May 22nd, 2023
Select Board Meeting

The Select Board announced that they have started holding office hours on Fridays from 1 to 3 PM. During this time, one rotating member will be present to hear and address the concerns of residents. 

In the past two weeks, a few notable donations have been made to Elder & Human Services, the Affordable Housing Trust, and the library, ranging from $700 to $10,000. There is an open position available on the Town Administrator Search Committee, for any resident with municipal management experience. In addition, starting approximately June 15th, road paving and resurfacing will begin on Tahattawan and Harwood roads. 

Long-time Littleton resident Gary Lacroix gave a presentation on the Nashoba Regional Greenway (NRG) coalition, an organisation that seeks to improve bike and pedestrian transportation options within the Nashoba region. Their goal is to use existing road networks to create “safe, practical, and convenient” connections for cyclists and pedestrians. The NRG coalition consists of fifteen towns and communities, including Acton, Ayer, and Concord, most of which have active and popular bike trails. 

Related to Littleton specifically, the NRG coalition’s goals will be to create connections between local businesses and the MBTA station, as well as improve transportation options around Littleton Common in order to address the demand for more sidewalks and bike paths. A survey of 700 local residents (97% from Littleton) stated that more than 500 walk in Littleton, 300 bike, and approximately 180 would do both of those things if they were safer and more convenient. The NRG coalition’s proposed improvements include building more sidewalks, narrowing roads to make space for bike lanes, reducing speed limits, removing road markings in residential neighbourhoods, and creating wayfinding signage. 

Lacroix asked for both the Select Board and town’s support in aiding the NRG project’s future plans, hoping that by spreading awareness and working on road improvements, the community can become safer and more connected. Students, especially those who enjoy biking or walking, may want to consider ways to contribute to this cause.

Located at the Point, 4-JAXE Sports Bar—which offers indoor golf simulators and axe throwing starting at $27 per person per hour—requested an updated liquor licence and permission to sell alcohol from 8 AM to 1 AM. Both Selectman Rambacher and a member of the public contested this, preferring a 9 or 10 AM start instead, which the bar agreed to. 4-JAXE also requested an increase in capacity, from 66 to 95, claiming they had understated the capacity on the initial licence. The Board accepted the modified licence proposal. 

Selectman Gary Wilson gave an update on a question previously asked at the Annual Town Meeting on May 1st regarding the severance package of former town administrator Anthony Ansaldi. He apologised for the delay in conveying this information, stating that complex questions of legality made it impossible to deliver a quick answer on the Town Meeting floor. Ansaldi was paid out the duration of his contract (8 months) and the money was taken from the Town Administrator budget. 

The Shaker Lane Feasibility Study for a new building is ongoing. The Board voiced concern over the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s (MSBA) narrow guidelines regarding building size. The upcoming developments in town, including the 750 affordable housing units, will bring in more schoolchildren, and the Board wants to avoid designing a school that is too small for the town’s future needs. There will be a continued dialogue between the Board and the MSBA on this issue.

Town Clerk Diane Crory gave an update about the costs of early and mail-in voting for the May 6th Town Election, and the Board debated about whether or not the cost was acceptable for the gain in voting numbers. No complete conclusion was reached, but discussion will continue in the future.

Through the Department of Public Works, high schoolers and college students can take part and be paid for maintenance work on the Nagog Orchard. At the upcoming June 5th Select Board meeting, Town Counsel will discuss potentially selling the property, with the intent of continuing its function as an orchard if possible. Those concerned about potential changes to this important area of town should attend the next Select Board meeting.