[Speaker 1] (1:06 - 1:06)
So

[Speaker 2] (1:06 - 1:07)
It's a long break.

[Speaker 3] (1:16 - 1:18)
Okay, we will get started.

[Speaker 3] (1:18 - 1:22)
Our fearless leader is not feeling well tonight,

[Speaker 3] (1:22 - 1:23)
so you're stuck with me.

[Speaker 3] (1:24 - 1:30)
Welcome to the January 7th, 2026 Swamp Scott Select Board meeting.

[Speaker 3] (1:31 - 1:33)
This meeting is being recorded,

[Speaker 3] (1:33 - 1:37)
and if you are so inclined, if you'll join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

[Speaker 3] (1:40 - 1:51)
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 3] (1:56 - 2:05)
All right we have some very important business to start out tonight long-awaited

[Speaker 3] (2:05 - 2:20)
of two key positions in town government the first is the appointment of our new Finance Director Patrick Luddy might be a name some people are familiar with spontaneous

[Speaker 3] (2:23 - 2:30)
all right all right fantastic so we need to have a vote to appoint

[Speaker 3] (2:32 - 2:35)
Sir Patrick, a discussion if you are so inclined.

[Speaker 2] (2:35 - 2:36)
Motion to appoint.

[Speaker 3] (2:37 - 2:38)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (2:38 - 2:38)
Second.

[Speaker 2] (2:38 - 2:38)
Second.

[Speaker 3] (2:38 - 2:43)
All right. I guess um any further discussion?

[Speaker 2] (2:43 - 3:01)
Um I do have a couple questions, not really for you, Patrick, but because um Patrick, this is a new role for you and we also have a new town administrator when we've hired someone who is new to a position, we've also had a significant amount of backup.

[Speaker 2] (3:01 - 3:04)
for assistance, and I think that was with um Eric.

[Speaker 2] (3:04 - 3:06)
And his crew, are we still going to do that?

[Speaker 3] (3:07 - 3:15)
I've spoken to Bill about putting together a proposal that would be focused more on supporting Patrick in the role as opposed to Bill being in there once a week and working remotely.

[Speaker 2] (3:15 - 3:15)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (3:15 - 3:21)
So yeah, Eric and Bill were very excited that this was the direction we were going in after having worked with him.

[Speaker 2] (3:21 - 3:21)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (3:21 - 3:28)
And they're happy to figure out what the best way to support him is going forward that makes sense for us financially, but also gives him all the support that he needs.

[Speaker 2] (3:28 - 3:31)
Okay, that's what I'm that's my concern is support for him.

[Speaker 3] (3:31 - 3:31)
Yep.

[Speaker 2] (3:31 - 3:32)
Okay, great.

[Speaker 3] (3:32 - 3:42)
Right, because this is wonderful we're filling this role, but this does seem to create an opening uh for another role um so any I have a brief update that I can give during the T_T_ report,

[Speaker 2] (3:42 - 3:42)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (3:42 - 3:45)
and that way we can move it out of the appointment if that's

[Speaker 5] (3:45 - 3:45)
Sure,

[Speaker 3] (3:45 - 3:45)
okay and

[Speaker 5] (3:45 - 3:45)
sure.

[Speaker 3] (3:45 - 3:51)
um but yes, I I can speak to that a little bit as well. We might not want Patrick to move uh, you know, to another We we definitely do.

[Speaker 5] (3:51 - 3:59)
and and and I just wanna express my enthusiasm um for this uh agenda item this evening. Patrick, you know, you started as an intern

[Speaker 5] (3:59 - 4:10)
And you've worked your way up the ranks, and it's really been exciting to work with you and to see you learn and grow in the role.

[Speaker 5] (4:10 - 4:14)
And, you know, you've saved the town millions of dollars with bonding,

[Speaker 5] (4:14 - 4:23)
and, you know, we really look forward to working with you and seeing your expertise continue to build. So thank you and welcome.

[Speaker 3] (4:23 - 4:24)
Thank you.

[Speaker 6] (4:25 - 4:26)
Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (4:26 - 4:27)
I would second that.

[Speaker 3] (4:27 - 4:30)
I just feel like it's extremely consistent,

[Speaker 3] (4:31 - 4:39)
high quality advice and work product that you deliver to us and that gives us, gives me a lot of faith in, you know, what we're dealing with.

[Speaker 3] (4:39 - 4:43)
So I really appreciate that and I look forward to working with you in this new role.

[Speaker 2] (4:43 - 4:44)
Great.

[Speaker 6] (4:44 - 4:44)
Thank you so much.

[Speaker 3] (4:44 - 4:46)
Assuming we all vote, you know.

[Speaker 3] (4:47 - 4:48)
So any further ado?

[Speaker 3] (4:49 - 4:50)
Um...

[Speaker 2] (4:50 - 5:01)
I just want to say, Patrick, you're a shining star. And I'm not going to speak to it on a financial level because everybody's already done that. But you're an outstanding human. I've really enjoyed my interactions with you. Always professional.

[Speaker 2] (5:01 - 5:02)
Always pleasant.

[Speaker 2] (5:02 - 5:03)
Always wanting to help.

[Speaker 2] (5:03 - 5:04)
I appreciate that.

[Speaker 2] (5:04 - 5:12)
I'm excited for you. I remember when you started as an intern. I was still working in the schools. You know, it's great to see that progression,

[Speaker 2] (5:12 - 5:15)
right? And that's what we want. So kudos to you. Welcome.

[Speaker 2] (5:16 - 5:21)
And I promise we will try not to be too tough anytime we ask you anything. For me anyway,

[Speaker 2] (5:21 - 5:22)
I can say that. So

[Speaker 2] (5:22 - 5:26)
So how many how many years so when were you an intern? I mean I do remember when

[Speaker 7] (5:26 - 5:27)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (5:27 - 5:28)
you an intern was that like six years ago?

[Speaker 7] (5:28 - 5:31)
Yeah, so I've been with the town over seven years now. Time

[Speaker 2] (5:31 - 5:32)
All right, so you're an old man

[Speaker 7] (5:32 - 5:32)
flies by.

[Speaker 7] (5:33 - 5:35)
It sounds longer than it feels for me.

[Speaker 7] (5:35 - 5:42)
But this is a really great opportunity and I want to thank the board and the town administrator for supporting this.

[Speaker 7] (5:43 - 5:50)
I haven't voted yet, but um I'm looking forward to the additional responsibility and it means a lot. It's very humbling to be trusted with that.

[Speaker 2] (5:50 - 5:51)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 7] (5:51 - 5:57)
And I'm looking forward to doing a lot of great things um contributing in new and different ways. So thank you.

[Speaker 7] (5:58 - 5:58)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (5:58 - 6:00)
Excellent. Uh all in favour?

[Speaker 8] (6:00 - 6:01)
Aye.

[Speaker 5] (6:01 - 6:01)
Aye.

[Speaker 2] (6:01 - 6:01)
Aye.

[Speaker 3] (6:01 - 6:01)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (6:03 - 6:03)
That's okay.

[Speaker 5] (6:04 - 6:04)
Congratulations.

[Speaker 7] (6:08 - 6:09)
Thank I you.

[Speaker 2] (6:09 - 6:13)
just had someone to ask me today um if you were an accountant.

[Speaker 2] (6:13 - 6:20)
And I just wanted to just make sure publicly not only are you accountant, but you have a master's degree in accounting.

[Speaker 7] (6:20 - 6:21)
I do, yes.

[Speaker 2] (6:21 - 6:21)
Okay.

[Speaker 5] (6:22 - 6:23)
Very good with numbers.

[Speaker 2] (6:24 - 6:24)
Yes.

[Speaker 5] (6:24 - 6:24)
Very.

[Speaker 2] (6:25 - 6:26)
Great.

[Speaker 3] (6:26 - 6:26)
Excellent.

[Speaker 3] (6:26 - 6:27)
All right.

[Speaker 3] (6:27 - 6:30)
Second item, the appointment of our new town clerk,

[Speaker 3] (6:31 - 6:32)
Kathleen DuPont.

[Speaker 3] (6:32 - 6:33)
You want to?

[Speaker 9] (6:33 - 6:33)
Yeah,

[Speaker 3] (6:33 - 6:33)
You want

[Speaker 9] (6:33 - 6:33)
if I could

[Speaker 3] (6:33 - 6:33)
to start?

[Speaker 9] (6:33 - 6:34)
just speak really,

[Speaker 3] (6:34 - 6:34)
Yeah.

[Speaker 9] (6:34 - 6:35)
real briefly,

[Speaker 9] (6:35 - 6:36)
Kathleen or Katie,

[Speaker 9] (6:36 - 6:37)
do you prefer?

[Speaker 9] (6:37 - 6:39)
Okay, Kathleen is here with us tonight.

[Speaker 9] (6:39 - 6:46)
She's the assistant city clerk in Beverly right now, comes highly recommended from both elected officials and a couple of folks that work in city hall.

[Speaker 9] (6:47 - 6:51)
She has over the course of her time there and in Peabody worked.

[Speaker 9] (6:51 - 7:01)
work not only to you know deliver on the job and work well in elections and all the other the efforts of the city clerk over there she's also

[Speaker 9] (7:02 - 7:12)
Sought and been completing uh designations that we will be very lucky to have. Uh certified municipal clerk, certified Massachusetts the CMMC?

[Speaker 10] (7:12 - 7:12)
Yeah,

[Speaker 9] (7:12 - 7:12)
Is that good?

[Speaker 10] (7:12 - 7:14)
certified Massachusetts municipal clerk, yeah.

[Speaker 9] (7:14 - 7:23)
That as well. Uh so we're we're very fortunate to have a qualified candidate like this that came to us. She was great in the interview process with us and we're looking forward to having her.

[Speaker 3] (7:23 - 7:25)
Terrific. Great.

[Speaker 3] (7:25 - 7:26)
Uh

[Speaker 2] (7:26 - 7:26)
Motion to a point.

[Speaker 3] (7:27 - 7:28)
Thank you.

[Speaker 5] (7:28 - 7:28)
Second.

[Speaker 3] (7:29 - 7:32)
Thank you. Any further discussion?

[Speaker 2] (7:33 - 7:37)
I just want to say after looking at this resume, we are very,

[Speaker 2] (7:37 - 7:41)
very fortunate tonight. Not only do we have a rock star in Patrick,

[Speaker 2] (7:41 - 7:46)
but clearly we hit the lottery having you come to Swamp Scott.

[Speaker 2] (7:46 - 7:47)
Thank you so much.

[Speaker 10] (7:47 - 7:49)
Thank you. That's very kind of you to say. I appreciate

[Speaker 2] (7:49 - 7:49)
We have a history

[Speaker 10] (7:49 - 7:50)
it.

[Speaker 2] (7:50 - 7:52)
of having really wonderful clerks.

[Speaker 2] (7:53 - 7:59)
So you know you have you have big shoes to fill but it clearly it's not going to be an issue for you.

[Speaker 10] (8:00 - 8:01)
Thank you, I look forward to working with everybody.

[Speaker 2] (8:02 - 8:02)
Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (8:02 - 8:02)
Great.

[Speaker 3] (8:04 - 8:08)
Well, I also want to thank Mike uh for stepping in stepping up as always.

[Speaker 5] (8:09 - 8:10)
Thank you, Mike.

[Speaker 2] (8:11 - 8:12)
Amazing.

[Speaker 3] (8:13 - 8:24)
Uh seems seems seamless as far as I was concerned. Um so I appreciate that. Welcome. Uh assuming we all vote now um if any if no further discussion uh all in favour?

[Speaker 5] (8:24 - 8:24)
I.

[Speaker 2] (8:24 - 8:24)
I.

[Speaker 9] (8:24 - 8:24)
Aye.

[Speaker 3] (8:24 - 8:25)
Aye.

[Speaker 2] (8:25 - 8:26)
Welcome.

[Speaker 3] (8:26 - 8:26)
Welcome.

[Speaker 2] (8:26 - 8:27)
Thank you.

[Speaker 10] (8:27 - 8:27)
Thank you very much.

[Speaker 3] (8:28 - 8:30)
That worked.

[Speaker 2] (8:30 - 8:32)
I don't know what you all want to get in and or

[Speaker 5] (8:32 - 8:32)
Sure.

[Speaker 2] (8:32 - 8:33)
what we

[Speaker 3] (8:33 - 8:33)
Sure

[Speaker 2] (8:33 - 8:33)
want to

[Speaker 3] (8:33 - 8:33)
we

[Speaker 2] (8:33 - 8:33)
do.

[Speaker 3] (8:33 - 8:34)
do.

[Speaker 10] (8:34 - 8:35)
I'm a one big happy pickle.

[Speaker 2] (8:36 - 8:37)
I never do, but I will.

[Speaker 5] (8:39 - 8:40)
It's a new year.

[Speaker 2] (8:40 - 8:41)
I know.

[Speaker 2] (8:41 - 8:41)
I'm still short.

[Speaker 2] (8:42 - 8:42)
Oh, that's why.

[Speaker 5] (8:42 - 8:42)
Diana?

[Speaker 5] (8:44 - 8:45)
Oh, we're all screwed now.

[Speaker 2] (8:45 - 8:45)
I don't know.

[Speaker 5] (8:45 - 8:46)
Where do you want us?

[Speaker 2] (8:46 - 8:46)
Right.

[Speaker 5] (8:46 - 8:47)
Where do you want us?

[Speaker 5] (8:50 - 8:53)
Hey, we'll be behind the we'll be behind there and I can't see it.

[Speaker 5] (8:53 - 8:53)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (8:54 - 8:54)
Here, you guys.

[Speaker 2] (8:57 - 8:57)
How's that?

[Speaker 2] (9:00 - 9:01)
Just squeeze in a little bit more.

[Speaker 2] (9:03 - 9:05)
Somebody smile. Oh wait, we're blocking Mary Ellen.

[Speaker 2] (9:09 - 9:09)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (9:10 - 9:11)
Okay, it's over with the Lynn item.

[Speaker 10] (9:12 - 9:12)
Thank you very much.

[Speaker 3] (9:12 - 9:12)
Welcome.

[Speaker 2] (9:12 - 9:13)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (9:13 - 9:14)
Oh, yes.

[Speaker 10] (9:15 - 9:17)
Thank you very much. Nice to meet you.

[Speaker 3] (9:25 - 9:27)
Okay, next up, Nick,

[Speaker 3] (9:27 - 9:31)
town administrator's report. So I just...

[Speaker 9] (9:32 - 9:48)
Was planning to begin not knowing where we were going to fall originally in the agenda talking about Patrick and Katie and Mike as well and all the work that Mike has done to keep us up to speed and on track throughout his time and I think he and Katie will work really well together.

[Speaker 9] (9:48 - 9:55)
I also apparently pulled out some of his hair as well but he can get back to the weddings and all the things that you enjoy doing.

[Speaker 9] (9:56 - 9:57)
I know.

[Speaker 9] (9:57 - 9:59)
I said the stuff you enjoy.

[Speaker 1] (10:00 - 10:01)
And with Patrick,

[Speaker 1] (10:01 - 10:05)
I just want to highlight the fact that since I came here, he has been acting as a finance director.

[Speaker 1] (10:05 - 10:11)
Any question related in any way to all of the roles and responsibilities that fall into this new position for him,

[Speaker 1] (10:12 - 10:15)
I've been going to him and darkening his doorstep, and he's been great with answers.

[Speaker 1] (10:15 - 10:18)
And I want to highlight what you all have said,

[Speaker 1] (10:18 - 10:19)
that it's direct,

[Speaker 1] (10:19 - 10:22)
it's informational, it's not shaded. He gives, you know, very real.

[Speaker 1] (10:22 - 10:28)
real very good advice. So I'm looking forward to recognizing the effort that he has been making through this promotion as well.

[Speaker 1] (10:30 - 10:58)
Beyond that, uh I just wanted to talk a little bit about the last few weeks. Um had an introductory meet-er meeting rather with um Thatcher and Marblehead to talk about things that have worked well on the uh regionalisation side for them. Um, you know, ambulance service was one that I think it's been a win on both sides. As an example, I've had ongoing conversations with Alison as well. We actually spoke today to see if there might be any near or longer term opportunities, uh and I think some do exist. They're more

[Speaker 1] (10:59 - 11:10)
on the horizon than things that we can necessarily do right now, but um, you know, we're looking f uh at any time that there's any difference in uh service level or staffing on either side uh the three of us sort of

[Speaker 1] (11:11 - 11:19)
communicated that we'll keep in touch with one another to see if there's chances both to backfill in the near term but to look for ways to share services and share resources beyond that.

[Speaker 1] (11:20 - 11:21)
In a similar vein,

[Speaker 1] (11:21 - 11:29)
I had an introductory conversation with Colby at the North Shore IT Collaborative. He's the IT director in Danvers who runs the program.

[Speaker 1] (11:29 - 11:31)
It was very informative,

[Speaker 1] (11:31 - 11:37)
pricing and service sounds great, but I asked for a few more details and he's planning to get that to me this week.

[Speaker 1] (11:37 - 11:46)
We'll look at that compared to what we have in place, what we have done in the past and see what might be a good opportunity. I think there's a lot there that could be useful.

[Speaker 1] (11:47 - 11:51)
Part of it would be on the town hall operation side.

[Speaker 1] (11:51 - 11:58)
The in-person support is where they're a little less hands-on maybe,

[Speaker 1] (11:58 - 12:04)
but they focus on having a network and network capabilities that allows them to remote in more easily and support the

[Speaker 1] (12:06 - 12:16)
The s the staff and maybe not be so focused on a break-fixed model, but instead maintaining the services in a way that will keep our level our service level at a high at a high level throughout.

[Speaker 1] (12:17 - 12:32)
We'll see what the pricing looks like. I'll be back to you later in the year and obviously if it's advantageous it's something we would look to do um in the near term, not just waiting until next fiscal year, because we are currently at well with uh our current vendor. So it's uh it's something we're certainly looking more into to see what

[Speaker 1] (12:32 - 12:33)
but might be there.

[Speaker 1] (12:33 - 12:37)
Patrick and I have also kicked off the internal process with department heads on budgeting.

[Speaker 1] (12:37 - 12:46)
This Friday they have a deadline to get back to us with their expense side budgeting looking ahead we are putting together the salary side.

[Speaker 1] (12:47 - 13:03)
With the idea that next week will be the first sit-downs with the department heads and Patrick and I to go over them. Uh that will, you know, give us more information than we had when we last did the very high level projections on expenses and revenue for you all. So it'll help us to begin to dial it in and give you more more information as we go. Um

[Speaker 1] (13:04 - 13:05)
On the police department update,

[Speaker 1] (13:06 - 13:09)
I know there have been questions here about hiring there,

[Speaker 1] (13:09 - 13:10)
because there's a number of vacancies.

[Speaker 1] (13:11 - 13:18)
I think when I was last here there were between 15 and 25 candidates that we, depending on when we had the discussion,

[Speaker 1] (13:18 - 13:23)
that had submitted their applications and needed to go through a vetting process and then the interview process.

[Speaker 1] (13:24 - 13:32)
At the, as of the most recent update, there were 28 applications that had gone in, nine were scheduled for interviews and those interviews were.

[Speaker 1] (13:32 - 13:41)
were completed yesterday. There were a couple of very good candidates that they're looking to move through the process quickly to see if we can get a conditional offer to them if everyone agrees.

[Speaker 1] (13:41 - 13:53)
But the initial board broad panel interview certainly agree that there are a number of good candidates there and will continue to move forward. I'll also continue to provide those updates both in the written update and here.

[Speaker 1] (13:54 - 14:04)
Here in the discussions that we have we're working through the CBA negotiations with them as well we have a couple of more bargaining sessions scheduled just so you all are generally aware of that

[Speaker 1] (14:05 - 14:13)
And I also wanted to highlight that Officer Caruso received a commendation from Lieutenant Waters for notifying the lieutenant of a person in crisis when he was off duty.

[Speaker 1] (14:13 - 14:15)
The PD responded and rendered assistance.

[Speaker 1] (14:15 - 14:26)
It was outstanding work by Officer Caruso for taking prompt action despite being off duty and making sure that he supported the responding officers and the supervisor on duty as well.

[Speaker 1] (14:26 - 14:27)
So I just wanted to highlight that.

[Speaker 1] (14:28 - 14:41)
Uh community development, we're submitting an application for the rehab of the basketball court at Doubles Park. The Land and Water Conservation Fund can provide up to fifty percent of the eligible costs for projects and that's something that we'll be submitting this week.

[Speaker 1] (14:42 - 14:57)
Um it's for an F_Y_ twenty seven um project and it would also be something that we would probably seek a match from the CPC, which I know a lot of folks are interested in going forward, but this is one of the recreation opportunities that might be a good fit in this first year. Um

[Speaker 1] (14:58 - 14:59)
On human resources,

[Speaker 1] (14:59 - 15:00)
general update.

[Speaker 1] (15:00 - 15:01)
As you all know,

[Speaker 1] (15:01 - 15:04)
we have the executive assistant to the TA and select board posted.

[Speaker 1] (15:05 - 15:07)
We have two applicants that we're moving forward to be interviewed.

[Speaker 1] (15:07 - 15:08)
One was today,

[Speaker 1] (15:08 - 15:09)
another one is on Monday.

[Speaker 1] (15:10 - 15:15)
We're also continuing phone screens to add to that list, but we continue to move forward in that process.

[Speaker 1] (15:15 - 15:19)
The assessor's position has not yet gotten any responses.

[Speaker 1] (15:19 - 15:23)
This was one that I talked to both Allison and Thatcher about.

[Speaker 1] (15:23 - 15:24)
There's not an immediate answer that might work.

[Speaker 1] (15:24 - 15:39)
work between the three communities, but we we all see that there may be an opportunity in the longer term uh to share maybe a high-level staff person between towns and then have a, you know, a well-trained clerk that is full-time in each community to make sure they can support resident concerns and also keep the gears running.

[Speaker 1] (15:40 - 15:43)
Uh but that again is not something we're doing necessarily immediately.

[Speaker 1] (15:43 - 15:52)
We've also had a number of uh applications for the Assistant Town Accountant with um I believe it's six applicants that are in the telephone screening process right now.

[Speaker 1] (15:53 - 16:07)
Doug, you also raised a question about the treasurer-collector position, because we're sort of robbing Peter to pay Paul in this case. We had at least one other very qualified candidate for finance director that we did not decide to move forward with, that I have had a

[Speaker 1] (16:07 - 16:11)
initial discussion to see if there's an interest in applying for this.

[Speaker 1] (16:11 - 16:24)
Cool. We posted it yesterday to see if we do get any responses but I in sort of functionally I'm already looking at that individual as a finalist so that we can see what the response is if any and then also move forward with that candidate if that's not the case.

[Speaker 1] (16:24 - 16:33)
So that's I just I wanted to separate it from the sort of recognition of the two folk sort of pointing tonight and with that I'm happy to take any questions that you may have.

[Speaker 1] (16:33 - 16:34)
have items that I did not cover.

[Speaker 2] (16:36 - 16:50)
So one question I have, are we looking past um Marblehead in the hunt in terms of collaboration for like the assessor's position? Could we consider some other small towns on the north shore, maybe do like a job share of some sort, uh

[Speaker 1] (16:50 - 16:50)
We

[Speaker 2] (16:50 - 16:50)
with Hamilton

[Speaker 1] (16:50 - 16:50)
we could.

[Speaker 2] (16:50 - 16:52)
and them, any any of those smaller

[Speaker 1] (16:52 - 16:52)
The

[Speaker 2] (16:52 - 16:53)
like Manchester?

[Speaker 1] (16:53 - 16:56)
on the assessor positions specifically that's one that I

[Speaker 1] (16:56 - 17:01)
I want to make sure that if we do that the communities are in many ways similar in their composition.

[Speaker 2] (17:01 - 17:01)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (17:02 - 17:10)
The example nearby is Linfield, Wakefield, Reading have one and when I actually talked to the TA in Linfield they,

[Speaker 1] (17:10 - 17:13)
you know, said it's great but it's really personality driven that Victor is

[Speaker 1] (17:15 - 17:18)
such a force that that's how it works even though the communities are not super similar

[Speaker 2] (17:18 - 17:19)
Totally.

[Speaker 1] (17:19 - 17:32)
in their composition and when I talked to Victor who is the assessor among those three communities he pointed out the same thing that Linfield single-family homes Market Street and really nothing else whereas Wakefield is very different Reading somewhere in between

[Speaker 1] (17:33 - 17:43)
He suggested if we were going to do it, make sure that it would be something like Nahant and Marblehead because the housing stock is similar, though not the same, and that there are oceanfront properties,

[Speaker 1] (17:43 - 17:48)
there are parts of the community that are more accessible or quote-unquote starter homes,

[Speaker 1] (17:48 - 17:50)
even though the prices are significant now,

[Speaker 1] (17:50 - 17:53)
and limited commercial and retail.

[Speaker 1] (17:54 - 18:12)
We can certainly with other communities, but that's why I focus there, because folks from Hampton and talking Dallas and we had had a similar uh similar idea. As you know, we do work with Lynn on veteran services and the dispatch, so there's there's always different ways to do it, but the assessor specifically we were looking for something that was similar,

[Speaker 2] (18:12 - 18:12)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (18:12 - 18:13)
more similar, yeah.

[Speaker 2] (18:13 - 18:14)
For sure.

[Speaker 1] (18:15 - 18:16)
Does that answer your question?

[Speaker 2] (18:16 - 18:17)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (18:17 - 18:17)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (18:17 - 18:17)
Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (18:19 - 18:20)
Any other questions for Nick?

[Speaker 1] (18:23 - 18:24)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (18:24 - 18:25)
I guess so.

[Speaker 2] (18:25 - 18:30)
So the only thing I I would like to see this schedule for the police, 'cause you're saying the the interviews are already completed?

[Speaker 1] (18:31 - 18:32)
The p the panel interview that

[Speaker 2] (18:32 - 18:32)
Panel

[Speaker 1] (18:32 - 18:32)
had

[Speaker 2] (18:32 - 18:33)
interviews are

[Speaker 1] (18:33 - 18:33)
that was completed completed yesterday.

[Speaker 2] (18:33 - 18:42)
yeah, so if you could send us update on it as far as what are the next steps, what's the anticipation for

[Speaker 1] (18:42 - 18:42)
Yep.

[Speaker 2] (18:42 - 18:44)
When they're gonna get into the academy, I don't

[Speaker 1] (18:44 - 18:55)
So yeah, we're not at the academy level yet right now. It's getting the ones that folks want to move forward from that list to interviews that would be with the chief and myself and Marianne, I believe.

[Speaker 2] (18:55 - 18:55)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (18:55 - 19:01)
Um so at this point I know that there were I think two that everyone agreed right away.

[Speaker 1] (19:01 - 19:21)
would be great to move forward, and they were working to schedule something as quickly as possible. I'm happy to give the update as we go for sure, so that you all know where we are in the process. But I wouldn't be able to tell you yet, you know, when I think the next academy we could even try to get into would be in March. I don't know where it's located. So if it's a western mass one, it might be something that we would even wait for the April one and have them work somewhere

[Speaker 2] (19:21 - 19:21)
Oh.

[Speaker 1] (19:21 - 19:22)
uh on the department now.

[Speaker 2] (19:23 - 19:27)
And so on the fire department, when they're hiring a n a new candidate for the fire department,

[Speaker 2] (19:27 - 19:29)
they can bring them into the fire department right away?

[Speaker 2] (19:29 - 19:40)
what on the police department they have to go through the academy, but is there any chance that if we hire can we can we hire anyone and have them work the phones or work the desks

[Speaker 1] (19:40 - 19:54)
I believe there is, but uh let me confirm that for you. And I know with the fire they train them up on the several core competencies before they put them uh and that's been a process that they've engaged in there for forty plus years, it's actually a question I had for Graham last week. So that's the only reason I know that. So I'll definitely

[Speaker 2] (20:03 - 20:04)
Great. Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (20:05 - 20:10)
Okay. Uh next item, public comment? Is there anyone here for a public comment?

[Speaker 3] (20:12 - 20:12)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (20:15 - 20:16)
Great.

[Speaker 3] (20:16 - 20:16)
Let's bring it.

[Speaker 3] (20:17 - 20:18)
scaring everybody away.

[Speaker 2] (20:18 - 20:18)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 3] (20:18 - 20:33)
All right, excellent. Okay, moving right along. Uh the next item on the public agenda was a public hearing. Uh we have um we're actually going to be delaying that until our next meeting. Is our next The meeting.

[Speaker 1] (20:33 - 20:34)
next meeting will be

[Speaker 3] (20:34 - 20:34)
In

[Speaker 1] (20:34 - 20:34)
the

[Speaker 3] (20:34 - 20:35)
February.

[Speaker 1] (20:35 - 20:36)
regular meeting is February 4th,

[Speaker 3] (20:36 - 20:36)
Fourth,

[Speaker 1] (20:36 - 20:41)
I believe, yep. yeah. Because the 21st will be the tri-board um

[Speaker 3] (20:43 - 20:43)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (20:43 - 20:43)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (20:43 - 20:48)
Do we have to um do we have to make a motion to continue the public hearing onto that

[Speaker 1] (20:48 - 20:48)
No.

[Speaker 2] (20:48 - 20:52)
date? Mean when we when we made a motion before was

[Speaker 1] (20:52 - 20:52)
You need

[Speaker 2] (20:52 - 20:52)
it

[Speaker 1] (20:52 - 20:52)
to do a two

[Speaker 2] (20:52 - 20:53)
motion

[Speaker 1] (20:53 - 20:53)
to

[Speaker 2] (20:53 - 20:53)
for

[Speaker 1] (20:53 - 20:53)
state.

[Speaker 2] (20:53 - 20:54)
the specific date?

[Speaker 1] (20:54 - 20:55)
Let's do that to

[Speaker 3] (20:55 - 20:55)
Sure.

[Speaker 1] (20:55 - 20:55)
for

[Speaker 3] (20:55 - 20:55)
Why not.

[Speaker 1] (20:55 - 20:56)
the interest of

[Speaker 2] (20:56 - 20:56)
Alright.

[Speaker 1] (20:56 - 20:56)
yeah.

[Speaker 3] (20:56 - 20:57)
Take a motion.

[Speaker 2] (20:57 - 21:01)
So I'd like to make a motion to extend the public hearing until what was the date?

[Speaker 4] (21:02 - 21:02)
February

[Speaker 3] (21:02 - 21:02)
February

[Speaker 4] (21:02 - 21:02)
four.

[Speaker 3] (21:02 - 21:03)
4th.

[Speaker 2] (21:03 - 21:03)
February fourth.

[Speaker 5] (21:04 - 21:04)
Second.

[Speaker 3] (21:05 - 21:05)
All in favor?

[Speaker 4] (21:05 - 21:06)
Aye.

[Speaker 1] (21:06 - 21:06)
Aye.

[Speaker 3] (21:06 - 21:06)
Aye.

[Speaker 3] (21:06 - 21:06)
Great.

[Speaker 3] (21:08 - 21:08)
Great.

[Speaker 1] (21:10 - 21:10)
All right.

[Speaker 1] (21:11 - 21:13)
Next thing up is a discussion, update,

[Speaker 1] (21:13 - 21:24)
and possible vote on the Pine Street improvement. I asked to jump to solid waste because Marcy was going to join us for that, and I think she's setting up CPC and not yet here, unless that's her in the hallway.

[Speaker 3] (21:24 - 21:26)
No, she probably because they're not starting till seven.

[Speaker 1] (21:26 - 21:28)
I know she was checking on technology.

[Speaker 2] (21:29 - 21:30)
There she is.

[Speaker 3] (21:30 - 21:30)
There she is.

[Speaker 1] (21:31 - 21:31)
Hey,

[Speaker 1] (21:31 - 21:33)
we were just about to talk about Pine Street.

[Speaker 3] (21:34 - 21:38)
But we can we can let you settle in and we can take another item first if you want.

[Speaker 2] (21:40 - 21:41)
Let's do solid waste.

[Speaker 3] (21:41 - 21:41)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (21:41 - 21:42)
Yes.

[Speaker 3] (21:42 - 21:43)
All right.

[Speaker 3] (21:43 - 21:46)
Okay, so we'll move on to Solid Waste Contract Update.

[Speaker 1] (21:46 - 21:55)
So yep, so Wayne and the team on the Solid Waste Advisory Committee have been working way before I got here and have continued to work very hard and we also have Brian who is from

[Speaker 1] (21:56 - 22:07)
Melrose by DEP, right? We have a grant through DEP to have his support. He's working with the cohort of folks who have open contracts this year as well. So it's been very helpful in sharing information.

[Speaker 1] (22:07 - 22:14)
Wayne's going to give an update on the work of the committee with the idea that we want to get some feedback and direction from you all so that we can move forward.

[Speaker 1] (22:15 - 22:18)
And I'll give a little bit of update on sort of where Gino and I are with this when you're done,

[Speaker 1] (22:18 - 22:19)
if you want

[Speaker 3] (22:19 - 22:19)
Great.

[Speaker 1] (22:19 - 22:20)
to start there.

[Speaker 3] (22:20 - 22:22)
And I understand we're doing ten minutes with them.

[Speaker 3] (22:22 - 22:23)
Is that the understanding?

[Speaker 6] (22:23 - 22:23)
Roughly.

[Speaker 1] (22:23 - 22:24)
roughly roughly

[Speaker 3] (22:24 - 22:24)
Yeah,

[Speaker 1] (22:24 - 22:24)
yep with

[Speaker 3] (22:24 - 22:27)
we have like eight, seven, eight slides we can move through

[Speaker 1] (22:27 - 22:27)
the

[Speaker 3] (22:27 - 22:27)
quickly.

[Speaker 1] (22:27 - 22:28)
idea that there's

[Speaker 3] (22:28 - 22:28)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (22:28 - 22:29)
more time for discussion though

[Speaker 3] (22:29 - 22:29)
Great.

[Speaker 1] (22:29 - 22:30)
the hope if there is any

[Speaker 3] (22:31 - 22:32)
Okay. Hi.

[Speaker 3] (22:33 - 22:35)
Thank you very much for having us here.

[Speaker 3] (22:35 - 22:36)
Again,

[Speaker 3] (22:36 - 22:42)
we have Brian Walsh, he's our Municipal Assistance Coordinator for Northeast Region 2.

[Speaker 3] (22:43 - 22:46)
And so thank you for coming tonight. Yeah, happy to be here.

[Speaker 3] (22:47 - 22:48)
So

[Speaker 7] (22:49 - 22:53)
We last presented to the select board back in April of last year.

[Speaker 7] (22:54 - 23:05)
The Solid Waste Advisory Committee had come up with some strategic thoughts and ideas that we wanted to see investigated and implemented.

[Speaker 7] (23:06 - 23:08)
Through that period of time, a lot happened.

[Speaker 7] (23:08 - 23:11)
We had a three-month trash strike,

[Speaker 7] (23:11 - 23:16)
and so we got started in April.

[Speaker 7] (23:15 - 23:35)
In August, we put together a task force to develop a request for proposal and joined the community cohort with other communities throughout Massachusetts that are also working on their contracts at pretty much in the same time period.

[Speaker 7] (23:35 - 23:39)
And that's where Brian comes in and has helped us greatly with that.

[Speaker 7] (23:39 - 23:46)
So just quickly the first bit of this is kind of explaining the role of the task force.

[Speaker 7] (23:46 - 23:50)
It is put together with a wide variety

[Speaker 1] (23:50 - 23:50)
Do you

[Speaker 7] (23:50 - 23:50)
of

[Speaker 1] (23:50 - 23:51)
have the

[Speaker 7] (23:51 - 23:51)
community.

[Speaker 1] (23:51 - 23:52)
next slide?

[Speaker 1] (23:52 - 23:53)
Do you have the next slide?

[Speaker 7] (23:53 - 23:54)
Yeah, next slide.

[Speaker 1] (23:54 - 23:54)
Sorry, please.

[Speaker 1] (23:55 - 23:56)
Sorry, Wayne.

[Speaker 7] (23:56 - 23:56)
Of course.

[Speaker 7] (23:58 - 24:02)
So it's put together through a variety of community inputs.

[Speaker 7] (24:04 - 24:06)
Myself, Gino, Nick,

[Speaker 7] (24:06 - 24:06)
Mary Ellen,

[Speaker 7] (24:07 - 24:08)
Kathy Mick from SWAC,

[Speaker 7] (24:08 - 24:11)
Eric Schneider from Finance Committee,

[Speaker 7] (24:11 - 24:16)
Natalie Swanstrom from DPW and her expertise in procurement management,

[Speaker 7] (24:16 - 24:19)
Jeff Vaughn from DPH and of course Brian.

[Speaker 7] (24:19 - 24:24)
We received since the last time we talked an 80 hour in-kind grant from the DEP.

[Speaker 7] (24:25 - 24:34)
which is useful pretty much for consulting and Brian is our consultant by default for that.

[Speaker 7] (24:34 - 24:40)
So he's been able to work exclusively for that time period to aid us in this work.

[Speaker 7] (24:42 - 24:43)
Next slide.

[Speaker 7] (24:45 - 24:49)
So just kind of the high-level big-picture review from what we talked about last April,

[Speaker 7] (24:49 - 24:50)
right?

[Speaker 7] (24:50 - 24:52)
Quick bullet points are obviously landfills are closing,

[Speaker 7] (24:53 - 24:54)
trash is being exported out of state.

[Speaker 7] (24:54 - 24:58)
We figure within the next five years about 90% of that trash will be exported.

[Speaker 7] (24:59 - 25:05)
Other than the two or three remaining incinerators that we have in the state,

[Speaker 7] (25:05 - 25:07)
there's no room for it.

[Speaker 7] (25:07 - 25:14)
So right now our trash is currently being rail carted to, I want to say South Carolina, I believe, by Republic.

[Speaker 7] (25:15 - 25:15)
Um,

[Speaker 7] (25:16 - 25:20)
second high-level bullet point is that haulers are mostly going automated.

[Speaker 3] (25:20 - 25:20)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 7] (25:20 - 25:36)
So the, and that, and that's really for both safety issues and profit by the companies themselves to reduce the uh of course the labor cost, but uh trash hauling is one of the most dangerous professions um in the U_S_ at the at this point.

[Speaker 7] (25:36 - 25:44)
So um what that unfortunately does, fortunately and unfortunately, if the weight depending upon the way you look at it, is it

[Speaker 7] (25:44 - 25:47)
It threatens the operation of our current hybrid operation,

[Speaker 7] (25:47 - 25:50)
pay as you throw, or otherwise known as PAYT.

[Speaker 7] (25:51 - 25:55)
And so as we know, that's the 135 gallon cart plus the blue bags, right?

[Speaker 7] (25:55 - 26:07)
We call that hybrid because the town has provided residents a baseline level of service and any excess contributions to trash stream is paid for on an as needed basis.

[Speaker 7] (26:07 - 26:08)
Okay,

[Speaker 7] (26:08 - 26:09)
so as

[Speaker 7] (26:10 - 26:17)
We spoke about the difficulty is having an automated truck which comes in with, as some people probably know from other communities,

[Speaker 7] (26:17 - 26:18)
comes in with a fork,

[Speaker 7] (26:18 - 26:19)
lifts it,

[Speaker 7] (26:19 - 26:21)
tosses it back,

[Speaker 7] (26:21 - 26:23)
move on to the next residence.

[Speaker 7] (26:24 - 26:28)
What we're trying to figure out is whether or not that can be combined with a bag.

[Speaker 7] (26:29 - 26:33)
Currently Republic is not offering that option.

[Speaker 7] (26:33 - 26:34)
So

[Speaker 7] (26:35 - 26:38)
We have, I'm going to talk about that in a little more detail in a few minutes.

[Speaker 7] (26:39 - 26:40)
That's the issue for there.

[Speaker 7] (26:41 - 26:42)
Okay,

[Speaker 7] (26:42 - 26:52)
so our recycling contracts since the last time we did it in 2015 have become increasingly more sophisticated across everybody in the country,

[Speaker 7] (26:52 - 26:53)
let alone just us in Swansea.

[Speaker 7] (26:55 - 27:02)
We're going to have a requirement for material audits and recycling contamination determination. As we know, we talked about last time over the last couple of years, we have no.

[Speaker 7] (27:03 - 27:28)
understanding what our current contamination level is and what the current makeup is okay so commodity price sharing should be explored and in order to understand commodity prices or should in order to understand contractually what the value is of our recycling stream we have to understand the proportion of it and understand how that fits in with what it's worth in the

[Speaker 7] (27:29 - 27:56)
markets right as well as what the the MRF or the materials sorting facility will be able to offer us in terms of sharing any revenue that comes from that and lastly of course organics diversion which has been you know as you know currently composting it's certainly I know has the attention of the select board and something that we want to take into account of contracting level okay next slide

[Speaker 7] (27:59 - 28:01)
So what have we done so far?

[Speaker 7] (28:01 - 28:02)
We've, we're having,

[Speaker 7] (28:02 - 28:04)
we meet every two weeks at this point.

[Speaker 7] (28:05 - 28:11)
We started in August as we formed the committee pretty much as we're in the middle of the strike.

[Speaker 7] (28:12 - 28:25)
It was difficult to get a lot of energy behind it, also considering we were also at the time not knowing exactly who the future town administrator would be and what his or her potential thought process would be.

[Speaker 7] (28:25 - 28:28)
So, but what we did do up until that point.

[Speaker 7] (28:29 - 28:57)
um is that we prepared a legal analysis which was included in a report that I forwarded to you Kathy Mick did a really wonderful job at putting together line by line in discussing kind of in a in a format that we could then compare to new contract highlighting the issues that we need to pay attention to the advantageous right now just the advantageous parts of the individual aspects of those that contract and

[Speaker 7] (28:58 - 29:03)
things that we should be aware of moving into the future.

[Speaker 7] (29:03 - 29:26)
So we also prepared a pretty sophisticated list of vendor interview questions that was researched both with the cohort and thoughts behind some of the challenges that we face and how those kind of trying to be able to differentiate between you know if we're interviewing five different vendors being able to differentiate between

[Speaker 7] (29:27 - 29:49)
you know each one of them relative to the variabilities that we have for our own town we also differentiated between primary and secondary service levels and so when I say that you know primary is pretty much what's covered under the contract right so trash and recycling but there is a huge long host of other responsibilities that we have to manage everything from household hazardous waste to mattress recycling

[Speaker 1] (30:09 - 30:15)
The again the level one services, it is critically important to the services that we pro uh provide to the rest of the community.

[Speaker 1] (30:16 - 30:27)
Um we also had an update and evaluation from all the town directors. So that would be Max and Gino, um regarding what are the needs for the larger contributors?

[Speaker 1] (30:28 - 30:38)
So if we look at the schools, we look at the individual town buildings, they are major contributors to the trash stream. Um we wanna make sure that they're right-sized, that we're not just going forward for what we had from 2015.

[Speaker 1] (30:42 - 30:53)
Um we also research capital expenses. Um we're gonna need new recycling containers. That is not a small amount of money. It was something that we will have to discuss.

[Speaker 1] (30:54 - 30:59)
the board will have to discuss, Nick will present, I'm sure, in the future, but it's something we just wanted you to be prepared for.

[Speaker 1] (31:01 - 31:11)
We've been working on a skeleton RFP format using examples from other towns. Thankfully to the cohort that we've been a part of, we have access to other contracts and other examples,

[Speaker 1] (31:11 - 31:14)
pricing and so forth. So we're not doing this in a vacuum.

[Speaker 1] (31:16 - 31:16)
Again,

[Speaker 1] (31:16 - 31:19)
talking about the importance of a material audit and...

[Speaker 1] (31:21 - 31:23)
Discussing um oh, the option of

[Speaker 1] (31:25 - 31:38)
a paid second barrel as an option. So for frequent users of excess, to be able to give them an option and it falls in particularly well with the fact that we have a

[Speaker 1] (31:39 - 31:41)
potentially fully automated system. Next slide.

[Speaker 1] (31:42 - 31:44)
Okay, so c quickly.

[Speaker 1] (31:45 - 31:46)
Right now, as we know, one container

[Speaker 1] (31:47 - 31:48)
and an overthrow bag.

[Speaker 1] (31:48 - 31:51)
Now, why is that important?

[Speaker 1] (31:51 - 31:58)
It was critical to the fact that we have dropped 18.4% from our 2018 levels,

[Speaker 1] (31:58 - 32:00)
by 2024 numbers.

[Speaker 1] (32:01 - 32:05)
When 25 numbers are still a little tricky because we had the strike,

[Speaker 1] (32:05 - 32:08)
so we're going to come up with some way to be able to report that.

[Speaker 1] (32:08 - 32:12)
But without that change that we had in 2020,

[Speaker 1] (32:12 - 32:13)
we would not be.

[Speaker 1] (32:14 - 32:25)
here, just based upon the change of residential behaviour and how they diff and how they were able to move to more diversion out of the waste stream.

[Speaker 1] (32:26 - 32:42)
So, as we talked about you know this is a creates a level field of service uh but the bags require a manual operation by the current hauler. Um of course automation threatens to disrupt the hybrid situation so it's critical to interview new vendors to understand how their operations can offer us a solution.

[Speaker 1] (32:43 - 32:59)
It's a lot, unfortunately, that we don't know. And what I want to stress is that we wanna we wanna be wary of projecting what we know now as the only way to go in the future. So it's um that interchange is really important.

[Speaker 1] (32:59 - 33:07)
Now trash service is exempt from 30B, which means that we are of course allowed to be able to have those individual interviews.

[Speaker 1] (33:09 - 33:34)
in a in a internal setting, right, so that we can we can negotiate strategically. Um but new thinking is gonna be required, right? Whether or not that's a second, you know what that that fee may be uh for a second thirty five gallon container, um and even such if you know it would be prefer preferable and this is something to have deliberation on, whether or not how do we continue

[Speaker 1] (33:35 - 33:51)
If we if we just offer two barrels but we don't have that option for an extra, a lot of communities have a transfer station. We do not. We've not needed a transfer station. We were very small functionally fit you know in terms of geography.

[Speaker 1] (33:52 - 34:01)
We floated the idea of what, you know, after the summer when we saw we could actually drop off trash. Oh we never knew we could do that. Actually it worked smoother than we thought.

[Speaker 1] (34:02 - 34:15)
Maybe there's an option of a you know weekly micro transfer station option I'm not saying that's a recommendation But it's something that we've discussed as a possibility to be able to offer the community Of course that would have to be paid for through fees through the bags

[Speaker 1] (34:16 - 34:17)
Again that has to be investigated.

[Speaker 1] (34:17 - 34:18)
Okay

[Speaker 1] (34:20 - 34:22)
Next please organics

[Speaker 1] (34:24 - 34:27)
So solid waste Advisory Committee as

[Speaker 1] (34:30 - 34:55)
As tried to offer additional solutions we've been asking for additional physical locations you know it is a well used and well loved resource to have the public composting bins but unfortunately it's expensive and the reason it's expensive is because the hauling costs that we already pay for through our contract right

[Speaker 1] (34:56 - 35:13)
don't transfer to Black Earth. Black Earth is a really marvellous company. I have not a bad single bad thing to say about it. But just the infrastructure costs for Black Earth to do their job costs twice to two to three times as much for both individual residents on a per pound basis.

[Speaker 1] (35:13 - 35:23)
So what we've seen is that other communities have been able to implement organics, and I'm not saying necessarily compost composting, but there's

[Speaker 1] (35:24 - 35:49)
other things that can be done organica to get it out of the waste stream through the same vendor that they contract with and it is something of high interest certainly that I think could offer the town benefit right by combining some of those as well as the I'm not saying that I know this for a fact but it's a hunch and something that I certainly want to investigate is that if we are rail car-ing

[Speaker 1] (35:50 - 35:51)
Right?

[Speaker 1] (35:51 - 35:52)
A million tons,

[Speaker 1] (35:52 - 35:59)
a million pounds of trash to somewhere in the Carolinas versus being able to transfer organics locally,

[Speaker 1] (35:59 - 36:01)
is there some net savings?

[Speaker 1] (36:02 - 36:04)
This is something that I think is worthy of investigating,

[Speaker 1] (36:04 - 36:11)
particularly as we have pretty good control of our waste stream,

[Speaker 1] (36:11 - 36:17)
right? Because we have a 35 gallon. And I think it would offer potentially a

[Speaker 1] (36:18 - 36:32)
a nuanced option to even having the need for a second overage bag. If we can offer composting on the same day that we offer, you know, community-wide as the trash pickup. It is just something to investigate.

[Speaker 2] (36:32 - 36:34)
Just for clarity's sake,

[Speaker 1] (36:34 - 36:34)
Please.

[Speaker 2] (36:34 - 36:39)
so does that require a second barrel for

[Speaker 1] (36:39 - 36:40)
Yes.

[Speaker 2] (36:40 - 36:44)
the composting? So we're the individual students separation.

[Speaker 1] (36:45 - 36:45)
Correct.

[Speaker 2] (36:45 - 36:45)
Yeah, okay.

[Speaker 1] (36:45 - 36:56)
Correct. Um it comes down to what the vendor can offer, the programming that they have, um and price.

[Speaker 2] (36:56 - 36:56)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (36:56 - 36:56)
These

[Speaker 2] (36:56 - 36:56)
But

[Speaker 1] (36:56 - 36:56)
are it unknown,

[Speaker 2] (36:56 - 36:57)
does exist.

[Speaker 1] (36:57 - 36:58)
and these are part of the interview and p R_ process.

[Speaker 2] (36:58 - 37:00)
But it does exist locally, that type of

[Speaker 1] (37:01 - 37:02)
We know and

[Speaker 2] (37:02 - 37:02)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (37:02 - 37:08)
Barry you can speak maybe more to this, but we did reach out to uh Hamilton and Wyndham. They are contracted through um

[Speaker 3] (37:08 - 37:08)
Cassella.

[Speaker 2] (37:08 - 37:09)
It's not allowed.

[Speaker 1] (37:09 - 37:11)
Cassella, right, that they have.

[Speaker 3] (37:11 - 37:12)
They're the only ones that do it right now.

[Speaker 2] (37:12 - 37:12)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (37:12 - 37:12)
Okay?

[Speaker 1] (37:13 - 37:18)
So I leave that as kind of a feather as a thought as something we've been considering.

[Speaker 1] (37:20 - 37:26)
So that covers that piece of the slide of organics.

[Speaker 1] (37:26 - 37:29)
Okay, so recycling bins.

[Speaker 1] (37:29 - 37:41)
This is sort of, I think, certainly a area of deliberation in terms of the service level that we want to offer the community. Currently we offer

[Speaker 1] (37:41 - 38:06)
unlimited recycling in a variety of different self we have no restriction necessarily on the containers that the individuals use if we go to fully automated clearly we're going to have a requirement for a standardized container so conventional wisdom is you go to a 60 gallon cart a 96 gallon cart

[Speaker 1] (38:06 - 38:16)
And then the next question is, is there a savings to the community if we can reduce our hauling fees by going to every other week by offering the larger container?

[Speaker 1] (38:17 - 38:22)
And I think, I mean, this is certainly something that we are going to be asking in the interview process.

[Speaker 1] (38:22 - 38:29)
It becomes a question to set policy which lies at the select board level,

[Speaker 1] (38:29 - 38:31)
and I think it might be...

[Speaker 1] (38:32 - 38:55)
a reasonable idea is the suggestion as we talk about this in in in public view we get feedback from the community as to budgetary service levels the and and the re-education timeline that we would need to have to go back to the community

[Speaker 1] (38:56 - 39:06)
to explain and you know what changes are gonna come as opposed to we don't I think one of the things we learned a couple years ago is just flipping the switch is a difficult thing to do.

[Speaker 1] (39:07 - 39:07)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (39:07 - 39:08)
If I could just jump in.

[Speaker 1] (39:08 - 39:08)
Please.

[Speaker 4] (39:08 - 39:21)
The in the conversation with Republic with this as an example of a change in service that they had with communities Reading and Watertown were the two that they mentioned that have done it recently, they went to the ninety six gallon t container kept weekly and spent a full year

[Speaker 4] (39:22 - 39:23)
the first year of a computer contract.

[Speaker 4] (39:26 - 39:39)
how and what that would mean that was different and how people should be thinking differently about so this would not be to I just want to underline what Wayne said like something a change like this would not be a rip the band-aid off July 1st a change like this would be we would ask for maybe

[Speaker 5] (39:39 - 39:39)
Gradual.

[Speaker 4] (39:39 - 39:44)
four years of the every other week pricing in one year of maintain a high level of

[Speaker 2] (39:54 - 40:01)
Have we ever is there any experience with state grants for recycling bins have we investigated that

[Speaker 1] (40:01 - 40:01)
Yes.

[Speaker 2] (40:01 - 40:02)
at all?

[Speaker 3] (40:02 - 40:06)
Um, previously there have been federal grants

[Speaker 2] (40:06 - 40:06)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 3] (40:06 - 40:08)
and there have been private industry grants.

[Speaker 3] (40:09 - 40:16)
Federally that money yeah I don't have to go much too much further. It's not it's not widely available for for these types of programs.

[Speaker 3] (40:17 - 40:30)
There is a private industry grant that has historically been able to offer upwards of $15 per container is my understanding and Brian you can certainly weigh in on this.

[Speaker 3] (40:30 - 40:30)
I don't know

[Speaker 3] (40:32 - 40:35)
How much longer that program will exist or does exist?

[Speaker 4] (40:35 - 40:35)
Okay.

[Speaker 5] (40:35 - 40:35)
Yeah,

[Speaker 3] (40:35 - 40:36)
Yep.

[Speaker 5] (40:36 - 40:42)
that would be through the Recycling Partnership Grants. Last I had spoken to them, they are somewhat phasing it out and focusing their attention elsewhere,

[Speaker 5] (40:42 - 40:45)
but they are still accepting applicants for it.

[Speaker 5] (40:45 - 40:48)
And then as for state grants,

[Speaker 5] (40:48 - 40:52)
there's no explicit grant for recycling carts right now,

[Speaker 5] (40:52 - 40:57)
although using the Recycling Dividends Program funds,

[Speaker 5] (40:57 - 41:00)
an eligible expense is recycling carts.

[Speaker 5] (41:01 - 41:19)
Um the purchases based off of tax s how much Swampscott gets per year and the size of the purchase of carts, it wouldn't be a huge dent in it. But that's one eligible um place to use our recycling dividends programme, which you guys earn points for with things such as your pay-as-you-throw

[Speaker 2] (41:19 - 41:20)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 5] (41:20 - 41:20)
uh programme.

[Speaker 3] (41:20 - 41:24)
But just I mean just to for relative amount that's around fourteen to fifteen thousand

[Speaker 5] (41:24 - 41:24)
Thousand

[Speaker 3] (41:24 - 41:28)
dollars a year. So it's it's a it'd be a small impact and that money is actually used for other

[Speaker 3] (41:28 - 41:41)
for other things within the budget, other recycling programmes. So I that said, it's it's it's a conversation that needs to be had, but it's not an insignificant amount of money. That money can be potentially financed through the vendor,

[Speaker 3] (41:42 - 41:47)
but generally the cohort and other communities the E_P_ recommends that we end we do own them.

[Speaker 2] (41:48 - 41:48)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 3] (41:48 - 41:54)
And so that however at the end of the day owning them as opposed to that's again another

[Speaker 3] (41:54 - 41:56)
conversation um right

[Speaker 5] (41:56 - 42:16)
Maybe one thing to add recycling in a separate sense is historically and the next grants will get released uh in the next couple of weeks, but there's also not a curbside option, but sometimes grants for uh curb for compactors. You guys don't have a transfer station, so it might be difficult. But so there is some some drop off equipment grants are typically offered year to year.

[Speaker 2] (42:16 - 42:22)
So in other words, if our D P W yard had yeah, this is the cardboard recycling bin, this is the

[Speaker 2] (42:22 - 42:24)
you know putt matta, what else we were saying.

[Speaker 5] (42:24 - 42:28)
Yeah. So for example so yeah if you want i if you were making that switch to every other week recycling,

[Speaker 2] (42:28 - 42:28)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (42:28 - 42:29)
perhaps having

[Speaker 2] (42:29 - 42:29)
That's

[Speaker 5] (42:29 - 42:29)
more diversion

[Speaker 2] (42:29 - 42:29)
a lot of

[Speaker 5] (42:29 - 42:30)
options

[Speaker 2] (42:30 - 42:30)
money you could

[Speaker 5] (42:30 - 42:30)
at

[Speaker 2] (42:30 - 42:30)
save.

[Speaker 5] (42:30 - 42:30)
your

[Speaker 2] (42:30 - 42:31)
Oh, right,

[Speaker 3] (42:31 - 42:31)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (42:31 - 42:31)
yeah.

[Speaker 5] (42:31 - 42:32)
yeah exactly.

[Speaker 3] (42:32 - 42:33)
You gotta party. So so

[Speaker 2] (42:33 - 42:33)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (42:33 - 42:42)
the cost impact, we looked uh we looked through Combine. Um we're looking at around sixty dollars per container at the role at the

[Speaker 3] (42:43 - 42:47)
large quantities that we're looking at, roughly five thousand residents, it's not

[Speaker 2] (42:47 - 42:47)
A three hundred grand.

[Speaker 3] (42:47 - 42:58)
yeah, it's not insignificant amount, just something in your budgetary process and the capital allocations just to be just to be aware of. Okay, um next, vendor interview process. Um I

[Speaker 3] (42:59 - 43:07)
so I I I'll let Nick and Gino maybe if you wanna allow you know kind of give us a little more detail on that, but just to kind of

[Speaker 1] (43:07 - 43:07)
Sure.

[Speaker 3] (43:07 - 43:10)
as a highlight um the cohort as recommended

[Speaker 3] (43:11 - 43:27)
doing an interview process to know and understand what we may not know and what opportunities there are to improve efficiencies internally to us and one of the things that we recognize that every town has a slight different

[Speaker 2] (43:27 - 43:27)
variance Nuance, yeah.

[Speaker 3] (43:27 - 43:36)
it is nuanced right and it's so yes we can talk about Marblehead and Swansong you know Marblehead has a transfer station right it's a huge

[Speaker 2] (43:36 - 43:37)
Difference, yeah.

[Speaker 3] (43:37 - 43:39)
impact to how the contract works

[Speaker 3] (43:41 - 43:46)
So that said, you know, that's why it's important to ask those individual questions.

[Speaker 2] (43:46 - 43:47)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 3] (43:47 - 44:03)
Um again the old contract is favourable to us, um but we just don't want to be in an information silo. Um and so I did include a list of questions that we've developed in your packets just to be familiar with, and um

[Speaker 1] (44:04 - 44:04)
Yeah,

[Speaker 3] (44:04 - 44:04)
I'll

[Speaker 1] (44:04 - 44:04)
and

[Speaker 3] (44:04 - 44:04)
let

[Speaker 1] (44:04 - 44:04)
so

[Speaker 3] (44:04 - 44:05)
you comment further there.

[Speaker 1] (44:05 - 44:25)
the interviews that we intend, we've spoken to Republic and sort of going forward Wayne is as we talked about in the meeting welcome to join, but we're trying to schedule it around Gino and I in our work days, so we'll see who from the Solid Waste Advisory Committee will be in there, but we have Republic, Waste Management,

[Speaker 1] (44:25 - 44:25)
Cintola.

[Speaker 1] (44:26 - 44:49)
and capital. Um and then win and G. Mello disposal. We have gotten feedback from different um PPW directors on some of them. Mello is one that, you know, may or may not be something we move forward with based on that feedback, but everyone else we're we're looking to have those initial conversations and understand, you know, where they are in something like automation.

[Speaker 1] (44:49 - 44:52)
Pretty much everyone's going there, you know, two years ago when other communities were looking.

[Speaker 1] (44:52 - 44:54)
These were looking at it was a little bit more

[Speaker 2] (44:54 - 44:54)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (44:54 - 44:59)
about not a question, but there were opportunities out there to have manual in more communities.

[Speaker 1] (44:59 - 45:09)
The initial conversation we had with Republic was, you know, there would be a period in which they would be preparing from a capital investment standpoint to have the trucks and everything,

[Speaker 1] (45:09 - 45:16)
but they are not offering five-year contracts that have manual. So we really I think we can anticipate that everyone will be in a similar boat,

[Speaker 1] (45:16 - 45:20)
either automation from day one or automation at some point early in the contract.

[Speaker 1] (45:20 - 45:31)
And for the rest of the contract, for all the reasons that Wayne outlined. So those kind of those conversations we have, you know, I think four or five of them will be complete by the end of next week and we have two that are outstanding that we're trying to schedule.

[Speaker 1] (45:33 - 45:35)
And so this is to understand what they're offering,

[Speaker 1] (45:35 - 45:46)
understand as Wayne said things that see around the corner, things that we may not be thinking of and don't know. And it will inform the final process. This is outside of 30B procurement as well like legal services, so that

[Speaker 1] (45:46 - 46:05)
that um we can have very direct discussions on price and service uh from the beginning and with everyone. So uh these are informational meetings and really useful, and you know we will go from there to finalise an R_F_P_ to get a price proposal that we can c as as well as possible compare apples to apples.

[Speaker 3] (46:05 - 46:10)
Is the automation likely to yield a lower price?

[Speaker 3] (46:11 - 46:11)
Cost?

[Speaker 1] (46:11 - 46:17)
I would say it's a cost avoidance. If we were to somehow find someone that could do manual,

[Speaker 1] (46:18 - 46:23)
all of the other costs around the hauling and tipping continue to rise and this would be a differentiator.

[Speaker 1] (46:24 - 46:27)
not in the you know in the grand scheme but in sort of what

[Speaker 3] (46:27 - 46:34)
You were you were saying is almost like there was some issue with the fact that people are going to automation and I just wanted to make sure I was

[Speaker 1] (46:34 - 46:50)
A lot of communities when they initially hear that are concerned that it's you know a truck with an arm picking it up and it's not the trash man that they see and may know over time it's a change and so we wanted to highlight it to make sure it doesn't come as a surprise to anyone as we move forward in the contract.

[Speaker 1] (46:50 - 46:50)
contracting.

[Speaker 3] (46:50 - 47:01)
I think there'd certainly be a change in terms of residents socializing the whole issue of making sure that residents know whatever the requirements of the vendor are, right, in terms of location,

[Speaker 3] (47:01 - 47:02)
relative to the curb,

[Speaker 3] (47:03 - 47:04)
spacing between,

[Speaker 3] (47:04 - 47:05)
all those things. So

[Speaker 1] (47:06 - 47:09)
And that's a process that each vendor would

[Speaker 1] (47:10 - 47:11)
take on with us

[Speaker 3] (47:11 - 47:11)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (47:11 - 47:17)
that it's not something we'd be doing in a vacuum and if you're driving through Lynn as an example you can see how they line up and how the separation and everything else.

[Speaker 2] (47:17 - 47:17)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (47:17 - 47:19)
That's a good example right next door that they're using it already.

[Speaker 3] (47:20 - 47:27)
So we don't know definitively out of any of those contracts what the uh decrease has been or the cost avoidance ratio

[Speaker 1] (47:27 - 47:28)
Not yet. We

[Speaker 3] (47:28 - 47:28)
is?

[Speaker 1] (47:28 - 47:32)
haven't even asked from that. It it's looking forward what

[Speaker 1] (47:32 - 47:43)
Do you offer, and it's we we will not offer manual in the case of Republic, and my expectation and belief is that if we said to others we want a price for manual and a price for automatic,

[Speaker 2] (47:44 - 47:44)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (47:44 - 47:47)
we wou there would be a difference in price that we could articulate to you.

[Speaker 3] (47:47 - 47:57)
and you know and Wayne so thank you and certainly thank you to the Solid Waste Advisory Committee for all the hard work. I know you guys have been at it for what, four years,

[Speaker 2] (47:57 - 47:57)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 3] (47:57 - 47:59)
five years? Five years.

[Speaker 5] (47:59 - 48:00)
Five years.

[Speaker 3] (48:01 - 48:08)
One I of think the things about that myself. yeah, one of the things that you keep that you've talked about over the years has really been glass in the system.

[Speaker 3] (48:08 - 48:14)
Yeah. And so can you speak a little bit more to, Yeah. you know, whether or not we can pull the glass out?

[Speaker 3] (48:14 - 48:28)
Maybe use that, maybe maybe have a maybe have the D_P_W_ as a transfer or Yeah. some other process to really get that tonnage down. So yeah, and it I'm happy to talk about that because it is I I'm thinking of bringing it up. Um

[Speaker 1] (48:30 - 48:31)
It's limited to twenty minutes, I'm

[Speaker 3] (48:31 - 48:31)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (48:31 - 48:32)
sorry.

[Speaker 2] (48:32 - 48:33)
But what about that?

[Speaker 3] (48:33 - 48:37)
Okay, so so just just kind of to reset the table for glass, right? So

[Speaker 3] (48:38 - 48:40)
Up until maybe last year,

[Speaker 3] (48:40 - 48:43)
glass was, we paid to haul it,

[Speaker 3] (48:43 - 48:45)
we paid to sort it, right?

[Speaker 3] (48:45 - 48:50)
Not only does it degrade the quality of the recycling material from a commodity standpoint,

[Speaker 3] (48:50 - 48:52)
that's frankly not our problem particularly,

[Speaker 3] (48:53 - 48:58)
but up until last year it was going right back to the landfill.

[Speaker 3] (48:58 - 49:13)
So well that's, you know, that's not a really good efficient operation, as you would come have a sleep have a sleep imagine. So what we did find out from Republic last year was that they were, we found a place that was using it as aggregate for concrete.

[Speaker 3] (49:14 - 49:23)
Great, right? They still have a loss, but it's not at the loss as to what it would be as a tipping fee back to a landfill. So

[Speaker 3] (49:24 - 49:30)
W we're strategically trying to figure out, well, if we can get it out of the system altogether,

[Speaker 2] (49:30 - 49:31)
Hmm.

[Speaker 3] (49:31 - 49:39)
great. What we can't do unfortunately is throw it in the trash, because it is a waste-band item by the state. We'd probably be possibly better off if we did, just

[Speaker 2] (49:43 - 49:43)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (49:43 - 49:46)
all of it, right, on a, that from a density standpoint.

[Speaker 1] (49:47 - 49:51)
One of the things that I certainly think the audit will reveal is how much glass we have.

[Speaker 2] (49:52 - 49:52)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (49:52 - 49:57)
Right. And and that will give us some criteria of what the impact is.

[Speaker 1] (49:58 - 50:15)
You know in a perfect world, and I brought this up with Brian asking for help and and particularly from a regional standpoint we meet every couple of months Brian holds a meeting with all the different North Shore communities and it's really nice because we can talk about what our common issues are and what's going on at the state level and so on.

[Speaker 1] (50:16 - 50:22)
But it's a common problem across every everywhere. There is not been a state

[Speaker 1] (50:23 - 50:25)
There's no one really at the state level that's helping.

[Speaker 1] (50:25 - 50:27)
We're kind of on our own, unfortunately,

[Speaker 1] (50:27 - 50:29)
to be able to figure out a solution.

[Speaker 1] (50:29 - 50:30)
So yeah,

[Speaker 1] (50:30 - 50:37)
I think it would benefit the town contractually, financially,

[Speaker 1] (50:38 - 50:48)
if we could find a different way to divert glass. And that really comes down to asking the question to the, not to the hauler, but whoever the hauler is taking it to,

[Speaker 3] (50:48 - 50:49)
Mm

[Speaker 1] (50:49 - 50:49)
right?

[Speaker 3] (50:49 - 50:49)
-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (50:51 - 51:06)
The whole is represents them, which is what are you doing with glass? And you're gonna hopefully see, you know, if they're actually have a home for it, right, in a direction for it that that will reflect in hopefully our tipping fees based of course upon the audit that says that we have this percentage,

[Speaker 1] (51:06 - 51:07)
this percentage, this percentage.

[Speaker 4] (51:08 - 51:08)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (51:08 - 51:09)
Um so

[Speaker 5] (51:09 - 51:11)
So this audit you've been referring to,

[Speaker 5] (51:11 - 51:15)
who does that, when does that happen?

[Speaker 1] (51:15 - 51:15)
Great question,

[Speaker 5] (51:15 - 51:16)
Seems like that has to happen soon.

[Speaker 1] (51:17 - 51:19)
great question, yes. Um

[Speaker 1] (51:19 - 51:34)
So the audit functionally is you take X amount of samples of the recycling stream across the community, you drop it on the floor, you take it, you weigh it, right? It's really that straightforward.

[Speaker 1] (51:34 - 51:38)
But there's eight or ten different categorizations of what that is,

[Speaker 1] (51:38 - 51:39)
right?

[Speaker 1] (51:39 - 51:41)
Everything from cardboard to plastic.

[Speaker 1] (51:41 - 51:43)
So three different types of plastics,

[Speaker 1] (51:43 - 51:44)
right?

[Speaker 1] (51:44 - 51:48)
different colours of plastics, different colours of glass, it gets detailed. But

[Speaker 1] (51:49 - 52:00)
at the end of the day we need to know before we pull the trigger and pay for an audit, I feel it's important that the vendor has to say yeah, I'll accept those numbers,

[Speaker 6] (52:00 - 52:00)
Mm.

[Speaker 1] (52:00 - 52:02)
right? Because otherwise I mean

[Speaker 6] (52:02 - 52:03)
It's gonna be for no good.

[Speaker 1] (52:03 - 52:12)
it's not inexpensive to do and I just just we just want to make sure that the vendor themselves will honour whatever that number is based upon the pricing.

[Speaker 1] (52:13 - 52:18)
Because their entire financial proposal is based based on that, right?

[Speaker 1] (52:19 - 52:20)
So.

[Speaker 7] (52:20 - 52:22)
So an example of a community,

[Speaker 7] (52:22 - 52:22)
again,

[Speaker 7] (52:22 - 52:26)
Reading went through a long process to develop an RFP. They ended up staying with Republic.

[Speaker 7] (52:26 - 52:32)
They did an audit and speaking to their assistant TA or TM.

[Speaker 7] (52:34 - 52:46)
She was saying that they accepted it as part of the they all did, everyone that replied the R_F_P_ but also said that they would be doing their own analysis and audits throughout the first two years to make sure what was provided matched.

[Speaker 5] (52:47 - 52:47)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 8] (52:47 - 52:47)
Mm.

[Speaker 7] (52:47 - 52:49)
With obvious discussions if it didn't.

[Speaker 7] (52:50 - 53:04)
So it's something that's important, but it is because of the blended values being different now that it's not just we get something back for recycling and the economy around that has changed, they are also more attuned to it than perhaps they would have been in the past.

[Speaker 9] (53:05 - 53:06)
How much did that audit cost?

[Speaker 7] (53:06 - 53:08)
Twenty five thousand dollars, I believe, in writing.

[Speaker 9] (53:08 - 53:10)
There grant there are grants for that?

[Speaker 10] (53:10 - 53:15)
It's it's a also an illegible expense for a recycling dividends program funds

[Speaker 1] (53:16 - 53:17)
It's the same bucket of money

[Speaker 9] (53:17 - 53:17)
The

[Speaker 5] (53:17 - 53:17)
is Yeah.

[Speaker 9] (53:17 - 53:17)
the same

[Speaker 1] (53:17 - 53:18)
anyway used bucket for that other

[Speaker 9] (53:18 - 53:18)
we're

[Speaker 1] (53:18 - 53:18)
things

[Speaker 9] (53:18 - 53:18)
going to use anyway.

[Speaker 1] (53:18 - 53:19)
yeah.

[Speaker 5] (53:19 - 53:19)
Yeah.

[Speaker 7] (53:19 - 53:20)
Yeah a lot of straws in that cup

[Speaker 10] (53:20 - 53:23)
Yeah, I w and I will I will say a good one

[Speaker 10] (53:24 - 53:32)
Something rare about Swamp Scott that I think would make us audit advantageous is your contamination rate is kind of a strange,

[Speaker 10] (53:32 - 53:38)
very high holdover from back in the time when audits weren't that relevant,

[Speaker 10] (53:39 - 53:39)
the pricing,

[Speaker 10] (53:39 - 53:47)
the commodity structure around recycling was very different when we were shipping more of our commodities out of our nation.

[Speaker 10] (53:50 - 53:53)
Thirty, so right now I think you guys, so you had kind of have a thirty percent

[Speaker 1] (53:53 - 53:53)
It's a

[Speaker 10] (53:53 - 53:54)
contamination

[Speaker 1] (53:54 - 53:54)
big number, yeah.

[Speaker 10] (53:54 - 53:55)
rate. It's a it's a big

[Speaker 1] (53:55 - 53:55)
It's

[Speaker 10] (53:55 - 53:55)
number.

[Speaker 1] (53:55 - 53:56)
a big number. It's a boardholder.

[Speaker 10] (53:56 - 54:07)
Were that the were that the carry-over into the modern pricing mechanisms, you guys would be paying close to double, sometimes quadruple what other towns are paying in contamination. So that thirty percent would definitely be something

[Speaker 5] (54:07 - 54:13)
The twenty five thousand is worth it in a way because it'll it should drive down our costs a lot to get a more accurate number.

[Speaker 10] (54:13 - 54:13)
Yeah.

[Speaker 9] (54:14 - 54:18)
But I have to think that the companies responding are getting a little smart to that, right?

[Speaker 10] (54:18 - 54:19)
They've always probably been smart

[Speaker 9] (54:19 - 54:19)
Of course,

[Speaker 10] (54:19 - 54:20)
to that.

[Speaker 9] (54:20 - 54:22)
right. So w what really is the value of it?

[Speaker 1] (54:22 - 54:24)
The the the number of contaminate we get a monthly

[Speaker 9] (54:25 - 54:25)
Contamination

[Speaker 1] (54:25 - 54:33)
number, right, we get a report back and it, you know, it comes always as contamination thirty point zero zero zero zero per cent. It's the just

[Speaker 9] (54:34 - 54:34)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (54:35 - 54:35)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (54:35 - 54:36)
But do you

[Speaker 7] (54:36 - 54:36)
Not a real number.

[Speaker 5] (54:36 - 54:40)
think that, you know, it would be valuable? Because if we don't do this audit, then we're

[Speaker 1] (54:40 - 54:40)
We're

[Speaker 5] (54:40 - 54:40)
going to

[Speaker 1] (54:40 - 54:40)
stuck

[Speaker 5] (54:40 - 54:40)
be at

[Speaker 1] (54:40 - 54:40)
at

[Speaker 5] (54:40 - 54:40)
30.

[Speaker 1] (54:40 - 54:41)
30%.

[Speaker 9] (54:41 - 54:42)
No, not necessarily.

[Speaker 10] (54:42 - 54:43)
Well, you're stuck with whatever.

[Speaker 9] (54:43 - 54:43)
I

[Speaker 10] (54:43 - 54:47)
It depends if they if these new contracts, if they'd still want to honor that 30 percent,

[Speaker 9] (54:47 - 54:47)
depends on

[Speaker 10] (54:47 - 54:53)
or if they you'd come in and say that we're not going to do that even without an audit, even without an audit, 30 percent is high.

[Speaker 10] (54:53 - 54:54)
That that's far above state average.

[Speaker 1] (54:54 - 54:56)
It's around 10-ish

[Speaker 10] (54:56 - 54:56)
10,

[Speaker 1] (54:56 - 54:56)
percent?

[Speaker 10] (54:56 - 54:59)
15, 10 to 15, as low as as low as five in communities.

[Speaker 9] (55:01 - 55:03)
So I would think you still have to get them to accept the numbers, right? And

[Speaker 5] (55:03 - 55:03)
Sure.

[Speaker 9] (55:03 - 55:05)
if they all say no, then you

[Speaker 5] (55:05 - 55:09)
If you don't do the audit, then you have to just hope that they just say, oh, the average around here is, and

[Speaker 9] (55:09 - 55:09)
Right.

[Speaker 5] (55:09 - 55:10)
they you start that.

[Speaker 7] (55:10 - 55:11)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (55:11 - 55:19)
So so one change from an execution standpoint, right, that we have to be aware of is right now there is no um penalty.

[Speaker 1] (55:20 - 55:27)
Those communities have penalties, right? So if they see high levels contamination rate is generally put into the contractors of what that.

[Speaker 1] (55:28 - 55:34)
Okay. The reciprocity, whatever you want to call it, is, again, we currently don't have that.

[Speaker 1] (55:34 - 55:42)
Now, the communities that do have that also have an active employee or somebody in the system that's actually going and auditing.

[Speaker 9] (55:42 - 55:45)
Recycling police. So in other words, if you're recycling X,

[Speaker 9] (55:45 - 55:45)
Y,

[Speaker 9] (55:45 - 55:47)
Z that's not that shouldn't be recycled,

[Speaker 9] (55:47 - 55:49)
you're getting a fee back, right?

[Speaker 9] (55:49 - 55:51)
You're getting assessed X.

[Speaker 1] (55:51 - 55:51)
But

[Speaker 9] (55:51 - 55:52)
dollars for motorcycling

[Speaker 1] (55:52 - 56:03)
at the macro scale, yeah. So would what other communities do is they have an, you know, recycling manager. This it you know, one of their responsibilities is literally to go

[Speaker 9] (56:03 - 56:03)
to go through.

[Speaker 1] (56:03 - 56:11)
kind of do a micro audit around around town in a systematic level and then give the oopsie stickers to

[Speaker 9] (56:11 - 56:11)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (56:11 - 56:12)
them as as a community reminder.

[Speaker 7] (56:13 - 56:17)
And just broadly as far as staffing for this goes, the

[Speaker 9] (56:17 - 56:17)
Hmm.

[Speaker 7] (56:18 - 56:30)
It has been within public health, we have had conversations, Jeff, Gino, and I about the fact that it would likely make more sense to sit within DPW because of the bandwidth

[Speaker 9] (56:30 - 56:30)
Sure.

[Speaker 7] (56:30 - 56:32)
that exists in staffing there.

[Speaker 7] (56:32 - 56:36)
So I just wanted to highlight that that's something that we're already exploring that may,

[Speaker 7] (56:36 - 56:40)
you know, provide the potential to have someone that could occasionally more

[Speaker 9] (56:40 - 56:40)
Decorate cycle somebody

[Speaker 7] (56:40 - 56:41)
occasionally

[Speaker 9] (56:41 - 56:41)
in

[Speaker 7] (56:41 - 56:45)
be out to do that type of coordination or choose a neighbourhood a month or something.

[Speaker 7] (56:46 - 56:50)
Um, but we're trying to balance that to make sure that it does have the support that's needed.

[Speaker 9] (56:50 - 56:50)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 11] (56:51 - 56:54)
So are you saying now we're gonna see Geno going through our recycling?

[Speaker 7] (56:54 - 56:54)
Yes.

[Speaker 1] (56:55 - 56:55)
He's

[Speaker 11] (56:55 - 56:56)
Um

[Speaker 1] (56:56 - 56:56)
just gonna he's

[Speaker 11] (56:56 - 56:56)
point,

[Speaker 1] (56:56 - 56:57)
gonna drive around

[Speaker 11] (56:57 - 56:57)
I have

[Speaker 1] (56:57 - 56:57)
picking

[Speaker 11] (56:57 - 56:57)
a I have

[Speaker 1] (56:57 - 56:57)
up

[Speaker 11] (56:57 - 56:57)
a question.

[Speaker 1] (56:57 - 56:58)
all the heads.

[Speaker 11] (56:58 - 57:04)
Are there any communities in the Commonwealth that do remove glass from their solid waste?

[Speaker 10] (57:04 - 57:12)
I'm not sure of ones that explicitly remove it as in say we're not accept we don't want you to put glass in the recycling because it's all single stream typically.

[Speaker 10] (57:13 - 57:14)
Um there is cement

[Speaker 10] (57:14 - 57:20)
Some for example Bedford for example will have a glass uh a very effective glass drop off

[Speaker 9] (57:20 - 57:21)
Hmm.

[Speaker 10] (57:21 - 57:28)
at their transfer stations, similar to the other diversion opportunities. So that is their is pulling glass out of the recycling stream.

[Speaker 7] (57:28 - 57:29)
But

[Speaker 10] (57:29 - 57:29)
So that

[Speaker 7] (57:29 - 57:30)
they have a functioning transfer station.

[Speaker 10] (57:30 - 57:31)
They're fu yes.

[Speaker 5] (57:31 - 57:31)
Hmm.

[Speaker 10] (57:31 - 57:40)
And they d and they they divert it outside of And then they they get and they get a higher value um on they divert and they sell it for more than it would be worth just in

[Speaker 7] (57:40 - 57:40)
As

[Speaker 10] (57:40 - 57:40)
parts.

[Speaker 7] (57:40 - 57:40)
part of that, yeah.

[Speaker 9] (57:40 - 57:43)
So what would we what would we be able to structure in our F_P_ would

[Speaker 9] (57:43 - 57:51)
be with give us a cost for doing this, right, for removing glass from our w yeah. Couldn't we specify that in an R_F_P_ to see?

[Speaker 7] (57:52 - 58:06)
In terms of removing it as we're talking about diverting it with a physical location, I'm not sure that that's realistic for us in terms of space at the yard, never mind like a a physical location to have collection is a challenge for us.

[Speaker 9] (58:07 - 58:07)
Right.

[Speaker 7] (58:07 - 58:08)
I mean to

[Speaker 5] (58:08 - 58:08)
What No.

[Speaker 12] (58:08 - 58:10)
y what are the challenges that we realised?

[Speaker 5] (58:10 - 58:10)
But

[Speaker 12] (58:10 - 58:10)
Didn't

[Speaker 5] (58:10 - 58:11)
didn't we actually I'm sorry,

[Speaker 12] (58:11 - 58:11)
Yes,

[Speaker 5] (58:11 - 58:12)
I mean like didn't

[Speaker 12] (58:12 - 58:12)
sir.

[Speaker 5] (58:12 - 58:18)
we actually kind of show that, you know, if you had a once a month, I don't whatever it is, bring your glass,

[Speaker 12] (58:18 - 58:18)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (58:18 - 58:28)
for whatever we get out of it, it's better than nothing, right? I mean you've got one dumpster there I mean whether or not it's Republicans picking it up or whatever, I mean is that not

[Speaker 11] (58:28 - 58:29)
So you're like

[Speaker 5] (58:29 - 58:29)
crazy?

[Speaker 11] (58:29 - 58:31)
on the middle on middle drop-off day you're saying

[Speaker 12] (58:31 - 58:31)
Yeah.

[Speaker 11] (58:31 - 58:31)
you have another

[Speaker 9] (58:31 - 58:32)
Right.

[Speaker 11] (58:32 - 58:32)
bin.

[Speaker 12] (58:32 - 58:34)
Yeah. Why couldn't you do that? You already have your staff in

[Speaker 9] (58:34 - 58:35)
Right.

[Speaker 12] (58:35 - 58:35)
place.

[Speaker 9] (58:35 - 58:35)
Right.

[Speaker 9] (58:36 - 58:37)
Just a thought, you know.

[Speaker 12] (58:39 - 58:43)
It could work. It's something I never considered, to be honest with you. But yeah, we already used styrofoam,

[Speaker 9] (58:43 - 58:43)
I don't have it on.

[Speaker 12] (58:43 - 58:47)
we're doing metal. The one thing I would definitely say is it has to be monitored.

[Speaker 12] (58:47 - 58:50)
We can't just have a drop-off site without it being monitored.

[Speaker 10] (58:50 - 58:50)
Yeah, but be a free

[Speaker 9] (58:50 - 58:50)
Exactly,

[Speaker 10] (58:50 - 58:50)
throw.

[Speaker 1] (58:50 - 58:51)
Yeah.

[Speaker 9] (58:51 - 58:51)
okay.

[Speaker 10] (58:51 - 58:51)
Yeah.

[Speaker 12] (58:51 - 58:55)
Right, 'cause that's the one thing I learned when doing the recycling for the last twelve weeks.

[Speaker 12] (58:56 - 58:56)
Because I

[Speaker 9] (58:56 - 58:56)
People will

[Speaker 12] (58:56 - 59:03)
shouldn't say it's because, but I my interpretation is 'cause they have a smaller barrel, people try to get rid of that stuff with their recycling.

[Speaker 1] (59:03 - 59:04)
Yeah.

[Speaker 13] (59:04 - 59:04)
Yeah.

[Speaker 10] (59:04 - 59:04)
Yeah.

[Speaker 11] (59:04 - 59:04)
Brrrr.

[Speaker 9] (59:04 - 59:05)
Yeah, absolutely.

[Speaker 1] (59:05 - 59:07)
Yeah, I w I that was what I was actually about to say.

[Speaker 12] (59:07 - 59:09)
Yeah, I was I was trying to say it in a nice way.

[Speaker 1] (59:09 - 59:09)
Yeah.

[Speaker 9] (59:10 - 59:13)
But just for the purpose of, you know, when you're structuring an R_F_P_ I mean,

[Speaker 5] (59:13 - 59:13)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 9] (59:13 - 59:18)
you have that in there. Maybe that recog you know, they recognise a cost savings with the rest

[Speaker 7] (59:18 - 59:18)
Hmm.

[Speaker 9] (59:18 - 59:20)
as a submission, right? That's just a boss.

[Speaker 1] (59:20 - 59:23)
We could then, obviously, take out the extra expense of the sorting,

[Speaker 9] (59:23 - 59:23)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (59:23 - 59:27)
right, it would just be a direct transfer to or we could find a place

[Speaker 9] (59:27 - 59:29)
Maybe there's a third party somehow that

[Speaker 10] (59:29 - 59:29)
Yeah,

[Speaker 12] (59:29 - 59:29)
Yeah.

[Speaker 10] (59:29 - 59:29)
yeah.

[Speaker 9] (59:29 - 59:29)
that

[Speaker 10] (59:29 - 59:30)
I can protect

[Speaker 5] (59:30 - 59:30)
can So

[Speaker 10] (59:30 - 59:31)
you from with bad product.

[Speaker 7] (59:31 - 59:33)
before we get too far down the road

[Speaker 7] (59:33 - 59:33)
On the road of the

[Speaker 1] (59:33 - 59:34)
It's

[Speaker 7] (59:34 - 59:34)
boutique model.

[Speaker 3] (59:35 - 59:44)
I would like to, part of why I wanted to have Wayne come in front of you all tonight was to get some high-level direction so that when we're having these conversations,

[Speaker 3] (59:44 - 59:45)
we're obviously learning,

[Speaker 3] (59:45 - 59:48)
but if we're moving into an RFP or drafting of any kind,

[Speaker 3] (59:49 - 59:58)
you know, I think my initial feedback to Wayne back in October, November, whenever the first one I was at was the same level of service or better.

[Speaker 3] (59:58 - 1:00:04)
And we are not price agnostic. So while we would love to have compost,

[Speaker 3] (1:00:05 - 1:00:22)
we would like to have glass drop-off, we need to understand what those costs look like, because we are very sensitive to the overall price, and my number one priority is that, you know, ninety nine out of a hundred homes that get their trash out at seven a.m., the barrel's empty at the end of the day and could pull it in.

[Speaker 3] (1:00:23 - 1:00:29)
Like that is our, and I'm happy to take redirection from that, but from a sort of customer service standpoint and price standpoint,

[Speaker 3] (1:00:29 - 1:00:36)
it is one of the most significant expenses and certainly one of the most significant increases we anticipate between this year and next fiscal year.

[Speaker 3] (1:00:37 - 1:00:46)
So we just wanted to get a sense from you all like in prioritization like is compost and diverting glass super important or is it a nice to have as

[Speaker 4] (1:00:46 - 1:00:46)
Well,

[Speaker 3] (1:00:46 - 1:00:46)
opposed to

[Speaker 4] (1:00:46 - 1:00:46)
I think,

[Speaker 3] (1:00:46 - 1:00:47)
we must have,

[Speaker 4] (1:00:47 - 1:00:47)
I'm

[Speaker 3] (1:00:47 - 1:00:47)
you know.

[Speaker 4] (1:00:47 - 1:00:48)
thinking of it more,

[Speaker 4] (1:00:48 - 1:00:49)
will it help us?

[Speaker 4] (1:00:49 - 1:00:50)
decrease costs

[Speaker 5] (1:00:50 - 1:00:50)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (1:00:50 - 1:00:50)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (1:00:50 - 1:00:52)
right, so I think it's kind of twofold.

[Speaker 3] (1:00:52 - 1:00:53)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (1:00:53 - 1:01:01)
So I don't think it's more like um one of those nice to have extras. I'm I'm speaking of it as will this help us offset costs

[Speaker 3] (1:01:01 - 1:01:01)
If we

[Speaker 4] (1:01:01 - 1:01:01)
like

[Speaker 3] (1:01:01 - 1:01:02)
did that, would it lower the

[Speaker 4] (1:01:02 - 1:01:02)
Yeah,

[Speaker 3] (1:01:02 - 1:01:03)
uh I I

[Speaker 4] (1:01:03 - 1:01:03)
that's

[Speaker 3] (1:01:03 - 1:01:03)
suppose

[Speaker 4] (1:01:03 - 1:01:03)
my thought

[Speaker 3] (1:01:03 - 1:01:03)
of

[Speaker 4] (1:01:03 - 1:01:03)
process

[Speaker 3] (1:01:03 - 1:01:03)
that?

[Speaker 4] (1:01:03 - 1:01:04)
here.

[Speaker 3] (1:01:04 - 1:01:04)
Yeah, yeah,

[Speaker 4] (1:01:04 - 1:01:04)
My number

[Speaker 3] (1:01:04 - 1:01:05)
great.

[Speaker 4] (1:01:05 - 1:01:08)
one thought, my number one priority is

[Speaker 4] (1:01:08 - 1:01:16)
I'm really I can't see an option where we would not allow people to buy a second barrel. I don't think that's even for me that's not even a question.

[Speaker 6] (1:01:16 - 1:01:17)
So you put this a double negative makes it okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:01:17 - 1:01:18)
N okay,

[Speaker 4] (1:01:18 - 1:01:18)
We

[Speaker 3] (1:01:18 - 1:01:18)
so that you

[Speaker 4] (1:01:18 - 1:01:19)
we the

[Speaker 3] (1:01:19 - 1:01:19)
could not

[Speaker 4] (1:01:19 - 1:01:23)
the option of purchasing a second barrel should be an automatic for us. An automatic

[Speaker 3] (1:01:23 - 1:01:23)
And and

[Speaker 4] (1:01:23 - 1:01:24)
consideration.

[Speaker 3] (1:01:24 - 1:01:33)
that that was the first discussion Gino and I had with Republic. If we're fully automated, you're talking about hybrid if there's any bag floating around, and it was absolutely

[Speaker 3] (1:01:34 - 1:01:35)
And they recommend, if

[Speaker 4] (1:01:35 - 1:01:35)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:01:35 - 1:01:38)
there's, you know, frequent flyers of that programme,

[Speaker 4] (1:01:38 - 1:01:38)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 3] (1:01:38 - 1:01:41)
it's a a barrel that covers the cost basically.

[Speaker 4] (1:01:41 - 1:01:41)
Absolutely.

[Speaker 3] (1:01:41 - 1:01:43)
And it replaces the bag and they just

[Speaker 4] (1:01:43 - 1:01:44)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 3] (1:01:44 - 1:01:45)
have two barrels at that home.

[Speaker 4] (1:01:45 - 1:01:45)
Right. Yep.

[Speaker 3] (1:01:45 - 1:01:53)
There is certainly and I we had use cases and you could see it around the holidays, there is a point in the year that we certainly have to figure out what that looks like and how to do it, but

[Speaker 4] (1:01:53 - 1:01:53)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:01:53 - 1:01:56)
the the real meat of it and

[Speaker 3] (1:01:57 - 1:02:01)
50 weeks out of the year it's if you're a frequent flyer we need you to do the second barrel not

[Speaker 7] (1:02:02 - 1:02:02)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:02:02 - 1:02:04)
not finding a way to support that

[Speaker 4] (1:02:04 - 1:02:05)
Totally.

[Speaker 3] (1:02:05 - 1:02:08)
use case that's you know 250 out of 5,000 homes.

[Speaker 7] (1:02:08 - 1:02:20)
One th and w yeah and one thing to note there would be to uh maintain uh pay as you throw program uh that would you would want to have an annual fee beyond just the initial purchase of the barrel

[Speaker 4] (1:02:20 - 1:02:20)
Yes.

[Speaker 7] (1:02:20 - 1:02:23)
that will be uh one of yeah.

[Speaker 7] (1:02:23 - 1:02:23)
Yeah. My

[Speaker 6] (1:02:23 - 1:02:23)
Yeah.

[Speaker 7] (1:02:23 - 1:02:34)
perspective is you guys have been such a waste leader, that twenty percent reduction is one of the best in the in the state over the last two or four years. So finding ways in this automation to to maintain that and uh if you look at example of Topps field,

[Speaker 7] (1:02:35 - 1:02:36)
recently went to that exact programme.

[Speaker 4] (1:02:36 - 1:02:36)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 7] (1:02:36 - 1:02:41)
I think they are doing a hundred and seventy five dollars for that second second barrel. So the pricing's a whole another

[Speaker 4] (1:02:41 - 1:02:41)
Oh,

[Speaker 7] (1:02:41 - 1:02:41)
thing

[Speaker 4] (1:02:41 - 1:02:42)
we're doing

[Speaker 7] (1:02:42 - 1:02:42)
and

[Speaker 4] (1:02:42 - 1:02:44)
it, we're doing it right now and just not providing

[Speaker 6] (1:02:44 - 1:02:44)
You're doing

[Speaker 4] (1:02:44 - 1:02:44)
bags.

[Speaker 6] (1:02:44 - 1:02:44)
it in bags.

[Speaker 4] (1:02:44 - 1:02:45)
So people are

[Speaker 7] (1:02:45 - 1:02:45)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (1:02:45 - 1:02:49)
buying multiple bags, and then the beds are sitting on top of the barrel or sitting on the

[Speaker 4] (1:02:49 - 1:02:49)
on it.

[Speaker 4] (1:02:49 - 1:02:49)
So

[Speaker 6] (1:02:49 - 1:02:50)
Yes.

[Speaker 4] (1:02:50 - 1:02:59)
by just saying it should equal whatever it I think each barrel really holds two bags. So whatever two bags cost they're over fifty

[Speaker 3] (1:02:59 - 1:02:59)
Yeah, I think

[Speaker 4] (1:02:59 - 1:02:59)
two.

[Speaker 3] (1:02:59 - 1:03:02)
we can I think we can come up with some proposed algorithmic

[Speaker 4] (1:03:02 - 1:03:02)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:03:02 - 1:03:05)
numbers that makes sense in terms of you know

[Speaker 4] (1:03:05 - 1:03:06)
It's pretty simple.

[Speaker 3] (1:03:06 - 1:03:07)
the fair share of

[Speaker 8] (1:03:07 - 1:03:07)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (1:03:07 - 1:03:09)
whatever it is that

[Speaker 3] (1:03:11 - 1:03:11)
Oh.

[Speaker 6] (1:03:11 - 1:03:13)
Uh wait, in in basically if you're using you're y if it's a service,

[Speaker 4] (1:03:14 - 1:03:14)
Right.

[Speaker 6] (1:03:14 - 1:03:15)
how much is that service that

[Speaker 4] (1:03:15 - 1:03:16)
Right, how

[Speaker 6] (1:03:16 - 1:03:16)
you use

[Speaker 4] (1:03:16 - 1:03:16)
much is it worth.

[Speaker 6] (1:03:16 - 1:03:16)
cost and

[Speaker 4] (1:03:16 - 1:03:17)
Right, okay.

[Speaker 6] (1:03:17 - 1:03:21)
be responsible by the resident should be responsible for whatever that additional service.

[Speaker 4] (1:03:21 - 1:03:21)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 6] (1:03:21 - 1:03:23)
Just the fact that we're offering it is important.

[Speaker 4] (1:03:24 - 1:03:24)
Yep.

[Speaker 3] (1:03:24 - 1:03:42)
So just from hearing what you two at least have said, it's make sure that we are offering these things that may lower our cost, and are also advantageous from a environmental standpoint that we're separating, but composting. But y all of these things, it's weigh them in tandem not we just must have compost or must have diversion.

[Speaker 4] (1:03:42 - 1:03:42)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:03:42 - 1:03:48)
It's how do these impact your proposal that would lower our costs for the community or avoid costs, whatever the phrasing that someone may want to use.

[Speaker 6] (1:03:48 - 1:03:50)
use to describe it. Is that an accurate representation?

[Speaker 4] (1:03:50 - 1:04:01)
Yes, I mean for me, from my perspective, it's and how do we lessen the burden a little bit on the resident, right? If they're gonna have to pay for it, at least there's a convenience, right? You don't have to go out you don't have to go out and buy blue bags, you

[Speaker 9] (1:04:01 - 1:04:01)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (1:04:01 - 1:04:02)
have the option of buying a second barrel,

[Speaker 6] (1:04:02 - 1:04:03)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 4] (1:04:03 - 1:04:08)
which is more convenient for you. I mean it's obviously at an additional cost, but providing that option is

[Speaker 6] (1:04:08 - 1:04:09)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:04:09 - 1:04:10)
you know my thought anyway.

[Speaker 3] (1:04:13 - 1:04:17)
Yes, and just wanna make sure that the sub-total of that isn't

[Speaker 3] (1:04:18 - 1:04:36)
it's a nice cherry on top, nice to have we'll worry about it as a secondary issue within the negotiation, but I would like that be the composting and the glass be kind of centre in terms of our ability to kind of drive down the tonnage. I don't quite understand the mechanics of

[Speaker 3] (1:04:38 - 1:04:59)
Nor do I think we need to get into it right now, but there is a dynamic here. Some people uh they might want a second barrel, but you know for doing automation we can figure out a way like Winnum or whatever it was where the second barrel is your compost thing, does that then obviate the need to have a second barrel, but now you're getting this instead. So I think there's a lot of, you know,

[Speaker 6] (1:04:59 - 1:04:59)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:04:59 - 1:05:04)
work that needs to be done to kind of push that agenda within the conversation so that it's not

[Speaker 3] (1:05:04 - 1:05:09)
not you know just take the simplest path and then oh hey can you throw the compost you know I'm not saying you'd

[Speaker 6] (1:05:09 - 1:05:09)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:05:09 - 1:05:10)
do that, but

[Speaker 10] (1:05:10 - 1:05:10)
Hmm.

[Speaker 3] (1:05:10 - 1:05:12)
Okay. Thank you.

[Speaker 6] (1:05:12 - 1:05:15)
Thank you. It's important to have that feedback. We're trying to kind of reset the table.

[Speaker 4] (1:05:16 - 1:05:16)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 6] (1:05:16 - 1:05:32)
Share the share you know like just from an advisory standpoint, sharing what we know to this point, being able to come back now that we've kind of everyone's kind of all reasonably on the same page, being able to come back with what some of those opportunities are and get further feedback on a more regular basis.

[Speaker 6] (1:05:33 - 1:05:40)
you know, increase the uh cadence level of um of our communication with you over the coming months.

[Speaker 4] (1:05:40 - 1:05:55)
And I won't say it's like my personal requirement or anything that you know a hill to die on, but I really don't think in every other week recycling schedule is that advantageous to most people in this town. That's my personal thought. I think recycling should be a weekly thing.

[Speaker 6] (1:05:55 - 1:05:55)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:05:55 - 1:06:03)
Right, because I just don't think that enough homes in Swampscott have that storage capability. Right, if you don't have a garage or you don't have somewhere to store it.

[Speaker 4] (1:06:03 - 1:06:15)
Right. I mean I think if what I recycle on a weekly basis it's a huge, big blue bin plus one, right, and that's a week. So I don't know, but that's just my thought is in turn, 'cause I know you mentioned maybe going to every other week for recycling.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:15 - 1:06:21)
It's a much larger barrel than we have for trash right now, but that would that is something that they've suggested as a way to again

[Speaker 6] (1:06:22 - 1:06:23)
Wait a minute. Are we talking about trash or recycling?

[Speaker 3] (1:06:23 - 1:06:24)
I'm talking about recycling. I

[Speaker 6] (1:06:24 - 1:06:24)
Y recycling,

[Speaker 3] (1:06:24 - 1:06:24)
was just

[Speaker 6] (1:06:24 - 1:06:25)
recycling. I'm sorry, talking about

[Speaker 3] (1:06:25 - 1:06:25)
comparing

[Speaker 6] (1:06:25 - 1:06:25)
recycling.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:25 - 1:06:27)
it to the barrel that you all have

[Speaker 4] (1:06:27 - 1:06:28)
Well that is

[Speaker 3] (1:06:28 - 1:06:29)
in your homes currently, the third the, five.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:29 - 1:06:30)
The

[Speaker 4] (1:06:30 - 1:06:33)
Mine is mine is bigger than a regular trash barrel, so people have different sizes,

[Speaker 3] (1:06:33 - 1:06:34)
Right. I know.

[Speaker 4] (1:06:34 - 1:06:43)
even though they have the small one that's a that's the one we give out is a small little guy. Um but if you look around or draw you know drive around on a weekly basis, you'll see people

[Speaker 6] (1:06:43 - 1:06:43)
So

[Speaker 4] (1:06:43 - 1:06:43)
are recycling

[Speaker 6] (1:06:43 - 1:06:43)
what the most

[Speaker 4] (1:06:43 - 1:06:44)
inside.

[Speaker 6] (1:06:44 - 1:06:46)
the most expensive part of the contract is the hauling part of it.

[Speaker 4] (1:06:46 - 1:06:46)
Yeah.

[Speaker 6] (1:06:46 - 1:06:50)
So the the opportunity to reduce costs there

[Speaker 4] (1:06:50 - 1:06:51)
Yeah.

[Speaker 6] (1:06:51 - 1:06:52)
is not insignificant.

[Speaker 4] (1:06:52 - 1:06:52)
Sure sure.

[Speaker 6] (1:06:52 - 1:06:58)
And it it that could certainly take a bite out of the after three hundred thousand dollars of capital costs.

[Speaker 6] (1:06:58 - 1:06:59)
I don't cost it either.

[Speaker 4] (1:06:59 - 1:06:59)
Yeah.

[Speaker 6] (1:06:59 - 1:07:00)
Just, I'm just, you

[Speaker 4] (1:07:00 - 1:07:01)
Yeah,

[Speaker 6] (1:07:01 - 1:07:01)
have

[Speaker 4] (1:07:01 - 1:07:01)
no,

[Speaker 6] (1:07:01 - 1:07:01)
it's to fair. feedback,

[Speaker 4] (1:07:01 - 1:07:02)
That's fair,

[Speaker 6] (1:07:02 - 1:07:02)
that's

[Speaker 4] (1:07:02 - 1:07:02)
yeah.

[Speaker 6] (1:07:02 - 1:07:04)
the feedback that we're looking for.

[Speaker 4] (1:07:04 - 1:07:04)
Okay.

[Speaker 6] (1:07:04 - 1:07:05)
And it is a, I think a

[Speaker 4] (1:07:05 - 1:07:08)
And I think we'll see that more as we get further along,

[Speaker 6] (1:07:08 - 1:07:08)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:07:08 - 1:07:09)
but that's just my initial

[Speaker 6] (1:07:09 - 1:07:11)
Okay. We should probably see the options,

[Speaker 4] (1:07:11 - 1:07:11)
Yeah.

[Speaker 6] (1:07:11 - 1:07:12)
you know, ideally.

[Speaker 7] (1:07:12 - 1:07:12)
Yep.

[Speaker 4] (1:07:12 - 1:07:13)
In the car.

[Speaker 11] (1:07:13 - 1:07:19)
You know one thing I really wanna see is I wanna see a timetable on, you know, what our benchmarks, not benchmarks, what are our uh

[Speaker 3] (1:07:20 - 1:07:21)
A dimes calendar,

[Speaker 6] (1:07:21 - 1:07:21)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:07:21 - 1:07:22)
right?

[Speaker 6] (1:07:22 - 1:07:22)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 11] (1:07:22 - 1:07:24)
What are the what are the dates we have to hit?

[Speaker 6] (1:07:24 - 1:07:24)
Yep.

[Speaker 4] (1:07:24 - 1:07:24)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 11] (1:07:25 - 1:07:26)
And

[Speaker 4] (1:07:26 - 1:07:27)
It's already in January,

[Speaker 11] (1:07:27 - 1:07:27)
I

[Speaker 4] (1:07:27 - 1:07:27)
it's a little

[Speaker 11] (1:07:27 - 1:07:28)
think much that's quicker pretty

[Speaker 4] (1:07:28 - 1:07:28)
than

[Speaker 11] (1:07:28 - 1:07:28)
much

[Speaker 4] (1:07:28 - 1:07:28)
you think.

[Speaker 11] (1:07:28 - 1:07:31)
it, because we're done with this contract the end of June.

[Speaker 11] (1:07:32 - 1:07:36)
And what date do we want to have a new a new contract in place?

[Speaker 4] (1:07:37 - 1:07:37)
Yep.

[Speaker 6] (1:07:37 - 1:07:38)
Yes, so

[Speaker 11] (1:07:38 - 1:07:40)
Just just the just the timeline, that's all.

[Speaker 6] (1:07:40 - 1:07:47)
So what happens come July 1 the service end or do we are we do we roll over month to month? How does that

[Speaker 3] (1:07:47 - 1:07:47)
Yeah,

[Speaker 6] (1:07:47 - 1:07:47)
work?

[Speaker 3] (1:07:47 - 1:07:50)
so they are interested in obviously staying with us.

[Speaker 6] (1:07:50 - 1:07:51)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 3] (1:07:51 - 1:07:51)
They would

[Speaker 3] (1:07:51 - 1:07:56)
They have expressed as of right now that they would prefer we're signing up for five years with them again.

[Speaker 3] (1:07:56 - 1:07:58)
So that's an ongoing discussion.

[Speaker 4] (1:07:58 - 1:07:58)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:00 - 1:08:04)
And we could just have Gino do it again, you know. If you had no, I'm just, I'm totally kidding about that.

[Speaker 6] (1:08:04 - 1:08:04)
Yeah, thank you.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:06 - 1:08:19)
Um yeah we'll come back. I think it might be useful if we were to provide as part of your packets the calendar or something like that so that you can have the information even if we don't have another discussion of this step necessarily in the immediate term, and then we can plan to come back.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:19 - 1:08:22)
with the advisory committee later on if that works for you.

[Speaker 11] (1:08:22 - 1:08:23)
Okay.

[Speaker 6] (1:08:23 - 1:08:23)
Okay.

[Speaker 11] (1:08:23 - 1:08:29)
And also just so the public knows that the Solid Waste Advisory Committee meets once a month. You have public comment.

[Speaker 6] (1:08:29 - 1:08:29)
We always have

[Speaker 11] (1:08:29 - 1:08:29)
You

[Speaker 6] (1:08:29 - 1:08:29)
public comment,

[Speaker 11] (1:08:29 - 1:08:30)
always,

[Speaker 6] (1:08:30 - 1:08:30)
available.

[Speaker 11] (1:08:30 - 1:08:34)
you know, engage with anybody that wants to come in and chit chat. So people.

[Speaker 6] (1:08:34 - 1:08:45)
Absolutely, we certainly, we definitely welcome public comment and if there's any questions the community has, you can email SWAC at swampscottma.gov.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:46 - 1:08:46)
Great.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:47 - 1:08:47)
Thank you very much.

[Speaker 11] (1:08:47 - 1:08:48)
Big thank you, Wayne.

[Speaker 6] (1:08:48 - 1:08:48)
Thank

[Speaker 11] (1:08:48 - 1:08:48)
Wayne,

[Speaker 6] (1:08:48 - 1:08:48)
you.

[Speaker 11] (1:08:48 - 1:08:50)
all that thanks work. for your Nobody hard really work. wants to do

[Speaker 6] (1:08:50 - 1:08:50)
Thank

[Speaker 11] (1:08:50 - 1:08:50)
it,

[Speaker 6] (1:08:50 - 1:08:50)
you

[Speaker 11] (1:08:50 - 1:08:50)
I don't

[Speaker 6] (1:08:50 - 1:08:51)
both.

[Speaker 11] (1:08:51 - 1:08:51)
think.

[Speaker 6] (1:08:51 - 1:08:51)
Thank you.

[Speaker 11] (1:08:51 - 1:08:52)
Brian, thanks for coming in.

[Speaker 6] (1:08:52 - 1:08:53)
Absolutely.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:53 - 1:08:53)
Thank you.

[Speaker 11] (1:08:53 - 1:08:54)
Thanks, Brian.

[Speaker 6] (1:08:54 - 1:08:55)
No worries. Anytime.

[Speaker 11] (1:08:55 - 1:08:55)
Appreciate it.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:56 - 1:09:01)
Okay, so we will go back to our discussion of Pine Street Improvements MOU.

[Speaker 3] (1:09:01 - 1:09:03)
So if I could just frame it to start,

[Speaker 3] (1:09:03 - 1:09:06)
we have had ongoing discussions with Gino,

[Speaker 3] (1:09:06 - 1:09:07)
Marzi,

[Speaker 3] (1:09:07 - 1:09:12)
the BBH team, consultants on both sides and the ZBA.

[Speaker 6] (1:09:13 - 1:09:14)
BBH is B'nai B'rith.

[Speaker 3] (1:09:14 - 1:09:14)
Yes,

[Speaker 6] (1:09:14 - 1:09:14)
Yep.

[Speaker 3] (1:09:14 - 1:09:15)
sorry,

[Speaker 3] (1:09:15 - 1:09:15)
sorry.

[Speaker 6] (1:09:15 - 1:09:15)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:09:15 - 1:09:29)
The housing uh developer, um and we've come to a point where we just want to give you an update on where we believe the conditions will be, um as part of the the Z_B_A_ potential approval. Um and it's been shifting just from last week to this week.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:41 - 1:09:47)
Can you start, Marcy, with just like kind of where we're at in the process overall? Like where is the ZBA in the overall process?

[Speaker 2] (1:09:48 - 1:10:02)
Absolutely happy to do so. So good evening. Um I just wanted to acknowledge that we do have members uh from the B'nai B'rith team. Uh we have Susan Gittleman, the Executive Director, um Yara Burgess, she's the uh Project Manager, and I believe Holly Grace

[Speaker 1] (1:10:02 - 1:10:02)
Holly.

[Speaker 2] (1:10:02 - 1:10:04)
was there. I'm not sure if if you see her there.

[Speaker 1] (1:10:04 - 1:10:05)
Yep.

[Speaker 3] (1:10:05 - 1:10:05)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (1:10:05 - 1:10:07)
Uh so just wanted to acknowledge their presence.

[Speaker 2] (1:10:07 - 1:10:09)
So first maybe we'll start way back when.

[Speaker 2] (1:10:10 - 1:10:17)
Binet-Brit is the project developer. As you know, they submitted an application to the town,

[Speaker 2] (1:10:17 - 1:10:30)
to the zoning board of appeals for a comprehensive permit that would allow or request the construction of 41 units of affordable housing at Pine Street called Veterans Crossing.

[Speaker 2] (1:10:30 - 1:10:33)
Thank you. So that process began on August 20.

[Speaker 2] (1:10:33 - 1:10:46)
22nd the first public meeting of the zoning board of appeals regarding this project occurred on September 16th ZBA as part of that process retained a consultant or an assistant to

[Speaker 2] (1:10:47 - 1:10:47)
Sorry.

[Speaker 2] (1:10:48 - 1:10:54)
Retain a consultant or an assistant to allow them to assist them with the process because,

[Speaker 2] (1:10:54 - 1:10:54)
as you know,

[Speaker 2] (1:10:54 - 1:10:58)
comprehensive permit is something that's very well regulated by the state.

[Speaker 2] (1:10:58 - 1:11:01)
It's a state statute that we need to comply.

[Speaker 2] (1:11:01 - 1:11:07)
The local zoning board of appeals has 180 days to complete the process,

[Speaker 2] (1:11:07 - 1:11:11)
meaning that they open the initial meeting and they have to close within 180 days.

[Speaker 2] (1:11:12 - 1:11:14)
Then after that they have about 40 additional days.

[Speaker 2] (1:11:15 - 1:11:19)
to render an opinion or decision regarding the project.

[Speaker 2] (1:11:19 - 1:11:22)
So just to kind of walk you through the process,

[Speaker 2] (1:11:22 - 1:11:24)
we have had about five meetings right now,

[Speaker 2] (1:11:24 - 1:11:27)
or the ZBA has held about five meetings.

[Speaker 2] (1:11:27 - 1:11:39)
The 180 days will expire on February 18th, and the ZBA should render a decision by March 30th. So that's based on the timeline,

[Speaker 2] (1:11:39 - 1:11:40)
the 180 days.

[Speaker 2] (1:11:40 - 1:12:08)
the statute how the process should should follow up so is Nick has stated ZBA has been working with a consultant as well as a peer consultant the town was able to retain Vicki I'm a sewn with Gino's assistance to really assist us with review some of the engineering work as part of the process they are working for the town but the developer is paying the fee to review the

[Speaker 2] (1:12:08 - 1:12:09)
review the project.

[Speaker 2] (1:12:09 - 1:12:20)
Vicki is somebody who is probably known to all of you. She's a former child employee and has amazing institutional knowledge about the infrastructure that surrounds the project area.

[Speaker 2] (1:12:21 - 1:12:24)
And at the last ZBA meeting,

[Speaker 2] (1:12:24 - 1:12:35)
the ZBA had some concerns about the replacement of the culvert. As you know, the culvert replacement

[Speaker 2] (1:12:35 - 1:12:40)
has to take place in order for the project to be constructed.

[Speaker 2] (1:12:41 - 1:12:51)
The town, we had work with B'nai B'rith Housing to secure grant funding through the one-stop program from the state for the relocation of the culvert.

[Speaker 2] (1:12:51 - 1:12:59)
We were successful in the grant while we received $750,000 towards the replacement of the culvert.

[Speaker 2] (1:12:59 - 1:13:02)
The estimates that we received...

[Speaker 2] (1:13:02 - 1:13:03)
from the engineering firms.

[Speaker 2] (1:13:03 - 1:13:06)
Firms were about like $750,

[Speaker 2] (1:13:06 - 1:13:08)
sort of around that price point.

[Speaker 2] (1:13:09 - 1:13:14)
The estimates for the project also included some contingencies, engineering fees,

[Speaker 2] (1:13:14 - 1:13:18)
remediation work,

[Speaker 2] (1:13:18 - 1:13:23)
as well as professional services as it was a consultant.

[Speaker 2] (1:13:23 - 1:13:26)
So that total number came in at $758.

[Speaker 2] (1:13:27 - 1:13:29)
During the ZBA process,

[Speaker 2] (1:13:29 - 1:13:38)
the Zoning Board of Appeals wanted to assure that the town, that there's sufficient funding in order to be able to relocate the culvert,

[Speaker 2] (1:13:38 - 1:13:42)
and they were concerned about the fact that they do not want the town,

[Speaker 2] (1:13:42 - 1:13:51)
or they wanted clarification in terms of who is the entity that will be responsible for any cost overruns. So that sort of brought us here. We had an internal discussion.

[Speaker 2] (1:13:52 - 1:13:53)
We continue to...

[Speaker 2] (1:13:54 - 1:13:58)
who, you know, look at the numbers in terms of the estimates,

[Speaker 2] (1:13:58 - 1:14:01)
but obviously estimates were based on previous funding.

[Speaker 2] (1:14:02 - 1:14:13)
But at the same time, we have secured or we had allocated about $123,000 in contingency fees as part of the grant application.

[Speaker 2] (1:14:13 - 1:14:22)
So we feel confident. I think Gino had an opportunity also to take a look at the estimates, and I think that we all agree that right now that there is sufficient.

[Speaker 2] (1:14:22 - 1:14:22)
efficient funding.

[Speaker 2] (1:14:24 - 1:14:27)
To address the concerns from the zoning board of appeals,

[Speaker 2] (1:14:28 - 1:14:33)
the developer stated that they would be able to contribute some funding towards it.

[Speaker 2] (1:14:34 - 1:14:37)
So last week we weren't quite sure what the amount was.

[Speaker 2] (1:14:38 - 1:14:51)
This week we have heard from the development team and they would be able to contribute up to $100,000 in additional funding as additional contingency or as a match if needed.

[Speaker 2] (1:14:51 - 1:15:06)
if the project were to have the cost would there be any kind of cost overruns so I think that's the sort of a brief update of where we are in the process we will have our next ZBA meeting will be held on January 20th

[Speaker 4] (1:15:07 - 1:15:09)
So Nick, for our conversation earlier,

[Speaker 4] (1:15:09 - 1:15:14)
if you just want to frame this up like we is a vote necessary from us for us tonight and

[Speaker 1] (1:15:14 - 1:15:14)
No.

[Speaker 4] (1:15:14 - 1:15:16)
and then

[Speaker 4] (1:15:19 - 1:15:35)
Can you or Marcy just frame what the understanding was in the initial agreements with B'nai B'rith about whose responsibility this would be? Are we starting from this was unknown or was there an understanding to begin with which we're now specifying further?

[Speaker 4] (1:15:36 - 1:15:38)
Just trying, I have no idea what the LDA says.

[Speaker 2] (1:15:38 - 1:15:38)
That All

[Speaker 4] (1:15:38 - 1:15:39)
doesn't matter.

[Speaker 2] (1:15:39 - 1:15:39)
right. So, so I'm sorry,

[Speaker 2] (1:15:40 - 1:15:43)
I should say probably before we go on to the sort of like how.

[Speaker 2] (1:15:45 - 1:16:10)
we almost maybe got here is that at the last meeting last Friday we have held a meeting with the project team and a peer reviewer and the ZBA just wanted to see assurances where you know there would be an agreement in place that would assure that the contingency is there that there's some funding over overruns to cover any additional cost.

[Speaker 2] (1:16:10 - 1:16:15)
And that's where our discussion came in about either an MOU, memorandum of agreement,

[Speaker 2] (1:16:16 - 1:16:28)
that the developer will pay for the cost overruns or if that could become part of the comprehensive permits and a condition that would stay,

[Speaker 2] (1:16:28 - 1:16:36)
the developer will pay, you know, up to X amount of dollars like the $100,000 that they're agreeing to pay or any cost overruns.

[Speaker 2] (1:16:36 - 1:16:47)
In regards to kind of going back, the relocation of the culvert initially was not, it's not part of the land disposition agreement,

[Speaker 2] (1:16:47 - 1:16:52)
was not part of the lease, because at that point, if you recall, when we were looking to have the four-story structure,

[Speaker 2] (1:16:52 - 1:17:02)
the massing of the building was a little bit less, and maybe at that point, I'm not really sure if we knew what the impact to the culvert might be. I think that there was some.

[Speaker 2] (1:17:02 - 1:17:21)
um discussion maybe that that the culvert will have to be relocated but I think as the project advanced and there's additional work that was being done and then the structure was redesigned to be a three-story structure therefore it impacted the culvert more and then we needed to that needed to be relocated.

[Speaker 1] (1:17:23 - 1:17:32)
And on the question of action tonight, when we were unsure if we would do an M_O_U_ which at one point was where we were leaning, versus the idea of it being a condition, um

[Speaker 5] (1:17:32 - 1:17:33)
Of the permit.

[Speaker 1] (1:17:33 - 1:17:34)
correct.

[Speaker 5] (1:17:34 - 1:17:34)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (1:17:34 - 1:17:35)
That was

[Speaker 1] (1:17:35 - 1:17:40)
That was when I wanted to make sure that we had the the ability to vote if necessary

[Speaker 4] (1:17:40 - 1:17:40)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (1:17:40 - 1:17:43)
So the clear direction could be provided and I think in the past

[Speaker 1] (1:17:43 - 1:18:01)
In talking to the chair a little bit she had mentioned on something like this there were sometimes like two members designated to say like we all agree on the idea But these two members will be responsible for the final review or something along those lines That was the type of thing we were thinking that's no longer necessary because in these conversations we're talking about it's a condition of the permit

[Speaker 1] (1:18:02 - 1:18:30)
And then also highlighting for the chair of the ZBA and the board itself that this is something that we are tracking on a staff on the staff side you know as they move through the building permit process and everything that's where community development and Rich's team are in close contact to say all of these conditions have been met we can't move forward or they have been met and we can so this is providing more certainty to the ZBA that on the staff side we're paying attention and I think both the development development team and us are comfortable with this number.

[Speaker 2] (1:18:30 - 1:18:30)
Mm

[Speaker 1] (1:18:30 - 1:18:30)
Based

[Speaker 2] (1:18:30 - 1:18:31)
-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (1:18:31 - 1:18:38)
on the contingent the contingencies built into the original um grant application and the money that they've pledged should it be necessary uh beyond that.

[Speaker 4] (1:18:39 - 1:18:51)
That all sounds great, but is it theoretically possible that this could come in at a million total and the contingencies and the hundred thousand wouldn't be enough and then therefore what?

[Speaker 1] (1:18:52 - 1:19:00)
theoretically possible. I couldn't really answer. That's a accepting the premise that something could be any cost, sure, yes.

[Speaker 4] (1:19:00 - 1:19:01)
Okay, well not any cost,

[Speaker 2] (1:19:01 - 1:19:01)
but Well

[Speaker 4] (1:19:01 - 1:19:02)
I mean it's

[Speaker 2] (1:19:02 - 1:19:02)
I think

[Speaker 4] (1:19:02 - 1:19:02)
definitely

[Speaker 1] (1:19:02 - 1:19:06)
We have we have a conservative um engineering

[Speaker 1] (1:19:07 - 1:19:15)
estimate that was put together, reviewed by the peer review team, and both the development team and our staff are on board that we think we're on target.

[Speaker 1] (1:19:15 - 1:19:24)
That's great. I don't know what more we can do with any development project than have peer review our outside consultant and our team internally looking at it.

[Speaker 2] (1:19:26 - 1:19:26)
I understand,

[Speaker 1] (1:19:26 - 1:19:26)
certain.

[Speaker 2] (1:19:26 - 1:19:27)
but I'm just putting

[Speaker 3] (1:19:27 - 1:19:29)
But there it is a bidding process, so I guess,

[Speaker 3] (1:19:29 - 1:19:30)
to answer your question,

[Speaker 3] (1:19:30 - 1:19:34)
we won't know definitively until we put it out to bid, get the bid prices back.

[Speaker 3] (1:19:35 - 1:19:37)
But as Nick said and we all said,

[Speaker 3] (1:19:37 - 1:19:39)
I'm fairly confident that we're going to come in.

[Speaker 3] (1:19:40 - 1:19:59)
at or below that price because Hancock, who did the estimate, he was conservative with that, built in a contingency, and now we have an extra hundred thousand dollars. So but definitively we'll know once we put out the bid, and the town's gonna be putting out the bid because the grant came to us, so it's essentially gonna be our project all of a see.

[Speaker 1] (1:19:59 - 1:19:59)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:20:00 - 1:20:04)
Is it normal for the ZBA to be involved in the finances?

[Speaker 4] (1:20:05 - 1:20:17)
On the permit, I just don't remember like things like this coming up with the ZBA and and um, excuse me, with the Westcott or any other

[Speaker 5] (1:20:19 - 1:20:21)
Uh I have not experienced that.

[Speaker 5] (1:20:21 - 1:20:29)
I think that um a lot of times they might look at the infrastructure and request some changes um that that would impact the project

[Speaker 5] (1:20:30 - 1:20:30)
um but

[Speaker 4] (1:20:30 - 1:20:33)
Right, so they'd make a request for a change on the infrastructure.

[Speaker 4] (1:20:36 - 1:20:37)
But,

[Speaker 3] (1:20:37 - 1:20:46)
Yeah, I can speak on the Avery. I can't speak on the Westcott because I don't need to remember or I'm familiar with it, but I know on the Avery project on Essex Street,

[Speaker 3] (1:20:46 - 1:20:56)
ZBA did come in and say we want the developer to give the town a $50,000 spot improvement to the area for the town to use at their discretion.

[Speaker 3] (1:20:57 - 1:20:59)
And the developer agreed to it.

[Speaker 1] (1:20:59 - 1:21:00)
How

[Speaker 4] (1:21:00 - 1:21:04)
Right, well hold on one second. So they, right, so they did do that for the Avery, they actually,

[Speaker 4] (1:21:04 - 1:21:05)
for the Concordia

[Speaker 4] (1:21:05 - 1:21:21)
They, the Concordia ZBA asked Paradise for additional monies to beautify the sidewalks with landscaping and things like that. But this is a little bit different to me. They're asking for an MOU.

[Speaker 4] (1:21:21 - 1:21:27)
We already have an LDA and a ground lease signed.

[Speaker 4] (1:21:27 - 1:21:28)
So I'm...

[Speaker 6] (1:21:28 - 1:21:30)
So when I spoke to Heather Roman,

[Speaker 6] (1:21:30 - 1:21:32)
because I am the liaison to the ZBA.

[Speaker 6] (1:21:33 - 1:22:00)
Um I don't feel like I don't think she was requesting an M_O_U_ I think it was a suggestion. I think that it was just an assurance for them um to understand that if there is an overage they were, you know, checking their box and doing their due diligence and saying if there happens to be an overage do you guys have the money to pay for it, where's it gonna come from, right? So now that we know that um it it really is just like solidifying that the developer is on board with providing the financial assistance which I think is a hundred thousand you just said?

[Speaker 1] (1:22:00 - 1:22:00)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 5] (1:22:00 - 1:22:00)
That's correct.

[Speaker 3] (1:22:00 - 1:22:01)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 6] (1:22:01 - 1:22:01)
Um

[Speaker 6] (1:22:01 - 1:22:15)
Um I don't think she was necessarily I thought Heather was really great and I don't really think she was suggesting or demanding an M_O_U_ Um I think that was just, you know, a s something that could be done or maybe had been done in the past that she, you know, was familiar with, I don't know.

[Speaker 1] (1:22:16 - 1:22:16)
And

[Speaker 6] (1:22:16 - 1:22:19)
Um but I don't feel like she was forcing that issue.

[Speaker 1] (1:22:19 - 1:22:28)
that was I don't think she was forcing, I think that was one of the options that was looked at as they've had this and that's why we've gone from that idea to now as a part of the condition of the permit.

[Speaker 4] (1:22:28 - 1:22:53)
Okay. I have another question here is I'm concerned about the time frame only because I know the funding rounds are coming up and they're coming up soon and I went and looked at our original scheduling and it looks like funding rounds start at the end of February, possibly in March. And if you're saying there's a possibility ZBA will have their comprehensive permit

[Speaker 4] (1:22:54 - 1:22:56)
you know, completed by 3.30.

[Speaker 4] (1:22:57 - 1:23:01)
Isn't it putting us in risk of not getting funding in this first funding round?

[Speaker 5] (1:23:01 - 1:23:04)
I don't know. So maybe I can just go back a little bit more.

[Speaker 5] (1:23:04 - 1:23:08)
We have been working sort of in between the ZBA's meetings,

[Speaker 5] (1:23:08 - 1:23:20)
the project team, our town staff as well as our peer reviewers. We have tried to address any kind of outstanding issues that were identified during the ZBA meetings.

[Speaker 4] (1:23:20 - 1:23:20)
Right.

[Speaker 5] (1:23:20 - 1:23:24)
And I feel like coming into the meeting into the January meeting right now.

[Speaker 5] (1:23:24 - 1:23:31)
right now it seems that we're really addressed most of most of the the concerns that the CBA has had.

[Speaker 5] (1:23:32 - 1:23:45)
We just met this past Friday. I felt like we had a great meeting. The the engineering team is providing some of the the additional backup data that was requested. And I'm not sure if you had a discussion with Heather it's

[Speaker 6] (1:23:45 - 1:23:52)
I did had a lengthy discussion with her on Sunday and I don't feel like she did not give me the impression that there was anything.

[Speaker 6] (1:23:52 - 1:24:03)
in um significant holding it up or that there would be any difficulty. I mean she did, we did talk about the culvert and the the relocation and an increase to the water line or the size of the water

[Speaker 5] (1:24:03 - 1:24:04)
Yeah, and that's something

[Speaker 6] (1:24:04 - 1:24:04)
which

[Speaker 5] (1:24:04 - 1:24:04)
else that

[Speaker 6] (1:24:04 - 1:24:10)
is also has also been discussed with with the with Benet um at zoning I believe.

[Speaker 5] (1:24:10 - 1:24:10)
Yep.

[Speaker 6] (1:24:10 - 1:24:18)
So I don't think from you know from me s I spoke to her for a while and she did actually summarise it in an email as well that I did send to to Nick.

[Speaker 6] (1:24:18 - 1:24:23)
Um I don't feel like there are significant things that that zoning is concerned about that would delay it.

[Speaker 4] (1:24:23 - 1:24:25)
Is there anything is there any possibility of

[Speaker 4] (1:24:27 - 1:24:28)
expediting it, getting

[Speaker 6] (1:24:28 - 1:24:28)
That's

[Speaker 4] (1:24:28 - 1:24:28)
it going

[Speaker 6] (1:24:28 - 1:24:29)
what we

[Speaker 4] (1:24:29 - 1:24:29)
a little quicker.

[Speaker 6] (1:24:29 - 1:24:31)
said at the end of this month I believe,

[Speaker 5] (1:24:31 - 1:24:31)
Yes,

[Speaker 6] (1:24:31 - 1:24:31)
right?

[Speaker 5] (1:24:31 - 1:24:39)
but just to let you know, in order to kind of expedite, because that the the meeting or the public hearing should close by February 18th.

[Speaker 5] (1:24:39 - 1:24:52)
And then the the the March deadline is the time for the ZBA to issue its decision. This is a you know a very large project so sometimes writing the decision could take a little while longer.

[Speaker 5] (1:24:53 - 1:25:21)
the chairperson has authorized the consultant that's helping the ZBA to work with the attorney for the developer to really try to get all the facts that as you read the decision there's a lot of sort of like information basic information or project information that has to be included because most of the decisions are several pages long so they already are working or they will work on it to assure that that all of the facts are already in there that both of the parties.

[Speaker 5] (1:25:21 - 1:25:29)
disagree on them and then this way we could expedite the decision the issuance of the decision so then the we could start the the 20

[Speaker 3] (1:25:29 - 1:25:29)
To

[Speaker 5] (1:25:29 - 1:25:29)
-day

[Speaker 3] (1:25:29 - 1:25:34)
comment if you wish on any of this.

[Speaker 3] (1:25:39 - 1:25:40)
Is she here?

[Speaker 7] (1:25:45 - 1:26:01)
So a first of all thank you Nick and Margie for facilitating us being at this meeting and we're grateful for the time you're spending on this and I guess part of it was trying to keep momentum.

[Speaker 7] (1:26:01 - 1:26:04)
We are feeling like this project has a lot of very positive momentum,

[Speaker 7] (1:26:05 - 1:26:07)
not only in the permitting.

[Speaker 7] (1:26:07 - 1:26:15)
process is underway but also on the financing front. So I think Marcy summed it up pretty well tonight.

[Speaker 7] (1:26:17 - 1:26:23)
We are comfortable with the thought of having some, I'm assuming,

[Speaker 7] (1:26:23 - 1:26:26)
a long comprehensive permit.

[Speaker 7] (1:26:27 - 1:26:42)
decision by the ZBA in including a commitment for us to fund up to $100,000 in overruns for this whole work among other conditions that they impose.

[Speaker 7] (1:26:42 - 1:26:49)
It's our preference that our legal agreement with the town is the one that already exists.

[Speaker 7] (1:26:49 - 1:26:51)
Our LDA,

[Speaker 7] (1:26:51 - 1:26:54)
our land development agreement that we have with you,

[Speaker 7] (1:26:54 - 1:26:55)
town of Swansea.

[Speaker 7] (1:26:55 - 1:26:57)
Um, so when they start,

[Speaker 7] (1:26:57 - 1:27:10)
that's our guiding document that they tell. And we are making a lot of progress and working diligently to be able to make this vision for 100% affordable senior veterans housing a reality.

[Speaker 7] (1:27:10 - 1:27:18)
Um, we're grateful for the partnership with the town and also thankful for the opportunity to give you an update tonight.

[Speaker 7] (1:27:19 - 1:27:19)
So I think...

[Speaker 7] (1:27:20 - 1:27:42)
Exempting this as in timeliness is very important also and we are running the needle a bit because the state funding deadline for this upcoming round I believe is March 13th which means we need to submit a full application including our final approvals with that application.

[Speaker 7] (1:27:43 - 1:27:48)
In December, we submitted a pre-application to the state agency,

[Speaker 7] (1:27:49 - 1:27:49)
DOHLC,

[Speaker 7] (1:27:50 - 1:27:55)
the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and Allocates, the funding that we need.

[Speaker 7] (1:27:56 - 1:28:04)
We have not heard back from the state whether we are eligible or allowed to...

[Speaker 7] (1:28:04 - 1:28:28)
Submitted for application we are acting as if we are going to be able to and then our permits will be in place by then and it's our hope that working with town staff and the town's consultant that we'll hopefully have a pretty good draft decision that the ZBA should make their comfortable could vote on as soon as they go go ahead.

[Speaker 1] (1:28:29 - 1:28:31)
So Holly, to Mary Ellen's question,

[Speaker 1] (1:28:31 - 1:28:41)
is it really critical that you receive a full decision from ZBA before that March,

[Speaker 1] (1:28:41 - 1:28:43)
mid-March date you just gave?

[Speaker 7] (1:28:45 - 1:28:52)
It's my understanding that it's a professional condition to have a stoning in place,

[Speaker 7] (1:28:52 - 1:28:54)
so permits in place and finalized.

[Speaker 7] (1:28:55 - 1:28:59)
So this round for funding is highly competitive.

[Speaker 7] (1:29:00 - 1:29:04)
There are many developments that are proposed across the state for affordable housing.

[Speaker 7] (1:29:04 - 1:29:05)
So we're competing.

[Speaker 7] (1:29:05 - 1:29:13)
We think we have done a great project and readiness to proceed is a strong criteria for the state.

[Speaker 7] (1:29:13 - 1:29:18)
So the ability to prove that we have our comprehensive plan in place,

[Speaker 7] (1:29:18 - 1:29:19)
the exploration of all...

[Speaker 1] (1:29:20 - 1:29:22)
and a final visit to town clerk,

[Speaker 1] (1:29:22 - 1:29:24)
I believe those are the steps,

[Speaker 1] (1:29:24 - 1:29:32)
is important for the state to see so that when we get the financing allocated to us we can close and begin construction as soon as possible.

[Speaker 2] (1:29:33 - 1:29:34)
But you don't need all those steps,

[Speaker 2] (1:29:34 - 1:29:37)
the appeal period and all that to be done by March,

[Speaker 2] (1:29:37 - 1:29:38)
mid-March, right?

[Speaker 3] (1:29:38 - 1:29:38)
Yeah

[Speaker 2] (1:29:38 - 1:29:39)
Clearly that's not going to happen.

[Speaker 1] (1:29:40 - 1:29:44)
All right well this has been a very

[Speaker 2] (1:29:44 - 1:29:45)
Am I missing something?

[Speaker 1] (1:29:45 - 1:29:46)
lively conversation.

[Speaker 4] (1:29:46 - 1:29:57)
Well, so it looks like we've got a problem because with the dates that Marcy's giving us and with the dates that Holly's giving us, we're two weeks out.

[Speaker 2] (1:29:57 - 1:29:59)
Sue, go ahead,

[Speaker 5] (1:29:59 - 1:29:59)
It

[Speaker 2] (1:29:59 - 1:29:59)
Holly,

[Speaker 5] (1:29:59 - 1:30:00)
doesn't

[Speaker 2] (1:30:00 - 1:30:00)
on

[Speaker 5] (1:30:00 - 1:30:00)
even come to

[Speaker 2] (1:30:00 - 1:30:00)
the appeals.

[Speaker 5] (1:30:00 - 1:30:00)
two weeks.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:03 - 1:30:07)
All right, I believe Marcy's dates are the outside dates.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:08 - 1:30:15)
We've discussed the possibility of the board making no consideration to have some special meetings outside of our typical monthly meeting schedule.

[Speaker 4] (1:30:15 - 1:30:16)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:16 - 1:30:24)
So we're working with a mix of optimism and pragmatism on this in hopes that we still have a spot.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:25 - 1:30:29)
to compete in this year's funding round for the state.

[Speaker 6] (1:30:29 - 1:30:37)
So, Holly, if you guys are to miss the funding deadline of March 13th, 2026,

[Speaker 6] (1:30:37 - 1:30:40)
when would the next funding round be?

[Speaker 1] (1:30:43 - 1:30:45)
There is a...

[Speaker 1] (1:30:46 - 1:30:48)
It's I don't think it's...

[Speaker 1] (1:30:54 - 1:30:57)
Because we don't have the wooden house eligibility.

[Speaker 6] (1:30:59 - 1:31:00)
Why not?

[Speaker 1] (1:31:00 - 1:31:03)
And the state funding round is a yearly process.

[Speaker 1] (1:31:03 - 1:31:08)
It's either issuing February and a half this year, later this year, March.

[Speaker 1] (1:31:09 - 1:31:14)
The state does sometimes have what they call a high readiness round for special projects that

[Speaker 1] (1:31:15 - 1:31:18)
for one reason or another get invited,

[Speaker 1] (1:31:18 - 1:31:19)
it's really up our hands,

[Speaker 1] (1:31:19 - 1:31:35)
it's really up to the state to invite into any round whether it's the winter round which is the one we're talking about, the 2026 winter round, or any high readiness type rounds that they may at their discretion initiate.

[Speaker 1] (1:31:36 - 1:31:42)
So don't know the answer but the answer could be that it might be here.

[Speaker 6] (1:31:43 - 1:31:53)
Okay, but if in the event that it's not a year there's there's the potential that you could that there could be a round but you would have to be specifically invited just just to be clear

[Speaker 1] (1:31:54 - 1:31:55)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (1:31:57 - 1:31:59)
Do you always have to get invited into these rounds?

[Speaker 1] (1:32:00 - 1:32:02)
The high access room.

[Speaker 4] (1:32:02 - 1:32:02)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:02 - 1:32:08)
Do you see me? So we have to, I mean, the state funding process as a pre-application.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:09 - 1:32:15)
And then as a result of every round, there's a pre-application which is a screening process for the state.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:16 - 1:32:24)
And then as a result of their analysis of the pre-application, we would, you know, developers are invited into the rounds.

[Speaker 4] (1:32:26 - 1:32:37)
So what I'm hearing from Holly is that you're in communication with the ZVA and the ZVA is open to having additional meetings or trying their best to accelerate this whole process.

[Speaker 4] (1:32:37 - 1:32:44)
It doesn't look like there's any major hiccups going on here and that it's just a pretty tight schedule.

[Speaker 4] (1:32:44 - 1:32:45)
Am I right?

[Speaker 2] (1:32:47 - 1:32:52)
Yeah, but I'd like to understand more what the, let's work backward then.

[Speaker 2] (1:32:53 - 1:32:54)
Just to be clear,

[Speaker 4] (1:32:54 - 1:32:54)
Mm

[Speaker 2] (1:32:54 - 1:32:54)
what's

[Speaker 4] (1:32:54 - 1:32:54)
-hmm.

[Speaker 2] (1:32:54 - 1:32:56)
the appeal time frame?

[Speaker 7] (1:32:57 - 1:32:57)
Twenty days.

[Speaker 2] (1:32:57 - 1:32:58)
Twenty days.

[Speaker 7] (1:32:58 - 1:32:59)
So it's a standard.

[Speaker 7] (1:32:59 - 1:33:01)
Once a decision,

[Speaker 7] (1:33:01 - 1:33:05)
once a planning board or zoning board of appeals decision is filed with the town clerk,

[Speaker 7] (1:33:06 - 1:33:08)
it starts a twenty day appeal process,

[Speaker 7] (1:33:08 - 1:33:11)
where during that time the developer

[Speaker 2] (1:33:11 - 1:33:12)
And

[Speaker 7] (1:33:12 - 1:33:12)
cannot

[Speaker 2] (1:33:12 - 1:33:17)
is that from the date of the vote of the CBA or the detailed opinion is made public?

[Speaker 7] (1:33:17 - 1:33:19)
when the opinion is made.

[Speaker 8] (1:33:20 - 1:33:30)
It's filed with the clerk, so it would be most likely the morning after the decision is completed. You know like if the zoning board's detailed decision would be available the morning after the vote?

[Speaker 7] (1:33:31 - 1:33:31)
Well, they're working

[Speaker 4] (1:33:31 - 1:33:32)
No.

[Speaker 7] (1:33:32 - 1:33:32)
on this.

[Speaker 8] (1:33:33 - 1:33:42)
So hold on. I'm I'm saying if they were to approve the final decision that they are currently working on with both the uh attorney for the developer and our consultant

[Speaker 6] (1:33:42 - 1:33:43)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 8] (1:33:43 - 1:33:56)
I'm just saying it wouldn't the the clock starts when it's a filed with the town clerk. That's all I was saying. So whenever they finish, if they vote on it, it wouldn't be at 8.40 or 8.04 on Wednesday night, it would be Thursday morning the clock starts. That's

[Speaker 2] (1:33:56 - 1:33:56)
I know,

[Speaker 8] (1:33:56 - 1:33:56)
the kind of

[Speaker 2] (1:33:56 - 1:34:04)
but isn't it even more than that though, Nick? Uh they vote on whatever, let's say January thirtieth, then they gotta write up the opinion.

[Speaker 2] (1:34:05 - 1:34:05)
Right.

[Speaker 8] (1:34:05 - 1:34:10)
Which is what they're working on now. I understand. Do you think it's going to be ready the next morning? The opinion is going to be completely ready?

[Speaker 8] (1:34:10 - 1:34:13)
They're voting on 100% the opinion is completely?

[Speaker 7] (1:34:14 - 1:34:27)
It could be fairly, fairly quick because we already identified the sort of contingencies or issues that we have had. We have a charge with those items that they could just be plugged into the decision.

[Speaker 7] (1:34:27 - 1:34:31)
But we're really trying to address most of them.

[Speaker 7] (1:34:31 - 1:34:36)
outside of the ZBA process then this way there are there are not a lot of contingencies

[Speaker 2] (1:34:39 - 1:34:39)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:34:40 - 1:34:44)
Alright, so the opinion,

[Speaker 4] (1:34:44 - 1:34:49)
so the expiration for the opinion is 218, that's what you're saying?

[Speaker 7] (1:34:50 - 1:34:55)
The 218 is the end of the public

[Speaker 8] (1:34:55 - 1:34:55)
They're not even days.

[Speaker 7] (1:34:55 - 1:35:01)
meeting process. So we have 180 days for the ZBA to open the meeting and to close the meeting.

[Speaker 7] (1:35:02 - 1:35:04)
So ZBA has to, by statute,

[Speaker 7] (1:35:04 - 1:35:10)
has to close their public process, a public comment period and the public meeting by February 18.

[Speaker 8] (1:35:10 - 1:35:11)
But they could do it earlier. No later

[Speaker 7] (1:35:11 - 1:35:11)
They can do

[Speaker 8] (1:35:11 - 1:35:12)
than that,

[Speaker 7] (1:35:12 - 1:35:12)
it earlier.

[Speaker 8] (1:35:12 - 1:35:13)
correct? They can do it earlier.

[Speaker 7] (1:35:13 - 1:35:16)
Yes, yeah, so that would be 118 days right now.

[Speaker 7] (1:35:16 - 1:35:22)
180 days is on 218 based on when when the

[Speaker 4] (1:35:22 - 1:35:28)
Has Heather said, has Heather said anything like we're looking like we're going to be able to finish this on 1-15?

[Speaker 8] (1:35:28 - 1:35:35)
So I would I don't I don't have an answer to that, but I would caution that this is well within the control of the ZBA. So these

[Speaker 7] (1:35:35 - 1:35:35)
Okay.

[Speaker 8] (1:35:35 - 1:35:37)
are sort of questions that we can be asking,

[Speaker 8] (1:35:37 - 1:35:39)
but it's their responsibility

[Speaker 2] (1:35:39 - 1:35:39)
Oh,

[Speaker 8] (1:35:39 - 1:35:39)
and

[Speaker 2] (1:35:39 - 1:35:39)
sure.

[Speaker 8] (1:35:39 - 1:35:40)
right to do what they would like.

[Speaker 2] (1:35:40 - 1:35:41)
Yeah.

[Speaker 8] (1:35:41 - 1:35:45)
I think they've been very good partners in helping us to prioritize and identify.

[Speaker 8] (1:35:44 - 1:35:53)
identify issues that they would like addressed, and that's what we've been working on. I just want to make sure that we all recognise that this is part of what, you know, they do on behalf of the town.

[Speaker 4] (1:35:53 - 1:36:03)
Yeah, but what we do on behalf the town also is making sure project gets done. So that's why I'm trying to really understand the timeline so that everybody else who's watching this can understand the timeline

[Speaker 2] (1:36:03 - 1:36:03)
Exactly.

[Speaker 4] (1:36:03 - 1:36:06)
and what I'm hearing is it's a tight timeline.

[Speaker 2] (1:36:06 - 1:36:06)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (1:36:06 - 1:36:18)
And I just want to have you know of course I appreciate the ZBA, that's a very hard-working committee, very very hard-working committee. Um I just want to have a a pretty good idea, I don't want to be

[Speaker 7] (1:36:19 - 1:36:20)
So I just want to say

[Speaker 7] (1:36:20 - 1:36:23)
I am happy to reach out to Heather again and talk to her.

[Speaker 4] (1:36:23 - 1:36:24)
That'd be great.

[Speaker 7] (1:36:24 - 1:36:28)
As Nick, I'm sure you will as well to help facilitate.

[Speaker 7] (1:36:28 - 1:36:35)
I really do think she's been a great partner and so has the whole ZBA. I don't have any concerns about it.

[Speaker 7] (1:36:35 - 1:36:36)
I spoke to her on Sunday,

[Speaker 7] (1:36:36 - 1:36:36)
as I said.

[Speaker 7] (1:36:37 - 1:36:47)
As Marzi has also concurred, I don't anticipate. I will remind her of the deadlines and I'm sure she's well aware,

[Speaker 7] (1:36:47 - 1:36:49)
but I will certainly remind her of the

[Speaker 7] (1:36:49 - 1:36:51)
of the deadlines that B'nai is facing,

[Speaker 7] (1:36:51 - 1:36:55)
and you know, uh this has been uh a long process.

[Speaker 7] (1:36:55 - 1:37:15)
We know clearly what what our directive was, you know, from special town meeting. I don't want this to turn into a political issue, right. This is something that's been decided, a project that we're moving forward with. Um and really we're all on the same page. So I don't I don't see the need to make it um adversarial. I don't think it is. And I just

[Speaker 8] (1:37:15 - 1:37:15)
Yeah,

[Speaker 7] (1:37:15 - 1:37:15)
want to

[Speaker 8] (1:37:15 - 1:37:15)
I've

[Speaker 7] (1:37:15 - 1:37:16)
iron that out and make sure that

[Speaker 7] (1:37:16 - 1:37:31)
that there aren't any hiccups she was very good about letting us know what they were um concerned with and it was you know very fair stuff and I I really feel like she will come through and that the ZBA will come through and do what they need to do and do their due diligence that they're required

[Speaker 2] (1:37:31 - 1:37:32)
I don't

[Speaker 7] (1:37:32 - 1:37:32)
to

[Speaker 2] (1:37:32 - 1:37:32)
think there's

[Speaker 7] (1:37:32 - 1:37:32)
do.

[Speaker 2] (1:37:32 - 1:37:41)
any issue with that, Danielle, whatsoever. I think just the n the dates that were presented in you know in in a couple of our minds made it start to seem as though we had an issue and so we're just trying to clarify that.

[Speaker 7] (1:37:41 - 1:37:42)
Yeah and

[Speaker 2] (1:37:42 - 1:37:42)
That's it.

[Speaker 7] (1:37:42 - 1:37:43)
that's why I'm saying it publicly.

[Speaker 7] (1:37:43 - 1:37:45)
because I want to do the same thing so

[Speaker 8] (1:37:45 - 1:38:04)
Um, so if it's okay I'd like to return to the actual issue here. Um, so I I'm still a little bit confused about why a major expense about moving the culvert is something that wasn't addressed in the LDA.

[Speaker 8] (1:38:05 - 1:38:16)
Like, I mean, what would we have done if we couldn't have gotten a $750,000 grant to pay for this? I mean, it's great that we did, but it's it's I mean, we we knew this had to happen. I'm a little

[Speaker 8] (1:38:17 - 1:38:18)
Confused about that

[Speaker 7] (1:38:18 - 1:38:28)
Well, this is a project cost. The good part is that the Commonwealth has several programs that assist communities with infrastructures, and especially,

[Speaker 7] (1:38:28 - 1:38:39)
as you know, that the Commonwealth has, I don't want to say, you know, like not incentivizes, but really encourages communities to build affordable housing.

[Speaker 7] (1:38:39 - 1:38:41)
We all know that we need affordable housing.

[Speaker 7] (1:38:41 - 1:38:43)
There are grant programs that assist.

[Speaker 7] (1:38:44 - 1:38:50)
communities to each of those goals and one of the the grant programs is the one-stop and

[Speaker 8] (1:38:50 - 1:38:50)
Sure.

[Speaker 7] (1:38:50 - 1:39:10)
that really assist with infrastructure improvements and the abilities to you know to build affordable housing or just improve the the conditions the housing conditions within the Commonwealth for us this was a program that you know is available to to the community so

[Speaker 7] (1:39:11 - 1:39:14)
when the round of funding was available.

[Speaker 1] (1:39:35 - 1:39:53)
the town the select what all of you have been amazing to work with the developer I think that you know in the you know spirit in the collaboration of creating affordable housing this was a grant that was available and you know luckily we were funded so now we can you know move

[Speaker 2] (1:39:53 - 1:39:54)
That's the point

[Speaker 1] (1:39:54 - 1:39:54)
forward though right with the project

[Speaker 2] (1:39:54 - 1:39:56)
there Marcy. Locally.

[Speaker 3] (1:39:56 - 1:39:57)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (1:39:57 - 1:39:59)
That that's what I don't I don't get.

[Speaker 2] (1:39:59 - 1:40:00)
Still I I understand

[Speaker 3] (1:40:00 - 1:40:01)
At a minimum.

[Speaker 2] (1:40:01 - 1:40:01)
all that.

[Speaker 2] (1:40:01 - 1:40:03)
That's all wonderful, but

[Speaker 2] (1:40:05 - 1:40:08)
is was it a it's not a surprise that we had to move the culvert, right?

[Speaker 2] (1:40:09 - 1:40:13)
So I don't understand how like or did we always just assume that we'd get the one stop

[Speaker 4] (1:40:13 - 1:40:15)
I think the one distinction I just want to highlight,

[Speaker 4] (1:40:16 - 1:40:23)
I wasn't a part of it, but that Marzi identified in the beginning was the original footprint of the project within the site was different than it is now.

[Speaker 2] (1:40:23 - 1:40:27)
Yeah, but we approved the footprint that it is now

[Speaker 2] (1:40:28 - 1:40:34)
with the LDA so it wasn't like that was yes that was two steps ago

[Speaker 4] (1:40:34 - 1:40:42)
And I understand your concern with the fact that we did move forward without it. I think for the purposes of this evening, if possible,

[Speaker 4] (1:40:42 - 1:40:53)
we did get it. It is an opportunity for us to make sure that when we're looking at anything that comes down the pike in the future that it's incumbent upon me and the staff that's here obviously, but me is.

[Speaker 4] (1:40:54 - 1:41:02)
The person that's responsible for them that we are taking into account all of these things so that we're not having a discussion of where we have an LDA we didn't get the grant what do we do now.

[Speaker 4] (1:41:03 - 1:41:13)
In this particular case I don't know how far down the road we can go with the three parties that are here me being ignorant to it and even the folks from the development team.

[Speaker 4] (1:41:13 - 1:41:23)
We did get it. In this case, we have the money to do it and we will make sure that in the future we are not moving forward without addressing it in the LDA or understanding where that funding would come from.

[Speaker 4] (1:41:23 - 1:41:24)
I just,

[Speaker 4] (1:41:24 - 1:41:26)
I'm not sure what information we can provide to you.

[Speaker 4] (1:41:27 - 1:41:30)
It would give satisfaction to the question I guess is

[Speaker 2] (1:41:30 - 1:41:33)
Well, okay, but it doesn't mean I can't ask the question. I mean it's a huge

[Speaker 5] (1:41:33 - 1:41:34)
I

[Speaker 2] (1:41:34 - 1:41:34)
expense

[Speaker 5] (1:41:34 - 1:41:34)
didn't

[Speaker 2] (1:41:34 - 1:41:39)
and a major piece of the project that it's making me scratch my head a little bit like how did we miss this?

[Speaker 4] (1:41:40 - 1:41:40)
Right.

[Speaker 5] (1:41:40 - 1:41:45)
I think that's the key. It's it's us. It's on us that we missed it right because it's not on Nick certainly wasn't

[Speaker 2] (1:41:45 - 1:41:45)
No,

[Speaker 5] (1:41:45 - 1:41:46)
here.

[Speaker 2] (1:41:46 - 1:41:46)
I wasn't

[Speaker 5] (1:41:46 - 1:41:53)
I so I it kind of that is a good point. What what did we miss right? I think we were so concerned with getting the project moving that

[Speaker 5] (1:41:53 - 1:41:56)
that did we miss or did the design just get changed?

[Speaker 2] (1:41:57 - 1:41:57)
But we

[Speaker 5] (1:41:57 - 1:41:58)
Well,

[Speaker 2] (1:41:58 - 1:41:58)
we

[Speaker 5] (1:41:58 - 1:41:58)
still grow.

[Speaker 2] (1:41:58 - 1:42:01)
approve the design Right. that it is, right? So

[Speaker 1] (1:42:01 - 1:42:01)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 4] (1:42:01 - 1:42:01)
I'm

[Speaker 5] (1:42:01 - 1:42:01)
And maybe

[Speaker 4] (1:42:01 - 1:42:01)
not suggesting

[Speaker 5] (1:42:01 - 1:42:02)
that's

[Speaker 4] (1:42:02 - 1:42:03)
you can't ask the question,

[Speaker 4] (1:42:03 - 1:42:07)
I was just trying to say that I think the answer is a c a way that we can improve our process

[Speaker 5] (1:42:08 - 1:42:08)
Absolutely.

[Speaker 4] (1:42:08 - 1:42:15)
and it's sort of yes and. Like I we did get it, I don't know how you want us to address what we would have done if we didn't.

[Speaker 4] (1:42:16 - 1:42:17)
Because it's not a scenario that

[Speaker 5] (1:42:17 - 1:42:18)
But

[Speaker 4] (1:42:18 - 1:42:18)
we're...

[Speaker 5] (1:42:18 - 1:42:21)
we definitely have to implement something in the future where that doesn't happen,

[Speaker 5] (1:42:21 - 1:42:21)
right?

[Speaker 6] (1:42:21 - 1:42:22)
But Marcy,

[Speaker 6] (1:42:22 - 1:42:30)
there was a similar project, I believe, right around the corner on Boynton, I believe, that did qualify for grants.

[Speaker 6] (1:42:31 - 1:42:35)
I think there was grant work for water

[Speaker 5] (1:42:35 - 1:42:35)
Boynton?

[Speaker 6] (1:42:35 - 1:42:38)
sewer infrastructure improvements there as well.

[Speaker 5] (1:42:38 - 1:42:39)
No, the Boynton place,

[Speaker 5] (1:42:39 - 1:42:40)
the...

[Speaker 2] (1:42:40 - 1:42:41)
Good bye to the

[Speaker 2] (1:42:41 - 1:42:42)
The grant didn't get it.

[Speaker 6] (1:42:42 - 1:42:44)
We did not get it.

[Speaker 2] (1:42:44 - 1:42:45)
We did not get that one.

[Speaker 6] (1:42:45 - 1:42:46)
Okay. Okay.

[Speaker 2] (1:42:46 - 1:42:46)
Oh.

[Speaker 2] (1:42:47 - 1:42:47)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (1:42:47 - 1:42:58)
There's another round of funding that we already started to discuss to try to secure funding to work on the water lines within the neighborhood to really support,

[Speaker 1] (1:42:58 - 1:42:59)
like, you

[Speaker 5] (1:42:59 - 1:42:59)
To

[Speaker 1] (1:42:59 - 1:42:59)
know.

[Speaker 5] (1:42:59 - 1:43:00)
increase the size of

[Speaker 1] (1:43:00 - 1:43:00)
Exactly,

[Speaker 5] (1:43:00 - 1:43:01)
the water lines.

[Speaker 1] (1:43:01 - 1:43:01)
yes.

[Speaker 5] (1:43:01 - 1:43:01)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 5] (1:43:01 - 1:43:03)
Does that include the Boynton area?

[Speaker 1] (1:43:03 - 1:43:05)
Yes, that would include the entire.

[Speaker 6] (1:43:05 - 1:43:05)
Includes Boynton

[Speaker 5] (1:43:05 - 1:43:05)
So

[Speaker 6] (1:43:05 - 1:43:06)
in that.

[Speaker 5] (1:43:06 - 1:43:07)
we're going to go after those.

[Speaker 1] (1:43:08 - 1:43:08)
I'm sorry?

[Speaker 5] (1:43:08 - 1:43:10)
We're going to go after those grants?

[Speaker 1] (1:43:10 - 1:43:16)
Yes, and that round opens up in later in January. So Gino and I already had started to have discussions.

[Speaker 5] (1:43:16 - 1:43:25)
And that was also a consideration for zoning. They were concerned about that and Heather did express that she discussed that a little bit with Bonet on one of their recent calls.

[Speaker 5] (1:43:28 - 1:43:33)
Am I stating that correctly Bonet? You guys do know you knew about the water line situation,

[Speaker 5] (1:43:33 - 1:43:34)
right?

[Speaker 7] (1:43:36 - 1:43:43)
So the peer reviewers focus on all the infrastructure in the neighborhood and they're not connecting to the development,

[Speaker 7] (1:43:43 - 1:43:44)
so sewer,

[Speaker 7] (1:43:45 - 1:43:45)
water,

[Speaker 7] (1:43:45 - 1:43:46)
culvert,

[Speaker 7] (1:43:46 - 1:43:48)
municipal water has all been under there.

[Speaker 1] (1:43:49 - 1:43:49)
Yep.

[Speaker 7] (1:43:50 - 1:43:57)
Review and very, I'll say very thorough review, they've been very detailed under that.

[Speaker 7] (1:43:58 - 1:44:04)
So we're responding and providing more information and making sure that they and Gino feel comfortable with

[Speaker 5] (1:44:04 - 1:44:05)
Great, thank

[Speaker 7] (1:44:05 - 1:44:06)
our plan.

[Speaker 5] (1:44:07 - 1:44:07)
you

[Speaker 6] (1:44:08 - 1:44:21)
So I you know just just one of my thoughts is I know that grant applications are now coming in front of the select board typically on the consent agenda so we're seeing these as they're being applied for but I think maybe getting a you know

[Speaker 6] (1:44:22 - 1:44:31)
quarterly update or some type of just some type of update as to where that where that's progressing because right now we're seeing that we're applying for them but we're not necessarily seeing

[Speaker 5] (1:44:31 - 1:44:32)
The outcome.

[Speaker 6] (1:44:32 - 1:44:32)
the outcome.

[Speaker 6] (1:44:32 - 1:44:35)
So I think that would be helpful for for me certainly.

[Speaker 1] (1:44:36 - 1:44:38)
Okay. And we'll definitely do that.

[Speaker 1] (1:44:38 - 1:44:44)
We'll do both. You know, obviously we submit some grants that we're very successful with and we share in the success,

[Speaker 1] (1:44:44 - 1:44:50)
but there are quite a few that, you know, we do submit and are not funded, so we'll make sure to update you on both.

[Speaker 5] (1:44:50 - 1:44:50)
Great.

[Speaker 6] (1:44:50 - 1:44:51)
Thank you Marzi.

[Speaker 5] (1:44:57 - 1:44:57)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (1:44:57 - 1:44:58)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (1:44:59 - 1:45:02)
I'd just say I still,

[Speaker 2] (1:45:02 - 1:45:09)
I sure hope it comes in within $850,000 because I'm not really sure what happens if it's any more than that.

[Speaker 2] (1:45:10 - 1:45:15)
But I guess we'll just figure it out at that point if that's an unfortunate situation that happens.

[Speaker 2] (1:45:16 - 1:45:21)
I'm most comforted by the fact that Gino said someone gave an estimate.

[Speaker 2] (1:45:23 - 1:45:24)
Is

[Speaker 2] (1:45:25 - 1:45:33)
I don't know if you literally said this, but my inference was that they're probably going to be a bidder. Um so if they gave an estimate, um then you know maybe that's a good indication that

[Speaker 2] (1:45:34 - 1:45:41)
it'll come in at that amount. Um but if if it doesn't if it comes in higher, I'm not really sure what happens, so hopefully that won't happen.

[Speaker 5] (1:45:41 - 1:45:42)
Deal with it.

[Speaker 2] (1:45:43 - 1:45:44)
Was that?

[Speaker 5] (1:45:44 - 1:45:45)
We'll have to deal with it.

[Speaker 4] (1:45:48 - 1:45:52)
Then that's it for that item unless there's any further discussion, because I said there's no action.

[Speaker 2] (1:45:52 - 1:45:54)
Good thing we didn't have to vote, huh?

[Speaker 4] (1:45:54 - 1:45:58)
Uh thank you to the team from the development team for joining us.

[Speaker 5] (1:45:59 - 1:45:59)
Thank you, Binet.

[Speaker 6] (1:45:59 - 1:46:00)
Thank you.

[Speaker 7] (1:46:00 - 1:46:00)
Thank you.

[Speaker 6] (1:46:00 - 1:46:00)
Thank you.

[Speaker 7] (1:46:00 - 1:46:01)
You're welcome.

[Speaker 6] (1:46:02 - 1:46:02)
Have a good night.

[Speaker 7] (1:46:02 - 1:46:03)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (1:46:05 - 1:46:05)
You voted me, right?

[Speaker 2] (1:46:07 - 1:46:09)
All right, the next item is review, discuss,

[Speaker 2] (1:46:09 - 1:46:12)
and potentially vote on special municipal employee designations.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:13 - 1:46:20)
So the discussion around special municipal employees came up when we initially looked at adding Mr.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:20 - 1:46:21)
Schutzer,

[Speaker 2] (1:46:21 - 1:46:21)
Schutzer.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:21 - 1:46:22)
Schutzer,

[Speaker 4] (1:46:22 - 1:46:23)
Schutzer, I don't want to say that correctly,

[Speaker 4] (1:46:24 - 1:46:25)
to the Housing Authority.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:26 - 1:46:29)
There has been back and forth discussion with our council.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:29 - 1:46:36)
In his case, Housing Authority is already sort of handled and dealt with by statute as a special municipal employee.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:36 - 1:46:42)
The reason I left this on the agenda is it was highlighted by KP because we did not have any records anywhere in the clerk's office.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:42 - 1:46:43)
Many communities do.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:43 - 1:46:45)
Where the select board as a policy decision,

[Speaker 4] (1:46:46 - 1:46:54)
you're under no obligation to do this, will designate a number of committees as special municipal employees because of the expertise and the professional.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:54 - 1:46:56)
experience that their membership normally entails.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:57 - 1:47:09)
The reason for doing a specially municipal employee is that it is a little more flexible on the conflict laws. It still is required that they are disclosed, but it allows someone to be representing for a fee before a different town committee,

[Speaker 4] (1:47:10 - 1:47:16)
you know, a client, which right now they cannot if they are not designated a special municipal employee.

[Speaker 4] (1:47:17 - 1:47:23)
These special employees, I'm just going to say special employees because it's easier for me to get it out. These special employees are not designated by individual,

[Speaker 4] (1:47:23 - 1:47:24)
which was the original

[Speaker 4] (1:47:24 - 1:47:30)
Original thought from the Housing Authority folks when we had Mr. Schutzer. They are by role or position or committee.

[Speaker 4] (1:47:30 - 1:47:38)
And so the idea um of putting this before you was if you were interested in it um looking at um

[Speaker 4] (1:47:39 - 1:47:40)
Planning, conservation,

[Speaker 4] (1:47:41 - 1:47:42)
ZBA to start,

[Speaker 4] (1:47:42 - 1:47:55)
we could always come back with others in the future, but those are ones where there's generally folks that are professionals in the field that serve in their community and may occasionally also represent as a matter of course of their, in the course of their business represent

[Speaker 4] (1:47:57 - 1:48:00)
clients before you know other municipalities or even here.

[Speaker 4] (1:48:00 - 1:48:05)
As of right now they would need to recuse themselves and not work with those clients within their business.

[Speaker 4] (1:48:05 - 1:48:09)
This would be an opportunity to allow them to do it. It is still required that they disclose.

[Speaker 4] (1:48:09 - 1:48:21)
It just gives them a little more flexibility and allows our the community to leverage their experience and expertise that they've developed professionally on these volunteer elected or appointed boards.

[Speaker 6] (1:48:21 - 1:48:26)
Have we received any other requests from members of these, from sitting members or?

[Speaker 6] (1:48:26 - 1:48:29)
or applicants of these committees to be designated as

[Speaker 4] (1:48:29 - 1:48:30)
No.

[Speaker 6] (1:48:30 - 1:48:30)
such?

[Speaker 4] (1:48:30 - 1:48:46)
Today we have not. The idea in talking to KP was that we are trying to avoid potential issues in the future if there were a vacancy or if there is someone that wants to run or if there is someone that wants to be appointed and they work professionally in the field and work with municipalities on a regular basis,

[Speaker 4] (1:48:46 - 1:48:54)
it's sort of belt and suspenders to prepare for the future and we would also keep this on record in the clerk's office because in all honesty it could be something that was done.

[Speaker 4] (1:48:54 - 1:49:01)
done 35 years ago, and the record just w mic looked high am I to try and avoid even having to do this.

[Speaker 6] (1:49:01 - 1:49:01)
Yep.

[Speaker 4] (1:49:01 - 1:49:09)
Um so that was sort of where we are right now. It's the idea that we are avoiding these uh potential issues in the future and also hopefully broadening the field of residents

[Speaker 1] (1:49:16 - 1:49:20)
So two separate camps right so just to recap.

[Speaker 1] (1:49:21 - 1:49:25)
Mr. Schutzer, for the Housing Authority that's already categorized,

[Speaker 2] (1:49:25 - 1:49:26)
It is,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:26 - 1:49:26)
is is

[Speaker 2] (1:49:26 - 1:49:26)
already okay.

[Speaker 1] (1:49:26 - 1:49:32)
that already okay, so it's in the consent agenda. We're not really dealing with that on this agenda item.

[Speaker 2] (1:49:32 - 1:49:32)
Correct.

[Speaker 1] (1:49:32 - 1:49:39)
Um, what we are dealing with here is the recommendation to uh add the Board of Assessors, Board of Health,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:39 - 1:49:40)
ZBA,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:40 - 1:49:41)
CPC,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:41 - 1:49:45)
Capital Improvement Committee, Recreation Committee. Those were that was the exhaustive list he put

[Speaker 2] (1:49:45 - 1:49:45)
Historic

[Speaker 1] (1:49:45 - 1:49:45)
together.

[Speaker 2] (1:49:45 - 1:49:46)
or commission,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:46 - 1:49:48)
historic district commission, the

[Speaker 1] (1:49:47 - 1:49:50)
to also be added as special municipal employees.

[Speaker 1] (1:49:50 - 1:49:50)
Correct.

[Speaker 1] (1:49:50 - 1:49:51)
And

[Speaker 3] (1:49:51 - 1:49:51)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (1:49:51 - 1:49:54)
it is your policy decision to make, we don't need to do this tonight.

[Speaker 1] (1:49:55 - 1:50:02)
It was something that as a best practice would put us in a position to allow future volunteers to be appointed or to be elected to those roles.

[Speaker 3] (1:50:02 - 1:50:06)
And you and your recommendation would be aligned with Tom McGinnis?

[Speaker 1] (1:50:06 - 1:50:13)
Yes. And make sure that we have the record available so that going forward we can immediately point to it and say this action was taken on January 7th.

[Speaker 1] (1:50:13 - 1:50:18)
They were designated, and as such they have this, you know, additional flexibility to be able to serve.

[Speaker 3] (1:50:20 - 1:50:21)
I'm I'm

[Speaker 4] (1:50:21 - 1:50:21)
Pate?

[Speaker 3] (1:50:21 - 1:50:25)
fine I'm I'm fine to move forward and and and follow the recommendation of

[Speaker 4] (1:50:25 - 1:50:25)
Shall I teach

[Speaker 3] (1:50:25 - 1:50:25)
Casey.

[Speaker 4] (1:50:25 - 1:50:26)
it as a motion?

[Speaker 3] (1:50:26 - 1:50:26)
Yes.

[Speaker 5] (1:50:27 - 1:50:27)
Second.

[Speaker 4] (1:50:28 - 1:50:29)
Alright, any other discussion?

[Speaker 4] (1:50:32 - 1:50:33)
Okay, all in favour?

[Speaker 3] (1:50:33 - 1:50:33)
Aye.

[Speaker 5] (1:50:33 - 1:50:33)
Aye.

[Speaker 4] (1:50:33 - 1:50:33)
Aye.

[Speaker 1] (1:50:35 - 1:50:38)
Okay, fantastic. The next item, I believe, is the

[Speaker 1] (1:50:39 - 1:50:41)
um potential legal services

[Speaker 4] (1:50:41 - 1:50:41)
Yes it is.

[Speaker 1] (1:50:41 - 1:51:00)
so I've had this as with um solid waste is outside of procurement the 30B strictures so you can have discussions in advance. I spoken to two firms to see if there would be capacity to apply if we were to you know go through some sort of a formal process that would

[Speaker 1] (1:51:00 - 1:51:05)
Definitely reflect and mirror the RFP, but it is not actually, you know, a normal 30B procurement.

[Speaker 1] (1:51:06 - 1:51:16)
There was interest from both of them. I also alerted Tom that we had this discussion, just so KP was also aware that it's at least something that has been discussed at the end of the last board meeting and is being discussed in more detail tonight.

[Speaker 1] (1:51:18 - 1:51:23)
The recommendation for me and sort of the detail I wanted to share with you all was if we were going to move forward,

[Speaker 1] (1:51:23 - 1:51:27)
I would like to put together an RFP that I can share with the group for feedback.

[Speaker 1] (1:51:27 - 1:51:31)
We can discuss it in the future if you'd like.

[Speaker 1] (1:51:32 - 1:51:41)
That process would ask for sort of the service proposal and the price proposal. We would look at their qualifications or their request for qualifications and a price proposal.

[Speaker 1] (1:51:42 - 1:52:01)
The request for qualifications would be the basis for an interview interview process that in my mind happy to take guidance from you all but would be two rounds one is a handful of department heads and hopefully the moderator and a couple of chairs would be ideally a way that we would do this so that there are multiple points of view into it in that first round

[Speaker 1] (1:52:02 - 1:52:07)
we would then come to you all with a recommendation if there were five respondents we might narrow it if there's only three respondents

[Speaker 1] (1:52:08 - 1:52:31)
We might have all three come before you, but that first round of interviews would be something that, you know, in my experience when we did this in Milton that ran about ninety minutes each as opposed to a pretty tight fifty to sixty that the select board did with with each respondent, and it allowed for a pretty frank discussion, you know, from the ZBA. Heather might say these are things that we do, this is how we operate with outside consultants or with attorneys on the board.

[Speaker 1] (1:52:32 - 1:52:34)
It it really helped that process forward.

[Speaker 1] (1:52:34 - 1:52:43)
Um and we were able to put forward a recommendation to the board that was informed not just by the request for qualifications but but by that that discussion as well.

[Speaker 1] (1:52:43 - 1:52:58)
We would then move to a process where you all would interview, as I said, you know, two, three, four depending on what we have, um final respondents so that you all could weigh in, uh have a public interview with them and ultimately make the decision on who you would like to appoint as town council.

[Speaker 1] (1:53:00 - 1:53:02)
So that would be the way I would like to do it.

[Speaker 1] (1:53:03 - 1:53:16)
I want to be explicit by having this discussion that you are all on board with the idea that we're exploring it. It may mean that we end up with who we have. It might be that you talk to a number of firms and who we have now is who we want.

[Speaker 1] (1:53:16 - 1:53:18)
It might be that there's someone else.

[Speaker 1] (1:53:18 - 1:53:24)
But what I didn't want was to not have this discussion and then get to the point that we have three people in front of you and everyone's like,

[Speaker 1] (1:53:24 - 1:53:25)
well,

[Speaker 1] (1:53:25 - 1:53:28)
you know, we have a great experience. Why do we have these other two firms in here?

[Speaker 1] (1:53:28 - 1:53:44)
I just want everyone to understand that we're moving forward with this and eyes wide open that this is the path we intend to take and the next step if we choose to do this would be to draft that request for qualifications and price proposal which would basically mirror an RFP that we would put together.

[Speaker 4] (1:53:44 - 1:53:45)
That sounds

[Speaker 3] (1:53:45 - 1:53:46)
Um

[Speaker 6] (1:53:46 - 1:53:47)
Sounds good to

[Speaker 4] (1:53:47 - 1:53:47)
That

[Speaker 6] (1:53:47 - 1:53:47)
me.

[Speaker 4] (1:53:47 - 1:53:47)
sounds good.

[Speaker 3] (1:53:47 - 1:53:47)
for yup.

[Speaker 1] (1:53:47 - 1:53:49)
And just the last thing I'll add to

[Speaker 4] (1:53:49 - 1:53:50)
Do

[Speaker 1] (1:53:50 - 1:53:50)
that,

[Speaker 4] (1:53:50 - 1:53:51)
we want to vote for for prosterity's

[Speaker 1] (1:53:51 - 1:53:52)
that

[Speaker 4] (1:53:52 - 1:53:52)
sake?

[Speaker 1] (1:53:52 - 1:54:10)
would be I wouldn't I wouldn't mind a vote. Um the last thing I'll say is that, you know, I've talked to a handful of moderate or administrators in this area and I'm also looking at the Mass Municipal Association and we'll send it to a couple of other firms or reach out to other firms rather that represent multiple towns just so we're not looking at

[Speaker 1] (1:54:10 - 1:54:15)
Looking at sort of the sole practitioner model, but one that has expertise in land use and you know

[Speaker 4] (1:54:15 - 1:54:15)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (1:54:15 - 1:54:25)
um contracts and the like so that we're getting whether it is a large firm or smaller firm, we're getting sort of everything together as opposed to a single individual that does it, which is the case in a few communities nearby.

[Speaker 3] (1:54:26 - 1:54:40)
Yeah, motion. So motion to uh to accept the recommendation of the County Administrator to put together uh an RFQ uh for further discussion um asking for service and a price proposal for um

[Speaker 7] (1:54:40 - 1:54:40)
Second.

[Speaker 3] (1:54:40 - 1:54:41)
town legal services.

[Speaker 7] (1:54:42 - 1:54:42)
Second

[Speaker 4] (1:54:44 - 1:54:46)
Any other discussion? All in favour?

[Speaker 3] (1:54:46 - 1:54:46)
Aye.

[Speaker 7] (1:54:46 - 1:54:46)
I

[Speaker 4] (1:54:46 - 1:54:46)
Aye.

[Speaker 7] (1:54:46 - 1:54:46)
aye

[Speaker 1] (1:54:48 - 1:54:49)
Okay, thank you very much.

[Speaker 4] (1:54:50 - 1:54:56)
Um did you want to sit was there anything more on controlling legal expenses that you wanted to say or that's all part of this?

[Speaker 1] (1:54:56 - 1:54:58)
I that would be built into the price proposal, I think.

[Speaker 4] (1:54:58 - 1:54:58)
Oh yeah.

[Speaker 1] (1:54:58 - 1:54:58)
All right.

[Speaker 4] (1:54:58 - 1:55:02)
I didn't know if you had any short-term things you were going to suggest. But okay, all right.

[Speaker 1] (1:55:03 - 1:55:13)
I spoke to I can speak to them again. I spoke to them but I am making sure the department heads go through me and Tom is making sure if they don't go through me that it comes back through me. So

[Speaker 4] (1:55:13 - 1:55:14)
Mm.

[Speaker 1] (1:55:14 - 1:55:14)
um

[Speaker 8] (1:55:15 - 1:55:15)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:55:15 - 1:55:16)
I So think we have

[Speaker 1] (1:55:16 - 1:55:24)
I'm not asking you I know I think we have a good handle on what's coming and going the idea that we need to narrow the spend is something that we all understand and we'll work towards.

[Speaker 4] (1:55:27 - 1:55:27)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:55:27 - 1:55:27)
Next

[Speaker 3] (1:55:27 - 1:55:28)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:55:28 - 1:55:35)
item discussion possible vote approving the current language of h3917 recreational land tax treatment

[Speaker 1] (1:55:35 - 1:55:36)
And this was the,

[Speaker 4] (1:55:36 - 1:55:36)
Let's

[Speaker 1] (1:55:36 - 1:55:37)
correct,

[Speaker 4] (1:55:37 - 1:55:38)
use the golf course

[Speaker 1] (1:55:38 - 1:55:41)
the home rule work that was done at town meeting prior to my arrival.

[Speaker 1] (1:55:41 - 1:55:45)
It is now in the committee for the third reading, I believe, in the legislature.

[Speaker 1] (1:55:47 - 1:56:04)
And we heard from Representative Armini's office that because of the way it was drafted and the way the vote was taken, they would just like a vote attested to by the board, you know, with the raised stamp from Mike down in the clerk's office sent to them so that everyone,

[Speaker 1] (1:56:04 - 1:56:12)
it's a procedural move that's being requested by this committee and the legislature to make sure that this bill can continue to move forward. There's no.

[Speaker 1] (1:56:13 - 1:56:19)
substantive change that has been made they just were not as happy with the drafting as they could have been I guess in the council's office I

[Speaker 4] (1:56:19 - 1:56:22)
So there's no, there was no substantive change in the,

[Speaker 1] (1:56:22 - 1:56:23)
don't believe so

[Speaker 4] (1:56:23 - 1:56:23)
okay.

[Speaker 1] (1:56:23 - 1:56:23)
and

[Speaker 9] (1:56:23 - 1:56:26)
Well, there can't be because it was voted at town meeting,

[Speaker 9] (1:56:26 - 1:56:27)
so it can't.

[Speaker 1] (1:56:27 - 1:56:42)
if there had in a more perfectly drafted document there would have been wording in there that says any substantive change can be approved by the board they feel like we're not even that's not the question it's not a substantive change they want

[Speaker 1] (1:56:41 - 1:56:48)
They want to make sure that the board is on the way it was drafted they do they don't have comfort that the board is behind the

[Speaker 4] (1:56:48 - 1:56:48)
Okay. Just

[Speaker 1] (1:56:48 - 1:56:48)
decision.

[Speaker 4] (1:56:48 - 1:56:50)
putting our stamp of approval.

[Speaker 1] (1:56:50 - 1:56:51)
Correct.

[Speaker 4] (1:56:51 - 1:56:51)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:56:52 - 1:56:53)
Move in motion.

[Speaker 3] (1:56:53 - 1:56:54)
So moved.

[Speaker 4] (1:56:54 - 1:56:55)
Second.

[Speaker 9] (1:56:55 - 1:56:56)
Second.

[Speaker 4] (1:56:57 - 1:56:58)
Any other discussion?

[Speaker 4] (1:56:58 - 1:56:59)
All in favor?

[Speaker 3] (1:57:00 - 1:57:00)
Aye.

[Speaker 9] (1:57:00 - 1:57:00)
Aye.

[Speaker 4] (1:57:00 - 1:57:00)
Aye.

[Speaker 1] (1:57:05 - 1:57:08)
Uh so I think you're on the consent agenda now?

[Speaker 3] (1:57:08 - 1:57:08)
Yes, we are.

[Speaker 9] (1:57:08 - 1:57:11)
Oh, can you just pull the minutes and put them on for the next meeting?

[Speaker 3] (1:57:12 - 1:57:13)
Sure.

[Speaker 9] (1:57:18 - 1:57:22)
And can you also just make it really clear, because we did receive an email,

[Speaker 9] (1:57:22 - 1:57:31)
um prior to walking in here, about the issue of whether or not we have to vote for vote as a um a roll call vote.

[Speaker 1] (1:57:32 - 1:57:59)
So I if I understood the question correctly that was raised it was whether or not it needed to be done with the housing authority so what I did was I talked to the chair of the housing authority but I also talked the executive director Kevin Johnson to find out as you can see in the email that was sent there is a qualifier there that if the board the select board is not timely notified in writing that the select board can vote and appoint alone they do not need to do a joint meeting with the housing authority

[Speaker 1] (1:58:00 - 1:58:13)
The executive director of the Housing Authority does not recall ever in writing timely notifying the select board and the chair has said the same thing that according to the executive director it's been vacant for quite a while.

[Speaker 1] (1:58:13 - 1:58:24)
There was no movement on this until late November, December I believe, when the discussion started happening that we had both a tenant representative that was qualified and interested and Mr. Schutzer as well.

[Speaker 1] (1:58:24 - 1:58:26)
And so because we missed that 30 day window,

[Speaker 1] (1:58:26 - 1:58:36)
you all are able to make the appointment legally on your own, and they will be happy to accept Mr. Schutzer and the new tenant representative, so they have a full complement on the housing authority moving forward.

[Speaker 3] (1:58:37 - 1:58:41)
And in all fairness, the Housing Authority at their last two meetings have

[Speaker 3] (1:58:40 - 1:59:00)
have uh have affirmed that decision. I spoke with Mr Patsios, the chair of the uh the Housing Authority uh this evening for this meeting. And he did he said yes, we're in full support of Ms Russo, who we've already appointed, and and Mr Schutzer, there's been no re-consideration or anything, so they're they're happy with uh with us moving forward.

[Speaker 1] (1:59:00 - 1:59:00)
And

[Speaker 3] (1:59:00 - 1:59:01)
Uh

[Speaker 1] (1:59:01 - 1:59:04)
he indicated the same, but to directly to the question that was raised this evening.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:18 - 1:59:18)
Great.

[Speaker 3] (1:59:19 - 1:59:19)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:19 - 1:59:21)
Motion to approve the consent agenda.

[Speaker 3] (1:59:22 - 1:59:23)
Second. As amended.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:23 - 1:59:24)
As amended.

[Speaker 1] (1:59:26 - 1:59:27)
Uh, all in

[Speaker 13] (1:59:27 - 1:59:27)
favour?

[Speaker 2] (1:59:27 - 1:59:27)
Aye.

[Speaker 4] (1:59:27 - 1:59:28)
I think we are.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:28 - 1:59:28)
Aye.

[Speaker 1] (1:59:31 - 1:59:31)
Select board time.

[Speaker 1] (1:59:37 - 1:59:40)
Taking note of the fact that we are now at two hours, just

[Speaker 4] (1:59:40 - 1:59:41)
To the right.

[Speaker 1] (1:59:41 - 1:59:41)
record.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:41 - 1:59:42)
Good job, bud.

[Speaker 3] (1:59:44 - 1:59:45)
Twelve minutes.

[Speaker 1] (1:59:47 - 1:59:48)
Twelve minutes.

[Speaker 3] (1:59:48 - 1:59:49)
Is that what it says?

[Speaker 1] (1:59:49 - 1:59:51)
Yeah, it's 8.30. Anyway.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:52 - 1:59:52)
Anything?

[Speaker 3] (1:59:53 - 1:59:54)
I can go first.

[Speaker 3] (1:59:55 - 1:59:57)
I just want to say thank you to Nate Feischen,

[Speaker 3] (1:59:57 - 1:59:59)
Danielle Polinsky,

[Speaker 3] (1:59:59 - 2:00:08)
Joe Dullet for televising the meeting tonight and I also would like to congratulate the chair of the planning board,

[Speaker 3] (2:00:08 - 2:00:11)
Ted Dooley and his family,

[Speaker 3] (2:00:11 - 2:00:17)
Nicole Dooley and Jack Dooley. They have a new Dooley.

[Speaker 5] (2:00:17 - 2:00:17)
Mm.

[Speaker 3] (2:00:17 - 2:00:35)
Um, Marrette Dooley, sounds like Mary Dooley. I think she's named after the new Commodore at the yacht club possibly, Mary Webster. But anyway, um it's pretty exciting. Um Marrette Dooley showed up on the fourth in the middle of the afternoon and uh it's always exciting. So

[Speaker 3] (2:00:36 - 2:00:38)
That's uh that's all I have to say tonight.

[Speaker 2] (2:00:41 - 2:00:43)
It's getting very very local. Very.

[Speaker 2] (2:00:44 - 2:00:45)
Uh, anything else?

[Speaker 3] (2:00:45 - 2:00:46)
I don't have anything.

[Speaker 6] (2:00:46 - 2:00:47)
Not today.

[Speaker 3] (2:00:47 - 2:00:48)
Good, no.

[Speaker 2] (2:00:48 - 2:00:49)
All right.

[Speaker 3] (2:00:49 - 2:00:49)
Motion to adjourn.

[Speaker 6] (2:00:49 - 2:00:50)
Second.

[Speaker 2] (2:00:51 - 2:00:51)
All in favor.

[Speaker 6] (2:00:51 - 2:00:51)
Aye.

[Speaker 3] (2:00:51 - 2:00:52)
Aye.

[Speaker 2] (2:00:52 - 2:00:52)
Aye.

[Speaker 6] (2:00:52 - 2:00:52)
Night.