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All right. Good evening. It is Tuesday,
March 24th, 6:00 p.m. and I call this

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meeting of the North Brookfield Board of
Selectmen to order. If you all rise and

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salute the flag.

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Pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the

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Republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and

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justice for all.
>> [clears throat]

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» All right. So, our meeting is starting a
little different tonight than usual cuz

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we have a
public hearing posted for 6:00 p.m.

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And that is [snorts] for
the CDBG application. And who's here for

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that?
Okay.

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Um
What's your name again? Shannon Sullivan

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00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:57,800
and I'm from Central Mass Regional
Planning Commission. All right, Shannon

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00:00:56,040 --> 00:01:01,040
Sullivan. Thank you.
Can you hear me all right here, okay? Um

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I think so. I think they can hear you
everywhere.

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00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:07,560
Hi. Uh good evening, everyone. Uh my
name is Shannon Sullivan. I'm the

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Community Development Planner at the
Central Mass Regional Planning

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00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:15,400
Commission or CMRPC. Uh we are the
state-designated regional planning

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agency for North Brookfield.
Um if you haven't signed in yet, you can

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00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:21,040
please sign in at the sign-in sheet
right over there.

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00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:26,440
Uh the purpose of this public hearing
tonight is for a presentation and

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discussion of the fiscal year 2026
Community Development Block Grant

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application. Our Board of Selectmen vote
is required to authorize the submission

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of the application by CMRPC on the
town's behalf. A handout located over

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near the sign-in sheet is also available
to reference the presentation.

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CDBG or Community Development Block
Grant was enacted in 1974 by President

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Gerald Ford. And it's federal funding
which comes through the US Department of

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Housing and Urban Development or HUD.
There are approximately 11 entitlement

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communities in the state which are
granted large federal funding

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automatically based on their
populations. So, places like Boston and

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00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:08,720
Springfield and Worcester. Small
communities like North Brookfield known

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as non-entitlement communities follow a
competitive process in which not all

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communities are given CDBG funding.
So, projects under CDBG must meet three

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national objectives. The first,
benefiting low to moderate-income

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populations which is verified by income
survey and qualification process and or

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census data. Elderly and disabled
persons are generally considered to meet

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00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:34,800
that low to moderate-income criteria.
The second national objective is to

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remove or prevent slums and blight on an
area basis which is verified through an

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inventory and report or for a single
property a spot designation. And lastly,

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00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:47,920
a response to a community development or
urgent need by special request only

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00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:51,360
which is very rare.
Eligible project types can include

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00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:56,960
infrastructure like roads, sidewalks,
sewer, water and drainage, ADA-related

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00:02:54,400 --> 00:03:01,600
ADA-related improvements
like elevators, sidewalks, access and

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00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:05,640
ramps, public facility improvements such
as senior centers and public housing,

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00:03:03,640 --> 00:03:10,600
but that's not for general use municipal
buildings such as town hall or DPW

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00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:13,840
garages, um housing rehabilitation,
parks and recreation, planning, design

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00:03:12,640 --> 00:03:18,720
and improvements for parks and
playgrounds, environmental remediation

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00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:22,760
like a brownfields assessment, planning,
architectural and engineering designs

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00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:27,040
and social services like literacy and
domestic violence prevention.

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00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:31,000
There's no municipal financial outlay
required to apply for funding to manage

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00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:35,160
and to manage projects and there's no
local match required. The state assigns

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a community needs score to each
entitlement community that affects the

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competitiveness of each community's
application.

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North Brookfield's needs score is a nine
out of 10 in the fiscal year 2026

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program which reflects a high need.
So, the proposed project for the fiscal

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00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:55,480
year 2026 application is the South
Common Street and Saint Clare Avenue

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improvements project which may include
the design and construction of surface

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and subsurface public works
infrastructure improvements within the

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existing public right-of-way on South
Common Street and Saint Clare Avenue.

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00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:11,840
The preliminary budget presented tonight
is not yet finalized, but it will be in

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the ballpark of what is presented.
Um here first, there is a maximum amount

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00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:20,799
of $950,000
that the town can apply for meaning that

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the budget will not exceed that amount.
So, first, this includes design and

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construction activities which is going
to be approximately $810,000

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00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:33,560
including the design and construction of
the subsurface and surface public works

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improvements.
In addition, the preliminary budget for

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grant administration and program
delivery is approximately $130,000

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which includes overall grant management
and technical administrative support,

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community development and support,
travel, advertising, training and

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education, contractor management, etc.
The total budget is to not exceed

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$950,000
as that's the maximum the town can apply

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00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:02,040
for like I said earlier.
Uh this project was identified in the

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town's East Side Neighborhood
Infrastructure Study funded by a

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previous CDBG grant in fact in 2014. It
was recommended due to the existing

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conditions, location, available funds
and projected costs.

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Meetings and communications with town
public works officials have taken place

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to develop scoping and project phasing.
In addition to date, community outreach

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has included various website postings,
neighborhood outreach including a

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resident input letter mailed a few weeks
ago, this advertised public hearing

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tonight, and an upcoming resident
meeting being held Wednesday, April 1st

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at 6:00 p.m. at the Senior Center. We
encourage residents to attend that.

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This year's application is due on
Tuesday, April 21st about a month from

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now. Awards are typically announced in
either the summer or the fall.

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Uh from here, I can answer any questions
and I request for the recommended motion

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00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:56,760
as stated at the bottom of this page.
Thank you.

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Thank you.
Good job. Thank you.

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» [clears throat]
>> Jamie, do you have any questions?

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All right.
Um

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» [clears throat]

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» So, but I'd ask if anybody has questions
out in the audience.

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Um
Question Questions need to be asked

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through the chair
so there's no back and forth, you know.

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Um it's going to be a little difficult
sometimes, but

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but I'd be Why was that area targeted
for improvement?

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00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:47,520
Um so, as I had said, it was pri-
originally prioritized in an

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infrastructure study for the East Side
Neighborhood that was funded through a

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2014 CDBG grant. Uh that study
identified improvements for subsurface

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infrastructure like water and sewer as
well as surface such as streets and

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sidewalks. Um this project was
prioritized in that study and in the

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00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:08,360
recent community engagement efforts that
we've done, this project was also

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prioritized through that.
Um [snorts] so, that's where the where

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the project came from.
Thank you. Yeah.

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John.
Just for for [snorts] more information

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for the townspeople, a few years ago
uh we had a

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drainage issue with some surface
drainage and some of the houses on Saint

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Clare Ave.
Their sewer

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was not going in
proper locations.

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That's kind of what put this thing
on the on the upscale part of it. I know

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they went and
cameras up those pipes and they're bad.

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So, that's what the subsurface, I think
that you guys are talking about. People

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don't know what that stuff is, but I was
there when they did the cameras up.

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And subsurface that's going to be taken
care of there is the water and the sewer

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and the
probably the

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uh storm drain
culvert pipes and everything because

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it's all intertwined up in that area.
And then the sidewalks next to the park

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00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:12,840
and all that will be good for the Senior
Center

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um because it's right there. So, it's
kind of like into the park and the

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playground and everything. So, it is a
good idea to do that. Um and then on the

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other side of North Common Street
a couple years ago when the town all the

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way up the sidewalk and parking on Saint
Clare

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and the ramps all private.
This side is and the playground

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is good. It's good
for the

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Does anybody have any questions?

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Is there a
scope or a

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drawing of the area and exactly what the
infrastructure upgrades going to be? Do

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you have that somewhere? Not yet. Uh we
are still in the process of phasing and

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scoping the project. So, we'll submit
that with the application. If it's

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awarded, we will have that. Um and in
the coming months, there will be a

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resident meeting where we would go over
all of that with the with the project

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design. So, we don't have that quite
yet.

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Okay. Excuse me, I'm Andrew Low also
with the Central Mass Regional Planning

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Commission. So, this application is for
the design

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of the project. So, we have a planning
study from a few years ago that

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highlighted some of the need for the
project, but it hasn't the specific

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improvements have not yet been designed.
So, this grant would include design and

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as much construction of improvements as
can be afforded within the grant budget.

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So, as Shannon says, the specific
improvements there will be public

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engagement with the folks who live in
that area as part of that design process

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just to make sure folks are aware of
what's going on and you know, they may

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have concerns that engineers don't yet
know about that can help with the design

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00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:50,560
process. So,
that would be forthcoming if and when

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the grant is funded.
Thank you.

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00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:56,320
Yes. Yes.
>> [clears throat]

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00:09:53,640 --> 00:10:01,720
» Real quick cuz I like numbers.
So, your numbers not to exceed $950,000

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00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:07,080
Mhm. in the preliminary approximate
budget to design

145
00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:12,720
is 820, so that leaves 130 for the
actual work to be

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00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:16,720
The work has to be designed to be taken
care of and handled within

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00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:21,400
Correct me if I'm wrong, Jim, but the
$820,000 includes design and as much

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00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:23,960
construction Correct. Okay. done. So,
most of that will be construction. Not

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00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:26,200
all
Not all of it will be that. The

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00:10:24,680 --> 00:10:30,520
remainder there
is for project management and grant

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00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:32,800
Correct. compliance and that sort of
thing.

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00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:40,880
So, the the project, I would say,
completely handled by CMRPC. Okay. Yeah.

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00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:45,160
Yeah. Nothing asked Nothing required
from the town Well, if it is a town

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00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:48,760
grant, it would be a town project, but
we will do all the legwork for the town.

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So, we'll help, you know, get it through
environmental review. We'll put

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00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:55,920
materials together Okay, and then you
hear sign off of the invoices. Well, the

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00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:59,760
the town will have an engineer under
contract. We will have

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00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:02,040
the procurement of that engineer.
Um but it

159
00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:06,360
Um same thing with the construction
contractor. It will be a town

160
00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:09,600
contractor, but we will help and the
engineer will help with procurement of

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00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:14,040
that contractor. So, we'll essentially
be the town's project manager for this.

162
00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:18,720
Uh but again, with
the town having opportunities to be

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00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:21,560
involved and to over have oversight into
Understood. So, you've got the headaches

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00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:26,280
and we
That's That's what we're here for. I

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00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:29,040
like that. That's the 50 That's the 20.
Or the 820.

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00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:39,520
Anybody else have any questions?

167
00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:46,040
All right.
Entertain a motion? I will make a motion

168
00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:49,400
to support and approve submission of the
FY 26

169
00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:58,960
activity as presented today
with allowance for minor budget or

170
00:11:55,760 --> 00:12:05,040
program adjustments and to authorize the
chair and CFO to sign all documents

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00:12:01,560 --> 00:12:05,040
required for the application.

172
00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:09,600
Second.
All right. Any further discussion?

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00:12:08,680 --> 00:12:14,080
Uh
yeah, I got a question.

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00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:20,000
Uh with allowance for minor budget and
program adjustments, the minor budget

175
00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:20,000
adjustments, I'm assuming

176
00:12:20,680 --> 00:12:25,960
So, the cap is not to exceed 950, right?
So,

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00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:36,120
are we If it exceeds 950, does that put
the town at Mhm. on the hook for the

178
00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:39,839
No, so the budget won't exceed $950,000.
We're currently phasing and scoping the

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00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:42,839
project to ensure it will not exceed
$950,000.

180
00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,120
Okay.
Okay.

181
00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:52,040
So, this application is for design of
the full project and

182
00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:55,760
if the construction of everything can
fit within this, we'll budget for that.

183
00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:58,800
Uh it may end up being a two-phase
project depending on what budget comes

184
00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:02,400
As everybody knows, these things have
gotten a lot more expensive the last

185
00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:04,600
five Mhm.
>> Um

186
00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:08,160
but we will make sure that the
construction part of it is budgeted with

187
00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:13,040
a contingency so that it doesn't go
over. And if it is phased, we can try to

188
00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:16,200
make the phases organized in such a way
that you're not going to be biting off

189
00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:19,560
more than you can chew with each grant
for it.

190
00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:23,000
Okay, and then the
And I guess the last question

191
00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,679
All right.
>> [laughter]

192
00:13:28,680 --> 00:13:36,120
» Are we This is not a reimbursement type
grant, correct? No. Okay.

193
00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:36,120
Okay.

194
00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:40,760
Thank you.
All right.

195
00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:43,800
Ralph, you got anything?
No. All right. All right. Jim has asked

196
00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:48,240
my question.
All right.

197
00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:51,960
All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye.
All right.

198
00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:54,120
Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank
you.

199
00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:06,720
All right. Minutes.
So, we got to do these

200
00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:09,600
uh
two different

201
00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:14,839
groups.
So, I'll entertain a motion to approve

202
00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:20,360
the minutes of 219
2026 and 33 2026 executive session. So

203
00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:23,680
moved.
I'll second that. Um

204
00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:27,200
Ralph, you weren't here for those.
Correct.

205
00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:33,320
Any discussion?
No. All in favor? Aye. Aye.

206
00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:38,520
I will entertain a motion for the
regular meeting and executive session

207
00:14:34,959 --> 00:14:40,680
meeting of 310 2026. So moved.
Second.

208
00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:43,360
All right.
Any discussion?

209
00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:49,480
All in favor? Aye. Aye.
All right.

210
00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:59,320
I will entertain a motion to approve
payroll warrant number 19 for

211
00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:59,320
$355,192.42,

212
00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:04,620
school warrant number 1076 for
$126,131.43, [clears throat]

213
00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:12,360
the fire highway warrant for
[clears throat] 1077 for $115,779.25,

214
00:15:13,959 --> 00:15:19,920
debt and interest warrant number 1078
for $6,364,800,

215
00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:26,000
general fund warrant number 1079 for
$165,951.65,

216
00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:36,320
wastewater treatment plant upgrade
number 1080 for $211,670

217
00:15:32,959 --> 00:15:40,920
and general fund postage uh
1081 for $1,038.06.

218
00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:45,480
So moved.
Second. Motion's been made and seconded.

219
00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:45,480
Any discussion?

220
00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,760
All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye.

221
00:15:50,415 --> 00:15:53,200
» [clears throat]
>> All right.

222
00:15:53,760 --> 00:16:00,200
Uh
we don't have financial items.

223
00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:03,000
Uh old business.
Um

224
00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:05,800
Mr. Tripp, [clears throat]
you want to give us a rundown on your

225
00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:10,400
notes here?
The line of old business, is that how it

226
00:16:07,839 --> 00:16:13,720
works? That's how it used to work.
Well, yeah. Okay.

227
00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:22,480
You guys got my letter or our letter
from the

228
00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:28,120
Uh if you want to read it.
Go ahead. If I could.

229
00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:28,120
Oh, we did read it, yeah.

230
00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:33,280
I would.
So, you know I don't type things out, so

231
00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:37,040
I'll read it.
Uh

232
00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:39,920
we had a a meeting
the North Brookfield Memorial Park

233
00:16:38,959 --> 00:16:43,920
Committee was formed
uh with myself, Ernie Rhymes, and

234
00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:47,160
Jessica Foulds.
And

235
00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:50,280
we We organized the board that first
night at the open meeting that at the

236
00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:55,240
senior center.
And we wrote this

237
00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:59,400
I'll read the shorter version first.
Uh under the auspices of the Board of

238
00:16:56,839 --> 00:17:03,360
Selectmen, this committee was formed
as the North Brookfield Memorial Park

239
00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:07,839
Committee. Our first thing on our list
is to name the park in the center of

240
00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:11,720
town North Brookfield Memorial Park.
We are here to do just that. The Board

241
00:17:09,679 --> 00:17:18,800
of Selectmen can officially name the
park with our recommendation to do so.

242
00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:22,120
At the meeting that we did discuss
uh a month and a half two months ago,

243
00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:26,800
uh
you guys wanted

244
00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:29,640
wanted a committee to
to help name the park, so that's what we

245
00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:33,400
did.
Um and I know Mr. Colburn was here. Uh

246
00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:37,720
he said that
you guys could officially name

247
00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:42,760
the park the Memorial Park. So, that's
that's the first final of the letter um

248
00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:42,760
of the meeting.

249
00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:47,640
Uh the second one is a little bit
longer.

250
00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:52,120
It's kind of our mission statement
that we came up with. In the early

251
00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:56,400
1900s, the property described as 180
North Main Street became town property.

252
00:17:54,840 --> 00:18:00,160
And since then, it was a nice place to
sit on

253
00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:04,560
a few benches or sit on the ground to
reflect on the downtown area. Years

254
00:18:02,679 --> 00:18:08,880
past, the downtown stayed the same for
the most part.

255
00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:12,280
In 2019, a new electronic sign board was
installed and the electric and

256
00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:16,800
electricity was brought to a new panel
board for distribution.

257
00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:20,960
In early 2020, as a member of the Select
Board, I was given the opportunity to

258
00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:25,120
rebuild the park area.
After many hours of working with friends

259
00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:28,120
and volunteers, plans and drawings were
made.

260
00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:33,520
I became the leader of a great number of
volunteers with unique talents and their

261
00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:37,960
own sets of skills.
We began the work

262
00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:39,440
on the renovation. Donations were coming
in rapidly and many

263
00:18:39,407 --> 00:18:43,360
» [clears throat]
>> hours of manual labor from the

264
00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:47,760
volunteers. Almost all the park was
created with donations. Some tractor

265
00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:51,560
work and truck haulings of dirt and
materials was done by our highway

266
00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:56,400
department as we do.
Uh the park was created in about eight

267
00:18:53,679 --> 00:18:59,440
months. The memorial table and benches
were purchased by members of families

268
00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:02,679
and locals.
The North Brookfield Memorial Park

269
00:19:00,919 --> 00:19:06,240
Committee intends to protect and
maintain the park and build it as

270
00:19:04,953 --> 00:19:09,360
[clears throat] a memorial park.
It

271
00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:14,600
It is now the centerpiece for travelers
to gaze upon as they come to the park.

272
00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:19,240
For the first two years, the park and
its name, the flower beds, walkways, and

273
00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:23,800
lawn were funded and maintained with
donations of volunteers

274
00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:27,360
and volunteers performed the work. As
the committee, we would ask the Board of

275
00:19:25,679 --> 00:19:30,880
Selectmen to come up with some town
funds, a line item in the budget for

276
00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:35,360
this
for this year and years to come. We can

277
00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:39,679
get volunteers to do the work. Thank
you, the North Brookfield Memorial Park

278
00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:39,679
Committee.

279
00:19:40,120 --> 00:19:46,080
So, in a nutshell,
we're going to take care of the park

280
00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:50,480
with volunteers.
Uh I have equipment I can mow

281
00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:54,960
and I can get people to
uh

282
00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:59,640
plant, maintain the flowers, uh
and walkways

283
00:19:56,600 --> 00:20:03,520
and whatnot and like I said
My wife and I have pretty much funded it

284
00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:07,240
for the most part. We did have a lot of
people donate flowers

285
00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:12,480
and
Mr. Allen donated the bark mulch for the

286
00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:15,080
park two years in a row.
So that was a good

287
00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:23,680
But that's kind of it. We're going to
start shortly here for tomorrow snowing.

288
00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:26,884
We'll get started on the flowers and
what not.

289
00:20:24,864 --> 00:20:26,884
» [clears throat]

290
00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:32,720
» So it's up to you guys if you would
formally name the park. I don't know if

291
00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:37,800
you're ready to do so or if there's
paperwork that has to be done.

292
00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:41,280
Put it to a vote and Do either of you
see a problem with that?

293
00:20:39,120 --> 00:20:46,000
No. No. All right. Just I have a
question. Go ahead.

294
00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:51,120
For a North Brookfield Memorial Park, do
you foresee

295
00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:56,480
monuments or plaques to famous North
Brookfield residents from years past

296
00:20:54,120 --> 00:21:00,800
or anything like that? Just myself.
We're going to put a bronze statue in

297
00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:04,960
front of you. Yeah.
I'd like to wait for you to discuss it.

298
00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:08,749
No, there's nothing there.
It's it's pretty much full now. I mean

299
00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:11,840
you could put a couple more benches.
[clears throat] You have to put

300
00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:17,280
papers, you know, something.
But what I like to do

301
00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:21,360
after it's formally named the memorial
Excuse me. The memorial park, I'd like

302
00:21:19,360 --> 00:21:24,880
to put plaques
and with plaques made

303
00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:28,520
we have two plaques on on one side of
the bricks where the sign is.

304
00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:35,160
I'd like to make put a plaque in that
says it's the memorial park with a date

305
00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:39,960
that it was
actually built.

306
00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:39,960
» So who do who do we memorialize?

307
00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:46,740
It's it's a memorial park. The people
that built it,

308
00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:48,760
donated to it, bought the
>> [snorts]

309
00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:56,160
» benches and picnic tables, Christmas
tree. Tara Hayes donated the Christmas

310
00:21:54,040 --> 00:22:02,520
tree and then my other person her son
who passed away years ago.

311
00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:02,520
So it it is memorializing

312
00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:09,880
Gosh, probably 30
maybe people

313
00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:13,320
and their families.
If you want to do something there, we

314
00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:17,120
could put something
with a plaque with your name on it. In

315
00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:20,480
memory In memory of Ralph K and his
family.

316
00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:23,800
Perhaps K. Well, I don't know.
You know.

317
00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:26,560
So did did he answer your question? I
guess.

318
00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:30,880
There won't be a bronze statue of me.
I'm sorry.

319
00:22:28,120 --> 00:22:36,280
Just that fits on I just seems that
we should be memorializing more than

320
00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:41,520
a couple of local
I mean current people if if it's going

321
00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:46,160
to be a memorial park in my mind.
The idea is to recognize You're welcome

322
00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:51,120
to donate a plaque with somebody's name
on it in memorial of them.

323
00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:54,560
That's basically what it was.
It is a You don't need to be

324
00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:57,000
a plaque.

325
00:22:57,480 --> 00:22:59,500
» [snorts]

326
00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:05,480
» All right.
Is there a motion?

327
00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:13,880
I will make a motion to
um

328
00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:17,320
Is there
Is there any type of a of vetting

329
00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:21,320
process to
memorializing anybody that or is it just

330
00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:25,400
anybody that
donates uh something with their name on

331
00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:29,000
it?
I I I think I think I'm I think I'm

332
00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:32,800
going to get to that after we get to
this part cuz I I There's there's a

333
00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:35,360
piece of this that I I think we need to
cover, too.

334
00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:37,720
But it has nothing to do with the name.
I think

335
00:23:39,401 --> 00:23:43,760
» [clears throat]
>> I will make a motion to

336
00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:53,760
name the
Do you know the address of that?

337
00:23:48,679 --> 00:23:57,840
It was 188 on the green. 188 North Main?
Yes. Yes.

338
00:23:55,000 --> 00:24:06,480
I will make a motion to name the site on
188 North Main Street, North Brookfield

339
00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:06,480
as the North Brookfield Memorial Park.

340
00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:11,520
All right. Discussion.

341
00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:16,720
All right.
All in favor?

342
00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:19,280
Aye. Aye.
All right.

343
00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:21,560
Do you have a I do have a question and I
think that

344
00:24:20,360 --> 00:24:25,240
So
there there's kind of two parts of this.

345
00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:28,360
Um
And [snorts] I I I've looked around a

346
00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:34,400
little bit,
but I I haven't found any records where

347
00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:37,240
the town accepted the benches as a
donation.

348
00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:47,240
Um and I find that that is a common
element to these like

349
00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:54,000
like along the rail trail.
And you know As we were building it, I

350
00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:59,000
asked for donations.
And we selectmen afterwards,

351
00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:02,360
I would take two minutes that I would at
least get from you guys. Yeah. And I

352
00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:06,560
would
thank the people for donating their

353
00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:11,920
whatever they donated.
It should be in all the minutes. You can

354
00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:16,720
watch the movies. So those benches were
were accepted in the selectmen's

355
00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:21,000
meetings afterwards.
But they didn't have formal acceptance.

356
00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:22,560
Well, I don't know what you're talking
about.

357
00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:25,640
I'm
I'm not trying to give you a hard time.

358
00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:31,600
I just want to make sure we dot the i's
and cross the t's.

359
00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:36,920
Any anything that's donated to the town
needs to be we the board needs to vote

360
00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:44,080
to accept the donation. Right?
And the piece of that is is that it it

361
00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:48,080
it now makes that bench town property.
Right? It makes the bench town property,

362
00:25:45,679 --> 00:25:52,120
makes the plaque plaques town property.
Um

363
00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:57,320
and you know, any research that I did,
that's that's a kind of a core element

364
00:25:54,720 --> 00:26:01,760
of the plaques and the benches.
Um and like I said, I didn't see any

365
00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:05,760
record of officially accepting those
those donations.

366
00:26:03,360 --> 00:26:09,400
And I guess my point is if we hadn't
officially accepted donations, it's

367
00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:11,679
probably something we need to take care
of.

368
00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:18,520
Is that
Sure. Okay. And so, you know, I I know

369
00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:23,040
you've got I've seen your records and I
you know, you've got records for pretty

370
00:26:20,679 --> 00:26:27,083
much anybody and everybody that has
donated bench or plaque. And I guess I

371
00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:29,600
would just ask could we
>> [snorts]

372
00:26:27,360 --> 00:26:34,760
» could the committee provide us with a
list of that? And we can just get it

373
00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:39,560
done officially in one fell swoop. And
then going forward, I think the

374
00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:44,113
that answers the question as far as how
it's vetted is that process of accepting

375
00:26:42,120 --> 00:26:46,760
that donation. Right? If somebody wants
[clears throat and cough] to add

376
00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:50,440
something.
Right? The board would accept that

377
00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:54,280
donation
um to put it on the park to to accept it

378
00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:58,520
as town property and and place it in the
park.

379
00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:58,520
Is that

380
00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:04,640
That's that seem reasonable?
>> We weren't that formal when we when I

381
00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:08,160
was on the board.
Follow that process. We took what people

382
00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:10,560
gave us and
and I when I

383
00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:14,000
Yes.
Sure. I'll give you whatever paperwork I

384
00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:16,320
don't I'm not I'm not again, I'm not
trying to give you guys a hard time. I

385
00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:19,679
just want to make it official. I just
want to make sure it's done right and

386
00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:23,520
and and that was
that was definitely one thing when I

387
00:27:21,360 --> 00:27:26,920
looked around as to you know, how these
things are handled.

388
00:27:25,120 --> 00:27:30,280
Um and you know, and they had policies
where

389
00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:33,640
you know, the donation would be accepted
and then they basically had kind of a

390
00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:38,160
timeline and say, okay, look if it's a
bench, what's the average lifespan of a

391
00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:42,320
bench? Right? Because eventually you're
going to get to the point where you

392
00:27:40,679 --> 00:27:46,040
know, the stuff the donation [snorts] is
degraded and kind of falling apart and

393
00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:50,160
at that you know, at that point what do
you do with it? Right? What's the

394
00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:53,679
process of dealing with it? Because you
can't you know, something is falling

395
00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:56,840
apart, you can't be locked to keeping it
there

396
00:27:54,880 --> 00:28:00,320
forever. There has to be some kind of
recourse or some kind of way to kind of

397
00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:03,400
address it.
Um

398
00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:09,320
But anyway, so I would I I guess I would
I would ask if the committee could maybe

399
00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:14,560
uh give a list so we can again accept
the donations and maybe some kind of

400
00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:18,960
loose policy as to okay, you know,
the donations taken and here's how we

401
00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:21,600
evaluate the donations, you know, if
it's

402
00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:24,480
if it's something that's falling apart
and needs repaired, okay, we can repair

403
00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:28,919
it, but if it's something that's not
repairable,

404
00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:31,560
right? Some way of kind of addressing
that

405
00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:34,919
concern.
Good.

406
00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:34,919
Good. Okay.

407
00:28:36,919 --> 00:28:43,280
Should we be
approving it before it's

408
00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:48,040
actually done? In other words, I guess
I'm thinking out loud.

409
00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:53,679
We're going to memorialize anybody who
comes forward with a donation and want

410
00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:59,200
to donate a bench in honor of
somebody.

411
00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:59,200
And we find out that that somebody

412
00:28:59,960 --> 00:29:04,320
maybe shouldn't be memorialized for
whatever reason. Are we going to be

413
00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:09,080
doing that?
What? I'm just asking the question.

414
00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:12,240
» much full unless there's more benches
and

415
00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:16,000
you know, any donations now would be for
flowers or maintenance

416
00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:20,660
or
bark mulch or adds to the blocks. The

417
00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,200
benches that are there
>> [clears throat]

418
00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:26,640
» from Frog
down in

419
00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:29,520
It was Arkansas and they said forever
benches.

420
00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:32,360
I'm not going to live forever, but
hopefully [clears throat]

421
00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:36,200
when forever comes,
they'll be there. They're made of

422
00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:39,080
recycled materials
and they're

423
00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:45,159
set on there forever. But I can give you
all that paperwork from them.

424
00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:49,080
They were made in the USA.
All right.

425
00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:55,680
Yeah. I have a question on that.
Sure. Sure. in his statement he asked

426
00:29:52,440 --> 00:30:00,440
about a budget and if he's looking for
2027,

427
00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:04,680
he's asking you guys someone needs to do
something because the finance committee

428
00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:08,160
is currently looking at the budget and
making cuts. So, there'll need to be a

429
00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:11,720
formal
request put in soon.

430
00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:15,360
Thank you.

431
00:30:16,990 --> 00:30:19,880
» [clears throat]
>> I just had a question about donations.

432
00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:24,160
Those would have to go into a gift
account, correct? If they're financial

433
00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:30,000
donations, do we have a gift account for
a park? I'll have to set up a separate

434
00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:35,080
one because it's in with another one and
it just doesn't work that way.

435
00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:35,080
» I just wanted to make sure.

436
00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:44,200
All right. Is is is there There should
still be a

437
00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:47,040
I don't know how Sheila had it set up,
but a park donation fund for the only

438
00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:49,960
park.
>> Right. There's about $75 in there right

439
00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:55,040
now.
>> Yep. So, is that still active if

440
00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:59,400
somebody wants to donate to that? Yeah,
but it like they said, when you if you

441
00:30:57,160 --> 00:31:03,200
got a list of donations, you'd have to
bring it forth to them and then turn it

442
00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:07,000
over to the little you know, the little
park. I'm going to make it separate I'm

443
00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:12,960
going to make a little park gift account
so that it's not intervened with the

444
00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:17,440
selectmen gift that it was. Okay. So,
that it will be specific to that. And

445
00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:22,880
after this it will be the memorial park.
Well, yeah. I don't get that technical

446
00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:22,880
in Okay.

447
00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,240
Faith on the appointment.

448
00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:33,800
May I be allowed to ask a question?
Is there any legality for changing it to

449
00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:36,520
a memorial park than a regular park or
just a name?

450
00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:41,200
I don't think so.
Just the name. Okay.

451
00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:48,520
Anything else?
You good?

452
00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:55,000
Naming it's one thing, classifying it
makes it I did see a lot of

453
00:31:51,440 --> 00:32:01,080
as far as like cemeteries
I I think here we're we're naming it.

454
00:31:57,400 --> 00:32:01,080
That's That's That's a simple

455
00:32:01,792 --> 00:32:06,920
» [clears throat]
>> So, do you guys have to accept these two

456
00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:10,240
things
both

457
00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:10,240
or is that

458
00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:16,560
Um
well, we named the park. Yeah. Um so,

459
00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:20,480
this mission statement, is that more
like minutes from your meeting or is it

460
00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:23,560
It's like a history.
No, it's That's It's two separate

461
00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:28,640
things.
Looks like I'm It's more of a

462
00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:30,640
what the park was about. All right. How
it was made and what it was about.

463
00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:32,720
Right.
I will entertain a motion to

464
00:32:31,922 --> 00:32:38,080
[clears throat]
accept um

465
00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:41,240
the mission statement and
um

466
00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:44,480
report [clears throat] from
the

467
00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:49,880
um memorial park committee.
So moved.

468
00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:49,880
Second. Discussion?

469
00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:56,600
All in favor? Aye. Aye.
All right.

470
00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:58,560
Did you vote on naming it also? Yeah, we
did that.

471
00:32:57,040 --> 00:33:03,800
» that already. That was a long long time
ago.

472
00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:08,160
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
All right.

473
00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:08,160
New business.

474
00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:12,040
Uh we have highway here.
Um

475
00:33:11,877 --> 00:33:17,800
» [snorts]
>> we have Justin Stearns looking to be

476
00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:23,840
uh hired by the highway department.
Uh I will entertain a motion to

477
00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:29,000
hire Justin Stearns for the driver labor
position. So moved.

478
00:33:25,679 --> 00:33:32,440
Second. All right. Discussion?
Hi, Justin. Yes, sir.

479
00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:38,960
All right.
So, what makes you want to do that?

480
00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:43,120
Looking to be closer to home and
>> [clears throat]

481
00:33:41,679 --> 00:33:45,800
» providing community
service to the community.

482
00:33:45,283 --> 00:33:48,400
» [snorts]
>> All right.

483
00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:53,440
And uh
Randy recommends hiring you, so

484
00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:57,240
you got any questions?
No.

485
00:33:55,000 --> 00:34:00,880
Okay. All right.
Uh

486
00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:04,800
What licenses do you have?
I'm getting my

487
00:34:02,968 --> 00:34:10,800
» [laughter]
>> reapplied my hoisting license and my CDL

488
00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:14,480
will be within the next 6 to 9 months.
Okay.

489
00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:17,120
All right.
Uh

490
00:34:15,359 --> 00:34:21,879
You want to just tell us a little bit
about yourself real quick?

491
00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:25,640
Uh Justin Stearns, coming from
family of butchers, Mike Stearns Custom

492
00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:29,960
Meats and Towing.
I'm a

493
00:34:26,679 --> 00:34:32,919
jack of all trades, master of very few.
Uh

494
00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:36,320
There's not much I won't
attempt to do.

495
00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:39,240
Uh
You [snorts] ask me I'll be there and

496
00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:41,560
I'll try my best.
That's all I can

497
00:34:40,399 --> 00:34:45,040
give you.
All right.

498
00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:49,399
Thank you very much.
All right. Motion is made and seconded.

499
00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:53,520
All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye.
All right. Welcome aboard. Thanks, Mr.

500
00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:59,480
All right.
We have

501
00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:03,240
Pamela Ducas. Yes.
All right.

502
00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:06,600
So, Pamela Ducas is applying for the
collector clerk position. She's been

503
00:35:04,720 --> 00:35:09,359
recommended by Kim Bett.
Uh

504
00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:14,520
Can you tell us a little bit about
yourself? Sure. I was born and raised in

505
00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:19,560
this town. Um
my family moved to East Brookfield in

506
00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:25,240
the early '80s and then I moved back
when I remarried 2 years ago.

507
00:35:22,359 --> 00:35:30,160
So, I'm back in North Brookfield and in
the meantime I've held a variety of

508
00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:34,560
different office jobs and I've worked
with some very

509
00:35:31,720 --> 00:35:39,560
confidential type um information that
I've had to keep so and stressful

510
00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:45,080
situations and
um so forth. So, I think I'd be able to

511
00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:48,080
help him in the office.
Help him get caught up and then help

512
00:35:46,720 --> 00:35:50,400
things go smoothly [snorts] going
forward.

513
00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:56,800
All right.
I will entertain a motion to appoint

514
00:35:53,560 --> 00:36:00,840
Pamela Ducas as the collector clerk.
So moved.

515
00:35:57,960 --> 00:36:02,960
Second. Discussion? I'm familiar with
Pam.

516
00:36:02,834 --> 00:36:06,640
» [clears throat]
>> She

517
00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:12,760
at when she says under stress, she works
under stress. She does She did a great

518
00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:12,760
job. She'll do awesome here.

519
00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:15,560
Okay. All right.

520
00:36:15,935 --> 00:36:22,040
» [clears throat]
>> All in favor? Aye. Aye.

521
00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:24,320
Welcome aboard. Thank you very much.
All right.

522
00:36:25,359 --> 00:36:30,440
We have a couple donations.
Uh

523
00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:35,680
All right.

524
00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:42,480
Let's you speak, right? All right. What
do you got? Uh

525
00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:48,560
North Brookfield Ambulance Service is
donating uh

526
00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:52,960
an AED to the town in hopes that it
will go into the fire department in case

527
00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:57,320
Daniel's out of town and they'll have a
working AED on

528
00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:57,320
additional fire trucks.

529
00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:03,800
All right. Hopefully the highway never
has to use it.

530
00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:06,320
Okay. Now, I'll entertain a motion to
accept

531
00:37:05,240 --> 00:37:12,359
the
um AED donations from emergency uh

532
00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:15,320
emergency medical services.
So moved. Second.

533
00:37:14,160 --> 00:37:18,680
All right.
Discussion?

534
00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:22,359
I'm going to
Yeah, I know.

535
00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:26,280
We don't want
All in favor?

536
00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:31,120
Aye. Aye. Aye. Thanks, Pete. Yeah.
Definitely thank you, Pete.

537
00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:35,359
All right.
The next thing we have is a donation

538
00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:38,800
from the North Brookfield Railroad
Corporation

539
00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:41,840
to
the town of North Brookfield.

540
00:37:40,720 --> 00:37:46,400
The
Kubota tractor that the railroad

541
00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:50,960
corporation has, they're donating it to
the town.

542
00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:53,800
Um I will entertain a motion to accept
that donation.

543
00:37:52,240 --> 00:37:57,240
So moved.
All right.

544
00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:57,240
Discussion?

545
00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:03,680
No.
Aye.

546
00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:07,120
All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye.
All right.

547
00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:13,400
Uh
next thing, water commissioners.

548
00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:16,600
We have their rules and regulations
proposals.

549
00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:20,800
Uh Ralph, do you want to read the first
one?

550
00:38:18,359 --> 00:38:20,800
Please.

551
00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:27,680
Read it in here? Yeah.
This? No.

552
00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:32,720
Just this?
You want to know what's in the

553
00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:36,720
where the letter is.
Oh.

554
00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:39,760
Sorry. That's okay.
And that's what it says. Yep, and then

555
00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:42,480
one in the back.
Okay. Sorry about that.

556
00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:46,640
» No problem. Rules and regulations
proposal. This proposal is to amend

557
00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:51,120
certain rules and regulations as
described below and to take effect

558
00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:55,480
immediately following proper approval.
If this proposal is accepted and

559
00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:58,720
approved approved, the next course of
action would be to amend the fee

560
00:38:56,880 --> 00:39:03,720
schedule of the North Brookfield Water
Department Rules and Regulations

561
00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:10,640
to include the fee of $70 for cross
connection {slash} backflow inspections

562
00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:14,440
and the fee of $50 for final water sewer
reads.

563
00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:19,120
Respectfully, Tim Mason, chairman Board
of Water Commissioners.

564
00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:23,800
Okay. Thank you, Ralph.
I'll read the next one.

565
00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:26,760
This proposal is to amend
certain rules and regulations as

566
00:39:25,240 --> 00:39:30,480
described below and to take effect
immediately following proper approval.

567
00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:34,080
If this proposal is accepted and
approved, the next course of action

568
00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:38,000
would be to amend chapter nine, water
billing information number one for the

569
00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:41,359
North Brookfield Water Department Rules
and Regulations to read as follows.

570
00:39:40,952 --> 00:39:45,880
» [clears throat]
>> Number one, water bills be issued

571
00:39:43,720 --> 00:39:48,480
quarterly based on the previous 3 months
water usage.

572
00:39:48,157 --> 00:39:55,040
» [clears throat]
>> And that replaces the bi-annual

573
00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:55,040
language.

574
00:39:55,080 --> 00:40:00,160
I'll entertain a motion to accept the
bylaw changes for the water department.

575
00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:02,760
So moved.
Second.

576
00:40:01,120 --> 00:40:05,760
Any discussion? Yeah, do we know what
the

577
00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:12,880
Are they charging now for
cross-connection and backflow

578
00:40:11,080 --> 00:40:17,520
inspection?
Yes.

579
00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:20,400
Yeah. Do we know what that fee is?
Sheila, do you know off the top of your

580
00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:24,240
head?
Yes, but I can't think of it. It's um

581
00:40:23,527 --> 00:40:28,320
» [laughter]
>> like $80 I believe.

582
00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:32,098
Okay, so they went up they went up 10
bucks. 10 bucks. Okay.

583
00:40:30,078 --> 00:40:32,098
» [clears throat]

584
00:40:38,040 --> 00:40:43,480
» All right, we made a motion and seconded
it, right? Yes. All right, all in favor?

585
00:40:41,600 --> 00:40:46,040
Aye. Aye.
All right.

586
00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:52,600
We have one more thing
uh to read here.

587
00:40:50,920 --> 00:40:56,200
We have a resignation
um

588
00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:58,760
from Thomas Bessette.
Uh it says, "Dear Board of Selectmen,

589
00:40:57,560 --> 00:41:02,720
please accept this letter as my
resignation as a member of the Board of

590
00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:06,920
Engineers and interim Deputy Chief
North Brookfield Fire Department

591
00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:09,280
effective April 1st, 2026.
For the last 19 [clears throat] years,

592
00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:12,960
the North Brookfield Fire Department has
played an important role in my life.

593
00:41:11,520 --> 00:41:16,440
The training and skills I developed as a
member laid the foundation for my career

594
00:41:14,720 --> 00:41:19,760
and I genuinely
believe I would not be where I am now

595
00:41:18,200 --> 00:41:23,440
without this department. I wish to
express my appreciation to the Select

596
00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:26,080
Board for granting me the opportunity to
contribute to the department's

597
00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:29,560
leadership during the recent period of
transition. I would also like to extend

598
00:41:28,160 --> 00:41:33,560
my gratitude to the members of the North
Brookfield Fire Department for their

599
00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:37,080
ongoing support throughout the years.
The professionalism and commitment to

600
00:41:35,040 --> 00:41:41,480
community service consistently
demonstrated by this dedicated team

601
00:41:38,840 --> 00:41:44,720
distinguish them among all among call
departments in the region.

602
00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:48,440
As I transition from my position with
the North Brookfield Fire Department, I

603
00:41:46,120 --> 00:41:51,760
remain committed to supporting the town
and the remaining Board of Engineers in

604
00:41:49,920 --> 00:41:55,720
any way that may be beneficial.
Sincerely, Thomas A. Bessette."

605
00:41:55,883 --> 00:42:01,160
» [clears throat]
>> I will entertain a motion to accept uh

606
00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:04,280
Tom Bessette's resignation. So moved.
Second.

607
00:42:02,200 --> 00:42:10,280
All right, discussion?
I wish him the best on his

608
00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:13,120
new career. New career.
All right,

609
00:42:11,160 --> 00:42:19,040
all in favor? Thanking for his service.
Yeah.

610
00:42:14,680 --> 00:42:25,040
All in favor? Aye. Aye. Thank you, Tom.
All right, next we have a

611
00:42:23,040 --> 00:42:29,640
Chapter 90
funds and highway operations

612
00:42:27,560 --> 00:42:33,160
um
discussion and uh

613
00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:37,480
PowerPoint, right?
Yes, sir. Keeps me on point. All right,

614
00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:39,440
I'm going to get out of the way then.
Since you're going to do it on the

615
00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:42,160
screen.
The big screen.

616
00:42:55,640 --> 00:42:59,920
Wake up.
We're trying, I'm trying.

617
00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:02,400
I think

618
00:43:03,040 --> 00:43:06,000
It's on. It's coming.

619
00:43:18,120 --> 00:43:23,640
That's why he's the chief.
Yeah.

620
00:43:21,400 --> 00:43:29,600
Yeah, because my the technology glowing
technological advancements here. Uh we

621
00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:29,600
learned to use it too long.

622
00:43:33,160 --> 00:43:39,080
No big deal.
I don't know what you did, but it was up

623
00:43:36,240 --> 00:43:42,040
there before. Yeah, it just uh sometimes
it goes to sleep.

624
00:43:43,960 --> 00:43:45,980
» [snorts]

625
00:44:04,000 --> 00:44:06,680
» You can see it now.

626
00:44:14,560 --> 00:44:17,240
Is it okay with that?

627
00:44:18,960 --> 00:44:21,280
We have

628
00:44:26,080 --> 00:44:29,640
We're on camera. I know, that's it.

629
00:44:30,080 --> 00:44:34,880
You look good.
Damn, you looking good.

630
00:44:35,000 --> 00:44:37,440
Looking good.

631
00:44:54,320 --> 00:44:57,960
There you go. What's that all about?

632
00:44:59,760 --> 00:45:02,480
There we go.

633
00:45:05,181 --> 00:45:07,201
» [snorts]

634
00:45:15,840 --> 00:45:19,240
» Thank you, sir. Mhm. All right.

635
00:45:19,640 --> 00:45:28,840
So um Chapter 90 is tends to be a
subject that gets talked about a lot and

636
00:45:25,880 --> 00:45:32,040
I can say from my own experience
that

637
00:45:30,240 --> 00:45:34,840
um
I didn't really have an understanding of

638
00:45:33,240 --> 00:45:38,880
how it worked.
Um and it's some of it still

639
00:45:37,800 --> 00:45:44,000
well
I'm going to say I'm anywhere near

640
00:45:41,480 --> 00:45:48,520
Kim's level of expertise, but I've
learned a few things and I kind of

641
00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:51,880
wanted to take it
I kind of wanted to take a little bit of

642
00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:59,160
time tonight to talk about it because
it's you know, for our community Chapter

643
00:45:54,280 --> 00:46:04,320
90 Chapter 90 is is huge.
The thing that people need to keep in

644
00:46:00,520 --> 00:46:11,840
mind is that our budgets
for town departments, highway department

645
00:46:07,480 --> 00:46:17,120
does not include any money towards
paving.

646
00:46:13,960 --> 00:46:21,840
We we don't have money for paving as
part of our

647
00:46:18,720 --> 00:46:26,280
as part of our property taxes.
Um

648
00:46:23,400 --> 00:46:29,000
the budget for highway is an operational
budget.

649
00:46:27,640 --> 00:46:35,160
So
for us Chapter 90 is is a lifeline to

650
00:46:32,120 --> 00:46:38,840
keep our our roads and infrastructure um
going.

651
00:46:36,880 --> 00:46:43,320
Um and
you know, the thing that

652
00:46:41,280 --> 00:46:49,040
people you know, it it it's important to
understand how it works.

653
00:46:46,560 --> 00:46:49,040
Um

654
00:46:49,400 --> 00:46:53,359
Chapter 90
and I'm going to I'm going to I'm going

655
00:46:52,560 --> 00:46:56,880
to
it runs kind of like a grant.

656
00:46:55,760 --> 00:47:00,280
And I'm I'm going to look at you,
Sheila, and you can bat me upside the

657
00:46:58,320 --> 00:47:02,640
head if I go too far off the res
reservation here.

658
00:47:02,427 --> 00:47:07,400
» [clears throat]
>> Um the state [snorts]

659
00:47:04,800 --> 00:47:10,760
doesn't just hand us money. That's not
the way it works. The state makes a

660
00:47:09,200 --> 00:47:14,720
determination
as to how much money they'll allocate to

661
00:47:13,640 --> 00:47:19,120
us.
And that money is based on I'm going to

662
00:47:16,960 --> 00:47:23,120
need your help, Kim, a little bit. Miles
of roads, Yes.

663
00:47:21,200 --> 00:47:26,840
uh population, Mhm.
and employment.

664
00:47:24,760 --> 00:47:29,840
Yes. Okay. So, [snorts] those three
variables kind of factor into this

665
00:47:28,640 --> 00:47:34,080
equation
as to how much money is made available

666
00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:38,800
to us. Correct.
Um you know, and and and and there's

667
00:47:36,880 --> 00:47:44,400
some additional funds, you know, there
is the fair share um program that was

668
00:47:42,600 --> 00:47:48,840
legislation that was passed in what,
2022, 2023?

669
00:47:46,800 --> 00:47:52,520
And we've we've seen a little bit of
money from that. A little bit of extra

670
00:47:50,520 --> 00:47:56,960
money. A little bit of extra money.
Um but by and large, it's that Chapter

671
00:47:54,400 --> 00:47:59,880
90 um allocation that really kind of
gets us by.

672
00:47:58,280 --> 00:48:06,480
And
so what Chapter 90 what Chapter 90 money

673
00:48:03,240 --> 00:48:11,000
is for is for our road infrastructure.
We can use that money directly for

674
00:48:08,520 --> 00:48:17,080
paving, road work. We can use that money
for engineering

675
00:48:13,600 --> 00:48:21,160
of road sidewalks. We can use that money
for equipment

676
00:48:19,240 --> 00:48:24,880
to help maintain our roads and
infrastructure.

677
00:48:22,600 --> 00:48:29,080
And we've certainly used it for all of
that.

678
00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:34,480
Um and
you know, the the the the the process

679
00:48:32,600 --> 00:48:40,400
and I took this directly from the from
MassDOT uh

680
00:48:37,760 --> 00:48:44,280
um section on the internet for this is
basically

681
00:48:41,920 --> 00:48:48,840
we submit a project request and we're
putting together basically a scope, an

682
00:48:46,880 --> 00:48:54,840
estimate, you know, an environmental
punch list and that's that is is has

683
00:48:51,560 --> 00:48:59,320
been Kim's kind of
mission through this and she's done a

684
00:48:56,480 --> 00:49:05,960
darn good job with that. So, she puts a
package together and and submits it.

685
00:49:03,880 --> 00:49:10,040
Um
we identify procurement and

686
00:49:08,000 --> 00:49:15,520
prequalification requirements, putting
stuff putting the projects out to bid.

687
00:49:12,960 --> 00:49:20,840
Um you know, basically getting how many?
Three? At least three? Three lowest

688
00:49:17,680 --> 00:49:26,760
bidders. Three lowest bidders um
and you know, we

689
00:49:23,359 --> 00:49:31,600
submit that to the prequal office.
Um

690
00:49:27,920 --> 00:49:34,640
and based on that, they decide, "Okay."
They'll They give us the go ahead.

691
00:49:33,240 --> 00:49:39,880
They'll approve it.
Um so, once we get the scope and the

692
00:49:36,560 --> 00:49:44,960
work approved, then the work starts.
Um and

693
00:49:42,280 --> 00:49:48,640
you know, contractors,
engineers, what have you.

694
00:49:47,480 --> 00:49:53,520
Um
and when the work is

695
00:49:51,400 --> 00:49:59,480
done,
well, as the work is going,

696
00:49:55,840 --> 00:50:05,000
the contractors turn their invoices in.
The town uses its its own funds

697
00:50:02,400 --> 00:50:10,680
to pay the invoices
and we get reimbursed.

698
00:50:07,720 --> 00:50:16,840
So, as you can imagine,
the state has some oversight of this and

699
00:50:14,400 --> 00:50:20,360
has
they approve it.

700
00:50:18,600 --> 00:50:24,880
So, they approve it they approve the
scope, they approve the who you're going

701
00:50:22,760 --> 00:50:29,560
with, they approve the project, they say
go ahead, we do the work, we get the

702
00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:35,040
invoices,
we pay the invoices and then we submit

703
00:50:32,200 --> 00:50:38,080
for reimbursement.
Okay? And at that point, I'm sure

704
00:50:36,480 --> 00:50:41,480
there's some kind of approval process
that says, "Yep, you did it right,

705
00:50:39,440 --> 00:50:45,680
you're good. We pay you."
Um

706
00:50:42,760 --> 00:50:49,640
and the town the town's a
illustrious accountant

707
00:50:47,920 --> 00:50:54,760
works her magic
um to make sure that we free up funds to

708
00:50:52,440 --> 00:50:58,800
cover these invoices until we get
reimbursed.

709
00:50:56,320 --> 00:51:03,560
Um but the thing to keep in mind is that
this is not again, this is not just

710
00:51:00,960 --> 00:51:08,320
money that we're handed.
You know, this is very much like a grant

711
00:51:05,840 --> 00:51:11,880
process where where there's oversight
over what we do with the money from

712
00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:16,560
beginning to end.
It's not some check that, you know,

713
00:51:14,240 --> 00:51:20,600
Uncle Sam writes us and we squirrel it
away somewhere or we have the freedom to

714
00:51:18,480 --> 00:51:23,680
do whatever we want. There are strict
controls on this money.

715
00:51:22,680 --> 00:51:26,320
Okay?
Um

716
00:51:25,280 --> 00:51:30,640
So,
with that,

717
00:51:28,200 --> 00:51:35,560
what's it cost to do a road?
Now, I've sat down with Randy, our

718
00:51:32,600 --> 00:51:41,120
highway superintendent, and and Kim and
we have looked at our most recent work

719
00:51:38,760 --> 00:51:45,120
that we've done in 2025
and we've come up with some pretty good

720
00:51:43,400 --> 00:51:49,880
estimates.
Um reclamation per mile and that I'm

721
00:51:48,120 --> 00:51:54,200
going to use your your wording, Randy,
is is essentially

722
00:51:51,640 --> 00:52:00,600
they come in and rototill the the old
pavement up, use it as a base,

723
00:51:58,280 --> 00:52:07,160
and put a base coat over.
And that process is $33,000

724
00:52:03,840 --> 00:52:14,280
approximately per mile. Okay?
Now, paving is a two-step process.

725
00:52:11,280 --> 00:52:17,800
The first, there is a base coat of 2 in
of asphalt.

726
00:52:15,880 --> 00:52:22,280
That goes down and that is a more coarse
mix.

727
00:52:19,720 --> 00:52:26,920
Um and that coarse mix goes down and you
have to wait a certain amount of time, 1

728
00:52:25,080 --> 00:52:31,120
year at least,
um before you need to come back and do a

729
00:52:29,120 --> 00:52:34,280
top coat.
You got to correct me if I go off.

730
00:52:33,280 --> 00:52:37,440
Okay.
Okay.

731
00:52:36,120 --> 00:52:43,520
So,
so we go in, we pave it, and you know,

732
00:52:40,840 --> 00:52:47,760
it's a rough coat. Well, you know, in
order for that pavement to last, we have

733
00:52:46,120 --> 00:52:53,400
to come back
and do a top coat. So, that base coat

734
00:52:50,160 --> 00:52:58,440
costs us on average about $107,000
per mile is is what the bids that we've

735
00:52:56,560 --> 00:53:01,760
previously last year that we were we
were uh

736
00:52:59,680 --> 00:53:05,800
we were awarded.
The top coat is about an inch and a half

737
00:53:03,760 --> 00:53:11,280
of asphalt. That is a finer finer
asphalt and that's about $87,000.

738
00:53:09,000 --> 00:53:14,880
Okay? So,
you know, the thing to keep in mind

739
00:53:17,240 --> 00:53:24,120
is if you're replacing
an older road,

740
00:53:21,960 --> 00:53:24,120
oops.

741
00:53:33,640 --> 00:53:41,960
Comes about $227,000
per mile.

742
00:53:39,200 --> 00:53:46,680
Okay? Now, that's excluding any kind of
drainage work that needs to be done,

743
00:53:44,440 --> 00:53:51,520
anything kind of funky.
Um and then keep in mind that, you know,

744
00:53:48,520 --> 00:53:56,640
North Brookfield absolutely I I wouldn't
even call it

745
00:53:53,000 --> 00:54:01,040
I can't call it an aging infrastructure.
I can't even call it really a crumbled

746
00:53:59,080 --> 00:54:06,080
infra- crumbling infrastructure. A lot
of it is just crumbled. There's there's

747
00:54:04,000 --> 00:54:12,560
not much left
So, you know, when you

748
00:54:09,359 --> 00:54:16,160
bear that in mind, the $227,000,
you know, I would I would I would argue

749
00:54:14,600 --> 00:54:23,080
that by the time you get going, you're
probably upwards about $250,000

750
00:54:19,160 --> 00:54:29,960
a mile just to use round numbers. Okay?
So, if we

751
00:54:26,560 --> 00:54:37,320
we accept that as $250,000
a mile.

752
00:54:32,080 --> 00:54:38,560
Okay? There are 82 miles 82 miles? 84 84
miles

753
00:54:38,312 --> 00:54:42,680
» [snorts]
>> in North Brookfield.

754
00:54:40,280 --> 00:54:47,080
Okay? Now, I've seen estimates on how
long

755
00:54:44,120 --> 00:54:52,760
a paved road should last.
And I've seen estimates for New England

756
00:54:49,000 --> 00:54:56,880
between 15 and 25 years.
Would you agree with that?

757
00:54:54,440 --> 00:55:02,040
Mr. Superintendent?
I don't think they last that long. Okay.

758
00:54:59,800 --> 00:55:05,320
Sake of argument, let's say they last 20
years.

759
00:55:03,760 --> 00:55:08,640
Just
humor me.

760
00:55:07,280 --> 00:55:11,200
Okay.
So,

761
00:55:12,080 --> 00:55:19,240
Kim, on average the last couple years,
we've gotten

762
00:55:16,240 --> 00:55:19,240
$520,

763
00:55:19,359 --> 00:55:22,359
$520,000

764
00:55:22,440 --> 00:55:30,080
in Chapter 90 money a year.
Okay?

765
00:55:26,920 --> 00:55:35,080
So, and keep in mind, you know, I'm
excluding

766
00:55:32,680 --> 00:55:40,520
I'm excluding um
engineering that we've paid with Chapter

767
00:55:38,040 --> 00:55:44,880
90 money for um
for like the sidewalk projects um here

768
00:55:43,600 --> 00:55:49,960
in town,
um money that we've paid in the past to

769
00:55:47,200 --> 00:55:55,000
buy equipment. I'm just talking if we
just use this money strictly for roads.

770
00:55:53,640 --> 00:56:00,120
Okay?
You know, at 500

771
00:55:58,080 --> 00:56:03,000
say we say
It's 2 miles.

772
00:56:03,600 --> 00:56:12,080
2 miles? Mhm. Yeah. Right. So, if we
have

773
00:56:08,120 --> 00:56:12,080
84 miles of road,

774
00:56:14,560 --> 00:56:17,359
40 years.

775
00:56:17,640 --> 00:56:24,800
Okay?
So, rough numbers,

776
00:56:22,080 --> 00:56:29,040
what does that equal?
Unpaved roads.

777
00:56:26,600 --> 00:56:34,720
Unhappiness.
No one in North Brookfield will ever be

778
00:56:32,720 --> 00:56:37,920
happy
with our road system.

779
00:56:38,600 --> 00:56:45,640
It doesn't it it it doesn't, you know,
we can have our opinions,

780
00:56:44,000 --> 00:56:48,760
but the numbers
spell it out.

781
00:56:49,080 --> 00:57:00,160
40 years.
Now, keeping in mind,

782
00:56:56,000 --> 00:57:07,359
we get grants for major improvements.
Be it bridges, be it downtown,

783
00:57:03,840 --> 00:57:12,840
things that North Brookfield does need.
And a lot of times, we don't have that

784
00:57:09,760 --> 00:57:17,880
extra money in our budget or free cash
or anywhere. Okay? And we are we are we

785
00:57:16,040 --> 00:57:24,080
are kind of stuck with going to that
Chapter 90 money and using that to to

786
00:57:20,960 --> 00:57:26,600
get those engineering charges paid.
So,

787
00:57:26,640 --> 00:57:29,680
you know, it it

788
00:57:31,280 --> 00:57:37,640
you know, I I think I I heard a wise
woman say we have champagne taste with a

789
00:57:36,080 --> 00:57:40,640
beer budget.
And I I I

790
00:57:41,359 --> 00:57:48,720
here we are.
So, we can all agree

791
00:57:46,240 --> 00:57:51,920
that we're never all going to have
nice new roads.

792
00:57:53,200 --> 00:57:58,240
Okay.
So, if we look at what we've done in the

793
00:57:56,400 --> 00:58:02,520
past,
I looked at the like past 5 years of

794
00:58:00,240 --> 00:58:06,000
what we what we've used night Chapter 90
money for because I think it

795
00:58:04,480 --> 00:58:10,080
we don't really talk I don't think we
talk about that enough. And I and and

796
00:58:07,800 --> 00:58:15,720
I'd like to see that change. I'd like to
see us talk about what we're getting,

797
00:58:12,840 --> 00:58:19,120
what the plan is, what we're doing.
Um so, that way it's it's it's not a

798
00:58:17,680 --> 00:58:24,000
mystery.
So, if if I run through the last 5 years

799
00:58:22,520 --> 00:58:28,760
and, you know, starting [clears throat]
in 2021,

800
00:58:25,640 --> 00:58:33,640
um we ended up doing a reclamation of
Bullard Road

801
00:58:30,240 --> 00:58:40,640
and resurfacing of North Street.
Make sense? Anybody questions?

802
00:58:37,840 --> 00:58:46,080
2022, we used some of that money for
drainage on North Street

803
00:58:42,800 --> 00:58:50,800
and we used that money for reclamation
on various streets. In 2022, Kim, do you

804
00:58:48,920 --> 00:58:56,560
have do you have an idea of what those
streets might have been?

805
00:58:52,840 --> 00:58:59,720
In 2022? Yes, ma'am. I have Town Farm
Road.

806
00:58:57,680 --> 00:59:04,760
That's the only thing that's missing
for 2022.

807
00:59:02,320 --> 00:59:04,760
Okay.

808
00:59:05,800 --> 00:59:09,840
Uh
I might have that.

809
00:59:12,080 --> 00:59:16,680
Okay, as far as the various. Right.
Okay.

810
00:59:15,080 --> 00:59:21,520
Got you.
Okay.

811
00:59:17,800 --> 00:59:25,480
2023, we did some chip sealing of roads,
which

812
00:59:22,880 --> 00:59:30,240
my understanding isn't the greatest, but
it's cheaper than certainly cheaper than

813
00:59:28,840 --> 00:59:34,080
paving.
Um and we did a reclamation of Barnes

814
00:59:32,680 --> 00:59:36,400
Road.
Okay?

815
00:59:36,440 --> 00:59:39,440
2024,

816
00:59:39,800 --> 00:59:42,600
we did nothing.

817
00:59:42,760 --> 00:59:50,280
We did nothing at all.
We did no paving, we did no reclamation.

818
00:59:50,640 --> 00:59:56,800
Not a darn thing.
Not a darn thing.

819
00:59:55,560 --> 01:00:00,640
So,
that money that was allocated to us in

820
00:59:59,120 --> 01:00:05,600
2024,
if you don't use it, it rolls over into

821
01:00:03,360 --> 01:00:09,480
the next year. Yes, Miss Kim? Yes.
>> Okay.

822
01:00:06,880 --> 01:00:13,920
So,
we make some changes.

823
01:00:11,880 --> 01:00:19,360
Yeah.
One of which is is leadership.

824
01:00:16,600 --> 01:00:24,440
And get into the next 2025
paving season.

825
01:00:21,560 --> 01:00:24,440
And

826
01:00:27,000 --> 01:00:34,560
we do a little bit more. Actually, we do
a lot more than 2024.

827
01:00:31,680 --> 01:00:39,960
We do reclamation and resurfacing the
base coat of Brickyard Road, Donavan

828
01:00:36,840 --> 01:00:44,440
Road, Fuller Hill Road, Town Farm Road
for 400 slightly over $436,000.

829
01:00:44,480 --> 01:00:51,720
We use some of that money
to help cover the complete street

830
01:00:48,720 --> 01:00:55,240
engineering charges.
We use some of that money for

831
01:00:53,120 --> 01:01:01,120
reclamation of Hines Bridge Road,
Stoddard Road, Walker Road.

832
01:00:58,560 --> 01:01:07,400
We use some of that money for doing the
top coat of Smith Hanson Road and Tucker

833
01:01:04,360 --> 01:01:12,520
Road. Which, keep in mind,
we base coated those roads in 2017.

834
01:01:12,960 --> 01:01:21,480
Right? So, I know there was talk about
why we're repaving these roads, but keep

835
01:01:18,200 --> 01:01:26,200
in mind, in 2017 we did a base coat and
then never went back.

836
01:01:23,640 --> 01:01:31,000
So, a decision had to be made. Are we
going to allow those roads to fall apart

837
01:01:29,680 --> 01:01:34,520
or we're going to do what needs to be
done and do a top coat?

838
01:01:33,440 --> 01:01:43,440
Okay?
So, we spent $242,000

839
01:01:38,880 --> 01:01:43,440
on top coating those two roads.

840
01:01:44,320 --> 01:01:50,480
Which,
you know, if if you look back

841
01:01:48,680 --> 01:01:58,360
from 2025
to 2024, to 2023, to 2022,

842
01:01:55,600 --> 01:02:04,520
to 2021.
Okay? This is what we've done in front

843
01:02:01,480 --> 01:02:09,280
of you with no opinions, with no
talking, with no herded on the street.

844
01:02:09,640 --> 01:02:17,200
This.
Okay? This is what the state approved

845
01:02:14,200 --> 01:02:21,840
for work. This is the work we did. And
this is the work that we submitted for

846
01:02:18,880 --> 01:02:21,840
reimbursement.

847
01:02:22,480 --> 01:02:25,040
Okay?

848
01:02:25,320 --> 01:02:30,628
Thank you, Mr. Barnes.
Thank you, Kim.

849
01:02:28,608 --> 01:02:30,628
» [applause]

850
01:02:30,880 --> 01:02:36,800
» Thank you.
Now, I'm going to go back

851
01:02:38,200 --> 01:02:44,440
to what we talked about a little
earlier.

852
01:02:41,160 --> 01:02:44,440
At $524,000

853
01:02:45,360 --> 01:02:53,400
in state funds a year
with 84 miles of road,

854
01:02:50,200 --> 01:02:57,480
with nothing at all in our yearly
budgets to pay for paving,

855
01:02:58,240 --> 01:03:06,800
our roads will never
never look like Boston. Never look like

856
01:03:04,240 --> 01:03:10,880
a suburb of Boston.
They will continue to crumble.

857
01:03:12,000 --> 01:03:16,320
This is a reality that we have to face

858
01:03:17,520 --> 01:03:23,760
unless the state is going to do
something different.

859
01:03:21,440 --> 01:03:28,280
Now, the fair share
in 2024,

860
01:03:25,560 --> 01:03:32,080
we got an extra $191,000.
And that's thanks to the millionaires.

861
01:03:32,720 --> 01:03:39,520
But that's not a guaranteed thing.
That 191 was a one-off.

862
01:03:38,693 --> 01:03:47,520
» [snorts]
>> So, you know, again,

863
01:03:43,480 --> 01:03:47,520
North Brookfield is a poor town.

864
01:03:47,880 --> 01:03:55,880
We do what we can with what we have.
We're a farming community, old farming

865
01:03:53,000 --> 01:04:01,674
community. That's how it's worked. And
that's how it continues to work.

866
01:03:59,654 --> 01:04:01,674
» [clears throat]

867
01:04:01,680 --> 01:04:04,200
» Thank you.

868
01:04:04,680 --> 01:04:08,520
All right.
Any questions?

869
01:04:10,040 --> 01:04:13,240
Okay, well, that was easy.

870
01:04:17,339 --> 01:04:21,000
» [clears throat]
>> All right.

871
01:04:19,840 --> 01:04:24,120
Okay.
Public comment period.

872
01:04:25,600 --> 01:04:28,720
Oh, right.

873
01:04:31,094 --> 01:04:35,280
» [clears throat]
>> All right.

874
01:04:32,800 --> 01:04:35,280
So,

875
01:04:43,600 --> 01:04:48,760
Eric,
do you want to explain it?

876
01:04:47,560 --> 01:04:53,720
Um,
in front of you guys is a letter of

877
01:04:50,560 --> 01:04:56,440
support that I drafted uh, on behalf of
the Board of Selectmen

878
01:04:55,400 --> 01:05:01,160
um,
to uh,

879
01:04:58,080 --> 01:05:05,560
get the approval to go ahead and reapply
for federal grant money, um, to

880
01:05:03,480 --> 01:05:09,480
rehabilitate the secondary clarifiers
down at the wastewater treatment plant.

881
01:05:08,000 --> 01:05:13,000
Um,
we applied last year uh,

882
01:05:12,040 --> 01:05:17,359
through what they call the
congressionally direct spending. So,

883
01:05:14,640 --> 01:05:22,000
it's just a program that directs federal
funds, um, under certain accounts. So,

884
01:05:20,320 --> 01:05:26,880
last year we applied under under the
USDA rural development, um, and we were

885
01:05:25,400 --> 01:05:30,640
not approved. So, we're looking to take
another crack at it this year and we're

886
01:05:28,960 --> 01:05:36,400
going to apply under a different account
this time. Now, which is called the EPA

887
01:05:33,400 --> 01:05:40,960
state and tribal assistance grant. Um,
so we're hoping this one's a little more

888
01:05:38,200 --> 01:05:44,960
directed towards drinking water and
wastewater infrastructure projects.

889
01:05:43,560 --> 01:05:48,600
So, we're really hoping that we have
some good luck with this.

890
01:05:46,720 --> 01:05:54,359
Um,
there is a 20% local cost local cost

891
01:05:52,320 --> 01:05:58,480
share for this project, which we've
already discussed. That's no different

892
01:05:56,080 --> 01:06:00,920
than what we applied for last year.
Um,

893
01:06:01,485 --> 01:06:04,920
» [clears throat and cough]
>> yeah, so there is like I said, there's a

894
01:06:02,960 --> 01:06:09,600
letter there of support. I just need a
signature if you guys approve it.

895
01:06:07,320 --> 01:06:13,480
Um, and that's part of that's one of the
requirements for the application.

896
01:06:13,640 --> 01:06:16,240
And that

897
01:06:21,920 --> 01:06:26,520
Okay. And and what are we seeing

898
01:06:26,720 --> 01:06:29,359
the value?

899
01:06:30,200 --> 01:06:35,359
So,
I truthfully haven't gone out and asked

900
01:06:33,760 --> 01:06:39,720
for quotes. It's it's kind of it's kind
of a big job to do.

901
01:06:37,800 --> 01:06:43,560
Uh, but we did we did that last year and
they were like they came in at 1.5 to 2

902
01:06:42,160 --> 01:06:47,800
million.
Um, that certainly could have gone up

903
01:06:45,440 --> 01:06:52,280
with the with the inflation, but
within that, Jamie, there was like that

904
01:06:49,920 --> 01:06:56,960
was a total rehabilitation, replacing
the the the main drives, like all the

905
01:06:54,880 --> 01:07:01,520
moving mechanisms, and then structural
and concrete rehabilitation.

906
01:06:59,880 --> 01:07:07,200
Um,
typically with these grants, they

907
01:07:04,640 --> 01:07:11,320
from what I understand, they you you
apply for a high value and you typically

908
01:07:09,600 --> 01:07:14,760
get knocked down. So, if we apply for
two, we might get

909
01:07:12,960 --> 01:07:19,600
it seems like 1 million seems to be the
average. Um, so even with that, we can

910
01:07:17,560 --> 01:07:24,160
still replace the the
mechanical portion of it. That's really

911
01:07:21,520 --> 01:07:29,160
what's falling apart. Um, we can live
with deteriorated

912
01:07:26,440 --> 01:07:32,960
concrete, but you can't live without the
mechanical portion of it. So, I mean, we

913
01:07:31,400 --> 01:07:38,200
can have a discussion down the line
where if they do approve um,

914
01:07:35,840 --> 01:07:43,000
a million, do we want to
and and I don't even know

915
01:07:41,560 --> 01:07:47,359
if this is possible. I haven't discussed
this with Sheila, but can we go can we

916
01:07:45,520 --> 01:07:51,600
go out for a loan for the other 1
million portion of Um,

917
01:07:50,400 --> 01:07:55,680
but, you know, like I said, right now
I'm just trying to

918
01:07:53,359 --> 01:07:59,760
aggressively pursue any grant funding we
can because eventually we will have to

919
01:07:58,359 --> 01:08:03,520
bite the bullet if we don't have any
luck with the grant and and do

920
01:08:01,560 --> 01:08:06,880
something. Got you.
Eric, for the purposes

921
01:08:05,359 --> 01:08:10,640
for the purposes [clears throat] of
whoever may be watching, can you talk

922
01:08:08,600 --> 01:08:13,142
about the clarifiers and how important
this is? Sure.

923
01:08:12,320 --> 01:08:16,000
So,
>> [clears throat]

924
01:08:13,240 --> 01:08:20,440
» the secondary clarifier is the circular
tanks that some of you may or may not

925
01:08:18,280 --> 01:08:25,000
have seen or be familiar with.
Um, basically, what those do is they

926
01:08:22,759 --> 01:08:30,080
reduce the velocity of the liquid as it
flows through the treatment process. Um,

927
01:08:28,120 --> 01:08:34,040
and by reducing the velocity, you allow
all the solids, which are the bacteria

928
01:08:32,120 --> 01:08:38,759
that you do the treatment, they settle
to the bottom of the clarifiers and the

929
01:08:36,600 --> 01:08:43,920
clear liquid, which is basically which
is treated at that point, uh, can flow,

930
01:08:42,160 --> 01:08:49,680
you know, over the weir and down to the
next process. So, it's really a liquid

931
01:08:46,120 --> 01:08:54,359
to solid separation process. Um,
they're very vital. It's a

932
01:08:52,040 --> 01:08:58,680
it's a very vital piece of equipment or
or component of the process. Without

933
01:08:56,680 --> 01:09:03,440
that, you you really don't have
treatment. Um, North Brookfield

934
01:09:00,957 --> 01:09:08,400
[clears throat] has a very tough permit.
So, because of that, you know, we have

935
01:09:06,080 --> 01:09:12,799
to remove things like total suspended
solids and total phosphorus, aluminum,

936
01:09:10,839 --> 01:09:17,759
copper, and zinc, which a lot of
treatment plants don't don't have to

937
01:09:14,920 --> 01:09:21,440
remove that. So, that clarifier plays a
big role in keeping those solids in the

938
01:09:19,600 --> 01:09:26,040
clarifier and and preventing them from
going out to the river because within

939
01:09:23,680 --> 01:09:30,080
those solids is all your phosphorus and
your aluminum and zinc, everything's

940
01:09:27,480 --> 01:09:34,799
bound up in those in that bacteria.
Um so, if you let's just say, you know,

941
01:09:32,600 --> 01:09:39,880
if you lose a clarifier, if the if the
drive main gear of the drive fails,

942
01:09:38,440 --> 01:09:44,920
and you you're not able to use that
clarifier, then you're looking at uh

943
01:09:43,000 --> 01:09:48,120
permit violations.
You know, that's the last thing we want

944
01:09:46,080 --> 01:09:53,040
to do, given that the town spent all
this money and was very proactive.

945
01:09:50,520 --> 01:09:56,280
Um you just don't want to
you know, be back in a position where

946
01:09:54,360 --> 01:09:58,960
you have the EPA,
you know, down your throat. And and they

947
01:09:58,120 --> 01:10:02,840
they're relentless. [clears throat] They
really don't care what the town's

948
01:10:00,760 --> 01:10:07,160
financial situation is.
Um

949
01:10:04,280 --> 01:10:11,240
you know, they they they just they will
come at us pretty hard. So, you know,

950
01:10:09,200 --> 01:10:13,920
the clarifiers are very important piece
of the process.

951
01:10:12,880 --> 01:10:17,400
Thank you.
Thank you, Eric.

952
01:10:16,283 --> 01:10:22,000
» [clears throat]
>> All right.

953
01:10:19,600 --> 01:10:26,280
I will entertain a motion to sign a
letter

954
01:10:23,120 --> 01:10:29,080
from us to the senator
um [clears throat]

955
01:10:27,440 --> 01:10:31,000
Senator Warren.
Uh this one's actually going to Ed

956
01:10:30,520 --> 01:10:36,080
Markey.
>> Ed Markey. Senator Markey. All right.

957
01:10:33,680 --> 01:10:41,920
So, I will entertain a motion to send
the this letter from us to Senator

958
01:10:38,920 --> 01:10:45,920
Markey asking for um
the acceptance of the grant for the

959
01:10:44,040 --> 01:10:49,240
clarifiers. Some
Second. Discussion?

960
01:10:51,600 --> 01:10:58,320
All right. All in favor? I. I. I. I need
I need to fix something. Sorry.

961
01:10:56,960 --> 01:10:59,920
Thank you.
Thank you.

962
01:10:58,880 --> 01:11:02,640
» Thank you.
Um

963
01:11:00,920 --> 01:11:08,600
in my previous discussion, I get so
wrapped up in talking about Chapter 90.

964
01:11:06,040 --> 01:11:11,280
You know, it's it's easy to forget
the people.

965
01:11:11,960 --> 01:11:18,720
Randy Morgan, highway superintendent.
>> I am part of that. Yeah, I I know you

966
01:11:17,120 --> 01:11:22,000
are.
Highway Superintendent Randy Morgan,

967
01:11:20,760 --> 01:11:26,760
thank you.
And the lady who holds it all together,

968
01:11:24,480 --> 01:11:31,880
Kim Corbin.
And takes all the irate messages, swears

969
01:11:30,440 --> 01:11:34,480
and all.
Thank you.

970
01:11:36,920 --> 01:11:42,920
All right.
Now we can do public comment period.

971
01:11:46,200 --> 01:11:53,560
Brendan.
You know, I I like to have a little fun

972
01:11:50,680 --> 01:11:59,680
with numbers myself sometimes, so I was
looking at this uh

973
01:11:56,240 --> 01:12:03,800
road situation, and if people really
wanted

974
01:12:01,720 --> 01:12:08,280
good roads,
I figure it costs $2 million a year over

975
01:12:06,720 --> 01:12:14,080
10 years,
and $2 million a year on the tax base

976
01:12:11,400 --> 01:12:17,640
would be about $1,000 on the average
person's

977
01:12:15,600 --> 01:12:21,360
tax bill. So,
just so people will have that in mind,

978
01:12:20,440 --> 01:12:25,840
you know,
like

979
01:12:22,280 --> 01:12:30,040
that, you know, we're on a tight budget.
You can only do so much.

980
01:12:28,200 --> 01:12:33,280
People really want it,
and they're going to have to go out and

981
01:12:32,360 --> 01:12:39,760
vote it.
But I can't see uh

982
01:12:36,320 --> 01:12:39,760
town taking on that kind of burden.

983
01:12:41,000 --> 01:12:47,840
Anybody else? Matt. Uh one thing I heard
another town around here does, and this

984
01:12:45,640 --> 01:12:53,680
may alleviate some of the
calling and yelling at a secretary um

985
01:12:52,000 --> 01:12:57,960
working at the highway department.
And I know we're revamping the website

986
01:12:55,400 --> 01:13:00,920
right now. Has there been any thought to
adding like a portion there where you

987
01:12:59,800 --> 01:13:04,480
can
notify the town of a pothole or of

988
01:13:03,720 --> 01:13:08,720
something. So, it's right on the
website, maybe it goes to her office,

989
01:13:06,800 --> 01:13:11,400
and you know, then they she can reach
out, rather than someone complaining

990
01:13:09,960 --> 01:13:16,400
about not getting
through or whatever. I mean, electronic

991
01:13:13,560 --> 01:13:16,400
nowadays.

992
01:13:16,880 --> 01:13:21,840
I don't know. We are in the process of
updating the I I forget what town around

993
01:13:20,600 --> 01:13:24,520
here said. I heard it some one of the
other towns does it, and it seems to

994
01:13:23,520 --> 01:13:27,800
help.
You know, so where you can identify

995
01:13:25,800 --> 01:13:32,200
where the issue is. You know, like I
know the thing on Facebook recently,

996
01:13:29,720 --> 01:13:35,160
there was a gentleman up on that really
dirt road. I would have never even

997
01:13:33,480 --> 01:13:39,280
bought a house up that way.
But that's a There was a reason I mean,

998
01:13:36,960 --> 01:13:42,920
the house was probably
my guess is the person got a good deal

999
01:13:41,560 --> 01:13:45,120
on that house because of the road it's
on.

1000
01:13:43,720 --> 01:13:47,800
Um but
things like that, he could have just

1001
01:13:46,320 --> 01:13:50,760
went online,
said, "Hey, I have a complaint about the

1002
01:13:49,280 --> 01:13:55,800
my road washing away." Rather than
putting it on Facebook, making it this

1003
01:13:52,880 --> 01:13:58,600
thing that turns into, you know,
something bigger than it really is.

1004
01:13:57,400 --> 01:14:03,840
Yeah, a lot of fairness to that
gentleman. He he he that he didn't start

1005
01:14:01,520 --> 01:14:07,720
on Facebook, but I hear you. But having
the the the thing, I guess

1006
01:14:08,760 --> 01:14:14,600
people aren't always the best with their
opinions.

1007
01:14:12,520 --> 01:14:19,480
And I'll say with personal I I I didn't
know it until I actually started kind of

1008
01:14:17,080 --> 01:14:22,480
jumping in with these guys, you know,
driving the plow truck, and driving the

1009
01:14:20,960 --> 01:14:27,000
sidewalk machine. The thing to keep in
mind is

1010
01:14:23,800 --> 01:14:31,160
every damn time I've been out on one of
those machines, I've had somebody

1011
01:14:28,800 --> 01:14:34,360
yelling, screaming, and swearing at me.
Okay?

1012
01:14:32,360 --> 01:14:38,480
The last time I was on that sidewalk
machine,

1013
01:14:35,600 --> 01:14:42,920
I had to call the officer on duty
because I literally somebody having a

1014
01:14:39,920 --> 01:14:46,360
meltdown on me.
Yeah, so I

1015
01:14:44,960 --> 01:14:49,880
Yeah. Yeah, I mean, there's obviously
much bigger issues, but that's But there

1016
01:14:47,640 --> 01:14:53,480
is there is, but I like the idea because
it wasn't all that too not long ago

1017
01:14:51,760 --> 01:14:56,960
where Kim had somebody come in, and you
know, a guy coming in screaming and

1018
01:14:55,400 --> 01:15:01,440
swearing at him.
Yeah.

1019
01:14:58,520 --> 01:15:01,440
A lot of school buses Right.

1020
01:15:04,600 --> 01:15:12,400
All right. Thank you. Thank you, Matt.
Eric, I have a question for Randy. So,

1021
01:15:10,560 --> 01:15:15,240
so let's [snorts] say
uh

1022
01:15:13,320 --> 01:15:18,080
from Hannaford's back, I'm not sure if
that's East Brookfield or Gilbertville.

1023
01:15:16,520 --> 01:15:21,720
I I don't know kind of
crosses somewhere near there. But

1024
01:15:19,400 --> 01:15:24,840
because that's a Route 67, a state road,
by understanding it, are we not allowed

1025
01:15:23,880 --> 01:15:28,680
to
uh

1026
01:15:25,560 --> 01:15:33,640
include that in Chapter 90?
Gilbertville? Yes. That's our street.

1027
01:15:31,080 --> 01:15:36,680
It's not a state road. It's not 67 goes
towards West Brookfield.

1028
01:15:35,520 --> 01:15:39,240
Okay.
So, we own all the way to East

1029
01:15:38,280 --> 01:15:44,960
Brookfield.
Everybody mistakes it and calls East

1030
01:15:41,160 --> 01:15:49,680
Brookfield Road 67. Yeah.
I thought I thought

1031
01:15:47,560 --> 01:15:52,680
So, take that a step further, that is in
our sights right now.

1032
01:15:55,760 --> 01:15:59,840
So, on that note,
>> [clears throat]

1033
01:15:57,960 --> 01:16:03,280
» being that we are an agricultural
community,

1034
01:16:01,760 --> 01:16:08,040
can the town
essentially repossess

1035
01:16:05,200 --> 01:16:11,440
a road such as say Conant Road?
There's a lot of farms on it.

1036
01:16:11,480 --> 01:16:17,800
It is a
essentially a dirt road. There's no need

1037
01:16:15,160 --> 01:16:22,000
to pave that road. And then any other
agricultural roads that are say Conant

1038
01:16:19,800 --> 01:16:26,560
Roads to cut down on our
aging for miles of

1039
01:16:25,160 --> 01:16:31,520
paved road,
if you will, from the Chapter 90, to

1040
01:16:28,400 --> 01:16:36,360
maybe boost it. The 84 miles is every
road in town. There's Well, exactly.

1041
01:16:33,560 --> 01:16:36,360
What I'm saying, you know,

1042
01:16:39,480 --> 01:16:45,000
you know, something like that to
help boost our numbers towards

1043
01:16:43,560 --> 01:16:50,200
Yeah, as far as the community having
Yeah, well, the thing is is, you know,

1044
01:16:46,960 --> 01:16:54,800
and you know, it's it's much easier. We
have a grader,

1045
01:16:51,800 --> 01:17:02,320
right? The dirt road is is, you know, we
can regrade it, which we do.

1046
01:16:58,400 --> 01:17:06,120
Mr. Morgan's been doing it twice a year.
Um

1047
01:17:04,040 --> 01:17:08,840
but you can't do that with a with a
paved road that's falling apart. So, I I

1048
01:17:08,040 --> 01:17:12,760
yeah.
I I think I I think Randy's kind of

1049
01:17:11,360 --> 01:17:16,520
trying [clears throat] to manage along
those lines.

1050
01:17:14,680 --> 01:17:19,160
But good point.
Good point.

1051
01:17:18,280 --> 01:17:21,920
All right.
Anybody else?

1052
01:17:22,120 --> 01:17:27,440
All right.
Um announcements.

1053
01:17:27,480 --> 01:17:33,560
The 2026 town elections are scheduled
for May 4th,

1054
01:17:31,520 --> 01:17:36,960
2026. The following have returned their
papers for election.

1055
01:17:35,200 --> 01:17:41,800
Uh Board of Selectmen, one seat, Pete
Orsi and John Tripp. Water Commissioner,

1056
01:17:39,480 --> 01:17:46,480
one seat, Richard Cannon and James
Arkizy. Water Commissioner

1057
01:17:44,520 --> 01:17:49,440
to fill vacancy for two-year term,
Donald Gillette.

1058
01:17:47,880 --> 01:17:52,168
Board of Assessors, Brandon Avery for
three-year term. Board of Health, Ethan

1059
01:17:51,440 --> 01:17:55,560
Milad,
>> [snorts]

1060
01:17:52,880 --> 01:18:00,920
» uh candidate for re-election.
Uh Cemetery Commissioner,

1061
01:17:58,640 --> 01:18:05,760
Kirk Burnham, candidate for re-election.
Library Trustee, two seats. Uh Carol

1062
01:18:03,560 --> 01:18:09,320
Kelly is a candidate for re-election.
Planning Board, five-year term, Karen

1063
01:18:07,440 --> 01:18:14,440
Hubback. Planning Board, four-year term
to fill vacancy, Sadie Kylie. Housing

1064
01:18:12,080 --> 01:18:18,240
Authority, one seat, Darlene Lavin,
candidate for re-election. And Southern

1065
01:18:16,800 --> 01:18:22,840
Worcester County Regional Vocational
District, one seat, Donald Gillette,

1066
01:18:20,000 --> 01:18:25,680
candidate for re-election.
The [clears throat] Senior Center will

1067
01:18:23,800 --> 01:18:29,719
host an Easter luncheon on Wednesday,
April 1st at 12:00 p.m.

1068
01:18:27,719 --> 01:18:34,719
Uh please call the center at
508-867-0220

1069
01:18:31,960 --> 01:18:39,840
for the full menu and to reserve a seat.
And a reminder that dog licenses expire

1070
01:18:37,360 --> 01:18:43,640
on April 1st.
All right. Pending any future agenda

1071
01:18:41,800 --> 01:18:45,880
items.
Any?

1072
01:18:46,200 --> 01:18:50,760
All right. So,
um

1073
01:18:48,840 --> 01:18:57,360
we do have to
at some point have a um

1074
01:18:53,520 --> 01:19:01,560
executive session and open up uh
the contract for the police to do the

1075
01:19:01,000 --> 01:19:07,520
uh
some language has to be reworded

1076
01:19:04,480 --> 01:19:12,280
um regarding details.
So, that will be something forthcoming.

1077
01:19:11,240 --> 01:19:14,920
So,
All right.

1078
01:19:13,640 --> 01:19:19,080
Uh
I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

1079
01:19:16,440 --> 01:19:23,480
Special town meeting on 9:07. Opposed? I
forgot about

1080
01:19:20,640 --> 01:19:23,480
Oh.

1081
01:19:24,880 --> 01:19:28,510
» Put that in the meeting minutes.
[laughter]

1082
01:19:29,680 --> 01:19:36,240
All right.
So, special town meeting.

1083
01:19:33,960 --> 01:19:39,680
Date, time?
What?

1084
01:19:37,600 --> 01:19:44,160
I'll just go back.
Friday,

1085
01:19:41,000 --> 01:19:48,520
April 17th at 6:00 p.m. at the North
Brookfield Elementary School.

1086
01:19:46,120 --> 01:19:50,880
All right. Friday, April 17th, 6:00 p.m.
at the elementary school.

1087
01:19:50,240 --> 01:19:54,240
Are you on here?
>> Thanks, Mary Beth.

1088
01:19:52,840 --> 01:19:55,880
All right. I will entertain a motion to
adjourn.

1089
01:19:54,640 --> 01:19:58,920
» So moved.
Second. All in favor?

1090
01:19:57,200 --> 01:20:01,400
» Aye. Aye. Thank you, everybody. Have a
good night.