Above: These days, most meetings that used to welcome the public to attend in the Town House Hearing Room or other public facilities are accessible to the public by video/audio conference calls only.
Before I get to this week’s meetings, one additional meeting popped up late in the week:
- Friday, October 9, 2020 – Board of Health Meeting, (meeting video, agenda) Agenda Highlights: Prepare Staff Reorganization Plan and change most Part-time positions to Full time positions; Modify some part-time positions; Changes due to COVID-19 demands and to better prepare Southborough in future; Vote to move BOH Reorganization to eventual Full Accreditation, with improved Public Health Standards utilizing both current “stand alone” operation as well as “cross Jurisdictional Sharing” arrangement.
Below are the posted committee and board meetings for this week along with my selected highlights from the agendas.
The Town intends to make each of its meetings available for viewing/listening via streaming live (and saved) video and audio on YouTube with some available for public comment by zoom.* Live streaming of school committee meetings is only available for viewing via webinars.
As always, be aware that changes to the meeting schedule are known to happen throughout the week. For an updated list of meetings, visit the town website. (For an update on meetings that popped up late last week, scroll down.)
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
- Board of Assessors Meeting, 4:15 pm @ Picnic Table Outside of Town House (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Reappoint Principal Assessor for three years; Review tax classification hearing presentation
- Youth Commission Meeting, 7:00 pm @ Virtual Meeting (agenda) Agenda Highlights: FY 22 Budget; Mortgage/Rental Relief Program; Grant Proposals for 2020-2021; Wellness Award 2020 Update
- Capital Planning Committee Meeting, 7:30 pm @ Virtual Meeting (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Updates on Town House Project, South Union School, Town’s implementation of ClearGov budgeting software, and School Research Subcommittee; Discussion of FY22 Capital Requests not previously presented; Review of all FY22 Capital Requests and vote on recommendations (may include looking at items currently being carried in future years); review draft Capital Planning policy
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
- Personnel Board Meeting, 12:00 pm @ Virtual Meeting (agenda with packet) Agenda Highlights: Discuss Board of Health reorganization and employment status of Public Health Director; long-term plan for YA Librarian position; Status of synchronization of raises; Revised goal setting; Prepare for Joint Meeting with Board of Selectmen on FY22 Annual Salary Increase for SAP employees, Personnel Board & Director roles & responsibilities, and Employee Training
- Neary School Council Meeting, 3:00 pm @ Virtual Meeting (agenda, webinar pre-registration) Agenda Highlights: Review of School Council Roles and Responsibilities; Neary Updates (teaching & learning); and District Strategic Plan
- Woodward School Council Meeting, 3:30 pm @ Virtual Meeting (agenda, webinar pre-registration) Agenda Highlights: School Opening Updates, Staffing Changes, District & School Improvement Planning, and open forum
- Economic Development Committee Meeting, 6:30 pm @ Virtual Meeting (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Village Mixed Use District (VMUD) Update, Expansion of District & Next Steps; Business Appreciation Program; Updates on Microenterpise Grant Program and Shared Streets & Spaces Grant Program; Recording Secretary
- Southborough School Committee Meeting, 6:30 pm @ Virtual Meeting (agenda, webinar pre-registration) Agenda Highlights: Updates on School Reopening & Bus Transportation; School Improvement Plan Presentation Schedule; Review MASC/MASS Joint Conference Resolutions; Master Plan Update and Review; Enrollments; COVID -19 Related Unanticipated Expenditures; Capital Planning; FY’22 Budget Priorities
Thursday, October 15, 2020
- N/S Regional School Committee – Policy Development Subcommittee Meeting, 7:30 am @ Virtual Meeting (agenda, webinar pre-registration) Agenda Highlights: Annual Policy Review
- Board of Commissioners of Trust Funds Meeting, 8:00 am @ Virtual Meeting (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Discussion of Foundation for Metrowest funding items
- Southborough Trails Committee Meeting, 6:30 pm @ Virtual Meeting (agenda) Agenda Highlights: Recap Trash Clean up on Sudbury Reservoir Trail; Updates on Choate Grant project status and Installation of map kiosk at Fayville Park; BOS letter to DCR requesting prioritization of the Public Access Plan for the Peninsula Trail (aka Boroughs Loop/Aqueduct Trail); CPC application status and next steps; Trails maintenance plan
- Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Public Listening Session, 6:30 pm @ Virtual Meeting (see dedicated post and flyer, zoom session) Agenda Highlights: The public is invited to “Learn more about Southborough’s hazard mitigation and resiliency planning under the state’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP)”.
*There is the caveat that there could be technical glitches that force the Town to take backup actions:
No in-person attendance of members of the public will be permitted, but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings in real time, via technological means. In the event that we are unable to do so, despite best efforts, we will post on Southborough’s website an audio or video recording, transcript, or other comprehensive record of proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting.
