001Good evening and welcome to the select board meeting of April 27th, 2026 6:00 p.m. in room three at town hall. Uh the first matter is reorganization of the select board. Mr. Volante, if I may. For that purpose, I'm going to turn the uh nominations over to the town administrator. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for a few minutes. Um at this point, we would seek nominations for chair for the next term for the select board. Mr. Volante, if I may, I would like to recommend Paul Mazza Kelly as the next chairman of the Milford select board. And I would second that. Want to vote for yourself, Paul? Yes, I would. All in favor, aye. Aye. Aye. Unanimous. Congratulations. Congratulations. >> Just a few words. I want to thank you gentlemen for your support and confidence that you
002have in me. Uh and it's a good feeling to work alongside people like you who really care about Milford. Uh one of the strengths that we have on this board is experience. Uh experience where it's different perspectives, different backgrounds, but we share a commitment to Milford. And that's what we really do. And I look forward to continuing that with this year, too, as well. Mil- Milford works well when we work together as a team. And I appreciate everything you do. I just want to mention two uh gentlemen before we move on to the agenda, I'd like to uh begin I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge the recent passing of Dino De Bartolomeo. Dino was a dedicated public servant whose commitment to this community spanned many years and many roles. As a former select
003board member, school committee member, and a member of numerous boards and committees, he brought steady leadership, thoughtful and genuine care for the people of our town. So, on behalf of the select board, I want to extend our deepest condolences to his family, and I'd like to take a brief moment of silence in his honor. Thank you. Milford is now a little lonelier without Dino, and may God bless him. Thank you. Thank you. We have on our agenda signing of the warrant. Mr. You're going to Go ahead, please. Go ahead, Tom. >> No, please, Michael. I would Mr. Chairman, I would ask the approval of signing the warrant. I second that. And I make that unanimous. Um Public hearings, we have none. We do have a scheduled appointment. Uh we have a scheduled appointment. What I
004did, too, was with the Ridgewood Stoneridge Center on Deer Street. I went over all your documents, and I have a synopsis of what you're going to be talking about today, okay? Uh Israel Lopez is here as as a representative. Um he's going to present a proposal to add approximately 0.57 acres to land that is already permanently restricted on the site. With this addition to the total conserved area within this 80-acre Stoneridge property would be an increase to 29.83 acres. According to a letter sent uh to then select board chairman Tom O'Loughlin, this land is conserved for the benefit of Milford. Conservation Commission reviewed and signed the amendment on March 26, 2026. At this time, I would like to hear from representative Mr. Israel Lopez and walk us through the details of this proposal. Uh thank
005you, Chairman Michael Kelly, and I'd like to be the first to congratulate you on on the new appointment. >> you >> want to do that? Uh again for the record, my name is Israel Lopez with the Gutierrez Company. I'm the managing director of development uh for the company and have been involved with the Stonebridge project for going on a decade now uh back when the first phase of development, the Restaurant Depot was first built and constructed, the new roadway Deer Street built and constructed, and then subsequently uh the first phase of residential and the second phase of residential, which is under construction currently. As part of that long entitlement process, we worked with the Army Corps of Engineers um and the Wampanoag Tribe in order to identify uh some cultural uh resource areas within the
006site. There was other conservation land as well uh that was identified by the state um and so all of that land has been identified uh and restricted. Uh the current um parcels that we're looking to restrict as part of this amendment are actually already deed restricted, but in order for them to be restricted in perpetuity, uh we need to do that via this amendment to the existing conservation restriction agreement. And so just administratively, uh the way that it's worked in the past is the Conservation Commission has reviewed it. Uh they've uh as the trustee, if you will, for the land have signed off on the conservation restriction, the select board uh signs as well, and then this will go to the state level, uh national uh the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife will sign off,
007and then the Secretary for Environmental Affairs for the state will sign it. So that will make it all official. In total, as you noted, there will be almost 30 acres of land that will be preserved in perpetuity. Uh most of that land is on the right-hand side as you drive into the site, but there's also a fair amount on the left-hand side as you drive in and then these particular areas are sort of smaller pockets that are interspersed throughout the various parcels at the site. So, this is really the last uh uh component, if you will, to this entitlement process. Um with this all of the uh obligations under all of the phases of work will have been um satisfied with the only exception being uh some road work that may be done in the
008future uh uh along Cedar Street as the project is further developed. So, there were some things that not not at all related to to this request before you. This is more just informational, but there'll be some uh that that's the last piece of it um in order to wrap up all of the entitlement. So, um that's just a quick level overview. I uh Attorney Moody also reviewed all of the uh amendment agreement documentation, signed off on it. Uh he was supposed to be here this evening and and couldn't make it. I think he's traveling. Um but he has reviewed it and has signed off on it. >> Sure. Any members have any questions or concerns for Mr. Lopez? >> I don't. I think it's been thoroughly reviewed. >> And if I may, Mr. Chairman, I
009would like to make a motion that we accept the Deer Street Conservation Agreement Amendment. I would second that. And I would make that unanimous. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right. And Brett, do we sign Yeah, I have an original. >> I have an original. Okay. We'll sign it here. Great. And thank you very much. >> Thank you. Thank you, Israel. >> needs to be notarized. I'll come back whenever I let you know that it's ready. Yeah, it'll be ready tomorrow. In fact, I'll I'll notarize it myself. Yeah. All right. Good evening. Have a good night. Good evening now. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. And uh there are no um public hearings this evening. We just had the scheduled appointment. Uh next on the agenda would be the town administrator's
010report. Rick, do you have anything for us? >> Yes, I do. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um I want to thank everyone who participated in the annual Milford Beautification Day on Saturday. I'm told there was a great turnout of volunteers who helped clean the streets in various areas of town. I also want to extend a thank you to the members of the Milford Lions Club who provided food to all of the volunteers once the cleanup was completed. Uh the second item I want to alert the board to, but I've been informed by Fire Chief Mark Nelson that the department has received a fiscal year 26 firefighter safety equipment grant award in the amount of 25,000. I want to commend the chief and the deputy chief, Mike D'Attore, for their work in securing this grant for the
011town. Uh the third item of the uh as you may have noticed, I hope, the painting of the interior of Town Hall is substantially completed. I expect it to be completed within the next 2 weeks. I want to thank Facilities Director Carlos Benjamin for his work in overseeing this project. And then just a reminder to you, me, and the public that we will have a select board meeting next Monday, May 4th, at 6:00 p.m. which is in line with town meeting, which you know is May 18th. And that's all I have tonight, Mr. Chair. Very good. Thank you, uh Rick. Thank you. Any old business? No, Mr. Chairman. No, Mr. Chairman. All right. And new new business, uh we also have before us the annual 2026 annual uh renewals for second-hand dealers, antique dealers, pawn
012broker licenses, pool table licenses, and bowling alley license. Uh I'm sure it will where it was before us, all paperwork is in order and has been reviewed. Um and these are routine annual uh renewals uh that we would see every year. Anybody have any questions or concerns regarding this? I do not Mr. >> No, if not I would entertain a motion. >> So moved Mr. Chairman. A motion to end that way that we'll go through the motion on everything instead of reading each individual. Yes. Okay. Yep. A motion on on on all the businesses that are on the information that we have the for us. Mr. Chairman, I would make a recommendation that we move forward on the license recommendations. I second that Mr. And I make that unanimous. Thank you very much. Next on
013the agenda would be the St. Mary's of the Assumption Parish which they would be asking for a one-day beer and wine license for the event at the parish center hall known as Festa da Nossa Senhora de Fatima to be held on Saturday, May 16th, 2026 at 6:15 to 11:00 p.m. And that would be again the application to serve beer and wine. For those who aren't familiar with that um holy day which I'm not either, that's why I had to look it up. And that is the Lady of Fatima. They're honoring the Lady of Fatima that was observed in a long standing culture for the Portuguese people. And Milford families take part in it. Again, Fatima is in Portugal where the Our Lady appeared back in I think it was 1917. But anyway, any any questions
014or concerns regarding this application? I would just add an hour to the end of the liquor license um as we do with establishment. It gives them one hour to not to sell but to clear out the crowd. Exactly. And if I could Mr. Chairman, I think St. Mary's is looking for two licenses Right. Yes, they are. If we can put them both together >> that that'll be a good idea. >> them listed separately, it might be a little easier cuz that way the name the Oh, so individually? We're going to do it There were three separate agenda Yeah, what what One's entertainment and the other one's a blocking of of the street. I make a motion to accept. Thank you. And I second with that one amendment that it Yeah. 6:30 6:30 to 11:00 12:00
015a.m. to make Yeah. It was from the heights. I can do that. Yep. Uh the the next item we have on the agenda was also from St. Mary's Parish. It's an application for St. Mary's Parish for a one-day entertainment license. Um at for this for that same event at the Denosa Senora de Fatima to be held Saturday, May 16th, 2026 from 6:30 to 11:30. Um that's 10:30 as far as I know. I'm sorry. 10:30. >> Sorry. Uh and that's at the parish center large hall as well as 17 Winter Street. Mr. Chairman, I have a motion to move forward on the license request. And I second that, Mr. Chairman. And I make it unanimous. Thank you so much. Um Next item on the agenda was also from St. Mary's Parish for a permit to obstruct
016for a candlelight procession in honor of Nossa de Senora de Fatima on Sunday, May 17th, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. The procession will begin at the church, left onto Winter Street to Main Street to Pearl Street, right onto Lincoln Street, and right onto Winter Street and return to the church. The police chief has approved this permit. Mr. Chairman, I will move forward on the application, please. Mr. Chairman, I second that. Thank you. And I make it unanimous. Um next on our agenda would be um a proclamation for the board uh to sign. Uh we have before us tonight uh declaring April 24th, 2026 as Arbor Day in the town of Milford. And what this does, it recognizes the importance of trees in our community and reaffirms our commitment to conservation. If there are any any comments
017or concerns regarding this motion that we need to take to I make Arbor Day. Um not at all, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank Mr. Villani for bringing to our our attention, as always. And I second that, Mr. >> Can I make that unanimous? Thanks. Attached is a um problem I'm sorry, attached is an email from Charles Scafe informing the board that there is an opening on the Council of Aging and attaches the town of Milford applications. Rick, with this here, where we just have a a one-sentence letter from Charlie uh to inform us that there's an opening, would he expect a an appointment? Yeah, he did. I checked with him. He they're not looking to make a recommendation. I think there are one, two >> There's three. three Yeah. And they would look
018for you to to make a recommendation. If you want me to go back to him and ask for one, I can do that. >> It'd be up to my members if if if if it's so if it's okay with them to make the appointment now. If you have anybody in mind, we'd make it now. I I sit on the council and I know it's discussed. Wow, yeah, that's right. I would nominate Thomas Brown. I would second that, Mr. And I'd make that unanimous. Thank you for that. Baptism by fire. Yep. And that's number seven. Okay. We have a request an application from Ambika Food LLC doing business as Milford Indian Spice has an application to amend its common victualers license to change its days of operation from 6 days to 7 days a week. Um
019it appears that all paperwork is in order. And looking to change they're only looking to change the days of of operation uh and they are they listed them for us as as as as well. And they're going to change the the current days are Monday through Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. to Wednesday through Tuesday um 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. So they they want to open Sunday and Monday as well. Yeah, yeah. It's got to go to Sunday. It's it's it's it's a straightforward amendment. updating the operation schedule for And that's seconded, Mr. Can I make that unanimous? um And invitation to speak, anybody on for us? There's no one here in the audience live and there's no one on No. There's no one on? Okay, thank you. um correspondence I do not
020have any correspondence. The only thing I would want to bring up, gentlemen, is um lately and I know uh Mike has, I don't know if you have been hearing anything, Tom, but I've been getting a lot of concerns and questions regarding the um um water ban. And um just to see, you know, I I I you know, they want to know if um what's the time limit on it? Can we use a watering can? Is it because of the 40 B's? Um and can we do a power washing on the house? There are a a questions and concerns that they have that I can't answer. You know what I mean? And so what I'd like to ask um for the uh board's approval if we could have uh Dave Condry or someone from the water
021company here at our meeting on May 4th just to answer some questions that we would know >> website it's pretty explicit. It's a stage four. You're not doing water bans. Pretty explicit, yeah. But again, I'll defer to the board uh stop whether or not you want David in and I can reach out to him. It's other communities, too. It's not just >> No, yeah, yeah, it's not it's it's not That's what I'm saying. That's what I mean. See there's people who who probably don't go on their their website, you know what I mean? And and and they would want us as select board members to who they elected to represent them to have some answers for them. Whether the water commission is is elected or not, they still come to us. And I know they
022came to you, Michael. They saw you They saw you at church. You know, and and so I just like to know just to more or less um let the people know that we're hearing them. If uh David or even some representatives from the commission can come in and we may have We may have questions that they may have asked us that we could ask them. Okay. And then when we see these individuals again, we can tell them. What do you guys think? I I There's no harm in having Dave come in and explain what's taking place and to inform people of, you know, what the water commission has decided as far as you know, when you can use the water and how you can use the water. >> Right. Um because ultimately it's going to
023be their decision whether or not someone's violated their regulation. >> Exactly. And and they can have their water shut off. So >> Right. Um I I think we can do it informationally. I I don't know that we're in the position to direct them to do anything. So No, no, not not not to direct them but let the let the public know that we're listening to them. Sure. And and and and we want to get answers for them as well for us, too. Cuz I don't know the answers to questions that that they were answering asking me. Yeah. You know, I mean, can you use can you use a watering can? You know, I mean, to to water grass if you have a patch that you need to or some a bush or a shrub that
024you just planted. You know, that that that needs watering, you know, see these are the things that people are asking me and they want to know, "Hey, I want to power wash my house. How do I do it?" You know, I don't know. You know, I mean, they they could be companies that have water within their equipment. Right. You know, Right. >> so you know, the these are things that are it's confusing to me and it's confusing to the public. You know, so I can reach out to David see if he's available. If not, I would see if someone else is available. If not, I'm sure he could put together a a Yeah, you know, list of what you can do. My feeling is it's not going to be anything to do And and and
025and one of the questions Rick that people were asking me and also Mike, why did this happen? How did this how did this happen? We had uh 7 ft of snow. You know what I mean? You know, why is this happening? Is it the 40B's? Is it this? Is it that? You know, you know, and of course what they say, "Why you guys are approving the 40B's?" You know, it's not us. You know, so I I appreciate that. Yeah, no problem. >> Yeah. >> Take care of that. Uh next thing is would be the executive session. Uh we have uh and um we're going to discuss this matter in it's an executive session to conduct um contract negotiations with the director of municipal services. Uh discussion is on this matter is open session and it
026could be detrimental to the board's negotiating positions. The board will not be returning to open session for this meeting. Uh so therefore I'd like to entertain a motion to go into executive session. Mr. Chairman, I will make a motion that we move into executive session to discuss the contract of the highway surveyor. I'm putting that shortly, is the new title. So, he's the director of municipal services. >> Mhm. Is what we're Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um I would second that. >> Okay, do I have a roll call? I. I. I. Uh this motion passes and we are now into executive session.