Town offices reopen for business
The Town Offices, closed to the public since November, reopened Tuesday morning. No fanfare, just business as usual, with normal business hours and protocols in place.
Town Administrator Mike McGovern announced the reopening at the Selectmen’s meeting Monday night. The building would reopen Tuesday morning, he said, with normal business hours and pandemic protocols in place, such as mandatory maskwearing and social distancing.
Things could change, however, if the town’s COVID-19 case status strays back into the danger zone.
Previously flagged red on the state’s color-coded map, which tracks reported cases by community, Shirley is in the gray area now. “We’re not even color-coded,” McGovern said. “We will continue to watch the numbers.”
Town offices are already gearedup for public access, with Plexiglas at department windows where employees interact with the public and distancing markers on the floor. Although the building has been closed to the public, all municipal functions continued, with employees working
on site.
As for board meetings, the rule since November has been all-remote, except for board members, McGovern told the Nashoba Valley Voice on Tuesday, and he didn’t envision much change in the latest version of the new normal.
“Typically, they (board chairs and administrators) know who’s coming in,” he said, adding that the meeting rooms can house up to 10 people under pandemic rules. But he agreed it might be a good idea for anyone who wants to attend a meeting in person to call ahead.
Selectmen, for example, have almost a full-house to begin with: the threemember board, McGovern and assistant administrator Aubrey Thomas at the table, plus a SPACO videographer at the rear of the room.
Another example he cited was the Zoning Board of Appeals, which has been holding a multi-session public hearing on a 52-unit condo development proposed for a 10-acre site on Benjamin Hill. In the works for some time, the project has drawn a healthy amount of public interest and input.
Although board members usually attend in person, public participation has been via Zoom.
It tends to be a packed virtual room. With parties representing the developer adding to the count, the maximum attendance of 10 might have been exceeded to begin with, McGovern said.
“Back in November, when we closed, town counsel advised that we could adhere to the 10-person maximum and still hold in-person meetings in the Town Offices,” he explained.
However, the attorney’s opinion was that all or nothing was the best bet, so public meetings have been held remotely ever since, he said, whether board members were in the room or not.
Now, it’s pretty much the same in terms of public meetings, McGovern said. The biggest difference is that the building has opened its doors to the public again, he said, adding that it’s a welcome change.
As for board meetings, the rule since November has been all-remote, except for board members, McGovern told the Nashoba Valley Voice on Tuesday, and he didn’t envision much change in the latest version of the new normal.