Sterling selectmen approve five‑year road plan, conference-room AV upgrades and grant resolution

The Sterling Board of Selectmen on June 3 voted 3-0 to approve a package of capital projects and administrative policies, including a five-year road resurfacing plan, conference-room audio-visual upgrades to support ADA closed captioning, park surveillance cameras and a certified resolution for a Community Investment Fund 2030 Round 9 grant.

Selectman Jack Joslyn presented the Road Resurfacing 5-Year Capital Project Plan, saying this year’s work will include Dixon Road, Hell Hollow Road, Newport Road and Snake Meadow Hill Road and that the town will use state TAR and LOCIP grant funds before tapping the Road Resurfacing Capital Account. Selectman Ronald Whitcomb moved to approve the plan; the motion passed unanimously.

Joslyn and IT Department staffer Cory Luba, attending by Zoom, described proposed conference-room upgrades designed to improve audio quality, add a second camera for simultaneous meetings and help the town comply with closed-captioning ADA requirements by 2028. Joslyn said the IT Capital Account has $186,911.98 available and the board approved the purchase 3-0.

The board also approved installation of park cameras, a request with origins in prior recreation and first‑selectman leadership; Patricia Massey moved the approval, which passed 3-0. Joslyn said the cameras respond to prior requests from the recreation office and are intended to increase public-safety monitoring.

Selectman Patricia Massey moved and the board unanimously re-adopted or approved several policy items: the Fair Housing Resolution, a corrected Fair Housing Policy Statement, a Title VI Equal Opportunity Statement, an Affirmative Action Policy Statement, the Municipal Grievance Procedure (a question was raised about why William Sebastian is listed as designee) and an ADA Notice Statement.

Emergency Management Director Susanne Tetreault, Joslyn and IT staff described a request to fund satellite communications capability for the Emergency Operations Center to maintain communications during major outages or disasters; the board approved the funding request 3-0. The meeting minutes did not specify the dollar amount approved for the satellite system.

On administrative and surplus property matters, Town Mechanic Hunter Wood reported a 2010 Thomas bus is being retired; Wood was authorized to put the vehicle out to public bid as-is, and Joslyn suggested proceeds would be placed into the Student Transportation Capital account. Joslyn said the town currently has $288,487 available in that account, enough to cover two buses, according to discussion on the floor.

The board approved monthly invoices totaling $114,245.18 and approved the re-appointment of Neil Delmonico to a one-year term on the Economic Development Commission (term expiring 6/30/2027). The board also voted 3-0 to add and approve a Certified Resolution for the Community Investment Fund 2030 Round 9 grant for Phase II in the Industrial Park.

A procedural dispute led the board to table approval of the April 15 minutes so members could review the town’s YouTube recording; the motion to table, moved by Ronald Whitcomb and seconded by Jack Joslyn, carried 2-1 with Massey opposed after she requested removal of a line and said, "I would never watch those videos." Massey later requested adding a second Audience of Citizens period to agendas; Joslyn responded, "absolutely not," and the request was not adopted.

Joslyn reported the town attorney advised that any sale of Old Town Hall would require court approval and sign-off by the state Attorney General and that an access right-of-way must be addressed before a sale could proceed.

The meeting adjourned at 7:13 p.m.