Select Board April 27, 2026

Chair Marjorie Freiman called the meeting to order at the Giuliani Room in Town Hall.

• Attendees: Vice Chair Tom Ulfelder, Secretary Colette Aufranc, Beth Sullivan Woods, Kenny Largess, Executive Director Meghan Jop, Assistant Executive Director Corey Testa, and Town Counsel Tom Harrington and Eric Russell.
• Community Grief: The Board expressed profound sorrow regarding the recent tragic loss of two young lives in the community. Chair Freiman thanked first responders, school officials, and counselors for their support of students and families during this time.

The Board reviewed the warrant for the May 11, 2026, Special Town Meeting.

• Article 3 Modification: The Board modified the language for Article 3 to be more generic, seeking to increase the appropriation for legal services under Select Board Shared Services.
• Official Action: The Board voted to approve and post the May 11, 2026, Special Town Meeting warrant.
• Vote: 5-0 in favor.

The Board moved to enter Executive Session under Mass General Law, Chapter 30A, Subsection 21A, Exemption 3, to discuss strategy regarding potential litigation for 40 Oakland Street.

• Roll Call Vote:
  1. Tom Ulfelder: Aye
  2. Kenny Largess: Aye
  3. Beth Sullivan Woods: Aye
  4. Colette Aufranc: Aye
  5. Marjorie Freiman: Aye
• Participants: The Board invited Meghan Jop, Corey Testa, Town Counsel Tom Harrington and Eric Russell, and Special Counsel Nick Shapiro and Robbie Hopkins.

Several residents and organization representatives provided comments regarding the sale and development of the state-owned land at 40 Oakland Street:

• Michael Tobin (President, Wellesley Conservation Land Trust): Announced that the Trust has retained Hill Law Firm to determine if the MassBay Forest is protected under Article 97. He stated: "The Land Trust is taking proactive steps to help ensure that the conservation, environmental, and community interests associated with this valued historical and frequently traversed land are fully considered and protected."
• Deed McCollum: Requested that the Moderator allow non-town meeting members to speak before the question is called and questioned if the May 11 meeting allows sufficient time for effective negotiation with the state.
• Paul Criswell: Urged the Board to seek a "full-throated endorsement" of their authority to negotiate. He advised against quantifying the value of specific negotiation elements in public and stated that litigation should be a "last resort."
• Anne Mara Lanza (Building a Better Wellesley): Supported negotiation over litigation. She requested the RFP include: housing limited to the existing paved lot, 20% affordable units, traffic mitigation, and pedestrian safety. She remarked: "It feels that if anybody who wants to sue the state rather than accept all this land, it's not about the land. It's about the housing."
• Sally Watts: Supported working with the state to preserve the forest rather than taking an antagonistic position that involves high taxpayer costs.

The Board debated the language for three advisory motions to be presented at the Special Town Meeting:

1. Motion 1 (Acceptance of Framework): Advises the Board to negotiate within the Commonwealth's April 13th framework (180 units, development on the parking lot, conservation restriction for 37-38 acres, and inclusionary zoning compliance).
2. Motion 2 (Negotiation for Best Outcome): Authorizes the Board to negotiate for specific town priorities, including:
   • Housing located on or immediately adjacent to the existing parking area.
   • A conservation restriction held by the Town for publicly accessible passive recreation.
   • Primary ingress and egress for the MassBay campus (50 Oakland Street) directly from Route 9 to avoid Oakland Street.
   • Compliance with the Town's Wetlands Protection Bylaw and Inclusionary Zoning Bylaw.
   • Preservation of all legal rights, "including potential litigation."
3. Motion 3 (Direct Litigation): Advises the Board to reject negotiation and proceed directly to litigation against the Commonwealth.

Official Action: The Board voted to approve the motion language as amended during the discussion. Vote: 5-0 in favor.

The Board discussed the financial requirements for potential litigation and legal counsel.

• Financial Request: The motion seeks to transfer $900,000 from certified free cash to the shared services/law budget for Fiscal Year 2027.
• Restriction: The funds are to be used exclusively for matters related to 40 Oakland Street.
• Clarification: The Board noted that any unused funds at the end of the fiscal year would be turned back to the general fund by law.

• Wellesley in Bloom: Beth Sullivan Woods announced the second annual "Wellesley in Bloom" event running from May 2 to May 11, 2026. The event features floral displays and pop-up experiences in shopping areas.
• Parking: The Select Board authorized free parking at all two-hour meters on Saturday, May 2, 2026, to support local merchants.
• School Committee: Residents were encouraged to view the April 14th School Committee meeting regarding the new FutureThink demographic report.