# select-board — 13 documents, concatenated for reading and search # # This is a CONVENIENCE BUNDLE, not a source. Every document below is # published separately and byte-identically; cite the individual file, # whose path is given in each header, rather than this bundle. # Index of all boards: https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/minutes/INDEX.txt # The town's own scanned original is linked per document. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-21-minutes-rr2026-09-18.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-10-21 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-10-21-minutes-rr2026-09-18.txt ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 21, 2025 Page 1 of 12 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes Town Hall, 17 Main Street and via Zoom Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Members Present: Chair Caesar Nuzzolo, Vice-Chair Amanda Moore, Clerk Renee Emkey, Member Brian Lehtinen, and Member Glenn McLeod Members Absent: none Also Present: Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager Public Comment Participants are listed in the minutes I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chair Caesar Nuzzolo called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Chair Nuzzolo advised those present that the meeting was being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access Channel, on Facebook Live, and would be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube Channel following the meeting. He explained that the agenda listed topics that may be discussed, but not all items may be addressed and other items not listed could be brought up as permitted by open meeting law. II. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Nuzzolo announced the following upcoming community events: The Master Plan Steering Committee would be hosting a final public meeting at Smokestack Roasters on October 22, 2025, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM to gather final community input on the Town's master plan. The Lunenburg Public Library was celebrating its 20th anniversary throughout the month, featuring scavenger hunts for adults, teens, and children with prize drawings, a Friends of the Library fundraiser offering donated skills and services, a 20th Birthday Party on Friday, October 24 at 5:00 PM with cake, prize announcements, and a jazz ukulele concert, and a Halloween Costume Parade on Monday, October 27 at 11:00 AM for children ages five and under, beginning at the library and proceeding to other town buildings for trick-or-treating. III. PUBLIC COMMENT Public Comment Ana Lockwood, 91 Main Street, read a written statement on behalf of Linda McDonald of 1004 Massachusetts Avenue, who expressed distress over proposed restrictions to her property and objected to the lack of individual notification to affected residents. Ms. Lockwood then offered her own comments, citing the APDC Chair's remarks from a prior meeting attributing the failure to engage the public on this matter to the Select Board, and called upon the Select Board to exercise its authority as gatekeeper of the warrant to remove the article. She further referenced the Select Board's prior decision not to add an override to the Town elections ballot despite Town Meeting approval, questioning the consistency of the Select Board's willingness to intervene. Leigh O'Brien, 92 Leominster Road, stated that she had only learned of the proposed merger through social media the day prior. She expressed concern about the discriminatory and divisive ===PAGE 2=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 21, 2025 Page 2 of 12 nature of imposing restrictions on a specific segment of property owners, characterized the proposal as an abuse of government authority, and requested that a map and description of specific restrictions be made available to affected residents. Nathan Lockwood, 91 Main Street, identified himself as an APDC member. He acknowledged the value of exploring the merger but expressed concern that the article was not sufficiently vetted, noting that the warrant language had not yet been made public and that significant details, including changes in the venue for appeals and potential shifts in bylaw language, had only recently come to light. He asked that the article not be placed on the warrant at this time and recommended a more deliberate public process prior to any future submission. Sharon McCullough, 10 Massachusetts Avenue, recounted a prior experience in which construction work on her property was halted because the proper paperwork had not been submitted to the APDC. She expressed concern about further restrictions on her ability to maintain and improve her home, and stated that she had not been informed or consulted about the proposed changes. She requested that the article be withheld from the warrant. Harry Kubetz, 125 Howard Street and 944 Massachusetts Avenue, participated via Zoom. He expressed respect for the Select Board and stated that the article was developed without public notice or input, that the language was not posted on the town website, and that what was characterized as a simple merger in fact constituted a substantive change in the nature of the district. He urged the Select Board to reject or delay the article to safeguard residents and maintain public trust, and suggested the matter be brought before voters at a regular annual town meeting in the spring. John Bowen, 162 Highland Street, offered context regarding appeals under historical commission bylaws, noting that variances are available through the state historic commission and that certified contractors are a standard requirement in historical districts. He observed that this process had been publicly discussed over the past year and that an appointed board operating under state guidelines still carries legitimate authority. Board Comment Vice-Chair Amanda Moore encouraged those in attendance who were present primarily for the APDC matter to remain for or later view the full meeting, as that topic would be addressed in depth during the agenda's scheduled discussion period. Chair Nuzzolo likewise reserved his comments for that agenda item. IV. SCHEDULED MEETINGS AND HEARINGS 7:05 PM Public Hearing: Pole Petition for Townsend Harbor Road Plan #979-L, Proposed relocation of Pole #14, 13’ of property line. Approximately 1959’ from Massachusetts Avenue and approximately 331’ from Woodland Drive. Clerk Renee Emkey read the public hearing notice: In conformity with the requirements of Section 22 of Chapter 166 of the General Laws (Ter. Ed.), you are hereby notified that a public hearing will be held at the Town Hall, 17 Main Street, 2nd Floor, in the Joseph F. Bilotta Meeting Room, Lunenburg, MA, on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 upon petition of Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light Company for permission to erect or construct, and ===PAGE 3=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 21, 2025 Page 3 of 12 a location for, a line of wires, poles and such other fixtures as may be necessary to sustain or protect the wires of the line, for the transmission of electricity, upon, along, across, or under the following public ways of said Town: TOWNSEND HARBOR RD: (1) Proposed relocation of Pole #14, 13' of property line. Approximately 1959' from Massachusetts Ave and approximately 331' from Woodland Dr. Location as shown on sketch. Plan No. 979-L, Dated 9/8/25. A representative from Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light Company (Unitil) explained that the proposed relocation of Pole #14 by 13 feet was necessary to serve a new home being constructed at 126 Townsend Harbor Road without encroaching on an adjacent property line. Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment noted that the DPW Director had inspected the proposed relocation and had no objections or concerns. No members of the public offered comment. Motion by Vice-Chair Moore to close the public hearing. Seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five - Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Motion by Vice-Chair Moore to approve the proposed relocation of Pole #14, 13 feet on the property line. Seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five - Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). 7:10 PM Public Hearing: Pole Petition for Howard Street Plan #980-L, Proposed new pole #44A. Approximately 2882’ from New West Townsend Road and approximately 996’ from Sequoia Drive. Clerk Emkey read the public hearing notice: In conformity with the requirements of Section 22 of Chapter 166 of the General Laws (Ter. Ed.), you are hereby notified that a public hearing will be held at the Town Hall, 17 Main Street, 2nd Floor, in the Joseph F. Bilotta Meeting Room, Lunenburg, MA, on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 upon petition of Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light Company for permission to erect or construct, and a location for, a line of wires, poles and such other fixtures as may be necessary to sustain or protect the wires of the line, for the transmission of electricity, upon, along, across, or under the following public ways of said Town: HOWARD STREET (1) Proposed new Pole #44A. Approximately 2882’ from New West Townsend Road and approximately 996’ from Sequoia Drive. Location as shown on sketch. Plan No. 980-L, dated 9/16/25 The Unitil representative explained that the addition of new Pole #44A was required because serving a new underground service customer from the existing Pole #44 would require crossing property lines, which is not permissible regardless of overhead or underground installation. The DPW Director had inspected and raised no objection. No members of the public offered comment. Motion by Vice-Chair Moore to close the public hearing. Seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five - Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). ===PAGE 4=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 21, 2025 Page 4 of 12 Motion to approve the proposed new Pole #44A was made by Vie-Chair Moore and seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five - Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). 7:15 PM Earth Removal Permit Renewals • Jim Latanzi- 780 Northfield Road- SBER-25-7 (Formerly Permit 61) Town Manager Warren-Dyment explained that this permit had not come before the Select Board during the prior renewal cycle due to a timing discrepancy. The applicant was nearly finished with the permitted work but required additional time to complete operations through the remainder of the calendar year. The Building Commissioner had inspected the site and raised no concerns. Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to approve the earth removal permit for Jim Latanzi, 780 Northfield Road, SBER-25-7. Seconded by Vice-Chair Moore. Call for Vote: Five - Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). 7:30 PM Discussion with Town Officials on Warrant Articles for November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting • Superintndent of Schools School Superintendent was not present. • Principal Assessor Principal Assessor – Article II (41A Deferral) and DOR Directives Principal Assessor Lynda Cajka appeared via Zoom to present two matters. First, she described the proposed Article II warrant article, which would increase the maximum qualifying income for the town's existing Chapter 59, Section 5(41A) property tax deferral program. The current income limit of $20,000 has remained fixed for nearly two decades. The proposed article would align the income thresholds with the 2024 Massachusetts circuit breaker tax credit eligibility levels: $72,000 for single filers, $91,000 for head-of-household filers, and $109,000 for married filers, effective Fiscal Year 2026, with subsequent years indexed to the then-current circuit breaker limits. Town Manager Warren-Dyment noted that a legal question had been submitted to Town Counsel Adam Costa regarding whether the statute caps the locally adopted income limit at the single, non-head-of-household amount of $72,000 for all categories, or permits the higher thresholds for married and head-of-household filers. Town Counsel Costa, participating via Zoom, confirmed he would provide an answer by the following day, noting the outcome would determine whether the two higher income figures remain in the article or are adjusted to a uniform $72,000 cap. Chair Nuzzolo expressed strong support for the article, noting that it would meaningfully expand access to the deferral program for senior residents. Second, Principal Assessor Cajka described the DOR directive to undertake a full neighborhood code review. She explained that the town's current neighborhoods, particularly Neighborhood 3 which encompasses the majority of the town, have not been formally reviewed or recategorized in many years, and that the Division of Local Services has required this work to be completed prior to the next full revaluation. Town Manager Warren-Dyment explained that an RFP for this work had previously been issued but received no responses, and that the proposed Article Q would create a temporary in-house position to accomplish this work, utilizing at minimum the $27,500 previously appropriated for that purpose. The position would be structured on short-term renewable contracts, ===PAGE 5=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 21, 2025 Page 5 of 12 likely drawing from a pool of retired assessors. • Historical Commission Chair Historical Commission Chair – Article L (APDC/Historical Commission Merger) The Select Board took a brief recess to allow members to review a research document prepared by Clerk Emkey summarizing APDC meeting records and public outreach efforts related to the merger proposal. Historical Commission Chair Richard McGrath addressed the Select Board and described the origins and purpose of the proposed merger. He explained that the goal was consolidation and operational efficiency, noting that both the Historical Commission and the APDC have experienced recurring difficulties achieving quorum. He stated that the Historical Commission was established in June 1979, successfully completed the nomination of 77 buildings in the town center to the National Register of Historic Places in the 1980s, and has historically been responsible for overseeing the town's historic assets. He explained that the proposed warrant article would simply transfer the administrative responsibility for the Architectural Preservation District from the APDC to the Historical Commission, with all existing bylaw standards remaining unchanged, resulting in one commission performing work currently divided between two. Chair Nuzzolo asked whether the full Historical Commission membership had been trained on the APD bylaw. Chair McGrath acknowledged that only he, as the Historical Commission's appointed liaison to the APDC, had detailed familiarity with the bylaw, but characterized the document as straightforward and not requiring extensive preparation. He noted that the Historical Commission had voted 2 to 1 in favor of the merger at its most recent meeting, with one member absent. Town Counsel Costa provided substantive legal context. He explained that historical commissions are statutory bodies created under M.G.L. c. 40, §8D, with authority tied to historic attributes of a community. In drafting the warrant article, he had replaced references to "architectural" significance with "historic" significance in the purpose clause and definitions of the APD bylaw, in order to align the administering body's statutory authority with the language of the bylaw and to avoid a potential rejection by the Attorney General's office. He cautioned, however, that even with these adjustments, there remained a real possibility that the Attorney General could decline to approve the article on the grounds that a statutory historical commission cannot be assigned authority under a locally adopted home rule bylaw in this manner. He noted that these substitutions of language—while not intended to alter the substantive experience of APD residents—could theoretically be read as narrowing the bylaw's scope from architectural to purely historical attributes. Town Counsel Costa further clarified, in response to Clerk Emkey's questions, that the appeal process for APD decisions was not changed by the proposed article. Appeals were already directed to Superior Court under a certiorari review process, and this remained identical under the proposed language. He described this as a records-based review process that is generally more expedited than a traditional zoning appeal, though it still finds its way to Superior Court in the majority of cases. Clerk Emkey noted that the only substantive change she could identify in the proposed article, beyond the substitution of the administering body, was the deletion of the APDC's membership qualification requirements, which had included provisions for a resident of the district and a design professional. Town Counsel Costa confirmed that those provisions were deleted because the APDC itself would no longer exist, and that while similar qualifications could theoretically be added to the Historical Commission's bylaws, doing so would require amendments to both the general bylaw ===PAGE 6=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 21, 2025 Page 6 of 12 article governing the Historical Commission and potentially further review. • Architectural Preservation District Commission (APDC) Chair APDC Chair Anthony Sculimbrene also addressed the Select Board. He explained that the merger concept had originated from his concern about operational inefficiencies across the Town's many volunteer boards and his desire to prevent the Historical Commission from becoming dormant as other committees had. He stated that the process had been conducted entirely in open public meetings, that the merger had appeared on the APDC's public agenda repeatedly over the past year, and that he had previously appeared before the Select Board in October, 2024 to discuss the concept. He expressed frustration with the characterization that the process had lacked transparency, noting that he had attempted on multiple occasions to advance the matter with Town Counsel and the Town Manager, and that delays were attributable to competing priorities rather than any deficiency in the APDC's conduct. Chair Sculimbrene argued that the distinction between "architectural" and "historic" preservation had been overstated by opponents, noting that the bylaw itself defines eligible buildings by an age threshold of 75 years, making the standards inherently objective. He contended that the proposed article did not make the bylaw more or less onerous for residents and expressed confidence that he could make the case to town meeting voters. He acknowledged, however, that there was no urgent operational necessity to proceed at the special town meeting rather than in the spring. APDC Member Nathan Lockwood offered additional remarks. He raised the concern that while the written text of the bylaw may remain largely unchanged, the "culture" of the administering body would have significant practical implications for how the bylaw is interpreted and applied. He cited the Town's experience with the Ritter Library window replacement project as an example of overly rigid application of the bylaw, and suggested that a commission composed primarily of individuals oriented toward historical preservation might further shift the balance in that direction. He recommended against placing the article on the Special Town Meeting warrant and urged a more deliberate process involving direct outreach to APD residents prior to any future submission. Town Manager Warren-Dyment addressed the claim that the Select Board's failure to respond to an email from Ana Lockwood had caused the current controversy. She read excerpts from that email, which had included a legal argument that bylaw amendments must go through a formal charter-mandated review process. She noted that Town Counsel had reviewed this claim and found it to be incorrect. Bylaws in Lunenburg do not require submission to the bylaw review committee and are regularly amended through the standard town meeting process without such a review. Clerk Emkey summarized her findings after extensive review of the APDC meeting record. She stated that the intent of the merger was clearly benign and that nothing in the proposed article was intended to change the experience of APD residents. She acknowledged, however, that the short timeline between the draft article's distribution on October 4–5 and the Special Town Meeting, combined with the lack of direct outreach to APD residents, had contributed to significant public anxiety and misinformation. Vice-Chair Moore stated that she shared her colleagues' respect for the APDC's volunteer efforts but was not prepared to advance the article given that the Select Board had only had the draft language for two weeks and that broader public engagement had not occurred. She expressed concern about unintended consequences and recommended deferral. ===PAGE 7=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 21, 2025 Page 7 of 12 Member McLeod stated that he would vote to remove the article from the warrant. He cited his concerns about the substantive difference between architectural and historical preservation, the culture of the enforcing body, the readiness of the Historical Commission to administer the bylaw, and the likely impact on the atmosphere and productivity of a special town meeting. Chair Nuzzolo stated that while he recognized the good faith of the volunteers involved, his concerns had grown throughout the process. He identified the following specific concerns: the meaningful distinction between architectural and historical preservation and how enforcement culture could shift; the Historical Commission's lack of readiness to administer the bylaw; the genuine shock expressed by affected residents who were unaware the article was in development; and his responsibility as a gatekeeper of the warrant to protect the effectiveness of town meeting. He indicated he would vote to remove the article. Member Lehtinen stated he would vote to keep the article on the warrant. Clerk Emkey stated she was prepared to place the article on the warrant, having been satisfied by Town Counsel's responses that the substantive impact on residents would be neutral, with membership composition being the only meaningful structural change. Noise Ordinance Article Town Manager Warren-Dyment reported that she had received feedback from both the Police Chief and the Facilities Director on the proposed noise ordinance draft and had shared that feedback with Town Counsel. Town Counsel Costa provided an overview of noise bylaws generally, distinguishing between quantitative standards (requiring sound level meters and trained operators) and qualitative standards (relying on subjective "plainly audible" thresholds). He characterized the proposed Lunenburg draft as a qualitative bylaw and noted it was among the better-drafted examples he had reviewed, but identified several areas requiring revision, including terminology adjustments and the need to replace the term "special permit" with a more general permit term to avoid confusion with the zoning context. He also noted that the exemptions list, while comprehensive, required additions. Town Counsel and the Town Manager indicated that the article was likely not ready for the special town meeting warrant and recommended further development with a goal of submission at the annual town meeting. Chair Nuzzolo and Select Board Member Moore concurred that the article was not ready for the special town meeting warrant. No action was taken to include it. V. APPOINTMENTS, RATIFICATIONS, AND RESIGNATIONS No items were presented under this agenda item. VI. TOWN MANAGER REPORT Town Manager Warren-Dyment presented the following updates: FY25 Closeout: The CPA firm under contract with the Town has assumed full responsibility for the FY25 year-end closeout. Certification of Free Cash is very unlikely to occur prior to the Special Town Meeting, though no appropriations from free cash are planned for that meeting, so no operational impact is anticipated. ===PAGE 8=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 21, 2025 Page 8 of 12 Tax Classification Hearing: A tentative date of Tuesday, November 25, 2025 has been set for an off-cycle Select Board meeting solely for the purpose of conducting the annual tax classification hearing. This hearing is required prior to the mailing of actual tax bills, which are anticipated to be sent by December 30 and due February 1. The date may shift to December depending on public notice requirements; the Select Board will be notified. Nashoba Associated Boards of Health: Local nursing hours will be paused again through the month of November due to an ongoing staffing shortage. One registered nurse has been hired and services will resume once full staffing is achieved. Residents in need of public health nursing services should contact the Boards of Health directly. FY26 State Earmarks: Governor Healey has announced the withdrawal of $125 million in local earmarks from the FY26 state budget due to revenue shortfalls. The town has two earmarks totaling $70,000 for school guidance, mental health, and special education enhancements, and school security system upgrades. The town has not yet been notified whether its earmarks are among those affected. Representative Scarsdale's office advised that funds are beginning to flow to state agencies and recommended submitting requests for release of funds promptly. The Town Manager initiated that process. Master Plan Steering Committee: The final public meeting on the master plan is scheduled for October 22, 2025, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at Smokestack Roasters. Additional information is available at planlunenburg.org. Trick-or-Treat Hours: Friday, October 31, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Project Updates: ● TC PASSIOS Decommissioning: Construction on the firewall for the area to be decommissioned has begun. A minor asbestos abatement was required prior to plumbing and sprinkler work; abatement is complete and plumbers are scheduled for the current week. ● Town Hall Weather Vane: The finial atop Town Hall, which houses the weather vane, was found to be in too poor a condition to accept the new replica installation. It has been sent to a specialist wood shop in Maine for reproduction. A ceremonial installation event is anticipated upon its return. ● Access Control: Long-awaited parts for the town-wide access control system have shipped and installation is underway. Upon completion and programming, town buildings will transition away from keyed access. ● Wallace Park Playground: Fence repairs have been completed and replacement playground equipment has shipped. ● Ritter Building: Interior painting is underway throughout the halls and offices. Recruitment: ● Payroll and Benefits position: posted at 36 hours per week. ● Assistant Town Accountant (32 hours): offer pending as of the meeting date. ● Dietary Aide (9 hours): posted. ● Intermittent Heavy Equipment Operator: posted. ===PAGE 9=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 21, 2025 Page 9 of 12 ● Land Use Director: interview scheduled for Thursday. ● Administrative Assistant, Building Department: offer pending. ● Administrative Assistant, Planning Department: offer pending. Town Manager Warren-Dyment noted that three offers were extended that day and expressed optimism that appointments would be reported at the next meeting. Vacancies on boards and committees remain unchanged from the prior report. In response to a question from Member McLeod regarding Flat Hill, Town Manager Warren-Dyment stated that the Town had previously issued a notification of termination of the agreement and that attorneys were now actively involved. She indicated that the bridge would remain closed for the foreseeable future and that no public update would be available until that phase of the process was concluded. VII. NEW BUSINESS No items were presented under this agenda item. VIII. OLD BUSINESS • Discussion and Vote on Special Town Meeting Warrant and Booklet The Select Board reviewed the status of each proposed warrant article for the November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting. Article A (Reports of Committees): Previously voted; recommended approval. No further action required. Article B (Amending FY26 Budget): Previously voted; recommended approval. No further action required. Article C (Prior Year Expense): Held as a deferral pending final details. Articles D and E (to be combined): Still under review by Town Counsel; to be finalized at the Friday meeting. Article F (Cemetery Transfer): Previously voted to include; funding source confirmed as old capital. Article G (Project Estimators): Dollar amount confirmed at $50,000; funding source identified as old capital. Article H (Project Estimators): Motion by Clerk Emkey to recommend approval of Article H (Project Estimators). Seconded by Member Lehtinen. Call for Vote: Five - Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Article I (Special Education Reserve Fund): Clerk Emkey, Vice-Chair Moore, and Member Lehtinen indicated readiness to vote; Member McLeod expressed lingering concern about potential budget impacts if the reserve were to reduce urgency around special education line-item funding. ===PAGE 10=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 21, 2025 Page 10 of 12 Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to recommend approval of Article I (Special Education Reserve Fund). Seconded by Member Lehtinen. Call for Vote: Four – Aye. One – Nay (Member McLeod). The motion passed (4-1-0). Article II (41A Deferral): Pending Town Counsel's response on the income threshold question. Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to include Article II (41A Deferral) in the warrant. Seconded by Member Lehtinen. Call for Vote: Five - Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to recommend approval of Article II (41A Deferral). Seconded by Member Lehtinen. Call for Vote: Five - Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Article J (21 Main Street Easement): Previously voted; recommended approval unanimously. Article K (Kids Kingdom): Previously voted; recommended approval unanimously. Article L (APDC/Historical Commission Merger): Motion by Member McLeod to remove Article L, the APDC/Historical Commission Merger, from the special town meeting warrant. Seconded by Vice-Chair Moore. Call for Vote: Three -aye. Two – Nay (Member Lehtinen, Clerk Emkey). The motion passed (3-2-0). Noise Ordinance Article: Not advanced to the warrant. No motion required. MBTA Zoning Article: Held pending the outcome of the planning hearing. Article Q (SAP Position Titles and Grades): Still under review by labor counsel; to be finalized at the Friday meeting. The Board acknowledged that the full SAP documents for Articles D/E and Q are each approximately 17 pages in length. Rather than printing the full text in the town meeting booklet, the Select Board agreed by consensus to reference the documents on file with the Town Clerk, with copies to be made available online and in hard copy at town hall, consistent with the standard practice for documents such as zoning maps. • Discussion on Tri-Board Meeting of the Select Board, Finance Committee, and School Committee The Select Board briefly discussed the scheduling of a Tri-Board meeting. It was agreed that the school and general government budget sessions would be held separately, and that the timing would be addressed following the Special Town Meeting. No formal action was taken. IX. MINUTES/WARRANTS/ACTION ITEMS There were no minutes, warrants, or action items to consider. X. COMMITTEE REPORTS Member McLeod reported on his attendance at the MPO meeting the prior Wednesday and noted he had forwarded items of interest to the Town Manager and DPW Manager. He also attended the Library Board meeting on Thursday, which ran from 6:45 to 10:30 PM, and commended that board for its dedication. ===PAGE 11=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 21, 2025 Page 11 of 12 Member Lehtinen reported on two committee meetings. The Board of Assessors met the prior week and would meet again the following day. A volunteer, Brian Marple, has expressed interest in joining the Board. Financial overview data presented at that meeting included: personal property assessed value growth of approximately $68 million equating to approximately $979,000 in tax revenue; residential, commercial, and industrial growth of approximately $398,000; and total estimated growth of approximately $1.3 million. Interim adjustments were introduced, with single-family homes increasing 2.6%, condos 4.5%, two-family homes 2.6%, three-family homes 2.5%, and land values 2.5%. The Board also discussed chapter land review and the ongoing bylaw review. Regarding the Lunenburg Municipal Building Design Committee, Member Lehtinen reported that the committee met the prior day with Town Manager Warren-Dyment. Key discussion points included consolidating all employees under one roof, expanding the Town Clerk vault, allowing off-site archiving, placing high-traffic public-facing departments on the first floor with land-use functions on the second floor, ADA accessibility requirements, and exploring options to reduce costs. Tours of the Ritter Building and Town Hall are scheduled for the following week, with the committee's next meeting set for the first Monday of November. Clerk Emkey reported that the Finance Committee and Stormwater Task Force would both be meeting on Thursday. XI. UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS SCHEDULE Chair Nuzzolo noted the following upcoming meetings: ● Friday, October 24, 2025 at 4:00 PM — Special Select Board meeting (in-person; open to the public) to finalize the special town meeting warrant. ● Tuesday, November 4, 2025 — Regular Select Board meeting. ● Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM — Special Town Meeting. XII. PUBLIC COMMENT** • PUBLIC Ana Lockwood, 91 Main Street, returned to the podium. She disputed the claim that the Historical Commission had lacked quorum, noting that when she and another individual sought to volunteer for the commission the prior year, they were told the commission was at full membership. She drew a parallel between the public reaction to the APDC merger and the community response to past water district proposals, noting that any action touching property rights will consistently generate strong public emotion. She emphasized that her repeated emails to the Select Board were motivated by her inability to vote out or campaign against an appointed board, and expressed the view that the APDC Chair had not genuinely sought public input. She also questioned why the conference call with Town Counsel had not been held as an open public meeting, characterizing that as a contributing factor to the perception of secrecy. Town Manager Warren-Dyment noted that a conference call between a committee chair and Town Counsel does not constitute a meeting of a public body and is not required to be open. Ms. Lockwood concluded by clarifying that her prior email's reference to the bylaw review process was not a legal argument but a recommendation for best practice in transparency, and urged the Select Board to focus on inclusive process over strict legal minimums. ===PAGE 12=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 21, 2025 Page 12 of 12 John Bowen, 162 Highland Street, expressed broader concerns about civic participation in Lunenburg, noting that approximately 13,000 residents are served by a volunteer governance structure with modest turnout at elections and town meetings. He characterized the recurring factional disputes—over the water district, the APDC, and other matters—as symptoms of an underrepresented population and called for structural reforms including an elected mayor and ward-based representation. He also urged the Town Manager to send formal notices to social media group moderators cautioning them against allowing inflammatory content related to town affairs. Bob Pease, 11 Wingreen Court, participated via Zoom and thanked the Select Board for deferring the APDC merger article. He stated his continued opposition to the merger and expressed concern that the replacement of the word "architectural" with "historical" throughout the bylaw represented a fundamental and substantive change, not merely an administrative one, contrary to how the APDC was originally presented to the public. He cited the Ritter Library window dispute as evidence that Historical Commission members had already been applying historical standards to what should be architectural decisions. • TOWN MANAGER The Town Manager had no comment. • BOARD Member McLeod thanked members of the public for their thoughtful engagement and noted that their input had directly influenced his position on the warrant article. Clerk Emkey briefly explained her vote to keep the article on the warrant, noting that based on Town Counsel's responses she was satisfied that the only substantive change was to membership requirements, and that she was comfortable presenting the article to Town Meeting on those grounds. XIII. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Clerk Emkey to adjourn. Seconded by Vice-Chair Moore. The motion passed unanimously. Call for vote: Five-Aye. Motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). The meeting was adjourned at 10:35 PM. Respectfully Submitted, Renee Emkey These Minutes were reviewed and approved by the Select Board on: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-24-agenda-7477.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-10-24 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-10-24-agenda-7477.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10242025-7477 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== SELECT BOARD Friday, October 24, 2025 4:00 PM AGENDA Bilotta Meeting Room, Town Hall In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, on FacebookLive on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the LunenburgAccess YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the m eeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Votes may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. I. 4:00 PM CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE II. ANNOUNCEMENTS III. PUBLIC COMMENT*** • PUBLIC • BOARD IV. OLD BUSINESS • Discussion and Vote on Special Town Meeting Warrant and Booklet V. UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS SCHEDULE • November 4, 2025 • November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting VI. PUBLIC COMMENT*** • PUBLIC • TOWN MANAGER • BOARD VII. ADJOURN *** Per Policy, Public comment is limited to 15 minutes, with no more than 3 minutes per speaker except at the discretion of the Chairperson ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-10-24-minutes-7477.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-10-24 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-10-24-minutes-7477.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_10242025-7477 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 24, 2025 Page 1 of 6 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes Town Hall, 17 Main Street and via Zoom Friday, October 24, 2025 Members Present: Chair Caesar Nuzzolo, Vice-Chair Amanda Moore, Clerk Renee Emkey, Member Brian Lehtinen, and Member Glenn McLeod Members Absent: none Also Present: Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager Public Comment Participants are listed in the minutes I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chair Caesar Nuzzolo called the meeting to order at 4:00 PM and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Chair Nuzzolo advised those present that the meeting was being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access Channel, on Facebook Live, and would be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube Channel following the meeting. He explained that the agenda listed topics that may be discussed, but not all items may be addressed and other items not listed could be brought up as permitted by open meeting law. II. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Nuzzolo reminded the public that the Lunenburg Public Library's 20th birthday party was taking place at 5:00 PM that evening and encouraged residents to attend. III. PUBLIC COMMENT Public Comment No public comment was received from members of the public. Board Comment No Board members offered public comment at this time. IV. OLD BUSINESS • Discussion and Vote on Special Town Meeting Warrant and Booklet • Chair Nuzzolo led the Select Board through a review of the Special Town Meeting warrant articles. The following actions were taken on each article: Article 1 – Authorization to Hear and/or Accept the Reports of Officers and Committees of the Town Previously voted. Included and recommended for approval, 5-0. Article 2 – Amending the Fiscal Year 2026 Omnibus Budget Previously voted. Included; recommendation deferred. Article 3 – Authorization to Pay Expenses from a Prior Fiscal Year Previously voted. Included; recommendation deferred. Chair Nuzzolo noted a bill from Heywood Hospital in the amount of $266 had since been received and would be incorporated. ===PAGE 2=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 24, 2025 Page 2 of 6 Article 4 – Stormwater Consulting Appropriation Chair Nuzzolo noted this article had not yet been acted upon. The article pertains to a stormwater consulting appropriation in the amount of $42,900, funded through unexpended capital project funds. A motion to include Article 4 in the warrant was made, seconded, and passed 4-2-1. Member Glenn McLeod voted in opposition and explained his concern that the expenditure appeared to be directed toward building the framework for a stormwater utility fee rather than addressing a specific stormwater problem directly. He expressed broader concern about the lack of adequate state funding for stormwater infrastructure. In response, the Town Manager clarified that the vote before the Select Board was solely to include the article in the warrant, not to recommend approval, and that the article could be voted down at Town Meeting. Upon further discussion, it became clear that Member McLeod had intended his opposition to apply to the recommendation vote rather than inclusion. The Select Board voted to reconsider. Motion to reconsider the vote on Article 4 was made by Member Brian Lehtinen and seconded by the Clerk Renee Emkey. Call for Vote: Five – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Motion to include Article 4 in the warrant was made by Chair Nuzzolo and seconded by Member McLeod. Call for Vote: Five – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Motion to recommend approval of Article 4 was made by Chair Nuzzolo and seconded by the Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Four – Aye. One – Nay (Member McLeod). The motion passed (4-1-0). Article 5 – Public Access Cable Committee Transfer of Funds The Town Manager explained that this article replicates a transfer of $31,271 that had been intended at the Annual Town Meeting but could not be effectuated because the retained earnings had not yet been certified. An additional $4,000 appropriation from retained earnings for videographer services was also included, bringing the total to $35,271. The language was further revised to clarify the method of passing funds from retained earnings to the enterprise fund, excluding the general fund. Motion to include Article 5 in the warrant was made by Chair Nuzzolo and seconded by Board Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Motion to recommend approval of Article 5 was made by Chair Nuzzolo and seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Article 6 – Cemetery Commission Transfer of Funds Previously voted. Included; recommended for approval, 5-0. Article 7 – Authorization to Fund a Sum of Money for Project Estimators Previously voted. Included; recommended for approval, 5-0. Article 8 – Establishment of a Special Education Reserve Fund Previously voted. Included; recommended for approval, 4-1. ===PAGE 3=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 24, 2025 Page 3 of 6 Article 9 – 41A Property Tax Deferral Previously voted. Included; recommended for approval, 5-0. Article 10 – 21 Main Street Easement Previously voted. Included; recommended for approval, 5-0. Article 11 – Transfer the Care, Custody, and Control of Kids Kingdom and the Land It Is On from the School Committee to the Select Board Previously voted. Included; recommended for approval, 5-0. Article 12 – Notice of Town Meeting Previously voted. Included; recommended for approval, 5-0. Article 13 – MBTA Zoning Act Compliance Previously voted. Included; recommendation deferred pending the public hearing scheduled for Monday. Article 14 – Removing Bituminous Concrete Requirements for Common Driveways Previously voted. Included; recommendation deferred pending the public hearing scheduled for Monday. Article 15 – Amendments to the Salary Administration Plan (SAP): Position Titles and Grades The Town Manager summarized revisions made following labor counsel review. Formatting changes included moving asterisks from the grade column to adjacent to the position title and leaving the grade column blank. Language was clarified to read that "the other terms and conditions of employment for said position shall be subject to an employment contract in accordance with Section 70-30." Additionally, the summary for this article was amended to include a description of the newly created position of Special Assistant to the Assessor (Temporary), noting that the Board of Assessors had received directives from the Department of Revenue requiring completion prior to the next full reevaluation in 2029, including a review of residential neighborhood delineations. Motion to include Article 15 in the warrant was made by Chair Nuzzolo and seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Motion to recommend approval of Article 15 was made by Chair Nuzzolo and seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Article 16 – Salary Administration Plan Amendments (Changes Other Than the Personnel Committee) The Town Manager provided a detailed summary of changes made by labor counsel, noting that the full document—titled "November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting Article 16 SAP Amendments Relative to So-Called Fringe Benefits or Indirect Provisions Such as Holidays and Vacations With Pay, Sick Leave, and the Like, Dated October 27, 2025" would be on file with the Office of the Town Clerk beginning Monday and available online. The following key changes were discussed: Vacation Time (Section 70-18): Labor counsel added transition language providing that all changes to Section 70-18 shall be effective July 1, 2026, for employees employed on or before November 18, 2025, and upon hire for employees hired thereafter. A transition mechanism was introduced whereby unused vacation time as of July 1, 2026, would be converted into a one-time vacation bank, with employees required to use at least one-third of that bank during each of fiscal years 2027, 2028, and 2029. Employees carrying balances over 120 hours as of June 30, 2026, would receive a lump-sum buyout of all time in excess of 120 hours. The Town Manager noted that the Town Manager may ===PAGE 4=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 24, 2025 Page 4 of 6 also approve, subject to availability of funds, a buyout of a greater portion of any employee's balance. Vice-Chair Moore noted this approach made practical sense, particularly for positions requiring shift coverage. Job Descriptions: Language was added requiring that job descriptions be reviewed before the Town seeks to fill a vacancy upon an employee's exit. Annual Cost-of-Living Recommendations: Language was revised so that the Town Manager, rather than the Human Resources Director, would annually make cost-of-living recommendations to the Select Board for consideration at Town Meeting. Clerk Emkey suggested the language specify that this occur at Annual Town Meeting, which the Town Manager confirmed would be incorporated. Promotion and Step Increases (Section 70-11): The Town Manager noted that labor counsel had not fully captured the intent of this provision, which was to ensure that employees receiving promotions would not lose a pending step increase as a result. The Town Manager indicated she would work with labor counsel to correct the language and confirmed the Select Board's agreement on the underlying concept, with no additional vote required. Personnel Committee Quorum (Section 70-12): Language was added providing that, in the event the Personnel Committee lacks sufficient members to conduct business, the Select Board shall have authority to administer the relevant provision of the SAP. Vacation Leave in the Negative: Labor counsel recommended that approval of vacation time taken in advance of accrual require sign-off from both the department head and the HR Director. Holiday Pay (Section E): Labor counsel had struck clarifying language regarding the requirement to be in paid status on the day before and after a holiday in order to receive holiday pay. After discussion, the Select Board agreed the language should remain for clarity. Sick Leave: The Town Manager flagged that transition language similar to that used for vacation time was expected but had not appeared in the sick leave section, and indicated she would confirm with labor counsel. Member McLeod raised a concern regarding the three-consecutive-day threshold before a supervisor may require a doctor's note, expressing that a three-day threshold could lead to disparate application across employees. He acknowledged the limitation was consistent with existing contracts but suggested it be revisited in the future. The Select Board directed that "doctor's certificate" and "doctor's note" be harmonized to use a single consistent term throughout the document. The Town Manager noted she would reach out to labor counsel over the weekend and expected to finalize language by Monday, with the document to be placed on file with the Town Clerk. She also reminded the Select Board that minor changes could be incorporated into the motion at Town Meeting. The Town Manager also advised that she had presented the financial impact of this article to the Finance Committee the prior evening and would provide the Select Board with a codified cost estimate related to the vacation time changes. Motion to include Article 16 in the warrant was made by Chair Nuzzolo and seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). ===PAGE 5=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 24, 2025 Page 5 of 6 Motion to recommend approval of Article 16, with the changes discussed during the meeting, was made by Chair Nuzzolo and seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Article 17 – Salary Administration Plan Amendments: Personnel Committee The Town Manager noted that labor counsel had only one substantive change to this article: the striking of language in Section 70-8 (Salary Schedule) that had read "unless otherwise authorized," which labor counsel indicated was ambiguous and unnecessary. No other changes were made to this article. The article summary, as drafted for inclusion in the Town Meeting booklet, was also reviewed. It noted that municipalities across the Commonwealth have been sunsetting personnel boards and consolidating HR authority under professional management staff, a trend endorsed by the Division of Local Services (DLS), which has flagged personnel boards as a duplicative and unnecessary bureaucratic layer. Member McLeod voted in opposition to recommending approval, consistent with his previously stated position. Motion to include Article 17 in the warrant was made by Chair Nuzzolo and seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Motion to recommend approval of Article 17 was made by Chair Nuzzolo and seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Four – Aye. One – Nay (Member McLeod). The motion passed (4-1-0). Town Meeting Booklet The Town Manager briefly reviewed the structure of the Town Meeting booklet, noting updates to the index, a revised Chair's letter referencing current vacancies, a notice that documents on file with the Town Clerk would be posted online, a reference to the Finance Committee's public hearing on November 13th, and an advisory to voters that final recommendations by the Select Board, Finance Committee, and other boards may be updated up to and including Town Meeting night. A stormwater informational handout would also be included in the mailing to satisfy an MS4 compliance requirement. V. UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS SCHEDULE Chair Nuzzolo noted the following upcoming meetings: • November 4, 2025 – Select Board Meeting • November 18, 2025 – Special Town Meeting VI. PUBLIC COMMENT** • PUBLIC No public comment was received. • TOWN MANAGER The Town Manager had no comment. • BOARD No comment by the Select Board. ===PAGE 6=== Select Board Meeting Minutes October 24, 2025 Page 6 of 6 VII. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Vice-Chair Moore to adjourn at 4:36 PM Seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for vote: Five-Aye. Motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Respectfully Submitted, Renee Emkey These Minutes were reviewed and approved by the Select Board on: Tuesday, September 1, 2026 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-04-agenda-7494.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-11-04 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-11-04-agenda-7494.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11042025-7494 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== SELECT BOARD Tuesday, November 4, 2025 7:00 PM AGENDA Bilotta Meeting Room, Town Hall In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, on FacebookLive on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the LunenburgAccess YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e -mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Vote s may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. I. 7:00 PM CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE II. ANNOUNCEMENTS III. PUBLIC COMMENT*** • BOARD • PUBLIC IV. SCHEDULED MEETINGS AND HEARINGS 7:05 PM Presentation of Gift to Lunenburg Public Safety of Trail Maintenance Equipment by the Lunenburg Snow Riders V. APPOINTMENTS, RATIFICATIONS, AND RESIGNATIONS • Ratification of the Town Manager’s Appointment of Jacqueline Thibeau as Assistant Town Accountant • Ratification of the Town Manager’s Appointment of Deborah Crowley as Administrative Assistant of the Building Department • Ratification of the Town Manager’s Appointment of Leigh Bain as Administrative Assistant of Planning • Acknowledge the resignation of James McGuigan, Van Driver for the Council on Aging VI. TOWN MANAGER REPORT VII. NEW BUSINESS • Consider Signing on to Letter to Governor and State Legislature Regarding FY27 School Funding Formula and Using Available Fair Share Surplus Funds to Address the Fiscal Crisis Facing our Public Schools ===PAGE 2=== VIII. OLD BUSINESS • Discussion on November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting and Warrant Articles • Discussion on Tri-Board Meeting of the Select Board, Finance Committee, and School Committee IX. MINUTES/WARRANTS/ACTION ITEMS X. COMMITTEE REPORTS XI. UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS SCHEDULE • November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting XII. PUBLIC COMMENT*** • PUBLIC • TOWN MANAGER • BOARD XIII. ADJOURN *** Per Policy, Public Comment is limited to 15 minutes, with no more than 3 minutes per speaker except at the discretion of the Chair ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-04-agenda-7497.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-11-04 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-11-04-agenda-7497.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11042025-7497 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== SELECT BOARD Tuesday, November 4, 2025 7:00 PM **REVISED AGENDA Bilotta Meeting Room, Town Hall In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, on FacebookLive on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the LunenburgAccess YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e -mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Vote s may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. I. 7:00 PM CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE II. ANNOUNCEMENTS III. PUBLIC COMMENT*** • PUBLIC • BOARD IV. SCHEDULED MEETINGS AND HEARINGS 7:05 PM Acknowledgment of the gift from the Lunenburg Snow Rides to Lunenburg Public Safety of Trail Maintenance Equipment V. APPOINTMENTS, RATIFICATIONS, AND RESIGNATIONS • Ratification of the Town Manager’s Appointment of Jacqueline Thibeau as Assistant Town Accountant • Ratification of the Town Manager’s Appointment of Deborah Crowley as Administrative Assistant of the Building Department • Ratification of the Town Manager’s Appointment of Leigh Bain as Administrative Assistant of Planning • Acknowledge the resignation of James McGuigan, Van Driver for the Council of Aging VI. TOWN MANAGER REPORT ===PAGE 2=== VII. NEW BUSINESS • Consider Issuing to Governor and Legislative Delegation Regarding FY27 School Funding Formula and Using available Fair Share Surplus Funds to Address the Fiscal Crisis Facing our Public Schools VIII. OLD BUSINESS, • Discussion on November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting and Warrant Articles • Discussion on Tri-Board Meeting of the Select Board, Finance Committee, and School Committee IX. MINUTES/WARRANTS/ACTION ITEMS X. COMMITTEE REPORTS XI. UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS SCHEDULE • November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting XII. PUBLIC COMMENT*** • PUBLIC • TOWN MANAGER • BOARD XIII. **EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion to enter into Executive Session pursuant to MGL c. 30 § 21 (a)(2) to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel…or contract negotiations with nonunion personnel (Director of Municipal Finance/Town Accountant) XIV. ADJOURN *** Per Policy, Public comment is limited to 15 minutes, with no more than 3 minutes per speaker except at the discretion of the Chairperson ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-04-minutes-7494.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-11-04 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-11-04-minutes-7494.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11042025-7494 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 4, 2025 Page 1 of 8 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes Town Hall, 17 Main Street and via Zoom Tuesday, November 4, 2025 Members Present: Chair Caesar Nuzzolo, Vice-Chair Amanda Moore, Clerk Renee Emkey, Member Brian Lehtinen, and Member Glenn McLeod Members Absent: none Also Present: Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager Public Comment Participants are listed in the minutes I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chair Caesar Nuzzolo called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Chair Nuzzolo advised those present that the meeting was being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access Channel, on Facebook Live, and would be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube Channel following the meeting. He explained that the agenda listed topics that may be discussed, but not all items may be addressed and other items not listed could be brought up as permitted by open meeting law. II. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Nuzzolo offered the following announcements: ● The Lions Club pancake breakfast at the Adult Activity Center is scheduled for Wednesday, November 12, 8:00–10:00 AM. ● The Eagle House Supporters will host a Christmas Festival of Trees on Friday, November 21 (9:00 AM–5:00 PM) and Saturday, November 22 (9:00 AM–1:00 PM), featuring custom-designed trees, a bake sale, a raffle, and a visit from Santa Claus. ● Chair Nuzzolo noted that SNAP benefits are no longer being disbursed as part of the ongoing federal government shutdown and encouraged residents to support the Lunenburg Community Food Pantry at lunenburgfoodpantry.org. III. PUBLIC COMMENT Public Comment Anthony Sculimbrene, 5 Valley Road, addressed the Select Board regarding the consequences of the recent vote to withhold the Historic Commission/APDC merger warrant from Special Town Meeting. He posed two questions for reflection to the majority members who voted to withhold the warrant: first, how the vote impacted the volunteers who had dedicated approximately a year and a half of work to the merger effort; and second, how the vote affected civil discourse among engaged citizens. He emphasized that the Town's reliance on volunteers makes these questions critical. Mr. Sculimbrene also raised the issue of volunteer reimbursement for public records requests, drawing on his experience handling FOIA requests as a federal employee. He noted that under Massachusetts law, volunteers can be compensated for responding to public information requests, and recommended the town adopt such a policy to protect volunteer time. ===PAGE 2=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 4, 2025 Page 2 of 8 Board Comment No Board members offered public comment at this time. IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND SCHEDULED MEETINGS • 7:05 PM Presentation of Gift to Lunenburg Public Safety of Trail Maintenance Equipment by the Lunenburg Snow Riders Mel Bertram, President of the Lunenburg Snow Riders (312 Townsend Harbor Road), presented a portable chainsaw to the Lunenburg Police and Fire Departments. The gift was prompted by a request from law enforcement following a missing child incident in which access to a portable chainsaw for ATV trail use would have been beneficial. Mr. Bertram provided an overview of the club's history, noting it was incorporated in 1969, went dormant, and was revived around 2000. The club maintains snowmobile trails connecting Lunenburg, Townsend, and Ashby, and has brought over $200,000 in Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grants to the community over the past 15 years, representing more than 2,000 volunteer hours of in-kind match. Community contributions include construction and maintenance of hiking and biking bridges at the Lane property and the Cowdrey Lot, as well as annual Toys for Tots drives and food drives. Fire Chief Sullivan accepted the gift on behalf of the Police and Fire Departments. Note: Per the Select Board's gift acceptance policy, no vote was required as the gift value is under $500. V. APPOINTMENTS, RATIFICATIONS, AND RESIGNATIONS • Ratification of the Town Manager’s Appointment of Jacqueline Thibeau as Assistant Town Accountant Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment noted that while Ms. Thibodeau lacks direct municipal experience, she brings substantial accounting and customer service experience and demonstrated qualities of a quick learner with an interest in creating efficiencies during the interview process. She was to begin the following day. Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to ratify the Town Manager's appointment of Jacqueline Thibodeau as Assistant Town Accountant. Seconded by Clerk Renee Emkey. Call for Vote: Five- Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). • Ratification of the Town Manager’s Appointment of Deborah Crowley as Administrative Assistant of the Building Department Town Manager Warren-Dyment noted that Ms. Crowley's paralegal background makes her well-suited to the regulatory and permitting work of the Building Department and Zoning Board, and that she brings strong customer service skills. She was to begin November 17th. Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to ratify the Town Manager's appointment of Deborah Crowley as Administrative Assistant of the Building Department. Seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five - Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). ===PAGE 3=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 4, 2025 Page 3 of 8 • Ratification of the Town Manager’s Appointment of Leigh Bain as Administrative Assistant of Planning Town Manager Warren-Dyment noted that Ms. Bain currently works with MassDOT, giving her experience working with municipalities. She also brings customer service experience and technical drafting skills developed in the banking industry. She was to begin the following day. Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to ratify the Town Manager's appointment of Leigh Bain as Administrative Assistant of Planning. Seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five - Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). • Acknowledge the resignation of James McGuigan, Van Driver for the Council on Aging The Select Board acknowledged the resignation of James McGuigan, who served as both a van driver and member of the Council on Aging. Chair Nuzzolo offered thanks for his service, including his work with Meals on Wheels. VI. TOWN MANAGER REPORT Town Manager Warren-Dyment delivered the following updates: Finance Department Transition: The transition of three Finance Department positions, Finance Director, Payroll and Benefits Coordinator, and Assistant Accountant, has proven more complex than anticipated. External consulting services have been engaged to stabilize core functions, but the volume of issues encountered is substantial. The Town is in the process of closing out FY25 and identifying and correcting existing issues. Additional contracted support services are being arranged. The Town Manager clarified that the Town is not facing a financial crisis, but emphasized a significant volume of cleanup and catch-up work. She noted that the full transition is expected to take more than one year and will have a meaningful operational impact on the town. Tax Classification Hearing: An off-cycle Select Board meeting is officially scheduled for November 25 for the Tax Classification Hearing. The Board of Assessors has been preparing by submitting state sales data and property values by class. Actual new growth over the estimated $400,000 is approximately $118,000 (corrected later in the meeting from an initially stated figure of $180,000). The Town Manager clarified that the Select Board's role at this hearing is to determine the tax rate split between residential, commercial, industrial, and personal propertynot to set the tax rate itself. Capital Planning Committee: The Capital Planning Committee is actively meeting to consider FY27 capital requests. It recently heard from the Police and School Departments and was scheduled to hear from the Fire Department and DPW the following evening. DPW Union Representation: As of October 29, DPW employees are officially represented by Teamsters Local 170 for collective bargaining purposes. Flat Hill Bridge Replacement: MassDOT has agreed to extend the $600,000 Small Bridge Grant through December 31, 2027. Work is expected to begin in October 2026 and conclude by June 2027. Town Hall Weather Vane: The planned reproduction of the Town Hall weather vane at a Maine woodshop is facing scheduling difficulties. The Town's Facilities Director will craft the replica himself. ===PAGE 4=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 4, 2025 Page 4 of 8 Open Positions: A Library Assistant position (19 hours/week) has been posted. Remaining open positions include: Payroll and Benefits Coordinator (36 hrs/week), Dietary Aide (9 hrs/week), Intermittent Heavy Equipment Operator, Land Use Director (40 hrs/week), and Recreation Director (19 hrs/week). An offer on the Land Use Director position to a strong candidate was declined. The Town Manager flagged that these staffing gaps are critically impacting operations, particularly in light of the simultaneous Finance Department transition. Board and Committee Vacancies: A Board of Assessors candidate has been identified, and an off-cycle joint meeting for appointment is being arranged. Vice-Chair Amanda Moore expressed appreciation for the Town Manager's efforts in navigating these organizational challenges. Town Manager Warren-Dyment acknowledged that there would likely be "bumps and bruises along the way" and asked for community patience during the prolonged transition period. VII. NEW BUSINESS • Consider Signing on to Letter to Governor and State Legislature Regarding FY27 School Funding Formula and Using Available Fair Share Surplus Funds to Address the Fiscal Crisis Facing our Public Schools Chair Nuzzolo presented a draft letter to the Governor and the legislative delegation on behalf of the town, urging decisive state action in the FY27 budget to address fiscal challenges facing public school districts. The letter, developed in coordination with a statewide advocacy effort led in part by Representative Scarsdale, outlined six specific priorities: ● Strengthening the Special Education Circuit Breaker Program ● Fixing the Chapter 70 inflation cap ● Fully reimbursing regional and non-regional school districts for student transportation costs ● Significantly increasing rural school aid ● Further mitigating the financial impact of charter schools on traditional public schools ● Making targeted investments in staffing and programs for student mental health Member Glenn McLeod expressed general agreement with the substance of the letter but raised two concerns: first, that the letter's scope was narrow and more appropriate for the School Committee; and second, that a letter from the Select Board should more broadly represent all municipal funding challenges, including those facing the Fire Department and the Stormwater Task Force. He referenced a prior Mass Municipal Association report as context. Chair Nuzzolo responded that the Select Board had previously sent a more general local aid letter to the state delegation (dated March 18) and noted that these advocacy letters provide the legislative delegation with greater political weight in their own advocacy efforts. He also clarified that Representative Scarsdale had specifically requested the Select Board sign on to strengthen support from her district. Member Brian Lehtinen expressed support for the letter while noting that Lunenburg does not qualify as a "rural" community under state funding definitions, which he found frustrating. He suggested drafting a supplementary letter on broader municipal funding concerns. Clerk Emkey ===PAGE 5=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 4, 2025 Page 5 of 8 agreed that both efforts could coexist. Vice-Chair Moore concurred that the Select Board could pursue both this letter and broader advocacy separately, and noted that the Select Board had a near-term deadline for signing on. A minor correction to the spelling of Vice-Chair Moore's name on the signature block was identified and noted for correction before signing. Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to authorize the Select Board to sign on to the letter to the Governor and legislative delegation regarding FY27 school funding as presented. Seconded by Vice-Chair Moore. Call for Vote: Five - Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). VIII. OLD BUSINESS • Discussion on November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting and Warrant Articles Chair Nuzzolo provided an update on the status of warrant article motions. Town Counsel is continuing minor revisions, particularly to the MBTA Communities article. The warrant article for the PEG transfer was removed, as that vote will be deferred to the May Annual Town Meeting. Consent Calendar: Articles 6 (Cemetery Commission transfers) and 14 (Bituminous Concrete Common Driveways) are currently designated for the consent calendar. The Select Board discussed the elevated voting threshold (two-thirds) that results when a two-thirds-vote article is included on the consent agenda, and concluded the risk was manageable given the low likelihood of controversy on those items. Article 2 – Budget Adjustments: Town Manager Warren-Dyment corrected her earlier report, noting New Growth is approximately $118,000 (not $180,000). She outlined anticipated FY26 budget adjustments, including approximately $150,000 to cover the costs of the Finance Department transition (primarily consulting fees and vacation buyouts). She noted that retiree health insurance came in approximately $100,000 higher than budgeted but expects that can be absorbed through existing contingency funds, or alternatively through the Health Insurance Stabilization Fund (which retains approximately $140,000). A salary reserve transfer to fund the first year of the police contract will also be brought to Town Meeting. The Town Manager recommended against using the Finance Committee reserve fund at this time, preferring to preserve it for unanticipated spring needs. Board Recommendations on Planning Board Articles: The Board voted on two Planning Board articles for which public hearings had already been held. Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to recommend approval of Article 13, MBTA Zoning Act Compliance. Seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for vote: Four – Aye. One – Nay (Member Glenn McLeod). The motion passed (4-1-0). Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to recommend approval of Article 14, Bituminous Concrete Common Driveways. Seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for Vote: Five - Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Articles 2 and 3 (Budget Adjustments and Payment of Prior Year Bills) were deferred pending finalization of figures. The Board also noted that the Lunenburg Municipal Building Design Committee confirmed it will not be presenting a report at this Special Town Meeting. ===PAGE 6=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 4, 2025 Page 6 of 8 Pre-Town Meeting Select Board Meeting: The Board agreed to tentatively schedule a remote meeting for the Monday prior to Town Meeting (November 17) at 6:00 PM to address remaining article recommendations, with the option to cancel and instead convene a brief meeting at 6:30 PM the night of Town Meeting. Town Manager Warren-Dyment requested both options be kept available given the fluidity of the transition-related agenda items. Town Meeting Mailers: The Town Manager reported that mailers were delivered to the post office on November 3 and that supporting warrant documents have been posted online. Additional handouts will be shared with the Select Board for feedback as they are completed. • Discussion on Tri-Board Meeting of the Select Board, Finance Committee, and School Committee The next Tri-Board meeting is to focus on school budget matters, with the Superintendent prepared to present during the week of Thanksgiving. The Select Board agreed to schedule the meeting for Monday, November 24 at 7:00 PM. The Town Manager noted her continued commitment to the Tri-Board process, with the caveat that the ongoing organizational challenges could affect scheduling going forward. IX. MINUTES*/WARRANTS/ACTION ITEMS Minutes The Select Board discussed a backlog of approximately ten sets of meeting minutes prepared by third-party contractors that require member review prior to approval. It was agreed that minutes would be made available in a shared drive and Select Board members would volunteer to claim and review individual sets. Warrants None. Action Items None. X. COMMITTEE REPORTS Stormwater Task Force (reported by Clerk Emkey): The Task Force voted 4-0 to approve a proposal from Weston & Sampson. Planning Board (reported by Member McLeod): The Planning Board adopted a new public comment policy, with public comment now occurring before each individual agenda item rather than at the outset of the meeting. The Open Space Committee is in early discussions about transitioning from an ad hoc to a freestanding committee. An ANR (Approval Not Required) endorsement was issued for 930 Mass Ave to expand a substation. A stormwater permit hearing at 255 Sunny Hill Road was continued after outstanding property taxes were identified. The MBTA Communities Act and Common Driveway articles were recommended for adoption. The Board adopted MGL Chapter 110G pertaining to electronic document signing. The Master Plan Steering Committee held its final public information-gathering session on October 22. School Committee (reported by Member Lehtinen): At the October 15 meeting, the Committee ===PAGE 7=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 4, 2025 Page 7 of 8 reviewed school improvement plans, the assessment and student data report, budget goals, plans for Turkey Hill renovation or new construction, and a framework for improved budget process clarity. The next meeting (November 5) includes first reads on advertising, cash handling, middle school pathways, and competency determination policies, as well as review of the Superintendent's and School Committee's drafted goals. Board of Assessors (reported by Member Lehtinen): At the November 3 meeting, the Board processed nine motor vehicle excise tax abatement lists covering 51 abatements and approved 96 exemptions. The Board is transitioning data from Vision to Munis to reduce duplications. The median assessment-to-sales ratio is at 95%, within the Department of Revenue's required 90–110% range. The Board voted to approve the LA-4 and LA-13 documents. The next meeting is December 3. Lunenburg Municipal Building Design Committee (reported by Member Lehtinen): The Committee reviewed tours of the Ritter Building and Town Hall, discussed Ritter painting improvements and accessibility challenges related to original building entrances, and noted concerns regarding the Brooks House and 925 Mass Ave. The Committee confirmed it is not prepared to present at the Fall Town Meeting. Capital Planning Committee (reported by Chair Nuzzolo): The Capital Planning Committee meets the following evening to hear from Fire and DPW. Bylaw Review Committee (reported by Chair Nuzzolo): The Bylaw Review Committee meets Thursday evening. XI. UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS SCHEDULE ● November 17, 2025 – Tentative remote Select Board meeting (6:00 PM) prior to Special Town Meeting ● November 18, 2025 – Special Town Meeting ● November 24, 2025 – Tri-Board Meeting (Select Board, Finance Committee, School Committee), 7:00 PM ● November 25, 2025 – Tax Classification Hearing (off-cycle Select Board meeting) XII. PUBLIC COMMENT** • PUBLIC Mike Clark, 275 Cross Road (via Zoom), commented on the Select Board's vote to sign the letter coordinated with the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA). Mr. Clark, identifying himself as Chair of the Lunenburg Republican Town Committee, characterized the MTA as a partisan organization that primarily supports Democratic candidates. He expressed concern that the Select Board, as a bipartisan body representing residents of all political affiliations, should not align itself with what he described as a union organization with a partisan orientation. He requested that the Board refrain from future association with the MTA or similar organizations. • TOWN MANAGER Town Manager Warren-Dyment noted that, according to MassGIS data as of September 2025, the ===PAGE 8=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 4, 2025 Page 8 of 8 Town of Lunenburg has 995 SNAP clients, representing approximately 8% of the municipality's population. She acknowledged that SNAP benefits ceased as of November 1 due to the federal government shutdown, and reiterated the call for residents able to do so to support local food assistance organizations during the coming cold months. • BOARD No comment by the Select Board. XIII. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to enter into Executive Session and not re-enter open session pursuant to MGL Chapter 30A, Section 21(a)(2), to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-union personnel, specifically for the Director of Municipal Finance/Town Accountant. Seconded by Vice-Chair Moore. Roll call vote: Member McLeod – Aye; Member Lehtinen – Aye; Clerk Emkey – Aye; Vice-Chair Moore – Aye; Chair Nuzzolo – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). The Board entered Executive Session at approximately 8:00 PM. Respectfully Submitted, Renee Emkey These Minutes were reviewed and approved by the Select Board on: Tuesday, September 1, 2026 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-17-agenda-7510.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-11-17 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-11-17-agenda-7510.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11172025-7510 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== SELECT BOARD Monday, November 17, 2025 6:00 PM AGENDA R emote (Zoom) In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, on FacebookLive on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the LunenburgAccess YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held remotely via Zoom. Members of the public are welcome to attend this remote meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. T he following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e -mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Vote s may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. I. 6:00 PM CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE II. ANNOUNCEMENTS III. PUBLIC COMMENT*** • PUBLIC • BOARD IV. OLD BUSINESS, • Discussion on November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting and Warrant Articles o Potential Votes on Deferred Warrant Articles V. MINUTES/WARRANTS/ACTION ITEMS VI. COMMITTEE REPORTS VII. UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS SCHEDULE • November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting • November 25, 2025 Special Meeting of the Select Board- Tax Classification Hearing V III. PUBLIC COMMENT*** • PUBLIC • TOWN MANAGER • BOARD ===PAGE 2=== IX. ADJOURN *** Per Policy, Public comment is limited to 15 minutes, with no more than 3 minutes per speaker except at the discretion of the Chairperson ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-17-minutes-7510.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-11-17 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-11-17-minutes-7510.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11172025-7510 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2025 Page 1 of 5 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes Zoom Only Monday, November 17, 2025 Members Present: Chair Caesar Nuzzolo, Vice-Chair Amanda Moore, Clerk Renee Emkey, and Member Brian Lehtinen. Members Absent: Member Glenn McLeod Also Present: Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager Public Comment Participants are listed in the minutes I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chair Caesar Nuzzolo called the Select Board to order at 6:06 PM. The meeting was held remotely via Zoom and was recorded and broadcast live on the Lunenburg Public Access Facebook page, with the recording to be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel following the meeting. The Pledge of Allegiance was omitted as the meeting was conducted remotely. II. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Nuzzolo reminded all attendees that Special Town Meeting was scheduled for the following evening, Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the Lunenburg Middle- High School Auditorium. Clerk Renee Emkey announced an upcoming regional school funding forum to be held Thursday, November 20, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Groton-Dunstable Middle School Performing Arts Center. The forum is hosted by state legislators including Representative Scarsdale, Representative Kushmerek, Senator Cronin, and House Education Chair Ken Gordon. Clerk Emkey noted that free childcare would be available with advance registration, that questions could be submitted prior to the event, and that the forum would be recorded and made available on the Groton Channel website. A flyer with a QR code and registration information was noted to be available on the school's homepage. III. PUBLIC COMMENT Public Comment None. Board Comment Clerk Emkey offered a public comment in advance of Special Town Meeting, acknowledging the significant preparation effort made by town staff and presenting committees. Clerk Emkey stressed the obligation of appointed and elected officials to actively monitor their Town email accounts, respond to requests for feedback in a timely manner, and remain current on updated materials shared prior to Town meetings. She noted that a lack of timely engagement from board and committee members had been apparent and cautioned that officials speaking from outdated information at public meetings risks confusing residents. Clerk Emkey also reminded colleagues to be mindful of ===PAGE 2=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2025 Page 2 of 5 Open Meeting Law requirements when using reply-all email, and indicated that with budget season approaching, this standard of engagement would be increasingly important. IV. OLD BUSINESS Discussion on November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting and Warrant Articles o Potential Votes on Deferred Warrant Articles Chair Nuzzolo noted that two warrant articles previously deferred remained pending for Select Board recommendation: Article 2 (Amending the FY 2026 Omnibus Budget) and Article 3 (Payment of Prior Year Bills). Finance Director Katie McKenna was present as a resource throughout the discussion. Article 2 — Amending the FY 2026 Omnibus Budget Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment presented a detailed breakdown of the proposed $160,052 supplemental appropriation to the Town Accountant budget, revised upward from the $150,000 figure discussed the prior week. The components were as follows: ● Town Accountant Salary Supplement ($12,181): The position salary line required a supplement to bring the budgeted amount to $145,000, the rate at which the position had been posted, after a planned transfer from the salary reserve brought it only to $135,000. A small additional amount covered vacation payouts during the personnel transition. ● Audit Costs ($20,000 supplemental + $3,500 prior year balance): The FY26 budget had allocated $40,000 for audit services. Under a proposed three-year agreement with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA), the cost of the FY 2025 audit, to be paid from the FY26 budget, is $60,000—a substantial increase. Town Manager Warren-Dyment noted that the alternative primary auditing firm in the region is not currently accepting new clients, leaving limited options. An additional $3,500 covered a remaining balance on the FY24 audit. ● Contracted Services ($107,000): This represented the largest component, broken down as follows: accounts payable support at 22 hours per week through the end of December ($15,730); continuation of a contracted payroll and benefits specialist through the end of January ($40,950); and transitional Finance Director services with consultant Eric Kinsherf, with a not-to-exceed contract amendment from $10,000 to $50,000. Clerk Emkey asked whether the $50,000 Finance Director transitional services allocation would carry the Town through the end of January. Town Manager Warren-Dyment and Finance Director McKenna indicated the duration would depend heavily on hiring progress. McKenna noted that billing from the consultant had been relatively modest to date, running approximately $175 per hour, but that costs would increase as the consultant engaged more substantively with year-end work including the balance sheet and Schedule A. Town Manager Warren-Dyment stated plainly that the $160,052 figure may not be sufficient to sustain transitional services through the end of the fiscal year, and that further adjustments might be necessary. The second component of Article 2 covered salary reserve transfers, reflecting settlements and adjustments including the police collective bargaining agreement, the finalized Police Chief contract, the Finance Director salary adjustment, and an IT position reclassification following an internal promotion. A final transfer of $27,500 appropriated at May Town Meeting for a special project was ===PAGE 3=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2025 Page 3 of 5 proposed to move from the authorization account to Assessors Administration, to support a newly proposed internal approach to an assessors' project for which no outside bidders had been received. Clerk Emkey asked whether the $27,500 transfer to Assessors Administration was contingent upon a related article creating the special assessor position. Town Manager Warren-Dyment clarified that if the position creation article failed, the funds would remain in the Assessors Administration budget but would be held unspent pending a future town meeting action. Town Manager Warren-Dyment also presented a summary of available revenue capacity, noting a total revenue surplus available for appropriation of $195,790.97, derived from positive changes to the cherry sheet, new growth, and certain adjustments to the recap. If Article 2 and Article 3 were both approved, the remaining additional levy capacity would be $35,321.75. Town Manager Warren-Dyment indicated she had communicated this information to the Superintendent of Schools that afternoon and anticipated commentary on it. Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to recommend approval of Article 2. Seconded by Clerk Emkey. Roll Call Vote: Member Brian Lehtinen -Aye, Clerk Emkey – Aye, Vice-Chair Amanda Moore – Aye, Chair Nuzzolo – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (4–0-0). Article 3 — Payment of Prior Year Bills Town Manager Warren-Dyment presented three categories of prior year bills included in Article 3: ● Heywood Hospital ($266): A small prior year bill for physicals, to be paid from the FY26 budget. ● CliftonLarsonAllen ($3,500): An outstanding balance on the FY24 audit, to be paid from the adjusted FY 2026 Town Accountant line as modified by Article 2. ● Advanced Print Technology ($390): A prior year invoice for t-shirts, to be paid from the FY26 budget. ● City of Fitchburg ($90,000): A newly identified and substantial prior year obligation arising from the town's 1993 intermunicipal water agreement with the City of Fitchburg. Town Manager Warren-Dyment provided background on the Fitchburg water billing matter. Under the agreement, Lunenburg receives water from Fitchburg and is required to bill its customers at the Fitchburg rate plus a 30% administrative charge. Eleven separate accounts receive water under this agreement, with significant commercial volume at the Tri-Town properties. Due to cumulative staff turnover over multiple years, the Town had failed to timely bill its customers, and had not passed through rate increases approved by Fitchburg in FY23, FY24, and FY25 with additional increases scheduled for FY26 and FY27. Fitchburg charges 14% annual interest on late payments after 30 days, which accounts for a significant portion of the $90,000 now owed. Town Manager Warren-Dyment cautioned that if Town Meeting failed to authorize payment, the city of Fitchburg could pursue litigation or initiate a cherry sheet intercept. Finance Director McKenna noted that the water billing function operates as an Enterprise Fund, and that the FY26 budget had allocated only $45,000 for this purpose, a figure that appeared to have been set without rigorous analysis and that would likely require adjustment at a future Annual Town Meeting. She further noted that because Lunenburg had not been billing or collecting revenues in FY25, demonstrating adequate revenue for the recap would present an additional challenge. ===PAGE 4=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2025 Page 4 of 5 Proposed funding for the $90,000 Fitchburg payment included transfers from the remaining balances of prior year capital articles (FY22 capital, including the Ritter ADA construction and Town Hall repairs projects) combined with a raise-and-appropriate component. During the discussion, Town Manager Warren-Dyment identified a mathematical discrepancy in the available capital balances attributable to funds from the ADA project that had already been committed to the stormwater project and a project estimator position resulting in a need to increase the raise-and-appropriate portion by approximately $4,170, with a corresponding reduction to the transfer from Article 5 of the May 2024 Annual Town Meeting. Vice-Chair Moore acknowledged the complexity of the information and suggested the Select Board defer its formal recommendation on Article 3 until the pre-Town Meeting session scheduled for the following evening, to allow Town Manager Warren-Dyment time to confirm the revised figures. Town Manager Warren-Dyment expressed agreement, noting she wished to verify her calculations. The Select Board concurred and Article 3 was deferred without a vote. Clerk Emkey raised a broader concern regarding the ongoing FY26 water billing situation, noting that the $90,000 authorization addresses only FY25 obligations, and that further rate increases and billing process reforms would need to be addressed promptly. Town Manager Warren-Dyment confirmed that the Select Board would need to convene a future meeting to establish an appropriate water rate, and that resuming regular monthly billing would be a necessary step to curtail further interest accrual. V. MINUTES*/WARRANTS/ACTION ITEMS Minutes No minutes were available for approval. Warrants None. Action Items None. VI. COMMITTEE REPORTS No committee reports were presented. VII. UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS SCHEDULE Chair Nuzzolo noted the following upcoming meetings: ● November 18, 2025 — Special Town Meeting, with a Select Board pre-meeting session at 6:30 PM on the auditorium stage at Lunenburg Middle-High School. ● November 25, 2025 — Special Meeting of the Select Board, Tax Classification Hearing. Clerk Emkey inquired whether the Tri-Board meeting tentatively scheduled for November 24, 2025 had been confirmed. Town Manager Warren-Dyment confirmed it was on the calendar and that a posting would follow, advising members to hold the date. ===PAGE 5=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2025 Page 5 of 5 VIII. PUBLIC COMMENT** • PUBLIC No members of the public offered comment. • TOWN MANAGER Town Manager Warren-Dyment expressed appreciation to the Select Board for their patience throughout a particularly demanding Special Town Meeting preparation process, characterizing it as one of the most challenging she had experienced, given the rapid pace of developing issues and the volume of information that had required attention in a compressed timeframe. • BOARD No comment by the Select Board. IX. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Clerk Emkey adjourn at 6:56 PM. Seconded by Vice-Chair Moore seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote: Member Lehtinen -Aye, Clerk Emkey – Aye, Vice-Chair Moore – Aye, Chair Nuzzolo – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (4–0-0). Respectfully Submitted, Renee Emkey These Minutes were reviewed and approved by the Select Board on: Tuesday, September 1, 2026 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-17-minutes-rr2026-09-18.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-11-17 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-11-17-minutes-rr2026-09-18.txt ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2025 Page 1 of 5 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes Zoom Only Monday, November 17, 2025 Members Present: Chair Caesar Nuzzolo, Vice-Chair Amanda Moore, Clerk Renee Emkey, and Member Brian Lehtinen. Members Absent: Member Glenn McLeod Also Present: Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager Public Comment Participants are listed in the minutes I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chair Caesar Nuzzolo called the Select Board to order at 6:06 PM. The meeting was held remotely via Zoom and was recorded and broadcast live on the Lunenburg Public Access Facebook page, with the recording to be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel following the meeting. The Pledge of Allegiance was omitted as the meeting was conducted remotely. II. ANNOUNCEMENTS Chair Nuzzolo reminded all attendees that Special Town Meeting was scheduled for the following evening, Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the Lunenburg Middle- High School Auditorium. Clerk Renee Emkey announced an upcoming regional school funding forum to be held Thursday, November 20, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Groton-Dunstable Middle School Performing Arts Center. The forum is hosted by state legislators including Representative Scarsdale, Representative Kushmerek, Senator Cronin, and House Education Chair Ken Gordon. Clerk Emkey noted that free childcare would be available with advance registration, that questions could be submitted prior to the event, and that the forum would be recorded and made available on the Groton Channel website. A flyer with a QR code and registration information was noted to be available on the school's homepage. III. PUBLIC COMMENT Public Comment None. Board Comment Clerk Emkey offered a public comment in advance of Special Town Meeting, acknowledging the significant preparation effort made by town staff and presenting committees. Clerk Emkey stressed the obligation of appointed and elected officials to actively monitor their Town email accounts, respond to requests for feedback in a timely manner, and remain current on updated materials shared prior to Town meetings. She noted that a lack of timely engagement from board and committee members had been apparent and cautioned that officials speaking from outdated information at public meetings risks confusing residents. Clerk Emkey also reminded colleagues to be mindful of ===PAGE 2=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2025 Page 2 of 5 Open Meeting Law requirements when using reply-all email, and indicated that with budget season approaching, this standard of engagement would be increasingly important. IV. OLD BUSINESS Discussion on November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting and Warrant Articles o Potential Votes on Deferred Warrant Articles Chair Nuzzolo noted that two warrant articles previously deferred remained pending for Select Board recommendation: Article 2 (Amending the FY 2026 Omnibus Budget) and Article 3 (Payment of Prior Year Bills). Finance Director Katie McKenna was present as a resource throughout the discussion. Article 2 — Amending the FY 2026 Omnibus Budget Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment presented a detailed breakdown of the proposed $160,052 supplemental appropriation to the Town Accountant budget, revised upward from the $150,000 figure discussed the prior week. The components were as follows: ● Town Accountant Salary Supplement ($12,181): The position salary line required a supplement to bring the budgeted amount to $145,000, the rate at which the position had been posted, after a planned transfer from the salary reserve brought it only to $135,000. A small additional amount covered vacation payouts during the personnel transition. ● Audit Costs ($20,000 supplemental + $3,500 prior year balance): The FY26 budget had allocated $40,000 for audit services. Under a proposed three-year agreement with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA), the cost of the FY 2025 audit, to be paid from the FY26 budget, is $60,000—a substantial increase. Town Manager Warren-Dyment noted that the alternative primary auditing firm in the region is not currently accepting new clients, leaving limited options. An additional $3,500 covered a remaining balance on the FY24 audit. ● Contracted Services ($107,000): This represented the largest component, broken down as follows: accounts payable support at 22 hours per week through the end of December ($15,730); continuation of a contracted payroll and benefits specialist through the end of January ($40,950); and transitional Finance Director services with consultant Eric Kinsherf, with a not-to-exceed contract amendment from $10,000 to $50,000. Clerk Emkey asked whether the $50,000 Finance Director transitional services allocation would carry the Town through the end of January. Town Manager Warren-Dyment and Finance Director McKenna indicated the duration would depend heavily on hiring progress. McKenna noted that billing from the consultant had been relatively modest to date, running approximately $175 per hour, but that costs would increase as the consultant engaged more substantively with year-end work including the balance sheet and Schedule A. Town Manager Warren-Dyment stated plainly that the $160,052 figure may not be sufficient to sustain transitional services through the end of the fiscal year, and that further adjustments might be necessary. The second component of Article 2 covered salary reserve transfers, reflecting settlements and adjustments including the police collective bargaining agreement, the finalized Police Chief contract, the Finance Director salary adjustment, and an IT position reclassification following an internal promotion. A final transfer of $27,500 appropriated at May Town Meeting for a special project was ===PAGE 3=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2025 Page 3 of 5 proposed to move from the authorization account to Assessors Administration, to support a newly proposed internal approach to an assessors' project for which no outside bidders had been received. Clerk Emkey asked whether the $27,500 transfer to Assessors Administration was contingent upon a related article creating the special assessor position. Town Manager Warren-Dyment clarified that if the position creation article failed, the funds would remain in the Assessors Administration budget but would be held unspent pending a future town meeting action. Town Manager Warren-Dyment also presented a summary of available revenue capacity, noting a total revenue surplus available for appropriation of $195,790.97, derived from positive changes to the cherry sheet, new growth, and certain adjustments to the recap. If Article 2 and Article 3 were both approved, the remaining additional levy capacity would be $35,321.75. Town Manager Warren-Dyment indicated she had communicated this information to the Superintendent of Schools that afternoon and anticipated commentary on it. Motion by Chair Nuzzolo to recommend approval of Article 2. Seconded by Clerk Emkey. Roll Call Vote: Member Brian Lehtinen -Aye, Clerk Emkey – Aye, Vice-Chair Amanda Moore – Aye, Chair Nuzzolo – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (4–0-0). Article 3 — Payment of Prior Year Bills Town Manager Warren-Dyment presented three categories of prior year bills included in Article 3: ● Heywood Hospital ($266): A small prior year bill for physicals, to be paid from the FY26 budget. ● CliftonLarsonAllen ($3,500): An outstanding balance on the FY24 audit, to be paid from the adjusted FY 2026 Town Accountant line as modified by Article 2. ● Advanced Print Technology ($390): A prior year invoice for t-shirts, to be paid from the FY26 budget. ● City of Fitchburg ($90,000): A newly identified and substantial prior year obligation arising from the town's 1993 intermunicipal water agreement with the City of Fitchburg. Town Manager Warren-Dyment provided background on the Fitchburg water billing matter. Under the agreement, Lunenburg receives water from Fitchburg and is required to bill its customers at the Fitchburg rate plus a 30% administrative charge. Eleven separate accounts receive water under this agreement, with significant commercial volume at the Tri-Town properties. Due to cumulative staff turnover over multiple years, the Town had failed to timely bill its customers, and had not passed through rate increases approved by Fitchburg in FY23, FY24, and FY25 with additional increases scheduled for FY26 and FY27. Fitchburg charges 14% annual interest on late payments after 30 days, which accounts for a significant portion of the $90,000 now owed. Town Manager Warren-Dyment cautioned that if Town Meeting failed to authorize payment, the city of Fitchburg could pursue litigation or initiate a cherry sheet intercept. Finance Director McKenna noted that the water billing function operates as an Enterprise Fund, and that the FY26 budget had allocated only $45,000 for this purpose, a figure that appeared to have been set without rigorous analysis and that would likely require adjustment at a future Annual Town Meeting. She further noted that because Lunenburg had not been billing or collecting revenues in FY25, demonstrating adequate revenue for the recap would present an additional challenge. ===PAGE 4=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2025 Page 4 of 5 Proposed funding for the $90,000 Fitchburg payment included transfers from the remaining balances of prior year capital articles (FY22 capital, including the Ritter ADA construction and Town Hall repairs projects) combined with a raise-and-appropriate component. During the discussion, Town Manager Warren-Dyment identified a mathematical discrepancy in the available capital balances attributable to funds from the ADA project that had already been committed to the stormwater project and a project estimator position resulting in a need to increase the raise-and-appropriate portion by approximately $4,170, with a corresponding reduction to the transfer from Article 5 of the May 2024 Annual Town Meeting. Vice-Chair Moore acknowledged the complexity of the information and suggested the Select Board defer its formal recommendation on Article 3 until the pre-Town Meeting session scheduled for the following evening, to allow Town Manager Warren-Dyment time to confirm the revised figures. Town Manager Warren-Dyment expressed agreement, noting she wished to verify her calculations. The Select Board concurred and Article 3 was deferred without a vote. Clerk Emkey raised a broader concern regarding the ongoing FY26 water billing situation, noting that the $90,000 authorization addresses only FY25 obligations, and that further rate increases and billing process reforms would need to be addressed promptly. Town Manager Warren-Dyment confirmed that the Select Board would need to convene a future meeting to establish an appropriate water rate, and that resuming regular monthly billing would be a necessary step to curtail further interest accrual. V. MINUTES*/WARRANTS/ACTION ITEMS Minutes No minutes were available for approval. Warrants None. Action Items None. VI. COMMITTEE REPORTS No committee reports were presented. VII. UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS SCHEDULE Chair Nuzzolo noted the following upcoming meetings: ● November 18, 2025 — Special Town Meeting, with a Select Board pre-meeting session at 6:30 PM on the auditorium stage at Lunenburg Middle-High School. ● November 25, 2025 — Special Meeting of the Select Board, Tax Classification Hearing. Clerk Emkey inquired whether the Tri-Board meeting tentatively scheduled for November 24, 2025 had been confirmed. Town Manager Warren-Dyment confirmed it was on the calendar and that a posting would follow, advising members to hold the date. ===PAGE 5=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 17, 2025 Page 5 of 5 VIII. PUBLIC COMMENT** • PUBLIC No members of the public offered comment. • TOWN MANAGER Town Manager Warren-Dyment expressed appreciation to the Select Board for their patience throughout a particularly demanding Special Town Meeting preparation process, characterizing it as one of the most challenging she had experienced, given the rapid pace of developing issues and the volume of information that had required attention in a compressed timeframe. • BOARD No comment by the Select Board. IX. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Clerk Emkey adjourn at 6:56 PM. Seconded by Vice-Chair Moore seconded the motion. Roll Call Vote: Member Lehtinen -Aye, Clerk Emkey – Aye, Vice-Chair Moore – Aye, Chair Nuzzolo – Aye. The motion passed unanimously (4–0-0). Respectfully Submitted, Renee Emkey These Minutes were reviewed and approved by the Select Board on: Tuesday, September 1, 2026 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-18-agenda-7388.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-11-18 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-11-18-agenda-7388.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11182025-7388 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Town of Lunenburg Select Board Caesar Nuzzolo, Chair 17 Main Street Amanda Moore, Vice Chair Renee Emkey, Clerk Brian Lehtinen, Member Glenn McLeod, Member P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462 (978) 582 4144 SPECIAL TOWN MEETING TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2025 To All Interested Parties: In accordance with the Town Charter, Article 2, § 2-5, Special Meetings; at the meeting of August 19, 2025, the Select Board voted to call a Special Town Meeting for Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM at the Lunenburg Middle/High School Auditorium. The Select Board also voted to open the warrant for submission of articles on August 20, 2025 and close the warrant on October 2, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. All warrant articles must be submitted to the Office of the Select Board, 17 Main Street, P O Box 135, Lunenburg, MA 01462 by 5:00 PM on October 2, 2025. August 23, 2025 Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-18-agenda-7511.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-11-18 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-11-18-agenda-7511.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11182025-7511 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== SELECT BOARD Tuesday, November 18, 2025 6:30 PM AGENDA L unenburg Middle/High School Auditorium I n accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting will be held in- person at the location listed on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Please note that this meeting will not be recorded or live-streamed. T he agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Votes may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. I. 6:30 PM CALL TO ORDER II. OLD BUSINESS, • Discussion on November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting and Warrant Articles o Potential Votes on Deferred Warrant Articles III. ADJOURN *** Per Policy, Public comment is limited to 15 minutes, with no more than 3 minutes per speaker except at the discretion of the Chairperson ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-18-minutes-7511.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-11-18 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-11-18-minutes-7511.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11182025-7511 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Select Board Meeting Minutes November 18, 2025 Page 1 of 1 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes Lunenburg Middle/High School Auditorium 1079 Massachusetts Avenue Tuesday, November 18, 2025 Members Present: Chair Caesar Nuzzolo, Vice-Chair Amanda Moore, Clerk Renee Emkey, Member Brian Lehtinen, and Member Glenn McLeod Members Absent: None CALL TO ORDER Chair Caesar Nuzzolo called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM. NEW BUSINESS • Discussion on November 18, 2025 Special Town Meeting and Warrant Articles o Potential Votes on Deferred Warrant Articles Vice-Chair Amanda Moore moved to recommend approval of Article 3: I move the town authorize the payment of prior year expenses as follows. (i) raise and appropriate the sum of $4,617.32, transfer the sum of $61,382.68 from Article 5 of the May 1, 2021 Annual Town Meeting and transfer the sum of $24,000 from Article 6 of the May 7, 2022 Annual Town Meeting. All for the payment of prior year expenses to the City of Fitchburg. Said some or sums to be reimbursed to the General Fund from the Water Enterprise Fund or the Retained Earnings thereof in future fiscal years. (ii) I move the town authorize the payment of prior year expenses as follows. One, pay the sum of $266 from the FY26 Physical line to Haywood Hospital for an unpaid bill of the prior year. two, pay the sum of $390 to Advanced Print Technology from the FY26 Facilities and Buildings- Park Department line for an unpaid bill of a prior year. And three, pay the sum of $3,500 to CBIZ from the FY26 Town Accountant line for an unpaid bill of a prior year. Seconded by Clerk Renee Emkey. Call for the vote: Five-aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). ADJOURNMENT Member Brian Lehtinen moved to adjourn. Seconded by Vice-Chair Moore. Call for the vote: Five-aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Respectfully Submitted, Renee Emkey These Minutes were reviewed and approved by the Select Board on: Tuesday, August 4, 2026 ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2025-11-19-agenda-7522.txt BOARD : select-board DATE : 2025-11-19 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/select-board/2025-11-19-agenda-7522.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_11192025-7522 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== JOINT MEETING OF THE SELECT BOARD AND THE BOARD OF ASSESSORS MEETING AGENDA Wednesday, November 19, 2025 6:30 PM Bilotta Meeting Room, Town Hall In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadc ast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, on FacebookLive on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access-Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the LunenburgAccess YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. REMOTE PARTICIPATION From a computer, please us e the link below to join the public meeting webinar: Join Zoom Meeting- https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81152002194 Meeting ID: 811 5200 2194 From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 811 5200 2194# If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to r equest to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Votes ma y be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. CALL TO ORDER I. NEW BUSINESS • Joint Meeting with the Board of Assessors to Consider the Appointment of Brian Marple to the Board of Assessors ADJOURN