Needham Select Board, 1/13/26

• Governing Body: Needham Select Board
• Meeting Date: January 13, 2026
• Meeting Type: Regular Meeting
• Attendees:
  • Catherine Reid Dowd, Chair
  • Joshua Levy, Select Board Member
  • Kevin Keane, Select Board Member
  • Marianne Cooley, Select Board Member
  • Heidi Frail, Select Board Member
  • Katie King, Town Manager
  • Liz LaRose, Deputy Town Manager

• Speaker: Chris Supple (62 Harris Avenue)
• Summary: Mr. Supple advocated for the seasonal closure (December 1 to March 1) of the golf course rail crossing to establish a temporary quiet zone. He noted that the MBTA and the Golf Club had reached a tentative agreement, but the town's participation was required for the horn-blowing to cease. He emphasized the impact on approximately 1,500 tax parcels and the safety of residents with disabilities.
• Direct Quote: "The golf course has been very cooperative... the residents get three months with no horns."

Director of Public Works Karis Slussig, Shane Mark, and Tyler Gabrielski provided an operational update:

• Staffing: The department is currently down 4 Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs), a significant improvement from being down 18 FTEs in previous years.
• Operations to Date: The town has conducted 11 snow operations this season, totaling 8.4 inches of snowfall and utilizing 1,800 tons of salt.
• Financials and Technology:
  • Brine Maker: Included in the FY27 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Producing brine in-house is estimated to cost $0.10 per gallon, compared to the current purchase price of $1.75 per gallon.
  • ARWIS Stations: Road Weather Information Systems are planned for FY30 to provide real-time pavement temperature and humidity data.
  • Wing Plows: The department plans to implement wing plows on select equipment to increase plowing swaths from 11 feet to 20 feet.

The Board discussed the proposed seasonal closure of the golf course crossing:

• Insurance/Liability: Town Manager Katie King reported that the town's insurer (Maya) confirmed the agreement would not affect coverage or waive the state's tort claim liability caps.
• Board Decision: The Board reached a consensus to pursue the seasonal closure for the 2026-2027 season rather than the current year. Members cited the need for a formal public hearing, the complexity of municipal contracting, and the fact that only six weeks remain in the current pilot window.
• Action: The Town Manager was directed to begin the administrative process and schedule a public hearing for a future agenda.

Deputy Town Manager Liz LaRose presented the results of the one-year Placer AI pilot:

• Cost: The renewal fee was quoted at $24,150 per year.
• Findings: While the tool provided interesting data on foot traffic at the RTS and Library, the data was often skewed by staff presence and required significant manual analysis.
• Outcome: The Board decided not to renew the subscription, concluding that the tool was underutilized relative to its cost and that similar data could be obtained via consultants or free tools.

• Annual Town Meeting (ATM) Warrant: The Board voted unanimously to open the warrant for the 2026 Annual Town Meeting.
• FY27 Budget Priorities: The Board voted to adopt the goals established during the August 12, 2025, retreat as the official FY2027 budget priorities.
• Budget Trends: Preliminary FY27 requests show a 5.4% increase in the base budget, which exceeds the town's sustainable recurring revenue trend of 4% to 4.5%. Health insurance costs are projected to increase by 10%.
• Minuteman Assessment: A preliminary assessment indicates a decrease of $88,000 from initial projections, despite a trend of increasing enrollment (freshman classes exceeding graduating classes by 5 students).

• Action: The Board discussed updating the committee's charge to include a representative from the School Committee, as the parcel remains under school jurisdiction.
• Vote: The Board voted unanimously to adopt the revised committee composition.
• Public Hearing Update: Marianne Cooley reported that a recent public hearing showed strong community interest in using the site for housing (affordable and market-rate) and intergenerational community spaces.

• Consent Items: The Board voted to approve various appointments and the liquidation of the Stormwater Bylaw Committee.
• Executive Session: The Board adjourned to Executive Session under Exception 6 to discuss the value of real property, with no intent to return to open session.
• Vote to Enter Executive Session: Unanimous roll call vote (Cooley-Aye, Levy-Yes, Dowd-Yes, Keane-Aye, Frail-Aye).