Canton, Massachusetts · Saved source text

MasterPlan-20241015T180836

Master Plan Implementation Committee · Source year folder: 2022 · Record 81170

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Master Plan Implementation Committee Meeting Minutes 
November 17, 2022, 7:00-8:30 p.m. 
Via Zoom 
Master Plan Implementation Committee Members present: Joseph Amrhein (Planning Board), Lisa Lopez 
(Select Board), Emilio Mauro (Finance Committee), Mike Nourse (Historical Commission), and Alan 
Rapoport (Economic Development Committee) 
Master Plan Implementation Committee Members not present: Bob MacDonald (Conservation 
Commission), Kristian Merenda (School Committee), Citizen at Large — vacant, Community Preservation 
Committee or Playground and Recreation Committee representative — vacant 
School Committee Non -Voting Alternate: Maureen Moran — not present 
Staff: Interim Town Planner Gene Manning —present 
Guests: Julie Beckham, Vice Chair of Canton Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and Tom 
Birmingham 
Introductions 
Chair Emilio Mauro called the Master Plan Implementation Committee (MPIC) meeting to order at 7:05 
p.m. and he welcomed and introduced all those present. 
Discussion of Master Plan and Implementation Process 
E. Mauro explained that the Master Plan is a long-range vision that was developed mostly in 2018 and 
2019 through a committee (Master Plan Steering Committee) that worked for approximately eighteen 
months with the consulting firm of Horsley Witten. There was also considerable outreach to town 
departments and committees and other stakeholders in town, such as residents and businesses. The 
new Master Plan replaced the 2004 version and set goals to be achieved by 2035. The process to update 
the plan was initiated at the 2017 Annual Town Meeting and culminated in the Planning Board 
approving the new plan In 2020. Once the plan was formally approved, the Master Plan Implementation 
Committee was then formed and consists of members from a cross-section of Town committees to 
allow it to more easily coordinate implementation policies and act as a forum for addressing Master Plan 
goals. He added that there are three main books of the Master Plan. They are the Baseline Report that 
presents the existing conditions at the time the plan was developed, the Roadmap that makes 
recommendations based on research by the consultants, and the Action Plan that lays out ways to 
achieve the recommendations made in the Roadmap. There are also appendices that have background 
information and data. He noted that the plan is intended to be a "living document" that also evolves in 
detail as the fifteen -year plan period progresses. He pointed out that the Canton Diversity, Equity, and 
Inclusion Committee (CDEI Committee) did not exist when the Master Plan was created but it can be a 
party that helps promote and achieve some of its goals and can positively add new perspectives to the 
goals of the Master Plan. 
E Mauro then presented the Strategic Framework that has been developed to organize goals for the 
early years of implementation (2020-2025) and proceeded to summarize the various aspects of the 
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document including the sections, action items, responsible parties for implementation of each item, and 
the timeframe for expected implementation. He noted that the Master Plan while somewhat fixed is a 
guideline and will evolve somewhat as time passes due to changing conditions. The entire Master Plan is 
available online. As CDEI was not in existence at the time the Master Plan was developed, it was not 
designated as a responsible party for any action items. However, he added, many action items in the 
Strategic Framework naturally have diversity, equity, and inclusion components to them because of the 
need to ensure that all in town have access to these services, opportunities, and protections. 
Discussion of Shared Priorities with the Canton Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee 
E, Mauro reviewed the identified shared priorities between the Master Plan and the CDEI Committee 
that were included in the displayed document entitled "Canton Master Plan Action Items & Diversity, 
Equity, and Inclusion Committee Suggested Shared Priorities 2020-2025", which is included in the 
Meeting Documents section of these minutes. He noted that while the CDEI Committee would not be 
expected to solve these issues, they could provide unique perspectives that could help ensure that more 
voices are heard during the implementation process. 
E. Mauro noted how affordable housing and housing stock diversity are shared priorities due to the high 
cost of housing in Canton and the fact that different kinds of housing can allow more residents to find a 
home they can afford or that meets their needs. This includes providing guidance to the Housing 
Authority and the Affordable Housing Trust and promoting zoning that favors missing housing types and 
multi -family structures where appropriate. 
E. Mauro pointed out how the CDEI Committee could help with Public Health and Social Well -Being 
including outreach to support vulnerable populations in the community, equal access to healthy lifestyle 
choices and better overall quality of life, filling gaps in services to help serve these populations, and 
educate government decision makers on how to better construct policy to meet the needs of all Canton 
residents. He noted that the CDEI Committee could be an effective "bridge" to connecting parties with 
the government and fully informing the Town government of the needs of groups in town who may 
have difficulty advocating for their needs due to their lack of representation for a variety of reasons. He 
noted that the government sometimes makes decisions with partial information because of these 
unintentional information gaps and the CDEI Committee can help fill those gaps. He also mentioned how 
youth risk assessments could be better informed through the CDEI Committee ensuring a broader 
spectrum of understanding for youth of different cultures and backgrounds. He stated that the CDEI 
Committee might also work with the Senior Center to help its expanding programs better meet the 
needs of vulnerable populations, also noting that the Canton Council on Aging had recently been 
renamed as the Department of Elder and Human Services to better reflect their broader mission. He also 
mentioned the importance of better access to the food pantry and how transportation limitations can 
affect its usage. Promoting multimodal and walkable neighborhoods can also have positive impacts on 
public health, social well-being, and community strength. He also noted that low-income residents and 
some other vulnerable populations often have difficulty staying active, which can have negative effects 
on their health. 
Regarding Town services, E. Mauro noted how the CDEI Committee could assist with promoting civic 
participation and public decision, so that more voices are heard, better decisions are made by the Town, 
and all groups have more of their vision for Town services and policies realized. Town staff can also be 
trained to achieve better outreach to diverse groups to also facilitate participation and inclusion. 
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E. Mauro then proceeded to the Work section of the Master Plan and noted the importance of equitable 
economic prosperity and expanding business opportunities in Town. He added that economic 
disadvantages are a barrier to many things and that more opportunities would help mitigate some of 
these disadvantages. He also suggested that the CDEI Committee could help work with the business 
community to both give and receive input regarding opportunities to meet diversity, equity, and 
inclusion goals. 
E. Mauro noted the importance of having venues and programs that allow all residents to be active both 
physically and socially, this also includes increasing access to parks open spaces, and other recreational 
areas while also raising public awareness about these opportunities, as described in the Master Plan. 
E. Mauro also felt that gaps in transportation, like economic gaps, create less obvious but significant 
inequalities in opportunity and access. He added that the Master Plan identified lack of transportation 
connections limit economic opportunities, access to government services or recreation, and basic 
physical mobility in general. Increasing public and private transportation options, multimodal options 
(and favorable zoning for such infrastructure), complete streets programs that can promote walking and 
biking, and the Safe Routes to School Program were among the items mentioned regarding 
improvements to neighborhood, town -wide, and regional transportation gaps. The CDEI Committee 
could help identify these gaps 
Moving on to the Protect section, E. Mauro noted how historic resources can be used to showcase the 
contributions of many diverse groups in our society and increase the awareness of these contributions. 
He also added that promoting a diverse arts and culture program can help foster mutual understanding 
and respect among residents. Finally, helping with environmental stewardship can prevent or mitigate 
environmental injustices caused by low-income or other vulnerabilities, whether pollution, flooding, or 
other negative environmental exposures that vulnerable populations are often at higher risk from. 
The Adapt section of the Master Plan also had some connections to the CDEI Committee. E. Mauro 
noted that the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program assessment had been completed before 
the CDEI Committee existed but maintaining that network of stakeholders with the CDEI Committee 
added to it could help promote the aforementioned environmental justice principles by incorporating 
more diverse voices into natural hazard and climate change mitigation and related grant applications. 
He also noted that educating the public about natural hazards to make sure all are aware of ways to 
protect themselves from these threats was also part of the Master Plan goals that the CDEI Committee 
could assist with. He added that some vulnerable populations may require assistance due to higher 
information costs due to communication barriers. 
E. Mauro added that the three focus areas identified in the Master Plan (Canton Junction, the 
Downtown, and Route 138) were all places where many Master Plan objectives align and the CDEI 
Committee could help monitor developments in those areas and provide suggestions to promote 
diversity, equity, and inclusion as developments warrant in those areas. 
E. Mauro emphasized that while the CDEI Committee would not be expected to solve these issues and 
meet these goals that were identified their input would greatly help guide the development and 
implementation of solutions to these issues or goals. 
J. Beckham, on behalf of the CDEI Committee, welcomed the opportunities to collaborate with the MPIC 
to work on the many diversity, equity, and inclusion goals mentioned in the shared priorities 
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presentation. On the request of fellow CDEI Committee member Alan Rapoport, she also gave a brief 
history of the CDEI Committee and she noted the membership on the committee. The CDEI Committee 
was formed in the autumn of 2020 in response to the murder of George Floyd and the national concern 
that stemmed from such events. Since that time, they have promoted diversity through many efforts, 
including collaboration with the Canton Public Library to promote global diversity through literature, 
black history month events, collaboration with Canton Public Schools to have students participate in 
events including through spoken word or songs, inaugurated an annual Juneteenth celebration in town, 
worked with Canton Public Library and Trustees to have a pride flag raised there that A. Rapoport 
helped facilitate (which was the first to fly over a public building in Canton), observed holocaust 
remembrance day, they have also used social media and other methods to celebrate various months 
dedicated to different groups and raise awareness about holidays and other aspects of various cultures. 
In the Canton Citizen, they have been writing community and unity articles that highlight individuals of 
different ages, races, and backgrounds and share their experiences in the Canton community. She also 
acknowledged the great leadership of the CDEI Committee Chair Cynthia Holcombe (who was unable to 
attend the MPIC meeting) in steering the committee toward these goals. She noted that the CDEI 
Committee is a robust committee and they work between meetings to advance the mission. The 
committee is a welcoming committee that invites the participation of all. She recognized the importance 
of creating a positive legacy that can be passed to future members of the CDEI Committee to continue 
the mission perpetually. 
A. Rapoport added that the CDEI Committee mission statement is as follows: 
The Canton Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CDEI) Committee seeks to foster a welcoming and 
inclusive community that encourages cooperation and respect among all persons in Canton. 
CDEI will celebrate and embrace the traditions and values of the groups within our community 
and advocate for the human and civil rights of all individuals in the Town of Canton through 
education, promoting community awareness and understanding of cultural differences, and 
working to eradicate barriers to equity and inclusion. 
A. Rapoport pointed out that they do have a Facebook page that is regularly updated and it has many 
facts and other information. He also noted how personally informative his time on the CDEI Committee 
has been on "how our perceptions are so wrong and we need to change them". He agreed with J. 
Beckham that the committee had held many great events and had great speakers that taught so much 
and allowed voices to be heard that are not usually heard in town. He noted some events such as the 
recent Global Diversity Awareness Group event, High Holiday event, Pride Day event, quilt project, 
Juneteenth event, Black History Month. He noted the need for this committee in town. He cited a recent 
speaker (a graduate professor) at an event that spoke of how as an African -American, she had not had a 
teacher that was black until graduate school. He observed that these are experiences that would not 
otherwise be evident to others. He emphasized the importance of these events. 
J. Beckham elaborated on the High Holidays event that A. Rapoport had mentioned and she noted how 
there were four rabbis and a priest present. It was the first event of that kind in Canton to honor the 
Jewish High Holidays and it also served as a recognition of holocaust survivors. It was a great experience 
for all. 
A. Rapoport told the MPIC about the gay pride event that the CDEI Committee had organized. It was 
held at the Canton Public Library and was attended by, among others, State Representative William 
Galvin. The Select Board made a proclamation and students from the Galvin Middle School and Canton 
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High School performed. He also praised the GSA clubs at the middle school and high school levels for 
providing support for LGBTQ+ students and raising awareness about their rights and concerns while 
building confidence in their identities. He said the event was well attended and he spoke on how it 
brought the community together. 
L. Lopez announced that there would be an event at the Canton Public Library that upcoming Sunday 
where attendees would discuss how an online information portal could be created to assist new families 
in Town services, businesses, and other opportunities. She encouraged the CDEI Committee members to 
attend. 
L. Lopez also noted that diversity in the town is not reflected in its government leadership or committee 
membership and she added that it would be great if there could be a better representation of the 
town's diversity in these elected and appointed Town positions. She encouraged outreach to try to find 
members of the community that are willing to serve in those roles while also increasing the diversity of 
the Town's boards and committees. 
J. Beckham agreed that more diversity in government would be great and that she would pass the 
information regarding the upcoming information portal event to CDEI Committee members. 
E. Mauro felt that both of the ideas mentioned by L. Lopez were great ideas. He noted that having a one 
place directory or source to learn about Town services and other opportunities would not only be 
helpful to new residents but also existing residents who may be unaware of these opportunities. He said 
this would reduce the cost of information by being more targeted and direct than the broader Town 
website. 
J. Amrhein asked about the possibility of hiring a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer to further 
support the current efforts of the CDEI Committee. He also positively noted that expression of diversity 
in Canton is at an all time high. He also supported L. Lopez's comment about more diversity and 
inclusion in elected and appointed officials. 
J. Beckham explained when and where the CDEI Committee meets and spoke about the rainbow flags 
and progress flags that have been distributed and displayed that promote inclusion in Canton. 
A. Rapoport noted how the Canton Public Library has a diverse selection of books for residents to read 
and that the collection represents a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 
A. Rapoport also listed the current members of the CDEI Committee and he noted that an upcoming 
program that the CDEI Committee, and he specifically, is working on is an event to honor Native 
Americans and their long history that pre -dates others in America. 
J. Amrhein and J. Beckham discussed the prospect of student ambassadors and the fact that CDEI 
Committee is already working on that. 
E. Mauro noted that there are many vacancies on committees, so the diversity that L. Lopez suggested 
could in many cases be done just by filling those vacancies. L. Lopez and E. Mauro agreed that the 
citizen -at -large vacancy on the MPIC could be a good candidate for this. 
J. Amrhein emphasized the importance of involving police and fire departments In diversity and related 
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