July-Dec 2024 News

(20-DEC-24) At its meeting on Monday, December 16, the Boxborough Planning Board first met jointly with the Boxborough Select Board via Zoom to hear a report on Boxborough’s 2030 Master Plan goals from Town Planner Alec Wade. Wade noted a significant increase in “completed” or “in progress” actions in 2024 compared to 2023.

After the joint meeting, the Board reconvened in a regularly scheduled meeting to work through their agenda. The Board re-opened a public hearing to review the site plan application submitted by Bruce Saluk & Associates, Inc. on behalf of the applicant, Astro Crane, to construct two single-story industrial storage buildings at 340 Codman Hill Road. 

Sue Carter of Places Associates, the town’s engineering consultant, issued a letter with her findings and shared her recommendations for conditions of approval for the site plan. Carter’s feedback focused on screening from the road, the landscaping plan, exterior lighting, and drainage. Members of the board agreed to review Carter’s letter and “take (it) under advisement” until the next Planning Board meeting. 

The Board conducted a simultaneous public hearing for the same applicant (Astro Crane) who is also seeking a special permit for alternate access from 330 Codman Hill Road for the 340 Codman Hill Road property. The applicant wishes to access the property via an existing driveway rather than create a new break on Codman Hill Road. Carter and the Boxborough Fire Department will review the driveway to determine if the turning radius for large vehicles is sufficient. Both hearings were continued until Monday, January 6, 2025.

After reopening the public hearing for an amendment to include “hazardous waste” in Section 5 of the Zoning Bylaw, the board unanimously voted to recommend the proposed bylaw be placed on the Special Town Meeting warrant (March 18, 2025). 

The board also discussed a proposal by Planning Board member Rich Guzzardi to convert certain areas along Mass Ave in the IC (industrial commercial) zone to a new designation of B2 (“Business 2”). A feedback session with Mass Ave business owners had occurred earlier in the day, and the board agreed that a follow-up meeting with a larger group of property owners would provide necessary feedback for drafting the bylaw. Members agreed to hold a workshop on Mass Ave zoning at their January 27 meeting.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Board is Monday, January 6 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

(20-DEC-24) At its meeting on December 19, Boxborough’s Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) learned from town consultant Context Architecture (“Context”) that changes in riverfront and wetlands delineations at 502 Massachusetts Avenue, the current fire station, leave the site essentially “unbuildable” without first obtaining permissions from the Boxborough Conservation Commission.

Context reported a significant expansion of riverfront and wetlands surrounding the current fire station since the last time these features were measured and named beaver activity as the cause of this expansion. 

After lengthy discussion, the FSBC decided to pursue an “informal” meeting with the Conservation Commission as soon as possible in early January to get their feedback on the situation and learn whether it might still be feasible to build at this site.   

The property at 502 Mass Ave is one of two sites currently under consideration to house a new fire station for the town of Boxborough.

FSBC members expressed disappointment at the news and questioned how much more time and money should be spent on the 502 Mass Ave site given these complications and the “sacrifices” that revised designs may require. Members also expressed concern about future expansion of the wetlands and the cost of related mitigation. They also discussed whether the FSBC might not be ready to make its planned funding request at the Special Town Meeting scheduled for March.

In addition to setting a meeting with the Conservation Commission, the FSBC also decided to place a “swing space study” (regarding where and how to house the fire department if the fire station is to be rebuilt at the current site) on hold until they have more information about whether 502 Mass Ave remains a viable site.

The FSBC also heard a brief update on the other potential fire station site at 72 Stow Road. Context presented two possible site plans showing two different orientations of the building and driveways intended to mitigate potential effects on abutters.

In other business, the FSBC reviewed and made edits to Special Town Meeting Warrant Article 9, their request for fire station design funding. They tentatively plan to fill in the dollar amount and vote their recommendation on the article at their January 23 meeting.

 in January 2025, the FSBC will return to their previous meeting schedule of the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. The next four meetings are scheduled for January 9, January 23, February 13, and February 27. They also expect to schedule another round of public forums in late February and/or early March.  

(12-DEC-24) At their meeting on December 9, the Boxborough Select Board hosted State Senator Jamie Eldridge and State Representative Dan Sena for a wide-ranging conversation about local issues and how the legislators can support Boxborough going forward.

Select Board members took the opportunity to ask Senator Eldridge and Representative Sena about the MBTA Communities Act; why Boxborough was not among the towns chosen to receive a grant for the purchase of an ambulance in the wake of the Nashoba Valley Medical Center closure; how the town may get state funding for the culvert project at Guggins Brook; and how to pursue infrastructure projects related to MassDOT’s Route 111 bridge renovation. The legislators also shared updates about their recent work and upcoming priorities.

In other business, the Select Board discussed whether to revive the Boxborough Leadership Forum (BLF), an opportunity for the Select Board, Finance Committee, and School Committee, and possibly others, to communicate on a regular basis.

The Board discussed potential goals, structure, and membership for the BLF, as well as pitfalls of past iterations of the BLF. Select Board Chair Kristin Hilberg also solicited feedback from School Committee Chair Adam Klein and Finance Committee member Maria Neyland, who both used to participate in the BLF. Hilberg asked Neyland to collaborate on a draft BLF charge for further discussion at a future Select Board meeting.

According to the town website, the BLF has not been active since April 2023. The description of the BLF states, “the Boxborough Leadership Forum is composed of representatives from the Board of Selectmen, the Finance Committee, the Planning Board, the School Committee, and the Board of Library Trustees. They meet periodically throughout the year to discuss issues related to town government.”

The Select Board also voted to close the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting, which will begin on May 12, 2025. 

(12-DEC-24) At their December 5 meeting, the Boxborough Economic Development Committee (EDC) voted to request a placeholder on the Annual Town Meeting (ATM) warrant for a Massachusetts Avenue zoning proposal.

The proposal would change zoning in certain areas along Massachusetts Avenue near the intersection with Interstate 495 from an “industrial/commercial” district to a “Business-2” district.

The proposed Business-2 district would prohibit certain uses currently allowed, like commercial earth removal, adult use, manufacturing, and warehouse, and would allow certain uses currently prohibited, like retail, service, craft shop/art studio, and specialty food.

EDC member Rich Guzzardi presented the proposal to the committee, which he developed with the help of Town Planner Alec Wade. The purpose of the proposed change, explained Guzzardi, is to engage in “more thoughtful planning of Mass Ave as our main thoroughfare” and “establish a better balance of districts and uses that meet desired needs.”  

The Boxborough Planning Board has also voted to put a placeholder for this same zoning proposal on the ATM warrant. EDC members discussed the importance of the proposed zoning change to the EDC’s mission and goals and decided to add their own placeholder to the ATM warrant in the event that the Planning Board does not move forward with the article.

The EDC also discussed the status of the Boxborough Business Grant Program. The program, funded by Boxborough’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) appropriation, has now concluded, with $102,000 awarded to Boxborough small businesses as forgivable loans since the program launched in 2023. Award recipients are Two Friends Chocolates, Oscar’s Burritos, Swymfit, AlphaCars, and Thinking Flower (expected to open in 2025).

The EDC is also moving forward with the next steps on its Village Center revitalization project and will invite neighboring landowners to a focus group run by consultant Tighe and Bond in January.

(10-DEC-24)  At its meeting on December 3, the Boxborough Finance Committee (FinCom) reviewed the capital items that are currently structured under a Bond Anticipation Note (BAN) and will be voted on at Annual Town Meeting. A BAN is a short-term interest-bearing security issued in advance of a larger, future bond. A bond is issued once the BAN totals approximately $2 million.  

Town Administrator Michael Johns anticipates that the ambulance revolving fund will likely cover the balance of $133,000 for the next ambulance and will not require bonding. Likewise, funding for the maintenance of the Hager Well, at a cost of $72,000, should be covered by funds from the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) and will not be bonded.   

In other matters, FinCom discussed the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District (ABRSD) budget. The School Committee has projected a 3% increase in the overall budget, which translates to a 5.1% increase in the Boxborough assessment.  

Boxborough’s enrollment is currently 17.5% of the total enrollment and is expected to increase to 18.5% over the next few years.  The next FinCom meeting is scheduled for Tuesday December 17 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.  The meeting will be hybrid.  

(10-DEC-24) At their meeting on December 5, Boxborough Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) members discussed the Phase Two decision matrix that they will use to help them make a final decision on the site of Boxborough’s future fire station.  The FSBC expects to choose one of the two remaining sites under consideration – either 502 Massachusetts Avenue (the site of the current fire station) or 72 Stow Road – by the end of January. 

The decision matrix, designed by Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) Vertex, includes a list of relevant decision factors and a “weight” for each factor. The decision factors in the matrix include, but are not limited to, “Percolation Test for septic,” “Geotech Survey – Borings,” “Response Time,” and “Conceptual Estimated Total Cost.”  

The FSBC spent two hours reviewing and revising the matrix. Members discussed how each factor will be measured and what weight to assign to each factor. The discussion generated extensive conversation about the many issues surrounding the fire station building project.    

In the coming weeks, Vertex will work with the town’s architecture firm, Context Architecture, to score both potential fire station sites on each of the matrix’s decision factors. Context has already begun their Phase Two analyses and will have engineers at both sites over the next several weeks.

Previously, in Phase One, the FSBC used a similar decision matrix to compare three potential sites and voted to advance 502 Massachusetts Avenue and 72 Stow Road to Phase Two.

The FSBC also briefly discussed their next public outreach initiative; they expect to hold another set of public forums in February, after they have made their site selection decision.  The FSBC’s next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 19.

(5-DEC-24) At its meeting on November 26, the Boxborough Housing Board (BHB) discussed roof replacements at Boxborough Meadows, the Boxborough Rental Assistance Program (BRAP), community education on affordable housing, and a Housing Production Plan (HPP) update. The board also discussed its plan to publicize the need for new members.

The roof replacement for the affordable units at Boxborough Meadows is underway, and the BHB discussed the monitoring process and timeline. The work is expected to be completed in a few weeks. 

On Thursday, December 5, the BHB will present its application for community preservation funds for the Boxborough Rental Assistance Program to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC). The request is for $69,000, which is $25,000 more than fiscal year 2025 because the BRAP rental stipend will be increased from $250 to $500. The CPC will vote whether or not to recommend the inclusion of the article on the Annual Town Meeting warrant in May 2025.

The BHB also discussed its progress on removing several affordable homes from trusts. BHB members expressed concern that the prohibition against transfer to a trust adversely affects the ability of affordable residents to plan their estates and that such constraints may not be widely known to both owners and administrators. The board will prepare a list of trusted advisors and will investigate educational seminars that will educate homeowners “in the dos and don’ts of affordable housing.” 

BHB members expressed disappointment over the lack of progress on the Housing Production Plan (HPP), as it appears that both financial and personnel resources are currently insufficient for a complete update. Avenues for moving forward were discussed, and it was determined that the Boxborough Office of Land Use and Permitting will provide some assistance by gathering preliminary housing data and seeking external funding.

Typically, the BHB meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month. However, due to the holidays, the next meeting of the BHB is Tuesday, December 17 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. Residents with an interest in affordable housing issues are encouraged to attend.

(5-DEC-24) At its meeting on November 14, Steele Farm Committee Chair Christopher Hydak reported that a contract has been signed with Unicorn Contracting for Phase III of the effort to preserve the envelope of the 1784 Levi Wetherbee farmhouse at Steele Farm in Boxborough. 

Phase III work includes new windows, new siding, and exterior painting and is expected to be completed over the next four to five months. When completed, the preservation of the farmhouse exterior will essentially be finished. Volunteers have applied a first coat of exterior paint on the newly restored icehouse, and the final coat will be applied in spring 2025.

The committee also discussed the ongoing maintenance of the Steele Farm landscape, including mowing, tree removal, and eradication of invasive species. Committee members expressed satisfaction with the recent haying of the property and discussed the possibility of setting up a multi-year contract for this work. The haying schedule under such a contract would take into account the protection of the bobolink nesting season. 

In other landscaping matters, maintenance of the holiday tree farm was identified as a high priority for the committee, and they will be seeking volunteers to assist with this effort.

The next meeting of the committee will take place in the Boxborough Museum at 575 Middle Road on Thursday January 9, 2025 at 7 p.m.

(3-DEC-24) At its meeting on November 21, the Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) voted unanimously to move forward two of the three potential fire station sites for a “Phase Two” analysis: 502 Massachusetts Avenue (the current location of the fire station) and 72 Stow Road.

The FSBC made its decision after comparing the three sites using a site selection matrix designed by Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) Vertex. The committee reviewed and discussed Vertex’s recommended ratings and made some changes to the scoring. By the end of the exercise, the weighted scores for the three properties were 371 for 502 Mass Ave, 362 for 72 Stow Road, and 297 for 700 Mass Ave.

Context Architecture will begin a “Phase Two” analysis for the two chosen sites, which will include more in-depth studies. The results of the Phase Two analysis will be brought to the FSBC in December or January, and the FSBC is expected to use another matrix to compare the two properties. The FSBC expected to choose one of the two sites in December or January.

The third site in the matrix, 700 Mass Ave, will not be studied further at this time. While committee members agreed that no funds should be spent to study the site further, there was disagreement among committee members about whether the site was still a viable option or if it should be taken “off the table.” The committee discussed this, but took no action.

Separately, the FSBC held a lengthy discussion about exploring the possibility of a “public safety building,” that is, a combined police and fire facility, at 502 Mass Ave. FSBC Vice Chair Mac Reid began the discussion with a recommendation that the committee build the fire station in a way that would allow the town to attach a renovated police station (currently located next to the fire station) in the future.

Several committee members agreed that the possibility of a combined public safety building is an idea worth studying, but noted that they won’t know whether the proposal is even possible at 502 Mass Ave until the town’s consultants complete a wetlands study, land survey, and other necessary engineering analysis associated with the site. The FSBC is expected to discuss the idea of a combined public safety building further at a future meeting.

The FSBC also voted to accept a program report presented by Context Architecture and voted to recommend that the Select Board move the Special Town Meeting from February 10, 2025 to March 18, 2025. The FSBC’s next two meetings are scheduled for December 5 and December 19. 

(21-NOV-24) At its meeting on November 19, the Boxborough Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) conducted a public hearing to review the application submitted by Classic Signs, Inc. to amend the special permit, originally granted in 1999, to replace the existing free-standing sign at 80 - 90 Central Street, an office building near the intersection of Route 2. The applicant also requested a waiver from ZBA procedure that would have required engineering site plans, citing that the proposed replacement is in the same location as the existing sign. The ZBA agreed to waive the requirement.   

Justin Parker, representing Classic Signs, Inc. presented the plan to the ZBA and answered questions that focused on the size of the sign and plans for illumination. The proposed sign specifications exceeded the maximum surface area allowed by the town’s sign bylaw, which is 32 square feet per side. The applicant had not included the sign base or street address in the sign as part of his square footage calculation. Board members consulted the bylaw and confirmed that street address is part of the calculation and that this issue could be resolved by scaling down the sign by approximately two square feet. The applicant agreed to re-design the sign to meet the bylaw requirement.

Regarding sign illumination, town bylaw allows but does not prefer internal illumination. The current sign is internally illuminated, and the applicant indicated that the new sign will also use internal illumination. The bylaw specifies that the sign may be illuminated up to 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after business hours, which will be specified in the ZBA’s written decision. The applicant indicated that the sign lights will be on a timer. 

In a unanimous vote, ZBA members closed the public hearing and approved the application with conditions, including a maximum surface size of 32 square feet per side and an illumination plan with specified hours of operation. Town Planner Alec Wade will prepare a written decision, and the board will vote at their next meeting, which is scheduled for December 10 at 7:30 p.m.

(21-NOV-24) At its meeting on November 18, the Boxborough Planning Board held a public hearing to review an application from Astro Crane seeking site plan approval to construct two one-story industrial buildings at 340 Codman Hill Road for the storage of HVAC equipment. Bruce Saluk, engineer for the applicant, presented the project and answered the board’s questions, which included lighting plans, potential hazardous waste storage, and site preparation as it relates to tree clearing. The site borders a wetland resource area, so the applicant must also file a notice of intent with the Boxborough Conservation Commission. The public hearing was continued to December 16.

The board also heard a request from Jeanson Builders for a performance bond reduction on the Priest Lane subdivision project. The performance guarantee is part of the original planning board decision to ensure that all work is completed and that it complies with the conditions of approval issued in the original decision. A representative from Dillis & Roy, engineering firm for Jeanson, addressed the board and requested that the bond amount be reduced to $11,004.92 from the original $247,000, pointing to a detailed list of completed items on the project. Following a lengthy discussion, the board voted 3 - 2 to reduce the bond to $25,000, with one member abstaining and the other voting against.

The next meeting of the Boxborough Planning Board is scheduled for December 2 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

(20-NOV-24) At its meeting on November 12, the Finance Committee (FinCom) heard from Town Administrator Michael Johns about preliminary budget projections for fiscal year 2026.

Johns reported that he is in the process of working with town department heads to assess the financial needs of the town for the next budget cycle. Preliminarily, he has projected a 4.97% increase in the town budget. That projection includes a cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) for non-union employees. However, the estimate does not include any increases for the town’s collective bargaining units (police, fire and DPW), who are in the process of negotiating new contracts for the period beginning July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028.  

Town Assessor Kelly Szocik reported that the levy is higher than the original estimated amount of $26,290,000. Szocik’s new projection for the levy is $26,874,899, which would mean a projected tax rate for the current fiscal year of $15.14. 

Once the levy is finalized by the town’s finance team, the town will submit the tax rate recapitulation sheet, which provides a municipality’s entire budget plan for the fiscal year, to the Department of Local Services’ Bureau of Accounts for final certification.

After hearing from both the town administrator and the town assessor, FinCom reached consensus to provide the ABRSD School Committee with guidance for its fiscal year 2026 budget. FinCom agreed and will communicate to the School Committee that based on current projections, Boxborough can sustain a 6% increase in its assessment. Last year’s assessment was close to a 15% increase from the prior year. 

(20-NOV-24) At its November 14 “goal-oriented” meeting (as opposed to a “business” meeting), the Acton-Boxborough School Committee heard two presentations: an “MCAS and Multi-Tier Systems of Support (MTSS) Update” and “Updated Protocols for Hate and Bias Incidents.”

The “MCAS and Multi-Tier Systems of Support (MTSS) Update” was presented by Gabrielle Abrams, the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning. The presentation was an update on District Goal #2 of the 2024-2025 District Improvement Plan, which focuses on increasing academic performance, specifically in literacy and mathematics.

Assistant Superintendent Abrams walked through 2024 MCAS test results and Advanced Placement test results and discussed next steps in pursuit of Goal #2. A memo is available at https://bit.ly/4hWCCiY.

The “Updated Protocols for Hate and Bias Incidents” was presented by Jen Faber, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The Protocols, first published in 2022, were revised this year by the district’s Leadership Coalition. The Protocols involve (1) ensuring safety, (2) internal and external communication, (3) comprehensive investigation, (4) ongoing support, and (5) stakeholder engagement.

Faber noted that the Leadership Coalition spent “a lot of time” discussing public communication concerning hate and bias incidents and had trouble coming to a consensus on this component of the protocol. The Coalition did agree on launching a new “incidents dashboard,” which will be posted biannually on the district’s website starting in January 2025. The dashboard will include information about incidents by type (hate/bias,Title IX, bullying, and harassment). The full Protocols are available at https://bit.ly/4hVU1so. 

At the beginning of the meeting, Superintendent Peter Light noted that he has been working with the Boxborough Police Department on a School Resource Officer Memorandum of Understanding, which will be reviewed and voted on by the School Committee at its next meeting on November 21. 

(12-Nov-24) The Boxborough Well-Being Committee invited Boxborough Police Chief John Szewczyk to its November 7 meeting to discuss Boxborough’s involvement with and commitment to the Domestic Violence Services Network (DVSN). 

Chief Szewczyk spoke about the need to train Boxborough police officers in protocols for dealing with domestic violence calls. If his budget permits, he plans to send one Boxborough officer to the DVSN training in the Spring of 2025 and include funding in next year’s budget to train an additional officer.

Szewczyk also explained that Boxborough police officers work closely with both Susan Lemere, the town’s Co-Response Clinician, and Wendy Trinks, the Boxborough Community Services Coordinator. Officers are trained to understand that an interaction with a resident does not have to be “huge” to make a referral to the Community Services department, which can help residents find needed resources.  

Lemere spoke about her role in working with the police department to provide crisis services and emotional support for victims and families of domestic violence and other high stress situations, including mental health behavioral incidents. 

In other matters, the committee voted unanimously to support an application to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for increased funding for the Boxborough Rental Assistance Program (BRAP), currently in its ninth year of implementation. 

The program currently provides a $250 monthly stipend to 14 Boxborough families. Community Services Coordinator Trinks, who manages the program, has asked for an increase in the stipend to $500, which would increase funding from $44,050 in Fiscal Year 2025 to $69,000 for Fiscal Year 2026. 

The increased stipend was proposed after Trinks surveyed surrounding towns, most of whom are providing $500 monthly stipends for rental assistance to qualified low-income residents. If the application is approved by CPC, it will go to Annual Town Meeting (ATM) for a vote.

Human Services Director Kim Dee asked the Well-Being Committee to support a warrant article that would increase the hours of the Community Service Coordinator from 25 hours per week to 32 hours per week. Some of the Coordinator hours are currently funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which expires on December 31, 2024. 

There was general agreement to support this article. This article will also go to the ATM for a vote.  The next meeting of the Well-Being Committee is scheduled for Thursday, December 5 at 11:30 a.m. at Town Hall.

(12-Nov-24) At its meeting on November 7, the Boxborough Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) heard from Town Administration Michael Johns about a zoning issue concerning the potential fire station site at 700 Massachusetts Avenue. The Committee decided to pause all study of 700 Massachusetts Avenue and seek a written legal opinion on the zoning issue.

The FSBC also heard a presentation from consultant Context Architecture (“Context”) about a site assessment report for 502 Massachusetts Avenue (the site of the current fire station). The Committee authorized Context to move forward with additional studies on 502 Massachusetts Avenue.

With respect to 700 Massachusetts Ave, T.A. Johns reported to the Committee that there are zoning restrictions applicable to the property that limit the allowable square footage to a number below the fire station “program” requirements. Accordingly, the town would need to apply for and be granted a “use variance” by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) in order to construct a fire station on the site. 

Town Planner Alec Wade informed the FSBC that he would not be in favor of the ZBA granting such a “use variance.” T.A. Johns relayed town counsel’s opinion that a “use variance,” if granted, would likely be difficult to defend on appeal. The FSBC agreed that T.A. Johns should obtain a legal opinion in writing from town counsel about the zoning issue, but did not take the property “off the list” of potential sites.

With respect to 502 Massachusetts Avenue, the site assessment report showed how the footprint of a new fire station might fit at the site of the current fire station and flagged certain potential challenges for further investigation. 

Overall, said Jeff Shaw of Context, “although there are many challenges, many of them can be overcome and the project generally could proceed on this site….” The Committee authorized Context to pursue further investigation concerning wetlands demarcation, septic sizing, well size, and an “auto turn analysis.”

The Committee also briefly discussed considerations for a “swing space” for temporary fire department operations if the town decides to rebuild the fire station on the current site at 502 Massachusetts Ave. The design and related costs of a swing space is currently unknown and is not within the current budget for Context.

The FSBC also discussed the project timeline and schedule. It is unclear whether the FSBC will be ready to ask the town for the next tranche of funding – for fire station design costs only, not for construction costs – by the Special Town Meeting (STM) scheduled for February 10, 2025. T.A. Johns noted that he has a STM backup date of March 10 reserved at Blanchard Elementary School. 

The FSBC made no decisions and will revisit at their next meeting whether they will be ready to ask the town for additional funding at a February STM. They also expect to review a completed “phase one” site selection matrix at their next meeting.  The FSBC’s next meeting will be Thursday, November 21 at 7 p.m. in hybrid format. They are also planning additional public forums regarding the “phase one” site selection matrix on Wednesday, December 4 at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. 

(7-Nov-24) On October 30, Boxborough Chief of Police John T. Szewczyk announced that the Boxborough Police Department has been granted re-accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission (MPAC).

“The community has always been extremely supportive of the Boxborough Police Department. It is gratifying to show the community that we are following best practices and that our policies are of the highest standards,” said Chief Szewczyk.

Chief Szewczyk recognized Accreditation Manager Detective Sergeant Nathan Bowolick for his work throughout the accreditation process. “Detective Sergeant Bowolick performed exceptionally well and should be commended for his tremendous work. He is an asset to the Boxborough Police Department and to the Town of Boxborough.”

The accreditation lasts for three years until 2027. The Boxborough Police Department was first granted accreditation in 2018 and was awarded re-accreditation in 2021. The accreditation process requires a review of the department’s policies, procedures, and practices by expert evaluators from MPAC. 

According to the MPAC website, “Accreditation is a self-initiated process by which police agencies voluntarily strive to meet and maintain standards that have been established for the law enforcement profession by the profession. The program establishes standards on best practices for police agencies to adopt. 

Agencies then establish written directives and procedures for their personnel to implement. Standards dictate which topical areas an agency must have policies and procedures, leaving the agency’s chief executive officer and supervisory staff to develop and enforce agency-specific policies and procedures.” 

(7-Nov-24) On Wednesday, October 30, the 3A Advisory Group held a joint meeting with the Boxborough Planning Board. The 3A Advisory Group is led by Town Planner Alec Wade and is tasked with providing zoning alternatives for Boxborough’s MBTA Communities District.

During the first half of the meeting, the group was introduced to John Cruz, who is a member of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) team and is providing technical assistance to the 3A Advisory Group. 

Cruz, a senior housing and land use planner, explained MAPC’s role in helping the town comply with the new multi-family zoning requirements, which includes researching, analyzing, and mapping out the eligible and excluded parcels in town and using that information to create a potential zoning district that would comply with the MBTA Communities law. 

Cruz answered questions from the members of the Planning Board and the 3A Group. He explained that the law does not mandate any construction and that this is a zoning exercise, not a development plan.

The remainder of the meeting was devoted to training the 3A Group on conflict resolution and planning the public information and mapping workshop for the MBTA Communities zoning. 

Town Planner Wade and the 3A Advisory Group will hold a mapping and information session for the public on Wednesday, November 13 at the Sargent Memorial Library from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This is an opportunity for town residents to engage in mapping exercises, ask questions, and speak directly with the town planner and advisory group members who will be making their recommendation to the Planning Board. Everyone is encouraged to join, regardless of experience level or zoning knowledge.

In 2021, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts approved a modification to MGL Chapter 40A (Zoning Act) that adds new provisions under Section 3A – referred to as the MBTA Communities Zoning Law – that requires communities with access to MBTA amenities to change zoning regulations to allow multifamily housing by-right. 

This program does not guarantee that housing will be produced, but creates the opportunity for future housing growth.  Because Boxborough does not have its own transit station, the town will have complete control over where our district will exist. Boxborough is required to adopt the required legislation no later than December 2025.

(31-OCT-24) On October 30, Mark Samuel McEnnis, a 41 year old male from Mason, New Hampshire, was arrested on a warrant for the following charges in connection with the “Rainbow Fish” vandalism incident: (1) Malicious or Wanton Defacing or Damaging of Property, and (2) Property Damage to Intimidate. 

McEnnis turned himself in to Boxborough Police Headquarters and has a court appearance scheduled for October 31.

“Boxborough Detective Sergeant Bowolick worked diligently in conjunction with the Massachusetts State Police’s Hate Crimes Awareness and Response Team to ensure this case was investigated promptly and thoroughly. The Boxborough Police Department has zero tolerance for crimes of this magnitude as all individuals, regardless of background, should feel safe in our community,” stated Boxborough Police Chief John Szewczyk.

On October 14, the Boxborough Police Department was made aware of vandalism to a “Rainbow Fish” symbol hanging below a street sign for The Episcopal Church / The Church of the Good Shepherd on Central Street in Boxborough. The “Rainbow Fish” image appeared to have been covered with white spray paint. 

The Boxborough News article about the vandalism incident is available at https://tinyurl.com/BoxboroughSign .

(31-OCT-24) The Boxborough Economic Development Committee (EDC) has awarded business improvement grants to two Boxborough businesses: Two Friends Chocolates and a brand-new business venture, Thinking Flower.

Two Friends Chocolates has received a grant award of $13,324 to implement an online ordering system, increase staffing capacity, and improve advertising abilities. This is owner Lavanya Selvaraj’s second award from the town’s grant program. She received her first grant of $20,000 in September 2023 and has used the funds to expand her business, including offering hot drinks as well as a “s’mores station.”

Thinking Flower owner Divya Suryaprasad has received a grant award of $15,000 to put towards establishing a new business, a coffee shop, bakery, and wine bar located next to Middlesex Bank, at #629-C Massachusetts Ave. The grant award comes with a number of conditions, as Suryaprasad is still in the process of applying for the permits, licenses, and Board of Health approval required to open her business. The business is expected to open in 2025.

The EDC also recently considered a grant application from current Boxborough business Pink Dog Spa, but the applicant withdrew the application before an award decision was made.

The Boxborough Business Grant Program, funded by Boxborough’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) appropriation, provides up to $20,000 in matching funds as a forgivable loan to small Boxborough businesses that meet the requirements of the program. The program is now winding down; October 31 was the final deadline for applications.

In addition to administering the grant program, the EDC has recently hosted a third annual “Boxborough Business Breakfast” for local business owners; is organizing a “landowner focus group” as a next step in the village center revitalization project; and is starting the process of drafting an Economic Development Plan for Boxborough, which, upon completion, would open up potential funding and grant opportunities for the town.

(30-Oct-24) Election Day is Tuesday, November 5. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Boxborough Town Hall, 29 Middle Road.  

The Town Clerk’s Office reminds Boxborough residents that “no political signage or paraphernalia is allowed within 150 feet of the polling place on election day or during early voting. This includes bumper stickers (cover them or park at the church parking lot where overflow parking is allowed on election day). No pins, t-shirts, hats, or anything else is allowed in the polling place that displays candidates' slogans or names.” 

Town Clerk Rebecca Harris estimates that Boxborough’s preliminary voting results will be released after 10 p.m. on November 5. “It takes a long time to tally hand counted ballots and write-ins in such a high voter turnout election!” says Harris. 

As of October 28, eight days before election day, 1,160 Boxborough voters had already cast their ballots. The majority of those, 733 ballots, came in through early mail-in voting. Another 400 ballots were cast during in-person early voting hours, and 27 were UOCAVA (overseas) ballots. 

According to Harris, Boxborough currently has 4,200 registered voters. The majority, 2,898 voters, are unenrolled (no party affiliation). There are 978 registered Democrats, 301 registered Republicans, and 23 “other.” 

In the last several presidential elections, voter turnout in Boxborough has remained fairly consistent: 83% turnout in 2012, 82.5% in 2016, and 84% in 2020. This year, says Harris, “I anticipate turnout at the high end of historical figures, probably around 85% because it's such a controversial national election.”

(30-Oct-24) At its October 24 meeting, the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee did a “first read” of a draft FY2026 budget development schedule and budget guidelines.

There was no discussion about these two documents at the meeting, but Committee members were encouraged to provide feedback before the Committee votes on the schedule and guidelines at their meeting on November 21.

The budget schedule and guidelines can be accessed at https://bit.ly/48uc58n.  The schedule lists January 30, 2025 as the date of the superintendent’s preliminary budget presentation, with a vote on the preliminary FY26 budget scheduled for March 13. The FY26 final budget vote is scheduled for March 20.

The draft budget guidelines, developed by the School Committee’s budget subcommittee, ask the district for a budget with an “increase of no greater than 3%” and goes on to identify six priorities, including reducing kindergarten tuition and keeping class sizes within School Committee guidelines.

Later in the meeting, School Committee member and Boxborough resident Liz Fowlks reported to the committee about the school budget concerns expressed at a recent Boxborough Finance Committee meeting, including feedback that the district “keep the assessment as low as possible.”

In response to a question from a committee member about the Boxborough Finance Committee’s feedback, Superintendent Peter Light commented that “we had a very big ask of the two communities last year, and I think both Boxborough and the town of Acton recognized that we were in an extraordinary budget year and both had put plans that they may have had on hold in order to allow us to move forward and seek the override and be able to fund the schools….”

Superintendent Light went on to acknowledge that Boxborough has been working towards building a new fire station for a long time and said, “I think it’s just important from our lens to understand where we do hear concerns, it’s because there’s a feeling probably in the two towns that they’ve had to defer priorities of their own in order to help us maintain the quality of education. I don’t think it’s a desire to see us reduce the quality of education but to live within the fiscal realities of the two towns….”

The Boxborough Finance Committee is expected to provide the School Committee with additional budget feedback in the coming weeks.

(30-OCT-24) The warrant is open for the February 10, 2025 Boxborough Special Town Meeting. Placeholder articles from town boards and committees are due to the Town Administrator’s office by November 25, when the warrant is scheduled to be closed.

Town Administrator Michael Johns currently anticipates roughly a dozen articles on the Special Town Meeting warrant.

A first draft of the warrant will be presented to the Select Board at their meeting on November 25, and subsequent drafts are expected to be presented to the Select Board and the Finance Committee throughout December. The Select Board and Finance Committee are expected to make votes and recommendations on the final warrant on December 16 and 17, respectively.

The warrant is expected to go to the printer just after the first of the new year and be mailed to all Boxborough residences in late January 2025.

The Special Town Meeting will take place on Monday, February 10 at the Blanchard Elementary School gym. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and is not expected to continue beyond a single night.  

(30-OCT-24) At its October 28 meeting, the Boxborough Select Board conducted the FY2025 Tax Classification Hearing. The Board heard a presentation and recommendation from Town Assessor Kelly Szocik and voted to set a single tax rate for all property classes.

The purpose of the tax classification hearing is to determine the percentage of the Town’s property tax levy to be borne by each property class. The tax levy is the amount of property taxes to be raised in a fiscal year. This amount is determined through the town’s budget process.

Municipalities must decide whether to tax all classes of property at a single tax rate or to reduce the share of the tax levy paid by residential property owners and shift those taxes to commercial, industrial, and personal property taxpayers. The Town Assessor recommended a single tax rate for all property classes and the Board voted to adopt the recommendation.

The Board also voted to authorize the re-painting of Town Hall in its current paint color scheme; voted to extend official support for the restoration of a Northern Tier Rail Line from Fitchburg to North Adams, as requested by State Senator Jamie Eldridge; and voted to accept a revised Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) and Pension Financial Policy.

Police Chief John Szewczyk reported to the Board that the Boxborough Police Department has received its re-accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.

The Chairs of the Boxborough Housing Board and the Boxborough Personnel Board also presented to the Select Board about their urgent need for new members. Residents interested in volunteering for these boards can fill out the Resident Interest Form, available at tinyurl.com/ResidentInterestForm.

(29-Oct-24) At its October 24 meeting, the Boxborough Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) reviewed an “in progress” schematic showing how a fire station building footprint might fit onto a potential fire station site at 700 Massachusetts Ave.   The property at 700 Massachusetts Avenue is one of three properties that the FSBC is currently evaluating as a potential site for Boxborough’s new fire station. The other two are 502 Massachusetts Avenue (the site of the town’s current fire station) and 72 Stow Road.

(22-Oct-24) At their October 16 meeting, the Boxborough Select Board recognized longtime Boxborough residents Francie Nolde and Hugh Fortmiller for their twenty-five years of service to the town. Nolde and Fortmiller are now moving to a new home in Concord.

Nolde and Fortmiller moved to Boxborough in 1999, landing here when they found a unique historic home on Sargent Road, and quickly joined the Board of the Boxborough Conservation Trust. Nolde soon formed an organization that eventually became the Boxborough Sustainability Committee and worked for years towards the goal of getting Boxborough designated as a “green community,” which makes the town eligible for state grants to support sustainability- related projects.

Fortmiller has also served on many town boards and committees, including the Personnel Board, the Community Preservation Committee, and the Building Committee. He has also served on several town study committees and was a founding member of the Boxborough News team.  

After recognizing the accomplishments of these two dedicated residents, Select Board members presented each of them with citations from the State Senate and House of Representatives, as well as thanks and well wishes from the Select Board. 

The Select Board also welcomed two new officers to the Boxborough Police Department: Officer Hannah Lima and Officer Kevin Crizer. Police Chief John Szewczyk introduced each new officer to the Select Board with a brief bio and words of welcome. Both officers began as dispatchers with the Boxborough Police Department and decided to join the department as police officers when the town transitioned to regional dispatch. 

They both graduated from the Lowell Police Academy on October 10 and are now in a 12-week Field Training Program with the police department. Read more about the new officers at [https://www.boxboroughnews.org/news#h.q9kb91ivm7n8]. 

Public Celebrations and Ceremonies Committee Chair Jennette Kollman presented plans for this year’s holiday tree lighting ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, December 7. The Select Board agreed with Kollman’s recommendation that the ceremony be moved from the evergreen tree at Hill and Middle Roads to the evergreen tree in front of the fire station. Read more about the change of venue for the tree lighting at [https://www.boxboroughnews.org/news#h.nqgr0rfmi746].  

Chair Kollman also announced that her family intends to make a menorah and donate it to the town so that the town can light a menorah during Hanukkah, in addition to lighting the tree. The Select Board thanked Kollman’s family for taking on this project.

The Board also briefly discussed a resident request that the town record all town Board and Committee meetings. Select Board members signaled that they are in favor of increased transparency but are concerned about the costs and logistics associated with the undertaking. The Town Administrator agreed to research the logistics and bring a proposal back to the Board in a future meeting. 

(22-Oct-24) Last week, the Boxborough Police Department welcomed two new officers: Officer Hannah Lima and Officer Kevin Crizer. Both officers began as dispatchers with the department and decided to join the department as police officers when the town transitioned to regional dispatch. They both graduated from the Lowell Police Academy on October 10 and are now in a 12-week Field Training Program with the police department. 

Boxborough News asked the officers some questions about why they wanted to become a Boxborough police officer, what they are most looking forward to in their new role, and what they enjoy in their free time. Their responses are below.

Officer Lima: “Last year I started to work at the Boxborough police station as a dispatcher while also finishing up school at Framingham State University. I knew I wanted to have a career in law enforcement but needed some guidance and experience in it which is why when I heard about a police officer position opening up in Boxborough, I knew I wanted to apply.

Especially with dispatch going regional, I needed to find a new job which motivated me even more. Additionally, I do live in town and have lived here all my life, therefore, I felt that it would be a great accomplishment to serve my community. I am looking forward to learning from my fellow officers and growing into an experienced officer…working in the community. 

My favorite part of being a police officer is being able to help the community and creating a connection with the citizens I interact with. In my free time, I enjoy seeing family and going to the gym. Both family time and staying healthy are important for me.”

Officer Crizer: “When I decided to pursue a career in law enforcement, it was my goal to serve in a town where I could connect with the community on a more personal level. I have a sincere love for people and have a desire to build close relationships and contribute to an environment of trust and collaboration

Boxborough is a community where I believe I will be able to realize the direct impact of my efforts. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the community events I’ve had the opportunity to participate in. It is encouraging to see the level of support the community has for the Boxborough Police Department and the solid relationships the officers have built with the community.  

I look forward to future events and am excited to be a part of them. I spend most of my free time with family and friends. I love nature, most any outdoor activity and maintaining physical fitness.” 

(17-Oct-24) At their hybrid meeting on October 10, the Boxborough Sustainability Committee (BSC) debriefed on Trash Talk, reviewed results for the household waste reduction survey, and discussed upcoming priorities. 

Members of the committee shared feedback from the educational “Trash Talk” event held at the end of September. The event was well attended with over 30 participants. 

(17-Oct-24) At the meeting of the Boxborough Housing Board (BHB) at Town Hall on October 9, topics included estate planning for owners of affordable units, preparation of an updated Housing Production Plan (HPP), the Boxborough Rental Assistance Program (BRAP), and resale of affordable homes. 

The BHB and the Boxborough Planning Office are working with several current homeowners to remove their affordable homes from trust ownership, which is not permitted. The BHB decided to seek legal guidance on estate planning for owners of affordable homes. 

The BHB also discussed whether an update to the town’s HPP, which has lapsed, should be pursued. While maintaining Boxborough’s affordable housing percentage above the mandated 10% is one objective of the plan, board members felt that addressing the diverse housing needs of Boxborough should be the plan’s primary objective. The BHB decided to identify the next steps in the HPP updating process and estimate its cost.

The preliminary application for FY2026 BRAP funding has been submitted to the Community Preservation Committee. The BHB discussed the need to fund this recurring program from sources other than community preservation funds, starting in FY2027. 

The resale of the affordable home at 56 Joyce Lane is scheduled to close on October 30, 2024. A deed rider for the new owner is under review by KP Law. The owner of another affordable unit has expressed interest in selling, and the BHB approved a Maximum Resale Price for this unit.

Finally, the BHB noted that roof replacements at Boxborough Meadows have not commenced because recent hurricanes have caused the roof shingles to be delayed. In view of the current paucity of meeting rooms in Town Hall, the BHB discussed their meeting format and meeting times going forward. BHB members supported the current in-person meeting format and did not favor a hybrid in-person/remote format. 

(17-Oct-24) The Boxborough Police Department is investigating vandalism to a “Rainbow Fish” symbol hanging below a street sign for The Episcopal Church / The Church of the Good Shepherd. The “Rainbow Fish” image appears to have been covered with white spray paint. The Church of the Good Shepherd is located on Newtown Road in Acton, but the damaged sign is located on Central Street in Boxborough. 

According to the police report from the Boxborough Police Department, the department was made aware of the incident on October 14 by the Acton Police Department, who received a report from an Acton resident who saw “a video posted [on] Reddit, a social media platform, of a party who appeared to be spray painting ‘The Rainbow Fish’ attached to a church sign.”

The police report continues, “At this time, it is unknown when this incident had occurred and what intentions were of the offender. No other witnesses have come forward and no video footage, other than the posted video, were available at the time of this report.”  The Boxborough Police Department states that the incident is currently under investigation.

Said Police Chief John Szewczyk, “The Boxborough Police Department takes all hate crimes extremely seriously and allocates all necessary resources to ensure all investigations are thorough and complete. We will continue to actively investigate this incident. All members of our community should feel safe, and incidents such as this will not be tolerated in our community.”

Said Sgt. Detective Nathan Bowolick, “We are actively investigating the incident, working in conjunction with the Massachusetts State Police Hate Crimes Unit. We have active leads as the investigation is ongoing.”

Town Administrator Michael Johns stated, “I'm very confident in the responding officers and command staff; and want to emphasize that like the law enforcement professionals involved, I and the Boxborough leadership have zero tolerance for hate crime, discrimination and bullying behavior.”

(16-Oct-24) At its meeting on October 8, Assistant Town Administrator (ATA) Rajon Hudson updated the Personnel Board about a number of the town’s human resource initiatives. Hudson is working with Guardian Information Technologies to develop townwide cybersecurity awareness training for both staff and volunteers. He expects the training will commence within the next two months.

The town has put together a negotiating team that includes the town administrator, assistant town administrator, chief of police, fire chief, DPW (Department of Public Works) director, and the Finance Committee chair to begin the negotiation process with the three collective bargaining units: police, fire and DPW. 

With respect to staffing, the town currently has two Administrative Assistant openings; one in the Treasurer/Collector’s office and the other in the Land Use and Permitting department.  The town is also interviewing for the Recreation Services Coordinator position approved at ATM in May 2024. Additionally, the fire department is interviewing firefighters/EMTs for two openings due to resignations. 

In other matters, the Personnel Board continues to work on updating the employee handbook, harmonizing job descriptions with the Classification and Compensation Schedule, and finalizing the Governance Structure document.  

The board is also in the process of recruiting new members to the Personnel Board. Residents interested in volunteering for the board should complete and submit the “resident interest form” found on the Town of Boxborough website.

The Personnel Board meets in person at Town Hall on the second Tuesday of the month.  Their next meeting is scheduled for November 12 at 5:30 pm.

(16-Oct-24) At their October 10 meeting, the Boxborough Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) voted to drop further study of the 975 Massachusetts Avenue site primarily due to the cost of purchasing the land. Town Administrator Michael Johns reported to the committee that he had a second meeting with the owner of 975 Massachusetts Avenue, who stated that the price of the land would be $3.5 million. 

After discussion, the FSBC voted 6 to 1 to take the property off the table and not invest further time and resources into studying it. This leaves three remaining potential fire station sites: 502 Massachusetts Avenue (the current fire station location), 72 Stow Road, and 700 Massachusetts Avenue. 

The FSBC next heard an update on the 700 Massachusetts Avenue site. TA Johns reported that he has spoken to the owner several times via email and is gathering additional information about the site. The Committee pulled up a map and discussed challenges and opportunities of the site. Although there are a number of constraints, the committee agreed that it is worthy of further study by Context Architecture (Context), the town’s consultant. 

Context reported to the committee that they are currently studying 502 Massachusetts Avenue (the current fire station site) and have nothing to report at this time. The committee agreed that this property is also worthy of further study.

The FSBC then turned to the “matrix,” a tool designed by Owner's Project Manager (OPM) firm Vertex to be used for comparing and evaluating the three remaining potential fire station sites. The matrix defines a set of criteria for “initial review” of each site and a set of criteria for a “round two evaluation” of each site.

Committee members discussed the purpose of the matrix, how it will be utilized by the committee, and the relative weighing of various metrics. They will continue discussion of the matrix at a future meeting. 

The FSBC also discussed a recent Stow Road site visit and plans for the upcoming public forums. The forums will be held Wednesday, October 16 at 10 a.m. at the Sargent Memorial Library; Wednesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. at the Sargent Memorial Library; Tuesday, October 22 at 7 p.m. via Zoom; and Wednesday, October 23 at 7 p.m. at the Sargent Memorial Library.

The forums are intended to be an opportunity for the town to share information with the public, as well as hear questions and feedback from attendees. The FSBC expects to share information about fire station “programming” (i.e., what the fire department needs for the new station and why) and the site selection process.

(15-Oct-24) At their October 10 meeting, the School Committee heard a presentation from Superintendent Peter Light about the “Vision of a Graduate” project.

The “Vision of a Graduate” project is intended to address a “big picture” question about what the community and other stakeholders want the school district to do for students. In particular, the “Vision” will define the “knowledge, skills, and habits of mind” that students should have by the time they graduate high school.

Superintendent Light laid out the timeline for the project, which will include surveys and other public engagement in November, a “visioning workshop” in January, a draft “Vision” in February, more feedback through the spring, and adoption by the School Committee by the end of the 2024-25 school year. The district will then begin the process of implementing the “Vision,” by making adjustments to school curriculum and programs.

After the Superintendent’s presentation, the Committee was joined by State Representative Danillo Sena, State Representative Simon Cataldo, and State Senator Jamie Eldridge. 

Each legislator gave a short presentation on legislative updates and priorities, and School Committee Chair Adam Klein spoke about the district’s challenges and needs from the state. The legislators then responded to comments and questions from Committee members. 

(15-OCt-24) At its meeting on Tuesday, October 1, the Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously (5 - 0) to grant a special permit for a change of use in a nonconforming structure at 60 Codman Hill Road, changing the use of the property from “Professional Office Use” to “Assembly Group A-3 Use” for purposes of religious worship, which is an allowed and protected use within the zoning district. 

Travis Snell, the owner of 60 Codman Hill Road, outlined the history of his efforts to lease the space, noting that the building has been vacant since he purchased it in 2021. According to Snell, the changing market has limited the interest in office space on Interstate 495. 

Snell was connected to Reverend Bryan Tomes of Crossroads Community Church, who was interested in leasing the space. Rev. Tomes told the ZBA that the church “has a vision to broaden [their] circle” and has “outgrown [their] current space” in Fitchburg, which is why they are moving to Boxborough.

Snell stated that the building exterior will not change. Rev. Tomes is working with Cornerstone Architects to redesign and build out the interior space to serve the church’s needs. The second floor will be converted to the church sanctuary, while the first floor will serve as church offices for a staff of 12 to 18 people and will be used for storage of props for children’s events. Church services will take place on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings.

ZBA members asked questions regarding the adequacy of parking and expressed concerns on the impact to neighbors.  Comments from the public were favorable, noting that having an occupied building was preferable to having a vacant one for valuation purposes and also that the church would bring people into Boxborough who may patronize local businesses. 

To grant the special permit for a change of use in a nonconforming structure, the board needed to consider whether the change will not be substantially more detrimental than the original use. Acting Chair Shawn McCormack said that he was inclined to find that the use is not detrimental and to grant the permit with some standard conditions, including adherence to fire, building, and health codes. 

Under Section 3 of the Zoning Act (Chapter 40A), cities and towns are generally prohibited from regulating or restricting "the use of land or structures for religious purposes."

(9-OCT-24) Typically quiet on a weekend morning, the Grange Room inside Town Hall had over 30 visitors on Saturday, September 28 for “Trash Talk,” an interactive event focused on the household waste generated by Boxborough residents. 

The event was cosponsored by the Boxborough Sustainability Committee and the Office of Land Use and Permitting.

Tables with specific “trash” themes were set up throughout the room, where visitors could learn about the problem (increased waste tonnage) and possible solutions. 

The first table showed a map of Massachusetts with the volume of trash produced by each of the 351 cities and towns. In 2023, Boxborough generated 893 tons of solid waste (trash), an 8.7% increase over 2022, when Boxborough generated 821 tons of trash. This trash volume data counts trash only from the 39 percent of Boxborough residents who use the Transfer Station. The map illustrates that Boxborough’s trash disposal rate is almost double that of surrounding towns. (see https://tinyurl.com/BoxboroughTrashData)

Other tables in the room focused on solutions–how residents could reduce personal waste by repairing or repurposing broken items; how to dispose of items that are still functional, but no longer needed or wanted; how to compost food waste; and how to “recycle smart.” 

Sustainability Committee member Suresh Jasrasaria guided visitors through a “recycle smart” quiz, which aimed to dispel myths about what items are and are not recyclable and how residents can be smarter consumers and recyclers.

The Sustainability Committee is exploring ways to reduce the amount of household waste and waste-related greenhouse gas emissions that are generated by Boxborough. They are asking residents to share their thoughts on household waste reduction strategies by completing a short (approximately 5-10 minute) survey. Survey respondents will be entered into a drawing to win a backyard compost bin. 

The survey is available at https://forms.gle/RLWr3xdHgXsU6Sr78 

(9-OCT-24) The Boxborough Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) has announced dates for a series of public outreach forums throughout October. 

The forums will be held Wednesday, October 16 at 10 a.m. at the Sargent Memorial Library; Wednesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. at the Sargent Memorial Library; Tuesday, October 22 at 7 p.m. via Zoom; and Wednesday, October 23 at 7 p.m. at the Sargent Memorial Library. 

According to a discussion at the most recent FSBC meeting on September 26, the forums are intended to be an opportunity for the town to share information with the public, as well as hear questions and feedback from the public. The FSBC expects to share information about fire station “programming” (i.e., what the fire department needs for the new station and why) and the site selection process.

The FSBC is tasked with, among other things, studying four sites and choosing one as the location of the town’s new fire station. The four sites currently under consideration are 502 Massachusetts Avenue (the current fire station location), 72 Stow Road, 700 Massachusetts Avenue, and 975 Massachusetts Avenue. 

For more information about the FSBC’s public forums, see the town’s announcement at https://www.boxborough-ma.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=387. 

(8-OCT-24) At its meeting on October 1, the Finance Committee (FinCom) discussed the certification of free cash, underspent budgets for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, the town’s pension liability, a Select Board warrant article regarding the town’s investment strategy, and a budget workshop with the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District (ABRSD).

The town received notice that the Department of Revenue (DOR) certified the town’s free cash (money that was not spent as of the end of the fiscal year plus any outstanding unspent cash) at $3.3M for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. The portion of the free cash attributed to budgets that were not fully spent was approximately $787K. 

Several FinCom members expressed concern that the certified free cash number was higher than in prior years and questioned the accuracy of what was sent to the DOR by the former Town Accountant. Committee members also questioned whether there were any unpaid bills pending. Town Administrator (TA) Michael Johns said that he and the Town Accountant will drill down on the numbers to see if they find any anomalies.  

TA Johns also addressed the town’s pension. Currently, the town budgets $1.5M annually to cover pensions for retirees. The outstanding pension liability is $13M, which covers future payments to retirees. Johns suggested that the town might want to consider setting aside an additional amount to invest and pay down the outstanding liability. No decisions were made.

FinCom also discussed a warrant article proposed by the Boxborough Select Board with respect to changing the town’s investment strategy by moving some or all of the trust funds into more aggressive funds.  

FinCom Chair Tony Newton reported that the Select Board and members of the ABRSD School Committee proposed a joint meeting with FinCom to understand the town’s financial constraints for the upcoming budget year. This meeting will be held as a joint ‘workshop’ as part of the next FinCom meeting. 

Newton said FinCom needs to consider possible budget constraints, including the impact of negotiating three collective bargaining agreements on the operating budget, capital spending, free cash, and the fire station building project. There might be other “unknowns” that may impact the budget as well. ABRSD has not projected what they plan to propose for the upcoming year.  

The next FinCom meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15 at 7 pm at Town Hall. The meeting will be hybrid.  

(8-OCT-24)At its meeting on Monday, September 30, the Boxborough Planning Board reviewed a draft warrant article to amend the zoning bylaw for Accessory Dwelling Units and scheduled a public hearing regarding the same, discussed potential zoning bylaw changes along Route 111, voted on an earth removal permit at 100 Codman Hill Road, and provided comments on an application before the Zoning Board of Appeals.  

In preparation for the special town meeting on February 10, 2025, the Board reviewed draft language for a warrant article to amend the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) bylaw. A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, October 21 at 7:05 p.m. The ADU bylaw changes are needed to bring Boxborough’s zoning bylaw into compliance with the Affordable Homes Act, which was signed into law in August 2024.   

Planning Board member Rich Guzzardi has proposed modifications to zoning along Massachusetts Avenue. The proposal is to convert certain areas in the IC (industrial commercial) zone to B (Business) or B1 (Business 1) to reduce higher intensity uses along Mass Ave to encourage restaurants and retail shops. The Board discussed the various types of businesses that would be impacted and definitions of the types of businesses that may need updating. Board members agreed that additional information is needed to draft a warrant article.

The Board continued its review of an application from French Brothers Boxborough LLC regarding a permit for earth removal at a parcel located on 100 Codman Hill Road. The Board previously granted site plan approval for the construction of a trade shop building, but one of the conditions in the approval specified that the applicant apply for an earth removal permit. In a 4-0-1 vote, the Planning Board issued an approval, with waivers to Sections V(a) and V(b) of the earth removal bylaw. The Board did not waive section V(c), and the Town will hold a $5,000 bond throughout construction..

Town Planner Alec Wade requested the Board’s comments on a special permit application currently before the Zoning Board of Appeals for a change of use on a nonconforming structure at 60 Codman Hill Road, which is changing the use of the property from “Professional Office Use” to “Assembly Group A-3 Use” for purposes of religious worship, which is an allowed and protected use within the zoning district. Board members discussed their concerns and listed their recommendations for the Zoning Board of Appeals’ consideration.

(3-OCT-24) At its meeting on September 19, the Recreation Commission (RecCom) discussed the latest developments with respect to two town fields.  An application has been filed for Community Preservation Act funding for a softball field at the Erikson Landry Field on Summer Road. The 7.5 acres of land at 144 Summer Road was gifted to the town by Ruth Landry in 2022 for recreational use. 

At the May 2023 Annual Town Meeting, RecCom was given approval and funding to survey the land as a possible site for a new softball field and has been working with Town Planner Alec Wade to move the project forward. At Liberty Field on Liberty Square Road, Lombardo Loam and Gravel has installed a fence between their operation and the Liberty Field property, and the pavilion installation has begun. 

The pavilion will be 20 feet by 30 feet and will be located between the basketball court and the playground. There will be a concrete pad and six rectangular tables under the pavilion. The pavilion will be generally available for public use on a first-come, first-served basis, but the town also intends to accept reservations for private use. 

At its meeting, the Recreation Commission also discussed the drains on the soccer fields at Liberty Field. The soccer fields were originally intended for 9 x 9 (youth) games, but RecCom is planning to remove drains so that 11 x 11 (adult) games can be played there, as well.  The Recreation Commission also reports that the Blanchard Running Club for kindergarten through sixth grade students has forty students participating and more are expected. 

Two individuals have been hired to help run the program, and additional volunteers are “very welcome.” If interested, contact Recreation Commission member Megan Connor at megconnor@boxborough-ma.gov. The Running Club meets Wednesday mornings from 8 to 8:45 a.m. at Blanchard Memorial School. 

Another fall program, JUMP’s “Adventure IRL (In Real Life)” naturalist and outdoor skills program, has been postponed due to low enrollment. It may take place in the Spring.  The next Recreation Commission meeting will be October 24th. 

(3-OCT-24) At its meeting on September 26, the Boxborough Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) reviewed a draft “matrix” to be used for comparing and evaluating the four potential fire station sites. 

The four sites currently under consideration are 502 Massachusetts Avenue (the current fire station location), 72 Stow Road, 700 Massachusetts Avenue, and 975 Massachusetts Avenue. The FSBC is tasked with, among other things, studying the four sites and choosing one as the location of the town’s new fire station.

The matrix was drafted by Owner's Project Manager (OPM) firm Vertex with input by the town’s fire station “working group,” which includes Town Administrator Michael Johns, FSBC Chair Mary Brolin, Fire Chief John Kivlan, and others. At the meeting, Vertex presented the matrix to the FSBC and took questions and comments from members. 

The matrix defines a set of criteria for “initial review” of each site and a set of criteria for a “round two evaluation” of each site. Initial review criteria includes, but is not limited to, land acquisition cost, availability of utilities, topography, visual evaluation of site lines, test fit/lot size, proximity of neighbors, and long-range town planning.

The “round two evaluation” criteria includes, but is not limited to, well tests, a wetlands survey, total estimated cost, future expansion, response time, and abutter impact. Committee members suggested several revisions, including adding, changing, and defining the criteria. As a next step, Vertex will present a recommendation for the relative weighting of the criteria in the matrix.

The FSBC also reviewed a “Stow Road Assessment Packet” prepared for the prior Building Committee that shows two possible configurations of a fire station building, parking lots, and driveways on the 72 Stow Road property. Chair Brolin explained that the FSBC’s review of this past work was intended to answer the question, “is this [72 Stow Road] a viable property?” The Committee discussed and agreed that it is a viable option.

Town Administrator Mike Johns updated the FSBC about his recent meeting with the owner of 975 Massachusetts Avenue, one of the potential fire station sites. TA Johns reported that the owner may be open to the possibility of selling the property to the town, but Johns also noted the “difficult topography” of the land.

  The FSBC also discussed public engagement. A subgroup of FSBC members intends to develop a schedule of public forums throughout October regarding fire station “programming” (i.e., what the fire department needs for the new station and why) and the site selection process. The Committee also intends to schedule a “listening session” for abutters to the Stow Road site. 

(24-SEP-24) At its meeting on September 17, the Finance Committee (FinCom) covered a wide variety of topics including possible reserve fund transfers (RFT), the year-end budget for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY2024), investment strategies for the pension and Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) funds, and FinCom representation on a new Acton-Boxborough Regional School District (ABRSD) task force. 

FinCom Chair Antony Newton reported several unanticipated expenses that may hit the RFT budget, which currently stands at $168,000. The sprinkler system pump at the library needs to be replaced at a projected cost of $30,000, and the town recently learned that additional students were accepted at Minuteman Vocational Technical school, which increases the vocational education budget by $44,000.  Additionally, the town has had to back-fill a town hall position due to a medical leave of absence.  

The town has three choices: Provided there are sufficient funds in the RFT budget, FinCom could vote to use some or all of the funds. Alternatively, FinCom could request that the town fund some or all of those expenses through free cash by a vote at Special Town meeting (STM) in February 2025. Or, FinCom could request that the town “raise and appropriate” through taxation at STM.  No decisions have been made.  

FinCom also discussed the FY2024 year-end budget, which showed that the town spent 95% of the budget. Local receipts, which includes excise taxes on resident automobiles, building permits, meals and hotel taxes and personal property came in at 158% over projections.  

Newton reported that theMassachusetts Department of Revenue has not yet certified the town’s free cash, but given that the town was under budget for FY2024 by $1.3 million, the town looks like it’s in “pretty good shape” going forward.    

FinCom members also discussed investment strategies for OPEB, pensions, and other reserves. While Town Treasurer Naomi Quansah is responsible for all investment decisions, she is looking for consideration and acceptance from FinCom, the Select Board, and the Town Administrator to implement an investment plan with a number of changes recommended by Bartholomew & Company, Inc., the Town’s investment firm. For example, Bartholomew recommended changing the equity/bond investment mix in the OPEB account from a 70/30 split to an 80/20 split.

FinCom voted to support the 80/20 split with a vote of 4 to 1. One member voted against the proposal, as they wanted additional information as to how Bartholomew is being compensated.  

Currently, the town does not use funds from the OPEB investment account. FinCom members asked for a timeline as to when OPEB will be fully funded and when the town anticipates having to use those funds. 

In other matters, FinCom member John Greven agreed to act as the liaison to a new ABRSD special task force to look at possible structural changes to the elementary schools. FinCom member John Connor will act as the alternate liaison.  

FinCom’s next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 1 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. 

(24-SEP-24) At its meeting on September 19, the Acton-Boxborough School Committee voted 8 to 1, with 2 members abstaining, to approve a lease with communications company TowerCo for a new cell tower at the Charter Road administration building.

The vote was scheduled for the Committee’s previous meeting on September 5, but was tabled due to concerns about the potential safety risks of a cell tower in close proximity to students and staff.  Before voting on the lease, the School Committee heard a presentation from Donald L Haes, Jr., a Certified Health Physicist, Certified Laser Safety Officer, and Radiation Safety Specialist, and held a discussion about the intended benefits and potential risks of a cell tower on school grounds.  

The cell tower project was initiated by the district to improve poor reception at the Charter Road campus. TowerCo will build and maintain the tower and will pay a monthly rent to the district.

The Committee then turned to the future of the School Resource Officer (SRO) Program, ultimately voting 6 to 5 to approve the new SRO Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

In December 2023, after a year of work by an SRO subcommittee, the School Committee voted to continue the SRO program and authorized Superintendent Peter Light to negotiate an MOU with the Acton Police Department using a set of specific program recommendations developed by the subcommittee. At the Committee’s September 5 meeting, Superintendent Light presented the MOU, as negotiated by the district, the Acton Police Department, and the Town of Acton. Superintendent Light noted that many, but not all, of the Committee’s recommendations had been incorporated.

Before voting, Committee members spoke both for and against the SRO program, with several members acknowledging that the entire process of developing a new MOU has been difficult.

The MOU applies only to the school buildings located in the Town of Acton. After the MOU with the Acton Police is finalized, the district is expected to begin discussions with the Boxborough Police Department. 

Deputy Superintendent Andrew Shen presented an Annual Staffing Report to the Committee, calling attention to the challenges in diversifying the district’s certified staff and noting that in the past two years, “we have regressed… our percentage of staff who identify as non-white has actually gone down in percentage.” He answered questions from the committee about how the district is trying to recruit and hire more diverse staff.

Superintendent Light also noted that the district’s Annual Report, which is typically sent to every Acton and Boxborough household, will be available in only digital form this year. Residents can expect to receive a postcard in the mail with a QR code to access the digital report.  

(24-SEP-24) At their September 10 meeting, the Boxborough Water Resources Committee (WRC) unanimously selected Weston and Sampson to begin a “Townwide Water Resource Planning” project and authorized Assistant Town Administrator Rajon Hudson to contract with Weston and Sampson for “Task 1” as described in the town’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for the project. 

Task 1 is the initial data-gathering phase, which is expected to be completed within two months of signing the contract. The fee for the Task 1 contract is not to exceed $11,500. Further project work (described in the RFP as “Task 2”) can be carried out by Weston and Sampson under future addenda to the Task 1 contract.

The WRC expects to have an initial project meeting with the Weston and Sampson team in early October.

According to the "Townwide Water Resources Planning Services” RFP, the town solicited “proposals from licensed professionals for the development of a town-wide water resource plan… that will address long-term water and wastewater needs.”

The WRC also discussed possible articles for the February Special Town Meeting and May Annual Town Meeting, including articles requesting funds to close Patch Hill monitoring wells and additional funds to continue the Townwide Water Resource Planning project. 

(24-SEP-24) At its meeting on September 12, the Steele Farm Committee made plans for the Steele Farm 30th Anniversary Celebration, which will be held on Saturday, October 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. 

The celebration will include tours of the barn and its various farm implements; information about the ice house and the equipment used in that process; a “look-in” at the interior of the farm house; and seasonal refreshments - including dog treats for the four-legged friends of Steele Farm.

The town purchased the Steele Farm property in the fall of 1994, making this year the 30th anniversary of town ownership and thus the preservation of the buildings and property.  

In other business, Chair Christopher Hydak reported that the committee was pleased with the restoration of the exterior of the ice house, which is now complete. 

The request for proposals for Phase III of the effort to preserve the envelope of the 1784 Levi Wetherbee farmhouse at Steele Farm has been finalized. This will go on the State bid register shortly. Phase III will include new windows, new siding, and exterior painting.  

The committee also discussed ongoing maintenance of the landscape, including continued mowing, tree removal, eradication of invasive species, refurbishment of the pollinator garden, and a re-start of the holiday tree farm. 

The next meeting of the committee will take place on Wednesday September 25 via Zoom starting at 7 p.m., principally to discuss the anniversary celebration.

(19-Sep-24) At its meeting on September 16, the Boxborough Planning Board conducted a public hearing for amending the Planning Board Rules & Regulations document, discussed potential warrant articles for zoning bylaw amendments, and reviewed an application from French Brothers Boxborough LLC regarding a permit for earth removal at a parcel located on 100 Codman Hill Road.

After months of discussion, the Planning Board voted unanimously to adopt an “Administrative Rules & Regulations” document that governs the procedures and operations of the Boxborough Planning Board. The document will serve as a tool for educating the general public as well as members of the Planning Board in describing the Board’s powers, duties, and operations. The document will be available on the Planning Board’s website, and hard copies are available for purchase in the Planning Department.

After a brief update from Town Planner Alec Wade on the status of the MBTA Communities Advisory Group and the comprehensive traffic study, the Board launched into a discussion of potential zoning bylaws to bring forward to special town meeting or Annual Town Meeting in 2025. 

In August 2024, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed The Affordable Homes Act into law and, as a result, Boxborough’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) bylaw needs to be updated to comply with the law. The Planning Board voted to bring an ADU bylaw to Special Town Meeting in February 2025.

The Board heard a proposal from Board member Rich Guzzardi to modify zoning along Massachusetts Ave, converting certain areas of IC (industrial commercial) zoning to B (Business) or B1 (Business 1) to reduce higher intensity uses along Mass Ave to encourage the types of uses desired by residents such as restaurants and retail shops. 

The Board voted 3-2 to request that Town Planner Wade begin to craft the bylaw language. By law, zoning bylaws require a noticed public hearing and a two-thirds vote by town meeting. As such, the Planning Board will schedule public hearings for all proposed zoning bylaws. 

The Board reviewed an application from French Brothers Boxborough LLC regarding a permit for earth removal at a parcel located on 100 Codman Hill Road. The Board previously granted site plan approval for the construction of a trade shop building, but one of the conditions in the approval specified that the applicant apply for an earth removal permit. The Board heard from Paul Kirchner of Stamski and McNary, engineer for the applicant, who requested a waiver of the operation and restoration standards of the earth removal bylaw since the earth is being removed to build a structure as opposed to removing the top soil for relocation to another site (i.e., mining). 

The Board agreed that the operation and restoration waiver was reasonable, but they added a performance bond of $5,000 to insure that the applicant completes the work after the earth has been removed. The Board also requested that the Town’s consulting engineer, Sue Carter of Places Associates, review and comment prior to the Board’s final vote.  

Toward the end of the four-hour meeting, Planner Wade asked the Board to comment on a special permit application currently before the Zoning Board of Appeals for a change of use on a nonconforming structure at 60 Codman Hill Road. 

The owners are seeking a change of use from “Professional Office Use” to “Assembly Group A-3 Use” for purposes of religious worship, which is an allowed and protected use within the zoning district. The Planning Board is being asked to evaluate the adequacy of the site to handle the proposed change of use and make recommendations to the ZBA for their upcoming hearing. 

The Special Permit before the ZBA pertains only to the structure, not the use (religious worship) of the property.  The Planning Board’s next meeting is on Monday, September 30 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

(19-Sep-24) At its in-person meeting on September 12, the Boxborough Housing Board (BHB) discussed prohibitions against transferring an affordable home to a trust, revisions to the town’s Rental Assistance Program, the resale of an affordable home, and the election of new chairs. 

The Boxborough Planning and Land Use Department has been informed that the transfer of an affordable home to a trust is not permitted. Two owners of affordable homes are known to have performed such transfers. The Boxborough Tax Assessor, Kelly Szocik, has notified these owners of the problem and given them sixty days to rectify the problem. 

The BHB is investigating the legal basis for this prohibition and has begun to work with the affected households. The BHB voted to provide financial assistance for legal costs associated with this rectification.

The BHB agreed that the monthly assistance provided by the Boxborough Rental Assistance Program (BRAP), $250/month, is too low and should be dependent upon a household’s rent. For example, assistance could be a percentage of a household’s rent, up to a limit. Concrete alternatives will be reviewed at the October meeting.

The deed rider for 56 Joyce Lane, one of Boxborough’s affordable homes, will be upgraded when sold. Metro West Collaborative Development, a non-profit community development corporation that assists Boxborough with affordable housing issues drafted a hybrid deed rider that incorporates the features of the currently preferred Universal Deed Rider while retaining the resale-price calculation of the present Boxborough Meadows deed rider. 

The BHB reviewed the draft and recommended only one substantial change: to increase the resale fee from 0.5% to 2.5% and to add this fee to the maximum resale price. The replacement of the affordable-home roofs in Boxborough Meadows will begin in October Associate Town Planner. 

Rafi Nizam will lead the project. All Boxborough Meadows owners will receive an informational letter, and owners of affordable homes will receive more detailed instruction. BHB Chair Jessi Robinson announced that she is moving to a residence outside of Boxborough and is resigning from the BHB. 

Vice-Chair Al Murphy will serve as chair, and Diane Friedman will serve as the Vice Chair. Friedman, who was appointed to the MBTA Communities Act Advisory Group is withdrawing from that group due to professional commitments; Murphy will replace her. 

The board is seeking new members; interested Boxborough residents should contact the chair, Al Murphy (almur10@mac.com).  The next two public, in-person meetings of the BHB are scheduled for 7 p.m. October 10 and November 14 at Town Hall..

Personnel Board Hears Town Hall HR Updates, Seeks New Members 

(17-Sep-24) At its meeting on September 10, the Personnel Board heard from  Assistant Town Administrator Rajon Hudson on a number of topics including the development of a curriculum for staff to help them do their best work,which will result in a high-performing organization that serves the community. 

Hudson also discussed the migration of the new payroll software. He is working with the Town Administrator on protocols for implementation, which is scheduled for October.  

With respect to staffing, Hudson reported that interviews for the Director of Human Services position, approved at Annual Town Meeting in May 2024, have been completed. Kimberly Dee was appointed to the new position, which oversees the Council on Aging, Community Services, and recreation-related activities. Applications for the Recreation Services Coordinator position are still being accepted.  

In other matters, Personnel Board member Allan MacLean reported that he continues to work on streamlining the employee handbook, which will be available online with links to personnel related policies. 

The Personnel Board continues to work on a “governance” document, which explains the mission of the Personnel Board and how it works.  The document will ensure organizational continuity for future transitions in board membership.  

There are currently four members of the Personnel Board and one unfilled position. Two members of the board announced plans to leave within the next several months, which would leave the Personnel Board without a quorum. 

Residents interested in volunteering for the Personnel Board should complete and submit the “resident interest form” found on the Town of Boxborough website. The Personnel Board meets in person at Town Hall on the second Tuesday of the month.  Their next meeting is scheduled for October 8 at 5:30 pm.  

Boxborough Fire Captain Shawn Gray Honored by Department of Defense

(17-Sep-24)  On August 21, Boxborough Town Administrator Mike Johns announced that Captain Shawn Gray of the Boxborough Fire Department was recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense under its Patriot Award Program for his leadership and support of a member of the Fire department during that member’s military service as a Sergeant with the National Guard.  

In a certificate presented by the US Department of Defense, the Boxborough Fire Department, and specifically Captain Gray, were recognized as an exemplary employer. 

TA Johns noted that Shawn knows well the sacrifices that military members and their families make during service, as he has family members currently serving. TA Johns expressed that he was very proud of the example Shawn provided and the leadership he demonstrated.

Upon receiving the award, Captain Gray stated that he was surprised and felt extremely honored to receive it. Under the Patriot Award Program, an employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve, or the spouse of a Guard or Reserve member, may nominate individual supervisors and employers for support provided directly to the nominating service member and his or her family. 

The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed.

(18-Sep-24) At its virtual meeting on September 12, the Boxborough Sustainability Committee (BSC) met with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to hear about state programs supporting waste reduction and continued planning for a community “Trash Talk” educational event at Town Hall on September 28. 

MassDEP municipal assistance coordinator Julia Greene introduced the state’s Solid Waste Master Plan and provided an overview of the Pay As You Throw (PAYT) program funding and Recycling Dividends Program incentives. 

Greene noted 39% of Boxborough households use the transfer station, and a total of 1530 pounds of trash per household was disposed of at the Boxborough transfer station in 2022. Data is not available for waste disposal managed by private haulers. Boxborough’s household trash tonnage is near the state average for non-PAYT municipalities, but Greene noted “there’s certainly room for improvement.” 

The BSC discussed the committee’s longstanding interest in implementing waste reduction and diversion measures such as PAYT, a swap shed, composting, and private hauler regulations. Former chair Francie Nolde said an area of success has been the addition of Black Earth Compost bins to the transfer station.

Associate Town Planner Rafi Nizam, who recently joined the Planning Department in Boxborough, joined the virtual meeting and introduced himself to the committee. Nizam will be liaising with the Planning Board, Conservation Committee, and Housing Board, and may assist the BSC with some of their work.

The BSC members contributed ideas for the upcoming Trash Talk community event. Trash Talk will be an educational and interactive event for town residents to engage in discussion of waste reduction priorities and solutions. A survey during the event will gather feedback and ideas from the community. Those who complete the survey might win a raffle prize. The event will be held September 28, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Town Hall. 

The committee thanked BSC founder and former chair Francie Nolde who is leaving the committee after over 20 years of service to the town. The Sustainability Committee will hold its next hybrid meeting on October 10 at 7 p.m.

FSBC To Consider 975 Massachusetts Avenue as Possible Fire Station Site

(18-Sep-24) At its meeting on September 12, the Boxborough Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) voted 5 to 1 to include 975 Massachusetts Avenue on its list of possible sites for the town’s new fire station.  

The other three sites under consideration are 502 Massachusetts Avenue (the current fire station location), 72 Stow Road, and 700 Massachusetts Avenue. 

Another site, 1320 Massachusetts Avenue, was previously under consideration but was recently taken off the list because, according to FSBC Chair Mary Brolin, the owner of the property is “not willing to sell under conditions that Boxborough is willing to approve.”

The property at 975 Massachusetts Avenue was previously considered and rejected by the FSBC’s predecessor Building Committee due to concerns about ledge and potential water and septic challenges.

As the Committee discussed pros and cons of adding 975 Massachusetts Avenue to their list of possible sites, they also talked about the overall approach to the site analysis process. The town’s architecture firm, Context Architecture (Context), is expected to begin site analysis work shortly after ongoing contract negotiations are complete. 

Members expressed a preference for a “step by step” approach, in which sites will be evaluated to see whether they meet certain preliminary criteria. If a site does not meet the preliminary criteria, the FSBC will decide if it can come off the list for further study. This approach is intended to avoid spending time and money to conduct a full site study for a site that might not meet certain basic criteria. 

Chair Brolin and other FSBC members also emphasized that it will be important for the FSBC to be able to show the town that it did “due diligence” on the sites it ultimately rejects.

The FSBC authorized Town Administrator Mike Johns, supported by Steve Kirby from Owners Project Manager (OPM) firm Vertex, to negotiate the contract with Context, keeping in mind the suggestions from the committee about balancing efficiency and due diligence.

TA Johns and Kirby both indicated that it is currently not clear whether Context will be able to meet the deadlines necessary for the FSBC to present to Special Town Meeting in February 2025, or if the FSBC will need to wait for Annual Town Meeting in May 2025. The FSBC discussed, amended, and approved their financial procedures and discussed the need for “listening sessions” with the public and engagement with abutters. 

Chair Brolin also announced the FSBC’s procedures for public input, including her new guidelines that all public input will be taken at the end of FSBC meetings and will be limited to three minutes per person. She added that all are welcome to submit written comments to the committee before or after a meeting.   

(11-SEP-24) At their meeting on Monday, September 9, the Boxborough Select Board authorized the Boxborough Conservation Commission to accept land donations to the town by two Boxborough property owners. The first donation is a 0.52-acre parcel at 654 Rear Hill Road, offered by Margaret Delano. The second donation is a 0.92-acre parcel at 342 Hill Road and a 0.57 acre parcel at 342 Rear Hill Road, offered by the Estate of John R. Erikson. Both land donations are adjacent to existing conservation land. 

The Town Administrator presented the calendar for the 2025 Annual Town Meeting (ATM), expected to commence on Monday, May 12, 2025. Per the calendar, the 2025 ATM warrant will open for articles on November 12 and close on December 9, with final warrant article language due February 13. The Select Board approved the calendar unanimously. The town is also planning to hold a Special Town Meeting on February 10, 2025.

The Select Board voted to accept a Federal Emergency Management Agency “Assistant to Firefighters Grant” of $61,245 awarded to the town to cover the cost of a “power stretcher and associated lift module,” and voted to accept the town’s updated Hazard Mitigation Plan, which will qualify Boxborough for pre-disaster and post-disaster emergency management funding.

Land Stewards Coordinator Dave Barnett gave a presentation to the Board about the Land Stewards’ trail maintenance work for the town’s roughly thirty miles of trails, including clearing trails after storms, building bridges and boardwalks, and battling invasive species. The Land Stewards are looking for more volunteers. Interested residents can contact Barnett at davebarnett27@gmail.com.

The Select Board expects to take up the issue of partisan and nonpartisan signage on municipal land at their next meeting. In August, a resident asked the Board to consider a “practice or policy” disallowing partisan lawn signs on town property. Town Administrator Michael Johns shared town counsel’s advice that the town should not prohibit only partisan signs; instead, the town should either allow all signs or disallow all signs. The Select Board indicated that they would welcome public comment on this topic at their next meeting on September 23. 

(11-SEP-24) At their meeting on September 5, the School Committee conducted a “first read” of the School Resource Officer (SRO) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). A “first read” allows the Committee to discuss and ask questions before they are expected to vote.

In December 2023, after a year of work by an SRO subcommittee, the School Committee voted to continue the SRO program and authorized Superintendent Peter Light to negotiate an MOU with the Acton Police Department. The School Committee also voted a set of recommendations, developed by the subcommittee, to be incorporated into the MOU.

At the meeting, Superintendent Light presented the MOU, as negotiated by the district, the Acton Police Department, and the Town of Acton. Superintendent Light noted that many, but not all, of the Committee’s recommendations had been incorporated. Notably, while the Committee had recommended that officers visit schools only when requested, the MOU states that each building principal will work with the SRO to set a schedule of regular visits.

Committee members asked questions about SRO data collection, reporting to the School Committee, and MOU enforcement. The Committee is expected to vote on the MOU at its next meeting on September 19. 

The MOU applies only to the school buildings located in the Town of Acton. After the MOU with the Acton Police is finalized, the district is expected to begin discussions with the Boxborough Police Department. 

The Committee then voted 6-2 to table a scheduled vote on the TowerCo lease for a new cell tower at the Charter Road administration building. The cell tower project was initiated by the district to improve poor reception at the Charter Road campus. TowerCo would build and be responsible for all costs of the tower and would pay a monthly rent to the district.

The vote was tabled after public comment concerning potential safety risks of a cell tower in close proximity to students and staff, as well as discussion by committee members that reflected potential disagreement about the alleged safety risks. 

The majority of the Committee voted to allow additional time to collect and review safety-related information. The Committee is expected to vote on the lease at its next meeting on September 19.

The Committee also heard an Entry Plan for new Assistant Superintendent Gabrielle Abrams, reviewed a redesigned School Committee website expected to launch in October, and unanimously voted this year’s District and Superintendent Goals.

(5-SEP-24) At their meeting at Town Hall on August 15, the Boxborough Housing Board (BHB) discussed roof replacements at Boxborough Meadows, the recent availability of an affordable home, and the town’s Rental Assistance Program.

The Homeowner Opportunity for Preservation Extension program (HOPE), a program designed to assist the owners of affordable homes with the preservation of their aging units, will undertake its first project in mid-September: the replacement of roofs of affordable units in Boxborough Meadows. 

The Boxborough Affordable Housing Trust met earlier on August 15 and voted to fund the project.

The Board also discussed the recent availability of an affordable home in Boxborough Meadows. The home is now available to qualified buyers for $253,000. Information is available at Homes for Sale – Metro West Collaborative Development (metrowestcd.org). 

The BHB established the resale price in accordance with the home’s Affordable Housing Restriction (Deed Rider) with help from Town Counsel KP Law. While the home is offered to qualified buyers at a low price, the appreciation of its value is limited by the terms of the Deed Rider. 

Because provisions of Deed Riders are sometimes confusing, the BHB will be offering  an educational seminar about Deed Riders. BHB Vice Chair Al Murphy and Select Board Chair Kristin Hilberg will present details at the next BHB meeting.

Boxborough Community Services Coordinator Wendy Trinks proposed changes to the Boxborough Rental Assistance Program (BRAP). She recommended that BRAP applications be considered strictly on a rolling basis, that she be granted discretion in applying the gross income limit for qualification, and that the upper limit on rents be eliminated. The BHB approved her recommendations and recognized that the BRAP monthly rental-assistance payment of $250 has not kept pace with inflation. At the next BHB meeting, Trinks and BHB member Ron Vogel will develop recommendations for changing the payment amount.

Town Planner Alec Wade reported on Boxborough’s response to the MBTA Communities Act, which requires communities served by the MBTA to establish zoning districts in which high-density multi-family housing is permitted as of right. Wade is setting up a five-member advisory committee to plan the zoning locations and asked for a BHB volunteer. Wade also introduced new Associate Town Planner Rafi Nizam to the Board. Nizam comes to the town from Boston and has extensive experience in fair housing policy.

The next three public, in-person, Town Hall meetings of the BHB are scheduled for 7 p.m. September 12, October 10, and November 14.

Water Resources Committee Interviews Weston and Sampson for Townwide Water Study

(5-SEP-24) On August 20, the Water Resources Committee (WRC) held a virtual meeting to interview Weston and Sampson to discuss their proposal that had been submitted in response to the WRC's RFP for "Townwide Water Resources Planning Services." 

According to the RFP description on the town website, the town solicited “proposals from licensed professionals for the development of a town-wide water resource plan… that will address long-term water and wastewater needs.”

Assistant Town Administrator Rajon Hudson was present for the interview along with members of the WRC and four principals from Weston and Sampson.

Chair Fox opened the interview, noting that the budget available was sufficient to fund the majority of the work proposed by Weston and Sampson, but not all of it. The committee then engaged in a discussion of the Weston and Sampson proposal and the WRC's objectives for the project.  During the discussion the WRC explained that a budget of $50,000 was available.

The Weston and Sampson team agreed to submit a proposed contract for the "Task 1" portion of the work and that could be extended to carry out additional work in subsequent tasks.  

After the Weston and Sampson team exited the interview portion of the meeting, the WRC continued with a brief business meeting and set September 10 for the next meeting to review and discuss the contract proposal from Weston and Sampson.

(3-SEP-24) At its August 29 meeting, the Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) was joined by representatives from both Context Architecture (Context), the town’s architecture firm, and Vertex, the town’s owner’s project manager.  

After a wide-ranging discussion about fire station sites, size, cost, and timing, the FSBC voted unanimously to recommend to the Select Board that the town continue with Context as the project architect going forward. 

Jeff Shaw of Context began the meeting with a presentation on work already completed by his firm and a proposal for future work. Deliverables for future work would include (1) site analysis and a site selection matrix, (2) concept designs, which would include actual site plans and building plans, and (3) a cost estimate. FSBC members asked questions about programmatic requirements and square footage of the future fire station.

Steve Kirby of Vertex presented a preliminary project timeline, which led to a broader discussion about whether and what the FSBC might be ready to present to the town at the February 10, 2025 Special Town Meeting, as well as the formation of a smaller working group to meet weekly. There were no votes concerning the project timeline or the composition of a working group.

Throughout the meeting, FSBC members discussed pros and cons of the four potential fire station sites currently under consideration: 502 Mass Ave (the current fire station), 72 Stow Road, 700 Mass Ave, and 1320 Mass Ave. 

Town Administrator Michael Johns updated the group on the status of the 1320 Mass Ave property, which the town does not currently own. Johns reported that negotiations have been unsuccessful and he believes that the committee should “take it off the list.”

There was also some discussion of another potential site, 975 Mass Ave, that the prior Building Committee had considered but voted not to pursue. Members disagreed on whether it should be added back onto the list for further consideration.

The FSBC also discussed public engagement, including events at the current fire station, but did not make any decisions about specific public engagement plans. 

(3-SEP-24) On August 22, the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee held its first meeting of the 2024-2025 school year. The evening began with a presentation from communications company TowerCo about a proposal for a 100-foot cell tower at the Charter Road administration building. 

The School Committee expects to vote at a future meeting on the proposed 10-year lease, in which TowerCo would be responsible for all costs of the tower and would pay a monthly rent to the district. 

After several incidents where district leadership could not coordinate in emergencies, the district looked for a way to improve service in and around the main campus. The cell tower project was initiated by the district to improve reception and TowerCo responded to the district’s Request for Proposal. Verizon is expected to be the anchor tenant for the tower. 

The School Committee also voted to approve the charge and composition of an Elementary Budget Task Force. The task force will work with consulting firm New Solutions K12 to recommend to the School Committee budget strategies with respect to the elementary schools.

The task force will include nine “essential stakeholders;” nine “interested stakeholders” who will apply for a seat; and nine “potential stakeholders” who will be randomly selected and invited to serve. 

The task force was created in response to concerns about the elementary school budgets expressed during the 2024-2025 budget process, including costs associated with the open enrollment policy. 

The School Committee declined to approve the timeline of task force meetings as presented and asked the district to make adjustments to make sure the meetings would work for certain essential stakeholders. The task force is expected to meet five times between October and December and present final recommendations to the School Committee on December 19.

Superintendent Light also presented this year’s three district-wide goals, which will be voted at the Committee’s next meeting on September 5. The goals concern social-emotional learning; improving access, opportunity, and outcomes; and engaging stakeholders in strategic visioning. Superintendent Light’s presentation on the district goals can be found at bit.ly/47aE7Fq. 

(20-AUG-24) At its meeting on August 15, the Boxborough Economic Development Committee (EDC) considered the future of the Business Grant Program, a program funded by Boxborough’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) appropriation that provides up to $20,000 in matching funds as a forgivable loan to small Boxborough businesses that meet the requirements of the program.

The committee decided to continue the program for a third and final round and is expected to issue a revised Notice of Funding Available (NOFA) on August 29. The EDC intends to accept applications on a rolling basis through October 31 and expects to have $20,000 to $40,000 available for this final round of the program.  

Since the program began in 2023, the EDC has awarded grants to Two Friends Chocolate, 629 Massachusetts Avenue, for a hot chocolate shop; to Oscar’s Burritos, 34 Massachusetts Avenue, for café-style coffee in the morning hours; to AlphaCars, 649 Massachusetts Avenue, for the hiring of a social media specialist to generate increased business; and to Swymfit, 90 Swanson Road, for gym improvements and staff training.

At their next meeting on August 29, the EDC expects to hold a public hearing on the final application from the prior round, submitted by PinkDog Spa at 650 Massachusetts Avenue.

The committee also decided to sponsor a third annual “Boxborough Business Breakfast” for invited local businesses at Town Hall on October 10. The event will allow Boxborough businesses to network with each other and engage with the EDC and town officials. Invitations are expected to go out to business owners in late August.

The committee discussed next steps on the Village Center revitalization project and decided to reach out to relevant landowners this fall.  The Town Center Revitalization Project was funded by a $46,950 community planning grant from the state. The town contracted with Tighe & Bond to conduct public outreach and create a conceptual plan for a town center-style development.

EDC Chair Rich Guzzardi noted that all Village Center project materials are available online at https://boxborough-ma.gov/698/Village-Center-Revitalization-Project.  The EDC also conducted their reorganization, voting Abby Reip as Chair and Dawn Willis as Clerk.

(20-AUG-24) At its meeting on August 19, the Select Board voted to accept the resignation of Joan Blaustein from the Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) and voted to appoint Alan Ford to fill the vacancy.  Blaustein resigned from the FSBC due to her potential conflict of interest as an abutter to one of several possible fire station sites.

Town Administrator (TA) Michael Johns reported town counsel’s advice that it is “not in the best interest of the town” for an abutter to be involved in fire station site selection, which is one task of the FSBC. Select Board Chair Kristin Hilberg apologized to Blaustein for not being aware of this conflict-of-interest issue when the Board initially chose her to serve on the FSBC.

After some back-and-forth between the Board, the TA, and members of the public about the contours of the conflict-of-interest rules, the Select Board asked Blaustein, who was present at the meeting, whether she wanted to withdraw her resignation. She declined to do so.

The Board then moved on to choose Blaustein’s replacement from a slate of three candidates: Mark Barbadoro, Alan Ford, and John Markiewicz. After hearing statements from all three candidates and comments from members of the public, Board members expressed disagreement with each other and ultimately voted 3-1-1 for Ford. Hilberg, Priya Sundaram, and Dave McKiernan voted in favor of Ford. Wes Fowlks voted against, and Bob Stemple abstained.

The Board also considered a proposed land donation to the town at 50 Taylor Farm Road. After a presentation by property developer Glen Kaufmann, extensive public comment, and Board member discussion, the Board voted unanimously in favor of putting the land donation on the next town meeting warrant.

Between 2016 and 2021, Kaufmann built 11 houses on Taylor Farm Road. The one remaining parcel was designated as an “open space” lot that was to be gifted to the town as an offset to the applicant being granted a waiver for both an additional eleventh buildable lot and for exceeding a 500-foot limitation on a dead end road. In 2022, Kaufmann offered the parcel to the town. The Conservation Commission voted to accept the land, but the Select Board voted against it.

Kaufmann now has an application before the Planning Board to modify the previously approved subdivision plan to allow another home to be built on the land that the Select Board rejected in 2022. At their meeting on August 5, the Planning Board suggested that the applicant ask the current Select Board whether it might revisit the prior Select Board’s decision and accept the land donation.

At Monday’s meeting, the current Select Board indicated that they saw value in accepting the land and preserving it as open space. After clarifying that they could not unilaterally accept the donation and could only decide to put it on the town meeting warrant for voters to accept, the Board voted to put the land donation on the next town meeting warrant.

(15-AUG-24)   At its meeting on August 14, the Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) heard a presentation by FSBC Chair Mary Brolin on the history of the fire station building project.

Brolin led the committee and interested members of the public through 24 slides that included a high-level ten-year timeline; a chart describing the eleven sites considered over the course of the project; needs assessments; cost estimates; and feasibility studies.

Brolin ended the presentation by outlining four next steps for the FSBC: (1) review existing feasibility and assessment materials; (2) meet with Context Architecture to get input on 72 Stow Road and 502 Massachusetts Avenue; (3) work with the Owner’s Project Manager to prioritize sites and assess need for future feasibility studies; and (4) conduct assessments as needed and select the best site. The FSBC’s goal is to select a site before the end of the year and propose a budget at a future town meeting. 

After her presentation, Brolin allowed committee discussion and questions, as well as input from the public.

The committee moved on to discuss communication policies, financial procedures, and their schedule going forward. They decided to change their meeting schedule to the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. Their next meeting is scheduled for August 29.

Chair Brolin also introduced new member Larry Grossman, appointed by the Select Board two days earlier, and announced that current member Joan Blaustein is resigning from the committee due to a conflict of interest concerning site selection. The Select Board is expected to appoint a new member to fill the vacancy. 

(15-AUG-24) At their meeting on August 6, the Water Resources Committee discussed the status of the town’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of a town-wide water resource plan.

The Committee decided to invite Weston & Sampson, the only firm that responded to the RFP, for an interview to discuss their proposed scope of work and clarify the deliverables.

Committee members shared ideas of how the town might trim the scope of Weston & Sampson’s proposal to decrease costs. 

The Committee agreed to ask for the interview to take place during the week of August 19. The interview will be a virtual meeting. Chair Les Fox will ask Assistant Town Administrator Rajon Hudson to finalize meeting arrangements with Weston & Sampson. The date and agenda will be found on the town website: www.boxborough-ma.gov. After the interview, the committee will work with Hudson to negotiate a final scope of work and price.

On June 5, the Town of Boxborough published an RFP for town-wide water resource planning services. According to the RFP description on the town website, the town solicited “proposals from licensed professionals for the development of a town-wide water resource plan… that will address long-term water and wastewater needs.”

(1-AUG-24) At its meeting on Tuesday, July 23, the Zoning Board of Appeals held a public hearing to consider the application received from Julian (Jim) D’Agostine to amend a Special Permit that was originally granted in 2015. In a unanimous decision, the ZBA voted to grant the Special Permit for the reduced frontage lot at 79 Meadow Lane.

The original Special Permit was granted to build a single family home on a reduced frontage lot at 79 Meadow Lane; it has been extended three times. Given the length of time between the last extension and the most recent request for an amendment to the decision, Planner Alec Wade felt that a Special Permit hearing was warranted and the extension could only be granted by public hearing.

D’Agostine and his attorney explained the changes from the previous application. The shape of the house has changed, and it will now be 45 feet from the nearest abutter, a five foot increase from the previous plan. The 17 acre parcel has frontage on Meadow Lane and 94 Chester Road. D’Agostine’s plan is to use five acres for the home, accessed via the reduced frontage lot on Meadow Lane, and to donate the remaining 12 acres to the Town of Boxborough as conservation land.

Two abutters attended the hearing, and both had questions regarding wetlands and possible flooding. Neither had any issue with D’Agostine’s plans to build on the property. The septic design will need to be renewed, and the applicant will need an order of conditions from the Conservation Commission to build a driveway through the wetlands. 

The ZBA’s other business included the election of new officers. Mark Barbadoro was elected as chair, and Shawn McCormack was elected as clerk. The Board scheduled its next meeting for August 20 at 7:30 p.m.

(1-AUG-24) At a 7 p.m. hybrid meeting on August 14, Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC) Chair Mary Brolin will present to the FSBC a review of the decade-long history of the fire station building project. The goal, Brolin said, is to “learn about past work done” and “come to a shared understanding” in order to “inform our work going forward.” 

Members of the public who are interested in learning about the history of the fire station project are invited to attend in person or on Zoom. Find the Zoom link for the FSBC agenda on the town website: boxborough-ma.gov.

Brolin’s presentation will include “the sites studied in the past, including which sites have been dropped and which are still viable. We will also review the recommendations from HKT Architects and Context Architecture from their respective space needs analyses. We will also share any conceptual design input that Context Architecture has provided to date.” 

As she walks through these materials, Brolin plans to invite discussion from past building committee members who are part of, and supporting, the FSBC. 

When asked about public comment, Brolin stated, “Our plan is to share the presentation with the committee, allowing input from committee members and advisors based on their past experience. Then we will have committee questions and discussion. Then I will open it up for public input from people in the room and those joining by Zoom.”

Brolin’s presentation will be available on the FSBC webpage, and a recording of the August 14 meeting will be available on BXB-TV. 

The FSBC is tasked with overseeing the design and construction of a new fire station in Boxborough. Its members were appointed by the Select Board on July 15, and the committee held its first meeting on July 17.

(24-JUL-24) The Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC), tasked with overseeing the design and construction of a new fire station in Boxborough, held its second meeting on Tuesday, July 23. With all members present for the first time, the Committee elected Mary Brolin as Chair, Mac Reid as Vice Chair, and Sara Lavado as Clerk.

The focus of the meeting was the selection of three out of seven candidates to interview for the role of Owner’s Project Manager (OPM). The OPM will help the town navigate the entire fire station building process, from site selection through construction.

FSBC member Sara Lavado recused herself from this portion of the meeting; she explained that she has a potential conflict of interest concerning one of the OPM candidates. She will not participate in discussion, interviews, or votes regarding the OPM selection process.

The remaining six FSBC members shared their top three choices based on their review of each candidate’s response to the town’s Request for Qualifications. After discussion, the Committee voted to interview Vertex, Turner & Townsend, and CHA Consulting. 

Interviews will take place at the FSBC’s next meeting on Wednesday, July 31, with interview slots starting at 7 p.m., 8 p.m., and 9 p.m. The interviews will not be available live on Zoom in order to prevent candidates from watching the preceding interviews. However, they will be recorded for later viewing on BXB-TV.

FSBC Chair Mary Brolin asked Town Administrator Mike Johns if the FSBC could hear a presentation on the history of the fire station building project, which extends back over the last decade. Committee members agreed that they need to get up to speed quickly on what work has already been done, why certain decisions were made along the way, and what past pitfalls they should be aware of.

TA Johns agreed to arrange for a presentation at the FSBC’s August 14 meeting. Committee members expressed the importance of making this information accessible to the public. Chair Brolin invited the public to attend the FSBC’s August 14 meeting, which will be both in person and on Zoom, so that “we can learn together.”

The FSBC briefly discussed the high-level goals of the committee and the potential timeline for bringing a funding request or other information to a town meeting. The Committee expects to revisit these items after the OPM is hired.

Fire Department Captain Jason Malinowski also reminded the committee that the town has a designer under contract and that, soon after the hiring of an OPM, the FSBC will need to decide whether to continue with the current designer or start a procurement process for a new designer. 

After the July 31 OPM interviews, the FSBC expects to meet on the second Wednesday and fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. 

(24-JUL-24) At its meeting on Monday, July 15, the Planning Board continued the public hearing for an application from French Bros. Boxborough LLC to construct a 3-unit trade shop building at 100 Codman Hill Road, replacing the property’s current use as a landscape storage yard.

During the hearing, Paul Kirchner of Stamski and McNary, engineer for the applicant, pointed out the revisions that were made to the plans in response to comments from the town’s engineer, Sue Carter (Places Associates), and concerns expressed by the Board during the previous hearings. Those concerns included lighting, landscaping, earth removal, and potential tenants.

Town Planner Alec Wade opined that the applicant was responsive to the concerns of both Carter and the Planning Board and that he was expecting the Board to issue a final decision during the meeting. Prior to the hearing, Wade had prepared a standard set of conditions for the Board to make their findings. Engineer Kirchner and owner Mike French answered the Board’s questions and clarified several items. Carter indicated that all of her comments had been fully addressed and that she was “all set” with the plans. In a unanimous vote, the Board approved the site plan application with 24 conditions. French thanked the Board for their “thoughtful direction and discussion over the last year…” and said “I do appreciate the guidance…”

In other business, Mike Wright of Astro Crane, located at 200 Codman Hill Road, met with the Board to get their initial feedback on a conceptual development of property at 340 Codman Hill Road. Wright has not filed an application; he is considering purchasing the property for outdoor storage of HVAC equipment and wanted to hear the Board’s concerns or “red flags” regarding the use, which may help him decide whether or not to pursue the property. Several members of the Board asked Wright questions about his business plans and the amount of land that would be covered by (impervious) pavement. 

In his Planner’s report, Wade indicated that a verbal offer had been extended to a candidate for Associate Planner.  He will share full information, including the start date, after an offer letter has been signed. “I feel that we have selected a fantastic candidate for the town,” said Wade. He thanked members of the Board for their assistance with the hiring process and candidate selection.

(18-JUL-24) After two years of construction, Liberty Field at 1100 Liberty Square Road is now complete and open for all to enjoy. 

Visitors can now use the paved walking path, a one-third mile distance that surrounds the soccer fields. The soccer fields are also open, but the grass is newly established so organized sports and league play will not be permitted until the fall. A shed has also been built for field equipment, nets, and other recreational storage. 

Other portions of Liberty Field, including the playground, tennis courts, and pickleball courts, opened in Fall 2023. 

During the holiday weekend, motorized vehicles were driven on the newly planted soccer fields, but no damage was sustained. As a result, Boxborough Police have increased their patrol of the area.

“We are excited to have residents enjoy this new space,” says Recreation Commission member Megan Connor. “The town and its residents have put a lot of money, time and effort into making it a wonderful recreation place for all to enjoy, so we ask residents to please take care of it.”

The Recreation Commission is exploring additional lessons and programming at Liberty Field, including adult fitness classes with a local physical therapy business. The Commission is also in the planning stages of adding a pavilion to the grounds. 

Visit the Town of Boxborough “My Rec” website for more information and programs: https://boxboroughma.myrec.com/info/default.aspx. 

(18-JUL-24) At its meeting on July 15, the Select Board appointed all seven members of the new Fire Station Building Committee (FSBC). The five at-large members are Joan Blaustein, Mary Brolin, Sara Lavado, Eric Michnovez, and Mac Reid. The Select Board representative will be Priya Sundaram, and the Finance Committee representative will be Maria Neyland. The Board also appointed Fire Chief John Kivlan and Town Administrator Michael Johns as ex officio members.

The Board chose the five at-large members from a group of 18 applicants. TA Michael Johns explained that there were originally 24 interested residents, but that six withdrew their names from consideration. The remaining 18 applicants were evaluated using a matrix of six competencies: technical experience, community understanding, proven leadership, communication skills, interpersonal skills, and public engagement skills. Select Board Chair Kristin Hilberg said the Board was “honored” by the number of people who volunteered to be considered for the FSBC.

According to the FSBC charter approved by the Select Board at their last meeting, the FSBC is expected to “report to the Select Board and shall oversee the performance of the OPM [Owner’s Project Manager]. Based on input from the OPM, the FSBC shall recommend to the Select Board and the Town, the best path for the delivery of a new Fire Station.”

The Board also discussed potential next steps regarding recent vandalism at Liberty Field and other town-owned land. Recreation Commission Chair Matt Spurling reported to the Board that a motorized vehicle drove on the new grass at Liberty Field and that there have also been similar and more damaging incidents at Fifer’s Field, another town-owned property. 

Spurling suggested that the Board consider security cameras at these properties to “protect our investment.” After hearing from Police Chief John Szewczyk and Conservation Commission Chair Sam Anderson, the Board decided to start with signage and look into the costs involved in setting up security cameras.

Chief Szewczyk also reported to the Board the results of Operation Safe Streets, a Boxborough Police Department initiative to increase traffic enforcement in May and June 2024. The top three offenses across the two-month period were speeding (146 vehicle stops), failure to stop at stop signs (51 vehicle stops), and texting while driving (43 vehicle stops).

(17-JUL-24) At the Boxborough Community Preservation Committee (CPC) meeting of July 10, Town Planner Alec Wade reported that the semi-final draft of the 2025 Community Preservation Plan would be distributed to the committee members in the near future. The goal is to present a final draft to the committee at its September meeting.

Historically, the Boxborough CPC has had no formal award mechanism. At its June meeting, the committee voted to move towards best practices and issue formal award letters to committees/groups who receive CPC funds. The bulk of the July 10 meeting was devoted to reviewing draft CPA FY 2025 award letters for the five projects that were funded at the May 2024 town meeting and approving final language. 

The next meeting of the CPC is Thursday, September 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Grange Room of the Town Hall.

(17-JUL-24) Chair Lee Slade opened the July 10 Personnel Board meeting by discussing the planned “Employer of Choice” presentation to the Select Board. This is now scheduled to take place in August.

Assistant Town Administrator Rajon Hudson updated the board on the current status of the townwide training for department heads. Proposals have been received from two consultants and are being reviewed. Hudson also reported that rapid progress is being made on hiring town staff. It is possible that all vacancies could be hired this month.

Personnel Board member Allan MacLean reviewed progress that was being made on the update of policies and of the employee handbook. The current leaning is to include the employee-related policies as appendices to the employee handbook and include the handbook and these policies in an easy-to-access section on the town website. The goal is to have this material ready to review at the Board’s August meeting.

Ellen Hickey, Personnel Board member, summarized the status of the project to harmonize the town’s job descriptions. She and Chair Slade have reviewed the matrix of positions. A suggested next step was to invite one or more department heads to attend the Board’s meeting in August to discuss open issues.

The next meeting of the Personnel Board is scheduled for Tuesday, August 13 at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

(17-JUL-24) At its meeting on Tuesday, July 9, the Boxborough Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) conducted a public hearing to consider the application for an appeal of the building commissioner’s enforcement order issued to New England Tree Masters, a business operating at 984 Mass Ave and 38 Sara’s Way. As an abutter to the applicant, ZBA Chair Mark White recused himself, and Clerk Mark Barbadoro was appointed as acting chair for the hearing.

On March 25, 2024, New England Tree Masters was issued an enforcement order by Boxborough Building Commissioner Ed Cataldo. The order specified that New England Tree Masters must file a special permit due to the “increased…size of the cleared area, truck traffic,” and the “storage of materials beyond the previous business” at the property. The order also required that the applicant file for a site plan review due to changes made to the topography, parking, traffic flow, and natural features when the property transferred ownership.

The appeal, which requested that the ZBA withdraw the enforcement order requirements, was filed by Attorney Paul Robertson on behalf of New England Tree Masters on April 29, 2024.

After the official notice of public hearing was read into the record, Acting Chair Barbadoro requested the input of Town Counsel Jonathan Eichman regarding a question of jurisdiction due to the timeliness of the appeal. Attorney Eichman indicated that Mass General Law Chapter 40A, Section 15 requires that appeals must be filed within 30 days from the date of the order, and the applicant’s appeal was filed after the 30-day deadline.  

The remainder of the hearing focused on whether or not the board would allow the appeal to be heard, given that it was filed later than the 30-day requirement. After almost two hours, in a split vote (3 – 2), the Board voted to deny the appeal on the grounds that it was not filed within the 30 day window. Attorney Robertson expressed disappointment at the result and indicated that the next step would be to resolve the case with legal action. Acting Chair Barbadoro reminded Mr. Robertson that his client still has the option to resolve the case by filing an application for a special permit rather than go to court.

(17-JUL-24) At their hybrid meeting July 11, the Boxborough Sustainability Committee (BSC) discussed when to ask the town to approve the Specialized Building Code. They also discussed Littleton Electric Light Department’s (LELD) energy-saving efforts and preparation for “Trash Talk,” a gathering of residents to engage in activities which heighten awareness about waste management.

By September, the BSC expects the state to approve the town’s application to become a Green Community, at which time Boxborough will use an initial state grant of about $130,000 to begin installing LED light bulbs in town buildings. 

After the town becomes a Green Community, the BSC will work with town officials to help select which other clean energy project grants to seek through the program. 

The BSC also plans to work to inform residents about the benefits of the Specialized Opt-in Building Code which focuses on energy efficiency in new construction and large additions.

BSC members Palmer Moore and Barbara Saltzman presented an overview of LELD’s effort to convert to more clean energy sources. They also looked at the distribution charges to homeowners using solar energy. Moore said the charges are used to expand and maintain the electric grid; he added that LELD is "doing well for a small utility with limited resources.”

Salzman explained that LELD charges higher electric rates during peak hours. She said homeowners would be wise to run appliances such as clothes and dish washers during off-peak hours, and to consider installing an in-home battery for storing solar or off-peak electricity for use during peak hours. Weekday peak hours are 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern time.

BSC Chair Kate Davies and member Suresh Jasrasaria agreed to continue work on planning “Trash Talk,” a “fun and interactive” event in September to promote ideas about how to exchange usable items and how to reduce and dispose of waste. The program will examine use of the Transfer Station, the role of private vendors, and waste management for condo and apartment dwellers.  

Davies ended the meeting by presenting Francie Nolde with the Town’s “Exceptional Service Award” for her “dedication, passion and hard work” in leading Boxborough’s sustainability initiatives for over 20 years in programs to “place solar panels on homes,” establish “the town’s first Sustainability Policy,” help pass a solar bylaw, and “support the Town’s application to become a Green Community.” 

The citation notes that as Nolde steps down as Sustainability Chair, “Her contributions to the sustainability and well-being of Boxborough will ensure that the Town can continue to meet the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations.”

The BSC’s next hybrid meeting will be on Sept. 12, at 7 p.m.