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Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=rqwlREfNiMw

Part: 1

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[clears throat] >> Everybody, let's get started. On first on the agenda is public comment. Anybody in the audience have anything they wanted to bring up to our attention? They have a 2-minute time limit. No, moving on. Uh no meeting minutes at this time.

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Um no emergency certifications, no requests for certificate of compliance. We have three outstanding enforcement orders, the sludge landfill, which is continued to 8 10 2026. And [clears throat] then we have a 9 Crawford Street, which is monitoring.

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So, we're going to continue that. >> [clears throat] >> Um but somebody here make a motion to continue that monitoring and let's just um let's just do 8 24. Make that motion. Somebody like to second it? Second. All in favor? >> Aye. >> And a cease and desist on 86 Linwood

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Street and an EO hearing scheduled for tonight. Is somebody here to represent 86 Linwood? State your name for the record, please. >> My name is Charles Karen from Karen Environmental Consulting. And we have another Brian Duffy here tonight. That works.

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>> Okay. >> Okay. Um as you're aware, we had a since our last meeting here, we had a slight walk, which several of not all of you were at. Um based on um

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the discussions we had during that, I modified the original respiration thing and put the areas where the different measures are proposed on the the site plan that the engineer had prepared. Um I also did a little more research just

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trying to put getting more information, put things in context. I looked at the historical aerial photographs, which went back to 1938. And um the historical USGS USGS quad maps,

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which I was surprised went back to 1893. Um So, basically, those were show the aerial photographs showed this area to be field um up until Well, it's a little hard to

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1968, it shows it is it's open, but it doesn't look like it's like putting hay field or anything anymore. Looks like there's even brush coming in or goldenrod or something like that in there. Um

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By 1971, it's clearly open. It's an overgrown field. The next one it shows anything it just was 2009. You can see trees crisscrossed everywhere from the 2008 ice storm. Um and then by when you get to 2018, that had been cleared

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and cleared to the extent that it is now. Um >> Do you know who did the clearing in 2018? >> What's that? >> Who did the clearing in 18? >> I hired a guy off Craigslist. >> Okay.

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>> Um the historical quad maps are actually more interesting maybe. Um From 1893 to 1944, they had the stream mapped in the right flowing in the right direction as where they

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Now they it shows a perennial stream flowing um and across um Union Street down into the pond and in the wrong direction, but from 1893 to 1944 they had this that shows a stream

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flowing in the right direction. Then from the 1946 to 1979 there wasn't any stream even shown in the quad maps. And then starting in 1988 they have it mapped going in the wrong direction. Throughout most of that time

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up until 1979 the quad map showed this whole area there was no forest other than going forward from there more and more of it being shown as forest and versus >> It is worth noting that on a lot of the USGS series they basically just take the

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forest or just not forest from previous editions. So I would not place any credence at all on that. >> Right. And a lot of the revisions they do on quad maps they don't even look at things like that. >> All right. >> That's what we have. Um so basically based on what we talked

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about and what we came up identified maybe seven different areas that need restoration work. One not one of those areas up in this location early in the spring people were worried that the lake got a little bit

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of erosion from the runoff coming off the road. Um but when we did the site walk that was very thick with vegetation with grass now. I don't think there's anything that needs to be done there at this point. Um

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I identified this area one is where um we'll place some clearing and into the the bordering vegetated wetland line which is right here. And then there's some rock and I guess I'd say boulders in there that what what they had in there.

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Um So basically basically in this area we're recommending using an excavator and not going into because reaching in from the upland pulling those boulders out and moving them probably all the way across the

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field to the the fire edge. Get them out of there. Um If you recall that woodland is very rocky, almost solid rock. Um So, trying to plant anything in there was going to be almost impossible and I

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think we're going to very quickly grow out of the natural vegetation. Um So, we're proposing planting anything in there, but there is a lot of There are a lot of invasive species in that whole

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system. So, we want to make sure that the the naturally vegetating vegetation can get established above above the invasive species throughout that area. The invasive species, especially

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I think it was mostly poison oak and blackberry um needs to be controlled. [clears throat] Um The second area is the 30-ft zone along that GBW. Um If you recall a portion of a variably

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there's a four or five red oaks that are still in there. And then um kind of a variable width that is still have the natural the pre-existing soil and um lower herbaceous vegetation still there,

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then you get into the area that was um planted with grass. And the upper half or two-thirds of that area. Um in here is proposing basically three zones of plantings. Um Throughout this plan I picked species

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that are obviously native species that are fairly common in this area and then are things that are recommended for pollinators. Um Make sure that the soil >> Would they be wetland plants or pollinators?

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>> Um I was looking for things with pollinators. A lot of these are Actually, one of them is facultative wetland plants anyways. It'll grow in these you know, in that transition zone from the uplands to wetlands. So, it should have no problem growing there.

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Um You know, basically looking at um Where am I here? I didn't screw that up. Okay, I'm sorry. I was looking at the I was reading my plan thinking I didn't screw that up. Um so, basically looking at a row of black tupelo

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um along the edge. That's a Basically, a tree species that's pretty common in wetlands around here. >> What was So, what's in this area and all the other areas? What can you tell us what was there originally? What was removed? >> We're not We're not

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creating a pollinator wetland. We're trying to restore something that was there previously. >> Yeah, I don't like hearing it all in rows and stuff. I mean, we shouldn't be >> Yeah, I think it was multiflora rose and then glossy buckthorn and gray birch. Things like that. Probably some of the aspen, probably

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some red maple. >> Why aren't you putting those back? >> Well, most of what I just listed are non-native species. So, we don't >> I know, but the but the red maples and gray birch Tom, go ahead and answer. >> Um >> I'll go ahead and answer it.

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>> I'm trying to I think it's a chance to make it better. You know, with the gray birch is a very short-lived species that is common all around. So, if it's you know, [clears throat] not as much Um so, again, red maple is really abundant too. Um,

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so I'm just trying to pick things that are going to add some species diversity. Um, that it provide good wildlife habitat. What is it with the better than red maple? Um, you know, like the >> This isn't what's fine there before it was cut. >> Right. >> I guess I Well, I don't think it was

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>> It's fine. >> All right, we'll we'll get there. >> Hold on, two minutes anyways. >> So, sorry sorry to interrupt. >> Oh, no, it's okay. So, uh, I have a couple of things if possible. Um, so a bunch of trees were removed and you're planting really small little stuff. That's the first thing. I don't really like that.

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You're planting things under 3 ft. >> Yep. >> Don't like that. You're removing trees and you're planting like I I don't like the species that you have. Tupelo's great for that. Um, but you're talking about little ones. I don't like that. >> Well, I Here's what I think. I just think and I'm just going to be my

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opinion and that's just my opinion. I think we're here and um, we're trying to say that it's for bees, right? But when you Google or AI and anything you can read upon bees, they don't really want flat open space. >> Mhm. >> But this whole discussion, everything

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you talked about is to maintain uplands for as pollinator habitat for raising bees. I can't find anything that says, "Oh, yeah, make everything wide open especially can." Now you're putting blueberries and all kinds of other stuff in there. It's great, but that's not what it's about. I want wetlands plants.

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I don't want anything else, but I want something that's going to be bigger, that's going to put the shade back in there and bring it back to where it was. You're proposing a nice planting in rows and all this stuff that's going to bring in animals in. >> Right. >> That's a wetlands too. That's that's what it's supposed to be first.

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And that's my concern. You're putting everything that's going to bring mammals and animals and turkeys and everything else in and it's it's that's not what it's about. I want my wetlands back that was taken away. I mean, am I missing the >> I'm >> There's something in here I'm not

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just saying it doesn't it should be they should be bigger trees in here than three foot shrubs. >> My okay I'll go through my my plan when this is over 40 years now. My experience is that with the bigger plant you put in the more survival you

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have. Um. The less plant you can afford to put in there's a whole bunch of factors. >> I don't care about the cost. >> That's not >> Yeah we can't we can't look at it like that. >> I just I feel when we're doing something like this we're

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we're setting the starting in a certain successional staging going from there um. You put in the the smaller plantings I have found much better survival than those than when you put big ones in. That's my >> Right so

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would you be comfortable with six foot? Three foot doesn't do it. I'm sorry. >> I get nervous when people say well we want eight and a half caliber trees and things like that. You don't have the roots and then you've got to dig need a backhoe to dig the >> Well they took backhoes to get the stumps out.

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>> Yeah no I I know just I I understand what you're >> But for the tupelo like tupelo should be six feet. Otis six feet bush. >> They'll grow fine. >> Yeah the stuff will grow fine. I just species selection I don't have a problem with. >> Three foot. >> Mhm. >> No.

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>> Yeah it's going to take forever to >> That's what I'm saying. >> Especially blackgum doesn't grow that fast. >> No they grow they'll grow well there but we're trying to recreate something back a little bit more than three decades from now. >> Mhm. >> I >> [clears throat] >> just want to I'd like to rather see some bigger ones in there. >> Okay.

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Yeah stone is six feet in the spring. >> Perfectly. >> Why don't you give us why don't you give us a a planting plan as well like draw all the shrubs out like you know, it would be a little easier than >> Okay. >> That way we're actually seeing where you're going to go with everything, what size it's going to be, put the key on there. I kind of thought that's what we

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were getting. I like that you did a good job in describing it, but it sounds to me like you're going to be growing these rows and I just don't think I'm what I'm reading is for what I what I expected to see. I think you're trying to do the right thing. I think the property owner is trying to do the right thing. Um

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but I think this whole thing is not for the needs of raising the bees. >> Mhm. I mean, honestly, it's not much different than I >> My neighbors have bees and they have the driveway clear and that's it. >> Yeah. No, I they pollinate a whole bunch of things.

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>> I know, but the whole place was cleared out and it keeps saying for the raising of bees and I it's not what it's for. Go ahead. >> Can I just ask another question? So, I know in um section area one, you say remove the boulders and area two, you say remove or remove the boulders. It's confusing and

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I don't really understand it. >> Well, I kind of think it thought that's kind of what we talked about out there that people want to My feeling was My feeling was we have a boulder sitting on the wetland out there, it's taking up space in the wetland where something should be growing. Um you

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could argue the same thing along this edge except they're not it's not in a wetland in I mean, the boulders in the crevices and things actually provide some habitat. Um I just thought that's It's more It's

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more trees in there. >> Well, you're providing any shade or >> I mean, I just look at these photos of this line of rocks that weren't there before. >> Right. >> And you're just saying leave them. >> I think we should hear what someone else has >> But but in the forested area, you're saying take them back out. And that's the only thing I'm It's confusing to say

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one area you do and one area you don't. >> I was just doing I was just looking at the wetland versus non-wetland. Um and so that >> Isn't that both kind of wetland areas? >> It's all within the buffer zone anyway. >> That's what I'm asking. >> No, I know. >> I think you give us a plan of what rocks you want to keep, where you're going to

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put plants, what the heights are going to be, and take it from there. The rest of the stuff, I think we can go over the whole thing as as a a commission, but I mean, you're planting some grass, you're planting some, you know, some wild mix in certain areas. Um

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but I think we need to be more discussion about what's going to happen when the pond when the pond fills up again, are we going to have the same thing 10 years from now? The next commission [clears throat] members that are here after us going to be going around the same thing, and what's the overall maintenance plan of this place? There's a lot more to be discussed.

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Thanks for the two weeks. >> Yeah, basically. >> Well, he tried to bench the years. >> Yeah, but but what is the plan for it? I mean, he says pulling, but >> For years I know it's hard. I it's just really challenging. That's the only thing. >> Yeah, and I it definitely is a challenge out there. I mean, you sound like you're >> I mean, the challenge I feel I'm up against

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right now is trying to figure out what to do long-term. I kind of addressed the problem areas of this when you put in the plan. >> Yeah. >> Until we can figure out what we're going to call this stream, that changes what you could or could not approve under

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water conditions. And the notice and temp filing significantly. Um >> I can go out and get some third-party quotes and come back and get a third-party or second person to come in and core that whole area and see what all the soils are. Have you done that yet yourself? >> What's that?

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>> Have you soil sampled all through there? >> Yeah. Yeah, I don't have one. They just put a flying in mid-stream so on both sides of it makes sense. Um >> Well, that's where we could find out what it is and we could do a longer study on the on the the stream. >> Well, the stream

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Like I said, the the stream the two are out of drought. I can't I can't come to you and say it has stopped flowing for four days during a non-drought period. Um I'd be shocked if that thing is running big

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when you consider how small it is and tributary area. >> Current intermittent stream. >> So, you've done soil analysis in all those fill areas there along the western edge of the pond. Cuz how are you going to know >> That was all That was >> How are you going to know what was there

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and then what got mixed mixed up? >> Well, the pond is If you look back at the the aerial photos, the pond is there in the same configuration it was in. >> Yeah, but I mean the fill areas between area two and area five. >> along that fill.

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>> Yeah. >> [clears throat] >> You did soil analysis of all of that? That wasn't mentioned in here. >> fill, yeah. >> It's definitely fill, yeah. >> You can see >> see it, yeah. >> Yeah, I think you and I identified some of those areas where it might be fill or it might be just dragging up and building the bank. >> Yes.

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>> My feeling was it wasn't any Along this edge of the pond, when we looked at it, I don't think there was any fill in there. >> I think that's all That's all dredge. >> It's all dredge. >> But I suppose the story putting plants plantings on that to get it stable and This area here is a little harder to

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define exactly. It looks like the fill went right up to the edge here. Maybe in a couple feet. So, just to be conservative, I was saying pull it back 8 ft and make that 8-ft skirt. Walk along to here. Um

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Along this edge wasn't actually There's no filling. It was >> No. >> Basically vegetation and then as the as the stones came out of there. >> Hm. Well, I think I mean >> Go ahead, Brian. >> Well, so my question is related to the intermittent [clears throat] versus perennial and

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you know, please correct me if I'm if I'm misunderstanding what the regulations are but um but the intermittent versus perennial comes down to a 200-ft buffer and perennial 100-ft buffer with is >> Well, so 200-ft It's a resource area

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>> Right. Right. Okay. Yeah, thank you. So, you know, even if we assume that this is an intermittent wetland, and it very well may be, we still have a 100-ft buffer zone around that purchase in our jurisdiction.

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Prior to 2000 and I don't know what I don't know what year it was, 18 or whatever it >> 18, that was all forested. >> But or wooded, that whole slope um where you have a wet past 100-ft zone. So, why don't your your Why doesn't your plan go up to 100-ft buffer?

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Um >> Because I don't think any commission would say, "Oh, yeah, you want to cut that for the habitat? Go right ahead." >> Um We This is still in our jurisdiction, all of this. And it was This was all This was all wooded prior to the appeal here.

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>> Um basically, the intent is once we can clarify the stream status, then we'll be able to notice the 10 to get approval to keep this as stream. >> Which Why do we want to keep it as field if Brian just said it would have trees? The This That's the That's >> That's what Landowner wants, it's his

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property to use. And then you approve every hearing you have, you're approving work in the buffer zone that is a million times more intensive than taking something and >> to That's my street. Yeah, but that's because they clear-cut the area in 2018. So, we want it back what it looked like

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before that. >> But he has a right not to have it that way. You can You can convert forest to to a field under the regulations. >> Not if Not if it was forested in the past 5 years. >> No. >> The date it was It was called It was

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forested back to 71 to 3. >> You have a right to make a field out of forest in here. >> Yeah, with the proper >> We need We need your approval. >> With the proper permits, it can be done. But that's the That right is gone if you didn't do it with permits. That's That's the difference, and we know that's the That's the case. >> Well, DEP has always said, and the the

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law is, that you don't have to restore something back to let's say in this case restore it back to forest then come back here and file to wait that all out and turn it back to >> Show me that Show me the regs where they where where that comes into play where they said you don't have to. >> Okay, we'll be back with the attorney.

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>> Yeah, well well the also >> We're trying to work with you but >> Well, we're not going to work with >> We're not saying that you know what you want to get an attorney? >> Go ahead. >> No, I >> No, he threatened >> I don't want to do that. >> Charles if you want to do that you just said it if that's your plan go ahead we're trying to work with you on it. >> I don't want to do that. >> Your your client over there is saying

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no. If you want to get an attorney you just said it then then we'll close the hearing if you want to do that. >> client has not said that to me. Don't >> I'm sorry. Sorry. We We've all walked it. We're trying to be flexible here and I think we all agreed when we were on site let's do the right thing and that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to figure that

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course of action out. >> Yeah, I I was you know I was thinking of 100 buffers on. It's you know I'm not saying you have to restore forest but no more mowing. Where did it go back to? And I'm not saying that's that's just one option. Um it's not all.

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>> Well, you actually >> Well, my client and I have had discussions about what how that you'd want to manage that as a field um and it's not like pay field in other words mow it every 2 to 3 years type of cycle just to keep it in grasses

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and herbaceous vegetation. Um >> Come back with a plant planting plan show it on a drawing show what rocks can come out of there without causing a lot of damage and then come back with a plan for maintenance on the whole area and and then we'll [clears throat] take it from there. >> I'm sure if you can't I mean we're in a drought.

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Right? We all agree. So, what's the right thing to do here when we're in a drought? Wait? Do we do that? Do we get some plantings in there and as a start and see where it goes when we actually come back to another >> That's that's what I thought we would to fix the critical areas. >> Well, I mean, we're we're we're kind of

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just talking about all of it. So, go ahead Brian. >> Well, Mr. Chairman, I was you know, for the expeditious review of all this in the future, I'm wondering if we could um do before the um before the a new plan is made or drawings are made, should we go through

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the rest of these and say, "Okay, this is what we're thinking." >> Okay. I mean, it's pretty much the same thing. We've got those the three inch shrub plantings in there. Um this is the area that is definitely filled. Um it's a few inches sitting on top of

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that and really rocky soil. So, basically, that needs to just That all needs to be excavated by hand and come off of there and um it's a pretty [clears throat] small area. Just proposing seeding that with the the wetland seed mix.

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Um the area around the pond, we've got that whatever we call it, jetty. Um that has to come out and then this entire bank needs to be planted with

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the shrubs that we put the plants in. And again, a lot of that bank now is pretty much 100% lost of ground. So, that's going to have to get pulled and cut back constantly to allow to get the plantings a chance.

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Um This is that area of fill right near the uh the spillway where we're proposing bringing it back eight feet and sloping it up. Planting that with the wetland plants. Um And area six is the spillway,

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which is basically stone, but which you know, stone riprap gravel like it should be, but I don't think there's enough in there cuz there's a little bit of erosion at times, it looks like. So, I'm proposing to get this more stone put in there to keep that stable.

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Uh in area seven is that that southern bank of the berm, that one. It looks like it was not filled but just scraped up in some way. So you have to re-vegetate that. >> That's going to be

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like a grass and then shrubs. Shallow shallow root. I just put very light shrubbery there. So we got green green or something. Uh on area four, this is the mow path wide to 6 ft to maintain walk path. Can you please show me where that mow path >> Well, that would just be

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basically running along with the top of that berm. >> Okay. And why do you want that? >> Just so you walk there and walk around the pond. That's what they've been doing. I just >> I'm looking to change up that.

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I had a question about that myself. I didn't know why you needed it either. Um but All right. What what Do you have any uh questions anybody? >> [snorts] >> So we're going to come back with a with a a planting plan showing on the drawing

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which rocks you can pick out, which ones can't, some type of a maintenance program. And >> I mean it's over 5 ft tall. >> Yeah. >> I mean it's 6 ft. >> Yeah. So give us a key. Hey, this going to be 3 ft, this will be 6 ft, this rock we think we can pick out with a thumb and get it out of the way without

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causing any damage. And then uh take it from there. >> So what does what does the rest of the commission think about that? I'm actually in this particular conservation commission for a year and a half and I've been in Los Angeles for a good seven or eight now. I've never had a uh I don't know how many acres of this property was. Two or three acres all

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that. >> On stone. >> Who is going to do the planning? >> Yeah. >> I personally wouldn't have I I I could add some wiggle room with it. My issue is that it's being presented to us as a restoration plan and if I was presenting this to a commission, I would specifically be

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asking about this area just the same as if the homeowner had wanted to do this initially through us, they would have been requesting that. Whereas with your plan, it almost it's not snuck in, but it almost feels like it's just kind of put in there. >> Why don't you guys

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It shouldn't feel snuck in. You I mean, I addressed that right off in the my narrative was you know, kind of what the rationale of what we're doing is saying we need to file a new physically for anything that's not going to get turned back to woods, we have to file a notice of intent and get your approval

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to do that. I mean, it all hinges on this stream. >> Because I feel he has a right to use this as a field under the regulations. If it's riverfront area,

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that you'd be able to use that as a field becomes much more limited. >> So, >> I I would be like to I'd like to see who's going to do the planting, too. I don't think you should leave that up to the homeowner. It should be a somebody can do that.

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It's a professional to do all that planting. >> Yeah, and talk about what the percentage you expect to survive and replace and how often. Charlie, do you need to the 10th or the 24th to get all this taken care of? So, I mean, if you go to the 24th, that's about a month out.

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>> I got to check my calendar. >> I think I'm on vacation the 24th. >> So, it's to the 24th. >> [laughter] >> He's joking. >> I did I That's okay. >> Do you want to push it to that next one? >> That would be August.

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>> Uh yeah, the 10th or the 24th. we're into what we've talked about I think I can have sorted out for the 10th. >> Okay. It sound like to make a motion to continue the E O hearing until August 10th our next meeting. >> I'll make that motion.

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>> Someone to second that motion? >> All in favor? All right, thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right, next is on the hearings is an RDA the Gardner Conservation Commission hold a public hearing under MGL Chapter 131 Section 24 the Wetlands Protection

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Ordinance of the city I'm sorry Protection Act in City of Gardner Wetlands Protection Ordinance and Notice of Determination. >> [clears throat] >> I've been reviewed by Amen Ebron. The project is located at 282 Brookside Drive Gardner. It's map H37-10-12

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for the proposed tree removal with portion of the work to set to occur within jurisdictional setbacks of several nearby wetland resource areas. Somebody here to represent? >> Yeah. >> How you doing? State your name for the record. >> I'm sorry. >> State your name, please.

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>> I'm Benny Klein. >> All right, just kind of go over I know you have came before us before. Do you have a plan or anything you want to go over? >> Uh last time you asked me to mark the trees on the ground so we did. >> Yep. And you marked everything? >> I did mark it and I will send it to >> Send to you. >> I mean to you.

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>> Uh Jason will see you. >> Yeah. >> And both of them for idea and said they did everything again and he sent them to our office to drop off? >> So we want to do a site visit just take a look at those. Um is that something we can do on our own if you need to be notified or something we can see from the street? Do we have permission to go

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on your property? >> Yeah, you can. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> That's what you said. >> Yeah, go ahead. >> How many trees? >> It's about I think seven or eight trees. >> And it has a little blue mark on it. Is that what you did? >> It has a little blue uh >> Is that what you marked it? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.

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>> So we we need to get a date and a time that we can go or some people can go. Is that something What do you guys want to propose so we have it out there when I don't live or I can't really get here anytime before 4:00 or 5:00. So if you guys can go during the day then we can

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go at night and have a time but >> Well, we can do that tomorrow. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> What time tomorrow? >> Uh 6:00 in the morning. How's that? >> [laughter] >> Well, you're asking me or him? >> I'm in. >> Can you guys Can you guys do later in the week?

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>> Like uh >> They're already doing a couple of other things. >> Oh, I'm going to take her around show her different things in the >> Okay. >> We're going to do >> It's a field walk. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> What time works for you guys tomorrow? >> 9:00 10:00? >> Uh 10:00. How about 10:00? >> 10:00? >> 10:00 okay. >> 10:00? >> I'm sure. >> Yeah. >> Okay.

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>> All right. >> My good. >> And then yeah, some of the others might come by so if you see a car out there it's probably just us looking around. Okay, but the official walk the official site visit will be tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And this is you have a >> They mapped them out.

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>> Why can I not think of it? A trampoline out there too, right? >> As the trampoline it's behind them here. >> It's and the trees are right like >> They're right in front of them. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Would uh someone like to make a motion to continue this meeting until the site visit is conducted tomorrow? Um

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move it to the August 10th meeting. >> Yeah. I'll I'll make that motion. >> Someone to second that motion? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> So, we're going to go out through our site visit on the 10th. We'll make a determination. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> It's a great survey. After the after the

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site visit, we'll make a determination. >> Yeah, they'll they'll look at it and report to us. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> The next is the NOI um for DEP 1600-681. The Gardner Conservation Commission will hold a joint public hearing under the

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MGL chapter 131, section 40, Wetlands Protection Act. The city of Gardner Wetlands Protection Ordinance on a request for an amendment of an order of conditions filed by the Gardner Engineering on behalf of Gamma Incorporated at 208 Pearl Street, Gardner. It's DEP 1600-681.

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It proposed 7,400 square foot building with associated parking and stormwater infrastructure and associated utilities to the 27 Green Street. It's uh map R 21 uh R 42-21-1. Just to get everybody up to speed, we had uh comments back from uh Rob Oliva

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um in town and he had no issues with him with that pizza. Is there any further? >> Nope. That was That's it. >> But he asked to be asked at the last meeting, so we We spoke to Rob about it. >> Yeah, he is pretty quick. Yeah, it's great. >> He didn't want to play phone tag phone tag, and I was like, I'll just email

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him. >> Yeah. >> So, it was in in writing. >> Okay, anybody have any further questions or comments? Would someone like to make a motion to close the hearing? >> I'll make that motion. >> Would someone like to second that? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> All right. Um any other issuances of any other order

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of conditions or anything that we need to add to this amendment? >> No, I don't I don't think there is any. >> No. >> Um so, would someone like to make a motion to approve the amendment for the water um and well work that has been proposed by West? >> I'll make the motion.

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>> Would someone like to second that motion? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> Thank you, guys. >> Thanks. We'll get to see you for our site visit. >> Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> We'll be out there in August. Did you can to the skillers? And they said they'd be out there in August to do the work so. >> Thank you. >> We'll let Jason know. >> Cool.

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>> Appreciate it. >> Thanks, boss. The next is um the continuance for 170 Mill Street. If someone can make a motion to continue this uh until October 26th 2026. >> I'll make that motion. >> Someone to second that motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> New business, request for amendment on

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this uh order of conditions for DEP 0677. Anybody have any comments or questions on that? >> I would >> Well, that's Well, it's going to be uh scheduled for hearing on the 10th, but we're just kind of going over it. >> Yeah. >> Um >> Sorry, which one is this?

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>> That's for the National Grid. >> Oh, parking the vehicle? >> For the equipment. >> Yeah. [clears throat] I mean, so >> We really can't go over it. I'm just >> Yeah. I mean, my my my question on that was um you know, reading it like >> It's not a hearing, so I really can't get into it, but I'm just letting you

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guys know what the comments on it, so. Um yeah, next one is a new business update for new agent. Uh we've been continuing to get some resumes in. We haven't had anybody that's completely qualified. We did have two more interviews last week that I attended, and um one was pretty good. Um

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one was great. Uh neither of them have DEP experience for this role, nor are they um The one that was probably very well qualified with his education um didn't have really any local experience, plant identification,

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process, DEP NOI, all that fun stuff. So, um we did request some additional information from that applicant, and we're still waiting to get that in. Once we do, kind of spread it out to you guys, and and then we reposted on the MACC website, and we have not received any um comments or questions.

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>> Quick how many how many more resumes did you get? >> I'm just curious. It was like 15 or something right? >> They said they said 5 to 15. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Maybe I didn't count. >> Yeah, they interviewed uh five of the 15 so far, and then three of them, right?

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Cuz you did one, I did two. So, three of these did second rounds, but nothing that is, you know, going to walk right in and take the heavy load that we have. And then, we're trying to find someone that, you know, that doesn't need all the training cuz obviously everyone's pretty busy. And it's a very active commission. And we've all heard it. And

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then, our MACC functions at Gardner is very active. And it's a big lift for someone coming in that's never done before. >> Exactly. >> Absolutely. >> So, we're trying to continue that. Um agent report, there is an agent report. Um professional development, you know,

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MACC is coming. But actually, go go back to the to the search for the new agent. Um do we hire somebody Can we hire someone using WAP funds to go and find somebody? Like a a search company that would go out and

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find somebody? >> I'm assuming >> Yeah, exactly. >> We have all that We have all that money. I don't know why. >> I don't believe you. Yeah, it's for this. >> I know. I just don't know if it's the if the city of Gardner allows that, but >> Would >> I think that we need to let the post get

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out there a little bit more before it was out there and it pulled off pretty quickly. So, I need to get some guidance um from the town or the city to see if we can use some of those funds and hire someone to go >> Yeah. >> locate some qualified applicants. So, uh Jason's off today, but I'll get in touch

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with him and >> Yeah. >> I'll try to get in touch with him. So, I'll do it >> I mean, they're restricted funds. They're restricted funds, but >> Yeah, no, but we're asking like this. So maybe >> We got enough money there. >> Yeah. Do we know um uh how the total pay package in Gardner

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compares to other comparable comparably active towns. And if And And if we were say we were to sweep that or raise that, you know, can those funds be used for that too? >> We can use the funds to pay out in a salary, [clears throat] um but Jason and I did some research and a couple of the towns are pretty close

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to what we're offering. So, it's it's not on the higher side, but it's comparable to other cities and towns in the area. So, yeah, we did talk about that. We talked talked about it a little bit when you were there, right? >> who is Yeah, we didn't talk about it We We were wondering. >> Yeah, yeah. >> Of just agent stuff?

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>> It's hard to find a role that's posted that has a similar job uh requirement than ours. So, that's the hard part. But, you know, Jason's been very vocal on holding back the all the other roles and responsibilities to strictly conservation for a while and I

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appreciate that. And he's done a great job. Jason has attended all the interviews with us, so >> Great. >> And he's been working all late in the afternoon, so I think that he has been great too. >> I mean, I think that I think that if I was going to get I would like that ability to get more into the planning because it's growth.

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>> Yeah, exactly. Yeah. >> I know. Yeah. So, with the the MACC coming up, then our next meeting says corrections on here. Our next meetings are August 10th and August 20 24th. Anybody else have any have anything else

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they want to go over? Someone like to make a motion to end tonight's hearing. >> I'll make a motion. >> Someone to second that motion? >> I'll second. >> All in favor? >> All right.