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Recording in progress.

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» Good evening.

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Today is Wednesday, August 12th, 2026.

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The time is 7:05. I'm going to call the

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regular RTM August meeting to order. I

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will turn it over to the town clerk to

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do roll call.

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» Better?

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>> Yes.

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>> Okay.

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DeGrasse and right?

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Doughty? [snorts]

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>> Here.

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>> Dutton?

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Fitzgerald?

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Fox?

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>> Here.

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>> Frickman?

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Garner, A?

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>> Here.

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>> Garner, M?

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>> Here.

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>> Gibbs?

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Hume?

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>> Here.

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» Kenniston?

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Massett?

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>> Oh.

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>> Here.

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>> Yes, sorry.

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>> Okay. Kenniston

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and Massett are here.

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Matter?

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>> Here.

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>> McElroy?

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>> Here.

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>> Norman?

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>> Here.

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>> Norris?

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Aubrey?

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>> Here.

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>> Parella?

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>> Here.

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>> Peterfroyne?

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>> Powers came.

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>> I'm here.

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>> Powers S.

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>> Here.

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>> Pulaski.

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>> Here.

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>> Spoden.

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>> Here.

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>> Thackston.

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>> Here.

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» Thompson.

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>> Here.

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>> Umholtz.

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>> I'm here.

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>> Watson.

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>> Here.

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>> Weaver.

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Wells.

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>> Here.

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>> Whitney.

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>> Here.

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>> Woods.

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>> Here.

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>> Zelsolka.

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>> Here.

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>> And moderator, Umholtz.

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>> I'm here.

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Got 30.

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>> I have 30.

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>> All right, we got a good count.

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30 members present. There's a quorum.

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We'll move on to moment of silence,

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salute the flag. Flags are behind you,

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one in front.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

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United States of America, and to the

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Republic for which it stands, one nation

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under God, indivisible, with liberty and

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justice for all.

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Thank you.

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All right.

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Next item is approval of the minutes for

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our July 8th, 2026 meeting. The meeting

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minutes

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draft was given to you with this

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agenda packet. If there are any

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additions,

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revisions, omissions, or whatnot, um

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please state them now, or else we'll

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approve the minutes as given to us by

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the town clerk's office.

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>> 2026.

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>> All right.

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Okay, meeting uh move are approved for

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July 8th. Um we now have 31 members

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present. Sugra Fenwright has arrived.

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Okay.

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All right, public petitions. This is the

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portion of the RTM agenda where RTM

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welcomes comments from the public. Each

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presentation should be limited to no

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more than 5 minutes or less as directed

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by the moderator and if possible submit

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written comments.

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Presentation should be limited to

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matters pertinent to the town of Groton.

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The matter moderator or members through

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the moderator shall ask questions only

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in order to clarify the speaker's

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presentation. Responses may be given by

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the moderator and or by the town

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manager. Individuals should state their

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name and address for the record. Are

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there any

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No one signed up. Anyone online?

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>> No.

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>> All right, we're going to

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close public petitions.

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Proceed to communications.

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Uh just to let you all know that uh

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representatives Morgan, Cadden, and

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Fitzgerald um

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identified that they would not be in

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attendance this evening. Uh does anyone

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else have any communications?

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All right, and I know we just had a

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pretty massive storm

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a week ago Monday. I just want to thank

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all of our first responders, public

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works, uh Board of Ed, uh public works

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people, um

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parks and rec folks that have worked

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hard to try to make sure that we stayed

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safe during that storm as well as

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maintaining all of our roadways after

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the storm which had a lot of down trees

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and flooding in certain areas with

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disabled vehicles and whatnot. So,

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again, thank you to all that have

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uh helped to keep our community safe.

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Moving on, we've got our town manager's

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report. So, I'm going to turn unless

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this Oh, Representative Wells, I

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apologize.

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>> I wasn't sure where this went in, but I

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think it's a communication.

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>> Yes, sir.

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>> I was uh at the hairdresser's getting my

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hair cut and I mentioned about appearing

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at a talking to Brenda and telling I got

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at the bridge opening and then um,

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this a middle-aged woman said, "Wow, I

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saw that bridge. It's fabulous. That's a

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wonderful bridge." And then, Brenda

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says, "Where is it?" She says, "I don't

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know."

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>> [laughter]

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>> And I couldn't tell them how to get how

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to get there.

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>> Yeah, and that's the Quaker Hill bridge,

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you

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>> Yeah, the Quaker Farm bridge.

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>> Okay. Yep.

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>> Anyway, so, anyway, so, the reviews are

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good from people who didn't know where

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it was.

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>> Okay, and then, for for those that don't

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know, and I might be I'm I'm gearing it

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towards how I get there from the disc

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golf or transfer station. If you go

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directly across Flanders Road across 184

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and head down the hill,

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you you run into it on the right-hand

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side. That's That's the bridge that has

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been rebuilt. Looks very very good.

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So, thank you again for our our our

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folks for building that up.

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All right, any other communications?

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All right, I'll turn it over to Town

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Manager Bert, uh, for his report of the

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town manager.

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>> Good evening. Uh, first, the financials.

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Now, we are in that time of year where

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we've

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got where we've we're past the end of

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the fiscal year and now running paying

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all the bills, so, just take this

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information with a grain of salt.

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There's a lot of bills still to be paid.

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The preliminary fund balance as of June

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30th, '26, unaudited, is approximately

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46.1 million, which is 27.8% of the FYE

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'26 general fund adopted adjusted

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budget. As I said, there's still bills

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to be paid. I I think, for instance,

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Board of Ed still has about 2.8 million.

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I'm sure much of that will be, uh, paid

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out eventually.

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The approved fund balance applied to FYE

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'27 budget is 1.6 million. The general

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contingency budget is set at 300,000.

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And the capital reserve fund balance as

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of June 30th, '26, is approximately 7.2

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million. However, much of that is set to

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be used for this upcoming year.

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Uh, few updates. Uh, affordable housing

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trust fund, you may have remember we had

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allocated funding recently for a mobile

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home housing rehab program that should

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be up and running in the next couple

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weeks and planning will get the notices

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sent out to people. There's already a

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list of people interested in that for

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mobile home repairs.

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Uh athletic field update the Fitch High

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School the there were some should be

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some soil boring work going on this week

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there and then we're going to have kind

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of an official kickoff with the

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engineer uh next late next week.

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Let's see uh

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Pavement indexes

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updated. I think the last time was 2019

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that we updated the PCI index the

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pavement index. That's what we use to

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decide which roads to pave. Those were

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rerun recently and um

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they're on our website but I know

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planning is working on a more robust

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website where you can It's going to be a

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pretty neat where you can have a map you

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can turn on and off see what the 2019

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index number was compared to the new one

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and kind of see how roads are faring

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over that time period. That should be

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live if not now soon.

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Uh Gary stole my thunder on Quicker Farm

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Road bridge. Um

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Uh route 1 117 sign which I get asked

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for a lot. There's always another issue.

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They They have the sign in they were

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going to put it in they had it marked

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out. There's a major gas line right

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there. So now they're looking at

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options. So still in progress and Sutton

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Park is going very well. The The skate

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ramp is really neat if uh if you've seen

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the photos online and I'll send you a

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couple photos. And the veterans rep

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position is

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uh out I um out accepting applications

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and that that closes August 17th and

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that is it.

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>> All right. Thank you town manager Bert.

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Uh Representative Thompson, do you have

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a question for the town manager?

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» Thank you. Just a quick question. Have

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you had any applicants for that

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position?

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>> I don't see we don't

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uh

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we HR keeps them until the closing date

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so we won't see them until after that.

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So, I hope. But

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>> Thank you.

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>> How how long is the posting open for?

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>> Oh, yeah. How long is the posting open

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for? Do you know?

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>> is the final day.

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>> Okay. So, yeah. We should be able to get

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an update.

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>> interested out there, go to our website

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under departments under human resources

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and jobs.

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» Okay. Any other questions for town

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manager?

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All right, great. We're going to move on

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then. Uh economic development, do we

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have anything this evening?

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>> No.

285
00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:08,480
>> Okay.

286
00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:10,200
All right. Report of the superintendent

287
00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,240
of schools. Uh I'm going to turn it over

288
00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:14,520
to uh Superintendent Austin

289
00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:16,520
uh for Groton Public Schools. Uh if you

290
00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:18,400
haven't received it, I believe there's a

291
00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,000
handout here. Did you get this?

292
00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,830
Rep Degraffenreid, I'll give you mine.

293
00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:34,070
» And I've got I can get others, too.

294
00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:35,360
I'm going to pass you mine when I'm

295
00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:36,520
done.

296
00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:40,150
I'll use it as my cheat sheet first.

297
00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:41,440
All right.

298
00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:42,880
Um

299
00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:44,520
I hope everybody's having a really good

300
00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:46,680
summer. This has been a very busy summer

301
00:10:46,680 --> 00:10:48,760
for Groton Public Schools, and I just

302
00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:50,560
figured instead of giving you a report,

303
00:10:50,560 --> 00:10:52,760
I'd take you for a little walk-through

304
00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:54,680
of our buildings and the the great

305
00:10:54,680 --> 00:10:57,680
accomplishment. Sam Kilpatrick and Tom

306
00:10:57,680 --> 00:11:00,720
Bingham and the team um I have to say

307
00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,760
Clint Dr. Clint Kennedy and Shannon

308
00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:05,320
Weigel, while she goes and gets the

309
00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:06,760
grant, she doesn't only do that, she

310
00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:08,600
ensures that we're following up on

311
00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:10,560
things, and she helps project manage

312
00:11:10,560 --> 00:11:12,360
some of this, and she's worked so hard

313
00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:14,960
this summer. As have the whole custodial

314
00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:16,760
and maintenance team,

315
00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,400
um and it's been fabulous. So, we have

316
00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:21,080
quite a bit going on. When you open up,

317
00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:22,560
you see the robotics, and I'll be

318
00:11:22,560 --> 00:11:25,120
talking about the T-Mobile grant and

319
00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:26,640
some of the support that they're going

320
00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:29,080
to give us in supporting robotics. We

321
00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,760
took the old wood shop, and we created

322
00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,520
the robotics shop. And we actually have

323
00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,120
a new military science teacher who does

324
00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:40,520
robotics and is very excited. And his

325
00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:42,960
goal was to get 50 students in military

326
00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,200
science and guess what? He's got them

327
00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,000
already. He's been working at a STEM

328
00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,480
camp and it when it when we get that

329
00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:51,200
magic number 50, guess what happens?

330
00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,040
Guess who pays for military science?

331
00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:56,760
Federal government, even the PE teacher.

332
00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:58,800
So, I'm feeling really pretty good this

333
00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:01,400
summer, but he has been wonderful,

334
00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:03,800
um Mr. K and um

335
00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:06,920
so, you see the robotics being um really

336
00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:09,680
taken and cleared out and we put we

337
00:12:09,680 --> 00:12:11,600
followed the charter and we worked Tell

338
00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:13,200
me the gentleman that we worked with at

339
00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:14,080
the town.

340
00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:15,040
>> Oh, Joe Cerella.

341
00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:18,280
>> Joe Cerella has been so helpful and so,

342
00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:19,720
we put it up for auction and there

343
00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:21,480
actually some funds came through, about

344
00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,440
$8,000. So, that went to the town. And

345
00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,080
so, um that was terrific and now the

346
00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:29,920
robotics is nestled into the the old

347
00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:31,520
wood shop and they still will do some

348
00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:32,960
woodworking. There's still things for

349
00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,440
them to do woodworking with. Um so,

350
00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:37,520
we're very excited for them and then

351
00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:39,720
we're imagining that that field, which

352
00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,320
is going to be supported by T-Mobile and

353
00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:43,839
a few others that I've been talking

354
00:12:43,839 --> 00:12:46,720
with, um will be right outside. There's

355
00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,880
a garage door in the wood shop robotics

356
00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:52,440
shop and it would be placed right out

357
00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:55,640
there, you know, um based on course our

358
00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:57,400
fire marshal's

359
00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:59,720
expertise. And then I think the next

360
00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:01,640
page is on the summer STEM camp. We've

361
00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:03,360
had several camps. We've had it for

362
00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:05,280
elementary. The one that you see here is

363
00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:07,200
at Groton Middle School and it was

364
00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:09,640
really run by our robotics aluminum

365
00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:12,839
falcon robotics teammates and they're

366
00:13:12,839 --> 00:13:15,680
you know, sophomores, juniors, seniors

367
00:13:15,680 --> 00:13:18,040
and they were wonderful. A couple of the

368
00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:20,720
Ledyard um robotics team that I happen

369
00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:22,000
to know, they're my grandsons. They've

370
00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:23,240
been going to the camp and they were

371
00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:25,400
also there. So, it was really the older

372
00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:29,120
kids who mentored them And um I shout

373
00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,040
out for Ben Moon who is our STEM

374
00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:33,040
coordinator for putting this together.

375
00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:35,440
It was so well received and we had quite

376
00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:37,760
a few eighth going into ninth graders

377
00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:39,800
who got very interested in taking a

378
00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:43,120
robotics class and and joining the team

379
00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,720
when they get there. So that's good. A

380
00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:47,640
big thank you to Electric Boat and the

381
00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:50,120
US Navy. Those machines came in on

382
00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:51,640
riggers. You couldn't believe it. I had

383
00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:53,720
videos. I had pictures. I was on a

384
00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:55,240
little bit of a vacation but I kept

385
00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,240
getting pictures showing me how it was

386
00:13:57,240 --> 00:13:59,600
coming in. They are like some of the

387
00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,040
state of the art machines and our kids

388
00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:03,880
and the community will be able to use

389
00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,360
these machines and have viable jobs. We

390
00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:08,840
had 10 kids at Fitch High School before

391
00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,280
they graduated who had a job at EB. And

392
00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:12,920
that was double double that was a

393
00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:14,480
factorial number from what we've had in

394
00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:16,080
the past. So I just keep seeing this

395
00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:18,120
grow and it's going to be wonderful. I'm

396
00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,640
hoping in the evening that we could you

397
00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:23,280
know with a teacher we could do adult ed

398
00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:24,720
and maybe invite some members of the

399
00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:27,000
community in who would like to learn on

400
00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,040
the machines. So that will be the next

401
00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:31,640
part of the dream.

402
00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:35,120
And then you can see the pictures of

403
00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:38,000
you know under the dream this is still

404
00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:41,280
the old auto shop. Anybody in here was

405
00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:42,760
in the auto shop when you were at Fitch

406
00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:44,839
High School? Did anybody take anything

407
00:14:44,839 --> 00:14:46,920
in the old auto shop? It would became

408
00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:49,240
really just a a big container filled

409
00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,880
with junk. You know we we keep too many

410
00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:53,360
things we shouldn't be keeping. So it's

411
00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:55,400
been a great year for purging. Things

412
00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,240
that are unnecessary. And then our Mary

413
00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:01,240
Morrison is ready to go. I am super

414
00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:03,320
excited. We've been doing walk-throughs

415
00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:04,880
with our board.

416
00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,200
You see the cleaned out classroom and

417
00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,080
then you see one with the furniture in

418
00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,400
there ready to go and and our

419
00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:13,960
playground. And all of this thank you to

420
00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:15,680
the office of

421
00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,280
you know early childhood and

422
00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:20,360
1.7 million dollars and that will keep

423
00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:23,280
us rolling with um, going into next year

424
00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:25,920
and we're just hoping that those um,

425
00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:28,120
endowment funds continue. It's looking

426
00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:31,000
pretty promising, so. But, because we

427
00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,800
have that, parents don't have to pay

428
00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,440
anything. There's no other pre-K like

429
00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:37,920
this. I mean, if you go to the

430
00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:39,800
Friendship School, parents have to pay.

431
00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:41,320
It might be on a sliding scale, but they

432
00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:43,840
have to pay. So, um, and we have other

433
00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:46,680
places where they have reduced fees,

434
00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:48,760
too. So, um, and we're going to have an

435
00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:51,400
early childhood of actually Tree House

436
00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:53,520
program before and after school with

437
00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:55,760
child care for kids where that will be

438
00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:57,520
on a sliding scale. So, if you have fit

439
00:15:57,520 --> 00:15:59,320
working families, there'll be an hour

440
00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:00,896
and a half before school starts and an

441
00:16:00,896 --> 00:16:01,880
[clears throat] hour and a half after

442
00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:03,680
that they can have their children there.

443
00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:05,400
So, parents, we have a lot of parents

444
00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:07,480
who are, you know, getting second jobs

445
00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:09,680
because of this opportunity, which is

446
00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:12,640
great. Ribbon cutting, I'll let you know

447
00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,360
once we get all the kiddos in there and

448
00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:16,960
everybody. Um, we're going to be

449
00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:19,320
inviting dignitaries and you're some of

450
00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:21,080
our dignitaries and you've supported us

451
00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:22,440
in all of this, so we'll let you know

452
00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,839
the date for both, um, Mary Morrison

453
00:16:24,839 --> 00:16:27,800
Early Childhood Center and also for, um,

454
00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:29,839
the Machine Shop. I'm sure Congressman

455
00:16:29,839 --> 00:16:32,040
Courtney will be there with us. So,

456
00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:33,960
thank you so much. I just can't thank

457
00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:36,240
you enough for all of your support in

458
00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:38,080
getting this to come true. It really

459
00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,000
takes a community, you know.

460
00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,320
So, thank you.

461
00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:43,720
>> All right. Did Does anyone happen to

462
00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:47,480
have a question for, uh, Superintendent Austin? All right,

463
00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:49,440
I'm going to just take them

464
00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:53,120
names. Powers, S, Weaver.

465
00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:54,520
All right.

466
00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:56,440
>> Thank you, Superintendent Austin.

467
00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,960
A quick question. The, um, the total

468
00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:00,440
amount of money that we have for

469
00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:04,079
renovation, has it been all used?

470
00:17:04,079 --> 00:17:06,480
>> We have done the first grant and that

471
00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,199
was 600,000.

472
00:17:08,199 --> 00:17:10,959
And then the second grant came in at

473
00:17:10,959 --> 00:17:13,400
1.150,000.

474
00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:14,959
>> So, that's 7

475
00:17:14,959 --> 00:17:15,600
>> 750,000.

476
00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:16,880
>> 50, yeah.

477
00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:18,880
>> Has Has all the funds been expended to

478
00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:21,120
fix the school? Okay. And they've been

479
00:17:21,120 --> 00:17:22,520
done. Has the work all been done in the

480
00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:23,319
building, Peter?

481
00:17:23,319 --> 00:17:26,720
>> I'd say the work is 90% 99%

482
00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:28,640
>> Great. So, for the those that can't hear

483
00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:30,840
at home, the work is 90% done and the

484
00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:33,720
majority has been expended

485
00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:35,960
and are waiting completion for the

486
00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:37,480
finishing touches. Is that correct?

487
00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:39,560
>> Yes, we welcome the kids back on

488
00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:41,640
September 1st for meet and greet with

489
00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:42,440
their parents.

490
00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:43,880
>> Okay. So, we have a full amount of we

491
00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:44,760
have 10 classrooms. So, we have a full

492
00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:46,640
amount of we have 10 classrooms.

493
00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:49,880
>> come to school on the 2nd of September.

494
00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:51,920
And I can hold 180, so we hold a few

495
00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:53,720
slots for special needs kids who might

496
00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:56,080
be moving into the area. And it's their

497
00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:57,680
balanced classrooms just like at the

498
00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,107
elementary school with, you know, um

499
00:18:00,107 --> 00:18:00,360
[clears throat]

500
00:18:00,360 --> 00:18:01,720
>> I'd love to go see everything.

501
00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:03,960
>> Oh, I really want you guys to. It we

502
00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,400
will definitely do so. Yeah.

503
00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:08,200
And then because it it had, you know,

504
00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:10,360
anytime a school is left and of course

505
00:18:10,360 --> 00:18:12,360
we've had Ernie there with um food

506
00:18:12,360 --> 00:18:15,320
services and we've had Jeff there with

507
00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:16,560
uh um

508
00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:19,680
with Treehouse, but it's not like this

509
00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:21,280
whole building has been brought back to

510
00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:22,440
life. When I walked through with the

511
00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:24,440
fire marshal, he said, "They just don't

512
00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:26,760
build them like this anymore, Susan."

513
00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:29,080
And he's right, you know? And these

514
00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:31,120
buildings were meant to last and but

515
00:18:31,120 --> 00:18:32,520
just giving it the facelift, the

516
00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:34,320
refurbishing, making sure everything is

517
00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:37,400
safe and having HVAC and air quality and

518
00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,080
all that checked out. It's a good thing

519
00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:41,680
and it's just been brought back to life

520
00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:45,000
and it shines. It really shines. So.

521
00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:46,480
>> Thank you. Uh Representative Weaver

522
00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:50,030
followed by Norman.

523
00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:51,760
» Thank you, moderator. I just have a

524
00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:52,960
follow-up question from the last

525
00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,040
meeting, two actually. So, the first one

526
00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:57,320
is um we had spoken about the robotics

527
00:18:57,320 --> 00:18:59,080
field and you said that you had gotten

528
00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:02,280
$50,000 from T-Mobile and then I just

529
00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:04,480
think I heard you say that you were able

530
00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:06,560
to get another 8,000, but you said the

531
00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:07,880
total

532
00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:09,480
um additional expenditure that you

533
00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:11,840
needed was 200,000. If you don't get

534
00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:13,480
those funds, will you be seeking them in

535
00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:15,080
the next budget cycle? That's the first

536
00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:16,320
question.

537
00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:18,680
Second question is relative Second two

538
00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:20,200
questions are relative to the program.

539
00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:21,760
That's excellent. It looks beautiful, by

540
00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:23,600
the way. Um I was just wondering, you

541
00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:25,440
had said that you were going to need I

542
00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:27,840
believe 12 staff members, and I noticed

543
00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:29,640
on the site that you've been trying to

544
00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:32,680
hire paras. How are you doing at hiring

545
00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:34,680
the staff to fill that? And what is the

546
00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:37,480
parent-teacher ratio? Lastly, in the

547
00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:38,680
last meeting you had said that you

548
00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:40,800
presented the budget proposal since the

549
00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:43,600
funds are only for 1 year to the Board

550
00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,120
of Education, and I respectfully asked

551
00:19:46,120 --> 00:19:48,000
if the budget and the budget plan

552
00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:49,800
proposal for how those funds are going

553
00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:51,600
to be expended can be shared with the

554
00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,800
RTM. Thank you.

555
00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:55,040
>> Boy, I don't know where to start with

556
00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:55,280
that.

557
00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:56,698
>> start with the first one. It was the

558
00:19:56,698 --> 00:19:57,000
>> [laughter]

559
00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,000
>> robotics expenditure.

560
00:19:59,000 --> 00:19:59,840
So, I know um

561
00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:01,920
>> Yes, for the field. So, I am in

562
00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:04,400
communication. Shannon, of course, is

563
00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:08,120
our wonderful grants um coordinator, and

564
00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:10,400
we've been talking to groups in the

565
00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,240
state level and at the federal level to

566
00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:15,680
be able to support that $200,000. It

567
00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:18,840
would not come before you. I'm really

568
00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:22,080
determined to make sure we get that. Um

569
00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,520
we are looking for space in the interim,

570
00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:26,880
like gym space or space that they can

571
00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:28,400
rock and roll with that robot in

572
00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:30,760
between. But we really we really have

573
00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,280
this idea in mind, and it would you

574
00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:35,344
know, we're not intending to bring it to

575
00:20:35,344 --> 00:20:35,720
>> [clears throat]

576
00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:37,560
>> So, the goal right now is to look and

577
00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:39,600
search for grants through the grant

578
00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:41,320
coordinator, and uh

579
00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:41,800
>> Yeah.

580
00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:43,840
>> it is optimistically

581
00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:44,720
>> Yes.

582
00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:46,640
>> stated that it's not going to be in the

583
00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:49,720
budget to try and find the field money.

584
00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:51,840
We're going to find it somewhere else.

585
00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:52,640
All right. The next [clears throat] one

586
00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:53,000
was

587
00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,120
>> actually was for the equipment that was

588
00:20:55,120 --> 00:20:57,920
sold goes to the town. And then John

589
00:20:57,920 --> 00:20:59,960
will decide how that comes out. Yeah.

590
00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:01,040
>> All right. And then the next one was

591
00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:03,880
paras uh hiring process on paras. How

592
00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:05,920
are we looking on hiring paras?

593
00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:06,480
>> We

594
00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,880
>> actually had two or three additional

595
00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,440
classrooms that we had to add

596
00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:13,600
outside of what we budget for.

597
00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:14,160
>> altogether?

598
00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,000
>> 10 classrooms altogether, but we had had

599
00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:16,560
eight.

600
00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:17,640
>> Eight originally, yeah.

601
00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,360
>> Yeah. So, it's the addition of two

602
00:21:20,360 --> 00:21:23,400
teachers, the Paris that go with them,

603
00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:24,280
um

604
00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,560
some other different positions like the

605
00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:28,640
nurse and the nurse's aide and the

606
00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,640
secretary. And those are all afforded

607
00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:32,760
within

608
00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:35,120
the operating costs. And the first

609
00:21:35,120 --> 00:21:37,320
operating budget was 600,000 and then

610
00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:39,400
the second one came in at

611
00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:41,240
>> The total operational

612
00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:44,840
grants that they received are 975,000.

613
00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:47,400
>> I well

614
00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:48,800
While I respect and appreciate that, my

615
00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:51,400
clarification question was, so obviously

616
00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,160
you're expecting 163 out of 170

617
00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,640
students. You had initially quoted 12

618
00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:58,600
staff members and you're quoting the

619
00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:00,760
975,000.

620
00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:03,080
I was the part and parcel question was,

621
00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:05,080
how many of those staff members have you

622
00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,680
hired? How many are outstanding? And

623
00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:10,840
because there's an assertion that we may

624
00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:12,600
or may not get the funding for the

625
00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:14,320
center next year,

626
00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:16,160
I asked if you had the budget and if you

627
00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:18,080
presented it. You said you presented it

628
00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:19,920
to the board and I think that it would

629
00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:21,800
be a really good idea if you could

630
00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:24,200
consider presenting that budget to our

631
00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,360
town council and the RTM so we can look

632
00:22:26,360 --> 00:22:27,440
at how those funds are going to be

633
00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:28,120
spent.

634
00:22:28,120 --> 00:22:29,600
>> Yeah, we have the budget for that. We

635
00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:31,000
can send that out to you, no problem.

636
00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:33,560
>> And what is the parent-teacher ratio?

637
00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:34,600
>> Parent-teacher

638
00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:36,800
>> teacher-student ratio, my apologies.

639
00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:39,600
>> to 18 and we're probably at about

640
00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:41,200
>> You said 173.

641
00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:44,600
>> And it's 173 students. So, it and we

642
00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:46,160
have a little bit of a waiting list. So,

643
00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:48,280
we're just kind of waiting to see. We're

644
00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:49,880
double-checking to make sure everybody

645
00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,080
who signed on is there and making sure

646
00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:55,640
we didn't miss anybody. So, um

647
00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,840
>> And and so, Superintendent Austin, we're

648
00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:01,240
fully staffed on teachers for the early

649
00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:03,440
childhood learning center. We're still a

650
00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:05,280
little light on the paras. Is that

651
00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:05,760
correct?

652
00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:07,880
>> I don't I think we're pretty good with

653
00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:10,080
the paras, too. I there might be one or

654
00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,400
two more that we have to hire, but I

655
00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:14,440
think we're we're in a good place with

656
00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:15,440
them.

657
00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:16,240
Um

658
00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:17,960
>> For the whole school or just for the

659
00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:18,640
center? Cuz I know

660
00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:20,320
>> For the center. For the whole school,

661
00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:21,640
we're actually doing better than we've

662
00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:23,960
done in a long time. With COVID, it was

663
00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:27,040
really hard. But we are really close to

664
00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:29,400
our our number, like within a handful,

665
00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:32,480
maybe six, seven. So that's really good

666
00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,080
>> The advertising has been really good for

667
00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:34,480
that lately.

668
00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,040
>> Good. Good. And they're so valuable.

669
00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:38,640
They're just worth their weight in gold.

670
00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:39,080
And

671
00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:41,200
>> And honestly, Representative Weaver, I I

672
00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:42,520
forgot the third one.

673
00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:43,120
>> That was it.

674
00:23:43,120 --> 00:23:45,160
>> Oh, okay. I did have a moment.

675
00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:46,920
>> My only question is is how soon could

676
00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:48,960
the budget be presented to the town

677
00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:52,960
council and the RTM just to review?

678
00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:53,760
Um could you

679
00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:55,840
>> I mean, I can send it out tomorrow. Or

680
00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,800
no, not tomorrow. Friday. Or we'll we'll

681
00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:01,320
talk about it. Shannon has it. Shannon

682
00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:02,840
has it.

683
00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:04,240
Shannon's going to take her daughter to

684
00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:04,520
college.

685
00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:06,640
>> specifically for the budget of the early

686
00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:08,120
childhood learning center. Is that

687
00:24:08,120 --> 00:24:10,000
correct?

688
00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:10,080
>> spending.

689
00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:11,920
>> Where that money had went. Okay.

690
00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,120
>> We've got that. That's easy to give you.

691
00:24:14,120 --> 00:24:14,760
>> Thank you very much.

692
00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:16,200
>> All right, thank you.

693
00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:22,630
Representative Norman.

694
00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:25,251
» My questions are so much less intense.

695
00:24:25,251 --> 00:24:25,840
>> [clears throat]

696
00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:28,720
>> My first one wasn't sorry if this is not

697
00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:30,520
necessary, but um

698
00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:33,040
I had some questions from folks around

699
00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:34,880
for donations of whether it's school

700
00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:36,760
supplies or books particularly for the

701
00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:38,680
early childhood center. Is there a place

702
00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:40,680
to drop that off or a person that folks

703
00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:41,760
should reach out to if they're

704
00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:42,800
interested in making

705
00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:45,360
>> It's really not necessary. We actually

706
00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:47,680
have banned books who every summer gives

707
00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:49,720
to Groton Public Schools because I

708
00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:51,400
answered the call and say yes, we want

709
00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:53,000
your books. And we send our library

710
00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,320
media specialist and they boxes and

711
00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:57,840
boxes of books. And this year we asked

712
00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:00,040
for the donation to come to make a

713
00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:01,720
library at the early childhood center.

714
00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:03,880
>> So you're getting supplies for older

715
00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:05,520
>> all the supplies that's all in the

716
00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:08,280
grant. Now there might be chances when

717
00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:09,760
you have families that are with a

718
00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:11,600
teacher and they say we'd like to donate

719
00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:13,560
this or that. They can work that out

720
00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:15,280
between in the classroom if there's

721
00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:16,600
something that they want to do.

722
00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:17,480
>> Work with the teacher if there's

723
00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:18,600
something that they do.

724
00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:19,920
>> And then could you give me I missed the

725
00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:21,480
last meeting I'm so sorry a little more

726
00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:24,040
context on the robotics field and what

727
00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:26,000
that is that you're looking for? Like is

728
00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:27,520
it a literal field?

729
00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:29,800
>> It's a you could call it a STEM robotics

730
00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:31,360
field. It's a full-size field like the

731
00:25:31,360 --> 00:25:34,200
size of a basketball court all enclosed.

732
00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:34,680
>> Got it.

733
00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:37,600
>> used at Fitch High School for lots of

734
00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:39,120
things but during robotics season it

735
00:25:39,120 --> 00:25:40,880
would be for the robotics team.

736
00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:41,240
>> and so

737
00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:43,080
>> And it's indoors. Yep.

738
00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:44,920
>> And so you're looking for a location.

739
00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:47,320
>> We We know the location. We just have to

740
00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:48,440
make sure it's right with the fire

741
00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,057
marshal and with Mr. Burke and

742
00:25:51,057 --> 00:25:52,080
>> [laughter]

743
00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,480
>> And um but and we need to get the funds.

744
00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,880
>> Okay, got it. So that pays for the

745
00:25:57,880 --> 00:25:59,440
location for the

746
00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:01,360
>> doesn't. The location is Fitch High

747
00:26:01,360 --> 00:26:01,760
School so

748
00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:04,000
>> Got it. It's just setting up the

749
00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:05,160
location

750
00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:06,880
>> for the robotics

751
00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:07,280
>> Right.

752
00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:08,880
>> fights? Or is that Is that what it's

753
00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:10,053
going to be like?

754
00:26:10,053 --> 00:26:10,920
>> [laughter]

755
00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:11,480
>> I don't know.

756
00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:12,360
>> battle bots.

757
00:26:12,360 --> 00:26:13,400
>> know that's what I was thinking.

758
00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:14,480
>> that's what I was thinking too battle

759
00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:15,720
bots.

760
00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,360
>> Yeah and and just like our sports teams

761
00:26:18,360 --> 00:26:20,533
you know our kids invite other they

762
00:26:20,533 --> 00:26:21,920
[clears throat] they get competitions

763
00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:23,920
they actually call it coopetition in

764
00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,800
first robotics. And they can have robots

765
00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:27,960
and their friends come over. They

766
00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:29,480
actually did this at Pleasant Valley

767
00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:31,920
when they had all that space in the gym.

768
00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:33,080
>> cool. Someone just showed me a picture.

769
00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:34,440
You should like see if you could rent it

770
00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:36,560
out for dog agility training when you're

771
00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:38,640
not using it for robotics. Like people

772
00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:40,880
might spend a lot.

773
00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:42,120
Okay that's it. I'm done.

774
00:26:42,120 --> 00:26:44,113
>> something every time I come here.

775
00:26:44,113 --> 00:26:45,520
>> [laughter]

776
00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:47,440
>> And and Superintendent Austin just to

777
00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:49,353
clarify for the folks

778
00:26:49,353 --> 00:26:49,560
>> [snorts]

779
00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:51,360
>> the the robotics field is still about

780
00:26:51,360 --> 00:26:54,400
200,000 short from

781
00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:55,520
>> being

782
00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:58,480
built. a thing yeah or approved so we

783
00:26:58,480 --> 00:26:58,960
can

784
00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:01,480
>> That was an AI generated image.

785
00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:06,190
>> Oh, okay.

786
00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:08,360
» Uh is there any other questions from

787
00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:13,190
membership? Yes, Representative Fox.

788
00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:17,680
» Um I'm looking at the pictures of this industrial equipment that it

789
00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:20,480
that EB is giving I guess giving us

790
00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:22,000
that. And that looks really great.

791
00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:23,440
That's that's that would be a great

792
00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:25,280
experience for the

793
00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:27,480
students that get the opportunity to

794
00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:29,560
practice on those things.

795
00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:32,160
Well, one of the concerns I have is is

796
00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:34,440
that heavy-duty equipment is has some

797
00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:37,120
dangers associated with it. Do we have a

798
00:27:37,120 --> 00:27:39,440
corresponding safety program that goes

799
00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,200
along with the use of this and is there

800
00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:44,560
a is there a criteria being established

801
00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,920
for supervision of of kids using this machinery?

802
00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:50,120
>> a great question. That's absolutely the

803
00:27:50,120 --> 00:27:53,200
first part of the course any course and

804
00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:55,920
um we work with YMPA the state

805
00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:58,560
organization which is the manufacturing

806
00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:01,120
curriculum offered by the state. The

807
00:28:01,120 --> 00:28:02,840
person who we've hired was a Fitch

808
00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:05,320
Falcon himself and he coaches football

809
00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:08,080
but he's been at EB working in machines

810
00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:09,960
and he's also getting specialized

811
00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,760
training to start the class because EB

812
00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:14,920
also supports us with the training of

813
00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:18,200
the teachers. So, it is just hands down

814
00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:20,920
just such a marvelous opportunity. I saw

815
00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:22,800
another school that had a welding

816
00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,480
situation Joe Courtney sent it out all

817
00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:26,880
proud of it. I said he's got to come

818
00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,160
over here. So, when we have the the

819
00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:31,680
ribbon cutting I I really will make sure

820
00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,400
you all get invitations and come and see

821
00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:36,400
any any other time too when the kids are

822
00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,080
in there you know if you're interested

823
00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:40,240
in that we can go and look but safety is

824
00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:42,880
number one absolutely. And our robotics

825
00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:44,280
team is the same way. They wear the

826
00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:48,320
safety glasses at all times. Um so, the

827
00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:50,320
kids get the message pretty quickly and

828
00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:52,040
it's a good lesson to learn.

829
00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:54,790
>> Yes.

830
00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:56,680
Representative Thompson.

831
00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:58,880
>> Thank you, Mr. Moderator.

832
00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:02,160
Is the Fitch robotic Ted, is it the same

833
00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,120
robotics that we used to be involved

834
00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:05,600
with?

835
00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:07,840
My husband provided

836
00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:11,000
the robotics team about 3 years ago with

837
00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,280
all the pamphlets for the OSHA

838
00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:17,040
guidelines, for regulations and safety.

839
00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:18,880
That might be something maybe somebody

840
00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:20,040
can dig up somewhere.

841
00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:22,000
>> Yeah. Yep, we'll do.

842
00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:23,680
And that's same thing with robotics.

843
00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:25,360
That's kind of the first part of any

844
00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:27,600
course and it continues all the way

845
00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:29,920
through the course.

846
00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:32,760
It as the necessary ingredient.

847
00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:33,760
>> Are

848
00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:33,800
>> [clears throat]

849
00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:35,960
>> Superintendent Austin, are our students

850
00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:37,360
leaving

851
00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:38,880
Fitch if they're taking any of these

852
00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:40,720
trainings with OSHA 10

853
00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:42,680
certification at all or

854
00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:43,920
>> I will look into that.

855
00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:45,880
>> Okay. Um, that might be something

856
00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:47,200
>> Yeah.

857
00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,080
>> spitballing some stuff to have that OSHA

858
00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,120
10 training cuz a lot of

859
00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:52,120
um

860
00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:54,320
folks in the industry uh

861
00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:56,800
look highly at at them having that. And

862
00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:58,320
there might be grants

863
00:29:58,320 --> 00:29:59,960
OSHA 10.

864
00:29:59,960 --> 00:30:01,270
might be grants out there

865
00:30:01,270 --> 00:30:01,640
>> [laughter]

866
00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:04,160
>> to to to have somebody come and train uh

867
00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:05,600
whether it be through uh state

868
00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:07,160
Department of Labor or something to that

869
00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:08,120
nature. So,

870
00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:09,640
>> We will look into that. Thank you.

871
00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:10,960
>> And

872
00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:12,800
I think that's all I had. Does anyone

873
00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:14,080
else have a question for the

874
00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:15,600
Superintendent?

875
00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:17,160
Um, I'd like to thank you uh

876
00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,000
Superintendent Austin for coming and

877
00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:20,960
giving us all this information. I know a

878
00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:23,320
few terms back we had

879
00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:25,680
asked for a bit more uh communication

880
00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:27,520
and and I and I cannot appreciate it

881
00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:32,160
enough through you and the uh the the Board of Ed uh to um

882
00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:33,880
uh come down and and give us an update

883
00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:35,680
and then answer questions and follow

884
00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:35,920
whatever.

885
00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:37,480
>> it. I really am.

886
00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:38,000
Thank you.

887
00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:39,800
>> All right. Appreciate it.

888
00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:41,560
All right. And I'm going to

889
00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:43,760
go out of order so we can get them out

890
00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:44,760
of here

891
00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:47,240
um if if that's okay. John, you don't

892
00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:49,160
mind. Oh,

893
00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:51,000
we good with that?

894
00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:52,440
Um I'm going to I'm going to recognize

895
00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:53,000
uh

896
00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:54,640
Chair Chase if we can get through those

897
00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:55,960
accounts, so we can get them out of

898
00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:57,800
here, and then we'll uh finish up with

899
00:30:57,800 --> 00:30:59,680
those other accounts if you don't mind.

900
00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:03,520
We have uh some some grants to approve

901
00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:13,990
this evening.

902
00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:16,240
» Thank you, Mr. Moderator. The uh

903
00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:17,840
Representative Town Meeting Education

904
00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:20,120
Committee met tonight, Wednesday, August

905
00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:23,200
12th, 2026 at 6:30 here at the

906
00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:26,000
Thrive 55. In attendance were

907
00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:27,560
Representatives

908
00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:29,520
Jackie Massett, Christine McElroy,

909
00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:33,080
Francis Whitney, Pantea Umres, myself,

910
00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,000
uh Grant Coordinator Shannon Weigel,

911
00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:37,080
Superintendent Susan Austin, and Clint

912
00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:39,160
Kennedy, the Director of

913
00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:41,400
Technology. And the first grant that we

914
00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:45,280
did was the 2026-624

915
00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:47,800
T-Mobile Hometown Grant BOE

916
00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:49,400
resolution

917
00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:50,640
um

918
00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,600
for the Aluminum Falcons Robotic Team.

919
00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:55,760
And the resolution accepting the

920
00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:57,680
T-Mobile Hometown Grant for the Board of

921
00:31:57,680 --> 00:31:59,600
Education. Now, therefore, be it

922
00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:01,400
resolved that the Town Council hereby

923
00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,840
authorizes acceptance of the $50,000

924
00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,120
T-Mobile Hometown Grant, authorizes Town

925
00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:09,080
Manager John Burt to sign any necessary

926
00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:10,920
documents for said grant, refers the

927
00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:14,400
item to the RTM per rule 6.5.3, and that

928
00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:16,400
was 5-0-0.

929
00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:18,000
>> All right, and you move that real quick.

930
00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:19,200
>> Oh, I so move.

931
00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:19,920
>> Second.

932
00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:21,000
>> All right, good.

933
00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:22,760
Thank you. Moved by Chair Chase,

934
00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:25,600
seconded by uh Dean Shinbrot, so we can

935
00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:27,840
talk about it now.

936
00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:30,480
Is there anything else to add to that?

937
00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:32,440
And again, it's a it's an it's not

938
00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:36,560
There's no local matching funds. It's grant. It's just part of our

939
00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:38,320
process to go through the RTM and

940
00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:40,480
approve it. Um so there really isn't

941
00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:42,520
much else to it. We kind of discussed

942
00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:43,800
this prior to

943
00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:45,320
>> to get it started in the foundational

944
00:32:45,320 --> 00:32:46,720
work, the circuitry, and that kind of

945
00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:48,240
thing. Now [clears throat] for the next

946
00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:49,520
big part.

947
00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:52,240
>> All right. Anyone online or in the dais

948
00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:54,480
have any questions or comments on this

949
00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:57,520
main motion on the floor?

950
00:32:57,520 --> 00:32:59,680
All right. Seeing none, I'll call for a

951
00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:01,880
vote on 2026-624

952
00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:05,080
T-Mobile Hometown Grant uh in the amount

953
00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:07,120
of $50,000. All those in favor, please

954
00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:07,720
say I.

955
00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:10,680
>> I.

956
00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:13,440
>> Is there anyone opposed?

957
00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:16,120
Any abstentions?

958
00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:17,720
All right. Motion carries unanimously.

959
00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:20,040
We have 32 members present, so it's

960
00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:21,920
32-0-0.

961
00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:24,040
All right. Thank you.

962
00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:26,720
>> Uh the next one is 2026-648

963
00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:29,240
USDA Farm to School Implementation Grant

964
00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:31,000
BOE Resolution.

965
00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:32,840
The resolution authorizing acceptance of

966
00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:35,080
the USDA Farm to School Implementation

967
00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:37,880
Grant. Now, therefore, be it resolved

968
00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:39,400
that the Groton Town Council hereby

969
00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:41,520
authorizes the acceptance of the USDA

970
00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:43,800
Farm to School Implementation Grant in

971
00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,320
the amount of $100,000, authorizes Town

972
00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:48,520
Manager John Burt to execute all

973
00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:51,200
documents and refer the item to the RTM

974
00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:55,000
per rule 6.5.3.

975
00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:55,800
>> So moved.

976
00:33:55,800 --> 00:33:57,320
>> I so move.

977
00:33:57,320 --> 00:33:58,920
>> All right. Motion was moved by Chair

978
00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:01,120
Chase, seconded by Powers S

979
00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:04,520
uh for the amount of $100,000 for item

980
00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:07,320
2026-648.

981
00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:08,840
All right. Is there any uh discussion on

982
00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:10,360
this that you'd like to share with the

983
00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:11,000
group?

984
00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:13,399
>> That was a 5-0-0 vote.

985
00:34:13,399 --> 00:34:13,720
>> Okay.

986
00:34:13,720 --> 00:34:16,000
>> Um there is a match that for this grant

987
00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:17,800
and they I was told that it was already

988
00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:23,480
in the current budget. And 1/3 of this money goes to salaries, 1/3 to

989
00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:25,879
large equipment such as refrigerators,

990
00:34:25,879 --> 00:34:29,080
which are $12,000 apiece, roughly. And

991
00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:31,919
1/3 goes to programming, um

992
00:34:31,919 --> 00:34:34,560
professional development, supplies, etc.

993
00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:36,760
>> Okay. And and again, in the resolution

994
00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:38,560
it tells you what the matching grant was

995
00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:40,280
or or the money that was required. It

996
00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:42,960
was $42,684,

997
00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:46,679
which was approved by this group

998
00:34:46,679 --> 00:34:49,040
for the uh the fiscal year of ending in

999
00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:51,760
'27. So, if there's any questions, we

1000
00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:53,320
could open up the floor for discussion

1001
00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:55,990
on this.

1002
00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:57,840
Anyone?

1003
00:34:57,840 --> 00:34:59,440
All right.

1004
00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:00,840
Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on

1005
00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:02,920
2026-648 USDA Farm to School

1006
00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:06,310
Implementation

1007
00:35:06,320 --> 00:35:09,040
Grant. The amount is $100,000.

1008
00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:10,840
All those in favor, please say I.

1009
00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:13,280
>> I.

1010
00:35:13,280 --> 00:35:16,880
>> Anyone opposed, please say no.

1011
00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:18,280
Any abstentions?

1012
00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:19,560
One abstention.

1013
00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:24,680
Uh so, it passes 1 uh 31-0-1

1014
00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:26,960
abstaining, Perella.

1015
00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:30,280
All right. Thank you very much. Uno mas.

1016
00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:32,720
>> The next one, 2026-647

1017
00:35:32,720 --> 00:35:34,480
Department of Emergency Services and

1018
00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:37,120
Public Protection Grant BOE Resolution.

1019
00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:39,120
authorizing acceptance of the

1020
00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:40,960
Department of Emergency Services and

1021
00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:44,480
Public Protection DESPP Grant. Now,

1022
00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:46,080
therefore, be it resolved that the

1023
00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:47,880
Groton Town Council hereby accepts the

1024
00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:50,200
Department of Emergency Services and

1025
00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:53,320
Public Protection DESPP Grant in the

1026
00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:55,760
amount of $191,030

1027
00:35:55,760 --> 00:35:57,360
for the Groton Public Schools.

1028
00:35:57,360 --> 00:35:59,880
Authorizes the Town Manager, John Burt,

1029
00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:01,520
to execute any and all documents

1030
00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:03,480
necessary and to refer the item to the

1031
00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:06,680
RTM per rule 6.5.3.

1032
00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:07,440
I so move.

1033
00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:08,280
>> Second.

1034
00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:09,760
>> All right. Motion was moved by Chair

1035
00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,920
Chase, seconded by Representative Adams

1036
00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:19,750
for of $191,030.

1037
00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:21,280
All right. And I open up the floor for

1038
00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:22,440
discussion on this.

1039
00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:25,560
>> This one also has a match of $47,758,

1040
00:36:25,560 --> 00:36:28,040
which has already been budgeted.

1041
00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:29,600
>> All right. And And what was the vote

1042
00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:30,520
total on this one?

1043
00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:32,840
>> Oh, 5. I mean, five

1044
00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:34,800
to zero to zero. I'm sorry.

1045
00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:36,120
>> All right. I open up the floor for any

1046
00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:37,360
discussion on this, Representative

1047
00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:38,640
Weaver.

1048
00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:39,760
>> I was just wondering, could you just

1049
00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:41,360
give a brief overview of what the funds

1050
00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:42,200
will be used for?

1051
00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:43,445
>> Sure.

1052
00:36:43,445 --> 00:36:43,560
>> [clears throat]

1053
00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:44,800
>> Hi, Clint Kennedy. I'm the tech

1054
00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:48,120
director. Um we wrote this in '23,

1055
00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:50,440
submitted in '24. It was put on hold for

1056
00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:51,920
a while, that's why you may see some

1057
00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:53,520
earlier dates. We were very excited 6

1058
00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:56,640
months ago when it resurfaced. Um

1059
00:36:56,640 --> 00:36:58,480
there's It really is in kind of two

1060
00:36:58,480 --> 00:37:00,720
parts. It's It's adding protection

1061
00:37:00,720 --> 00:37:02,440
locally to our network and our end-user

1062
00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:03,800
devices.

1063
00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:08,880
Um and the second piece is engaging in licensing with a SOC. It's called a

1064
00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:11,000
security operations center. There are

1065
00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:12,880
those out there. It's

1066
00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:14,800
I guess the best analogy is if you own a

1067
00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:16,760
castle, it's a provider you ask to come

1068
00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:18,880
in and build a moat around it. So, it's

1069
00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:21,760
a really an early warning um opportunity

1070
00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:25,000
or or or engagement so that as

1071
00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:25,880
um

1072
00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:27,680
we see cyber attacks happening, other

1073
00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:30,600
bad actors in the area, um we get some

1074
00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:32,040
early warning before it actually comes

1075
00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:34,360
in. Um I'm on a few of the boards at the

1076
00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:36,040
state level, and we're actually

1077
00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:38,040
discussing how this can be implemented

1078
00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:39,320
through the Connecticut Education

1079
00:37:39,320 --> 00:37:41,240
Network, which is a public-private

1080
00:37:41,240 --> 00:37:43,760
partnership uh that really that provides

1081
00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:47,360
internet access for all 169 um

1082
00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:49,040
municipalities and school districts and

1083
00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:50,760
so forth. We're hoping that this will

1084
00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:52,480
become an offering, a lower-cost

1085
00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:53,640
offering.

1086
00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:56,160
This grant would cover our access to a

1087
00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:59,440
SOC in the interim. No promises that CEN

1088
00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:01,240
will have this, but the hope is that

1089
00:38:01,240 --> 00:38:02,720
this would be a bridge so that we would

1090
00:38:02,720 --> 00:38:04,760
have a far lower cost through the CEN in

1091
00:38:04,760 --> 00:38:06,840
the future. Um I always, when I write

1092
00:38:06,840 --> 00:38:09,280
these, I want to keep in mind, am I Am I

1093
00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:10,720
adding to the burden of an operating

1094
00:38:10,720 --> 00:38:12,480
budget and so forth? But this was really

1095
00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:14,120
that part of this particular grant we

1096
00:38:14,120 --> 00:38:16,320
wrote was as a bridging agent to get to

1097
00:38:16,320 --> 00:38:17,880
it before we get that low-cost solution

1098
00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:19,600
through the state.

1099
00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:21,440
>> Follow-up question. So, how long will

1100
00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:23,240
these funds cover What period of time

1101
00:38:23,240 --> 00:38:25,120
will these funds cover? And if we don't

1102
00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:26,440
get them, will they be in the next

1103
00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:27,920
cycle, fiscal cycle?

1104
00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:29,880
>> From the distributor [clears throat] of

1105
00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:32,200
this grant, we have to until November of

1106
00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:34,640
2028 to use these funds.

1107
00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:35,720
>> Wow.

1108
00:38:35,720 --> 00:38:36,080
Great.

1109
00:38:36,080 --> 00:38:36,920
>> Yeah, they kicked it down the road a

1110
00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:38,160
little bit because they made us wait for

1111
00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:39,400
a while, so.

1112
00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:40,320
>> Thank you so very much.

1113
00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:41,800
>> Yeah, sure.

1114
00:38:41,800 --> 00:38:44,480
>> All right. Any other questions for this

1115
00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:49,110
main motion on the floor?

1116
00:38:49,120 --> 00:38:51,680
Okay. Seeing none, I'll call for a vote

1117
00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:54,640
on 2026-647,

1118
00:38:54,640 --> 00:38:57,080
Department of Emergency Services and

1119
00:38:57,080 --> 00:38:59,320
Public Protection Grant in the amount of

1120
00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:02,240
$191,030.

1121
00:39:02,240 --> 00:39:04,080
All those in favor, please say I.

1122
00:39:04,080 --> 00:39:06,440
>> I.

1123
00:39:06,440 --> 00:39:09,440
>> All those opposed, please say no.

1124
00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:12,120
Any abstentions? One abstention.

1125
00:39:12,120 --> 00:39:16,200
So, motion passes, 31-0-1

1126
00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:18,640
abstention. That's Perella.

1127
00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:21,350
Okay.

1128
00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:23,400
Just add the Just need to move the

1129
00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:24,480
minutes, please.

1130
00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:26,240
>> I'd like to move to to accept the

1131
00:39:26,240 --> 00:39:27,760
minutes of tonight's meeting.

1132
00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:28,880
>> Second.

1133
00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:30,760
>> All right. Motion was moved by Chase,

1134
00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:32,520
seconded by DeGraffenreidt, to move the

1135
00:39:32,520 --> 00:39:35,760
minutes. Any questions on the minutes?

1136
00:39:35,760 --> 00:39:36,800
All right. Seeing none, all those in

1137
00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:37,920
favor, please say I.

1138
00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:38,720
>> I.

1139
00:39:38,720 --> 00:39:42,200
>> Opposed, please say no. Abstentions?

1140
00:39:42,200 --> 00:39:43,680
All right. Motion carries unanimously,

1141
00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:46,440
32-0-0. Thank you, Chair Chase, and

1142
00:39:46,440 --> 00:39:49,800
thank you, Board of Ed. Appreciate you.

1143
00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:53,400
All right. Moving on

1144
00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:55,880
to our other committees,

1145
00:39:55,880 --> 00:39:58,400
uh Finance. Chair Powers, yes. You got

1146
00:39:58,400 --> 00:39:59,200
something for us here?

1147
00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:00,000
>> I sure do.

1148
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:00,800
>> All right.

1149
00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:02,160
>> We had a meeting tonight. It started at

1150
00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:05,360
6:00. Representative Chase was late.

1151
00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:08,080
Representative Shinall was excused. Uh

1152
00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:10,280
our new business was the Community

1153
00:40:10,280 --> 00:40:12,600
Collective Grant Resolution. I'd asked

1154
00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:14,160
Representative Gardner to read that into

1155
00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:15,160
the

1156
00:40:15,160 --> 00:40:16,977
record tonight, please.

1157
00:40:16,977 --> 00:40:17,000
>> [clears throat]

1158
00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:19,280
>> Resolution authorizing acceptance of a

1159
00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:21,680
community connectivity grant for the

1160
00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:23,840
Groton Crosstown Greenway Wayfinding

1161
00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:26,080
Project.

1162
00:40:26,080 --> 00:40:27,920
Now, therefore, be it resolved that the

1163
00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:29,080
town

1164
00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:30,760
that the Groton Town Council hereby

1165
00:40:30,760 --> 00:40:32,960
accepts the community connectivity grant

1166
00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:37,270
in the amount of $141,791

1167
00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:39,040
and authorizes the town manager to

1168
00:40:39,040 --> 00:40:41,640
execute all documents necessary to

1169
00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:44,240
implement the Groton Crosstown Greenway

1170
00:40:44,240 --> 00:40:46,920
Wayfinding Project and refers the item

1171
00:40:46,920 --> 00:40:51,040
to the RTM per rule 6.5.3.

1172
00:40:51,040 --> 00:40:52,040
>> So moved.

1173
00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:52,840
>> I got it.

1174
00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:56,480
>> All right. Motion moved by Gardner M.

1175
00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:58,800
Seconded by Zizulka.

1176
00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:00,560
I open up the floor.

1177
00:41:00,560 --> 00:41:06,750
>> Well, it was pretty straightforward um

1178
00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:08,880
as far as the grant was concerned.

1179
00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:10,320
>> All right. And what was the vote? What

1180
00:41:10,320 --> 00:41:10,760
was the vote?

1181
00:41:10,760 --> 00:41:12,760
>> was 6 to 0 to 0.

1182
00:41:12,760 --> 00:41:14,640
>> All right. Are there any matching funds

1183
00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:16,520
that are required in this?

1184
00:41:16,520 --> 00:41:20,270
>> I don't believe so.

1185
00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:21,240
» Town Manager Burt?

1186
00:41:21,240 --> 00:41:25,600
>> Regarding the grant, there was already some money budgeted, 60,000 I

1187
00:41:25,600 --> 00:41:26,160
believe.

1188
00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:26,680
>> Okay.

1189
00:41:26,680 --> 00:41:27,680
>> In advance. [snorts]

1190
00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:30,560
>> That was Was that a CIP? Was that a CIP

1191
00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:33,560
or was it a Just Okay. All right. So,

1192
00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:34,920
there was already money allocated

1193
00:41:34,920 --> 00:41:37,200
through a CIP in this fiscal year's

1194
00:41:37,200 --> 00:41:39,240
budget that we already approved for this

1195
00:41:39,240 --> 00:41:41,320
project. Um I happen to watch the Town

1196
00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:42,920
Council meeting and this is just trying

1197
00:41:42,920 --> 00:41:44,560
to tie in

1198
00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:48,320
a hiking trail that basically goes all

1199
00:41:48,320 --> 00:41:50,600
the way around the town of Groton. So,

1200
00:41:50,600 --> 00:41:53,720
that if you wanted to hike from my house

1201
00:41:53,720 --> 00:41:56,880
and go back to my house, you could find

1202
00:41:56,880 --> 00:41:58,040
the

1203
00:41:58,040 --> 00:42:01,160
outer perimeter of Groton uh through

1204
00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:02,920
these waypoints. Uh we also have

1205
00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:05,520
Director Barry here um in case any

1206
00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:06,840
anyone has any questions.

1207
00:42:06,840 --> 00:42:08,440
>> We talked about the greenways and the

1208
00:42:08,440 --> 00:42:10,120
bikes and the different signages and

1209
00:42:10,120 --> 00:42:11,280
things [clears throat] like that. And I

1210
00:42:11,280 --> 00:42:12,760
mean, Marcus here, we talked a little

1211
00:42:12,760 --> 00:42:14,440
bit about the emergencies and the

1212
00:42:14,440 --> 00:42:16,000
different classifications of bikes

1213
00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:18,800
between pedestrians and and cycles and

1214
00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:19,240
>> Okay.

1215
00:42:19,240 --> 00:42:20,360
>> Representative Weaver, do you have a

1216
00:42:20,360 --> 00:42:21,400
question?

1217
00:42:21,400 --> 00:42:23,280
>> I guess this is probably random silly

1218
00:42:23,280 --> 00:42:24,720
question, but the connectivity, of

1219
00:42:24,720 --> 00:42:26,360
course, if you're going to be connecting

1220
00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:28,160
paths through the woods, is this to pay

1221
00:42:28,160 --> 00:42:31,280
for the clearing and the creation of it?

1222
00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:33,120
>> I don't think all areas are

1223
00:42:33,120 --> 00:42:35,280
trails, is that correct?

1224
00:42:35,280 --> 00:42:36,720
>> What does What does the funds cover

1225
00:42:36,720 --> 00:42:36,920
again?

1226
00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:38,480
>> This is uh

1227
00:42:38,480 --> 00:42:40,600
there will be no new construction

1228
00:42:40,600 --> 00:42:43,040
covered under this. This is

1229
00:42:43,040 --> 00:42:44,320
uh essentially we're creating a

1230
00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:47,280
wayfinding plan for

1231
00:42:47,280 --> 00:42:50,680
uh existing sidewalks, roads, and paths

1232
00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:53,480
and things like that. It's to

1233
00:42:53,480 --> 00:42:54,520
um

1234
00:42:54,520 --> 00:42:57,280
improve connectivity through better

1235
00:42:57,280 --> 00:42:59,480
signage, so that people feel more

1236
00:42:59,480 --> 00:43:01,840
comfortable getting from point A to

1237
00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:04,920
point B. This crosstown trail starts

1238
00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:06,920
over in the city and actually goes all

1239
00:43:06,920 --> 00:43:09,120
the way over to Mystic. Uh

1240
00:43:09,120 --> 00:43:12,240
yeah, and we're utilizing We have worked

1241
00:43:12,240 --> 00:43:13,280
with

1242
00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:15,840
uh Avalonia, Groton Open Space. We're

1243
00:43:15,840 --> 00:43:18,000
working with the city, the town, and

1244
00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:19,560
we'll be working with the state to get

1245
00:43:19,560 --> 00:43:22,440
all the signage uh along this entire

1246
00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:23,760
route, so that people feel more

1247
00:43:23,760 --> 00:43:26,480
comfortable being out and not getting

1248
00:43:26,480 --> 00:43:30,400
lost because of a lack of signage.

1249
00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:32,200
>> So, the predominant cost will be the

1250
00:43:32,200 --> 00:43:34,120
creation and placement of the signage, I

1251
00:43:34,120 --> 00:43:34,280
would say.

1252
00:43:34,280 --> 00:43:35,600
>> Yes, that is correct.

1253
00:43:35,600 --> 00:43:36,480
>> Thank you so much.

1254
00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:38,480
>> Yeah.

1255
00:43:38,480 --> 00:43:39,520
>> I have just one question. Director

1256
00:43:39,520 --> 00:43:41,600
Avery, can you do us one favor and just

1257
00:43:41,600 --> 00:43:43,640
tell us about the master plan that we

1258
00:43:43,640 --> 00:43:45,280
had together? This is all part of that

1259
00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:45,920
plan.

1260
00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:50,680
>> Uh sure. So, in 2022, we did a um

1261
00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:52,760
a recreation master plan. We updated the

1262
00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:54,560
previous master plan, which I think was

1263
00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:56,600
done in 2009.

1264
00:43:56,600 --> 00:43:59,080
Um part of that master plan was a

1265
00:43:59,080 --> 00:44:01,840
recreational needs assessment. So, and

1266
00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:04,720
this was a statistically valid survey

1267
00:44:04,720 --> 00:44:06,000
that um

1268
00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:09,240
we sent out and got over 400 responses

1269
00:44:09,240 --> 00:44:12,120
back and you know, one of the questions

1270
00:44:12,120 --> 00:44:15,720
was future needs of the community and

1271
00:44:15,720 --> 00:44:16,520
um,

1272
00:44:16,520 --> 00:44:18,200
one of the highest future needs was

1273
00:44:18,200 --> 00:44:21,640
better connectivity to parks, open

1274
00:44:21,640 --> 00:44:23,200
space.

1275
00:44:23,200 --> 00:44:24,920
Um, so this

1276
00:44:24,920 --> 00:44:27,640
uh, this particular project aligns with

1277
00:44:27,640 --> 00:44:30,160
what the community said they wanted

1278
00:44:30,160 --> 00:44:33,320
uh, in 2022.

1279
00:44:33,320 --> 00:44:34,120
>> Thank you.

1280
00:44:34,120 --> 00:44:34,440
>> Yeah.

1281
00:44:34,440 --> 00:44:36,160
>> Okay.

1282
00:44:36,160 --> 00:44:37,600
Are there any other questions on this

1283
00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:41,830
main motion?

1284
00:44:41,840 --> 00:44:43,880
» Make I make a motion to move 141 back.

1285
00:44:43,880 --> 00:44:44,480
>> already did

1286
00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:45,480
>> Oh, you did already?

1287
00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:47,360
>> Yeah, we already did that. M. Gardner

1288
00:44:47,360 --> 00:44:49,920
did that, so we're good. Um,

1289
00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:51,440
any other questions before I call the

1290
00:44:51,440 --> 00:44:53,880
vote?

1291
00:44:53,880 --> 00:44:56,280
All right, seeing none. Uh, I'll call

1292
00:44:56,280 --> 00:44:59,360
for a vote on 2026-584

1293
00:44:59,360 --> 00:45:00,960
community connectivity grant in the

1294
00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:03,440
amount of 141,000

1295
00:45:03,440 --> 00:45:05,040
$791.

1296
00:45:05,040 --> 00:45:06,560
All those in favor, please say I.

1297
00:45:06,560 --> 00:45:09,080
>> I.

1298
00:45:09,080 --> 00:45:11,280
>> Is there anyone opposed?

1299
00:45:11,280 --> 00:45:13,120
Any abstentions?

1300
00:45:13,120 --> 00:45:14,880
All right, motion carries unanimously

1301
00:45:14,880 --> 00:45:16,880
3200. Thank you.

1302
00:45:16,880 --> 00:45:18,960
>> Thank you, Director Barry.

1303
00:45:18,960 --> 00:45:22,840
Next one on the list was 2026-672

1304
00:45:22,840 --> 00:45:24,680
the Deep River Conic Bridge Neighborhood

1305
00:45:24,680 --> 00:45:27,920
Resilience Hub Planning Project. Uh,

1306
00:45:27,920 --> 00:45:29,600
Representative Pulaski, could you read

1307
00:45:29,600 --> 00:45:33,950
that into the record for me, please?

1308
00:45:33,960 --> 00:45:36,000
» Resolution to enter into an agreement

1309
00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:37,400
with the Connecticut Department of

1310
00:45:37,400 --> 00:45:39,480
Energy and Environmental Protection

1311
00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:41,440
CTDEEP

1312
00:45:41,440 --> 00:45:43,560
to accept the Climate Resilience Fund

1313
00:45:43,560 --> 00:45:46,560
Grant. Resolved that the Groton Town

1314
00:45:46,560 --> 00:45:48,840
Council accepts the Climate Resilience

1315
00:45:48,840 --> 00:45:53,000
Fund Grant in the amount of 250,000,

1316
00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:56,640
enters into contracts with CTDEEP for

1317
00:45:56,640 --> 00:45:59,080
said grant, and refers the item to the

1318
00:45:59,080 --> 00:46:02,520
RTM per rule 6.5.3,

1319
00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:05,080
and be it further resolved, John Burt,

1320
00:46:05,080 --> 00:46:07,160
the town manager, is duly authorized to

1321
00:46:07,160 --> 00:46:10,640
enter into the and sign said contracts

1322
00:46:10,640 --> 00:46:13,080
on behalf of the town of Groton. John

1323
00:46:13,080 --> 00:46:15,120
Burt currently holds the title of town

1324
00:46:15,120 --> 00:46:17,560
manager and has held that office since

1325
00:46:17,560 --> 00:46:20,960
May 2017. The town manager is further

1326
00:46:20,960 --> 00:46:23,480
authorized to provide such additional

1327
00:46:23,480 --> 00:46:25,720
information, execute such other

1328
00:46:25,720 --> 00:46:28,880
documents as may be required by the

1329
00:46:28,880 --> 00:46:30,160
state or federal government in

1330
00:46:30,160 --> 00:46:32,440
connection with said contracts and to

1331
00:46:32,440 --> 00:46:34,960
execute execute any amendments,

1332
00:46:34,960 --> 00:46:37,960
rescissions, and revisions thereto. So

1333
00:46:37,960 --> 00:46:39,400
moved.

1334
00:46:39,400 --> 00:46:40,240
>> Second.

1335
00:46:40,240 --> 00:46:42,870
>> All right.

1336
00:46:42,880 --> 00:46:44,600
» Yeah, we got one revision, right?

1337
00:46:44,600 --> 00:46:48,400
>> Okay. Uh all right. Pulaski moved it.

1338
00:46:48,400 --> 00:46:51,640
Gardner M seconded it. I'm going to make

1339
00:46:51,640 --> 00:46:54,160
an an amendment to that motion to change

1340
00:46:54,160 --> 00:46:55,120
the

1341
00:46:55,120 --> 00:46:57,560
uh wording under be it further resolved

1342
00:46:57,560 --> 00:47:00,200
since instead of saying since May 2017,

1343
00:47:00,200 --> 00:47:04,320
it should say July 2017. So, that's the

1344
00:47:04,320 --> 00:47:05,440
typo.

1345
00:47:05,440 --> 00:47:06,880
Is that all right?

1346
00:47:06,880 --> 00:47:07,360
>> Yeah.

1347
00:47:07,360 --> 00:47:09,160
>> Okay. So, now we we can chit-chat. All

1348
00:47:09,160 --> 00:47:10,880
right, go ahead. Oh, did Wait, did

1349
00:47:10,880 --> 00:47:12,640
anybody second my amendment?

1350
00:47:12,640 --> 00:47:13,360
>> Second.

1351
00:47:13,360 --> 00:47:15,640
>> All right. Uh seconded by

1352
00:47:15,640 --> 00:47:17,840
Aubrey. Thank you. Okay, so now we have

1353
00:47:17,840 --> 00:47:20,480
the amended motion on the floor.

1354
00:47:20,480 --> 00:47:21,840
>> So, we talked about the different areas

1355
00:47:21,840 --> 00:47:23,360
of the resilient program. We talked

1356
00:47:23,360 --> 00:47:27,040
about uh funding for Fort Hill Homes, uh

1357
00:47:27,040 --> 00:47:28,960
the community center, urban heat

1358
00:47:28,960 --> 00:47:30,440
environment. There's different things

1359
00:47:30,440 --> 00:47:32,480
that went on with the discussion and

1360
00:47:32,480 --> 00:47:34,160
Director Reiner's here to

1361
00:47:34,160 --> 00:47:35,880
give us any further discussion on it.

1362
00:47:35,880 --> 00:47:38,000
>> Okay. I open up the floor if anybody has

1363
00:47:38,000 --> 00:47:40,560
any questions for Director Reiner.

1364
00:47:40,560 --> 00:47:42,200
Representative Weaver.

1365
00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:43,400
>> As with the others, I think it's

1366
00:47:43,400 --> 00:47:45,160
important because this is videotaped and

1367
00:47:45,160 --> 00:47:47,000
a lot of people can't be here. Could you

1368
00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:48,280
just give a brief overview of what the

1369
00:47:48,280 --> 00:47:49,360
funds will be used for?

1370
00:47:49,360 --> 00:47:50,600
>> Sure.

1371
00:47:50,600 --> 00:47:51,880
Thank you. John Reiner, Director of

1372
00:47:51,880 --> 00:47:53,920
Planning Development and Public Works.

1373
00:47:53,920 --> 00:47:55,720
So, this is a planning grant. It's a

1374
00:47:55,720 --> 00:47:58,040
$250,000 grant. There's no matching

1375
00:47:58,040 --> 00:48:00,120
funds required. And this will allow us

1376
00:48:00,120 --> 00:48:02,160
to look at how we can design our

1377
00:48:02,160 --> 00:48:03,840
community center, which we've already

1378
00:48:03,840 --> 00:48:06,680
put a number of CIP dollars into it that

1379
00:48:06,680 --> 00:48:10,160
we awarded in this current budget year

1380
00:48:10,160 --> 00:48:11,760
as a resilience hub. So that is

1381
00:48:11,760 --> 00:48:14,040
something that will allow us to look at

1382
00:48:14,040 --> 00:48:16,000
having a cooling station for people, a

1383
00:48:16,000 --> 00:48:18,400
heating station for different times when

1384
00:48:18,400 --> 00:48:20,600
climate might not work well for us,

1385
00:48:20,600 --> 00:48:23,400
having backup power there, as well as

1386
00:48:23,400 --> 00:48:26,200
also making that accessible indoors and

1387
00:48:26,200 --> 00:48:28,640
outdoors for people in the community.

1388
00:48:28,640 --> 00:48:29,760
Again, that's a center that we're

1389
00:48:29,760 --> 00:48:31,200
already putting a lot of focus into.

1390
00:48:31,200 --> 00:48:33,480
This was an item that was called out in

1391
00:48:33,480 --> 00:48:35,440
both our climate action plan as well as

1392
00:48:35,440 --> 00:48:36,640
in our plan of conservation and

1393
00:48:36,640 --> 00:48:39,520
development. And anytime that we look to

1394
00:48:39,520 --> 00:48:42,080
do these policies and plans, we do our

1395
00:48:42,080 --> 00:48:44,280
best to try to find grants to do that,

1396
00:48:44,280 --> 00:48:47,440
and that's what we did in this instance.

1397
00:48:47,440 --> 00:48:49,320
>> Follow question. I know we were looking

1398
00:48:49,320 --> 00:48:51,080
into something with the community center

1399
00:48:51,080 --> 00:48:52,600
and using a portion of that space in

1400
00:48:52,600 --> 00:48:55,200
something. A proposal went forward as

1401
00:48:55,200 --> 00:48:57,960
for us the cooling center or type thing

1402
00:48:57,960 --> 00:49:00,400
for our community. Has that been moved

1403
00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:02,160
in it is that being in consideration

1404
00:49:02,160 --> 00:49:03,760
with this as well? Cuz I had to put this

1405
00:49:03,760 --> 00:49:05,120
worry, you said that.

1406
00:49:05,120 --> 00:49:07,600
>> Yeah, so one of the

1407
00:49:07,600 --> 00:49:09,960
design portions of this is looking at

1408
00:49:09,960 --> 00:49:11,880
our community center as a heating and

1409
00:49:11,880 --> 00:49:12,800
cooling center.

1410
00:49:12,800 --> 00:49:14,040
>> Okay, thank you very much.

1411
00:49:14,040 --> 00:49:15,160
>> You're welcome.

1412
00:49:15,160 --> 00:49:16,680
>> All right, any other questions on the

1413
00:49:16,680 --> 00:49:22,590
main motion on the floor?

1414
00:49:22,600 --> 00:49:24,120
Very well.

1415
00:49:24,120 --> 00:49:27,520
Seeing none, I'll call for a vote on

1416
00:49:27,520 --> 00:49:30,640
item 2026-672

1417
00:49:30,640 --> 00:49:34,000
DEEP Pequannock Bridge Neighborhood

1418
00:49:34,000 --> 00:49:36,000
Resiliency Hub Planning Project in the

1419
00:49:36,000 --> 00:49:39,080
amount of $250,000.

1420
00:49:39,080 --> 00:49:40,840
All those in favor, please say aye.

1421
00:49:40,840 --> 00:49:43,120
>> Aye.

1422
00:49:43,120 --> 00:49:46,280
>> All those opposed, please say no.

1423
00:49:46,280 --> 00:49:48,480
Are there any abstentions?

1424
00:49:48,480 --> 00:49:50,640
Motion carries unanimously on the

1425
00:49:50,640 --> 00:49:53,120
amended figure on the uh the amended

1426
00:49:53,120 --> 00:49:54,080
motion on the floor.

1427
00:49:54,080 --> 00:49:54,960
>> Yes.

1428
00:49:54,960 --> 00:49:56,800
I just want to make sure I say that.

1429
00:49:56,800 --> 00:49:58,840
All right, great.

1430
00:49:58,840 --> 00:50:00,440
Continuing on, sir.

1431
00:50:00,440 --> 00:50:04,000
>> Uh uh 2026-673-2

1432
00:50:04,000 --> 00:50:06,840
reallocation of ARPA funds resolution.

1433
00:50:06,840 --> 00:50:08,440
Uh Representative Norman brought it

1434
00:50:08,440 --> 00:50:09,480
forward. I ask her to read the

1435
00:50:09,480 --> 00:50:17,150
resolution into the record, please.

1436
00:50:17,160 --> 00:50:23,120
» Resolution amending the allocation of American Rescue Act Plan Act funds

1437
00:50:23,120 --> 00:50:24,320
and establishing an automatic

1438
00:50:24,320 --> 00:50:26,400
contingency reallocation to the Sutton

1439
00:50:26,400 --> 00:50:29,800
Park revitalization project.

1440
00:50:29,800 --> 00:50:32,510
Um

1441
00:50:32,520 --> 00:50:34,480
Be it resolved that the Grafton Town

1442
00:50:34,480 --> 00:50:36,240
Council hereby approves the following

1443
00:50:36,240 --> 00:50:38,040
adjustments to the town's ARPA funding

1444
00:50:38,040 --> 00:50:41,800
structure and refers the same to the RTM

1445
00:50:41,800 --> 00:50:46,600
per rule 6.5.3 reallocation of $200,000.

1446
00:50:46,600 --> 00:50:49,120
The $200,000 ARPA allocation previously

1447
00:50:49,120 --> 00:50:50,960
designated for the housing

1448
00:50:50,960 --> 00:50:52,480
rehabilitation and home buyers

1449
00:50:52,480 --> 00:50:54,440
assistance program is hereby rescinded

1450
00:50:54,440 --> 00:50:56,880
and reallocated directly to the Sutton

1451
00:50:56,880 --> 00:50:59,200
Park revitalization project cover

1452
00:50:59,200 --> 00:51:02,080
documented bid overruns and automatic

1453
00:51:02,080 --> 00:51:04,160
contingency catchall. Any and all

1454
00:51:04,160 --> 00:51:06,520
additional excess ARPA funds returned to

1455
00:51:06,520 --> 00:51:09,280
the town from previously obligated

1456
00:51:09,280 --> 00:51:12,160
projects to December 31st, 2026 shall

1457
00:51:12,160 --> 00:51:14,080
automatically be reallocated to the

1458
00:51:14,080 --> 00:51:16,520
Sutton Park revitalization project for

1459
00:51:16,520 --> 00:51:18,080
upward cost adjustments without

1460
00:51:18,080 --> 00:51:20,640
requiring further council action. And

1461
00:51:20,640 --> 00:51:22,680
may it be further resolved that John

1462
00:51:22,680 --> 00:51:25,320
Burt in his capacity as town manager be

1463
00:51:25,320 --> 00:51:27,240
and hereby is authorized and directed to

1464
00:51:27,240 --> 00:51:29,160
execute on behalf of the town any

1465
00:51:29,160 --> 00:51:31,640
necessary administrative amendments,

1466
00:51:31,640 --> 00:51:33,880
interagency agreements, or documentation

1467
00:51:33,880 --> 00:51:35,760
required to confirm these updated ARPA

1468
00:51:35,760 --> 00:51:37,080
obligations.

1469
00:51:37,080 --> 00:51:39,760
>> That motion passed committee 6-0-0.

1470
00:51:39,760 --> 00:51:41,200
>> Can we just move that real quick?

1471
00:51:41,200 --> 00:51:42,280
>> So moved.

1472
00:51:42,280 --> 00:51:43,320
>> Second.

1473
00:51:43,320 --> 00:51:45,000
>> All right, motion was moved seconded by

1474
00:51:45,000 --> 00:51:47,400
Chase. Sounds good. All right. All

1475
00:51:47,400 --> 00:51:48,960
right, we can open it up.

1476
00:51:48,960 --> 00:51:50,640
So, we've talked about the insolution

1477
00:51:50,640 --> 00:51:51,680
insta-

1478
00:51:51,680 --> 00:51:53,480
installation of lights,

1479
00:51:53,480 --> 00:51:55,760
curving. We talked about

1480
00:51:55,760 --> 00:51:57,920
funding and over the you know, the money

1481
00:51:57,920 --> 00:51:59,680
over overage

1482
00:51:59,680 --> 00:52:01,600
that we had for the project. We

1483
00:52:01,600 --> 00:52:03,200
discussed you know, what's the use it or

1484
00:52:03,200 --> 00:52:05,120
lose it play that we return it or we use

1485
00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:06,320
it and this is

1486
00:52:06,320 --> 00:52:09,240
an allocated fund for the ARPA funding.

1487
00:52:09,240 --> 00:52:10,080
Rep-

1488
00:52:10,080 --> 00:52:11,800
Director Reiner is here for any other

1489
00:52:11,800 --> 00:52:13,560
questions.

1490
00:52:13,560 --> 00:52:15,480
Representative Weaver.

1491
00:52:15,480 --> 00:52:16,760
>> So,

1492
00:52:16,760 --> 00:52:18,141
thank you, moderator, and thank you.

1493
00:52:18,141 --> 00:52:19,200
[clears throat] Um

1494
00:52:19,200 --> 00:52:21,440
my obvious question is is because when

1495
00:52:21,440 --> 00:52:23,360
we do project planning as always and

1496
00:52:23,360 --> 00:52:25,280
various things over the years,

1497
00:52:25,280 --> 00:52:29,320
we come into these overruns. So, I guess

1498
00:52:29,320 --> 00:52:30,960
I would like to know like what the

1499
00:52:30,960 --> 00:52:33,640
actual project was initially bid for and

1500
00:52:33,640 --> 00:52:35,280
what was the cause of the overruns? Was

1501
00:52:35,280 --> 00:52:38,280
it materials, products, labor? And

1502
00:52:38,280 --> 00:52:39,960
although this is being taken away from

1503
00:52:39,960 --> 00:52:42,520
home buyers program, which we're having

1504
00:52:42,520 --> 00:52:44,480
all this growth in Groton, which is

1505
00:52:44,480 --> 00:52:47,000
going to inhibit people who aren't aware

1506
00:52:47,000 --> 00:52:49,200
of how to do that and to come here. So,

1507
00:52:49,200 --> 00:52:52,480
we're kind of inhibiting growth in one

1508
00:52:52,480 --> 00:52:55,200
area to pay for overruns of a project

1509
00:52:55,200 --> 00:52:57,800
that was perhaps bid on appropriately in

1510
00:52:57,800 --> 00:52:59,720
the first place to the tune of almost a

1511
00:52:59,720 --> 00:53:00,920
quarter of a million dollars. Can you

1512
00:53:00,920 --> 00:53:03,640
please explain how that happened?

1513
00:53:03,640 --> 00:53:05,480
>> Sure. So, all of our projects are bid

1514
00:53:05,480 --> 00:53:07,120
appropriately. Um

1515
00:53:07,120 --> 00:53:08,440
>> Well, I meant competitively. Sorry.

1516
00:53:08,440 --> 00:53:11,680
>> It was bid very competitively and we are

1517
00:53:11,680 --> 00:53:13,520
seeing this on basically every project

1518
00:53:13,520 --> 00:53:15,200
that we bid now. We do estimates, we

1519
00:53:15,200 --> 00:53:16,600
work with architects, we work with our

1520
00:53:16,600 --> 00:53:18,640
design engineers, with our team and

1521
00:53:18,640 --> 00:53:20,840
projects are consistently coming in

1522
00:53:20,840 --> 00:53:22,720
significantly over what the estimated

1523
00:53:22,720 --> 00:53:24,560
cost is because there's a shortage in

1524
00:53:24,560 --> 00:53:26,920
construction, materials, labor,

1525
00:53:26,920 --> 00:53:28,640
everything you mentioned, it's it's

1526
00:53:28,640 --> 00:53:30,480
higher than we expect and what the

1527
00:53:30,480 --> 00:53:32,680
previous cost was. I mean, we're seeing

1528
00:53:32,680 --> 00:53:34,320
houses in neighborhoods sell for a lot

1529
00:53:34,320 --> 00:53:35,600
more money than any of us think that

1530
00:53:35,600 --> 00:53:37,560
they're worth. So, um unfortunately,

1531
00:53:37,560 --> 00:53:38,800
there's not a lot we can do about the

1532
00:53:38,800 --> 00:53:40,920
cost overruns that we have. We would

1533
00:53:40,920 --> 00:53:43,240
love to spend this money on the housing

1534
00:53:43,240 --> 00:53:45,560
program that we initially

1535
00:53:45,560 --> 00:53:48,120
wanted to. The problem is we cannot find

1536
00:53:48,120 --> 00:53:49,480
the consultants and the people to

1537
00:53:49,480 --> 00:53:52,000
actually help us process those and spend

1538
00:53:52,000 --> 00:53:53,880
that money. So, this is either a use it

1539
00:53:53,880 --> 00:53:55,360
or lose it and if we don't spend this

1540
00:53:55,360 --> 00:53:58,440
money by December 31st of 2026, we lose

1541
00:53:58,440 --> 00:54:00,480
it. The federal government made some

1542
00:54:00,480 --> 00:54:03,160
changes to how we can spend ARPA money,

1543
00:54:03,160 --> 00:54:05,040
which this falls under, and said the

1544
00:54:05,040 --> 00:54:06,720
excess money we can't start a new

1545
00:54:06,720 --> 00:54:08,760
project. We can only take that extra

1546
00:54:08,760 --> 00:54:11,680
money now and reallocate it to a project

1547
00:54:11,680 --> 00:54:14,760
that was bid previously and had money

1548
00:54:14,760 --> 00:54:17,760
allocated to it prior to December 31st,

1549
00:54:17,760 --> 00:54:20,600
2024 that had cost overruns. And the

1550
00:54:20,600 --> 00:54:22,920
only eligible project that we had under

1551
00:54:22,920 --> 00:54:26,320
that was Sutton Park. So, for example,

1552
00:54:26,320 --> 00:54:28,160
Representative Powers who brought it up

1553
00:54:28,160 --> 00:54:30,680
in the bid that we received for Sutton

1554
00:54:30,680 --> 00:54:33,120
Park, we received a bid that included

1555
00:54:33,120 --> 00:54:34,840
the cost of buying the lights, but they

1556
00:54:34,840 --> 00:54:37,640
left out the cost the $200,000 cost of

1557
00:54:37,640 --> 00:54:39,320
installing the lights. So, that's

1558
00:54:39,320 --> 00:54:40,640
something that we will be able to do

1559
00:54:40,640 --> 00:54:42,600
with this, as well as additional things

1560
00:54:42,600 --> 00:54:43,552
like curbing, [clears throat]

1561
00:54:43,552 --> 00:54:43,640
>> [snorts]

1562
00:54:43,640 --> 00:54:45,440
>> some sidewalks, and other improvements

1563
00:54:45,440 --> 00:54:47,600
that we had to cut out of the bid in

1564
00:54:47,600 --> 00:54:49,200
order to get it to the budgeted amount

1565
00:54:49,200 --> 00:54:51,120
that we had. So, we will be able to put

1566
00:54:51,120 --> 00:54:53,480
things back in that we had to cut out of

1567
00:54:53,480 --> 00:54:55,200
the project so we can get those things

1568
00:54:55,200 --> 00:54:56,080
done.

1569
00:54:56,080 --> 00:54:57,480
>> That's very informative and it makes

1570
00:54:57,480 --> 00:54:58,960
complete logical sense why you made the

1571
00:54:58,960 --> 00:55:01,080
decisions. So, lastly, because I'm sure

1572
00:55:01,080 --> 00:55:02,520
all of the people that want to utilize

1573
00:55:02,520 --> 00:55:04,840
Sutton Park have these cost overruns

1574
00:55:04,840 --> 00:55:06,200
changed the end date and the

1575
00:55:06,200 --> 00:55:07,920
reoccupancy, do you have a scheduled

1576
00:55:07,920 --> 00:55:09,360
date when it'll be available back to our

1577
00:55:09,360 --> 00:55:10,360
public?

1578
00:55:10,360 --> 00:55:13,320
>> Um I believe uh too bad Mark Berry left.

1579
00:55:13,320 --> 00:55:15,240
Um I believe right now we're shooting

1580
00:55:15,240 --> 00:55:18,760
for it's going to be late spring of '27,

1581
00:55:18,760 --> 00:55:20,760
early summer '27.

1582
00:55:20,760 --> 00:55:21,560
>> Thank you very much.

1583
00:55:21,560 --> 00:55:23,520
>> You're welcome.

1584
00:55:23,520 --> 00:55:25,520
>> Great. Any other questions on the main

1585
00:55:25,520 --> 00:55:28,470
motion on the floor?

1586
00:55:28,480 --> 00:55:30,960
» Moderator, we have 30 in attendance.

1587
00:55:30,960 --> 00:55:32,440
>> Yes. Yeah, uh

1588
00:55:32,440 --> 00:55:34,160
Representative Zizalka informed me he'd

1589
00:55:34,160 --> 00:55:36,040
be leaving so we're at 31.

1590
00:55:36,040 --> 00:55:37,200
>> Um

1591
00:55:37,200 --> 00:55:39,080
we're at 29 then.

1592
00:55:39,080 --> 00:55:39,880
>> What what happened?

1593
00:55:39,880 --> 00:55:42,600
>> We lost um

1594
00:55:42,600 --> 00:55:44,240
Baxton and um Red

1595
00:55:44,240 --> 00:55:44,920
>> Oh boy.

1596
00:55:44,920 --> 00:55:46,920
>> Sizolka, so we're at

1597
00:55:46,920 --> 00:55:47,680
29.

1598
00:55:47,680 --> 00:55:49,280
>> Who who else did we lose?

1599
00:55:49,280 --> 00:55:49,600
>> Um

1600
00:55:49,600 --> 00:55:51,720
>> Baxton, oh and Ambrechts, okay. I

1601
00:55:51,720 --> 00:55:53,520
apologize.

1602
00:55:53,520 --> 00:55:56,040
All right, let me get that number right.

1603
00:55:56,040 --> 00:55:58,880
We're at 29.

1604
00:55:58,880 --> 00:56:00,440
Ambrechts

1605
00:56:00,440 --> 00:56:05,320
and Baxton, 29, okay. Thank you.

1606
00:56:05,320 --> 00:56:06,440
All right,

1607
00:56:06,440 --> 00:56:08,120
uh seeing no hands, we're going to call

1608
00:56:08,120 --> 00:56:11,720
for a vote on 2026-673

1609
00:56:11,720 --> 00:56:15,160
reallocation of ARPA funds resolution

1610
00:56:15,160 --> 00:56:20,200
and that's in the amount of $200,000.

1611
00:56:20,200 --> 00:56:22,080
All those in favor, please say aye.

1612
00:56:22,080 --> 00:56:24,520
>> Aye.

1613
00:56:24,520 --> 00:56:28,320
>> All those opposed, please say no.

1614
00:56:28,320 --> 00:56:30,400
Are there any abstentions? All right,

1615
00:56:30,400 --> 00:56:34,070
motion carries 29-0-0.

1616
00:56:34,080 --> 00:56:34,560
Okay.

1617
00:56:34,560 --> 00:56:36,360
>> Okay. The last but not least.

1618
00:56:36,360 --> 00:56:37,440
>> Last one.

1619
00:56:37,440 --> 00:56:39,920
>> 2026-612-2,

1620
00:56:39,920 --> 00:56:42,120
the Groton Heights property transfer

1621
00:56:42,120 --> 00:56:43,680
agreement with the Bill Memorial

1622
00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:46,080
Library. I'd ask Representative Chase to

1623
00:56:46,080 --> 00:56:47,520
read into the record the resolution,

1624
00:56:47,520 --> 00:56:48,400
please.

1625
00:56:48,400 --> 00:56:50,240
>> Thank you. Resolution authorizing

1626
00:56:50,240 --> 00:56:51,960
property transfer agreement with Bill

1627
00:56:51,960 --> 00:56:53,800
Memorial Library.

1628
00:56:53,800 --> 00:56:56,160
Uh res- be it resolved that the town

1629
00:56:56,160 --> 00:56:58,040
approves the boundary line and easement

1630
00:56:58,040 --> 00:56:59,840
agreement with the Bill Memorial Library

1631
00:56:59,840 --> 00:57:01,720
and authorizes the town manager to make

1632
00:57:01,720 --> 00:57:05,040
minor non-substantive revisions

1633
00:57:05,040 --> 00:57:07,480
and execute all documents necessary to

1634
00:57:07,480 --> 00:57:09,600
effectuate the property transfer and

1635
00:57:09,600 --> 00:57:11,880
related easements and be it further

1636
00:57:11,880 --> 00:57:14,280
resolved, acceptance and transfer of the

1637
00:57:14,280 --> 00:57:16,320
property from and to the Bill Memorial

1638
00:57:16,320 --> 00:57:18,720
Library and to the easements

1639
00:57:18,720 --> 00:57:20,960
uh and the easements to the state of

1640
00:57:20,960 --> 00:57:22,840
Connecticut is referred to the

1641
00:57:22,840 --> 00:57:25,320
representative town meeting pursuant to

1642
00:57:25,320 --> 00:57:27,720
rule 6.5.3. I so move.

1643
00:57:27,720 --> 00:57:28,840
>> Second.

1644
00:57:28,840 --> 00:57:31,360
>> All right, uh moved by Chase, seconded

1645
00:57:31,360 --> 00:57:35,280
by Adams for the motion on the floor for

1646
00:57:35,280 --> 00:57:39,350
2026-612.

1647
00:57:39,360 --> 00:57:41,200
» Uh basically the committee asked a few

1648
00:57:41,200 --> 00:57:43,280
questions. It passed 6 to 0 and nothing

1649
00:57:43,280 --> 00:57:46,520
to 0. And was more about the land swap

1650
00:57:46,520 --> 00:57:47,000
and the

1651
00:57:47,000 --> 00:57:47,520
>> Yes.

1652
00:57:47,520 --> 00:57:49,520
>> I actually have a diagram and a drawing

1653
00:57:49,520 --> 00:57:49,880
that

1654
00:57:49,880 --> 00:57:52,280
>> Yep. And I know we spoke of this several

1655
00:57:52,280 --> 00:57:54,360
times over the past few years. There was

1656
00:57:54,360 --> 00:57:55,160
a

1657
00:57:55,160 --> 00:57:56,280
In order to

1658
00:57:56,280 --> 00:57:58,000
I'll leave it over to town manager Bert

1659
00:57:58,000 --> 00:57:59,760
to give the little bit of description

1660
00:57:59,760 --> 00:58:04,670
here.

1661
00:58:04,680 --> 00:58:06,800
Up there. There we go.

1662
00:58:06,800 --> 00:58:09,120
>> Okay. Just familiarizing you with where

1663
00:58:09,120 --> 00:58:11,160
we're at. We're of course uh

1664
00:58:11,160 --> 00:58:13,040
You see at the lower part of that aerial

1665
00:58:13,040 --> 00:58:16,400
photo where the uh monument is.

1666
00:58:16,400 --> 00:58:18,200
Just north of that you see Groton

1667
00:58:18,200 --> 00:58:22,360
Heights and that long sidewalk heading

1668
00:58:22,360 --> 00:58:23,560
west there.

1669
00:58:23,560 --> 00:58:25,360
So everything

1670
00:58:25,360 --> 00:58:26,880
if you can see it, everything within

1671
00:58:26,880 --> 00:58:29,160
this yellow box, this parcel is all part

1672
00:58:29,160 --> 00:58:31,400
of the Groton Heights parcel.

1673
00:58:31,400 --> 00:58:33,800
This is owned by Bill Memorial Library

1674
00:58:33,800 --> 00:58:35,920
including this offshoot here. Now this

1675
00:58:35,920 --> 00:58:37,640
has been leased this section right here

1676
00:58:37,640 --> 00:58:39,200
has been leased to the town since I

1677
00:58:39,200 --> 00:58:41,040
believe 1992.

1678
00:58:41,040 --> 00:58:42,840
Uh

1679
00:58:42,840 --> 00:58:44,000
For several years the town has been

1680
00:58:44,000 --> 00:58:45,560
working with Bill Memorial Library.

1681
00:58:45,560 --> 00:58:47,360
They're interested in swapping this

1682
00:58:47,360 --> 00:58:50,440
piece here to the west of Groton Heights

1683
00:58:50,440 --> 00:58:52,720
for this piece here for the north which

1684
00:58:52,720 --> 00:58:53,800
when you look at it looks like it's

1685
00:58:53,800 --> 00:58:55,560
already part of the Groton Heights

1686
00:58:55,560 --> 00:58:57,040
property cuz we've leased it for so

1687
00:58:57,040 --> 00:58:58,440
long.

1688
00:58:58,440 --> 00:59:00,120
With the Bill Memorial Library and this

1689
00:59:00,120 --> 00:59:02,600
is a This is 0.52 acres down here and

1690
00:59:02,600 --> 00:59:05,200
this is 0.41 acres up there. It'd be an

1691
00:59:05,200 --> 00:59:08,360
even swap. Uh the Bill Memorial Library

1692
00:59:08,360 --> 00:59:10,840
has a grant and opera grants to do an

1693
00:59:10,840 --> 00:59:12,920
outdoor education space. They want to do

1694
00:59:12,920 --> 00:59:14,800
some landscaping here, make sure no

1695
00:59:14,800 --> 00:59:16,760
development happens between the library

1696
00:59:16,760 --> 00:59:21,960
and the monument, and do some outdoor uh education space.

1697
00:59:21,960 --> 00:59:23,720
So what we're looking for is approval

1698
00:59:23,720 --> 00:59:25,720
just to accept uh

1699
00:59:25,720 --> 00:59:29,560
the this property to the town.

1700
00:59:29,560 --> 00:59:31,400
>> And then give them the other piece.

1701
00:59:31,400 --> 00:59:33,760
>> Yes. The that's that's not part of this

1702
00:59:33,760 --> 00:59:36,120
piece. I mean, it is, but the approval

1703
00:59:36,120 --> 00:59:37,640
is only for the

1704
00:59:37,640 --> 00:59:39,000
>> It's only for that piece.

1705
00:59:39,000 --> 00:59:40,520
>> already been approved for the lower

1706
00:59:40,520 --> 00:59:40,880
piece.

1707
00:59:40,880 --> 00:59:42,960
>> Would we have to do another one, uh,

1708
00:59:42,960 --> 00:59:45,120
eventually for that other piece?

1709
00:59:45,120 --> 00:59:45,600
>> No.

1710
00:59:45,600 --> 00:59:46,560
>> Okay.

1711
00:59:46,560 --> 00:59:47,680
>> It's just an easement.

1712
00:59:47,680 --> 00:59:49,080
Okay.

1713
00:59:49,080 --> 00:59:51,840
>> No, not we're we're swapping. We had

1714
00:59:51,840 --> 00:59:53,720
already had previous approval to sell

1715
00:59:53,720 --> 00:59:55,000
the property, but [clears throat] we

1716
00:59:55,000 --> 00:59:56,840
have to have approval to accept any

1717
00:59:56,840 --> 00:59:59,360
property over 10,000 in value. So, the

1718
00:59:59,360 --> 01:00:01,160
that north piece is assumed to be over

1719
01:00:01,160 --> 01:00:02,000
10,000.

1720
01:00:02,000 --> 01:00:04,080
>> Understood. And that's all part of

1721
01:00:04,080 --> 01:00:09,091
that's all charter.

1722
01:00:09,091 --> 01:00:09,440
>> [clears throat]

1723
01:00:09,440 --> 01:00:13,590
>> Yes, for the charter.

1724
01:00:13,600 --> 01:00:15,720
» Don't mind me.

1725
01:00:15,720 --> 01:00:17,040
All right.

1726
01:00:17,040 --> 01:00:19,320
Any other questions? Main motion on the

1727
01:00:19,320 --> 01:00:21,320
floor, Representative Weaver.

1728
01:00:21,320 --> 01:00:23,120
>> So, a simple question. Since it's a land

1729
01:00:23,120 --> 01:00:25,080
swap and it's only like a matter of an

1730
01:00:25,080 --> 01:00:27,320
acre, so it won't really change taxes or

1731
01:00:27,320 --> 01:00:28,680
assessments that much.

1732
01:00:28,680 --> 01:00:30,160
>> Well, neither of them are taxed right

1733
01:00:30,160 --> 01:00:30,560
now.

1734
01:00:30,560 --> 01:00:31,080
>> Oh, they're not?

1735
01:00:31,080 --> 01:00:31,480
>> No.

1736
01:00:31,480 --> 01:00:33,120
>> Oh, okay.

1737
01:00:33,120 --> 01:00:33,880
Thank you.

1738
01:00:33,880 --> 01:00:35,680
>> All right. Any other questions? Main

1739
01:00:35,680 --> 01:00:37,360
motion? I have, uh, Representative

1740
01:00:37,360 --> 01:00:38,760
Watson.

1741
01:00:38,760 --> 01:00:40,040
>> Yeah, yeah.

1742
01:00:40,040 --> 01:00:43,600
uh I I seem to recall years ago

1743
01:00:43,600 --> 01:00:50,600
there was a uh a paper road through Groton Heights property. Is that

1744
01:00:50,600 --> 01:00:53,360
still part of on the deed or whatever?

1745
01:00:53,360 --> 01:00:53,960
>> Yeah.

1746
01:00:53,960 --> 01:00:58,110
>> Kind of between

1747
01:00:58,120 --> 01:00:58,720
» Yeah.

1748
01:00:58,720 --> 01:01:00,960
>> It was It was on the Groton Heights

1749
01:01:00,960 --> 01:01:03,160
property about where the line ends up

1750
01:01:03,160 --> 01:01:06,040
where that piece we leased forever. I

1751
01:01:06,040 --> 01:01:07,440
think seem to seem to remember there was

1752
01:01:07,440 --> 01:01:08,880
some kind of

1753
01:01:08,880 --> 01:01:11,800
uh, paper driveway or something there

1754
01:01:11,800 --> 01:01:13,600
that was in the in the deed. Is that

1755
01:01:13,600 --> 01:01:15,640
still going to stay there?

1756
01:01:15,640 --> 01:01:17,960
>> There There is a paper driveway all the

1757
01:01:17,960 --> 01:01:19,680
way across from Bill Memorial Library.

1758
01:01:19,680 --> 01:01:22,240
It's approximately where that drive into

1759
01:01:22,240 --> 01:01:23,760
Bill Memorial is

1760
01:01:23,760 --> 01:01:25,920
and it goes across um

1761
01:01:25,920 --> 01:01:28,600
I anticipate at some point uh

1762
01:01:28,600 --> 01:01:32,320
removing the paper street.

1763
01:01:32,320 --> 01:01:33,920
>> Okay, that would that's my question

1764
01:01:33,920 --> 01:01:35,160
because that would be in

1765
01:01:35,160 --> 01:01:36,600
>> it's not needed right now, but it is in

1766
01:01:36,600 --> 01:01:38,480
progress.

1767
01:01:38,480 --> 01:01:41,480
>> Okay, thank you very much.

1768
01:01:41,480 --> 01:01:43,880
>> Yes, Representative Massett.

1769
01:01:43,880 --> 01:01:44,880
>> I

1770
01:01:44,880 --> 01:01:47,760
Oh, excuse me. I will be abstaining from

1771
01:01:47,760 --> 01:01:50,880
this vote. I sit on the board of Bill

1772
01:01:50,880 --> 01:01:52,360
Memorial.

1773
01:01:52,360 --> 01:01:54,480
>> Thank you for declaring that.

1774
01:01:54,480 --> 01:01:56,040
Any other questions about the main

1775
01:01:56,040 --> 01:01:59,830
motion on the floor?

1776
01:01:59,840 --> 01:02:01,200
Very well, seeing none, I'll call for a

1777
01:02:01,200 --> 01:02:03,840
vote on 2026-612

1778
01:02:03,840 --> 01:02:05,160
Groton Heights property transfer

1779
01:02:05,160 --> 01:02:07,600
agreement with Bill Memorial Library.

1780
01:02:07,600 --> 01:02:09,480
All those in favor, please say I.

1781
01:02:09,480 --> 01:02:12,430
>> I.

1782
01:02:12,440 --> 01:02:15,080
» All those opposed, please say no.

1783
01:02:15,080 --> 01:02:18,200
And one abstention, Massett.

1784
01:02:18,200 --> 01:02:18,800
>> Yes.

1785
01:02:18,800 --> 01:02:20,360
>> All right, so that motion carries

1786
01:02:20,360 --> 01:02:22,680
28-0-1.

1787
01:02:22,680 --> 01:02:24,840
Thank you. I'll just need a motion to

1788
01:02:24,840 --> 01:02:25,960
approve the minutes, please.

1789
01:02:25,960 --> 01:02:30,000
>> Yeah, we we adjourned at 6:25 and uh

1790
01:02:30,000 --> 01:02:32,960
Representative Norman O'Flaherty

1791
01:02:32,960 --> 01:02:34,440
make a motion to accept our minutes to

1792
01:02:34,440 --> 01:02:35,600
the meeting, please.

1793
01:02:35,600 --> 01:02:36,360
>> Second.

1794
01:02:36,360 --> 01:02:38,040
>> All right, motion was moved by Powers as

1795
01:02:38,040 --> 01:02:39,440
seconded by Weaver to approve the

1796
01:02:39,440 --> 01:02:41,440
minutes from the Finance Committee from

1797
01:02:41,440 --> 01:02:44,480
this evening. All um any questions?

1798
01:02:44,480 --> 01:02:46,080
All those in favor, please say I.

1799
01:02:46,080 --> 01:02:47,440
>> I.

1800
01:02:47,440 --> 01:02:49,760
>> Any opposed, please say no.

1801
01:02:49,760 --> 01:02:51,480
Any abstentions?

1802
01:02:51,480 --> 01:02:52,800
All right, motion carries unanimously

1803
01:02:52,800 --> 01:02:55,360
29-0-0. Thank you, Director Rynder, for

1804
01:02:55,360 --> 01:02:57,200
uh coming on down this evening.

1805
01:02:57,200 --> 01:02:58,720
All right, are there any other committee

1806
01:02:58,720 --> 01:03:01,640
reports?

1807
01:03:01,640 --> 01:03:04,520
Um again, this is this is August and I'm

1808
01:03:04,520 --> 01:03:06,680
just throwing this out to our um

1809
01:03:06,680 --> 01:03:08,080
our folks in Community Development and

1810
01:03:08,080 --> 01:03:09,520
Services. We still have that active

1811
01:03:09,520 --> 01:03:12,440
referral related to uh finding a student

1812
01:03:12,440 --> 01:03:15,040
liaison, so uh just keep it on your

1813
01:03:15,040 --> 01:03:16,960
radar that school is almost starting. I

1814
01:03:16,960 --> 01:03:19,160
don't want to say that out loud or else

1815
01:03:19,160 --> 01:03:22,000
it'll, you know, happen too quickly, but

1816
01:03:22,000 --> 01:03:24,480
if if you guys can think about meeting

1817
01:03:24,480 --> 01:03:25,800
or speaking and reaching out. Do you

1818
01:03:25,800 --> 01:03:26,840
have any updates on

1819
01:03:26,840 --> 01:03:28,320
>> Yeah, just a quick one. I

1820
01:03:28,320 --> 01:03:29,160
um

1821
01:03:29,160 --> 01:03:30,640
we had a phone call to the

1822
01:03:30,640 --> 01:03:33,160
superintendent um

1823
01:03:33,160 --> 01:03:35,720
today and she's been so busy, so we will

1824
01:03:35,720 --> 01:03:38,320
be meeting soon when the school starts.

1825
01:03:38,320 --> 01:03:39,640
>> Great. Thank you.

1826
01:03:39,640 --> 01:03:41,160
All right. Just want to keep it on the

1827
01:03:41,160 --> 01:03:43,840
radar so we can find somebody

1828
01:03:43,840 --> 01:03:45,680
fresh and ready to go for the school

1829
01:03:45,680 --> 01:03:48,360
year. Add more on their plate, right?

1830
01:03:48,360 --> 01:03:49,280
Okay.

1831
01:03:49,280 --> 01:03:51,480
Uh any other committee reports or

1832
01:03:51,480 --> 01:03:53,320
referrals? All right. I don't see any.

1833
01:03:53,320 --> 01:03:55,160
Liaison reports. Do we have any liaison

1834
01:03:55,160 --> 01:03:56,840
reports?

1835
01:03:56,840 --> 01:03:58,920
Nothing. All right.

1836
01:03:58,920 --> 01:04:01,160
Any budget discussion? Item K, budget

1837
01:04:01,160 --> 01:04:04,350
discussion.

1838
01:04:04,360 --> 01:04:06,320
Yes, Representative Aubrey. Just grab

1839
01:04:06,320 --> 01:04:07,360
the microphone if you don't mind,

1840
01:04:07,360 --> 01:04:13,630
please.

1841
01:04:13,640 --> 01:04:15,800
» Uh I just wanted to mention that uh for

1842
01:04:15,800 --> 01:04:16,880
your

1843
01:04:16,880 --> 01:04:18,920
for the town's night out

1844
01:04:18,920 --> 01:04:21,520
uh we we got the beautification

1845
01:04:21,520 --> 01:04:24,480
committee got a call from the recreation

1846
01:04:24,480 --> 01:04:26,240
director, Mr. Barry, who was here

1847
01:04:26,240 --> 01:04:27,440
tonight.

1848
01:04:27,440 --> 01:04:30,360
And uh as you enter

1849
01:04:30,360 --> 01:04:31,800
the park where they were having

1850
01:04:31,800 --> 01:04:34,560
everything, it looked pretty bad and a

1851
01:04:34,560 --> 01:04:37,000
bunch of us got down there from the

1852
01:04:37,000 --> 01:04:39,480
beautification meeting and committee and

1853
01:04:39,480 --> 01:04:41,800
got it cleaned up. So,

1854
01:04:41,800 --> 01:04:43,000
working together.

1855
01:04:43,000 --> 01:04:45,560
>> Thank you. And thank you to you and the

1856
01:04:45,560 --> 01:04:47,200
other folks that went out there and and

1857
01:04:47,200 --> 01:04:49,800
cleaned that up in preparation for

1858
01:04:49,800 --> 01:04:51,360
that night out. Um

1859
01:04:51,360 --> 01:04:53,680
>> There was nothing to say about anything

1860
01:04:53,680 --> 01:04:53,920
that was

1861
01:04:53,920 --> 01:04:55,400
>> got to You just got to rip those weeds

1862
01:04:55,400 --> 01:04:56,880
on out. Just pull them out, roots and

1863
01:04:56,880 --> 01:04:59,320
all. Root to stem, okay? Um

1864
01:04:59,320 --> 01:05:01,240
one other thing and I know one of our

1865
01:05:01,240 --> 01:05:04,440
former members of the RTM is now a town

1866
01:05:04,440 --> 01:05:05,560
councilor.

1867
01:05:05,560 --> 01:05:08,040
Good, he brought it up. There is a need

1868
01:05:08,040 --> 01:05:10,440
throughout this town for folks to help

1869
01:05:10,440 --> 01:05:12,680
clean up certain areas of town. We're

1870
01:05:12,680 --> 01:05:15,000
all from seven different districts.

1871
01:05:15,000 --> 01:05:17,280
I am willing to help out anybody in any

1872
01:05:17,280 --> 01:05:18,680
district

1873
01:05:18,680 --> 01:05:20,360
pulling out weeds, digging a hole,

1874
01:05:20,360 --> 01:05:23,640
putting a plant in, watering it up. Um

1875
01:05:23,640 --> 01:05:25,800
if if you know of an area that is in

1876
01:05:25,800 --> 01:05:28,120
distress that needs some assistance,

1877
01:05:28,120 --> 01:05:31,240
send an email to me or the town manager

1878
01:05:31,240 --> 01:05:33,000
or the town clerk and we'll we'll work

1879
01:05:33,000 --> 01:05:34,760
on trying to get a group of folks. It

1880
01:05:34,760 --> 01:05:39,840
usually only takes about an hour and a half tops to to get like some

1881
01:05:39,840 --> 01:05:42,000
real good work if you had

1882
01:05:42,000 --> 01:05:46,160
a good amount of hands to do it. Um and

1883
01:05:46,160 --> 01:05:47,400
I I I

1884
01:05:47,400 --> 01:05:49,240
hope that we could all get together and

1885
01:05:49,240 --> 01:05:51,560
just kind of keep adding to the the

1886
01:05:51,560 --> 01:05:54,080
beautiful Groton that we have here. Um

1887
01:05:54,080 --> 01:05:56,760
there's a lot of adopted areas that

1888
01:05:56,760 --> 01:05:58,400
we've taken on whether it's Town Hall

1889
01:05:58,400 --> 01:05:59,520
Annex

1890
01:05:59,520 --> 01:06:02,560
um down near Poquonnock Plains Park, the

1891
01:06:02,560 --> 01:06:05,320
police station um even at

1892
01:06:05,320 --> 01:06:07,520
the Town Hall so we can all get together

1893
01:06:07,520 --> 01:06:09,360
and just do that.

1894
01:06:09,360 --> 01:06:10,920
Yes.

1895
01:06:10,920 --> 01:06:12,720
>> Jeez, I should never stop cuz then I

1896
01:06:12,720 --> 01:06:13,960
forget.

1897
01:06:13,960 --> 01:06:15,440
>> I should have just kept rambling, huh?

1898
01:06:15,440 --> 01:06:19,720
>> Yeah. I'm going remember, remember, Yeah, forget it.

1899
01:06:19,720 --> 01:06:21,320
>> I [laughter] apologize. I

1900
01:06:21,320 --> 01:06:23,280
stole your thunder right there.

1901
01:06:23,280 --> 01:06:24,240
All right. Well, you could you could

1902
01:06:24,240 --> 01:06:25,880
talk if it comes up in other business

1903
01:06:25,880 --> 01:06:27,640
right now, we can talk about it there. I

1904
01:06:27,640 --> 01:06:29,040
mean unless there's some other budget

1905
01:06:29,040 --> 01:06:30,560
discussion. Was there any other budget

1906
01:06:30,560 --> 01:06:31,760
discussion?

1907
01:06:31,760 --> 01:06:32,520
Bef-

1908
01:06:32,520 --> 01:06:33,960
Was there budget discussion or can we

1909
01:06:33,960 --> 01:06:35,760
move it to other business,

1910
01:06:35,760 --> 01:06:37,200
Representative Chase?

1911
01:06:37,200 --> 01:06:38,400
>> I have a

1912
01:06:38,400 --> 01:06:40,880
liaison report for the Town Council.

1913
01:06:40,880 --> 01:06:41,960
>> Oh.

1914
01:06:41,960 --> 01:06:42,800
All right.

1915
01:06:42,800 --> 01:06:44,760
Well, we kind of we kind of buzzed right

1916
01:06:44,760 --> 01:06:46,040
through there. So, let's let's wait

1917
01:06:46,040 --> 01:06:47,360
until other business and then we'll go

1918
01:06:47,360 --> 01:06:49,120
for it.

1919
01:06:49,120 --> 01:06:51,280
Representative Chase, we're at other

1920
01:06:51,280 --> 01:06:53,886
business now. So, you can go for it.

1921
01:06:53,886 --> 01:06:55,560
>> [laughter]

1922
01:06:55,560 --> 01:06:57,920
>> I didn't make you wait that long.

1923
01:06:57,920 --> 01:07:00,000
Okay.

1924
01:07:00,000 --> 01:07:00,880
Thank you.

1925
01:07:00,880 --> 01:07:03,400
>> The Town Council met on August 4th and

1926
01:07:03,400 --> 01:07:05,280
they had a lot of stuff on their agenda

1927
01:07:05,280 --> 01:07:08,280
this week. It was um, miscellaneous

1928
01:07:08,280 --> 01:07:10,120
I mean last week sorry, miscellaneous

1929
01:07:10,120 --> 01:07:12,120
regional committee appointments LL HD

1930
01:07:12,120 --> 01:07:15,360
and aquarium regional water district RPB

1931
01:07:15,360 --> 01:07:18,200
resolution Harbor Management Commission

1932
01:07:18,200 --> 01:07:19,840
reappointments.

1933
01:07:19,840 --> 01:07:23,160
Committee connectivity grant T-Mobile

1934
01:07:23,160 --> 01:07:26,080
hometown grant BOE USDA farm to school

1935
01:07:26,080 --> 01:07:28,680
implementation grant BOE Department of

1936
01:07:28,680 --> 01:07:30,760
Emergency Services and Public Protection

1937
01:07:30,760 --> 01:07:32,360
grant BOE

1938
01:07:32,360 --> 01:07:35,360
USWA collective bargaining agreement new

1939
01:07:35,360 --> 01:07:38,560
lead talk telecommunicator job

1940
01:07:38,560 --> 01:07:40,920
description golf professional job

1941
01:07:40,920 --> 01:07:44,440
description updates non-union wage range

1942
01:07:44,440 --> 01:07:48,400
updated CDBG program income reuse plan

1943
01:07:48,400 --> 01:07:52,680
2026 CDBG small cities grant climate

1944
01:07:52,680 --> 01:07:54,960
action plan endorsement grant Knights

1945
01:07:54,960 --> 01:07:56,760
property transfer agreement with Byram

1946
01:07:56,760 --> 01:07:58,440
River Library

1947
01:07:58,440 --> 01:08:01,520
DEEP Byram River neighborhood resilience

1948
01:08:01,520 --> 01:08:03,840
hub planning project and the

1949
01:08:03,840 --> 01:08:05,800
reallocation of our budget funds.

1950
01:08:05,800 --> 01:08:06,920
>> All right.

1951
01:08:06,920 --> 01:08:08,600
So again, most of the things that we

1952
01:08:08,600 --> 01:08:11,160
dealt with this evening

1953
01:08:11,160 --> 01:08:14,360
was what they dealt with last um,

1954
01:08:14,360 --> 01:08:15,600
last meeting.

1955
01:08:15,600 --> 01:08:17,200
Representative Ober.

1956
01:08:17,200 --> 01:08:20,440
>> Came back into my mind.

1957
01:08:20,440 --> 01:08:22,120
What I wanted to mention that in the

1958
01:08:22,120 --> 01:08:24,160
very near future the beautification

1959
01:08:24,160 --> 01:08:25,319
committee is going to be doing a

1960
01:08:25,319 --> 01:08:27,000
presentation.

1961
01:08:27,000 --> 01:08:28,359
And we're going to show the before and

1962
01:08:28,359 --> 01:08:30,440
after of the areas that we've been

1963
01:08:30,440 --> 01:08:33,040
working on. Because I I don't think most

1964
01:08:33,040 --> 01:08:35,560
people understand right now the

1965
01:08:35,560 --> 01:08:37,600
magnitude of what we're really taking

1966
01:08:37,600 --> 01:08:40,440
care of and what a difference it's made.

1967
01:08:40,440 --> 01:08:42,720
So we wanted to share that so that

1968
01:08:42,720 --> 01:08:44,520
everybody would uh,

1969
01:08:44,520 --> 01:08:46,640
maybe even become more interested in

1970
01:08:46,640 --> 01:08:47,640
coming out and working with

1971
01:08:47,640 --> 01:08:49,120
>> Great. We we'd love to have you. Are you

1972
01:08:49,120 --> 01:08:52,200
going to come here or is beautification

1973
01:08:52,200 --> 01:08:54,080
All right. So whenever that comes up

1974
01:08:54,080 --> 01:08:55,799
we'll make sure that we share that

1975
01:08:55,799 --> 01:08:58,759
YouTube video link with the RTM so that

1976
01:08:58,759 --> 01:09:00,120
they'll know

1977
01:09:00,120 --> 01:09:01,359
uh, what you guys are up to.

1978
01:09:01,359 --> 01:09:02,720
>> Appreciate that very much.

1979
01:09:02,720 --> 01:09:03,759
>> My pleasure.

1980
01:09:03,759 --> 01:09:05,759
Any other other business, Representative

1981
01:09:05,759 --> 01:09:08,510
Weaver?

1982
01:09:08,520 --> 01:09:11,640
» Yes, actually, it's, um, because it's

1983
01:09:11,640 --> 01:09:13,080
relative to our town and the town

1984
01:09:13,080 --> 01:09:14,160
safety,

1985
01:09:14,160 --> 01:09:15,799
of course, our Groton forum has like

1986
01:09:15,799 --> 01:09:18,400
12,000 members and we always have people

1987
01:09:18,400 --> 01:09:20,000
that are disgruntled about one thing or

1988
01:09:20,000 --> 01:09:21,560
another. So, I just want to say, in

1989
01:09:21,560 --> 01:09:23,480
light of the recent election for the

1990
01:09:23,480 --> 01:09:25,120
primary, in the entire state of

1991
01:09:25,120 --> 01:09:27,240
Connecticut, only 33,000 people showed

1992
01:09:27,240 --> 01:09:28,960
up. So, if you want your voice and

1993
01:09:28,960 --> 01:09:31,240
choice to matter in the actual election

1994
01:09:31,240 --> 01:09:32,680
in November, please make sure you're

1995
01:09:32,680 --> 01:09:34,680
registered to vote and actually go vote

1996
01:09:34,680 --> 01:09:37,400
to make your voice count and heard. So,

1997
01:09:37,400 --> 01:09:39,600
secondly, on the forum, because I'm a

1998
01:09:39,600 --> 01:09:41,240
homeless advocate, there's also been

1999
01:09:41,240 --> 01:09:43,640
some uncompassionate comments about the

2000
01:09:43,640 --> 01:09:46,560
homeless people in our area. Our poverty

2001
01:09:46,560 --> 01:09:48,960
rate has grown to 20% in New London and

2002
01:09:48,960 --> 01:09:51,240
10% in Groton. People have to be aware

2003
01:09:51,240 --> 01:09:53,520
that we do not have any shelters during

2004
01:09:53,520 --> 01:09:55,840
this time and it's not just due to

2005
01:09:55,840 --> 01:09:57,640
addiction, it's due to homelessness,

2006
01:09:57,640 --> 01:09:59,760
it's due to mental illness, families

2007
01:09:59,760 --> 01:10:01,720
with domestic violence. So, if you can't

2008
01:10:01,720 --> 01:10:03,840
be compassionate and understanding, you

2009
01:10:03,840 --> 01:10:05,720
have a choice to look away. If you want

2010
01:10:05,720 --> 01:10:07,520
to help, that's your choice as well.

2011
01:10:07,520 --> 01:10:09,000
It's all about what you feel comfortable

2012
01:10:09,000 --> 01:10:10,720
for. Hand-in-hand with that, if you

2013
01:10:10,720 --> 01:10:12,480
don't feel comfortable, you can pick up

2014
01:10:12,480 --> 01:10:13,560
the phone and call someone for

2015
01:10:13,560 --> 01:10:15,360
assistance to get assistance for that

2016
01:10:15,360 --> 01:10:17,880
person or to be evaluated. So, I just

2017
01:10:17,880 --> 01:10:19,400
wanted to put that out there. Thank you

2018
01:10:19,400 --> 01:10:20,040
very much.

2019
01:10:20,040 --> 01:10:22,760
>> Thank you. Um, and

2020
01:10:22,760 --> 01:10:24,400
piggybacking off of what you just said,

2021
01:10:24,400 --> 01:10:25,880
Representative Weaver, I'd like to thank

2022
01:10:25,880 --> 01:10:27,800
the, uh, Town Clerk's office for all the

2023
01:10:27,800 --> 01:10:29,800
hard work they did to organize and and

2024
01:10:29,800 --> 01:10:32,080
get that primary going as well as

2025
01:10:32,080 --> 01:10:34,320
register our voters, uh, so that we had

2026
01:10:34,320 --> 01:10:36,680
that primary and it went quite smoothly.

2027
01:10:36,680 --> 01:10:39,080
We had early voting going on now,

2028
01:10:39,080 --> 01:10:41,440
absentee ballots going out. Um, I also

2029
01:10:41,440 --> 01:10:42,840
like to give a shout out to our City

2030
01:10:42,840 --> 01:10:44,680
Clerk as well because they have to also

2031
01:10:44,680 --> 01:10:47,840
maintain, uh, that location as well. So,

2032
01:10:47,840 --> 01:10:49,600
just want to pass that along.

2033
01:10:49,600 --> 01:10:51,800
>> Lastly, the biggest complaint now is the

2034
01:10:51,800 --> 01:10:53,800
announcement of the traffic cameras. I'm

2035
01:10:53,800 --> 01:10:55,440
so thankful to our city and town for

2036
01:10:55,440 --> 01:10:57,600
finally considering those because of the

2037
01:10:57,600 --> 01:10:59,920
speed limits and the two fatalities that

2038
01:10:59,920 --> 01:11:01,760
just happened this last weekend. People

2039
01:11:01,760 --> 01:11:04,040
need to be mindful about where they are,

2040
01:11:04,040 --> 01:11:05,040
that what's around them in their

2041
01:11:05,040 --> 01:11:07,560
surroundings, and they need to go slower

2042
01:11:07,560 --> 01:11:09,400
because it only takes a moment to end or

2043
01:11:09,400 --> 01:11:10,920
change a life. Thank you.

2044
01:11:10,920 --> 01:11:12,360
>> Sure. Um

2045
01:11:12,360 --> 01:11:14,960
and I we don't have speed cameras yet in

2046
01:11:14,960 --> 01:11:18,160
the town, but we're we're working on

2047
01:11:18,160 --> 01:11:20,120
doing that we've Again, I'm just

2048
01:11:20,120 --> 01:11:22,160
speaking as a city councilor.

2049
01:11:22,160 --> 01:11:25,000
We've approved the speed cameras in the

2050
01:11:25,000 --> 01:11:27,680
city and we're having four of them. Two

2051
01:11:27,680 --> 01:11:29,440
are going to be on Clarence B. Sharp

2052
01:11:29,440 --> 01:11:32,160
Highway in both directions. One's going

2053
01:11:32,160 --> 01:11:33,520
to be on Mitchell Street and one's going

2054
01:11:33,520 --> 01:11:37,080
to be on Thames Street. Um

2055
01:11:37,080 --> 01:11:38,840
I don't usually get out very much around

2056
01:11:38,840 --> 01:11:40,880
2:00, but it

2057
01:11:40,880 --> 01:11:43,240
I can only I can only describe it as

2058
01:11:43,240 --> 01:11:44,520
Frogger.

2059
01:11:44,520 --> 01:11:45,920
All right, and most of us in here know

2060
01:11:45,920 --> 01:11:48,640
Frogger. And whether it's cars zooming

2061
01:11:48,640 --> 01:11:50,360
in and out or people going running

2062
01:11:50,360 --> 01:11:57,560
across the street, it it is a highly risky proposition to go

2063
01:11:57,560 --> 01:11:59,520
out at 2:00. So, I usually wait until

2064
01:11:59,520 --> 01:12:02,520
5:00 or go out earlier than that, but um

2065
01:12:02,520 --> 01:12:05,160
I I've I've spoken directly with with

2066
01:12:05,160 --> 01:12:07,880
our city mayor to try to increase

2067
01:12:07,880 --> 01:12:09,200
our uh

2068
01:12:09,200 --> 01:12:10,960
signage if possible, if there's grants

2069
01:12:10,960 --> 01:12:13,040
available. We're working with uh

2070
01:12:13,040 --> 01:12:15,560
EB or Pfizer to try to increase that so

2071
01:12:15,560 --> 01:12:18,160
that we have those stop for pedestrians

2072
01:12:18,160 --> 01:12:19,600
because it is a law. If you're at the

2073
01:12:19,600 --> 01:12:22,400
stops if you're at the crosswalk,

2074
01:12:22,400 --> 01:12:24,560
you need to like all drivers need to

2075
01:12:24,560 --> 01:12:25,720
stop.

2076
01:12:25,720 --> 01:12:27,440
And again, that's that's very common in

2077
01:12:27,440 --> 01:12:29,280
Switzerland. Like if

2078
01:12:29,280 --> 01:12:31,400
I went there years ago, but if you're

2079
01:12:31,400 --> 01:12:33,040
anywhere near it, it's an automatic

2080
01:12:33,040 --> 01:12:34,960
stop. There's no sign, there's no

2081
01:12:34,960 --> 01:12:36,360
nothing. It's it's just basically

2082
01:12:36,360 --> 01:12:37,640
ingrained on you, and hopefully we get

2083
01:12:37,640 --> 01:12:40,840
to the point in in our culture where,

2084
01:12:40,840 --> 01:12:42,040
you know, if you see anyone even

2085
01:12:42,040 --> 01:12:44,440
remotely close, you're already yielding

2086
01:12:44,440 --> 01:12:46,480
uh the road to them. So, hopefully we'll

2087
01:12:46,480 --> 01:12:48,080
get that, too.

2088
01:12:48,080 --> 01:12:51,910
Any other other business?

2089
01:12:51,920 --> 01:12:54,320
All right. Seeing none, I'm looking for

2090
01:12:54,320 --> 01:12:58,060
one motion.

2091
01:12:58,070 --> 01:12:58,920
» [laughter]

2092
01:12:58,920 --> 01:13:00,480
>> All right. Motion moved by Power,

2093
01:13:00,480 --> 01:13:02,360
seconded by Adams for adjournment. All

2094
01:13:02,360 --> 01:13:04,800
those in favor, please say I.

2095
01:13:04,800 --> 01:13:07,600
Opposed, please say no. Motion carries

2096
01:13:07,600 --> 01:13:09,800
unanimously. Thank you all for coming.

2097
01:13:09,800 --> 01:13:13,080
Enjoy the rest of your summer.