[Speaker 1] (3:15 - 3:17)
Good evening. I'll call the meeting to order.

[Speaker 1] (3:18 - 3:23)
This is select board regular session and executive session on April 15th.

[Speaker 1] (3:23 - 3:26)
We are being recorded and please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.

[Speaker 1] (3:30 - 3:36)
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands,

[Speaker 1] (3:37 - 3:38)
one nation under God,

[Speaker 1] (3:39 - 3:41)
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[Speaker 1] (3:46 - 3:47)
Okay,

[Speaker 1] (3:47 - 3:50)
we will begin with the town administrators report.

[Speaker 2] (3:53 - 3:54)
This Good would be being

[Speaker 3] (3:54 - 3:54)
evening.

[Speaker 2] (3:54 - 3:56)
recorded.

[Speaker 1] (3:56 - 3:58)
I already said it was being recorded,

[Speaker 1] (3:58 - 4:01)
but yes, it is doubly being recorded.

[Speaker 3] (4:02 - 4:02)
Good evening.

[Speaker 3] (4:03 - 4:04)
Just a few updates.

[Speaker 3] (4:04 - 4:05)
First,

[Speaker 3] (4:05 - 4:09)
I wanted to report on the trash RFP. We received two.

[Speaker 3] (4:09 - 4:22)
Proposals that meet the criteria that we laid out, we've developed a list of questions to follow up for each of them. Uh the team that's making the first cut included town staff, uh Gina, myself, um folks from the Solid Waste Advisory Committee,

[Speaker 3] (4:22 - 4:27)
Mary Ellen is their liaison. There was a good discussion, we went for almost two and a half hours the other day,

[Speaker 2] (4:27 - 4:27)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 3] (4:27 - 4:34)
uh just going through each proposal, making sure that we had questions that could be either applied to both or needed to be clarified with one or the other.

[Speaker 3] (4:35 - 4:58)
Um we hope to get those answers back the end of this week, beginning of next. Uh and as of right now I think tentatively we have Tuesday on the books to have another internal meeting. From there we'll be able to get a little more detail, but you can anticipate that we will be coming back to you with more information shortly. Uh quick turnaround is the goal and I think the discussion we had the other day was really useful. Um on the Hawthorne lease, uh it is something that I know we spoke about last week.

[Speaker 3] (4:59 - 5:07)
We are still working with KP to integrate the discussions we've had into a lease, so I anticipate we'd be back before you on the 29th with that for your final review.

[Speaker 3] (5:08 - 5:27)
I had touched base with the proponents today to just explain sort of where we were in time and they understand where we are, but again agreement in principle, it's a question of taking the draft lease that was part of the RFP and then sort of adding in all the other necessary language to make a full lease and it also sort of represents the discussions we've had.

[Speaker 3] (5:27 - 5:35)
on the margins. No huge changes, but we'll walk through them individually with you all on the 29th in advance of that discussion as well.

[Speaker 3] (5:36 - 5:37)
On the Archer Street project,

[Speaker 3] (5:37 - 5:42)
I wanted to give an update here because I know members of the board have heard and some may have visited as well.

[Speaker 3] (5:42 - 5:43)
I had the opportunity on

[Speaker 3] (5:44 - 5:46)
The Monday, the Solid Waste Advisory,

[Speaker 3] (5:46 - 5:51)
Monday afternoon where I stepped out at the end of Solid Waste Advisory to meet with a few of the neighbors,

[Speaker 3] (5:52 - 5:53)
walked the site with them.

[Speaker 3] (5:53 - 6:02)
It was a really good opportunity to hear the concerns directly as opposed to the emails and phone calls that I've had and to sort of engage in a broad discussion about it.

[Speaker 3] (6:02 - 6:03)
In addition,

[Speaker 3] (6:03 - 6:05)
the Conservation Commission, just for everyone's benefit,

[Speaker 3] (6:06 - 6:11)
has noticed a meeting for the 28th where this is one of the items that they will be going over.

[Speaker 3] (6:11 - 6:16)
And that is a virtual meeting will be available obviously online for folks to attend.

[Speaker 3] (6:16 - 6:20)
Construction work is paused at the very least until after the ConCom decision.

[Speaker 3] (6:21 - 6:28)
So there will be no other construction done at this time as we work through this effort to verify information and be able to move forward.

[Speaker 3] (6:29 - 6:37)
Also last week I had the opportunity to meet with the Board of Health for the first time in one of their meetings because they're generally in conflict with this meeting.

[Speaker 3] (6:37 - 6:41)
They had moved to Thursday so I had the opportunity to sit down with them. We talked a lot about regionalization,

[Speaker 3] (6:42 - 6:49)
load balancing as we move forward with a different staffing model compared to the past few years going back to 21 or 22 when we went to two full-time.

[Speaker 3] (6:49 - 7:02)
Uh and it was a really good discussion, um and we also had even George Allen there as well who'll be an incoming member, so it was sort of like having four members there for the one evening and I plan to attend again in the near fut in the near future. I talked to the chair, Gargie Cooper,

[Speaker 3] (7:02 - 7:13)
uh a couple times since and so the idea is that we will look at regionalisation opportunities and see where the load balancing um might be beneficial to to find partners in communities nearby.

[Speaker 3] (7:14 - 7:18)
On the Finance Committee and Capital Improvement Committee,

[Speaker 3] (7:18 - 7:22)
Patrick and I since last Wednesday have met with them twice,

[Speaker 3] (7:22 - 7:23)
I believe, if I'm not mistaken.

[Speaker 3] (7:23 - 7:25)
We've had some really good discussions.

[Speaker 3] (7:25 - 7:30)
It feels like everyone's moving forward towards a conclusion for where we should land for this year.

[Speaker 3] (7:31 - 7:34)
So it's been, you know, a fruitful discussion all around.

[Speaker 3] (7:34 - 7:35)
We had a discussion on...

[Speaker 3] (7:36 - 7:46)
The capital improvement plan as well as the budget and both are on the agenda later tonight as a sort of wide open discussion and entertaining any motions there may be so we can fill you in more then.

[Speaker 3] (7:46 - 7:49)
The things that we've talked about there that I just want to highlight again,

[Speaker 3] (7:50 - 7:54)
places where there's some flux in the numbers on healthcare,

[Speaker 3] (7:54 - 8:03)
changes due to enrollment could have either a positive or negative effect as we get to the end of this month and understand what the census looks like.

[Speaker 3] (8:03 - 8:05)
The ethics tech assessment was preliminary,

[Speaker 3] (8:06 - 8:07)
so that may change up or down again as well.

[Speaker 3] (8:08 - 8:10)
We're hoping to get more clarity as we move forward.

[Speaker 3] (8:12 - 8:14)
The property and liability insurance,

[Speaker 3] (8:14 - 8:19)
we are expecting very close to town meeting as we had last year or even shortly thereafter.

[Speaker 3] (8:20 - 8:22)
The number that we have in there, I believe, is a 9% increase,

[Speaker 3] (8:22 - 8:27)
which was their very conservative estimate, so we're hopeful that that will be even above where we need, but we'll continue to let you know.

[Speaker 3] (8:28 - 8:33)
And then there's obviously the opportunity for state assessments and aid to change, both positively and negatively.

[Speaker 3] (8:34 - 8:35)
We're basing everything on the governor's budget.

[Speaker 3] (8:36 - 8:38)
The House budget was actually announced today.

[Speaker 3] (8:38 - 8:40)
We have not yet updated anything to reflect it.

[Speaker 3] (8:40 - 8:48)
The biggest change there was that there was a slight increase in Chapter 70 funding per student, so it could have a meaningful impact if that survives through the Senate process.

[Speaker 3] (8:48 - 9:05)
processed and also with the governor but we're gonna have to wait and see where that is that's a another one of those places that we're in flux and then the trash contract is obviously something that's currently a placeholder that as we get to the end of the month we will have more information on where we anticipate landing there but you know those are all things that I wanted to highlight

[Speaker 3] (9:05 - 9:21)
Looking forward to town meeting, I also just want to let you know we met with the outgoing and incoming moderator the town clerk and myself to sort of get the benefit of Mike's experience and make sure that we were preparing everything we could so that Ryan is successful. So we look forward to continuing those discussions.

[Speaker 4] (9:21 - 9:22)
Subject to the election.

[Speaker 3] (9:23 - 9:25)
Subject to the election with the only candidate running.

[Speaker 3] (9:25 - 9:26)
I mean

[Speaker 1] (9:26 - 9:28)
Well, he's the only one running, so.

[Speaker 3] (9:29 - 9:30)
Stranger things have happened.

[Speaker 5] (9:30 - 9:30)
I

[Speaker 3] (9:30 - 9:31)
Thank you.

[Speaker 5] (9:31 - 9:32)
know, no, it's still,

[Speaker 3] (9:32 - 9:32)
Are

[Speaker 5] (9:32 - 9:32)
I know,

[Speaker 3] (9:32 - 9:32)
you launching

[Speaker 5] (9:32 - 9:33)
it's like,

[Speaker 3] (9:33 - 9:34)
a sticker campaign?

[Speaker 5] (9:34 - 9:35)
no, no, no, it's still.

[Speaker 3] (9:35 - 9:35)
Okay.

[Speaker 6] (9:36 - 9:38)
I'm very happy for Mr. Hale to be running, but you know

[Speaker 3] (9:38 - 9:55)
Sure. With it with the the likely incoming is that better? I apologize and also worked with Katie our clerk to make sure that we sort of have everything in line is that it will be her first town meeting here and also potentially a brand new moderator unless something

[Speaker 2] (9:55 - 9:56)
Well

[Speaker 3] (9:56 - 9:59)
unforeseen happens is that a better couching for you?

[Speaker 3] (10:00 - 10:01)
Trying to bring up

[Speaker 1] (10:01 - 10:03)
Okay, I know. I'm I think we're both doing that.

[Speaker 3] (10:03 - 10:03)
Yeah, true.

[Speaker 3] (10:04 - 10:04)
Try again.

[Speaker 1] (10:04 - 10:17)
Um and then you know for tonight uh we have the the warrant as part of the discussion, so that's the only other sort of town meeting related thing. We look forward to any further discussion we may engage in. And with that, I'm happy to answer any questions you all may have.

[Speaker 3] (10:19 - 10:20)
I'd asked you a question uh last

[Speaker 3] (10:20 - 10:31)
Last week I guess it was about the status of the uh major um climate leader grant. I don't know if you had an opportunity to uh find out what the status was on that.

[Speaker 1] (10:31 - 10:44)
So the idea currently as the capital plan sits is that we would seek um climate leader technical assistance in the year ahead to do design for what would ultimately be the canopy here.

[Speaker 1] (10:44 - 10:49)
The future projects would be the significant funding towards the canopy construction in an out year.

[Speaker 1] (10:52 - 10:55)
Is there more information that you would like beyond that?

[Speaker 3] (10:57 - 10:58)
I guess that's it. Um

[Speaker 3] (11:00 - 11:05)
Sounds like a little bit of uh development, but maybe I'm not tracking it properly. So, okay.

[Speaker 1] (11:06 - 11:06)
Okay?

[Speaker 4] (11:07 - 11:21)
I have a question on the Archer on the Archer Street situation. How long is that gonna take to figure out or like what's what's the whole process there? Is the neighbourhood engaged? Because we did get a lot of emails.

[Speaker 1] (11:22 - 11:31)
So I anyone who emailed that an email came to me and now that I've actually met with the Smiths I've spoken either via email or on the phone or in person with everyone who

[Speaker 1] (11:31 - 11:33)
who I heard from or who was forwarded to me by you all,

[Speaker 4] (11:33 - 11:34)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (11:34 - 11:45)
uh the first step will be D_E_P_ has kicked out the uh kicked back the question around what was properly delineated to the Khancom, uh which is the normal process.

[Speaker 4] (11:45 - 11:45)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (11:45 - 11:59)
Uh that that will begin on the twenty eighth. I'm uncertain of what they will decide then. I think we'll have to wait and see. But certainly our next meeting currently is scheduled for the twenty ninth or the sixth immediately after that. And I th on either one of those dates I'm happy to provide a more concrete schedule.

[Speaker 1] (11:59 - 12:10)
Federal, the step that we're waiting for right now is stop the construction work while we get through the CONCOM effort and if there is, you know, an opportunity to move forward from there,

[Speaker 1] (12:10 - 12:26)
we will communicate with you all where we stand as well as as well as the neighbours obviously anyone who's reached out and then I know that Frank and his wife have sort of helped to organise the immediate neighbourhood and they offer to make sure that anything we get to them will also be shared with their immediate neighbours.

[Speaker 5] (12:30 - 12:30)
Are you ready?

[Speaker 5] (12:33 - 12:59)
Okay, we will thank you very much, Nick. We'll move on to public comments. Um so as a reminder, public comment is limited to three minutes. Uh you'll come up to the mic, state your name and your address, please. If you have a public comment online, please raise your hand and we will take you in order. Uh we'll try to alternate uh between online and in person. Um I do have some public comments that were sent to me via email.

[Speaker 5] (12:59 - 13:10)
that I will read posts everybody in the room. And and I did have one individual reach out to ask to go first, so please uh Suzanne uh Wright, if you wouldn't mind,

[Speaker 6] (13:10 - 13:13)
I think you I can literally have guests at my dining room table.

[Speaker 5] (13:13 - 13:17)
also Nick is going to keep time this evening for the sake of these, so

[Speaker 1] (13:17 - 13:17)
So

[Speaker 5] (13:17 - 13:17)
yeah.

[Speaker 1] (13:17 - 13:19)
at like thirty seconds I'll give you a little

[Speaker 6] (13:19 - 13:20)
I

[Speaker 1] (13:20 - 13:20)
okay.

[Speaker 6] (13:20 - 13:23)
promise hopefully I will not take that long. I'm just I wouldn't be here if um

[Speaker 5] (13:24 - 13:25)
State your name and your

[Speaker 6] (13:25 - 13:25)
Oh, sorry.

[Speaker 6] (13:25 - 13:26)
Suzanne Wright,

[Speaker 6] (13:26 - 13:27)
Levin Hardy.

[Speaker 6] (13:27 - 13:28)
Oh, no,

[Speaker 6] (13:28 - 13:28)
not anymore.

[Speaker 6] (13:28 - 13:29)
Six Humphrey Terrace.

[Speaker 6] (13:30 - 13:33)
I forget. I say all the time. I drive there all the time.

[Speaker 6] (13:33 - 13:42)
I wouldn't be here except for hearing or reading in the tides that Ms.

[Speaker 6] (13:42 - 13:46)
Fletcher's apology was maybe less than...

[Speaker 6] (13:48 - 14:05)
less than genuine I don't even know if that's really the word but mostly it was followed by a disclaimer that said everyone violates the code of conduct like that makes it okay but but I I know this was said about this board but I took a lot of

[Speaker 6] (14:06 - 14:11)
a lot of offense to the comment because I've been a volunteer in this town for 30 years,

[Speaker 6] (14:11 - 14:14)
most recently on the school committee for 12 years.

[Speaker 6] (14:14 - 14:21)
And I know that my board and other volunteers in this town take the code of conduct as an oath.

[Speaker 6] (14:22 - 14:25)
In all my 30 years of volunteering with this town,

[Speaker 6] (14:25 - 14:29)
I have never, ever once overstepped

[Speaker 6] (14:29 - 14:32)
or abused my power.

[Speaker 6] (14:32 - 14:38)
And it's hurtful to hear that everyone does that when that is in fact not true.

[Speaker 6] (14:39 - 14:44)
That whole independent investigation that the select board approved shows Ms.

[Speaker 6] (14:44 - 14:46)
Fletcher ignoring procedures,

[Speaker 6] (14:46 - 14:50)
lacking professionalism and respectfulness and acting less than honesty.

[Speaker 6] (14:50 - 14:51)
And as a school committee member,

[Speaker 6] (14:51 - 14:53)
I've been watching Ms. Fletcher for years,

[Speaker 6] (14:54 - 14:56)
watching her strong arming, disrespecting her

[Speaker 7] (14:56 - 14:56)
team.

[Speaker 8] (14:56 - 14:59)
disrespecting and disrupting our school personnel.

[Speaker 8] (14:59 - 15:03)
Her attempts at got you accusations and attacks have been disingenuous,

[Speaker 8] (15:03 - 15:05)
they've been harmful to school employees,

[Speaker 8] (15:05 - 15:09)
and in complete disregard for the collaborative efforts that we've all tried between town boards.

[Speaker 8] (15:10 - 15:24)
I've witnessed the strain she's put on our paid school professionals and the school committee over which she has no responsibility or authority. I've seen the discord and the retention issues at town hall that are direct results of Ms. Fletcher's interference and at times personal vendettas.

[Speaker 8] (15:25 - 15:29)
Finally, I've watched Mary Ellen Fletcher bully the Finance Committee and other committees and boards,

[Speaker 8] (15:29 - 15:31)
including the Select Board, and create turmoil,

[Speaker 8] (15:32 - 15:38)
which has rendered this board less effective than our town deserves and should be demanding.

[Speaker 8] (15:40 - 15:42)
But as a school committee member,

[Speaker 8] (15:43 - 15:48)
I didn't need the findings of this report to know this about Ms. Fletcher's unacceptable behavior,

[Speaker 8] (15:48 - 15:50)
and I argue that you didn't either.

[Speaker 8] (15:51 - 16:07)
We've all known about this and we should have been having this discussion much sooner because we have been having it behind closed doors and and we should have been having it publicly and shame on all of us but at the very minimum Ms. Fletcher should be censored and but really I believe Ms.

[Speaker 8] (16:07 - 16:12)
Fletcher should resign and I hope that you can join me in in calls for her to resign.

[Speaker 8] (16:12 - 16:13)
Thanks.

[Speaker 5] (16:17 - 16:24)
Um we will take the next public comment from online. Mr. Demento has his hand up so if you could allow him to unmute.

[Speaker 5] (16:28 - 16:31)
Just state your name, address and you have three minutes, Mr. Demento.

[Speaker 9] (16:32 - 16:34)
Let me know when it starts.

[Speaker 5] (16:34 - 16:35)
You can go ahead, sir.

[Speaker 9] (16:35 - 16:36)
Thank you.

[Speaker 9] (16:37 - 16:40)
Bill Demento, 1008 Paradise Road,

[Speaker 9] (16:41 - 16:43)
and I would like to

[Speaker 9] (16:44 - 16:55)
address something that appeared in the Swansgate Times today with an interview with a member of the Select Board,

[Speaker 9] (16:55 - 17:10)
Danielle Lennon, where she said your board never violates any of these codes of conduct and I want to point out she violated the code of conduct in the article.

[Speaker 9] (17:11 - 17:13)
When she is quoted,

[Speaker 9] (17:13 - 17:16)
and we know that Ty is going to invent better of his own,

[Speaker 9] (17:16 - 17:21)
but she quoted Danielle as saying,

[Speaker 9] (17:21 - 17:27)
this guy didn't even live in Swampscott. This is all complete nonsense.

[Speaker 9] (17:27 - 17:36)
How did the Ty's report say we're a non-resident unless she knew?

[Speaker 9] (17:36 - 17:40)
that he was a non-resident from the public record,

[Speaker 9] (17:40 - 17:42)
the redacted report,

[Speaker 9] (17:43 - 17:46)
doesn't say where he lives. There's no mention of where he lives.

[Speaker 9] (17:46 - 17:57)
The only way anyone in the town knows that he is a non-resident now is because Danielle released something that was in executive session.

[Speaker 9] (17:57 - 18:00)
That's a violation of the code of conduct.

[Speaker 9] (18:00 - 18:01)
David?

[Speaker 9] (18:02 - 18:06)
And Doug, a famous for the February 8th letter,

[Speaker 9] (18:06 - 18:10)
right after the LDA on the Veterans Project,

[Speaker 9] (18:10 - 18:11)
what did they do?

[Speaker 9] (18:12 - 18:22)
They wrote a letter to Renee Grett asking them to use their termination right and cancel the contract right after.

[Speaker 9] (18:24 - 18:28)
I quit my position so much so that it panned to people who have been made great.

[Speaker 9] (18:28 - 18:30)
And Mary Ellen,

[Speaker 9] (18:30 - 18:36)
the defense chairman, had a right to them and said, don't worry about it, it's the law and it is fine.

[Speaker 9] (18:36 - 18:41)
Now, how is the violation on use of their authority?

[Speaker 9] (18:41 - 18:47)
They signed the letter as Doug Thompson's wants and selects for them,

[Speaker 9] (18:47 - 18:48)
David Richmond.

[Speaker 9] (18:48 - 18:56)
20th select board now that means hey on the 20th

[Speaker 5] (18:59 - 19:00)
Oh, you've gone.

[Speaker 9] (19:00 - 19:01)
sorry

[Speaker 5] (19:02 - 19:02)
Sorry,

[Speaker 5] (19:02 - 19:04)
you go ahead.

[Speaker 9] (19:06 - 19:09)
it doesn't say I'm muted thank

[Speaker 5] (19:09 - 19:10)
Nope,

[Speaker 5] (19:10 - 19:10)
now you're muted.

[Speaker 5] (19:10 - 19:12)
There you go. Go ahead, Mr. Vento.

[Speaker 9] (19:14 - 19:17)
You know when the Congress says, they say, I want my time back.

[Speaker 5] (19:17 - 19:18)
It's yours.

[Speaker 9] (19:18 - 19:20)
Thank you.

[Speaker 9] (19:21 - 19:22)
Katie,

[Speaker 9] (19:22 - 19:32)
when you sent that message and had a telephone conversation on November 28th according to the redacted report,

[Speaker 1] (19:33 - 19:33)
Thirty seconds.

[Speaker 9] (19:34 - 19:36)
thank you very much.

[Speaker 9] (19:38 - 19:39)
According to that,

[Speaker 9] (19:39 - 19:43)
you sent that, had a conversation with David, you sent him a report.

[Speaker 9] (19:44 - 19:54)
The code of conduct clearly says you have to send back to the town administrator and he is the investigator and no one should have anyone other say by him.

[Speaker 1] (20:10 - 20:12)
An executive member.

[Speaker 1] (20:12 - 20:16)
I don't care if Mary Ellen in half the town wants it public,

[Speaker 1] (20:16 - 20:18)
it says it should remain an executive session.

[Speaker 2] (20:18 - 20:18)
Mr.

[Speaker 1] (20:18 - 20:20)
You don't have the power to do that.

[Speaker 2] (20:20 - 20:21)
That is true.

[Speaker 1] (20:21 - 20:21)
Thank you very much.

[Speaker 1] (20:22 - 20:27)
And I will bless the rest of the inquisition. Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (20:28 - 20:29)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (20:31 - 20:32)
Additional public comment?

[Speaker 2] (20:34 - 20:35)
Please.

[Speaker 3] (20:43 - 20:44)
Good evening.

[Speaker 3] (20:44 - 20:45)
My name is Glenn Pastor,

[Speaker 3] (20:45 - 20:47)
49 Suffolk Ave,

[Speaker 3] (20:47 - 20:49)
member of the school committee.

[Speaker 3] (20:50 - 20:54)
I come here tonight not to comment on any specific accusations,

[Speaker 3] (20:54 - 21:01)
but rather to relay experiences which I believe are very revealing as to the conduct of Ms.

[Speaker 3] (21:01 - 21:01)
Fletcher.

[Speaker 3] (21:02 - 21:12)
I will preface my remarks by saying that the information I bring forth, 100% accurate and supported by documentation, which I'm happy to provide,

[Speaker 3] (21:12 - 21:20)
which I think you will see a pattern of overstepping and the lack of respect for protocol,

[Speaker 3] (21:20 - 21:24)
which apparently is the root of the reason why we're here this evening.

[Speaker 3] (21:26 - 21:27)
To start.

[Speaker 3] (21:29 - 21:35)
Many times, at least three that I found via email, and at least two that I found via video,

[Speaker 3] (21:35 - 21:36)
we

[Speaker 3] (21:38 - 21:48)
have asked the school department that any questions regarding the budget or any information needed from the school department,

[Speaker 3] (21:50 - 21:52)
any and all requests for information,

[Speaker 3] (21:52 - 21:56)
must go through the respective chairs of the select board and the finance committee.

[Speaker 3] (21:57 - 22:13)
After those requests requests excuse me are received the Chairs would send an email to the superintendent and myself or whoever's the chair of the school committee regarding the needed material. We are happy to fulfil any requests handled in this manner as time allows.

[Speaker 3] (22:14 - 22:22)
We've been very clear we do that because employees of the school department need to work. That's their job.

[Speaker 3] (22:22 - 22:26)
Their job is not to answer questions 24-7.

[Speaker 3] (22:28 - 22:37)
So I'm going to talk about three recent issues that Ms. Fletcher has overstepped and has broken protocol.

[Speaker 3] (22:38 - 22:38)
Firstly,

[Speaker 3] (22:39 - 22:40)
on Wednesday,

[Speaker 3] (22:40 - 22:42)
February 4th, in the morning.

[Speaker 3] (22:43 - 22:49)
Diane Marquesi, who at that time was the executive assistant to the town administrator and select board,

[Speaker 3] (22:49 - 22:58)
sent an email to the superintendent's executive assistant and to Cheryl Stella.

[Speaker 3] (22:58 - 22:59)
Hi,

[Speaker 3] (22:59 - 23:07)
Mary Ellen Fletcher is asking for a copy of the proposed school budget and presentation in anticipation of tomorrow's.

[Speaker 3] (23:08 - 23:10)
In anticipation of tomorrow's presentation,

[Speaker 3] (23:10 - 23:13)
can you email that to me, please? Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (23:14 - 23:19)
It's a clear violation of the rules that we have all agreed to play with.

[Speaker 3] (23:20 - 23:23)
I then took that email and I sent it to the

[Speaker 4] (23:23 - 23:23)
Thirty

[Speaker 3] (23:23 - 23:23)
board.

[Speaker 4] (23:23 - 23:24)
seconds.

[Speaker 3] (23:24 - 23:24)
I'm sorry?

[Speaker 4] (23:24 - 23:25)
Thirty seconds.

[Speaker 3] (23:25 - 23:27)
Okay, thank you. I sent that to the board chair.

[Speaker 3] (23:29 - 23:31)
Lastly, and most shockingly,

[Speaker 3] (23:31 - 23:33)
this past Saturday.

[Speaker 3] (23:34 - 23:36)
After everything that happened last Tuesday,

[Speaker 3] (23:36 - 23:44)
Ms. Fletcher sent an email to Superintendent Kalishman requesting some sort of information about an endowment.

[Speaker 3] (23:45 - 23:49)
This is four days after the last Tuesday event.

[Speaker 3] (23:49 - 23:54)
It's also not the first time that Ms. Fletcher has sent an email only to

[Speaker 2] (23:54 - 23:54)
That's ten.

[Speaker 3] (23:54 - 23:55)
the superintendent.

[Speaker 3] (23:55 - 23:55)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (23:56 - 23:56)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (23:56 - 23:57)
Appreciate it, Glenn.

[Speaker 2] (23:59 - 24:01)
We have another hand raised online,

[Speaker 2] (24:01 - 24:02)
Ms.

[Speaker 2] (24:02 - 24:03)
DiCillo, if you could please.

[Speaker 2] (24:04 - 24:05)
Allow her to unmute or mic it.

[Speaker 2] (24:14 - 24:14)
Ms.

[Speaker 2] (24:14 - 24:14)
DiCiello,

[Speaker 2] (24:14 - 24:15)
you should be able to unmute.

[Speaker 1] (24:19 - 24:19)
Trying to.

[Speaker 2] (24:20 - 24:20)
There

[Speaker 1] (24:20 - 24:20)
Okay,

[Speaker 2] (24:20 - 24:20)
you go.

[Speaker 1] (24:20 - 24:22)
you can't do it. Okay, thank you.

[Speaker 1] (24:23 - 24:28)
I'm Mary DiCiello and I am a former member of the school committee.

[Speaker 1] (24:28 - 24:30)
I'm also a town meeting member.

[Speaker 1] (24:32 - 24:32)
Proceeding four.

[Speaker 1] (24:33 - 24:36)
I would just like to respond,

[Speaker 1] (24:36 - 24:47)
you know, there's lots of video that can be brought up in this matter and lots of different matters because we are fortunate to have a recording facility.

[Speaker 1] (24:48 - 24:52)
Last April 10th, 2025,

[Speaker 1] (24:53 - 24:56)
two weeks before the town election,

[Speaker 1] (24:56 - 24:58)
Ms. Wright,

[Speaker 1] (24:58 - 24:59)
who I have

[Speaker 1] (24:59 - 25:03)
work with for many years for the schools.

[Speaker 1] (25:04 - 25:10)
I was sort of shocked. I always had respect for Ms. Bright.

[Speaker 5] (25:12 - 25:21)
And I'm sharply tuned into a school committee meeting and watched a meeting that, from my perspective,

[Speaker 5] (25:21 - 25:27)
and somebody who has studied group behavior and group work as a professional person in training,

[Speaker 5] (25:28 - 25:37)
I watched a current race, an issue of wanting to get a vote of no confidence. This was last April.

[Speaker 5] (25:38 - 25:48)
And I watched the rest of the school committee with Mr. Pastor of the chair orchestrating, to my view as a citizen,

[Speaker 5] (25:48 - 25:52)
getting comment from each of the school committee members.

[Speaker 5] (25:53 - 25:56)
I was stunned that a committee,

[Speaker 5] (25:56 - 26:04)
one committee was actually commenting on another committee in that manner and in 30 years of living here and I've been very involved,

[Speaker 5] (26:04 - 26:07)
I've really not seen that kind of behavior.

[Speaker 5] (26:07 - 26:12)
So there are many instances of people crossing boundaries here.

[Speaker 5] (26:13 - 26:20)
I'm not going to comment on the current situation with what did not happen with Mary Ellen.

[Speaker 5] (26:21 - 26:37)
pleasure but I just say that for Ms. Wright to say that she has never violated in all of her time I again have the most respect for her she was somebody who has done timeless work for this town

[Speaker 5] (26:38 - 26:41)
And so much so when we were opening the new high school,

[Speaker 5] (26:42 - 26:46)
volunteers would be the person who received all the deliveries to the new school.

[Speaker 5] (26:46 - 26:49)
And I heartfelt,

[Speaker 5] (26:49 - 26:49)
it heart,

[Speaker 5] (26:50 - 26:56)
it's, I'm just mystified by why this is.

[Speaker 5] (26:57 - 27:00)
The method they even with which this is being pursued,

[Speaker 5] (27:01 - 27:08)
it strikes me as wrong and I think that people finally

[Speaker 3] (27:08 - 27:09)
30 seconds.

[Speaker 5] (27:09 - 27:18)
have to really search their souls here about what we're doing. These are all,

[Speaker 5] (27:19 - 27:23)
these are ways of deflecting.

[Speaker 5] (27:25 - 27:41)
attention away from things that we really need to be paying attention to and thank you very much. I wasn't going to speak tonight but I just couldn't let that just pass by without how common a theme may be. Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (27:43 - 27:45)
Please approach the mic.

[Speaker 6] (27:59 - 27:59)
Can you hear me?

[Speaker 2] (28:00 - 28:00)
No.

[Speaker 6] (28:00 - 28:01)
No?

[Speaker 6] (28:03 - 28:04)
Can you hear me now?

[Speaker 2] (28:04 - 28:04)
Yes.

[Speaker 6] (28:04 - 28:05)
Okay.

[Speaker 6] (28:06 - 28:10)
Good evening. My name is Danielle Strauss, and I live at 15 Duke Street here in Swampscott.

[Speaker 6] (28:10 - 28:15)
I've been a resident of this town for 35 years and a town meeting member for over 25 years.

[Speaker 6] (28:15 - 28:16)
My husband, Matt,

[Speaker 6] (28:17 - 28:18)
served on the select board for six years,

[Speaker 6] (28:19 - 28:20)
including two as chair,

[Speaker 6] (28:20 - 28:23)
and I recently retired after 20 years as recreation director.

[Speaker 6] (28:24 - 28:27)
I share this background because with experience comes insight.

[Speaker 6] (28:28 - 28:31)
I'd like to briefly speak on two topics this evening.

[Speaker 6] (28:31 - 28:32)
First,

[Speaker 6] (28:32 - 28:34)
during my time as the Recreation Director,

[Speaker 6] (28:34 - 28:39)
I worked under three town administrators and alongside many select board members.

[Speaker 6] (28:39 - 28:43)
Over the years I've occasionally seen board members overstep their roles.

[Speaker 6] (28:43 - 28:45)
In some cases this was addressed.

[Speaker 6] (28:45 - 28:51)
One member was even censured, while in others it was handled privately or at times not addressed at all.

[Speaker 6] (28:52 - 29:05)
I respectfully ask this board and future boards remain mindful of their boundaries of their role and remember that the town administrator is the individual entrusted with the day-to-day operations of the town.

[Speaker 6] (29:07 - 29:08)
My second.

[Speaker 6] (29:10 - 29:11)
point is to thank,

[Speaker 6] (29:11 - 29:14)
and so this is a completely different topic,

[Speaker 6] (29:14 - 29:18)
is to thank David Grishman and Doug Thompson for their years of service.

[Speaker 6] (29:18 - 29:20)
I believe this is their last meeting.

[Speaker 6] (29:21 - 29:24)
I'd especially like to thank David and recognize him.

[Speaker 6] (29:25 - 29:27)
Before David joined the select board,

[Speaker 6] (29:27 - 29:33)
the town administrator instructed me to meet with him and work with him directly regarding community events.

[Speaker 6] (29:34 - 29:36)
At that time, he brought forward ideas.

[Speaker 6] (29:36 - 29:39)
such as Bent Water at the Beach event and Swamp Toberfest,

[Speaker 6] (29:40 - 29:45)
initiatives that he helped envision and I was proud to bring help bring to life.

[Speaker 6] (29:46 - 29:49)
Once he became a select board member and liaison to recreation,

[Speaker 6] (29:49 - 29:49)
David

[Speaker 1] (29:49 - 29:51)
David continued to work closely with my department.

[Speaker 1] (29:52 - 29:54)
He attended many events with his family,

[Speaker 1] (29:54 - 29:56)
stayed to help when needed,

[Speaker 1] (29:56 - 29:59)
and consistently offered encouragement and thoughtful ideas.

[Speaker 1] (29:59 - 30:03)
He played a role in shaping events like Humphrey Street Block Party,

[Speaker 1] (30:03 - 30:05)
helped secure sponsors for several programs,

[Speaker 1] (30:06 - 30:07)
including the Fourth of July celebration,

[Speaker 1] (30:07 - 30:11)
and encouraged me to advocate for our new movie screen.

[Speaker 1] (30:11 - 30:16)
David was not only supportive of the department, but also supportive of me personally.

[Speaker 1] (30:18 - 30:19)
So in closing,

[Speaker 1] (30:19 - 30:23)
thank you David, for your dedication to our community,

[Speaker 1] (30:24 - 30:34)
for your partnership with recreation, and for your support over the years, because there were many times I needed support because of some of the things that go on here.

[Speaker 1] (30:34 - 30:35)
So I thank you.

[Speaker 2] (30:36 - 30:36)
Thank you, Danielle.

[Speaker 3] (30:52 - 30:53)
Can you hear me?

[Speaker 4] (30:53 - 30:54)
Yes.

[Speaker 3] (30:54 - 30:56)
All right. I'm Jackie Camerlingo,

[Speaker 3] (30:56 - 30:57)
one Bellevue Road,

[Speaker 3] (30:57 - 31:00)
former program coordinator for Swampscott Recreation.

[Speaker 3] (31:00 - 31:06)
I'm here because the findings of an investigation were made public last week, and they confirm what some of us have experienced firsthand.

[Speaker 3] (31:07 - 31:16)
The investigation found sufficient credible evidence that select board member Fletcher violated the code of conduct by directing town staff and inserting herself into a police matter.

[Speaker 3] (31:17 - 31:18)
That is not a misunderstanding.

[Speaker 3] (31:19 - 31:20)
That is an abuse of position,

[Speaker 3] (31:21 - 31:25)
using the authority of an elected role to influence actions that should be handled through proper channels.

[Speaker 3] (31:26 - 31:29)
And for some of us, this misuse of power is not new.

[Speaker 3] (31:30 - 31:32)
During my time working in the rec department,

[Speaker 3] (31:32 - 31:37)
I received direct texts and phone calls from Ms. Fletcher asking me to carry out tasks.

[Speaker 3] (31:38 - 31:39)
These were not casual suggestions.

[Speaker 3] (31:39 - 31:42)
These were requests made with the weight of her position behind them.

[Speaker 3] (31:43 - 31:46)
As a new employee at the time, that created real pressure.

[Speaker 3] (31:46 - 31:53)
I was being asked to respond to an elected official while also being told by my director that doing so would violate the proper chain of command.

[Speaker 3] (31:53 - 31:56)
This is what misuse of power looks like,

[Speaker 3] (31:56 - 31:57)
not always loud or obvious,

[Speaker 3] (31:58 - 32:04)
but putting employees in positions where they feel they have to choose between doing their job correctly and responding to authority.

[Speaker 3] (32:05 - 32:11)
When I raised that concern to Ms. Fletcher, I was dismissed. When I sought clarity from another board member as to the proper chain of command,

[Speaker 3] (32:11 - 32:16)
I was told the chain of command was nothing more than an example of the former TA's totalitarian control.

[Speaker 3] (32:17 - 32:19)
As the organizer of the farmer's market,

[Speaker 3] (32:19 - 32:29)
I had an interaction where Ms. Fletcher pointed her finger at me and accused me of screwing with her livelihood because I approved another dog treat vendor to sell at the market that season.

[Speaker 3] (32:29 - 32:36)
That was not a policy discussion. That was an attempt to use power and intimidation to influence a decision that was well within my role.

[Speaker 3] (32:37 - 32:38)
For context,

[Speaker 3] (32:38 - 32:42)
the market regularly includes multiple vendors offering similar products.

[Speaker 3] (32:42 - 32:44)
That's how a community market works.

[Speaker 3] (32:45 - 32:48)
That market, that moment marked a clear shift.

[Speaker 3] (32:48 - 32:52)
I went from being in her words, her favorite employee in town,

[Speaker 3] (32:52 - 32:54)
to someone who felt increasingly targeted.

[Speaker 3] (32:54 - 33:00)
After that, it often felt like the work I had done was being undone, not through process, but through influence.

[Speaker 3] (33:01 - 33:03)
One example of this is the inclusion sports program.

[Speaker 3] (33:04 - 33:08)
When I explain that the rec department was excited to host this inclusive program at the new elementary school,

[Speaker 3] (33:08 - 33:12)
Ms. Fletcher dismissed the program as being no different from any other sports program in town.

[Speaker 3] (33:12 - 33:19)
The following week, we were informed by the school that we could no longer use that space due to complicated arrangements.

[Speaker 3] (33:19 - 33:20)
Again,

[Speaker 3] (33:20 - 33:25)
I won't speculate beyond the facts, but when decisions shift immediately after an elected official expresses opposition,

[Speaker 3] (33:25 - 33:27)
it raises real and valid concerns.

[Speaker 3] (33:27 - 33:29)
concerns about how power is being used behind the scenes.

[Speaker 5] (33:29 - 33:30)
Thirty seconds.

[Speaker 3] (33:30 - 33:32)
After I was told I would not be the rec director,

[Speaker 3] (33:32 - 33:34)
I approached Ms. Fletcher and asked a simple question:

[Speaker 3] (33:35 - 33:36)
what changed?

[Speaker 3] (33:36 - 33:39)
I referenced the messages she had sent me eighteen months earlier.

[Speaker 3] (33:40 - 33:42)
Her response was anything but professional.

[Speaker 3] (33:42 - 33:44)
Immediately she raised her voice, threw her hands in the air, and hollered,

[Speaker 3] (33:45 - 33:45)
this is harassment,

[Speaker 3] (33:46 - 33:48)
do you even work here anymore?

[Speaker 3] (33:48 - 33:51)
I was still employed by the town for another two weeks after that.

[Speaker 3] (33:51 - 33:55)
This happened in town hall in front of others, employees were uncomfortable enough to leave the area.

[Speaker 3] (33:56 - 34:01)
Nothing came of it. What is most concerning is that these are not isolated moments. They reflect a pattern,

[Speaker 3] (34:01 - 34:02)
one where position is used to pressure,

[Speaker 3] (34:02 - 34:03)
to bypass process,

[Speaker 3] (34:03 - 34:04)
and to avoid accountability.

[Speaker 3] (34:05 - 34:12)
I later learned that everything my director had told me about the chain of command was clearly outlined in the code of conduct, a code this board upheld and one

[Speaker 6] (34:12 - 34:12)
Jackie,

[Speaker 3] (34:12 - 34:13)
that my director

[Speaker 6] (34:13 - 34:13)
please,

[Speaker 3] (34:13 - 34:13)
herself

[Speaker 6] (34:13 - 34:13)
that's

[Speaker 3] (34:13 - 34:13)
had

[Speaker 6] (34:13 - 34:13)
time

[Speaker 3] (34:13 - 34:19)
not signed up until late last summer. The investigation now confirms what these experiences...

[Speaker 6] (34:19 - 34:20)
that's time.

[Speaker 6] (34:21 - 34:21)
Please.

[Speaker 8] (34:22 - 34:23)
Thank you.

[Speaker 9] (34:38 - 34:38)
Good evening.

[Speaker 9] (34:39 - 34:41)
Miguel Contreras, 46 Buena Vista.

[Speaker 9] (34:42 - 34:49)
Statements that I'll make are views expressed personally by me, not by the committee or as a member of the school committee.

[Speaker 9] (34:50 - 34:57)
But I'm here to speak regarding the recent investigation and the finding concerning the code of conduct violation by Mary Ellen.

[Speaker 9] (34:58 - 35:05)
Public service is built on the foundation of trust and transparency and when trust is broken through documented actions,

[Speaker 9] (35:05 - 35:08)
not hearsay, but verifiable conduct.

[Speaker 9] (35:09 - 35:10)
We must address it.

[Speaker 9] (35:10 - 35:20)
The investigation reports outlines a troubling progression of events that moves past the simple misunderstanding and into the realm of intentional misconduct.

[Speaker 9] (35:21 - 35:24)
There's the dishonesty around conduct,

[Speaker 9] (35:24 - 35:27)
contact. So the member

[Speaker 9] (35:28 - 35:38)
stated that they did not email this citizen in question and they only later confirmed that they did once they had an attorney confirm for them.

[Speaker 9] (35:39 - 35:43)
So at that point you would kind of assume that that is a misunderstanding.

[Speaker 9] (35:44 - 35:46)
The next part is that

[Speaker 9] (35:48 - 36:05)
It moved from a misunderstanding into a clear lapse of judgment where ill intent could be seen in the use of authority to intimidate as the member actively went to the police station and entered the building and spoke with staff there.

[Speaker 9] (36:06 - 36:09)
After that initial incident as well,

[Speaker 9] (36:09 - 36:13)
the member reached out to the citizen again to follow up with them.

[Speaker 9] (36:13 - 36:23)
So these are not assumptions or interpretations of he said she said, but they are documented actions that reflect a pattern of behavior unbecoming of this board.

[Speaker 9] (36:24 - 36:27)
Tonight, the board is considering a motion for censure.

[Speaker 9] (36:28 - 36:29)
If passed,

[Speaker 9] (36:29 - 36:33)
Mary Ellen will be stripped of her ability to serve as chair or vice chair,

[Speaker 9] (36:33 - 36:35)
will be removed from her subcommittees,

[Speaker 9] (36:35 - 36:38)
and will no longer act as a liaison for any other board.

[Speaker 9] (36:39 - 36:41)
Functionally, you will be a lame duck member,

[Speaker 9] (36:42 - 36:47)
unable to effectively represent the interests of our towns and perform the duties of which you are elected.

[Speaker 9] (36:48 - 36:53)
You will have to check your emails and confirm that you are getting the communications and read them.

[Speaker 9] (36:53 - 36:57)
So for the sake of the board's integrity and to allow this town to be

[Speaker 7] (36:57 - 36:57)
a better place,

[Speaker 9] (36:57 - 37:01)
town to move forward without the constant cloud of misconduct,

[Speaker 9] (37:01 - 37:05)
having other boards wonder if you're being honest and transparent,

[Speaker 9] (37:06 - 37:11)
or do they need to have a lawyer present to make sure that honesty and transparency is there.

[Speaker 9] (37:13 - 37:17)
I would respectfully ask that you resign from your seat. And if you choose not to,

[Speaker 9] (37:17 - 37:26)
I strongly urge the remaining board members to vote in favor of a censure to uphold the standards of our code of conduct and to protect themselves from any legal liability.

[Speaker 9] (37:27 - 37:27)
Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (37:30 - 37:31)
What about people who aren't?

[Speaker 10] (37:33 - 37:36)
There has been no hands raised. Yep, so yes, I am alternating.

[Speaker 11] (37:45 - 37:45)
Liz Smith,

[Speaker 11] (37:45 - 37:46)
Precinct 3,

[Speaker 11] (37:46 - 37:47)
town meeting member.

[Speaker 11] (37:48 - 37:53)
I want to address an issue that goes directly to the integrity of this board and the public trust.

[Speaker 11] (37:53 - 37:55)
This is not a matter of allegation or speculation,

[Speaker 11] (37:56 - 37:58)
an investigation has already established the facts.

[Speaker 11] (37:59 - 38:03)
A member of the Swampscott Select Board unilaterally directed a town employee,

[Speaker 11] (38:03 - 38:04)
a police lieutenant,

[Speaker 11] (38:04 - 38:08)
to investigate a complaint against another member of the board without any vote,

[Speaker 11] (38:08 - 38:09)
any authorization,

[Speaker 11] (38:09 - 38:11)
and outside the chain of command.

[Speaker 11] (38:11 - 38:14)
That alone is a serious breach of governance and abuse of authority.

[Speaker 11] (38:15 - 38:20)
That same investigation also found that this member stated she was out to get a fellow select board member,

[Speaker 11] (38:20 - 38:23)
the very individual who was the subject of that complaint.

[Speaker 11] (38:23 - 38:24)
That is not just inappropriate.

[Speaker 11] (38:25 - 38:27)
It reflects bias and prejudgment.

[Speaker 11] (38:28 - 38:30)
But there is a second issue.

[Speaker 11] (38:30 - 38:33)
This matter was discussed in executive session under the complaint exemption,

[Speaker 11] (38:34 - 38:39)
but the Attorney General has made clear that executive session must be narrowly limited to the complaints itself.

[Speaker 11] (38:39 - 38:43)
Once this board reviewed the investigative report and began considering what action to take,

[Speaker 11] (38:43 - 38:47)
that became public business and it should have been discussed in open session.

[Speaker 11] (38:48 - 38:53)
Apparently, the select board decided in executive session that a mere apology would be sufficient to rectify the situation.

[Speaker 11] (38:54 - 38:59)
We the people of Swampscott had a right to hear that discussion and the reasoning that led to that decision.

[Speaker 11] (39:00 - 39:01)
Transparency is not optional.

[Speaker 11] (39:02 - 39:04)
It is the foundation of public trust.

[Speaker 11] (39:04 - 39:06)
An apology is not accountability.

[Speaker 11] (39:06 - 39:09)
It does not reflect the seriousness of the conduct.

[Speaker 11] (39:09 - 39:16)
Censure is necessary because this investigation is just one instance that follows years of violation of the code of conduct by this select board member.

[Speaker 11] (39:16 - 39:18)
Behavior that is well known,

[Speaker 11] (39:18 - 39:19)
frequently discussed,

[Speaker 11] (39:19 - 39:22)
and has never been adequately or publicly dealt with until now.

[Speaker 11] (39:23 - 39:28)
An appropriate next step beyond censure would be an investigation of this pattern of inappropriate behavior.

[Speaker 11] (39:28 - 39:44)
by this select board member tonight you have an opportunity to respond appropriately censure is on your agenda and this is exactly what censure is for rules matter and no select board member is above them if standards are not enforced when they are clearly violated

[Speaker 1] (39:44 - 39:46)
they are not standards at all.

[Speaker 1] (39:46 - 39:51)
The public depends on unbiased and professional behavior by its elected chief executive board.

[Speaker 1] (39:51 - 39:53)
I urge you to vote for censure.

[Speaker 2] (40:10 - 40:11)
Katie Arrington, Porter Roy Street.

[Speaker 2] (40:12 - 40:19)
Mary Ellen Fletcher uses her status and influence as a select board member to control people into doing what she wants.

[Speaker 2] (40:19 - 40:23)
If you dare to disagree or you don't cave to her demands,

[Speaker 2] (40:23 - 40:28)
she harasses you both by the sheer number of phone calls, texts, and emails.

[Speaker 2] (40:28 - 40:30)
During those interactions,

[Speaker 2] (40:30 - 40:32)
she will relentlessly call you names.

[Speaker 2] (40:33 - 40:37)
This was the case back in April of 2024 when I ran for select board.

[Speaker 2] (40:38 - 40:41)
We were supposed to have a second debate hosted by the Daily Item.

[Speaker 2] (40:41 - 40:44)
I was unable to attend due to my child's medical emergency.

[Speaker 2] (40:46 - 40:50)
Select board member Fletcher referred to me in these countless interactions,

[Speaker 2] (40:50 - 40:52)
relentless interactions,

[Speaker 2] (40:52 - 40:54)
as a puppet,

[Speaker 2] (40:54 - 40:55)
stupid,

[Speaker 2] (40:55 - 40:56)
and a waste of a person.

[Speaker 2] (40:57 - 40:59)
It is time for the drama to stop.

[Speaker 2] (41:00 - 41:03)
She needs real consequences for her actions.

[Speaker 2] (41:03 - 41:12)
The investigation recommends censuring Ms. Fletcher through public and or written notice that the official has violated the code of conduct.

[Speaker 2] (41:13 - 41:15)
We should follow through with that recommendation.

[Speaker 2] (41:15 - 41:19)
I urge you to vote to censure select board member Fletcher.

[Speaker 2] (41:20 - 41:20)
Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (41:55 - 41:56)
Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (41:56 - 41:59)
Anita Farber-Robertson, Precinct 4,

[Speaker 3] (41:59 - 42:01)
town meeting member.

[Speaker 3] (42:02 - 42:22)
I have been, I've lived in Swanskirt for 35 years and I've been a neighbor of Mary Ellen's for 15 years and she has been an invaluable neighbor and several of the neighbors have asked me to come and speak.

[Speaker 3] (42:23 - 42:25)
in support of Mary Ellen,

[Speaker 3] (42:25 - 42:26)
I

[Speaker 3] (42:30 - 42:41)
don't want to disagree with what people have said have been their experiences because people's experiences are their own and I trust that they are true.

[Speaker 3] (42:43 - 42:48)
Among the things I do know is Mary Ellen lives around the corner from the police station,

[Speaker 3] (42:48 - 42:49)
as do I.

[Speaker 3] (42:50 - 42:58)
And so I can certainly imagine Mary Ellen walking into the police station and saying, have you seen this email,

[Speaker 3] (42:58 - 43:00)
which is what she said she did.

[Speaker 3] (43:00 - 43:02)
And they said no.

[Speaker 3] (43:02 - 43:04)
And she said, well, here,

[Speaker 3] (43:04 - 43:04)
deal with it.

[Speaker 3] (43:04 - 43:10)
I mean, that's not, to me that's not an abuse of power. It might have been sloppy,

[Speaker 3] (43:10 - 43:12)
but it's not really an abuse of power.

[Speaker 3] (43:12 - 43:13)
But that's...

[Speaker 3] (43:14 - 43:16)
I don't want to quibble with the investigation.

[Speaker 3] (43:17 - 43:29)
The concern I have is this board has had a history over time of bad behavior to each other that has been egregious.

[Speaker 3] (43:29 - 43:37)
I have seen Mary Ellen be subjected by horrible behavior by Peter Spillios. Nobody did anything about it.

[Speaker 3] (43:38 - 43:40)
I was mortified on behalf of my town.

[Speaker 3] (43:41 - 43:44)
We have seen a lot of bad behavior.

[Speaker 3] (43:45 - 43:49)
I think accountability is essential and it's a good thing for us to say now,

[Speaker 3] (43:50 - 43:56)
okay, from now on we're going to step up and we're going to start cleaning up our act and we're not going to let people

[Speaker 3] (43:57 - 44:23)
misbehave and we're not going to let people shout at each other we're not going to let people do things that have been going on for years unstopped I would like it to stop but you don't stop it by putting it all on Mary Ellen Mary Ellen apologized an apology is what an adult does when they did a wrong thing it's not for us to say whether that's a sincere apology that's mind reading

[Speaker 3] (44:24 - 44:26)
She did the appropriate thing.

[Speaker 3] (44:26 - 44:35)
I think the thing is for us to take ownership and say from here on in, we will hold each other accountable and we will no longer yell at each other,

[Speaker 3] (44:35 - 44:37)
we will no longer call each other names,

[Speaker 3] (44:38 - 44:43)
and we will no longer impugn negative intent when we can't mind read.

[Speaker 3] (44:44 - 44:49)
I think we need to make a covenant and agreement together from here on forward.

[Speaker 3] (44:50 - 44:51)
To be civil,

[Speaker 3] (44:51 - 44:53)
all of us,

[Speaker 3] (44:53 - 44:54)
Mary Ellen,

[Speaker 3] (44:54 - 44:56)
David Grisham, Katie,

[Speaker 3] (44:56 - 44:57)
everybody together.

[Speaker 4] (44:57 - 44:57)
T minus 20 seconds.

[Speaker 5] (45:11 - 45:12)
If there is no additional comment,

[Speaker 5] (45:12 - 45:14)
I will read the comments that have,

[Speaker 5] (45:14 - 45:14)
oh, sorry,

[Speaker 5] (45:14 - 45:15)
go ahead.

[Speaker 6] (45:44 - 45:45)
Good evening.

[Speaker 6] (45:45 - 45:48)
My name is Tasia Vasilio and I'm a resident on Lewis Road,

[Speaker 6] (45:48 - 45:49)
town meeting member,

[Speaker 6] (45:49 - 45:52)
and a former member of the Board of Assessors for nearly nine years.

[Speaker 6] (45:52 - 45:57)
I'd like my comments to be included verbatim in the record from tonight's meeting.

[Speaker 6] (45:57 - 46:01)
I am here tonight because I feel compelled to speak about fairness, accountability,

[Speaker 6] (46:02 - 46:04)
and the standards we choose to uphold as a town.

[Speaker 6] (46:05 - 46:11)
I am deeply concerned with the inconsistency in how accountability is being applied by the select board.

[Speaker 6] (46:12 - 46:18)
Recently, we've watched Select Board Member Mary Ellen Fletcher be publicly criticized over a mistake that she has addressed,

[Speaker 6] (46:19 - 46:19)
acknowledged,

[Speaker 6] (46:19 - 46:21)
and apologized for.

[Speaker 6] (46:21 - 46:22)
Tonight,

[Speaker 6] (46:22 - 46:27)
your meeting agenda calls to review this matter again and to consider further disciplinary action.

[Speaker 6] (46:27 - 46:29)
During this time on the board,

[Speaker 6] (46:29 - 46:30)
Select Board

[Speaker 6] (46:30 - 46:39)
During his time on the board, select board member David Grishman has demonstrated a pattern of unprofessional behavior at times with deeply personal attacks against town elected officials,

[Speaker 6] (46:39 - 46:40)
volunteers,

[Speaker 6] (46:40 - 46:41)
advocates,

[Speaker 6] (46:41 - 46:42)
and staff.

[Speaker 6] (46:42 - 46:45)
Yet no action has been taken by this board.

[Speaker 6] (46:45 - 46:46)
Where is the accountability?

[Speaker 6] (46:47 - 46:48)
In 2024,

[Speaker 6] (46:48 - 46:51)
while I was serving as chair of the board of assessors,

[Speaker 6] (46:51 - 46:51)
Mr.

[Speaker 6] (46:51 - 46:54)
Grishman publicly and falsely accused me of corruption.

[Speaker 6] (46:54 - 46:59)
That is a serious allegation that he made without ever reaching out to me to ask questions or seek clarification.

[Speaker 6] (47:00 - 47:02)
A former town employee reported that Mr.

[Speaker 6] (47:02 - 47:03)
Grishman,

[Speaker 6] (47:03 - 47:05)
along with the former town administrator,

[Speaker 6] (47:05 - 47:11)
also brought this accusation to the press and encouraged that employee to participate.

[Speaker 6] (47:11 - 47:16)
The employee later released confidential and unredacted documents to the Lynn item.

[Speaker 6] (47:16 - 47:20)
This matter was investigated by the town and the findings were formally documented.

[Speaker 6] (47:20 - 47:20)
However,

[Speaker 6] (47:21 - 47:22)
no follow-up was ever taken.

[Speaker 6] (47:23 - 47:28)
Additionally, it was brought to light that a building permit was not pulled for a basement renovation on Mr.

[Speaker 6] (47:28 - 47:29)
Grishman's property.

[Speaker 6] (47:29 - 47:34)
Not only is a permit required by law, but it also directly impacts the town tax revenue.

[Speaker 6] (47:34 - 47:35)
It appears as though Mr.

[Speaker 6] (47:35 - 47:39)
Grishman was never required to come into compliance with that permit.

[Speaker 6] (47:39 - 47:42)
I personally raise my concerns with all of you on this board,

[Speaker 6] (47:43 - 47:46)
and you each left me with the impression that you understood and agreed Mr.

[Speaker 6] (47:46 - 47:50)
Grishman's behavior toward me was not acceptable.

[Speaker 6] (47:51 - 47:52)
So I have to ask,

[Speaker 6] (47:52 - 47:55)
why has there been no public accountability?

[Speaker 6] (47:55 - 47:56)
Why the silence?

[Speaker 6] (47:56 - 47:57)
Several of Mr.

[Speaker 6] (47:58 - 47:59)
Grishman's and other board members'

[Speaker 6] (47:59 - 48:04)
actions are clear violations of the code of conduct and this double standard sends a troubling message.

[Speaker 6] (48:04 - 48:10)
It tells people that some are held to one set of rules while others are shielded from consequences.

[Speaker 6] (48:13 - 48:16)
I also want to highlight one of the less considered impacts of Mr.

[Speaker 6] (48:16 - 48:19)
Grishman's unprofessionalism and aggressive attacks.

[Speaker 6] (48:19 - 48:24)
The pressure these have put on my family is the primary reason I have chosen not to run for re-election.

[Speaker 6] (48:25 - 48:33)
When dedicated volunteers and public servants are subjected to unfounded personal attacks without recourse, it discourages good people from stepping forward.

[Speaker 6] (48:33 - 48:36)
We cannot afford that as a community.

[Speaker 6] (48:36 - 48:37)
So tonight,

[Speaker 6] (48:37 - 48:38)
I am asking this board to reflect.

[Speaker 6] (48:39 - 48:42)
What standards are you upholding, and are they being applied equally?

[Speaker 6] (48:43 - 48:46)
Will you follow through on the examples I have brought to you tonight?

[Speaker 6] (48:46 - 48:49)
Because accountability should not be selective.

[Speaker 6] (48:49 - 48:51)
It should be consistent,

[Speaker 6] (48:51 - 48:51)
transparent,

[Speaker 6] (48:51 - 48:52)
and fair.

[Speaker 6] (48:53 - 48:54)
Thank you.

[Speaker 5] (49:02 - 49:06)
Okay, I'm going to read into the record the, oh,

[Speaker 5] (49:06 - 49:06)
I'm sorry,

[Speaker 5] (49:06 - 49:07)
Ms.

[Speaker 5] (49:07 - 49:07)
Lau.

[Speaker 5] (49:09 - 49:10)
Could allow her to unmute.

[Speaker 5] (49:14 - 49:16)
Please state your name. Can you hear me? Yes we can.

[Speaker 2] (49:18 - 49:19)
More loud.

[Speaker 2] (49:21 - 49:22)
Out the road.

[Speaker 2] (49:22 - 49:29)
Sorry, I'm just kind of jumping on here because I happened to catch this on the TV.

[Speaker 2] (49:30 - 49:37)
I only heard about this incident last week at the very.

[Speaker 8] (49:37 - 49:39)
of watching your meeting and have

[Speaker 1] (49:43 - 49:44)
David Grishman,

[Speaker 1] (49:44 - 50:00)
to see you making accusations at somebody else for behavior that you have repeatedly presented on board multiple times in your...

[Speaker 1] (50:02 - 50:04)
Actions last July,

[Speaker 1] (50:04 - 50:06)
and you know exactly what I'm speaking about,

[Speaker 1] (50:06 - 50:07)
and so does Doug,

[Speaker 1] (50:07 - 50:09)
and so does all the other members,

[Speaker 1] (50:09 - 50:13)
I'm sure, there were terrible,

[Speaker 1] (50:13 - 50:14)
irresponsible,

[Speaker 1] (50:14 - 50:17)
and nasty,

[Speaker 1] (50:17 - 50:20)
and it was all done in combination with you and your pal.

[Speaker 1] (50:22 - 50:25)
You shouldn't be ashamed of yourself, and you should respond to that.

[Speaker 1] (50:25 - 50:28)
And you should have all forced him to resign,

[Speaker 1] (50:28 - 50:29)
but nobody did.

[Speaker 1] (50:29 - 50:35)
Nobody acted on it because people do not, all of you, and past boards as well,

[Speaker 1] (50:35 - 50:37)
do not hold each other accountable.

[Speaker 1] (50:37 - 50:49)
For over a year, I stood at nearly every select board meeting to speak to process and accountability and dignity.

[Speaker 1] (50:50 - 51:16)
but any of it has pretty much been ignored so frankly i can't listen to any of you or um many of the things that go on any longer i've kind of just tuned it out and it's a shame because i do realize we all have wonderful ideas but the the tone and the just fanatics and the foamy baloney that seems to permeate

[Speaker 1] (51:17 - 51:18)
At some point, I just,

[Speaker 1] (51:19 - 51:25)
I find it puzzling that we are here yet again,

[Speaker 1] (51:25 - 51:34)
but other people have kind of gotten off free or with less harsh approaches.

[Speaker 1] (51:34 - 51:41)
I don't know the details other than what I heard in last week's meeting about Mary Ellen's role,

[Speaker 1] (51:41 - 51:42)
it sounds.

[Speaker 1] (51:43 - 51:50)
terrible, it sounds unprofessional, but it is a long list of unprofessional things that seem to have happened.

[Speaker 1] (51:51 - 51:51)
Frankly,

[Speaker 1] (51:51 - 51:53)
I'd like to see you all gone.

[Speaker 1] (51:53 - 51:55)
I think that that might be an approach,

[Speaker 1] (51:56 - 52:06)
but I'm not thrilled with all the characters that there are running for, you know, first level or down either in the direction that it might take our town.

[Speaker 2] (52:06 - 52:07)
37

[Speaker 1] (52:07 - 52:10)
But, you know, I guess people in glass houses, Mr.

[Speaker 1] (52:10 - 52:10)
Christian,

[Speaker 1] (52:10 - 52:11)
and...

[Speaker 1] (52:11 - 52:12)
I just needed to say that.

[Speaker 1] (52:13 - 52:13)
Too many.

[Speaker 3] (52:19 - 52:19)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (52:21 - 52:27)
So I have two public comments to read into the record.

[Speaker 3] (52:27 - 52:35)
This is from Nate McNamee, high chair of Phelan. I'm writing to you today to express my strong support for Mary Ellen Fletcher and to urge the select board to move forward.

[Speaker 3] (52:36 - 52:41)
From the recent highly public politicized noise surrounding her code of conduct breach,

[Speaker 3] (52:41 - 52:47)
I saw that the select board meeting this evening yet again has this item on the agenda and unfortunately our family is unable to attend as we were managing a newborn.

[Speaker 3] (52:48 - 52:49)
Six weeks. Congratulations,

[Speaker 3] (52:49 - 52:49)
Nate.

[Speaker 3] (52:50 - 52:53)
But I'd like to have this letter read in at the meeting if possible.

[Speaker 3] (52:54 - 52:59)
My wife Brittany and I moved to Swampscott in 2021 and shortly after settling in we began tuning into the select board meetings.

[Speaker 3] (52:59 - 53:05)
We were immediately impressed by Mary Ellen's ability to advocate for issues that truly matter to residents.

[Speaker 3] (53:05 - 53:14)
We quickly came to appreciate her no-nonsense style and her unique ability to cut through the noise created by former members to make tangible progress.

[Speaker 3] (53:14 - 53:18)
Since then we have had the privilege of getting to know Mary Ellen personally and are proud to call her a friend.

[Speaker 3] (53:19 - 53:20)
She genuinely cares about this town,

[Speaker 3] (53:20 - 53:22)
makes the time to listen to residents'

[Speaker 3] (53:22 - 53:22)
priorities.

[Speaker 3] (53:22 - 53:27)
Authorities and actively helps people understand the complex issues the board is working through.

[Speaker 3] (53:27 - 53:28)
Recently,

[Speaker 3] (53:28 - 53:33)
Mary Ellen made a well-intentioned mistake by reaching out to the police related to an implied hit-and-run accident.

[Speaker 3] (53:33 - 53:38)
While this ultimately constituted a breach of the code of conduct, she did exactly what a person of high character does.

[Speaker 3] (53:38 - 53:41)
She took full accountability and issued a public apology.

[Speaker 3] (53:42 - 53:42)
Unfortunately,

[Speaker 3] (53:42 - 53:48)
several members of the board have chosen to make this small issue a primary focus, actively pursuing greater action against her.

[Speaker 3] (53:48 - 53:51)
What is deeply frustrating as a resident is the glaring double standard.

[Speaker 3] (53:52 - 54:00)
These same individuals have likely committed their own code of conduct breaches utilizing their own titles of select board members to pursue their own prerogatives re-VA housing.

[Speaker 3] (54:01 - 54:04)
And yet there was no accountability taken by them for those actions.

[Speaker 3] (54:04 - 54:11)
Instead of doing the work the town needs, these personally motivated attacks has generated weeks of acrimonious noise.

[Speaker 3] (54:11 - 54:15)
Local media and Facebook pages are entirely dominated by this distraction,

[Speaker 3] (54:15 - 54:18)
pulling focus away from the actual issues impacting Swampscot.

[Speaker 3] (54:17 - 54:39)
swamp scott we see enough power-seeking acrimony and performative outrage at the national and state political stages there's absolutely no space for this in our small town politics i respectfully ask you as the chair lead the board in moving on from this matter it is time to stop pursuing mary ellen and return the board's focus to the real work that swamp scott needs to get done sincerely nate mackamy farragut road swamp scott

[Speaker 3] (54:42 - 54:43)
Second comment.

[Speaker 3] (54:43 - 54:45)
Dear Chair Phelan,

[Speaker 3] (54:45 - 54:48)
I am unable to attend the upcoming public meeting. I'm sorry,

[Speaker 3] (54:48 - 54:50)
this is Amy O'Connor.

[Speaker 3] (54:50 - 54:57)
I am unable to attend the upcoming public comment, and I submit this letter in response to the Clifford and Kenny investigation dated March 25,

[Speaker 3] (54:57 - 54:57)
26.

[Speaker 3] (54:58 - 55:00)
The findings in this report are serious.

[Speaker 3] (55:00 - 55:07)
The investigation concluded that Ms. Fletcher violated the Select Board's Code of Conduct by directing police action outside of her authority,

[Speaker 3] (55:08 - 55:08)
bypassing proper conduct.

[Speaker 3] (55:08 - 55:09)
proper governance channels,

[Speaker 3] (55:10 - 55:13)
failing to treat a fellow elected official with appropriate professional respect,

[Speaker 3] (55:13 - 55:15)
and making inappropriate public statements.

[Speaker 3] (55:15 - 55:17)
This should not be viewed as an isolated incident.

[Speaker 3] (55:18 - 55:23)
While these findings are now formally documented, they reflect a pattern of behavior that I observed during my tenure on school committee,

[Speaker 3] (55:23 - 55:27)
beginning during her time on finance committee and continuing through her role as select board.

[Speaker 3] (55:28 - 55:29)
And my final two years on school committee,

[Speaker 3] (55:29 - 55:32)
Ms. Fletcher repeatedly bypassed established lines of communication,

[Speaker 3] (55:32 - 55:36)
contacting school leadership directly rather than working through the select board chair,

[Speaker 3] (55:36 - 55:37)
the town administrator,

[Speaker 3] (55:37 - 55:38)
or the school committee chair.

[Speaker 3] (55:39 - 55:50)
These interactions often involved requests for information at times sensitive in nature and when responses did not align with her expectations escalated to attempts to direct actions despite lacking the authority to do so.

[Speaker 3] (55:51 - 55:57)
This pattern created strain on school leadership and staff and at times placed employees in difficult and uncomfortable positions.

[Speaker 3] (55:57 - 56:04)
In at least one instance a staff member felt compelled to block communication during the nature and frequency of the outreach.

[Speaker 3] (56:04 - 56:08)
Over time this environment contributed to my decision to step away from the

[Speaker 7] (56:08 - 56:08)
organization.

[Speaker 3] (56:08 - 56:10)
away from school committee after 13 years of service.

[Speaker 3] (56:10 - 56:17)
This report raised broader concerns about the impact of this kind of behavior on staff retention and the working environment for town employees more generally.

[Speaker 3] (56:18 - 56:24)
The conduct described in the report is therefore consistent with the behavior that has occurred over time across multiple areas of town governance.

[Speaker 3] (56:24 - 56:27)
I believe the public deserves to understand the broader context.

[Speaker 3] (56:27 - 56:28)
Thank you for your attention.

[Speaker 3] (56:28 - 56:29)
Sincerely, Amy O'Connor.

[Speaker 3] (56:33 - 56:50)
Looks like that will conclude public comments and we will move on to new and old business beginning with the discussion and possible vote on the potential resolution to censure select board member Mary Ellen Flusher for violation of chapter five,

[Speaker 3] (56:50 - 56:51)
section C,

[Speaker 3] (56:51 - 56:59)
the code, section C conduct in relation to town staff and chapter five, section A conduct in relation to other town officials in the swamp Scott.

[Speaker 3] (57:00 - 57:08)
um Swamp Scout board and the committee code of conduct um so we um when this

[Speaker 3] (57:09 - 57:10)
Came onto the agenda,

[Speaker 3] (57:10 - 57:15)
we approached KP and asked for what would be, having not ventured down this road before,

[Speaker 3] (57:15 - 57:22)
an appropriate form of censure related to the findings from the investigation.

[Speaker 3] (57:22 - 57:29)
KP came back and gave us a draft censure for all of the violations related to,

[Speaker 3] (57:30 - 57:33)
that were part of the findings.

[Speaker 3] (57:34 - 57:38)
That is what was reflected on the agenda. However, as the chair,

[Speaker 3] (57:39 - 57:46)
I would like to recommend that we only consider the violation for Chapter 5, Section C, which is conduct in relation to town staff,

[Speaker 3] (57:46 - 57:53)
and given the back and forth communications that have occurred from all the public comments and that have been sent to us.

[Speaker 3] (57:55 - 58:00)
to all of us, regarding the conduct in relation to other town officials,

[Speaker 3] (58:00 - 58:04)
you know, everybody shares some burden of blame here.

[Speaker 3] (58:04 - 58:09)
And so having heard the feedback from the community,

[Speaker 3] (58:09 - 58:16)
my primary focus and what I ask the board to primarily focus on is the conduct in relation to town staff.

[Speaker 3] (58:17 - 58:22)
Because ultimately, the public has a way to get rid of us if they don't like us.

[Speaker 3] (58:22 - 58:26)
That is, they don't get to vote for us, but town staff doesn't.

[Speaker 3] (58:26 - 58:29)
They're here to work for this town and to put in their time and energy.

[Speaker 3] (58:31 - 58:33)
And they're sometimes put in positions,

[Speaker 3] (58:33 - 58:39)
and I think we've heard from quite a few today that this is not an isolated incident.

[Speaker 3] (58:41 - 58:42)
I think.

[Speaker 3] (58:43 - 58:49)
Some of us have tried our very best to solve these problems outside of tonight,

[Speaker 3] (58:49 - 58:54)
and we are here nonetheless,

[Speaker 3] (58:54 - 58:56)
so that is my request to the board to consider.

[Speaker 4] (59:00 - 59:05)
Should we give Mary Helen a chance to speak first, I assume?

[Speaker 5] (59:08 - 59:08)
I can speak last.

[Speaker 6] (59:10 - 59:11)
So

[Speaker 3] (59:14 - 59:26)
So I guess what I would suggest is we entertain a motion to amend the center to focus just on the town staff section and then we can begin discussion if anybody wants to entertain that motion.

[Speaker 6] (59:27 - 59:27)
I'll make the motion.

[Speaker 3] (59:28 - 59:29)
Do I have a second?

[Speaker 4] (59:30 - 59:32)
I will second that.

[Speaker 3] (59:32 - 59:32)
Okay,

[Speaker 3] (59:32 - 59:33)
so we'll begin discussion.

[Speaker 2] (59:43 - 59:44)
Don't be shy,

[Speaker 2] (59:44 - 59:44)
guys.

[Speaker 1] (59:50 - 59:52)
That's a lot to take in for sure.

[Speaker 1] (59:54 - 59:57)
I do just want to correct one thing for the record.

[Speaker 1] (59:58 - 1:00:02)
um there was no decision about what to do in executive session.

[Speaker 1] (1:00:05 - 1:00:05)
Um

[Speaker 1] (1:00:09 - 1:00:09)
So

[Speaker 1] (1:00:11 - 1:00:17)
this is a complicated matter as everyone has expressed and um

[Speaker 1] (1:00:19 - 1:00:23)
I think speaking for myself obviously that

[Speaker 1] (1:00:24 - 1:00:32)
I value, as I have shared with Mary Ellen many times, her deep,

[Speaker 1] (1:00:33 - 1:00:37)
long-standing commitment to the improvement of the town.

[Speaker 1] (1:00:39 - 1:00:40)
I know she works.

[Speaker 2] (1:00:42 - 1:00:43)
Come closer, Doug.

[Speaker 1] (1:00:43 - 1:00:44)
Yeah, thank you.

[Speaker 1] (1:00:45 - 1:00:47)
I don't have to repeat all that, do I?

[Speaker 2] (1:00:47 - 1:00:47)
No.

[Speaker 1] (1:00:47 - 1:00:48)
You sure?

[Speaker 1] (1:00:48 - 1:00:48)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (1:00:50 - 1:00:51)
I

[Speaker 1] (1:00:53 - 1:00:58)
know she works incredibly hard and is very committed to the improvement of the town.

[Speaker 1] (1:01:00 - 1:01:10)
So while I know there are some people that are very mad and have experienced unacceptable things.

[Speaker 1] (1:01:12 - 1:01:15)
I don't feel like it's my place to make a judgment,

[Speaker 1] (1:01:15 - 1:01:22)
nor do I really feel like it's particularly our place to discuss resignation.

[Speaker 1] (1:01:23 - 1:01:28)
What I do feel like is in our purview is censure.

[Speaker 1] (1:01:31 - 1:01:32)
And obviously there are many,

[Speaker 1] (1:01:33 - 1:01:41)
many different opinions about this and equivalencies or false equivalencies in terms of what's happened in the past.

[Speaker 1] (1:01:44 - 1:01:49)
What we do have in front of us right now is, in my opinion,

[Speaker 1] (1:01:50 - 1:01:56)
the most extreme example that I've seen of commitment

[Speaker 1] (1:01:57 - 1:02:00)
going way beyond,

[Speaker 1] (1:02:00 - 1:02:12)
and the board has pursued a very deliberate process with an outside independent investigation.

[Speaker 1] (1:02:15 - 1:02:17)
completely as far as I'm aware,

[Speaker 1] (1:02:17 - 1:02:20)
devoid of any select board influence,

[Speaker 1] (1:02:21 - 1:02:24)
except for those people that were interviewed as part of the process,

[Speaker 1] (1:02:24 - 1:02:31)
and returned a clear problematic fat pattern.

[Speaker 1] (1:02:33 - 1:02:38)
And so I frankly don't even really feel like I have a choice at this point.

[Speaker 1] (1:02:41 - 1:02:43)
Mary Ellen did apologize last week.

[Speaker 1] (1:02:45 - 1:02:49)
I will say that I felt that

[Speaker 1] (1:02:51 - 1:02:53)
that was not

[Speaker 1] (1:02:55 - 1:03:05)
as understanding of the magnitude of the offense in the

[Speaker 1] (1:03:09 - 1:03:14)
strength of the apology and it

[Speaker 1] (1:03:16 - 1:03:20)
didn't sit well with me afterward and

[Speaker 1] (1:03:23 - 1:03:38)
so I feel as though for those people that have experienced this type of behavior in the past and particularly as Katie mentioned especially for town staff

[Speaker 1] (1:03:39 - 1:03:48)
who really don't have any other recourse and didn't sign up for this type of instruction.

[Speaker 1] (1:03:49 - 1:04:03)
I think it's really really important that we draw the line and I know people will be frustrated that we didn't draw it at a different point but I don't think that absolves us right now of

[Speaker 1] (1:04:04 - 1:04:05)
Just looking the other way.

[Speaker 1] (1:04:07 - 1:04:16)
So that's my rationale for why I feel like this is an important step for us to take.

[Speaker 2] (1:04:28 - 1:04:29)
So I'll go next.

[Speaker 3] (1:04:31 - 1:04:31)
Hi, sorry.

[Speaker 3] (1:04:35 - 1:04:39)
So I I The biggest thing that comes to mind for me today is

[Speaker 3] (1:04:40 - 1:04:55)
we're damned if we do, we're damned if we don't. Because there are people who wanna sit here and say and hold us accountable for not doing something. And then there's a whole other group of people who wanna say why now?

[Speaker 3] (1:04:56 - 1:04:59)
Why is now the time to start picking apart

[Speaker 3] (1:05:00 - 1:05:05)
certain issues. Um for me two things can be true.

[Speaker 3] (1:05:07 - 1:05:14)
When a member of the Board of Assessors was here and had a difficult time with Mr.

[Speaker 3] (1:05:14 - 1:05:14)
Grishman,

[Speaker 3] (1:05:15 - 1:05:18)
I publicly thought and said to Mr.

[Speaker 3] (1:05:18 - 1:05:26)
Grishman sitting to my right how out of line I thought that was. That can be equally true to how I feel about this situation being

[Speaker 3] (1:05:27 - 1:05:29)
equally out of line, maybe more so.

[Speaker 3] (1:05:30 - 1:05:53)
For me um first I want to apologize for any of the town staff who's here and had the guts to get up here and say stories that they've probably said in the past and none of us have really done anything about because that is a position where it it's not an enviable position, it's it's

[Speaker 3] (1:05:54 - 1:05:58)
It's painful, and I apologize on behalf of this board for anything that anyone has gone through.

[Speaker 3] (1:05:59 - 1:06:03)
But the people that came here tonight are not the only people I've heard from.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:04 - 1:06:05)
Town staff,

[Speaker 3] (1:06:05 - 1:06:07)
board members,

[Speaker 3] (1:06:07 - 1:06:08)
committee members,

[Speaker 3] (1:06:09 - 1:06:12)
regular people that live in this town.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:12 - 1:06:14)
All of them have equal weight to me.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:14 - 1:06:18)
And I'm not going to sit here and go through every single person who's told me something.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:19 - 1:06:32)
in relation to this situation, um I would never do that. But there are lots of people who are afraid to come and say anything today. And I I give that a considerable amount of weight also.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:33 - 1:06:48)
None of us I don't think any of the four of us want to be here doing this. I really don't. I know I don't. I did not sign up to be a select board member to sit here and um play good cop, bad cop and mediate between two grown adults.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:49 - 1:06:50)
I've said that before.

[Speaker 3] (1:06:51 - 1:06:57)
I have publicly asked everybody on this board to start being civil,

[Speaker 3] (1:06:57 - 1:06:58)
to collaborate,

[Speaker 3] (1:06:58 - 1:06:59)
to work together,

[Speaker 3] (1:07:00 - 1:07:02)
not with just the other four people on this board,

[Speaker 3] (1:07:03 - 1:07:05)
but with the other committees in this town,

[Speaker 3] (1:07:05 - 1:07:07)
the other elected officials in this town.

[Speaker 3] (1:07:07 - 1:07:08)
I've done it publicly,

[Speaker 3] (1:07:08 - 1:07:09)
I've done it behind the scenes,

[Speaker 3] (1:07:10 - 1:07:12)
I've done it every which way from Sunday.

[Speaker 3] (1:07:12 - 1:07:14)
And sometimes it just doesn't land,

[Speaker 3] (1:07:14 - 1:07:17)
and it doesn't work, and people don't listen.

[Speaker 3] (1:07:17 - 1:07:21)
So, to those people that say, why now?

[Speaker 3] (1:07:21 - 1:07:24)
Because if ever we have to stand up and say enough is enough,

[Speaker 3] (1:07:25 - 1:07:26)
I think this is the time.

[Speaker 3] (1:07:27 - 1:07:36)
To me, when I read the report, when I listened to the police, it took a different turn for me.

[Speaker 3] (1:07:36 - 1:07:38)
It felt more severe.

[Speaker 3] (1:07:38 - 1:07:43)
I am not blind to other instances that I feel like this has happened.

[Speaker 3] (1:07:44 - 1:07:56)
And again, it you know I'm not setting I'm not sitting here trying to to throw stones at anybody, but I'm here because I'm blunt because I'm direct and because they do what I think is right.

[Speaker 3] (1:07:56 - 1:08:01)
And that's all I can offer, right? I can't, I'm not going to sit here and say that I'm not, that I'm perfect.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:01 - 1:08:04)
I've never said that contrary to Mr.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:04 - 1:08:06)
Demento or anybody else that thinks that.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:07 - 1:08:14)
I am so sure that I have not made the correct move every single time, but I am also really sure that I've never done anything like this.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:15 - 1:08:18)
And I am not here to get anybody.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:19 - 1:08:26)
I'm not here to act like anything other than one of five on this board that is trying to do things for this town that actually matter.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:26 - 1:08:31)
This stuff doesn't. This doesn't help the 15,000 people who put us here.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:31 - 1:08:35)
And I am so tired, quite honestly, of wasting time dealing with it.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:37 - 1:08:39)
But at the same time, I'm not going to shirk responsibility.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:39 - 1:08:41)
We have to deal with it, right?

[Speaker 3] (1:08:41 - 1:08:45)
And, you know, I'm happy to do that. I'm not happy about it.

[Speaker 3] (1:08:46 - 1:09:12)
Um it you know I did certainly um I had the tides call and I certainly did give them my full opinion on what I thought about this I'm not going to go over it again I'm happy to entertain anyone who wants to call me or email me and has a question about how I feel um from my own experience as well as listening to other people out there um you know but by by no means does this mean that I discount anything that

[Speaker 3] (1:09:14 - 1:09:18)
pointedly, Mr. Grishman may have done that I have very often publicly disagreed with.

[Speaker 3] (1:09:19 - 1:09:25)
And certainly if you were to remain on this board and exhibit the same type of behavior,

[Speaker 3] (1:09:25 - 1:09:26)
like,

[Speaker 3] (1:09:26 - 1:09:27)
sorry, David,

[Speaker 3] (1:09:27 - 1:09:29)
but I certainly would hold him to task the same way.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:36 - 1:09:40)
It just means that at some point somebody has to stand up and do what's right.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:40 - 1:09:42)
That pardon?

[Speaker 1] (1:09:43 - 1:09:44)
How do you know I didn't?

[Speaker 2] (1:09:44 - 1:09:45)
We would assume that

[Speaker 1] (1:09:45 - 1:09:46)
How do you know I didn't?

[Speaker 3] (1:09:46 - 1:09:47)
I'm g I'm

[Speaker 4] (1:09:47 - 1:09:47)
But let's

[Speaker 5] (1:09:47 - 1:09:48)
This is

[Speaker 4] (1:09:48 - 1:09:48)
I

[Speaker 5] (1:09:48 - 1:09:48)
no

[Speaker 4] (1:09:48 - 1:09:48)
know.

[Speaker 5] (1:09:48 - 1:09:48)
significance.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:49 - 1:09:50)
It's not, but I'm happy to answer it. I've

[Speaker 4] (1:09:51 - 1:09:57)
I know, but let's not engage I'm I'm sorry, but there was time for public comment and this is not the time for public comment. So thank you, Danielle.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:57 - 1:09:58)
Sure.

[Speaker 4] (1:09:58 - 1:09:59)
Appreciate it.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:59 - 1:09:59)
Yep.

[Speaker 4] (1:10:03 - 1:10:03)
Additional comment.

[Speaker 5] (1:10:08 - 1:10:10)
Well, I mean, do we have any more additional comments?

[Speaker 4] (1:10:10 - 1:10:12)
I'm asking if you have additional comments.

[Speaker 5] (1:10:12 - 1:10:12)
Sure, um

[Speaker 5] (1:10:15 - 1:10:21)
I said last week that I take full responsibility for what I did. I made a mistake.

[Speaker 5] (1:10:23 - 1:10:25)
I violated the code of conduct.

[Speaker 5] (1:10:25 - 1:10:26)
I made a mistake.

[Speaker 5] (1:10:28 - 1:10:30)
And I'm sorry for it.

[Speaker 5] (1:10:30 - 1:10:31)
I said I would do better.

[Speaker 5] (1:10:33 - 1:10:39)
And I would really like it if you could just take your vote so we could start doing some real serious business.

[Speaker 5] (1:10:41 - 1:10:47)
take care of the issues that are really important in the town right now with the budget and everything.

[Speaker 5] (1:10:47 - 1:10:50)
I have made a mistake. I take full responsibility for it.

[Speaker 5] (1:10:50 - 1:10:53)
I apologize last week. I'm apologizing again.

[Speaker 5] (1:10:56 - 1:10:59)
And I really don't know what else to say other than that.

[Speaker 5] (1:10:59 - 1:11:01)
I apologize.

[Speaker 4] (1:11:03 - 1:11:06)
So just quickly before we move to a vote,

[Speaker 4] (1:11:06 - 1:11:08)
I just want to say.

[Speaker 4] (1:11:12 - 1:11:14)
Nobody up here more than me does not want to be doing this.

[Speaker 4] (1:11:14 - 1:11:18)
I have cultivated a relationship with Mary Ellen over the past four and a half years,

[Speaker 4] (1:11:18 - 1:11:25)
and while not everything happens publicly, I have spoken to many board members about their actions,

[Speaker 4] (1:11:25 - 1:11:27)
about the way they speak to one another,

[Speaker 4] (1:11:27 - 1:11:28)
about the lack of respect,

[Speaker 4] (1:11:29 - 1:11:32)
about how we can uphold ourselves to certain professional standards,

[Speaker 4] (1:11:32 - 1:11:34)
about where boundaries exist,

[Speaker 4] (1:11:34 - 1:11:37)
and it's

[Speaker 4] (1:11:40 - 1:11:41)
an un...

[Speaker 4] (1:11:41 - 1:11:45)
believable mental load for everybody to put that on the chair.

[Speaker 4] (1:11:46 - 1:11:54)
I am not responsible for the grown adults on this board. I am responsible to try and keep order and make sure that town governments continues.

[Speaker 4] (1:11:58 - 1:12:01)
It has likely

[Speaker 4] (1:12:04 - 1:12:07)
I don't know why things didn't get to this point with David,

[Speaker 4] (1:12:07 - 1:12:08)
to be honest,

[Speaker 4] (1:12:08 - 1:12:10)
and I wasn't responsible to take things to this point with David.

[Speaker 4] (1:12:11 - 1:12:15)
I am responsible to take things to this point as I sit in the chair position now.

[Speaker 4] (1:12:16 - 1:12:24)
And as much as I don't want to be here and have asked and have tried to get to a point where we aren't here,

[Speaker 4] (1:12:24 - 1:12:27)
we are here. And it...

[Speaker 4] (1:12:28 - 1:12:32)
It has just been a very complex and complicated position to be here,

[Speaker 4] (1:12:32 - 1:12:43)
and I have had a cord ring with me the same way that town staff has about that feeling of pressure,

[Speaker 4] (1:12:44 - 1:12:50)
intimidation, disappointment built on relationships. This is all built relationship building,

[Speaker 4] (1:12:50 - 1:12:50)
right?

[Speaker 4] (1:12:50 - 1:12:51)
And...

[Speaker 4] (1:12:56 - 1:12:59)
It is difficult for me to be here because I don't want to be here,

[Speaker 4] (1:12:59 - 1:13:01)
but that doesn't mean it's not the right place to be.

[Speaker 4] (1:13:01 - 1:13:20)
And I think at this point, we have to put our boundary down and stand up for town staff and just make them understand that we hear them and we see them and going forward, keep that boundary in place and not let it get to the point that.

[Speaker 4] (1:13:22 - 1:13:25)
Mary Eleanor or anybody else on this board has taken it to.

[Speaker 4] (1:13:26 - 1:13:27)
And again,

[Speaker 4] (1:13:27 - 1:13:30)
I can't say why we haven't gotten there in the past,

[Speaker 4] (1:13:30 - 1:13:42)
but all I can do is as chairs say that the commitment I made when I took chair was that I might have to get here and it's unfortunate that I am and I'm displeased that I am, but we are nonetheless so.

[Speaker 4] (1:13:45 - 1:13:48)
I'll entertain if nobody has anything additional.

[Speaker 4] (1:13:51 - 1:14:15)
will entertain the motion as amended which is to reprimand and censure select board member Mary Ellen Fletcher for violations of the chapter 5 section C conduct in relation to town staff of the Swampscott Board and committee code of conduct all in favor aye

[Speaker 6] (1:14:15 - 1:14:16)
Aye.

[Speaker 5] (1:14:16 - 1:14:16)
Aye.

[Speaker 4] (1:14:17 - 1:14:18)
Opposed.

[Speaker 1] (1:14:19 - 1:14:19)
Opposed.

[Speaker 4] (1:14:20 - 1:14:21)
Well, I

[Speaker 4] (1:14:24 - 1:14:27)
don't know if you can vote.

[Speaker 4] (1:14:28 - 1:14:31)
Do we have a motion on the I mean do we have feedback

[Speaker 8] (1:14:31 - 1:14:31)
The the

[Speaker 4] (1:14:31 - 1:14:32)
on that?

[Speaker 8] (1:14:32 - 1:14:41)
opinion of K_P_ is that it's implicit that the person who's a subject cannot vote because it needs to be a unanimous vote. And it would render the entire thing

[Speaker 4] (1:14:42 - 1:14:42)
Pointless.

[Speaker 8] (1:14:42 - 1:14:43)
pointless if

[Speaker 8] (1:14:44 - 1:14:48)
The one dissenting vote is the person who is the subject.

[Speaker 4] (1:14:49 - 1:14:49)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:14:52 - 1:15:00)
So going forward, then the vote should reflect four, zero, zero with Mary Ellen not being able to vote.

[Speaker 4] (1:15:02 - 1:15:05)
Moving on to the next item on the agenda,

[Speaker 4] (1:15:05 - 1:15:10)
which is discussion on the IDDE and sewer laterals.

[Speaker 4] (1:15:12 - 1:15:13)
Gino's here this evening.

[Speaker 8] (1:15:13 - 1:15:15)
If I could just speak to it briefly,

[Speaker 8] (1:15:15 - 1:15:28)
this was at the request of Mr. Grishman that we have a somewhat brief discussion about a process that has been ongoing dating back to 2017 where improvements have been made.

[Speaker 8] (1:15:28 - 1:15:35)
On the IDD e-work, in some cases on private property, so I just wanted to make sure that everyone's sort of on the same page going.

[Speaker 8] (1:15:36 - 1:15:41)
Gina is available to share a brief overview and then answer questions that

[Speaker 5] (1:15:41 - 1:15:41)
I think

[Speaker 8] (1:15:41 - 1:15:43)
the board may have. But we don't have a presentation,

[Speaker 8] (1:15:43 - 1:15:43)
Danielle.

[Speaker 5] (1:15:44 - 1:15:44)
Okay.

[Speaker 8] (1:15:44 - 1:15:51)
That's why I was that's why I was trying to give the, you know, is available to give a brief update and then obviously answer questions as we go.

[Speaker 4] (1:15:51 - 1:15:54)
Patrick, would you mind passing your mic? Thank you.

[Speaker 5] (1:15:55 - 1:16:06)
Before we start, could I just ask a question? Like why, I'm confused why are we talking about this? Are we talking about the future on how to do I_D_D_E_ or really?

[Speaker 4] (1:16:06 - 1:16:12)
So it came up in conversation last meeting about the fact that private sewer laterals were being replaced by

[Speaker 4] (1:16:13 - 1:16:14)
the town.

[Speaker 5] (1:16:14 - 1:16:15)
So they've done in the past.

[Speaker 4] (1:16:15 - 1:16:30)
Yep. So this is direction we've received some additional information from KP about if anything could be done for what we've done in the past and then what can be done going forward if that was no longer the policy that we wanted to do.

[Speaker 8] (1:16:30 - 1:16:30)
If I

[Speaker 4] (1:16:30 - 1:16:30)
Go ahead.

[Speaker 8] (1:16:30 - 1:16:30)
can just,

[Speaker 4] (1:16:30 - 1:16:31)
Please.

[Speaker 8] (1:16:31 - 1:16:38)
we're doing it because it was on the agenda. We wanted to make sure that Gino could answer questions. But to your point, I think, you know.

[Speaker 8] (1:16:38 - 1:16:42)
If questions can be answered around the decisions and the process we've gone through,

[Speaker 8] (1:16:42 - 1:16:45)
we do have one option that Patrick can speak to a little bit going forward.

[Speaker 8] (1:16:46 - 1:16:49)
And that was what we also wanted to share with you all.

[Speaker 8] (1:16:49 - 1:16:51)
We have discussed here,

[Speaker 8] (1:16:51 - 1:16:56)
it's just that we will lay out what we anticipate looking into and we can, of course, come back as we explore that a little more.

[Speaker 8] (1:16:57 - 1:16:59)
But I'll turn it over to Gino on the...

[Speaker 9] (1:16:59 - 1:17:01)
Well, it was also brought up in the context of the budget,

[Speaker 9] (1:17:01 - 1:17:02)
right?

[Speaker 5] (1:17:02 - 1:17:02)
Yeah.

[Speaker 8] (1:17:02 - 1:17:02)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (1:17:02 - 1:17:02)
Right.

[Speaker 9] (1:17:02 - 1:17:05)
Because in fact they were, you know, David made some claims.

[Speaker 9] (1:17:05 - 1:17:32)
that were astounding to me that from that were requested by someone else about how much money had been spent on these things and here we were you know nickel and diming other things and we were ostensibly potentially all of us somewhat collectively I will it certainly wasn't Gino on his own from my perspective you know we collectively had you know engaged down this path and it's a gut check to see like

[Speaker 9] (1:17:31 - 1:17:33)
Like, what are we doing here?

[Speaker 10] (1:17:33 - 1:17:33)
Yeah.

[Speaker 9] (1:17:33 - 1:17:34)
Yeah.

[Speaker 10] (1:17:35 - 1:17:36)
So quick overview,

[Speaker 10] (1:17:36 - 1:17:38)
right, you've heard this many times.

[Speaker 10] (1:17:39 - 1:17:41)
On November 23rd, 2015,

[Speaker 10] (1:17:41 - 1:17:53)
a consent decree between the United States and Autonomous Swampscott was entered into U.S. District Court with the intention of identifying and eliminating non-stormwater discharges to the store system,

[Speaker 10] (1:17:53 - 1:17:55)
as required by the Clean Water Act.

[Speaker 10] (1:17:57 - 1:18:02)
Back then, Tom Younger, town administrator, and I met with the EPA.

[Speaker 10] (1:18:03 - 1:18:05)
They told us we're in violation of the Clean Auto Act,

[Speaker 10] (1:18:05 - 1:18:07)
said how do we want to resolve this?

[Speaker 10] (1:18:08 - 1:18:10)
They said it's not up to us to tell you.

[Speaker 10] (1:18:10 - 1:18:27)
You need to resolve this on your own. They hit us. They were initially trying to fine us a hundred twenty five thousand dollars. We negotiated it down to sixty five thousand dollars, which still was hefty in my mind when I said we could take that sixty five thousand dollars and utilize it to repair in our system.

[Speaker 9] (1:18:27 - 1:18:28)
Or use chlorine.

[Speaker 9] (1:18:29 - 1:18:29)
Sorry.

[Speaker 4] (1:18:29 - 1:18:30)
No, you

[Speaker 10] (1:18:30 - 1:18:34)
That was brought up as well. Because they said we don't have an issue right now because

[Speaker 9] (1:18:34 - 1:18:34)
That was working

[Speaker 10] (1:18:34 - 1:18:34)
our

[Speaker 9] (1:18:34 - 1:18:35)
for

[Speaker 10] (1:18:35 - 1:18:35)
chlorinate.

[Speaker 9] (1:18:35 - 1:18:35)
us.

[Speaker 10] (1:18:36 - 1:18:36)
Anyways,

[Speaker 10] (1:18:38 - 1:18:39)
before I left the office,

[Speaker 10] (1:18:40 - 1:18:41)
EPA representative said,

[Speaker 10] (1:18:42 - 1:18:44)
I know you asked us how you want to resolve this.

[Speaker 10] (1:18:44 - 1:18:46)
We're not going to tell you how to resolve this,

[Speaker 10] (1:18:46 - 1:18:47)
but we're going to give you a little information.

[Speaker 10] (1:18:47 - 1:19:04)
Why don't you head over to Norwood and meet with the DPW director there. He's under a similar consent decree and he said success in cleaning up his illicit discharges. Sure enough, Dave Peterson and I make a trip over to Norwood. I meet with Mark Ryan.

[Speaker 10] (1:19:05 - 1:19:07)
DPW director over there at the time.

[Speaker 10] (1:19:08 - 1:19:10)
Just a little aside, he said,

[Speaker 10] (1:19:10 - 1:19:16)
how long you been the DPW director in Swampscott? At the time I said twelve years. He said, that's unheard of. Who lasts twelve years in a town?

[Speaker 4] (1:19:18 - 1:19:20)
Today do you know how many?

[Speaker 10] (1:19:20 - 1:19:21)
Almost twenty three.

[Speaker 10] (1:19:22 - 1:19:24)
So one of the things that Mark said

[Speaker 2] (1:19:27 - 1:19:29)
We lined all the sewer mains in town.

[Speaker 2] (1:19:30 - 1:19:32)
We didn't do the laterals at the time.

[Speaker 2] (1:19:33 - 1:19:37)
Once we replaced the laterals or relined them, we went back,

[Speaker 2] (1:19:37 - 1:19:37)
tested,

[Speaker 2] (1:19:38 - 1:19:39)
we didn't get the results we were looking for.

[Speaker 2] (1:19:39 - 1:19:42)
We had to go back into those neighborhoods a second time,

[Speaker 2] (1:19:43 - 1:19:43)
disrupt everybody,

[Speaker 2] (1:19:44 - 1:19:45)
put it on a second contract.

[Speaker 2] (1:19:45 - 1:19:48)
We weren't getting the economy of scale we should have the first time.

[Speaker 2] (1:19:49 - 1:19:51)
By doing the laterals, we got pretty good results.

[Speaker 2] (1:19:52 - 1:20:00)
Took that advice, went back to Kleinfelder. Kleinfelder thought it was a good idea. I supported that. I always said it was my recommendation.

[Speaker 2] (1:20:00 - 1:20:01)
I don't know if it was ever my decision.

[Speaker 2] (1:20:02 - 1:20:09)
Tom Younger was the Deputy Town Administrator at the time. We sat and that was the direction we decided to go,

[Speaker 2] (1:20:10 - 1:20:10)
phase 1A.

[Speaker 2] (1:20:11 - 1:20:13)
Subsequent phases were done 1A.

[Speaker 2] (1:20:14 - 1:20:18)
One B, one C, just almost complete with two A right now,

[Speaker 2] (1:20:18 - 1:20:27)
and we've continued to do it. It's not like I ever hid this from anybody. I've stood up there many a times and said we're doing the laterals. If someone had directed me not to do them,

[Speaker 2] (1:20:28 - 1:20:30)
may not agree with them, but I have bosses.

[Speaker 2] (1:20:31 - 1:20:32)
I wouldn't have done it.

[Speaker 2] (1:20:33 - 1:20:41)
As I said, never hid any of these numbers. I can give these to you right now because I know there was some concern. So today.

[Speaker 2] (1:20:43 - 1:21:11)
through phase 2a we've invested about 9.8 million dollars into re-line and sewer mains and laterals. To date we've spent 2.9 million dollars doing the laterals. So yeah, like I said never hit it, it is what it is which if you look at construction costs to replace the laterals really to re-line them you're looking about 42 percent of the contract when you add in

[Speaker 2] (1:21:12 - 1:21:13)
Engineering,

[Speaker 2] (1:21:14 - 1:21:16)
police details and other incidentals,

[Speaker 2] (1:21:16 - 1:21:18)
that's what gets us to the nine point eight million.

[Speaker 2] (1:21:18 - 1:21:23)
Now you're looking at thirty percent of the costs, that the two point nine is once you saw the levels.

[Speaker 2] (1:21:25 - 1:21:29)
And in a nutshell, that's it, and I'm happy to answer any questions.

[Speaker 3] (1:21:30 - 1:21:39)
Maybe before we get to questions from Gina, we can move on to Patrick's piece of the conversation which is, I know you all spoke to K_P_

[Speaker 3] (1:21:40 - 1:21:48)
um about if if there was anything we could do going backwards and you have an answer and then if is there anything potentially we could do going forward.

[Speaker 2] (1:21:51 - 1:21:51)
The mic.

[Speaker 4] (1:21:55 - 1:22:07)
So in terms of the work that has been performed on the sewer laterals, there's nothing that would enable us to reach back and assess individual property owners for work that was done.

[Speaker 4] (1:22:08 - 1:22:28)
Um going forward there's a mechanism in state law called a betterment. Um there's a procedure where through town meeting at the approval of the project and then through an assessing board which in this case would be most likely the select board, um would choose to pass on costs proportionately to owners benefited from.

[Speaker 4] (1:22:29 - 1:22:46)
these types of improvements, and those would be um available either, you know, to pay up front or through installments through um assessments on the real estate bill for that individual property. Um so that's kind of high level option going forward.

[Speaker 3] (1:22:47 - 1:22:53)
Can the um betterment assessment be paid at passing of title also?

[Speaker 3] (1:22:54 - 1:22:56)
Or is it just an installment?

[Speaker 4] (1:22:56 - 1:23:00)
Yeah, so it's not required to be paid off at passing of title,

[Speaker 4] (1:23:01 - 1:23:07)
but certainly I think for anyone who's selling property and getting financing they'd probably expect that to be paid off at closing.

[Speaker 5] (1:23:11 - 1:23:13)
So how much, how many,

[Speaker 5] (1:23:13 - 1:23:16)
like how much per lateral?

[Speaker 5] (1:23:19 - 1:23:19)
Roughly.

[Speaker 2] (1:23:20 - 1:23:31)
Roughly about three thousand dollars. In the line item it's twenty five hundred dollars per lateral, but then the incidental is about video and repairs. I averaged all that together to get about three thousand dollars.

[Speaker 3] (1:23:32 - 1:23:35)
So just assume you're trying to get at how many laterals have we actually

[Speaker 5] (1:23:35 - 1:23:35)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:23:35 - 1:23:35)
done?

[Speaker 5] (1:23:35 - 1:23:36)
Well, no,

[Speaker 5] (1:23:36 - 1:23:36)
actually,

[Speaker 3] (1:23:36 - 1:23:37)
Oh, I

[Speaker 5] (1:23:37 - 1:23:43)
I was I was actually, you know, I was getting at like how much of a big benefit have the people, you know, received

[Speaker 3] (1:23:43 - 1:23:43)
see.

[Speaker 5] (1:23:43 - 1:23:49)
that this has already happened, you know, I mean, is it is it a $30,000 value? No, it's a $3,000 value,

[Speaker 5] (1:23:49 - 1:23:49)
you know.

[Speaker 2] (1:23:49 - 1:23:59)
Probably not, because of the economy of scale on a contract like this. If you were to call in this company relying your lateral right now, it's probably going to be between five and ten thousand dollars.

[Speaker 3] (1:24:00 - 1:24:02)
But it's only costing us three because we have

[Speaker 2] (1:24:02 - 1:24:03)
We did

[Speaker 3] (1:24:03 - 1:24:03)
other

[Speaker 2] (1:24:03 - 1:24:04)
I contracted thought I

[Speaker 3] (1:24:04 - 1:24:04)
work they're

[Speaker 2] (1:24:04 - 1:24:04)
I already did.

[Speaker 3] (1:24:04 - 1:24:06)
there, get line

[Speaker 2] (1:24:06 - 1:24:08)
I'm doing five hundred right in the contract, right?

[Speaker 3] (1:24:08 - 1:24:10)
So how many laterals then, quick math.

[Speaker 2] (1:24:12 - 1:24:13)
I had that none

[Speaker 3] (1:24:13 - 1:24:13)
Do you think we have done?

[Speaker 5] (1:24:14 - 1:24:15)
It's a thousand, right?

[Speaker 2] (1:24:15 - 1:24:16)
One, two, Oh.

[Speaker 3] (1:24:16 - 1:24:17)
A thousand?

[Speaker 6] (1:24:17 - 1:24:19)
It was five hundred and something as of

[Speaker 2] (1:24:20 - 1:24:21)
It may be.

[Speaker 6] (1:24:22 - 1:24:23)
Nice that they have that number here.

[Speaker 5] (1:24:24 - 1:24:24)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:24:24 - 1:24:24)
I know.

[Speaker 2] (1:24:24 - 1:24:25)
Am I?

[Speaker 8] (1:24:25 - 1:24:26)
Does

[Speaker 5] (1:24:26 - 1:24:26)
Is that

[Speaker 8] (1:24:26 - 1:24:26)
it matter?

[Speaker 5] (1:24:26 - 1:24:26)
the right word?

[Speaker 3] (1:24:27 - 1:24:31)
It i it uh it does matter for the conversation just for equity. I think it does matter.

[Speaker 6] (1:24:31 - 1:24:33)
It i'm gonna guess well well

[Speaker 5] (1:24:33 - 1:24:35)
Well, three million divided by forty

[Speaker 3] (1:24:35 - 1:24:35)
Three

[Speaker 5] (1:24:35 - 1:24:35)
three

[Speaker 3] (1:24:35 - 1:24:36)
right thousand.

[Speaker 5] (1:24:36 - 1:24:37)
thousand is...

[Speaker 6] (1:24:37 - 1:24:39)
right but it's really it

[Speaker 2] (1:24:39 - 1:24:41)
In phase one improvements,

[Speaker 5] (1:24:41 - 1:24:41)
Five hundred? Did you?

[Speaker 2] (1:24:41 - 1:24:43)
we did 470 of them.

[Speaker 3] (1:24:43 - 1:24:44)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (1:24:44 - 1:24:48)
And it was a difficult decision for me because, obviously I know a lot of people in town,

[Speaker 2] (1:24:48 - 1:24:53)
somebody's having an issue with this sewer lateral on the opposite side of the street. When I say the opposite side of the street,

[Speaker 2] (1:24:53 - 1:24:57)
we only line the sewer laterals that cross over the drain.

[Speaker 2] (1:24:57 - 1:25:00)
So when someone came to me on the other side of the street and said, can you do mine too,

[Speaker 2] (1:25:01 - 1:25:03)
you know what the obvious answer was.

[Speaker 5] (1:25:04 - 1:25:04)
Alright,

[Speaker 2] (1:25:04 - 1:25:04)
Okay,

[Speaker 5] (1:25:04 - 1:25:13)
so we're I'm confused now. Uh, what am I doing wrong? Three million dollars divided by three thousand for each one.

[Speaker 2] (1:25:13 - 1:25:13)
yeah.

[Speaker 5] (1:25:13 - 1:25:16)
That sounds like a thousand to me.

[Speaker 4] (1:25:17 - 1:25:17)
Oh.

[Speaker 2] (1:25:19 - 1:25:19)
So

[Speaker 3] (1:25:19 - 1:25:20)
Are there

[Speaker 2] (1:25:20 - 1:25:20)
470.

[Speaker 3] (1:25:20 - 1:25:20)
others?

[Speaker 2] (1:25:22 - 1:25:23)
Hold on.

[Speaker 4] (1:25:23 - 1:25:23)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (1:25:23 - 1:25:28)
I just want to see how many we did in phase 2A. Because we did 470 of them.

[Speaker 2] (1:25:29 - 1:25:38)
in phase one when you combine A_ B_ and C_ and then I guess we were only seventy seven laterals, was just still looking at

[Speaker 6] (1:25:39 - 1:25:41)
So the the cost six

[Speaker 4] (1:25:41 - 1:25:43)
Might be closer to between five and six,

[Speaker 2] (1:25:43 - 1:25:43)
yeah,

[Speaker 4] (1:25:43 - 1:25:43)
not

[Speaker 2] (1:25:43 - 1:25:43)
and maybe

[Speaker 4] (1:25:43 - 1:25:44)
three.

[Speaker 2] (1:25:44 - 1:25:44)
even more.

[Speaker 2] (1:25:44 - 1:25:44)
Yep.

[Speaker 3] (1:25:45 - 1:25:46)
Five and six thousand per lateral.

[Speaker 4] (1:25:46 - 1:25:47)
Correct. Right.

[Speaker 2] (1:25:47 - 1:25:47)
Right. So

[Speaker 4] (1:25:47 - 1:25:48)
Per lateral.

[Speaker 2] (1:25:49 - 1:25:49)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (1:25:50 - 1:25:52)
Because it sounds like we're just over five hundred total, right?

[Speaker 2] (1:25:52 - 1:25:54)
Yeah, seven seven.

[Speaker 3] (1:25:54 - 1:25:54)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (1:25:54 - 1:26:04)
And I broke it down for you if anybody wants to see how much they were charging us with each one, each phase that's here. Why it was a little different is it isn't just a sewer lateral they talked about inspection,

[Speaker 2] (1:26:04 - 1:26:05)
repairs,

[Speaker 2] (1:26:05 - 1:26:07)
there's line items for everything in here.

[Speaker 5] (1:26:07 - 1:26:08)
Yeah, okay.

[Speaker 6] (1:26:08 - 1:26:21)
So I just I just have a few questions. So I understand that K.P. says we can't require residents to repay the six thousand dollar betterment.

[Speaker 6] (1:26:21 - 1:26:23)
benefit unjust enrichment,

[Speaker 6] (1:26:24 - 1:26:26)
uh whatever we wanna call it uh here.

[Speaker 5] (1:26:27 - 1:26:27)
I

[Speaker 6] (1:26:27 - 1:26:50)
Uh is there is there any way of is there any way of of setting a letter to see if we can potentially I mean this these are this is rate payer and tax payer funds, rate payer funds. Um you know we did just have an increase of twenty plus percent uh to our water and sewer bills. Um so I mean I just have the best interests of the ta of the taxpayers um and and rate payers at heart.

[Speaker 6] (1:26:51 - 1:26:52)
Is there anything that we can do,

[Speaker 6] (1:26:52 - 1:26:54)
even on a voluntary basis,

[Speaker 6] (1:26:54 - 1:27:07)
to say hey, mister, mister and mrs john q public can you know we we we took care of this, is there any way that you can write a cheque to the town of Swampscott to reimburse these these costs?

[Speaker 5] (1:27:07 - 1:27:15)
I I cannot imagine that we would be prohibited from requesting someone make voluntary payments to the town.

[Speaker 5] (1:27:16 - 1:27:17)
Certainly I would

[Speaker 5] (1:27:18 - 1:27:29)
distinguish unjust enrichment from betterments. Betterments are a technical term used in municipal government to fund projects like this. So I just want to make

[Speaker 6] (1:27:29 - 1:27:29)
My,

[Speaker 5] (1:27:29 - 1:27:29)
sure

[Speaker 6] (1:27:29 - 1:27:30)
my, my, my apologies.

[Speaker 5] (1:27:30 - 1:27:31)
okay I I just

[Speaker 6] (1:27:31 - 1:27:31)
Wrong

[Speaker 5] (1:27:31 - 1:27:32)
want to make sure

[Speaker 6] (1:27:32 - 1:27:32)
the

[Speaker 5] (1:27:32 - 1:27:32)
that

[Speaker 6] (1:27:32 - 1:27:32)
wrong

[Speaker 5] (1:27:32 - 1:27:32)
we're all

[Speaker 6] (1:27:32 - 1:27:32)
word.

[Speaker 5] (1:27:32 - 1:27:33)
that

[Speaker 6] (1:27:33 - 1:27:33)
Sorry.

[Speaker 5] (1:27:33 - 1:27:34)
we're all in the on the same

[Speaker 3] (1:27:34 - 1:27:35)
Justine

[Speaker 5] (1:27:35 - 1:27:35)
page.

[Speaker 3] (1:27:35 - 1:27:38)
Mishra has more legal tenor than a betterment.

[Speaker 9] (1:27:39 - 1:27:39)
Um

[Speaker 10] (1:27:39 - 1:27:40)
Given the way they utilized it.

[Speaker 9] (1:27:40 - 1:27:48)
so I'm I'm sure that we could ask. I g I would also just underline and highlight that this work is done with the ultimate goal of getting out from under the consent decree.

[Speaker 3] (1:27:48 - 1:27:48)
Right.

[Speaker 10] (1:27:48 - 1:27:49)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 6] (1:27:49 - 1:27:49)
Sure.

[Speaker 9] (1:27:49 - 1:27:54)
And so there is a net benefit to the community at large, whether someone makes a voluntary payment or not if

[Speaker 5] (1:27:54 - 1:27:55)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 9] (1:27:55 - 1:28:05)
we were to make that request of the folks who have um had this work done in their private property. But the g the ultimate goal is that we want to get out from under the consent decree as soon as possible.

[Speaker 9] (1:28:04 - 1:28:11)
soon as possible and strategically the decision was made early in this process that this would be one of the tools in the toolbox to try to get to that goal.

[Speaker 9] (1:28:11 - 1:28:15)
So I think we would be more than happy to work with K.P._

[Speaker 9] (1:28:16 - 1:28:34)
uh maybe even the former acting town accountant and other, like we have other consulting services that to see what is a way that we could frame this, what is a way we could send it out. Um I wouldn't want to again sort of balance anything on that. It would be wonderful if we were to get some to serve

[Speaker 9] (1:28:35 - 1:28:42)
Lower the load on the rest of the ratepayers, but uh there's not an expectation that we can set that someone would be required to pay for work previously completed like that.

[Speaker 6] (1:28:42 - 1:28:52)
No, under understood. Um I guess the other question is, you know, moving forward, um how are we gonna handle these, you know, uh these types of these these

[Speaker 6] (1:28:52 - 1:28:59)
How are we gonna handle this moving forward, you know, 'cause right now we're still fixing we're still using public dollars

[Speaker 3] (1:28:59 - 1:28:59)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 6] (1:28:59 - 1:29:00)
on private property.

[Speaker 5] (1:29:00 - 1:29:01)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (1:29:01 - 1:29:02)
We well,

[Speaker 3] (1:29:02 - 1:29:02)
For

[Speaker 5] (1:29:02 - 1:29:02)
I'm a I'm

[Speaker 3] (1:29:02 - 1:29:02)
public

[Speaker 5] (1:29:02 - 1:29:02)
gonna throw

[Speaker 3] (1:29:02 - 1:29:02)
purpose.

[Speaker 5] (1:29:02 - 1:29:04)
it I'm gonna throw it uh yes,

[Speaker 2] (1:29:04 - 1:29:04)
Really not.

[Speaker 5] (1:29:04 - 1:29:05)
I'm gonna throw

[Speaker 2] (1:29:05 - 1:29:05)
Private

[Speaker 5] (1:29:05 - 1:29:05)
a curve ball

[Speaker 2] (1:29:05 - 1:29:05)
property

[Speaker 5] (1:29:05 - 1:29:06)
into this.

[Speaker 2] (1:29:06 - 1:29:06)
it is too.

[Speaker 5] (1:29:06 - 1:29:07)
Sorry buddy. Um

[Speaker 4] (1:29:07 - 1:29:09)
It's not private property?

[Speaker 2] (1:29:09 - 1:29:11)
Well, half of it is, it was on private and the

[Speaker 6] (1:29:11 - 1:29:11)
other It's

[Speaker 2] (1:29:11 - 1:29:11)
part's on public.

[Speaker 5] (1:29:11 - 1:29:12)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (1:29:12 - 1:29:13)
But it's for a public it's for a public

[Speaker 5] (1:29:13 - 1:29:13)
So that's

[Speaker 3] (1:29:13 - 1:29:14)
purpose, okay.

[Speaker 5] (1:29:14 - 1:29:18)
I'm gonna go at it a little bit differently saying is there any private benefit?

[Speaker 5] (1:29:18 - 1:29:19)
Truly.

[Speaker 2] (1:29:23 - 1:29:24)
Shiny and new.

[Speaker 1] (1:29:24 - 1:29:31)
I mean, really is like, does it help the homeowner whatsoever? I mean, the only benefit

[Speaker 1] (1:29:31 - 1:29:35)
that I'm aware of is actually cleaning up the beach, right? I mean

[Speaker 3] (1:29:35 - 1:29:37)
I I think in in fairness

[Speaker 1] (1:29:37 - 1:29:38)
you could just recast it a little bit,

[Speaker 3] (1:29:38 - 1:29:39)
I think

[Speaker 1] (1:29:39 - 1:29:39)
you know?

[Speaker 3] (1:29:39 - 1:29:50)
in in fairness to the point that I think David is raising the benefit is that if we identified that there was some significant problem or there was a crack that that was been sealed by

[Speaker 3] (1:29:50 - 1:29:56)
the the use of this lining project that we have then yes there's a benefit at some point that would become a problem for the

[Speaker 3] (1:29:57 - 1:29:59)
the property owner, potentially.

[Speaker 3] (1:29:59 - 1:30:08)
So they're out there, there's certainly a benefit that they could derive if there was a leak or something that was solved for by the work that we were doing.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:09 - 1:30:09)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:30:10 - 1:30:14)
Because home uh to David's point, homeowners are responsible for laterals. It's true for water service and sewer service.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:15 - 1:30:15)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:30:17 - 1:30:22)
Yeah, I mean I guess uh my point's uh just a tiny bit nuanced, which is

[Speaker 4] (1:30:23 - 1:30:27)
Yes, but the public purpose overpowers the private benefit,

[Speaker 4] (1:30:27 - 1:30:29)
which is to get out of the consent decree,

[Speaker 4] (1:30:30 - 1:30:31)
to get the beach clean,

[Speaker 4] (1:30:31 - 1:30:38)
and to be on the right track with how we maintain all of our sewer and water infrastructure.

[Speaker 4] (1:30:40 - 1:31:07)
I'm not denying David's point that there is a private benefit but if the public benefit outweighs the private benefit then is it not a worthy pursuit and I think it is sort of it is ill-fated for the board to go back on something sort of a decision was made and yes we're in hard economic times now so maybe we can't make that decision going forward but I don't think it's the right approach to go backwards even to voluntarily ask homeowners to

[Speaker 4] (1:31:07 - 1:31:34)
to do that I think I don't think that's the right use of time but I do think going forward that we could do a little bit I would like a little bit more information about how betterments work how a resident is notified how what sort of option they have whether or not to participate can they pay it up front is it 100% their cost I mean obviously there's a cost savings based on economy of scale that we were just talking about

[Speaker 4] (1:31:36 - 1:31:37)
I just would love to understand.

[Speaker 5] (1:31:37 - 1:31:42)
I mean, people don't even know that you had to go in line.

[Speaker 5] (1:31:42 - 1:31:44)
It's not like a building permit where

[Speaker 4] (1:31:44 - 1:31:44)
Right.

[Speaker 5] (1:31:44 - 1:31:47)
you know you're adding something to your home,

[Speaker 5] (1:31:47 - 1:31:54)
you're increasing your value, and you make a decision not to pull a building permit and pretty much steal from the town.

[Speaker 5] (1:31:54 - 1:32:04)
Most people that had this work done didn't even know that they were having the work done or was there even a crack in the lateral or we just line the laterals to make sure

[Speaker 7] (1:32:04 - 1:32:05)
that they're going to be able to do it.

[Speaker 5] (1:32:04 - 1:32:05)
Just to make sure.

[Speaker 6] (1:32:05 - 1:32:06)
We hammered them first because

[Speaker 5] (1:32:06 - 1:32:07)
Okay.

[Speaker 6] (1:32:07 - 1:32:10)
some houses were already done and they were in plastics so we wouldn't rewind that.

[Speaker 5] (1:32:10 - 1:32:11)
Okay.

[Speaker 6] (1:32:11 - 1:32:12)
And like you said,

[Speaker 6] (1:32:12 - 1:32:15)
90% of them we did from the main,

[Speaker 6] (1:32:15 - 1:32:18)
we never went into the homes so they had no idea we did it.

[Speaker 5] (1:32:18 - 1:32:18)
Okay.

[Speaker 5] (1:32:19 - 1:32:23)
Do you know, do we know who has had their laterals done?

[Speaker 5] (1:32:24 - 1:32:25)
Is that public information?

[Speaker 6] (1:32:25 - 1:32:25)
Yep.

[Speaker 6] (1:32:26 - 1:32:27)
Okay, every single address.

[Speaker 5] (1:32:27 - 1:32:34)
And the decision to do however many of these we did, that was Tom Younger's decision? Or was it yours, would you say?

[Speaker 6] (1:32:34 - 1:32:36)
It was my recommendation to

[Speaker 5] (1:32:36 - 1:32:36)
Okay.

[Speaker 6] (1:32:36 - 1:32:39)
let him know, and he supported my recommendation.

[Speaker 5] (1:32:40 - 1:32:40)
Right.

[Speaker 6] (1:32:40 - 1:32:44)
That was just on phase one, and then phase two, three.

[Speaker 6] (1:32:45 - 1:32:48)
Phase 1A, 1B, and 1C was Sean,

[Speaker 1] (1:32:48 - 1:32:48)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 6] (1:32:48 - 1:32:50)
and I guess technically 2A was me.

[Speaker 5] (1:32:51 - 1:32:55)
Okay, did you have so the people can understand this process,

[Speaker 5] (1:32:56 - 1:33:02)
did we make the determination on which ones, did people actually come to you asking to have their laterals? No, they knew nothing about

[Speaker 6] (1:33:02 - 1:33:02)
You

[Speaker 5] (1:33:02 - 1:33:02)
it. So

[Speaker 6] (1:33:02 - 1:33:02)
don't

[Speaker 5] (1:33:02 - 1:33:03)
it was

[Speaker 6] (1:33:03 - 1:33:03)
think so?

[Speaker 5] (1:33:03 - 1:33:06)
us going through seeing which ones

[Speaker 6] (1:33:06 - 1:33:06)
We went out

[Speaker 5] (1:33:06 - 1:33:06)
were

[Speaker 6] (1:33:06 - 1:33:06)
and

[Speaker 5] (1:33:06 - 1:33:06)
problematic.

[Speaker 6] (1:33:06 - 1:33:08)
checked. Yep.

[Speaker 8] (1:33:08 - 1:33:13)
And then letting would d were the homeowners made aware that we were doing this to for them?

[Speaker 6] (1:33:13 - 1:33:15)
When we got out on the street, appria they had no knowledge.

[Speaker 8] (1:33:15 - 1:33:18)
They had no idea did they get any official documentation,

[Speaker 6] (1:33:18 - 1:33:18)
No, 'cause we

[Speaker 8] (1:33:18 - 1:33:18)
nothing?

[Speaker 6] (1:33:18 - 1:33:20)
camera'd everything from the main. So

[Speaker 8] (1:33:20 - 1:33:20)
Gotcha.

[Speaker 6] (1:33:20 - 1:33:23)
we had had no idea we're going by your house to do it.

[Speaker 5] (1:33:23 - 1:33:23)
Right

[Speaker 4] (1:33:23 - 1:33:32)
And there's for sure a chance that they saw you on the street figuring you were fixing something that did not involve their lateral and they have actually no knowledge that their lateral was even replaced by the town,

[Speaker 6] (1:33:32 - 1:33:32)
Exactly.

[Speaker 4] (1:33:32 - 1:33:32)
correct?

[Speaker 6] (1:33:32 - 1:33:37)
And then some people that I alluded to earlier caught wind that we're lying on one side and said,

[Speaker 6] (1:33:37 - 1:33:38)
can you do mine as well?

[Speaker 8] (1:33:38 - 1:33:39)
Right.

[Speaker 6] (1:33:39 - 1:33:50)
We had an even worse story. I tell a bad, there's a member of the water sewer infrastructure who paid $10,000 to have his lined and cleaned and two months later we went in and did the rest of the street for nothing.

[Speaker 6] (1:33:51 - 1:33:51)
And

[Speaker 8] (1:33:51 - 1:33:51)
Right.

[Speaker 6] (1:33:51 - 1:33:54)
he was looking for reimbursement. I said, I can't.

[Speaker 8] (1:33:55 - 1:34:07)
So for you to be put, I feel like this puts you in a really awkward situation because whichever ones you've done and you're being approached by people on the same street,

[Speaker 8] (1:34:07 - 1:34:13)
I mean, I feel that it's not really fair to you to be put in this kind of.

[Speaker 8] (1:34:13 - 1:34:15)
you know situation where you have to make the determination right

[Speaker 6] (1:34:15 - 1:34:16)
Well, we could

[Speaker 8] (1:34:16 - 1:34:16)
yes

[Speaker 6] (1:34:16 - 1:34:16)
just we

[Speaker 8] (1:34:16 - 1:34:20)
I can do it for you no I can't do it for you it seems to me like we need some set of parameters right

[Speaker 6] (1:34:20 - 1:34:26)
do we do we only realign the laterals that crossed over the drain

[Speaker 8] (1:34:26 - 1:34:27)
Right.

[Speaker 6] (1:34:27 - 1:34:29)
Sewer runs center of every street.

[Speaker 6] (1:34:29 - 1:34:33)
The drain is on the left side or the right side of that as you're going down the street.

[Speaker 5] (1:34:33 - 1:34:33)
Right.

[Speaker 6] (1:34:33 - 1:34:41)
So the only line the sewer ladder was that crossed over the drain because we figured that sewer water was exfiltrating into

[Speaker 5] (1:34:41 - 1:34:41)
Okay.

[Speaker 6] (1:34:41 - 1:34:42)
the drain.

[Speaker 8] (1:34:42 - 1:34:46)
I personally would like to see a listing of which ones we've done and where.

[Speaker 6] (1:34:47 - 1:34:48)
Can you pull that for you?

[Speaker 8] (1:34:49 - 1:34:50)
Just to know, just

[Speaker 6] (1:34:50 - 1:34:51)
Yep.

[Speaker 8] (1:34:51 - 1:35:00)
so the public can know that there can be no other questions put out about this so we're all clear, you know, where they've been done,

[Speaker 8] (1:35:00 - 1:35:02)
what streets, who the homeowner is,

[Speaker 8] (1:35:02 - 1:35:03)
whatever it might be.

[Speaker 8] (1:35:03 - 1:35:08)
So that should maybe ease some of these, you know, questions that we have right now.

[Speaker 8] (1:35:09 - 1:35:15)
Or that I don't personally have, but, you know, that others might have, maybe other board members or people of the public.

[Speaker 8] (1:35:16 - 1:35:24)
Um and I think it makes sense for us to have documentation of whose we have done um just so we can have that,

[Speaker 6] (1:35:24 - 1:35:24)
I

[Speaker 8] (1:35:24 - 1:35:25)
right? I

[Speaker 6] (1:35:25 - 1:35:25)
don't

[Speaker 8] (1:35:25 - 1:35:25)
mean I think

[Speaker 6] (1:35:25 - 1:35:25)
have that

[Speaker 8] (1:35:25 - 1:35:25)
any

[Speaker 6] (1:35:25 - 1:35:25)
information.

[Speaker 8] (1:35:25 - 1:35:27)
homeowner would want that if they if they have

[Speaker 6] (1:35:28 - 1:35:29)
I have all the addresses.

[Speaker 8] (1:35:29 - 1:35:34)
But I I do think too that it was all in the interest of getting

[Speaker 8] (1:35:34 - 1:35:47)
you know, being under this consent decree. And I don't think there was any nefarious intent or, you know, we're trying to do it for some people. We're trying to do it not for these people, but at the same time, if there was some type of conflict or ethical issue,

[Speaker 8] (1:35:47 - 1:35:52)
I think it's fair we need to be transparent about it and know exactly who has benefited.

[Speaker 8] (1:35:53 - 1:35:55)
But to Katy's point,

[Speaker 8] (1:35:55 - 1:35:58)
I really don't see how we could then go back to people and say,

[Speaker 8] (1:35:58 - 1:35:59)
okay,

[Speaker 8] (1:35:59 - 1:35:59)
well,

[Speaker 8] (1:35:59 - 1:36:00)
we did this for you.

[Speaker 8] (1:36:01 - 1:36:04)
Can you contribute something back as we're having a difficult financial year?

[Speaker 8] (1:36:04 - 1:36:05)
It doesn't make

[Speaker 6] (1:36:05 - 1:36:05)
Okay.

[Speaker 8] (1:36:05 - 1:36:07)
really any sense to me,

[Speaker 8] (1:36:07 - 1:36:08)
you know.

[Speaker 6] (1:36:09 - 1:36:09)
I

[Speaker 1] (1:36:09 - 1:36:09)
Well,

[Speaker 6] (1:36:09 - 1:36:16)
didn't want to spend the 3 million dollars. I'm a ratepayer just like all of yous. I'm guessing my bills might be higher than every one of yous that have to

[Speaker 5] (1:36:16 - 1:36:16)
Right,

[Speaker 6] (1:36:16 - 1:36:16)
pay for this.

[Speaker 5] (1:36:16 - 1:36:16)
right,

[Speaker 1] (1:36:16 - 1:36:18)
Did you get your lateral cleaned?

[Speaker 5] (1:36:18 - 1:36:18)
Right.

[Speaker 8] (1:36:18 - 1:36:18)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:19 - 1:36:21)
So I don't want to know the answer to that.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:21 - 1:36:22)
I actually don't want to have the list.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:23 - 1:36:24)
I have no need to know the list.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:24 - 1:36:26)
You did what you needed to do, period.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:28 - 1:36:34)
But I do think that it's reasonable for us to split the difference here because there's a public benefit and there's a private benefit.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:35 - 1:36:57)
Um I don't think there's anything wrong with us going back to the people that actually had it done and voluntarily asking them uh whether or not they'll contribute uh and letting them know if if we're gonna do it going forward um and ask people to uh contribute half uh is my suggestion actually um if there's some public and private benefit then you know

[Speaker 1] (1:36:58 - 1:37:00)
We are in a tough situation.

[Speaker 1] (1:37:01 - 1:37:04)
And why not have people contribute?

[Speaker 1] (1:37:04 - 1:37:12)
Because if it's, we're talking about $2,000 and you spread that over, you know, however the average period of time that people are in their homes,

[Speaker 1] (1:37:12 - 1:37:18)
this doesn't have to be a terribly significant impact for people.

[Speaker 1] (1:37:19 - 1:37:23)
Um, so that that that's my suggestion is to find a balance.

[Speaker 8] (1:37:23 - 1:37:43)
Well, I just I find it difficult to tell people we're going to raise their taxes and we're going to increase their water bills and then we're going to ask them to give us a couple thousand dollars for something we did without their consent or authorization that just so happened to maybe improve their property but at the same time really helped us for a situation that we're trying to get out from

[Speaker 6] (1:37:43 - 1:37:44)
Good timing.

[Speaker 8] (1:37:44 - 1:37:45)
under consent decree,

[Speaker 8] (1:37:45 - 1:37:45)
but that's just.

[Speaker 8] (1:37:45 - 1:37:46)
Just that's my personal.

[Speaker 1] (1:37:47 - 1:37:48)
That's why I'm only saying half.

[Speaker 4] (1:37:48 - 1:37:48)
Can, as

[Speaker 5] (1:37:48 - 1:37:49)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (1:37:49 - 1:37:54)
a better, by definition of a betterment, can we even assess only half or do we have to assess the full value?

[Speaker 9] (1:37:57 - 1:38:02)
So the nature of the betterments is everything has to be laid out in advance so people are notified,

[Speaker 9] (1:38:02 - 1:38:09)
you know, a project has to be approved at town meeting, in order of construction has to be passed by an assessing board,

[Speaker 9] (1:38:09 - 1:38:11)
which would be the select board in this instance,

[Speaker 9] (1:38:11 - 1:38:23)
laying out the area the work is to be done and the the percentage of cost that shall be recovered through betterments and furthermore the method of allocating that cost, you know, for different type.

[Speaker 9] (1:38:23 - 1:38:36)
It peop towns do betterments for all kinds of work. Um and there's measurements you know frontage of the lot or you know length of lateral like there has to be some measurable that's defined in advance of the assessment.

[Speaker 8] (1:38:37 - 1:38:37)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 3] (1:38:37 - 1:38:39)
I think Patrick's going to law

[Speaker 4] (1:38:39 - 1:38:39)
I

[Speaker 3] (1:38:39 - 1:38:39)
school.

[Speaker 4] (1:38:39 - 1:38:39)
know.

[Speaker 3] (1:38:39 - 1:38:39)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (1:38:39 - 1:38:40)
I feel like he is.

[Speaker 4] (1:38:41 - 1:38:51)
So then we could say if it was the will of the board that we were going to assess a betterment of $1,000 for every individual whose house receives lateral,

[Speaker 4] (1:38:51 - 1:38:53)
the lateral repair or lining,

[Speaker 4] (1:38:54 - 1:38:59)
and that we would just ask for $1,000 regardless of what the town's fee was,

[Speaker 4] (1:38:59 - 1:39:03)
that could be done under betterments in

[Speaker 9] (1:39:03 - 1:39:03)
Yeah, in theory,

[Speaker 9] (1:39:04 - 1:39:04)
you can.

[Speaker 4] (1:39:04 - 1:39:04)
theory.

[Speaker 4] (1:39:04 - 1:39:04)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:39:05 - 1:39:07)
I just wanted to make sure it didn't have to be the full value.

[Speaker 6] (1:39:08 - 1:39:08)
No.

[Speaker 4] (1:39:09 - 1:39:10)
Okay.

[Speaker 10] (1:39:10 - 1:39:14)
No, I just I I think that's I think that's a very positive step

[Speaker 3] (1:39:30 - 1:39:36)
So we're hoping to wrap this up in one final contract. And we're gonna probably have to move quickly, because our

[Speaker 3] (1:39:36 - 1:39:45)
For us to utilize the SRF loan that we applied for, we have to have a contract in hand signed by July 1st of 2026.

[Speaker 2] (1:39:46 - 1:39:47)
And then how would we enact?

[Speaker 4] (1:39:48 - 1:39:51)
So I think since tonight was a discussion and not a vote,

[Speaker 4] (1:39:51 - 1:40:02)
Patrick and I have the direction to come back on either the 29th or the 6th we will do at one of the next two meetings with an outline of the steps that need to be taken and with a reasonable timeline of how we can get there.

[Speaker 5] (1:40:03 - 1:40:03)
Great,

[Speaker 3] (1:40:03 - 1:40:03)
Well,

[Speaker 5] (1:40:03 - 1:40:03)
great.

[Speaker 3] (1:40:03 - 1:40:09)
let me ask one other you know, we had this whole conversation. We didn't really ask how many more laterals do you think there are to do?

[Speaker 5] (1:40:09 - 1:40:10)
Hmm.

[Speaker 3] (1:40:12 - 1:40:16)
Another three or four hundred and Oh, things okay. should be Okay, Yep. it's worth it. Okay. Yep. Alright.

[Speaker 5] (1:40:17 - 1:40:18)
It's worth it.

[Speaker 4] (1:40:18 - 1:40:26)
So we we can lay out the steps and what value change we may be able to influence and although

[Speaker 4] (1:40:27 - 1:40:30)
The board will be different. We understand that the direction to be moving forward with

[Speaker 6] (1:40:30 - 1:40:35)
Well, we there's going to be a conversation about whether or not we're gonna have another meeting so before the election but

[Speaker 4] (1:40:35 - 1:40:37)
I don't think that we could necessarily be ready for

[Speaker 6] (1:40:37 - 1:40:38)
That's

[Speaker 4] (1:40:38 - 1:40:38)
some

[Speaker 6] (1:40:38 - 1:40:38)
okay

[Speaker 4] (1:40:38 - 1:40:39)
before the election is all I'm saying.

[Speaker 8] (1:40:41 - 1:40:50)
Also I do want to say because there is a distinction between this coming on the backs of rate payers and I mean we use a lot of ARPA funds to pay for this work also.

[Speaker 8] (1:40:51 - 1:40:53)
So some of the lateral work.

[Speaker 3] (1:40:54 - 1:40:54)
Yeah.

[Speaker 8] (1:40:54 - 1:41:03)
It's not necessarily coming out of pockets of ratepayers if you think about the place by which we funded some of this work also.

[Speaker 9] (1:41:03 - 1:41:07)
Right, we saved 1.7 million on that, so what was the total dollar

[Speaker 3] (1:41:07 - 1:41:07)
Yeah.

[Speaker 9] (1:41:07 - 1:41:09)
value what was the total dollar value on the laterals? Three

[Speaker 3] (1:41:09 - 1:41:10)
Phase

[Speaker 9] (1:41:10 - 1:41:10)
million?

[Speaker 3] (1:41:10 - 1:41:11)
two was paid out

[Speaker 9] (1:41:11 - 1:41:11)
Two

[Speaker 3] (1:41:11 - 1:41:11)
of

[Speaker 9] (1:41:11 - 1:41:11)
point

[Speaker 3] (1:41:11 - 1:41:11)
money

[Speaker 9] (1:41:11 - 1:41:11)
nine.

[Speaker 3] (1:41:11 - 1:41:12)
so you

[Speaker 9] (1:41:12 - 1:41:12)
Two point

[Speaker 3] (1:41:12 - 1:41:12)
could subtract

[Speaker 9] (1:41:12 - 1:41:12)
nine.

[Speaker 3] (1:41:12 - 1:41:14)
five hundred seventy nine thousand dollars.

[Speaker 4] (1:41:14 - 1:41:15)
But the total number you

[Speaker 3] (1:41:15 - 1:41:15)
So

[Speaker 4] (1:41:15 - 1:41:17)
suggested was all the one

[Speaker 8] (1:41:17 - 1:41:17)
A All

[Speaker 4] (1:41:17 - 1:41:17)
phase

[Speaker 8] (1:41:17 - 1:41:18)
this.

[Speaker 4] (1:41:18 - 1:41:18)
and two A.

[Speaker 3] (1:41:18 - 1:41:21)
In two way, right? So if you subtracted the two way.

[Speaker 3] (1:41:21 - 1:41:26)
They you've taken five hundred seventy nine thousand out of the out of the two two point nine

[Speaker 9] (1:41:26 - 1:41:27)
So two point three and

[Speaker 8] (1:41:27 - 1:41:27)
Two

[Speaker 9] (1:41:27 - 1:41:27)
change

[Speaker 8] (1:41:27 - 1:41:27)
point, yeah.

[Speaker 3] (1:41:27 - 1:41:27)
Alright.

[Speaker 9] (1:41:27 - 1:41:30)
was paid with ARPA funds.

[Speaker 8] (1:41:30 - 1:41:31)
No, the

[Speaker 9] (1:41:31 - 1:41:31)
Yeah,

[Speaker 8] (1:41:31 - 1:41:31)
other way around.

[Speaker 9] (1:41:31 - 1:41:32)
all the way

[Speaker 6] (1:41:32 - 1:41:32)
Yeah,

[Speaker 9] (1:41:32 - 1:41:32)
around.

[Speaker 6] (1:41:32 - 1:41:32)
the other way around,

[Speaker 8] (1:41:32 - 1:41:32)
Yep.

[Speaker 6] (1:41:32 - 1:41:33)
yeah.

[Speaker 9] (1:41:33 - 1:41:33)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:41:33 - 1:41:33)
Yep.

[Speaker 8] (1:41:33 - 1:41:34)
So the 600,

[Speaker 8] (1:41:34 - 1:41:36)
approximate 600,000 was ARPA.

[Speaker 9] (1:41:37 - 1:41:37)
Okay.

[Speaker 6] (1:41:37 - 1:41:39)
We don't want to go back down the ARPA.

[Speaker 8] (1:41:39 - 1:41:39)
I

[Speaker 9] (1:41:39 - 1:41:39)
No,

[Speaker 8] (1:41:39 - 1:41:40)
don't think

[Speaker 9] (1:41:40 - 1:41:40)
but

[Speaker 6] (1:41:40 - 1:41:40)
we if were lying

[Speaker 9] (1:41:40 - 1:41:40)
you think

[Speaker 6] (1:41:40 - 1:41:40)
about

[Speaker 9] (1:41:40 - 1:41:41)
about

[Speaker 6] (1:41:41 - 1:41:41)
the EIRP.

[Speaker 9] (1:41:41 - 1:41:42)
it as far

[Speaker 8] (1:41:42 - 1:41:42)
I know,

[Speaker 9] (1:41:42 - 1:41:42)
as

[Speaker 8] (1:41:42 - 1:41:43)
but I only have

[Speaker 9] (1:41:43 - 1:41:43)
money

[Speaker 8] (1:41:43 - 1:41:43)
one minute left.

[Speaker 9] (1:41:43 - 1:41:43)
money

[Speaker 6] (1:41:43 - 1:41:44)
Mark is right there.

[Speaker 9] (1:41:44 - 1:42:00)
going into the work that would have come out of the Enterprise Fund would have been $1.7 million out of the Enterprise Fund if we had to fund that ourselves. So there is a savings to all rate payers of 1.7.

[Speaker 6] (1:42:01 - 1:42:04)
And it would be even more if we asked people to contribute more.

[Speaker 6] (1:42:05 - 1:42:06)
Yep.

[Speaker 8] (1:42:07 - 1:42:11)
Well, we'll continue this discussion since the vote is not listed on the agenda,

[Speaker 8] (1:42:11 - 1:42:14)
so we will continue this discussion at the next meeting. Thank you, Patrick and Gino, for

[Speaker 6] (1:42:14 - 1:42:15)
Thank you.

[Speaker 8] (1:42:15 - 1:42:15)
joining us.

[Speaker 9] (1:42:15 - 1:42:15)
Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (1:42:15 - 1:42:16)
Thank you.

[Speaker 8] (1:42:17 - 1:42:21)
And we'll move on to discussion and possible vote on the annual town meeting warrant for May 18th.

[Speaker 4] (1:42:24 - 1:42:27)
Each of you have the draft warrant.

[Speaker 4] (1:42:28 - 1:42:32)
It is with KP for final review. We anticipate getting it back the beginning of next week.

[Speaker 4] (1:42:33 - 1:42:57)
Um the articles listed on the warrant represent all of the things that we reasonably anticipate uh including um and the one addition based on our last meeting was a discussion that um I think the the chair had had and uh with Mary Ellen and potentially had heard from others around the potential charter change for the FinCom.

[Speaker 4] (1:42:58 - 1:42:59)
appointments.

[Speaker 9] (1:43:00 - 1:43:01)
Yeah, we need to have a conversation

[Speaker 4] (1:43:01 - 1:43:01)
So I

[Speaker 9] (1:43:01 - 1:43:02)
about it.

[Speaker 4] (1:43:02 - 1:43:06)
believe it's article 12 or 13. Um

[Speaker 9] (1:43:07 - 1:43:11)
Can we just talk about can we talk real quick just about the format on

[Speaker 4] (1:43:12 - 1:43:13)
The format?

[Speaker 9] (1:43:13 - 1:43:17)
Is the formatting exactly the same as it was last year?

[Speaker 4] (1:43:18 - 1:43:27)
So just before we get into copyediting, the the actual motion that we would have would give us the opportunity continue to work to form

[Speaker 4] (1:43:28 - 1:43:34)
I'm with town council and also with you know Patrick and I but are you suggesting that like the columns are different or

[Speaker 9] (1:43:34 - 1:43:48)
Well I'm just, I'm just wondering here, um I don't have last year's in front of me but we have the actuals estimated for twenty, twenty six, the original estimate,

[Speaker 9] (1:43:48 - 1:43:54)
I'm just wondering if if it was, if it's being, if the set up is the same. Patrick is the set up the same?

[Speaker 10] (1:43:55 - 1:43:55)
the budget somewhere.

[Speaker 4] (1:43:55 - 1:43:55)
Yeah.

[Speaker 10] (1:43:56 - 1:43:59)
That format should be the same as what was presented last year.

[Speaker 9] (1:43:59 - 1:44:07)
Okay, but I think did that format I just I'm gonna go back and look at some past because I think we dropped a column I'll go back and look.

[Speaker 10] (1:44:08 - 1:44:09)
Okay.

[Speaker 8] (1:44:09 - 1:44:12)
So you mean we maybe dropped a column not last year but years prior?

[Speaker 9] (1:44:12 - 1:44:12)
Yeah year before.

[Speaker 8] (1:44:13 - 1:44:13)
Okay.

[Speaker 9] (1:44:15 - 1:44:17)
It's just and then when I was looking at it it

[Speaker 9] (1:44:18 - 1:44:19)
it looks like we were a little short.

[Speaker 4] (1:44:20 - 1:44:41)
And the other, just for form, the other thing is the one I shared last week is a format that we will have it in. It looks a lot nicer, but it's harder to be editing. So we'll show you that final product in the end. This is just about the content and making sure that the articles listed represent the full intended articles to be presented.

[Speaker 8] (1:44:42 - 1:44:46)
So I do just want to have a discussion before we dive into

[Speaker 8] (1:44:48 - 1:44:54)
The nitty-gritty here about article the idea of article 12 which is a change to the appointment process for income

[Speaker 8] (1:44:55 - 1:44:59)
This is a charter change Mary Ellen had originally brought it up as something to think about

[Speaker 8] (1:45:00 - 1:45:07)
I thought it made sense to bring it forward to the board to discuss

[Speaker 8] (1:45:08 - 1:45:10)
but also in the context of

[Speaker 8] (1:45:11 - 1:45:15)
About every ten years we have done a charter review committee

[Speaker 8] (1:45:15 - 1:45:19)
And 2026 will be our anniversary

[Speaker 4] (1:45:19 - 1:45:19)
There's

[Speaker 8] (1:45:19 - 1:45:19)
to,

[Speaker 4] (1:45:19 - 1:45:21)
been a couple of small edits, but that would be since the last whole

[Speaker 8] (1:45:21 - 1:45:22)
okay,

[Speaker 4] (1:45:22 - 1:45:22)
scale.

[Speaker 8] (1:45:22 - 1:45:25)
so it's been, we started in 2006,

[Speaker 8] (1:45:25 - 1:45:27)
we did it again in 2016,

[Speaker 8] (1:45:27 - 1:45:30)
2026 would be sort of 10 years prior.

[Speaker 8] (1:45:30 - 1:45:36)
It makes good sense for good governance to have a cadence to do charter review.

[Speaker 8] (1:45:37 - 1:45:58)
where things aren't working. This isn't the only, you know, idea that I've heard in changes to charter. I've heard about moving elections to November so that this exact issue which we're facing right now at this meeting doesn't happen because new members are coming on as the warrants trying to be opened and closed and the budget and then.

[Speaker 8] (1:45:59 - 1:46:04)
So there are a couple of, you know, ideas being floated around. So while I

[Speaker 8] (1:46:04 - 1:46:08)
I think conceptually I agree with the change to appointment process for FINCOM.

[Speaker 8] (1:46:08 - 1:46:16)
I think it should go through a charter review committee to be thought through in the context of other changes also.

[Speaker 8] (1:46:17 - 1:46:19)
But that is just my two cents,

[Speaker 8] (1:46:19 - 1:46:23)
so happy to, you know, be swayed in any other direction.

[Speaker 9] (1:46:23 - 1:46:33)
So I want to give them the reason why I put this in here is because this article has been floated before and because of the importance of

[Speaker 9] (1:46:35 - 1:46:58)
appointing people to those committees that waiting on a I feel that waiting on a full charter review is it just takes so much so much longer and just doing you know putting something in for a charter change one article in for charter change I really don't see that as a problem I'm looking at doing something with a little bit more expedience

[Speaker 8] (1:46:58 - 1:46:59)
Mm.

[Speaker 9] (1:47:00 - 1:47:13)
It's really important that we have solid members on these committees, or just at least advertise to have members on these committees and not have one individual choosing it. When you hear a member of the Finance Committee,

[Speaker 9] (1:47:13 - 1:47:17)
when you ask them, you know, how did you get on the Finance Committee,

[Speaker 9] (1:47:17 - 1:47:18)
and they say,

[Speaker 9] (1:47:18 - 1:47:18)
well,

[Speaker 9] (1:47:18 - 1:47:21)
I played lacrosse with the moderator's daughter,

[Speaker 9] (1:47:21 - 1:47:23)
you know, that's...

[Speaker 9] (1:47:24 - 1:47:43)
To me that's a little troublesome. I mean I think that, I mean there are great people in the finance community, this isn't taking anything from the finance group, but I really would like to see something a little bit more in-depth or represented of the public, such as asking people to send in resumes and go through some type of a process.

[Speaker 9] (1:47:44 - 1:47:53)
And so we talk about two things here is what would the process be and I can talk about that and or should we just wait for a charter change now for our charter change committee.

[Speaker 9] (1:47:53 - 1:48:04)
Now we did have when David was the chairman I think we had sent out information to all the committees asking for any recommendations on their charter changes but that was now.

[Speaker 9] (1:48:05 - 1:48:06)
two years ago.

[Speaker 8] (1:48:06 - 1:48:06)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 9] (1:48:06 - 1:48:18)
So the question is are we going to delay it even more and make another committee and you know go through the whole process. It takes about that process this process of an entire charter change is a long process.

[Speaker 9] (1:48:19 - 1:48:29)
So I thought that would be a good idea just at least have the one article in and to address it and to get your ideas. My idea was originally to have

[Speaker 9] (1:48:30 - 1:48:33)
The select board choose one candidate,

[Speaker 9] (1:48:33 - 1:48:37)
the moderator choose another candidate or the select board choose all candidates.

[Speaker 9] (1:48:37 - 1:48:42)
There's, uh Marblehead does it one and another.

[Speaker 9] (1:48:42 - 1:48:48)
A Winthrop does everything by their their council which is similar to their select board.

[Speaker 9] (1:48:48 - 1:48:51)
I think, I forget what Linfield does. What does Linfield do?

[Speaker 4] (1:48:52 - 1:48:58)
Uh split, but moderator has the majority. I think in Winthrop it's the council president.

[Speaker 4] (1:48:59 - 1:49:08)
The council president has outsized power in Winthrop. It's not first among equals. So he works directly with the town manager. I can talk to Tony.

[Speaker 9] (1:49:09 - 1:49:09)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (1:49:09 - 1:49:09)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (1:49:10 - 1:49:10)
get more background.

[Speaker 2] (1:49:10 - 1:49:15)
Well and the receptionist said that it was a town council that voted.

[Speaker 2] (1:49:15 - 1:49:20)
So I'm just relaying for her. So I I don't I think we should have a discussion about it. I don't

[Speaker 3] (1:49:21 - 1:49:27)
I I don't I don't want to change anything now. I I yeah I totally get the fact that it seems a little odd. I don't think

[Speaker 3] (1:49:28 - 1:49:32)
Do we have any other committee that's basically appointed the whole committee by one person?

[Speaker 3] (1:49:32 - 1:49:34)
So I'd get that for sure.

[Speaker 3] (1:49:35 - 1:49:48)
But I don't think one year is going to, I do think that there could be a lot of different things that you might want to change and what the impact is of the different changes seems to make sense to me that it really should go through a process.

[Speaker 4] (1:49:49 - 1:49:52)
Yeah, I think I think I think we're sitting here on

[Speaker 4] (1:49:53 - 1:49:55)
On the 15th of April,

[Speaker 4] (1:49:55 - 1:50:18)
um and the proposed a charter change which is gonna be uh, you know, uh a dramatic change to the operations of our of our finance committee um, you know, should be fully studied. You know, we we did propose you know, a charter change around uh voting. We studied that, and we we seeded a committee uh and those recommendations were were brought forth to us uh, you know in a clear.

[Speaker 4] (1:50:19 - 1:50:37)
transparent manner. You know, with the presentation, did it take did it take a long time? Sure, but it also um it also really brought about uh a number of ideas which we can then implement as a town. Um and I think it's important that we that we do take it through that uh you know, that process specifically.

[Speaker 4] (1:50:37 - 1:50:45)
I do think we have, you know, very uh very dedicated hard-working members of uh of the finance committee. So I w you know, I certainly wanna

[Speaker 4] (1:50:45 - 1:51:03)
I want to point out the fact that they're working diligently on the budget just as we are, just as CIC is, just as town staff is. So, you know, I do think that they should be recognized for their efforts, and I think we should, you know, we should certainly look at that. And to Mary Ellen's point,

[Speaker 4] (1:51:03 - 1:51:06)
we did collect a lot of information,

[Speaker 4] (1:51:06 - 1:51:09)
a lot of data points from chairs and committees.

[Speaker 4] (1:51:09 - 1:51:10)
Katie,

[Speaker 4] (1:51:10 - 1:51:11)
I still have that information.

[Speaker 4] (1:51:11 - 1:51:12)
somewhere,

[Speaker 5] (1:51:12 - 1:51:12)
send

[Speaker 4] (1:51:12 - 1:51:13)
and

[Speaker 5] (1:51:13 - 1:51:13)
it

[Speaker 4] (1:51:13 - 1:51:13)
I

[Speaker 5] (1:51:13 - 1:51:13)
over.

[Speaker 4] (1:51:13 - 1:51:17)
can and I will send it over uh to you, I just need to uh to gather it, but I

[Speaker 5] (1:51:17 - 1:51:17)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:51:17 - 1:51:20)
I do I do have it um in a folder

[Speaker 5] (1:51:20 - 1:51:21)
Would it be a starting point for a charter review

[Speaker 4] (1:51:21 - 1:51:21)
Yeah,

[Speaker 5] (1:51:21 - 1:51:22)
committee?

[Speaker 4] (1:51:22 - 1:51:23)
absolutely. Yep.

[Speaker 5] (1:51:24 - 1:51:38)
Um yeah, I just think with the advent of a new moderator, that maybe we should work with the new moderator to try to set a policy and process in place for how the appointments are made so there's some more transparency into how the new moderator will be

[Speaker 5] (1:51:39 - 1:51:41)
appointing them in the

[Speaker 2] (1:51:41 - 1:51:42)
Well, it's...

[Speaker 5] (1:51:42 - 1:51:43)
meantime doing

[Speaker 2] (1:51:43 - 1:51:44)
It's good, I think,

[Speaker 5] (1:51:44 - 1:51:44)
the

[Speaker 2] (1:51:44 - 1:51:45)
for conversation,

[Speaker 5] (1:51:45 - 1:51:45)
charter review.

[Speaker 2] (1:51:45 - 1:51:45)
right?

[Speaker 2] (1:51:45 - 1:51:52)
I mean, it seems to me to be in collaboration with even the chair of the finance committee,

[Speaker 2] (1:51:52 - 1:51:56)
you know, I'd like to know what the process is now, if people do submit resumes,

[Speaker 2] (1:51:56 - 1:51:57)
how they actually...

[Speaker 2] (1:51:58 - 1:52:11)
get appointed, right? They don't just pluck names, or do they? Um I'd like to know what the process is now um before I decide about recommendation to change. But I would like to to do in collaboration with

[Speaker 2] (1:52:12 - 1:52:26)
the chair of the Finance Committee, the moderator, the new moderator coming in, not just kind of, you know, isolated to us in a vacuum. But um 'cause I do think it's it's gonna take input from different areas, not just us.

[Speaker 1] (1:52:26 - 1:52:26)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (1:52:27 - 1:52:37)
Okay, so I think what we can commit to do, if it works, is commit to a charter review committee understanding the time it will take.

[Speaker 5] (1:52:37 - 1:52:38)
In the meantime,

[Speaker 5] (1:52:38 - 1:52:54)
we can meet with the new moderator and ask for a process and procedure to be outlined for how future appointments will be made so that we can have something, some accountability and transparency for the public to understand if they want to join FinCom how they go about doing so.

[Speaker 5] (1:52:54 - 1:52:55)
And then...

[Speaker 5] (1:52:57 - 1:53:05)
We probably should just motion now to remove it from the draft. That way we just have a clear path forward.

[Speaker 5] (1:53:05 - 1:53:06)
So if somebody wants to make that motion.

[Speaker 2] (1:53:06 - 1:53:08)
I don't even know if we need a motion.

[Speaker 5] (1:53:08 - 1:53:10)
Well, doesn't hurt.

[Speaker 1] (1:53:10 - 1:53:11)
It requires

[Speaker 3] (1:53:11 - 1:53:11)
Sure.

[Speaker 1] (1:53:11 - 1:53:14)
a move removal of article 12 for now

[Speaker 4] (1:53:14 - 1:53:14)
Second.

[Speaker 2] (1:53:15 - 1:53:15)
Yep.

[Speaker 5] (1:53:15 - 1:53:16)
All in favor?

[Speaker 2] (1:53:16 - 1:53:16)
Aye.

[Speaker 5] (1:53:16 - 1:53:16)
Aye.

[Speaker 4] (1:53:16 - 1:53:17)
Aye.

[Speaker 5] (1:53:17 - 1:53:17)
Okay, great.

[Speaker 5] (1:53:18 - 1:53:18)
That's unanimous.

[Speaker 5] (1:53:19 - 1:53:21)
All right, so that puts that.

[Speaker 5] (1:53:22 - 1:53:27)
In a different trajectory, I won't say back burner because that means we're not gonna do it, but we are.

[Speaker 5] (1:53:28 - 1:53:31)
Um let's go how do you wanna move through this, Nick?

[Speaker 1] (1:53:31 - 1:53:44)
Whatever way you all would prefer the first few articles are standard. It's really, you know, until we get past the budget, with the exception of making sure we have the same information we have historically to the note that Mary Ellen gave us.

[Speaker 1] (1:53:47 - 1:53:50)
Let's not until we get to I gotta put on my glasses. Sorry

[Speaker 3] (1:53:51 - 1:53:52)
Has FinCom voted on anything?

[Speaker 2] (1:53:53 - 1:53:54)
No.

[Speaker 2] (1:53:56 - 1:53:56)
We don't

[Speaker 1] (1:53:56 - 1:53:56)
No,

[Speaker 2] (1:53:56 - 1:53:56)
vote.

[Speaker 5] (1:53:56 - 1:53:56)
No.

[Speaker 1] (1:53:56 - 1:54:01)
they anticipate voting I think at the beginning of next week. Is that right Patrick on

[Speaker 6] (1:54:01 - 1:54:04)
Yeah, they have a meeting this Thursday and then another meeting

[Speaker 5] (1:54:04 - 1:54:04)
Yeah.

[Speaker 6] (1:54:04 - 1:54:04)
the following Thursday.

[Speaker 1] (1:54:04 - 1:54:07)
Tuesday a Thursday. Sorry

[Speaker 6] (1:54:07 - 1:54:11)
So they'll possibly be voting on warrant articles at either of those meetings.

[Speaker 3] (1:54:11 - 1:54:14)
Do we even have article two? It goes two and then four.

[Speaker 3] (1:54:15 - 1:54:16)
First of all,

[Speaker 2] (1:54:16 - 1:54:17)
Yes, there are three.

[Speaker 3] (1:54:17 - 1:54:18)
is there a reason? And then

[Speaker 1] (1:54:18 - 1:54:19)
Nope. Let me check.

[Speaker 2] (1:54:21 - 1:54:21)
Story.

[Speaker 1] (1:54:21 - 1:54:22)
The reason is me, Doug.

[Speaker 3] (1:54:22 - 1:54:23)
Okay, okay.

[Speaker 2] (1:54:23 - 1:54:23)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:54:23 - 1:54:25)
Just, you don't like the

[Speaker 1] (1:54:25 - 1:54:25)
And

[Speaker 3] (1:54:25 - 1:54:25)
number three

[Speaker 1] (1:54:25 - 1:54:29)
this isn't me, this isn't me taking responsibility for someone else. It's, it's literally

[Speaker 5] (1:54:29 - 1:54:30)
So there's

[Speaker 1] (1:54:30 - 1:54:30)
me misnumbering.

[Speaker 5] (1:54:30 - 1:54:31)
a report of finances

[Speaker 2] (1:54:31 - 1:54:31)
Financial.

[Speaker 5] (1:54:31 - 1:54:34)
and then it starts article one, two is here.

[Speaker 2] (1:54:34 - 1:54:35)
He's counting,

[Speaker 3] (1:54:35 - 1:54:35)
Oh, where

[Speaker 2] (1:54:35 - 1:54:36)
Nick.

[Speaker 3] (1:54:36 - 1:54:36)
is it?

[Speaker 5] (1:54:36 - 1:54:37)
Uh, there's no page numbers,

[Speaker 5] (1:54:37 - 1:54:39)
which might be helpful as a takeaway,

[Speaker 5] (1:54:39 - 1:54:39)
um, just so

[Speaker 1] (1:54:39 - 1:54:40)
Yep,

[Speaker 5] (1:54:40 - 1:54:40)
I.

[Speaker 1] (1:54:40 - 1:54:40)
it is.

[Speaker 5] (1:54:41 - 1:54:41)
Uh

[Speaker 3] (1:54:41 - 1:54:42)
Thank

[Speaker 5] (1:54:42 - 1:54:42)
at

[Speaker 3] (1:54:42 - 1:54:42)
you.

[Speaker 5] (1:54:42 - 1:54:46)
the bottom of the next page right there where your finger is. So article

[Speaker 4] (1:54:46 - 1:54:47)
Okay.

[Speaker 5] (1:54:47 - 1:54:49)
one is reports of the town boards and committees.

[Speaker 5] (1:54:49 - 1:54:51)
Article two approval of the bills from prior fiscal year.

[Speaker 5] (1:54:53 - 1:55:02)
And then it goes to amend an appropriation for fiscal year 26 operating budget and 27 operating budget which then is listed.

[Speaker 5] (1:55:03 - 1:55:04)
the operating budget.

[Speaker 1] (1:55:05 - 1:55:08)
So do you want me to just walk through them real quick and Patrick can also jump in?

[Speaker 5] (1:55:08 - 1:55:08)
Great.

[Speaker 1] (1:55:08 - 1:55:10)
Or do you want to just speed through the way you were doing it

[Speaker 5] (1:55:10 - 1:55:10)
I

[Speaker 1] (1:55:10 - 1:55:11)
in your mean, own style?

[Speaker 5] (1:55:11 - 1:55:17)
I think for the time being we should just until FinCom votes on these we likely unless anybody has some

[Speaker 1] (1:55:17 - 1:55:18)
So we're

[Speaker 5] (1:55:18 - 1:55:18)
adversary

[Speaker 1] (1:55:18 - 1:55:22)
not asking yeah we're tonight we're not asking you to make a recommendation or opine on the article.

[Speaker 5] (1:55:22 - 1:55:22)
Just

[Speaker 1] (1:55:22 - 1:55:31)
The hope would be that if the the articles that are included are satisfactory that we could close it with the motion that allows for.

[Speaker 1] (1:55:32 - 1:55:41)
the form and the feedback from find fincom you all would make your recommendations after their votes as you're saying but that way we can close the warrant at least.

[Speaker 3] (1:55:41 - 1:55:42)
for a town meeting.

[Speaker 1] (1:55:42 - 1:55:44)
What do you have a question Doug?

[Speaker 3] (1:55:46 - 1:55:47)
Close the warrant.

[Speaker 1] (1:55:47 - 1:56:01)
Your recommendations are not part of this pr this process is making sure that a citizen or resident knows the topics that they can anticipate at town meeting. That's what this is. The vote on the recommendation is separate and it's something we want done prior to printing.

[Speaker 3] (1:56:02 - 1:56:04)
Okay, but uh did you think

[Speaker 2] (1:56:04 - 1:56:04)
So

[Speaker 3] (1:56:04 - 1:56:14)
I know that's right, but like i if that's the budget that's in here, we're not we're not we're not validating that that will be the budget that will be in here. You're just saying there will be a budget in here.

[Speaker 8] (1:56:15 - 1:56:15)
Correct.

[Speaker 3] (1:56:15 - 1:56:16)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (1:56:16 - 1:56:16)
The

[Speaker 8] (1:56:16 - 1:56:16)
Is

[Speaker 5] (1:56:16 - 1:56:21)
motion as town council suggests, if we wanted to close and go through this exercise,

[Speaker 5] (1:56:21 - 1:56:31)
would be I move that the board vote to approve the warrant as drafted, subject to further revision as to form by town council and the town administrator and inclusion of the Finance Committee message and final budget to

[Speaker 1] (1:56:31 - 1:56:33)
Which are the two things that are not in

[Speaker 5] (1:56:33 - 1:56:33)
the two in

[Speaker 1] (1:56:33 - 1:56:34)
here right now.

[Speaker 5] (1:56:34 - 1:56:36)
today appropriate appropriately.

[Speaker 2] (1:56:36 - 1:56:37)
Wait, can you just...

[Speaker 5] (1:56:37 - 1:56:38)
I'm going to read it again.

[Speaker 2] (1:56:38 - 1:56:39)
No, I'm just...

[Speaker 2] (1:56:40 - 1:56:44)
I'm a little bit lost at what we're looking at doing. So it's open now,

[Speaker 5] (1:56:44 - 1:56:45)
Yep, it's open.

[Speaker 2] (1:56:45 - 1:56:45)
right,

[Speaker 5] (1:56:45 - 1:56:46)
We opened last

[Speaker 2] (1:56:46 - 1:56:46)
got

[Speaker 5] (1:56:46 - 1:56:46)
week.

[Speaker 2] (1:56:46 - 1:56:58)
that. And we're looking at just, why aren't we just leaving it open and then why don't we just leave it open and then when we have the information from FinCom,

[Speaker 2] (1:56:58 - 1:57:01)
we just finish it then.

[Speaker 5] (1:57:01 - 1:57:02)
We could,

[Speaker 5] (1:57:02 - 1:57:09)
but if substantively nothing is going to change except the budget that FinCom recommends and we're not putting another article in.

[Speaker 5] (1:57:09 - 1:57:26)
Then the alternative is we could close it based on the article number sub like headings. Nothing is going to get in or out and we could allow us to move forward with recommendations after the closure.

[Speaker 1] (1:57:26 - 1:57:30)
It would give us more time to be preparing everything,

[Speaker 1] (1:57:30 - 1:57:31)
basically.

[Speaker 1] (1:57:31 - 1:57:35)
There is no substantive change that occurs. The budget will be in it.

[Speaker 1] (1:57:35 - 1:57:37)
We'll see the numbers and you'll recommend or not recommend.

[Speaker 1] (1:57:38 - 1:57:43)
The the topics that are the individual articles of the warrant remain the same.

[Speaker 1] (1:57:44 - 1:57:47)
So that that's what opening closing the warrant is it's the topics.

[Speaker 3] (1:57:48 - 1:57:54)
Okay. And the budget that goes in here, no matter what, is the FinCom budget.

[Speaker 1] (1:57:54 - 1:57:55)
It's their budget.

[Speaker 5] (1:57:55 - 1:57:55)
Yeah,

[Speaker 3] (1:57:55 - 1:57:55)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (1:57:55 - 1:58:00)
it's their budget. Yeah, we actually just as a side.

[Speaker 5] (1:58:00 - 1:58:03)
We voted to move the budget to FinCom.

[Speaker 5] (1:58:04 - 1:58:05)
and then they make

[Speaker 3] (1:58:05 - 1:58:05)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 5] (1:58:05 - 1:58:13)
in the idea that they would make they would approve it and it would come back to us but we don't actually have the ability to approve it once it comes back to us

[Speaker 1] (1:58:13 - 1:58:13)
You're

[Speaker 5] (1:58:13 - 1:58:13)
like

[Speaker 1] (1:58:13 - 1:58:13)
opining

[Speaker 5] (1:58:13 - 1:58:14)
we we will

[Speaker 1] (1:58:14 - 1:58:15)
on their budget you're opining.

[Speaker 5] (1:58:15 - 1:58:19)
opine on their budget in the sense of whether or not we recommend it in the warrant but

[Speaker 3] (1:58:19 - 1:58:21)
Right, because last year we actually disagreed.

[Speaker 5] (1:58:21 - 1:58:22)
correct

[Speaker 3] (1:58:22 - 1:58:22)
Yeah,

[Speaker 5] (1:58:22 - 1:58:22)
correct

[Speaker 3] (1:58:22 - 1:58:22)
yeah.

[Speaker 1] (1:58:22 - 1:58:31)
And there's always the opportunity page-by-page as the moderator goes through to make individual edits to a line by any member or by a board, you know.

[Speaker 5] (1:58:35 - 1:58:42)
So is this exercise not valuable or I mean I see some of the board members are hesitant

[Speaker 3] (1:58:42 - 1:58:43)
The only reas the only

[Speaker 5] (1:58:43 - 1:58:43)
so

[Speaker 3] (1:58:43 - 1:58:50)
the only uh it seems a little odd, but it if it sounds like you find some value in getting it closed so that you can proceed

[Speaker 1] (1:58:50 - 1:58:50)
So

[Speaker 3] (1:58:50 - 1:58:51)
in some work that

[Speaker 1] (1:58:51 - 1:58:51)
yeah,

[Speaker 3] (1:58:51 - 1:58:52)
you wouldn't otherwise

[Speaker 1] (1:58:52 - 1:58:52)
I be mean

[Speaker 3] (1:58:52 - 1:58:53)
able to proceed with. So that

[Speaker 1] (1:58:53 - 1:58:55)
In in many communities

[Speaker 3] (1:58:55 - 1:58:55)
enough.

[Speaker 1] (1:58:55 - 1:59:00)
the the warrant would open and close in February and March for a May town meeting

[Speaker 1] (1:59:01 - 1:59:04)
It's not it's not always the case that town's keeping

[Speaker 2] (1:59:23 - 1:59:23)
What?

[Speaker 1] (1:59:23 - 1:59:27)
you know topic for select board meeting that we would come back to for a second time that were the case.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:27 - 1:59:38)
I think the other thing is that we have all belabored the fact that we scatter to try to get the warrant closed at the last minute and if we don't have to do that because we're all in agreement on the topics,

[Speaker 2] (1:59:39 - 1:59:41)
why are we putting ourselves through that exercise?

[Speaker 1] (1:59:41 - 1:59:50)
And just from a just blocking and tackling and I know I'm making assumptions about an election Doug but assuming that you and David don't somehow remain on the board.

[Speaker 1] (1:59:52 - 1:59:53)
If you all close it,

[Speaker 3] (1:59:53 - 1:59:53)
Surprise!

[Speaker 1] (1:59:53 - 2:00:03)
if you all close it, the current board is the one that signs it and it's a ministerial act to sign it before your replacements are sworn in.

[Speaker 1] (2:00:03 - 2:00:08)
If you don't close it, I think the most likely outcome is that you all will not have another opportunity to do it because

[Speaker 3] (2:00:08 - 2:00:10)
But that's assuming we don't have another meeting before the election.

[Speaker 1] (2:00:10 - 2:00:12)
if we have a meeting on Monday,

[Speaker 1] (2:00:12 - 2:00:13)
you need to sign it before they're sworn in.

[Speaker 1] (2:00:15 - 2:00:16)
So it just,

[Speaker 1] (2:00:16 - 2:00:20)
we're sort of needlessly condensing things and I'm not sure what the ultimate

[Speaker 1] (2:00:21 - 2:00:22)
changes that

[Speaker 2] (2:00:22 - 2:00:23)
Yes.

[Speaker 1] (2:00:23 - 2:00:28)
we're trying to avoid, and I'm happy to avoid it if someone can help me understand it.

[Speaker 3] (2:00:28 - 2:00:33)
Well, there's two things. Uh it's I'm fine if you wanna

[Speaker 3] (2:00:33 - 2:00:42)
I'm fine to close the warrant. You know, that's fine. I think there's another conversation about whether or not we have another meeting before the election and whether or not we make any uh opine.

[Speaker 2] (2:00:43 - 2:00:43)
Yes,

[Speaker 3] (2:00:43 - 2:00:43)
Is

[Speaker 2] (2:00:43 - 2:00:44)
a this different

[Speaker 3] (2:00:44 - 2:00:44)
board?

[Speaker 2] (2:00:44 - 2:00:45)
a different conversation.

[Speaker 3] (2:00:45 - 2:00:53)
Yeah. Um but actually, there's one thing, is it on purpose at this point that we do want to have rodenticides in both categories?

[Speaker 1] (2:00:54 - 2:00:56)
I did put it in both categories to align

[Speaker 3] (2:00:56 - 2:00:57)
That's fine.

[Speaker 1] (2:00:57 - 2:00:58)
with the discussion at

[Speaker 3] (2:00:58 - 2:00:58)
Right,

[Speaker 1] (2:00:58 - 2:00:59)
the last board.

[Speaker 3] (2:00:59 - 2:01:00)
but ultimately that's we don't wanna

[Speaker 2] (2:01:00 - 2:01:00)
We can

[Speaker 4] (2:01:00 - 2:01:00)
You would

[Speaker 1] (2:01:00 - 2:01:00)
But

[Speaker 4] (2:01:00 - 2:01:00)
get

[Speaker 3] (2:01:00 - 2:01:02)
approve the warrant in this form, do we?

[Speaker 1] (2:01:02 - 2:01:04)
That is the form in which it would have to move forward.

[Speaker 2] (2:01:04 - 2:01:05)
Yes, because they she would have to withdraw

[Speaker 1] (2:01:05 - 2:01:06)
She qualified

[Speaker 2] (2:01:06 - 2:01:06)
herself and

[Speaker 1] (2:01:06 - 2:01:08)
for the ballot.

[Speaker 3] (2:01:08 - 2:01:10)
Does she want to opine on it?

[Speaker 1] (2:01:10 - 2:01:12)
That's not how this deliberation

[Speaker 4] (2:01:12 - 2:01:13)
She would withdraw.

[Speaker 1] (2:01:13 - 2:01:13)
works.

[Speaker 4] (2:01:13 - 2:01:18)
So it would be it's it's on there. We put it and then the citizen would withdraw it.

[Speaker 1] (2:01:19 - 2:01:23)
So at town meeting is the point at which we would make that change. I've spoken to KP about this.

[Speaker 1] (2:01:24 - 2:01:25)
we would

[Speaker 3] (2:01:25 - 2:01:27)
So we would we could end up having two votes about it.

[Speaker 1] (2:01:27 - 2:01:28)
No we would not have two votes,

[Speaker 4] (2:01:28 - 2:01:28)
No.

[Speaker 1] (2:01:28 - 2:01:34)
it would indefinitely postpone or after she knows that we have acted on it, she would then go up and withdraw.

[Speaker 1] (2:01:34 - 2:01:38)
Otherwise, you would put people in the position of qualifying a citizen petition,

[Speaker 1] (2:01:39 - 2:01:43)
leading them to believe that it was going to be acted on and asking them to withdraw in advance, and then and

[Speaker 2] (2:01:43 - 2:01:43)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (2:01:43 - 2:01:45)
then we pull it we Yeah. pull it we have a ruff pull.

[Speaker 1] (2:01:45 - 2:01:58)
So they they're both there and then only after action is taken would she uh as a lead sponsor withdraw or the body itself could indefinitely postpone with a brief description from um

[Speaker 1] (2:01:59 - 2:02:03)
Whoever the moderator is in the future a about um

[Speaker 2] (2:02:03 - 2:02:05)
But about a circus jumping through hoops.

[Speaker 1] (2:02:05 - 2:02:06)
how to m how to move forward.

[Speaker 5] (2:02:06 - 2:02:07)
I guess it sounds silly.

[Speaker 2] (2:02:08 - 2:02:10)
Okay, so I I propose we keep

[Speaker 3] (2:02:10 - 2:02:10)
I motion

[Speaker 2] (2:02:10 - 2:02:10)
keep

[Speaker 3] (2:02:10 - 2:02:10)
I motion

[Speaker 2] (2:02:10 - 2:02:12)
going, yeah. Just

[Speaker 3] (2:02:12 - 2:02:14)
I s I motion to uh

[Speaker 3] (2:02:15 - 2:02:15)
keep

[Speaker 2] (2:02:16 - 2:02:17)
You wanna motion to close the So warrant?

[Speaker 4] (2:02:17 - 2:02:21)
wait a second, so if you want a motion to so if you're motioning to close it

[Speaker 5] (2:02:21 - 2:02:21)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:02:21 - 2:02:21)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (2:02:21 - 2:02:22)
and then

[Speaker 4] (2:02:23 - 2:02:27)
What does that do as far as our votes on capital and on the budget?

[Speaker 3] (2:02:27 - 2:02:29)
It's a separate thing, right? We always

[Speaker 4] (2:02:29 - 2:02:31)
It's gonna be totally separate and that won't go to print.

[Speaker 3] (2:02:31 - 2:02:32)
Because it always is, right? I mean

[Speaker 2] (2:02:32 - 2:02:33)
It will go to c it it

[Speaker 1] (2:02:33 - 2:02:33)
You mean?

[Speaker 2] (2:02:33 - 2:02:43)
first of all it could go to print if we make them in time if we make them because often we have had times where our motion it says select boards supports four to five or

[Speaker 3] (2:02:43 - 2:02:44)
Approval of prior bills.

[Speaker 2] (2:02:44 - 2:02:45)
five oh.

[Speaker 2] (2:02:46 - 2:02:48)
um the the

[Speaker 3] (2:02:48 - 2:02:49)
Vigna

[Speaker 2] (2:02:49 - 2:02:49)
article

[Speaker 3] (2:02:49 - 2:02:49)
same.

[Speaker 2] (2:02:49 - 2:02:58)
um but we also have had instances where I have walked up to the moderator and told him we just voted on this 20 minutes ago and the and

[Speaker 3] (2:02:58 - 2:02:59)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:02:59 - 2:03:01)
the warrant article has um

[Speaker 1] (2:03:01 - 2:03:03)
So Mary Ellen, you're speaking to the recommendation up or down, right?

[Speaker 4] (2:03:03 - 2:03:04)
Yep.

[Speaker 2] (2:03:04 - 2:03:04)
yes

[Speaker 1] (2:03:04 - 2:03:04)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:03:04 - 2:03:14)
so we still will do that and it will still appear in print if we are able to do it in time and if not the moderator will pull up the screen just like they traditionally do hopefully we will

[Speaker 2] (2:03:13 - 2:03:30)
that we will come talk to Ryan about that. Oh, sorry to get a little bit off topic, but has anybody talked to the potential future moderator about the the old town moderator used to hold these public sessions which a lot of people felt were helpful in years that were complicated. Is is

[Speaker 1] (2:03:30 - 2:03:31)
We did not talk about that,

[Speaker 2] (2:03:31 - 2:03:31)
Okay,

[Speaker 1] (2:03:31 - 2:03:32)
but I can,

[Speaker 2] (2:03:32 - 2:03:32)
thanks.

[Speaker 1] (2:03:32 - 2:03:32)
I'll reach out to him.

[Speaker 2] (2:03:33 - 2:03:33)
Yep.

[Speaker 1] (2:03:33 - 2:03:33)
I, uh

[Speaker 2] (2:03:33 - 2:03:35)
I'm not sure that this He uh

[Speaker 4] (2:03:35 - 2:03:35)
didn't

[Speaker 1] (2:03:35 - 2:03:35)
and

[Speaker 4] (2:03:35 - 2:03:35)
he didn't

[Speaker 1] (2:03:35 - 2:03:35)
now's not

[Speaker 4] (2:03:35 - 2:03:36)
years

[Speaker 1] (2:03:36 - 2:03:36)
the

[Speaker 4] (2:03:36 - 2:03:36)
ago.

[Speaker 1] (2:03:36 - 2:03:38)
the forum necessarily, Doug, but

[Speaker 3] (2:03:38 - 2:03:41)
I'm not saying that you would do it now. I'm just saying that he might

[Speaker 3] (2:03:42 - 2:03:44)
a potential future moderator might be hearing us.

[Speaker 1] (2:03:44 - 2:03:44)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:03:44 - 2:03:51)
Okay, so um just just I just wanted to point that out from earlier. So, Dick, did you want to make a motion? 'Cause we

[Speaker 4] (2:03:51 - 2:03:51)
I

[Speaker 2] (2:03:51 - 2:03:51)
I really

[Speaker 3] (2:03:51 - 2:03:52)
so

[Speaker 4] (2:03:52 - 2:03:52)
like having you

[Speaker 3] (2:03:52 - 2:03:52)
wanna

[Speaker 4] (2:03:52 - 2:03:52)
to make a motion.

[Speaker 3] (2:03:52 - 2:03:53)
make a motion to

[Speaker 2] (2:03:53 - 2:03:53)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (2:03:53 - 2:03:54)
close the warrant.

[Speaker 1] (2:03:55 - 2:03:55)
Can we give

[Speaker 4] (2:03:55 - 2:03:56)
Is there

[Speaker 1] (2:03:56 - 2:03:56)
him any to reason

[Speaker 4] (2:03:56 - 2:03:56)
mind if I to put

[Speaker 1] (2:03:56 - 2:03:57)
something specific?

[Speaker 4] (2:03:57 - 2:03:57)
this

[Speaker 2] (2:03:57 - 2:04:00)
Oh yes, you need to read this, please. I move that

[Speaker 3] (2:04:00 - 2:04:01)
Do you want something say his

[Speaker 2] (2:04:01 - 2:04:01)
no,

[Speaker 3] (2:04:01 - 2:04:01)
name was

[Speaker 2] (2:04:01 - 2:04:01)
that this my warrant.

[Speaker 3] (2:04:01 - 2:04:01)
Mr.

[Speaker 3] (2:04:01 - 2:04:02)
Tiger yesterday?

[Speaker 2] (2:04:02 - 2:04:05)
Just telling me to tell you to read that the second bullet.

[Speaker 3] (2:04:08 - 2:04:11)
I move that the board vote to approve the warrant as drafted,

[Speaker 3] (2:04:11 - 2:04:16)
subject to further revisions as to form by town council and the town administrator,

[Speaker 3] (2:04:16 - 2:04:19)
inclusion of the finance committee message and final budget.

[Speaker 2] (2:04:20 - 2:04:21)
Can I have a second?

[Speaker 4] (2:04:21 - 2:04:21)
Second.

[Speaker 2] (2:04:22 - 2:04:23)
All in favor?

[Speaker 3] (2:04:23 - 2:04:23)
Ah.

[Speaker 4] (2:04:23 - 2:04:23)
Aye.

[Speaker 2] (2:04:23 - 2:04:24)
Aye.

[Speaker 2] (2:04:24 - 2:04:25)
Wonderful.

[Speaker 2] (2:04:26 - 2:04:27)
Okay, thank you, Doug,

[Speaker 2] (2:04:28 - 2:04:30)
for that eloquent reading.

[Speaker 2] (2:04:31 - 2:04:38)
We are now moving on to discussion and possible vote on the 2027 preliminary budget as updated.

[Speaker 2] (2:04:38 - 2:04:46)
Again, the agenda says possible vote because we're always going to say possible vote until we vote.

[Speaker 2] (2:04:46 - 2:04:50)
But FinCom has not voted on the budget.

[Speaker 2] (2:04:52 - 2:05:03)
I think it is their intention, I spoke to Eric before this meeting, and it is their intention to do so prior to either the twenty-seventh or the twenty-ninth, because Doug doesn't want to leave us apparently.

[Speaker 2] (2:05:04 - 2:05:16)
Um and so then hopefully we could take a vote at that time, but I mean this is sort of the last space before Fincom votes for us to have

[Speaker 2] (2:05:17 - 2:05:35)
Opinions, I mean obviously we can have opinions at any time, but if we want them to be thought through and considered and brought into FinCom's consideration, we need to do it now. So if you have, you know, recommendations that you would like to make that have not been brought in to brought to the table already, I would suggest

[Speaker 2] (2:05:37 - 2:05:37)
so

[Speaker 1] (2:05:37 - 2:05:43)
And so what we included in the packet is the long range financial plan again because we sort of stretched out the information a little bit to show

[Speaker 1] (2:05:43 - 2:05:45)
Is it twenty five and twenty six?

[Speaker 6] (2:05:46 - 2:05:47)
Shows 26.

[Speaker 1] (2:05:47 - 2:05:56)
It's twenty six. Um so to the left side and then to take the year over year increases out a couple decimal points so people can get a better understanding of, you know,

[Speaker 6] (2:05:57 - 2:05:57)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (2:05:57 - 2:06:10)
three and a half looks a lot more frightening at four when we're in some of these numbers so to make sure everyone understands exactly where we're aiming. Um both for this year but also moving forward so we have something to be basing future long-range financial plans from.

[Speaker 1] (2:06:11 - 2:06:15)
But we're also happy to answer broader or specific questions that you may have.

[Speaker 3] (2:06:17 - 2:06:18)
So you, go ahead.

[Speaker 2] (2:06:19 - 2:06:30)
I was just going to say if anybody hadn't hasn't watched the thing come from last Thursday I believe there was a lot of discussion about the projections and sort of where people found

[Speaker 2] (2:06:31 - 2:06:58)
hope in a hopeless place and where there were wiggle rooms it is a song yeah and where there was wiggle room and where you know they sort of pulled a little bit back from doom and gloom and tried to find some bright spots in the projections and so I think that is sort of the mentality that that led them to the place where possibly

[Speaker 2] (2:06:59 - 2:07:22)
This might be the budget, whereas if the projections were not so great, maybe we would be looking at where we could find additional places. I think at this point it was discussed publicly at FinCom that we've cut to the bone and if we need to cut bone,

[Speaker 2] (2:07:22 - 2:07:22)
we can,

[Speaker 2] (2:07:23 - 2:07:28)
but the projections maybe allowed people to feel a little bit more ease about it.

[Speaker 3] (2:07:31 - 2:07:34)
I get the gist, but I don't quite follow. Um

[Speaker 2] (2:07:36 - 2:07:38)
Do you wanna just watch the meeting and then we'll talk about it on Monday?

[Speaker 4] (2:07:39 - 2:07:41)
Where's the me where are the meetings listed?

[Speaker 8] (2:07:42 - 2:07:43)
The finances

[Speaker 3] (2:07:43 - 2:07:43)
Oh, I wanna

[Speaker 8] (2:07:43 - 2:07:43)
any meeting

[Speaker 3] (2:07:43 - 2:07:47)
I wanna one minute summary actually. Um go ahead.

[Speaker 2] (2:07:47 - 2:07:47)
The

[Speaker 8] (2:07:47 - 2:07:48)
Those

[Speaker 2] (2:07:48 - 2:07:48)
finance

[Speaker 8] (2:07:48 - 2:07:50)
are those are recorded and available online.

[Speaker 3] (2:07:50 - 2:07:51)
Yes,

[Speaker 2] (2:07:51 - 2:07:51)
So are the

[Speaker 3] (2:07:51 - 2:07:52)
and we are. Yes.

[Speaker 2] (2:07:52 - 2:07:53)
income meetings.

[Speaker 2] (2:07:53 - 2:07:55)
Could you uh is this one that you can't locate?

[Speaker 4] (2:07:55 - 2:07:56)
There's the I think again

[Speaker 2] (2:07:56 - 2:07:57)
Thursdays if we could.

[Speaker 8] (2:07:58 - 2:07:58)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:07:58 - 2:07:59)
Print produce

[Speaker 5] (2:07:59 - 2:07:59)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:07:59 - 2:08:00)
them for the entire board that would be

[Speaker 8] (2:08:00 - 2:08:01)
great. Talk with Joe and get

[Speaker 2] (2:08:01 - 2:08:01)
Thank that you

[Speaker 8] (2:08:01 - 2:08:02)
on there.

[Speaker 4] (2:08:03 - 2:08:04)
So I

[Speaker 3] (2:08:04 - 2:08:05)
We felt, go ahead.

[Speaker 4] (2:08:05 - 2:08:13)
I don't kno so I didn't see Thursday's meeting, but the fact that we're we're gonna be asking for an override we're asking for an override in twenty twenty nine

[Speaker 4] (2:08:14 - 2:08:27)
because we're using all our unused levy in twenty six. So we're saying to people you're actually are getting an override this year, but we don't need to do an over ride we don't need your permission because we have unused levy.

[Speaker 4] (2:08:28 - 2:08:31)
And we're using how many dollars out of the unused levy for that?

[Speaker 3] (2:08:32 - 2:08:32)
When

[Speaker 1] (2:08:32 - 2:08:40)
We're using 1.7 and another 200,000 in levy capacity is leaving that is not spending, it's

[Speaker 4] (2:08:40 - 2:08:40)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (2:08:40 - 2:08:42)
a debt that is rolling off that we no longer

[Speaker 4] (2:08:42 - 2:08:42)
have Right.

[Speaker 1] (2:08:42 - 2:08:42)
access to.

[Speaker 4] (2:08:43 - 2:08:43)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (2:08:44 - 2:08:46)
So what is it, one point seven and then it's

[Speaker 3] (2:08:46 - 2:08:46)
It's

[Speaker 2] (2:08:46 - 2:08:46)
another

[Speaker 3] (2:08:46 - 2:08:47)
like that.

[Speaker 2] (2:08:47 - 2:08:47)
subtraction.

[Speaker 8] (2:08:47 - 2:08:48)
Yeah, it's 1.8

[Speaker 2] (2:08:48 - 2:08:49)
What is that?

[Speaker 8] (2:08:49 - 2:08:49)
total.

[Speaker 2] (2:08:49 - 2:08:50)
Oh, right here, thank you, Jeff.

[Speaker 2] (2:08:51 - 2:08:53)
Uh and the line that says unused levy capacity.

[Speaker 1] (2:08:53 - 2:08:54)
It's 1.8.

[Speaker 8] (2:08:54 - 2:08:55)
1.8 total.

[Speaker 1] (2:08:55 - 2:08:57)
So it's 1.6 and 200 rolling off.

[Speaker 4] (2:08:57 - 2:08:59)
Wait, in 26 we're using 1.8?

[Speaker 4] (2:09:00 - 2:09:00)
No,

[Speaker 2] (2:09:00 - 2:09:01)
No, twenty seven.

[Speaker 4] (2:09:01 - 2:09:01)
Oh, So right

[Speaker 2] (2:09:01 - 2:09:02)
we're using here. twenty seven first

[Speaker 3] (2:09:02 - 2:09:02)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (2:09:02 - 2:09:02)
of all.

[Speaker 3] (2:09:02 - 2:09:03)
Got it.

[Speaker 2] (2:09:04 - 2:09:11)
We're using one point six, but it might say one point eight because that also is reflecting the two hundred thousand of debt that rolls off,

[Speaker 1] (2:09:11 - 2:09:11)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 2] (2:09:11 - 2:09:15)
even though it's not being used to balance the budget to make sure we're all on the same page.

[Speaker 1] (2:09:18 - 2:09:20)
And so what Katie was saying uh

[Speaker 1] (2:09:22 - 2:09:25)
So is the budget as it's listed here,

[Speaker 1] (2:09:25 - 2:09:42)
what I'm understanding you to say is that FinCom your gist from listening to that was that this was feeling more solid and you made a bunch of comments at the beginning that amounted to still

[Speaker 2] (2:09:42 - 2:09:43)
The items

[Speaker 1] (2:09:43 - 2:09:43)
many

[Speaker 2] (2:09:43 - 2:09:43)
that

[Speaker 1] (2:09:43 - 2:09:43)
uncertainties.

[Speaker 2] (2:09:43 - 2:09:45)
are items in flux yeah

[Speaker 1] (2:09:45 - 2:09:49)
Yeah, no definitive move in any of the big items.

[Speaker 1] (2:09:49 - 2:09:52)
That's landed at this point. Health insurance, trash.

[Speaker 2] (2:09:53 - 2:09:56)
The definitive move in health insurance is to come down from $14.50 to $10.

[Speaker 1] (2:09:56 - 2:09:57)
Oh, that was, that's been

[Speaker 2] (2:09:57 - 2:09:57)
I

[Speaker 1] (2:09:57 - 2:09:57)
baked

[Speaker 2] (2:09:57 - 2:09:57)
know,

[Speaker 1] (2:09:57 - 2:09:58)
in,

[Speaker 2] (2:09:58 - 2:09:58)
but

[Speaker 1] (2:09:58 - 2:09:58)
yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:09:58 - 2:10:00)
the final would be the census,

[Speaker 2] (2:10:00 - 2:10:00)
correct?

[Speaker 2] (2:10:00 - 2:10:03)
Which we would not know until the first of, the very first week of May.

[Speaker 1] (2:10:03 - 2:10:03)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (2:10:05 - 2:10:05)
So

[Speaker 5] (2:10:05 - 2:10:05)
And

[Speaker 1] (2:10:05 - 2:10:05)
is

[Speaker 5] (2:10:05 - 2:10:05)
I.

[Speaker 1] (2:10:05 - 2:10:12)
that your sense Patrick that that's where I'm not asking you to definitively state what the Finance Committee's opinion is

[Speaker 2] (2:10:12 - 2:10:12)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (2:10:12 - 2:10:19)
but that this is feeling more and we have a couple Finance Committee members here but this is seeming like it's starting to land.

[Speaker 2] (2:10:20 - 2:10:31)
Yeah, I think something that they had asked for when the budget was originally passed to Finance Committee was this this forecast obviously so having that in front of them and being able to look at the five-year outlook.

[Speaker 6] (2:10:32 - 2:10:42)
I think that brought a little more comfort to the group, just understanding where we're headed, because that is the lens you have to then look through to see this year's budget and what's appropriate.

[Speaker 1] (2:10:43 - 2:10:52)
And I think that's why I was not I wasn't completely computing, because I think when we looked at this, I felt like that made us more uneasy.

[Speaker 1] (2:10:53 - 2:11:00)
And so that's why I wasn't like understanding the Finance Committee was actually feeling better about this year when they looked at this and saw.

[Speaker 1] (2:11:01 - 2:11:02)
The unused levy going away.

[Speaker 1] (2:11:03 - 2:11:04)
So that's why I

[Speaker 8] (2:11:04 - 2:11:05)
We set them

[Speaker 3] (2:11:05 - 2:11:05)
I

[Speaker 8] (2:11:05 - 2:11:05)
up everywhere.

[Speaker 3] (2:11:05 - 2:11:10)
feel like we're talking in riddles here. I gotta tell you, because some of us think it's bright or brighter,

[Speaker 3] (2:11:10 - 2:11:12)
some think it's not.

[Speaker 9] (2:11:13 - 2:11:13)
I

[Speaker 3] (2:11:13 - 2:11:13)
We

[Speaker 9] (2:11:13 - 2:11:13)
don't

[Speaker 3] (2:11:13 - 2:11:16)
all seem like completely on 12 different pages.

[Speaker 3] (2:11:17 - 2:11:21)
We do have some members of the finance committee here. Can anybody lend any clarity to

[Speaker 9] (2:11:21 - 2:11:21)
We no.

[Speaker 3] (2:11:21 - 2:11:22)
what

[Speaker 9] (2:11:22 - 2:11:22)
They they have

[Speaker 3] (2:11:22 - 2:11:22)
really

[Speaker 9] (2:11:22 - 2:11:24)
not spent, FinCom has not voted,

[Speaker 9] (2:11:24 - 2:11:31)
so it would be inappropriate for an individual FinCom member at this point to say whether or not FinCom will support it. So I hear what you're

[Speaker 3] (2:11:31 - 2:11:31)
No,

[Speaker 9] (2:11:31 - 2:11:31)
saying.

[Speaker 3] (2:11:31 - 2:11:39)
I don't need to know if they support it. I just need to know if we're in a dire situation that we've been thinking we're in or if there's something that has significantly changed.

[Speaker 3] (2:11:39 - 2:11:43)
changed in the past week or so or whatever to make us think otherwise.

[Speaker 1] (2:11:43 - 2:11:43)
So

[Speaker 9] (2:11:43 - 2:11:47)
Let me clarify because I think I may be overstated the hope piece,

[Speaker 9] (2:11:47 - 2:11:48)
okay.

[Speaker 9] (2:11:49 - 2:11:58)
I think that in echoing what Patrick said, my gist of this was they could not determine whether 2027 was

[Speaker 9] (2:11:59 - 2:12:20)
is the appropriate path forward without seeing the projection once they saw the projection and realized maybe what levers are available to be pulled in future years they felt like this would be a it's not a positive path forward we're still in in it in the thick of it and we will be in the thick of it for a while but

[Speaker 9] (2:12:20 - 2:12:24)
There are mechanisms and levers to pull to make sure that potentially,

[Speaker 9] (2:12:25 - 2:12:27)
I mean, one of the board members has said, well,

[Speaker 9] (2:12:27 - 2:12:31)
maybe we could get away with not using an override at all.

[Speaker 9] (2:12:31 - 2:12:36)
So like, yes, that's conjecture because who knows what will happen in 29,

[Speaker 9] (2:12:36 - 2:12:36)
30,

[Speaker 9] (2:12:36 - 2:12:38)
31. But...

[Speaker 3] (2:12:39 - 2:12:53)
So that's my, I guess my concern is that we're all sitting here with individual thoughts, some positive, some not, some neutral, and we're confusing anybody that might be listening because we don't really know definitively anything,

[Speaker 3] (2:12:53 - 2:12:54)
right?

[Speaker 3] (2:12:54 - 2:12:58)
You're thinking maybe it's a little bit rosier, Mary Ellen thinks it's as dire,

[Speaker 3] (2:12:58 - 2:12:59)
if not worse.

[Speaker 3] (2:12:59 - 2:13:01)
I don't know what to think.

[Speaker 3] (2:13:01 - 2:13:04)
Patrick doesn't know really, none of us do.

[Speaker 3] (2:13:04 - 2:13:07)
I I mean. just So we're all waiting for FinCom,

[Speaker 3] (2:13:07 - 2:13:08)
and I just don't want to give.

[Speaker 10] (2:13:09 - 2:13:11)
incorrect information out to people because we don't really know yet.

[Speaker 3] (2:13:12 - 2:13:21)
Danielle, I'm just looking at numbers. I'm looking at numbers that have been provided by our town accountant or town administrator,

[Speaker 3] (2:13:21 - 2:13:24)
and in 2029 we're looking at a deficit,

[Speaker 3] (2:13:25 - 2:13:28)
which means we would need an override.

[Speaker 3] (2:13:28 - 2:13:29)
So at 29,

[Speaker 3] (2:13:30 - 2:13:30)
30,

[Speaker 3] (2:13:30 - 2:13:31)
31,

[Speaker 3] (2:13:31 - 2:13:35)
we're not in a better zone until we get to...

[Speaker 1] (2:13:36 - 2:13:36)
Never.

[Speaker 3] (2:13:37 - 2:13:53)
Thirty two. No, no, no, no, no. We do get in we're in a better situation once the unfunded um liability is is cleared. It gets a little better. Plus, we also will have we'll have additional revenues coming in. But do we have a revenue sheet, a forecasted revenue sheet?

[Speaker 3] (2:13:54 - 2:13:55)
I haven't seen

[Speaker 1] (2:13:55 - 2:13:55)
That's

[Speaker 3] (2:13:55 - 2:13:55)
that come

[Speaker 1] (2:13:55 - 2:13:55)
true.

[Speaker 3] (2:13:55 - 2:13:55)
Is in.

[Speaker 1] (2:13:55 - 2:13:58)
this just assumes the four twenty five all the all the way through?

[Speaker 3] (2:13:58 - 2:13:58)
Yeah, I think

[Speaker 6] (2:13:58 - 2:13:58)
Yeah.

[Speaker 10] (2:13:58 - 2:13:59)
Yes.

[Speaker 3] (2:13:59 - 2:14:00)
I think that's a problem. We need something.

[Speaker 2] (2:14:00 - 2:14:00)
So

[Speaker 9] (2:14:00 - 2:14:01)
it w well we talked about that.

[Speaker 1] (2:14:01 - 2:14:02)
But just

[Speaker 2] (2:14:03 - 2:14:05)
Really briefly, this is a snapshot based

[Speaker 10] (2:14:05 - 2:14:05)
Yeah

[Speaker 2] (2:14:05 - 2:14:22)
on conservative estimates, especially for revenue, but also doing our best to bend expenditures in the right direction. We do not want to balance something by saying we expect all $750,000 of new development to hit in a single year to make it look like

[Speaker 2] (2:14:22 - 2:14:24)
29 is really not that hard.

[Speaker 2] (2:14:24 - 2:14:28)
The goal here is that this is something I can come back with you, with Patrick,

[Speaker 2] (2:14:28 - 2:14:39)
in July, in October, and then through budget season every year to show where we are. And you'll be able to compare it to where we where our assumptions were wrong, because this will be available to everyone to see.

[Speaker 2] (2:14:39 - 2:14:44)
These are really conservative. I'm I'm just admitting it on the especially

[Speaker 10] (2:14:44 - 2:14:46)
Yeah, I mean you said you said that every time.

[Speaker 2] (2:14:46 - 2:14:46)
side,

[Speaker 10] (2:14:46 - 2:14:46)
Yeah

[Speaker 2] (2:14:46 - 2:14:50)
because we do not want to balance our budget on rosy

[Speaker 10] (2:14:51 - 2:14:51)
Right,

[Speaker 2] (2:14:51 - 2:14:51)
Pictures.

[Speaker 10] (2:14:51 - 2:14:51)
right.

[Speaker 2] (2:14:52 - 2:14:57)
As we get closer to each individual fiscal year, my hope and what I would anticipate is that the numbers,

[Speaker 2] (2:14:57 - 2:14:58)
if they're a deficit,

[Speaker 2] (2:14:59 - 2:15:01)
will grow lower. They may or may not, to your point,

[Speaker 2] (2:15:01 - 2:15:02)
Mary Ellen, close all the way.

[Speaker 2] (2:15:02 - 2:15:05)
I don't want to promise any particular year other than the one that we're in.

[Speaker 2] (2:15:06 - 2:15:07)
And to Mary Ellen's point,

[Speaker 2] (2:15:07 - 2:15:11)
this is the second year in a row of deficit spending already by using excess levy.

[Speaker 2] (2:15:11 - 2:15:14)
So like we are in the cycle where we've been doing it.

[Speaker 2] (2:15:15 - 2:15:32)
What we talked about a little bit at FinCom was the idea that we do need to bend expenditures to try to skip along as long as we can with any excess levy or to get closer to the point that Mary Ellen and I think Doug were both getting at where when you get to the end of the funding schedule, we still have maintenance funding for our pension,

[Speaker 2] (2:15:32 - 2:15:34)
but there is a little bit of breathing room.

[Speaker 2] (2:15:34 - 2:15:35)
That being said,

[Speaker 2] (2:15:35 - 2:15:36)
even there,

[Speaker 2] (2:15:36 - 2:15:40)
like we move it immediately to OPEB and that's one of the things that FinCom's like,

[Speaker 2] (2:15:40 - 2:15:41)
yeah, maybe you don't want to do that.

[Speaker 2] (2:15:42 - 2:15:42)
For sure.

[Speaker 2] (2:15:43 - 2:15:54)
That's the dur the direction that we'll get from you all as we get closer to that. But we think it's reasonable and responsible to say we are gonna move that over to OPEB in our forecast for now, because at some point we have to be funding OPEB.

[Speaker 10] (2:15:54 - 2:15:54)
Yep.

[Speaker 2] (2:15:54 - 2:15:58)
We can't and we cannot go with the fifty thousand or nothing at all.

[Speaker 3] (2:15:58 - 2:15:58)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (2:15:58 - 2:16:00)
That cannot continue forever. So

[Speaker 2] (2:16:01 - 2:16:04)
I there's it's both Rosie and dire it

[Speaker 10] (2:16:04 - 2:16:07)
Alright, so there's meant been no real significant change since last week,

[Speaker 9] (2:16:07 - 2:16:07)
No.

[Speaker 10] (2:16:07 - 2:16:08)
safe to say.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:08 - 2:16:27)
No I think the significant change was people and I'm speaking for FinCom just based on being in there felt that they had more context and color around how we have we had arrived at our decisions for recommendations to you all and now there's something where we're you know it's a snapshot but we're showing what where we were where our thinking was when this came forward

[Speaker 2] (2:16:27 - 2:16:33)
and we're more than more than happy to be told we really want you to do X or Y with

[Speaker 10] (2:16:33 - 2:16:33)
Right,

[Speaker 2] (2:16:33 - 2:16:34)
revenue or an expenditure,

[Speaker 2] (2:16:34 - 2:16:34)
but

[Speaker 10] (2:16:34 - 2:16:35)
right,

[Speaker 2] (2:16:35 - 2:16:45)
this starts to inform longer-term planning and that's that's the only real goal with it. It is not meant to say a year from now that you all come back and say you guys were so wrong because we'll have told you in July or

[Speaker 10] (2:16:45 - 2:16:45)
right.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:45 - 2:16:50)
in October we were wrong or things are trending in a direction that we did not anticipate when we spoke.

[Speaker 10] (2:16:50 - 2:16:54)
So we're still basically waiting for direction from FinCom.

[Speaker 6] (2:16:54 - 2:16:54)
In fact,

[Speaker 2] (2:16:54 - 2:16:57)
Their final determination certainly on the 27 budget, for sure.

[Speaker 3] (2:16:58 - 2:17:00)
Okay. Great. Thank you.

[Speaker 9] (2:17:00 - 2:17:02)
Sorry for making that more complicated than

[Speaker 3] (2:17:02 - 2:17:02)
it Yeah,

[Speaker 9] (2:17:02 - 2:17:02)
need be.

[Speaker 3] (2:17:02 - 2:17:02)
it's okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:17:02 - 2:17:04)
I think Mary Ellen might have questions, alright?

[Speaker 3] (2:17:05 - 2:17:07)
Um no I mean I just

[Speaker 2] (2:17:07 - 2:17:07)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (2:17:07 - 2:17:22)
I I just I look at this and without having a little bit better projections on what revenue is going to be and just looking at the 425, I I I'd like to have better projections on the on what the revenue is going to look like.

[Speaker 9] (2:17:23 - 2:17:24)
What is

[Speaker 3] (2:17:24 - 2:17:48)
Because at least in my mind I can say okay well here's the 425, we'll should be able to hit the 425 but we're also gonna have you know this and this hit. But even with anything big we're not gonna have anything hit like the soonest we would have hit over in Vin and Square for example the new buildings they're not gonna hit until 2029 on the two buildings that you see going in right now.

[Speaker 3] (2:17:49 - 2:17:54)
Because you have to remember the assessed value is a year a year behind.

[Speaker 2] (2:17:54 - 2:18:05)
we we anticipate assessing as a practice when any construction goes vertical going forward. We are not waiting for a project to be complete to do the assessment.

[Speaker 2] (2:18:05 - 2:18:11)
What is complete on July 1st of any fiscal year will be what we are asking the assessor to go in and assess the value for.

[Speaker 2] (2:18:11 - 2:18:15)
And that has not that is reasonable and done across the state.

[Speaker 2] (2:18:15 - 2:18:16)
It has not been the practice here.

[Speaker 10] (2:18:16 - 2:18:17)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:18:18 - 2:18:19)
So it's increment,

[Speaker 2] (2:18:19 - 2:18:20)
to your point,

[Speaker 10] (2:18:20 - 2:18:20)
It has

[Speaker 2] (2:18:20 - 2:18:20)
we

[Speaker 10] (2:18:20 - 2:18:20)
to,

[Speaker 2] (2:18:20 - 2:18:20)
don't

[Speaker 10] (2:18:20 - 2:18:21)
but the project

[Speaker 2] (2:18:21 - 2:18:21)
get it all

[Speaker 10] (2:18:21 - 2:18:21)
has

[Speaker 2] (2:18:21 - 2:18:21)
until

[Speaker 10] (2:18:21 - 2:18:21)
to

[Speaker 2] (2:18:21 - 2:18:21)
the be last

[Speaker 10] (2:18:21 - 2:18:22)
finished,

[Speaker 2] (2:18:22 - 2:18:22)
year,

[Speaker 10] (2:18:22 - 2:18:22)
right.

[Speaker 2] (2:18:22 - 2:18:27)
but we get incremental growth in the interim so that we are capturing that increase in value.

[Speaker 9] (2:18:28 - 2:18:31)
And I think, Mary Ellen, from the revenue piece,

[Speaker 9] (2:18:31 - 2:18:44)
the part I struggle with is if we project certain things happening in certain years and then they don't, but the projection what was relied on to make a determination for the current year.

[Speaker 9] (2:18:45 - 2:18:54)
Then you put yourself into a pickle where people then feel like, well, we agreed to this because we thought that, and now you're saying that.

[Speaker 2] (2:18:55 - 2:19:00)
Right, but I think just having it, just having it, you know, having some type of understanding of

[Speaker 2] (2:19:01 - 2:19:04)
what you're looking at is helpful. I mean, and we should have

[Speaker 1] (2:19:04 - 2:19:04)
Yeah, but

[Speaker 2] (2:19:04 - 2:19:05)
we sh should have an idea.

[Speaker 3] (2:19:05 - 2:19:08)
Right, but you don't have to you don't I guess maybe you don't even have to put it on

[Speaker 1] (2:19:08 - 2:19:08)
Yes.

[Speaker 3] (2:19:08 - 2:19:09)
the sheet.

[Speaker 1] (2:19:09 - 2:19:09)
I was just

[Speaker 2] (2:19:09 - 2:19:09)
No,

[Speaker 1] (2:19:09 - 2:19:09)
gonna say.

[Speaker 3] (2:19:09 - 2:19:10)
On a separate sheet.

[Speaker 2] (2:19:10 - 2:19:10)
It should

[Speaker 1] (2:19:10 - 2:19:10)
She it

[Speaker 2] (2:19:10 - 2:19:10)
not

[Speaker 1] (2:19:10 - 2:19:10)
I'm

[Speaker 2] (2:19:10 - 2:19:10)
paint

[Speaker 1] (2:19:10 - 2:19:10)
sorry.

[Speaker 2] (2:19:10 - 2:19:11)
the should

[Speaker 1] (2:19:11 - 2:19:11)
I was

[Speaker 2] (2:19:11 - 2:19:11)
be

[Speaker 1] (2:19:11 - 2:19:11)
I was

[Speaker 2] (2:19:11 - 2:19:11)
independent.

[Speaker 1] (2:19:11 - 2:19:14)
I was confused. Is an appendices maybe we could just list

[Speaker 2] (2:19:14 - 2:19:14)
Yes.

[Speaker 1] (2:19:14 - 2:19:14)
out the

[Speaker 3] (2:19:14 - 2:19:15)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (2:19:15 - 2:19:15)
upcoming potential

[Speaker 2] (2:19:15 - 2:19:15)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (2:19:15 - 2:19:16)
products

[Speaker 4] (2:19:16 - 2:19:16)
I think

[Speaker 1] (2:19:16 - 2:19:17)
that we think

[Speaker 4] (2:19:17 - 2:19:17)
we presented

[Speaker 3] (2:19:17 - 2:19:17)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 4] (2:19:17 - 2:19:21)
it a few meetings ago and it's a total of under a million in new growth.

[Speaker 4] (2:19:22 - 2:19:42)
Based on the big projects. That does not account for tear-downs and rebuilds and all the things that people do to improve their commercial and residential properties in town. But just those big projects, it's like a three big chunks that add up to, I think it's eight hundred and something thousand. But we will absolutely just include it as a worksheet that we print along with this. It's a good idea.

[Speaker 1] (2:19:43 - 2:19:43)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:19:44 - 2:20:00)
Yeah, and it's just the use of the unused levy, and you know, I know it upsets people when I say I am not in support of a school sitting a school sitting on a cash revolving fund when we're dipping into when we're dipping into our unused levy.

[Speaker 1] (2:20:01 - 2:20:02)
So I don't

[Speaker 1] (2:20:02 - 2:20:13)
The heart revolving has come up a lot, but is there a motion you would like us to entertain related to it at this point? 'Cause I think we've like I think it feels a little bit like we live have litigated it, but if if you'd like to make a motion

[Speaker 2] (2:20:13 - 2:20:14)
No, I don't I haven't thought of a motion.

[Speaker 2] (2:20:15 - 2:20:17)
I'd have to think about one.

[Speaker 1] (2:20:23 - 2:20:24)
Alright, um

[Speaker 2] (2:20:24 - 2:20:26)
Are we talking about capital next? Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (2:20:26 - 2:20:26)
We can.

[Speaker 1] (2:20:27 - 2:20:29)
Is everybody else all set for us?

[Speaker 5] (2:20:29 - 2:20:30)
Yep.

[Speaker 3] (2:20:30 - 2:20:30)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (2:20:30 - 2:20:31)
Okay, capital. On to capital.

[Speaker 2] (2:20:35 - 2:20:36)
Where is

[Speaker 2] (2:20:37 - 2:20:39)
where are we at with this track?

[Speaker 5] (2:20:40 - 2:20:48)
It's been upgraded from a C to a B based on the C_I_C_ conversation um this week that I was on with Nick.

[Speaker 5] (2:20:49 - 2:20:50)
And uh

[Speaker 5] (2:20:51 - 2:20:52)
So they have upgraded their,

[Speaker 5] (2:20:52 - 2:20:55)
it might seem nice to have to be strongly recommended.

[Speaker 3] (2:20:56 - 2:20:56)
Is

[Speaker 5] (2:20:56 - 2:20:56)
They

[Speaker 3] (2:20:56 - 2:20:57)
that did what the

[Speaker 5] (2:20:57 - 2:21:03)
they did hear from a couple of residents that were on the call as well with the comments about the track.

[Speaker 5] (2:21:04 - 2:21:06)
So they reassessed that.

[Speaker 3] (2:21:07 - 2:21:08)
Is that what the yellows mean,

[Speaker 3] (2:21:08 - 2:21:08)
changes?

[Speaker 5] (2:21:08 - 2:21:15)
Yes. They also discussed Borrow Street as well as the police station fencing.

[Speaker 5] (2:21:16 - 2:21:21)
Which you'll notice are both highlighted. And Nick, I think you were doing something with the vehicles.

[Speaker 4] (2:21:22 - 2:21:27)
Yeah, so the idea with the vehicles that we will reflect in the final version is that right now there's three,

[Speaker 4] (2:21:27 - 2:21:33)
there's one at fire and then two with DPW and facilities.

[Speaker 4] (2:21:33 - 2:21:34)
We heard what you said.

[Speaker 4] (2:21:35 - 2:22:00)
It was only last week, but about the idea that we should do a more in-depth utilisation. So what we would like to do is keep one fifty thousand dollar vehicle on this in case there's a Flintstone moment where a vehicle needs to be replaced because something fell out. But the idea is we may not even use it, because we want to engage in that utilisation study to really understand what the needs are prior to making any expenditure. But we don't want to be in a situation where we have

[Speaker 3] (2:22:01 - 2:22:01)
We don't have to.

[Speaker 4] (2:22:01 - 2:22:03)
a catastrophic failure and no ability to address it.

[Speaker 2] (2:22:04 - 2:22:14)
So, I honestly don't you'd have to explain to me what vehic why would we need a fifty thousand dollar vehicle? Why wouldn't we just use a thirty thousand dollar electric Chevy Volt, something like that?

[Speaker 4] (2:22:15 - 2:22:16)
I don't I

[Speaker 2] (2:22:16 - 2:22:17)
Like

[Speaker 4] (2:22:17 - 2:22:17)
don't

[Speaker 2] (2:22:17 - 2:22:21)
why do we need fifty thousand where I think thirty thousand does does the trick?

[Speaker 1] (2:22:24 - 2:22:24)
Well, I

[Speaker 3] (2:22:24 - 2:22:24)
Well,

[Speaker 1] (2:22:24 - 2:22:24)
think

[Speaker 3] (2:22:24 - 2:22:29)
one of them is the DPW director, right? And I think there is there are times

[Speaker 2] (2:22:29 - 2:22:30)
Yeah, that's different.

[Speaker 3] (2:22:31 - 2:22:34)
you know, if that vehicle were be the Flintstone moment.

[Speaker 4] (2:22:34 - 2:22:35)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (2:22:35 - 2:22:35)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (2:22:35 - 2:22:35)
You know,

[Speaker 1] (2:22:35 - 2:22:36)
And then you

[Speaker 3] (2:22:36 - 2:22:36)
something

[Speaker 1] (2:22:36 - 2:22:36)
wouldn't have enough.

[Speaker 3] (2:22:36 - 2:22:38)
tr traumatic happens to it,

[Speaker 3] (2:22:38 - 2:22:44)
that vehicle does require it to be more than a Chevy Volt. It it it appears to me.

[Speaker 3] (2:22:45 - 2:22:48)
Is that would you agree with that statement?

[Speaker 2] (2:22:48 - 2:22:49)
I would agree with that one.

[Speaker 3] (2:22:49 - 2:22:50)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (2:22:50 - 2:22:51)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:22:51 - 2:22:54)
So what about just wearing this?

[Speaker 3] (2:22:54 - 2:22:59)
I'm just thinking, you know, floods and, you know, all sorts of things, right? So

[Speaker 2] (2:22:59 - 2:23:00)
Yep. Um

[Speaker 1] (2:23:00 - 2:23:01)
Electric cars and floods don't mix.

[Speaker 3] (2:23:02 - 2:23:04)
Oh, that's true too. I was thinking about height, but

[Speaker 1] (2:23:04 - 2:23:04)
Dangerous.

[Speaker 3] (2:23:04 - 2:23:04)
that's a good point.

[Speaker 2] (2:23:04 - 2:23:05)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 2] (2:23:05 - 2:23:11)
Floods. I I guess, you know, I think that police station fencing and improvements,

[Speaker 3] (2:23:11 - 2:23:11)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:23:11 - 2:23:16)
I think I think this can this can wait it out, that's my opinion.

[Speaker 3] (2:23:16 - 2:23:18)
Which one's that, the fencing?

[Speaker 4] (2:23:18 - 2:23:18)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:23:18 - 2:23:19)
The

[Speaker 1] (2:23:19 - 2:23:19)
I think

[Speaker 2] (2:23:19 - 2:23:19)
fencing?

[Speaker 1] (2:23:19 - 2:23:21)
which went down to a B.

[Speaker 2] (2:23:21 - 2:23:29)
I guess I'm looking at, I'm looking at it that my opinion is we have to have this track and it's

[Speaker 2] (2:23:32 - 2:23:38)
a facility that I think the town needs, it's a facility that the town needs and uses.

[Speaker 2] (2:23:39 - 2:23:40)
So let's listen. So I'm just going

[Speaker 4] (2:23:40 - 2:23:40)
It's

[Speaker 2] (2:23:40 - 2:23:41)
over my opinion.

[Speaker 4] (2:23:41 - 2:23:43)
is your hope to sort of not necessarily

[Speaker 2] (2:23:43 - 2:23:43)
Just please.

[Speaker 4] (2:23:43 - 2:23:46)
dollar for dollar but get as close to saving by pushing out or

[Speaker 2] (2:23:46 - 2:23:46)
Yep.

[Speaker 4] (2:23:46 - 2:23:48)
eliminating project value

[Speaker 2] (2:23:48 - 2:23:48)
Yes.

[Speaker 4] (2:23:48 - 2:23:49)
up on that?

[Speaker 2] (2:23:49 - 2:23:49)
Yep.

[Speaker 4] (2:23:49 - 2:23:50)
If I if

[Speaker 1] (2:23:50 - 2:23:51)
To s to

[Speaker 4] (2:23:51 - 2:23:51)
go ahead.

[Speaker 2] (2:23:51 - 2:23:52)
It's one of my hopes.

[Speaker 1] (2:23:52 - 2:23:53)
say it more specifically,

[Speaker 1] (2:23:53 - 2:24:00)
uh now that they've ranked the projects, what are they actually asking?

[Speaker 3] (2:24:01 - 2:24:02)
Because there's not a total total here,

[Speaker 1] (2:24:02 - 2:24:02)
At

[Speaker 3] (2:24:02 - 2:24:02)
is there?

[Speaker 1] (2:24:02 - 2:24:03)
the very top,

[Speaker 3] (2:24:03 - 2:24:03)
Oh, there

[Speaker 1] (2:24:03 - 2:24:03)
I

[Speaker 3] (2:24:03 - 2:24:03)
it is,

[Speaker 1] (2:24:03 - 2:24:04)
think.

[Speaker 3] (2:24:04 - 2:24:04)
yes.

[Speaker 1] (2:24:04 - 2:24:09)
So there's $480,000 in the C-ranked projects.

[Speaker 1] (2:24:09 - 2:24:16)
There's 1.652810 in B-ranked projects, which a million of that includes the track.

[Speaker 1] (2:24:16 - 2:24:19)
I think for our conversations and purposes,

[Speaker 1] (2:24:19 - 2:24:21)
we've made it very clear that that is actually an A-ranked project.

[Speaker 1] (2:24:22 - 2:24:23)
And so I...

[Speaker 1] (2:24:25 - 2:24:38)
If the board will indulge me, I will venture to say the B-ranked projects for us are six hundred and fifty two thousand eight hundred and ten dollars, and the A_ ranked projects are six million six thousand seven hundred twenty five thousand dollars.

[Speaker 1] (2:24:38 - 2:24:42)
Because we are b I mean I think this board has made it clear that the track is an A_

[Speaker 4] (2:24:42 - 2:24:46)
I certainly think that C_I_C_ heard that loud and clear,

[Speaker 5] (2:24:46 - 2:24:46)
Yes.

[Speaker 4] (2:24:46 - 2:24:52)
and I think that FinCom has heard that uh select board's priority is certainly that as well.

[Speaker 1] (2:24:53 - 2:25:05)
So then is it, is it, what's the exercise for us right now? Are we literally looking at C projects and saying this is actually a next year project or are we like I'm just trying to take the temperature

[Speaker 5] (2:25:05 - 2:25:05)
Nick,

[Speaker 1] (2:25:05 - 2:25:06)
of my board.

[Speaker 5] (2:25:06 - 2:25:12)
have you got the opportunity to go back to the school department and see if any of their items are ones that can be

[Speaker 4] (2:25:12 - 2:25:12)
Well,

[Speaker 5] (2:25:12 - 2:25:12)
pushed out

[Speaker 4] (2:25:12 - 2:25:18)
that was, I was going to say that a few minutes ago, Jason and I communicated earlier today.

[Speaker 4] (2:25:19 - 2:25:39)
about connecting to go th go through the prioritisation again and see if there are things that they can push out. The the caution that both FINCOM and C_I_C_ has mentioned that we're not these are still you know, nice to have, must have, you know, there're still things that we anticipate coming forward at some point. So it's not that we're saving this money forever.

[Speaker 5] (2:25:39 - 2:25:39)
Mm.

[Speaker 4] (2:25:39 - 2:25:41)
It's just trying to figure out the things that we can live with.

[Speaker 4] (2:25:42 - 2:25:45)
or things we need now and could live without in the near term. And

[Speaker 3] (2:25:45 - 2:25:45)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:25:45 - 2:25:49)
so Jason and I were gonna talk about that tomorrow, we didn't have time this afternoon because of my calendar.

[Speaker 3] (2:25:49 - 2:25:53)
Right, because the B_s basically are the two school projects.

[Speaker 4] (2:25:53 - 2:25:53)
A flooring.

[Speaker 3] (2:25:54 - 2:25:54)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (2:25:54 - 2:25:55)
The flooring.

[Speaker 3] (2:25:55 - 2:25:58)
Flooring and the space room. Middle school classroom

[Speaker 5] (2:25:58 - 2:25:58)
Middle school

[Speaker 3] (2:25:58 - 2:25:58)
space

[Speaker 5] (2:25:58 - 2:25:58)
classroom

[Speaker 3] (2:25:58 - 2:25:59)
reconfiguration.

[Speaker 5] (2:25:59 - 2:26:00)
space improvements.

[Speaker 3] (2:26:00 - 2:26:00)
Yep.

[Speaker 1] (2:26:00 - 2:26:01)
And I would just

[Speaker 5] (2:26:01 - 2:26:01)
That's

[Speaker 1] (2:26:01 - 2:26:01)
have to

[Speaker 5] (2:26:01 - 2:26:01)
a present.

[Speaker 1] (2:26:01 - 2:26:09)
assume anything that is like construction adjacent right now, the the projection is just to increase. We're only talking about a year from now.

[Speaker 1] (2:26:10 - 2:26:10)
I I mean

[Speaker 1] (2:26:12 - 2:26:12)
so

[Speaker 3] (2:26:12 - 2:26:14)
Yeah, but you know

[Speaker 1] (2:26:15 - 2:26:24)
So like are you really sa what are you really saving by moving it to next year is all I'm trying to say. 'Cause if it ends up being if it's a two hundred fifty thousand dollar project that ends up costing another hundred thousand dollars

[Speaker 3] (2:26:26 - 2:26:29)
Sure, you can make that argument about everything though, right?

[Speaker 6] (2:26:29 - 2:26:29)
Yep.

[Speaker 3] (2:26:29 - 2:26:31)
I mean you know that's

[Speaker 1] (2:26:32 - 2:26:32)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (2:26:32 - 2:26:36)
there's a savings in the interest. If nothing else for a year.

[Speaker 2] (2:26:43 - 2:26:43)
So

[Speaker 2] (2:26:46 - 2:26:48)
Right it's the middle school

[Speaker 2] (2:26:53 - 2:26:54)
All right, so you're gonna be talking to the

[Speaker 4] (2:26:54 - 2:26:55)
Jason.

[Speaker 2] (2:26:58 - 2:26:58)
So

[Speaker 1] (2:26:58 - 2:26:58)
Is it a

[Speaker 2] (2:26:59 - 2:27:01)
And you change the vehicle from a hundred to fifty?

[Speaker 4] (2:27:02 - 2:27:03)
Did we up the I didn't know

[Speaker 1] (2:27:03 - 2:27:03)
It's

[Speaker 4] (2:27:03 - 2:27:03)
if we

[Speaker 2] (2:27:03 - 2:27:03)
It's

[Speaker 4] (2:27:03 - 2:27:03)
not actually up to

[Speaker 5] (2:27:03 - 2:27:04)
up to

[Speaker 1] (2:27:04 - 2:27:04)
it's

[Speaker 2] (2:27:04 - 2:27:04)
a hundred.

[Speaker 4] (2:27:04 - 2:27:04)
the

[Speaker 1] (2:27:04 - 2:27:04)
not updated,

[Speaker 8] (2:27:04 - 2:27:04)
not updated.

[Speaker 2] (2:27:04 - 2:27:04)
But

[Speaker 1] (2:27:04 - 2:27:05)
though.

[Speaker 2] (2:27:05 - 2:27:05)
that's

[Speaker 4] (2:27:05 - 2:27:05)
It good. will be.

[Speaker 2] (2:27:05 - 2:27:06)
I can do this here?

[Speaker 1] (2:27:06 - 2:27:06)
Because fire

[Speaker 4] (2:27:06 - 2:27:07)
It's

[Speaker 1] (2:27:07 - 2:27:07)
it's

[Speaker 4] (2:27:07 - 2:27:07)
it's a hundred

[Speaker 1] (2:27:07 - 2:27:07)
it's actually

[Speaker 4] (2:27:07 - 2:27:08)
percent,

[Speaker 1] (2:27:08 - 2:27:08)
gonna be right? less.

[Speaker 4] (2:27:08 - 2:27:09)
With fire out.

[Speaker 1] (2:27:09 - 2:27:10)
Because fire would

[Speaker 4] (2:27:10 - 2:27:10)
Everything's

[Speaker 1] (2:27:10 - 2:27:10)
be less.

[Speaker 2] (2:27:10 - 2:27:11)
Fire is getting pushed.

[Speaker 4] (2:27:11 - 2:27:18)
Everything one vehicle for fifty, the other fifty on that hundred and the fire ninety whatever ninety two?

[Speaker 1] (2:27:18 - 2:27:18)
Ninety two.

[Speaker 4] (2:27:19 - 2:27:19)
That

[Speaker 1] (2:27:19 - 2:27:19)
So

[Speaker 4] (2:27:19 - 2:27:20)
will also

[Speaker 1] (2:27:20 - 2:27:20)
1

[Speaker 4] (2:27:20 - 2:27:20)
be

[Speaker 1] (2:27:20 - 2:27:20)
.40

[Speaker 4] (2:27:20 - 2:27:30)
pushed out of runout saving. so that we can actually complete a utilization study and be able to say next year we come back to you all, CIC and FinCom, here's what we need, here's why,

[Speaker 4] (2:27:30 - 2:27:33)
here's the usage, so that it's no longer for the point that's been made this year,

[Speaker 4] (2:27:34 - 2:27:38)
well, it's fallen apart, we can't do anything when we need a like vehicle,

[Speaker 4] (2:27:38 - 2:27:42)
we're going to actually look at it and figure out a process moving forward for future requests.

[Speaker 3] (2:27:51 - 2:28:02)
that's that but that's okay. Uh I'm taking note of the fact um uh that the high school paving and so it can't be went down, I think from something to something Um

[Speaker 1] (2:28:02 - 2:28:03)
To see?

[Speaker 3] (2:28:03 - 2:28:03)
it went

[Speaker 5] (2:28:03 - 2:28:03)
A what?

[Speaker 3] (2:28:03 - 2:28:10)
to see. Um so this was per my question in the beginning. Uh

[Speaker 3] (2:28:11 - 2:28:16)
We're gonna apply for a grant for something that

[Speaker 4] (2:28:17 - 2:28:34)
Now we're not prioritizing. The conversation revolved around the net benefit with the inflation reduction act changing and just very broadly it's an unknown quantity from the government side what we're going to be getting.

[Speaker 4] (2:28:35 - 2:28:43)
Max has said repeatedly that the goal here is to do the technical assistance which I think if I'm not mistaken is 150 of that 300.

[Speaker 3] (2:28:43 - 2:28:44)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:28:44 - 2:28:44)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (2:28:44 - 2:28:44)
That's right.

[Speaker 4] (2:28:45 - 2:28:46)
So that we can

[Speaker 4] (2:28:47 - 2:28:49)
Move forward and be prepared to go into

[Speaker 1] (2:29:06 - 2:29:08)
without ira without the inflation reduction and

[Speaker 2] (2:29:08 - 2:29:10)
I get that part.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:10 - 2:29:10)
that the

[Speaker 1] (2:29:11 - 2:29:12)
Okay, I'm sorry.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:12 - 2:29:15)
But you're still saving money on energy later.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:17 - 2:29:20)
There's all sorts of credits and all that stuff that may or may not be happening.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:20 - 2:29:20)
I get that part.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:21 - 2:29:24)
You're still saving money on the energy load long term.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:25 - 2:29:34)
So I thought we were all very aligned on this and this is quite shocking to me that this is the direction taken,

[Speaker 2] (2:29:34 - 2:29:35)
especially since.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:36 - 2:29:48)
The 150 doesn't seem like it's going to cover everything that's necessary to do the study and now if we don't allocate anything we're going to apply for a grant and not have the money to actually do the study.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:49 - 2:29:50)
They requested more information from

[Speaker 3] (2:29:50 - 2:29:51)
From Max.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:51 - 2:29:52)
Max.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:52 - 2:29:55)
This is the rankings of the CIC.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:55 - 2:29:58)
It is not the decision of the Finance Committee.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:58 - 2:29:59)
Yeah, I'm just trying to follow,

[Speaker 4] (2:29:59 - 2:29:59)
But

[Speaker 2] (2:29:59 - 2:30:03)
making sure I'm understanding if I'm missing something in the logic here.

[Speaker 1] (2:30:03 - 2:30:03)
No.

[Speaker 4] (2:30:03 - 2:30:06)
No, I think they're waiting for more clarification from Max.

[Speaker 2] (2:30:06 - 2:30:06)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (2:30:07 - 2:30:08)
That's why they have it graded that way.

[Speaker 5] (2:30:08 - 2:30:18)
Are we really clear on what the, what the, um, grants, like what, what the return, these rebatement, the rebates that we got at the elementary school,

[Speaker 5] (2:30:19 - 2:30:24)
those different programs, I forgot, I think there were, there were two programs, I think there's one still in effect.

[Speaker 5] (2:30:24 - 2:30:26)
Are we really clear on what those programs are?

[Speaker 5] (2:30:26 - 2:30:32)
Because we got a significant amount of money back and if we turn around and we don't do something and we don't get that money.

[Speaker 2] (2:30:34 - 2:30:42)
I think to the next point, everything is evolving and a lot of those programs have gone away at the federal level. There still are potentially national grid, because that was a big, there are two sources,

[Speaker 5] (2:30:42 - 2:30:43)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (2:30:43 - 2:30:43)
right?

[Speaker 4] (2:30:43 - 2:30:43)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (2:30:43 - 2:30:47)
So there still are national grid and that may be evolving too,

[Speaker 2] (2:30:47 - 2:30:54)
for sure. I understand there's uncertainty in terms of those grants and you know, rebates and tax credits and all that stuff.

[Speaker 4] (2:30:54 - 2:30:56)
Right has his hand up just FYI.

[Speaker 1] (2:30:57 - 2:30:58)
All right, we're really not supposed to

[Speaker 5] (2:30:59 - 2:30:59)
No,

[Speaker 5] (2:30:59 - 2:31:01)
I know, but he probably has valuable information.

[Speaker 4] (2:31:01 - 2:31:02)
Patrick,

[Speaker 1] (2:31:02 - 2:31:02)
I know you're for this project,

[Speaker 4] (2:31:02 - 2:31:03)
do we have but anything,

[Speaker 1] (2:31:03 - 2:31:03)
you're in the CIC.

[Speaker 4] (2:31:03 - 2:31:06)
do we have any, do we have any money left in any of those grants?

[Speaker 1] (2:31:06 - 2:31:07)
It's up to you all.

[Speaker 2] (2:31:07 - 2:31:09)
Yeah, I'm not asking which yet.

[Speaker 6] (2:31:09 - 2:31:10)
Uh which grants are you referring to?

[Speaker 5] (2:31:10 - 2:31:11)
On any of those,

[Speaker 2] (2:31:11 - 2:31:12)
We don't need them.

[Speaker 5] (2:31:12 - 2:31:14)
um electricity,

[Speaker 5] (2:31:14 - 2:31:16)
you know, the stuff that we got from National Grid and

[Speaker 6] (2:31:16 - 2:31:20)
So those funds were were spoken for already, I think we've talked about that.

[Speaker 2] (2:31:21 - 2:31:21)
Yeah.

[Speaker 6] (2:31:22 - 2:31:22)
Thanks.

[Speaker 5] (2:31:22 - 2:31:22)
Yes, we s

[Speaker 2] (2:31:22 - 2:31:23)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (2:31:23 - 2:31:23)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (2:31:23 - 2:31:24)
Do you use everything up?

[Speaker 6] (2:31:24 - 2:31:24)
Yeah, so they go towards

[Speaker 2] (2:31:24 - 2:31:25)
We passed

[Speaker 6] (2:31:25 - 2:31:25)
the project

[Speaker 2] (2:31:25 - 2:31:25)
the budget last

[Speaker 6] (2:31:25 - 2:31:25)
costs.

[Speaker 2] (2:31:25 - 2:31:27)
year with that million bucks.

[Speaker 5] (2:31:30 - 2:31:31)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (2:31:31 - 2:31:32)
Sorry, for the editorial commentary.

[Speaker 6] (2:31:32 - 2:31:32)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:31:32 - 2:31:32)
Sorry.

[Speaker 6] (2:31:32 - 2:31:37)
No, that's okay. Um I'll just add because I was at the Capital Improvement Committee meeting and

[Speaker 6] (2:31:38 - 2:31:47)
oh. This was something that they had asked me to go back to Max previously and get information regarding, which is the big blue bit you see plopped in in the sheet there.

[Speaker 6] (2:31:48 - 2:31:49)
Um and although

[Speaker 6] (2:31:50 - 2:32:07)
The project is of interest. I think they produce the ranking because with grant funding there's opportunity and risk. So if you spend money now to do design and then you don't get award for construction later, obviously the return on constructing the canopy may not be beneficial versus what it would cost to do.

[Speaker 1] (2:32:09 - 2:32:09)
I think

[Speaker 6] (2:32:09 - 2:32:10)
That was a factor.

[Speaker 1] (2:32:10 - 2:32:16)
to state that another way, your advocacy for the program would be useful and them understanding that that is a risk that's

[Speaker 4] (2:32:17 - 2:32:17)
That we're

[Speaker 1] (2:32:17 - 2:32:17)
We're

[Speaker 4] (2:32:17 - 2:32:17)
willing to

[Speaker 1] (2:32:17 - 2:32:18)
willing to take.

[Speaker 8] (2:32:18 - 2:32:18)
Alright.

[Speaker 1] (2:32:18 - 2:32:24)
That we can design something and if we don't get climate leaders in year one we can have it ready to go when we

[Speaker 4] (2:32:24 - 2:32:25)
In year

[Speaker 1] (2:32:25 - 2:32:25)
buy

[Speaker 4] (2:32:25 - 2:32:25)
two.

[Speaker 1] (2:32:25 - 2:32:29)
the next round. The next pond, the next year of funding, whatever it is.

[Speaker 1] (2:32:29 - 2:32:30)
that that they're doing.

[Speaker 2] (2:32:30 - 2:32:33)
The other way to say it is if we don't do the study we're never

[Speaker 4] (2:32:33 - 2:32:34)
We're

[Speaker 2] (2:32:34 - 2:32:34)
going to

[Speaker 4] (2:32:34 - 2:32:34)
never

[Speaker 2] (2:32:34 - 2:32:34)
get the million dollars.

[Speaker 1] (2:32:34 - 2:32:35)
That was that

[Speaker 9] (2:32:35 - 2:32:35)
I

[Speaker 1] (2:32:35 - 2:32:35)
was

[Speaker 9] (2:32:35 - 2:32:35)
mean

[Speaker 1] (2:32:35 - 2:32:38)
actually said at the CIC. I don't remember who said it, but someone did.

[Speaker 9] (2:32:38 - 2:32:39)
I mean this is the

[Speaker 1] (2:32:39 - 2:32:41)
That the ex the exact words. We

[Speaker 9] (2:32:41 - 2:32:41)
this is the problem

[Speaker 1] (2:32:41 - 2:32:42)
may not get

[Speaker 9] (2:32:42 - 2:32:42)
with

[Speaker 1] (2:32:42 - 2:32:42)
it grants next year,

[Speaker 9] (2:32:42 - 2:32:42)
I

[Speaker 1] (2:32:42 - 2:32:44)
but we'll never get it in the future if we don't.

[Speaker 9] (2:32:44 - 2:32:54)
is that we we don't want to put the time and energy into the pre-work for the grant funding so we don't get the grant and then we criticize people for not getting the grant and then they come forward to do the pre-work and then we criticize them for the pre-work.

[Speaker 9] (2:32:54 - 2:32:56)
So we're in this circle merry-go-round of

[Speaker 9] (2:32:57 - 2:32:57)
Sort of.

[Speaker 2] (2:32:58 - 2:33:05)
Yep. I mean to cer to the surprise of of no one here, I will strenuously

[Speaker 9] (2:33:05 - 2:33:06)
Doug was saying we can't

[Speaker 2] (2:33:06 - 2:33:06)
argue

[Speaker 9] (2:33:06 - 2:33:09)
at least uh fund this line item, right?

[Speaker 2] (2:33:09 - 2:33:09)
Oh

[Speaker 9] (2:33:09 - 2:33:09)
Is that

[Speaker 2] (2:33:09 - 2:33:09)
yeah,

[Speaker 9] (2:33:09 - 2:33:09)
what you were

[Speaker 2] (2:33:09 - 2:33:09)
that

[Speaker 9] (2:33:09 - 2:33:09)
gonna is say?

[Speaker 2] (2:33:09 - 2:33:11)
exactly what I was gonna say. Yeah,

[Speaker 1] (2:33:11 - 2:33:11)
Voluntarily.

[Speaker 2] (2:33:11 - 2:33:11)
that's absolutely correct.

[Speaker 9] (2:33:11 - 2:33:13)
Voluntarily. We'll send him a letter.

[Speaker 2] (2:33:13 - 2:33:22)
Right after the glover. Yeah, right. Um I think if I'm understanding this correctly that

[Speaker 2] (2:33:23 - 2:33:29)
It was going to cost $300,000 to do this study. The potential grant is 150.

[Speaker 1] (2:33:30 - 2:33:30)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 2] (2:33:30 - 2:33:33)
So our kind of matching basically would be really 150.

[Speaker 2] (2:33:35 - 2:33:38)
So you know, just so the 300 doesn't

[Speaker 2] (2:33:38 - 2:33:44)
You know, uh surprise anyone or scare anyone away, it's really one fifty is our net cost to

[Speaker 4] (2:33:44 - 2:33:44)
Oh.

[Speaker 2] (2:33:44 - 2:33:53)
doing that. That's the risk is the one fifty. Basically wouldn't spend anything if we didn't get the one fifty grant. If we get the one fifty, we're gonna spend another we're gonna spend one fifty,

[Speaker 2] (2:33:53 - 2:33:59)
that's really what we're risking. Um but to be ready for a one million dollar grant.

[Speaker 5] (2:34:00 - 2:34:00)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:34:00 - 2:34:01)
All the work we did

[Speaker 2] (2:34:02 - 2:34:13)
The whole, you know, you know, a big part of the climate action plan was built around doing exactly this and major buildings and they're the major source. Do I have to go through all this

[Speaker 9] (2:34:13 - 2:34:13)
that No,

[Speaker 2] (2:34:13 - 2:34:13)
we're all you of

[Speaker 5] (2:34:13 - 2:34:13)
No.

[Speaker 9] (2:34:13 - 2:34:14)
don't.

[Speaker 2] (2:34:14 - 2:34:14)
course I don't.

[Speaker 9] (2:34:14 - 2:34:14)
You don't.

[Speaker 2] (2:34:14 - 2:34:16)
So, okay. Yes. Alright.

[Speaker 5] (2:34:16 - 2:34:16)
Noted.

[Speaker 2] (2:34:16 - 2:34:19)
So, so I

[Speaker 9] (2:34:19 - 2:34:19)
So

[Speaker 2] (2:34:19 - 2:34:20)
move

[Speaker 5] (2:34:20 - 2:34:20)
I

[Speaker 2] (2:34:20 - 2:34:21)
that that's an A.

[Speaker 5] (2:34:21 - 2:34:21)
get it.

[Speaker 9] (2:34:25 - 2:34:27)
Why is it 300 and not 150?

[Speaker 9] (2:34:27 - 2:34:28)
Like it feels a little fictitious.

[Speaker 2] (2:34:28 - 2:34:30)
Well it all it always gets put in as the gross,

[Speaker 5] (2:34:30 - 2:34:30)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:34:30 - 2:34:30)
right?

[Speaker 1] (2:34:30 - 2:34:30)
Yeah.

[Speaker 9] (2:34:30 - 2:34:31)
Oh

[Speaker 4] (2:34:31 - 2:34:31)
No.

[Speaker 9] (2:34:31 - 2:34:32)
the full amount

[Speaker 5] (2:34:32 - 2:34:32)
Yeah.

[Speaker 9] (2:34:32 - 2:34:32)
and

[Speaker 2] (2:34:32 - 2:34:32)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:34:32 - 2:34:32)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 9] (2:34:32 - 2:34:33)
then it

[Speaker 4] (2:34:33 - 2:34:33)
Then it

[Speaker 9] (2:34:33 - 2:34:33)
the

[Speaker 4] (2:34:33 - 2:34:33)
gets reimbursed.

[Speaker 9] (2:34:33 - 2:34:38)
the the mechanism of funding is 150 through grant 150 through

[Speaker 2] (2:34:38 - 2:34:38)
Right.

[Speaker 9] (2:34:38 - 2:34:38)
this.

[Speaker 5] (2:34:38 - 2:34:38)
Yes.

[Speaker 6] (2:34:38 - 2:34:39)
In that

[Speaker 1] (2:34:39 - 2:34:39)
Many cases their reimbursement

[Speaker 6] (2:34:39 - 2:34:40)
column is still

[Speaker 1] (2:34:40 - 2:34:40)
grants

[Speaker 6] (2:34:40 - 2:34:40)
two.

[Speaker 1] (2:34:40 - 2:34:42)
after they're expended, we get it back type of thing as

[Speaker 9] (2:34:42 - 2:34:42)
Yep.

[Speaker 1] (2:34:42 - 2:34:42)
well.

[Speaker 9] (2:34:42 - 2:34:43)
Okay got it.

[Speaker 1] (2:34:43 - 2:34:44)
We always find the full amount.

[Speaker 9] (2:34:44 - 2:34:44)
Yes. So

[Speaker 1] (2:34:44 - 2:34:45)
The same

[Speaker 9] (2:34:45 - 2:34:45)
it losses.

[Speaker 1] (2:34:45 - 2:34:50)
li we had a similar discussion just for the everyone's benefit around Pearl Street that there

[Speaker 4] (2:34:50 - 2:34:50)
Yes.

[Speaker 2] (2:34:50 - 2:34:50)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (2:34:50 - 2:34:52)
is a number in here that

[Speaker 1] (2:34:53 - 2:35:15)
When the CEO is executed or issued rather, the payment will be coming back so that the net cost of the town for that is covered by the revenue that is generated. So that was a similar discussion like where we were talking about the short term sort of risk of having it, the money spent but knowing that it will never turn into the long term debt or be bonded with other things that way.

[Speaker 2] (2:35:16 - 2:35:19)
So are we, is anyone joining me in that?

[Speaker 2] (2:35:20 - 2:35:21)
Form on

[Speaker 9] (2:35:21 - 2:35:21)
I form join

[Speaker 2] (2:35:21 - 2:35:21)
all

[Speaker 9] (2:35:21 - 2:35:22)
you. I join

[Speaker 2] (2:35:22 - 2:35:22)
direction.

[Speaker 9] (2:35:22 - 2:35:22)
you on that.

[Speaker 4] (2:35:22 - 2:35:23)
I will join you.

[Speaker 9] (2:35:23 - 2:35:23)
Direction.

[Speaker 2] (2:35:23 - 2:35:24)
Okay,

[Speaker 9] (2:35:24 - 2:35:24)
Absolutely.

[Speaker 2] (2:35:24 - 2:35:24)
I I appreciate

[Speaker 9] (2:35:24 - 2:35:25)
think it's

[Speaker 2] (2:35:25 - 2:35:25)
that.

[Speaker 9] (2:35:25 - 2:35:30)
an A and I think it's short-sighted if we don't do that.

[Speaker 2] (2:35:30 - 2:35:31)
Agree.

[Speaker 1] (2:35:32 - 2:35:33)
So are you voting on that or?

[Speaker 9] (2:35:33 - 2:35:35)
Do you want us to? Do you want us to just

[Speaker 2] (2:35:35 - 2:35:35)
No,

[Speaker 9] (2:35:35 - 2:35:35)
as

[Speaker 2] (2:35:35 - 2:35:35)
I don't know.

[Speaker 9] (2:35:35 - 2:35:37)
adopted or what?

[Speaker 2] (2:35:37 - 2:35:38)
That

[Speaker 5] (2:35:38 - 2:35:38)
Well,

[Speaker 2] (2:35:38 - 2:35:38)
would mean

[Speaker 5] (2:35:38 - 2:35:43)
you know what? The only thing that I'm concerned with, I would really like to hear what Ryan has to say about that.

[Speaker 5] (2:35:45 - 2:35:45)
You know, I...

[Speaker 5] (2:35:46 - 2:35:49)
Nothing personal, Doug, but I'm just hearing one side and

[Speaker 1] (2:35:50 - 2:35:51)
I think he just came off mute.

[Speaker 9] (2:35:52 - 2:35:53)
He did. Ryan, did

[Speaker 6] (2:35:53 - 2:35:53)
Hey Ryan.

[Speaker 9] (2:35:53 - 2:35:55)
you? How are you this evening?

[Speaker 1] (2:35:55 - 2:35:55)
Ryan.

[Speaker 10] (2:35:56 - 2:36:08)
Uh, A_G_X_M_ uh, during the show so far. So just to recap um the discussion, I think what's been said is is accurate, that the the committee

[Speaker 10] (2:36:09 - 2:36:15)
agreed that the risk of should we love the economics of the PDE investment,

[Speaker 10] (2:36:15 - 2:36:21)
we love the opportunity to take capital dollars to reduce our future operating expense,

[Speaker 10] (2:36:22 - 2:36:35)
the reason we lowered the relative priority of the campaign project was because the risk of either not receiving the funding or that the economics of the

[Speaker 10] (2:36:36 - 2:36:51)
Yeah, there can be construction would not be as kind of juicy as it might be today so we're all for appropriating money as long as the language is contingent on receiving the grant to offset the cost.

[Speaker 9] (2:36:53 - 2:36:54)
Agreed.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:54 - 2:36:54)
So moved.

[Speaker 9] (2:36:54 - 2:36:54)
Yeah,

[Speaker 9] (2:36:54 - 2:36:55)
great.

[Speaker 4] (2:36:57 - 2:36:57)
Glad

[Speaker 2] (2:36:57 - 2:36:58)
So

[Speaker 4] (2:36:58 - 2:36:58)
to hear

[Speaker 2] (2:36:58 - 2:36:58)
that's

[Speaker 4] (2:36:58 - 2:36:58)
that.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:58 - 2:36:59)
my motion.

[Speaker 9] (2:36:59 - 2:37:00)
Okay.

[Speaker 9] (2:37:00 - 2:37:01)
That

[Speaker 9] (2:37:02 - 2:37:03)
Can I get a second?

[Speaker 4] (2:37:03 - 2:37:03)
Second.

[Speaker 9] (2:37:04 - 2:37:16)
All in favor of making sure that this is an A and that the language in this reflects that, but for the grant funding, this will not be funded,

[Speaker 9] (2:37:19 - 2:37:20)
all in favor?

[Speaker 2] (2:37:20 - 2:37:20)
Yes.

[Speaker 9] (2:37:20 - 2:37:21)
Aye?

[Speaker 4] (2:37:21 - 2:37:21)
Hi.

[Speaker 2] (2:37:21 - 2:37:21)
Aye.

[Speaker 4] (2:37:21 - 2:37:21)
Aye.

[Speaker 9] (2:37:21 - 2:37:22)
Okay,

[Speaker 9] (2:37:22 - 2:37:22)
great.

[Speaker 9] (2:37:22 - 2:37:24)
That is, consider that a sign.

[Speaker 9] (2:37:29 - 2:37:33)
So then again, I sort of go back to the original question which is like

[Speaker 9] (2:37:36 - 2:37:39)
Are we just looking for a motion to approve the cat like

[Speaker 1] (2:37:40 - 2:37:43)
I think from from our same,

[Speaker 1] (2:37:43 - 2:37:45)
it will ultimately be approved by FinCom as well,

[Speaker 2] (2:37:45 - 2:37:45)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (2:37:45 - 2:37:55)
so that you can opine on that. I think it could change the prioritisation from twenty seven to twenty eight based on the conversation that Jason and I have if there are items that they would like to keep on the plan but they can

[Speaker 1] (2:37:56 - 2:37:58)
make it through FY 27 without

[Speaker 9] (2:37:58 - 2:37:59)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (2:37:59 - 2:38:10)
Um he did not talk about a number or particular projects. He just said if you could send over the most recent version that the two of us should connect so that we can see if there are projects that make sense for them to push out.

[Speaker 9] (2:38:10 - 2:38:10)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (2:38:10 - 2:38:16)
So that's information I can share with you. We will both share with him. That can be part of the future discussion.

[Speaker 5] (2:38:16 - 2:38:20)
I think the big thing is, you know, how do we fit in this track?

[Speaker 5] (2:38:24 - 2:38:24)
I think

[Speaker 2] (2:38:24 - 2:38:24)
Well,

[Speaker 5] (2:38:24 - 2:38:28)
as long as Jason knows we're trying to do everything we can to fit this track in here.

[Speaker 2] (2:38:29 - 2:38:32)
but I don't I don't I mean we sound like we have a fixed ceiling,

[Speaker 2] (2:38:32 - 2:38:39)
right? I mean, you know, there's obviously we can't just spend willy-nilly, but you know, even if even if you included all A, B and C

[Speaker 2] (2:38:40 - 2:38:41)
That's seven million

[Speaker 2] (2:38:43 - 2:38:43)
right?

[Speaker 5] (2:38:43 - 2:38:44)
What is we do have a

[Speaker 2] (2:38:44 - 2:38:45)
What is we do have a we do have a cap?

[Speaker 3] (2:38:46 - 2:38:49)
We have a policy to stay below ten percent with debt, right Patrick?

[Speaker 4] (2:38:50 - 2:38:52)
Yep, ten percent of budget.

[Speaker 2] (2:38:52 - 2:38:54)
Right, and so what's the number?

[Speaker 4] (2:38:54 - 2:38:54)
So

[Speaker 1] (2:38:56 - 2:38:56)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:38:56 - 2:39:02)
So if everything in FY 27 is passed, we'd be at like nine point nine

[Speaker 2] (2:39:03 - 2:39:03)
Ah.

[Speaker 4] (2:39:04 - 2:39:07)
um as the budget proposal sits today. So

[Speaker 4] (2:39:07 - 2:39:18)
We're walking the line. It was the same case last year and the year prior. Um and so what I said to the Capital Improvement Committee

[Speaker 4] (2:39:19 - 2:39:31)
Here in the finance committee was, you know, the decisions that you make now will affect capacity to do other things in those out years. There's a lot of competing priorities. So as you're looking at the items in the plan for twenty seven,

[Speaker 4] (2:39:31 - 2:39:40)
yes we'll meet our policy now. There's a lot of things that we know that are out there that are big chunky things, um especially when you look at projects that are on the larger side but may not

[Speaker 4] (2:39:41 - 2:39:46)
go for a debt exclusion, those have to fit within our our our levy limit to fund.

[Speaker 1] (2:39:46 - 2:39:47)
Does that the D_P_W_

[Speaker 4] (2:39:48 - 2:39:54)
Um D_P_W_ I had that planned on the schedule as a potential debt exclusion. It's a fifteen million dollar building construction.

[Speaker 1] (2:39:54 - 2:39:54)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (2:39:54 - 2:39:58)
Um I think that is a reasonable expectation, but

[Speaker 4] (2:40:00 - 2:40:01)
there are other things out there.

[Speaker 5] (2:40:02 - 2:40:03)
But I I think

[Speaker 2] (2:40:03 - 2:40:03)
And

[Speaker 5] (2:40:03 - 2:40:06)
too, when we when we talk about that number though, I think

[Speaker 5] (2:40:06 - 2:40:12)
I don't know if this is helpful for anybody else, but I back out that seven hundred and fifty thousand between the six hundred and the hundred and fifty from the grant.

[Speaker 1] (2:40:12 - 2:40:13)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 5] (2:40:13 - 2:40:17)
Because really that is what we're looking for.

[Speaker 5] (2:40:17 - 2:40:18)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (2:40:18 - 2:40:18)
That Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (2:40:18 - 2:40:20)
is what we don't have an alternate funding source for.

[Speaker 2] (2:40:20 - 2:40:20)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (2:40:20 - 2:40:21)
So that'd be paid down.

[Speaker 2] (2:40:21 - 2:40:26)
It's just we want to stay away from ten percent is where we we want to stay away from that ten percent.

[Speaker 1] (2:40:26 - 2:40:28)
We're not even close though. I mean I'm you're right.

[Speaker 5] (2:40:28 - 2:40:29)
You said 9.9?

[Speaker 3] (2:40:29 - 2:40:29)
With

[Speaker 4] (2:40:29 - 2:40:29)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (2:40:29 - 2:40:29)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (2:40:29 - 2:40:29)
this.

[Speaker 2] (2:40:29 - 2:40:31)
Well we're at seven right?

[Speaker 3] (2:40:31 - 2:40:31)
Yeah, we're

[Speaker 2] (2:40:31 - 2:40:31)
So seven it's not

[Speaker 3] (2:40:31 - 2:40:33)
no no that's seven million dollars

[Speaker 4] (2:40:33 - 2:40:34)
Seven million.

[Speaker 3] (2:40:34 - 2:40:36)
but that's in the high nines.

[Speaker 5] (2:40:36 - 2:40:36)
Oh,

[Speaker 3] (2:40:36 - 2:40:37)
Stay

[Speaker 5] (2:40:37 - 2:40:37)
that

[Speaker 3] (2:40:37 - 2:40:37)
under ten percent.

[Speaker 5] (2:40:37 - 2:40:38)
Yours?

[Speaker 4] (2:40:38 - 2:40:38)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (2:40:38 - 2:40:39)
But the budget's 88.

[Speaker 3] (2:40:41 - 2:40:44)
It's uh it's all the debt service needs to be ten

[Speaker 2] (2:40:44 - 2:40:44)
Otherwise

[Speaker 3] (2:40:44 - 2:40:45)
percent or less

[Speaker 2] (2:40:45 - 2:40:45)
of the debt service.

[Speaker 3] (2:40:45 - 2:40:46)
of the budget.

[Speaker 1] (2:40:46 - 2:40:49)
Right the budget's 88 so 10% would be 8.8.

[Speaker 2] (2:40:49 - 2:40:51)
Minus minus the debt service.

[Speaker 5] (2:40:51 - 2:40:51)
Is that

[Speaker 1] (2:40:51 - 2:40:51)
that Minus

[Speaker 5] (2:40:51 - 2:40:52)
what it is?

[Speaker 1] (2:40:52 - 2:40:53)
the debt service.

[Speaker 5] (2:40:53 - 2:40:53)
Yes.

[Speaker 2] (2:40:53 - 2:40:59)
So what is the number we need to be at for capital to be comfortable or within within range?

[Speaker 3] (2:41:00 - 2:41:00)
I

[Speaker 2] (2:41:00 - 2:41:01)
Is there a number?

[Speaker 3] (2:41:01 - 2:41:07)
I think we might have crossed signals here. So the raw number of seven million is not

[Speaker 3] (2:41:08 - 2:41:12)
That's the cost of these projects. That's not the borrowing cost.

[Speaker 2] (2:41:12 - 2:41:12)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (2:41:13 - 2:41:13)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (2:41:13 - 2:41:22)
It's the borrowing cost that needs to stay below ten percent that we will be at nine nine or nine eight wherever we are and we have been for the last couple of years if we were to fund all of these projects.

[Speaker 1] (2:41:22 - 2:41:22)
Ah.

[Speaker 5] (2:41:22 - 2:41:22)
Got it, got it.

[Speaker 3] (2:41:22 - 2:41:35)
And so that then that borrowing cost added in would be what would get us close and the point that I'm not sure who just made like the seven fifty of that would never make it into that bonded longer term debt,

[Speaker 5] (2:41:35 - 2:41:35)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (2:41:35 - 2:41:36)
but that's still not

[Speaker 3] (2:41:37 - 2:41:38)
That's not going to save

[Speaker 2] (2:41:38 - 2:41:39)
It's not going to get

[Speaker 3] (2:41:39 - 2:41:39)
us from

[Speaker 2] (2:41:39 - 2:41:39)
down

[Speaker 3] (2:41:39 - 2:41:39)
going over

[Speaker 2] (2:41:39 - 2:41:40)
that

[Speaker 3] (2:41:40 - 2:41:40)
10

[Speaker 2] (2:41:40 - 2:41:40)
much,

[Speaker 3] (2:41:40 - 2:41:40)
percent

[Speaker 2] (2:41:40 - 2:41:40)
but

[Speaker 3] (2:41:40 - 2:41:41)
in the long run.

[Speaker 2] (2:41:41 - 2:41:48)
Yeah. Is it our gross borrowing numbers, you know, our entire gross borrowing dollars versus our yearly borrowing dollars?

[Speaker 4] (2:41:50 - 2:41:55)
So the metric in the financial policies is total debt service excluded

[Speaker 2] (2:41:55 - 2:41:55)
Yeah.

[Speaker 4] (2:41:55 - 2:41:58)
and non-excluded as a percentage of budget.

[Speaker 2] (2:41:58 - 2:41:59)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (2:41:59 - 2:42:00)
Does that make sense?

[Speaker 2] (2:42:00 - 2:42:03)
So that's our policy. And then the rating agencies

[Speaker 2] (2:42:04 - 2:42:07)
Also stick pretty closely to that 10

[Speaker 4] (2:42:07 - 2:42:07)
Yes,

[Speaker 2] (2:42:07 - 2:42:07)
percent.

[Speaker 4] (2:42:07 - 2:42:10)
so they're monitoring our liabilities, they're monitoring our

[Speaker 2] (2:42:10 - 2:42:10)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:42:10 - 2:42:16)
existing debt, our debt plans, they're looking at liabilities like OPEB and pension and

[Speaker 2] (2:42:16 - 2:42:16)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:42:16 - 2:42:20)
what we're doing to address those. Those are really big things they look at.

[Speaker 1] (2:42:20 - 2:42:23)
And the the ten percent is are the debt service.

[Speaker 4] (2:42:24 - 2:42:24)
Yes.

[Speaker 1] (2:42:24 - 2:42:26)
Right. So we're we're really talking about apples and oranges here,

[Speaker 2] (2:42:26 - 2:42:26)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (2:42:26 - 2:42:31)
right? Because we're talking about seven million dollars I didn't fully get what when you said it, but

[Speaker 3] (2:42:31 - 2:42:33)
That feeds into the debt service.

[Speaker 1] (2:42:33 - 2:42:36)
Feeds in a debt service, it has nothing to do with this seven million. It's the

[Speaker 3] (2:42:36 - 2:42:38)
The lower here, the lower the number we put in

[Speaker 1] (2:42:38 - 2:42:38)
Additional

[Speaker 3] (2:42:38 - 2:42:38)
the debt service.

[Speaker 1] (2:42:38 - 2:42:41)
five hundred thousand of interest on this seven hundred seven million.

[Speaker 2] (2:42:41 - 2:42:43)
But is there a number we should be shooting for here?

[Speaker 3] (2:42:44 - 2:42:45)
Well,

[Speaker 2] (2:42:45 - 2:42:45)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (2:42:45 - 2:42:46)
It sounds like

[Speaker 3] (2:42:46 - 2:42:46)
So

[Speaker 2] (2:42:46 - 2:42:46)
but

[Speaker 3] (2:42:47 - 2:43:00)
If we're under 10%, it's a number that you all would decide on your own. It's like that's why that's the idea of looking at a five-year plan, is to say like we anticipate these other bigger, chunkier things that are going to fall into just normal borrowing.

[Speaker 3] (2:43:01 - 2:43:04)
So it's yes and no. I don't mean to.

[Speaker 1] (2:43:04 - 2:43:11)
Well, no, but I think there's a little bit more clear answer possibly to Danielle's question is that when you made that comment, Patrick,

[Speaker 1] (2:43:11 - 2:43:14)
about 9.8, 9.9 or whatever,

[Speaker 1] (2:43:14 - 2:43:16)
were you assuming all A, B and C?

[Speaker 4] (2:43:17 - 2:43:18)
Yes.

[Speaker 1] (2:43:18 - 2:43:19)
Okay, there we go.

[Speaker 1] (2:43:20 - 2:43:20)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (2:43:20 - 2:43:20)
So

[Speaker 3] (2:43:20 - 2:43:21)
So

[Speaker 1] (2:43:21 - 2:43:22)
even with all A, B and C,

[Speaker 2] (2:43:22 - 2:43:22)
Thank

[Speaker 1] (2:43:22 - 2:43:22)
we're

[Speaker 2] (2:43:22 - 2:43:23)
you.

[Speaker 1] (2:43:23 - 2:43:23)
still technically under,

[Speaker 1] (2:43:24 - 2:43:24)
but barely.

[Speaker 3] (2:43:25 - 2:43:25)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (2:43:26 - 2:43:27)
right

[Speaker 3] (2:43:27 - 2:43:27)
Correct.

[Speaker 2] (2:43:27 - 2:43:28)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (2:43:28 - 2:43:28)
Got it.

[Speaker 5] (2:43:28 - 2:43:28)
So

[Speaker 1] (2:43:28 - 2:43:28)
That

[Speaker 5] (2:43:28 - 2:43:28)
the direction

[Speaker 1] (2:43:28 - 2:43:29)
was pretty

[Speaker 5] (2:43:29 - 2:43:29)
it

[Speaker 1] (2:43:29 - 2:43:29)
accurate.

[Speaker 5] (2:43:29 - 2:43:37)
the direction they need is do we want to take something out or are we comfortable at that even though we're at almost the ceiling of the policy?

[Speaker 2] (2:43:38 - 2:43:44)
I would like to see the result of what you can figure out with the school department that could come out before we vote.

[Speaker 5] (2:43:44 - 2:43:44)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (2:43:44 - 2:43:49)
And I know this is going to make some people happy and some people crazy.

[Speaker 5] (2:43:49 - 2:43:50)
Please don't do it.

[Speaker 2] (2:43:51 - 2:43:52)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (2:43:52 - 2:43:59)
I just want vehicles, um the uh so clearly the fire.

[Speaker 5] (2:43:59 - 2:44:02)
Ninety two is coming out and fifty, it's

[Speaker 1] (2:44:02 - 2:44:02)
Oh, the

[Speaker 5] (2:44:02 - 2:44:02)
going ninety to be

[Speaker 1] (2:44:02 - 2:44:02)
two

[Speaker 5] (2:44:02 - 2:44:03)
well

[Speaker 1] (2:44:03 - 2:44:03)
is

[Speaker 5] (2:44:03 - 2:44:03)
coming

[Speaker 1] (2:44:03 - 2:44:03)
coming out.

[Speaker 5] (2:44:03 - 2:44:03)
out.

[Speaker 1] (2:44:03 - 2:44:03)
Yes.

[Speaker 5] (2:44:03 - 2:44:09)
And then fifty of the one hundred on the other page will come out. So it's a hundred and forty thousand dollar savings.

[Speaker 1] (2:44:10 - 2:44:12)
But the hundred, the cruiser and cruiser

[Speaker 3] (2:44:12 - 2:44:12)
What

[Speaker 1] (2:44:12 - 2:44:12)
laptop and

[Speaker 3] (2:44:12 - 2:44:13)
you're

[Speaker 1] (2:44:13 - 2:44:13)
radar

[Speaker 3] (2:44:13 - 2:44:13)
just saying.

[Speaker 1] (2:44:13 - 2:44:14)
set, that's staying.

[Speaker 5] (2:44:14 - 2:44:19)
Police is on a d they already have their own mechanism by which to evaluate vehicles. Is that right, Nick?

[Speaker 3] (2:44:19 - 2:44:28)
Yeah, and there's a replacement schedule that they are on and we do everything we can to fund on our uh that is really one where like we don't do it this year just means uh

[Speaker 1] (2:44:28 - 2:44:28)
Yeah, I you just

[Speaker 3] (2:44:28 - 2:44:29)
have bailing

[Speaker 1] (2:44:29 - 2:44:29)
wanted to be

[Speaker 3] (2:44:29 - 2:44:29)
the vehicles

[Speaker 1] (2:44:29 - 2:44:29)
clear.

[Speaker 3] (2:44:29 - 2:44:29)
or

[Speaker 2] (2:44:29 - 2:44:29)
Okay,

[Speaker 5] (2:44:29 - 2:44:29)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (2:44:29 - 2:44:30)
they get

[Speaker 2] (2:44:30 - 2:44:30)
yeah.

[Speaker 3] (2:44:30 - 2:44:30)
down the road.

[Speaker 1] (2:44:31 - 2:44:33)
And the E_V_ policy applies.

[Speaker 3] (2:44:34 - 2:44:35)
Correct.

[Speaker 2] (2:44:41 - 2:44:42)
Some

[Speaker 5] (2:44:42 - 2:44:42)
Did we boop?

[Speaker 2] (2:44:42 - 2:44:49)
did we have some discussion last week about somehow um documenting this borrowed straight money?

[Speaker 2] (2:44:51 - 2:44:51)
Or somehow

[Speaker 1] (2:44:51 - 2:44:52)
Oh,

[Speaker 2] (2:44:52 - 2:44:52)
you know

[Speaker 1] (2:44:52 - 2:44:52)
right.

[Speaker 2] (2:44:52 - 2:44:52)
did

[Speaker 5] (2:44:52 - 2:44:54)
Oh yeah, you did up. Down.

[Speaker 2] (2:44:54 - 2:44:55)
Didn't we want some type of

[Speaker 2] (2:44:57 - 2:45:00)
documentation to solidify to codify what

[Speaker 3] (2:45:00 - 2:45:00)
Did you ever

[Speaker 2] (2:45:00 - 2:45:00)
we're

[Speaker 3] (2:45:00 - 2:45:00)
get

[Speaker 2] (2:45:00 - 2:45:00)
allocating?

[Speaker 3] (2:45:00 - 2:45:01)
a chance did you

[Speaker 5] (2:45:01 - 2:45:01)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (2:45:03 - 2:45:04)
Did you ever get a chance to look into that?

[Speaker 4] (2:45:04 - 2:45:05)
Yeah,

[Speaker 3] (2:45:05 - 2:45:06)
A I process by which

[Speaker 4] (2:45:06 - 2:45:10)
I did, yeah, I did look into it a little bit. So um I

[Speaker 1] (2:45:10 - 2:45:10)
Thank

[Speaker 4] (2:45:10 - 2:45:10)
believe

[Speaker 1] (2:45:10 - 2:45:11)
you, Paul.

[Speaker 4] (2:45:11 - 2:45:15)
the funds that we were talking about was base rent from Pine Street project.

[Speaker 1] (2:45:15 - 2:45:16)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (2:45:16 - 2:45:16)
Yes.

[Speaker 2] (2:45:16 - 2:45:16)
Alright.

[Speaker 1] (2:45:16 - 2:45:16)
Uh,

[Speaker 4] (2:45:16 - 2:45:21)
We would receive in the language it's like 1.5. Um

[Speaker 4] (2:45:22 - 2:45:33)
So that would be accounted for as um would be treated as sale of land proceeds, you're doing a ninety nine year ground lease, it's a disposition, that goes into a segregated account.

[Speaker 4] (2:45:33 - 2:45:47)
It would first be used to extinguish you know any debt that was incurred to acquire the property that resulted in the payment. We don't have any of that because of how we funded it. Um so then that money would be available for appropriation for any purpose for which

[Speaker 4] (2:45:48 - 2:45:51)
a town is authorized to borrow money for, so really any capital project.

[Speaker 5] (2:45:53 - 2:45:53)
In the capital budget,

[Speaker 4] (2:45:54 - 2:45:54)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (2:45:54 - 2:45:57)
you said, which is where this is coming from now, the six hundred thousand is coming

[Speaker 4] (2:45:57 - 2:45:57)
Right.

[Speaker 5] (2:45:57 - 2:45:58)
from right now.

[Speaker 1] (2:45:59 - 2:46:00)
Right, but

[Speaker 1] (2:46:01 - 2:46:06)
there was supposed to be a specific designated account set up per a vote that we took in

[Speaker 2] (2:46:06 - 2:46:07)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (2:46:07 - 2:46:10)
December. That's what we asked you guys to go find.

[Speaker 3] (2:46:11 - 2:46:11)
In December?

[Speaker 1] (2:46:12 - 2:46:13)
That's what someone mentioned, it was

[Speaker 3] (2:46:13 - 2:46:13)
Oh,

[Speaker 1] (2:46:13 - 2:46:13)
December.

[Speaker 3] (2:46:13 - 2:46:14)
uh, twenty fourth?

[Speaker 2] (2:46:14 - 2:46:14)
It was

[Speaker 1] (2:46:14 - 2:46:14)
December

[Speaker 2] (2:46:14 - 2:46:15)
about the same.

[Speaker 1] (2:46:15 - 2:46:15)
of twenty fourth.

[Speaker 3] (2:46:15 - 2:46:16)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (2:46:16 - 2:46:16)
Yeah.

[Speaker 1] (2:46:16 - 2:46:17)
Or yeah.

[Speaker 4] (2:46:18 - 2:46:18)
I

[Speaker 2] (2:46:18 - 2:46:18)
We

[Speaker 4] (2:46:18 - 2:46:18)
did.

[Speaker 2] (2:46:18 - 2:46:29)
we were setting aside this money solely for the purpose you know refurbishing 89 bar it was supposed to be that's what we had agreed on.

[Speaker 1] (2:46:29 - 2:46:29)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (2:46:30 - 2:46:30)
So let

[Speaker 3] (2:46:32 - 2:46:40)
Patrick did exactly what I asked. Let me call Tom and ask about the sale of real estate because sale of real estate account is something that is part of state law

[Speaker 3] (2:46:41 - 2:46:45)
I'm not sure that a vote can redirect it

[Speaker 1] (2:46:46 - 2:46:48)
And we had run this through K_P_ This was not like

[Speaker 3] (2:46:48 - 2:46:48)
Then

[Speaker 1] (2:46:48 - 2:46:48)
above

[Speaker 3] (2:46:48 - 2:46:49)
it'll

[Speaker 1] (2:46:49 - 2:46:49)
this report.

[Speaker 3] (2:46:49 - 2:46:50)
be a quick answer for me from Tom.

[Speaker 1] (2:46:50 - 2:46:51)
Yeah.

[Speaker 3] (2:46:51 - 2:46:51)
Let me just talk

[Speaker 4] (2:46:51 - 2:46:52)
Right.

[Speaker 3] (2:46:52 - 2:46:56)
to him if we need to even though I just argued in the opposite need to

[Speaker 1] (2:46:56 - 2:46:56)
Strenuous

[Speaker 3] (2:46:56 - 2:46:56)
reopen and

[Speaker 1] (2:46:56 - 2:46:56)
regression.

[Speaker 3] (2:46:56 - 2:46:59)
close then we will do so.

[Speaker 5] (2:46:59 - 2:47:00)
And then Monday we can reopen it.

[Speaker 3] (2:47:01 - 2:47:05)
I'll have the answer tomorrow, but especially if it's something we've already looked at, he'll just go back into the record and share with me.

[Speaker 2] (2:47:07 - 2:47:07)
Great.

[Speaker 5] (2:47:08 - 2:47:08)
Um

[Speaker 3] (2:47:08 - 2:47:09)
Because I had asked Patrick to

[Speaker 5] (2:47:09 - 2:47:10)
we'll go through this before we can

[Speaker 5] (2:47:11 - 2:47:17)
I mean I'm sure we can set something up, but I wonder if it has to thro flow through the

[Speaker 3] (2:47:18 - 2:47:19)
Sale of real estate?

[Speaker 5] (2:47:19 - 2:47:22)
sale of real estate fund first and then it goes in and then

[Speaker 3] (2:47:22 - 2:47:22)
Well, you we'll

[Speaker 5] (2:47:22 - 2:47:23)
are saying it can go

[Speaker 3] (2:47:23 - 2:47:23)
we'll get

[Speaker 5] (2:47:23 - 2:47:23)
into

[Speaker 3] (2:47:23 - 2:47:23)
that in it's detail.

[Speaker 5] (2:47:23 - 2:47:24)
capital, but I but maybe it

[Speaker 4] (2:47:25 - 2:47:31)
Yeah, my my thought, my my view, just not knowing the exact language of the select board vote, is that

[Speaker 4] (2:47:31 - 2:47:37)
The state would treat that money a certain way. It would go into this account that I'm referring to, and then it would be subject to appropriation.

[Speaker 2] (2:47:38 - 2:47:44)
Yeah, that's that's what we talked about in December is that even though we can make you know we can say what we want,

[Speaker 2] (2:47:45 - 2:47:47)
it's town meeting that has to appropriate the money.

[Speaker 4] (2:47:47 - 2:47:48)
That's my my

[Speaker 6] (2:47:48 - 2:47:48)
But has

[Speaker 4] (2:47:48 - 2:47:48)
prior.

[Speaker 1] (2:47:48 - 2:47:48)
That

[Speaker 6] (2:47:48 - 2:47:49)
this money

[Speaker 1] (2:47:49 - 2:47:49)
was the

[Speaker 6] (2:47:49 - 2:47:49)
already

[Speaker 1] (2:47:49 - 2:47:49)
point.

[Speaker 6] (2:47:49 - 2:47:49)
been appropriated

[Speaker 1] (2:47:49 - 2:47:50)
We had

[Speaker 6] (2:47:50 - 2:47:50)
or no?

[Speaker 1] (2:47:50 - 2:47:51)
to put this

[Speaker 5] (2:47:51 - 2:47:52)
No, we will be appropria stick the six

[Speaker 6] (2:47:52 - 2:47:52)
But didn't

[Speaker 5] (2:47:52 - 2:47:54)
hundred thousand we is in the budget.

[Speaker 6] (2:47:54 - 2:47:54)
didn't appropriate

[Speaker 1] (2:47:54 - 2:47:55)
No, we couldn't.

[Speaker 3] (2:47:55 - 2:47:55)
Town

[Speaker 1] (2:47:55 - 2:47:56)
we're

[Speaker 3] (2:47:56 - 2:47:56)
meeting appropriates.

[Speaker 1] (2:47:56 - 2:47:57)
just setting up this account.

[Speaker 2] (2:47:57 - 2:47:58)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (2:47:58 - 2:47:59)
And in voting

[Speaker 2] (2:47:59 - 2:47:59)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (2:47:59 - 2:48:02)
that town meeting, we wanted town

[Speaker 5] (2:48:02 - 2:48:02)
Refund

[Speaker 1] (2:48:02 - 2:48:03)
meeting to

[Speaker 5] (2:48:03 - 2:48:03)
it.

[Speaker 1] (2:48:03 - 2:48:05)
vote on approving this account so

[Speaker 2] (2:48:05 - 2:48:06)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (2:48:06 - 2:48:08)
that the money would go dedicated to that.

[Speaker 2] (2:48:08 - 2:48:08)
Yeah.

[Speaker 5] (2:48:08 - 2:48:09)
Okay,

[Speaker 5] (2:48:09 - 2:48:23)
so let's get some more information so we can have clear direction on what we did in December of 24 and how we can move forward to do to solidify that if we can and if we cannot how we can

[Speaker 5] (2:48:24 - 2:48:32)
Honor the spirit of the vote, even if state law precludes us from creating a fund how we can do our best to get to the spirit of the vote.

[Speaker 5] (2:48:33 - 2:48:33)
Please.

[Speaker 4] (2:48:33 - 2:48:33)
Got it.

[Speaker 3] (2:48:33 - 2:48:39)
From the sale of real estate, it's easy to just say that that's how we're funding that capital, or that part of the capital.

[Speaker 2] (2:48:44 - 2:48:44)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (2:48:44 - 2:48:48)
Yeah, I mean just to be super clear about it,

[Speaker 2] (2:48:48 - 2:48:48)
Dagny.

[Speaker 3] (2:48:48 - 2:48:49)
what?

[Speaker 2] (2:48:49 - 2:48:50)
This has to be Dagny about it.

[Speaker 3] (2:48:50 - 2:49:00)
There will be new people here and they may have different priorities and there will be new environments and everything else and this was a very

[Speaker 3] (2:49:02 - 2:49:07)
This was a semi-healing moment of that along disparate chapter.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:07 - 2:49:08)
Let's not go backwards.

[Speaker 3] (2:49:08 - 2:49:09)
And so,

[Speaker 1] (2:49:09 - 2:49:09)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (2:49:09 - 2:49:11)
yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:12 - 2:49:13)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (2:49:13 - 2:49:15)
I'll be happy to spearhead it,

[Speaker 4] (2:49:15 - 2:49:18)
the absence of, the near absence,

[Speaker 4] (2:49:19 - 2:49:22)
because I do remember it the same way you do, and we did make a commitment,

[Speaker 4] (2:49:22 - 2:49:25)
and I want to make sure we honor it,

[Speaker 4] (2:49:25 - 2:49:25)
so.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:27 - 2:49:32)
Okay, so that concludes the discussion on the capital improvement plan. Thank you, Ryan,

[Speaker 2] (2:49:32 - 2:49:33)
for chiming in.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:34 - 2:49:35)
The consent agenda,

[Speaker 2] (2:49:35 - 2:49:39)
I have a request to remove the minutes again from the consent agenda,

[Speaker 2] (2:49:39 - 2:49:44)
so it is just the approval of the Hawker Pedaler license for Sunrun.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:45 - 2:49:46)
If anybody has any questions,

[Speaker 2] (2:49:47 - 2:49:50)
otherwise I'll entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as amended.

[Speaker 3] (2:49:50 - 2:49:51)
So moved.

[Speaker 4] (2:49:51 - 2:49:51)
Second.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:52 - 2:49:52)
All in favor.

[Speaker 3] (2:49:53 - 2:49:53)
Hi

[Speaker 2] (2:49:53 - 2:49:54)
Hi.

[Speaker 4] (2:49:54 - 2:49:54)
Hi.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:54 - 2:50:03)
Okay. Um so select board report and comments before we move into executive session.

[Speaker 3] (2:50:04 - 2:50:06)
So what are we going to do about another meeting?

[Speaker 2] (2:50:06 - 2:50:08)
What are we going to do about another meeting, Doug?

[Speaker 3] (2:50:08 - 2:50:08)
Yeah

[Speaker 4] (2:50:09 - 2:50:11)
About what? Why do we need another me oh

[Speaker 2] (2:50:11 - 2:50:13)
Because Doug doesn't want to leave us.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:13 - 2:50:14)
He's having regret.

[Speaker 4] (2:50:18 - 2:50:21)
I mean, the reason we had to meet this week was because of school vacation.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:21 - 2:50:22)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 3] (2:50:22 - 2:50:23)
Next week.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:23 - 2:50:34)
So really, Monday would be the only, um the 27th would be sort of like the best next day because we need a couple of things to happen to make that meeting

[Speaker 2] (2:50:36 - 2:50:37)
meaty,

[Speaker 3] (2:50:37 - 2:50:37)
Productive.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:37 - 2:50:37)
productive.

[Speaker 3] (2:50:38 - 2:50:38)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:39 - 2:50:46)
Um so uh in lieu of meeting on the twenty ninth, we could meet on the twenty seventh and it would be

[Speaker 2] (2:50:48 - 2:50:49)
Plus five one more time.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:50 - 2:50:51)
The encore.

[Speaker 4] (2:50:52 - 2:50:53)
Well, why not just meet on the 29th?

[Speaker 2] (2:50:54 - 2:50:55)
Because it

[Speaker 3] (2:50:55 - 2:50:55)
I

[Speaker 2] (2:50:55 - 2:50:55)
it

[Speaker 3] (2:50:55 - 2:50:55)
suppose it

[Speaker 2] (2:50:55 - 2:50:55)
seems

[Speaker 3] (2:50:55 - 2:50:56)
won't be happy

[Speaker 2] (2:50:56 - 2:50:56)
like

[Speaker 3] (2:50:56 - 2:50:56)
to go here.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:56 - 2:51:01)
uh most of our colleagues who are won't be here feel like they have want to finish some business.

[Speaker 4] (2:51:01 - 2:51:01)
Oh, okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:51:03 - 2:51:10)
So um I think we could honor that respect unless somebody has a conflict on the 27th

[Speaker 2] (2:51:10 - 2:51:15)
um we can discuss offline, but we I think we will strive to honor that request.

[Speaker 2] (2:51:16 - 2:51:17)
If that works for you.

[Speaker 2] (2:51:19 - 2:51:20)
Gentlemen?

[Speaker 2] (2:51:21 - 2:51:21)
That

[Speaker 3] (2:51:21 - 2:51:21)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:51:21 - 2:51:21)
works for you?

[Speaker 3] (2:51:22 - 2:51:22)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:51:23 - 2:51:23)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:51:26 - 2:51:29)
Um does anybody else have any additional select board time?

[Speaker 4] (2:51:32 - 2:51:38)
I do. I had office hours on Saturday and a gentleman had asked me

[Speaker 4] (2:51:39 - 2:51:56)
If the town and the schools have an endowment or a uh some type of a um way in which you can donate money so if what he was bringing up is in the event he was writing his will and he wanted to leave money like to pay for half of a track.

[Speaker 4] (2:51:57 - 2:52:14)
Do we have a mechanism set up like that? So I know Jason Kelchman had said something to me about he wanted us to do something like that. So I did email him asking him, did he, does he have that in place? But I didn't hear back from him. So could you reach out to him and find out and then I can contact that gentleman.

[Speaker 4] (2:52:14 - 2:52:19)
And does the, if somebody wants to leave something to the town,

[Speaker 4] (2:52:19 - 2:52:22)
like in a will or to make a donation.

[Speaker 1] (2:52:23 - 2:52:24)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 4] (2:52:25 - 2:52:30)
Are we set up, is a town considered a tax write-off?

[Speaker 1] (2:52:31 - 2:52:35)
I would consult a tax professional for that. We don't give tax

[Speaker 4] (2:52:35 - 2:52:36)
No,

[Speaker 1] (2:52:36 - 2:52:36)
advice.

[Speaker 4] (2:52:36 - 2:52:36)
I just.

[Speaker 2] (2:52:36 - 2:52:37)
It was just advice to individuals,

[Speaker 4] (2:52:37 - 2:52:37)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (2:52:37 - 2:52:38)
not the right answer.

[Speaker 4] (2:52:39 - 2:52:45)
But if the town had an endowment or something set up like a like an endowment, 501c3,

[Speaker 4] (2:52:46 - 2:52:47)
people could make donations.

[Speaker 1] (2:52:49 - 2:52:53)
So I don't think we would have a 501c3. I know that the library,

[Speaker 1] (2:52:53 - 2:52:54)
as an example, received

[Speaker 1] (2:52:55 - 2:53:05)
a donation of, was it stock or options from an individual, they can name the town. I, we would not set up a non-profit to receive

[Speaker 2] (2:53:05 - 2:53:05)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (2:53:05 - 2:53:12)
it; we would just receive it, I think. If they had a restriction that they would like, and this is the end of my legal advice, if they had a restriction

[Speaker 2] (2:53:12 - 2:53:12)
This is

[Speaker 1] (2:53:12 - 2:53:12)
that

[Speaker 2] (2:53:12 - 2:53:12)
not

[Speaker 1] (2:53:12 - 2:53:12)
they

[Speaker 2] (2:53:12 - 2:53:12)
legal

[Speaker 1] (2:53:12 - 2:53:12)
would like

[Speaker 2] (2:53:12 - 2:53:12)
advice.

[Speaker 1] (2:53:12 - 2:53:14)
to put on it, yeah, this

[Speaker 2] (2:53:14 - 2:53:14)
This

[Speaker 1] (2:53:14 - 2:53:14)
is not

[Speaker 2] (2:53:14 - 2:53:14)
is not

[Speaker 1] (2:53:14 - 2:53:14)
legal

[Speaker 2] (2:53:14 - 2:53:14)
legal

[Speaker 1] (2:53:14 - 2:53:14)
advi

[Speaker 2] (2:53:14 - 2:53:15)
advice.

[Speaker 1] (2:53:15 - 2:53:22)
this is better, this is not legal advice. If someone has a restriction they would like to put on how the money is spent when it's given to us, we should speak to their attorney to have it drafted that way.

[Speaker 4] (2:53:23 - 2:53:25)
So I'm just, on the other side, though,

[Speaker 4] (2:53:25 - 2:53:39)
I'm just thinking, should we be proactive and find out is there a way, you know, should we have something, should we have something set up where if people want to make a donation that it benefits,

[Speaker 4] (2:53:39 - 2:53:48)
I mean, private schools have endowments, private schools have, you know, ways in which people can contribute money to a baseball field,

[Speaker 4] (2:53:48 - 2:53:51)
whatever they want. I'm just trying to.

[Speaker 4] (2:53:52 - 2:53:52)
Oh,

[Speaker 2] (2:53:52 - 2:53:52)
So

[Speaker 4] (2:53:52 - 2:53:52)
I

[Speaker 1] (2:53:52 - 2:53:52)
I

[Speaker 2] (2:53:52 - 2:53:52)
are

[Speaker 4] (2:53:52 - 2:53:52)
thought

[Speaker 2] (2:53:52 - 2:53:52)
expect

[Speaker 1] (2:53:52 - 2:53:53)
think an

[Speaker 4] (2:53:53 - 2:53:53)
I heard

[Speaker 1] (2:53:53 - 2:53:53)
endowment

[Speaker 4] (2:53:53 - 2:53:53)
you.

[Speaker 1] (2:53:53 - 2:54:07)
and a sponsorship for a field are different things, and it goes back to my first meeting when we talked about the benches. If someone is giving money for refurbishment and we're honoring that gift and philanthropy with a name or a plaque,

[Speaker 1] (2:54:07 - 2:54:08)
it is time-limited,

[Speaker 1] (2:54:08 - 2:54:10)
it does not last forever,

[Speaker 1] (2:54:10 - 2:54:16)
and that process is something that we can absolutely work on. An endowment would be completely different.

[Speaker 1] (2:54:16 - 2:54:21)
Because we're talking about capital projects that require continued investment over time. If we're talking about a tracker or

[Speaker 4] (2:54:21 - 2:54:21)
I mean,

[Speaker 1] (2:54:21 - 2:54:21)
something.

[Speaker 4] (2:54:21 - 2:54:22)
I think

[Speaker 2] (2:54:22 - 2:54:22)
There

[Speaker 4] (2:54:22 - 2:54:22)
it's

[Speaker 2] (2:54:22 - 2:54:23)
is a foundation,

[Speaker 2] (2:54:23 - 2:54:23)
this

[Speaker 4] (2:54:23 - 2:54:23)
Yeah.

[Speaker 2] (2:54:23 - 2:54:24)
one's an education foundation,

[Speaker 2] (2:54:25 - 2:54:27)
and it is coming back into,

[Speaker 2] (2:54:27 - 2:54:30)
I don't know.

[Speaker 2] (2:54:31 - 2:54:41)
fizzled out for a little bit and now it's coming back there are two individuals who are running it I'll get you their names Mary Ellen and this person could reach out to this foundation to endow their

[Speaker 4] (2:54:41 - 2:54:43)
Because I work mean, people could also

[Speaker 2] (2:54:43 - 2:54:43)
potentially

[Speaker 4] (2:54:43 - 2:54:46)
gift things to the schools. They do it all the time.

[Speaker 2] (2:54:46 - 2:54:47)
they do it all the time

[Speaker 4] (2:54:47 - 2:54:48)
And accept them all the time, so

[Speaker 5] (2:54:48 - 2:54:51)
But is that a the question is going to be is that a tax write

[Speaker 1] (2:54:51 - 2:54:51)
That's

[Speaker 5] (2:54:51 - 2:54:51)
-off?

[Speaker 1] (2:54:51 - 2:54:52)
for their tax

[Speaker 2] (2:54:52 - 2:54:52)
that's for their tax professional

[Speaker 4] (2:54:52 - 2:54:53)
that's what I'm

[Speaker 2] (2:54:53 - 2:54:53)
to understand

[Speaker 4] (2:54:53 - 2:54:53)
to ask.

[Speaker 2] (2:54:53 - 2:54:54)
not personally insane

[Speaker 4] (2:54:54 - 2:54:56)
I guess, you know, maybe ask the school department.

[Speaker 2] (2:54:56 - 2:55:00)
no don't ask the school department it is for their tax professional to answer we cannot answer

[Speaker 2] (2:55:00 - 2:55:23)
not answer that question because if we answer improperly and they make action based on that improper legal advice then we will be held liable so it is best they consult their own tax professional if they if that tax professional determines it is and they would like to make a donation to the school I've seen donations come forward for robotics teams and very specific you know very specific things and the school committee takes takes

[Speaker 4] (2:55:23 - 2:55:24)
Donation.

[Speaker 2] (2:55:24 - 2:55:28)
gives. those donations in public so that people are aware that it's occurring so

[Speaker 2] (2:55:28 - 2:55:39)
The answer is we don't know and yes if they want to donate we will absolutely take it but we cannot comment on whether or not it is a tax there are tax ramifications.

[Speaker 2] (2:55:41 - 2:55:42)
Anybody else?

[Speaker 6] (2:55:42 - 2:55:50)
Yeah, just just real quick. I know we're talking about having another meeting on the 27th, but in the event that we don't.

[Speaker 6] (2:55:51 - 2:55:54)
I just want to take a few moments tonight,

[Speaker 6] (2:55:54 - 2:55:58)
and I just want to recognize and thank my colleague,

[Speaker 6] (2:55:58 - 2:55:58)
Doug Thompson,

[Speaker 6] (2:55:59 - 2:56:03)
for his three years of service on the select board.

[Speaker 6] (2:56:04 - 2:56:29)
You know, Doug Doug showed two of the things tonight that I had I had marked up for him his advocacy for for climate action and really pushing a lot of those projects forward is certainly most appreciated and his advocacy for for veterans you know has been has been consistent these last last few years.

[Speaker 6] (2:56:30 - 2:56:34)
Certainly his advocacy to save the Glover.

[Speaker 6] (2:56:35 - 2:56:37)
I mean, at times it was he,

[Speaker 6] (2:56:37 - 2:56:39)
you know, he was standing there,

[Speaker 6] (2:56:39 - 2:56:48)
it was him with John Lehman and Nancy Schultz and that was really it, but you've built.

[Speaker 6] (2:56:50 - 2:57:00)
You have really built this organization and really positioned the Glover to succeed and to survive,

[Speaker 6] (2:57:00 - 2:57:02)
and thank you.

[Speaker 6] (2:57:03 - 2:57:21)
Thank you to that, but last but certainly not least, you know, you're leading the uh you're leading the way for uh for bringing the community preservation at the swamps get is is something that is going to uh to really um to really be seen the positive impacts for uh for decades to come.

[Speaker 6] (2:57:21 - 2:57:25)
So I just want to say thank you, Doug, and I wanted to say that your work mattered.

[Speaker 1] (2:57:26 - 2:57:27)
Thank you. Thank you very much, David.

[Speaker 1] (2:57:29 - 2:57:29)
I

[Speaker 3] (2:57:31 - 2:57:40)
One of the reasons that I wanted to make sure that we had another meeting is that one and I hope by the fact you saying you got you're afraid of another meeting doesn't mean you're not going to show up

[Speaker 3] (2:57:42 - 2:57:45)
Your speech is coming then so

[Speaker 2] (2:57:46 - 2:57:49)
Also, David, you uh had a hand in the CPA too, I know.

[Speaker 3] (2:57:49 - 2:57:49)
Yes.

[Speaker 2] (2:57:49 - 2:57:50)
Do I really

[Speaker 3] (2:57:50 - 2:57:50)
Uh

[Speaker 2] (2:57:50 - 2:57:57)
to take the reins, but you for sure participated and made sure that it came to fruition um so.

[Speaker 3] (2:57:57 - 2:58:03)
Actually, I'd like to even correct, uh David was the godfather of it, uh for sure, uh the grandfather, the the the beginning.

[Speaker 3] (2:58:04 - 2:58:07)
Um so yes, um it would not have happened without him.

[Speaker 2] (2:58:10 - 2:58:34)
I'll save my comments for the next meeting because there is a next meeting and I will give two other public service announcements which is I don't know if you all follow the Swamps out Little League on Facebook but I do even though my kids don't play Little League and Reagan Caggiano of the Reds through a complete

[Speaker 1] (2:58:39 - 2:58:42)
And so I just want to recognize Reagan.

[Speaker 2] (2:58:42 - 2:58:43)
Wow.

[Speaker 1] (2:58:43 - 2:58:44)
Yeah,

[Speaker 1] (2:58:44 - 2:58:49)
in the opener. I mean, what a season this will be if that's her debut.

[Speaker 1] (2:58:50 - 2:58:56)
And I also would like to recognize Sergeant Brendan Reed who

[Speaker 1] (2:58:59 - 2:59:00)
I'm sorry,

[Speaker 1] (2:59:00 - 2:59:00)
Sergeant Kevin

[Speaker 2] (2:59:00 - 2:59:00)
Kevin.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:00 - 2:59:01)
Green,

[Speaker 1] (2:59:01 - 2:59:01)
sorry,

[Speaker 1] (2:59:01 - 2:59:03)
I must get that a lot,

[Speaker 2] (2:59:03 - 2:59:03)
Sergeant.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:03 - 2:59:12)
who was off duty and was called on by a neighbor who believed their home was being broken into and stepped to action,

[Speaker 1] (2:59:13 - 2:59:21)
was able to take the, to,

[Speaker 1] (2:59:21 - 2:59:22)
I don't know, help.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:23 - 2:59:23)
Whatever.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:23 - 2:59:26)
He did his job when he didn't have to, to be honest,

[Speaker 1] (2:59:26 - 2:59:46)
and it just shows the character of helping a neighbor and continuing to do his job even when it's supposed to be his day off. So I want to appreciate and lift him up as a stellar community member for this Select Board time.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:46 - 2:59:49)
So thank you, Reagan and Kevin.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:53 - 2:59:56)
But if anybody else doesn't have anything we will entertain a motion to adjourn.

[Speaker 3] (2:59:56 - 2:59:56)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:57 - 2:59:57)
Nope.

[Speaker 3] (2:59:57 - 2:59:57)
No.

[Speaker 2] (2:59:57 - 2:59:57)
Oh

[Speaker 3] (2:59:57 - 2:59:58)
We have motion act.

[Speaker 4] (2:59:59 - 3:00:00)
Okay.

[Speaker 5] (3:00:00 - 3:00:00)
Yeah,

[Speaker 4] (3:00:00 - 3:00:00)
Enter executive

[Speaker 5] (3:00:00 - 3:00:00)
it's time.

[Speaker 4] (3:00:00 - 3:00:01)
session.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:01 - 3:00:04)
Oh, I lied. Okay, I'm sorry. Thank you for the reminder.

[Speaker 4] (3:00:04 - 3:00:04)
It

[Speaker 1] (3:00:04 - 3:00:04)
We typically

[Speaker 4] (3:00:04 - 3:00:04)
will be

[Speaker 1] (3:00:04 - 3:00:04)
don't

[Speaker 4] (3:00:04 - 3:00:04)
moving

[Speaker 1] (3:00:04 - 3:00:04)
do that.

[Speaker 4] (3:00:04 - 3:00:06)
and not coming back to public.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:06 - 3:00:08)
Okay, so we w say again.

[Speaker 4] (3:00:08 - 3:00:09)
The motion that

[Speaker 1] (3:00:09 - 3:00:09)
The motion.

[Speaker 4] (3:00:09 - 3:00:12)
we have listed, we're gonna move to the conference room and

[Speaker 1] (3:00:12 - 3:00:13)
Okay, so I move

[Speaker 4] (3:00:13 - 3:00:14)
won't be coming back to the public.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:14 - 3:00:26)
Okay, so the motion will be to move into executive session pursuant to mass general law chapter 30A section 21 a seven to comply with or act under the authority of any general or special law or federal

[Speaker 1] (3:00:26 - 3:00:30)
General Grant and Aid requirements, Proposal seven, the open meeting law,

[Speaker 1] (3:00:30 - 3:00:48)
Mass General Law section thirty chapter thirty A sub section twenty two F G to approve and review the Select Board Executive Session meeting minutes from the following dates, March second twenty twenty sixth and April second twenty twenty sixth where votes may be taken. So I will take the motion.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:48 - 3:00:50)
We will approve the motion and then we will move

[Speaker 4] (3:00:50 - 3:00:50)
Yep,

[Speaker 1] (3:00:50 - 3:00:50)
to

[Speaker 4] (3:00:50 - 3:00:50)
so we'll

[Speaker 1] (3:00:50 - 3:00:51)
a conference

[Speaker 4] (3:00:51 - 3:00:51)
reconvene

[Speaker 1] (3:00:51 - 3:00:51)
and

[Speaker 4] (3:00:51 - 3:00:52)
back to public session.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:52 - 3:00:53)
we will not be entering.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:53 - 3:00:55)
Back into public session.

[Speaker 6] (3:00:55 - 3:00:55)
So moved.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:55 - 3:00:56)
Can I have a second?

[Speaker 2] (3:00:56 - 3:00:57)
Second.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:57 - 3:00:59)
Oh, uh, does this have to be a roll call? No.

[Speaker 4] (3:01:01 - 3:01:01)
Um

[Speaker 1] (3:01:01 - 3:01:03)
Let's just roll call it just in case. Mary Ellen?

[Speaker 2] (3:01:03 - 3:01:04)
Aye.

[Speaker 1] (3:01:04 - 3:01:04)
Danielle?

[Speaker 2] (3:01:04 - 3:01:05)
Aye.

[Speaker 1] (3:01:05 - 3:01:05)
David?

[Speaker 6] (3:01:05 - 3:01:05)
Aye.

[Speaker 1] (3:01:05 - 3:01:06)
Doug?

[Speaker 4] (3:01:06 - 3:01:06)
Aye.

[Speaker 1] (3:01:06 - 3:01:07)
And I haven't aye. Okay.

[Speaker 6] (3:01:08 - 3:01:08)
Night.

[Speaker 1] (3:01:09 - 3:01:09)
So moved.