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Home My Public Portal AboutSelect Board -- 2021-09-15 Minutes (2) Town of Brewster , o o Fr Office of: 2198 Main Street , P d , select Board -. ° , _ N Brewster MA 026314898 r = i P:: Town Administrator .; Phone : ( 508) 896 -3701 T irnininiliuu� ��° www . brewster- ma . gov .....f MINUTES OF THE SELECT BOARD EXECUTIVE SESSION MINUTES DATE : September 15, 2021 TIME : 8 : 30 am PLACE : Remote Teleconference REMOTE PARTICIPANTS : Chair Bingham, Selectperson Hoffmann , Selectperson Chaffee, Selectperson Whitney, Selectperson Chatelain , Town Administrator Peter Lombardi , Assistant Town Administrator Donna Kalinick Call to Order & Declaration of Quorum , Meeting Participation Statement and Recording Statement Chair Bingham called the meeting to order at 8 . 30am . All Select Board members present were announced , and a quorum was declared . Chair Bingham read the meeting participation and recording statements . Matters Not Reasonably Anticipated by the Chair : None Consent Agenda : • Approve Facility Use Application ; Brewster Ponds Coalition - Sheep Pond Woodlands Walk — Sept . 18, 2021 Selectperson Chatelain moved the consent agenda for September 15 , Selectperson Whitney second . A roll call vote was taken . Selectperson Hoffmann -yes, Selectperson Whitney-yes, Selectperson Chaffee-yes, Selectperson Chatelain -yes, Chair Bingham -yes . The Board vote was 5 - Yes, 0- No . Executive Session : To consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property if the chair declares that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the public body- 3057 Main Street and 500 W H Besse Cartway. The Select Board will not be returning to regular session . Selectperson Chatelain moved to enter Executive Session . Selectperson Chaffee second . A roll call vote was taken . Selectperson Hoffmann -yes, Selectperson Whitney-yes, Selectperson Chaffee-yes, Selectperson Chatelain -yes, Chair Bingham -yes . The Board vote was 5 -Yes, 0- No . Remote participants declared " No other persons are present or able to hear this discussion at this remote location . " Mr . Lombardi quickly reviewed the documents that were provided to the Select Board . • Press Release - released on Monday night, there have been a few stories online and one in the Cape Cod Times this morning, all good and positive . BoS 945 -2021 www . brewster- ma . gov Page 1 of 5 Doc ID : 095dbbdf045ede2d82faead48a02edelle212d62 °� s0 E�DERe9�9'° Town of Brewster Office of: Eao F,�N�a v 2198 Main Street Select Board � U 9 ' Nr ° % rn _ Brewster, MA 02631 - 1898 Town Administrator Phone : (508) 896 -3701 www . brewster-ma . gov nniOWN �a�0"\\�� t • Final signed offer letters - the Town is moving forward with the Purchase and Sales Agreements . • Draft Purchase and Sales Agreements o Town added language requesting information on what will happen with the remaining personal camp property . o Deadline for Purchase and Sales Agreement is next Thursday o The Town has 45 days for the inspection . Since the Town did not sign an NDA, the sellers will not share their assessment until the Town sign a document . This is being reviewed by Town Counsel ; the Board should authorize the Town Administrator to finalize the document and execute it on behalf of the Board so we can get the sellers phase I reports . • Proposal of Scope of Work Phase I Environmental Site Assessment ( Bennet Environmental Associates, LLC) o Quote is $ 20, 000 depending on how much testing will be done . Timeline is 4 - 6 weeks; they do know that there is a deadline . o The Board will need to decide if we will use the seller' s phase I reports or if we want to move forward with our own . Selectperson Whitney moved to authorize the Town Administrator to finalize and execute the agreement waiver on behalf of the Select Board to get access to the seller' s phase I reports . Selectperson Chaffee second . A roll call vote was taken . Selectperson Whitney-yes, Selectperson Chaffee-yes, Selectperson Chatelain -yes, Selectperson Hoffmann - yes, Chair Bingham -yes . The Board vote was 5-Yes, 0 - No The Purchase and Sales Agreements have been delivered late yesterday to the seller' s counsel . Mr . Lombardi suggests that the Select Board allow Town Counsel , Peter Lombardi , Donna Kalinick and Selectperson Chatelain to move the agreements along . If there is anything substantive it would be brought to the full Board for review and discussion . Selectperson Hoffmann suggested that in the scope of work we include the storage of the pool chemicals . Mr. Lombardi acknowledged that Selectperson Chaffee put a great amount of time putting the script together with the corresponding PowerPoint . The Select Board reviewed the public forum script, below are suggested changes reviewed : • Recap/Context Slides- reminder to residents what we are asking them to vote for . • Pond Parcel Update Slide- suggestion to reverse the 3rd and 4th bullet points o Some discussion on if more details should be shared about other offers that the sellers received and the negotiations that the Town went through . The language in the script was agreed on and the Board expects questions about how the Town arrived at the final price . • Financing Plan for Long Pond Parcel Purchase BoS 945 -2021 www . brewster-ma . gov Page 2 of 5 Doc ID : 095dbbdf045ede2d82faead48a02ede11e212d62 °o�'�`°�Ra�F 9 Town of Brewster once of: 2198 Main Street Select Board II0r` _ ' — Brewster, MA 02631 - 1898 Town Administrator � Phone : ( 508) 896-3701 41 www. brewsterwma . gov 811/1 lilwOOO o Mr . Lombardi stated with a $ 6M purchase price , the goal is to not impact tax bills and have the debt be for financing . The Brewster Conservation Trust is meeting to discuss increasing their pledge amount of $ 1 . 75M . o MA Audubon has been updated with the new purchase price and we have asked for an additional $ 250K, they may be able to increase up to $ 1 . 5M . Their Board will meet next Thursday to finalize their pledge amount . Mr . Lombardi noted that they have been impressed with the Town ' s negotiating strategy and pleased with the results . o There still needs to be discussion with the Water Commissioners to increase their pledge in future years . o Free Cash certified at $ 4 . 5M , increased contribution to $ 1 . 75M . o Balance could come down to $ 750K, Mr. Lombardi reviewed the possible financing options to apply to this purchase over the next 5 years, which would not impact the tax rate . • Bay Parcel Update - there was discussion on how much information to put into the script regarding the negotiations, the Town ' s due diligence and including case examples . o The Board decided not to add any additional information about eminent domain into the slide but have some talking points ready . • Financing Plan for Bay Parcel Purchase o Mr . Lombardi stated the key point is that we are taking two different approaches : for the Long Pond parcel of $ 6M with pledges, we will be applying the pledges and making sure no impact on tax bills . For the Bay parcel , we have pledges, but we are going to go through a Master planning process, and don ' t know yet how the pledges will be applied to help with the acquisition . The Board should be prepared to speak to the financing of the Bay parcel and the pledges received , $ 1 . 8M . o Mr . Lombardi reminded that the language for Article 1 for Long Pond talks about conservation easements which provides an appropriate legal mechanism to give affirmative rights to MA Audubon, and we don ' t need a master plan to approve this . If we want to structure it this way would be a policy decision . o Town counsel is reviewing the appropriate mechanism to accept donations for these acquisitions . • Acquisition Issues o Review each acquisition and the plan for financing them . Between available Town funds and pledges, the Long Pond parcel is covered and won ' t impact tax bills . However, the $ 20M for the Bay parcel will impact tax bills, as the pledges will not be taken into consideration for the financing . o Discussion about keeping the amounts of pledges in the slides and the potential donations for the Bay parcel , but they are not figured into the calculation . The Board will keep them in for consistency, showing the Town made initial outreach to reduce the costs . BoS 9 - 15 - 2021 www . brewster- ma . gov Page 3 of 5 Doc ID : 095dbbdf045ede2d82faead48a02edelle212d62 ��aNx�uumaN11/1 J < ° '�`°ER`a '�� Town of Brewster o : °o F ,, Office of: 2 'raQ �Nma9 2198 Main Street 3 s Select Board ° Brewster, MA 02631 - 1898 Town Administrator ;; ' —= — Phone : (508) 896 -3701 NOOgPOPAt�O Qwww . brewster-ma . gov ��//!/llll1110111111A�VAt�A��wvvA • Tax Impact Slide o Slide will show the annual tax bill and the exact increase amount anticipated . o The Board is concerned that residents will inquire about the school project as well , since there are many outstanding details we can ' t give an exact answer, but the order of magnitude will be 2 %Z times the tax rate impact of these acquisitions . o During the script, it will be important to note that the $ 85K per year in taxes paid by the sellers each year will be coming off the tax roll once the Town acquires the properties, increasing the tax rate by $ . 02 per thousand to account for the lose in value . • Potential Partners & Revenue Generation and Private Donors o Board reviewed small details that need updating on this page, including additional partners, logos used , etc . and to include the CPC • Property Acquisition Scenarios o Pond Parcel & Bay Parcel Pass = the Town acquires both properties by purchase o Pond Parcel Fails & Bay Parcel Passes = Sellers can walk away, but the Town would retain their right for eminent domain o Pond Parcel Passes & Bay Parcel Fails = Sellers would sell Pond property to the Town and the Bay Parcel to another party . The Town would not be able to initiate a taking . o Pond Parcel Fails & Bay Parcel Fails = Town does not acquire either parcel and Sellers can sell to another party . o The Board discussed language changes in emphasizing our hope to a negotiated sale and retaining our municipal right to initiate a taking . Would like to have this slide available as a handout to residents at Town meeting . • Special Town Meeting & Warrant Articles o Small edits proposed to include more information about the $ 200K for operation and management of the properties . • Special Election o Mr. Lombardi noted that ballots will be sent on Monday • Next steps ( Short & Long Term ) o Town is still waiting on insurance, which is a big driver and an unknown . Amounts shared are based on what the Town can estimate for costs . Mr . Lombardi has reached out to Jim Fleet with a request for help with some of these numbers before the forum . o Mr . Lombardi noted that the Master Plan will include other Town properties, would expect that the Elementary schools will be brought up , should leave out of the slide, but may want to reference it in the script . Acknowledge that it is happening and a consideration in the Master Planning . o One variable is the Master Planning process costs, Mr . Lombardi believes it will be around $ 200K, recognizing the Pond Parcel will be a little more straight forward . BoS 945 -2021 www . brewster-ma . gov Page 4 of 5 Doc ID : 095dbbdf045ede2d82faead48a02ede11e212d62 { uW rluugigi�i �� oF'E`°Eas9� 9 Town of Brewster Office of. 43ft�Q 2198 Main Street Select Board 0@ Brewster, MA 02631 - 1898 Town Administrator Phone : ( 508) 896-3701 www . brewster-ma . gov • Future Town Uses- Important that we want all taxpayers to be part of the process, not just resident voters . The Board will be using the same model as the first forum , plan for 2 hours with wrap up by Bpm . Mr . Lombardi reviewed the timeline to complete the script and PowerPoint . Adjournment Selectperson Chatelain moved to adjourn at 10 : 39am . Selectperson Hoffmann second . A roll call vote was taken . Selectperson Chaffee -yes, Selectperson Chatelain -yes, Selectperson Hoffmann - yes, Selectperson Whitney- yes, Chair Bingham -yes . The Board vote was 5 -Yes, 0- No Respectfully submitted , Erika Mawn, Executive Assistant Approved : 01 / 09 / 2023 Signed : Date Select Board Clerk, Kari Hoffmann Released . 2/27/2023 BoS 9 - 15 -2021 www . brewster-ma . gov Page 5 of 5 Doc ID : 095dbbdf045ede2d82faead48a02ede11e212d62