Daily Buzz | Another Round of Candidate Profiles is Here!
Plus an apology from some Select Board members and a new law
Good morning!
It’s another busy day in Burlington. In addition to the School Committee budget presentation, several Ways & Means Subcommittee meetings, Land Use, and other meetings, the Board of Health Candidate Profiles are here! Click below to read about each candidate.
The Select Board met last night:
Members Jim Tigges, Nick Priest, and Bob Hogan spoke regarding the response to the DEI Subcommittee report at their February 28 meeting.
Matt Davis was appointed as Water & Sewer Superintendent
To comply with the 2030 waste reduction goals, some items are no longer going to be permitted in our waste stream after November 2022: Mattresses and textiles. Mattresses will be discussed later. For textiles (blankets, clothing, sneakers, etc.) we will be beginning a new disposal program immediately. Rather than putting them in the pink bag at the curb, textiles will be picked up by appointment much like the current process for bulk items.
We have a snow and ice removal deficit, which was already accounted for by accounting. So that’ll be shored up.
There were some approvals for a charity event for the Ahearn Family 20th annual St. Patrick’s Day Gala, March 19, at the Marriott.
Bennett’s Sandwich Shop was granted a Common Victualler’s License. (Basically a license that says they can prepare and serve food)
MBTA Housing Choice Program presentation. This is some new legislation at the state level; there will be some new requirements for the town over the next year or two
There is a new requirement to have one area of reasonable size in MBTA communities where multi-family dwellings (3 units or above) are allowed as of right (this means without having to secure a special permit). We are an MBTA community because we have MBTA buses in our community.
These projects must still must go through site planning review, but the review board would not be able to put conditions that aren’t feasible.
We currently have enough actual units to meet this requirement, but none of them meet the other requirements which include having no age restriction and being suitable for families with young children.
Nothing was decided at the meeting. This is the public comment period, and Town Counsel and the Select Board had questions for clarification. The only thing Counsel had to do tonight was to present the law to the Select Board.
During public comment, it was requested that the Select Board put DEI on the agenda for their upcoming meeting and they report to the community what they plan to do with the recommendations of their Subcommittee.
Here’s what’s going on today:
- 9:30 AM - Ways & Means Board of Health Subcommittee meets to review the BoH budget, as well as the accommodated accounts for mosquito control and hazardous waste. (Join via Webex)
- 10:30 AM - Ways & Means Planning Board Subcommittee meets about the budget for the Planning Department.
- 6:30 PM - General Bylaw Review Committee meets to review some proposals and discuss appointing an additional member, in addition to other items. (Join via Zoom)
- 7:00 PM - Land Use Committee has invited the proponents of two proposed warrant articles to present on their projects - this is the proposal for new buildings on Network drive where the parking lots currently sit and for the 135 Cambridge Street area where Roger’s Piano is. They’ll also be discussing some organizational items and the Mall Road Mass development Initiative & the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness project. (Join via Webex)
- 7:00 PM - School Committee special meeting to review the Superintendent’s budget for next year. (Join via Webex)
- 7:30 PM - Board of Appeals meeting about a request by Joss & Main (75 Middlesex Turnpike) for permission to install two signs. (Join via Webex)
That’s it for today. Except for one thing: Register to Vote!
See you tomorrow.
Nicci
