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Okay, good evening everyone. Um, welcome
to the

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uh September 9th meeting of the New
London Budget Committee and uh welcome

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to everyone who is here and Kim
especially gets the prize for hardship

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duty due to the fact that she's crippled
>> but in recovery.

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» For picking me up.
>> All right, so prizes are awarded. Um,

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tonight's agenda just I'd like to review
it very quickly with everyone here. Um,

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we have two sets of minutes to review
and adopt July 8th, July 29th. Uh, one

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of those will be a little bit more
cumbersome than the other, I think. Uh,

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was hoping Rich was going to be here for
a little selectman report. um want to

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talk about the status of the
appropriation request process and format

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that we developed and was submitted to
the select board for their consideration

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which Chris did. He can comment a little
bit about that as well. Um we were going

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to do a high level review of FY2026
but after convening with Lynn um we need

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to take a little longer to get some um
accuracy to those. We'll let her comment

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on that when we come to the in the
agenda. I have put forward to you a

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draft
one more time with passion uh for a

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committee meeting schedule and I've
taken the notes that Ashley shared with

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this committee relative to key dates and
put them in this schedule so we can see

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the entirety and the timeline. Um Karen,
uh John and John Ziggler will give us an

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update on the government's document. uh
we'll ask for public input uh on any

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matters on the agenda and any other
matter that may be desired to be

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presented to us and then other business
if there is any. So without further ado,

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I'd like us to turn to the meeting
minutes of July 8th

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and I want to propose a method of doing
this. Um just to step back generally to

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say to you all um we're working really
hard to get our minutes posted. Hi Rich.

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Uh get our minutes posted in a timely
fashion which we are required to do so

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within five working days of the meeting.
So we have a little bit of time in

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between the actual meeting and that 5day
period to review and make sure they

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reflect accurately the the meeting and
then those are posted for uh public view

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and access access and view viewing. Um,
additionally, our minutes are gonna

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we're going to work hard to get them
salient, succinct, make sure the content

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is accurate, and all votes are
accurately recorded. Um, and we're going

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to try to avoid peripheral information
that has really no bearing on um either

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a motion, a decision, or discussion. um
trying to get them as I said earlier

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succinct but make sure they're accurate.
So we will work towards that in that

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effort. The meeting minutes of July 8th
are going to require us to review them

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together now and as we go through them I
would ask you to provide your input for

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correction modification. I will record
those on my copy. We'll have them

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recorded on the audio, of course, and
then we'll vote to adopt after we've

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gotten everybody's input.
We okay with that?

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» Oh, I do need a motion to
>> and I need a second to

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» I'll second.
>> All right. Thank you, Lou. So,

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if you will,
uh, thank you for the correction. Um, if

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you will go to the the minutes and let's
just start at the top. Um, and we'll

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work through the entire two and a half
pages together.

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» We are on July 8th.
So

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» quick note on July 8th at the top of the
pages of two and three which I really is

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is the date July 28th. So noted
>> yes got it

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» microphone.
>> Thanks

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page what?
>> Uh I'm taking a uh page two bullet point

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4 should be past p sed
versus past.

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I don't have it numbered. One, two,
three, four. Help me, tell me where it

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is.
>> Uh, top of the first scheduling under

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scheduling, fourth bullet down.
>> Budget expected.

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» Budget expected to be passed.
>> Yes.

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» Noted

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on page one. Uh, I'm suggesting we add
not present

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Charles Kelsey, Cynthia Rousus.

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And then correct in spelling is Tilly.
Is that correct spelling?

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» That is that is correct.
>> Sure. and correcting the spelling of

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Cynthia Rousus
to R USIs.

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Uh proposed budget committee meeting
schedule and topics.

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Um

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is there anything in there that is
needing to be edited or changed or

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added?

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Um,

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so I have a copy of
John Ziggler. your input that came in a

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separate mailing
um and I can

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reference it if you if you don't have
it.

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» I don't.
>> All right. So,

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under proposed budget committee meeting
schedule and topics

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under the title new meeting idea focus,
um the the the suggested edit by John is

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that we add language that says
um

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the committee discussed
compressing the schedule to nine

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meetings compared to 14 last year with a
focus on large budget items that extend

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across all departments but are outside
the direct control of department heads

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eg insurance computers and software and
retirement.

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While all members seem to be in favor,
it was decided to table it was decided

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to table the discussion to a time when
Sher Kelsey would be present.

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Is everybody in agreement with that
language modification?

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» Yep.
>> Yeah.

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» Yeah.
>> Okay. I'll add that. The next line is

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new software budget pro formerly
Questica reads allows for horizontal

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analysis of costs across fiscal years
complementing traditional department by

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department views.
recommended added language from John.

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Your note was a random sample was
presented by Karen Epstein who was

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encouraged to cons continue researching
the capabilities of budget pro.

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And the other recommendation was then to
delete

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all of the text following that down
through to the next subject on page two.

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Scheduling.

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» Sorry, Charlie. I want
>> I wasn't here for the meeting, so I'm

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» working blind.
>> Question on why we would um delete all

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of that. I'm just curious. That was
John's recommendation, but

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» if it was discussed, it should be in the
meeting minutes.

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» Yeah.
>> If you're going to speak, John, use the

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mic, please.
>> Microphone, John.

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Thank you. The reason for deleting that
and a lot of other things is when I

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went online and I looked at meeting
minutes for stuff. Um the what I found

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out is that the essential elements
require basic logistics, attendance,

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participants, discussion, a brief
objective suffer summary of the subject

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matter discussed, not word for word
conversation and decision on votes. What

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should be left out are verbatim
transcripts or long conversational

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tangents, personal opinions or emotional
remarks made by attendees, detailed back

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background reports, these can be
attached or filed separately rather than

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written into the text.
>> That is I I that is true, John. I will

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say though because a large percentage of
every single committee changes over

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every 12 months. I cannot tell you how
frequently we as staff refer back to

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meeting minutes. I pulled meeting
minutes from 2018 on a committee that no

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longer exists and was we were able to
highlight specific things. So I think we

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need to I understand
um what you were saying but I think we

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need to find a happy medium here because
we do rely on meeting minutes decades

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beyond. Um we were looking at planning
board meetings from the 40s last week.

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Um, so we do rely on these pretty
extensively as as a staff.

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Okay. So with that, I would suggest what
we do is leave the language as it's

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presented here. Um but what earlier we
accepted the addition under the proposed

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budget committee meeting schedule and
topics change

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and that we
unless there's an objection please that

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we move to
page two

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and under nonprofit agency funding
application.

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Excuse me again.

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John, you recommended language directly
uh preeding

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purpose with the following statement.
The following proposed edits and

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modifications were discussed by the
committee. Period. No decisions were

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made, nor was there a vote on this.

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Is everybody okay with that? I'll add it
if that is accurate.

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» Okay, I will add that. Uh second, uh an
additional adjustment

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um under proposed edits

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and modifications
to read

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standardized format, excuse me,
and content for outside agencies funding

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requests modeled after Lebanon and
Handover applications. ations

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that would be inserted under proposed
edits and modifications.

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John, that was your recommendation as
well. Is there any

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is everybody amendable to that?
>> I like that actually.

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» Okay, we'll add that. Those are the only
edits that John referred and uh I have

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to offer.

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Any other changes or your edits?
>> Yes.

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» Chris, the microphone for Karen.

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» I'm going to jump ahead to the
page three of three. Is that okay?

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» Sure.
>> And at the very bottom

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where it speaks of
historical contest context.

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» Yes.
>> Where it says prior deep dives. Um I

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went back to the tape because um in the
lose language was the concept of deep

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dives.
>> I think that's an important distinction.

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» How should it read?
>> Should read the concept of deep dives by

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the budget committee led to
blah blah blah.

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So it would read the concept of deep
dives by the budget committee prior deep

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dives by the budget committee led to
acrimony and lack of trust without

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significant value. I
>> mean that correct that's what Lou had to

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say and that was an was that an opinion
I mean

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» well is that was what was said
>> would that happen? Yeah.

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» Okay.
>> So I think that's an important

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distinction.
Okay, everybody okay with that

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adjustment?
>> All right.

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All right. With those adjustments, um
I'll make those and then we'll post

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them. Uh I need uh a vote by the
committee to accept the minutes of July

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8th. All
>> as amended.

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» As amended. Sorry. Thank you. All in
favor?

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» I
>> I

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» opposed.
Abstensions.

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Motion passes. Thank you.
Uh, pardon me. We'll move on to the

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minutes of July 29.
And I'd ask for any a motion first and a

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second.
>> Second.

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» Thank you.
Discussion, any changes, any edits, any

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modifications?

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I got a couple things up at the top. It
says New London Budget Committee. It

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says meetings minutes, but other minutes
say meeting minutes.

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» So noted.

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» It says July.

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» Yeah, that was the other thing I had.
>> Okay.

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The only other comment I have gets back
to the same comment I made earlier about

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the length. This was a meeting that
lasted an hour and 16 minutes. We only

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had a quorum for half that time and yet
we've got four pages of minutes.

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The public is interested in what's going
on here. They can one they can come for

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it and listen to it. They can listen to
the video. They can watch the video.

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They can listen to the recording.
I don't know why we have to put on pages

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and pages.
>> I send the draft minutes as I get them

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and then it is up to the committee to go
through and edit

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» as you see fit.
>> So I am giving the minutes as they are

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created.
John is a time thing I guess

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» microphone Chris please.
Is it a is the concern just it's a is it

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a time thing for the minutes to go
through because I would think that in in

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this situation more is le I mean more is
better to have more information versus

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again I think we can see the public's
and I've been on the board for 13 years

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you know like we have video now we're
not going to get a lot of people come in

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so I think the minutes if people do want
to have an overview of what was

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discussed having more there is better
than having less that's all I don't know

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what the right amount is. But I'm just
curious.

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» My only concern is that is the things
that are really important get buried in

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in this. Um, plus with all of this
writing, there's bound to be something

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that maybe might wasn't exactly but
happened and twists somebody the wrong

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way and they raise a stink about it. And
um you know, I've been on other boards

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that are are chaired by attorneys and
and they harp over and over and over

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again, succinct, succinct, succinct. Get
your motions absolutely correct, word

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for word, what the vote was,
brief statements about the summary of

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other things that were discussed, but
don't just write down every word that

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took place. And again, I mean, this is
four pages and this was a particularly

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short meeting with only 33 minutes of a
quorum.

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» Um,
so I was not at that particular meeting.

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Uh, but I was the corporate secretary
for Lake Suny Bank for several years and

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took all of the minutes for every
committee meeting and every board of

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directors meeting. And it was to us it
was important that we maintain that we

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did document the conversation was had on
particular subjects. Um so you know it

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did not have to be verbatim what someone
was stating but I literally hand wrote

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like through all of these meetings uh
what was most valuable and then those

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became
legal documents. um once they were

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approved by the board, but it always
included the conversations. And so I

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understand that this is not quite as
imperative as a bank. Um, but I could

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just I could see where there is a value
to having, you know, I understand that

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it was only an hour, but
you know, four pages doesn't seem that

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access just in my previous expert like
experience.

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» No, I'm I'm just giving my opinion and
brief and I promise it's this is the

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last time I will bring it up.
>> I think it's I think it's an interesting

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topic.
>> Yeah, conver Con conversation is great.

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I'm not.
>> Yeah. Well, no, that's a conversation,

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but I'm not going to harp on it.
>> I I would like to opine on this just for

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a second.
>> Um,

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» so
I believe that governmental minutes are

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substantially different from corporation
minutes. And the purpose of governmental

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minutes is to provide transparency in
the actions that are made in committees

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where corporation minutes are actually
made to simply provide a detailed

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outline for shareholders and owners. And
so the liability in in um corporation

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minutes is to generally the liability
concern does generally shorten those

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minutes down. with that in mind, but
does the exact opposite with

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governmental minutes, which is actually
providing more clarity with more voice

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because I I I don't think I think we're
talking about apples and oranges here

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while we're still talking about minutes
and um I'm out in thin ice. I'm

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admittedly like this is not
>> but I like I I do think there's a

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difference between governmental minutes
and corporation minutes.

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» I can see both sides. And I think this
was a particularly unique meeting in

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which we started without a quorum,
continued to meet and just chat, then

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had a quorum for a very short amount of
time and then lost the quorum while it

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was recorded because you guys continued
to meet even without a quorum. It was

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incredibly important that we did
document what was discussed and that no

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or that any voting decisions were made
were made when you did have a quorum. I

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just I think we also need to take into
account and yes indeed um the difference

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between an advisory committee where a
nar a mere narration of what went on can

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be sufficient and a legal committee
estab established by law

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such as ours where
you know the the verbatim

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um you know the the verb freedom
conversations that have taken place like

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Kim says to make a difference and that's
like John said to provide transparency

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but it's also to make sure that we have
a documentation because we're we're

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dealing with money and that is about the
most important part of of of the um the

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town process the town budgetary process
and it certainly is is a resandra

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we are here to we're here to deal with
money and the more the more

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documentation the more exact we can be
in that the better. So and what Ashley

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says is particularly true. It was a it
was a meeting that we didn't have a

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quorum for much of it but on the other
hand it was frankly it was about the

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most effective it was a very effective
meeting and a lot of a lot went on.

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So, I'm I'm happy with the wording.
>> Um, contextually, um,

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I'd like to just talk again about our
process because I think that's

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important.

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We hold a meeting, it is recorded, that
trans recording is transposed into

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YouTube. Is that the correct
lineage? which then

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is translated out into a document.

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So that document then gets a quick
review by Ashley. She sends it to me.

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I look at it and I make modifications
that I see that are obvious or if

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there's something that I felt strongly
was misrepresented, I would go back to

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the tape to verify and make the
adjustment.

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The key being that we're not protracting
the editing process of the minutes

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to miss the obligation of public access
and posting within five business days.

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So my previous experience with it
um had had changed the color of my hair

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because it was very challenging. Um
yeah, I used to be gray, now it's sort

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of brown. But um Karen,
>> salt and pepper.

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» Salt and pepper. Karen and I did a lot
of back and forth on these minutes and

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she was extremely judicious and timely
but there there were it was too

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00:24:45,039 --> 00:24:51,120
protracted
and frankly timeconuming beyond what's

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reasonable.
As a committee, I have been really

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intent to minimize the use of town
resources on what I think is nonvalue

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00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:12,159
added work to their already busy work
schedules. We don't technically Ashley's

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00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:17,600
the recording secretary, but I removed
her from having to do the minutes and do

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all the edits. And I just don't think as
a town administrator that's a good use

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of that individual's time.
And as a committee chair, I think

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knowing the subject matters and being
diligent, it's a reasonable thing for me

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to do. But going forward, having said
that, going forward, I suggest that we

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distribute the minutes. I distribute
them upon receipt and my first review

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back out to you, but blind carbon copy
you. So, we're not creating a forum, a

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00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:57,520
quorum.
And if you review it and you have an

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00:25:55,360 --> 00:26:03,279
editorial comment, you send it back to
me. I'd incorporate it into that and I

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ask you to do it within four days of a
meeting. So I have a day in which I can

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make the adjustments to make sure we
meet the minimum minimum posting

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00:26:10,799 --> 00:26:18,159
requirement for the public. Is that
amendable to the committee and is that

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00:26:15,679 --> 00:26:26,000
amendable to you?
>> Somewhat. I think any any meeting edits

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00:26:21,919 --> 00:26:31,279
should be discussed in a public forum.
So what should happen is you and I can

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work on the draft minutes. You can
certainly send them out to the committee

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00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:40,799
and say, "Bring your edits to the next
meeting." But those edits,

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00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:46,240
any edits that you all have should be
discussed at a public meeting. Um,

287
00:26:44,159 --> 00:26:52,400
» I think what I I hear you and I
understand and agree. I would say that

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00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:55,840
um we're looking in the first blush to
make sure that it's accurate.

289
00:26:54,720 --> 00:27:01,120
» Yep.
And there are some nu there may be some

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00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:06,000
nuances and a nuance may be your
perception individually

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00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:10,320
that the tenor of a particular subject
is not accurately reflected in the

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00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:16,400
minutes that should be brought to the
meeting subsequent meeting so that we

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00:27:13,679 --> 00:27:22,559
can discuss it and adopted as
appropriate. Is that fair from your

294
00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:30,640
» Yeah, I think is you know I we are being
recorded right now so I have to say that

295
00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:34,440
any edits to the minutes should be done
in a public meeting.

296
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» All right. So
with that,

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00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:50,320
we have a a motion to accept
the minutes of July 29th as amended.

298
00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:55,520
Um
what's the pleasure of the committee?

299
00:27:51,919 --> 00:27:57,679
All in favor of adopting them.
>> I

300
00:27:56,080 --> 00:28:02,159
» I
opposed

301
00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:05,279
abstension
>> I was not I was not present.

302
00:28:03,679 --> 00:28:08,279
» Okay.
Extensions,

303
00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:17,520
John and Kim.
Okay,

304
00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:21,279
motion passes.
Um,

305
00:28:19,360 --> 00:28:25,440
let's go back to the beginning. Rich, we
were um

306
00:28:23,279 --> 00:28:29,279
started without your presence. So our
hope was if you had any information to

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00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:33,360
report
uh to the committee that would be of

308
00:28:31,120 --> 00:28:37,919
value to know from the board of
selectmen.

309
00:28:35,039 --> 00:28:42,080
» I I think the uh the only major things
to to mention that I think you folks

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00:28:39,919 --> 00:28:50,080
would find of interest
is and feel free to coach me on this. Um

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00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:54,480
essentially, um we we have voted to
accept a proposal that is in round

312
00:28:52,000 --> 00:29:00,080
numbers approximately $10 million for
the construction of the new Department

313
00:28:55,840 --> 00:29:04,799
of Public Works building and um it was
con it was referred to as the preferred

314
00:29:01,919 --> 00:29:09,360
alternative um of a a variety of
different designs that were submitted to

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00:29:06,399 --> 00:29:14,399
the board of selectmen. Um, essentially
it's it's just a design that we really

316
00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:18,960
feel will um bring the Department of
Public Works into the 21st century. Um,

317
00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:23,679
it will have things like a wash bay, for
example, for just washing the trucks in

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00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:27,440
an indoor environment. Um, and enabling
us to do things like wash police

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00:29:25,039 --> 00:29:33,919
cruisers. Um, and will provide the
ability to do certain maintenance work

320
00:29:29,039 --> 00:29:39,200
on on both DPW um vehicles as well as
police and department and fire

321
00:29:35,919 --> 00:29:42,880
department um vehicles. Um, and so it's
just it's appealing because it just it

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00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:46,960
will give us a lot more ability to do
things inhouse and frankly just provide

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00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:52,720
a work environment that I think is going
to be a whole lot more appealing for our

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00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:57,840
staff. Um, so that's the one thing. Um,
the uh we're sort of still looking at

325
00:29:54,960 --> 00:30:01,440
what the overall construction dates will
be and and what kind of a we're probably

326
00:29:59,919 --> 00:30:05,600
looking at a significant period of time
for the overall construction of this

327
00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:10,399
project. But it's even addressing things
like, for example, a new salt shed

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00:30:08,159 --> 00:30:17,120
because we've been having a problem with
um salt runoff into Lion Brook and uh

329
00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:22,159
the potential that that causes pollution
problems downstream. And so, you know,

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00:30:19,679 --> 00:30:26,159
even that you it's sort of a lot we're
trying to take care of a whole lot of

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00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:31,840
issues sort of in one fell swoop, if you
will. Um, in addition,

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00:30:30,159 --> 00:30:36,399
um, one of the things, just so you're
aware, that was asked of the design firm

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00:30:34,559 --> 00:30:40,080
was that they look at the possibility of
putting the police department down

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00:30:37,919 --> 00:30:44,880
there. And they did come back with some
proposals as to how that could be done,

335
00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:50,399
but it really had a vibe of trying to
shoehorn in the police department into

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00:30:47,279 --> 00:30:54,480
the the area. Um there is some
additional land that's available, but we

337
00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:58,960
have things like we have the utility, as
you know, right there on the property

338
00:30:56,080 --> 00:31:03,120
and the easements associated with it. In
order to put a police department there,

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00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:07,760
um it would really be, as I said, for
lack of a better phrase, shoehorning it

340
00:31:04,799 --> 00:31:11,039
in and then allowing very little
available land after that for any

341
00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:14,399
additional expansion of a police
department down the road or any

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00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:18,480
expansion of the Department of Public
Works down the road. And so we just

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00:31:17,039 --> 00:31:22,640
didn't like that feeling that we were
kind of stuffing both of them onto a

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00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:27,279
single property, which originally
sounded very appealing, but in the end

345
00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:32,720
it just didn't seem realistic. Um, so
that's that. In addition, we're also

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00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:37,440
working on beginning the study having to
do with dispatch. Um, as you folks are

347
00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:43,039
aware, there are many folks who believe
that um that we are somehow losing a ton

348
00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:48,880
of money by having our own dispatch here
in New London. And so we've tasked this

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00:31:46,399 --> 00:31:53,760
group that we've hired for $30,000
approximately to do a study and to look

350
00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:58,720
at it and to try and give us really what
our options are and and essentially it

351
00:31:56,960 --> 00:32:04,080
comes down to do we keep dispatch or do
we outsource it and so that's sort of in

352
00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:10,159
progress right now. I'm sorry. What was
the actually what was the the timeline

353
00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:14,960
for them to come back for the report?
uh

354
00:32:11,679 --> 00:32:21,679
3 to six months uh was what they had
said. We kicked off the project with

355
00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:28,720
ADCOM about two weeks ago. Now they will
be here on site September 21st and 22nd.

356
00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:36,399
Um they'll be conducting interviews and
sitting in the dispatch center um both

357
00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:40,720
morning, noon, and night um to
understand their operations. They will

358
00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:44,080
be meeting with key stakeholders
individually with each board of

359
00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:49,200
selectmen member. They'll be meeting
with the New London Hospital Ambulance

360
00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:54,720
Service who we do dispatch for. Um and
then for the towns that we

361
00:32:52,159 --> 00:33:00,480
provide dispatching services for, those
will likely be Zoom or phone calls at a

362
00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:05,600
later date. Um New London is the only
town in our region with full-time fire.

363
00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:11,760
Um the fire chiefs in those other towns
are all volunteer. Um so trying to get

364
00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:17,919
them all corral them all in a very short
amount of per short amount of time um to

365
00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:22,480
meet in person didn't seem feasible. So
she will um the consultant will meet

366
00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:28,000
with them individually on the phone over
the next month or so. Um and then we

367
00:33:25,120 --> 00:33:36,000
will be having a public input session on
the night of Monday September 21st

368
00:33:31,519 --> 00:33:41,760
um from 5:30 to 6:30 or 5 to 6. Let me
just check. Um, and this is an

369
00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:44,760
opportunity for members of the public.
Uh,

370
00:33:45,039 --> 00:33:55,480
shoot. Uh, believe it is 5:30 to 6:30.
Um,

371
00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:55,480
look at the calendar here.

372
00:33:56,640 --> 00:34:07,519
One second. And so that's an opportunity
for folks to come and uh share

373
00:34:03,919 --> 00:34:14,639
uh 5:30 to 6:30 here in Whipple on
Monday the 21st um to share their

374
00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:17,520
thoughts to I know there there are folks
within our community that have done a

375
00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:22,960
fair amount of research of their own.
They can share that research. Um, I

376
00:34:20,159 --> 00:34:28,720
imagine that there will be members from
other towns that we provide dispatching

377
00:34:25,280 --> 00:34:34,960
services to that will also attend. Um,
so we'll figure out how to structure

378
00:34:30,720 --> 00:34:37,919
that hour. Um, you know, she will we've
only had one meeting with her and this

379
00:34:36,639 --> 00:34:42,639
will be the first day that she's on
site. So, um, I don't think people can

380
00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:47,440
certainly ask questions, but uh, she's
not going to have much information to

381
00:34:45,359 --> 00:34:53,280
share. This is really an opportunity for
her to hear. um from members of the

382
00:34:50,159 --> 00:34:57,119
public. So
>> yeah, so that that's gonna be

383
00:34:54,480 --> 00:35:01,200
interesting to try and the whole purpose
of this is to try and have an unbiased

384
00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:05,760
report that's just going to give us the
information and examine the

385
00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:09,920
possibilities and then try and make a
recommendation as to, you know, what

386
00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:16,320
makes sense keeping it or getting rid of
it. Um and um any other major things

387
00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:20,240
that I'm missing? Those are the the two
really big things that are sort of, you

388
00:35:18,079 --> 00:35:25,359
know, jumping out at us at the moment.
>> Um, one other thing, if if I may, with

389
00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:31,599
the chair's permission, it is not from
the board of selectmen, but as you know,

390
00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:35,680
I do serve on the NBC for the Ker School
District. And if I could just give you a

391
00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:39,440
quick mention of that because as we
think about burdens on taxpayers, etc.,

392
00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:42,800
and what's coming down the pike. You
know, for them to a large extent, these

393
00:35:41,119 --> 00:35:48,000
things meld together, whether it's the
school district or the town. Um the big

394
00:35:46,079 --> 00:35:53,920
issue that the school district is facing
right now is um simply a a plan to

395
00:35:51,599 --> 00:35:58,320
potentially consolidate to go from four
elementary schools down to two. And the

396
00:35:56,240 --> 00:36:03,040
two that would continue would be New
London and Bradford. and we would be

397
00:36:00,720 --> 00:36:08,640
looking to close Simon school down in
Warner as well as um uh Sutton

398
00:36:07,119 --> 00:36:12,880
Elementary
and um just briefly just for two

399
00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:16,560
different reasons and and you know I
really don't want to bore you folks with

400
00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:20,640
all the the nuances of it all but
essentially

401
00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:24,640
for good reasons I would suggest um in
both cases but different reasons in the

402
00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:28,000
case of Simon school it's more than 160
years old it doesn't owe us anything at

403
00:36:26,240 --> 00:36:31,839
this point and in the 19 years that I've
been on the NBC for the school district.

404
00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:38,320
We've just hurled money at that building
for a long time. And um the the

405
00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:41,359
difficulty is is that and understandably
for the folks of Warner, they love

406
00:36:39,839 --> 00:36:46,960
having a local school that their kids
can walk to and a significant number of

407
00:36:43,599 --> 00:36:52,000
kids do walk to Simons in Warner. Um but
again, because of its age, um the

408
00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:55,359
problem in Sutton is simply one of size.
We have about 70 students currently

409
00:36:53,599 --> 00:36:59,680
going there and to be running a building
with a principal, etc., etc., and all

410
00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:05,119
the the costs that are intrinsic to a
freestanding building. Um it just

411
00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:11,599
doesn't make much sense um from an
efficiency standpoint. Uh again, the

412
00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:16,640
concern on the part of the Sutton folks,
you know, if I might be so bold as to

413
00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:21,440
sum up, again, has to simply do with the
the appeal that they find of having a

414
00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:25,839
small local community school that has a
long history in the town. Um, just so

415
00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:29,280
you're aware, in the case of Sutton, for
example, there's no room for us to

416
00:37:27,359 --> 00:37:34,320
expand it. We can't really add on to it
easily. There's just not space in the

417
00:37:32,079 --> 00:37:39,280
footprint of it. Um, and frankly,
similar for Simons in Warner, just no

418
00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:43,200
easy ability to do that. The important
thing also that you need to know is

419
00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:47,680
essentially we can take all of the
children from those two schools, move

420
00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:52,000
them over to Bradford and New London
pretty much immediately if we want to.

421
00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:57,280
we have enough capacity and we would do
that partly by

422
00:37:54,880 --> 00:38:02,320
having additional capacity by virtue of
we would move fifth graders up to the

423
00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:06,480
middle school. We have very significant
capacity at the middle school level. So

424
00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:11,920
fifth graders would now actually go to
the middle school and that enables us

425
00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:20,400
then to have capacity both at New London
and at Bradford to to take on the kids

426
00:38:15,839 --> 00:38:24,400
from Warner and from Sutton. Um, also as
part of this overall vision, we would be

427
00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:29,040
doing things like, yeah, we would be
building, for example, a gym for the

428
00:38:26,720 --> 00:38:33,440
Bradford School. And the idea would be
to have two elementary schools that were

429
00:38:31,200 --> 00:38:36,960
more modern and that were really, we
were taking it up a notch in terms of

430
00:38:35,040 --> 00:38:41,760
the education that we could offer for
all of the kids, whatever town they're

431
00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:46,800
coming from. The problem is is that, you
know, right now Sutton is so small. You

432
00:38:44,880 --> 00:38:49,520
know, we do things like art on a cart,
for example. There's no art room.

433
00:38:48,240 --> 00:38:53,920
there's no room for it. There's no
gymnasium. The kids use a single small

434
00:38:51,760 --> 00:39:00,079
room for everything. I mean, cafeteria,
auditorium, gym, etc. Um, and in

435
00:38:57,839 --> 00:39:05,359
addition, the the practical realities
are that when we have staff for special

436
00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:08,800
education issues, for example, we have
them splitting their time up amongst the

437
00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:12,800
different schools and they're running
between the different elementary

438
00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:16,079
schools. And just from a travel
standpoint and the logistics of that and

439
00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:19,520
people trying to schedule when they need
to get to a kid who's over in Bradford

440
00:39:18,079 --> 00:39:24,960
and then they also have to deal deal
with a kid who's in Sutton, you know,

441
00:39:21,520 --> 00:39:30,880
just overall by by narrowing it down to
just two elementary schools. Um the

442
00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:37,040
school board voted last week 7 to2 in
favor of this plan. Um

443
00:39:34,160 --> 00:39:40,720
and the NBC is I I we had a meeting last
night for the NBC. Tomorrow night we

444
00:39:39,359 --> 00:39:46,480
have a joint meeting of the school board
and the NBC and I will be looking to at

445
00:39:44,079 --> 00:39:52,000
our next meeting for the NBC we will be
taking a vote to indicate the the the

446
00:39:49,839 --> 00:39:56,079
sense of the municipal budget committee
in terms of this

447
00:39:53,040 --> 00:40:03,119
» but Rich ultimately it is the vote of
the taxpayers to close the schools not

448
00:39:59,599 --> 00:40:07,280
on the school board or the
>> that's what I was getting at is is that

449
00:40:04,560 --> 00:40:12,000
I was heading towards this is all done
because of some new legislation that was

450
00:40:09,359 --> 00:40:17,200
passed by our friends down in conquered
which um enables 20 members of a school

451
00:40:15,920 --> 00:40:22,720
district to bring forward a written
petition asking for a hearing to be held

452
00:40:19,599 --> 00:40:28,480
to close schools. And so we can have 20
people force a meeting within 60 days

453
00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:34,640
where then um it is discussed and then
voted upon whether or not to close

454
00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:39,119
schools. And we are absolutely that that
has been signed into law at this point.

455
00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:44,960
We're fairly confident that somebody's
going to come up with 20 signatures to

456
00:40:41,359 --> 00:40:51,040
force this issue. Right now, our current
charter for the seven schools that make

457
00:40:47,359 --> 00:40:56,640
up the school district requires that any
vote to close a school would have to be

458
00:40:53,839 --> 00:41:00,240
of the members of that particular town
would have to vote to close the school.

459
00:40:58,640 --> 00:41:04,000
So, I know that Sutton would have to
vote to close Sutton school. Warner

460
00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:10,640
would have to close would have to vote
to close Warner's school. this law will

461
00:41:07,599 --> 00:41:15,920
trump that and quite possibly may bring
forward a lawsuit by somebody's going to

462
00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:20,560
challenge this potentially, but it it
probably trumps our charter. And so now,

463
00:41:19,119 --> 00:41:25,920
in other words, it would be all seven
towns would be voting potentially on

464
00:41:23,119 --> 00:41:30,960
whether or not to close a school.
So, um,

465
00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:35,520
lots of, as you can imagine, lots of
emotion involved with this topic, etc.

466
00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:39,119
Um the purpose of the school boards vote
and I won't speak for the school board

467
00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:43,200
but I will say my sense is that they
wanted to get ahead of the curve when

468
00:41:41,119 --> 00:41:47,760
someone brings forward a petition they
wanted it clear just just to be very

469
00:41:45,359 --> 00:41:52,000
clear with folks they have we've been
studying this sort of officially if you

470
00:41:49,839 --> 00:41:55,920
will for two years I can tell you for 19
years on the NBC we've been kicking this

471
00:41:53,920 --> 00:42:00,560
around off and on and it's always been
up there as a source of conversation

472
00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:05,440
specifically though the school board
created um what was what is referred to

473
00:42:03,359 --> 00:42:09,040
is facilities committee B which was
specifically tasked with looking at the

474
00:42:07,200 --> 00:42:12,880
schools and what their critical needs
are. How much will it cost to repair

475
00:42:11,359 --> 00:42:18,000
them to bring them up to where we need
them to be and whether or not it makes

476
00:42:15,599 --> 00:42:22,079
sense to potentially close some of the
schools and that's where this sort of

477
00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:27,440
that was really the genesis. In fact,
the facilities B committee has spent a

478
00:42:24,560 --> 00:42:30,960
year doing outreach with people,
offering tours of each school

479
00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:34,319
individually to to review what the
issues are with every particular school

480
00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:40,640
where people could come to and offer
their opinions and their thoughts. And

481
00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:45,440
now as the result of that um and the
enrollment realities that we're looking

482
00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:50,480
at, that's why this has all come about.
And uh as I said, you know, it is it's a

483
00:42:47,839 --> 00:42:55,200
very challenging situation because it is
um fraught with emotion for the folks of

484
00:42:52,480 --> 00:42:58,160
Warner and Sutton and understandably so.
You know, for folks who moved into

485
00:42:56,560 --> 00:43:01,359
Sutton and they've got a six-year-old
and a four-year-old and they're quarter

486
00:42:59,920 --> 00:43:06,000
of a mile away from the school and they
had visions of their child walking to

487
00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:10,720
school. Understandable. But um that's
kind of where we're at in not so much of

488
00:43:07,839 --> 00:43:20,640
a nutshell. Rich, where can you comment
on where the um committee is relative to

489
00:43:16,079 --> 00:43:27,359
capital for the what I understood to be
pretty extensive roof repair etc to the

490
00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:29,839
regional school building itself and
numbers were pretty large that were

491
00:43:29,119 --> 00:43:37,680
being
>> yeah I you know the the choice if you

492
00:43:32,720 --> 00:43:41,599
will is spending a large sum of money
north of $7 million to do critical

493
00:43:40,079 --> 00:43:47,680
repairs.
Um or narrow is having a smaller amount

494
00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:51,440
for critical repairs because we aren't
going to be doing that for two of the

495
00:43:49,200 --> 00:43:57,599
buildings. So in other words, you you
knock off Warner and um Sutton and then

496
00:43:55,359 --> 00:44:03,599
instead devote a lot of that money
instead towards bringing Bradford up.

497
00:44:01,359 --> 00:44:09,680
Right now, for example, in New London,
we have a gymnasium.

498
00:44:06,319 --> 00:44:13,920
um Bradford, you know, again is is
dealing with a, you know, what they call

499
00:44:11,119 --> 00:44:19,280
a cafeterium where it's serving multiple
purposes, etc. And the problem is, you

500
00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:24,160
know, especially if we increase the
enrollment at Bradford substantially.

501
00:44:22,240 --> 00:44:27,920
Well, now we have to have more slots for
lunchtime for all the kids to get in

502
00:44:25,760 --> 00:44:32,720
there to have their lunch.
And that means we have less time

503
00:44:29,280 --> 00:44:36,880
available for gym class. And so if we
were to do this, a lot of the kids would

504
00:44:34,480 --> 00:44:40,480
miss out on any significant time in
fizzed each week. And that's why, for

505
00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:45,359
example, part of this plan would be if
we were to close two schools would be to

506
00:44:42,800 --> 00:44:48,359
look to do significant renovations to
Bradford.

507
00:44:49,760 --> 00:45:02,000
So, not to get into the weeds, but um I
would imagine the cost savings would

508
00:44:55,760 --> 00:45:05,760
allow for uh for greater um busing
uh availability. Um,

509
00:45:04,240 --> 00:45:11,200
» you know, it's interesting actually,
Kim, the the the transportation

510
00:45:08,319 --> 00:45:16,480
situation we don't picture changing
significantly in so far as

511
00:45:14,400 --> 00:45:19,839
some kids would now potentially be
closer to where they're going to school,

512
00:45:17,760 --> 00:45:23,440
some kids would be further away. We
don't see, you know, the the problem is

513
00:45:21,760 --> 00:45:27,440
the reality for our school district. It
is it is geographically the largest in

514
00:45:26,240 --> 00:45:32,880
the state
>> and there's simply never an easy way to

515
00:45:30,640 --> 00:45:37,760
get all the kids to and to do it at a
reasonable cost. It's just um it's it's

516
00:45:36,079 --> 00:45:42,720
always going to be a challenge for us.
Um I will say that for Warner the number

517
00:45:41,040 --> 00:45:46,880
of kids who could walk to Warner school
is significantly larger than the number

518
00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:52,480
of kids that walked to Sutton's school.
Um, you know, we the the superintendent

519
00:45:50,240 --> 00:45:56,160
did a study looking at how many kids
were within walking distance in Sutton

520
00:45:54,000 --> 00:46:01,520
and it's actually surprisingly small.
Um, and so the real issue though is to

521
00:45:59,920 --> 00:46:05,040
to my mind a lot of folks are getting
hung up on looking at the money that

522
00:46:03,839 --> 00:46:08,480
would be spent on this these
renovations. And I keep saying but those

523
00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:12,400
renovations would essentially, for lack
of a better phrase, amount to a band-aid

524
00:46:10,640 --> 00:46:16,000
and the same band-aid routine that we've
been doing for a long time. And instead,

525
00:46:14,640 --> 00:46:19,839
this would be saying, "No, no, no. We're
getting rid of two of the schools, and

526
00:46:17,680 --> 00:46:23,839
instead we're going to significantly
upgrade Bradford as well as doing work

527
00:46:22,160 --> 00:46:26,400
at New London, as well as doing work at
the high school and at uh the middle

528
00:46:25,440 --> 00:46:30,880
school."
>> Okay. I I mean, I I think it's a

529
00:46:28,240 --> 00:46:35,760
fantastic idea. My my thought was just
you know as far as the parents who were

530
00:46:33,359 --> 00:46:41,920
involved that that would be a selling
point if you know you guys were to say

531
00:46:39,520 --> 00:46:45,760
but we are going to increase um the
availability of you know because I know

532
00:46:44,240 --> 00:46:50,000
it's been a challenge in the last few
years because we just don't have a whole

533
00:46:47,680 --> 00:46:54,960
lot of drivers um that we're going to
you know throw a little bit more money

534
00:46:51,520 --> 00:46:57,440
towards you know getting um you know a
little bit a little bit more as far as

535
00:46:56,480 --> 00:47:00,240
that transportation.
>> Yeah. you know, for whatever. It just

536
00:46:58,720 --> 00:47:04,480
seems like that that's just always going
to be a problem and it's just never

537
00:47:01,920 --> 00:47:08,640
going to work cleanly and we're kind of
but the the good thing about and and

538
00:47:06,480 --> 00:47:13,680
what I said at the select at the
schoolboard meeting last week the I

539
00:47:11,680 --> 00:47:17,920
didn't want to get into all the details
and I certainly didn't get into this

540
00:47:15,280 --> 00:47:22,400
much detail.
>> Yeah. No, no, no.

541
00:47:19,599 --> 00:47:26,079
But I did say last week I said if in my
role I said if I for a moment did not

542
00:47:24,640 --> 00:47:30,079
believe that this would provide a better
education for all of our kids including

543
00:47:27,920 --> 00:47:36,240
Sutton including Warner I wouldn't be
supporting it. I am convinced that it

544
00:47:32,720 --> 00:47:39,599
will do a great deal to give all of the
kids especially Sutton and Warner a

545
00:47:38,319 --> 00:47:43,839
better education because they will be
going to a better facility and yes now

546
00:47:41,760 --> 00:47:47,760
they may be getting on a bus but you
know we had one gentleman who lives in

547
00:47:45,680 --> 00:47:51,200
Newbury stand up and he spoke quite
eloquently I think he where he said you

548
00:47:49,200 --> 00:47:54,480
know we don't have a school in Newbury
and he said we have tremendous community

549
00:47:52,960 --> 00:47:58,079
spirit even though we don't have a
school and we're quite happy with the

550
00:47:56,240 --> 00:48:02,000
school we have where our kids go meaning
the cure school district and physically

551
00:48:00,400 --> 00:48:04,720
those buildings are not in the town of
Newbury. He goes, "That's okay." He

552
00:48:03,520 --> 00:48:08,079
goes, "We've got a great school
district. It's a terrific environment."

553
00:48:06,319 --> 00:48:12,880
And keep in mind, for example, Sutton
does have the middle school and the high

554
00:48:10,400 --> 00:48:16,800
school, whereas Wilmet, Springfield,
Newbury don't have any schools at all.

555
00:48:15,200 --> 00:48:21,359
So,
>> uh, Richard, I wonder if the board has

556
00:48:19,680 --> 00:48:27,280
tried to build up the conscious of the
community to the fact that we're in the

557
00:48:22,960 --> 00:48:32,559
midst of a demographic cliff. And um I
didn't I'm you know I serve as adviser

558
00:48:29,119 --> 00:48:37,440
in in my alma mater which is also in in
raw financial shape because of that

559
00:48:35,359 --> 00:48:42,720
demographic cliff and it's not going to
be any getting any better till uh

560
00:48:40,319 --> 00:48:47,440
nationwide till 2040.
Um and in New England it's going to be

561
00:48:44,960 --> 00:48:54,079
even worse. We're looking at a 20 to 25%
decrease in the eligible school age

562
00:48:51,440 --> 00:48:59,520
population. It's Yeah. It's not gonna
get It's not gonna get better.

563
00:48:57,440 --> 00:49:04,480
» Can we Sorry. I don't I don't want to
We're gonna keep getting into the weeds

564
00:49:01,119 --> 00:49:07,359
here. It's okay. It's okay. There's a
There's a meeting tomorrow night that

565
00:49:06,640 --> 00:49:11,359
everybody
>> I apologize for that. I just No, I think

566
00:49:09,200 --> 00:49:15,839
it was a good
information

567
00:49:14,160 --> 00:49:21,599
» in the conference room. They'll be
meeting in the conference room. Sure. I

568
00:49:18,000 --> 00:49:27,520
guess to what I heard, if this is
accurate, there is still a significant

569
00:49:24,400 --> 00:49:33,839
capital investment required to
accommodate the plan that you have just

570
00:49:30,000 --> 00:49:39,839
articulated if adopted and that number
that I had heard was somewhere in the 20

571
00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:43,280
to $30 million. I I think overall when
you talk about the new construction and

572
00:49:41,359 --> 00:49:46,720
the critical needs we would be probably
and this is again just a round number

573
00:49:45,440 --> 00:49:49,839
that we're just kicking around
>> looking understand magnitude

574
00:49:48,000 --> 00:49:52,000
» we're looking at probably a $30 million
bond

575
00:49:51,440 --> 00:49:56,480
» so
>> and that bond would be let next year or

576
00:49:55,440 --> 00:49:58,160
the
>> it would

577
00:49:56,880 --> 00:50:01,760
» it would go on the warrant
>> it would probably we would probably be

578
00:49:59,920 --> 00:50:05,200
hoping to bring that forward potentially
at this this um meeting coming up in the

579
00:50:04,720 --> 00:50:10,079
spring.
>> Okay.

580
00:50:07,599 --> 00:50:15,599
All right. Any if not uh any other
salient questions, we're going to move

581
00:50:11,839 --> 00:50:22,160
on. Okay. Um subject I'd like to discuss
now is the in front of you you have a

582
00:50:18,880 --> 00:50:25,920
draft copy of what's titled the request
from initial appropriations from outside

583
00:50:24,319 --> 00:50:31,680
organizations
and towns, town commissions, committees,

584
00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:37,200
and boards. Just to step back a bit,
this committee agreed that this was

585
00:50:34,240 --> 00:50:43,359
something we should pursue. um would be
helpful for both the organizations that

586
00:50:39,920 --> 00:50:49,040
were um asking for appropriation and be
helpful to the committee in its

587
00:50:46,640 --> 00:50:56,800
deliberations and we were hopeful that
it would be also that for the uh board

588
00:50:52,240 --> 00:51:01,359
of selectmen. Um I was absent and unable
to make the presentation to the board of

589
00:50:58,640 --> 00:51:05,839
selectmen. Chris Laurio stepped in on my
behalf and our behalf as a committee and

590
00:51:04,000 --> 00:51:14,000
presented what is in front of you, which
is a draft um uh document. Um I I'd

591
00:51:11,200 --> 00:51:19,920
leave it to Chris and and Rich to just
reflect the tenor of that um uh the

592
00:51:18,480 --> 00:51:26,720
receipt of that by the board of
selectmen. Um I understood from the um

593
00:51:24,319 --> 00:51:31,839
uh download of the meeting that it was
not supported by the board of selectmen

594
00:51:29,359 --> 00:51:37,599
and there were reasons for them uh not
doing so. Um and the hope and intent was

595
00:51:35,920 --> 00:51:42,319
that if the two organizations, the
budget committee and board of selectmen

596
00:51:40,319 --> 00:51:46,559
were in agreement, we would go forward
with this to the outside agencies uh

597
00:51:44,640 --> 00:51:52,640
organizations uh asking for
appropriations this fiscal year. since

598
00:51:49,520 --> 00:51:58,240
it was not adopted by the or supported
by the board of selectmen. Uh that puts

599
00:51:55,520 --> 00:52:02,480
us in a time crunch and would be
unrealistic to present to an outside

600
00:52:00,800 --> 00:52:08,240
organization
to allow them timely uh submission of

601
00:52:05,440 --> 00:52:15,359
their requests which will be due along
with all the budgets from department

602
00:52:09,760 --> 00:52:21,760
heads um in uh October. So, with that
said, maybe Chris or Rich, you could

603
00:52:17,920 --> 00:52:25,520
represent why the board of selectmen
elected not to support it.

604
00:52:23,520 --> 00:52:28,400
» Sure. Um,
>> microphone needs to be on.

605
00:52:26,960 --> 00:52:32,720
» Y,
>> absolutely.

606
00:52:30,000 --> 00:52:37,920
Uh, there were a couple of, uh, pieces
of feedback from the select board. Um, I

607
00:52:35,359 --> 00:52:42,880
think they were, you know, happy that we
were taking a look at the the the way

608
00:52:40,800 --> 00:52:48,000
the feedback is provided. Uh I think
some of the questions and concerns were

609
00:52:45,359 --> 00:52:54,800
that some of the questions to the select
men seemed unnecessary. Um maybe even

610
00:52:52,559 --> 00:52:59,359
and don't take this maybe the wording is
not appropriate but inappropriate. There

611
00:52:57,440 --> 00:53:03,280
was some discussion around digging a
little too far into other other

612
00:53:00,960 --> 00:53:08,720
organizationals other organizations
internal affairs um process risk being a

613
00:53:06,960 --> 00:53:13,200
little bit overly detailed and creating
extra work for both the applicants and

614
00:53:10,720 --> 00:53:17,200
the town staff. Uh there was thoughts
around some of the questions being

615
00:53:14,640 --> 00:53:21,680
redundant or asking for the same
information in different ways. Um and

616
00:53:19,680 --> 00:53:25,040
the board overall wanted more emphasis
on justifying the requested amount

617
00:53:23,599 --> 00:53:30,800
rather than collecting general
organizational background that the town

618
00:53:27,359 --> 00:53:35,440
already has. Um also two process points
were brought up uh for the record.

619
00:53:33,359 --> 00:53:39,599
Organizations present to the selectmen
for approvals of amounts which then go

620
00:53:37,520 --> 00:53:44,079
to the budget committee. Uh no
organization is legally required to fill

621
00:53:41,680 --> 00:53:50,000
out any form. So it functions as a tool
to help the town understand requests

622
00:53:45,599 --> 00:53:54,960
rather than a mandate. Um, so I think I
think but also you've already sent out

623
00:53:53,119 --> 00:53:58,480
uh according to the selectman minutes,
you've already sent out the letter for

624
00:53:56,640 --> 00:54:03,839
this coming bud.
>> I did uh the the following week I sent

625
00:54:00,960 --> 00:54:10,319
out the email to all organizations and
then the um town committees that receive

626
00:54:07,760 --> 00:54:18,640
an appropriation with their request.
What I did ask them for is um an

627
00:54:14,000 --> 00:54:24,800
explanation of whether that amount
increased or decreased and why um if

628
00:54:21,680 --> 00:54:29,599
they serve uh other communities other
than New London.

629
00:54:27,040 --> 00:54:33,599
Are they asking them for appropriations
as well? Um you know, I think we've

630
00:54:32,240 --> 00:54:39,119
talked about this a bit. We are
certainly feeling the pressure of um and

631
00:54:36,400 --> 00:54:45,839
this isn't just regarding money. It is
really across the board of New London uh

632
00:54:42,880 --> 00:54:51,040
carrying a lot of the weight for other
communities and it sort of hides itself

633
00:54:48,559 --> 00:54:55,760
in different pockets here and there but
it is something that certainly the board

634
00:54:52,880 --> 00:55:01,839
of selectmen and um the department heads
and I discuss quite frequently um when

635
00:54:58,960 --> 00:55:06,559
we think about what I'll call mutual aid
which comes in many different forms and

636
00:55:04,480 --> 00:55:11,760
what that looks like is that there's um
I think there's always been a view of

637
00:55:09,119 --> 00:55:18,160
New London will take care of it. Um but
as frankly as conquered continues to

638
00:55:14,800 --> 00:55:24,480
push things down on municipalities
um we need to be more responsible here

639
00:55:21,520 --> 00:55:29,920
and and um provide mutual aid in
whatever form that is um when

640
00:55:27,119 --> 00:55:33,680
appropriate, but it can't be a given. Um
and I think that there are communities

641
00:55:31,520 --> 00:55:37,839
and and organizations that have just
sort of said New London's got it. Um, so

642
00:55:36,559 --> 00:55:42,160
being a little bit more thoughtful and
having organizations be a bit more

643
00:55:40,000 --> 00:55:47,359
thoughtful about that as well.
>> You want to add anything, Rich?

644
00:55:44,559 --> 00:55:54,960
» No.
>> Okay. Um, thank you and Chris, thank you

645
00:55:50,480 --> 00:56:01,920
for um, representing it. Um it was the
sentiment of this committee that this

646
00:55:57,760 --> 00:56:06,960
was a good idea uh both now and for the
future as appropriation requests begin

647
00:56:04,480 --> 00:56:16,640
to change and
um and will um but it was not adopted

648
00:56:11,839 --> 00:56:21,119
and our timeline is too tight to um this
committee does have the authority to

649
00:56:18,480 --> 00:56:24,960
issue this to an outside organization
but given the timeline

650
00:56:23,040 --> 00:56:30,960
Uh my personal opinion is I think it
would be premature for us to do that at

651
00:56:27,200 --> 00:56:38,319
this time. I do think my opinion and ask
for yours that when these organizations

652
00:56:34,960 --> 00:56:43,280
present to the budget committee there
are some questions in here that may be

653
00:56:41,440 --> 00:56:48,480
you may want to ask and you have every
right to ask them. Um but we have not

654
00:56:47,200 --> 00:56:54,480
given this to those outside
organizations. So they may not in that

655
00:56:51,280 --> 00:57:00,400
moment be prepared to be able to answer
that question but we have certainly the

656
00:56:57,200 --> 00:57:05,200
right and the obligation uh to ask in a
very thorough and complete way without

657
00:57:02,960 --> 00:57:10,799
being overburdensome.
So I I'm my recommendation to us as a

658
00:57:07,920 --> 00:57:16,720
committee is that we use it as a basis
to support those discussions when they

659
00:57:13,040 --> 00:57:20,160
take place um in our budget review uh
schedule.

660
00:57:18,400 --> 00:57:26,319
Um,
I guess the only I I have a question,

661
00:57:22,559 --> 00:57:31,280
Rich, for you. Um, which is not to call
you out, but I I I

662
00:57:28,720 --> 00:57:39,440
think I heard on the tape that you were
not in favor of it, um, being utilized

663
00:57:35,040 --> 00:57:45,920
and your reasoning and then supported by
the other two select board members.

664
00:57:42,400 --> 00:57:50,960
Why why if you were in opposition didn't
you bring that to our attention during

665
00:57:47,760 --> 00:57:57,599
our deliberations?
And and I'm asking because there was a

666
00:57:54,079 --> 00:58:03,520
lot of time spent to put this together
by a couple of people in in in

667
00:58:01,200 --> 00:58:12,079
particular and it was very thoughtfully
done. two- town handover and Lebanon

668
00:58:06,720 --> 00:58:17,839
were used as representative models that
we then modified based on sort of the

669
00:58:14,720 --> 00:58:23,760
same feeling that was too much, too
formal, too not not necessary. And then

670
00:58:21,200 --> 00:58:28,640
there was a a sentiment to try to make
sure uh we segregated out what a

671
00:58:26,960 --> 00:58:33,359
commissioner committee or board was
asked versus an outside organization

672
00:58:31,760 --> 00:58:41,839
understanding the nuances and
differences uh of those entities. So I

673
00:58:37,440 --> 00:58:45,920
just why help me understand why
why you didn't bring your objections

674
00:58:43,839 --> 00:58:48,000
forward earlier that might have
influenced this committee

675
00:58:47,599 --> 00:58:52,480
» you know
>> in the work.

676
00:58:49,040 --> 00:58:55,599
» Yeah. You know Candidly, first of all, I
don't always remember all the details of

677
00:58:54,319 --> 00:59:01,119
some of these meetings. Sometimes it
gets a little blurry. Um, I will say

678
00:58:58,960 --> 00:59:05,040
this, um, sometimes it's also a matter
of, um, sometimes after reviewing

679
00:59:03,200 --> 00:59:10,799
something and reflecting upon it for a
while, I sort of, you know, over time my

680
00:59:08,079 --> 00:59:16,640
viewpoints, uh, sort of
solidify and become more formalized. Um,

681
00:59:14,480 --> 00:59:20,960
I also I guess one of the key things is
is that I, you know, I try to be mindful

682
00:59:19,200 --> 00:59:26,319
of the fact that I'm not the same as you
folks here. You folks were elected to

683
00:59:23,040 --> 00:59:30,240
the NBC here and you patiently allow me
to, you know, attend these things, but,

684
00:59:28,720 --> 00:59:34,400
you know, I wasn't elected to the NBC
for the town. And so I also, you know, I

685
00:59:32,480 --> 00:59:38,799
I I want to try and be mindful of the
fact that it's not my place to hold

686
00:59:36,640 --> 00:59:43,040
forth too much, if you will, in these
meetings.

687
00:59:40,400 --> 00:59:47,280
And uh you know as I said beyond I I
will say that that the one issue that I

688
00:59:45,119 --> 00:59:52,720
did have with it that does stand out was
just when I feel like it just becomes a

689
00:59:49,760 --> 00:59:58,480
bit burdensome at times in terms of the
amount of information we expect people

690
00:59:54,799 --> 01:00:02,400
to give us especially when
for example if we're talking about lake

691
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:06,000
coasts I think we all know what the lake
coasts do and what their role is you

692
01:00:04,240 --> 01:00:11,440
know and to ask for them to provide
enormous data etc to show what they do

693
01:00:09,200 --> 01:00:14,960
and to explain you know, it just
sometimes, you know, to my mind, you

694
01:00:13,280 --> 01:00:20,160
know, we we all know what the lake hosts
do. I think you know um

695
01:00:18,559 --> 01:00:24,720
but you know as I said you know beyond
that Charlie I really I can't tell you

696
01:00:21,680 --> 01:00:32,720
that I have a clear recollection of when
>> I would just my personal um request is

697
01:00:28,640 --> 01:00:39,359
if you you your opinion matters just as
every member of this committee's opinion

698
01:00:34,880 --> 01:00:46,319
matters and and voicing it is is helpful
to our process because I think there are

699
01:00:43,839 --> 01:00:56,720
it helps inform form decisions and
direction and process and certainly uh

700
01:00:50,640 --> 01:01:02,480
the dual role you you you play um is is
helpful to us can be helpful to us and I

701
01:00:59,119 --> 01:01:09,440
I certainly do view it that way. Um, I
just I was sort of I looked at this as

702
01:01:06,880 --> 01:01:13,119
something that would be worthwhile not
just this year but subsequent years

703
01:01:11,359 --> 01:01:17,200
because the world's going to change on
us and keep changing and it's going to

704
01:01:14,559 --> 01:01:23,200
get more complex and putting some
structure to something of this nature to

705
01:01:20,640 --> 01:01:30,400
me makes good sense.
um brevity, form, delivery, timing,

706
01:01:27,680 --> 01:01:37,280
preparation required, that's all in the
minutia of how it happens. But I do

707
01:01:32,480 --> 01:01:42,799
think there's some value there. And um
uh I think this committee wants and is

708
01:01:40,640 --> 01:01:50,480
working in a collaborative fashion with
all parties, including the board of

709
01:01:44,720 --> 01:01:54,880
selectmen. um and the delay in going
forward with it put us into a crunch

710
01:01:53,200 --> 01:01:59,040
where we couldn't use it if this
committee deemed it as something that

711
01:01:56,319 --> 01:02:03,280
would be valuable in this budget year.
So I just leave it there and just say I

712
01:02:01,520 --> 01:02:09,119
think it's a really important your voice
is heard, your objections are heard and

713
01:02:05,440 --> 01:02:12,319
your support as well and going forward
uh I hope that be the spirit we continue

714
01:02:11,599 --> 01:02:16,960
in.
>> Yeah. and and so you certainly you know

715
01:02:14,400 --> 01:02:22,799
sort of noted um your thoughts on that
and I will keep that in mind. Um I I

716
01:02:20,559 --> 01:02:28,079
will say this just you for the record I
think the overall idea is a good one. I

717
01:02:25,200 --> 01:02:33,520
do think to have a more formal
sort of you document on file with with

718
01:02:30,319 --> 01:02:39,119
the town is is a useful thing. Um just
you know again you know I I would lean

719
01:02:36,160 --> 01:02:44,720
towards more brevity. Um, but the
overall concept of a of a form a

720
01:02:42,160 --> 01:02:49,040
formalized method for people to apply
and ask for financial assistance from

721
01:02:47,040 --> 01:02:50,960
the town, I think that does make sense.
And so,

722
01:02:50,559 --> 01:02:54,720
» yeah.
>> Yeah. I was just going to say my my

723
01:02:52,799 --> 01:02:59,760
recommendation is when the budget season
is over next spring is that this is

724
01:02:57,839 --> 01:03:06,240
something that you guys could work
through in partnership with the board of

725
01:03:02,079 --> 01:03:11,440
selectmen leading up to the next fiscal
year, the next budget cycle that we

726
01:03:08,000 --> 01:03:17,520
start next fall. Um but allowing a good
amount of time for both parties to work

727
01:03:14,240 --> 01:03:21,359
through together um what it looks like.
>> Yeah. So, my apologies, Charlie, if you

728
01:03:19,920 --> 01:03:26,880
felt that I wasn't, you know,
>> no apology necessary. I just wanted to

729
01:03:23,359 --> 01:03:31,680
understand your thinking and and uh and
hear it firsthand. Um, any other

730
01:03:29,039 --> 01:03:35,240
questions on this subject by any other
member? K.

731
01:03:37,039 --> 01:03:43,920
The only thing I would like to add is in
terms of when the organizations would

732
01:03:41,520 --> 01:03:49,200
come before us, I'd hate to have them be
caught off guard if there were some

733
01:03:45,920 --> 01:03:55,039
questions that um you know, I'm h I'm
thinking back to last year's um

734
01:03:51,599 --> 01:04:01,359
presentations and it was a a wide range
of um content that was put forward, some

735
01:03:57,760 --> 01:04:05,520
very brief, some much more detailed and
um so just trying to think think out

736
01:04:03,359 --> 01:04:09,839
loud here. Are there is there is there a
way that um we could kind of give a

737
01:04:07,920 --> 01:04:14,960
heads up to some of these organizations
who may not be used to providing

738
01:04:12,240 --> 01:04:19,599
information if we were to use you know
bring forward a question from here that

739
01:04:17,839 --> 01:04:26,799
they weren't prepared for that could be
an awkward um awkward thing for them is

740
01:04:23,520 --> 01:04:31,680
um there another way in which we could
post this or let them know please be

741
01:04:29,200 --> 01:04:38,880
prepared some you know their choice or
not if they'd like to just get a heads

742
01:04:34,079 --> 01:04:43,839
up on questions that may come their way.
That's just my thought.

743
01:04:40,960 --> 01:04:48,240
» I I'm not I don't know. I don't think
any of us want to be putting an

744
01:04:46,400 --> 01:04:58,319
organization
um into a uncomfortable position. Um but

745
01:04:53,760 --> 01:05:03,839
I I don't think we would for example in
a discussion with an outside

746
01:05:00,559 --> 01:05:09,920
organization say to them uh could you
provide me your 990 please before we um

747
01:05:07,280 --> 01:05:15,200
you know in the next three days or
something of that nature. I think the

748
01:05:12,000 --> 01:05:22,079
questions that I'd leave it to each
individual to use their judgment at this

749
01:05:18,079 --> 01:05:26,160
time. I like Ashley's recommendation of
table it till next year. We'll refine it

750
01:05:24,240 --> 01:05:34,079
and get some of all of the input of the
select board as well as all members

751
01:05:29,839 --> 01:05:39,280
um to condense and refine it. Um but I
think that

752
01:05:35,760 --> 01:05:44,160
we should be diligent about asking
what's a legitimate question and one of

753
01:05:41,520 --> 01:05:49,839
them is I I agree with your analogy on
LOS. We all know what Lakos do. we know

754
01:05:47,039 --> 01:05:54,559
what the value of that is. So that may
not be something in that presentation by

755
01:05:51,920 --> 01:05:58,559
the lake hosts uh or the protective
associations we would be asking

756
01:05:56,720 --> 01:06:03,520
necessarily. I think naturally they
provide that information. However, there

757
01:06:00,880 --> 01:06:09,760
may be an entity, I don't want to name
one right now, but that we really don't

758
01:06:06,480 --> 01:06:16,400
understand. For example, how do they
determine the amount they ask New London

759
01:06:12,799 --> 01:06:19,520
for versus another town that they
support? And I think that's a very

760
01:06:17,839 --> 01:06:24,559
legitimate question to ask and I don't
think that's an I gota. I think they

761
01:06:21,599 --> 01:06:28,720
should be prepared and able to present
that kind of information.

762
01:06:26,799 --> 01:06:33,440
» Thank you. That was kind of where my
thought was going was, you know, not to

763
01:06:30,319 --> 01:06:37,760
get in the detail of a 990 per se, but
these other broader questions back to

764
01:06:35,200 --> 01:06:42,720
the point that we hear um in terms of
these organizations that support are

765
01:06:40,079 --> 01:06:47,520
involved in servicing multiple towns. Is
New London bearing a proportional amount

766
01:06:45,920 --> 01:06:49,359
of their cost?
>> Agreed.

767
01:06:47,920 --> 01:06:55,039
» Along those lines. Thank you.
>> Yeah. Thank you. Any other comments?

768
01:06:52,079 --> 01:07:02,559
Okay, let's move on. Um, Lynn, do you
want to just just address quickly um FY

769
01:06:59,599 --> 01:07:05,839
2026 financials and Sure.
>> where we're at, where where we're going,

770
01:07:04,079 --> 01:07:10,799
and by when. Maybe.
>> Um, the auditors are diligently working

771
01:07:07,680 --> 01:07:18,240
to to um finalize everything. There was
an unexpected delay. Um, they I think

772
01:07:15,680 --> 01:07:21,839
they've got that resolved. Um, so
something should come down, you know,

773
01:07:19,520 --> 01:07:26,720
fairly quickly. they'll in the next
couple weeks they'll give me the um the

774
01:07:24,880 --> 01:07:31,440
journal entries to make the changes and
but at this point they could not even

775
01:07:29,039 --> 01:07:37,359
ballpark me. Um and I don't want to
ballpark you know where we landed or you

776
01:07:34,400 --> 01:07:41,200
know what what our um how much of the
operating budget we used and and what

777
01:07:39,680 --> 01:07:46,640
can go to unassigned funds. They were
not they were not close to that yet

778
01:07:43,440 --> 01:07:51,280
because of a missing piece. Um and it's
it's not I'm not going to fingerpoint or

779
01:07:49,680 --> 01:07:58,799
anything. It's not anybody's real fault
other than we have some newbies. Um so

780
01:07:54,480 --> 01:08:01,520
that that got resolved today and that'll
um soon as I have it I will be putting

781
01:08:00,799 --> 01:08:06,799
that out.
>> Okay.

782
01:08:03,119 --> 01:08:14,559
Thank you. Um let's move to our
committee meeting schedule before you.

783
01:08:09,760 --> 01:08:21,279
You have a draft uh dated September 9th.
Um, I took the liberty of going back to

784
01:08:18,400 --> 01:08:26,880
our previous discussions about schedule,
how we were thinking about topics, uh,

785
01:08:24,000 --> 01:08:34,080
timing, other key events. I took
Ashley's memorandum to us reflecting the

786
01:08:30,960 --> 01:08:39,839
key dates really starting in January on
through to

787
01:08:36,960 --> 01:08:43,759
um the, uh, submission of the
information for the production of the

788
01:08:41,440 --> 01:08:49,600
town report. And I've included those key
dates and activities in this schedule so

789
01:08:47,120 --> 01:08:54,480
we have context. And I do not mean to
represent this in any way to you as

790
01:08:51,359 --> 01:09:01,279
perfect. I did this today just hoping we
could um at least see if this seems to

791
01:08:57,839 --> 01:09:06,080
make good sense. I tried also to reflect
the spirit of our previous meeting in

792
01:09:03,520 --> 01:09:10,960
which we talked about how much of the
apple do we want to bite off in a given

793
01:09:08,400 --> 01:09:17,600
meeting to ensure substantive
conversation and deliberation

794
01:09:13,679 --> 01:09:24,400
um and do it as expeditiously as well.
So I that I've put the proposed draft

795
01:09:22,080 --> 01:09:30,400
schedule here before you together with
that in mind. Um, and if I can just try

796
01:09:28,480 --> 01:09:35,279
to walk down through the document with
you and also Ashley make sure I got it

797
01:09:33,040 --> 01:09:42,880
right in relation to some of these other
dates. But on September 23rd, um, I'm

798
01:09:40,719 --> 01:09:47,279
proposing a meeting of the budget
committee. Does everybody have a copy? I

799
01:09:44,960 --> 01:09:53,880
put one in front of all of you. Do you
have one, Lou?

800
01:09:49,839 --> 01:09:53,880
You have an extra one right here.

801
01:10:04,880 --> 01:10:13,120
Okay. I'm proposing a next meeting of
this committee on the 23rd of September

802
01:10:11,040 --> 01:10:18,480
to review the governance and operations
guide. We'll hear from Karen later on

803
01:10:15,280 --> 01:10:21,600
that. Um and if timing is right, Lynn,
that we could review 2026.

804
01:10:20,880 --> 01:10:25,120
» Fingers crossed.
>> Fingers crossed. The only thing that I

805
01:10:23,360 --> 01:10:30,400
will say is I will not be able to
attend. That is the week that the

806
01:10:27,760 --> 01:10:37,360
company that we have um engaged for the
dispatch study will be on site.

807
01:10:33,040 --> 01:10:40,719
» Um and so I it is unlikely that I would
be available that night.

808
01:10:39,120 --> 01:10:45,440
» Okay.
So probably not a good meeting date.

809
01:10:42,719 --> 01:10:55,239
We'd need to do another date if that
were and not before then.

810
01:10:51,040 --> 01:10:55,239
I don't think but

811
01:10:55,280 --> 01:11:00,640
you could tell me what flexibility you
might or might not have.

812
01:10:58,960 --> 01:11:05,199
» Looking at the calendar that's just two
weeks out from now. So I don't know how

813
01:11:02,719 --> 01:11:10,239
much more of an update I will have. So
if you wanted to push it out a week or

814
01:11:06,960 --> 01:11:14,560
or two maybe
>> why don't we say two weeks and then we

815
01:11:12,320 --> 01:11:19,040
can look into October somewhere in
there.

816
01:11:15,760 --> 01:11:23,440
» Um let me move forward on that. So we
have a jump ball there. October 2nd is

817
01:11:21,600 --> 01:11:28,320
the target date for department heads to
submit their budgets. Is that correct?

818
01:11:25,360 --> 01:11:32,239
» That is correct. Friday, uh October 2nd
for all department heads and outside

819
01:11:30,560 --> 01:11:35,920
organizations, committees, commissions,
and boards that receive an

820
01:11:33,600 --> 01:11:42,640
appropriation. And then that following
week, October 5th, we will be heads down

821
01:11:40,560 --> 01:11:46,159
preparing the budget binders for both
the board of selectman and the budget

822
01:11:44,000 --> 01:11:51,360
committee.
Um

823
01:11:48,239 --> 01:11:58,640
21st of October was capital improvement
um program public hearing. Uh John Tilly

824
01:11:55,679 --> 01:12:06,960
and I attended the session with the
planning board uh on the CIP uh last

825
01:12:02,560 --> 01:12:13,600
week and had a really great meeting. So
the document uh itself

826
01:12:10,560 --> 01:12:18,480
uh will be finalized and presented for
public review by then and will include a

827
01:12:15,679 --> 01:12:22,239
narrative supporting it. So that
information will be available to this

828
01:12:20,159 --> 01:12:26,080
committee and certainly feel free to
come to the public hearing if you wish.

829
01:12:24,080 --> 01:12:35,440
The October 23rd is the board of
selectman's uh dayong uh budget reviews.

830
01:12:31,280 --> 01:12:42,640
Um and all members of this committee are
invited encouraged if you can. It's very

831
01:12:38,239 --> 01:12:50,400
helpful. It is a dayong meeting. Um so
from here out I have lumped what I saw

832
01:12:46,719 --> 01:12:56,159
as reasonable topics and volume of
topics suggesting November 4th we do

833
01:12:53,920 --> 01:13:00,880
capital improvement capital reserves
police and dispatch and town audit

834
01:12:58,640 --> 01:13:05,360
report if it's available for just
overview if there are any major issues

835
01:13:02,719 --> 01:13:08,159
or notes would we have the audit by that
time?

836
01:13:06,640 --> 01:13:12,800
» November
when's the audit done? January.

837
01:13:11,199 --> 01:13:18,000
» Okay. So, that's not going to happen
then. All right.

838
01:13:15,120 --> 01:13:24,800
My error. November 18th, I'm suggesting
public works and fire.

839
01:13:21,520 --> 01:13:29,600
December 2nd, administration, tax
collector, town clerk, planning,

840
01:13:26,719 --> 01:13:35,199
finance, emergency management, Tracy,
library, and rec recreation.

841
01:13:32,560 --> 01:13:39,040
That's a that's a a big apple on that
day. But

842
01:13:36,640 --> 01:13:44,320
» could I just ask maybe Ashley a little?
Are there any

843
01:13:41,679 --> 01:13:50,560
anything this this budget season that we
think any topics that you think will be

844
01:13:46,880 --> 01:13:55,360
from departments that will be more
talked about than others? Any like

845
01:13:52,560 --> 01:14:01,280
» No, I think the DPW facility, the
building, the bond for 10 million. Um

846
01:13:58,640 --> 01:14:06,640
that's certainly the biggest ticket item
that we've got. Um

847
01:14:04,560 --> 01:14:09,600
but I can't think of anything as of
right now. they're they're all still in

848
01:14:08,159 --> 01:14:16,000
the process of putting together their
budgets. So, there's nothing that comes

849
01:14:11,679 --> 01:14:20,239
out in my mind. Um the folks that have
um mentioned things to me as they are

850
01:14:17,920 --> 01:14:25,840
working through it have said it's it's
relatively flat. Um but I'll certainly

851
01:14:23,920 --> 01:14:30,480
know by October okay second.
>> And the only reason I asked that is just

852
01:14:28,400 --> 01:14:36,080
because that date of the 18th with
public works and fire. I just know that

853
01:14:33,280 --> 01:14:39,040
those that police just tend to get more
discussion.

854
01:14:37,280 --> 01:14:42,560
» So
either be prepared for a longer meeting

855
01:14:40,880 --> 01:14:47,360
or
>> Yep. And I will say just as I feel like

856
01:14:44,800 --> 01:14:53,280
I say this every time we meet, this room
is booked starting at 8:15 every

857
01:14:50,800 --> 01:14:58,159
Wednesday night by New London Police for
a training series that they have. So, we

858
01:14:55,920 --> 01:15:04,440
do need to
be somewhat succinct here and try to get

859
01:15:00,719 --> 01:15:04,440
out by 8.

860
01:15:09,760 --> 01:15:16,800
I mean, again, my only suggestion would
be to either

861
01:15:14,159 --> 01:15:20,560
» maybe keep public works on that date
>> since that seems to be where there's

862
01:15:18,560 --> 01:15:26,159
going to be a lot of discussion
>> and you can either put in like the

863
01:15:23,760 --> 01:15:31,280
outside organizations or maybe put in
some of the December 2nd

864
01:15:28,560 --> 01:15:37,280
» departments so that we're not faced with
like running over by talking about fire.

865
01:15:34,880 --> 01:15:42,159
Um, unless we don't think that fire
department's going to have any

866
01:15:40,560 --> 01:15:47,440
big budget requests.
>> I think that they all signs point to

867
01:15:44,560 --> 01:15:50,080
them requesting their fourth full time.
>> Yeah. Which will I just think Yeah,

868
01:15:49,360 --> 01:15:54,480
that's all. Yep.
>> Those two just seem to be like the two

869
01:15:52,159 --> 01:15:58,880
bigger ones on one date and if we want
to focus on one area. I don't know. Just

870
01:15:56,719 --> 01:16:05,360
a thought.
>> Well, I I I

871
01:16:02,400 --> 01:16:09,520
hear you. Um
I think what we were trying to

872
01:16:07,520 --> 01:16:14,960
accomplish was getting police dispatch,
Department of Public Works, and fire.

873
01:16:11,679 --> 01:16:19,199
Those being the big three.
>> Um,

874
01:16:17,120 --> 01:16:25,360
sort of
combine I I we could go for

875
01:16:22,400 --> 01:16:30,719
» I mean, we can try to do this, but I I
guess what I don't want to do is I don't

876
01:16:27,440 --> 01:16:38,400
want to short shift a discussion just to
get through it. Um but at the same time

877
01:16:34,800 --> 01:16:43,360
um you know things that I think are are
are probably easy to talk about

878
01:16:41,520 --> 01:16:48,719
administration, tax collector, town
clerk, planning and finance

879
01:16:45,840 --> 01:16:52,880
are easy because they're not big
>> and pretty they're pretty

880
01:16:50,080 --> 01:16:58,800
straightforward. Those go pretty quickly
and there's nothing that no surprises or

881
01:16:56,080 --> 01:17:01,920
big things coming obviously. Uh Lou, I
don't know about emergency management.

882
01:17:00,400 --> 01:17:06,400
you made comments that you thought we
should spend a little more time on it um

883
01:17:04,640 --> 01:17:12,640
with some of your feedback.
>> When I'm looking at the the

884
01:17:09,760 --> 01:17:15,120
you know the breath and the time
>> microphone

885
01:17:14,400 --> 01:17:18,000
» Thank you.
>> You're welcome.

886
01:17:15,760 --> 01:17:23,520
» Yeah. when I'm looking at the at the
breadth and the timeline that we have.

887
01:17:20,400 --> 01:17:28,080
Um I mean I doesn't doesn't necessarily
have to be you know we're going to make

888
01:17:25,840 --> 01:17:33,280
we're going to make you know some cuts
in emergency management just to to

889
01:17:30,400 --> 01:17:39,199
ensure that we can we can maintain while
while being a little bit more efficient.

890
01:17:35,760 --> 01:17:41,679
But but um yeah it's I I don't need a
particularly long time for emergency

891
01:17:41,120 --> 01:17:47,040
management.
>> Okay. So, that's going to go that those

892
01:17:44,080 --> 01:17:51,199
four five areas go fairly quickly. That
leaves Tracy Library and Recreation.

893
01:17:50,000 --> 01:17:56,800
» Why don't we just leave it the way it
is? And I was just talking out loud.

894
01:17:54,080 --> 01:18:04,080
» No, I I'm I'm with you. I I'm I'm
interested in fire because it's a new

895
01:17:59,199 --> 01:18:09,120
chief um new ideas and and possible new
direction. Even though we know there' be

896
01:18:05,840 --> 01:18:12,080
a continuing request for another FTE,
>> I don't think recreation's going to be

897
01:18:10,560 --> 01:18:14,880
anything. I mean, obviously I haven't
been I wasn't at the most recent

898
01:18:13,600 --> 01:18:19,920
meeting, but I don't think it's going to
be anything crazy.

899
01:18:17,199 --> 01:18:23,800
» No, it'll just be 15 minutes on how we
pay for

900
01:18:25,360 --> 01:18:32,239
» one one question, please. I just when it
comes to the fire department, I want to

901
01:18:29,600 --> 01:18:36,159
make sure you know, are we're going to
be al having the board of fireworks

902
01:18:34,400 --> 01:18:39,840
here, too?
>> Yes. Typically, typically Steve Ensign

903
01:18:38,560 --> 01:18:44,480
joins with the chief
>> because you know you do have a chief but

904
01:18:41,600 --> 01:18:48,159
the overarching strategy for a fire
department is not

905
01:18:46,159 --> 01:18:52,080
» the operation the operational guy the
chief. It's the board of fireworks. So,

906
01:18:50,719 --> 01:18:56,239
uh they're the ones who designed the
strategy for the fire department.

907
01:18:55,120 --> 01:19:02,400
» Agreed.
>> And this fourth position is the fourth

908
01:18:58,880 --> 01:19:07,120
and and final as the in this plan that
they developed several years ago. Um,

909
01:19:05,280 --> 01:19:08,640
» and that has not changed. That is that
has not changed

910
01:19:07,840 --> 01:19:11,600
» going forward.
>> Correct.

911
01:19:09,840 --> 01:19:18,280
» To be clear though, we would wind up
with six full-time

912
01:19:14,400 --> 01:19:18,280
staff for the fire department.

913
01:19:18,719 --> 01:19:25,120
» Four, five,
>> chief,

914
01:19:22,719 --> 01:19:30,239
the four shift commands,
>> and this would be the sixth.

915
01:19:27,280 --> 01:19:35,520
» No, we currently have three shift
officers.

916
01:19:32,960 --> 01:19:42,239
the we didn't backfill when we promoted
Mike to um

917
01:19:38,800 --> 01:19:49,239
chief. We did not backfill his position.
So we've got Mike, Andrew, Steve Dubbie,

918
01:19:46,239 --> 01:19:49,239
Brandon,

919
01:19:49,280 --> 01:19:56,080
» and and I'm sorry. So who was the who's
the new employee then filling the the

920
01:19:53,920 --> 01:19:58,960
slot that was voted in at the last town
meeting?

921
01:19:57,280 --> 01:20:03,840
» Andrew Cernovitz,
>> right? So, I thought that brought us up

922
01:20:01,280 --> 01:20:07,440
to five total slots, and I thought in
the proposed budget that would be a

923
01:20:05,120 --> 01:20:11,199
sixth.
>> Well, we can go back to them, but they

924
01:20:09,920 --> 01:20:17,520
currently have five. When I talked to
Mike earlier today, I asked if they were

925
01:20:14,880 --> 01:20:22,719
hire recruiting, and he said no, they
are not. They would be looking for the

926
01:20:20,000 --> 01:20:27,760
next position at the next town meeting.
>> And that would be the sixth, correct?

927
01:20:24,960 --> 01:20:34,080
» That would be five. That would be five.
>> Okay. three shift officers and

928
01:20:31,600 --> 01:20:38,800
» that's not my recollection but
>> okay I'll yeah I'll I'll clarify with

929
01:20:36,480 --> 01:20:43,600
him but as of this morning he said they
are actively not they would be looking

930
01:20:41,040 --> 01:20:47,560
for the additional headcount
at the next town meeting

931
01:20:48,560 --> 01:20:56,239
» okay um I think everybody can read
December 9th and December 16th of what

932
01:20:53,199 --> 01:21:04,159
the topics are that are suggested this
is leading up to January 13th being the

933
01:21:00,400 --> 01:21:08,320
meeting where we review and adopt our
budget

934
01:21:05,679 --> 01:21:11,440
which is earlier than we have done in
the past.

935
01:21:09,360 --> 01:21:16,239
» Yeah. And just sorry one as I'm looking
at this line I'm says patriotic purposes

936
01:21:14,320 --> 01:21:22,080
we don't typically talk much about.
However, we likely will this year. Uh

937
01:21:18,960 --> 01:21:30,480
New London is celebrating our 200th or
250th 250th in 2029. So, we are looking

938
01:21:26,719 --> 01:21:37,840
to form a committee uh in the next year
or so and we will likely be looking for

939
01:21:34,320 --> 01:21:43,120
uh some budgetary um line items here
starting in the FY28 budget. So, no idea

940
01:21:41,360 --> 01:21:46,560
what that looks like just yet, but that
will be more than the $500 that's in

941
01:21:46,159 --> 01:21:49,360
there.
>> Say $600 and

942
01:21:47,840 --> 01:21:54,719
» Yeah, I I think it's going to be a
little bit more.

943
01:21:51,360 --> 01:21:57,760
Um but I I do think we will see that
increase.

944
01:21:55,760 --> 01:22:03,760
um certainly more than what it has been
in the past.

945
01:22:00,719 --> 01:22:11,920
» So if if if we are successful in
adopting a a budget on the 13th or if we

946
01:22:08,000 --> 01:22:18,719
are not I left the 20th as a wiggle room
week. If we can't accomplish it by the

947
01:22:14,719 --> 01:22:25,040
13th, we'd accomplish it by the 20th
and then our public hearing be scheduled

948
01:22:21,120 --> 01:22:29,000
for February 3rd.
for the proposed budget

949
01:22:29,120 --> 01:22:37,120
and then subsequently the um submission
uh to the of the budget to the board of

950
01:22:34,800 --> 01:22:41,760
selectmen and that's just a formal
submission. It's not a meeting.

951
01:22:39,440 --> 01:22:46,239
» Charlie, what
what if there's reconciliation that

952
01:22:44,000 --> 01:22:49,280
needs to happen?
>> Uh that would have to happen on the

953
01:22:48,320 --> 01:22:52,159
20th.
>> Okay.

954
01:22:50,480 --> 01:22:59,280
and that that I didn't put
reconciliation in there. Um I received

955
01:22:55,280 --> 01:23:04,960
uh feedback at the polls
yesterday. Was it yesterday? Um

956
01:23:02,880 --> 01:23:09,520
something to the effect by a person who
will remain anonymous

957
01:23:08,159 --> 01:23:15,840
have you finally got that budget
committee under control so we're not

958
01:23:11,600 --> 01:23:20,239
going to have a re uh uh a debate about
whose budget we're going to accept or

959
01:23:18,000 --> 01:23:25,840
not? and I said, "I do not have the
committee under control." So, I left it

960
01:23:23,360 --> 01:23:30,400
at that. So, I I didn't put it in here
with that in mind that we would have

961
01:23:28,560 --> 01:23:34,320
that, but in the event the two budgets
didn't match and we needed to reconcile,

962
01:23:32,960 --> 01:23:36,239
I thought that could be done on the
20th.

963
01:23:35,520 --> 01:23:41,920
» Great.
>> I would only ask that if we vote on the

964
01:23:39,679 --> 01:23:47,199
13th, there may be a chance that I'm out
of town. um that if that I could make

965
01:23:45,920 --> 01:23:55,840
the meeting but it would have to be
virtual. Um so as long I would want to

966
01:23:52,560 --> 01:24:01,760
know that before I gave my opinion
>> and I have the same situation. I am

967
01:23:57,840 --> 01:24:05,520
going to be out of town
>> on the third January

968
01:24:03,280 --> 01:24:08,800
» for January just to be clear January.
>> Yeah. I mean, if there's one meeting,

969
01:24:07,360 --> 01:24:12,719
not that I'm not going to plan to attend
all of them, but if there's one meeting

970
01:24:10,239 --> 01:24:17,280
to be at, it's the one where we vote. I
just want to make sure if I'm not here

971
01:24:14,960 --> 01:24:21,679
in person, I'll still be able to do that
virtually.

972
01:24:18,560 --> 01:24:26,000
» Same here. I
>> We do not have a policy yet. The board

973
01:24:23,600 --> 01:24:31,199
of selectmen need to make that decision.
But it is very important to keep in mind

974
01:24:28,960 --> 01:24:34,320
that even if we do allow remote
participation, there still needs to be a

975
01:24:33,040 --> 01:24:37,920
quorum in the room.
>> Yeah.

976
01:24:36,159 --> 01:24:41,840
Can you make the 20th?
>> I can make the 20th. I mean, yes. As far

977
01:24:40,159 --> 01:24:43,040
as I know, I can make the 20th. The 15th
is

978
01:24:42,080 --> 01:24:46,239
» Can you make the 20th?
>> 13th is in question.

979
01:24:44,639 --> 01:24:49,679
» Can you make the 20th of January?
>> I will be gone from the 10th to the

980
01:24:48,239 --> 01:24:53,040
24th.
>> Uh, okay.

981
01:24:50,639 --> 01:24:55,920
» January
and most of it is going to be out out of

982
01:24:54,719 --> 01:24:59,040
the country.
>> Okay.

983
01:24:56,320 --> 01:25:02,960
» Could we do it before the 13th?
>> Does it have to be on a Wednesday?

984
01:25:00,480 --> 01:25:07,760
» It I just picked Wednesdays because it's
our traditional meeting. Uh, we could

985
01:25:05,440 --> 01:25:10,800
meet on the 6th if people were
available.

986
01:25:10,080 --> 01:25:13,280
» What day?
>> It's a Wednesday.

987
01:25:12,000 --> 01:25:16,080
» Sorry. Of what month?
>> January.

988
01:25:14,000 --> 01:25:19,719
» Thank you.
>> January 6th.

989
01:25:20,480 --> 01:25:29,280
» For all of these days, there's a
personal My daughter's pregnant and when

990
01:25:26,080 --> 01:25:33,920
my daughter's baby is born, I might be
gone. And so,

991
01:25:31,440 --> 01:25:37,840
six sounds good. I think I can be here.
It's a little bit early, but it's also

992
01:25:35,600 --> 01:25:42,000
getting a little tight. So, but so is
the 13th. So,

993
01:25:40,560 --> 01:25:44,320
yeah,
>> just that.

994
01:25:42,800 --> 01:25:49,120
» Assuming gravity doesn't mess with me
anymore, I'll be here.

995
01:25:47,360 --> 01:25:53,199
» It would be nice to hear a baby crying
from the background, wouldn't it?

996
01:25:51,040 --> 01:25:57,679
» Understanding life events will get in
the way.

997
01:25:54,320 --> 01:26:05,199
» Um, and respected accordingly. Um, we
will on this schedule change the meeting

998
01:26:01,679 --> 01:26:07,520
on the 13th to January 6th.
>> I'll be hearing January 6th.

999
01:26:07,120 --> 01:26:10,480
» Okay.
>> Now, you're still going to have the

1000
01:26:08,480 --> 01:26:15,120
meeting on January 8th?
>> No, we have no meeting January 8th.

1001
01:26:12,480 --> 01:26:19,679
That's a public hearing public hearing
that we require. That's just a important

1002
01:26:17,440 --> 01:26:25,360
date of an event
and that would leave us still wiggle

1003
01:26:22,800 --> 01:26:30,000
room certainly if
>> uh there is a need for reconciliation

1004
01:26:28,400 --> 01:26:35,199
and
timely budget uh public hearing and that

1005
01:26:32,719 --> 01:26:41,840
would bring all of the necessary
information

1006
01:26:38,080 --> 01:26:50,320
to Ashley and the team relative to
warrant annual report timing

1007
01:26:46,239 --> 01:26:56,639
Yes. So it is it safe for me to share
these dates with my department heads

1008
01:26:54,159 --> 01:27:02,159
» for when they will be up?
>> Let me let me do this. Let me edit this

1009
01:27:00,000 --> 01:27:04,080
document and I will send it to the
committee and to you.

1010
01:27:03,679 --> 01:27:09,840
» Great.
>> With uh these this is a plan.

1011
01:27:07,440 --> 01:27:15,760
» All right. Everybody okay with it?
>> All right. we will move forward.

1012
01:27:11,600 --> 01:27:18,800
» And then voting is March 10th. That's
when we'll be at the polls. And then

1013
01:27:17,040 --> 01:27:22,800
town meeting is likely to be that
following Wednesday, which is I believe

1014
01:27:20,480 --> 01:27:25,760
the 17th.
>> March 17th.

1015
01:27:24,000 --> 01:27:29,199
» March 10th is the uh
>> voting here in Whipple. So that's the

1016
01:27:27,679 --> 01:27:31,600
day that
>> March 10th.

1017
01:27:30,480 --> 01:27:36,880
» March 9th.
>> Tuesday. March 9th.

1018
01:27:33,760 --> 01:27:43,440
» Okay. is the day that we vote across the
state. And then New London will

1019
01:27:40,800 --> 01:27:49,040
continue. Town meeting, it opens that
Tuesday morning. Um the business portion

1020
01:27:46,159 --> 01:27:53,120
of the meeting, which is town meeting,
will take place likely that Wednesday

1021
01:27:51,520 --> 01:27:56,080
after. I've got to get with Colobby
Sawyer to figure out their um

1022
01:27:55,120 --> 01:27:57,760
» schedule.
>> Yeah.

1023
01:27:56,480 --> 01:28:01,920
» Yeah. Vacation schedule.
>> So much better.

1024
01:27:58,639 --> 01:28:06,239
» It's really fantastic. We were able to
get folks in with mobility issues

1025
01:28:04,159 --> 01:28:11,199
significantly easier. So it
>> So that would be on the hon or around

1026
01:28:09,120 --> 01:28:12,320
the 16th
>> 17th

1027
01:28:11,840 --> 01:28:14,800
» 17th.
>> Yeah.

1028
01:28:12,639 --> 01:28:16,400
» Yeah. Okay. Maybe.
>> Okay.

1029
01:28:15,600 --> 01:28:19,679
» Oh my god.
>> All right.

1030
01:28:17,520 --> 01:28:24,400
» Uh governance document update. Karen,
the floor is yours.

1031
01:28:21,920 --> 01:28:33,120
» We have some good news. Um, we have a
draft ready and touched on this briefly

1032
01:28:28,800 --> 01:28:37,760
when we last met and so here's the plan.
So rather than having to make all these

1033
01:28:36,000 --> 01:28:42,800
waste all this paper, all these copies,
we'll send I will send to members of the

1034
01:28:41,040 --> 01:28:50,400
committee
bccing a copy of the document

1035
01:28:46,880 --> 01:28:56,159
and it's all it's all labeled as draft
for you to review it.

1036
01:28:53,040 --> 01:29:02,880
Um, first I want to thank
Charlie for his reiterations and his

1037
01:28:59,280 --> 01:29:09,120
going through um what we had um as a
product of last time we met John as well

1038
01:29:06,000 --> 01:29:13,199
John Ziggler and Cynthia Rousus for
their participation in pulling this all

1039
01:29:11,360 --> 01:29:19,360
together.
So

1040
01:29:14,880 --> 01:29:25,600
then I think we can then address this
at our next meeting as a committee after

1041
01:29:23,280 --> 01:29:32,719
you've all had the chance to go through
and react to it. The template that was

1042
01:29:29,440 --> 01:29:39,760
used to set the framework was what was
presented way back in June June 3rd I

1043
01:29:36,560 --> 01:29:44,080
think is when we met and we we came to
an agreement with regard to using that

1044
01:29:41,760 --> 01:29:53,360
framework. So, we've tried to stay with
the framework and pulling in other um

1045
01:29:48,320 --> 01:29:59,679
resources being chapter 32 91A
um other example that other towns have

1046
01:29:56,800 --> 01:30:05,040
for their bylaws what they call it their
governance document.

1047
01:30:01,679 --> 01:30:08,159
So that would be would be the the plan I
think any and Charlie I don't know

1048
01:30:06,560 --> 01:30:14,000
whether you have any any additional
thoughts on that but um definitely want

1049
01:30:11,199 --> 01:30:18,040
to get your feedback on what it is that
we have at this point.

1050
01:30:18,239 --> 01:30:29,679
So if the document's distributed,
you read it, review it, we come to a

1051
01:30:25,679 --> 01:30:37,040
meeting with your comments, your edits,
your suggestions. That meeting

1052
01:30:33,679 --> 01:30:45,840
we will to be determined. I had proposed
September 23rd, but if

1053
01:30:41,440 --> 01:30:50,960
our fiscal 2026 actual numbers aren't
going to be ready, maybe we look at a

1054
01:30:48,960 --> 01:30:56,480
October
meeting date to do the governance

1055
01:30:53,520 --> 01:31:00,440
document and the budget review for
actuals for 2026.

1056
01:31:01,040 --> 01:31:10,560
Secondly, so we're going to need to look
at calendars again. Um, I'll come back

1057
01:31:05,840 --> 01:31:15,840
to that. Um, Karen and I discussed um
the possibility of having

1058
01:31:13,920 --> 01:31:21,040
um somebody from the New Hampshire
Municipal Association review the

1059
01:31:17,600 --> 01:31:28,159
document. um putting their eyes to it to
see if we're accurate in all the

1060
01:31:24,159 --> 01:31:34,719
references to the various terminology
um RSAs, municipal budget law, um

1061
01:31:32,080 --> 01:31:39,840
references to protocol procedures just
to be sure we've dotted the eyes and

1062
01:31:36,480 --> 01:31:44,639
crossed the tees. We don't know. I I I
think that's a good idea. Um, and if the

1063
01:31:42,560 --> 01:31:50,480
committee supports it, then we would
approach the municipal association and

1064
01:31:47,360 --> 01:31:55,840
see if they're willing to do that. And
if if there's a cost associated with it,

1065
01:31:52,880 --> 01:32:01,600
then we could consider that if in fact
there is. But I think it's a pretty easy

1066
01:31:58,400 --> 01:32:07,840
document to review. Um, and they've been
incredibly receptive to requests. I I've

1067
01:32:05,199 --> 01:32:13,360
made just queries on questions of
various subjects and very responsive and

1068
01:32:10,480 --> 01:32:19,040
very thorough. So, I'd like to suggest
we do that as well if there's an

1069
01:32:14,960 --> 01:32:24,080
agreement. Um, so if that makes sense to
everyone, is there a date in October we

1070
01:32:21,440 --> 01:32:30,800
could meet to cover the governance and
operations guide, get everyone's input

1071
01:32:26,719 --> 01:32:41,280
so it can be finalized and adopted,
and we'd be uh able to hopefully review

1072
01:32:34,400 --> 01:32:44,280
our fiscal 2026 financial results.
Um,

1073
01:32:46,480 --> 01:32:51,639
yeah, I'm in the wrong year, so that's
why I'm pausing.

1074
01:32:51,840 --> 01:33:00,440
What would you feel about the
possibility of a meeting on the 14th or

1075
01:32:55,840 --> 01:33:00,440
the 20 the 14th?

1076
01:33:01,120 --> 01:33:04,239
» 14.
>> Yeah,

1077
01:33:02,480 --> 01:33:08,880
» I won't be here, but
>> I would I would like the 14th.

1078
01:33:07,360 --> 01:33:12,880
» 14th. You would would
>> I would I would

1079
01:33:09,920 --> 01:33:15,120
» would Kim's not we may not have 100%
attendance. So

1080
01:33:13,600 --> 01:33:18,960
» yeah, I was gonna say I mean we're not
not gonna

1081
01:33:15,679 --> 01:33:22,480
» Chris 14 okay with you for right now.
>> Okay.

1082
01:33:21,199 --> 01:33:25,639
» Yeah. I'm like if you get the majority
so far

1083
01:33:26,639 --> 01:33:31,920
» 14th. Yes. I I'll update this Lou and
send it out to you.

1084
01:33:31,360 --> 01:33:36,480
» Okay.
>> And so you have all the dates. All

1085
01:33:33,120 --> 01:33:41,840
right. So we're changing the to the next
meeting of this committee October 14

1086
01:33:39,760 --> 01:33:45,600
that's a Wednesday
topics governance and operations guide

1087
01:33:44,080 --> 01:33:53,360
feedback
edits uh adoption if uh if if possible

1088
01:33:49,840 --> 01:33:57,040
and also review the FY 2026
actual the budget

1089
01:33:54,560 --> 01:34:02,719
» if we do have more than a couple folks
that can't make it. Should we think

1090
01:33:59,520 --> 01:34:03,760
about pushing the adoption to
>> Yes.

1091
01:34:03,280 --> 01:34:04,960
» meeting?
>> Yes.

1092
01:34:04,159 --> 01:34:08,960
» That's all.
>> Yes. Agree. Adoption may be a little

1093
01:34:07,440 --> 01:34:15,199
aggressive, but I kind of like to get
things done. So, agree. If we'll get

1094
01:34:11,840 --> 01:34:19,920
through the edits and input and then the
adjustments made and then we can have a

1095
01:34:17,199 --> 01:34:23,920
final document for adoption.
And understanding that what we agreed to

1096
01:34:22,080 --> 01:34:28,719
was also this is going to be a living
document meaning it'll reside online.

1097
01:34:26,800 --> 01:34:33,120
It'll be available to all members. It'll
be available to the public with the

1098
01:34:31,360 --> 01:34:37,520
intention that we would then have the
responsibility to update and modify it

1099
01:34:35,120 --> 01:34:43,920
as laws change, procedures change,
protocols change so we keep it current.

1100
01:34:42,320 --> 01:34:48,639
» Those changes will those changes have to
be voted on?

1101
01:34:45,679 --> 01:34:51,520
» I don't know.
>> I'm not sure.

1102
01:34:49,600 --> 01:34:54,320
» Say that. Sorry. Say that again. changes
need to be voted

1103
01:34:52,560 --> 01:34:57,440
» because it's a live document and that
we'd be making changes to it to keep it

1104
01:34:56,000 --> 01:34:59,360
current, but would they have to be voted
on

1105
01:34:57,760 --> 01:35:01,679
» of the governance document?
>> Yeah,

1106
01:35:00,400 --> 01:35:05,040
» it hasn't been approved yet.
>> Yeah, it hasn't even been approved, but

1107
01:35:03,199 --> 01:35:12,480
any changes would need to go back
through some sort of review. Um,

1108
01:35:09,520 --> 01:35:19,480
» yes, but I think that this is a question
for this committee with us editing a non

1109
01:35:19,520 --> 01:35:24,560
approved the document. So, I don't think
there's any reason for us to vote on

1110
01:35:22,960 --> 01:35:26,719
changes that we would make to the
document. We would

1111
01:35:25,840 --> 01:35:30,000
» I think John was
>> No, I'm just asking I'm just asking the

1112
01:35:28,480 --> 01:35:32,800
question. It's at some point we're going
to vote to either accept this document

1113
01:35:31,920 --> 01:35:36,560
or reject
>> adopt it. Yep. You just adopted it.

1114
01:35:34,800 --> 01:35:39,199
» But then going forward, it's supposed to
be a live document and there'll be

1115
01:35:38,000 --> 01:35:44,800
changes. My question is, were we going
to have to vote every time or can we put

1116
01:35:40,960 --> 01:35:50,159
something in there that states that from
time to time the budget committee will

1117
01:35:47,440 --> 01:35:53,600
make changes? Those changes can be
spelled out in the minutes or someplace

1118
01:35:52,000 --> 01:35:58,560
else, but it would not have to be
specifically voted on

1119
01:35:56,159 --> 01:36:00,400
as part of the whole document. again.
>> Um

1120
01:35:59,600 --> 01:36:03,760
» I don't
>> I Yeah, I don't I I guess it because

1121
01:36:02,480 --> 01:36:08,000
then I would say, well, that really just
depends on what changed.

1122
01:36:05,360 --> 01:36:12,719
» It could be something very important or
very minor.

1123
01:36:09,280 --> 01:36:17,199
» And that's that's someone's opinion.
>> Yeah. And I I would say any sort of

1124
01:36:15,280 --> 01:36:23,840
change regardless of whether it's small
or not needs to then go through another

1125
01:36:19,679 --> 01:36:27,840
review outside of this committee just to
ensure that everything is copacetic

1126
01:36:26,320 --> 01:36:29,679
» because in two years you could have a
>> sure

1127
01:36:28,239 --> 01:36:34,800
» new friend budget.
>> Yeah. So I and I would think that most

1128
01:36:32,560 --> 01:36:38,480
if of those adjustments and changes
would come from the New Hampshire

1129
01:36:36,880 --> 01:36:45,360
municipal
um assoc uh association

1130
01:36:43,040 --> 01:36:48,800
um unless we as a committee made some
substantial adjustment to a procedural

1131
01:36:47,760 --> 01:36:53,760
issue.
>> One other question that you were talking

1132
01:36:51,119 --> 01:36:56,880
about the review of this document which
was on this sheet for September 23rd and

1133
01:36:55,679 --> 01:37:00,400
you talked about moving it to a date.
Are you talking about moving everything

1134
01:36:58,320 --> 01:37:02,800
that's on the 23rd to some other date
which

1135
01:37:00,960 --> 01:37:06,080
» October 14th?
>> October 14th and take out the 23rd

1136
01:37:05,360 --> 01:37:09,639
altogether.
>> Yes.

1137
01:37:06,639 --> 01:37:09,639
» Okay.

1138
01:37:10,719 --> 01:37:19,679
» Okay. Good to move forward. Thank you
Karen for spearheading it.

1139
01:37:16,080 --> 01:37:23,159
Um public input.
Do we have some?

1140
01:37:23,440 --> 01:37:28,719
» Poor guys.
>> Larry's been here. Larry, we need to

1141
01:37:26,480 --> 01:37:33,360
give you a microphone. Karen, could you
extend that to Larry, please?

1142
01:37:32,560 --> 01:37:37,280
» You're welcome.
>> And Larry, just announce yourself. Yes,

1143
01:37:35,760 --> 01:37:43,679
» please.
>> Oh, there. Yeah, Larry Cloth, New

1144
01:37:40,960 --> 01:37:50,560
London. Um, first of all, you can see by
today listening live how complicated a

1145
01:37:47,840 --> 01:37:53,679
business running a town is, right? I
mean, you like to think it's going to be

1146
01:37:51,679 --> 01:37:56,560
simple and easy, but it there are all
kinds of things that change. And

1147
01:37:55,440 --> 01:38:02,800
Richard, one of the things you talked
about was HP, I think 7 HP1374,

1148
01:38:00,800 --> 01:38:09,360
that any town in a district in in New
Hampshire with 20 people can give a

1149
01:38:06,000 --> 01:38:15,119
60-day notice to pull out of a region.
And that's a big deal for your budget.

1150
01:38:12,960 --> 01:38:19,360
And if I listen carefully, I wasn't at
the seventh September 4th meeting, but

1151
01:38:17,520 --> 01:38:25,040
listening, one of the towns talked about
it.

1152
01:38:21,199 --> 01:38:28,800
» So get that with your $10 million I
think borrowing you were talking about,

1153
01:38:27,199 --> 01:38:32,960
which is what 2 million a year in
interest, something like that in

1154
01:38:30,880 --> 01:38:37,440
principle and interest. I just thought
you all should know. I mean, it's about

1155
01:38:35,199 --> 01:38:40,960
money, but everybody's got what they
want and you got all kinds of things we

1156
01:38:38,960 --> 01:38:45,520
want to do. But I just give you a heads
up as you're going into that. If the T

1157
01:38:43,280 --> 01:38:49,520
I'm sorry, not for your 10 million, for
the 30 million. Sorry, I apologize. 30

1158
01:38:47,920 --> 01:38:54,560
million the school's talking about, how
much do we have to pay,

1159
01:38:52,080 --> 01:39:00,560
right? And we already pay the school
12.5 million. And we had two years ago

1160
01:38:58,000 --> 01:39:06,119
roughly 243 New London students at
Currage. And that's $50,000 a student.

1161
01:39:08,159 --> 01:39:12,800
» It's just, you know, so I just thought
I'd bring that up and I if this is the

1162
01:39:11,199 --> 01:39:15,600
wrong place to bring it up, I apologize.
I know there's

1163
01:39:13,840 --> 01:39:21,520
» perfectly fine to bring it up here and
part of that conversation was um

1164
01:39:19,119 --> 01:39:26,880
enemating if not directly saying that
there's significant capital investment

1165
01:39:24,719 --> 01:39:34,080
that has to be made regardless of the
plan and it will be reflected in our tax

1166
01:39:30,080 --> 01:39:39,520
rate and we also have significant debt
that potentially we will incur in a

1167
01:39:36,800 --> 01:39:45,280
similar very short time frame. And I
think that will become very clear when

1168
01:39:41,440 --> 01:39:52,239
the uh committee sees the uh capital
improvement program um that we've got

1169
01:39:48,800 --> 01:39:57,280
some pretty hefty years coming upon us
and in conjunction I think Larry you're

1170
01:39:54,480 --> 01:40:05,119
making the point that the school is also
sort of in line at the same time and so

1171
01:40:00,320 --> 01:40:07,760
the impact is going to be um significant
>> and I should say but you have no control

1172
01:40:06,800 --> 01:40:13,040
over the school
>> right we have No, no, no control

1173
01:40:09,840 --> 01:40:18,400
whatsoever over it.
Thank you, Larry, very much. Thank you

1174
01:40:14,639 --> 01:40:23,440
for your patience in listening to this.
Well, um

1175
01:40:22,239 --> 01:40:26,080
» I I am going to
>> No, I said before

1176
01:40:24,960 --> 01:40:30,560
» go to other business.
>> Okay.

1177
01:40:27,280 --> 01:40:34,719
» Okay. So, is there other business for
the committee to review or discuss?

1178
01:40:33,600 --> 01:40:40,639
Karen,
>> not so much to discuss right now, but uh

1179
01:40:38,639 --> 01:40:46,480
as we were reviewing the minutes early
on that uh what was the date? July 8th

1180
01:40:43,199 --> 01:40:51,840
minutes. And um as you can recall, there
was a schedule distributed at that

1181
01:40:48,719 --> 01:40:57,440
meeting that showed a trend in budget
appropriations for selected accounts.

1182
01:40:54,480 --> 01:41:03,520
And I remember Kim's rightly so asked a
very good question in terms of context

1183
01:41:00,560 --> 01:41:09,280
and terms of context of those numbers
and what we had was just budget. So what

1184
01:41:06,239 --> 01:41:15,119
I've done is to try and fl to flush that
out a bit more and provide context for

1185
01:41:12,159 --> 01:41:20,080
it. So this is a a schedule here just
for distribution um discussion at some

1186
01:41:18,080 --> 01:41:25,280
other time but it's just to really
respond to that context question. and

1187
01:41:23,440 --> 01:41:29,280
went back a little further, went back to
2021

1188
01:41:26,880 --> 01:41:35,119
and we have on those counts that were
presented at the time, we have budget

1189
01:41:31,199 --> 01:41:42,320
and actual and it goes forward from 2021
to budget for 2027. And again, this is

1190
01:41:38,719 --> 01:41:48,639
using the um budget pro system to create
this. As we know, there are some hiccups

1191
01:41:46,080 --> 01:41:54,000
that are still being worked out, as is
true with any new system. But just to

1192
01:41:51,600 --> 01:41:59,040
kind of keep that ball rolling, I
thought it would be helpful to to to

1193
01:41:56,080 --> 01:42:05,760
have this with all the caveats that
still stand that we do have some some um

1194
01:42:03,679 --> 01:42:10,000
updating that has that needs to happen
as we just heard from Lynn and there's

1195
01:42:08,000 --> 01:42:17,760
still there's one particular year that
has a variance. it is footnoted on this

1196
01:42:13,360 --> 01:42:21,520
here but broadly speaking it is a way to
provide some context for that

1197
01:42:19,520 --> 01:42:25,280
information that was shared back in
July. So with that said, I'll distribute

1198
01:42:24,159 --> 01:42:30,880
that, you know, I'll pass this
>> before you do that. Um, as point of

1199
01:42:27,920 --> 01:42:40,560
clarification, Karen, I would it make
sense to ensure that the financial

1200
01:42:36,639 --> 01:42:48,880
representation is as accurate as it can
be, which would be in line, Lynn, with

1201
01:42:45,119 --> 01:42:54,159
the FY 2026
adjustments that still need to be made.

1202
01:42:52,320 --> 01:43:00,639
rather than and here's why I'm
suggesting that is that once a document

1203
01:42:58,000 --> 01:43:08,719
becomes a public document
and there are known variances or

1204
01:43:03,840 --> 01:43:14,639
discrepancies yet to be uh corrected,
it would make sense to me that we get it

1205
01:43:11,600 --> 01:43:19,360
corrected so that we're reasonably
accurate in what's represented.

1206
01:43:17,199 --> 01:43:24,320
» I don't disagree.
Although I would I'd like to add to that

1207
01:43:22,320 --> 01:43:30,960
then FY2026
that the FY 2024

1208
01:43:28,080 --> 01:43:37,119
needs to be addressed at that time as
well because within this you know it's

1209
01:43:33,840 --> 01:43:45,600
it's a it's a year where there is an a
significant variance between what we was

1210
01:43:41,040 --> 01:43:51,840
in the budget pro system visav what was
in the the mun if I get that right Lynn

1211
01:43:48,320 --> 01:43:56,159
but Yeah. In that system here. So I I
think

1212
01:43:53,920 --> 01:44:01,199
that being said that that we we and we
and we have some time now. We have until

1213
01:43:57,920 --> 01:44:02,480
what October what is it the 14th when we
meet again.

1214
01:44:02,000 --> 01:44:06,800
» Yeah.
>> That we could try and address that

1215
01:44:04,320 --> 01:44:13,280
because that anomaly that's still there
that variance. So I'm not sure where

1216
01:44:09,199 --> 01:44:18,560
that stands in terms of the queue of um
sorting out but

1217
01:44:15,119 --> 01:44:24,080
» so okay as so noted. So, what I uh
recommend is we um let Lynn sort of

1218
01:44:22,320 --> 01:44:30,639
direct that process so that you're
comfortable that whatever is represented

1219
01:44:26,000 --> 01:44:37,600
is as accurate as we can get it to be
before we make a document public because

1220
01:44:34,639 --> 01:44:43,440
then for for the very reasons that I
don't I I want to discourage that people

1221
01:44:41,520 --> 01:44:50,560
make incorrect conclusions from
incorrect data and rather push the

1222
01:44:47,360 --> 01:44:54,000
timeline to get it as accurate as it can
be.

1223
01:44:51,040 --> 01:45:00,880
» I totally agree. I just I think it's
important that the committee knows that

1224
01:44:55,679 --> 01:45:07,119
we continue to to work this to work this
so that we can really take advantage of

1225
01:45:04,080 --> 01:45:12,719
that budget pro particularly as it looks
at certain costs in an aggregated level.

1226
01:45:10,719 --> 01:45:19,119
So that is great to have that this
attention focused on that particular

1227
01:45:16,400 --> 01:45:26,400
uh work in process.
>> Well, as I recall, you were looking at

1228
01:45:22,000 --> 01:45:29,520
um large ticket items that we did not
have department heads don't have any

1229
01:45:28,239 --> 01:45:37,280
control over.
>> Right. and rep by the capability of

1230
01:45:34,480 --> 01:45:43,040
reporting within budget pro, we can look
at a five-year trend and that trending

1231
01:45:39,679 --> 01:45:47,520
can tell us potentially some things that
we otherwise might not have considered.

1232
01:45:45,679 --> 01:45:53,119
And the good news about even the
schedule as it stands right now when you

1233
01:45:49,600 --> 01:45:58,960
look at 2021 that ties out from both the
Muna system and budget pro and you look

1234
01:45:55,760 --> 01:46:03,760
at 2027 budgeted
those tie out as well. So it's just kind

1235
01:46:01,119 --> 01:46:08,719
of these one or two intervening years
that needs some call it you know

1236
01:46:07,600 --> 01:46:11,760
» normalizing.
>> Okay.

1237
01:46:09,199 --> 01:46:15,280
» So that's where that stands. So rest
assured, we've been very busy since

1238
01:46:14,400 --> 01:46:19,280
June,
>> right?

1239
01:46:15,760 --> 01:46:26,800
» Getting excuse me, July getting on that.
>> Is the uh is there context behind

1240
01:46:24,239 --> 01:46:31,199
the numbers? Because as numbers, I get
it, but as we all know, there's

1241
01:46:29,199 --> 01:46:35,760
sometimes context as to why numbers
might have changed or why there might be

1242
01:46:33,760 --> 01:46:40,639
a larger gap one year versus another
year. I I don't know if you've done that

1243
01:46:38,239 --> 01:46:44,400
sort of research to here's what the
budget was, here's what the actual was.

1244
01:46:42,560 --> 01:46:52,880
And if we're trying or if we're looking
to reduce that um difference, but it

1245
01:46:49,600 --> 01:46:59,920
would be helpful to say, oh, 21 COVID
year um you know, budget was affected by

1246
01:46:56,239 --> 01:47:02,800
this or something happened in 24. I'm
just throwing something out. Something

1247
01:47:01,040 --> 01:47:07,040
happened in 24 which caused this
>> number of employees each year.

1248
01:47:04,480 --> 01:47:11,360
» Yeah. just so that there's some context
to that number and why the gap might be

1249
01:47:09,040 --> 01:47:14,080
larger one year or smaller one year than
the other.

1250
01:47:12,159 --> 01:47:17,760
» I think that's a great point and I
agree.

1251
01:47:15,199 --> 01:47:22,800
» I think that's the the value of laying
something like this out. You actually

1252
01:47:20,239 --> 01:47:28,560
can identify those years or identify
those questions where some further

1253
01:47:25,760 --> 01:47:35,679
further looking into it is appropriate
and can draw a lesson from that. So,

1254
01:47:33,760 --> 01:47:39,840
I'll let the let that speak for itself
when we get to that stage. But as of

1255
01:47:38,239 --> 01:47:45,119
right now, I just wanted to
>> Karen, are these accurate? Are these

1256
01:47:42,880 --> 01:47:47,360
actual numbers or are they budget
numbers like the last sheet that came

1257
01:47:46,960 --> 01:47:54,560
out?
>> Well, what they're both includes

1258
01:47:52,000 --> 01:47:56,880
the the budget and actual,
>> right? Thank you.

1259
01:47:55,199 --> 01:48:01,840
» For those particular accounts. Yeah.
Yeah.

1260
01:47:57,920 --> 01:48:06,560
» Okay. Uh any other business?
Okay.

1261
01:48:04,239 --> 01:48:12,400
» Um, so I did actually have to write this
down. So I just I'm just going to read

1262
01:48:09,360 --> 01:48:16,960
this. Um, so before we disperse tonight,
uh, I just want to acknowledge that this

1263
01:48:14,880 --> 01:48:23,679
Friday is the 25th anniversary of
September 11th. Um, and I ask that we

1264
01:48:21,840 --> 01:48:27,760
remember the thousands of lives that
were lost.

1265
01:48:25,360 --> 01:48:34,719
um and the incredible bravery of the
first responders who ran towards that.

1266
01:48:32,239 --> 01:48:38,639
Um as a committee, one of our missions
is to ensure that our local first

1267
01:48:36,719 --> 01:48:44,400
responders
have the resources, equipment, and

1268
01:48:42,239 --> 01:48:51,600
backing that they need to keep us safe
every day. Um so I just want to ask that

1269
01:48:48,159 --> 01:48:58,480
we hold a moment of silence um to honor
all those who were lost. um and to show

1270
01:48:55,360 --> 01:49:02,440
our gratitude for the men and women who
serve our community now.

1271
01:49:07,520 --> 01:49:10,760
Thank you.

1272
01:49:13,360 --> 01:49:22,480
And I would invite everyone to join us
down at New London Fire Department this

1273
01:49:17,440 --> 01:49:28,080
Friday, 11:00 a.m. for a Patriot Day.
The word celebration is very strange to

1274
01:49:24,639 --> 01:49:33,920
say commemoration. Um but you know when
we started this 25 years ago or 24 years

1275
01:49:32,000 --> 01:49:39,040
ago we had said you know we'll go to
year 25. Um I know that New London Fire

1276
01:49:37,360 --> 01:49:47,040
is talking internally about whether they
continue it. Um but it is a very special

1277
01:49:45,199 --> 01:49:51,560
absolutely is a very special event and
we hope that you all can join us.

1278
01:49:52,239 --> 01:50:01,679
Thank you and thank you Kim. Um any
other new business?

1279
01:49:58,560 --> 01:50:07,840
I have only one other comment. Um the
subject of department data documents. Um

1280
01:50:05,440 --> 01:50:12,080
those have been shared with Ashley.
Ashley shared them with the department

1281
01:50:09,840 --> 01:50:18,960
leads and heads and they will be
returned in a couple of weeks or so.

1282
01:50:16,159 --> 01:50:24,159
They're working to update those. So once
we we receive those they will be

1283
01:50:21,119 --> 01:50:30,639
distributed to the committee and if
there's need for clarification and or um

1284
01:50:28,639 --> 01:50:37,119
modification
um we can do that at at at a later time.

1285
01:50:34,239 --> 01:50:43,520
I Charlie uh one of the requests in
addition to that so I did send those out

1286
01:50:38,960 --> 01:50:48,239
to the department heads um and also uh
put together some draft uh

1287
01:50:46,560 --> 01:50:53,920
organizational charts for those
departments that have teams underneath

1288
01:50:50,480 --> 01:50:59,280
them. Um so I put together the first
pass and just asked them to uh make sure

1289
01:50:56,960 --> 01:51:04,000
that I got it right. Um it doesn't have
names on it. it merely has positions and

1290
01:51:01,600 --> 01:51:08,639
if there is a role if there's a position
that has multiple people um then that

1291
01:51:06,560 --> 01:51:12,960
headcount number is reflected on there
so those will also be included as well.

1292
01:51:11,040 --> 01:51:16,000
» Thank you very much for doing that.
>> Sure.

1293
01:51:13,360 --> 01:51:21,199
» Much appreciated.
>> Any other business

1294
01:51:18,639 --> 01:51:24,560
hearing? None. I uh accept a motion to
adjourn.

1295
01:51:22,159 --> 01:51:29,199
» So move.
>> All in favor?

1296
01:51:26,159 --> 01:51:32,000
» I thank you all for your time. Lou wants
to stay.