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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-02-09 Select Board Minutes NORTH ANDOVER SELECT BOARD MINUTES FEBRUARY 9, 2026 Call To Order: Chair Janice Phillips called the open meeting to order at 7:01 PM in the Select Board Meeting Room located at 120 Main Street North Andover. Select Board in Attendance: Chair Janice Phillips, Rosemary Connelly Smedile, Clerk Brian Roache, Laura Bates, and David Kres were present Non-Board Members in Attendance: Town Manager Melissa Murphy-Rodrigues and Assistant Town Manager Laurie Burzlaff PUBLIC COMMENT Brian Coppola of 36 Main Street discussed the need for a more thorough snow removal on the sidewalks especially near the crosswalks. John Watters of 2125 Turnpike Street asked the Board to take a look at the line item for the new fire station number 3 in the Capital Improvement Plan as the financials seem off. Mr. Watters expressed that there should be more of a discussion about where the new fire station should go. Juliette Darmon of 32 Clarendon Street expressed frustration over the proposed design changes to the group health insurance. Debbie Raffalli of 58 Palomino Drive asked the Town Manager to urge other commissioners on the GIC board to vote no and expressed frustration over healthcare premiums, co-pays, and deductibles not being proportional to income. Pam Pietrowski of 73 Pleasant Street expressed frustration over the proposed design changes to the group health insurance. NEW BUSINESS PUBLIC HEARING- Request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid to locate poles, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Parker Street MOTION: Mr. Kres motioned to open the public hearing for the petition from Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid to locate poles, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Parker Street as shown on Plan No: 31203855. Ms. Smedile seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Brian Sathler from National Grid was present. Mr. Sathler stated the request is for National Grid to install one solely owned pole on Parker Street to assist and power the middle school for the RecPlex. Mr. Sathler stated they will place one pole along with an anchor to support the pole. Mr. Roache asked if those parking spaces would be impacted by this. Mr. Sathler stated no, it will be on grass. No public comment. MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to close the public hearing for the petition from Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid to locate poles, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Parker Street as shown on Plan No: 31203855. Mr. Kres seconded. Motion approved 5-0. NORTH ANDOVER SELECT BOARD MINUTES FEBRUARY 9, 2026 Ms. Bates asked if they have coordinated this with the RecPlex plan. Ms. Burzlaff stated yes. Vote on request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid to locate poles, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustainingprotecting fixtures, along and across Parker Street MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to approve the request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid to locate poles, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Parker Street as shown on Plan No:31203855. Ms. Smedile seconded. Motion approved 5-0. PUBLIC HEARING- Request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid to construct a line of underaround conduits, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Greene Street and Linden Avenue MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to open the public hearing for the petition from Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid to construct a line of underground conduits, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Greene Street and Linden Avenue as shown on Plan No: 31181254. Ms. Smedile seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Mr. Sathler stated they will be using an existing pole and will be digging in new conduit. Mr. Sathler stated it will be concrete encased conduits with electric lines. Mr. Sathler stated this is going to a new service to the gas company cabinet, which will be Eversource's cabinet. Mr. Sathler stated they will be installing a new conduit underneath the road. No public comment. MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to close the public hearing for the petition from Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid to construct a line of underground conduits, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Greene Street and Linden Avenue as shown on Plan No: 31181254. Mr. Kres seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Mr. Roache asked if they would have to excavate. Mr. Sathler stated yes. Mr. Roache asked when the work would take place. Mr. Sathler stated they are unsure of scheduling. Mr. Roache asked how long a job like this typically takes. Mr. Sathler stated it could take a day or two for this amount of work, and if it is a high traffic area they will have a police detail. Mr. Roache asked if this could be a week's project. Mr. Sathler stated not as far as he knew. Mr. Kres asked what a handhole was. Mr. Sathler stated it is a box that goes partially underground with secondary lines connecting to it so they can tap into using other conduits. Ms. Bates asked if this was necessary because of new service. Mr. Sathler stated yes. Vote on request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid to construct a line of underground conduits, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Greene Street and Linden Avenue MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to approve the request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid to construct a line of underground conduits, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Greene Street and Linden Avenue as shown on Plan No: 31181254. Mr. Kres seconded. Motion approved 4-1 abstained. NORTH ANDOVER SELECT BOARD MINUTES FEBRUARY 9, 2026 Request of Eversource to excavate Massachusetts Avenue and Linden Street for the purpose of replacing a regulator station Brendan Pitts, the manager of project engineering for Eversource, was present. Mr. Pitts stated this project is to replace the existing district regulator station, which is currently located at Massachusetts Ave and Waverly Road. Mr. Pitts stated they will be replacing it at Massachusetts Ave and Linden Street. Mr. Pitts discussed the new design. Mr. Pitts stated in addition to the triple vault regulators, they will also have two street cabinets. Mr. Pitts discussed the street cabinets. Mr. Pitts stated they coordinated this location with the DPW. Mr. Pitts stated they designed the project in 2025 and resubmitted final designs in October of 2025 to the DPW, which they tentatively approved. Mr. Pitts stated they also received comments from the police about traffic control. Mr. Roache asked if those cabinets already exist at Waverly Road. Mr. Pitts stated the traffic cabinets do not exist, but there is a single vault regulator at the intersection. Mr. Roache asked if the vents were 7ft high. Mr. Pitts stated yes. Mr. Roache asked what color they were. Mr. Pitts stated green. Mr. Roache asked if there will be any work needed at the Waverly intersection to decommission. Mr. Pitts stated yes, and the project will tentatively commence in May and take about two to three months. Ms. Bates asked if this was an effort to increase safety as well. Mr. Pitts stated yes. Mr. Pitts stated the police requested if they could work at night when they connect to their existing gas system in the street where they would impact traffic. Mr. Pitts stated most of the installation work will happen off-road. Mr. Roache asked if their equipment would be on the island and not on Linden Street. Mr. Pitts stated overflow trucking or additional vehicles may need to park along the road curb, but excavation and field fabrication should be able to be contained to not impact traffic. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated they can require them to work with the police department on the parking of their vehicles. MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to approve the Gas Petition 88215, as presented, from Eversource to excavate Massachusetts Avenue and Linden Street for the purpose of replacing a regulator station. Ms. Smedile seconded. Motion approved 5-0. PUBLIC HEARING- Request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street near#440 and#414 MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to open the public hearing for the petition from Massachusetts Electric d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street as shown on Plan No. 31136912. Mr. Kres seconded. Motion approved 5-0. No public comment. MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to close the public hearing for the petition from Massachusetts Electric d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street as shown on Plan No. 31136912. Mr. Kres seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Brian Sathler from National Grid was present. Mr. Sathler stated this is a pole being put in place to hold onto new equipment to increase efficiency and reliability in the area. Mr. Roache asked if this was just a structural pole. Mr. Sathler stated these are poles holding new equipment. Mr. Sathler discussed the new equipment. Mr. Kres asked why they put the reclosers on poles and not underground. Mr. Sathler stated the recloser needs to be above ground because they need access to it. Ms. Bates asked if the poles are on the opposite side from residents. Mr. Sathler stated yes. Ms. Phillips asked if they would cut back some trees while doing NORTH ANDOVER SELECT BOARD MINUTES FEBRUARY 9, 2026 this work. Mr. Sathler stated currently there is already primary wire there so they should not have to cut any trees. Vote on request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street near#440 and #414 MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to approve the petition from Massachusetts Electric d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street as shown on Plan No. 31136912. Mr. Kres seconded. Motion approved 5-0. PUBLIC HEARING-Request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street at Vest Wax MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to open the public hearing for the petition from Massachusetts Electric d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street as shown on Plan No. 31215830. Ms. Smedile seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Mr. Sathler stated this would be another pole with a recloser being installed on top of it. No public comment. MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to close the public hearing for the petition from Massachusetts Electric d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street as shown on Plan No. 31215830. Mr. Kres seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Mr. Roache asked if this pole was down the street from the other pole and on the same side as the residents. Mr. Sathler stated yes. Ms. Smedile asked if they avoid putting poles in front of people's homes. Mr. Sathler stated yes. Mr. Roache asked if they have a substation out there. Mr. Sathler stated yes. Vote on request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street near Vest Wav MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to approve the petition from Massachusetts Electric d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street as shown on Plan No. 31215830. Mr. Kres seconded. Motion approved 5-0. PUBLIC HEARING-Request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street near Winter Street MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to open the public hearing for the petition from Massachusetts Electric d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires and fixtures, including the NORTH ANDOVER SELECT BOARD MINUTES FEBRUARY 9, 2026 necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street as shown on Plan No. 31199611. Ms. Smedile seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Mr. Sathler stated this is another pole being put in place to hold onto new equipment to increase efficiency and reliability in the area. No public comment. MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to close the public hearing for the petition from Massachusetts Electric d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street as shown on Plan No. 31199611. Ms. Smedile seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Vote on request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc.to install a new pole, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street near Winter Street MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to approve the petition from Massachusetts Electric d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Foster Street as shown on Plan No. 31199611. Ms. Bates seconded. Motion approved 5-0. PUBLIC HEARING- Request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Johnson Street MOTION: Mr. Kres motioned to open the public hearing for the petition from Massachusetts Electric d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Johnson Street as shown on Plan No. 31235366. Mr. Roache seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Mr. Sathler stated this is another pole being put in place to hold onto new equipment to increase efficiency and reliability in the area. No public comment. MOTION: Ms. Smedile motioned to close the public hearing for the petition from Massachusetts Electric d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and protecting fixtures, along and across Johnson Street as shown on Plan No. 31235366. Mr. Roache seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Mr. Roache asked if this was another recloser. Mr. Sathler stated yes. Vote on request of Massachusetts Electric Company d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires, and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining protecting fixtures, along and across Johnson Street MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to approve the request of Massachusetts Electric d/b/a National Grid and Verizon New England, Inc. to install a new pole, wires and fixtures, including the necessary sustaining and NORTH ANDOVER SELECT BOARD MINUTES FEBRUARY 9, 2026 protecting fixtures, along and across Johnson Street as shown on Plan No. 31235366. Mr. Kres seconded. Motion approved 5-0. OUT OF ORDER: LICENSING MOTION: Ms. Smedile motioned to open a meeting of the North Andover Licensing Commission. Mr. Roache seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Application from Rami Khatatba of RKK Inc. d/b/a Grill 166 for a common victualler license at 166 Sutton Street Rami Khatatba was present. Mr. Khatatba stated they do homemade pastas, pizzas, and Italian dishes. Mr. Kres asked if he had operated a restaurant before. Mr. Khatatba stated he has been doing this for 4 years. Ms. Phillips asked if they delivered. Mr. Khatatba stated yes. Ms. Bates asked what are some of their specialties. Mr. Khatatba stated the chicken parmesan. MOTION: Ms. Bates motioned to approve the application from Rami Khatatba of RKK Inc. d/b/a Grill 166 for a common victualler license at 166 Sutton Street. Ms. Phillips seconded. Motion approved 5-0. MOTION: Ms. Smedile motioned to close the meeting of the North Andover Licensing Commission. Mr. Roache seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Town Manaaer's FY27 recommended budget Melissa Murphy-Rodrigues and Dennis Keohane were present. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the budget process. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the breakdown of the FY27 revenues. Mr. Roache asked if the 5.38% is inclusive of how much they expect the levy to go up. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated yes. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues displayed a pie chart of the revenue breakdowns. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues provided background information on the levy and new growth. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed a chart that shows the 10-year new growth they had with Amazon. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the 10-year growth without Amazon. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed Amazon's new growth. Mr. Roache asked if the new growth value depreciates as those items depreciate. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated yes. Ms. Bates asked why the Amazon growth was at zero and are they at a 20/80 split right now. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated they brought all the growth on before the TIFF went into effect and before Amazon was at 100% occupancy. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed what overrides and exclusions are. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated this year they are not asking for an override or an exclusion at Town Meeting. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the levy capacity. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated the $3.7 million does not include the youth center. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the breakdowns of the expenditures for FY27. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated they are level funding Greater Lawrence and Essex Tech. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues displayed a pie chart of the breakdown of the budget. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated the shared services include facilities, information technology, and procurement. Mr. Roache asked what slice of the pie were those. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated support services. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed how the different clusters have changed value year to year. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the FY budget expenditure breakdown. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the Town budget highlights and changes. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the FY27 cuts. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated they did have to cut about$800,000 from the town budget and budget requests. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated the reductions in public safety is equipment. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated some of the cuts within the DPW included the composting program at the schools. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the full-time equivalences. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the historical North Andover public school spending. Mr. Roache asked if this was the budget or what was actually spent. NORTH ANDOVER SELECT BOARD MINUTES FEBRUARY 9, 2026 Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated the first few up until 2023 are all actuals, and after that it moves into budgeted. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed historical health insurance. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated the health insurance budget is going up more than the government budget. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the potential changes of the health insurance if the changes the Governor is proposing move forward. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the need for an override in FY28. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated they spoke with the department heads when creating the budget and asked them what they would want to see if they were going for an override. Ms. Smedile asked if they have considered vocational schools. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated yes, they have a ton of co-ops right now from Greater Lawrence. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated the issue with the carpenter position is that when you bring in a co-op student they have to be supervised by someone with that license. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the sewer enterprise fund. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed the water enterprise funds. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues discussed reserves. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated free cash certified for this year is $9.5 million. Ms. Phillips asked if that is within the recommended amount. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated yes, they are still carrying, they have carried between $4-5 million a year over and are generating the amount that they recommend. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated they can provide a spreadsheet that shows exactly what was cut from every account. Ms. Bates asked how they continue to move forward with 3% COLAs and increasing health insurance. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated legislative changes are going to be required and discussed what the pending municipal bill provides for tools that would allow them to increase their revenues without a proposition 2 1/2 increase. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated if they did not have the Amazon new growth, they would not be in the position they were in today. Mr. Roache stated there has to be some combination of raising money and cost savings at the state level. Mr. Roache asked if the$800,000 in cuts is a reduction of requests. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated it is both requests and things that were already in the budget. Ms. Bates asked why is it that 24 and 25 are budgeted. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated she will send them the actuals. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated the schools are within the guidance budget, but they will be spending $1.5 million more than the guidance using circuit breaker. Request of the Poet Laureate Committee to use the Town Common on May 2, 2026 (rain date Maw 2026)from 12:OOPM to 4:OOPM for the Anne Bradstreet Poetry Contest Award Day MOTION: Ms. Bates motioned to approve the request of the Poet Laureate Committee to use the Town Common on May 2, 2026 (rain date May 9. 2026) from 12:OOPM to 4:OOPM for the Anne Bradstreet Poetry Contest Award Day. Mr. Roache seconded. Motion approved 4-1 abstained. CONSENT ITEMS A. Accept donations in the amount of$920 to the Festival Committee for Sheep Shearing MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to accept the donation to the Festival Committee in the amount of$920.00 for the annual Sheep Shearing event. Ms. Bates seconded. Motion approved 5-0. APPROVAL OF OPEN SESSION MINUTES OF JANUARY 26, 2026 MOTION: Mr. Roache motioned to approve the Open Session minutes of January 26, 2026 as presented. Mr. Kres seconded. Motion approved 5-0. SELECT BOARD UPDATES Ms. Phillips thanked the DPW. Mr. Kres mentioned the Black History month events at the Historical Society. Ms. Phillips mentioned the banners are up around the Town common. NORTH ANDOVER SELECT BOARD MINUTES FEBRUARY 9, 2026 TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues mentioned that the warrant is open through March 9, 2026. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues mentioned they are deficit spending for snow and ice. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues mentioned there will be increased enforcement for parking during the next snow emergency. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues mentioned hazardous waste day on April 18, 2026. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues mentioned a few retirement recognitions: Paul Hutchins, Cindy Mazza, and Rick Gorman. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues mentioned the new assistant library director Erin Matlin. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Mr. Roache made a MOTION, seconded by Ms. Smedile to adjourn the Select Board meeting at 8:37PM. Motion approved 5-0. Respectfully submitted, Nicole Civitarese Executive Assistant Brian Roache, Clerk of the Board Documents used at meeting Memorandum Petitions Presentation License applications Donations Minutes from 1/26/26 Town Manager Report