News

(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.