[0:03] I would like to call to order the annual

[0:05] town meeting of the town of Wheatley for

[0:07] June 2nd, 2026

[0:10] and ask the town clerk to read the

[0:13] warrant for this meeting.

[0:25] This one.

[0:28] >> Pursuant to the within warrant, I have

[0:29] notified and warned the inhabitants of

[0:31] the town of Wheatley by posting attested

[0:33] copies of the same at the town office

[0:36] building, Wheatley Post Office,

[0:37] Weightley Transfer Station in S. White

[0:40] Dickinson Library in said town at least

[0:43] 7 days before the date of the meeting as

[0:45] within directed. Signed Donald Bates May

[0:49] 21, 2026.

[0:51] >> All right. Thank you. You have been duly

[0:54] warned and if you're still here, it's of

[0:56] your own valition. Okay. Uh may we begin

[1:00] with a motion for article one, please,

[1:02] which will require a majority vote.

[1:04] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[1:07] to accept the annual reports of the

[1:08] officers of the town and to hear any

[1:11] other reports of the boards and

[1:12] committees.

[1:13] >> Second.

[1:14] >> The article has been moved and second.

[1:16] Is there any discussion?

[1:19] If not, all those in favor raise your

[1:22] card.

[1:24] All those opposed.

[1:26] Thank you. This is the first of our

[1:29] governance articles and we have uh six

[1:32] or seven more further to go.

[1:34] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[1:36] to authorize the town treasurer with the

[1:38] approval of the select board to borrow

[1:40] money from time to time in anticipation

[1:42] of the revenue of the fiscal year

[1:44] beginning on July 1, 2026 in accordance

[1:48] with the provisions of general law

[1:49] chapter 44 section 4 and to renew any

[1:52] note or notes as may be given for a

[1:54] period of less than one year in

[1:56] accordance with the provisions of

[1:58] general law chapter 17.

[2:01] >> Second.

[2:02] >> The article has been moved and second.

[2:04] Is there any discussion?

[2:08] » Seeing none, we move to a vote. All

[2:10] those in favor, please raise your card.

[2:13] >> All those opposed. The motion has passed

[2:16] by the majority required.

[2:19] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[2:22] to authorize the select board to enter

[2:25] into contracts for goods and services

[2:27] with the duration in excess of three

[2:29] years pursuant to the provisions of

[2:32] general law chapter 30B section 12B.

[2:37] >> Second.

[2:37] >> The article is moved and second and we

[2:39] note scrivener error. This was not

[2:42] introduced by Julie Wagner. It was

[2:44] introduced by

[2:46] Juliana. No, I'm Julie. Yes.

[2:50] >> Oh, it's somewhere else that it's messed

[2:51] up

[2:52] >> in the front page of the annual report.

[2:54] >> Okay, then I I my correction is

[2:57] corrected. If I

[2:57] >> I am not Julia.

[3:01] » Okay, that also has been moved and

[3:03] second. Is there any discussion?

[3:06] Seeing none, we move to a vote. All in

[3:08] favor, raise your card. Very good. All

[3:11] those opposed. All right. There's an

[3:13] equal number to follow of the same type.

[3:16] You might want to switch to your other

[3:17] hand. Okay. Article four, please.

[3:21] >> Uh, Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[3:23] vote to authorize the town treasurer

[3:25] with the approval of the select board to

[3:27] enter into compensating balance

[3:29] agreements with banking institutions

[3:32] having their principal offices in the

[3:34] Commonwealth of Massachusetts during the

[3:37] fiscal year beginning on July 1st, 2026

[3:39] as peritted permitted by general law

[3:43] chapter 44 section 53F.

[3:46] >> Second. An article has been moved and

[3:49] second. Requires a majority vote. Is

[3:52] there any discussion?

[3:54] Seeing none, all those in favor, please

[3:56] raise your card. Excellent. All those

[4:00] opposed. Uh seeing none, it passes by

[4:03] the majority required.

[4:04] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[4:07] to apply for, accept, and expend any

[4:09] federal, state, or private grant monies

[4:12] on behalf of the town and to authorize

[4:14] the town treasurer with approval of the

[4:16] select board to borrow in anticipation

[4:18] of reimbursement.

[4:19] >> Second.

[4:20] >> Moved and seconded, article five. It's

[4:23] now open for discussion.

[4:27] Seeing no questions, all those in favor,

[4:29] please raise your card. All those

[4:31] opposed. Uh, the motion passes by the

[4:34] majority required.

[4:37] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[4:40] to establish spending limits for the

[4:42] town's revolving funds as established by

[4:45] the town's general bylaws chapter 46

[4:48] revolving funds for the fiscal year

[4:51] beginning on July 1st, 2026 as follows

[4:55] and is shown in the warrant on page

[4:58] four.

[5:00] Do you require me to read each

[5:02] individual item?

[5:03] >> Not unless someone requests it.

[5:05] >> Okay.

[5:06] >> All right. Is there a request to read

[5:08] the warrant dollars in full?

[5:10] >> No. Is there a second?

[5:12] >> Yes.

[5:13] >> All right. Unless there's a request to

[5:15] read the rest of the warrant in full as

[5:17] opposed to referring to the numbers on

[5:19] your printed page, uh, we open it for

[5:21] discussion.

[5:24] Yes, please. Uh, please come to a

[5:26] microphone. uh state your name and

[5:29] address and and pose your question.

[5:32] >> Okay. I'm Mariana Massid. I live at 141

[5:35] Conway Road. And I had a question

[5:38] actually. The revolving funds, how does

[5:42] that relate to like the uh when you have

[5:44] the operating budget each, let's say for

[5:47] the example, the recreation revolving

[5:50] fund amount, they also have a budget.

[5:53] >> Yes. Would anyone like to speak to that,

[5:55] Pete, please? So, the revolving funds

[5:58] are specifically funds that and accounts

[6:00] that are created by the bylaw. And what

[6:02] it is is the bylaw stipulates when

[6:05] there's a fee collection by any one of

[6:07] these agencies such as recreation or

[6:09] library, the fees they collect go into

[6:11] the revolving fund because fees can't go

[6:14] into a general operating fund. So they

[6:16] have to go into a revolving fund and

[6:17] then our bylaws stipulate what they can

[6:20] use those monies for such as supplies or

[6:23] like for the dog licensing. It's to

[6:25] those fees then are used to buy the

[6:27] licenses and run the software.

[6:29] >> I see.

[6:30] >> Does that answer your question?

[6:31] >> Yes, it does.

[6:32] >> Wonderful. Any other questions or

[6:34] discussion?

[6:36] Uh seeing none, we'll proceed to a vote.

[6:39] This will require a majority vote. All

[6:41] those in favor of article six, please

[6:43] raise your card.

[6:45] All those opposed. The motion article

[6:48] six has passed by the majority required.

[6:51] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[6:53] to fix the salaries or compensation of

[6:56] the elected officers of the town for the

[6:57] fiscal year beginning on July 1st, 2026

[7:01] as follows and is shown in a table on

[7:04] your on your papers.

[7:08] >> Second.

[7:08] >> Article seven has been moved and

[7:11] seconded. Is there a request to read in

[7:14] full? If not, uh going forward, uh the

[7:18] first question would be a request to go

[7:22] in full and I will not keep asking the audience. The audience, the

[7:26] legislature, you're in charge. Okay. Um

[7:30] in that case, is there any discussion

[7:31] regarding article 7?

[7:34] Uh yes, please.

[7:36] Yes. Uh please do for the purposes of

[7:38] all those enjoying this at home.

[7:42] Yeah.

[7:43] >> And and for all of us of elder age,

[7:46] thank you.

[7:46] >> Ellen Scraki, 115 Christian Lane. Um,

[7:50] >> what does our constable do? Who's the

[7:52] constable and what does the constable

[7:54] do, please?

[7:55] >> Who is the constable and what do they

[7:56] do? Town clerk, please.

[7:58] >> Donald Bait.

[8:01] Donald Bates and Thomas Mahar are the

[8:03] constables and they're the biggest thing

[8:07] that they do is they provide security at

[8:10] the pole location for elections.

[8:15] They do have other duties as stated by

[8:17] Mass General Law, but for the town of

[8:19] Wheatley, that's pretty much what they

[8:20] do.

[8:22] >> And they also are responsible for

[8:24] posting this information.

[8:26] >> Yes. across the town and online uh so

[8:29] that you know there's a meeting

[8:32] and does that answer your question

[8:34] fully? Okay, thank you. Are there any

[8:37] other questions about article 7? Yes,

[8:39] please.

[8:45] » Mary Masset from 141 Conway Road. The we

[8:49] have a town clerk figure of 58545.

[8:55] We're voting. We're gonna vote that they

[8:57] be that that's their salary. But then on

[9:00] the operating budget,

[9:02] doesn't it have um it says the operating

[9:06] budget has 76,000. Is that just is that

[9:09] their spending? Is that what what's the

[9:12] difference between those?

[9:14] >> So the the operating budget of all

[9:17] department budgets are both personnel

[9:19] and expenses. So it includes the town

[9:22] clerk budget is inclusive of the town

[9:24] clerk salary, the assistant town clerk

[9:26] pay as well as general expenses of the

[9:28] that department.

[9:29] >> Okay. So it's the town clerk department

[9:31] or administration of the town.

[9:33] >> So we're paying the town clerk 58,545.

[9:37] Is that correct?

[9:38] >> If this article is approved. Yes.

[9:39] >> If it is approved. Yes.

[9:43] » Any other questions or discussion?

[9:47] Seeing none.

[9:49] All those in favor of article 7 as

[9:51] written, raise your card.

[9:55] All those opposed. The motion carries by

[9:58] the majority required for article 7.

[10:00] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[10:02] to appropriate $331,088.118

[10:07] from the water department enterprise

[10:09] fund revenues to finance the operation

[10:11] of the water department for the fiscal

[10:13] year beginning on July 1, 2026 as

[10:16] outlined in the printed warrant.

[10:19] >> Second.

[10:21] >> Article 8 has been moved and seconded

[10:23] and requires a majority vote.

[10:26] Is there any question are there any

[10:28] questions or discussion regarding this

[10:29] article?

[10:34] All right, very enterprising of us. We

[10:36] will now move to a vote. All those in

[10:38] favor, raise your card.

[10:41] All those opposed. The motion carries by

[10:44] the majority required. At this point,

[10:47] we're switching over to uh the budget

[10:50] authority of the legislature being you.

[10:53] And we're going to ask the chair of the

[10:56] finance committee to introduce uh the

[10:59] articles. Two of them uh need to be

[11:03] amended. And so the tech the language of

[11:05] the amendment will also be introduced.

[11:08] After discussion,

[11:10] answering of questions, we will need to

[11:13] vote first on the amendment and then if

[11:16] that passes, we would vote on the

[11:18] amended motion. Okay. May we ask uh Lynn

[11:22] Sibi, please to introduce article 9.

[11:25] >> I move that the town act on the

[11:27] recommendations of the finance committee

[11:29] on the fiscal year 2027 town operating

[11:32] budget and to raise and appropriate

[11:34] money for the operation of town's

[11:36] departments, boards, committees,

[11:38] agencies, and officers for the payment

[11:40] of debt service and for all other

[11:43] necessary and proper expenses for the

[11:45] fiscal year beginning on July 1st, 2026.

[11:49] and the amounts shown in the column

[11:51] captioned fiscal year 2027 operating

[11:54] budget as follows with an amendment

[11:59] uh to reduce the South County Senior

[12:01] Center FY2027

[12:04] operating budget to $46,811

[12:08] and thereby reduce the cultural culture

[12:12] recreation services FY27

[12:17] operating budget to 22 27,73146

[12:23] and overall town town operating budget

[12:26] to 7 million485,76.19.

[12:33] » Is there a second? There's article nine

[12:37] has been moved and seconded and now is

[12:39] open for questions and discussion.

[12:59] traceable aisle 190 Christian Lane. I

[13:02] assume we're reducing South County

[13:05] Senior Center because we're not moving

[13:07] forward. Is that correct?

[13:11] >> That's correct.

[13:11] >> Yes.

[13:12] that's correct. So um they had

[13:14] presented two different budgets to us.

[13:16] One with the move to the Sunderland

[13:19] location and that did not pass in

[13:21] Deerfield. So in order to so we wouldn't

[13:25] need to appropriate that amount of

[13:28] money. So we went back to their um

[13:31] status quo budget um and that's why the

[13:35] amendment. My concern has to do with

[13:39] what Deerfield did and and of course

[13:42] they have their own option about um

[13:46] passing the budget or not and selling it

[13:49] as very expensive.

[13:52] But I think Joyce, as a member of that

[13:56] of reviewing it, you presented quite the

[14:00] contrary information,

[14:03] but it was

[14:06] quoted as being the most expensive.

[14:09] We've got a $70,000 elevator.

[14:12] Do we have any idea

[14:15] what it really is going to cost to

[14:18] convert Deerfield Elementary if that

[14:21] gets to be voted?

[14:23] >> The short answer is no. And it's also

[14:26] not on the warrant for tonight.

[14:28] >> Okay. Thank you.

[14:29] >> Thank you.

[14:32] >> Are there any other uh questions,

[14:35] discussion, or

[14:37] uh heartfelt statements?

[14:40] >> This one worked too. This one worked.

[14:41] Yep. Harland Bean Weber Road. Can I have

[14:44] an explanation on the increase on the

[14:46] town accountant, please?

[14:51] » Um, the town accountant's hours have

[14:54] been increased. So that's basically the

[14:56] increase there.

[15:00] » So that's the salary increase. Is that

[15:03] much or the department increase?

[15:06] >> Salary.

[15:06] >> It's primarily salary. There are some

[15:08] department expenses due to software

[15:10] licensing that had a slight increase,

[15:12] but the majority of it was to cover the

[15:14] increase from 15 hours a week to 24

[15:16] hours a week. It's a part-time position.

[15:22] » It's a $66,000 part-time position.

[15:25] >> No, that's the total operating budget

[15:27] for that department.

[15:29] >> That's not the salary.

[15:30] >> Okay, that's

[15:31] >> it's all all line items are inclusive of

[15:34] personnel and expenses for that

[15:36] department. But the $20,000 increase you

[15:39] said is mostly

[15:40] >> is primarily for the pay, the salary

[15:42] pay.

[15:43] >> The salary pay.

[15:43] >> Yep.

[15:45] >> And if I understand correctly, that's

[15:46] because the hours have increased.

[15:48] >> Correct. Almost double, but not quite.

[15:50] >> Okay.

[15:54] » Does that uh answer your question, Har?

[15:56] >> Okay.

[15:58] >> Yes, please.

[15:59] >> Uh Scottski, 149 Christian Lane. Can you

[16:02] explain to me why the DPW's gone up so

[16:05] high?

[16:07] want me to do that or

[16:09] >> the highway department?

[16:12] >> Um, is is Garrett here?

[16:15] >> He is.

[16:15] >> I thought I saw Garrett.

[16:17] >> I thought I saw

[16:18] >> He's right there.

[16:19] >> I mean, we can explain it, but I

[16:20] >> Well, I know. I've been watching me and

[16:22] they're talking about like a $20,000

[16:24] increase on sweeping the roads. I

[16:27] thought we went to road salt when Keith

[16:29] was a highway director. Why are we

[16:31] sweeping the roads if there's salt being

[16:33] put on there? So the moderator would

[16:35] like to invite a representative from the

[16:36] highway department to address the

[16:38] questions if they are available.

[16:44] » Gary,

[16:45] >> yeah, we will need you to uh step to the

[16:47] microphone, please.

[16:58] The reason for the increase is due to

[17:01] bikers, walkers, and people traveling on

[17:06] the roads. They haven't been swept. It's

[17:09] a courtesy to the town to keep a clean

[17:12] road, make everybody safe. It that's the

[17:15] price of an increase. That's what it

[17:17] costs to bring the sweeper in.

[17:20] And Garrett, I believe we only increased

[17:22] it to 8,000, not 20,000. Correct?

[17:25] >> Yeah.

[17:26] >> All right. So, does that answer your

[17:28] question, sir?

[17:29] >> Thank you. Thank you, Garrett.

[17:33] >> Are there remaining questions?

[17:37] All right. If not, it is time to proceed

[17:40] to a vote. All those in favor of article

[17:43] 9 amendment.

[17:45] >> Amend. Oh, sorry. I told you what we're

[17:48] going to do. And I'm glad that you

[17:49] remembered even if I forgot. Okay, first

[17:52] we need to vote the amendment

[17:55] uh to article nine. All those in favor

[17:58] of the motion as amended as of the

[18:01] amendment as proposed, please raise your

[18:03] cards.

[18:05] All those opposed. The amendment passes

[18:08] and now we vote on the amended article

[18:11] 9. All those in favor of article 9,

[18:15] please raise your cards as amended.

[18:18] Thank you. All those opposed. Article 9

[18:22] as amended passes by the amount

[18:24] required. Thank you.

[18:27] >> Can we proceed to article 10?

[18:30] >> Mr. moderator, I move that the town vote

[18:32] to close the ambulance stabilization

[18:35] fund and return the remaining funds

[18:38] $21.50

[18:40] plus any acred interest to the general

[18:43] fund.

[18:44] Second

[18:45] >> this one

[18:48] to return $21.50 plus interest to the

[18:51] general fund requires a 2/3 majority.

[18:55] It's been moved and seconded. Is there

[18:57] any discussion?

[19:01] If not, let's move to a vote. All those

[19:04] in favor?

[19:06] All those opposed?

[19:09] The motion passes by the twothirds

[19:11] required majority required.

[19:14] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[19:17] to transfer the sum of $1,416

[19:22] 42 from available funds fiscal year 2026

[19:26] free cash to pay unpaid bills of prior

[19:29] fiscal years as shown in article 11 of

[19:32] the printed warrant for the town

[19:34] meeting.

[19:35] >> Second.

[19:35] >> All right, this article's been moved and

[19:37] second. I should note uh there was a

[19:39] scribner error in article 10. Article

[19:42] was misspelled. Uh the moderator's

[19:45] opinion is that the vote article does

[19:47] not need to be because it's a scribner

[19:50] error does not need to be revoted. Thank

[19:52] you.

[19:54] Okay. Article 11 is now open for a vote

[19:58] and this one requires four fifths

[20:00] majority.

[20:02] So far we've exceeded that in every

[20:05] vote.

[20:07] But uh perhaps you want to put that to

[20:10] the test. All right. Is there any

[20:12] discussion or questions regarding

[20:14] article 11 approving the payment of

[20:17] prior fiscal year bills?

[20:20] If not, all those in favor please raise

[20:22] your card.

[20:24] All those opposed.

[20:27] Passes unanimously and therefore by the

[20:29] four fifth majority required.

[20:31] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[20:35] to authorize the board of assessors to

[20:37] transfer the sum of $200,000 from

[20:40] available funds fiscal year 26 free cash

[20:43] to reduce the tax levy for the fiscal

[20:45] year beginning on July 1, 2026.

[20:49] >> Second.

[20:50] >> Article 12 has been removed and

[20:52] seconded. Are there questions or

[20:54] discussion?

[20:58] » If not, let's move to a vote. All those

[21:00] in favor, raise your card.

[21:03] All those opposed.

[21:05] All right, we're about halfway through.

[21:07] Remember to switch arms as necessary.

[21:11] All right. May we move, please, to

[21:13] article 13.

[21:14] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[21:17] to transfer the sum of $20,000 from

[21:20] available funds fiscal year 26 free cash

[21:24] to the capital stabilization fund.

[21:27] >> Second. Are 13 has been moved and

[21:30] seconded. Is there any qu are there any

[21:32] questions or is there any discussion?

[21:37] Yes, please.

[21:44] Mariana Mass from 141 Conway Road. What

[21:48] um what is the $20,000 exact for

[21:51] exactly?

[21:54] It's the capital stabilization fund. I'm

[21:56] not even sure what that is. So,

[21:58] >> could you clarify?

[21:58] >> Capital stabilization like all the

[22:00] stabilization funds is basically a

[22:03] savings account for future uh projects.

[22:06] So, we try to add a little bit each year

[22:10] into the capital stabilization so that

[22:12] if we had a big capital item, we'd have

[22:15] that money available in the capital

[22:16] stabilization fund to to use.

[22:19] >> I see. So, it's a standard um transfer

[22:23] of free cash,

[22:24] >> right,

[22:25] >> that you recommend,

[22:26] >> right? Yes.

[22:27] >> And would it be fair to say that makes

[22:29] the what it can be spent on more

[22:31] restricted?

[22:31] >> It does. Um yes. Um you will once a a

[22:36] vote is taken for money into capital

[22:38] stabilization, town meeting actually has

[22:40] to also vote to take it out. So, you

[22:43] have the option both ways.

[22:45] >> I see. Okay.

[22:49] Uh Marian, if you have any f further

[22:52] questions, we will assume you haven't

[22:54] moved since the previous one, but thank

[22:57] you for being so diligent and attentive

[22:59] to the requirements. Okay. Um

[23:03] are there any other questions?

[23:06] If not, let's proceed to a vote article

[23:09] for article 13. All those in favor,

[23:11] raise your card.

[23:14] All those opposed. The article passes by

[23:17] the majority required. Thank you,

[23:20] >> Mr. Moderator. I move that the town vote

[23:22] to transfer the sum of $20,000 from

[23:26] available funds fiscal year 26 free cash

[23:28] to the vehicle stabilization fund.

[23:31] >> Second.

[23:33] >> All right. Article 14 has been moved and

[23:36] seconded. Are there questions about

[23:38] that?

[23:42] » If not, let's proceed to a vote. All

[23:44] those in favor, raise your card. All

[23:46] those opposed. The motion carries by the

[23:49] majority required. We proceed to article

[23:52] 15. Please.

[23:54] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[23:56] to transfer the sum of $20,000 from

[23:58] available funds fiscal year 26 free cash

[24:02] to the town buildings stabilization

[24:04] fund.

[24:05] >> Second.

[24:06] >> Article 15 has been moved and second. Is

[24:09] there any discussion regarding article

[24:11] 15?

[24:16] Seeing none, proceed to a vote. All

[24:18] those in favor of article 15, raise your

[24:20] card.

[24:22] >> All those opposed. Article 15 passes by

[24:25] the majority required.

[24:27] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[24:30] to transfer the sum of $40,000

[24:33] from available funds fiscy year free

[24:35] cash to fund the accumulated sick leave

[24:39] buyback of $40,000

[24:41] for Weightley Elementary School

[24:43] employees pursuant to the town bylaws

[24:46] andor collective bargaining agreements.

[24:50] >> Second.

[24:51] >> Article 16 has been moved and seconded.

[24:54] Are there questions or discussion?

[25:00] Seeing none, we proceed to a vote for

[25:02] article 16. All those in favor, raise

[25:05] your card. All those opposed. The motion

[25:09] carries by the majority required. And

[25:12] now article 17, please.

[25:14] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[25:16] to transfer from available funds town

[25:18] building stabilization fund to pay cost

[25:21] of capital projects including as

[25:23] applicable equipment capital items to be

[25:26] required and all incidental and related

[25:29] cost for such capital projects. All as

[25:32] described in the chart below. Each

[25:35] numbered item to be considered a

[25:37] separate appropriation and with the

[25:39] budgeted amount to be spent only for the

[25:41] stated purpose. Second.

[25:44] >> All right. So, article 17 has been moved

[25:47] in second and fortuitously enough we

[25:50] just put another 20,000 in the fund from

[25:52] which this could be deducted.

[25:55] All those sorry is there questions. Are

[25:58] there questions? Is there any discussion

[26:02] uh beyond the patter?

[26:08] All right. All those in favor of article

[26:10] 17, please raise your card.

[26:13] All those opposed. Article 17 passes by

[26:16] the majority required. Now, article 18

[26:18] is the other one that requires an

[26:20] amendment. Uh Fred, are you still the

[26:23] person introducing this or is that Lynn?

[26:25] >> Uh I was going to introduce and I

[26:27] figured Lynn would

[26:28] >> All right. So, please go ahead and then

[26:30] Lynn will hand it over to you for the

[26:33] amendments.

[26:34] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[26:36] to transfer from available funds fiscal

[26:39] year 2026 free cash capital

[26:42] stabilization fund, town building

[26:44] stabilization fund and vehicle

[26:45] stabilization fund to pay costs of

[26:48] various capital projects, including as

[26:50] applicable equipping of capital items to

[26:53] be acquired and all incidental and

[26:55] related costs for such capital projects.

[26:58] All as described in the chart below.

[27:00] each numbered item to be considered a

[27:02] separate appropriation and with the

[27:04] budgeted amount to be spent only for the

[27:06] stated purpose.

[27:07] >> Second.

[27:09] >> All right. We would ask now the chair of

[27:11] the finance committee to introduce the

[27:12] amendment and then we can have

[27:14] discussion on both.

[27:15] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

[27:18] remove capital project number six for

[27:20] the South County Senior Center and

[27:22] reduce the overall project total to

[27:26] $338,500.

[27:30] Second.

[27:31] >> All right. This article has been moved

[27:33] and second and the amendment put

[27:35] forward. Is are there any questions or

[27:39] further discussion regarding the

[27:41] amendment to article 18?

[27:46] Yes, please.

[27:50] » I'm Bob Smith from 303 Long Plane Road.

[27:53] Can someone please tell me exactly how

[27:56] many police cruisers we have and exactly

[27:59] how many police cruisers a town this

[28:01] size needs? I think I've counted four.

[28:05] Does this make five?

[28:09] » I can take that. No, the chief's not

[28:11] here.

[28:12] >> The the police department has three

[28:14] cruisers and one detail car. And this

[28:17] would replace the administrative car and

[28:20] then it would subsequently m move each

[28:22] car down and then the detail car would

[28:25] be uh what's it called?

[28:27] >> Surplus.

[28:28] Thank you.

[28:30] >> So would they would still have only four

[28:32] vehicles again? Three cruisers and one

[28:34] detail.

[28:37] >> So the budget is proposing that we

[28:40] maintain a number of four.

[28:42] >> Uh the number we need is up to you.

[28:46] Thank you.

[28:47] >> On that same question, how many officers

[28:50] do we have on duty at any one given time

[28:53] or at all times?

[28:57] » Could you please introduce yourself with

[28:58] your name and address?

[29:00] >> 80 Weber Road, Westley, Massachusetts.

[29:04] >> A zip code

[29:06] >> 010 39.

[29:09] >> Yeah. I mean, we This will put us to

[29:11] four active cruisers. No, three active

[29:15] cruisers and

[29:16] >> so one will get moved down. Correct.

[29:17] >> So one is a detail cruiser. Correct.

[29:19] Understood. So

[29:21] >> do we ever have three officers on duty

[29:24] at one time?

[29:25] >> I don't believe we have necessarily

[29:27] three on at any one time as a regular

[29:30] operation.

[29:32] >> So why do we need three cruisers?

[29:37] » I don't want to put them on. Um the one

[29:40] vehicle is the the police chief. So

[29:42] regardless of the police chief is either

[29:44] on duty or not, the that vehicle is with

[29:46] him, leaving two cruisers at the police

[29:49] department. And then the detail car is

[29:51] only used for detail. It's not actually

[29:52] used for patrols or action.

[29:57] >> That appears to be information we can

[30:00] provide. Does that answer your question?

[30:02] >> It's Yeah, it's provided. It does not

[30:04] make sense, but it is provided.

[30:05] >> Okay. Um

[30:08] at this point then, yes, sir, please.

[30:11] Bob Howa, 141 Westbrook Road, up on the

[30:15] hill.

[30:17] Correct me if I'm wrong with the detail

[30:19] car. If if a officer is at a

[30:24] construction site, and I know a few of

[30:26] them in town, most of them use their own

[30:28] vehicles. So, why do we have a detail

[30:31] car if they're using their own vehicles?

[30:35] And are we paying for them to use their

[30:38] own vehicles?

[30:40] gas,

[30:42] etc., or we just paying them by the hour

[30:45] and they're

[30:47] >> Is that a financial question you can

[30:49] answer at least?

[30:50] >> I know we don't pay them for using their

[30:52] own vehicles. Um, I I can't answer why

[30:56] some details have a detailed car and

[30:59] some don't.

[31:01] >> Most of the question most of the details

[31:03] I see, and correct me if I'm wrong,

[31:05] people as their own vehicles.

[31:08] That's all I ever see. It could be. I

[31:11] know when it when the detail vehicle is

[31:13] used, the the construction or the people

[31:16] that have hired the town for that

[31:17] operation pay for the detail vehicle as

[31:19] well. So, it might just be an issue of

[31:22] they're willing to pay for that detail

[31:24] vehicle. Um, but I we don't have the the

[31:27] specifics as to whether or not why they

[31:29] would use their own vehicle during a

[31:31] detail. When that an officer is doing

[31:34] detail service, they're being paid

[31:36] directly by that operator of the

[31:38] construction. It's not out of our

[31:39] operating f budget.

[31:41] >> Thank you.

[31:45] >> So, I got a couple of questions. First

[31:46] on the cruiser.

[31:48] >> Yes. Could you reintroduce yourself?

[31:49] >> Scottski 149 Christian Lane. So, from my

[31:53] understanding is there's four cars down

[31:56] there and the chief has one, one of the

[32:00] full-time cops has the other one, and

[32:02] the other full-time cop has the other

[32:04] one. Why do we need all these cops

[32:06] having their own cruisers? We're not the

[32:08] state police.

[32:10] >> The

[32:10] >> when when I joined the force way back,

[32:13] we had two cars. Whoever was the onduty

[32:15] police officer, we used the same car. We

[32:18] took our bag out and the other guy went

[32:20] into it. Why does everybody get their

[32:22] own vehicle down there?

[32:24] >> So, the they don't have their own

[32:25] vehicle. Only the police chief has his

[32:27] own vehicle. The other two cruisers are

[32:29] for the the officers that are on duty,

[32:31] which may be a full-time officer or

[32:33] might be a part-time officer. There are

[32:35] part-time officers that do operate out

[32:37] of the department.

[32:38] >> Right. But the part-time officers don't

[32:39] work during the week. They work a Friday

[32:42] night or a Saturday or maybe a Sunday.

[32:44] >> Correct. But the cruisers we we don't

[32:46] need four cruisers for town of 1,600

[32:49] people.

[32:50] >> We only have three cruisers.

[32:52] >> Deerfield has that many cruisers.

[32:53] >> Yeah. We only have three cruisers in one

[32:55] detail. The detail vehicle is only ever

[32:57] used for detail.

[32:58] >> But but it's still four cars

[33:02] and we have to pay for fuel. was still

[33:04] maintaining four cars.

[33:05] >> Correct.

[33:06] >> The right

[33:07] >> sir, the purpose of your uh questioning

[33:09] is not to try to convince uh the town

[33:12] administrator to change his mind. He's

[33:15] simply asking the question

[33:16] >> relaying information. Correct.

[33:18] >> We want information like Bob asked a

[33:20] question. Why do we need four cars?

[33:22] >> Right. So, at this point,

[33:24] there isn't a different answer that the

[33:27] town administrator can give you than he

[33:29] already has provided. and the police

[33:32] chief has unwisely chosen to skip the

[33:35] meeting.

[33:35] >> He's sick

[33:37] perhaps because of illness apparently.

[33:39] Um you have options but if you wanted to

[33:42] pursue them an amendment would be

[33:45] required.

[33:47] >> If you the question now is having

[33:50] received the information is the answer

[33:52] to your question.

[33:54] Is there some desire to act upon it or

[33:58] to uh proceed with the motion as

[34:01] presented?

[34:01] >> Vote on each individual one separately.

[34:03] >> No sir. Right now we have an amendment

[34:06] to vote on regarding the South County

[34:09] Senior Center.

[34:11] >> At that point then

[34:13] >> we would proceed to the article as a

[34:16] whole or we would entertain amendments.

[34:19] >> So I can amend number five that we vote

[34:22] on that separately. You you certainly

[34:24] could. Okay.

[34:26] >> You would require a second. You would

[34:28] require you would require a motion in

[34:30] writing that you could present to the

[34:32] town clerk uh so that could be read to

[34:35] the whole town.

[34:40] Believe it or not, we do need something

[34:42] in writing that could be registered as

[34:44] the vote. I don't think it would be

[34:46] difficult if I anticipate what the

[34:48] amendment would be.

[34:50] Uh I can provide pen and paper if

[34:53] necessary. Thank you.

[34:55] >> All right. Um

[34:58] so first is there more discussion about

[35:02] any of the items on here

[35:05] >> 141 Westbrook Road. Can we table it,

[35:07] come up with the writing and bring the

[35:10] question back a little while and

[35:11] continue on

[35:12] >> the the

[35:16] we could table the article for later in

[35:19] the meeting. Um I would not want to

[35:23] defer that beyond the point the articles

[35:27] that involve other budget items which

[35:31] would be then article uh 23.

[35:36] If there's an amendment available by

[35:38] that time, we can entertain it, but

[35:41] after that, we'll be moving to bylaws

[35:44] votes. Thank you.

[35:46] All right. Are there any new points of

[35:49] discussion to be made or new questions

[35:52] that have not yet been proposed?

[35:55] >> Yeah. Um Jeff Smith, 303 Long Plane

[35:57] Road. Um I'm just curious in this

[35:59] conversations about the police cruisers.

[36:01] Is the detail cruiser something that the

[36:03] town's required to have? Is it something

[36:05] that we've just chosen to have? You

[36:07] know, is there any particular reason why

[36:09] the town would need a detail cruiser?

[36:13] >> The question is whether a detail cruiser

[36:15] is required.

[36:18] Um, is there anyone who can speak to

[36:20] that? I would note, however, that is not

[36:22] something we're voting on tonight. The

[36:25] vote for this article only concerns a

[36:29] new cruiser. Thank you,

[36:32] >> Harlon Bean. again don't have that.

[36:34] >> No, we don't have that information, but

[36:36] the vote tonight would not affect that

[36:39] in any way as far as uh unless they

[36:44] chose not to put one into detail.

[36:46] Anyway, I'm overstepping my bounds

[36:48] there. Sorry. I

[36:49] >> I probably am too, but Harlem Bean again

[36:51] on the same item on that number five in

[36:55] reading the of the article, each

[36:57] numbered item is to be considered a

[36:59] separate appropriation.

[37:00] >> That's correct. which I don't believe we

[37:04] need an amendment. If I make a motion to

[37:07] have number five removed from this

[37:11] article question,

[37:13] >> that would be amending the article. So,

[37:16] >> well then how are we supposed to take

[37:18] each one considered as a separate

[37:20] appropriation but require an amendment?

[37:24] >> It's the process would be as follows.

[37:28] you would make an amendment to remove

[37:30] article item five from article 18 and

[37:35] there would be a vote on that or you

[37:37] could make a motion to change the dollar

[37:40] amount uh for that um the without an

[37:45] amendment

[37:47] >> that's the amendment

[37:48] >> it would be an amendment

[37:50] >> okay all right well then I make a motion

[37:54] to have an art have an amendment on this

[37:57] article to have number five removed.

[38:01] >> Okay, that article that motion has been

[38:04] made. Is there a second?

[38:07] >> Okay. Um already

[38:10] >> moderator on the procedure.

[38:13] >> Do since it is not an amendment to the

[38:15] amendment,

[38:16] >> do we need to consider the first

[38:18] amendment first and then this amendment

[38:21] to the main article?

[38:23] >> Actually, no. We have to consider the

[38:24] motion to table it first.

[38:28] um which uh

[38:29] >> I'm going to sit while you amend your

[38:31] >> had a second.

[38:34] >> I'm glad that you are so amendable to

[38:36] that procedure.

[38:38] >> Thank you. Um

[38:40] the article to table this until such

[38:43] time as a written

[38:46] statement of what has been put forward

[38:48] is available

[38:51] um requires um a twothirds vote.

[38:57] It wasn't

[38:59] >> uh the moderator remembers it being

[39:01] seconded.

[39:02] >> Oh, but I'll go back to my pre the

[39:04] current discussion on the floor is on

[39:06] the amendment, not on

[39:08] >> the lens amendment.

[39:10] >> The motion to table proceeds.

[39:13] >> No, the is Lynn's amendment is on the

[39:16] floor is what is being discussed at the

[39:19] moment.

[39:20] >> Okay, you are correct. Nevertheless,

[39:22] there has been a motion to table this

[39:24] and that.

[39:25] >> Well, but the motion would have to be to

[39:26] table that amendment at this point.

[39:28] >> Actually, no, they can table the whole

[39:32] darn thing.

[39:33] >> Okay.

[39:35] >> And then we can come back and vote on

[39:38] the amendments of which there are now or

[39:41] soon will be two. All right. This is

[39:43] more fun than I anticipated. All right.

[39:46] Um

[39:48] all those in favor of tableabling this

[39:52] article till later in this same

[39:55] presentation

[39:56] raise your card.

[39:58] All those opposed.

[40:01] Okay. The motion does not to table does

[40:03] not carry. Uh we then as uh selectman

[40:08] Baron has uh pointed out need to proceed

[40:12] to the original amendment regarding the

[40:14] south

[40:17] It was about

[40:20] it was twothirds. There were more

[40:24] opposed than in favor and I conclude

[40:26] that therefore it did not reach 2/3. I

[40:29] think I saw three people in favor of

[40:31] tableabling but it could have been four.

[40:35] Nonetheless, there is no mathematical

[40:37] possibility that that could have passed

[40:39] on the votes that were present. Uh and

[40:42] so I will deem that to have uh sufficed.

[40:45] All right. Um that means we now want to

[40:50] vote on the amendment

[40:53] proposed regarding capital project 6

[40:57] removal for the South County Senior

[41:00] Center.

[41:03] What? No, that's already here. It's

[41:05] already been made. It was made at the

[41:07] introduction of Lynn's presentation.

[41:11] Okay. Is there further discussion

[41:14] regarding that amendment regarding

[41:16] removal of article six which illustrates

[41:20] how you would do it for article 5? Thank

[41:22] you. If not then all those in favor of

[41:26] removing

[41:28] item six from article 18 please raise

[41:31] your card. All those opposed bravo. All

[41:35] right. We are now uh graduates of

[41:38] parliamentary procedure 101. Um there is

[41:42] a motion which I believe has been

[41:45] written down by this time.

[41:47] >> I have not received a motion.

[41:50] >> Could we have you please step up submit

[41:54] a written motion to remove article five?

[41:58] At the same time, guys,

[42:00] >> my motion was to have

[42:01] >> item number five removed from article

[42:04] 18.

[42:05] >> All right.

[42:06] >> I am supportive of our police department

[42:08] very much so not

[42:11] >> all right. Um I have written this down

[42:14] and I will accept it. Thank you.

[42:16] >> Okay. Thank you.

[42:17] >> Okay.

[42:19] Um therefore

[42:22] there is now an amendment to remove item

[42:25] five from article 18.

[42:28] Is there any further discussion or

[42:31] questions regarding that?

[42:34] Okay. The same

[42:36] >> one.

[42:37] >> Yes. Discussion please.

[42:38] >> Yeah. Um,

[42:42] so far most people have spoken um

[42:44] against uh putting funds towards a new

[42:47] police cruiser. Um, the reason why it's

[42:50] in there and that every roughly 3 years

[42:53] we get a new cruiser is because they get

[42:56] used. They get used a lot. Um, the that

[43:00] means the cruisers we have now are

[43:03] respectively 3, 6, 9, and 12 years old.

[43:07] That 12-year-old car, if it were just

[43:09] being used by a little old lady going to

[43:11] church every week, would be fine,

[43:14] but it's not reliable enough to be a

[43:17] cruiser that someone can rely on. U this

[43:20] is basically

[43:24] a way to assure our police have good

[43:27] equipment. Um, I know it might seem like

[43:30] having three vehicles for uh three

[43:34] person plus halftime or part-time people

[43:37] is too much, but that 9-year-old vehicle

[43:41] gets he needs to get repaired every so

[43:43] often. And uh we same thing for the

[43:47] six-year-old and the three-year-old. So,

[43:50] this is just a way of making sure we

[43:55] have the good equipment and when things

[43:58] need to go in for repair, there's a

[44:00] substitute car to be used and it means

[44:02] we still are able to put police out on

[44:05] our streets when we need to. So,

[44:10] >> are there any additional uh points of

[44:13] discussion? Yes, please.

[44:22] Ladies, gentlemen, thank you. Uh, Rich

[44:24] Corpsi, 19 State Road. One of the things

[44:27] I did want to bring

[44:29] in to the conversation is conversation

[44:32] with Chief Savine some time ago um many

[44:36] years ago at this point. The detailed

[44:38] vehicle, if I recall correctly, was an

[44:41] electric vehicle. And the reason why it

[44:43] was an electric vehicle because taking a

[44:46] regular vehicle and and let it idle so

[44:48] the lights could stay on caused a great

[44:51] deal more wear and tear on on a

[44:53] motorized vehicle than an electric

[44:55] vehicle. And so the detail vehicle was

[44:58] used for that. Now whether we need it or

[45:00] not is not for me to just make that

[45:02] decision. I don't know how much we use

[45:04] it, but that is part of the

[45:06] conversation.

[45:08] Um

[45:09] >> Okay. Thank you, Rich. But the detail

[45:12] vehicle is not being voted on.

[45:14] >> I understand, but it it seems to be a

[45:16] voice of contention that we have we

[45:18] we're asking for another vehicle and

[45:19] we're trying to justify why we have so

[45:22] many.

[45:23] >> All right.

[45:23] >> And I understand that.

[45:25] >> And and may I ask you to clarify then

[45:27] therefore whether you were in favor or

[45:29] against removing item what the

[45:32] conclusion is. Okay. Thank you.

[45:36] >> Any more in favor or against?

[45:41] All right. In that case then uh the

[45:44] current amendment is regarding item five

[45:47] and the proposal the motion is to remove

[45:50] item five from article 18 as it has been

[45:54] amended so far. Okay. Um it requires a

[45:58] majority vote and this time I'd actually

[46:01] like to have uh counters.

[46:04] So, uh, I would like to have two

[46:07] volunteers, please. Uh, and I would like

[46:10] those volunteers to be Brent and Lyn.

[46:13] >> Me.

[46:18] » That's right.

[46:20] >> Yeah. You pick which side you prefer.

[46:22] >> This side.

[46:24] >> Okay.

[46:25] All right.

[46:27] >> In this case, then, I hope you've had a

[46:28] good long rest and you're ready to raise

[46:30] your card until I tell you to lower it.

[46:34] All those in favor of removing article

[46:36] item five from article 18, please raise

[46:40] your card.

[46:59] » Yeah.

[47:00] Everybody to my left.

[47:02] >> Okay.

[47:07] >> you have 10.

[47:09] You have 15 for a total of 25 in favor.

[47:13] All those opposed.

[47:37] And there's votes behind you again as

[47:39] well.

[47:40] >> 17

[47:42] >> 23 All right. That means it is 25 in

[47:48] favor, 40 opposed, and the amendment

[47:51] does not pass. Um, we are now voting on

[47:55] article 18 as amended,

[47:59] meaning the item six has been removed

[48:02] and item five remains as do one through

[48:06] four

[48:08] >> and seven All right. Sorry, didn't uh

[48:14] Mr. Superintendent, I did not mean to

[48:16] pull the rug out from underneath you

[48:17] there on the hallway carpet replacement.

[48:20] Okay. Uh

[48:22] >> oh. Please.

[48:26] » All right.

[48:29] I'm here all night. Okay.

[48:33] All those in favor of article 18 as it

[48:36] now stands. Uh please raise your card.

[48:42] All those opposed.

[48:45] The article 18 as amended passes by the

[48:49] majority required including twothirds

[48:52] for borrowing.

[48:54] Mr. moderator, I move that the town

[48:57] return the following unexpended sums

[49:00] totaling $6,339.83

[49:05] to their respective community

[49:07] preservation fund accounts. the chart as

[49:10] shown on page

[49:14] 13 of your warrant.

[49:18] » All right. Is there a second? Thank you.

[49:20] There's a

[49:22] >> Yeah, a double second. All right.

[49:24] Article 19 has been read and double

[49:27] seconded. All those Sorry. Are are there

[49:30] questions,

[49:33] points of discussion?

[49:38] If not, we will proceed to a vote. All

[49:40] those in favor, please raise your card.

[49:44] All those opposed. Article 19 passes by

[49:47] the majority required.

[49:50] Article 20, please.

[49:52] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town hear

[49:54] and act on the report of the community

[49:56] preservation committee for the fiscal

[49:58] year 2027 community preservation budget

[50:02] and vote to appropriate from the

[50:05] community preservation fund the sum of

[50:07] $11,400

[50:09] for committee administrative expense for

[50:12] the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 2026

[50:16] and to reserve for future appropriations

[50:19] the amounts recommended by the community

[50:21] preservation committee with each item to

[50:24] be considered a separate appropriation

[50:26] as follows

[50:29] in your pamphlet.

[50:30] >> Second.

[50:32] >> All right. Article 20 has been read and

[50:35] seconded.

[50:37] It requires a majority vote. Are there

[50:40] questions,

[50:42] discussion?

[50:45] If not, we proceed to a vote. Article

[50:49] 20. If you're in favor, please raise

[50:50] your card.

[50:53] All opposed.

[50:55] Article 20 passes by the amount

[50:58] required, the majority required. Mr.

[51:00] Moderator, I move that the town vote

[51:02] pursuant to general law chapter 44B to

[51:05] appropriate and transfer the sum of

[51:07] $8,100

[51:09] from the community preservation fund

[51:11] open space and recreation reserve to

[51:14] fund the local share of the cost of

[51:15] acquiring an agricultural preservation

[51:18] restriction on 22.3 acres of land off

[51:21] state road.

[51:22] >> Second.

[51:23] >> All right. Article 21 has been moved and

[51:25] second and is now open for discussion.

[51:34] Seeing none, all those in favor, please

[51:36] raise your card.

[51:39] All those opposed. Article 21 passes by

[51:44] the majority required.

[51:46] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[51:49] pursuant to general law chapter 44B to

[51:53] appropriate and transfer the sum of

[51:55] $11,750

[51:59] from the community preservation fund

[52:01] open space and recreation reserve to

[52:04] fund the local share of the cost of

[52:06] acquiring an agricultural preservation

[52:09] restriction on 31 acres of land behind

[52:13] the house at 261 River road second.

[52:17] >> Article 22 has been moved and seconded.

[52:20] Is there any discussion?

[52:24] Questions?

[52:26] If not, let's proceed. Seeing none,

[52:28] let's proceed to a vote. Article 22, if

[52:31] you're in favor, please raise your card.

[52:34] All those opposed. Article 22 has passed

[52:37] by the majority required.

[52:41] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[52:43] pursuant to general law 44B to

[52:46] appropriate and transfer the sum of

[52:48] $23,866

[52:50] from the Community Preservation Fund

[52:53] Open Space and Recreation Reserve and

[52:56] $96,42651

[53:00] from the Community Preservation Fund balance for a total of $120,29251

[53:10] for to fund the rehabilit ation of the

[53:12] playground at the Wheatley Elementary

[53:14] School.

[53:15] >> Second.

[53:17] >> All right. Article 23 has been moved and

[53:20] seconded.

[53:22] Is there any discussion?

[53:26] Yes, please.

[53:32] Hi, Brad Bean, 91 Weber Road. Um,

[53:36] I'm just wondering exactly what these

[53:39] funds will be used for on the

[53:41] playground. Um, I've been over there

[53:44] multiple times. I have kids in the

[53:46] school. Um, so I'd be in favor of a

[53:49] great playground, but I think it already

[53:51] is a great playground. So, I'd just like

[53:53] an answer on what these funds would be

[53:55] used for.

[53:56] >> Is there anyone here from the school who

[53:57] could speak to the uh rehabilitation

[54:01] plans

[54:03] here?

[54:05] What?

[54:09] » Hi, I'm Chrissy Cirten. I'm the

[54:11] principal. Unfortunately, I don't have a

[54:12] weightly address.

[54:13] >> Okay.

[54:13] >> Um, but I'm here with someone who does.

[54:16] >> All right. Thank you.

[54:17] >> Coic 21 Laura Mountain Road.

[54:20] Uh,

[54:22] Brad. So,

[54:23] >> the moderator approves uh your speaking

[54:27] at this meeting.

[54:28] >> Thank you. Uh, we have a number of

[54:30] things that we're looking to do. We're

[54:31] keeping the main playground. Uh we're

[54:34] looking to replace a swing set which is

[54:36] rusting and has a little bit of damage

[54:38] to it. We're looking to add um a

[54:41] climbing dome to replace our existing

[54:44] dome that would be safer for kids. If

[54:47] there was an emergency with this dome,

[54:48] we wouldn't easily be able to get

[54:49] someone out. Uh we are adding something

[54:52] for preschool children.

[54:55] Um we're taking off a part of the

[54:58] existing structure. Um, do you want

[55:01] specifics?

[55:11] » It is. It's It's just a crazy amount.

[55:13] That's the swing set on its own costs

[55:15] $17,000 to replace what we have now.

[55:18] We're not doing anything different.

[55:21] We're we're getting more fun swings, but

[55:24] otherwise that's just

[55:26] >> Okay. So an extended discussion would

[55:29] require you to speak back up to the

[55:31] microphone please. Um but if I can

[55:34] summarize here so far um the comment was

[55:38] that uh what Colette has answered the

[55:42] questions as to what it was going to be

[55:44] Colette right was going what the money

[55:46] is going towards and and and the

[55:49] response was uh that uh they now

[55:52] understand what it's going for uh and

[55:56] laments that it's so expensive.

[55:59] Okay, is that a fair summary? Okay,

[56:01] great. Um, is there the we have the

[56:05] option if we like to hear from the

[56:07] principal herself? Uh, does the

[56:10] principal feel a need to do that?

[56:13] >> I think she covered it. I will just say

[56:15] that um when we started looking into

[56:17] this, actually the first time I looked

[56:18] into it was precoid and then everything

[56:20] went crazy. Um, there's quite a bit of

[56:22] sticker shock when you look at how much

[56:24] each piece of equipment costs. So, it's

[56:27] sounds like a lot of money and it is a

[56:29] lot of money. Um, but that is the cost

[56:31] of maintaining our playground and we

[56:33] want it to continue to be a safe place

[56:35] for for our students and the community

[56:38] at large to enjoy. And I think my boss

[56:41] might have something to say.

[56:43] >> Yeah. Darius Modesi, your

[56:45] superintendent. The other important

[56:46] thing is that we're going at this

[56:47] through CPA funds, which is, I think, a

[56:50] really smart move by the town. We could

[56:51] have put this forward on a warrant and

[56:53] just basically gone after free cash to

[56:54] do this rehabilitation um of the

[56:56] playground, but if we use CPA funds,

[56:58] you're getting state reimbursement to a

[56:59] certain percentage on that. So, it's

[57:01] kind of a smarter avenue to get this

[57:03] kind of done. You can't do it with every

[57:04] building project, but you are able to do

[57:06] it with recreation. This is the only

[57:08] small um little person recreation place

[57:11] in town. People do use it on the

[57:13] weekends. You know, we use it 180 days

[57:15] during the school year. So, just putting

[57:17] that kind of put in there. It's a smart

[57:19] way of using money through CPA. um

[57:20] you're getting more bang for your buck.

[57:22] Just want to put that out there.

[57:24] >> Thank you. Please. Thank you. Are there

[57:26] any other questions or discussion points

[57:29] to be made? Uh yes, sir. And then and

[57:31] ma'am,

[57:32] >> um Jeff Smith, 303 Long Plane Road

[57:34] again. Um I would just want to make a

[57:36] general comment that I think that this

[57:38] is great that we're voting on it. Um

[57:39] Brad, I know that you're going through

[57:41] the same thing. My daughter's about to

[57:42] start kindergarten next year and it's

[57:44] kind of weird that I'm pushing her on

[57:46] the swings that I definitely was on when

[57:48] I went here. So, I'm glad to hear that.

[57:50] I'm curious though, a question um about

[57:53] what's being redone is I'm hoping maybe

[57:54] the basketball court is also being

[57:56] looked at too along with this. I know

[57:57] that's probably maybe a wish pipe dream

[58:00] of mine, but I would also like to vote

[58:02] or vocalize that I hope that that's also

[58:04] considered at this and curious if it was

[58:06] and if not just something that I would

[58:08] like to know and maybe pursue further

[58:10] along down the line.

[58:11] >> Is there someone could could clarify

[58:13] whether the basketball court is included

[58:15] in this particular appropriation?

[58:18] It is not

[58:19] >> okay,

[58:20] >> but it is something we can look at in

[58:21] the future. Again, redoing a basketball

[58:22] court is not too expensive when you

[58:24] compare it to what these numbers are.

[58:26] >> All right, we would have to take it up

[58:27] on the rebound. Thank you.

[58:30] >> Oh, just just trying to move things

[58:33] along here, right?

[58:35] Okay, some of you are already dribbling

[58:38] off of the corner. Okay, please go

[58:41] ahead.

[58:42] Hi, my name is Lisa Moore and I'm at 73

[58:44] Chestnut Plane Road and I'm just curious

[58:46] in regards to this number, are these

[58:48] things that have to all be done at once

[58:50] or are we able to do them in sections or

[58:55] pieces and portions as far as what is

[58:58] important in regards to safety compared

[59:02] to wants

[59:04] I should say needs compared to wants.

[59:06] All right, I will take the moderator

[59:09] privilege to say what we are doing is

[59:11] appropriating the money and then it

[59:13] would be up to the schools to manage the

[59:15] implementation of the project.

[59:19] Okay. Uh in that case then more

[59:22] questions. Yes,

[59:27] » this is a comment not a question. Okay.

[59:29] Uh I'm Judy Marklin. I'm vice chair of

[59:32] the community preservation committee and

[59:36] we did discuss asking for if it was

[59:40] possible to phase and decided that it

[59:44] really wasn't appropriate to do. In any

[59:47] event, uh things would just get more

[59:49] expensive and there is plenty there's

[59:53] definitely adequate money in the CPA

[59:56] fund. Um, we currently generate about

[1:00:01] $225,000

[1:00:03] a year in revenue

[1:00:07] between the town and the state. We have

[1:00:10] gotten a 100% match from the state for

[1:00:14] all but one year of I forgot. We started

[1:00:18] in 2010, I think.

[1:00:20] >> Okay. Um, and after the votes at today's

[1:00:23] meeting,

[1:00:25] um, we estimate that with 228,000 we're

[1:00:29] projecting for next year, there will

[1:00:32] still be

[1:00:34] o over $900,000 available for projects

[1:00:39] next year. And of that, 500,000

[1:00:43] has not been allocated to any particular

[1:00:46] type of reserve. So, um we think this is

[1:00:51] a good decision to do now.

[1:00:52] >> Okay. Thank you. Uh let me apologize for

[1:00:55] unfairly cutting off uh the discussion

[1:00:58] regarding the last person's question. I

[1:01:01] just want to clarify whether the last

[1:01:03] two responses from the CPA and the

[1:01:05] school answer the question about staging

[1:01:08] of the construction.

[1:01:11] If so, uh are there any more remaining

[1:01:14] ones?

[1:01:16] All right. We're not playing around

[1:01:18] here. It's time to vote. Okay.

[1:01:21] Um, all those in favor, raise your card.

[1:01:26] All those opposed.

[1:01:28] The motion carries by the majority

[1:01:30] required for article 23.

[1:01:33] We're now moving to bylaw amendments,

[1:01:37] which is Branch Czech's favorite kind of

[1:01:39] amendment. And we've asked him to as

[1:01:42] chair of the planning board to introduce

[1:01:45] these amendments. these articles. Sorry.

[1:01:48] >> Good evening, Mr. Moderator. I'll take a

[1:01:50] swing at this one. Um,

[1:01:53] so I move that the town vote to amend

[1:01:56] the town of Wheatley zoning bylaw as it

[1:02:00] relates to defining and permitting

[1:02:02] battery energy storage systems or bests

[1:02:06] as provided in appendix A of the printed

[1:02:09] warrant for this meeting and is more

[1:02:12] fully described in the planning board

[1:02:14] report to the select board in the annual

[1:02:17] town meeting booklet provided as a

[1:02:20] handout to the voters.

[1:02:21] at this meeting and which text is on

[1:02:24] file with the town clerk.

[1:02:27] >> Second.

[1:02:28] >> Article 24 has been moved and seconded.

[1:02:32] Are there questions,

[1:02:35] comments? Yes, please.

[1:02:39] This, by the way, will require a

[1:02:41] twothirds majority vote.

[1:02:45] Mark Booier, Christian Lane. Uh, has

[1:02:48] this amendment been approved by the town

[1:02:51] fire chief and the state fire marshall

[1:02:54] in regard to the battery storage

[1:02:56] facility?

[1:03:02] » Yes, sir.

[1:03:04] >> The answer is yes,

[1:03:07] >> sir.

[1:03:11] Further questions?

[1:03:14] If not, we need a twothirds uh vote to

[1:03:17] pass. All those in favor of article 24,

[1:03:19] raise your card.

[1:03:21] All those opposed.

[1:03:23] Uh the article passes by the two/3s

[1:03:26] required. This is the next up is the

[1:03:29] last of our bylaw amendments. After

[1:03:31] that, we'll have a brief intermission to

[1:03:34] do the part I forgot at the very

[1:03:35] beginning, the dedication of the town

[1:03:37] report and the announcement of the

[1:03:39] winner of the town dog contest. Thank

[1:03:41] you.

[1:03:43] at which point we will take up the

[1:03:44] miscellaneous articles.

[1:03:47] Uh and there will be one other

[1:03:49] scribner's error that I will note. Thank

[1:03:53] you.

[1:03:53] >> The scrier's error was actually related

[1:03:56] to the previous article.

[1:03:58] >> Yes. Okay. And we are declaring that it

[1:04:00] is of no relevance or effect to the

[1:04:03] amendment motion.

[1:04:04] >> Very good

[1:04:05] >> article.

[1:04:06] >> So with that, Mr. Moderator, I move that

[1:04:08] the town vote to amend the town of

[1:04:11] Wheatley zoning bylaw section 171-33

[1:04:15] solar electric generating facilities as

[1:04:18] provided in appendix B of the printed

[1:04:20] warrant for the meeting and as more

[1:04:22] fully described in the planning board

[1:04:24] report to the select board and the

[1:04:26] annual town meeting booklet which was

[1:04:28] provided as a handout to the voters at

[1:04:30] this meeting and which text is on file

[1:04:33] with the town clerk. Second.

[1:04:36] >> Article 25 has been moved and seconded

[1:04:39] and also requires a twothirds majority

[1:04:42] vote. Are there questions? Any general

[1:04:46] discussion

[1:04:47] regarding article 25?

[1:04:53] » Yes, please. And and then Fred, you have

[1:04:56] something as well. Okay.

[1:04:59] Sorry, I haven't been paying attention.

[1:05:01] >> Bassid 141 Conway Road.

[1:05:04] Are these um bylaw amendments based on

[1:05:08] the states requirements?

[1:05:11] >> Brandt, would you care to address that,

[1:05:13] please?

[1:05:15] >> Yes, ma'am. Uh the in 2024, the state

[1:05:19] legislature passed the clean energy act.

[1:05:24] It's longer longer name for it, but it

[1:05:26] established new state regulations around

[1:05:29] clean energy facilities, including solar

[1:05:32] facilities as well as battery energy

[1:05:34] storage. And over the course of 2025 and

[1:05:38] into this year 2026, the state has been

[1:05:41] promulgating new regulations

[1:05:45] and model bylaws

[1:05:47] uh to to implement the legislaturator's

[1:05:52] intent in those in the 2024 legislation.

[1:05:55] So everything that we just voted on in

[1:05:58] the previous article was driven based on

[1:06:01] that new all that new legislation and

[1:06:03] all the regulation that's been come that

[1:06:06] has come down. And this particular

[1:06:09] article that we're voting on now is

[1:06:12] about a surgical

[1:06:15] change to our existing solar electric

[1:06:18] generating facility regulations in town

[1:06:20] in our zoning bylaw so that it plays

[1:06:24] nicely with the new battery energy

[1:06:26] storage amendment we just voted on. So

[1:06:30] these the last one and this one are tied

[1:06:32] together. If we all had voted down the

[1:06:34] previous one, this one wouldn't be

[1:06:36] necessary. The solar, this amendment

[1:06:39] basically says that any battery energy

[1:06:42] storage that's part of a solar electric

[1:06:46] generating facility. We don't have any

[1:06:48] of those in town at the moment, but

[1:06:50] that's a common practice now with

[1:06:53] large-scale solar facilities. Uh so now

[1:06:57] going forward, if we all by a twothirds

[1:07:00] majority vote to approve this article,

[1:07:04] that will change our zoning bylaws for

[1:07:07] solar so that any battery storage as

[1:07:10] part of solar is regulated by the

[1:07:12] battery storage bylaw we just voted in

[1:07:15] the previous article. Does that make

[1:07:16] some sense?

[1:07:17] >> Somewhat.

[1:07:18] >> Okay.

[1:07:18] It's very complicated and I sort

[1:07:21] of apologize for half your warrant

[1:07:23] article being this bylaw.

[1:07:27] >> Microphone please.

[1:07:28] >> Right. Um

[1:07:29] >> we're at the mercy of the state and so

[1:07:31] that's anyone could come into town and

[1:07:33] put a huge solar project based on the

[1:07:37] zoning requirements.

[1:07:40] >> Is that correct?

[1:07:41] >> Go ahead.

[1:07:44] >> Not quite.

[1:07:46] So, as it pertains to battery storage,

[1:07:51] which I have been studying way too much,

[1:07:53] I can can say less tonight about solar,

[1:07:56] which we haven't really had a chance to

[1:07:58] dig into. But when it comes to battery

[1:08:00] storage,

[1:08:02] the state, the new state legislation

[1:08:05] takes power away from local cities and

[1:08:09] towns like ours to regulate battery

[1:08:13] storage facilities larger than 100

[1:08:16] megawatt hours. These might be the ones

[1:08:19] that most people are very concerned

[1:08:22] about the kind of utility scale battery

[1:08:25] storage facilities that take large

[1:08:27] amounts of land. So we are able to

[1:08:31] participate.

[1:08:34] We're such a 100 plus megawatt hour

[1:08:37] battery storage facility to come to

[1:08:39] weight to be proposed in weight. We

[1:08:42] wouldn't be powerless by the new state

[1:08:44] law. we would have a chance to play a

[1:08:47] role in the state's evaluation of the

[1:08:52] application permit. All right, so that's

[1:08:54] for the big stuff. The state still

[1:08:57] allows all of us, local cities and towns

[1:09:02] to have local control and local

[1:09:05] oversight over battery storage

[1:09:07] facilities below 100 megawatt hours.

[1:09:11] anywhere from the kinds of like if you

[1:09:13] might have battery storage in your home

[1:09:15] tied to your solar that's all we can

[1:09:18] deal with that you know up to a 100

[1:09:20] megawatts so there is a dividing line

[1:09:23] but it's not like we have no power

[1:09:26] they've kind of set a threshold and said

[1:09:28] below this cities and towns you can

[1:09:30] decide within certain constraints set by

[1:09:34] the state government and we don't we

[1:09:36] can't ban arbitrarily right there are

[1:09:39] certain things we cannot do. All right.

[1:09:42] So,

[1:09:43] >> so thank you Brent for a clarification

[1:09:46] regarding uh what articles 24 and 25

[1:09:50] enable us to do as a town. Uh does that

[1:09:53] answer everyone else's remaining

[1:09:55] questions?

[1:09:57] If so, Brandt, you're discharged.

[1:10:00] Um and we will take up to vote article

[1:10:04] 20. Oh, sorry, Fred. I forgot you. I was

[1:10:07] essentially going to ask for a further

[1:10:08] explanation of what was being proposed.

[1:10:11] >> Okay. And are you satisfied as well?

[1:10:13] >> Yes.

[1:10:13] >> Okay. So, if I understand right, because

[1:10:16] we passed article 24,

[1:10:19] we should also pass article 25 or Brent

[1:10:23] will lose all his hair.

[1:10:26] Okay. All those in favor of article 25,

[1:10:28] please raise your card.

[1:10:31] All those opposed. All right. I think

[1:10:33] you're safe.

[1:10:35] Um, it's passed by the twothirds

[1:10:37] majority required article 25. Okay,

[1:10:41] let's take a break for the dedication of

[1:10:44] the town report.

[1:10:51] » From the outgoing select board chair.

[1:10:58] » Hi, this will be a very short break. Uh,

[1:11:00] Joyce Palmer Fortune, 152 Westbrook

[1:11:02] Road. Um, and it's always the u uh well

[1:11:06] I guess the honor or the responsibility

[1:11:08] of the chair to choose a weight citizen

[1:11:11] to dedicate the town report to. And um

[1:11:14] over the years I've just met so many

[1:11:17] really dedicated

[1:11:19] volunteers and other public servants who

[1:11:23] have gotten the town dedication made to

[1:11:25] them. Um this year it was really hard to

[1:11:28] choose from among so many people, but um

[1:11:31] we lost several um really dedicated

[1:11:35] public volunteer servants. Um some in

[1:11:39] 2025, some in 2026. So I chose uh

[1:11:42] someone we lost in 2025, uh uh Roger Dan

[1:11:48] Kennedy, who served for many, many

[1:11:50] years. I mostly knew him through his

[1:11:51] service on the finance committee. He was

[1:11:54] always a uh kind of just a steady hand

[1:11:57] on the till in a way. I feel like he was

[1:12:00] always he would listen and he understood

[1:12:04] when we need to spend money now so that

[1:12:07] we don't have to spend five times as

[1:12:10] much money later. Okay. And I thought he

[1:12:12] was always very thoughtful uh and he

[1:12:14] always um brought his uh knowledge as a

[1:12:18] engineer to what he did for the town.

[1:12:21] and he's done many many other things for

[1:12:23] the town and individuals in the town and

[1:12:25] I just wanted to um bring him to

[1:12:28] everybody's attention that we we lost

[1:12:30] someone who has uh been a great

[1:12:31] volunteer and encourage those of you out

[1:12:34] there who might like to follow in his

[1:12:36] footsteps to

[1:12:38] come sign up for a committee. We got

[1:12:40] plenty of openings. Thank you everyone.

[1:12:49] tough act to follow, but the award of

[1:12:52] the I what what is this about the dogs?

[1:12:57] So, I created a dog of the year contest

[1:13:00] last year was our first year and I drew

[1:13:03] the winner yesterday uh via Facebook

[1:13:06] Live and Fritz, who lives on River Road,

[1:13:11] was our winner. I got to meet him today.

[1:13:14] Yay. Yay, Fritz.

[1:13:16] >> He's a cute little terrier. I got to

[1:13:17] meet him today. He was adopted from TJ

[1:13:19] O'Connor's. He was a stray um

[1:13:24] in Springfield, I think. And uh he's

[1:13:27] doing very well.

[1:13:28] >> And is Fritz here to accept the award?

[1:13:31] >> He he came to my office earlier and

[1:13:33] accepted his little doggy box.

[1:13:36] >> All right. Quite the treat. Thank you.

[1:13:39] Um, shall we uh move on to article 26?

[1:13:45] >> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[1:13:48] to have its elected town clerk become an

[1:13:50] appointed town clerk subject to

[1:13:52] appointment by the select board as

[1:13:54] provided in general law, chapter 41,

[1:13:56] section 1B.

[1:13:59] >> Second.

[1:14:00] >> Article 26 has been moved and seconded.

[1:14:04] Are there is there any discussion?

[1:14:06] >> I have something.

[1:14:08] >> Yes, please. going to go up to

[1:14:10] >> uh you can use the microphone right in

[1:14:11] front.

[1:14:13] >> Hi everybody. I'm your town clerk at

[1:14:15] Mila Valley. Um I'm speaking tonight in

[1:14:18] support of keeping the town clerk in

[1:14:19] elected position in Massachusetts. 235

[1:14:23] out of 351 or 67% of the clerks are

[1:14:28] elected. That's because this office is

[1:14:31] one of the few remaining positions

[1:14:32] directly accountable to you, the voters.

[1:14:36] If residents aren't happy with how the

[1:14:37] job is being done, you already have a

[1:14:39] remedy, and that's elections every three

[1:14:42] years. That's the strongest form of

[1:14:44] accountability there is. I am

[1:14:46] accountable to every single resident in

[1:14:49] this town. The town clerk is not simply

[1:14:51] an administrative position. This office

[1:14:53] oversees our elections, maintains voter

[1:14:56] registration, records every action taken

[1:14:58] at town meeting, preserves our bylaws

[1:15:01] and official records, and safeguards

[1:15:02] vital records that residents rely on

[1:15:04] throughout their lives. These

[1:15:05] responsibilities require independence,

[1:15:08] neutrality, and public trust. Keeping

[1:15:11] the clerk elected helps to protect that

[1:15:13] independence. The person responsible for

[1:15:15] administrating elections should answer

[1:15:16] directly to you, the voters, not an

[1:15:18] appointing authority or administrative

[1:15:20] supervisor. that separate that

[1:15:23] separation matters because it protects

[1:15:25] the confidence and the integrity of our

[1:15:27] local government.

[1:15:28] Wheatley has had just a handful of

[1:15:31] clerks since its incorporation in 1771.

[1:15:35] That speaks volumes to the

[1:15:40] investment that we have in the community

[1:15:43] that we live in. For more than 250

[1:15:46] years, residents have trusted the

[1:15:48] people, not a border administrator, to

[1:15:50] choose the person responsible for for

[1:15:52] preserving our records and overseeing

[1:15:54] our elections and everything else that I

[1:15:56] do. The elected clerk also brings

[1:15:59] continuity and local knowledge. In a

[1:16:02] small town like Wheatley, understanding

[1:16:04] the community absolutely matters and

[1:16:06] institutional knowledge matters and

[1:16:08] relationships also matter. This isn't

[1:16:11] about resisting change, but more about

[1:16:13] preserving direct democratic

[1:16:14] accountability in one of the most

[1:16:16] important offices in town government.

[1:16:19] Once a pet position moves from elected

[1:16:21] to appointed, the public loses a voice

[1:16:24] that you will not get back. Keeping the

[1:16:27] clerk elected ensures that way's

[1:16:28] residents retain direct control over a

[1:16:31] crucial office that safeguards our

[1:16:33] elections, records, and civic

[1:16:34] traditions. It preserves accountability,

[1:16:36] independence, and the very democratic

[1:16:38] principles on which our town was

[1:16:40] founded. For 250 years, Weightley has

[1:16:43] entrusted this role to you, and that

[1:16:45] trust should continue. I believe

[1:16:47] Weightley should continue its long

[1:16:48] tradition of open, accountable local

[1:16:50] government, and I urge you to keep the

[1:16:52] town clerk elected. Thank you.

[1:16:55] >> All right. Thank you. Who else would

[1:16:57] like to speak to this article?

[1:16:59] >> Uh, please.

[1:17:00] >> Uh, I've got

[1:17:02] >> your name and address, please. Fred

[1:17:04] Baron, 120 North Street. Uh, two

[1:17:08] comments on this. One, just to clarify

[1:17:11] what the motion does. What this motion

[1:17:14] does is set is allow there to be a vote

[1:17:18] next year on this topic. This does not

[1:17:21] This is not the final word on this

[1:17:24] subject. This you vote to have a town

[1:17:27] clerk appointed. This sets up an

[1:17:30] election at regular town election next

[1:17:32] April where this will be on the ballot

[1:17:35] as a subject.

[1:17:39] The reason I support and I believe the

[1:17:44] reason that the select board is has a

[1:17:46] favorable recommendation on this is that

[1:17:49] the this is not in any way a personal

[1:17:54] uh issue regarding the current town

[1:17:56] clerk in any way, shape or form.

[1:18:00] But

[1:18:02] as the clerk has just said, the town

[1:18:04] clerk's position has gotten more

[1:18:06] complicated. There are more regulations

[1:18:08] mostly from the state

[1:18:10] and it is a professional position.

[1:18:14] Should that position come vacant for

[1:18:18] whatever reason,

[1:18:21] an elected clerk must be a resident of

[1:18:25] Weightley. And as a town of roughly 1500

[1:18:29] people, we have a relatively small pool

[1:18:31] of people to choose from for that

[1:18:33] position.

[1:18:35] We have

[1:18:37] in filling other positions

[1:18:40] as we fill positions regularly.

[1:18:44] It is very difficult to fill positions

[1:18:46] strictly out of the pool of people that

[1:18:48] we have in weight. There are not

[1:18:51] necessarily people qualified for every

[1:18:53] position. We have to go outside the town

[1:18:57] and

[1:18:58] to put to now

[1:19:02] have a the professional clerk that we

[1:19:06] have and we want in that position.

[1:19:12] It will make it better going in the

[1:19:15] future to have the option of getting

[1:19:18] people who have experience in other

[1:19:21] towns or cities who will be able to work

[1:19:24] here. are.

[1:19:26] And

[1:19:28] it is it's really a forward-looking

[1:19:31] thing that if there's a vacancy

[1:19:35] in an elected position, you can have

[1:19:38] someone who simply decides, "Oh, that's

[1:19:42] nice. I want a job." And put them, you

[1:19:45] know, get 20 signatures, get themselves

[1:19:47] on the ballot, and not in any way be

[1:19:50] qualified for the position.

[1:19:52] So, if there's that vacancy, having an

[1:19:57] appointed clerk

[1:19:59] will let us be sure to have a qualified

[1:20:03] professional person in that position.

[1:20:06] And from my mind, that is the main

[1:20:10] reason why I'm in favor of

[1:20:13] changing the town bylaws to allow an

[1:20:15] appointed rather than elected town

[1:20:17] clerk.

[1:20:19] Is there anyone else who would like to

[1:20:21] speak to this article?

[1:20:23] >> Harlon Bean.

[1:20:25] >> Okay. Harlon and then uh the man lady

[1:20:28] behind you and then uh Brandt.

[1:20:31] >> So the handful of clerks that she refers

[1:20:34] to, I've known the last three of them

[1:20:36] and it seems like you're concerned about

[1:20:39] professionalism and somebody that's

[1:20:41] qualified to be the clerk, town clerk.

[1:20:44] The last three have been outstanding. I

[1:20:46] can't think of any more qualified town

[1:20:49] clerk than a resident of Weightley. If

[1:20:52] we can't find a town clerk that you feel

[1:20:55] is qualified, then that's a problem that

[1:20:57] I think we can deal with at the time.

[1:21:00] But I could I'm totally against this. I

[1:21:03] think it should be an elected position

[1:21:05] like it always has been.

[1:21:07] Will there be a problem in the future?

[1:21:09] Who knows? But I don't think this is a

[1:21:11] problem that we should take away our

[1:21:13] ability to elect our town clerk just

[1:21:16] assuming that we may have an issue four

[1:21:19] years down the road, 30 years down the

[1:21:21] road, 6 months down the road.

[1:21:24] Just wanted to say that there's no more

[1:21:26] qualified person than than a person from

[1:21:28] Weightley that should be elected.

[1:21:30] >> Thank you, Harland. Ma'am,

[1:21:34] >> hi Cynthia Allen, 28 Laurel Mountain

[1:21:37] Road.

[1:21:38] Um,

[1:21:40] I'm curious if

[1:21:43] there is this perceived potential

[1:21:46] problem which has not come to pass at

[1:21:49] this moment. If instead of changing it

[1:21:51] from an elected pro um position to an

[1:21:55] appointed position, could we instead

[1:21:58] open up the area from which we could

[1:22:01] choose people? Like is that something

[1:22:04] that we can change rather than moving

[1:22:06] from elected to appointed?

[1:22:09] The question

[1:22:10] >> I believe that people on a town ballot

[1:22:12] have to be from the town.

[1:22:15] >> So the answer would be no. To be elect

[1:22:18] to be able to be eligible to be elected,

[1:22:21] you would have to be a town resident.

[1:22:22] >> Okay. Thank you,

[1:22:24] >> Brandt. Please.

[1:22:26] >> Branch is 25 Grey Oak Lane. So I just

[1:22:28] want to see if this is a fair statement

[1:22:30] on this theme of accountability. So

[1:22:33] right now if the town clerk were to

[1:22:37] become appointed the town clerk would

[1:22:40] then be appointed by the select board.

[1:22:43] Correct.

[1:22:44] >> Okay. And so there's accountability to

[1:22:47] the voters. All the select board members

[1:22:50] are are elected. Is that correct? Right.

[1:22:54] So there's it's to me it sounds like

[1:22:56] there's direct versus indirect

[1:22:59] accountability to voters. the voters

[1:23:01] could vote for the select board and then

[1:23:05] trust that they make the right decision

[1:23:06] with respect to appointing a town clerk

[1:23:09] versus the direct. In this way, it

[1:23:12] sounds like again, if I understand you

[1:23:13] right, Fred, this gives the select board

[1:23:16] some latitude to perhaps prefer a

[1:23:19] weightly resident in this role. But if

[1:23:22] one couldn't be found and a vacancy

[1:23:25] opened up for example, our town clerk

[1:23:27] might be I don't know voted to

[1:23:30] in the to take a state role for example

[1:23:32] and have to leave the you know in the

[1:23:35] middle of a term right so this would

[1:23:37] give the if I understand this right and

[1:23:39] I'm sort of this is the question this

[1:23:41] would give the select board the latitude

[1:23:43] to then make an appointment without

[1:23:45] having to go through another election or

[1:23:48] is that correct

[1:23:49] >> you like to confirm

[1:23:50] >> yeah that's correct And in our

[1:23:53] discussions we

[1:23:56] stated or it came up obviously our

[1:24:00] preference would be always to have a

[1:24:02] weight resident but in a pool of

[1:24:05] candidates there might not be and

[1:24:08] Weightley's been incredibly lucky with

[1:24:10] the people that we've had as town clerks

[1:24:12] and they have all served wonderfully. Uh

[1:24:16] I think it is wiser policy to prelude a

[1:24:21] problem rather than deal with it on an

[1:24:24] emergency basis should we have a vacancy

[1:24:26] and no qualified

[1:24:29] or suitable candidates within town.

[1:24:32] >> May I say something?

[1:24:33] >> All right. Is there um you could say

[1:24:35] something after this gentleman does?

[1:24:38] >> Um All right. There's an additional

[1:24:40] clarification here. And then, sir,

[1:24:43] >> if the if the town clerk um seat became

[1:24:46] vacant suddenly, if I left here and got

[1:24:49] hit by a bus, there's a system in place.

[1:24:52] The select board has the right to

[1:24:54] appoint someone until the next election.

[1:24:58] >> All right, sir.

[1:24:59] >> Mark Woo here, Christian Lane.

[1:25:03] Ever since my wife and I have been here,

[1:25:04] which is we're newcomers who have only

[1:25:06] been here like 35 years,

[1:25:09] um the town clerk has been the one

[1:25:11] stable position that seems to have been

[1:25:14] with all of the historical and uh

[1:25:17] institutional knowledge of what's goes

[1:25:19] on in the town. Uh they come and go or

[1:25:22] excuse me, the select board comes and

[1:25:24] goes much more readily it seems than the

[1:25:26] town clerk, at least in my recollection.

[1:25:29] And it seems like having a stable

[1:25:30] elected town clerk is the most important

[1:25:34] position of all of all the elected

[1:25:36] positions to maintain that stability and

[1:25:38] the institutional knowledge that goes

[1:25:40] with it. That's it.

[1:25:43] >> All right. Thank you. Has everyone had a

[1:25:45] chance to speak? Oh, please go ahead.

[1:25:49] >> Two more.

[1:25:50] >> I'm one behind you.

[1:25:52] >> 37 Laurel Mountain Road. Just one

[1:25:54] question. Is this a term appointment or

[1:25:56] an indefinite duration appointment?

[1:26:01] >> It would be like any other appointment

[1:26:03] for a term

[1:26:05] whatever determined by you know one

[1:26:07] year, two year, three year. It would not

[1:26:09] be a lifetime appointment.

[1:26:17] My one concern about appointment of a

[1:26:20] more qualified person is lots of times

[1:26:24] we get more qualified people, but guess

[1:26:27] what happens? They move on.

[1:26:30] And having an elected person that

[1:26:34] they've gone to the voters and gotten

[1:26:37] the signature makes it to me a more

[1:26:40] stable position.

[1:26:44] Okay. I do not see Oh, yes. Sorry.

[1:26:46] There's one more person who wishes to

[1:26:48] speak.

[1:26:49] >> Yeah. Um I I would um besides what Fred

[1:26:52] has already said, I think the other

[1:26:54] thing that um certainly made me support

[1:26:59] moving to an appointed town clerk is

[1:27:02] that over the last 15 years that I've

[1:27:05] been on the select board, um I'm on my

[1:27:08] third town clerk. Uh when the

[1:27:12] town clerk who was clerk when I started.

[1:27:15] Uh when they stepped down to do

[1:27:17] something else, um we did happen to have

[1:27:21] someone who was able to be talked into

[1:27:24] becoming our town clerk and she did a

[1:27:26] fantastic job. It took lots of training

[1:27:28] to get her up to speed, but that's

[1:27:30] great. And then when she stepped down um

[1:27:35] we we had to find somebody who lived in

[1:27:38] Weightley and was willing to get the

[1:27:40] training and we managed to do that. And

[1:27:43] also during that time we needed to get a

[1:27:47] treasurer collector and put out

[1:27:52] uh not notices and got zero people who

[1:27:56] were qualified to apply for the job. and

[1:27:59] we had to change things about the job to

[1:28:01] make that job attractive enough to get a

[1:28:03] person to apply for it. Uh, and that has

[1:28:06] come up more and more in municipal

[1:28:09] government positions where you need to

[1:28:11] be able to understand all of the laws

[1:28:14] that apply and and they are really

[1:28:16] skilled professional jobs. I'm not

[1:28:19] saying that a person from Wheatley can't

[1:28:21] learn how to do that if they're not

[1:28:23] wellqualified on election day. And then

[1:28:25] I think Massachusetts law makes makes

[1:28:28] um allowances for that and it has

[1:28:31] happened again and again and again that

[1:28:33] we do find someone but that's not

[1:28:37] guaranteed the next time and if it's the

[1:28:39] next time then

[1:28:42] we don't have this in place. We can only

[1:28:45] go till the next election and then that

[1:28:46] the next election what do you do when

[1:28:48] you don't have a qualified person on the

[1:28:50] ballot? uh we just had an election

[1:28:54] several positions no one even got

[1:28:57] signatures for. So

[1:29:00] I think over time that I've been on the

[1:29:04] select board, our staff has become more

[1:29:08] and more and more professional and that

[1:29:10] has benefited this town in ways that I

[1:29:13] just don't have enough time to explain.

[1:29:16] But I think um just my experience over

[1:29:19] the past 15 years of trying to find

[1:29:21] qualified people for municipal jobs

[1:29:24] makes me think we need

[1:29:27] maybe not this year, maybe we'll pass it

[1:29:29] another year, but we we need to move to

[1:29:32] I think an appointed town clerk who is

[1:29:34] accountable to the select board who is

[1:29:36] accountable to all of the voters.

[1:29:39] Thanks.

[1:29:41] >> All right. Have I overlooked anyone?

[1:29:43] Yes, please.

[1:29:44] >> I just I just that up in the air on you.

[1:29:47] Um, I also want to not specific to this

[1:29:53] article, but make a plea uh a bid for

[1:29:56] anybody who is interested in the town.

[1:29:58] And you all show up here for annual town

[1:30:01] meeting and I see you every year and

[1:30:03] that's awesome. Uh, to actually consider

[1:30:06] running for something or volunteering

[1:30:08] for something. Uh many of you actually

[1:30:10] already do, but if you don't or if you

[1:30:13] know somebody who's twiddling their

[1:30:15] thumbs and uh could use something to do

[1:30:18] that's investing in the town, I highly

[1:30:21] recommend it. I didn't really know what

[1:30:23] I was getting into when I signed up to

[1:30:25] run for select board and it's a

[1:30:28] fascinating

[1:30:29] uh position to be in and I've gotten to

[1:30:32] know a whole lot more about the town and

[1:30:34] the people in it than I ever knew. and

[1:30:36] I've lived here for not nearly as long

[1:30:38] as Mark Busier. So,

[1:30:42] >> all right. So, um

[1:30:46] fun fact, it's not yet sundown, but it

[1:30:48] is approaching.

[1:30:50] Is there anyone who has a new point to

[1:30:52] raise with regarding to favor or oppose

[1:30:55] to article 26?

[1:30:57] >> Mr. Moderator, may I make a motion?

[1:31:00] >> Uh, I believe the motion's already on

[1:31:02] the floor.

[1:31:02] >> May I make an amendment?

[1:31:04] >> You can propose an amendment. Sure.

[1:31:06] >> May I make a motion to table this

[1:31:08] article until the current clerk resigns

[1:31:10] or retires or is otherwise voted out?

[1:31:13] >> All right. The

[1:31:16] I didn't get that completely. Do you

[1:31:19] have that in mind?

[1:31:19] >> I make a motion to table this article

[1:31:21] until the current clerk resigns or

[1:31:24] retires or is otherwise voted out.

[1:31:27] >> All right. So the vote

[1:31:30] that would be

[1:31:34] not an acceptable amendment within the

[1:31:37] scope of this particular article if you

[1:31:41] wanted comment on that.

[1:31:43] >> Uh well you can but I want to finish

[1:31:46] first. Um sorry I want to finish first.

[1:31:50] I believe what you would need to do is

[1:31:52] first vote down this article if you

[1:31:54] wanted to have something like that come

[1:31:56] up at another um at another meeting. Uh

[1:32:01] this is uh this is not an article that

[1:32:04] allows you to add a a condition of date

[1:32:08] and time uh to it. Harlem, but I think

[1:32:12] what she is asking is legitimate prior

[1:32:15] to this being voted on because she is

[1:32:17] elected and if this passes the raises a

[1:32:20] question, do they have the authority to

[1:32:23] replace, terminate or anything like that

[1:32:25] within her her term?

[1:32:27] >> Can someone clarify?

[1:32:29] >> Can I address that?

[1:32:30] >> Absolutely.

[1:32:30] >> Uh the clerk was elected two years ago

[1:32:33] to a three-year term,

[1:32:36] >> which is inviable. And actually, even if

[1:32:39] this passes here now, there will be an

[1:32:42] election for town clerk next April. And

[1:32:44] on that same ballot will be the issue of

[1:32:46] whether this is a appointed or elected

[1:32:50] position, assuming this motion passes.

[1:32:53] So, and that three-year term would also

[1:32:55] be invaluable as far as the select

[1:32:58] board. So, the whoever is elected as

[1:33:01] town clerk in next year's election will

[1:33:03] serve for three years.

[1:33:05] And I also just want to add that we

[1:33:07] should caution our use of, you know,

[1:33:10] saying

[1:33:12] a per a qualified person, an elected

[1:33:15] qualified person. Um, that's assuming

[1:33:18] that all of us who have run for office

[1:33:19] in weight in the past have been

[1:33:22] qualified. So I I think the elected is

[1:33:25] the way to go.

[1:33:26] >> I just want to make a quick correction.

[1:33:28] I was elected last year. So I'm up for

[1:33:33] >> not the year before.

[1:33:34] >> Is it?

[1:33:34] >> Yes. Okay. Two-year term.

[1:33:36] >> Uh, it's excuse me, but unfortunately

[1:33:39] for

[1:33:41] although it might impede the

[1:33:42] conversation between you, questions need

[1:33:45] to be addressed to the moderator and

[1:33:47] then the moderator asked us for the

[1:33:49] question.

[1:33:50] >> So, could you please pose your question

[1:33:52] or your comment?

[1:33:53] >> It's just a clarification. I was elected

[1:33:56] last year, so I have two more years. My

[1:33:59] term is up in 2028.

[1:34:02] >> I was mistaken. Is there a confirmation

[1:34:04] on that regard?

[1:34:05] >> Yes. Okay. Very good. Okay. The that has

[1:34:08] been clarified.

[1:34:10] Um if you would like to have a comment,

[1:34:12] please step up.

[1:34:21] » Woman um Masterson Road in Weley.

[1:34:24] >> Yes.

[1:34:26] If we do change this to an appointed

[1:34:30] position, the town clerk can still apply

[1:34:34] for the position. Doesn't mean that

[1:34:37] she's going to be necessarily out of a

[1:34:39] job.

[1:34:41] >> Anybody in the town can apply and at the

[1:34:45] end of her term, if we do change the

[1:34:47] rules, she's perfectly

[1:34:51] um able to apply for the position.

[1:34:54] Yes, that's true. My point is that we

[1:34:57] can't have a conditionally elected. So,

[1:35:00] we either have to vote to maintain a

[1:35:05] elected clerk or we vote to authorize

[1:35:08] the ability to have an appointed clerk.

[1:35:10] Okay. Uh sir, please.

[1:35:13] >> Yeah. Rich Corpsi. I wanted to say I've

[1:35:16] lived in this town for an awful long

[1:35:17] time and I've known that we've had a lot

[1:35:19] of very qualified people who have worked

[1:35:21] within the town government and person

[1:35:23] that I'd really like to hear from is

[1:35:25] Lynn. You've been in this job for an

[1:35:27] awful long time and I know that you're

[1:35:31] extremely qualified for the job and I

[1:35:33] appreciate that and Amy as well and I

[1:35:36] want to know what your opinion is on

[1:35:38] this because you're awful quiet on the

[1:35:39] subject.

[1:35:40] >> Well, you have the choice of responding

[1:35:43] or not. You could simply accept the fine

[1:35:46] praise you received or you you the the

[1:35:49] floor is open for your comments.

[1:35:51] >> If you had asked me 15 years ago, I

[1:35:55] would have said definitely keep the job

[1:35:59] elected because I felt that the

[1:36:00] residents of the town

[1:36:03] more and more of the positions were

[1:36:05] being made appointed. So you didn't have

[1:36:07] as much say in who was running your

[1:36:09] government. Over the last maybe 10

[1:36:13] years, I've had a hard time making a

[1:36:16] choice on whether it'd be elected or

[1:36:18] appointed. And even tonight, I'm still

[1:36:20] not sure which way I'm going to vote.

[1:36:22] Um, just because of

[1:36:26] so many changes within the role of town

[1:36:29] clerk, um, with

[1:36:33] and the scrutiny behind what town clerks

[1:36:36] do. Um, you want to make sure, and this

[1:36:41] is just to protect yourself, you want to

[1:36:43] make sure that you're dotting every eye

[1:36:45] and crossing every tea. Um, years ago,

[1:36:48] if you made a mistake, it probably could

[1:36:50] have snuck through, but now it's

[1:36:52] everything is so scrutinized. But like I

[1:36:55] said, I still have not made up my mind

[1:36:58] on how I'm going to vote on this one.

[1:37:00] So, um, I do think I can see both sides.

[1:37:04] um be also looking at trying to find a

[1:37:07] person who would be qualified to do the

[1:37:10] job and there's tons of training

[1:37:12] involved in the position. So if you've

[1:37:15] got somebody who's not vested and you

[1:37:18] get all that training into them and then

[1:37:20] they leave. So it's um

[1:37:24] it's a tough decision. I I'm not helping

[1:37:27] you out. Am I Rick?

[1:37:30] >> In some ways you are. What I do want to

[1:37:32] say is that even if you have this an

[1:37:35] appointed position, you still have the

[1:37:37] issue where whoever is appointed could

[1:37:39] choose to leave at any given time. We've

[1:37:41] had that happen already in town with

[1:37:42] different positions. If you have someone

[1:37:44] who is from Weightley, they're vested in

[1:37:47] this town. They live here

[1:37:49] >> and we have to have more confidence in

[1:37:51] the people who live here. I know we

[1:37:53] don't have a great number of people who

[1:37:54] show up, but we have a lot of enthusiasm

[1:37:56] in this town regardless. And I would

[1:37:58] like to see that whatever decisions you

[1:38:00] do make works for us all for the people

[1:38:04] who are living here. You got to have

[1:38:06] more confidence in this. Thank you.

[1:38:09] >> All right. It seems like we have a new

[1:38:11] person to speak.

[1:38:16] » Um Julie Ericson, Chestnut Plane Road.

[1:38:18] Um just curious what other neighboring

[1:38:20] towns around us if they're making

[1:38:21] similar decisions, towns similar to us,

[1:38:23] if anybody can speak to that.

[1:38:24] >> I can answer.

[1:38:26] >> Please go ahead. Um, so several towns

[1:38:29] have been attempting this for years for

[1:38:30] their clerks and it's been voted down

[1:38:32] every time.

[1:38:34] >> Is there anyone else who can clarify

[1:38:35] about the towns directly adjacent to us?

[1:38:39] >> Ifield is appointed.

[1:38:42] >> Um, Deerfield is appointed. Conway is

[1:38:44] elected. No,

[1:38:47] >> Conway is elected.

[1:38:48] and Sunderland is

[1:38:50] elected.

[1:38:51] >> Um, so those are our

[1:38:54] >> neighboring towns.

[1:38:55] >> All right. Does that answer your

[1:38:57] question?

[1:38:58] Okay. Uh, very good. All right. I don't

[1:39:02] see any additional people stepping up to

[1:39:05] the microphone. So, are there any

[1:39:10] further people who wish to speak?

[1:39:14] Seeing none, we would proceed to a vote.

[1:39:16] It will require a majority vote. Um, all

[1:39:20] those in favor of article 26, please

[1:39:22] raise your card.

[1:39:25] Okay. And I've put myself where now I

[1:39:27] have to count. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

[1:39:34] 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. Uh that's a

[1:39:40] blue hand instead of a card. Okay. Uh 21

[1:39:45] 22 23 24

[1:39:48] and behind here 25 26 uh 27 in favor.

[1:39:54] Those opposed.

[1:39:56] Okay. One, two, three, four, five, six,

[1:39:59] seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,

[1:40:04] 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24,

[1:40:09] 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34,

[1:40:17] 35, 36.

[1:40:19] So, article 26 does not pass. It does

[1:40:22] not have the majority required.

[1:40:24] All right. Thank you for that thoughtful

[1:40:26] and extended discussion. Uh in support

[1:40:29] and against. Um we now take to article

[1:40:33] 27.

[1:40:35] >> The final article.

[1:40:37] Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

[1:40:39] to accept the provisions of general law

[1:40:42] chapter 59 section 5K to allow the

[1:40:45] select board to establish a program for

[1:40:48] persons over 60 to volunteer to provide

[1:40:51] services to the town in exchange for a

[1:40:54] reduction of their real property tax

[1:40:56] obligations. to allow for qualifying

[1:40:59] persons physically unable to provide

[1:41:02] such services that an approved

[1:41:04] representative may provide the services

[1:41:06] in theirstead to set the maximum

[1:41:09] reduction of the real property tax bill

[1:41:11] at $1,200 in a given tax year and to

[1:41:15] provide that this program will first be

[1:41:17] available in fiscal year 2027.

[1:41:21] >> Second.

[1:41:23] >> All right. Article 27 has been moved and

[1:41:25] seconded and is open for discussion.

[1:41:32] » Please Brent

[1:41:36] Branch I guess 25 Grey Oak Lane. Could

[1:41:40] somebody clarify what these services

[1:41:44] might

[1:41:45] consist of or would there be any scoping

[1:41:48] or limits to them? for example, were,

[1:41:50] and this is an absurdly self-serving

[1:41:53] kind of question, like if somebody over

[1:41:56] 60 were like volunteering to be like

[1:41:58] chair of the planning board or something

[1:42:00] like that, would that be like a service

[1:42:03] like but but more seriously, I want to

[1:42:07] little more insight on what might these

[1:42:08] services might be?

[1:42:10] >> Somebody can speak to that, please,

[1:42:12] Pete. So it's it's essentially a senior

[1:42:15] tax workoff program and it's to provide

[1:42:17] clerical service to and support to the

[1:42:20] departments. It's a way to provide the

[1:42:22] ability for senior residents to work

[1:42:25] down their their tax uh their tax bill

[1:42:28] up to a certain amount. It's restricted

[1:42:30] by age, by income, and by number of

[1:42:33] applicants. So it would only be five

[1:42:35] people so that it doesn't direct

[1:42:37] terribly negatively impact the tax

[1:42:40] receipts that we still receive. but

[1:42:42] still provides this opportunity for um

[1:42:45] income eligible individuals to work off.

[1:42:49] >> Does that answer your question?

[1:42:51] >> Okay.

[1:42:53] You said sadly or thoroughly?

[1:42:56] Okay. Anyone else? Please

[1:43:00] step up to the microphone.

[1:43:07] Howard and enter Chestnut Plane Row 203.

[1:43:10] Uh I had a question throughout all of

[1:43:13] this that I will not raise because it's

[1:43:17] uh very late but it is appropriate now

[1:43:22] because on the last vote as I was

[1:43:25] watching those of you at high table uh I

[1:43:29] noticed that the select board did not

[1:43:32] vote unanimously

[1:43:34] on article uh bylaw on 26. six.

[1:43:40] So my question is that generally

[1:43:43] speaking, when it says that, and this

[1:43:47] has been true of everything we voted on

[1:43:49] tonight, when it says about the select

[1:43:53] board or indeed about the other

[1:43:54] committees as well, favorable action, I

[1:43:58] I'd like a definition of favorable

[1:44:01] action. Does it in some cases mean

[1:44:04] majority and in other places mean

[1:44:07] unanimous?

[1:44:10] >> In general, favorable, favorable or

[1:44:13] unfavorable would mean that there was a

[1:44:15] majority of that entity that said so.

[1:44:18] Um, we don't necessarily distinguish

[1:44:19] between unanimous versus majority.

[1:44:24] When the vote was taken, it was a

[1:44:26] unanimous vote.

[1:44:28] >> Mr. Moderator.

[1:44:30] >> Yes, please. I can speak to that. Um, I

[1:44:33] jumped ship on article 26. Um, I thought

[1:44:37] there were good arguments on both sides

[1:44:39] and I decided to vote against against it

[1:44:43] at this point. I was in favor of it when

[1:44:45] it was brought to the select board. Um,

[1:44:48] I thought there was a lot of really good

[1:44:49] discussion here tonight and I changed my

[1:44:53] vote. Thank you.

[1:44:56] >> All right. Thank you. Um, we are about

[1:45:00] to then vote on article 27 after any

[1:45:04] further comments are made and then the

[1:45:07] moderator has one minute of remarks he

[1:45:11] would like to make um before he himself

[1:45:15] expires. Thank you. Please go ahead.

[1:45:18] >> Carolyn Sadler um 161 Christian Lane.

[1:45:22] Um, I think someone who was up here just

[1:45:24] a minute ago said that um, it would be

[1:45:26] an incomebased eligibility for this, but

[1:45:30] then I don't actually see that in the

[1:45:31] written material. So, I just want

[1:45:34] clarification. It's I assume it's for

[1:45:37] people who are having a little more

[1:45:38] trouble meeting their their property tax

[1:45:41] than the wealthiest of our residents,

[1:45:44] but

[1:45:45] >> correct. Yeah. So the the bylaw or the general law is simply age the age

[1:45:51] element and then the board of assessors

[1:45:53] administers that program and one of the

[1:45:55] criteria of that program is based on

[1:45:58] income but the state MGL is specifically

[1:46:02] related to age.

[1:46:04] >> Does that clarify properly for you?

[1:46:08] What I what I'm hearing is we are

[1:46:10] authorizing the town to accept these

[1:46:12] provisions and in those provisions there

[1:46:15] are additional regulations and guidance.

[1:46:18] All right. Um is there any else who

[1:46:20] wants to speak or a further question?

[1:46:23] If not um let's move to a vote. All

[1:46:27] those in favor of article 27, please

[1:46:30] raise your card.

[1:46:32] All those opposed.

[1:46:34] The motion article 27 passes by the

[1:46:36] majority required. Well, as I said at

[1:46:39] the beginning of this event, I'm your

[1:46:42] outgoing, some would say too outgoing,

[1:46:46] uh, moderator. Uh, and an illustration

[1:46:49] of the ter that when does the term

[1:46:52] expire? Mine expires June 30th, uh,

[1:46:57] 2026.

[1:46:58] However, I will be resigning as of 8:00

[1:47:02] a.m. tomorrow to allow the incoming

[1:47:07] uh moderator to step into that role and

[1:47:11] make the necessary appointments uh for

[1:47:13] the coming years. Um as outgoing

[1:47:17] moderator, I also want to acknowledge

[1:47:20] the volunteer service that had been

[1:47:22] obliquely referred to here. Um, every

[1:47:25] one of the people who was appointed by

[1:47:28] the moderator, which is everyone on the

[1:47:29] finance committee, everyone on the

[1:47:32] planning board, and all the people on

[1:47:35] the personnel committee, although the

[1:47:37] moderator only appoints a few, a couple

[1:47:40] of those works for you

[1:47:44] tirelessly,

[1:47:46] maybe even beyond the point of

[1:47:48] tirelessness.

[1:47:49] Um, in the case of batteries and it

[1:47:52] needs regular recharging. One more joke.

[1:47:54] Sorry. Um

[1:47:57] uh for free and they do it on behalf of

[1:48:00] you and of all of us in the same way

[1:48:03] that you showed up here tonight to work

[1:48:06] and speak on behalf of all of us. You

[1:48:10] are the legislature. You're showing up

[1:48:12] preserves the town of government here

[1:48:14] that we all admire and respect and want

[1:48:17] to keep. And so I thank all of you for

[1:48:19] it. And I'd also like every member of

[1:48:22] the finance committee, planning board,

[1:48:24] and personnel committee who's here

[1:48:26] tonight to stand up so you could thank

[1:48:28] them.

[1:48:39] Finally, I hope when the incoming

[1:48:42] moderator comes to you and asks you to

[1:48:45] join them, you will say yes. All right,

[1:48:49] with that I would like to hand I would

[1:48:51] like to have a motion to adjourn the

[1:48:54] meeting and hand a gavl over to your

[1:48:57] next moderator.

[1:48:57] >> Point of privilege, Mr. moderator.

[1:48:59] >> Yes.

[1:49:00] >> I just want to say thank you very much

[1:49:03] to you and to Joyce for your years of

[1:49:05] service to our community.

[1:49:17] All right.

[1:49:18] >> The motion has been adjourned. Motion to

[1:49:21] adjurnn. And there has been a second.

[1:49:24] >> Who called it?

[1:49:25] >> All those in favor, please raise your

[1:49:27] card.

[1:49:29] >> All those opposed.

[1:49:31] >> Wisely. No one. The motion. The meeting

[1:49:34] is adjourned.

[1:49:38] Bob Holla made the motion.

[1:49:40] >> Got it.

Whately Annual Town Meeting - June 2, 2026

Transcript