BOARD COMMENTS Member Alonzo: Described a successful community initiative where around 12 members came together to install a bocce court at the Adult Activity Center. He commended the spirit of teamwork and community, leading to the completion of the project in approximately an hour and a half. He expressed gratitude to Chris Ruth and all volunteers involved, highlighting a strong sense of community accomplishment, anticipating the court's prolonged use by residents. Member Jeffreys: Proposed formally recognizing the police chief's significant contributions and service to the town, including advancing the force's professionalism and training, ahead of his retirement. The board acknowledged the positive impact of his tenure on the police force and the community. ADJOURN Member Alonzo made Motion to adjourn. Seconded by Member Moore. All, aye. Passed (5-0-0) Meeting adjourned at 8:06 PM