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All right. Good evening, and welcome to the September 9th, 2026 select board

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meeting. If you could rise, if you're able, and please join us in the pledge of

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allegiance.

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I pledge allegiance, to the Flag, of the United States of America, and to the

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Republic, for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with

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liberty and justice for all.

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All right. We're going to start this meeting tonight, I think, just with a quick

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update on the anti-hate task force.

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So Diana, if you wouldn't mind.

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Hi.

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Hi.

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Thanks for having me here tonight to talk about the work that we've been doing over

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the summer with the anti-hate task force, as we move and transition to more

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permanent structure, hopefully within the town of Lynnfield.

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So over the summer, the task force has been-

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Can you turn on the mic?

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There you go.

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Thanks. I don't have to start over again, do I?

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No.

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Over the summer, we've spent significant time looking at different structures in

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surrounding communities. We've looked at Danvers, Winchester, Melrose, and

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Lexington to start to formulate what our recommendations would look like for the

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town of Lynnfield. That's with our entire task force and our consultant, Darnisa

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Amonte Jackson.

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We've agreed that

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that group will stay together as we move from recommendations to implementation, so

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that group's not just going to go away.

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We're going to work through this process as we're trying to formulate what the

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actual body will look like within our town.

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So they'll stay connected as we finalize the proposed structure, as we go through

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recruitment of members, and the recruitment process for a human rights commission.

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We're engaging residents and screening applicants.

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So over the next few weeks, we're going to continue working with a consultant, and

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we're going to be putting together some documents for the town and for the select

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board to review, and hopefully be back here on the 21st with formal recommendations

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from the task force. That will include a public information packet, the purpose of

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the commission, what the commission is and what it isn't, which I think has been a

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big part and a lot that we've discussed over the summer, anticipated

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responsibilities, time commitment, and how residents can get involved.

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We'll be going over everything from communication to the public, whether that's

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through a dedicated town webpage, what the recruitment process will look like, a

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rubric for screening potential candidates for a human rights commission, and we'll

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package all of that and present it to the select board.

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Our hope would be, and I believe it's on the agenda tonight, our hope would be for

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it to be on a town meeting, which fall or spring, but

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we'll navigate that once the select board decides what we're doing moving forward.

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We've talked about it being up to nine members,

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and that we don't need to necessarily start at nine.

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We want to be very intentful with what we're doing.

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As we're building that committee, we don't want to put people on it just to put

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people on it. We have specific roles we're looking for, specific skill sets that

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we're looking for,

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and we're going to make sure that we take the time to go through that and make sure

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everything is written up the way it should be when we present it to all of you.

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We've talked about a student representative and student alternate.

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We really want to make sure we have youth voice.

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And then also, it's very important to us to have a majority Lynnfield resident

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requirement. So these are just some specifics that we're looking at in regards to

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the proposed structure. And then there's obvious skills we're looking at,

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communication, active listening, conflict navigation.

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So as I said, we'd like to hopefully be back here on September 21st to present a

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more formal process and plan to all of you.

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So we'll spend the next couple of weeks really finalizing that proposed structure,

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finalizing the recruitment selection criteria, talking about that information

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packet. So even though we said that the task force would finish its work at the end

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of August, we're still going to take the next couple of weeks to make sure we're

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being thoughtful with what we're bringing forward to the select board, and then to

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residents in the town to vote on. And then, depending on if this is a

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fall town meeting or a spring town meeting item, things might look a little

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different. So if it's not a fall town meeting, for whatever reason, we're not going

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to stop the work just because of that.

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So we have a very thoughtful plan in place from October to April, where the task

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force can work with the select board to still go public, launch a public

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information page, start the recruitment process of an advisory committee, and

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really have that be the body that's in place until we can formalize a human rights

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commission, hopefully in the spring.

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So those are the conversations that we've had in our last two recent meetings.

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And if you have any questions around any of that, I'm happy to answer.

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Thank you. I think we'll expect probably more in-depth at the next meeting.

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Yes.

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Just so you're aware, I think we might be changing the date of it, so just stay

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tuned on the date.

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Okay.

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Just because it is a holiday for some folks.

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Okay.

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Thank you. That's normally the update that Rob gives, but we had Diana here today,

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so we figured we'd utilize her work there. So thank you.

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Awesome. If you have any questions, just let me know.

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Thanks, Diana.

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Thanks.

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All right. Moving through the agenda.

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So we have a review of the proposed state zoning changes and ADU.

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I believe you have Emily here today. Thank you.

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Mm-hmm.

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Mm-hmm. And so the goal of this is for us to just be able to review and discuss it

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with Emily. So Emily, the floor is yours. Thank you.

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So I guess in the last few years, Massachusetts has continued to throw

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curve balls at municipalities in terms of changing zoning

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and the rules that they hope will facilitate housing production across the state.

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I think everybody remembers the,

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I don't know, outrage, confusion, chaos created by the MBTA Zoning Act.

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Lynnfield successfully navigated that. We comply with that state law.

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We adopted that zoning successfully in 2021.

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Or, sorry, it was the state law was 2021, and our bylaw was passed in the fall of

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2024.

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But in 2024, the state threw us another curve ball, and they adopted the Affordable

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Homes Act, which made ADUs, which are accessory dwelling units, be allowed

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by right in all municipalities across Massachusetts.

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Use by right means you don't need any special relief. You need a building permit.

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You don't need a special permit. You don't need a variance.

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If you have a single-family home or even a commercial property, you can put an

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accessory dwelling unit on your property.

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The state, when they first did that, shocked a lot of people because most

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municipalities like Lynnfield, we have single families only zoning.

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We don't have two families zoning. We don't have apartments necessarily.

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We only had allowed in-law apartments up until that time. The state took some time.

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They got some regulations on the books, and once they did that, Lynnfield knew what

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we could and couldn't regulate, and we went to town meeting, and we adopted a bylaw

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last fall, which granted site plan review to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

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So if you come to Lynnfield and you want to build an accessory dwelling unit, you

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need to go through site plan review with the Zoning Board of Appeals.

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Site plan review for an ADU is a little bit less cumbersome and

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burdensome than it would be, for example, for building a commercial property.

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And the reason that is, is the state said to towns, "You can only sort of skim the

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surface of what you can regulate in terms of this." It has to be allowed.

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You can't say no. But what we did in our zoning bylaw is we tried to put into

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place things that would minimize the impacts of the creation of these units

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on existing neighborhoods and neighbors and homes in Lynnfield.

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Somebody's neighborhood, everybody has a single-family house.

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They might have a pool. They might have a garage.

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It's sort of what everyone expects.

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But if suddenly everybody starts putting up additional buildings, essentially, it

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could be a smaller second home on your lot.

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The point of site plan review is to minimize

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How that construction may impact your neighbors, the environment, stormwater, you

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name it. It's meant to cover all the bases.

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That's what zoning does in Massachusetts.

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Mm-hmm.

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It gives the town the right to allow things to be built, but without

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harm to others. So we adopted that at fall town meeting last year, and we've been

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working through the process, trying to get people used to what that means.

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And recently, a multi-department group and multi-board group got together to come

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up with an application checklist to try to help that process be a little bit more

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clear for applicants and engineers and lawyers locally.

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And that will be a checklist that will go before the zoning board, potentially in

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October,

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to discuss and adopt formally. So applicants will have an understanding of

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what to come forward with when they show up at a zoning board meeting and apply.

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There was some confusion initially, "Hey, I thought ADUs were by right.

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Why do I have to do any of this?" And we still hear that a lot, but people are

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getting used to it. I've had some very constructive conversations.

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I actually just got off the phone with an engineer from one of the firms that files

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most of the applications here in town, and we just talked about it for half an

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hour. "Hey, what are you guys doing? What's going on?

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This is new." And I said, "Yes, it is new. The law is new.

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This is new to Lynnfield. We're trying to make sure that these can be allowed, but

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when they are built, that they don't cause problems for your neighbors or for the

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town." So it's a work in progress. I think it's getting better.

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And just as we thought we were almost there, the state announced this week that

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they're going to change the regulations and what towns can and can't do.

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Because some towns apparently have adopted regulations that are too strict and

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don't meet the state statute. I don't think we're in that boat, but they are about

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to announce the new regulations, and we'll have to double-check that what we're

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doing is still within the law, and we will do that and make any changes if we need

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to. In the meantime, I'll tell you that we have issued there are six active, either

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under construction or completed units, and six more in the pipeline.

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So people are coming to Lynnfield to build these. They want them.

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They're clamoring for them, and they're coming in.

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So the zoning board and the chairman's here speak to the fact that they're learning

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how to do it. It's been slippery, difficult, and sometimes argumentative among some

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folks, but it's a big change for Lynnfield, and the board is learning how to do it,

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and we're trying to do it well and equitably for both the applicant and the

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neighborhood that they're being proposed in.

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So hopefully,

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what the state changes this year, we'll be in compliance with, and we won't have to

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make any significant changes. I will say, however, the state is also

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potentially going to have some additional changes coming forward.

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With the budget in July, they already amended the zoning act again with the intent

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to boost housing production across the state.

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So far,

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we haven't seen it have a huge impact here.

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They lowered the standard for getting a variance, for any kind of variance, but the

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idea was supposed to be focused on housing.

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We don't know if that's how it's going to play out yet.

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They made a lot of technical nitty-gritty changes to the zoning act, which all are

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meant to make it easier to build.

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And I'm not going to get into the details because for most folks, the zoning

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vocabulary is like Greek, right? But they essentially made changes to the State Act

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to try to help people build more houses, whether it be multifamily, single family,

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altering your existing non-conforming house, anything you can think of, they

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tweaked to try to make it easier. So I'm expecting to see that in incremental

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changes for units to be produced here in town.

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More dramatic changes are potentially lumped with the economic development bill,

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which is still pending. It's made it halfway through the process.

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It's been in deliberation still at the state level. We might see it the next month.

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We don't know which parts of this will make it through the cutting room floor here.

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They have suggested, or what is included right now is two-family by right in every

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town in Massachusetts. That would be a pretty dramatic shift for Lynnfield.

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We don't know if that'll make the final cut.

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They are going to give grant preferences for communities that are facilitating

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housing production. So if towns don't meet certain criteria, it will be

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a slash mark on any grant applications we apply for.

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They're making it easier to convert commercial properties to residential.

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I don't know if that will have an impact here in Lynnfield, but I think that's

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really to convert underutilized commercial properties in some municipalities into

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housing.

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And they're also going to, the law would make all of our timelines

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for projects faster. Towns will have to react quicker and respond and issue

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permits faster, especially for bigger projects.

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None of this is finished, but those are within the next month or so, we might see

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those changes. So Lynnfield's just got to keep up with the state and its

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ever-changing landscape. But I think so far we're doing it.

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I'm not on the zoning board. I don't go to those meetings.

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I know they've been long, and some of them have been argumentative because folks

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are getting used to having new rules on the books, and

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we're all getting used to it. So if anyone has any questions, I'm happy to help.

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Thank you. That's challenging with it always changing.

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The state is definitely making it.

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Yeah.

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Zoning changes at the state level now, there's 2021, 2024, 2025, 2026.

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The Zoning Act hasn't been changed in 50 years.

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It was pretty much adopted and just a little change here and there.

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And in the last five years, they're just-

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Yeah

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... changing all over the place. So, it's making it challenging for local

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municipalities to keep current and adopt, and adapt, I should say, to how

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it might have to change things locally.

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Okay. Any questions?

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00:15:22,068 --> 00:15:23,373
Just one question, Elise.

230
00:15:23,403 --> 00:15:23,403
Sure.

231
00:15:23,568 --> 00:15:28,068
So as you were talking, I was thinking that at least it's my impression that most

232
00:15:28,098 --> 00:15:30,229
homes in Lynnfield are

233
00:15:31,998 --> 00:15:37,534
restrained by the septic system. So that would still be the case, I would

234
00:15:37,548 --> 00:15:38,118
imagine.

235
00:15:38,358 --> 00:15:44,089
It is still the case. We have had some applications come in where they've had

236
00:15:44,148 --> 00:15:47,868
the room and the capacity to make their system bigger.

237
00:15:47,898 --> 00:15:52,159
And as part of their ADU construction, have upgraded their septic system.

238
00:15:52,219 --> 00:15:56,883
We've had some properties where the system could not be made any larger based on

239
00:15:56,898 --> 00:16:02,719
its location. And then in that case, they have to modify the home to reduce a

240
00:16:02,778 --> 00:16:07,788
bedroom. So we've had one where if you build the ADU, you take out a wall, and you

241
00:16:07,848 --> 00:16:10,008
lose a bedroom in the house. So,

242
00:16:11,808 --> 00:16:14,148
that's hard for a lot of people to understand.

243
00:16:14,493 --> 00:16:20,118
"Hey, I want to build this for my mother." "You can't." "Why can't I?" And in

244
00:16:20,178 --> 00:16:23,958
Lynnfield, there are certain parts of town where your septic system cannot be made

245
00:16:24,078 --> 00:16:29,479
larger, and that's a groundwater protection district protection that's in place.

246
00:16:29,854 --> 00:16:34,878
And also, for drinking water, a lot of Lynnfield's wetlands are tributary to

247
00:16:34,939 --> 00:16:37,878
drinking water. And if that's the case, you can't make your system larger.

248
00:16:38,358 --> 00:16:42,409
So overall, in Lynnfield, there are a lot of properties where you have what you

249
00:16:42,469 --> 00:16:45,168
have for capacity, and that's all you can have.

250
00:16:45,348 --> 00:16:49,098
So if you want to add that bedroom by building an ADU, you have to take it out of

251
00:16:49,159 --> 00:16:54,168
your house. So, that's been a challenge for folks to understand, but that's

252
00:16:54,229 --> 00:16:57,589
definitely going to be the biggest controlling factor here in Lynnfield.

253
00:16:58,368 --> 00:17:01,068
Thank you.

254
00:17:01,339 --> 00:17:03,469
Thank you for the comprehensive breakdown.

255
00:17:03,888 --> 00:17:06,048
I just had three hopefully quick questions.

256
00:17:06,649 --> 00:17:10,084
In terms of Lynnfield ADUs, it sounds like there's been kind of a new flood of

257
00:17:10,098 --> 00:17:15,018
people applying. Do you have a sense of roughly what kind of ADUs they are?

258
00:17:15,108 --> 00:17:19,368
Is it rentals or getting your in-laws on property or?

259
00:17:20,058 --> 00:17:22,068
When someone applies, they don't always tell us.

260
00:17:22,729 --> 00:17:27,528
And I've seen most of them have been detached, I will say that.

261
00:17:27,709 --> 00:17:32,778
I've seen one that was an existing in-law from when we used to have in-laws that

262
00:17:32,808 --> 00:17:37,909
was modified and made larger within a dwelling, I believe for a family member.

263
00:17:40,188 --> 00:17:43,458
I've seen one that they didn't say whether it was...

264
00:17:43,488 --> 00:17:47,538
And it didn't look like it was for a family person.

265
00:17:47,688 --> 00:17:51,274
And we've had other folks tell us very specifically because sometimes they're in a

266
00:17:51,288 --> 00:17:54,798
hurry or concerned, and they really want to do it faster.

267
00:17:54,828 --> 00:17:56,508
It is for an aging parent.

268
00:17:56,553 --> 00:17:56,553
Mm-hmm.

269
00:17:56,568 --> 00:18:01,950
So I think we've had a mix. Um, is the only thing I can say. It's not required.

270
00:18:02,070 --> 00:18:07,621
They don't have to tell us, because we're not allowed to control how it's used.

271
00:18:08,340 --> 00:18:10,500
So it's not part of the application always.

272
00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:15,871
Interesting. And the only other two things, in terms of the basic change that's

273
00:18:15,930 --> 00:18:19,861
been done as a result of all this, one of the changes, is the only substantial

274
00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:22,801
change to add the site plan review, or are there other-

275
00:18:23,189 --> 00:18:28,260
So in terms for ADUs, yes, because a by-right use, you can't really do anything

276
00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:28,650
else.

277
00:18:28,950 --> 00:18:29,460
Okay.

278
00:18:29,505 --> 00:18:33,690
It's a building permit and a site plan review, is what you do when you-

279
00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,121
And it used to be just a building permit, basically.

280
00:18:36,150 --> 00:18:36,165
It's-

281
00:18:36,750 --> 00:18:40,710
If we hadn't changed the zoning bylaw, yes, it would only be a building permit.

282
00:18:40,905 --> 00:18:40,905
Okay.

283
00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:44,250
But because we wanted to have a little bit of control,

284
00:18:46,650 --> 00:18:51,450
not because we wanted to stop them, but because we, like I said, we wanted them to

285
00:18:51,690 --> 00:18:56,490
sort of be the best they can be. The only thing that you can do is site plan

286
00:18:56,611 --> 00:18:58,111
approval under the state law.

287
00:18:58,470 --> 00:19:02,280
Okay. The only other question I had, I think I know one of the goals of the

288
00:19:02,310 --> 00:19:05,415
committee that's giving things just to bring, as I understand, correct me if I'm

289
00:19:05,430 --> 00:19:08,520
wrong, like a bylaw change to fall town meeting.

290
00:19:08,551 --> 00:19:10,230
And I know they have to review tomorrow's change.

291
00:19:10,260 --> 00:19:12,795
It sounds like it's kind of shifting, but I guess-

292
00:19:12,810 --> 00:19:12,900
Right

293
00:19:12,915 --> 00:19:14,970
... do you think you're, are you still on track to-

294
00:19:15,390 --> 00:19:21,301
So what we might, what we were thinking about for fall or spring town meeting, ADU

295
00:19:21,390 --> 00:19:27,121
sort of brought to light the need to more uniformly address drainage and stormwater

296
00:19:27,180 --> 00:19:28,830
across all residential construction.

297
00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,490
Right now in Lynnfield, we really only deal with stormwater on commercial

298
00:19:32,551 --> 00:19:36,389
properties, or large subdivisions, for example.

299
00:19:37,170 --> 00:19:42,945
But incremental changes on individual single-family lots we're realizing are adding

300
00:19:42,990 --> 00:19:48,660
up. And so as part of the ADU zoning, we are incorporating

301
00:19:49,051 --> 00:19:53,730
drainage review as part of that. And what we would like to do at town meeting is

302
00:19:54,030 --> 00:19:57,660
sort of bring that to all residential construction over a certain size.

303
00:19:58,500 --> 00:20:02,250
If you're building an ADU, 1,200 square feet of roof,

304
00:20:03,570 --> 00:20:07,590
and you have to comply, but your neighbor's putting in a 1,200 square foot garage

305
00:20:07,740 --> 00:20:12,150
and he doesn't, it doesn't really make any sense. It's the same amount of water.

306
00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:16,801
It's going to cause the same amount of problems. The use shouldn't matter.

307
00:20:16,861 --> 00:20:22,155
And so, that would require a general bylaw change so that we can

308
00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:27,945
address infiltration and drainage components of any major construction, whether

309
00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,330
it's an ADU, an addition, a garage.

310
00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:35,640
Right now we're missing that. We're capturing it on commercial properties.

311
00:20:35,700 --> 00:20:40,170
We're now capturing it on ADUs. But people are building big houses in Lynnfield,

312
00:20:40,350 --> 00:20:42,780
and big driveways, and big patios, and big pools, and

313
00:20:44,070 --> 00:20:46,260
we don't have a bylaw for that right now.

314
00:20:46,830 --> 00:20:51,990
So we would like to treat all properties equitably,

315
00:20:52,380 --> 00:20:54,660
regardless of what they're being used for.

316
00:20:55,410 --> 00:20:58,801
So it sounds like you're on track to kind of finalize whatever recommendations by

317
00:20:58,950 --> 00:21:00,570
late October then, before-

318
00:21:00,585 --> 00:21:01,920
Potentially. Yeah.

319
00:21:02,220 --> 00:21:05,430
I know we got to see because it sounds like the things are changing on a daily

320
00:21:05,490 --> 00:21:06,510
basis almost.

321
00:21:07,650 --> 00:21:07,920
Yeah.

322
00:21:08,145 --> 00:21:08,145
Okay. All right.

323
00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:13,111
But any changes to the ADU site plan approval process right now,

324
00:21:15,930 --> 00:21:18,840
well, I can't say that they won't have to go to town meeting. I don't know yet.

325
00:21:18,900 --> 00:21:20,010
Yep. Okay. Thank you.

326
00:21:20,024 --> 00:21:21,960
Until the state releases those changes, we won't know.

327
00:21:22,111 --> 00:21:23,190
All right. Awesome. Thank you so much.

328
00:21:23,371 --> 00:21:23,970
Yep.

329
00:21:25,350 --> 00:21:25,770
Thank you.

330
00:21:29,730 --> 00:21:33,570
All right. Next up is a vote to authorize the town to accept funds for the open

331
00:21:33,630 --> 00:21:37,560
space and rec, sorry, open space and recreation working group.

332
00:21:38,190 --> 00:21:39,450
Emily. Emily?

333
00:21:39,510 --> 00:21:39,871
Emily.

334
00:21:40,770 --> 00:21:41,445
Oh, excuse me.

335
00:21:41,460 --> 00:21:42,450
Open space.

336
00:21:42,540 --> 00:21:43,440
You're on two. You're on two.

337
00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:46,500
Nice try, though.

338
00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:48,871
Thank you.

339
00:21:48,990 --> 00:21:49,830
She's stalking me.

340
00:21:51,361 --> 00:21:54,825
All right. Sorry. Thank you. Could you say it one more time?

341
00:21:55,111 --> 00:21:57,720
Open space and recreation working group.

342
00:21:57,810 --> 00:22:03,720
Right. Okay. Currently on the town's website, you can donate to the

343
00:22:03,780 --> 00:22:09,090
war memorial via a button. At one point, we added, with permission, a button to

344
00:22:09,150 --> 00:22:13,111
donate to the Partridge Island Boardwalk potential reconstruction.

345
00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,746
And the open space working group, we've had other folks come to us and say, "Well,

346
00:22:17,746 --> 00:22:21,570
what if I want to donate to Beaver Dam Brook," or, "What if I want to donate to a

347
00:22:21,660 --> 00:22:25,980
different property?" Right now, the Town of Lynnfield has the conservation fund,

348
00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:32,010
which is sort of an unrestricted fund that is, once money's in it, it's

349
00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:35,910
at the discretion of the commission to spend it. We've used it to buy property.

350
00:22:36,270 --> 00:22:40,125
We've used it to amend or correct problems at properties.

351
00:22:41,250 --> 00:22:45,330
But some people feel they want to give to a particular project.

352
00:22:45,361 --> 00:22:50,250
And in order for us to create those dedicated funds, the commission needs select

353
00:22:50,310 --> 00:22:56,190
board approval. And so the open space working group has asked for approval to

354
00:22:56,250 --> 00:23:00,420
be able to create, I know specifically a fund for Beaver Dam Brook Reservation.

355
00:23:00,930 --> 00:23:06,361
I don't know if we need your approval for each type of fund-

356
00:23:06,750 --> 00:23:06,990
Mm-hmm

357
00:23:07,350 --> 00:23:12,420
... or if we are just looking to be able to create more than one button,

358
00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:16,125
essentially. Right now, the only specific, you can either donate to the commission,

359
00:23:16,621 --> 00:23:21,301
and the conservation fund, and overall, or you can donate only to Partridge Island

360
00:23:21,361 --> 00:23:24,496
as a dedicated expense account. And the open space working group, because they're

361
00:23:24,540 --> 00:23:27,795
working so much on the Beaver Dam Brook Reservation, and people have been

362
00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:31,575
interested in that property, they would like to be able to have a dedicated fund

363
00:23:31,621 --> 00:23:32,520
for that purpose.

364
00:23:34,260 --> 00:23:36,330
Do you know the answer if we need separate accounts or if we, uh-

365
00:23:37,410 --> 00:23:39,195
So it can't put in the conservation fund.

366
00:23:39,210 --> 00:23:42,180
That's one's for gift funds, so you have to accept the gift.

367
00:23:42,270 --> 00:23:46,290
So if we're doing multiple gifts, it would have to be multiple funds that we set

368
00:23:46,410 --> 00:23:50,070
up, and multiple buttons. But if we just have one gift for

369
00:23:51,330 --> 00:23:54,915
conservation open planning, we put it in there, and then you guys can decide what

370
00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:55,320
to do with it.

371
00:23:56,580 --> 00:23:57,930
So they can manage it and keep track of it-

372
00:23:58,111 --> 00:23:58,560
Correct

373
00:23:58,621 --> 00:24:00,240
... where it was specifically asked to go?

374
00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:04,111
Right. So if somebody wanted it to go to a specific purpose, we can do that

375
00:24:04,140 --> 00:24:08,820
internally into the fund, and then keep track of that versus-

376
00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:08,895
Okay

377
00:24:08,895 --> 00:24:11,640
... the gift account, which would be differently controlled, right?

378
00:24:12,780 --> 00:24:15,690
Yeah. This would be a gift fund. That's all it can be is a gift fund.

379
00:24:15,871 --> 00:24:16,380
Okay.

380
00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:18,361
So it can't go in the conservation. It can't go in open space.

381
00:24:18,450 --> 00:24:19,230
It has to go to a gift fund.

382
00:24:19,621 --> 00:24:20,730
And there wouldn't be all these separate funds.

383
00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:24,150
We just can have the one, and we can keep track of everything.

384
00:24:24,165 --> 00:24:24,165
Just the one.

385
00:24:24,165 --> 00:24:27,660
Okay. So just the vote tonight would only be to accept the funds, to allow them to

386
00:24:27,690 --> 00:24:28,350
accept the funds.

387
00:24:29,729 --> 00:24:34,440
Any questions from folks? Nope? All right, I'll take a motion then.

388
00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:37,950
All right. I'll move that the select board authorize the Town of Lynnfield to

389
00:24:38,010 --> 00:24:40,950
accept funds on behalf of...

390
00:24:43,770 --> 00:24:46,410
Is this where the wording changes from what was proposed?

391
00:24:47,611 --> 00:24:49,650
What are they accepting the funds on behalf of?

392
00:24:49,740 --> 00:24:51,375
Because I heard a couple of different things.

393
00:24:51,375 --> 00:24:56,040
It would be, I guess, it would be open space and conservation committee or working

394
00:24:56,100 --> 00:24:56,340
group.

395
00:24:56,490 --> 00:24:57,090
Okay. Can you explain-

396
00:24:57,270 --> 00:24:59,820
So it can be for the group itself, not have to be-

397
00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,135
For the group itself, but the group doesn't have any spending authority, so it

398
00:25:03,150 --> 00:25:06,871
would have to be someone who's a committee in town that has spending authority.

399
00:25:08,220 --> 00:25:09,900
But who would that be in this case?

400
00:25:09,945 --> 00:25:10,770
Yeah. In the motion.

401
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:14,805
Is it the planning department or the parks committee?

402
00:25:14,805 --> 00:25:14,805
The planning department.

403
00:25:14,820 --> 00:25:15,361
Planning department.

404
00:25:15,405 --> 00:25:15,840
Planning department. Okay.

405
00:25:15,900 --> 00:25:19,770
All right. So I'll move that the select board authorize the Town of Lynnfield to

406
00:25:19,801 --> 00:25:25,290
accept funds on behalf of the open space and recreation working group and

407
00:25:25,350 --> 00:25:28,020
the planning commission?

408
00:25:28,335 --> 00:25:29,835
Planning department.

409
00:25:29,835 --> 00:25:33,930
Department, to support open space and recreational planning initiatives.

410
00:25:34,051 --> 00:25:34,770
And I'll second.

411
00:25:34,861 --> 00:25:36,660
Okay. Motion's been made and seconded. All those in favor?

412
00:25:36,900 --> 00:25:37,140
Aye.

413
00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:38,700
Aye. Okay. Motion passes. Thank you.

414
00:25:39,090 --> 00:25:39,810
Thanks, Emily.

415
00:25:41,700 --> 00:25:46,530
All right. Next up, we have an update from the DPW.

416
00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:48,571
I believe John John is here for that.

417
00:25:53,910 --> 00:25:56,160
Good evening. Thanks for having me back.

418
00:25:57,030 --> 00:25:59,250
A lot of what our department does is a

419
00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:05,130
routine based on the season we're in. There's a lot of cutting grass.

420
00:26:05,176 --> 00:26:09,630
There's a lot of grooming of baseball fields, lining of fields, picking up of trash

421
00:26:09,690 --> 00:26:11,430
that happens on a day-to-day basis.

422
00:26:12,180 --> 00:26:17,970
But in the summer, we really make a big push to improve the community and work with

423
00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:22,830
a lot of groups across the community, and these one-off projects.

424
00:26:22,950 --> 00:26:27,960
So what I'd like to do this evening really briefly is show you some photographs and

425
00:26:28,020 --> 00:26:32,520
quickly update the community on some of these projects that have been going on in

426
00:26:32,551 --> 00:26:35,520
addition to the day-to-day routine of the department.

427
00:26:35,611 --> 00:26:37,980
So Eric, if you could guide us through.

428
00:26:40,230 --> 00:26:42,601
That used to be the site of the old substation.

429
00:26:42,630 --> 00:26:47,851
It's now the post office, the USPS building.

430
00:26:48,540 --> 00:26:53,940
That building's under lease for up to 20 years with USPS.

431
00:26:54,780 --> 00:26:58,770
It's a standalone building now. We took the substation away from it.

432
00:26:59,551 --> 00:27:01,260
Eric can go to the next slide as well

433
00:27:04,308 --> 00:27:07,669
Close it up and now it's a standalone building.

434
00:27:07,938 --> 00:27:13,518
On the site of South Station is where, starting end of next week, definitely the

435
00:27:13,578 --> 00:27:14,688
week after, we'll be

436
00:27:15,889 --> 00:27:19,848
concluding that last piece of the public safety project, which is

437
00:27:21,378 --> 00:27:25,968
construction of a parking lot. It'll be a public parking lot behind fire

438
00:27:25,998 --> 00:27:31,458
headquarters for use by the community at fire

439
00:27:31,488 --> 00:27:36,678
headquarters or any other business in that area. Next slide, Eric.

440
00:27:38,238 --> 00:27:43,669
The old South Library, which we upgraded and

441
00:27:44,118 --> 00:27:49,323
which housed the fire department administrative operations for a few years, was

442
00:27:49,368 --> 00:27:55,203
sold. Town meeting appropriated that money to be used at the

443
00:27:55,279 --> 00:27:55,728
library.

444
00:27:57,258 --> 00:28:00,649
This summer, we completed a full roof replacement.

445
00:28:01,399 --> 00:28:03,438
That wasn't just the asphalt shingles.

446
00:28:03,798 --> 00:28:08,899
That was removal of three layers of asphalt shingles, and in many cases, like you

447
00:28:08,928 --> 00:28:14,764
can see here, the wood underlayment and some structural pieces

448
00:28:14,808 --> 00:28:17,733
to the roof. Next slide, Eric.

449
00:28:19,008 --> 00:28:22,368
So it wasn't just an asphalt shingle roof replacement project.

450
00:28:22,458 --> 00:28:28,428
It was really the first significant upgrade to the library from the top down.

451
00:28:29,118 --> 00:28:32,779
The project is substantially complete. It's under budget.

452
00:28:32,823 --> 00:28:37,818
There are some leftover funds that we'll work with the library trustees on

453
00:28:38,718 --> 00:28:42,589
figuring out how to invest, that will be invested back into the building to some

454
00:28:42,649 --> 00:28:43,128
extent.

455
00:28:44,748 --> 00:28:49,218
But that project was started and completed this summer. Next slide.

456
00:28:50,538 --> 00:28:52,639
We worked, as I said, with many community groups.

457
00:28:52,683 --> 00:28:55,368
This was a donation from Winfield Little League.

458
00:28:55,399 --> 00:28:59,928
It's been in the works for a long time, but it's a press box at the Little League

459
00:29:00,018 --> 00:29:01,098
field at New Hall.

460
00:29:03,078 --> 00:29:06,514
All of those banners are district banners that Little League has won through the

461
00:29:06,514 --> 00:29:10,848
years. But the great part is because of this press box, because of the partnership

462
00:29:10,908 --> 00:29:14,823
with Little League and the high level of maintenance at that facility, these kids

463
00:29:14,839 --> 00:29:19,068
are now able to play at home, at least in the early rounds of the district

464
00:29:19,098 --> 00:29:25,068
tournament. That was never the case 10, 12 years ago, when my oldest

465
00:29:25,128 --> 00:29:30,663
was playing Little League. So it's nice for them to be able to host local teams in

466
00:29:30,708 --> 00:29:34,279
the summer. It's a great spot in the summer, and this press box is another good

467
00:29:34,308 --> 00:29:37,399
amenity that will continue that for the years to come. Next slide.

468
00:29:38,808 --> 00:29:41,058
This was a storage room off the gym.

469
00:29:42,139 --> 00:29:47,868
This was another partnership, this time with the Winfield Middle

470
00:29:47,958 --> 00:29:53,643
School PE teachers. They came up with this idea to turn a closet into

471
00:29:53,643 --> 00:29:59,298
a small weight wellness room that they could incorporate into their

472
00:29:59,718 --> 00:30:01,068
curriculum in the middle school.

473
00:30:02,358 --> 00:30:07,698
So it started as a closet, and next slide, it turned into a small little weight

474
00:30:07,788 --> 00:30:13,608
room for middle school students. I'm not sure how they're incorporating it into the

475
00:30:13,639 --> 00:30:15,498
curriculum yet in this open house.

476
00:30:16,848 --> 00:30:21,139
But it is being used. It is open, and this was fully funded through a state

477
00:30:21,169 --> 00:30:23,298
earmark. So it was done off the tax base.

478
00:30:23,358 --> 00:30:28,669
It was done through work with our state representative and the state legislature.

479
00:30:28,728 --> 00:30:33,048
Next slide. This is another similar funded project.

480
00:30:33,108 --> 00:30:38,089
This is at Glen Meadow. The infield of this project, through use and

481
00:30:40,308 --> 00:30:42,558
through the years, was holding a lot of water.

482
00:30:43,068 --> 00:30:48,828
We were able to rebuild the entire infield, and this was done, again, through an

483
00:30:48,889 --> 00:30:53,389
earmark fund off the budget. And you could quickly go through the next few slides,

484
00:30:53,478 --> 00:30:53,779
Eric.

485
00:30:56,478 --> 00:31:01,622
You can see that we made improvements there, and in that right corner is a batting

486
00:31:01,698 --> 00:31:06,228
tunnel. So the kids never had adequate space to warm up.

487
00:31:06,288 --> 00:31:12,228
So we've created that at Glen Meadow. Glen Meadow is the 50/70 baseball field.

488
00:31:12,318 --> 00:31:14,643
So Little League is at New Hall, 50/70.

489
00:31:14,718 --> 00:31:17,358
They could play here, or they could play Little League here.

490
00:31:17,808 --> 00:31:20,298
That's in between the 90-foot diamond and

491
00:31:23,808 --> 00:31:25,038
New Hall. Next slide.

492
00:31:26,298 --> 00:31:31,428
At the athletic complex, a lot of people forget,

493
00:31:32,238 --> 00:31:37,188
at the time, it was a million-dollar investment the community made through various

494
00:31:37,279 --> 00:31:42,678
funds for an amenities building. Inside that amenities building, there are outdoor

495
00:31:42,708 --> 00:31:46,878
locker rooms. There are trainers' rooms, coaches' rooms.

496
00:31:47,748 --> 00:31:51,529
This was built 11 years ago. It was starting to show its wear and tear, so this

497
00:31:51,618 --> 00:31:57,589
summer we painted it. Next slide. This is one of the two locker rooms

498
00:31:57,649 --> 00:32:01,188
in that area as well. So I know that high school sports are now using it.

499
00:32:02,058 --> 00:32:07,908
Over the summer, we rented it. There was a semi-pro soccer team that's affiliated

500
00:32:07,968 --> 00:32:12,243
with one of the clubs in the areas that actually played home here and used this

501
00:32:12,258 --> 00:32:17,928
facility. So it's all painted and, again, investing in items that are starting to

502
00:32:17,958 --> 00:32:22,339
show wear and tear, and we can keep the value of these properties up. Next slide.

503
00:32:23,568 --> 00:32:29,118
This is a cross-country route. So this is something, actually, I'm pretty proud of.

504
00:32:29,718 --> 00:32:34,413
The cross-country coaches last year-- Cross-country historically has run through

505
00:32:34,458 --> 00:32:37,353
the grant. They start in the grant, they end in the grant.

506
00:32:37,443 --> 00:32:42,048
There's no connection between anything they're doing and the high school, contrary

507
00:32:42,108 --> 00:32:48,078
to our other programs that play at the high school, are able to play a game

508
00:32:48,139 --> 00:32:51,813
and have a football team walk by their game, things like that.

509
00:32:51,813 --> 00:32:56,103
The cross-country team now has the ability to start and end races right in front of

510
00:32:56,149 --> 00:32:58,488
the concession building at the high school.

511
00:32:58,578 --> 00:33:03,318
This was a brainstorm by the former athletic director with the cross-country

512
00:33:03,348 --> 00:33:08,478
coaches, and we were able to go in and manipulate some of that area in blue to

513
00:33:08,568 --> 00:33:13,068
allow the kids to use it as cross-country, and I think they're about to run their

514
00:33:13,098 --> 00:33:15,889
first meet there in a few weeks. Next slide.

515
00:33:17,748 --> 00:33:21,529
We worked with the open space group and the planning group.

516
00:33:22,098 --> 00:33:26,958
We did plant 25 trees. We've since planted at least another dozen

517
00:33:28,518 --> 00:33:32,508
for the 250th celebration. We hope this is a tradition to continue.

518
00:33:32,567 --> 00:33:33,889
That's what the trees looked like.

519
00:33:33,948 --> 00:33:37,203
It was planting the trees, it was adding the ribbon, it was watering and

520
00:33:37,218 --> 00:33:42,738
maintaining them at least two to three times a week. So it was a work in itself.

521
00:33:42,798 --> 00:33:45,783
Next slide. So over the spring and summer,

522
00:33:47,178 --> 00:33:50,628
this is another off-the-budget investment.

523
00:33:50,808 --> 00:33:56,718
We've added software, and we've created a program to manage our work orders and

524
00:33:56,868 --> 00:34:01,308
also to look at a little bit of asset management in our buildings.

525
00:34:01,848 --> 00:34:05,448
I've spoken about this two or three times, but what I'm here to update you is that

526
00:34:05,508 --> 00:34:08,928
it's ready to launch. We'll be doing some significant training in the next two,

527
00:34:09,018 --> 00:34:13,728
three weeks. We hope to launch it internally with all our departments on October

528
00:34:13,758 --> 00:34:15,708
1st. Next slide.

529
00:34:17,658 --> 00:34:20,779
The rail trail has been spoken about more than three times.

530
00:34:21,949 --> 00:34:24,618
It's been spoken about for a couple of decades.

531
00:34:25,758 --> 00:34:30,138
We were able to bring that to the bid phase this summer, as anticipated.

532
00:34:30,589 --> 00:34:36,274
We do have a low bidder. MassDOT's currently-- It's within budget, and

533
00:34:36,288 --> 00:34:41,899
MassDOT's currently reviewing qualifications approach, and we hope to soon be

534
00:34:41,928 --> 00:34:47,839
notified of who they intend to award to and start to prepare next steps

535
00:34:47,958 --> 00:34:53,569
with the trail. I still anticipate construction starting likely

536
00:34:54,378 --> 00:34:58,578
tail end of winter, early spring, but we'll see what the contractor wants to do and

537
00:34:58,608 --> 00:35:01,848
how he wants to do it. Once we know who it is, there'll be a lot of community

538
00:35:01,938 --> 00:35:06,199
outreach, there'll be a lot of updating of abutters that takes place.

539
00:35:06,468 --> 00:35:07,758
We've spoken a lot in

540
00:35:09,258 --> 00:35:14,628
what-ifs or a lot of we assume, but now with a

541
00:35:14,688 --> 00:35:19,728
contractor, we're going to be able to create some definity in what this is going to

542
00:35:19,788 --> 00:35:25,758
look like in the next 12 to 18 months until it's opened and turned over to the

543
00:35:25,818 --> 00:35:27,047
town. Next slide.

544
00:35:29,598 --> 00:35:34,428
In the summer, there aren't kids in school, so this is our shot to really provide

545
00:35:34,488 --> 00:35:36,468
some update and keep the buildings clean.

546
00:35:37,578 --> 00:35:42,078
Everybody thinks summer's so long, but from a public works maintenance perspective,

547
00:35:42,138 --> 00:35:48,018
we really have from just after 4th of July to just about the middle of

548
00:35:48,108 --> 00:35:53,568
August to really have the buildings to ourself. God bless community schools.

549
00:35:53,628 --> 00:35:56,928
They took over three-quarters of the school until two weeks before.

550
00:35:57,018 --> 00:36:01,128
So we had the high school even less, but that's a program that supports

551
00:36:02,388 --> 00:36:04,878
school budget and a way that'll work around them.

552
00:36:04,938 --> 00:36:07,995
But- You'll see the next two or three slides.

553
00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:09,616
Eric, you can quickly go through them.

554
00:36:09,690 --> 00:36:13,890
These are all gymnasiums that were refinished. The floors were refinished.

555
00:36:14,101 --> 00:36:17,910
They see a lot of use throughout the year.

556
00:36:18,241 --> 00:36:22,471
Fall, it's volleyball, chair, dance.

557
00:36:22,890 --> 00:36:26,880
Winter, it turns over to basketball. In the spring, it's always spring sports.

558
00:36:26,925 --> 00:36:30,960
They can't get outside, they're back inside. More basketball and AAU.

559
00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:36,420
So they're constantly used, and this is a good chance to refinish them. Next slide.

560
00:36:37,290 --> 00:36:40,770
We were also able to work with the Summer Street PTO.

561
00:36:40,860 --> 00:36:42,659
This is the opening last week.

562
00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:49,050
A lot of planning for three weeks of work, but we were able to schedule it very

563
00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:49,755
aggressively,

564
00:36:51,241 --> 00:36:55,785
in very great detail, and I applaud everyone that was involved with this at Summer

565
00:36:55,830 --> 00:36:58,170
Street, who did a great job in planning the equipment.

566
00:36:58,230 --> 00:37:00,150
Equipment doesn't always come perfect.

567
00:37:02,101 --> 00:37:06,810
90% of this did, and the 10%, we had a little bit of wiggle room to overcome.

568
00:37:07,500 --> 00:37:13,290
So the preschool playground is complete, is renovated, is open for use.

569
00:37:13,410 --> 00:37:18,360
Next slide. This is the auditorium at the high

570
00:37:18,390 --> 00:37:24,180
school. When I sent this picture the day we finished up this work, I sent it to the

571
00:37:24,241 --> 00:37:27,300
principal at the high school. And she was like, "Wow, it's like night and day."

572
00:37:27,870 --> 00:37:30,991
With no pun intended in that joke, because it literally was.

573
00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:35,400
These are the house lights that are upgraded at the

574
00:37:36,930 --> 00:37:39,900
high school. This was also done with an earmark.

575
00:37:40,020 --> 00:37:42,090
This is the millionaire's tax, the

576
00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:47,399
economic... What was it? Millionaire's tax.

577
00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:49,695
Fish YES.

578
00:37:49,695 --> 00:37:52,890
Yeah. Fish YES. Fish YES, right. So this also came from the state.

579
00:37:55,080 --> 00:37:58,530
We are going to do a little more work at the high school, and then the middle

580
00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:01,320
school is going to see similar house light improvements.

581
00:38:02,010 --> 00:38:07,410
And the middle school's also going to get about $150,000 of theater

582
00:38:07,471 --> 00:38:13,200
improvements between money that we appropriated last year and earmarks in

583
00:38:13,260 --> 00:38:18,180
fiscal '27 that we're about to sign. So we're really looking forward to that.

584
00:38:18,241 --> 00:38:22,980
I should have a proposal to the middle school theater group within the next couple

585
00:38:23,010 --> 00:38:24,510
of weeks on what's going to happen.

586
00:38:24,570 --> 00:38:30,150
But house lights are already in the works, and we hope to have them in place

587
00:38:30,450 --> 00:38:31,950
within the month. Next slide.

588
00:38:34,471 --> 00:38:37,590
The middle school is over 20 years old, hasn't been painted yet.

589
00:38:37,710 --> 00:38:42,991
So we've started a program where we're painting a grade per opportunity.

590
00:38:43,230 --> 00:38:46,530
Let's put it this way. In the summer, we had the opportunity to do the seventh

591
00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:51,270
grade wing. So all those classrooms, bathrooms, hallways were redone.

592
00:38:51,420 --> 00:38:55,471
We'll take a similar approach to the rest of the school. Next slide.

593
00:38:56,460 --> 00:39:00,210
Huckleberry's office, it was over 22 years old.

594
00:39:00,330 --> 00:39:03,480
This also was painted with a new rug. Next slide.

595
00:39:04,425 --> 00:39:08,310
Winfield Community Schools is a tiny little office in the corner of the high school

596
00:39:08,370 --> 00:39:13,080
that tends to get forgotten. A new ceiling, new rugs, new paint.

597
00:39:13,320 --> 00:39:19,140
And this school, which sees a ton of foot traffic with parents of all

598
00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:23,340
ages coming in and out, registering for things, is now completely renovated.

599
00:39:23,430 --> 00:39:24,030
Next slide.

600
00:39:25,590 --> 00:39:30,090
Sometimes the little things we do make a big difference. We did this in-house.

601
00:39:30,210 --> 00:39:33,601
We upgraded all the trash facilities to hide them away.

602
00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:39,420
Little, small things, small money, but they make a big difference. Next slide.

603
00:39:40,890 --> 00:39:46,440
The senior center floors were all upgraded, all the carpet in the main floor.

604
00:39:46,500 --> 00:39:49,950
This was done through CIP funding, town CIP funding.

605
00:39:50,940 --> 00:39:55,320
The main room hardwood floor was refinished.

606
00:39:57,120 --> 00:39:57,900
The

607
00:39:59,700 --> 00:40:04,440
tiles were waxed, and all the rug was upgraded and replaced.

608
00:40:04,980 --> 00:40:08,370
And we had a little bit of a lag between when we started the work and when the

609
00:40:08,400 --> 00:40:12,690
carpet showed up. We had about a week, and we actually repainted the entire

610
00:40:12,750 --> 00:40:18,120
facility as well. So senior center is in good shape. Next slide.

611
00:40:18,180 --> 00:40:21,660
This is the home of an upgraded thrift shop.

612
00:40:21,690 --> 00:40:24,480
But this was before they brought all their stuff back in.

613
00:40:24,510 --> 00:40:28,050
So they've done a really nice job. Kelly's done a tremendous job, and it's nice to

614
00:40:28,080 --> 00:40:30,750
put some improvements into that building.

615
00:40:30,991 --> 00:40:35,700
We've been working with the Historic Commission, the Pope Bridges house, restoring

616
00:40:35,790 --> 00:40:38,670
that after we've used it for police. We redid it.

617
00:40:38,730 --> 00:40:42,241
We renovated the inside, all the floors. We repainted the inside.

618
00:40:42,870 --> 00:40:47,895
We did some work on the outside in terms of landscaping and we worked with

619
00:40:47,910 --> 00:40:52,170
conservation in selecting some planting in and around that area. Next slide.

620
00:40:52,680 --> 00:40:56,866
And we've been working with the historic group to turn this into the historic

621
00:40:56,940 --> 00:40:59,010
museum you heard about a couple of weeks ago.

622
00:41:01,680 --> 00:41:05,580
A big chunk of the spring and the summer was on roadwork.

623
00:41:06,045 --> 00:41:11,880
All in all, round numbers, we probably invested about $2

624
00:41:11,910 --> 00:41:16,485
million of funding on roads and road infrastructure.

625
00:41:17,340 --> 00:41:19,830
A half a million of it came from Complete Streets.

626
00:41:20,610 --> 00:41:23,160
That was two years of our own town investment.

627
00:41:23,235 --> 00:41:27,870
And then Chapter 90 was about a $700,000, $800,000 investment on top of that.

628
00:41:29,160 --> 00:41:33,540
It's a very unique year in where we didn't do roadwork last year, so we're able to

629
00:41:33,601 --> 00:41:38,730
carry money over, but still. Edwards out and Coleman out were repaved.

630
00:41:40,020 --> 00:41:43,741
Summer Street and Salem Street's the Complete Street project that we completed.

631
00:41:44,340 --> 00:41:49,020
Summer Street from Parsons to the South Common, that was right in front of here,

632
00:41:49,050 --> 00:41:53,070
was done, some of which was done with the public safety project.

633
00:41:53,670 --> 00:41:56,910
Tedford Lane was completed. Baldwin and Russet.

634
00:41:57,000 --> 00:42:02,580
We upgraded sidewalks along Walnut Street, which were treacherous to walk on from

635
00:42:02,610 --> 00:42:08,190
Salem Street to Saugus. And we did parking lot work, a little bit of parking lot

636
00:42:08,250 --> 00:42:12,601
work at the fire headquarters. They'll be completed this fall, and we were able to

637
00:42:12,660 --> 00:42:16,710
complete all the parking lots in and around this area, which really closed and

638
00:42:16,770 --> 00:42:19,290
completed the public safety project correctly.

639
00:42:19,860 --> 00:42:24,195
We worked with National Grid to repave the stretch of Summer Street in front of the

640
00:42:24,270 --> 00:42:30,000
library as well. So soon, in the next couple of weeks, we'll be headed

641
00:42:30,120 --> 00:42:35,580
back to Apple Hill. This time to do Apple Hill, to complete roadwork on Apple Hill.

642
00:42:35,699 --> 00:42:37,830
We'll be completing work on Sparhawk.

643
00:42:38,310 --> 00:42:41,940
That work started three years ago with National Grid upgrades.

644
00:42:43,500 --> 00:42:49,425
Winfield San Awata District has funded 80% of the curb-to-curb repair of

645
00:42:49,471 --> 00:42:54,390
Bay State Road because of water main improvements they performed a couple of years

646
00:42:54,540 --> 00:42:58,096
back, and to connect with Wakefield MWRA Water.

647
00:42:58,860 --> 00:43:01,410
We're also going to be doing some patchwork on Essex Street.

648
00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:05,745
Eric, you can go through these slides quickly, but these are some photos of

649
00:43:05,790 --> 00:43:11,221
roadwork. This is roadwork that recently took place this past few

650
00:43:11,280 --> 00:43:13,290
months.

651
00:43:18,900 --> 00:43:20,640
And that's the Complete Street project.

652
00:43:22,500 --> 00:43:27,000
This community really stepped up to the plate and helped invest in new equipment

653
00:43:27,060 --> 00:43:32,640
for public work so we could do our job both in the winter and throughout the year.

654
00:43:33,510 --> 00:43:35,910
We funded eight pieces with

655
00:43:37,170 --> 00:43:43,080
the funding that we created, but we were able, through some very aggressive

656
00:43:43,110 --> 00:43:48,660
procurement, we were able to get up to 11 pieces of new equipment for public works.

657
00:43:48,810 --> 00:43:52,741
And they're all seasonal. Everything that we've purchased can be used throughout

658
00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:57,360
the year, including the sidewalk tractor that's used mainly for plowing, but we

659
00:43:57,390 --> 00:44:02,101
bought different attachments. We were out cutting grass with it three weeks ago.

660
00:44:02,476 --> 00:44:06,900
It can be used to fall clean up. It can be used to help us at the high school to

661
00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:12,870
maintain that complex as well. So we really looked to

662
00:44:12,960 --> 00:44:18,330
purchase diverse equipment, things that we can use throughout all aspects of our

663
00:44:18,390 --> 00:44:22,214
work, and we were able to stretch that dollar pretty aggressively where we got an

664
00:44:22,230 --> 00:44:25,260
extra three pieces of equipment. Next slide.

665
00:44:28,860 --> 00:44:30,030
So what's next?

666
00:44:31,471 --> 00:44:33,991
Like I said, we're going to be doing the headquarters parking lot.

667
00:44:34,320 --> 00:44:40,080
We have upgrades to the DPW break room and bathrooms that were funded through CIP.

668
00:44:40,140 --> 00:44:44,820
That will start in a few weeks. We'll be sealing and repainting the tennis court

669
00:44:44,851 --> 00:44:48,900
and the pickleball courts at the middle school this fall.

670
00:44:48,930 --> 00:44:54,510
We're continuing to work at trying to solve some neighborhood drainage issues so

671
00:44:54,540 --> 00:45:00,226
that we can present those to CIP for the upcoming year, including other stormwater

672
00:45:00,270 --> 00:45:05,221
initiatives and improvements. Rail Trail award and construction is imminent.

673
00:45:05,430 --> 00:45:10,500
A formal notice of that is. Continue to work with Historic at reopening Pope

674
00:45:10,530 --> 00:45:13,680
Bridges House. We think that should be happening in the next month.

675
00:45:15,966 --> 00:45:21,336
And a big one for our administration is we're going to be looking to start

676
00:45:21,366 --> 00:45:26,466
negotiating a new trash contract to go into effect on July 1st of

677
00:45:26,646 --> 00:45:31,776
2027, and we're going to be working with recreation to look at some opportunities,

678
00:45:31,896 --> 00:45:32,586
whether it's through,

679
00:45:34,656 --> 00:45:39,516
mainly at the concession stand, work with LAA and recreation to see if we can

680
00:45:39,576 --> 00:45:45,291
utilize that resource a little more down there to create some additional revenue,

681
00:45:45,366 --> 00:45:50,106
but also to make sure there are resources in play for activities throughout the

682
00:45:50,136 --> 00:45:50,406
year.

683
00:45:51,696 --> 00:45:56,556
Okay. Thank you for the update. Glad to see a lot of the progress on the roads

684
00:45:56,586 --> 00:46:00,336
especially too. That's a great update to see. So, questions, comments?

685
00:46:00,606 --> 00:46:03,336
No, thank you for a comprehensive report.

686
00:46:03,396 --> 00:46:04,236
Yeah, very impressive.

687
00:46:04,656 --> 00:46:04,986
Thank you.

688
00:46:05,496 --> 00:46:06,036
You guys have been busy.

689
00:46:07,746 --> 00:46:08,047
All right.

690
00:46:09,366 --> 00:46:12,186
We're going to move on to our early voting schedule.

691
00:46:15,786 --> 00:46:17,090
You going to talk about early voting schedule?

692
00:46:17,196 --> 00:46:17,946
Stephanie.

693
00:46:18,006 --> 00:46:20,226
Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry, Stephanie. Yeah, come on up.

694
00:46:26,317 --> 00:46:28,866
Good evening. My name is Stephanie. I'm the town clerk.

695
00:46:30,366 --> 00:46:31,761
Good evening. My name is Stephanie.

696
00:46:31,806 --> 00:46:36,246
I'm the town clerk here in Lynnfield, and I'm here to get the early voting schedule

697
00:46:36,276 --> 00:46:39,427
for the November 3rd state election approved by the select board.

698
00:46:40,656 --> 00:46:43,686
If you have a look, both Saturdays offer six hours each.

699
00:46:44,286 --> 00:46:49,536
The first week is on a modified schedule, about 65% of our normal business hours,

700
00:46:49,956 --> 00:46:53,586
and the second week is our full business hours as required.

701
00:46:56,256 --> 00:46:57,486
Thank you. Any questions?

702
00:46:57,966 --> 00:46:58,086
Nope.

703
00:46:58,567 --> 00:47:00,156
All right. With that, I will take a motion.

704
00:47:01,956 --> 00:47:05,916
I'll move that the select board approve the in-person early voting schedule,

705
00:47:06,036 --> 00:47:10,806
location, and operating hours for the upcoming state election as submitted by the

706
00:47:10,866 --> 00:47:11,466
town clerk.

707
00:47:11,677 --> 00:47:12,427
I second.

708
00:47:12,486 --> 00:47:14,376
Okay. Motion's made and seconded. All those in favor?

709
00:47:14,436 --> 00:47:14,797
Aye.

710
00:47:14,811 --> 00:47:15,067
Aye.

711
00:47:15,817 --> 00:47:16,055
Thank you.

712
00:47:16,116 --> 00:47:16,927
Thank you.

713
00:47:16,986 --> 00:47:17,706
Thanks, Stephanie.

714
00:47:18,846 --> 00:47:22,611
Just for folks at home, the schedule will be posted, but it starts on Saturday,

715
00:47:22,656 --> 00:47:25,056
October 17th, and runs through Friday, October 30th.

716
00:47:25,656 --> 00:47:28,236
Voting here at Town Hall for early voting.

717
00:47:29,466 --> 00:47:32,826
All right. Next up, we have facilities use permit requests.

718
00:47:33,456 --> 00:47:37,686
So I think we have, let's see, one for the tree committee, friends of the library,

719
00:47:38,556 --> 00:47:42,096
See the Good Walk, Turkey Trot. Everyone's getting in early this year.

720
00:47:42,817 --> 00:47:47,166
Northeast R 5K, and a one-day liquor license for the fall gathering at Market

721
00:47:47,286 --> 00:47:47,797
Street.

722
00:47:49,056 --> 00:47:51,516
Any questions or comments on any of the applications?

723
00:47:52,836 --> 00:47:53,766
Okay. With that, I'll take a motion.

724
00:47:54,336 --> 00:47:55,927
I'll move that the select board

725
00:47:57,756 --> 00:48:01,596
approve the submitted facility and field use permit applications.

726
00:48:03,906 --> 00:48:04,686
I second.

727
00:48:05,271 --> 00:48:06,996
Okay. Motion's made and seconded. All those in favor?

728
00:48:07,206 --> 00:48:07,836
Aye.

729
00:48:09,096 --> 00:48:09,111
Aye.

730
00:48:09,126 --> 00:48:12,427
All right. Next up, we have the golf committee, sorry, the golf equipment

731
00:48:12,606 --> 00:48:15,396
contracts, not the committee. Rob?

732
00:48:15,666 --> 00:48:19,506
Just maintenance equipment. It's on budget, and obviously you have to approve the

733
00:48:19,567 --> 00:48:21,756
contracts for the golf course.

734
00:48:23,586 --> 00:48:24,336
Any questions for Rob?

735
00:48:24,606 --> 00:48:25,041
None.

736
00:48:28,340 --> 00:48:28,340
Nope.

737
00:48:28,340 --> 00:48:28,340
Nope.

738
00:48:28,385 --> 00:48:31,446
I'll move that the select board approve the contracts for golf maintenance and

739
00:48:31,536 --> 00:48:35,016
operations equipment for the Reading Meadow Golf Course as presented.

740
00:48:35,106 --> 00:48:35,766
Second.

741
00:48:35,797 --> 00:48:37,746
Okay. Motion's made and seconded. All those in favor?

742
00:48:37,866 --> 00:48:38,256
Aye.

743
00:48:38,766 --> 00:48:38,781
Aye.

744
00:48:38,781 --> 00:48:39,636
Aye. Motion passes.

745
00:48:41,136 --> 00:48:45,516
All right. I think next up we need to have a discussion on special town meeting in

746
00:48:45,547 --> 00:48:46,146
the fall.

747
00:48:48,906 --> 00:48:51,771
And then decide. We're deciding tonight, yes? Yes. Okay.

748
00:48:52,536 --> 00:48:54,366
So if, Rob, you want to kick us off?

749
00:48:54,606 --> 00:48:54,876
Sure.

750
00:48:54,922 --> 00:48:55,356
Thank you.

751
00:48:55,416 --> 00:48:59,706
So unlike most years, we don't have a lot of potential articles at town meeting, so

752
00:48:59,766 --> 00:49:04,896
the question for the board is whether or not we want to invest in another town

753
00:49:04,956 --> 00:49:05,976
meeting, whether or not

754
00:49:07,927 --> 00:49:13,701
120, 175 people attend, and that's a decision for tonight.

755
00:49:13,866 --> 00:49:18,336
Also, is the movement of the town meeting to the 9th, as we note usually in

756
00:49:18,427 --> 00:49:21,576
October. That's for us to better prepare, because some of these things are very

757
00:49:21,606 --> 00:49:26,196
last minute. Right now, we have a local business who is looking to expand parking,

758
00:49:26,256 --> 00:49:30,096
which would require a change in zoning voted by town meeting.

759
00:49:30,666 --> 00:49:32,736
We have the Human Rights Commission.

760
00:49:33,817 --> 00:49:38,406
That would need to be approved, to make the commission as part of the bylaw.

761
00:49:38,916 --> 00:49:42,456
They could operate as a committee until the spring, but that's a decision the board

762
00:49:42,516 --> 00:49:46,836
has to make. We have a fire contract that we settled that we could fund and then

763
00:49:46,927 --> 00:49:50,706
come back in April to refill that pot.

764
00:49:51,636 --> 00:49:56,196
And then Emily is working on the stormwater that she discussed.

765
00:49:56,226 --> 00:50:00,067
So right now, those are the only four-

766
00:50:01,086 --> 00:50:02,016
Potential

767
00:50:02,031 --> 00:50:03,711
... potential. Each of them are a little shaky, but

768
00:50:04,986 --> 00:50:08,811
those are what we have right now. And of course, any citizen petition, but we've

769
00:50:08,826 --> 00:50:09,456
not received any.

770
00:50:09,531 --> 00:50:09,531
Okay.

771
00:50:09,576 --> 00:50:13,446
So the board needs to decide whether they want to move the date and whether or not

772
00:50:13,506 --> 00:50:17,317
they think it's worthy of the investment and the time to have a town meeting.

773
00:50:17,886 --> 00:50:19,956
And what does it cost us per town meeting?

774
00:50:19,986 --> 00:50:23,916
It's about $20,000. I mean, we can reduce the clickers,

775
00:50:25,297 --> 00:50:29,346
and obviously the TV production sound are the two most important things.

776
00:50:29,376 --> 00:50:29,391
Mm-hmm.

777
00:50:29,797 --> 00:50:33,396
The election workers that we have that night are a cost.

778
00:50:34,177 --> 00:50:36,846
They work for very low pay, and we appreciate them.

779
00:50:37,536 --> 00:50:39,336
So it comes out to about $20,000.

780
00:50:39,756 --> 00:50:43,701
And if I may, if we don't get a quorum and we go another night, it's double the

781
00:50:43,716 --> 00:50:44,106
cost.

782
00:50:44,166 --> 00:50:44,256
Yeah.

783
00:50:44,586 --> 00:50:45,936
Because we have to pay for everything again.

784
00:50:46,656 --> 00:50:47,765
Okay.

785
00:50:49,297 --> 00:50:49,776
All right. Thoughts?

786
00:50:50,076 --> 00:50:55,656
Well, it concerns me, because none of the issues are going to draw people to the

787
00:50:55,716 --> 00:50:56,916
meeting, I would think.

788
00:50:57,126 --> 00:50:57,320
Mm-hmm.

789
00:50:58,656 --> 00:51:02,766
And so the chance of getting a quorum would be jeopardized.

790
00:51:03,096 --> 00:51:08,302
But the one thing I heard tonight that did concern me, if we did not have the

791
00:51:08,346 --> 00:51:14,016
November meeting, was a couple of things that Emily referred to with getting some

792
00:51:14,076 --> 00:51:15,576
rules and regs in place.

793
00:51:15,696 --> 00:51:15,816
Mm-hmm.

794
00:51:16,236 --> 00:51:21,246
And I don't know if that being put off till April is worth

795
00:51:22,116 --> 00:51:22,866
considering.

796
00:51:23,496 --> 00:51:25,686
And some of those are still continuing to change, so-

797
00:51:26,196 --> 00:51:26,391
Mm-hmm

798
00:51:26,736 --> 00:51:30,006
... I think maybe some of it should be ready for October, but I'm curious if the

799
00:51:30,036 --> 00:51:31,956
state's still working through what they've got to work through.

800
00:51:32,076 --> 00:51:33,021
Well, it sounds like the state-

801
00:51:33,021 --> 00:51:34,536
And it's going to be a waterfall

802
00:51:34,626 --> 00:51:34,866
... is still flexing, so.

803
00:51:34,927 --> 00:51:36,307
Yeah. It's going to be waterfall effect.

804
00:51:39,126 --> 00:51:43,686
Is there any information on what the impact would be to the applications if we held

805
00:51:43,716 --> 00:51:44,587
off till April on those?

806
00:51:44,736 --> 00:51:45,785
She, I talked to her about that.

807
00:51:45,816 --> 00:51:45,995
Yeah.

808
00:51:46,057 --> 00:51:46,297
She

809
00:51:47,765 --> 00:51:52,177
wasn't overly concerned. One, the subcommittee that he created hasn't met yet, but

810
00:51:52,266 --> 00:51:58,206
also, she is looking at possible some regulations that don't need to go to

811
00:51:58,446 --> 00:51:59,256
town meeting.

812
00:51:59,286 --> 00:51:59,646
Okay.

813
00:51:59,677 --> 00:52:00,696
And she shared that tonight.

814
00:52:00,936 --> 00:52:00,966
Yeah.

815
00:52:00,996 --> 00:52:03,456
That's her concern. She felt comfortable that-

816
00:52:03,696 --> 00:52:03,712
Okay

817
00:52:03,712 --> 00:52:04,506
... if we waited.

818
00:52:05,346 --> 00:52:06,096
Okay.

819
00:52:06,366 --> 00:52:10,446
Alex, if I may, too. We really have a deadline too, for town meeting too.

820
00:52:10,536 --> 00:52:13,177
We have to have it done by a certain day because we have to have the classification

821
00:52:13,206 --> 00:52:15,366
hearing, we have to submit the tax rate by December 1st.

822
00:52:16,146 --> 00:52:20,481
So legally we can't submit a tax rate until five days after special town meeting,

823
00:52:21,186 --> 00:52:24,486
so we're kind of up against the wall with the dates too.

824
00:52:24,591 --> 00:52:29,781
And I believe that those weeks that we haven't town meeting is the tournaments at

825
00:52:29,797 --> 00:52:33,516
high school sports, soccer, field hockey and so forth, too.

826
00:52:35,736 --> 00:52:39,891
If we didn't have the special town meeting, we could set that one meeting too by

827
00:52:39,906 --> 00:52:40,626
the deadline as well.

828
00:52:40,866 --> 00:52:46,386
Right. So I think we have the classification hearing going on November 16th.

829
00:52:46,626 --> 00:52:48,065
Okay. Right after that, yeah. Okay.

830
00:52:48,126 --> 00:52:48,307
So.

831
00:52:49,326 --> 00:52:50,106
Okay. Jeff?

832
00:52:50,136 --> 00:52:54,427
I guess my thought is I'm very wary of...

833
00:52:55,266 --> 00:52:58,837
I know it hasn't been scheduled, but essentially canceling the tradition of town

834
00:52:58,896 --> 00:53:03,366
meeting. I do think that the HRC would bring people out, to your point.

835
00:53:03,427 --> 00:53:06,802
I'm not sure that it would bring out 200, 500 people.

836
00:53:07,851 --> 00:53:12,516
But I do think that if we scheduled it, I'm also kind of wary of, I know there

837
00:53:12,547 --> 00:53:14,076
haven't been any citizen petitions.

838
00:53:14,166 --> 00:53:17,031
I don't know if anybody was planning to submit anything, but

839
00:53:18,427 --> 00:53:22,686
not letting people at least submit a petition, go through the process.

840
00:53:22,777 --> 00:53:22,791
Mm-hmm.

841
00:53:23,316 --> 00:53:27,277
I haven't heard, just anecdotally about anything else that would be coming.

842
00:53:28,716 --> 00:53:33,337
And I also think I'm wary of, like in April, if there are more articles, if it ends

843
00:53:33,396 --> 00:53:36,156
up being a incredibly long town meeting.

844
00:53:36,172 --> 00:53:38,916
And I actually thought we were going to only have two items.

845
00:53:39,277 --> 00:53:44,646
I'm glad we would have four, but I think, can we clear the decks for April, so that

846
00:53:44,677 --> 00:53:48,096
it's not like a progressively longer town meeting. Does that make sense?

847
00:53:48,726 --> 00:53:49,297
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

848
00:53:49,566 --> 00:53:50,076
If I may.

849
00:53:50,226 --> 00:53:50,376
Yeah.

850
00:53:50,406 --> 00:53:54,396
We do have four. The only issue I have is that the business we're talking about

851
00:53:54,456 --> 00:53:58,266
hasn't even begun the process of submitting a plan yet.

852
00:53:58,866 --> 00:54:02,286
And like Dave said, not only does this board have to have a meeting, we have to

853
00:54:02,316 --> 00:54:05,016
schedule a meeting with zoning and public-

854
00:54:05,031 --> 00:54:06,861
Zoning, public hearing. We have all deadlines that we need

855
00:54:06,861 --> 00:54:09,846
... 30 days. So we do have four, which is a good thing.

856
00:54:09,906 --> 00:54:10,386
That's true.

857
00:54:10,986 --> 00:54:14,557
It could be three, it could be one, it could be two, it could be five.

858
00:54:15,876 --> 00:54:17,677
Either way, we do what we have to do.

859
00:54:17,736 --> 00:54:17,841
Mm-hmm.

860
00:54:18,156 --> 00:54:21,636
But I've never had a town meeting like this where it's so kind of up in the air.

861
00:54:21,906 --> 00:54:22,087
Yeah.

862
00:54:22,746 --> 00:54:26,766
I guess, just curious logistically, if we decided to have a town meeting, because I

863
00:54:26,797 --> 00:54:30,666
think that if we schedule it, lock it down, publicize, people know about it.

864
00:54:31,356 --> 00:54:36,726
Is there a deadline by which we could cancel it later if one or three of these

865
00:54:36,756 --> 00:54:41,677
fall through? Because I think it is a good point that some of them are kind of

866
00:54:41,766 --> 00:54:42,815
shaky for, yeah.

867
00:54:43,206 --> 00:54:47,196
If I may, through the chair. Stephanie, do you have a deadline for the clickers?

868
00:54:47,736 --> 00:54:49,731
I do. So within probably two months

869
00:54:51,942 --> 00:54:53,262
Today.

870
00:54:53,637 --> 00:54:53,637
Today.

871
00:54:55,873 --> 00:54:57,432
So the 9th of September.

872
00:54:57,552 --> 00:54:58,527
Yeah, today.

873
00:54:58,902 --> 00:55:02,472
We have to secure the clickers, and obviously if we don't sign a quote, they're

874
00:55:02,487 --> 00:55:06,492
just going to outsource them to another community, so sooner rather than later.

875
00:55:06,522 --> 00:55:10,242
You know, two months, so today. In theory, though, we don't need clickers to run

876
00:55:10,302 --> 00:55:13,932
town meetings. I recall there was one town meeting where the clickers weren't

877
00:55:13,962 --> 00:55:18,672
there. They did hand votes. We don't need them, but a lot of people like to use

878
00:55:18,702 --> 00:55:20,952
them. Okay. Yeah.

879
00:55:21,072 --> 00:55:26,353
And I think that Diana mentioned, too, the recommendations from the Anti-Hate Task

880
00:55:26,442 --> 00:55:29,623
Force. They're prepared to recommend either way so they can continue the work and

881
00:55:29,652 --> 00:55:33,672
continue to move forward and continue with the formation, in a different capacity

882
00:55:33,702 --> 00:55:38,022
with the recommendation to us. So they're looking at all aspects of how to operate

883
00:55:38,383 --> 00:55:39,582
in the event that we didn't have it.

884
00:55:41,142 --> 00:55:44,353
I guess one other question, and it was kind of an open question, what are we

885
00:55:44,413 --> 00:55:46,873
anticipating for spring town meeting at this point?

886
00:55:46,932 --> 00:55:50,832
Are there any other common things would be these, if these four went through, they

887
00:55:50,862 --> 00:55:53,802
would shift to April? And is there anything else?

888
00:55:55,182 --> 00:55:55,692
Budget as usual.

889
00:55:55,753 --> 00:55:56,142
Budget.

890
00:55:56,202 --> 00:55:56,562
Yep.

891
00:55:57,222 --> 00:55:59,248
And everything that I'm going to be talking about tonight-

892
00:55:59,292 --> 00:55:59,623
Yeah

893
00:55:59,982 --> 00:56:00,913
... which potentially-

894
00:56:01,152 --> 00:56:05,172
That's one way, spring town meeting traditionally or I think by law, it's like

895
00:56:05,187 --> 00:56:06,342
there's five kind of houses

896
00:56:06,357 --> 00:56:10,422
It's true. Fall is usually zoning and things like that, and spring is usually

897
00:56:10,452 --> 00:56:11,322
everything else.

898
00:56:11,383 --> 00:56:11,652
Yeah.

899
00:56:11,682 --> 00:56:14,772
And we did do some cleanup on what we had to bring to town meeting versus what we

900
00:56:14,802 --> 00:56:19,062
could decide on here, too, so hopefully it won't be that long list of fees and

901
00:56:19,092 --> 00:56:21,222
everything like that. We won't have to go through those items anymore.

902
00:56:21,462 --> 00:56:24,133
No, we only had 19 articles at the annual town meeting.

903
00:56:24,222 --> 00:56:25,123
I don't see it being-

904
00:56:25,647 --> 00:56:26,187
I think more this time

905
00:56:26,187 --> 00:56:26,667
... more than 20.

906
00:56:29,082 --> 00:56:29,353
Yeah.

907
00:56:29,381 --> 00:56:31,152
Because we're not going to have big capital budgets.

908
00:56:31,212 --> 00:56:31,842
We're not going to have-

909
00:56:31,962 --> 00:56:32,187
Mm-hmm

910
00:56:32,442 --> 00:56:33,642
... those things.

911
00:56:34,452 --> 00:56:39,522
I guess, for me, and I think we can discuss it, the two that I'm most interested

912
00:56:39,552 --> 00:56:42,222
in, that I was aware of was the stormwater one and the HRC.

913
00:56:42,522 --> 00:56:48,432
The HRC, I can follow up with Diana, but I do have questions about where it's at,

914
00:56:48,612 --> 00:56:50,532
when we're going to actually be able to review it.

915
00:56:51,462 --> 00:56:55,692
It is two months away, so I'm not sure that they'd be able to finalize everything.

916
00:56:55,722 --> 00:56:58,362
It sounds like they're planning on it, but I just have questions.

917
00:56:58,482 --> 00:56:59,472
I'm sure planning to come to the next meeting-

918
00:56:59,892 --> 00:57:00,253
The ninth

919
00:57:00,282 --> 00:57:01,107
... with a recommendation.

920
00:57:01,542 --> 00:57:01,722
Yeah.

921
00:57:01,932 --> 00:57:02,772
In this next meeting.

922
00:57:03,042 --> 00:57:06,133
But with everything in place, like this is the number of members, this is the

923
00:57:06,192 --> 00:57:07,032
charge, this is-

924
00:57:07,062 --> 00:57:07,962
The recommendation, yeah.

925
00:57:08,052 --> 00:57:08,067
Okay.

926
00:57:08,082 --> 00:57:11,292
Mm-hmm. We would have to decide on it. They're not going to decide.

927
00:57:11,337 --> 00:57:13,062
We're going to decide. But they would come ready for that meeting.

928
00:57:13,392 --> 00:57:13,603
Yeah.

929
00:57:15,042 --> 00:57:15,253
Hmm.

930
00:57:16,542 --> 00:57:21,312
I guess, just speaking for myself, obviously, I lean towards having it.

931
00:57:21,402 --> 00:57:22,663
I know it's an additional expense.

932
00:57:22,722 --> 00:57:22,842
It's

933
00:57:24,642 --> 00:57:29,292
risky, but I do think, again, if we schedule the date, publicly communicate the

934
00:57:29,322 --> 00:57:33,732
date, ask neighbors and friends to say, "Hey, can you commit to going on this day?"

935
00:57:33,792 --> 00:57:34,812
I think we could get quorum.

936
00:57:36,312 --> 00:57:36,327
Mm-hmm.

937
00:57:36,342 --> 00:57:40,663
And again, I'm wary of letting these things slip to April.

938
00:57:40,842 --> 00:57:40,902
Mm-hmm.

939
00:57:41,202 --> 00:57:46,557
Obviously, I respect my fellow board members and the will.

940
00:57:46,572 --> 00:57:49,542
No, it's a good discussion. And it's what we had to weigh tonight, so we had to

941
00:57:49,603 --> 00:57:52,617
figure it out because we've got to decide on clickers by the end of tonight,

942
00:57:52,663 --> 00:57:53,292
probably.

943
00:57:54,492 --> 00:57:54,687
In 20 minutes.

944
00:57:54,687 --> 00:57:55,482
20 minutes, yeah.

945
00:57:55,527 --> 00:57:55,527
Yeah.

946
00:57:55,587 --> 00:57:55,812
So,

947
00:57:58,633 --> 00:58:02,217
I would personally lean towards not having it, just because I do feel like a lot of

948
00:58:02,262 --> 00:58:04,617
these things can operate, and one of them, especially the stormwater, which was a

949
00:58:04,633 --> 00:58:07,062
concern as well, does feel like it's still in a bit of

950
00:58:08,383 --> 00:58:12,402
flux. If Emily was very concerned about it, I think I'd be leaning more towards-

951
00:58:12,628 --> 00:58:12,628
Right

952
00:58:12,628 --> 00:58:15,373
... supporting that and supporting what we need to get those done.

953
00:58:15,672 --> 00:58:15,702
Yep.

954
00:58:16,633 --> 00:58:20,052
But it does sound like the state is in a bit of flux, too, so I'm not entirely sold

955
00:58:20,082 --> 00:58:22,782
that that's going to be fully ready and fully baked for us to be able to get to,

956
00:58:22,812 --> 00:58:26,577
too. And it sounds like the Anti-Hate Task Force has a plan for how to move

957
00:58:26,682 --> 00:58:28,422
forward, regardless of whether we have it.

958
00:58:28,482 --> 00:58:31,572
So I'm in the camp of possibly not needing it.

959
00:58:31,992 --> 00:58:32,487
I think maybe-

960
00:58:32,562 --> 00:58:34,242
And I have the same reasons, really.

961
00:58:34,512 --> 00:58:37,392
I think if Emily had expressed some concern-

962
00:58:37,722 --> 00:58:37,962
Yeah

963
00:58:37,976 --> 00:58:40,302
... I would definitely run for the meeting.

964
00:58:40,797 --> 00:58:46,272
And I think HRC has done their planning, so I think we're covered on really the two

965
00:58:46,362 --> 00:58:47,172
major ones.

966
00:58:47,322 --> 00:58:53,052
Yeah. I think the one thing I'd ask if we don't have fall town meeting for the HRC

967
00:58:53,112 --> 00:58:58,003
is just better definition, because I thought that they were going to appoint, or we

968
00:58:58,062 --> 00:59:02,172
might appoint a temporary HRC advisory group separate from the task force, which

969
00:59:02,202 --> 00:59:05,322
would be a bridge between the task force and the HRC.

970
00:59:07,123 --> 00:59:12,612
That is the plan. So what we would do, October, November, ask for

971
00:59:12,672 --> 00:59:13,302
applicants.

972
00:59:13,753 --> 00:59:13,767
Okay.

973
00:59:13,782 --> 00:59:15,612
Go through that process. The board would vote.

974
00:59:15,702 --> 00:59:20,592
The intent, hopefully, is that the people who are appointed would then become the

975
00:59:20,652 --> 00:59:24,552
Human Rights Commission. They'd be appointed in December, and then we-

976
00:59:25,212 --> 00:59:25,707
Yeah, January.

977
00:59:25,707 --> 00:59:25,707
January.

978
00:59:25,873 --> 00:59:27,777
Review the applications December, appointments in January.

979
00:59:27,853 --> 00:59:31,362
Appoint January, then the committee starts until April, in which they're formalized

980
00:59:31,422 --> 00:59:32,292
as a bylaw committee.

981
00:59:32,322 --> 00:59:34,527
And I think they have that timeline kind of mapped out for what that would look

982
00:59:34,542 --> 00:59:35,142
like as well.

983
00:59:38,353 --> 00:59:43,152
Are everyone good with questions? Ready to make a motion or however that lands?

984
00:59:44,623 --> 00:59:46,392
Well, do we need to make a motion?

985
00:59:46,422 --> 00:59:47,532
Yeah, we-

986
00:59:47,592 --> 00:59:48,792
If it's in the negative.

987
00:59:49,062 --> 00:59:49,167
Right.

988
00:59:49,182 --> 00:59:52,017
Oh, do we need to make a motion to even to have it at all, or do we need to make a

989
00:59:52,032 --> 00:59:52,902
motion to not have it?

990
00:59:53,008 --> 00:59:55,047
I would make a motion not to have it.

991
00:59:55,092 --> 01:00:00,432
Okay. All right. I'll move that the select board forego the

992
01:00:01,392 --> 01:00:05,503
fall town meeting for 2026.

993
01:00:07,753 --> 01:00:11,592
Okay. I'll second it. Motion's been made and seconded. All those in favor?

994
01:00:11,802 --> 01:00:12,522
Aye.

995
01:00:12,538 --> 01:00:13,152
Aye. All those opposed?

996
01:00:13,362 --> 01:00:13,633
Nay.

997
01:00:19,212 --> 01:00:19,992
Okay.

998
01:00:21,222 --> 01:00:25,873
Yep. So next on the agenda, we have appointing an interim building commissioner.

999
01:00:27,357 --> 01:00:32,413
It's our intent to offer you two to three candidates on the 24th of September to

1000
01:00:32,623 --> 01:00:34,542
appoint as our full-time building commissioner.

1001
01:00:34,962 --> 01:00:38,652
Until then, I want to thank the town administrator of Middleton and Scott

1002
01:00:38,682 --> 01:00:44,322
Fitzpatrick, who's their building commissioner, to work for us in his own

1003
01:00:44,353 --> 01:00:50,142
personal hours after hours until we can find that full-time building commissioner.

1004
01:00:50,202 --> 01:00:50,322
Okay.

1005
01:00:50,383 --> 01:00:50,503
Okay.

1006
01:00:50,562 --> 01:00:53,592
I would just-

1007
01:00:53,967 --> 01:00:55,422
Yeah. You said it

1008
01:00:55,437 --> 01:00:55,827
... second.

1009
01:00:55,902 --> 01:01:00,163
All right, I'll move that the select board appoint Scott Fitzpatrick as interim

1010
01:01:00,222 --> 01:01:03,853
building commissioner, effective immediately, to serve until a permanent

1011
01:01:03,913 --> 01:01:04,932
appointment is made.

1012
01:01:05,112 --> 01:01:05,772
Second.

1013
01:01:05,922 --> 01:01:07,601
Motion's been made and seconded. All those in favor?

1014
01:01:07,753 --> 01:01:07,873
Aye.

1015
01:01:08,847 --> 01:01:12,582
Aye. Motion passes. Okay, so next up we have our joint meeting with the select

1016
01:01:12,642 --> 01:01:18,312
board and the FinCom for Lynnfield to discuss the

1017
01:01:18,373 --> 01:01:19,873
initial budget process. So-

1018
01:01:19,962 --> 01:01:21,163
We'll have to find a recess then

1019
01:01:21,177 --> 01:01:24,851
... okay, find a recess. I'll have to find a recess, and then we'll start that.

1020
01:01:24,913 --> 01:01:25,452
Be right back.

1021
01:01:33,402 --> 01:01:35,862
Okay, thanks. All right. Welcome back.

1022
01:01:36,822 --> 01:01:41,772
So we have our joint meeting with the FinCom tonight.

1023
01:01:43,663 --> 01:01:46,932
I'll move that the select board enter into a joint session with the finance

1024
01:01:47,022 --> 01:01:47,322
committee.

1025
01:01:48,222 --> 01:01:48,853
I second.

1026
01:01:49,062 --> 01:01:50,922
Okay. Motion's been made and seconded. All those in favor?

1027
01:01:51,163 --> 01:01:52,212
Aye.

1028
01:01:52,242 --> 01:01:52,258
Aye.

1029
01:01:52,272 --> 01:01:55,902
I'll move that Alexis Leahy be chair of the joint committee meeting.

1030
01:01:56,172 --> 01:01:56,682
I second.

1031
01:01:57,072 --> 01:01:59,142
Okay, motion's been made and seconded. All those in favor?

1032
01:01:59,232 --> 01:01:59,472
Aye.

1033
01:01:59,517 --> 01:01:59,517
Aye.

1034
01:01:59,998 --> 01:02:05,142
Okay. So part of the reason we're doing this earlier in the process, you might have

1035
01:02:05,172 --> 01:02:07,302
noticed, for all those keeping track of the dates,

1036
01:02:08,802 --> 01:02:11,442
some of the vision for the select board was it really being open about the budget

1037
01:02:11,503 --> 01:02:15,402
process and hopefully to add to the understanding of folks in town and

1038
01:02:15,462 --> 01:02:17,832
understanding where we're coming from and seeing the discussion.

1039
01:02:18,072 --> 01:02:22,152
We're starting now instead of probably really close to the holidays, to ensure that

1040
01:02:22,182 --> 01:02:25,722
this process really does go year-round, and that we're consistently checking in

1041
01:02:25,782 --> 01:02:26,758
with the finance committee,

1042
01:02:28,512 --> 01:02:32,442
reviewing extended projections, and looking at revisions as they unfold.

1043
01:02:33,702 --> 01:02:37,603
The goal is really to have discussion on some of the information proposed tonight.

1044
01:02:38,503 --> 01:02:42,103
So our town administrator and our director of finance are both going to present

1045
01:02:42,163 --> 01:02:46,152
tonight. And we're going to talk through some of the three-year projections as well

1046
01:02:46,302 --> 01:02:51,582
as the process and what both committees as the responsible bodies for

1047
01:02:51,642 --> 01:02:56,383
managing the town's finance position really want to see out of this process, and

1048
01:02:56,952 --> 01:03:01,557
talk through some of that as well. So with that, I'll start with town

1049
01:03:01,572 --> 01:03:02,112
administrator.

1050
01:03:07,032 --> 01:03:08,503
Thanks, Chairman Leahy.

1051
01:03:09,942 --> 01:03:11,413
As the new chairman,

1052
01:03:12,702 --> 01:03:16,782
Chair Leahy has been clear about wanting to start this process earlier.

1053
01:03:16,842 --> 01:03:20,383
I think every year we've started the process a little bit earlier.

1054
01:03:21,282 --> 01:03:24,942
Over the past few years, we really started it towards the holidays.

1055
01:03:24,972 --> 01:03:28,962
But I look at this event, which I hope we can do every year at this time, as in

1056
01:03:29,022 --> 01:03:32,652
municipal government, really Labor Day is our calendar year.

1057
01:03:33,103 --> 01:03:35,862
It's our new year, with everyone coming back.

1058
01:03:35,952 --> 01:03:39,222
So in the past, we used the budget summit as a starting point.

1059
01:03:39,702 --> 01:03:44,082
We could still have a budget summit, but we hope moving forward that the budget

1060
01:03:44,112 --> 01:03:47,982
process for the following fiscal year starts right after Labor Day.

1061
01:03:48,612 --> 01:03:52,782
So when creating a multi-year budget analysis, particularly in the public sector,

1062
01:03:53,413 --> 01:03:56,562
we're using many educated assumptions.

1063
01:03:56,682 --> 01:03:59,353
So what you're hearing and see here is not gospel

1064
01:04:00,618 --> 01:04:06,318
They are based upon assumptions of past actuals, trends,

1065
01:04:06,918 --> 01:04:12,407
and in some cases, our own professional judgment and predictions derived from

1066
01:04:12,438 --> 01:04:14,209
limited information available to us.

1067
01:04:14,838 --> 01:04:19,338
In fact, most of the larger items outside of contracts are assumptions.

1068
01:04:20,388 --> 01:04:26,118
So these numbers could shift toward our benefit or detriment daily, weekly, and

1069
01:04:26,179 --> 01:04:27,468
monthly as we move forward.

1070
01:04:28,699 --> 01:04:33,018
So what are the goals for tonight? In April, we presented a three-year budget

1071
01:04:33,079 --> 01:04:38,538
analysis publicly to the select board. This analysis covered FY27, 28, 29.

1072
01:04:38,929 --> 01:04:43,038
What we have tonight is the more updated model, and which Dave was even updating

1073
01:04:43,068 --> 01:04:49,038
yesterday for FY28 and 29. My presentation focuses not only on the people

1074
01:04:49,098 --> 01:04:52,518
around the room, but also, and more importantly, citizens at home.

1075
01:04:53,748 --> 01:04:56,688
I want this to be understandable and user-friendly.

1076
01:04:57,378 --> 01:05:00,348
So what are the questions I think people are asking, as you are?

1077
01:05:00,858 --> 01:05:03,739
One, what were the goals of the past override?

1078
01:05:04,429 --> 01:05:07,368
Did we meet those objectives, and what was not part of the override?

1079
01:05:07,638 --> 01:05:12,498
Secondly, what are the causes of the historic number of overrides in Massachusetts,

1080
01:05:12,528 --> 01:05:16,038
and how are those causes impacting Lynnfield finances?

1081
01:05:16,518 --> 01:05:19,248
Average question I hear most, didn't we just do this?

1082
01:05:20,478 --> 01:05:23,989
What issues are not driving the budget challenges in Lynnfield?

1083
01:05:24,348 --> 01:05:25,727
That's another important question.

1084
01:05:26,329 --> 01:05:30,408
The next is, what is Lynnfield doing to create new revenue or reform outside the

1085
01:05:30,438 --> 01:05:34,579
property tax? Are we running to the taxpayer and not putting in full efforts?

1086
01:05:36,258 --> 01:05:41,868
Where does Lynnfield taxes stand in comparison to comparable communities?

1087
01:05:41,959 --> 01:05:44,748
No one here is saying that Lynnfield has low taxes. We do not.

1088
01:05:45,228 --> 01:05:47,898
And it's certainly understandable that those taxes have risen.

1089
01:05:48,498 --> 01:05:52,038
But it's important to look at our peers and see what they're doing.

1090
01:05:53,028 --> 01:05:58,278
And lastly, I think we're offering from a 10,000 feet point right now, because we

1091
01:05:58,308 --> 01:06:01,518
have such little information. We're only two years into the current fiscal year of

1092
01:06:01,668 --> 01:06:03,318
27. What could

1093
01:06:04,668 --> 01:06:07,278
some of the options possibly be moving forward?

1094
01:06:08,209 --> 01:06:08,388
So,

1095
01:06:10,728 --> 01:06:14,598
I think both boards, when we leave here tonight, need to define their own path,

1096
01:06:14,718 --> 01:06:19,518
either independently as two groups or through a small subcommittee, to take a

1097
01:06:19,608 --> 01:06:23,658
deeper dive into every piece of the information that I share to you tonight.

1098
01:06:24,288 --> 01:06:27,888
But either way, tonight is the official beginning, although we just went through

1099
01:06:27,918 --> 01:06:31,908
this at town meeting in April, for the next fiscal year, FY28.

1100
01:06:32,358 --> 01:06:36,498
So the first question is, what was promised in the last override?

1101
01:06:36,739 --> 01:06:39,739
First, the override would last for two years. That was the commitment.

1102
01:06:40,548 --> 01:06:44,748
The override would allow the school committee, which was in negotiations, myself

1103
01:06:44,778 --> 01:06:50,179
included, to settle a three-year teacher's contract expiring in September of 2028.

1104
01:06:51,018 --> 01:06:54,709
We made a commitment to restore the senior center hours of service and maintain the

1105
01:06:54,768 --> 01:06:59,838
current in-house meal program. We made a commitment to maintain library state

1106
01:06:59,929 --> 01:07:03,393
certification and restore most hours of operation.

1107
01:07:04,579 --> 01:07:08,568
We agreed to hire one police officer to lower overtime costs, which it did.

1108
01:07:09,588 --> 01:07:14,538
And we made sure that we had the funding to maintain fire staffing that allows for

1109
01:07:14,658 --> 01:07:20,118
two pieces of apparatus, fire and/or EMS, to operate

1110
01:07:20,298 --> 01:07:23,329
24 hours a day, seven days a week, to protect the town.

1111
01:07:23,989 --> 01:07:28,188
And lastly, to provide the Lynnfield Public Schools with a recommended budget

1112
01:07:28,248 --> 01:07:32,538
increase of 4% to maintain their good work and advance operations.

1113
01:07:32,989 --> 01:07:37,218
That was the commitment. We have achieved all of those commitments.

1114
01:07:38,088 --> 01:07:43,818
What was not achieved, what was not promised in the override a few years

1115
01:07:43,878 --> 01:07:44,148
back,

1116
01:07:45,408 --> 01:07:47,959
that it would last for two years, more than two years.

1117
01:07:48,199 --> 01:07:51,438
So again, we said again and again, FY26, FY27.

1118
01:07:52,128 --> 01:07:55,548
It did not fund the assistant director position at the senior center that was

1119
01:07:55,579 --> 01:07:59,268
permanently cut. It did not fund the assistant director position at the Lynnfield

1120
01:07:59,298 --> 01:08:02,358
Public Library or all service hours, which were permanently cut.

1121
01:08:02,898 --> 01:08:07,489
It did not restore DPW management positions that were cut.

1122
01:08:08,358 --> 01:08:12,018
Did not allow for more than a 4% increase in the operating budget of the Lynnfield

1123
01:08:12,079 --> 01:08:17,508
Public Schools over FY26 and 27. It did not allocate money to

1124
01:08:17,539 --> 01:08:22,459
maintain the four SAFER grant positions in the Lynnfield Fire Department after the

1125
01:08:22,549 --> 01:08:27,498
grant finished. And it did not dedicate funds to address the unknown increase in

1126
01:08:27,529 --> 01:08:32,928
the trash contract, which expires next fiscal year, and we begin

1127
01:08:32,959 --> 01:08:37,938
negotiations in a few months. Those are the things, that's the starting point as we

1128
01:08:38,029 --> 01:08:39,739
entered the last two fiscal years.

1129
01:08:40,428 --> 01:08:46,398
So why are we seeing historic property tax overrides in Massachusetts that has

1130
01:08:46,489 --> 01:08:47,449
now hit Lynnfield?

1131
01:08:48,709 --> 01:08:54,498
I have lived through, as a mayor or a manager, 9/11, the great crash of '08.

1132
01:08:54,978 --> 01:08:59,838
I was on city council on earlier times that were difficult,

1133
01:09:00,709 --> 01:09:05,959
and COVID. And I look at the economy, and although there are struggles, it's really

1134
01:09:06,018 --> 01:09:08,058
not that bad. The stock market's doing well.

1135
01:09:08,478 --> 01:09:09,348
So why

1136
01:09:10,938 --> 01:09:13,938
is almost every community dealing with the override question?

1137
01:09:14,013 --> 01:09:19,699
Towns from Malden to Marblehead to Lynnfield, Bedford, big and small,

1138
01:09:20,449 --> 01:09:25,443
medium, industrial, rural. Well, it's not that difficult because most of these

1139
01:09:25,459 --> 01:09:27,813
things are affecting our own lives. First, inflation rates.

1140
01:09:28,518 --> 01:09:31,848
Since COVID, inflation rates have consistently exceeded revenue growth in the

1141
01:09:31,878 --> 01:09:35,824
Proposition Two-and-a-Half. It's energy costs, service costs, product costs, and

1142
01:09:35,838 --> 01:09:38,658
everything in between. You see it in your own energy bills.

1143
01:09:38,688 --> 01:09:43,039
You see it in your own trips to the grocery store. The second is healthcare.

1144
01:09:43,968 --> 01:09:48,079
Group Insurance Commission yearly increases are now over 10%.

1145
01:09:48,799 --> 01:09:53,088
For the first 16 years of municipal partnership with the state,

1146
01:09:54,348 --> 01:09:57,168
the average increases were between 3% and 6%.

1147
01:09:58,728 --> 01:10:01,878
That is an incredible increase over a short period of time.

1148
01:10:02,598 --> 01:10:08,118
And the unfortunate part is that local management cannot unilaterally change plan

1149
01:10:08,148 --> 01:10:10,848
designs. Only the state can do that.

1150
01:10:11,568 --> 01:10:17,343
Anything that we do has to be negotiated with a union in which we need 50% of all

1151
01:10:17,388 --> 01:10:18,528
the unions to agree.

1152
01:10:20,299 --> 01:10:25,038
That's probably the single greatest challenge we have, healthcare.

1153
01:10:25,098 --> 01:10:30,678
Cautious new growth. Lynnfield correctly has a very cautious new growth

1154
01:10:30,799 --> 01:10:36,018
policy that favors single family homes, and that places a

1155
01:10:36,078 --> 01:10:41,538
disproportionate pressure on residential property taxes compared to towns with

1156
01:10:41,568 --> 01:10:46,023
higher commercial bases, additional building, and consistent new growth.

1157
01:10:46,428 --> 01:10:47,778
That is a choice we're making.

1158
01:10:49,008 --> 01:10:54,663
Trash and recycling. The trash and recycling crisis has caused, with our

1159
01:10:54,663 --> 01:11:00,528
taking surveys, increases of 30-plus percent per community on

1160
01:11:00,588 --> 01:11:05,328
contracts that are ending now. There is less competition in the market.

1161
01:11:06,018 --> 01:11:08,748
There is aggressive elimination of human staff.

1162
01:11:09,888 --> 01:11:13,278
And there's this transition away from human work and to

1163
01:11:14,868 --> 01:11:18,108
the arm and the barrel. So I think you see it when you drive to work.

1164
01:11:18,138 --> 01:11:22,338
We don't have that here. What we have is a premium product that is only getting

1165
01:11:22,368 --> 01:11:23,178
more expensive.

1166
01:11:25,788 --> 01:11:30,799
Local aid and assessments. Now, we face stagnant local aid increases and

1167
01:11:30,858 --> 01:11:32,718
significant state assessment increases.

1168
01:11:33,468 --> 01:11:36,858
As the state giveth, the state taketh away, the backend.

1169
01:11:37,758 --> 01:11:42,318
And at the end with a wash, we usually end up with 1%, 2%, or 3% depending on the

1170
01:11:42,378 --> 01:11:45,288
line, of increase. Obviously, that doesn't cut it.

1171
01:11:47,088 --> 01:11:52,998
So these increases are minimal, and they're consistently minimal, while

1172
01:11:53,028 --> 01:11:58,323
vocational school assessments alone went up 39.37%,

1173
01:11:59,148 --> 01:12:02,538
which was $271,155 one year.

1174
01:12:03,799 --> 01:12:07,488
Now, that's not a knock against the vocational school. It's an exceptional school.

1175
01:12:08,418 --> 01:12:13,549
But that is a major hit for a town that brings in a little bit more than a million

1176
01:12:13,608 --> 01:12:18,318
in new taxes and approximately half. State regulations and revenues.

1177
01:12:19,533 --> 01:12:24,678
The state is also in trouble. With the changes in Washington in terms of Medicaid

1178
01:12:25,068 --> 01:12:30,618
reimbursements, we will see, if these things continue, depending on perhaps the

1179
01:12:30,633 --> 01:12:31,683
election in a few months,

1180
01:12:33,018 --> 01:12:36,288
more pressure on the state budget to deliver services for our most needy.

1181
01:12:37,549 --> 01:12:42,288
Also, for locally, the state makes it incredibly difficult for us to make

1182
01:12:42,348 --> 01:12:48,078
management reforms and create new revenue under Proposition Two-and-a-Half.

1183
01:12:48,168 --> 01:12:51,678
They have every angle covered. And when we do, we have to go for a special

1184
01:12:51,738 --> 01:12:55,758
legislation. Also, again, we have collective bargaining coming up.

1185
01:12:56,238 --> 01:13:01,944
It's easy to say, "Well, I'll give employees a zero or one." But the fact

1186
01:13:02,064 --> 01:13:07,794
is, the public sector has collective bargaining laws that require

1187
01:13:07,884 --> 01:13:13,419
us to negotiate with unions that have a constituency, and this constituency is

1188
01:13:13,464 --> 01:13:17,064
looking at the same challenges that we all face in our home.

1189
01:13:17,484 --> 01:13:22,674
In many cases, a 3% pay raise is a reduction in pay considering.

1190
01:13:23,634 --> 01:13:29,184
But if we do not negotiate with unions, we will see labor unrest that has been seen

1191
01:13:29,214 --> 01:13:33,714
in other communities. The question is, if we want to toe the line-- And by the way,

1192
01:13:33,774 --> 01:13:36,864
since I've been here, we've never signed a contract COLA of over 3%.

1193
01:13:37,344 --> 01:13:39,324
On average, it's been about 2 to 2.5.

1194
01:13:39,864 --> 01:13:44,574
If anyone thinks that is an excessive raise, I would certainly question that.

1195
01:13:47,694 --> 01:13:51,444
So what items there are not causing this revenue shortfall?

1196
01:13:51,474 --> 01:13:56,004
Well, our capital projects are not causing the revenue shortfall.

1197
01:13:56,064 --> 01:14:00,939
We have funded those projects, be it the schools, this town hall we're in right

1198
01:14:01,044 --> 01:14:05,724
now, or the fire police stations, with a debt exclusion, which is off budget, with

1199
01:14:05,785 --> 01:14:08,799
a separate funding source to fund those things.

1200
01:14:09,354 --> 01:14:14,109
So that commitment that the people made is not impacting the need to fund schools,

1201
01:14:14,664 --> 01:14:19,449
public safety, or DPW. Second is staffing increases.

1202
01:14:20,214 --> 01:14:25,674
Over the past few fiscal years, and it's probably only, I looked at two, but three,

1203
01:14:25,734 --> 01:14:29,904
we have only hired, on the town side, one new staff person.

1204
01:14:29,964 --> 01:14:32,094
That is a police officer. That is it.

1205
01:14:33,144 --> 01:14:37,194
We've reformed almost every department, but one new staff person.

1206
01:14:38,245 --> 01:14:43,285
Spending outside of fixed costs. Well, I think if you saw the budget we passed,

1207
01:14:45,174 --> 01:14:47,995
the town side of the budget, about 2.4% increase.

1208
01:14:50,004 --> 01:14:53,094
Irresponsible labor contracts, I told you, that's not impacting us.

1209
01:14:53,184 --> 01:14:54,984
We have responsible labor contracts.

1210
01:14:56,154 --> 01:14:58,104
And certainly, it's not from a lack of planning.

1211
01:14:58,674 --> 01:15:02,664
And just over the last few years, and it was just off the top of my head, we've

1212
01:15:02,724 --> 01:15:05,964
really improved the budget process as it pertains to timing over the last few

1213
01:15:06,024 --> 01:15:10,389
years. We have done, at least since I've been here, consistent three-year analysis

1214
01:15:10,464 --> 01:15:16,164
financials. We were making capital decisions based on submissions and then pick

1215
01:15:16,344 --> 01:15:21,234
what we need. We now have a very comprehensive capital improvement plan.

1216
01:15:21,624 --> 01:15:26,035
When I came here, we did a strategic plan, worked over three years, accomplished

1217
01:15:26,124 --> 01:15:31,839
that. We're not running from the hazardous environmental issues in our

1218
01:15:31,854 --> 01:15:36,009
community or flooding. We now have a plan to fund them using federal money.

1219
01:15:36,009 --> 01:15:39,984
And we just don't pick roads based upon who calls us the most.

1220
01:15:40,044 --> 01:15:45,894
We have an independent road analysis and ranking on how we spend our money.

1221
01:15:45,924 --> 01:15:47,514
Those are all significant changes.

1222
01:15:50,439 --> 01:15:54,264
So, the next question is, are we sitting here and when we have a problem, just go

1223
01:15:54,324 --> 01:15:59,049
to the taxpayers? Well, the answer is no, and I'll just go through.

1224
01:15:59,664 --> 01:16:04,824
Some of the things that we have done to try to close gaps and avoid overrides or

1225
01:16:04,884 --> 01:16:08,724
deficits, or not deficits, but shortfalls in revenue expenditures.

1226
01:16:09,354 --> 01:16:13,703
One is working with the legislature to secure targeted grants and funding for

1227
01:16:13,793 --> 01:16:18,894
specific projects. Over the last few years, we have targeted grants and brought in

1228
01:16:19,074 --> 01:16:23,214
millions of new dollars for this town that Lynnfield had never received before.

1229
01:16:24,324 --> 01:16:30,174
Examples, the Veterans Memorial, school playgrounds, ball fields, the auditorium,

1230
01:16:30,264 --> 01:16:34,194
full rehabs of the middle school and the high school, school wellness centers,

1231
01:16:34,584 --> 01:16:38,814
health and wellness programming, and over the last three years, we received over $1

1232
01:16:38,844 --> 01:16:43,314
million in pedestrian safety grants. Those are just a few.

1233
01:16:43,614 --> 01:16:48,414
I want to keep this moving. We also have applied and received recently two

1234
01:16:48,504 --> 01:16:51,654
incredibly large federal grants that I'll be announcing in the next few weeks.

1235
01:16:52,524 --> 01:16:56,995
The first is from FEMA. Only three were awarded in the country.

1236
01:16:57,054 --> 01:17:02,574
A $1 million public safety project grant that, as we go through this process, could

1237
01:17:02,604 --> 01:17:04,254
mean reimbursement on our buildings.

1238
01:17:05,394 --> 01:17:08,724
The second is a $1 million PFAS water grant,

1239
01:17:09,924 --> 01:17:13,495
with John Schena with the LCWD, that will make

1240
01:17:15,204 --> 01:17:21,054
significant advances in meeting PFAS water grant regulations, which

1241
01:17:21,114 --> 01:17:23,514
is affecting every place in the country right now.

1242
01:17:25,914 --> 01:17:31,434
So we've also, and I know it's been a point of calm in the

1243
01:17:31,464 --> 01:17:36,654
FinCon, is funding indirect costs off our enterprise funds.

1244
01:17:36,774 --> 01:17:41,709
In golf, which was once unable to even buy a lawnmower, this year is writing a

1245
01:17:41,785 --> 01:17:46,974
check for $284,000 to the operating budget of our town.

1246
01:17:47,004 --> 01:17:49,974
It's working for us for really our first time substantially.

1247
01:17:50,484 --> 01:17:56,064
And our ambulance enterprise fund is submitting a check for $137,000 for our

1248
01:17:56,094 --> 01:18:00,354
operating budget. That's a first for Lynnfield. The meals tax.

1249
01:18:01,495 --> 01:18:06,684
The town of Lynnfield has submitted the first in the state, a special legislation

1250
01:18:06,894 --> 01:18:11,754
for home rule petition to the legislature, adjusting a tax for local benefit.

1251
01:18:12,924 --> 01:18:18,354
That would bring in, if it passes the state house, $600,000 into revenue.

1252
01:18:18,414 --> 01:18:21,384
I don't want to say it out loud because I thought this would be a real challenge,

1253
01:18:22,344 --> 01:18:24,864
but it is in the eighth inning of a nine-inning game,

1254
01:18:26,124 --> 01:18:27,174
and it would be a first.

1255
01:18:28,974 --> 01:18:32,124
And we're seeing some positive results.

1256
01:18:33,324 --> 01:18:39,174
Usually, they don't like localities taxing outside of almost everything.

1257
01:18:40,374 --> 01:18:43,764
But I'm hoping we can do that. That's a big benefit if we get that.

1258
01:18:45,745 --> 01:18:49,898
Field replacement. So one of the big liabilities of the town is a multi-year

1259
01:18:49,914 --> 01:18:53,064
replacement of the fields that we invested in, I think in 2013.

1260
01:18:53,604 --> 01:18:57,234
The governor signed special legislation creating a new revenue source outside the

1261
01:18:57,294 --> 01:19:02,454
tax base of up to 100,000 per year for our field replacement costs that will bring

1262
01:19:02,574 --> 01:19:07,194
in $1 million over the next decade, which will substantially help that and relieve

1263
01:19:07,224 --> 01:19:09,474
the taxpayers which would be responsible for that.

1264
01:19:10,824 --> 01:19:16,254
So I think what we're also doing is adhering to strict financial policies

1265
01:19:17,274 --> 01:19:19,404
designed by the FinCom and the select board.

1266
01:19:19,914 --> 01:19:23,499
We're still, despite challenges, keeping revenue strong.

1267
01:19:23,574 --> 01:19:28,914
Number one thing, we are not using one-time revenue for ongoing operating expenses.

1268
01:19:29,035 --> 01:19:34,089
That turns a challenge into a crisis.

1269
01:19:34,103 --> 01:19:39,114
It's irresponsible. We have avoided structural deficits. People use that word.

1270
01:19:39,144 --> 01:19:41,094
We are avoiding structural deficits.

1271
01:19:41,154 --> 01:19:45,535
We are simply spending more than we're bringing in, mainly being fixed costs.

1272
01:19:45,594 --> 01:19:50,724
And we're maintaining a strong bond rating that has resulted in $7 million in

1273
01:19:50,785 --> 01:19:52,734
savings on the public safety building.

1274
01:19:54,234 --> 01:19:57,024
That's substantial stuff, even if it is over 30 years.

1275
01:19:57,745 --> 01:20:01,164
So property sales, I thought it was very creative when we were unable to fix the

1276
01:20:01,224 --> 01:20:05,274
library roof, which as John said earlier, is not a roof, but a full construction of

1277
01:20:05,304 --> 01:20:11,035
the rot underneath. We were able to sell the old library for almost

1278
01:20:11,245 --> 01:20:16,974
500,000, and we brought in a project of 300,000, and now we're able to use some of

1279
01:20:17,004 --> 01:20:20,544
that extra money to do more improvements to the library off the tax base.

1280
01:20:21,564 --> 01:20:25,584
Strategic new growth. Now, as I talked about before, Lynnfield is not supportive of

1281
01:20:25,614 --> 01:20:29,919
growth, but we've targeted new growth management within the desires of the town.

1282
01:20:30,354 --> 01:20:33,774
Over the next two years, you'll see very high for Lynnfield new growth numbers.

1283
01:20:34,344 --> 01:20:39,384
After that ends, which is Sagamore, that will fall off the cliff, and we'll be back

1284
01:20:39,444 --> 01:20:43,464
to pre-Market Street, 275 threes a year.

1285
01:20:44,754 --> 01:20:47,679
We've created quality service and regulatory practices.

1286
01:20:47,694 --> 01:20:49,224
Now, this is why this is important.

1287
01:20:49,854 --> 01:20:52,344
And the gentlemen who are here work municipal government.

1288
01:20:52,404 --> 01:20:56,904
We offer excellent schools, good services, a beautiful community.

1289
01:20:57,354 --> 01:21:01,688
We drive property values. And I know real estate is crazy everywhere, but if you

1290
01:21:01,734 --> 01:21:06,084
look at the statistics, the increase in property values in the town of Lynnfield

1291
01:21:06,564 --> 01:21:10,479
supersede anyone in our area. Anyone.

1292
01:21:10,614 --> 01:21:13,974
And I think that's because of the good work of the people around this table that we

1293
01:21:14,064 --> 01:21:19,554
were able to manage. We've taken departments off budget, like the rec.

1294
01:21:20,035 --> 01:21:24,624
We've regionalized with assessing, and we partnered with our school department,

1295
01:21:24,684 --> 01:21:29,019
particularly in busing, to save a significant amount of money simply by

1296
01:21:29,064 --> 01:21:33,924
consolidating our use of the senior shuttle after hours for the excellent athletes

1297
01:21:34,644 --> 01:21:39,188
of Lynnfield High School. And by investing in the Lynnfield Theater, middle school

1298
01:21:39,204 --> 01:21:43,164
and high school, and the athletic complex with the new field in the middle, we need

1299
01:21:43,194 --> 01:21:46,914
to even be more aggressive in terms of rentals, and I think we can be that.

1300
01:21:46,974 --> 01:21:49,644
I think the theaters are a particular opportunity.

1301
01:21:49,660 --> 01:21:53,995
And the next slide is a list of comparable tax rates.

1302
01:21:54,024 --> 01:21:58,419
The reason for this slide is not to show that the town of Lynnfield pays low taxes.

1303
01:21:58,464 --> 01:22:02,964
They do not. No. But when we look at 10 communities, Wakefield, Reading,

1304
01:22:03,054 --> 01:22:06,564
Marblehead, Swampscott, North Reading, Middleton, Lynnfield, Manchester-by-the-Sea,

1305
01:22:06,624 --> 01:22:10,344
Winchester, and Belmont, they're basically considered by the state comps to

1306
01:22:10,434 --> 01:22:15,918
Lynnfield. And if you look at this chart What you will see is Linfield is fifth in

1307
01:22:15,978 --> 01:22:21,828
home values. It's sixth in average tax rate per thousand at 1146.

1308
01:22:22,788 --> 01:22:28,668
It is tied for fourth and fifth with Middleton for average single family tax

1309
01:22:28,818 --> 01:22:32,328
bill, and it's sixth in

1310
01:22:33,049 --> 01:22:38,388
terms of new growth. So outside

1311
01:22:38,778 --> 01:22:44,718
of a few communities that have about 265,000 new growth,

1312
01:22:44,808 --> 01:22:48,888
like Marblehead and Milton, Linfield has 581,308.

1313
01:22:49,098 --> 01:22:55,023
And in the future, obviously, after this piece of land is built upon, I would

1314
01:22:55,038 --> 01:22:58,068
let us all think in our own minds for a few seconds, what's left to build in

1315
01:22:58,128 --> 01:22:58,549
Linfield?

1316
01:23:00,678 --> 01:23:03,738
So I'm going to turn it over to Dave before I talk about options, to talk a little

1317
01:23:03,768 --> 01:23:05,898
bit about the three-year analysis and the deficits.

1318
01:23:08,928 --> 01:23:14,823
Thank you. So just to start, this is a little different from the Select

1319
01:23:14,868 --> 01:23:19,908
board. When we did the presentation to Select board, we didn't have the state aid

1320
01:23:19,968 --> 01:23:23,898
back in May, and we didn't have final receipt numbers until we closed the books in

1321
01:23:23,988 --> 01:23:27,828
June or July. So it's updated based on that.

1322
01:23:30,288 --> 01:23:35,508
So the top part didn't change, really, as far as the tax levy and the taxes coming

1323
01:23:35,538 --> 01:23:38,148
in. What changed is local receipts.

1324
01:23:38,178 --> 01:23:43,758
So what you see here right now for local receipts is what right now was on the tax

1325
01:23:43,848 --> 01:23:44,088
rate.

1326
01:23:46,338 --> 01:23:51,318
We have to put the actual receipts on page two of the tax rate,

1327
01:23:52,278 --> 01:23:56,058
and we put our estimated. And when the numbers finally came in,

1328
01:23:57,828 --> 01:24:01,128
it was a struggle to get the 5,825,000 for local receipts.

1329
01:24:02,898 --> 01:24:07,338
Most of our free cash in the past several years have come from motor vehicle excise

1330
01:24:07,398 --> 01:24:08,748
and from investment income.

1331
01:24:11,928 --> 01:24:16,459
I'm eating most of that up right now because motor vehicle had increased almost to

1332
01:24:16,488 --> 01:24:20,928
the max that we collected, and we have a drop-off in the investment income due to

1333
01:24:20,988 --> 01:24:23,209
the $65 million for the public safety bills.

1334
01:24:23,328 --> 01:24:26,028
Now that it's all paid off, we don't have that money in the bank earning interest

1335
01:24:26,088 --> 01:24:31,608
anymore. So these numbers right now that are on here is what will be shown on

1336
01:24:32,268 --> 01:24:36,468
the tax rate, and the projections that we have to the left will project off of

1337
01:24:36,528 --> 01:24:42,348
those moving forward. So that's a change from what the Select boards saw earlier.

1338
01:24:43,549 --> 01:24:45,078
So grand total revenues for

1339
01:24:47,058 --> 01:24:51,558
right there for the '27, '28, and '29, and we'll get down to the expenses.

1340
01:24:51,858 --> 01:24:56,238
Nothing has changed in the expenses. I just want to go down to the fire department.

1341
01:24:58,248 --> 01:25:00,648
That has changed. We have settled the contracts.

1342
01:25:01,968 --> 01:25:05,418
I increased this by the amount of money that we need to fund.

1343
01:25:06,468 --> 01:25:10,459
We will pull that at the annual town meeting from another budget.

1344
01:25:11,988 --> 01:25:15,334
But I thought it would be good to put in here because we need the actual number

1345
01:25:15,348 --> 01:25:20,448
that we need to project forward. So that number right there is the number that we

1346
01:25:20,478 --> 01:25:24,378
would need for the fire for this year. Carry that forward.

1347
01:25:25,188 --> 01:25:29,448
I did sit with Glenn, who was here, and with that number and looking at the

1348
01:25:29,477 --> 01:25:33,678
projections, we're pretty much right on for the next two years with his budget,

1349
01:25:33,738 --> 01:25:36,408
almost to the penny, with the projection.

1350
01:25:39,018 --> 01:25:42,693
And I know this is the finance committee's first time seeing this, but if you have

1351
01:25:42,709 --> 01:25:44,433
any questions, just stop me as I go through.

1352
01:25:46,068 --> 01:25:50,448
The debt is the actual debt costs going throughout, and that includes the BAN that

1353
01:25:50,508 --> 01:25:55,998
we did for the public works projects that we just did

1354
01:25:56,209 --> 01:26:01,158
and also for the fire engine pumper. We'll look to bond next year.

1355
01:26:02,808 --> 01:26:07,098
We chose to do a BAN again due to the interest rates and so forth, so we think

1356
01:26:07,128 --> 01:26:10,459
we'll have better luck as we make pay downs on the pumper engine and

1357
01:26:11,988 --> 01:26:17,178
bond next year. Education, initially, when this went to the Select board, it was at

1358
01:26:19,638 --> 01:26:23,148
4.5%. We've had discussions with Superintendent Geary.

1359
01:26:24,288 --> 01:26:29,868
In those discussions, we agreed that we would lower it to 4% in the projection

1360
01:26:29,928 --> 01:26:30,618
moving forward.

1361
01:26:32,718 --> 01:26:35,959
Like Rob said, in the treasury sheet assessments, you can see that we had a huge

1362
01:26:36,049 --> 01:26:38,718
increase again this year for the treasury sheet assessments.

1363
01:26:41,028 --> 01:26:45,198
So we're increasing it now based off of that 2% and so forth going forward.

1364
01:26:45,978 --> 01:26:47,808
And it shows currently,

1365
01:26:49,038 --> 01:26:51,709
we have $118,000 excess capacity right now.

1366
01:26:51,918 --> 01:26:56,343
Plus, if you add the $60,000 in for the fire department, we'll have about somewhere

1367
01:26:56,343 --> 01:27:00,348
around 170, 180. It all depends when we do the tax rate and we put the overlay

1368
01:27:00,408 --> 01:27:03,558
number. It automatically adjusts. It rounds.

1369
01:27:03,648 --> 01:27:07,068
So it might affect that a little bit, 10,000 to 15,000 either way.

1370
01:27:07,518 --> 01:27:11,492
But as you can see, looking at FY28, we're in a deficit of

1371
01:27:11,492 --> 01:27:16,459
$2,096,653, and in FY29, we're in a deficit of

1372
01:27:16,488 --> 01:27:18,738
$4,424,831.

1373
01:27:22,608 --> 01:27:26,718
We've gone through this over and over again, sat with Superintendent Geary at least

1374
01:27:26,778 --> 01:27:32,478
three times on this, gone through every number over and over, and we're

1375
01:27:32,688 --> 01:27:37,398
pretty adamant this is a solid forecast moving forward.

1376
01:27:39,468 --> 01:27:41,299
Do you want to take a minute for any questions for Dave?

1377
01:27:42,108 --> 01:27:45,709
Just while he's got it up, and any specific budget questions.

1378
01:27:46,698 --> 01:27:52,368
I would hope just that we're open. If you want to have some meetings just to dive

1379
01:27:52,428 --> 01:27:58,128
down just the fincom to get really into it, we're open to attending any meeting.

1380
01:27:58,263 --> 01:28:03,738
This is probably not the time if you feel like you haven't got into it yourself.

1381
01:28:04,248 --> 01:28:05,508
So just let us know and we'll be there.

1382
01:28:06,258 --> 01:28:09,168
And I think Tom has the Excel, so you can unhide the columns.

1383
01:28:09,288 --> 01:28:12,513
You can see the previous years, so you can see the increases, based on your

1384
01:28:12,588 --> 01:28:13,758
assessments and so forth.

1385
01:28:15,078 --> 01:28:20,688
Dave, just one question on fire. So it's 13%

1386
01:28:20,868 --> 01:28:25,218
increase FY28, and then 12% FY29. Is that the

1387
01:28:25,248 --> 01:28:26,988
four-

1388
01:28:27,258 --> 01:28:32,463
So we're adding $200,000 in FY28 and another 200,000 into

1389
01:28:32,598 --> 01:28:33,618
FY29.

1390
01:28:34,968 --> 01:28:40,577
It ends January of '28. So it's half a fiscal year each. So that includes that.

1391
01:28:44,388 --> 01:28:46,908
So, I'm sorry. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.

1392
01:28:47,238 --> 01:28:50,808
On trash, is that suggesting we're going automated?

1393
01:28:52,338 --> 01:28:58,248
We are going to aggressively bid the current service we have and automated.

1394
01:28:58,878 --> 01:29:01,938
I think our preference, if we can pull it off, is to keep trash as it is.

1395
01:29:02,448 --> 01:29:05,448
But as Brian has talked to us about is lower tonnage.

1396
01:29:05,808 --> 01:29:09,799
Create some real tonnage restraints. We might be able to pull that off.

1397
01:29:10,459 --> 01:29:16,218
But we have already been told by some companies they will not bid if we want to

1398
01:29:16,278 --> 01:29:20,328
keep our own service. So we've given ourselves enough time.

1399
01:29:20,538 --> 01:29:23,209
We're literally starting this process in a couple of weeks.

1400
01:29:23,268 --> 01:29:26,028
So we're going to try both. And I know you've been through it.

1401
01:29:26,042 --> 01:29:28,834
And our friends in North Reading, theirs went up, like, 40%.

1402
01:29:29,838 --> 01:29:32,748
So the other problem with the arms, do you guys have arms?

1403
01:29:33,498 --> 01:29:38,418
Yeah, you have to buy the barrels, which is very expensive. I don't know.

1404
01:29:38,598 --> 01:29:41,358
We're going to find out. We're going to find out real quick.

1405
01:29:42,978 --> 01:29:43,443
I'll go, yeah.

1406
01:29:43,443 --> 01:29:46,398
I have an arm where I live. I actually like it.

1407
01:29:46,459 --> 01:29:50,748
I think it's neater and more efficient. But everyone has their own opinions.

1408
01:29:50,988 --> 01:29:55,668
That's just me, but obviously, my kids are leaving the house, not coming in the

1409
01:29:55,683 --> 01:29:59,598
house. So let's talk about, if we could, options.

1410
01:29:59,658 --> 01:30:02,448
I also want to say this again, because I know what the headline will be.

1411
01:30:03,828 --> 01:30:09,799
The numbers we have here are based upon reasonable assumptions on the higher

1412
01:30:09,888 --> 01:30:15,288
side, meaning insurance might not be over

1413
01:30:15,558 --> 01:30:17,448
10%. Who the heck knows what's going to happen?

1414
01:30:17,868 --> 01:30:21,709
They may change things at the state and give more local aid. We just don't know.

1415
01:30:21,738 --> 01:30:26,058
The trash contract could come in. We have a lot of good citizens that own trash

1416
01:30:26,118 --> 01:30:29,463
companies in this town. Please help us. All those things.

1417
01:30:29,508 --> 01:30:33,258
So again, these are educated ballparks.

1418
01:30:33,318 --> 01:30:38,373
So year one, if we were to use the figures we're presenting tonight,

1419
01:30:40,038 --> 01:30:41,838
year would be a two-year override.

1420
01:30:42,018 --> 01:30:44,928
Year one would be $410.55,

1421
01:30:46,188 --> 01:30:51,588
and year two would be $464.58. So it'll be a two-year

1422
01:30:51,828 --> 01:30:57,738
override, each around 400 somewhat dollars. Okay?

1423
01:30:59,058 --> 01:31:04,158
That would be everything we're presenting to you tonight in terms of numbers.

1424
01:31:04,428 --> 01:31:06,003
No reductions across the board

1425
01:31:07,278 --> 01:31:09,888
in the assumptions we're using tonight.

1426
01:31:09,948 --> 01:31:15,198
So that is the highest number in case something God awful happens in the country or

1427
01:31:15,258 --> 01:31:15,948
in the

1428
01:31:17,238 --> 01:31:21,799
industries that we use. But that's where we are today in terms of option one.

1429
01:31:21,888 --> 01:31:25,278
So if we want to go straight to override, those are the numbers

1430
01:31:26,694 --> 01:31:31,764
If we do not want to have an override, any override, I can't give you

1431
01:31:31,824 --> 01:31:37,329
exactly what we need to do to get to that number, because a lot of these

1432
01:31:37,404 --> 01:31:41,664
things are way up in the air, but I'll give you a general sense what has to happen.

1433
01:31:43,254 --> 01:31:47,574
One, the meals tax special legislation passes. That's $600,000.

1434
01:31:48,774 --> 01:31:52,554
The Board of Selectmen would have to contemplate the implementation of something

1435
01:31:52,584 --> 01:31:57,264
that is very common in Massachusetts, which is a trash fee, that offsets trash or

1436
01:31:57,294 --> 01:32:01,704
recycling costs, and implement significant tonnage controls.

1437
01:32:03,804 --> 01:32:06,444
Third, Dave and I, we have some ideas.

1438
01:32:06,504 --> 01:32:11,394
This wouldn't help us immediately, but draft some new special local option

1439
01:32:11,410 --> 01:32:13,554
legislations to allow us to raise revenue.

1440
01:32:15,564 --> 01:32:15,924
Second,

1441
01:32:17,634 --> 01:32:21,324
we would have to, and I'd rather not get very specific today because it involves

1442
01:32:21,354 --> 01:32:26,995
people's lives, we are studying department mergers where

1443
01:32:27,054 --> 01:32:27,684
applicable.

1444
01:32:29,814 --> 01:32:34,974
We would currently need to negotiate with the unions a significant

1445
01:32:35,064 --> 01:32:37,614
giveback on health insurance.

1446
01:32:39,054 --> 01:32:42,745
Now, we would need 50 plus 1% to get that.

1447
01:32:44,094 --> 01:32:47,754
Our partners, the teachers, hold majority control over that.

1448
01:32:49,464 --> 01:32:54,054
This is no one's fault that gets their insurance through the town, but when the

1449
01:32:54,114 --> 01:32:59,814
town of Lynnfield went into the GIC, they created a situation, at no fault to

1450
01:32:59,844 --> 01:33:05,754
anyone, the retirees, that basically if you take the 85/15 split and the

1451
01:33:05,934 --> 01:33:08,799
50% reimbursement from Medicare,

1452
01:33:10,104 --> 01:33:14,424
our retirees who outnumber our active employees, which in itself is odd,

1453
01:33:15,864 --> 01:33:18,684
pay nothing outside of co-pay for insurance.

1454
01:33:20,574 --> 01:33:20,995
And

1455
01:33:22,674 --> 01:33:27,774
it's not their fault, it was a good deal at the time, but it's a budget buster for

1456
01:33:27,834 --> 01:33:33,264
us. The rest of employees who are active full-time employees pay

1457
01:33:33,444 --> 01:33:39,354
25%, 75/25. Again, I could make that pitch and they could say no and

1458
01:33:39,984 --> 01:33:44,574
the debate ends, but there has to be an understanding as we'll present that in

1459
01:33:44,634 --> 01:33:49,599
order to maintain staff and services, there needs to be, or at least we recommend,

1460
01:33:49,734 --> 01:33:50,604
some moderate

1461
01:33:51,864 --> 01:33:55,059
negotiated giveback. And perhaps we can do something for them.

1462
01:33:55,584 --> 01:33:59,364
That negotiation begins next month.

1463
01:34:01,224 --> 01:34:06,834
We need to eliminate one bus that Superintendent Gary and John and I were able to

1464
01:34:06,864 --> 01:34:10,704
do. That's $100,000. We pay $100,000 per bus.

1465
01:34:11,814 --> 01:34:14,094
We spend millions in buses.

1466
01:34:16,104 --> 01:34:20,514
Most of it is required by law, but there's a lot that isn't, right?

1467
01:34:20,634 --> 01:34:22,074
It's a tough business.

1468
01:34:24,384 --> 01:34:29,904
We would need to, as a town, reexamine our development and growth policies,

1469
01:34:33,294 --> 01:34:39,083
particularly as they relate to state zoning reforms in targeted areas of our town

1470
01:34:39,173 --> 01:34:40,285
to promote new growth.

1471
01:34:41,574 --> 01:34:47,484
Now, to think that we can do nothing and keep

1472
01:34:47,574 --> 01:34:49,014
burdening the taxpayer,

1473
01:34:51,669 --> 01:34:54,924
then this is really only one of two ways out of this mess.

1474
01:34:55,074 --> 01:34:59,995
One is an override, and one is new growth.

1475
01:35:00,054 --> 01:35:05,064
We can only increase ambulance fees so much, or building permits.

1476
01:35:05,274 --> 01:35:11,214
So, personally, where I live, I think they've done that to an extreme, and

1477
01:35:11,245 --> 01:35:15,444
I think a lot of ways they've ruined the place that I grew up and dedicated my life

1478
01:35:15,504 --> 01:35:17,004
to because of irresponsible growth.

1479
01:35:17,724 --> 01:35:22,764
But that doesn't mean we can't take a second look and at least have a discussion

1480
01:35:23,094 --> 01:35:24,774
about reevaluation, okay?

1481
01:35:27,084 --> 01:35:27,294
So,

1482
01:35:29,754 --> 01:35:34,044
the two biggest departments, obviously, here are fire and schools.

1483
01:35:34,914 --> 01:35:39,384
So we would have to reduce all department costs substantially, but these two

1484
01:35:40,134 --> 01:35:44,154
departments are the largest, therefore, we have to look at them.

1485
01:35:45,174 --> 01:35:48,414
We would have to reduce the safer grant firefighter significantly.

1486
01:35:49,464 --> 01:35:53,949
We would have to become more reliant to our old system that we lived with for 100

1487
01:35:54,054 --> 01:35:58,824
years, which our Chief Glenn Davis and our firefighters and all of us at the table

1488
01:35:58,854 --> 01:35:59,724
worked so hard.

1489
01:36:02,664 --> 01:36:07,524
We would have to be more reliant on a smaller call system, which is slowly

1490
01:36:07,554 --> 01:36:12,834
decreasing. We would have to eliminate the guarantee of two pieces of

1491
01:36:12,864 --> 01:36:16,884
equipment at all times. That can no longer be guaranteed.

1492
01:36:17,664 --> 01:36:22,104
And we would have to look and examine at options for our EMS service.

1493
01:36:23,604 --> 01:36:27,924
Everything has to be on the table. And by the way, I could make the argument to be

1494
01:36:27,984 --> 01:36:30,774
against every single one of the things I'm saying tonight, right?

1495
01:36:30,804 --> 01:36:32,785
So there's holes everywhere. There's trade-offs.

1496
01:36:34,734 --> 01:36:39,114
We need to eliminate one police officer. They have minimum manning or staffing.

1497
01:36:39,174 --> 01:36:44,334
We need to look at the privatization of several DPW

1498
01:36:44,724 --> 01:36:50,604
services and departments, particularly in our schools, to eliminate not

1499
01:36:50,634 --> 01:36:52,884
just costs, but health insurance policies.

1500
01:36:54,294 --> 01:36:59,184
We would need to significantly lower the requested school budget request that we

1501
01:36:59,245 --> 01:37:03,535
used in this analyst, that we've worked hard with Tom on, and we need to reduce all

1502
01:37:03,594 --> 01:37:09,264
town budgets, including the targeted elimination of not just positions, but service

1503
01:37:09,324 --> 01:37:12,384
hour reductions across all our town departments.

1504
01:37:13,164 --> 01:37:13,404
Now,

1505
01:37:17,454 --> 01:37:23,094
one or two of these things doesn't solve the problem.

1506
01:37:23,154 --> 01:37:25,614
We would have to do a number of them.

1507
01:37:26,454 --> 01:37:32,274
But I think what the third option would be, would be targeted cuts as far as we can

1508
01:37:32,364 --> 01:37:32,604
go,

1509
01:37:33,804 --> 01:37:39,414
come to a number, and have a significantly lower override that is targeted towards

1510
01:37:39,444 --> 01:37:45,399
specific services, be it fire or schools or library, whatever

1511
01:37:45,444 --> 01:37:45,834
you think.

1512
01:37:47,154 --> 01:37:49,524
That is the more balanced approach.

1513
01:37:50,604 --> 01:37:55,329
So those are the three options we have, and again, we need to start hitting that

1514
01:37:55,344 --> 01:38:00,939
symbol. So I just want to finish quickly by saying what will not save the

1515
01:38:00,984 --> 01:38:04,495
community in financial challenges, because I've lived it and I've seen other

1516
01:38:04,524 --> 01:38:09,294
communities go through it, not considering all ideas respectfully and openly.

1517
01:38:09,774 --> 01:38:12,474
That sounds obvious, but there are no sacred cows.

1518
01:38:12,535 --> 01:38:16,734
We have to talk about everything. Pitting one department against another and scare

1519
01:38:16,794 --> 01:38:21,669
tactics don't ever work, and I'm not going to do that.

1520
01:38:21,669 --> 01:38:26,439
A lack of respect for the collective bargaining process and the honest realization

1521
01:38:26,514 --> 01:38:31,854
that Massachusetts state laws are really hard to work with, and that the mandates

1522
01:38:31,914 --> 01:38:35,484
that govern us are stifling and expensive.

1523
01:38:36,714 --> 01:38:41,724
Using one-time money for ongoing operating expenses to kick the can down the road

1524
01:38:41,814 --> 01:38:46,944
is a massive mistake and a financial gimmick that will turn this town very quickly

1525
01:38:47,064 --> 01:38:49,704
into something that's not sustainable at all.

1526
01:38:50,634 --> 01:38:53,934
Pointing out the problems without attempting to offer solutions

1527
01:38:55,824 --> 01:38:58,524
can't be accepted. There are no easy answers here.

1528
01:38:58,884 --> 01:39:01,884
We can't cut two people in DPW and say everything's okay.

1529
01:39:02,334 --> 01:39:03,474
It's not going to be that way.

1530
01:39:04,974 --> 01:39:09,624
We really can't overestimate our revenues because that will fully eliminate free

1531
01:39:09,714 --> 01:39:13,614
cash, which happened in Lynnfield for many years before Market Street, because at

1532
01:39:13,674 --> 01:39:19,224
that point, you stop preventive maintenance and you are not able to

1533
01:39:19,285 --> 01:39:23,214
invest in the things that we've been able to invest in by budgeting properly, and

1534
01:39:23,334 --> 01:39:27,624
slowly, the entire town crumbles with benign neglect.

1535
01:39:27,684 --> 01:39:32,424
So by not acknowledging how rising costs and impacts of our small town inflation

1536
01:39:32,454 --> 01:39:37,374
and the relationship with the flaws of Prop Two and a half, and the need to correct

1537
01:39:37,404 --> 01:39:40,854
or adjust some of those flaws, affect how we work.

1538
01:39:41,844 --> 01:39:44,499
We have not had inflation in my professional lifetime,

1539
01:39:46,074 --> 01:39:49,644
and Barbara Anderson, who wrote Proposition Two and a half, publicly stated that

1540
01:39:49,704 --> 01:39:51,594
Two and a half does not work with inflation.

1541
01:39:52,374 --> 01:39:55,884
We haven't had inflation probably since the '70s.

1542
01:39:57,654 --> 01:39:59,724
But we have it now, and we have it tenfold.

1543
01:40:01,704 --> 01:40:04,554
And that's a problem we also have to deal with.

1544
01:40:04,674 --> 01:40:09,474
And lastly, of course, my hope is that any committee we have is on TV.

1545
01:40:09,954 --> 01:40:14,334
All our committees are on TV, and it's public and open, and we welcome

1546
01:40:14,394 --> 01:40:18,954
contributions from the town because we cannot only tax our way out of this.

1547
01:40:19,044 --> 01:40:23,785
We can't only cut our way. We can't only reform or grow our way out of this

1548
01:40:23,844 --> 01:40:27,174
challenge. The solution's got to require a combination of every one of those

1549
01:40:27,204 --> 01:40:31,734
things, to sustain Lynnfield through this, now into the future.

1550
01:40:32,460 --> 01:40:34,380
So again, we'll answer questions.

1551
01:40:34,441 --> 01:40:38,550
My hope is that we then send back either a subcommittee of the two groups or a

1552
01:40:38,580 --> 01:40:42,900
committee to try to mine down every one of these with the help of department heads.

1553
01:40:42,960 --> 01:40:43,951
So thank you for your time.

1554
01:40:45,750 --> 01:40:48,060
I'll open the floor for any questions.

1555
01:40:51,420 --> 01:40:54,630
First of all, thanks Dave and Rob for putting this together so early.

1556
01:40:54,675 --> 01:40:58,231
It's been really helpful already to start up the conversation.

1557
01:40:58,530 --> 01:40:59,520
So thank you very much.

1558
01:41:01,231 --> 01:41:03,330
Just as we start to think about

1559
01:41:05,191 --> 01:41:07,620
discussing override and the magnitude of an override,

1560
01:41:09,451 --> 01:41:14,145
there was a number of items that were big unknowns over the last year or two,

1561
01:41:14,520 --> 01:41:18,120
fire, the rubbish contract,

1562
01:41:19,620 --> 01:41:21,720
healthcare costs, and then,

1563
01:41:24,451 --> 01:41:27,900
I think those are the primary three drivers.

1564
01:41:27,975 --> 01:41:30,915
We also have a contract expiring in '29.

1565
01:41:31,410 --> 01:41:37,260
Yes. And of course, day-to-day. Just what level of

1566
01:41:38,191 --> 01:41:40,951
visibility do you think you have at this point into that?

1567
01:41:40,995 --> 01:41:45,451
And what levers or what kind of categories are you watching most closely that could

1568
01:41:45,510 --> 01:41:51,451
really swing that deficit either to a much more significant level or maybe moderate

1569
01:41:51,481 --> 01:41:52,020
it slightly?

1570
01:41:52,920 --> 01:41:55,740
I think that special legislation is a game changer.

1571
01:41:56,370 --> 01:42:01,290
I was on the GIC board for 10 years. I'm watching their meetings every month to see

1572
01:42:01,350 --> 01:42:05,100
what trends they're in. They eliminated GLPs, so we're saving $20 million.

1573
01:42:05,610 --> 01:42:06,420
That's important.

1574
01:42:07,770 --> 01:42:08,475
Unless you're using

1575
01:42:10,020 --> 01:42:15,615
But lastly is trash contracts. Can't do anything more than

1576
01:42:15,660 --> 01:42:19,650
that. And hitting new growth at Sagamore.

1577
01:42:19,710 --> 01:42:25,020
Yeah, hitting the growth. We have 18 lots of a new growth up at Sagamore that

1578
01:42:25,050 --> 01:42:28,140
haven't pulled permits yet. So that's basically,

1579
01:42:31,320 --> 01:42:33,630
we take a snapshot on June 30th of next year.

1580
01:42:34,020 --> 01:42:37,050
So as long as those are pulled into significant buildings, we can grab the new

1581
01:42:37,110 --> 01:42:40,050
growth. We have the increased building fees,

1582
01:42:41,760 --> 01:42:42,961
that would help that also.

1583
01:42:44,281 --> 01:42:48,420
The one thing is, like Rob reiterated, the retiree insurance.

1584
01:42:49,260 --> 01:42:49,680
There's

1585
01:42:51,180 --> 01:42:53,340
330 or so retirees

1586
01:42:54,660 --> 01:42:56,310
that don't pay anything for health insurance.

1587
01:42:57,420 --> 01:43:02,941
We do also have a 75/25 split on PPO plans and HMOs are

1588
01:43:03,810 --> 01:43:08,941
85/15. So it's a combination of getting the 85/15s down,

1589
01:43:09,750 --> 01:43:12,961
but again, like Rob said, the school does control the vote.

1590
01:43:13,020 --> 01:43:13,260
So,

1591
01:43:14,880 --> 01:43:20,490
there's 164 people that are active employees that would go from

1592
01:43:20,580 --> 01:43:24,750
85 to 80 or 85 to 75 to match what the other ones are.

1593
01:43:25,711 --> 01:43:28,110
And then that would also help out with the

1594
01:43:29,701 --> 01:43:34,441
retirees. So even if we change the retirees' insurance right now, they may pay $10

1595
01:43:34,560 --> 01:43:34,951
a month.

1596
01:43:35,070 --> 01:43:38,461
Yeah. I think that's key, because that might scare people today.

1597
01:43:38,520 --> 01:43:42,660
And then you add 10% of that each year, but it's still something that we're getting

1598
01:43:42,691 --> 01:43:44,040
where we're not getting anything right now.

1599
01:43:45,120 --> 01:43:48,614
And then the variability you see in that deficit, we're talking a couple million

1600
01:43:48,691 --> 01:43:50,430
dollars, a million dollars.

1601
01:43:51,720 --> 01:43:56,220
No, we should gain, on the health insurance alone, we should gain maybe $200,000 to

1602
01:43:56,235 --> 01:44:00,000
$300,000 of room. I would also say this.

1603
01:44:00,990 --> 01:44:04,651
If we either don't want an override, which I could totally understand if we had

1604
01:44:04,680 --> 01:44:09,390
one, or if we want to make it much lower than it is right now, we need to implement

1605
01:44:09,420 --> 01:44:15,060
a trash fee. That's the only way around it. It's the only significant dent, Dave.

1606
01:44:15,120 --> 01:44:21,000
Yeah. We need to offset trash as an operating cost, which a large

1607
01:44:21,090 --> 01:44:22,651
number of communities have already done.

1608
01:44:22,830 --> 01:44:23,610
Coupled with

1609
01:44:27,120 --> 01:44:30,420
really cutting back on tonnage, which people can control.

1610
01:44:31,050 --> 01:44:35,281
Where I live, my trash fee was $200 a year.

1611
01:44:35,370 --> 01:44:40,050
Now it's $475, and I get one barrel. North Reading is the same way.

1612
01:44:40,110 --> 01:44:45,151
I know it's foreign to Lynnfield, but it is an option that should be

1613
01:44:45,211 --> 01:44:46,531
discussed,

1614
01:44:48,211 --> 01:44:53,205
outside of an override, which may be undesirable in that it sets the new base of

1615
01:44:53,250 --> 01:44:57,809
taxation forever. This would be one fee that you could either do quarterly.

1616
01:44:57,870 --> 01:45:01,860
But again, it's just everything we're talking about here are options.

1617
01:45:02,310 --> 01:45:05,115
I know the calls I'm going to get tomorrow, but they're options .

1618
01:45:05,174 --> 01:45:07,469
And then, sorry, one last one. Just the timeline.

1619
01:45:07,560 --> 01:45:12,810
So what key events and negotiations take place over the next six or so months that

1620
01:45:12,870 --> 01:45:14,910
give you much more certainty over-

1621
01:45:15,120 --> 01:45:17,010
So we're trying to accelerate trash.

1622
01:45:17,070 --> 01:45:21,360
We're trying to accelerate negotiations with the union, which could be one meeting

1623
01:45:21,390 --> 01:45:27,031
or several. Another big number in December, the mid-year report from the GIC is

1624
01:45:27,151 --> 01:45:32,610
super important. Because they usually come in higher in that report, and then they

1625
01:45:32,640 --> 01:45:35,430
adjust as they look at plan design on their end.

1626
01:45:36,090 --> 01:45:41,580
So last year, the number was like 16 or 18, and it came

1627
01:45:41,640 --> 01:45:44,401
down as they usually do in the ninth inning.

1628
01:45:45,240 --> 01:45:48,151
So that's an important marker for us to better adjust what we have.

1629
01:45:48,930 --> 01:45:52,080
When you say accelerate trash, is that pull it into this calendar year?

1630
01:45:52,441 --> 01:45:54,451
We start negotiation ASAP.

1631
01:45:55,110 --> 01:45:55,125
Okay.

1632
01:45:55,170 --> 01:45:56,941
So I don't think it should take very long.

1633
01:45:57,211 --> 01:46:00,451
We've got to find out what we got, and there aren't a lot of companies anymore, so

1634
01:46:01,441 --> 01:46:02,941
it's not like we're going to get seven bids.

1635
01:46:03,090 --> 01:46:07,500
I don't know how many bids you guys got, but I do know the big players are

1636
01:46:07,531 --> 01:46:09,975
Republic, who won't negotiate with us on anything other than...

1637
01:46:10,875 --> 01:46:14,941
There is Casella, and there is Capital. Those are the big three, I think.

1638
01:46:15,781 --> 01:46:18,930
Oh, I forgot about Waste Management, absolutely. Yeah.

1639
01:46:19,230 --> 01:46:19,500
Thank you.

1640
01:46:21,480 --> 01:46:25,711
So I have just a couple of observations, and maybe there's a question buried in

1641
01:46:25,740 --> 01:46:29,684
here somewhere. But first of all, want to compliment the town administration and

1642
01:46:29,701 --> 01:46:34,890
the select board because this is much more lead time and much more dialogue than

1643
01:46:34,951 --> 01:46:39,691
we've had in the past. And certainly several years ago, I feel like we were having

1644
01:46:39,720 --> 01:46:44,281
this discussion in January. I'm not sure of the exact date, but it certainly wasn't

1645
01:46:44,340 --> 01:46:44,850
September.

1646
01:46:46,110 --> 01:46:48,720
So definitely compliments there.

1647
01:46:50,941 --> 01:46:56,219
Just a couple of philosophical observations, like where we talk about we may have

1648
01:46:56,250 --> 01:46:59,160
to go to a trash fee, and that might lower the override.

1649
01:47:00,660 --> 01:47:03,539
It's a tax on the person who's paying.

1650
01:47:04,289 --> 01:47:10,050
So philosophically, do we want to adopt drawing more lines

1651
01:47:10,140 --> 01:47:15,961
for benefits and services? It could be buses, it could be trash.

1652
01:47:16,080 --> 01:47:19,875
For folks that have been on this committee as long as I have, there was a time when

1653
01:47:19,890 --> 01:47:23,191
folks paid for kindergarten, and I know that's not going to happen and we don't

1654
01:47:23,220 --> 01:47:29,130
want it to happen, but again, there were certain instances where that could

1655
01:47:29,160 --> 01:47:33,360
happen. The other thing, and this is just more of an observation, having been on

1656
01:47:33,390 --> 01:47:38,820
the Fin Com for a long time, there was a notion that some less affluent

1657
01:47:38,850 --> 01:47:41,370
communities rejected overrides.

1658
01:47:41,701 --> 01:47:45,031
Typically, a lot of the blue-collar towns and cities and those types of things.

1659
01:47:45,151 --> 01:47:50,100
And places like the W communities that we've often referred to, the Wellesleys and

1660
01:47:50,130 --> 01:47:55,140
Winchesters and Waylands and Marbleheads were okay with overrides, and they had

1661
01:47:55,201 --> 01:48:00,060
them on a quite regular occurrence, and they were approved. The paradigm shifted.

1662
01:48:00,750 --> 01:48:03,840
Winchester rejected their override last year, I believe.

1663
01:48:04,201 --> 01:48:06,360
Marblehead may have reduced it, or so on and so forth.

1664
01:48:06,451 --> 01:48:06,600
So

1665
01:48:07,951 --> 01:48:13,080
with that in mind, we're similar.

1666
01:48:13,110 --> 01:48:18,495
The worst outcome here to me would be

1667
01:48:20,640 --> 01:48:26,520
shoot for an override that at the end of the day doesn't pass, and then there's a

1668
01:48:26,580 --> 01:48:29,850
lot of very tough decisions that affect students' lives,

1669
01:48:31,080 --> 01:48:32,909
employees' lives, all those types of things.

1670
01:48:32,970 --> 01:48:38,850
So just with that backdrop, I think there's just a lot

1671
01:48:38,910 --> 01:48:44,310
of work to be done and creativity and rolling up of sleeves on all ends here.

1672
01:48:44,820 --> 01:48:48,240
Gene, you're right. A rose by any other name is still a rose. It's still a tax.

1673
01:48:48,270 --> 01:48:52,875
It's still a fee. The Commonwealth under Governor Raem used a lot of fees,

1674
01:48:54,360 --> 01:48:58,980
service fees. We can't choose not to have any trash, but I understand all those

1675
01:48:59,040 --> 01:49:01,620
ones. We could reduce our way out of this.

1676
01:49:02,340 --> 01:49:05,340
It would be severe, but it can be done.

1677
01:49:06,660 --> 01:49:08,070
There's a thousand options here.

1678
01:49:09,451 --> 01:49:14,100
None of them are great. But there are a number of communities around us that have

1679
01:49:14,220 --> 01:49:19,441
used millions in free cash, one-time money, to fill in the holes because they

1680
01:49:19,470 --> 01:49:21,870
didn't want to make hard decisions or have overrides.

1681
01:49:22,770 --> 01:49:26,670
And one's right next to us, and they're in a lot of trouble.

1682
01:49:28,620 --> 01:49:33,930
And I just don't ever want to put this community in a situation where we can't dig

1683
01:49:33,990 --> 01:49:35,100
ourselves out of the hole.

1684
01:49:37,374 --> 01:49:41,184
And we do an override not based on what you said, evaluating services, busing,

1685
01:49:41,604 --> 01:49:43,015
kindergarten, or whatever it may be,

1686
01:49:45,114 --> 01:49:47,154
with a gun to our heads. You know what I mean?

1687
01:49:48,444 --> 01:49:49,974
I'm sorry to editorialize.

1688
01:49:50,064 --> 01:49:54,265
That's my exact point. Again, that wasn't so much a question as much as

1689
01:49:54,294 --> 01:49:55,044
observations.

1690
01:49:55,134 --> 01:49:56,575
I understand your question.

1691
01:50:00,684 --> 01:50:02,034
I got a couple questions for you guys.

1692
01:50:02,184 --> 01:50:06,234
First, thanks for having us, providing the insights early on.

1693
01:50:06,444 --> 01:50:08,634
Much appreciated, to Jeanne's point.

1694
01:50:10,314 --> 01:50:15,294
Looking at the projection file that we reviewed and was sent over,

1695
01:50:16,765 --> 01:50:21,174
given that we're in the current fiscal year '27, I think this is generally a

1696
01:50:21,234 --> 01:50:23,154
three-year projection, so we got two years.

1697
01:50:23,755 --> 01:50:28,075
Any idea when we would expect to see the third year rolled onto the file?

1698
01:50:28,794 --> 01:50:29,455
Oh, we do it...

1699
01:50:31,284 --> 01:50:34,374
We just had it started '27, '28, '29.

1700
01:50:34,464 --> 01:50:36,325
Yeah, the reason why I ask, and I understand.

1701
01:50:37,164 --> 01:50:42,534
'27 is good. We're doing fine. July of '27.

1702
01:50:42,714 --> 01:50:45,054
There's a genuine reason why I ask, and I can explain.

1703
01:50:45,624 --> 01:50:48,714
So if you look at the projections and the deficit,

1704
01:50:50,245 --> 01:50:51,894
obviously this current year we're fine.

1705
01:50:51,924 --> 01:50:57,084
In the next two years, we're here talking about options for overrides.

1706
01:50:57,864 --> 01:51:03,354
So that number, give or take 2 million, and then FY29 goes to 4 million.

1707
01:51:03,444 --> 01:51:07,644
So my first question is, what does FY30 look like, and is that 6 million?

1708
01:51:09,325 --> 01:51:13,450
Probably don't know, so I don't want to ask for an answer, but that's my thought

1709
01:51:13,524 --> 01:51:15,234
process behind asking for the three year.

1710
01:51:15,564 --> 01:51:19,255
Well, I'll tell you the answer is probably yes, because if we're going to

1711
01:51:19,284 --> 01:51:25,075
anticipate the school department needing, say, 4.5% a year or 4% a year, whatever

1712
01:51:25,134 --> 01:51:30,294
it may be, we're anticipating health insurance costs to be over 10%, which I have

1713
01:51:30,804 --> 01:51:33,534
no reason to believe we shouldn't do that, right?

1714
01:51:34,464 --> 01:51:40,209
Then yeah, that alone, and I know we have our friends on the school committee

1715
01:51:40,255 --> 01:51:44,214
here, but the reality with most districts like Lynnfield is that the request of the

1716
01:51:44,245 --> 01:51:48,700
school department, which doesn't mean it's too much, is more than the entire amount

1717
01:51:48,714 --> 01:51:51,804
that we bring in in Prop 2 and a half. The entire amount.

1718
01:51:52,194 --> 01:51:54,834
That's not just Lynnfield. That's in a lot of places.

1719
01:51:55,404 --> 01:51:55,944
And

1720
01:51:57,384 --> 01:52:03,294
that's where towns you mentioned are suffering the most because the drive

1721
01:52:03,414 --> 01:52:06,955
of schools, be it special education costs, teachers' contracts,

1722
01:52:08,755 --> 01:52:12,444
require, I think by giving them, Dave, I think they said

1723
01:52:13,765 --> 01:52:16,944
just to cover contracts, it's almost 3.8.

1724
01:52:18,654 --> 01:52:20,755
So there's a challenge everywhere.

1725
01:52:21,054 --> 01:52:24,505
And the reason why I went to the towns is because we only have 30 employ- we have

1726
01:52:24,594 --> 01:52:25,554
14 firemen and...

1727
01:52:29,604 --> 01:52:29,964
I'm done.

1728
01:52:31,224 --> 01:52:31,705
That's good.

1729
01:52:31,884 --> 01:52:35,094
So Brian, once we get the budgets in, we

1730
01:52:36,294 --> 01:52:42,024
cut budgets for '28. That's when we'll add it into there and project out.

1731
01:52:43,464 --> 01:52:43,794
Okay.

1732
01:52:45,174 --> 01:52:49,194
One thing conceptually that might help folks, the community when they start

1733
01:52:49,224 --> 01:52:52,674
thinking about, and we start communicating overrides, and people start to think

1734
01:52:52,705 --> 01:52:54,564
about that more proactively this year.

1735
01:52:56,455 --> 01:53:01,374
Just a suggestion. It would be neat if we could do some sort of, let's call it a

1736
01:53:01,765 --> 01:53:07,644
heat map or some way to articulate visually what's costing more, what are

1737
01:53:07,705 --> 01:53:10,075
driving the costs and the need for an override,

1738
01:53:11,394 --> 01:53:15,489
instead of showing bullets. Just something visually that people can resonate with,

1739
01:53:15,594 --> 01:53:20,094
understand, as we ask them and propose the need for overrides.

1740
01:53:20,184 --> 01:53:22,044
We actually have that on the website.

1741
01:53:22,209 --> 01:53:22,569
Perfect.

1742
01:53:22,809 --> 01:53:25,434
If you go to my page, there's a financial transparency.

1743
01:53:25,495 --> 01:53:28,120
You can go there and you can see general government, you can see health insurance,

1744
01:53:28,149 --> 01:53:30,745
you can see all that stuff, and it graphs everything out for you.

1745
01:53:31,194 --> 01:53:34,584
But Brian, obviously I'm a bullet guy.

1746
01:53:36,279 --> 01:53:37,044
There's no criticism.

1747
01:53:37,194 --> 01:53:41,634
No, no, but that's my aspect. I know Joe, everyone, but Joe particularly has helped

1748
01:53:41,694 --> 01:53:43,029
us with that. You could help us with that.

1749
01:53:43,614 --> 01:53:48,518
Whatever you think that can visually show people of all ages what we're dealing

1750
01:53:48,564 --> 01:53:50,604
with, we need help.

1751
01:53:51,069 --> 01:53:51,294
Yeah. Okay.

1752
01:53:52,524 --> 01:53:56,229
I heard a little bit about on the bullet, and I heard you reference a couple times

1753
01:53:56,274 --> 01:54:01,630
the work with the school district, the analysis, and the increase of requests of

1754
01:54:01,644 --> 01:54:05,455
funding. Obviously, that would be part of the override.

1755
01:54:05,469 --> 01:54:10,015
And in spirit of forecasts, do we have any insights to what forecasting may look

1756
01:54:10,075 --> 01:54:13,299
like for the school district for one, for two, three years ahead?

1757
01:54:13,734 --> 01:54:16,104
Like we are here looking at town.

1758
01:54:16,164 --> 01:54:21,834
Right now, we started at 4.5%. As of right now, it's 4%.

1759
01:54:21,894 --> 01:54:22,059
Mm-hmm.

1760
01:54:22,644 --> 01:54:26,124
That's from the superintendent. Did we take a deep dive into that?

1761
01:54:26,484 --> 01:54:31,044
No, because that's part of the budget process, so we asked the superintendent to

1762
01:54:31,134 --> 01:54:33,265
estimate what he could live with,

1763
01:54:35,245 --> 01:54:38,904
in terms of what he thinks our vulnerabilities are, obviously.

1764
01:54:39,414 --> 01:54:42,069
Special ed being top for most.

1765
01:54:42,864 --> 01:54:43,015
Okay.

1766
01:54:43,284 --> 01:54:44,755
And potential class size.

1767
01:54:45,955 --> 01:54:49,404
And also just one logistical thing, and Chris correct me on the date, but school

1768
01:54:49,464 --> 01:54:52,944
committee is also having this as part of their meeting next week.

1769
01:54:53,154 --> 01:54:57,534
Yeah. Lucky people in the back get to hear. I can just show the video if you...

1770
01:54:58,464 --> 01:54:58,598
But

1771
01:55:00,144 --> 01:55:01,464
we want to make sure the school committee's part.

1772
01:55:01,584 --> 01:55:04,825
We're doing this exact same presentation and offering whatever questions they have.

1773
01:55:05,245 --> 01:55:07,524
At that time, they'll have that opportunity.

1774
01:55:07,794 --> 01:55:11,034
And the intent wasn't to leave any group out.

1775
01:55:11,094 --> 01:55:16,075
The intent was this is really probably finance committee and select board to manage

1776
01:55:16,104 --> 01:55:19,255
the whole town, right? So not if we have one department, we should have every

1777
01:55:19,284 --> 01:55:21,894
department there. So this was more just for our collective.

1778
01:55:22,644 --> 01:55:25,584
We'll have our traditional discussions with each of the groups, I think, as we go

1779
01:55:25,644 --> 01:55:27,955
through the budget process, but just wanted to start here.

1780
01:55:28,794 --> 01:55:33,024
That makes sense. Just given the magnitude of the budget that's allocated to

1781
01:55:33,084 --> 01:55:38,979
schools, I'd like to see a forecast that's thought out of what

1782
01:55:39,024 --> 01:55:41,214
funds are being requested, where they would spend.

1783
01:55:41,274 --> 01:55:42,249
I think the taxpayers

1784
01:55:44,784 --> 01:55:47,694
should expect to see that detail.

1785
01:55:48,564 --> 01:55:53,830
The other question I have is around, we've heard some news

1786
01:55:54,054 --> 01:55:54,580
recently

1787
01:55:56,724 --> 01:56:02,453
related to Chapter 70 funding coming back in that was in excess of what we were

1788
01:56:02,484 --> 01:56:05,784
expecting. Is that included in these options?

1789
01:56:05,844 --> 01:56:10,374
Has that been part of the analysis, or is that just too new and not part of that?

1790
01:56:11,124 --> 01:56:11,995
No, it's something-

1791
01:56:12,294 --> 01:56:12,413
Yeah

1792
01:56:12,684 --> 01:56:14,005
... exactly as we got.

1793
01:56:14,064 --> 01:56:16,434
To the budget of the governor's side.

1794
01:56:16,944 --> 01:56:17,124
Yeah.

1795
01:56:18,474 --> 01:56:18,745
Okay.

1796
01:56:22,104 --> 01:56:24,654
Just following up on his point.

1797
01:56:26,334 --> 01:56:30,549
When you're putting those visualizations together, it should also be what are the

1798
01:56:30,594 --> 01:56:36,444
drivers. It would be helpful for people not just to see the dollars on trash or

1799
01:56:36,534 --> 01:56:41,424
recycling, but also the actual units, the number of tons that we put out there.

1800
01:56:42,714 --> 01:56:44,424
And also on the schools,

1801
01:56:46,104 --> 01:56:51,144
the student population. It would be useful for the school department to

1802
01:56:51,205 --> 01:56:56,529
show what their enrollment is that they submit to the state every year, and then

1803
01:56:56,544 --> 01:57:01,884
what they project. Because the school population has continued to stay the same.

1804
01:57:03,279 --> 01:57:08,814
But it would be very useful for the schools to put those drivers out there so

1805
01:57:08,934 --> 01:57:09,745
people can see what

1806
01:57:11,124 --> 01:57:11,844
it's costing.

1807
01:57:15,384 --> 01:57:17,034
And just back to the Chapter 70 money.

1808
01:57:17,844 --> 01:57:22,705
For FY27, just to give a number that was published, was $347,000.

1809
01:57:23,544 --> 01:57:28,269
And considering that there's an increase request of 4.5 from 4, that's where I

1810
01:57:28,284 --> 01:57:31,870
think it's really important to understand where these funds are going, how they're

1811
01:57:31,884 --> 01:57:37,434
being used. Just transparency I think would be really key for folks to understand

1812
01:57:37,495 --> 01:57:40,495
and have some trust in what they are being asked to approve.

1813
01:57:41,604 --> 01:57:44,814
So wanted to provide that number so I was specific enough so you know what I'm

1814
01:57:44,844 --> 01:57:46,224
talking about.

1815
01:57:47,904 --> 01:57:52,495
So again, not looking for the answer now, but it would be good to have that insight

1816
01:57:52,644 --> 01:57:53,484
and understanding.

1817
01:57:54,894 --> 01:57:55,495
Thank you.

1818
01:58:01,075 --> 01:58:01,734
That's it. Thanks.

1819
01:58:05,184 --> 01:58:08,784
Any other thoughts, questions, comments?

1820
01:58:10,075 --> 01:58:10,344
Mm-hmm.

1821
01:58:11,814 --> 01:58:13,404
So one quick question.

1822
01:58:14,784 --> 01:58:19,314
The finance committee last year at town meeting put out a note in their annual

1823
01:58:19,374 --> 01:58:23,034
report that detailed nine recommendations.

1824
01:58:26,544 --> 01:58:28,164
Has anything been done with those?

1825
01:58:28,794 --> 01:58:32,755
I'm sure that a lot of them are probably part of the presentation.

1826
01:58:32,874 --> 01:58:33,009
Yep.

1827
01:58:33,114 --> 01:58:37,015
I'd have to re-look. I just don't recall them right now. I'm sure they're there.

1828
01:58:38,496 --> 01:58:40,566
Things that we've been talking about for a very long time.

1829
01:58:40,897 --> 01:58:41,511
Right. And-

1830
01:58:41,917 --> 01:58:46,852
We probably have done or will be mostly. We just have to take another look at it.

1831
01:58:46,926 --> 01:58:47,466
Okay.

1832
01:58:50,376 --> 01:58:51,321
One in particular,

1833
01:58:52,897 --> 01:58:57,756
it's just the consolidation of IT, and there were a couple of others on there.

1834
01:58:58,776 --> 01:58:58,926
So

1835
01:59:00,276 --> 01:59:01,596
you don't have to discuss it now-

1836
01:59:01,641 --> 01:59:02,167
No, that's okay

1837
01:59:02,196 --> 01:59:02,676
... if you don't. Okay.

1838
01:59:05,616 --> 01:59:09,126
I mean, the ones we can discuss, the next time we meet jointly, maybe we can walk

1839
01:59:09,157 --> 01:59:11,602
through some of those. And if there's any others that you all are discussing,

1840
01:59:13,776 --> 01:59:17,691
just through your regular meetings that you come up with, obviously we'll have a

1841
01:59:17,706 --> 01:59:21,996
discussion on it, but maybe we can walk through those next time. Cool.

1842
01:59:23,076 --> 01:59:26,405
Just maybe one more quick one that we didn't at joint session here.

1843
01:59:26,706 --> 01:59:31,686
Can you just remind us why we look at overrides kind of in two-year increments

1844
01:59:32,196 --> 01:59:36,411
versus one or three, or is it visibility, or is it-

1845
01:59:36,576 --> 01:59:38,511
No, it's just a choice. And we can change that.

1846
01:59:38,526 --> 01:59:41,016
This is just a starting point for discussion.

1847
01:59:41,376 --> 01:59:46,566
What's interesting is that if I were not lost, but they decided to do a five-year

1848
01:59:46,626 --> 01:59:51,727
comprehensive override. Communities have done, where I live, multiple choice

1849
01:59:51,816 --> 01:59:55,926
overrides. Some communities like Soto have done two option overrides.

1850
01:59:58,086 --> 02:00:00,306
This is just a starting point of the discussion.

1851
02:00:00,756 --> 02:00:05,241
What we were looking at is how can we separate it a little bit and how can we make

1852
02:00:05,286 --> 02:00:07,926
something awful suddenly less awful?

1853
02:00:09,366 --> 02:00:13,671
But again, I think where we have to leave here, and I don't think we have to make a

1854
02:00:13,716 --> 02:00:16,806
decision now, is what path are we taking as juniors?

1855
02:00:17,857 --> 02:00:21,636
This is the leadership of the town. Do we want to have a joint committee?

1856
02:00:21,696 --> 02:00:24,306
Do we want to have separate rails? Do we want to have a combination of both?

1857
02:00:24,667 --> 02:00:27,066
And how do we get to that final answer?

1858
02:00:27,786 --> 02:00:33,651
Because when we have the override matters, how or not have an override,

1859
02:00:33,727 --> 02:00:37,506
we do not have an override. I need to know that soon, too, because then we've got

1860
02:00:37,536 --> 02:00:41,676
to make some more serious decisions with things like the bargaining and people,

1861
02:00:41,886 --> 02:00:44,977
which we need to vet, all of those things.

1862
02:00:45,036 --> 02:00:48,546
So I don't want to leave here thinking we're going right to the O word.

1863
02:00:49,116 --> 02:00:53,046
We're starting because that is an option. There's a thousand different options.

1864
02:00:54,157 --> 02:00:58,776
But as a community, we need to not be afraid to discuss any and every word is

1865
02:00:58,806 --> 02:01:03,486
important. Please, discussions are welcome.

1866
02:01:05,676 --> 02:01:06,486
Thank you.

1867
02:01:06,576 --> 02:01:12,486
I would just say, Rob, my personal opinion would be more collaboration and sooner

1868
02:01:12,546 --> 02:01:13,596
is always better.

1869
02:01:15,276 --> 02:01:20,346
Just again, probably means more meetings, which nobody necessarily likes, but it

1870
02:01:21,157 --> 02:01:22,657
may end up with a better result.

1871
02:01:24,667 --> 02:01:24,727
Agreed.

1872
02:01:24,801 --> 02:01:27,727
In everyone's package, there is a draft of the budget calendar.

1873
02:01:27,936 --> 02:01:28,011
Yeah.

1874
02:01:28,626 --> 02:01:32,977
Which, between our committees and also the school committee, we have to just iron

1875
02:01:33,036 --> 02:01:33,936
down those dates.

1876
02:01:36,366 --> 02:01:39,171
I want to put this all at once. I want to try and stick to the dates if we can,

1877
02:01:39,186 --> 02:01:42,651
because if we adjust, we had a lot of adjustment last year.

1878
02:01:42,651 --> 02:01:45,772
I want to keep it so that we know what the process is going through, and the

1879
02:01:45,846 --> 02:01:50,736
finance knows the process, and you all know the processes as we go through, and we

1880
02:01:50,766 --> 02:01:55,282
do everything on time, so we can get that budget out early, get it to print to get

1881
02:01:55,296 --> 02:01:58,806
everything and all recommendations in, so we're not at town meeting, making

1882
02:01:58,836 --> 02:02:01,056
recommendations before town meeting.

1883
02:02:01,116 --> 02:02:06,651
So, you all, if in your individual meetings you want to talk about it, you can talk

1884
02:02:06,696 --> 02:02:09,216
about it. We just have to iron down those dates.

1885
02:02:14,647 --> 02:02:20,630
One thing I'd like to put on folks' radar, and I think now's a good time to do it

1886
02:02:20,676 --> 02:02:24,216
as we're looking at some multi-year projections here is,

1887
02:02:25,716 --> 02:02:29,946
I think we've done great work with the CIP and coming up with the capital needs for

1888
02:02:30,006 --> 02:02:35,227
the town over the next five years. It's an unfunded liability of over $30 million.

1889
02:02:36,306 --> 02:02:41,526
So when we're talking about potentially doing override, do we want to do it just

1890
02:02:41,556 --> 02:02:43,806
for two years? If we want to do it for longer than that,

1891
02:02:45,607 --> 02:02:51,306
there are opportunities in that CIP to spend money now that will save,

1892
02:02:52,236 --> 02:02:56,496
spend nickels and dimes now that will save dollars in the future. Right?

1893
02:02:57,426 --> 02:03:03,186
I think of the project that Chief Davis brought forward to redo the pumper truck to

1894
02:03:03,216 --> 02:03:07,056
extend its useful life, right? Spend money now to extend the useful life.

1895
02:03:07,116 --> 02:03:11,886
There's projects in there that can do the same thing, and if we under-invest in

1896
02:03:11,946 --> 02:03:12,456
capital,

1897
02:03:13,806 --> 02:03:18,727
it's going to hit us or the next generation that is coming through this town.

1898
02:03:19,176 --> 02:03:25,116
So when we're thinking about where we need to raise money and

1899
02:03:25,147 --> 02:03:26,630
what we need to spend it on, I think

1900
02:03:27,966 --> 02:03:31,461
we obviously need to focus on here and the now and how we're going to operate over

1901
02:03:31,477 --> 02:03:36,441
the next two years, but we also have to have a mindset and longer-term view on some

1902
02:03:36,456 --> 02:03:38,196
of the capital needs that we've laid out.

1903
02:03:40,236 --> 02:03:43,626
And Tom, to answer your question, we did have a projection where we did throw the

1904
02:03:43,686 --> 02:03:46,806
reoccurring capital into the override.

1905
02:03:47,167 --> 02:03:52,836
So IT for the town, IT for the school, the roads into the DPW budget, just to

1906
02:03:53,227 --> 02:03:56,811
get that number so it's in the budget now, and then this one that builds on that

1907
02:03:56,857 --> 02:04:00,397
and then reaches. So we have looked, not to the extent you're looking at, just the

1908
02:04:00,426 --> 02:04:01,386
reoccurring stuff.

1909
02:04:03,006 --> 02:04:05,407
As we said at the debate, nothing

1910
02:04:06,846 --> 02:04:08,586
is cheaper than it is today, right?

1911
02:04:08,676 --> 02:04:11,676
And so if you could imagine if the town didn't make the capital investments it made

1912
02:04:11,766 --> 02:04:15,786
in the last few years, the cost would be absolutely astronomical.

1913
02:04:16,296 --> 02:04:19,626
And construction never goes down. Costs never go down.

1914
02:04:20,977 --> 02:04:26,167
So I think we should at least put in options, as Tom says, though, including

1915
02:04:26,227 --> 02:04:30,486
everything, balancing what we can pass or not, or afford.

1916
02:04:31,206 --> 02:04:31,626
Mm-hmm.

1917
02:04:37,417 --> 02:04:40,506
Just want to say, sorry, are we done? Yeah.

1918
02:04:43,536 --> 02:04:43,550
I'm sorry.

1919
02:04:43,550 --> 02:04:45,006
I didn't want to cut you off. Sorry.

1920
02:04:45,216 --> 02:04:46,086
I'm listening.

1921
02:04:49,446 --> 02:04:52,206
Thanks for putting the calendar together. This is really helpful.

1922
02:04:53,556 --> 02:04:57,336
Really just shows the proactiveness that's happening, which is really good.

1923
02:04:59,946 --> 02:05:01,357
Thinking about our meeting tonight,

1924
02:05:02,796 --> 02:05:06,607
and looking at the calendar, I don't see another one on that calendar.

1925
02:05:06,727 --> 02:05:11,886
So is this our first and last, or would we have another one jointly to-

1926
02:05:12,157 --> 02:05:15,576
One of my notes to come out of this session is to figure out how we want to do this

1927
02:05:15,607 --> 02:05:16,236
going forward.

1928
02:05:16,326 --> 02:05:18,936
Yeah. Okay. All right. I'll leave that up to you then.

1929
02:05:19,026 --> 02:05:22,311
What would be the optimal time to, looking at this calendar, what would be the

1930
02:05:22,326 --> 02:05:24,246
optimal time for this group to be back together?

1931
02:05:24,336 --> 02:05:25,746
Yeah. Perfect. Thank you.

1932
02:05:30,306 --> 02:05:31,296
So I'll take a look at it. I don't know.

1933
02:05:31,536 --> 02:05:33,966
If you all want to have a recommendation, too, if you guys can look at it in your

1934
02:05:33,996 --> 02:05:38,871
meeting as well, and think about what would be the optimal time for us to do this

1935
02:05:38,917 --> 02:05:39,397
again,

1936
02:05:40,746 --> 02:05:43,176
and have some updated projections possibly after.

1937
02:05:43,266 --> 02:05:48,246
I was looking at possibly after we have some more final information from the state.

1938
02:05:49,206 --> 02:05:52,446
That might be good, but probably before next year.

1939
02:05:53,227 --> 02:05:59,076
So maybe we'll come back together, and Tom and I will talk about what each of our

1940
02:05:59,316 --> 02:06:00,246
discussions come out with,

1941
02:06:02,796 --> 02:06:03,607
and go from there.

1942
02:06:07,956 --> 02:06:08,286
Thanks.

1943
02:06:09,667 --> 02:06:12,996
One thing I just throw out there, overrides are tough to get. I certainly know.

1944
02:06:13,026 --> 02:06:14,407
I live in this business, but

1945
02:06:16,116 --> 02:06:20,167
I think four years is a nice target number.

1946
02:06:20,977 --> 02:06:23,917
To go back every two, I think is going to be too much. I don't think there...

1947
02:06:23,930 --> 02:06:25,551
Eventually, we'll get pushback on that.

1948
02:06:25,596 --> 02:06:28,866
One of the things I brought up before, and I know the school committee probably

1949
02:06:28,897 --> 02:06:31,911
doesn't want, I was playing initially in Waltham, doesn't want to have to come to

1950
02:06:31,926 --> 02:06:34,176
this select board to ask about an education stabilization fund.

1951
02:06:34,206 --> 02:06:38,227
I'm going to bring it up again. I have one where I work, and it's working.

1952
02:06:38,256 --> 02:06:41,466
The money goes into the bank, it collects interest until you need it, or what it

1953
02:06:41,496 --> 02:06:43,266
allows you to do is extend the override.

1954
02:06:43,326 --> 02:06:47,061
So if you're asking for, if we need $4 million or $5 million, maybe we ask for

1955
02:06:47,076 --> 02:06:50,391
three, and we ask for two to go into an education stabilization fund.

1956
02:06:50,436 --> 02:06:53,796
That money allows us to sit there, gain interest, and then we can tap into it to

1957
02:06:53,871 --> 02:06:56,136
extend that override three, four years out.

1958
02:06:56,227 --> 02:07:00,336
It's good practice, and the schools obviously are the biggest driver of our

1959
02:07:00,936 --> 02:07:02,167
expenses other than health insurance.

1960
02:07:02,196 --> 02:07:04,852
But just something to consider, I think, as we're moving forward.

1961
02:07:04,897 --> 02:07:07,446
I think that along with cuts is really the only way we're going to get through

1962
02:07:07,477 --> 02:07:08,196
this, but I think that's

1963
02:07:09,426 --> 02:07:10,296
something we should consider.

1964
02:07:10,626 --> 02:07:10,897
Thank you.

1965
02:07:11,227 --> 02:07:11,346
No.

1966
02:07:13,326 --> 02:07:16,147
Can I just ask one other question on the override, where it has year one and year

1967
02:07:16,176 --> 02:07:20,841
two? Are we saying authorize four and a half, but only tax 2.1?

1968
02:07:22,566 --> 02:07:22,581
Yeah.

1969
02:07:22,596 --> 02:07:23,466
All right. Thanks.

1970
02:07:24,876 --> 02:07:25,686
As an option.

1971
02:07:26,256 --> 02:07:26,706
Yeah.

1972
02:07:28,956 --> 02:07:32,001
Irelan does that. Irelan continuously does that.

1973
02:07:32,647 --> 02:07:36,907
They do multi-year overrides, and they calculate specifically each year.

1974
02:07:37,477 --> 02:07:41,375
And that makes it much better. Everyone knows what they're getting almost for it.

1975
02:07:43,116 --> 02:07:48,936
And to Tom's point, if you were to tax more or all of it, you could stabilize the

1976
02:07:48,996 --> 02:07:52,086
override, whether or not we do something with the school system.

1977
02:07:52,147 --> 02:07:52,357
Yeah.

1978
02:07:53,167 --> 02:07:53,977
To get a third year.

1979
02:07:59,107 --> 02:08:02,826
All right. If nothing else, thank you everybody. Really appreciate the discussion.

1980
02:08:03,456 --> 02:08:07,776
Look forward to future discussions. I'll entertain a motion to close the meeting.

1981
02:08:09,846 --> 02:08:10,071
I'll-

1982
02:08:10,266 --> 02:08:11,736
Sorry.

1983
02:08:13,266 --> 02:08:15,306
I'll move that we adjourn the meeting.

1984
02:08:16,296 --> 02:08:16,566
Second.

1985
02:08:16,897 --> 02:08:19,026
All right. Motion's been made and seconded. All those in favor?

1986
02:08:19,147 --> 02:08:19,191
Aye.

1987
02:08:19,191 --> 02:08:19,477
Aye.