Brookline Police, Town Agree On Contract: Select Board

BROOKLINE, MA — On Tuesday, despite the snow and sleet, the Select Board met and here's a look at some of the highlights during that meeting:

Town and Police Union Reached Collective Bargain Agreement: The Police union voted to ratify the agreement. Look for the agreement at the Special Town Meeting on April 9. "This one has been a long time coming. I'm glad to see the Town and the Union come to an agreement," said Brookline Select Board Chairperson Neil Wishinsky.

It's election season: If you want to run for any town office, including Select Board and School committee now is the time to apply. Get an application at Town Hall.

Contest: The Brookline Commission for Women is running its 25th annual “A Woman Who Inspires Me” Essay Contest, in celebration of National Women’s History Month. All 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade students who live in Brookline or attend a public or private school in Brookline are eligible to submit an essay that honors a woman who inspires them.

Brookline Youth Award nominations: If you know of a youth in Brookline that goes above and beyond nominate them by Feb. 19.

Cypress Playground: The Parks department is looking to renovate Cypress Playground. The town has employed Weston and Sampson to do the work for landscape architecture and contract work for $300,000.

Agreements with MassDOT: MassDOT is set to pay $1 million and $8.3 million to Brookline in the form of construction cost values. That means a pedestrian friendly Rt. 9 and protected bicycle lane on Rt. 9, among other things.

NETA's Grand Opening Plan: "If anyone who is going to open an adult-use marijuana establishment, we're fortunate to have NETA as the operator doing it in Brookline," said Wishinsky. "That said, NETA is going to be either the first or among the first cannabis retailers inside 128." There have been a number of openings across the state. The Police chief has been in touch with those police departments to learn from the lessons of other communities. There will be police details and plenty of communication with the town, according to New England Treatment Access.

An opening sometime in March is very likely, said a NETA representative. The big message from them? It's better for everyone if you take public transportation.

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff