[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6079004,"mediaKeyId","2956641-095ea75b98ed38cc49875d542761beab","parentId",2956641,"title","Committee reviews 'sandpit' consultant proposals; members raise transparency concerns about online blind scoring","audioSeconds",674,"startMs",2016000,"endMs",2690000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956641-095ea75b98ed38cc49875d542761beab&start=2016&end=2690","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956641-095ea75b98ed38cc49875d542761beab/thumbnail_2016000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6079004/Massachusetts/Committee-reviews-sandpit-consultant-proposals-members-raise-transparency-concerns-about-online-blind-scoring","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079004-276f729afd8f1251c555f49a9c679dd6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770638449&Signature=CVtsJMc8dQq4RP9vYjpA~BdgMfQ5jPEybN8UHl0OiKl613MyCKabg06THVEqfjKwOo8XY7yrq9vb65Dth2VrNa6~-QUQ~VmjUwh83ErrFS6tmujVbV~SVb9HPirBXXZ7bGRJUn2X-naiEbRO-3bC9EhO7yYXWpgP~TrMFfrDCUlOcOycASNgOrxTxM9T4aB1scJ-TrBS1LyOVxzN4qrYZd7l0dNYpIpP73eM7AlITJU1Y2slxB2MAy1iDmPrUIGCHqPCcHJ5kEHJ2WIuL6jwHHD-aGvLgHeTasrDxi0csif-5t6r1pTUp275BFL4BVCJxzvNLWZgVze5A8H--JaUmA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Hubbardston, MA","date","2025-04-11T00:00:00Z","article","Committee members reviewed results from a short procurement for a town sandpit/community planning effort and debated the merits of the blind, online scoring process used to rank three bidders.

Rick (Open Space Committee member) summarized the procurement: three proposals were received from firms identified as Niche, Tie and Bond, and Community Scale. Rick said the selection panel used a blind, online submission process with four reviewers and that Niche ranked highest because its proposal emphasized community outreach and environmental concerns.

“I scored each moderately higher than the other two,” Rick said, noting Niche’s schedule and community-engagement approach as differentiators. He also said that because the budget was fixed at $50,000 for the work, the price criterion provided little differentiation.

Several members said they preferred the committee’s prior process — an in-person review where reviewers could discuss proposals and clarify schedules and deliverables. One member said the blind online process risked losing useful cross-review discussion and made it hard to know who reviewed the proposals. A different committee member said the anonymity reduces the chance that a single personality dominates scoring.

Committee members discussed next steps: the selected consultant (Niche) is expected to begin outreach activities and the town will hold a townwide meeting and a smaller ongoing working group that will likely include the planning board and a few committee members. Members asked for a screenshot or saved record of the evaluation as part of the procurement file; Nate (town staff) offered to provide screenshots or otherwise document the scoring submissions to improve transparency.

No formal award vote was recorded in the meeting transcript; the committee received the report on the ranking and discussed process issues and next steps.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Hubbardston: Open Space Apr-10-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members reviewed three proposals for a sandpit/community planning project. The consultant 'Niche' ranked highest in the blind scoring; several members said the online, blind-review process limited discussion and transparency compared with an in-person review format.","taxTitle","Town of Hubbardston, Worcester County, Massachusetts","taxId",61645,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6079009,"Hubbardston committee gets MassTrails grant update; TerraMar under contract for Malone Road trail work",339,822000,1161000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956641-095ea75b98ed38cc49875d542761beab&start=822&end=1161","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956641-095ea75b98ed38cc49875d542761beab/thumbnail_822000.jpg","/articles/6079009/Massachusetts/Hubbardston-committee-gets-MassTrails-grant-update-TerraMar-under-contract-for-Malone-Road-trail-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079009-5250981900501aaef068083701015c58/orig.mp4?Expires=1770638449&Signature=CN3FCJ6tmB~U5dymckEKCp2br9zuWZjDUqNyKhzfBcq1ThMRoJlNbyloZ8jIpdoaYJTL2uqu-aQBSe-TQzctR2k9OLDHnmA2BT2THLhfYvM5o8uZJsIsr7R57u0bV7Ra5gGhFSYTMrtEM6JqPC4py-1j5xOfnIXEzY3pfcdAfG1uHzgl~mVcYaNsB0b9NndyntZn8c3OTiRiZhhixEb3pYQQIVTpq1DrkM7bwxlUbkZJmmglRLgaBrwhOME2OPe0f81f4sWqguIMx3bRejzG8SEcL~xcRwM3pJ3v5jSNRb2QO45neGuGCXb1pshthvzc437R4adLQ2B2VHujj2YIXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town of Hubbardston Open Space Committee received project updates on multiple MassTrails grant-funded efforts and confirmed a contractor is under contract for trail work.

Bob (Open Space Committee member and project manager) reported that the Williamsville Road beacons grant is closed out and that Malone Road’s revised budget — which removed a deck in favor of a ground-level pad — was approved, reducing the town’s match requirements. He said the revised scope lowered the match by cutting a DT15 component and that state administrators did not object to the change.

“I will continue as the project manager . . . through the end summer to get the trail construction complete and the furniture complete,” Bob said, adding that once construction and furnishings are in place, the remaining funds should leave “like, 4 or $5 left in the budget for interpretive sign signage.”

Contract and schedule: the committee was told it is under contract with TerraMar for Malone Road work. The contractor’s proposal listed a May 1 start and an August 1 completion; committee members said field conditions and scheduling mean work will likely start later in May and finish by August. The committee planned a pre-construction walk and a work day for final clearing before crews arrive.

Funding risk and administration: committee members discussed that the grant funds are federal and held at the state until reimbursements are processed. Amanda (MassTrails program manager) was quoted in the meeting as expressing confidence the funding would be processed, but committee members noted that timing matters once work begins because termination or federal funding volatility could create obligations for the town depending on contract timing.

Next steps: a pre-construction meeting with TerraMar was planned; the committee will schedule volunteer work days for final clearing and will track remaining funds for interpretive signage and other small post-construction work.","Committee members heard updates on several MassTrails-funded projects: Williamsville Road beacons grant is closed out, Malone Road design changed to a ground-level pad and the town is under contract with TerraMar for trail construction expected to start in late May and finish by August; project manager will remain in place through construction.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6079014,"Hubbardston open space committee approves final open-space plan; member says plan is his 'swan song' and will resign",62,176000,238000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2956641-095ea75b98ed38cc49875d542761beab&start=176&end=238","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2956641-095ea75b98ed38cc49875d542761beab/thumbnail_176000.jpg","/articles/6079014/Massachusetts/Hubbardston-open-space-committee-approves-final-open-space-plan-member-says-plan-is-his-swan-song-and-will-resign","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6079014-d8e45b5cd09a05a13015302667795b91/orig.mp4?Expires=1770638449&Signature=cDWvQeDIcE4EYSAhkkEz~dVDCKXUvE2rWDqockP9wEKNbsFkSgwex1KSlGJSbIOzJb7AVjgWtcdCo31ZLGuFgSVeGY2smrYcee0BWSm~SyYsGosh1n49MlOVscqgYpZsOGk3dKBDglK2sW3giVLJKbsHBF4qTEtTgnq1E6Z8WbVJV193D6FKWUAVCCX-G-Bbcobx91qUCl13luWyaA4rUd0Zv8VLCoh9vHDXBUKyHmxnGqkUO~J2R1WVj~Ee9oYk~-YeCg7AWsgz5lQqC1ujWxSROR8TZsC2Rkg12ixzfWWRZuYIOhWw1Mw8Yx7cNkH1liUFa84bhNdNU7Q6SB51vg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town of Hubbardston Open Space Committee voted unanimously to approve its final open-space plan during its regular meeting.

Mark (Open Space Committee member) circulated the final draft by email and asked for any last edits before a vote. “Any comments or minor minor edits before we,” he said, before a committee member moved to approve the plan and another seconded the motion. Committee members then voted “aye,” and a chair declared the motion unanimous.

Why it matters: committee members said updating the plan now could buy the town three extra years before the next full update. Mark told the committee that the plan “is my swan song on the committee” and announced he has resigned from the committee; he said he expects to step away for several months while remaining available to help with final tasks.

At the meeting members discussed a recently received letter that changed the required structure for open-space action plans from a seven-year to a 10-year horizon. Mark said the town’s current plan “is currently set to expire in 2031, and that would make it 2034,” and explained that revising the action-plan chapter to cover 10 years would extend the plan’s expiration by three years. Committee members discussed that adding three columns to the action table would be the primary drafting task to reflect the longer horizon.

Committee members agreed the revision would be a modest drafting task and would likely avoid a full rework. Bob (Open Space Committee member) volunteered to take the lead on preparing the required edits and the submission to the planning board for its signature. Committee members noted the plan also still requires the planning board’s signature before being finalized.

The committee discussed administrative details tied to finalizing and storing plan files. A member said they temporarily could not access the committee Google Drive because the town had transitioned some accounts to Microsoft services; the member reported speaking to town staff (Nate) to restore access and asked for a backup of documents in the short term.

The vote to approve the final open-space plan was recorded as unanimous; the motion and second were made during the meeting but the transcript did not identify the mover or seconder by full name. The committee did not record a roll-call tally in the meeting transcript.

Looking ahead: with the plan approved the committee expects to submit the final document to the planning board for signatures and, if the 10-year revision is completed in time, to secure the recommended three-year extension to the plan’s expiration. The committee scheduled follow-up work and an expectation that Bob will coordinate the revision and submission.","The Town of Hubbardston Open Space Committee unanimously approved a final open-space plan and discussed extending the plan's action horizon from seven to 10 years to push the plan expiration from 2031 to 2034. A committee member said he has resigned and will step down after completing the submission.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee reviews 'sandpit' consultant proposals; members raise transparency concerns about online blind scoring

Hubbardston committee gets MassTrails grant update; TerraMar under contract for Malone Road trail work

Hubbardston open space committee approves final open-space plan; member says plan is his 'swan song' and will resign