1 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:14,920 Should we 2 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,230 call our session to order? 3 00:00:18,240 --> 00:00:19,840 at 4 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:22,240 4:01. 5 00:00:22,240 --> 00:00:24,320 Um 6 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:27,520 so for everyone here, there's we have 7 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,160 two people absent, so we don't have our 8 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:32,080 normal chair. And I just want to I mean 9 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:34,200 as we look at our agenda, I wondered, do 10 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:36,240 we want to like assign roles and make 11 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:38,800 one of us a chair for the day and one 12 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:40,800 person a note taker or how do we want to 13 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:42,560 analyze to be chair? 14 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:43,760 Thanks. 15 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:45,880 I can second Never mind. All right. I 16 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:48,760 will second I will do it. 17 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:50,160 Um 18 00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:52,840 and then how do we want to do notes? 19 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:53,760 I'll 20 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,590 do notes. 21 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,280 All right. So then um 22 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:01,640 do we have a motion to approve our 23 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:03,200 agenda? 24 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:04,960 I think motion to approve it. I'll 25 00:01:04,960 --> 00:01:06,120 second that. 26 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:07,840 So then we're good. And 27 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:09,440 all in favor? 28 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:11,080 Yeah. I. 29 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:12,600 Any opposed? 30 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:14,200 Any absence? 31 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,360 So the first thing on our agenda is 32 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:18,160 Well, and welcome everyone who's joining 33 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:19,880 us online. See 34 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:21,720 Susan Clark and 35 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:23,120 Bill Price. I hope I get your name 36 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:24,800 right. You like I'm 37 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:26,680 not pronouncing you right, but I'll do 38 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:28,760 my best. 39 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:30,920 And a few people also. 40 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:32,320 So 41 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:34,520 lessons learned. 42 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:36,600 Date and content. 43 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:37,680 Um 44 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:39,960 do we want to just go around the room 45 00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:41,120 and 46 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:43,880 share thoughts on 47 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:45,880 I know, I think this is to I could take, 48 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:47,880 right? Oh, we're setting a session for 49 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:51,310 that. Oh, much better. 50 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:55,200 So Well, then my question on that is 51 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:57,000 Susan, I know you're planning you want 52 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,400 to do a 53 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:01,080 something along these lines, too. And 54 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,200 I'm wondering, are we should we try to 55 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:04,960 do something together or should it be 56 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:06,440 separate or what what's the most 57 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:08,360 effective way to sort of get everyone's 58 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:10,280 ideas out? 59 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,560 Yeah, great question. And um 60 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:18,200 yeah, I was wondering the same thing. I feel like um 61 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:19,160 there's [snorts] 62 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,320 a there's a subset, which is what the 63 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:23,840 budget committee does, which is create 64 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:25,600 the budget 65 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:27,080 or work on the budget or review the 66 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:31,040 budget. Um and there there's a um I feel 67 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:32,360 like the 68 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,480 sort of the defining what the question 69 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:35,880 is, what is it that we want to learn 70 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,920 from is is sort of the the the what to 71 00:02:38,920 --> 00:02:42,400 do at this moment. And so um if if if 72 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,400 one question is how did um creating the 73 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,280 budget or how did the budget process go 74 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:50,440 this 75 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,680 annual cycle? What lessons did we learn 76 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,640 from the hiccups that we that we had or 77 00:02:56,640 --> 00:02:59,560 whatever however you want to define 78 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,080 what we just went through. Um lessons 79 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:04,440 learned from the from the budget cycle. 80 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:06,519 Um and then um 81 00:03:06,519 --> 00:03:07,920 uh 82 00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:10,360 and I think that's a subset of a bigger 83 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:12,239 question of sort of like how Middlesex 84 00:03:12,239 --> 00:03:15,800 makes um its 85 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,640 the the the the sort of town meeting and 86 00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:19,880 democracy throughout the year question, 87 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:21,320 which has to do with the budget, but it 88 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:22,800 also has to do with other stuff that we 89 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:25,040 do. Um 90 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:29,760 So, I feel like your group's question is 91 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,200 the first fundamental lessons learned 92 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,920 and I would like to attend and listen 93 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,160 and maybe listen for trends that that 94 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,440 would help me maybe frame with the 95 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,040 solutions committee um a bigger question 96 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,400 about what happens throughout the year. 97 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:46,680 Well, that 98 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,320 makes sense to me that we have sort of a 99 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:51,519 slightly narrower focus. 100 00:03:51,519 --> 00:03:54,040 Um and I'm wondering like 101 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:56,240 part of me thinks that one thing we need 102 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:58,720 to do is really clarify 103 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:00,600 the budget committee's role compared to 104 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,720 the select board's role because I think 105 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,960 we, you know, we're largely an advisory 106 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,320 committee. There's very little that we 107 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,120 very little authority we have at all. 108 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:10,520 And so 109 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:12,440 and it's not even so much an authority 110 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:14,240 question I think as a 111 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:15,360 you know, if we kind of talk through 112 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:16,239 this 113 00:04:16,239 --> 00:04:18,480 we collect departmental budgets from the 114 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:20,480 departmental heads, you know, 115 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:21,680 we can talk about whether or not we do 116 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:24,960 that effectively at 400% or not. 117 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:27,520 And then we review it, look at trends, 118 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,400 history, 119 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:31,320 look at the overall increase, try to get 120 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:32,080 something that we think would be 121 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:33,960 valuable to the select board. But that's 122 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,080 really our scope is collating, reviewing 123 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:38,160 it, and recommend it. 124 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:39,440 >> Well, and I think we should be really 125 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:42,040 clear like which parts of that process 126 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,320 does the budget committee 127 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:46,720 facilitate and take ownership over and 128 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:48,760 which parts just start with the select 129 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:50,080 board because I mean I've caught myself 130 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:51,800 a few times like part of this might be 131 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:53,320 just cuz it's shifted over the years 132 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:55,280 that you know, 133 00:04:55,280 --> 00:04:57,640 sometimes in the past 134 00:04:57,640 --> 00:04:59,360 departments have presented their budgets 135 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,360 to the select board versus the budget 136 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:04,080 committee. And so to me that's part of 137 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:05,600 the conversation is just like let's make 138 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:07,520 sure we're all clear where are those 139 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:09,160 roles so that if there's room for 140 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:10,760 improvement, we we know who's going to 141 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:12,440 work on improving, you know, or where or 142 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,560 what we want to shift. Yeah, I mean like 143 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:16,400 my general sense was that I had I had 144 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:17,520 assumed the lessons learned was more 145 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:19,320 that that sort of second topic or the 146 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:24,000 overall bell sex. I think we can certainly have a session where we 147 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:25,600 just talk about 148 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,240 hey, what are all the block, you know, 149 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:29,040 steps we need to take during budget 150 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:30,520 creation. I think that'll be valuable 151 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:32,160 for us just during a normal right right. 152 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:33,520 And that might be the the session that 153 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:34,480 we have. 154 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:35,680 Um, 155 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:37,280 but I I agree with you cuz 156 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:38,480 I don't think the budget committee 157 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,240 should own figuring out the 158 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:43,240 who does the, you know, does the select 159 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:44,760 board do it? Do we do it? Like I really 160 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:46,360 think that there's one thing that I 161 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:47,520 think we 162 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:49,320 um, have to do which is recommend a 163 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,560 budget or or expected to do. We 164 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:52,880 recommend the budget to the select 165 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:55,080 board. But beyond that, the select board 166 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,920 I think should really provide guidance. 167 00:05:57,920 --> 00:05:59,240 Yeah, I mean there's there's definitely 168 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:00,400 like the capital planning piece which 169 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:02,160 we've always taken 170 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,920 which since it's inception is like a 171 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:06,240 thing in Middle sex, the budget 172 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:07,520 committee has taken a pretty leading 173 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,400 role in and then 174 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,560 Yeah, I mean my impression is even the 175 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,440 way 176 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:16,720 the budget process is done is it's like 177 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:18,720 we don't necessarily recommend the 178 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:20,880 budget so much as make recommendations 179 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,000 about the budget is is how I feel like 180 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:24,680 we've done it and maybe that's wrong. 181 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:25,720 All I meant [laughter] was recommend 182 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:27,040 something to the select board like we 183 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:28,880 present Totally. We make recommendations 184 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:30,280 on the budget that's being developed by 185 00:06:30,280 --> 00:06:32,000 the select board with our input as the 186 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,000 process goes. Yeah. So anyways, 187 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:37,240 I guess my ultimate question is 188 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:39,840 should we be trying to have this lessons 189 00:06:39,840 --> 00:06:42,800 learned session as just a 190 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,000 budget committee meeting or should we be 191 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,200 including some input from the select 192 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,080 board cuz ultimately they're like 193 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:50,919 they're the ones who if if if they don't 194 00:06:50,919 --> 00:06:52,560 like what we're suggesting, 195 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:53,760 they can tell us we want the budget 196 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:56,680 committee to do something else, I think. 197 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:00,440 Question. Isn't it more like a process 198 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,640 that needs to be designed or maintained 199 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:04,640 or cur 200 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:06,520 Yeah, I think it needs to be clarified 201 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:08,120 and and sort of written down and more 202 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:09,680 with more detail than we've ever had 203 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:11,160 that I know of. 204 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:12,560 And that's where I I was thinking that 205 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,440 maybe we need some select board input 206 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:15,560 although maybe we come up with our 207 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,600 proposal. I I definitely think So I 208 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:20,400 think I I think Bill 209 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:21,840 I think 210 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:23,160 probably everyone would agree that it 211 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:24,200 would be good to have a documented 212 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:26,000 process. Or at least that's my opinion 213 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,560 and I don't please disagree but I agree. 214 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:31,840 Ultimately I think what Elias and and 215 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:33,760 are are talking about is is really the 216 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:35,680 select board should probably define the 217 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:37,200 process that they expect the budget 218 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,480 committee to follow. We can certainly 219 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:41,320 propose something 220 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:42,680 but I just want to be careful I think to 221 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:44,720 this this idea of the year like we don't 222 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,000 want to say we do something and then 223 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,000 have that become a point of contention. 224 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:49,960 You know, should it be us, should it be 225 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:52,560 someone else? So So maybe what we do is 226 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:55,320 we have like a lessons learned session or whatever we 227 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,080 want to call it where we're writing down 228 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,120 the process that we understand it is 229 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:01,440 [clears throat] and even maybe we're 230 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:03,600 making recommendations of how we want it 231 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:05,920 to be if it hasn't been that way and 232 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:07,640 we're then presenting that to the select 233 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:08,840 board. 234 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:10,480 And then they decide. And I think that's 235 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,400 a great time to invite people who think 236 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:15,040 that they you know have 237 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:16,720 criticisms constructive or otherwise 238 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:17,960 about the process so that we can make 239 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:19,200 sure we incorporate that. 240 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:22,919 >> Exactly. Yeah. Okay, cool. So um 241 00:08:22,919 --> 00:08:24,480 date. I think we covered some of the 242 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:26,960 content of that. 243 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:28,280 I think we sort of laid out what we want 244 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:30,040 to discuss at the meeting. When do we 245 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:31,640 want to do this? 246 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:33,680 I don't know if you saw 247 00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:35,200 this 248 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,360 uh that Mark had sent in kind of his 249 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,800 topics. Oh, I haven't I was just 250 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:40,960 wondering if before the meeting started 251 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:41,960 to know what he 252 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:43,120 Please share. 253 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:44,800 He just 254 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:46,800 under like the lessons learned I think 255 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,480 he wanted to add kind of his opinions 256 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:52,960 and for attendees he had put SB I'm 257 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:54,640 assuming for select board, budget 258 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:56,839 committee and public 259 00:08:56,839 --> 00:08:59,800 and he had also said maybe June 260 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:00,640 um 261 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:02,680 for like when to hold it before before 262 00:09:02,680 --> 00:09:04,839 people forget their feedback. I do think 263 00:09:04,839 --> 00:09:08,040 it would be helpful for me to understand 264 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:11,600 the process better um 265 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:13,560 all around and I do think that the 266 00:09:13,560 --> 00:09:16,080 select board has to be 267 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,040 somewhat involved, right? Because I feel 268 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:21,800 like they are determining it and I think 269 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:23,480 that since I've been on the budget 270 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,480 committee, you know, that's the 271 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:27,360 direction we get, right? Like they're 272 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:29,120 like I want to you know do this or do 273 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:30,880 that and a lot of times it's 274 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,200 it it's it's been a little confusing to 275 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:34,800 me 276 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:36,880 because at some point the treasurer is 277 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:41,200 involved, right? Like the treasurer is doing adding, removing, but then at 278 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,280 some point Dorinda was involved in 279 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:46,000 adding and removing and she wasn't on 280 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,160 the budget committee at that point. So I 281 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,600 think there's people involved too. So to 282 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,840 me it's a little confusing the process. 283 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,240 Um so I think it would be good to kind 284 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:59,720 of know expectations and all of that. 285 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,560 Yeah. A written document of the process 286 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:05,280 would be a great outcome for this. 287 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:06,400 And just 288 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:08,560 so from from my perspective, I think 289 00:10:08,560 --> 00:10:11,160 Dorinda was treasurer at one point. She 290 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:13,240 I think she's assisted and so at least 291 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:14,440 from my perspective when she's been 292 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,600 doing that is it's often been her 293 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:18,480 stepping into assist as treasurer. But 294 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:20,160 like it would make so much sense if we 295 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:22,120 clarified that like the treasurer does 296 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:23,640 these parts of this process. 297 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:24,400 >> So 298 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:26,000 the So the budget committee is basically 299 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,240 an advisory committee. So basically what 300 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:32,120 happens is we keep we maintain the Excel 301 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,280 spreadsheet and we we monitor it, we the 302 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:36,720 new budget stuff comes in, the new 303 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:38,000 figures are coming in and we're 304 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:41,160 constantly adding. This year usually the 305 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:42,839 treasurer is the respon you know, does 306 00:10:42,839 --> 00:10:45,200 the initial inputting of information. 307 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:47,800 And what happens is this year I was 308 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:50,080 doing the town report. So I had to let 309 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,480 Dorinda assist me in doing the budget 310 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:54,880 because I did was it town report, town 311 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:56,280 meeting, there just wasn't any wiggle 312 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,360 room to do the budget. Um so she offered 313 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:00,760 to come in and help with that. So 314 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:02,440 usually and then what happens is, you 315 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:05,200 know, we we every single like the part 316 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:06,320 of like rec 317 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:08,480 uh highway, everybody presents their own 318 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:10,360 budgets and works on their own budgets. 319 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:11,800 And then you guys come in and look at 320 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:13,240 things and say, 321 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:14,800 you know, hey, what do you think about 322 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,760 shaving this or you know, and you're also adding your capital planning 323 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:21,320 information into the budget uh and what 324 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:24,400 your thoughts are. And then we come 325 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:27,080 together as a a whole in the in in one 326 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,200 of the selectboard meetings with 327 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,200 everybody giving their input and 328 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:33,280 suggestions. And then the select board 329 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:35,880 says, yes or no, or shave this, or add 330 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:38,200 this, or do whatever when you guys are 331 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:41,520 present with the treasurer and 332 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:43,040 the budget committee and the select 333 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:44,640 board all together and the department 334 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:46,160 heads. 335 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:48,480 Uh like Eric does the highway, he does 336 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:51,280 the fire department, you know, um 337 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,480 here it's like we know I I basically 338 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,680 enter things based on contracts or based 339 00:11:55,680 --> 00:11:57,920 on um appropriations like we you know we 340 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:00,200 have to pay the monthly your treasurers. 341 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,280 We have to pay them but that's they 342 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,160 calculate those fees, we don't. Um 343 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,680 contracts with the ambulance service. We 344 00:12:07,680 --> 00:12:08,880 get those kind of things and then as 345 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,040 they come in I put them in a folder 346 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:12,720 um as people are working on those 347 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,000 numbers and I I keep track of that and 348 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:16,560 so then when it comes time to input it 349 00:12:16,560 --> 00:12:18,120 then we have supporting documentation 350 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:19,320 that tells us 351 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,920 um same thing with health insurance and 352 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,120 any kind of benefits that we have. 353 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,000 Um if anything comes in for the 354 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:27,640 electricity, you know, like this year we 355 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:29,640 had a 3% increase is what they 356 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:31,760 anticipated. Um and that goes in the 357 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:33,440 folder. Um 358 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:35,080 we just like to keep all the backup that 359 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:36,600 we can 360 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:38,680 that supports that Excel spreadsheet. 361 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:41,040 And then when we're in the meetings 362 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:42,520 usually it's like, okay, we're going to 363 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:44,240 take this out, we're going to add this, 364 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:45,760 and then we're making those adjustments, 365 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:46,839 we come back, we do the Excel 366 00:12:46,839 --> 00:12:48,880 spreadsheet again, and then send it and 367 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:50,200 everybody makes those adjustments and 368 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:51,640 makes the suggestions because you got 369 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:52,760 you know everybody wants to come 370 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:54,000 together not 371 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:55,440 you know, to have that lower percentage 372 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:57,920 rate for the budget. 373 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,000 Does that help with what you guys 374 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:02,640 Yeah, I mean that all aligns with my 375 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:04,120 understanding and I guess I think what 376 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:05,600 we're talking about is like let's get 377 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:07,680 that written down so that anybody who 378 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:09,920 wants to join our like Middlesex's 379 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:11,680 budgeting process 380 00:13:11,680 --> 00:13:13,880 has some grounding in in those like I 381 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:15,760 mean I would love to make sure that 382 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:17,160 the process is written down and we have 383 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:18,760 some timelines in there. So people might 384 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:20,680 know like, oh, if I want to have like a 385 00:13:20,680 --> 00:13:22,760 big impact on shifting this budget, I 386 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:25,600 need to show up at this time, not you 387 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:27,440 know, if I show up at town meeting day 388 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:29,120 it's going to be really hard to make the 389 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:30,840 changes I want. Something like that. 390 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:34,200 Right. And usually what happens with everybody putting together and 391 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:35,400 pulling together their budget 392 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:37,920 information, what happens is 393 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:40,800 we basically go on Okay, what happened 394 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,640 the year before? You know, what who who 395 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:45,160 you know, when did highway do theirs or 396 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,320 when did so-and-so do theirs? 397 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:50,320 Just to kind of come together and say 398 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,440 this is you know, at this select board 399 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:54,240 meeting the highway department needs to 400 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:56,000 have their stuff. Oh, at this select 401 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,480 board meeting, you know, and you know, 402 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:00,160 Eric would do like the fire department 403 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:01,680 and the highway department at the exact 404 00:14:01,680 --> 00:14:03,920 same time. 405 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:05,520 Okay. Ben, you Do you want to say 406 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:06,600 something? I have Susan you had your 407 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:08,000 hand up. Yeah, I have Susan. I think 408 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:09,520 almost some of this might be the the 409 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:11,800 actual content we want to talk about 410 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,560 during the lessons learned. Yeah. 411 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:16,720 Because you know, my two cents that sort 412 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:18,840 of a preview is that I I agree with what 413 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:20,679 Elias said. I think but I I 414 00:14:20,679 --> 00:14:21,720 [clears throat] have motivation I think 415 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:22,720 for it is 416 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,320 we want a process that's that's roughly 417 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:27,600 written down and timelines just so that 418 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:29,360 there's everyone feels that there's 419 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:31,320 transparency. And my observation 420 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:36,880 >> I I totally agree 100% because I know you Cheryl. Yeah. 421 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:38,640 I mean I think everything in this 422 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:40,480 place needs a procedure manual, a 423 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:42,960 policy. They need to have everything to 424 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:44,400 where there's no questions and you can 425 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:46,000 go to that piece of paper and answer get 426 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:48,480 your answers. Yeah, I I was just 427 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:49,839 speaking to I think some of you know, 428 00:14:49,839 --> 00:14:51,839 even and I hear how Sam describes 429 00:14:51,839 --> 00:14:53,000 there's confusion about it. When I 430 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:54,680 joined the budget committee, I think 431 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:55,960 there's a tendency for people to be 432 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:57,600 like, "Okay, well, I normally do this. I 433 00:14:57,600 --> 00:14:59,120 did this last year. I'll go off and do 434 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:01,640 this." And if you don't have historical 435 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:02,800 context, then you don't know they're 436 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:04,600 going off and doing that. Can feel like 437 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:06,160 you can't get involved and you know, 438 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:07,400 that's probably one of the things that 439 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:09,560 we want to avoid going forward. Yeah. 440 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:11,920 Looks like a black box of sorts. Sam and 441 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:12,520 I'm going back to 442 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:14,040 >> her hand up. 443 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:15,000 Susan had her hand up first. 444 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:17,870 >> lips. 445 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:20,839 Uh yeah, um that this all sounds great. 446 00:15:20,839 --> 00:15:22,760 And um I would just add that it seems 447 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:24,720 like this is I mean it the opportunity 448 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:26,400 here is also to look at that timeline 449 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,440 and say, "Ooh, where are the points 450 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:33,360 where we could actually even possibly um 451 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:34,600 make some of those meetings 452 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,120 forward-facing. Um, sort of adjust the 453 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:40,160 way the um the conversation happens at, 454 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,080 you know, one or two junctures where 455 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:44,440 it's really it's it that that particular 456 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:46,480 meeting is more publicized, maybe it's 457 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:49,320 held in a in a bigger place, um and it's 458 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:51,280 maybe facilitated in a way that actually 459 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:54,720 asks for um questions and public, you 460 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:56,120 know, guidance and things like that. 461 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:58,040 Maybe I don't know if that happens in, 462 00:15:58,040 --> 00:15:59,200 you know, one in September and one in 463 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:01,920 January or only one in January, but 464 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:04,160 something where it's not only the people 465 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:06,200 who are keeping their eye on on what's 466 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:08,200 going on in the budget committee, but 467 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:10,840 actually everybody gets invited in for, 468 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:13,160 you know, for one moment. If if you feel 469 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:15,840 like that would um it to me it that 470 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:17,320 would be one possibility that might 471 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:20,200 emerge when we um ask for lessons 472 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:21,840 learned is, "Oh, we could use some of 473 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:23,840 that." 474 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:27,470 Maybe not, too, but 475 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:28,480 Um 476 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:30,920 comment You got a minute? Bill here. 477 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:32,160 >> Yes, please. 478 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,960 Yeah, I uh my comment is in line with uh 479 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,640 Susan in the fact that you need to 480 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:41,440 possibly because of everybody's jumping 481 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:43,760 at the end when it's all finished, the 482 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:46,000 public is 483 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,240 jumping individually and making life 484 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:50,360 miserable for everybody because you 485 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:52,960 can't just change one item 486 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:54,760 at the end. 487 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:57,240 Consider possibly like 488 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,480 Susan said, was to add a space for 489 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:02,920 before it's getting really developed and 490 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:05,560 solidified to 491 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:06,680 let [clears throat] the public, if they 492 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:09,240 want to, see what happens because I just 493 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:11,959 don't think many understand that many of 494 00:17:11,959 --> 00:17:16,400 these sites or items are standards. You 495 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:18,680 need it every year. It's not nothing 496 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:21,040 It's not rocket science. You know, if 497 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:24,439 you need 200 ton of stone, you need 40 498 00:17:24,439 --> 00:17:25,959 10-ft lengths of 499 00:17:25,959 --> 00:17:28,480 this and that. All we're going to do is 500 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:30,640 turn around and say the price has 501 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:33,440 changed. We still need the same 502 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:35,560 cuz I look at it as more in a quantity 503 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,760 effect. That's more uh controllable than 504 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:40,960 it is price because 505 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:42,880 as it's say pavement. Pavement when I 506 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:46,720 was paving was $50 a ton. Now it's $100 507 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,800 a ton. We still need 2,000 tons. 508 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:51,760 It doubled in price. We'll got to figure 509 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:53,080 out uh 510 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,480 a way of getting that number, not cut 511 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,240 the quantity because that's what the 512 00:17:57,240 --> 00:17:59,440 state's been doing all this time is 513 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:00,800 cutting the quantity. Now they're doing 514 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:03,080 half as much as they've done 515 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:07,550 in 15 years, 10 years really. 516 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:10,400 So, I just put a thought to say 517 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,320 uh find points in your development that 518 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:14,760 adds 519 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:21,280 openings for the public, you know, uh to allow them to stick their nose in 520 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,920 it, see it, and comment if they want to, 521 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:26,840 but they would see more constructively 522 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,680 that at the end they can't help you, you 523 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:32,560 can't help them trying to nickel dime 524 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:33,960 something when 525 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:35,960 we need it and the price went up. I'm 526 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:39,560 sorry. You pay you get You get what you get and 527 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:41,360 you got to pay for what it is and that's 528 00:18:41,360 --> 00:18:45,790 the way it is. 529 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:48,680 So, in terms of date, 530 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,000 we have one suggestion for June. 531 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,560 I know our our regular June meeting is 532 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:55,280 the 16th. 533 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:57,200 Um 534 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,400 I'm pretty sure the district gets out of 535 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:01,600 school the 17th, so that might I don't 536 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:03,520 know if that's a good time or a bad time 537 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:05,920 for people. What do What do you 538 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,040 What do we think? 539 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:10,520 Yeah, I I think that the select board's 540 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,280 going to be important to attend 541 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:15,040 Normally our meetings are right uh 542 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:16,960 before there, so hopefully that would 543 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:18,160 work. 544 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:19,560 Um 545 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:20,640 but I think we probably have to devote 546 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:22,840 the entire meeting to the topic. Agreed. 547 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:24,600 And June it seems like a fine time for 548 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:24,760 that. 549 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:25,560 >> Yeah, cuz we can definitely take a 550 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:27,200 little break then, right? 551 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,400 Okay, so let's plan on the 16th unless 552 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:31,360 we learn that there's a problem with 553 00:19:31,360 --> 00:19:37,270 that. 554 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,440 Okay. Um 555 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:42,520 next we've got capital spending 556 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:45,960 uh 2028 through 2037. 557 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:48,240 Um 558 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:50,240 give me a shout if I'm if Mark's got 559 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:51,880 comments we need to talk about, but 560 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:54,240 first is 561 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:57,360 estimated 3.15 562 00:19:57,360 --> 00:19:59,160 million. 563 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,840 This is 2028 through 2037. 564 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:03,600 Yeah, that's the whole 2028 through 565 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:05,960 2037. Is that 566 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:09,800 what 3.5 million is? 3.15 500,000. Okay. 567 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:10,920 Um 568 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,480 All right, so Mark says well, he So all 569 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:14,360 right, let's just read through these. 570 00:20:14,360 --> 00:20:16,480 Fire station 11k, 571 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,720 uh fire vehicles 1.25 million. That's in 572 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:23,640 2030, 2033, 2034. 573 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:27,560 Public works 1.24 million. That's 2028 574 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:30,840 through 2030 and then 2032 and then 2032 575 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,200 through 2037. 576 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:36,600 And paving 650k, 577 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:40,280 we contribute 20% or 130k. 578 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:43,720 So Mark is suggesting that we 579 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:45,960 continue to separately fund the paving 580 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:48,200 fund versus other 581 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:48,920 um 582 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,960 improvements and that approximately 583 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,320 3 million is estimated over the next 584 00:20:55,320 --> 00:21:00,150 decade as we saw. 585 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:01,800 He's wondering about funding a third of 586 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:03,680 it. Is that what I'm reading? 587 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:05,360 So increasing the asset equipment 588 00:21:05,360 --> 00:21:08,000 contribution from 50 to 100 K, 589 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:09,920 increasing the paving fund contribution 590 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,390 from 30 to 50. 591 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,080 Uh, but we won't have enough for our 20% 592 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:19,880 share of Shady Rail in 2028. Yeah. 593 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:22,160 Cuz the price tag's too high. 594 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:23,360 And then, 595 00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:25,280 you know, restoring the town building 596 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:28,710 fund. 597 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,120 And that's a 90,000 increase for the 598 00:21:31,120 --> 00:21:34,680 capital fund or 4% budget increase. 599 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:36,320 And so, 600 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:39,440 I mean, one My my take personally is 601 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:40,800 that 602 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:42,360 I think we should be funding more 603 00:21:42,360 --> 00:21:44,280 capital improvements, but I also think 604 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:46,760 we need to hear from the from the town 605 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:48,320 to make sure that that's in line because 606 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:50,760 I know a 4% budget increase is not Yeah. 607 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:52,240 Nothing to laugh at, especially with 608 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:54,320 that's before any of the yearly 609 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,670 increases we'll see. 610 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:04,990 Any thoughts, comments? 611 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:06,080 I just wanted to defer to see if you 612 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:08,320 have comments, Anne. Um, 613 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:10,320 I mean, I I do think it's important to 614 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:14,400 fund them. You know, I don't 615 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:16,320 It sounds like the goal of the capital 616 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:20,400 spending is to not pay for it in full, 617 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:24,280 right? To have a percentage down. 618 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,240 That's the understanding, right? Um, The 619 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:30,040 way I look at it is the ability to 620 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:33,080 stabilize our tax rate in terms of not 621 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:34,440 having one year where we have to buy a 622 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:36,560 fire truck. Right. It shoots our tax 623 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:38,160 rate up, and then other years it goes 624 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:40,520 down. So, we we just have are able to be 625 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:42,440 more stable is that is how I think of 626 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:43,800 it, which means we have to put money 627 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,080 into those funds so that they have money 628 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:48,400 to do that. Um, 629 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:50,640 and yeah, I mean, I think it to me it's 630 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:52,160 very much a 631 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:54,040 town discussion, and this is one area 632 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:55,640 where it'd be great to get more feedback 633 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,080 is like, what do you think? 634 00:22:57,080 --> 00:23:00,000 >> accurate? Are these accurate numbers as 635 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,720 of like right now for these costs? cuz I 636 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:05,080 know everything obviously goes up. Are 637 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:07,440 these like accurate figures for what 638 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,800 these could be cuz I know 639 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:11,440 we've talked about that a little bit how 640 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:13,840 prices obviously go up year to year and 641 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:16,160 I don't know the last time we've gotten 642 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:18,000 accurate 643 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:19,640 like replacement cost of some of this 644 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:25,760 stuff. So I think that might make it a little higher number. 645 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:28,320 I think the 28 and the 30 have been 646 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,720 updated but I I don't think that 20 and 647 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,480 you know the later years have. Like we I 648 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:34,960 mean those just get set at whatever we 649 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:37,040 set the most recent year we updated but 650 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,160 obviously those will go up by you know 5 651 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,120 10% depending how far out they are. 652 00:23:42,120 --> 00:23:44,280 The other thing is that I'm willing to 653 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:46,480 bet any amount of money that over the 654 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:48,160 next 9 years the fire station is going 655 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,191 to take more than 11k. 656 00:23:51,191 --> 00:23:52,280 >> [laughter] 657 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:53,560 >> But I think I think it's important I 658 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:54,960 think we've brought up two important 659 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:56,680 points. One is like there's the actual 660 00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:58,400 numbers like what do we expect stuff 661 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,800 will cost the other is 662 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,800 it is the town aligned on how much of 663 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:06,680 whatever this is we should be refunding. 664 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:09,720 Yeah and and I think even 665 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:11,720 we should get alignment on is it 666 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:13,320 important for people to have stable tax 667 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:17,160 bills. Cuz cuz I truly think that's I think why we do this whole 668 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:18,800 process is that no one wants to be 669 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:21,000 surprised at the end of the year that 670 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:22,640 you know even if your tax bill is 671 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:23,920 suddenly lower like that's still not 672 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:25,200 great but you want to just be able to 673 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:29,070 plan on at least 674 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:30,320 uh 675 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:31,920 But I I think I think those are the sort 676 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:33,240 of the questions. I think two topics 677 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,240 there. One is just the numbers are the 678 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:37,040 numbers good and what's the mix. The 679 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:38,480 other is 680 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,600 how how does the town think we should be 681 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:42,800 handling these expenses? 682 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:43,440 Oh. 683 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:45,880 I I can take an action item to just like 684 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:47,640 survey what other towns do and see if 685 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:49,000 there's any literature on like what best 686 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:50,960 practices are but that's that'll just be 687 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:54,480 recommendations sort of Yeah. 688 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,000 Would we want to do some type of survey 689 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:59,280 like with our people in this town to see 690 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:01,840 what they want, like what You know what 691 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:04,240 I mean? To get their feedback. 692 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:05,560 I mean, this is like the most amount of 693 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:07,120 people we've gotten in a budget meeting, 694 00:25:07,120 --> 00:25:08,920 but like cuz we don't really get a lot 695 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:12,120 of people here, but to get because it I 696 00:25:12,120 --> 00:25:15,080 think it does make sense to be funding 697 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:17,440 these things, but I'm one person. Like 698 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:20,040 you said, I think it's important to get 699 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:21,640 some feedback from people. 700 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:23,560 >> Yeah, my take is that that's sort of 701 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:25,600 like part of the 702 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:28,120 process that I think hopefully we come 703 00:25:28,120 --> 00:25:30,400 out with that we say there's key points 704 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:32,200 in our budget process every year when we 705 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:34,440 reach out. And like one might be before 706 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:35,240 we even [clears throat] start where 707 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:36,640 we're saying, "Hey, we're getting 708 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:38,440 started in the budget process. 709 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:39,960 Are there priorities you have? Or like 710 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:41,600 what what are the questions that we 711 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,120 Yeah, so I mean, I guess sure, I think 712 00:25:44,120 --> 00:25:46,280 we should survey the town. Um 713 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:48,280 I think it would be great to like be 714 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:50,360 really intentional about when we do 715 00:25:50,360 --> 00:25:51,920 those surveys cuz it might be more than 716 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:54,200 one as we keep try to keep some 717 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:56,560 engagement for our budget process. 718 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:58,400 Also, I mean, in terms of these numbers 719 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,440 being accurate, my memory is that sort 720 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:02,640 of one of the early things we do every 721 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:04,160 year with capital planning is try to 722 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:05,440 read up on our numbers. And that's 723 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:06,520 another thing we should write into the 724 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:08,760 process is like this is like your first 725 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:10,640 step is like you know, 726 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:12,040 is it garbage in, garbage out? Or do we 727 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:13,680 actually can we rely on what we've got? 728 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:15,680 Is it investable? But even I think when 729 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:17,920 we do those updates, I I think where it 730 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:19,600 gets tricky is it's like you have to 731 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:21,040 really have a someone who know it who 732 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:22,800 understands sort of that particular 733 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,200 thing. Yes, how do you accurately price 734 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:26,920 it? And what is a reasonable estimate? I 735 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:27,840 think that's one of the things we've 736 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:30,160 seen in the past is that we kind of we 737 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:32,040 ask someone who bought the thing 5 years 738 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:34,640 ago, but then the market around that 739 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:37,000 thing has changed in the past 5 years. 740 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:37,960 But you know, something that makes me 741 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:40,040 think of is like at my work when we're 742 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:41,120 trying to 743 00:26:41,120 --> 00:26:43,840 pay people a fair amount, we you know, 744 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:46,360 we can't we can't do lots of research on 745 00:26:46,360 --> 00:26:48,120 every position every year cuz we don't 746 00:26:48,120 --> 00:26:50,120 have capacity. But we're trying to pick 747 00:26:50,120 --> 00:26:52,200 like at least one position every year 748 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:54,040 and do some more in-depth like market 749 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:55,440 research and like what are people paid 750 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:57,640 for that? And maybe like that becomes 751 00:26:57,640 --> 00:26:59,560 part of our process is that we're like 752 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:01,000 doing it you know, we might pick the 753 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:02,520 fire truck coming up and it's like 754 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:04,200 someone says, all right, what do fire 755 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:05,960 trucks cost? And we do some research and 756 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:08,720 so we at least are always improving the 757 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:10,520 estimates. I don't know. 758 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:12,560 The other thing I wanted to say around 759 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:15,160 like I think we we should a survey makes 760 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:17,680 sense in getting lots of input on that. 761 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:19,520 I almost think it's important to think 762 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:22,320 about something more formal of like you 763 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:24,840 know, we're going to target funding the 764 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:26,360 expected capital expenditures for 765 00:27:26,360 --> 00:27:28,360 whatever time frame from a a percent 766 00:27:28,360 --> 00:27:29,440 range 767 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:31,800 and making that as official or like 768 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:33,640 potentially even special article or as 769 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:35,520 possible because 770 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:37,960 it otherwise we can do all of this work, 771 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,600 but the next time there's a changeover 772 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:41,960 in the select board or something else 773 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:43,160 happens 774 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:45,800 or we just have a 15% price increase and 775 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:47,200 we want to get that number down so that 776 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:49,600 the budget passes. We cut that and that 777 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:51,320 seems like that's been our plan. So I'm 778 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:52,600 not suggesting we have to commit to any 779 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,040 of that right now, but I I think 780 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:57,120 if we say we're going to fund whatever 781 00:27:57,120 --> 00:27:58,600 that percentage is, 782 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:00,200 I would recommend you know, I would kind 783 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:01,840 of encourage everyone to say, well, it's 784 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:03,240 we should put out to a vote that there's 785 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:04,200 some range or something that's 786 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:05,480 approximately like that so that we 787 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:09,720 actually follow through on it cuz these budget sessions and as we've kind 788 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:10,800 of seen, 789 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:12,240 there's lots of you know, we'll pull 790 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:14,760 from this, we'll pull that and and with 791 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:16,560 the capital improvement plan I think one 792 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:18,600 of the my my sense is one of the reasons 793 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:20,120 there is a capital improvement plan is 794 00:28:20,120 --> 00:28:22,920 that these costs aren't negotiable. Like 795 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:24,880 these things are going to be costs that 796 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:26,400 we have to incur at some point. If we're 797 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:28,880 not funding them, that that introduces a 798 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:30,280 bunch of risk, especially if we have a 799 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:32,760 flood that we have to bond. And we now 800 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:34,080 no longer can go out to bond, right? 801 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:35,640 Like it's great that FEMA's reimbursing 802 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:38,080 us for these past few years, but if that 803 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:40,040 hadn't have happened, now all of the 804 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:41,600 sudden like we have no way to go out and 805 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:43,400 do these expenses in the next five 806 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:46,230 years. 807 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:47,760 I really like the idea of having some 808 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:49,720 metric that we're like that's the target 809 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:51,000 for what we're putting in capital 810 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,840 reserves. I agree like if especially if 811 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:55,640 we get the town to vote on it or some 812 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:57,040 way that we get input so we feel like 813 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:58,960 that's an agreed upon thing and then 814 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:01,680 yeah, that becomes a stable goal that 815 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:02,840 and and to your point even if it's just 816 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:04,560 guidance then we can at least point out 817 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:06,040 when we're not meeting the guidance. 818 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:07,880 Yeah, and it and it just that then 819 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:09,960 survives any of us or the select board 820 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:11,840 as there's change over it leads to more 821 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:13,720 stability for the town. 822 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:15,600 Is there a way of doing it like a 823 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,400 special article format? Like if we 824 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:20,400 wanted to 825 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:21,400 Yeah, it might be it might be more 826 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:22,720 complicated than anyone wants to do but 827 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:24,480 it's totally doable. You you can amend 828 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:26,160 your town charter and you know, it goes 829 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:27,960 there's a legal process for it but if 830 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:29,960 the town votes they want to introduce 831 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:31,680 this policy. 832 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:33,960 And and the Yeah, citizens can also just 833 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:35,800 do like advisory things too, right? Like 834 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:37,120 it's much simpler to have like a 835 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,080 non-binding advisory thing. So we could 836 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:40,600 talk in a lot more detail at some point 837 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:43,840 about how exactly we want to get that. 838 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:47,400 Um, I just realized I didn't let's read 839 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:49,400 out the not included things here. So 840 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:51,600 we've got town hall short-term repairs, 841 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:54,120 town hall town new town garage, new town 842 00:29:54,120 --> 00:30:00,800 offices. None of those are included and Mark's thinking about doing like a 843 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:03,760 10-year presentation where we we really 844 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:05,400 are looking at this capital planning 845 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:07,600 from like a 10-year perspective and like 846 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:08,960 the thinking is like all the stuff 847 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:10,640 that's coming up. Like certainly makes 848 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:12,480 sense to me. And I think we discussed a 849 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:14,000 previous meeting that we we had we got 850 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:15,840 to get numbers from 851 00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:17,360 I can't remember what it was but the the 852 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:19,440 one the facilities planning committee is 853 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:21,520 currently going on fifth I think. 854 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:23,000 Um 855 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:24,680 cuz the the offices we know we're going 856 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:26,400 to have to spend money on but this 857 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:28,200 building we we need to have where we're 858 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:29,640 committing to spending money on so that 859 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:30,920 it just meets standards that are in 860 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:32,680 place for people to be here. 861 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:34,040 Yeah, I mean I think Mark's other 862 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:36,040 comments doing it the presentation 863 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:38,320 earlier than October and getting 864 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:40,280 attendees, you know, people who 865 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:42,720 mentioned wanting to come before Dexter 866 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:44,760 Lafavre and Kevin Davis. Like we we need 867 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:45,560 to 868 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:47,240 Yeah, pull them in. To me again, that's 869 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:48,840 good process discussion at our next 870 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:50,080 meeting, but like 871 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:52,640 we should plan on like how do we like 872 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:54,360 really get to people? And like you know, 873 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:55,840 we can individually reach out to people 874 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:58,600 who've expressed interest, but we can do 875 00:30:58,600 --> 00:30:59,600 like 876 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:02,320 the place where I always get stuck is 877 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:03,680 it's easy to put a post on Front Porch 878 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:06,160 Forum, sure. Some subset of the town 879 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:08,480 sees that. But like what are the next 880 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:11,560 things that we can do to really try to 881 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:13,120 get it in front of people, so people who 882 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:15,240 have interest can attend. 883 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:17,120 Um yeah, and hopefully I think that's in 884 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:18,800 line with what Susan's talking about 885 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:20,240 doing, too. So hopefully there's some 886 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:21,280 more 887 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:24,030 ideas there. 888 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:26,400 All right. Um 889 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:30,320 other thoughts on capital spending? 890 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:31,640 I mean, I guess the last thing here is 891 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:33,160 just the capital 892 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:35,960 plan meeting presentation. 893 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:37,880 I mean, my thinking is that that's after 894 00:31:37,880 --> 00:31:39,960 our June meeting, and that we like we're 895 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:41,840 probably having a June meeting, and then 896 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:42,960 we're going to need to have a meeting 897 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,040 after June to sort of process what 898 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:46,320 happened to the June meeting, and maybe 899 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:47,680 that's where we'll do this capital 900 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:49,680 planning meeting. We plan the 901 00:31:49,680 --> 00:31:51,080 presentation. Okay, does that make 902 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:51,400 sense? 903 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:52,520 >> Yeah. 904 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:54,200 So maybe we're not taking 2 months off 905 00:31:54,200 --> 00:32:07,310 this year. That's 906 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:08,760 Cool. 907 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:10,040 Um 908 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:17,510 anything else? 909 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:19,400 Question for you. 910 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:20,440 Yeah. 911 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:24,080 How much do you consider the people or 912 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:26,480 the quantities of people that use Front 913 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:32,640 Porch Forum as as you suggested to ask a 914 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:38,240 priority possibly of projects or list 915 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:40,720 their projects individually that the 916 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:43,400 people individuals want and then you can 917 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:45,240 farm that out 918 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:49,000 to evaluate by either quantity of people 919 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:51,360 selecting certain ones and then turn 920 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:55,360 around and make your your priority list 921 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:57,800 off that and then get the 922 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:00,480 consensus of the whole town. That sounds 923 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:02,920 pretty good or you nay or nay it and 924 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:04,120 then uh 925 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:07,240 start up that way. Does that make sense? 926 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:08,760 I mean I definitely think some sort of 927 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:12,200 survey asking for priorities from people 928 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:15,080 makes some sense, you know, and I think 929 00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:16,800 we've had ways where you can have a 930 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:18,480 survey that's available both on Front 931 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:20,480 Porch Forum and you can have it and you 932 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:22,520 can do a tiny URL that you post up at 933 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:24,600 the school and other places and I I 934 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:26,480 think the things that we probably don't 935 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:28,240 have capacity for is like, you know, 936 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:29,240 back in the day we used to go 937 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:30,960 door-to-door or we talk about paying for 938 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:33,280 mailings to houses and that's expensive 939 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:35,600 and time-consuming. So I guess that to 940 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:37,080 me is the question is like how do we get 941 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:39,280 to those people who aren't catching the 942 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:41,200 Front Porch Forum things or the public 943 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:43,000 meeting notices. I mean, the thing that 944 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:44,360 always gets me about the public meeting 945 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:46,320 notices is the ones that are mostly used 946 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:47,560 are 947 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:50,280 right here and right there and that's 948 00:33:50,280 --> 00:33:52,760 like one side of town and like all the 949 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:54,480 rest of us on the rest of town 950 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:56,040 >> We sometimes going to see those public 951 00:33:56,040 --> 00:33:57,720 notices. Sometimes they do run the guy. 952 00:33:57,720 --> 00:33:58,960 They they do sometimes do run the guy 953 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:01,040 but even then like you're not the door's 954 00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:02,200 locked around you. Like it's hard to 955 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:03,400 even get in. I don't even know where the 956 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:04,760 poster is there. 957 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:07,560 It's it's funny because depending on 958 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:09,320 what it is you have to warn it in so 959 00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:11,560 many places and there's so many so many 960 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:13,520 stipulations. We're looking at this now 961 00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:15,080 for like list or stuff actually. 962 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:17,360 >> Right. And and you do and it makes it 963 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,560 hard when you have small towns that 964 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:21,679 don't have a lot of billboards, right? 965 00:34:21,679 --> 00:34:24,040 And I think they're looking at that 966 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:26,360 where I'm trying to remember because I 967 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:28,879 think I talked to VLCT last year to see 968 00:34:28,879 --> 00:34:31,360 if we could put it at like Shaw's in 969 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:33,679 Waterbury if that would like count as 970 00:34:33,679 --> 00:34:35,240 one of our spots. I don't remember what 971 00:34:35,240 --> 00:34:36,600 they said honestly. It was like a year 972 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:37,480 ago. 973 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:39,480 Um but it's true. Like we don't have a 974 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:42,560 lot of places in town to be able to like 975 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:44,399 stick things to. Well, I'm I'm just 976 00:34:44,399 --> 00:34:47,560 thinking even instead of at Romney, put 977 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:49,399 it right next to the bandstand's 978 00:34:49,399 --> 00:34:51,080 billboard there or even on the the 979 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:52,600 little fire department building there. 980 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:55,320 Like if it was out in the open, 981 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:57,120 people, especially if there was room for 982 00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:58,400 other people to put other stuff on, 983 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:00,160 maybe it would actually get used. I 984 00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:02,040 don't know. 985 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:04,920 I I I recognize that the issue I I don't 986 00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:06,160 feel I feel like it's not a budget 987 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:08,560 committee specific issue. Agreed. Not at 988 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:11,080 all. But I think that you know, we've 989 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:13,040 got feedback from various people. Yeah, 990 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:14,720 I think the select board has echoed they 991 00:35:14,720 --> 00:35:16,520 want to figure out how to engage people 992 00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:19,480 more. So I think we should, you know, look to 993 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:21,320 that to be able to be able to 994 00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:23,080 get some process. There's There's a 995 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:24,520 bunch of things we can do. Even just 996 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:25,760 having like 997 00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:28,160 newspaper drop boxes, you'd have to do 998 00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:31,120 printing costs of like a 999 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:33,120 folding, but that's not super expensive 1000 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:34,320 and if people think it's important 1001 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:37,640 enough that this stuff gets shared out is successful. That's a lot 1002 00:35:37,640 --> 00:35:39,000 better than French board front porch 1003 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:40,720 forum which has, you know, accessibility 1004 00:35:40,720 --> 00:35:43,200 issues around just internet and other 1005 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:44,960 things. Right. But I I think it's 1006 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:46,640 important to 1007 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:47,840 we we're not going to be able to solve 1008 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:50,520 the the listing problem, but 1009 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:52,520 I I think we should reiterate to folks 1010 00:35:52,520 --> 00:35:55,320 that if they want the town to feel like 1011 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:56,560 they 1012 00:35:56,560 --> 00:35:58,360 uh are more informed and have the 1013 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:00,720 ability to comment early on, 1014 00:36:00,720 --> 00:36:02,200 this is a gap we have to fill and it's 1015 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:03,440 probably going to take some amount of 1016 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:04,560 money. 1017 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:05,600 Yeah. 1018 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:06,880 Does it you know, could be less than a 1019 00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:08,480 grand a year, but like it's probably 1020 00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:10,920 going to take something. 1021 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:13,760 Yeah, absolutely. 1022 00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:15,560 All right. 1023 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:18,600 Any Anything else from anyone before 1024 00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:25,110 we adjourn? 1025 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:27,680 I have a motion to adjourn. 1026 00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:29,280 I'll make a motion to end the meeting. 1027 00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:32,120 Okay, second. All right. All in favor, 1028 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:33,000 aye. 1029 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:34,440 Meeting adjourned. Thanks for joining, 1030 00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:35,440 Bill. 1031 00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:37,160 Thank you. I just 1032 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:39,280 wanted to see what you guys are doing, 1033 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:41,680 what where you stand and everything cuz 1034 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:44,640 there's so many Well, I had people come 1035 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:46,920 up and said, "Oh, I want I would like to 1036 00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:49,680 help you and we wanted a paper ballot or 1037 00:36:49,680 --> 00:36:52,160 information." I said, "Well, I have to 1038 00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:54,560 know more about what everybody does 1039 00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:57,440 before I can say anything." And you 1040 00:36:57,440 --> 00:36:58,920 know, they don't mind me sticking my 1041 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:00,440 nose in and at least seeing what you're 1042 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:03,080 doing, but uh 1043 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:05,120 I can pass it on to other people that 1044 00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:09,040 asked me what what's happening. And uh 1045 00:37:09,040 --> 00:37:11,440 you know, I'm retired. I'm I've 1046 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:13,840 myself here now. Everybody's gone. I can 1047 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:15,520 take care and 1048 00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:17,600 do a little extra 1049 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:19,840 to help and spread the word. We can 1050 00:37:19,840 --> 00:37:22,280 maybe find different things 1051 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:24,040 it could cuz we're spread out so far 1052 00:37:24,040 --> 00:37:26,160 around town. There's no central 1053 00:37:26,160 --> 00:37:28,760 location. We got, you know, all four 1054 00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:30,360 ends were covered. There's nothing in 1055 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:32,840 the middle. Exactly. There's all four 1056 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:35,560 ends. And it it's hard to get people and 1057 00:37:35,560 --> 00:37:38,120 if you don't really know them and you're 1058 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:40,600 not in the system like kids in school 1059 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:43,600 and stuff like that and sports 1060 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:45,760 you're you're you're out there hanging 1061 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:47,400 in for dear life. There's nothing there 1062 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:48,440 for you. 1063 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:50,560 Yeah. Yeah. Well, I don't think I'm 1064 00:37:50,560 --> 00:37:52,160 alone in saying it's always exciting to 1065 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:54,920 have people come and join. 1066 00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:56,640 How we want to encourage like to me 1067 00:37:56,640 --> 00:37:58,320 anyone who shows up like it's okay to 1068 00:37:58,320 --> 00:38:01,200 stop and ask basic questions because we 1069 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:02,640 want to bring everyone up to speed. Like 1070 00:38:02,640 --> 00:38:03,920 that's a part of what we're here for. 1071 00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:08,270 It's much better for it to happen now 1072 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:11,000 I think that's the big point Sarah and 1073 00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:13,800 myself talked about once is that that we 1074 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:16,480 need to inform people beforehand because 1075 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:19,040 you can't change it when everybody's 1076 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:20,400 gone through the process and you're 1077 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:23,280 voting a final number, 1078 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:25,320 3 million, 4 million, and you want to 1079 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:27,200 knock out 10 cents. I'm sorry, it 1080 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:29,120 doesn't work. You ain't got a chance in 1081 00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:30,680 Hades to do it. 1082 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:32,040 Hopefully 3 million and 4 million are 1083 00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:34,720 still a few years out. Yeah. 1084 00:38:34,720 --> 00:38:36,040 I I just think of it like a web though. 1085 00:38:36,040 --> 00:38:37,360 You you 1086 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:38,071 you're all right. 1087 00:38:38,071 --> 00:38:38,200 >> [laughter] 1088 00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:40,000 >> Yeah, we'll have to use a web analogy. 1089 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:41,680 You know, you you tweak any part of that 1090 00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:43,720 web and and everything else has to 1091 00:38:43,720 --> 00:38:45,840 shift. So That's right, and it doesn't 1092 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:49,840 work. I mean, I've budgeted projects and 1093 00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:51,960 a lot of stuff for in for real TLF, 1094 00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:54,080 local transportation, for sidewalks and 1095 00:38:54,080 --> 00:38:56,800 bridges and stuff that you can't just 1096 00:38:56,800 --> 00:38:59,560 take one item out. You need them. And 1097 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:02,120 until you're done, that's the other half 1098 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:06,400 of it is forgetting an item or miss 1099 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:10,200 quantity differences that throw 1100 00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:12,000 everything right out of kilter real 1101 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:15,910 quick. 1102 00:39:15,920 --> 00:39:17,360 All right. We hope we hope to see We 1103 00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:18,680 hope to keep seeing you, Bill. Yeah, 1104 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:21,000 keep joining, please. 1105 00:39:21,000 --> 00:39:22,520 Take care. 1106 00:39:22,520 --> 00:39:28,497 Have a good evening, gentlemen. You too. 1107 00:39:28,507 --> 00:39:39,697 ยป [music]