1
00:00:09,519 --> 00:00:11,679
That's it.

2
00:00:11,679 --> 00:00:14,719
Good evening. 6:30 p.m. August 24th,

3
00:00:14,719 --> 00:00:17,279
2026. I call the select board regular

4
00:00:17,279 --> 00:00:19,199
meeting to order. If you are able,

5
00:00:19,199 --> 00:00:26,550
please join stand for the pledge.

6
00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,359
I pledge algiance to the flag of the

7
00:00:29,359 --> 00:00:31,760
United States of America and to the

8
00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:34,960
republic for which it stands. One nation

9
00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,079
under God, indivisible, with liberty and

10
00:00:38,079 --> 00:00:45,750
justice for all.

11
00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:48,079
» Thank you.

12
00:00:48,079 --> 00:00:49,840
As a reminder, this meeting is being

13
00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:52,960
broadcast live on TCTV cable station 8

14
00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,520
and on YouTube web platform. A recording

15
00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,079
will be available on TCTV YouTube

16
00:00:58,079 --> 00:00:59,920
channel at the conclusion of this

17
00:00:59,920 --> 00:01:01,840
meeting. Is anyone else recording the

18
00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,400
meeting?

19
00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:06,400
And at this time, would uh anyone please

20
00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,280
silence your phones?

21
00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,280
Public participation will be limited to

22
00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:13,280
citizen input, a maximum of three

23
00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:15,280
minutes per person with a time limit of

24
00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,000
21 minutes so as to be fair to all. The

25
00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:19,840
board does not enter into discussion,

26
00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:21,920
debate, or dialogue within individuals

27
00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,159
during citizen input. This meeting is

28
00:01:24,159 --> 00:01:26,320
governed by the open Massachusetts open

29
00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:31,590
meeting law and the select board policy.

30
00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,759
At this time, I would uh

31
00:01:35,759 --> 00:01:39,280
inform the board uh another unpleasant

32
00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,000
duty uh

33
00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,119
from the librarian and uh and the senior

34
00:01:45,119 --> 00:01:50,000
center uh announced the passing of U.

35
00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,439
Irene Murray. Uh the statement from

36
00:01:53,439 --> 00:01:55,439
Jackie. It's with profound profound

37
00:01:55,439 --> 00:01:57,280
sadness and broken hearts we announce

38
00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,640
the sudden and tragic passing of Irene

39
00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,600
Kadigeski Murray age 75 Baldenville

40
00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,600
Massachusetts on August 18th 2026.

41
00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:09,920
She was uh volunteered on the council of

42
00:02:09,920 --> 00:02:11,840
aging in Templeton the Baldenville

43
00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,319
Senior Center. She was involved in her

44
00:02:14,319 --> 00:02:15,920
community at the senior center

45
00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:18,720
historical site society and the woman's

46
00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:22,080
auxiliary at Baldenville

47
00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,720
American Legion. So at this time I would

48
00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:46,390
ask for a moment of silence for Irene.

49
00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,910
Thank you.

50
00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:52,160
First item on the agenda is approval of

51
00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:57,599
meeting minutes of July 14th, July 27th,

52
00:02:57,599 --> 00:03:04,630
and August 4th, 2026.

53
00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:06,239
» At this time, I would move to approve

54
00:03:06,239 --> 00:03:08,800
the meeting minutes of July 14th, July

55
00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,720
27th, and August 4th, 2026 as presented.

56
00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:14,720
>> Second.

57
00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:17,599
>> Motion made and seconded. Any issues

58
00:03:17,599 --> 00:03:18,959
with the minutes?

59
00:03:18,959 --> 00:03:23,680
>> Yes. Um, July 27th, 2026.

60
00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:25,680
Residents name last name is spelled

61
00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,480
wrong. Richard Payne. It's spelled P A Y

62
00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:31,360
N E. It should be P A I N E.

63
00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:37,910
>> Check.

64
00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:45,670
Any other issues with minutes

65
00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:47,599
hearing? None. On the motion, how would

66
00:03:47,599 --> 00:03:48,720
you vote? Mr. May,

67
00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:50,239
>> yes.

68
00:03:50,239 --> 00:03:51,120
>> Miss Graves,

69
00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:52,720
>> yes.

70
00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:53,599
>> Mr. To?

71
00:03:53,599 --> 00:03:54,400
>> Yes.

72
00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:55,280
>> Miss Culver?

73
00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:56,080
>> Yes.

74
00:03:56,080 --> 00:04:07,990
>> Mr. Bennett is Yes.

75
00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,799
No executive session meeting minutes.

76
00:04:10,799 --> 00:04:13,680
Next item up is citizen input. Do we

77
00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:26,550
have anyone who wishes to speak? Mr.

78
00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,120
First of all, I want to say how much I

79
00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,520
love each and every one of you. I was

80
00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,000
very impressed by the August 17th

81
00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:35,919
meeting in which how you conducted

82
00:04:35,919 --> 00:04:38,160
yourselves. You were opposed in many

83
00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:39,520
ways to different things that were

84
00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:42,080
discussed, but yet by the end of the

85
00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:43,919
meeting, you came to a consensus and

86
00:04:43,919 --> 00:04:46,479
that's really good government. And

87
00:04:46,479 --> 00:04:48,479
sometimes I don't think people realize

88
00:04:48,479 --> 00:04:51,600
just how much it takes to serve and to

89
00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:55,120
get criticized. As I said in an email to

90
00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:57,280
all of you, you could get a billion

91
00:04:57,280 --> 00:05:00,080
dollar grant and somebody would complain

92
00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,720
that it wasn't $2 billion. So sometimes

93
00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:04,720
it's a thankless job. So I want to thank

94
00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,199
you guys for that. And also while I'm at

95
00:05:07,199 --> 00:05:10,800
it, the town administrator,

96
00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:12,800
you need to clone him. He's been very

97
00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,800
busy. Uh cloning is a scientific option

98
00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:18,800
that that should be explored by the

99
00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,759
town. I would I would expect some grant

100
00:05:21,759 --> 00:05:25,120
funding. Uh but in the meantime, I ask

101
00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:27,199
you all to treat him with kindness

102
00:05:27,199 --> 00:05:28,880
because this whole override thing has

103
00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:31,280
got him stressed. And on the subject of

104
00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:34,000
the override,

105
00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:35,759
I'm in favor of the override. Not

106
00:05:35,759 --> 00:05:39,600
because I like taxes. I hate taxes. When

107
00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,080
my property tax bill comes in the mail,

108
00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,360
I never like it. But what I do like is

109
00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,160
the character of Templeton and I like

110
00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:50,720
what's been done with Templeton. And I

111
00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:54,639
don't want to have the public safety

112
00:05:54,639 --> 00:05:57,759
completely degraded. I don't want to

113
00:05:57,759 --> 00:05:59,919
have the parks department, the highway

114
00:05:59,919 --> 00:06:01,680
department, the fire department

115
00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:03,680
degraded. I want to have a strong

116
00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,479
library and I want to have a town that

117
00:06:06,479 --> 00:06:10,000
property owners can call their home and

118
00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:11,759
actually be able to sell their property

119
00:06:11,759 --> 00:06:14,080
for what it's worth. I've done some

120
00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:17,600
studies and did you know that in cases

121
00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,720
where an override has failed, there was

122
00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:22,560
a specific case, it was out in actually

123
00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:26,240
in Oakland, California, property values

124
00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,039
fell 15%.

125
00:06:29,039 --> 00:06:32,639
So, for example, on the $378,000

126
00:06:32,639 --> 00:06:35,919
home that is actually quoted in in the

127
00:06:35,919 --> 00:06:38,960
figures in which people might spend I

128
00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,600
think it's $439 or something for the

129
00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,360
year.

130
00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:45,840
If the override is not approved, that

131
00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:47,520
$378,000

132
00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,759
home is likely to fall to a value of

133
00:06:49,759 --> 00:06:51,600
$328,000

134
00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,479
in five years. You would have spent a

135
00:06:54,479 --> 00:06:56,080
couple of grant grand grand on the

136
00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:57,759
override, maybe two or three because

137
00:06:57,759 --> 00:06:59,840
things go up a little bit, but you would

138
00:06:59,840 --> 00:07:01,919
have lost 50 grand if you didn't approve

139
00:07:01,919 --> 00:07:04,400
the override. So, even if you can't

140
00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:06,720
stand the subject of paying taxes, even

141
00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:08,720
if you don't like the idea, even if you

142
00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,759
have all kinds of reasons against it, I

143
00:07:11,759 --> 00:07:14,560
say vote your self-interest.

144
00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,160
Vote for the override on September 28th.

145
00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:20,240
It's the right thing to do. And by the

146
00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:21,919
way, your police and fire and all the

147
00:07:21,919 --> 00:07:23,599
other folks will thank you for it. Thank

148
00:07:23,599 --> 00:07:24,000
you.

149
00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:32,870
>> Thank you.

150
00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:39,270
» Anyone else?

151
00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:43,199
» Y Noel Waterhe Circle. So yes, I did

152
00:07:43,199 --> 00:07:45,440
write to our representatives

153
00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,880
and I did receive an answer.

154
00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:53,520
Um, you know, yes, they understand,

155
00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,319
but being a government

156
00:07:56,319 --> 00:07:58,080
agency

157
00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:02,639
takes time. Takes time. Um, and people

158
00:08:02,639 --> 00:08:04,319
have to understand that the school

159
00:08:04,319 --> 00:08:06,319
district, it's its own little town, its

160
00:08:06,319 --> 00:08:08,560
own little village, and they have their

161
00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,199
expenses and their income, and and then

162
00:08:11,199 --> 00:08:13,759
there's the town, and we have ours, but

163
00:08:13,759 --> 00:08:18,879
our income limits are limited. Um,

164
00:08:18,879 --> 00:08:22,000
you know, um, there has been progress on

165
00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,199
chapter 70, but not enough.

166
00:08:25,199 --> 00:08:26,879
Um,

167
00:08:26,879 --> 00:08:30,639
the FY27 budget provides a minimum aid

168
00:08:30,639 --> 00:08:33,760
increase of 160 per student. So, that's

169
00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:37,360
a little bit of help. Um,

170
00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:42,719
last year, Naransit received $324,000

171
00:08:42,719 --> 00:08:45,360
in rural aid.

172
00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:49,279
you know, so their income went up.

173
00:08:49,279 --> 00:08:52,160
So, it's just little things like that.

174
00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:53,839
Um,

175
00:08:53,839 --> 00:08:57,680
and our representatives have asked

176
00:08:57,680 --> 00:09:02,080
um for better rural coverage and they

177
00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:03,600
were defeated, especially on the

178
00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,360
transportation

179
00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:09,839
issue. So, we're trying.

180
00:09:09,839 --> 00:09:11,040
Thank you. Thank you.

181
00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:24,550
>> Thank you for your hard work.

182
00:09:24,560 --> 00:09:27,279
Nothing further. Next item on the agenda

183
00:09:27,279 --> 00:09:29,200
would be town administrative comments.

184
00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:31,839
>> Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. So override

185
00:09:31,839 --> 00:09:33,920
communication update. Uh we updated the

186
00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:35,760
website. It's live. Includes frequently

187
00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:37,839
asked questions, an estimate for how

188
00:09:37,839 --> 00:09:39,040
much it'll be for the average single

189
00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,000
family home tax bill. Uh there is a do

190
00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,200
calculator to get an idea uh if you want

191
00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,320
to see how much your particular home um

192
00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:51,279
uh may cost you if if an override is

193
00:09:51,279 --> 00:09:52,560
approved. So you can type in some

194
00:09:52,560 --> 00:09:54,800
information there and uh gives you some

195
00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:56,560
um information, but all these are

196
00:09:56,560 --> 00:10:00,240
estimates I should uh point out. Um

197
00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:01,920
there's also a detailed timeline and

198
00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:03,040
explanation of the override and

199
00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,279
potential cuts on the website and a

200
00:10:05,279 --> 00:10:07,839
number of budget related documents. Um,

201
00:10:07,839 --> 00:10:10,080
I also submitted uh a press release to

202
00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:11,760
the gardener news and the gardener

203
00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:14,320
magazine um which is a paired down

204
00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:17,600
version of the website explanation and a

205
00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,480
one page flyer to the light department.

206
00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,040
However, I just found out that they uh

207
00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:24,240
will not be able to send that out with

208
00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:25,760
their next bill because they also have a

209
00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:27,839
flyer going out related to their their

210
00:10:27,839 --> 00:10:30,959
new system. So, I sent it over to uh

211
00:10:30,959 --> 00:10:32,880
Chief Aldridge at the sewer department

212
00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:35,279
to see if um it could go out with those

213
00:10:35,279 --> 00:10:37,519
bills. Um,

214
00:10:37,519 --> 00:10:40,399
let me see what else. Uh, we've also

215
00:10:40,399 --> 00:10:42,399
done some social media posts. Jill's

216
00:10:42,399 --> 00:10:45,040
done multiple already. Thank you, April,

217
00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:48,000
for the graphic. Um,

218
00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,959
and so we're hoping more more posting

219
00:10:50,959 --> 00:10:53,760
comes up in more feeds. Um, and I'm

220
00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:55,360
working with staff currently to plan

221
00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:57,440
severalformational meetings. The first

222
00:10:57,440 --> 00:10:59,600
one is tomorrow night at 6 PM if people

223
00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,880
want to um, uh, come and listen and ask

224
00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:04,160
questions. Yeah.

225
00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:07,279
>> Um and there'll be more to come on that

226
00:11:07,279 --> 00:11:09,760
um on the website. And so I keep pushing

227
00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,079
people to the website so we can keep

228
00:11:12,079 --> 00:11:13,519
people updated as more information

229
00:11:13,519 --> 00:11:16,640
becomes available. Um

230
00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:18,079
we interviewed candidates for the

231
00:11:18,079 --> 00:11:20,720
assistant town clerk position. Um once

232
00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:22,640
she starts, I'll announce her name, but

233
00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:24,240
you know, for all I know, she might not

234
00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:25,760
show up the first day, so we're just

235
00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:29,279
waiting for that. Um um but we we

236
00:11:29,279 --> 00:11:32,160
interviewed uh several people. Um the

237
00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:33,839
candidate we chose has a strong human

238
00:11:33,839 --> 00:11:35,200
resources background and was really

239
00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:36,880
impressive in the interview where she

240
00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,279
demonstrated um a lot of the right

241
00:11:39,279 --> 00:11:41,519
instincts for for the position. Um her

242
00:11:41,519 --> 00:11:42,959
first day of work is Monday, August

243
00:11:42,959 --> 00:11:45,279
31st. And I want to thank Carol Harris

244
00:11:45,279 --> 00:11:47,360
and Justice Graves who are part of the

245
00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,200
interview committee and whose feedback

246
00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:51,200
was crucial in choosing what I believe

247
00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,440
to be the right candidate for the town.

248
00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:56,240
Um, and uh, tomorrow I'll be meeting

249
00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,120
with the DPS director and our staff

250
00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:02,079
person from Tyin Bond um, to receive a

251
00:12:02,079 --> 00:12:03,839
fresher on the Main Street Bridge. And

252
00:12:03,839 --> 00:12:05,440
depending on the outcome tonight of the

253
00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:07,920
later agenda item, we'll talk about next

254
00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:09,680
steps. Uh, this will give the DPF

255
00:12:09,680 --> 00:12:11,279
director a chance to get up to speed on

256
00:12:11,279 --> 00:12:14,079
this project. And that is my report for

257
00:12:14,079 --> 00:12:15,519
tonight. Thank you.

258
00:12:15,519 --> 00:12:17,920
>> Mr. Chair, can I ask James a question?

259
00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:19,760
all kind of a thing.

260
00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:22,639
>> Um on the town website, could we do

261
00:12:22,639 --> 00:12:25,279
something on how people can, you know,

262
00:12:25,279 --> 00:12:27,360
um register and then they can get the

263
00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:29,279
town um news thing,

264
00:12:29,279 --> 00:12:31,440
>> you know, um register

265
00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:34,880
>> sent to your um to your um email

266
00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:38,000
account, like when when um the executive

267
00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:41,279
assistant sends um or you update that

268
00:12:41,279 --> 00:12:44,639
line, I get it because I signed up, so I

269
00:12:44,639 --> 00:12:47,680
know. Could we do an advertisement?

270
00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:48,720
>> Advertise

271
00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,880
>> on that feature. Yes. Yes. On that

272
00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:52,800
feature because that would be helpful

273
00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:55,040
with the um override so if more people

274
00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:57,440
could sign up for that like code red

275
00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:00,399
then they can get more information. Um a

276
00:13:00,399 --> 00:13:01,920
lot of people might not know. I know it

277
00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:04,079
says to register but they might not know

278
00:13:04,079 --> 00:13:07,040
there's actually you can pick town um

279
00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:09,600
you know to get the town news. Yep.

280
00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:10,000
>> Yeah.

281
00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:11,120
>> We can advertise that.

282
00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:28,389
>> Thank you. I appreciate it.

283
00:13:28,399 --> 00:13:31,200
The next item on the agenda is a public

284
00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:35,829
hearing.

285
00:13:35,839 --> 00:13:38,160
And as this will work, I will make a

286
00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:40,160
motion and the board will vote to open

287
00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,240
the public hearing. There will be a

288
00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:44,399
presentation by the applicants or the

289
00:13:44,399 --> 00:13:48,000
sponsors. There will be uh opportunity

290
00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:51,839
for anyone in favor of it to speak uh

291
00:13:51,839 --> 00:13:54,000
give a statement. Then there will be an

292
00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:55,920
opportunity for statements or questions

293
00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,560
for anyone opposing it. And then any

294
00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:02,720
town board staff uh will have uh any

295
00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:07,440
recommendations or statement. And

296
00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,639
finally, there will be uh a time for the

297
00:14:10,639 --> 00:14:15,600
applicant to respond to any questions or make any closing statements and then

298
00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:17,279
the uh board will vote to close the

299
00:14:17,279 --> 00:14:20,240
public hearing and then debate on uh the

300
00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:24,639
subject of the public hearing. At this

301
00:14:24,639 --> 00:14:26,480
time, I move to open the public hearing

302
00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:28,560
to consider application for the transfer

303
00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,920
of the annual allcoholic on premises

304
00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:35,120
restaurant license and common Victoria

305
00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:38,079
license from A1 Family Group LLC doing

306
00:14:38,079 --> 00:14:40,800
business as Long Long Noodles to Silk

307
00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,519
Road Bites Incorporated. Long Noodles

308
00:14:43,519 --> 00:14:45,199
located at 9 Central Street,

309
00:14:45,199 --> 00:14:49,120
Baldenville, Mass 01436.

310
00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:54,949
Second

311
00:14:54,959 --> 00:14:57,519
motion made and seconded

312
00:14:57,519 --> 00:15:01,189
any discussion.

313
00:15:01,199 --> 00:15:02,800
Hearing none on the motion, how would

314
00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:03,760
you vote? Mr. May,

315
00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:04,959
>> yes.

316
00:15:04,959 --> 00:15:06,000
>> Miss Graves,

317
00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:07,199
>> yes.

318
00:15:07,199 --> 00:15:08,320
>> Mr. Toe,

319
00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:09,279
>> yes.

320
00:15:09,279 --> 00:15:10,160
>> Miss Cobber,

321
00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:10,800
>> yes.

322
00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:19,590
>> Mr. Bennett is yes.

323
00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:22,320
and public hearing is open and the

324
00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:26,720
respondents and the applicant uh via

325
00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:29,199
Zoom.

326
00:15:29,199 --> 00:15:32,079
>> Yes, good evening. Uh my name is May who

327
00:15:32,079 --> 00:15:34,639
I represent the applicant Silk Road

328
00:15:34,639 --> 00:15:38,160
Bites Inc. The proposed manager in

329
00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:43,120
England is also on Zoom uh here today.

330
00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:47,360
Um, Silk Road Bites Inc. uh will carry

331
00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:52,079
on with the San DA Long Long Noodles at

332
00:15:52,079 --> 00:15:55,199
9 Central Street, Baldenville.

333
00:15:55,199 --> 00:15:59,199
Currently at that location is operated a

334
00:15:59,199 --> 00:16:02,880
restaurant business by A1 Family Group

335
00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,880
LLC. A1 family has been there for the

336
00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:10,399
last six years and uh over the co period

337
00:16:10,399 --> 00:16:12,560
there were some difficult times but now

338
00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:16,320
they're back and running. Um Mr. Miss

339
00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,959
Inging Llin has been working at the

340
00:16:18,959 --> 00:16:21,199
restaurant for the last few months and

341
00:16:21,199 --> 00:16:24,880
she is basically being trained to uh be

342
00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:26,639
able to take over the restaurant

343
00:16:26,639 --> 00:16:29,759
operation and also get to know the

344
00:16:29,759 --> 00:16:32,880
patrons and the neighbors. and she feels

345
00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,839
really positive about Templeton and uh

346
00:16:35,839 --> 00:16:38,320
she decided and made an offer and the

347
00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:41,040
offer got accepted. So that's how we

348
00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,600
come to today. She's really looking

349
00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,560
forward to be a productive member of the

350
00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:50,720
Templeton town [snorts] and um as in far

351
00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:53,199
as far as the restaurant operation,

352
00:16:53,199 --> 00:16:55,920
there will be no changes of operation,

353
00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:59,199
no change in menu. Uh the seating is

354
00:16:59,199 --> 00:17:03,360
still maintained at 36 seats. Um in

355
00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:07,039
terms of finance uh financial uh

356
00:17:07,039 --> 00:17:09,039
resources on this particular

357
00:17:09,039 --> 00:17:13,199
transaction, the seller is uh financing

358
00:17:13,199 --> 00:17:18,480
uh a uh 80% uh seller carryback uh note

359
00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:21,520
uh in order to help Inging get going.

360
00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:26,079
and Ingllin also uh borrowed uh 30,000

361
00:17:26,079 --> 00:17:29,600
uh as a initial capital to help her uh

362
00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:33,360
put in the business. Um lastly, the

363
00:17:33,360 --> 00:17:36,400
proposed manager in England is a

364
00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:40,080
qualified green card holder and she's

365
00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,160
been in the business restaurant business

366
00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:46,240
for the last 10 years. She um she has

367
00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:50,080
recently become a uh uh Massachusetts

368
00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:52,400
resident. uh she secured a lease

369
00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:56,640
agreement for an apartment at um at uh

370
00:17:56,640 --> 00:17:59,919
Gartner and uh she's familiar with the

371
00:17:59,919 --> 00:18:02,240
rules and regulations

372
00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:07,120
um with the town um as well as the ABCC

373
00:18:07,120 --> 00:18:11,200
the state uh uh regulations on service

374
00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:15,039
of alcohol and she's also tip certified

375
00:18:15,039 --> 00:18:17,600
and we're here to answer any questions

376
00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:21,430
the board might have.

377
00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:25,200
Thank you. Is is there anyone present

378
00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:27,600
here? Uh any butters or anything to

379
00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:31,679
speak in favor of this or

380
00:18:31,679 --> 00:18:37,590
is there anyone opposed?

381
00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:45,200
Uh I only see one department here. Um did we have any

382
00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:47,919
input or any questions or anything?

383
00:18:47,919 --> 00:18:49,360
police fire or anyone like that?

384
00:18:49,360 --> 00:19:04,230
>> Nope. Not from us?

385
00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:05,919
So,

386
00:19:05,919 --> 00:19:08,000
before we close the hearing, do you have

387
00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,559
anything else to add

388
00:19:10,559 --> 00:19:14,320
from uh Attorney Hugh or the proposed

389
00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:15,919
manager?

390
00:19:15,919 --> 00:19:19,440
>> No. Oh, you're all set.

391
00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:29,990
>> Okay.

392
00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:32,080
» At this time,

393
00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:33,679
>> I would move to close the public

394
00:19:33,679 --> 00:19:35,039
hearing.

395
00:19:35,039 --> 00:19:37,760
>> So moved for a second.

396
00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:39,600
>> Motion made and seconded. Any

397
00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:42,870
discussion?

398
00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:44,720
Hearing none on the motion. How would

399
00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:46,000
you vote, Mr. May?

400
00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:47,600
>> Yes. Miss Graves,

401
00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:48,480
>> yes.

402
00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:49,440
>> Mr. Toe,

403
00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:50,240
>> yes.

404
00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:51,120
>> Miss Cover,

405
00:19:51,120 --> 00:19:52,080
>> yes.

406
00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:54,720
>> Mr. Bennett is Yes. The hearing is

407
00:19:54,720 --> 00:20:05,990
closed at 6:49.

408
00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,320
At this time, I would move to approve

409
00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:11,200
the transfer of the annual allcohol on

410
00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:13,520
premises restaurant license and common

411
00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,160
petroleum license from A1 Family Group

412
00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:18,880
LLC doing business as Long Long Noodles

413
00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:21,600
to Silk Road Bites Inc. Long Noodles

414
00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:23,679
located at 9 Central Street, Boston,

415
00:20:23,679 --> 00:20:26,160
Mass 01436.

416
00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,270
>> Second.

417
00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:31,840
» Motion made and seconded. Any

418
00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:33,600
discussion? Does anyone have any

419
00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:37,679
questions for the the applicant?

420
00:20:37,679 --> 00:20:44,549
>> No.

421
00:20:44,559 --> 00:20:46,640
» Hearing none on the motion, how would

422
00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:48,000
you vote? Mr. May,

423
00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:49,200
>> yes.

424
00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:50,159
>> Miss Graves,

425
00:20:50,159 --> 00:20:51,039
>> yes.

426
00:20:51,039 --> 00:20:52,000
>> Mr. Toe,

427
00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:52,720
>> yes.

428
00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:53,520
>> Miss Cover,

429
00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:54,240
>> yes.

430
00:20:54,240 --> 00:21:03,830
>> Mr. Bennett is yes.

431
00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:08,240
and your your license uh for alcohol and

432
00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:10,400
common vic for food is is hereby

433
00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,360
approved. Uh the board will sign your uh

434
00:21:13,360 --> 00:21:15,679
licenses necessary paperwork and they

435
00:21:15,679 --> 00:21:17,440
will be in the uh select board's office

436
00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:19,039
for you.

437
00:21:19,039 --> 00:21:20,799
>> Okay. Thank you.

438
00:21:20,799 --> 00:21:22,640
>> Thank you so much.

439
00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:23,600
>> Have a good evening.

440
00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,000
>> Congratulations. You too. Thank you.

441
00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:34,710
>> Thank you. Have a good evening.

442
00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:39,750
Okay,

443
00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:43,200
» the next item up is to discuss uh the

444
00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:44,880
animal control

445
00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:49,679
>> uh position and uh the availability. And

446
00:21:49,679 --> 00:21:54,159
as a reminder, back uh in June uh 1st,

447
00:21:54,159 --> 00:21:56,080
2026,

448
00:21:56,080 --> 00:22:01,360
uh there was a uh a model for service,

449
00:22:01,360 --> 00:22:05,039
if you will, uh for the animal control

450
00:22:05,039 --> 00:22:08,640
after uh facility uh and officers. After

451
00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:10,799
the board voted to terminate the

452
00:22:10,799 --> 00:22:14,640
regional agreement with Lynchington,

453
00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:19,679
uh there was a several options given. Uh

454
00:22:19,679 --> 00:22:26,149
option A was the part-time model. uh

455
00:22:26,159 --> 00:22:29,760
broken down uh so it would provide 24/7

456
00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:33,200
coverage uh Monday through Friday, eight

457
00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:36,799
hours each day and uh then after that

458
00:22:36,799 --> 00:22:42,000
they would be on call hours uh

459
00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,880
really uh circled around uh at least

460
00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:48,799
three ACOs uh to keep hours below the

461
00:22:48,799 --> 00:22:50,960
average of 20 so we keep everyone

462
00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:54,320
part-time and uh not have to deal with

463
00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:57,679
the benefit increased cost. Uh the board

464
00:22:57,679 --> 00:23:00,880
voted that night. Um

465
00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:04,960
for option A uh

466
00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:07,039
all were in favor of the motion a roll

467
00:23:07,039 --> 00:23:11,120
call. Uh so there's been some questions

468
00:23:11,120 --> 00:23:14,960
uh since the board did uh hire and

469
00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:17,679
appoint uh one individual

470
00:23:17,679 --> 00:23:20,720
to be in a position. uh received

471
00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:22,720
questions and concerns not only from the

472
00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:26,960
board but from from a few residents uh

473
00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,600
why we don't have someone in the

474
00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:34,720
building or someone to uh take calls uh

475
00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:36,880
even as

476
00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:40,159
uh there is training scheduled for the

477
00:23:40,159 --> 00:23:43,840
uh one cycle of training in the month of

478
00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:47,520
September. uh but state statute allows

479
00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:50,640
uh the individual to have uh up to their

480
00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:53,520
first year to complete uh several units

481
00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,559
of training. So,

482
00:23:56,559 --> 00:23:58,880
uh with the questions and concerns by

483
00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,919
some board members and residents, uh I

484
00:24:01,919 --> 00:24:04,159
thought we'd put this on for discussion

485
00:24:04,159 --> 00:24:08,400
so the public could uh hear uh what's

486
00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:12,080
transpired to date. Uh Mr.

487
00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:13,600
administrator. Do you have any

488
00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:14,960
>> Sure. Um

489
00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:15,760
>> follow up.

490
00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,400
>> Sure. So, as excuse [clears throat] me,

491
00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,520
as I have previously mentioned, um when

492
00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:23,679
we hired new ACOs, we were going to

493
00:24:23,679 --> 00:24:25,840
train them have unless they came with,

494
00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:27,279
you know, years of experience or

495
00:24:27,279 --> 00:24:28,480
something or if we were getting them

496
00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:29,600
from another poaching them from another

497
00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:32,320
town, for example. But, um so far we

498
00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,360
we've only hired one person. Hi, Devon.

499
00:24:35,360 --> 00:24:39,919
Um and so she's been training um over

500
00:24:39,919 --> 00:24:41,600
the last few weeks and she's done a

501
00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:44,240
great job. There was a I put together an

502
00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:48,559
extensive list of um um online training

503
00:24:48,559 --> 00:24:50,559
for her to do in consultation with a

504
00:24:50,559 --> 00:24:51,760
couple of people who worked for the

505
00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,480
state who work for the state. Um and

506
00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:56,880
she's I think it was over 16 hours of

507
00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:58,880
work. So, she's been plugging along at

508
00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:03,279
that and um cleaning up the um the acco

509
00:25:03,279 --> 00:25:08,559
the um the kennel as well. Um and I just

510
00:25:08,559 --> 00:25:10,559
found out today that um I don't even

511
00:25:10,559 --> 00:25:12,240
know if the chief has told her this yet

512
00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:13,840
because it was just scheduled, but we

513
00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:18,640
were looking to get her to shadow um uh

514
00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:22,880
an acco. And so, um, the acco and

515
00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:24,400
gardener is, uh, she's going to shadow

516
00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:27,600
the ACO and gardener, uh, on Thursday.

517
00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,159
Um, so that'll provide some on the

518
00:25:30,159 --> 00:25:33,440
street hands-on training. Um, also, you

519
00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:36,240
know, help help us, um, evaluate where

520
00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,720
she is cuz neither the chief nor I are

521
00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:43,039
trained animal control officers. Um, and

522
00:25:43,039 --> 00:25:45,360
so, uh, that's that's where we stand,

523
00:25:45,360 --> 00:25:47,440
uh, right now. She works uh two days a

524
00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,640
week and um she's doing training right

525
00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:53,520
now.

526
00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:55,679
>> Any questions from the board?

527
00:25:55,679 --> 00:25:59,360
>> Um yes. Um today there was an incident

528
00:25:59,360 --> 00:26:02,400
on Dudley Road. It was over the um the

529
00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:05,200
system um that said that the animal

530
00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:06,720
control officer along with the police

531
00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:11,840
officer was called in and that um was

532
00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:14,000
Devon working today?

533
00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:15,520
>> I I don't know I don't manage her on the

534
00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:16,960
day-to-day police chief does. I

535
00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:18,000
apologize for not knowing that.

536
00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:19,600
>> I I just was wondering, you know, if

537
00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:21,360
that would be a good experience, you

538
00:26:21,360 --> 00:26:24,000
know, in that situation um to have been

539
00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:26,640
brought in if she was on if she was at

540
00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:29,200
the uh police station. And then I guess

541
00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:32,080
in our weekly there has been um a bite

542
00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:33,840
incident and it also said they were

543
00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:35,440
working with the animal control officer.

544
00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:37,360
Do you know if Devon was worked with

545
00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:37,679
that?

546
00:26:37,679 --> 00:26:39,600
>> No, I wouldn't know that. Devin, were

547
00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:41,360
you did you were you brought in with

548
00:26:41,360 --> 00:26:44,240
Lori on the animal bite situation?

549
00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:46,480
>> Uh Lori told me about it, but I was

550
00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:50,320
never shown every anything about it. So

551
00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:51,600
>> informed it happened

552
00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,000
>> cuz that can be leading possibly to

553
00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:55,679
something, right?

554
00:26:55,679 --> 00:26:57,279
>> Yeah. Paperwork to do for that.

555
00:26:57,279 --> 00:26:59,279
>> Yeah. I can do

556
00:26:59,279 --> 00:27:01,440
>> Were you informed about the um dog

557
00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:04,320
incident on Dudley Road this morning?

558
00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:04,799
>> Nope.

559
00:27:04,799 --> 00:27:07,679
>> No. So, were you in the Were you in the

560
00:27:07,679 --> 00:27:09,360
building at the police station or in

561
00:27:09,360 --> 00:27:11,039
>> working today, but

562
00:27:11,039 --> 00:27:12,960
>> you two seconds away.

563
00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:16,710
>> Okay.

564
00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:19,840
» So, if it's okay, I'd like to know uh if

565
00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:21,360
you could come and tell us what you've

566
00:27:21,360 --> 00:27:22,960
done so far, up to date, your

567
00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:24,880
perspective of what you've done so we

568
00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:26,240
can have your

569
00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:27,679
>> what you've done so far.

570
00:27:27,679 --> 00:27:29,520
>> Yeah. Um I've cleaned out the shelter.

571
00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:31,520
I've organized everything. uh like deep

572
00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:33,760
cleaning. I did outside work. Um

573
00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:35,840
weeding, taking plants out that have

574
00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:39,520
been there forever. Um I did a bunch of

575
00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:42,640
online trainings, hours on end, but

576
00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:44,240
nothing

577
00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,360
on it's hard with ACOs to do hands-on

578
00:27:47,360 --> 00:27:48,559
training. You don't get hands-on

579
00:27:48,559 --> 00:27:50,640
training unless you're doing it yourself

580
00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:53,120
or shadowing somebody. I mean, for me

581
00:27:53,120 --> 00:27:55,679
personally, like I learn by doing. I'm

582
00:27:55,679 --> 00:27:57,200
not going to learn by information. Jump

583
00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:01,520
in my face. Um, were you the one on

584
00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:03,679
Facebook that put the uh Are you able to

585
00:28:03,679 --> 00:28:05,520
go on Facebook and write? Was that you

586
00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:08,240
that wrote about the donations and stuff

587
00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:09,840
in the Facebook account?

588
00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:10,880
>> Okay.

589
00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:13,279
>> I know that we had a couple of I mean,

590
00:28:13,279 --> 00:28:15,360
they resolved it in the in a couple

591
00:28:15,360 --> 00:28:18,240
areas in town, missing animals, and they

592
00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:20,240
resolved it pretty quick. The local

593
00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:21,039
neighbors and stuff.

594
00:28:21,039 --> 00:28:22,559
>> Yeah, I've had plenty of people

595
00:28:22,559 --> 00:28:24,240
messaging me, but I tell them I'm like,

596
00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:26,080
I don't want to overstep because I don't

597
00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:28,720
want to lose my job. So, I'm

598
00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:30,480
>> But people are messaging you knowing

599
00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:32,640
that your job role is Yeah.

600
00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:34,399
>> Every day I get messages about Luc.

601
00:28:34,399 --> 00:28:36,000
>> That's what I thought was happening. It

602
00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:37,840
seemed like it. Yeah.

603
00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:39,279
>> Yeah. And but you're just sitting there

604
00:28:39,279 --> 00:28:41,520
waiting until they tag you in.

605
00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:44,480
>> So, you have five months of experience.

606
00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:46,159
>> I was out on calls.

607
00:28:46,159 --> 00:28:48,399
>> No, she's Wait, at her last job?

608
00:28:48,399 --> 00:28:48,799
>> Yes.

609
00:28:48,799 --> 00:28:49,840
>> Was three months?

610
00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:51,120
>> Three months of experience at her last

611
00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:51,440
job.

612
00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:53,200
>> She Well, specifically because three

613
00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:54,480
months doesn't really detail how much

614
00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:58,000
she has. 209.5 hours of work. So that

615
00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,480
divides out to about 26 8 hour shifts.

616
00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:02,559
So it's a little over 5 weeks.

617
00:29:02,559 --> 00:29:04,159
>> But they put her in a truck by herself

618
00:29:04,159 --> 00:29:05,919
and put her on calls.

619
00:29:05,919 --> 00:29:07,919
>> She was responding to calls.

620
00:29:07,919 --> 00:29:08,480
>> Okay.

621
00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:11,039
>> And our money paid for those calls.

622
00:29:11,039 --> 00:29:13,360
>> Okay. I mean like like I said that you

623
00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:15,520
know she has the equivalent of five five

624
00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:18,799
weeks of training. Um, so you know, it

625
00:29:18,799 --> 00:29:21,120
was, as I've mentioned before, it's it's

626
00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:24,240
our intent to set the employee up for

627
00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:27,120
success. So we don't necessarily want to

628
00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:28,399
put her out in the street until we feel

629
00:29:28,399 --> 00:29:31,120
that she's ready to succeed. We don't

630
00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:32,799
want an accident to happen. We don't

631
00:29:32,799 --> 00:29:35,679
want mismanagement. We don't want u her

632
00:29:35,679 --> 00:29:38,399
to come across a rabid animal that, you

633
00:29:38,399 --> 00:29:40,240
know, we don't we don't know where her

634
00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:42,799
skill level is yet. And so again, we

635
00:29:42,799 --> 00:29:44,320
don't want to put her out. Like a police

636
00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:46,720
officer, for example, goes through six

637
00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:48,080
months of training and another six

638
00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:49,600
months on the street. And it's not what

639
00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:51,279
we're asking here, of course, but this

640
00:29:51,279 --> 00:29:54,080
is a technical position that has a lot

641
00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:56,000
of statutory authority, especially with

642
00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:58,960
barn inspections and ticket writing and

643
00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:01,279
um maintaining someone's pet. So that's

644
00:30:01,279 --> 00:30:02,960
someone else's property. To many people,

645
00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:06,559
that's their family. Um so it has been

646
00:30:06,559 --> 00:30:08,399
our intent to train her first and then

647
00:30:08,399 --> 00:30:09,520
put her on the street.

648
00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:11,200
>> So when is she expected to go out on her

649
00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:13,600
own? So, she, like I said, she'll be

650
00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:17,679
shadowing the gardener um acco on

651
00:30:17,679 --> 00:30:19,919
Thursday and and we'll see how it goes

652
00:30:19,919 --> 00:30:21,760
then and what the what the feedback is.

653
00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:24,320
Um, but I think the original intent was

654
00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:28,399
to um let have her go through um some

655
00:30:28,399 --> 00:30:30,480
shadowing or get through the state

656
00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:32,960
training that comes in September, but um

657
00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:35,679
I'm starting to see some

658
00:30:35,679 --> 00:30:38,159
um anxiousness for her to get out on the

659
00:30:38,159 --> 00:30:40,080
street. So, I think we would like some

660
00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:43,360
feedback from an act a trained acco um

661
00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:47,039
before we put her out on her own. Um so,

662
00:30:47,039 --> 00:30:49,279
that opportunity comes Thursday and you

663
00:30:49,279 --> 00:30:50,480
know, maybe we'll set her up with more

664
00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:54,240
shadowing days as well. I just um I'm

665
00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:56,000
glad that we were going to this route

666
00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:58,080
because finding out the things that were

667
00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:00,080
lacking on the other side of the coin

668
00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:01,919
where you're just saying that we needed

669
00:31:01,919 --> 00:31:03,679
um she would have needed more training

670
00:31:03,679 --> 00:31:06,240
on your perspective but yet we weren't

671
00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:08,799
getting that from um on the winchon and

672
00:31:08,799 --> 00:31:10,080
they weren't doing that kind of

673
00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,799
protocol. So you so I guess it's a it's

674
00:31:12,799 --> 00:31:14,640
a positive thing we're moving into this

675
00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:15,120
light.

676
00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:16,559
>> Well so I don't know what they were

677
00:31:16,559 --> 00:31:17,919
doing for I know she was shadowing

678
00:31:17,919 --> 00:31:18,720
people. I I don't know.

679
00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:21,520
>> She wasn't. Were you? I shadowed people

680
00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:23,440
for maybe a week and then I told them I

681
00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:25,120
said I'd learn more just doing things on

682
00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:26,480
my own and that's how I learned

683
00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:28,080
>> because I know you drove the truck by

684
00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:29,200
yourself. I know for a fact

685
00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:31,440
>> I had the truck at my house for weeks.

686
00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:32,799
>> Yeah.

687
00:31:32,799 --> 00:31:35,039
>> So do you have set hours right now?

688
00:31:35,039 --> 00:31:36,960
>> 7 to three Tuesdays and Thursdays and

689
00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:38,640
>> are you getting your 19 hours?

690
00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:43,120
>> Not hours. So the plan you voted was two

691
00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:45,519
eight hour days [snorts] amongst well it

692
00:31:45,519 --> 00:31:47,440
would be two two and one and so it' be a

693
00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:51,440
rotating shift once we had three ACOs on

694
00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:54,080
because we need to save hours for when

695
00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:55,440
everyone's fully trained and they're

696
00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:58,159
also on call because if they get called

697
00:31:58,159 --> 00:31:59,919
in those are hours that counter against

698
00:31:59,919 --> 00:32:03,279
the 19 and so we have to stay under 20

699
00:32:03,279 --> 00:32:05,279
otherwise they become benefit eligible.

700
00:32:05,279 --> 00:32:07,519
So it's two eight hour days and then on

701
00:32:07,519 --> 00:32:08,399
call hours.

702
00:32:08,399 --> 00:32:11,360
>> Excuse me Mr. Chair. Mr. May,

703
00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:12,880
>> I'm sitting over here and this is all

704
00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:13,760
news to me.

705
00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:14,799
>> Yeah. Yeah.

706
00:32:14,799 --> 00:32:16,159
>> It was what you voted for. I

707
00:32:16,159 --> 00:32:18,320
>> We didn't vote for hours.

708
00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:21,760
>> It You voted for three people to share

709
00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:23,919
Monday through Friday, 7 to three,

710
00:32:23,919 --> 00:32:24,559
>> right?

711
00:32:24,559 --> 00:32:25,039
>> So,

712
00:32:25,039 --> 00:32:27,840
>> we hired We hired her.

713
00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:30,960
>> I fully expected her to be available.

714
00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:31,440
>> Yeah.

715
00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:33,039
>> To be out on the road.

716
00:32:33,039 --> 00:32:33,840
>> So, I had

717
00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:37,679
>> I I and I don't know where the we're

718
00:32:37,679 --> 00:32:40,080
checking to see. We're going to see

719
00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:42,240
because as you said, you don't have any

720
00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:45,120
experience. Neither does the chief. So,

721
00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:46,987
how are you going to be qualified

722
00:32:46,987 --> 00:32:47,519
[clears throat]

723
00:32:47,519 --> 00:32:49,120
to say she is?

724
00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:50,799
>> So, for the third or fourth time, she

725
00:32:50,799 --> 00:32:53,120
will be shadowing people. And I also

726
00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:54,320
want her to go through the state

727
00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:57,039
training as well, which is in September

728
00:32:57,039 --> 00:32:58,640
year to take that training from the time

729
00:32:58,640 --> 00:32:59,600
that she's fired.

730
00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:01,279
>> Okay? So, there's the legal requirement,

731
00:33:01,279 --> 00:33:03,200
but then there's training an employee.

732
00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:06,159
The reason why there is an entire year

733
00:33:06,159 --> 00:33:07,600
to get it done is because that part of

734
00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:09,039
the training is only offered once a

735
00:33:09,039 --> 00:33:11,039
year. Now, normally when you bring in

736
00:33:11,039 --> 00:33:12,799
someone, you have someone else to train

737
00:33:12,799 --> 00:33:14,559
them, we don't have that. So, I was

738
00:33:14,559 --> 00:33:16,240
hoping to send her through the full

739
00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:18,000
training because September is not far

740
00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:20,880
away. We're also setting her up to

741
00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:22,159
shadow people as well.

742
00:33:22,159 --> 00:33:23,760
>> See, now I would think since we were in

743
00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:25,200
the agreement with Washington and they

744
00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:26,799
hired her and they put her out on the

745
00:33:26,799 --> 00:33:29,279
road that she would be there.

746
00:33:29,279 --> 00:33:31,360
>> Well, she like I said, she worked the

747
00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:33,519
equivalent of five weeks. Bob, do you

748
00:33:33,519 --> 00:33:35,440
really think that's a And Deon, I'm not

749
00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:36,720
criticizing. I think you're doing a

750
00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:38,559
great job, but they're asking you these

751
00:33:38,559 --> 00:33:39,120
questions.

752
00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:40,480
>> Sworn in five weeks,

753
00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:42,559
>> five weeks. Do you think that's a fully

754
00:33:42,559 --> 00:33:43,279
trained person?

755
00:33:43,279 --> 00:33:45,039
>> She's also took the oath now

756
00:33:45,039 --> 00:33:46,799
>> just because Winchin let her do it on

757
00:33:46,799 --> 00:33:48,640
her own. And we're not Winchendin.

758
00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:49,360
They're not liable.

759
00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:51,200
>> We're in a inter intermunicipal

760
00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:53,120
agreement with Winchin. We were just as

761
00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:54,960
responsible as that. Not

762
00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:58,080
>> But not now. Now it's just us and now

763
00:33:58,080 --> 00:33:59,679
it's on me. If something goes wrong,

764
00:33:59,679 --> 00:34:01,440
you're going to look at me. Well, we

765
00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:02,799
hired her.

766
00:34:02,799 --> 00:34:04,720
>> Okay. And And who manages her on the

767
00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:06,640
day-to-day? It's the chief.

768
00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:08,399
>> Is it the chief? Do you report to the

769
00:34:08,399 --> 00:34:09,599
chief? Do you see the chief?

770
00:34:09,599 --> 00:34:10,720
>> No.

771
00:34:10,720 --> 00:34:12,399
>> Do you report to the chief?

772
00:34:12,399 --> 00:34:14,879
>> I text dispatch when I'm on duty. That's

773
00:34:14,879 --> 00:34:16,800
>> But your supervisor is the chief of

774
00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:18,000
police. It says it in your appointment

775
00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:18,320
letter.

776
00:34:18,320 --> 00:34:19,679
>> Who's been working with you at the

777
00:34:19,679 --> 00:34:21,200
police station?

778
00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:23,359
>> Eric Baker. He's the only one that's

779
00:34:23,359 --> 00:34:24,480
been telling me what to do, but

780
00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:25,440
unfortunately he

781
00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:27,919
>> she is also sworn in. So when when the

782
00:34:27,919 --> 00:34:29,599
bite happened, she should be involved in

783
00:34:29,599 --> 00:34:31,280
that since she is sworn in for that

784
00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:34,480
duty. She did take the oath and they did

785
00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:35,440
vote

786
00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:36,079
>> being fully trained,

787
00:34:36,079 --> 00:34:38,000
>> but they also voted her in for that

788
00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,720
particular thing. So she So and Lori has

789
00:34:40,720 --> 00:34:42,879
huge amount of experience in that too.

790
00:34:42,879 --> 00:34:44,079
So she would have

791
00:34:44,079 --> 00:34:45,440
>> I asked another question here.

792
00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:46,159
>> Oh, she did.

793
00:34:46,159 --> 00:34:48,560
>> And who did respond?

794
00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:49,040
>> Lori.

795
00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:51,040
>> Oh, do you want to bring in the police

796
00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:52,240
chief? We could have come into your next

797
00:34:52,240 --> 00:34:53,599
meeting. No, but I'm just wondering who

798
00:34:53,599 --> 00:34:55,280
did respond because we don't have an

799
00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:57,440
acco. So, nobody with acco training

800
00:34:57,440 --> 00:34:58,079
respond.

801
00:34:58,079 --> 00:34:58,880
>> Correct.

802
00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:00,609
>> So, wouldn't somebody who had some

803
00:35:00,609 --> 00:35:02,480
[snorts] acco training be better than

804
00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:04,000
somebody who has none.

805
00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:05,520
>> I don't know. Depends on the situation.

806
00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:07,200
Do, like I said, do we want to set the

807
00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:08,880
employee up for success or do we want to

808
00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:10,720
roll the dice?

809
00:35:10,720 --> 00:35:13,040
I'm I'm trying to

810
00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:14,960
success here. I'm I I want her to

811
00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:18,240
succeed here. Well, in the animal bite

812
00:35:18,240 --> 00:35:20,960
situation, she could have been with Lori

813
00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:22,960
and in the board of health and and Lori

814
00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:24,960
has extremely a lot of experience with

815
00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:26,960
this matter and so she would have been

816
00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:28,800
basically technically training with her

817
00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:30,560
in a way when she was with her because

818
00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:32,480
she'd be working with her. I mean, know

819
00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:35,040
she contacted her, but that is working.

820
00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:36,880
So, she would need hours to actually

821
00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:39,839
help Lori in that matter. um in my

822
00:35:39,839 --> 00:35:43,119
opinion. I mean, but I just feel like

823
00:35:43,119 --> 00:35:46,000
she's she's just like my previous world

824
00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:48,400
where she's really with the depart um

825
00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:50,400
Lor's department and she's really with

826
00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:52,079
the police department. She's in both

827
00:35:52,079 --> 00:35:54,880
worlds. Her her job is in both worlds.

828
00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:57,359
So, she can benefit both the chief and

829
00:35:57,359 --> 00:36:00,480
also with Lori um and and her folks on

830
00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:02,960
that department um because she's really

831
00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:05,520
with both of them. I for respectfully I

832
00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:07,119
think the reason why Lori is handling

833
00:36:07,119 --> 00:36:08,320
some of the stuff is because we don't

834
00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:09,920
have an acco and so they come to the

835
00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:10,880
health department.

836
00:36:10,880 --> 00:36:13,920
>> No, Lori always has hand has handled a

837
00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:15,599
lot of that stuff in the past with the

838
00:36:15,599 --> 00:36:18,640
ACOs. The uh her the uh the board of

839
00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:20,560
health works hand in hand with that

840
00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:22,560
situation because it's a human being and

841
00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:24,880
that lands in her wheelhouse and the

842
00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:28,400
animal he goes into the animal control

843
00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:30,400
officer's wheelhouse. So they work

844
00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:32,079
together in that situation. And that's

845
00:36:32,079 --> 00:36:37,440
why the board of health board votes to appoint her to work with them. They

846
00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:39,200
appoint them to work with them. I mean,

847
00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:40,800
otherwise, why would they appoint them

848
00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:42,720
if they didn't need them on that

849
00:36:42,720 --> 00:36:44,480
department?

850
00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:46,160
So, it is a two it's a twofer

851
00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:47,839
department. They're literally She's

852
00:36:47,839 --> 00:36:50,160
literally in two different directions

853
00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:52,079
just like we have other we have another

854
00:36:52,079 --> 00:36:53,760
department that's the same way. They're

855
00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:56,640
in two different directions, you know.

856
00:36:56,640 --> 00:36:58,640
>> And then also, you had a Facebook page.

857
00:36:58,640 --> 00:37:00,880
I saw that you were receiving donations.

858
00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:02,160
All of a sudden, the Facebook page

859
00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:04,560
disappeared. People are calling that we

860
00:37:04,560 --> 00:37:06,960
don't have acco. They're being told. I I

861
00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:08,800
mean I mean it's like two steps forward,

862
00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:10,720
three steps back. Like I forward

863
00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:11,200
momentum.

864
00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:13,680
>> Okay. So they So the Facebook page was

865
00:37:13,680 --> 00:37:16,240
taken down because per your social media

866
00:37:16,240 --> 00:37:18,240
policy, social media accounts have to be

867
00:37:18,240 --> 00:37:20,079
approved by the town administrator. She

868
00:37:20,079 --> 00:37:21,680
didn't know this. I don't blame her.

869
00:37:21,680 --> 00:37:23,839
She's new here. But that Facebook page

870
00:37:23,839 --> 00:37:26,560
was not approved. And there were some

871
00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:28,720
errors happening. Again, I don't blame

872
00:37:28,720 --> 00:37:30,079
you. But they're asking me these

873
00:37:30,079 --> 00:37:31,359
questions, Devon, so I have to answer

874
00:37:31,359 --> 00:37:32,400
them.

875
00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:34,400
>> She

876
00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:36,320
>> Okay. But was Eric Baker the one hiding

877
00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:38,320
comments? There was violations of first

878
00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:40,640
amendment um issues. She was violating

879
00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:42,800
the first amendment of people's rights.

880
00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:44,240
So I had to take it down.

881
00:37:44,240 --> 00:37:46,320
>> So taking it down and just getting her

882
00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:48,400
the form and going through the It's a

883
00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:49,680
form that we have in the office.

884
00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:52,400
>> Okay. So it's a 10page policy that I

885
00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:54,400
have not had time to go through and

886
00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:56,320
understand and I'm not putting it back

887
00:37:56,320 --> 00:37:57,359
up until I

888
00:37:57,359 --> 00:37:59,520
>> signed it myself. Good for you. It's 10

889
00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:01,680
pages. All right. And I and I'm

890
00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:03,680
responsible for it's my name on it. And

891
00:38:03,680 --> 00:38:05,359
I've been dealing with more important

892
00:38:05,359 --> 00:38:07,119
things and I'm I've told her multiple

893
00:38:07,119 --> 00:38:09,119
times I am trying very hard to get to

894
00:38:09,119 --> 00:38:11,599
it, but I put in overtime last week

895
00:38:11,599 --> 00:38:14,160
dealing with override stuff. So, I'm

896
00:38:14,160 --> 00:38:16,079
sorry, but the the the Facebook page,

897
00:38:16,079 --> 00:38:18,000
you have to wait a few days.

898
00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:19,839
>> And just so you know, the frustration

899
00:38:19,839 --> 00:38:22,400
from me on this is because I've asked

900
00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:24,079
twice over the summer

901
00:38:24,079 --> 00:38:25,680
>> what's going on, and I did not get an

902
00:38:25,680 --> 00:38:26,000
answer.

903
00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:27,680
>> Right. So, let's talk about that, Bob.

904
00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:29,200
So, the reason why you didn't get an

905
00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:31,119
answer is because you send me emails

906
00:38:31,119 --> 00:38:34,240
that are rude and are ill-informed. And

907
00:38:34,240 --> 00:38:36,000
so, I've decided that I'm no longer

908
00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:37,839
answer. Hey, I'm speaking now. I've

909
00:38:37,839 --> 00:38:39,760
decided that I'm no longer answering

910
00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:42,320
your emails when you disrespect me. I am

911
00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:43,839
sending them to the chair and I'm saying

912
00:38:43,839 --> 00:38:45,280
if you want to talk about it, we talk

913
00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:46,800
about in these public meetings so people

914
00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:49,119
can see and understand how you treat me.

915
00:38:49,119 --> 00:38:50,160
>> Well, how I treat you.

916
00:38:50,160 --> 00:38:51,200
>> Yeah. Enough.

917
00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:52,720
>> You want to talk about that email? One

918
00:38:52,720 --> 00:38:54,000
you didn't want to talk about.

919
00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:56,400
>> Enough. Enough. Done. Got

920
00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:57,200
>> idea. Read it.

921
00:38:57,200 --> 00:39:01,510
>> We're done.

922
00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:03,520
» Yeah. Have a discussion without arguing.

923
00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:04,880
We'll move on.

924
00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:06,880
>> Great.

925
00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:09,920
>> We'll move on.

926
00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:12,320
>> So, let's So, to the board.

927
00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:13,040
>> We're done.

928
00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:15,280
>> No. No. I'm I'm I'm good. I'm just

929
00:39:15,280 --> 00:39:16,880
saying. So, it sounds like the board

930
00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:18,079
wants her on the street.

931
00:39:18,079 --> 00:39:18,800
>> I do.

932
00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:21,040
>> Right. If that's what the board wants,

933
00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:23,280
then I will talk to the chief. However,

934
00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:25,200
the chief has made it clear that he is

935
00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:27,839
in charge of officers per the statute.

936
00:39:27,839 --> 00:39:30,800
It just says officers. So, if he's not

937
00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:31,920
comfortable with it, you will have to

938
00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:34,800
talk to him directly.

939
00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:37,280
I would like also for her to be working

940
00:39:37,280 --> 00:39:39,520
with Lori

941
00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:40,240
with this

942
00:39:40,240 --> 00:39:45,119
>> under general law that the town admin uh

943
00:39:45,119 --> 00:39:47,599
town meeting approved section 97A the

944
00:39:47,599 --> 00:39:51,520
so-called strong police chief states the

945
00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:54,720
police chief reports to the board same

946
00:39:54,720 --> 00:39:57,520
as the strong fire chief law doesn't

947
00:39:57,520 --> 00:39:59,280
report to the town administrator that's

948
00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:00,960
town meeting vote that's master general

949
00:40:00,960 --> 00:40:03,760
law so if the chief has something to

950
00:40:03,760 --> 00:40:05,920
tell the board he can come talk to the

951
00:40:05,920 --> 00:40:08,720
board cuz that's who he reports to via

952
00:40:08,720 --> 00:40:11,040
town meeting vote that match general law

953
00:40:11,040 --> 00:40:14,870
and section.

954
00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:17,200
Next item uh vote to accept parks and

955
00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:19,680
recreation donation.

956
00:40:19,680 --> 00:40:23,280
Uh there's a memo

957
00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:27,119
a there's two items on it.

958
00:40:27,119 --> 00:40:33,270
Uh

959
00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:36,880
there's a donation of $10 by

960
00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:40,240
uh a couple I think Aaron and Henry. It

961
00:40:40,240 --> 00:40:44,320
was a playgroup donation for $10.

962
00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:46,160
And during apparently during the

963
00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:49,440
National Play Outside Day event, they

964
00:40:49,440 --> 00:40:52,560
received uh general donations.

965
00:40:52,560 --> 00:40:56,880
I guess during the event a total of $24

966
00:40:56,880 --> 00:40:59,920
with total donations to be turned over

967
00:40:59,920 --> 00:41:03,119
is $214.

968
00:41:03,119 --> 00:41:05,040
So, at this time, I would move to accept

969
00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:09,680
the donation to parks and recreation

970
00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:13,359
uh of $10 from Aaron and Henry as well

971
00:41:13,359 --> 00:41:17,040
as the general donations during the

972
00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:19,520
national play outside event uh in the

973
00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:22,560
amount of $24 for a total of donation

974
00:41:22,560 --> 00:41:26,710
amount of $214.

975
00:41:26,720 --> 00:41:28,240
» Second.

976
00:41:28,240 --> 00:41:30,800
>> Motion made and seconded. Any

977
00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:33,680
discussion? Hearing

978
00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:35,280
none. On the motion, how would you vote?

979
00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:36,079
Mr. May,

980
00:41:36,079 --> 00:41:37,119
>> yes.

981
00:41:37,119 --> 00:41:38,560
>> Miss Graves,

982
00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:39,920
>> yes. And thank you.

983
00:41:39,920 --> 00:41:40,960
>> Mr. To?

984
00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:43,920
>> No.

985
00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:45,119
>> Miss Cobber?

986
00:41:45,119 --> 00:41:46,960
>> Yes. And thank you.

987
00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:56,230
>> Miss Bennett is Yes.

988
00:41:56,240 --> 00:42:01,030
» Mr. Chairman.

989
00:42:01,040 --> 00:42:04,319
» Yes. General comment. This is the second

990
00:42:04,319 --> 00:42:06,400
or third year in a row National Play

991
00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:09,040
Outside Day has been a one day in the

992
00:42:09,040 --> 00:42:11,760
month of August event. If you look up

993
00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:14,160
National Play Outside Day, it is a

994
00:42:14,160 --> 00:42:17,040
year-long event. It occurs the first

995
00:42:17,040 --> 00:42:19,680
Saturday of each month. I would like to

996
00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:22,079
see our parks and recreation actually do

997
00:42:22,079 --> 00:42:24,160
the program as it was intentionally

998
00:42:24,160 --> 00:42:27,040
designed or we need to change the name

999
00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:29,280
because we're actually plagiarizing a

1000
00:42:29,280 --> 00:42:32,480
different program and that's why I voted

1001
00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:34,319
no.

1002
00:42:34,319 --> 00:42:37,760
>> Mr. Chair, it's it's it's a national

1003
00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:39,599
day. It's just like National Outside

1004
00:42:39,599 --> 00:42:42,240
Day. You it's it happens yes once a

1005
00:42:42,240 --> 00:42:44,480
month and it's an option that they can

1006
00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:46,560
do. They can they can they can celebrate

1007
00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:49,520
it. Um, and they chose to celebrate it

1008
00:42:49,520 --> 00:42:52,160
with their funds this this one time a

1009
00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:56,000
year. It's their prerogative

1010
00:42:56,000 --> 00:43:22,390
as commissioners.

1011
00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:24,400
Next item on the agenda is to consider

1012
00:43:24,400 --> 00:43:27,040
the acceptance of the town hazardous

1013
00:43:27,040 --> 00:43:30,160
hazard mitigation plan.

1014
00:43:30,160 --> 00:43:32,400
Mr. Curtis,

1015
00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:34,160
how you doing this evening, Mitch?

1016
00:43:34,160 --> 00:43:36,960
>> Good.

1017
00:43:36,960 --> 00:43:38,319
>> Taking a breath now.

1018
00:43:38,319 --> 00:43:38,960
>> Good evening.

1019
00:43:38,960 --> 00:43:40,400
>> We're all good.

1020
00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:41,280
Yeah, you're good. We're not going to

1021
00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:42,319
let you go out with anything.

1022
00:43:42,319 --> 00:43:46,000
>> If you don't start, there won't be no

1023
00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:48,560
>> um it's been about three years since

1024
00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:49,599
this thing started.

1025
00:43:49,599 --> 00:43:51,440
>> Yeah, it's been a long time

1026
00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:53,200
>> and

1027
00:43:53,200 --> 00:43:55,200
it's finally getting close to being in

1028
00:43:55,200 --> 00:43:58,079
it. We're not there yet. Uh after

1029
00:43:58,079 --> 00:44:00,560
tonight, there should be no reason for

1030
00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:03,520
any discussion really or any

1031
00:44:03,520 --> 00:44:05,920
decisions to be made other than to adopt

1032
00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:08,560
it. U it's been approved by FEMA the way

1033
00:44:08,560 --> 00:44:09,839
it is.

1034
00:44:09,839 --> 00:44:12,079
So our next steps would be after the

1035
00:44:12,079 --> 00:44:15,520
adoption is to send the adoption paper

1036
00:44:15,520 --> 00:44:17,520
to

1037
00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:20,240
Massachusetts at Regional Planning.

1038
00:44:20,240 --> 00:44:25,280
They send FEMA that and a copy of the

1039
00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:28,000
plan. I'm sure you all got um without

1040
00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:31,760
the draft written on it. And once they

1041
00:44:31,760 --> 00:44:35,359
send it back to us, it's official.

1042
00:44:35,359 --> 00:44:37,280
And then I can apply for the

1043
00:44:37,280 --> 00:44:38,960
reimbursement which will get the town

1044
00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:42,470
back $22,500

1045
00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:45,760
which we have already spent

1046
00:44:45,760 --> 00:44:46,000
right

1047
00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:49,599
>> and then in rears for but

1048
00:44:49,599 --> 00:44:51,440
>> so that's where we stand right now. So

1049
00:44:51,440 --> 00:44:53,839
it's not over yet but it's getting close

1050
00:44:53,839 --> 00:44:56,079
>> and we have until I don't know if it's

1051
00:44:56,079 --> 00:45:00,319
November 1st or 15th to get this done.

1052
00:45:00,319 --> 00:45:01,119
So

1053
00:45:01,119 --> 00:45:03,040
>> I understand you're retiring at the end

1054
00:45:03,040 --> 00:45:04,960
of the month. Will you be sending this

1055
00:45:04,960 --> 00:45:05,520
out

1056
00:45:05,520 --> 00:45:06,720
>> Monday? Week from?

1057
00:45:06,720 --> 00:45:07,760
>> Oh, yes. A week.

1058
00:45:07,760 --> 00:45:09,440
>> Um, at the end of the month, I said.

1059
00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:09,839
>> Yes.

1060
00:45:09,839 --> 00:45:11,680
>> So, will you have this out to them prior

1061
00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:13,520
to then or is this something that James

1062
00:45:13,520 --> 00:45:15,599
is going to be sending out? I just want

1063
00:45:15,599 --> 00:45:17,520
to make sure the coordination is

1064
00:45:17,520 --> 00:45:19,920
>> It'll get sent out as soon as you sign

1065
00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:21,359
it. Is I mean, we'll have it out

1066
00:45:21,359 --> 00:45:21,920
tomorrow.

1067
00:45:21,920 --> 00:45:24,240
>> Okay. And then who will be going for the

1068
00:45:24,240 --> 00:45:25,760
grants? Who will be following up with

1069
00:45:25,760 --> 00:45:27,280
that? Do we have a plan in place?

1070
00:45:27,280 --> 00:45:29,520
>> I'm still going to be helping out get it

1071
00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:30,560
done.

1072
00:45:30,560 --> 00:45:33,200
>> Oh, I just want to make sure. Thank you.

1073
00:45:33,200 --> 00:45:40,550
I appreciate that.

1074
00:45:40,560 --> 00:45:42,960
» Uh,

1075
00:45:42,960 --> 00:45:45,599
anything else from the board?

1076
00:45:45,599 --> 00:45:49,359
>> Uh, just before you, uh, before we let

1077
00:45:49,359 --> 00:45:52,710
you go,

1078
00:45:52,720 --> 00:45:58,000
how long have you been the Templeton EMD

1079
00:45:58,000 --> 00:45:59,440
goto guy?

1080
00:45:59,440 --> 00:46:00,560
>> 18.

1081
00:46:00,560 --> 00:46:03,760
years.

1082
00:46:03,760 --> 00:46:04,400
and

1083
00:46:04,400 --> 00:46:06,079
>> all together. It was

1084
00:46:06,079 --> 00:46:09,040
>> myself and Richard probably um I don't

1085
00:46:09,040 --> 00:46:11,839
know swatted flies back and forth a

1086
00:46:11,839 --> 00:46:13,680
couple more than a couple times over the

1087
00:46:13,680 --> 00:46:15,760
years. Sometime budget, sometime just

1088
00:46:15,760 --> 00:46:19,520
philosophical stuff. Uh

1089
00:46:19,520 --> 00:46:23,127
I will say that he has operated without

1090
00:46:23,127 --> 00:46:26,240
[sighs] the taxation budget of like and

1091
00:46:26,240 --> 00:46:31,280
like nothing. uh he is also

1092
00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:33,040
doesn't matter what you think of AMD the

1093
00:46:33,040 --> 00:46:35,280
building all that stuff doesn't matter

1094
00:46:35,280 --> 00:46:37,200
all the stuff in there in the operation

1095
00:46:37,200 --> 00:46:39,280
and everything that uh whenever they

1096
00:46:39,280 --> 00:46:42,640
have done something including cert

1097
00:46:42,640 --> 00:46:46,079
um the ice storm comes to mind back in

1098
00:46:46,079 --> 00:46:49,920
2008 it's uh

1099
00:46:49,920 --> 00:46:53,599
his probably the most prolific grant

1100
00:46:53,599 --> 00:47:01,200
writer the town has had to date. Uh he's

1101
00:47:01,200 --> 00:47:05,119
it he's just been awesome at getting

1102
00:47:05,119 --> 00:47:07,280
grants for

1103
00:47:07,280 --> 00:47:10,560
any number of things. Uh

1104
00:47:10,560 --> 00:47:14,640
so on that front, uh he will be missed.

1105
00:47:14,640 --> 00:47:16,640
Uh

1106
00:47:16,640 --> 00:47:18,480
on behalf of the board and the residents

1107
00:47:18,480 --> 00:47:20,800
of the town, I thank you for your time.

1108
00:47:20,800 --> 00:47:23,119
uh the only way you're going what you're

1109
00:47:23,119 --> 00:47:26,400
gonna do when you retire because uh I

1110
00:47:26,400 --> 00:47:27,760
think you've already done that once but

1111
00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:30,592
>> I set myself up with a wood shop.

1112
00:47:30,592 --> 00:47:31,520
>> [laughter]

1113
00:47:31,520 --> 00:47:34,720
>> Whatever you choose to do, it's uh it's

1114
00:47:34,720 --> 00:47:37,839
fine by me. But uh I on again on behalf

1115
00:47:37,839 --> 00:47:39,280
of the board and the residents of the

1116
00:47:39,280 --> 00:47:41,280
town, uh thank you for all your time and

1117
00:47:41,280 --> 00:47:45,200
your service, Rich, because you have uh

1118
00:47:45,200 --> 00:47:47,359
put up with uh some stuff over the

1119
00:47:47,359 --> 00:47:50,640
years. Uh all kinds of different angles.

1120
00:47:50,640 --> 00:47:54,400
Uh myself included in that. And uh but

1121
00:47:54,400 --> 00:47:56,319
you've always done uh good and again

1122
00:47:56,319 --> 00:47:58,560
you've been a prolific grant writer

1123
00:47:58,560 --> 00:48:01,520
which has uh gotten the town stuff uh

1124
00:48:01,520 --> 00:48:04,960
for for little to to no money out of uh

1125
00:48:04,960 --> 00:48:06,880
taxation or anything. You've just been

1126
00:48:06,880 --> 00:48:08,960
getting uh the money that we send out of

1127
00:48:08,960 --> 00:48:12,079
the town. You've brought some back. Uh

1128
00:48:12,079 --> 00:48:14,800
and for that uh very thankful. So enjoy

1129
00:48:14,800 --> 00:48:18,319
your time and uh

1130
00:48:18,319 --> 00:48:19,520
take care. Thank you.

1131
00:48:19,520 --> 00:48:20,000
>> Thank you.

1132
00:48:20,000 --> 00:48:22,559
>> I'll keep in touch. [laughter] I know

1133
00:48:22,559 --> 00:48:24,960
this has been your uh your baby all the

1134
00:48:24,960 --> 00:48:26,559
way through and I thank you for the

1135
00:48:26,559 --> 00:48:29,280
dedication and the diligence working

1136
00:48:29,280 --> 00:48:31,920
through it. I also shared many years

1137
00:48:31,920 --> 00:48:33,839
with you on the rescue squad and I know

1138
00:48:33,839 --> 00:48:35,839
the time you've put in on EMD.

1139
00:48:35,839 --> 00:48:36,160
>> Yeah.

1140
00:48:36,160 --> 00:48:38,640
>> And I'll echo Jeff's sentiment. I know

1141
00:48:38,640 --> 00:48:41,359
the minuscule budget you've had and what

1142
00:48:41,359 --> 00:48:44,000
you brought back two, five, tenfold at

1143
00:48:44,000 --> 00:48:46,240
times. It's just like we need more of

1144
00:48:46,240 --> 00:48:48,640
you. I heard it said earlier and I'll

1145
00:48:48,640 --> 00:48:50,480
have to

1146
00:48:50,480 --> 00:48:52,079
>> I will steal fire between

1147
00:48:52,079 --> 00:48:54,400
>> I'll steal Warner's uh thing. We need to

1148
00:48:54,400 --> 00:48:56,800
clone you as well, sir.

1149
00:48:56,800 --> 00:48:57,280
>> Thank you.

1150
00:48:57,280 --> 00:48:58,800
>> I just want to let you know Terry would

1151
00:48:58,800 --> 00:48:59,920
have been here tonight because she

1152
00:48:59,920 --> 00:49:01,520
wanted to thank you in person, but she

1153
00:49:01,520 --> 00:49:03,599
wasn't unable to. So, I just wanted to

1154
00:49:03,599 --> 00:49:05,520
let you know to pass that on to you and

1155
00:49:05,520 --> 00:49:06,880
to thank you for everything you've done

1156
00:49:06,880 --> 00:49:08,480
for our town. We appreciate it.

1157
00:49:08,480 --> 00:49:09,920
>> Thank you.

1158
00:49:09,920 --> 00:49:10,640
>> Thanks, Rich.

1159
00:49:10,640 --> 00:49:11,599
>> Thank you.

1160
00:49:11,599 --> 00:49:15,040
>> I'll wait until you vote.

1161
00:49:15,040 --> 00:49:17,680
side is exhibited. I think we have a

1162
00:49:17,680 --> 00:49:21,750
reputation.

1163
00:49:21,760 --> 00:49:25,440
» At this time, um I would move to adopt

1164
00:49:25,440 --> 00:49:29,520
the hazard mitigation plan 2026 as

1165
00:49:29,520 --> 00:49:31,680
presented and for the board to sign.

1166
00:49:31,680 --> 00:49:37,430
>> Second.

1167
00:49:37,440 --> 00:49:43,030
» Any discussion on the motion

1168
00:49:43,040 --> 00:49:44,880
hearing? None on the motion. How would

1169
00:49:44,880 --> 00:49:45,920
you vote? Mr. May,

1170
00:49:45,920 --> 00:49:46,800
>> yes.

1171
00:49:46,800 --> 00:49:47,680
>> Miss Graves,

1172
00:49:47,680 --> 00:49:48,319
>> yes.

1173
00:49:48,319 --> 00:49:49,280
>> Mr. To?

1174
00:49:49,280 --> 00:49:50,079
>> Yes.

1175
00:49:50,079 --> 00:49:50,880
>> Miss Cover?

1176
00:49:50,880 --> 00:49:51,680
>> Yes.

1177
00:49:51,680 --> 00:50:00,710
>> Mr. Bennett is Yes.

1178
00:50:00,720 --> 00:50:03,520
Now you can be happy.

1179
00:50:03,520 --> 00:50:05,829
>> I won't be happy till it's all over.

1180
00:50:05,829 --> 00:50:07,200
[laughter]

1181
00:50:07,200 --> 00:50:09,040
>> All right. Good night all.

1182
00:50:09,040 --> 00:50:10,960
>> Thank you. Jeff, if you want to rip out

1183
00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:14,480
a copy of an um your packet and sign it.

1184
00:50:14,480 --> 00:50:15,920
>> Yes.

1185
00:50:15,920 --> 00:50:17,760
>> That the board sign it and I can pass it

1186
00:50:17,760 --> 00:50:18,960
over to Rich. And

1187
00:50:18,960 --> 00:50:50,069
>> I wrote all over mine.

1188
00:50:50,079 --> 00:50:52,000
Yeah, you don't need glasses for that.

1189
00:50:52,000 --> 00:50:53,520
Me

1190
00:50:53,520 --> 00:50:54,720
worse than a doctor.

1191
00:50:54,720 --> 00:50:56,800
>> Get over

1192
00:50:56,800 --> 00:50:59,680
here.

1193
00:50:59,680 --> 00:51:11,109
Thank you.

1194
00:51:11,119 --> 00:51:13,040
All right. The next item on the agenda

1195
00:51:13,040 --> 00:51:16,720
is uh

1196
00:51:16,720 --> 00:51:18,960
indirect billing of the enterprise

1197
00:51:18,960 --> 00:51:22,160
funds. Uh I put this on the agenda for a

1198
00:51:22,160 --> 00:51:24,400
couple of reasons.

1199
00:51:24,400 --> 00:51:26,640
one uh

1200
00:51:26,640 --> 00:51:28,960
the

1201
00:51:28,960 --> 00:51:30,800
auditors

1202
00:51:30,800 --> 00:51:35,440
uh doing the town audit. Uh

1203
00:51:35,440 --> 00:51:40,480
under the management letter uh they have

1204
00:51:40,480 --> 00:51:43,920
consistently commented on the uh

1205
00:51:43,920 --> 00:51:46,720
indirect cost

1206
00:51:46,720 --> 00:51:49,920
uh not only for the water, light, sewer

1207
00:51:49,920 --> 00:51:53,040
and even enterprise fund would be uh

1208
00:51:53,040 --> 00:51:56,000
TCTV

1209
00:51:56,000 --> 00:51:58,559
uh transferring

1210
00:51:58,559 --> 00:52:01,119
excuse me transferring funds to cover

1211
00:52:01,119 --> 00:52:04,960
there the enterprise fund

1212
00:52:04,960 --> 00:52:09,599
portion of health insurance, retirement

1213
00:52:09,599 --> 00:52:11,760
and OPED,

1214
00:52:11,760 --> 00:52:14,800
but we are also allowed

1215
00:52:14,800 --> 00:52:16,559
uh

1216
00:52:16,559 --> 00:52:18,240
by the Department of Revenue, Division

1217
00:52:18,240 --> 00:52:20,559
of Local Services

1218
00:52:20,559 --> 00:52:22,319
to

1219
00:52:22,319 --> 00:52:24,960
build for

1220
00:52:24,960 --> 00:52:26,720
such things as the accounting

1221
00:52:26,720 --> 00:52:29,440
department, uh the collector and the

1222
00:52:29,440 --> 00:52:32,079
treasury treasurer

1223
00:52:32,079 --> 00:52:37,599
because they are town departments and

1224
00:52:37,599 --> 00:52:39,920
all of their paperwork, all of their

1225
00:52:39,920 --> 00:52:41,760
invoices,

1226
00:52:41,760 --> 00:52:44,960
uh their pension, their vacation, their

1227
00:52:44,960 --> 00:52:46,559
W2s,

1228
00:52:46,559 --> 00:52:49,119
uh

1229
00:52:49,119 --> 00:52:52,880
all of that is done in town hall

1230
00:52:52,880 --> 00:52:55,040
and

1231
00:52:55,040 --> 00:52:59,680
the sewer department, the town voted um

1232
00:52:59,680 --> 00:53:02,880
and and the selection did uh to collect

1233
00:53:02,880 --> 00:53:07,119
the sewer bills in uh the treasurer's

1234
00:53:07,119 --> 00:53:08,880
office.

1235
00:53:08,880 --> 00:53:17,440
So there is a a formula or a process

1236
00:53:17,440 --> 00:53:21,920
uh you have to figure out the

1237
00:53:21,920 --> 00:53:25,440
portion of the amount of time that

1238
00:53:25,440 --> 00:53:27,839
such as the accountant, the treasurer

1239
00:53:27,839 --> 00:53:31,349
and the collector

1240
00:53:31,359 --> 00:53:33,599
have to put forth

1241
00:53:33,599 --> 00:53:38,160
to do all this this work. And it it has

1242
00:53:38,160 --> 00:53:41,839
to uh from what I read uh

1243
00:53:41,839 --> 00:53:45,520
in the uhformational guide release uh

1244
00:53:45,520 --> 00:53:49,520
there's you figure out

1245
00:53:49,520 --> 00:53:52,720
the time that each department puts into

1246
00:53:52,720 --> 00:53:55,680
doing that billing and you do a

1247
00:53:55,680 --> 00:53:57,839
percentage and they did it for the

1248
00:53:57,839 --> 00:54:00,000
sewer.

1249
00:54:00,000 --> 00:54:03,040
There was a uh

1250
00:54:03,040 --> 00:54:05,440
prior town administrator

1251
00:54:05,440 --> 00:54:08,000
uh interim slashf full-time Mr.

1252
00:54:08,000 --> 00:54:10,480
Teranzini

1253
00:54:10,480 --> 00:54:14,160
figured out uh

1254
00:54:14,160 --> 00:54:16,480
the collecting of and the processing of

1255
00:54:16,480 --> 00:54:17,839
all the paperwork, the collecting of the

1256
00:54:17,839 --> 00:54:19,760
sewer bills plus the processing of their

1257
00:54:19,760 --> 00:54:21,359
payrolls, the this that all of that

1258
00:54:21,359 --> 00:54:23,359
other stuff

1259
00:54:23,359 --> 00:54:27,760
and how much time each department was

1260
00:54:27,760 --> 00:54:30,559
putting in and did a percentage. And uh

1261
00:54:30,559 --> 00:54:35,200
I'm going to track it down. It's uh

1262
00:54:35,200 --> 00:54:38,319
they did a uh a presentation

1263
00:54:38,319 --> 00:54:43,359
on it uh and they came up with uh an

1264
00:54:43,359 --> 00:54:47,760
amount of just for the sewer was $19,161

1265
00:54:47,760 --> 00:54:49,520
that would come back to the general

1266
00:54:49,520 --> 00:54:51,440
fund.

1267
00:54:51,440 --> 00:54:53,599
Um,

1268
00:54:53,599 --> 00:54:56,240
we had change in accounting personnel

1269
00:54:56,240 --> 00:54:58,960
and it I spoke with the treasurer today

1270
00:54:58,960 --> 00:55:02,640
and it like fell off the table and

1271
00:55:02,640 --> 00:55:06,480
hasn't been done in a couple of years.

1272
00:55:06,480 --> 00:55:10,480
So, I wanted to get the feel of the

1273
00:55:10,480 --> 00:55:12,000
board

1274
00:55:12,000 --> 00:55:13,599
uh because it's going to be some time

1275
00:55:13,599 --> 00:55:16,559
and work to ask the accountant, the

1276
00:55:16,559 --> 00:55:20,720
treasurer, collector uh their their time

1277
00:55:20,720 --> 00:55:23,839
uh in all of those services uh what's

1278
00:55:23,839 --> 00:55:25,920
the percentage of their time and to come

1279
00:55:25,920 --> 00:55:30,960
up with a formula to uh charge the

1280
00:55:30,960 --> 00:55:33,200
enterprise funds for the services that

1281
00:55:33,200 --> 00:55:36,240
we do to them in town hall. So, it's

1282
00:55:36,240 --> 00:55:39,680
just a a consensus on the board. If you

1283
00:55:39,680 --> 00:55:41,680
feel that you'd like to pursue this,

1284
00:55:41,680 --> 00:55:45,200
again, it was 19,000 just back in 19

1285
00:55:45,200 --> 00:55:49,839
just for uh the sewer department.

1286
00:55:49,839 --> 00:55:53,040
If we could get close to that with the

1287
00:55:53,040 --> 00:55:56,799
other two big ones, plus the uh

1288
00:55:56,799 --> 00:55:59,760
TCTV is a is an enterprise fund or

1289
00:55:59,760 --> 00:56:02,799
whatever we're processing for them.

1290
00:56:02,799 --> 00:56:08,400
um you know it's like 40 50,000 30 thou

1291
00:56:08,400 --> 00:56:12,400
what this it's not going to help in 27

1292
00:56:12,400 --> 00:56:13,920
by the time if you know if we get all

1293
00:56:13,920 --> 00:56:16,480
this stuff through and and and start

1294
00:56:16,480 --> 00:56:18,400
this process but it would help going

1295
00:56:18,400 --> 00:56:20,799
forward

1296
00:56:20,799 --> 00:56:23,680
uh you know the the enterprise funds

1297
00:56:23,680 --> 00:56:25,920
build the town for electric water and

1298
00:56:25,920 --> 00:56:28,559
sewer even though you know we're town

1299
00:56:28,559 --> 00:56:30,559
departments and I gave you a handout if

1300
00:56:30,559 --> 00:56:31,839
you look at the light and the water

1301
00:56:31,839 --> 00:56:35,109
bills Residential

1302
00:56:35,119 --> 00:56:36,960
light bill has a customer service charge

1303
00:56:36,960 --> 00:56:38,799
of $4.3.

1304
00:56:38,799 --> 00:56:42,160
A commercial building has a customer

1305
00:56:42,160 --> 00:56:45,680
search charge of $8.91

1306
00:56:45,680 --> 00:56:48,880
and that's the service charge that they

1307
00:56:48,880 --> 00:56:52,079
are attaching to all the town buildings

1308
00:56:52,079 --> 00:56:54,400
electric bill.

1309
00:56:54,400 --> 00:56:55,440
>> Mr. Mayor,

1310
00:56:55,440 --> 00:56:58,079
>> um I don't know, you can tell me, Mr.

1311
00:56:58,079 --> 00:57:00,400
chair if you think this is acceptable to

1312
00:57:00,400 --> 00:57:03,760
discuss with this agenda item. But um in

1313
00:57:03,760 --> 00:57:07,280
the budget, we have money that we budget

1314
00:57:07,280 --> 00:57:09,760
from the general fund to pay for light

1315
00:57:09,760 --> 00:57:14,160
bills and water bills. Um I don't have I

1316
00:57:14,160 --> 00:57:15,599
don't have the number in front of me. I

1317
00:57:15,599 --> 00:57:17,520
don't know if it's it's about 70,000 or

1318
00:57:17,520 --> 00:57:20,000
something that includes street lights.

1319
00:57:20,000 --> 00:57:23,359
As we know, the the light department um

1320
00:57:23,359 --> 00:57:27,040
from time to time gives us um you know,

1321
00:57:27,040 --> 00:57:28,640
agrees to give us money for this project

1322
00:57:28,640 --> 00:57:32,400
or that project or or what have you. Um

1323
00:57:32,400 --> 00:57:34,960
would the board want to consider asking

1324
00:57:34,960 --> 00:57:37,920
the light department to cover instead

1325
00:57:37,920 --> 00:57:42,720
the light and um water bills uh instead?

1326
00:57:42,720 --> 00:57:44,880
That way it is a consistent amount of

1327
00:57:44,880 --> 00:57:47,119
money that as we know ultimately

1328
00:57:47,119 --> 00:57:48,720
increases every year. So, it's almost

1329
00:57:48,720 --> 00:57:51,359
like a built-in way to get a certain

1330
00:57:51,359 --> 00:57:54,720
amount of money from them a year that

1331
00:57:54,720 --> 00:57:56,720
slowly increases.

1332
00:57:56,720 --> 00:57:58,640
Um, that might be something worth

1333
00:57:58,640 --> 00:58:00,559
exploring with them because I assume

1334
00:58:00,559 --> 00:58:03,359
that Mr. Driscoll probably has a number

1335
00:58:03,359 --> 00:58:06,000
in his head each year that he says, you

1336
00:58:06,000 --> 00:58:07,359
know, when he's doing his budget that

1337
00:58:07,359 --> 00:58:09,200
says, "All right, I'm going to set aside

1338
00:58:09,200 --> 00:58:11,599
this amount to possibly give to the town

1339
00:58:11,599 --> 00:58:13,440
if they come to me and ask for, you

1340
00:58:13,440 --> 00:58:15,040
know, money for a project." like the

1341
00:58:15,040 --> 00:58:17,280
carport that we're currently bidding out

1342
00:58:17,280 --> 00:58:19,599
is is something they agreed to. Now, if

1343
00:58:19,599 --> 00:58:21,839
we asked them for this money, that other

1344
00:58:21,839 --> 00:58:24,079
money probably goes away. So, it would

1345
00:58:24,079 --> 00:58:26,160
be a trade-off between what we think

1346
00:58:26,160 --> 00:58:28,079
we'd get with what we know we'd get. And

1347
00:58:28,079 --> 00:58:30,079
what we know we'd get would come with,

1348
00:58:30,079 --> 00:58:31,680
you know, a modest increase each year

1349
00:58:31,680 --> 00:58:33,920
depending on what it is that they we're

1350
00:58:33,920 --> 00:58:35,599
paying for electricity.

1351
00:58:35,599 --> 00:58:37,359
>> I think that's a great approach. I think

1352
00:58:37,359 --> 00:58:39,920
opposed to sitting down and saying, you

1353
00:58:39,920 --> 00:58:43,920
know, we offer you this service, this service. you know, just us

1354
00:58:43,920 --> 00:58:45,760
as a board making the decision. I think

1355
00:58:45,760 --> 00:58:48,079
having a conversation would go a long

1356
00:58:48,079 --> 00:58:50,799
ways and I I think that that is a good

1357
00:58:50,799 --> 00:58:52,720
idea. Maybe we could swap one service

1358
00:58:52,720 --> 00:58:53,760
for another.

1359
00:58:53,760 --> 00:58:56,720
>> So, the Department of Revenue in our

1360
00:58:56,720 --> 00:59:00,559
financial reviews in 2009 and March of

1361
00:59:00,559 --> 00:59:02,240
2021

1362
00:59:02,240 --> 00:59:05,599
has recommended to

1363
00:59:05,599 --> 00:59:09,599
come to a pilot agreement with the light

1364
00:59:09,599 --> 00:59:11,520
department.

1365
00:59:11,520 --> 00:59:16,799
uh so far has really gone nowhere. Uh

1366
00:59:16,799 --> 00:59:18,880
Ashenham's municipal light department

1367
00:59:18,880 --> 00:59:22,559
back in 2013 had an annual town meeting

1368
00:59:22,559 --> 00:59:26,319
vote for a pilot with Ashenham's

1369
00:59:26,319 --> 00:59:28,400
municipal light department and it's

1370
00:59:28,400 --> 00:59:31,520
based off a formula a percentage of

1371
00:59:31,520 --> 00:59:33,520
kilowatt hours

1372
00:59:33,520 --> 00:59:35,440
and

1373
00:59:35,440 --> 00:59:41,359
it's roughly been around the 65ish,000

1374
00:59:41,359 --> 00:59:48,640
65,000ish or so uh dollar amounts. you can uh get on the Ashenham website,

1375
00:59:48,640 --> 00:59:50,319
find the time meeting things and you can

1376
00:59:50,319 --> 00:59:52,480
see it. It's generally

1377
00:59:52,480 --> 00:59:56,789
within the first

1378
00:59:56,799 --> 00:59:59,119
five articles. I think it's like usually

1379
00:59:59,119 --> 01:00:02,640
article three, but we've tried that

1380
01:00:02,640 --> 01:00:08,079
approach. Uh also in the past up until

1381
01:00:08,079 --> 01:00:12,799
uh well they in 2014

1382
01:00:12,799 --> 01:00:16,799
and that was the year uh the town was in

1383
01:00:16,799 --> 01:00:18,960
uh trouble. There was an article, it's

1384
01:00:18,960 --> 01:00:22,720
article two, uh for a special town

1385
01:00:22,720 --> 01:00:26,240
meeting on July 10th, 2014 where the

1386
01:00:26,240 --> 01:00:28,799
town would vote to appropriate to the

1387
01:00:28,799 --> 01:00:32,799
general fund of the town the sum of

1388
01:00:32,799 --> 01:00:36,069
$31,532

1389
01:00:36,079 --> 01:00:37,920
from surplus funds in the operating

1390
01:00:37,920 --> 01:00:41,200
account of the municipal lighting plant.

1391
01:00:41,200 --> 01:00:45,760
Back in 2013, that same article, it was

1392
01:00:45,760 --> 01:00:48,559
150,000. And if you go back and look

1393
01:00:48,559 --> 01:00:51,760
through the annual town meeting reports

1394
01:00:51,760 --> 01:00:55,200
up until 20134,

1395
01:00:55,200 --> 01:00:59,200
if you will, there was always an article

1396
01:00:59,200 --> 01:01:05,440
and the amounts varied from 75,000 to

1397
01:01:05,440 --> 01:01:08,720
150. It there was no like set amount.

1398
01:01:08,720 --> 01:01:11,359
It's it seems like whatever the

1399
01:01:11,359 --> 01:01:13,200
commissioners

1400
01:01:13,200 --> 01:01:16,880
had surplus revenue and they voted

1401
01:01:16,880 --> 01:01:18,640
uh they offered it to the town to you

1402
01:01:18,640 --> 01:01:20,559
know it was a town meeting vote to

1403
01:01:20,559 --> 01:01:23,760
accept it uh to help the town. Uh

1404
01:01:23,760 --> 01:01:28,160
generally it was uh

1405
01:01:28,160 --> 01:01:30,640
it was stated that uh to be used to

1406
01:01:30,640 --> 01:01:33,359
offset the fiscal like in 2013 the

1407
01:01:33,359 --> 01:01:35,680
fiscal 14 town expenses as part of a

1408
01:01:35,680 --> 01:01:37,920
town balance budget.

1409
01:01:37,920 --> 01:01:41,200
uh some of the articles had uh to assist

1410
01:01:41,200 --> 01:01:43,839
the assessors in setting the tax rate.

1411
01:01:43,839 --> 01:01:45,359
It would mean it would be in a revenue

1412
01:01:45,359 --> 01:01:48,480
amount to be added to general state aid,

1413
01:01:48,480 --> 01:01:51,520
local receipts and you know you need

1414
01:01:51,520 --> 01:01:54,000
making up numbers 10 million and you

1415
01:01:54,000 --> 01:01:56,720
have 3 million in local receipts and

1416
01:01:56,720 --> 01:01:58,480
state aid and the light money and free

1417
01:01:58,480 --> 01:02:01,440
cash. So subtract it from 10 and that's

1418
01:02:01,440 --> 01:02:04,880
how much you have to get from uh

1419
01:02:04,880 --> 01:02:08,799
real estate taxes in a nutshell. I think

1420
01:02:08,799 --> 01:02:11,040
uh I think

1421
01:02:11,040 --> 01:02:11,520
>> geneneralally

1422
01:02:11,520 --> 01:02:13,680
>> close enough.

1423
01:02:13,680 --> 01:02:15,680
>> So

1424
01:02:15,680 --> 01:02:20,240
if we could get something like that uh

1425
01:02:20,240 --> 01:02:23,520
preferably like a a set amount or an

1426
01:02:23,520 --> 01:02:26,319
agreement uh sort of like the pilot

1427
01:02:26,319 --> 01:02:27,280
amount. Uh,

1428
01:02:27,280 --> 01:02:28,960
>> by the way, I'm saying I'm I'm I'm

1429
01:02:28,960 --> 01:02:32,240
saying do both. Um, I'm I'm with you in

1430
01:02:32,240 --> 01:02:35,839
trying to figure out more charges to um

1431
01:02:35,839 --> 01:02:38,400
indirect bill them on. And I tried to

1432
01:02:38,400 --> 01:02:40,079
work on this during the last budget

1433
01:02:40,079 --> 01:02:42,000
cycle, but it was a little hard to

1434
01:02:42,000 --> 01:02:44,079
because the trick is having a

1435
01:02:44,079 --> 01:02:46,799
justifiable way to bills. You have to

1436
01:02:46,799 --> 01:02:48,000
figure out like you were mentioning to

1437
01:02:48,000 --> 01:02:50,480
figure out your time. Um, so we

1438
01:02:50,480 --> 01:02:52,079
obviously we did that I did that with a

1439
01:02:52,079 --> 01:02:54,240
couple of small things like uh I think

1440
01:02:54,240 --> 01:02:56,400
the cost of Harpers or it and I I did

1441
01:02:56,400 --> 01:02:58,559
assess the um or indirect bill I should

1442
01:02:58,559 --> 01:03:01,680
say the um sewer department more but

1443
01:03:01,680 --> 01:03:04,480
that didn't apply to light and water. Um

1444
01:03:04,480 --> 01:03:09,680
but but I agree that be a good idea to tweak that for FY28.

1445
01:03:09,680 --> 01:03:12,240
Um, but I also think that it might be

1446
01:03:12,240 --> 01:03:14,640
helpful for the board to consider um

1447
01:03:14,640 --> 01:03:17,440
asking light if they would go back to

1448
01:03:17,440 --> 01:03:19,359
some sort of pilot payment or just agree

1449
01:03:19,359 --> 01:03:23,119
to pay for the the the the light and

1450
01:03:23,119 --> 01:03:24,960
water costs to run these municipal

1451
01:03:24,960 --> 01:03:28,000
buildings. Just unfortunate that we take

1452
01:03:28,000 --> 01:03:29,760
our general fund money and and ship it

1453
01:03:29,760 --> 01:03:35,280
over there for this when, you know, they could consider covering it.

1454
01:03:35,280 --> 01:03:38,799
Do you think if we had a like a workshop

1455
01:03:38,799 --> 01:03:41,280
type of of like a one time like a thing

1456
01:03:41,280 --> 01:03:42,799
where they could come in and have a

1457
01:03:42,799 --> 01:03:45,119
conversation with us?

1458
01:03:45,119 --> 01:03:46,880
>> I I don't that didn't feel like it

1459
01:03:46,880 --> 01:03:48,160
worked good last time.

1460
01:03:48,160 --> 01:03:50,079
>> Oh, did we try that? Well, but that was

1461
01:03:50,079 --> 01:03:51,200
different. They were all in the back.

1462
01:03:51,200 --> 01:03:53,200
Oh, you mean the thing?

1463
01:03:53,200 --> 01:03:54,079
They didn't come forward.

1464
01:03:54,079 --> 01:03:55,200
>> I think if the select board

1465
01:03:55,200 --> 01:03:56,799
>> was too much on the agenda. I think if

1466
01:03:56,799 --> 01:04:00,400
the select board uh is interested in the, for example, the covering of the

1467
01:04:00,400 --> 01:04:02,720
light bills and the water bills, we

1468
01:04:02,720 --> 01:04:05,359
politely ask if the light commissioners

1469
01:04:05,359 --> 01:04:08,640
would be, you know, into that.

1470
01:04:08,640 --> 01:04:09,680
>> Mr.

1471
01:04:09,680 --> 01:04:10,160
Yes,

1472
01:04:10,160 --> 01:04:12,640
>> if I may, just as another justification

1473
01:04:12,640 --> 01:04:18,240
for this is um TA was just saying um I

1474
01:04:18,240 --> 01:04:20,960
talked to Tom back I think it was in

1475
01:04:20,960 --> 01:04:24,240
January um and asked him and he stated

1476
01:04:24,240 --> 01:04:27,599
there's about 5,000 telephone poles on

1477
01:04:27,599 --> 01:04:29,920
Templeton property by the Templeton

1478
01:04:29,920 --> 01:04:32,160
light. So that is another means that you

1479
01:04:32,160 --> 01:04:35,200
could justify any expense

1480
01:04:35,200 --> 01:04:37,039
um potentially and that was what was

1481
01:04:37,039 --> 01:04:39,359
told to me also by I forget who at the

1482
01:04:39,359 --> 01:04:43,200
time when I was asking about um the uh

1483
01:04:43,200 --> 01:04:47,200
pilot system or the pilot idea but I do

1484
01:04:47,200 --> 01:04:51,280
like James' idea to get rid of the uh

1485
01:04:51,280 --> 01:04:55,280
electric and water here and potentially

1486
01:04:55,280 --> 01:04:57,280
to make it a you know reasonable number.

1487
01:04:57,280 --> 01:05:06,150
I think you probably have to include the uh town street lights too.

1488
01:05:06,160 --> 01:05:07,520
» Yeah,

1489
01:05:07,520 --> 01:05:10,559
>> cuz the street lights uh this is from

1490
01:05:10,559 --> 01:05:14,799
this is for fiscal 26 is listed at

1491
01:05:14,799 --> 01:05:15,680
>> 20

1492
01:05:15,680 --> 01:05:18,960
>> 17,000 by 41.

1493
01:05:18,960 --> 01:05:23,589
Uh

1494
01:05:23,599 --> 01:05:25,520
for a period of time they the light

1495
01:05:25,520 --> 01:05:29,680
department came up with a thing that

1496
01:05:29,680 --> 01:05:32,640
they would pay for the street lights. It

1497
01:05:32,640 --> 01:05:34,880
paid for the electric portion of the

1498
01:05:34,880 --> 01:05:37,839
town bills for

1499
01:05:37,839 --> 01:05:39,599
I think it might have been a couple

1500
01:05:39,599 --> 01:05:43,119
three years, a couple years and then

1501
01:05:43,119 --> 01:05:46,079
they started they would charge the town

1502
01:05:46,079 --> 01:05:50,000
like 10% of the electric cost and then

1503
01:05:50,000 --> 01:05:52,160
the next year it would increase it and

1504
01:05:52,160 --> 01:05:54,720
increase it uh till it got back to the

1505
01:05:54,720 --> 01:05:57,280
point where the town was paying. I

1506
01:05:57,280 --> 01:05:59,599
forget what it was what the reasoning

1507
01:05:59,599 --> 01:06:02,400
was for. Uh

1508
01:06:02,400 --> 01:06:05,760
it's it's in the uh one of the budget

1509
01:06:05,760 --> 01:06:10,720
books I think maybe 19. But uh again I

1510
01:06:10,720 --> 01:06:12,400
just wanted to see if the board what the

1511
01:06:12,400 --> 01:06:15,520
board thought on u

1512
01:06:15,520 --> 01:06:17,680
approaching this and trying to see if we

1513
01:06:17,680 --> 01:06:20,480
could uh get something on the table.

1514
01:06:20,480 --> 01:06:24,000
Again do has recommended this twice into

1515
01:06:24,000 --> 01:06:27,280
financial reviews that we get to a pilot

1516
01:06:27,280 --> 01:06:28,960
agreement.

1517
01:06:28,960 --> 01:06:31,200
Um, I have asked put it in front of the

1518
01:06:31,200 --> 01:06:34,480
board before or or put it on the agenda

1519
01:06:34,480 --> 01:06:36,880
to let the board know that uh for

1520
01:06:36,880 --> 01:06:39,119
instance like Ashpenheim does it off of

1521
01:06:39,119 --> 01:06:41,599
a formula. That was the town meeting

1522
01:06:41,599 --> 01:06:44,160
vote to accept the formula and the

1523
01:06:44,160 --> 01:06:48,000
percentage and each year now

1524
01:06:48,000 --> 01:06:50,319
you take the formula you figure out what

1525
01:06:50,319 --> 01:06:51,920
the amount and that's how they arrive at

1526
01:06:51,920 --> 01:06:53,920
the amount.

1527
01:06:53,920 --> 01:06:56,559
So

1528
01:06:56,559 --> 01:06:58,880
>> do you think that would be a

1529
01:06:58,880 --> 01:07:01,039
better to have a private conversation

1530
01:07:01,039 --> 01:07:03,920
like James or is that something that we

1531
01:07:03,920 --> 01:07:05,680
should do publicly

1532
01:07:05,680 --> 01:07:06,880
>> about which part?

1533
01:07:06,880 --> 01:07:09,920
>> Just in regards to the whole program.

1534
01:07:09,920 --> 01:07:11,920
I think it I think maybe a better a

1535
01:07:11,920 --> 01:07:14,000
private conversation may work better.

1536
01:07:14,000 --> 01:07:15,280
>> Well, I think there's two things that

1537
01:07:15,280 --> 01:07:18,720
the board can kind of direct me to do. A

1538
01:07:18,720 --> 01:07:22,000
there's the project of we we don't need

1539
01:07:22,000 --> 01:07:24,640
necessarily their permission to indirect

1540
01:07:24,640 --> 01:07:26,960
bill them. Um, I don't know what they

1541
01:07:26,960 --> 01:07:28,799
would say if they said no. If I don't

1542
01:07:28,799 --> 01:07:30,160
know what would happen if they said no,

1543
01:07:30,160 --> 01:07:34,640
but if if we can show that we are uh

1544
01:07:34,640 --> 01:07:36,960
experiencing costs through the work

1545
01:07:36,960 --> 01:07:39,440
we're doing, then we can bill them,

1546
01:07:39,440 --> 01:07:42,000
charge them. Um, then the second piece

1547
01:07:42,000 --> 01:07:44,000
is is if you want to pursue a pilot

1548
01:07:44,000 --> 01:07:47,039
payment or the uh water electric bills

1549
01:07:47,039 --> 01:07:49,280
idea. So, I think there's two separate

1550
01:07:49,280 --> 01:07:52,480
things here to for you to consider and

1551
01:07:52,480 --> 01:07:54,240
you can do them both. And I think we

1552
01:07:54,240 --> 01:07:56,079
should definitely at least continue

1553
01:07:56,079 --> 01:07:57,440
trying with the indirect billing because

1554
01:07:57,440 --> 01:07:59,359
we're already doing it on a lot. Just

1555
01:07:59,359 --> 01:08:00,960
the what we're talking about now is

1556
01:08:00,960 --> 01:08:03,200
probably the hardest part is figuring

1557
01:08:03,200 --> 01:08:06,079
out what staff time goes to to handling

1558
01:08:06,079 --> 01:08:07,920
their payroll that comes in, their AP

1559
01:08:07,920 --> 01:08:09,680
that comes in. It's really kind of a

1560
01:08:09,680 --> 01:08:12,480
tracking game, but we with enough time

1561
01:08:12,480 --> 01:08:15,280
and effort, we could figure it out.

1562
01:08:15,280 --> 01:08:20,719
I believe the formula, the procedure is already there for the sewer. It was

1563
01:08:20,719 --> 01:08:24,640
worked out. There's a um

1564
01:08:24,640 --> 01:08:26,880
a presentation I I would have to track

1565
01:08:26,880 --> 01:08:29,040
down the the meeting day. I believe it

1566
01:08:29,040 --> 01:08:32,880
started in 19 but and it just fell off

1567
01:08:32,880 --> 01:08:35,520
like uh

1568
01:08:35,520 --> 01:08:41,120
maybe 25 when we had Kelly left and then

1569
01:08:41,120 --> 01:08:45,120
uh we got Melanie and then

1570
01:08:45,120 --> 01:08:47,440
we had a Ponte and then we had nobody.

1571
01:08:47,440 --> 01:08:52,640
But somewhere between I think 19 and

1572
01:08:52,640 --> 01:08:56,000
25 somewhere in there. Uh

1573
01:08:56,000 --> 01:08:58,719
Cheryl would have give it an email she

1574
01:08:58,719 --> 01:09:01,120
could look it up and and find when it

1575
01:09:01,120 --> 01:09:04,080
fell off. But that has already you know

1576
01:09:04,080 --> 01:09:05,520
that percentage and the way they were

1577
01:09:05,520 --> 01:09:07,199
building had already been figured out.

1578
01:09:07,199 --> 01:09:10,480
It's just the light water and even TCTV

1579
01:09:10,480 --> 01:09:13,759
is an enterprise fund. Uh I don't know

1580
01:09:13,759 --> 01:09:16,719
if that's ever the the accountant the

1581
01:09:16,719 --> 01:09:19,279
treasurer collector has ever done for

1582
01:09:19,279 --> 01:09:21,120
how much they do for them but they like

1583
01:09:21,120 --> 01:09:23,359
I said they

1584
01:09:23,359 --> 01:09:26,159
the W2s they don't get them they they in

1585
01:09:26,159 --> 01:09:27,679
town hall you know where is it at

1586
01:09:27,679 --> 01:09:29,600
because we town hall does all of that

1587
01:09:29,600 --> 01:09:30,960
stuff for them.

1588
01:09:30,960 --> 01:09:32,560
>> I mean they're

1589
01:09:32,560 --> 01:09:34,400
>> including their debt and and all of

1590
01:09:34,400 --> 01:09:36,480
that. I mean, they're sending us a bill

1591
01:09:36,480 --> 01:09:39,040
on the services that they provide us,

1592
01:09:39,040 --> 01:09:41,520
you know, the water and the electrical

1593
01:09:41,520 --> 01:09:44,319
for our buildings, but we're not sending

1594
01:09:44,319 --> 01:09:46,480
them for the services that we provide on

1595
01:09:46,480 --> 01:09:49,359
our end. So, I mean, logically, it makes

1596
01:09:49,359 --> 01:09:51,679
sense. And if we're not really

1597
01:09:51,679 --> 01:09:54,960
benefiting that much, I mean, we are I

1598
01:09:54,960 --> 01:09:57,120
mean, it's a taxpayer dollars no matter

1599
01:09:57,120 --> 01:09:58,800
what you look at all the way around, but

1600
01:09:58,800 --> 01:10:01,600
it would be helpful to um the general

1601
01:10:01,600 --> 01:10:03,520
budget.

1602
01:10:03,520 --> 01:10:04,880
I think we should do all three

1603
01:10:04,880 --> 01:10:08,000
departments, not just single out one.

1604
01:10:08,000 --> 01:10:09,840
>> No, all the enterprise funds. I'm just

1605
01:10:09,840 --> 01:10:12,320
saying sewer had been done before

1606
01:10:12,320 --> 01:10:14,000
because they are collecting sewer bills

1607
01:10:14,000 --> 01:10:22,560
in town hall and they came up with a percentage the formula said 2019 it

1608
01:10:22,560 --> 01:10:25,040
was like $19,000 just from the sewer

1609
01:10:25,040 --> 01:10:26,560
department. Okay.

1610
01:10:26,560 --> 01:10:30,800
>> So, uh is there a consensus to have the

1611
01:10:30,800 --> 01:10:32,960
town administrator

1612
01:10:32,960 --> 01:10:34,719
Look at the things that you just brought

1613
01:10:34,719 --> 01:10:37,520
up the indirect billing for the indirect

1614
01:10:37,520 --> 01:10:39,679
cost and

1615
01:10:39,679 --> 01:10:43,040
either the pilot or maybe pay for you

1616
01:10:43,040 --> 01:10:45,679
know don't charge the town buildings for

1617
01:10:45,679 --> 01:10:49,120
the rod and electric the sewers etc. Try

1618
01:10:49,120 --> 01:10:51,920
just try the angles and see what the

1619
01:10:51,920 --> 01:10:54,080
response is

1620
01:10:54,080 --> 01:10:55,600
and if they come up with something then

1621
01:10:55,600 --> 01:10:58,400
it could be on uh an agenda for for a

1622
01:10:58,400 --> 01:11:00,080
discussion.

1623
01:11:00,080 --> 01:11:02,480
How how long do you think I mean how

1624
01:11:02,480 --> 01:11:04,080
long do you think I mean you we're

1625
01:11:04,080 --> 01:11:05,760
already working on a lot of projects in

1626
01:11:05,760 --> 01:11:08,000
our office. How long out do you think

1627
01:11:08,000 --> 01:11:11,760
that um we should put put that at? It

1628
01:11:11,760 --> 01:11:17,440
would probably have an effect um

1629
01:11:17,440 --> 01:11:21,120
more more on the 28 budget than the 27

1630
01:11:21,120 --> 01:11:23,520
depending on where it would come because

1631
01:11:23,520 --> 01:11:27,280
it would be unexpected revenue and you

1632
01:11:27,280 --> 01:11:29,440
know like I said it looking further out.

1633
01:11:29,440 --> 01:11:33,760
This is not really going to fix the 27

1634
01:11:33,760 --> 01:11:35,280
uh

1635
01:11:35,280 --> 01:11:37,679
budget thing but it's just to be more

1636
01:11:37,679 --> 01:11:40,239
forward looking. Uh

1637
01:11:40,239 --> 01:11:41,440
>> so I was

1638
01:11:41,440 --> 01:11:44,159
>> to try to bring in you know more money

1639
01:11:44,159 --> 01:11:45,920
back to the general fund because right

1640
01:11:45,920 --> 01:11:48,640
now the general fund is sending light,

1641
01:11:48,640 --> 01:11:51,280
water and sewer money

1642
01:11:51,280 --> 01:11:55,040
to those departments and in return you

1643
01:11:55,040 --> 01:11:59,199
can you could say they take that money

1644
01:11:59,199 --> 01:12:01,280
and and some of it's coming back to the

1645
01:12:01,280 --> 01:12:04,320
general fund when they pay their

1646
01:12:04,320 --> 01:12:06,480
enterprise funds portion of the health

1647
01:12:06,480 --> 01:12:09,679
insurance, the retirement, the OPED and

1648
01:12:09,679 --> 01:12:12,159
so forth. So, it's kind of going in a

1649
01:12:12,159 --> 01:12:15,440
circle right now. Anyways, we need to

1650
01:12:15,440 --> 01:12:18,080
try to claw back some of that money for

1651
01:12:18,080 --> 01:12:21,120
the general fund.

1652
01:12:21,120 --> 01:12:23,280
Uh because, you know, if we could get

1653
01:12:23,280 --> 01:12:27,920
50,000, 60,000, 40,000, whatever, it's a

1654
01:12:27,920 --> 01:12:31,040
help. Uh it's it's not going to pay big

1655
01:12:31,040 --> 01:12:32,480
things off, but

1656
01:12:32,480 --> 01:12:36,229
>> it could be.

1657
01:12:36,239 --> 01:12:38,239
So that so as we go into the budget

1658
01:12:38,239 --> 01:12:38,960
season,

1659
01:12:38,960 --> 01:12:40,960
>> we have money going there. So we we need

1660
01:12:40,960 --> 01:12:43,199
to see if we can claw some of that back

1661
01:12:43,199 --> 01:12:44,960
is is

1662
01:12:44,960 --> 01:12:46,239
my thought.

1663
01:12:46,239 --> 01:12:48,000
>> So we're probably looking at wanting to

1664
01:12:48,000 --> 01:12:49,440
have some of this information by the

1665
01:12:49,440 --> 01:12:52,320
time we hit what February as we go into

1666
01:12:52,320 --> 01:12:55,679
the budget season. Yeah.

1667
01:12:55,679 --> 01:12:56,800
>> Depending on, you know, the

1668
01:12:56,800 --> 01:12:58,239
conversations how they go.

1669
01:12:58,239 --> 01:12:58,880
>> Yeah. Well,

1670
01:12:58,880 --> 01:13:00,800
>> I mean, as far as the indirect billing

1671
01:13:00,800 --> 01:13:02,400
goes, yeah, that's a project we have to

1672
01:13:02,400 --> 01:13:04,159
figure out how to do it. if if you can

1673
01:13:04,159 --> 01:13:07,600
find any information um from the past um

1674
01:13:07,600 --> 01:13:10,560
whether it was just a an agreement or if

1675
01:13:10,560 --> 01:13:12,640
there was a a mathematical formula they

1676
01:13:12,640 --> 01:13:15,280
followed um otherwise I will do it the

1677
01:13:15,280 --> 01:13:16,800
way that I know and we have to figure

1678
01:13:16,800 --> 01:13:19,440
out you know people's time

1679
01:13:19,440 --> 01:13:21,760
relating to those those items and then

1680
01:13:21,760 --> 01:13:26,320
as far as the um the pilot or um taking

1681
01:13:26,320 --> 01:13:29,199
care of the bills um that'll just be on

1682
01:13:29,199 --> 01:13:30,719
them to decide if they want to do it or

1683
01:13:30,719 --> 01:13:32,239
not. So there'll be no time frame on

1684
01:13:32,239 --> 01:13:34,159
that. that's beyond the light

1685
01:13:34,159 --> 01:13:35,520
commissioners, but I can at least tell

1686
01:13:35,520 --> 01:13:38,000
them that this is what the board is in

1687
01:13:38,000 --> 01:13:40,320
favor of. So, you know, please consider

1688
01:13:40,320 --> 01:13:40,800
it.

1689
01:13:40,800 --> 01:13:42,880
>> Okay,

1690
01:13:42,880 --> 01:13:47,189
>> I'm on board.

1691
01:13:47,199 --> 01:13:51,679
» Uh the next item is item H. Uh it has to

1692
01:13:51,679 --> 01:13:57,030
do with uh

1693
01:13:57,040 --> 01:13:59,440
it's light and water because they're uh

1694
01:13:59,440 --> 01:14:02,400
covered under the special legislation.

1695
01:14:02,400 --> 01:14:05,120
But again, uh it's particularly the

1696
01:14:05,120 --> 01:14:08,719
water department. Um

1697
01:14:08,719 --> 01:14:10,880
it's happened several years when it

1698
01:14:10,880 --> 01:14:14,159
comes time for the town to do

1699
01:14:14,159 --> 01:14:19,990
uh its financial audit. Uh

1700
01:14:20,000 --> 01:14:21,679
past

1701
01:14:21,679 --> 01:14:26,790
I think three years the

1702
01:14:26,800 --> 01:14:29,840
or four years back

1703
01:14:29,840 --> 01:14:36,320
two. Yeah. starting I think in 22 the audit uh in 19 was was completed and

1704
01:14:36,320 --> 01:14:39,679
presented in November 2019 and that's

1705
01:14:39,679 --> 01:14:43,360
you know fiscal 19 ended June 30th 2019

1706
01:14:43,360 --> 01:14:45,520
and the audit was presented to the town

1707
01:14:45,520 --> 01:14:48,320
in November

1708
01:14:48,320 --> 01:14:52,080
2020 was in

1709
01:14:52,080 --> 01:14:54,880
second week of January

1710
01:14:54,880 --> 01:14:58,159
uh the next year's was done at the end

1711
01:14:58,159 --> 01:14:59,920
of January

1712
01:14:59,920 --> 01:15:02,960
And then the follow-up ones were hit in

1713
01:15:02,960 --> 01:15:05,360
March and then April and the reason

1714
01:15:05,360 --> 01:15:09,199
given was water wasn't ready.

1715
01:15:09,199 --> 01:15:12,239
Uh this year I talked the last I talked

1716
01:15:12,239 --> 01:15:15,040
with the accountant a week ago waiting

1717
01:15:15,040 --> 01:15:18,000
on the water department. I don't know

1718
01:15:18,000 --> 01:15:19,679
what the issue is. If they don't have

1719
01:15:19,679 --> 01:15:22,000
the funds, if they'll if it's their

1720
01:15:22,000 --> 01:15:26,320
auditor firm, whatever the case may be.

1721
01:15:26,320 --> 01:15:28,640
Light and water. The light operates

1722
01:15:28,640 --> 01:15:31,040
under Massachusetts General Law, Chapter

1723
01:15:31,040 --> 01:15:34,149
164.

1724
01:15:34,159 --> 01:15:37,199
And under 164,

1725
01:15:37,199 --> 01:15:40,159
section 56

1726
01:15:40,159 --> 01:15:43,590
states

1727
01:15:43,600 --> 01:15:48,560
that the manager of the light water

1728
01:15:48,560 --> 01:15:50,880
shall at any time when required by the

1729
01:15:50,880 --> 01:15:53,679
mayor, selectman, municipal light board,

1730
01:15:53,679 --> 01:15:56,880
if any, or department make a statement

1731
01:15:56,880 --> 01:15:59,520
to such officers of his doings, business

1732
01:15:59,520 --> 01:16:01,600
receipts, dispersements,

1733
01:16:01,600 --> 01:16:04,080
balances, and indebtedness of the town

1734
01:16:04,080 --> 01:16:07,040
and his department.

1735
01:16:07,040 --> 01:16:10,719
There is also uh section 57 which says

1736
01:16:10,719 --> 01:16:12,800
at the beginning of each fiscal year the

1737
01:16:12,800 --> 01:16:14,560
manager of the municipal lighting shall

1738
01:16:14,560 --> 01:16:16,400
furnish to the mayor selecting municipal

1739
01:16:16,400 --> 01:16:18,640
light board if any an estimate of the

1740
01:16:18,640 --> 01:16:21,920
income sales of the electric gas and and

1741
01:16:21,920 --> 01:16:23,920
so forth. So there's two different

1742
01:16:23,920 --> 01:16:25,520
sections.

1743
01:16:25,520 --> 01:16:28,640
Section 56

1744
01:16:28,640 --> 01:16:31,600
states that if the select board wants

1745
01:16:31,600 --> 01:16:33,280
request the general manager to come

1746
01:16:33,280 --> 01:16:36,800
before them and explain the conditions

1747
01:16:36,800 --> 01:16:40,880
financially of the light of the water.

1748
01:16:40,880 --> 01:16:43,440
I would put this on to see if the board

1749
01:16:43,440 --> 01:16:47,520
is interested and has consensus to uh

1750
01:16:47,520 --> 01:16:50,719
request the general manager

1751
01:16:50,719 --> 01:16:54,880
to give us an update on the water

1752
01:16:54,880 --> 01:16:58,080
department's finance and what is the

1753
01:16:58,080 --> 01:17:01,600
holdup on the audit which is holding up

1754
01:17:01,600 --> 01:17:03,840
the town's audit where the the

1755
01:17:03,840 --> 01:17:06,480
accountant has said our auditor which we

1756
01:17:06,480 --> 01:17:10,480
have under contract for to do fiscal 25

1757
01:17:10,480 --> 01:17:13,840
Um we're waiting on water and I I think

1758
01:17:13,840 --> 01:17:16,560
the board has a responsibility and and

1759
01:17:16,560 --> 01:17:19,679
the residents would you know we have a

1760
01:17:19,679 --> 01:17:21,760
responsibility for the residents to know

1761
01:17:21,760 --> 01:17:25,120
why uh you know what's the hold up with

1762
01:17:25,120 --> 01:17:26,640
this department?

1763
01:17:26,640 --> 01:17:28,159
>> Have there been any communications sent

1764
01:17:28,159 --> 01:17:29,520
to them

1765
01:17:29,520 --> 01:17:31,920
>> other than the accountant checks and see

1766
01:17:31,920 --> 01:17:35,440
if they're ready you know to go or not.

1767
01:17:35,440 --> 01:17:39,199
Um she had been told uh nope. Uh and

1768
01:17:39,199 --> 01:17:41,520
again

1769
01:17:41,520 --> 01:17:43,440
uh to finding an audit firm going

1770
01:17:43,440 --> 01:17:45,280
forward, you know, they could be in the

1771
01:17:45,280 --> 01:17:47,760
same position as the town because one

1772
01:17:47,760 --> 01:17:50,400
company bought up almost all of the

1773
01:17:50,400 --> 01:17:53,600
independent audit firms and now a big

1774
01:17:53,600 --> 01:17:56,000
company bought them out. So they have so

1775
01:17:56,000 --> 01:17:59,280
and the do is aware of it. The fact that

1776
01:17:59,280 --> 01:18:01,920
there is a the number of firms to do

1777
01:18:01,920 --> 01:18:05,600
audits is shrinking and uh Mr.

1778
01:18:05,600 --> 01:18:06,400
administrator.

1779
01:18:06,400 --> 01:18:08,960
>> Um my understanding was that a I don't

1780
01:18:08,960 --> 01:18:10,960
know few months ago, whatever it was at

1781
01:18:10,960 --> 01:18:13,280
this point, um a communication was sent

1782
01:18:13,280 --> 01:18:16,000
from them to Amber in that what's

1783
01:18:16,000 --> 01:18:17,760
holding up the audit is that they

1784
01:18:17,760 --> 01:18:22,400
changed their accounting system and for

1785
01:18:22,400 --> 01:18:24,960
some reason that change is is they're

1786
01:18:24,960 --> 01:18:27,199
having trouble generating information, I

1787
01:18:27,199 --> 01:18:29,040
guess, that the auditors need. Some for

1788
01:18:29,040 --> 01:18:30,400
some reason that change is holding up

1789
01:18:30,400 --> 01:18:32,480
their audit. So that's what that's what

1790
01:18:32,480 --> 01:18:37,110
I was told several months ago.

1791
01:18:37,120 --> 01:18:40,159
So again, is uh Mr. May,

1792
01:18:40,159 --> 01:18:43,679
>> if I might, um I just have a concern as

1793
01:18:43,679 --> 01:18:48,400
I read this um it seems to state to me

1794
01:18:48,400 --> 01:18:51,360
in a declining order that under the

1795
01:18:51,360 --> 01:18:53,679
direction and control of the mayor,

1796
01:18:53,679 --> 01:18:56,880
selectman or municipal light board, and

1797
01:18:56,880 --> 01:18:59,840
we do have a municipal light board.

1798
01:18:59,840 --> 01:19:03,199
So I would in the way I read this they

1799
01:19:03,199 --> 01:19:04,800
would be the ones that they'd report to

1800
01:19:04,800 --> 01:19:06,960
in this scenario not necessarily the

1801
01:19:06,960 --> 01:19:08,560
select board and they definitely

1802
01:19:08,560 --> 01:19:10,239
wouldn't select report for the mayor

1803
01:19:10,239 --> 01:19:13,830
because we don't have one.

1804
01:19:13,840 --> 01:19:15,760
Well, again, I just

1805
01:19:15,760 --> 01:19:17,040
>> just my reading that's

1806
01:19:17,040 --> 01:19:19,360
>> again. It says the manager shall at any

1807
01:19:19,360 --> 01:19:22,000
time when required by the mayor, the

1808
01:19:22,000 --> 01:19:23,679
select men, the municipal light board,

1809
01:19:23,679 --> 01:19:26,560
if any, or department.

1810
01:19:26,560 --> 01:19:28,719
Uh

1811
01:19:28,719 --> 01:19:31,679
if we if the board's not, you know,

1812
01:19:31,679 --> 01:19:34,000
interested in doing it, that's fine. Uh

1813
01:19:34,000 --> 01:19:35,840
>> I'm interested. I just don't know if we

1814
01:19:35,840 --> 01:19:36,880
have the

1815
01:19:36,880 --> 01:19:39,440
>> authority. I I know it says that you

1816
01:19:39,440 --> 01:19:45,840
know if you don't have a light board uh

1817
01:19:45,840 --> 01:19:48,400
they said that then

1818
01:19:48,400 --> 01:19:49,920
if we didn't have a light board then the

1819
01:19:49,920 --> 01:19:51,679
select would set the conversation all

1820
01:19:51,679 --> 01:19:54,719
that but we do have a light board I mean

1821
01:19:54,719 --> 01:19:57,920
>> I think we're holding up our audit

1822
01:19:57,920 --> 01:19:59,040
>> we should have some input

1823
01:19:59,040 --> 01:20:00,880
>> married to both of them the manager and

1824
01:20:00,880 --> 01:20:04,000
the uh their board

1825
01:20:04,000 --> 01:20:05,760
>> James

1826
01:20:05,760 --> 01:20:08,480
>> April's calling upon Sorry for you.

1827
01:20:08,480 --> 01:20:11,679
>> Um my reading of the statute and again

1828
01:20:11,679 --> 01:20:13,199
not a lawyer but my reading of the

1829
01:20:13,199 --> 01:20:15,360
statute because later on in in that in

1830
01:20:15,360 --> 01:20:18,320
that section um it says you know it says

1831
01:20:18,320 --> 01:20:21,040
something along the lines of um to kind

1832
01:20:21,040 --> 01:20:23,280
of anyone who who this affects. So

1833
01:20:23,280 --> 01:20:24,719
obviously their billing and stuff runs

1834
01:20:24,719 --> 01:20:26,719
through us. What they do affects us. So

1835
01:20:26,719 --> 01:20:29,280
we may be able to call them but my

1836
01:20:29,280 --> 01:20:32,640
concern were was along two two routes.

1837
01:20:32,640 --> 01:20:36,400
one, I think all that statute um gives

1838
01:20:36,400 --> 01:20:39,920
is that at best he would have to send

1839
01:20:39,920 --> 01:20:41,440
you something in writing. So whatever

1840
01:20:41,440 --> 01:20:43,280
you ask him, he'll send you something in

1841
01:20:43,280 --> 01:20:45,360
writing. So I I don't think we can

1842
01:20:45,360 --> 01:20:47,280
summon him here for a discussion or

1843
01:20:47,280 --> 01:20:48,960
anything. And then then then there's a

1844
01:20:48,960 --> 01:20:51,280
practical sense that even if we

1845
01:20:51,280 --> 01:20:53,520
requested this of the light department

1846
01:20:53,520 --> 01:20:58,800
and they didn't respond, what is the mechanism? they they're

1847
01:20:58,800 --> 01:21:00,719
protected by the light commissioners

1848
01:21:00,719 --> 01:21:04,480
that you know may be uninterested or not

1849
01:21:04,480 --> 01:21:07,280
in complying with requests that we have.

1850
01:21:07,280 --> 01:21:08,640
And then the third I guess there's a

1851
01:21:08,640 --> 01:21:11,760
third section. Um I think if we're going

1852
01:21:11,760 --> 01:21:14,880
to ask them for for money in a sense of

1853
01:21:14,880 --> 01:21:17,040
a pilot or something else, we want to be

1854
01:21:17,040 --> 01:21:19,760
careful what we also demand of them from

1855
01:21:19,760 --> 01:21:23,750
a political perspective.

1856
01:21:23,760 --> 01:21:25,360
Don't poke the bear.

1857
01:21:25,360 --> 01:21:27,840
>> I I step on toes. I step on toes. It

1858
01:21:27,840 --> 01:21:28,640
doesn't

1859
01:21:28,640 --> 01:21:30,000
>> we just want to know when they

1860
01:21:30,000 --> 01:21:32,880
>> Mr. Toe knows me. The audit the audit's

1861
01:21:32,880 --> 01:21:34,640
one thing. I mean I can I can I can

1862
01:21:34,640 --> 01:21:37,199
email and call them to ask

1863
01:21:37,199 --> 01:21:39,280
>> the concern I have and I heard what the

1864
01:21:39,280 --> 01:21:43,920
TA said. I I agree to an to a point but

1865
01:21:43,920 --> 01:21:48,320
if their audit is holding up our audit

1866
01:21:48,320 --> 01:21:51,440
and correct me if I'm wrong the deputy

1867
01:21:51,440 --> 01:21:53,679
assessor is sitting right here. Our

1868
01:21:53,679 --> 01:21:57,840
audit also in turn may or may not impact

1869
01:21:57,840 --> 01:22:00,719
setting the tax rate.

1870
01:22:00,719 --> 01:22:03,120
>> I don't know what

1871
01:22:03,120 --> 01:22:05,040
>> I'm not 100% either.

1872
01:22:05,040 --> 01:22:07,360
>> It's not one of the things that I have

1873
01:22:07,360 --> 01:22:09,120
to check off or that I need to work with

1874
01:22:09,120 --> 01:22:11,600
the accountant on. Um it does become an

1875
01:22:11,600 --> 01:22:13,760
issue with with bond council. I know

1876
01:22:13,760 --> 01:22:16,239
that when we don't have audits. So I I

1877
01:22:16,239 --> 01:22:18,320
believe the board does have the

1878
01:22:18,320 --> 01:22:22,080
authority to request these folks come in

1879
01:22:22,080 --> 01:22:24,639
and if the light and water commissioners

1880
01:22:24,639 --> 01:22:28,400
don't want to act, we can step in and

1881
01:22:28,400 --> 01:22:31,199
say we need answers. And it this may

1882
01:22:31,199 --> 01:22:34,000
come down to the fact the auditing the

1883
01:22:34,000 --> 01:22:36,239
pool of auditing firms is dwindling and

1884
01:22:36,239 --> 01:22:40,080
we know this but if if we're waiting on

1885
01:22:40,080 --> 01:22:42,320
them to do our part and then it can

1886
01:22:42,320 --> 01:22:44,480
impact down the road. It's just a series

1887
01:22:44,480 --> 01:22:46,480
of dominoes which one's going to fall

1888
01:22:46,480 --> 01:22:49,679
first and then how many do have to drop

1889
01:22:49,679 --> 01:22:51,600
before we get to the next piece of the

1890
01:22:51,600 --> 01:22:54,400
puzzle. That that's my biggest concern

1891
01:22:54,400 --> 01:22:56,560
right now. I just see this whole big

1892
01:22:56,560 --> 01:22:58,400
thing as the snowball waiting to get

1893
01:22:58,400 --> 01:22:59,840
tipped and pushed down the mountain

1894
01:22:59,840 --> 01:23:00,960
side.

1895
01:23:00,960 --> 01:23:02,400
>> I mean, I could start with just having a

1896
01:23:02,400 --> 01:23:03,520
conversation with them and seeing what

1897
01:23:03,520 --> 01:23:05,520
the holdup is before we send some

1898
01:23:05,520 --> 01:23:07,040
official letter or something.

1899
01:23:07,040 --> 01:23:10,800
>> And to your to your point or concern,

1900
01:23:10,800 --> 01:23:18,550
Mr. Toe, uh I think what I'm doing on

1901
01:23:18,560 --> 01:23:20,880
every Wednesday and I I'll have to check

1902
01:23:20,880 --> 01:23:22,719
when I get home. I think they might have

1903
01:23:22,719 --> 01:23:26,080
started at Tuesday from

1904
01:23:26,080 --> 01:23:30,159
uh 10:00 a.m. to noon. You can submit

1905
01:23:30,159 --> 01:23:34,320
questions to uh

1906
01:23:34,320 --> 01:23:36,560
municipal finance [sighs and gasps]

1907
01:23:36,560 --> 01:23:40,000
legal bureau DLS library and ask them a

1908
01:23:40,000 --> 01:23:42,239
question. You can submit it in and then

1909
01:23:42,239 --> 01:23:44,080
you sit there on a zoom meeting and they

1910
01:23:44,080 --> 01:23:46,639
will sometime they will answer your

1911
01:23:46,639 --> 01:23:48,719
question and sometime they will tell you

1912
01:23:48,719 --> 01:23:51,440
um check with town council. I said, "I

1913
01:23:51,440 --> 01:23:52,800
waited here an hour and a half for you

1914
01:23:52,800 --> 01:23:56,320
to tell me that." Okay. But, uh, it's I

1915
01:23:56,320 --> 01:23:58,719
could, uh, possibly find that, get them

1916
01:23:58,719 --> 01:24:00,719
that they would answer that question. I

1917
01:24:00,719 --> 01:24:02,639
think they started it on they started

1918
01:24:02,639 --> 01:24:05,360
doing it Tuesday and Wednesday

1919
01:24:05,360 --> 01:24:07,440
because they were getting, uh, like I

1920
01:24:07,440 --> 01:24:08,880
said, the last time I did it on

1921
01:24:08,880 --> 01:24:11,280
Wednesday, it was about an hour and a

1922
01:24:11,280 --> 01:24:13,840
half wait on the Zoom meeting because

1923
01:24:13,840 --> 01:24:15,520
when I submitted my question, there was

1924
01:24:15,520 --> 01:24:16,800
a bunch of people in front of me.

1925
01:24:16,800 --> 01:24:18,800
>> The number of participants is growing.

1926
01:24:18,800 --> 01:24:21,679
>> Yeah. you get, like I said, you whatever

1927
01:24:21,679 --> 01:24:23,280
position in line your question is,

1928
01:24:23,280 --> 01:24:25,360
that's you wait that long.

1929
01:24:25,360 --> 01:24:27,040
>> And that just proves to me a lot of

1930
01:24:27,040 --> 01:24:28,560
towns are in the same.

1931
01:24:28,560 --> 01:24:32,800
>> Yep. It's uh just well utilizing uh

1932
01:24:32,800 --> 01:24:36,320
utilizing the state entity that uh you

1933
01:24:36,320 --> 01:24:38,560
know, they they push out DLS push out,

1934
01:24:38,560 --> 01:24:41,120
hey, ask us, ask us, ask us. So,

1935
01:24:41,120 --> 01:24:43,440
>> Mr. Chair, I am concerned if it has to

1936
01:24:43,440 --> 01:24:45,360
do with their new billing system that

1937
01:24:45,360 --> 01:24:47,840
that's what's the hold up that hopefully

1938
01:24:47,840 --> 01:24:49,440
they can they have a grasp on it and

1939
01:24:49,440 --> 01:24:51,440
give the information to their auditor

1940
01:24:51,440 --> 01:24:53,679
because that's like I just have this pet

1941
01:24:53,679 --> 01:24:56,719
in my stomach when you said that. I'm

1942
01:24:56,719 --> 01:24:58,480
hoping they can get the data out of the

1943
01:24:58,480 --> 01:25:01,280
system that they're requiring that this

1944
01:25:01,280 --> 01:25:05,783
is not a major issue on their end.

1945
01:25:05,783 --> 01:25:10,310
[clears throat]

1946
01:25:10,320 --> 01:25:13,199
Are we all set on that?

1947
01:25:13,199 --> 01:25:14,639
So, the town administrator will just

1948
01:25:14,639 --> 01:25:16,639
have a a conversation

1949
01:25:16,639 --> 01:25:20,320
>> and I'll report back.

1950
01:25:20,320 --> 01:25:22,639
>> All right. Uh

1951
01:25:22,639 --> 01:25:25,120
the next item on the agenda is to open

1952
01:25:25,120 --> 01:25:28,719
the special town meeting warrant.

1953
01:25:28,719 --> 01:25:32,709
Uh,

1954
01:25:32,719 --> 01:25:35,600
and it has to be it's a special town

1955
01:25:35,600 --> 01:25:38,880
meeting, so it has to be open for uh has

1956
01:25:38,880 --> 01:25:41,360
to be open for 14 days and it has to be

1957
01:25:41,360 --> 01:25:46,400
posted for 14 days. And if we voted to

1958
01:25:46,400 --> 01:25:48,719
open it

1959
01:25:48,719 --> 01:25:51,040
uh

1960
01:25:51,040 --> 01:25:56,870
August 25th, it would close on

1961
01:25:56,880 --> 01:25:59,199
uh

1962
01:25:59,199 --> 01:26:01,520
September 21st.

1963
01:26:01,520 --> 01:26:06,719
Uh and the only the only thing would be

1964
01:26:06,719 --> 01:26:11,040
uh the time to close it.

1965
01:26:11,040 --> 01:26:14,159
Uh, so at this time I would move to open

1966
01:26:14,159 --> 01:26:16,880
the special town meeting warrant and for

1967
01:26:16,880 --> 01:26:21,280
it to close on September 21st, 2026

1968
01:26:21,280 --> 01:26:26,239
at 400 p.m. I chose the time if any

1969
01:26:26,239 --> 01:26:31,910
want to extend it or close it earlier.

1970
01:26:31,920 --> 01:26:34,719
» What day of the week is that?

1971
01:26:34,719 --> 01:26:37,440
>> The 21st is a a Monday.

1972
01:26:37,440 --> 01:26:43,910
>> It's a Monday. Thank you.

1973
01:26:43,920 --> 01:26:46,639
That's the uh

1974
01:26:46,639 --> 01:26:48,560
that's the 28 days. I mean, it could

1975
01:26:48,560 --> 01:26:52,400
close 30 days out if you want, but I we

1976
01:26:52,400 --> 01:26:54,960
close it and then

1977
01:26:54,960 --> 01:26:57,840
get it prepared for our meeting the

1978
01:26:57,840 --> 01:27:00,159
following week

1979
01:27:00,159 --> 01:27:03,440
and we will I mean we have that

1980
01:27:03,440 --> 01:27:08,320
special election on that on the 28th. So

1981
01:27:08,320 --> 01:27:10,080
um

1982
01:27:10,080 --> 01:27:11,360
we would know what we're going to be

1983
01:27:11,360 --> 01:27:14,560
doing for articles, you know, we pass

1984
01:27:14,560 --> 01:27:16,800
over or we

1985
01:27:16,800 --> 01:27:20,320
prepare to uh appropriate uh the monies

1986
01:27:20,320 --> 01:27:23,199
from the uh override if the question

1987
01:27:23,199 --> 01:27:23,679
passes.

1988
01:27:23,679 --> 01:27:25,600
>> Are we still going with the 21st of

1989
01:27:25,600 --> 01:27:28,880
October for the town? I mean the town

1990
01:27:28,880 --> 01:27:29,520
meeting

1991
01:27:29,520 --> 01:27:33,679
>> 30 uh 21st of uh yes. I don't we

1992
01:27:33,679 --> 01:27:35,280
>> I didn't know if we were moving it up to

1993
01:27:35,280 --> 01:27:37,280
the 14th or the 7th

1994
01:27:37,280 --> 01:27:44,070
>> to uh to give us time uh

1995
01:27:44,080 --> 01:27:49,830
» for the warrant

1996
01:27:49,840 --> 01:27:53,360
and Octo we 21st that gives I believe

1997
01:27:53,360 --> 01:27:57,199
the uh the assessor's time to take

1998
01:27:57,199 --> 01:27:59,040
whatever is done at the meeting to get

1999
01:27:59,040 --> 01:28:02,159
ready for uh the tax classification

2000
01:28:02,159 --> 01:28:06,000
hearing and then uh ultimately the tax

2001
01:28:06,000 --> 01:28:08,880
recap sheet so

2002
01:28:08,880 --> 01:28:11,600
we can get our stuff done that needs to

2003
01:28:11,600 --> 01:28:13,600
be done so

2004
01:28:13,600 --> 01:28:15,920
>> tax bills can be set the tax bills can

2005
01:28:15,920 --> 01:28:19,440
be set out on time and you know there's

2006
01:28:19,440 --> 01:28:21,760
no need for bans and all of that stuff

2007
01:28:21,760 --> 01:28:24,800
hopefully it just

2008
01:28:24,800 --> 01:28:29,350
things line up this year

2009
01:28:29,360 --> 01:28:31,199
okay

2010
01:28:31,199 --> 01:28:32,960
So,

2011
01:28:32,960 --> 01:28:34,639
>> are we good with the date and the time?

2012
01:28:34,639 --> 01:28:34,960
>> Yes.

2013
01:28:34,960 --> 01:28:40,229
>> Yep.

2014
01:28:40,239 --> 01:28:41,840
» Was there a second?

2015
01:28:41,840 --> 01:28:48,950
>> Second.

2016
01:28:48,960 --> 01:28:51,520
» On the motion

2017
01:28:51,520 --> 01:28:53,520
to open special town meeting more and to

2018
01:28:53,520 --> 01:28:55,280
close. How would you vote? Mr. May,

2019
01:28:55,280 --> 01:28:56,400
>> yes.

2020
01:28:56,400 --> 01:28:57,280
>> Miss Graves,

2021
01:28:57,280 --> 01:28:58,000
>> yes.

2022
01:28:58,000 --> 01:28:59,040
>> Mr. To?

2023
01:28:59,040 --> 01:29:00,320
>> Yes.

2024
01:29:00,320 --> 01:29:01,199
Miss Cover.

2025
01:29:01,199 --> 01:29:01,920
>> Yes.

2026
01:29:01,920 --> 01:29:06,870
>> Mr. Bennett is a yes.

2027
01:29:06,880 --> 01:29:15,669
19.

2028
01:29:15,679 --> 01:29:19,280
» The next item is uh the assessor's admin

2029
01:29:19,280 --> 01:29:21,440
assistant uh resignation. Mr.

2030
01:29:21,440 --> 01:29:22,800
Administrator.

2031
01:29:22,800 --> 01:29:24,719
>> Yes. Um,

2032
01:29:24,719 --> 01:29:26,719
uh, the deputy assessor's, uh, part-time

2033
01:29:26,719 --> 01:29:29,040
admin, um, has resigned effective

2034
01:29:29,040 --> 01:29:30,320
Friday. Right.

2035
01:29:30,320 --> 01:29:34,560
>> Right. Effective Friday. Um, so I I just

2036
01:29:34,560 --> 01:29:36,239
wanted to make sure that the board was

2037
01:29:36,239 --> 01:29:39,440
okay with us filling that. We filled,

2038
01:29:39,440 --> 01:29:41,440
you know, we filled the one in the town

2039
01:29:41,440 --> 01:29:44,400
clerk's office. It's a situation where

2040
01:29:44,400 --> 01:29:46,320
you have one full-time employee and then

2041
01:29:46,320 --> 01:29:48,239
a part-time employee that managed the

2042
01:29:48,239 --> 01:29:51,840
whole office. Um, it's in the budget,

2043
01:29:51,840 --> 01:29:54,480
obviously. Um, it take us a couple weeks

2044
01:29:54,480 --> 01:29:57,920
at least to hire, but it's the board's

2045
01:29:57,920 --> 01:29:59,600
prerogative. I because of the budget

2046
01:29:59,600 --> 01:30:01,840
situation, I did want to pause and give

2047
01:30:01,840 --> 01:30:05,840
you the opportunity to weigh in. I see

2048
01:30:05,840 --> 01:30:08,159
that justice is here. if you have any

2049
01:30:08,159 --> 01:30:09,920
questions. But it's it's just it's just

2050
01:30:09,920 --> 01:30:11,280
that

2051
01:30:11,280 --> 01:30:14,320
>> we did uh we did keep that in the budget

2052
01:30:14,320 --> 01:30:16,000
when all when we were

2053
01:30:16,000 --> 01:30:17,760
>> I know we went back and forth on it and

2054
01:30:17,760 --> 01:30:19,840
we ultimately decided to leave it

2055
01:30:19,840 --> 01:30:21,760
>> leave the administrative assistant in

2056
01:30:21,760 --> 01:30:24,080
the budget. So

2057
01:30:24,080 --> 01:30:28,080
the money is there uh we put the

2058
01:30:28,080 --> 01:30:30,880
assistant in there

2059
01:30:30,880 --> 01:30:33,520
because we're adamant about town hall

2060
01:30:33,520 --> 01:30:35,199
and

2061
01:30:35,199 --> 01:30:38,000
so forth. So

2062
01:30:38,000 --> 01:30:39,679
unless there's objections,

2063
01:30:39,679 --> 01:30:42,000
>> I object.

2064
01:30:42,000 --> 01:30:42,719
>> Go back.

2065
01:30:42,719 --> 01:30:45,440
>> I think right now we are in a crisis and

2066
01:30:45,440 --> 01:30:48,239
where it's not absolutely necessary to

2067
01:30:48,239 --> 01:30:49,760
fill that position. I think we need to

2068
01:30:49,760 --> 01:30:52,639
hold off to see where we land.

2069
01:30:52,639 --> 01:30:58,070
I I really honestly do. We need to

2070
01:30:58,080 --> 01:30:59,520
I I don't think that we should fill it.

2071
01:30:59,520 --> 01:31:02,320
I don't see a need.

2072
01:31:02,320 --> 01:31:05,360
We filled one of the resistant and we

2073
01:31:05,360 --> 01:31:09,440
did leave it in the budget. So it is it

2074
01:31:09,440 --> 01:31:12,950
was funded.

2075
01:31:12,960 --> 01:31:17,520
whatever happens that's in the uh zero

2076
01:31:17,520 --> 01:31:19,760
override budget

2077
01:31:19,760 --> 01:31:21,520
because we did we would we were going to

2078
01:31:21,520 --> 01:31:23,280
cut it then we went back and said keep

2079
01:31:23,280 --> 01:31:25,280
it and we had

2080
01:31:25,280 --> 01:31:27,120
>> I I thought we did a hiring increase

2081
01:31:27,120 --> 01:31:27,840
though

2082
01:31:27,840 --> 01:31:31,830
>> multiple uh

2083
01:31:31,840 --> 01:31:35,440
after multiple iterations u that

2084
01:31:35,440 --> 01:31:37,600
position was left in the zero override

2085
01:31:37,600 --> 01:31:40,159
budget which town meeting approved and

2086
01:31:40,159 --> 01:31:46,790
voted for. So, uh,

2087
01:31:46,800 --> 01:31:47,600
Mr. Chair,

2088
01:31:47,600 --> 01:31:48,080
>> yes.

2089
01:31:48,080 --> 01:31:51,040
>> Could we hear what the deputy assessor

2090
01:31:51,040 --> 01:31:55,040
has to say about the potential of us,

2091
01:31:55,040 --> 01:31:57,360
>> let's say, holding that position until

2092
01:31:57,360 --> 01:32:00,800
after the override either passes or

2093
01:32:00,800 --> 01:32:02,719
fails?

2094
01:32:02,719 --> 01:32:04,560
>> I mean, it's the board's prerogative

2095
01:32:04,560 --> 01:32:06,320
whether or not there is a hiring freeze

2096
01:32:06,320 --> 01:32:10,229
or not. Um,

2097
01:32:10,239 --> 01:32:12,080
as you know, I'm the only full-time

2098
01:32:12,080 --> 01:32:13,679
person in the office and after this

2099
01:32:13,679 --> 01:32:16,560
week, I'll be the only employee of that

2100
01:32:16,560 --> 01:32:20,560
office. Um, I'll be honest, I've had two

2101
01:32:20,560 --> 01:32:22,000
health events that have happened in the

2102
01:32:22,000 --> 01:32:24,560
last two years. Um, and it is one of

2103
01:32:24,560 --> 01:32:26,560
your core financial offices. Granted,

2104
01:32:26,560 --> 01:32:28,480
the administrative assistant or my

2105
01:32:28,480 --> 01:32:31,040
office does not perform the valuation

2106
01:32:31,040 --> 01:32:34,480
duties that I perform. Um, but it's just

2107
01:32:34,480 --> 01:32:36,159
something to keep in mind that when you

2108
01:32:36,159 --> 01:32:38,480
have such a small department like ours,

2109
01:32:38,480 --> 01:32:41,440
any giant fluctuation like that, um, can

2110
01:32:41,440 --> 01:32:44,000
make things more difficult one way or

2111
01:32:44,000 --> 01:32:45,360
the other. And ultimately, it's the

2112
01:32:45,360 --> 01:32:47,120
board's prerogative if you want to wait

2113
01:32:47,120 --> 01:32:52,480
until after the override. Um,

2114
01:32:52,480 --> 01:32:55,440
I I don't

2115
01:32:55,440 --> 01:32:59,679
We're talking It's the 24th now. You're

2116
01:32:59,679 --> 01:33:03,760
talking like 34 days. Um,

2117
01:33:03,760 --> 01:33:05,199
but it's just something to keep in mind,

2118
01:33:05,199 --> 01:33:06,560
you know, will there be that much of a

2119
01:33:06,560 --> 01:33:08,880
difference in four days? Um, considering

2120
01:33:08,880 --> 01:33:10,800
that it is a part-time position with no

2121
01:33:10,800 --> 01:33:14,000
benefits. Um,

2122
01:33:14,000 --> 01:33:15,840
and I'll just note for the board too.

2123
01:33:15,840 --> 01:33:17,840
Um, you know, it's up it's up to you,

2124
01:33:17,840 --> 01:33:20,239
but um, when you have a department like

2125
01:33:20,239 --> 01:33:22,080
this, you know, Justice does a good job

2126
01:33:22,080 --> 01:33:24,400
of um, staffing town hall hours. You

2127
01:33:24,400 --> 01:33:26,960
know, if he has a vacation, um, the

2128
01:33:26,960 --> 01:33:29,920
admin assistant works more. Um, but

2129
01:33:29,920 --> 01:33:32,719
anytime he's, you know, off if if we do

2130
01:33:32,719 --> 01:33:35,440
hold it um the office would be closed

2131
01:33:35,440 --> 01:33:37,040
and so we'd have to put up notifications

2132
01:33:37,040 --> 01:33:39,679
and you know it is what it is but just

2133
01:33:39,679 --> 01:33:42,080
making sure you know that's what part of

2134
01:33:42,080 --> 01:33:43,120
your consideration

2135
01:33:43,120 --> 01:33:44,800
>> which I've done in the past when I

2136
01:33:44,800 --> 01:33:47,120
haven't had an assistant in the interim

2137
01:33:47,120 --> 01:33:49,600
um or even when I had first just started

2138
01:33:49,600 --> 01:33:51,840
taking over um completely by myself in

2139
01:33:51,840 --> 01:33:53,760
the office um I didn't have an assistant

2140
01:33:53,760 --> 01:33:56,560
for a couple of weeks um so it's not

2141
01:33:56,560 --> 01:33:58,159
something that I'm uncomfortable with

2142
01:33:58,159 --> 01:34:00,800
doing but

2143
01:34:00,800 --> 01:34:02,480
Keep in mind that I have to conduct

2144
01:34:02,480 --> 01:34:04,560
property visits. There's trainings I

2145
01:34:04,560 --> 01:34:07,199
have to go to um and other things may

2146
01:34:07,199 --> 01:34:09,840
come up. So, you know, it depends on

2147
01:34:09,840 --> 01:34:15,110
what the interest of the board is.

2148
01:34:15,120 --> 01:34:16,800
And there's also the consideration, you

2149
01:34:16,800 --> 01:34:19,280
know, to be technical, but the override

2150
01:34:19,280 --> 01:34:21,280
could pass and then fail to be

2151
01:34:21,280 --> 01:34:24,080
appropriated at town meeting. Um, so the

2152
01:34:24,080 --> 01:34:26,639
question would be, okay, do we

2153
01:34:26,639 --> 01:34:29,280
>> do we do we hold off until, let's say,

2154
01:34:29,280 --> 01:34:31,280
the override's approved or do we hold

2155
01:34:31,280 --> 01:34:34,880
off until after town meeting? So that

2156
01:34:34,880 --> 01:34:38,560
would kick it down the road some more.

2157
01:34:38,560 --> 01:34:40,639
And that is the that is a good point on

2158
01:34:40,639 --> 01:34:43,120
the override. Again, uh I've said it in

2159
01:34:43,120 --> 01:34:46,000
the past, it's been said by others. It's

2160
01:34:46,000 --> 01:34:48,320
a two-step process. The override can

2161
01:34:48,320 --> 01:34:50,560
pass at the ballot.

2162
01:34:50,560 --> 01:34:53,600
We still have to have articles

2163
01:34:53,600 --> 01:34:58,719
to or article to uh appropriate

2164
01:34:58,719 --> 01:35:02,719
the money from

2165
01:35:02,719 --> 01:35:04,639
uh the override

2166
01:35:04,639 --> 01:35:06,800
as was stated when we were doing from

2167
01:35:06,800 --> 01:35:10,320
the first one back in March and April.

2168
01:35:10,320 --> 01:35:14,719
We had stated that if either the two or

2169
01:35:14,719 --> 01:35:17,600
4 million had passed,

2170
01:35:17,600 --> 01:35:19,600
we were going to only ask town meeting

2171
01:35:19,600 --> 01:35:22,400
to appropriate a portion of it and the

2172
01:35:22,400 --> 01:35:25,760
rest would be uh

2173
01:35:25,760 --> 01:35:28,080
would be left as excess levy capacity

2174
01:35:28,080 --> 01:35:30,480
for any increases on the following

2175
01:35:30,480 --> 01:35:34,960
fiscal years. So again, the override can

2176
01:35:34,960 --> 01:35:38,080
pass at the ballot. Uh but then you have

2177
01:35:38,080 --> 01:35:41,040
to ask town meeting to appropriate it.

2178
01:35:41,040 --> 01:35:42,800
And the amount of money that they

2179
01:35:42,800 --> 01:35:44,480
appropriate, that's the money that's

2180
01:35:44,480 --> 01:35:48,080
going to really affect uh

2181
01:35:48,080 --> 01:35:50,239
their tax bills.

2182
01:35:50,239 --> 01:35:51,760
So

2183
01:35:51,760 --> 01:35:53,679
uh

2184
01:35:53,679 --> 01:35:55,600
never looked up I never looked up to see

2185
01:35:55,600 --> 01:35:58,000
how many overrides have passed and the

2186
01:35:58,000 --> 01:36:00,960
appropriations, you know, did not match

2187
01:36:00,960 --> 01:36:02,960
up. But it's something I've never I've

2188
01:36:02,960 --> 01:36:04,400
never checked on. Might be something to

2189
01:36:04,400 --> 01:36:07,600
look at. But uh the the possibility is

2190
01:36:07,600 --> 01:36:11,120
there that town meeting could just say

2191
01:36:11,120 --> 01:36:14,400
no. So that we have to ask them to

2192
01:36:14,400 --> 01:36:16,080
appropriate

2193
01:36:16,080 --> 01:36:20,560
uh the the override money. So it is a

2194
01:36:20,560 --> 01:36:24,629
two-step process.

2195
01:36:24,639 --> 01:36:26,639
» Can I speak?

2196
01:36:26,639 --> 01:36:29,199
So again, we

2197
01:36:29,199 --> 01:36:32,719
when we first started back in March, um

2198
01:36:32,719 --> 01:36:34,719
the second or third meeting, which

2199
01:36:34,719 --> 01:36:38,320
whatever it was, uh we did go back and

2200
01:36:38,320 --> 01:36:40,800
forth with cutting the administrative

2201
01:36:40,800 --> 01:36:43,600
assistance and then decided to leave

2202
01:36:43,600 --> 01:36:46,320
them in budget.

2203
01:36:46,320 --> 01:36:48,480
Uh

2204
01:36:48,480 --> 01:36:51,600
and we're looking for an assistant town

2205
01:36:51,600 --> 01:36:56,229
clerk. Oh,

2206
01:36:56,239 --> 01:36:59,590
so

2207
01:36:59,600 --> 01:37:01,520
I don't know how soon they'd find

2208
01:37:01,520 --> 01:37:03,520
someone.

2209
01:37:03,520 --> 01:37:07,920
I I don't know uh how long it took uh

2210
01:37:07,920 --> 01:37:11,600
when this one started to, you know, the

2211
01:37:11,600 --> 01:37:14,880
previous one who left. Um how long a

2212
01:37:14,880 --> 01:37:18,159
process it was to find somebody to take

2213
01:37:18,159 --> 01:37:21,040
the job. I mean, it's not a it's not a

2214
01:37:21,040 --> 01:37:28,080
$50 an hour job or nothing. I mean, it's just part-time 19 hour, whatever it

2215
01:37:28,080 --> 01:37:31,679
is, and some blowing hours. Um,

2216
01:37:31,679 --> 01:37:36,400
so it's it's it's not a big hit in in in

2217
01:37:36,400 --> 01:37:39,040
my opinion. Uh, and it's something that

2218
01:37:39,040 --> 01:37:41,119
we already budgeted for. It's already

2219
01:37:41,119 --> 01:37:46,159
town meeting already voted for. So,

2220
01:37:46,159 --> 01:37:48,560
and yes, you know, could be stuff we're

2221
01:37:48,560 --> 01:37:51,679
looking at cutting, you know,

2222
01:37:51,679 --> 01:37:54,480
but uh and we did make the thing that,

2223
01:37:54,480 --> 01:37:58,560
you know, we didn't want to punish town hall. We

2224
01:37:58,560 --> 01:38:03,510
weren't going to decimate town,

2225
01:38:03,520 --> 01:38:05,040
» but she's leading. And I think where

2226
01:38:05,040 --> 01:38:07,679
we're in a budget crisis and again when

2227
01:38:07,679 --> 01:38:10,560
it comes to

2228
01:38:10,560 --> 01:38:12,880
public safety over an administrative

2229
01:38:12,880 --> 01:38:15,760
assistant, we should be hanging on to

2230
01:38:15,760 --> 01:38:17,600
those funds to see what the outcome is

2231
01:38:17,600 --> 01:38:23,119
before we make any moves. I I

2232
01:38:23,119 --> 01:38:24,639
to close his office for a couple hours

2233
01:38:24,639 --> 01:38:26,239
if he has to go here, there, or

2234
01:38:26,239 --> 01:38:29,119
wherever. I I don't just that the proper

2235
01:38:29,119 --> 01:38:30,880
notifications go out. I don't foresee a

2236
01:38:30,880 --> 01:38:34,080
problem with it. Um,

2237
01:38:34,080 --> 01:38:35,760
I think that we need to watch our

2238
01:38:35,760 --> 01:38:38,960
dollars and I don't feel as though

2239
01:38:38,960 --> 01:38:41,760
that's a essential

2240
01:38:41,760 --> 01:38:55,189
job.

2241
01:38:55,199 --> 01:38:58,960
» Well, anything further from the board?

2242
01:38:58,960 --> 01:39:01,920
Well, at this time, I would uh I would

2243
01:39:01,920 --> 01:39:05,760
move to allow for the advertisement and

2244
01:39:05,760 --> 01:39:09,199
hiring um for an administrative

2245
01:39:09,199 --> 01:39:11,280
assistant in the board of assessors

2246
01:39:11,280 --> 01:39:29,750
purpose.

2247
01:39:29,760 --> 01:39:35,750
» I'll second it so we can discuss it.

2248
01:39:35,760 --> 01:39:39,040
Motion made and seconded. Discussion

2249
01:39:39,040 --> 01:39:47,669
outside of what we've already had

2250
01:39:47,679 --> 01:39:48,960
» to the chair.

2251
01:39:48,960 --> 01:39:51,760
>> Yes, I tend to agree with Miss Cover. If

2252
01:39:51,760 --> 01:39:53,280
we're going to implement a hiring

2253
01:39:53,280 --> 01:39:56,400
freeze, we implement a hiring freeze. It

2254
01:39:56,400 --> 01:39:58,800
doesn't matter what department. A hiring

2255
01:39:58,800 --> 01:40:00,880
freeze means just that. It's a hiring

2256
01:40:00,880 --> 01:40:04,000
freeze. my own current position. It's

2257
01:40:04,000 --> 01:40:06,400
1D. When I'm not there, the work doesn't

2258
01:40:06,400 --> 01:40:09,040
get done. End of discussion. It's that

2259
01:40:09,040 --> 01:40:15,189
simple.

2260
01:40:15,199 --> 01:40:17,760
It's you can't say it any cleaner and

2261
01:40:17,760 --> 01:40:19,360
planer. I mean, if the person's

2262
01:40:19,360 --> 01:40:21,600
resigning, I I respect that. I

2263
01:40:21,600 --> 01:40:23,840
understand that they're moving on. But

2264
01:40:23,840 --> 01:40:26,000
these are desperate times. It calls for

2265
01:40:26,000 --> 01:40:28,639
some desperate measures, and we don't

2266
01:40:28,639 --> 01:40:30,639
know what's going on. There's too much

2267
01:40:30,639 --> 01:40:34,709
uncertainty right now.

2268
01:40:34,719 --> 01:40:38,000
» Anything further?

2269
01:40:38,000 --> 01:40:40,239
>> I'd still I still like the idea of

2270
01:40:40,239 --> 01:40:43,760
waiting until after the um initial

2271
01:40:43,760 --> 01:40:45,679
election override because that's

2272
01:40:45,679 --> 01:40:48,480
generally the the one that we have the

2273
01:40:48,480 --> 01:40:52,800
problem with. And if my thinking is

2274
01:40:52,800 --> 01:40:56,239
correct, um she's resigning the end of

2275
01:40:56,239 --> 01:41:00,800
the week. So that really leaves

2276
01:41:00,800 --> 01:41:05,440
28 days, really is four weeks. Um, best

2277
01:41:05,440 --> 01:41:08,080
case scenario, we advertise now, we

2278
01:41:08,080 --> 01:41:11,280
probably get somebody in three maybe,

2279
01:41:11,280 --> 01:41:14,800
you know. Um,

2280
01:41:14,800 --> 01:41:16,960
I I wouldn't even mind, you know,

2281
01:41:16,960 --> 01:41:19,040
advertising as long as they don't hire

2282
01:41:19,040 --> 01:41:27,669
that.

2283
01:41:27,679 --> 01:41:32,070
because we did talk about a freeze

2284
01:41:32,080 --> 01:41:34,159
and I do know it's funded and I agree

2285
01:41:34,159 --> 01:41:37,520
that it's needed. Um, but I just think

2286
01:41:37,520 --> 01:41:43,280
that before we hire somebody

2287
01:41:43,280 --> 01:41:45,440
a week before the override and then tell

2288
01:41:45,440 --> 01:41:48,000
everybody else we got to let them go,

2289
01:41:48,000 --> 01:41:51,280
that just doesn't really fly well

2290
01:41:51,280 --> 01:41:55,750
if that's the way it transpires.

2291
01:41:55,760 --> 01:42:04,229
So that just my two cents.

2292
01:42:04,239 --> 01:42:10,629
Anything further

2293
01:42:10,639 --> 01:42:12,159
hearing? None. On the motion, how would

2294
01:42:12,159 --> 01:42:15,760
you vote? Mr. May,

2295
01:42:15,760 --> 01:42:17,600
>> no.

2296
01:42:17,600 --> 01:42:19,040
>> Mr. Toe,

2297
01:42:19,040 --> 01:42:20,639
>> no.

2298
01:42:20,639 --> 01:42:21,600
>> Miss Cobra,

2299
01:42:21,600 --> 01:42:22,560
>> no.

2300
01:42:22,560 --> 01:42:42,229
>> Mr. Bennett is a yes.

2301
01:42:42,239 --> 01:42:44,800
Last item on the agenda is uh Main

2302
01:42:44,800 --> 01:42:46,960
Street Bridge contract amendment. Mr.

2303
01:42:46,960 --> 01:42:48,000
administrator.

2304
01:42:48,000 --> 01:42:50,480
>> So in your packet you will find um if

2305
01:42:50,480 --> 01:42:54,320
you wish to continue forward um you know

2306
01:42:54,320 --> 01:42:59,679
it was part of your um the goals um and

2307
01:42:59,679 --> 01:43:02,719
uh there needs to be updates to the

2308
01:43:02,719 --> 01:43:05,199
current um agreement or not agreement

2309
01:43:05,199 --> 01:43:07,040
sorry the engineering study that's been

2310
01:43:07,040 --> 01:43:09,679
done. It's a couple years old and um

2311
01:43:09,679 --> 01:43:12,560
some uh a bunch of regulations have

2312
01:43:12,560 --> 01:43:14,560
changed since then. I mean the same

2313
01:43:14,560 --> 01:43:17,679
thing that's affecting um the Royalston

2314
01:43:17,679 --> 01:43:21,440
Road project um with the map DOT routs

2315
01:43:21,440 --> 01:43:23,760
changed and and just some updated stuff.

2316
01:43:23,760 --> 01:43:25,440
Um

2317
01:43:25,440 --> 01:43:27,040
uh I think I thought I mentioned this

2318
01:43:27,040 --> 01:43:29,280
but we we have money in um chapter 90

2319
01:43:29,280 --> 01:43:30,719
that we can spend on this is a chapter

2320
01:43:30,719 --> 01:43:36,480
90 eligible um task item and um if the

2321
01:43:36,480 --> 01:43:38,480
board approves this Chris is ready to

2322
01:43:38,480 --> 01:43:40,639
you know submit that. Chris being the

2323
01:43:40,639 --> 01:43:43,600
DPS director for the people at home. Um

2324
01:43:43,600 --> 01:43:45,199
he's ready to submit that if the board

2325
01:43:45,199 --> 01:43:48,400
so so chooses. Um taching your packets

2326
01:43:48,400 --> 01:43:50,320
is a description of of the work that

2327
01:43:50,320 --> 01:43:51,920
needs to be done and the cost which I

2328
01:43:51,920 --> 01:43:54,480
think is what 95,000.

2329
01:43:54,480 --> 01:43:56,800
>> How much is in chapter 90 right now?

2330
01:43:56,800 --> 01:44:00,239
>> Uh I think it was 700,000 that we're

2331
01:44:00,239 --> 01:44:02,400
eligible for because we didn't do any we

2332
01:44:02,400 --> 01:44:03,840
didn't do much or any paving this

2333
01:44:03,840 --> 01:44:10,550
summer.

2334
01:44:10,560 --> 01:44:12,400
See if I wrote that down. I think it was

2335
01:44:12,400 --> 01:44:21,270
seven.

2336
01:44:21,280 --> 01:44:23,760
Um with uh

2337
01:44:23,760 --> 01:44:26,480
and with this update too, um down the

2338
01:44:26,480 --> 01:44:28,639
road, we we we would be eligible to

2339
01:44:28,639 --> 01:44:31,920
apply for the basically the Mass Works

2340
01:44:31,920 --> 01:44:36,480
um grant uh in June. And so that would

2341
01:44:36,480 --> 01:44:38,960
be my goal would be to take this updated

2342
01:44:38,960 --> 01:44:43,270
study and apply for that.

2343
01:44:43,280 --> 01:44:45,119
» When are you applying for that?

2344
01:44:45,119 --> 01:44:47,520
>> I believe it's June that the that that

2345
01:44:47,520 --> 01:44:51,910
the next round is available.

2346
01:44:51,920 --> 01:44:54,639
» This year this fiscal year the water uh

2347
01:44:54,639 --> 01:44:56,719
department uh applied for something so

2348
01:44:56,719 --> 01:44:58,239
we weren't eligible because they view us

2349
01:44:58,239 --> 01:45:01,840
as one town. Um so in June but besides

2350
01:45:01,840 --> 01:45:03,360
this has to be get updated anyway. So,

2351
01:45:03,360 --> 01:45:05,600
the timing is kind of good. Um, so I

2352
01:45:05,600 --> 01:45:07,920
believe it's in June that the next round

2353
01:45:07,920 --> 01:45:10,800
is available.

2354
01:45:10,800 --> 01:45:11,840
>> Are you going to make the water

2355
01:45:11,840 --> 01:45:13,199
department aware that we're going to be

2356
01:45:13,199 --> 01:45:16,000
applying in June of 2027?

2357
01:45:16,000 --> 01:45:17,440
>> Yes, I already had that conversation

2358
01:45:17,440 --> 01:45:20,560
with um um

2359
01:45:20,560 --> 01:45:21,520
Scott.

2360
01:45:21,520 --> 01:45:23,760
>> Okay. And this money will be coming out

2361
01:45:23,760 --> 01:45:26,159
of money that the um public service

2362
01:45:26,159 --> 01:45:28,159
director

2363
01:45:28,159 --> 01:45:30,320
um controls

2364
01:45:30,320 --> 01:45:31,199
>> chapter 90.

2365
01:45:31,199 --> 01:45:31,600
>> Yeah.

2366
01:45:31,600 --> 01:45:34,320
>> Yes. Um, I just had a question. How come

2367
01:45:34,320 --> 01:45:36,400
he didn't come in tonight?

2368
01:45:36,400 --> 01:45:38,320
>> I didn't ask him because this isn't

2369
01:45:38,320 --> 01:45:40,320
about chapter 90. It's just it's about

2370
01:45:40,320 --> 01:45:41,840
the Main Street Bridge.

2371
01:45:41,840 --> 01:45:43,199
>> Chapter 90 would just be the funding

2372
01:45:43,199 --> 01:45:48,629
source.

2373
01:45:48,639 --> 01:45:50,239
» Mr. Chair, if I may.

2374
01:45:50,239 --> 01:45:50,639
>> Yes.

2375
01:45:50,639 --> 01:45:52,560
>> Um, the grant what you're talking about

2376
01:45:52,560 --> 01:45:56,239
for June, um, does that have any co-pay

2377
01:45:56,239 --> 01:45:58,320
or participation

2378
01:45:58,320 --> 01:46:01,760
uh, all that you know of?

2379
01:46:01,760 --> 01:46:04,880
one house one

2380
01:46:04,880 --> 01:46:07,040
>> you know what I do not know I will write

2381
01:46:07,040 --> 01:46:11,040
that down and um get get you that answer

2382
01:46:11,040 --> 01:46:14,400
>> okay because that you know I mean I

2383
01:46:14,400 --> 01:46:15,920
understand the necessity of this if

2384
01:46:15,920 --> 01:46:18,639
we're going forward but if we're we

2385
01:46:18,639 --> 01:46:20,480
don't have the money to go forward this

2386
01:46:20,480 --> 01:46:25,030
seems

2387
01:46:25,040 --> 01:46:26,719
questionable

2388
01:46:26,719 --> 01:46:28,719
um to do now I understand it does have

2389
01:46:28,719 --> 01:46:32,719
to be done but until we're

2390
01:46:32,719 --> 01:46:34,960
somewhere in a position to follow

2391
01:46:34,960 --> 01:46:37,119
through on it.

2392
01:46:37,119 --> 01:46:38,719
Um,

2393
01:46:38,719 --> 01:46:41,520
you know, cuz we do have the Main Street

2394
01:46:41,520 --> 01:46:43,280
Bridge,

2395
01:46:43,280 --> 01:46:45,840
Hlet Mill Bridge,

2396
01:46:45,840 --> 01:46:48,480
Berry Road,

2397
01:46:48,480 --> 01:46:51,679
and the like. Um,

2398
01:46:51,679 --> 01:46:55,520
I know it pays up to five could pay um

2399
01:46:55,520 --> 01:46:58,639
dish out up to $5 million. And in

2400
01:46:58,639 --> 01:47:00,320
talking with Scott Slinger, the water

2401
01:47:00,320 --> 01:47:02,000
department, I I don't remember him

2402
01:47:02,000 --> 01:47:04,000
saying that they had they had a match,

2403
01:47:04,000 --> 01:47:07,760
but um yeah, I don't know for certain.

2404
01:47:07,760 --> 01:47:09,760
>> I don't believe usually mass works

2405
01:47:09,760 --> 01:47:11,360
requires someone, but

2406
01:47:11,360 --> 01:47:13,679
>> according to the web, it doesn't.

2407
01:47:13,679 --> 01:47:16,880
>> Okay. They usually don't. Good. It's a

2408
01:47:16,880 --> 01:47:25,270
good question though because

2409
01:47:25,280 --> 01:47:26,960
» but if uh you know if the board wants to

2410
01:47:26,960 --> 01:47:29,520
pursue this this this is uh we're on

2411
01:47:29,520 --> 01:47:31,360
track to take a shot at this if we can

2412
01:47:31,360 --> 01:47:33,040
get this updated and go for that mass

2413
01:47:33,040 --> 01:47:35,760
works grant 5 million might if we get it

2414
01:47:35,760 --> 01:47:37,520
5 million might cover this and then you

2415
01:47:37,520 --> 01:47:40,880
have a major piece of infrastructure get

2416
01:47:40,880 --> 01:48:08,870
updated that would be amazing for this

2417
01:48:08,880 --> 01:48:11,280
At this time, I would move to accept the

2418
01:48:11,280 --> 01:48:13,040
Main Street

2419
01:48:13,040 --> 01:48:15,119
contract amendment and for the town

2420
01:48:15,119 --> 01:48:17,760
administrator to sign as well as to

2421
01:48:17,760 --> 01:48:20,239
apply for the max work grant.

2422
01:48:20,239 --> 01:48:24,790
>> Second.

2423
01:48:24,800 --> 01:48:28,000
» Put that under AC. Second. Any

2424
01:48:28,000 --> 01:48:31,830
discussion?

2425
01:48:31,840 --> 01:48:34,080
And unless I'm misreading this, this

2426
01:48:34,080 --> 01:48:36,800
takes tie-in bond gets us through the

2427
01:48:36,800 --> 01:48:40,400
100% construction documents as well on

2428
01:48:40,400 --> 01:48:43,199
this $95,000 expenditure.

2429
01:48:43,199 --> 01:48:44,320
>> Yeah, because I think you were there,

2430
01:48:44,320 --> 01:48:46,400
but the thing just got out to date. So,

2431
01:48:46,400 --> 01:48:48,159
>> yeah, I I think that's what this is,

2432
01:48:48,159 --> 01:48:49,600
just getting it current.

2433
01:48:49,600 --> 01:48:56,229
>> Yeah.

2434
01:48:56,239 --> 01:48:59,520
» Anything further?

2435
01:48:59,520 --> 01:49:01,199
Hearing none on the motion. How would

2436
01:49:01,199 --> 01:49:09,270
you vote? Mr. May

2437
01:49:09,280 --> 01:49:10,880
want me to come back that

2438
01:49:10,880 --> 01:49:12,159
>> please. I'm just doing some

2439
01:49:12,159 --> 01:49:13,840
>> I know the calculator is smoking.

2440
01:49:13,840 --> 01:49:16,080
>> Yeah, it is. It is cuz this I just

2441
01:49:16,080 --> 01:49:19,199
noticed this and I'm sorry to It's okay.

2442
01:49:19,199 --> 01:49:21,040
>> I just noticed it says total estimated

2443
01:49:21,040 --> 01:49:25,840
duration for this is 10 months.

2444
01:49:25,840 --> 01:49:33,350
um that drops us in in June.

2445
01:49:33,360 --> 01:49:35,520
» They're aware of this grant, so they're

2446
01:49:35,520 --> 01:49:39,679
gonna have to get it done. [laughter]

2447
01:49:39,679 --> 01:49:40,800
>> I'm just saying, you know, this what it

2448
01:49:40,800 --> 01:49:43,040
says in black and white, right? Yeah.

2449
01:49:43,040 --> 01:49:46,149
>> Um

2450
01:49:46,159 --> 01:49:59,430
but that's it. Sorry, Mr. Chair.

2451
01:49:59,440 --> 01:50:47,030
on page six.

2452
01:50:47,040 --> 01:50:48,719
You could approve me to sign it, having

2453
01:50:48,719 --> 01:50:57,590
them change it to nine months.

2454
01:50:57,600 --> 01:51:00,239
Hold their feet to the fire. Yeah, it's

2455
01:51:00,239 --> 01:51:02,000
one month. I And they know the grants

2456
01:51:02,000 --> 01:51:05,679
available. Um,

2457
01:51:05,679 --> 01:51:07,360
so I don't think they'd have a problem

2458
01:51:07,360 --> 01:51:14,149
with that.

2459
01:51:14,159 --> 01:51:31,350
I would be fine with that.

2460
01:51:31,360 --> 01:51:35,040
I just hate to miss a deadline by

2461
01:51:35,040 --> 01:51:35,760
>> No.

2462
01:51:35,760 --> 01:51:46,229
>> Yeah, I agree.

2463
01:51:46,239 --> 01:51:48,080
» Are you good now about?

2464
01:51:48,080 --> 01:51:53,040
>> Yeah, I I I think Yeah, I'm good. Okay.

2465
01:51:53,040 --> 01:51:54,560
So on a motion, how would you vote? Mr.

2466
01:51:54,560 --> 01:51:54,880
May,

2467
01:51:54,880 --> 01:51:56,400
>> yes.

2468
01:51:56,400 --> 01:51:57,280
>> Miss Graves,

2469
01:51:57,280 --> 01:51:58,800
>> yes.

2470
01:51:58,800 --> 01:51:59,760
>> Miss Stealth,

2471
01:51:59,760 --> 01:52:00,639
>> yes.

2472
01:52:00,639 --> 01:52:01,679
>> Miss Cover,

2473
01:52:01,679 --> 01:52:02,480
>> yes.

2474
01:52:02,480 --> 01:52:15,430
>> Mr. Bennett is a yes.

2475
01:52:15,440 --> 01:52:21,910
And

2476
01:52:21,920 --> 01:52:25,040
that is the end of the agenda. It is

2477
01:52:25,040 --> 01:52:31,910
time for board member comments.

2478
01:52:31,920 --> 01:52:33,920
Mr. May.

2479
01:52:33,920 --> 01:52:35,679
Yes.

2480
01:52:35,679 --> 01:52:38,400
I have one comment

2481
01:52:38,400 --> 01:52:43,119
or one cons one items. Uh, let me

2482
01:52:43,119 --> 01:52:45,280
just bear it with me here. On on June

2483
01:52:45,280 --> 01:52:47,280
15th, the select board voted five to

2484
01:52:47,280 --> 01:52:49,840
Darl to send my encroachment data to the

2485
01:52:49,840 --> 01:52:52,080
assessor's office. We were asked to give

2486
01:52:52,080 --> 01:52:54,800
the assessor two weeks and get the info

2487
01:52:54,800 --> 01:52:57,760
back to us. On July 7th, we received

2488
01:52:57,760 --> 01:53:01,280
this email saying I received this email

2489
01:53:01,280 --> 01:53:03,520
saying justice asked to let you know

2490
01:53:03,520 --> 01:53:06,480
he'd be out of the office um and he'd

2491
01:53:06,480 --> 01:53:08,159
get back to the work. I don't want to

2492
01:53:08,159 --> 01:53:09,520
read the whole thing because it has some

2493
01:53:09,520 --> 01:53:11,599
of it, but it just says it get back to

2494
01:53:11,599 --> 01:53:13,280
the enclosing information as the board

2495
01:53:13,280 --> 01:53:15,280
requested.

2496
01:53:15,280 --> 01:53:19,440
And then on July 22nd, I asked this

2497
01:53:19,440 --> 01:53:21,599
issue again and the following is

2498
01:53:21,599 --> 01:53:23,920
response I received. I have not received

2499
01:53:23,920 --> 01:53:27,040
anything from him so far. Anything? So,

2500
01:53:27,040 --> 01:53:29,679
no. Bear in mind last week due to

2501
01:53:29,679 --> 01:53:33,440
unforeseen an unforeseen incident. Um,

2502
01:53:33,440 --> 01:53:37,040
justice tends to be very thorough. um

2503
01:53:37,040 --> 01:53:39,760
and catch up on his work.

2504
01:53:39,760 --> 01:53:43,760
Um so as we stand today, it's now two

2505
01:53:43,760 --> 01:53:45,440
months and nine days since the select

2506
01:53:45,440 --> 01:53:48,719
board voted on this and we have still

2507
01:53:48,719 --> 01:53:51,599
not received a response which I find

2508
01:53:51,599 --> 01:53:53,920
just inappropriate.

2509
01:53:53,920 --> 01:53:56,080
Um

2510
01:53:56,080 --> 01:53:59,440
and I I I

2511
01:53:59,440 --> 01:54:02,880
don't think this is a timely response,

2512
01:54:02,880 --> 01:54:06,400
timely man. And uh I wouldn't like to do

2513
01:54:06,400 --> 01:54:08,960
this again.

2514
01:54:08,960 --> 01:54:15,189
And that's the end of my comment.

2515
01:54:15,199 --> 01:54:18,470
» That's Grace.

2516
01:54:18,480 --> 01:54:20,400
» I'd like to thank everybody that put on

2517
01:54:20,400 --> 01:54:24,239
the the fair at the senior center um for

2518
01:54:24,239 --> 01:54:27,520
the um for the community garden. They

2519
01:54:27,520 --> 01:54:30,639
did an excellent job. Um everybody had a

2520
01:54:30,639 --> 01:54:32,159
good time and they're looking forward to

2521
01:54:32,159 --> 01:54:34,400
possibly doing it next year.

2522
01:54:34,400 --> 01:54:38,000
And um and

2523
01:54:38,000 --> 01:54:41,599
that's all I besides.

2524
01:54:41,599 --> 01:54:44,320
>> That's tough.

2525
01:54:44,320 --> 01:54:46,639
One quick thing, quick update. The uh

2526
01:54:46,639 --> 01:54:49,520
state land pilot and the working group,

2527
01:54:49,520 --> 01:54:52,480
there was a meeting scheduled for

2528
01:54:52,480 --> 01:54:54,960
October that's been pushed out. It's now

2529
01:54:54,960 --> 01:54:57,840
become a two-part meeting

2530
01:54:57,840 --> 01:55:01,040
in November and December. and I'm hoping

2531
01:55:01,040 --> 01:55:04,080
they don't push much much further, but

2532
01:55:04,080 --> 01:55:06,000
I'm already signed up to attend those.

2533
01:55:06,000 --> 01:55:07,920
I'll keep everybody updated as this

2534
01:55:07,920 --> 01:55:10,639
goes. Senator Komaer has been pushing

2535
01:55:10,639 --> 01:55:12,800
for this for quite some time, and there

2536
01:55:12,800 --> 01:55:14,880
is a separate working group for the

2537
01:55:14,880 --> 01:55:17,440
Quaban Reservoir watershed communities.

2538
01:55:17,440 --> 01:55:20,239
That pilot is paid for by the using

2539
01:55:20,239 --> 01:55:22,000
communities that benefit from that

2540
01:55:22,000 --> 01:55:24,480
watershed and that project as the

2541
01:55:24,480 --> 01:55:26,000
reservoir.

2542
01:55:26,000 --> 01:55:29,440
But the state pilot for the land use uh

2543
01:55:29,440 --> 01:55:31,920
this town will benefit from as well. And

2544
01:55:31,920 --> 01:55:34,080
they know that formula is broken just

2545
01:55:34,080 --> 01:55:36,159
like many of the others. And we're

2546
01:55:36,159 --> 01:55:37,679
finally getting a little bit of traction

2547
01:55:37,679 --> 01:55:39,119
on it. Let's hope we can get the

2548
01:55:39,119 --> 01:55:42,880
traction we really need.

2549
01:55:42,880 --> 01:55:44,480
>> Miss Golden.

2550
01:55:44,480 --> 01:55:46,480
>> Um first off, I want to, you know, again

2551
01:55:46,480 --> 01:55:48,239
congratulate Mr. Curtis on his

2552
01:55:48,239 --> 01:55:50,800
retirement next week. Um I'm happy to

2553
01:55:50,800 --> 01:55:53,199
hear that he's going to be finishing out

2554
01:55:53,199 --> 01:55:54,960
um that

2555
01:55:54,960 --> 01:55:57,599
plan and uh applying for that grant so

2556
01:55:57,599 --> 01:55:59,760
that we can get that those funds back.

2557
01:55:59,760 --> 01:56:02,239
Um also wanted to remind the public of

2558
01:56:02,239 --> 01:56:04,960
tomorrow night's citizen meeting in

2559
01:56:04,960 --> 01:56:07,199
regards to the over the question and

2560
01:56:07,199 --> 01:56:09,599
answers. Um it's happening here in town

2561
01:56:09,599 --> 01:56:13,119
hall at 6 o'clock. Um, also I've

2562
01:56:13,119 --> 01:56:15,440
received several emails from citizens um

2563
01:56:15,440 --> 01:56:17,599
being copying me on emails to the

2564
01:56:17,599 --> 01:56:19,920
senator um and the representative, the

2565
01:56:19,920 --> 01:56:21,520
state representatives. I really do

2566
01:56:21,520 --> 01:56:23,360
appreciate that. Thank you so much. I

2567
01:56:23,360 --> 01:56:25,040
think we need to continue to stay on top

2568
01:56:25,040 --> 01:56:27,760
of them. Um, and then the last thing is

2569
01:56:27,760 --> 01:56:30,719
Justice, your assistant. Um, I'm sorry

2570
01:56:30,719 --> 01:56:32,960
to see that she's resigned. Um, and I

2571
01:56:32,960 --> 01:56:36,000
hope that my concerns in regards to um,

2572
01:56:36,000 --> 01:56:38,239
administrative assistance and our budget

2573
01:56:38,239 --> 01:56:43,990
comments isn't what prompted that.

2574
01:56:44,000 --> 01:56:44,880
Yep.

2575
01:56:44,880 --> 01:56:48,480
>> Uh I just have uh one thing. Uh I sent

2576
01:56:48,480 --> 01:56:52,400
this I forwarded this email out uh last

2577
01:56:52,400 --> 01:56:55,119
week. I met with the mayor of Gardner.

2578
01:56:55,119 --> 01:56:58,560
Uh I just popped into uh

2579
01:56:58,560 --> 01:57:00,719
I had a conversation with Mr. for uh

2580
01:57:00,719 --> 01:57:04,400
Warner Po and uh I went in I talked with

2581
01:57:04,400 --> 01:57:09,440
the mayor about uh grant writing and uh

2582
01:57:09,440 --> 01:57:12,400
the firm they have and uh you know how

2583
01:57:12,400 --> 01:57:14,480
they paid for it and how much. Uh we

2584
01:57:14,480 --> 01:57:18,560
chatted for a while. Uh,

2585
01:57:18,560 --> 01:57:21,920
and I asked him uh

2586
01:57:21,920 --> 01:57:26,239
if uh if he possibly could attend uh a

2587
01:57:26,239 --> 01:57:30,000
future meeting of the select board uh to

2588
01:57:30,000 --> 01:57:34,639
talk uh a little bit about uh Gardner's

2589
01:57:34,639 --> 01:57:37,040
grant writing, uh the firm they use, how

2590
01:57:37,040 --> 01:57:39,119
they pay for it, the projects that they

2591
01:57:39,119 --> 01:57:41,760
have completed, and any you know

2592
01:57:41,760 --> 01:57:44,000
projects they're planning on uh with

2593
01:57:44,000 --> 01:57:46,400
grant uh funding.

2594
01:57:46,400 --> 01:57:50,159
Uh, I didn't expect it. As fast as I got

2595
01:57:50,159 --> 01:57:52,880
it, I got home that evening uh and I

2596
01:57:52,880 --> 01:57:56,320
forwarded to the board. He not only sent

2597
01:57:56,320 --> 01:58:00,719
uh the email uh naming the company and a

2598
01:58:00,719 --> 01:58:03,840
contact uh

2599
01:58:03,840 --> 01:58:09,199
he basically gave us uh 90 95% of the

2600
01:58:09,199 --> 01:58:13,760
homework uh their RFP how much they pay

2601
01:58:13,760 --> 01:58:16,719
uh all of the other firms uh that they

2602
01:58:16,719 --> 01:58:20,239
looked at all the other firms that uh

2603
01:58:20,239 --> 01:58:24,470
replied to their RFP

2604
01:58:24,480 --> 01:58:31,280
and gave heads up on uh how there was a retainer per month and some of them

2605
01:58:31,280 --> 01:58:34,400
were charging this way or that way. Uh

2606
01:58:34,400 --> 01:58:38,480
so I intend to ask the mayor to come uh

2607
01:58:38,480 --> 01:58:41,599
to one of the September meetings. Uh I

2608
01:58:41,599 --> 01:58:44,800
was going to email him or pop in and ask

2609
01:58:44,800 --> 01:58:46,639
him which one of our meetings would

2610
01:58:46,639 --> 01:58:48,960
better uh fit his schedule. He said he

2611
01:58:48,960 --> 01:58:51,280
would he said he'd be glad just give him

2612
01:58:51,280 --> 01:58:53,840
the date and and he would come here and

2613
01:58:53,840 --> 01:58:57,679
give us just a little thing on uh

2614
01:58:57,679 --> 01:58:59,520
how Vader

2615
01:58:59,520 --> 01:59:03,679
uh approaches grant writing and uh their

2616
01:59:03,679 --> 01:59:05,360
firm and how they pay for it and their

2617
01:59:05,360 --> 01:59:09,040
projects and so forth. Uh

2618
01:59:09,040 --> 01:59:12,800
they pay uh $7,500 a month. uh you do

2619
01:59:12,800 --> 01:59:15,840
the math. If you went out and hired an

2620
01:59:15,840 --> 01:59:19,199
employee experienced grant writer,

2621
01:59:19,199 --> 01:59:22,320
you're probably in the 80k range. Then

2622
01:59:22,320 --> 01:59:24,320
you have their benefits and then you

2623
01:59:24,320 --> 01:59:25,840
have to have an office and then you have

2624
01:59:25,840 --> 01:59:29,440
all the office expenses and you know

2625
01:59:29,440 --> 01:59:31,280
they go on vacation, they can't have

2626
01:59:31,280 --> 01:59:32,880
sick, they have a personal day, they

2627
01:59:32,880 --> 01:59:34,719
could miss a grant through, you know, no

2628
01:59:34,719 --> 01:59:36,239
fault of their own just being off and

2629
01:59:36,239 --> 01:59:38,800
stuff. Uh, and this is something I I

2630
01:59:38,800 --> 01:59:42,080
think Templeton cannot afford

2631
01:59:42,080 --> 01:59:44,480
not to do.

2632
01:59:44,480 --> 01:59:47,280
So, uh,

2633
01:59:47,280 --> 01:59:49,040
unless there's any objections, I'm going

2634
01:59:49,040 --> 01:59:50,639
to invite the mayor to one of our

2635
01:59:50,639 --> 01:59:53,040
September meetings, uh, assuming he can

2636
01:59:53,040 --> 01:59:56,000
make the September thing, uh, to give us

2637
01:59:56,000 --> 02:00:00,000
a little, uh, insight as to what they

2638
02:00:00,000 --> 02:00:02,880
do, uh, and this firm that they use. and

2639
02:00:02,880 --> 02:00:05,040
he seems to think that uh even though

2640
02:00:05,040 --> 02:00:07,280
they have a sort of an exclusive

2641
02:00:07,280 --> 02:00:10,719
agreement something about we're in

2642
02:00:10,719 --> 02:00:12,320
district two he said something that

2643
02:00:12,320 --> 02:00:14,960
might be a possibility where we could uh

2644
02:00:14,960 --> 02:00:19,040
join on uh

2645
02:00:19,040 --> 02:00:21,679
but again I I just think it's something

2646
02:00:21,679 --> 02:00:23,599
we have so many project we have stone

2647
02:00:23,599 --> 02:00:27,199
bridge we have uh hamlet mill road

2648
02:00:27,199 --> 02:00:29,920
bridge if we shut down the main street

2649
02:00:29,920 --> 02:00:33,280
bridge before that one is done. I I

2650
02:00:33,280 --> 02:00:34,480
don't know if it can handle it. It's

2651
02:00:34,480 --> 02:00:36,400
already been inspected and had holes in

2652
02:00:36,400 --> 02:00:40,159
it from Mass that it's it's on the the

2653
02:00:40,159 --> 02:00:42,719
downhill slide of its lifespan. So, uh

2654
02:00:42,719 --> 02:00:45,840
and our roads, uh

2655
02:00:45,840 --> 02:00:48,800
I I looked up an email that I I sent Mr.

2656
02:00:48,800 --> 02:00:51,199
Driscoll from the water department and

2657
02:00:51,199 --> 02:00:55,040
they wanted to do some water manes uh on

2658
02:00:55,040 --> 02:00:57,440
this CDBG grant funding, but they run

2659
02:00:57,440 --> 02:00:59,920
into the same things as you do with uh

2660
02:00:59,920 --> 02:01:03,520
chapter 90 funding. Uh it's technical

2661
02:01:03,520 --> 02:01:05,679
stuff like it's more of a artery lane

2662
02:01:05,679 --> 02:01:09,280
than feeding like neighborhoods. So

2663
02:01:09,280 --> 02:01:11,679
they wanted to do from East Dumbleton

2664
02:01:11,679 --> 02:01:13,840
all the way to Ladder Hill Bridge. Uh

2665
02:01:13,840 --> 02:01:16,480
but again the CDBG says that really

2666
02:01:16,480 --> 02:01:18,480
doesn't meet the specs. So they wanted

2667
02:01:18,480 --> 02:01:20,560
to replace water mano and south main

2668
02:01:20,560 --> 02:01:22,560
street.

2669
02:01:22,560 --> 02:01:24,960
Nope. Same thing. They you know so they

2670
02:01:24,960 --> 02:01:27,599
run into these technicalities. So if we

2671
02:01:27,599 --> 02:01:29,760
could get a grant writing firm instead

2672
02:01:29,760 --> 02:01:32,480
of just uh has been done in the past

2673
02:01:32,480 --> 02:01:34,400
citing hoopla about oh look at our

2674
02:01:34,400 --> 02:01:36,000
pavement study look at all these road

2675
02:01:36,000 --> 02:01:38,719
paved did we do any drainage did replace

2676
02:01:38,719 --> 02:01:42,880
any water manes did we do any sidewalks

2677
02:01:42,880 --> 02:01:44,800
you know did we do anything under the

2678
02:01:44,800 --> 02:01:47,599
road and the answer is no and we pave a

2679
02:01:47,599 --> 02:01:51,280
road and half of my road and paved over

2680
02:01:51,280 --> 02:01:54,320
existing pavement why well budget this

2681
02:01:54,320 --> 02:01:56,639
and that the only half of a road that's

2682
02:01:56,639 --> 02:01:59,040
got drainage. Some of it's old country

2683
02:01:59,040 --> 02:02:01,280
of drainage. It's over in the side of

2684
02:02:01,280 --> 02:02:03,360
the road. A couple of them, if you

2685
02:02:03,360 --> 02:02:04,480
didn't know they were there, they're

2686
02:02:04,480 --> 02:02:06,239
buried in leaves. They they're

2687
02:02:06,239 --> 02:02:08,880
absolutely useless. But it's always come

2688
02:02:08,880 --> 02:02:11,679
down to funding. And chapter 90, like

2689
02:02:11,679 --> 02:02:13,760
chapter 70 for the school aid, general

2690
02:02:13,760 --> 02:02:16,080
state aid, the pilot for stateowned

2691
02:02:16,080 --> 02:02:18,480
land, it's all antiquated. It doesn't

2692
02:02:18,480 --> 02:02:22,000
cover nearly enough and it's most of the

2693
02:02:22,000 --> 02:02:23,920
funding that this town has to address

2694
02:02:23,920 --> 02:02:27,599
its roads. So, uh, again, those are all

2695
02:02:27,599 --> 02:02:30,320
the reasons that, uh, I would like the

2696
02:02:30,320 --> 02:02:32,159
mayor to come to, and I hope this is

2697
02:02:32,159 --> 02:02:34,960
something that we can, uh, we we can't

2698
02:02:34,960 --> 02:02:36,320
afford not to do it.

2699
02:02:36,320 --> 02:02:40,480
>> Uh, it would be a a good sell. Uh, and

2700
02:02:40,480 --> 02:02:42,880
they not only do grant writing, they do

2701
02:02:42,880 --> 02:02:45,360
lobbying. And unfortunately, that's the

2702
02:02:45,360 --> 02:02:48,000
system. Uh, you have to pay to play and

2703
02:02:48,000 --> 02:02:51,760
pay to win. It just is a fact. It just,

2704
02:02:51,760 --> 02:02:53,679
you know, it's like, hey, uh, here's

2705
02:02:53,679 --> 02:02:58,000
money for your re-election, blah, blah, whatever it is, and they sponsor

2706
02:02:58,000 --> 02:03:03,840
the bill and and you get the money. It's just the way it is. So, unless

2707
02:03:03,840 --> 02:03:07,599
anybody's uh objections, uh, I'll

2708
02:03:07,599 --> 02:03:09,280
contact the mayor and see what they he

2709
02:03:09,280 --> 02:03:12,000
can come in and and like I said, he he

2710
02:03:12,000 --> 02:03:14,880
sent like 90% of the work. Uh, totally

2711
02:03:14,880 --> 02:03:17,199
unexpected. Very gracious of him. Uh,

2712
02:03:17,199 --> 02:03:21,119
very thankful for that. So on that note,

2713
02:03:21,119 --> 02:03:24,239
uh I would entertain a motion to adjurnn

2714
02:03:24,239 --> 02:03:26,239
at 8:303

2715
02:03:26,239 --> 02:03:28,000
p.m.

2716
02:03:28,000 --> 02:03:28,719
moved.

2717
02:03:28,719 --> 02:03:31,599
>> That's a record.