Peaslee building committee schedules May 27 forum, keeps survey open as outreach ramps up

The Peaslee Building Committee communication subcommittee met remotely on May 14 and scheduled a public forum for Wednesday, May 27 at 6 p.m. in the school auditorium provided by Principal Bevan, while keeping its community survey open through June 1.

Committee members said in the meeting that the outreach pop-up tent at recent elections drew steady foot traffic. "It went well," said Janelise Ruse of PMA Consultants, who attended the event with Flansburg and said consultants handed out flyers and directed residents to the survey. Jennifer (Flansburg) recommended a larger poster showing Peaslee’s location relative to the high school to help spark conversations.

Why it matters: the committee is preparing materials and outreach so town meeting voters and survey respondents have information in advance of upcoming decisions. The group agreed to produce a concise one‑page summary of options and distribute supplemental materials to committee members ahead of a May 18 internal ranking deadline.

At the meeting the committee reported about 469 survey responses to date; a consultant noted roughly 13%–14% of respondents are undecided, a segment members said they want to target. "I think if we can get in front of the community as much as possible, it'd be great," the Chair said, urging multiple outreach channels.

Members debated how to frame and deliver outreach. They proposed a short, punchy social-media post and an email blast to Facebook groups and to a community distribution list; staff and Greg’s team agreed to help compile and send a project update email. The committee decided to keep the project materials on the town website for the current phase and to update the site with Q&A and FAQs.

Budget and mailer: the committee discussed a direct-mail option estimated at about $4,000 against a communications allocation of $10,000. Members generally agreed it is likely too late to mail in time to boost survey returns for the current phase, but said a paid mailer remains an option for a later outreach push. Legal guidance cited in the meeting was that the town may send factual informational mailings so long as they are not persuasive on a ballot question.

Next steps: consultants will prepare a one-page summary and an executive summary of survey themes; committee members will receive materials before May 18. The next public community forum is set for May 27 at 6 p.m.; committee staff will explore offering a remote participation and comment option to increase accessibility.