Town Council - Ways & Means Committee

Braintree Town Council MEMBERS Meredith Boericke, Chairwoman Committee of Ways & Means Peter Morin, Vice-Chairman One JFK Memorial Drive Joseph Reynolds, Member Braintree, Massachusetts 02184 Julia Flaherty, Member Elizabeth Maglio, Member MINUTES Tuesday, April 1, 2025 A meeting of the Committee of Ways & Means was held in Johnson Chambers on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 6:45pm. Councilor Boericke was in the Chair. Clerk of the Council, Susan Cimino conducted the roll call. Present: Meredith Boericke, Chairwoman Peter Morin, Vice-Chairman Julia Flaherty, Member Elizabeth Maglio, Member Joseph Reynolds, Member arrived @6:47pm Also Present: Erin V. Joyce, Mayor Kara Nyman, Chief of Staff Mike Esmond, Director of Finance Peter Matcha, Director of Planning & Community Development Approval of Minutes • None Old Business • None April 1, 2025 Ways & Means Committee 1 of 5 New Business • 25 006 Mayor: FY2025 Supplemental Appropriation #2 or take up any action relative thereto (Motion #1) Chairwoman Boericke asked to take off the table Order 25 006 Motion #1. Motion by Councilor Morin to Take off the Table Order 25 006 Motion #1 Motion: by Councilor Morin to Take off the Table Order 25 006 Motion #1 Second: by Councilor Flaherty Vote: For (5 – Boericke, Flaherty, Maglio, Morin, Reynolds), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) Chairwoman Boericke stated just a reminder the committee voted in favor of Order 25 006 Motions 2 through 8 last week and we tabled Motion #1 pending legal opinion that we are waiting on. Motion #1 reads: 1. Fire Details Motion: That the sum of $895,725 be transferred from Fiscal Year 2024 Certified Free Cash to the Fire Department Details Fund (Fund 8910). At the last meeting we asked for a legal opinion on the following Motion by Councilor Morin: MOTION: I move that Fire Detail Motion 1 be Tabled and Pursuant to Councils authority under Section 2-7 I would ask that the question of whether or not the authorization of details at Clean Harbors once the emergency situation had been declared over by the state led to a violation of Section 6-9 of the Charter. I would ask for Town Solicitors opinion on that. Motion by Councilor Morin to Table Order 25 006 Motion #1 Motion: by Councilor Morin to Table Order 25 006 Motion #1 Second: by Councilor Maglio Vote: For (5 – Boericke, Flaherty, Maglio, Morin, Reynolds), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) • 25 007 Mayor: Appointment - Peter Matchak as Director of Planning & Community Development or take up any action relative thereto Mayor Joyce introduced Peter Matchak requesting a favorable vote for our new Director of Planning & Community Development. Peter Matchak stated I have been a Municipal Planner for 12 years now. I worked in Cohasset and Hanover here in the south shore. Coming up on 6 years I was with the Town of Ashland. I faced many projects. Ashland was successful in passing the MBTA Zoning. I ran all aspects of Municipal Planning and all that this job entails. Councilor Flaherty stated I am the District 1 Councilor. It is wide spread. Often there is conflict if we see commercial property close to residential. Residents get concerned about noise and back up trucks. Once its there it is challenging to manage that friction. What is your own guidance to support placing commercial properties when they are near residential. April 1, 2025 Ways & Means Committee 2 of 5 Mr. Matchak stated the biggest thing is to communicate with the residents and understanding their concerns. Business needs to occur but in a respective manner. There are mitigation factors that can take place like screening or fencing. Councilor Flaherty asked how can you build trust. Mr. Matchak stated to have meetings and inform people. Councilor Flaherty asked how do you handle meetings that mostly the people there oppose what is to be done. Mr. Matchak stated to mostly listen and give people time to give their opinion. Councilor Maglio asked if Mr. Matchak is aware of our past projects like Comprehensive Zoning Re-write, or ZOM. Mr. Matchak stated I do know there were hot topics here. Councilor Maglio asked how do you move the town forward when you have a community that comes out in opposition for years. Mr. Matchak stated I don’t know I will have the magic bullet but will try hard to move the community. Councilor Maglio you’ve got to have strategies. Mr. Matchak stated I would rely on my education and past experiences. I would look at the Master Plan and see which direction the community wants to move in. Mr. Matchak stated there is big opposition in Ashland to a 40B project. I go through and educate the people and explain what the project would mean for the town. Councilor Morin stated you were in Hanover 2014-2018. How much work did you do on Rte.53? It is similar to Granite Street here. Mr. Matchak stated a lot. I permitted Prevites and the whole redesign of the Cardinal Cushing Center which I am very proud of. Merchants Row redevelopment project I was behind that. I was part of the Hanover Crossing laying the ground work and shortly went to Cohasset. Councilor Morin asked why you left Cohasset? Mr. Matchak stated my commute was terrible and my wife was not going to move to Cohasset from Charlestown. Councilor Morin stated you did both Hanover and Cohasset at the same time when Hanover was short handed and you didn’t have to. Hanover’s experience is very similar to Braintree’s. Mr. Matchak stated before I left Cohasset I was able to rezone Cohasset harbor. Councilor Reynolds stated there are people who don’t look at what is good for the community, they look into the past. The biggest challenge is we have very dated bylaws. We tried doing a Comprehensive Rezone in 2018/2019 but wasn’t managed well the way it was rolled out. The conditions you write are going to protect the community but also protect the property, applicant and abutters. That is a huge challenge in this community. Have you had a particular project where you had very loud public whose emotions were driving the tenor of the meetings. How did you handle it? Mr. Matchak stated in Ashland there was a 146 unit mixed use development. The state sold the property and residents came out with pitch-forks. I had to iron out the mess left by the previous developer and protect the single-family homes and the development. I was able to work with everyone. I did the same in Hanover. April 1, 2025 Ways & Means Committee 3 of 5 Councilor Reynolds stated I find this a really important issue and how things get done. We really need to address a new set of bylaws. Chairwoman Boericke asked have you read Braintree’s Master Plan? Mr. Matchak stated I have not read it cover to cover. I have taken a couple looks at it. Chairwoman Boericke stated I am disappointed to hear that because right not that is our guiding document and it’s not that long. Councilor Flaherty stated words matter. Braintree calls itself the “Town of Braintree” and we are the Town Council even though we are a city. Councilor Flaherty stated there are trade-offs for development but also trade-offs for not developing. I hope you can help residents understand both of those things. Right now the understanding is very poor. I hope you can make residents understand the trade-offs broadly and with any individual project. Councilor Maglio stated there are a lack of ready materials. We need to be more resident/customer focused. This is not limited to just to Planning. There are no real guidelines for a resident to take and then follow a process. Its like they have to ask for every bit of information along the way. I understand it is hard to have a sheet that gives them all the answers but it is hard for a resident to know how to get information. Mr. Matchak stated in some communities we have check lists on what you need to do. A deck or in-law are all similar as they have to follow Chapter 40A but I am here to help the residents as they come in to get all the answers they need in one visit. I can make check lists but most importantly I will be in the office everyday and I will be able to talk to the residents to give them the answers they need to get their projects done. Councilor Reynolds asked what are you proud of. Mr. Matchak stated the best thing about municipal planning is the people you meet along the way. Councilor Maglio asked how integrated you have been with other permitting departments. Mr. Matchak stated we all work together and have weekly meetings. In Ashland I did oversee the Building Department. It was all about communication. Mayor Joyce stated him working with the building department in the past is something that can add to our team. He also just finished up a Master Plan with the same consultant we used. Chairwoman Boericke stated we are out of time and need to get to the full Council meeting. We can continue our questions in that meeting this evening. Is there a Motion? Motion read by Councilor Morin for favorable recommendation to the full Council: MOTION: Upon request of her Honor, Mayor Joyce, the Town of Braintree, through the Braintree Town Council and in accordance with Sections 2-10 and 3-3 of the Town Charter, approve the appointment of Peter Matchak as Director of Planning & Community Development. Motion: by Councilor Morin to approve Order 25 007 Second: by Councilor Maglio Vote: For (3 – Flaherty, Morin, Reynolds), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (2 – Boericke, Maglio) April 1, 2025 Ways & Means Committee 4 of 5 • 25 010 Mayor: Appointment - Emily McGinley as Community Member of the School Building Committee or take up any action relative thereto Mayor Joyce stated Councilor Hume questioned this and whether Council should vote on this appointment. It is under legal review. I believe there is not a problem to vote on it as in the Charter it stated “multi-member committee” which this is. Chairwoman Boericke stated there is also no resume with the memo. Can we get the resume and we will place this on next week’s agenda. Is there a Motion to Table this item? Motion by Councilor Morin to Table Order 25 010 MOTION: Upon request of her Honor, Mayor Joyce, the Town of Braintree, through the Braintree Town Council and in accordance with Sections 2-10 and 3-3 of the Town Charter, approve the appointment of Emily McGinley as Community Member of the School Building Committee. Motion: by Councilor Morin to Table Order 25 010 Second: by Councilor Flaherty Vote: For (5 – Boericke, Flaherty, Maglio, Morin, Reynolds), Against (0), Absent (0), Abstain (0) It was unanimously voted to adjourn the meeting at 7:23p.m. Respectfully submitted, Susan M. Cimino Clerk of the Council Documents provided for Meeting • 25 006 Mayor: FY2025 Supplemental Appropriation #2 (Motion #1) • 25 007 Mayor: Appointment - Peter Matchak as Director of Planning & Community Development • 25 010 Mayor: Appointment - Emily McGinley as Community Member of the School Building Committee April 1, 2025 Ways & Means Committee 5 of 5