[Speaker 2] (6:23 - 6:39)
Yeah, they weren't doing it. We're good? Okay, hello?

Hello? It's our new gavel.

[Speaker 8] (6:42 - 6:43)
Alright.

[Speaker 2] (6:44 - 6:46)
Oh no, the alarm's going off.

[Speaker 15] (6:47 - 6:48)
Nope.

[Speaker 2] (6:48 - 7:29)
Thought they were going to run out. Welcome to the September 18th, 2024 Select Board Meeting. We're going to start our meeting with a moment of silence.

Today we lost Don House. 19 years servant. Amazing man.

Now if you'll join me please in the pledge of allegiance if the fire department can lead the pledge. And we are being recorded.

[Speaker 15] (7:29 - 7:44)
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[Speaker 2] (7:52 - 8:07)
We're just going to briefly start with public comment. Is there anyone here that has a public comment? Please come to the mic and give your name and your precinct.

Thank you.

[Speaker 14] (8:09 - 9:35)
Hi, good evening. Eric Schneider, 480 Puritan Road, Precinct 5. I'm here tonight to comment about pedestrian safety.

Specifically the Atlantic-Humphrey Street intersection. We all know that this intersection is dangerous. At the last Select Board meeting, the police chief even labeled it a kill zone in an effort to emphasize how dangerous he thought the intersection was.

As the chief discussed, the dangerousness comes from its design featuring obstructed sight lines, high speeds, high volume, and odd intersection angles all before the pedestrian crosswalk. I have three children in the public schools. Two at the Swamps Cattle Emergency School, one at the middle school.

Like several dozen other children, they cross this intersection daily. Many other residents, old and young, use it as well. While the crossing guard and additional police presence during the pick-up and drop-off time at the school has helped, they do not solve the fundamental design failure of this intersection.

My family had hoped that this intersection would be addressed as part of the new school. In fact, three design options were developed by a traffic consultant and presented at the June 11th traffic meeting. However, we're not aware of any further movement or decision on fixing this dangerous intersection.

I hope that my comment tonight brings this issue to the forefront and I look forward to seeing this on the agenda at the next Select Board meeting. Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (9:36 - 9:42)
Thank you, Eric. Is there anyone else here for public comment? Okay, seeing none.

[Speaker 12] (9:44 - 9:45)
Bill Demento.

[Speaker 2] (9:45 - 9:52)
Oh, thank you. Mr. Demento, could you please give your precinct?

[Speaker 13] (9:59 - 11:21)
Precinct 6, 1008 Paradise Road, Bill Demento. My comment tonight is to request the Select Board not to make the same mistake the last time there was a controversy within the executive branch of the town when one member of the Board of Selectmen and the Assistant Town Administrator served as an investigative body and reported back to that same board the results of their investigation. There is a controversy right now with member Grishman and the Board of Assessors.

In my view, and I think by a great majority of the people in this town, are asking and strongly requesting that you have an outside impartial investigator look at that whole situation as to what's going on to see if there was any undue influence or targeting or anything else dealing between the Board of Selectmen, the Town Administrator, and the Board of Assessors. That is why I'm here tonight to ask you don't do it again. You won't get a waiver.

Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (11:21 - 11:40)
Thank you, Mr. Demento. Is there anyone else for public comment? Seeing none, we will move to new business.

We'll start with the reading of the proclamation for the National Hispanic Month by Mr. Thompson.

[Speaker 3] (11:41 - 13:58)
National Hispanic Heritage Month, proclamation by the Select Board. Whereas each year Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and whereas for the first time in our town's history we recognize Hispanic people here and anywhere in the United States as we pay respect to the cultures and populations and celebrate the contributions of all Hispanic peoples with the commitment and resilience that has had an indelible impact on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States. And whereas the observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon B. Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 through the legislative encouragement of Congressmember Esteban Torres of California to cover the period at which it is celebrated today, and whereas nearly 480 years ago recorded Hispanic heritage has been a part of the DNA of American culture with undeniable influence in education, public safety, infrastructure, economic development, culinary arts, and governance, and whereas in the words of Cesar Chavez, preservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures, end quote, and thus celebrate the contributions of the robust Hispanic diaspora to include Spain, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, and now therefore on behalf of the entire Select Board we do hereby proclaim September 15th through October 15th, 2024 as National Hispanic Heritage Month. In the town of Swampscott, Massachusetts, and encourage all faith-based and non-profit organizations, residents, businesses, and public institutions to acknowledge, honor, value, and celebrate Hispanic peoples' historic and current contributions locally and beyond, while also recognizing the ongoing interconnected struggles of all Hispanic communities locally and beyond. In witness whereof, we have hereto under set our hands and cause to be affixed to the great seal of the town of Swampscott, Massachusetts this 18th day of September, 2024, the Swampscott Select Board.

[Speaker 15] (13:59 - 14:00)
All right.

[Speaker 2] (14:06 - 14:28)
Okay. Now next on our agenda, we're very excited to recognize two amazing gentlemen, Captain James Snow and Deputy Chief James Potts for their many years of service to the town. We'll have our chief, Graham Archer, give us some kind words here.

[Speaker 10] (14:31 - 18:01)
Thank you, Chairperson Fletcher. Hello. Good evening, everyone.

We're here on a really happy occasion tonight. We are recognizing the achievement of some firefighters. We're recognizing the swearing in of a brand-new firefighter.

And we're honoring the legacy of service of two long-serving members of our department, recently retired. That's, as Mary Ellen said, Captain James Snow and Deputy Chief James Potts. Jim Potts came to us in the early 90s in the wake of an economic downturn, which saw firefighters across the state losing their jobs, being laid off.

And the tradition of firefighting, you know, we had a statewide understanding that we firefighters would pick up other laid-off firefighters before we hired new people. So we had a lot of firefighters come through the Swanscot Fire Department in the early 90s. People from Gloucester, Lawrence, Lynn, Malden.

Swanscot was doing as it is now. It was doing particularly well at that time when other people were laying off. We were holding our own and even hiring.

We took these people on, knowing full well that they might likely go back to their own departments, which is what most of them did when things settled back down. Jim stayed, though. Jim stayed.

And we're happy that he did. He made a career of the Swanscot Fire Department. Jim rose to the ranks, combining his decades of experience teaching at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy with a real-world understanding of the job of firefighting, and he became a true asset to the department, also the rising to the rank of Deputy Chief.

He was our Code Enforcement Officer, Fire Prevention Officer, and he was a wealth of knowledge that we were struggling right now to replace. Jim Snow worked at the fire department for a length... He had a tenure that's rarely been matched, and it's rarely going to be matched.

Jim was there just shy of 40 years. He finished 40 and a half. He finished just over 40 years with the fire department.

You know, Red Delano might have matched him. Kevin Green might have matched him. There are not a lot of other people.

I'm going to catch you. But there are not a lot of people that have matched that. And Jim grew up in Swanscot, and he spent much of his time in the department as a union official, also becoming the union president for many years.

Yes, he was the president of IAFF Local 1459. After many years of seeing new hires come on and rise through the ranks, Jim got into the books. He cracked the books and soon found he had an aptitude as a fire officer, and he quickly rose and became a captain.

Before long, he was sharing his experience in that role, and he closed out the role in the rank of captain. These two gentlemen are a tremendous loss of experience and knowledge to our department. And we're, as I said, we're going to make it, but we're struggling to replace that degree of experience and knowledge.

So let's hear something from them.

[Speaker 2] (18:14 - 20:31)
Captain Snow, if you don't mind, come on down. We'd like to give you an official citation of appreciation and recognition for your 40-plus years of service in the town of Swanscot. Thank you.

So, for our next round of... I thought you were going to read it first. Okay.

We'll do the deputy chief first. So, Deputy Chief Fox, town of Swanscot, I'd like to give you an official citation of appreciation and recognition of your service in the town of Swanscot. Thank you.

Thank you. Oh, a picture. All right.

Out with the old. Okay. So we're now moving on to item number three, the swearing-in of our fire captain, Michael Blablank, Lieutenant Michael Bagnell, and the new firefighter, Bethany Dudley.

It's a great night, huh?

[Speaker 10] (20:32 - 24:00)
It's a great night. It's a great night. We really love these nights.

We get to acknowledge people's achievement and welcome new firefighters. In the 25 years I've worked with Michael Blank, I've never once seen him anything less than enthusiastic about his job. I've never seen him not show up ready to go to work.

Mike's passion for public service is infectious. He is determined to extract every bit of enjoyment out of his time at work and being with his team. Mike has an abiding love for the town of Swanscot, and he is deeply connected to our residents.

It's a very rare day working with him that you don't encounter someone or a parent of someone he coached. That now includes firefighters he works alongside. Along the way, Mike has earned the respect of his coworkers.

He is a go-to source for information about the department as well as historical reference regarding the past quarter century of department history. I know it has snuck up on him, but somehow Michael Blank now inhabits the role of one of our senior leaders and old hands in our department. I know his wife Amy, his daughters Courtney and Ashley, and his son-in-law Kaleem Simply put, Mike Bagnell is one of the sharpest minds of any firefighter I've ever worked with.

It often goes unnoticed in the noise of the firehouse as we discuss, argue and solve the problems of the world and the town that Mike is just sitting quietly at the end of the table thinking deeply and observing. He will then, at times, distill the entire conversation down into a few clear and simple points which may have been lost in all the noise. 16 years ago, Mike Ting came to us having been a 9-1-1 dispatcher and he still possesses the critical skill which all good dispatchers have to visualize a situation, assess in which direction is trending and identify what resources might be needed to bring an event to a successful conclusion.

Keep an eye on Mike Bagnell. I don't think he's anywhere near done growing as a firefighter. It would be very understandable that Bethany developed an outsized ego at this point.

After all, when we enlisted her, she had options of employment with two other outstanding agencies, the Linfield Fire Department and Boston EMS. Beth excelled at both Boston EMS and Massachusetts State Firefighting Academies and it would be understandable if she did develop that ego but it would not be Beth. Beth comes to work humble and eager to work. She's been with us.

She has been so completely adopted by her shift, it is hard to imagine Group 3 without her. These are our three recognitions for this evening. If you guys would step up here.

I'm sorry. Also, pinning them for Beth Dudley will be a friend and academy classmate on Linfield Firefighter Brendan, Mike's wife Amy, and Mike Ragnell's daughter Addie.

[Speaker 6] (24:20 - 24:24)
Hi, state your name.

[Speaker 17] (24:24 - 24:25)
Hi, Bethany Dudley.

[Speaker 6] (24:26 - 24:29)
Being appointed a member of the Swampscot Fire Department.

[Speaker 17] (24:29 - 24:31)
Being appointed a member of the Swampscot Fire Department.

[Speaker 6] (24:32 - 24:34)
And having read the rules, regulations, and amendments

[Speaker 17] (24:34 - 24:37)
And having read the rules, regulations, and amendments

[Speaker 6] (24:37 - 24:39)
Of the Swampscot Fire Department

[Speaker 17] (24:39 - 24:41)
Of the Swampscot Fire Department

[Speaker 6] (24:41 - 24:45)
Hereby agree to abide and conform with all the rules and regulations established

[Speaker 17] (24:45 - 24:50)
Hereby agree to abide to all the rules and regulations established

[Speaker 6] (24:50 - 24:52)
And to any other general

[Speaker 17] (24:53 - 24:56)
Or special orders

[Speaker 6] (24:56 - 25:01)
Hereafter issued Shall be subject to the penalties

[Speaker 17] (25:02 - 25:03)
And shall be subject to the penalties

[Speaker 6] (25:04 - 25:08)
Therein provided for I, state your name

[Speaker 17] (25:08 - 25:09)
I, Bethany Dudley

[Speaker 6] (25:09 - 25:11)
Do solemnly swear or affirm

[Speaker 17] (25:11 - 25:13)
Do solemnly swear or affirm

[Speaker 6] (25:13 - 25:21)
That I will support the Constitution Of the United States As well as the Constitution Of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

[Speaker 17] (25:21 - 25:24)
As well as the Constitution Of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

[Speaker 6] (25:24 - 25:29)
And the bylaws of the town of Swampscot And that I will,

[Speaker 17] (25:30 - 25:32)
And that I will, to the best of my abilities

[Speaker 6] (25:32 - 25:36)
Discharge the duties As a member of the Swampscot Fire Department

[Speaker 17] (25:36 - 25:39)
Discharge the duties As a member of the Swampscot Fire Department

[Speaker 6] (25:56 - 26:02)
I, state your name

[Speaker 12] (26:02 - 26:03)
I, Michael LeBlanc

[Speaker 6] (26:04 - 26:36)
Do solemnly swear or affirm Do solemnly swear or affirm That I will faithfully and partially That I will faithfully and partially To the best of my abilities Discharge the duties of Discharge the duties of Lieutenant And the Swampscot Fire Department Additionally I will abide by and enforce Of the rules, regulations and procedures Of the rules, regulations and procedures Of the Swampscot Fire Department

[Speaker 1] (26:36 - 26:37)
of the Swampscott Fire Department.

[Speaker 6] (26:38 - 27:14)
I, state your name. I, Michael LeBlanc, do solemnly swear or affirm, do solemnly swear or affirm, that I will support the Constitution of the United States, that I will support the Constitution of the United States, as well as the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the Constitution of Massachusetts, the Constitution of Massachusetts, and the bylaws of the town of Swampscott, and the best of my abilities, discharge the duties, discharge the duties, as a member of the Swampscott Fire Department. As a member of the Swampscott Fire Department.

[Speaker 2] (27:37 - 27:39)
Captain, Lieutenant, would you take a moment to say a few words?

[Speaker 12] (27:40 - 28:07)
Yes, I would like to thank Sean, the Chief, the Board of Selectmen, for giving me the opportunity to give back to my community. I'm very excited about doing that. I've been on 25 years, and I've learned from the senior guys, I've learned from Captain Snow and Jim Potts and some of the other senior guys, and I want to pass that on to the younger generation.

I've got Bethany in my group, brand new. I'm excited about that, and I'm excited to give back to the community.

[Speaker 2] (28:19 - 28:37)
Lieutenant. Appreciate it. Thank you, everybody.

All right, so I guess a few words. Definitely pretty clear. Would you like to say anything else, Chief, before we wrap it up?

[Speaker 10] (28:37 - 28:46)
Thank you to the Select Board for your time, for inviting us to be here. It really means a lot that you guys take the time to recognize these achievements. Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (28:46 - 29:52)
You did it. You do a great job, Chief. Thank you.

All right. Thank you, everybody. We'll give everybody a second.

Okay. Next on our agenda, we have the appointment of our new town assessor, John Paul. Oh, I'm sorry.

How do you say your last name? John Paul Plouffe. John Paul Plouffe.

[Speaker 1] (29:54 - 29:55)
Good evening.

[Speaker 2] (29:56 - 29:57)
Sean?

[Speaker 1] (29:57 - 31:01)
Yes. I'm very happy to present Mr. Plouffe. John Paul comes to Swampscot after a lifetime of achievement with appraisals and municipal assessing.

John Paul has spent a lifetime really working in real estate. He has a tremendous amount of experience. He is recommended unanimously by our Board of Assessors after meeting with him and conducting the initial screening.

I really do feel as though John has every bit of experience to help us. He has worked in communities that have been similar and larger, and so I think he has the background to really address some of the issues that we're dealing with. With that, John Paul, would you share a little bit about your background?

Yeah.

[Speaker 11] (31:02 - 33:12)
I've been doing property evaluation for 35 years, the last 24, 25 as assessor. Two years in West Newbery and the last 21 or so in the town of Westford. After being an assistant assessor there for a year, I was appointed as the principal assessor, and that's where I just stayed afterwards.

I was very happy in Westford. It's close to home. I was familiar with the town.

I retired three years ago, and I'm finding that I'm getting a little bit bored. So I decided to look for something part-time to do, and SwampScot just happened to come across when I was looking around, and I figured, well, you know, it's kind of what I know. It's what I've been doing.

I think I can bring something to the town. I certainly think I can, you know, produce what you need done here. In terms of my part of my career, I always thought my job was to recommend to the Board of Assessors different things that need to be done with abatements and whatnot, kind of more advisory.

I don't play politics. People come in, even when I was in Westford, you know, probably accusing me of, you know, playing politics, and my answer to them was, one, I didn't know who they were, and I didn't care, but for me, they were real estate, and really, for the most part, that's what my function is. It's valuing real and personal property to determine what everyone's piece of the pie is, because that piece of the pie is the tax levy, and which is a part of the budget, and which I, or the Board of Assessors, has no control over.

So over a period of a lot of years, most people, I think, in Westford finally began to understand that. One woman actually told me she started going to town meetings and FinCom meetings because of me, because it wasn't enough to complain about what's going on if you're not going to become involved, and that's the only way to learn what municipal government is all about.

[Speaker 1] (33:15 - 33:18)
Terrific. Thank you, John. Any questions from the Board?

[Speaker 2] (33:19 - 33:23)
No questions from me. Just thank you very much for coming in.

[Speaker 3] (33:24 - 33:28)
Same number of hours as we've had in the past? Same number of hours.

[Speaker 1] (33:28 - 33:44)
You know, we're going to work with John Paul. You know, we, right now, you know, there are some weeks that are busier than others, and so there's a degree of flexibility, certainly, you know, we're always kind of open to really just seeing how things work, but...

[Speaker 11] (33:44 - 33:46)
Yeah, average of 15 hours.

[Speaker 1] (33:46 - 33:46)
Yeah, that's right.

[Speaker 11] (33:47 - 34:00)
Yeah, I mean, because I'm retired, I'm allowed to work up to 1,200 hours a year. So 15 hours a week would be around $7.50. That's right. Which is a happy number.

[Speaker 1] (34:00 - 34:10)
That's right. That basically is what we've been doing. And I, you know, I think, you know, after the first couple of months, we can circle back around and just see how things are.

[Speaker 11] (34:11 - 34:33)
Yeah, I'm familiar with nature properties. I've worked with them. The owners are mobile.

This is not anything new for me. We had a nature success pro in Westford, and we have that here. So it's just kind of getting familiar with the nuances of those systems.

[Speaker 2] (34:35 - 34:37)
Do you have a far commute?

[Speaker 11] (34:38 - 35:30)
I live in Reddington. I lived in Cricket. I grew up in Lowell.

We grew up in Lowell, and we lived in Draco for 40 years. And when I retired, things changed. My wife and I looked at each other and said, let's get rid of the house, which we did.

My daughter moved to Wakefield with my four beautiful grandchildren. So we are there helping them, and this is kind of what we're doing. The three, well, the oldest and the three oldest ones are now in school.

So the little guy now goes to daycare. So but between helping them in the morning and then doing something later on, it's kind of a big stretch for me. And I'm finding I go in a market basket on a daily basis.

So I just kind of really feel I need to be doing something. And it really didn't matter what as long as I was just kind of keeping myself busy.

[Speaker 2] (35:31 - 35:33)
Does this mean you're trying to get out of going to market basket?

[Speaker 11] (35:33 - 35:40)
Yeah. You're just going to hit market basket and go home? We sold the house and rented an apartment.

And what's nice is I don't have to do anything.

[Speaker 2] (35:40 - 35:40)
Right.

[Speaker 11] (35:40 - 35:47)
But also what's not nice is I have nothing to do. So I think a little side job would probably do well.

[Speaker 2] (35:47 - 35:49)
Great. Welcome to Swanscott. Sure.

[Speaker 11] (35:49 - 35:50)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (35:50 - 35:54)
So I'll need a vote from the board to confirm the recommendation.

[Speaker 2] (35:55 - 35:56)
So can we have a motion to confirm the recommendation?

[Speaker 1] (35:57 - 35:58)
So moved. And a second? Second.

[Speaker 2] (35:59 - 35:59)
All in favor?

[Speaker 1] (35:59 - 36:01)
Aye. So moved. All right.

Congrats, Sean.

[Speaker 2] (36:02 - 36:24)
Thank you, Mary Ann. Okay. Moving along.

Discussion and possible votes. Excuse me. Discussion and possible vote on the Votes Act requirements for town hall early.

I did? Yeah. One above it.

[Speaker 4] (36:24 - 36:28)
Number five.

[Speaker 2] (36:28 - 36:30)
My number five is discussion and possible votes.

[Speaker 5] (36:31 - 36:32)
I have a grant. No.

[Speaker 2] (36:34 - 36:57)
I have a lighting grant. I have a different one. Okay.

Discussion on $224,000 grant opportunity for lighting with future request for warrant article funding. This is just a discussion. Okay.

And we have a special guest, Mr. Joe Doulette. Hi. If you could come to the mic, Mr. Doulette. Oh, you have a mic.

[Speaker 8] (37:00 - 40:16)
I'm here with Max as well. Max and I have been working on this for the past several years. And you guys have been very supportive about this whole project.

It's moving forward. Acoustics going in relatively soon. Audio and speakers are going in relatively soon.

Lighting was on the capital improvement plan for next year for about $453,000. I'm going to just give you kind of the quick what's happening. And National Grid came to us late in the summer, mid to late summer, and said, hey, we can fund 50% of this.

But you have to have it done by December 31st. So Max and I have been kind of scrambling, trying to figure out if there's any path to this, which is why we're here in front of you today. So the ultimate revised cost of the town will be $229,000.

But again, it has to be complete by December 31st. So one strategy is to get this on a special town meeting warrant to fund that. The issue is that in order to have it done by December 31st, all the parts have to be ordered before there'll be a special town meeting.

So there's the tricky part of this. So just a quick timeline on this. If there's even a possibility for this, and I recognize that this is a long shot, just because of the potential complexities.

We did reach out to the town administration and to various committees to just see what the feeling would be to do this. Everyone seems supportive of it. But how we get this done is the next part, which is consider the feasibility.

We would need to order supplies within the next week or so in order for them to be in time for the installation to happen to be completed by December 31st. We do have a couple of times in the auditorium booked. So getting the project done seems like it's doable as long as the stuff gets ordered within the time that we have.

Special town meeting, if it happens in November, December, if that does get approved, then that does then take the entire amount, fund it. And then we would pay National Grid our share, and they would pay the other share, and it would be complete. So I'm sure there's many questions.

Max and I have been going back and forth on this. A couple of things, just in case these are questions. If it can happen, what happens if the town meeting approves this later than project completion?

Say there's not a special town meeting until, say, January or something. Part of National Grid's incentive is this goes on to OBR. So they actually pay for the entire project.

And then we pay them back at a 0% financing for five years. So our payments until we do get the funding are around $3,500 a month. But then we can pay off the full amount at any time with no penalties.

So National Grid is basically paying for this project, and we're paying them back on our electric bill. We've done projects with them like this in the past. The other question that came up, I'll throw this out.

What happens if we can't take advantage of this 50% incentive from National Grid? Next year, there might be an incentive that would be closer to 5% or 10%. So it's not, you know, nothing.

It would be a $45,000 incentive. And then Margie and I have been looking at other kind of audience development grants through the Mass Cultural Council. So that's my two-minute pitch.

But we're here to answer any questions that you might have.

[Speaker 2] (40:18 - 40:19)
Where are the parts coming from?

[Speaker 8] (40:22 - 40:39)
Well, that would depend on the vendor. You mean geographically or in terms of business? I don't know.

There's a person that does this and orders these parts, and he says we would need to order these within the next couple of weeks in order to get them in in time to install.

[Speaker 2] (40:39 - 40:55)
I think what I'm really trying to understand is are these parts available? Is this likely that parts are available, they can get shipped in here? Or is this something where you're going to have maybe 20% of your parts can't get in, and then the whole project is just...

[Speaker 8] (40:55 - 41:04)
The person that designed the system has made calls to the suppliers, and he has assured us that the parts are available. We just need to order them within this time frame.

[Speaker 7] (41:05 - 41:19)
And Joe, what's the install process? How many days are folks going to need to be in the auditorium? You know, just kind of give us a timeline there or your best estimate.

[Speaker 8] (41:20 - 42:11)
Well, there's demolition. So there's pulling out the entire electrical system. Then there's installing the new electric system.

Then there's hanging the rigging of the lights, and then there's installation and programming of the lights. So I would imagine a week of install. He did a smaller project in our studio, and he did it in two days.

That was obviously a tinier project, but I would say a week. He can work around the auditorium schedule and Mr. Pierce's needs. So getting in the theater in the time frame up to December 31st is doable if parts are ordered by the beginning of October.

So like two months to order, to come in, to start the work, and then to install. He is very confident that that can be done.

[Speaker 3] (42:14 - 42:29)
So I wasn't here when this whole conversation started. Just very simply, like, what is the need for this in terms of, like, are the lights, like, defective, not very good, not very energy efficient? Like, what's the real driver?

[Speaker 8] (42:29 - 43:38)
The driver from National Grid is that we have an outdated, inefficient, incandescent light system that are hard to maneuver. They're maneuverable because people have been using these for years, but they want to move everybody industrially, large businesses, industries over to LED. So this is kind of their last year of the incentive for large businesses.

We fall under that. They call it a commercial and industrial customer. For us, our lighting system is outdated.

It's not made anymore. If anything goes wrong with it, then we would need to replace it. So we're kind of in that we don't know when it's going to go, and if something does go, trying to get it repaired or getting parts would be complicated.

So my conversations with Capital Improvement has been, let's kind of pre-do this. Since we're doing a whole auditorium upgrade, why don't we just do the whole thing? And Max has been very supportive.

Let's just get that auditorium done and be done with it for the next 15, 20 years. So that's been kind of our internal desire is that we don't want to wait until it goes, because in the middle of one of Jim's plays, the lights go out, and it's not a murder mystery. It's a financial mystery at that point.

[Speaker 3] (43:38 - 43:39)
Do we expect to save money?

[Speaker 8] (43:39 - 44:26)
There would be a cost savings on the use of the lights. So I got a very kind of, not super complicated, but email from the vendor talking about the usage and the efficiencies of it. I wasn't able to decipher it until like a year, but if they were used at full, his number was around $30,000 of savings a year.

We probably don't use them to that extent, but it would be in the thousands. We do use them on a weekly basis during the school year, and then during play time, they're on for kind of two weeks during dress rehearsals, tech week, and performances. So there's thousands, at least four figures of savings a year on the LED switch.

[Speaker 3] (44:27 - 44:32)
And what was the amount? My last question is $3,500 was what for? It was $3,500.

Next slide.

[Speaker 8] (44:32 - 45:01)
Oh, sorry. This would be if it didn't get funded. So say all these pieces got in place, and we got it on an article, and then for some reason, the town said no.

We would be on the hook for $3,500 a month for five years. It's a 0% five-year kind of loan from National Grid. So that's kind of worst case scenario if we get through all this, but then town meeting says, nope.

It's around like $40,000.

[Speaker 6] (45:01 - 45:57)
To add to that, the reason we would even be in a position to advance the project without an appropriation is that we have the National Grid incentives and a commitment from National Grid to fund it on OBR. But with OBR, there's a significant impact to the operating budget, $3,500 a month. So that's why we would be looking to have capital sort of come in and level that out.

But the OBR is critical because without OBR, on-bill repayment, we wouldn't be in a position to start this project as swiftly as we would need to. We couldn't order pieces for a project months ahead of town meeting in anticipation without a special maneuver. We have this as a backup strategy.

[Speaker 3] (45:57 - 45:57)
If not, yeah.

[Speaker 6] (45:58 - 45:59)
Yeah, OBR, yeah.

[Speaker 3] (45:59 - 46:03)
And the other backup, I'm not sure why we wouldn't consider using this. OBR.

[Speaker 15] (46:04 - 46:08)
To OBR, we have to look at it. This is recently cut to light, unattended.

[Speaker 2] (46:08 - 46:09)
Right, right.

[Speaker 1] (46:09 - 48:34)
Literally 24 hours or a little more than that. And so we're looking at it. And I've had conversations with Max and with Joe.

I want to applaud them for looking at an opportunity to actually help the town get $200,000 plus. This is really a wonderful program. But we have rules to follow, not just with a grant program for National Grid, but for municipal finance.

We have procurement laws that we have to follow. This is a major project, and we have to really be careful with it. There are opportunities for us to kind of think about this and really strategize.

We have a big budget. We have a lot of flexibility. But we may have to come back and have another conversation about a game plan.

Tonight, we want to get a sense from the board, is this something that you would support if we could actually pull this together and come up with a strategy that we could go to a special town meeting sometime late November, early December? We may have to decide sooner about allocating some operating budget. There may be a need to have a conversation among a number of town departments to do that.

That said, the town does have some budgets that we could rely on. I'm not sure that at this point in the fiscal year, relying on those sources would be the most prudent thing to do. I do think going to a special town meeting and perhaps seeking a supplemental appropriation, either through free cash or through debt service, would help secure our budgets through the rest of the fiscal year.

These are the things that we have to kind of work out. We did talk about the payback. It is interesting to me, if we're replacing all these incandescent lights, could that offset the $3,500 a month?

How much of that could actually be achieved through an operating budget? These are the stage lights. We don't use the stage lights like we use the auditorium.

They come on and off infrequently. We're not going to get that same payback. I just want to be clear.

Noodling that number, it's really difficult. I don't want to overestimate that number.

[Speaker 7] (48:35 - 49:18)
I'm just getting confused by the math. So right here, and I'm in full support of this. I think this is something that we've been talking about for a number of years.

This is something that we need, and Joe, I support this initiative. I'm just curious about this math on this slide. So we're looking at this lighting system, $453,000, incentive of 224, 228,558 is the gap financing.

But back to the other slide, we're talking about $3,500 a month for 60 months. That's $210,000. It's just that I'm not following.

That's our share.

[Speaker 8] (49:19 - 49:28)
So National Grid pays the other part of it. So if you look on this slide, the whole project is 453. National Grid is going to give us 224.

We don't pay back.

[Speaker 15] (49:28 - 49:29)
We don't pay back. They're going to subsidize.

[Speaker 7] (49:30 - 49:45)
OK, so they're subsidizing it regardless. Then if we can do it all by December 31st. Got it.

The balance. The other screen said that if in the event that we didn't, if it happens later. That's our share still.

The $3,500 is our share.

[Speaker 4] (49:45 - 50:21)
Yeah, they're still talking about the 229. We only have to pay back 229 and change. And how we do it is one of two ways.

Either a full appropriation of $229,000, which we pay, or a payment of $3,500 approximately monthly for five years. Approximately. Until it's paid off.

Or a combination of both, right? Like we start paying $3,500, and we wait until we get down to $100,000. And we pay off $100,000 at some time later.

Because we could pay it off at any time, correct?

[Speaker 8] (50:22 - 50:31)
Yeah, and then the other way is if we can't take advantage of this incentive, then we would have to pay the whole 453. That's on the plan already for next year.

[Speaker 1] (50:31 - 51:17)
Got it. OK. 0% sounds really great.

Yeah, I mean- So I think there's some great opportunity here. We have to sit down with the town treasurer, the finance director, with probably- Procurement now sounds like the biggest question I have. Yeah, we need to make sure that if these vendors are on state bid lists, that's great.

If they're not, there's a timeline that we have to back into that might make it complicated. But again, this is stage lighting. I believe this can get done.

We just need to sit down and make sure we do it as compliantly as we need to.

[Speaker 5] (51:18 - 51:29)
Joe, in your experience, have you ever seen a grant of this size where National Grid or anybody is willing to give us a 50% incentive? I mean, that's pretty big.

[Speaker 8] (51:29 - 51:48)
I haven't. And the vendor who is the vendor on record with National Grid, so he was the one that applied for it. He said, you know, I'm going to apply for this incentive for my proposal.

He said that this is like, they don't really do this. This is uncommon. It's a year that they are kind of wrapping up these industrial projects.

[Speaker 5] (51:49 - 51:55)
So if we don't take advantage of it this year, potentially looking for it next year, the year after might not exist, probably won't exist.

[Speaker 8] (51:55 - 51:56)
It'll be a smaller one.

[Speaker 5] (51:56 - 52:01)
It'll be like a 5% to 10%. 500,000 alone, right? Thereabouts, or 453, as you say, right?

[Speaker 8] (52:01 - 52:02)
Yeah, with some...

[Speaker 5] (52:02 - 52:05)
Without any type of finance or incentive to...

[Speaker 8] (52:05 - 52:13)
They could still OBR it. They could still on bill repay, but the incentives would be down to more like a $45,000, which, again, is not insignificant.

[Speaker 5] (52:13 - 52:15)
Not bad, but it's not 50%.

[Speaker 8] (52:15 - 52:28)
So, you know, the fallout plan here is if this can't happen, Capital Improvement has said they want to support this in FY26. So it'll happen. It's not like it won't happen.

It's just, is there a way we can take advantage of this $224,000 with all the complexities?

[Speaker 1] (52:28 - 53:12)
I think the fact that Capital Improvement has already said, awesome, this is a project we support, that credentials it as something that, you know, is a priority for the town. It's always helpful to have project credentials a couple of years out because we're supposed to chase grants to help offset the cost of those big ticket capital items. So, Joe, these are all, Max, great coordination here.

We just got to see if we can make this work. This is a big responsibility, though, and this is something that the select board is going to have to carry to town meeting, and we've got to do our best job to try to give them a game plan that works. So I don't want to...

[Speaker 4] (53:12 - 53:47)
But also, I just want to point out that we can, and maybe we will, but we don't have to. We could... Could we not still OBR this without a full out...

I mean, I understand town meeting has to allocate pre-cash to the operating budget so that we can pay the $3,500 a month because eventually your operating budget will come down quickly, but you have a little bit of runway there, right?

[Speaker 1] (53:48 - 54:05)
We do. We're at the first quarter of a fiscal year. We could try to peel off 220,000 town funds, perhaps over general government budget.

Hard, though.

[Speaker 2] (54:06 - 54:09)
Well, if it's in the school, is this...

[Speaker 1] (54:09 - 54:14)
That's it. I'm not going to get into... I'm not talking about the school budget.

I don't want to have my...

[Speaker 15] (54:14 - 54:15)
I want to see how many awards you have.

[Speaker 4] (54:15 - 54:24)
I know that we're asking for 229 because that's the full funding, but really you just need 4,200 for... I mean, 42,000 for this year to cover 3,500 over 12 months.

[Speaker 8] (54:24 - 54:28)
It would be less because it's January through July.

[Speaker 4] (54:28 - 54:39)
I'm not trying to downplay the fact that this is a big ask, but there are many avenues to get to the conclusion of a successful... Yeah, so I think...

[Speaker 2] (54:39 - 54:50)
We don't have a lot of time to do it if we're... Right, but I think what we're here tonight is to just find out from everyone what your feelings are, to have a straw vote on it. So that's a thumbs up.

[Speaker 1] (54:50 - 54:55)
Can't do it. You need to approve our grants over $50,000. So approving our...

[Speaker 2] (54:55 - 55:05)
So if this were a grant in front of us, I would say we have a majority vote that would approve it. I think you're hearing everyone say we think it's a good idea, so... Absolutely, yes.

[Speaker 4] (55:05 - 55:05)
Okay?

[Speaker 2] (55:06 - 55:07)
All right. That's the straw poll for tonight.

[Speaker 1] (55:07 - 55:19)
Keep doing what we can. I think there's probably four or five different ways that we could... Skin this cat.

Finance this. And so we'll come back hopefully at our next meeting with a game plan. All right.

All right. Thank you, guys. Appreciate it.

[Speaker 4] (55:19 - 55:19)
All right.

[Speaker 7] (55:20 - 55:20)
Thanks, Joe.

[Speaker 4] (55:21 - 55:22)
Thank you, Max and Joe.

[Speaker 2] (55:22 - 55:50)
Thank you, gentlemen. All right. You need the speck?

No, I found my other one. Okay, so now we're going to number six on our agenda, discussion and possible vote on the Votes Act requirements for town hall early voting hours for the upcoming national election. And we have our clerk here, Jared.

[Speaker 6] (55:55 - 59:56)
Thank you. So you have a memo in front of you. We just did this two months ago.

The only real difference this time around is it's two weeks of early voting as per the Votes Act. It is required that we be open, again, six hours over the weekend. I like to do them all in one day when people are more...

And it gives them a wider range to hit town hall between all the other activities they have to do. And then 12 hours for each day the town hall is open. I think this offsets the fact that the town hall is not open on Fridays, gives people plenty of opportunities before work, after work.

We are only required to be open 50% of our working hours the first week and 100% of our hours the second week. In previous conversations with the board and my own personal beliefs to give people the most opportunity to vote while still maintaining my budget. Looking for my own budget, I have the money to do this.

I worked with Amy Saul this past year to make sure I was fully funded. And we've also taken advantage of the senior tax work-off program, which technically does not impact my budget, though it does impact the overall town budget, obviously. Which it's been really good for us this year.

And I think that this, especially given this election season, I want to make sure everyone gets the opportunity to vote. As of right now, we have about 3,500 vote by mail. So that was about another 8,500, 9,000 registered voters in town.

And typically for these elections, we get up to about 70 to 80% of our voting population out to vote. So I anticipate this to be very busy. And hopefully this too, by having 12-hour shifts and six hours on two Saturdays, this will make it so people, it doesn't back up from what I heard anecdotally.

Part of it was because of COVID. But four years ago, there was a line out the door to get into town hall. That was partly COVID.

But that's also just shows you for a presidential election, how many people want to vote early, because it's just an easier option for many people. This hopefully, this combined with the new equipment that I just received due to the CIC funding I received in this fiscal year, I'll have about 16 voting booths active. So 16 people can vote at once in the select board room in the town hall or the old select board room in the town hall.

And so I don't foresee any issues. The staffing is up to a level we've been expanding over the past few years. Right now, I have 87 people who have volunteered to help vote.

This is through non-profit, non-partisan organizations who connect people with local town clerks, people within the town who just want to help out, and those who have done it for a number of years. This includes, even I just got one yesterday that was a high school student who want to do it, which high school students are allowed to do it. So I'm actually going to reach out to the school and see if there's any way we can get some of these, some more kids because I, to be fair, I hadn't thought of it.

And it is a great option for, you know, because the school won't be open that day anyways. On election day and then for early voting as well with some shifts that take place after school is out. And it's really great to see young people who want to do this.

So I don't foresee any issue with this. And this is also in line with everything that the town and the select board has requested of us in the past. And given how many elections we've had this year, we've kind of smoothed out some of the kinks with my office and should be run smoothly, hopefully.

[Speaker 2] (59:57 - 59:58)
Any questions?

[Speaker 3] (59:59 - 1:00:06)
I do have one question. Is there any prohibition or is there a reason like you don't have a Saturday right before election day?

[Speaker 6] (1:00:07 - 1:01:16)
It's over by that point. So it runs through the 19th through the Friday beforehand. So it's two Saturdays.

So it ends November 1st under state law. So that's why. This all sounds great to me.

And just to mention, under state law, there is still a way that people can vote up to 12 p.m. on the day before the election day. That's called absentee voting over the counter, what we call it. And so there is still options and opportunities afterwards if someone's like, I forgot.

But most people with two weeks manage to get in. I've worked in the past with Gino Cresta to put it on the sign, Diane Marchese to send out robocalls, post it on our social media, post it on our website, which we will do again to make sure it's the best we can. I always get calls.

I didn't know what was going to happen. There's only so much my office can do. But we do make an effort to inform as many people as possible.

We also talk to the patch, talk to the line item, you know, try to get it in the newspaper as well.

[Speaker 2] (1:01:17 - 1:01:25)
So I have a question. Is putting on a presidential election, is that more stressful for the clerk's office?

[Speaker 6] (1:01:25 - 1:03:34)
It takes more resources. It definitely does. Just it's all based on who, how many people you have come out to vote.

Like with anything, the more people you have, the more quote unquote stressful it is. But this will be my second presidential in my fourth state election. So I've got it pretty well handled.

But yes, there is a little bit more pressure on these things. Also just a lot more people pay attention to these elections than they do to other elections. So my office, I want to say we had about 25, 30 calls asking when we were going to get the ballots today.

People have started to think about it. And once people start to think about it, they get very people don't care until they kind of comes onto their radar. And once it comes onto their radar, they want it immediately.

But we should have the ballots. We're hoping by next week, but maybe the week after to send out to those roughly 3,500 who have requested them. I've under state law, those citizens living overseas who Swanscott was their last address have already been sent out in accordance with federal law.

So there's a lot, there's definitely a lot more like this is probably the most overseas ballots that I've had. And I worked in a town with a military base before this. So this was still some of the most I've had.

I have about 45 overseas people, students, children who are kids, young adults who are overseas. We have people who last lived in Swanscott before moving overseas. We have a number of people in Europe, in Israel, in Mexico, some of the ones that have jumped out at me.

And then we also have people who have never lived in the United States, but they're US citizens, whose parents last address was in Swanscott. So it's definitely different to do a presidential election. It's not like anything else that we do over the course of the four years.

[Speaker 2] (1:03:35 - 1:03:43)
Great. Okay. So we need a motion.

We need a motion on this discussion. Possible vote. Yes.

[Speaker 1] (1:03:43 - 1:03:53)
Yes. We need a motion to follow the recommendation of town clerk to post the elections as outlined in his memo. So moved.

[Speaker 2] (1:03:53 - 1:03:54)
Second.

[Speaker 1] (1:03:54 - 1:03:55)
Second.

[Speaker 2] (1:03:55 - 1:03:56)
All in favor.

[Speaker 1] (1:03:57 - 1:03:57)
Aye.

[Speaker 2] (1:03:57 - 1:03:58)
Motion carries.

[Speaker 1] (1:04:00 - 1:04:02)
Thanks, Jared. Democracy.

[Speaker 2] (1:04:03 - 1:04:14)
Okay. Thank you, Jared. You do a great job.

Thank you. Now we'll move to discussion and possible vote on entertainment license fees. Marissa.

[Speaker 9] (1:04:16 - 1:05:47)
So we are coming up on our annual common vitual and entertainment license renewals for all of our food, mostly food related businesses. In past years, when we have gone over the list of businesses who file for an entertainment license, there's been discussion about the fee that we charge. Right now, it's a flat fee of $125, no matter what type of entertainment you provide.

And so with this policy change, we're sort of looking to level the playing field a little bit. We have some businesses who might just play background music. As an example, I've eaten at Cafe Avellino and Teresa just pipes and some soft music through her iPad versus Mission on the Bay that will have music with an amplifier.

They have a live band. So there are different types of entertainment provided throughout our town businesses. And the fee scale that I proposed here is something that I modeled off of what the city of Cambridge does.

Obviously adjusted the prices for a small town scale. This is just something that I thought of. I'm open to other suggestions.

I'm also open to keeping the flat fee if that's something that people agree with, but just wanted to gauge your interest. And I have some numbers that I'm happy to throw out if anybody has questions, but...

[Speaker 2] (1:05:48 - 1:05:51)
Do you have a comparison sheet?

[Speaker 9] (1:05:51 - 1:06:02)
I do. So I was doing comps today. I looked at our neighboring municipalities along the North Shore, and then I also looked at municipalities that are elsewhere in the state, but have a similar population size.

[Speaker 2] (1:06:03 - 1:06:04)
Do you have them that you can put on the screen?

[Speaker 9] (1:06:05 - 1:07:35)
I don't. I just had time to do it this afternoon. They're mostly all the same.

They're all flat fees. I can give this to you. Otherwise, if I hold it up to the screen, is that gonna work?

No, that's just wrong. Mostly, I'll put it this way. The highest fee was Gloucester, and that was $300.

Everybody else charges about $100, although some did separate live entertainment from non-live entertainment. So TVs and music would incur a $50 fee, whereas live entertainment like bands and performances would incur a $100 fee. Some also charge for having entertainment on Sundays.

And then others also charge a fee for automatic amusement, so coin-operated machines like video games or jukeboxes. So that's sort of the scope of it. That's also something I would be open to as well.

But mostly, Salem charges $100, Peabody charges $100, Hamilton $100, Linfield $100, Manchester, Saugus, Revere, all $100 for entertainment. And then they also have, some of them have auxiliary fees like automatic amusement or $50 for non-live entertainment. Doug?

[Speaker 5] (1:07:35 - 1:07:37)
And did you say we currently charge $125 flat?

[Speaker 9] (1:07:37 - 1:07:39)
We currently charge $125, yes.

[Speaker 5] (1:07:40 - 1:07:46)
So by this change, would that be a decrease for us in terms of what we would anticipate?

[Speaker 9] (1:07:46 - 1:08:26)
Not necessarily. So I did the calculations. Last year, we generated $1,875 from our 15 entertainment licenses.

In a hypothetical situation, if we were to have all the licenses renewed this year in accordance with this scale here, the revenue would relatively be the same. I calculated $2,005. Some license fees for businesses would increase, others would decrease.

Again, depending on the type of entertainment they provide. So the biggest jump would be for Mission on the Bay. Doug, I see you burning over there.

Go ahead.

[Speaker 15] (1:08:27 - 1:08:29)
Sorry, I don't want to be rude. I'm sorry.

[Speaker 2] (1:08:29 - 1:08:29)
Doug?

[Speaker 3] (1:08:30 - 1:08:31)
Why are we doing this?

[Speaker 2] (1:08:31 - 1:08:33)
Go ahead. Why are we having a fee?

[Speaker 3] (1:08:33 - 1:08:45)
Yeah. What's the point of this? $1,800?

I mean, you're gonna spend $1,800 administering this. I'm not really... This is a nuisance for small businesses.

[Speaker 1] (1:08:45 - 1:09:10)
...in favor of making this adjustment at this time. We have a number of small businesses in this town. They are struggling to just get by.

I find it archaic to be actually looking at some of the standards, like trivia. We're gonna charge $25 for trivia or all these. These are all...

For a town to really get into that level of detail...

[Speaker 3] (1:09:10 - 1:09:16)
Is there any public reason why... Is this just a way to niggle some dollars? It should be an entertainment license.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:16 - 1:09:40)
It sounds like we're within the peer group of the North Shore. That sounds pretty reasonable to me. I think when we look at revenue, when we talk about revenue for the town, that usually is what we do when we put the budget together.

If we really want to go in and dial in on whether or not we're getting enough for entertainment and we need to double the number...

[Speaker 3] (1:09:40 - 1:09:43)
To go from a whopping $1,800 to $3,600?

[Speaker 4] (1:09:43 - 1:09:44)
Well, I think there was some feedback from some...

[Speaker 5] (1:09:44 - 1:09:47)
Well, there's obviously a reason. I'm sure you didn't just pluck this out of thin air, right?

[Speaker 3] (1:09:47 - 1:09:48)
No, that's not about...

[Speaker 5] (1:09:48 - 1:09:54)
Say that again, sorry. Say that, I'm sorry, I missed that. There's a reason why you would have tried to do this or what you're...

[Speaker 9] (1:09:54 - 1:10:18)
Yeah, yeah, it was sort of to... Again, it had come up in different staff discussions that we had had. And again, it was just because these are some small businesses, there are others who generate more revenue than the ones who don't.

So again, looking to just sort of level that playing field, David. I don't know how this works.

[Speaker 7] (1:10:18 - 1:10:28)
Just real quick. So Dancing by Patrons, $25. So if I happen to be moved by song or games that I'm watching...

[Speaker 9] (1:10:28 - 1:10:29)
Then you are charged $25.

[Speaker 7] (1:10:29 - 1:10:34)
No, no, no, I would hate for a small business who didn't have a Dancing by Patrons license.

[Speaker 9] (1:10:34 - 1:11:56)
That was mostly for... So we have the... I wouldn't call them businesses, but our social clubs are required to file for an entertainment license.

So it would be something like that. They are exempt from the provisions of a common victualer license, but they are required to file for an entertainment license. So the Italian club, the VFW, the Yacht Club, those kinds of associations.

So it mostly wouldn't pertain to the restaurants. Although Mexicali last year, they indicated on their entertainment license form that they have a mariachi band. So maybe there is Dancing by Patrons.

But again, I mean, those were the accessory items... Or excuse me, that's live entertainment. And that was why there's the fee cap there anyway.

So once you hit $100, it would end there. But again, most of our neighboring municipalities along the North Shore seem to just divide live entertainment from non-live entertainment. Live entertainment is typically, or on average, is set at $100 and non-live entertainment, TVs, music at $50.

Like I said, also happy to leave it as is. Just wanted to have a discussion.

[Speaker 5] (1:11:57 - 1:12:00)
Well, thank you for the work that you did put into it.

[Speaker 9] (1:12:00 - 1:12:00)
Thank you, yeah.

[Speaker 5] (1:12:00 - 1:12:07)
Just ignore it and say, let's not do it. There was obviously a reason why you came up with this. So thank you for doing that.

[Speaker 1] (1:12:09 - 1:13:28)
Look, these are important regulatory responsibilities. We oftentimes bump into complaints from residents about bands. And so like, why do we have live music here?

And we go back to the license and we determine that it's not actually enumerated on the entertainment license. And you have a business that it hasn't been properly vetted through the process. And so looking at this stuff is important.

Typically, we do that once a year during the licensing process. The board will look at every one of the licenses and get a sense of whether or not, you know, we're helping these businesses with the menu of entertainment options that could help their businesses be successful and that would be more fitting. If you have a club, for instance, a social club that's in a residential neighborhood and they have live music, that might be a little bit more disturbing than having that club in a commercial zone like Benning Square on Humphrey Street.

These are the decisions that the board makes from a policy perspective that can help regulate the type of uses that are enumerated in the entertainment license. That said, I do think it's important to understand and to discuss, you know.

[Speaker 5] (1:13:30 - 1:13:32)
So what's your recommendation then?

[Speaker 1] (1:13:32 - 1:14:30)
My recommendation, I do think we probably need a little bit more time to actually review this as a team. I'd be more interested to hear like from some of the businesses, are these the, here's your existing license, would you, do you have all the uses that you think is trivia really? Something that you need or, you know, do you want to have acoustic music?

Or like what is it that would help your business be that much more successful? And then circle back around to the board and get your thoughts about whether or not there's a way for us to band certain approvals in a way that I think makes a little bit more sense. Because if you have a small business, you don't really want to have to go in there and check and say, oh, instead of karaoke this week, I'd like to do trivia, but I don't have that, you know.

I think we want to give them, here's a general entertainment use that.

[Speaker 9] (1:14:30 - 1:15:18)
I will say a lot of our businesses are pretty good about, this isn't, I mean, I took these examples off of the current entertainment license sheet application that we use and a lot of our businesses are, particularly those that have been operating for years, are pretty good about knowing what they can expect. Like I think Mexicali only has the mariachi band on Cinco de Mayo. But they mark it down anyway because they know that it's an annual thing that they do.

So nobody, it's really from a, based on my interactions with the local business owners or managers, those who come in to turn in the entertainment license applications, it really doesn't seem like there's any guesswork involved on their part about what kind of entertainment they may or may not offer. They are pretty aware, cognizant of what they offer to their patrons.

[Speaker 2] (1:15:18 - 1:15:25)
Now, do the police ever get a call that there's entertainment, there's karaoke going on here and I don't think they have a license?

[Speaker 9] (1:15:27 - 1:16:12)
I believe there have been noise complaints made to the police and then that's where, you know, that's why we want to have these categories on our entertainment licenses. I mean, ultimately it's up to the select board during the license renewal phase to maybe, you know, evaluate some of these licenses and say, or evaluate some of these categories with a particular business and say, how often do you do this? Have you had noise complaints?

But I think music with amplification more than anything, whether it be karaoke, whether it be a live band, whether it be just a DJ or something like that, that's going to obviously generate the most noise. I believe there have been noise complaints made to our police department about that. And at least this way, you know, there's sort of a level of accountability.

[Speaker 15] (1:16:13 - 1:16:14)
You know what they have, yeah.

[Speaker 2] (1:16:14 - 1:16:23)
Yeah. Okay, that sounds good. All right, so we're going to table this for now.

Sure. And come back and discuss it at a later date.

[Speaker 9] (1:16:23 - 1:17:05)
At the very least, I will say this. When I redid the application last year for the entertainment license, I included this sheet. I just took out the fee, the associated fee column.

And so that way I had the business owners or managers, whoever is responsible for filling out the license renewal, go through. And some of them came in with me and we filled out together. And we went through and I had them mark off each individual category just to make sure that, you know, they are encompassing everything that they do provide for their patrons.

I agree. So at the very least, we can keep this as part of the application, just if we decide to not move forward with the fees as proposed, then, you know, there's still a way of holding them accountable for what they are requesting.

[Speaker 2] (1:17:06 - 1:17:21)
Okay, great. So, all right. Thanks, Marcia.

Cool. Okay. So we're going to table that.

All right. Discussion and possible vote on new members for the town election committee.

[Speaker 12] (1:17:26 - 1:17:27)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (1:17:29 - 1:17:30)
I don't have anything.

[Speaker 12] (1:17:31 - 1:17:51)
We do not, David.

[Speaker 2] (1:17:51 - 1:17:54)
So you know what? Maybe because we didn't have them in our packet.

[Speaker 1] (1:17:56 - 1:18:10)
I think we also decided the board's got a new policy for how you're going to vet applicants. And so the thought was we'd talk about it briefly tonight. And then we'd come back at a future meeting after the board has a chance to review and rank the applicants.

[Speaker 4] (1:18:10 - 1:18:16)
Yeah, I think it's just that some of these applicants are under the impression that they've already been chosen. So I think these.

[Speaker 5] (1:18:16 - 1:18:21)
Have they been told that they have been selected? That's what we need to clarify.

[Speaker 12] (1:18:21 - 1:18:23)
They have been. Yeah, because they were.

[Speaker 5] (1:18:24 - 1:18:59)
Therein lies the problem. We're in the situation where we have to tell these people. No, you haven't been appointed.

We have a new process and we risk upsetting. Even though I'm not comfortable with the way the group was selected. I didn't really.

When I looked at the questions they were asked and the way they were vetted, I didn't really think it was. I think I thought it was too subjective, to be honest. So I think they probably should be put through the new process.

But I also don't want to. I feel bad for people that were already told that they they've been appointed when they really haven't been so.

[Speaker 4] (1:19:00 - 1:19:29)
Yeah, I think I think at this point. If it's been communicated to them that they're part of this committee, it would be unfair for us now to say, well, we put in a new process, so we have to revet you and you could potentially no longer be on this committee. So I understand, you know, we are working on a new.

We have gone through a new process. It's in place now. But I don't know that it would be appropriate for us to sort of redo what we've already done because they were they were notified.

[Speaker 3] (1:19:30 - 1:19:41)
Well, I don't a little bit somewhat. It's a little weird because so they were notified. But they never came before the select board, even if it was the old process for approval.

[Speaker 4] (1:19:42 - 1:19:49)
Correct? Yeah, we never we haven't been. We haven't been appointed.

We haven't approved them, but they were notified.

[Speaker 3] (1:19:49 - 1:19:53)
OK, so they made it through the first half of the process before the process changed. Kind of.

[Speaker 4] (1:19:54 - 1:20:03)
OK, it was on an agenda at one point in time where we were going to approve them. So I think they were invited to come as. Were they going to approve them?

[Speaker 12] (1:20:04 - 1:20:14)
But it was on an agenda. Yes. And they were told that they were probably going to be appointed.

And then we were able to appoint them. Yeah. And so my yeah.

[Speaker 1] (1:20:16 - 1:20:58)
Subsequent to that, discuss that you want to have a new. Yeah, standard for how you vetted some of the candidates. And I think Danielle's comments were shared at that point.

And we said, all right, we'll roll up a revised process. I know I hear the concern about, you know, we had a number of individuals that we wanted to put. I think a number of these candidates are still interested.

And I think if the board wanted to go through that and just credential the process and feel comfortable with it, I think I think you should get comfortable with it and feel comfortable voting on these individuals there. They've been credentialed by town staff and, you know, certainly.

[Speaker 3] (1:20:59 - 1:21:01)
We'd like to get the committee up and running.

[Speaker 2] (1:21:03 - 1:21:03)
Doug, what's your opinion?

[Speaker 3] (1:21:04 - 1:21:27)
Oh, I don't really have one exactly. But I Daniel, it sounds like maybe you've kind of thought through this more than did you? You've known about these folks in that event.

Are you just commenting that, like, just generally, they're not using the new process? Or you've like, you know, the individual people, you have concerns with kind of that naming names with, like, the fact you said something about subjective criteria.

[Speaker 5] (1:21:27 - 1:22:29)
If you look at the questions where, you know, what they were asking it, that's so that's tell us about your history in Swampscott. How engaged are you in local national voting? You know, why do you want to be on the committee?

And then, you know, we're looking for a mix. It says here we're looking for a mix of gender. It's as if we're profiling people and we're looking for, you know, mix of political viewpoints.

Ensure there wasn't anyone attempting to push an agenda. So what exactly does that mean? And how do you actually qualify that?

Right. So that that type of questioning to me just is not really in line with what we're trying to accomplish by getting more people engaged in the community and in making it a process that people want to be part of. I just felt like the way this was done just didn't seem to be the right way to that we want to look to assemble committees in the future.

Right. I wouldn't I wouldn't ask somebody a question like that. I wouldn't base it on someone's gender.

I wouldn't base it on their, you know, political affiliation.

[Speaker 1] (1:22:30 - 1:23:23)
I just want to be clear. The individuals that went through that process, I didn't write the questions. You know, we had those questions presented by some staff with good intentions to try to make sure that we had individuals in this committee that could be objective.

We wanted it to be diverse. We wanted it to be reflective of a broad range of perspectives. I think they in good faith tried to make sure that, you know, they just had individuals that would help support a successful committee.

You know, I get your concerns, Danielle, and I certainly understand them. I appreciate them. But I don't think there was anything that was done in any way that would undermine the integrity of the individuals that are presented in front of you.

I mean, it's a good group of folks.

[Speaker 13] (1:23:24 - 1:23:25)
Yeah, I can't I can't say for all.

[Speaker 5] (1:23:25 - 1:24:01)
Yeah, no, I mean, I would never say it's not a good group of folks. I would say what made us decide on one person versus the other when there were two in a precinct? What was the qualifier?

What was the, you know, we have recommended? Maybe. What is the maybe like?

Maybe today they're good. Maybe tomorrow they wouldn't be like those types of things. When people are going to ask us, why didn't I get appointed to this committee?

I'm going to say, well, you were a maybe and I really don't know why you were maybe because I can't really explain what a maybe is. So that type of it's that type of thinking that, you know, I mean, I think there were I don't know how many candidates or how many people applied, Diane, for this.

[Speaker 12] (1:24:01 - 1:24:05)
I mean, yeah, 20 something anyway, 20 something.

[Speaker 5] (1:24:05 - 1:24:18)
So that's obviously something that a lot of people want to be a part of. So if we're going to pick and choose, I just want to feel confident in what what the metric is and what we're going to be able to say to people when we say, no, you weren't selected and this is why.

[Speaker 2] (1:24:18 - 1:24:34)
Because people will inevitably ask, well, was every candidate interviewed that had put in an application? Yes, I think so. All right, so it wasn't so the list you have the list, the list that we have here is every person who applied.

Correct. Every person applied was interviewed. Right.

Yes.

[Speaker 3] (1:24:34 - 1:25:07)
And one thing I can't say for sure, but all these the diversity kind of that there's all these bullets that we have in front of us that feels reminiscent of the conversation we had the night when we had the discussion about forming the committee. And I don't know when that was. I don't know if you were on the board at that point or not, but March.

So I think this is where this a lot of this came from. I can't say literally, but just to give you a little that's the context that's coming to my mind.

[Speaker 2] (1:25:07 - 1:25:29)
I don't the only thing I can recall was we were just looking for precincts and then committees. Yep. We have youth and then there are there are committees like the Disability Commission is has to nominate school committee.

I don't think so. No, I don't think this one.

[Speaker 5] (1:25:29 - 1:25:32)
No, no, no. That was this was by precinct.

[Speaker 2] (1:25:32 - 1:25:33)
It looks like, right.

[Speaker 4] (1:25:33 - 1:25:36)
And an age because of engagement.

[Speaker 15] (1:25:38 - 1:25:39)
And I understand the precinct.

[Speaker 12] (1:25:40 - 1:25:44)
I mean, that makes sense from like a and one 18 to 21 year old. Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:25:45 - 1:25:52)
Yeah. You're thinking of the feasibility, the community feasibility.

[Speaker 15] (1:25:53 - 1:25:53)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:25:54 - 1:26:05)
Study that group is has representation from five or six sub committee or committees that have state or stakeholders.

[Speaker 2] (1:26:05 - 1:26:10)
Okay. All right. So, David, what what's your feelings here?

[Speaker 7] (1:26:11 - 1:26:58)
My feeling is, you know, this these interviews happened in the end of May. You know, we're now in the middle of September. Over 100 days have passed.

You know, everybody's been interviewed. This has been vetted by town staff. I am willing to move forward and accept the recommendations of town staff and seat this committee so we can actually get to, you know, get to the brass tacks and get to work here.

I think it's important that, you know, we don't let perfect be the enemy of good. And I think we we we owe it to these individuals who were notified that we can that we can move forward with these recommendations. And I'd be prepared to vote on that this evening.

[Speaker 4] (1:26:59 - 1:27:19)
Yeah, I think, too, if if any seat should open up for whatever reason, if somebody should drop out that we would commit to upholding the standard that we've put in place now going forward and that anybody who would be seated going on a go forward basis would be held to that standard that we've laid out.

[Speaker 2] (1:27:19 - 1:27:42)
Right. So I agree with David. I mean, I feel that even though the process wasn't perfect, individuals were notified and they've been waiting.

So and I also think that anyone who wasn't on the committee who hasn't been approved, you know, they can still attend all these committee meetings and voice their concerns and give their give their opinions.

[Speaker 3] (1:27:45 - 1:28:12)
So, oh, I'm sorry, Doug, I just I just taking note of this thing that we have in our packets to back in the back with the other committee stuff, actually kind of in the supplemental stuff for our further reading about the various committees. There is a summary here about 10 election review committee. And to your point, Mary Ellen, you may very well remember it correctly, because it does look like there's a C.O.D. I assume that's Commission on Disability.

[Speaker 12] (1:28:13 - 1:28:13)
Correct.

[Speaker 2] (1:28:13 - 1:28:15)
So there was an addition to.

[Speaker 3] (1:28:16 - 1:28:16)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (1:28:18 - 1:28:35)
Yeah. So you were right. I am right.

Please know that the minutes reflect that the chairs correct that we are. Getting additional members from the different including yourself.

[Speaker 4] (1:28:36 - 1:28:37)
Well, look at that.

[Speaker 2] (1:28:37 - 1:28:42)
Look at that. Watch it. Oh, wait a minute.

OK.

[Speaker 3] (1:28:43 - 1:28:44)
You sure this is right now?

[Speaker 2] (1:28:44 - 1:28:46)
Yeah. Yep. All right.

[Speaker 3] (1:28:46 - 1:28:49)
So let's get the school committee appointment to.

[Speaker 2] (1:28:50 - 1:28:51)
Yep.

[Speaker 8] (1:28:51 - 1:28:52)
I don't remember that.

[Speaker 4] (1:28:52 - 1:28:58)
I didn't remember any of that since we were talking about any of that. All right.

[Speaker 3] (1:28:59 - 1:29:11)
OK, but I'm up, you know, unless someone, you know, sees some of the people who are recommended has grave concerns, I guess I would say that we should roll forward with this.

[Speaker 2] (1:29:12 - 1:29:15)
Yeah, I think so, too. I think I think I think we need to do that.

[Speaker 4] (1:29:15 - 1:29:23)
As Mary Ellen stated, if you were not chosen, but were interviewed, you should attend all the meetings and participate because your voice matters.

[Speaker 2] (1:29:23 - 1:29:39)
And right. So can we have a motion to accept the members that have been identified on this list here? I moved second.

All in favor. I motion carries. Diane.

[Speaker 15] (1:29:40 - 1:29:40)
Yes.

[Speaker 2] (1:29:40 - 1:30:00)
Would you please send an email out or a letter, whatever, whatever mechanism you want to use there to everyone on this list as to whether or not they have been appointed or not appointed? And can you also encourage them to attend these meetings? And to let you know if they want to continue to have their name on there to be considered if somebody were to drop out.

OK.

[Speaker 7] (1:30:01 - 1:30:02)
Is there a first meeting?

[Speaker 2] (1:30:04 - 1:30:05)
Well, there's not a committee yet, David.

[Speaker 4] (1:30:06 - 1:30:08)
Well, we just made it. We just made a committee.

[Speaker 2] (1:30:09 - 1:30:11)
So maybe Diane will work with Diane.

[Speaker 12] (1:30:12 - 1:30:13)
Diane will send it out.

[Speaker 2] (1:30:13 - 1:30:14)
We'll work that out tomorrow morning.

[Speaker 12] (1:30:17 - 1:30:17)
Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (1:30:18 - 1:30:23)
OK, can I make a plug? We still need one 16 to 17 year old.

[Speaker 2] (1:30:23 - 1:30:24)
I think we have need one.

[Speaker 3] (1:30:24 - 1:30:24)
OK.

[Speaker 12] (1:30:24 - 1:30:29)
I found somebody and she sounds fantastic. So we'll have to vet her.

[Speaker 3] (1:30:29 - 1:30:30)
We'll have to vet her.

[Speaker 2] (1:30:30 - 1:30:32)
I emailed you her stuff this afternoon.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:33 - 1:30:34)
I would like board members to vote on it.

[Speaker 2] (1:30:34 - 1:30:46)
I think we need to do. You know what, Diane, could you just ask the schools just to run an advertisement or something like that one more time for somebody? And you might have a couple applicants.

Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:30:46 - 1:30:49)
Do we have an Instagram account for the town or just Facebook?

[Speaker 12] (1:30:50 - 1:30:52)
We have Instagram, but I don't know how to use it.

[Speaker 3] (1:30:52 - 1:31:00)
OK, we can set that up. The reason I'm asking is because also this group of people, 16, 17, 18 to 22, you know, like TikTok.

[Speaker 12] (1:31:00 - 1:31:01)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:31:01 - 1:31:04)
We need to have John do a TikTok dance. We can do TikTok.

[Speaker 2] (1:31:05 - 1:31:07)
Yep, you can dance. OK.

[Speaker 4] (1:31:07 - 1:31:09)
There's a better way. Only if we pay $25.

[Speaker 1] (1:31:10 - 1:31:11)
You got to pay up.

[Speaker 2] (1:31:11 - 1:31:33)
OK, don't make me take the gavel out again. All right. Find my agenda here.

OK, discussion and possible vote on reducing members for a cultural council from 13 to five. Diane.

[Speaker 12] (1:31:34 - 1:32:06)
I currently have 10 vacancies, finding it a little difficult to fill this committee, this council. I'm not really sure why, but it would be nice if with 10 vacancies, I apply for cultural council grants. So those lovely utility boxes, those are $4,000 from the last two years.

I'd like to see this council filled so that I can ask for more money to bring more art to the town of Swampscott. And in order to do so, I think we need to reduce the membership so that we can always hit a quorum.

[Speaker 7] (1:32:07 - 1:32:11)
So statutorily speaking, we have to have a minimum of it has to be a minimum of five.

[Speaker 12] (1:32:11 - 1:32:14)
That is correct. And the statute is in your packets.

[Speaker 4] (1:32:15 - 1:32:17)
So, Diane, do we have five currently?

[Speaker 12] (1:32:18 - 1:32:22)
We have three. So you would have a quorum, yeah.

[Speaker 4] (1:32:24 - 1:32:28)
And what do the three members of the council think about reducing its size?

[Speaker 12] (1:32:28 - 1:32:34)
I haven't even spoken to any of them. OK, I'm asking if the chairperson has resigned.

[Speaker 4] (1:32:36 - 1:32:37)
Well, what about the chair?

[Speaker 2] (1:32:38 - 1:32:50)
There's no chair. I think it might be a good idea to go down to five. And if it looks like it's becoming a big party and you have a big list of people who want to get on a cultural council, we could always expand it up.

[Speaker 15] (1:32:50 - 1:32:51)
All right.

[Speaker 2] (1:32:51 - 1:32:59)
So can we have a motion to reduce the membership from 13 to five on the cultural council? And a second?

[Speaker 3] (1:33:00 - 1:33:00)
All in favor?

[Speaker 2] (1:33:01 - 1:33:23)
Motion carries. Thank you. OK, review impossible vote on updated select board handbook.

OK, so Katie and Danielle, this was your project here. Gotcha. Just want to find mine.

[Speaker 4] (1:33:26 - 1:33:28)
Want me to chat about it?

[Speaker 2] (1:33:29 - 1:33:49)
Yeah, well, I have a couple of questions on it because are we. Can I just tell our process first and then you could. I just have a quick question.

Are we, is the code of conduct attached to this or we don't? Not yet. No, not yet.

OK, that was good. Yes, go on with your. So Danielle and I met.

[Speaker 4] (1:33:49 - 1:35:06)
We took the current handbook from Diane and we redlined suggested edits. So some of them were just typos and some of them were clarification. I don't think it's anything too controversial.

I'm happy to discuss any suggestions we made. Diane also did us a favor and looked through the. The committees and boards to make sure we had everything reflected.

Some of these are still we have to figure out, like the traffic study advisory committee. It exists, but it doesn't actually exist. So some of those things sort of need to be ironed out.

But the only thing that is missing that Danielle and I spoke about was the addition of a social media policy. We asked the town administrator to provide Sean to provide us with the town social media policy to see that we could reflect it in the handbook. There have been multiple iterations of ideas of social media policies, but nothing concrete.

[Speaker 1] (1:35:07 - 1:35:25)
Yeah, we've got a draft that we just have been looking to implement. We've had a little bit of a delay there, but the policy we have, I think, has been vetted by town council and has gone through a review of best practice social media policies. I think we looked at 10 different communities.

It's pretty comprehensive.

[Speaker 4] (1:35:26 - 1:35:31)
And the school, we also asked for the school social media policy to see if there were any additives.

[Speaker 5] (1:35:31 - 1:35:32)
And they do have one.

[Speaker 4] (1:35:32 - 1:35:46)
They do have one. So that's not reflected in your handbook today because we just didn't have the information in time to put it in there, but we didn't want to delay the discussion on the other points. So we can add it and then give it around.

[Speaker 7] (1:35:47 - 1:35:58)
So is the social media policy more appropriate to be in the select board handbook or in the code of conduct? Where is the appropriate location for that information?

[Speaker 4] (1:35:59 - 1:35:59)
I don't know.

[Speaker 12] (1:35:59 - 1:36:02)
That's a good question. Maybe we should look at it first.

[Speaker 4] (1:36:02 - 1:36:10)
Probably should apply to it. I mean, I guess we should get some language to paper first and then we can figure out where it's best put.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:10 - 1:36:10)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (1:36:11 - 1:36:11)
I think that's fair.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:11 - 1:36:18)
I think it could be a chapter in the handbook. I think for me, it's like, let's put it all in one place so you don't have to go looking for it.

[Speaker 3] (1:36:19 - 1:36:22)
Right. But the code of conduct applies to all the committee members, right?

[Speaker 4] (1:36:23 - 1:36:23)
Boards and committees.

[Speaker 3] (1:36:24 - 1:36:26)
Yeah. So why not have it there?

[Speaker 15] (1:36:26 - 1:36:26)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (1:36:26 - 1:36:28)
Yeah. We could have it in both places.

[Speaker 5] (1:36:28 - 1:36:28)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (1:36:28 - 1:36:32)
There are mirror images. It's okay. Duplicative.

[Speaker 5] (1:36:33 - 1:36:35)
And it probably should go in the employee handbook also.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:36 - 1:36:40)
Totally agree. Yep. It's in.

It's in the draft that we're going to implement.

[Speaker 4] (1:36:42 - 1:36:54)
So that's the only thing that's missing that we sort of talked about. But if there's any other concepts that you guys have in mind, we're happy to sort of vet some of those ideas through with town council.

[Speaker 7] (1:36:56 - 1:37:05)
So town council has not, they reviewed this when this was originally approved in 22, but they have not looked at it since.

[Speaker 4] (1:37:05 - 1:37:17)
No, we can have them once we sort of get it buttoned up. Rather have them look at it once when we feel like we're in a good position to have them look at it then sort of have it.

[Speaker 3] (1:37:17 - 1:37:22)
Well, let's get it done. I just have a couple. May I?

[Speaker 2] (1:37:22 - 1:37:27)
So why don't you want to start? I'll go in order. Let's go in order.

[Speaker 3] (1:37:27 - 1:37:28)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (1:37:29 - 1:37:38)
Um, if we start with chapter one, slug boards authority. No changes. No changes.

Chapter two.

[Speaker 3] (1:37:38 - 1:37:40)
There's some things in red here, but those weren't new. Were they?

[Speaker 5] (1:37:40 - 1:37:41)
Those were always in red.

[Speaker 3] (1:37:42 - 1:37:44)
Oh, they're always in red. I don't know why.

[Speaker 15] (1:37:44 - 1:37:45)
Links or something, maybe.

[Speaker 5] (1:37:46 - 1:37:47)
Some of these might have been added later.

[Speaker 2] (1:37:48 - 1:38:00)
Okay. So there's nothing on chapter two. Chapter three.

Chapter three B was a typo.

[Speaker 4] (1:38:00 - 1:38:13)
A lot of it is typos. Chapter three C, um, we just added as soon as reasonably possible for the chair to honor requests of the board members to have items included on the agenda.

[Speaker 7] (1:38:15 - 1:38:18)
Um, I had something on G.

[Speaker 4] (1:38:18 - 1:38:19)
Okay.

[Speaker 7] (1:38:19 - 1:38:20)
I have something on C.

[Speaker 4] (1:38:20 - 1:38:26)
I have something on E. For C3, we changed, um, seven days to three days.

[Speaker 3] (1:38:27 - 1:38:29)
But I'd just like to add business days there.

[Speaker 4] (1:38:29 - 1:38:29)
Oh, yeah.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:29 - 1:38:36)
On three. What is that? Oh, three days.

Got it. Doug wants to add business days.

[Speaker 12] (1:38:37 - 1:38:38)
So that's fine.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:38 - 1:38:38)
We'll add that.

[Speaker 12] (1:38:38 - 1:38:39)
That's fine.

[Speaker 5] (1:38:39 - 1:38:40)
Good catch.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:40 - 1:38:44)
And then down to F. Hold on a second. So if that's, so where Wednesday.

[Speaker 3] (1:38:46 - 1:38:50)
Basically puts us in line for being getting the agenda out the Thursday before.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:50 - 1:38:54)
Yeah. That was the point. It equals the paragraph below.

Reflected in the paragraph below.

[Speaker 15] (1:38:55 - 1:38:57)
All right. There you go.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:57 - 1:39:14)
So that's on three. I have a, I have on, on E last year, the big discussion was on motions. The chair may not second a motion.

And the conversation last year was to remove that.

[Speaker 5] (1:39:15 - 1:39:19)
I don't. Can anyone confirm whether or not you follow Robert's rules of order?

[Speaker 1] (1:39:20 - 1:39:23)
Generally. Yes. I mean, that's been.

[Speaker 5] (1:39:23 - 1:39:26)
So Robert's rules allows the chair to make a motion.

[Speaker 1] (1:39:27 - 1:39:35)
It is. But you had a handbook that said that you couldn't, but the chair can make a motion on the master general law. That's, that's not.

[Speaker 5] (1:39:36 - 1:39:38)
Right. So either you follow it or you don't. Right.

[Speaker 1] (1:39:39 - 1:39:44)
We can't follow the chair steps out of the chair and say the role. Right.

[Speaker 2] (1:39:44 - 1:40:12)
So our chair, we follow our chair does not make a motion, but last year. One of the big, one of the big topics of conversation was that for the chair to make, to second a motion. We had a couple instances last year where there was a motion made because the chair couldn't second it.

It just died on the floor and that caused a bit of frustration. So it was brought up and I'm just bringing it back up again to see how you all feel.

[Speaker 5] (1:40:13 - 1:40:35)
To me, the way I look at it, and this could be wrong, but either you follow one set of rules or not, the less exception you make to that, the less confusing it is. Right. So either you're following, if you're following Robert's rules, then you are, then the chair can make a motion, you know, to make exceptions to that, gets you into the weeds and gets you and gets confusing to me.

But that's just my personal thought.

[Speaker 1] (1:40:36 - 1:40:37)
So I think the thought behind the chair.

[Speaker 5] (1:40:37 - 1:40:39)
Most towns, I think, follow Robert's rules.

[Speaker 1] (1:40:39 - 1:42:05)
They do. They use, they don't follow it, you know, exactly. They say, you know, we generally, you know, follow it, but there are exceptions.

And I think you want to keep that flexibility as a board because there are times where you might just need to, for very valid reasons, kind of deviate from the procedural stricture of Robert's rules. The reason why the chair doesn't, you know, get to make motions and, you know, is because the chair has a lot of power. And so the chair gets to set the agenda, control the debate, you know, manage the debate, call for questions, lots of things.

And so that's just a check on the power of the chair. But it does, you know, have a, you know, a frustrating impact on the work of the board, because if you can't get consensus and you're trying to even have a debate and you're stuck and you have four members, for instance, and, you know, it just, it can be a huge impediment. The work around there is just the chair steps out of the chair and somebody becomes a chair pro temp, and the chair, I know that's the procedural, it's Robert's rules of order.

And so there's a, there's a Robert's rules of order around that, but you have to read the book and understand the parliamentary procedure maneuvers.

[Speaker 3] (1:42:06 - 1:42:13)
Well, I think we should keep it that the chair doesn't make a motion, but I'm fine with the chair seconding a motion, as I was last year.

[Speaker 4] (1:42:15 - 1:43:15)
Yeah, I feel like there is a historical, history has shown that the discussion of the board has often led to great conversation, which have changed people's minds or have altered what people originally thought when coming into a motion. Sometimes a motion is just to open discussion, and that discussion can't even happen. We've all seconded motions that we weren't going to vote in favor of to have discussion, but if you don't have that, then we're at a stalemate and you don't even get to that point.

So I do see a benefit in having the chair have the ability to second a motion. And I understand the complexities of Robert's rules of order, and there's a lot of work arounds, but you have to know the work arounds. And I think keeping it as the chair not making a motion is a check and balance to that.

[Speaker 5] (1:43:16 - 1:43:22)
So you want to remove the chair may not second a motion? I would just say... Is that what we're removing then?

[Speaker 3] (1:43:22 - 1:43:29)
I'm saying clearly. I'm not sure what Katie's saying actually, but I'm saying for the chair may second a motion.

[Speaker 5] (1:43:29 - 1:43:30)
Right. So we would have to change that.

[Speaker 3] (1:43:30 - 1:43:32)
Just get rid of the word not. Right. That's it for me.

[Speaker 5] (1:43:32 - 1:43:37)
David? Okay. That's, I think, what Katie was saying also.

[Speaker 4] (1:43:37 - 1:43:37)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:43:38 - 1:43:38)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:43:38 - 1:43:50)
You were talking about a motion. I think there's a good reason. I didn't hear you say second.

That's all right. The first part is I was talking about seconding a motion. The latter part was about the check and balance to them not making a motion.

[Speaker 7] (1:43:50 - 1:43:54)
Okay. So sentence four, the chair may second a motion striking the word not.

[Speaker 5] (1:43:55 - 1:43:56)
Correct. Okay.

[Speaker 2] (1:43:59 - 1:44:09)
So I have another question under citizen participation. Wait a minute. Did someone have something?

So where is that? You're going to G?

[Speaker 5] (1:44:10 - 1:44:10)
3G.

[Speaker 4] (1:44:11 - 1:44:12)
Did anybody have anything for F?

[Speaker 5] (1:44:12 - 1:44:12)
No. Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:44:13 - 1:44:19)
There's like a... I don't know. For some reason, the formatting's messed up on F2, but we'll fix that.

All right.

[Speaker 2] (1:44:21 - 1:44:59)
So under G, I think that with the recent Supreme Court decision, we possibly have to... Hold on a second. Oh, there's two things.

First, each speaker should be limited to speaking once for maximum three minutes. I think that there should be flexibility in that because there are times when it could be really packed and you might want to drop it down to two minutes or it could be pretty sparse and you might want to give somebody five minutes. At the discretion of the chair.

[Speaker 3] (1:45:00 - 1:45:01)
Yeah. This may be modified.

[Speaker 2] (1:45:01 - 1:45:05)
Discretion at the chair can be modified. Okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:45:07 - 1:45:38)
I'll go with that, but I'm not crazy about it, to be honest with you, because it already... It says limited to, so you can already go down to within this, but when you say... When you just throw in at the discretion of the chair, it could get kind of willy-nilly.

You've got to balance that with your citizens, too. Right, but that is a balance in a way. It's saying a clear message to everybody.

You can make your point in three minutes, no matter what it is, right? Come back every week if you want, but it's three minutes.

[Speaker 2] (1:45:38 - 1:45:43)
I've been at numerous meetings and people couldn't make their point in three minutes and they needed a little bit more.

[Speaker 3] (1:45:44 - 1:45:46)
Well, maybe they should have thought their point first.

[Speaker 2] (1:45:46 - 1:45:50)
Well, for example, do we have limitations on ourselves? How long we can speak for?

[Speaker 1] (1:45:50 - 1:45:50)
No.

[Speaker 5] (1:45:50 - 1:45:53)
No, but we're going to limit people to how long they can speak?

[Speaker 1] (1:45:53 - 1:46:37)
But you're elected on behalf of the entire town. You are select citizens. Individuals that come to these meetings sometimes feel as though they should be on the equal plane as the elected citizens that are here to represent the town.

It's generally not... You'd never get through your business if that became a standard practice. If it becomes almost like a weekly back and forth, and folks are using that to almost appear as though they're your peer, it can get confusing.

Frankly, the board's going to struggle with managing time, especially of issues of consequence.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:37 - 1:47:09)
It's difficult. I'm not interested in citizen filibusters. And so I think it's important that we set a standard and that that standard is maintained for all citizens.

And if they can't make their point in three minutes, they can come back next week and take another three minutes. And take another three minutes. And every other week they can come and make their point.

And that's not to say that it's a punishment, but I just think there is a sense of justice in keeping it consistent.

[Speaker 2] (1:47:09 - 1:47:43)
So I'm going to disagree with you on that one, only because I have been watching select board meetings forever. And I've been at them a little bit. And I have been in these meetings where somebody needed to go over a little bit.

And, you know, one or two minutes. And to turn around and say, nope, you have to sit down. I think that it wasn't that productive.

And to say, we'll come back next week. We don't come back next week. We come back in two weeks.

And I just, I do think it should be at the discretion of the chair.

[Speaker 5] (1:47:44 - 1:47:48)
So you're saying increase it from three minutes to five minutes? Or you're saying add a whole nother phrase?

[Speaker 2] (1:47:48 - 1:47:53)
I'm saying at three minutes or at the discretion of the chair. Which could go either way.

[Speaker 5] (1:47:53 - 1:47:56)
Because the chair could turn around after a minute and say sit down.

[Speaker 2] (1:47:56 - 1:48:07)
Or the chair to say, well, in theory, right? No, the chair, well, what I'm saying is also, if you have a room packed with people and you've got a big agenda, the chair may say, you know, we have to limit it to two minutes tonight. Right.

[Speaker 15] (1:48:07 - 1:48:10)
That's already covered. That's already available.

[Speaker 4] (1:48:10 - 1:48:14)
Because a maximum of three minutes. You could say, you have 30 seconds.

[Speaker 5] (1:48:15 - 1:48:24)
Right. At the discretion of the chair. So there's a lot of things you can say.

You could say, sit down. You're done after a minute. Do you know what I'm saying?

[Speaker 2] (1:48:24 - 1:48:25)
Oh, yeah, we're going to say that.

[Speaker 1] (1:48:25 - 1:48:26)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (1:48:26 - 1:48:27)
Or you could say.

[Speaker 1] (1:48:27 - 1:48:30)
Yeah, you could say, look, we got so many things.

[Speaker 2] (1:48:30 - 1:48:30)
It's a slippery slope.

[Speaker 1] (1:48:31 - 1:48:32)
And somebody's got to leave by this hour.

[Speaker 2] (1:48:33 - 1:48:33)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (1:48:33 - 1:49:34)
We're going to have to move it around. The chair has a lot of discretion for how to manage the business of the board with the support of the board. But I do think the chair should have discretion when it comes to that.

And Mariana, I think you're right. I think there are times where some people may show up and they may have an issue. And they may have to speak for four minutes and 22 seconds.

But the chair should actually make those kind of decisions. And if it gets out of hand, as a board, you can talk about that. And you can try to get the consensus on it.

You want to make sure citizens feel as though they have an opportunity to be heard on issues with consequence. And you just want to make sure that it's not abused, and it's not misused, and it doesn't become a standing engagement.

[Speaker 3] (1:49:35 - 1:49:51)
Well, to me, that feels like you have a rule. And then if there's something compelling in that situation, the chair looks around and says, OK, if we kind of go a little bit over here, everyone kind of says, yeah, we roll with it, right? But still, you're sending out a clear message.

And it doesn't become like just, hey, you know.

[Speaker 2] (1:49:51 - 1:49:59)
But generally, when you do make that exception, you have to make that exception for everybody else that's in that room that night.

[Speaker 1] (1:50:00 - 1:50:00)
That's the point.

[Speaker 2] (1:50:01 - 1:50:01)
That's the point.

[Speaker 1] (1:50:01 - 1:50:15)
It's got to be pretty exceptional. That's right. It's exceptional.

As long as everybody knows that, you want to be accommodating. But at the end of the day, you are the select board. And your time is valuable.

[Speaker 4] (1:50:15 - 1:50:50)
I think, too, on very rare occasions are we using stopwatches and clocks in public comment. There have been times where there's been a lot of people, or for whatever reason, we have done that. But in general, I don't think we generally do that.

I think we sort of gauge, let people speak. And then if it gets to a point, we start looking at each other. Cut the mic, or whatever.

We politely ask that they wrap up their comments. I think, generally, that's the tone that we've always kept with public comment. And I think we should continue to keep with public comment.

Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (1:50:51 - 1:51:08)
I also think the best thing that people like to hear is that a few of you might stay after the meeting to listen to them even further. People just need to know that you're interested in hearing everything they have to say. It's just we've got to get through the business of the town.

[Speaker 2] (1:51:10 - 1:51:15)
So what's the general consensus? You don't want to have discretion of the chair? You want to just stick to three minutes?

[Speaker 15] (1:51:16 - 1:51:17)
I would like to stick to three minutes.

[Speaker 2] (1:51:17 - 1:51:18)
OK.

[Speaker 7] (1:51:19 - 1:51:19)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (1:51:19 - 1:51:22)
Is that what you're saying? Because I can't make a motion.

[Speaker 5] (1:51:24 - 1:51:40)
But you don't need a second one. I think it makes sense to stick. I think it gets too subjective.

And depending on who the chair is and what that means to certain people, it's not always going to be you. It's not always going to be, you never know who it's going to be. You never know what their discretion is going to be.

[Speaker 2] (1:51:42 - 1:52:04)
All right. So speakers may raise issues. So this is something I want.

I'd like the town council just to double check on, raise for future board agendas, identify community problems, commitments. I have a funny feeling that we can't put this stipulation in there. I also think.

Which one?

[Speaker 3] (1:52:04 - 1:52:05)
The one that's crossed out here?

[Speaker 2] (1:52:05 - 1:52:08)
The last one. No. No, the third bullet point.

[Speaker 3] (1:52:09 - 1:52:10)
Oh, the third?

[Speaker 2] (1:52:11 - 1:52:22)
Third. Yeah, third bullet point. Speakers may raise new issues for future board agendas, identify community problems, and comment on past and present future board agendas.

[Speaker 3] (1:52:22 - 1:52:24)
Is that really what you're referring to?

[Speaker 2] (1:52:24 - 1:52:51)
Or are you referring? I think you're referring to the last one. I'm also referring to the bottom one.

I'm referring to that one. And maybe the one that's crossed out too. Yeah, section was crossed out and request residents refrain.

Also take out, request residents refrain from comments that contain political statements or include community criticism or others. I'm just pretty sure that legal counsel, if they look at this, they're going to tell us we have to take it out.

[Speaker 3] (1:52:51 - 1:53:01)
I have a similar concern. I think. But I don't know if we're restricted from requesting that they refrain.

[Speaker 4] (1:53:02 - 1:53:03)
It's not a prohibition.

[Speaker 3] (1:53:03 - 1:53:12)
Right. So that may be the reason why we could, if we wanted to, still request those things.

[Speaker 1] (1:53:12 - 1:53:33)
I think you can set your expectations for the standard of care that people take when they engage with the board and discuss the town's business. But they have constitutional rights. And if they want to avail themselves of whatever behavior is allowable under the United States Constitution, they have that right.

[Speaker 3] (1:53:33 - 1:53:40)
Like you, you wouldn't, you wouldn't be able to categorize them as falling under disorderly person. For example, you know.

[Speaker 7] (1:53:40 - 1:53:58)
Well, if you could just check them, unless they were, you know, really disorderly. So are we talking about the, the, the red, the red lines request residents speak respectfully and refrain from commenting, criticizing or otherwise disparaging select board, individual members, members of town staff or other resident groups or individuals? Is that what we're referencing?

[Speaker 2] (1:53:58 - 1:54:11)
Well, I was, I was only referencing the last bullet point. And I also referenced the fourth bullet point. And my references are all, are just really all about what legally we can, we can do.

[Speaker 1] (1:54:11 - 1:54:49)
I just want to be clear. Like I have a responsibility if somebody decided to show up at a meeting and disparage one of my colleagues, I have a, I have an affirmative responsibility to protect my employees from harassment and speak up if somebody is saying something that is disparaging about them in public or perhaps disclosing information about them that frankly would be more of a personnel matter. And I, I would try to address that in the most careful way possible.

People have the constitutional right to say some of those things, but I would certainly, I'd want to protect my employees from that kind of adverse type of behavior.

[Speaker 7] (1:54:49 - 1:54:57)
I want to, I want to say two years ago, maybe, maybe a little longer than that. We did have a disclaimer with, remember with the, for, for public.

[Speaker 2] (1:54:57 - 1:55:06)
Yeah, but we can't use that anymore because the Supreme Court threw it out the door. So you just have to sit and keep your fingers crossed.

[Speaker 3] (1:55:06 - 1:55:38)
So I had a slightly, I had that concern, but I had another concern about restricting the cross out. I know personally, of course, I would love to ask people to refrain from commenting, criticizing, or otherwise disparaging the select board. I think I'm fine with requesting people not disparage, but I think we're in these public positions and asking them to refrain from commenting or criticizing.

Right.

[Speaker 15] (1:55:38 - 1:55:40)
I think they were, yeah, yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:55:40 - 1:55:51)
So I definitely think that we need, we should, that should not be in there. We should not be requesting that they refrain from commenting or criticizing.

[Speaker 7] (1:55:51 - 1:55:55)
But to Sean's point, you know, so to talk.

[Speaker 3] (1:55:55 - 1:55:56)
At least for select board members.

[Speaker 7] (1:55:56 - 1:56:14)
Yeah, no, no. We signed up, we signed up for this. So we, you know, we, we can, we can take it.

But as far as town staff and these matters that may become personnel matters, those should be directed to the town administrator and outside of public, outside of public comment.

[Speaker 4] (1:56:14 - 1:56:40)
Yeah, and it seemed like the following bullet point carries commentary, criticism, and statements of town staff. So that sort of covered it. So we felt okay with removing it alongside the select board members.

But if we wanted to say other resident groups or individuals, we can add that to that second, that last line. And then we can see if that works for town council. So we're just consolidating.

[Speaker 7] (1:56:40 - 1:56:42)
Okay. Yeah, that's fine. Perfect.

[Speaker 4] (1:56:42 - 1:56:46)
Okay, so we'll take a look at this over here.

[Speaker 3] (1:56:46 - 1:57:01)
But in terms of town staff, where does the town administrator sit in that regard? Because I would think that we would be open to the public commenting or criticizing the town administrator.

[Speaker 5] (1:57:03 - 1:57:05)
Isn't there another? We don't have a choice.

[Speaker 3] (1:57:06 - 1:57:11)
No, but I mean, just what we're saying here, requesting right now. Like, are we even requesting?

[Speaker 5] (1:57:11 - 1:57:14)
I think in the town administrator section, it speaks to that.

[Speaker 3] (1:57:14 - 1:57:20)
Does it? Okay. But if we talk about town staff, that would include you, right?

[Speaker 1] (1:57:20 - 1:58:20)
Town administrators, we all have different standards. We are more subjected to criticism in our positions. And so there's a legal threshold for what different positions certainly expect in terms of public criticism.

But certainly, you know, I am still a professional employee of the town. I'm not an elected official. I don't have the same privileges or opportunities to defend myself as an elected official.

I have to perform myself in a manner that is consistent with standards of professionalism. So I'm at a disadvantage in some ways. So generally, it's helpful if the board helps to ensure that, you know, town administrators aren't completely unsupported when they're being unfairly criticized.

[Speaker 3] (1:58:20 - 1:58:37)
Yeah, that's disparaging. I think for anyone, that shouldn't be. So I don't know.

There might be, as you guys, if you guys are going to go back and noodle this a little bit, there might be like three levels for town staff. Maybe for town administrator might be in the middle and select where it might be, might be three different levels of what's allowed.

[Speaker 10] (1:58:38 - 1:58:40)
But think about that.

[Speaker 2] (1:58:42 - 1:59:24)
All right, next. So do we have a section if we can we move on past correspondence? Are we good?

Okay, yeah. Chapter four, annual goals and timelines. I have B, under B, calendar of annual responsibilities.

I've got a couple adjustments in here. Okay. Under May, Sean, May is where we want to put annual sewer and water?

Yes, I think. Are we putting it in April?

[Speaker 1] (1:59:25 - 1:59:37)
I think May is, yeah, May is town meeting. And so I think it will mean that it has to get presented in March when the board is reviewing the warrant.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:37 - 1:59:39)
All right, so you want to pop it up to March, right?

[Speaker 1] (1:59:39 - 1:59:40)
It's in August now.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:41 - 1:59:45)
So we're going to pop that annual sewer and water goes to March?

[Speaker 1] (1:59:46 - 1:59:52)
Well, you're going to see it in March. It will get voted on May at the annual town meeting. And that's, you know.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:53 - 2:00:03)
Right, but it has to be at the select board. So how do we vote on it in August now? Well, we did.

We're not going to know. We're going to take it out.

[Speaker 1] (2:00:03 - 2:00:16)
For years, you know, Katie Pryor, I think your tenure on the board, the board would always meet in August and set the water and sewer rates. And they would get typically voted on at a fall town meeting.

[Speaker 5] (2:00:16 - 2:00:18)
We just voted on them last month.

[Speaker 1] (2:00:18 - 2:00:22)
You did. Right? No, you voted on them at the annual town meeting.

[Speaker 5] (2:00:23 - 2:00:28)
We voted on some increase to water and sewer just last month. Didn't we not?

[Speaker 3] (2:00:28 - 2:00:30)
Certainly, since you've been on the board.

[Speaker 4] (2:00:30 - 2:00:36)
Yeah, yeah. I thought it was in May. So you would like to move the August date to March?

[Speaker 2] (2:00:37 - 2:00:44)
Yes. Just for the note. Yes.

So also. There's a lot happening in March. Take out August.

[Speaker 3] (2:00:44 - 2:00:45)
It's all budget.

[Speaker 2] (2:00:46 - 2:00:58)
Take out. So take out the annual water sewer out of August. Yep.

In November, we have a charter mandate for financial review. I just forget what that is off the top of my head. So got to pop that in there.

[Speaker 1] (2:00:59 - 2:01:01)
Five year forecast.

[Speaker 2] (2:01:04 - 2:01:15)
And then on the quarterly reports for financials, I just want to double check with Amy. On the quarterly reports, does she want the quarterly report a month after the quarter ends or two weeks after?

[Speaker 1] (2:01:16 - 2:01:17)
Typically, it's a month.

[Speaker 2] (2:01:17 - 2:01:18)
OK.

[Speaker 1] (2:01:19 - 2:01:26)
Hard to say that all the bills come in within that two weeks. We usually get them in two weeks. And she's going to reconcile for a week.

[Speaker 2] (2:01:27 - 2:01:34)
So what do you want to do? So I just want to double check with Amy, because I think we should actually even pop it in.

[Speaker 16] (2:01:35 - 2:01:37)
Mary Ellen. Oh, Jesus.

[Speaker 2] (2:01:39 - 2:01:43)
Oh, my God. Don't worry about the heart attack, Amy. OK.

[Speaker 16] (2:01:43 - 2:01:52)
Sorry. I do the reporting 10 days after the month closes. You do it 10 days after the month closes?

Yep. So you'll always have it by the 15th.

[Speaker 2] (2:01:52 - 2:01:56)
All right. So we could say we're just putting quarterly.

[Speaker 7] (2:01:57 - 2:01:57)
January, April.

[Speaker 2] (2:02:02 - 2:02:12)
So that would be July, August, September. July, August, September. So that means October 15th, right?

Yep. Yep. OK.

[Speaker 7] (2:02:13 - 2:02:14)
January 15th. April.

[Speaker 2] (2:02:14 - 2:02:46)
January. OK. April.

July. OK. All right.

We'll add that. All right. And I was just wondering, Amy, I was thinking capital improvement discussion.

Should we have that on the agenda to start that in September or October to try to get that? We've been starting it in August, and I'd like that to be the standard going forward. That's what you want the select board agenda to look like?

Put it in August?

[Speaker 16] (2:02:47 - 2:02:55)
If you're going to have it, then yeah, we've been trying to kick the process off in the summer.

[Speaker 2] (2:02:55 - 2:02:55)
OK.

[Speaker 16] (2:02:56 - 2:02:59)
And that's what we've been working with capital improvement on.

[Speaker 2] (2:02:59 - 2:03:07)
So CIC discussion? Mm-hmm. OK.

Is there anything else in here that you think we need to be suggesting?

[Speaker 16] (2:03:08 - 2:03:30)
So the charter that you mentioned is November 15th. The town administrator is supposed to notify the school committee, the finance committee, and the select board of the revenue projections for the upcoming year. OK.

We've informally turned it into a multi-year forecast. And then.

[Speaker 4] (2:03:31 - 2:03:33)
So it's an annual revenue projection?

[Speaker 16] (2:03:34 - 2:03:46)
It's, yeah, so basically November 15th, you would have the revenue projections very, very preliminary for FY 26 to set the framework of what we're working towards as we develop those budgets.

[Speaker 2] (2:03:46 - 2:03:59)
All right. I think we need to double check the language in the charter. We can do that.

Check language. Yeah. OK.

All right. Is there anything else that you're recommending, Amy?

[Speaker 16] (2:04:03 - 2:04:08)
That's all the requirements. So it's more of if there's anything else that you want to see.

[Speaker 4] (2:04:09 - 2:04:19)
So under quarterly reports, it says that we that we'll review the following in open session on a quarterly basis. But the operating budget, that's what we're just adding to the calendar above, right?

[Speaker 2] (2:04:19 - 2:04:23)
So it would be redundant to say it again. No, so we're.

[Speaker 4] (2:04:23 - 2:04:24)
What did Amy just ask to be added?

[Speaker 2] (2:04:25 - 2:04:36)
A quarterly. Amy is doing. Amy is saying what the charter for no.

Are you talking about the quarterly? When she gets to the quarterly, she's going to give us just a quarterly munis update on the on the budget.

[Speaker 11] (2:04:37 - 2:04:38)
Right on the operating budget.

[Speaker 2] (2:04:38 - 2:04:39)
Yeah. Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (2:04:39 - 2:04:49)
So I can take it out of this reference below because we're adding it to the. Yeah. Great.

And then the capital improvement project year to date, including status of such projects.

[Speaker 2] (2:04:50 - 2:05:05)
Do you want that to be in August? Correct? No, see the problems.

So we want to have a discussion. We want to have a discussion in August. But as we at some point, we're going to want to have an update, a year to date update.

[Speaker 4] (2:05:05 - 2:05:08)
OK, probably a reference. Well, they're saying quarterly.

[Speaker 2] (2:05:09 - 2:05:09)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:05:09 - 2:05:12)
We're saying quarterly. Yeah, you know what?

[Speaker 2] (2:05:12 - 2:05:14)
Yeah, let's call that quarterly, too.

[Speaker 1] (2:05:16 - 2:05:34)
So the idea is that you'll get monthly year to date expenditures quarterly, you know, much more in depth financial forecast. Just so you stay connected to, you know, trends that are happening within certain categories in the town budget.

[Speaker 2] (2:05:35 - 2:05:43)
OK, so we are going to have we'll have a quarterly review on capital, but we also have a quarterly review on the budget. You're saying we should also add a monthly review in the budget?

[Speaker 1] (2:05:43 - 2:05:44)
You should get it.

[Speaker 2] (2:05:44 - 2:05:46)
We should be. We get a monthly. We should be getting a monthly review.

[Speaker 1] (2:05:47 - 2:06:10)
But I don't think you need to have a you know, you can have them. It can come up during select board comment. Hey, look, I'm noticing a trend in overtime.

That we can follow up, you know, with an update on that. But just having that information is going to help everybody stay focused on managing to budget. That's that's the responsibility that we have.

[Speaker 2] (2:06:10 - 2:06:13)
OK. All right. We're good with that.

[Speaker 1] (2:06:13 - 2:06:32)
Also, when we get audited and we get rated. It's important that they know that finance committee select board are looking at monthly and quarterly financial updates, and that's been one of the things that we get flagged positively on in our rating agencies review.

[Speaker 2] (2:06:34 - 2:06:34)
OK.

[Speaker 3] (2:06:35 - 2:06:38)
Chapter five, anybody? Chapter five, anybody?

[Speaker 2] (2:06:39 - 2:06:40)
Chapter five.

[Speaker 4] (2:06:40 - 2:06:41)
There's just a typo.

[Speaker 2] (2:06:41 - 2:06:54)
We fixed it. Chapter six, Diane made some updates to the boarding committees. Hold on.

Chapter six. It's Recreation Commission, Diane, not Recreation Committee. Oh, OK.

[Speaker 1] (2:06:54 - 2:06:56)
Yeah, that's a scrivener issue.

[Speaker 2] (2:06:56 - 2:07:00)
We don't need to know. Constables really a committee?

[Speaker 12] (2:07:00 - 2:07:03)
You know what? It's in the charter. We'll hold that from the charter.

[Speaker 2] (2:07:04 - 2:07:05)
So you had other ones?

[Speaker 3] (2:07:06 - 2:07:10)
Yeah, Climate Action and Resilience Committee.

[Speaker 2] (2:07:10 - 2:07:13)
Climate Action Plan or Committee?

[Speaker 3] (2:07:13 - 2:07:15)
That's what you said. Climate Action and Resilience Committee.

[Speaker 2] (2:07:16 - 2:07:16)
Climate Action and Resilience Committee.

[Speaker 3] (2:07:16 - 2:07:21)
Oh, they do have a plan. Now we're we're working the plan.

[Speaker 1] (2:07:21 - 2:07:24)
A man, a plan. Planning the work and working the plan.

[Speaker 3] (2:07:24 - 2:07:45)
And so this is supposed to be, it's a little, it tripped me up at first because this is like the select board handbook. And we've got all these standing committees. These aren't all under our purview, which is kind of noted down below.

But it seems kind of weird to me that they're even in here in a way.

[Speaker 1] (2:07:46 - 2:07:49)
But you're onto something. Because it's always going to change.

[Speaker 3] (2:07:50 - 2:07:58)
Well, no, not only that, but like the Board of Assessors, the Board of Health. They're independent. The Retirement Board.

They're established by the charter and independent.

[Speaker 5] (2:07:58 - 2:08:00)
But they should be broken out separately.

[Speaker 1] (2:08:01 - 2:08:19)
I just think, you know, if you're a new select board member, it's just kind of interesting to see, oh, here are all the committees that we have, you know, at this point in time. It gets updated from time to time. And you might be assigned as a liaison to one of them.

I think that's the purpose of having those.

[Speaker 2] (2:08:19 - 2:08:24)
You may also have to vote to put somebody on here. For example, the Board of Health.

[Speaker 5] (2:08:25 - 2:08:48)
Yeah, but you, I mean, but you wouldn't put somebody on the school committee. So they really shouldn't be all together. You know, it should be broken out by the ones that you're, by category.

Do you know what I mean? Advisory boards, select, whatever it is, select board advisory committee. They should be broken out.

As opposed to like your regular committees. I'm saying like school committees shouldn't be in there. Because that's not something we would ever appoint to, right?

[Speaker 3] (2:08:49 - 2:08:53)
Right. So it is not, right? Because you guys crossed it out.

You're right. Exactly the point. Exactly.

[Speaker 4] (2:08:54 - 2:08:56)
No, it's still on there. Oh, there it is.

[Speaker 3] (2:08:57 - 2:08:57)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (2:08:59 - 2:09:01)
We can rework it so it's better.

[Speaker 1] (2:09:02 - 2:09:09)
Let's categorize them to advisories, to regulatory. Standalone boards. Right.

You know, non.

[Speaker 5] (2:09:10 - 2:09:14)
Fund boards. Elected, whatever it is. You know, however you want to call it.

Oh yeah, fund boards.

[Speaker 7] (2:09:14 - 2:09:14)
This is a fund board.

[Speaker 2] (2:09:17 - 2:09:32)
Okay. All right. Okay.

Oh, on the other page. We have water sewer rate review advisory committee. That's no longer.

That's in the water sewer infrastructure advisory committee. It was folded in. That's why it's.

[Speaker 1] (2:09:33 - 2:09:35)
It morphed into. It graduated.

[Speaker 5] (2:09:35 - 2:09:40)
It wasn't crossed out. Well, it was in one spot and then it's added again. So I don't know.

[Speaker 3] (2:09:41 - 2:09:44)
It's popping up. It's popping up. So that goes.

You got that?

[Speaker 4] (2:09:44 - 2:09:45)
And then chapter.

[Speaker 7] (2:09:46 - 2:10:11)
So chapter six to. It was just a reference to. It is the select board that makes the ultimate decision.

And their authority is limited. Just for clarity's sake. I think we should just say.

Top paragraph of chapter six to. A2. A2, sorry.

Yeah, just where it says. And their authority is limited. I just think it would be more clear.

If we said the authority of the advisory committee.

[Speaker 15] (2:10:12 - 2:10:12)
Yeah, it's limited.

[Speaker 2] (2:10:13 - 2:10:13)
That's all.

[Speaker 7] (2:10:14 - 2:10:15)
Small, small.

[Speaker 2] (2:10:16 - 2:10:17)
Wait, just read it.

[Speaker 4] (2:10:17 - 2:10:18)
Which one are you on?

[Speaker 2] (2:10:18 - 2:10:19)
Up here.

[Speaker 5] (2:10:19 - 2:10:20)
I'm here.

[Speaker 4] (2:10:20 - 2:10:23)
I have two. Turn the page. At the very top.

[Speaker 5] (2:10:24 - 2:10:24)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (2:10:26 - 2:10:35)
These committees handle a particular function of area study. It's important for members of those committees to understand that. While they make recommendations.

It is the select board that makes the ultimate decision. And the.

[Speaker 7] (2:10:35 - 2:10:37)
Authority of the advisory committee.

[Speaker 4] (2:10:37 - 2:10:39)
The authority of the advisory committee is limited.

[Speaker 15] (2:10:40 - 2:10:40)
Yeah.

[Speaker 7] (2:10:41 - 2:10:41)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (2:10:47 - 2:10:59)
Okay, so these advisory committees and we're positive. We've got these categorizes. Because it's news to me that like renewable energy is just advisory.

As opposed to an actual committee. But you guys have already scrubbed that.

[Speaker 5] (2:11:00 - 2:11:02)
I mean, I have not. No, I actually.

[Speaker 15] (2:11:04 - 2:11:04)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (2:11:05 - 2:11:10)
Like you've scrubbed the fact that the things that are under advisory committees. Are really the advisory.

[Speaker 12] (2:11:11 - 2:11:12)
It's the best that I could.

[Speaker 3] (2:11:13 - 2:11:13)
Okay.

[Speaker 12] (2:11:13 - 2:11:15)
Well, we could take another.

[Speaker 4] (2:11:15 - 2:11:23)
Yeah. If there's any particular one you are concerned about. Well, renewable energy.

Take a triple check.

[Speaker 3] (2:11:23 - 2:11:45)
Yeah. Renewable energy. Doesn't really.

I'm not sure how much. Frankly, I understand the difference between advisory or not. But anyway.

That was a question mark. The other thing is. Didn't we just.

Create two new kind of veterans oriented committees. Are those. We haven't seated them.

And those are. Those are actual committees. Right.

Not just advisory.

[Speaker 1] (2:11:46 - 2:11:59)
They're advisory. The select board is going to have to. Credential and vote of these committees.

These committees don't have standing in the town charter. Or in any Massachusetts general law. The select board does.

[Speaker 3] (2:11:59 - 2:12:01)
And so. These committees. The two vet ones.

[Speaker 1] (2:12:01 - 2:12:17)
That's right. Yeah. Okay.

So, you know, they're generally. Any committee the board seats. They, you seat them under your auspices.

Your power. They'll make recommendations to you. And you'll decide to.

Accept or. Reject them.

[Speaker 3] (2:12:19 - 2:12:26)
Sorry to belabor this. But back to the other one. Council on aging.

Do we appoint. That's your committee.

[Speaker 15] (2:12:26 - 2:12:27)
Yep.

[Speaker 3] (2:12:27 - 2:12:33)
Okay. You're the governing body. I thought that was like.

Like the retirement committee. I mean, that's.

[Speaker 12] (2:12:33 - 2:12:34)
No, that's.

[Speaker 3] (2:12:34 - 2:12:35)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:12:38 - 2:12:42)
Are we under appointment process? We are.

[Speaker 7] (2:12:42 - 2:12:44)
Yes. You made it.

[Speaker 2] (2:12:46 - 2:13:02)
So though. I'm going to go to bullet point three. Unless somebody has something on 4.1 or two. Yeah. To ensure boards and committees have membership. Residing.

In Swampscott. What happens if we have people that aren't in Swampscott? We don't have a policy on that.

[Speaker 1] (2:13:02 - 2:13:39)
Well, you. There are statutory. Opportunities to allow for certain members.

To serve on boards that don't live in Swampscott. For instance, you know, if you have. A need for a certain expertise for a conservation commission.

Or a planning board like. And you need that expertise and you're, you know. You know, many communities have sought to have the.

Statutory approval to appoint individuals. Don't live in the town to serve on the boards.

[Speaker 2] (2:13:39 - 2:13:49)
So does this hold us up? It says. I mean, they did.

You did take out in only. Swampscott, but because it's a Swampscott, does that.

[Speaker 3] (2:13:50 - 2:13:57)
I like this. I mean, you can achieve what you're talking about. With some additional phrasing.

The goal. The goal.

[Speaker 15] (2:13:57 - 2:13:57)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (2:13:57 - 2:14:00)
When it processes people in Swampscott. We want to be self-governing.

[Speaker 1] (2:14:00 - 2:14:00)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (2:14:01 - 2:14:02)
Right. Generally. But.

[Speaker 15] (2:14:02 - 2:14:02)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (2:14:02 - 2:14:04)
And if you, you know.

[Speaker 1] (2:14:05 - 2:14:39)
In a few unique situations, you know. Um, there may be an opportunity for the town to actually. Be served better.

Or well served by somebody that doesn't live in town. So I think, you know, the sentence should. Could read somewhere.

Whenever possible. Individuals serving on boards of commissions. Shall reside within the town of Swampscott.

Well.

[Speaker 15] (2:14:42 - 2:14:45)
I'm for the way it is. It's a goal.

[Speaker 4] (2:14:45 - 2:14:52)
Right. I think it's a goal. Yeah.

Right. It's attainable in most situations. But not a mandate.

Okay.

[Speaker 15] (2:14:52 - 2:14:52)
I'm good.

[Speaker 7] (2:14:54 - 2:14:54)
6B2.

[Speaker 15] (2:14:56 - 2:14:58)
6B2. 6B2. Process.

[Speaker 7] (2:14:58 - 2:15:03)
Just in this. F. F.

F.

[Speaker 4] (2:15:04 - 2:15:21)
Each application is reviewed by appropriate town staff. And forwarded to select board members to be reviewed. And graded on a scale of 1 to 5.

Prior to applications being sent. The select board member liaison should communicate any specific skills. And or needs the committee is looking for.

Select board members are encouraged to interview candidates.

[Speaker 7] (2:15:22 - 2:15:33)
Okay. So is the. Is the grade from 1 to 5.

From the. From staff. From the select board.

I mean.

[Speaker 4] (2:15:33 - 2:15:42)
From the select board. Yeah. It says each application is reviewed by the appropriate town staff.

And forwarded to select board members to be reviewed. And graded on script. On a scale of 1 to 5.

[Speaker 7] (2:15:42 - 2:15:49)
Okay. And then it says select board members are encouraged to interview candidates. So.

Which select board members are. I mean. Are all of us.

Calling up.

[Speaker 4] (2:15:50 - 2:15:51)
I have confusion about this also. Yeah.

[Speaker 7] (2:15:51 - 2:15:53)
Yeah. So is it just the.

[Speaker 4] (2:15:53 - 2:15:59)
Because I thought just the liaisons. Were taking on the task of interviewing. So I didn't think all of us were taking.

[Speaker 5] (2:15:59 - 2:15:59)
I agree.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:00 - 2:16:01)
Looking at everything. If you're.

[Speaker 5] (2:16:01 - 2:16:03)
We're supposed to be looking at every candidate for every board.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:03 - 2:16:03)
I feel like.

[Speaker 5] (2:16:04 - 2:16:04)
I don't know.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:04 - 2:16:29)
I'm doing that. Here's. Here's.

You. You don't have to. You don't.

If you're going to make a recommendation on somebody. If you're looking. If you're going to make a recommendation.

And you feel like. Huh. Should I.

What about this person. And this person. And what's the difference for them.

You should. If you feel. Be able to pick up the phone.

And make a call. And then you could make your recommendation. For somebody.

For a board that somebody else is a liaison.

[Speaker 5] (2:16:30 - 2:16:30)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:30 - 2:16:34)
Because you're going to be advancing. I trust. My four colleagues.

[Speaker 5] (2:16:35 - 2:16:36)
Honestly.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:36 - 2:16:39)
You're going to be recommending. If you're going to be grading people. And recommending them.

[Speaker 5] (2:16:39 - 2:16:40)
I don't want to grade people.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:40 - 2:16:41)
I don't want to.

[Speaker 5] (2:16:41 - 2:16:43)
I want to grade my own group. All right.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:43 - 2:16:44)
I don't want to be a teacher of my own.

[Speaker 4] (2:16:44 - 2:16:48)
I think we are interpreting it differently. That's why we're discussing it again.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:48 - 2:16:48)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:16:48 - 2:17:00)
So. I think our. My recollection.

Because I. For example. Diane has been emailing out board and committee applications.

And multiple times I've emailed Diane back to say. Why are we all on these.

[Speaker 15] (2:17:00 - 2:17:00)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:17:01 - 2:17:05)
The liaison should be on these. So that's what I thought that we had approved. Right.

[Speaker 7] (2:17:05 - 2:17:31)
Yeah. I just think there's better use of our time. Than us grading.

I agree. Your. You know.

Your committees. To which you're the liaison. I really want to leave it to the staff.

Or the chair of the board and committee. To really get. You know.

To really get to a number. You know. I just think also discussion of volunteers.

And qualifications. In public meetings. Where we're talking about somebody being a one.

Or a two.

[Speaker 2] (2:17:32 - 2:17:33)
I just think it's.

[Speaker 7] (2:17:33 - 2:17:39)
That wouldn't be in a public meeting. I just think it's going to be off-putting. But if we're having that conversation.

You're going to have a public record. And I.

[Speaker 1] (2:17:39 - 2:17:47)
Right. Like for me. I just want to.

Play it out. I think it. You're elected officials.

And any kind of correspondence you have. Is going to be a public record.

[Speaker 15] (2:17:48 - 2:17:48)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (2:17:49 - 2:18:24)
You know. I. We talked about this years ago.

And it was sort of like the recommendation. That we would kind of help. Handle that as professional staff.

And we'd work with the chair. On the appointments. Just to make sure that.

Through the chair. We would have. A little bit.

I like the idea though. That the liaisons. On the board.

Play a little bit of a stronger role. Because I think that. Line that makes better sense.

But. I think it would be. Probably better.

To let the staff. Kind of help. The liaison.

With that. That way we keep the records. It's not.

Part of the public.

[Speaker 2] (2:18:25 - 2:19:04)
You know. So I think. Of course.

The staff keeping the records. But what I think. That it's very very important.

That. We have. Applicants.

Who are looking to be. On committees. That are advisory committees.

To the select board. And in the past. We've had.

People come. And be nominated as. People to the select board.

And it's. Town staff. That are telling us.

Who's here. You should. You should be here.

And meanwhile. I know at times. Town staff.

Didn't even have the chance to interview. Or looking at things. Last minute.

Or really not. Look at all that. That's why I want to see.

More of an opinion on. Members of the board. On who they want to see.

[Speaker 5] (2:19:04 - 2:19:09)
Well I think that's the role of the liaison. Yeah that's the point. I think that's the role of the liaison.

But they're trying to have that stronger say.

[Speaker 1] (2:19:09 - 2:19:24)
You all get busy too. And yes. Staff can be busy.

We've also leaned into the board. And committee chairs. To look at that.

And I know we've had a discussion. That we don't want to have group think. With boards and committees.

We're here to kind of check. You know. The.

[Speaker 2] (2:19:24 - 2:19:41)
Well that's. That's the. That's the other topic.

I. I am adamant. That I don't want to see.

Committee chairs. Lining up. The people that they want on these committees.

Because we do get group things. And we do get people. That are put there.

Because they're friends. Or who they know. Or whatever.

It's understood.

[Speaker 12] (2:19:42 - 2:19:44)
It's got to be. Morally agree with that. An opportunity for people.

[Speaker 2] (2:19:44 - 2:19:45)
I totally agree with that.

[Speaker 3] (2:19:45 - 2:19:47)
But we've got a couple different issues going on here.

[Speaker 2] (2:19:47 - 2:19:49)
Right. Let's deal with this one first.

[Speaker 3] (2:19:49 - 2:19:55)
If you read through. What we've got here. We're trying to emphasize the outreach.

Which starts to influence. Hopefully the funnel.

[Speaker 15] (2:19:55 - 2:19:56)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (2:19:56 - 2:20:23)
Of the different candidates. And if you want to. If you're concerned about certain committees.

Being kind of group think. Then the point. Is to get people to apply.

To get in the funnel. Right. And then.

All those people. Are going to be evaluated. In F here.

By appropriate town staff. And forward to the select board members. All of us.

Is what this says. Everybody's getting all of them. So you're going to get visibility.

If you got a problem. Let the liaison know. At that point.

[Speaker 15] (2:20:23 - 2:20:23)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (2:20:25 - 2:20:56)
And the liaison. Should communicate any specific skills. Underneath the committee is looking for.

In some ways. That should have gone into the notice. To begin with.

Right. But it's also maybe a point here of. You've got another opportunity.

Now you're evaluating candidates. Remember everybody. If you're thinking about this.

This is important. Or this is important. When you're giving me feedback.

But ultimately. It comes down to the liaison. Who's really interviewing people.

And taking into consideration. All that information. Sounds good.

[Speaker 5] (2:20:56 - 2:21:02)
So I have to say though. To say that we're going to grade people. On a scale of one to five.

I am not in favor. You can remove that.

[Speaker 2] (2:21:02 - 2:21:16)
I thought. That is never. That did not come from me.

I agree with that. That did not come from me. Thank you.

No. Just so you know. That was.

Just. That was presented. That was presented.

At the select board meeting. We had the meeting. When we talked about.

Rats.

[Speaker 4] (2:21:17 - 2:21:17)
Yes.

[Speaker 2] (2:21:17 - 2:21:18)
And you did a presentation.

[Speaker 4] (2:21:19 - 2:21:19)
Yes.

[Speaker 5] (2:21:19 - 2:21:22)
Yeah. And we talked about this process. One to five.

[Speaker 7] (2:21:22 - 2:21:24)
I think after further. After further consideration.

[Speaker 4] (2:21:24 - 2:21:36)
Yes. Absolutely not. So we're going to remove.

And grade it. On a scale of one to five. And then we are going to say.

In the last sentence. Select liaisons. Are encouraged to interview candidates.

[Speaker 7] (2:21:36 - 2:21:37)
Yes. Select board liaisons.

[Speaker 4] (2:21:37 - 2:21:38)
Select board liaisons.

[Speaker 1] (2:21:39 - 2:22:09)
Okay. I do think like. One of the things.

That I think is most. You know. Effective.

When the board meets. With individuals. To serve on various committees.

The board interviews. The individuals. To serve on committees.

Like that is generally. We have always tried to bring. The appointees to the committee.

Have the board ask a few questions. Have the candidates. For these committees.

Say a few. Reasons why they want. To serve on the committees.

A lot of these committees. Are very important. And it just highlights.

The importance of these committees.

[Speaker 3] (2:22:09 - 2:22:10)
They're all important.

[Speaker 1] (2:22:10 - 2:22:24)
They are. Yeah. You know.

And again. It's time. But you know.

It's. It's just an opportunity. For the board.

To thank some members. Or even just. Talk about the role.

Of some of the committees. We do move quickly.

[Speaker 12] (2:22:24 - 2:22:24)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (2:22:25 - 2:22:34)
Okay. Actually. That's not.

So. I'll take another. Look at this process.

Because I think that. That doesn't flow correctly. With the following.

[Speaker 3] (2:22:34 - 2:22:36)
Yeah. We're a little redundant. Now.

[Speaker 15] (2:22:36 - 2:22:36)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (2:22:36 - 2:22:44)
We're being redundant. So now that we all. Fully understand.

What the process is. Well. I'll take another.

Tweak. At that order. Because I think.

There's some additional.

[Speaker 2] (2:22:44 - 2:22:50)
Information. Unnecessary. All right.

Financial management. Chapter seven.

[Speaker 7] (2:22:53 - 2:22:53)
What is that?

[Speaker 4] (2:22:54 - 2:22:59)
It's. It's just smushed. It literally says.

Town finances. It's just smushed. I don't know why.

I don't know.

[Speaker 3] (2:23:02 - 2:23:05)
Wow. There's not much to say. About financial management.

[Speaker 2] (2:23:05 - 2:23:06)
Yeah. Two paragraphs.

[Speaker 3] (2:23:06 - 2:23:06)
All right.

[Speaker 2] (2:23:07 - 2:23:10)
You know what? Do we have it in the calendar? Do we have the setting of the tax rate?

[Speaker 15] (2:23:11 - 2:23:11)
Yes.

[Speaker 2] (2:23:11 - 2:23:11)
Yes.

[Speaker 5] (2:23:12 - 2:23:12)
That calendar.

[Speaker 2] (2:23:12 - 2:23:14)
We just love that calendar. Pleasure.

[Speaker 4] (2:23:15 - 2:23:29)
So town meeting. We just had a typo. Under town meeting.

Yeah. Under C. There was a typo.

And then. Chapter nine. Town administrator.

And.

[Speaker 7] (2:23:32 - 2:23:35)
I just. I needed a point of clarification for C.

[Speaker 15] (2:23:36 - 2:23:36)
Yep.

[Speaker 7] (2:23:37 - 2:24:37)
So it was the third item. Consistent with general bylaws and town charter. That select board and individual members thereof.

Must respect and support. The authority of the town administrator. And the chance of command within the administration.

Period. Similarly the select board and individual members. Thereof must consult with the town administrator.

Relative to all matters. Employment discipline and termination of administrator. Personnel.

Um. What is. What is that.

That change to me. Kind of. Looks that.

It flips it. And it looks like that the select board. Would be.

Would essentially be making. Decisions on. On a parry pursue basis with the town administrator.

Relative to matters of employment discipline. Or termination of the. Of administrative personnel.

And I'm just concerned that that gets too much. Into the day to day. Affairs of the town.

And is outside of the purview of the select board. And might go against our charter as well. I just didn't have enough time to.

To cross reference.

[Speaker 3] (2:24:38 - 2:24:42)
So first of all. Was that the intent? With the change?

[Speaker 5] (2:24:42 - 2:25:05)
So it's basically speaking to. If the town administrator is getting ready to terminate. Administrative personnel.

Specifically I think it's more geared towards. Terminating somebody that's. A department head or an upper level position.

That they will. He will consult with us. He or she will consult with us.

Before doing that.

[Speaker 2] (2:25:05 - 2:25:19)
Well appointed. Correct me if I'm wrong. But appointed positions.

Cannot be terminated without. The vote of the select board. Per the charter.

Certain. There are certain positions. Is that true?

[Speaker 3] (2:25:19 - 2:25:21)
I know we have a role in appointing.

[Speaker 2] (2:25:21 - 2:25:24)
Does it? We have a role. We have a role.

In terminating also.

[Speaker 1] (2:25:24 - 2:25:39)
Yep. The appointed positions. You know.

There is. If we were to terminate an employee. They would have the.

Opportunity to kind of.

[Speaker 7] (2:25:40 - 2:25:43)
Have a hearing before the board. But this doesn't say that.

[Speaker 4] (2:25:44 - 2:26:11)
This just says. Leave it the way it was. If that is what we are meant to do.

If we're meant to be clarifying between. The rights we have under the charter. For appointed positions.

If that's what the consultation. Piece is meant to clarify. We can leave it the way it was.

Must respect the town administrator's. Decisions relative to all matters. Of employment and discipline.

And termination of administrative. Personnel. Excluding.

Whatever the charter says. In which case.

[Speaker 5] (2:26:12 - 2:26:39)
I mean it just gives you. It gives you. It gives the town administrator.

Kind of an omnipotent position. Right where they are. There's not really a balance.

In case of. Some questionable action. Or.

Something that. And I'm not saying this exists. Or whatever exists.

But there's the potential for. A little bit of checks and balances. When you're looking to.

[Speaker 1] (2:26:43 - 2:28:20)
You know. The town. A town administrator.

Does not have. Unchecked authority. We have.

A number of state and federal laws. That govern. The responsibilities of.

Every city and town. Administrator. To support themselves in a manner that's consistent with.

What is. Fair and just. What.

What I worry about most. Is. Individuals that would interfere with.

You know. The professional administration of the town. And.

And create a situation where. You know. Personnel information comes to a public body that.

Is hard to control. And becomes part of. You know.

Politic. And. And for me.

That's. That's what we're trying to guard against. That's why we have language in here that says.

Hey. Here's the day-to-day responsibilities. Here's the public policy board's responsibilities.

You know. Try. I get what you're trying to.

You know. Protect against. You know.

And. Town administrators do have a lot of authority. They have a lot of power.

So the select boards. So to some extent. Some department heads.

They have the responsibility to. Manage. The performance.

And the. Expectations of. Their.

Charge. But those are serious responsibilities. Employees have rights.

Many of the employees have. Contracts. They have.

Standards and expectations. I. I'm not sure exactly how.

[Speaker 5] (2:28:21 - 2:28:44)
Perhaps we amend that to say. You know. Just termination of administrative personnel.

Because when you're talking about. Terminating somebody. That's under contract.

There are implications of that. That. I think.

I don't think that should be a decision that we're not part of. At least from a consultation point. Yep.

Because. There could be far-reaching consequences. There's liability there.

[Speaker 15] (2:28:44 - 2:28:45)
And I.

[Speaker 5] (2:28:45 - 2:28:49)
I wouldn't be comfortable with anybody. Making that decision individually.

[Speaker 1] (2:28:49 - 2:28:51)
For the department. For the. The.

[Speaker 3] (2:28:51 - 2:28:53)
People that are named in the. In the charter.

[Speaker 7] (2:28:54 - 2:28:56)
Numerated positions in the town. So can we just.

[Speaker 5] (2:28:56 - 2:28:59)
Discipline. I don't care. I mean that's.

That's already. Yeah. Inconsequential.

[Speaker 7] (2:28:59 - 2:29:00)
So we can just. So we can just make this.

[Speaker 4] (2:29:00 - 2:29:02)
We can leave it the way it was. And then we can add.

[Speaker 7] (2:29:03 - 2:29:04)
Tie it to the. Tie it to the.

[Speaker 4] (2:29:04 - 2:29:17)
Language in the charter. And only in their. Only under terminations.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:32 - 2:29:43)
What happens if. You have a department head. Who's having an issue with the town administrator.

[Speaker 15] (2:29:43 - 2:29:44)
That's further.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:45 - 2:29:45)
Okay.

[Speaker 5] (2:29:45 - 2:29:47)
That's the last paragraph of D.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:47 - 2:29:48)
Okay.

[Speaker 5] (2:29:48 - 2:29:50)
And it speaks to the town administrator. D.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:51 - 2:29:51)
It's in D.

[Speaker 5] (2:29:52 - 2:30:00)
I think it's under. Is it D? All right.

Yeah. I see. I see.

And that's the evaluation. No that's the evaluation. No there's another spot.

[Speaker 2] (2:30:03 - 2:30:15)
Oh boy. So under evaluation. We have to double check the charter.

And I think we've got to rework this. Because it's got to fit within the charter. And within contract.

So right now we have a charter. We have a contract.

[Speaker 4] (2:30:15 - 2:30:16)
We have a handbook.

[Speaker 2] (2:30:17 - 2:30:22)
And we just have to go back. And just figure out the proper language for that. Yep.

[Speaker 1] (2:30:27 - 2:30:29)
Probably case law. And all sorts of other things.

[Speaker 3] (2:30:30 - 2:30:31)
We went through this though.

[Speaker 4] (2:30:31 - 2:30:42)
Yeah we've already done this once before. So are we assuming that when we did it the first time. We did not consult the charter and the contract.

I don't think we did.

[Speaker 3] (2:30:44 - 2:30:44)
We did.

[Speaker 4] (2:30:45 - 2:30:53)
We did? Oh so it is right? Well I don't know if it's.

I can't speak to whether it's right or not. But I can speak to. I'm sure Polly when she drafted.

She went through those things.

[Speaker 1] (2:30:54 - 2:30:55)
Polly spent a lot of time on this.

[Speaker 4] (2:30:56 - 2:30:58)
But we can look again. Charter.

[Speaker 2] (2:31:00 - 2:31:10)
Also. I mean I was right earlier. And I'm looking at this now.

Okay. All the dice here. Okay so.

[Speaker 4] (2:31:11 - 2:31:39)
Yeah I guess two important notes just quickly. Is that I don't know David. You are the only member who was on when this was originally discussed.

Maintaining the Town Administrator's personnel file in the Town Administrator's office. So we changed human resources. If anybody.

[Speaker 1] (2:31:39 - 2:31:41)
Yeah it's always been in the HR office.

[Speaker 4] (2:31:41 - 2:31:44)
Okay okay cool. So it's not a big deal.

[Speaker 5] (2:31:44 - 2:31:51)
I guess Polly missed that one. I guess Polly didn't put the right one in there then. Because that's what was there.

[Speaker 2] (2:31:52 - 2:32:02)
I have a question on the. Because this question comes up. The chair should consider the Town Administrator's feedback when finalizing.

Oh you took that out.

[Speaker 12] (2:32:03 - 2:32:04)
But yes.

[Speaker 1] (2:32:04 - 2:32:14)
I mean it's always just the best practice from HR. If a evaluator doesn't consider the feedback from the person being evaluated. That's just a you know.

[Speaker 7] (2:32:16 - 2:32:16)
Agreed.

[Speaker 4] (2:32:18 - 2:32:21)
But is that the right place to do it I guess.

[Speaker 7] (2:32:21 - 2:32:22)
Under evaluations.

[Speaker 4] (2:32:23 - 2:32:25)
Well it's a little redundant though too.

[Speaker 3] (2:32:25 - 2:32:31)
I'm sorry. Go ahead Doug. Well the sentence before it is makes it a little.

The chair of the Town Administrator shall discuss the comments prior to the public presentation.

[Speaker 15] (2:32:32 - 2:32:32)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (2:32:33 - 2:32:37)
I mean then adding another sentence is kind of the same thing.

[Speaker 15] (2:32:37 - 2:32:37)
So yeah.

[Speaker 3] (2:32:38 - 2:32:39)
I think you've got it.

[Speaker 2] (2:32:40 - 2:32:40)
Yeah I think.

[Speaker 3] (2:32:41 - 2:32:43)
It's not as explicit. That's right.

[Speaker 2] (2:32:43 - 2:33:08)
All right. So my next question is. We used to.

Board of Selectmen. Each individual board member. I'm just on the paragraph right after that one.

Once finalized. Each individual board member would do the evaluation. And that document would be a public document.

[Speaker 15] (2:33:08 - 2:33:08)
That's okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:33:09 - 2:33:20)
That document would be a public document. Now what we do is we combine everything and then just make the summary. So at some point we changed.

And I'm just wondering why did we change?

[Speaker 1] (2:33:21 - 2:33:25)
This is based on the advice of council.

[Speaker 2] (2:33:28 - 2:33:29)
We can.

[Speaker 4] (2:33:29 - 2:33:43)
We can check with council. I mean as long as I've been. As long as we've been on the board.

We've drafted. Right. But before that.

Those reviews were non-public. And then they were compiled into a public review.

[Speaker 2] (2:33:43 - 2:33:47)
Right. But my question is why aren't they public? Shouldn't the public know?

We can find out.

[Speaker 1] (2:33:57 - 2:34:52)
Yeah. I have a lot of department heads. I have to do their evaluations.

Those generally are considered to be private. When you evaluate employees in the private sector. That's protected human resources.

Now yes. Town administrators have a public evaluation. But it's a consolidated evaluation.

There may be differences of opinion among the board. Some of those opinions may be stronger than others. But the way that legal standards have kind of framed it.

Is that they get consolidated into a single evaluation. And they get presented as a consolidated evaluation document.

[Speaker 2] (2:34:53 - 2:35:17)
I hear what you're saying. I think what I'm questioning is. Shouldn't the public know what each one of us.

How each one of us is evaluating. I'm open. I'm just throwing it out there.

Because people called and asked questions. And I do recall that's how we used to do it. So I just want to know more about that.

[Speaker 15] (2:35:17 - 2:35:18)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:35:22 - 2:35:49)
So now we're on chapter 10. Board relationships. Relationships with other boards and commissions.

Oh I have to. On the liaison thing. So on the liaison thing.

Neil Duffy actually had said to me. Just send you know. I'm going to pick the liaisons and send them out.

And that's what you did. And then that's what I did. But we did it wrong.

[Speaker 7] (2:35:50 - 2:35:51)
We didn't vote.

[Speaker 2] (2:35:51 - 2:35:57)
We didn't vote. So. And I think that to turn around and sit and have.

I think.

[Speaker 15] (2:35:58 - 2:36:00)
We did vote. Last year we voted.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:00 - 2:36:07)
We did not vote maybe recently. We didn't vote for you. We.

But we have voted in the past. I don't remember us voting with you. We have voted in the past.

[Speaker 4] (2:36:07 - 2:36:08)
We remember. Yes.

[Speaker 15] (2:36:08 - 2:36:09)
Yes. Do we did.

[Speaker 4] (2:36:09 - 2:36:09)
Yes.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:09 - 2:36:29)
We did. So maybe we need to vote. All right.

But we have. We have voted. All right.

Well I think my. I'm fine with doing. I'm.

Oh we should definitely. I don't have any problems. I'm voting.

What I just want to stay away from is having a big discussion. I want this committee. I want that committee.

Oh you vote for me. You vote for that. I mean.

[Speaker 15] (2:36:29 - 2:36:30)
I don't mind if we have. She's messy.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:30 - 2:36:31)
I don't mind if we have a draft.

[Speaker 4] (2:36:36 - 2:36:40)
Do you think that this paragraph. Invites that.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:40 - 2:36:41)
What a draft.

[Speaker 4] (2:36:42 - 2:36:44)
No. Yeah. I think it does.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:45 - 2:36:51)
I think. Politicking for votes. I think it's.

It's.

[Speaker 3] (2:36:53 - 2:37:00)
It would be input. Maybe someone would have a good idea about why they should be a good person for the committee. That wasn't otherwise.

You know. No.

[Speaker 5] (2:37:02 - 2:37:08)
So that's. So we're going to vote on who gets to be a liaison. And then we're just going to.

[Speaker 4] (2:37:08 - 2:37:09)
I mean how it's happening.

[Speaker 5] (2:37:09 - 2:37:16)
Is any committee going to get anything done ever. Because we're just voting and voting. The people voting on liaisons.

What do we.

[Speaker 15] (2:37:16 - 2:37:16)
Yes.

[Speaker 3] (2:37:16 - 2:37:17)
We didn't. We didn't.

[Speaker 15] (2:37:17 - 2:37:19)
We didn't change anything. We never.

[Speaker 4] (2:37:19 - 2:37:21)
I've never. We've never done it.

[Speaker 12] (2:37:21 - 2:37:21)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:37:21 - 2:37:24)
Changed to the chair's suggestion.

[Speaker 7] (2:37:25 - 2:37:31)
Well typically if there's. If you want to do something. And Katie doesn't.

Swap a row. It's all good. Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:37:32 - 2:37:35)
All right. So just leave it. Just leave it the way we've always been doing it.

[Speaker 4] (2:37:35 - 2:37:36)
I think.

[Speaker 2] (2:37:36 - 2:37:37)
This language here doesn't.

[Speaker 4] (2:37:37 - 2:37:42)
I think if it ends up in a final. And it ends up in a great debate. Then.

Yeah. Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:37:42 - 2:37:42)
Then we vote.

[Speaker 4] (2:37:43 - 2:37:43)
I welcome it.

[Speaker 2] (2:37:43 - 2:37:47)
Okay. We can do rock, paper, scissors.

[Speaker 4] (2:37:47 - 2:37:49)
How about. But everything. We vote for.

No.

[Speaker 5] (2:37:49 - 2:37:52)
I don't want to be on any of them. How about that. Is there an option.

[Speaker 7] (2:37:52 - 2:37:53)
I like the rock, paper, scissors idea.

[Speaker 5] (2:37:53 - 2:37:54)
I like zero.

[Speaker 2] (2:37:55 - 2:37:56)
Let's. The joust to the end.

[Speaker 7] (2:37:56 - 2:37:58)
Uh-huh. Right to the joust.

[Speaker 2] (2:38:00 - 2:38:27)
Okay. You know this is the part where Peter. Always made a very very.

Compelling. Case here. To remind liaisons that it's.

That you need to keep your personal. Opinions. And your personal stuff.

Out of what the boards. You know. Out of your respective boards.

And your committees. So. I'm not sure if you feel like that's clear enough here.

[Speaker 7] (2:38:28 - 2:38:31)
I was fine with the previous language that was included. Which was.

[Speaker 15] (2:38:31 - 2:38:31)
Yeah.

[Speaker 7] (2:38:32 - 2:38:37)
Should be careful not to usurp the prerogative of the chair. But I had.

[Speaker 15] (2:38:37 - 2:38:38)
Yeah.

[Speaker 7] (2:38:38 - 2:38:42)
You know. Shall generally respect. Autonomy is fine too.

[Speaker 5] (2:38:42 - 2:38:48)
Okay. Yeah. That piece is just at attendance at other committee meetings.

So that. I don't know.

[Speaker 3] (2:38:50 - 2:38:52)
Right. That's not when you're the liaison.

[Speaker 5] (2:38:52 - 2:38:54)
So that's just in that situation. That's not overall.

[Speaker 7] (2:38:59 - 2:39:06)
So why don't we strike towards that end. When attending the meetings of other boards. Just say board members.

And board members. Well this whole section is about attendance.

[Speaker 15] (2:39:07 - 2:39:07)
Exactly.

[Speaker 7] (2:39:07 - 2:39:08)
Okay. Yeah yeah yeah. Okay.

[Speaker 3] (2:39:09 - 2:39:10)
I'll be quiet.

[Speaker 4] (2:39:11 - 2:39:16)
If you want. The spirit of that strike tree. We can just move it up to the liaison section.

[Speaker 5] (2:39:16 - 2:39:21)
I mean the whole paragraph. Does it even need to be there? I don't know.

Is that a thing? Attendance at other.

[Speaker 2] (2:39:21 - 2:39:25)
Attendance at other. I think it's throwing out. I mean.

I don't know. Does that happen frequently?

[Speaker 4] (2:39:25 - 2:39:35)
Let's just leave it in. It has a purpose. I feel like.

But if you wanted to take that. It should be careful not to usurp the prerogative of the chair. To the.

To the liaison.

[Speaker 7] (2:39:35 - 2:39:35)
To two.

[Speaker 4] (2:39:36 - 2:39:55)
To two. Yeah. I like that.

Or we could say liaisons should help guide. The goals and actions of the committees. To which they've been appointed.

Towards the same liaison. Should communicate with each committee's chair. And should be careful not to usurp.

The prerogative. It doesn't need its own subset.

[Speaker 5] (2:39:55 - 2:39:56)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:39:56 - 2:39:59)
Okay. Let's put it there. Okay.

It's better served there.

[Speaker 3] (2:40:04 - 2:40:05)
Are we on to B?

[Speaker 5] (2:40:11 - 2:40:12)
Yes.

[Speaker 3] (2:40:12 - 2:40:45)
So I have a question. It seems like we've added in assistant town administrator here. And.

Is that simply. Was it thinking that sometimes an assistant town administrator. Is kind of the known point person on something.

So it's just a matter of straight logic. To you know. Include that assistant town administrator.

And when there's a question that comes up.

[Speaker 5] (2:40:45 - 2:40:58)
Well what do you do when the town administrator is on vacation. Or not available. But they would be on leave of absence.

Or on. They what? They would be the acting town administrator.

I mean would they? I mean if they're on vacation.

[Speaker 2] (2:40:58 - 2:40:59)
Yep.

[Speaker 5] (2:40:59 - 2:41:05)
Okay. But they're still. Technically the assistant town administrator.

No. That's still their title.

[Speaker 3] (2:41:05 - 2:41:11)
Right. But I think the import is still that. You're you're contacting the town administrator.

Or his or her replacement.

[Speaker 5] (2:41:12 - 2:41:13)
Yeah you could say that too.

[Speaker 15] (2:41:14 - 2:41:15)
If that was.

[Speaker 4] (2:41:15 - 2:41:17)
That was the thought process. That if they're ever not there.

[Speaker 15] (2:41:17 - 2:41:18)
That's the only point.

[Speaker 5] (2:41:18 - 2:41:19)
Incapacitated or.

[Speaker 1] (2:41:19 - 2:41:20)
Okay. Okay.

[Speaker 15] (2:41:21 - 2:41:21)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (2:41:22 - 2:41:26)
We can just say or their representative. Or their designee. Whatever.

Just to basically have another.

[Speaker 1] (2:41:27 - 2:41:29)
Designee probably makes sense.

[Speaker 7] (2:41:29 - 2:41:31)
Right it has actually more flexibility to it in a way yeah.

[Speaker 4] (2:41:31 - 2:41:35)
Yeah and then it was referenced below. So when we cross out the sentence below. We just wanted to put it.

[Speaker 7] (2:41:36 - 2:41:37)
Yeah I just thought 10b runs.

[Speaker 4] (2:41:37 - 2:41:39)
It was already in there. Yep.

[Speaker 7] (2:41:39 - 2:41:54)
I just thought 10b ran counter to 9c. I'm for delegation. I'm just not.

I guess just as as written. It just it just confuses the chain of command.

[Speaker 3] (2:41:56 - 2:42:02)
But now if we get rid of assistant town administrator. And just say or designee. Do you still do that?

Is that better?

[Speaker 7] (2:42:03 - 2:42:04)
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah.

[Speaker 4] (2:42:05 - 2:42:09)
Do you want to remove the reference to. Assistant town administrator. Below also.

[Speaker 7] (2:42:12 - 2:42:13)
Yeah at the end of the paragraph.

[Speaker 4] (2:42:14 - 2:42:17)
The last sentence. Yes yes. Town administrator or their designee.

[Speaker 2] (2:42:27 - 2:42:47)
So on the very last. On any member of town staff approaches. Any member of the select board to rise concern.

Raise a concern about the town administrator. Or another staff member the board member. Should direct the individual to human resource director.

Yep yeah that's fine.

[Speaker 3] (2:42:47 - 2:42:51)
I don't mind what was crossed out. I think it just emphasizes the point but.

[Speaker 7] (2:43:00 - 2:43:33)
I just had a comment on d. Any an individual resident. A group of residents may request an appointment.

Before the board by making a request. In writing to the county administrator's office. Or the chair stating the reason for the appearance.

Action desired. Subject to the matter being placed in the agenda. Residents shall be given reasonable opportunity.

To make a presentation through the spokesperson. As applicable express opinions. And ask for pertinent information.

I would just like to add a sentence. Any presentation or information discussed. Should be distributed to the select board.

At least 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting.

[Speaker 5] (2:43:35 - 2:43:42)
Don't we speak to that at the beginning? Where we ask for presentations. As feasible or something is that.

[Speaker 7] (2:43:42 - 2:43:58)
I just think it I just think it would be helpful. If this was if it was clear. And in this in this particular section.

Since we've had two issues in the last six weeks. I just I think that spelling that out here. Would just be would make it would make a little more clear.

[Speaker 3] (2:43:59 - 2:44:03)
And it does it does it's a kind of different context. Like all the stuff that flows through.

[Speaker 2] (2:44:03 - 2:44:05)
We just got this tonight this afternoon.

[Speaker 3] (2:44:07 - 2:44:09)
Yes. This morning.

[Speaker 2] (2:44:09 - 2:44:11)
So that means we wouldn't be able to talk about this.

[Speaker 3] (2:44:12 - 2:44:35)
Well we did talk about three business days. Way back when I think. You know that's you know supposed to be the goal.

The rule. There are exceptions. But it is different here.

Because normally if I'm coming to talk at a meeting. I wouldn't think oh I got to send something in in advance. But normally our process.

We know the supposed process. Is that we're getting everything like Thursday before.

[Speaker 5] (2:44:36 - 2:44:37)
But sometimes we're not.

[Speaker 3] (2:44:37 - 2:44:44)
Sometimes we're not. So it's nothing it's not about like that. There's no way in the world.

This person could ever come and talk. If it didn't happen. But still.

[Speaker 2] (2:44:45 - 2:44:49)
So what about with Joe Dillette. Like something like that tonight. So.

[Speaker 3] (2:44:50 - 2:44:53)
When did we first get. We at least got that yesterday. The day before.

[Speaker 7] (2:44:54 - 2:44:55)
No 48 hours.

[Speaker 3] (2:44:55 - 2:44:57)
Yeah he posted. He posted. It was posted on the.

[Speaker 2] (2:44:57 - 2:44:58)
Got him right. You know like.

[Speaker 7] (2:44:59 - 2:45:00)
Well it must have been Monday.

[Speaker 15] (2:45:00 - 2:45:00)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (2:45:04 - 2:45:13)
His presentation also wasn't provided to us in advance. The grant application and the information was. But not the presentation.

And he just did that to help. So does that mean.

[Speaker 2] (2:45:13 - 2:45:16)
So does that mean we couldn't have. Presented it. Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:45:17 - 2:45:20)
I mean there's exceptions right. To everything. But you could just say.

[Speaker 2] (2:45:21 - 2:45:26)
We just attempt to try. When feasible. Gabe why don't you.

Attempt to.

[Speaker 7] (2:45:26 - 2:45:29)
Best practices. Yeah I mean.

[Speaker 2] (2:45:30 - 2:45:31)
Well every attempt should be made.

[Speaker 7] (2:45:32 - 2:45:32)
Sure.

[Speaker 4] (2:45:34 - 2:45:43)
And what is it. Every attempt should be made. To provide.

What was your sentence.

[Speaker 7] (2:45:44 - 2:45:57)
Yeah to provide. Presentations or information. Discussed.

To be discussed at the meeting. Distributed to the select board. At least 48 hours prior.

To the scheduled meeting. That just allows us to. To prepare.

[Speaker 15] (2:45:58 - 2:45:58)
48 hours.

[Speaker 7] (2:46:00 - 2:46:02)
Prepare ask questions. And be as efficient as possible.

[Speaker 2] (2:46:16 - 2:46:36)
The one thing that. I do question. The one thing.

I'm sorry. We're all set here. But I have one question.

Should we have a policy on. Cell phones. At the table.

Use of cell phones. As we all have them sitting here.

[Speaker 15] (2:46:37 - 2:46:37)
Well yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:46:38 - 2:46:57)
We all have them here. But I'm just wondering. If we should have a policy on.

The actual use of cell phones. At the. While you're sitting at the table.

Saying no. I think we should. I think that select board members.

Should be asked. To stay off the cell phone. Unless there is.

You know. A little emergency. Or something like that.

But. How do you know? How would I know.

[Speaker 1] (2:46:58 - 2:47:01)
It's like. If I'm checking it. It's because kids.

[Speaker 15] (2:47:02 - 2:47:02)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (2:47:04 - 2:47:33)
I mean I. I get what you're saying Mary Ellen. I think we could just.

Try to. If the question is. Can we be better about it.

Sure. Let's. Communicate that all to be.

Maybe a little bit better about. Have we got a little lax. About the cell phone.

Use of the table. Yeah. Maybe we can be more.

Respectful to one another. About that. But.

I'm here volunteering. I know I'm an elected. And official.

But. It's. I'm giving a lot of time.

And energy. And if I want to.

[Speaker 2] (2:47:34 - 2:47:43)
Check if my kids are asleep or not. I should be able to do that. My next question is.

Social media. So we are. Absolutely going to.

Pull those.

[Speaker 4] (2:47:44 - 2:47:49)
We've already got the schools. Yeah we've already. Okay.

We've already started down that road. We'll put pen to paper. And then we'll review it.

[Speaker 12] (2:47:49 - 2:47:50)
Like we did. The rest of it.

[Speaker 2] (2:47:50 - 2:47:57)
All right thank you. So when do you want this. You want this back.

On the agenda in two weeks. I think two weeks. Let's do it.

[Speaker 12] (2:47:57 - 2:47:59)
Diane. Already on there.

[Speaker 7] (2:47:59 - 2:48:01)
Here we go. Look at this.

[Speaker 2] (2:48:01 - 2:48:04)
All right. And we'll. What about the code of conduct.

We'll. We'll.

[Speaker 4] (2:48:04 - 2:48:09)
Be a little bit better about. Getting it to you earlier. There was an issue with.

Redlining.

[Speaker 2] (2:48:09 - 2:48:20)
And then Diane wasn't sure. What version to send you guys. And what are we.

What about the code of conduct. What about it. Are we going to review this.

That's next right.

[Speaker 4] (2:48:21 - 2:48:23)
You want to finish this first. Or you want us to do it at the same time.

[Speaker 2] (2:48:24 - 2:48:26)
Should we start this. In two weeks.

[Speaker 3] (2:48:27 - 2:48:34)
Yes. If at all. I don't have any issues with it.

So I don't. I don't need to look at it at all. But if anyone else does.

[Speaker 5] (2:48:35 - 2:48:39)
Well it's a good thing we looked at this Doug. Because there are a number of areas in it. So.

Oh no.

[Speaker 3] (2:48:39 - 2:48:40)
I wanted to look at this.

[Speaker 7] (2:48:40 - 2:48:44)
I asked for it seven times. So no. I'm happy to look at it and spend.

[Speaker 2] (2:48:45 - 2:48:45)
Yeah. That's fine.

[Speaker 7] (2:48:45 - 2:48:48)
As much time as we need. As we need. That's fine.

[Speaker 2] (2:48:48 - 2:48:54)
All right. So Diane's got that on the schedule. Are we volunteering.

Danielle and I do. Or David. Yes.

[Speaker 4] (2:48:54 - 2:48:55)
So you want to do it.

[Speaker 2] (2:48:55 - 2:48:56)
I didn't say anything.

[Speaker 15] (2:48:57 - 2:48:59)
I thought you just said you wanted to look at it. No no no.

[Speaker 4] (2:48:59 - 2:49:01)
You'd be happy to look at it. You'd be happy to look at it.

[Speaker 10] (2:49:01 - 2:49:02)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (2:49:02 - 2:49:04)
All right. So Danielle and I will. That's where their.

[Speaker 17] (2:49:05 - 2:49:06)
President secretary.

[Speaker 4] (2:49:07 - 2:49:08)
All right. So.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:08 - 2:49:14)
Moving along. Both the board. Who the consent agenda.

[Speaker 7] (2:49:15 - 2:49:23)
So moved. Wait. I would just like to pull the minutes from 9-4.

Something came in this afternoon. I didn't have a chance to review it. I was reviewing the.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:25 - 2:49:25)
Handbook.

[Speaker 7] (2:49:25 - 2:49:32)
The handbook. So I'm fine with 8-20 and 8-29. I would just like to hold off on 9-4.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:32 - 2:49:34)
Okay. So Diane we're going to pop 9-4.

[Speaker 7] (2:49:39 - 2:49:40)
So moved.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:40 - 2:49:42)
Second. All in favor.

[Speaker 3] (2:49:43 - 2:49:43)
Aye.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:43 - 2:49:44)
Of the consent agenda.

[Speaker 7] (2:49:44 - 2:49:50)
Right. Oh wait. Do we have a.

Was there a request for a one day liquor license for the Foxtrot?

[Speaker 5] (2:49:50 - 2:49:53)
Yep. That's on the consent. That's on the consent agenda.

Yep.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:54 - 2:49:56)
No I just have the rate. Number one. Oh that's just.

[Speaker 7] (2:49:56 - 2:49:59)
No no no no no no. For the one day liquor license.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:59 - 2:50:01)
We don't have one. I don't have one.

[Speaker 7] (2:50:01 - 2:50:16)
Okay. But it's. It was just in.

It was in the. It was in the notes. Or it was in the consent agenda.

Said. That being said. Attached as a request for a one day liquor license.

Mount Waters agreed to sponsor the beer garden. That's just in the. That's in the letter from Ashley Steeves.

[Speaker 12] (2:50:17 - 2:50:20)
I don't think we've gotten the. We haven't gotten the sign off yet.

[Speaker 7] (2:50:20 - 2:50:21)
That's correct. Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:21 - 2:50:25)
I'll talk to Matt. About that tomorrow. It's not so likely.

[Speaker 7] (2:50:26 - 2:50:27)
No I know. I know. I just.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:27 - 2:50:30)
So Diane can you make a note that we need to have that. Yep.

[Speaker 3] (2:50:33 - 2:50:39)
Okay. Once again. I move the consent agenda without the nine four minutes.

I'll second.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:40 - 2:50:40)
All in favor.

[Speaker 15] (2:50:41 - 2:50:41)
Aye. Aye.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:41 - 2:50:48)
Motion carries. Okay. Now we're at.

Town administrator's report.

[Speaker 1] (2:50:49 - 2:57:20)
All right. Thank you Mary Ellen. This past week I had a.

Host with Swampskate hosted a meeting with. Former Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo. And current commissioner of the Department of Conservation.

Recreation. DCR at the Hawthorne. I shared a number of updates.

On Swampskate's efforts to. You know revitalize Humphrey Street. I think a lot of the commissioners were really excited to be in the Hawthorne.

It's impressive to really have the town own that facility. They did talk a lot about. Dynamic between the Department of Conservation's linear park.

That runs from the Swampskate town line down to the hunt. I did mention that you know we are looking to have a. Broader partnership with DCR.

Two years ago I did send a letter on behalf of the board to. Seek that. DCR.

Engage with the town to take ownership of. The town of Swampskate's existing seawall that wraps up to the. Hawthorne property.

We've recently updated that seawall. Won't need to be repaired for at least another 20 or 30 years and. Help save the town millions and.

Give the state a chance to really maintain. That entire area. We continue to work with.

A number of really great committee. Members to. See how we can improve and.

Expand the micro forest in a way that helps to beautify the corner of. Walking paradise I realize there are a lot of folks that have a lot of. Passion.

And ideas for that corner and and appreciate. The collaboration that is ongoing. Pleased that we have a new assessing agent want to thank.

Our board of assessors and staff for. Pulling that together. We continue to.

Have weekly meetings to talk about our efforts to. Bring a boutique hotel to Swampskate we are working with. Clearview and.

A number of partners to. Make that vision a reality. Additionally with our veterans housing project we're.

Working with VFW stakeholders and a number of veterans groups to. Build consensus around the concept want to thank the neighborhood we. Continue to work with.

A number of neighbors to really ensure that we have a. Good balance of. Support.

I continue to work with our historical commission. To discuss ways that we can help preserve the Glover property. Last week I met with Richard Wilcox consultant who's preparing a report on.

A number of options for the Glover farmhouse. This week I have been in. Number of interviews last week as well.

For a number of vacancies we. Had eight interviews for a firefighter. Candidates absolutely some of the.

Finest individuals I've I've had a chance to interview. Hopefully we'll be moving forward with conditional offers for. Three vacancies we have in the next few days.

Libraries. Been open on Saturday want to thank library staff. We're getting a lot of positive report.

From residents on. On the library being open. On the weekend certainly.

Want to recognize match Matthew wearing our new on call library assistant. We are getting ready for a spooky. October DPW has been very busy with landscaping around town and working on a number of.

Projects. Senior center is accepting applications for anyone interested. In.

On being on the new community life center feasibility task force you can get more information on our website. Our town clerk Jared the Liberty has been busy with election season we have. Already 2500 people that have voted and.

He's breaking out his new pole pads that will be deployed next year to make voting even easier. We do we are seeing uptick in covid cases and a number of. Flu like symptoms want to just encourage folks to get tested we do have a flu clinic coming up on September 24th from 4 to 6 PM at the senior center.

Registration is required. Remember to wear short sleeve t-shirt encourage up board members to head down there you are out in the public. And likely will be more susceptible.

Want to really thank. Wreck team. Jackie and Danielle for.

Another tremendous swamped overfest David thank you. These. No cost low cost.

Events are medicine I can't stress enough how important it is to have. Multi generational engagement with some of these activities. I do think there are ways that we can improve these events after every one of these events we have to after action them but.

We had thousands of people that came out and had a absolutely wonderful time. And really looking forward to. Continuing.

You know a tradition for these events we had an absolute. Rock star day with. Porch fest thanks Joe.

Heard nothing but. More and more and more folks want to have a porch fest around the holiday seasons I don't know if that's. Possible but.

You know it would be great to see what. What we could do to get people out during the. The winter months.

Car shows coming up on October 13th. We have a. Townwide yard sale if you'd like to go yard sailing.

This is the event 30. Participants get rid of your stuff don't throw it away sell it. Save us.

[Speaker 15] (2:57:20 - 2:57:22)
I'm sorry.

[Speaker 1] (2:57:25 - 2:58:38)
Well we're going to have to plan another one it's one of the better events in town when we look at how much stuff gets. Taken out of the solid waste stream we have to pay a tonnage cost for that so. It's great.

Lastly I just want to thank. You know. Chief Archer members of the Swansea fire department for their annual 9-11 memorial.

These events are so important. You know we have lost a number of residents. You know to.

The war on terror but certainly. You know Jennifer Captain Jennifer Harris Corporal Raymond and. Justin Morris and reporter Michael Kelly all have paid.

You know. The ultimate. Sacrifice.

For our freedoms 9-11 is lost to so many young citizens that weren't alive then. So important that we talk about it and remind everybody just the. Important.

You know. The. Freedoms that we have and that you know our.

Responsibility to protect those so. That's my report.

[Speaker 2] (2:58:39 - 2:58:46)
Okay thank you for your report and now for select board time. I have a couple of things.

[Speaker 4] (2:58:49 - 3:01:13)
I just want to. Thank the school building committee and. And.

All everybody who came out to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the new school it was a lovely occasion I was glad to see that many parents did not heed advice and brought their children to the ceremony which was lovely because as we were cutting the ribbon of the building kids were playing on the playground and running through the hallways and that's why we do what we do so. It's nice that they were there. Also I want to talk a little bit about.

The town administrator touched on the. The micro forest and I just want to let everybody know that last week Salem State Professor Nicholas Jaron of the geography and sustainability department took drone images of the micro forest so his background is in urban forestry and he works for bio for climate on forest space in like Cambridge and Worcester throughout the summer he worked there he sent video for us which we can put out on the town website of the micro forest and he took thermal images and the thermal images are pretty impressive and they show that current temperatures in the forest the micro forest are have decreased the temperature of the grasses that allow the vegetation to grow and protect the ecosystem and the bugs and all the good things that live under the forest and there's a bunch of research about heat islands. It's pretty interesting stuff although I'm not making it sound interesting but what I can tell you it does do is that it helps address the goals of our climate action plan which include enhancing and protecting and maintaining natural resources in public green space and adopting a landscape that practices and supports native biodiversity and improve water retention so I know that there as Sean has said there are people who believe that it doesn't look as nice as it should and maybe it looks as nice as it should because it's doing something greater so I always will plug the micro forest if I have the opportunity and I think that's really important that we understand that everything doesn't always look perfect all the time.

[Speaker 2] (3:01:14 - 3:01:15)
David?

[Speaker 3] (3:01:15 - 3:01:16)
I'm good for now.

[Speaker 2] (3:01:17 - 3:01:17)
Doug?

[Speaker 3] (3:01:18 - 3:01:52)
I have several things although Katie shortened one of them for me thank you. It is quite amazing to see the images that are put out there about the intensity of the heat inside the like within 10 feet of each other when the micro forest it's like 20 degrees celsius difference that's like you know 30 degrees difference so that's why forests are important and so thank you Katie for covering that. Financial summit where do we stand with planning for that?

[Speaker 1] (3:01:52 - 3:02:15)
Yeah we're working on it we've had to slide a few weeks based on some responsibilities we have to sit down with colleagues so I can give you an update at our next meeting but we're we've got the data we've gone out we've pulled the peer communities charting and graphing it we've got a slide deck together I can.

[Speaker 3] (3:02:16 - 3:02:24)
Okay so we're we're doing it on our own and so with the time starting to slide so. I know so I think we're we are going to reach out and see. Don't put me in a place where I'm going to say I told you so so.

[Speaker 4] (3:02:24 - 3:02:26)
I thought we talked about third parties.

[Speaker 3] (3:02:26 - 3:02:28)
Yep what's that?

[Speaker 1] (3:02:31 - 3:02:35)
I have reached out we're looking to bring somebody in that could help facilitate that.

[Speaker 3] (3:02:35 - 3:02:47)
Yeah so I would strongly request that we have a date certain for when this thing's going to happen by the next meeting and that I would hope that date's in October we said it was going to be in September.

[Speaker 2] (3:02:47 - 3:02:49)
We're going to have a date before the next meeting.

[Speaker 3] (3:02:49 - 3:02:58)
Okay well that's fine but so because then we're going to be into sliding into budget season and everything else right we need some time to process this so.

[Speaker 2] (3:02:58 - 3:03:04)
So Sean has been working on a date. Yeah it's just okay yeah get it out there.

[Speaker 4] (3:03:05 - 3:03:06)
Can I expand on that please would you mind?

[Speaker 2] (3:03:07 - 3:03:07)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (3:03:07 - 3:03:19)
I also want to be careful about the rhetoric we're using about the data's been pulled because part of the third party coming in was to help make sure that the that we're pulling the right data points and we're using them in the right way so.

[Speaker 1] (3:03:20 - 3:03:52)
I mean there's only two really data sets that we're looking at we got DOR the municipal gateway they have all the information on the annual tax levies the you know reserve levy capacity all the things that frankly are benchmarks and in Department of Education DESE they are they have all the information on student teacher ratios the number of student enrollments like we're just going to get it from state sources.

[Speaker 2] (3:03:52 - 3:03:53)
When does the new DESE.

[Speaker 5] (3:03:53 - 3:04:04)
But we we talked about engaging the schools so that they weren't blindsided or that we were just pulling their data has that have you reached out to the school department and actually talked about this.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:04 - 3:04:14)
I've asked Amy to coordinate meetings with the school business administrator and and make sure that we share that information with them so.

[Speaker 5] (3:04:15 - 3:04:17)
So you have talked to the school department that's fine.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:17 - 3:04:19)
I've asked Amy to I haven't reached out to them.

[Speaker 5] (3:04:19 - 3:04:37)
Okay well it might it might make sense to reach out to the superintendent or whoever it because this is I don't want this to turn into a contentious issue and I want the schools to have as much notice and I want to partner with them and not just blindside them and say we're pulling your numbers we're pulling data without actually talking to them.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:37 - 3:04:51)
Yeah my intention that they would have an opportunity to present some of the information on the schools and we would partner with them. We've done that in the past and you know there's no reason why we wouldn't share those responsibilities.

[Speaker 2] (3:04:52 - 3:04:55)
When does the new DESE information come out? Is it mid-October?

[Speaker 1] (3:04:56 - 3:05:10)
October 1st is a reporting deadline for student enrollments. I just don't know when they post it up on their website. You know schedule 19s are usually those are annually you know at the end of the school year so you know.

[Speaker 5] (3:05:10 - 3:05:17)
Their enrollment's not it's not it's not current so it takes them they pull sims three times a year so it takes them.

[Speaker 2] (3:05:17 - 3:05:21)
But there's only one number that they actually count though isn't that the number from October?

[Speaker 5] (3:05:22 - 3:05:28)
No so they run that report the sims report student information report three times a year so kids can enter the system at any point.

[Speaker 1] (3:05:28 - 3:05:29)
Yeah they come and go.

[Speaker 5] (3:05:29 - 3:05:31)
So those that enrollment those enrollment numbers are fluid.

[Speaker 2] (3:05:31 - 3:05:40)
I'm talking about how are the finances that the state gives that those finances that the state gives are based on the number from October.

[Speaker 5] (3:05:41 - 3:05:49)
Yes but but and again they could have more students enter after October but you're still getting only x from the state. Right right.

[Speaker 1] (3:05:50 - 3:06:00)
The October 1st number is is the is the snapshot every district in the commonwealth on October 1st presents the number of students they have in their system.

[Speaker 15] (3:06:00 - 3:06:00)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (3:06:01 - 3:07:01)
Okay housing so just want to put in another plug Swamp Scout for all ages is hosting a housing series and the first session this two nights ago I encourage people who are there was a huge turnout like 50 people came and really really interesting different perspectives from different organizations came and talked about different ways to age in place that's what that session was about. There'll be three other sessions one in September 30th about what is affordable housing another on October 7th about accessory dwelling units another one October 21st about really kind of details about financing the next steps. I think people were really a lot of light bulbs went off about different ways that people can stay here in town with home modifications or sharing their housing or different approaches so it's obviously an important issue for a lot of people and I just want to raise that up again.

[Speaker 2] (3:07:02 - 3:07:15)
How are we advertising that? I know Swamp Scout for all ages senior center etc is doing it it's on the town website and it's on Facebook our Facebook what about all those other Facebook things?

[Speaker 3] (3:07:16 - 3:07:21)
Oh like times and uh nest and stuff like that that's not I don't know I can

[Speaker 12] (3:07:21 - 3:07:30)
share it with them you can post if it's on the town's Facebook page I mean yeah yeah yeah

[Speaker 4] (3:07:32 - 3:07:36)
we could show you Diane yeah no I bet you know Instagram

[Speaker 3] (3:07:41 - 3:07:57)
lastly you know Sean mentioned the Glover so you know the governor is the tenant governor put out a kind of a massive press release and initiative about rev 250 here in the state

[Speaker 1] (3:07:57 - 3:08:02)
horse yeah what's that she rode a horse down up at the capitol oh I didn't I didn't know that did

[Speaker 3] (3:08:03 - 3:09:03)
okay um I could go on and on and with a lot of incredible points that she makes about how important this is etc etc etc and we are sitting here in Swamp Scout with a jewel that is rotting away and we have a landowner who we've been trying to work with and it is not going anywhere despite incredible efforts and so I just want to make sure everyone knows that we are sitting here while this is just frittering okay literally and figuratively and I'm done being kind of like hopeful and patient about it because like it is we're going to sit here and all feel like we just it was on our watch that this thing crumbled and nothing happened so if the landowner is listening great if other people are listening and know the landowner great but it is time for us to move because it's not going to be something that we can do something about next year

[Speaker 1] (3:09:03 - 3:09:19)
Doug I appreciate you know your passion for this this is one of our nation's greatest treasures I have met with the owner two weeks ago I do believe he cares about you know helping to

[Speaker 3] (3:09:20 - 3:10:03)
preserve that history it's taken us six months with all of your incredible patience and diligence and respect and everything else to allow a tarp to go on this building and it is still not happened okay it's ridiculous okay we're not trying to do anything that would be harmful to anybody and we need cooperation because that piece of property is sitting there in a delinquent state and there are other things that we could be doing and that we should be doing and I'll ask us to start considering for any other property that would be sitting there in that derelict state so it's time to move appreciate that

[Speaker 2] (3:10:05 - 3:10:18)
so can you just start making phone calls oh it sounds like we got to do more phone calls I don't think he's asking for phone calls I think but I think we're almost there right you know we've been I think the frustrating part is that

[Speaker 1] (3:10:18 - 3:10:32)
we've been almost there for for years you know okay and and we've got a we've got a really we need a partner I think you know the goal here is that you know we can have a partner to help us

[Speaker 3] (3:10:33 - 3:10:42)
I think that is ready willing and able to do that and it's not just about the house there's so many other important things that happen there that's right the housing other things need to happen

[Speaker 1] (3:10:42 - 3:10:53)
there but we can't wait around forever that's right we're we're going to celebrate in two years the 250th anniversary of the revolution and we have literally one of the most important sites

[Speaker 3] (3:10:53 - 3:11:05)
in this nation and we'll be holding a funeral at that spot as opposed to a you know a house raising at this rate I'm not sure whose funeral but the house is

[Speaker 5] (3:11:17 - 3:12:12)
kudos to the school building committee we attended Katie and I dug I think you attended too where were we all there I don't even know I don't remember Sean was there great event it was wonderful to have so many community members there that were not even affiliated with the school or had kids in the district and they were able to go in and take a look hats off to Max Casper because I think he is just a gem and the most valuable asset in this town the school department he does everything and he's really he really did a great job as did and they are doing a wonderful job with dismissal now they're getting it done in 10 minutes so I think the residents are happier I do still have concerns about the intersection that someone spoke on tonight Atlantic and Humphrey I mean it still is a death trap or whoever called it that I agree and it really does see it still need more attention but that was that's all I have

[Speaker 2] (3:12:13 - 3:12:27)
that's okay and for me I just want to once again thank Nate Bysheim and Joe Dulek for bringing this up for the meeting and see y'all in two weeks.

[Speaker 7] (3:12:27 - 3:12:28)
Motion to adjourn.

[Speaker 2] (3:12:28 - 3:12:33)
Second. So moved. We can vote.

All in favor.

[Speaker 4] (3:12:33 - 3:12:34)
All in favor.

[Speaker 2] (3:12:34 - 3:12:34)
Aye.

[Speaker 3] (3:12:34 - 3:12:35)
Aye. Aye.

[Speaker 4] (3:12:35 - 3:12:38)
You're just reading mine. Thanks Diane.