For 46 years, William Lavery has used the curb cuts at 125 High Street to access his backyard for septic maintenance and truck parking. On Wednesday night, he and neighbor Joy told the Select Board that those decades of access are now under threat by a looming sidewalk project overseen by the Highway Surveyor. Lavery explained that he was told the old driveway area would be eliminated to accommodate new granite curbing, potentially forcing him to back his vehicles directly out into the street. For me, he said, 'Take it or leave it,' Lavery told the board. What is our recourse that we do not lose our driveways?

Member Andrew Reardon, who visited the property prior to the meeting, confirmed seeing three distinct curb cuts and acknowledged the residents' need for backyard access, particularly for essential services like septic pumping. While Reardon noted that the Highway Surveyor is enforcing specific policies regarding the length of curb cuts, he suggested a path of backdoor diplomacy to seek a compromise before the matter returns for a formal discussion on September 17. Chair Peter Smellie noted he had heard similar concerns regarding 135 High Street, and the board agreed to invite the Highway Surveyor to an upcoming session to explain the rationale behind the sidewalk engineering. At one point we were going to sit down with our beloved Highway Surveyor and talk to him and the Conservation Commission about the curb cut on Main Street, Reardon said. If we could tie that in with the 17th, the Lavery challenge.

The board also moved to solidify oversight of town assets by adopting a new naming policy for the Norwell Public Library. Legal counsel explained the policy was revised to ensure the Select Board retains the final word on accepting significant gifts, preventing situations where the town might inadvertently endorse a donor that does not align with community values. The policy now requires professional appraisals, paid for by the donor, for in-kind gifts to ensure tax valuations are accurate. I was just worrying about being fulfilled to the highest price, which I think is not a good idea because you might find somebody that stands for something that you don't stand for... and you don't want to be in a position where you can't say no, counsel advised. Member Lorenda Layne noted the urgency of the update, stating, I know that one of the main reasons why they're asking this is because they plan to hold a fundraiser in a few weeks where they will be offering for certain amounts naming opportunities. Motion Made by L. Layne to approve the Norwell Public Library naming policy as submitted today. Motion Passed (5-0-0).

Financial transparency and the march toward the Fiscal Year 2027 budget remained a focal point for the board. Member John McGrath announced he is finalizing a temporary Excel-based database to streamline town financial reporting. The tool is designed to allow Town Administrator Darlene Sullivan to perform simple data transfers that automatically populate reporting fields. The whole idea is that she basically just does a data dump in this thing and it populates, McGrath explained. This effort comes as the town continues to navigate a level services budget strategy aimed at avoiding a local tax override, despite looming structural deficits projected for the next decade. In a related move to coordinate fiscal oversight, McGrath was tapped to serve as the board’s new liaison to the Advisory Board. Motion Made by L. Layne to appoint J. McGrath as a Select Board representative to be a liaison to the Advisory Board. Motion Passed (5-0-0).

Town Administrator Darlene Sullivan provided an update on the town’s digital infrastructure, noting that the search functionality on the municipal website is now operational via Google, though she cautioned users that results can be a little random and may require specific search terms. The town is currently working with a firm called Revise to migrate content and agendas for a more comprehensive website overhaul. Sullivan also reminded the board of the upcoming September 17 meeting, which is expected to feature a heavy agenda including the Stetson Ford House, the Fog Forest boardwalk project, and the ongoing High Street sidewalk dispute. Earlier in the meeting, the board handled routine business including the approval of previous records. Motion Made by L. Layne to approve the minutes from the August 20th Select Board meeting. Motion Passed (4-0-1), with J. McGrath abstaining.