2026-10-05 - Community Preservation Committee

00:19Good evening everyone. I would like to

00:21call to order the October 5th, 2026

00:23Community Preservation Committee

00:25meeting.

00:27Um,

00:29are there any corrections or edits to

00:32the um

00:36this the uh September 14th, 2026 um

00:41minutes?

00:46>> So, I found a small one that I should

00:48have told you about a little while ago.

00:50It's on page 14. Uh the it should be not

00:54and but a. It's just one letter off.

00:58It's in the I think first or second

01:00sentence of a paragraph there.

01:06>> No other corrections.

01:08>> You're on the minutes.

01:10>> The minutes. Yeah.

01:13For September 14th.

01:17>> Yeah. I'm Paul's good.

01:20>> Okay. Good. All right. Um, do I have a

01:23motion to approve the September 14th,

01:262026

01:28minutes?

01:30>> Amen.

01:32>> Do I have a second?

01:33>> Second.

01:34>> Second.

01:34>> Thank you. All those in favor?

01:36>> I

01:37>> I

01:38>> One abstension.

01:40>> One abstension because you are not here.

01:42>> I was not here.

01:43>> All those opposed.

01:46Um, that motion passes. Uh do uh is

01:51there there's a type of bill today? Is

01:54there a bill that that be voted on?

01:56>> No bill today.

01:57>> No bill today. Okay, great.

02:01Great. Um

02:04so

02:07the department order uh report is next.

02:10The order of business is the department

02:12report. And Emma, do you have anything

02:14to share?

02:15>> I do. Yes. Um so first I would like to

02:19share an update regarding the December

02:21town meeting. Um so the town manager's

02:24office has advised that no financial

02:27articles be considered at this meeting

02:29due to considerations surrounding the

02:31setting of the tax rate this fall. Um so

02:35because of that this means that no CPC

02:38warrant articles can be considered at

02:40the December town meeting. So all

02:42projects that were going to be

02:43considered as well as returning funds

02:46which we had from the ledger restoration

02:47project um that will be pushed to the uh

02:51annual town meeting in May.

02:54>> I have a question.

02:56>> Yeah. Yes.

02:58>> I I disagree with that.

03:01>> It's

03:03this project won't affect the tax rate.

03:06>> Yeah.

03:07>> Why does it make a difference?

03:09>> Completely understand that question. I

03:11had the same question as well. So if I

03:13can go into the weeds a little bit more,

03:14I can answer that question. Um, so

03:18having um financial warrant articles at

03:21the December town meeting um would

03:24prohibit the town from being able to set

03:26the tax rate this fall. So this is due

03:28to how warrant articles are worded. So,

03:31for example, CPC articles in the past

03:34state quote to see if the town will vote

03:36to appropriate or transfer from the CPC

03:38annual revenues or available funds a sum

03:41of money for end quote. So, while the

03:44warrant stipulates that it comes from a

03:47CPC specific account, the Massachusetts

03:50Department of Revenue still advises the

03:52town um that because someone could

03:54technically make a motion on the floor

03:57at town meeting to change the funding

03:59source, it is not advisable to include

04:02um financial warrant articles including

04:05CBC because of that technicality.

04:10>> Yeah. But then that would have to be

04:11voted by the town meeting members to

04:13change the funding source.

04:14>> Correct. Yep.

04:16>> Doesn't mean it's going to pass.

04:18>> Theoretically it could.

04:19>> It could theoretically.

04:20>> Theoretically.

04:22>> Yep.

04:24>> Well, you know,

04:27it's kind of interesting, but we can't

04:29change by law. We can't change the

04:31funding source. Can the money can only

04:33come from the CPC.

04:35>> So, yes, again, technically. Um,

04:39however, someone could still introduce

04:41on the floor changing that funding

04:44source. I don't know what that would

04:45look like going forward in terms of

04:48actually voting for that and

04:50appropriating from a different fund for

04:51CPC purposes. Um, but it's just the

04:54technicality that someone could

04:56introduce

04:57>> well, okay,

04:58>> a different funding source.

05:02>> That's not going to affect us voting

05:04tonight on on the project.

05:06>> Correct. So we can still vote on the

05:08project. Um and then leading up to the

05:11May town meeting, we would vote to

05:13recommend the actual article um to town

05:16meeting. So that would come later. Um so

05:20the recommendation

05:21um that I would give to the committee is

05:24that ahead of the town meeting in May um

05:27when the committee can recommend the

05:29Warren article for the tipping point um

05:31tree planting project um I would advise

05:34that the committee uh might want to

05:36consider holding a second public hearing

05:38for the project in case there's

05:41increased outreach or community

05:43engagement and uh people want to come

05:46back to voice.

05:48>> When are warrant articles due to the

05:51selectman for the December meeting?

05:53>> For the December meeting, I don't I'm

05:55not sure off the top of my head.

05:58>> Okay.

05:59>> I I think the reason I'm asking that is

06:02could we let's assume we get this thing

06:05changed. Can we do the warrant article

06:07in in November? I don't know if you know

06:09that. I I'm I'm gonna send Kevin a uh

06:14email and ask him that question

06:16>> because like you said technically

06:17somebody can bring it up,

06:19>> right?

06:20>> But the moderator can just say it's out

06:22of order and move on.

06:25>> Yeah, I'm not exactly sure how that

06:27would work. I would assume you would be

06:29correct. I

06:30>> Yeah,

06:30>> maybe there is a scenario in which it

06:32could be passed by by town meeting

06:34members. Again, it's unlikely, but

06:36>> um that might be a Yeah, question. I'll

06:38follow up with Kevin on that.

06:40>> Yeah, I think the town manager

06:42>> convinced me that it's absolutely

06:44>> suited

06:44>> can't do it but because I think we ought

06:47to move forward but anyway that's my

06:49opinion.

06:51>> Okay, you move on from

06:52>> Did you have a question on that Carl?

06:54>> I guess this means we only put warrant

06:56articles for CPC on the spring meeting,

07:01>> spring town meeting

07:02>> for for this particular fiscal year.

07:04Yes. Uh so

07:05>> don't they always set the tax rate at

07:07this

07:07>> Yeah. Uh typically town meeting is held

07:10earlier in the fall. Um so typically

07:13it's held I believe in October. Um so

07:16this is a later town meeting and because

07:18of the later date of the town meeting

07:19that's why there's

07:21this restriction in terms of financial

07:24articles. Um, so typically when uh the

07:28special town meeting is held in the

07:30fall, it's usually early enough where

07:32there can be uh financial warrant

07:34articles considered not only from CPC

07:36but also um others as well.

07:39>> Okay. Thank you.

07:41So the the vote by town meeting to

07:46change the meeting to dece the the town

07:48meeting special town meeting for the

07:50fall to December

07:52that will hold for next year won't it?

07:55>> Um if I'm not mistaken I believe the

07:57select board uh chose the that date. Um

08:01so I believe that's up to their

08:03discretion in terms of when when that

08:05is.

08:05>> Okay. Thank you. All right. Um any other

08:10questions?

08:13>> Okay. Um

08:17>> um I do just have a few other updates

08:19for the department report. Um the master

08:23plan uh update process is underway. As

08:27you all um are aware um on the master

08:30plan web page, there are going to be

08:32monthly questions. Um, so I just wanted

08:35to let committee members know in case

08:38they're interested in answering those or

08:40sharing those around to community

08:41members um to get more engagement on

08:44those questions. I know today the

08:46website has been having um some

08:48difficulties loading. We've been having

08:49some IT issues. Um so I don't know if

08:53you'll be able to see it today, but once

08:54that is back up and running um check out

08:58the uh master plan web page.

09:01Um, and I also wanted to share a

09:04reminder. Um, I know

09:05>> I have a small comment on that.

09:07>> Uh, I submitted my comment and there's a

09:11word limit on it. Why? Like I wish there

09:14weren't a word.

09:14>> Oh, on the to answer the question.

09:16>> Yes. After I reached a certain it was

09:18like I don't know how big it was like I

09:20could type like two sentences and then

09:22it said I ran out of characters so I

09:24tried to fit whatever I could say in

09:27those two sentences.

09:28>> Okay, that is very good to know. Um I

09:30don't know if uh we were aware that

09:33there was word limit. So I will note

09:35that and look into that for you. Thank

09:37you for for saying that.

09:43>> Okay. And uh are there more things that

09:48you need to bring up?

09:49>> Um there is one last update I wanted to

09:52share. Um, I emailed this to all of you

09:54as well, but just a reminder that on

09:56Wednesday, October 14th, from 5:30 to

09:597:30 p.m., um, there's an affordable

10:02housing trust tour and roundt at the

10:06Mary D. Stone Apartments uh, in Auburn,

10:08Massachusetts. Uh, this event is

10:10actually being co-sponsored by the

10:12Shrewsbury Affordable Housing Trust, and

10:14it is open to any CPC members who would

10:17like to attend. Um, if you are

10:19interested, um, you can refer back to

10:21the email that I sent you and I can

10:22resend that as well. Um, but just to

10:25make you all aware, too, you do have to

10:26RSVP by the day before the event,

10:29October 13th, if you're interested.

10:31>> Could you send that out again?

10:32>> Yeah,

10:32>> absolutely.

10:35>> Thank you. And any more parts to that

10:39department report?

10:40>> That that is it.

10:41>> That is it. Okay. All right. Uh, so

10:45we're on to the public hearing. Um and

10:48there are two people here. Um we are now

10:51entering the public hearing portion of

10:53our meeting for uh the 300th anniversary

10:57treeentennial.

10:58We kindly ask that those wishing to

11:00speak approach the mic at the front of

11:03the room. That right over there. Yeah.

11:06>> Yeah.

11:07>> Um

11:08and um

11:11and uh state your name for the

11:12committee. Okay. So, uh, if you have if

11:16you want to say something for or against

11:20the tree centennial, now's your time.

11:22>> And just a a quick point of order, too.

11:25Um, we just have to open up officially

11:28open the public hearing as well,

11:30>> right? So, um,

11:35is there a motion to open the public

11:37hearing?

11:38>> I make that motion.

11:40>> Okay.

11:42>> Is there a second? Thank you. All those

11:44in favor?

11:45>> I

11:45>> I

11:46>> All those opposed

11:50abstaining.

11:51>> Okay, great. Um, this motion passes and

11:54so um if you would like to speak, you

11:57can speak now.

12:05Hello, I'm Gretchen Schulz Ellison and

12:07I'm a town meeting member um and also a

12:10member of Tipping Point01545,

12:13Shrewsbury Volunteers for Climate and

12:15Environmental Action.

12:18I'm here to enthusiastically support

12:20this request for funding from the CPC

12:23for a pilot project to plant native

12:26trees in Dean Park and the playing

12:28fields to protect open space and

12:30recreation.

12:32I walk in Dean Park most mornings, so I

12:35see the changes from season to season.

12:38In the course of time, the park loses

12:40trees to storm and storms and natural

12:43aging. So, it's important to plant new

12:45trees to replace them so future

12:48generations can continue to enjoy the

12:50park.

12:52Shrewsbury as a whole has seen a

12:54tremendous amount of development since

12:55our family moved here 33 years ago. That

12:59has led to a loss of open space and a

13:01reduced tree canopy. To counter those

13:04losses, we need more trees, specifically

13:07native trees that have evolved over

13:09thousands of years to thrive in

13:11Shrewsbury.

13:12Native trees require less water. They

13:15prevent erosion, and they provide

13:17habitats for the birds, the helpful

13:20insects, and the small animals we need

13:22for a healthy environment in town.

13:26Native trees will enhance the experience

13:28of everyone using the parks and the

13:30playing fields by providing shade and

13:32healthy air. Tipping Point01545

13:36members have put a lot of thought and

13:38effort into designing the proposal. We

13:40seek to collaborate with others in

13:42deciding on the placement of native

13:44trees. I ask you to please vote to

13:47recommend this project for funding at

13:49the spring 2027 town meeting. Thank you.

14:05Good evening. My name is Paul Dobner. I

14:08live at 23 Elma Circle right here in

14:11Shrewsbury, Mass. Um, and I'm here to

14:15enthusiastically support the proposal

14:17for the tree centennial pilot project

14:21uh through funding by the CPC.

14:25Um, I I would be inclined to say much of

14:29what Gretchen has just told you, but I

14:31won't for the sake of brevity. Um, but I

14:35just wanted to give you a little bit of

14:36a historical perspective on um, groups

14:41such as Tipping Point uh, helping to

14:45plant trees in Shrewsbury. And those two

14:47examples that I'm thinking of are uh,

14:50the first one was a a tree planting that

14:53took place in the Mountain View Cemetery

14:57number of years ago. It was actually a

14:59an Eagle Scout project that was um

15:02organized by Mitchell Porter and but the

15:06funding came from uh a grant that was

15:09applied for by the uh um Earth

15:12Stewardship Committee at the First

15:13Congregational Church. And so that was

15:16under a program that was in existence at

15:18the time but no longer is in existence

15:21called Mass Relief.

15:23Um and it was um

15:27under those under that funding uh

15:30mechanism the trees had to be planted on

15:33public uh property. Uh the second one I

15:36want to point out which is perhaps uh

15:39more visible in the center of town is on

15:41the tree on the town common where uh

15:45several years ago probably about five or

15:46six years ago again the fir the earth

15:50stewardship group at the first

15:51congregational partnered with the town

15:54to um purchase and plant five new trees

15:58on the town common. uh three pin oaks

16:02and two elm trees, disease resistant elm

16:04trees. And if you've had occasion to be

16:08on the town common recently, they're

16:10doing very well and um they're very

16:14pretty and uh they're filling in the the

16:18vacant places that were left by having

16:20to take down a few trees there a number

16:22of years ago. And so I think this

16:26project that's being proposed will be

16:28will have a similar impact on the town

16:31and will be a good partnership between

16:34Tipping Point and and the town of

16:37Shrewsbury. Hopefully the town those two

16:40examples that I just gave, the town

16:42actually pitched in uh and the um uh one

16:49of the individuals from the fire

16:51department uh operated the back hoe and

16:54dug the holes for so we planted 15 trees

16:57down in Mountain View. We planted five

16:59on on the town common. Um, and the

17:04funding for the trees, uh, on the town

17:06common came from the town. They had some

17:10funds for ALB, uh, remediation,

17:14uh, that they use for that purpose. Um,

17:17so I think it's a great partnership. I

17:18think it'll have a a really nice impact

17:22on the town and, uh,

17:26again, for many of the reasons that

17:28Gretchen cited, I think it'll be um,

17:32a an extremely important thing to do.

17:35Thank you.

17:37>> Thank you very much.

17:41>> Okay. Uh so it doesn't look like there's

17:43anyone else to speak at this public

17:45hearing. Um and so is there a motion to

17:50close the public hearing?

17:53>> I make a motion to close the public

17:55hearing.

17:56>> A second.

17:57>> Second.

17:59>> Um all those in favor? I

18:01>> I

18:02>> All those opposed.

18:04>> This motion passes. Uh and the public

18:07hearing is now closed. So um

18:11at this point um so Skip Bernett was

18:15going to be coming in and that's not

18:16going to happen this month. So we go on

18:19to

18:21uh action items.

18:24looking at the um

18:27project funding application for the vote

18:29on with a vote on the 300 300th

18:32anniversary tree planting pilot project.

18:35Um

18:38and I I just want to see has everyone

18:40been able to look at the updated budget?

18:44Yeah.

18:46Okay. Um and I have to rec recuse myself

18:50from the voting uh because I am

18:51affiliated with this project.

18:53Um,

19:00so at this time, is there a motion to

19:02approve the funding application for the

19:05300th anniversary tree centennial?

19:11>> I make that motion.

19:14>> How how much of the funds in the end? I

19:16can't remember. 101.

19:19>> Yeah. So, uh, the new, uh, total with

19:22the new $10,000 contingency brings the

19:24total of CPC funds requested to

19:28$107,960.

19:32>> That's reducing it by the $6,000 in

19:34donations, right?

19:36>> Yes. So, the total project cost is

19:38$113,000

19:40n sorry

19:43$113,960.

19:46Um so yes the CPC funds requested are

19:49without um the funds that would be used

19:52for maintenance.

19:53>> So it's the 107960.

19:55>> Yep. That would be that's the total of

19:57CPC funds being requested.

19:59>> I think

20:03well

20:05I make a motion we approve

20:07the tree planting project for a total of

20:10$17,960.

20:16Second.

20:16>> Second.

20:22>> Um,

20:24all those in favor?

20:26>> I.

20:27>> All those opposed.

20:30>> Any abstensions?

20:34>> Me, too. This motion passes the December

20:3726th uh CPC. Uh, this this this this it

20:41passes. Wonderful. Thank you.

20:43Thank you very much. Question for Emma.

20:46Um,

20:47>> if for some reason um we have a

20:51successful argument about putting this

20:54on the December warrant,

20:57>> um, we're able to call a special

21:00meeting, aren't we, for to put that

21:03together to get it on there?

21:04>> Yeah. So, if if that were to be the

21:07case, um, we would be able to call a

21:09special meeting just to approve the

21:11warrant article article. Okay.

21:12>> Or recommend, excuse me, recommend.

21:14>> Yeah. So, we really can't do any

21:17recommendation today.

21:19>> No. So, this is just the the committee

21:22approving the application um but not

21:25recommending it yet to town meeting.

21:30>> Very good. Thank you. Um um

21:34the next uh action item is a vote to

21:38approve the community preservation plan

21:40for 2026.

21:43Um,

21:45>> can I ask one question before we do

21:47that?

21:47>> Yes.

21:48>> We skipped over the first congregational

21:50church. We're not going to discuss that,

21:51I guess.

21:52>> Um, yes. So, I uh did uh send an email

21:56to the committee earlier today. Um Skip

21:58Bernett asked to be taken off of the

22:00agenda for this evening. Um but he said

22:03that in the coming months he will reach

22:06out uh when he's ready to be placed on

22:08the agenda and come to the committee for

22:10discussion.

22:11because we get the letter from the you

22:13know the lawyer and everything. That's

22:15why I thought

22:16>> yeah I in anticipation of uh Skip coming

22:19in I had put that in the meeting folder

22:21just for reference uh for CBC members

22:24who weren't on the committee uh when the

22:27church had come previously uh for

22:30funding. So that will be placed in

22:32whatever meeting folder um skip is

22:34coming to.

22:35>> All right.

22:39>> Okay. So, um, this is a vote vote to

22:41move the December CPC meeting to

22:45December 14th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. And

22:49that is, of course, because of town

22:51meeting being the week ahead of time,

22:52which would have been when we would

22:54meet. Yes.

22:54>> Uh, item number B, we never voted to

22:58approve the

22:59>> item. Oh, the commute preservation. We

23:01didn't hold a vote. So, true. Let's go

23:04back in time.

23:06Uh, is there a motion to approve the

23:09community preservation plan 2026?

23:12>> Approval.

23:14>> Second.

23:15>> Second.

23:15>> Okay. Um,

23:19all those in favor?

23:20>> I.

23:21>> All those opposed?

23:24Any abstensions?

23:27>> Okay. This motion passes. That's

23:29marvelous.

23:31And so, thank you. And back to the

23:34December CPC meeting, December 14th,

23:372026.

23:39Is there a motion to moving to move the

23:41December 20 2026 CP CPC meeting?

23:47>> So moved.

23:49>> Is there a second?

23:52>> All those in favor?

23:53>> I.

23:54>> All those opposed? Any abstensions?

23:58This motion passes. The December 2026

24:00CPC meeting has been moved to December

24:0214th at 6:30 p.m. in the Shrewsbury

24:04Police Department training room.

24:08And at this point, we are at the end of

24:10our agenda. The uh CPC will meet again

24:12on November 2nd, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in

24:16the Shrewsbury Police Department

24:17training room. If there is nothing else,

24:20is there a motion to adjurnn?

24:24>> Take a motion.

24:24>> Second. Geez.

24:26>> Second.

24:27>> 25 minutes. All those in favor

24:29>> I oppose.

24:32>> That was too easy.