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Record of Proceedings

Lee Select Board Meeting - July 27, 2026

Selectboard & Town Boards — Monday, July 27, 2026
BodyLee, Massachusetts
SessionSelectboard & Town Boards
DateMonday, July 27, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:11:47

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

All right, it's 4 30.

0:01

We're good to go.

0:02

All right, we'll call the meeting to order.

0:05

Hello, welcome to the uh July 27th meeting of the Lee Select Board.

0:12

Uh quick announcement.

0:14

Uh pursuant to Mass General Law, Chapter 38, Section 20.

0:18

I'm hereby informing all attendees that a video and audio recording is being made at this meeting.

0:25

Very good.

0:26

Um first order of business.

0:28

Uh the minutes, the open session minutes of uh sorry.

0:35

Oh, thank you very much.

0:37

Uh okay, the open the first order business, the open session minutes of June 15th and June 16th.

Speaker 2

0:47

Nope.

0:47

Just July 7th, right?

0:50

You got hold on your reading.

0:52

In

Speaker 1

0:52

the minutes already.

0:53

Oh, sorry, there we go.

0:54

One of my readings.

0:56

The open session minutes of uh July 7th.

0:58

Yeah.

Speaker 2

0:58

Mr.

0:59

Chairman, I would make a motion that we uh accept and approve the open session minutes of July 7th, 2026 as written.

1:07

Second.

Speaker 1

1:08

We have a motion at a second.

1:09

Is there any further discussion?

1:11

Hearing none, all those in favor?

1:13

Aye.

1:14

Aye.

1:14

It's unanimous.

1:15

Uh second order visit.

1:17

Public hearing.

1:18

Uh first public hearing on a request from uh NSTAR electric company doing business as Eversource Energy and Verizon of uh New England Inc.

1:28

to re relocate to and place two jointly owned poles on Mill Street to support ongoing mass DOT bridge replacement project.

1:41

Job number 607677, and to provide for the distribution of intelligence and telemet telecommunications and the transmission of high and low voltage electric current.

1:53

And I understand we have somebody here.

Speaker 3

1:56

Um we have two people from well, we have uh Christine from Mastot, and I believe Jeff Lewis is with um

Unassigned speaker

2:04

I

Speaker 4

2:05

can't remember the name of the cover.

Speaker 3

2:07

Raffalo, yes, I think Jeff is the designer or the engineer uh of the bridge.

2:12

And but it does not look like anybody, even though they told us they'd be here from Verizon Inniversary, so you haven't seen anybody, no one is here yet.

2:20

Um but do you guys want to tell us real quick, Christine?

2:24

What you know, just the the relocating is for um so we don't hold you guys up.

2:30

Uh

Speaker 5

2:32

yeah, sure thing.

2:33

So we are um as you know replacing the bridge located on Hill Street, uh just um near Mountain Burke Road there and over that

Speaker 6

2:46

uh

Speaker 5

2:48

oh I think you have somebody coming in now, maybe not.

Speaker 6

2:53

Yeah.

Speaker 5

2:54

Oh good.

2:55

And in order to do this work, um we need to relocate the overhead wire associated utility polls.

3:04

I think Jack will correct me if I'm wrong.

3:06

That's for the um crane placement and for uh

Speaker 7

3:13

yes

Speaker 5

3:14

bridge.

Speaker 7

3:15

Yeah, it's it's to um make room for the work to be done demoing and erecting new games as well as some of the uh embankment stream work there.

3:33

So you've mentioned two polls, but I'm wondering which two of those are because I think we had shown uh about four polls.

3:46

So

Speaker 2

3:47

yeah,

Speaker 7

3:47

it's all relation.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure████████████████████████████████████████40%
Public Engagement████████████████████20%
Procedural████████████12%
Parks and Recreation██████████10%
Zoning and Land Use███████7%
Energy Regulation████4%
Transportation Safety███3%
Budget Equity Analysis██2%
Environmental Protection██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Lee Select Board Meeting - July 27, 2026

The Lee Select Board met on July 27, 2026 at 4:30 PM. The meeting covered approval of minutes, public hearings for utility pole relocations on Mill Street and Washington Mountain Road to support a MassDOT bridge replacement project, appointments, fee schedule adjustments, and various licenses and permits. The board also discussed special town meeting dates and other business.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the open session minutes of July 7, 2026 as written (unanimous).
  • Approved a one-day all-alcohol beverage license for the Lee Sportsman Association's annual club barbecue on August 22, 2026 from 3 PM to 10 PM (unanimous).
  • Approved a one-day entertainment license for the Lee Youth Commission's Ninja Fit playground grand opening on August 22, 2026 from 9 AM to 11 AM, rain or shine (unanimous).
  • Approved a gas installation permit for work in the road at 28 Woodland Road, Lot 7 (unanimous).
  • Approved the reservation of parking spaces on Railroad Street for roof debris removal at 71 Main Street, adjusted to August 3, 2026 to August 10, 2026 (unanimous).
  • Approved designating the 250th Anniversary Committee members as special municipal employees under Chapter 268A (unanimous).

Public Hearings

Mill Street Pole Relocation (Job #607677)

  • Public hearing opened for NSTAR/Eversource and Verizon to relocate two poles and place two new jointly owned poles on Mill Street. Abutters Claire and Marilyn raised concerns about notification (meeting was rescheduled), pole locations, and whether wires would cross private property. After reviewing an updated plan from MassDOT, the board assured that lines would stay within the public right-of-way. The board approved the petition contingent on receiving an updated plan from MassDOT to clarify discrepancies (unanimous).

Washington Mountain Road Pole Relocation (Job #607677)

  • Second hearing for relocation of one jointly owned pole, moving it 40 feet closer to the Mill Street intersection to keep wires over the roadway. Claire asked about tree clearing and road shoulder stability. Jeff from MassDOT noted that separate tree clearing would occur for bridge construction. The board approved the petition (unanimous).

Discussion Items

  • Clean Energy Permitting Local Government Representative: Brookeville, on behalf of the Planning Board, requested that the Select Board appoint the Land Use Department (land use personnel and conservation agent) as the local government representative for the new consolidated energy permitting process from DOER. The board approved the appointment contingent on the Planning Board signing the supporting letter (unanimous).
  • Conservation Commission Fee Adjustment: The Conservation Commission requested raising the application fee from $205 (two separate fees totaling $205) to a flat $300 to cover posting and mailing costs. The board approved the adjustment and will clarify the fee schedule on the website (unanimous).
  • Interpretive Signs for Lee Downtown Community Gardens: Katherine presented a proposal for a pollinator path with interpretive signs on town property (Academy Street and Franklin Street parking lot). The board approved placement of the signs on town property, with further coordination on permitting and DPW (unanimous).
  • Special Town Meeting Dates: Town Administrator Chris informed the board of needed special town meetings: October 1, 2026 for zoning amendments, and February 25, 2027 for a school roof project debt exclusion. The board acknowledged the dates.

Key Outcomes

  • All motions passed unanimously.
  • Mill Street pole relocation approved contingent on updated MassDOT plan.
  • Land Use Department appointed as local government representative for clean energy permitting, contingent on Planning Board letter.
  • Conservation Commission fees increased to $300.
  • Interpretive signs for community gardens approved.
  • Special town meetings scheduled for October 1, 2026 and February 25, 2027.

Meeting Transcript

All right, it's 4 30. We're good to go. All right, we'll call the meeting to order. Hello, welcome to the uh July 27th meeting of the Lee Select Board. Uh quick announcement. Uh pursuant to Mass General Law, Chapter 38, Section 20. I'm hereby informing all attendees that a video and audio recording is being made at this meeting. Very good. Um first order of business. Uh the minutes, the open session minutes of uh sorry. Oh, thank you very much. Uh okay, the open the first order business, the open session minutes of June 15th and June 16th. Nope. Just July 7th, right? You got hold on your reading. In the minutes already. Oh, sorry, there we go. One of my readings. The open session minutes of uh July 7th. Yeah. Mr. Chairman, I would make a motion that we uh accept and approve the open session minutes of July 7th, 2026 as written. Second. We have a motion at a second. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor? Aye. Aye. It's unanimous. Uh second order visit. Public hearing. Uh first public hearing on a request from uh NSTAR electric company doing business as Eversource Energy and Verizon of uh New England Inc. to re relocate to and place two jointly owned poles on Mill Street to support ongoing mass DOT bridge replacement project. Job number 607677, and to provide for the distribution of intelligence and telemet telecommunications and the transmission of high and low voltage electric current. And I understand we have somebody here. Um we have two people from well, we have uh Christine from Mastot, and I believe Jeff Lewis is with um I can't remember the name of the cover. Raffalo, yes, I think Jeff is the designer or the engineer uh of the bridge. And but it does not look like anybody, even though they told us they'd be here from Verizon Inniversary, so you haven't seen anybody, no one is here yet. Um but do you guys want to tell us real quick, Christine? What you know, just the the relocating is for um so we don't hold you guys up. Uh yeah, sure thing. So we are um as you know replacing the bridge located on Hill Street, uh just um near Mountain Burke Road there and over that uh oh I think you have somebody coming in now, maybe not. Yeah. Oh good.

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