Town Manager Report for January 13, 2025

Amherst Indy January 17, 2025 0
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Source: amherstma.gov

Editor’s note: Town Manager Paul Bockelman submits a comprehensive report to the Town Council, usually at the first Town Council meeting of each month. The reports, usually 9 to 16 pages in length, provide up-to-date information on what is happening within and across town departments. The Manager’s Report is usually one of the last items on the agenda and is often taken up late at night, leaving little time for Bockelman to do more than mention a few highlights and this is usually all that gets entered into the Council minutes. What follows is a complete, unedited version of the Town Manager’s Report. All Town Manager Reports are available on the town’s website here: Town Manager Reports

TOWN MANAGER

  • Cuppa Joe with Paul:
    • Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek joined me for the last Cuppa Joe at Cushman Market and Café in North Amherst. We had one of our largest turnouts yet, with about 40 people joining in. Thanks to our Community Participation Officer and Communications Manager for organizing
  • The next Cuppa’ Joe will be on Friday, February 14th from 8:00 – 9:30 a.m. at a location to be determined. The “Cuppa’ Joe with Paul” coffees are a monthly event. Residents and others are welcome to share their concerns, offer suggestions, or just get to know each other. The “Cuppa’ Joe with Paul” coffees are a monthly event. Residents and others are welcome to share their concerns, offer suggestions, or just get to know each other.
  • Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service:appreciation to those who inspire and educate including our teachers and librarians.
  • Town staff and others are supporting State Representative Mindy Domb’s efforts to collect food for the Amherst Survival Center. Food collection boxes will be placed throughout the Town and then collected on January 20th and delivered to the Survival Center.
  • Winter Preparation:
    • Snow Removal:
  • Property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice from their sidewalks and are encouraged to dig out their nearest fire hydrant. Depending on storm conditions and equipment availability, the Department of Public Works may send a sidewalk plow around on major sidewalks to assist residents as a courtesy, however, this does not alleviate the owners of their obligation to maintain the sidewalk in a passable condition. The Town will skip portions of the sidewalk if property owners leave trash barrels, vehicles, or other items in the way which includes on their driveway between the sidewalk entrances. Additionally, please remember that property owners and contractors are not allowed to shovel, plow, or blow snow back onto public roads, as this can create hazardous conditions.
  • Enforcement of sidewalk clearing is done by the Inspections Department. Any issues with sidewalks not being cleared can be reported online through the Property Complaint Form or by calling 413-259-3030.
  • If, in the unfortunate event, your mailbox or property is damaged during town plowing operations, please submit a Service Request through the Town website within 48 hours of the damage so that we can assess it in a timely manner. Damage caused by a direct plow strike, not snow coming off the plow blade, will be considered for repair/replacement.
  • Parking Bans:
  • To ensure safe and efficient snow removal, the Town may implement parking bans during significant snowfall.
  • Stay informed about parking bans by watching for the flashing blue lights over major intersections, visiting our website, following us on social media (Facebook & Instagram), calling (413) 259-3005 to listen to a recording, and signing up for Parking Ban alerts in your language of choice by clicking here or texting the word “Parking” to 38276 from your mobile device.
  • During a declared Parking Ban, parking is prohibited from midnight to 7:00 am on all town streets and in all parking lots, with 3 exceptions. During a declared of Parking Ban, overnight parking is allowed in:
    • The lower level of the parking garage;
    • The town portion of the Pray Street Lot;
    • Northern row of the town N Pleasant St Lot (row closest to church only).
  • Otherwise, vehicles will be ticketed and towed nightly, at the owner’s expense. Regular enforcement hours for these lots begin at 8 am. Any vehicles left parked in these designated parking areas are responsible to pay for parking. View a map ofAmherst center parking.
    • Additional Resources: For more information on winter weather preparedness, please review the additional resources linked below.
  • Sign Up for Parking Ban Alerts
  • Sidewalk Snow Removal Map
  • Winter Parking in Amherst
  • Snow and Ice Removal Bylaw 3.40
  • Report or track power outages via Eversource
  • Submit a Property Complaint Form to report issues with sidewalks not being cleared
  • Submit a Service Request to report property damaged during town plowing operations
  • Charter Committee Update: Members of the Charter Committee shared the following information and requested input from the public, including members of the Town Council. From the Charter Committee:
    • The Town of Amherst’s Charter mandates that every ten years, beginning in 2024, the Town Council will appoint a Charter Review Committee to review and propose changes to our Charter. While the Council can propose changes at any time and submit them to the voters for approval (within the limits of state law, see below), this decennial process assures that at least once every ten years the Town will go through a formal process to review and recommend adjustments to how we govern ourselves and how those processes might be improved.During the coming months the Charter Review Committee will be actively seeking input from Town employees, elected representatives, community volunteers, and everyday residents about how they experience town government and what suggestions they have for improving it. There is a lot to talk about, and we are very eager to hear from as many people as possible both about their ideas and about how we can best reach out to our diverse public. While those of us on the Review Committee may have opinions about potential changes, our primary job is to listen, to cast a wide net, and to organize what we hear into recommendations for the Council to consider acting upon.There are some changes that can be made by a simple Council vote, others that would require a town-wide vote, and still others that would require a new, elected Charter Commission to be formed and/or state legislative action. For example, state law requires a new Charter Commission for any changes that relate to the size of the Council, the election process, or whether we have a Manager or a Mayor.

    • The committee won’t limit input only to those changes that can be approved by the Council (with or without ratification by the voters). We are also open to including more expansive recommendations, including those aspects mentioned above, in a separate section of our final report.The committee will be setting up numerous opportunities for residents to contribute to the process, with meetings in different parts of town organized to focus on specific areas of interest. While we appreciate the time and effort a small number of town activists contribute to our public conversations, we are determined to reach residents whose voices are less frequently heard. We hope to be creative in reaching as many different constituencies as possible, including people who are not native English speakers.We invite everyone in town to be thinking about how our new Council-Manager form of government is working and how it could continue to be improved. You can share your feedback here: Form Center • 2024 Charter Review Committee Feedback at any time – and stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to give us your ideas and feedback!

  • Winter Farmers’ Market:
    • The Amherst Farmers’ Market continues the Winter Market at the Bangs Community Center in downtown Amherst. This new venue has been successful during its operation during December.
  • The Amherst Winter Farmers’ Market will run from 10 am to 2 pm in the Large Activity Room of the Bangs Community Center on the following dates:
  • Saturday, January 25, 2025
  • Saturday, February 8, 2025
  • Saturday, February 22, 2025
  • Saturday, March 8, 2025
  • Saturday, March 22, 2025
  • Higher Education:
    • Key Dates:
  • Spring classes begin:
    • Amherst College: January 27th
    • Hampshire College: January 29th
    • University of Massachusetts Amherst: January 30th
  • April break:
    • Amherst College: March 17th – 21st
    • Hampshire College: March 15th – 23rd
    • University of Massachusetts Amherst: March 17th – 21st .
  • Commencement:
    • Amherst College: May 25th
    • Hampshire College: May 17th
    • University of Massachusetts Amherst: May 16th – 18th

DEPARTMENT UPDATES

Administration and Finance

  • Finance:
  • Assessors: Property inspections:
    • The Town is undergoing a cyclical inspection review required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts [MGL Chapter 59]. This program requires all assessing jurisdictions to update their records by inspecting all properties within a ten (10) year cycle. To be in full compliance we are inspecting all properties that have not been visited recently. Our inspectors will have identification.This inspection is designed to provide accurate information on the condition of the property. Such information is essential to establishing fair, equitable, and uniform values throughout the town. To successfully complete our inspection program in a timely manner, the Board of Assessors must rely on and request your cooperation.

    • Inspectors will visit the property and if we find no one home or arrive at a time that is truly inconvenient for you, we will complete an exterior inspection and measure the building. We will leave a call back card as a reminder to call our office to schedule an interior inspection. The interior inspection should take fifteen (15) minutes or less. Failure to allow a complete inspection will force the Board of Assessors to estimate the interior condition of the property.
  • Human Resources:
  • Fire Chief: I appointed Lindsay Stromgren as the Town’s new Fire Chief. We are planning a formal swearing-in ceremony for Friday, January 31st at 2:00 p.m. in the North Fire Station.
  • Planning Director: The search continues for a new Planning Director. You can find the job advertisement here: https://www.amherstma.gov/jobs.aspx
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Department:
  • Outreach:
    • Workshops for Town staff resume in February. The topics are Race and The National Day of Racial Healing.
    • A Community Racial Healing event will be held on January 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM at the Amherst Regional Middle School. We encourage you to attend. Please register HERE
    • The Town has contracted with Dr. Barbara Love to continue her work on Liberatory Visioning that began in September of 2023.
    • The department is continuing work on the Amherst Global Village Festival. The Amherst Business Improvement District will partner with the Human Rights Commission to make this festival a success.
  • Youth Empowerment: The Recreation Director and Assistant DEI Director are leading the work to identify existing resources, existing opportunities, and coordinate work toward developing additional opportunities for the Town’s young people.
    • The Town is inventorying existing out-of-school learning, recreational, and
  • The Town is also inventorying existing Town-owned buildings to assess their conditions and uses for other purposes including a Youth Empowerment Center.
    • The Town is also exploring other options for addressing the need for additional services and locations for the Town’s young people. he DEI Department is seeking input on youth empowerment programming to strengthen existing programs and inform future programming.
    • Working with the Recreation Department, DEI developed a

survey to collect input directly from local youth, educators, and parents/caregivers to ensure that programming is relevant and impactful. “We believe that by engaging our youth in this process, we can create programs that truly resonate with them and effectively support their development,” said Assistant Director of DEI Philip Avila. “Their ideas and feedback are crucial in designing initiatives that foster leadership, resilience, and community engagement.” Survey: bit.ly/amherst- youth-survey

The survey will close at 11:59 pm on Friday, January 31.

  • Events:
    • The department will begin its Youth Empowerment entrepreneurial series in February.
    • A close-up of a card Description automatically generatedHuman Rights Day: On December 10th the Human Rights Commission and Town Council celebrated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on the Town Common.
    • National Day of Racial Healing: On January 21st, the DEI Department will host a National Day of Racial Healing event, details will be forthcoming.
    • Amherst Global Village Festival: The DEI Department announced the creation of a Global Village Festival to be held on April 5th, 2025.
  • Reparations:
    • The Town Council is reviewing the charge for the Amherst Black Reparations Committee.
    • The Town Council appropriated funds to the Reparations Stabilization Fund in accordance with the Town’s financial policies.
  • Resident Oversight Board:
    • The Town has contracted with a pair of consultants to help create a proposal for a Resident Oversight Board which will be presented to the Town Council for its consideration. I have assembled an advisory committee with representatives from the Community Safety and Social Justice Committee, Human Rights Commission, Public Safety leaders, police union representatives, and two former members of the Town Council (Shalini Bahl-Milne and Anika Lopes).
  • The Resident Oversight Board advisory group continued its meetings in January and will continue to meet to develop a proposal for consideration by the Town Council.
  • If the proposal to create an Oversight Board is approved by the Town Council, the consultants will develop a training process for the inaugural board members, establish board policies and procedures, and establish a train-the-trainer processes for future board members. This work has begun.
  • Police Protocols: The Police Chief is reviewing departmental policies and standard operating procedures to address the dispatching of CRESS responders and police procedures.

Public Safety

  • Fire Department:
    • Staff:
      • On December 30th, I promoted Captain Stephen Gaughan to be Assistant Fire Chief, filling the position held by Chief Stromgren.
  • Also on December 30th, I promoted Firefighter/Paramedic Benjamin Graham to the position of Captain to fill the position held by Captain Gaughan.
  • On January 6th, two firefighters graduated from the Massachusetts Fire Academy: Aidan Brooks and William Mueller. Both received their paramedic certificate last year and are returning to their shifts this week which will help with daily staffing. Both Brooks and Mueller were hired as full-time firefighters in June 2023, and both completed their paramedic training in 2024. Brooks started out as a member of the Student Force while attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst, which he graduated from in May 2023. Mueller previously worked for American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance service in Springfield. Brooks and Mueller were among the 20 firefighters in Class #S39 which represents fire departments from Amherst, Chicopee, Dalton, Monson, Northampton, Palmer, Pittsfield, South Hadley Fire District 1, Springfield, Ware, and Westfield.
  • At the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, recruits undergo a comprehensive 10-week program that includes classroom instruction, physical fitness training, firefighter skills training, and live firefighting practice. To graduate, students must demonstrate proficiency in life safety, search and rescue, ladder operations, water supply, pump operation, and fire attack. Upon successful completion of the Career Recruit Program, all students have met the national standards of NFPA 1001, Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications, and are certified to the levels of Firefighter I/II and Hazardous Materials First Responder Operations by the Massachusetts Fire Training Council, which is accredited by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications.
  • The Amherst Fire Department currently has openings for full-time and on-call firefighters and is accepting applications at amherstma.gov/jobs.
  • Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service:
    • The Department is preparing a year-end report to update the community on the progress of the Department.
    • The Department is also developing a newsletter that it will distribute beginning in February.
    • Staffing: Two new community responders begin work on December 4th. They will begin a training regimen and will be ready for full deployment by end of February 2025.
    • Sharing Resources: Members of the CRESS team made a site visit to the City of Cambridge’s CARE program, a similar start-up to the CRESS department https://www.cambridgema.gov/Departments/communitysafety . They met with Cambridge responders, the Police Commissioner, and the City Manager. They were able to shadow Cambridge’s responders on some of their calls. There are ongoing discussions on ways our two departments can collaborate together.
    • Grant Funding: The Town received full funding in the amount of $449,949 from the State Department of Public Health for its Equitable Approaches to Public Safety (EAPS) grant. The EAPS grant program provides funds to alternative approaches to emergency response, supplementing traditional police response.
    • Protocols: Work continues with the Police Department and Dispatch on adopting protocols for dispatching CRESS directly from Dispatch.
  • Police Department:
    • Staffing: Detective Lieutenant William N. Menard was promoted to Captain effective January 13th.
    • Accreditation: The Amherst Police Department will undergo a full accreditation assessment conducted from members of the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission from January 29th to 31st.
      • The Department requested an on-site assessment by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission, Inc. This is a necessary step to continue to be recognized as an accredited agency. In 2000 the Amherst Police Department was the second police department in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to obtain accredited status.
      • The Outside Independent Assessment Team must confirm that the Department meets the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards to obtain state re-accreditation — a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.
  • The team of assessors is scheduled to arrive on January 28th to begin the assessment process and peer review. In order to continue the Department’s accredited status, the Department must be able to demonstrate that we are in compliance with all of the Commission’s mandatory standards as well as the required percentage of optional standards.
  • While here and as part of the verification process, Assessors will be examining the Department’s policies, procedures, facilities, and equipment. They will also be interacting with members of the Department to observe how they operate.
  • If you would like to review the standards for accreditation or if you have any questions about the upcoming assessment process, please contact Lieutenant Brian Daly, the Department’s Accreditation Manager.

    At the conclusion of the review, the assessment team will report its findings to the Commission, which in turn will decide if accredited status should be awarded. If awarded, accreditation will be granted for a period of three years.Maintaining accreditation, as the Department has done since 2000, requires commitment, dedication and the continued professionalism of all member of the Amherst Police Department.
  • LGBTQ+ Liaison: The Police Chief appointed a new LGBTQ+ Liaison Officer for the Department. Detective Marcus Humber will take on this role and will be attending specific training. Detective Humber is also the Court Liaison Officer, C4RJ (Restorative Justice) Coordinator, Domestic Violence Liaison, and Civil Rights Liaison within the Police Department.

Community Services

  • Senior Services:
    • Coffee?: The Senior Center hosts two regular coffee events at the Bangs Community Center:
      • Memory Café: Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m.
      • Rainbow Café: First Tuesday of every month at 10:00 a.m.
    • Newsletter: The new January/February newsletter from the Department of Senior Services – which includes a listing of all of the dozens of workshops and meetings being offered by the Department – Amherst Senior Spirit, is now available: https://www.amherstma.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/17630
  • Public Health:
    • Respiratory Illness: After a slow start, respiratory illness in the United States has now crossed the “epidemic” threshold. While we are not at peak season yet, the numbers are growing. This is a pattern we see every year, but the actual timing can vary. (Source: CDC). Here’s what you need to know about respiratory illness in the Amherst area:
      • According to wastewater surveillance reports, COVID levels in Amherst as of December 12th were low, below what is considered a measure of substantial infection (1 million gene copy equivalents per liter of sewage). Once the levels cross into that territory we begin to monitor the trends more closely to determine if a surge may be happening.
      • At the end of the first week of December, hospital admissions for flu, RSV and COVID in Hampshire County were at very low levels. (Source: MDPH Respiratory Illness Dashboard)
      • Amherst’s wastewater surveillance program was on hiatus during the month of November due to a problem in the lab at the Wastewater Treatment Facility, which processes the wastewater samples for testing at an outside facility. For this reason, data about COVID levels during the month of November are not available.
      • Sampling resumed in early December. The results from the samples taken so far this month show that the level of COVID is increasing slightly. These results will help determine whether the level of COVID virus circulating in the community continues to tick upwards.
      • The Amherst Public Health Department can provide COVID and flu vaccines to Amherst residents who are homebound. Regional vaccine clinics are also scheduled through the month of January.
  • Explore the latest update from the Public Health Department for information on the current status of COVID-19 and respiratory illnesses, along with effective measures to prevent their spread.

Updates

  • Tobacco regulations: The Board of Health will hold a public hearing on February 6th at 5:00 p.m. to solicit input from the community about its recently revised tobacco regulations. More information about the hearing will be available next week via public notice and on the Town website.

  • Recreation:
    • Independence Day: The Recreation Department is shooting to have the Independence Day festivities occur on July 3rd. Mark your calendars!
    • Winterfest: This year’s Winterfest activities will take place February 15-22.
      • February 15th will feature the Winterfest Games from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Mill River Recreation Area.
      • February 22nd will feature the Fire and Ice festival with Luminaria on the Town Common. Please plan to join in the festivities.

Conservation and Development

  • Planning:
    • CDBG:
      • The Town is accepting proposals for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding until Monday, February 3, 2025 at 12:00 pm. CDBG grants are designed to enhance the quality of life for residents in the community by supporting projects that will benefit low- to moderate-income individuals and neighborhoods. The CDBG Advisory Committee, with assistance from Town staff, oversees the application and public input process.
  • For background, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) has designated the Town as a 2025 Mini-Entitlement Community that is eligible to apply for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. Each year the Town can apply to receive federal funds administered by the EOHLC, which are awarded primarily to support housing, community development projects, and social service activities that improve the lives of Amherst’s low and moderate income residents (defined as individuals or families whose annual income does not exceed 80% of the Area Median Income as determined by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – HUD), and be located in an identified neighborhood or target area.
  • Learn more about the CDBG Advisory Committee, relevant documents, and the 2025 application timeline at:

www.amherstma.gov/CDBG

  • Downtown Design Standards: The Town is updating its Downtown Design Standards that will guide how streetscapes and private properties in the downtown area look and feel in the future. Workshops, surveys, and a stakeholder group are guiding the decision-making process. Learn more: Learn more about Amherst Downtown DesignStandards
    • Open Space and Recreation Plan: The Planning Department is working on an update of the Open Space and Recreation Plan. Everyone is invited to take a survey, giving us input on what they think about Amherst’s open space and recreation lands. https://www.amherstma.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=3506
  • Facilities:
    • ADA Grant: The Town received a $100,000 state grant to continue implementation of the Town’s ADA Transition Plan. These funds will be dedicated to eliminating barriers at the Munson Memorial Library Building.
  • Inspection Services:
    • Rental Registration: Town staff have dedicated considerable time and energy to staffing and implementing the new rental registration system. We will be assembling a comprehensive update in the near future.
  • Sustainability:
    • Heat Pump Program: The Director of Sustainability has been meeting with the Center for Ecotechnology which was awarded the contract to manage the Town’s heat pump program campaign. The team is developing a marketing and outreach strategy and materials, a timeline and implementation schedule. They will be seeking 2-3households willing to serve as pilot households for the program as a soft launch approach within the next few months.
  • Green Communities “Climate Leader Community”: The Town has applied to become a Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources ‘Climate Leader Community’. Designation will provide access to significantly greater funding – particularly for building decarbonization projects – then is currently available under the existing Green Communities Program. We are investigating the requirements of the program and seeking support from other municipal departments, especially the school district.
  • Housing: The Town is updating its Housing Production Plan (HPP) to chart a path toward addressing the affordable housing needs of low- and moderate-income people in Amherst. The HPP will include data about who needs housing and what options currently exist, identify goals for different housing types, and name strategies Amherst might pursue to strengthen affordable housing opportunities.

Public Works

  • 25 MPH: The Town has reduced the statutory townwide speed limit to 25 miles per hour (mph). The adjusted speed limit is intended to make Amherst streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers by reducing the frequency of crashes and the risk of significant injury when crashes do occur. The current speed limit in these areas is 30 mph.
    • As you know, the Town Council voted to opt-in to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 90, Section 17C, authorizing the reduced statutory speed limit and implementation of the measure on a townwide basis. The reduced speed limit does not apply to streets with existing special speed regulations (also known as “Posted Speed Limits”). View a map of streets with posted speed limits that are not subject to the 25-mph speed limit.
    • The Town recently installed new signs at the Town’s borders and other key locations advising motorists of the new 25 mph speed restriction. Through the end of 2024, the Town conducted a public education campaign to ensure awareness of the change before the Police Department begins enforcement of the new speed limit. This campaign included traditional media, social media, information on the Town’s website, and distribution of informational materials to motorists. Routine enforcement of the new 25 mph speed limits will begin in January 2025.
    • Roads with existing, posted speed regulations are not subject to the reduced speed limit, even if they are in a thickly settled or business district. These streets can be identified by the familiar black and white speed limit signs posted on the street that post the applicable speed limit. View a map of streets with posted speed limits that are not subject to the 25- mph speed limit.
    • The reduced speed limit is a townwide measure. New signs are being placed at the Town’s entry points and other strategic locations. These signs clearly indicate that the speed limit applies townwide. Per state guidelines, the municipality will not be installing signs on every street where the reduced speed limit applies.
  • Innovation and Partnership: The Town, in partnership with Elateq Inc., installed a new solar- powered groundwater treatment system that will cut energy use by an estimated 72% and address high iron concentration in the water drainage system. This project, located in the Pine Grove and Hollow neighborhood, will pilot Elateq’s innovative technology while leading to an estimated 80% reduction in operational costs including a 90% decrease in energy expenses for the Town of Amherst.
  • Elateq, Inc., an advanced water treatment company, installed their groundwater treatment system underground in a utility hole on Crossbrook Road. This system is powered by solar panels, installed by Valley Solar, on a nearby garage roof. The project implementation and monitoring will be coordinated and executed with the Amherst Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).
  • High iron concentrations, which are naturally occurring in the soil across Amherst, are found in the current groundwater drainage in the Pine Grove and Hollow neighborhood. This iron can then contaminate the groundwater. This contaminated ground water cannot be released into the environment, so in the 1980s, a drainage system was installed to collect this iron-laden water and direct it to an underground infiltration tank. When the tank overflows, the water goes into the town sewage system where the iron has been clogging pipes and damaging infrastructure, causing expensive maintenance and repairs. Laboratory testing of the Elateq system shows 99.99% removal of the iron which will prevent any further damage.
  • There are many anticipated benefits of this project for the Town. Elateq’s solar-powered technology is expected to deliver a remarkable 72% energy savings compared to the traditional pump-and-treat methods. The installed unit is projected to save 125 MWh over its 30-year operational lifespan, along with an estimated 80% reduction in operational costs for the Town.
  • This project is supported by a $67,250 InnovateMass Grant awarded to Elateq Inc. by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC). The Town is contributing a 20% match of $17,300, bringing the total project funding to $84,550. The InnovateMass program provides grant funding and technical support to applicant teams deploying new clean energy technologies or innovative combinations of existing technologies with a strong potential for commercialization.

DELEGATED AUTHORITY

  • Short-Term Event Uses of Town Commons (Section 1a of the Town Council Policy): None
  • Short-Term Parking Requests (Section 2a of the Town Council Policy):
  • Short-Term Public Way Closures (Section 3b of the Town Council Policy):
  • Placement of Road and Temporary Signs (Section 3d of the Town Council Policy):

MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS

  • Jones Library Renovation and Expansion:
    • Town staff are working to solicit proposals and identify options for space for Library operations during construction.There are still several steps to complete before the project moves forward. The Town is in the process of the Section 106 Historic Preservation Review for this project which includes consultation by relevant organizations to explore measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any adverse effects that may be identified to the historic property and reach a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to record the resolution measures agreed upon to resolve these adverse effects. The Town has contracted with Public Archaeology Laboratory (PAL) to consult on the Section 106 historical review for the Jones Library Renovation and Expansion. This is a required step when Federal funds are designated. The Jones Library Capital Campaign will reimburse the Town for the expenses of this community engagement work. The State Historical Commission has weighed in with their opinion, recommending the slate roof be retained and the new book drop be eliminated. The Town will accept these recommendations and continue to move the process forward.
  • DPW Building/Fire Building:
    • The Town Council has been requested to weigh in on locations and financing plans for the two buildings.
    • I am assembling a building committee to support the development of a cohesive plan for building these two new buildings.
  • Elementary School Building Committee:
    • The Town prevailed and the bid complaints by two construction industry organizations and one competing bidder were denied by the Attorney General’s office. They alleged that CTA Construction Managers, LLC was ineligible for the award and the competing bidder alleged that the second low bidder should also be deemed ineligible. After a thorough public hearing and investigation facilitated by the Massachusetts Attorney General Fair Labor Division, all bid protests were denied.
    • I signed the contract to build the new Fort River Elementary School with CTA Construction Managers, LLC of Waltham, Massachusetts, the selected contractor, and low bidder.
    • We held a kick-off meeting on Tuesday. It is anticipated that CTA Construction Managers will begin work the week of January 13th. The schedule for school occupancy remains on track, with plans for the new elementary school to open in the fall of 2026. Demolition of the existing structures will be completed in the fall of 2026, and all remaining site work is expected to conclude by June 15, 2027.
    • To ensure the project stays on schedule, any overtime costs required to accelerate work will be assessed on a time and expense basis, requiring approval from the project team and will be subject to a pre-established upside cap. Additionally, costs attributed to winter conditions will also be evaluated on a time and expense basis, likewise needing approval from the project team with a cap in place.

PROJECTS UPDATE

  • Centennial Water Treatment Facility: Construction continues for this $21 million facility. The project is on schedule for completion next fall.
  • Track and Field: An update will accompany the request for an appropriation of Community Preservation Account funds at the Council’s meeting on Monday.
  • North Common Restoration/Main Street Parking Lot: The final elements of the project, including street furniture, lighting, and pavement marking, will be completed in the Spring. We will schedule a ribbon cutting in May or June.
  • Bangs Community Center: Town staff are working with an architect to scope out a project based on the needs of the building and input from Bangs Center users’ group and that can be completed within the time and budget constraints of ARPA funding. Staff anticipate that the current project will have to focus on upgrading existing building safety and mechanical systems to address known problem areas and to help to bring the facility in line with the Town’s sustainability goals. How much the project will be able to focus on functional and programmatic upgrades to the buildings is still unknown and will be subject to available funding. Our goal is to develop a multi- year plan that can be implemented in several phases over a number of years subject to funding.

UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

  • January 6th – Town Council meeting
  • January 20th – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
  • January 23-25 – Massachusetts Municipal Association Annual Meeting and Trade Show
  • January 27th – Town Council meeting
  • February 8th – Four Towns meeting
  • February 10th – Town Council meeting
  • February 15-22 – WinterFest
  • February 17th – Presidents Day Holiday
  • February 24th – Town Council meeting
  • March 10th – Town Council meeting
  • March 24th – Town Council meeting
  • April 5th – Global Village Celebration
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