Got it. Okay. Sorry. >> No. >> Okay. Making sure. >> Oh, go ahead. >> Break it down. >> I'm sorry. >> No, that's okay. >> Um, certain things they're allowed to have and other things they're not allowed to have during the school day or on the premises. I'm confused. I'm sorry. >> Yeah. So, so for um in letter G is the healthy food certification that's that's during the day for items for sale for the students. Uh H it provides for an exemption if it's outside of that period. And then it gives you know several examples um you know on the on the weekends or after school. >> Right. Okay. >> They're saying that's okay. exemption. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you. Any other questions or comments before we take a vote? >> No, >> sorry. >> No, no, that's good. Okay. All those in favor?
St. Germaine who has been working diligently and to try to get that property for the community to be able to add to our town forest. Um and and so they were able to come to an agreement in terms of um being able to move forward in in negotiations with the owner um and then bring that number and that information to the FINCOM who were then able to also um agree to um support that. So So that will be ongoing over the next couple of weeks. Um it would be really nice if it was resolved in that period of time. Again, it's a very nice piece of property. It really doesn't lend itself to being um developable at this point. Um and so uh it would be nice again because it does include um the critical habitat and also um you know would be connect our town forest.
>> Any opposed? >> Okay, motion passes. Um, I just have a really quick um chair report. Um, I just want to first thank uh my board members for who attended the ad hoc and our um public hearing. Uh, we had a it was a very smooth ad hoc, probably one of the smoothest that I have attended since being on the board. And um, it was a public hearing. It was very quiet and short, but it was good. So, I appreciate everybody who attended. um even though you don't speak, your support there, your presence, you know, just shows support for the district and for the students and for everybody who was there. So, thank you for that. The budget vote is set for May 5th for those who would like to attend. It's during the city council meeting on Tuesday. I will be going. Um let's see.
So, it's about 11.4 acres. So, it's a significant piece. Um, I have actually had the pleasure of walking it um I don't know, maybe last fall or last spring even uh with Mr. St. Germaine. It really is a beautiful piece of property um and and it would certainly be u you know, a crowning jewel for our our um >> Town forest. And so, I want to thank that committee. They're um you know the the conservation the community preservation committee is um made up of they have some at large members but they are also made up with representatives from other committees in the community and um so they it it was really um you know when I was sitting there last night listening to everyone and then we went across the hall to the fincom and I thought about all the work that's done by volunteers cares in our community and the not you know there in that group because there's um many fingers in different committees um it it's really amazing the amount of work that takes place from by volunteers and people who are really invested in in Ashland and doing the right thing for our community and for the world.
Um we are working to put together a board retreatworkshop for sometime toward the end of August. Um and we have a few topics that we'll be working on as a board um together. Um we have some board policies that we need to kind of work up and we'll also do some you know board self evaluation and stuff like that. So reflections and that type of thing. So more information will come out on this and we'll get uh save the date for you soon as we get it on. I'll have Cara send it out to you. But just so you all know end of August we're planning for that. Um, and see, uh, May 13th will be at Stadley Ruff. So, that's our next meeting. Okay. Um, and with that, I'm just going to open it up for board discussion because I know we've been, it's been a few weeks and I know people have been out and about in the community.
Um it it's it's I've been to a couple of their meetings now and it's really a very feel-good um meeting. >> Lot of dedicated people. >> A lot of dedicated people >> without a doubt. >> Yep. Okay. I guess that is the only um the uh the other one I'm is the storm water committee and they haven't met since our last meeting. So thank you >> Brandy. >> I have nothing to report on my committees. I'm really sorry. >> Good for you. >> Um, no, not good for me. Not not good for me. Um, I will resume um liaison work after May 19th. [laughter] So, um, and my apologies to my committees for my absenteeism. So, >> I think they'll they don't thin lashes with a wet n. Um the only one I have uh right now is uh the roadway traffic safety committee met and discussed several issues.
So, I'd like to hear, you know, if anybody wants to talk about where they've been. Um, I know people went to yesterday and all sorts of Pemro. Go ahead, Vinnie. I know you did mention about it, but I did stop by um Pemrook. It was a great um little event and uh it was great conversation, especially the student body, the whole idea of talking about elections and how it was amazing to see um and listen to the kids and then share our lived experiences with them. So, I thought it was a great opportunity. Um Kate, Cindy, and I were at the um judging for Westside Middle School for the National Geographic and their project for plastics and it was incredible. And we're talking about soft skills and a couple of my groups put out their hand, looked me in the eye, smiled. They were dressed for success.
One has to do with the planning and and designing of certain sidewalks in town, especially the one up on high streets. Some engineering issues big time, especially fall off on both sides of the road >> uh at different at different locations. So you'd have to put the sidewalk on one side and then maybe create a crosswalk >> so they could So that that's in the planning stage. I know people would like to see that done, but it's going to take a lot of work and it's going to take some land away from a lot of people. Pretty nice land uh you know right up to the side of the road that may be taken and I'm sure they're not going to be too happy about that. You know, the safety of the residents that use that street quite often. >> Yeah. Yeah. Wow. All the time and the kids riding their bikes and stuff too, coming back from school now.
So all the things you know that we've been talking about. So they're doing a great job over there. That's what I was thinking. Right. We had a good time. >> I attended the uh South Street uh school um kindergarten um art show on the uh 20th. Uh the four students which were all kindergarten did a beautiful presentation and um Mrs. um Davidson. She's retiring this year, but I have been going for the last couple of years and she has did an awesome job with her students. Uh and they talked about their presentation was on the ocean and I learned some things that I didn't know about the ocean. So, and they were very excited. They weren't afraid and these were kindergarten standing up there with the pointer and going over everything. So, it was really nice. Anybody else? >> Yeah, go ahead, Sher. >> Um, also the artwork with the artist that they represented, the mother child, >> it was phenomenal.
They come off the emergency run up. So, >> yeah. Yeah, it's it's hopefully they'll understand that. >> Uh the other the other aspect that they were talking about and I'm not sure if we have any new updates on that and maybe I'll ask you. Um the state was talking about replacing the portable road bridge and it was supposed to be sometime in the spring. Well, the spring is coming and gone. So, I don't know if that has changed. Time wise, time table has talking about shutting down certain junctures on the traffic through >> that's because my throat is starting to tighten up on me. Um, so we just need to be aware of that and want to watch uh side traffic at that point in time as well. So I I don't know if there's anything new on that from the state. I know [snorts] they've been >> I haven't heard anything new.
I couldn't get over that. These little tiny five-year-olds, what they drew. It was I mean, I videotaped the whole thing and their vocabulary with the poker, right? An anemies. They were talking about Nemo. They were amazing. Yeah, go ahead. >> Um, I did attend the family university. I was ex it was very well organized and great attendance and nutrition that it was so important that we have those conversations with parents and it was a fun thing the way whoever the lady was she presented it but so you know it is fun for the kids also. So it was it was a great event. Agreed. Anything else? Anybody else? No. All right. Well, with that, do I hear a motion to adjurnn? >> I make that motion to adjurnn. >> Do I hear a second? >> Seconded by Sean. All in favor? I. >> We are adjourned.
>> Anything new? Okay. All right. And and that's and that's basically it. I don't have anything else. >> Oh, I do have a couple reports. >> Joe, I was just going to ask, is there an update on um what about the seed Cedar Street sidewalk? Oh, that's that's good. That'll be the first one that gets done. >> Yeah, I thought so. >> Yeah, that that's the first one. The second one will definitely be the main street I mean the high street road work, but uh hopefully that'll be coordinated with the bridge work same time. So, we don't we don't interfere with that as well. >> Yeah. >> So, yeah, hopefully that that that'll happen. And the other uh the other quick thing the other quick note was u potential gates on Captain Ames and Al Gongquin. There's there's u ongoing issues going with that right now the different associations part of that just being made aware of certain matters being dealt.
So we'll see where that goes. It's always for the next meeting to come up with any new updates from the new people that have put in position >> recently. >> Yeah. So, that's where we're at with that. At that, I'll uh I think we manager we did the consent already. So, we're looking at how manager reports. >> Yeah. And I'll um just being cognizant of time, I'll I'll I'll run through those. So, update on downtown. So our cut over is um so for Eversource to cut over uh the electricity to underground is scheduled for um early May. So what you'll see is once they are done they will actually cut the pole to the next wire. Um and so Verizon and Comcast then have to come in and and they're aware and they're on schedule and so the poles come down a foot at a time pretty much.
at least to start. So that's how you know Verizon and Comcast. >> But every poll comes how many polls are there that are coming down? Do we know? >> I want to say 60 something. I have no like that is >> and everyone now when they cut it down a foot at a time they do all 60 if it's theirs. >> That's a good question. Um I believe they would just go insert as they're doing the cut offs or cut cut overs. Um, so it would probably wouldn't happen within a day, but you would probably see it happen, you know, within the course of a week or two. >> And how many it's it's Comcast, it's >> Comcast, Verizon, our fiber. Um, I believe RCN uses one of Comcast or Verizon's and and Eversource. >> So there's five ever five >> uh four because one uses the Eversource.
So, the four feet have to be done individually and then they'll take the whole thing. Who takes the whole thing? >> Yeah, Chloe, I don't know if it was an exact foot. I was just >> Well, I know. I'm just [laughter] >> I know. I'm just saying. >> You could be up there with a tape measure. >> There's Yeah, >> I'm going to measure its progress by how how how close it is to my >> to the ground. Yeah, [laughter] there we go. And who's responsible for that? >> Um, >> the final piece. >> The cutting piece. >> the final piece. Ever source is responsible for taking the poles out. 102 property maintenance will be coming back and they will be the ones who will like do the concrete pads where the um where the holes are. >> So do do we have a time frame about this whole project?
>> The cut over is for Eversources in early May. That's that's the best I can give you. I'm sorry. >> That's weeks. >> Yeah. Um, we went ahead and reviewed the town meeting and the process earlier and then uh the Boston Globe did an article and Brandy I think you >> you should speak to that one. It's coming up. >> Um, so yeah, so we were um so the um a journalist from the the Boston Globe magazine was doing an article um and reached out to us for an interview. Um, so Ashlin was selected as one of the top spots to live um, west of Boston for 2026, which is really cool. We are the top spot in the 750,000 to 1 million. they they have three kind of categories of price ranges um where it's like um you know under 750 and then 750 to a million and then over a million and um and then they have like a runner up and then a other town to kind of consider.
Um so I really so it it was a really good conversation. the um the reporter was great and she didn't know anything about Ashlin before we talked. In fact, she didn't even know we were on the marathon route. So, um so there was a lot of >> she but by the end of it, she's like, "It sounds like a really great place to live." And I'm like, "Yes, yes, yes it is." So, um but uh congratulations to Ashen. They they base it on basically um the incre they they start with the increase in um home values over the last 5 years and Ashland has as we know um it's a desirable place to live. So, you know, we've seen our housing prices increase substantially over the last five years. And um but it's it's it's a great honor for Ashland and um and just on a personal note, um Hopington was the the 1 million and up.
>> Yeah. >> And if you read the Ashlin part and then the Hollis the Hopping part, we're we sound much cooler than Huffington. Just Just saying. >> Yeah. >> So anyway, but uh that was good. Yeah, thank you for handling that. That was well done and and it was very exciting to read that. >> Yeah. A little bit of little bit of fame in the >> Yeah. >> for the little town, you know. >> Yep. >> Well, it's nice to see a lot of the work that's been done over the years um collectively kind of um >> some acknowledgement >> be acknowledgement. Yeah. Um, and like you said, it's it's a catch 22 because on one hand, we're all proud of the fact that Ashlin's becoming more and more desirable because it means we're improving quality of life. At the same time, it drives housing prices up and up and we want to make sure it's affordable for people.
>> And that's kind of where we were in the in the conversation too with the reporter. So, >> thank you. Thank you for doing that. >> Great. >> And then, Miss Catherine. Yeah. >> So, just a quick update on the community center improvement project. So, the prevention and human services space is really taking shape. Um, I visited Friday, I believe. And so, full walls are up, which is really exciting. Um, I saw some paint on the walls, which is even more exciting. Um, yeah. And and so that's really it for the the human services space there. >> Nice. and the food pantry as well. >> That's awesome. >> When you start seeing furniture moved in, that'd get even more exciting. >> Yeah, >> that's awesome. >> Yeah, it it's um you know, kind of to see that space um transform, you know, it become it was a really smart solution to a number of problems that we had.