Select Board January 6, 2026

• Date: January 06, 2026
• Governing Body: Wellesley Select Board
• Meeting Type: Regular Meeting (Hybrid)
• Attendees:
  • Marjorie Freiman, Chair
  • Tom Ulfelder, Vice Chair
  • Colette Aufranc, Secretary
  • Beth Sullivan Woods, Select Board Member
  • Kenneth Largess, Select Board Member
  • Meghan Jop, Executive Director
  • Corey Testa, Assistant Executive Director

Several residents and stakeholders spoke regarding the potential sale of 40 acres of forest land at 40 Oakland Street by MassBay Community College:

• Lisa Moore (Resident/NRC Environmental Educator): Requested the land be removed from the surplus inventory to protect biodiversity. Quote: "I'm requesting that the 40 acres of Mass Bay Forest at 40 Oakland Street be removed from the surplus land inventory list and not be sold to a private developer."
• Phillip Honfeld (Resident): Questioned the surplus designation and noted the tension between housing goals and land conservation.
• Christine Duvivier (Resident): Challenged the "false trade-off" between forest preservation and affordable housing, noting Wellesley has already met affordable housing goals.
• Ellen Fine (Needham Resident): Highlighted the climate impact of deforestation and the historical significance of the land to the Praying Indians of Natick.
• Caroline Wilson and Paul Derrickson (Residents): Emphasized the forest's value as a "third space" for recreation and community use.

Executive Director Meghan Jop provided the following updates:

• Town Elections: Nomination papers for town-wide office must be pulled by January 9 and returned with 50 signatures by January 13. Town Meeting member papers are due by January 27.
• Renewals: Dog licenses are due by March 31. Annual parking passes are available for $480 (residents/students/employees) or $1,080 (non-residents).
• MassDOT Notice: Overnight ramp closures at the I-95/Route 128 and Mass Pike interchange are scheduled for January 6, 8, and 9 from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM.

The Board considered one item on the consent agenda: additional appointments to assist the Town Clerk with the annual town election in March.

• Action: The Board voted unanimously (5-0) to approve the consent agenda.
• Motion: Colette Aufranc; Second: Tom Ulfelder.

The Board discussed revisions to the Appointment Policy to streamline how the Select Board interacts with appointed boards during the recruitment and interview process.

• Key Revisions:
  • Changed "Underlying Board" to "Appointed Board" for consistency with town bylaws.
  • Clarified that the Select Board determines the level of involvement in interviews on a case-by-case basis.
  • Updated the "Broad Community Engagement" section to "Consideration of Other Town Service."
• Action: The Board voted unanimously (5-0) to approve the policy as amended, subject to final review by Town Counsel.
• Motion: Colette Aufranc; Second: Tom Ulfelder.

The Board reviewed the draft warrant for the Annual Town Meeting, currently containing 37 articles.

• DPW Campus Project: Article 20 proposes a $1 million feasibility study for a Municipal Service Building. The Board discussed the need to coordinate this with fire station and school building needs.
• Financial Impact: Meghan Jop noted that the cumulative impact of proposed capital projects (DPW, Fire, Schools) could result in an estimated $2,000 increase to the median property tax bill over a four-year period.
• Zoning: Discussion included potential modifications to the Residential Incentive Overlay (RIO) and EV charging parking requirements.

The Board reviewed composite minutes for meetings held on November 18, November 25, December 2, and December 11, 2025.

• Action: The Board voted unanimously (5-0) to approve the minutes as amended.
• Motion: Colette Aufranc; Second: Tom Ulfelder.

The Board moved to enter Executive Session to discuss strategy regarding potential litigation with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts concerning the surplus MassBay Community College land.

• Roll Call Vote:
  • Kenneth Largess: Aye
  • Beth Sullivan Woods: Aye
  • Colette Aufranc: Aye
  • Tom Ulfelder: Aye
  • Marjorie Freiman: Aye
• Outcome: The Board entered executive session at the conclusion of the public meeting.