Wenham Select Board on August 11, 202
The Wenham Select Board reviews the Iron Rail solar project’s decommissioning bond, hears a detailed presentation on long‑term options for the 80‑acre site, and listens to public comment from a longtime recreation tenant before planning a fall community forum on housing. The board also welcomes a new full‑time firefighter and prepares for a complex 2026 election season with added polling capacity. 39mins
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Original Meeting
In This Video
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Chair Pierotti opened the in-person and broadcasted meeting, announced the Iron Rail presentation as the main topic, and outlined the procedures for public comment.
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Town Administrator Poulos announced an upcoming Historic District design guidelines meeting, Chair Pierotti reflected on a recent Purple Heart flag-raising ceremony and recognition for veterans, and Vice-Chair Clay reported on a collaborative Open Space and Recreation Committee discussion while noting that surveys are advisory rather than binding.
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The Select Board approved consent agenda appointments for a new firefighter and election officers before the Chief formally introduced Michael Burke, highlighted qualifications, and oversaw a brief pinning ceremony with remarks of appreciation to the town.
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Chair Pierotti thanked election officers and urged voter participation, while Town Clerk Buco outlined plans for using two polling locations due to complex primary and general election ballots and requested Board approval to add the museum as the Precinct 1A polling place for Fall 2026.
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Before turning to the Affordable Housing Trust Action Plan, the Select Board clarified procedure by formally voting to approve the signing of the September 1, 2026 state primary warrant, which passed on a roll call vote.
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Director Mallory briefed the Select Board on the Iron Rail ground-mounted solar project’s decommissioning bond, outlining cost and risk tradeoffs between earlier and later bond timing, using vendor estimates and an early purchase option to suggest year 15 as a prudent start and asking the Board to set its preferred level of risk and timing since the Planning Board viewed this decision as outside its scope.
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The Select Board discussed the Iron Rail solar decommissioning bond and formally voted to recommend that the Planning Board require the bond to begin in year 20 of the project.
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Town Administrator Poulos recapped the Iron Rail property’s history, current uses, rental challenges, and capital needs, explaining how concerns about the town acting as landlord, master plan goals, and the high cost of rehabbing the aging building led to commissioning a study on its future.
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Director Mallory explained the Iron Rail working group’s hybrid recommendations, including ground-leasing Site 1 for commercial recreation uses, retaining the soccer fields at Site 2 for future town needs, and selling approximately six acres at Site 3 for housing.
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Rich Healy, operator of Iron Rail Gymnastics Academy, offered public comment emphasizing the business’s long-standing community role, alignment with master plan goals, concern that a long-term ground lease would favor corporate investors over local small businesses, and a desire to remain at the site under a more feasible arrangement.
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The Select Board discussed next steps for Iron Rail outreach, agreed on holding a September community forum about middle-income housing with Hamilton Wenham News invited, and suggested scheduling it after the September 22 meeting to incorporate updates such as information about Penguin Hall.
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Chair Pierotti closed the public portion of the meeting, secured a roll call vote to enter executive session under state law to discuss matters concerning an individual with no return to open session, briefly paused for the Iron Rail group to adjourn, and thanked attendees.
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