Uh we have uh first item is um Miss Kelly Costka is here regarding vacation buyback and carryover. Um gentlemen, you both have the memo. I don't know, Kelly, if you want to speak to it at all or here is an observer. I think the the
memo speaks for itself. Gentlemen, any uh thoughts and want to proceed? The only thing I would say is um Miss Costar and the assessor's office um has a rationale behind the carryover. all carry over whatever we're going to
do with it. But she's been uh she was down a clerk for a couple months, I believe. Six 6 months and then she had to go out on an emergency surgery. So, um I'm glad to see everything worked out well for you there, Kelly. But thank you. Usually, you know, I feel about
carryover, right? You can't use it this year. What makes me think you're using it that year? I think she's requesting 65 hours. So, of a buyback. What's that? of a buyback, not to carry over to compensate. That was the request on the memo, but I'm I'm willing to introduce.
No, no, that's that's that's fine because I was going to actually say that, Kell. I was going to say, you know what, if we did that, that's a lot to carry over. So, I was going to mention the buyback. So, if we have the funds to buy back 65, I would I would endorse
that 100%. Okay. Good. Um, is there a motion? So, move second. All those in favor? I motion. Thank you very much. Thank you for your service. All right, next item. We've got a couple uh DPW issues. Uh we've got to resolve
um turn it over to Mr. Kelly. And I know Mr. Gasper's doing been doing a lot of work with the DPW as well. So, uh we're we've been reviewing the FY25 budgets. We've got some cost overruns in some
uh line items and we've got some other line items that it looks like uh there's excess. Uh, so at the end of the year, it's good to freeze
everything, have DPW come in at the next meeting, and then uh have them explain their plans and have the board have total oversight over it. And uh so I
would like to ask that spending freezes in DPW budget, highway, seam mass, and the also as you know deficit spending
allowed in the snow and ice, but we've had a couple uh expenditures real recent and we've got some others coming down the pike. uh as far as uh the uh bonus
for the plow drivers that will put this up or close to 40,000 in deficit. So, I'd like the board to freeze those
uh uh other than the energy cost for a highway and then have a real review of that before the board with the DPW. Okay. And look, I think this is warranted. obviously is a critical
function, but I'd say it's not the worst practice for other departments uh in town to to make sure that we're staying on on course. And you know, as we're coming down to the end of the fiscal year, we just want to make sure that
there's there isn't any unnecessary spending and that we do a critical review um you know, of everything that uh we're purchasing. So, uh gentlemen, any thoughts? I've had uh uh some conversations with Mr. Kelly and our accounting department. Um, with some of
the line items, um, deficit spending, um, you know, if if you if you have an overall budget, I get it. But when you have certain line items and you have a certain amount allocated in a line item and your deficit spending by you know 30 $40,000 whatever the amount would be
it's just are we realize are we doing realized budgets or we just saying it's fine the way it is and we can scramble money around on itself because the overall budget amount is set here and we can do things and I know past practice has been that but given the state of
finances in the town right now um we really need to start looking at budgets a little bit closer. closer. And I think that's what accounting is finally starting to do now that we have the new hire as the assistant town accountant. She's really diving into these things. And when I see some of these line items, when I see some of the expenditures that
are taking place, and Mr. Kelly would ask me some of the invoices that are being expended for, we just go with snow and ice removal. You know, I I talk from an accountant standpoint because I've done a lot of things in my past and I look at things and you're charging the snow and ice, but only you would the
best you could do is justify 50% of that invoice to be charged to snow and ice. It's there's just not another slush fund, right? And I think we need to be more conscientious of what that is, right? And I I think that's the message we need to drive is say pay attention to what
you're doing. Um, and just because that's there and we know we can deficit spend from snow and ice doesn't say that that's what you're going to do. Um, and some of the items that have been purchased, you know, I look at them and and I can say 50% of the invoice, right,
can be used for snow and ice cuz the trucks used 6 months out of a year um, pretty much for snow and ice, but other than that, I I can't justify 100% of the expenditure of snow and ice. So, it's things like that that we'll have that conversation, continue to work with the accounting department, continue to work
with staff at DBW so they have a better understanding of what what's the board's objective is moving forward. So, I I move to freeze encumbrances to encumbrances to expenditures from any expense line in fiscal year 25, Department of Public
Works, Highway Except Energy without the express permission of the board of selectmen. And I move to freeze encumbrances to our expenditures from the fiscal year 2025 budget department of public snow removal ice control without the express permission of the
selectman. And I also make a motion to move to freeze incumbrances to or from the fiscal year 2025 budget department of public works cam mass without the express permission of the board of select. There's a motion a second. All those in favor I carries. Great. Thank you
gentlemen. All right. Next item number four, beach pass update. And I just wanted to put this on the agenda uh not to beat a dead horse, but to report back that um on uh was it Tuesday, we hosted
uh the first iteration of uh beach passes. It was a first come, first serve. As you know, we've got a a lottery that's coming up next. But I just want to really recognize the work of Sydney Averos and Karen Narella and
Lauren Golder really pulled off the operation at the Council on Aging. But also I got to credit the residents. I hadn't had you know I had a chance I so you know Mr. Inky was there with his daughters spent a couple hours. I had so
much fun talking to the residents in line. It was just it was really gratifying to see. Um, it was just an enjoyable experience and it really couldn't have happened without the great work of of Sydney and the team and Karen and Lauren. Um, and so hats off to the
residents. There were some folks who were disappointed, but they understood. Um, and uh, you know, I thought it was just really good to be a part of. So, thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I I I want to really second that. I think Sydney did a really good job putting this all
together kind of based on us saying, "Yeah, let's figure it out." And Sydney really grabbed the ball and ran with it on this. So, thank you, Sydney. Um, and I didn't get to stick around as long as you cuz I had to get the kids to school, but it was nice seeing people excitedly
waiting in line and, you know, people got there really early, which was kind of wild. Yeah. Uh but even like you said, there were some disappointed people, but you know, with the with the lottery available coming up, too. The odds are pretty good, which is which is a good thing. Um nobody's ever going to
be perfectly happy. We can't make this work for everybody that's interested, but um I think this is a a good way to jump off with this and and make refine the process. I think we're I think we we uh put the ball in Sydney's court and she ran with it. And I appreciate you.
Thank you. Good stuff. Can I say something about the residents? I was so impressed with the patience and the kindness that we were given through the process. And obviously, it wasn't as fast as I hoped it would be because it was our first time going through, but they were so great. And thank you to the
residents for doing that. Good. Good stuff. All right. Thank you. All right. Next, gentlemen, I put on this uh on the agenda, town administrator, town accountant search update. Um, you know, last week we met in executive session. There's a, you know, we've got a number
of resumes that have come in on the town administrator stuff. We've got a ton of resumes that have come in on the town accountant um, position. Um, and I think, you know, some communities they'll put they'll hire a firm to do
searches and all that kind of stuff. I don't know that we need to to go in that direction. But what I'd like to propose for the board to consider and then we can ratify it uh next Tuesday, but what I'm proposing is sort of an internal screening committee. Um you know, with
the town accountant position, um things have changed. You know, we've got a really good internal candidate that could be part of that process, but I do think we owe it to ourselves to just at least go through that process and see who's available and who's out there. And
what I would suggest if Mr. Gasper if you would be willing to kind of be the de facto chair of that but Mr. Gasper can you're sort of our e financial expert on the board um to work with a member of the finance committee. I know
Sue Delgado has had an interest um I would reach out to you know maybe Jesse Ellis from the um school committee uh was newly elected. It could be good experience to be part of this and Mr. Kelly just to kind of go through go
through the resumeumés, come up with, you know, a bunch of candidates that we could bring in for an interview, but I also would, you know, would encourage us to look internally. You know, we've got Jamie who's doing a great job and I wouldn't want to shut her out of that process. Um, so if you're willing to do
that, Mr. Gasper, um, you know, we can reach out to those folks and try to cobble it together. And then on the town administrator side of it, I like to run a similar track. um as a member of the board of selectmen uh to oversee that. Um and you know another member of the
finance committee. I know Doc Bush might have an interest in that. Um you know Mr. Kelly and I would say somebody maybe who's serving on the master plan committee like a Ryan Rosendi or a Jesse St. Jes or someone like those gentlemen
uh to get their insight on that. again go through to kind of like go through the resumes, schedule some interviews. Um, and then, you know, come back to the board with recommendations. Um, and I don't know, Mr. Hy, I know you got a lot on your plate and you spent the last
year um, working as chairman, but give you the right of first refusal. If you're interested, great. If not, I'd be more than happy to volunteer to do it. I would graciously pass. Okay. Um, not because I don't want to be involved with it. Um, I just have some catch-up work
to do. Uh, and I don't think my I don't think I'd be able to put in the appropriate amount of time. Fair enough. For a separate committee, um, personally. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, Mr. Chairman, yes. Great idea. Um, to do this, the the only thing I will do is ask Mr. Kelly to look into the logistics
of how we proceed with a, you know, small subcommittee like the chairman is wondering about and then cuz I went through some of the town administrators once and I was kind of giving notes on it and I was going to pass that off and say, "Hey, you know, this is my input on the pile of town administrator once, you
know, take it for whatever you want, not knowing what we were going to do with this, but that's kind of what I've always done. my past practices go through the pile and you know I get a no pile, I get a baby pile and I get an absolute pile. Um, and I think we could all do that same thing even with the town accounts positions if you want to
screen them and just say you know what I have no interest and if we all have the same opinion after you give them to the town administrator it saves us some screening time you know maybe the top five that we feel is the best right and ultimately it's all coming back to this board anyway for a final decision. We
just got to keep in mind that when once we get through that small screening process and we and we hoop ourselves through that, whoever the screening committee says, hey, we'll throw three candidates back to the full board, right? Top three from the screening committee, whatever it may be, we'll throw those back to the board and see
what they what they have to say. If we were to bring them in, you have to request permission from the individual and before you put their name on an agenda, of course, and say, "Are you okay with us putting because some some folks may be still in their spot
somewhere else?" And they might at that point go, "No, I'm not interested in doing that. I don't want" and you know, I don't want it to be known that I'm out looking for jobs. Right? So, out of respect to them and there's some legalities to it as well of doing this. I've done it in the past and you have to make sure that you understand what you
can and can't do. So, I would just ask Mr. Kelly to either if you already know the protocol or talk to Darren Klein, town council and just say what what are the what is the protocol that I I've been through it before. I know. I'm just making sure we don't skip a beat and
then we're getting, you know, the the guy from Tennessee, Alabama, wherever he's from. Right. Right. that you rais a good point too and I don't know like since all the folks that we're looking to draw from are already either appointed to elected to a board or appointed to a board um
you know can we draw from that or do we have to get them like do we have to create a special committee so we can just pull them together and we don't have to go through like a swearing in and all that stuff right because it's advisory and ad hoc no it's a it's a review okay good all right just want to make sure but those are great points Mr.
Gasper and I think once we get to that we'll make sure that we got some guidance on what we're trying to do. So, all right. So, why don't we do this? We'll work on trying to pull together, assemble the participants, and then we'll come back on Tuesday, get it on the agenda, and then we'll formally vote to create it. But I just at least want
to get that concept out there to you gentlemen. And I think at a minimum, you know, we'll bring some folks in. They understand what's going on behind the curtain. They understand the process. And I think it'll be good for us. Uh we haven't done it in a while, and it's it's good to kind of shake off the rust.
Um, I've been be we've been part of this these church people that do this stuff and you pay a decent amount of money for it to happen and you know, no disrespect but not such good results, right? And you're paying all that money and you're
waiting all that time, the same list of names from all of them. This is why we get elected to do jobs like this for them. So anyway, all right. Well, good stuff. Uh, gentlemen, anything on the selectman's announcements? Mr. Chairman, I just want to uh let
everybody know if it's tomorrow morning you do not see me participating in the um baseball parade, it's because I'm doing I'm I'm attending a celebration of life for Chris Golder, lifelong resident of the town of Aushnet at the council on aging tomorrow morning from 10 to 12. So
um I will be attending on behalf of the board um representing the board at the uh celebration of life for Mr. Golder. Um, so and I know that I'll be at the baseball game representing the parade, whatever Mr. Inkley is going to do. I just want the people to know that I'm not being disrespectful to the baseball
parade. Um, the celebration of life. I've known this individual my whole life. Um, great guy, sad loss for the community, but um, it is what it is and you know, I feel like um, I need to make a presence at this. You know, I've known the family forever. So, thank you for
representing the board. You're welcome. St. Announcements? Okay, good, sir. All right. Very good. Um, it is Mother's Day this weekend. Oh, for those of moms out there, uh, for those of you who have moms, give them a hug. For those of you who don't have moms, uh, or lost a mom,
I know I have. I know Mr. Gasper has. Um, you know, I know Bob's mom has gone through some health challenges. So, big hugs to all the moms out there. And, uh, thank you. Uh, with that, is there a motion to adjurnn? So, move. Second. Second. All those in favor? Motion carries.