[0:00] Ready?
[0:18] » Good morning
and welcome to the town of Can you hear
[0:22] me? Good morning and welcome to the Town
of Townsen
[0:26] 2026 annual TOWN MEETING.
[0:34] » [applause]
>> 2026. WHO WOULD HAVE EVER THOUGHT,
[0:38] RIGHT, you're supposed to be flying
around in space cars or something in
[0:42] 2026, if I remember correctly, Popular
Science magazine, right?
[0:48] First of all, I'd like to start with
having everybody stand. We have a flag
[0:51] this year. I'd like to start with the
pledge of allegiance. As soon as we're
[0:54] done, please remain standing FOR THE
MOMENT.
[1:03] TO THE flag of the United States of
America to the
[1:08] stands, [groaning]
one nation under God, indivisible, with
[1:13] liberty and justice for all.
>> Okay, stay standing. Sorry. Stay
[1:17] standing.
I would also like everybody to just join
[1:22] me for a moment of silence and
reflection and remembrance to honor
[1:26] those towns and residents and other
loved ones for which we lost this past
[1:31] year. Thank you. [snorts]
[1:45] » Thank you. Please be seated.
[1:57] Warning
for the town of town. Warning for the
[2:02] town of Townsen 2026 annual meeting
corrected January 27, 2026.
[2:10] The legal voters of the town of Townsen
are hereby notified and warned to meet
[2:14] at Dutton Dutton Gymnasium located in
2030 Vermont Group 30 on Tuesday, March
[2:21] 3rd, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. to act on the
following articles.
[2:28] I am supposed to read the entire warning
at this point. If there are no
[2:32] objections, I'll refrain from doing so.
>> No objection. hearing. No objections.
[2:39] Before we start, I'm going to lay some
rules out um on how this meeting is run.
[2:46] Um everything goes around in a circle
history. Uh I was asked at one point to
[2:52] put out a sheet of paper that kind of
explained this. We used to do that in
[2:56] the distant past, but it was determined
uh the town did not want to spend the
[3:00] money to create such a sheet. So, it
kind of goes around in a circle. If you
[3:05] would like a sheet, please talk to me
later and I can more than happy. But I'm
[3:08] going to explain the rules uh verbally.
Again, welcome to the 2026 Towns and
[3:14] Town Meeting. Town meeting is a special
tradition
[3:19] with President Dick
and I'm honored to be a part of it with
[3:23] you. I'd like to extend a special
welcome to those that are new to Town
[3:28] who have never attended a town meeting
before and it's going to be quite a
[3:31] ride. My name is David Lebo. It has been
my pleasure to serve as town moderator
[3:36] for the last year. And let me review
some information and rules for the
[3:40] meeting.
The role of the moderator is to keep the
[3:44] meeting organized and explain procedural
questions. Please ask any questions
[3:50] before we vote. You have the right to
challenge any decisions I make. If you
[3:56] feel any of my rulings are improper, you
just need to raise your hand and say, "I
[4:01] challenge the moderator decision."
Everybody, please feel comfortable to
[4:05] speak up. We are family. Nobody will
think poorly of you if you have a
[4:10] question.
Voters should check in at the uh
[4:16] entrance. Please, if you are a town
resident, state your name and you will
[4:21] get a ribbon. The ribbon signifies that
you are a town resident, that you can
[4:26] speak and vote during uh articles.
Non-residentidents are not allowed to
[4:33] vote or participate in any discussion
unless the town votes to give uh
[4:40] permission by suspending the rules which
requires a twothird vote. That's just to
[4:45] speak. They are still not allowed to
vote.
[4:49] When making a motion or seconding a
motion, please state your name loud and
[4:54] clear. This is for the minutes. For
example,
[4:59] Limbo, I second the motion and they know
how to um uh record that.
[5:08] When a motion is on the floor for
discussion, I will try to call on hands
[5:12] as they are raised.
When called upon, again, please state
[5:17] your name. We know what town you're
from, so you don't have to state your
[5:20] town.
Please [clears throat] speak loud and
[5:23] clear. And theoretically, we would like
you to come up front and talk.
[5:29] If we have an extra microphone,
we might be able to pass it around, but
[5:34] I don't know if we do. Oh, yes. Maybe we
can take one of these from up front.
[5:37] Okay. But try to come up and talk.
A motion may be amended and amendments
[5:44] amended once with voting to proceed from
the last proposed amendment in reverse
[5:50] order. Sounds confusing. I'll help you.
All motions and remarks should be made
[5:57] to the moderator. There will be no
discussion between residents.
[6:03] Dora
is the word of the day.
[6:08] There will be no personal attacks. We
are here to discuss and vote on the
[6:15] warned articles. You will be ruled out
of order and can be removed from the
[6:21] meeting by the constable.
There can be a $200 fine by district
[6:26] court if you are deemed disruptive.
[clears throat]
[6:30] After you've spoken once on a particular
article that's going to be mentioned at
[6:34] the end
after you've spoken once on a particular
[6:38] article unless there's a direct
question. You are not allowed to speak
[6:42] twice until everybody else has spoken
once and then you are only allowed to
[6:46] speak twice on any given motion or
amendment unless we SUSPEND THE RULE.
[6:53] DEBATE MAY be cut off by calling the
question which requires a twoth3
[6:58] majority
and then no other amendments may be
[7:02] brought forward. Calling the question
without having the floor will be ruled
[7:07] out of order. So you can't just scream
call the question. Raise your hand and
[7:12] when I get to you then you should do it
again. You have the right to challenge
[7:16] any decision I made or you just raise
your hand and and that one you can call
[7:21] out because it's a privileged motion. I
challenge the moderator's decision.
[7:26] During elections, if there is no
objection, only the person nominated
[7:31] will be allowed to give a brief
introduction and background information
[7:35] on their qualifications.
visions, goals, and objectives will be
[7:40] ruled out of order.
When voting by paper ballot, please come
[7:46] up through the center aisle and exit
through the sides. If you cannot get to
[7:51] the ballot box, let somebody know and
we'd be happy to bring the ballot box to
[7:55] you.
Please silence all cell phones
[8:01] um and patrons. It's an amazing thing
because this is the fact that cell
[8:06] phones work in towns.
[8:11] Um,
I have some written here. I don't know
[8:15] why. Um, we will not be taking a break
for lunch. There's grab and go in the
[8:20] back. Thank you to all those that have
donated their money, time, and effort to
[8:26] make such a beautiful spread. If I
wasn't so nervous, I'd try.
[8:32] This meeting is being recorded by
Bradleboro Community Television. You can
[8:36] watch it later this week on channel 1079
and online at bradleberetv.org.
[8:42] Again, for anyone speaking at the
meeting, please stand and state your
[8:45] name. Speak directly into the microphone
so the viewers at home can hear you.
[8:52] Introductions.
Up front. Here we have select board. In
[8:56] no particular order, we have Bob Wright,
Steve Frisk, Katie Maro,
[9:05] Nick Suarez, and Ally Evans.
On the other [applause]
[9:15] on the other
[9:18] I have g
[9:22] on the other paper we have justice of
the pieces and um bro for town clerk
[9:30] [applause]
[9:33] that's
UM
[9:39] our State Representative Emily Long and
I've seen our state senator Nana Hashim.
[9:46] They are going to uh ask to take up some
of our time and speak. We're going to
[9:53] allow that early on this morning. I I
will ask you if you allow that um early
[9:58] on in the meeting.
>> They'd like to speak earlier. Uh they've
[10:03] been caught up in the election in the
past and so they'd like to do it kind of
[10:06] before the election.
papers in the back. In the front,
[10:14] you have um information from the select
board on uh and the town social services
[10:20] um committee
was a historical view on the town social
[10:24] services. There's information about the
treasurer structure which is article
[10:30] three
and then there's information on the
[10:34] compactor structure which is article
something like but if you like that
[10:39] information those papers are in the back
the front and then up front here there's
[10:43] more information on the uh social
services article
[10:49] I don't have any other announcements
[10:54] lastly
restrooms. I believe we're going to use
[10:57] the ones back here. If you need to use
the restroom, you can head back there
[11:02] through the door on the [clears throat]
right hand side.
[11:07] I have no other information. And if
there are no objections, let's get ready
[11:13] to rumble.
[11:16] Have a gabble.
We'll move on to article one. Any
[11:22] questions about rules?
[11:27] Article one to choose a moderator for
the ensuing year. I will now entertain
[11:32] nominations.
[11:35] » Yes, sir.
>> Motion nominated.
[11:39] » Second.
>> I should have said that. Correct. Thank
[11:43] you. There are no seconds needed for
nominations. Okay. It's a vote of
[11:49] support and I appreciate it. But when we
get the other elections, you don't
[11:52] necessarily have to second a nomination,
but thank you. Um, any other
[11:57] nominations?
[12:00] Hearing no other nominations.
And if there are no objections,
[12:06] I declare the nominations closed and
instruct the clerk to cast one ballot
[12:10] for David Lebo for the one-year term of
moderator. All those in favor say I.
[12:16] » All those opposed, no. Thank you. No
clapping. I'm not I'm not First of all,
[12:21] let's not let's not go there, okay? Just
for me, it doesn't matter, per se, but
[12:26] let's not go there. Let's let's let's
just have the meeting, [laughter] okay?
[12:31] Thank you very much.
This will be my 20th year.
[12:37] Um,
and nobody should be married for a job,
[12:41] but thank you for your support.
Um, article two,
[12:48] to act upon the July 1st, 2024 to June
30th, 2025
[12:54] independent auditor. Oh, auditors. Wait
a second.
[12:59] Before I finish this, when I stop this,
okay, the representatives are here. Do
[13:06] we want to go there now and do this?
>> Okay. And so I'm going to ask if there's
[13:11] no objections before we start article
two. I didn't finish reading it. Before
[13:15] we reach article two, would we like to
suspend the rules and allow um we just
[13:21] have uh Emily and J just those two?
Would you like them to come up and talk?
[13:26] » All those in favor, please say I. I
>> oppose. No.
[13:30] » I believe that's 2/3. We've suspended
the rules. Come on up front. We're going
[13:34] to give them
how much time?
[13:38] » Nine.
Five minutes each.
[13:41] » Okay. Five minutes each. 10 minutes. Um,
you guys want to speak?
[13:54] » Testing, testing, testing.
[14:03] I'm going to leave it up here for Lee,
but I don't I also don't dare to change
[14:08] it. Um,
welcome. Thank you for allowing us to
[14:13] speak here. Um, boy, 20 years is a long
time to be sitting in that position.
[14:19] I'll just say this is I was just
reminded this is my 12th year um,
[14:24] standing in front of the residents of
Townsend. Can you hear me? Okay.
[14:29] It's hard to tell.
>> Yeah.
[14:31] » Um I'll I'll talk
a little.
[14:35] » This is one of those I got it. This is
one of those directional ones. I can
[14:39] stand back. Okay. So, um first of all, I
just want to say what a what a winner
[14:46] we've had. Um I'm going to say this in
new fan, too. When I hit the town, I
[14:51] said it in Marorrow. Um thank you to the
road crews and our communities.
[14:56] [applause]
[14:58] because what a year it's been. And I I'm
actually a little concerned about what
[15:03] mud season might look like. Frosty
hasn't been this bad in a long time. Um
[15:08] so, uh make sure [clears throat] you're
thanking the folks who are taking care
[15:12] of our roads. Um as you all know,
transportation's a challenge in this
[15:16] state and all over the country and who
are facing budget deficits and
[15:20] transportation as well. Um before I get
to any of our um and before I certainly
[15:27] allowed Nutter to have the microphone,
um I just wanted to say a couple things
[15:31] about um
about the way we work in Mont Pillar and
[15:39] the way we operate in this state. Um
you you you folks all know I grew up
[15:45] here, born at the hospital of the
street. Um, and I am
[15:53] extremely grateful uh for the community
that I live in and the state I live in.
[16:00] And I just wanted to share um
as things shift in the country and
[16:06] become so much more political and
politically divided. I have seen
[16:12] evidence non-stop almost every day in
the committee I serve in and um in the
[16:19] community I live in in the state house
across the board uh the collaboration
[16:24] and the manner in which we serve with
each other and I just wanted to share
[16:30] that first because um
the needs of Vermoners are coming first
[16:39] in the state house and I can say that
across the board. Doesn't matter what
[16:43] party we're from, we sit in committee
side by side and we work hard together
[16:48] every single day to try to make sure the
needs of Vermonters are being met. And I
[16:53] just wanted you all to know that that is
happening here in Vermont and in the
[16:58] state house. And it's really important
to me. I don't think I'd keep doing this
[17:01] job if it weren't true. So, I can call
all 180 legislators
[17:07] uh friends and colleagues and I'm
grateful to work with them. So I just
[17:10] wanted to share that first. Um Vermont
is facing challenges as you all know
[17:15] just like every other state. Uh loss of
federal revenue has been a significant
[17:22] challenge for us. Um I'm not going to go
into too many detail around around
[17:27] legislation. Um but I do want to speak
briefly. I'm I think I told you all last
[17:33] year I stepped down from my leadership
positions in the state house and I'm now
[17:36] back on the education committee which
has um been sometimes I've questioned
[17:43] the wisdom of going on the education
committee this year has been extremely
[17:47] challenging as it was last year. We are
trying to find a path forward to lower
[17:53] the costs of education,
lower our property tax rates, and at the
[17:59] same time increase opportunities for
kids because that's really the core of
[18:05] what we're doing. And uh the bill passed
last year, Act 73.
[18:10] Uh I I didn't share with you um last
year at town meeting that I didn't vote
[18:17] for the bill, but I did not vote for the
bill. Um, in the end of the session, I
[18:21] felt like it needed more time that u
verers voices need to be needed to be
[18:25] heard in a much better way. Um, uh, but
the bill did pass and we are struggling
[18:32] right now to find a way forward to fully
implement the bill. There is a lot of,
[18:38] uh, work that still needs to be done on
the legislation. So, um, stay tuned on
[18:44] that. We uh in the education committee
in the house, uh N serves on the
[18:50] education committee in the Senate, so
he'll have his perspective from the
[18:53] Senate. In the House, uh we have some
legislation that was put on the table
[18:57] for us that um has met with quite a bit
of resistance, not just in our
[19:01] committee, but across the state. The
chair put it on the table and he said to
[19:04] us, uh this is incomplete, flawed work,
but I want you to work on making it
[19:10] better. And when we left for town
meeting break, he said, "I'm pretty sure
[19:15] if we were to vote on this bill today,
it would be one, meaning him in favor
[19:20] and 10 against because there's 11 of
us." And so it's pretty clear we haven't
[19:26] um come to agreement yet on what our
next steps are, but it's also really
[19:29] clear that we need to do something. um
we need to make sure the education of
[19:33] our kids is first and um we need to
recognize the impact on our communities
[19:39] as we make those changes. So um stay
tuned on that. I just want to quickly
[19:45] say housing, healthcare and education um
and government accountability, those are
[19:52] all top of our um plates right now.
health care remains a huge issue for us
[19:59] um for all of you. Access to it. We're
focused on trying to do what we can to
[20:04] lower costs. We've made some, you know,
steps. We've taken steps. We did last
[20:09] year. Um primary care is certainly um a
central focus for us trying to make sure
[20:16] that we have not only uh quality primary
care across the state, but affordable
[20:21] and accessible primary care. Um, so
anyway, I don't want to take the the
[20:25] time away from Nter. So, I want let you
have your
[20:30] » All right. So, I'm a little vertically
challenged. So, I don't You all able to
[20:34] hear me? Oh, thanks.
[20:38] All right.
[laughter]
[20:42] That's fine. It's fine. It's all good.
Anyways, uh, good morning everybody. My
[20:47] name is Nar Hashim. one of the senators
to win the county. And you in in the
[20:52] interest of keeping this short, I'm
scrapping the pre-written speech and
[20:56] just uh going on the fly here. So
hopefully that all works out for the
[20:59] best. But you know, I did just want to
reflect on something. you know, over the
[21:03] last couple of days as I was trying to
get all my thoughts together for what I
[21:07] would be sharing at town meeting, it it
felt very surreal uh to be, you know, on
[21:14] the one hand looking up what the, you
know, what the changes to the transfer
[21:19] tax is for second homes and then on the
other hand getting all these
[21:23] notifications about all these different
bombings that are happening um in
[21:26] different parts of the world and, you
know, trying to balance, you know, where
[21:33] where my focus is. Um, and you know, in
situations like that, I'm I just I
[21:38] remind myself that there's some things
that are within my control that I can
[21:42] that I can deal with, and then there are
other things that are out of my control
[21:46] that, you know, while I can still pay
attention to, I there's there's not much
[21:50] that I can do. And so, and I and I think
that applies really not just to anybody
[21:54] in a leadership position, but just
anybody in daily life. And so I'm going
[21:59] to talk about a few of the things that I
can do and that I have been doing um as
[22:04] a senator up in the state house. So in
the Senate we serve on two committees. I
[22:09] serve in the morning as the chair of
Senate Judiciary and in the afternoon I
[22:14] serve on the education committee.
And I'll start with education. Uh you
[22:21] know we as as we just heard uh there was
there was Act 73. Uh I also voted
[22:26] against it last year, but we are in the
second phase of Act 73 and the bill
[22:33] originally created the school
redistricting task force. And I'm
[22:38] paraphrasing in a in a big way, but the
task force essentially concluded that
[22:44] forcing mergers uh between different
districts is not going to yield the cost
[22:49] savings uh that we hope to see and it's
also extremely disruptive. Uh despite
[22:55] that, it seems as if both chambers are
moving in that direction anyway. And
[23:02] it's it's my position on on the regular
that we should be following the data, we
[23:07] should be following the evidence and the
evidence shows that when districts
[23:12] voluntarily merge uh because the folks
in that community know what's best
[23:18] generally for their communities. when
different comm when different districts
[23:22] merge voluntarily that's when you start
seeing uh more efficiency and more cost
[23:26] savings and so
the at least the proposal in the Senate
[23:32] right now is to uh reduce the number of
unions and reduce the number of
[23:36] districts by combining them uh but
having a voluntary 2-year period and
[23:42] then after that it becomes involuntary
and you get merged. So that's that's the
[23:49] very broad overview of what the position
is right now. Um I know that one of the
[23:53] more frustrating aspects about all of
this. Uh and I heard this from a
[23:57] superintendent just two weeks ago is
that this process is creating so much
[24:02] uncertainty and anxiety. And this one
particular superintendent said that he's
[24:08] seen uh teachers who are in the hiring
process uh you know after they get a few
[24:13] steps along they start doing more of the
research of where they've applied to and
[24:18] you know they see all these articles and
all this news about the different
[24:22] possibilities of what might happen to
education in Vermont. and some of them
[24:26] have withdrawn their applications and
and and which is very troubling to hear
[24:33] but frankly I can't blame them because
if you're worried about whether or not
[24:38] you're going to have a job or uh if
where you set up roots if things are
[24:42] going to be changing dramatically in the
near future that's a lot of uncertainty
[24:46] for somebody who's trying to start a new
profession. So that is the u the short
[24:54] summary of uh Senate education, Senate
Judiciary. Uh
[25:00] one of the big tasks that I've been
hearing a lot about over the last year,
[25:05] especially over the last year, is how we
respond to the federal government. And
[25:09] we have recently passed S208 and S209.
These are informally known as the
[25:15] masking bill and the sensitive places
bill. The masking bill, as we could all
[25:21] safely assume, has to do with law
enforcement wearing masks, operating
[25:25] anonymously, and arresting people. We've
done a [snorts] lot of work to make sure
[25:31] that both 208 and 209 are
constitutional. Uh unfortunately for
[25:35] California, fortunately for us, uh
California made a few mistakes and we
[25:41] were able to learn from what they failed
to do and we made sure that we did not
[25:46] make those m those same mistakes in our
legislation uh with those bills. And so
[25:51] both 208 and 209 are now in the House
Judiciary Committee. Um the governor has
[25:56] signaled his support for these bills and
uh my hope is that they continue moving
[26:02] forward in the process. Um, other
aspects of judiciary are generally
[26:07] they're they're not going to catch
headlines. Um, but they are aspects that
[26:12] get to technical fixes uh for our
judiciary, our court system that uh are
[26:20] meant to increase efficiency and
fairness in the courtroom. So something
[26:25] as mundane as changing the word
violation with the word conviction
[26:30] actually makes a big difference in
certain plea agreements and the flow of
[26:34] the court. Uh obviously not something
you're going to see any headlines about,
[26:39] but uh you know I I I see it as my
responsibility to make sure that our
[26:43] judiciary is operating in a fair and
efficient manner and it's like taking a
[26:47] pickaxe slowly uh to making these
changes moving forward. So, so that's
[26:54] Senate Judiciary. And, you know, I I
will say that it's uh I mean, this is
[27:01] the the first town meeting that I'm
stopping at for the day today. And so,
[27:04] it's it's a good warm-up. Thanks for
being my my test subject, my first
[27:08] speech of the day. Um, you know, I I I
do love coming out to Townsen. I do
[27:13] often have um office hours at the
library. I haven't had any this month,
[27:17] but I'm hoping to get some next month.
Um, I've also left some uh legislative
[27:22] updates over on the table over there.
There's more information about some of
[27:25] the bills that we're working on in other
areas that I know are important like
[27:28] healthcare act 250 regulations uh and
transportation. And it also has my
[27:34] contact information. So, if you want
more detailed specifics about some of
[27:38] the things I talked about or just
anything else in general, uh, don't
[27:41] hesitate to reach out. And and again,
thank you all for having both of us.
[27:48] » [applause]
[27:51] » You want to move on to the articles of
the day. Do you want to spend more time
[27:54] asking questions?
>> Move on.
[27:58] » Move on. Everybody okay with that?
>> Okay. Thank you very much for coming. We
[28:04] appreciate your time. Wait, wait.
Please, can can you tell us how to
[28:07] contact you if we do have questions,
please? How's that?
[28:11] » Uh, quickest way to say it is to check
the legislative website. uh the Vermont
[28:17] House General Assembly and just search
both of us. Um y'all know I live in New
[28:23] um I am going to be at the Towns and
Library on the 21st at 9:00 a.m. So
[28:30] » So they are very accessible. That's just
you can ask questions here, but they are
[28:34] always available to answer questions.
Thank you for your time. We appreciate
[28:37] it.
We'll see you around four or five maybe.
[28:44] Okay.
Back to business.
[28:49] Article two. Can Can you hear me? That
was sounding so loud before. You okay in
[28:54] the back? Okay. Article two. To act upon
the July 1st, 2024 to June 30th, 2025
[29:04] independent independent auditors report.
I will now entertain a motion.
[29:10] » Flores moved. So moved by Torres and
seconded by Mar.
[29:16] Um any discussion?
[29:20] » We have been doing some work with the
>> Wait, wait, wait. There needs to be a
[29:24] microphone.
[29:28] » Hello. Yes. All right. We have been
doing some work with the auditor's
[29:31] report. Some of the work um has been
things that were under the program
[29:36] select board. Um so some of those
changes if you want to add some here but
[29:44] um
we've been working on making sure that
[29:48] we are keeping up with our
uh employee performance. Um
[29:55] let's see uh we've been working with
fire department and library to kind of
[30:00] firm up some formalized agreements. That
was something that was highlighted in
[30:03] the audience report um under the general
fund committee. Uh Christine Haye, she
[30:09] has taken a lot of work on really
tracking down the solar credits um and
[30:14] what that work looks like as it was kind
of confusing [snorts] and complicated
[30:19] and not well documented over the years.
Um much of this work uh after we've
[30:24] consulted with BLCT um has been
identified as being under the purview of
[30:29] the finance department. So, there's some
things in here that maybe haven't been
[30:32] updated, but those are unfortunately not
under the direct control of the board.
[30:38] Um, but that is just kind of some off
the top.
[30:42] Any other questions?
Any other discussion? Yes, in the back.
[30:48] » I'd like to make an an amendment.
[clears throat]
[30:52] » Wait, we need to This is going to be a
problem.
[30:57] » [snorts]
[31:00] » I'm not running the microphone.
>> Back in the day, we had your kids
[31:04] running the microphone around.
>> Okay, I I'll leave this one back here
[31:09] when people back here want to speak,
please. And yes, I see your hand. We'll
[31:13] get there in a second. Hello. Hello.
>> Now, is that on?
[31:18] » It was a second ago.
[31:22] » So, so, so you'd like to make an
amendment to the motion? I'd like to
[31:27] make an amendment to take the orders of
the day, the agenda out of order. So in
[31:32] article 4 to elect the select board
officials one three-year term.
[31:38] » That's that's you missed one. We're on
article two. Go back to that one.
[31:44] » I [clears throat] have an amendment to
have the town select board report each
[31:48] month to at a select board meeting on
the status of the auditor's report.
[31:54] Sullivan Powers and Company PC dated
October 28th, 2025 on each of the
[32:00] individual findings and there were 15
findings. [clears throat]
[32:06] Okay. Is there a second to that
amendment to the motion? Um, hang on.
[32:12] Let me have that piece of paper again.
That way I can repeat.
[32:19] » Sorry guys.
[32:24] Okay. So, so an amendment is being made
to this motion that says
[32:30] to have So, it's going to say to act
upon the auditor's report and have the
[32:34] town select board report each month at
select board meetings on the status of
[32:40] the auditor's report on each of the
individual 15 findings.
[32:47] » Second.
>> Second. Okay. So, that's been moved and
[32:49] seconded. We will now discuss only the
amendment. We're not discussing the
[32:54] auditor's report. Okay. For right now,
we'll get back to that. But
[32:59] » we're going to discuss tacking this on.
Is there any discussion on that? It's
[33:02] been moved and seconded.
>> Yes. Yes. Maker of the amendment can
[33:07] speak first. Go right ahead, sir.
>> The rationale behind the amendment is so
[33:12] that we actually get action. This report
is a duplicate of what we saw and heard
[33:18] last year. It's identical. Everything is
exactly the same. And we heard from the
[33:23] select board chair last year that they
were working on it just as we heard from
[33:28] Nick a moment ago. We need actual
accountability here. That's what the
[33:33] town residents need. Some of these
things are important. We're talking
[33:38] about fraud. We're talking about things
that really could have an impact on
[33:42] town. So, we need accountability from
the select board.
[33:46] » Any other discussion on the amendment?
Yes, sir. Yeah,
[33:51] » I'm Dale West.
I feel that that we're this amendment is
[33:57] pointed at the select board and the
select board only has limited duties
[34:03] that are in this auditor's report.
The primary portions of this auditor's
[34:08] report recommendations is the finance
office which is managed by the town
[34:14] treasurer. The town treasurer is
responsible for most of all these duties
[34:20] in collaboration with the select board.
Yes,
[34:25] I feel that if you look at the statue on
the responsibilities and duties of a
[34:31] treasurer, the managing of the financial
office is there and the site board are
[34:38] only responsible to approve the warrants
that are created out of the financial
[34:45] office
and sign those checks and release those
[34:51] funds.
any
[34:56] point.
>> Hi, Shiloh. Um, this is mainly just a
[35:00] question. This amendment is pretty much
just asking for the select board to give
[35:04] us an update once per month at a
meeting. Nothing more, just an update.
[35:10] » Okay.
>> Any other discussion on the amendment?
[35:14] Yes. Uh, Bob, you second time. This will
be your last one.
[35:20] With all respect to Dale,
the auditor's letter was addressed to
[35:25] the select board and the select board
for a reason. They're the ones that are
[35:30] accountable.
[35:34] Any further discussion?
[35:38] » Okay. Seeing no further discussion on
the amendment. Yes, sir.
[35:42] » I have a question. I is there any
validity to that? I'm just curious like
[35:47] anybody on the select board want to
address this. Is is this letter asking
[35:53] select board to do certain duties um or
is this in the purview of the town
[35:58] treasurer? Do we have any does anybody
have any other
[36:01] » thoughts on that? I'm Tyler Burns.
>> Tyler,
[36:04] » thank you.
[36:09] Okay, just to answer your question,
Tyler, um the select board, I believe we
[36:15] entered into the contract with the
auditor. So therefore, we are kind of
[36:18] that point of contact for the auditor.
Um the finance department does not do
[36:23] that. Uh so for those reasons,
presumably we are being addressed. We
[36:29] have consulted with BLCT, with the
auditors. Again, as Dale mentioned, a
[36:34] lot of this is directly under the
purview of the finance department, not
[36:37] necessarily select. We do not control
what the finance department does. Um,
[36:42] but there are some pieces in here that
we do help facilitate. For example,
[36:46] working with the fire department, with
the library, some mention of uh cemetery
[36:51] funds um and other things of that
nature. But some things such as internal
[36:56] controls around um finances
um are going to be directly under the uh
[37:05] finance department. So it is a mix.
[37:11] Did you want did you want to speak?
>> Okay.
[37:16] » Oh,
>> remember we're just talking about the mo
[37:18] the amendment. We're not talking about
the artist report. We'll come back to
[37:21] that again.
It seems as if um
[37:26] my name's Laura.
>> Yeah, thank you.
[37:28] » Um it seems like because it's it's been
directed at the select board, even
[37:34] though um it's the treasurer's
responsibility, I don't understand why
[37:39] there couldn't be a a communication
between the treasurer and the select
[37:43] board so that they could give us an
update on what is going on. That's all.
[37:50] I mean certainly if somebody attended
the select board meeting and questioned
[37:53] the select board meeting during the the
public portion could be a question. How
[37:58] have you performed on the auditor's
report? That's a that's what you're
[38:04] saying. Go ahead. More. Uh there's
another hand. I saw Yep. Craig.
[38:13] I'm sorry. And uh a number of these
things are on the select board's watch
[38:18] list. The fraud risk assessment, the
fraud policy, the conflict of interest
[38:22] policy among others are um select board
duties, not treasury duties. And many of
[38:29] these have been ignored. The procurement
policy, the purchasing policy that we
[38:32] have in place um or should have in
place, which has been called um
[38:39] has been called by the auditors as being
out of date more or less when you're
[38:43] doing federal contracts and other state
contracts. There are there are issues
[38:46] with that procurement policy. That been
said, there are a number of them. the
[38:50] conflict of interest policy, the travel
cost policy, uniform guidance
[38:54] procurement which has to do with um
which has to do with purchasing and has
[39:00] to do with keeping the accounting for
the town uh straight and proper. Some of
[39:06] these are in play and some of them are
being ignored. There is a conflict of
[39:10] interest policy in the books. It's been
signed by the select board. It is being
[39:14] ignored. There have been complaints.
There have been misconduct complaints.
[39:18] But that's out of order. We're talking
about the amendment to the meeting. You
[39:23] are speaking of other things.
>> Okay. There's compensation policy,
[39:26] financial management policy is all part
of select board duties to set the time
[39:31] for the time.
>> Thank you, Greg. Thank Sorry.
[39:42] Any other discussion?
>> Yeah. Oh, yes, sir. I'm sorry.
[39:47] uh Snelling [clears throat] the select
court is the executive officer
[39:52] collectively of the town and that is why
they are the recipients of the audit
[39:59] report. The audit report does not go to
the treasurer. It goes to the executive
[40:04] which is the uh select board of this
case. The amendment is asking that there
[40:11] be ongoing reporting on these issues so
that there is some tracking that we are
[40:16] making progress on them. That may very
well be identifying which items are
[40:22] going to be handled by the treasurer's
office which uh or by the select board.
[40:29] And as we're getting later into our
agenda, we are talking going to be
[40:33] talking about some changes in the
treasurer's office which could also
[40:38] affect how this reporting might be done.
So I think it's important that we get um
[40:45] ongoing reporting on these issues so
that we can address them and part of
[40:50] that is identifying who's going to be uh
tackling the various issues. Thank you.
[40:55] Any
any other any other discussion on the
[40:58] amendment?
[41:02] Okay. Oh, in the back.
[41:07] Andy, thank you very much for running
around right now. I apologize.
[41:11] » Hi, I'm Ally Noli. I wonder why this
can't happen quarterly
[41:16] instead of monthly. Boards meeting twice
a month. That means every other meeting
[41:22] they're going to have to report. So, why
not quarterly? Why?
[41:26] You can make an amendment to the
amendment.
[41:28] » Just thinking about it.
[41:36] » Any other discussion?
We have an amendment in front of us that
[41:43] will
add to approve
[41:47] to approve the July 1st to July 2024 to
June 3025 independent artist report. And
[41:55] what we're going to be voting on is to
have the town select board report each
[42:00] month at the select board meeting on the
status of the auditor's report on each
[42:05] of the individual findings.
A yes vote will add that to the main
[42:11] motion.
A no vote will defeat that and the main
[42:16] motion remains the same. Does everybody
understand? Ask any questions. Yes vote
[42:23] passes the amendment. A no vote defeats
that.
[42:27] All those in favor, please say I.
>> I.
[42:31] » All those against, please say no.
>> No.
[42:34] » No. Paper ballot.
>> I heard a paper ballot. I need seven
[42:38] people for a paper ballot.
>> Paper ballot.
[42:41] » Seconded.
>> One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.
[42:45] I got seven people. Okay, hang on. We're
going to have a paper ballot for this um
[42:51] amendment. Just for the amendment. So on
the piece of paper, you're going to
[42:56] either put yes, which
which is voting for the amendment,
[43:03] right? A yes vote votes to add this
piece of information to the article. A
[43:08] no vote defeats it. You write no on the
paper. You're going to come up in the
[43:13] middle. The ballot box will be right
here. Any questions?
[43:19] I now declare the ballot box open.
[43:26] » We have the results of the election.
Um,
[43:31] we were voting on an amendment to the
motion. The amendment read to have the
[43:38] town select board report each month at
select board meetings on the status of
[43:42] the auditor's report on each individual
findings. Yes, votes were 94. No votes
[43:48] were 40. So, the amendment passes. We
now have an a motion before us that
[43:55] reads to approve the July 1st, 2024
to June 30th, 2025 independent auditor's
[44:05] report and have the select board report
each month at the select board meeting
[44:10] on the status of the auditor's report on
each of the individual findings.
[44:17] Further discussion.
[44:23] Okay, seeing no further discussion on
the motion, are we ready to actually
[44:28] vote on the motion? And then I'd just
like to put a little blurb in here. Um,
[44:34] so the for voting purposes, if it's
close,
[44:38] we don't have to go to a paper ballot.
I'm just letting you know there's
[44:42] there's division of the house that we
could do first where we raise hands or
[44:46] have people stand. Yes, people stand and
no people stand. So then we can vote
[44:50] that way as well. So we don't have to
necessarily take the time for a paper
[44:54] ballot. I'm not against paper ballots.
It keeps your opinion hidden a little
[44:58] bit and there's nothing wrong with that
um in democracy. However, I don't your
[45:02] pleasure might be first to do a divi
division of the house. That would be the
[45:07] first call if you chose and you didn't
want a paper ballot next. Okay. [snorts]
[45:12] Um so any further discussion on the
motion before us?
[45:18] Seeing no further discussion, everybody
understands a yes vote. will pass the
[45:24] motion to approve the auditors report
July 1st 2024 to June 30th 2025
[45:29] independent auditors report and to have
the select board report each month at
[45:32] the select board meeting on the status
of the auditor's report on each of the
[45:36] visual findings. A no vote defeats that
motion. All those in favor, please say
[45:42] I.
>> I oppose. No.
[45:45] I believe the eyes have it. The eyes do
have it. Great job everybody. That was a
[45:50] little bit of a
a tough one, but we made it through.
[45:55] Okay. Um, I'd like to
inform you that our other state senator,
[46:03] Wendy Harris, is now here and was
wondering whether or not you would like
[46:08] to suspend the rules to allow her to
speak. She does have a
[46:14] umformational sheet in the back. Now, if
you'd like to pick one of those up as
[46:19] well, um what's your pleasure? We would
have to suspend the rules. It would be a
[46:23] twothirds vote.
Anybody? Yes. Okay. So, all those in
[46:29] favor of and all those in favor of
having Senator Harrison speak, please uh
[46:34] suspend the rules to allow her to speak,
please say I. I
[46:38] » oppose. No.
I believe you have the floor, Miss
[46:42] Harrison.
Five minutes, please.
[46:47] Not direct, but no one.
>> Thank you, Mr. Moderator, and thank you
[46:53] everyone. And I will take five minutes.
Um, thank you all first for being here.
[46:58] Uh, I'm a democracy fan, and democracy
is always it it can be messy, but um,
[47:04] thanks. Thanks for being here and, uh,
uh, being part of it. Um, so, uh, I
[47:10] serve in the Senate. I serve on two
committees. I'm chair of institutions
[47:15] and clerk on the, uh, transportation
committee. And I just want to let you
[47:19] know, we are working on, um, revenue for
towns. Uh, towns are pretty strapped,
[47:25] uh, especially with with roadways, and
that can comprise half of your of your
[47:30] budget. Um, so we're we're looking at a
local option tax for roadway purposes.
[47:36] uh that is not enacted yet. But I do
want you to know that there are local
[47:40] option taxes that the town can implement
much easier than it could previously
[47:46] because previously you had to have a
charter change to implement a local
[47:50] option tax. But now it can be done with
the select board and town meeting. And
[47:55] there are different types of uh local
option taxes. One of them is a sales tax
[48:00] and now the sales tax includes internet
sales. So, you might want to consider
[48:04] that because that's a a relatively easy
way to um to get more revenue. Um and
[48:10] just wanted you to know uh about one
item. There's a lot of things going on
[48:15] wi with Act 250 and [snorts]
um um other zoning issues, but something
[48:21] that people don't know as much as I wish
they did is that now if you have a
[48:26] single family home uh that is permitted
and or you're in an area of a single
[48:30] family home, you can have a duplex. Um
we have duplexes by right now in Vermont
[48:36] and that's something that Maine did a
couple of years ago to increase housing
[48:39] and it worked really well. And when we
were doing this, what we wanted was uh a
[48:45] way for Vermonters to have uh an
additional area space for maybe their
[48:51] adult kids or be able to um uh rent it.
So, so it's it's it's a way that you can
[48:58] improve your property relatively simply
and I just want you to know about it
[49:02] because it's it's important. and I could
talk about education and all sorts of
[49:06] other things, but you have a meeting to
finish and I think I will stop there.
[49:12] » Thank you.
>> Thank you.
[49:15] Thank you for coming, Senator Harris.
Thank you.
[49:22] » Okay, back to the business at hand.
Um, and again, she she did leave she did
[49:28] leave quite a few uh uhformational
sheets in the back.
[49:36] Okay, we're going to be moving on to
article three.
[49:41] » Sh. Huh?
>> I'm sorry. We've passed. We've passed.
[49:52] » Yes, there were. I called for any
further questions. There were no
[49:55] questions and we voted on the main
motion.
[50:06] Did you vote yes or did you vote no?
>> I voted yes on the amendment.
[50:09] » Okay.
>> Wait, wait, wait. What?
[50:14] » That was for the amendment and then we
did the main motion on a voice B vote.
[50:20] Okay. However,
[50:26] Okay. Hang on. This is this is going to
be something that I I got to if you give
[50:30] me a second here. Um
let me look at this right here.
[50:38] Uh
[50:42] I'm sorry. Um do we want to
[50:50] » Are you sure? Because there there is a
there is a mechanism to reconsider the
[50:55] previous vote
>> if you do it before another motion
[51:00] before I read the next thing and you're
right there if you wanted to. I didn't
[51:06] want to
ignore that. Excuse me, sir.
[51:13] » No, there was not an amendment to the
amendment. No, no. So, so we voted on
[51:17] the main motion. We passed it. It's
over. However, there is a mechanism to
[51:23] reconsider your vote if a person on the
prevailing side asks to reconsider it
[51:31] before the next article is read.
>> I'll ask a select board meeting. It's
[51:36] fine. Go ahead.
>> Okay. Okay. Ignore everything I just
[51:40] said.
[51:46] » Okay. Moving on. We will not if as soon
as I'm done reading this there can't an
[51:50] artic a motion that's been passed or
defeated cannot be reconsidered.
[51:56] Hurry. Thank you. Sorry I talk a lot.
Article three. Shall the voters vote to
[52:01] restructure the finance department to
create a part-time treasurer and
[52:06] part-time bookkeeper to to fulfill the
duties of the treasurer and tax
[52:11] collector duties.
>> Suarez. So moved.
[52:14] » It's been moved.
Second by Maro. Discussion. Oh,
[52:20] discussion. The MO motion maker like to
>> Yes. I would just like to open with a
[52:24] little bit of rationale for why we're
presenting this to the voters. Uh this
[52:27] would give us in for example as the
auditor's report recommendations
[52:32] discussion. um it would just give a
little bit more direct communication
[52:36] between the board and the finance
department by having a bookkeeper that
[52:40] would be hired by the town and therefore
is actually um meant to report to the
[52:46] board. So, when we need certain
reportings um for our bimonthly meetings
[52:51] or semionthly meetings, excuse me, uh
when we need certain reports, when we're
[52:55] requesting certain things, when we're
requesting certain updates to procedures
[52:58] in the finance department, um those are
then things that are part of their job
[53:02] duties. Whereas, as the current elected
treasurer system, um we don't really
[53:06] have any say over how the treasurer
runs. Um that's not to say that anything
[53:11] about the current treasurer, but just it
gives a little bit more control over uh
[53:16] how we get information from the finance
department. There would still be an
[53:20] elected town treasurer that is
fulfilling the statutory obligations. Um
[53:24] and then there would be a hired
bookkeeper.
[53:29] Any further discussion?
[53:33] Yes, sir.
Oh.
[53:37] [clears throat]
[53:41] The current bookkeeper is hired by the
board.
[53:46] Currently the structure we have an
elected town treasurer who has an
[53:50] assistant in the finance office that is
hired by the town treasurer. Um and so
[53:55] they split some of those duties in tax
collection and reconciliation.
[54:00] And the new system would be
>> the new system would be having a uh
[54:04] elected town treasurer uh that is
fulfilling just the statutory
[54:08] obligations. So just kind of um having
oversight over the uh finances of the
[54:13] town signing checks uh and then a
bookkeeper sorry
[54:16] » banking
>> and banking uh and then the bookkeeper
[54:18] that is doing the reconciliation
>> and the bookkeeper is still hired
[54:23] » and the bookkeeper would be hired.
>> How does this employee
[54:26] » how does this change how the treasurer
is paid?
[54:30] Um well, since the treasurer's duties
would be substantially reduced, uh the
[54:34] pay would be a much smaller stipend of
the 5,000. Um which we have included in
[54:39] that littleformational box. Um and then
we would split out some of the pay
[54:46] currently to the treasurer salary to
then $20,000 for the bookkeeper. There
[54:51] would also be some increased um monies
allocated towards Nerk, our accounting
[54:57] uh contractor, and they would also be
taking over some other responsibilities
[55:01] that they do for other towns.
Sorry, I should have pointed that out.
[55:05] There is a littleformational box on the
warning uh there. I'm not reading that
[55:10] because that's not part of the article
per se, but that that gives you an idea
[55:14] of how much they're being paid. Yes,
Craig. Sir, go right ahead.
[55:18] Um, I know that the treasurer transition
team worked hard on this. This goes
[55:22] back, however, a number of years. We had
a bookkeeper in the office and a
[55:28] figurehead treasurer in Joe for over 10
years. When Mickey Wong left, uh, we had
[55:35] nine bookkeepers in 10 years. Four of
them got fired, four of them quit. They
[55:39] worked directly for the select board. I
was one of those bookkeepers. Elaine was
[55:44] a bookkeeper. Chris Cook was a
bookkeeper. Um there is massive
[55:48] turnover. There's a long learning curve.
It is under the direct um
[55:54] [clears throat]
under the direct the bookkeeper is under
[55:57] the direct employee of the select board
and there are all kinds of opportunities
[56:02] to move accounts around because the
bookkeeper works directly for the select
[56:06] board. The charter however has statutory
duties and
[56:12] one of those duties is to oversee the
bookkeeper. I don't think it's going to
[56:15] happen for the $5,000 a year and no
benefits that this board is is
[56:19] projecting. I would have hoped that the
charter transition team would have
[56:22] talked to people who were there for
those 10 years. It was, as Steve may
[56:26] tell you or as Rob may tell you or as
Ally who was there at the beginning may
[56:30] tell you, there were some issues and
there were some problems with that
[56:33] arrangement. Going back to that
arrangement, I don't see any benefit to
[56:37] the town. Um,
I think that a treasurer who is
[56:41] accountable to the taxpayer and to the
voters is far more important than having
[56:45] someone that's basically doing what the
select board wants. Part of the problem
[56:50] that we have right now is that the
treasurer has been changing things
[56:54] around on behalf of the select boards
for the last six or seven years.
[56:57] Accounts were pretty straight and pretty
uh clean with the independent auditors
[57:02] for those 10 years. Um subsequently with
the pandemic and with um the elected
[57:08] treasurer and no bookkeeper there were a
lot of changes made in the accounts. A
[57:12] lot of that was due to the select board.
A lot of the confusions in trying to
[57:16] read the budgets and the budget numbers
are because accounts have been changed.
[57:20] Some of it's due to network. Some of
it's due to reorganization by the boards
[57:23] which happens all the time. But when you
have a treasurer that's accountable for
[57:27] the accounts directly answerable to the
state and the feds and the um taxpayer
[57:34] um it's different than
accountable to the whims of a changing
[57:39] select board every 3 years or every 5
years or six years.
[57:44] » Um why don't you go ahead Andy? You had
your hand Andy. Yeah.
[57:48] » Okay. Uh Andy Snelling. Um this is an
important uh change in the way we
[57:53] operate the town and by statute there
there is a reason why the treasurer is
[57:58] elected and the select board elected.
The select board serves as both the
[58:04] judiciary and the executive branch of
our town government. the treasurer acts
[58:10] independently
um and hopefully the two are able to
[58:15] work together and uh function together
as equally elected officials. But they
[58:21] each owe their duty of responsibility
to us the town. And the current
[58:29] situation has been is that there's been
disagreements on how to operate the
[58:34] finances. Um and that is the statutory
responsibility of the treasurer and we
[58:43] heard that the reason why this is being
proposed is to give the select board
[58:48] greater control
and it they should we don't want the the
[58:54] it to be all in one part. It it serves
the citizens well to have it divided or
[58:59] we have two individ or two groups that
are looking after our interests and
[59:04] keeping each other in check.
Uh Craig Hunt made mention of
[59:08] rearranging the accounts. What he's
talking about is the chart of accounts.
[59:12] If you start off with a list of accounts
of where things are going to be charged
[59:18] and you change that from year to year,
then comparisons from one year to the
[59:22] next get to be very difficult. If you
put it in pencils one year and you put
[59:26] it in office supplies the next, how do
you know and track the changes? So um
[59:35] the idea really is that to have a strong
treasur and we need to do that we need
[59:39] to pay this treasurer. Um we we also got
into the questions earlier about the
[59:46] auditor's report and there was comments
that those were responsibilities of the
[59:51] finance department which is the office
of the treasurer. Um, if this were to
[59:57] pass, then those all become select board
responsibilities or many of them. I
[1:00:03] shouldn't say all, many. So, um, I guess
I'd urge everybody to continue with a
[1:00:08] system that we have that has worked
well, um, and works well in many other
[1:00:12] small towns is to have a strong
independent treasurer that is elected by
[1:00:16] the people. Thank you.
>> Further discussion. Amen.
[1:00:25] moderator
last name.
[1:00:27] » Oh, wait. He towns. Will the treasur's
office still be open to the public to
[1:00:32] come in and do business as it is now, or
will that be closed half the time?
[1:00:37] » The treasur's office would still be open
to the public. It would be dependent on
[1:00:41] kind of what the hours would be,
assuming this passes.
[1:00:49] » We're almost here tomorrow.
>> Hello. Hello.
[1:00:54] We were almost here tomorrow. Yes. Keep
going.
[1:00:55] » Are we back? Okay. Um, so office hours
would still be available. Uh, I cannot
[1:01:00] promise you exactly what those times
would be. That may be something for
[1:01:04] negotiation right once um this new
structure if approved is taken uh
[1:01:09] effect. Um, but that would still be
definitely something that is available
[1:01:13] for residents. Uh, and if I may also
just
[1:01:16] » Oh, yes. Hang on one sec. So, Amy, do
you get that? So, yes, the office I I
[1:01:20] saw your face. You're a little um yeah,
the office would remain open as long as
[1:01:24] the town clerk was there, right? Because
the town clerk can collect the
[1:01:28] information and and somebody there to
answer questions.
[1:01:33] » Uh the town clerk currently sometimes
takes tax payments as people come in,
[1:01:37] right? Uh you know, that is still always
a thing. You know, Alena is a very
[1:01:42] wonderful um person, welcoming to people
who walk in. Um so, as long as the town
[1:01:47] clerk is there, that is still always an
option. But specifically for the
[1:01:50] treasurer or the bookkeeper, um they
will have time in office.
[1:01:54] » They're going to be there post office
hours for it.
[1:01:57] Okay. Simple answer. Sorry. Yes. And
Nick, you wanted to
[1:02:01] » comment.
>> Okay. Go ahead.
[1:02:04] » Yes. And I just wanted to um just
clarify this is not to take control of
[1:02:09] treasurer responsibilities. We're not
eliminating a treasurer. This is a
[1:02:12] structure that does exist in other
towns. This is also not something that
[1:02:15] we just kind of came up with out of thin
air. This is just a way to be a little
[1:02:18] bit more efficient in how we're getting
um collaboration between the finance
[1:02:23] department and the select board because
that has been a bit strained at times.
[1:02:27] Uh and I will just very quickly Craig as
you had brought up um a mention about
[1:02:32] the uh stipen for the treasur that is a
of course a very valid point and that is
[1:02:37] something that can be amended from the
floor when we get to the general uh fund
[1:02:41] article. So I just wanted to point that
out. That is not what is being voted on
[1:02:45] right here though.
>> Right. And Oh, yep. Keep going.
[1:02:52] Part of this my concern is is a lot of
people I feel there was a strain in the
[1:02:59] train uh treasur's office prior in the
last few years cuz we actually a lot of
[1:03:04] people I just realized being involved in
the highway budget committee that we
[1:03:10] changed systems and and went to the uh
cash system versus the crude that this
[1:03:18] town ran on probably for the last 50 60
years and it created accounts, changes
[1:03:26] and stuff like that that I feel has
been difficult and yeah, you probably
[1:03:34] did move money around, but
I still feel that system isn't quite
[1:03:40] what we should have, but
there would need to be those controls
[1:03:45] and explaining those things so we can
actually see the process. us as
[1:03:51] taxpayers, we should be able to go in to
the treasur's office and see the manual
[1:03:57] on how it's done and explain. So,
I don't I don't have either way on this.
[1:04:07] I have just concerns that there needs to
be collaboration and that this does seem
[1:04:15] to kind of fill the gap, but um I don't
know. Bob, behind you. Behind you. Yeah.
[1:04:22] Yep. There you go.
>> Bob D servo. I think Andy Snelling said
[1:04:28] it very well. We've got a system. It
works. I've asked the treasurer for
[1:04:34] certain reports. She's provided them. No
problems. Maybe not when I walked in the
[1:04:39] door, but I got it later.
It's a good system, and the treasur is
[1:04:45] accountable to us. That's key.
As far as what Craig said about moving
[1:04:52] the accounts around, I'm sure there are
many other people in the room that like
[1:04:55] me looked at town report and tried to
compare things from one year to the
[1:04:59] next. Impossible. Accounts changed so
frequently you can't follow from one
[1:05:06] year to the next. And again, I think
Craig said it well. Much of that is
[1:05:12] because of the select board saying we
want to move the 100 account to this
[1:05:16] there and the next place. Nermeric may
have suggested some things, but it's the
[1:05:23] select board that's been massaging the
accounts.
[1:05:29] Okay. Um I rule that out of order. Um
that is inappropriate. You are that that
[1:05:36] that that's out of order. Please refrain
from attacking. This is about the
[1:05:41] articles of the day and we have a motion
in front of us.
[1:05:44] » Yes.
accounts.
[1:05:48] Um
>> yeah uh he wants to clarify some of the
[1:05:51] movement of the accounts that that that
yeah sure go right
[1:05:54] » some of the movement of accounts as you
just mentioned Bob were recommended by
[1:05:58] our accounting company by the auditors
themselves um so there is rationale for
[1:06:03] that there is definitely no massaging
going on I appreciate ruling that out of
[1:06:07] order because that is just really
mischaracterization of what we're doing
[1:06:10] here uh and a lot of it too is around
the point of transparency some things
[1:06:15] sit in a certain line item that doesn't
have a well- definfined
[1:06:19] name and therefore it's even harder to
track what that is for. So yes, it is
[1:06:24] difficult to then track over years as
we're moving things but it is also for
[1:06:28] the sake of improving transparency and
making it such that over time we will be
[1:06:32] able to better understand what the
budgets are accounting for. Thank you.
[1:06:37] » Okay, let's continue to let's continue
to focus on
[1:06:41] the information before us. Lang um and
again if you want to speak again let
[1:06:45] everybody speak first. Go right ahead,
sir.
[1:06:47] » Yeah, Lucas Frell. Um, I appreciate the
discussion and uh but I'm not also
[1:06:54] hearing an amendment. Um,
>> no, no, there's no amendment. Why? What?
[1:06:59] What do you want?
>> Well, if we
[1:07:02] I if [clears throat]
so, two comments. One is that I think it
[1:07:05] would be appropriate to hear from the
treasurer's office um to see
[1:07:10] what their thoughts on this because they
have the experience of course of of
[1:07:15] being in the position that they're in
and how important it is to their job
[1:07:19] that they have statutory obligation
um and
[1:07:24] what they feel about having the
bookkeeper underneath within the purview
[1:07:28] of the treasur's office versus select
board. So that would be my my first ask.
[1:07:33] And then the second would be
um uh to hear the proposal for a new
[1:07:39] format
>> out of um
[1:07:43] if there is opposition to the amendment
as it currently is
[1:07:49] » or the article as it currently is that
there is a proposed amendment to it.
[1:07:56] » You just wrote it down. Right.
>> Right. But then
[1:07:59] » and then it goes back to the format that
it's in now, which is the treasurer with
[1:08:04] a bookkeeper underneath it.
>> That's the format we have now is the
[1:08:08] treasurer with the bookkeeper underneath
it. This is expanding the bookkeeper's
[1:08:12] role and decreasing the treasurer's
role. If you are against it, you vote it
[1:08:18] down and it stays the way it is now.
>> Gotcha.
[1:08:21] » Okay.
>> Thank you for clarifying that. So the
[1:08:23] 20,000 for the bookkeeper exists now.
>> No, that that would be a change. that's
[1:08:28] in the general fund right now.
>> Okay,
[1:08:31] » these are good questions that Yeah, you
got it.
[1:08:33] » And maybe let's just go to the treasur
>> as it as it rolls out though.
[1:08:38] » Um, okay. So, what what what the what
the select board is proposing is
[1:08:44] changing the way the finance system
works, right? Such that the treasurer's
[1:08:49] sit the treasurer's role decreases, but
the bookkeeper role increases. The tre
[1:08:55] the bookkeeper still works underneath
that treasurer. There's still office
[1:08:59] hours and things like that. No.
>> What?
[1:09:02] » No.
>> Oh, that the bookkeeper works underneath
[1:09:04] the I'm sorry. Works underneath the new
structure would be under the select
[1:09:07] board. Yes.
>> Would be under the select board. But
[1:09:08] there is still a a uh a treasurer role.
Um if you that's if you vote this in. If
[1:09:16] you don't vote it in, it stays the same
with a bookkeeper still, but the
[1:09:22] treasurer role remains the way it is
now. There was a question to the current
[1:09:29] treasurer bookkeeper
to explain what they thought. Right,
[1:09:34] Lucas? What was right? Yeah. And if they
if you'd like to respond, did I get that
[1:09:40] right? If I'm not making myself clear,
ask in a minute.
[1:09:44] Hi, Elaine Hill, treasurer. Um, I've
been with the town now for quite some
[1:09:49] time. Started as a bookkeeper, then I,
um, morphed into being the treasurer.
[1:09:54] Voted in each year. No issues. Um, with
regard to keeping the finance department
[1:10:01] the way it currently is, I think that
you need a full-time treasurer, not a
[1:10:08] figurehead treasurer for $5,000 a year.
and having somebody work under them
[1:10:15] doing the bookkeeping part of it, which
is very labor intensive, very, very,
[1:10:20] very labor intensive, and paying that
person $20,000 a year. Um, it, like
[1:10:27] Craig has said, in years past, we've had
the figure head, um, treasurer, um,
[1:10:34] signing checks and just, you know, being
the figurehead and then bookkeepers. And
[1:10:40] we went through bookkeeper after
bookkeeper after bookkeeper. So we did
[1:10:44] away with that through the town saying,
"Let's put a full-time treasurer in
[1:10:52] place." And fortunately or unfortunately
for me, I have been that person for the
[1:10:57] last couple of years. Enjoyed it ter
terrifically. Um but now we're asking
[1:11:03] the voters, should we get rid of the
full-time treasurer, which I think In my
[1:11:10] heart, it needs to be in the town
full-time
[1:11:13] and let the statutes and answer
questions for people to come in. Like
[1:11:18] you said, we've had people come in. It
might not be immediate, but I do answer
[1:11:22] their questions about the budget. So,
you know, my vote is to keep a full-time
[1:11:28] treasurer in place and not two part-time
people in place. That's
[1:11:34] » okay. That's
her hand has been up for a while and
[1:11:39] then we'll come back to Christie. Oh,
uh, right.
[1:11:47] » Hi, I'm Alicia Strappford and
is there
[1:11:54] have you defined the expectations of
this bookkeeper that you're you're
[1:11:58] planning on have fill this role? because
it sounds like you need a controller.
[1:12:04] This would be a lot of heavy lifting for
a bookkeeper.
[1:12:08] What you're expecting out of this role
should be a controller.
[1:12:13] » A comproller.
>> A strong controller in this role would
[1:12:19] also do a lot of the heavy lifting for
um the remediation of findings in the
[1:12:25] audit. That would be their job.
You want
[1:12:32] future
future facing financials. You want
[1:12:36] somebody who can
analyze the accounting, give you the
[1:12:41] information you need. That's not a
bookkeeper.
[1:12:47] » Okay. Um Christine, you're
[1:12:53] » Chris Cook. Um, I've been involved in
this for a long time. I was an auditor
[1:13:02] under Mickey
and then an auditor during some of the
[1:13:08] bookkeeping. Uh, sometimes when we had a
bookkeeper and a figurehead treasurer
[1:13:15] and then I was the bookkeeper for a
while and then it got passed to somebody
[1:13:21] else.
There's
[1:13:25] big responsibilities
and it looks to me like you've taken I
[1:13:32] don't know where you're putting the
responsibility. This budget is huge.
[1:13:36] There's a lot of money flowing in and
out. And whenever there's money flowing
[1:13:41] in and out, somebody has to be
responsible for exactly where every
[1:13:46] stupid penny winds up. And there are a
million details.
[1:13:55] And it used to take three of us to
figure out
[1:13:59] which detail was which back when we had
um civilian auditors. We now have
[1:14:07] professional auditors. But the auditors
don't actually take responsibility
[1:14:14] for every penny.
They tell us after the fact if money has
[1:14:21] gone to the wrong place.
[1:14:25] The reason to have a treasurer or a
controller or somebody like that is that
[1:14:31] they ultimately take responsibility for
making sure the money is where it's
[1:14:35] supposed to be.
It is a lot of work. It is also a
[1:14:41] tremendous amount of work for the select
board and whoever is doing the money to
[1:14:47] work together.
I have worn out shoes running back and
[1:14:52] forth between the two.
[1:15:00] I don't care what the title is, but I
think the person with the responsibility
[1:15:06] ought to have the money.
And so I would vote against this
[1:15:12] particular arrangement.
>> Uh further discussion.
[1:15:27] Uh, I'm Caitlyn Maize and, uh, I'm just
wondering why it seems like there are
[1:15:34] people feeling like
it's a bad thing for more elected
[1:15:38] officials to have their eyes on what's
going on. cuz it sounds like the
[1:15:43] proposed change is that more people that
we voted for would be overseeing that as
[1:15:50] in the select board would be more
involved.
[1:15:54] » Wait, wait, wait, wait.
[1:15:58] » We would still have an elected
treasurer. The bookkeeper would be
[1:16:01] hired, not elected.
>> Not elected. Okay. And that that person
[1:16:05] would be given more duties than they
have previously that used to be under
[1:16:11] the elected
>> used to be under the hired assistant
[1:16:16] finance office assistant. Okay.
>> Hired by the finance office.
[1:16:19] » So none of the responsibilities that
were designated under the elected
[1:16:24] official are changing. They that that is
still the same. They are shifting.
[1:16:29] » They're shifting. So fewer
responsibilities under the elected
[1:16:32] treasurer. Okay.
>> More responsibilities under a hired
[1:16:35] bookkeeper and some additional work
moved to our accounting uh contractor
[1:16:40] NMIC.
>> Okay.
[1:16:42] So, it the is the third party
accounting
[1:16:48] company are they assuming some of the
responsibilities that were previously
[1:16:53] for the treasur?
>> So, yes, some of that being payroll um
[1:17:00] » and training. Yeah, payroll, training,
um technical support, increasing some of
[1:17:05] that.
>> Okay, so that's part of the
[1:17:06] justification of decreasing the salary
then because
[1:17:10] » yes,
>> they're absorbing a lot of that.
[1:17:12] » Yes.
>> Okay,
[1:17:14] » just clear.
>> Thank you. No, thank you for that
[1:17:16] clarification. That was good. Uh we got
a lot more. Uh I'm going to we're going
[1:17:20] to come over here. You go toward the
back there, but I'll let
[1:17:22] » over here.
[1:17:27] » Uh good morning. I'm Al Hman. Um couple
quick questions. I would have assumed
[1:17:31] that uh standard accounting practices
are dictated or at least uh laid out in
[1:17:37] some kind of a standard format by either
the state or the league of cities and
[1:17:42] towns. Is that correct? And if so, are
we following that? And uh would that
[1:17:48] change under this new proposal?
[1:18:01] This is an easy one.
[1:18:06] » We we are following it. We've spoke with
Nemerick and the accountants about the
[1:18:11] change and uh
>> what Okay, go ahead.
[1:18:15] » I was asking specifically the way you
lay out the accounts in this book,
[1:18:20] pencils or or office supplies or
whatever you want to call it. I presume
[1:18:25] there is a standard for that either
prescribed by the state or prescribed by
[1:18:30] general accounting practices that says a
town should
[1:18:34] » A B C and D in their accounts it should
be laid out that way and my question is
[1:18:40] are we following that if not why not
>> um I think the treasurer can speak to
[1:18:45] this but um I we are that memor holds us
accountable and the auditors hold us
[1:18:50] accountable
>> yes I I think that's a good question for
[1:18:54] the auditors report because they're the
ones that would keep that organized. The
[1:18:58] answer, I think, is yes.
>> Yes.
[1:19:01] » All right. That's more. Yes, sir.
>> In the back.
[1:19:04] » In the back. Okay. Right. Yep.
>> Testing. Okay. Chris Camp 53 Brookside
[1:19:09] Drive. Uh for the $20,000 you proposed
for the bookkeeper, do you know, did you
[1:19:15] guys pencil out like how many hours
you're expecting to get out of that
[1:19:19] $20,000? And does that line up with the
expectation of need for that position?
[1:19:24] » So the general expectation um that we're
proposing or that we're thinking right,
[1:19:30] we're not proposing a certain set of
hours here is around 5 hours um weekly
[1:19:34] for the treasurer for the elected
treasurer under this structure and 20
[1:19:37] hours for the bookkeeper. Currently um
Alain, correct me if I'm wrong, it's
[1:19:42] about 22
>> 22 hours a week from our elected
[1:19:47] treasurer. Um so it's really not
terribly different from the current um
[1:19:55] time in office and we're also moving as
I mentioned some of that work to Nimrich
[1:20:00] around the payroll uh processing.
[clears throat]
[1:20:06] » Okay. Any further questions?
>> Yes. Further discussion. Yes sir.
[1:20:11] » Hi uh David Barbie. I um I'm just
unclear on what problem this is supposed
[1:20:17] to fix. Is it
a sort of a a need for better
[1:20:22] communication between the treasur's
office and the select board? Because it
[1:20:26] seems like maybe this isn't the answer
to fix to fix that problem.
[1:20:32] Thanks.
[1:20:42] Uh we started a transition team meeting.
We invited the public to come in and
[1:20:48] help us to set this situation up. We
spent a lot of hours on it. We do need
[1:20:54] better communication. And when we ask
taxpayers to come in and help us figure
[1:20:59] things out, it's nice when they do come
in in a friendly colleial way to work on
[1:21:05] a situation. Um, we are at a point where
the treasurer was retiring. We needed to
[1:21:12] think about how to go forward and with
our current situation, you don't know
[1:21:16] who you'll get as a treasurer. So, we
thought that if we had a figurehead
[1:21:22] treasurer to do all the statutory work
and the banking and Nimrich would do the
[1:21:28] payroll, which is cumbersome, then it
would leave 20 hours a week, which is
[1:21:32] more than we get now for the general
bookkeeping. um and it would be a better
[1:21:37] bang for your buck. The other thing is
that if we get a treasurer that needs
[1:21:42] health insurance, then that raises our
budget over $20,000 a year in that in
[1:21:49] that department. So, it was cost savings
as well.
[1:21:56] » Um I'm
[1:22:02] Rogeritis. Um, I work for two other
towns as zoning administrator and um
[1:22:11] both of them have treasurers
and
[1:22:15] it it's concerning to me that um we
would be taking um responsibility away
[1:22:22] from this the the treasurer and giving
it to a hired person as opposed to an
[1:22:27] elected official.
And I I understand the concern that
[1:22:32] there needs to be a transition possibly
to a new treasurer. Um I I might be
[1:22:39] tempted to vote for this change if there
was an amendment saying for one year
[1:22:44] while they look for another treasurer,
but to say that um you want to change
[1:22:49] the system because you can't find
somebody um that just doesn't feel right
[1:22:53] to me. Treasur treasur is an elected
position. So they wouldn't necessarily
[1:22:58] find anybody. You guys would
find that person
[1:23:03] » to find somebody to fulfill the role,
>> right? The town would because this is an
[1:23:07] elected position unless nobody ran for
it, then the select board would be able
[1:23:12] to appoint. But but yes, I we we
understand. Yes, there was some Oh, I'm
[1:23:16] sorry. It was Laura over there.
>> Stand up. Sorry. There we go. Thank you.
[1:23:31] » Um, there it is. Um, I'm just curious
about how much Nimmerick is costing.
[1:23:35] I've heard many, many people talk about
during select board meetings about
[1:23:39] Nimrich and how exceedingly expensive
they are if you go over a certain number
[1:23:43] of hours.
>> Okay.
[1:23:48] » She was she was concerned about the cost
of Nimrich. Nimrich is the program they
[1:23:52] use to do the books. And so she was if
they're going to increase Nimrich, she
[1:23:56] was wondering about the cost of Nimrich.
Correct. Yes. So, one of those things
[1:24:01] that was mentioning, Laura, is going
over a certain number of hours for
[1:24:04] technical support. Um we did just um
sign an agreement with Nimrich for a
[1:24:09] bulk time um purchase agreement which
essentially locks us into a lower rate
[1:24:14] um so that we are getting more bang for
our buck especially if we're having a
[1:24:19] new treasurer andor a new bookkeeper you
know agnostic of whatever the results of
[1:24:23] this vote are having that agreement in
place allows there to be a lower rate.
[1:24:28] Um, we did have to make sure that we are
we're locked into a minimum I believe it
[1:24:33] was 96 hours a year. Um, but especially
with a new person potentially that would
[1:24:38] be pretty easy to achieve. And so then
we're getting about I think it's 110
[1:24:43] versus 150 per hour. But don't quote me
on that cuz I
[1:24:47] » um 45.
>> Lord, did you speak? Is that your second
[1:24:50] speak? I don't remember on this one.
It's been so long. It's okay. Um, any
[1:24:54] other first speakers? First time
speakers. Yes, sir. So, we got one there
[1:24:57] and one there.
>> Hi, I'm Bob. Is there a way Bob Seahack?
[1:25:04] Um, is there a way the new position
could be elected?
[1:25:08] » No,
>> they have to be hired.
[1:25:10] » Yeah, the bookkeeper would have to be
hired.
[1:25:12] » Okay. Uh,
[1:25:20] Susan Hunt. Um, Elaine, you were saying
when you were speaking that it's a
[1:25:25] terrific job and you've really enjoyed
doing it and thank you very much for the
[1:25:29] years you've put in. Is it true that you
really do want to retire or could we
[1:25:33] prevail upon you to stay?
[laughter]
[1:25:40] » Okay. Elaine Hill.
>> Elaine Hill treasurer.
[1:25:45] » Okay.
>> Um,
[1:25:47] » loaded question. Yeah, it is a very
loaded question. Um, I am not retiring.
[1:25:53] I decided to step down and my I decided
to step down and as you guys have
[1:25:59] pointed out about communication and I
don't feel like I had good communication
[1:26:05] skills with the current select board.
>> Enough said.
[1:26:10] » So that's why I'm stepping down.
>> Okay.
[1:26:15] What what was the other part of the
question? upon you to stay.
[1:26:20] » Could we prevail upon you to stay?
That's that's her decision. She's not
[1:26:23] going to answer them right now. There
will be an election and you can nominate
[1:26:26] and go from there. That's that's not
necessary right now.
[1:26:30] » Fur further discussion. Wait, got all
the way in the back before we go to the
[1:26:34] seconds.
>> Still got first.
[1:26:37] » I'll see if I can do this.
>> Oh, Warren B.
[1:26:40] We have to vote in the tax collector
which you included in this article as
[1:26:46] being the treasurer. That's the statute.
Um
[1:26:52] I'm just trying I lost my train of
thought. There was so much discussion,
[1:26:55] but I feel it's going to be hard for
$5,000 to get somebody to absorb the
[1:26:58] duties of the treasurer, [snorts] all
the tax collection, and then still be
[1:27:02] responsible whoever the board appoints
to be their bookkeeper. because in the
[1:27:07] statute it also says that the treasurer
will be responsible for those duties.
[1:27:12] So, good luck. I don't think it's a wise
decision.
[1:27:16] Any other firsttime speakers?
Seeing no other firsttime speakers, Bob,
[1:27:21] you wanted to start your second round
and then first- time speakers can
[1:27:24] continue to speak. Just wanted to ask
>> Bob Dervo.
[1:27:29] There are many things that good
questions that people had and I'd like
[1:27:32] to address some of them if I may. First,
I apologize to the select board if they
[1:27:37] didn't like the term massage. Okay, move
is
[1:27:40] » just move on.
>> Okay.
[1:27:42] » Um, standard accounting practices.
Someone asked that question. The answer
[1:27:46] is no. How do I know that? I retired
from the planning commission last year
[1:27:51] after 18 years on the planning
commission and there was a something an
[1:27:57] invoice from the Windham regional
commission that was paid without us the
[1:28:03] planning commission approving it. That's
standard accounting practices. It should
[1:28:07] have come to us for approval. There was
no way of the people who signed that
[1:28:13] knowing whether or not that was actual
work that was done for the hours that
[1:28:16] was expended and so forth. That's
standard accounting practices. It's not
[1:28:20] being done.
As far as transparency, Nick made the
[1:28:25] point that the attempt is to have more
transparency. The answer is no. How do I
[1:28:33] know that? Recently, the select board
wanted to install new cabinets in our
[1:28:40] lunchroom. What used to be our
lunchroom. There was no discussion at
[1:28:44] any select board meetings. nothing at
all about those cabinets until it was
[1:28:49] announced that they were going to be
installed and how much money there was
[1:28:54] » that money. We have no idea where it
came from.
[1:28:58] » Okay, we're we're Okay,
>> I'd go on, but I'm finished.
[1:29:02] » Okay, thank you. And thank you for your
apology. I didn't I didn't want to gloss
[1:29:06] over that. I just didn't want to get
caught up, but yes, thank you for your
[1:29:09] apology. Um, any other discussion? We
have a motion before us.
[1:29:16] Shall the uh shall the voters vote to
restructure the finance department to
[1:29:20] create a part-time treasurer and
part-time bookkeeper to fulfill the
[1:29:23] duties of the treasur and tax collector
duties? Further discussion. [snorts]
[1:29:28] Okay. The Yes. Oh, yeah. We have another
more discussion.
[1:29:34] Okay. Well, that's that's second time
that I have somebody here and then we
[1:29:38] can go back to you.
[1:29:43] Eileen Rogers. I'm new to this, but
somehow this doesn't seem clear to me.
[1:29:49] What I'm kind of gathering here is that
because there's a communication issue,
[1:29:53] they want to shift what has been working
the powers to be instead of just
[1:29:59] allowing the new position to be voted
in. Am I clear on this? Because it
[1:30:04] doesn't make sense to me because
bookkeepers have a certain role. you
[1:30:08] know, all financial positions take on
different leadership and different areas
[1:30:12] of expertise. So, can somebody clarify
that for me? It doesn't, like I said, it
[1:30:18] seems like this is kind of a whole
internal
[1:30:23] um cat fight.
[1:30:28] » Meow. Um there is a cost-saving aspect
to it.
[1:30:32] » Um point of order. Let's not let's not
go there, please. We're not here for cat
[1:30:37] fights. over here for the articles of
the day.
[1:30:40] » There is also a cost savings component
to it. Um but I will say um excuse me um
[1:30:49] it some might say it has been working
others in other positions may not feel
[1:30:53] that it has been working in the current
structure. And so this is just a
[1:30:57] brainstorm an idea to see if we can get
a system that works better. If the
[1:31:03] voters wrote it down, we keep the
system. that this is just something that
[1:31:08] the treasur transition team had come up
with. Understanding that the treasurer
[1:31:12] over the last year and a half has been
saying that she was not going to
[1:31:16] continue running. So this was just under
that assumption. Um we figured we had to
[1:31:21] plan something because this is a big
change and we don't want to show up and
[1:31:25] have an entirely new person and have no
idea what to do and how to go how to
[1:31:30] move forward.
>> Okay. We have Wait. Uh, yes.
[1:31:38] Uh, we got Dale in the back and then
Warren in the very back.
[1:31:48] I like to keep the treasurer and I like
to see that we have enough financial
[1:31:54] office.
I'm not saying that we don't have people
[1:31:58] in this town that are capable of doing
the job,
[1:32:02] but there comes a time when you need to
think about it as a town to when we
[1:32:08] think about we need a professional
controller
[1:32:12] or something like that that would fill
those duties.
[1:32:17] problem is we may not have them live us
amongst us to vote for them to elect
[1:32:24] them into those positions. The state
recently in I think it was like 2013 14
[1:32:30] had changed those of things where the
treasurers the auditors and all them to
[1:32:36] be could be hired help
but yes you're right the select board
[1:32:42] dictates how they run they're appointed
um but there is ways out of that in the
[1:32:50] sense not out of that but there is a way
if we can't find someone
[1:32:56] They would have to appoint somebody and
you would hope that we'd have a process
[1:33:01] and a procedure on how that hiring would
be done that took input from the
[1:33:06] taxpayer, the auditors and everyone else
besides the slack board [snorts] and to
[1:33:14] collaborate that to function. I'm
fortunate to be
[1:33:19] in a place where I came from. They had
to do that because they're treasurer
[1:33:24] retired 45 years and they couldn't find
someone to replace them. So, they hired
[1:33:31] them. Yeah, there's been bumps in the
roads, but the key thing is they don't
[1:33:37] have an accounting problem. We don't
have people, all of us all came here
[1:33:42] today thinking there was an issue. There
might not be an issue, but it's not
[1:33:48] spelled out and spoken to very well. So,
I'm just going to move on.
[1:33:55] » Yeah, that's your second voice. Oh, yes.
In the back, then somebody else up
[1:33:58] front.
[1:34:02] » Yeah. Sorry. Well, Warren B, can we call
this to to a vote?
[1:34:06] » Okay. He had the floor. He called the
question. Um, that requires a twothirds
[1:34:12] vote to close debate. There will be no
door no more debate. We would move right
[1:34:17] to the vote.
>> H
[1:34:21] » Oh, okay.
>> Okay. Who? Yell your name for a second.
[1:34:27] Yell your name.
>> Oh, did you get it?
[1:34:31] » Dale, whatever. Okay, we got it. We got
the second name. Okay, good. Sorry about
[1:34:37] that. Twothirds vote. All those in favor
of closing debate and moving right to
[1:34:42] the vote, please say I.
>> I.
[1:34:45] » Oppose. No.
>> I believe that's twothirds. We now have
[1:34:50] a motion before us. Shall [snorts] the
voters vote to restructure the finance
[1:34:55] department to create a part-time
treasurer and part-time bookkeeper to
[1:34:59] fulfill the duties of the treasurer and
tax collector duties. A yes. A yes vote
[1:35:06] passes that um passes that motion. A no
vote defeats it. Um one person has asked
[1:35:14] for a paper ballot.
Would I need six more?
[1:35:21] One, two, three, four, five, six. It is
now
[1:35:27] 10:52 and we're on article three.
I just got a warning on my phone that my
[1:35:33] Tesla batteries are charged for an
impending storm.
[1:35:38] We have a long way to go. A yes vote
will pass the motion. A no vote defeats
[1:35:47] it. Does everybody understand?
>> The ballot box is now open.
[1:35:54] And thank you for that correcting me on
that second. I appreciate that.
[1:36:03] I'm an angry man. Angry moderator.
Attention. Attention. We have the
[1:36:08] results of the vote for article three.
Um the motion before us was the voters
[1:36:15] to restructure the finance department to
create a part-time treasurer and
[1:36:18] part-time bookkeeper to fulfill the
duties of the treasur and tax collector.
[1:36:23] [snorts] A yes vote would pass it. A no
vote would defeat it. There were 33
[1:36:28] yeses and 110 nos. The um motion is
defeated.
[1:36:35] Hold on one second.
[1:36:43] Okay. Okay. Um a no vote triggered
something and we'll get to that
[1:36:47] eventually. Um so that uh motion has
failed.
[1:36:52] Um what did I want to say?
We had a few people show up after I
[1:36:58] closed the ballot box and wanted to put
their ballot in. In today's world of
[1:37:05] election integrity,
we will not be accepting those ballots.
[1:37:10] Everybody hears me when I'm saying
closing the ballot box. Okay? Just yell,
[1:37:16] "I still have one." And we won't close
it right then and we'll get you up here.
[1:37:20] Okay? But after the ballot box is
closed, your ballots will not be
[1:37:24] accepted.
Okay. Hake news.
[1:37:28] » It's all fake news, right? Okay. Um,
moving on to article four. This is the
[1:37:34] election section. Um, elections. Vermont
law requires paper ballots for select
[1:37:39] boards, listers, and auditors. All other
elections may be handled from the floor
[1:37:45] if chosen to do so. Any voter may ask
for division of the House or a paper
[1:37:51] ballot.
request for a paper ballot requires six
[1:37:55] other voters unless changed by a
twothird majority. You just need to
[1:38:00] raise your hand and change that to a two
and we'd have to vote on that to see if
[1:38:04] you wanted to increase those numbers to
2/3 ballot um 2/3 um uh vote.
[1:38:11] And remember, we can always do a
division of the house first. If the vote
[1:38:16] is close by voice, we could have
everybody stand and raise their hand.
[1:38:20] But paper ballot, calling a paper ballot
at any point is allowed because hiding
[1:38:26] your vote in a democracy per se, that's
that's totally okay. Okay. Um, if
[1:38:31] there's no objection, I will allow a
nominee just to introduce them, say
[1:38:36] their name, what their occupation is,
maybe where they live, but please, no
[1:38:40] objectives of why you're running or
political speeches will be allowed.
[1:38:44] They'll be deemed out of order.
Um, a mo a voter may move to close
[1:38:50] nominations, although generally we allow
everybody to trickle in.
[1:38:55] Um,
so article four, I'm going to read it
[1:38:59] and then we're going to have a couple
amendments. I'm going to warn you right
[1:39:02] before they should move quickly, though.
Article four, to elect all town
[1:39:07] officials for the ensuing year. Town
clerk, one-year term. Town treasurer,
[1:39:11] one-year term. Select board one,
three-year term. Select board two
[1:39:15] one-year terms. Listister, one
three-year term. The liquid tax
[1:39:19] collector, one one-year term. First
constable, one one-year term. Second
[1:39:23] constable, one one-year term. Library
trustee, one five-year term.
[1:39:28] Yeah. School representative, one
three-year term. Cemetery commissioner,
[1:39:33] one five-year term. Cemetery
commissioner, one two-year years
[1:39:38] remaining on a 5-year term. And a
cemetery commissioner, one year, one
[1:39:42] three years remaining on a 5-year term.
Then it says planning commission one
[1:39:47] three-year term one three years
remaining on a 5-year term and planning
[1:39:52] commission one five-year term.
I will entertain
[1:39:57] a motion.
>> Yes. Out of order.
[1:40:02] » Point of order.
is
[1:40:07] the default of article three in regards
to us as a town having a tax collector
[1:40:15] for the town.
>> It's a delinquent tax collector. That's
[1:40:17] » no no to somebody to receive taxes. It
has to be has to last year we we had an
[1:40:24] article to let the treasurer accept
taxes. That has to be done per statute
[1:40:30] for the state.
By defeating article three, do we still
[1:40:35] have last year's article to hold the
treasurer's position to be that tax
[1:40:40] collector?
>> Yes. When we set that up last year, that
[1:40:43] was in perpetuity until we were sitt
that's that's valid right now anyway.
[1:40:49] We're on elections. That's a that's a
question
[1:40:51] » if you didn't have anybody to collect
the taxes. I was trying to
[1:40:54] » Well, the town treasurer always collects
the
[1:40:59] last year, right? But I want to make
sure that article was good.
[1:41:03] » Okay. Moving on to continuing elections.
Um I will entertain a motion.
[1:41:09] » Second.
>> It's moved and seconded. Um first of
[1:41:14] all, I'd like to uh would somebody like
to make an amendment
[1:41:18] to drop the planning commission from
this article. Planning commission is a
[1:41:24] appointed position, not an elective
position. It was placed on by accident.
[1:41:28] So moved. Correct. Hunt. If there's a
second
[1:41:31] » second uh Eugene um discussion.
>> Okay. Yes, sir.
[1:41:39] » According to statute,
it is an elected position. It would go
[1:41:43] for the
>> according to statute, [clears throat]
[1:41:48] the plan of commissioners can be elected
from the floor. If they are elected from
[1:41:52] the floor, the term runs for 5 years.
The select board cannot remove that
[1:41:56] planning commissioner who is elected. If
they are appointed, they can be removed
[1:42:01] by a unanimous vote of so we can elect
the towning uh so so the amendment can
[1:42:07] be defeated and we can elect planning
commission members.
[1:42:12] » Any further discussion?
[1:42:16] Seeing no further discussion, there's an
amendment before us to drop the planning
[1:42:19] commission from this uh article.
A yes vote will remove the planning
[1:42:25] commission. A no vote. We will be voting
on planning commission members at this
[1:42:29] meeting. [snorts] Everybody understand?
All those in favor, please say I. I
[1:42:35] » oppose. No.
>> I believe the eyes have it. The eyes do
[1:42:39] have it. Planning commission has been
dropped from the article. We have
[1:42:44] another amendment
that see so people come up to me before
[1:42:51] meetings and talk to me about amendments
and everybody's allowed to do that. I'm
[1:42:55] here to help you guys get done what you
want to do. So that's kind of why I know
[1:42:59] what's what's kind of happening here. Do
we have another amendment for this?
[1:43:05] » You're good. Okay. No other amendments
seeing no. Yes. Amen. You have an
[1:43:11] amendment?
>> No. But I got a question. Are we voting
[1:43:14] all these off all these people in at one
time?
[1:43:17] » No. We're going to have individual
elections.
[1:43:19] » Okay. That's
>> Yeah. Yeah. But this is an article and I
[1:43:21] need to get the article right and then
we can move on to the actual elections.
[1:43:25] Unfortunately, the article was kind of
messed up a little bit. Okay. Any other
[1:43:30] discussion? We will now move on to the
actual elections now that we have the
[1:43:34] articles the mo the article organized.
Okay. So, I will now entertain
[1:43:41] nominations for a one-year term as town
clerk currently held by Alanka Wilson.
[1:43:50] Wilson.
>> Okay, we have Elinko Wilson has been
[1:43:52] nominated. Are there any other
nominations? It doesn't need to be
[1:43:56] seconded if that's what we're doing. It
doesn't have to be seconded. Um, any
[1:44:00] other nominations?
[1:44:03] Seeing no other nominations, I am going
to um and there's no objections. I
[1:44:10] declare the nominations closed and
instruct the clerk to cast one ballot
[1:44:14] for Elena Wilson for a one-year term as
town clerk. All those in favor, please
[1:44:18] say I.
>> I
[1:44:20] » oppose. No. I believe the eyes have it.
The eyes do have it. I will now
[1:44:26] entertain a motion. Uh I will now
entertain nominations for a one-year
[1:44:32] term as town treasurer currently held by
Elaine Hill.
[1:44:37] » Nominate Ela Hill.
>> Elaine Hill has been nominated.
[1:44:41] All the any other nominations
[1:44:46] hearing no other nominations.
Hearing no other nominations. And if
[1:44:51] there I'm sorry, what?
[1:44:56] » Oh, I thought you shake your head. Yes.
I I You got to speak up. I can't hear.
[1:45:01] Elaine Hill has been nominated.
[1:45:05] I'm going to respectfully decline the
position as treasurer for
[1:45:09] » Okay, she's declined the nominations.
Are there any other nominations for town
[1:45:13] treasurer?
>> Nominate Alicia.
[1:45:18] » Alicia Strafford has been nominated.
Okay, hang on. Hang on. Before Before
[1:45:23] any other nominations?
[1:45:27] Okay, hearing other nominations. Would
you like to hear Elaine? Wait, I'm
[1:45:32] sorry. Alicia Stafford.
>> Stratford.
[1:45:36] » Stratford. I'll get it right eventually.
Stratford.
[1:45:38] » Apologies. I'm aware most of you have no
idea who I am. Uh, I have lived here two
[1:45:42] years, though I have loved this area my
whole life. Um, I went back to school
[1:45:47] for accounting later in life with the
intention of being able to work from
[1:45:50] home so I could live here. Uh, I have my
CPA. I have my CIA, which is certified
[1:45:56] internal auditor. Uh, I am a part-time
controller and I am an advisory in risk
[1:46:02] and governance.
Uh, I have the the skills. I have the
[1:46:07] tools. Um, but none of you know me. So,
uh, happy to go either way. It's nice to
[1:46:13] meet you all.
>> Okay. Thank you for that. Great great
[1:46:16] great introduction. That's what we're
looking for. Just a little introduction.
[1:46:20] Um, are there any other nominations for
a one-year term as town treasurer?
[1:46:27] Seeing no other nominations and if there
are no objections, I will instruct the
[1:46:31] clerk to cast one vote for Alicia
Stratford.
[1:46:36] Stratford. I'm terrible with names. Um
for a one-year term
[1:46:43] as town treasurer. All those in favor,
please, you can. All those in favor,
[1:46:48] please say I.
>> I.
[1:46:50] » Oppose. [clears throat] No. I believe
the eyes have it. The eyes do have it.
[1:46:54] Thank you very much for your service.
[applause]
[1:47:00] Okay. Um, select board.
Um, we have one three-year term and two
[1:47:07] one-year terms. Uh, we're going to take
the one three-year term first, which is
[1:47:12] Katie Maro's position. Um,
I will entertain nominations for one
[1:47:19] three-year term.
Katie Monroe's been nominated. Any other
[1:47:24] nominations for the three-year term?
>> Urban Star. I nominate Rob Wright.
[1:47:29] » Rob Wright for the three-year term.
Okay.
[1:47:32] Rob and uh uh Katie. Okay. Any other
nominations for the three-year term? All
[1:47:40] the way in the back.
>> Sean Mara. I redundantly nominate Kat.
[1:47:44] » Okay. Redundant. We don't need
redundancy. Go ahead. It's okay. Yes,
[1:47:48] Bob.
[1:47:52] I nominate a professional citizen, Laura
Richardson,
[1:47:57] » for the three-year term. Laura
Richardson.
[1:48:01] Okay.
Any other nominations for the three-year
[1:48:05] term?
Okay. Oh, another hand.
[1:48:10] » I nominate Steve Frisk.
>> Steve Frisk has been nominated for the
[1:48:14] three-year term.
Any
[1:48:18] other nominations?
[1:48:21] Okay, this Yep.
>> Clarifying question. Select board
[1:48:24] members are are u ending their term.
This
[1:48:28] » I'm sorry. What select board members
will be?
[1:48:31] » Well, this is this is Katie Maro's
position right now.
[1:48:34] » Oh, okay.
>> Are there any other select board members
[1:48:38] that are are
>> Yes, that's so there's a two one-year
[1:48:41] terms also up.
Yeah, thank you. Page seven. It's on
[1:48:46] page seven there. That's okay. Huh?
Yeah. I mean, I could tell tell you, but
[1:48:50] it's on page seven. That's just move on.
Thank you. Thank you. Um,
[1:48:55] any other nominations?
[1:49:02] » Are you going to Are you going to
withdraw your nomination?
[1:49:05] » Okay, I hear. That's right. We're going
to come to the other two. Yep. Yep.
[1:49:07] Okay. Rob has withdrawn his name from
the three-year term. And that doesn't
[1:49:12] mean he can't be for one of the other
one-year terms, right? Everybody
[1:49:14] understand that? but he's withdrawing
his name from the three-year term right
[1:49:17] now. So, now we have nominations of
Katie Maro, Laura Richardson, and Steve
[1:49:23] Frisk. Right. Okay. Any other
nominations?
[1:49:27] Yes, sir.
>> That's Katie Maro.
[1:49:29] » Maro. Sorry. I Greg Marorrow used to
live in town. You got Maro. Marorrow. I
[1:49:34] get him confused. I'm sorry. Um,
>> can we hear from
[1:49:38] » Maro? Yeah. Yeah, we will. I just want
to get all the nominations first. Um,
[1:49:42] and I want to explain what's going to
happen. Okay. Okay. So, there's three.
[1:49:45] No more nominations. I declare a
nominate. Yep. In the back.
[1:49:50] Warren Batty's been
[laughter]
[1:49:56] » Yes.
[1:50:00] » H.
>> Oh, who made the nomination? Because we
[1:50:04] do need to record that even though it
was declined. Who was that?
[1:50:08] » State your name.
>> Got it.
[1:50:13] Okay. Any other nominations?
[1:50:18] Okay, see no other nominations. I
declare nominations closed. Let's Okay,
[1:50:22] now I'm going to explain. There's three
people nominated. This is select board,
[1:50:27] which means it's going to be a paper
ballot. If somebody doesn't get a first
[1:50:34] a majority on the first one, we do it
three times before somebody gets a
[1:50:39] majority. On the third one, we drop the
lowest one. So there's only two. So
[1:50:44] hopefully the next one would be a
majority. Does everybody understand
[1:50:47] that? We'll get there when I count.
We'll get there. We'll get there. Yeah.
[1:50:50] Somebody needs to win a majority. And if
not, we keep going because there's three
[1:50:54] people until somebody gets a majority.
Let's hear from the candidates before we
[1:50:59] vote. Um Katie Marorrow was nominated
first. Let's hear from her first. Again,
[1:51:07] this isn't this isn't about political
stuff and what you want to accomplish.
[1:51:11] This is just who you are and your
background.
[1:51:18] » Okay. Uh, hi, I'm Katie Maro. I've been
on the select board for the past years.
[1:51:22] Uh, my first year I got a one-year
position and then my second year.
[1:51:29] » Get your finger off the button.
[1:51:33] » Try again.
[1:51:40] Okay. Sorry. Um I did a one-year term
and then a
[1:51:54] » Okay. Um so I've been happy to serve the
town for the past four years and I'd
[1:51:58] look forward to Oh, I live in West
Townsen and I'd look forward to serving
[1:52:01] the town for three more years.
Uh,
[1:52:05] next one was Steve I think was and then
Laura.
[1:52:10] » My name is Stephen Frisk. I live on
Actton Hill. I've been a select board
[1:52:15] member for seven years. It's been an
honor to serve the town and I look
[1:52:19] forward to serving in the future.
[1:52:27] » Hi, I'm Laura Richardson. I've lived
here in Townson for 15 going on 16
[1:52:31] years. Um, I've tried to do my best to
help serve the town in any way that I
[1:52:36] could within my abilities and means. And
I, um,
[1:52:42] what else was I gonna say? [laughter]
I'm kind of caught on toward here. Oh,
[1:52:47] anyway, I just feel that, um, it might
be time for a a change.
[1:52:53] » Inappropriate.
[1:52:58] » Okay. So,
election is going to proceed. We're
[1:53:02] going to have a ballot uh uh a ballot
vote.
[1:53:07] You're going to write three one of three
names. Katie,
[1:53:11] Rob.
No, sorry. Katie, Steve, or Laura?
[1:53:17] Katie, Steve, or Laura? Are there any
questions?
[1:53:22] Okay. Katie, Steve, or Laura? The ballot
box is now open
[1:53:27] for a one one three-year term on the
select board. Katie, Steve, or Laura.
[1:53:37] » And if you need the ballot box brought
to you, please yell at me.
[1:53:42] Please take your seats. We have the
results of the vote.
[1:53:53] Okay.
[1:53:57] » Um,
we had we were voting on a three-year
[1:54:01] term for the select board. Uh, we had
three uh candidates, three nominees. Um,
[1:54:07] there was a total of 147 votes, which I
believe requires 74
[1:54:14] for a majority. Katie Marorrow uh
received 85. Uh Laura Richardson 34 and
[1:54:22] Steve Frisk 28. So Katie Maro has won
the um three-year position on the select
[1:54:29] board. Um
we will now move on to the two uh I will
[1:54:36] now entertain nominations for a one-year
term on the select board. We'll start
[1:54:42] with Steve Frisk's term. That will be
his term.
[1:54:46] » Nominate
>> Steve Frisk have been nominated. I see a
[1:54:49] hand back here. No. Any any other
nominations? Yes. In the back.
[1:54:54] » Tedro.
>> Okay. Shiloh Tedro
[1:54:58] has been nominated for a one-year term.
Any other nominations for one-year term?
[1:55:04] » Laura Richardson.
[1:55:10] » Okay. Thank you.
[1:55:17] Yes, in the back.
>> Rob Wright.
[1:55:23] » That was uh Glenn. I mean Warren.
Warren. Sorry,
[1:55:26] » Warren. Warren. I know. I do that all
the time. I'm so sorry.
[1:55:30] Warren. Warren. Warren. Um, any other
nominations? Yes. H Glenn.
[1:55:36] » Dale West.
>> Dale West. There you go. Dale West has
[1:55:39] been nominated.
Good. Any other nominations? I'll go
[1:55:45] over them in all in a second.
Okay. Right now, we have nominated for a
[1:55:51] one-year term on the select board Steve
Frisk,
[1:55:55] Shiloh Tedro. Right. Shiloh. Just make
sure. Shiloh Tedro, Laura Richardson,
[1:56:02] Roight,
and Dale West.
[1:56:08] Any other nominations?
Okay, seeing no other nominations, I'll
[1:56:13] declare the nominations closed and we'll
allow people to speak for a moment if
[1:56:17] they choose to. You don't have to. Okay,
nominations are now closed for this one
[1:56:20] year one-year position on the select
board. The first nomination was Steve.
[1:56:26] Would you like to add say microphone?
You good?
[1:56:30] » Okay, Steve is fine. Shiloh, you were
next nominated.
[1:56:35] Uh, do you want a microphone? Wait
people want to hear you. Oh, thank you,
[1:56:38] sir.
Thank you.
[1:56:43] Hello everybody. I'm Shiloh Tedro. I ran
last year, running again this year, but
[1:56:47] I've devoted the entire past year to
researching and sharing my civics's
[1:56:53] education with everybody else. Um, I own
I founded and I'm the director of a
[1:56:59] nonprofit down the road here in
Townsend. And I really can't say
[1:57:02] anything else because it'll be out of
order, so I won't. But you can look on
[1:57:06] front porch forum for February 16th and
see what I stand for if you want.
[1:57:10] » Thank you. Thank you for that. That was
that was good. Laura, would you Laura
[1:57:13] next would you like to add?
>> Right. The microphone here. Right.
[1:57:19] » Oh, shoot.
What What's your name? Chris, what's
[1:57:22] your name again?
>> Eric.
[1:57:23] » Eric. I was going to say Chris. Thank
Eric for running the microphone. We
[1:57:27] appreciate that. Eric,
>> I kind of dropped the ball last time and
[1:57:30] I just wanted to say that I've been
going to a select board meetings, almost
[1:57:34] every meeting for at least four years
and I really have a good feeling about
[1:57:40] what's going on with town governments
and how it operates.
[1:57:44] » Thank you. Um, next would be Rob Wright.
Anything else? Say, sir, right?
[1:57:50] » Wait, give it a sec. Can you press the
button and then you give it a second and
[1:57:54] I'm knock it. Just knock it. No. Press
it again. And then wait a sec.
[1:58:00] Don't. No. Press it.
[1:58:11] » Rob Wright. I've lived in town for
almost 24 years. I've served on the
[1:58:15] board for 10 out of the last 11 years.
Um, I show up every time we have a
[1:58:22] meeting. I stay available to the members
of the board for questions, members of
[1:58:27] the public for questions, and I'd gladly
serve a [snorts] one-year term.
[1:58:34] » Thank you.
>> And then Dale, you're in the back there.
[1:58:36] You want to say something?
>> Microphone.
[1:58:41] Oh, yeah. Thank you.
[1:58:46] » I'm Dale West. I live in town. I live on
Grafton Road. Um, I've been here now I
[1:58:51] think it's been a good
20 no just under 20. It's like 18 years.
[1:58:59] [snorts] Um, I've been local. Um, I work
for the the state of Vermont and VR. Um,
[1:59:06] I [snorts] uh been on different boards
over the career. I've been on the
[1:59:10] planning commissions in both today here
and in Jamaica school boards. Um, I
[1:59:17] bring reason
[1:59:21] Okay, thank you. So, we have a we're
going to be voting. It has to be by
[1:59:27] ballot. Um, we're voting on a one-year
term for the select board. I wish I had
[1:59:33] a white board, but names would be Steve
Frisk,
[1:59:41] Shiloh, her last name is Tedro, but
Shiloh, Laura Richardson, Laura,
[1:59:48] Rob Wright, Rob or Dale West, Dale.
Okay, so there's one, two, three, four,
[1:59:55] five. Anybody have any questions about
what we're doing? Who who we're voting
[2:00:00] for?
Okay, good. I like I I like the the
[2:00:04] confidence stairs. Um so I will now
declare the ballot box open.
[2:00:12] We have the results of the election.
Um this is for a one-year term on the
[2:00:18] select board. There was 155 votes which
will require, I believe, 79 for a
[2:00:24] majority.
Uh Steve Frisk received 38.
[2:00:29] Laura Richardson received 34. Rob Wright
received 34.
[2:00:35] Dale West received 28. And Shiloh Tedro
received 21. There is no majority
[2:00:42] receiver. Therefore, we vote again.
Okay. So, the way this works, if we got
[2:00:47] to this, if there's more than two, which
means somebody is not going to receive
[2:00:52] the majority, we do this three times. At
the end of the third vote, we drop the
[2:00:58] lowest vote getter and then we do it
again. The next time we would then vote
[2:01:04] the next lowest vote getter and so on
and so forth until somebody receives a
[2:01:09] majority. Okay, so once again, we have
an election before us for a one-year
[2:01:15] term on the select board. Your choices
are Steve Frisk.
[2:01:22] » Steve Frisk withdraws his nomination.
We have um nominated for a one-year term
[2:01:31] Shedro uh Shiloh Tedro, Laura
Richardson, Rob Wright, and Dale West.
[2:01:39] Okay. So, we're going to have another
election.
[2:01:42] You're going to write down Shiloh Tedro,
Laura Richardson,
[2:01:49] Rob Wright, or Dale West. Are there any
questions?
[2:01:56] » You could just use the first name,
please. Right. So, it would be Shiloh,
[2:02:01] Laura, Rob, or Dale. Okay. Any
questions? I now declare the ballot box
[2:02:08] open. [clears throat]
[2:02:13] Uh, we have the results of the election
for a one-year term on the select board.
[2:02:19] We had 147 ballots cast. Two were
spoiled.
[2:02:24] So, that's 74 in order to have a
majority. 74 for majority. Shiloh Tedro
[2:02:31] received 20. Laura Richardson received
41. Rob Wright received 59. and Dale
[2:02:38] West received 25. So, nobody received a
majority. We will do it again. Okay.
[2:02:45] Yes, sir.
>> Dale West. This would be the third one.
[2:02:52] Okay. Okay. You understand why I said
that, though? Yeah. Okay. Okay. Dale
[2:02:56] West has withdrawn his name. We now have
an election for select board one-year
[2:03:04] term. We have I'm sorry, what? Can you
read those numbers?
[2:03:08] » Yes. Oh, the numbers again. The numbers
again. We had Shiloh Tedro at 20. Make
[2:03:13] sure I'm doing this right. Can you just
look at the bag? Sorry. Just make sure I
[2:03:17] copied them down right. Shiloh Tedro at
20, Laura Richardson at 41,
[2:03:24] Rob Wright at 59, and Dale West at 25
[2:03:31] with two spoiled ballots.
Okay, so we're going to do it again. We
[2:03:36] have Shiloh,
Laura, and Rob. Shiloh,
[2:03:44] Laura, and Rob. Any questions?
Questions, questions. The ballot box is
[2:03:50] now well, it will be open.
[2:03:57] We have the results of the election for
moderator for moderator
[2:04:03] for select board for one-year term. Um
um so there was a total of
[2:04:11] 148 votes which means I believe 75 half
plus one 75 in order to be elected.
[2:04:19] Shiloh Tedro received 19, Laura
Richardson 48 and Rob Wright 81. So, Rob
[2:04:25] Wright has won that select board
position.
[2:04:30] Okay, moving on. We have another
one-year term
[2:04:35] that um uh I will now entertain
nominations. I heard Steve Frisk here.
[2:04:42] Steve Frisk has been nominated. Any
other nominations for a one-year term on
[2:04:46] the select board? Uh in the back there,
>> Dale West has been nominated.
[2:04:53] Laura Richardson has been nominated.
[2:04:58] » Shiloh Tedro has been nominated.
Saw a hand over there. Go up.
[2:05:06] Okay. No. Y Oh, no. Stretching. Any
other nominations for a one-year term on
[2:05:11] the select board? So far, I have Steve
Frisk, Dale West, Laura Richardson, and
[2:05:17] Shiloh Tedro. Any other nominations for
one-year term on the select board? Okay,
[2:05:25] this is a totally new position.
So, please on your little pieces of
[2:05:31] paper, it's Steve for Steve Frisk, Dale
for Dale West, Laura for Laura
[2:05:39] Richardson, or Shiloh for Shiloh Tedro.
They've all already spoken. I don't
[2:05:45] think we need to do that again. So, I
will now declare. Any questions?
[2:05:51] Questions? I will now declare the ballot
box open.
[2:05:58] We have the results of the election for
a one-year term on the select board.
[2:06:05] Um, there was 142 votes.
[2:06:12] Uh, divide that by two is 71. So, you
need 72 in order for a majority.
[2:06:18] Steve uh Frisk received 60, Laura
received 38,
[2:06:24] Dale received 32, and Shiloh received
12. So, we will do it again. Okay, we
[2:06:32] have a uh an election for a one-year
term on Select Board. We have Steve
[2:06:39] Frisk, Dale West, Laura Richardson, and
Shiloh Tedro. Does anybody have any
[2:06:46] questions?
[2:06:49] I now declare the ballot box open.
[2:06:57] Okay, we got the results of the uh
one-year select board position.
[2:07:03] There were 139 votes. We're tailing off
here, people. Nobody's allowed to leave.
[2:07:10] [snorts] I can't. Right. So 139 uh votes
which means 70 in order to have uh one.
[2:07:18] Steve Frisk received 77. Dale West
received 17. Laura Richardson reserved
[2:07:24] 39 and Charlotte Tedro received six. So
Steve Frisk has won the one-year select
[2:07:31] board. Okay, moving on. Um thank you for
your patience with that. We appreciate
[2:07:38] it. uh democracy at its ugliest. Um we
will now um entertain nominations for a
[2:07:46] one-year one three-year term as
listister currently held by Eugene Ko.
[2:07:56] » Eugene Cook has been nominated.
Any other nominations for a three-year
[2:08:02] term as listister?
[2:08:06] Hearing no other nominations. And if
there are no objections, I declare
[2:08:10] nominations closed and instruct the
clerk to cast one ballot for Eugene Cook
[2:08:15] for a three-year term as a selector. All
those in favor, please say I.
[2:08:21] » Listister. What did I say?
>> Selector.
[2:08:24] » Selector. You can work at CVS. C uh
whatever. CNS. No. Sorry. As a
[2:08:29] listister. Sorry, I combined the two.
Huh? Selector. List. As a listister. All
[2:08:34] those in favor, please say I.
>> I.
[2:08:36] » Oppose. No, I believe the eyes have it.
The eyes do have it. Eugene Cook has
[2:08:42] been elected. Uh, I will now entertain
nominations for delinquent tax
[2:08:47] collector, a one-year term currently
held by Becky Riley.
[2:08:53] Becky Riley has been nominated. Any
other nominations
[2:08:58] for a one-year term as delinquent tax
collector?
[2:09:02] Hearing no other nominations. And if
there's no objections, I'll instruct the
[2:09:06] clerk to cast one ballot for Becky Riley
for a one-year term as delinquent tax
[2:09:11] collector. All those in favor, please
say I.
[2:09:14] » Oppose. No. Believe the eyes have it.
The eyes do have it. Um I we will now
[2:09:22] entertain nominations for a one-year
term as first constable currently held
[2:09:28] by Warren Batty. I will now entertain
nominations. Warren Batty has been
[2:09:34] nominated. Any other nominations?
>> Uh Rob. Oh, Steve, sorry. Any other
[2:09:40] nominations? That's right. I should be
not be moving that fast. We have to
[2:09:44] record your names. That's all. Any other
nominations for a one-year term as
[2:09:49] constable?
Hearing no other nominations, I will
[2:09:54] instruct the I declare the nominations
closed and instruct the clerk to cast
[2:09:58] one ballot for Warren Batty as a first
constable one-year term. All those in
[2:10:03] favor, please say I. I
>> oppose. No. Believe the eyes have it.
[2:10:08] The eyes do have it. I will now
entertain nominations for a one-year
[2:10:13] term as second constable currently held
by Mike Cuts.
[2:10:18] Any nominations? Yes, Mike Cuts.
>> Mike Cuts. Okay. I heard a lot of Mike
[2:10:24] Cuts. Any other nominations?
[2:10:29] » Oh, Andy did. You can use Andy. I did
say here's somebody somewhere, but Andy
[2:10:34] Snelling. Okay. Any other nominations
for a one-year term as second constable?
[2:10:40] Hearing no other. Come on. You can put
people in jail. No. No. I'm only
[2:10:44] kidding. Any other any other
nominations? Hearing none. I instruct
[2:10:48] the clerk to cast one ballot for Mike
Cuts for a one-year term as second
[2:10:52] constable. All those in favor, please
say I.
[2:10:55] » Oppose. No. I believe the eyes have it.
The eyes do have it.
[2:11:00] I will now entertain nominations for a
library trustee term of five years
[2:11:06] currently held by Marley Atley.
>> Okay, Marley has been nominated. Yes,
[2:11:15] » Sandy Glazer.
>> That was Hang on now. I got too many
[2:11:20] names running through my head. That was
Kathy Degraier. And you said Sandy
[2:11:23] Glazier with his with a Z. S. Sorry.
Glazier with an S. Okay. And then we
[2:11:30] also had Marley. Okay.
[2:11:36] Is she not here?
H.
[2:11:44] Okay.
She said that Marley has declined the
[2:11:48] nomination.
We know this for sure because you can't
[2:11:53] be elected without
being here.
[2:11:58] Okay. She did decline.
Okay. Okay. So, we have
[2:12:07] um Sandy Glazier
nominated for a one-year term as a li
[2:12:13] one five-year term as library trustee.
Any other nominations? If you're
[2:12:19] confused, please say so. Any other
nominations?
[2:12:23] Okay. Hearing no other nominations, I
close the nominations. If there's no
[2:12:28] objection, I close the nominations and
instruct the clerk to cast one ballot
[2:12:32] for a 5-year term as library trustee for
Sandy Glazier.
[2:12:39] All those in favor, please say I. I.
>> Opposed? No. Believe the eyes have it.
[2:12:45] The eyes do have it. I will now
entertain nominations for the WR the
[2:12:51] West River Mutual Modified Union
Education District. Thank you, Joe.
[2:12:59] Okay, it's one three-year term. Is that
Al's position now? Because I couldn't
[2:13:02] figure it out. It's Al Fost's position
now, and he's been nominated. [snorts]
[2:13:06] Any other nominations for one three-year
term as a school board representative?
[2:13:13] Hearing no other nominations,
I declare, if there's no objection, I
[2:13:18] declare the nominations closed and
instruct the clerk to cast one ballot
[2:13:22] for Al Clawson for a three-year term as
a WR MUED representative. All those in
[2:13:29] favor, please say I. I
>> oppose. No. I believe the eyes have it.
[2:13:34] The eyes do have it.
Um, I will now cemetery commission. We
[2:13:40] have three positions available,
one five-year term, one two years
[2:13:45] remaining on a 5-year term, and one
three years remaining on a five-year
[2:13:49] term. At first, we're going to vote on
one five-year term that's held by Scott
[2:13:56] Nestrom. I will now Scott Nestrom has
been nominated. Any other nominations
[2:14:02] for the five-year term on the cemetery
commission?
[2:14:07] Hearing no other nominations, and
there's no objection, I will um close
[2:14:11] the nominations and instruct the clerk
to cast one ballot for Scott Nestrom for
[2:14:16] a 5-year term on the Cemetery
Commission. All those in favor, please
[2:14:19] say I.
>> Oppose? No. I believe the eyes have it.
[2:14:24] The eyes do have it.
I will now entertain nominations for a
[2:14:30] two years remaining on a five-year term.
And that is
[2:14:36] uh where'd it go? That is where'd it go?
Carly Sanderson's position. I believe
[2:14:42] she's got two years remaining on a
five-year term. I will now entertain
[2:14:46] nominations.
>> Jay Warren.
[2:14:49] » Jay Warren. Jay Warren has been
nominated. Jay here. Hi Jay. You want to
[2:14:58] just That's Jay, right? He's waving over
there in the corner. Any other
[2:15:01] nominations?
[2:15:05] Hearing no other nominations. And if
there's no objection, I will close the
[2:15:09] nominations and instruct the clerk to
cast one ballot for Jay Warren for
[2:15:16] two years remaining on a five-year term.
All those in favor, please say I. I.
[2:15:22] » Oppose. No.
I believe the eyes have it. The eyes do
[2:15:27] have it. I will now entertain
nominations for three years remaining on
[2:15:32] a five-year term uh previously held by
Bruce Bills.
[2:15:37] Timo
>> Tim, can you spell the last name?
[2:15:42] » Oh, Masuko. Thank you. Sorry. I thought
Yeah, I got it. I got I hearing in Okay.
[2:15:51] Um, any other nominations for three
years remaining on a 5-year term of
[2:15:56] cemetery commission? Hearing no other
nominations.
[2:16:00] And seeing it's snowing outside. Hearing
no other nominations. And um,
[2:16:07] no objections. I will close the
nominations and instruct the clerk to
[2:16:11] cast one ballot for Tim Masuko
for a three-year three years remaining
[2:16:17] on a five-year term cemetery commission.
All those in favor, please say I.
[2:16:21] » Oppose. No.
I believe the eyes have it. The eyes do
[2:16:26] have it. Um, I'm going to just uh
suspend the rules for a moment. Charlie
[2:16:30] would like to say something about
departing members on the cemetery
[2:16:34] commission.
[2:16:38] » Bills for their service. Bruce is over.
>> Bruce is right over here. I don't know
[2:16:42] if Carly's here or not. Is she here?
Okay. I'd like to thank them for their
[2:16:46] service on the cemetery commission.
[applause]
[2:16:57] Yes, these are unpaid positions. So, we
do thank you uh for serving your town.
[2:17:04] Um Oh my goodness, elections are over.
Great job.
[2:17:12] Okay. And and let me before what
anything any huh? Planning commission we
[2:17:18] we did away with because planning
commission is an appointed position
[2:17:22] theoretically at the very beginning.
[snorts]
[2:17:25] Um I'm people come up to me and say
thank you. You're doing a great job.
[2:17:30] Blah. I couldn't do a good job if you
guys weren't doing a good job. Right. I
[2:17:34] mean no seriously. I mean if you guys
wanted to battle it out I'd be slamming
[2:17:38] my gavvel and we'd have a we'd have a
fist fight. You guys are doing a great
[2:17:41] job which makes this very very good.
We're doing great. Okay, moving on.
[2:17:46] Article five to see if the town will
authorize the select board to set tax
[2:17:51] rate sufficient to cover all monies
raised from municipal entities for the
[2:17:55] period of July 1st, 2026 through June
30th, 2027 to borrow money in
[2:18:00] anticipation of taxes. I will now
entertain a motion. Suarez move.
[2:18:04] » So move Suarez. Who said that? I'll say
second over here. Who's second? Eugene.
[2:18:09] Thank you. Got it. Discussion.
[2:18:15] Seeing no discussion. Did was that a
stand up to discuss? Yes, discuss.
[2:18:20] Nothing.
>> Oh. Oh, you were going to move the
[2:18:21] microphone. Oh, sorry. Sorry. Okay. I
you had it in your hand. I didn't
[2:18:25] realize. Okay. Any other discussion?
Seeing no discussion, there's a motion
[2:18:30] before us. um to see if the town will
authorize the select board to set tax
[2:18:35] rate sufficient to cover all monies
raised for remissible entities for the
[2:18:39] period of July 1st, 2026 through June
30th, 2027 to borrow money in
[2:18:44] anticipation of taxes. A yes vote passes
that motion. A no vote defeats it.
[2:18:50] Questions?
All those in favor, please say I.
[2:18:55] » Well, there was a question. Sorry.
Question. Sorry. Question.
[2:18:59] » This based off the budget that's in the
report. Oh, this is a this is statuto.
[2:19:03] This th this is a boilerplate
[2:19:09] article that we
>> Sounds like a blank check.
[2:19:11] » No, it's not a blank check. This is a a
boilerplate
[2:19:18] article that's in every year that
actually I I didn't want to get into
[2:19:22] this. That's not required to even be on
the warning.
[2:19:29] things that are statutoily
by law given to the select board do not
[2:19:36] need to be voted on by the people. So
next year this will not be there. Okay?
[2:19:43] Because
they are statutoily allowed to set the
[2:19:48] tax rate and to borrow money. The state
has already given them that power. So
[2:19:53] you saying no really doesn't mean
anything. So, so, so that I'm trying to
[2:20:00] clean up the warrant by going to classes
and school and all this stuff. And
[2:20:04] that's this is one of them. I didn't
want to say it today, but that that's
[2:20:07] what this is. So, if there's any other
questions, I mean, good question, but
[2:20:13] seeing no other questions, we have a yes
question.
[2:20:20] » Nunis,
[2:20:24] » board fire department. Um,
are the different Yeah.
[2:20:30] » Listers, bookkeepers. Yes.
[2:20:42] » This this
>> see this is why I didn't want to do
[2:20:46] this.
[2:20:50] » The town approves the budget and then
they have to set the they have to set
[2:20:54] the the tax rate. based upon all these
things you're voting on. They have that
[2:21:00] statutory right in law anyway.
So for us to be voting on it really
[2:21:08] doesn't achieve anything.
Okay. Yes.
[2:21:18] » Okay. Any other discussion?
>> Okay. Okay, seeing no other discussion,
[2:21:24] we have a motion before us to see if the
town will authorize the select board to
[2:21:28] set tax rates sufficient to cover all
monies raised for municipal entities for
[2:21:32] the period of July 1st, 2026 through
June 30th, 2027 and borrow money in
[2:21:37] anticipation of taxes. All those in
favor, please say I.
[2:21:41] » Oppose? No. I believe the eyes have it.
The eyes do have it.
[2:21:48] Okay. Article six.
And if you if I'm moving fast and you do
[2:21:55] have your hand raised and I don't see
you, yell. That's okay to yell. I'm not
[2:22:00] you're not yelling at me. You're just
yelling to get my attention. Article
[2:22:04] six, to see if the town will authorize
its property tax collector to receive
[2:22:08] its real property taxes quarterly.
August 26, 2026, November 24, 2026,
[2:22:14] February 24, 2027, and May 26, 2027.
Monthly interest will be charged at the
[2:22:21] rate of 1 half percent or fraction
thereof. Interest of 1% or fraction
[2:22:25] thereof plus penalties will commence on
May 30th, 2027. Now entertain a motion.
[2:22:33] » Suarez got it.
And Katie, any discussion
[2:22:40] hearing? No discussion. Do I have to
read it again?
[2:22:44] Thank you.
Okay. Any other discussion? No. Hearing
[2:22:48] no discussion, we have a motion before
us that I just previously read and if
[2:22:52] you're okay, I will not. If there's no
objection, I won't read it again. A yes
[2:22:56] vote passes this motion. A no vote
defeats it. All those in favor, please
[2:23:01] say I.
>> I.
[2:23:03] » Oppose. No. Believe the eyes have it.
The eyes do have it.
[2:23:10] Okay.
Article seven to see if the town will
[2:23:14] vote to appropriate $635,526
to pay for the running expenses and
[2:23:20] liabilities of the town of which
$441,585
[2:23:25] will be raised in taxes. I will now
entertain a motion.
[2:23:29] » All
second.
[2:23:32] » It's been moved and seconded. Eugene
seconded it. Okay.
[2:23:44] Wait, wait, wait, wait. Yes, you need a
microphone. Yes, I was about to say. No,
[2:23:47] my bad.
>> Start again.
[2:23:49] » Amendment.
>> Not that one. I got more here.
[2:23:54] More here. More here. More here.
>> Thank you. Thank you. Okay. I'm
[2:23:57] proposing an amendment um in response to
the voting down of the earlier treasure
[2:24:01] article um to make sure that the general
fund is reflecting of that. So, I would
[2:24:06] like to change the line item for
treasurer salary from 5,000 to
[2:24:10] $35,124.70,
which represents a 2.8% increase that
[2:24:15] was applied across the board.
>> Wait, wait, wait, wait. Say that number
[2:24:17] again.
>> 35124.7.
[2:24:21] » Okay, thank you.
>> I would also like to propose increasing
[2:24:24] the benefits line from $0 to 21,000.
[2:24:30] » Okay, so wait, somebody needs a
calculator then. So, is that all going
[2:24:33] to be raised by taxes?
>> That's got to be raised by taxes. So,
[2:24:38] those So, so the 35124
[2:24:44] and the 21,000
both get added to both those numbers.
[2:24:49] » Yes.
>> Okay. So, I got to do that.
[2:24:52] » Okay. Does everybody understand what's
occurring?
[2:24:54] » Oh, wait. because because
>> and wait and
[2:24:57] » remove uh change the finance office
assistant line from 20,000 to 5,000.
[2:25:05] » Okay. Are you doing the math on this?
Can you
[2:25:07] » I am.
>> Yeah. Okay.
[2:25:08] » Give me the final number so I can
explain.
[2:25:10] » So the total change
>> Okay. Go ahead.
[2:25:13] » The increase of those two items and the
decrease of one is 36,124.7.
[2:25:20] And if anybody else is out there also
checking my math that is welcome.
[2:25:25] » Okay. So what does Okay. So what just
occurred? Go ahead.
[2:25:28] » So now the bottom line that increase of
36,000 to the 635
[2:25:34] » 526
should now be 671 650.7
[2:25:42] » for the total general fund budget. Then
three
[2:25:48] and that should be
to the amount raised in taxes 4779.7
[2:25:57] » 47749
>> 709
[2:26:01] » 7097
>> Does that square with you Craig?
[2:26:04] » Say it again.
>> Great. 4779.7
[2:26:08] is the amount to be raising taxes
everybody.
[2:26:11] » Okay. You good Nick? Good. Good. Okay.
So, what just happened was because
[2:26:15] because uh you voted down and it's so
it's not bad or good because you voted
[2:26:19] down article three which was having the
bookkeeper
[2:26:25] increased and the treasurer decreased.
You defeated that. But that's what the g
[2:26:30] that's the budget they were working off
of. Because that was defeated. They need
[2:26:34] to change the the the some of the monies
in the general fund so that a a a full
[2:26:41] treasurer can be um employed
can be paid and the bookkeeper that they
[2:26:49] were increasing would be decreased. Does
that make sense?
[2:26:54] Yes. Okay. So, the new numbers we have
an amendment and we're going to discuss
[2:26:58] this in a second. an amendment to change
to appropriate $671,650.70
[2:27:07] to pay for the running expenses and
liabilities of the town of which
[2:27:11] $477,79.70
[2:27:16] is to be raised in taxes. That's the
amend. Is there a second to that
[2:27:19] amendment?
>> Second. Steve Frisk seconded it. So
[2:27:23] there's it's been moved and second
amendment. We are only going to talk
[2:27:26] about the amendment right now. If you
have other questions about the general
[2:27:29] fund, once this amendment is voted on,
then we'll be talking more about the
[2:27:34] general fund. It's not the end of the
general fund discussion, but right now
[2:27:37] we're just talking about this amendment.
Any questions on the amendment? Yes,
[2:27:42] sir.
[2:27:48] » Push the button. There you go. Greg, I
don't know if those numbers include the
[2:27:52] benefits for the
>> They do. Okay. All right.
[2:27:56] » Yep. As long as those numbers are added
up correctly, you're the ones you said.
[2:28:01] Okay. Because I did you did mention
benefits in there. Yes. Okay. Any other
[2:28:06] questions on this amendment? We'll get
to the g the the overall general fund in
[2:28:10] a moment.
Okay. Yes. In the back. Way back.
[2:28:21] » Thank you,
>> Liza Swen Martin. I just have a
[2:28:26] clarification. So the 21,000 in benefits
was never paid to Elaine in the past,
[2:28:31] but we're now making it a new benefit.
>> That is not correct. We had formed the
[2:28:36] budget because we had to decide how
we're going to present a budget. So we
[2:28:40] went with the original article 3
assuming that would pass. This is how
[2:28:44] we're going to present the budget. Since
we were reducing the amount for the
[2:28:48] treasurer, we were not going to be
offering benefits to that treasurer
[2:28:51] since they would be a much uh smaller
role. So now because we have a full-time
[2:28:56] treasurer again, we're going back to
paying the benefits as we have been or
[2:29:00] offering to pay the benefits as we have
been.
[2:29:02] » Thank you.
>> Any other discussion on the amendment?
[2:29:08] Okay. Hearing no other discussion, we
have an amendment before us to change uh
[2:29:16] the numbers
um to do you want me to so that the
[2:29:21] amendment will change the numbers to
appropriate $671,650.70
[2:29:27] to pay for the running expenses
liability of the town of which
[2:29:31] $477,479.70
[2:29:35] to be raised in taxes that we're voting
on the amendment That is if it passes
[2:29:41] that's going to become the main motion.
If it fails we go back to the other main
[2:29:44] motion and then we can discuss that.
This is not the end. Does everybody
[2:29:48] understand? Okay. A yes vote passes the
amendment. A no vote defeats it.
[2:29:54] Questions. All those in favor please say
I.
[2:29:58] » I.
>> Oppose. No. I believe the eyes have it.
[2:30:02] The eyes have it. We now have a motion
in front of us that asks
[2:30:08] that the town vote to appropriate
$671,650770
[2:30:14] to pay for the running expenses and
liabilities of the town of which
[2:30:18] $477,79.70
[2:30:21] to be raised in taxes. I open it up to
general def general
[2:30:27] general fund discussion. I'm sorry. I
have a retainer in my mouth because when
[2:30:32] I was a kid, I lost my front tooth and
I'd be standing up here without a front
[2:30:36] tooth, without the silly, but I can't
talk with it. Sorry. Okay, discussion
[2:30:43] general fund. Yes, please.
[2:30:50] So, I've noticed in the list of um uh
monies for certain things in the book um
[2:30:59] like the common uh the gazebo fund, the
fountain fund, uh the the town hall
[2:31:06] fund. There's a whole list of things
that uh where we're appropriating money
[2:31:10] for these things, but I'm just
wondering, I haven't really seen a whole
[2:31:14] lot of that going towards where the
appropriations are supposed to be going.
[2:31:18] Do they just go back into the general
fund if they're not used? Where does
[2:31:23] that money go? If you
>> Okay, so the general fund, wait, the
[2:31:25] general I should have said this in the
beginning. The general fund are on pages
[2:31:28] 9 through 15, just so you know. Um I
should
[2:31:31] » Are you asking about the general fund or
the reserves?
[2:31:33] » I'm asking about the general fund. If
you go through the list of monies that
[2:31:37] are being designated in the general
fund.
[2:31:39] » Yeah. Could you give me a page number
that you're looking at just to make sure
[2:31:42] we're looking at the same thing?
>> Well, I wrote it down on a piece of
[2:31:45] paper, so hang in there.
[2:31:54] Okay. Okay. On page 15,
there's um monies for tree management,
[2:32:02] for lawn uh for tree care. There's money
for fountain care. There's money.
[2:32:08] » Oh, for
>> 14 page 14 on the common, it says lawn
[2:32:13] care, tree care.
>> So, those are new lines that we were
[2:32:18] establishing. Uh we know that there are
some tree care that needs to be done. We
[2:32:20] know that there are some issues with the
lawn uh at the common. So, those are
[2:32:24] proposed for this coming fiscal year,
but they were not in previous fiscal
[2:32:28] years.
>> Well, actually, they were they've been
[2:32:31] in fiscal years for the last four years.
>> They might have been in municipal land
[2:32:37] management. I think this is another
piece where we're talking about trying
[2:32:40] to make a little bit more transparent
about where the monies are being spent.
[2:32:43] So things were placed in kind of this
bucket municipal land management uh
[2:32:47] where there was specific Taff meadows
and there was tree management and lawn
[2:32:50] care common tree care common but then we
also had a separate common line item or
[2:32:54] bucket. So really just trying to say if
we have things for the common let's put
[2:32:59] that under the common instead of
somewhere else but still saying that
[2:33:02] it's for the common. So that's why they
look a little different. If to your
[2:33:05] question if something goes unspent does
it go back into the general fund? Yes.
[2:33:09] That's how it goes. um that's it becomes
either a surplus or whatever it is or
[2:33:15] whatever you know however it shakes up
at the end of the year. Uh but any
[2:33:18] unspent monies do go back into the
general fund
[2:33:22] » because according to all of my research
and all of the previous town reports
[2:33:27] these monies have been being designated
for the past four years every year. And
[2:33:33] so far I'm I don't know whether any of
that's actually gone to what it was
[2:33:39] designated for. That's my question. It's
like so it just goes into the general
[2:33:44] fund if it doesn't get used for the
gazebo or if it doesn't get used for the
[2:33:48] fountain or if it doesn't get used for
the trees or however.
[2:33:50] » May I May I say something, Laura?
>> Sure. If you if you look at page 14
[2:33:55] under tree management, we had budgeted
$35,000 and 3500 and then in 25 we
[2:34:02] didn't spend anything because we were
unsure that the fertilizing of the trees
[2:34:07] that we did was the correct approach.
Then we decided we were going to budget
[2:34:13] it again. But that 3500 that was unspent
in 25 went into the bottom line and
[2:34:20] helped to create a surplus.
So, it's not that the the money went
[2:34:25] somewhere. It just stayed there and then
the next year we decided to budget it
[2:34:29] again. And uh we have a plan for the
common of which you were on the
[2:34:33] committee. So, um I hope that answers
your question.
[2:34:38] » Okay. Any other questions? Yes, sir. In
the back.
[2:34:43] » Whose whose mic have I got?
[2:35:07] You just Yeah. Don't press it multiple.
>> Okay, there we go.
[2:35:12] » Um, we're entering into the list
[clears throat] of the budgets items.
[2:35:17] We're starting off obviously with the
general fund and I think this is a a
[2:35:21] good opportunity to look at it overall
that if we look at all the spending
[2:35:26] that's being proposed here it is a
substantial increase. It's a little
[2:35:31] under $400,000 over last year or roughly
27%.
[2:35:37] So this is going to be the start of as
we go through these different items of
[2:35:42] what your tax bill is going to look
like. And so this budget that we're
[2:35:46] talking about is going to substantially
increase your taxes. So it's a case
[2:35:50] where we want to make sure that we're
looking at all the different items as we
[2:35:54] go through them and add them up. And in
response to I think what Laura was
[2:35:59] saying is that there was a surplus in
the general fund of roughly 34,000
[2:36:07] um prior year and prior year being the
year that ended last uh June.
[2:36:15] um that was not utilized to lower taxes.
Um there's also another there was 92 in
[2:36:22] change in the highway department which
we only use $17,000
[2:36:28] to reduce taxes leaving another $75,000
or so. So there's about $110,000 of
[2:36:35] surpluses that have not been used for
the purpose of reducing taxes. So I want
[2:36:41] to bring that point up as we go through
and vote on the different items for
[2:36:45] people to consider whether they are
willing to pay that level of increase in
[2:36:48] taxation. So thank you.
>> Moderator, may I respond to that?
[2:36:52] » Yes.
>> Um it has been recommended by the
[2:36:55] auditors and Nimmer to keep a certain
amount of surplus available um
[2:37:02] approximately 10 or so%. So to spend
that down to zero just to offset taxes
[2:37:08] while sounds nice in theory still hurts
us in the end. And ultimately that's
[2:37:13] kind of why there is an increase in the
amount to be raised in taxes this year
[2:37:17] but actually the general fund budget did
not increase be increase by that much
[2:37:21] year-over-year. The reason being is
because we had spent um our fund balance
[2:37:25] our surplus last year and now we have
such a small fund balance that we don't
[2:37:30] have the ability to offset the taxes.
And so that's why we're trying to just
[2:37:35] make sure that we are keeping that
surplus where it's being recommended,
[2:37:39] trying not to spend it down just to
offset taxes when it's still just going
[2:37:43] to increase our taxes later on down the
line. So I just want to clarify that
[2:37:47] point
and that's the same for the highway
[2:37:50] although that is I'm going to say not
the topic of this article and we can
[2:37:54] talk about that at the next article.
>> Right. I want to just give an overview
[2:37:57] on that. And I would say that typically
when you're creating a fund um out of
[2:38:04] surplus from a prior year, it usually is
designated if you're going to keep it as
[2:38:10] a reserve fund. So, it does show up. The
way it's budgeted here, it does not show
[2:38:14] up and it's not visible to people
looking at the budget.
[2:38:20] » Okay. Yes, Bob.
So, I'd like to call your attention to
[2:38:25] the bottom of page 11. It says planning
board. It's the planning commission.
[2:38:30] Many of you will remember
Irene and the damage that was done to
[2:38:36] many of our roads. The planning
commission is responsible for having
[2:38:41] up-to-date flood ordinances.
That ordinance needs to be updated
[2:38:50] either this year or next year. But
either way, there isn't money in the
[2:38:54] budget to do it. So many of you should
understand that we will not be
[2:39:00] reimbursed if there's another event like
Irene tomorrow.
[2:39:06] And that's because of the way the select
board decided to take that funding out
[2:39:11] of their budget.
Okay. Any other discussion?
[2:39:20] Okay. Hearing no other discussion, we
have Oh, sorry. Yes, sir.
[2:39:24] » We may or may not be able to answer
[2:39:29] or whatever
that could be uh taken out of reserve
[2:39:35] and put into reducing taxes overall. Is
there any I mean it's it's not the
[2:39:42] suggested um way according to the
auditors, but is there an estimate on
[2:39:48] what $100,000
difference would save a towns and
[2:39:52] taxpayer?
I couldn't give you that off the top of
[2:39:57] my head. Uh if we had $100,000 in
surplus in the general fund, which we do
[2:40:01] not, that $90,000 figure is for the
highway fund. Okay? uh if we had that
[2:40:06] for the general fund, it would reduce
the amount to be raised in taxes from
[2:40:09] 400 down to 300,000, right? That's kind
of what's offsetting the actual running
[2:40:13] expenses and what we actually need to
raise in taxes is that if we had that to
[2:40:18] apply it,
>> I guess I'm curious if it's a negligible
[2:40:21] amount or is it a large amount per
person? I'm I'm sure it's hard to
[2:40:25] calculate, but do we have any idea of
what that
[2:40:28] » It would probably be a significant
decrease.
[2:40:31] » Okay. I'm curious,
>> but
[2:40:35] Okay. But if you don't have an answer,
that's sufficient.
[2:40:40] » Okay. Well, this is this will be it.
>> Each $100,000, assuming that the grand
[2:40:46] list stays roughly the same, will be
about 5 and 3/4 cents in the tax rate.
[2:40:53] So, we last year our tax rate was 828
or something like that per 100. And so
[2:41:01] each $100,000 that we do an increased
spending or reduce spending will change
[2:41:06] that by about five and three/4 cents.
>> Okay. So that's okay.
[2:41:12] » Of the mill.
>> Okay. Discussion between members. Yes,
[2:41:16] Bob.
[2:41:20] » This goes back to something that's been
said before on my copy of the town
[2:41:26] report. I've got red circles all over
the place because money comes and goes
[2:41:30] and it just disappears. And it's in
areas like wages, repairs, maintenance.
[2:41:36] There's no money. Suddenly there's 2500,
2,000. Down below we have repairs,
[2:41:41] maintenance. Same item apparently. 7500,
3,000, 7500, 5,000. There's no
[2:41:47] explanation. Money comes and goes. I
don't know where it's going to or what
[2:41:51] it's been spent on.
>> Okay. Any other discussion? Yes. Laura,
[2:41:57] have you spoken yet? Laura, you have
Irv, do do I first hasn't spoken
[2:42:02] right there and then Lauri?
[2:42:06] » Oh,
that this money it's in the reserve and
[2:42:11] stuff. If it's earmarked,
then that's the only thing it can be
[2:42:16] spent on. It can't you can't just take
it out. And they was one in there that
[2:42:21] had stipulations on it and they taken
money out of it.
[2:42:25] Now that's illegal.
Couldn't have brought statues. You
[2:42:30] cannot do that
without a vote of the people.
[2:42:35] So you'd have to do it at the next town
meeting
[2:42:39] and they've already spent it.
Hey, any other discussion? That was that
[2:42:45] was Have you guys come up front to
speak?
[2:42:49] Microphone. Everybody come here. Speak.
Um, I just back to Bob's remark about
[2:42:55] FEMA payment. I need some clarification
on why you're saying that we if we had a
[2:42:59] flood tomorrow, you're saying we are
non-compliant
[2:43:03] » to to receive any funds.
>> We're talking general fund. I I know
[2:43:08] we're talking general fund and that's
that's a fair question, but
[2:43:12] » he just stated that the select board
>> has done something to saying that we are
[2:43:17] not qualified for FEMA tomorrow if we
have a flood. I'm just confused.
[2:43:20] » What?
Is that true or not? Yes or no?
[2:43:24] » No, that's what Bob referring to having
an up-to-date flood plane ordinance,
[2:43:28] which would be a requirement for um FEMA
grants. Correct. Is that right?
[2:43:32] » We're talking about the same thing. Yes.
>> So, he's talking about the flood plane
[2:43:35] ordinance,
>> right?
[2:43:37] » Which was
>> and and Bob said that it's not up to
[2:43:39] date and we won't get FEMA money
>> if it does not get updated. They have
[2:43:43] been working on that over the last year
and change, right, with Windham
[2:43:46] Regional. And then this is a bit that is
carrying over into the next year that we
[2:43:52] were expecting to finish in the last
year but didn't fully get finished. Am I
[2:43:56] understanding that correctly? There was
a small bit
[2:44:00] » Bob I I just don't think it's totally
true that I don't think that's the case
[2:44:05] and I'm just
>> we're talking about the general fund and
[2:44:09] and funding. We're not I don't want to
get bogged down on whether
[2:44:12] » Anyways, I just got one quick
clarification if I can. Okay,
[2:44:16] » we got lawn care
>> for the common $4,000.
[2:44:19] » Mhm.
>> What is that for?
[2:44:23] » Lawn. That's a valid question. Lawn lawn
care. $4,000. What is that for?
[2:44:30] » Chad, you want to talk?
[2:44:34] » Are we talking What are we talking
>> I'm sorry that there I'm sorry. In the
[2:44:39] book, if you look in the book on page
11, it's not that hard. We're on page
[2:44:43] 11. Lawn care. Lawn care.
>> Oh, but we were just talking about what
[2:44:49] [clears throat]
>> we're on the lawn care right now.
[2:44:51] » If this is Connie Holt um
regarding the question about the flood
[2:44:58] plane mapping, the plan is to use the
planning commission's reserve to which
[2:45:04] has enough money in there to cover the
cost. So, that was the plan. It's not
[2:45:08] that it's not there's that we're not
going to do it. It's where the money is
[2:45:12] going to come from.
Lawn care. I can address it if other
[2:45:17] people want to. the um common committee
put a proposal together uh in for the
[2:45:24] budget for the select board and they
approved it and it is $4,000 to um
[2:45:31] correct me if I'm not saying this uh
correctly but to basically do
[2:45:37] rehabilitation or regular maintenance of
the lawn of the common by um soliciting
[2:45:45] volunteers and volunteer equipment along
with purchasing some feed and um
[2:45:55] fertilizer. So there's a um there's a
whole plan that we would spend about
[2:46:01] $4,000 which would would be two um two
fertilizations or two maintenances, one
[2:46:09] in the spring and one later in the
summer.
[2:46:13] Uh and we have gotten uh other entities
to volunteer to donate their equipment
[2:46:19] so that we can do that. Um
so it's a it was came out of the common
[2:46:25] committee's uh plan proposal.
>> Yeah. Amazing.
[2:46:29] » So when um in past years we've had a
[snorts]
[2:46:34] um a contract with someone that took
care of the trees on the common. They
[2:46:39] were fertilized regularly. There was a
schedule for that. there was a budget
[2:46:42] for that for several years. Uh in the
meantime, we had spoken with the state
[2:46:47] forester and he came out and he looked
at all of the trees on the common and he
[2:46:51] told us that the trees um that maybe the
fertilization wasn't exactly what we
[2:46:56] needed. We needed some scaling back of
the dirt around all of the trees to
[2:47:00] actually expose the highest roots
because then that helps with the tree
[2:47:04] health and its uptake of water and uh
taking into account the fact that it's
[2:47:09] in sort of a heavily compacted from the
kids using the common and people using
[2:47:14] the common and an urban more urban
environment for those trees. So he had
[2:47:19] uh made some recommendations to us to
think about how uh
[2:47:24] really like rethinking how we take care
of the common and what the needs of the
[2:47:28] common were. And that had happened
around the same time that that contract
[2:47:32] with the previous contractor kind of
came up and we had to decide are we
[2:47:36] going to uh go back into this contract
and possibly do fertilizing that it
[2:47:41] doesn't need or are we going to expand
our care of the common as a whole and
[2:47:45] that's how we ended up deciding to have
more conversations about how to take
[2:47:49] care of the grass. I think Dale was also
part of that conversation about needing
[2:47:54] aation and different things like that
for the grass and the compaction around
[2:47:57] the trees and then that helped us rework
a plan for uh the best practices for
[2:48:03] taking care of that common space.
[2:48:07] » Okay.
First time speakers.
[2:48:13] » No, Laura. Second time speakers.
So, I'm on the common committee and I I
[2:48:21] was at a meeting where we discussed
this, but I was never told about a
[2:48:26] meeting where it was actually voted on.
So, I'm kind of curious about that. I
[2:48:31] think Liza Martin is also on the common
committee. I don't remember I don't know
[2:48:35] whether she got notified about this
meeting, but I don't remember there ever
[2:48:38] being a vote. I just only remember a
discussion for one. And I mean, even if
[2:48:43] they did, even if it was decided not to
do the tree care fertilizing, um the
[2:48:49] $3,000 was designated. And I don't think
any of the other recommendations were
[2:48:54] done either. Uh and so I'm just it's
like it's like we're voting every year
[2:48:59] because this money has been voted
through every year since I've got it on
[2:49:03] a list somewhere since 2023.
>> Are you Are you making a motion to
[2:49:07] remove the money? I mean, an amendment
to remove the money.
[2:49:11] I I'm making an I'm just trying to find
out if there's a way that we can make
[2:49:15] sure that this money is being spent for
what it's being designated for.
[2:49:19] » Okay. Any other discussion?
[2:49:25] Hearing no other discussion, we have a
motion before us
[2:49:30] to see if the town will vote to
appropriate $671,650.70
[2:49:37] to pay for the running expenses and
liabilities of the town of which
[2:49:41] $477,79.70
[2:49:46] is to be raised in taxes. A yes vote
passes the motion. A no vote defeats the
[2:49:53] motion. All those in favor, please say
I.
[2:49:57] » Oppose. No.
>> I believe the eyes have it. The eyes do
[2:50:02] have it. The motion passes.
Article 8 to see if the town will vote
[2:50:07] to appropriate 1,114,215
[2:50:13] to pay for the running expenses and
liabilities of maintaining the town
[2:50:16] roads, of which $736,65
is to be raised in taxes. I will now
[2:50:23] entertain a motion.
>> So moved.
[2:50:27] » Second. Um that's on pages 18 through 21
just so you know. Discussion. Motion
[2:50:34] maker. Anybody discuss? Yep. Yep. Does
that one work?
[2:50:40] » Okay. I just want to point out that this
year is the first year that we've put
[2:50:45] the $91,000 greater payment. Um this is
payment number three. There will be two
[2:50:50] more after that. and that is included in
this budget. Um, we spent the the past
[2:50:59] year talking about our budget pretty
much uh several times a month on the
[2:51:04] highway committee. Um we've had members
of the public on that committee and um I
[2:51:10] was on the committee. Jeremy, our road
foreman's on the committee. Connie is on
[2:51:14] the committee and um we really tried to
think about what the needs are of the
[2:51:18] roads and um how to support that while
also respecting the tax rate. So these
[2:51:24] uh these numbers were not come at very
easily. We had to really watch our
[2:51:29] budget as close as we could. We did um
stop some spending in the spring to make
[2:51:34] sure that we were not going over budget
or anything like that. And we were um
[2:51:39] basically going over everything on a
regular basis, getting our sheets from
[2:51:44] the finance office and really trying to
zero in on what was really happening and
[2:51:48] what that spending looked like and what
the needs were. So that's how we got
[2:51:52] here.
>> Further discussion? Yes, sir. Uh yep,
[2:51:57] got it. Good. Thank you.
[2:52:01] Um, I want to call attention, Andy
Snelling, want to call attention to, uh,
[2:52:06] on page 18, the Vermont Trans Grant
structures. Uh, on the revenue side,
[2:52:12] there's $196,200
listed there. If one looks at the detail
[2:52:18] there, there's $180,000 that is coming
in on the bridge grant for bridge 43, I
[2:52:25] believe, is for resurfacing the deck.
Um, that's about a $400,000 project that
[2:52:32] we have to put the money up front. Uh,
first there was $200,000 put into
[2:52:39] reserve for that last town meeting.
There would have to pass um article 12
[2:52:48] at least in the amount of $200,000
to be able to fund that to get that
[2:52:53] $180,000 back. So, from a presentation
perspective,
[2:53:00] um, we're counting on money here,
$180,000,
[2:53:03] and we're not showing the $400,000
spending that's required to be eligible
[2:53:09] to get that grant of $180,000.
So, um, keep in mind if Article 12, uh,
[2:53:17] doesn't pass, then we're going to be out
of budget here by $180,000.
[2:53:23] » Okay. Other discussion?
[2:53:29] Discussion on the roads. Okay. No. Oh,
yes.
[2:53:36] » Don't you speak? Yeah.
>> There there was a grant raised for that
[2:53:39] project.
>> Oh, great. How much was that grant
[2:53:43] awarded? How much was awarded?
>> The grant award was for $200,000 and
[2:53:49] there's a $20,000 match and we don't
It's a reimbursement grant. So the money
[2:53:54] gets spent and then reimbursed.
>> Great. Thanks for applying for those.
[2:53:59] » Okay. Any other discussion? Yes, Bob.
[2:54:08] » I've got a few questions about
[clears throat] actual in the 2025
[2:54:13] budget
under vehicle repairs. Um, we spent
[2:54:18] $45,900 bucks on a truck, 39,763
[2:54:25] on another one. And then on page 18,
contributions. It just says
[2:54:31] contributions. What does that mean? Did
we have a town resident say here's
[2:54:36] $22,000?
[2:55:01] She's thinking. She hasn't come up.
She's just thinking
[2:55:07] » because it was two years ago. She's
thinking. She believes it might have
[2:55:12] been
[2:55:19] Wait, I because they're still thinking.
Hang on. They're still discussing on
[2:55:22] what it might be.
>> I guarantee you we'll get you the
[2:55:25] answer.
>> Greater, not the back. The greater trade
[2:55:28] in.
>> There is a line item for the greater.
[2:55:32] » Yeah, I can't speak to what that 22 is.
Then
[2:55:36] » they're unsure what that is. And if
you'd like to come to town hall, they'd
[2:55:39] be more than happy to get you that
answer in the future. Any other
[2:55:43] questions?
[2:55:47] Yes. In the way back should force you to
come up front.
[2:55:57] Um just wondering, we used to only crush
gravel every other year and for the last
[2:56:04] couple years, three years we keep doing
60,000 every year and here we are again.
[2:56:09] Just curious, we get a big pile down
there now and we're need another 50,000.
[2:56:18] » Um there was we um we did not spend uh
one of the 60,000s. We rolled it over so
[2:56:26] that we used 120,000 last year to create
a um a stockpile of gravel. And we
[2:56:34] believe that we will need all of that
material and that we will need to have
[2:56:38] more um crushed
>> for what?
[2:56:42] » Say it again.
>> Could you explain why we'd need that
[2:56:45] quantity of gravel in one year
>> for the Well, maybe not all in one year,
[2:56:51] but for the roads.
>> That's what I'm saying. So why do we
[2:56:54] need another 50,000?
[2:56:57] » Because they felt we need the materials.
>> Because they felt they needed the
[2:57:00] material.
When can I make an amendment?
[2:57:05] » You want to make an amendment?
>> Yeah.
[2:57:07] » Okay.
>> To eliminate the 50,000 for crushing and
[2:57:11] pit maintenance.
>> Is there a second to that amendment?
[2:57:15] » Second.
>> I can't hear.
[2:57:17] » Second, Bob.
>> Oh, Bob. Okay.
[2:57:19] » Okay. It's been moved and second to
reduce the um road budget by $50,000
[2:57:25] eliminating
um gravel crushing.
[2:57:32] » I just want to make sure. Is it
>> We It's been moved and seconded. Let's
[2:57:35] discuss gravel crushing. Any discussion?
>> Yes, sir.
[2:57:40] » Can I
>> What? Yes. [clears throat]
[2:57:42] » Is it to eliminate the 50,000 or the
40,000?
[2:57:46] » 40. It says 40 here
>> because 10,000 is for pit maintenance. I
[2:57:49] think that we're trying to log some of
the area to create more um pit to to be
[2:57:56] able to get at gravel. So, are you
eliminating the 40 for crushing or the
[2:58:00] whole 50?
[2:58:06] The plan is to uh have a logger come in
and eliminate some of the trees so that
[2:58:12] we can get at more dirt
which would create gravel in the future.
[2:58:20] » Okay, we're going to Yeah, we'll talk
about this in other business that though
[2:58:25] I I want people up here to speak.
I don't want you in your seat in the
[2:58:29] back. That's it's very difficult to hear
you.
[2:58:31] Um, okay. So, you said that you just
want 40 Well, there's there's amendment
[2:58:36] that's been moved in second. Would you
like to amend the amendment?
[2:58:41] Okay. So, now we're going to amend the
Is there a second to amend the
[2:58:44] amendment?
>> Oh, wait. Well, the mover of the
[2:58:48] amendment, you want to change it because
then we don't have to go through this,
[2:58:51] right?
>> Leave it at 50,000. Okay. He wants to
[2:58:55] eliminate the $50,000 budget on all
gravity crushing and pit maintenance.
[2:59:00] that it's been moved and seconded
already. We're discussing that. Is there
[2:59:03] more discussion on eliminating that
$50,000? More discussion? Yes, sir.
[2:59:09] Wait. Wait for the mic. Thank you. I'll
come up front.
[2:59:15] [clears throat]
[2:59:21] » [clears throat]
[2:59:26] » I just wanted to Lucas Frell uh ask for
clarification because what I heard
[2:59:32] Connie is that you spent the 120,000
at one time but that you raised 60,000
[2:59:41] over two years. So you weren't actually
not spending the 60,000 that was
[2:59:46] appropriated each year and raised. Is
that right?
[2:59:49] » It is correct that we raised 60 in one
year and then didn't
[2:59:55] over um to have 120 to be able to spend
in one year.
[3:00:01] » Correct. So,
>> if we're going to go through the line
[3:00:04] items and cut out expenses, I would just
say that the last thing I want cut out
[3:00:11] is
gravel, making our roads less safe.
[3:00:18] And I think there's an argument that
they're already
[3:00:24] and I've seen, you know, over the course
of this winter roads that you could
[3:00:30] argue are not getting enough sand. So I
would
[3:00:36] stop talking there.
>> Other discussion? Yes, sir. On the
[3:00:40] gravel crushing. Yep. Okay. Okay.
Microphone's coming. There you go.
[3:00:45] Sorry. Thank you. I appreciate you
running that around.
[3:00:49] » It's on. Correct. Okay. Just to clarify,
this gravel crushing is for material
[3:00:54] [clears throat] that is used to say fill
soft spots or regrade roads, not for
[3:01:00] sanding for win as part of the winter
ice protection. Is that correct?
[3:01:06] » Okay. Thank you. Careful,
>> Hoffman.
[3:01:10] » Our road foreman does not live in town,
so if we wanted him to speak, we'd have
[3:01:14] to suspend the rules, which is fine, but
we haven't done that yet. Yes, Charlie.
[3:01:18] » And then in the back,
>> what's the trick? Oh, okay. Charlie
[3:01:21] Marchant. Um, point of clarification. If
if this amendment passes,
[3:01:28] that item is reduced by X amount of
dollars, whatever the amendment is. But
[3:01:35] the select board is not obligated to
deduct that money from a particular item
[3:01:41] in the budget because they have a total
amount of money to work with and they
[3:01:46] can use it anywhere they want. That's my
understanding
[3:01:49] » that
>> so they don't have to stop getting
[3:01:52] gravel. They could use it they could
deduct it someplace else. You you have
[3:01:58] » I know they're I know they hear the
intent of the audience, but in the
[3:02:02] reality they're dealing with a pot of
money and they can spend it wherever
[3:02:05] they want.
>> Everybody that's everybody heard that
[3:02:10] that's correct.
The select board has wide ability to use
[3:02:16] money where necessary but has to face
the voters. If the voters don't like it,
[3:02:23] they vote them out. But they do have
discretion. Yes. question. Yep.
[3:02:27] » Sarah Sheldon Fry, um I'm wondering
where the uh advice to do this specific
[3:02:34] amount of gravel crushing came from. I
just want to assume that our select
[3:02:39] board didn't go out and look at the
gravel pile and say, "Hey, it looks like
[3:02:42] there's not enough." I assume that
someone who's very knowledgeable about
[3:02:46] this has recommended that this be done
to preserve our roads. So, I'd love to
[3:02:51] hear where that came from,
that we didn't just make up that number,
[3:02:56] which I assume is the case.
>> Got it.
[3:02:59] » I'll go ahead and answer that. So, um,
my numbers may be off slightly, but
[3:03:04] generally in every budget, there is a
yearly or every other year gravel
[3:03:11] crushing amount of money that is
budgeted. How much gravel you actually
[3:03:17] get at the end of that dollar amount has
varied uh based on uh inflation and the
[3:03:23] cost of uh the contractor's bid. Um but
it is the road foreman's uh view that we
[3:03:32] need more than what we currently have in
the stockpile. And so um
[3:03:39] so that's what the recommendation. It's
not the select board, it's the road
[3:03:42] foreman who's working on the roads.
[3:03:47] Did that answer the question? Yes. Okay.
Any other discussion on the amendment?
[3:03:54] Yeah. Amendment maker
>> to point out on page 16.
[3:04:00] » You can't we nobody can hear you.
>> Sorry. On page 16, just want to point
[3:04:04] out the gravel that was put down by
Green Mountain Power. considerable
[3:04:08] amount on our town roads and we're still
saying we need another
[3:04:14] additional to the stock pile we have
down there. I just want to point that
[3:04:16] out.
>> Okay. Any other discussion on the
[3:04:21] amendment? We can still talk about the
budget and we're just talking about
[3:04:25] crushing. Good Dale. Wait, you're next.
One more.
[3:04:29] » You can go after me.
>> Um
[3:04:32] » wait one second. You're let Dale talk
then you go ahead Dale.
[3:04:36] » Okay. I'm going to go. I was actually on
the highway budget committee and the
[3:04:44] plan was to basically that pile you see
this next summer is going to be spread
[3:04:50] out onto probably at least 10 to 12
loads roads in this town because good
[3:04:57] 65% of all the roads in this town could
use some gravel.
[3:05:03] um to the to the feelings of a lot of
people yelling they don't like the
[3:05:07] roads. The way we maintain roads 20, 30
years ago, the pleasure cars that are
[3:05:13] being made nowadays
do not like the way they used to be and
[3:05:19] they fall apart obviously.
So, we have to try to make a better
[3:05:25] surface. I know it costs money. I was on
there and that's the reason why it's cut
[3:05:31] from 60 to 50 plus another 10 is because
we actually need to do some maintenance
[3:05:36] with the trees and the slope work of
removing trees to gain more gravel for
[3:05:44] the future. This was like an off year of
grinding and hopefully next year after
[3:05:50] that we would probably be crushing
again. So yes, it is a bi-weekly a
[3:05:55] by-early idea and and that was some of
the thinking that we were continuing
[3:06:00] with
right.
[3:06:09] I'll tell you something. It ain't going
to be long before you're going to be
[3:06:13] spending a lot more money because they
going through that gravel like it was no
[3:06:18] end to it. And there's a lot of ledge
and you I've dug test holes in there
[3:06:23] when I was road for and there's a bunch
of clay right up back there.
[3:06:29] So you're going to be costing a lot of
money here pretty quick and they're
[3:06:34] putting the gravel out. If if you don't
shape it up and keep it in shape,
[3:06:40] it's going to go down the ditches. Now
you go out and look and see.
[3:06:47] Okay. Further discussion
on the amendment. We're still coming
[3:06:54] back to the highway fund.
Seeing no other discussion on the
[3:06:59] amendment. Basically, we have an
amendment to see whether or not we want
[3:07:03] to reduce both the appropriation and
raised in taxes by $50,000 by
[3:07:10] eliminating uh road uh gravel crushing
uh the gravel crushing line items. Total
[3:07:17] a yes vote will approve that amendment
and reduce the budget by $50,000. A no
[3:07:24] vote will defeat the amendment and we go
back to the original numbers. Does
[3:07:29] everybody understand? Yes, sir.
[3:07:33] » He did not.
>> It's $50,000.
[3:07:37] Everybody clear? Yes vote passes the
amendment and a no vote defeats the
[3:07:43] amendment. We go back to original
numbers. Yes. All those in favor, please
[3:07:48] say I.
>> I
[3:07:49] » oppose. No.
>> No.
[3:07:54] » I What? Wait. Before we do paper
ballots, do you want to divide the
[3:07:58] house? What?
>> Yes. What's up, Verve?
[3:08:04] » Are there se Somebody called for a paper
ballot. That means we have to ask for
[3:08:07] seven other. And if there are, we go to
a paper ballot. Are there seven other
[3:08:11] hands that want a paper ballot?
paper ballot it is. Okay. So, you either
[3:08:17] put yes,
which will
[3:08:21] lower the budget by $50,000. A yes
passes the amendment, which is to lower
[3:08:27] it by 50. A no keeps it the same. Make
sense?
[3:08:32] » Okay. I now declare the ballot box open.
Yes. To pass amendment. No to defeat
[3:08:38] amendment.
[3:08:44] All right. I see you when you get back
here.
[3:08:46] » And we're still going to be discussing
the rest of it. So, this isn't the end.
[3:08:53] » We have Oh, wait. Yes, we have the
results of the election as soon as I add
[3:08:56] it up. Uh, that's two. Carry the one.
Ready? Attention. Attention.
[3:09:04] We have the results of the election. on
the amendment. The amendment was to
[3:09:08] reduce um the uh town road expenditures
by $50,000, eliminating the gravel
[3:09:15] crushing items.
Um a yes vote would pass the amendment.
[3:09:19] A no vote would defeat the amendment. Uh
we have 112 votes. Uh 39 were yes and 73
[3:09:28] were no. The amendment fails. We are now
back to the original motion to see if
[3:09:33] the town will vote to appropriate
$1,14,215
[3:09:38] [snorts] to pay for the running expenses
and liabilities of the town roads of
[3:09:41] which $736,65
is to be raised by taxes. Further
[3:09:46] discussion,
[3:09:53] » are you calling the question?
Okay, the question has been called.
[3:09:57] discussion will be cut off if and we
will immediately move to a uh uh vote
[3:10:04] um requires a twothirds majority to cut
off debate. A yes vote cuts debate off
[3:10:11] and we move right to voting. A no vote
keeps discussion open. All those in
[3:10:17] favor of ending debate, please say I.
>> I.
[3:10:20] » Well, what was there a second? You're
right. Was there Yep.
[3:10:23] » Okay. Plenty of seconds. Okay. Any All
those in favor, please say I. I
[3:10:28] » oppose. No.
>> Um, all those all those in favor, please
[3:10:33] raise your hand.
[3:10:38] All those
that we're stopping debate. That's a
[3:10:42] good question. We're stopping debate. So
we're he doesn't the question has been
[3:10:48] called which means there will be no more
discussion
[3:10:54] and we move immediately to a vote on the
motion that's on the floor.
[3:11:01] Does that make sense?
>> No more discussion. We immediately vote
[3:11:05] on that motion. Okay,
that make sense. Did I explain it? Keep
[3:11:11] talking me. Wait, he's he's thinking.
Yeah, go ahead.
[3:11:14] » We voted on something.
>> That was the amendment
[3:11:17] » and the amendment failed. So now we're
back to the main motion
[3:11:22] which is the numbers that were produced
in the book. We didn't have to amend
[3:11:25] them. And so now somebody said they want
to call the question. So there's no more
[3:11:31] debate. If we vote yes, there's no more
debate and we vote on the main motion.
[3:11:37] Make sense?
Okay. And it has been moved and
[3:11:41] seconded. There was a bunch of Who's
second it? Somebody raise their hand. I
[3:11:45] heard a whole smattering.
>> There you go.
[3:11:50] » It's been moved and seconded. It needs a
two-th3 majority.
[3:11:55] All those in favor of cutting off debate
and moving right to the vote, please
[3:11:59] raise your hand.
Okay, if this doesn't work, we're going
[3:12:03] to and then go ahead. Hands down. All
those opposed, please raise your hand.
[3:12:08] Ah, that's not going to work. Okay, I'm
going to need the justice of the pieces
[3:12:12] to count. Sorry, we have to count hands.
Stand up because I needed two/3 majority
[3:12:17] and that was kind of not obvious whether
or not that was 2/3. So, all those in
[3:12:23] favor. Okay. Kind of Well, wait. Kind of
split it up. You do this side.
[3:12:27] » I mean, I think we need to look at
everyone. If I look
[3:12:30] » Okay. Well, no.
>> Okay. You can do it any way you want.
[3:12:35] Okay. All those in favor of cutting off
debate with twothirds majority, please
[3:12:41] raise your hand.
[3:13:07] No, no, no, no, no. We can't do about
[3:13:13] Katie, you want to just go to the vote.
>> Yes, vote. Raise your hand. to go to the
[3:13:17] vote.
>> Yes, raise your hand.
[3:13:45] 36 and 36. Okay.
>> 36 36 272
[3:13:52] » 72. All those opposed to closing debate
and want to continue discussion, please
[3:13:58] raise your hand.
[3:14:19] Huh?
>> She's a math teacher, right?
[3:14:22] » 12.
>> Okay. Well,
[3:14:27] » uh,
[3:14:33] okay. So, so according to my thing where
there was a total votes of 84 75% of 84
[3:14:39] 2/3 right 75% in that I mean 66 6% would
be
[3:14:46] uh 50
something and we have 72 yes votes so it
[3:14:52] passes okay
>> I didn't get that
[3:14:54] » okay 66 * 84
equals 55 and we had 72 yeses so debate
[3:15:01] is closed we are Now voting on
>> the original
[3:15:05] » the original motion. Okay. So in front
of us we have a motion to see if the
[3:15:10] town will vote to appropriate 1,114,215
[3:15:14] to pay for the running expenses and
liabilities of maintaining the town
[3:15:18] roads of which $7736,65
[3:15:23] is to be raised by taxes. A yes vote
passes it and a no vote defeats it.
[3:15:31] All those all those. Okay. A written
ballot has been requested. Are there
[3:15:36] seven other people that want a written
ballot?
[3:15:41] I see two hands.
A written ballot is I see three hands.
[3:15:48] 567. Thank you very much. We will now
have a written ballot. Okay. A yes vote
[3:15:54] will pass this motion. A no vote will
defeat the motion. Everybody understand?
[3:15:59] Okay. The ballot box is now open.
[3:16:06] We have the results of the uh election
to see if the town the town roads.
[3:16:13] A yes vote would pass the motion. A no
vote would defeat the motion.
[3:16:19] There were 104 votes as we dwindle away.
Uh 72 yes and 32 no. The motion passes.
[3:16:32] » We now move on to article nine
>> to see if the town will vote to raise
[3:16:37] $104,382
by taxation for the running expenses of
[3:16:42] the liabilities of the library. I will
entertain a motion.
[3:16:49] » Eugene and Chris.
>> Dean and Chris.
[3:16:52] » Uh we will now discuss. Yes. Oh, I'm
ready. Okay.
[3:16:56] » Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait, wait
[3:17:00] a second.
>> All right. Elizabeth Brown, one of your
[3:17:03] library trustees, I would like to make
an amendment to reduce the budget
[3:17:07] request by $10,400 for a total amount of
$93,969.
[3:17:13] » 93,000. Wait, 93969.
>> 969.
[3:17:19] » Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. You want
to do it? Reduce it. 10,000
[3:17:23] » 10,400
>> 400 and that now makes it 93969.
[3:17:27] » Yes.
>> Okay.
[3:17:28] » So says my paper.
>> Okay. Is there a second? And thank you
[3:17:30] for keeping me honest on the seconds.
>> Yes. Okay. That's okay. Thank you. But
[3:17:34] thank you for keeping me honest on the
last one on the second. Okay. Now we're
[3:17:38] going to discuss just the motion. The
amendment.
[3:17:41] Okay. Just the amendment. Oh, I can move
around.
[3:17:45] » Just the amendment.
>> Wow. I never did it like this.
[3:17:49] » Huh?
>> Explain why.
[3:17:50] » Why? Why? Oh, why? Good question. That
that a question. Why I'm moving around?
[3:17:55] » Okay, I'm ready for that. I was ready.
Um Karen's husband found alternate
[3:17:58] insurance so we don't have to pay for
his insurance.
[3:18:01] » Thank you, Karen's husband.
>> Okay. So, so, so I I that might need a
[3:18:08] little Does everybody understand?
>> No. Try I I know we're going back to the
[3:18:14] main motion, but let me Right. So, so
the one of the things that was added
[3:18:20] this year was uh benefits for the
librarian and so
[3:18:26] the the husband of the librarian has
other insurance so that doesn't need to
[3:18:31] be raised. So that's why she's reducing
it. Now again I don't want to get into
[3:18:36] the library issue yet because we got to
go back to that. Did that make sense?
[3:18:40] Did I answer that question? Why?
>> Okay. Any other
[3:18:47] Health. Any other discussion on the
amendment?
[3:18:51] The amendment is to reduce it. Yes, sir.
[3:19:00] » Uh my name is uh Jason Min. Um, so in
reducing at 10,000, but I noticed the
[3:19:08] benefit health insurance added on here
was 19,880 or $19,866.
[3:19:15] So are we just removing half of that for
just the one individual and not for
[3:19:19] everybody?
[3:19:24] » Yes. The the money that we put in there
was was for her um Karen, our wonderful
[3:19:28] librarian, and her husband, and now it's
just for her.
[3:19:33] Hold for a sec. Any other discussion?
>> Yeah. Should I say single single
[3:19:37] insurance health insurance?
[3:19:41] » Hey, see seeing no other discussion on
the amendment.
[3:19:46] We have We're going to be voting yes or
no on the amendment to reduce
[3:19:52] how much the town will raise by $10,400
to 93967
[3:19:58] 969.
A yes vote passes the amendment and the
[3:20:04] new number is now what we'll be voting
on. A no vote defeats the amendment.
[3:20:10] [clears throat] Make sense?
Okay. All those in favor of the
[3:20:14] amendment, please say I.
>> I.
[3:20:17] » Oppose. No. The eyes do have it. We now
have a motion in front of us that says
[3:20:23] to see it to see if the town will vote
to raise 9 $93,969
[3:20:30] by taxation for the running expenses and
liabilities of the library. Discussion
[3:20:35] pages 2425.
Any further discussion? Yes. Lower road.
[3:20:42] Uh, you should grab one of the other
ones in case you have to answer
[3:20:45] questions.
[3:20:49] » Thank you. Um, I did some research on
the Vermont Department of Libraries
[3:20:55] website and discovered that our library
last year was the third most expensive
[3:21:00] library for any town of its population
in the state. Um, I also asked last year
[3:21:07] if we were going to pay more, if the
librarian was going to be being paid
[3:21:10] more,
given more hours and more pay, then the
[3:21:15] town's people should get more hours
available for them to use the library to
[3:21:21] make it to make it seem like we're
getting more for our money. Um,
[3:21:28] I'm not quite I don't quite understand
um what the need to have such an
[3:21:34] expensive library for such a small town
is. So, I'm just putting that out there.
[3:21:46] » Other discussion?
[3:21:52] Seeing no further discussion,
[3:21:58] uh we have a motion before us to to
raise $93,969
[3:22:04] by taxation for the running expenses of
the library. A yes vote will pass that
[3:22:11] motion. A no vote will defeat that
motion.
[3:22:15] All those in favor, please say I.
>> I [clears throat]
[3:22:18] » oppose. No.
>> No. I believe the eyes have it. The eyes
[3:22:23] do have it. And the motion passes.
[3:22:28] » Article 10 to see if the town will raise
$2,100 by taxation for the old cemetery
[3:22:35] fund which is on page 26. I will
entertain.
[3:22:39] » Thank you, Craig.
>> Second,
[3:22:41] » Greg. Second,
>> Gabby. I mean Katie.
[3:22:45] » Okay. Discussion.
Any discussion on the old temperary fund
[3:22:51] $2,100? Seeing no discussion,
we have a motion before us to see if the
[3:22:59] town will raise $2,100 by taxation for
the old cemetery fund. A yes vote
[3:23:04] passes. A no vote defeats.
All those in favor, please say I.
[3:23:10] » I.
>> Oppose. No. Believe the eyes have it.
[3:23:14] The eyes do have it. And the motion
passes.
[3:23:18] Article 11.
>> Don't move.
[3:23:24] » You know, I used to do that. Whatever.
To see if the town will vote to create a
[3:23:29] highway surplus fund to carry over
highway surplus funds to address large
[3:23:34] highway projects and save money for
future highway expenses. Connie has
[3:23:38] moved it. Is there a second? Katie is
second. Connie, you got something to say
[3:23:42] as a motion maker?
>> Uh, yes. I'd just like to
[3:23:46] » Huh.
What?
[3:23:51] » Okay, hang on.
[3:23:58] This this this the Passover is a Vermont
tradition. It's not in law
[3:24:05] and it's not in Robert's rules, but
Vermont has a tradition of possibly
[3:24:09] passing over.
Okay. So right now and there's different
[3:24:15] times you can pass over which mean
different things. We have already made
[3:24:19] the motion and we have seconded the
motion but we have not started debate.
[3:24:26] So that means this is an objection to
consideration of the question. A second
[3:24:31] is not required. It is not debatable and
we need a twoth3 vote.
[3:24:39] Okay.
So there will be a twothird vote right
[3:24:43] now. A yes vote passes over this and we
don't discuss it and we just move on. We
[3:24:50] can't even ask why.
>> Huh?
[3:24:55] » Just goes away. Just goes away. Doesn't
exist. A no vote
[3:25:01] will then we go back to discussing it
and we do not pass over it. Does that
[3:25:06] make sense? A yes vote, we pass over
this and we don't discuss it.
[3:25:11] A note
>> no longer an article.
[3:25:14] » No longer an article. Gone.
>> As is as it as if. Thank you, Jean. As
[3:25:19] it never existed. As if it never
existed. A yes. A no vote, we go back
[3:25:25] and we discuss it. And it's got the
yeses have to be twothirds.
[3:25:30] Everybody understand? A yes vote, we
pass over. A no vote, we move on. I
[3:25:35] mean, we go back. Yes, we go on. I'm
sorry.
[3:25:39] » [laughter]
>> A yes vote will pass over. A no vote we
[3:25:46] will go back and discuss. Does that make
sense?
[3:25:49] » Okay. All those in favor of passing
over,
[3:25:55] please raise your hand.
[3:26:00] Okay, we're gonna uh all those Okay,
hands down. That's the Passover. All
[3:26:03] those to continue discussion, please
raise your hand.
[3:26:09] Well, I don't think that's 2/3.
>> Two3. There was not two/3 yeses. Justice
[3:26:15] of the pieces. Would you agree?
>> I mean, it's your job to vote. I mean,
[3:26:21] your job to uh count. All those in favor
of passing over. There needs to be
[3:26:26] twothirds of you. Please raise your
hand.
[3:26:34] Okay. Oh, you want to count? That'd be
the best way. And and I'll help you.
[3:26:40] Okay. Split the room again. You got the
back. Mitch, pick a side. Which side you
[3:26:45] want to go on? That's That's right. Just
Just stand over there.
[3:26:49] [laughter]
>> Then we're going to have to split you
[3:26:50] when you run your chainsaw.
>> Okay. Just Just stand over there. OKAY.
[3:27:09] I got
[3:27:14] » 2/3. So, how many how many yes votes?
[3:27:19] » 44 yes votes. Okay. All those in favor
of not passing over
[3:27:25] and discussing
[3:27:45] 37 no
>> 37 no. Okay. So I don't even have to do
[3:27:48] that. There's not two two there were not
there were 44 yeses and 37 nos. So no
[3:27:54] matter what 44 uh that that's not two3
that wouldn't be 2/3 right
[3:28:01] » math people right
>> okay good okay so the motion to pass
[3:28:07] over has failed
we will now discuss
[3:28:13] the motion
>> uh so I just wanted to give you a little
[3:28:18] bit of background on where this article
came from uh the highway committee made
[3:28:24] a proposal to the select board to
incorporate it into the articles
[3:28:29] primarily for two reasons. One, we have
uh tried to put together a 4-year plan
[3:28:37] on vehicle needs and um and have a
concern about the funds to to raise in
[3:28:46] order to replace trucks and equipment
that need to be replaced in the next
[3:28:50] four to five years. Um, and you'll see
on page 17 that there are some
[3:28:54] challenges to that. And so we can come
and continue to make uh articles to
[3:29:05] raise money for the highway reserve and
we will do that as we need to. But the
[3:29:10] idea is that if there are surpluses in
the highway, can we capture some of that
[3:29:18] money? not necessarily all of it
depending on what the auditor's
[3:29:21] recommendations are and what the select
board's uh thoughts are. But if we can
[3:29:26] capture some of that surplus money, if
there is some, and put it in a reserve,
[3:29:33] it will ease the burden of the special
articles that would need to be brought
[3:29:39] in front of you uh for highway equipment
needs, thereby reducing the impact on
[3:29:47] the taxes. because what we heard last
after last year's highway um highway
[3:29:54] special articles is that these special
articles are the thing that drives up
[3:30:00] the tax rate the most. It's not
necessarily the general fund, but it's
[3:30:05] the special articles that are driving up
the tax rate. And so the idea was is if
[3:30:10] there are surpluses to capture in the
highway department to use them to reduce
[3:30:16] what we have to ask for in special
articles and thereby hopefully lessening
[3:30:22] the impact on the tax rate.
[3:30:27] » Further discussion?
Uh let's go there first and then we'll
[3:30:31] go to Laura. Yeah. Uh I'm sorry.
Thank you. Check.
[3:30:38] Thank you.
>> Um, I'd like to make a motion to amend
[3:30:42] uh article 12 to reduce the amount to
$200,000
[3:30:47] to be
>> Wait, wait, wait. We're not on Wait, I'm
[3:30:50] confused. My hands We're not We're not
there yet. We're on nine. We're still
[3:30:54] creating a highway surplus fund.
>> I mean 11. Sorry. Dyslexia. Dyslexia.
[3:31:01] » Oops. That's okay.
>> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. That's
[3:31:05] okay. He just he just jumped ahead. I'm
excited, too. I want to get out of here.
[3:31:08] That's okay. We're on article 11. Thank
you, Laura first and then in the back.
[3:31:14] Yep.
>> So, we had this exact article last year
[3:31:18] in our in our um like uh report. So, I'm
just wondering, does this have to be
[3:31:24] done every year?
>> No, it's not.
[3:31:26] » And and if so, why are we repeating it?
>> I mean, if it's not, why are we
[3:31:32] repeating this article again? Same
number, everything.
[3:31:35] » Okay. Are you on article 11 or are you
on article 12? If I couldn't clarify
[3:31:48] » I'm sorry what
the article you're referring to from
[3:31:53] last year.
[3:31:57] » There you go.
The article you're referring to from
[3:32:00] last year, we had split up into two
articles. one to establish the highway
[3:32:04] equipment reserve and infrastructure
reserve and one to fund it. So the
[3:32:08] article you're referring to was
establishing the equipment and uh
[3:32:12] infrastructure reserve. What we're
talking about right now is a reserve for
[3:32:16] surplus funds. It has nothing to do with
the equipment and infrastructure which
[3:32:20] will be voted on in article 12.
[3:32:24] » Okay. So so I I was a little bit
confused.
[3:32:26] » Article 13 was not for putting it into a
surplus reserve. It was for putting it
[3:32:32] into that other reserve, the equipment
reserve.
[3:32:34] » Right? So I was confused about this too
because I actually wrote down did this
[3:32:38] exist already. This is a different
reserve. It's very closely worded. One
[3:32:42] says surplus fund and the other one was
a last year was a what was it called?
[3:32:47] A little bit different name. Herve
>> reserve fund versus the surplus fund.
[3:32:54] Right. Okay. Actually it's right below
us. It says the highway reserve fund on
[3:32:58] the next article. That's the one that
was created last year. This is a new
[3:33:02] fund, a new reserve fund that they want
to create called the surplus fund. So, I
[3:33:08] get your question, right? That answer
it. Okay. Then we got uh
[3:33:13] Tammy Tammy Dam Tammy.
>> I think that
[3:33:21] » do do we Okay, so that's a valid
question. Do we understand the
[3:33:24] difference between the two? Did you Did
they answer that again?
[3:33:28] Go ahead.
[3:33:30] The highway reserve fund is what we set
up for uh infrastructure and equipment.
[3:33:37] The highway surplus fund is a spot to
put surplus funds not specific for
[3:33:43] infrastructure and equipment. So this
was something I believe Andy brought up
[3:33:47] earlier in discussion of surpluses and
if they don't sit in a reserve then
[3:33:52] they're not really tracked. I think that
was the point that you were making
[3:33:55] earlier. So this is a uh reserve fund
specifically for placing surpluses.
[3:34:04] » Okay. Any other further discussion on
article 11
[3:34:09] to see if we're going to create this
fund. Yes, sir. Dwight
[3:34:12] » microphone. Sorry.
[3:34:17] Sorry. Just a simple question. in the uh
highway department budget highway
[3:34:21] foreman's report
um
[3:34:25] at the top of the page. This is page I'm
sorry 16 I believe there's a $92,000
[3:34:30] surplus at the end of fiscal year 2025.
Does that show in the budget somewhere
[3:34:35] that 92,000 does?
[3:34:40] I I didn't see where it was in the
budget in the highway fund budget.
[3:34:44] » Believe it does show up in the budget.
Uh the select board voted to uh I think
[3:34:50] it's um
the select board voted to uh use $17,000
[3:34:59] of that surplus to uh offset taxes and
to keep the remaining 60 and change uh
[3:35:08] in the budget.
[3:35:13] » Did that answer the question? No,
because I still can't find 92,
[3:35:18] » but
it should be on the revenue page as a
[3:35:22] surplus.
[3:35:25] » 18. Okay.
[3:35:31] » Is at the top called use the fund
balance.
[3:35:41] » The use of fund balance.
[3:35:45] Okay. Any other further discussion? Yes,
sir. Uh microphone should be right
[3:35:49] behind you.
>> No, no, no. Microphone comes forward.
[3:35:52] He's the There you go.
>> Easy.
[3:35:56] » Uh Peter, West Townson. Where's this
money parked?
[3:36:01] » Where is this money parked?
>> Where you have the surplus? It's going
[3:36:04] to go someplace. Where is it parked?
[3:36:09] » I mean, are you are you earning money
with us? So, if there is the 90 I'm
[3:36:14] sorry, I didn't see who asked the
question, so I'm not
[3:36:17] » Oh, sorry. Um,
>> hi.
[3:36:19] » If [laughter] there's $92,000 fund
balance and 17 of it has been uh
[3:36:27] has been decided to use it to spend down
what we have to raise in taxes, then I'm
[3:36:32] sorry, I don't have the math off the
top. 75
[3:36:35] » 75 is kept in the highway budget
>> for unforeseen circumstances.
[3:36:43] So it's in the highway fund.
>> So the money is exists exists, right?
[3:36:47] Yes.
>> Where is it being where is it sitting?
[3:36:50] » It's sitting in the highway fund.
[clears throat]
[3:36:52] It's called the 200s.
>> Are you are is it in a bank account or
[3:36:55] are you making 4% on it? I guess that's
my question.
[3:36:58] » The treasur would have to answer that.
Are you making money on it?
[3:37:04] Making nothing.
Okay. I'm I'm just curious.
[3:37:10] Well, money market funds on
what was it? 70,000.
[3:37:15] That's $2500
roughly right in the town's pocket just
[3:37:21] to invest it. All I'm saying. And you
get the money the next day. So that was
[3:37:27] my
[3:37:31] as to on the type of
[3:37:37] » I don't want to get into it that far. I
just want to make sure we're getting the
[3:37:40] bang for our buck. That's all.
[3:37:45] » I'm not [clears throat] the treasurer. I
don't know. But I don't know if we're
[3:37:48] allowed to take
the 100s [clears throat] and the 200s
[3:37:53] and put it somewhere. I I mean, that's a
question for Elaine with the type of
[3:37:57] accounting system. You're not going to
be having CD. It's just the running
[3:38:02] expenses of town. The general fund is
the 100s. The garage is the 200.
[3:38:09] » I got that.
>> There's a surplus
[3:38:12] that is noted
[3:38:16] 75,000.
[3:38:23] » Gotcha. But the money is sitting
somewhere, right? Where's it sitting?
[3:38:27] And are we making interest on it?
>> It's sitting at Mnt Bank in the bank.
[3:38:32] That's a good question.
>> Making nothing. Right.
[3:38:34] » Well, we get we get some money, you
know.
[3:38:37] » Are you getting 4%?
>> Are you getting 4%.
[3:38:43] That's I guess that's my question.
>> Okay. The answer is no. Any other
[3:38:47] discussion?
[3:38:55] No.
[3:38:59] » Oh, your point taken.
Uh, any other discussion?
[3:39:05] See? Oh, yes.
>> No, it's okay.
[3:39:11] Speak up now or forever hold your be. I
I just I worry about creating additional
[3:39:16] surplus funds if there is sort of
general anxiety and opposition to or I
[3:39:25] should say concern about transparency
um of where that money is sitting. It
[3:39:30] seems to take away from
when special projects or trucks and
[3:39:36] equipment are needed. We talk about them
at town meeting day. we we vote for them
[3:39:43] knowingly based on the context of the
budget for that year. Uh but when we
[3:39:51] start to create surplus funds for the
highway department,
[3:39:56] then
you sort of remove a little bit of that
[3:40:02] um
town, you know, taxpayer
[3:40:06] immediiacy of of sort of voting for
what's needed at that time. So, um just
[3:40:12] given the general context and some
questions that have been coming up uh as
[3:40:17] a pattern, I would vote against um this.
Thank you.
[3:40:26] Further discussion?
I'll get it. I'll get it.
[3:40:32] Sorry. Thank you. Oh, yeah. Damon, you
want to say something?
[3:40:36] » I'm happy to run. Where where does the
money going to go if we vote this down
[3:40:40] into the general fund?
>> Where does the where's the money go if
[3:40:46] it's voted down? I mean the money
doesn't disappear.
[3:40:52] » Chris Gro
want
[3:40:56] » go first.
[3:41:00] » Us.
>> Yeah.
[3:41:02] » So the question is where does the money
go? If we don't establish this fund, it
[3:41:06] stays as it is in surplus. We're not
doing anything with the money. This is
[3:41:10] establishing a fund, but we're not
saying that we're going to move the
[3:41:13] 75,000 in there necessarily today.
[3:41:19] » This is more of a philosophical
question.
[3:41:24] Is it generally established that reserve
funds will be put someplace
[3:41:32] put in a um a bank somehow so that they
make a whole bunch of money in interest
[3:41:39] until we um are ready to use them?
and something that's just sitting in the
[3:41:46] budget is in a bank account where we can
get at it quickly which means we aren't
[3:41:52] going to get as much interest. Is that
the definition of a reserve fund?
[3:42:00] » Not the definition of a reserve fund. I
will defer to Elaine. I don't think that
[3:42:06] means we can't do that. But a reserve
fund does not necessarily mean it's an
[3:42:12] » interestbearing high yield account.
>> Yeah, it could be put into a CD, right?
[3:42:19] But we don't necessarily
[3:42:23] » want a mic.
>> They usually they could be put in a CD,
[3:42:26] but
>> CDs
[3:42:28] and I don't like talking with the same
>> everyone.
[3:42:31] » Okay. Um, we have five CDs currently
with the town that get different
[3:42:36] percentages. 3.83 83 or 3.13.
I don't have them all in my brain to
[3:42:42] tell you what each one gets. And every
year I reach out to various banks to see
[3:42:49] in the past I've reached out to see if
we could get better deals. And we the
[3:42:54] Mnt and and 802 Credit Union are the two
that we're using and we do very well
[3:42:58] with them. So
setting up a reserve is supposedly
[3:43:04] putting money aside for a future
something. That's what to me what
[3:43:09] reserve means. So you you know every
year you put 20,000 in like the fire
[3:43:14] department did for x amount and then
they said okay we're going to buy a
[3:43:19] truck and then they pulled the money
out, closed the CD and you know we're
[3:43:22] waiting for a truck to come now. So
I I you know 100s and 200s is separate.
[3:43:30] Yes, we get a little bit of interest
every month but you know you don't run
[3:43:34] around shopping or at least I don't um
for different banks to get better deals.
[3:43:39] We've done very well with Mnt and 802
and that's what we have stayed with. Now
[3:43:44] maybe the new girl would like to shop
around and find something better. That's
[3:43:49] that's on her if you guys choose that.
So, but again, the the money that's in
[3:43:55] these accounts is for future, not put it
20,000 and then within six months after
[3:44:03] the new budget opens, take that money
out. The reserve is to be set aside for
[3:44:09] future is my understanding.
[3:44:15] » Yeah. Um,
>> it'll be your second time. Hang on. Any
[3:44:19] other first time stalkers?
See all these people want to talk.
[3:44:31] » Thank you for coming down.
>> Okay,
[3:44:34] » you can pass my bill.
>> Great.
[3:44:37] » So, I think we're getting confused with
surplus and savings.
[3:44:42] If we have a
>> Frank McDougall,
[3:44:46] » if we have a surplus, that means we were
overt taxed and we should take that
[3:44:50] money and spend it, spend down our
taxes. If you have a savings account,
[3:44:54] then you save the money and you put it
in for what you want later. I don't have
[3:44:59] a surplus at my house. I have a savings
account. I don't overspend because I
[3:45:04] don't overt tax myself. So, I think a
surplus and a savings account are two
[3:45:09] different things.
So,
[3:45:13] why are we overt taxed or why is that
money not going to pay down to taxes?
[3:45:18] Those are my questions.
>> Answer that question.
[3:45:21] » Um, that's a good question as to why we
have $92,000 surplus in the highway
[3:45:26] fund. Um, we brought in more money than
we anticipated. I would say that's
[3:45:32] fundamentally the reason why we have
92,000. We did not anticipate to have
[3:45:36] 92,000. We were riding our expenses
really hard because we were actually
[3:45:42] concerned we were going to end up with a
deficit, but we ended up with 92 because
[3:45:47] of the grants um and FEMA money.
>> Okay.
[3:45:55] » Hi. Um my name is Amy. Um I guess my
question is the $400,000 is this
[3:46:01] addition to the
>> We're not We're not there yet.
[3:46:04] » Oh. Oh. Oh, okay. Sorry. So, okay. So,
we're just essentially talking about
[3:46:08] creating a reserve fund.
>> A surplus fund.
[3:46:12] » A surplus fund. Even though Okay. And
it's going to be different than the
[3:46:15] reserve fund.
>> Yes.
[3:46:17] » And both are going towards the highway
department. Correct. For, you know, uh
[3:46:23] keeping our roads and all of all of that
good stuff. Um, however, it they're
[3:46:29] separate funds and they're going to go
to different parts of the highway
[3:46:34] department essentially or are we
creating a reserve even though we
[3:46:38] already have the $200,000 spoken for?
>> We're not. We're not. Okay, you can
[3:46:43] answer that.
>> I'm sorry if I'm confusing.
[3:46:46] » No, you're good. You're good. I
shouldn't be answering it. They are
[3:46:49] separate funds because um and I'm not an
expert on this, but they are separate
[3:46:53] funds because they're coming from
separate sources
[3:46:56] and um maybe different purposes, but
they are for the needs of the highway
[3:47:02] department and in particular we have
some pretty hefty needs uh coming up in
[3:47:08] the area of uh trucks and bridges. And
so uh the idea is although this is a
[3:47:16] separate fund I primarily because of how
it's funded it is for the purpose of the
[3:47:23] needs of the highway department which is
trucks and bridges for the foreseeable
[3:47:27] future.
>> U can can I follow up with another that
[3:47:30] it begs the question what are the
sources
[3:47:33] where is the funding coming from
>> from the surplus versus special
[3:47:37] articles.
Okay. From the surf plus fund that we
[3:47:42] are essentially going to vote to decide
if we want to have that available. And
[3:47:46] then the second funding is um you had
just said it. I didn't hear what you
[3:47:50] said.
>> Special articles have funded that
[3:47:52] » and that's as we're coming up on all of
that stuff and they'll be much more
[3:47:56] specific.
>> Okay. But essentially it's just to
[3:48:00] create the reserve fund.
>> Not a reserve fund.
[3:48:03] » It is a
>> the surplus fund. The surplus fund. And
[3:48:06] will we talk about how it can be
accessed? Is there any kind of specifics
[3:48:10] about what it should be used for other
than just the general idea of
[3:48:14] transportation?
>> I think that's a select I think
[3:48:17] fundamentally that's the select board's
decision. I know that the highway
[3:48:21] committee [clears throat]
has trying to put out a 4-year plan on
[3:48:26] bridge repair and replacements and on
trucks that are going to need to be
[3:48:30] replaced. I can't say that something
else won't come up, but that is what um
[3:48:36] we're looking at in the next four to
five years. And there are no other
[3:48:41] reserve funds already in place like when
we talked about the additional money
[3:48:45] that has to be that you know 8 to 10%
that needs to be um put aside of the
[3:48:51] original budget. None of that can
actually go towards any way of the
[3:48:56] highway funding. the the running I'm not
going to sure I get the terminology
[3:49:00] right, but the running balance or the
operating funds fund balance in the 200s
[3:49:06] of which we had a $92,000 surplus, but
that um that c the that can be used for
[3:49:15] budgetary needs. Um the select board
then decides if there's some major
[3:49:21] expenses whether or not to pull from the
reserves if it falls within the scope of
[3:49:26] the reserves. And I think Irv said this
earlier that reserves do have a purpose.
[3:49:30] They're not just a general account just
sitting there.
[3:49:34] » Right. And you said it's for bridges or
any type of truck or vehicle maintenance
[3:49:38] or
>> I think the wording is for the needs of
[3:49:40] the highway department. I'm just saying
currently the most urgent needs are two
[3:49:45] trucks and at least two bridges to start
with.
[3:49:50] » Thank you for bearing with me.
>> Okay. Okay. Hang on. Hang on. Hang on.
[3:49:54] Okay. We're still talking about just
setting up a highway surplus fund for
[3:50:01] the surplus highway funds from last
year.
[3:50:05] Just to set up the fund. Yeah. um up
front first and then we'll go to the
[3:50:11] back.
>> Okay. Uh where did my
[3:50:15] I put it up there?
[3:50:20] » All right. Alman, um I just have a an
amendment I'd like to propose to kind of
[3:50:27] poke this money in the right pocket. Um,
my concept of what you're trying to do
[3:50:31] is we've got a bunch of [clears throat]
envelopes that sit in a drawer with
[3:50:36] various money assigned to various
projects. Some of it is for future
[3:50:41] expenses for trucks and vehicles and
whatever with the highway department
[3:50:45] needs or bridges. And then we have this
other fund which is surplus money that
[3:50:50] we have and haven't spent but needs to
go and be put aside hopefully in an
[3:50:56] account that makes us some interest. And
my prop proposed amendment is that this
[3:51:02] money be placed in some kind of an
interestbearing account.
[3:51:06] Now that can be up to the select board
or the the treasurer as to how they want
[3:51:10] to do that and that it's available. The
concept is that it's available if we
[3:51:15] need it for highway expenses in the
future, but that it's making some money
[3:51:20] for us.
>> Am I being
[3:51:23] » um No, no, I understand what you're
saying. I just don't know if if that's
[3:51:27] you know, do we
>> My amendment is just to add that it goes
[3:51:29] in an interest bearing account
>> to put it in an interest bearing
[3:51:31] account, but that's I mean my savings
account at 0.02% is an interest bearing
[3:51:36] account although it happens to be 0.02%.
>> Right. The amendment is to is the same
[3:51:42] thing but to put the money in an
interestbearing account.
[3:51:46] » Okay. And then the other issue is
>> you have to have the money available
[3:51:51] when you need it. And if you put it in a
six-mon CD, the money might not be
[3:51:56] available when you need it.
>> Might not be as liquid. Correct.
[3:51:59] » But that's
>> that's the treasurer and the select
[3:52:02] board to decide where they put it.
>> Whatever. Whatever. Yes. Yes. Yes. What?
[3:52:05] I'm sorry.
>> I'm sorry. There's an amendment on the
[3:52:09] floor. Is there a second?
[3:52:13] » Is there a second? You can't discuss it
yet.
[3:52:17] » Excuse me.
>> You can't amend the amendment. Wait, no,
[3:52:21] we don't have a second. So, there is no
amendment on the floor.
[3:52:24] » Huh? I'm sorry. What?
>> Okay. What? What was that over there?
[3:52:34] » Yeah, that don't worry about the second
amendment yet. We're still on the first
[3:52:37] amendment to place it in an
interestbearing account to add those
[3:52:41] words.
There was a second. Who seconded it?
[3:52:45] Connie seconded it. Now we're just
discussing whether or not putting it in
[3:52:50] the interest bearing account. Then we'll
be voting on that. [clears throat]
[3:52:54] Somebody wanted to make an amendment to
the amendment. Yes, sir.
[3:52:57] » Sean amendment.
[3:53:03] » I'll accept that without
>> Okay. Okay. So, now we have and and
[3:53:06] there was a friendly amendment. So, we
don't necessarily need to vote on the
[3:53:10] amendment to the amendment. We now have
an amend. Yes.
[3:53:14] Not yet. We're not there yet. Hang on.
Hang on. Hang on. Hang on. We have a
[3:53:19] amendment to the amendment to change it
to say and be placed in a money market
[3:53:26] account. Is there a second for that?
>> Okay. It's been moved and seconded. We
[3:53:31] now have an amendment on the floor to
add place in the money market account.
[3:53:36] Discussion.
Yeah. Yeah. You want to say something?
[3:53:41] Not about the fund, please. About the
money market.
[3:53:43] » About the money market. You The whole
thing is a snake pit. Um
[3:53:49] money markets are not FDIC insured, but
they hold NAV of one dollar per share.
[3:53:56] I've never seen one go below that. Um,
right now you can get one probably at
[3:54:02] 3.8%. You put the money in tomorrow. You
could take it out the day after. It just
[3:54:07] that' be a wire transfer. It's right
there. There's no fees for it. I don't
[3:54:11] if you're aware of this stuff. Um,
to keep your money locally with Mnt or
[3:54:19] or uh People's, it's like a misnomer
because people's Bridgeport Connecticut
[3:54:25] MT is Ohio, I think. People's
[3:54:30] Bank, which was Mnt, was Bridgeport,
Connecticut. Okay, that's what I'm
[3:54:35] saying. Um,
the last bank we had, real big one, was
[3:54:41] Chittenden, which was Vermont based in
Vermont National. So, I'm saying just
[3:54:46] the think about keeping it local. Are
you keeping it local or are you uh
[3:54:50] trying to do that to at your uh your own
detriment? quite honestly I mean 2%
[3:54:56] 2% versus 3.7 I can get you that
tomorrow in a money market. So that's
[3:55:02] all I'm saying.
[3:55:06] We're discussing the amendment to add
and to be placed in a money market
[3:55:11] to be placed in the money market. Any
other discussion on that amendment?
[3:55:14] » Yes.
[3:55:19] Historically,
[3:55:22] there was a problem between well, there
was a communication gap between the
[3:55:27] treasurer and the select board as to
where the treasurer was putting the
[3:55:32] money.
And
[3:55:38] I would prefer that the select board and
the treasurer work together on this and
[3:55:45] communicate so that we the town makes as
much money as we possibly can, but has
[3:55:54] money available when we need it,
[clears throat]
[3:55:59] which
might not be legislated as such.
[3:56:04] might be more a matter of we the people
say to you please get along.
[3:56:12] » Okay.
We're not going to discuss that. You
[3:56:16] want to speak?
>> Yeah. Isn't it normally the treasurer
[3:56:19] who decides where to put money and moves
moves money in and out of accounts
[3:56:26] according to among other things the
interest rate they can get on it. Isn't
[3:56:31] that something that the treasurer
normally does?
[3:56:38] » Oh, yep. In the
>> Come on down
[3:56:43] there.
>> There you go. Oh, cheater.
[3:56:48] » So, basically, you're saying we're
anticipating surplus already. So, we're
[3:56:52] going to create account. So, if we're
anticipating surplus, why are we aren't
[3:56:57] we reducing budgets? It's our money. Why
would you Why would I give you more
[3:57:01] money to put in a savings account to
make money?
[3:57:04] » Go ahead. [clears throat]
[3:57:06] » You don't have one.
>> Huh?
[3:57:09] » Oh, this amendment is the money market.
He said
[3:57:15] » Oh, you you have an amendment on the
floor to discuss whether or not to put
[3:57:19] it in a money market account. Sorry. You
you can ask that question in a minute,
[3:57:24] but I'm as as moderator.
>> There's a reason. Okay. Okay. Any other
[3:57:31] discussion on the amendment? And then
we'll get back to the original motion.
[3:57:34] Yes, sir.
[3:57:37] » Uh first of all, um I can only use the
cemetery as an example because we have
[3:57:44] funds that we invest.
You're not telling us where to invest
[3:57:49] them. It's elected officials, of which
there are five of us. We vote to invest
[3:57:56] our resources in certain funds and then
we instruct the treasurer to do that. I
[3:58:04] don't think this amendment in proper
order because I don't think you get to
[3:58:10] tell the treasurer or the select board
how to invest the money. If you want to
[3:58:15] create the fund, that's a different
story. But I think it's up to the select
[3:58:20] board and ultimately the treasurer who
are elected to make those decisions.
[3:58:26] You wouldn't be telling the cemetery
commission what to do with its money.
[3:58:30] » Um and and I I'm Wait, wait, wait. I'm
not here to make legal decisions. That's
[3:58:36] why I haven't spoken up.
>> Can I pass over or vote to pass over the
[3:58:40] amendment?
>> No. No. You want to pass over it or you
[3:58:43] want to call the question?
>> Call the question.
[3:58:45] » Okay. Is there any You need a twothirds
vote to close debate on the amendment.
[3:58:55] » No, you can still. You want to just pass
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. We already
[3:58:59] did a Passover on this once, didn't we?
>> Yeah. No, sorry. I mean, yeah, I guess
[3:59:04] theoretically you can try again. Want to
try it again to pass over it?
[3:59:09] » Well, somebody's been asked. Hang on. Is
there a second for that? Wait, wait,
[3:59:12] wait. Let me go back to my little cheat
sheet. after debate is part uh started
[3:59:17] is called postponing differently. A
second is required.
[3:59:21] » Okay. Second to pass over. It may go
into the main motion. So now we're going
[3:59:25] to debate. We have an amendment on the
floor. We have a main motion on the
[3:59:28] floor. We're not talking about those
now. We are now going to debate on
[3:59:31] whether or not passing over we want to
pass over this whole thing. Okay.
[3:59:41] » We
I'm sorry.
[3:59:46] Okay, let's let's do you want to vote on
the amendment?
[3:59:53] » No, I want a question on the amendment.
>> I I'm not I'm not sure there's such a
[4:00:00] thing as passing over an amendment.
These are passover warned articles.
[4:00:04] » Um, we have an amendment on the floor.
[4:00:11] » Okay. some. Okay. Are we ready for the
amendment question? All those in favor,
[4:00:17] please say I.
>> I.
[4:00:18] » Oppose. No.
I believe twothirds majority want to
[4:00:23] vote on the amendment. Okay.
The vote on the amend the the vote a yes
[4:00:29] vote. Hang on. Let me get back to where
I need to be.
[4:00:32] A yes vote.
A yes vote.
[4:00:38] A yes vote will say that the town will
create a highway surplus fund to be
[4:00:43] placed in a money market.
Hot damn, we're out of here.
[4:00:51] The so the main mo so the amendment will
change the main motion which we're not
[4:00:55] voting on right now to say the the to
create a surplus fund to carry to be
[4:01:03] placed in a money market to carry over
highway surplus funds to address large
[4:01:08] highway projects and save money for
future highway expenses. A no vote goes
[4:01:14] back and just drops the money market
statement. Does that make sense? Yes
[4:01:19] vote adds the money market. No vote
defeats that. All those in favor of the
[4:01:24] amendment, please say I.
>> All those opposed.
[4:01:33] » We got Yeah. Louder is I I I modulate
for that. Um Okay. We're going to have
[4:01:39] to divide the house. All those in This
is just a majority vote. We don't need
[4:01:43] twothirds. All those in favor of adding
the terms money market, please raise
[4:01:49] your hand.
I'll try to do it quick.
[4:02:10] 25
25 people want to add the amendment.
[4:02:17] All those against the amendment, please
raise your hand.
[4:02:39] doesn't matter. Majority and the nos
have it. So, the amendment fails, but
[4:02:45] we're still back to the original motion
to see if the town will vote to create a
[4:02:49] highway surplus fund to carry over
highway surplus funds to address large
[4:02:53] highway projects and save money for
future highway expenses. Further
[4:02:57] discussion? Yes, sir. Point of order.
>> Yes.
[4:03:00] on the
amendment.
[4:03:04] » That's what I just said. I just read it.
No, we didn't have an amendment to
[4:03:07] amendment.
>> We had an amendment on the floor to add
[4:03:10] the words money market, right?
[4:03:18] » Okay. Interesting.
>> Yeah. But you you accepted it as a
[4:03:24] friendly amendment and so that became
the amendment.
[4:03:28] » Okay. So, and that just failed. So,
we're back to the original motion.
[4:03:31] Further discussion on the original
motion.
[4:03:34] » That's up to you if you want to call the
question.
[4:03:37] » Oh, wait. I know understand. But who has
hand was up first? Conniey's was
[4:03:41] » I just wanted to make sure that Chad's
question, if I understood it, is
[4:03:45] answered because I did have a question.
>> Yeah, that that was at the appropriate
[4:03:50] time. She'll answer it now.
ask your question again
[4:03:57] and then and then the question will be
called.
[4:04:01] » I can't remember for sure, but I was
basically saying if we're anticipating a
[4:04:05] surplus,
>> why is it why isn't it put toward the
[4:04:09] reducing the taxes?
>> That's what you asked, right? And has
[4:04:13] the answer.
>> I have a feeling that this question was
[4:04:15] sort of asked before you may have been
out of the room. Um,
[4:04:20] so we did not anticipate having $92,000
surplus. We actually were concerned that
[4:04:26] we were going to have a deficit, but we
captured a lot of grant money and FEMA
[4:04:32] money came in. So now we have this
surplus. So it's not that we feel that
[4:04:37] we are over budgeting or over uh or
under spending like we're it's that this
[4:04:45] money we ended up with a surplus which
is wonderful. The primary reason is we
[4:04:52] rode our budget really tight and made
sure we were monitoring it every single
[4:04:57] week and we had some unexpected grant
and FEMA money come in uh that gave us
[4:05:04] additional revenue.
>> But just to be clear, so you're going to
[4:05:07] take that 90,000 whatever it is and hold
on to it in case you need it later on
[4:05:13] this fiscal year, correct? Why wouldn't
you just put it towards our fiscal year
[4:05:17] 27 taxes? Um,
>> why would we let you guys I'm just
[4:05:22] curious. I don't understand why you
think you need to put that money aside
[4:05:27] in case you need it. And maybe I'm
wrong. I'm just
[4:05:30] » Well, the reason and again I if I'm
repeating myself, I apologize. The the
[4:05:36] the needs over the next four or five
years um in our opinion
[4:05:42] are cost more than we will be able to
raise in revenue. And so if there is
[4:05:49] reserves uh or surpluses, excuse me, the
auditors have said that we need to keep
[4:05:55] some in the fund balance. The select
board voted to use some of that surplus
[4:06:01] to spend on taxes, but there's also this
need that is staring us in the face that
[4:06:07] we don't have the funds for in terms of
bridges and trucks. And so that is the
[4:06:12] reason uh if there is some surplus money
to capture, where would we put it? The
[4:06:19] article is to put it in a surplus
reserve fund.
[4:06:25] » Okay.
>> Uh no, sorry.
[4:06:29] » I uh uh just [clears throat] and this
question I'm sorry the call the question
[4:06:32] has been called. Okay.
>> So
[4:06:35] » I'm sorry what the question has been
called. So there should be no more
[4:06:39] discussion if we have a twothirds vote.
The person had their hand raised and
[4:06:44] said called the question, but Chad's
question was still on the floor per se.
[4:06:48] So we let him answer and then the
question was called. So now there's a
[4:06:54] twothirds majority is needed to end
debate and vote on this. If that 2/3
[4:07:01] fails, we'll continue to discuss. That's
all. Okay. All those in favor of ending
[4:07:07] debate on this and voting, please raise
your hand.
[4:07:13] Okay, hands down. Hopefully, I don't
have to count. All those opposed and
[4:07:17] want to continue to debate, please raise
their hand. I believe that's 2/3, right?
[4:07:22] Would everybody agree? I don't want to
just Okay, agreed. So, the question has
[4:07:25] been called. We now have a a vote in
front of us that asks whether the town
[4:07:31] will create a highway surplus fund to
carry over highway surplus funds to
[4:07:36] address
large highway projects and save money
[4:07:41] for future highway expenses. A yes vote
passes that motion. A no vote defeats
[4:07:47] that motion. Any questions?
All those in favor of the motion, please
[4:07:52] say I.
>> I.
[4:07:54] » All those opposed?
[4:07:58] Okay. Not only was that confusing,
somebody said I when it was supposed to
[4:08:01] be no, but that's okay.
>> That's okay.
[4:08:06] » Okay. Paper ballot. Any other six other
people for a paper ballot? You want to
[4:08:10] divide the house? Paper ballotage. What?
One. Wait. Raise your hands again if you
[4:08:14] want paper ballot. One, two, three,
four, five, six. Okay. I didn't see
[4:08:18] those up there. Paper ballot. So, a yes
vote passes the motion. A no vote
[4:08:23] defeats it. Any questions?
I now declare the ballot box open.
[4:08:31] Good job. Thank you for being patient
with me, everybody. You're doing
[4:08:35] fabulous. Seriously,
good job.
[4:08:40] Okay, we have the result of the motion
that was on the floor, article 11, to
[4:08:43] see if the town will vote to create a
highway surplus fund to carry highway
[4:08:46] surplus funds to address large highway
projects and save money for future
[4:08:50] highway expenses. There were
[4:08:55] Got to add 79.
>> People are leaving. 79. Uh 35 yes. 44
[4:09:04] no. There is no highway surplus fund.
The motion fails.
[4:09:10] Moving on. Article 12 to see if the town
will vote to raise by taxation and
[4:09:14] appropriation $400,000 to the highway
reserve fund with the following
[4:09:20] allocation. 200,000 to be used towards
funding highway infrastructure and
[4:09:25] 200,000 to be used toward funding future
purchasing leasing purchases future
[4:09:31] purchases leasing and repair of highway
equipment.
[4:09:35] » So moved.
>> Second. We got Oh no, got Craig. Second.
[4:09:40] Uh Katie was a motion maker. Katie, you
want to speak?
[4:09:43] » Yeah.
>> Wait, you don't can't speak without
[4:09:46] speaking. There you go.
>> Okay. Um, I want to point out the first
[4:09:51] part of this with the $200,000 to be
used towards funding highway
[4:09:55] infrastructure.
>> One, one, sec, page 16 and 17. I'm
[4:09:58] sorry. Go right ahead. Page 16.
>> Um, last year there was a similar
[4:10:02] allocation in the article in a very
similar article. Uh that's because um we
[4:10:08] received a grant award has not been paid
yet because it's a reimbursement for
[4:10:14] $200,000 with a $20,000
um uh we would owe 20,000 of that and we
[4:10:21] would get $180,000 back. Um and the
bridge itself after the RFP went out
[4:10:28] came back at I want to say 400
$44,000.
[4:10:33] So, we were pretty close with the
understanding of how much that was going
[4:10:36] to cost. That's bridge 43. Um, so we
were hoping, and I believe that we
[4:10:41] explained this last year, that last year
we would raise the first part of that
[4:10:44] bridge. This year we would raise the
second and then we'd be eligible for
[4:10:47] that reimbursement from that grant. Um,
the second part of this allocation, you
[4:10:54] can look on page 17 to see the
multi-year truck replacement plan, the
[4:10:58] different uh lifespans of our equipment.
And I also want to point out that right
[4:11:03] now we also have a um a grant for a
separate bridge, bridge 41, and that is
[4:11:10] for an engineering study for a much
larger bridge project. That would be
[4:11:15] next on the list. The engineering study
is fine. It's about $18,000, I believe.
[4:11:20] But that bridge, is it a full
replacement, Jeremy, on bridge 41? that
[4:11:25] bridge 41 full replacement is going to
be closer to your I don't want you to
[4:11:30] quote me on this but your million-doll
range. It's a much larger project than
[4:11:34] uh this current $400,000 for bridge 43.
So, in our scope of where we saw the
[4:11:40] highway going and what the absolute
needs of the highway are in our
[4:11:44] infrastructure, we are trying to uh show
you how we're trying to raise this money
[4:11:50] in a reasonable way over a certain
amount of time. Knowing that our truck
[4:11:54] expenses are going up and up and up. Our
ability to get a truck the year we can
[4:11:58] even fund a truck is getting much harder
with those truck costs going through the
[4:12:03] roof and our infrastructure costs going
through the roof. So that's where we
[4:12:07] were coming from when we wrote this.
>> Okay. Further discussion.
[4:12:12] » Yes, sir. Do you have a microphone? I
got one right here.
[4:12:20] » I think we've caught back up where I
tried to make this uh before. Um, I I'd
[4:12:25] like to make an amendment to um modify
the article 12 from $400,000 to $200,000
[4:12:35] to be for the infrastructure of bridge
43. And I think that's that part is
[4:12:41] important because we need to do that to
be able to get the bridge completed, get
[4:12:46] the reimbursement that we've already
basically budgeted for in the highway
[4:12:50] department. So, we've already really
accounted for that. As far as the
[4:12:54] trucks, yes, we are going to need trucks
and everybody likes to have a new
[4:12:57] vehicle. But they are heavy trucks. We
don't put a lot of mileage on them. With
[4:13:03] proper maintenance, I think they can
last considerably more than the 10 years
[4:13:07] that's being projected here. Um, so yes,
they are expensive when they come up and
[4:13:15] yes, we do need to keep our vehicles
running, but I think maintenance is a
[4:13:18] far better approach than thinking that
we need to replace our trucks every 10
[4:13:22] years. So with that, I would make the
motion that we reduce the amount to
[4:13:27] 200,000.
>> Second.
[4:13:29] » Okay. Been moved and seconded. Bob,
>> you get that?
[4:13:34] » Okay. Um,
>> let's talk about the amendment to reduce
[4:13:38] the amount to $200,000. Discussion on
that.
[4:13:43] » Yes.
[4:13:46] So, I went through the budget on the
highway department and in one of the
[4:13:51] sections on page 20,
they talk about the expenses for the
[4:13:57] trucks. And in almost every one of these
trucks, there's a section that says
[4:14:01] supplies and parts, outside repairs,
supplies, parts. When you add all of
[4:14:06] this up, it comes to $82,000
that's already been factored into the
[4:14:11] budget for helping to maintain these
trucks.
[4:14:15] Just I mean, unless I'm reading this
wrong, I mean, you all can look at it.
[4:14:21] » Okay. Further discussion. Yes.
in the way back.
[4:14:33] » Caitlyn Maze.
Okay. So, my understanding of our truck
[4:14:39] situation is that
because of supply chain issues during
[4:14:45] COVID, etc. Being able to do even
maintenance on the trucks is getting
[4:14:51] parts and doing upkeep on that has
become extremely difficult. And that has
[4:14:56] pushed our truck situation into
back burner, back burner, back burner.
[4:15:03] And then when something goes bad, it's
going to take a lot of time and a lot of
[4:15:08] money to actually be able to do anything
to fix those trucks. and we live in a
[4:15:14] rural community and um our roads are our
livelihoods and I don't want my myself
[4:15:23] or my neighbors to be in danger and if
we're going to nickel and dime something
[4:15:28] uh not the roads please not the trucks
please like that this is silly
[4:15:36] I'm done
>> okay further discussion yeah oh okay
[4:15:40] there and then Eugene and then Jean
>> add Um I think part of the rationale for
[4:15:46] keeping a
let's just say reasonable um schedule
[4:15:53] for when we're replacing our trucks and
moving our fleet and updating is also in
[4:15:58] terms of resale value tradein value. If
we are running our trucks into the
[4:16:03] ground until we can't do it anymore,
until we don't feel safe driving them,
[4:16:06] which is what has happened,
then we then have no leverage to recoup
[4:16:13] some of that cost too and get a new
better vehicle and have some trade in
[4:16:17] there. So, I just want to also throw
that into the mix.
[4:16:22] » Okay, Jean, go ahead, Jean.
>> No, sorry. Is this uh 200,000 for
[4:16:28] particular vehicles that you're planning
to order,
[4:16:34] let's say in this uh calendar or fiscal
year?
[4:16:40] » Uh so I think if you look at the highway
report on page 17, [music] it kind of
[4:16:48] outlines the next two trucks.
>> If you look at page 17, it kind of
[4:16:53] outlines the next two trucks.
[clears throat]
[4:16:55] Sorry, I don't know if they heard you
>> count. It's sort of uh the the plan is
[4:17:01] to outline to replace trucks [snorts]
[4:17:08] and um
it's the one ton and it's the
[4:17:15] uh and the international which I don't
know how many wheels that is. That's six
[4:17:20] wheel.
[4:17:24] » Okay.
there. Wait, before Wait, before I there
[4:17:27] was a hand.
>> Yes, I'm sorry. Then the idea would be
[4:17:32] to purchase
uh as soon as possible and to um
[4:17:40] and maybe Jeremy if we allow him to
speak can speak a little bit more to
[4:17:43] that
but the idea would be to purchase the
[4:17:47] one ton and to start uh saving for the
uh it's being proposed for a 10-wheel
[4:17:55] dump truck.
[4:17:59] Okay.
>> All set.
[4:18:00] » Yep.
>> Yeah. So, in Nick's uh reference to the
[4:18:05] truck running on the ground, nobody
dares drive and shouldn't have to drive.
[4:18:09] That particular vehicle is not one that
goes out and maintains our roads. That's
[4:18:13] our trash truck. I would be extremely
extremely disappointed if we had a
[4:18:19] highway piece of equipment that was
running to the ground without the proper
[4:18:24] maintenance, without the proper oil
changes, and all the others. I get it.
[4:18:28] They're computer driven these days. Yes.
And you can't work on them in the shop,
[4:18:32] but damn it, you can do your best to use
the truck appropriately for its job and
[4:18:38] maintain it. I have no idea if there's
any records of maintenance on these
[4:18:42] rigs. I mean, the grater was a classic
example. All of a sudden, that thing's
[4:18:47] just running to the ground. Nobody can
drive it. It's junk. Get rid of it.
[4:18:50] Right? We still never got our answer for
how much money it was going to cost to
[4:18:53] fix it. just so we actually knew as
taxpayers. We went [snorts] and leased a
[4:18:56] new one and now we're paying for that.
And I get it, they do need equipment,
[4:19:00] but
I'd like to see some sort of maintenance
[4:19:04] and or these trucks maintained properly
if if in fact that they're not because
[4:19:09] that's kind of what we're getting. And
last piece is as you guys as a select
[4:19:12] board go forward, I'd really like you to
think about a road commissioner to
[4:19:17] establish a road commissioner that would
oversee some of the town's highway. Take
[4:19:22] the burden off you. Get it out there so
people have an opportunity to be asked
[4:19:26] what their abilities are and being a
road commissioner
[4:19:31] and help the highway department oversee
some of the stuff that they're doing and
[4:19:35] need to be done.
>> Okay. We're discussing an amendment
[4:19:40] to the uh motion to have $200,000 for
infrastructure on bridge 43. That's the
[4:19:48] amendment we're discussing. Irv had
something to say.
[4:19:53] » Equipment.
I I'll give you some leeway. Irv, go
[4:19:56] ahead. All right. They've already got uh
money in the highway budget for
[4:20:02] equipment, but they're not keeping a
direct expense for each piece of
[4:20:07] equipment. They just lump some in fuel
and all that stuff, and you got no idea
[4:20:12] what it costs for each on the truck.
[4:20:17] Okay. Yeah.
Any further discussion on the amendment?
[4:20:23] Uh Bob, you want to go and then up
front? Wait, one. No, Bob. And then
[4:20:27] talking about equipment maintenance,
[4:20:33] I know many of you in the room, but I
don't know everyone. I'm semi-retired,
[4:20:38] and one of the jobs that I do is I work
for an insurance company to visit
[4:20:44] municipalities.
Most municipalities these days have
[4:20:48] something called Telmatics on their
vehicles. Telmatics is a GPSbased system
[4:20:54] and it lets you know how the vehicle is
being operated, what the maintenance
[4:20:59] records are. It gives you all kinds of
data on what's going on with that
[4:21:03] vehicle.
I've mentioned it before to the select
[4:21:07] board and didn't get anywhere, but it's
a point that I'm trying to make is you
[4:21:12] can learn all kinds of information about
your vehicles and how they're operated,
[4:21:17] whether or not someone is speeding,
whether or not they're sitting in one
[4:21:21] place for two hours, whether or not the
oil's been changed this month as it
[4:21:25] should be. You can learn a whole lot.
The cost benefit, according to the
[4:21:30] people that I talked to, is there. It's
something that they appreciate knowing
[4:21:36] how the vehicle is being operated.
[4:21:43] » Your hand, his hand was up first and
then we'll go back to
[4:21:48] Bob Trier. Um, I have questions about
the whole funding operation for future
[4:21:54] trucks. I don't know anybody that can
afford to buy a new vehicle for cash.
[4:22:01] Everybody takes out a loan and they pay
it out over time. The second thing is
[4:22:06] that you are asking today's taxpayers to
pay for tomorrow's taxpayers for the use
[4:22:14] of all of these vehicles. I think you
need to either get a bond issue to float
[4:22:19] these or take out loans on each vehicle
as they need it and then have those be
[4:22:25] paid off by the taxpayers who are using
it in the future years. Some of these
[4:22:30] vehicles have 10year 15year uh use. It
should be paid off over those 10 or 15
[4:22:37] years not on the burden of today's
taxpayers. Thank you.
[4:22:43] » Right. Right back there. I got it. Wait,
call the question. Okay, she had the
[4:22:48] floor. She called the question and a
question is just the amendment.
[4:22:53] Okay, we have Okay, first of all, there
has to be seconded.
[4:22:58] » So, it's been sec I'm sorry, what? Moved
and seconded. Uh, Jean did. Jean, you
[4:23:03] seconded. Yeah, Jean. Craig. Yes.
[4:23:08] » Your name again?
>> Caitlyn made a motion to call the
[4:23:12] question.
Jean. Jean. Good. Perfect. Good enough.
[4:23:17] Okay. You okay with the second gene? I
don't want to overt. Okay. Um,
[4:23:24] » so right, we're on the amend. Thank you.
We're on the amendment. Um, the
[4:23:27] question's been called. We needed to
It's been moved and seconded. All those
[4:23:30] in favor of closing the debate on the
amendment, not the main motion, but the
[4:23:35] amendment to change it from the
$400,000.
[4:23:42] We're This is going to be the amendment
is now going to be the main motion if it
[4:23:46] passes would be to see if the town would
vote to raise by taxation and
[4:23:50] appropriate $200,000 to the highway
reserve fund for infrastructure on
[4:23:55] bridge 43.
That's what we're going to vote on to
[4:24:00] see whether or not
that becomes the main motion. Does that
[4:24:05] make sense yet?
[4:24:09] » That's what he said. That's That's what
he said. That's what he said. Bridge 43,
[4:24:15] which which Okay. So, all those a yes
vote passes the amendment. A no vote and
[4:24:23] we go back to the original motion. Okay.
We're not voting on the main motion yet.
[4:24:28] There'll be another vote. But do we want
to change it? Does everybody understand?
[4:24:33] No. What?
[4:24:41] The main motion would be if this passes,
the main motion would be the town has
[4:24:48] voted to raise the will the t the vote
the the main motion would be will the
[4:24:53] town vote to raise by taxation and
appropriate $200,000
[4:24:59] to the highway reserve fund for
infrastructure bridge 43. If you vote
[4:25:05] yes, that's the main motion. And
>> no truck.
[4:25:09] » No truck. That's the main motion. And
then we'll vote again on that
[4:25:14] » after discussion. Yes, that's okay.
Please keep asking.
[4:25:21] » Yes. Okay. Yes, Jean. More clarifying.
Yes.
[4:25:25] » We understand that this motion, this
amendment,
[4:25:29] » Yes.
eliminate.
[4:25:35] » Yes.
>> Yes.
[4:25:38] » Yes. It's going to eliminate the
$200,000
[4:25:42] for the second part. The number two will
be gone.
[4:25:46] » Two. Number two would be gone. Wait, he
he had something in here.
[4:25:50] » Yeah. Can I can I continue? I was going
to ask the moderator to ask the maker of
[4:25:55] the that motion
if the wording of specifying bridge 43
[4:26:02] can be done.
[4:26:06] » We're voting on the amendment.
>> No, we're voting to end debate so we can
[4:26:10] vote on the amendment.
>> Right. We're just voting to end debate.
[4:26:15] We didn't have the two-thirds vote yet.
I'm getting confused, too. Right. Okay.
[4:26:18] So, this is just to vote to end debate.
Thank you. Okay.
[4:26:26] » D. So, all those in favor of ending
debate and immediately voting on the
[4:26:31] amendment,
please say I.
[4:26:34] » I.
>> Oppose. No.
[4:26:38] » It has to be twothirds and so that's
difficult. All those in favor of closing
[4:26:42] debate
on the amendment, please raise your
[4:26:46] hand.
Okay, it's two/3 so it's going to be
[4:26:49] really hard. Okay, hands down. Let's
just see if we can do it. All those in
[4:26:52] favor of continuing the debate on the
amendment, please raise your hand. Okay.
[4:26:57] So, certainly I would everybody agree
that the debate is now closed. We are
[4:27:01] now going to vote. Thank you. We're now
going to vote on the amendment. Okay.
[4:27:08] All those in favor
of changing
[4:27:13] the main motion to say to see if the
town will raise by taxation $200,000 to
[4:27:19] the Hyro Reserve Fund for infrastructure
bridge 43. A yes vote passes that
[4:27:25] amendment and that becomes the main
motion. Or a no vote defeats it and we
[4:27:30] go back to the original language. Yes
changes it. No original language.
[4:27:38] It's been asked for a paper ballot. Does
everybody understand?
[4:27:41] » Okay. It's been asked for a paper
ballot. Do we have seven hands?
[4:27:48] » One, two, three, four,
one, one, two,
[4:27:56] three, four, five, six. And there's the
Okay, so this is not for the main
[4:28:03] motion.
This is just for the amendment.
[4:28:07] A yes vote makes the amendment the main
motion. And when you sit back down,
[4:28:12] we're going to discuss that main motion
again. Does everybody understand? Okay.
[4:28:18] Yes vote passes the amendment. No vote
defeats the amendment and then we'll go
[4:28:22] back to the and then we continue to
discuss. I got I got blank stairs. Does
[4:28:28] everybody get it?
Any better way I can explain it? All I
[4:28:34] now declare the ballot box open.
[4:28:40] We have the of uh we have the results of
the election. On the amendment,
[4:28:48] the amendment was to see if the town
will vote to raise 200,000 for
[4:28:52] infrastructure for bridge 43. There were
77 votes, 44 yes, 33 no. We now have a
[4:28:59] new motion on the floor that says to see
if the town will vote to raise by tax
[4:29:04] taxation and appropriate $200,000 to the
highway reserve fund for infrastructure
[4:29:10] bridge 43.
Further discussion.
[4:29:19] » The amendment passed. We now The
amendment passed. Yes.
[4:29:29] Yeah, should have a microphone.
[4:29:34] » I'd like to propose a new amendment for
adding uh $160,000
[4:29:40] for for [snorts] uh the future down
payment or payments towards highway
[4:29:46] equipment.
>> You want
[4:29:48] » do you want to use that same language
funding future purposes leasing or you
[4:29:52] want your own language? Sorry. I for
highway future highway equipment
[4:29:56] » for future highway equipment.
>> Uh what that you did you second it?
[4:30:02] Okay.
Okay. We're still discussing this.
[4:30:07] » Um and can I ask a question?
>> Oh, wait. So So who would like Yeah, you
[4:30:11] can ask a question.
>> Yeah. Oh, yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go
[4:30:13] ahead. I'm just curious um how the
select board arrived at the $200,000
[4:30:19] number and if $160,000
would be adequate for any uh future
[4:30:25] purchase of [snorts] any highway
equipment.
[4:30:29] » Okay, that's that's a that's a question.
Would would it be best would it be best
[4:30:33] to have the highway foreman respond to
that?
[4:30:36] » Yes, everybody. Okay, so that needs a
>> Yes.
[4:30:39] » Can we
purpotion.
[4:30:45] » No, he made an emotion for $160,000
for future highway equipment, which is
[4:30:51] not the same as what it was before
that
[4:30:56] » took it out. We just voted took that
200,000.
[4:30:59] » You took 200,000 out and then
>> proposing to put 160,000
[4:31:04] » back in. I I don't know why that you
don't that's allowed and it's not even
[4:31:10] the same verbiage. He's saying that for
the highway future highway equipment
[4:31:14] fund. We can keep going around forever.
Welcome to democracy. You guys have the
[4:31:17] floor.
>> Can we suspend the rules to
[4:31:20] » Okay. Yes. Yes. Yes. That's what's next.
Hang on. I'm sorry.
[4:31:26] » Okay. We have an amendment on the floor
to add $160,000 for future highway
[4:31:32] equipment to be added to the
main motion that says $200,000 for
[4:31:39] infrastructure bridge 43. They would
like the town road foreman to respond to
[4:31:45] that amendment. He is not a town
resident. Is there any objection to
[4:31:50] having him speak?
>> Yes, there is an objection. Therefore,
[4:31:55] we have to have a vote for twothirds
majority to allow him to speak. Okay.
[4:32:02] Okay. Our own road foreman cannot speak.
Okay. We So, all those in favor, it's a
[4:32:08] twothirds majority. All those in favor
of allowing him to speak, please raise
[4:32:13] your hand.
[4:32:16] Okay. Again, it's going to be
two-thirds, so it may be difficult. Down
[4:32:19] hand. All those in not in favor of
having him speak.
[4:32:25] I think we're gonna have to count.
Justice the pieces. Come on up.
[4:32:31] » Oh, you saw it.
[4:32:37] » It didn't seem left at a 33 at a 2/3.
>> I don't know if they're 77. All those in
[4:32:43] favor of
your hand.
[4:33:08] 35 and 23. Okay. All those against
having the highway foreman speak
[4:33:24] » 10. Okay. So, it was a 68. That's why I
didn't want to do it. It's not I just
[4:33:28] want to make sure. Um, so 10 was
against, 58 were four. Again, 2/3 is a
[4:33:34] little bit more difficult than the
majority, but I think that's more than
[4:33:37] 2/3. Yes. Okay. So he is allowed to
speak. Would you like to speak to the
[4:33:42] amendment sir?
>> Okay.
[4:33:48] » Okay. We want to hear it or 58.
[4:33:54] [clears throat]
[4:33:57] » All right. So just a little perspective
on costs. What has come up? You know the
[4:34:02] last truck we bought was a six-wheeler.
Cost us $189,000.
[4:34:07] That same truck today is $279,000.
So,
[4:34:14] I'm all for whatever loans we can get,
but there's still down payments that are
[4:34:19] involved. If you don't have that money,
we ran into this problem with the
[4:34:22] greater. We didn't have money to when we
went and applied for the municipal loan,
[4:34:26] we still needed to come up with $160,000
down payment. We didn't have that. So,
[4:34:31] we had that's why we ended up leasing.
We went round and around the select
[4:34:35] board. Everybody, you know, it's it's
not a matter of being able to purchase,
[4:34:41] trucks,
you know, cash anymore. You need to have
[4:34:45] a huge down payment on most of this
equipment cuz it's, let's face it,
[4:34:48] nothing's cheap anymore. And as far as
maintenance costs go, that's the same
[4:34:52] thing. Everybody's, you know, why is
your maintenance cost so high? Well, I
[4:34:57] don't know if you've been to a grocery
store lately, but everything's triple,
[4:34:59] doubled. You know, it's out of my
control. Well, I can only do what I can
[4:35:03] to control cost, but you know, the fact
of the matter is is everything is way
[4:35:08] more expensive than it used to be. And,
you know, I don't understand
[4:35:13] why people are so against, you know,
trying to plan a little bit for the
[4:35:17] future. I'm not saying you got to pay
for it all now. We're just trying to
[4:35:20] make it a little easier for future
expenses.
[4:35:24] » Okay. There was a hand in the back. Way
in the back.
[4:35:29] Another one.
Thank you.
[4:35:38] » I just have a question. Liza Martin,
why is it that the select board
[4:35:44] assistant addressed all the road
department answers questions and now at
[4:35:49] the end of everything they finally defer
to the head of the road department? Why
[4:35:53] wasn't he answering all the questions?
>> No, no, no, no. First of all, we're
[4:35:56] talking about First of all, we're
talking about the amendment and nobody
[4:35:59] asked for him to speak. It's not their
job to ask them to speak. It's okay.
[4:36:03] It's okay.
>> Food for thought.
[4:36:05] » What? Okay. Food for thought. Next. Any
other discussion on the amendment?
[4:36:09] » Lucas.
Yep.
[4:36:15] And I'm sorry to go back, but we have a
still we voted down the $75,000 surplus
[4:36:21] or the fund surplus fund.
>> Right. That was
[4:36:24] » So we that 75,000 is still
>> No, no, no, no. We didn't we just we
[4:36:28] just voted down creating a surplus fund.
The surplus money is still there. It's
[4:36:34] just not going to be put in a surplus
fund, I assume. Right. Right.
[4:36:39] » Yes. Right. So,
>> the surplus is still there,
[4:36:42] » but that money could go to
>> That's that's right. That's not that's
[4:36:48] not I don't think that's appro that's
not part of this discussion.
[4:36:51] » It should be in our minds when we come
up with the $200,000 or the $160,000
[4:36:57] um whatever money we we are.
>> Okay. Okay. No, I we got Connie will
[4:37:03] answer. Connie will answer. Go ahead.
>> So, my understanding is that um the
[4:37:09] auditor has told us to keep 10 to 15% of
our operating cost in a surplus for
[4:37:15] unexpected expenses.
>> Okay. So to take that money out, um the
[4:37:22] board has decided uh at a couple select
board meetings ago, the board decided to
[4:37:26] keep it in there for unexpected
expenses. So um unless there was a
[4:37:31] decision to move it somewhere, but
there's no place to move it. That's why
[4:37:35] we wanted the surplus fund. So currently
that money is going to sit in the
[4:37:39] highway fund.
I think it could be used for repairs as
[4:37:44] repairs come up because that's, you
know, something that may happen.
[4:37:47] » Okay, we're still talking about the
amendment. Yes, sir. In the back. Yeah.
[4:37:50] Microphone back there passed back. Thank
you, sir.
[4:37:54] » Hi there, Danny McNamera. Uh, I just
want to reflect. I've heard people share
[4:37:59] in this room a desire for the select
board to adhere to the auditor's
[4:38:05] requests. And then I'm also hearing the
select board saying that a major part of
[4:38:10] what they need to do to adhere to the
auditor's request is not be operating on
[4:38:17] a shoestring budget. And so I'm just
feeling a disconnect and I think it's a
[4:38:22] part of this amendment. The select board
is telling us we're listening to the
[4:38:27] auditor. We're trying to establish more
funds so that we cannot be operating
[4:38:34] right in the margin [snorts]
and I just want to reflect that as a
[4:38:39] citizen.
>> Thank you. Jean
[4:38:42] » quickly I that's okay. Wait wait wait
who?
[4:38:44] » Me.
>> Oh okay. I'm sorry.
[4:38:48] » Hi. Um I also want to talk to the the
philosophy of raising this money for the
[4:38:55] trucks in particular. It's more of an
attempt to spread that cost out over a
[4:39:01] couple of years instead of taking the
hit all at once because obviously when
[4:39:05] we take that hit all at once of
$300,000,
[4:39:09] it it hits our tax rate. If we're able
to say we need to replace this truck in
[4:39:14] the next couple of years and this one in
the next couple of years in order to get
[4:39:18] some trade-in value on that and also get
some longevity out of our equipment. um
[4:39:23] then we can say for right now the the
way that the buying of the trucks
[4:39:28] happens as we've learned with the fire
truck is you order it but you don't see
[4:39:32] it for a couple of years down the line.
So our philosophy was that if we started
[4:39:37] to put this money into reserve over the
next few years, we would be ready to put
[4:39:43] that uh put that order in for the first
truck. it comes in a few years later and
[4:39:48] by then we've spread that cost over a
few years. Not hitting that tax rate so
[4:39:53] big in one year saying give us $300,000
or something like that. I won't go back
[4:39:59] into that surplus one that we already
talked about. But that was also that
[4:40:05] part of that philosophy of trying to
spread these costs over several years
[4:40:08] instead of gouging all in one year when
we have something that [snorts] we need
[4:40:14] to replace. And that one thing that we
might need to replace isn't going we're
[4:40:17] not going to get it for a few years
until after that.
[4:40:22] » Well, Katie has pretty much said some
about what I was going to say. You know,
[4:40:26] there's an old saying when when
sorry
[4:40:29] » when work needs to be done, you can pay
me now or you can pay me later. And the
[4:40:34] idea behind putting is simply to put
this some money aside because these
[4:40:40] prices keep going up and a truck that's
what $279,000
[4:40:46] this year is going to be $400,000
you know in what two years. So the point
[4:40:54] is to put some money aside now so that
we won't have to levy that much tax when
[4:41:01] we have to actually spend the money.
It's just that simple.
[4:41:06] » Okay.
Uh I'm going to go there and then there
[4:41:14] [clears throat]
[4:41:20] » uh Alicia Stratford. Um, a 2026
Ram 5500 1- ton truck is 83,000.
[4:41:30] Uh, page 17.
Uh, as of right now, if we were to place
[4:41:35] that truck, it's 83,000. Um,
the International 7600, which is the
[4:41:42] other one that they're flagging for 27,
stopped being produced in 2018.
[4:41:50] These numbers need to be revisited.
>> That's all.
[4:41:54] » Okay. Uh, wait. There was first here.
[4:42:02] » No. Do you have No, because he's been
recognized. At least for every article,
[4:42:06] we probably should re reassess that. But
for this one, he's allowed. So, he can
[4:42:10] continue to
[4:42:18] They can breathe in around.
[4:42:28] » You understand the question?
>> No, I don't.
[4:42:30] » So do I.
>> Question.
[4:42:33] » No, there was no question. So you can't
respond.
[4:42:36] Do you have a question for Jeremy?
[4:42:43] » Sorry.
So if we were to replace the one,
[4:42:52] » she asked me how much the trucks would
actually cost today. How much truck?
[4:42:55] » So, I have a Colt here from Claremont
Ford on a a brand new one ton with full
[4:43:00] equipment set up like a big truck plow
wing, four season body, which is more
[4:43:06] um
[4:43:09] safer and
less wear and tear as far as what we're
[4:43:13] doing with these trucks. I mean, this
truck brand new from the lot is $169,000
[4:43:18] setup. So, like I said earlier, the
single axle dump truck, six-wheeler, the
[4:43:24] same truck that the last truck we bought
was a 2022 Western Star. That truck we
[4:43:28] paidundred and
[4:43:33] Yeah. 80
Yeah. $187,000
[4:43:37] in 2022. That same [snorts] truck today
is 280
[4:43:46] $286,000.
So
[4:43:51] I mean those costs have gone through the
roof in the last 5 years, four years,
[4:43:54] three years followup
>> and a lot of that has to do with um
[4:44:00] emissions which adds about 50 grand to
each truck these days. All these new
[4:44:05] emission standards are becoming more and
more difficult to deal with as far as
[4:44:10] you know new trucking technology,
computers, all that. It's just in my
[4:44:15] opinion it's gotten way out of hand. But
there's I don't see anything that we can
[4:44:19] do to prevent it. You know, I'd love to
see him go back to the old time trucks
[4:44:23] where you can do all the work yourself,
but it's just not the way it is. So,
[4:44:30] » no,
no, no, you don't have the floor. Um,
[4:44:34] wait, there was other hand. Okay, in the
back, you have a microphone. Of course
[4:44:39] not. Is there one back there? No.
[4:44:47] So, just one quick question. You said
you're putting a wing on a one ton.
[4:44:53] » Yeah. So, it's not really necessary, but
anyways, um
[4:44:57] this motion is given $200,000
that we need to put towards bridge 43.
[4:45:03] Correct. We're going to get that
reimbured by the state. 165 168,000
[4:45:08] whatever you said. 180.
>> So why are we So you're basically going
[4:45:12] to have 180 plus this 160 for equipment.
>> Well, I mean basically the the
[4:45:20] reimbursement is going to cover what you
need for
[4:45:23] » reimbursement is going to cover what we
spend on the bridge. So we have to spend
[4:45:27] upfront the $44,000 for the bridge.
>> Yep.
[4:45:30] » Which we put 200% match 200,000 200,000
last year.
[4:45:35] » Correct.
>> Another 200,000 this year. Correct. That
[4:45:38] 180 back
>> 180 back. So we will have spent 220 on
[4:45:41] the bridge. 180 back is paying us back
for that. It's not going back into the
[4:45:45] reserve account.
>> It's paying us.
[4:45:49] » It's I'm not in the budget. If we're
giving you the money, you're going to
[4:45:52] have it.
>> So Chad, this is what Andy's referring
[4:45:55] to is that the 180 is in the budget. So
it's not free floating 180. It was
[4:46:01] basically used to help bring down the
cost of the highway budget. Um, and we
[4:46:07] had that discussion at one of the
meetings, I think it was how do you how
[4:46:11] do we account for the grant funds and
there there was a decision made that we
[4:46:17] can use it to help um alleviate the
budget. So, it's not free floating or I
[4:46:24] shouldn't say it's not
>> we're going to we're going to pay the
[4:46:27] contractor 400,000. Correct. State's
going to reimburse us 180,000 of that.
[4:46:32] That's our money we're getting back. I'm
confused. [clears throat] budget,
[4:46:36] » right?
>> It's it's been used as revenue for the
[4:46:39] budget.
[4:46:44] » Oh, nice.
>> Gotcha.
[4:46:47] » Okay. Further discussion.
>> I saw other hands right there. Yeah,
[4:46:51] that's a hand. So, in the case of uh
like a catastrophic catastrophic
[4:46:57] equipment failure,
what does that scenario look like if we
[4:47:02] do not vote to raise this $160,000
on this amendment? Like what what does
[4:47:09] that scenario look like for us as
taxpayers, for you as a select board if
[4:47:15] the
what equipment fails? whatever expensive
[4:47:20] equipment. What What is the scramble?
What does this look like?
[4:47:25] » If we have an unforeseen need to replace
equipment and we don't have money for
[4:47:29] it, we have to deficit spend it.
>> Deficit spend it.
[4:47:36] » And we might have to have a special town
meeting even. Who knows, right? But we
[4:47:40] would have to come up with that money.
We are able to borrow. We are able to
[4:47:44] deficit spend. That's not exactly how we
want to be operating. And that's also
[4:47:49] why we do want to keep some money in a
surplus if we have it in a fund balance.
[4:47:54] If unexpected things come up to speed up
that cost, right, to kind of be that uh
[4:47:59] that cushion, but if we're using it on
this and then something else happens, we
[4:48:03] can't use it for that. So that's just
how we end up in deficits.
[4:48:06] » Has this has that ever happened before
where we had an emergency spending
[4:48:10] situation?
>> I'm sure.
[4:48:18] with the greater
>> right the greater the hurricane Irene
[4:48:21] they're saying there's been plenty of
times that they've borrowed money
[4:48:25] » Tom Martin okay good no got a question
statement over here
[4:48:29] » I do want to point out we also have a
spare truck as well it's an older truck
[4:48:33] but we do have a spare so if one of the
frontline trucks goes down we do have an
[4:48:38] immediate backup so that that helps some
and I assume that if we were to be
[4:48:44] buying new trucks We'd rotate out the
spare and take one of the existing
[4:48:48] trucks and now make it the spare.
Don't know if that's the way it would
[4:48:52] go, but that's my assumption.
>> Okay, we have a an amend. Yes.
[4:48:57] » If we
appropriate this $200,000, it can be put
[4:49:02] into an account that earns interest.
If we have to borrow money because of a
[4:49:09] catastrophic failure, then we have to
pay.
[4:49:13] Earning is better than paying.
I think everybody will agree that might
[4:49:19] be the only
>> Okay. Any other further discussion on
[4:49:24] the amendment? We still have the
discussion on the amendment. Right.
[4:49:27] Wait, the microphone's coming right
behind you.
[4:49:29] » There you go. Oh,
I just have a question as to whether or
[4:49:33] not you looked for multiple bids on
these trucks and whether or not the
[4:49:38] state has some kind of buying program
that's available.
[4:49:52] Those
[4:49:56] bids were um obtained to try to give
some kind of rough estimates for the
[4:50:02] type of trucks that we would be looking
at. It's not the only bids and we
[4:50:07] haven't delved into um you know the
state if they have any kind of programs.
[4:50:12] It was more about trying to get some
idea of what we were looking at for
[4:50:17] planning
>> on the state uh programs. There are
[4:50:23] municipal equipment loan fund programs.
They are limited to a certain cap and
[4:50:27] it's gone up, but the last I looked was
about 150, might be about $180,000. Now,
[4:50:33] that can go up in emergency
circumstances. Right now, we're not in
[4:50:37] emergency circumstance, so you know, I'm
not going to talk about that. But if we
[4:50:42] still need more than 180,000, whatever
the cap is, that's also stuff that we
[4:50:47] have to come up with on our own. Um, so
just to kind of bring that up and it
[4:50:52] would be limited. I believe it is one
award per fiscal year.
[4:50:58] » Um, okay. We're still talking about the
amendment. Yes, sir.
[4:51:01] » Alman, I'd like to call the question,
please.
[4:51:03] » Okay. Before we do the twothirds vote,
is there any other discussion?
[4:51:06] » Well, Jeremy,
>> okay, wait. I know the question has been
[4:51:10] what
>> Jeremy
[4:51:11] » Jeremy was
a municipality.
[4:51:16] » Go ahead. Go ahead.
>> Because we're in municipality. The
[4:51:21] question's been called. Because we're in
a municipality, we get the best. He was
[4:51:25] just answering that last question. Then
the question was called. Okay. There is
[4:51:29] a gentleman with his hands up that wants
more discussion. So, we're going to have
[4:51:32] a twothirds vote on whether or not we're
closing debate on just the amendment.
[4:51:37] Okay. Okay, we're going to we can
continue to discuss and amend, but this
[4:51:41] amendment which will add so the the main
motion will then read if passed
[4:51:48] to see if the town will vote to raise by
taxation
[4:51:52] 300 300 Who's got the microphone?
>> I do.
[4:51:56] » Turn that puppy off. Thank you, sir.
That's okay.
[4:51:59] um to see if the town will vote to raise
by taxation $360,000
[4:52:05] to the highway reserve fund with the
following allocation. $200,000 for
[4:52:10] infrastructure bridge 43 and $160,000
for future highway equipment. That's
[4:52:16] what the main motion will read if the
amendment passes. If the amendment
[4:52:21] fails, the motion will read to see if
the town will vote to raise by taxation
[4:52:26] and appropriate $200,000 for
infrastructure on Bridge 43.
[4:52:32] Yes.
[4:52:36] » No, I'm just I'm explaining what that
would be. Yeah. Thank you. But we're
[4:52:40] still going to have a twothirds
debate. There was there a second on the
[4:52:43] closing of debate?
>> Second. Okay. But there was a gentleman
[4:52:47] I would just do it but the gentleman
wanted to continue discussing. So we're
[4:52:51] No.
[4:52:54] All those in favor of closing the debate
on the amendment, please say I.
[4:52:59] » I.
>> Okay. Opposed.
[4:53:03] » Okay. I believe there's two/3s there to
close debate.
[4:53:08] Okay. Now we'll have the vote to see
whether or not the amendment passes. Do
[4:53:14] I need to repeat anything? A yes vote
passes the amendment. A no vote defeats
[4:53:19] it. Do I need to repeat?
[4:53:23] Sorry. My job is to make sure you
understand.
[4:53:28] Okay. Yes vote passes. No vote defeats.
All those in favor of the amendment,
[4:53:34] please say I.
>> I.
[4:53:37] » All those opposed.
[4:53:42] » Divide the house.
>> Divide the house first. Unless somebody
[4:53:44] call the paper. As soon as somebody says
paper ballot, I have to ask for seven
[4:53:48] hands. As soon as the word is we're
having another paper ballot.
[4:53:53] Okay. So, this is again just on the
amendment.
[4:53:59] » A yes vote passes the amendment. A no
vote defeats the amendment. Any
[4:54:05] questions?
[4:54:10] » The ballot box is open.
And I'd just like to make the comment.
[4:54:15] Lunch was served. Dinner will not.
Okay, we have the mo the we have the
[4:54:22] results of the amendment.
There were 76 votes. Yes, we're 40. No,
[4:54:30] we're 36.
The amendment passes.
[4:54:37] » Was that Yes. 40? Wait, I'll tell you in
a second. Was I correct in that? Um,
[4:54:43] Alena,
>> it was 40. Yes.
[4:54:47] » 36. No. So, the amendment passes.
>> Did you get that? Did you get I'll read
[4:54:51] it in a second. Did you get that,
Connie, now? Okay.
[4:54:55] » Okay. So then so that so the the so the
mo main motion we are now discussing
[4:55:02] reads will the vote will the town vote
to raise by taxation and appropriate
[4:55:08] $360,000
to the highway reserve fund with the
[4:55:12] following allocation $200,000 for
infrastructure bridge 43 and $160,000
[4:55:19] for future highway equipment.
Period. Further discussion on the main
[4:55:26] motion.
[4:55:30] » Okay. Uh I don't have to do the
twothirds vote if there's no objection.
[4:55:33] Is there any objection?
>> Call the question on the main motion.
[4:55:40] » Is there any objection?
Okay. Hearing no objection, we're not
[4:55:45] going to go through the vote. The the
the the discussion is closed. We now
[4:55:50] have a motion in front of us to vote
upon. The motion reads to see if the
[4:55:54] town will vote to see if the town will
vote to raise by taxation and
[4:55:59] appropriate $360,000
to the highway reserve fund with the
[4:56:04] following allocation. $200,000 to be
used fire funding highway infrastructure
[4:56:10] bridge 43 and $160,000 for future
highway equipment. A yes vote passes
[4:56:17] that motion. A no vote defeats it. Any
other questions?
[4:56:22] All those in favor, please say I.
>> I.
[4:56:25] » Oppose. No.
[4:56:29] » All All those in favor, please raise
your hand.
[4:56:35] Uh, one, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine, 10.
[4:56:42] One, two, three, four, five, six, seven,
eight, nine, 10, 11.
[4:56:47] 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 67
28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 67 38 38 I see
[4:57:04] 38 38 yeses. Let's just start there and
see what happens. All those opposed,
[4:57:09] please raise your hand.
[4:57:35] I got 38 to 30. Yes.
[4:57:43] Um, I believe the eyes have it.
>> Okay, the eyes do have it. The motion
[4:57:50] passes.
>> Okay. And and just so you know, I I
[4:57:54] counted 38 to 30, just so you know. So
that's
[4:57:58] » Mr. Mr. B.
>> Where we at?
[4:58:02] » Raise your hand. Yes, sir.
>> All right. Al how many I'd like to
[4:58:05] suspend the rules and skip ahead to
article 18 please and then come back and
[4:58:11] do the other ones afterwards
>> and I understand we need to vote on that
[4:58:15] » which one is 18 is the transfer station
>> correct
[4:58:19] » is that
>> correct
[4:58:21] » okay so it's been uh to suspend the
rules again it's a twothirds vote they
[4:58:27] we're just going to re we would just
rearrange the order and move right to
[4:58:32] article
coming back and then starting again
[4:58:35] where we left off. That would require a
2/3 vote.
[4:58:41] Um
I don't believe there's Is there a
[4:58:45] second?
>> There is a second. Uh I don't think
[4:58:49] we're going to discuss it. Let's have a
twothirds vote on moving the compactor
[4:58:55] discussion to now. All those in favor of
doing that, please uh raise your hand
[4:59:01] because there's supposed to be a
division of the House. Okay. It's got to
[4:59:05] be two/3. Oh boy. And all those opposed.
[4:59:10] I don't know. I'm I'm not I'm bad with
two/3.
[4:59:14] » Count it because it's hard to count.
Okay. I mean, sit here. Okay. All those
[4:59:20] in favor of changing the order, please
raise your hand.
[4:59:26] Changing order. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
[4:59:51] SIX.
>> Did you get
[4:59:54] okay?
>> I forgot.
[4:59:59] » Okay. All those opposed to changing the
order.
[5:00:08] » I'm sorry. I don't I don't know.
>> 11
[5:00:18] It's not a matter of benefit. It's a
matter of what you want. It's It's been
[5:00:22] proposed. I'm having a hard time
counting. Okay, let's do it this way.
[5:00:27] All those who want to change, stand up
because that way it's much easier to
[5:00:33] count.
[5:00:47] Are you standing?
[5:00:53] I mean, I know you're standing RIGHT
[5:01:07] NOW.
>> 43. YES. OKAY. PLEASE. Thank you. I
[5:01:11] appreciate all those oppos
[5:01:24] You're as strong as me.
[5:01:30] That's why people say
it's a yes.
[5:01:47] » Yeah, that's not
[5:01:51] » what is it?
>> That's not 2/3, right? So, there's 40.
[5:01:57] Yes. And 20
>> four. No, that's not twothirds. We
[5:02:02] continue down the path of
the I'm not math.
[5:02:07] » I'm moderate. I know. Thank you for
doing the math.
[5:02:10] » Okay.
[5:02:13] » Twothirds of people did not want to
change the rules. So, we're now
[5:02:17] continuing down our path of what of the
regular order. Okay. So, now we're going
[5:02:23] to move to article
Thank you. 13 to see if the town will
[5:02:28] vote to raise $15,000 by taxation and
place in the fire department reserve
[5:02:32] fund for vehicle repair as requested by
the town auditor and select board.
[5:02:39] Moved, Craig, second was Lucas.
Discussion.
[5:02:48] No discussion. Okay. Oh, somebody
repairs that need right now.
[5:02:55] This is this is for repairs that needs
right now. Question,
[5:02:59] » would you like me to answer that?
>> Yeah. Yeah, he's back there. Do we have
[5:03:02] a microphone back there for him?
>> Oh, thank you.
[5:03:08] » Your check will be in the mail.
>> Can you hear me? Oh yeah.
[5:03:14] » So yeah, we were asked to instead of
putting in the 14 $15,000 every year
[5:03:22] into our regular budget for maintenance,
um they wanted it separated. So we
[5:03:29] weren't raising it by taxation every
year. So the thought behind this is you
[5:03:36] raise the $15,000, it goes into this
reserve fund. It only gets spent on
[5:03:42] vehicle maintenance repairs. Um, what's
used out of that each year then gets
[5:03:48] replenished.
[5:03:53] » Yep.
>> It's already
[5:03:56] » No, that's it's already been created.
>> Play. No, no, you are creating the fund
[5:04:00] too, aren't you? Yes, you are creating
the fund.
[5:04:03] » Correct.
Yes, you are creating the fund and
[5:04:07] » will be replenished year after year
>> depending on how much [clears throat]
[5:04:11] » depending
>> if you vote to put that money back in
[5:04:14] the future. We're not talking about the
future but yes
[5:04:17] » but yes we are creating the fund because
it does say and placed in a fire
[5:04:22] department reserve fund not in the right
so that to me means we're creating it.
[5:04:28] uh comment.
>> So Glenn, I just want to clarify this is
[5:04:31] for kind of major unforeseen expenses.
There is still kind of routine
[5:04:36] maintenance. There is still a smaller
line item in there for smaller routine
[5:04:41] maintenance that you might expect in the
regular year, but this is for kind of
[5:04:44] saving for those bigger expenses. Is
that correct?
[5:04:48] » My understanding was
um it can be done either way. if uh this
[5:04:56] year I think I put $5,000 in in case
this doesn't pass, there's something to
[5:05:02] be able to repair the trucks. Um that's
a discussion that we can certainly have
[5:05:08] um between the department and the select
board on how they want to see that. If
[5:05:14] you want to keep up the 5,000 and then
the 15,000 for the reserve fund is only
[5:05:19] for unexpected.
Um, I'm open to any of that, but I we
[5:05:24] were just going off the recommendations
made.
[5:05:29] » Further discussion? Did I see somebody
had his hand up?
[5:05:32] » Yep.
[5:05:48] That's I'm not sure what numbers
they're looking at, but I
[5:05:58] » that those number correct. Okay. But
those numbers you're looking at in the
[5:06:03] annual report are eight or nine months
old now. Those are not accurate numbers
[5:06:09] as of today. As of today, uh there's
right around $4,000 left in
[5:06:17] um that particular line item. And I can
tell you the top portion which is the
[5:06:23] fire department not vehicles. That one
is actually
[5:06:28] uh negative numbers due to an increase
by the mutual aid dues for dispatching
[5:06:34] services.
[5:06:38] Okay. [snorts] Further discussion.
[5:06:43] See. Oh yes.
[5:06:49] » Sorry. Okay.
Hi, it's Amy again. Um, so the $8,800
[5:06:55] that we see here for fire vehicles,
that's already for the usual
[5:06:59] maintenance. And then we're asking for
an additional $15,000 to put into a
[5:07:03] reserve fund for any major issues that
come up.
[5:07:07] » Please point me to some page numbers
you're referring to.
[5:07:10] » Oh, sure. I'm sorry. I'm on page 14
where it's just fire vehicle totals or
[5:07:25] Kend
>> Okay, now I see where you're at. So,
[5:07:27] you're uh $8,800,
right? That's uh
[5:07:32] » that's already allotted for vehicle
maint for any type of maintenance.
[5:07:37] » Well, they're broken down.
>> You [snorts] have repair and maintenance
[5:07:41] fire trucks is $300.
Okay, that's
[5:07:46] » you have the insuranceances $3,000.
You have any supplies
[5:07:53] at $500. And then you have equipment for
fire trucks $5,000 which totals $8,800
[5:08:02] » but only $300 for repairs
[5:08:07] » because hence we were asked to break out
the uh
[5:08:15] maintenance cost instead of going it
could cost us $15,000 this year. We
[5:08:21] don't know what's going to break next.
Um, they wanted it separated out of the
[5:08:26] budget.
[5:08:33] » Uh, he said you're going to get a new
truck. You're not going to have a lot of
[5:08:36] maintenance on that.
>> Are you serious? Whatever. [laughter]
[5:08:39] Okay.
>> That That was a Yes.
[5:08:44] » Warren.
>> Thank you.
[5:08:46] » There's a microphone right next one
person down. There you go. The article I
[5:08:51] best understood it is because the fire
department brought the annual
[5:08:54] [clears throat] budget to the town the
select board every year and after the
[5:08:58] auditor's reports and reports they
advised the high the fire department to
[5:09:03] not carry the maintenance on an
unforeseen problem
[5:09:07] and have it broken out. So we strip our
budget. They strip the budget. I'm not
[5:09:12] on the budget committee for the bare
bones 8,800.
[5:09:16] Our [snorts] newest truck is 24 years
old.
[5:09:21] 24 years old. Okay. And we got 85s. We
got 79s. I mean, we got a 53 Jeep in
[5:09:26] there, you know. So, anyway, long story
short, none of our equipment is new when
[5:09:31] it comes to that. Um, [snorts] I lost my
train of thought because you got me
[5:09:36] sidetracked.
Where was I going?
[5:09:43] » Right. [snorts] So, I Yeah. Well,
normally you would have the 15,000 would
[5:09:47] be in the budget and if it didn't get
spent, it went back. So, but yeah,
[5:09:51] [snorts]
there was something I was going to say.
[5:09:53] Maybe it'll come to me. We'll get a shot
at it. Okay. Any other discussion? You
[5:09:58] might not get a shot. Yes. In the back,
right behind you. Sorry. Right up there.
[5:10:06] I'd just like to comment.
I I'm really having a hard time
[5:10:11] believing anybody would nickel and dime
the fire department. Just wait till the
[5:10:16] day when you need them and you've nickel
and dimed them to death and you're
[5:10:19] standing in your house with it burning
down around you and your pets dying and
[5:10:24] then revisit this conversation.
>> Any other discussion?
[5:10:31] » Oh, yep. Go ahead.
>> I'm glad.
[5:10:35] » So, vehicle maintenance, repair, fire
truck, right? Uh if we go to if we go to
[5:10:40] a fire scene, we draw water from an
unknown water source, we take a stone to
[5:10:43] the pump, we blow a pump. That $15,000
is not going to make a dent in it. It's
[5:10:48] 40 to 60 $70,000 to repair the pump so
that fire apparatus is in service again.
[5:10:53] So 15,000 is a small dime and it's
probably not going to cover the major
[5:10:57] catastrophes, but it'll cover our basic
maintenance and hopefully get us through
[5:11:01] the year to show up your houses.
>> Question.
[5:11:04] » Is there any further discussion?
That doesn't matter. Let me let me let
[5:11:09] me do it.
>> Is there any other discussion?
[5:11:14] See, there's no further discussion. So,
we don't have to call the question.
[5:11:17] That's all. I'm just trying to make this
as quick as possible. Trying to follow
[5:11:20] the rules. Okay. So, there's a no
further discussion to see if the town
[5:11:24] will vote to raise $15,000 by taxation
and place in a fire department reserve
[5:11:29] fund for vehicle repairs requested by
the town auditor and select board. A yes
[5:11:33] vote passes the motion. A no vote
defeats the motion. All those in favor,
[5:11:38] please say I.
>> I.
[5:11:40] » All those opposed? No. I believe the
eyes have it. The eyes do have it.
[5:11:46] Article 14 to see if the town will vote
to raise $20,000 by taxation to be
[5:11:52] placed in the firetruck capital fund
toward a future pumper.
[5:11:57] » Craig.
>> Second.
[5:11:58] » Second. Jean. Discussion.
[5:12:03] Jean. Is $20,000 enough to keep up with
the increase of prices?
[5:12:09] » Is what? Um it so whatever I'm going to
just So So this is kind of an every year
[5:12:16] request, right? Is am I correct about
that? I know. I know. I know. I know.
[5:12:19] Hang on. I Because he's shaking his head
and so I'm going to answer because
[5:12:22] you're not facing him. Um Oh, so the
this is kind of a request every year,
[5:12:29] but no, it's not is what he's saying.
Okay. But he's just shaking his head.
[5:12:33] No, but this is a a request every year.
If you'd like to make an amendment.
[5:12:39] » No.
>> Okay. Thank you.
[5:12:43] Any other discussion?
Hearing no other discussion, there's a
[5:12:48] motion before us to see if the town will
vote to raise $20,000 by taxation to be
[5:12:52] placed in the fire truck capital fund
toward a future pumper. A yes vote
[5:12:55] passes that motion. A no vote defeats
it. All those in favor, please say I.
[5:13:01] » I.
>> Oppose. No. Believe the eyes have it.
[5:13:05] The eyes do have it. Article 15 to see
if the town will vote to raise $4,000
[5:13:12] through taxation to be placed into the
fire pot fire pond reserve to be used
[5:13:18] for future fire future hydrant projects
and repairs to existing hydrants.
[5:13:25] » Thank you. Sorry, I'm having trouble
talking.
[5:13:27] » Uh Craig.
>> Uh good.
[5:13:33] Okay. Discussion. Yes. Somebody have
something to say? I heard the word
[5:13:37] discussion. Any discussion? Discussion
on this? It's been moved and seconded.
[5:13:43] Okay. Seeing no discussion, there's a
motion before us to see if the town will
[5:13:46] vote to raise $4,000 through taxation to
be replaced in the fire pond reserve to
[5:13:51] be used for future hydrant projects and
repairs to exist existing hydrants. A
[5:13:56] yes vote passes the motion. A no vote
defeats it. All those in favor, please
[5:14:01] say I.
>> I.
[5:14:03] » Oppose. No. I believe the eyes have it.
The eyes do have it. Article 16 to see
[5:14:11] if the town will vote to raise and
appropriate $25,000 by taxation to be
[5:14:17] placed in town hall and opera house
capital preservation fund to be used
[5:14:23] exclusively for ongoing structural
mechanical and historical preservation
[5:14:28] work on on the town hall and opera house
building. specifically excluding routine
[5:14:34] maintenance, day-to-day operational
expenses, or any other costs currently
[5:14:39] funded under existing town hall budget
line items with expenditures from said
[5:14:44] fund to be approved by the select board.
>> Move.
[5:14:49] » It's been moved and seconded. Yes. Pass
over.
[5:14:54] » Okay.
It's been moved to pass over this
[5:14:58] article. Is there a second to that? Oh,
wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Let me see
[5:15:02] where we at. It's been moved and
seconded and restated. Right. I restated
[5:15:07] it. Yeah. Okay. So, wait. Wait. Okay.
So, so it's been moved, seconded, and
[5:15:11] restated.
Before restated after motion seconded
[5:15:16] and restated, but before debate is
objection to consideration of the
[5:15:21] question, a second is not required. It
is not debatable, but needs a twothirds
[5:15:26] vote.
Okay. So we have to have a twothirds
[5:15:31] vote to pass over. It's been wanting to
pass over this article.
[5:15:37] Uh we got to divide the house generally.
So every I'm sorry.
[5:15:43] » No pass. Yeah. No paper ballot can go
anywhere. I need seven hands. Oh,
[5:15:47] there's seven. It's been requested to
paper ballot. Seven hands. One, two,
[5:15:53] three, four, five. Okay. I got five.
Six. Seven. Okay. No, I got I got Okay.
[5:15:59] So, a paper ballot. So, we're looking to
pass over this article. So, a yes vote,
[5:16:08] we pass over this and it never occurred.
A no vote, we go back and we start
[5:16:14] discussing.
[5:16:22] » If you vote yes and the yes happens, it
goes away. If you vote no, we go back
[5:16:28] and we discuss it. Yes to pass over, no
not to pass over. Questions,
[5:16:36] ballot box is open.
We have the results of the vote. Um, and
[5:16:43] I think I did make a mistake there
because I don't think I restated it
[5:16:47] because I remember reading it once and I
think I would have remembered reading
[5:16:51] that whole thing twice.
So, it just needed a majority vote, not
[5:16:57] a twothirds vote, but it didn't matter
anyway because yes was 31 and no was 40.
[5:17:04] So, Passover failed any way you want to
look at it.
[5:17:08] Okay, 31 yes to pass over 40 no not to
pass over. Okay, so my error on the
[5:17:17] two/3s, however, it didn't even get a
majority. So, we are discussing this. We
[5:17:23] now have a motion that's been moved and
seconded, but not restated by me yet.
[5:17:30] I'm not restating that whole thing. So,
right now, consider it restated. Okay.
[5:17:37] Yes, ma'am. Okay. Now, there's
discussion. Go ahead.
[5:17:40] » I would like to propose an amendment to
[5:17:47] remove $25,000 from this article.
No, I will rule that out of order. That
[5:17:53] is a negative motion that makes the main
motion invalid. And you can't do that.
[5:17:58] » You just vote no.
>> You can't you can't make an amendment
[5:18:03] that takes away
the motion.
[5:18:08] » Yes. Is there any funds already
available for our town hall and upper
[5:18:15] house uh maintenance or a new
accessibility and any grants that are
[5:18:22] have been already gotten in the near
future. So on page 22 um there's a table
[5:18:29] summarizing our current certificates of
deposit and reserve funds. At the bottom
[5:18:33] of the CDR reserve chunk at [snorts] the
top there is the town hall reserve fund.
[5:18:38] Uh it states that at the end of fiscal
year 25 there was $39,19.
[5:18:44] There has been also a reimbursement that
came back that came in since that fiscal
[5:18:48] year ended of 4700. So the current
number in that reserve account is
[5:18:53] 43,719.
Uh so there is already a reserve account
[5:18:58] that exists uh for the town hall.
[5:19:08] I'm gonna start. Wait, this this here.
Then we'll go back over there. Uh Laura,
[5:19:11] I'm gonna come around.
>> Wait. Microphone. I'm gonna have to run
[5:19:15] it. Where'd it go?
>> Yes, you do.
[5:19:23] » They can't hear you.
They can't hear you. [laughter]
[5:19:27] » Thank you.
[5:19:35] Just
>> try this one. Go ahead. No, you're good.
[5:19:39] You're good.
[5:19:44] » There you go. Go ahead.
>> Okay. So since uh I I checked out the
[5:19:49] town hall monies that were voted to be
used for the town hall from 23 24 and 25
[5:19:56] 10,023
5,024
[5:20:00] 7,525.
Um and you're saying we have this
[5:20:05] reserve fund yet the town hall is
basically falling down around our ears
[5:20:09] which is why we're all here today.
>> So I'm just to just give that's okay.
[5:20:16] Go ahead. You're doing fine.
>> So, basically, I mean, we're all here
[5:20:19] because we can't use the town hall
because it just isn't there's a lot of
[5:20:23] stuff going on over there that needs to
be addressed and it's not being
[5:20:26] addressed. And I don't know why if we
have this money, but these people that
[5:20:31] asked for this money asked for it
because they've been volunteering their
[5:20:34] time and energy to try to fix the town
hall in any way they can. And they felt
[5:20:38] that if they had this money available
that was only to be used for specific
[5:20:43] reasons, they could address things like
the bell tower and the water leaking in
[5:20:49] through the foundation and um other uh
rotting wood and things that just aren't
[5:20:54] being addressed and haven't been
addressed for probably decades. Um
[5:20:58] personally, I don't know about all of
you, but I would love to be able to have
[5:21:01] our meetings over there again. I really
think that that's what it's for. It's
[5:21:05] kind of It's kind of sad that we all
have to be here instead.
[5:21:10] » Okay. Thank you. We're going to go back
and we're going to go back and forth
[5:21:12] because I can kind of tell who's for and
who's against. And so you're going to go
[5:21:17] we're going to come over here for
somebody to speak and then we'll come
[5:21:20] back over here for somebody to speak.
>> Oh, wait.
[5:21:27] » To respond [snorts] to that.
Um,
[5:21:31] in the last two years, uh, our grain
writer has secured grants, uh, to do
[5:21:38] some work on the slate roof, um,
[snorts]
[5:21:41] replace or repair there and kind of
prevent any leaks that were coming in.
[5:21:45] Uh, we did just recently authorize
monies to repair the clock tower. Uh, so
[5:21:51] it's not that there is no work being
done on the town hall. some of these
[5:21:54] things in order to bring back uh and we
did also just get the ADA doors
[5:21:59] installed. Uh that was at the behest of
the planning commission. So we we also
[5:22:03] appreciate that effort there. Um to the
point of having town meeting there uh
[5:22:09] upstairs that is not ADA compliant.
There's no kind of ADA way to get up to
[5:22:13] the stairs uh to the second floor to do
that. That is also no small task that
[5:22:19] would require some significant
renovation. So, it's more than just
[5:22:23] $40,000 to do that. So, I just do want
to clarify that it's not because no work
[5:22:28] is being done, but we don't yet have the
capital to really tackle that huge
[5:22:33] project.
>> Okay. And then we're going Wait, where
[5:22:37] we're going? Yes, ma'am. There. And then
back over here.
[5:22:40] » Yeah. Helen Platkin. Um,
I'd like to know what the Town Hall
[5:22:45] Opera House Capital Preservation Fund
is. I see that it's capitalized and so
[5:22:51] that makes me think it's a thing and I
know that somebody previously mentioned
[5:22:56] these people. So that's a question.
>> So this is just this would create a new
[5:23:00] fund. There's already a fund for the
town hall created. This would create a
[5:23:06] new fund called the town hall and opera
house capital preservation fund. A new
[5:23:13] fund and then fund it with $25,000. And
why it does there need to be why they
[5:23:19] want to have a separate fund?
>> Um, who's the maker of the motion?
[5:23:25] » I think they live in Florida.
>> No, no, no, it's not. Who's the maker of
[5:23:28] the motion? Yes.
>> Yes. Go ahead.
[5:23:37] » Thank you. The reality is that town hall
has some issues. One of which is water
[5:23:44] intrusion. I moved to Townsen more than
25 years ago and in 2007 I was on the
[5:23:51] planning commission. I've been in
[snorts] the basement there for at least
[5:23:55] two dozen times and up until recently it
was as dry as a bone. And when I say
[5:24:01] recently, about a year ago, there was
water intrusion. It's because of
[5:24:06] drainage.
Anyone who owns a house or structure
[5:24:11] knows that water intrusion is something
you work on ASAP. You don't ignore it.
[5:24:16] It's being ignored. This group wants I'm
I'm sorry.
[5:24:21] » Go ahead.
>> This group wants that work to be done
[5:24:24] and this $25,000 will go towards that.
There are also some other issues with
[5:24:30] town hall in terms of it not being
handled or maintained properly. And
[5:24:36] that's what this group is all about.
>> And it is a gentleman who lives in
[5:24:41] Florida.
>> Don't don't go there. Okay. Don't go
[5:24:43] there. I won't I won't go there.
>> Don't go there. Okay. And hang on one
[5:24:46] second. I've made a huge mistake here.
We're going back to this side next. And
[5:24:49] then we'll come back over here. Um
>> wait, wait one sec. [clears throat]
[5:24:58] Hang on. Hang on. Hang on. I I just made
I I made a major mistake here and I'm
[5:25:02] trying to figure this out here.
>> Hang on, everybody.
[5:25:07] We We had a a motion to pass over this
article
[5:25:13] that we then voted on and failed,
but we never made the motion to turn the
[5:25:19] article into a motion
>> and have that seconded. Do you
[5:25:23] understand what I'm saying? So, we can't
even be discussing it right now because
[5:25:27] I goed. Okay. My head is everywhere.
>> So, move.
[5:25:34] » Oh, you're right. The first I'm so glad
you're here, Nick. There was I'm wrong.
[5:25:40] The first thing we did was move and
seconded it. Sorry. My bad. I apologize.
[5:25:44] Okay. So, so Bob answered. No, we're
going to go to this side because Bob's
[5:25:48] was an answer to that. So, we're going
to come over here to Andy first. No,
[5:25:52] Andy first.
[5:25:55] Um I I want to go back and speak to the
point of that there is an existing fund.
[5:26:01] There is the town hall reserve fund
which doesn't state it here but was
[5:26:06] specifically for ADA
related items that was writted as being
[5:26:12] the priority
and there was $39,000
[5:26:16] July 1st plus there was another $4700
that came back in for a grant back
[5:26:24] against the um engineering work.
But we recently have spent approximately
[5:26:30] $18,000 on the door operators.
The part of that same project is to
[5:26:37] continue with a new ramp and new
railings which is going to be around
[5:26:41] 134,000
and then to do the restrooms and make
[5:26:45] those ADA is going to probably be
another 10 12,000. So the
[5:26:52] money that is currently in the town hall
reserve fund that was appropriated two
[5:26:58] years ago is basically going to be spent
already. So back to the point of why
[5:27:05] adding a new fund is for different
items. We've already basically earmarked
[5:27:11] the items that were that's covering.
>> Yeah. Okay. response and then over to
[5:27:18] this side
>> to the point of the reserve. I will read
[5:27:20] you the article as it was um the
original article creating the reserve
[5:27:26] was to uh raise 50,000 to be held in
reserve account for the repair and
[5:27:30] renovation of town hall. This includes
prompt compliance with ADA. That does
[5:27:34] not mean that it was an ADA reserve. It
is a reserve for repair and renovation
[5:27:39] including ADA. Now, for if there is
money already planned for that reserve,
[5:27:46] we can continue funding it. It does not
just get used up. As long as we choose
[5:27:52] to bring it up and vote on it and
approve it, it can continue to be funded
[5:27:55] for the future and we can continue to
plan additional projects to be used out
[5:28:00] of this already existing reserve
account.
[5:28:03] » Okay. Yes. Right there. And then up
there.
[5:28:09] No, didn't die. Hang on.
[5:28:20] Okay. So, I'll make an amendment then to
suggest that this $25,000 goes into the
[5:28:27] reserve we already have. It doesn't need
to be earmarked. Right.
[5:28:32] » You can't I that I'm gonna rule that out
of order because that's not that's too
[5:28:35] far that's not gerine to what we have
here. I understand what you're trying to
[5:28:39] do. You're trying to move that $25,000
into the And I get that. I knew this was
[5:28:44] going to come up, but that's we can't do
that.
[5:28:47] » You can't do that.
>> So, can I continue?
[5:28:49] » Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
>> Okay. So, I I don't feel comfortable
[5:28:54] with the idea of a volunteer
organization being having earmarked
[5:28:59] funds, especially if it's headed by a
non-resident and who can't vote on this
[5:29:08] and wants to raise our taxes for a
redundant reserve that we already have
[5:29:14] and earmarked it for their pet project.
I I don't feel
[5:29:19] » Yeah. Be careful what you say. That's
not appropriate project. That's okay.
[5:29:24] » That's okay.
>> My language. You're fine.
[5:29:27] » So,
it's like I'm fine with the town hall
[5:29:33] being taken care of. That's great. But
that is under the purview of our elected
[5:29:38] officials that we all just reelected
into their positions and we have elected
[5:29:45] them to do that job to spend that money.
that's already there. And we've been
[5:29:52] back and forth nickel and dimming super
important things like for our highway.
[5:29:57] And you want to just like up our taxes
over a beautifification volunteer
[5:30:02] committee? Like I don't think so. Like
this is
[5:30:06] » okay. Okay. Over here.
Uh do we do I do I Thank you, L. Thank
[5:30:12] you, Lucas. I appreciate you doing that.
Here
[5:30:22] we are. Thanks. I'd like to address all
of that briefly, not necessar
[5:30:27] necessarily in any order. The $25,000
was proposed for specific additional
[5:30:34] projects which have been more recently
discovered with town hall. Not the
[5:30:38] things that have been ongoing, the
things we've been aware of. We have been
[5:30:41] out of ADA compliance for about 35
years. goes all the way back to Tis
[5:30:46] Garfield, right? Bob Bob, I believe, was
the one who spearheaded the $50,000,
[5:30:51] which everybody at that point in time
until he did a wonderful presentation
[5:30:56] and explained, "No, you're not
automatically voting in $50,000 every
[5:31:01] year. It would have to be brought back
up or a new article, I guess, and voted
[5:31:06] upon for that particular year." Yeah,
I'm on the planning commission. We've
[5:31:11] been trying to address ADA before
somebody who needs ADA compliancy in
[5:31:16] this building comes down the road and
sues our backsides off. So that's what
[5:31:21] the planning commission has been doing.
We had spent two years just trying to
[5:31:26] get the door openers because members of
the select board don't like things which
[5:31:32] don't apply. Now Sherwood told us he'd
sooner see the building taken down, but
[5:31:38] he acknowledged the fact that it was
probably a million-doll project. you
[5:31:42] keep dragging this out and not voting in
a little 25,000 here or a little 50,000
[5:31:47] there for us to do it in order of
importance, it is going to come down.
[5:31:51] Plus, we've already going to have spent
the money. So, don't be unreasonable. Be
[5:31:55] broadminded. Let's take care of what
needs to be taken care of now and then
[5:31:59] go on to the next step. Next step is the
ramps. Right after that is the
[5:32:03] bathrooms. But the 39,000 is going to be
long gone before we finish the
[5:32:07] bathrooms. So don't nickel and dime to
25,000 because if we do the other
[5:32:12] stuff's going to fall in on us while
we're making new bathrooms.
[5:32:16] » Okay. Other side. Further discussion.
Yes. In the blue.
[5:32:20] Right.
[5:32:23] Hi, I'm Alli Doli. When I was on the
select board
[5:32:27] » [snorts]
>> uh in 2020, um there were some
[5:32:32] levels of grants that came up about the
ADA. I'd like to maybe consider having
[5:32:38] an article specifically for addressing
that or ask our grant writer to find a
[5:32:45] grant to help with the ADA. I we have
systems in place to repair things
[5:32:50] already in our town. We can find grants.
It feels arbitrary this number and I'm
[5:32:56] not sure how this really is relevant.
And I'd rather save that 25 for, you
[5:33:04] know, all of us to just have lower
taxes.
[5:33:09] Further discussion. Wait, let me come
over to the opposite side. Don't see
[5:33:13] anything there right now. Um, let let
her speak and wait, you've already
[5:33:17] spoken once. Eugene, you go first. I
don't have a microphone. Oh, good. Right
[5:33:20] there. And then you're you're speaking
for your second time. Let him go first.
[5:33:24] The plan that was submitted that we
talked about last year
[5:33:29] said that the total cost of bringing
this town hall up to ADA includes an
[5:33:35] elevator and the bathrooms and a bunch
of other stuff and it's over a million
[5:33:40] dollars.
>> [snorts]
[5:33:41] » Given that we're probably not looking to
spend that kind of money all at once,
[5:33:48] probably makes sense to just do these
things that we can do,
[5:33:53] you know, one at a time. So, $25,000,
you know, for some of these uh
[5:33:59] improvements
that will will gradually bring us up to
[5:34:03] ADA makes makes sense.
>> Okay,
[5:34:10] there. Okay. I don't want to
add Charlie. Yes.
[5:34:17] » Thank you.
[5:34:21] » First of all,
being the president of the historical
[5:34:25] society, I support the concept of
historic preservation.
[5:34:30] There's a little bit of semantics here
in that possibly there ends up being two
[5:34:34] different funds. I trust the select
board could figure out how to make that
[5:34:40] into one fund. But the key to this
article is
[5:34:46] the select board has to approve
everything that's done. So it's not
[5:34:50] something that's being done by a
particular group of people. The select
[5:34:54] board is approving the projects.
This building has been let go by a
[5:35:00] number of people down the road over the
years and even to the point of a
[5:35:06] proposal to build a whole new town hall.
Well, I'm in favor of the preservation
[5:35:12] of the existing one and $25,000 is not
going to cover it. I think we all know
[5:35:18] that. But there are plenty of projects
that need to be done and I suggest that
[5:35:24] we vote in favor of this to get some of
those projects done.
[5:35:29] » Okay. So, no, please, please, please,
please hold your applause. That's not
[5:35:32] what this is about. Um, however, the
only thing I would like to maybe correct
[5:35:36] in that statement is does the select
board have the power to combine
[5:35:44] com
that the select board could combine the
[5:35:48] two. No.
>> Okay.
[5:35:52] » Okay.
>> Okay. I I I heard him say I heard him
[5:35:55] say that that that the select board
could figure out a way to combine and I
[5:35:59] don't know if that's true. That's all.
Other than that, that's all right. Yeah.
[5:36:04] Okay.
>> You can't combine them, but Okay. You
[5:36:07] can't combine them, but that other than
that, um Laura Yeah, let's do Laura and
[5:36:10] then we'll go to the back.
[5:36:19] » [laughter]
>> Yeah, he is
[5:36:21] » a long time.
>> Ah, that's good.
[5:36:24] » So, um the um I think a few years ago
the select someone that in town actually
[5:36:30] worked on getting a grant to get the
lift fixed on the stairs in the town
[5:36:36] hall and got the grant and it was never
utilized for the purpose in which it was
[5:36:41] raised. So, um there has to be follow
through. You know, you can have the
[5:36:47] money, you can have the grants, but you
also have to have follow-through people
[5:36:50] that really want to get this done and
that are willing to go that extra step.
[5:36:57] » Okay. Wait, wait. And that was your
second time speaking to this? Yes, it
[5:36:59] is. Okay. Sorry, I didn't realize that
she's done. First time speaker.
[5:37:04] » Can I make an amendment to combine the
existing?
[5:37:10] » No, it's already been tried.
>> Yes. You can't do that. You can't. Yes.
[5:37:16] Uh, wait, your second time, too. Hang
on. Any other first time speakers?
[5:37:22] » Hearing none. Go right ahead.
>> I'll keep it going.
[5:37:24] » What? Oh, you're a first time speaker.
>> Okay, let him speak first, and then you
[5:37:29] can go. Yep.
>> On this topic, first time. Yes.
[5:37:32] » Yes.
>> Um, with the article, I think there's
[5:37:35] maybe opposition to how it was written,
who it was written for. Um, I can agree
[5:37:39] with the the needs for the the projects
to happen and and the way the 50,000 was
[5:37:45] delegated and will go and be delegated.
I think the group is worried that right
[5:37:49] now with the water coming in for the
infrastructure, if you keep waiting and
[5:37:52] waiting, then you potentially have a
larger larger larger problem uh before
[5:37:57] you get to even the ADA bathrooms and
the other stuff. So, well, I don't
[5:38:01] really care for the way the article was
written and how it was formatted.
[5:38:05] I think that's what they're trying to
get that that money now so they can fix
[5:38:09] the water remedation problem so they
don't keep losing structural damage and
[5:38:13] then it can continue as they've been
continuing with projects that they have
[5:38:17] dictated laid out and it says in the
article the expenditures from the said
[5:38:20] fund to be approved by the select board.
So, as these guys were asking for that
[5:38:24] water remediation, the select board say
yep, you guys can do that. So, that was
[5:38:28] it. Okay. Um, wait there. Sec. Uh, yep.
Second. Right there. She's been waiting.
[5:38:35] » Hello. Um,
>> I I Helen. Helen.
[5:38:39] » Yep.
>> I just um have the sense that there's
[5:38:43] something This is my first town meeting
and uh I have the sense that there's
[5:38:49] something going on in this that article
that is not above board. People keep
[5:38:56] saying this group, these people, don't
talk about that. And I I'd love to have
[5:39:02] whatever the issue is out on the table
so that I know what I'm voting for.
[5:39:09] Okay. Okay. Any other discussion?
[5:39:14] Uh Andy is
and then back up Chad. I don't think
[5:39:19] you've spoken yet, but go ahead Andy.
This is number two.
[5:39:24] » Okay. Um, I'll try to speak to that
without getting into too much detail.
[5:39:30] Um, anybody can write an article. Any
group can ask that it be on the
[5:39:38] agenda for the town meeting. The
particular article that you're we're
[5:39:43] referring to now was asked to be placed
on the agenda by a group called the
[5:39:49] friends of the town hall and opera house
who is a a local group that has done a
[5:39:55] lot of work volunteer on cosmetic type
items on on the town hall um has done a
[5:40:02] lot of the decoration works. I happen to
be one of the founding members of that
[5:40:05] group. Um this is not
related to the that group the founders
[5:40:12] of the or the friends of the town hall.
Um but they didn't in the process of
[5:40:18] doing that we saw that there were lots
of things that needed work that were
[5:40:22] more structural that were beyond what
volunteers could do. For instance we me
[5:40:27] mentioned um water infiltration. All of
the window wells along this side of the
[5:40:32] town hall that you know that over there
are all broken. Every one of them. And
[5:40:38] water is coming into the basement
through those. If you go up in the bell
[5:40:42] tower, you'll see that there's water
coming through there that is rotting the
[5:40:47] roof above the bell tower and the fascia
areas. Um
[5:40:53] those are pretty significant
expenditures to get those repaired. Um
[5:40:58] there is an entire list of things,
those are two of them that need to be
[5:41:03] done structurally. They're not cosmetic
issues. They are real structural issues
[5:41:08] that need to be addressed.
The group called them out, presented a
[5:41:13] list of to the select board and
requested this article. The select board
[5:41:18] said they would put the article up for
discussion and possible vote here. any
[5:41:24] of the work that gets done, any of the
approvals on getting done, as it says in
[5:41:28] the article, is all by the select board.
It's just basically saying, "Okay, here
[5:41:32] are the things that need to be done. We
need to set up some money and start
[5:41:36] chipping away at them if we're going to
continue to have the town hall um
[5:41:41] utilized as a community space and as
the, you know, the home of our local
[5:41:46] government. So, from a historic
preservation, gosh, I love the town hall
[5:41:51] and I think it's a great place to be.
really is part of the character of our
[5:41:55] town and it would be awful if we had to
go and build a new town hall. That's,
[5:42:01] you know, we'd lose the character of the
whole town in doing that. So, thank you.
[5:42:06] » Further discussion come to this side.
Second speakers, you'll be up next.
[5:42:12] You've already spoken once. Okay. Go
ahead.
[5:42:14] » So, I'm worried about the verbiage of
the article. it does it I'm taking from
[5:42:20] it the way that that's read that it's
implied that this volunteer group which
[5:42:25] you just said the work that needs to be
done is not under the skill level of
[5:42:31] volunteers right does that verbiage in
there indicate that they would be the
[5:42:37] ones doing the work on this
>> I don't I don't see that okay
[5:42:43] » anybody else see that I don't see that
>> so
[5:42:48] So they would be sourcing the like I
don't understand why they're a part of
[5:42:53] this.
>> So what they're so what this article
[5:42:55] would do if it's passed is create a new
reserve fund place $25,000 in it that is
[5:43:02] specifically for
ongoing structural mechanical and
[5:43:08] historical preservation.
>> Okay. So the select the select board
[5:43:13] would be the ones determining how and
when the money is spent.
[5:43:19] » Okay. So the name of the group comes in
to just name the fund.
[5:43:26] » No, they they the fund I'm not worried
about the name of the fund. I mean this
[5:43:31] volunteer group
>> nothing.
[5:43:33] » It doesn't
>> nothing. Not really. I mean
[5:43:37] » right. I mean whatever. Yeah. They they
might have written the article, but that
[5:43:42] doesn't mean anything. And I don't know
if they did.
[5:43:44] » No.
>> Okay.
[5:43:45] » They didn't write the article. I'm being
told. I don't have the faintest idea,
[5:43:48] but you you asked me how does this group
come into it? I don't know.
[5:43:53] » Okay.
>> Yep. That that's all.
[5:43:56] Uh Chad Chad was asking Chad, you Chad.
Wait, Chad.
[5:44:00] » So,
>> and then I just I don't know why we're
[5:44:02] getting hung up on what group is what
for volunteers. We got a volunteer fire
[5:44:06] department. Nobody's questioning that.
It's no different. this money is going
[5:44:10] to town infrastructure and approved by
the select board. I think right right
[5:44:15] well I think I think some of the
conundrum is there's already an existing
[5:44:18] one and so why create another one but
that's that's that's that's all that's
[5:44:24] all um hang on what did you have to say
because somebody was going to call the
[5:44:28] qu okay hang on one more Irv and then
you one more and then Irv
[5:44:34] uh I'll try to I guess I feel um I know
I'm I'm new to the town too so I'm a bit
[5:44:40] of an outsider but Danny Danny McNamera
Um, I just want to try a little bit to
[5:44:47] answer your question, Helen, and I'm
going to do my best to stay germanine to
[5:44:52] the topic. So, if I dwell out of it,
stop me.
[5:44:57] But some of the reason that I think
there's a no is that for me, it's not
[5:45:06] that we're a that I'm against
funding repairs to the town hall. It's
[5:45:12] not that I am I think that long-term
maintenance shouldn't be accomplished. I
[5:45:17] think that these things are extremely
important and I respect a lot of the
[5:45:20] work that people have put into
volunteers time that I've has happened
[5:45:25] to try and work towards the town.
Respect that gratefully and want to vote
[5:45:31] for yes put money into long-term
support. [snorts] In this particular
[5:45:35] instance, some of the concerns are
around some of the long-term potential
[5:45:41] long-term or even next couple years
consequences
[5:45:45] to the culture of how Townsen addresses
these problems. And there's been some
[5:45:52] concerns about techniques, strategies,
and
[5:45:59] staying in the lane of how decisions get
made, how people's character gets
[5:46:03] respected who are serving our
government, how certain
[5:46:10] » keep going.
>> Let's [laughter] talk about the article.
[5:46:14] So the article I think what subtext of
what you're picking up is that it is not
[5:46:21] that those of us are saying no don't
repair the town hall. It's more [snorts]
[5:46:28] specific questions around
the the implications of dedicating that
[5:46:34] money to this particular group. And
>> that's not to the group.
[5:46:38] » That's not to the group just to the
funds. No, no, no, no. I'm just saying
[5:46:41] it's not being dedicated to
>> it's being dedicated to the town hall
[5:46:44] and opera house capital preservation
fund
[5:46:47] » and the select board has control over
that. So, it's a select board.
[5:46:50] » It's going to be a a town
administered fund.
[5:46:56] » Correct.
>> Correct.
[5:46:58] » And the select board chooses every
single line.
[5:47:00] » Absolutely.
>> There's no other way to do it.
[5:47:04] » No outside group has control over our
monies.
[5:47:06] » Yeah. Okay. That's so does that answer
stuff? [laughter]
[5:47:11] » I mean, am I am I correct in that
statement, everybody?
[5:47:15] » Okay. Okay. Any other Okay. Irv wanted
to make a state. Wait, wait, wait. Okay.
[5:47:20] Oh, Irv wants to call the question. But
before I do that, are you done?
[5:47:23] » Yeah, I'm done. Thank you.
>> Is there any state or medical historical
[5:47:29] preservation
grant money that can be
[5:47:33] » pursued?
Okay.
[5:47:36] Um, okay. Well, the answer is yes
because we we already had to call the
[5:47:40] question. The answer is yes. And my bet
is that they they're aware and they're
[5:47:43] researching. You can nod. Yes. Yeah.
Yeah. Okay. They're aware. They're
[5:47:48] trying. Okay. They're again I I I I
don't want to say our select board is
[5:47:53] the best. I don't want to say it's
they're working. They're working. Okay.
[5:47:56] I I I assume they're working to the best
of their ability to make our life as
[5:48:01] good as possible.
Okay. Irv called the question.
[5:48:06] » Irv called the question.
>> I had my hand up before that.
[5:48:09] » No, you didn't. He Irv had his hand up
before his hand was up.
[5:48:16] » Okay, I have an argument here. Jean, go
right ahead.
[5:48:21] He was asked if they would fix the lift.
The answer is the lift was grandfathered
[5:48:27] in until it broke. It is no longer
grandfathered in and the build the whole
[5:48:33] package of renovations has to be done
before the building will again be will
[5:48:39] be ADA compliant. That includes the
elevator and the bathrooms
[5:48:43] and all the rest.
>> Thank you. From now on, if I say
[5:48:47] somebody's hand was up prior to yours,
no matter who it is, it's the
[5:48:51] moderator's decision. Please respect the
moderator. Thank you. Irv called the
[5:48:56] question.
Okay. It's been moved and seconded to
[5:48:59] call the question. We can have a
twothirds vote. But is there any other
[5:49:03] discussion and we don't have to do the
two-thirds vote? Oh, is there any
[5:49:06] objection? Is there any objection to
closing the discussion?
[5:49:12] Hearing no objection, we will now take a
vote. We don't have to do the vote on
[5:49:15] the closing of the question. We will now
take a vote. It's been moved and
[5:49:20] seconded to see if the town will vote to
raise and appropriate $25,000 by
[5:49:25] taxation to be placed in a town hall and
opera house capital preservation fund to
[5:49:30] be used exclusively for ongoing
structural, mechanical, and historical
[5:49:34] preservation work on town hall and opera
house building specifically excluding
[5:49:39] routine maintenance, day-to-day
operation expenses, or any other costs
[5:49:44] currently funded under existing town
hall budget line items with expens
[5:49:48] managers from said fund to be approved
by the select board.
[5:49:53] A yes vote passes that article. No. A
yes vote passes that motion. A no vote
[5:50:00] defeats the motion. Any questions?
[5:50:05] No. Somebody saying something. No.
No. We've already ended discussion.
[5:50:13] This is the main motion, right?
Everybody understand the yes vote passes
[5:50:16] this. We're not talking about it. This
is the main motion. Yes, vote passes it.
[5:50:21] No vote defeats it. All those in favor
of the motion, please say I.
[5:50:26] » Oppo. Don't yell because it doesn't
matter. All opposed.
[5:50:31] » Okay, I believe the eyes have it. The
eyes do have it. Okay, moving on. So,
[5:50:37] that passes. No applause. Come on. Why
do you want to piss off somebody else?
[5:50:42] Just move on.
Okay.
[5:50:47] Article or unless you were clapping for
me.
[5:50:51] Article. Oh, no. No. No. No. No. No. No.
Please, please, please. I didn't say
[5:50:54] that. I didn't say that. I didn't say
that. Article. I was trying to Okay.
[5:50:58] Article 17. 17. Help me out.
>> 17.
[5:51:02] » 17. To see if the vote to see if the
town will vote to raise 20,000
[5:51:08] $15.
$20,015.
[5:51:13] $20,15
by taxation for the support of social
[5:51:17] services as recommended by the social
services committee. That's on page 28
[5:51:22] and 29.
Okay. Second. We got Craig and Lucas as
[5:51:28] good. Discussion. Uh Lucas discussion
[5:51:34] hearing. No discussion on the social
services committee. We have a motion
[5:51:40] before us to see if the town will vote
to raise $20,15
[5:51:44] by taxation for the support of social
services as recommended by the social
[5:51:48] services committee. A yes vote passes
that motion. A no vote defeats that
[5:51:53] motion.
Understand? All those in favor, please
[5:51:58] say I.
>> I.
[5:51:59] » Oppose. No.
>> I believe the eyes have it. The eyes do
[5:52:05] have it.
>> Thank you.
[5:52:09] HAS
[5:52:13] people want change to the format, please
talk to me.
[5:52:19] » If some if so the social scre the social
services screening committee is saying
[5:52:23] if you want to change the format the
information is presented,
[5:52:28] please come up and talk to Chris after
the meeting or contact her at some point
[5:52:32] in time before the next book is put
together. Right. Okay. Okay.
[5:52:39] Article 18.
This is my last page. Article 18. To see
[5:52:46] if the town will vote to raise $65,000
through taxation for the purpose of
[5:52:50] purchasing a trash compacting system for
trash collecting at the transfer
[5:52:56] station. I will now entertain a motion.
Nick's motion. Second. Craig will use.
[5:53:01] Sorry. Thank you. Okay. Let's discuss.
Yes. Wait. Wait. Oh, wait, wait. Motion
[5:53:09] maker gets to discuss first. You're
right. Go right ahead.
[5:53:11] » Uh, so, as
any of you that go to the transfer
[5:53:15] station know, we have been out [snorts]
of commission from our trash compacting
[5:53:20] truck. Um, it was in really poor shape.
And we are currently using a dumpster
[5:53:26] that's being uh picked up by Cassella
um, every so often. The dumpster is not
[5:53:31] a great solution. It is open. It's
accumulating snow. it's accumulating
[5:53:36] weight which we got charged for. Uh so
this would be uh the proposal that we're
[5:53:41] thinking of is for a compacting dumpster
uh that would be hauled away but it
[5:53:48] would still be covered in compacting our
trash. It would just be a different
[5:53:51] solution. We wouldn't be driving it. Um
and
[5:53:57] yeah, we hope that this is a way forward
for improving uh the way that we manage
[5:54:02] trash in town. Um,
>> okay. Any you done? Good. Good. Any
[5:54:08] explanation there? Any uh further
discussion?
[5:54:12] » Yes. Okay. Yep. I called on you first
and Yep. Go right ahead, Laura. Your
[5:54:15] microphone's coming.
[5:54:20] » So, I've I looked at the um numbers for
this and I've seen the system. I think
[5:54:27] it's the same system in Jamaica and
there's one in Bellis Falls. And both
[5:54:31] systems have a roof over the electrical
compo components of this setup. I think
[5:54:38] that's kind of necessary because it's
electrical. Um, and it's not included in
[5:54:44] this total. So, I just wondered why.
Who who could answer that? Something
[5:54:53] about covering some electrical
equipment.
[5:55:05] The electrician says hang on go ahead
the microphone right there so everybody
[5:55:09] can hear you.
>> I said the electrical equipment in
[5:55:12] question and the controlling would be
all NEMA 3 which is weatherproof
[5:55:16] control. So the electrical electric
[laughter] being electrocuted is is not
[5:55:23] what you're thinking. Covering
[clears throat] the attendant while he's
[5:55:26] operating it would be the benefit there.
Okay, Irv's got his hand up. Why don't
[5:55:33] you head up to Irv there?
[5:55:41] I don't believe the board has looked
into this all the way because if they
[5:55:47] come they so much pull, but if they come
up here and pull that box, they're not
[5:55:53] going to bring it back for the same
price.
[5:55:58] It's going to be a two be two charges
instead of one because if you come up
[5:56:03] and back then you got to bring it back
up and then it go back.
[5:56:10] Connie can answer that.
>> Uh Irv brings up a very good point which
[5:56:14] is the flyer that was passed out the
figure of 4,290
[5:56:22] was a one-way hauling fee. and he points
out that if we only have one dumpster,
[5:56:28] they got to bring it back up, which
means two hauling fees. So it, again,
[5:56:32] this is rough estimates. This is off the
top of my head. That would imply that
[5:56:37] the 4,290
would be doubled to 8, let's say 500.
[5:56:45] » Oh, I'm sorry. I thought the mic was
picking it up. Um, so it would imply
[5:56:49] that on this flyer that was passed out
that the hauling fee for the dumpster,
[5:56:54] if we stay with just one dumpster, you
have that you have to double it because
[5:56:58] it's down and back. So the 4,290
becomes basically 8,500.
[5:57:05] It's still
a saving um in terms of the difference
[5:57:11] between um the difference between
hauling and uh the compactor system and
[5:57:19] the um compactor truck. But he is
correct that the hauling fee would
[5:57:24] probably double.
>> Yeah. Also,
[5:57:28] the price is not going to stay the same
next year
[5:57:34] cuz we're dealing with that same thing
through the landfill
[5:57:38] and cassella's prices change up to four
four or five%.
[5:57:47] But not only that, in
oh since 1978
[5:57:54] we've had three trucks.
We run them 14 years
[5:57:59] and we got a new one in 92. We run that
another 14 years. And that this last
[5:58:06] truck was was not new, but they've had
it probably 20 years or close to it.
[5:58:14] And but what what did they give you?
Anybody give you a price on replacing
[5:58:19] the wiring?
>> Replacing the what?
[5:58:23] » Oh, the wire the wiring on the truck.
>> Yeah,
[5:58:26] » that's not the only thing that's bad.
>> Well, the rats chewed it up. That's
[5:58:29] what's a hat into the truck.
>> That's Well,
[5:58:32] » they don't keep If you don't keep rat
poison out there, they're going to be do
[5:58:36] the same thing with the highway trucks.
>> Okay.
[5:58:43] Great. Um, bring it up here and then one
up here.
[5:58:49] » You can speak question.
>> Yeah. I was just uh going to say that
[5:58:54] the select board is proposing this for
two reasons. One, for safety to the
[5:59:01] employees to not put them in a situation
where they're driving a truck that is
[5:59:07] infested with rats. Um, and two, for
cost purposes.
[5:59:15] Okay. Wait. No. Oh, do you have a
microphone?
[5:59:21] » Wondering if it wouldn't be most Liza
Martin most economical for the town to
[5:59:25] own two dumpsters so that that delivery
and pickup doesn't happen twice. And as
[5:59:32] an aside, we have a neighbor who has a
small dumpster on her property from
[5:59:37] Cassella and she doesn't generate enough
trash, but it's still more economical
[5:59:42] than going another route with Cassella.
So, she tells us to bring us her trash
[5:59:46] and we pay her in eggs. Neighbors should
think about going in on a small dumpster
[5:59:51] if all this is too overwhelming. But
there again, the two dumpsters seems to
[5:59:56] be a lot better than $65,000 for a
compactor.
[6:00:01] I'm just tossing my law my trash on
Lucas's lawn. He'll figure it out. Um uh
[6:00:06] yes, go right ahead, sir.
>> Sir, my god,
[6:00:12] you've got a lot of elements here. Is a
compactor any good on the truck itself,
[6:00:18] not the compactor is shot. And the truck
shot, right? Okay. How about the
[6:00:22] compactor?
What what I'm getting at, you've got a
[6:00:25] spare truck down there, six-wheeler,
right? What would it take to take the
[6:00:30] compactor off that, put it on the old
truck, take that money, put it toward a
[6:00:35] new truck? Because switching box is not
it's not a big deal. Um, what do you got
[6:00:41] the PTO and you've got the hydraulics is
probably all there is to it. And you're
[6:00:45] right back where you started. I is
Anybody looked into that? That's all I'm
[6:00:48] saying.
>> Anybody look into it?
[6:00:50] » That's a lot of money out of the truck.
So that has not
[6:00:57] been uh looked into. It still does not
address the issue of safety for
[6:01:03] employees
driving in a truck that would be
[6:01:07] infested. [clears throat]
>> I'm saying you got to know you got to
[6:01:09] you're using the old truck which is
roadw worthy, right? The town truck we
[6:01:13] have which is a spare. You're going to
get rid of the old one. The old freight
[6:01:17] liner. The old it's a freight life. It's
a Sterling. It's a Freight Liner. Get
[6:01:20] rid of it. take the box off it, put it
on the spare truck for the town. I
[6:01:26] imagine you could probably still keep a
wing and a plow on it if you needed it
[6:01:29] for that. Just
>> Right. But the concern is rat
[6:01:32] infestation.
>> Yeah. No, what he's saying is switch the
[6:01:35] truck. Pull the back off the dead truck
that's been infested and put it on a
[6:01:39] different truck,
>> right? And then how long will it take
[6:01:41] for that truck to be in?
>> No. No. Right.
[6:01:43] » That's the concern. That's why it has to
do with So you don't want trucks.
[6:01:48] » Hang on. That was one of the reasons
that we've proposed this method is to do
[6:01:54] away with employees having to sit in and
drive in ratinfested trucks.
[6:01:59] » I've done it.
>> Okay. Anyway, [laughter]
[6:02:01] » okay. Good.
>> Just a thought. That's all I want.
[6:02:04] » Okay. And that and what I was going to
say to that is in that case, if that's
[6:02:07] what you want, you just vote down the
motion because we're not we can't amend
[6:02:10] to to a different truck kind of thing.
Okay. Yes. Andy's in the back.
[6:02:22] Um we have a lot of options on looking
at how we do our trash removal um
[6:02:28] collectively as a town. Um the current
trash compactor truck failed inspection.
[6:02:36] Reason it failed inspection was that the
front fenders and the attachment on the
[6:02:41] front fenders are rusted. So that would
need to be repaired. There were some
[6:02:46] electrical wiring issues where they had
been chewed and it was missing some
[6:02:49] plastic knobs.
The bigger issue that was brought up was
[6:02:55] that it does have rats in it cuz you're
hauling garbage. Um, and we were leaving
[6:03:00] the garbage there and the rats were
getting in and we didn't have an
[6:03:04] exterminator coming in or poison or
whatever to keep the rats down or power
[6:03:11] washing and cleaning it on a regular
basis to keep it clean. The truck still
[6:03:18] engine works, transmission works,
hydraulics work. So, we still have a
[6:03:23] good usable frame of a truck and
compactor. Now, if we want to decide
[6:03:28] that we can't keep it clean and keep it
rat free
[6:03:34] um because we're not willing to go
through the maintenance and routine to
[6:03:37] keep it clean, that's an issue and we
can go to a different system, which is
[6:03:41] what is being proposed. There's no
guarantee that that will not have rats
[6:03:47] in that compactor as well. you still
have to make sure that you do have
[6:03:51] extermination and keeping the rats down
and getting it hauled away on a more
[6:03:56] frequent basis. So, um that's a choice
that we need to make here of which
[6:04:01] approach we want to take, but we have
other options as well. And I just want
[6:04:06] to make clear that we can continue with
the option we have for much less money.
[6:04:14] Further discussion.
[6:04:19] See. Oh, yep. Laura second second talk.
Okay.
[6:04:27] » Um I don't maybe I wasn't clear about my
question. Um if we are going to have to
[6:04:34] build this roof, how much is it going to
cost?
[6:04:40] » I don't I don't I don't think they're
planning on building a roof. I think
[6:04:44] they Warren just answered it and said
that the electrical system will be
[6:04:49] waterproof when they build it. So, the
electrical system does not need to be
[6:04:53] covered. The only person that needs to
be covered if you wanted to is the
[6:04:56] attendant, but we don't really care. No,
I'm only kidding. I'm only kidding. I'm
[6:05:00] only kidding. Wait, wait. I was first
and then we'll go to the back of the
[6:05:03] room. I'm sorry. And these are second
talks. Irv, you're second and you're
[6:05:06] done. Is that guy or
>> Well, also
[6:05:10] the the compact unless they have it
covered,
[6:05:16] you're going to have rain, snow,
freezing, and all that stuff.
[6:05:23] So, that's another thing. You're going
to have to put a cover, do something
[6:05:28] about it.
>> I think the compactor that they're
[6:05:29] purchasing is covered. It's a tube that
compact. It's the same kind of green
[6:05:35] thing that's there now, but it's covered
with a compactor.
[6:05:40] » While that compactor comes back to put
stuff in, you're going to get rain and
[6:05:45] snow in it.
>> Okay. Okay. Uh, you're second. Somebody
[6:05:50] wanted to speak first.
I never saw that hand over here. And
[6:05:54] then to the back. Do you have a
microphone right now?
[6:05:58] » Hello. Thank you. Hi, Alicia Stratford.
This is just a a question for clarity
[6:06:03] because I am not an expert on trash
removal. Um, at the beginning of this
[6:06:08] breakdown, it does specify that it's 165
to haul and then 210 to tip. Does that
[6:06:14] tipping cost go away with this other or
is it just not factored in?
[6:06:20] » It's factored in. That tipping cost is
essentially it's 200 per load
[6:06:26] » because at the bottom it's saying the 65
165 hauling fee and that's like if it's
[6:06:32] also 210 isn't that really 375.
[6:06:41] » Hang on. They're trying to figure out
what you're saying.
[6:06:49] So, it is $165
to pick it up, bring it to the dump, and
[6:06:56] then $210 to empty it, and then what?
Another 165 to bring it back.
[6:07:03] » So, I believe that I was looking at
differences. We have tipping is um there
[6:07:08] for any system that we use that we're
taking it to Cassella or a company like
[6:07:15] that. There's a tipping fee whether
there's a current trash compacting
[6:07:20] truck, whether there's a current
dumpster. So
[6:07:24] » you got you got to talk it's on. Just
speak into it.
[6:07:27] » Yeah. So I my [clears throat]
recollection is is that I wasn't looking
[6:07:30] at what currently already exists. It's
the difference.
[6:07:35] So
>> what she's saying, Alicia, is that that
[6:07:39] cost is there equivalent.
>> So it would just if you bought a truck,
[6:07:45] » there would be a tipping fee.
>> And if we did a dumpster, there's a
[6:07:48] tipping fee. It's equipping
as in the difference.
[6:07:53] » No, [laughter]
>> I picked up on that much.
[6:07:56] » It took me a second. Well, good. I'm
glad you did because it took me a
[6:07:58] second.
>> Yes. We'll get you a microphone.
[6:08:03] Thank you, Lucas.
I'll be up to mow the grass later. Thank
[6:08:06] you for your help.
[6:08:11] » Liza Martin, I believe Nick at the
beginning tried to point out that with
[6:08:15] the open dumpsters
that when we get snow and there's snow
[6:08:19] in there, we're paying for that weight,
too. And I think that's where all these
[6:08:23] other conversations about roofs and
covers and things came in. And I think
[6:08:26] we can go simple, but perhaps there
needs to be uh a canopy of some sort to
[6:08:32] keep the snow from building up and
adding weight which is in trash that's
[6:08:35] being hauled away. Is wasn't that
correct? You tried to point that out.
[6:08:38] » Didn't you take that into consideration?
>> No, not the current the current the
[6:08:43] current one we are because it's snowing
in it right now.
[6:08:46] » You're suggesting you're suggesting if
we put a roof over the current system
[6:08:49] and it's still an open top. Correct.
That's what you're saying.
[6:08:52] » Okay.
Okay. in the way back right behind you.
[6:08:58] » Oh, wait. Connie, wait. There's still
more response and then and then you can
[6:09:01] have the floor in a second. Go ahead,
Connie. Now it's not on.
[6:09:07] Just
>> no.
[6:09:12] Everybody thinks they can be heard. You
can't be heard.
[6:09:15] » Okay,
>> go ahead.
[6:09:16] » Um, the reason we are proposing a
compacting uh
[6:09:19] » Hold it close. Don't be afraid. The
reason we are proposing a con uh
[6:09:22] compacting dumpster is to lessen the
amount of halls
[6:09:28] » and tips.
>> Tips. So, so if we had a compacting
[6:09:32] system, they when that green thing right
now gets filled up, it's filled. But we
[6:09:37] had a compactor
and then we can continue to fill
[6:09:41] » the weight factor in.
>> Yes. Well, well, the tipping the weight
[6:09:44] will be more, but the amount of trips
you have to make will be less. Yes, you
[6:09:50] got it.
>> Okay.
[6:09:53] » Okay, you already spoke twice. Hang on
one second.
[6:09:55] » What do you want? You You already spoke
twice. Go ahead. Start in the back.
[6:09:58] » Come on.
[6:10:12] So, the recycle bins over there,
dumpsters have tops on them. So, it's
[6:10:18] not like you can't just put the top on
it to keep the weather out. That's one
[6:10:23] thing. But that doesn't matter because
it's not going to compact it. But my
[6:10:27] question is, for the $65,000
for that compactor,
[6:10:33] I'm paying $4 a bag to get rid of my
garbage. How much does it cost this town
[6:10:40] to get rid of that
$4 bag of garbage that I'm dropping off
[6:10:44] there?
And aren't we paying enough?
[6:10:50] » Um, how much is there is there a
breakdown that you could say that we pay
[6:10:54] $4 per bag? How how much does it cost
to I mean there's there's maintenance
[6:11:01] involved. There's it's not just the
tipping fees and the hauling fees. It's
[6:11:05] also trying to pay for
the maintenance, I would think.
[6:11:18] Does $4 cover getting rid of all the
trash?
[6:11:21] » No.
>> There what they I I
[6:11:24] » Okay, if we look at page 13, you can see
the waste recycling compactor total. So,
[6:11:29] the total expenses on that system,
98,584.
[6:11:35] If you go back a couple pages to page
nine on our revenue, we can see our
[6:11:40] trash bag sales
um actual for FY20 for fiscal year 25
[6:11:45] was about 40,000. We're projecting about
40,000. So 40,000 is what we anticipate
[6:11:52] getting in revenue from trash bag sales
offsetting the 98,000 that it costs to
[6:11:57] run the system overall. So it does not
pay for it. But that's also partially
[6:12:01] why we proposed and it passed last year
to increase to try to help offset that
[6:12:05] more.
[6:12:09] » Okay. For you wanted to say so MV hang
[6:12:19] for electric and all that stuff to run
that compact.
[6:12:24] » Okay. that there's nothing on the list
that discusses electricity and how much
[6:12:28] it's going to talk on maintenance for
that.
[6:12:31] » Nothing.
>> Any other any other discuss?
[6:12:37] Any other discussion?
Okay. Hearing no other discussion. We
[6:12:43] have a motion before us to see if the
town will vote to raise $65,000 through
[6:12:48] taxation for the purpose of purchasing a
trash compacting system for trash
[6:12:52] collection at the transfer station. A
yes vote passes the motion. A no vote
[6:12:58] defeats the motion. Questions?
All those in favor of the motion, please
[6:13:04] say I.
>> I
[6:13:06] » oppose. No.
>> All those in favor, please raise your
[6:13:10] hand.
Okay, should be easier. One, two. This
[6:13:15] is in favor. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22
[6:13:31] 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30 31 32
I counted correctly. All those opposed,
[6:13:39] please raise your hand.
AH, YEAH. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
[6:13:49] 14 15 16 17.
So I believe the eyes have it and the
[6:13:57] motion passes.
[6:14:01] Moving on to article
19 to see if the town will vote to
[6:14:06] authorize the select board to acquire
land by gifts or purchase for municipal
[6:14:11] forest to promote for reforestation,
water conservation, and good forestry
[6:14:15] practices.
Got Nick and Craig. Toss them in
[6:14:20] discussion.
[6:14:26] » What
did you want to say something? I got
[6:14:31] well the questions involved. So I'm just
trying to be nice to you.
[6:14:47] » Um Jason Min here. Uh I just wanted to
know if this had anything to do with Act
[6:14:51] 59 that is going along with Vermont.
>> This is a this is a boilerplate. This is
[6:14:56] a boiler plate every year. one of those
articles that may be disappearing
[6:15:02] depending on what the state statute is
because the select board has the ability
[6:15:08] to buy purchase and report and do that
anyway but I don't know I got to check
[6:15:12] into that but
this is in this is in there every year
[6:15:18] and a couple years ago two or three
years ago we had a long discussion about
[6:15:21] this if you don't remember right
>> okay um the question's been called but
[6:15:26] any other discussion real quick seeing
No other discussion so we don't have to
[6:15:30] do that two-thirds vote. Okay. All those
in favor of the town authorizing the
[6:15:35] town and select board to acquire land or
gift by gift or purchase for municipal
[6:15:39] forest and promote reforestation water
conservation and good forestry
[6:15:42] practices. All the yes vote passes it. A
no vote defeats it. All those in favor
[6:15:48] please say I. I.
>> Oppose. No. Believe the eyes have it.
[6:15:52] The eyes have it. Holy cow. Article 20
to see if the town will vote to set the
[6:15:58] first Tuesday in March 2027 as a date
for the 2027 town of towns and annual
[6:16:03] meeting.
>> Second.
[6:16:06] » Okay, you got some people
>> discussion question.
[6:16:10] » Okay, hang on.
Hang on. Okay. So, just just just so we
[6:16:15] know, it was mentioned at pre-town
meeting about moving town meeting to
[6:16:20] Saturday to making an amendment right
now to move town meeting to Saturday. I
[6:16:26] told them that I would rule that out of
order and I'm sticking to my guns and I
[6:16:31] just want to I if you want to move the
town meeting, I think that's absolutely
[6:16:35] fine. But I think that's something that
the whole town knows may be done. So, it
[6:16:40] should be warned. Okay. And then we can
have an official discussion on whether
[6:16:45] or not we want to move town meeting. I
don't think that's appropriate to be
[6:16:49] done by amendment.
Um there's tradition, there's precedent
[6:16:55] and institutional forbearance.
Okay. So, um that I just wanted to bring
[6:17:03] that up and I'm not against moving it.
If somebody wants to present that in the
[6:17:07] uh in the warning for next year, please
do. So, any other disc the questions
[6:17:13] been called? No discussion. Sorry. I
wanted to just put that in there because
[6:17:16] I didn't know if the person that wanted
to do that is still here. Um, all those
[6:17:19] in favor of setting the first Tuesday of
March 2027 is the date for the annual
[6:17:26] town meeting, please say I. I
>> oppose. No.
[6:17:31] Article 21.
Any other non-binding business?
[6:17:37] Any other business that become before
this group? Seeing no other business to
[6:17:44] be become before the B group. I want to
thank everybody for attending the 2026
[6:17:50] towns and town meeting. There's no
further business to properly become
[6:17:54] before the town meeting. I declare the
2026 town meeting adjourned. A hearty
[6:18:00] thank you to all those who participated.
Thank you for putting up with me and
[6:18:04] we'll see you next year. And with all
elected officials, newly elected or
[6:18:09] anybody elected, PLEASE COME UP FRONT.
>> Come up front cuz you got to be voting.
[6:18:14] You got to be sworn in.
[6:18:31] » [music]
[6:18:46] » That