Above: I’m giving context around the board’s goals for sidewalk plans, a historic project/walk downtown, and potential for an affordable housing project at the South Union property, among others (photos clockwise by Beth Melo, Susan Fitzgerald, and Kate Mattson)
As I wrote earlier this week, the Select Board’s list of goals for the year* includes several items I’ve been meaning to update readers on. So, I’m covering them under a series of posts divided by goal categories.
This one focuses on their “Infrastructure” goals which includes designing a sidewalk network, developing a downtown historic project, determining use of the South Union Building (hopefully for an affordable housing project), and other tasks.
As I previously noted, the goal setting meeting was only in-person (not recorded) and minutes don’t provide discussion/context around the goals.
So, I’m not entirely sure what board members’ intent is for all of them. But I can add relevant context based on other public discussions, votes, etc.
21 Highland Street/South Union Building
“Carrying cost & determine future use of of 21 Highland Street”
In 2020, the board asked Capital Planning to look into selling off the historic building that houses the Recreation Department. They received only one questionable bid in spring 2021 that wouldn’t have guarantied preservation of the building and was soon withdrawn. That summer, a subcommittee was formed by SHOPC (the Southborough Housing Opportunity Partnership Committee) with representatives from Capital and the Planning Board.
The committee researched the options for a truly affordable housing project at the site and whether that could be done while preserving the building façade. Rather then spending funds on a feasibility study, members “informally gathered information” by conducting research and consulting with knowledgeable area professionals.
Some professionals advised that converting the building would be less desirable than razing it due to complications with older utilities, plumbing, etc. But two professionals that toured the building and “professed having an affinity for preserving historic buildings” suggested that there might be grants to offset the extra costs and allow converting the building into 6-8 residential units.
The report also looked at potential for converting the building and adding additional units on the 3 acre site. Plus, they looked at the zoning restrictions for the site and what changes might be needed for a viable project. They also looked at the options for a project directly developed by the Town (subject to the more expensive public procurement process), through a public-private partnership, or using a Community Development Corporation.
You can read the report here and see the author, subcommittee Chair Tom Bhisitkul’s discussion about it with the Select & Planning boards here. The next steps he suggested was for a feasibility study to be conducted, the Town to officially declare it a “surplus property” (if not already), and to reach out to potential development partners by issuing an RFI (Request for Information/Interest) for informal discussions before doing a formal RFP (Request for Proposals).
In the discussion, Select Board Member Al Hamilton called the building is a “hideous money pit”, that costs taxpayers too much to heat. He’s eager to get it into “private hands”. Planning Chair Meme Luttrell advocated for including preservation in any project.
The discussion referenced projects successfully completed in other towns, including one in Acton, that could serve as a model.
As noted in the report and later discussions, the parcel falls within the 1/2 mile radius of the commuter rail, where the state is pushing the Town to zone by-right denser housing under its “MBTA Communities” initiative.
In a separate discussions about the MBTA zoning among multiple committees & boards, officials have hoped that it could be used as one of the parcels to help the Town meet the state’s minimum requirements. At a June meeting, officials agreed clarity was needed on whether municipally owned properties count towards the requirement. (Either way, it could be included in the zoning.)
Sidewalk & Roads plan
The goal is to “Design overall town plan for Sidewalk & Roads network”.
Last year, Special Town Meeting approved investment in a Pavement Management System (PMS). The Town’s vendor uses technology to scan roads across town and record conditions. An algorithm helps the DPW how to get the most bang for its buck to maintain and extend the life of roads across town each year.
For years, residents have asked for more sidewalks for safer walking and to connect to other areas of town. Based on a recommendation from the ARPA Committee, the board committed $704K of the $3M in federal funds to sidewalks, focused on adding new ones.*
The Select Board asked the Capital Improvement & Planning Committee to do an updated study and recommend priorities for new sidewalks.
At CIPC’s July 10th meeting, Chair Jason Malinowski explained that the PMS vendor for the roads could add on a service to evaluate existing sidewalks conditions, plus look at locations for potential new sidewalks and how much it could take to add them “with a specific lens to ADA compliance”. They voted to ask the Select Board to allocate $50K of the set-aside ARPA funds for sidewalks to pay for that contract.
The next night, the Select Board approved the recommended contract. Member Kathy Cook initially wasn’t happy to dip into the construction funds for another consultant agreement. Hamilton said he’d rather spend on concrete, but these are the kind of resources the Town needs to spend on.
Member Sam Stivers was optimistic that the vendor would also have the expertise to provide their feedback on where sidewalks would make the most sense to connect neighborhoods. Chair Andrew Dennington followed that in some subdivisions with sidewalks, people don’t use them since they can safely walk in the road. They need to be installed where they would get the most use.
Cook made clear (not for the first time) her belief that sidewalks are needed on Pine Hill Road, the area where she and Hamilton live. Hamilton said he thought that a one place sidewalk would make the most sense was to connect Richards Road to Woodland Road.
One of the big challenges a sidewalk project may face is that while most residents would like more sidewalks, there is also community affection for the old growth trees that line many roads in town.
Town Center historic project
“Develop/implement potential Town Center historic project — (Old Burial Ground, Town Common, St. Mark’s Street park completion)”.
This is a plan to enhance the “pocket park” being built next to the Library by adding a history walk element with connections to nearby historic places.
One of the criticisms of the controversial project at St Mark’s Street was that it’s initial pitch to the state (and public) was that it would incorporate a History Walk. Then, to save money, that part of the concept was ditched before construction began.
When the Working Group redesigned the park, they paid a lot of attention to the history of the parcel and the area. But in their meeting finalizing the recommended design plan, members agreed that historical markers and engravings would not be part of the design. That was keep the project within the original budget covered by the state grant and Town Meetings vote, and allow construction to begin soon rather than getting drawn out. (For an update on the park status, scroll down to additional tasks.)
But the group also hoped that the Select Board would take up as a Phase B, to add a History Walk to the project in the near future. In a Working Group meeting there were references to the potential for the Town to seek donations/sponsors to help finance a project.
The layout of the park is consistent with a recommendation by residents Patricia Burns Fiore and Sally Watters for a minimal design that highlights the parcel’s connections to historic places nearby. Visitors will be able to see from the park the sites of the three resources that were required for approval to incorporate the Town when it was founded in 1727: a mustering ground, a meeting hall, and a burial ground.
Plus, it’s close to historic churches, the old Flagg School building, Town House, the Burnett Cemetery, war memorials, where Nipmuc people were known to have lived, and other historically significant spots. In a May meeting, Historical Commission Chair Kevin Miller, a member of the Working group described the history of the area as “very rich, multi-stranded, but complicated and in a a sense kind of fragmentary”. In the discussion, Miller told the group that he received over 500 historical items dug up from the site, including ones from the colonial and more recent eras. (Examples included shards of pottery, a clay pipe, Civil War bullets, and glass bottles.) He hoped the Select Board would help his commission find an appropriate place nearby to store and display items.
There appeared to be support for the Phase B from the two Select Board serving on the group, Dennington and Working Group Chair Marguerite Landry. One Select Board member who may oppose committing any Town funds to it is Hamilton. He has repeatedly argued that too many taxpayer dollars have been concentrated in the small downtown area while other sections of town have been ignored.
On the other hand, Hamilton was the proponent behind a recently proposed effort by the board that could tie in to a walk. He proposed a committee to study a new memorial project for the Old Burial Ground. Its charge would be to recommend how to honor Revolutionary War veterans buried in the cemetery, including those in unmarked graves. An interim policy approved by the board included the future creation of the committee. But that committee has yet to be named, charged, and seated. (That work may also be envisioned as included in the goal below.)
Cemeteries
“Analysis of current and future cemetery space, including Old Burial Ground”.
I don’t have any context yet for the current/future burial space issues. But I can share that the Historical Commission has been complaining for years about lack of proper maintenance at the Old Burial Ground. The current and former chair each complained that trees that aren’t properly maintained/trimmed pose a risk of falling limbs damaging the historic gravestones.
Plus, volunteers have been working to identify the unmarked graves in the OBG. Some have raised the need to somehow acknowledge those buried in the cemetery, beyond just the Revolutionary War veterans.
Hopkinton Water Connection
“Finish all work on Hopkinton Water Connection IMA (Intermunicipal Agreement) — that includes the IMA , Zoning Board of Appeals special permit for the Oak Hill tower, and Oak Hill neighborhood meeting to demonstrate impact of proposed new tower.”
The IMA the Town has been waiting for Hopkinton to sign has been on hold, but hopefully will soon be resolved.
Last year, Hopkinton officials asked Southborough to help them solve their water supply issues after discovering that Town wells were contaminated with PFAS. (Their town invested in filtration, but that is a limited, short-term solution.)
The Select Board negotiated a deal for Hopkinton to pay for the costs that would be created by connecting them to the MWRA water supply through our pipelines, plus an additional $1M of other Southborough water infrastructure projects.
They then brought the terms to Town Meeting voters. Voters were told their approval of a Peer Review Study, to be reimbursed by Hopkinton, would also be a signal to Town officials that they could pursue the project. They voted yes.
The proposed project includes replacing the water tank off Oak Hill Road. Residents were promised that meetings/hearings would be held to allow them to learn about the visual impact, how water pressure would be addressed, etc.
According to a summer update from Cook, the IMA was held up while Hopkinton worked to replace their DPW Director (who took another job). Their new director started on July 17th. Our new director will start on July 24th. So, hopefully the two directors can soon begin working with officials to make progress on the project, including holding the public meetings.
Additional tasks
The following were listed as tasks under the category rather than goals:
Facilities Plans
“Facilities plans: School facility (Neary decision), Library facility, Community Center plan”
Parallel to the Neary School Building project, the Town is looking at repurposing one of the current elementary schools for other municipal purposes. And the Library is pursuing state support for its facility needs. Stay tuned for a future post on this topic.
Algonquin Tennis Courts IMA
‘Need IMA (Intermunicipal Agreement) for Algonquin tennis courts to ensure debt is allocated correctly”
The GonkPlex project to renovate the high school’s outdoor athletic complex is underway. Southborough paid for our share of the Algonquin tennis court renovations using Community Preservation Act funds, but Northborough didn’t. The school administration needs to finalize the agreement with the Community Preservation Committee — so that our town isn’t double-billed when payments are assessed to each town on the big bond.
Work is underway on the project this summer. The school has been tweeting out photos, including of the courts. And the administration issued an update online this afternoon.
Finish and name the pocket park
As I mentioned in a previous post, the St. Mark’s Street & Park Working Group is recommending naming the park “Southborough Heritage Park”.
The park plans are currently out to bid with responses due on July 27th.
As I previously posted, over objections from the Planning Board, the Select Board didn’t submit the plans to for Site Plan Review. Dennington also refused to commit to submitting them for an optional review. He had stated that he believed that would have to be decided by the full board, not just him and Cook.
On July 6th, I wrote, “the Select Board has yet to publicly discuss the issue as a board.” Since then the board held a meeting that included an “update” on the park. In it, members made no mention of the Planning Board request/dispute.
Complete Senior Center addition
In May, the Town issued an RFP for the foundation and some related work, estimated at $45K. They got a low bid for that amount and the Select Board approved awarding the contract in June.
Deal with Flagg School
Last year, Southborugh Historical Society announced its plans to move out of Flagg School (and into Fayville Hall after a major renovation). That was partially based on the costs involved in maintaining the old schoolhouse/Historical Museum. You can read about that here.
Install LED streetlights
In January, I wrote about the Select Board’s request for National Grid to replace streetlights with LED lights to save on energy costs. At that time, members were unsure whether to replace the 632 bulbs that were 50 Watts with 15 Watt or 19 Watt LEDs. The NGrid rep offered to hang a few for comparison.
Based on what they saw, in April, the board voted 4-1 for the 19 Watt LEDs.
On June 6th, they were updated that with supply chains appearing to open up, their National Grid rep believed that all of the lights in town could hopefully be replaced within 9-12 months.
*You can find the full list of FY24 goals here and my coverage of their Administration/Operations goals here. (Other categories that I’ll be covering in future posts are: Finance, HR & Organizational Development; and Community Development.)
**The original recommendation was $750K for installation and repairs. The board reduced that but did include $50K in the Town’s FY24 budget for sidewalk repairs.
