Table of Contents
The Select Board has a regularly scheduled meeting for October 5 at 7:30. This will be an in person meeting. Among the many items to be discussed is the disposition (Purchase and Sale from the buyers) of 20 Glenwood for approximately 90% below appraised value. The Select Board should have comments or recommendations from both the Affordable Housing Trust Committee and the Housing Partnership Board, both of which have emergency meetings on Wednesday before the Select Board meeting. To see the 20 Glenwood Avenue Purchase and Sale Agreement go to: https://www.winchester.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/4609?fileID=13991
The Select Board will also vote on a number of warrant articles for fall town meeting, including to increase the appropriation and borrowing authorization for the Muraco Elementary School Culvert Project from $9,110,000 to $10,200,000, that the town vote to appropriate $930,000 for the construction of playground facilities and other improvements at Leonard Field and McDonald Field, that the town vote to authorize the Select Board to purchase a certain parcel located off Waterfield Road and to appropriate $155,000 from the Sale of Land Account to acquire, that the town vote to authorize the Select Board to lease a .39 acre town-owned property next to 955 Main for parking purposes, that the town vote to appropriate $50,000 from the FY24 Miscellaneous Non-Recurring Revenue to make improvements at Davidson Park and Washington Street Park and that the vote of the town passed under Article 22 of the 2022 Fall Town Meeting be amended to increase the authorized borrowing amount for the McDonald Field water pumping station project for the Arbor Lane and Wendell Street neighborhood from $1,350,000 to $1,600,000.
They will also vote on articles to hear and place on file the report of the Community Preservation Act Study Committee, to either direct purchase solar panels or enter into a Power Purchase Agreement with regard to the Lynch solar project, to have the town vote to appropriate almost $95,000 to supplement the Opioid Settlement Fund, to have the town vote to rescind any borrowing authorizations previously approved that have not been used and that are no longer needed amounting to $750,000, to have the town vote to appropriate $1,008,085 from Free Cash to the Employee Healthcare and Health Insurance Stabilization Fund and that the town vote to appropriate $75,000 from Free Cash to supplement the Eversource account for the purpose of engineering and other consulting services. To see the full proposed articles go to: https://www.winchester.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/4609?fileID=13990
In addition, the Select Board will hold a hearing regarding the Eversource overnight work proposal. They will discuss Eversource contractor’s request to work overnight for five nights, 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. to complete the approved work on Waterfield Road from Laraway Road to Thompson Street to install approximately 376-feet of conduit.
The Town Manager, Beth Rudolph, will also provide information and updates including that water main flushing began on Monday, October 2 with the flushing of the Town's west-side water system which will be taking place during the day from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. over the next two weeks. The west-side system consists of all streets west of Cambridge Street plus Pond Street, Chesterford Road, Chesterford Terrace, Chesterford East, Woodside Road, Ardley Road, Ardley Place, and Parker Road. Water main flushing signs will be posted each day in the areas to be flushed. During flushing, residents should not use water for drinking, dishwashing and laundry as some discoloration of water may occur. If you experience discolored water, let the cold water run until it clears. If the problem continues, please call the Water and Sewer Department at 781-721-7109.
In addition, the post-65 retiree Medicare Buy-In program and the addition of a new Medicare retiree plan received a favorable vote by the town’s Insurance Advisory Committee (IAC). The changes will result in a premium cost savings of about $240,000 and the buy-in program will result in $3 to $4 million in savings related to the town’s Other Postemployment Benefits (OPEB) liability.
Finally, the Eversource 345kV Project will be continuing on Cross Street for the remainder of the fall construction season. To see a work schedule for the project go to: https://www.winchester.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/4609?fileID=13985 And, the Transfer Station renovation final paving is now scheduled for Monday, October 9, weather permitting. To see the Town Manager’s full update go to: https://www.winchester.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/4605?fileID=13994
To review the full agenda and supporting documents please go to: https://www.winchester.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10052023-5145?html=true
