ORDER-2023-49 : Appointment of Charles McCabe, 14 Orient Ave, to the Conservation Commission for a three-year term, said term to expire the last day of February 2026.

Transcript (~8 min @ 1:40)

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▶ 1:31 Robb Stewart: second I have a motion to suspend the rules by Vice chair Sinaloa seconded by President Grigoraitis all in favor opposed. The rules are now suspended. This is ordered 2023-49 the appointment of Charles McCabe of 14 Orient Ave to the Conservation Commission for a three-year term said to term to expire the last day of February 2026 Mr. Mayor.

▶ 2:01 Paul Brodeur: Holding this hearing and for your time to consideration of Mr. McCabe's appointment. As you mentioned, Mr. McCabe has been nominated by me to serve on the Conservation Commission. So folks understand the landscape, you will be replacing Eugenia Gibbons. It is the end of Miss Gibbons term. You should know that she has a very busy professional life and is also served on the governor's transition team and is helping us out a great deal with the public safety building committee. So be thank her and you know offer her some some time to sleep and some time to recharge because while she's stepping away from this role. She's still doing a lot of work both for the Commonwealth and for our community. I'm delighted that Mr. McCabe has stepped forward of your consideration for this important appointment as you've seen from his resume. He holds a master's degree in urban placemaking. He's also he also serves as the executive director the boss of Charles McCabe Consulting where he advises public and non-profit parts and Open Spaces administrations in the area of urban parks and public spaces programming events community outreach planning advocacy and more clearly important parts and skills that will London. Well the service on a public body like this before moving to Melrose in 2021, Mr. McCabe did live in Arlington. Who sits where he served on Arlington's communication Community preservation act committee for those who are familiar with the CPA. That is a body that's set up after the CPA passes to consider an advise on where those funds should be spent since moving here to Melrose. He is volunteered with the pet bike committee and intends to use his many experiences both professionally personally and as a member of the community to serve both the city and and the residents in considering a the application of the Massachusetts Wetlands protection act which is the chief job, as you know of the Conservation Commission, but also to develop and protect our natural resources in particular conserving and protective some of our local conservation properties. I want to take a moment to thank you and to turn it over. To Mr. McCabe for any comments. He might have and we of course welcome your questions.

▶ 4:47 Christopher Park: Thanks, Mr. Mayor. Again, Charlie. McCabe new recently arrived resident of Melrose have been here not quite two years and happy to give back to the community Through service in on the committee. If so chosen, I I'm a very kind of Hands-On guy. I volunteer a lot with both Friends of the fell some on their board. I actually volunteer walking a couple of the tracks the smaller tracks of open space that belong to the city of Melrose and I had a healthy obsession with invasive species management and removal. So happy to help in any way I can I've kind of prepped by watching the last few. Meetings of the Conservation Commission, so that's always good to get an idea of what you're anticipating and When You're Expecting but happy to take questions, but happy to be here.

▶ 5:48 Paul Brodeur: Council Williams would you like us to do it? All again? No, I no Charlie

▶ 5:51 Speaker 3: quite well, right.

▶ 5:56 Robb Stewart: Any questions from committee members?

▶ 6:02 Speaker 4: President figures Mr. Chair. Thank you for being

▶ 6:04 Jen Grigoraitis: here tonight and for stepping up to volunteer as the counselor for Ward 6 the concom actually factors in quite a bit into particularly of an upper six two along Swain's Pond and sometimes it feels like our entire Community is built on a wetland. Can you talk a little bit about what you've seen be successful in other communities you've worked in either professionally or when you were in Arlington around flood management and also, you know in balancing that with with protecting our Wetland

▶ 6:36 Christopher Park: areas sure. So primarily my day job is working with City Park agency as well as nonprofits in areas and you know protection of Open Spaces natural spaces is a big part of what parks organizations do across the United States, you know, I think You know Melrose is typical in that we're facing either too much water or not enough. There was a joke that we used to use in Texas. When I lived there for a number of years that Texas is a state of drought punctuated by periods of flood and it seems like we're getting that here. It's like could it be raining? Could it be snowing? Could it be sleeting? Yes, I'll leave above but I think you know, what you really need to look at is A couple things one is you have you know protected spaces that's really kind of. Easier because you're really kind of faced with you know, the constraints in which agencies work with you have to abide by their rules and regulations. We work a lot with DCR and Friends of the Fells and you just develop a good working relationship. So I think it's a little easier there for you know, private properties. I'll just say that I lived in East Arlington before I moved here and my entire neighborhood was built on a wetland. Could it be built on a wetland now? No, but a hundred years ago it was so we went through the excitement of dealing with flooded basements and getting a sump system and all those types of things. So those things do come up and having watched the last few meetings. They were working with several homeowners who are trying to do improvements or Corrections and they find themselves in a floodplain or right on the cusp of floodplain. And that seems like the committee really works hard to try and find A way forward for everybody. I've also personally had to deal with replacing septic system in another town the belong to my parents and the floodplains had changed entirely between when their house was built and when I inherited it and we had to move it at Great expense and it's just part of the challenge that you deal with. So I think I can provide empathy. I can provide help I will be the least knowledgeable member when I join I know there's been several new additions of late that have really good credentials, but I'll do my best to get up to speed and try to help as much as I can. Thank you. I really appreciate that.

▶ 9:13 Speaker 4: Sure. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

▶ 9:17 Speaker 1: anyone else

▶ 9:19 Mark Garipay: Council Gallery, I'll make a recommendation for a passage our motion for recommendation passage second.

▶ 9:26 Robb Stewart: We have recommendation for passage by Council Gary pay second advice chair. Cinella. under discussion All in favor I opposed. Okay, this this will be recommended to the full Council which will be at the next meeting. You do not need to be that we're going to do tonight. But anyways you you're welcome to join, but it's not necessary for you to be there, right? With that that's the last study movie we have on the agenda. I will entertain a motion to adjourn.