I do think it will delay getting people sitting in those seats, >> right? Um, I don't think that people currently are going to the meetings, sitting for a couple meetings before they're applying. I think when the applications are coming in, traditionally, they have seen a shout out for volunteers and they say, "Hey, I'm going to throw my hat in the ring for that seat." So, I do explain what the process is. I haven't had anybody come back and say, "Oh, well, I already sat through two meetings." >> Right. So, so what I'm hearing from Susan is again for this year just what her usual process is. Your your term is coming up. Do you want to reapply? Do you want to stay on the board and be reappointed? Right. >> I think at this point that's the best way um for this year. And I think as we move forward and we're doing more liaison work and we're sitting in and we're seeing people attend the meetings, >> we could then start saying, "Okay, well, they have extra people showing up at the meetings.
Is it time to make a shift? That would be my recommendation for the coming year. >> Yeah, I I I I think that's that's pretty solid. But Sue, I I do I do want to ask you like I I have noticed like some of the back and forth on some of the committees. I have noticed that there are two things happening. One thing I've seen is um the committee chairs are actively communic some committee chairs are actively communicating with you like kind of verifying that the people who are interested who are implyi who are applying have have been attending some of those those meetings and the other use case that I've seen are are people who are just showing interest and um exploring those committees but I I think I have seen more people communicating directly with those chairs and getting active in those committees sooner sooner rather than later than in years past.
Maybe I'm wrong, but like that's it seems like there there's more communication there. Am I wrong about that? It's fine if I am. >> No, it it is a really good point. I think what's happening is I'm I've kind of changed my message that I that I send out. Yeah. >> Trying to get the chair of the committee to engage with the um prospective person that wants to sit and invite them to a meeting. And I think by starting that dialogue when they respond back they're responding all. So we're seeing those communications. I don't know that before when I was forwarding them we were getting that that uh information back to us. >> Yeah. And I think there's like more involvement there too. So you know even though it's not a formal policy yet I think there's more and better and quality more more quality interaction happening right now between applicants and chairs and committees hopefully.
And so as this process evolves, we can take a look at formalizing some of the changes that you've informally made in your communication um you know maybe next year. But yeah, but yeah, I think there's definitely been some growth and thank you Sue for updating that communication uh between applicants and chairs. I I do think it is making a difference. >> I would agree with that. >> Awesome. Thanks. >> And of course, Susan, as always, thank you for your support in this and uh as we you know, you get the forms in and then you evaluate them and you point them in the right direction. So, thank you for that work. Greatly appreciated. >> You're welcome. >> Um, so we'll go ahead and we'll >> I think let Susan reach out. Yep. Same process. Let Susan reach out to the people who are expiring >> and then um go from there.
I know we've been saying it. We've been trying to change it for years, but you know, >> people do to roll off the board their boards. >> Oh, okay. Because I was saying expiring their terms. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. That's a little hard. >> Yes. Roll off the boards. There you go. >> Yeah. >> Their terms are expiring, not the people. >> Yes. Yes. >> So, okay. >> I was like watching Mike's Michael's face going, "Oh, okay." Yeah. It's because of the terminology I used. >> Yeah. >> Thank you, Susan. Um, and I just want to put this out there one more time because I see Luke has his hand raised and two >> two hands raised. So, I just want to see if if Luke if if you're unable if you're able to unmute yourself and have a question around this. Um, feel free to unmute yourself.
We're going to give you one more shot here. If you have technical difficulties and and again, if you want to send a question to select boardshinmass.com can answer it that way as well. >> Okay. All right. I just I just always want to make sure that like if there's people that have questions and want to ask a question that we give them an opportunity to do that. So, um Okay. Um the next item on our agenda is update on Zero Cross Street. Michael, you want to that's our update? >> Yeah. So, I've had uh conversations with uh the property owner um as well as a member of our conservation commission. Um and um the conversations with Agilitus have um been cordial um we don't have a resolution right now but um towards the issue but we're working on one. So and they're still engaged in those talks.
So that's a good sign. Halt is is involved. Um to what extent is still to be seen? >> Yeah. >> Does anybody else have any questions? >> Not on that. But can we go back to the scheduling summer scheduling item >> because >> regarding the farmers market >> further scheduling for select board public appearances that I think we need to >> okay >> need to discuss. So, um I I I apologize to the board. Um I've been trying to schedule us for farmers market and there's been a little back and forth on on my part. So, um at this point, and I actually just saw uh an email come through. Um so, um we're booked for 8:22 and we're we are actually now booked for 912 sharing with the Upper Charles Trail. Um, we can't get any July dates as of now. Uh, but 1010, there's 95, 1010, and 1017 that are available.
Now, I would I would argue that seeing as we're booked on 8:22 and now 912, we might want to have one more date in October, one of the October dates, and probably one of the earlier October dates, 10:10. Um, so if those are the three dates that we can agree on, I can definitely help uh schedule what our shifts are on those dates. We can solidify those, but I don't know how that sounds to y'all. >> 8:22, 912, and maybe 10:10. >> That works for me. >> Okay. >> About you guys. >> All right. So, I know we have 822, we have 912, and I will reach out to Farmers Market to confirm 10:10. >> Okay. Are we on a cancellation list if they have any openings? >> Yeah, I I I I I asked them, you know, about cancellations. I asked them about sharing and that's how we got the >> upper upper trail.
So, so if there's I mean, you know, if we can get a date in July, I think we'd like to get a delay a date in July. So, hopefully if anything comes up, we'll be able to do that. But I'll keep you guys a breast of what's happening. My one concern with a date in July is we're looking at potentially doing a Saturday morning for either a retreat or the financial. And I don't know about other people's schedules, but I'm even though I'm not going anywhere, I know I do have um other commitments on some Saturdays. So, just something to think about. >> All right. Okay. >> We'll see. >> Good to know. Like I said, if something comes up, I'll ping you guys. If it works, it works. If it doesn't, it doesn't. And if people are available, then those folks can do it.
Okay. >> And and as we all know, we don't necessarily have to have a tent. >> Often we're all there anyway. So yeah. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Um just before we move off of zero cross street, I I know I know um >> Susan Thorne on so I just want to make sure >> if anyone um has any questions out there um on Zoom and wants to raise their hand, I just want to give them an opportunity to to ask a question. Susan, I see um I see you have your hand raised. Um can you go ahead? Can you go ahead and unmute yourself? >> Um I tried. Did that work? >> I We hear you. Thank you. >> Okay. I just wanted to say thank you um to Michael Herbert and the select board here for keeping this um on the agenda and uh continuing to progress the topic.
So, we're we're eagerly following it and cautiously optimistic, let's say, for the outcome. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Susan. >> Okay. Um, if nobody else has any further questions, we'll move on to the consent agenda. Um, could I get a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> One question. I don't know if it matters, but on our meeting that we I thought during the meeting we said we're going to try and meet on the third. So I don't know amend >> okay >> meeting minutes reflect the fact that >> very bottom >> you're right >> on it says our next select board meeting is June 17th >> and I didn't catch it I didn't want to send it in because I saw it at like 5:45 tonight. >> Oh okay. No good catch. Um, let me pull up the meeting minutes >> on the bottom.
>> Okay. So, yeah. So, it says next select board meeting, June 17th, 2026. >> So, um, >> I move that we accept the consent agenda, but with the amendment to the meeting minutes for the change of the meeting date. >> Okay. Um, I get a second. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> I So, we'll make that small change to the meeting minutes and should be all set. >> Y >> um moving on to the town manager report. Michael, >> yeah, first um well, I'll turn it over to Katherine for the community center update and uh I did get did have one thing that came in today that I wanted to let you know and it was a followup from something I had mentioned last week or last meeting. It's actually a good story. Um, you know, the National Academy of Public Administration is having their big 250 gala um in in June at the Library of Congress.
And so, one of the things that they're doing is they're exhibiting stories of local government um in the in the great hall there. And uh I'd let you know last meeting that we were finalists for that. And I was notified today that we were actually uh chosen uh to to have our story presented and um >> there's pictures and everything. So it'll be part of the exhibit at the Library of Congress. So >> um the Halloween Yeah, Halloween. >> Congratulations. >> Well, I think for all of us it's a great recognition of just um the community that we've built here. Um because that's >> that's what the story is about. And uh you know we had a couple pictures where you know you just see down Main Street filled with kids and their costumes and um you know it's that's one of those things that was just organic and just grew and has become a real tradition.
So it's nice. >> How long will the display be there? >> A month my understanding is um at least a month. >> And uh I'll try to get tickets if you want to go down to DC for the gala. So >> when's the gala? >> 20 22nd. It's the 250th anniversary >> cesco central one of those things. >> Yeah. It's not the bsentennial. It's the susquintentennial something. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> 250. Yeah. >> So it's going to be a celebration. >> It's going to be a party. Um >> be something. >> Yeah, it'll be definitely be something. >> It is. It is a bunch of National Academy of Public Administration nerds um in there. So, >> well, I wasn't saying that specific. That's not what I was referring to, but >> So, >> the pocket protectors. >> Yeah, I know. I know. I know where you guys were going.
>> Nice to the nerds. You know, I am a nerd. I do identify as a nerd myself. So, >> I know it was it's an it's a term of endearment. >> Okay. Community center project. >> Community center project. All right. So, the food pantry is set to move starting tomorrow. So, movers will be there first tomorrow morning. They are going to be moving uh the food pantry from the substation market basket plaza um back to the community. Um and then so the moving will take place tomorrow and then sort of the shelving and everything will take place between Friday, Monday, finish up anything Tuesday. Um super excited. We received a $10,000 grant um from Greater Boston Food Bank. So we were able to purchase new shelving um and new um items to organize and help organize the space a little bit better. Um, so we're already utilizing that um, money.
And let's see, human services will be moving uh, the week of 6:22. We're still trying to select the day. Um, and then they will all be moved into their their new home at the community center, which will be really great. >> The patio project uh, will be starting in the next weeks. That's also very exciting. And that's about it for now. Yeah, we'd love to take you on a tour of the community center. >> I was going to say it'd be great when it's all finalized to sort of go and take a look and >> um we should reach out to WACA and like do an sort of where to find people now kind of thing. >> Definitely. >> Right. >> Yeah, >> it's a really beautiful space. It's >> really nice. >> When I walked through it a couple of weeks ago after the council and agent meeting, it was really sharp looking.
Really, really sharp looking. >> Yeah. So, they've put some finishing touches. So, the ceilings in, so that brightens it up. The walls are painted a nice yellow. It's very bright. >> It's great. >> Let's find out when we can do a tour. >> Yeah. >> We want to make sure it's all >> Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. >> Who's doing the work on the outside patio? >> That's a great >> The contractor I It's a local one, right? I don't remember exactly. I remember the bid came in pretty pretty good. um and substantially lower than um than the other biders. I know we still had to go through the vetting process and make sure they met all the requirements. >> I don't remember the exact name. >> Hoping Beth would text me within 30 seconds. >> Yeah. >> That was cool. >> And do you have all the volunteers again to put it all back at the food pantry and stuff?
>> We do. Yes. And so through this grant, we were able to um have services from an organizer, a professional organizer. So they'll actually be working with the volunteers. So tomorrow um while the movers are moving, the new shelves will be put together. All the stuff will be staged sort of >> hand good whatnot. So the organizers will set that up. So Friday when the volunteers come in, everybody will sort of have their job and the flow will be really more All right. Um, so in other good news, we were notified yesterday the Senate passed their budget. >> Um, and so in that is an earmark for H 100,000 for the community center >> project. So that's something we had we had told them, you know, priority should be the schools this year, but if you were going to be able to fund something that would that would help us because there was still a piece of it that we were funding.
Um I still have to get that percentage for you. Okay. >> But um >> but uh but yeah, so um that will then free up the the whatever was budgeted. Will it be part it'll be part of the 2027 budget? Right. So it's next >> that's more of a project budget. Um >> right. But but there was money. So, we had money to do the the project, but now we're getting new money to do the project. So, other monies can be directed to something else. >> So, there was it was how much like 470,000 total and 80% I think was covered from outside funds or something >> for the project renovation project. >> Right. Okay. >> And so there was still part of it that we were funding, >> right? Um and so this 100,000 would help take care of most if not all of that piece.
>> Okay. >> And that came from capital or that came from >> Oh, that's the question that we >> Yeah, I get you know so we had this we had this project and when you said f when you said funds came from other places meaning outside of our budget or outside or different parts within our budget. um outside. So the existing funding stack was like 80% of that was outside of our budget. So it was like insurance recovery. Um we had grants um >> Oh yeah, you had your >> earmarks and capital. >> Okay. So there was stuff that came out of our capital funds to do the project. So now I would think that if we're getting a h 100red,000 for an earmark that then allows us to use the our own capital funds for something else. >> It's called supplanting and yes. >> Right.