Canton, Massachusetts · Saved source text

MasterPlan-20241015T181015

Master Plan Implementation Committee · Source year folder: 2023 · Record 81173

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Master Plan Implementation Committee Meeting Minutes 
March 16, 2023, 7:00-9:00 p.m. 
Via Zoom 
Master Plan Implementation Committee Members present: Joseph Amrhein (Planning Board), Lisa Lopez 
(Select Board), Bob MacDonald (Conservation Commission), Emilio Mauro (Finance Committee), Kristian 
Merenda (School Committee), and Mike Nourse (Historical Commission) 
Master Plan Implementation Committee Members not present: Alan Rapoport (Economic Development 
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: Diane Tynan, Director of the Department of Elder and Human Services, and Janet Walrod, Chair 
of the Council on Aging. 
INTRODUCTIONS 
Chair Emilio Mauro called the Master Plan Implementation Committee (MPIC) meeting to order at 7:05 
p.m. and welcomed and introduced ail those present. 
DISCUSSION OF MASTER PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS 
E. Mauro explained the mission of the Master Plan Implementation Committee and the background of 
how the current Town Master Plan was developed and what is included within the Master Plan. He 
displayed a Frequently Asked Questions page that is included within the Meeting Documents section of 
these minutes. 
E. Mauro then presented the Canton Master Plan Strategic Framework 2020-2025 and walked the 
participants through an overview of the strategic focus areas, action items, responsible parties, and time 
frames included in that aforementioned document. 
DISCUSSION OF SHARED PRIORITIES WITH THE DEPARTMENT of ELDER and HUMAN SERVICES and 
COUNCIL on AGING 
E. Mauro reviewed the identified shared priorities between the Master Plan and the Department of 
Elder and Human Services / Council on Aging that were included in the displayed document entitled 
"Canton Master Plan Action Items & Department of Elder and Human Services Shared Priorities 2020- 
2025", which is included in the Meeting Documents section of these minutes. He also explained the 
methodology behind these items being included, provided suggestions, and, in some cases, he noted the 
current status of implementation or other background information. 
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D. Tynan thanked the MPIC and noted that communication is important and pointed out that the 
Department of Elder and Human Services (DEHS) regularly meets with several other Town departments 
and boards as part of a committee. She stated that transportation including the bus fleet is important to 
provide residents with mobility and that there is a connection to the Canton Food Pantry to help allow 
residents to access that important resource. She discussed the expanding role of the DEHS in recent 
years and how the pandemic accelerated that process. 
There was a brief discussion of the growing issues of inflation and housing costs and how those issues 
have affected demand for DEHS services and the increased public need for connection to other services. 
In addition, it has changed how the DEHS can provide assistance to residents due to changing conditions 
and regulations (such as outside emergency housing being prioritized over Canton residents first at the 
Canton Housing Authority). 
J. Walrod, as the Chair of the Council on Aging (CoA), added that the Canton Senior Center needs 
additional space to support the mission and programs that the facility provides. This expansion is critical 
for providing the human services for which the center is needed. This could be satisfied by space 
elsewhere or expanding the current building or acquiring abutting land. There was then some discussion 
regarding the facility needs for the Canton Senior Center and possible ways to add to the building or 
increase the property size to include additional space. 
D. Tynan agreed with the need for more space, especially with growing demand in the future. 
E. Mauro asked if the current location of the Canton Senior Center is geographically well positioned for 
future investment in the site or if, ideally, DEHS and CoA would prefer a better location in town. There 
was then some discussion of the pros and cons of the site. 
There was also a discussion of funding sources for Canton Senior Center improvement projects or if 
state reimbursement for such projects is available. 
The challenges for elders, and others, to navigate various application processes for services and how the 
DEHS and CoA assists residents with those applications was discussed. 
L. Lopez praised the DEHS and CoA for all of their work to make their programs and services available 
despite space limitations. She also noted how consistent these efforts are with the Master Plan. 
There were then a few discussions regarding some other related items including: 
• How resources are divided between programs and social services (it is about a 50-50 split), 
• How there will be a growing need for space due to an aging population overall, 
• Whether the Canton Senior Center is a magnet for out-of-town users and whether Canton 
residents can be ensured access first, 
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• The pros and cons of offsite events due to space limitations and how that could harm the sense 
of community at the center, and 
• How the Canton Senior Center works with the Canton Public Schools to coordinate volunteer 
programs and align services. D. Tynan reported that these programs are well developed. 
E. Mauro observed that having all the programs in one location with an adequate size central building 
would help the Canton Senior Center remain a community village ratherthan events being scattered 
around town. 
E. Mauro thanked the DEHS and CoA for all they do to provide these services and programs for the 
town. 
ROYALL STREET SHUTTLE SERVICE UPDATE 
G. Manning reported that the funding for the Royall Street Shuttle Service has been renewed by the 
Federal Highway Authority (FHA) and Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) through 
2024. This federal and state funding constitutes about 40% of the funding for the service, along with 
local Town funds (10% of total funds) and contributions from local participating businesses that are 
serviced by the shuttle (50% of total funds). The goals of the shuttle service are to reduce traffic on 
Route 138, reduce emissions, and assist the businesses and workforce in that area. There are future 
plans to expand the shuttle service to the Canton Commerce Center including the New Boston Road, 
John Road, and Dan Road area of the Route 138 corridor. There is currently outreach to businesses in 
that area to obtain the support and funding for that extension (there will need to be about eight 
participating businesses in that extended area to make it cost effective for the Town). 
OTHER UPDATES BY THE TOWN PLANNER REGARDING MASTER PLAN PRIORITIES 
G. Manning also reported that Tufts/Harvard Pilgrim (Points 32) donated a van to the DEHS / Council on 
Aging to support their transportation services ($60,000 donation), which helps meet the Master Plan 
goal of Town collaboration with the business community. 
G. Manning also announced that 88 Acres has also recently opened in Canton on John Road employing 
150 people and was featured in the Boston Globe on March 15. They produce granola and energy bars 
and other similar products. This helps meet the Master Plan goal of economic development in Canton 
and marketing the Town as business friendly. 
Regarding the Saint Gerard's Reuse Committee (SGRC), G. Manning explained that the SGRC had held a 
public meeting about a week earlier and an online public meeting on March 13. There has been good 
public response to the SGRC's outreach efforts including 60 attendees to the in -person public event and 
approximately 500 surveys completed online. The SGRC is continuing its work to develop 
recommendations for the Select Board regarding the future Town reuse of the property and the two 
buildings on the site (former church and rectory). 
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There was then a follow-up discussion about the route and ridership of the Royall Street Shuttle. The 
shuttle route extends from Royall Street at one end to the META Commuter Rail Station in Westwood 
and to certain MBTA Red Line Stations at the other end. It serves member businesses in the Royall Street 
area and is free to employees, or associates, of participating businesses (as a benefit) and there are up 
to 150 round trip riders on peak days (Tuesdays through Thursdays). In addition, there was a brief 
discussion of the fleet size and whether more busses would be needed if there is a route expansion to 
the Canton Commerce Center area (a separate fleet would likely be needed for the second route to 
Canton Commerce Center), 
G. Manning also told the committee about the plans being developed to participate in the Neponset 
Valley Chamber of Commerce Restaurant Week that will be held from April 30h to May 4`" with several 
Canton restaurants participating in the event. There will be further information released about this 
event through the Town Executive Office. This will also promote the Master Plan goal of advancing 
economic development in Canton. 
CANTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS UPDATE 
K. Merenda updated the MPIC regarding the recent activities of the School Department and School 
Committee. She noted that the schools are about to start their own strategic plan development with 
consultants. The plan will develop new areas of focus and make them more actionable. There will be 
significant outreach to all stakeholders ranging from parents to teachers and other parties via surveys 
and other methods. That first phase of gathering information should be completed in June and then 
more work will be done over the summer to develop that information Into action items for the strategic 
framework. There was an equity audit that was completed by the schools and those findings and 
recommendations will be incorporated in the strategic planning. There has also been a review of 
transportation needs for the schools. 
K. Merenda told the MPIC that a capital plan will follow the strategic plan to focus on the needs of the 
district's buildings (including space needs to meet the findings of the aforementioned strategic plan and 
other changes in education and workspace needs) and other capital project items. 
There was then a discussion about electric vehicle charging stations at local schools and how the schools 
are proactively looking for federal and state initiatives to fund advancements in sustainability (including 
solar panels that are already on some schools, energy saving HVAC systems, and electric vehicle 
infrastructure [including possibly at least one electric bus in the future]). Theoretical costs of some 
infrastructures were then discussed. 
There was a brief discussion on the opportunities presented by the Galvin Middle School construction 
project to demonstrate innovation and sustainability and a brief discussion about special education and 
other student services. 
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Regarding the Galvin Middle School project, K. Merenda reported that the Massachusetts School 
Building Authority (MSBA) feasibility study regarding the Galvin Middle School is ongoing. 
An organizational project management (OPM) firm called LeftField has been selected with the assistance 
of the Building Renovation Committee and the MSBA requirements are being followed. The School 
Building Committee has been formed under the direction of the MSBA regarding how it is constituted 
and has started meeting with Left Field toward selecting a designer for the school project and plan for 
community engagement and funding with a final plan for the project ready to present by the target date 
of September 2024 with a buildout and occupancy target of September 2027. In the meantime, the 
capital plan for the other buildings will be advancing on a parallel track to allow the Galvin Middle 
School project to also be put into perspective with other capital needs by the time the Town formally 
considers this project. 
E. Mauro acknowledged the School Department and School Committee for all of the work they do to 
operate the schools, which has a significant scope and scale. K. Merenda and E. Mauro briefly discussed 
the strong collaborative effort between municipal and school leaders in Canton. 
CANTON HERITAGE FESTIVAL— MAY 20, 2023 
E. Mauro announced to members that the second annual Canton Heritage Festival will be held on May 
20, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Paul Revere Heritage Site. He also asked members about the 
possibility of the MPIC participating in the event through a table in the community tent. Such 
participation would allow promotion of the Master Plan and provide a new form of direct public 
outreach for the committee. 
It was the consensus of MPIC members that it would be good for the committee to be represented at 
the event. E. Mauro has already reached out to organizers and he will confirm MPIC participation. He 
will attend and he invited any members interested in volunteering to help on that day to let him know. 
Some discussion followed regarding details of MPIC participation. There will be more discussion about 
this item at the April 20, 2023, MPIC meeting. 
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK UPDATE 
E. Mauro informed members that he had participated in the Communications Forum held on February 7 
by the Executive Office, which was an event for chairs / vice chairs of committees to discuss their 
committee progress and future goals and needs with other committee chairs / vice chairs. He noted that 
he had mentioned at that event the approaching need to update the Strategic Framework in the coming 
year or two. The current Strategic Framework used by the MPIC is for the years 2020 through 2025. His 
interpretation of this is that the years should be considered fiscal years (FY21 through FY25). As FY25 
will be the focus of the 2024 Annual Town Meeting, he felt that the MPIC might need to update the 
Strategic Framework during its 2023-24 season. If there is a full-time town planner by that point, this 
responsibility would likely fall to them. However, if that is not the case, there might need to be some 
process led by the MPIC itself to remove completed tasks, update action items, and add new goals for 
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the 2026-2030 Strategic Framework. If MPIC will need to oversee this, there will then be the need to 
consider stakeholder outreach and whether any budget might be needed to hold public events. No 
action is needed at this time, but E. Mauro wanted to raise awareness about this issue for the future. 
There was also a brief discussion about the ongoing search for a new full-time town planner and if there 
is any need for a review of the salary being offered and/or an increase of possible support staff to 
increase candidate interest in that position. 
ACCEPTANCE of MEETING MINUTES 
A motion by L. Lopez to accept the January 12, 2023, MPIC meeting minutes as written was seconded by 
B. MacDonald. The minutes were then approved by a vote of 5-0-1: 
ROLL CALL VOTE: 
Amrhein Y Mauro Y 
Lopez Y Merenda A 
MacDonald Y Nourse Y 
A motion by B. MacDonald to accept the February 9, 2023, MPIC meeting minutes as written was 
seconded by L. Lopez. The minutes were then approved by a vote of 5-0-1: 
ROLL CALL VOTE: 
Amrhein Y Mauro Y 
Lopez Y Merenda A 
MacDonald Y Nourse Y 
UPCOMING MEETINGS and FUTURE GUESTS 
The MPIC will meet again on April 20, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom and the committee selected May 18, 
2023, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom for their May meeting. 
The MPIC had previously discussed future guests and E. Mauro will proceed to invite those guests to 
future meetings in some order. 
OTHER BUSINESS 
J. Amrein asked E. Mauro about the Finance Committee's progress on the review of compensation for 
elected officials. E. Mauro reported that the Finance Committee sub -committee had completed its work 
and reported to the Finance Committee. The two main goals to come out of the sub -committee were to 
create better equity in compensation between elected committees and to eliminate the potential 
insurance liability going forward that is currently offered to compensated elected officials. There will not 
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likely be any finance Committee action on it this year due to the budget timeline and the Select Board is 
also involved regarding related policies. E. Mauro will send J. Amrein more information about it 
following the meeting. 
ADJOURNMENT 
A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by M. Nourse and seconded by L. Lopez. The motion was 
then approved by a vote of 6-0-0: 
11110]111156111ILTZ1014 I 
Amrhein Y Mauro y 
Lopez y Merenda Y 
MacDonald Y Nourse Y 
The meeting was adjourned at 8:46 p.m. 
Respectfully Submitted, 
Emilio E. Mauro, Jr. 
Chair 
Master Plan Implementation Committee 
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