HomeMy Public PortalAbout2019 Annual Select Board RetreatMonday, August 26, 2019 at Ocean Edge Resort
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
Location:2907 Main Street, Brewster, MA 02631
Date:Monday, August 26, 2019
Time:8:00 AM
AGENDA
1.Call to Order
2.Consent agenda – CBI one-day liquor license (Sept 4)
3.Review input from Town employees, boards, and committees, and identify consensus priority goals for FYs 20-21
4.Topics the Chair did not Reasonably Anticipate
5.Adjournment
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
SCHEUDLE
8 – 8:30am: Opening Remarks and Breakfast – Peter Lombardi
Discussion and Prioritization of Goals within each Building Block
8:30 – 9am: Community Character
9 - 9:30 am: Open Space
9:30 – 10am: Housing
10 – 10:30 am: Local Economy
10:30 – 11 am: Coastal Management
11 – 11:30 am: Water Resources
11:30 – 12 pm: LUNCH
12 – 1pm:Governance
1 – 2pm: Community Infrastructure
2 – 2:30pm: Miscellaneous
2:30 – 3pm: Review of Consensus Priorities & Discussion of Next Steps
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
Proposed Strategic Goal Setting Process
Goal of Annual Goal Setting Process
•Thoughtfully coordinate all of our initiatives;
•Better integrate our collective efforts across the organization;
•And clearly identify consensus priority goals that are both
reasonably attainable within the next two years and generally
consistent with the Vision Plan
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
Proposed Strategic Goal Setting Process
Our Process
•Solicit feedback from all active boards and committees (through
their respective Chairs) and all Department Heads regarding
what they see as key areas of concern, need, and opportunity for
the Board and/or other Town entities to consider over the next
two years
•40 entities responded and identified approximately 100 goals for
consideration
•Feedback has been separated into policy and operational goals,
and organized under the 8 Vision Plan Building Blocks (plus Misc)
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
8:30 – 9am: Community Character
Policy Goals
•Become an Age-Friendly Community*
•Consider bylaws and/or incentives aimed to maintain and improve the historic appearance of properties (along 6A)*
•Consider Town-wide demo delay bylaw*
•Determine policy position on residential exemption
•Develop a high level Growth Policy (to be refined in LCP)
•Foster a coordinated effort (BHC, Brewster Historical Society, Brewster Mill group, Crosby Mansion, etc) to promote the history of Brewster
•Consider policy/bylaw banning the sale of nips (miniatures) in Brewster
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
8:30 – 9am: Community Character
Operational Goals
•Complete Town-wide historic home inventory and share results
with community
•Recruit new residents to assist in preserving the herring run and
mill site and dedicate funding to maintaining stonework
•Increase funding for Cultural Council (beyond state
appropriation)
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
9 - 9:30 am: Open Space
Policy Goals
•Adopt policies / zoning bylaws that recognize and take advantage
of potential synergies between affordable housing development
and open space preservation*
•Consider implementation of land-use protection policies to
ensure current, minimally developed properties remain
minimally developed (example: 3 golf courses)
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
9 - 9:30 am: Open Space
Operational Goals
•Evaluate potential upgrades to Drummer Boy Park, including
vacant building reuse/demo, playground relocation and concept
of walkway to Wing’s Island*
•Update Open Space and Recreation Plan (taking care to involve
members of the Captains Golf community)
•Complete Dog Park project
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
9:30 – 10am: Housing
Policy Goals
•Establish permanent funding mechanism for Affordable
Housing Trust*
•Perform a comprehensive review of zoning bylaws, with
particular attention to ones that pertain to creating more
housing choice*
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
9:30 – 10am: Housing
Operational Goals
•Establish housing rehabilitation program*
•Continue to review local options for qualifying tax exemptions
(seniors/veterans)*
•Develop affordable housing off Millstone Road
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
10 – 10:30 am: Local Economy
Policy Goals
•Create an Opportunity Zone centered at 6A and Underpass Rd to encourage mixed use development (including zoning changes and tax incentives)*
•Revise permit process to be more user friendly, include a designated staff member to act as a permit guide for new applicants*
•Determine need for local health regulations for marijuana and/or CBD sales are warranted and draft regulations as necessary
•Determine need for short-term rental regulations and draft regulations as necessary
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
10 – 10:30 am: Local Economy
Operational Goals
•Establish a process for submission of electronic permitting applications and create electronic access for viewing of public records*
•Building Commissioner to perform additional outreach to municipal Boards, Committees, and the general public at large*
•Consider modification of current Title V variance review practice to include in-house variance review, creating a more customer-centric process
•Build stronger partnership with Chamber (eg. creation of Cultural District)
•Actively participate in Cape Cod Chamber’s Blue Economy initiative
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
10:30 – 11 am: Coastal Management
Policy Goals
•Establish a vehicle to ensure Coastal Resource Management Plan
is implemented*
•Consider revisions to local Wetlands Protection bylaw to address
cumulative impact of frequent conversions of modest cottages
to very large structures
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
10:30 – 11 am: Coastal Management
Operational Goals
•Work with DCR on Bike Trail Extension to Linnell Landing*
•Increase funding for Natural Resources Dept to cover personnel expenses related to part time shellfish wardens, after hours OT, and Natural Resources Director hours
•Update DNR regulations for commercial shellfish; razor clams; commercial aquaculture; harbormaster
•Change dates for beach stickers from Memorial Day to Labor Day to come into line with other Cape towns
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
11 – 11:30am: Water Resources
Policy Goals
•Consider requiring use of Innovative/Alternative (IA) technology
(Title V) in environmentally sensitive areas*
•Develop and propose stormwater management bylaw (MS4
permit)*
•Revision of existing Water Quality Protection District bylaw*
•Update existing Water Department Master Plan
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
11 – 11:30am: Water Resources
Operational Goals
•Encourage residents to drink more tap water and avoid purchasing single use beverage containers - install hydration stations
•Create Assistant Water Superintendent position
•Design and install generators at Water Dept facilities
•Negotiate land purchase or easement at Water tank site for future draining of tanks for maintenance
•Evaluate vulnerable Water utility infrastructure and determine possible improvement or modifications
•Continue ongoing water quality planning and implementation
•Implement weed harvester pilot program and consider replication
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
12 – 1pm: Governance
Policy Goals (Finance)
•Adopt financial policies that are in accordance with 2019 DOR report and best practices
•Development of process for soliciting resident input regarding any project that may require Prop 2 1/2 override*
•Consider transition of Captains Golf Course to an enterprise account (accounting for offsets, minimum Retained Earnings amount, etc)
•Consider establishing enterprise account for Solid Waste
•Develop policy for failure to pay property taxes
•Develop policy on waiver of Town fees
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
12 – 1pm: Governance
Policy Goals (Other)
•Charter development/adoption and associated bylaw changes
•Promote energy conservation - Green Communities designation
•Foster a culture that views residents as customers and town services as the product – be proactive, transparent, and engaged
•Consider whether boards are best structured as appointed or elected and encourage board/committee members to become engaged with community activities where interests overlap
•Review and update existing Select Board policies
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
12 – 1pm: Governance
Operational Goals (Planning and Finance)
•Implement Vision Plan (and develop a Local Comprehensive Plan)
•Determine plan to dispose of or repurpose vacant Town buildings
•Present the annual budget in an easily acceptable format that can be
easily found by the taxpayers*
•Present detailed review of Town's financial status on regular basis*
•Determine plan for financial software (updates, conversion, etc) with
goal to move toward paperless environment
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
12 – 1pm: Governance
Operational Goals (Transparency/Outreach)
•Revamp website and make it more user friendly*
•Explore communications tools beyond Channel 18 (i.e my town government website)
•Identify major committees & for purposes of transparency require that they be on television
•Brand/standardize public face of town (website, email, cable TV, documents, etc.)
•Support/invest in project management tools (i.e Envisio) for large capital and planning projects
•Consider changing Town Hall hours to stay open late 1 weeknight and close early on Friday
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
12 – 1pm: Governance
Operational Goals (Boards/Committees and Staff)
•Establish plan to address need for dedicated HR function
•Cross train employees as practicable
•Perform a comprehensive review of current staffing levels and look at restructuring options
•Establish succession planning for staff where applicable and promote hiring from within where possible
•Develop a workshop or handbook for “chairs” of committees (OML)
•Evaluate committee charges (and potentially consolidate)
•Provide support for the development and implementation of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
1 – 2pm: Community Infrastructure
Policy Goals
•Determine next steps for multi-generational community center to include COA and Recreation*
•Re-establish annual Capital Improvement Program process that aligns capital investments with Vision Plan / Local Comprehensive Plan
•Consider merits of joining Complete Streets program*
•Develop 10 Year Capital Plan for Captains Golf
•Determine support for the redesign and renovation of the Library building
•Determine support for proposed Nauset Regional High School project
•Consider school consolidation2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
1 – 2pm: Community Infrastructure
Operational Goals
•Create a community center planning committee to gather community input regarding interests/needs, conduct a feasibility/location study (i.e., new or repurposed building), and make recommendations to TA and the Select Board*
•Establish an inter-departmental working group: 1) for joint programming/planning reflecting the town's demographic needs across the age spectrum; and 2) to identify and collaboratively apply for relevant public and private grants
•Complete ADA Recreational Fields Access project
•Rewrite the mission statement of the Golf Department
•Provide affordable and safe housing as well as transportation options for older residents as well as other age groups
•Consider adding maintenance staff
•Increase funding for road work2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
2 – 2:30pm: Miscellaneous
Policy Goals
•Adopt a policy that provides a mandated % of marijuana and short term rental taxes be dedicated to support the wages of additional public safety personnel
•Revise current policy of reducing/rescinding ambulance transport bills to provide the Fire Chief the authority to make a determination on a request
•Determine criteria for existing list of contractors approved by Water Department
•Development of a comprehensive Archives Collection Development Policy for Library historical materials
•Create Recreation Dept policies that deal with open water activities, scholarships and financial aid eligibility, and response to behavioral issues
•Review and approve updated Cemetery Rules and Regulations
•Consider policy requiring that recycling be offered by curbside subscription haulers at no additional cost to their customer to encourage recycling
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
2 – 2:30pm: Miscellaneous
Operational Goals
•Ensure adequate staffing for all Depts
•Ensure adequate OSHA training for staff
•Develop protocols for employee safety
•Provide support for and formally approve the revised Fire Department five year plan when presented (staffing implications – potential for 4 new positions)
•Purchase new tables for all meeting rooms
•Identify committees that should get permanent waivers at the transfer station
•Determine agreed upon location for Town elections
•Continue vigilant cybersecurity
•Fund year two of the property valuation contract in the fall so that work can begin in a more timely manner
•Determine if a liability waiver can be used allowing Water personnel to work on private property 2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
Consensus Priorities
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
Next Steps
•Town Administration will assemble a summary document for the
Board’s consideration for adoption, providing more detail
regarding responsible parties and associated objectives as
applicable
•Priority goals identified through this process will then be
integrated into our FY20 Capital Planning process (already
underway) and FY21 Operating Budget process
•Once formally adopted, the FY20-21 Select Board Strategic Plan
will be distributed to the boards/committees and all staff, and
will also be posted on the homepage of the Town’s website
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19
Next Steps
•Quarterly or semi-annual progress reports could be provided to
the Board to ensure we are staying on task
•The Board and Town Administration will undertake this same
organizational goal setting process on an annual basis, which will
include a review of progress made on goals to date and continue
to look out over the next two fiscal years, soliciting input from all
relevant stakeholders
2019 Brewster Select Board Annual Retreat
08.26.19