Select Board June 16, 2026

• Governing Body: Select Board
• Meeting Type: Regular Meeting
• Date: June 16, 2026
• Attendees: Marjorie Freiman (Chair), Tom Ulfelder (Vice Chair), Beth Sullivan Woods, Kenneth Largess, Colette Aufranc (Secretary, remote), Meghan Jop (Executive Director, remote), Corey Testa (Assistant Executive Director).

Several residents and students spoke regarding the urgent need for air conditioning in Wellesley elementary schools, specifically Bates Elementary and Wellesley Middle School.

• Kate Ferrella (193 Bristol Road): Expressed concern over student health and safety during heatwaves. Requested a Special Town Meeting and the use of free cash to accelerate the AC project for completion by Summer 2027.
• Suzanne Longley (4 Winwood Road): A primary care Nurse Practitioner, she highlighted medical risks including heat exhaustion and syncope, noting classroom temperatures reached 100 degrees with high humidity.
• Stephanie Tremonti (14 Richland Road): Noted that the project, initially prioritized in 2018, is currently projected for 2028; she requested the timeline be fast-tracked.
• Kelly Norris (11 Tanglewood Road): Reported a heat index of 105 degrees in classrooms, which the National Weather Service classifies as the 'danger band.'
• Rose Neighbors (9 Avon Road) and Marissa Galatopoulos (3 Willow Park): Seventh-grade students described the oppressive conditions at the Middle School. Rose Neighbors stated: "You just glide around on your seat in a pool of sweat like a piece of butter on a warm pan."

Board Response: Chair Marjorie Freiman clarified that the Select Board does not have authority over the School Department's capital projects and advised advocates to bring requests directly to the School Committee.

Meghan Jop provided updates on several town initiatives:

• Kenny Largess Office Hours: Scheduled for June 17, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM.
• Fire Station Master Plan: A public meeting is scheduled for June 25, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Great Hall.
• Drought Status: The town is in a Stage 2 Drought. Mandatory outdoor watering restrictions are in place; hand-watering is permitted only before 9:00 AM and after 5:00 PM. All automatic irrigation is prohibited.

The Board considered three items on the consent agenda:

1. Year-End Transfers: $2,500 from the Graves Officer stipend to the Celebrations Committee; $2,500 from the Fire Department to the Advisory Committee to cover costs of the May 2026 Special Town Meeting report.
2. Committee Appointments: Various staff and board appointments.
3. Special Education Stabilization Fund: Expenditure of $782.41 for Medicaid billing expenses.

Vote: The Board voted 5-0 to approve the consent agenda. (Roll Call: Aufranc-Aye, Sullivan Woods-Aye, Ulfelder-Aye, Largess-Aye, Freiman-Aye).

The Select Board convened a joint meeting with the Board of Public Works (BPW) to fill a vacancy following the resignation of Scott (last name not provided in transcript).

• Recommendation: The BPW recommended Edward "Ned" Hall, citing his engineering background (PE), financial expertise, and experience on the Municipal Light Plant (MLP) board.
• Discussion: It was noted that Hall would likely resign his longer-term appointed seat on the MLP to accept this interim BPW position.
• Action: The joint boards voted unanimously to appoint Edward Hall to the Board of Public Works effective July 1, 2026, until the 2027 Town Election.

Chief Scott Whittemore provided a quarterly update:

• Training: Conducted department-wide active shooter training at Upham School.
• Grants: The town was awarded an $840,000 grant under the local bottleneck reduction program for the Linden Street corridor to modernize traffic systems.
• Staffing: Sergeant Will Griffin retired on medical disability. The department currently has three openings with 130 applicants for the entrance exam.
• Sustainability: The department ordered its fourth fully electric police cruiser (Chevy Blazer).

Chief Mortorelli provided a quarterly update:

• Apparatus: Engine 1 is in service; apparatus purchasing is complete until 2031.
• Training: Revamped training skills including live burns in Waltham and auto extrication in Lexington.
• Health and Wellness: Scheduled low-dose CT scans and ultrasounds for members in November to screen for cancer.
• Statistics: Since the last update, the department responded to 1,955 calls (1,069 medical, 886 fire).

The Board met with the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) to discuss the mandated Conservation Restriction (CR) for the North 40 property.

• Requirement: Per the funding agreement, 13.12 acres must be preserved under a CR.
• Proposal: The CPC proposed 12.61 acres across two areas: the Vernal Pool (450-foot ring) and the Cochituate Aqueduct trail (200-foot line).
• Permitted Uses: Draft language includes passive recreation, trail maintenance, and invasive species management.
• Next Steps: The Select Board will review the legal documents and provide feedback to Town Counsel. Public engagement is planned for September 2026.

The Board reviewed the 2026-2027 affordable rent schedule for The Nines.

• HUD AMI: The Area Median Income increased by 3.6%.
• Approved Rents: The Board approved a 5% increase for existing tenants and set maximum net rents for new tenants as follows:
  • Studio: $2,400
  • One-Bedroom: $2,742
  • Two-Bedroom: $3,085
  • Three-Bedroom: $3,427
• Vote: Approved 5-0.

Chair Marjorie Freiman updated the public on the town's legal action regarding the MassBay/40 Oakland Street project.

• Lawsuit: The town filed a complaint against the Commonwealth (DCAM and HLC) regarding the status of the property as surplus and the density of the proposed RFP.
• Reasoning: The Commonwealth declined to include the town's requested conditions as binding provisions in the RFP scheduled for release in July.
• Confidentiality: The Chair noted a breach of executive session confidentiality regarding this matter and expressed disappointment over the violation of trust.