The Swellesley Report

A sampling of Wellesley, Mass., meetings and agenda items for the week of Dec. 16, 2024.

See info on all upcoming town government meetings.

Planning Board (Dec. 16, 6:30pm, online)

Annual Town Meeting warrant articles, including Addressing Prohibition on Mobile Homes

Municipal Light Plant Board (Dec. 17, 5pm, 4 Municipal Way)

Chair & director reports; financials; sustainability report

Select Board (Dec. 17, 6pm, online)

License renewals; Tax Classification Public Hearing and Vote; Audit Committee Annual Update; Annual Town Meeting Preparation (including Discuss Potential Special Act for Police and Fire Living Distance;  Discussion of Potential Special Act for Digital Posting of Legal Notices; Discuss and Vote Co-Sponsorship of “Skip the Stuff”); FY26 Budget Updates; Town Hall Art Working Group Charge

School Committee Working Meeting (Dec. 18, 9am-4pm, Wellesley Middle School Kingsbury Room)

FY26 WPS Operating Budget Review (Staffing, Central Office, K-12, Capital); FY26 WPS Operating Budget Review (Elementary, Middle and High School)

Advisory Committee (Dec. 18, 6:30pm, online)

Morses Pond Advisory Committee Update

School Committee Working Meeting (Dec. 19, 9am-4pm, Wellesley Middle School Kingsbury Room)

FY26 WPS Operating Budget Review (PAWS, Special Education); FY26 WPS Operating Budget Review (General Budget Review)

Natural Resources Commission (Dec. 19, 7pm, police station at 485 Washington St.)

To be announced

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The Wellesley Select Board this week convened a meeting with departments across town that report to it in order to vet budgets worth tens of millions of dollars ahead of Annual Town Meeting in the spring. Groups from the Climate Action Committee to Facilities Management to police and fire shared their proposed budgets, based on earlier individualized guidelines given by the Board, and answered Board members’ questions.

The meeting lasted 4 hours and 40 minutes, and Wellesley Media has captured it. Your choice: Plow through that or skim through our whirlwind summary… Plus, supporting documents on the town website.

Sustainability Director Marybeth Martello kicked things off, and emphasized outreach efforts to encourage residents and commercial property owners to take steps to reduce their carbon footprints. They’re pumping up heat pumps, working with the Municipal Light Plant to connect interested residents with energy coaches, and more. Looking ahead, Martello is eyeing funds to update the town’s Climate Action Plan in 2029, noting that many actions have been taken, and that changes in the field require a fresh plan. The original one launched in 2022 with greenhouse gas emission reduction goals of 50% by 2030 and hitting net zero by 2050 (Martello says emissions have been cut by about 43% since 2007).

The Facility Management Department‘s Joe McDonough made clear from the outset of his presentation that his group’s $10M-plus budget wouldn’t be too exciting—”no new positions, no new buildings opening” as there were this past year, highlighted by the Hunnewell and Hardy School debuts. He addressed questions on everything from recycling to roof solar panels to a future home for FMD and land use departments in the early 2030s.

Information Technology Director Brian DuPont had nothing too dramatic to share, though was pleased that cybersecurity product licenses aren’t ballooning as much as typical software and technology service contracts, with quotes coming in under 3% increases vs. the usual 5% to 12%. There’s a lot more competition in that field than there used to be. IT will bring in backup Internet service to town hall—not that it doesn’t trust the primary MLP service—but redundancy is key.

The Police Department is staying within its guidelines with its $8.4M-plus budget request, and among the highlights, or at least interesting facts, are that the department is getting new tasers and a new electric vehicle. The town was early into the electric vehicle game, and in doing so had to settle for some less than optimal specs the first time around, but with the new Chevy Blazer, the force will be getting a car optimized for police use. We also learned that bulletproof vests generally last about 5 years, said Chief Scott Whittemore, as the kevlar weave starts to break down (officers are required to wear these if they’re in uniform). “It’s akin to wearing a T-shirt for five years, and after five years, imaybe t’s time to get a new T-shirt,” he said (we’re not sure we want to know how the police would test that such a vest no longer works…). Separately, commuter rail parking revenue has come back to about a quarter less than what it was pre-pandemic, and Lt. Scott Showstead said it looks to be leveling off, with the Tailby and Hills parking lots typically being well below capacity.

The Fire Department continues to undergo an overhaul to restore previously frozen positions and address a structural budget deficit that will in part should cut overtime expenses, said the department’s Nat Brady. The department is emphasizing training for “an unprecedented number of new hires” and to offset the loss of institutional knowledge. Training includes an increase in mutual aid efforts with other communities. On the capital side, the department is readying for a new fire truck and off-road vehicle that could be used for situations like brush fires. Requests for vehicles are being made earlier than usual given lead times to acquire the equipment. Also looking ahead, the town will be working with a consultant next year on a master plan for the department that will look at things like the shortcomings of the historic Wellesley Square station to the possible need for services closer to Cedar Street and Wellesley Park (the Nines apartments).

The Council on Aging budget discussion included an update on upcoming renovations to allow the commercial kitchen at the Tolles Parsons Center to be licensed (we dive into this topic in “Plans for commercial kitchen at Wellesley senior center heating up”). Note that the kitchen renovation funding is not coming out of the COA itself. During the budget summit, Select Board member Tom Ulfelder raised concerns about future operating costs for such a kitchen and encouraged the COA to be ready for questions about its plans at Annual Town Meeting, where construction funds will be sought in FMD’s cash capital budget.

The Building Department runs a lean machine, with its operations largely digital at this point, aside from on-site inspections, etc. But the news isn’t all good: Residential permit fees are going—where else?—up, with slight increases expected for electrical, plumbing/heating, and sheet metal permit fees.

The Executive Director’s office, led by Wellesley Executive Director Megan Jop, is nixing a clerk’s position and adding a creative content coordinator to address accessibility shortcomings on the town website and to boost the town’s efforts to keep the public informed. Discussion took place about the general state of the town’s website, and the challenges involved in updating it.

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