Ipswich Select Board Meeting

New Appointment, Mathias Vialva (Architectural Preservation District Commission)

The board took no vote and continued the request to a future meeting (likely September 14) under its standard two-meeting process for new appointments. Members encouraged Vialva, an Ipswich resident of about a year with no prior board experience, to attend a commission meeting and speak with current members before the vote.

Reappointment, Linda Riley (Design Review Board)

The board voted unanimously to reappoint Riley (moved by Alexson, seconded by Surpitski) through June 30, 2029. The main point of discussion was confusion over her appointing authority and the town website's outdated committee rosters, which the board asked the manager to correct.

Public Hearing: October 20, 2026 Special Town Meeting Warrant Review

The board held a public hearing and discussed the warrant article by article but did not vote; votes on recommendations and signing the warrant are set for September 14. Substantive changes emerged on the planning articles (4 and 6), leading the board to schedule a separate public hearing on those articles for September 14 after learning the Planning Board would hold a second hearing September 3.

Key articles reviewed:
- Article 8 (3 Candlewood Road CR): $850,000 to acquire a conservation restriction on the former Candlewood Golf Course; $500,000 from the Open Space Bond, $350,000 reimbursed by a state grant. Environmental due diligence (given prior golf-course chemical use) is ongoing but expected before town meeting.
- Article 9 (Ascension Church easement): Easement to shorten the Town Wharf pump station force main route; negotiations continuing, expected to save money.
- Article 10 (water main upgrades): $3 million to replace century-old water main in conjunction with the force main project; grant funds curb-to-curb paving. Cost rose from a prior $2 million estimate due to expanded scope; other debt savings expected to offset ratepayer impact.
- Articles 1 & 2 (schools): Article 1 assigns $131,463 in additional Chapter 70 aid to the school budget; Article 2 repurposes $240,000 originally approved for a canceled Winthrop School modular classroom to other Winthrop safety/health projects. Board requested an itemized project list before September 14.
- Article 11 (wind turbine removal): Up to $250,000 to demolish the defunct turbine; $175,000 from Capital Stabilization, 30% (~$70,000–75,000) from the Electric Light Department with no ratepayer impact.
- Article 17 (electric light commissioners election date): Amends the May 2026 petition to align the election with the May 2027 municipal election; board agreed to narrow the article's language to avoid re-debating the underlying change.
- Article 12 (Town Wharf improvement): $94,035 town match (Capital Stabilization) for Phase 2 design; ~80% grant-funded.
- Article 13 (shellfish boat): ~$91,000+ from the waterways account to replace a leaking harbor patrol/shellfish boat.
- Article 14 (police hiring age): Removes the maximum hiring age for police officers; manager to confirm whether a home rule petition is needed.
- Article 15 (dangerous cat bylaw): Creates a dangerous cat bylaw mirroring the dangerous dog bylaw.
- Article 16 (liquor license conversion): Accepts MGL Ch. 138 §12D allowing case-by-case conversion of wine/malt licenses to all-alcohol.
- Articles 4 & 6 (zoning): Structure definition amendment and ADU bylaw; discussion deferred due to pending Planning Board changes.
- Article 3 (Essex Tech): Standard annual appropriation; dollar figure pending enrollment.

Vote Conservation Restriction, Rosewood (1–5 Rosewood Drive)

The board voted unanimously (moved by Player, seconded by Nylen) to approve a perpetual conservation restriction over ~8.5 acres, replacing a prior deed restriction stemming from a 2021 settlement. The land protects drinking water supply and wetlands and is not open to the public; the town holds the CR at no cost and is responsible for monitoring.

Discuss/Vote Government Study Committee Tasks

The board reached consensus (no formal vote) to assign the committee two tasks and invite it before the board in late September for an update. Members agreed the Saturday town meeting study should take priority over the handbook review since state handbook resources already exist.

Recreation Committee Discussion

No vote; the board directed the chair and town manager to reach out to committee members and staff to assess the committee's inactivity. Alexson raised concern that the charter-required committee has held no posted meetings in 2026 and has minimal records, "failing our residents and our kids."

Discuss Free Cash Policy / FY2028 Budget

Both items were postponed to a September meeting (targeted September 21). The manager warned the FY2028 budget faces a structural deficit of uncertain magnitude.

Approved items 2, 3, and 4 unanimously (moved by Nylen, seconded by Player); item 1 was withdrawn as already handled.

Approval of Minutes

Approved unanimously as a bundle (moved by Alexson, seconded by Surpitski) for June 22, July 6, July 8, July 28, and August 10, 2026.

Misc. and Correspondence (Banners, Employee Changes)

Informational only; no vote. The board noted new hires, fire department temporary promotions following the deputy chief's retirement, and 20 applicants for the Deputy Town Manager/Finance Director role.

Executive Session

The board voted by roll call (unanimous; moved by Alexson, seconded by Nylen) to enter executive session on electric light manager negotiations and not return to open session.

Key Decisions

Reappointment of Linda Riley to Design Review Board — Passed unanimously (moved Alexson, seconded Surpitski); term ends June 30, 2029.
Rosewood conservation restriction (1–5 Rosewood Drive) — Passed unanimously (moved Player, seconded Nylen); perpetual CR over ~8.5 acres, no cost to town.
Consent agenda items 2–4 (one-day liquor licenses) — Passed unanimously (moved Nylen, seconded Player); item 1 withdrawn.
Meeting minutes (June 22, July 6, July 8, July 28, Aug 10, 2026) — Passed unanimously (moved Alexson, seconded Surpitski).
Enter executive session on electric light manager negotiations — Passed unanimously by roll call (moved Alexson, seconded Nylen).
Special Town Meeting warrant — No vote taken; recommendations and warrant signing set for September 14, 2026.
Separate public hearing on planning articles (4 and 6) — Scheduled for September 14, 2026 due to pending Planning Board changes.
Government Study Committee tasks — Consensus (no vote) to assign Saturday town meeting study (priority) and board/committee handbook review; committee invited for late-September update.

Action Items

Post/advertise a public hearing on planning Articles 4 and 6 for the September 14 meeting — Town Manager's office — before September 14, 2026
Provide itemized Winthrop School project list for Article 2 — Tom Markham / Town Manager — before September 14, 2026
Confirm whether Article 14 (police hiring age) requires a home rule petition — Town Manager / Town Counsel — before September 14, 2026
Email revised "structure" definition language for Article 4 to update the warrant — Alan Manoian — —
Update town website committee rosters and pages (Design Review Board and others) — Town Manager / Leah — —
Sign the Rosewood conservation restriction at the Town Clerk's office — Select Board members — —
Reach out to Recreation Committee members and staff to assess status — Chair Dougherty / Town Manager (with Alexson) — —
Reach out to Government Study Committee chair to schedule a late-September update — Chair Dougherty — —
Compile financial policies vs. MMA recommendations for review — Sarah Player — —
Prepare FY2028 forecast/projection (revenue vs. spending) — Town Manager / finance team — early October 2026

Special Town Meeting — Tuesday, September 8, 2026, 7:00 PM, Ipswich Middle/High School (on-site childcare via YMCA, call-ahead)
Planning Board second public hearing (zoning articles) — Thursday, September 3, 2026
School Building Committee — Thursday, September 10, 2026, 6:00 PM, Meeting Room A
September 11 ceremony (25th anniversary) — Friday, September 11, 2026, 8:30 AM, Ipswich Firehouse
Deputy Town Manager/Finance Director application deadline — Thursday, September 10, 2026
Select Board / Electric Light Commissioners joint meeting + planning articles public hearing — Monday, September 14, 2026
Special Town Election — Tuesday, September 22, 2026, YMCA
Second water rate hearing — Monday, September 28, 2026, Meeting Room A
Open Meeting Law training — Tuesday, September 29, 2026, 6:30 PM, Meeting Room A
Free cash / financial policy and FY2028 budget expectations discussion — targeted September 21, 2026
Special Town Meeting — Tuesday, October 20, 2026, 6:00 PM
Charter review discussion — sometime in October 2026

Michael S. Dougherty [3:28] All right, good evening everybody. With it being 6:30 and a quorum present, yep, yep, uh, I am going to open up the select board meeting for August 31st. As always, we start our meeting for all those able and willing to join me in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Citizens' queries. Is there anyone in the audience that has a citizens' query for the select board tonight? We are going to have our public hearing, which means that folks will have the opportunity to speak on every article this evening, but does anyone have a citizen query? Seeing none. Announcements. So we have a couple of announcements, if you wouldn't mind bearing with me. So as everyone is aware, we have our September special town meeting that is going to be next Tuesday at 7 PM at the Ipswich Middle High School. There is going to be child care coverage for those who who are interested in utilizing that to attend town meeting, it's gonna be through the YMCA. And I believe what we're gonna do is we're going to blast out on social media all the specificities, but it is going to be a call ahead so we know how many students that we're going to have or how many children, excuse me, that we're going to have so that we have the appropriate amount of coverage for the ratio that's required when watching students. Sarah Player [5:18] And the babysitting is going to happen on-site at the Ipswich High School Middle School? Michael S. Dougherty [5:22] That's correct. Sarah Player [5:22] Location— Michael S. Dougherty [5:23] there's going to be a room for younger students, and I keep saying students, but it's children of all ages whether you're enrolled in the school system or not. There's going to be a room for older children and younger children, so they will be separated, but they will be all on-site. And town meeting will be in the lower rubber gym. So that is next Tuesday. On September 9th at 7 PM. On Thursday, September 10th at 6 PM, there is a school building committee meeting here in Meeting Room A. On Friday, September 11th, we are going to have the September 11th ceremony recognizing what happened 25 years ago at 8:30 at the Ipswich Firehouse. We have a special town election 2 weeks after special town meeting happening at the YMCA, normal polling hours. On Tuesday, September 22nd. We're going to have our second water rate hearing on Monday, September 28th, here in Meeting Room A. And then there is going to be an open meeting law training event happening on Tuesday, September 29th, 6:30 PM in this room. And we encourage anyone who sits on a subcommittee or an advisory board or anyone to attend to get caught up to speed with open meeting law, especially if you're a newer member of a board. That's all I have right now for announcements. Sarah, any announcements?