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I would like to call to order the annual

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town meeting of the town of Wheatley for

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June 2nd, 2026

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and ask the town clerk to read the

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warrant for this meeting.

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This one.

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>> Pursuant to the within warrant, I have

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notified and warned the inhabitants of

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the town of Wheatley by posting attested

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copies of the same at the town office

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building, Wheatley Post Office,

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Weightley Transfer Station in S. White

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Dickinson Library in said town at least

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7 days before the date of the meeting as

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within directed. Signed Donald Bates May

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21, 2026.

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>> All right. Thank you. You have been duly

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warned and if you're still here, it's of

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your own valition. Okay. Uh may we begin

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with a motion for article one, please,

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which will require a majority vote.

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>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

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to accept the annual reports of the

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officers of the town and to hear any

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other reports of the boards and

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committees.

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>> Second.

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>> The article has been moved and second.

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Is there any discussion?

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If not, all those in favor raise your

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card.

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All those opposed.

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Thank you. This is the first of our

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governance articles and we have uh six

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or seven more further to go.

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>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

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to authorize the town treasurer with the

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approval of the select board to borrow

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money from time to time in anticipation

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of the revenue of the fiscal year

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beginning on July 1, 2026 in accordance

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with the provisions of general law

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chapter 44 section 4 and to renew any

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note or notes as may be given for a

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period of less than one year in

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accordance with the provisions of

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general law chapter 17.

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>> Second.

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>> The article has been moved and second.

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Is there any discussion?

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» Seeing none, we move to a vote. All

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those in favor, please raise your card.

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>> All those opposed. The motion has passed

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by the majority required.

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>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

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to authorize the select board to enter

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into contracts for goods and services

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with the duration in excess of three

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years pursuant to the provisions of

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general law chapter 30B section 12B.

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>> Second.

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>> The article is moved and second and we

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note scrivener error. This was not

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introduced by Julie Wagner. It was

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introduced by

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Juliana. No, I'm Julie. Yes.

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>> Oh, it's somewhere else that it's messed

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up

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>> in the front page of the annual report.

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>> Okay, then I I my correction is

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corrected. If I

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>> I am not Julia.

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» Okay, that also has been moved and

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second. Is there any discussion?

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Seeing none, we move to a vote. All in

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favor, raise your card. Very good. All

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those opposed. All right. There's an

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equal number to follow of the same type.

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You might want to switch to your other

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hand. Okay. Article four, please.

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>> Uh, Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

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vote to authorize the town treasurer

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with the approval of the select board to

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enter into compensating balance

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agreements with banking institutions

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having their principal offices in the

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Commonwealth of Massachusetts during the

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fiscal year beginning on July 1st, 2026

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as peritted permitted by general law

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chapter 44 section 53F.

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>> Second. An article has been moved and

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second. Requires a majority vote. Is

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there any discussion?

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Seeing none, all those in favor, please

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raise your card. Excellent. All those

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opposed. Uh seeing none, it passes by

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the majority required.

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>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

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to apply for, accept, and expend any

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federal, state, or private grant monies

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on behalf of the town and to authorize

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the town treasurer with approval of the

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select board to borrow in anticipation

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of reimbursement.

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>> Second.

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>> Moved and seconded, article five. It's

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now open for discussion.

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Seeing no questions, all those in favor,

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please raise your card. All those

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opposed. Uh, the motion passes by the

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majority required.

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>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

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to establish spending limits for the

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town's revolving funds as established by

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the town's general bylaws chapter 46

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revolving funds for the fiscal year

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beginning on July 1st, 2026 as follows

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and is shown in the warrant on page

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four.

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Do you require me to read each

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individual item?

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>> Not unless someone requests it.

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>> Okay.

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>> All right. Is there a request to read

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the warrant dollars in full?

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>> No. Is there a second?

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>> Yes.

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>> All right. Unless there's a request to

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read the rest of the warrant in full as

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opposed to referring to the numbers on

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your printed page, uh, we open it for

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discussion.

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Yes, please. Uh, please come to a

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microphone. uh state your name and

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address and and pose your question.

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>> Okay. I'm Mariana Massid. I live at 141

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Conway Road. And I had a question

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actually. The revolving funds, how does

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that relate to like the uh when you have

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the operating budget each, let's say for

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the example, the recreation revolving

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fund amount, they also have a budget.

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>> Yes. Would anyone like to speak to that,

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Pete, please? So, the revolving funds

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are specifically funds that and accounts

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that are created by the bylaw. And what

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it is is the bylaw stipulates when

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there's a fee collection by any one of

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these agencies such as recreation or

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library, the fees they collect go into

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the revolving fund because fees can't go

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into a general operating fund. So they

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have to go into a revolving fund and

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then our bylaws stipulate what they can

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use those monies for such as supplies or

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like for the dog licensing. It's to

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those fees then are used to buy the

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licenses and run the software.

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>> I see.

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>> Does that answer your question?

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>> Yes, it does.

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>> Wonderful. Any other questions or

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discussion?

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Uh seeing none, we'll proceed to a vote.

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This will require a majority vote. All

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those in favor of article six, please

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raise your card.

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All those opposed. The motion article

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six has passed by the majority required.

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>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

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to fix the salaries or compensation of

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the elected officers of the town for the

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fiscal year beginning on July 1st, 2026

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as follows and is shown in a table on

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your on your papers.

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>> Second.

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>> Article seven has been moved and

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seconded. Is there a request to read in

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full? If not, uh going forward, uh the

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first question would be a request to go

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in full and I will not keep asking the audience. The audience, the

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legislature, you're in charge. Okay. Um

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in that case, is there any discussion

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regarding article 7?

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Uh yes, please.

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Yes. Uh please do for the purposes of

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all those enjoying this at home.

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Yeah.

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>> And and for all of us of elder age,

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thank you.

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>> Ellen Scraki, 115 Christian Lane. Um,

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>> what does our constable do? Who's the

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constable and what does the constable

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do, please?

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>> Who is the constable and what do they

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do? Town clerk, please.

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>> Donald Bait.

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Donald Bates and Thomas Mahar are the

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constables and they're the biggest thing

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that they do is they provide security at

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the pole location for elections.

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They do have other duties as stated by

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Mass General Law, but for the town of

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Wheatley, that's pretty much what they

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do.

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>> And they also are responsible for

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posting this information.

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>> Yes. across the town and online uh so

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that you know there's a meeting

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and does that answer your question

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fully? Okay, thank you. Are there any

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other questions about article 7? Yes,

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please.

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» Mary Masset from 141 Conway Road. The we

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have a town clerk figure of 58545.

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We're voting. We're gonna vote that they

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be that that's their salary. But then on

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the operating budget,

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doesn't it have um it says the operating

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budget has 76,000. Is that just is that

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their spending? Is that what what's the

222
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difference between those?

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>> So the the operating budget of all

224
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department budgets are both personnel

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and expenses. So it includes the town

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clerk budget is inclusive of the town

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clerk salary, the assistant town clerk

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pay as well as general expenses of the

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that department.

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>> Okay. So it's the town clerk department

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00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:33,680
or administration of the town.

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>> So we're paying the town clerk 58,545.

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Is that correct?

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>> If this article is approved. Yes.

235
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>> If it is approved. Yes.

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» Any other questions or discussion?

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Seeing none.

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All those in favor of article 7 as

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00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:55,040
written, raise your card.

240
00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,080
All those opposed. The motion carries by

241
00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:00,800
the majority required for article 7.

242
00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:02,959
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

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00:10:02,959 --> 00:10:07,509
to appropriate $331,088.118

244
00:10:07,519 --> 00:10:09,279
from the water department enterprise

245
00:10:09,279 --> 00:10:11,680
fund revenues to finance the operation

246
00:10:11,680 --> 00:10:13,440
of the water department for the fiscal

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00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,640
year beginning on July 1, 2026 as

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outlined in the printed warrant.

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>> Second.

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00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,360
>> Article 8 has been moved and seconded

251
00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:26,560
and requires a majority vote.

252
00:10:26,560 --> 00:10:28,079
Is there any question are there any

253
00:10:28,079 --> 00:10:29,920
questions or discussion regarding this

254
00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:34,389
article?

255
00:10:34,399 --> 00:10:36,560
All right, very enterprising of us. We

256
00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:38,880
will now move to a vote. All those in

257
00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,760
favor, raise your card.

258
00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,640
All those opposed. The motion carries by

259
00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,040
the majority required. At this point,

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00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:50,560
we're switching over to uh the budget

261
00:10:50,560 --> 00:10:53,680
authority of the legislature being you.

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00:10:53,680 --> 00:10:56,240
And we're going to ask the chair of the

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finance committee to introduce uh the

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00:10:59,279 --> 00:11:03,120
articles. Two of them uh need to be

265
00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:05,360
amended. And so the tech the language of

266
00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,240
the amendment will also be introduced.

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00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:10,640
After discussion,

268
00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:13,120
answering of questions, we will need to

269
00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,399
vote first on the amendment and then if

270
00:11:16,399 --> 00:11:18,160
that passes, we would vote on the

271
00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:22,399
amended motion. Okay. May we ask uh Lynn

272
00:11:22,399 --> 00:11:25,760
Sibi, please to introduce article 9.

273
00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:27,600
>> I move that the town act on the

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00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,360
recommendations of the finance committee

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00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,480
on the fiscal year 2027 town operating

276
00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:34,399
budget and to raise and appropriate

277
00:11:34,399 --> 00:11:36,320
money for the operation of town's

278
00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:38,720
departments, boards, committees,

279
00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:40,959
agencies, and officers for the payment

280
00:11:40,959 --> 00:11:43,360
of debt service and for all other

281
00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:45,600
necessary and proper expenses for the

282
00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:49,120
fiscal year beginning on July 1st, 2026.

283
00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,040
and the amounts shown in the column

284
00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,720
captioned fiscal year 2027 operating

285
00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:59,440
budget as follows with an amendment

286
00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:01,680
uh to reduce the South County Senior

287
00:12:01,680 --> 00:12:04,160
Center FY2027

288
00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:08,790
operating budget to $46,811

289
00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:12,240
and thereby reduce the cultural culture

290
00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:17,040
recreation services FY27

291
00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:23,590
operating budget to 22 27,73146

292
00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:26,320
and overall town town operating budget

293
00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:33,829
to 7 million485,76.19.

294
00:12:33,839 --> 00:12:37,040
» Is there a second? There's article nine

295
00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,600
has been moved and seconded and now is

296
00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:59,430
open for questions and discussion.

297
00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:02,720
traceable aisle 190 Christian Lane. I

298
00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:05,200
assume we're reducing South County

299
00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:07,760
Senior Center because we're not moving

300
00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:11,040
forward. Is that correct?

301
00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:11,680
>> That's correct.

302
00:13:11,680 --> 00:13:12,240
>> Yes.

303
00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:14,480
that's correct. So um they had

304
00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:16,399
presented two different budgets to us.

305
00:13:16,399 --> 00:13:19,200
One with the move to the Sunderland

306
00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:21,680
location and that did not pass in

307
00:13:21,680 --> 00:13:25,600
Deerfield. So in order to so we wouldn't

308
00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,079
need to appropriate that amount of

309
00:13:28,079 --> 00:13:31,519
money. So we went back to their um

310
00:13:31,519 --> 00:13:35,680
status quo budget um and that's why the

311
00:13:35,680 --> 00:13:39,760
amendment. My concern has to do with

312
00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:42,720
what Deerfield did and and of course

313
00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:46,000
they have their own option about um

314
00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:49,279
passing the budget or not and selling it

315
00:13:49,279 --> 00:13:52,639
as very expensive.

316
00:13:52,639 --> 00:13:56,560
But I think Joyce, as a member of that

317
00:13:56,560 --> 00:14:00,399
of reviewing it, you presented quite the

318
00:14:00,399 --> 00:14:03,360
contrary information,

319
00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:06,240
but it was

320
00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:09,040
quoted as being the most expensive.

321
00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:12,720
We've got a $70,000 elevator.

322
00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:15,360
Do we have any idea

323
00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:18,560
what it really is going to cost to

324
00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:21,519
convert Deerfield Elementary if that

325
00:14:21,519 --> 00:14:23,519
gets to be voted?

326
00:14:23,519 --> 00:14:26,880
>> The short answer is no. And it's also

327
00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,880
not on the warrant for tonight.

328
00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:29,600
>> Okay. Thank you.

329
00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:32,480
>> Thank you.

330
00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:35,040
>> Are there any other uh questions,

331
00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,199
discussion, or

332
00:14:37,199 --> 00:14:40,000
uh heartfelt statements?

333
00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:41,839
>> This one worked too. This one worked.

334
00:14:41,839 --> 00:14:44,800
Yep. Harland Bean Weber Road. Can I have

335
00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:46,880
an explanation on the increase on the

336
00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:51,750
town accountant, please?

337
00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,079
» Um, the town accountant's hours have

338
00:14:54,079 --> 00:14:56,800
been increased. So that's basically the

339
00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:00,230
increase there.

340
00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,440
» So that's the salary increase. Is that

341
00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,000
much or the department increase?

342
00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:06,639
>> Salary.

343
00:15:06,639 --> 00:15:08,639
>> It's primarily salary. There are some

344
00:15:08,639 --> 00:15:10,560
department expenses due to software

345
00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:12,160
licensing that had a slight increase,

346
00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:14,079
but the majority of it was to cover the

347
00:15:14,079 --> 00:15:16,399
increase from 15 hours a week to 24

348
00:15:16,399 --> 00:15:22,790
hours a week. It's a part-time position.

349
00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:25,680
» It's a $66,000 part-time position.

350
00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:27,760
>> No, that's the total operating budget

351
00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:29,199
for that department.

352
00:15:29,199 --> 00:15:30,480
>> That's not the salary.

353
00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:31,440
>> Okay, that's

354
00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:34,480
>> it's all all line items are inclusive of

355
00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:36,160
personnel and expenses for that

356
00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,199
department. But the $20,000 increase you

357
00:15:39,199 --> 00:15:40,560
said is mostly

358
00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:42,720
>> is primarily for the pay, the salary

359
00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:43,120
pay.

360
00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:43,920
>> The salary pay.

361
00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:45,199
>> Yep.

362
00:15:45,199 --> 00:15:46,880
>> And if I understand correctly, that's

363
00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:48,480
because the hours have increased.

364
00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:50,639
>> Correct. Almost double, but not quite.

365
00:15:50,639 --> 00:15:54,150
>> Okay.

366
00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:56,800
» Does that uh answer your question, Har?

367
00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:58,399
>> Okay.

368
00:15:58,399 --> 00:15:59,120
>> Yes, please.

369
00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:02,800
>> Uh Scottski, 149 Christian Lane. Can you

370
00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:05,279
explain to me why the DPW's gone up so

371
00:16:05,279 --> 00:16:07,440
high?

372
00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:09,519
want me to do that or

373
00:16:09,519 --> 00:16:12,160
>> the highway department?

374
00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:15,279
>> Um, is is Garrett here?

375
00:16:15,279 --> 00:16:15,759
>> He is.

376
00:16:15,759 --> 00:16:17,600
>> I thought I saw Garrett.

377
00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:18,639
>> I thought I saw

378
00:16:18,639 --> 00:16:19,199
>> He's right there.

379
00:16:19,199 --> 00:16:20,959
>> I mean, we can explain it, but I

380
00:16:20,959 --> 00:16:22,560
>> Well, I know. I've been watching me and

381
00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:24,720
they're talking about like a $20,000

382
00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:27,519
increase on sweeping the roads. I

383
00:16:27,519 --> 00:16:29,279
thought we went to road salt when Keith

384
00:16:29,279 --> 00:16:31,040
was a highway director. Why are we

385
00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:33,199
sweeping the roads if there's salt being

386
00:16:33,199 --> 00:16:35,040
put on there? So the moderator would

387
00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:36,959
like to invite a representative from the

388
00:16:36,959 --> 00:16:38,800
highway department to address the

389
00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:44,389
questions if they are available.

390
00:16:44,399 --> 00:16:45,519
» Gary,

391
00:16:45,519 --> 00:16:47,839
>> yeah, we will need you to uh step to the

392
00:16:47,839 --> 00:16:58,150
microphone, please.

393
00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:01,920
The reason for the increase is due to

394
00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:06,559
bikers, walkers, and people traveling on

395
00:17:06,559 --> 00:17:09,360
the roads. They haven't been swept. It's

396
00:17:09,360 --> 00:17:12,160
a courtesy to the town to keep a clean

397
00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,280
road, make everybody safe. It that's the

398
00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:17,520
price of an increase. That's what it

399
00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:20,559
costs to bring the sweeper in.

400
00:17:20,559 --> 00:17:22,799
And Garrett, I believe we only increased

401
00:17:22,799 --> 00:17:25,360
it to 8,000, not 20,000. Correct?

402
00:17:25,360 --> 00:17:26,880
>> Yeah.

403
00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:28,400
>> All right. So, does that answer your

404
00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:29,679
question, sir?

405
00:17:29,679 --> 00:17:33,200
>> Thank you. Thank you, Garrett.

406
00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:37,830
>> Are there remaining questions?

407
00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:40,559
All right. If not, it is time to proceed

408
00:17:40,559 --> 00:17:43,600
to a vote. All those in favor of article

409
00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:45,200
9 amendment.

410
00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,080
>> Amend. Oh, sorry. I told you what we're

411
00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:49,760
going to do. And I'm glad that you

412
00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:52,400
remembered even if I forgot. Okay, first

413
00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,360
we need to vote the amendment

414
00:17:55,360 --> 00:17:58,559
uh to article nine. All those in favor

415
00:17:58,559 --> 00:18:01,840
of the motion as amended as of the

416
00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:03,760
amendment as proposed, please raise your

417
00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:05,840
cards.

418
00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,880
All those opposed. The amendment passes

419
00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:11,200
and now we vote on the amended article

420
00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:15,679
9. All those in favor of article 9,

421
00:18:15,679 --> 00:18:18,400
please raise your cards as amended.

422
00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:22,080
Thank you. All those opposed. Article 9

423
00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,720
as amended passes by the amount

424
00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:27,679
required. Thank you.

425
00:18:27,679 --> 00:18:30,080
>> Can we proceed to article 10?

426
00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,640
>> Mr. moderator, I move that the town vote

427
00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,200
to close the ambulance stabilization

428
00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,640
fund and return the remaining funds

429
00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:40,559
$21.50

430
00:18:40,559 --> 00:18:43,360
plus any acred interest to the general

431
00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:44,640
fund.

432
00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:45,679
Second

433
00:18:45,679 --> 00:18:48,160
>> this one

434
00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:51,600
to return $21.50 plus interest to the

435
00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:55,840
general fund requires a 2/3 majority.

436
00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:57,840
It's been moved and seconded. Is there

437
00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:01,830
any discussion?

438
00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,080
If not, let's move to a vote. All those

439
00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:06,320
in favor?

440
00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:09,440
All those opposed?

441
00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:11,520
The motion passes by the twothirds

442
00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:14,799
required majority required.

443
00:19:14,799 --> 00:19:17,120
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

444
00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:22,230
to transfer the sum of $1,416

445
00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:26,320
42 from available funds fiscal year 2026

446
00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:29,360
free cash to pay unpaid bills of prior

447
00:19:29,360 --> 00:19:32,799
fiscal years as shown in article 11 of

448
00:19:32,799 --> 00:19:34,400
the printed warrant for the town

449
00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:35,200
meeting.

450
00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:35,840
>> Second.

451
00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:37,280
>> All right, this article's been moved and

452
00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,919
second. I should note uh there was a

453
00:19:39,919 --> 00:19:42,400
scribner error in article 10. Article

454
00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:45,280
was misspelled. Uh the moderator's

455
00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:47,280
opinion is that the vote article does

456
00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:50,160
not need to be because it's a scribner

457
00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:52,640
error does not need to be revoted. Thank

458
00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:54,559
you.

459
00:19:54,559 --> 00:19:58,000
Okay. Article 11 is now open for a vote

460
00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:00,320
and this one requires four fifths

461
00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:02,720
majority.

462
00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:05,360
So far we've exceeded that in every

463
00:20:05,360 --> 00:20:07,840
vote.

464
00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:10,000
But uh perhaps you want to put that to

465
00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,320
the test. All right. Is there any

466
00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:14,160
discussion or questions regarding

467
00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:17,360
article 11 approving the payment of

468
00:20:17,360 --> 00:20:20,400
prior fiscal year bills?

469
00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,799
If not, all those in favor please raise

470
00:20:22,799 --> 00:20:24,960
your card.

471
00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,120
All those opposed.

472
00:20:27,120 --> 00:20:29,200
Passes unanimously and therefore by the

473
00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,919
four fifth majority required.

474
00:20:31,919 --> 00:20:35,039
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

475
00:20:35,039 --> 00:20:37,200
to authorize the board of assessors to

476
00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:40,000
transfer the sum of $200,000 from

477
00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:43,600
available funds fiscal year 26 free cash

478
00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:45,760
to reduce the tax levy for the fiscal

479
00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:49,120
year beginning on July 1, 2026.

480
00:20:49,120 --> 00:20:50,480
>> Second.

481
00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:52,240
>> Article 12 has been removed and

482
00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:54,480
seconded. Are there questions or

483
00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:58,149
discussion?

484
00:20:58,159 --> 00:21:00,320
» If not, let's move to a vote. All those

485
00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:03,360
in favor, raise your card.

486
00:21:03,360 --> 00:21:05,840
All those opposed.

487
00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:07,520
All right, we're about halfway through.

488
00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:11,200
Remember to switch arms as necessary.

489
00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,440
All right. May we move, please, to

490
00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:14,720
article 13.

491
00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:17,600
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

492
00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:20,640
to transfer the sum of $20,000 from

493
00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:24,480
available funds fiscal year 26 free cash

494
00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,120
to the capital stabilization fund.

495
00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:30,000
>> Second. Are 13 has been moved and

496
00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,880
seconded. Is there any qu are there any

497
00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:37,430
questions or is there any discussion?

498
00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:44,789
Yes, please.

499
00:21:44,799 --> 00:21:48,400
Mariana Mass from 141 Conway Road. What

500
00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,360
um what is the $20,000 exact for

501
00:21:51,360 --> 00:21:54,159
exactly?

502
00:21:54,159 --> 00:21:56,559
It's the capital stabilization fund. I'm

503
00:21:56,559 --> 00:21:58,159
not even sure what that is. So,

504
00:21:58,159 --> 00:21:58,960
>> could you clarify?

505
00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:00,799
>> Capital stabilization like all the

506
00:22:00,799 --> 00:22:03,679
stabilization funds is basically a

507
00:22:03,679 --> 00:22:06,960
savings account for future uh projects.

508
00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,240
So, we try to add a little bit each year

509
00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,720
into the capital stabilization so that

510
00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:15,200
if we had a big capital item, we'd have

511
00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:16,960
that money available in the capital

512
00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:19,840
stabilization fund to to use.

513
00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:23,440
>> I see. So, it's a standard um transfer

514
00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:24,880
of free cash,

515
00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:25,280
>> right,

516
00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:26,559
>> that you recommend,

517
00:22:26,559 --> 00:22:27,440
>> right? Yes.

518
00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:29,360
>> And would it be fair to say that makes

519
00:22:29,360 --> 00:22:31,120
the what it can be spent on more

520
00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:31,840
restricted?

521
00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:36,880
>> It does. Um yes. Um you will once a a

522
00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:38,960
vote is taken for money into capital

523
00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:40,960
stabilization, town meeting actually has

524
00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:43,520
to also vote to take it out. So, you

525
00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:45,679
have the option both ways.

526
00:22:45,679 --> 00:22:49,669
>> I see. Okay.

527
00:22:49,679 --> 00:22:52,400
Uh Marian, if you have any f further

528
00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,400
questions, we will assume you haven't

529
00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,760
moved since the previous one, but thank

530
00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:59,760
you for being so diligent and attentive

531
00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:03,440
to the requirements. Okay. Um

532
00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:06,559
are there any other questions?

533
00:23:06,559 --> 00:23:09,520
If not, let's proceed to a vote article

534
00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:11,760
for article 13. All those in favor,

535
00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,400
raise your card.

536
00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,600
All those opposed. The article passes by

537
00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:20,080
the majority required. Thank you,

538
00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:22,880
>> Mr. Moderator. I move that the town vote

539
00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:26,000
to transfer the sum of $20,000 from

540
00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,880
available funds fiscal year 26 free cash

541
00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:31,679
to the vehicle stabilization fund.

542
00:23:31,679 --> 00:23:33,760
>> Second.

543
00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:36,159
>> All right. Article 14 has been moved and

544
00:23:36,159 --> 00:23:38,159
seconded. Are there questions about

545
00:23:38,159 --> 00:23:42,230
that?

546
00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,159
» If not, let's proceed to a vote. All

547
00:23:44,159 --> 00:23:46,880
those in favor, raise your card. All

548
00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:49,760
those opposed. The motion carries by the

549
00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:52,960
majority required. We proceed to article

550
00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:54,240
15. Please.

551
00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:56,240
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

552
00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:58,480
to transfer the sum of $20,000 from

553
00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:02,320
available funds fiscal year 26 free cash

554
00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:04,640
to the town buildings stabilization

555
00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:05,360
fund.

556
00:24:05,360 --> 00:24:06,240
>> Second.

557
00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:09,679
>> Article 15 has been moved and second. Is

558
00:24:09,679 --> 00:24:11,440
there any discussion regarding article

559
00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:16,070
15?

560
00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:18,400
Seeing none, proceed to a vote. All

561
00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:20,400
those in favor of article 15, raise your

562
00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:22,480
card.

563
00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:25,679
>> All those opposed. Article 15 passes by

564
00:24:25,679 --> 00:24:27,840
the majority required.

565
00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:30,400
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

566
00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,440
to transfer the sum of $40,000

567
00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:35,919
from available funds fiscy year free

568
00:24:35,919 --> 00:24:39,039
cash to fund the accumulated sick leave

569
00:24:39,039 --> 00:24:41,600
buyback of $40,000

570
00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:43,600
for Weightley Elementary School

571
00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,960
employees pursuant to the town bylaws

572
00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:50,000
andor collective bargaining agreements.

573
00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:51,039
>> Second.

574
00:24:51,039 --> 00:24:54,080
>> Article 16 has been moved and seconded.

575
00:24:54,080 --> 00:25:00,870
Are there questions or discussion?

576
00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:02,960
Seeing none, we proceed to a vote for

577
00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,760
article 16. All those in favor, raise

578
00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:09,600
your card. All those opposed. The motion

579
00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:12,320
carries by the majority required. And

580
00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:14,320
now article 17, please.

581
00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:16,320
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

582
00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:18,720
to transfer from available funds town

583
00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,679
building stabilization fund to pay cost

584
00:25:21,679 --> 00:25:23,840
of capital projects including as

585
00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,720
applicable equipment capital items to be

586
00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:29,200
required and all incidental and related

587
00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:32,799
cost for such capital projects. All as

588
00:25:32,799 --> 00:25:35,360
described in the chart below. Each

589
00:25:35,360 --> 00:25:37,440
numbered item to be considered a

590
00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:39,200
separate appropriation and with the

591
00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:41,679
budgeted amount to be spent only for the

592
00:25:41,679 --> 00:25:44,799
stated purpose. Second.

593
00:25:44,799 --> 00:25:47,600
>> All right. So, article 17 has been moved

594
00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:50,000
in second and fortuitously enough we

595
00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:52,720
just put another 20,000 in the fund from

596
00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:55,200
which this could be deducted.

597
00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:58,880
All those sorry is there questions. Are

598
00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:02,400
there questions? Is there any discussion

599
00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:07,990
uh beyond the patter?

600
00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:10,320
All right. All those in favor of article

601
00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:13,039
17, please raise your card.

602
00:26:13,039 --> 00:26:16,159
All those opposed. Article 17 passes by

603
00:26:16,159 --> 00:26:18,799
the majority required. Now, article 18

604
00:26:18,799 --> 00:26:20,480
is the other one that requires an

605
00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:23,279
amendment. Uh Fred, are you still the

606
00:26:23,279 --> 00:26:25,600
person introducing this or is that Lynn?

607
00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:27,919
>> Uh I was going to introduce and I

608
00:26:27,919 --> 00:26:28,880
figured Lynn would

609
00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:30,720
>> All right. So, please go ahead and then

610
00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,279
Lynn will hand it over to you for the

611
00:26:33,279 --> 00:26:34,880
amendments.

612
00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:36,960
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

613
00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,679
to transfer from available funds fiscal

614
00:26:39,679 --> 00:26:42,000
year 2026 free cash capital

615
00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:44,320
stabilization fund, town building

616
00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:45,919
stabilization fund and vehicle

617
00:26:45,919 --> 00:26:48,400
stabilization fund to pay costs of

618
00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:50,720
various capital projects, including as

619
00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:53,120
applicable equipping of capital items to

620
00:26:53,120 --> 00:26:55,520
be acquired and all incidental and

621
00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:58,159
related costs for such capital projects.

622
00:26:58,159 --> 00:27:00,400
All as described in the chart below.

623
00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,320
each numbered item to be considered a

624
00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:04,159
separate appropriation and with the

625
00:27:04,159 --> 00:27:06,159
budgeted amount to be spent only for the

626
00:27:06,159 --> 00:27:07,360
stated purpose.

627
00:27:07,360 --> 00:27:09,039
>> Second.

628
00:27:09,039 --> 00:27:11,200
>> All right. We would ask now the chair of

629
00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:12,880
the finance committee to introduce the

630
00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:14,559
amendment and then we can have

631
00:27:14,559 --> 00:27:15,919
discussion on both.

632
00:27:15,919 --> 00:27:18,559
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town

633
00:27:18,559 --> 00:27:20,960
remove capital project number six for

634
00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:22,720
the South County Senior Center and

635
00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:26,400
reduce the overall project total to

636
00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:29,990
$338,500.

637
00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:31,279
Second.

638
00:27:31,279 --> 00:27:33,679
>> All right. This article has been moved

639
00:27:33,679 --> 00:27:35,679
and second and the amendment put

640
00:27:35,679 --> 00:27:39,840
forward. Is are there any questions or

641
00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:41,919
further discussion regarding the

642
00:27:41,919 --> 00:27:46,159
amendment to article 18?

643
00:27:46,159 --> 00:27:50,870
Yes, please.

644
00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:53,520
» I'm Bob Smith from 303 Long Plane Road.

645
00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,000
Can someone please tell me exactly how

646
00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:59,360
many police cruisers we have and exactly

647
00:27:59,360 --> 00:28:01,279
how many police cruisers a town this

648
00:28:01,279 --> 00:28:05,760
size needs? I think I've counted four.

649
00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:09,510
Does this make five?

650
00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:11,440
» I can take that. No, the chief's not

651
00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:12,640
here.

652
00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:14,880
>> The the police department has three

653
00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:17,440
cruisers and one detail car. And this

654
00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:20,159
would replace the administrative car and

655
00:28:20,159 --> 00:28:22,799
then it would subsequently m move each

656
00:28:22,799 --> 00:28:25,120
car down and then the detail car would

657
00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:27,440
be uh what's it called?

658
00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:28,080
>> Surplus.

659
00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:30,480
Thank you.

660
00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:32,080
>> So would they would still have only four

661
00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,799
vehicles again? Three cruisers and one

662
00:28:34,799 --> 00:28:37,600
detail.

663
00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:40,559
>> So the budget is proposing that we

664
00:28:40,559 --> 00:28:42,399
maintain a number of four.

665
00:28:42,399 --> 00:28:46,240
>> Uh the number we need is up to you.

666
00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:47,440
Thank you.

667
00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:50,399
>> On that same question, how many officers

668
00:28:50,399 --> 00:28:53,200
do we have on duty at any one given time

669
00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:57,110
or at all times?

670
00:28:57,120 --> 00:28:58,799
» Could you please introduce yourself with

671
00:28:58,799 --> 00:29:00,960
your name and address?

672
00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:04,880
>> 80 Weber Road, Westley, Massachusetts.

673
00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:06,000
>> A zip code

674
00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:09,520
>> 010 39.

675
00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:11,440
>> Yeah. I mean, we This will put us to

676
00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:15,120
four active cruisers. No, three active

677
00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:16,159
cruisers and

678
00:29:16,159 --> 00:29:17,760
>> so one will get moved down. Correct.

679
00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:19,600
>> So one is a detail cruiser. Correct.

680
00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:21,039
Understood. So

681
00:29:21,039 --> 00:29:24,640
>> do we ever have three officers on duty

682
00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:25,840
at one time?

683
00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:27,440
>> I don't believe we have necessarily

684
00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:30,399
three on at any one time as a regular

685
00:29:30,399 --> 00:29:32,720
operation.

686
00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:37,350
>> So why do we need three cruisers?

687
00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:40,559
» I don't want to put them on. Um the one

688
00:29:40,559 --> 00:29:42,960
vehicle is the the police chief. So

689
00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:44,880
regardless of the police chief is either

690
00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:46,960
on duty or not, the that vehicle is with

691
00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,440
him, leaving two cruisers at the police

692
00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,360
department. And then the detail car is

693
00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:52,960
only used for detail. It's not actually

694
00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:57,600
used for patrols or action.

695
00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:00,080
>> That appears to be information we can

696
00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:02,240
provide. Does that answer your question?

697
00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:04,159
>> It's Yeah, it's provided. It does not

698
00:30:04,159 --> 00:30:05,840
make sense, but it is provided.

699
00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:08,559
>> Okay. Um

700
00:30:08,559 --> 00:30:11,520
at this point then, yes, sir, please.

701
00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:15,440
Bob Howa, 141 Westbrook Road, up on the

702
00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:17,279
hill.

703
00:30:17,279 --> 00:30:19,600
Correct me if I'm wrong with the detail

704
00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:24,240
car. If if a officer is at a

705
00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:26,240
construction site, and I know a few of

706
00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:28,720
them in town, most of them use their own

707
00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:31,760
vehicles. So, why do we have a detail

708
00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:35,200
car if they're using their own vehicles?

709
00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:38,080
And are we paying for them to use their

710
00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:40,960
own vehicles?

711
00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:42,720
gas,

712
00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:45,440
etc., or we just paying them by the hour

713
00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,600
and they're

714
00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:49,520
>> Is that a financial question you can

715
00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:50,240
answer at least?

716
00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:52,480
>> I know we don't pay them for using their

717
00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:56,720
own vehicles. Um, I I can't answer why

718
00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:59,840
some details have a detailed car and

719
00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:01,440
some don't.

720
00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:03,360
>> Most of the question most of the details

721
00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:05,440
I see, and correct me if I'm wrong,

722
00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:08,960
people as their own vehicles.

723
00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:11,039
That's all I ever see. It could be. I

724
00:31:11,039 --> 00:31:13,279
know when it when the detail vehicle is

725
00:31:13,279 --> 00:31:16,240
used, the the construction or the people

726
00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:17,840
that have hired the town for that

727
00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:19,919
operation pay for the detail vehicle as

728
00:31:19,919 --> 00:31:22,640
well. So, it might just be an issue of

729
00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:24,320
they're willing to pay for that detail

730
00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:27,600
vehicle. Um, but I we don't have the the

731
00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:29,840
specifics as to whether or not why they

732
00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:31,440
would use their own vehicle during a

733
00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:34,159
detail. When that an officer is doing

734
00:31:34,159 --> 00:31:36,000
detail service, they're being paid

735
00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,320
directly by that operator of the

736
00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:39,919
construction. It's not out of our

737
00:31:39,919 --> 00:31:41,840
operating f budget.

738
00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:45,039
>> Thank you.

739
00:31:45,039 --> 00:31:46,880
>> So, I got a couple of questions. First

740
00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:48,159
on the cruiser.

741
00:31:48,159 --> 00:31:49,760
>> Yes. Could you reintroduce yourself?

742
00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:53,200
>> Scottski 149 Christian Lane. So, from my

743
00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:56,159
understanding is there's four cars down

744
00:31:56,159 --> 00:32:00,320
there and the chief has one, one of the

745
00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:02,640
full-time cops has the other one, and

746
00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:04,320
the other full-time cop has the other

747
00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:06,880
one. Why do we need all these cops

748
00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:08,880
having their own cruisers? We're not the

749
00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:10,399
state police.

750
00:32:10,399 --> 00:32:10,720
>> The

751
00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:13,039
>> when when I joined the force way back,

752
00:32:13,039 --> 00:32:15,919
we had two cars. Whoever was the onduty

753
00:32:15,919 --> 00:32:18,640
police officer, we used the same car. We

754
00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:20,640
took our bag out and the other guy went

755
00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:22,640
into it. Why does everybody get their

756
00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:24,159
own vehicle down there?

757
00:32:24,159 --> 00:32:25,760
>> So, the they don't have their own

758
00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:27,840
vehicle. Only the police chief has his

759
00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:29,679
own vehicle. The other two cruisers are

760
00:32:29,679 --> 00:32:31,679
for the the officers that are on duty,

761
00:32:31,679 --> 00:32:33,440
which may be a full-time officer or

762
00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:35,519
might be a part-time officer. There are

763
00:32:35,519 --> 00:32:37,600
part-time officers that do operate out

764
00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:38,320
of the department.

765
00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:39,919
>> Right. But the part-time officers don't

766
00:32:39,919 --> 00:32:42,080
work during the week. They work a Friday

767
00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:44,320
night or a Saturday or maybe a Sunday.

768
00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:46,240
>> Correct. But the cruisers we we don't

769
00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:49,919
need four cruisers for town of 1,600

770
00:32:49,919 --> 00:32:50,640
people.

771
00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:52,000
>> We only have three cruisers.

772
00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:53,679
>> Deerfield has that many cruisers.

773
00:32:53,679 --> 00:32:55,519
>> Yeah. We only have three cruisers in one

774
00:32:55,519 --> 00:32:57,600
detail. The detail vehicle is only ever

775
00:32:57,600 --> 00:32:58,480
used for detail.

776
00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:02,399
>> But but it's still four cars

777
00:33:02,399 --> 00:33:04,320
and we have to pay for fuel. was still

778
00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:05,840
maintaining four cars.

779
00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:06,240
>> Correct.

780
00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:07,360
>> The right

781
00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:09,600
>> sir, the purpose of your uh questioning

782
00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:12,960
is not to try to convince uh the town

783
00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:15,120
administrator to change his mind. He's

784
00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:16,399
simply asking the question

785
00:33:16,399 --> 00:33:18,240
>> relaying information. Correct.

786
00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:20,240
>> We want information like Bob asked a

787
00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:22,000
question. Why do we need four cars?

788
00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:24,399
>> Right. So, at this point,

789
00:33:24,399 --> 00:33:27,519
there isn't a different answer that the

790
00:33:27,519 --> 00:33:29,360
town administrator can give you than he

791
00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:32,000
already has provided. and the police

792
00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,039
chief has unwisely chosen to skip the

793
00:33:35,039 --> 00:33:35,519
meeting.

794
00:33:35,519 --> 00:33:37,360
>> He's sick

795
00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:39,600
perhaps because of illness apparently.

796
00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:42,960
Um you have options but if you wanted to

797
00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:45,519
pursue them an amendment would be

798
00:33:45,519 --> 00:33:47,679
required.

799
00:33:47,679 --> 00:33:50,240
>> If you the question now is having

800
00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:52,320
received the information is the answer

801
00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:54,480
to your question.

802
00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:58,159
Is there some desire to act upon it or

803
00:33:58,159 --> 00:34:01,039
to uh proceed with the motion as

804
00:34:01,039 --> 00:34:01,519
presented?

805
00:34:01,519 --> 00:34:03,600
>> Vote on each individual one separately.

806
00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:06,240
>> No sir. Right now we have an amendment

807
00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:09,280
to vote on regarding the South County

808
00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:11,359
Senior Center.

809
00:34:11,359 --> 00:34:13,760
>> At that point then

810
00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:16,480
>> we would proceed to the article as a

811
00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:19,440
whole or we would entertain amendments.

812
00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:22,399
>> So I can amend number five that we vote

813
00:34:22,399 --> 00:34:24,960
on that separately. You you certainly

814
00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:26,079
could. Okay.

815
00:34:26,079 --> 00:34:28,159
>> You would require a second. You would

816
00:34:28,159 --> 00:34:30,879
require you would require a motion in

817
00:34:30,879 --> 00:34:32,639
writing that you could present to the

818
00:34:32,639 --> 00:34:35,040
town clerk uh so that could be read to

819
00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:40,470
the whole town.

820
00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:42,240
Believe it or not, we do need something

821
00:34:42,240 --> 00:34:44,720
in writing that could be registered as

822
00:34:44,720 --> 00:34:46,639
the vote. I don't think it would be

823
00:34:46,639 --> 00:34:48,720
difficult if I anticipate what the

824
00:34:48,720 --> 00:34:50,720
amendment would be.

825
00:34:50,720 --> 00:34:53,200
Uh I can provide pen and paper if

826
00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:55,280
necessary. Thank you.

827
00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:58,640
>> All right. Um

828
00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:02,000
so first is there more discussion about

829
00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:05,119
any of the items on here

830
00:35:05,119 --> 00:35:07,920
>> 141 Westbrook Road. Can we table it,

831
00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:10,000
come up with the writing and bring the

832
00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:11,520
question back a little while and

833
00:35:11,520 --> 00:35:12,560
continue on

834
00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:16,390
>> the the

835
00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:19,760
we could table the article for later in

836
00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:23,440
the meeting. Um I would not want to

837
00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:27,119
defer that beyond the point the articles

838
00:35:27,119 --> 00:35:31,359
that involve other budget items which

839
00:35:31,359 --> 00:35:36,240
would be then article uh 23.

840
00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:38,000
If there's an amendment available by

841
00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:41,200
that time, we can entertain it, but

842
00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:44,400
after that, we'll be moving to bylaws

843
00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:46,960
votes. Thank you.

844
00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:49,280
All right. Are there any new points of

845
00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:52,320
discussion to be made or new questions

846
00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:55,119
that have not yet been proposed?

847
00:35:55,119 --> 00:35:57,520
>> Yeah. Um Jeff Smith, 303 Long Plane

848
00:35:57,520 --> 00:35:59,520
Road. Um I'm just curious in this

849
00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:01,280
conversations about the police cruisers.

850
00:36:01,280 --> 00:36:03,440
Is the detail cruiser something that the

851
00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:05,440
town's required to have? Is it something

852
00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:07,200
that we've just chosen to have? You

853
00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:09,680
know, is there any particular reason why

854
00:36:09,680 --> 00:36:13,280
the town would need a detail cruiser?

855
00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:15,839
>> The question is whether a detail cruiser

856
00:36:15,839 --> 00:36:18,640
is required.

857
00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:20,480
Um, is there anyone who can speak to

858
00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:22,880
that? I would note, however, that is not

859
00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:25,760
something we're voting on tonight. The

860
00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:29,520
vote for this article only concerns a

861
00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:32,720
new cruiser. Thank you,

862
00:36:32,720 --> 00:36:34,640
>> Harlon Bean. again don't have that.

863
00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:36,960
>> No, we don't have that information, but

864
00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:39,599
the vote tonight would not affect that

865
00:36:39,599 --> 00:36:44,320
in any way as far as uh unless they

866
00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:46,320
chose not to put one into detail.

867
00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:48,480
Anyway, I'm overstepping my bounds

868
00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:49,359
there. Sorry. I

869
00:36:49,359 --> 00:36:51,280
>> I probably am too, but Harlem Bean again

870
00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:55,040
on the same item on that number five in

871
00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:57,200
reading the of the article, each

872
00:36:57,200 --> 00:36:59,119
numbered item is to be considered a

873
00:36:59,119 --> 00:37:00,960
separate appropriation.

874
00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:04,079
>> That's correct. which I don't believe we

875
00:37:04,079 --> 00:37:07,200
need an amendment. If I make a motion to

876
00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:11,359
have number five removed from this

877
00:37:11,359 --> 00:37:13,440
article question,

878
00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:16,480
>> that would be amending the article. So,

879
00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:18,640
>> well then how are we supposed to take

880
00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:20,960
each one considered as a separate

881
00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:24,560
appropriation but require an amendment?

882
00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:28,079
>> It's the process would be as follows.

883
00:37:28,079 --> 00:37:30,720
you would make an amendment to remove

884
00:37:30,720 --> 00:37:35,200
article item five from article 18 and

885
00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:37,680
there would be a vote on that or you

886
00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:40,079
could make a motion to change the dollar

887
00:37:40,079 --> 00:37:45,359
amount uh for that um the without an

888
00:37:45,359 --> 00:37:47,599
amendment

889
00:37:47,599 --> 00:37:48,640
>> that's the amendment

890
00:37:48,640 --> 00:37:50,880
>> it would be an amendment

891
00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:54,480
>> okay all right well then I make a motion

892
00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:57,040
to have an art have an amendment on this

893
00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:01,440
article to have number five removed.

894
00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:04,320
>> Okay, that article that motion has been

895
00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:07,839
made. Is there a second?

896
00:38:07,839 --> 00:38:10,160
>> Okay. Um already

897
00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:13,040
>> moderator on the procedure.

898
00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:15,440
>> Do since it is not an amendment to the

899
00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:16,640
amendment,

900
00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:18,400
>> do we need to consider the first

901
00:38:18,400 --> 00:38:21,200
amendment first and then this amendment

902
00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:23,040
to the main article?

903
00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:24,720
>> Actually, no. We have to consider the

904
00:38:24,720 --> 00:38:28,000
motion to table it first.

905
00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:29,599
um which uh

906
00:38:29,599 --> 00:38:31,440
>> I'm going to sit while you amend your

907
00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:34,000
>> had a second.

908
00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:36,240
>> I'm glad that you are so amendable to

909
00:38:36,240 --> 00:38:38,160
that procedure.

910
00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:40,640
>> Thank you. Um

911
00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:43,680
the article to table this until such

912
00:38:43,680 --> 00:38:46,640
time as a written

913
00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:48,960
statement of what has been put forward

914
00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:51,040
is available

915
00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:57,670
um requires um a twothirds vote.

916
00:38:57,680 --> 00:38:59,200
It wasn't

917
00:38:59,200 --> 00:39:01,200
>> uh the moderator remembers it being

918
00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:02,160
seconded.

919
00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:04,560
>> Oh, but I'll go back to my pre the

920
00:39:04,560 --> 00:39:06,960
current discussion on the floor is on

921
00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:08,800
the amendment, not on

922
00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:10,320
>> the lens amendment.

923
00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:13,680
>> The motion to table proceeds.

924
00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:16,800
>> No, the is Lynn's amendment is on the

925
00:39:16,800 --> 00:39:19,040
floor is what is being discussed at the

926
00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:20,079
moment.

927
00:39:20,079 --> 00:39:22,560
>> Okay, you are correct. Nevertheless,

928
00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:24,960
there has been a motion to table this

929
00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:25,359
and that.

930
00:39:25,359 --> 00:39:26,880
>> Well, but the motion would have to be to

931
00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:28,960
table that amendment at this point.

932
00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:32,640
>> Actually, no, they can table the whole

933
00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:33,599
darn thing.

934
00:39:33,599 --> 00:39:35,119
>> Okay.

935
00:39:35,119 --> 00:39:38,400
>> And then we can come back and vote on

936
00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:41,040
the amendments of which there are now or

937
00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:43,760
soon will be two. All right. This is

938
00:39:43,760 --> 00:39:46,960
more fun than I anticipated. All right.

939
00:39:46,960 --> 00:39:48,480
Um

940
00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:52,160
all those in favor of tableabling this

941
00:39:52,160 --> 00:39:55,040
article till later in this same

942
00:39:55,040 --> 00:39:56,640
presentation

943
00:39:56,640 --> 00:39:58,960
raise your card.

944
00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:01,119
All those opposed.

945
00:40:01,119 --> 00:40:03,280
Okay. The motion does not to table does

946
00:40:03,280 --> 00:40:08,320
not carry. Uh we then as uh selectman

947
00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:12,000
Baron has uh pointed out need to proceed

948
00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:14,880
to the original amendment regarding the

949
00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:17,839
south

950
00:40:17,839 --> 00:40:20,720
It was about

951
00:40:20,720 --> 00:40:24,079
it was twothirds. There were more

952
00:40:24,079 --> 00:40:26,079
opposed than in favor and I conclude

953
00:40:26,079 --> 00:40:29,200
that therefore it did not reach 2/3. I

954
00:40:29,200 --> 00:40:31,440
think I saw three people in favor of

955
00:40:31,440 --> 00:40:35,040
tableabling but it could have been four.

956
00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:37,200
Nonetheless, there is no mathematical

957
00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:39,520
possibility that that could have passed

958
00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:42,320
on the votes that were present. Uh and

959
00:40:42,320 --> 00:40:45,760
so I will deem that to have uh sufficed.

960
00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:50,079
All right. Um that means we now want to

961
00:40:50,079 --> 00:40:53,440
vote on the amendment

962
00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:57,040
proposed regarding capital project 6

963
00:40:57,040 --> 00:41:00,000
removal for the South County Senior

964
00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:03,430
Center.

965
00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:05,280
What? No, that's already here. It's

966
00:41:05,280 --> 00:41:07,599
already been made. It was made at the

967
00:41:07,599 --> 00:41:11,760
introduction of Lynn's presentation.

968
00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:14,720
Okay. Is there further discussion

969
00:41:14,720 --> 00:41:16,960
regarding that amendment regarding

970
00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:20,319
removal of article six which illustrates

971
00:41:20,319 --> 00:41:22,720
how you would do it for article 5? Thank

972
00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:26,480
you. If not then all those in favor of

973
00:41:26,480 --> 00:41:28,000
removing

974
00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:31,119
item six from article 18 please raise

975
00:41:31,119 --> 00:41:35,200
your card. All those opposed bravo. All

976
00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:38,800
right. We are now uh graduates of

977
00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:42,880
parliamentary procedure 101. Um there is

978
00:41:42,880 --> 00:41:45,520
a motion which I believe has been

979
00:41:45,520 --> 00:41:47,920
written down by this time.

980
00:41:47,920 --> 00:41:50,400
>> I have not received a motion.

981
00:41:50,400 --> 00:41:54,720
>> Could we have you please step up submit

982
00:41:54,720 --> 00:41:58,480
a written motion to remove article five?

983
00:41:58,480 --> 00:42:00,000
At the same time, guys,

984
00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:01,920
>> my motion was to have

985
00:42:01,920 --> 00:42:04,880
>> item number five removed from article

986
00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:05,599
18.

987
00:42:05,599 --> 00:42:06,720
>> All right.

988
00:42:06,720 --> 00:42:08,720
>> I am supportive of our police department

989
00:42:08,720 --> 00:42:11,280
very much so not

990
00:42:11,280 --> 00:42:14,480
>> all right. Um I have written this down

991
00:42:14,480 --> 00:42:16,240
and I will accept it. Thank you.

992
00:42:16,240 --> 00:42:17,520
>> Okay. Thank you.

993
00:42:17,520 --> 00:42:19,040
>> Okay.

994
00:42:19,040 --> 00:42:22,400
Um therefore

995
00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:25,200
there is now an amendment to remove item

996
00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:28,720
five from article 18.

997
00:42:28,720 --> 00:42:31,839
Is there any further discussion or

998
00:42:31,839 --> 00:42:34,720
questions regarding that?

999
00:42:34,720 --> 00:42:36,560
Okay. The same

1000
00:42:36,560 --> 00:42:37,200
>> one.

1001
00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:38,560
>> Yes. Discussion please.

1002
00:42:38,560 --> 00:42:42,000
>> Yeah. Um,

1003
00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:44,480
so far most people have spoken um

1004
00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:47,200
against uh putting funds towards a new

1005
00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:50,800
police cruiser. Um, the reason why it's

1006
00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:53,839
in there and that every roughly 3 years

1007
00:42:53,839 --> 00:42:56,480
we get a new cruiser is because they get

1008
00:42:56,480 --> 00:43:00,240
used. They get used a lot. Um, the that

1009
00:43:00,240 --> 00:43:03,280
means the cruisers we have now are

1010
00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:07,040
respectively 3, 6, 9, and 12 years old.

1011
00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:09,760
That 12-year-old car, if it were just

1012
00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:11,359
being used by a little old lady going to

1013
00:43:11,359 --> 00:43:14,800
church every week, would be fine,

1014
00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:17,520
but it's not reliable enough to be a

1015
00:43:17,520 --> 00:43:20,319
cruiser that someone can rely on. U this

1016
00:43:20,319 --> 00:43:24,230
is basically

1017
00:43:24,240 --> 00:43:27,839
a way to assure our police have good

1018
00:43:27,839 --> 00:43:30,960
equipment. Um, I know it might seem like

1019
00:43:30,960 --> 00:43:34,400
having three vehicles for uh three

1020
00:43:34,400 --> 00:43:37,280
person plus halftime or part-time people

1021
00:43:37,280 --> 00:43:41,680
is too much, but that 9-year-old vehicle

1022
00:43:41,680 --> 00:43:43,280
gets he needs to get repaired every so

1023
00:43:43,280 --> 00:43:47,040
often. And uh we same thing for the

1024
00:43:47,040 --> 00:43:50,480
six-year-old and the three-year-old. So,

1025
00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:55,920
this is just a way of making sure we

1026
00:43:55,920 --> 00:43:58,640
have the good equipment and when things

1027
00:43:58,640 --> 00:44:00,079
need to go in for repair, there's a

1028
00:44:00,079 --> 00:44:02,880
substitute car to be used and it means

1029
00:44:02,880 --> 00:44:05,200
we still are able to put police out on

1030
00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:10,720
our streets when we need to. So,

1031
00:44:10,720 --> 00:44:13,119
>> are there any additional uh points of

1032
00:44:13,119 --> 00:44:22,390
discussion? Yes, please.

1033
00:44:22,400 --> 00:44:24,720
Ladies, gentlemen, thank you. Uh, Rich

1034
00:44:24,720 --> 00:44:27,040
Corpsi, 19 State Road. One of the things

1035
00:44:27,040 --> 00:44:29,359
I did want to bring

1036
00:44:29,359 --> 00:44:32,160
in to the conversation is conversation

1037
00:44:32,160 --> 00:44:36,640
with Chief Savine some time ago um many

1038
00:44:36,640 --> 00:44:38,960
years ago at this point. The detailed

1039
00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:41,280
vehicle, if I recall correctly, was an

1040
00:44:41,280 --> 00:44:43,119
electric vehicle. And the reason why it

1041
00:44:43,119 --> 00:44:46,160
was an electric vehicle because taking a

1042
00:44:46,160 --> 00:44:48,480
regular vehicle and and let it idle so

1043
00:44:48,480 --> 00:44:51,680
the lights could stay on caused a great

1044
00:44:51,680 --> 00:44:53,680
deal more wear and tear on on a

1045
00:44:53,680 --> 00:44:55,520
motorized vehicle than an electric

1046
00:44:55,520 --> 00:44:58,000
vehicle. And so the detail vehicle was

1047
00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:00,800
used for that. Now whether we need it or

1048
00:45:00,800 --> 00:45:02,640
not is not for me to just make that

1049
00:45:02,640 --> 00:45:04,720
decision. I don't know how much we use

1050
00:45:04,720 --> 00:45:06,800
it, but that is part of the

1051
00:45:06,800 --> 00:45:08,400
conversation.

1052
00:45:08,400 --> 00:45:09,440
Um

1053
00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:12,000
>> Okay. Thank you, Rich. But the detail

1054
00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:14,160
vehicle is not being voted on.

1055
00:45:14,160 --> 00:45:16,000
>> I understand, but it it seems to be a

1056
00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:18,000
voice of contention that we have we

1057
00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:19,920
we're asking for another vehicle and

1058
00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:22,640
we're trying to justify why we have so

1059
00:45:22,640 --> 00:45:23,119
many.

1060
00:45:23,119 --> 00:45:23,440
>> All right.

1061
00:45:23,440 --> 00:45:25,040
>> And I understand that.

1062
00:45:25,040 --> 00:45:27,680
>> And and may I ask you to clarify then

1063
00:45:27,680 --> 00:45:29,760
therefore whether you were in favor or

1064
00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:32,240
against removing item what the

1065
00:45:32,240 --> 00:45:36,079
conclusion is. Okay. Thank you.

1066
00:45:36,079 --> 00:45:41,030
>> Any more in favor or against?

1067
00:45:41,040 --> 00:45:44,560
All right. In that case then uh the

1068
00:45:44,560 --> 00:45:47,359
current amendment is regarding item five

1069
00:45:47,359 --> 00:45:50,720
and the proposal the motion is to remove

1070
00:45:50,720 --> 00:45:54,160
item five from article 18 as it has been

1071
00:45:54,160 --> 00:45:58,960
amended so far. Okay. Um it requires a

1072
00:45:58,960 --> 00:46:01,440
majority vote and this time I'd actually

1073
00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:04,880
like to have uh counters.

1074
00:46:04,880 --> 00:46:07,839
So, uh, I would like to have two

1075
00:46:07,839 --> 00:46:10,720
volunteers, please. Uh, and I would like

1076
00:46:10,720 --> 00:46:13,920
those volunteers to be Brent and Lyn.

1077
00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:18,390
>> Me.

1078
00:46:18,400 --> 00:46:20,720
» That's right.

1079
00:46:20,720 --> 00:46:22,880
>> Yeah. You pick which side you prefer.

1080
00:46:22,880 --> 00:46:24,160
>> This side.

1081
00:46:24,160 --> 00:46:25,680
>> Okay.

1082
00:46:25,680 --> 00:46:27,200
All right.

1083
00:46:27,200 --> 00:46:28,960
>> In this case, then, I hope you've had a

1084
00:46:28,960 --> 00:46:30,800
good long rest and you're ready to raise

1085
00:46:30,800 --> 00:46:34,400
your card until I tell you to lower it.

1086
00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:36,960
All those in favor of removing article

1087
00:46:36,960 --> 00:46:40,160
item five from article 18, please raise

1088
00:46:40,160 --> 00:46:59,190
your card.

1089
00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:00,000
» Yeah.

1090
00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:02,960
Everybody to my left.

1091
00:47:02,960 --> 00:47:07,680
>> Okay.

1092
00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:09,599
>> you have 10.

1093
00:47:09,599 --> 00:47:13,440
You have 15 for a total of 25 in favor.

1094
00:47:13,440 --> 00:47:37,670
All those opposed.

1095
00:47:37,680 --> 00:47:39,599
And there's votes behind you again as

1096
00:47:39,599 --> 00:47:40,880
well.

1097
00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:42,560
>> 17

1098
00:47:42,560 --> 00:47:48,319
>> 23 All right. That means it is 25 in

1099
00:47:48,319 --> 00:47:51,119
favor, 40 opposed, and the amendment

1100
00:47:51,119 --> 00:47:55,760
does not pass. Um, we are now voting on

1101
00:47:55,760 --> 00:47:59,359
article 18 as amended,

1102
00:47:59,359 --> 00:48:02,319
meaning the item six has been removed

1103
00:48:02,319 --> 00:48:06,400
and item five remains as do one through

1104
00:48:06,400 --> 00:48:08,640
four

1105
00:48:08,640 --> 00:48:14,319
>> and seven All right. Sorry, didn't uh

1106
00:48:14,319 --> 00:48:16,000
Mr. Superintendent, I did not mean to

1107
00:48:16,000 --> 00:48:17,680
pull the rug out from underneath you

1108
00:48:17,680 --> 00:48:20,560
there on the hallway carpet replacement.

1109
00:48:20,560 --> 00:48:22,079
Okay. Uh

1110
00:48:22,079 --> 00:48:26,150
>> oh. Please.

1111
00:48:26,160 --> 00:48:29,430
» All right.

1112
00:48:29,440 --> 00:48:33,520
I'm here all night. Okay.

1113
00:48:33,520 --> 00:48:36,800
All those in favor of article 18 as it

1114
00:48:36,800 --> 00:48:42,390
now stands. Uh please raise your card.

1115
00:48:42,400 --> 00:48:45,040
All those opposed.

1116
00:48:45,040 --> 00:48:49,520
The article 18 as amended passes by the

1117
00:48:49,520 --> 00:48:52,079
majority required including twothirds

1118
00:48:52,079 --> 00:48:54,880
for borrowing.

1119
00:48:54,880 --> 00:48:57,280
Mr. moderator, I move that the town

1120
00:48:57,280 --> 00:49:00,559
return the following unexpended sums

1121
00:49:00,559 --> 00:49:05,670
totaling $6,339.83

1122
00:49:05,680 --> 00:49:07,520
to their respective community

1123
00:49:07,520 --> 00:49:10,480
preservation fund accounts. the chart as

1124
00:49:10,480 --> 00:49:14,160
shown on page

1125
00:49:14,160 --> 00:49:18,150
13 of your warrant.

1126
00:49:18,160 --> 00:49:20,720
» All right. Is there a second? Thank you.

1127
00:49:20,720 --> 00:49:22,400
There's a

1128
00:49:22,400 --> 00:49:24,400
>> Yeah, a double second. All right.

1129
00:49:24,400 --> 00:49:27,040
Article 19 has been read and double

1130
00:49:27,040 --> 00:49:30,480
seconded. All those Sorry. Are are there

1131
00:49:30,480 --> 00:49:33,510
questions,

1132
00:49:33,520 --> 00:49:37,990
points of discussion?

1133
00:49:38,000 --> 00:49:40,480
If not, we will proceed to a vote. All

1134
00:49:40,480 --> 00:49:44,480
those in favor, please raise your card.

1135
00:49:44,480 --> 00:49:47,839
All those opposed. Article 19 passes by

1136
00:49:47,839 --> 00:49:50,480
the majority required.

1137
00:49:50,480 --> 00:49:52,240
Article 20, please.

1138
00:49:52,240 --> 00:49:54,559
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town hear

1139
00:49:54,559 --> 00:49:56,559
and act on the report of the community

1140
00:49:56,559 --> 00:49:58,640
preservation committee for the fiscal

1141
00:49:58,640 --> 00:50:02,800
year 2027 community preservation budget

1142
00:50:02,800 --> 00:50:05,040
and vote to appropriate from the

1143
00:50:05,040 --> 00:50:07,680
community preservation fund the sum of

1144
00:50:07,680 --> 00:50:09,920
$11,400

1145
00:50:09,920 --> 00:50:12,240
for committee administrative expense for

1146
00:50:12,240 --> 00:50:16,079
the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 2026

1147
00:50:16,079 --> 00:50:19,599
and to reserve for future appropriations

1148
00:50:19,599 --> 00:50:21,680
the amounts recommended by the community

1149
00:50:21,680 --> 00:50:24,160
preservation committee with each item to

1150
00:50:24,160 --> 00:50:26,800
be considered a separate appropriation

1151
00:50:26,800 --> 00:50:29,520
as follows

1152
00:50:29,520 --> 00:50:30,960
in your pamphlet.

1153
00:50:30,960 --> 00:50:32,240
>> Second.

1154
00:50:32,240 --> 00:50:35,280
>> All right. Article 20 has been read and

1155
00:50:35,280 --> 00:50:37,760
seconded.

1156
00:50:37,760 --> 00:50:40,319
It requires a majority vote. Are there

1157
00:50:40,319 --> 00:50:42,800
questions,

1158
00:50:42,800 --> 00:50:45,599
discussion?

1159
00:50:45,599 --> 00:50:49,040
If not, we proceed to a vote. Article

1160
00:50:49,040 --> 00:50:50,800
20. If you're in favor, please raise

1161
00:50:50,800 --> 00:50:53,829
your card.

1162
00:50:53,839 --> 00:50:55,680
All opposed.

1163
00:50:55,680 --> 00:50:58,160
Article 20 passes by the amount

1164
00:50:58,160 --> 00:51:00,800
required, the majority required. Mr.

1165
00:51:00,800 --> 00:51:02,559
Moderator, I move that the town vote

1166
00:51:02,559 --> 00:51:05,760
pursuant to general law chapter 44B to

1167
00:51:05,760 --> 00:51:07,440
appropriate and transfer the sum of

1168
00:51:07,440 --> 00:51:09,200
$8,100

1169
00:51:09,200 --> 00:51:11,359
from the community preservation fund

1170
00:51:11,359 --> 00:51:14,000
open space and recreation reserve to

1171
00:51:14,000 --> 00:51:15,839
fund the local share of the cost of

1172
00:51:15,839 --> 00:51:18,000
acquiring an agricultural preservation

1173
00:51:18,000 --> 00:51:21,760
restriction on 22.3 acres of land off

1174
00:51:21,760 --> 00:51:22,640
state road.

1175
00:51:22,640 --> 00:51:23,599
>> Second.

1176
00:51:23,599 --> 00:51:25,920
>> All right. Article 21 has been moved and

1177
00:51:25,920 --> 00:51:34,309
second and is now open for discussion.

1178
00:51:34,319 --> 00:51:36,880
Seeing none, all those in favor, please

1179
00:51:36,880 --> 00:51:39,760
raise your card.

1180
00:51:39,760 --> 00:51:44,160
All those opposed. Article 21 passes by

1181
00:51:44,160 --> 00:51:46,800
the majority required.

1182
00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:49,440
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

1183
00:51:49,440 --> 00:51:53,280
pursuant to general law chapter 44B to

1184
00:51:53,280 --> 00:51:55,920
appropriate and transfer the sum of

1185
00:51:55,920 --> 00:51:59,030
$11,750

1186
00:51:59,040 --> 00:52:01,280
from the community preservation fund

1187
00:52:01,280 --> 00:52:04,400
open space and recreation reserve to

1188
00:52:04,400 --> 00:52:06,720
fund the local share of the cost of

1189
00:52:06,720 --> 00:52:09,680
acquiring an agricultural preservation

1190
00:52:09,680 --> 00:52:13,040
restriction on 31 acres of land behind

1191
00:52:13,040 --> 00:52:17,760
the house at 261 River road second.

1192
00:52:17,760 --> 00:52:20,720
>> Article 22 has been moved and seconded.

1193
00:52:20,720 --> 00:52:24,790
Is there any discussion?

1194
00:52:24,800 --> 00:52:26,400
Questions?

1195
00:52:26,400 --> 00:52:28,240
If not, let's proceed. Seeing none,

1196
00:52:28,240 --> 00:52:31,440
let's proceed to a vote. Article 22, if

1197
00:52:31,440 --> 00:52:34,720
you're in favor, please raise your card.

1198
00:52:34,720 --> 00:52:37,920
All those opposed. Article 22 has passed

1199
00:52:37,920 --> 00:52:41,599
by the majority required.

1200
00:52:41,599 --> 00:52:43,920
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

1201
00:52:43,920 --> 00:52:46,400
pursuant to general law 44B to

1202
00:52:46,400 --> 00:52:48,240
appropriate and transfer the sum of

1203
00:52:48,240 --> 00:52:50,720
$23,866

1204
00:52:50,720 --> 00:52:53,119
from the Community Preservation Fund

1205
00:52:53,119 --> 00:52:56,559
Open Space and Recreation Reserve and

1206
00:52:56,559 --> 00:53:00,309
$96,42651

1207
00:53:00,319 --> 00:53:09,990
from the Community Preservation Fund balance for a total of $120,29251

1208
00:53:10,000 --> 00:53:12,400
for to fund the rehabilit ation of the

1209
00:53:12,400 --> 00:53:14,400
playground at the Wheatley Elementary

1210
00:53:14,400 --> 00:53:15,119
School.

1211
00:53:15,119 --> 00:53:17,920
>> Second.

1212
00:53:17,920 --> 00:53:20,319
>> All right. Article 23 has been moved and

1213
00:53:20,319 --> 00:53:22,800
seconded.

1214
00:53:22,800 --> 00:53:26,000
Is there any discussion?

1215
00:53:26,000 --> 00:53:32,069
Yes, please.

1216
00:53:32,079 --> 00:53:36,640
Hi, Brad Bean, 91 Weber Road. Um,

1217
00:53:36,640 --> 00:53:39,359
I'm just wondering exactly what these

1218
00:53:39,359 --> 00:53:41,200
funds will be used for on the

1219
00:53:41,200 --> 00:53:44,559
playground. Um, I've been over there

1220
00:53:44,559 --> 00:53:46,160
multiple times. I have kids in the

1221
00:53:46,160 --> 00:53:49,680
school. Um, so I'd be in favor of a

1222
00:53:49,680 --> 00:53:51,119
great playground, but I think it already

1223
00:53:51,119 --> 00:53:53,520
is a great playground. So, I'd just like

1224
00:53:53,520 --> 00:53:55,440
an answer on what these funds would be

1225
00:53:55,440 --> 00:53:56,000
used for.

1226
00:53:56,000 --> 00:53:57,760
>> Is there anyone here from the school who

1227
00:53:57,760 --> 00:54:01,280
could speak to the uh rehabilitation

1228
00:54:01,280 --> 00:54:03,200
plans

1229
00:54:03,200 --> 00:54:05,359
here?

1230
00:54:05,359 --> 00:54:09,670
What?

1231
00:54:09,680 --> 00:54:11,200
» Hi, I'm Chrissy Cirten. I'm the

1232
00:54:11,200 --> 00:54:12,640
principal. Unfortunately, I don't have a

1233
00:54:12,640 --> 00:54:13,599
weightly address.

1234
00:54:13,599 --> 00:54:13,920
>> Okay.

1235
00:54:13,920 --> 00:54:16,000
>> Um, but I'm here with someone who does.

1236
00:54:16,000 --> 00:54:17,119
>> All right. Thank you.

1237
00:54:17,119 --> 00:54:20,720
>> Coic 21 Laura Mountain Road.

1238
00:54:20,720 --> 00:54:22,240
Uh,

1239
00:54:22,240 --> 00:54:23,839
Brad. So,

1240
00:54:23,839 --> 00:54:27,440
>> the moderator approves uh your speaking

1241
00:54:27,440 --> 00:54:28,400
at this meeting.

1242
00:54:28,400 --> 00:54:30,240
>> Thank you. Uh, we have a number of

1243
00:54:30,240 --> 00:54:31,760
things that we're looking to do. We're

1244
00:54:31,760 --> 00:54:34,160
keeping the main playground. Uh we're

1245
00:54:34,160 --> 00:54:36,240
looking to replace a swing set which is

1246
00:54:36,240 --> 00:54:38,000
rusting and has a little bit of damage

1247
00:54:38,000 --> 00:54:41,440
to it. We're looking to add um a

1248
00:54:41,440 --> 00:54:44,559
climbing dome to replace our existing

1249
00:54:44,559 --> 00:54:47,040
dome that would be safer for kids. If

1250
00:54:47,040 --> 00:54:48,640
there was an emergency with this dome,

1251
00:54:48,640 --> 00:54:49,920
we wouldn't easily be able to get

1252
00:54:49,920 --> 00:54:52,880
someone out. Uh we are adding something

1253
00:54:52,880 --> 00:54:55,920
for preschool children.

1254
00:54:55,920 --> 00:54:58,480
Um we're taking off a part of the

1255
00:54:58,480 --> 00:55:01,280
existing structure. Um, do you want

1256
00:55:01,280 --> 00:55:11,190
specifics?

1257
00:55:11,200 --> 00:55:13,839
» It is. It's It's just a crazy amount.

1258
00:55:13,839 --> 00:55:15,760
That's the swing set on its own costs

1259
00:55:15,760 --> 00:55:18,960
$17,000 to replace what we have now.

1260
00:55:18,960 --> 00:55:21,440
We're not doing anything different.

1261
00:55:21,440 --> 00:55:24,319
We're we're getting more fun swings, but

1262
00:55:24,319 --> 00:55:26,480
otherwise that's just

1263
00:55:26,480 --> 00:55:29,119
>> Okay. So an extended discussion would

1264
00:55:29,119 --> 00:55:31,280
require you to speak back up to the

1265
00:55:31,280 --> 00:55:34,079
microphone please. Um but if I can

1266
00:55:34,079 --> 00:55:38,960
summarize here so far um the comment was

1267
00:55:38,960 --> 00:55:42,000
that uh what Colette has answered the

1268
00:55:42,000 --> 00:55:44,000
questions as to what it was going to be

1269
00:55:44,000 --> 00:55:46,960
Colette right was going what the money

1270
00:55:46,960 --> 00:55:49,920
is going towards and and and the

1271
00:55:49,920 --> 00:55:52,799
response was uh that uh they now

1272
00:55:52,799 --> 00:55:56,559
understand what it's going for uh and

1273
00:55:56,559 --> 00:55:59,599
laments that it's so expensive.

1274
00:55:59,599 --> 00:56:01,680
Okay, is that a fair summary? Okay,

1275
00:56:01,680 --> 00:56:05,839
great. Um, is there the we have the

1276
00:56:05,839 --> 00:56:07,839
option if we like to hear from the

1277
00:56:07,839 --> 00:56:10,480
principal herself? Uh, does the

1278
00:56:10,480 --> 00:56:13,680
principal feel a need to do that?

1279
00:56:13,680 --> 00:56:15,280
>> I think she covered it. I will just say

1280
00:56:15,280 --> 00:56:17,200
that um when we started looking into

1281
00:56:17,200 --> 00:56:18,640
this, actually the first time I looked

1282
00:56:18,640 --> 00:56:20,480
into it was precoid and then everything

1283
00:56:20,480 --> 00:56:22,640
went crazy. Um, there's quite a bit of

1284
00:56:22,640 --> 00:56:24,240
sticker shock when you look at how much

1285
00:56:24,240 --> 00:56:27,359
each piece of equipment costs. So, it's

1286
00:56:27,359 --> 00:56:29,200
sounds like a lot of money and it is a

1287
00:56:29,200 --> 00:56:31,440
lot of money. Um, but that is the cost

1288
00:56:31,440 --> 00:56:33,200
of maintaining our playground and we

1289
00:56:33,200 --> 00:56:35,280
want it to continue to be a safe place

1290
00:56:35,280 --> 00:56:38,079
for for our students and the community

1291
00:56:38,079 --> 00:56:41,200
at large to enjoy. And I think my boss

1292
00:56:41,200 --> 00:56:43,680
might have something to say.

1293
00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:45,119
>> Yeah. Darius Modesi, your

1294
00:56:45,119 --> 00:56:46,799
superintendent. The other important

1295
00:56:46,799 --> 00:56:47,839
thing is that we're going at this

1296
00:56:47,839 --> 00:56:50,160
through CPA funds, which is, I think, a

1297
00:56:50,160 --> 00:56:51,520
really smart move by the town. We could

1298
00:56:51,520 --> 00:56:53,200
have put this forward on a warrant and

1299
00:56:53,200 --> 00:56:54,880
just basically gone after free cash to

1300
00:56:54,880 --> 00:56:56,559
do this rehabilitation um of the

1301
00:56:56,559 --> 00:56:58,240
playground, but if we use CPA funds,

1302
00:56:58,240 --> 00:56:59,920
you're getting state reimbursement to a

1303
00:56:59,920 --> 00:57:01,359
certain percentage on that. So, it's

1304
00:57:01,359 --> 00:57:03,200
kind of a smarter avenue to get this

1305
00:57:03,200 --> 00:57:04,960
kind of done. You can't do it with every

1306
00:57:04,960 --> 00:57:06,400
building project, but you are able to do

1307
00:57:06,400 --> 00:57:08,559
it with recreation. This is the only

1308
00:57:08,559 --> 00:57:11,599
small um little person recreation place

1309
00:57:11,599 --> 00:57:13,680
in town. People do use it on the

1310
00:57:13,680 --> 00:57:15,839
weekends. You know, we use it 180 days

1311
00:57:15,839 --> 00:57:17,680
during the school year. So, just putting

1312
00:57:17,680 --> 00:57:19,040
that kind of put in there. It's a smart

1313
00:57:19,040 --> 00:57:20,960
way of using money through CPA. um

1314
00:57:20,960 --> 00:57:22,480
you're getting more bang for your buck.

1315
00:57:22,480 --> 00:57:24,720
Just want to put that out there.

1316
00:57:24,720 --> 00:57:26,880
>> Thank you. Please. Thank you. Are there

1317
00:57:26,880 --> 00:57:29,200
any other questions or discussion points

1318
00:57:29,200 --> 00:57:31,920
to be made? Uh yes, sir. And then and

1319
00:57:31,920 --> 00:57:32,720
ma'am,

1320
00:57:32,720 --> 00:57:34,559
>> um Jeff Smith, 303 Long Plane Road

1321
00:57:34,559 --> 00:57:36,559
again. Um I would just want to make a

1322
00:57:36,559 --> 00:57:38,160
general comment that I think that this

1323
00:57:38,160 --> 00:57:39,839
is great that we're voting on it. Um

1324
00:57:39,839 --> 00:57:41,040
Brad, I know that you're going through

1325
00:57:41,040 --> 00:57:42,400
the same thing. My daughter's about to

1326
00:57:42,400 --> 00:57:44,480
start kindergarten next year and it's

1327
00:57:44,480 --> 00:57:46,160
kind of weird that I'm pushing her on

1328
00:57:46,160 --> 00:57:48,480
the swings that I definitely was on when

1329
00:57:48,480 --> 00:57:50,559
I went here. So, I'm glad to hear that.

1330
00:57:50,559 --> 00:57:53,040
I'm curious though, a question um about

1331
00:57:53,040 --> 00:57:54,799
what's being redone is I'm hoping maybe

1332
00:57:54,799 --> 00:57:56,319
the basketball court is also being

1333
00:57:56,319 --> 00:57:57,920
looked at too along with this. I know

1334
00:57:57,920 --> 00:58:00,640
that's probably maybe a wish pipe dream

1335
00:58:00,640 --> 00:58:02,240
of mine, but I would also like to vote

1336
00:58:02,240 --> 00:58:04,240
or vocalize that I hope that that's also

1337
00:58:04,240 --> 00:58:06,400
considered at this and curious if it was

1338
00:58:06,400 --> 00:58:08,319
and if not just something that I would

1339
00:58:08,319 --> 00:58:10,079
like to know and maybe pursue further

1340
00:58:10,079 --> 00:58:11,359
along down the line.

1341
00:58:11,359 --> 00:58:13,440
>> Is there someone could could clarify

1342
00:58:13,440 --> 00:58:15,119
whether the basketball court is included

1343
00:58:15,119 --> 00:58:18,480
in this particular appropriation?

1344
00:58:18,480 --> 00:58:19,520
It is not

1345
00:58:19,520 --> 00:58:20,000
>> okay,

1346
00:58:20,000 --> 00:58:21,119
>> but it is something we can look at in

1347
00:58:21,119 --> 00:58:22,960
the future. Again, redoing a basketball

1348
00:58:22,960 --> 00:58:24,559
court is not too expensive when you

1349
00:58:24,559 --> 00:58:26,319
compare it to what these numbers are.

1350
00:58:26,319 --> 00:58:27,680
>> All right, we would have to take it up

1351
00:58:27,680 --> 00:58:30,960
on the rebound. Thank you.

1352
00:58:30,960 --> 00:58:33,440
>> Oh, just just trying to move things

1353
00:58:33,440 --> 00:58:35,839
along here, right?

1354
00:58:35,839 --> 00:58:38,640
Okay, some of you are already dribbling

1355
00:58:38,640 --> 00:58:41,040
off of the corner. Okay, please go

1356
00:58:41,040 --> 00:58:42,400
ahead.

1357
00:58:42,400 --> 00:58:44,480
Hi, my name is Lisa Moore and I'm at 73

1358
00:58:44,480 --> 00:58:46,240
Chestnut Plane Road and I'm just curious

1359
00:58:46,240 --> 00:58:48,480
in regards to this number, are these

1360
00:58:48,480 --> 00:58:50,960
things that have to all be done at once

1361
00:58:50,960 --> 00:58:55,839
or are we able to do them in sections or

1362
00:58:55,839 --> 00:58:58,799
pieces and portions as far as what is

1363
00:58:58,799 --> 00:59:02,000
important in regards to safety compared

1364
00:59:02,000 --> 00:59:04,079
to wants

1365
00:59:04,079 --> 00:59:06,880
I should say needs compared to wants.

1366
00:59:06,880 --> 00:59:09,359
All right, I will take the moderator

1367
00:59:09,359 --> 00:59:11,680
privilege to say what we are doing is

1368
00:59:11,680 --> 00:59:13,920
appropriating the money and then it

1369
00:59:13,920 --> 00:59:15,920
would be up to the schools to manage the

1370
00:59:15,920 --> 00:59:19,680
implementation of the project.

1371
00:59:19,680 --> 00:59:22,799
Okay. Uh in that case then more

1372
00:59:22,799 --> 00:59:27,109
questions. Yes,

1373
00:59:27,119 --> 00:59:29,359
» this is a comment not a question. Okay.

1374
00:59:29,359 --> 00:59:32,720
Uh I'm Judy Marklin. I'm vice chair of

1375
00:59:32,720 --> 00:59:36,799
the community preservation committee and

1376
00:59:36,799 --> 00:59:40,480
we did discuss asking for if it was

1377
00:59:40,480 --> 00:59:44,240
possible to phase and decided that it

1378
00:59:44,240 --> 00:59:47,040
really wasn't appropriate to do. In any

1379
00:59:47,040 --> 00:59:49,680
event, uh things would just get more

1380
00:59:49,680 --> 00:59:53,440
expensive and there is plenty there's

1381
00:59:53,440 --> 00:59:56,160
definitely adequate money in the CPA

1382
00:59:56,160 --> 01:00:01,520
fund. Um, we currently generate about

1383
01:00:01,520 --> 01:00:03,440
$225,000

1384
01:00:03,440 --> 01:00:07,119
a year in revenue

1385
01:00:07,119 --> 01:00:10,400
between the town and the state. We have

1386
01:00:10,400 --> 01:00:14,319
gotten a 100% match from the state for

1387
01:00:14,319 --> 01:00:18,400
all but one year of I forgot. We started

1388
01:00:18,400 --> 01:00:20,000
in 2010, I think.

1389
01:00:20,000 --> 01:00:23,920
>> Okay. Um, and after the votes at today's

1390
01:00:23,920 --> 01:00:25,920
meeting,

1391
01:00:25,920 --> 01:00:29,760
um, we estimate that with 228,000 we're

1392
01:00:29,760 --> 01:00:32,000
projecting for next year, there will

1393
01:00:32,000 --> 01:00:34,559
still be

1394
01:00:34,559 --> 01:00:39,280
o over $900,000 available for projects

1395
01:00:39,280 --> 01:00:43,119
next year. And of that, 500,000

1396
01:00:43,119 --> 01:00:46,640
has not been allocated to any particular

1397
01:00:46,640 --> 01:00:51,200
type of reserve. So, um we think this is

1398
01:00:51,200 --> 01:00:52,960
a good decision to do now.

1399
01:00:52,960 --> 01:00:55,520
>> Okay. Thank you. Uh let me apologize for

1400
01:00:55,520 --> 01:00:58,319
unfairly cutting off uh the discussion

1401
01:00:58,319 --> 01:01:01,520
regarding the last person's question. I

1402
01:01:01,520 --> 01:01:03,280
just want to clarify whether the last

1403
01:01:03,280 --> 01:01:05,119
two responses from the CPA and the

1404
01:01:05,119 --> 01:01:08,000
school answer the question about staging

1405
01:01:08,000 --> 01:01:11,200
of the construction.

1406
01:01:11,200 --> 01:01:14,319
If so, uh are there any more remaining

1407
01:01:14,319 --> 01:01:16,720
ones?

1408
01:01:16,720 --> 01:01:18,640
All right. We're not playing around

1409
01:01:18,640 --> 01:01:21,760
here. It's time to vote. Okay.

1410
01:01:21,760 --> 01:01:26,720
Um, all those in favor, raise your card.

1411
01:01:26,720 --> 01:01:28,640
All those opposed.

1412
01:01:28,640 --> 01:01:30,720
The motion carries by the majority

1413
01:01:30,720 --> 01:01:33,920
required for article 23.

1414
01:01:33,920 --> 01:01:37,119
We're now moving to bylaw amendments,

1415
01:01:37,119 --> 01:01:39,440
which is Branch Czech's favorite kind of

1416
01:01:39,440 --> 01:01:42,640
amendment. And we've asked him to as

1417
01:01:42,640 --> 01:01:45,440
chair of the planning board to introduce

1418
01:01:45,440 --> 01:01:48,960
these amendments. these articles. Sorry.

1419
01:01:48,960 --> 01:01:50,960
>> Good evening, Mr. Moderator. I'll take a

1420
01:01:50,960 --> 01:01:53,839
swing at this one. Um,

1421
01:01:53,839 --> 01:01:56,720
so I move that the town vote to amend

1422
01:01:56,720 --> 01:02:00,000
the town of Wheatley zoning bylaw as it

1423
01:02:00,000 --> 01:02:02,960
relates to defining and permitting

1424
01:02:02,960 --> 01:02:06,960
battery energy storage systems or bests

1425
01:02:06,960 --> 01:02:09,839
as provided in appendix A of the printed

1426
01:02:09,839 --> 01:02:12,720
warrant for this meeting and is more

1427
01:02:12,720 --> 01:02:14,880
fully described in the planning board

1428
01:02:14,880 --> 01:02:17,599
report to the select board in the annual

1429
01:02:17,599 --> 01:02:20,319
town meeting booklet provided as a

1430
01:02:20,319 --> 01:02:21,920
handout to the voters.

1431
01:02:21,920 --> 01:02:24,640
at this meeting and which text is on

1432
01:02:24,640 --> 01:02:27,520
file with the town clerk.

1433
01:02:27,520 --> 01:02:28,160
>> Second.

1434
01:02:28,160 --> 01:02:32,880
>> Article 24 has been moved and seconded.

1435
01:02:32,880 --> 01:02:35,280
Are there questions,

1436
01:02:35,280 --> 01:02:39,599
comments? Yes, please.

1437
01:02:39,599 --> 01:02:41,040
This, by the way, will require a

1438
01:02:41,040 --> 01:02:45,589
twothirds majority vote.

1439
01:02:45,599 --> 01:02:48,240
Mark Booier, Christian Lane. Uh, has

1440
01:02:48,240 --> 01:02:51,040
this amendment been approved by the town

1441
01:02:51,040 --> 01:02:54,559
fire chief and the state fire marshall

1442
01:02:54,559 --> 01:02:56,240
in regard to the battery storage

1443
01:02:56,240 --> 01:03:02,230
facility?

1444
01:03:02,240 --> 01:03:04,000
» Yes, sir.

1445
01:03:04,000 --> 01:03:07,280
>> The answer is yes,

1446
01:03:07,280 --> 01:03:11,430
>> sir.

1447
01:03:11,440 --> 01:03:14,640
Further questions?

1448
01:03:14,640 --> 01:03:17,200
If not, we need a twothirds uh vote to

1449
01:03:17,200 --> 01:03:19,680
pass. All those in favor of article 24,

1450
01:03:19,680 --> 01:03:21,760
raise your card.

1451
01:03:21,760 --> 01:03:23,839
All those opposed.

1452
01:03:23,839 --> 01:03:26,400
Uh the article passes by the two/3s

1453
01:03:26,400 --> 01:03:29,200
required. This is the next up is the

1454
01:03:29,200 --> 01:03:31,839
last of our bylaw amendments. After

1455
01:03:31,839 --> 01:03:34,079
that, we'll have a brief intermission to

1456
01:03:34,079 --> 01:03:35,760
do the part I forgot at the very

1457
01:03:35,760 --> 01:03:37,839
beginning, the dedication of the town

1458
01:03:37,839 --> 01:03:39,760
report and the announcement of the

1459
01:03:39,760 --> 01:03:41,760
winner of the town dog contest. Thank

1460
01:03:41,760 --> 01:03:43,359
you.

1461
01:03:43,359 --> 01:03:44,880
at which point we will take up the

1462
01:03:44,880 --> 01:03:47,359
miscellaneous articles.

1463
01:03:47,359 --> 01:03:49,920
Uh and there will be one other

1464
01:03:49,920 --> 01:03:53,200
scribner's error that I will note. Thank

1465
01:03:53,200 --> 01:03:53,680
you.

1466
01:03:53,680 --> 01:03:56,319
>> The scrier's error was actually related

1467
01:03:56,319 --> 01:03:58,079
to the previous article.

1468
01:03:58,079 --> 01:04:00,880
>> Yes. Okay. And we are declaring that it

1469
01:04:00,880 --> 01:04:03,359
is of no relevance or effect to the

1470
01:04:03,359 --> 01:04:04,720
amendment motion.

1471
01:04:04,720 --> 01:04:05,440
>> Very good

1472
01:04:05,440 --> 01:04:06,880
>> article.

1473
01:04:06,880 --> 01:04:08,960
>> So with that, Mr. Moderator, I move that

1474
01:04:08,960 --> 01:04:11,200
the town vote to amend the town of

1475
01:04:11,200 --> 01:04:15,760
Wheatley zoning bylaw section 171-33

1476
01:04:15,760 --> 01:04:18,640
solar electric generating facilities as

1477
01:04:18,640 --> 01:04:20,880
provided in appendix B of the printed

1478
01:04:20,880 --> 01:04:22,720
warrant for the meeting and as more

1479
01:04:22,720 --> 01:04:24,720
fully described in the planning board

1480
01:04:24,720 --> 01:04:26,400
report to the select board and the

1481
01:04:26,400 --> 01:04:28,799
annual town meeting booklet which was

1482
01:04:28,799 --> 01:04:30,880
provided as a handout to the voters at

1483
01:04:30,880 --> 01:04:33,680
this meeting and which text is on file

1484
01:04:33,680 --> 01:04:36,160
with the town clerk. Second.

1485
01:04:36,160 --> 01:04:39,680
>> Article 25 has been moved and seconded

1486
01:04:39,680 --> 01:04:42,480
and also requires a twothirds majority

1487
01:04:42,480 --> 01:04:46,079
vote. Are there questions? Any general

1488
01:04:46,079 --> 01:04:47,839
discussion

1489
01:04:47,839 --> 01:04:53,430
regarding article 25?

1490
01:04:53,440 --> 01:04:56,079
» Yes, please. And and then Fred, you have

1491
01:04:56,079 --> 01:04:59,599
something as well. Okay.

1492
01:04:59,599 --> 01:05:01,200
Sorry, I haven't been paying attention.

1493
01:05:01,200 --> 01:05:04,480
>> Bassid 141 Conway Road.

1494
01:05:04,480 --> 01:05:08,799
Are these um bylaw amendments based on

1495
01:05:08,799 --> 01:05:11,680
the states requirements?

1496
01:05:11,680 --> 01:05:13,520
>> Brandt, would you care to address that,

1497
01:05:13,520 --> 01:05:15,920
please?

1498
01:05:15,920 --> 01:05:19,839
>> Yes, ma'am. Uh the in 2024, the state

1499
01:05:19,839 --> 01:05:24,240
legislature passed the clean energy act.

1500
01:05:24,240 --> 01:05:26,720
It's longer longer name for it, but it

1501
01:05:26,720 --> 01:05:29,520
established new state regulations around

1502
01:05:29,520 --> 01:05:32,079
clean energy facilities, including solar

1503
01:05:32,079 --> 01:05:34,319
facilities as well as battery energy

1504
01:05:34,319 --> 01:05:38,319
storage. And over the course of 2025 and

1505
01:05:38,319 --> 01:05:41,920
into this year 2026, the state has been

1506
01:05:41,920 --> 01:05:45,359
promulgating new regulations

1507
01:05:45,359 --> 01:05:47,839
and model bylaws

1508
01:05:47,839 --> 01:05:52,240
uh to to implement the legislaturator's

1509
01:05:52,240 --> 01:05:55,440
intent in those in the 2024 legislation.

1510
01:05:55,440 --> 01:05:58,000
So everything that we just voted on in

1511
01:05:58,000 --> 01:06:01,440
the previous article was driven based on

1512
01:06:01,440 --> 01:06:03,680
that new all that new legislation and

1513
01:06:03,680 --> 01:06:06,400
all the regulation that's been come that

1514
01:06:06,400 --> 01:06:09,119
has come down. And this particular

1515
01:06:09,119 --> 01:06:12,000
article that we're voting on now is

1516
01:06:12,000 --> 01:06:15,039
about a surgical

1517
01:06:15,039 --> 01:06:18,319
change to our existing solar electric

1518
01:06:18,319 --> 01:06:20,799
generating facility regulations in town

1519
01:06:20,799 --> 01:06:24,240
in our zoning bylaw so that it plays

1520
01:06:24,240 --> 01:06:26,720
nicely with the new battery energy

1521
01:06:26,720 --> 01:06:30,079
storage amendment we just voted on. So

1522
01:06:30,079 --> 01:06:32,720
these the last one and this one are tied

1523
01:06:32,720 --> 01:06:34,799
together. If we all had voted down the

1524
01:06:34,799 --> 01:06:36,720
previous one, this one wouldn't be

1525
01:06:36,720 --> 01:06:39,440
necessary. The solar, this amendment

1526
01:06:39,440 --> 01:06:42,720
basically says that any battery energy

1527
01:06:42,720 --> 01:06:46,000
storage that's part of a solar electric

1528
01:06:46,000 --> 01:06:48,319
generating facility. We don't have any

1529
01:06:48,319 --> 01:06:50,559
of those in town at the moment, but

1530
01:06:50,559 --> 01:06:53,119
that's a common practice now with

1531
01:06:53,119 --> 01:06:57,200
large-scale solar facilities. Uh so now

1532
01:06:57,200 --> 01:07:00,480
going forward, if we all by a twothirds

1533
01:07:00,480 --> 01:07:04,160
majority vote to approve this article,

1534
01:07:04,160 --> 01:07:07,119
that will change our zoning bylaws for

1535
01:07:07,119 --> 01:07:10,480
solar so that any battery storage as

1536
01:07:10,480 --> 01:07:12,720
part of solar is regulated by the

1537
01:07:12,720 --> 01:07:15,520
battery storage bylaw we just voted in

1538
01:07:15,520 --> 01:07:16,880
the previous article. Does that make

1539
01:07:16,880 --> 01:07:17,599
some sense?

1540
01:07:17,599 --> 01:07:18,400
>> Somewhat.

1541
01:07:18,400 --> 01:07:18,880
>> Okay.

1542
01:07:18,880 --> 01:07:21,200
It's very complicated and I sort

1543
01:07:21,200 --> 01:07:23,200
of apologize for half your warrant

1544
01:07:23,200 --> 01:07:27,039
article being this bylaw.

1545
01:07:27,039 --> 01:07:28,319
>> Microphone please.

1546
01:07:28,319 --> 01:07:29,520
>> Right. Um

1547
01:07:29,520 --> 01:07:31,359
>> we're at the mercy of the state and so

1548
01:07:31,359 --> 01:07:33,599
that's anyone could come into town and

1549
01:07:33,599 --> 01:07:37,359
put a huge solar project based on the

1550
01:07:37,359 --> 01:07:40,720
zoning requirements.

1551
01:07:40,720 --> 01:07:41,599
>> Is that correct?

1552
01:07:41,599 --> 01:07:44,640
>> Go ahead.

1553
01:07:44,640 --> 01:07:46,880
>> Not quite.

1554
01:07:46,880 --> 01:07:51,200
So, as it pertains to battery storage,

1555
01:07:51,200 --> 01:07:53,760
which I have been studying way too much,

1556
01:07:53,760 --> 01:07:56,079
I can can say less tonight about solar,

1557
01:07:56,079 --> 01:07:58,160
which we haven't really had a chance to

1558
01:07:58,160 --> 01:08:00,559
dig into. But when it comes to battery

1559
01:08:00,559 --> 01:08:02,160
storage,

1560
01:08:02,160 --> 01:08:05,680
the state, the new state legislation

1561
01:08:05,680 --> 01:08:09,920
takes power away from local cities and

1562
01:08:09,920 --> 01:08:13,440
towns like ours to regulate battery

1563
01:08:13,440 --> 01:08:16,960
storage facilities larger than 100

1564
01:08:16,960 --> 01:08:19,679
megawatt hours. These might be the ones

1565
01:08:19,679 --> 01:08:22,239
that most people are very concerned

1566
01:08:22,239 --> 01:08:25,440
about the kind of utility scale battery

1567
01:08:25,440 --> 01:08:27,600
storage facilities that take large

1568
01:08:27,600 --> 01:08:31,920
amounts of land. So we are able to

1569
01:08:31,920 --> 01:08:34,400
participate.

1570
01:08:34,400 --> 01:08:37,920
We're such a 100 plus megawatt hour

1571
01:08:37,920 --> 01:08:39,679
battery storage facility to come to

1572
01:08:39,679 --> 01:08:42,000
weight to be proposed in weight. We

1573
01:08:42,000 --> 01:08:44,880
wouldn't be powerless by the new state

1574
01:08:44,880 --> 01:08:47,920
law. we would have a chance to play a

1575
01:08:47,920 --> 01:08:52,159
role in the state's evaluation of the

1576
01:08:52,159 --> 01:08:54,719
application permit. All right, so that's

1577
01:08:54,719 --> 01:08:57,120
for the big stuff. The state still

1578
01:08:57,120 --> 01:09:02,000
allows all of us, local cities and towns

1579
01:09:02,000 --> 01:09:05,120
to have local control and local

1580
01:09:05,120 --> 01:09:07,199
oversight over battery storage

1581
01:09:07,199 --> 01:09:11,359
facilities below 100 megawatt hours.

1582
01:09:11,359 --> 01:09:13,600
anywhere from the kinds of like if you

1583
01:09:13,600 --> 01:09:15,440
might have battery storage in your home

1584
01:09:15,440 --> 01:09:18,000
tied to your solar that's all we can

1585
01:09:18,000 --> 01:09:20,480
deal with that you know up to a 100

1586
01:09:20,480 --> 01:09:23,040
megawatts so there is a dividing line

1587
01:09:23,040 --> 01:09:26,400
but it's not like we have no power

1588
01:09:26,400 --> 01:09:28,159
they've kind of set a threshold and said

1589
01:09:28,159 --> 01:09:30,159
below this cities and towns you can

1590
01:09:30,159 --> 01:09:34,560
decide within certain constraints set by

1591
01:09:34,560 --> 01:09:36,960
the state government and we don't we

1592
01:09:36,960 --> 01:09:39,920
can't ban arbitrarily right there are

1593
01:09:39,920 --> 01:09:42,400
certain things we cannot do. All right.

1594
01:09:42,400 --> 01:09:43,600
So,

1595
01:09:43,600 --> 01:09:46,080
>> so thank you Brent for a clarification

1596
01:09:46,080 --> 01:09:50,239
regarding uh what articles 24 and 25

1597
01:09:50,239 --> 01:09:53,440
enable us to do as a town. Uh does that

1598
01:09:53,440 --> 01:09:55,600
answer everyone else's remaining

1599
01:09:55,600 --> 01:09:57,920
questions?

1600
01:09:57,920 --> 01:10:00,640
If so, Brandt, you're discharged.

1601
01:10:00,640 --> 01:10:04,400
Um and we will take up to vote article

1602
01:10:04,400 --> 01:10:07,199
20. Oh, sorry, Fred. I forgot you. I was

1603
01:10:07,199 --> 01:10:08,800
essentially going to ask for a further

1604
01:10:08,800 --> 01:10:11,120
explanation of what was being proposed.

1605
01:10:11,120 --> 01:10:13,360
>> Okay. And are you satisfied as well?

1606
01:10:13,360 --> 01:10:13,920
>> Yes.

1607
01:10:13,920 --> 01:10:16,560
>> Okay. So, if I understand right, because

1608
01:10:16,560 --> 01:10:19,040
we passed article 24,

1609
01:10:19,040 --> 01:10:23,280
we should also pass article 25 or Brent

1610
01:10:23,280 --> 01:10:26,239
will lose all his hair.

1611
01:10:26,239 --> 01:10:28,960
Okay. All those in favor of article 25,

1612
01:10:28,960 --> 01:10:31,199
please raise your card.

1613
01:10:31,199 --> 01:10:33,679
All those opposed. All right. I think

1614
01:10:33,679 --> 01:10:35,360
you're safe.

1615
01:10:35,360 --> 01:10:37,600
Um, it's passed by the twothirds

1616
01:10:37,600 --> 01:10:41,199
majority required article 25. Okay,

1617
01:10:41,199 --> 01:10:44,400
let's take a break for the dedication of

1618
01:10:44,400 --> 01:10:51,430
the town report.

1619
01:10:51,440 --> 01:10:58,310
» From the outgoing select board chair.

1620
01:10:58,320 --> 01:11:00,560
» Hi, this will be a very short break. Uh,

1621
01:11:00,560 --> 01:11:02,880
Joyce Palmer Fortune, 152 Westbrook

1622
01:11:02,880 --> 01:11:06,480
Road. Um, and it's always the u uh well

1623
01:11:06,480 --> 01:11:08,000
I guess the honor or the responsibility

1624
01:11:08,000 --> 01:11:11,040
of the chair to choose a weight citizen

1625
01:11:11,040 --> 01:11:14,800
to dedicate the town report to. And um

1626
01:11:14,800 --> 01:11:17,360
over the years I've just met so many

1627
01:11:17,360 --> 01:11:19,440
really dedicated

1628
01:11:19,440 --> 01:11:23,199
volunteers and other public servants who

1629
01:11:23,199 --> 01:11:25,920
have gotten the town dedication made to

1630
01:11:25,920 --> 01:11:28,640
them. Um this year it was really hard to

1631
01:11:28,640 --> 01:11:31,520
choose from among so many people, but um

1632
01:11:31,520 --> 01:11:35,360
we lost several um really dedicated

1633
01:11:35,360 --> 01:11:39,360
public volunteer servants. Um some in

1634
01:11:39,360 --> 01:11:42,960
2025, some in 2026. So I chose uh

1635
01:11:42,960 --> 01:11:48,159
someone we lost in 2025, uh uh Roger Dan

1636
01:11:48,159 --> 01:11:50,400
Kennedy, who served for many, many

1637
01:11:50,400 --> 01:11:51,920
years. I mostly knew him through his

1638
01:11:51,920 --> 01:11:54,000
service on the finance committee. He was

1639
01:11:54,000 --> 01:11:57,360
always a uh kind of just a steady hand

1640
01:11:57,360 --> 01:12:00,159
on the till in a way. I feel like he was

1641
01:12:00,159 --> 01:12:04,239
always he would listen and he understood

1642
01:12:04,239 --> 01:12:07,920
when we need to spend money now so that

1643
01:12:07,920 --> 01:12:10,000
we don't have to spend five times as

1644
01:12:10,000 --> 01:12:12,320
much money later. Okay. And I thought he

1645
01:12:12,320 --> 01:12:14,880
was always very thoughtful uh and he

1646
01:12:14,880 --> 01:12:18,000
always um brought his uh knowledge as a

1647
01:12:18,000 --> 01:12:21,440
engineer to what he did for the town.

1648
01:12:21,440 --> 01:12:23,120
and he's done many many other things for

1649
01:12:23,120 --> 01:12:25,360
the town and individuals in the town and

1650
01:12:25,360 --> 01:12:28,080
I just wanted to um bring him to

1651
01:12:28,080 --> 01:12:30,000
everybody's attention that we we lost

1652
01:12:30,000 --> 01:12:31,840
someone who has uh been a great

1653
01:12:31,840 --> 01:12:34,480
volunteer and encourage those of you out

1654
01:12:34,480 --> 01:12:36,000
there who might like to follow in his

1655
01:12:36,000 --> 01:12:38,320
footsteps to

1656
01:12:38,320 --> 01:12:40,080
come sign up for a committee. We got

1657
01:12:40,080 --> 01:12:49,590
plenty of openings. Thank you everyone.

1658
01:12:49,600 --> 01:12:52,159
tough act to follow, but the award of

1659
01:12:52,159 --> 01:12:57,910
the I what what is this about the dogs?

1660
01:12:57,920 --> 01:13:00,400
So, I created a dog of the year contest

1661
01:13:00,400 --> 01:13:03,760
last year was our first year and I drew

1662
01:13:03,760 --> 01:13:06,320
the winner yesterday uh via Facebook

1663
01:13:06,320 --> 01:13:11,679
Live and Fritz, who lives on River Road,

1664
01:13:11,679 --> 01:13:14,159
was our winner. I got to meet him today.

1665
01:13:14,159 --> 01:13:16,000
Yay. Yay, Fritz.

1666
01:13:16,000 --> 01:13:17,679
>> He's a cute little terrier. I got to

1667
01:13:17,679 --> 01:13:19,600
meet him today. He was adopted from TJ

1668
01:13:19,600 --> 01:13:24,080
O'Connor's. He was a stray um

1669
01:13:24,080 --> 01:13:27,760
in Springfield, I think. And uh he's

1670
01:13:27,760 --> 01:13:28,800
doing very well.

1671
01:13:28,800 --> 01:13:31,679
>> And is Fritz here to accept the award?

1672
01:13:31,679 --> 01:13:33,600
>> He he came to my office earlier and

1673
01:13:33,600 --> 01:13:36,719
accepted his little doggy box.

1674
01:13:36,719 --> 01:13:39,840
>> All right. Quite the treat. Thank you.

1675
01:13:39,840 --> 01:13:45,679
Um, shall we uh move on to article 26?

1676
01:13:45,679 --> 01:13:48,080
>> Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

1677
01:13:48,080 --> 01:13:50,400
to have its elected town clerk become an

1678
01:13:50,400 --> 01:13:52,480
appointed town clerk subject to

1679
01:13:52,480 --> 01:13:54,080
appointment by the select board as

1680
01:13:54,080 --> 01:13:56,880
provided in general law, chapter 41,

1681
01:13:56,880 --> 01:13:59,679
section 1B.

1682
01:13:59,679 --> 01:14:00,560
>> Second.

1683
01:14:00,560 --> 01:14:04,239
>> Article 26 has been moved and seconded.

1684
01:14:04,239 --> 01:14:06,640
Are there is there any discussion?

1685
01:14:06,640 --> 01:14:08,159
>> I have something.

1686
01:14:08,159 --> 01:14:10,080
>> Yes, please. going to go up to

1687
01:14:10,080 --> 01:14:11,760
>> uh you can use the microphone right in

1688
01:14:11,760 --> 01:14:13,360
front.

1689
01:14:13,360 --> 01:14:15,120
>> Hi everybody. I'm your town clerk at

1690
01:14:15,120 --> 01:14:18,080
Mila Valley. Um I'm speaking tonight in

1691
01:14:18,080 --> 01:14:19,760
support of keeping the town clerk in

1692
01:14:19,760 --> 01:14:23,840
elected position in Massachusetts. 235

1693
01:14:23,840 --> 01:14:28,640
out of 351 or 67% of the clerks are

1694
01:14:28,640 --> 01:14:31,280
elected. That's because this office is

1695
01:14:31,280 --> 01:14:32,880
one of the few remaining positions

1696
01:14:32,880 --> 01:14:36,000
directly accountable to you, the voters.

1697
01:14:36,000 --> 01:14:37,840
If residents aren't happy with how the

1698
01:14:37,840 --> 01:14:39,920
job is being done, you already have a

1699
01:14:39,920 --> 01:14:42,000
remedy, and that's elections every three

1700
01:14:42,000 --> 01:14:44,640
years. That's the strongest form of

1701
01:14:44,640 --> 01:14:46,880
accountability there is. I am

1702
01:14:46,880 --> 01:14:49,040
accountable to every single resident in

1703
01:14:49,040 --> 01:14:51,679
this town. The town clerk is not simply

1704
01:14:51,679 --> 01:14:53,840
an administrative position. This office

1705
01:14:53,840 --> 01:14:56,159
oversees our elections, maintains voter

1706
01:14:56,159 --> 01:14:58,719
registration, records every action taken

1707
01:14:58,719 --> 01:15:01,040
at town meeting, preserves our bylaws

1708
01:15:01,040 --> 01:15:02,719
and official records, and safeguards

1709
01:15:02,719 --> 01:15:04,560
vital records that residents rely on

1710
01:15:04,560 --> 01:15:05,920
throughout their lives. These

1711
01:15:05,920 --> 01:15:08,159
responsibilities require independence,

1712
01:15:08,159 --> 01:15:11,199
neutrality, and public trust. Keeping

1713
01:15:11,199 --> 01:15:13,520
the clerk elected helps to protect that

1714
01:15:13,520 --> 01:15:15,280
independence. The person responsible for

1715
01:15:15,280 --> 01:15:16,800
administrating elections should answer

1716
01:15:16,800 --> 01:15:18,960
directly to you, the voters, not an

1717
01:15:18,960 --> 01:15:20,800
appointing authority or administrative

1718
01:15:20,800 --> 01:15:23,280
supervisor. that separate that

1719
01:15:23,280 --> 01:15:25,280
separation matters because it protects

1720
01:15:25,280 --> 01:15:27,040
the confidence and the integrity of our

1721
01:15:27,040 --> 01:15:28,960
local government.

1722
01:15:28,960 --> 01:15:31,520
Wheatley has had just a handful of

1723
01:15:31,520 --> 01:15:35,840
clerks since its incorporation in 1771.

1724
01:15:35,840 --> 01:15:40,480
That speaks volumes to the

1725
01:15:40,480 --> 01:15:43,040
investment that we have in the community

1726
01:15:43,040 --> 01:15:46,640
that we live in. For more than 250

1727
01:15:46,640 --> 01:15:48,400
years, residents have trusted the

1728
01:15:48,400 --> 01:15:50,239
people, not a border administrator, to

1729
01:15:50,239 --> 01:15:52,480
choose the person responsible for for

1730
01:15:52,480 --> 01:15:54,320
preserving our records and overseeing

1731
01:15:54,320 --> 01:15:56,560
our elections and everything else that I

1732
01:15:56,560 --> 01:15:59,920
do. The elected clerk also brings

1733
01:15:59,920 --> 01:16:02,480
continuity and local knowledge. In a

1734
01:16:02,480 --> 01:16:04,159
small town like Wheatley, understanding

1735
01:16:04,159 --> 01:16:06,640
the community absolutely matters and

1736
01:16:06,640 --> 01:16:08,560
institutional knowledge matters and

1737
01:16:08,560 --> 01:16:11,280
relationships also matter. This isn't

1738
01:16:11,280 --> 01:16:13,199
about resisting change, but more about

1739
01:16:13,199 --> 01:16:14,800
preserving direct democratic

1740
01:16:14,800 --> 01:16:16,480
accountability in one of the most

1741
01:16:16,480 --> 01:16:19,360
important offices in town government.

1742
01:16:19,360 --> 01:16:21,679
Once a pet position moves from elected

1743
01:16:21,679 --> 01:16:24,320
to appointed, the public loses a voice

1744
01:16:24,320 --> 01:16:27,199
that you will not get back. Keeping the

1745
01:16:27,199 --> 01:16:28,800
clerk elected ensures that way's

1746
01:16:28,800 --> 01:16:31,440
residents retain direct control over a

1747
01:16:31,440 --> 01:16:33,199
crucial office that safeguards our

1748
01:16:33,199 --> 01:16:34,480
elections, records, and civic

1749
01:16:34,480 --> 01:16:36,960
traditions. It preserves accountability,

1750
01:16:36,960 --> 01:16:38,800
independence, and the very democratic

1751
01:16:38,800 --> 01:16:40,320
principles on which our town was

1752
01:16:40,320 --> 01:16:43,520
founded. For 250 years, Weightley has

1753
01:16:43,520 --> 01:16:45,440
entrusted this role to you, and that

1754
01:16:45,440 --> 01:16:47,440
trust should continue. I believe

1755
01:16:47,440 --> 01:16:48,800
Weightley should continue its long

1756
01:16:48,800 --> 01:16:50,640
tradition of open, accountable local

1757
01:16:50,640 --> 01:16:52,320
government, and I urge you to keep the

1758
01:16:52,320 --> 01:16:55,120
town clerk elected. Thank you.

1759
01:16:55,120 --> 01:16:57,280
>> All right. Thank you. Who else would

1760
01:16:57,280 --> 01:16:59,920
like to speak to this article?

1761
01:16:59,920 --> 01:17:00,880
>> Uh, please.

1762
01:17:00,880 --> 01:17:02,159
>> Uh, I've got

1763
01:17:02,159 --> 01:17:04,239
>> your name and address, please. Fred

1764
01:17:04,239 --> 01:17:08,719
Baron, 120 North Street. Uh, two

1765
01:17:08,719 --> 01:17:11,199
comments on this. One, just to clarify

1766
01:17:11,199 --> 01:17:14,239
what the motion does. What this motion

1767
01:17:14,239 --> 01:17:18,320
does is set is allow there to be a vote

1768
01:17:18,320 --> 01:17:21,600
next year on this topic. This does not

1769
01:17:21,600 --> 01:17:24,640
This is not the final word on this

1770
01:17:24,640 --> 01:17:27,840
subject. This you vote to have a town

1771
01:17:27,840 --> 01:17:30,239
clerk appointed. This sets up an

1772
01:17:30,239 --> 01:17:32,960
election at regular town election next

1773
01:17:32,960 --> 01:17:35,440
April where this will be on the ballot

1774
01:17:35,440 --> 01:17:39,600
as a subject.

1775
01:17:39,600 --> 01:17:44,000
The reason I support and I believe the

1776
01:17:44,000 --> 01:17:46,560
reason that the select board is has a

1777
01:17:46,560 --> 01:17:49,120
favorable recommendation on this is that

1778
01:17:49,120 --> 01:17:54,560
the this is not in any way a personal

1779
01:17:54,560 --> 01:17:56,800
uh issue regarding the current town

1780
01:17:56,800 --> 01:18:00,480
clerk in any way, shape or form.

1781
01:18:00,480 --> 01:18:02,000
But

1782
01:18:02,000 --> 01:18:04,000
as the clerk has just said, the town

1783
01:18:04,000 --> 01:18:06,159
clerk's position has gotten more

1784
01:18:06,159 --> 01:18:08,320
complicated. There are more regulations

1785
01:18:08,320 --> 01:18:10,719
mostly from the state

1786
01:18:10,719 --> 01:18:14,560
and it is a professional position.

1787
01:18:14,560 --> 01:18:18,400
Should that position come vacant for

1788
01:18:18,400 --> 01:18:21,910
whatever reason,

1789
01:18:21,920 --> 01:18:25,520
an elected clerk must be a resident of

1790
01:18:25,520 --> 01:18:29,440
Weightley. And as a town of roughly 1500

1791
01:18:29,440 --> 01:18:31,520
people, we have a relatively small pool

1792
01:18:31,520 --> 01:18:33,280
of people to choose from for that

1793
01:18:33,280 --> 01:18:35,600
position.

1794
01:18:35,600 --> 01:18:37,679
We have

1795
01:18:37,679 --> 01:18:40,640
in filling other positions

1796
01:18:40,640 --> 01:18:44,159
as we fill positions regularly.

1797
01:18:44,159 --> 01:18:46,560
It is very difficult to fill positions

1798
01:18:46,560 --> 01:18:48,880
strictly out of the pool of people that

1799
01:18:48,880 --> 01:18:51,040
we have in weight. There are not

1800
01:18:51,040 --> 01:18:53,280
necessarily people qualified for every

1801
01:18:53,280 --> 01:18:57,040
position. We have to go outside the town

1802
01:18:57,040 --> 01:18:58,880
and

1803
01:18:58,880 --> 01:19:02,960
to put to now

1804
01:19:02,960 --> 01:19:06,560
have a the professional clerk that we

1805
01:19:06,560 --> 01:19:12,080
have and we want in that position.

1806
01:19:12,080 --> 01:19:15,280
It will make it better going in the

1807
01:19:15,280 --> 01:19:18,880
future to have the option of getting

1808
01:19:18,880 --> 01:19:21,199
people who have experience in other

1809
01:19:21,199 --> 01:19:24,400
towns or cities who will be able to work

1810
01:19:24,400 --> 01:19:26,560
here. are.

1811
01:19:26,560 --> 01:19:28,159
And

1812
01:19:28,159 --> 01:19:31,440
it is it's really a forward-looking

1813
01:19:31,440 --> 01:19:35,760
thing that if there's a vacancy

1814
01:19:35,760 --> 01:19:38,560
in an elected position, you can have

1815
01:19:38,560 --> 01:19:42,239
someone who simply decides, "Oh, that's

1816
01:19:42,239 --> 01:19:45,280
nice. I want a job." And put them, you

1817
01:19:45,280 --> 01:19:47,679
know, get 20 signatures, get themselves

1818
01:19:47,679 --> 01:19:50,080
on the ballot, and not in any way be

1819
01:19:50,080 --> 01:19:52,800
qualified for the position.

1820
01:19:52,800 --> 01:19:57,120
So, if there's that vacancy, having an

1821
01:19:57,120 --> 01:19:59,920
appointed clerk

1822
01:19:59,920 --> 01:20:03,840
will let us be sure to have a qualified

1823
01:20:03,840 --> 01:20:06,320
professional person in that position.

1824
01:20:06,320 --> 01:20:10,080
And from my mind, that is the main

1825
01:20:10,080 --> 01:20:13,120
reason why I'm in favor of

1826
01:20:13,120 --> 01:20:15,920
changing the town bylaws to allow an

1827
01:20:15,920 --> 01:20:17,360
appointed rather than elected town

1828
01:20:17,360 --> 01:20:19,600
clerk.

1829
01:20:19,600 --> 01:20:21,440
Is there anyone else who would like to

1830
01:20:21,440 --> 01:20:23,840
speak to this article?

1831
01:20:23,840 --> 01:20:25,120
>> Harlon Bean.

1832
01:20:25,120 --> 01:20:28,560
>> Okay. Harlon and then uh the man lady

1833
01:20:28,560 --> 01:20:31,280
behind you and then uh Brandt.

1834
01:20:31,280 --> 01:20:34,080
>> So the handful of clerks that she refers

1835
01:20:34,080 --> 01:20:36,719
to, I've known the last three of them

1836
01:20:36,719 --> 01:20:39,199
and it seems like you're concerned about

1837
01:20:39,199 --> 01:20:41,440
professionalism and somebody that's

1838
01:20:41,440 --> 01:20:44,320
qualified to be the clerk, town clerk.

1839
01:20:44,320 --> 01:20:46,960
The last three have been outstanding. I

1840
01:20:46,960 --> 01:20:49,360
can't think of any more qualified town

1841
01:20:49,360 --> 01:20:52,719
clerk than a resident of Weightley. If

1842
01:20:52,719 --> 01:20:55,600
we can't find a town clerk that you feel

1843
01:20:55,600 --> 01:20:57,840
is qualified, then that's a problem that

1844
01:20:57,840 --> 01:21:00,159
I think we can deal with at the time.

1845
01:21:00,159 --> 01:21:03,120
But I could I'm totally against this. I

1846
01:21:03,120 --> 01:21:05,199
think it should be an elected position

1847
01:21:05,199 --> 01:21:07,679
like it always has been.

1848
01:21:07,679 --> 01:21:09,440
Will there be a problem in the future?

1849
01:21:09,440 --> 01:21:11,679
Who knows? But I don't think this is a

1850
01:21:11,679 --> 01:21:13,440
problem that we should take away our

1851
01:21:13,440 --> 01:21:16,880
ability to elect our town clerk just

1852
01:21:16,880 --> 01:21:19,280
assuming that we may have an issue four

1853
01:21:19,280 --> 01:21:21,120
years down the road, 30 years down the

1854
01:21:21,120 --> 01:21:24,320
road, 6 months down the road.

1855
01:21:24,320 --> 01:21:26,080
Just wanted to say that there's no more

1856
01:21:26,080 --> 01:21:28,640
qualified person than than a person from

1857
01:21:28,640 --> 01:21:30,880
Weightley that should be elected.

1858
01:21:30,880 --> 01:21:34,560
>> Thank you, Harland. Ma'am,

1859
01:21:34,560 --> 01:21:37,120
>> hi Cynthia Allen, 28 Laurel Mountain

1860
01:21:37,120 --> 01:21:38,800
Road.

1861
01:21:38,800 --> 01:21:40,480
Um,

1862
01:21:40,480 --> 01:21:43,840
I'm curious if

1863
01:21:43,840 --> 01:21:46,560
there is this perceived potential

1864
01:21:46,560 --> 01:21:49,600
problem which has not come to pass at

1865
01:21:49,600 --> 01:21:51,920
this moment. If instead of changing it

1866
01:21:51,920 --> 01:21:55,280
from an elected pro um position to an

1867
01:21:55,280 --> 01:21:58,719
appointed position, could we instead

1868
01:21:58,719 --> 01:22:01,920
open up the area from which we could

1869
01:22:01,920 --> 01:22:04,080
choose people? Like is that something

1870
01:22:04,080 --> 01:22:06,159
that we can change rather than moving

1871
01:22:06,159 --> 01:22:09,520
from elected to appointed?

1872
01:22:09,520 --> 01:22:10,239
The question

1873
01:22:10,239 --> 01:22:12,560
>> I believe that people on a town ballot

1874
01:22:12,560 --> 01:22:15,520
have to be from the town.

1875
01:22:15,520 --> 01:22:18,400
>> So the answer would be no. To be elect

1876
01:22:18,400 --> 01:22:21,040
to be able to be eligible to be elected,

1877
01:22:21,040 --> 01:22:22,880
you would have to be a town resident.

1878
01:22:22,880 --> 01:22:24,560
>> Okay. Thank you,

1879
01:22:24,560 --> 01:22:26,320
>> Brandt. Please.

1880
01:22:26,320 --> 01:22:28,800
>> Branch is 25 Grey Oak Lane. So I just

1881
01:22:28,800 --> 01:22:30,639
want to see if this is a fair statement

1882
01:22:30,639 --> 01:22:33,520
on this theme of accountability. So

1883
01:22:33,520 --> 01:22:37,679
right now if the town clerk were to

1884
01:22:37,679 --> 01:22:40,400
become appointed the town clerk would

1885
01:22:40,400 --> 01:22:43,280
then be appointed by the select board.

1886
01:22:43,280 --> 01:22:44,480
Correct.

1887
01:22:44,480 --> 01:22:47,360
>> Okay. And so there's accountability to

1888
01:22:47,360 --> 01:22:50,639
the voters. All the select board members

1889
01:22:50,639 --> 01:22:54,000
are are elected. Is that correct? Right.

1890
01:22:54,000 --> 01:22:56,800
So there's it's to me it sounds like

1891
01:22:56,800 --> 01:22:59,440
there's direct versus indirect

1892
01:22:59,440 --> 01:23:01,520
accountability to voters. the voters

1893
01:23:01,520 --> 01:23:05,280
could vote for the select board and then

1894
01:23:05,280 --> 01:23:06,880
trust that they make the right decision

1895
01:23:06,880 --> 01:23:09,760
with respect to appointing a town clerk

1896
01:23:09,760 --> 01:23:12,080
versus the direct. In this way, it

1897
01:23:12,080 --> 01:23:13,920
sounds like again, if I understand you

1898
01:23:13,920 --> 01:23:16,639
right, Fred, this gives the select board

1899
01:23:16,639 --> 01:23:19,280
some latitude to perhaps prefer a

1900
01:23:19,280 --> 01:23:22,639
weightly resident in this role. But if

1901
01:23:22,639 --> 01:23:25,360
one couldn't be found and a vacancy

1902
01:23:25,360 --> 01:23:27,760
opened up for example, our town clerk

1903
01:23:27,760 --> 01:23:30,719
might be I don't know voted to

1904
01:23:30,719 --> 01:23:32,719
in the to take a state role for example

1905
01:23:32,719 --> 01:23:35,600
and have to leave the you know in the

1906
01:23:35,600 --> 01:23:37,600
middle of a term right so this would

1907
01:23:37,600 --> 01:23:39,679
give the if I understand this right and

1908
01:23:39,679 --> 01:23:41,679
I'm sort of this is the question this

1909
01:23:41,679 --> 01:23:43,440
would give the select board the latitude

1910
01:23:43,440 --> 01:23:45,920
to then make an appointment without

1911
01:23:45,920 --> 01:23:48,400
having to go through another election or

1912
01:23:48,400 --> 01:23:49,199
is that correct

1913
01:23:49,199 --> 01:23:50,320
>> you like to confirm

1914
01:23:50,320 --> 01:23:53,840
>> yeah that's correct And in our

1915
01:23:53,840 --> 01:23:56,800
discussions we

1916
01:23:56,800 --> 01:24:00,480
stated or it came up obviously our

1917
01:24:00,480 --> 01:24:02,639
preference would be always to have a

1918
01:24:02,639 --> 01:24:05,840
weight resident but in a pool of

1919
01:24:05,840 --> 01:24:08,719
candidates there might not be and

1920
01:24:08,719 --> 01:24:10,239
Weightley's been incredibly lucky with

1921
01:24:10,239 --> 01:24:12,800
the people that we've had as town clerks

1922
01:24:12,800 --> 01:24:16,719
and they have all served wonderfully. Uh

1923
01:24:16,719 --> 01:24:21,040
I think it is wiser policy to prelude a

1924
01:24:21,040 --> 01:24:24,560
problem rather than deal with it on an

1925
01:24:24,560 --> 01:24:26,960
emergency basis should we have a vacancy

1926
01:24:26,960 --> 01:24:29,040
and no qualified

1927
01:24:29,040 --> 01:24:32,000
or suitable candidates within town.

1928
01:24:32,000 --> 01:24:33,280
>> May I say something?

1929
01:24:33,280 --> 01:24:35,360
>> All right. Is there um you could say

1930
01:24:35,360 --> 01:24:38,960
something after this gentleman does?

1931
01:24:38,960 --> 01:24:40,800
>> Um All right. There's an additional

1932
01:24:40,800 --> 01:24:43,600
clarification here. And then, sir,

1933
01:24:43,600 --> 01:24:46,800
>> if the if the town clerk um seat became

1934
01:24:46,800 --> 01:24:49,040
vacant suddenly, if I left here and got

1935
01:24:49,040 --> 01:24:52,320
hit by a bus, there's a system in place.

1936
01:24:52,320 --> 01:24:54,480
The select board has the right to

1937
01:24:54,480 --> 01:24:58,000
appoint someone until the next election.

1938
01:24:58,000 --> 01:24:59,920
>> All right, sir.

1939
01:24:59,920 --> 01:25:03,120
>> Mark Woo here, Christian Lane.

1940
01:25:03,120 --> 01:25:04,800
Ever since my wife and I have been here,

1941
01:25:04,800 --> 01:25:06,800
which is we're newcomers who have only

1942
01:25:06,800 --> 01:25:09,199
been here like 35 years,

1943
01:25:09,199 --> 01:25:11,920
um the town clerk has been the one

1944
01:25:11,920 --> 01:25:14,960
stable position that seems to have been

1945
01:25:14,960 --> 01:25:17,520
with all of the historical and uh

1946
01:25:17,520 --> 01:25:19,280
institutional knowledge of what's goes

1947
01:25:19,280 --> 01:25:22,239
on in the town. Uh they come and go or

1948
01:25:22,239 --> 01:25:24,080
excuse me, the select board comes and

1949
01:25:24,080 --> 01:25:26,639
goes much more readily it seems than the

1950
01:25:26,639 --> 01:25:29,120
town clerk, at least in my recollection.

1951
01:25:29,120 --> 01:25:30,880
And it seems like having a stable

1952
01:25:30,880 --> 01:25:34,000
elected town clerk is the most important

1953
01:25:34,000 --> 01:25:36,560
position of all of all the elected

1954
01:25:36,560 --> 01:25:38,560
positions to maintain that stability and

1955
01:25:38,560 --> 01:25:40,560
the institutional knowledge that goes

1956
01:25:40,560 --> 01:25:43,120
with it. That's it.

1957
01:25:43,120 --> 01:25:45,840
>> All right. Thank you. Has everyone had a

1958
01:25:45,840 --> 01:25:49,440
chance to speak? Oh, please go ahead.

1959
01:25:49,440 --> 01:25:50,719
>> Two more.

1960
01:25:50,719 --> 01:25:52,560
>> I'm one behind you.

1961
01:25:52,560 --> 01:25:54,719
>> 37 Laurel Mountain Road. Just one

1962
01:25:54,719 --> 01:25:56,960
question. Is this a term appointment or

1963
01:25:56,960 --> 01:26:01,600
an indefinite duration appointment?

1964
01:26:01,600 --> 01:26:03,120
>> It would be like any other appointment

1965
01:26:03,120 --> 01:26:05,360
for a term

1966
01:26:05,360 --> 01:26:07,199
whatever determined by you know one

1967
01:26:07,199 --> 01:26:09,840
year, two year, three year. It would not

1968
01:26:09,840 --> 01:26:17,270
be a lifetime appointment.

1969
01:26:17,280 --> 01:26:20,400
My one concern about appointment of a

1970
01:26:20,400 --> 01:26:24,080
more qualified person is lots of times

1971
01:26:24,080 --> 01:26:27,120
we get more qualified people, but guess

1972
01:26:27,120 --> 01:26:30,800
what happens? They move on.

1973
01:26:30,800 --> 01:26:34,159
And having an elected person that

1974
01:26:34,159 --> 01:26:37,120
they've gone to the voters and gotten

1975
01:26:37,120 --> 01:26:40,239
the signature makes it to me a more

1976
01:26:40,239 --> 01:26:44,229
stable position.

1977
01:26:44,239 --> 01:26:46,880
Okay. I do not see Oh, yes. Sorry.

1978
01:26:46,880 --> 01:26:48,560
There's one more person who wishes to

1979
01:26:48,560 --> 01:26:49,280
speak.

1980
01:26:49,280 --> 01:26:52,400
>> Yeah. Um I I would um besides what Fred

1981
01:26:52,400 --> 01:26:54,000
has already said, I think the other

1982
01:26:54,000 --> 01:26:59,040
thing that um certainly made me support

1983
01:26:59,040 --> 01:27:02,320
moving to an appointed town clerk is

1984
01:27:02,320 --> 01:27:05,840
that over the last 15 years that I've

1985
01:27:05,840 --> 01:27:08,239
been on the select board, um I'm on my

1986
01:27:08,239 --> 01:27:12,880
third town clerk. Uh when the

1987
01:27:12,880 --> 01:27:15,679
town clerk who was clerk when I started.

1988
01:27:15,679 --> 01:27:17,920
Uh when they stepped down to do

1989
01:27:17,920 --> 01:27:21,120
something else, um we did happen to have

1990
01:27:21,120 --> 01:27:24,480
someone who was able to be talked into

1991
01:27:24,480 --> 01:27:26,480
becoming our town clerk and she did a

1992
01:27:26,480 --> 01:27:28,639
fantastic job. It took lots of training

1993
01:27:28,639 --> 01:27:30,719
to get her up to speed, but that's

1994
01:27:30,719 --> 01:27:35,280
great. And then when she stepped down um

1995
01:27:35,280 --> 01:27:38,800
we we had to find somebody who lived in

1996
01:27:38,800 --> 01:27:40,480
Weightley and was willing to get the

1997
01:27:40,480 --> 01:27:43,920
training and we managed to do that. And

1998
01:27:43,920 --> 01:27:47,679
also during that time we needed to get a

1999
01:27:47,679 --> 01:27:52,159
treasurer collector and put out

2000
01:27:52,159 --> 01:27:56,320
uh not notices and got zero people who

2001
01:27:56,320 --> 01:27:59,360
were qualified to apply for the job. and

2002
01:27:59,360 --> 01:28:01,440
we had to change things about the job to

2003
01:28:01,440 --> 01:28:03,840
make that job attractive enough to get a

2004
01:28:03,840 --> 01:28:06,639
person to apply for it. Uh, and that has

2005
01:28:06,639 --> 01:28:09,120
come up more and more in municipal

2006
01:28:09,120 --> 01:28:11,840
government positions where you need to

2007
01:28:11,840 --> 01:28:14,560
be able to understand all of the laws

2008
01:28:14,560 --> 01:28:16,960
that apply and and they are really

2009
01:28:16,960 --> 01:28:19,120
skilled professional jobs. I'm not

2010
01:28:19,120 --> 01:28:21,440
saying that a person from Wheatley can't

2011
01:28:21,440 --> 01:28:23,120
learn how to do that if they're not

2012
01:28:23,120 --> 01:28:25,040
wellqualified on election day. And then

2013
01:28:25,040 --> 01:28:28,960
I think Massachusetts law makes makes

2014
01:28:28,960 --> 01:28:31,440
um allowances for that and it has

2015
01:28:31,440 --> 01:28:33,360
happened again and again and again that

2016
01:28:33,360 --> 01:28:37,520
we do find someone but that's not

2017
01:28:37,520 --> 01:28:39,760
guaranteed the next time and if it's the

2018
01:28:39,760 --> 01:28:42,320
next time then

2019
01:28:42,320 --> 01:28:45,120
we don't have this in place. We can only

2020
01:28:45,120 --> 01:28:46,880
go till the next election and then that

2021
01:28:46,880 --> 01:28:48,960
the next election what do you do when

2022
01:28:48,960 --> 01:28:50,800
you don't have a qualified person on the

2023
01:28:50,800 --> 01:28:54,000
ballot? uh we just had an election

2024
01:28:54,000 --> 01:28:57,040
several positions no one even got

2025
01:28:57,040 --> 01:29:00,480
signatures for. So

2026
01:29:00,480 --> 01:29:04,239
I think over time that I've been on the

2027
01:29:04,239 --> 01:29:08,000
select board, our staff has become more

2028
01:29:08,000 --> 01:29:10,080
and more and more professional and that

2029
01:29:10,080 --> 01:29:13,440
has benefited this town in ways that I

2030
01:29:13,440 --> 01:29:16,480
just don't have enough time to explain.

2031
01:29:16,480 --> 01:29:19,600
But I think um just my experience over

2032
01:29:19,600 --> 01:29:21,760
the past 15 years of trying to find

2033
01:29:21,760 --> 01:29:24,960
qualified people for municipal jobs

2034
01:29:24,960 --> 01:29:27,760
makes me think we need

2035
01:29:27,760 --> 01:29:29,840
maybe not this year, maybe we'll pass it

2036
01:29:29,840 --> 01:29:32,159
another year, but we we need to move to

2037
01:29:32,159 --> 01:29:34,719
I think an appointed town clerk who is

2038
01:29:34,719 --> 01:29:36,480
accountable to the select board who is

2039
01:29:36,480 --> 01:29:39,360
accountable to all of the voters.

2040
01:29:39,360 --> 01:29:41,600
Thanks.

2041
01:29:41,600 --> 01:29:43,760
>> All right. Have I overlooked anyone?

2042
01:29:43,760 --> 01:29:44,400
Yes, please.

2043
01:29:44,400 --> 01:29:47,840
>> I just I just that up in the air on you.

2044
01:29:47,840 --> 01:29:53,280
Um, I also want to not specific to this

2045
01:29:53,280 --> 01:29:56,800
article, but make a plea uh a bid for

2046
01:29:56,800 --> 01:29:58,880
anybody who is interested in the town.

2047
01:29:58,880 --> 01:30:01,040
And you all show up here for annual town

2048
01:30:01,040 --> 01:30:03,360
meeting and I see you every year and

2049
01:30:03,360 --> 01:30:06,560
that's awesome. Uh, to actually consider

2050
01:30:06,560 --> 01:30:08,800
running for something or volunteering

2051
01:30:08,800 --> 01:30:10,880
for something. Uh many of you actually

2052
01:30:10,880 --> 01:30:13,920
already do, but if you don't or if you

2053
01:30:13,920 --> 01:30:15,600
know somebody who's twiddling their

2054
01:30:15,600 --> 01:30:18,719
thumbs and uh could use something to do

2055
01:30:18,719 --> 01:30:21,600
that's investing in the town, I highly

2056
01:30:21,600 --> 01:30:23,679
recommend it. I didn't really know what

2057
01:30:23,679 --> 01:30:25,920
I was getting into when I signed up to

2058
01:30:25,920 --> 01:30:28,159
run for select board and it's a

2059
01:30:28,159 --> 01:30:29,760
fascinating

2060
01:30:29,760 --> 01:30:32,080
uh position to be in and I've gotten to

2061
01:30:32,080 --> 01:30:34,400
know a whole lot more about the town and

2062
01:30:34,400 --> 01:30:36,320
the people in it than I ever knew. and

2063
01:30:36,320 --> 01:30:38,800
I've lived here for not nearly as long

2064
01:30:38,800 --> 01:30:42,159
as Mark Busier. So,

2065
01:30:42,159 --> 01:30:46,080
>> all right. So, um

2066
01:30:46,080 --> 01:30:48,880
fun fact, it's not yet sundown, but it

2067
01:30:48,880 --> 01:30:50,560
is approaching.

2068
01:30:50,560 --> 01:30:52,560
Is there anyone who has a new point to

2069
01:30:52,560 --> 01:30:55,520
raise with regarding to favor or oppose

2070
01:30:55,520 --> 01:30:57,520
to article 26?

2071
01:30:57,520 --> 01:31:00,159
>> Mr. Moderator, may I make a motion?

2072
01:31:00,159 --> 01:31:02,159
>> Uh, I believe the motion's already on

2073
01:31:02,159 --> 01:31:02,719
the floor.

2074
01:31:02,719 --> 01:31:04,320
>> May I make an amendment?

2075
01:31:04,320 --> 01:31:06,480
>> You can propose an amendment. Sure.

2076
01:31:06,480 --> 01:31:08,560
>> May I make a motion to table this

2077
01:31:08,560 --> 01:31:10,400
article until the current clerk resigns

2078
01:31:10,400 --> 01:31:13,920
or retires or is otherwise voted out?

2079
01:31:13,920 --> 01:31:16,480
>> All right. The

2080
01:31:16,480 --> 01:31:19,120
I didn't get that completely. Do you

2081
01:31:19,120 --> 01:31:19,679
have that in mind?

2082
01:31:19,679 --> 01:31:21,679
>> I make a motion to table this article

2083
01:31:21,679 --> 01:31:24,320
until the current clerk resigns or

2084
01:31:24,320 --> 01:31:27,440
retires or is otherwise voted out.

2085
01:31:27,440 --> 01:31:30,400
>> All right. So the vote

2086
01:31:30,400 --> 01:31:34,229
that would be

2087
01:31:34,239 --> 01:31:37,199
not an acceptable amendment within the

2088
01:31:37,199 --> 01:31:41,199
scope of this particular article if you

2089
01:31:41,199 --> 01:31:43,040
wanted comment on that.

2090
01:31:43,040 --> 01:31:46,159
>> Uh well you can but I want to finish

2091
01:31:46,159 --> 01:31:50,480
first. Um sorry I want to finish first.

2092
01:31:50,480 --> 01:31:52,159
I believe what you would need to do is

2093
01:31:52,159 --> 01:31:54,320
first vote down this article if you

2094
01:31:54,320 --> 01:31:56,800
wanted to have something like that come

2095
01:31:56,800 --> 01:32:01,600
up at another um at another meeting. Uh

2096
01:32:01,600 --> 01:32:04,480
this is uh this is not an article that

2097
01:32:04,480 --> 01:32:08,880
allows you to add a a condition of date

2098
01:32:08,880 --> 01:32:12,800
and time uh to it. Harlem, but I think

2099
01:32:12,800 --> 01:32:15,199
what she is asking is legitimate prior

2100
01:32:15,199 --> 01:32:17,120
to this being voted on because she is

2101
01:32:17,120 --> 01:32:20,159
elected and if this passes the raises a

2102
01:32:20,159 --> 01:32:23,199
question, do they have the authority to

2103
01:32:23,199 --> 01:32:25,120
replace, terminate or anything like that

2104
01:32:25,120 --> 01:32:27,440
within her her term?

2105
01:32:27,440 --> 01:32:29,360
>> Can someone clarify?

2106
01:32:29,360 --> 01:32:30,560
>> Can I address that?

2107
01:32:30,560 --> 01:32:30,960
>> Absolutely.

2108
01:32:30,960 --> 01:32:33,600
>> Uh the clerk was elected two years ago

2109
01:32:33,600 --> 01:32:36,000
to a three-year term,

2110
01:32:36,000 --> 01:32:39,920
>> which is inviable. And actually, even if

2111
01:32:39,920 --> 01:32:42,000
this passes here now, there will be an

2112
01:32:42,000 --> 01:32:44,400
election for town clerk next April. And

2113
01:32:44,400 --> 01:32:46,880
on that same ballot will be the issue of

2114
01:32:46,880 --> 01:32:50,239
whether this is a appointed or elected

2115
01:32:50,239 --> 01:32:53,600
position, assuming this motion passes.

2116
01:32:53,600 --> 01:32:55,920
So, and that three-year term would also

2117
01:32:55,920 --> 01:32:58,719
be invaluable as far as the select

2118
01:32:58,719 --> 01:33:01,679
board. So, the whoever is elected as

2119
01:33:01,679 --> 01:33:03,920
town clerk in next year's election will

2120
01:33:03,920 --> 01:33:05,920
serve for three years.

2121
01:33:05,920 --> 01:33:07,920
And I also just want to add that we

2122
01:33:07,920 --> 01:33:10,560
should caution our use of, you know,

2123
01:33:10,560 --> 01:33:12,960
saying

2124
01:33:12,960 --> 01:33:15,440
a per a qualified person, an elected

2125
01:33:15,440 --> 01:33:18,080
qualified person. Um, that's assuming

2126
01:33:18,080 --> 01:33:19,679
that all of us who have run for office

2127
01:33:19,679 --> 01:33:22,000
in weight in the past have been

2128
01:33:22,000 --> 01:33:25,840
qualified. So I I think the elected is

2129
01:33:25,840 --> 01:33:26,639
the way to go.

2130
01:33:26,639 --> 01:33:28,400
>> I just want to make a quick correction.

2131
01:33:28,400 --> 01:33:33,120
I was elected last year. So I'm up for

2132
01:33:33,120 --> 01:33:34,159
>> not the year before.

2133
01:33:34,159 --> 01:33:34,560
>> Is it?

2134
01:33:34,560 --> 01:33:36,320
>> Yes. Okay. Two-year term.

2135
01:33:36,320 --> 01:33:39,840
>> Uh, it's excuse me, but unfortunately

2136
01:33:39,840 --> 01:33:41,440
for

2137
01:33:41,440 --> 01:33:42,880
although it might impede the

2138
01:33:42,880 --> 01:33:45,520
conversation between you, questions need

2139
01:33:45,520 --> 01:33:47,679
to be addressed to the moderator and

2140
01:33:47,679 --> 01:33:49,679
then the moderator asked us for the

2141
01:33:49,679 --> 01:33:50,560
question.

2142
01:33:50,560 --> 01:33:52,960
>> So, could you please pose your question

2143
01:33:52,960 --> 01:33:53,840
or your comment?

2144
01:33:53,840 --> 01:33:56,719
>> It's just a clarification. I was elected

2145
01:33:56,719 --> 01:33:59,679
last year, so I have two more years. My

2146
01:33:59,679 --> 01:34:02,320
term is up in 2028.

2147
01:34:02,320 --> 01:34:04,560
>> I was mistaken. Is there a confirmation

2148
01:34:04,560 --> 01:34:05,440
on that regard?

2149
01:34:05,440 --> 01:34:08,480
>> Yes. Okay. Very good. Okay. The that has

2150
01:34:08,480 --> 01:34:10,320
been clarified.

2151
01:34:10,320 --> 01:34:12,880
Um if you would like to have a comment,

2152
01:34:12,880 --> 01:34:21,350
please step up.

2153
01:34:21,360 --> 01:34:24,639
» Woman um Masterson Road in Weley.

2154
01:34:24,639 --> 01:34:26,719
>> Yes.

2155
01:34:26,719 --> 01:34:30,080
If we do change this to an appointed

2156
01:34:30,080 --> 01:34:34,320
position, the town clerk can still apply

2157
01:34:34,320 --> 01:34:37,040
for the position. Doesn't mean that

2158
01:34:37,040 --> 01:34:39,920
she's going to be necessarily out of a

2159
01:34:39,920 --> 01:34:41,199
job.

2160
01:34:41,199 --> 01:34:45,040
>> Anybody in the town can apply and at the

2161
01:34:45,040 --> 01:34:47,920
end of her term, if we do change the

2162
01:34:47,920 --> 01:34:51,280
rules, she's perfectly

2163
01:34:51,280 --> 01:34:54,960
um able to apply for the position.

2164
01:34:54,960 --> 01:34:57,679
Yes, that's true. My point is that we

2165
01:34:57,679 --> 01:35:00,320
can't have a conditionally elected. So,

2166
01:35:00,320 --> 01:35:05,280
we either have to vote to maintain a

2167
01:35:05,280 --> 01:35:08,320
elected clerk or we vote to authorize

2168
01:35:08,320 --> 01:35:10,960
the ability to have an appointed clerk.

2169
01:35:10,960 --> 01:35:13,360
Okay. Uh sir, please.

2170
01:35:13,360 --> 01:35:16,000
>> Yeah. Rich Corpsi. I wanted to say I've

2171
01:35:16,000 --> 01:35:17,280
lived in this town for an awful long

2172
01:35:17,280 --> 01:35:19,440
time and I've known that we've had a lot

2173
01:35:19,440 --> 01:35:21,120
of very qualified people who have worked

2174
01:35:21,120 --> 01:35:23,920
within the town government and person

2175
01:35:23,920 --> 01:35:25,360
that I'd really like to hear from is

2176
01:35:25,360 --> 01:35:27,199
Lynn. You've been in this job for an

2177
01:35:27,199 --> 01:35:31,120
awful long time and I know that you're

2178
01:35:31,120 --> 01:35:33,440
extremely qualified for the job and I

2179
01:35:33,440 --> 01:35:36,320
appreciate that and Amy as well and I

2180
01:35:36,320 --> 01:35:38,400
want to know what your opinion is on

2181
01:35:38,400 --> 01:35:39,760
this because you're awful quiet on the

2182
01:35:39,760 --> 01:35:40,560
subject.

2183
01:35:40,560 --> 01:35:43,280
>> Well, you have the choice of responding

2184
01:35:43,280 --> 01:35:46,000
or not. You could simply accept the fine

2185
01:35:46,000 --> 01:35:49,520
praise you received or you you the the

2186
01:35:49,520 --> 01:35:51,840
floor is open for your comments.

2187
01:35:51,840 --> 01:35:55,199
>> If you had asked me 15 years ago, I

2188
01:35:55,199 --> 01:35:59,120
would have said definitely keep the job

2189
01:35:59,120 --> 01:36:00,880
elected because I felt that the

2190
01:36:00,880 --> 01:36:03,920
residents of the town

2191
01:36:03,920 --> 01:36:05,679
more and more of the positions were

2192
01:36:05,679 --> 01:36:07,679
being made appointed. So you didn't have

2193
01:36:07,679 --> 01:36:09,920
as much say in who was running your

2194
01:36:09,920 --> 01:36:13,520
government. Over the last maybe 10

2195
01:36:13,520 --> 01:36:16,880
years, I've had a hard time making a

2196
01:36:16,880 --> 01:36:18,560
choice on whether it'd be elected or

2197
01:36:18,560 --> 01:36:20,400
appointed. And even tonight, I'm still

2198
01:36:20,400 --> 01:36:22,639
not sure which way I'm going to vote.

2199
01:36:22,639 --> 01:36:26,159
Um, just because of

2200
01:36:26,159 --> 01:36:29,600
so many changes within the role of town

2201
01:36:29,600 --> 01:36:33,760
clerk, um, with

2202
01:36:33,760 --> 01:36:36,800
and the scrutiny behind what town clerks

2203
01:36:36,800 --> 01:36:41,120
do. Um, you want to make sure, and this

2204
01:36:41,120 --> 01:36:43,679
is just to protect yourself, you want to

2205
01:36:43,679 --> 01:36:45,280
make sure that you're dotting every eye

2206
01:36:45,280 --> 01:36:48,000
and crossing every tea. Um, years ago,

2207
01:36:48,000 --> 01:36:50,159
if you made a mistake, it probably could

2208
01:36:50,159 --> 01:36:52,800
have snuck through, but now it's

2209
01:36:52,800 --> 01:36:55,920
everything is so scrutinized. But like I

2210
01:36:55,920 --> 01:36:58,480
said, I still have not made up my mind

2211
01:36:58,480 --> 01:37:00,320
on how I'm going to vote on this one.

2212
01:37:00,320 --> 01:37:04,480
So, um, I do think I can see both sides.

2213
01:37:04,480 --> 01:37:07,920
um be also looking at trying to find a

2214
01:37:07,920 --> 01:37:10,480
person who would be qualified to do the

2215
01:37:10,480 --> 01:37:12,719
job and there's tons of training

2216
01:37:12,719 --> 01:37:15,840
involved in the position. So if you've

2217
01:37:15,840 --> 01:37:18,239
got somebody who's not vested and you

2218
01:37:18,239 --> 01:37:20,320
get all that training into them and then

2219
01:37:20,320 --> 01:37:24,880
they leave. So it's um

2220
01:37:24,880 --> 01:37:27,840
it's a tough decision. I I'm not helping

2221
01:37:27,840 --> 01:37:30,239
you out. Am I Rick?

2222
01:37:30,239 --> 01:37:32,400
>> In some ways you are. What I do want to

2223
01:37:32,400 --> 01:37:35,280
say is that even if you have this an

2224
01:37:35,280 --> 01:37:37,440
appointed position, you still have the

2225
01:37:37,440 --> 01:37:39,520
issue where whoever is appointed could

2226
01:37:39,520 --> 01:37:41,040
choose to leave at any given time. We've

2227
01:37:41,040 --> 01:37:42,560
had that happen already in town with

2228
01:37:42,560 --> 01:37:44,880
different positions. If you have someone

2229
01:37:44,880 --> 01:37:47,840
who is from Weightley, they're vested in

2230
01:37:47,840 --> 01:37:49,760
this town. They live here

2231
01:37:49,760 --> 01:37:51,199
>> and we have to have more confidence in

2232
01:37:51,199 --> 01:37:53,040
the people who live here. I know we

2233
01:37:53,040 --> 01:37:54,480
don't have a great number of people who

2234
01:37:54,480 --> 01:37:56,480
show up, but we have a lot of enthusiasm

2235
01:37:56,480 --> 01:37:58,639
in this town regardless. And I would

2236
01:37:58,639 --> 01:38:00,880
like to see that whatever decisions you

2237
01:38:00,880 --> 01:38:04,719
do make works for us all for the people

2238
01:38:04,719 --> 01:38:06,560
who are living here. You got to have

2239
01:38:06,560 --> 01:38:09,760
more confidence in this. Thank you.

2240
01:38:09,760 --> 01:38:11,520
>> All right. It seems like we have a new

2241
01:38:11,520 --> 01:38:15,990
person to speak.

2242
01:38:16,000 --> 01:38:18,320
» Um Julie Ericson, Chestnut Plane Road.

2243
01:38:18,320 --> 01:38:20,159
Um just curious what other neighboring

2244
01:38:20,159 --> 01:38:21,679
towns around us if they're making

2245
01:38:21,679 --> 01:38:23,600
similar decisions, towns similar to us,

2246
01:38:23,600 --> 01:38:24,800
if anybody can speak to that.

2247
01:38:24,800 --> 01:38:26,400
>> I can answer.

2248
01:38:26,400 --> 01:38:29,280
>> Please go ahead. Um, so several towns

2249
01:38:29,280 --> 01:38:30,800
have been attempting this for years for

2250
01:38:30,800 --> 01:38:32,480
their clerks and it's been voted down

2251
01:38:32,480 --> 01:38:34,000
every time.

2252
01:38:34,000 --> 01:38:35,600
>> Is there anyone else who can clarify

2253
01:38:35,600 --> 01:38:39,040
about the towns directly adjacent to us?

2254
01:38:39,040 --> 01:38:42,400
>> Ifield is appointed.

2255
01:38:42,400 --> 01:38:44,800
>> Um, Deerfield is appointed. Conway is

2256
01:38:44,800 --> 01:38:47,040
elected. No,

2257
01:38:47,040 --> 01:38:48,000
>> Conway is elected.

2258
01:38:48,000 --> 01:38:50,480
and Sunderland is

2259
01:38:50,480 --> 01:38:51,760
elected.

2260
01:38:51,760 --> 01:38:54,080
>> Um, so those are our

2261
01:38:54,080 --> 01:38:55,520
>> neighboring towns.

2262
01:38:55,520 --> 01:38:57,360
>> All right. Does that answer your

2263
01:38:57,360 --> 01:38:58,880
question?

2264
01:38:58,880 --> 01:39:02,560
Okay. Uh, very good. All right. I don't

2265
01:39:02,560 --> 01:39:05,119
see any additional people stepping up to

2266
01:39:05,119 --> 01:39:10,080
the microphone. So, are there any

2267
01:39:10,080 --> 01:39:14,080
further people who wish to speak?

2268
01:39:14,080 --> 01:39:16,880
Seeing none, we would proceed to a vote.

2269
01:39:16,880 --> 01:39:20,719
It will require a majority vote. Um, all

2270
01:39:20,719 --> 01:39:22,880
those in favor of article 26, please

2271
01:39:22,880 --> 01:39:25,600
raise your card.

2272
01:39:25,600 --> 01:39:27,679
Okay. And I've put myself where now I

2273
01:39:27,679 --> 01:39:34,000
have to count. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

2274
01:39:34,000 --> 01:39:40,639
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. Uh that's a

2275
01:39:40,639 --> 01:39:45,119
blue hand instead of a card. Okay. Uh 21

2276
01:39:45,119 --> 01:39:48,159
22 23 24

2277
01:39:48,159 --> 01:39:54,000
and behind here 25 26 uh 27 in favor.

2278
01:39:54,000 --> 01:39:56,880
Those opposed.

2279
01:39:56,880 --> 01:39:59,760
Okay. One, two, three, four, five, six,

2280
01:39:59,760 --> 01:40:04,080
seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,

2281
01:40:04,080 --> 01:40:09,679
15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24,

2282
01:40:09,679 --> 01:40:17,040
25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34,

2283
01:40:17,040 --> 01:40:19,360
35, 36.

2284
01:40:19,360 --> 01:40:22,000
So, article 26 does not pass. It does

2285
01:40:22,000 --> 01:40:24,960
not have the majority required.

2286
01:40:24,960 --> 01:40:26,800
All right. Thank you for that thoughtful

2287
01:40:26,800 --> 01:40:29,679
and extended discussion. Uh in support

2288
01:40:29,679 --> 01:40:33,520
and against. Um we now take to article

2289
01:40:33,520 --> 01:40:35,040
27.

2290
01:40:35,040 --> 01:40:37,280
>> The final article.

2291
01:40:37,280 --> 01:40:39,840
Mr. Moderator, I move that the town vote

2292
01:40:39,840 --> 01:40:42,159
to accept the provisions of general law

2293
01:40:42,159 --> 01:40:45,920
chapter 59 section 5K to allow the

2294
01:40:45,920 --> 01:40:48,639
select board to establish a program for

2295
01:40:48,639 --> 01:40:51,760
persons over 60 to volunteer to provide

2296
01:40:51,760 --> 01:40:54,639
services to the town in exchange for a

2297
01:40:54,639 --> 01:40:56,800
reduction of their real property tax

2298
01:40:56,800 --> 01:40:59,920
obligations. to allow for qualifying

2299
01:40:59,920 --> 01:41:02,000
persons physically unable to provide

2300
01:41:02,000 --> 01:41:04,480
such services that an approved

2301
01:41:04,480 --> 01:41:06,639
representative may provide the services

2302
01:41:06,639 --> 01:41:09,440
in theirstead to set the maximum

2303
01:41:09,440 --> 01:41:11,600
reduction of the real property tax bill

2304
01:41:11,600 --> 01:41:15,280
at $1,200 in a given tax year and to

2305
01:41:15,280 --> 01:41:17,520
provide that this program will first be

2306
01:41:17,520 --> 01:41:21,360
available in fiscal year 2027.

2307
01:41:21,360 --> 01:41:23,040
>> Second.

2308
01:41:23,040 --> 01:41:25,840
>> All right. Article 27 has been moved and

2309
01:41:25,840 --> 01:41:32,790
seconded and is open for discussion.

2310
01:41:32,800 --> 01:41:36,629
» Please Brent

2311
01:41:36,639 --> 01:41:40,080
Branch I guess 25 Grey Oak Lane. Could

2312
01:41:40,080 --> 01:41:44,000
somebody clarify what these services

2313
01:41:44,000 --> 01:41:45,600
might

2314
01:41:45,600 --> 01:41:48,080
consist of or would there be any scoping

2315
01:41:48,080 --> 01:41:50,960
or limits to them? for example, were,

2316
01:41:50,960 --> 01:41:53,520
and this is an absurdly self-serving

2317
01:41:53,520 --> 01:41:56,639
kind of question, like if somebody over

2318
01:41:56,639 --> 01:41:58,800
60 were like volunteering to be like

2319
01:41:58,800 --> 01:42:00,719
chair of the planning board or something

2320
01:42:00,719 --> 01:42:03,520
like that, would that be like a service

2321
01:42:03,520 --> 01:42:07,199
like but but more seriously, I want to

2322
01:42:07,199 --> 01:42:08,719
little more insight on what might these

2323
01:42:08,719 --> 01:42:10,400
services might be?

2324
01:42:10,400 --> 01:42:12,000
>> Somebody can speak to that, please,

2325
01:42:12,000 --> 01:42:15,360
Pete. So it's it's essentially a senior

2326
01:42:15,360 --> 01:42:17,600
tax workoff program and it's to provide

2327
01:42:17,600 --> 01:42:20,000
clerical service to and support to the

2328
01:42:20,000 --> 01:42:22,159
departments. It's a way to provide the

2329
01:42:22,159 --> 01:42:25,440
ability for senior residents to work

2330
01:42:25,440 --> 01:42:28,320
down their their tax uh their tax bill

2331
01:42:28,320 --> 01:42:30,560
up to a certain amount. It's restricted

2332
01:42:30,560 --> 01:42:33,280
by age, by income, and by number of

2333
01:42:33,280 --> 01:42:35,119
applicants. So it would only be five

2334
01:42:35,119 --> 01:42:37,679
people so that it doesn't direct

2335
01:42:37,679 --> 01:42:40,960
terribly negatively impact the tax

2336
01:42:40,960 --> 01:42:42,480
receipts that we still receive. but

2337
01:42:42,480 --> 01:42:45,360
still provides this opportunity for um

2338
01:42:45,360 --> 01:42:49,679
income eligible individuals to work off.

2339
01:42:49,679 --> 01:42:51,840
>> Does that answer your question?

2340
01:42:51,840 --> 01:42:53,679
>> Okay.

2341
01:42:53,679 --> 01:42:56,719
You said sadly or thoroughly?

2342
01:42:56,719 --> 01:43:00,320
Okay. Anyone else? Please

2343
01:43:00,320 --> 01:43:07,590
step up to the microphone.

2344
01:43:07,600 --> 01:43:10,639
Howard and enter Chestnut Plane Row 203.

2345
01:43:10,639 --> 01:43:13,760
Uh I had a question throughout all of

2346
01:43:13,760 --> 01:43:17,600
this that I will not raise because it's

2347
01:43:17,600 --> 01:43:22,080
uh very late but it is appropriate now

2348
01:43:22,080 --> 01:43:25,040
because on the last vote as I was

2349
01:43:25,040 --> 01:43:29,199
watching those of you at high table uh I

2350
01:43:29,199 --> 01:43:32,320
noticed that the select board did not

2351
01:43:32,320 --> 01:43:34,480
vote unanimously

2352
01:43:34,480 --> 01:43:40,159
on article uh bylaw on 26. six.

2353
01:43:40,159 --> 01:43:43,520
So my question is that generally

2354
01:43:43,520 --> 01:43:47,199
speaking, when it says that, and this

2355
01:43:47,199 --> 01:43:49,520
has been true of everything we voted on

2356
01:43:49,520 --> 01:43:53,280
tonight, when it says about the select

2357
01:43:53,280 --> 01:43:54,880
board or indeed about the other

2358
01:43:54,880 --> 01:43:58,880
committees as well, favorable action, I

2359
01:43:58,880 --> 01:44:01,280
I'd like a definition of favorable

2360
01:44:01,280 --> 01:44:04,400
action. Does it in some cases mean

2361
01:44:04,400 --> 01:44:07,520
majority and in other places mean

2362
01:44:07,520 --> 01:44:10,320
unanimous?

2363
01:44:10,320 --> 01:44:13,040
>> In general, favorable, favorable or

2364
01:44:13,040 --> 01:44:15,360
unfavorable would mean that there was a

2365
01:44:15,360 --> 01:44:18,239
majority of that entity that said so.

2366
01:44:18,239 --> 01:44:19,920
Um, we don't necessarily distinguish

2367
01:44:19,920 --> 01:44:24,320
between unanimous versus majority.

2368
01:44:24,320 --> 01:44:26,320
When the vote was taken, it was a

2369
01:44:26,320 --> 01:44:28,880
unanimous vote.

2370
01:44:28,880 --> 01:44:30,480
>> Mr. Moderator.

2371
01:44:30,480 --> 01:44:33,679
>> Yes, please. I can speak to that. Um, I

2372
01:44:33,679 --> 01:44:37,040
jumped ship on article 26. Um, I thought

2373
01:44:37,040 --> 01:44:39,760
there were good arguments on both sides

2374
01:44:39,760 --> 01:44:43,600
and I decided to vote against against it

2375
01:44:43,600 --> 01:44:45,840
at this point. I was in favor of it when

2376
01:44:45,840 --> 01:44:48,159
it was brought to the select board. Um,

2377
01:44:48,159 --> 01:44:49,760
I thought there was a lot of really good

2378
01:44:49,760 --> 01:44:53,199
discussion here tonight and I changed my

2379
01:44:53,199 --> 01:44:56,320
vote. Thank you.

2380
01:44:56,320 --> 01:45:00,639
>> All right. Thank you. Um, we are about

2381
01:45:00,639 --> 01:45:04,880
to then vote on article 27 after any

2382
01:45:04,880 --> 01:45:07,280
further comments are made and then the

2383
01:45:07,280 --> 01:45:11,760
moderator has one minute of remarks he

2384
01:45:11,760 --> 01:45:15,199
would like to make um before he himself

2385
01:45:15,199 --> 01:45:18,639
expires. Thank you. Please go ahead.

2386
01:45:18,639 --> 01:45:22,000
>> Carolyn Sadler um 161 Christian Lane.

2387
01:45:22,000 --> 01:45:24,800
Um, I think someone who was up here just

2388
01:45:24,800 --> 01:45:26,719
a minute ago said that um, it would be

2389
01:45:26,719 --> 01:45:30,239
an incomebased eligibility for this, but

2390
01:45:30,239 --> 01:45:31,920
then I don't actually see that in the

2391
01:45:31,920 --> 01:45:34,000
written material. So, I just want

2392
01:45:34,000 --> 01:45:37,440
clarification. It's I assume it's for

2393
01:45:37,440 --> 01:45:38,800
people who are having a little more

2394
01:45:38,800 --> 01:45:41,520
trouble meeting their their property tax

2395
01:45:41,520 --> 01:45:44,800
than the wealthiest of our residents,

2396
01:45:44,800 --> 01:45:45,119
but

2397
01:45:45,119 --> 01:45:51,119
>> correct. Yeah. So the the bylaw or the general law is simply age the age

2398
01:45:51,119 --> 01:45:53,440
element and then the board of assessors

2399
01:45:53,440 --> 01:45:55,199
administers that program and one of the

2400
01:45:55,199 --> 01:45:58,400
criteria of that program is based on

2401
01:45:58,400 --> 01:46:02,000
income but the state MGL is specifically

2402
01:46:02,000 --> 01:46:04,159
related to age.

2403
01:46:04,159 --> 01:46:08,400
>> Does that clarify properly for you?

2404
01:46:08,400 --> 01:46:10,480
What I what I'm hearing is we are

2405
01:46:10,480 --> 01:46:12,960
authorizing the town to accept these

2406
01:46:12,960 --> 01:46:15,040
provisions and in those provisions there

2407
01:46:15,040 --> 01:46:18,480
are additional regulations and guidance.

2408
01:46:18,480 --> 01:46:20,480
All right. Um is there any else who

2409
01:46:20,480 --> 01:46:23,760
wants to speak or a further question?

2410
01:46:23,760 --> 01:46:27,600
If not um let's move to a vote. All

2411
01:46:27,600 --> 01:46:30,159
those in favor of article 27, please

2412
01:46:30,159 --> 01:46:32,159
raise your card.

2413
01:46:32,159 --> 01:46:34,239
All those opposed.

2414
01:46:34,239 --> 01:46:36,639
The motion article 27 passes by the

2415
01:46:36,639 --> 01:46:39,440
majority required. Well, as I said at

2416
01:46:39,440 --> 01:46:42,239
the beginning of this event, I'm your

2417
01:46:42,239 --> 01:46:46,159
outgoing, some would say too outgoing,

2418
01:46:46,159 --> 01:46:49,520
uh, moderator. Uh, and an illustration

2419
01:46:49,520 --> 01:46:52,320
of the ter that when does the term

2420
01:46:52,320 --> 01:46:57,040
expire? Mine expires June 30th, uh,

2421
01:46:57,040 --> 01:46:58,719
2026.

2422
01:46:58,719 --> 01:47:02,719
However, I will be resigning as of 8:00

2423
01:47:02,719 --> 01:47:07,280
a.m. tomorrow to allow the incoming

2424
01:47:07,280 --> 01:47:11,199
uh moderator to step into that role and

2425
01:47:11,199 --> 01:47:13,760
make the necessary appointments uh for

2426
01:47:13,760 --> 01:47:17,520
the coming years. Um as outgoing

2427
01:47:17,520 --> 01:47:20,159
moderator, I also want to acknowledge

2428
01:47:20,159 --> 01:47:22,880
the volunteer service that had been

2429
01:47:22,880 --> 01:47:25,920
obliquely referred to here. Um, every

2430
01:47:25,920 --> 01:47:28,000
one of the people who was appointed by

2431
01:47:28,000 --> 01:47:29,840
the moderator, which is everyone on the

2432
01:47:29,840 --> 01:47:32,159
finance committee, everyone on the

2433
01:47:32,159 --> 01:47:35,679
planning board, and all the people on

2434
01:47:35,679 --> 01:47:37,199
the personnel committee, although the

2435
01:47:37,199 --> 01:47:40,480
moderator only appoints a few, a couple

2436
01:47:40,480 --> 01:47:44,560
of those works for you

2437
01:47:44,560 --> 01:47:46,239
tirelessly,

2438
01:47:46,239 --> 01:47:48,400
maybe even beyond the point of

2439
01:47:48,400 --> 01:47:49,920
tirelessness.

2440
01:47:49,920 --> 01:47:52,080
Um, in the case of batteries and it

2441
01:47:52,080 --> 01:47:54,880
needs regular recharging. One more joke.

2442
01:47:54,880 --> 01:47:57,280
Sorry. Um

2443
01:47:57,280 --> 01:48:00,800
uh for free and they do it on behalf of

2444
01:48:00,800 --> 01:48:03,920
you and of all of us in the same way

2445
01:48:03,920 --> 01:48:06,880
that you showed up here tonight to work

2446
01:48:06,880 --> 01:48:10,159
and speak on behalf of all of us. You

2447
01:48:10,159 --> 01:48:12,960
are the legislature. You're showing up

2448
01:48:12,960 --> 01:48:14,800
preserves the town of government here

2449
01:48:14,800 --> 01:48:17,600
that we all admire and respect and want

2450
01:48:17,600 --> 01:48:19,840
to keep. And so I thank all of you for

2451
01:48:19,840 --> 01:48:22,159
it. And I'd also like every member of

2452
01:48:22,159 --> 01:48:24,639
the finance committee, planning board,

2453
01:48:24,639 --> 01:48:26,320
and personnel committee who's here

2454
01:48:26,320 --> 01:48:28,560
tonight to stand up so you could thank

2455
01:48:28,560 --> 01:48:39,830
them.

2456
01:48:39,840 --> 01:48:42,639
Finally, I hope when the incoming

2457
01:48:42,639 --> 01:48:45,760
moderator comes to you and asks you to

2458
01:48:45,760 --> 01:48:49,840
join them, you will say yes. All right,

2459
01:48:49,840 --> 01:48:51,840
with that I would like to hand I would

2460
01:48:51,840 --> 01:48:54,159
like to have a motion to adjourn the

2461
01:48:54,159 --> 01:48:57,040
meeting and hand a gavl over to your

2462
01:48:57,040 --> 01:48:57,840
next moderator.

2463
01:48:57,840 --> 01:48:59,840
>> Point of privilege, Mr. moderator.

2464
01:48:59,840 --> 01:49:00,400
>> Yes.

2465
01:49:00,400 --> 01:49:03,280
>> I just want to say thank you very much

2466
01:49:03,280 --> 01:49:05,440
to you and to Joyce for your years of

2467
01:49:05,440 --> 01:49:17,669
service to our community.

2468
01:49:17,679 --> 01:49:18,880
All right.

2469
01:49:18,880 --> 01:49:21,840
>> The motion has been adjourned. Motion to

2470
01:49:21,840 --> 01:49:24,159
adjurnn. And there has been a second.

2471
01:49:24,159 --> 01:49:25,040
>> Who called it?

2472
01:49:25,040 --> 01:49:27,040
>> All those in favor, please raise your

2473
01:49:27,040 --> 01:49:29,040
card.

2474
01:49:29,040 --> 01:49:31,760
>> All those opposed.

2475
01:49:31,760 --> 01:49:34,960
>> Wisely. No one. The motion. The meeting

2476
01:49:34,960 --> 01:49:38,310
is adjourned.

2477
01:49:38,320 --> 01:49:40,400
Bob Holla made the motion.

2478
01:49:40,400 --> 01:49:43,639
>> Got it.