- Introduction of New Town Manager and Deputy Town Council
The Arlington Select Board meeting on August 14, 2023, introduced the new Town Manager, James Feeney, and the Town’s Deputy Town Council and workers compensation agent, attorney Michael Cunningham. The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format due to COVID-19 measures and was open to public participation. - Consent Agenda Items
The board discussed several items on the consent agenda, including the removal of temporary parking restrictions, requests for special one-day beer and wine licenses, and changes to parking restrictions to support electric school bus parking at Ottoson Middle School. - Relocation of Blue Bike Station
The board discussed the relocation of a Blue Bike station to Russell Place due to safety concerns at the original location. The board expressed interest in working with the MBTA to find a better location for the station. - Appointments
The board appointed new members to the Board of Registrar of Voters, the Conservation Commission, and the Library Board of Trustees. The board expressed gratitude to all candidates who were willing to serve in various capacities. - License Approvals
The committee approved a change of license category for the Arlington restaurant and diner, a common victualler license for Zomsa, a new restaurant specializing in Nepalese cuisine, and a food vendor license for Alta Coffee Roasters, which is committed to reducing single-use plastics. - Bike Lanes on Medford Street
The board discussed the addition of bike lanes on Medford Street for safety reasons and approved the removal of on-street parking on Medford Street to accommodate the installation of bike lanes. - Special Town Meeting
The board discussed the need for a special town meeting to address changes to zoning that would bring Arlington in compliance with MBTA communities requirements and state law. The board is considering a minimum of four nights for the special town meeting, with the possibility of extending to six nights. - Updates to Bylaw
The Planning Department is preparing to submit a draft proposal for MBTA communities to the state for pre-review in the coming weeks. The Redevelopment Board is planning to have their warrant article hearings starting September 11th, with the aim of receiving feedback from the state review process early enough to make necessary changes and adjustments. - Scheduling Future Select Board Meetings
The board discussed the scheduling of future select board meetings, including the town manager’s goals session. The board confirmed meetings for September 27th and tentatively for October 11th. They also discussed scheduling regular meetings before town meetings in October and agreed to schedule a meeting for October 23rd. - Staff Announcements and CSO Issue
The committee recognized Vinny Kilcommons, who recently retired after serving in the engineering division for over 50 years, and welcomed several new hires across various departments. The committee also discussed the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) issue and suggested that the town should submit comments on behalf of Arlington and join in the request to the EPA for a real-time system with colored lights to alert people when sewage goes into pedestrian bikeways. - Meet and Greet Event
The committee announced and invited the community and fellow board members to a meet and greet event to welcome the new Town Manager. The event is scheduled to take place on September 14th, from 4:00 to 5:30 PM in the town hall gardens.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcnBgYxS8U8