Concord advisory committee names consultant, sets Feb. kickoff and seeks Department of Correction access for MCI site review

The Town of Concord MCI Advisory Committee voted to approve its Jan. 27 minutes, confirmed the selection committee's recommendation of Agency Landscape and Planning to lead site planning and set a consultant kickoff meeting for late February, while outlining steps to gain Department of Correction access for an on‑site tour.

The committee’s decision matters because the consultant will develop the project schedule, community engagement plan and early design work that will be fed to state agencies — notably MassDOT and the Commonwealth’s capital management office — whose transport and environmental reviews will affect what can be built on the former Massachusetts Correctional Institution site.

Megan (town staff/project lead) told the committee the selection team had recommended Agency Landscape and Planning and that the town manager has awarded the contract pending final council signoff and minor contract edits. “It mostly includes the scope of work that was included in the RFP,” Megan said, adding she expected the contract to be finalized and sent to the consultant for review.

Rhiannon Sinclair, identified as a principal with Agency Landscape and Planning, said the firm is “excited to get to kick off this project with you all on February 25” and asked the committee to tell the consultants what they needed from the kickoff to make the meeting productive. Kate Tuuk, who joined Sinclair, said the firm will begin by evaluating what on the site is “fixed and flexible” and will use that to inform conversations with MassDOT and other agencies.

Committee members raised timing and sequencing concerns. Elizabeth (advisory committee member) summarized recent contact with MassDOT and said MassDOT described the work as a project initiation phase that could take about 18 months to reach concept design. “They had indicated that they're in a project initiation phase, and it is probably something like an 18‑month process,” she said. Several members said the advisory committee should proceed with vision and zoning work even though MassDOT’s study of access may come later.

Paul (state contact) and other staff described negotiations and information exchanges with the Commonwealth entity managing site transfer and technical studies. Committee members said a draft transmittal letter to the state regarding the town’s continued interest in acquiring the wastewater treatment facility appeared in the meeting packet and was expected to be transmitted to the state.

Access to the site — which remains a secure Department of Correction (DOC) property — shaped planning for the kickoff. Committee members agreed to request a site tour and suggested asking DOC for: (a) one detailed, escorted site visit timed near the kickoff, (b) authorization for a small, named group to make limited follow‑up visits, and (c) clarity on what internal buildings or zones would be off‑limits. John (advisory committee member) said drone footage of the site is being edited and could be released to the public in about seven to ten days; he said the footage is limited by an existing geofence so the drone cannot fly over the facility interior.

The advisory committee discussed logistics for the kickoff and site work: Agency suggested a two‑hour kickoff meeting and the committee proposed pairing the kickoff with a same‑day site walkthrough if DOC permits. Members also asked Agency to provide a detailed milestone schedule and to flag the times when consultant decisions or committee input will be required so subcommittees and the full advisory group can coordinate availability.

On procedural items, the committee approved the Jan. 27 minutes (motion seconded by Elizabeth; recorded ayes from committee members in attendance) and later voted to disband the selection subcommittee after the contract award; the roll call on that motion recorded unanimous recorded ayes from members present. The meeting closed with staff agreeing to coordinate dates, DOC access requests and public notices for the kickoff and tour.

The next steps the committee set for staff and Agency include finalizing the consultant contract language, circulating a detailed project milestone calendar, requesting DOC permissions for an on‑site tour (with an estimated head count and list of desired activities), and releasing drone footage to the public as it becomes available.

Minutes and other records in the meeting packet show ongoing work on wastewater components, coordination with MassDOT for roadway and rotary concept work, and a Phase 1 environmental review by the Commonwealth; committee members emphasized the need to feed the consultant’s early site and use recommendations into MassDOT’s concept work rather than wait for MassDOT to complete its full study.

A public commenter asked whether members of the public could attend the on‑site walkthrough; staff and committee members said DOC was likely to restrict general public access and that the town would post guidance so the public understands whether, and under what conditions, parts of a site visit would be open to non‑authorized attendees.

Ending: The committee confirmed the consultant kickoff scheduling priorities and staff assignments and adjourned after the meeting’s remaining administrative items were completed.