[Speaker 1] (0:59 - 1:01)
could please make their way to their seats.

[Speaker 1] (1:05 - 1:06)
As we all get settled tonight,

[Speaker 1] (1:06 - 1:12)
we do have four brief community announcements. We'll get started with those and then we will call the meeting to order.

[Speaker 1] (1:18 - 1:24)
So I'd like to invite Ralph Edwards and Nancy Schultz up to the podium to make an announcement, please.

[Speaker 1] (1:49 - 1:50)
Take it away, yeah.

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

[Speaker 2] (1:53 - 1:55)
Good evening, everybody.

[Speaker 2] (1:55 - 1:58)
I'm Nancy Schultz, Precinct 3,

[Speaker 2] (1:59 - 2:02)
Chair of the Swampscot Historical Commission,

[Speaker 2] (2:02 - 2:04)
and instead of Ralph Edwards,

[Speaker 2] (2:05 - 2:10)
we have Enzo Salon Surin, who's a very eminent Swampscot poet,

[Speaker 2] (2:10 - 2:14)
and he and I are going to be speaking to you.

[Speaker 2] (2:14 - 2:19)
Briefly, about our upcoming reading Frederick Douglass'

[Speaker 2] (2:19 - 2:20)
Together Reading.

[Speaker 2] (2:20 - 2:41)
I'm so pleased to announce that sure diversity and the town of Swampscot have been awarded $1,800 to once again put on a reading on July 2nd of Frederick Douglass' iconic speech.

[Speaker 2] (2:42 - 2:44)
What to the slave is the 4th of July?

[Speaker 2] (2:45 - 2:53)
And we are going to have a great event from 4 to 7 on July 2nd, town lawn.

[Speaker 2] (2:53 - 2:59)
And there will be ice cream. It'll be a very festive event.

[Speaker 2] (2:59 - 3:06)
You can sign up to be a reader on these posters, which Ralph Edwards has.

[Speaker 2] (3:06 - 3:09)
You can use the QR code to sign up.

[Speaker 2] (3:10 - 3:18)
Or Ralph will be available at the end of the evening to take pen signatures if you want to just sign up tonight.

[Speaker 2] (3:19 - 3:21)
That would be fine as well.

[Speaker 2] (3:21 - 3:27)
So we promise it's going to be last year we had 250 people.

[Speaker 2] (3:27 - 3:35)
This year we're hoping to double that and we're going to have Enzo as our project scholar.

[Speaker 2] (3:36 - 3:41)
And also Tom Dalton who wrote the book Frederick Douglass, The Lynn Years.

[Speaker 2] (3:42 - 3:51)
And I'm going to introduce Enzo to say a few words about what we're hoping to accomplish in this year's reading.

[Speaker 3] (3:54 - 3:56)
Good evening everyone.

[Speaker 3] (3:58 - 4:03)
My name is Enzo Salon-Surin, and as a Swampscott resident of nearly six years,

[Speaker 3] (4:03 - 4:09)
I'm especially honored to serve as one of the project scholars for Reading Frederick Douglass together.

[Speaker 3] (4:10 - 4:17)
I'll also be helping to facilitate a conversation following the reading of What to the Slave is the Fourth of July.

[Speaker 3] (4:17 - 4:19)
For me, part of what makes this event

[Speaker 3] (4:20 - 4:38)
matters so much is that it gives us a chance to do something we don't often have time to do which is pause and reflect on what July 4th means not only historically but personally and collectively especially 250 years into the American democratic experiment

[Speaker 3] (4:39 - 4:50)
Douglas's speech is often remembered for its critique, but at its core it is also a call to wrestle honestly with promises and the contradictions of democracy.

[Speaker 3] (4:51 - 4:54)
It invites us to consider what freedom includes,

[Speaker 3] (4:54 - 5:02)
what citizenship requires of us and how a democratic republic continues to evolve through dialogue,

[Speaker 3] (5:02 - 5:03)
participation and reflection.

[Speaker 3] (5:04 - 5:10)
This event is not just about forcing agreement, it's about creating a space for civic reflection,

[Speaker 3] (5:10 - 5:13)
historical engagement and community conversation.

[Speaker 3] (5:14 - 5:16)
And I hope you'll come out for the reading,

[Speaker 3] (5:16 - 5:18)
but I also hope you'll stay for the conversation after.

[Speaker 3] (5:18 - 5:44)
afterward because the question Douglas raises is not just a historical one it is still with us what does July 4th mean to us now my hope is that we consider that question together as neighbors as community members and as people still thinking through the promises and responsibilities of democracy thank you and I hope to see you there on the 2nd July 2nd

[Speaker 1] (5:47 - 5:48)
Thank you so much.

[Speaker 2] (5:49 - 5:50)
So again,

[Speaker 2] (5:50 - 5:56)
pick up the poster and sign up tonight if you want and wearing my other hat,

[Speaker 2] (5:56 - 6:03)
I just want to encourage you to pick up a free Save the Glover Lawn sign and I ask Swamp Scott,

[Speaker 2] (6:04 - 6:05)
help us save the Glover.

[Speaker 2] (6:06 - 6:07)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (6:08 - 6:08)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (6:09 - 6:12)
Next I'd like to invite Jeffrey Bonder to make a quick announcement.

[Speaker 4] (6:24 - 6:25)
Thank you, Mr.

[Speaker 4] (6:25 - 6:25)
Moderator.

[Speaker 4] (6:26 - 6:26)
Good evening.

[Speaker 4] (6:26 - 6:28)
My name is Jeffrey Blonde,

[Speaker 4] (6:28 - 6:29)
a town meeting member,

[Speaker 4] (6:29 - 6:30)
precinct two,

[Speaker 4] (6:30 - 6:32)
and past commander of the E.F.

[Speaker 4] (6:32 - 6:35)
Gilmore Disabled American Veterans of Swampscot.

[Speaker 4] (6:35 - 6:41)
I wanted to update you on some of our accomplishments this past year serving the veterans of Swampscot.

[Speaker 4] (6:41 - 6:51)
The DAV is a national organization. It's the largest service organization dedicated to serving disabled American veterans. It currently has about a million members.

[Speaker 4] (6:52 - 7:01)
The E.F. Gilmore DAV chapter is the largest with 1,200 members and the most active veteran service organization in Essex County.

[Speaker 4] (7:01 - 7:05)
We are a service organization, not a social organization.

[Speaker 4] (7:06 - 7:12)
One of our main goals is to assist veterans in receiving their earned benefits from the VA.

[Speaker 4] (7:13 - 7:23)
In fact, the DAV of Massachusetts has assisted veterans in Massachusetts to receive over $130 million in benefits this year.

[Speaker 4] (7:24 - 7:27)
These are not handouts, but are earned benefits.

[Speaker 4] (7:27 - 7:32)
If there are any veterans out there needing assistance with the VA,

[Speaker 4] (7:32 - 7:33)
please contact us.

[Speaker 4] (7:34 - 7:42)
In March, the EF Gilmore sponsored our fourth annual Vietnam Veterans Appreciation Breakfast at the old Clark School.

[Speaker 4] (7:43 - 7:47)
Over 70 veterans enjoyed breakfast, good conversations,

[Speaker 4] (7:48 - 7:49)
and inspiring speeches.

[Speaker 4] (7:49 - 7:54)
We were honored in the appearance of the newly appointed Secretary of Veterans Services,

[Speaker 4] (7:55 - 7:56)
Eric Guerillac.

[Speaker 4] (7:56 - 8:03)
Each veteran also received a certificate of appreciation from the Secretary and a ceremonial coin.

[Speaker 4] (8:03 - 8:12)
We've been doing this because we know if we did not do it, the Vietnam veterans of Swampscott would not have been recognized, and that would have been a shame.

[Speaker 4] (8:12 - 8:16)
We also have a breakfast in September for the post 9-11 veterans.

[Speaker 4] (8:17 - 8:18)
Also in March,

[Speaker 4] (8:18 - 8:19)
for the fourth year,

[Speaker 4] (8:19 - 8:21)
we participated in a mental health summit.

[Speaker 4] (8:22 - 8:25)
This year we partnered with the Swampscott Senior Center.

[Speaker 4] (8:25 - 8:32)
Over 100 Swampscott citizens participated in this building learning about mental health wellness.

[Speaker 4] (8:33 - 8:37)
In fact, we were the gold sponsor for this event,

[Speaker 4] (8:37 - 8:41)
donating $500 to ensure the success of this program.

[Speaker 4] (8:41 - 8:48)
We do this because we know the sad fact of life that veterans are more likely to suffer depression,

[Speaker 4] (8:48 - 8:49)
anxiety,

[Speaker 4] (8:49 - 8:51)
and PTSD than a non-veteran.

[Speaker 4] (8:52 - 8:54)
Eighteen veterans a day commit suicide,

[Speaker 4] (8:55 - 9:00)
and veterans are more likely to have substance abuse issues than a non-veteran.

[Speaker 4] (9:00 - 9:03)
We've made it our goal to serve the marginalized,

[Speaker 4] (9:03 - 9:04)
the forgotten,

[Speaker 4] (9:05 - 9:06)
and the broken veteran.

[Speaker 4] (9:06 - 9:10)
In July, we will be sponsoring our fourth annual Veterans Beach Party.

[Speaker 4] (9:11 - 9:14)
This event is partially funded by the Save the Harbor,

[Speaker 4] (9:14 - 9:15)
Save the Bay,

[Speaker 4] (9:15 - 9:16)
Better Beach Grant.

[Speaker 4] (9:17 - 9:18)
This is a great organization,

[Speaker 4] (9:18 - 9:20)
and without their assistance,

[Speaker 4] (9:20 - 9:21)
we could not have this event.

[Speaker 4] (9:22 - 9:26)
And we thank them. Last year we had over 125 veterans,

[Speaker 4] (9:26 - 9:27)
their families,

[Speaker 4] (9:27 - 9:29)
and community members enjoying a...

[Speaker 4] (9:30 - 9:31)
Family-friendly,

[Speaker 4] (9:31 - 9:34)
alcohol-free day of food and entertainment.

[Speaker 4] (9:34 - 9:37)
We had games and face painting for the children,

[Speaker 4] (9:38 - 9:40)
food and entertainment for the adults,

[Speaker 4] (9:40 - 9:44)
and we were joined by members of the Chelsea Soldiers Home for one of their rare days out.

[Speaker 4] (9:46 - 9:50)
Most importantly, we provided valuable resources to improve the lives of veterans.

[Speaker 4] (9:51 - 9:54)
This is something we always do at any of our events.

[Speaker 4] (9:54 - 9:59)
We do many things assisting veterans, but I want to get to my main purpose of this.

[Speaker 1] (10:01 - 10:02)
As a combat veteran,

[Speaker 1] (10:02 - 10:06)
I always had a battle buddy when I went outside the wire.

[Speaker 1] (10:09 - 10:12)
My body had my back and I had his back.

[Speaker 1] (10:12 - 10:15)
The DAV has the back of all veterans and swum squad.

[Speaker 1] (10:16 - 10:17)
I'm asking you to have our back.

[Speaker 1] (10:18 - 10:25)
Over the past three years, the EF Gilmore DAV has spent close to $20,000 supporting veterans in this area.

[Speaker 1] (10:26 - 10:29)
Please consider making a contribution today to support our efforts.

[Speaker 1] (10:30 - 10:33)
You can make a check payable to the EF Gilmore DAV.

[Speaker 1] (10:34 - 10:38)
If you do not have your checkbook, I have pre-addressed envelopes.

[Speaker 1] (10:39 - 10:41)
We also have a Venmo QR code.

[Speaker 1] (10:42 - 10:47)
There are flyers out in the foyer with our information. Our address is 8 Pine Street,

[Speaker 1] (10:47 - 10:48)
Swampscott.

[Speaker 1] (10:48 - 10:51)
All donations will be used to assist veterans.

[Speaker 1] (10:51 - 10:52)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (10:53 - 10:54)
Thank you, Mr.

[Speaker 2] (10:54 - 10:54)
Bonder.

[Speaker 2] (10:56 - 11:02)
I'd like to ask Janelle Cameron to come give us a quick rundown of some upcoming recreation events.

[Speaker 3] (11:16 - 11:18)
Thank you, Mr. Moderator. Janelle Cameron,

[Speaker 3] (11:18 - 11:19)
Town Meeting Member,

[Speaker 3] (11:19 - 11:19)
Precinct 3,

[Speaker 3] (11:20 - 11:22)
Secretary Recreation Commission,

[Speaker 3] (11:23 - 11:25)
Chair of Fourth of July Parade,

[Speaker 3] (11:25 - 11:27)
Market Manager of Swanskit Farmers Market,

[Speaker 3] (11:28 - 11:32)
Member of CLC Task Study Force and Swanskit Rotary.

[Speaker 3] (11:38 - 11:41)
This year's parade is on Sunday the 28th of June.

[Speaker 3] (11:41 - 11:45)
It's always the last Sunday in June before the 4th of July.

[Speaker 3] (11:45 - 11:50)
We'll start at the regular time around 4 at the middle school and end up at the Strawberry Festival.

[Speaker 3] (11:50 - 11:53)
Everyone is always welcome to join us.

[Speaker 3] (11:53 - 11:55)
The more the merrier, more groups.

[Speaker 3] (11:56 - 11:58)
I've been doing this for over 20 years,

[Speaker 3] (11:58 - 12:01)
so if there's any youngster out there that wants to take this over,

[Speaker 3] (12:01 - 12:04)
you feel free to come see me, and I'll gladly...

[Speaker 3] (12:04 - 12:05)
sadly pass it off.

[Speaker 3] (12:06 - 12:15)
Farmers Market opens on Sunday the 7th of June and goes to the last Sunday in October with one indoor market on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

[Speaker 3] (12:16 - 12:21)
If we were looking for volunteers for that too to set up in the morning and break down the afternoon.

[Speaker 3] (12:21 - 12:32)
We've been very fortunate to have a few high school seniors that have the last three years have showed up every week from 8 to 10 and then back 12 to 130.

[Speaker 3] (12:33 - 12:35)
So if your children want to do this and get community health,

[Speaker 3] (12:35 - 12:37)
community service,

[Speaker 3] (12:37 - 12:38)
we're looking for their help too.

[Speaker 3] (12:39 - 12:43)
Community Service CLC will be doing a presentation shortly.

[Speaker 3] (12:44 - 12:45)
And Rotary.

[Speaker 3] (12:45 - 12:47)
Rotary is service before self.

[Speaker 3] (12:47 - 12:56)
We had the Cahill run on March 3rd. Next week we're giving $20,000 in scholarships to seniors at Swampscot High.

[Speaker 3] (12:57 - 13:05)
The last Wednesday of the month we go to the VFW and make 200 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for my brother's table.

[Speaker 3] (13:05 - 13:12)
In the beginning of the month, they don't have a lot of need because people have money, but at the end of the month, there's a lot of need, so we do that every month there.

[Speaker 3] (13:13 - 13:19)
We're also supported the Eagle Scouts in their canon restoration at the cemetery,

[Speaker 3] (13:19 - 13:21)
and it's a great group to be involved with,

[Speaker 3] (13:22 - 13:24)
so if anybody wants any more information,

[Speaker 3] (13:24 - 13:27)
we meet every other Wednesday, mostly at Mission on the Bay.

[Speaker 3] (13:27 - 13:28)
This Wednesday,

[Speaker 3] (13:28 - 13:31)
it's at Cafe Avelino because we have the Quest for Excellence.

[Speaker 3] (13:31 - 13:38)
for the middle school students that we do for them so anyone wants Rotary information find me thank you

[Speaker 2] (13:40 - 13:40)
Thank you so much.

[Speaker 2] (13:41 - 13:49)
And finally I'd like to invite Rachel Taradash to help us acknowledge a milestone that Big Boo Bargains has recently reached.

[Speaker 2] (14:00 - 14:06)
Right, I've been informed by the town clerk that a quorum is present, so the meeting will now come to order.

[Speaker 2] (14:06 - 14:08)
First, just a safety announcement.

[Speaker 2] (14:08 - 14:12)
In the extremely unlikely event that we'll have to evacuate the space,

[Speaker 2] (14:12 - 14:14)
there are doors at the front and in the rear.

[Speaker 2] (14:14 - 14:18)
Our muster point will be on the far side of the parking lot.

[Speaker 2] (14:19 - 14:21)
Hopefully we will never need to use those instructions here.

[Speaker 2] (14:22 - 14:27)
And now I'd like all of you to stand and if you choose please join me in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

[Speaker 2] (14:31 - 14:39)
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation,

[Speaker 2] (14:39 - 14:43)
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[Speaker 2] (14:45 - 14:46)
Thank you. Please be seated.

[Speaker 2] (14:46 - 14:56)
And now join me in welcoming Jeffrey Hosking, who is a student in Swampscott's eighth grade, as he reads a land acknowledgement statement.

[Speaker 2] (14:56 - 14:57)
You can sit here, it's fine.

[Speaker 2] (14:59 - 15:01)
Hello. Thank you all.

[Speaker 4] (15:04 - 15:13)
We are on native land. The land where our town now resides was referred to as Niskomskit, which is from an eastern Algonquian language meaning at the red rocks.

[Speaker 4] (15:13 - 15:16)
Long before the fish house was built in 1896,

[Speaker 4] (15:17 - 15:22)
Swampscott was host to abundant traditional fishing and hunting grounds. As well as the homes of indigenous peoples,

[Speaker 4] (15:23 - 15:25)
we acknowledge that every moment we live,

[Speaker 4] (15:25 - 15:26)
work,

[Speaker 4] (15:26 - 15:26)
play,

[Speaker 4] (15:27 - 15:27)
pray,

[Speaker 4] (15:27 - 15:28)
gather,

[Speaker 4] (15:28 - 15:33)
and study in this town of Swampscott, we do so on the lands of indigenous peoples who for millions of

[Speaker 5] (15:33 - 15:34)
years have been living on the land.

[Speaker 4] (15:33 - 15:38)
who for millennia prior to European colonization called this place home and are still here.

[Speaker 4] (15:39 - 15:40)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (15:50 - 16:08)
As you know, many members of our town boards and committees have recently completed their terms of service. Uh much of what we achieved together relies on members of our community serving in either volunteer or elected positions. And I'd like to ask anyone who's present tonight who has recently completed a term of service to please stand in place to be recognised.

[Speaker 2] (16:10 - 16:14)
Select board members, school board members, anyone who's recently completed their term of service.

[Speaker 2] (16:16 - 16:17)
Thanks to everyone who did. Alright.

[Speaker 2] (16:24 - 16:30)
All right, as we begin the meeting tonight, I just want to point out that tonight's meeting represents a moment of transition.

[Speaker 2] (16:31 - 16:35)
And I'm sure you'll notice a number of new faces at the front of the room here, including my own.

[Speaker 2] (16:35 - 16:41)
And it's an honor that our voters have chosen to allow me to serve Swampscott in this new capacity.

[Speaker 2] (16:42 - 16:45)
The town meeting has a very long history and a special role in our commonwealth,

[Speaker 2] (16:46 - 16:48)
and it's our duty to continue upholding these traditions.

[Speaker 2] (16:49 - 16:57)
It's also an opportunity that we each have as members of the body to evolve the meeting in new ways to serve what our community will face in the future.

[Speaker 2] (16:58 - 17:00)
Now that we have two town meetings scheduled annually,

[Speaker 2] (17:01 - 17:04)
the spring meeting will primarily address financial and spending articles,

[Speaker 2] (17:04 - 17:08)
and the fall meeting will primarily address planning and zoning articles.

[Speaker 2] (17:08 - 17:16)
In both meetings, we'll have the chance to debate and vote on proposed bylaws and policies to shape Swampscott for the years ahead.

[Speaker 2] (17:16 - 17:18)
If you are new to town meeting,

[Speaker 2] (17:18 - 17:19)
or just as a reminder,

[Speaker 2] (17:20 - 17:21)
the structure of the meeting is straightforward.

[Speaker 2] (17:22 - 17:27)
The warrant defines the scope and agenda for the meeting through a set of articles that it contains.

[Speaker 2] (17:28 - 17:31)
Each article will be introduced by a member of the board or committee sponsoring it,

[Speaker 2] (17:32 - 17:36)
who will make a motion recommending a course of action for us to take on that article.

[Speaker 2] (17:37 - 17:41)
After the motion is seconded, the person sponsoring it will give a brief presentation,

[Speaker 2] (17:41 - 17:43)
and then we'll begin debate.

[Speaker 2] (17:44 - 17:49)
If you wish to speak in support or opposition of any motion that's on the floor during the meeting,

[Speaker 2] (17:50 - 17:55)
please raise your hand, and when I recognize you, make your way to one of the microphones in the aisles.

[Speaker 2] (17:56 - 18:02)
This is important so that we can hear your comments clearly in the room, on the broadcast, and for the recording of the meeting.

[Speaker 2] (18:03 - 18:07)
Please start by stating your name, any positions that you hold in town,

[Speaker 2] (18:08 - 18:12)
including town meeting member not to outdo Janelle,

[Speaker 2] (18:12 - 18:14)
and your precinct number.

[Speaker 2] (18:15 - 18:20)
All visitors and non-members should be seating in the back sections,

[Speaker 2] (18:20 - 18:25)
and while you are eligible to be recognized to speak,

[Speaker 2] (18:25 - 18:26)
you will not be able to vote.

[Speaker 2] (18:28 - 18:34)
Our bylaws allow speakers up to 10 minutes of speaking time, up to twice per article.

[Speaker 2] (18:35 - 18:39)
However, you'll note that the most effective statements that we hear are often the most concise.

[Speaker 2] (18:40 - 18:41)
If you have a question about the article,

[Speaker 2] (18:41 - 18:45)
please ask it, and I'll do my best to find someone who can answer it.

[Speaker 2] (18:46 - 18:57)
If you have an idea for a m a m a motion that you'd like to make and you're not quite sure how to express it, please just tell me your intent and I'll help you form the motion uh in the in the right the right context or syntax.

[Speaker 2] (19:01 - 19:09)
If your opinion closely aligns with the statement made by a previous speaker, you ma after you're recognised, you may simply say I agree with them and and make your voice heard.

[Speaker 2] (19:10 - 19:15)
Please remember that all comments should be addressed to me as the moderator and not directed at other members.

[Speaker 2] (19:15 - 19:19)
I expect all of us to give each speaker our full attention tonight,

[Speaker 2] (19:19 - 19:23)
and I expect each speaker to engage in civil, respectful debate.

[Speaker 2] (19:23 - 19:28)
I don't think any of us need any more viral moments coming out of Essex County town meetings this year.

[Speaker 2] (19:30 - 19:35)
And if any speaker fails to observe my reminders about maintaining respectful debate,

[Speaker 2] (19:35 - 19:38)
I'll be looking to my buddy Chief Casada over there to back me up.

[Speaker 2] (19:40 - 19:46)
So please remember that any amendments to motions under debate must be submitted to the town clerk in writing. We have forms available.

[Speaker 2] (19:47 - 19:50)
And if I deem that motion to amend to be in order,

[Speaker 2] (19:50 - 19:54)
we will pause debate on the main motion to then address the amendment.

[Speaker 1] (19:55 - 20:01)
My role as moderator is not to shape the outcome of any vote tonight, but to maintain an orderly and efficient debate.

[Speaker 1] (20:02 - 20:07)
Many of you know me to be more of an early bird than a night owl, so the key word in that sentence is efficiency.

[Speaker 1] (20:08 - 20:14)
After hearing the key points from both sides, I will entertain any motions to end debate or call the question,

[Speaker 1] (20:14 - 20:17)
and if that is seconded and receives two-thirds votes,

[Speaker 1] (20:17 - 20:20)
we will vote on the motion or amendment itself.

[Speaker 1] (20:20 - 20:23)
Votes will be taken by hands and decided by me.

[Speaker 1] (20:23 - 20:28)
Unless I'm in doubt of the outcome or seven of our members rise to ask for a division,

[Speaker 1] (20:29 - 20:36)
in which case we will take a count of standing vote by sections and I have a number of counters ready to assist me in that.

[Speaker 1] (20:37 - 20:40)
So now that we've reviewed the mechanics of the meeting, let's get into the contents.

[Speaker 1] (20:42 - 20:52)
Article one is for the reports of town boards and committees. I'd like to begin by inviting Naomi Dreebin to give us an update on the Community Preservation Committee.

[Speaker 2] (20:56 - 20:57)
Thank you, Mr.

[Speaker 2] (20:57 - 20:57)
Moderator.

[Speaker 2] (20:58 - 20:59)
Naomi Dreebin,

[Speaker 2] (20:59 - 21:00)
Precinct 3.

[Speaker 2] (21:01 - 21:08)
I'm asking all members of the Community Preservation Committee to come join me here.

[Speaker 2] (21:12 - 21:13)
I feel so supported.

[Speaker 2] (21:15 - 21:15)
Okay,

[Speaker 2] (21:15 - 21:20)
so just a refresher. The Community Preservation Act,

[Speaker 2] (21:20 - 21:25)
we abbreviated CPA, is a funding mechanism.

[Speaker 2] (21:28 - 21:29)
There are three purposes.

[Speaker 2] (21:30 - 21:33)
The first is protecting open space and developing recreation.

[Speaker 2] (21:35 - 21:41)
The second is preserving historic resources and the third is creating affordable housing.

[Speaker 2] (21:42 - 21:44)
That's the reason why we have the CPA.

[Speaker 2] (21:45 - 21:46)
Next slide please.

[Speaker 2] (21:47 - 21:51)
So just wanted you to meet the members of our committee.

[Speaker 2] (21:53 - 21:57)
Representing affordable housing is Erin Burdoff. Can you just wave?

[Speaker 2] (21:59 - 22:04)
We have one at large member who was appointed by the select board,

[Speaker 2] (22:04 - 22:05)
Tom Daley,

[Speaker 2] (22:05 - 22:08)
right behind me here,

[Speaker 2] (22:08 - 22:14)
who we're very fortunate to have him here in Swampscott. He is actually the CPC administrator,

[Speaker 2] (22:15 - 22:27)
the Community Preservation Committee administrator for the town of Wenham, and he's volunteering on our committee and is our chair and has a wealth of information and knowledge.

[Speaker 2] (22:29 - 22:35)
Representing the Capital Improvement Committee is Ryan Hale. Maybe that'll change. We'll see.

[Speaker 2] (22:36 - 22:41)
Conservation Commission is represented by Monica Lagerquist.

[Speaker 2] (22:42 - 22:44)
I'm representing the Finance Committee.

[Speaker 2] (22:45 - 22:48)
Historical Commission is represented by Brad Graham.

[Speaker 2] (22:49 - 22:52)
Brian Longin is representing Open Space and Rec.

[Speaker 2] (22:54 - 23:00)
JARA GERMA is representing the planning board and our housing authority is represented by Charlie Patsios.

[Speaker 2] (23:03 - 23:10)
I wanted to also thank our intern Kira Matakos who is a Swampscott High School junior.

[Speaker 2] (23:10 - 23:15)
She came to our last meeting and did a bang-up job taking minutes.

[Speaker 2] (23:15 - 23:18)
So thank you and we'll look forward to working with you again.

[Speaker 2] (23:20 - 23:29)
Okay, next slide. This is a summary of the criteria for getting funded by the community preservation act.

[Speaker 2] (23:29 - 23:38)
As you can see all of the segments are represented, open space, historic, recreation and housing.

[Speaker 2] (23:39 - 23:44)
And funding can be allocated to acquire anything in those categories.

[Speaker 2] (23:46 - 23:51)
Funding can also be allocated to preserve anything in those categories,

[Speaker 2] (23:52 - 23:54)
but if you look at the second line,

[Speaker 2] (23:54 - 23:54)
create,

[Speaker 2] (23:55 - 23:58)
obviously we can't create a historic property,

[Speaker 2] (23:58 - 24:07)
it has to be historic. So in terms of support for these projects,

[Speaker 2] (24:08 - 24:12)
We can't support maintenance of a lot of them.

[Speaker 2] (24:12 - 24:14)
So open space,

[Speaker 2] (24:14 - 24:14)
historic and recreation,

[Speaker 2] (24:15 - 24:25)
we can't really support just continuous running or maintenance of those projects. We can support housing and all the housing we're referring to is affordable housing.

[Speaker 2] (24:26 - 24:33)
And in terms of rehabbing or restoring, you can see we can do that with historic and recreation projects,

[Speaker 2] (24:33 - 24:43)
but we wouldn't be able to fund rehab of open space or affordable housing unless our affordable,

[Speaker 2] (24:43 - 24:49)
I'm sorry, Community Preservation Act had funded it to begin with.

[Speaker 2] (24:49 - 24:50)
Next slide.

[Speaker 2] (24:52 - 24:56)
Here's a timeline just to remind you of where we're at in our work.

[Speaker 2] (24:57 - 25:05)
This body approved the CPA back in November 24 and over this past year we've been getting organized,

[Speaker 2] (25:05 - 25:15)
we've received training from the Community Preservation Coalition which we have joined so that we can access all the resources that are statewide.

[Speaker 2] (25:16 - 25:25)
And of course we're developing materials because you have to apply for the funds and we want you to have as easy a time with that as possible.

[Speaker 2] (25:26 - 25:34)
I hope you'll mark your calendars for June 2nd. We are having the first of our public engagement meetings.

[Speaker 2] (25:34 - 25:42)
This one coming right up is going to be a town hall. It's only one hour right before our regularly scheduled meeting.

[Speaker 2] (25:42 - 25:45)
We would very much appreciate individuals,

[Speaker 2] (25:45 - 25:47)
representatives of committees,

[Speaker 2] (25:47 - 25:52)
or any organizations that might have an interest in applying for funds to come.

[Speaker 2] (25:52 - 25:54)
And in terms of individuals,

[Speaker 2] (25:54 - 25:57)
we'd really like to know what residents'

[Speaker 2] (25:57 - 25:58)
priorities are.

[Speaker 2] (25:59 - 26:03)
We are basically a grant-making organization and we'd really like help.

[Speaker 2] (26:04 - 26:14)
deciding how to spend the money that your tax dollars have paid for this okay in October we're going to begin

[Speaker 2] (26:16 - 26:18)
are pre-eligibility applications.

[Speaker 2] (26:19 - 26:21)
So the application is two parts.

[Speaker 2] (26:21 - 26:24)
There's the pre-eligibility application,

[Speaker 2] (26:24 - 26:26)
which is just a one pager,

[Speaker 2] (26:26 - 26:28)
just a summary of the project,

[Speaker 2] (26:28 - 26:31)
about how much money you think it's going to be,

[Speaker 2] (26:31 - 26:33)
and what category it's in.

[Speaker 2] (26:34 - 26:37)
The second part is the final application.

[Speaker 2] (26:38 - 26:41)
After we determine that your project is eligible,

[Speaker 2] (26:41 - 26:45)
then you can do the second part, and that deadline is in December.

[Speaker 2] (26:46 - 26:52)
Our committee will review the applications, vote on projects during the winter.

[Speaker 2] (26:52 - 26:54)
And then one year from now,

[Speaker 2] (26:54 - 27:00)
this body will vote on our recommendations for the expenditure of the funds.

[Speaker 2] (27:01 - 27:04)
So we are vetting the projects that are submitted,

[Speaker 2] (27:04 - 27:06)
but we're not the decision makers.

[Speaker 2] (27:06 - 27:10)
Town meeting is the decision maker on what gets funded.

[Speaker 2] (27:12 - 27:18)
And then allocations are made in July. That's when we'll have the money ready to give out.

[Speaker 2] (27:19 - 27:20)
Next slide, please.

[Speaker 2] (27:22 - 27:23)
Here is our quick and easy budget.

[Speaker 2] (27:23 - 27:28)
We have over $885,000 in the total budget.

[Speaker 2] (27:29 - 27:34)
Ten percent must be put into each reserve for each of the three categories.

[Speaker 2] (27:35 - 27:37)
We have a little administrative cost there.

[Speaker 2] (27:39 - 27:44)
Um and if we don't use the administrative funds we can drop that into the reserves.

[Speaker 2] (27:45 - 27:52)
So that is where your money is going. One percent surcharge on our property taxes is going into this fund.

[Speaker 2] (27:54 - 27:55)
Next slide.

[Speaker 2] (27:56 - 28:00)
Here are some examples of local towns, what they did with their CPA money.

[Speaker 2] (28:00 - 28:03)
Nahant renovated the life-saving station.

[Speaker 2] (28:03 - 28:08)
They're developing some revenue from renting it out as an event space.

[Speaker 2] (28:09 - 28:10)
In Salem,

[Speaker 2] (28:10 - 28:18)
the bandstand and wrought iron fence all around that central common across from the Hawthorne Hotel,

[Speaker 2] (28:18 - 28:19)
right?

[Speaker 1] (28:19 - 28:19)
Yes.

[Speaker 2] (28:20 - 28:22)
That was all restored.

[Speaker 2] (28:23 - 28:25)
Beverly, just for a laugh, they...

[Speaker 2] (28:26 - 28:39)
did some sound mitigation for their pickleball courts with CPA dollars and they also used CPA to contribute to the construction of 85 new affordable housing units.

[Speaker 2] (28:40 - 28:45)
So those are some examples of the kinds of things that we can do in town with with this fund.

[Speaker 2] (28:49 - 28:53)
So this is a picture of our public housing, and in back,

[Speaker 2] (28:53 - 28:57)
the grey building is the Westcott, which is new.

[Speaker 2] (28:58 - 29:02)
Our public housing is 100% affordable housing,

[Speaker 2] (29:02 - 29:05)
and the Westcott is partially affordable housing.

[Speaker 2] (29:07 - 29:14)
So just wanted to show you some of the things that we have that we could enhance.

[Speaker 2] (29:16 - 29:17)
Please do visit our website.

[Speaker 2] (29:18 - 29:19)
This is our website.

[Speaker 2] (29:19 - 29:24)
You can use the pull down under boards and committees on the town's website,

[Speaker 2] (29:24 - 29:28)
or you can just go to this worldwide web address.

[Speaker 2] (29:29 - 29:39)
Remember to come see us on June 2nd at town hall at six o'clock. And please do check out the application and other information if you're interested at this site.

[Speaker 2] (29:39 - 29:40)
Thank you so much for your time.

[Speaker 1] (29:46 - 29:47)
Thank you, Ms.

[Speaker 1] (29:47 - 29:48)
Draben.

[Speaker 1] (29:48 - 29:49)
Next I'd like to invite Hannah Cloud.

[Speaker 1] (29:54 - 30:08)
Uh o just a quick announcement if anyone's coming in uh since we've started I noticed a few people, if you are members, please come and check in with the clerk if you did not receive a sticker, these are the people who are about to sit down who don't have stickers.

[Speaker 1] (30:09 - 30:18)
So uh help us out if someone comes and sits next to you during the meeting, and they haven't checked in, please send them up to get their uh to check in with the clerk, thank you. Miss Cloud.

[Speaker 2] (30:18 - 30:26)
Hi, I didn't know I was doing anything. Um I'm the chair of the Swampscott Cultural Council, I put this

[Speaker 2] (30:28 - 30:32)
together because I thought we were just going to like have it in the background as we walked in.

[Speaker 2] (30:33 - 30:35)
These are the things that we've completed.

[Speaker 2] (30:35 - 30:45)
So we had a really good year because during COVID basically what happened was things were granted out, monies were granted out, and we sort of

[Speaker 2] (30:45 - 31:13)
Couldn't figure out what had happened and then Patrick and I figured out basically that not all the money that had been granted out was actually claimed and so we got to give out almost $24,000 this year. We normally give out about $8,000 so if you apply next year do not expect the same circumstances but as a result we were able to fund everything on this list. The things that are in the first category have already happened.

[Speaker 2] (31:13 - 31:18)
happened there was a great event at the Elementary School there

[Speaker 2] (31:20 - 31:26)
You can find out all about this on our website that is on the Mass Cultural Council page,

[Speaker 2] (31:27 - 31:31)
but I also want to encourage you to take advantage of the upcoming events,

[Speaker 2] (31:31 - 31:32)
the Harbor and Marine Festival,

[Speaker 2] (31:33 - 31:35)
all of the Summer by the Sea concert series,

[Speaker 2] (31:35 - 31:37)
the Juneteenth flag raising celebration,

[Speaker 2] (31:38 - 31:46)
and then Joe is going to be letting the world know about the high school video installation project that is...

[Speaker 2] (31:46 - 31:55)
In the works, Conservancy has a native law and alternatives talk coming up, the senior center.

[Speaker 2] (31:57 - 32:00)
has a, well that's not open to everybody sorry.

[Speaker 2] (32:01 - 32:19)
Community cooking through Spur, you can sign up to make about a billion lasagnas to support local people who like lasagna and if you notice on your way, it's actually not just for people who like lasagna, but if you notice on your way out of the meeting or actually it's going to be dark,

[Speaker 2] (32:19 - 32:23)
but on the corner of Paradise and Burrell we have a new electrical box painting.

[Speaker 2] (32:23 - 32:51)
check it out it looks really good it's by an artist named Emily Jewett and then we have we'll see how this goes a musical instrument lending program if you or a child of yours is taking advantage of this program let me know because that will help us know whether we want to do it again next year the Cultural Council is for all of you everyone here who wants to run a program in town that has a cultural very broad that's a very broad umbrella guys

[Speaker 2] (32:51 - 32:53)
has a cultural component.

[Speaker 2] (32:53 - 33:00)
You can apply for a reasonable amount of money and run a program in town.

[Speaker 2] (33:00 - 33:03)
We have an Instagram,

[Speaker 2] (33:04 - 33:05)
we have a Facebook page.

[Speaker 2] (33:05 - 33:08)
If you follow us, you'll find out when the grant cycle opens.

[Speaker 2] (33:08 - 33:15)
And I highly encourage everyone to take advantage of this local money that we get from the state.

[Speaker 1] (33:16 - 33:17)
Thank you, Ms. Cloud.

[Speaker 1] (33:22 - 33:29)
And I'd like to invite Anika Kumle to come up and give us an update on the community life center feasibility task force.

[Speaker 2] (33:34 - 33:36)
Hi, folks. My name is Anika Kumly.

[Speaker 2] (33:36 - 33:42)
I'm the chair of the Swampscott Community Life Center Feasibility Advisory Task Force. It's quite a mouthful.

[Speaker 2] (33:43 - 33:46)
We can actually go to the next slide if we could.

[Speaker 2] (33:47 - 33:51)
So we were convened out of a town meeting actually two years ago.

[Speaker 2] (33:51 - 34:05)
We started in January of 2025 and what essentially happened was at this lovely town meeting two years ago there was a need presented that we in Swampscott have a couple of things going on that could maybe use a little attention.

[Speaker 2] (34:05 - 34:12)
The first is that the rec department has no permanent space for their indoor programming. They are currently using the lovely Clark School.

[Speaker 2] (34:13 - 34:39)
That is a temporary agreement that comes up for renewal and then we also have the Swamp Scott Senior Center and Heidi Weir is doing such an incredible job that her programming is incredibly in demand and pulling folks in from across the community and they unfortunately do not have adequate space to meet their needs and so they are also using the Clark School to help expand and make sure that they have the space to fulfill all of their programming.

[Speaker 2] (34:40 - 34:41)
demands.

[Speaker 2] (34:41 - 34:50)
So, and then lastly we also here don't necessarily have a central gathering place for community activities and programming.

[Speaker 2] (34:50 - 34:52)
So what was happened, what happened was,

[Speaker 2] (34:52 - 34:53)
if we could go to the next slide,

[Speaker 2] (34:53 - 34:56)
we were formed.

[Speaker 2] (34:57 - 35:04)
with the sort of remit to evaluate would there be a need for a space,

[Speaker 2] (35:04 - 35:06)
a community life center of sorts in Swampscott?

[Speaker 2] (35:06 - 35:08)
And what we were tasked with,

[Speaker 2] (35:09 - 35:14)
many folks from across Swampscott town government were pulled in and many of them are here tonight.

[Speaker 2] (35:14 - 35:18)
Thank you so much for being here to help us figure this this out.

[Speaker 2] (35:18 - 35:23)
So our whole remit is to just do two things. One, figure out if the community wants something like this.

[Speaker 3] (35:24 - 35:24)
And then two,

[Speaker 3] (35:25 - 35:25)
if they do,

[Speaker 3] (35:25 - 35:27)
whether or not it's feasible.

[Speaker 3] (35:27 - 35:33)
So what we've done is over the course of the last, call it 16,

[Speaker 3] (35:33 - 35:34)
17 months,

[Speaker 3] (35:34 - 35:36)
we put ourselves together.

[Speaker 3] (35:36 - 35:49)
We have put out both an RFQ and an RFP for a firm to help us do an evaluation of the sites we have here and figure out how we're going to gather feedback from across as many folks in our community as possible.

[Speaker 3] (35:50 - 35:52)
So you may have seen on your arrival here today,

[Speaker 3] (35:52 - 35:55)
we're handing out flyers. This has a survey.

[Speaker 3] (35:55 - 35:58)
Please, please, please, please, please fill this out. Give it to your friends, your neighbors,

[Speaker 3] (35:58 - 35:59)
your family,

[Speaker 3] (35:59 - 36:00)
folks at the grocery store.

[Speaker 3] (36:00 - 36:02)
A great way to build community,

[Speaker 3] (36:02 - 36:02)
just,

[Speaker 3] (36:02 - 36:03)
you know.

[Speaker 3] (36:03 - 36:06)
So what we're looking for is to gather as much feedback as we possibly can.

[Speaker 3] (36:07 - 36:08)
This survey is live.

[Speaker 3] (36:08 - 36:10)
And what we're looking for is a couple of things.

[Speaker 3] (36:11 - 36:11)
One,

[Speaker 3] (36:11 - 36:14)
do you think that this is something that would add value to the community?

[Speaker 3] (36:14 - 36:15)
Is it important?

[Speaker 3] (36:15 - 36:16)
And two,

[Speaker 3] (36:17 - 36:18)
if it is, what would you want to see?

[Speaker 3] (36:18 - 36:22)
Is this something that you would use for recreation,

[Speaker 3] (36:22 - 36:24)
for programming as a place to get coffee?

[Speaker 3] (36:24 - 36:27)
And then where in town would you want to see something like this?

[Speaker 3] (36:27 - 36:30)
So if we could actually go to the next slide.

[Speaker 3] (36:31 - 36:33)
These are the lovely folks on the committee,

[Speaker 3] (36:33 - 36:35)
so if you know them, ask them.

[Speaker 3] (36:35 - 36:37)
They're wonderful resources,

[Speaker 3] (36:37 - 36:48)
particularly Heidi and Charlotte, who are leading two of the very important services that we have here that is the remit for this exploration as it stands,

[Speaker 3] (36:48 - 36:50)
and if we could go one more slide beyond.

[Speaker 3] (36:50 - 36:52)
This is all the work that we've done to date,

[Speaker 3] (36:52 - 36:58)
and right now we are in this community feedback gathering place, so please, if you have time,

[Speaker 3] (36:58 - 37:00)
the survey doesn't take more than about...

[Speaker 3] (37:01 - 37:07)
four minutes at max to fell out and we want to hear from you we want to hear from you we want to hear from as many of you as possible

[Speaker 3] (37:08 - 37:17)
so if you do not have one of these we're happy to hand them out happy to make them available to you we'll have some available to grab on the way out as well and I think one more slide

[Speaker 3] (37:19 - 37:19)
Um,

[Speaker 3] (37:19 - 37:22)
this is really where we are in the process.

[Speaker 3] (37:22 - 37:24)
So once we gather as much feedback as possible,

[Speaker 3] (37:24 - 37:27)
then we'll start to analyze it and figure out, all right,

[Speaker 3] (37:27 - 37:30)
what does this mean? What direction does this point us in?

[Speaker 3] (37:30 - 37:31)
If folks do want something like this,

[Speaker 3] (37:31 - 37:33)
where could this possibly go?

[Speaker 3] (37:33 - 37:39)
And all we're doing is trying to give us, is trying to give the town information to make a decision on how to move forward.

[Speaker 3] (37:40 - 37:44)
So that's really our remit and we hope to hear from you and thanks so much.

[Speaker 1] (37:47 - 37:47)
Thank you, Ms.

[Speaker 1] (37:47 - 37:48)
Coomley.

[Speaker 1] (37:51 - 37:57)
And finally, I'd like to invite Angela Ippolito and Jer Jerma to give us an update from the planning board.

[Speaker 4] (38:06 - 38:07)
Thank you, Mr.

[Speaker 4] (38:07 - 38:07)
Moderator.

[Speaker 4] (38:08 - 38:15)
I'm Angela Ippolito. I am a town meeting member from Precinct 5 and a member of the planning board.

[Speaker 4] (38:15 - 38:30)
So my colleague Jer and I wanted to come up and just go through a few of the projects that we get asked about all the time and give you a quick update on these particular topics and I'm going to go through the first one for you our master plan.

[Speaker 4] (38:31 - 38:39)
Our Master Plan Committee recently completed their review and update of our master plan.

[Speaker 4] (38:39 - 38:43)
So now we have a new master plan that's good for the next 10 years,

[Speaker 4] (38:43 - 38:47)
2026 to 2035, which sounds crazy,

[Speaker 4] (38:47 - 38:49)
but there you have it.

[Speaker 4] (38:50 - 38:56)
The select board and the planning board will meet jointly on June 2017.

[Speaker 4] (38:57 - 39:17)
to renew to review together and to adopt the master plan the master plan is online if you want to read it yourself or you'd like to just get more information please feel free to take a look on the town's website and I think it's under community development master plan okay

[Speaker 4] (39:19 - 39:22)
I think we can go to the next slide please Vernon Square

[Speaker 4] (39:24 - 39:25)
So in 2023,

[Speaker 4] (39:26 - 39:29)
town meeting passed the Vinan Square Overlay District.

[Speaker 4] (39:30 - 39:40)
The goal was to re-envision an old commercial site, a very tired old commercial site, and to redevelop it as a walkable,

[Speaker 4] (39:40 - 39:40)
attractive,

[Speaker 4] (39:41 - 39:42)
mixed-use neighborhood.

[Speaker 4] (39:43 - 39:44)
So...

[Speaker 1] (39:43 - 39:50)
So, no doubt all of you have seen the construction happening at Swamp Scott Mall.

[Speaker 1] (39:50 - 39:52)
Vinton Square,

[Speaker 1] (39:52 - 39:58)
incidentally, the overlay district encompasses both malls on either side of Paradise Road.

[Speaker 1] (39:59 - 40:00)
In this presentation,

[Speaker 1] (40:00 - 40:03)
we're talking about the Swamp Scott Mall side.

[Speaker 1] (40:04 - 40:06)
So if you've seen that development,

[Speaker 1] (40:06 - 40:17)
you've already seen that the developer has begun the project by revitalizing and redesigning the facades of existing mall buildings,

[Speaker 1] (40:17 - 40:19)
including our anchor stores.

[Speaker 1] (40:19 - 40:23)
We've added a new tenant who has already proven to be quite a hit.

[Speaker 1] (40:25 - 40:32)
You've probably also noticed they're framing up for three additional new structures throughout the parking lot.

[Speaker 1] (40:33 - 40:37)
They are soon to expand our dining options,

[Speaker 1] (40:37 - 40:39)
so stay tuned for that.

[Speaker 1] (40:40 - 40:44)
And the third part of this is to create new housing.

[Speaker 1] (40:45 - 40:50)
And the housing you can see is that S-shaped building all the way over by Essex Street.

[Speaker 1] (40:51 - 41:07)
It will be, according to our inclusionary zoning bylaw, 10% of the units will be affordable and it's a fully residential building. This new building doesn't require the destruction of any nature areas.

[Speaker 1] (41:08 - 41:30)
It's built with the newest energy efficient and sustainable technology and its infrastructure improvements that have already been implemented and more to come have happened not only underneath the site but all the way through Swamp's Gut Mall to improve the drainage and the water infrastructure in that area.

[Speaker 1] (41:30 - 41:33)
And then finally what connects it all.

[Speaker 1] (41:34 - 41:36)
is the pedestrian access.

[Speaker 1] (41:36 - 41:38)
You can actually go to the next slide too.

[Speaker 1] (41:39 - 41:43)
Well, I'll just point out there's a courtyard and a terrace.

[Speaker 1] (41:44 - 41:47)
So there are green spaces built into the building,

[Speaker 1] (41:47 - 41:48)
hence the S shape.

[Speaker 1] (41:48 - 41:57)
There's a courtyard on the residential building that connects it to Stop and Shop and from there connects to a very wide pedestrian network.

[Speaker 1] (41:57 - 42:05)
So all of the walkways in front of the existing mall will be widened for ease of accessibility. They'll be

[Speaker 1] (42:05 - 42:12)
be benches, plantings, and so forth, and you'll be able to easily walk from one end of the mall all the way through the other.

[Speaker 1] (42:12 - 42:19)
And in between, you'll find courtyards, new and expanded pedestrian walkways, landscaping, lighting,

[Speaker 1] (42:19 - 42:20)
artwork,

[Speaker 1] (42:20 - 42:21)
pocket parks,

[Speaker 1] (42:22 - 42:23)
and outdoor spaces.

[Speaker 1] (42:25 - 42:32)
This is a significant investment by a private owner that will benefit all the residents.

[Speaker 1] (42:32 - 42:33)
You can go on to the next slide,

[Speaker 1] (42:33 - 42:33)
please.

[Speaker 1] (42:35 - 42:36)
And one more actually.

[Speaker 1] (42:37 - 42:37)
There you go.

[Speaker 1] (42:38 - 42:38)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (42:39 - 42:41)
It'll benefit all the residents in town.

[Speaker 1] (42:41 - 42:49)
So it's not for the benefit of a small group. It's not a very isolated pocket of people that are going to enjoy this. It really is for all of us.

[Speaker 1] (42:49 - 43:02)
There'll be, we're anticipating an enormous stimulating economic boom in that area that will bolster our municipal tax revenue,

[Speaker 1] (43:02 - 43:04)
which makes all of us happy.

[Speaker 1] (43:04 - 43:10)
And now I'm going to turn it over to my colleague Jer who will deliver the comments on the next few topics.

[Speaker 2] (43:11 - 43:12)
Good evening.

[Speaker 2] (43:13 - 43:14)
I'm Jer Jerma,

[Speaker 2] (43:14 - 43:15)
Precinct 3,

[Speaker 2] (43:15 - 43:20)
Vice Chair of the Historic District Commission,

[Speaker 2] (43:20 - 43:22)
Planning Board member,

[Speaker 2] (43:22 - 43:24)
and CPC member.

[Speaker 2] (43:25 - 43:31)
So I'm going to talk a little bit more about the areas over by the ocean. The Hadley.

[Speaker 2] (43:32 - 43:39)
School is definitely moving forward with Del Mar Squamscott developing the Hamley Hotel.

[Speaker 2] (43:40 - 43:45)
Updated plans are going to be reviewed by the select board and the planning board during the month of June.

[Speaker 2] (43:46 - 43:51)
So I know a lot of people have been asking us not seeing a lot of going on on the ground there,

[Speaker 2] (43:51 - 43:53)
but all of the planning is moving forward.

[Speaker 2] (43:54 - 43:59)
Over at the Hawthorne, the Hawthorne Advisory Committee completed their work last week.

[Speaker 2] (43:59 - 44:03)
last fall and submitted the report to the select board on November 18th.

[Speaker 2] (44:04 - 44:11)
Since then, this select board voted to lease the Hawthorne property to the Swampscott Center for the Performing Arts through June 30,

[Speaker 2] (44:11 - 44:12)
2028,

[Speaker 2] (44:12 - 44:15)
which leaves us an ample amount of planning time.

[Speaker 2] (44:16 - 44:21)
The Swampscott Center for the Performing Arts will operate as an entertainment venue with live music and comedy,

[Speaker 2] (44:21 - 44:29)
and Maria's Gourmet will be operating a food shop in the former fish store location for the duration of the lease.

[Speaker 2] (44:30 - 44:37)
Plans are to open by July 1st, pending all appropriate permits, and to offer a dinner menu and a full service bar.

[Speaker 2] (44:38 - 44:39)
In the meantime,

[Speaker 2] (44:39 - 44:45)
the long-term RFP discussion for the Hawthorne site will be on the Select Board's agenda in the month of June.

[Speaker 2] (44:45 - 44:48)
The Select Board plans to work with the Planning Board,

[Speaker 2] (44:49 - 44:50)
the Director of Community Development,

[Speaker 2] (44:50 - 44:57)
the Senior Town Planner, and other relevant town committees to finalize the long-term development strategy.

[Speaker 2] (44:57 - 45:00)
and ultimately issue an RFP as soon as possible.

[Speaker 2] (45:02 - 45:07)
Now all of this is occurring in and around the Humphrey Street Overlay District.

[Speaker 2] (45:08 - 45:10)
This is going to tie the whole thing together.

[Speaker 2] (45:10 - 45:25)
This was adopted by town meeting back in 2015 and I think a lot of the long-term residents in town really have seen how Humphrey Street has come together over the last few years as a destination. It's a lot more lively than it was before this.

[Speaker 2] (45:27 - 45:36)
The this overlay district encourages a mix of uses fosters a sense of place and connects to the natural waterfront environment.

[Speaker 2] (45:37 - 45:49)
The guidelines emphasize continuity with existing use and development patterns for optimal neighborhood activation and cohesion and create visual harmony.

[Speaker 2] (45:50 - 45:51)
At our fall town meeting,

[Speaker 2] (45:51 - 46:00)
the planning board will propose amending this district to strengthen some of those provisions and to assure that it moves forward in the direction that it's moving.

[Speaker 2] (46:01 - 46:05)
So thank you all and we look forward to talking about those things in the fall.

[Speaker 1] (46:06 - 46:10)
And for more information on any of these topics,

[Speaker 1] (46:10 - 46:15)
please go to the town's website under community development,

[Speaker 1] (46:16 - 46:17)
look on town projects,

[Speaker 1] (46:17 - 46:28)
and you will be able to see update and status of all of these projects. Also, all of the meetings that are held regarding these projects are public meetings.

[Speaker 1] (46:29 - 46:32)
You can always check the calendar and feel free to attend.

[Speaker 1] (46:33 - 46:33)
end. Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (46:36 - 46:37)
Thank you very much.

[Speaker 3] (46:38 - 46:40)
The town administrator has a brief announcement.

[Speaker 4] (46:42 - 46:44)
I'm Nick Connors, the town administrator.

[Speaker 4] (46:45 - 46:50)
I just wanted to highlight that tonight we offered child care for the first time that REC put together.

[Speaker 4] (46:54 - 46:56)
And it was a pilot program,

[Speaker 4] (46:56 - 47:06)
I know with relatively late notice, but I wanted to highlight that we plan to also offer it in the fall, so we hope more folks will register and take advantage of it, but I just wanted to highlight that although it's a pilot,

[Speaker 4] (47:06 - 47:08)
we plan to be moving forward with it. Thank you very much.

[Speaker 3] (47:13 - 47:28)
All right. Now, before we begin uh before we get to the articles that will require votes tonight, it's important that we swear in any new members of town meeting. So if you are new uh either newly elected or uh became a member during the um caucus tonight,

[Speaker 3] (47:29 - 47:33)
uh please stand in place and our town clerk will swear you in.

[Speaker 6] (47:41 - 47:42)
Does it work now? Can you hear me?

[Speaker 6] (47:44 - 47:48)
Thank you. If you would, raise your right hand, please, and repeat after me.

[Speaker 6] (47:49 - 47:50)
I, state your name,

[Speaker 6] (47:50 - 47:51)
Do

[Speaker 6] (47:52 - 47:53)
solemnly swear

[Speaker 6] (47:55 - 47:57)
that I will bear true faith

[Speaker 6] (47:59 - 48:01)
and allegiance to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

[Speaker 6] (48:04 - 48:07)
and will support the constitution thereof.

[Speaker 6] (48:10 - 48:13)
And that I will faithfully and impartially discharge

[Speaker 6] (48:15 - 48:18)
and perform all the duties incumbent

[Speaker 6] (48:21 - 48:24)
on me as town meeting member for

[Speaker 6] (48:26 - 48:32)
the town of Swampscott according to the best of my abilities and

[Speaker 6] (48:34 - 48:35)
understanding agreeably.

[Speaker 6] (48:38 - 48:40)
to the bylaws and the charter of

[Speaker 6] (48:42 - 48:42)
the town,

[Speaker 6] (48:44 - 48:47)
and the constitution and the laws of this commonwealth.

[Speaker 6] (48:50 - 48:51)
Congratulations,

[Speaker 6] (48:51 - 48:51)
thank you.

[Speaker 3] (48:55 - 48:55)
Great.

[Speaker 3] (48:55 - 48:57)
Thank you all for participating.

[Speaker 3] (48:58 - 49:00)
All right, let's move to Article 2,

[Speaker 3] (49:00 - 49:02)
to approve the bills of prior fiscal year.

[Speaker 3] (49:03 - 49:06)
Mr. Hartman from the Finance Committee will walk us through this one.

[Speaker 4] (49:08 - 49:09)
Thank you, Mr.

[Speaker 4] (49:09 - 49:09)
Moderator.

[Speaker 4] (49:11 - 49:12)
Eric Hartman, Precinct One,

[Speaker 4] (49:13 - 49:14)
Finance Committee,

[Speaker 4] (49:14 - 49:15)
Chair of the Finance Committee,

[Speaker 4] (49:16 - 49:17)
town meeting member.

[Speaker 4] (49:17 - 49:28)
The Finance Committee recommends the town vote to authorize payment of bills of prior years totaling forty one thousand nine sixty three seventy five as detailed in the printed warrant.

[Speaker 4] (49:29 - 49:34)
And it's funding therefore to transfer $41,963.75 from free cash.

[Speaker 4] (49:35 - 49:37)
I move the recommendation of the Finance Committee.

[Speaker 3] (49:38 - 49:39)
Is there a second?

[Speaker 2] (49:38 - 49:39)
Is there a second?

[Speaker 2] (49:40 - 49:41)
Thank you. Mr. Hartman?

[Speaker 1] (49:42 - 50:04)
So this is a a article we have pretty much every year when bills come in from vendors that uh come in after the year is closed out. Um so we used free cash to to pay these bills. The the largest one, as you'll see in the printed warrant, had to do with several years of invoices from express scripts, related to uh medical claims for some of our uh town employees. Um

[Speaker 1] (50:04 - 50:10)
Um so it the the issue's been resolved. We feel feel we need to pay the bills, so this is just uh as I said fairly routine article.

[Speaker 2] (50:11 - 50:13)
Thank you. Anyone wish to speak on article two?

[Speaker 2] (50:23 - 50:26)
Okay. Uh think we need a motion to

[Speaker 1] (50:27 - 50:28)
We have a motion, it's seconded, I think.

[Speaker 2] (50:28 - 50:36)
Okay, then take a vote. Great. All right, so all in all in favour of uh moving forward on Mr Hartman's motion, uh please raise your hand.

[Speaker 2] (50:38 - 50:41)
Thank you, all opposed? It is unanimous.

[Speaker 2] (50:42 - 50:48)
Moving to article three, uh please refer to the yellow handout that you received on your way in for the latest

[Speaker 2] (50:51 - 50:52)
and Mr Hartman.

[Speaker 1] (50:55 - 51:01)
The Finance recommends the town vote to amend the FY 2026 Departmental Budget as printed in the warrant,

[Speaker 1] (51:01 - 51:03)
with the following exception,

[Speaker 1] (51:03 - 51:06)
as shown on the yellow handout entitled Article 3,

[Speaker 1] (51:07 - 51:11)
Amend Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Budget,

[Speaker 1] (51:11 - 51:16)
line 90452-52424,

[Speaker 1] (51:17 - 51:20)
Replacement Carts slash Parts.

[Speaker 1] (51:20 - 51:31)
increased by $330,000 to 330,863 and as funding therefore to transfer $330,000 from free cash.

[Speaker 1] (51:31 - 51:33)
I move the recommendation of the Finance Committee.

[Speaker 2] (51:34 - 51:35)
Sir second.

[Speaker 2] (51:36 - 51:37)
Thank you. Mr.

[Speaker 2] (51:37 - 51:37)
Hardman.

[Speaker 1] (51:38 - 51:39)
So as many people probably understand,

[Speaker 1] (51:40 - 51:44)
the town has been negotiating a new trash and recycle contract for a long time now.

[Speaker 1] (51:45 - 51:48)
Our current contract expires at the end of this year.

[Speaker 1] (51:49 - 52:08)
Uh and one of the provisions in the the contract that is not quite yet signed but is what I hear coming very down to short strokes is that there's a requirement to have new recycle bins for every house, every residence. So the plan is to move to a consistent approach. We already have res uh trash bins that everybody has a bin for.

[Speaker 1] (52:09 - 52:24)
We'd be moving away from just having your own your regular uh recycle bins have a a standard bin that can be picked up by an automated uh collection truck. So we need to have a new bin for everybody, it costs about three hundred and thirty thousand dollars.

[Speaker 1] (52:24 - 52:30)
The options are we pay for them outright out of using free cash which is what's recommended.

[Speaker 1] (52:31 - 52:36)
We could also purchase them through the capital budget and bond them at our typical bonding rates.

[Speaker 1] (52:36 - 52:40)
I think we got advice from town council we could bond them for five years.

[Speaker 1] (52:41 - 52:47)
The third option is the vendor has offered to lease them to us over either three, five or seven years.

[Speaker 1] (52:48 - 53:08)
Uh so the Finance Committee agreed that the best approach is to use free cash. This is really a one-time event, it's not a recurring expense, it's kind of what free cash is is there for. Uh and the bu the leasing terms that were offered by the vendor were really not favourable. It was, it had implied interest rates that were really close to double what we could get if we bonded them ourselves.

[Speaker 1] (53:09 - 53:12)
The other reason to take care of it through free cash is if

[Speaker 1] (53:12 - 53:16)
If we bond them ourselves or take the financing offer from the vendor,

[Speaker 1] (53:17 - 53:21)
that will add a recurring operating expense to the budget every year as we pay for the cost of those bins.

[Speaker 2] (53:25 - 53:26)
Yes, here.

[Speaker 2] (53:26 - 53:28)
Please come up to one of the microphones.

[Speaker 3] (53:39 - 53:41)
Hi, Mary Webster, Precinct Three.

[Speaker 3] (53:42 - 53:50)
If this does pass, two questions. How big are those recycle bins going to be? Some people have two.

[Speaker 3] (53:50 - 53:58)
And secondly, what do we do with the ones that we have? Do we have to get rid of those ourselves, or does the town take over that for us?

[Speaker 2] (53:59 - 53:59)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (54:01 - 54:06)
I can try to answer, but I think somebody on the committee who was working with this contract might be better suited for that.

[Speaker 2] (54:07 - 54:09)
Solid waste, or Nick, do you want to take that one?

[Speaker 1] (54:11 - 54:12)
Can you hear me?

[Speaker 1] (54:12 - 54:40)
Okay. Uh there are two sizes that are being considered currently. One is sixty five gallons and one is ninety six, that final determination will be made um shortly. I think at the current time the recommendation would be go to ninety six gallons. So there are no concerns that we don't have enough space for a resident uh to be able to you know use it on a weekly basis. Uh on the question of returning anything that you have currently I'm looking to weigh in to see if he that is not something

[Speaker 1] (54:40 - 54:43)
something that I have the answer to right now.

[Speaker 1] (54:46 - 54:50)
I'm gonna ask Wayne Spritz to answer that if you if that's okay. Mary did you have a follow-up?

[Speaker 2] (54:54 - 55:00)
So so in the past what we have done is actually take them back and

[Speaker 2] (55:01 - 55:06)
however we haven't really discussed that in and be honest with you in depth however but I think

[Speaker 4] (55:07 - 55:34)
we would be recommending is that you can reuse them for other purposes. Um I think a lot of the last time we went about this five years ago, people were upset that they actually got rid of them. They wish they had kept them. Um so we're gonna we're gonna be holding some additional public hearings and get some feedback from the community. Um it would be my recommendation that you hold onto them and use them for yard waste. Um other than that we will have to come up with a um a take back.

[Speaker 4] (55:34 - 55:35)
programme.

[Speaker 2] (55:36 - 55:36)
Thank

[Speaker 1] (55:36 - 55:36)
And

[Speaker 2] (55:36 - 55:37)
you.

[Speaker 1] (55:37 - 55:40)
we can communicate details of a take-back programme in short order.

[Speaker 1] (55:41 - 55:44)
We're continuing conversations with the vendors so we can post an update to the town website.

[Speaker 2] (55:51 - 55:52)
Just can you hold on one second?

[Speaker 2] (55:52 - 55:53)
I'll come back to you.

[Speaker 2] (55:54 - 55:54)
Thanks.

[Speaker 1] (55:55 - 55:57)
Uh Dennis Pilon, Precinct four.

[Speaker 1] (55:58 - 56:11)
Um just still have some uh jitters from the last time they moved our trash to the little tiny black things. Um one even a ninety six gallon recycling may be, you know, sufficient for most families.

[Speaker 1] (56:11 - 56:24)
My family when all my kids are home, we're gonna go through more than one. Is there any way that we could purchase a second one ourselves to have two recycling bins available? Um just trying to go through, I I just worry that um we're just

[Speaker 1] (56:25 - 56:36)
Opening up a situation where we're not going to be able to p contain all the trash in two bins and then we have uh additional y know c if there's no bags or what have you, it's gonna be a problem.

[Speaker 2] (56:36 - 56:42)
Okay. Thank you for the question. Um, Mr Spitz maybe you come back up to the podium in case there's additional questions.

[Speaker 2] (56:43 - 56:43)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (56:45 - 56:48)
So there will be an option for a second barrel to be purchased through the town.

[Speaker 1] (56:49 - 57:07)
We are working on the details of that, and that would also be true for trash. For a pay as you throw, that will continue, where it if it's a a need where, you know, periodically, and I know this isn't necessarily the case you just outlined, but if you periodically need an additional bag, you can put it on top of the barrel as is and they will either come out of the truck

[Speaker 1] (57:07 - 57:16)
to throw it in or try to pick it up and put it all in in one one fell swoop. So both of those options will be addressed with the final uh plan that we put forward.

[Speaker 2] (57:18 - 57:18)
Thank you.

[Speaker 6] (57:24 - 57:25)
Thank you, Mr.

[Speaker 6] (57:25 - 57:26)
Moderator. Jim Smith,

[Speaker 6] (57:26 - 57:26)
Precinct five.

[Speaker 6] (57:27 - 57:32)
We heard again tonight that the current barrels we're using for trash came five years ago.

[Speaker 6] (57:33 - 57:45)
We heard from the chair of the finance committee that these new barrels for our recycles are meant to be picked up automatically as were the barrels that came five years ago.

[Speaker 6] (57:46 - 57:47)
Is there any,

[Speaker 6] (57:47 - 57:53)
are we going to have this picked up automatically or will we continue with the two individuals on each truck?

[Speaker 6] (57:54 - 57:59)
Most communities do have the automatic pickup, just wondering if that's why we're buying this tonight,

[Speaker 6] (57:59 - 58:01)
will we automatically get the new?

[Speaker 6] (58:02 - 58:04)
The automatic pickups in the future.

[Speaker 2] (58:04 - 58:05)
Thank you. Mr

[Speaker 1] (58:05 - 58:09)
Connage? Thank you for that question. It is an automated system that we'll be putting into place.

[Speaker 1] (58:09 - 58:20)
The idea with purchasing with the current year free cash is to get them deployed as quickly as possible so that we can go fully automated as soon as possible. The trash will be picked up automated at the beginning of the new contract,

[Speaker 1] (58:21 - 58:25)
which is July 1st, and the recycling will be picked up automated as soon as we're able to get these deployed,

[Speaker 1] (58:25 - 58:27)
which is why we came forward with this option tonight.

[Speaker 6] (58:27 - 58:28)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (58:29 - 58:29)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (58:30 - 58:31)
Yes, sir.

[Speaker 4] (58:34 - 58:37)
Hi, Chris Mancini, Tomini member Precinct 3.

[Speaker 4] (58:38 - 58:40)
Two quick questions.

[Speaker 4] (58:41 - 58:50)
This in the expense of 330 K in theory saves us money in the long term because the automatic pickup, just wondering if that's accurate and currently

[Speaker 4] (58:51 - 58:57)
There is a limit on trash that can fit in the barrel and there's no limit on recycling, right, you can put out as much recycling as you want.

[Speaker 4] (58:57 - 59:03)
Does that change with these new barrels? Are we now limited to one or two barrels as we purchase? Thanks.

[Speaker 2] (59:03 - 59:04)
Thank you very much, Mr Connors.

[Speaker 7] (59:05 - 59:09)
So yes, the reason is the reason we're pursuing this is as a cost savings.

[Speaker 7] (59:09 - 59:12)
If we do not have them deployed each month that they're manual,

[Speaker 7] (59:12 - 59:16)
there'll actually be an escalator in our contract. So we're trying to limit that or eliminate that.

[Speaker 7] (59:16 - 59:34)
let that completely. Uh on the question of a limit, there is the ninety six gallon limit to begin and then there will be an opportunity for additional barrels. So in theory there could be as many barrels as are necessary, but the goal is to have that one ninety six gall gallon barrel except in uh cases that's what's described earlier where a resident

[Speaker 1] (59:49 - 59:50)
It would have to go under recycling, a

[Speaker 2] (59:50 - 59:51)
You standard can't back

[Speaker 1] (59:51 - 59:51)
recycling

[Speaker 2] (59:51 - 59:51)
your cardboard

[Speaker 1] (59:51 - 59:52)
barrel.

[Speaker 2] (59:52 - 59:54)
boxes next to your thing like people do at

[Speaker 3] (59:54 - 59:54)
Can't

[Speaker 2] (59:54 - 59:54)
this

[Speaker 3] (59:54 - 59:55)
do point. that.

[Speaker 1] (59:55 - 1:00:08)
No, and what we're actually thinking on cardboard, we've spoken to the vendors that we've had these discussions with about even having the opportunity for drop off at the DPW yard throughout the month, and they would sort of take that as filled.

[Speaker 1] (1:00:08 - 1:00:16)
It's certainly something that we considered thinking about the fact that this one container for recycling is a little different, especially in the economy where Amazon is.

[Speaker 1] (1:00:16 - 1:00:23)
is delivering so much and you have so many cardboard boxes. So we're looking for alternatives. But yes, it would just be whatever we can fit within that barrel.

[Speaker 4] (1:00:24 - 1:00:25)
Thank you.

[Speaker 4] (1:00:26 - 1:00:26)
Yes, sir.

[Speaker 6] (1:00:32 - 1:00:48)
Can you hear me? Okay. Anthony Ardizone, town meeting member, precinct one. Um you talked about having multiple, like being able to purchase additional barrels for recycling and trash. Would that be a one-time expense? H how would that work? Is what's the cost? Is

[Speaker 7] (1:00:49 - 1:00:50)
Thank you. Mr.

[Speaker 1] (1:00:50 - 1:00:50)
So

[Speaker 7] (1:00:50 - 1:00:50)
Trask?

[Speaker 1] (1:00:50 - 1:00:52)
sorry.

[Speaker 1] (1:00:53 - 1:00:59)
The expense for an additional barrel would likely be annual because it would be adding to the tonnage and that tipping cost for the community.

[Speaker 1] (1:00:59 - 1:01:06)
And so a user that was exceeding that ninety six gallon limit on a regular basis it would be an annual fee for that second barrel.

[Speaker 6] (1:01:06 - 1:01:09)
And do you have any idea of how much that would be at the time?

[Speaker 1] (1:01:09 - 1:01:12)
We'll be able to finalise that in the coming weeks, I don't have that number for you tonight.

[Speaker 6] (1:01:12 - 1:01:13)
Alright, thank you.

[Speaker 2] (1:01:14 - 1:01:15)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (1:01:15 - 1:01:16)
Yes?

[Speaker 8] (1:01:25 - 1:01:28)
Damon Damati, Precinct 6 town meeting member.

[Speaker 8] (1:01:29 - 1:01:31)
How big is 96 gallons?

[Speaker 8] (1:01:32 - 1:01:38)
Well, I mean like compared to the garbage, the our garbage pail that we have now, the town issue, how much bigger is it?

[Speaker 9] (1:01:39 - 1:01:40)
Okay, thank you. Mr Connors? Do you

[Speaker 1] (1:01:43 - 1:01:44)
Standards like twice.

[Speaker 2] (1:01:44 - 1:01:45)
I think.

[Speaker 2] (1:01:48 - 1:02:00)
Uh it's forty three point five inches tall, twenty nine point seven five inches deep and thirty five or wide and thirty five point five inches deep.

[Speaker 9] (1:02:01 - 1:02:02)
Okay, I hope.

[Speaker 8] (1:02:02 - 1:02:05)
So I uh it doesn't help me that much.

[Speaker 9] (1:02:05 - 1:02:08)
Alright, so uh Mr. Spritz do you have any more details on the

[Speaker 8] (1:02:08 - 1:02:08)
Yeah.

[Speaker 9] (1:02:08 - 1:02:10)
uh dimensions of the barrels

[Speaker 10] (1:02:10 - 1:02:12)
I would say it's at least double that.

[Speaker 9] (1:02:12 - 1:02:13)
from the Solid Waste Committee or

[Speaker 8] (1:02:14 - 1:02:14)
So I

[Speaker 8] (1:02:16 - 1:02:19)
Is that about twice as much as, at least twice as big as the

[Speaker 9] (1:02:19 - 1:02:19)
garbage It's about

[Speaker 8] (1:02:19 - 1:02:20)
barrel?

[Speaker 9] (1:02:20 - 1:02:22)
three times the size of the existing barrels.

[Speaker 8] (1:02:23 - 1:02:23)
All right.

[Speaker 2] (1:02:23 - 1:02:23)
three

[Speaker 8] (1:02:24 - 1:02:24)
And how much were those?

[Speaker 8] (1:02:25 - 1:02:32)
I'm just thinking if you're like my mom who'll be 90 in November and she has to, I mean she's not,

[Speaker 8] (1:02:32 - 1:02:33)
she lives in Salem,

[Speaker 8] (1:02:33 - 1:02:34)
but she has to lug.

[Speaker 8] (1:02:35 - 1:02:47)
But if you're elderly or something like how much are these going to weigh? Are these like going to be behemoths to actually like lug out to the street? And where are they put for automatic pick-up? Do they have to be put in a very specific position?

[Speaker 9] (1:02:48 - 1:02:52)
Great. Thank you. Sounds like we have a number of practical questions. Mr Connors, do you want to entertain those tonight?

[Speaker 9] (1:02:54 - 1:02:55)
Do you have any other details handy?

[Speaker 1] (1:02:56 - 1:02:58)
I think what I can share is that yes,

[Speaker 1] (1:02:59 - 1:03:05)
we will want to place the barrels out at the end of your property on the street so that they're able to be picked up from a size standpoint.

[Speaker 1] (1:03:05 - 1:03:09)
We can work to get one at town hall so folks can actually come and see it.

[Speaker 1] (1:03:09 - 1:03:12)
I believe that if you were to drive through land on a trash day,

[Speaker 1] (1:03:12 - 1:03:15)
their larger barrels are actually 94 or 95 gallons.

[Speaker 1] (1:03:16 - 1:03:17)
They're all in that same window.

[Speaker 1] (1:03:18 - 1:03:20)
They are larger than what we have for trash.

[Speaker 1] (1:03:20 - 1:03:34)
but they are, you know, not so large that you're not able to manoeuvre them. Uh but we will solid waste advisory committee had talked about trying to get one to town hall so you'd be able to see it. Um so I hope that answers your question. I can't see you back there any longer.

[Speaker 9] (1:03:35 - 1:03:37)
Great. Thank you very much.

[Speaker 9] (1:03:38 - 1:03:39)
Yes, ma'am.

[Speaker 10] (1:03:40 - 1:03:41)
Catherine Wilson,

[Speaker 10] (1:03:41 - 1:03:46)
Precinct six. Excuse me, Precinct three. Two questions. One,

[Speaker 10] (1:03:48 - 1:03:57)
What if we vote no? What are the options then? How does that affect the negotiations going on for this new contract?

[Speaker 10] (1:03:57 - 1:04:00)
And number two, Mr.

[Speaker 10] (1:04:00 - 1:04:04)
Khan, as you mentioned that if someone wants to purchase the second barrel for recycling,

[Speaker 10] (1:04:05 - 1:04:07)
they'll have to pay an annual fee for that.

[Speaker 10] (1:04:08 - 1:04:09)
So if I have recycling,

[Speaker 10] (1:04:09 - 1:04:12)
I have a lot sometimes and I need two barrels,

[Speaker 10] (1:04:12 - 1:04:14)
but I don't need to use it every week.

[Speaker 10] (1:04:14 - 1:04:18)
I have to pay for that extra barrel every week, every year.

[Speaker 10] (1:04:18 - 1:04:19)
Is that what you're saying?

[Speaker 1] (1:04:20 - 1:04:22)
That is what I described.

[Speaker 1] (1:04:22 - 1:04:33)
I think that we would love to come up with an alternative for drop-off for an episodic type need like that, if there's a party, or if there's an event at your home that requires that.

[Speaker 1] (1:04:34 - 1:04:39)
But yes, as described, a second barrel for annual use would require an annual fee.

[Speaker 1] (1:04:39 - 1:04:47)
If the town chooses to vote no, if the body chooses to vote no, then the cost for manual pickup will be applied monthly.

[Speaker 1] (1:04:47 - 1:05:01)
by all the vendors that we've spoken to and so that would incur an additional cost every month that would far exceed over the course of a year the cost of the barrels if we're able to purchase them with this free cash after being authorized this evening.

[Speaker 10] (1:05:01 - 1:05:04)
Do you have an estimate of what that over cost would be?

[Speaker 1] (1:05:04 - 1:05:13)
The additional cost? It's approximately $470,000 a year, it's $40,000 a month, just under $40,000 a month for manual pick up.

[Speaker 9] (1:05:15 - 1:05:15)
Okay.

[Speaker 10] (1:05:15 - 1:05:15)
Thank

[Speaker 6] (1:05:15 - 1:05:15)
Thank

[Speaker 10] (1:05:15 - 1:05:15)
you.

[Speaker 6] (1:05:15 - 1:05:15)
you.

[Speaker 9] (1:05:15 - 1:05:16)
Thanks.

[Speaker 9] (1:05:17 - 1:05:19)
Ms. Wilson, did you have any further comments?

[Speaker 9] (1:05:22 - 1:05:23)
Okay, great. Thank you. Yes, sir.

[Speaker 1] (1:05:28 - 1:05:30)
George Brionis, town meeting member,

[Speaker 1] (1:05:30 - 1:05:31)
precinct one.

[Speaker 1] (1:05:31 - 1:05:33)
So just for the sake of clarity,

[Speaker 1] (1:05:33 - 1:05:38)
with the operation going into fully automated,

[Speaker 1] (1:05:39 - 1:05:41)
is that going to lower our costs?

[Speaker 1] (1:05:41 - 1:05:44)
From what the present cost is for us.

[Speaker 9] (1:05:44 - 1:05:45)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (1:05:47 - 1:06:08)
I I had planned to speak a little more detail on the next article, but I'm happy to answer the question now. What it lowers is the cost for the service going forward. We are not going to a lower price than we currently pay. The contract that we've had in place has been in place basically for ten years. It was with JRM and then with its i its successor, Republic uh Waste.

[Speaker 1] (1:06:09 - 1:06:14)
And so the contract going forward introduces costs for recycling, which never existed in the past,

[Speaker 1] (1:06:14 - 1:06:16)
costs for fuel that did not exist in the past.

[Speaker 1] (1:06:17 - 1:06:18)
Obviously,

[Speaker 1] (1:06:18 - 1:06:23)
the automation versus manual is a difference in cost based on which direction we choose to go as a community.

[Speaker 1] (1:06:24 - 1:06:34)
We have negotiated for a number of months and have worked closely with our DEP technical assistance, and I really want to highlight that the Solid Waste Advisory Committee spent time even prior to my arriving here.

[Speaker 1] (1:06:35 - 1:06:51)
understanding the market, understanding uh the players in the market and what might be available. So it lowers our costs as compared to if we were to go manual, but it does not lower our costs based on what the contract costs today versus what it will cost going into the new fiscal year. Does that answer your question sir?

[Speaker 9] (1:06:53 - 1:06:53)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (1:06:53 - 1:06:53)
Thank you.

[Speaker 9] (1:06:53 - 1:06:54)
Thank you.

[Speaker 9] (1:06:56 - 1:06:56)
Yes ma'am.

[Speaker 11] (1:07:06 - 1:07:10)
Hi, my name is Katie Holt. I'm Precinct 3 meeting member.

[Speaker 11] (1:07:10 - 1:07:16)
I do have a question about the cost of what recycling will be like as opposed to regular garbage.

[Speaker 11] (1:07:16 - 1:07:20)
Right now we're incentivized to recycle because it's free,

[Speaker 11] (1:07:20 - 1:07:21)
right?

[Speaker 11] (1:07:21 - 1:07:28)
Because we only have our limited smaller black garbage can and then we have to pay extra money for those big blue bags.

[Speaker 11] (1:07:29 - 1:07:34)
Will the big blue bags cost more to continue people to recycle?

[Speaker 11] (1:07:35 - 1:07:39)
Alternatively, will it cost less to recycle with your extra container,

[Speaker 11] (1:07:39 - 1:07:57)
or will that be into consideration? Because I have to say, being incentivized to recycle for free definitely is better for our environment. It's, you know, showing our children how to be good stewards of the earth, as opposed to if it costs the same amount of money, there's going to be a lot of people who just throw things away that could otherwise be recycled.

[Speaker 1] (1:07:59 - 1:08:06)
So the benefit that we would derive from recycling that continues to be focused on putting the right material in and taking care of what you put in and when,

[Speaker 1] (1:08:06 - 1:08:25)
is that we do gain uh we share in the the value of our recycling as it is resold as a commodity following its tipping at the uh at the handling facility. So right now the material we send is not very contaminated. It is something that is useful to them on on their end.

[Speaker 1] (1:08:25 - 1:08:34)
and when they try to resell, we are currently not paying, because the contract didn't allow for it, but we're also not driving any benefit from the commodity that we create.

[Speaker 1] (1:08:34 - 1:08:45)
The benefit that we have going forward is that we have a tipping fee which is uh per ton cost, but then we're also getting eighty percent of the value of anything that that they resell, so that that lowers our tipping fee.

[Speaker 1] (1:08:46 - 1:09:02)
So as long as we continue to do everything we can to put good recycling in and to make our best efforts as a community, we will save more and more money off that tipping cost, which prior to this new contract didn't exist, but in all options going forward it will exist. We will always have to

[Speaker 1] (1:09:02 - 1:09:15)
have to pay for tipping of our recycling going forward, but we've done a really good job of putting good material into the system so far. And so going forward, if we continue to do that, it will lower our tipping costs for every ton that we that we have recycled.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:15 - 1:09:16)
Does that answer your question?

[Speaker 1] (1:09:33 - 1:09:39)
Yeah. So if you have additional comments, could you please make them into the microphone so we can all hear.

[Speaker 1] (1:09:43 - 1:09:48)
And if you could please try to state your question concisely for Ms Connors to answer. Excuse me.

[Speaker 2] (1:09:48 - 1:09:50)
Yes, apologies for not using the microphone.

[Speaker 2] (1:09:51 - 1:09:57)
I'm concerned this will cost more money for people to recycle than it will be for people to throw their garbage away.

[Speaker 2] (1:09:57 - 1:09:59)
So people will throw recyclables away.

[Speaker 2] (1:10:00 - 1:10:04)
I understand what you're saying in terms of how the town will benefit on the municipal level,

[Speaker 2] (1:10:04 - 1:10:11)
but how will individuals still be encouraged to recycle rather than just throw things away if it'll cost the same amount of money?

[Speaker 1] (1:10:13 - 1:10:13)
Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (1:10:15 - 1:10:17)
I apologize if I didn't answer the question.

[Speaker 3] (1:10:19 - 1:10:33)
exactly before, but the the benefit to the community at large is also the benefit to the individual residents because it lowers our overall cost if we are not just throwing recyclables into the trash. We will be paying per ton

[Speaker 3] (1:10:34 - 1:10:54)
A very similar price if you don't count that value that we get back, that eighty percent return that we get. So if you were to put material into the trash, you're paying the the, you know, say a hundred and twenty five dollars a ton. If you're paying if you're putting material into recycling, it's a hundred and twenty five dollars a ton, but we are rebate we receive a rebate for the quality of the material that we put in.

[Speaker 3] (1:10:54 - 1:11:05)
So we are all saving money individually and if we put it all into trash we have no opportunity to recoup any of it by putting good material into the recycling side and making the commodity more worthwhile.

[Speaker 3] (1:11:06 - 1:11:09)
I'm sorry if I'm not answering your question, but I'm trying.

[Speaker 1] (1:11:12 - 1:11:12)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (1:11:15 - 1:11:21)
Thank you. So there's a motion to end debate and vote on the motion Mr.

[Speaker 1] (1:11:21 - 1:11:39)
Hartman made on article three. So all those in favour of ending debates, please raise your hand. Thank you. We will now move to vote on the motion Mr. Hartman made on article three. All those in favour of article three. Thank you. All opposed. It is unanimous. Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (1:11:40 - 1:11:41)
Moving to Article four,

[Speaker 1] (1:11:43 - 1:11:53)
uh we'll be speaking about the appropriations for the fiscal year FY27 operating budget. In this case you get to refer to the blue handout that you received on your way in.

[Speaker 1] (1:11:56 - 1:12:04)
Uh I was informed before the meeting that select board voted five zero in favor of the budget that's being presented today by Mr Hartman.

[Speaker 3] (1:12:09 - 1:12:10)
Good evening.

[Speaker 3] (1:12:10 - 1:12:27)
The Finance Committee recommends adoption of each separate numbered line item as printed in the column entitled Finance Committee Recommended Budget FY 2027 as printed in the warrant, with the following exceptions as shown on the blue handout entitled Article 2,

[Speaker 3] (1:12:28 - 1:12:31)
Amendment for Appropriation for Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget,

[Speaker 3] (1:12:32 - 1:12:36)
line 90452-52000.

[Speaker 4] (1:12:37 - 1:13:04)
Solid Waste and Recycling Contract increase from $1,797,302 to $2,004,282 and line 90452-52420 decrease from $13,800 to zero and further that the sum of $87,041,794 be raised and appropriated as follows.

[Speaker 4] (1:13:05 - 1:13:09)
Raised and appropriate from taxes and other local receipts and state aid,

[Speaker 4] (1:13:10 - 1:13:21)
$79,596,061, not including state assessments and offsets of $1,463,002 that do not require appropriation.

[Speaker 4] (1:13:22 - 1:13:25)
Sewer rates $2,946,838.

[Speaker 4] (1:13:26 - 1:13:30)
Water rates $4,169,136.

[Speaker 4] (1:13:31 - 1:13:34)
Public education and governmental cable TV access funds,

[Speaker 4] (1:13:34 - 1:13:36)
$149,759.

[Speaker 4] (1:13:37 - 1:13:39)
Solid waste funds,

[Speaker 4] (1:13:39 - 1:13:40)
$180,000.

[Speaker 4] (1:13:40 - 1:13:43)
I move the recommendation of the Finance Committee.

[Speaker 1] (1:13:48 - 1:13:49)
Thank you, Mr. Hartman.

[Speaker 4] (1:13:50 - 1:14:17)
So before I get into the budget presentation in general, I think I'm just gonna talk about the the specific changes which once again relate to our solid waste and recycling contract that we've been talking about already. Um so the budget that's was originally printed in the in the warrant uh when that was printed, we did not know where the uh trash negotiations were heading. We knew they were heading higher, but we didn't have final numbers. So we had about a fifteen percent placeholder for increased cost.

[Speaker 4] (1:14:18 - 1:14:19)
for that one budget line item.

[Speaker 4] (1:14:20 - 1:14:28)
Now we're much closer to closing this deal and we need to add another $206,980 of cost to that line item.

[Speaker 4] (1:14:29 - 1:14:30)
So that's our starting point.

[Speaker 4] (1:14:31 - 1:14:46)
In order to fund that we're going to reduce a line called yard waste that had $13,800 in the already in the budget because the new contract already takes care of picking up yard waste. So we don't need that separate $13,800.

[Speaker 4] (1:14:47 - 1:14:57)
We also got some good news on our state aid. So we're expecting an additional $111,094 in unrestricted state aid.

[Speaker 4] (1:14:57 - 1:15:00)
So that will help offset this increase as well.

[Speaker 4] (1:15:00 - 1:15:01)
And the difference,

[Speaker 4] (1:15:01 - 1:15:10)
the recommendation of the Finance Committee is to let that remaining $82,086 fall to use of additional excess levy.

[Speaker 4] (1:15:11 - 1:15:21)
Which, as we know at this point in time, we're really just voting on the operating budget, and the use of excess levy is an estimate as the year continues to play out and we set the tax rates in the fall.

[Speaker 3] (1:15:25 - 1:15:25)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (1:15:25 - 1:15:31)
Thank you, Mr. Harbin. I do want to clarify a remark I made. The select board's unanimous support was for this blue piece of paper, not for the entire

[Speaker 3] (1:15:32 - 1:15:32)
Right.

[Speaker 1] (1:15:32 - 1:15:33)
budget that's in the warrant.

[Speaker 1] (1:15:34 - 1:15:42)
Okay, so as you may know, Article Four is the appropriation, the entire budget. We are going to go page by page.

[Speaker 1] (1:15:42 - 1:16:00)
Uh and then if anyone has any questions or comments about any of the the blocks of spending, the sub-totals are the blue lines below the amounts in that section. Uh so in your printed warrant, this will begin on page fourteen.

[Speaker 4] (1:16:01 - 1:16:02)
Mr. Rondar?

[Speaker 1] (1:16:02 - 1:16:02)
Yes,

[Speaker 4] (1:16:02 - 1:16:02)
If I

[Speaker 1] (1:16:02 - 1:16:02)
sir.

[Speaker 4] (1:16:02 - 1:16:06)
may, uh I just just clear Claire I intend to do a presentation before we go through the line

[Speaker 1] (1:16:06 - 1:16:06)
Oh

[Speaker 4] (1:16:06 - 1:16:06)
by

[Speaker 1] (1:16:06 - 1:16:06)
sure,

[Speaker 4] (1:16:06 - 1:16:07)
line,

[Speaker 1] (1:16:07 - 1:16:07)
okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:16:07 - 1:16:08)
if that's okay with you.

[Speaker 1] (1:16:08 - 1:16:09)
Yeah, let's go do that first. Thanks Eric.

[Speaker 4] (1:16:09 - 1:16:10)
That's why I got my water. I'm gonna be here a while.

[Speaker 1] (1:16:11 - 1:16:16)
Okay, sorry to get ahead of myself there. Mr. Hartman, you wanna take us through your presentation and then we'll look at the the budget itself. Thank you.

[Speaker 4] (1:16:16 - 1:16:18)
Thank you. If we could advance to the next slide.

[Speaker 4] (1:16:21 - 1:16:25)
So tonight I'm gonna walk the town meeting through the recommended fiscal budget for twenty twenty seven.

[Speaker 4] (1:16:26 - 1:16:30)
This was again a challenging budget season but also a very collaborative one.

[Speaker 4] (1:16:30 - 1:16:32)
The Finance Committee, the Select Board,

[Speaker 4] (1:16:33 - 1:16:34)
Capital Improvement Committee,

[Speaker 4] (1:16:34 - 1:16:36)
the School Committee and school staff and many others,

[Speaker 4] (1:16:36 - 1:16:45)
town administrator and finance staff have been working for several months to present the balanced budget that we present tonight. There have been numerous public meetings,

[Speaker 4] (1:16:45 - 1:16:46)
several joint meetings,

[Speaker 4] (1:16:47 - 1:16:55)
really we considered them mini financial summits that we've been trying to hold where committees and boards worked collaboratively to get us to the budget that we're presenting tonight.

[Speaker 4] (1:16:56 - 1:17:09)
So here's the headline in the budget: the budget before you is balanced and level serviced. It does not represent increased services or the expansion of town or school services. In fact, from a staffing perspective,

[Speaker 4] (1:17:10 - 1:17:18)
it represents a one and a half full-time equivalent or FTE reduction on the town side and a one FTE reduction on the school side.

[Speaker 4] (1:17:20 - 1:17:25)
So when we first started talking about the budget, the initial budget presented by the town administrator to the select board,

[Speaker 4] (1:17:25 - 1:17:29)
it had about a $2.6 million use of excess levy.

[Speaker 4] (1:17:30 - 1:17:32)
That was when we first started the process.

[Speaker 4] (1:17:32 - 1:17:40)
Over the last several months, with continued discussions, we've been able to reduce that by a million dollars with contributions from both the town and the school.

[Speaker 4] (1:17:41 - 1:17:45)
So this allowed us to reduce, but unfortunately not eliminate,

[Speaker 4] (1:17:45 - 1:17:49)
the need for excess levy. And now we're down to a use of about $1.6 million.

[Speaker 4] (1:17:51 - 1:17:54)
So the Finance Committee supports a budget that's before you tonight,

[Speaker 4] (1:17:54 - 1:17:59)
but we also want to be clear that excess levy capacity is not a permanent solution.

[Speaker 4] (1:17:59 - 1:18:01)
It gives the town flexibility,

[Speaker 4] (1:18:02 - 1:18:06)
but it does not eliminate the need to address the structural issues that we have in our budget.

[Speaker 4] (1:18:06 - 1:18:11)
where recurring revenues are not meeting the recurring expenses that the town incurs.

[Speaker 4] (1:18:12 - 1:18:14)
If you go to the next slide, please.

[Speaker 4] (1:18:16 - 1:18:23)
So town meeting will remember that last year the FY 2026 budget also used about $2.1 million of excess levee capacity.

[Speaker 4] (1:18:24 - 1:18:26)
And just for the new members,

[Speaker 4] (1:18:26 - 1:18:30)
excess levee capacity is unused taxing authority from previous years.

[Speaker 4] (1:18:31 - 1:18:43)
And because Swampscott had previously been levying at a rate that's lower than what Prop two and a half would allow, it we have this calculated unused capacity that we could effectively store up.

[Speaker 4] (1:18:44 - 1:18:48)
And that that past fiscal discipline has served the town well.

[Speaker 4] (1:18:48 - 1:18:54)
It's given us more flexibility than many other towns and communities that I'm sure you're probably hearing about in the newspaper.

[Speaker 4] (1:18:54 - 1:18:56)
But the flexibility is limited.

[Speaker 4] (1:18:57 - 1:19:08)
So while we're not asking for a prop two and a half override this year, the FY27 budget does rely on taxing above the typical two and a half percent plus new growth.

[Speaker 4] (1:19:09 - 1:19:12)
And we wouldn't be able to do that if we didn't have the excess levy capacity.

[Speaker 4] (1:19:12 - 1:19:16)
But the distinction is really that it doesn't matter to the taxpayer.

[Speaker 4] (1:19:16 - 1:19:21)
The taxpayer is still being asked to pay more than they'd normally pay under prop two and a half.

[Speaker 4] (1:19:22 - 1:19:24)
The good news is that we didn't pay it in previous years.

[Speaker 1] (1:19:26 - 1:19:29)
but now the time is coming where we need to ask for those funds.

[Speaker 1] (1:19:32 - 1:19:36)
So, as I said, we're hearing a lot about other neighbouring towns facing these same pressures,

[Speaker 1] (1:19:36 - 1:19:43)
and Swampscott clearly is not immune to the same economic and inflationary pressures that are in the world today.

[Speaker 1] (1:19:44 - 1:19:46)
So for many reasons that we're going to discuss tonight,

[Speaker 1] (1:19:46 - 1:19:48)
the cost of operating the town

[Speaker 1] (1:19:49 - 1:19:52)
is growing at a rate that exceeds our revenue growth.

[Speaker 1] (1:19:52 - 1:19:54)
And while we have several projects,

[Speaker 1] (1:19:54 - 1:19:56)
some of which we heard about tonight,

[Speaker 1] (1:19:56 - 1:19:59)
that promise the opportunity for future revenue increases,

[Speaker 1] (1:20:00 - 1:20:01)
they're not online today.

[Speaker 1] (1:20:01 - 1:20:11)
So we need to find a way to balance our budget using whatever means we have available to us until we can get some of those projects underway producing additional revenues for the town.

[Speaker 1] (1:20:12 - 1:20:14)
If you could advance the slide, please.

[Speaker 1] (1:20:16 - 1:20:25)
One other important factor that really gave the Finance Committee some more comfort to present this budget to you tonight is that the town's finance staff recently did a five-year forecast.

[Speaker 1] (1:20:26 - 1:20:28)
So as with any forecast,

[Speaker 1] (1:20:28 - 1:20:30)
we recognize there's uncertainty,

[Speaker 1] (1:20:30 - 1:20:32)
especially after the first year,

[Speaker 1] (1:20:32 - 1:20:40)
but the forecast was put together using conservative revenue forecasts and reasonable increases in our operating expenses.

[Speaker 1] (1:20:41 - 1:20:42)
And under that forecast,

[Speaker 1] (1:20:42 - 1:20:49)
the town is likely to need additional levy capacity in both FY28 and 2029.

[Speaker 1] (1:20:50 - 1:20:53)
So if the forecast is right and we don't do anything different,

[Speaker 1] (1:20:54 - 1:20:56)
I'll be standing here next year and the year after saying,

[Speaker 1] (1:20:56 - 1:20:59)
by the way, we need to use more of that excess levy capacity.

[Speaker 1] (1:21:02 - 1:21:06)
And even by using that in 2029, the money will be gone,

[Speaker 1] (1:21:06 - 1:21:08)
the excess levy will be exhausted,

[Speaker 1] (1:21:08 - 1:21:15)
and the forecast would say we need another half a million dollar override if we can't find ways to either cut our expenses or increase our revenues.

[Speaker 1] (1:21:16 - 1:21:18)
So it's not a rosy forecast,

[Speaker 1] (1:21:18 - 1:21:20)
but it's also not an immediate fiscal cliff.

[Speaker 1] (1:21:21 - 1:21:25)
The revenue assumptions that we're using in the forecast assume flat state aid,

[Speaker 1] (1:21:25 - 1:21:27)
so no increase in state aid.

[Speaker 1] (1:21:27 - 1:21:32)
So that's a conservative assumption to be calling for no increases in state aid.

[Speaker 1] (1:21:33 - 1:21:39)
It also doesn't include any of the revenues that may come from some of those, the development of Vinland Square or the hotel.

[Speaker 1] (1:21:40 - 1:21:41)
Also very conservative.

[Speaker 1] (1:21:44 - 1:21:47)
So if these revenues materialize in the future, then the outlook could become better.

[Speaker 1] (1:21:48 - 1:21:55)
But at the same time, the Finance Committee believes that the town needs to act now on some of the opportunities that we have to control our costs.

[Speaker 1] (1:21:56 - 1:22:04)
These include areas like the evaluating the financial impact of remaining in the state health insurance program versus considering other options.

[Speaker 1] (1:22:06 - 1:22:11)
Understanding the long-term budget agreements of, sorry, budget impact of the collective bargaining agreements that we enter into.

[Speaker 1] (1:22:12 - 1:22:15)
Considering targeted user fees where appropriate,

[Speaker 1] (1:22:15 - 1:22:20)
including such items as parking and potentially residential trash pickup charges.

[Speaker 1] (1:22:22 - 1:22:26)
Continuing to evaluate regionalization opportunities with other communities,

[Speaker 1] (1:22:27 - 1:22:29)
maximizing our local receipts,

[Speaker 1] (1:22:29 - 1:22:34)
and supporting appropriate development opportunities that can help expand the tax revenue base.

[Speaker 1] (1:22:34 - 1:22:38)
These are not simple decisions and none of them will solve the problem individually,

[Speaker 1] (1:22:39 - 1:22:45)
but taken together they're the type of actions that could help reduce or at least delay the need for an operating override in the future.

[Speaker 1] (1:22:48 - 1:22:51)
Another important item in the five-year forecast is our pension funding.

[Speaker 1] (1:22:52 - 1:22:58)
We've talked about this many times, but Swampscott has been on a long-term schedule to fully fund our unfunded pension liability.

[Speaker 1] (1:22:59 - 1:23:01)
The plan currently is for FY2031.

[Speaker 1] (1:23:02 - 1:23:07)
If we remain on that schedule and our investment return assumptions continue to hold,

[Speaker 1] (1:23:08 - 1:23:14)
then the forecast shows that our pension costs will begin to decline significantly once that liability is fully funded.

[Speaker 1] (1:23:15 - 1:23:17)
That means that in 2031,

[Speaker 1] (1:23:17 - 1:23:22)
instead of having the typical 5% increase that we've been experiencing in pension costs,

[Speaker 1] (1:23:22 - 1:23:25)
our costs will go down by about $1.3 million.

[Speaker 1] (1:23:26 - 1:23:28)
And that's the year we fully fund.

[Speaker 1] (1:23:28 - 1:23:28)
Then the next year,

[Speaker 1] (1:23:29 - 1:23:31)
we'll go down by another $5.2 million.

[Speaker 1] (1:23:32 - 1:23:34)
So that future relief is significant,

[Speaker 1] (1:23:34 - 1:23:35)
but it's not immediate.

[Speaker 1] (1:23:36 - 1:23:36)
It's not here now.

[Speaker 1] (1:23:37 - 1:23:41)
And it also doesn't mean the town will suddenly have excess money without competing demands.

[Speaker 1] (1:23:42 - 1:23:48)
One obvious use of the pension savings would be to meaningfully address the town's unfunded OPEB liability.

[Speaker 1] (1:23:49 - 1:23:53)
So OPEB for new members is other post-employment benefits,

[Speaker 1] (1:23:54 - 1:23:58)
which is basically the retirement cost that we have to continue to pay for retired employees.

[Speaker 1] (1:23:59 - 1:24:02)
We've been paying that on an as-you-go basis,

[Speaker 1] (1:24:02 - 1:24:08)
so every time we pay the bill for whatever the costs are each year versus creating a funded liability that would take care of those costs.

[Speaker 1] (1:24:10 - 1:24:16)
So to be clear, the Finance Committee is not suggesting that the forecast is going to be easy to meet or without risk,

[Speaker 1] (1:24:16 - 1:24:22)
but we do believe the town has some flexibility if we start working on some of these issues now to,

[Speaker 1] (1:24:22 - 1:24:25)
as I said, help avoid or at least mitigate a future override request.

[Speaker 1] (1:24:26 - 1:24:27)
Next slide, please.

[Speaker 1] (1:24:31 - 1:24:41)
So if we look at the total recommended general operating budget for 2027, we're proposing an increase of $2.9 million or $3.9 million over the 2026 budget.

[Speaker 1] (1:24:41 - 1:24:50)
I just want to briefly mention that my slides are not updated for the kind of floor of town meeting change we just did today around the trash budget.

[Speaker 1] (1:24:52 - 1:24:57)
So there are a number of specific cost drivers that can continue to contribute to our increase.

[Speaker 1] (1:24:57 - 1:24:59)
But before we look at the overall increase,

[Speaker 1] (1:24:59 - 1:25:05)
let's just look at, it's important for town meeting to understand some of the nature of the costs that are embedded within this budget.

[Speaker 1] (1:25:06 - 1:25:10)
Not every cost in an annual operating budget is fully discretionary in that particular year.

[Speaker 1] (1:25:11 - 1:25:13)
Some expenses are driven by prior commitments,

[Speaker 1] (1:25:14 - 1:25:16)
long-term financial policies,

[Speaker 1] (1:25:16 - 1:25:18)
contractual obligations,

[Speaker 1] (1:25:18 - 1:25:22)
or costs that are largely outside the town's direct control.

[Speaker 1] (1:25:23 - 1:25:28)
For example, our health insurance costs are increasing by 10% over FY26 in the budget.

[Speaker 1] (1:25:29 - 1:25:30)
As I said before,

[Speaker 1] (1:25:30 - 1:25:33)
the town participates in the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission,

[Speaker 1] (1:25:33 - 1:25:34)
or GIC,

[Speaker 1] (1:25:34 - 1:25:38)
and they're estimating and telling the town they expect a 10% increase in insurance costs.

[Speaker 1] (1:25:39 - 1:25:44)
So this is not a cost increase created by a new local program or a policy decision in the budget.

[Speaker 1] (1:25:45 - 1:25:53)
It's a cost the town must absorb based on the structure of our current employee benefits and the premium rates established throughout the state system.

[Speaker 1] (1:25:54 - 1:25:55)
Similarly,

[Speaker 1] (1:25:55 - 1:25:55)
as we discussed,

[Speaker 1] (1:25:56 - 1:25:59)
the town remains on a plan to fully fund our unfunded pension liability.

[Speaker 1] (1:25:59 - 1:26:03)
That's an important long-term financial commitment that we made many years ago,

[Speaker 1] (1:26:03 - 1:26:09)
and staying on that schedule requires a 4% increase in pension expense to the general budget this year.

[Speaker 1] (1:26:11 - 1:26:13)
We're also seeing increases in other town-wide obligations,

[Speaker 1] (1:26:13 - 1:26:17)
insurance expected to go up 9%, payroll tax and workers'

[Speaker 1] (1:26:17 - 1:26:20)
comp up 13%. And really,

[Speaker 1] (1:26:21 - 1:26:24)
these are costs that don't serve one department in particular, they support,

[Speaker 1] (1:26:24 - 1:26:26)
you know, the entire town, including the school.

[Speaker 1] (1:26:27 - 1:26:29)
Debt service is another important example.

[Speaker 1] (1:26:30 - 1:26:36)
In recent years, the town has taken a more disciplined approach in addressing some of our long-term infrastructure needs,

[Speaker 1] (1:26:36 - 1:26:38)
including water and sewer infrastructure,

[Speaker 1] (1:26:38 - 1:26:40)
the school building infrastructure,

[Speaker 1] (1:26:40 - 1:26:42)
and other major public assets.

[Speaker 1] (1:26:43 - 1:26:46)
Those capital decisions ultimately turn into debt service,

[Speaker 1] (1:26:46 - 1:26:55)
and in 2027 the budget is calling for about $7.6 million, which represents 9.7% of general fund operating expenses.

[Speaker 1] (1:26:56 - 1:27:04)
And just a reminder, the town has a fiscal policy where our goal is to stay below 10%. So we're just a tick under that goal for our debt service.

[Speaker 1] (1:27:05 - 1:27:08)
So when you look at these shared townwide expenses,

[Speaker 1] (1:27:08 - 1:27:12)
they represent nearly one-third of the general fund operating budget.

[Speaker 1] (1:27:12 - 1:27:15)
And this category by itself is going up by 5.2%.

[Speaker 1] (1:27:17 - 1:27:28)
So when you start to hear of two and a half percent prop two and a half it starts to make you understand how can you get there if these costs that you have longer-term financial commitments are going up 5.2 percent by themselves.

[Speaker 1] (1:27:30 - 1:27:40)
Next if we turn to our school department the school department recommended budget is increasing by 3.25 percent that's down from the original request which is closer to 4 percent.

[Speaker 1] (1:27:41 - 1:27:46)
As a reminder, about 80 percent of the school's operating budget is salaries or labor costs,

[Speaker 1] (1:27:47 - 1:27:55)
and FY27 is the second year of their collective bargaining agreement that called for a three percent annual cost of living adjustment.

[Speaker 1] (1:27:56 - 1:28:04)
The school department is also planning to use about $168,000 of funds carried in a revolving account at the end of 2026.

[Speaker 1] (1:28:05 - 1:28:13)
And they're also forecasting at the end of the year that that account will have about 260,000 remaining in that revolver.

[Speaker 1] (1:28:15 - 1:28:17)
Next we look at the rest of town government,

[Speaker 1] (1:28:17 - 1:28:19)
which of course includes police, fire,

[Speaker 1] (1:28:19 - 1:28:20)
public works, the library,

[Speaker 1] (1:28:20 - 1:28:23)
town hall and other municipal departments.

[Speaker 1] (1:28:23 - 1:28:27)
That portion of the budget is increasing by approximately 3%.

[Speaker 1] (1:28:28 - 1:28:35)
This portion also funds the recently finalized new three-year collective bargaining agreement for the police department,

[Speaker 1] (1:28:36 - 1:28:42)
as well as containing salary reserve amounts for some of our other open collective bargaining agreements, including fire,

[Speaker 1] (1:28:42 - 1:28:42)
library,

[Speaker 1] (1:28:43 - 1:28:43)
and DPW.

[Speaker 1] (1:28:45 - 1:28:52)
So the reason this breakdown is important is that the total general fund budget number by itself does not tell the whole story.

[Speaker 1] (1:28:53 - 1:28:59)
Tax meetings should understand the underlying cost structure of the budget, which costs are driven by current year service decisions,

[Speaker 1] (1:29:00 - 1:29:06)
which costs are driven by prior commitments and which are shared obligations that support the entire town and the schools.

[Speaker 1] (1:29:08 - 1:29:09)
If we go to the next slide.

[Speaker 1] (1:29:10 - 1:29:19)
So just quickly looking where our budget dollars go, if we look at our budget by service type, we see that 87% of the operating budget goes to key items such as our

[Speaker 1] (1:29:24 - 1:29:25)
public safety and debt service.

[Speaker 1] (1:29:27 - 1:29:32)
So tonight's town meeting is being asked to appropriate the funds needed to support town operations in FY27.

[Speaker 1] (1:29:33 - 1:29:38)
The primary source of funding for our budget is of course our property tax levy.

[Speaker 1] (1:29:39 - 1:29:40)
If we advance the next slide.

[Speaker 1] (1:29:43 - 1:29:46)
So to determine the tax levy within the limits of Prop 2.5,

[Speaker 1] (1:29:46 - 1:29:49)
we start with last year's tax levy base.

[Speaker 1] (1:29:50 - 1:29:52)
Then we add 2.5% to that number,

[Speaker 1] (1:29:52 - 1:29:57)
and then an amount for expected new growth, which we use $425,000.

[Speaker 1] (1:29:58 - 1:30:07)
So before any excess use of levy capacity, this provides for an increase of just over $2 million. My phone has gone off, Eric.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:07 - 1:30:08)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:11 - 1:30:15)
So before we use any excess levy, we have about $2 million coming in from the standard levy.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:16 - 1:30:24)
So we also know that while most of the budget is funded through the tax levy, we also rely on state and local receipts to limit the growth in the levy.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:25 - 1:30:28)
State aid generally consists of two main categories,

[Speaker 1] (1:30:29 - 1:30:30)
Chapter 70 aid,

[Speaker 1] (1:30:30 - 1:30:31)
which supports our school system,

[Speaker 1] (1:30:32 - 1:30:35)
and unrestricted general government aid, which supports overall town operations.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:37 - 1:30:40)
State aid is actually one of the more positive items in the 27 budget.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:41 - 1:30:50)
The current estimate shows that we expect to receive approximately $669,000 more net state aid in 2027 than we did in 2026.

[Speaker 1] (1:30:51 - 1:30:52)
So from a state aid perspective,

[Speaker 1] (1:30:53 - 1:30:57)
we have revenues that we receive and there are also certain costs that get assessed to the town,

[Speaker 1] (1:30:57 - 1:31:00)
but our net is favored by about $669,000.

[Speaker 1] (1:31:02 - 1:31:06)
But we should recognize that while that's good news for 2027,

[Speaker 1] (1:31:06 - 1:31:13)
we should also be cautious about expecting that to continue given the overall fiscal challenges that are facing the Commonwealth.

[Speaker 1] (1:31:15 - 1:31:17)
Our local receipts are less favorable.

[Speaker 1] (1:31:18 - 1:31:23)
So local receipts are the revenues the town collects from sources such as motor vehicle excise taxes,

[Speaker 1] (1:31:24 - 1:31:26)
meals and room occupancy taxes,

[Speaker 1] (1:31:26 - 1:31:27)
building permits,

[Speaker 1] (1:31:27 - 1:31:28)
cannabis taxes,

[Speaker 1] (1:31:29 - 1:31:32)
and investment income on our cash balances, among others.

[Speaker 1] (1:31:33 - 1:31:37)
Local receipts are expected to be slightly lower in fiscal year 2027.

[Speaker 1] (1:31:38 - 1:31:45)
And town meeting may remember that for many years we benefited from really high investment income when we were financing the new school.

[Speaker 1] (1:31:46 - 1:31:49)
So that really gave us some funds that were really temporary in nature.

[Speaker 1] (1:31:49 - 1:31:52)
And our 2027 investment income is expected to be much lower.

[Speaker 1] (1:31:54 - 1:32:01)
But local receipts really are one of the limited options the town has to generate revenues outside of increased property taxes.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:01 - 1:32:06)
And as we know, there are several pending and potential projects that could increase meals taxes,

[Speaker 1] (1:32:07 - 1:32:09)
room taxes and other local revenues,

[Speaker 1] (1:32:09 - 1:32:11)
including the Hadley and the Vinod Square projects.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:11 - 1:32:15)
But again, those aren't hitting us in fiscal year 2027.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:16 - 1:32:17)
If we go to the next slide.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:18 - 1:32:23)
So I know there's a lot on the screen here, but this is really how we're getting to the request for our excess levy.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:25 - 1:32:27)
We start with our levy, we add our state aid,

[Speaker 1] (1:32:27 - 1:32:35)
we add our local receipts and other revenue sources, and to balance it all to what we're projecting, what we're presenting tonight from an expenditure budget,

[Speaker 1] (1:32:35 - 1:32:41)
we need approximately 1.6 million of additional excess levy to make it all balance.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:42 - 1:32:48)
This will leave the town with approximately $2.9 million of remaining excess levy capacity,

[Speaker 1] (1:32:48 - 1:32:52)
so dollars that we could come to, as I said, and use next year or the year after.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:55 - 1:32:55)
Next slide.

[Speaker 1] (1:32:57 - 1:33:01)
Tonight the town meeting will also be asked to recommend budgets for our enterprise funds.

[Speaker 1] (1:33:02 - 1:33:04)
So our enterprise funds are water,

[Speaker 1] (1:33:04 - 1:33:05)
sewer,

[Speaker 1] (1:33:05 - 1:33:06)
solid waste,

[Speaker 1] (1:33:06 - 1:33:09)
and PEG, which stands for public education and governmental access.

[Speaker 1] (1:33:11 - 1:33:18)
These funds are typically supported by user fees rather than general fund property tax level, and the combined 2027 fund budget,

[Speaker 1] (1:33:18 - 1:33:21)
enterprise fund budgets are totaling approximately $9.1 million.

[Speaker 1] (1:33:23 - 1:33:29)
Town meeting should also know that our water and sewer enterprise funds currently have deficits in their retained earnings.

[Speaker 1] (1:33:30 - 1:33:36)
But the rate system has already been adjusted by the select board with the goal of restoring both of those balances over time.

[Speaker 1] (1:33:39 - 1:33:39)
Next slide.

[Speaker 1] (1:33:41 - 1:33:45)
So we've already touched on the town's pension and unfunded OPEB liability,

[Speaker 1] (1:33:45 - 1:33:54)
but I always want to mention this to town hall, to town meeting to make sure you're aware of the potential impact of these items because they're very important to our AAA bond rating.

[Speaker 1] (1:33:55 - 1:33:58)
So as discussed earlier, we're in the final years of addressing the pension liability,

[Speaker 1] (1:33:58 - 1:34:03)
but we have not yet developed any kind of comprehensive plan to address our OPEB liability.

[Speaker 1] (1:34:05 - 1:34:12)
So this really remains a significant long-term liability for the town and one that we need to address as part of our broader long-term financial planning.

[Speaker 1] (1:34:14 - 1:34:14)
Next.

[Speaker 1] (1:34:16 - 1:34:21)
The town also maintains several reserve accounts which function like rainy day accounts.

[Speaker 1] (1:34:21 - 1:34:25)
These reserves are really important for managing unexpected costs,

[Speaker 1] (1:34:26 - 1:34:27)
preserving financial flexibility,

[Speaker 1] (1:34:27 - 1:34:32)
and supporting our bond rating which directly affects our borrowing costs.

[Speaker 1] (1:34:33 - 1:34:36)
So our free cash balance currently stands at just over $2.5 million,

[Speaker 1] (1:34:37 - 1:34:41)
and the town also has fiscal policies for each one of these reserves,

[Speaker 1] (1:34:41 - 1:34:47)
and the policy for that for free cash to be between 3% and 5% of general fund operating expenses.

[Speaker 1] (1:34:48 - 1:34:51)
With that $2.5 million balance,

[Speaker 1] (1:34:51 - 1:34:53)
we sit just above the 3% floor,

[Speaker 1] (1:34:53 - 1:34:59)
and you might remember that we've had a couple of articles tonight that are going to impact free cash.

[Speaker 1] (1:35:00 - 1:35:04)
with the barrels of 330 and the previous year bills.

[Speaker 1] (1:35:05 - 1:35:06)
So that's going to bring us down,

[Speaker 1] (1:35:06 - 1:35:14)
but we already know about a $400,000 favorable amount that's going to come to free cash before we're certified.

[Speaker 1] (1:35:14 - 1:35:18)
So we don't expect to drop below the 3% minimum in our free cash balance.

[Speaker 1] (1:35:20 - 1:35:23)
We also have $7.5 million in general stabilization,

[Speaker 1] (1:35:23 - 1:35:26)
which sits near the high end of our town's policy range.

[Speaker 1] (1:35:27 - 1:35:29)
and approximately $1.7 million in capital stabilization,

[Speaker 1] (1:35:30 - 1:35:32)
which is also slightly above the policy goal.

[Speaker 1] (1:35:34 - 1:35:39)
So these reserves are really an important tool that the town has to manage unexpected issues,

[Speaker 1] (1:35:39 - 1:35:44)
and they're also very important to the rating agencies that evaluate the town's credit worthiness.

[Speaker 1] (1:35:47 - 1:35:48)
Next, please.

[Speaker 1] (1:35:50 - 1:36:00)
So, as I mentioned, tonight's town meeting will be asked to vote on a proposed budget that provides level service to the town and uses $1.6 million of previously unused levy capacity.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:01 - 1:36:07)
While we cannot tonight calculate the FY27 tax impact because assessed values are not yet known,

[Speaker 1] (1:36:08 - 1:36:13)
the table on the screen estimates this year's tax increase using last year's assessed values.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:14 - 1:36:16)
So for the average single family home,

[Speaker 1] (1:36:16 - 1:36:23)
the estimated annual tax increase would be approximately $346 without the use of excess levy.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:23 - 1:36:25)
But if we approve the use tonight,

[Speaker 1] (1:36:25 - 1:36:27)
that amount increases to $617.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:28 - 1:36:30)
And for the median single family home,

[Speaker 1] (1:36:30 - 1:36:34)
the numbers would be $284 without and $507 with.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:35 - 1:36:42)
Again, the real final impacts will depend on FY27 assessed values when the tax rates are set later on this year.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:43 - 1:36:44)
So in summary,

[Speaker 1] (1:36:44 - 1:36:47)
the Finance Committee supports the FY27 budget before you.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:48 - 1:36:53)
It's a balanced, level-service budget that avoids an operating override this year,

[Speaker 1] (1:36:53 - 1:36:57)
but it does require the use of $1.6 million of excess levy.

[Speaker 1] (1:36:58 - 1:37:01)
So now the town must continue working to control expenditure growth,

[Speaker 1] (1:37:02 - 1:37:04)
evaluate recurring revenue opportunities,

[Speaker 1] (1:37:04 - 1:37:05)
protect our reserves,

[Speaker 1] (1:37:06 - 1:37:07)
address our long-term liabilities,

[Speaker 1] (1:37:07 - 1:37:09)
and plan responsibly for future budgets.

[Speaker 1] (1:37:10 - 1:37:14)
The Finance Committee recommends favorable action on the budget, and we welcome your questions and discussion.

[Speaker 2] (1:37:16 - 1:37:16)
Great.

[Speaker 2] (1:37:16 - 1:37:17)
Thank you, Mr.

[Speaker 2] (1:37:17 - 1:37:17)
Harbin.

[Speaker 2] (1:37:23 - 1:37:23)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (1:37:23 - 1:37:27)
So we will walk through the budget as amended here.

[Speaker 2] (1:37:28 - 1:37:38)
Before we do so, if you arrived to the property tonight in a black GMC truck with a license plate 8T for tango, 4444, your lights are on.

[Speaker 2] (1:37:41 - 1:37:52)
Okay, so we will walk through uh the budget as printed in your warrant, and keep in mind the changes made on the blue handout when we get to line item seventy two, or thereabouts.

[Speaker 2] (1:37:53 - 1:38:05)
Uh if anyone has any questions as we go page by please just shout out hold, and we'll come back to you to that section. So we're starting on page fourteen. Please remember that totals for each section are in the blue.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:06 - 1:38:08)
Ru row below uh the that section.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:10 - 1:38:11)
Page fourteen.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:14 - 1:38:15)
Page fifteen.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:17 - 1:38:22)
Beginning with clerical salary and wages, all the way down to personnel subtotal.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:26 - 1:38:27)
Page sixteen.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:30 - 1:38:30)
I'm sorry.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:31 - 1:38:32)
Are you fifteen or sixteen?

[Speaker 2] (1:38:34 - 1:38:36)
Okay, could you just wait one second we'll come back.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:37 - 1:38:39)
Would which section of the budget please?

[Speaker 2] (1:38:40 - 1:38:41)
Okay, thank you.

[Speaker 2] (1:38:44 - 1:38:45)
Okay, what section please?

[Speaker 2] (1:38:56 - 1:38:59)
Anything else on page sixteen ending in the

[Speaker 2] (1:39:00 - 1:39:02)
Office supplies and expenses.

[Speaker 2] (1:39:04 - 1:39:09)
Is that a yes, for page 16? Thank you. Just maybe shout as well so I can hear you. Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (1:39:11 - 1:39:14)
Anything on page seven scene coming down to

[Speaker 1] (1:39:16 - 1:39:17)
sixteen? Okay.

[Speaker 1] (1:39:22 - 1:39:24)
Okay, thank you. Uh anything on page seventeen?

[Speaker 1] (1:39:29 - 1:39:37)
Page eighteen which takes us down to uh under item thirty four. Personnel subtotals.

[Speaker 1] (1:39:43 - 1:39:48)
Page nineteen will take us down to uh snow and ice.

[Speaker 1] (1:39:52 - 1:39:52)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (1:39:55 - 1:40:00)
Page twenty gets us down to the constables. Any questions on page twenty?

[Speaker 1] (1:40:06 - 1:40:10)
Page twenty one gets us through emergency management.

[Speaker 1] (1:40:16 - 1:40:18)
Okay, on page twenty two

[Speaker 1] (1:40:21 - 1:40:22)
That will take us down through the library.

[Speaker 1] (1:40:28 - 1:40:37)
And then on page twenty three is the last of the general fund appropriations. We can pause there and go back for questions. Anything on page twenty three?

[Speaker 1] (1:40:39 - 1:40:39)
Great.

[Speaker 1] (1:40:41 - 1:40:42)
Thanks everybody.

[Speaker 1] (1:40:42 - 1:40:51)
So we can come back up to uh I think our first question was on page fourteen for the assessor, Mr Patsios.

[Speaker 2] (1:40:59 - 1:41:07)
Uh Charlie Patsios of Precinct Five. See, Board of Assessors, uh Housing Authority, Water and Sewer.

[Speaker 2] (1:41:08 - 1:41:12)
CPC, I might have left something out, I don't know.

[Speaker 2] (1:41:14 - 1:41:17)
Eric, thank you for a great explanation,

[Speaker 2] (1:41:17 - 1:41:20)
a tremendous amount of work and I appreciate it.

[Speaker 2] (1:41:21 - 1:41:27)
All that work that he just described tells us that the Board of Assessors sets a value,

[Speaker 2] (1:41:27 - 1:41:32)
that value goes to the select board who sets a tax rate,

[Speaker 2] (1:41:32 - 1:41:36)
there's not enough money from the tax rate, so we have to use that unused tax levy.

[Speaker 2] (1:41:38 - 1:41:44)
When we use the tax levy, it's still based on the value that we have currently for our homes.

[Speaker 2] (1:41:45 - 1:41:48)
If we had a full-time assessor, I believe,

[Speaker 2] (1:41:48 - 1:41:51)
we'd be closer to market value of our homes.

[Speaker 2] (1:41:52 - 1:41:52)
We're still going to stay,

[Speaker 2] (1:41:52 - 1:41:59)
the town is still going to need the same amount of money to operate the services that we all need. However,

[Speaker 2] (1:41:59 - 1:42:02)
if our homes are assessed at a higher value,

[Speaker 2] (1:42:03 - 1:42:05)
There's equity in our homes.

[Speaker 2] (1:42:05 - 1:42:07)
There's not equity in our taxes.

[Speaker 2] (1:42:08 - 1:42:10)
They're still going to need the same amount of money to operate,

[Speaker 2] (1:42:10 - 1:42:17)
whether we use unused tax levy or whether we assess the properties at higher market value,

[Speaker 2] (1:42:17 - 1:42:18)
what they're really worth.

[Speaker 2] (1:42:18 - 1:42:28)
If they're really worth a higher amount of money, we should set the rate or the evaluation at that amount of money because that will benefit every homeowner in the town.

[Speaker 2] (1:42:29 - 1:42:33)
There's there's no such thing as equity in taxes. I just said,

[Speaker 2] (1:42:33 - 1:42:41)
but if the bank thinks your home is worth more and the town says your home is worth more and someone's willing to pay more for your home, that's equity.

[Speaker 2] (1:42:42 - 1:42:47)
If we don't apply that process, we'll be using tax levy until we have none left.

[Speaker 2] (1:42:48 - 1:42:52)
The benefit is that at the end of the day, the town gets what its needs,

[Speaker 2] (1:42:52 - 1:42:58)
but we as homeowners have a higher value in our home. We have the equity.

[Speaker 2] (1:42:58 - 1:42:59)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (1:43:00 - 1:43:00)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (1:43:03 - 1:43:06)
So I think we had a point down here on the employee benefits.

[Speaker 3] (1:43:09 - 1:43:11)
Rick Kraft,

[Speaker 3] (1:43:11 - 1:43:11)
TAMI member,

[Speaker 3] (1:43:11 - 1:43:12)
precinct three.

[Speaker 3] (1:43:12 - 1:43:19)
I noticed that employee benefits was going up 7.4%, which is like 1.2 million.

[Speaker 3] (1:43:19 - 1:43:24)
Can you talk about sort of what's driving that to be so much higher than other increases?

[Speaker 2] (1:43:25 - 1:43:26)
Which page we are now?

[Speaker 3] (1:43:28 - 1:43:41)
It's not in the line-by-line budget. It's in the summary that was i I mean, it's it's divided among dozens of line items. But in the summary at the beginning of the warrants

[Speaker 3] (1:43:42 - 1:43:46)
let's see, that sort of gives more high-level

[Speaker 2] (1:43:46 - 1:43:46)
The

[Speaker 3] (1:43:46 - 1:43:47)
information,

[Speaker 2] (1:43:47 - 1:43:50)
the the reference might have just been to health care costs in general.

[Speaker 3] (1:43:56 - 1:43:59)
So healthcare costs in general are going up about ten percent in the in the budget.

[Speaker 1] (1:44:00 - 1:44:01)
And that's in employee benefits?

[Speaker 3] (1:44:01 - 1:44:12)
It it's in it is it's in the HR section towards the end of the budget, but it's not it's not line by line in each group, it's paid for in through one component on the budget. I think it's comes later than the section you're looking at.

[Speaker 1] (1:44:22 - 1:44:27)
And I think as we got into the next page we had a question down here.

[Speaker 1] (1:44:28 - 1:44:31)
Yes, please come up to the microphone and introduce yourself.

[Speaker 1] (1:44:34 - 1:44:35)
We're on page sixteen.

[Speaker 4] (1:44:53 - 1:44:56)
Good evening, Carol Schutz of Precinct 6.

[Speaker 4] (1:44:57 - 1:45:09)
On page 16 under the legal insurance, there's 232,000 and then below is 2,000 interest owed.

[Speaker 4] (1:45:09 - 1:45:16)
I just was curious as to what the explanation was for that $2,000, if you wouldn't mind.

[Speaker 1] (1:45:17 - 1:45:17)
Thank you.

[Speaker 6] (1:45:22 - 1:45:24)
Can you hear me? Oh, there we go.

[Speaker 6] (1:45:24 - 1:45:36)
The two thousand dollars listed in the warrant under the interest owed line item is interest payable um in the event of a settled Appellate Tax Board case for property tax abatements.

[Speaker 4] (1:45:38 - 1:45:43)
I guess I don't really understand what that means. If you could clarify that a little.

[Speaker 6] (1:45:43 - 1:45:44)
Sure.

[Speaker 6] (1:45:44 - 1:45:54)
So in certain cases if an individual applies for an abatement through the Board of Assessors and is granted, rises to the level of an appellate tax board case and that gets settled,

[Speaker 6] (1:45:54 - 1:46:03)
they may grant interest that the town would be liable for because that individual or property owner paid property taxes and we held that money over time.

[Speaker 6] (1:46:03 - 1:46:06)
So they may be entitled to statutory interest under certain circumstances.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:06 - 1:46:10)
So we don't know yet. It's just there in case you need it.

[Speaker 6] (1:46:10 - 1:46:11)
May not be used. Correct.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:12 - 1:46:12)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (1:46:15 - 1:46:19)
I think we had another question back here on page sixteen as well.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:26 - 1:46:31)
Hi, Laurie Jackson, Town Meeting Member, Precinct two.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:31 - 1:46:35)
I applaud the finance committee for their extensive work on this, so thank you for that.

[Speaker 4] (1:46:36 - 1:46:44)
Line item eighteen on page sixteen, the second item entitled recruitment and entrance exams.

[Speaker 7] (1:46:45 - 1:46:53)
went up nine hundred nine thousand nine hundred percent can you just clarify that please great

[Speaker 3] (1:46:53 - 1:46:54)
Sure.

[Speaker 3] (1:46:54 - 1:47:06)
Those exams used to be in individual budget line items like police and fire typically and there was a decision this year that it makes more sense to put them in one place just to manage the cost and not leave them in the individual budgets.

[Speaker 3] (1:47:06 - 1:47:11)
So it's not really a change. It's not obvious. You'll see corresponding reductions in the police and fire budgets.

[Speaker 7] (1:47:12 - 1:47:13)
thank you

[Speaker 1] (1:47:14 - 1:47:14)
Thanks.

[Speaker 1] (1:47:16 - 1:47:17)
Were there any other, yes?

[Speaker 7] (1:47:26 - 1:47:39)
Hi, Kate Grin, Precinct Four, Capital Improvement Committee and Community Life Center Committee. Um reiterate what everyone else has said, great, great presentation by the Finance Committee and on a lot of work. It's really helps us to understand what's going on.

[Speaker 7] (1:47:39 - 1:47:45)
I had a question on page sixteen, line under nineteen I'm sorry, under line twenty.

[Speaker 7] (1:47:46 - 1:47:51)
Can you explain what the salary reserve is um and why it's going up so much?

[Speaker 3] (1:47:51 - 1:47:51)
Yep.

[Speaker 1] (1:47:52 - 1:47:52)
Thank you, Mr.

[Speaker 3] (1:47:52 - 1:47:52)
Sure.

[Speaker 1] (1:47:52 - 1:47:52)
Chair.

[Speaker 7] (1:47:52 - 1:47:53)
Thanks.

[Speaker 3] (1:47:53 - 1:47:59)
So the salary reserve is a it's really a place that we put dollars for typically for collective bargaining agreements that are not yet settled.

[Speaker 3] (1:48:00 - 1:48:14)
So when we have contracts where we know we're going to have to pay something and we don't we don't want to put a budget on a particular salary line item because it's we're in negotiation so we carry dollars in there to cover expected salary increases from CBA renewals.

[Speaker 4] (1:48:16 - 1:48:18)
Which ones are coming up for agreement this year,

[Speaker 3] (1:48:18 - 1:48:19)
Fire,

[Speaker 4] (1:48:19 - 1:48:19)
did you say?

[Speaker 3] (1:48:19 - 1:48:21)
DPW,

[Speaker 3] (1:48:21 - 1:48:22)
and I believe library.

[Speaker 4] (1:48:22 - 1:48:23)
Okay,

[Speaker 4] (1:48:23 - 1:48:23)
thank you.

[Speaker 1] (1:48:28 - 1:48:32)
Any other questions on the appropriations as amended?

[Speaker 1] (1:48:34 - 1:48:34)
Okay,

[Speaker 1] (1:48:34 - 1:48:42)
in this case, I'd like to see anyone in favor of the motion made by Mr. Hartman as amended by the blue piece of paper to...

[Speaker 1] (1:48:43 - 1:48:45)
Please raise your hand.

[Speaker 1] (1:48:48 - 1:48:49)
Thank you. All opposed?

[Speaker 1] (1:48:50 - 1:48:52)
It is unanimous.

[Speaker 1] (1:48:53 - 1:48:59)
We'll now move to article five, the appropriation for Community Preservation Committee.

[Speaker 1] (1:49:00 - 1:49:00)
Mr.

[Speaker 1] (1:49:00 - 1:49:01)
McDonald,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:01 - 1:49:02)
do you want to take us through that one?

[Speaker 1] (1:49:11 - 1:49:17)
Yeah, Greg MacDonald, Finance Committee member and town meeting member precinct two.

[Speaker 1] (1:49:18 - 1:49:19)
Article five,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:19 - 1:49:21)
community preservation committee,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:21 - 1:49:24)
the finance committee recommends that the town vote to appropriate to reserve

[Speaker 1] (1:49:25 - 1:49:28)
From Community Preservation Fund annual revenues,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:28 - 1:49:33)
the amounts recommended by the Community Preservation Committee for committee administrative expenses,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:34 - 1:49:36)
historic resource reserves,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:37 - 1:49:38)
community housing reserve,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:38 - 1:49:39)
open space reserve,

[Speaker 1] (1:49:39 - 1:49:48)
and budgeted reserve as printed in the warrant with each item to be considered as a separate appropriation. I move the recommendation of the Finance Committee.

[Speaker 2] (1:49:48 - 1:49:49)
Thank you. Is there a second?

[Speaker 3] (1:49:51 - 1:49:54)
Thank you. Uh Ms Dreiband, do you wanna take us through this one?

[Speaker 4] (1:50:00 - 1:50:10)
Yeah, per the presentation earlier, um the total amount uh that's in this fund is

[Speaker 4] (1:50:11 - 1:50:25)
800 something thousand that was on the slide earlier. This article is just allocating it for this purpose. It's just saying okay, now that we know we have the money, it's okay to use it for this purpose.

[Speaker 3] (1:50:27 - 1:50:34)
Thank you. Any discussion made by the motion me any discussion on the motion made by Mr McDonald? Yes sir.

[Speaker 3] (1:50:40 - 1:50:42)
James Andrews, Precinct 1.

[Speaker 3] (1:50:43 - 1:50:47)
I guess I'm a little confused. We've raised 800,000-ish dollars,

[Speaker 3] (1:50:47 - 1:50:48)
right?

[Speaker 3] (1:50:48 - 1:50:52)
How much has the state given us in terms of any matching funds to that?

[Speaker 4] (1:50:54 - 1:50:58)
We didn't include the, Tom just correct me if I'm wrong,

[Speaker 4] (1:50:58 - 1:51:07)
the state is matching these funds historically in the recent past. It's been about 16 or 17 percent.

[Speaker 3] (1:51:09 - 1:51:14)
So that's a lot less than the forty percent we were led to believe when we voted on this.

[Speaker 4] (1:51:14 - 1:51:17)
There's a range and we can't predict what it's going to be. The

[Speaker 3] (1:51:17 - 1:51:18)
Okay.

[Speaker 4] (1:51:18 - 1:51:21)
more towns participate in this programme,

[Speaker 4] (1:51:22 - 1:51:24)
the smaller each town's slice.

[Speaker 3] (1:51:25 - 1:51:37)
Okay. And then I'm looking at this, you're looking to basically reserve five percent of the eight hundred thousand as administrative costs. That seems an awful lot of money to manage eight hundred thousand dollars.

[Speaker 4] (1:51:38 - 1:51:44)
Right. That's why I explained that if we don't use all of it, that's the maximum we can use. We can't go over that.

[Speaker 4] (1:51:45 - 1:51:50)
But if we don't use all of it, which we probably won't, it goes to the general reserve.

[Speaker 3] (1:51:50 - 1:52:01)
So I'm asking these questions because as I talk to people in my precinct, their biggest fear right now in this town is they're being priced out of their houses.

[Speaker 3] (1:52:01 - 1:52:03)
And so we seem to have this.

[Speaker 3] (1:52:05 - 1:52:24)
culture in this town where we will reserve money even though we may not use it. And right now, I'm talking to people who are concerned that they can't pay their bills. So I'm questioning why we should be reserving $44,000 or 5% of our money to manage $800,000.

[Speaker 3] (1:52:24 - 1:52:26)
That's a really bad deal for the town.

[Speaker 3] (1:52:28 - 1:52:31)
So I would suggest that we don't vote to support this.

[Speaker 3] (1:52:31 - 1:52:32)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (1:52:32 - 1:52:33)
Thank you.

[Speaker 4] (1:52:35 - 1:52:39)
Could I call on the chair of our committee to speak to this one?

[Speaker 3] (1:52:39 - 1:52:41)
To address that question?

[Speaker 4] (1:52:41 - 1:52:41)
Yes.

[Speaker 3] (1:52:41 - 1:52:42)
Yes, please do.

[Speaker 6] (1:52:47 - 1:52:48)
Tom Daley,

[Speaker 6] (1:52:48 - 1:52:48)
Precinct 4,

[Speaker 6] (1:52:48 - 1:52:49)
town meeting member.

[Speaker 6] (1:52:49 - 1:52:59)
That 5% is allowed by the Department of Revenue each year our estimated earnings for FY27. Now we'll have some costs.

[Speaker 6] (1:53:01 - 1:53:03)
legal opinions,

[Speaker 6] (1:53:03 - 1:53:05)
grant agreement contracts,

[Speaker 6] (1:53:06 - 1:53:07)
temporary signs,

[Speaker 6] (1:53:07 - 1:53:21)
things like that, but nobody expects us to spend anywhere near that five percent figure. And of course the good part is it has to go back into the CPA trust fund at the end of FY 27 on the closeout.

[Speaker 6] (1:53:23 - 1:53:25)
Does that answer your concern?

[Speaker 3] (1:53:27 - 1:53:28)
Thank you.

[Speaker 7] (1:53:29 - 1:53:30)
No, it doesn't.

[Speaker 6] (1:53:30 - 1:53:30)
Okay.

[Speaker 7] (1:53:30 - 1:53:33)
If you don't need the money, don't appropriate it.

[Speaker 3] (1:53:34 - 1:53:36)
Okay, thank you. I

[Speaker 6] (1:53:36 - 1:53:36)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:53:36 - 1:53:40)
I could uh I'd also like to ask if you could please clarify

[Speaker 3] (1:53:40 - 1:53:45)
how the the timing and the sequence between uh the funds that we

[Speaker 3] (1:53:46 - 1:53:55)
raise in one fiscal year and then appropriate in the following fiscal year and then when the timing of the matching funds come back from the state? I know this is a new process for us, so maybe you could just recap

[Speaker 6] (1:53:55 - 1:53:55)
Yes,

[Speaker 3] (1:53:55 - 1:53:55)
that.

[Speaker 6] (1:53:55 - 1:54:03)
this is a new process. So each November we will receive our state match. And as Noemi said,

[Speaker 6] (1:54:03 - 1:54:10)
it's roughly looking right now, the revenue looks about 16% maybe on the match from the state. But that number...

[Speaker 6] (1:54:11 - 1:54:20)
That 16% is built into the estimated $855,000 which will be raised this year from your surcharges on your tax bills.

[Speaker 3] (1:54:24 - 1:54:28)
Anyone else wish to speak on the motion pertaining to article five?

[Speaker 3] (1:54:31 - 1:54:32)
Yes ma'am.

[Speaker 4] (1:54:35 - 1:54:39)
Debbie Friedlander, Precinct 6 town meeting member.

[Speaker 4] (1:54:39 - 1:54:48)
If I'm not mistaken, the allocation of that 5%, isn't that part of how you have to structure monies from the CPA?

[Speaker 4] (1:54:48 - 1:54:50)
When we first heard about this program,

[Speaker 4] (1:54:50 - 1:54:54)
we understood it to be very structured by the state. There were rules.

[Speaker 4] (1:54:54 - 1:55:06)
So part of your accounting, I'm sure, is that it designates that you put five percent aside for these legal fees or whatever. Is that, am I correct in

[Speaker 6] (1:55:06 - 1:55:06)
Well,

[Speaker 4] (1:55:06 - 1:55:06)
that assumption?

[Speaker 6] (1:55:06 - 1:55:12)
we did not have to take the five percent, but we have no idea with this start-up on what kind of costs we will incur,

[Speaker 4] (1:55:12 - 1:55:12)
Okay.

[Speaker 6] (1:55:12 - 1:55:14)
especially legally.

[Speaker 4] (1:55:14 - 1:55:15)
All right, so this, this,

[Speaker 6] (1:55:15 - 1:55:15)
Yeah,

[Speaker 4] (1:55:15 - 1:55:22)
this is my question. So the state doesn't designate a certain percentage as you're figuring out your budget?

[Speaker 4] (1:55:23 - 1:55:25)
You just decided on that amount

[Speaker 6] (1:55:25 - 1:55:26)
We can't

[Speaker 4] (1:55:26 - 1:55:26)
of money?

[Speaker 6] (1:55:26 - 1:55:27)
take up to five

[Speaker 4] (1:55:27 - 1:55:27)
Up

[Speaker 6] (1:55:27 - 1:55:27)
percent.

[Speaker 4] (1:55:27 - 1:55:27)
to okay,

[Speaker 6] (1:55:27 - 1:55:28)
So we

[Speaker 4] (1:55:28 - 1:55:28)
so right.

[Speaker 6] (1:55:28 - 1:55:28)
decided we'll

[Speaker 4] (1:55:28 - 1:55:29)
So

[Speaker 6] (1:55:29 - 1:55:31)
take the max and then we'll give it back at the end of the fiscal year.

[Speaker 4] (1:55:31 - 1:55:32)
it's part of the programme.

[Speaker 4] (1:55:32 - 1:55:32)
You

[Speaker 6] (1:55:32 - 1:55:33)
Yes.

[Speaker 4] (1:55:33 - 1:55:34)
have to do that. Okay, thanks.

[Speaker 3] (1:55:34 - 1:55:35)
Yes, thank you.

[Speaker 3] (1:55:37 - 1:55:41)
Anyone else wish to speak on the motion pertaining to Article 5?

[Speaker 3] (1:55:42 - 1:55:48)
Okay, at this point I'd like to ask anyone in favor of the motion on Article 5 to raise your hands.

[Speaker 3] (1:55:50 - 1:55:51)
Thank you. All opposed?

[Speaker 3] (1:55:52 - 1:55:53)
It is unanimous.

[Speaker 3] (1:55:54 - 1:55:56)
Now before we move on to Article 6,

[Speaker 3] (1:55:57 - 1:56:12)
in my haste as a new moderator, I have been informed that we did not ask for any questions on the sections of the budget printed beyond the general fund. So anything to do with the enterprise funds.

[Speaker 3] (1:56:13 - 1:56:19)
I just want to make sure that if anyone was expecting a chance to speak on those line items and I may have not given you a chance to do so,

[Speaker 3] (1:56:20 - 1:56:23)
please let me know now. Otherwise we'll continue on to article six.

[Speaker 3] (1:56:26 - 1:56:27)
Thank you.

[Speaker 3] (1:56:29 - 1:56:32)
Yes, you do have a question on can you please come up to the microphone?

[Speaker 8] (1:56:50 - 1:56:53)
Are we s continuing on the budget? I'm sorry if I missed that.

[Speaker 3] (1:56:53 - 1:56:57)
Yeah, so when when we went through page by page on article four,

[Speaker 3] (1:56:58 - 1:57:06)
I I stopped and didn't ask for anyone to ask if they had questions between the end of the general fund and the full budget.

[Speaker 3] (1:57:06 - 1:57:06)
So

[Speaker 8] (1:57:06 - 1:57:06)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:57:06 - 1:57:09)
I just want to if anyone had any questions on pages.

[Speaker 3] (1:57:12 - 1:57:17)
Twenty three or onwards we'll have to jump through a couple hoops to get back there, but if you have a question, happy

[Speaker 8] (1:57:17 - 1:57:17)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (1:57:17 - 1:57:19)
to so do you have questions on

[Speaker 8] (1:57:19 - 1:57:20)
Page twenty three.

[Speaker 3] (1:57:21 - 1:57:21)
Okay.

[Speaker 8] (1:57:21 - 1:57:30)
Okay, so Carol Schutzer again, Precinct Six, and if I neglected to say thank you to the Finance Committee, 'cause it is uh a yeoman's job.

[Speaker 8] (1:57:31 - 1:57:32)
And again,

[Speaker 8] (1:57:32 - 1:57:45)
just was unclear on the bottom of the page where it says state assessments, not an appropriation, and it details school choice assessment and charter school assessment.

[Speaker 8] (1:57:45 - 1:57:47)
On the top, under Education,

[Speaker 8] (1:57:47 - 1:57:52)
it has the Vocational School as a separate line item, which I understood,

[Speaker 8] (1:57:52 - 1:57:58)
so I was a little uncertain as to school choice assessment and charter school assessment,

[Speaker 8] (1:57:58 - 1:58:01)
if you could just clarify exactly what that means.

[Speaker 3] (1:58:06 - 1:58:27)
C, high. The school choice assessment and the charter school assessment um they pertain to enrollment of students in a charter schools outside of the public school district here. It's based on enrollment and there's statutory formulas that uh the state applies to enrollment to come up with our individual assessment.

[Speaker 3] (1:58:27 - 1:58:38)
And this school choice assessment pertains to um students that are continuing education in other districts um under under the school

[Speaker 1] (1:58:38 - 1:58:38)
No.

[Speaker 3] (1:58:38 - 1:58:43)
choice statute that we're obligated to uh continue funding.

[Speaker 3] (1:58:43 - 1:58:50)
Um the school district doesn't participate in school choice where other students from other communities are enrolling in the school district.

[Speaker 1] (1:58:51 - 1:58:51)
So

[Speaker 8] (1:58:51 - 1:58:54)
So when we see these percentages that go down,

[Speaker 8] (1:58:54 - 1:58:56)
which it seemed like they did,

[Speaker 8] (1:58:56 - 1:59:00)
is that because less students are involved?

[Speaker 8] (1:59:00 - 1:59:02)
Is that how that number is reached?

[Speaker 3] (1:59:02 - 1:59:02)
Yes.

[Speaker 8] (1:59:03 - 1:59:04)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:06 - 1:59:25)
Great. Thank you. So okay, so just just to be clear about where we are in the in the plot tonight, we've already taken a vote on article four. Uh since there has been new information brought to light, if anyone feels strongly about reconsidering the vote that we took on article four to reflect the information you just learned.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:26 - 1:59:28)
A motion to reconsider would be in order.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:30 - 1:59:32)
Otherwise, we will move on to Article six.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:35 - 1:59:38)
Thank you. So, Mr McDonald, would you like to introduce Article six, please.

[Speaker 3] (1:59:40 - 1:59:53)
Uh yes, article six um amend the general bi roti by-law revolving funds. The finance committee re recommends the town approve article six as has said forth in the printed warrant. I move the recognition recommendation of the Finance Committee.

[Speaker 2] (1:59:54 - 1:59:55)
Thank you. Is there a second?

[Speaker 2] (1:59:57 - 1:59:58)
Thank you. Mr. McDonald?

[Speaker 3] (1:59:58 - 2:00:10)
Yeah, I think that the the the only change here and someone can correct me if I'm wrong is increasing the recreation revolving um fund from five hundred thousand to six hundred and fifty thousand. The other ones are the same as they are currently.

[Speaker 2] (2:00:12 - 2:00:17)
Great. Thank you. Anyone wish to speak on the motion for Article six? Yes, sir.

[Speaker 4] (2:00:28 - 2:00:30)
Dennis Peah again uh precinct six,

[Speaker 4] (2:00:30 - 2:00:49)
I mean precinct four. Um just one question, just the recycling blue bins. We haven't been able to buy blue bins from town hall for quite some time, and if we're moving over to the new I just don't understand why that the um recycling blue bin revolving account still exists or what the function is of having it included.

[Speaker 2] (2:00:49 - 2:00:51)
Great. Thank you, Patrick.

[Speaker 6] (2:00:53 - 2:01:09)
You are absolutely correct. The recycling bin revolving fund was set up years ago when we were issuing recycling bins from town hall for purchase. That programme's been discontinued and in the future we'll have an article to close out the account and it'll go to free cash.

[Speaker 2] (2:01:11 - 2:01:12)
Okay. Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (2:01:14 - 2:01:17)
Anyone else wishing to speak on the motion pertaining to Article 6?

[Speaker 2] (2:01:19 - 2:01:24)
Okay, all those in favour of uh moving forward with the motion, please raise your hands.

[Speaker 2] (2:01:26 - 2:01:29)
Thank you, any opposed? It is unanimous.

[Speaker 2] (2:01:31 - 2:01:39)
Article seven is our uh article to appropriate for a chapter ninety roadway improvements and we'll hear about this from Mr Schneider.

[Speaker 7] (2:01:45 - 2:01:46)
The finance uh

[Speaker 7] (2:01:47 - 2:01:59)
Eric Schneider, Town Meeting member of Precinct Five, Vice Chair of the Finance Committee. The Finance Committee recommends the town approve Article Seven as set forth in the printed warrant. I move the recommendation of the Finance Committee.

[Speaker 2] (2:01:59 - 2:02:03)
Thank you. Is there a second? Thank you. Mr. Schneider.

[Speaker 7] (2:02:08 - 2:02:13)
Article Seven is a standard annual article that authorises the town to accept and ex

[Speaker 7] (2:02:14 - 2:02:42)
Expand chapter 90 roadway funding from the Commonwealth for eligible transportation and roadway improvement projects. Um these help funds help offset local costs and reduce the amount that would otherwise be needed s uh supported entirely through local borrowing or taxation. Uh the article in this article is intentionally drafted broadly so that the town can accept not only the current anticipated allocation, but any additional funds that may later be appropriated by the Commonwealth during the fiscal year.

[Speaker 7] (2:02:43 - 2:02:45)
The Finance Committee recommends favorable action on Article 7.

[Speaker 2] (2:02:46 - 2:02:50)
Great. Thank you. Anyone wish to speak on the motion related to Article 7?

[Speaker 2] (2:02:51 - 2:02:52)
Seeing none,

[Speaker 2] (2:02:52 - 2:02:55)
all those in favor of this motion, please raise your hands.

[Speaker 2] (2:02:56 - 2:02:58)
Thank you. All opposed?

[Speaker 2] (2:02:59 - 2:03:00)
It is unanimous.

[Speaker 2] (2:03:01 - 2:03:03)
Article 8, Mr. Schneider.

[Speaker 7] (2:03:04 - 2:03:09)
The Finance Committee recommends that Article 8 be indefinitely postponed.

[Speaker 7] (2:03:09 - 2:03:11)
I move the recommendation of the Finance Committee.

[Speaker 2] (2:03:11 - 2:03:12)
Thank you. Is there a second?

[Speaker 2] (2:03:14 - 2:03:29)
Yeah, as you probably recall, indefinite postponement is the equivalent of taking no action on this, and you might wanna make sure that the impact of that vote is clear to any new members. All those in favour of the motion to indefinitely pr postpone article eight, please raise your hands.

[Speaker 2] (2:03:30 - 2:03:33)
Thank you. All opposed.

[Speaker 2] (2:03:33 - 2:03:35)
It is unanimous.

[Speaker 2] (2:03:36 - 2:03:40)
And that brings us to article nine, our appropriation for F_y_ twenty seven

[Speaker 2] (2:03:41 - 2:03:42)
Capital projects.

[Speaker 2] (2:03:43 - 2:03:43)
Mr. Schneider.

[Speaker 7] (2:03:44 - 2:03:44)
This one's long.

[Speaker 7] (2:03:45 - 2:03:46)
Be patient, please.

[Speaker 7] (2:03:48 - 2:03:48)
Oh.

[Speaker 7] (2:03:53 - 2:03:54)
Good.

[Speaker 7] (2:03:59 - 2:04:01)
The Finance Committee recommends that the town

[Speaker 7] (2:04:01 - 2:04:04)
The town vote to appropriate $11 million,

[Speaker 7] (2:04:04 - 2:04:14)
$709,310 for the purposes and in the amounts identified in Article 9 of the printed warrant as shown under the column heading

[Speaker 7] (2:04:14 - 2:04:16)
FinCom recommended,

[Speaker 7] (2:04:16 - 2:04:17)
in said Article 9,

[Speaker 7] (2:04:18 - 2:04:21)
and to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer,

[Speaker 7] (2:04:21 - 2:04:23)
with the approval of the Select Board,

[Speaker 7] (2:04:23 - 2:04:27)
is authorized to borrow said amount pursuant to General Law,

[Speaker 7] (2:04:27 - 2:04:28)
Chapter 44,

[Speaker 7] (2:04:28 - 2:04:30)
Section 7 or 8,

[Speaker 7] (2:04:30 - 2:04:32)
or any other enabling authority,

[Speaker 7] (2:04:33 - 2:04:35)
to pay for the cost of said capital project,

[Speaker 7] (2:04:36 - 2:04:37)
including, as applicable,

[Speaker 7] (2:04:38 - 2:04:38)
equipping the

[Speaker 7] (2:04:39 - 2:04:51)
of capital items to be acquired, and all incidental and related costs, each numbered item to be considered a separate appropriation, with the budgeted amount to be spent only for each stated purpose,

[Speaker 7] (2:04:52 - 2:05:00)
and further that the amount of borrowing authorised hereunder shall be reduced by any grants received by the town for said projects.

[Speaker 7] (2:05:01 - 2:05:25)
No amount shall be expended for the project described in line thirty three of said article nine unless and until the town shall have been awarded a grant for that project of at least one hundred fifty thousand and the amount authorized to be borrowed for this project shall be reduced to the extent of any grants actually received by the town on account of that project.

[Speaker 7] (2:05:25 - 2:05:27)
I move the recommendation of the Finance Committee.

[Speaker 2] (2:05:28 - 2:05:39)
Thank you. I heard a second. I will draw the members' attention to the printed warrant that reflects the decisions of the Capital Improvement Committee related to these projects.

[Speaker 2] (2:05:40 - 2:05:43)
Mr. Shiner, do you have more comments on Article 9?

[Speaker 7] (2:05:43 - 2:05:48)
Yeah, I thought it would, you know, make sense to go over them and discuss some of our highlights.

[Speaker 7] (2:05:49 - 2:05:53)
So on behalf of the Finance Committee, I want to thank the Capital Improvements Committee,

[Speaker 7] (2:05:53 - 2:05:54)
town administration,

[Speaker 7] (2:05:54 - 2:05:55)
school administration,

[Speaker 7] (2:05:55 - 2:06:08)
department heads and facility staff for the significant amount of work that went into developing this year's proposed capital plan. The FY 27 capital recommendation reflects a disciplined effort to balance urgent infrastructure need,

[Speaker 7] (2:06:09 - 2:06:09)
long-term planning,

[Speaker 7] (2:06:10 - 2:06:12)
operational realities and affordability for taxpayers.

[Speaker 7] (2:06:13 - 2:06:16)
As a reminder and as outlined in Appendix A of the Warrant,

[Speaker 7] (2:06:17 - 2:06:24)
the Capital Improvements Committee follows a structured evaluation process that considers numerous factors and ranks each proposed capital project.

[Speaker 7] (2:06:25 - 2:06:31)
The Finance Committee carefully reviewed both the proposed projects in the CIC ranking in making its recommendations.

[Speaker 7] (2:06:32 - 2:06:37)
It is also important to recognize that the town cannot fund every requested project in a single year.

[Speaker 7] (2:06:37 - 2:06:44)
Prioritisation is essential, and not advancing a project this year does not necessarily mean the project lacks merits.

[Speaker 7] (2:06:45 - 2:06:50)
So there's a couple of key projects that I thought we could highlight now and then maybe avoid questions later.

[Speaker 7] (2:06:51 - 2:07:14)
Uh the first one is the Upper Jackson track resurfacing. You know that's one of the projects the stric committee strongly recommends is the resurfacing of the track at Upper Jackson. This is project number seven on page twenty nine of your printed warrant. The existing track has reached the point where it's unsafe to use for competitive track meets. The facility is used extensively by students, athletic programs, youth sports and the broader community.

[Speaker 7] (2:07:15 - 2:07:29)
The project was ranked a B_ strongly recommended by the C_I_C_ with an estimated authorization amount of approximately one million which is based on a written cost estimate. The committee viewed this as an important investment in both public recreation infrastructure and student athletics.

[Speaker 7] (2:07:31 - 2:07:38)
Uh we also support at the middle school window replacement project that is project number forty one in the capital programme.

[Speaker 7] (2:07:38 - 2:07:47)
If you recall last year Town Meeting authorized a project to design the replacement windows at the middle school. This year we're looking to fund the replacement windows themselves.

[Speaker 7] (2:07:48 - 2:07:58)
We understand that the windows are at the end of their useful life, causing water infiltration at the middle school and need to be replaced, even though we are planning a major middle school renovation in a few years.

[Speaker 7] (2:07:58 - 2:08:00)
Max Casper, the Facilities Director,

[Speaker 7] (2:08:00 - 2:08:05)
has stated that any major renovation of the middle school would seek to preserve all or nearly all of the new windows.

[Speaker 7] (2:08:06 - 2:08:12)
This project was ranked by the CSE as an A_ must do priority with an estimated cost of nearly one point eight million.

[Speaker 7] (2:08:13 - 2:08:31)
Another project the committee spent considerable time reviewing was the high school paving and solar canopy initiative. This is project number thirty three in the plan. The committee carefully evaluated the timing of the project, long term return on investment, energy savings potential, grant opportunities, and overall cost feasibility.

[Speaker 7] (2:08:32 - 2:08:38)
The current FY27 request is for the design phase only, estimated at approximately three hundred thousand.

[Speaker 7] (2:08:39 - 2:08:50)
Importantly, the design project is conditioned on receiving a hundred and fifty thousand climate leader's grant from the state. The future construction phase is also eligible for a one million dollar grant,

[Speaker 7] (2:08:51 - 2:08:59)
but we have to submit a design as part of that grant application. The project is intended to be sized to maximise long-term return on investment and offset

[Speaker 1] (2:09:06 - 2:09:21)
Um it's also worth noting a couple projects that, you know, the finance committee did not recommend moving forward. Um the the first one is um maybe you've noticed it, the three point five million dollar Subaru-related capital or lur pla um project.

[Speaker 1] (2:09:22 - 2:09:48)
uh which is tied to the state revolving or SRF process. That's project number sixty three on the printed warrant. We all know how important it is to complete our sewer rehabilitation project, not just to comply with the EPA's consent decree, but also ensure that our beaches become cleaner and safer to enjoy. The sewer main project is not moving for over two reasons. First, the Select Board had voted to postpone this project until a further analysis and discussion on sewer lateral repairs.

[Speaker 1] (2:09:49 - 2:09:52)
Second, after discussion with the D_P_W_ Director and the town consultant,

[Speaker 1] (2:09:52 - 2:10:07)
Kleinfelder, the town administrator recommendation was deposit authorization and revisit potential funding at a future use due to timing of the current work and the timing of when the funds we would appropriate today would need to be spent.

[Speaker 1] (2:10:08 - 2:10:21)
So last year we authorised another three point five million dollars to fund phase two B_ of the sewer work. Um this project that was on the plan for this year would have fu funded phase two C_

[Speaker 1] (2:10:21 - 2:10:46)
Two B_ would not have been completed until late in twenty twenty seven and we would have to start construction and assigning contracts for the phase two C_ next summer. So we have to start the next phase before we've finished the current one. And it and in any of these phases it makes sense to first evaluate what we've done, is it working and what's the next scope of work. So that's why it made sense to delay for a year.

[Speaker 1] (2:10:47 - 2:11:15)
The proposed middle school classroom space improvements, um this is project thirty nine, were withdrawn by the school department. The primary reason was the anticipated long-term planning surrounding the proposed major middle school renovation. Um and the proposed gym technology upgrades at the high school and middle school uh were also not recommend to move forward this year. That's project number fifty six. Uh that project was ranked as a C_ and nice to have by the C_I_C_

[Speaker 1] (2:11:15 - 2:11:17)
with an estimated cost of $150,000.

[Speaker 1] (2:11:18 - 2:11:22)
Given the competing capital priorities and more urgent infrastructure needs,

[Speaker 1] (2:11:22 - 2:11:25)
the finance committee agreed that this project was appropriate to defer.

[Speaker 1] (2:11:27 - 2:11:53)
As mentioned by Mr. Hartman earlier, you know there's a we have a long term capital plan and there's several significant projects on our horizon which are listed on the five year capital plan, which is on page thirty eight of your warrant. These include a future DPW yard, the in much discussed and anticipated major middle school renovation and, believe it or not, an eventual high school HVAC replacement. You know this is the new high school, but it's twenty years old.

[Speaker 1] (2:11:54 - 2:12:05)
Um so f you know we'd have to start keep uh you know doing what we didn't do before and start up keeping our assets. So in closing the Finance Committee believes that the FY 27 capital plan

[Speaker 1] (2:12:06 - 2:12:11)
represents a balanced and responsible approach. The committee recommends favourable action on the proposed article.

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

[Speaker 2] (2:12:16 - 2:12:19)
Anyone wish me to speak on the motion related to article nine? Yes, sir.

[Speaker 1] (2:12:34 - 2:12:35)
Gary Barton, Precinct 3,

[Speaker 1] (2:12:35 - 2:12:40)
member of ERAC. Um what kind of a copier cost a hundred and forty thousand dollars?

[Speaker 2] (2:12:44 - 2:12:50)
Uh Patrick, do you want to speak to that line item please and the difference between the prior years?

[Speaker 3] (2:12:51 - 2:12:52)
What one is it?

[Speaker 4] (2:12:52 - 2:12:52)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 6] (2:12:52 - 2:12:57)
Sure, it's twelve copiers, not one, just to clarify for everybody.

[Speaker 6] (2:13:00 - 2:13:08)
This would be to purchase copiers versus in the past the school district had leased them and this was found to be more advantageous and would save the town money.

[Speaker 2] (2:13:09 - 2:13:09)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (2:13:10 - 2:13:12)
Any others? Yes, ma'am.

[Speaker 7] (2:13:29 - 2:13:37)
Thank you. Anita Farber-Robertson, Precinct Four, and a member of the Board of Registrar of Voters and a town meeting member.

[Speaker 7] (2:13:38 - 2:13:41)
I would like to know on number 11,

[Speaker 7] (2:13:41 - 2:13:43)
the 89 Burrell Street,

[Speaker 7] (2:13:43 - 2:13:52)
former REACH Arts Accessibility and Fire Protection. For whom is that building?

[Speaker 7] (2:13:54 - 2:13:55)
That building work being done,

[Speaker 7] (2:13:55 - 2:13:57)
who is going to be the occupant?

[Speaker 2] (2:13:58 - 2:14:00)
Thank you. Mr. Connors.

[Speaker 1] (2:14:01 - 2:14:09)
That funding is in relation to the move of the VFW to that location as discussed at the select board over the last 18 months or so.

[Speaker 1] (2:14:09 - 2:14:14)
The money is meant to make sure that we can outfit the building for their potential use.

[Speaker 7] (2:14:15 - 2:14:19)
And is the town aware that the VFW is a private club?

[Speaker 7] (2:14:20 - 2:14:22)
a closed membership,

[Speaker 7] (2:14:22 - 2:14:30)
and only people who belong to that private club can use their facilities and the town is paying for a private club.

[Speaker 2] (2:14:31 - 2:14:32)
Thank you for your comments.

[Speaker 2] (2:14:33 - 2:14:36)
Anyone else wishing to speak on the motion related to Article 9?

[Speaker 2] (2:14:38 - 2:14:39)
Yes, over here.

[Speaker 2] (2:14:45 - 2:14:48)
I just want to confirm that the Sorry, could you just please introduce yourself again?

[Speaker 2] (2:14:49 - 2:14:51)
Sorry, James Andrews, Precinct one.

[Speaker 2] (2:14:51 - 2:14:56)
So just confirming the requester is for the eleven point seven. Is that correct?

[Speaker 1] (2:14:56 - 2:14:57)
That is correct.

[Speaker 2] (2:14:57 - 2:15:01)
Okay. And then if we approve the eleven point seven,

[Speaker 2] (2:15:02 - 2:15:15)
What does that do to our overall debt as a as a town? Are we incrementing debt or are we is it neutral because some previous debt's already being paid off? What's the kind of balancing act here?

[Speaker 2] (2:15:16 - 2:15:17)
Thank you. Patrick.

[Speaker 6] (2:15:20 - 2:15:31)
So the capital plan that's before you for approval is additive. It wouldn't be net neutral in terms of our debt service that is funded through the budget. We have policies in place on

[Speaker 6] (2:15:32 - 2:15:53)
how much debt the town can service in the budget, it's a percentage of budget, and that ceiling on that is ten percent, or close to the ceiling. Uh we anticipate that these appropriations will fall within that threshold or, you know, very close to it, but we have um made some investments over the the last few years with the new school and all these things. So we're

[Speaker 2] (2:15:53 - 2:15:53)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 6] (2:15:53 - 2:15:56)
higher on that threshold than we have been, you know, five years ago.

[Speaker 2] (2:15:56 - 2:15:57)
So

[Speaker 2] (2:15:58 - 2:16:08)
Moving forward into FY '28, FY '29, there's an additive cost that's gonna fall to the operating budget to support this debt.

[Speaker 6] (2:16:08 - 2:16:09)
There would be, yes.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:10 - 2:16:10)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:10 - 2:16:11)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (2:16:12 - 2:16:13)
Yes sir.

[Speaker 8] (2:16:24 - 2:16:30)
Evan Katz, Precinct Three on Project Eleven, Burrell Street. What is the zoning of that property, please?

[Speaker 2] (2:16:32 - 2:16:36)
Thank you. Uh Angela or someone from

[Speaker 2] (2:16:37 - 2:16:38)
Ted?

[Speaker 6] (2:16:43 - 2:16:44)
Marcy, could you come over?

[Speaker 2] (2:16:45 - 2:16:46)
Where is it? Yeah, Angela.

[Speaker 7] (2:16:59 - 2:17:04)
Angela Ippolito, Planning Board member and Town Meeting member,

[Speaker 7] (2:17:04 - 2:17:04)
Precinct 5.

[Speaker 7] (2:17:05 - 2:17:18)
The building at Borough Street you're referencing is in what is called a planned development district that was voted through town meeting not a long time ago. I can't even remember,

[Speaker 7] (2:17:18 - 2:17:19)
10, 15 years.

[Speaker 8] (2:17:20 - 2:17:22)
So that's a residential type of zoning.

[Speaker 7] (2:17:22 - 2:17:24)
The underlying zoning is residential,

[Speaker 7] (2:17:24 - 2:17:25)
that's right,

[Speaker 7] (2:17:25 - 2:17:28)
but the overlay takes precedence.

[Speaker 8] (2:17:28 - 2:17:37)
So would the projected use of that as a alcohol serving establishment be permitted in that zone?

[Speaker 9] (2:17:38 - 2:17:51)
The purpose of the planned development district is to provide a benefit to the town or its residents that is considered more beneficial than it is negative,

[Speaker 9] (2:17:51 - 2:17:57)
I suppose. But there has to be a specific purpose to it that is a benefit to the town.

[Speaker 2] (2:17:59 - 2:18:00)
Thank you.

[Speaker 8] (2:18:00 - 2:18:12)
I would suggest that if there's an anticipated use that that proposal come before town meeting prior to spending funds to renovate the building for that purpose.

[Speaker 2] (2:18:15 - 2:18:16)
Anyone else wishing to speak?

[Speaker 2] (2:18:16 - 2:18:17)
Yes, sir.

[Speaker 10] (2:18:28 - 2:18:30)
Ken Norton, Precinct 3.

[Speaker 10] (2:18:30 - 2:18:32)
I actually got a couple of questions.

[Speaker 10] (2:18:32 - 2:18:33)
One,

[Speaker 10] (2:18:34 - 2:18:40)
what is the 28 high school envelope improvements?

[Speaker 2] (2:18:41 - 2:18:42)
Thank you.

[Speaker 10] (2:18:42 - 2:18:42)
What is that?

[Speaker 2] (2:18:43 - 2:18:44)
Mr.

[Speaker 2] (2:18:44 - 2:18:44)
Casper,

[Speaker 2] (2:18:44 - 2:18:46)
could you help us understand the scope of that project,

[Speaker 2] (2:18:46 - 2:18:46)
please?

[Speaker 1] (2:18:55 - 2:19:13)
Hi, I'm Max Cass from the facilities director. Uh the envelope improvements are improvements the building envelope at the high school. So the envelope generally is the uh facade, roof, everything you know encompassing the building. So it's various projects touching different things with that.

[Speaker 2] (2:19:13 - 2:19:15)
Okay, thank you.

[Speaker 3] (2:19:15 - 2:19:15)
Mm-hmm.

[Speaker 2] (2:19:15 - 2:19:20)
The other question I had was on the water metre replacement.

[Speaker 2] (2:19:21 - 2:19:33)
Are we MWRA, and is there a way the MWRA, pardon me, uh would have some sort of rebate program or something for that to cut the cost for us?

[Speaker 4] (2:19:34 - 2:19:34)
Thank you.

[Speaker 4] (2:19:36 - 2:19:36)
Patrick,

[Speaker 4] (2:19:36 - 2:19:38)
do you have any insight on that for us?

[Speaker 6] (2:19:39 - 2:19:49)
I would just comment that the motion language before you, um any of these borrowing authorizations would be reduced by grants or any other funding opportunities that are available, so

[Speaker 6] (2:19:50 - 2:19:50)
should that funding

[Speaker 2] (2:19:51 - 2:19:51)
Yeah.

[Speaker 6] (2:19:52 - 2:19:54)
reveal itself, it would reduce what would be borrowed.

[Speaker 6] (2:19:54 - 2:19:55)
Right.

[Speaker 4] (2:19:56 - 2:20:10)
So just to just to reiterate the point that the amount that's listed here would be the maximum that we would appropriate. We're not obligated to spend that amount. Any unspent amount against any of these projects would then be returned uh once the projects are closed.

[Speaker 4] (2:20:11 - 2:20:13)
Did you have a comment on article nine?

[Speaker 7] (2:20:15 - 2:20:15)
I do.

[Speaker 7] (2:20:16 - 2:20:17)
Jennifer Murphy,

[Speaker 7] (2:20:17 - 2:20:18)
Precinct 2.

[Speaker 7] (2:20:19 - 2:20:22)
Regarding the resurfacing of the track,

[Speaker 7] (2:20:22 - 2:20:33)
am I mistaken that it's already the wrong size so they can't use it for formal meets and will that be corrected or are you just resurfacing it as is?

[Speaker 4] (2:20:34 - 2:20:35)
Thank you.

[Speaker 4] (2:20:36 - 2:20:37)
Mr. Connors.

[Speaker 6] (2:20:37 - 2:20:53)
It will be for the, you know, resurfacing and repaving beneath the resurfacing so that it will last hopefully another twenty plus years. It is of a standard size from the the vigorous head shaking I'm getting from the superintendent right now, so we'll maintain the size as is.

[Speaker 4] (2:20:56 - 2:20:57)
Thank you. Yes, ma'am.

[Speaker 8] (2:21:12 - 2:21:15)
Bonnie Levine, Precinct 6, meeting member.

[Speaker 8] (2:21:16 - 2:21:21)
I'd like to propose an amendment to item 11 as shown in the budget.

[Speaker 8] (2:21:21 - 2:21:28)
I'd like to move that there be further discussion and that that item be stricken and deferred for a future discussion time.

[Speaker 4] (2:21:28 - 2:21:29)
Great.

[Speaker 4] (2:21:29 - 2:21:34)
Thank you, Ms. Levin. Could you please bring the amendment to the clerk to just review that it's in the right format?

[Speaker 4] (2:21:35 - 2:21:36)
Is there a second?

[Speaker 4] (2:21:37 - 2:21:38)
Thank you.

[Speaker 4] (2:21:40 - 2:21:43)
Let's give us one second to uh No, no pun intended there.

[Speaker 4] (2:22:44 - 2:23:04)
Alright, thanks everyone. So uh where we're at in the plot here, we have an amendment before us that would s essentially strike uh project in eleven from the F_Y_ twenty seven capital project list and reduce the amount of borrowing by the amount uh that that goes along with that reduced expenditure. Great.

[Speaker 4] (2:23:04 - 2:23:09)
So it's a six hundred thousand dollar reduction to the um

[Speaker 4] (2:23:10 - 2:23:12)
FY twenty-seven capital plan.

[Speaker 4] (2:23:12 - 2:23:16)
Does anyone wish to speak for or against this amendment?

[Speaker 4] (2:23:17 - 2:23:17)
Mr. Germer?

[Speaker 9] (2:23:26 - 2:23:33)
Jergerma, Precinct three. Um this building has a history of

[Speaker 9] (2:23:34 - 2:23:55)
being a town-owned building that hasn't been able to be used efficiently. Um there was a period of time it sat empty, it was used for storage. When Reach Arts was in there, their ability to lease the whole building out was very limited because of the building's deficiencies. Uh ADA is really important.

[Speaker 9] (2:23:56 - 2:24:00)
The basement of that building is the only space that is accessible.

[Speaker 9] (2:24:01 - 2:24:08)
I know with REACH, I had worked with them to try to figure out how to get accessibility up to the other floors.

[Speaker 9] (2:24:08 - 2:24:10)
For this to be an asset in the town,

[Speaker 9] (2:24:10 - 2:24:12)
no matter what use it has,

[Speaker 9] (2:24:12 - 2:24:19)
it really needs to be brought up to a standard that it is a valuable property.

[Speaker 9] (2:24:19 - 2:24:30)
So I would highly recommend not removing this from the budget and getting that building into a position that however it's being used, it can be used appropriately.

[Speaker 9] (2:24:30 - 2:24:31)
appropriately. Thank you.

[Speaker 4] (2:24:31 - 2:24:32)
Thank you.

[Speaker 4] (2:24:33 - 2:24:33)
Yes, sir.

[Speaker 10] (2:24:40 - 2:24:42)
Stephen Iaconni, precinct four.

[Speaker 10] (2:24:43 - 2:24:56)
Question comes up in discussing this, is there any problem with postponing this work until a later date? So like, is something going to go wrong?

[Speaker 10] (2:24:57 - 2:25:00)
with the building if it's not done this year.

[Speaker 4] (2:25:01 - 2:25:02)
Thank you. Ms.

[Speaker 4] (2:25:02 - 2:25:03)
Phelan, do you want to speak to that?

[Speaker 11] (2:25:08 - 2:25:09)
Good evening,

[Speaker 11] (2:25:09 - 2:25:11)
Katie Phelan, chair of the Select Board,

[Speaker 11] (2:25:11 - 2:25:14)
and one of my now precinct three town meeting member.

[Speaker 11] (2:25:14 - 2:25:17)
So the issue is timing.

[Speaker 11] (2:25:17 - 2:25:22)
B'nai B'rith housing has put forth a eligibility for funding.

[Speaker 11] (2:25:22 - 2:25:26)
This fall is the decision for that funding.

[Speaker 11] (2:25:26 - 2:25:29)
So we will know in the fall if they received funds to build the project.

[Speaker 11] (2:25:30 - 2:25:33)
The construction would begin a year later.

[Speaker 11] (2:25:33 - 2:25:39)
So if we do not start construction on the building to make it...

[Speaker 11] (2:25:39 - 2:25:41)
hospitable for the veterans and the post,

[Speaker 11] (2:25:41 - 2:26:01)
then there could be a period of time by which Vinnay needs to tear down the post building as it exists today in order to redevelopment for ha uh redevelop it for the housing and the veterans would be displaced for a period of time until we were prepared to welcome them back to Brall Street if that's what you all voted to do. So

[Speaker 4] (2:26:02 - 2:26:06)
Thank you. Any other questions or comments on the amendment?

[Speaker 4] (2:26:07 - 2:26:08)
Yes, sir. Mr. Katz?

[Speaker 4] (2:26:17 - 2:26:27)
Thank you, Mr Moderator. I don't believe there have been any neighbourhood meetings about this conversion of this property. Maybe it's a good idea, maybe it's not.

[Speaker 4] (2:26:28 - 2:26:30)
Is there sufficient parking?

[Speaker 4] (2:26:30 - 2:26:38)
Is this the kind of use we want to have in that particular neighbourhood? I'm not sure we've had a thorough discussion of that.

[Speaker 4] (2:26:38 - 2:26:45)
I think it's premature to renovate a building for a use that hasn't even been discussed with the neighbourhood.

[Speaker 4] (2:26:46 - 2:26:49)
And I would recommend passage of the amendment.

[Speaker 4] (2:26:50 - 2:26:50)
Great. Thank you.

[Speaker 4] (2:26:52 - 2:26:53)
Any other, Mr. Pasios?

[Speaker 2] (2:27:01 - 2:27:03)
Charlie Pascios, Precinct 5,

[Speaker 2] (2:27:03 - 2:27:07)
a United States Navy veteran,

[Speaker 2] (2:27:08 - 2:27:11)
and I'm utterly

[Speaker 2] (2:27:11 - 2:27:16)
shocked that this has even come up.

[Speaker 2] (2:27:17 - 2:27:19)
For you that don't know,

[Speaker 2] (2:27:19 - 2:27:23)
that building was constructed by the American Legion at no cost to the town of Swampscott.

[Speaker 2] (2:27:23 - 2:27:29)
It was home of the American Legion until we consolidated and we let the town use the building for free.

[Speaker 2] (2:27:30 - 2:27:31)
No cost whatsoever,

[Speaker 2] (2:27:31 - 2:27:32)
folks.

[Speaker 2] (2:27:34 - 2:27:36)
For those that served and didn't return home,

[Speaker 2] (2:27:36 - 2:27:39)
I think they paid the ultimate price. I think we all benefit from freedom.

[Speaker 2] (2:27:41 - 2:27:45)
I'm shocked, disappointed, let down.

[Speaker 2] (2:27:47 - 2:27:51)
I could continue, but I'll end with that, descriptively anyways.

[Speaker 2] (2:27:52 - 2:27:59)
The town received the building at no cost from the American Legion when it asked for the deed to the property.

[Speaker 2] (2:28:02 - 2:28:05)
We didn't hear anybody come up and say they shouldn't do that.

[Speaker 2] (2:28:07 - 2:28:08)
What neighborhood is it in?

[Speaker 2] (2:28:09 - 2:28:11)
Nobody asked any questions like that.

[Speaker 2] (2:28:13 - 2:28:14)
I can't believe this is happening.

[Speaker 2] (2:28:16 - 2:28:23)
So when the veterans need a place because we've been removed from the one that we're in as a lease,

[Speaker 2] (2:28:23 - 2:28:27)
and I can go into details about other land that the town received for free from the veterans.

[Speaker 2] (2:28:28 - 2:28:30)
We've never asked for anything.

[Speaker 2] (2:28:31 - 2:28:34)
But the little that you've given us, you want to take away.

[Speaker 8] (2:28:37 - 2:28:38)
You want to take that away.

[Speaker 8] (2:28:39 - 2:28:41)
That is un-American.

[Speaker 8] (2:28:42 - 2:28:46)
It's not the swamp scot that I grew up in or raised my family in 35,

[Speaker 8] (2:28:46 - 2:28:47)
36 years now.

[Speaker 1] (2:28:46 - 2:28:47)
36 years now.

[Speaker 1] (2:28:51 - 2:28:55)
This is an indication of commitment to the veterans,

[Speaker 1] (2:28:55 - 2:28:57)
to the town's legacy,

[Speaker 1] (2:28:57 - 2:28:57)
its history,

[Speaker 1] (2:28:58 - 2:29:04)
and tonight will go down in history for the few people that wanted to displace the veterans again.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:05 - 2:29:14)
We've given the land, hundreds of thousands of dollars up here around the high school at no cost that the town sold and profited on. No complaints from the veterans.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:15 - 2:29:17)
We got the VFW on Pine Street.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:18 - 2:29:19)
We put the building up.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:20 - 2:29:22)
We received it as a lease.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:23 - 2:29:26)
The town said they needed it for veterans for housing,

[Speaker 1] (2:29:26 - 2:29:27)
B'nai Berth housing.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:27 - 2:29:28)
What did the veterans say?

[Speaker 1] (2:29:28 - 2:29:29)
That's fine.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:29 - 2:29:30)
Where would you like to put us?

[Speaker 1] (2:29:31 - 2:29:33)
Oh, we're going to put you in the building that you used to own.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:34 - 2:29:35)
That you gave us for free,

[Speaker 1] (2:29:35 - 2:29:39)
and now some of you don't want us to have a home.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:40 - 2:29:41)
Shame on you.

[Speaker 1] (2:29:41 - 2:29:42)
Enough said for now.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:43 - 2:29:43)
Thank you, Mr.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:43 - 2:29:44)
Prezios.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:45 - 2:29:45)
Sir,

[Speaker 2] (2:29:45 - 2:29:46)
in the back.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:47 - 2:29:48)
One second,

[Speaker 2] (2:29:48 - 2:29:48)
please.

[Speaker 2] (2:29:49 - 2:29:54)
Can you... What is your point of personal privilege,

[Speaker 2] (2:29:54 - 2:29:54)
ma'am?

[Speaker 3] (2:30:02 - 2:30:07)
Mr. Patsios, Anita Farber Roberts in Precinct 4.

[Speaker 3] (2:30:08 - 2:30:25)
Mr. Patsios made what I take as a personal affront. I have nothing against veterans or supporting our veterans. If this had been the Disabled American Veterans group,

[Speaker 3] (2:30:25 - 2:30:27)
they are an open group.

[Speaker 3] (2:30:27 - 2:30:29)
They are not a private club.

[Speaker 3] (2:30:30 - 2:30:36)
I'm discussing the difference between a private club and an open to the community group.

[Speaker 3] (2:30:36 - 2:30:39)
This is not about do you like veterans or don't you like veterans?

[Speaker 3] (2:30:40 - 2:30:42)
Do you support veterans or don't you support veterans?

[Speaker 2] (2:30:42 - 2:30:43)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (2:30:43 - 2:30:47)
It's about private groups versus open use for the community.

[Speaker 2] (2:30:47 - 2:30:49)
Thank you for the clarification.

[Speaker 2] (2:30:49 - 2:30:52)
Gentleman in the back wish to be recognized to speak.

[Speaker 1] (2:30:59 - 2:31:00)
Robert Baker Precinct 6.

[Speaker 1] (2:31:01 - 2:31:12)
I think we've gone through this process of finding an appropriate way to house the veterans that are here today with us that are survivors and that need our care and service.

[Speaker 1] (2:31:13 - 2:31:27)
It wasn't always the case. I was involved in the transfer of that property to the town and what had happened was the that particular veterans organization had gone down to just a few members.

[Speaker 1] (2:31:27 - 2:31:44)
They'd aged out and the president who was no longer a participant had moved to the Cape and offered to deed that property over to the town and it was a convenience to everybody involved and it's actually irrelevant to anything that's going on today.

[Speaker 1] (2:31:44 - 2:31:56)
We've already spent a lot of town meeting time figuring out how to best serve the needs of those veterans in our community and I certainly discourage this amendment.

[Speaker 2] (2:31:56 - 2:31:57)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (2:31:57 - 2:32:06)
So the question before us is whether to amend the capital plan by striking Project 11 and reducing the amount of borrowing appropriately.

[Speaker 2] (2:32:06 - 2:32:09)
Does anyone else wish to speak for or against this amendment?

[Speaker 4] (2:32:09 - 2:32:10)
Mr. Moderator.

[Speaker 2] (2:32:11 - 2:32:12)
Okay. Yes, Ms. Phelan?

[Speaker 6] (2:32:13 - 2:32:22)
I'd just like to further clarify that the $600,000 is not just to outfit the space for the particular use,

[Speaker 6] (2:32:22 - 2:32:23)
the veterans use.

[Speaker 6] (2:32:23 - 2:32:25)
It's mostly for accessibility.

[Speaker 6] (2:32:26 - 2:32:31)
So if the veterans don't end up being the use forever,

[Speaker 6] (2:32:31 - 2:32:37)
then that benefit still benefits all of us in this room for whatever use occurs in the future.

[Speaker 6] (2:32:37 - 2:32:41)
So I understand $600,000 is a lot of money.

[Speaker 6] (2:32:41 - 2:32:55)
but the benefit to us as town meeting members is not just to service the veterans but for whatever other use may come forward including accessibility to other levels of that building which are not being used by the veterans

[Speaker 2] (2:32:56 - 2:32:56)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (2:32:57 - 2:33:00)
I did see one hand in the back here. Ma'am, would you like to speak on this matter?

[Speaker 3] (2:33:10 - 2:33:15)
Hi, Kim Martin Epstein, Precinct three and I'm chairperson of the affordable housing trust.

[Speaker 7] (2:33:15 - 2:33:31)
Um we have talked about this and it was in the context of the housing project that we'll be using the space that currently houses the VFW. I wanna make sure that we're clear on the narrative here. Nobody's speaking nobody should be speaking against housing veterans,

[Speaker 7] (2:33:31 - 2:33:41)
whether it's the affordable housing that's gonna be built by B'nai B'rith or by creating another space for the VFW so that the housing can be built. This is a package deal that benefits the town.

[Speaker 7] (2:33:42 - 2:33:45)
and the veterans. We have spoken about this and our commitment to the veterans.

[Speaker 7] (2:33:46 - 2:33:52)
And just because a VFW is a private community does not,

[Speaker 7] (2:33:52 - 2:33:53)
it doesn't matter.

[Speaker 7] (2:33:53 - 2:33:57)
We have been housing a VFW already on town-owned land.

[Speaker 7] (2:33:57 - 2:34:05)
We've been paying for the veterans to have the VFW that they have and we're going to continue to pay for it in another location a few hundred meters up the street.

[Speaker 7] (2:34:05 - 2:34:09)
And it's a great bang for the buck. It's a great bargain for the town.

[Speaker 7] (2:34:09 - 2:34:37)
to create accessibility in this space because we're going to have incredibly high quality housing and we're going to have a really well appointed VFW that is accessible and as Katie mentioned a building that has been difficult to use in any event and now the veterans will be able to use it and sublease it and you know basically maximize the benefit of this building that hasn't been able to be used in I don't even know how long in its full capacity.

[Speaker 2] (2:34:38 - 2:34:39)
Thank you.

[Speaker 6] (2:34:39 - 2:34:40)
Mr. Moderator.

[Speaker 2] (2:34:41 - 2:34:41)
Yes,

[Speaker 2] (2:34:41 - 2:34:42)
Ms. Phelan.

[Speaker 6] (2:34:42 - 2:35:07)
I just would also like to further clarify the LDA directs B'nai B'rith Housing to make a payment to the town of Swampscott upon their occupancy. The payment I believe is 1.5 million dollars. The idea is that this 600,000 dollars would be spent today from town funds but would be coming back to us through the LDA. So while yes this is an investment that we have to make out of our own pocket now.

[Speaker 6] (2:35:07 - 2:35:18)
there will be funds coming back to us that were factored in in the negotiation of the LDA in order to cover those costs to rehome the veterans to a new location.

[Speaker 2] (2:35:18 - 2:35:20)
Thank you. Mr.

[Speaker 2] (2:35:20 - 2:35:20)
Berdorf.

[Speaker 2] (2:35:23 - 2:35:24)
Oh, sorry, did you have a? Okay.

[Speaker 1] (2:35:30 - 2:35:30)
JEFFREY

[Speaker 1] (2:35:32 - 2:35:59)
Jeffrey Blonde of Precinct Two. Um I just want to clarify um as a former commander of the Disabled Veterans which is the largest veteran service organization in Essex County, this project is for the VFW. It doesn't include the American Legion or the D-A-V. So I just want to clarify that. When you say veterans it's really just the VFW. I don't want people to get confused because the D-A-V does not use that space.

[Speaker 2] (2:35:59 - 2:36:00)
Thank you, Mr.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:00 - 2:36:01)
Bonder. Anyone

[Speaker 6] (2:36:01 - 2:36:01)
As

[Speaker 2] (2:36:01 - 2:36:01)
else wishing

[Speaker 6] (2:36:01 - 2:36:02)
a point of clarification,

[Speaker 2] (2:36:02 - 2:36:02)
to speak?

[Speaker 6] (2:36:02 - 2:36:03)
Ms. Moderator,

[Speaker 2] (2:36:03 - 2:36:03)
Okay,

[Speaker 6] (2:36:03 - 2:36:03)
I apologize.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:03 - 2:36:04)
yes, Ms.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:04 - 2:36:04)
Phelan.

[Speaker 6] (2:36:04 - 2:36:06)
The housing is for all veterans.

[Speaker 6] (2:36:07 - 2:36:10)
Swampscott preference first. So I just want to make that clear that Mr.

[Speaker 6] (2:36:11 - 2:36:15)
Bonder's reference is only to the post and not to the housing.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:16 - 2:36:17)
Thank you very much. Mr.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:17 - 2:36:17)
Berdarff.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:19 - 2:36:33)
Okay, uh thank you. So we'll now move to v a vote on the amendment uh which is to strike Project Eleven and reduce the amount to be borrowed by six hundred thousand dollars. All those in favour of this amendment please raise your hands.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:35 - 2:36:47)
All those opposed. This amendment fails. We will now move back to the main motion uh that Mr Schneider made around uh the appropriation for F_Y_ twenty seven. Uh remember

[Speaker 2] (2:36:48 - 2:36:53)
We are voting on the amounts indicated in the table under Finance Committee recommends.

[Speaker 2] (2:36:54 - 2:37:07)
And please also recall that the Capital Improvement Committee has met and voted to support this appropriation. Are there any other members wishing to comment on Article 9? Yes, sir.

[Speaker 1] (2:37:17 - 2:37:19)
Mock Barton, precinct three,

[Speaker 1] (2:37:19 - 2:37:28)
and I would suggest maybe add a column in here that has an explanation of what these appropriations are.

[Speaker 1] (2:37:29 - 2:37:31)
Might save us all time.

[Speaker 1] (2:37:31 - 2:37:34)
I was wondering about 57 and 59,

[Speaker 1] (2:37:34 - 2:37:38)
staff and student device refresh.

[Speaker 1] (2:37:38 - 2:37:40)
Can you explain what that is?

[Speaker 2] (2:37:41 - 2:37:44)
Thank you. Patrick, do you have a question?

[Speaker 2] (2:37:45 - 2:37:47)
Answer to his question?

[Speaker 8] (2:37:49 - 2:38:09)
So to answer your question, the school district has a technology replacement plan for both the staff devices and the student devices. Each student has a device and I believe a cycle is a five year cycle, so this would be to replace a portion of the devices that are due for students and staff.

[Speaker 2] (2:38:10 - 2:38:10)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:38:11 - 2:38:12)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (2:38:13 - 2:38:18)
A laptop, uh electronic devices that students use in their studies.

[Speaker 2] (2:38:19 - 2:38:20)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (2:38:21 - 2:38:39)
That's a device. Thank you for the illustration. I also remind all members that capital improvement committee meetings are public and the minutes are posted regularly on the website should you wish to learn more about the projects throughout the cycle. Any others members wishing to speak on article nine or the motion pertaining to article nine.

[Speaker 2] (2:38:40 - 2:38:41)
Yes, here in the back.

[Speaker 2] (2:38:47 - 2:39:01)
Um Andrea Moore, town meeting member, precinct three. Um I had two quick questions. One was in relation to project number fourteen um the fifty thousand dollar budget for um facilities director in DPW electric vehicles.

[Speaker 2] (2:39:02 - 2:39:13)
How many vehicles does that include and do we currently have a vehicle for that purpose or are we buying one because we don't have one that we need to put into function?

[Speaker 1] (2:39:14 - 2:39:15)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (2:39:16 - 2:39:16)
Mr.

[Speaker 1] (2:39:16 - 2:39:16)
Connors?

[Speaker 2] (2:39:16 - 2:39:18)
I have a second one coming. I

[Speaker 1] (2:39:18 - 2:39:18)
I'll

[Speaker 2] (2:39:18 - 2:39:18)
just want

[Speaker 1] (2:39:18 - 2:39:18)
come back

[Speaker 2] (2:39:18 - 2:39:18)
to see to first.

[Speaker 1] (2:39:18 - 2:39:19)
you once we...

[Speaker 1] (2:39:19 - 2:39:21)
Yes, yes, sir, Mr. Connors.

[Speaker 3] (2:39:21 - 2:39:30)
So this is for one vehicle. Right now we have each DPW director facilities are both using vehicles that are very close to the end of their useful life.

[Speaker 3] (2:39:30 - 2:39:34)
In the process of this discussion around vehicle purchase,

[Speaker 3] (2:39:34 - 2:39:38)
there was one at the fire department and then DPW as well as facilities.

[Speaker 3] (2:39:38 - 2:39:44)
We decided to cut that request from three to one so that we have the funds available if there's a catastrophic failure,

[Speaker 3] (2:39:44 - 2:39:45)
but we will be looking at the

[Speaker 3] (2:39:45 - 2:40:12)
usage across all three of those and across town staff to make sure that we either replace those vehicles in kind with an EV or something or look at more of a model that would be a fleet model where someone will take you know because they need it today they'll take a vehicle for three or four hours versus having one automatically assigned to them this is meant to be a failsafe so that we can look at that use over a year but if there's a catastrophic failure we have funding available to us to replace that one vehicle

[Speaker 3] (2:40:12 - 2:40:12)
vehicle.

[Speaker 2] (2:40:12 - 2:40:14)
Thank you for the clarification.

[Speaker 2] (2:40:14 - 2:40:20)
And then the other question I have is in relation to project number seven.

[Speaker 2] (2:40:21 - 2:40:26)
I know that in, I feel like this is like a dangerous word to say out loud,

[Speaker 2] (2:40:26 - 2:40:27)
but I know in Marblehead.

[Speaker 2] (2:40:31 - 2:40:37)
They had a fund the field program to raise money for their new,

[Speaker 2] (2:40:37 - 2:40:39)
I think it was their turf last year.

[Speaker 2] (2:40:39 - 2:40:53)
And I was just curious if a fund, not for the full million necessarily, but I was wondering if a fundraiser model was considered rather than having this be taxpayer funded in entirety.

[Speaker 1] (2:40:55 - 2:41:15)
Thank you for the question. Uh Mr Cowichman, do you have any comments on that or or not? Uh if you don't have to that's fine. So when we discuss this in the capital committee the again the appropriations here are the maximum amount that that the town would spend, and that would be reduced by any grants, donations, fundraising that sponsors of the project would be willing to provide.

[Speaker 2] (2:41:16 - 2:41:20)
Are the sponsors of the project willing to provide?

[Speaker 2] (2:41:20 - 2:41:23)
Because if we appropriate the full amount,

[Speaker 1] (2:41:23 - 2:41:23)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (2:41:23 - 2:41:25)
I don't think they would be willing to provide.

[Speaker 2] (2:41:27 - 2:41:28)
any more.

[Speaker 3] (2:41:28 - 2:41:35)
I think if I could speak, and this is on behalf of the town at large, I'm not speaking specifically for school operations,

[Speaker 3] (2:41:35 - 2:41:40)
but we are always looking for opportunities, whether it be an earmark,

[Speaker 3] (2:41:40 - 2:41:52)
a private donation, or grants, and I know that the schools on the operation side or the general government operation side, we will always look for those dollars that are not taxpayer dollars first before we spend anything,

[Speaker 3] (2:41:52 - 2:41:54)
even if appropriated for the full amount here,

[Speaker 3] (2:41:54 - 2:41:55)
we will continue to look for opportunities.

[Speaker 3] (2:41:56 - 2:41:57)
to lower that spend throughout the time.

[Speaker 2] (2:41:58 - 2:42:05)
Excellent. So we could find several large sponsors who could help defray the cost of the field, who'd want to put their name on it and things.

[Speaker 3] (2:42:06 - 2:42:10)
we'd welcome donors we can talk about how they would be recognized

[Speaker 2] (2:42:11 - 2:42:12)
Right.

[Speaker 2] (2:42:12 - 2:42:12)
Okay.

[Speaker 3] (2:42:12 - 2:42:27)
but feel free to connect them with us and I'm happy to sit down with whoever the school committee designates to participate in any such conversation but we're definitely not selling naming rights tonight but we're open to the conversation with any private donor or any grant

[Speaker 2] (2:42:27 - 2:42:29)
Thank you, Mr. Connors.

[Speaker 1] (2:42:29 - 2:42:30)
Thanks for that clarification,

[Speaker 1] (2:42:30 - 2:42:31)
Mr. Connors.

[Speaker 1] (2:42:31 - 2:42:34)
Anyone else wishing to speak on the motion pertaining to Article 9?

[Speaker 1] (2:42:34 - 2:42:35)
nine. Yes, sir.

[Speaker 1] (2:42:36 - 2:42:46)
Yes, uh we will now move to a vote on the motion that Mr Schneider made related to Article Nine. All those in favour, please raise your hands.

[Speaker 1] (2:42:47 - 2:43:01)
Thank you. Any opposed? The motion carries unanimously. Uh which now brings us to Article Ten, and I believe Ms. Fehlen will walk us through the h uh select board's motion.

[Speaker 2] (2:43:01 - 2:43:05)
Good evening. The Select Board recommends that Article 10 be indefinitely postponed.

[Speaker 2] (2:43:06 - 2:43:08)
I move the recommendation of the Select Board.

[Speaker 1] (2:43:09 - 2:43:10)
Thank you. There's a second.

[Speaker 2] (2:43:10 - 2:43:10)
So

[Speaker 1] (2:43:10 - 2:43:12)
Miss Fiel, do you have any comments on this?

[Speaker 2] (2:43:12 - 2:43:13)
I do as a point of discussion.

[Speaker 2] (2:43:13 - 2:43:20)
This lateral bylaw has been on this warrant, on the prior warrant.

[Speaker 2] (2:43:21 - 2:43:24)
We want to see it succeed.

[Speaker 2] (2:43:25 - 2:43:29)
There have been a series of meetings that will be scheduled for June,

[Speaker 2] (2:43:29 - 2:43:36)
September and October to gather and consider further citizen feedback with regards to the lateral bylaw.

[Speaker 2] (2:43:37 - 2:43:54)
We also as a board have taken up conversations involving betterment, which means if you need to have your lateral replaced, can you defer the cost of it until the transfer of your property so that you're not out the money that we are requiring you to spend in order to replace.

[Speaker 2] (2:43:54 - 2:43:55)
to replace the lateral.

[Speaker 2] (2:43:55 - 2:44:03)
I would think both of those conversations should happen in parallel so that when we come back to you, hopefully in the fall with this bylaw,

[Speaker 2] (2:44:03 - 2:44:04)
third time's a charm,

[Speaker 2] (2:44:04 - 2:44:14)
we will also have some additional information for you all about how it will affect your budgeting for your home repairs and how we envision this working for each of you.

[Speaker 1] (2:44:15 - 2:44:16)
Great. Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (2:44:17 - 2:44:20)
So the motion before us is to indefinitely postpone

[Speaker 1] (2:44:21 - 2:44:24)
Article 10. Anyone wish to comment on this?

[Speaker 1] (2:44:25 - 2:44:30)
Seeing none, we will move to a vote. All those in favour of indefinitely postponing Article 10,

[Speaker 1] (2:44:30 - 2:44:34)
thank you. Any opposed? Uh the motion passes unanimously.

[Speaker 1] (2:44:35 - 2:44:37)
That will bring us to Article 11,

[Speaker 1] (2:44:37 - 2:44:43)
and I believe Miss Fletcher will make a motion and then uh walk us through a brief presentation.

[Speaker 4] (2:44:47 - 2:44:49)
A brief presentation?

[Speaker 1] (2:44:49 - 2:44:50)
Uh

[Speaker 1] (2:44:49 - 2:44:54)
Uh, I'm sorry, maybe Deb is doing the presentation. Would you like to make a motion?

[Speaker 4] (2:44:55 - 2:45:15)
Okay, let me make the motion. Uh Mary Ellen Fletcher, Precinct four, select board. Select board recommends the town approve Article Eleven as set forth in the printed warrant with a deletion of no waivers that allow for the use of S_ at the end of Section D_ I move the recommendation of the select board.

[Speaker 1] (2:45:16 - 2:45:17)
Thank you. Is there a second?

[Speaker 1] (2:45:18 - 2:45:22)
Thank you. Uh is Deb Newman presenting on this one?

[Speaker 1] (2:45:23 - 2:45:23)
Is

[Speaker 4] (2:45:23 - 2:45:23)
How

[Speaker 1] (2:45:23 - 2:45:23)
Newman

[Speaker 4] (2:45:23 - 2:45:23)
about

[Speaker 1] (2:45:23 - 2:45:23)
are you?

[Speaker 4] (2:45:23 - 2:45:25)
if I, can I just

[Speaker 1] (2:45:25 - 2:45:25)
Oh, yeah,

[Speaker 4] (2:45:25 - 2:45:25)
give

[Speaker 1] (2:45:25 - 2:45:25)
please do.

[Speaker 4] (2:45:25 - 2:45:26)
me a shot here?

[Speaker 1] (2:45:26 - 2:45:27)
Ma'am, yes, please continue.

[Speaker 4] (2:45:27 - 2:45:35)
So this article originated from a citizen petition article from Deb Newman,

[Speaker 4] (2:45:35 - 2:45:37)
the founder of Speak Up for Animals.

[Speaker 4] (2:45:38 - 2:45:38)
As a town,

[Speaker 4] (2:45:39 - 2:45:45)
we already have this as a policy. What this article do is it will codify the policy.

[Speaker 4] (2:45:47 - 2:46:05)
Passing this bylaw will ensure to help preserve the lives of rodent predators such as hawks, owls, and other raptors who have been destroying rats in our community for some time.

[Speaker 4] (2:46:06 - 2:46:21)
And we want to make sure we protect them from this additional poison that they're picking up. So this is really important for us to pass this so that we protect these owls and everything else that's out there that's eating the rats that ate the poison.

[Speaker 4] (2:46:22 - 2:46:26)
So please remember this is for public property,

[Speaker 4] (2:46:26 - 2:46:28)
not private property.

[Speaker 4] (2:46:28 - 2:46:33)
The select board would really appreciate it if you gave us a positive vote on this. And um

[Speaker 4] (2:46:35 - 2:46:36)
We can move forward.

[Speaker 1] (2:46:36 - 2:46:37)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (2:46:38 - 2:46:42)
Do we have any, anyone wishing to speak on Article 11?

[Speaker 1] (2:46:44 - 2:46:44)
Okay.

[Speaker 1] (2:46:45 - 2:46:50)
I think, Ms. Newman, do you wish to speak to this?

[Speaker 1] (2:46:51 - 2:46:51)
Okay,

[Speaker 1] (2:46:51 - 2:46:53)
yes, please, please come to the microphone.

[Speaker 6] (2:47:00 - 2:47:04)
Hi, Deb Newman, precinct one town meeting member.

[Speaker 6] (2:47:04 - 2:47:08)
I know everybody wants to go home, but this will take one minute.

[Speaker 6] (2:47:08 - 2:47:21)
And I'm not happy that we're gonna remove the emergency waiver aspect, but I am happy to thank the select board for deciding to sponsor this article.

[Speaker 6] (2:47:22 - 2:47:32)
I want to thank Health Director Jeff Vaughn and Facilities Director Max Casper for their agreement to a preliminary policy that prohibited escars.

[Speaker 6] (2:47:32 - 2:47:45)
An extra thank you to Max for his open-mindedness when it comes to protecting wildlife and his personal desire to do the right thing. And we should do the right thing by voting yes to pass this bylaw.

[Speaker 6] (2:47:46 - 2:47:47)
As Mary Ellen said,

[Speaker 6] (2:47:48 - 2:47:54)
the very predators who naturally keep the rodent population down are being destroyed by eating them,

[Speaker 6] (2:47:54 - 2:47:56)
dying a horrible death from bleeding out.

[Speaker 6] (2:47:57 - 2:48:08)
I've witnessed their suffering when I get the dubious privilege of transporting them to rehabbers who can only hope to save them because the damage done by escars is so catastrophic.

[Speaker 6] (2:48:09 - 2:48:20)
The federal government banned direct sale of escarves to consumers in 2008 because they are so toxic to humans, companion animals,

[Speaker 6] (2:48:21 - 2:48:21)
and wildlife.

[Speaker 6] (2:48:22 - 2:48:26)
Only licensed exterminators are allowed to buy and deploy them.

[Speaker 6] (2:48:27 - 2:48:32)
It's taken this long for everyone to realize that no one should be putting them into the environment.

[Speaker 6] (2:48:33 - 2:48:39)
Massachusetts legislators are working on a bill to greatly restrict the use by anyone.

[Speaker 1] (2:48:39 - 2:48:41)
professional or not,

[Speaker 1] (2:48:41 - 2:48:43)
and that would include private property.

[Speaker 1] (2:48:44 - 2:48:55)
It would be great if any of you who has an exterminator would tell them to use an alternative and to consider evolve a rodent contraceptive bait, you'd save a lot of lives.

[Speaker 1] (2:48:56 - 2:49:00)
For now, we can at least guarantee that the town of Swampscott never uses escars again,

[Speaker 1] (2:49:01 - 2:49:03)
so please vote yes, and thank you.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:03 - 2:49:07)
Thank you Ms. Newman. I do want to clarify the language of um

[Speaker 2] (2:49:09 - 2:49:16)
Ms. Fletcher's motion to remove a waiver. Uh the the the effect of that waiver is still in force.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:17 - 2:49:29)
The the motion that Ms. Fletcher made is just to clarify a typo that was made in the warrant as printed. Um so at this point we'll move to a vote on the motion pertaining to

[Speaker 3] (2:49:31 - 2:49:32)
Oh.

[Speaker 2] (2:49:33 - 2:49:35)
Uh okay, yes sir would you like to introduce yourself?

[Speaker 4] (2:49:41 - 2:49:44)
Yeah, thank you everyone. John Janta's Precinct Four School Committee member.

[Speaker 4] (2:49:45 - 2:49:53)
Actually I had a question just on, um since this could be on town owned property, that's the applicability is my understanding.

[Speaker 4] (2:49:54 - 2:50:03)
Using the Hadley Hotel project as an example, would that be considered town property or would that be private since the developer is doing that,

[Speaker 4] (2:50:03 - 2:50:09)
if they had to do any sort of remediation for pest control, what category would that fall in?

[Speaker 2] (2:50:11 - 2:50:16)
Okay, so the question is, who's responsible for maintaining property that's turned over for private use? That

[Speaker 6] (2:50:17 - 2:50:19)
Do you want Nick to answer that or do you want me to answer that?

[Speaker 2] (2:50:20 - 2:50:22)
Ms. Fletcher, if you have an answer, we'd love to hear it.

[Speaker 6] (2:50:22 - 2:50:33)
Let me give it a shot. So they are going to be leasing the property from us. So I would say that it's really their under under their jurisdiction. However,

[Speaker 6] (2:50:33 - 2:50:38)
dealing with this group, they are very easy to deal with. So I think whatever rodent

[Speaker 6] (2:50:40 - 2:50:43)
Rodan killer we wanna use, they'll work with us.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:43 - 2:50:44)
Okay. Maybe Ms.

[Speaker 2] (2:50:44 - 2:50:45)
Phelan can clarify the terms of the lease.

[Speaker 7] (2:50:46 - 2:50:48)
So they're governed by a land development agreement.

[Speaker 7] (2:50:48 - 2:50:54)
So if the LDA recognizes that they must follow all applicable guidelines,

[Speaker 7] (2:50:54 - 2:50:59)
regs, and bylaws of the town of Swampscott, then they would have to follow these regulations.

[Speaker 7] (2:50:59 - 2:51:01)
As Mary Ellen just stated,

[Speaker 7] (2:51:01 - 2:51:04)
we have very great partners at the Hadley project,

[Speaker 7] (2:51:04 - 2:51:07)
and I'm sure if it wasn't in there explicitly,

[Speaker 7] (2:51:07 - 2:51:12)
we could amend or ask them to follow that, and they would be happy to do so. I would be glad to take a look.

[Speaker 7] (2:51:12 - 2:51:15)
a look in the morning to see which situation we're in.

[Speaker 2] (2:51:15 - 2:51:15)
Great.

[Speaker 4] (2:51:15 - 2:51:16)
All right.

[Speaker 2] (2:51:16 - 2:51:16)
Thank you for that.

[Speaker 2] (2:51:17 - 2:51:21)
Uh d uh do you wish to speak on this article? Could you introduce yourself please?

[Speaker 8] (2:51:21 - 2:51:22)
Hmm.

[Speaker 8] (2:51:22 - 2:51:26)
I'm not a town meeting member, but I am named in this article, so I'll

[Speaker 2] (2:51:26 - 2:51:26)
Okay.

[Speaker 8] (2:51:26 - 2:51:27)
like to say one thing.

[Speaker 2] (2:51:27 - 2:51:29)
Please do. Could you introduce yourself please?

[Speaker 8] (2:51:29 - 2:51:29)
I'm sorry.

[Speaker 8] (2:51:30 - 2:51:32)
My name is Jeff Vaughn. I'm the director of public health for the town of Swampscott.

[Speaker 8] (2:51:34 - 2:51:38)
My minor issue is just the C_O_ two part of it.

[Speaker 8] (2:51:38 - 2:51:43)
that is mint low risk and it puts it into an emergency use category.

[Speaker 8] (2:51:45 - 2:51:45)
Rats are smart.

[Speaker 8] (2:51:46 - 2:51:50)
If they're in an area, they figure out what they shouldn't be eating, they learn their lessons from what happens around them.

[Speaker 8] (2:51:51 - 2:51:55)
We need every we need a couple of different options to be able to move in and do different things.

[Speaker 8] (2:51:56 - 2:52:03)
So I'd like to have the option to keep CO2 in our regular arsenal without having to go without having to go to some sort of crazy emergency.

[Speaker 8] (2:52:04 - 2:52:05)
scenario.

[Speaker 8] (2:52:06 - 2:52:06)
That's it.

[Speaker 2] (2:52:06 - 2:52:06)
Okay.

[Speaker 2] (2:52:07 - 2:52:13)
Thank you. So the question before us is the motion as it was made by Ms. Fletcher, and I think at this point we'll move to a vote.

[Speaker 2] (2:52:14 - 2:52:16)
Anyone in favour of

[Speaker 2] (2:52:18 - 2:52:21)
I d I didn't hear an amendment. Does anyone have an amendment to submit to the clerk?

[Speaker 2] (2:52:24 - 2:52:28)
Seeing none, we'll move to a vote on the motion Ms. Fletcher made on article eleven.

[Speaker 2] (2:52:28 - 2:52:29)
All those in favour?

[Speaker 2] (2:52:31 - 2:52:33)
Thank you. All opposed?

[Speaker 2] (2:52:33 - 2:52:35)
Motion carries unanimously.

[Speaker 6] (2:52:35 - 2:52:35)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (2:52:36 - 2:52:42)
And that will bring us to Article twelve, which is the citizens' position pertaining to the same topic.

[Speaker 2] (2:52:45 - 2:52:49)
Seeing no motion, we will move to Article thirteen.

[Speaker 2] (2:52:50 - 2:52:55)
And uh I'd like to recognise Ms. Newman to introduce

[Speaker 2] (2:52:57 - 2:52:59)
The motion she has pertaining to Article thirteen.

[Speaker 2] (2:53:13 - 2:53:13)
Ms. Newman.

[Speaker 1] (2:53:13 - 2:53:15)
Hi, uh Deb Newman,

[Speaker 1] (2:53:15 - 2:53:17)
Precinct One town meeting member.

[Speaker 1] (2:53:17 - 2:53:23)
I need help with the motion. I think I want to move to indefinitely postpone the article.

[Speaker 2] (2:53:23 - 2:53:24)
Thank you, is there a second?

[Speaker 2] (2:53:25 - 2:53:35)
Thank you. All those in favour of indestment postponements? Thank you. Any opposed? Uh the motion carries unanimously and that article is indefinitely postponed. Thank Thank you, Miss

[Speaker 6] (2:53:35 - 2:53:35)
you.

[Speaker 2] (2:53:35 - 2:53:36)
Newman. And that

[Speaker 2] (2:53:45 - 2:53:52)
Um so j just to clarify, we the article twelve was uh uh a repetition of article eleven.

[Speaker 2] (2:53:53 - 2:54:05)
There was no motion brought before me on Article Twelve, so town meeting has taken no action on that and we've moved on to the next article. So Article Eleven has passed and there was no action taken on Article Twelve.

[Speaker 2] (2:54:06 - 2:54:11)
Uh which brings us to our finale tonight, uh citizen position Article Fourteen.

[Speaker 2] (2:54:20 - 2:54:20)
So

[Speaker 2] (2:54:23 - 2:54:26)
I I do appreciate the uh the tone in the room.

[Speaker 2] (2:54:26 - 2:54:51)
Um and I would like to make sure that we honour the the process that we have in uh in town meeting, which is to allow citizens who've gathered a number the correct number of citiz uh signatures to bring business before us. So I'd like to invite the sponsor of article fourteen s Doctor Bloch to come and make a brief presentation. And I'd like to ask my pal Shannon to put a five minute timer up.

[Speaker 2] (2:54:51 - 2:54:52)
On the board.

[Speaker 2] (2:54:53 - 2:54:56)
Mr. Block, please introduce yourself. You have five minutes.

[Speaker 8] (2:54:56 - 2:55:00)
Thank you, Mr. Moderator. Um I'm Larry Block,

[Speaker 8] (2:55:00 - 2:55:02)
town meeting member uh precinct six.

[Speaker 8] (2:55:02 - 2:55:06)
Um I also was on the board of health last year.

[Speaker 8] (2:55:07 - 2:55:10)
where this article started.

[Speaker 8] (2:55:10 - 2:55:22)
It was created by the Board of Health. It was voted on and approved by the Board of Health and was voted to come to town meeting for a vote. It became a citizen's

[Speaker 8] (2:55:24 - 2:55:35)
petition because I knew that I would not be on the Board of Health at this meeting, so I move that the town approve Article 14 as set forth in the printed warrant.

[Speaker 2] (2:55:36 - 2:55:37)
Thank you. Is there a second?

[Speaker 2] (2:55:38 - 2:55:39)
All right. Mr.

[Speaker 2] (2:55:39 - 2:55:39)
Block,

[Speaker 2] (2:55:39 - 2:55:41)
please begin your five-minute presentation.

[Speaker 8] (2:55:42 - 2:55:52)
So I've been a cardiologist for 40 years, practicing in Lynn's Salem and Mass General in Danvers.

[Speaker 8] (2:55:52 - 2:56:02)
And I have to say, not every patient that I made a recommendation to or gave advice to took that recommendation or advice.

[Speaker 8] (2:56:02 - 2:56:11)
And I have to say, I never minded that, and I always respected their opinion as long as I felt that they had an informed,

[Speaker 8] (2:56:11 - 2:56:18)
that they were making an informed decision. So my goal tonight is to do a very quick PowerPoint presentation.

[Speaker 8] (2:56:19 - 2:56:28)
To explain what the health effects of wood smoke are so that you can make an informed decision.

[Speaker 8] (2:56:28 - 2:56:35)
This article is not to ban all fires in town.

[Speaker 8] (2:56:35 - 2:56:44)
It is to ban wood fires based on the very significant health effects. There have been lots of published data.

[Speaker 8] (2:56:45 - 2:57:01)
On the ill effects of wood smoke over the last five to ten years, such that not only does the American Lung Association and the EPA have come forth with major educational efforts to get rid of wood smoke,

[Speaker 8] (2:57:01 - 2:57:06)
but there have been a lot of professional organizations, I happen to belong to this one,

[Speaker 8] (2:57:06 - 2:57:12)
Doctors and Scientists Against Wood Smoke Pollution, and some of the slides I use tonight.

[Speaker 8] (2:57:13 - 2:57:20)
uh are from them. I obviously cannot give you any primary sources, but I'll try to summarise as best I can. Next slide.

[Speaker 8] (2:57:21 - 2:57:27)
So would smoke causes these very small particles,

[Speaker 8] (2:57:27 - 2:57:29)
PM2.5 they're called,

[Speaker 8] (2:57:29 - 2:57:33)
that is they're 2.5 microns, they're extremely small.

[Speaker 8] (2:57:34 - 2:57:37)
Larger particles get caught in the upper airway of the lung,

[Speaker 8] (2:57:38 - 2:57:47)
but these are so small they go all the way down to the very end of the lung into the air sacs. They're highly inflammatory.

[Speaker 8] (2:57:48 - 2:57:51)
And they cause all sorts of lung problems.

[Speaker 8] (2:57:51 - 2:58:04)
This is a study from Washington State indicating what kind of problems were in the hospital in one year attributable to wood smoke.

[Speaker 8] (2:58:04 - 2:58:07)
They include thousands of worsened asthma symptoms,

[Speaker 8] (2:58:07 - 2:58:09)
acute bronchitis 1900,

[Speaker 8] (2:58:10 - 2:58:12)
fatal heart attacks. These chemicals,

[Speaker 8] (2:58:12 - 2:58:14)
the PM2.5, are so small.

[Speaker 8] (2:58:14 - 2:58:21)
that they get into the bloodstream and they've been associated with strokes and heart attacks as well. Next slide.

[Speaker 8] (2:58:23 - 2:58:26)
Wood smoke is extremely carcinogenic.

[Speaker 8] (2:58:26 - 2:58:34)
It's been estimated to be thirty times more potent at inducing cancer than cigarette smoke.

[Speaker 1] (2:58:39 - 2:58:41)
you know, the benzene and the aromatic hydrocarbons.

[Speaker 1] (2:58:42 - 2:58:44)
Next slide, please.

[Speaker 1] (2:58:44 - 2:58:52)
And this is not just theoretical. You may have seen this Boston Globe article in February where the United States government,

[Speaker 1] (2:58:53 - 2:58:56)
bipartisan and signed by President Trump,

[Speaker 1] (2:58:56 - 2:59:07)
agreed to pay forest firefighters about a half a million dollars each who came down with cancer.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:08 - 2:59:12)
So we know that cancer incidents of lung and

[Speaker 5] (2:59:12 - 2:59:12)
prostate cancer are the same.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:12 - 2:59:14)
breath, colon,

[Speaker 1] (2:59:14 - 2:59:20)
not only on the increase but they're occurring in younger and younger adults.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:20 - 2:59:22)
Now you're saying yeah,

[Speaker 1] (2:59:22 - 2:59:25)
these people spend their lives all day in a forest fighter.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:25 - 2:59:27)
Next slide please.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:28 - 2:59:37)
But again, they summarize the fact that in all the studies which have been done looking at the ill health effects of wood smoke,

[Speaker 1] (2:59:37 - 2:59:43)
there is no safe level that has ever been found to be present.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:44 - 2:59:48)
And as you can see, it's identical to that of passive smoking.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:48 - 2:59:49)
Next slide please.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:50 - 2:59:55)
There was a study done in Southern California where they actually looked at beach fires.

[Speaker 1] (2:59:56 - 3:00:02)
and determined that the amount of pollution that comes from one beach fire,

[Speaker 1] (3:00:03 - 3:00:05)
that is a fire pit basically,

[Speaker 1] (3:00:05 - 3:00:10)
gives the same pollution as 800 cigarettes.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:10 - 3:00:16)
And that's what children are being exposed to who are at the beach having these fires.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:17 - 3:00:18)
Unfortunately,

[Speaker 1] (3:00:18 - 3:00:24)
the media sort of shows that, you know, these kids around fires is sort of a wholesome thing.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:24 - 3:00:32)
So there's definitely a sort of a media problem here where it's not wholesome, it's extremely toxic to these kids.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:32 - 3:00:33)
Next slide.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:34 - 3:00:43)
Now Massachusetts has recognized the ill effects of wood smoke and there's a state law prohibiting

[Speaker 1] (3:00:43 - 3:00:48)
All outdoor wood fires from May 1st until January.

[Speaker 1] (3:00:49 - 3:00:50)
That includes fire pits,

[Speaker 1] (3:00:50 - 3:00:52)
no wood fires. The one exception,

[Speaker 1] (3:00:53 - 3:00:57)
unfortunately, in the law is to have a small wood

[Speaker 1] (3:00:58 - 3:01:01)
fire for cooking.

[Speaker 1] (3:01:01 - 3:01:03)
Now I'm an Eagle Scout.

[Speaker 1] (3:01:03 - 3:01:25)
I know a bit about cooking over fires and generally those fires last about a half an hour where the wood burns to coals and then you cook over the coals. Unfortunately people are using this as a loophole to have a bonfire for four or five hours and calling it a cooking fire as long as they hold a marshmallow.

[Speaker 1] (3:01:25 - 3:01:33)
uh or a hot dog over the flame. Uh the state the state just

[Speaker 2] (3:01:33 - 3:01:34)
Just okay, just one

[Speaker 1] (3:01:34 - 3:01:35)
the state

[Speaker 2] (3:01:35 - 3:01:36)
Can you please give

[Speaker 1] (3:01:36 - 3:01:38)
the state leaves the

[Speaker 2] (3:01:38 - 3:01:38)
Thank

[Speaker 1] (3:01:38 - 3:01:41)
enforcement up to individual towns next line.

[Speaker 2] (3:01:41 - 3:01:42)
Thank you, Dr.

[Speaker 2] (3:01:42 - 3:01:43)
Bach. Do you have any closing comments?

[Speaker 1] (3:01:44 - 3:01:45)
I'm sorry?

[Speaker 2] (3:01:45 - 3:01:46)
Oh my,

[Speaker 2] (3:01:46 - 3:01:48)
I asked him for water.

[Speaker 2] (3:01:48 - 3:01:49)
Yes, sir.

[Speaker 1] (3:01:53 - 3:01:54)
Yeah, ten minutes. I've got ten minutes.

[Speaker 2] (3:01:56 - 3:01:57)
I wanted to make sure that Dr.

[Speaker 2] (3:01:58 - 3:02:02)
Bach had part of his time reserved to respond to questions. If you'd like to wrap

[Speaker 1] (3:02:02 - 3:02:02)
I

[Speaker 2] (3:02:02 - 3:02:02)
up.

[Speaker 1] (3:02:02 - 3:02:03)
just have a couple more slides,

[Speaker 2] (3:02:03 - 3:02:03)
That's

[Speaker 1] (3:02:03 - 3:02:03)
please.

[Speaker 2] (3:02:03 - 3:02:03)
great.

[Speaker 1] (3:02:03 - 3:02:04)
Thank

[Speaker 2] (3:02:04 - 3:02:04)
Thank you.

[Speaker 1] (3:02:04 - 3:02:04)
you.

[Speaker 1] (3:02:04 - 3:02:05)
Next slide, please.

[Speaker 1] (3:02:06 - 3:02:09)
Now it's important to know that 22...

[Speaker 1] (3:02:10 - 3:02:34)
towns and cities have already completely banned wood fires to get out of this loophole problem and you can see the cities listed there. Now indeed most of them are cities but Arlington, Belmont and Brookline are towns which are heavily populated, densely populated. Next slide please.

[Speaker 1] (3:02:35 - 3:02:41)
It's important to know that Swampscott is the fifth most popular dense town.

[Speaker 1] (3:02:42 - 3:02:50)
In the state of Massachusetts, we have over 5,000 residents living per square mile.

[Speaker 1] (3:02:50 - 3:02:57)
The average town in Massachusetts has 900 people per square mile.

[Speaker 1] (3:02:58 - 3:03:01)
So we're five times more dense than the average town.

[Speaker 1] (3:03:01 - 3:03:09)
There is no way that you can possibly have a fire in Swampscott without adversely affecting the health.

[Speaker 1] (3:03:09 - 3:03:10)
of a neighbor.

[Speaker 1] (3:03:10 - 3:03:11)
Next.

[Speaker 1] (3:03:13 - 3:03:28)
And we also have a higher than average geriatric uh population. Twenty percent of the residents in Swampscott are over sixty five who are most susceptible other than children uh to uh these ill effects. Next slide, please.

[Speaker 1] (3:03:29 - 3:03:37)
This is just a busy slide showing that Nahant and Swampscott are the only two towns north of Boston,

[Speaker 1] (3:03:37 - 3:03:41)
so between Boston and the state of New Hampshire,

[Speaker 1] (3:03:41 - 3:03:44)
no other coastal town allows beach fires.

[Speaker 1] (3:03:45 - 3:03:48)
It's only Swampscott and Nahant who are the outliers.

[Speaker 1] (3:03:48 - 3:03:49)
Next.

[Speaker 1] (3:03:49 - 3:03:50)
Next slide.

[Speaker 1] (3:03:51 - 3:03:52)
We can skip over this one.

[Speaker 1] (3:03:54 - 3:04:00)
So this was a, this is what Fisherman's Beach looked like in December.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:01 - 3:04:06)
The last fire that was allowed was, I think, in September.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:06 - 3:04:08)
Nobody cleaned the beaches.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:08 - 3:04:13)
So the question is, do we really want our beaches to look like this?

[Speaker 1] (3:04:13 - 3:04:15)
So it's not just air pollution,

[Speaker 1] (3:04:15 - 3:04:19)
it's also the way we want our beaches to look.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:19 - 3:04:19)
Next slide.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:21 - 3:04:23)
So the point is here that there are alternatives.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:25 - 3:04:31)
You can take any propane source and bring it down to the beach. You could bring a propane stove,

[Speaker 1] (3:04:31 - 3:04:32)
you could bring a propane grill,

[Speaker 1] (3:04:32 - 3:04:36)
you can do a propane fire.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:36 - 3:04:43)
You can have your fire on the beach in your backyard without adversely affecting the health of your neighbor.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:43 - 3:04:44)
Next slide.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:46 - 3:04:56)
And again, this group that I belong to, physician and scientists against wood fires, show that children should not be breathing in smoke at all. Next.

[Speaker 1] (3:04:57 - 3:04:58)
Now I want you to remember,

[Speaker 1] (3:04:58 - 3:05:03)
I was on the board of health between 2002 and 2016.

[Speaker 1] (3:05:04 - 3:05:13)
In 2015 there was a proposal brought to town meeting to do a artificial turf field using crumb rubber.

[Speaker 1] (3:05:13 - 3:05:21)
I spoke on behalf of the board of health against that, saying it was too unhealthy for our children. Too hot,

[Speaker 1] (3:05:21 - 3:05:24)
too much off gassing of chemicals.

[Speaker 1] (3:05:24 - 3:05:29)
And indeed town meeting voted it down, which I was thrilled with.

[Speaker 1] (3:05:29 - 3:05:41)
I then worked on the field committee and we came up a year later with a completely natural coconut husk infill for our artificial.

[Speaker 1] (3:05:42 - 3:06:08)
town artificial field at Phillips which has been the pride of the town. It's been great for 10 years and it's worked very well and I can tell you that every child that has ever been on this field is healthier because of it and their future health is better as a result of the alternative from what was initially proposed.

[Speaker 1] (3:06:09 - 3:06:10)
Final slide, please.

[Speaker 1] (3:06:12 - 3:06:13)
So um

[Speaker 1] (3:06:14 - 3:06:33)
I I'm not saying that we shouldn't be having fires. The fact is that there are alternatives to wood smoke. Um and I would strongly uh encourage you to vote in favour of this uh w uh article uh to make our town uh safer and healthier. Thank

[Speaker 2] (3:06:33 - 3:06:33)
Okay,

[Speaker 1] (3:06:33 - 3:06:33)
you.

[Speaker 2] (3:06:33 - 3:06:34)
thank you very much Dr.

[Speaker 2] (3:06:34 - 3:06:35)
Bach for that presentation.

[Speaker 2] (3:06:41 - 3:06:52)
So the motion before us made by Buck Dr. Buck is to take favourable action on article fourteen as printed in the warrant. Does anyone wish to speak for or against this motion? Yes, ma'am.

[Speaker 3] (3:06:56 - 3:07:02)
Hi. My name is Helen Tager, precinct six. I'm an elected member of the board of health,

[Speaker 3] (3:07:02 - 3:07:04)
and because of the health

[Speaker 3] (3:07:05 - 3:07:11)
And the risks of these fires, we as the Board of Health support this bill.

[Speaker 2] (3:07:12 - 3:07:15)
Thank you. Anyone else wishing to speak? Yes, sir?

[Speaker 4] (3:07:19 - 3:07:23)
Good evening. My name is Joe Simons, Precinct 5.

[Speaker 4] (3:07:23 - 3:07:24)
And Madam Clerk,

[Speaker 4] (3:07:24 - 3:07:26)
I didn't sign in earlier. I wonder if you could sign me in. Again,

[Speaker 4] (3:07:27 - 3:07:28)
Joe Simons, Precinct 5.

[Speaker 4] (3:07:29 - 3:07:58)
town meeting member but that's not why I'm up here right now. Uh Dr. Bloch, I think that your goals are commendable uh your presentation, you know, I I appreciate the time that you're devoting to this town um but I would urge my fellow constituents to vote against this bill. At a time when so many of our children are spending uh in their rooms on tablets and there's an epidemic of isolation in Swampscott and the country at large, having a responsible cooking fire the ability to do that strengthens families,

[Speaker 4] (3:07:58 - 3:08:03)
It bonds together families and neighbors and friends alike.

[Speaker 4] (3:08:03 - 3:08:10)
It enhances the overall happiness and enjoyment of this town that we all live in and enjoy and pay so much to be here.

[Speaker 4] (3:08:11 - 3:08:18)
I'm concerned not only for the potential to limit that ability to have enjoyment in our own homes and our properties,

[Speaker 4] (3:08:18 - 3:08:28)
but I also am concerned that the enforcement, it explicitly calls for neighbors to take photos of our neighbors who are in violation of this bylaw that's proposed.

[Speaker 4] (3:08:28 - 3:08:29)
I worry...

[Speaker 1] (3:08:31 - 3:08:34)
It does the exact opposite of what we want to do in building community.

[Speaker 1] (3:08:34 - 3:08:43)
It will tear at the very fabric of the community here in Swampscott. And for those reasons I urge action against this amendment.

[Speaker 1] (3:08:43 - 3:08:44)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (3:08:44 - 3:08:44)
Thank you, Mr.

[Speaker 2] (3:08:44 - 3:08:44)
Simons.

[Speaker 2] (3:08:47 - 3:08:48)
Thank you, Mr.

[Speaker 2] (3:08:48 - 3:08:50)
Simons. Yes, ma'am in the back. Please introduce yourself.

[Speaker 3] (3:08:52 - 3:08:54)
My name is Barry Atkin,

[Speaker 3] (3:08:54 - 3:08:55)
town meeting member,

[Speaker 3] (3:08:55 - 3:08:56)
Precinct 6.

[Speaker 3] (3:08:57 - 3:09:00)
Referring to the previous speaker,

[Speaker 3] (3:09:00 - 3:09:02)
I think there's a misunderstanding.

[Speaker 3] (3:09:03 - 3:09:19)
This does not ban small cooking fires and family get-togethers. In fact, there's a lot of opportunities on the beach and in Swampscott for family get-togethers. I wanted to speak about the health effects.

[Speaker 3] (3:09:20 - 3:09:25)
In addition to all the health effects listed in the statement,

[Speaker 3] (3:09:25 - 3:09:47)
I personally know of a number of others because I've been exposed to wood fire smoke and had some allergies to it and get sick every time I'm near bonfire. And that was voluntarily while I was part of a teaching program for high school students in outdoor survival training.

[Speaker 3] (3:09:48 - 3:09:49)
50 years ago,

[Speaker 3] (3:09:49 - 3:09:51)
and I still have those effects.

[Speaker 3] (3:09:51 - 3:09:56)
I vote, I definitely support not,

[Speaker 3] (3:09:56 - 3:10:00)
I definitely support Article 14,

[Speaker 3] (3:10:00 - 3:10:06)
and if people have some concern about enforcement, among others,

[Speaker 3] (3:10:06 - 3:10:09)
then make an amendment to Article 14.

[Speaker 3] (3:10:09 - 3:10:11)
But it's definitely for our health.

[Speaker 3] (3:10:11 - 3:10:14)
Is anyone here still a cigarette smoker?

[Speaker 3] (3:10:16 - 3:10:17)
This is

[Speaker 2] (3:10:17 - 3:10:17)
Thank

[Speaker 3] (3:10:17 - 3:10:17)
worse.

[Speaker 2] (3:10:17 - 3:10:18)
you. Thank you for your comments.

[Speaker 3] (3:10:18 - 3:10:19)
Thank you.

[Speaker 2] (3:10:19 - 3:10:22)
I did receive advanced notice from Ms.

[Speaker 2] (3:10:22 - 3:10:23)
Encarnacao who asked to speak,

[Speaker 2] (3:10:24 - 3:10:25)
so if she's still here and would like to speak,

[Speaker 2] (3:10:25 - 3:10:27)
please introduce yourself.

[Speaker 4] (3:10:29 - 3:10:31)
I'm Sarah Encinasio. I'm in Precinct 3.

[Speaker 4] (3:10:32 - 3:10:36)
I'm standing here tonight to express my strong opposition to this proposed warrant.

[Speaker 4] (3:10:36 - 3:10:39)
While it states its purpose is to protect the community,

[Speaker 4] (3:10:39 - 3:10:47)
the actual regulations within undermined our property rights and our privacy and our over-regulated lives.

[Speaker 4] (3:10:47 - 3:10:49)
For my family, this tradition is the heartbeat of our home.

[Speaker 4] (3:10:50 - 3:10:55)
This tradition that has been passed down safely through generations in this whole country and my home.

[Speaker 4] (3:10:55 - 3:11:02)
Personally, I feel targeted by this warrant. The process of wood fire cooking is where our family recipes live,

[Speaker 4] (3:11:02 - 3:11:05)
passed down from parent to child over the embers,

[Speaker 4] (3:11:05 - 3:11:09)
teaching the patience and the craft that you simply can't get from a kitchen stove.

[Speaker 4] (3:11:10 - 3:11:14)
Most importantly, this backyard fire is where we celebrate all of our milestones,

[Speaker 4] (3:11:15 - 3:11:18)
from birthdays to graduations to most holidays.

[Speaker 4] (3:11:18 - 3:11:21)
These gatherings are how we keep our family connected.

[Speaker 4] (3:11:21 - 3:11:25)
Losing this would mean we would lose a vital part of our family identity.

[Speaker 4] (3:11:26 - 3:11:29)
In a world where we spend so much time staring at screens,

[Speaker 4] (3:11:29 - 3:11:31)
these fires are what get us out into the fresh air.

[Speaker 4] (3:11:32 - 3:11:35)
They get our children outside and allow us to teach them real world responsibility,

[Speaker 4] (3:11:36 - 3:11:38)
how to properly tend to a fire,

[Speaker 4] (3:11:38 - 3:11:39)
how to respect the flame,

[Speaker 4] (3:11:39 - 3:11:40)
and how to manage it safely.

[Speaker 4] (3:11:41 - 3:11:43)
But this goes beyond just my own family.

[Speaker 4] (3:11:43 - 3:11:45)
These fire pits are a bridge to our community,

[Speaker 4] (3:11:46 - 3:11:48)
whether it's sharing a meal or just sitting.

[Speaker 4] (3:11:48 - 3:12:01)
Together for Smores. These gatherings are a wonderful way to end a stressful day. They allow us to slow down, decompress, and build the kind of strong local bonds that make this town great. In an age where people often stay isolated,

[Speaker 4] (3:12:01 - 3:12:05)
a backyard fire invites people to actually get to know the people living next door.

[Speaker 4] (3:12:06 - 3:12:14)
This warrant completely ignores the social fabric and unfairly targets some possible cultures and traditions that rely on live

[Speaker 4] (3:12:15 - 3:12:16)
with fire cooking.

[Speaker 4] (3:12:16 - 3:12:17)
That's unacceptable.

[Speaker 4] (3:12:18 - 3:12:24)
I believe this warrant is fundamentally flawed in an extreme case of over-regulation for several reasons.

[Speaker 4] (3:12:24 - 3:12:43)
It promotes the surveillance culture 'cause in section four it actually encourages residents to take photos of their neighbours and report them. We choose to live here because it's a free town. We're in a free country. Not a restrictive homeowners association. We shouldn't be incentivizing neighbours to play detective and turn them into informants.

[Speaker 4] (3:12:43 - 3:12:45)
to informants over a marshmallow roast.

[Speaker 4] (3:12:45 - 3:12:48)
The elderly argument is misleading.

[Speaker 4] (3:12:48 - 3:12:50)
The warrant claims to protect our seniors,

[Speaker 4] (3:12:50 - 3:12:50)
however,

[Speaker 4] (3:12:51 - 3:12:55)
many of our elderly residents are the very people who hold these traditions most dear.

[Speaker 4] (3:12:55 - 3:13:01)
For them, a wood fire is a source of comfort and a lifelong link to their own heritage and their traditions.

[Speaker 4] (3:13:02 - 3:13:08)
Regulatory inconsistency, most of us are permitted to burn wood indoors all winter to heat our homes.

[Speaker 4] (3:13:08 - 3:13:12)
It is logically inconsistent to claim that wood smoke

[Speaker 4] (3:13:12 - 3:13:16)
smoke is a public health crisis in a wide open,

[Speaker 4] (3:13:16 - 3:13:19)
well-ventilated backyard in the summer,

[Speaker 4] (3:13:20 - 3:13:23)
not in the middle of a forest fire where it's coming from all directions.

[Speaker 4] (3:13:24 - 3:13:28)
Yet perfectly acceptable coming out of a chimney all winter long.

[Speaker 4] (3:13:28 - 3:13:29)
By banning wood,

[Speaker 4] (3:13:29 - 3:13:35)
the town would effectively mandate pressurized propane, a natural wood fire is more predictable,

[Speaker 4] (3:13:35 - 3:13:37)
you can just get water and put it out.

[Speaker 4] (3:13:37 - 3:13:45)
It doesn't carry the volatile pressurized risks of gas leaks or tank explosions which we've seen multiple times in our neighboring towns.

[Speaker 4] (3:13:46 - 3:13:50)
And those happen often. I've seen them in Lynn quite quite a bit.

[Speaker 4] (3:13:51 - 3:14:04)
The warrant allows charcoal but bans wood and even targets the smokeless fire pits that punishes some residents who have already invested technology designed to reduce the smoke and it threatens our historic beach culture,

[Speaker 4] (3:14:04 - 3:14:05)
which is unacceptable.

[Speaker 4] (3:14:06 - 3:14:12)
Many residents have invested thousands of dollars into professional outdoor kitchens and stone fire pits.

[Speaker 4] (3:14:12 - 3:14:18)
This warrant effectively turns those functional home improvements into useless piles of rock overnight,

[Speaker 4] (3:14:18 - 3:14:24)
unfairly impacting property rights and property values.

[Speaker 4] (3:14:24 - 3:14:32)
The town has a long history of self-reliance, independence and common sense. This take takes away our rights and it's simply a silly unnecessary.

[Speaker 4] (3:14:32 - 3:14:34)
necessary warrant to enact.

[Speaker 4] (3:14:34 - 3:14:36)
There's no dire emergency to stop these fires.

[Speaker 4] (3:14:37 - 3:14:38)
No issues have happened.

[Speaker 4] (3:14:38 - 3:14:40)
A total ban is heavy handed.

[Speaker 4] (3:14:40 - 3:14:46)
A response that punishes the 99% of responsible residents and the potential mistakes of a few.

[Speaker 4] (3:14:46 - 3:14:48)
If there are specific concerns,

[Speaker 4] (3:14:48 - 3:14:54)
let's look at the sensible guidelines like regulating seasoned wood rather than a blanket ban that erases our traditions.

[Speaker 4] (3:14:54 - 3:14:57)
I ask the board and my neighbors to stand up for property rights,

[Speaker 4] (3:14:57 - 3:14:58)
our community bonds,

[Speaker 4] (3:14:58 - 3:14:59)
and our freedom.

[Speaker 4] (3:14:59 - 3:15:01)
Please vote no on this article. And just a side note,

[Speaker 4] (3:15:02 - 3:15:03)
I mean my husband,

[Speaker 4] (3:15:03 - 3:15:04)
he has a heart condition.

[Speaker 4] (3:15:05 - 3:15:10)
I mean we've all in a well-ventilated area should be able to do the smoke.

[Speaker 4] (3:15:10 - 3:15:14)
I know you're saying just a small particle can do harm,

[Speaker 4] (3:15:14 - 3:15:14)
but.

[Speaker 4] (3:15:15 - 3:15:20)
It's not like we're in the middle of a fire, a forest fire or anything like that.

[Speaker 2] (3:15:20 - 3:15:21)
Thank you very much.

[Speaker 2] (3:15:29 - 3:15:35)
At this point I'd like to see a show of hands of all those in favor of the motion made by Dr.

[Speaker 2] (3:15:35 - 3:15:36)
Bloch pertaining to Article 14.

[Speaker 2] (3:15:38 - 3:15:39)
All those opposed?

[Speaker 2] (3:15:41 - 3:15:50)
The motion fails. At this point we have dispatched all the business prop yes, what is your point of personal privilege?

[Speaker 2] (3:15:52 - 3:15:52)
Yes.

[Speaker 2] (3:15:59 - 3:16:12)
Yes. Thank you for that clarification. Thank you. You the the new guy shine is still on me. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. I appreciate that. So so now we'd like to take a vote to end debate on Article 14.

[Speaker 2] (3:16:12 - 3:16:15)
And that will bring us to a vote on the main motion.

[Speaker 2] (3:16:15 - 3:16:17)
All those in favor of ending debate on the motion.

[Speaker 2] (3:16:18 - 3:16:20)
This requires a two thirds vote.

[Speaker 2] (3:16:21 - 3:16:24)
Raise your hands. Thank you. All those opposed and would like to continue debate.

[Speaker 2] (3:16:24 - 3:16:28)
Thank you. We will now move our attention to the main motion made by Dr.

[Speaker 2] (3:16:28 - 3:16:35)
Bloch. All those in favor of adopting his motion for positive action on Article 14,

[Speaker 2] (3:16:35 - 3:16:37)
please raise your hands.

[Speaker 2] (3:16:37 - 3:16:38)
Any opposed?

[Speaker 2] (3:16:39 - 3:16:41)
Thank you. The motion fails.

[Speaker 2] (3:16:42 - 3:16:56)
That brings us to the end of the business before us in the warrant. I'd like to enter does the motion to dissolve. Is there a second? Uh all those in favor of dissolving the meeting? Thank you very much for your participation and patience. We'll see you in the fall.