And >> good afternoon. Today is uh February 24th meeting of the finance committee. Um at 1:00 and seeing that we have a quorum, I'm going to call the meeting to order. I will note that a couple of the
member several of the members are not here yet and when they do join us, I will also call on them. Um, so, uh, there are three members and now there are four. Um, so my first order of business is to make sure all members of
the committee can hear and be heard. And I'll just call out your name as I see them on the screen. Lynn >> present. >> Kathy's here. Jill >> here. >> Council Breick. Sam >> present. and uh that uh we're missing one
counselor and both uh right now we're missing both of our non- voting resident members but I think we can start and uh Athena has joined us the first we start our meetings with public comments and if there are people in the audience who
have public comments now is the time and I'm opening up for public comments and I see there are four people and I see two hands up. Um, so Sean, if if you make me
co-host, I can bring them in. Otherwise, you have to do it or someone else has to do it. >> Um, I'll bring Debon, but I did make you co-host, but I'll bring um >> I'll bring Debon. Deb Leonard's our first one. >> Okay.
>> Um, she declined to be promoted. So, let me try just the allow to talk. >> Okay. Deb, you have joined us. If you unmute, you are pres and we're doing up to three minutes. Um, >> can you hear me? >> Welcome. >> Thank you. Um, thank you for the um
taking up the financial orders from yesterday evening. Um, I actually haven't looked to see that if that's actually what you're doing. So, if I'm not accurate, I apologize. It's been a bit of a whirlwind here. Um, I would
like to say that the the document from the town manager about the regional school process has a lot of higher level information, but is lacking a lot of important nuance. So, I really just want
to encourage people to understand that there's a lot more that went on in that process than perhaps that document conveys. Um, and I also would like to emphasize because I heard a lot last night about the region being its own
municipality, which uh, of course it is. I would like to emphasize something that wasn't brought up last night, which is it is a municipality without fundamentally the ability to gen generate its own revenue. So the revenue does come from all four towns which make
up the descending districts that compose the regional school district. Thank you. >> Thank you Deb. >> And we have >> uh Rich McClean you >> Richan you have joined us and if you
state who you are and where you're from we welcome you. >> Hi I'm Mlan. Uh I live in district 2. Uh I just wanted to encourage the finance committee to recommend the uh free cash
be used to repair the middle school auditorium roof uh and to do so without conditions. The town enjoys uh a lot of benefits from that building including the auditorium that the other towns simply do not and has been with very
little cost for a long time. Uh, I think now is the time to use that free cash to repair the auditorium roof because I think if we were to wait if and in the future were able to get
the other towns to support this, I think we would still end up paying more money than we would now without their support just from cost expansion uh with time. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, Rich. And thank you, Deb. And
um I see one more hand went up. Um if we can remove the >> I brought in um Maria. >> Okay, Maria, you've joined us. >> Great. Thank you very much, Maria Kapiki, South Ammerst. Um let me lower my hand. Um, I think that at this
meeting you guys are going to be talking about some future agenda planning and I am very much hoping that you dedicate a full meeting or at least a very thorough analysis of the library building project
about sources of funding what where where we are when the the whole thing you guys know what we're looking for cash flow analysis and all that borrowing details on the borrowing and and so on. I hope that is something that the finance
committee takes up and soon. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Maria, and thank you, Deb. Um, that is all the hands for uh public comment, so I'm closing the public comment period. Um, we're not
exactly sure whether Shannon will be able to join us today, but to the extent Shannon is the director of finance. Um, and I don't see her in the audience right now. So, she said to the extent she could, it would be at 1:30. So, what
I propose is that by my count, we have six potential financial orders and by the sixth, it's including the auditorium roof. uh four of them um don't need as much discussion. So I'll wanted to hold
the roof discussion until um after 1:30 and we'll see if Shannon can join us or not. So I think um both for councelor Brebeck and Sam Mloud's benefit, Sean, it would be good to walk us through these financial orders and how this all
works because some of them like the transfer um from stabilization fund into capital just to walk us through. So it's financial order 12 A, 12B, 12D, and 12E. Those four orders start with those. And
I see Joe has joined us. Joe, I just want to double check that you can hear hear us. And just unmute for a second so we know we can hear you. >> Yes. Sorry about that. I had troubles logging in. So, thank you. >> That's okay. Your your timing is perfect. And we're starting on the
financial orders that do not address the roads and the auditorium roof. Okay. >> The others and having Sean walk us through how this works. So, it's actually the close out of last year and certified free cashache, >> right?
>> Thank you, >> Shelon. I turn it over to you. >> Thank you. Is this large enough on the screen? I I'm sharing the memo that was Okay. Um, I did update the packet. So, if you checked 10 minutes ago, these documents were not there, but if you check now, everything's in the packet. Um, mostly the documents that were um
presented last night. >> If you could make it a little bit larger. Yeah, I can do that. >> The font is small for my eyes. >> How about that? Is that better? >> That's fine. Is that fine for everyone else? >> Yeah, >> I can go one size bigger, Lynn. >> Be nice.
>> Okay, let me go one size bigger. >> Break it up. >> Excellent. >> Okay. >> All right. So, the the first one, which is um order A or FY20, uh uh I'll tell you the number in a second, but letter A is our first one. Um so every year we
look at our cap our general stabilization fund and our policies um call for keeping 10% as a reserve and our general stabilization which is the one that we keep for um economic recessions, multi-year um uh reductions
in revenues related to the economy. Um, so we look at our balance at the end of the fiscal year, compare it to what 10% of the operating budget would be, and then we transfer any excess into the capital stabilization fund. Um, if for whatever reason it went down, then we
would when we look at free cash, we would replenish it um before doing other transfers. So in this particular year, we didn't use any um pull any money out of general stabilization fund and these funds are invested um with our um financial adviser and so they actually
generated a pretty strong return. Um and so we are able to essentially stay at that 10% that we want to stay at and shift $335,000 to the capital stabilization fund. Um, this is really the only increase to the capital stabilization fund this year
because we um have essentially come up with a plan to spend all the other uh potential funds that would normally have gone to capital stabilization. Um, so this will be the only kind of increase to that fund. >> Any questions? >> As Sean goes through these, if anyone
has a question, just raise your hand on them and because we're that we are going to vote on each of these financial orders separately. Good. >> Okay. And Sean, just to be clear, so that 335,000 just represents the excess over the 10%. >> Exactly. >> Okay. Awesome. Thank you.
>> Yep. >> And it's all based on June 30th of the end of the last fiscal year. So all these orders for the most part are based on the end of FY25. >> Awesome. >> Uh so the next one is appropriate and transfer from free cash to the
reparation stabilization fund. So, a number of years ago, the council um set a goal to raise $2 million in a reparation stabilization fund. And the mechanism to raise that money was to take any uh cannabis excise tax revenue
or an equivalent amount of what we receive in cannabis excise tax. Um and if our finances overall are in good shape, um to basically transfer an amount that equals that uh what we received the prior year to the reparation stabilization fund. So the
$56,440 is what we received in cannabis excise tax in FY25, the most recently completed full fiscal year. And so what we would what we've been doing is transfer that amount the following year to the reparations fund. Um if this transfer is
approved, it will bring the fund up to $663,000. Um, so this the the revenue has slowed down uh as sort of uh I think recreational cannabis sales in particular have slowed down. Uh this amount used to be over hundred,000 close
to a couple hundred,000 a year. It's not there anymore, but we've continued this practice of making these incremental contributions to the um reparation stabilization fund. >> And so Sean, is that all of it? Like is that the all the cannabis revenue? >> Yes, this is everything we receive.
Yeah. So, so% of that goes to the >> representation. So, we don't budget it anymore as a as a general fund supporting revenue. It still has to come into the general fund because of the type of revenue it is. Um, but that's, you know, again, I've I tried to say this last time, some of the revenues we
get that contribute to the surplus at the end of the year. It's intentional in the fact that like we know we're not going to use this money for the general fund. It's going to come in and it's going to get transferred to the stabilization fund. So, it's really not, you know, part of a surplus. It's really um you know a revenue that we got that
we received that the council has earmarked for another purpose. >> Gotcha. Perfect. Thank you, >> Lynn. >> Yeah, this is really for the benefit of Joe and um um our other two members that are new. Um there's now been a follow-on
committee to the reparations committee appointed and their responsibility is now come up to come up with guidelines and recommendations to bring back to the council on how to and how much to distribute out of this fund and for what purpose. >> Gotcha. Do we know the balance
approximately of this fund? >> Yeah, it's uh 663,000. >> Oh, there it is. Oh, sorry. Okay. Thank you. Um Sean, without spending a lot of time, what's the balance for this capital stabilization fund? >> Um it's a uh
it's going to be about 10.3 million. Um once that if the transfer out is approved, it'll be about 10.3 million. >> And and Lynn, at least it's at the bottom of his memo. >> Wait, whoa, whoa, sorry. I I misspoke. Um the capital stabilization fund. >> Yeah, >> Lynn. Um it's uh the general
stabilization fund will be about 10.3 million. the capital stabilization fund. I'll get you an exact number, but it's over 12 million. Okay. Thank you. >> And and for people, we we saw that number, Lynn, um at the last meeting of
finance, so it's in it's in the packet, you know, and so this would be uh add $335,000 to it. >> Yep. So then we're going to skip C because we're going to come back to C.
And as Kathy mentioned, uh, we're going to we have two C's. We have a C that's at 4.3 million and we have a C that's at 2.7 million. Um, so we're going to have to be clear when this vote takes place what C is being approved and what C is
being uh not, you know, not recommended, but um, so we're going to go to D. So uh, we have a new track and field at the Amoris Pelum Regional Schools. Um it's we have a warranty on the grass growing and you know no damage happening to it.
That kind of cover comes up to um I think April or May and then essentially it's going to get turned over to us and it's going to be the the ultimately the regional school district's responsibility um to care for that property. Um we had some initial conversations with the regional schools
especially at their four town meeting where they identified one of their cost drivers was adding in a large number for maintenance. So one thing we we discussed was well maybe for the first year or two uh the town could appropriate sort of a lump sum to help
support this um this sort of transition to taking care of this new facility. Um especially the uh the grass which is now you know if we want to keep it in really good shape it's going to require a lot of care and maintenance. So, uh, we looked at what some other communities do and came up with this number, which we
think would reflect a couple years worth of being able to contract out the care and maintenance of the field. Um, a good example of this is, um, I'm going to get the name wrong. It's in Long Meadow, uh, Swamp Fox Swamp or Swamp Fox, some nice,
uh, recreational facility that was built a few years ago. They contract out the the maintenance and it stayed in in really good shape. And so the the goal of this would be to appropriate these funds. Um we've made it flexible so that uh through conversations with the region either the re these funds might be just
turned over to the region for them to do the procurement and manage the contract. Um understanding that they have a better sense of what their schedule is and you know when games are and be able to structure the the maintenance of the field um with more knowledge than the
town town staff could. Um but really this is to essentially preserve this brand new asset and make sure it stays in good shape um for the next couple years. >> Um so I Sean I have a question. Does 150 as far as you can see it does that cover
the full cost for two years? >> Yeah. So um Bob um parent who you know helped uh work on this project and bring it to fruition um did some research and and looking around at what these contracts cost in other communities. it's it's always going to be a little
bit different and this would you know it would be done through a competitive procurement most likely unless there's a state contract for it. Um but this is our estimate of what a couple years worth essentially to get um through the end of calendar year 27. So it care for
for the rest of this calendar year and then through calendar year 27 and potentially if there's you know depending how favorable the bids are maybe into the spring of the following year. Uh we'll have to see what the the pricing looks like >> and then can So I have a question of what happens after that and this
actually was sent by another council member around this one. Um so my understanding is up until now while we've got this beautiful new facility we sort of shared it. Um we did there was
some DPW did part of it and the schools did part of it but it was never clear where where the line was around whose responsibility was it recreation because not only is there any thought about what happens after two years. So that that's
sort of the purpose of this is the um for really the region to take the lead since it's their facility um to take the lead on how to approach this long term. Um knowing that you know few months from now we're going to need to be able to care for this. We wanted to get this in
place. Um but I think all those things you described are what would be worked out over the f you know the following year plus. Um it again ultimately it's the regional school's responsibility. Um, and so it it would be up to them to determine would they want to continue to
contract out maintenance of it. Do they uh want to use in-house staff and build capacity? Um, some partnership with DPW. Um, those would all have to be talked about, but this would make sure that we have funds in place to care for it right away. >> I see Lynn Sand is up. Lynn,
>> one point there was some discussion, maybe more rumor if you will, that the high school or the the regional schools were going to prohibit general public use of the of the track and field. And I
wondered if anywhere in writing we know what the status of that is. >> Yeah, I don't know about writing. I know we use community preservation act dollars on this project so that wouldn't be allowed. Um that's a major funding source as Sam knows. Uh he presided over
some of those appropriations uh recommendations. So uh because CPA is such a major source, it it really has to be available to the public outside of um you know school use. >> Thank you. And I I think that's where the um tension has been in the past that
it's not just used by the regional schools, you know, in terms of who whose responsibility is it. So you've answered my question. I just think it's it's in the future this was is going to be worked out. I see Paul's hand is up.
>> Yeah. So there there are two features of of it. One is who actually who maintains the fields? Um, and actually the schools do have a former DPW employee who now works there who's very good at at uh turf management, but it's also who schedules the fields because one of the
biggest challenges is who says no, you can't use the field today. It's too wet. Um, and that really lands often with the athletic director who's scheduling school sports. Um and then there's the other the sort of you know there's a companion field which is the um
community field which the schools use quite frequently for their baseball for football and softball which the town maintains. Uh and of course we don't charge them for any of that. So um so they're they're you know you have to look at the both of these fields as um
companion locations. >> Okay Joe. >> Hey Sean. Thanks. Um, just quick, I just want to make sure I get this straight. So, this $150,000, this is coming from free cash. Is >> this free cashation fund or like
>> No, this is coming straight from free cash. So, the sort of the end of year surplus revenues, unspent expenses go into free cash and then we transfer into those other stabilization funds from free cash. Um, and this again we this is
sort of a one-time capital expense for a multi-year contract and then we'd have to figure out the the maintenance after that period of time. >> Okay. And free cash is just free cash. Like is there like a balance maintained to free cash? It's just >> so it is a balance. It's unique. It's a Massachusetts accounting municipal
accounting convention. There's probably nothing like it elsewhere. Um, essentially it is it is like a >> it's the undesated fund balance of your general fund if that makes sense. So it's basically what you have left over from your general fund operations at the end of the year that wasn't spent either
from the revenue side or the expense side and it only exists for appropriation from the date that the state certifies it until the end of the fiscal year. So we have to get it certified every year. So it was late certified this year. Typically we get it certified in October, November. Um, so
we have basically from the date it was certified in um I think January until June 30th that we can appropriate from it and then on June 30th we can no longer appropriate from it until we reertify it the following fiscal year. >> So that's why we do these transfers
every year around the time that we certify free cash because there's a limited uh length of time that you can appropriate from it. >> Okay, I appreciate that. I'm sorry for the >> No, no, it's it's a confusing, you know, >> so many buckets. Yeah, I just want to get it clear. Thank you,
>> Lynn. Um, but Joe, >> in fact, the CPA reference is initially to fund this project. Uh, the schools went to each of the four towns and each of them voted some of their CPA money
for this. In addition to that, however, >> Ammerst gave an additional 900,000, I think. >> Yeah, >> as a gift. >> And the reason I I want to stress that now because it's going to come up >> come up again with this roof, right?
>> You got it. >> Thank you, Lynn. I appreciate that. Yeah. >> And and I don't know if all communities voted CPA. I know Pelum definitely did. >> Yeah. Um but all towns did contribute some somewhat towards the track because there's a portion that is borrowed by
the region that will be paid by all four towns. So >> yeah. Okay. I remember reading that. I just couldn't when it gets down to the the buckets and where it's coming from. I just be clear on that. So I appreciate that. Thank you. >> Sam, >> you're muted still.
Just to follow up on your comment, John, other towns did contribute uh uh after Amoris made the award uh I think it was approximately 400,000 for the most recent one. Um coming from a few different towns. So Doug Slaughter did
reach out to them after the Ammer second most recent award. >> Thank you. >> All right. So the last order is E um which is to transfer from free cash to the opioid settlement revolving fund.
So this is uh similar to the cannabis. This these are funds that are um come in every year and they're really restricted in how they can be used. And there's an there's a vote we can have the council take. Maybe we'll do it this year where instead of these funds coming in every year and going to the general fund and
kind of inflating our free cash, we could have it go directly into this revolving fund, but it requires a vote. So, we get um several years ago, the attorney general for the state negotiated a settlement with pharmaceutical companies around opioid abuse and those impacts and and we were
all most municipalities in the state were part of that settlement. And so we get a set amount of money basically for the next 20 years. Um, and those funds can only be used to support an opioid mitigation plan which is um kind of
headed up by our public health uh director and there's a a group that's working on a plan and they work with the state as well. So these funds are restricted to being spent on strategies in that plan and it's goes into our free cash and then we basically transfer it into this revolving fund. Um, so the
amount we received in FY25 related to the opioid settlements is 89,237 that we would then transfer into uh that we're requesting to transfer into the opioid fund. >> Um Sean, do you happen to know how much is in that fund now? And if you don't,
could you just get it to us later? >> Yeah, I can get it when we um stop for a minute here. I can pull it out of munus pretty quickly. Yeah, I'm just curious because I know there people there a survey went out with potential uses and
preferred uses to towns people but my said what you just said is we haven't spent any of it yet until we've come up with a plan right so I just don't know how much money is in it and I always I always wondered how much of some of our general public health andor some of the
work that Crest does might qualify for um you know for since we're dealing with um people who have drugreated incidents. So in any case, I just wondered how much is in it. >> Yeah, I could tell you in one minute.
>> And Sean, is that 80 in line with that question? Is that 89,000 sort of what on average what we're getting every year? Is that pretty much close to it or does it does it vary? >> Um it is a set schedule. It's it's gone up since when I left a couple years ago. So I think there's there's a couple different um settlements with different
companies that are sort of overlaid on top of each other. So, let me look and I can get I can get you wondering and we're getting that for 20 years. >> Uh, yeah, it's it's around 20 years. It goes um I can get there's a schedule actually that they share online for every community so you can see what
every community gets. Um, but I can let you know the end date. And that fund had a balance of 283,000 at the end of FY25. So, um, adding this to it would bring it
up to 300 and, you know, around 360,000. >> Are we spending that money? Is is it getting used? >> No. To Cathy's point, it hasn't been spent yet. This is probably the third or fourth year we've received it. Um, and the health director's been working on this plan and then it will start to be
spent. Uh, we might have some expenses actually some for the first time this year. I have to double check, but um, we will start beginning to spend it uh, going forward. Awesome. Thanks, Sean. >> Lynn, >> my comments about the little uh paragraph that was after the end of the
financial orders. So, >> do you want me to pull it up? Uh back up. >> Um it I believe what you're saying there is that left in our reserves um the only thing left is the 500,000
for youth empowerment center. Is that correct? >> Yeah. So, if you look at what's left in free cash, it would be exactly 5% of the operating budget, which aligns with our policies, um, plus the fi the 455,000
for youth empowerment. >> So, my question, I I know the federal government has nothing more to do with those funds because um, we basically made sure they couldn't touch them by moving them into our
reserves. Um the reality is though we've now been sitting on this goal for four or five years I guess and um the question is at what point do we look at this and say we have to modify
that goal. Uh this goal is being partially met by something like morning movement. Um, you know, in other words, how long are we going to sit on this goal and at what point should we be
considering modifying it because of, you know, half a million dollars is no small change? >> Yeah, >> it's probably more of a Paul question. >> Yeah. So, so we made under ARPA we made this commitment to the youth empowerment
um center and so that's why we've I wanted to maintain this um identification of this of these funds. >> Um you know it gives us the opportunity if something comes up that we want to move on, there's funds that's been that's been identified, it would still
require an appropriation from the town council. Uh so right now it sits in our reserves um just like any other any of the other um reserves. It could be allocated for anything that that's a
legal uh legal thing. But right now I don't think we're um I I have I want to keep it segregated in terms of like that we've identified it at least as it sits in our reserves. >> If the council wants to sort of suggest something different I'm can listen to
that. >> Thank you. And I am I correct that the only other money that was in there was the money for the senior center and we're now actively spending that. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And I think earlier today I was talking
to a counselor who was sort of like can you just walk me through the these numbers again? I think this chart really does sort of summarize everything. >> Yes. Can you just sort of walk us through and like highlight the sections, Sean, because I think this is >> I want to just Paul, I just want to follow up on Lynn's question and then
have Tran do it. So, >> sure. >> In terms of carrying this 455, I always questioned it because we >> if we're talking about staff, it's operating costs and we don't have room for operating costs. If we're talking about physical space, it probably
doesn't buy us very much. And there's a long-term potential that maybe we develop the Wildwood property and we have it on the first floor and make that a senior center and we could use banks. So, I'm just wondering whether carrying it makes sense as opposed to putting it
into roads and sidewalks or putting it into the capital fund, you know, just rather than carrying it. So, that's my question on carrying it. If, as Lynn said, it's kind of five years now. It may even be six, Lynn. um that that that
was put on it was put on an ARPA list with no clear way to use it in a way that we could sustain it. So that was that was the issue. You know, we couldn't pay rent for a place and we couldn't staff it. So it's just my
question and maybe we don't have to resolve it this year, but we're carrying it as almost a half a million dollars that's just sitting there. So would that be bringing it up at the council level to say >> so I think this would be something you
could put in your budget guidelines. >> Okay. >> Um >> thanks. >> That's a good >> So go you can go back to going through this now. Thanks. >> This will be really quick. So um our free cash was certified at 10.2 million. Um again they so they certify it
whenever you get them all the information but they certify it back to July 1st beginning of the fiscal year. So, this is technically as of July 1 of 2025. Um, and what we've proposed in transfers is the 89,000 for opioid settlements, the 56,000 going to
reparation stabilization fund, um, the original order C, which was for roads and sidewalks at 4.3 million, 150,000 for the new fields at the high school, and then this uh 455,000 that we were sort of earmarking for
youth empowerment. And that leaves us with a free cash balance of 5.17 which equals 5% of the um of the operating budget. So what will be left in free cash if all these orders are approved um or approved maybe even
if we split the 4.3 differently um we'll be left with 5% in free cash plus this 455,000 for youth empowerment. And and just just to backtrack, Sean, on the ARPA funds that we secured and
protected them, it was about 3.9 million, but we used some of last year's free cash for the bank center and now we're replenishing that to get us back up to the 5 million. So, we drew, if you look at a financial order from a year
ago, we drew down on it, but now we've gone back up. So that's why we're at the the 5 million. Is that I'm correct? Right. >> Yeah. So that 2.8 million that was appropriated last last year um would have come out of free cash. So that would have brought us lower by that
amount. Um and this brings Yeah. restores us to 5%. >> You know, so it was a flow of funds in and out, but we had secured it. I mean, but the the federal government allowed us, if you looked at the close out of the year, we put it on a health
insurance line knowing that we would generate a huge surplus on that and that was an allowable place to say we've spent it. So then it it it made the money be usable, all of that money be usable to us because we had to use it or you lose use it or lose it by the end of
a a particular calendar year. >> Yeah. ARPA allowed you to assign a minimum of $10 million towards what they call revenue loss and our total ARPA allocation was only a little over 11 million. So essentially the whole allocation we got from ARPA we could
have essentially just taken it as revenue loss which means you can use it um for any governmental expense. >> So are there any questions on um the four financial orders that Sean just went through? So that's the one on the
transfer um from the excess on the stabilization fund to the capital reserve, the reparations fund, not the roads, we're skipping that. The field maintenance for procurement for two years or the opioid.
If there aren't any questions, um I will make a motion because we need to I believe we need to vote on each of them. Um, we can't vote on them as a group. Am I correct? >> Yeah. >> Correct.
>> Okay, I am correct. So, um, if you can put the financial orders up on the screen, Sean, then I can make motion using the correct wording. And Kathy, just one thing that came up with the chairs and vice chairs thing is
that when you write up our report, the motion has to be in the format that the town council will actually vote on even though we will vote to recommend. I'll talk to you later about that. >> Okay.
>> Athena has her hand up. >> Yeah, I can Kathy, I can help you get the language that we use for the council if you don't already have it. So it's the the council language is different than the your recommendation language here. It'll include having held a public forum on such and such a date and so on.
>> Okay. You know just explain to everyone now that I'm hearing this is we our motion is always to recommend that the council does something um rather than the council is voting on the the actual
doing of it. And so I'm still wording it as our motion. Correct, Lynn? >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So then I'm I'm making a motion that the finance committee recommend to the town council that uh that we support
supporting the appropriation and transfer order FY2612A which is an order appropriating from the general stabilization fund to the capital stabilization fund. And I'll stop there. Stop there so people can read the rest of it. But
that's all we need to do is do I have a second? >> Yeah, second. >> Lynn seconds. And I'm putting that to a vote. Um, as I see Joe and just Joe, so you know, for for the uh non- voting members, it's a support
or not support vote. >> I didn't know if I was supposed to. Yes, I support. >> Okay, Sam. Uh I >> Lynn >> I >> Jill >> yes >> and Kathy is a yes. So it is unanimous
with one counselor missing and one resident member missing. So I will do the same thing for the next financial order. >> Kathy, who's the um what counselor are we missing? >> Anna. >> Anna Del. All right. Sorry Shandi is in
the audience. I wanted to make sure it wasn't Andy. He's on a different committee. >> Yeah. She said she she said she had a conflict for the beginning of the meeting. So >> she should be here about 2. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Uh so secondly, I make a motion that the finance committee recommend to the
council uh approval of appropriation and transfer order FY2612B, which is an order appropriation funds from free cash to the reparation stabilization fund. >> Second.
>> And I'll put it to a vote. Uh Joe, >> I support Sam, >> hi. >> Lynn, >> hi. >> Jill, >> yes. >> And Kathy, I say yes. So, it is unanimous with one counselor missing and
one don't vote. Flipping down. Um, I make a motion that the finance committee recommend to the town council approval of appropriation and transfer
order FY26-12D, an order appropriating from free cash for a portion of the town's capital program for field maintenance of the new track and field. >> Second is putting it to a vote. Joe,
>> I support Sam >> I. >> Lynn >> I. >> Jill >> yes. >> And Kathy is a yes. It's unanimous. Next. I make a motion that the finance committee
recommend to the town council support of appropriation and transfer order FY26-12E an order appropriating funds from free cash to the opio from to the opioid settlement special revenue fund
>> second and putting it to a vote. Joe >> I support >> Sam >> I >> Lynn >> I >> Jill >> yes >> and Kathy is yes that is unanimous so we
have done those four financial orders and I will listen to the tape if the wording is a little off because I don't do it quite right at living um I'll just make sure in the report that the wording reads the same I think I varied whether
it's approve or support each time. So now we go to the one that was pulled out which is um order 12 C and I believe Sean now we have two 12c's
and we have a new 12F where the two 12c is one is for 4.3 million and one is for 2.7 which is reduced by 1.6 6 for the new financial order which was 1 1.6 for the auditorium
roof and Sean you can just quickly explain this for particularly for Joe who wasn't there last night and then we'll open it up for discussion. >> Sure. So um so the orders uh recommended by the town manager last night uh
included an order to put $4.3 million into roads and sidewalks. Um the discussion at the council was to potentially pull out 1.6 6 million million from that 4.3 to put towards the middle school auditorium roof and reduce
the road um order down to 2.7. So essentially the same total. It doesn't change the the overall free cash numbers u but just splits that 4.3 million up a little bit differently. So this memo essentially just shows what those orders would look like. So this would be a new
uh transfer order C which would reduce uh the road appropriation down to 2.7. And then this would be an altogether new order which would be F which would appropriate 1.6 million uh for the uh middle school auditorium roof. And one
thing I want to just clarify because I know there was conversation around an intermunicipal agreement and different things being part of an intermunicipal agreement. Um we would we would generally require an intermunicipal agreement under any circumstance just to outline the relationships of the
parties. Um we generally don't just give gifts with no you know with nothing that sort of documents what it is. Um so last night there was talk of an intermissible agreement that had some like sort of specific components to it. This is not that. This is really to outline that
there are two parties where uh the um the town is uh essentially contributing this portion of money to pay for the entire roof outside of the regional agreement which typically governs how facility improvements are done. Um and it would al also outline
what happens if the um project comes in under 1.6 million. So are we you know we would work with the regional schools to discuss are we doing this as a reimbursement basis where they pay it and then they bill us or are we um are they going to get invoices and then submit a claim like a a request for funds. So we would work all that out
with the regional school district um in this intermissible agreement. It would not include unless you know unless voted otherwise it would not include some of the other things that were discussed last night. >> Okay. Is there any obligation from the from the from the other towns
>> uh towards this? I mean we're putting in 1.6. Is there any >> So that so Joe that was the discussion last night is that this has Ammeris paying the full estimated cost of it um for a couple a couple of reasons. One is
the timing was off for the other towns to go out to their time town meetings. And that's one one of the reasons. And the other is that a few of the towns probably can't stretch that far. And that the the urgency of it is trying to
have the money available at the same time the rest of the roof is being done. So you have one construction project rather than staging again for the auditorium roof at some later date. Um, this was uh it was said last night and
then I've had a couple notes that this for a variety of reasons in the fall slipped through the cracks and didn't go on the larger capital plan of the region even though it was perceived as urgent. There was some turnover in the school committee members and uh there there was
more focus on the operating budget than there was in the capital budget. So last night's discussion was around is this a 1.6 million gift basically from Ammeris that we're willing to pay all of it or
do we attach any um other kind of language that we expect the towns at some point or the region to pay back some of some of what have been the other shares. So our share would have normally been something over 1.3,
>> you know, in in that range if the other towns each had their proportionate share. So the council last night voted not to attach language that would require a contingency, but asked that the finance committee talk about it and
make a recommendation back to the council. And for everyone who was there last night, tell me if that's a a reasonably accurate uh shorthand description of about an hour discussion. >> Yeah. Yes.
>> Okay. So, that was the issue. Um and is it as simple this financial order Sean just described as it would protect us with the agreement that should the cost be 1.3 or 1.5 million rather than 1.6, six, they wouldn't
>> the the region wouldn't get another 100,000. It would only get the amount of money for the auditorium roof. And the recent experience at least with the new school and I can't hope that it will continue with other big projects is the
bids came in way under budget. They also came in a bit under budget for track and field and they allowed them to do some extra pieces. >> Okay. >> From the the core project. So we don't know exactly how this bid will come in. So I see Sam's hand is up and Lynn's
hand is up. So the issue is around a do we want to recommend that we do in fact reduce the 4.3 to 2.7. So we have these two financial orders and is it a straight 1.6 out with Eddie um pay us
back for some amount of it. So Sam, then Lynn, then Joe's hand is up. So I have three people um entering the discussion. Sam, >> uh thank you uh Kathy. Uh so I was listening to Sean who referenced that
the intent would be for any uh any gift to enter into some form of agreement with uh intermunicipal agreement. >> One moment, please. >> Yeah. Anna is here.
>> Sorry about that, folks. Um, that >> Sam Sam, can you just pause for a second so I can make sure Anna can hear us? Great. So, Anna, we we basically are just starting on the uh the roads in the auditorium. And we have before us, as
you know, one financial order for 4.3, another one for 2.7, and now we have one F that would be for 1.6. So, >> that's where we're at, Sam. >> Uh, thank you again. So, I heard Sean
reference that any uh gift of this type to the school uh regional school would require some form of intermunicipal agreement. And I'm wondering um the one of the factors in this decision
process is the timing of it. And I heard at last night's meeting and other discussions that one dilemma is that there's not sufficient time to get approval for any form of intermunicipal
agreement. Uh and am I not did I hear that correctly uh Sean that it would be needed or not? >> That was when Sam that was around a contingency that they're willing to pay us back the amount of money. Okay.
>> You know, so so this is securing this one is like what I would call the simple version that >> Yeah. This wouldn't have any financial strings attached to it. Like there wouldn't be an appropriation from the regional schools or anything like that. This would really just be mechanical. Um
and you know, if we could ask by auditors why we sent >> $1.6 million to another district, we'd have a you know, something that outlines it. I misheard and there is the communication you state and restate and identify if you heard it correctly. So, thank you. Uh, and another thought
entered my mind. Uh, I keep hearing, well, if it's less than that, then the 1.6 million, uh, maybe there'd be a reimbursement mechanism in the future. That sounds great. Uh, as I listened to that, I kept thinking to myself, well,
what if it's over 1.6 million? And I assume that means that it uh becomes the responsibility of the uh school uh budget, not the town. This is just a one-time gift with the town not uh
participating at least at this point in time should there be bids that come in over the 1.6. >> Sean, go ahead. Yeah, this figure was provided by the schools and I believe Shannon said it um working through their designers and I believe she said it also
includes contingency just like the rest of their um project budgets include contingency. So yes, you're right. If it came in over 1.6, this appropriation order is only for 1.6, but um this should be a good a good number to go with. And and if it were over, is there an
expectation that the uh town would participate further? >> Not at this time or I I don't think that's been discussed from what I've heard. I think the region does have some other, you know, the region spoke last night about END and stabilization fund
and um and depending how much over, you know, we might need to come back together. >> Thank you, Lynn. Um, I actually uh joined the meeting late last night, so I wasn't prepared
last night to really speak to this. Um, but would like to offer some thoughts now. First of all, there is no question that this middle school roof is a mess. Um, I've been in that auditorium. I've looked up and wondered whether or not something was going to fall on my head.
And we've had people where that's happened. Um at the same time and and one of the reasons this whole discussion ever got started was there was a conversation with members of the school committee with the school committee basically saying you know we can't
always help you with operating but once in a while we might be able to help you with capital and so this kind of led to you know this discussion uh and eventually to this back and forth
having said that what I'm most concerned about is the nuance last night where basically people are looking for Ammeris to always bail people out. And Anna made a very good point last night
that I can only echo and that is that my priorities are for the town of Ammerst, for DPW, for fire and for roads. And while I'm going to vote to support this, I really don't like the idea that somehow or
another Ammerst is supposed to bail out the region. That's my second point. My third point is, and Sean, you've heard this before. I hope somewhere we're keeping a record of all of this so that if in some disastrous situation the
region either dissolved or got reconfigured somehow that we get credit for the gifts that we have given this region. I think this this gift supports the use that Ammeris makes of this auditorium just like the support it
makes of the track and field. But I really, you know, we keep getting looked at as the rich sister, if you will, in this in this configuration. And I recognize absolutely the strain that the
other towns are under. But in a couple years, we're going to see a town indebtedness around an elementary school, a library, a although the library frankly won't be nearly as much as people think it is
because of the money that's being raised and money that's we got from the state and likewise for the school. But then in addition to that, you know, DPW and FIRE and there was a financial model at one point that basically showed that our
stabilization fund in our reserves were a way for us to float through when we needed to draw more and go above our authorization for borrowing. So, I I just can't I I will support this
only because I'm hearing it as a loud and clear priority for our community, but it is at the expense of other things and I I really want to make sure people understand that it is at the expense of
other things. So, there you go. Thank you, >> Joe. Yeah, thank you. Um, actually Lynn just basically addressed uh most of my my comments and my concerns. Uh, and thank you for that, Lynn. That was that was uh well said. Um, I guess uh ju uh
you know, I I was going to ask is there any push back here about roads and sidewalks, right? Because Amherst there's a lot of I I definitely understand the significance of the roof, but we're pulling it from roads and sidewalks. Is that uh was that discussed? was that I know there's a lot of you know agit about roads and
sidewalks and having them repaired and that's always a a tight area there. So that money coming from that area and mo moving was was was there ever discussion around it coming from other areas or dipping more into some of these capitalization or stabilization funds. Um >> the the the the one question then it was
only partially asked answered but um I I thought it would be good to get Paul and Sean now or to get it back in our record is spending 1.6 six million less on roads. >> What what does that give up? You know what happens?
>> The percentage right of our >> you know that clearly it it means less. You know the simp the simple answer is it means less but but Paul we had a followup from um the president of the council on do we have any kinds of estimates on she is the PCI which may be
the the index of the road that spending that much less what do we lose on our index that we thought where we thought we were going to get you know what are we giving up on roads um and I know some of this is difficult to estimate because having been around the road world a a
little bit of wild. One kind of road costs us a lot of money when we're taking it down to the dirt >> and another kind of road when we're just fixing the cracks and the holes in it costs another kind. And our roads vary from need to take it down to the dirt
because it's it's gone too far versus we can we can do some road surf. We've got one up in North Ammeris that I think >> it might be better to let it go to the dirt because then we could grade it >> and you know, because you can't grade it
with the tar that's on it right now. So Sean, I don't know whether there's any way of quantifying that, but that was basically it's clearly that much less. And I just want to make one point. The 1.6 our share would have been 1.3ish. It's not, you know, I mean, we're we're
not talking about the whole one points, you know, if we said this is an urgent thing and if the timing had been different, it still would we'd still be facing this. So, I just wanted to ask that because Joe is asking Sean and and Paul, is there anything we can say what
are we not doing um on roads or how much are we not doing on roads if we go this route? Um, so I mean Guilford would be the best person to speak to it. I don't I don't know what the list is that he has queued up. Um, ultimately every year they go
out to bid and so it'll it's somewhat a function of bid prices and and um the cost to repave roads and the type of uh repavement as Kathy mentioned. So it's hard to say exactly, but um we can get that information from Guilford. I mean >> there been like an average of the the
prior years that we typically spend on on roads and sidewalks that >> um yeah I mean this is more so I think the context you don't have Joe is that the council asked the town manager to come up with a multip multi-year plan to improve our roads
>> and so this I'm just going to share my screen quickly if that's okay Kathy this was shared with >> um the council last night I believe >> which is kind of our financial It's it's not the roads that are going
to be replaced. It's the funding and use uh kind of the inflows and outflows of resources. >> Yep. Okay. >> And um essentially what it equates to is roughly $5 million a year for the next five years. Um not exactly the same amount every year, but about comes out to about 5 million a year.
>> And that number comes from our public works department. They have a software that they every year they measure the condition of our roads. And the software is advanced where it can you can input different levels of investment and uh funding to replace roads and it will
model out based on your priorities and where your worst roads are. It'll model out the impact that has on the overall condition. Um essentially every year we get a a composite number that scores kind of all of our roads in aggregate and we're we're somewhere in the 60s
which is um you know not where we want to be. We want to be higher than that. we want to start going up and a $5 million investment every year over the next 5 years essentially prevents us from deterior getting worse um over that span where if you look at the few years
leading up to this point we've slowly been getting worse and worse um each year. So it's a it's a big increase in funding for roads compared to what we've done the last several years if you look at this plan um which shows on the top different funding sources. So, chapter 90 estate money that we get every year.
Um, we potentially might get more this in FY26. There was a supplemental appropriation for 300,000. This is sort of the ongoing amount that we're expecting. Um, so that might be a source that we could add to this. Uh, this is how much we pull out of capital. So, the 10% of the budget that we earmark for
capital. This is how much we have for roads and sidewalks there. >> Free cash, which includes the order that you just heard about for 4.3. And then we're estimating that based on past experience, we could have somewhere around $2 million um in free cash transfers each year that we could
supplement the road um replacement schedule. >> Okay. >> And then we have a couple other little sources like enterprise funds and um some state uh assessments that we get back um that can do they can do roads but only when they relate to the project
that is sort of within the scope of that. So for example, TNC funds are Uber andyft money. So we can invest in sidewalks and areas around sidewalks when it's part, you know, near the the area where we do a lot of Uber lift pickups, enterprise funds, we can replace roads when it's part of a pipe,
uh like a waterline sewer line replacement. So we try to really pull all the the sources of potential uh road replacement. Um and then down below is how we would uh propose to invest that money into actual repairs, but then also some other strategies around filling
potholes more quickly. Um adding um a second hot box which allows our crew to fill potholes for longer and so on. So even in this initial plan, the point is that this initial plan we're about 2.3 million short over 5 years. Um so if we
take out the 1.6, it just it'll increase that gap. So instead of being 2.3 short, we'll be about four short. >> Doesn't mean we can't necessarily make it up over five years. Um it just it just creates a bigger gap and a bigger target. We are, you know, looking for
grants. Kathy sent um I hope that was you Kathy and not someone pretending to be you, Kathy. Um some safe sidewalks to schools grants, you know, potentially could help around Fort River. Um there's other grants that we have gotten in the past that you can't really bank on them, but we will obviously go out to look for
them. Um which could help close this gap as well. >> Okay. I totally appreciate that, Sean. Thank you. Sorry for kind of backtracking like that, but I just >> No, no, that's that's great because it's we went through that really quickly last night. Um we didn't go and I I just what you know, all of it is a stretch, you
know, and Sean's five 550,000 out of the capital budget. That's a choice. I mean, we we have to look at what else. I mean, there's enough money to do that, it looks like, but there's some other things maybe we'll have to postpone if roads become the >> the priority. Jill,
>> yeah, I just wanted to make a couple points. Um, and I think just to start with addressing the this like the idea of us footing the bill for the region. Um, while I understand this
concern and I hear what folks are saying about this and I'm I'm learning the processes and how we can kind of learn from this and learn from the procedural, you know, things that happened as we got to where we we've gotten to now and and
um think about what happened this time and and maybe make improvements for the future. I I do still think it's maybe a healthier framing to think about a collectively in letting things get to this point that
we're at now versus saying, you know, let's keep the other towns from always coming to us when we need things like this. It's it's a pretty bad situation. It probably shouldn't have gotten to the point where the ceiling is caving in. Um, and so I think all all of us have
kind of responsibility to bear there and and maybe thinking a little more collectively about how to work together better in the future instead of saying how do we keep these kind of requests at bay. It's it's a request that I think benefits everybody. Uh and so anyway,
just thinking about the framing of that conversation in maybe a more um positive light if we are going to continue discussions about that. Um and then I think in terms of the um financial orders themselves, I think
that as I said last night, um I think dedicating the 1.6 6 million to the roof, still leaving us with substantial funds for the roads. Um, kind of reflects what I think the public wants to see, which is schools and roads, not
one or the other. Um, I think it's a split that makes sense and the amount that is still available for the roads I do think meets the level of information and detail that we've received in the roads report thus far. I think I would
love to see more us figure out a way to invest more funds in roads. I think a lot of people want to see that. Um I would like to see more information in the plan. Um I think as we go forward in
that work like I would like to see uh more updated um road quality information. the information that I've received is fairly outdated. And so I think I would I would love to go forward and try to
find new ways and expand our funding for roads in line with, you know, receiving more information about the specifics of the plan. Um and and and so yeah, I just wonder what we can do as a committee to explore new revenue sources. I think
we've had constituents bring up some good ideas. As Sean mentioned a couple of things that have come up recently, I've heard some other ideas. I would love to be part of work to increase funding um to allow us to accomplish all of these goals. I
think in the short term it makes sense to go this this route of funding the roof and reducing the amount um for the roads in this moment, but I I don't want to lose sight of the fact that we do need to find that money somewhere. Um, and I I don't know how we can
incorporate that work into this maybe this committee work or create a task force or something going forward to make sure that we don't lose sight of that work. >> So, I'll just I'm looking for any other hands. You know, I think I think the middle school itself is a major capital
asset. So, it's and the roof is leaking. So, I think there's agreement about doing this. And so Joe, I think partly what you're asking is are there other funds we can tap into, >> right? Like I got a capital stabilization fund. We got 12 million in there. I mean, >> you know, can can we tap into
>> can we tap into any small pieces of it? And one of the reasons I raised the 500 or 450,000 for the youth center. It's sitting there just waiting for a project rather than >> ra so it's a half it's nearly a half a million dollars. Um, so are are we
thinking not about yesterday's but but toward the future of of what can we really afford on these different pieces? You know, with the with the Jones Library, there was the hope of massive uh fundraising
and we've committed to a certain amount. The waiting two more years for them to do their full share is costing us a fair amount. We just got the numbers in our JCPC budget because we've got to do short-term funding until we get the rest of the trustees funding. So, we've been
making choices along the line that cut into capital for other purposes. Um, so I I think so it it's just a question. Um, Sean, I mean, you mentioned a few grants that we particularly around. One of the big
requests that's not coming to JCPC is around the intersections and the flow of traffic near the new school. There's money explicitly for that if we have a plan. Um that and it's in the millions of dollars. It's there was actually a grant program called intersections and
roads near schools. So you couldn't get too much more specific than that kind of money, but trying to think of where we can pull that down. complete streets gets us some potential money to do the sidewalk side of it, you know, and then
narrowing or widening it. So, that's where I don't know how much creative things we can do over the next couple years to augment the flow. Um, so I don't know the answer to that and maybe you know Sean, you can augment our when
I do this write up of thinking creatively about those other sources. and Lynn has offered and I guess she's other people working with her. UMass has a large amount of property with a large number of cars and trucks that drive on
our roads and pilot programs are something that recognizes that the wear and tear of our roads is not just by um it's because there's a major enterprise in our town that doesn't pay property taxes. Um so that that has helped us a
bit um to move to mileage under chapter 90 to get a bigger we used to be capped at about 900,000. So that chapter 90 money has gone up over a million because Joe Cmerford went to bat for us and made us count miles. Um so we've so where can
our state legislators come in and say if you look at the road immediately around you mass you can get a sense of what that traffic is doing. you know that as soon as we fix them you know and they have a piece Sean right a few of the roads UMass has to do but most of the
roads leading into your mass is is the town's responsibility >> y absolutely yep I think North Pleasant and um University Drive are all us >> so Anna thank you um and I apologize for being
late I had a meeting that I couldn't reschedule at one um I want to caution Joe you mentioned the capital stabilization fund. And I think my flags in my brain always start flying when when people mention pulling from these other funds because we've been building
them up very intentionally to pay for DPW and fire. So I do get concerned about pulling from that for roads. Um that's my my first thing. You know, I support all of these other methods for gaining revenue, of course. Uh things like redoing the pilot formula to
recognize use is really important. We mentioned that to Mindy and Joe and we would be kidding ourselves to think that that's going to help us in the next year, two years, three years, right? This these are long-term efforts that are going to take a lot of advocacy and a lot of sustained pushing. So, yes, we
should do that and we should not be relying on it. So, uh I want to just reiterate something I said at council last night, but I think maybe I can be more eloquent earlier in the maybe earlier in the day. The money that we're
talking about here for paving is additional money for paving. This is what we try to add whenever we can because we know that the cost of paving has gone up exponentially. We know that our roads need it. We know that they're being damaged. No one is in deny is is
denying that. And we have a project coming that is urgent and necessary. Um, I would rather pull from this quote unquote bonus paving money or supplemental or however you want to call it. It was not in the original budget. I
would rather pull from that for this school project than let this school project get worse. Um, you know, I think that in terms of Ammeris supplementing the other towns, I also don't want my meaning to get misconstrued here. I
believe that whoever can step up should step up. And if right now that's Ammerst, I think that that should be Ammerst. I also recognize that often Ammerst is who has stepped up given that we're a bigger town, right? This is we've got more play in our budget
broadly speaking. Uh I think Lynn raises a really interesting point about kind of keeping track of the gifts of the town that are significant gifts of the town, right? I'm not talking like the little ones, but in case of, you know, if the region ever
dissolves or if the buildings ever go to sale, I think that makes sense. Uh, in terms of of tracking it, but I also hope that we never get to the point where we have to discuss that. Um, so I don't know that it's necessarily a I don't see that as a negative. I don't see that as
a a not trusting the other towns. I see it as just, you know, taking stock in the amount that the town has provided to the buildings. I also don't even know if that's possible. Sean will probably tell me. But um so broadly I do support this. I think that we always should be giving
our supplemental we well when we can give supplemental money to paving we should. That's great. And the amount that we can give this year is less because we should support the middle school auditorium roof repair. That's kind of my one sentence take on it.
>> Sean. Um, no. I just I just wanted to quickly say, um, you know, what I've said in the past is I worry about the president. Like I understand that this is a unique situation. So, I get it. But I do like and I I know Anna I think I know what
you meant like whoever can step up should step up. I worry I don't that concerns me because there's going to be a lot of capital repairs coming from the region. High school roof is going to be $15 million. um the you know other things that these buildings which were built in the 1960s are going to be
coming up and I mean I think doing this is one thing but I you know my hope would be the council would make it clear that like this is a one-time exception and that the the norm is that we go through the regional agreement which is a legal document that all four towns
signed to maintain the buildings. Um that regional agreement talks about how operating costs are assessed. you know, the Ammerst moved in a, you know, changed how agreed to a change with how operating costs were assessed several years ago, which sort of disadvantaged
Ammeris at the time, but Ammerst did it. Um, the way capital costs are allocated in the regional agreement are by EQB, which reflects the property wealth of every community. So, it's already sort of reflected in how um, you know, where our major sources of revenues come from.
That's how the debt is divied up by by property values. So again, I think I understand the concerns and the urgency around this project, but my bigger concern is setting this sort of like u message that we will continue to do this for these large repairs when we know
there's so many things in town that we have to um you know, plan for. >> And and Sean, I think we can we can write our report to say that and the council can can write a report to say that. I mean, and and when you look at
the future, um, it it's it's a question of not just these buildings, but all of our buildings. We've we've got a some big ticket items coming up for Crocker Farm, which is not a re in the regional agreement, but that's where we're doing
better. But uh Jill's point about how did we get to this situation where you know and one thing I just wanted to see before I called to you I had one person say what what happens if we just wait for MSBA. The original estimate for the
roof was $3 million the whole roof. And they we waited for the MSBA to get us eligible for a while. they weren't doing any accelerated repair and for the part that MSBA funded we're up to 10 or 11 million five or six years
later. So the the cost of waiting aside from what it does to the building of letting water seep into down the walls and into it is is not necessarily going to save us any money. And I think I will get that when we booked that $3 million
Sean because I went back thinking what were the the costs. We booked it a long time ago. I mean when I think you were still finance director over in the schools and then we decided instead of doing whatever we could do by ourselves
to wait for the MSBA 66. It's it's a substantial share that they pay. So Sean, you may remember the timing on it, but it just sat well. >> No, I think what I would say is um so during COVID construction costs exploded across the board, right? I think that's
it. Typical inflation for construction was five or 6% and it, you know, we went from seeing school um replacement construction costs per square foot of around averaging around $400 or $500 to an 800 being like the exception to 800
being the norm. So, I think you're right, waiting is always a risk. I totally agree with that. Um, and that was a very unique period. Not saying it wouldn't happen again, but this was a unique period. Um, and I, you know, some of the history around this too is there was a time when whether or not we were
going to stay in the middle school was a real question. There was there were studies about consolidating buildings to help protect the um the academic program. um knowing that the high school once supported around 2,000 kids and now the the total enrollment between the high school and the middle school is
around 14 or 1500. Um so there was you know there were studies and and plans done to see could we fit the middle school into the high school and at the time it was like well then weren't we're going to be cautious about investing in a new roof that this building might be moth balled or part of it might be moth
balled um if we're going to just maintain like the pool and the gym area. So that's just that was you know in the mid 20 you know around 2015 in that range but um that's some of the the context for that.
>> Sam you got to unmute. >> Thank you Kathy. So yeah I I said it yesterday evening. I look at this as a musto uh because it's a roof that's deteriorating and we heard the comments
from everyone. I kind of equate the roads and the roof to, you know, your car breaks down on the one hand and in the other hand your child has a broken leg and you have to
do both. You you know they're they're they're must dos. They're not wants. And the burden that we face is that there's not sufficient resources to do everything we want to do in town. I don't I don't think that the increase in
roads is a you know the proposed 4.3 if down to 2.7 is a luxury because one just needs to drive around town on spend a day driving around and I question the uh the level of ratings of
our roads because I think they're probably in a bit worse condition than one might think certainly in some areas. So, I I think they're all needed. Uh, but you know, if there's water coming in the roof or some with
the potential of worse in the middle school auditorium, I mean, I went to that school. There's a lot that happens there. It's a very important venue for the town and for the school. I think uh whether or not we anticipated it or not and maybe we should have but we didn't
elevate it to our processing of budgets. It it seems like something we have to do and the timing is unfortunate uh given that the bids are imminent and the towns don't have supplemental towns don't have time to participate in
reaching out the school region. Uh but I don't think we have a choice. It's almost like a Solomon's choice. uh what do you do? And I think we have to do both. Um but I would advocate for if there's a way to have
something stated or I don't know if it requires a municipal agreement that if it comes in under budget that um that money could get reimbursed. I don't know if we can put that in or not, but it seems reasonable to me that if it comes in at
1.25 25 or 1.3. I doubt it would, but you never know. I'm not I haven't reviewed the the bidding process or the estimates uh that that should. I don't know if we can put that in, but uh and separately, I I still believe
uh I know uh there's a long-term ongoing need for roads repair well above what's been done to date. uh last summer. I commend the town uh management and town
staff for the work that they did. It made tremendous improvements in certain sections of the town, but there's still, you know, you just talk to people, they'll all say the same thing. The the roads problem is not going away. Um and I look at that as two different issues.
One is the uh axle breaking potholes that exist in certain sections that actually happened to me. Uh and I distinguish that from replacing the roads. And so I look at the roof as an immediate need like a
broken car and I look at the uh severe holes in roads as the equivalent of an abscess tooth. They both got to get done. And I think some of the other things we could do, you know, on an ongoing basis. So
that's, you know, I hope we get that second pothole repair machine. It seems like a great idea. And uh that's it. If we can get the essence of this is I support it. Uh roads are important and I would be in support of anything we could
do to seek to um retrieve any any part of the gift. if the uh estimates if the bid comes in lower and I don't know if we can do that or not in light of the municipal agreements. So thank you
>> Jill >> just super quick and sorry I'm just going to go back for a moment on the just the if you give a mouse a cookie concept. I just wanted to say this just really quickly because I would love to put that sentiment to bed like the idea
if we do this then they'll keep coming back to us for more and more things. I just again and because I I'm not sure if I said this as clearly as I wanted to. I think it's just the idea being that if we think that other towns will come to us for other large expenses instead of
saying like let's get ready to say no, let's get ready to show them and send a message to them that we we won't keep doing this time and time again. I think the message that we want to send is we see that there are big expenses coming up. we are going to do a better job of planning or we're going to keep
communication open around those things, especially when there are things that we see coming. We I think we really just need to show that we're we're preparing well. We're aware that this is an issue. We're aware that things are going to be coming up that will be challenging like this. And I it's like a slight thing,
but it's I think it's an important shift if we're going to be going into difficult conversations in the future around other big ticket items. I think it will help to start us all from a baseline of we're going to plan better. We all have a part to play in this. It's not us against them and that it's our
responsibility too to say we see the things that are coming up and we're going to we're going to take it on as well. >> Thanks. >> So I will in a report try to capture that because I think you're right that that shifts the emphasis. Um, and this
was uh this should have and probably would have in more normal times. Last fall was not a normal time for the school committee with turnover and elections going on and other things going on in the schools with operating budgets, but this should have come up
earlier. Um, and Sean has pointed out that coming down the road, we've got some big ticket items. So, we need to be planning and looking to the future. And it's not just the regional budget that is not just the regional. The town right
now is going to CPA because the town hall roof is leaking badly, you know. So I mean it we we've got these pent up demands that come up to the point we pay attention to them when they're at more at a crisis level. And we've got an
opportunity here. there's an opportunity cost a big one I think of not doing it at the same time as the re the rest of the roof is done. Um so Paul um you know I I don't know how we reached closure but the one thing I was going to do is
try to get from Shannon who's not here today numbers on what they have in their END budget what they have in their stabilization fund how they're planning on using it already so we have something about the schools the region's resources forget the towns so we can put something
quantitative in our report and I can I can go through the superintendent to Shannon to numbers. I know she already has. Paul, >> yes, I I do support Council Breick's sentiment because I do think that we are all part of the same community. But I
also do think it's really important to differentiate that the Immerse Regional School District is a regional school district which is a separate governmental entity. It has its own sources of funds. It gets straight money straight from the state. Um it's responsible for developing a capital
plan just like we are. uh is responsible for managing its resources, for managing its contracts, its budget. So, I think those are all things that um I don't think these I what I'm finding the last few years is a lot of these decisions are resting with the count or being pushed to the council and it's just not
really exactly where it should be. Ammeris is a big player. This the biggest player. There's no question about it. We have a major responsibility and we want these buildings to all be utilized and we do, you know, we all we util we support each other in so many different ways. Um, but I just
think that that recognizing their what the council's responsibility, what the what my job as town manager is to the taxpayers of Ammeris, not to the regional school district. They have their own superintendent who's responsible to them. So when I look at this, I and that's why I made the
recommendation for the roads because that is my responsibility and you you have already held me accountable for the condition of the roads and so this is what my request is. we have, you know, even with this appropriation, if we stayed with the full appropriation, we
would be just addressing the the PCI roads that are but lower than 30, the worst roads. Um, so we are just with a with with the reduced appropriation, we'll do be doing fewer of the the worst roads than we would otherwise do. So,
it's very real choices. I don't envy your decision, you know, because I think that they're very both very strong needs. I think I read the council where you are. So, um, we'll obviously work through whatever it is that you ch what you choose to do. Um, but it's there
there are two very strong needs there, just as you all have said. But I do think that we should be recognizing that it's not the town council's responsibility to fix the problems. is really is the the school district to come up with a plan with a proposal to deliver to the towns the four towns and
say here's what we need and here's what we how we're going to manage the resources. >> So, um I'm looking for any other hands on other points um or are we ready to put
this to a vote? And we basically have um we have all the money goes to roads or we have two financial orders. One is 2.7 for roads and the other is 1.6 for roads.
So I think what I'm hearing is that we're going for the 2.7 and the 1.6 and we're voting on those two financial orders and then we're writing a report to explain that decision. Um Sam, >> uh thank you Kathy. Uh given what you
just referenced, would an indication if bids come in below >> uh for the roof be in the report or in the motion? >> And and Sam, I can just tell you that that will definitely be part of the municipal intermunicipal agreement. Like that's not a that's not a maybe that
that's the reason for it. Um so >> okay, >> I can alleviate your your concerns. We're not going to if give we give them 1.6 and it only comes in at 1.4 a I don't know if we're going to just give them the whole amount up front. It might be more of a submit invoices basis which
we would pay the exact cost. Um so just so if you're concerned about that we'll take care of that with the intermissunal agreement >> and it would be segregated to the specific increase related to the auditorium even though that's a project >> project. Yeah. Yeah. They so they've bid this out so that the auditorium pricing
is completely separate from the rest of the room. Thank you, Sean. >> You're welcome. >> And and so so our the words in our report will will repeat what Sean just said that that that wording that's already in the the motion will include
this assurance and um you know that that the arrangement and the way we're paying will not will basically won't overpay. But but I but I'll write the words. Lid. >> Um, I just want to confirm that our vote
for this 1.6 6 million does not have any any contingency or expectation of reimbursement from other towns because that was one of the things that got removed last night in the vote and
uh one of the things that the f that the council expected us to discuss but I'm assuming that our vote will be a straightforward $1.6 million gift. Does does anyone want to when you're raising
the question so does anyone want to suggest making it contingent on something um is what you're asking the strings um and last night I argued no um as strongly as I could but I'm I think
we can if we want to talk it through again and just so everyone knows when this goes to the council it will get talked through again, you know, in terms of that. So, what we heard last night is there is not enough money in the END or
the regionals capital. They're they're two pots of money that they can draw on an emergency. There's not enough to fund this. and the other towns, uh, one of the small towns is in a situation where
they're flatlining their other school, their elementary school, and at the point of thinking of whether they need to close it or not, you know, in terms of where the pressure would be. So, uh, so we can ask for more information about
that, but I'm not prepared to propose there be any contingencies, and we remove that wording from last night's referral. So, I'm happy to hear if anyone wants to uh reconsider that or
and and what they would make it and what anyone here would want to make it contingent on if So, Lyn, your hand is up. You raised it. >> Well, no, I'd like to hear Sean's comment on that. I had another comment. >> Okay. Sure. >> Um just quickly the order recommended or
submitted by Paul includes no contingencies other than what I talked about just outlining the arrangement the mechanism with which money would be provided and calling you know ensuring that >> it only covers the exact cost of that portion of the roof. I also just wanted to flag not rushing this discussion but
um we do have updated FY27 uh budget projections that I would like to get to if we can because it's actually some good news. I like to share good news more than I like to share bad news. Um, so I want to if we can make sure we have time for that as well.
>> Okay. So, so Lynn, you go. >> Yeah. One other comment and that is that I believe we have a four towns meeting on this Saturday um and at 9:00. And you know, in the spirit of what Jill has been stating, what we really need to do is encourage
the four towns, meaning the regional schools, to lay out their longtime capital needs in a realistic manner that lets all of us, the four contributing municipalities, understand what we're facing. And I I
will just warn you now, it's not pretty. We've seen some estimates and it's not good. So thanks. >> So are with that said, are we and I will write some words on all of this, but are we ready to put this to a vote so that
we can get to Sean's good news? >> Yes. >> So Sean, we have if you could put them up on the screen just so I can um Now we have a new C Can Can everyone see that?
Okay, let me just make my screen bigger. So, I make a motion to recommend to the town council appropriation and transfer order FY2612C, an order appropriation from free cash a
portion of the town's capital program to roads and sidewalks. And in this case, I'm reading the rest for a total of $2.7 million. and to meet such appropriation transfer 2.7 from free crash for appropriation
and further authorization authorize the application for an acceptance of any gifts and bequests or grants. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Um and I'm putting that to a vote. Uh I'll start with Joe.
Um you need to unmute. I support >> uh Lynn >> I. >> Jill >> yes. >> Sam >> I. >> Anna >> I
>> and Kathy is an I. And that's unanimous with all five councils present and one uh non- voting member absent. Now we go to the new letter.
Um, I make a motion that the finance committee recommend that the council council approve appropriation and transfer order FY2612F, an order appropriating for free cash for a portion of the town's
capital program replacement of the middle school auditorium roof. And this would be the town appropriate the sum of a total of $1.6 6 million to pay for the cost directly related to replacement of the middle school roof and meet such
appropriation transfer 1.6 million from free cash for the appropriation and authorize the application acceptance for gifts and bequests or grants. Be it further ordered that the town manager is authorized to enter into an inmunicipal
agreement with Ammeris Pelum Regional School District for the purpose of replacing the Amoris Pelum Regional Middle School auditorium roof. Is there a second? >> I'm putting it to a vote. Joe,
>> I support. Lynn >> I >> Jill >> yes. >> Sam >> I >> and Kathy is a a yes as well. It's unanimous. >> I'm also an I.
>> Oh, who did I miss? >> Anna. >> Anna. >> Anna. She's an >> still. Thank you. And and I will write the extra word Sam to make it clear that that intermunicipal agreement would
include a way of never overspending on this. You know that getting the money back the the that if it comes in lower we're we're not spending more than 1.6. So the language tone Sean gave us. So, we're moving on to the projections, the
revised projections, and I see we've got um a little less than a half an hour left. Is my timing right on on the time? So, I want to um get people's input. I
put a revised schedule in the packet. They look at it. And the big thing to note is in May, I chose a date for a second meeting. And I just need to hear from people. You can do it by email if that meeting date works. So in the month of May, we'd be meeting twice a week and
I picked Thursday as the second day and it was one to three. So if people can just email me about that, I'll send you a reminder. We don't need to have a discussion about it. Um and then the other item I don't think we'll have time to get to. Sean, you're on.
>> Thank you, Kathy. >> All right. So we um the request was to bring back updated budget projections around this time. Um and there were specific criteria in the budget guidelines with what to do if additional
revenue sources came in or if other expense projections came in lower. Um so let me actually start at the top here with revenues. Um so property taxes did not change much. We did reduce our estimated new growth a little bit. Um it
typically is around 650. Um we reduced it a little bit to 550 for a couple reasons. One being um that our FY26 actual new growth was only at 400. And so we wanted to close that gap a little bit between our most recent actual and
our sort of placeholder that we typically use. Um, and then number two is that we know our new growth is going to be impacted um, negatively impacted by the fire that happened at Olympia and the project there that would have likely come on as new growth. Um, now is
unclear and the timing of when that potentially could be new growth is unclear. So, and that was a potentially going to be a big figure. Um, so we reduced that a little bit in the local receipts. Um, we updated these a little bit more based on averages. One area I
did reduce and I've I noted this in the past because I was um concerned about this was the investment income. In the original financial indicators presentation, we had bumped it up to 700,000. Uh, for this updated projection, we've kept it at 500,000.
Um, and again, it's just for me, I'm really nervous about increasing something that we know the Federal Reserve is actively going to be looking at in the next, you know, few months about reducing short-term rates. um we start to see CD rates already coming down and these construction projects um
you know over the next year or so we will stop having borrowed money to pay for them and it'll just be paying back the bonds so we won't have any uh additional funds. So I really want to be cautious about building an operating budget on those revenues that could come down in the future.
So I know it doesn't sound like good news so far but there is good news coming. So those were those were both bad news. That's what Kathy's saying with her eyes. I can see it but there's good news. Um so we've incorporated um the state aid figures that were in the governor's budget proposal. So um
that boosted up the revenue from what we had originally. Originally it was it was very conservative. So we put in the the governor's budget proposal which uh increased our unrestricted general government aid had a small increase for chapter 70. Sort of a double-edged sword
and an increase for charter tuition reimbursement. Um it it's good that the reimbursement's up, but that typically means that the expense is up as well um down below in the in our state assessment section. So that's sort of a wash, but um we've incorporated the new
state aid figures. And then lastly, we've updated our ambulance fund to use a little bit more ambulance funding um to support the budget. And um that's specifically to phase in the first year of a multi multipleear plan of looking
at fire staffing. So that was one of the uh requests for the town manager was to look at a multi multi-year plan to address fire staffing, fire and EMS staffing. And so this additional $200,000 would be the first year increase of that.
So what does that mean for operating budgets? So if you go if we go back to the budget guidelines um actually let me come back to this one second. So on the expense side a couple things that came in favorably. Um our retirement assessment number came in basically
flat. So we originally had around a 4% increase to the retirement assessment that came in um under 1%. So that lower our expenses that are outside of operating budgets. And then our state assessments came in lower. Um, and that was a little bit of
a uh unexpected situation. Our PVTA PVTA assessment dropped significantly. Um, and we called them to try to figure out, you know, why is this a mistake? What's going on? Um, and what they've said is
that um, other members of the PBTA system have grown while while we have sort of stayed the same and so our portion of the assessment has dropped. Um, and so that was the biggest driver. So if you look at our state assessments going down, that's unusual that it would go down. Um but it did because of that
drop in the PVTA assessment. Uh now just be aware that that drop um for FY27 is a good thing. Uh but there most of that PVTA assessment we get reimbursed to us on the revenue side
from UMass and from Five Colleges, Inc. because we have a an agreement where they pay essentially a percentage of that assessment based on their usage and the routes that are that are um sort of set up around their institutions and so there's a lag in the reimbursement. So
for FY27 it'll be really good. Uh we have this lower assessment and their reimbursement will be based on a prior year which is higher. Um but that will eventually catch up the following year and then the year after that. So there will be a little bit of a catch-up in this drop but it it should be manageable. Um but just so you know that
this assessment drop is really good for this year. Uh but eventually the reimbursement we get from UMass and from Five Colleges Inc. will will catch up to it. So all of those things that are sort of moving in positive directions. Um the first
uh recommendation from the in the budget guidelines or the first requirement in the budget guidelines was to uh implement uh the first year of of an improvement to fire staffing and un uh starting with unfreezing uh the position. So, our proposal right now is
um essentially the town operating budget we're increasing by $200,000, which would be that portion coming from the ambulance fund, which would allow the fire department to add fire EMS to add two positions. Um possibly, you know,
we'll have to see h what what positions they fill and how much they cost. Um so, you know, two is the number that we think is the safe number with that increase. Then the next criteria in those guidelines is to restore the one-time
support from FY26 for the elementary schools. So we've added to the elementary school base this 269 that was not in there originally that is now in the base for FY27 that any increase would be applied to.
And then the third criteria was then to provide allocate any additional funds sort of proportionally to all departments. Um so essentially all departments are getting a 3.85% increase as a result of this. Um and then there's the additional ambulance funds that are
that are being used specifically for those additional EMT firefighter positions. Um so the net result is u let me see if I can pull this down a little bit. So, in our original financial indicators presentation, the increase
for the town was uh based on a 3.5% increase was 1 million and now it's 1.3. The original increase for the schools was including that one-time funding going away was about
um 700,000 and now it is going up 1.3 or sorry, now it's going up 1.1ish. So, it's about a $400,000 increase for the schools from the original um
guidelines. And then the regional schools and library are going up 3.85% 85% instead of the originally presented 3.5%. So, it's a little bit more money for everybody. And then the elementary schools get the 270,000 in their base and the town gets the 200,000 added from
the ambulance fund. And this all gives us essentially roughly spends the resources that are available and it keeps capital at 10 and a half%. Any questions? You don't look as happy as I was hoping. I was hoping for more smiles.
>> No, no, it it's great news. Oh, Lynn, you go first and then I have a question. >> It's great news. Um, >> it's great news. I think it's going to be very important to make sure people understand why the town and the elementary school
is higher because initially people say, "Oh, then everybody should get the same amount." But Sean, excellent news. Thank you. >> Yeah. No, I think you're right. We have to definitely communicate that. I think the one just I'll say um complicated
piece of this is the regional school assessment. So it is good that the regional school assessment from Ammerst is going up. Just know that that does have a ripple effect with the other towns as well. And so it'll be interesting to hear from the regional school committee and from the region how
they want to handle that. And and that was actually my question, Sean. So, um I'm assuming you're you're transmitting this um so that at the four towns meeting that have because it at when we were at three I for those who
have been at that meeting when we were at 3.5 it was a big stress for one of the towns to even given the assessment formula that their share then becomes X. So I was figuring well if we go up to you
know 3.75 and now it's 3.85 it pushes everybody up. I mean it's good news for the region because it's more money. >> But so they will get this information short. >> Yeah. So I will send this you know I was hoping Shannon would hear be here to hear it directly but I'll um I've
Shannon and I talk regularly so this won't be a surprise to her. Um but I will send her these specific numbers so she um you know has them for her planning. Okay. Then the other thing I wanted just to double check but also point out if
you look at let's see which year. Okay. FY 25 the act. No no no stay stay on the expense. If you look at the actual for capital it's higher when we do what we just did with free cash. If we move it
into roads or something it becomes capital. So it's more than that 105. So in some years we have spent. So, I'm looking at FY25. That's correct, Sean. Right. Isn't it that >> Yeah, I can double check it. That's um I wasn't here for that budget year in
particular, but I can um double check. But it would have been around that. What you what you'll see, Kathy, is down below where the cash capital line is, right? That's where the additional >> that's where the additional money will come in. >> Additional appropriations would come from. I don't think we were ever as high as 109, but I don't know what that you know where
>> it's probably because it was 105 based on the budget and then we didn't spend the full budget. So the percentage you know inflates a little bit um if the budget if less was spent because the prior you know it's b now it's being based on actuals instead of budget.
>> Yeah. So what so when we move when we move money in that wasn't in the original budget, it shows up a year or so later >> to be in the budget, you know, is is the only point I wanted to make. We're we're in FY26 right now that closes in June.
So everything we were just voting on free cash is this year, this fiscal year, unless the town decides not to spend it till the following. It's >> yeah, we'll put it in this so that since those it all depends on the order. So if
it's a 26 order, which those were 26 orders so that they can be um spent immediately. Um so you'll see that show up in 26 um you know the next time you see it. >> Right. So it just so that that 26 line
is going to be higher the total amount wherever wherever Sean puts that line on. So, I don't know whether people follow me, but it's we've just moved money into the capital budget by allocating free cash to capital spending. >> Yeah. So, the roads and sidewalks, the
um likely it's um the 150,000 for the maintenance of the fields and then the 1.6 six for the for the um roof if that gets approved is I don't know if that that's not that might show up in a
different spot under um >> um trying to think where that would show up. >> Yeah, >> that might show up in a different spot. I got to think about where that would would show up because it's not technically part of our capital plan, but yep.
So, are there any other than this is great news? Um, and I'm sure people are are getting a little texts of horays. But thank thank you, Sean. >> Sean, the uh the investment income is that just primarily in the two
stabilization funds? Does that make up the bulk of that? >> Um, no. Actually, it's none of the stabilization funds. So, Oh, really? Um, so stabilization fund interest has to stay within the stabilization fund. Um, so this would be free cash. This would be you know all of our revolving funds
and um you know and >> and so who manages the like the capital stabilization fund and the general stabilization you know that 22 million. >> So our treasurer technically is responsible for all funds of the town but for anything that's in a stabilization fund that potentially is invested in in let's say medium term or
long-term longer term investments. Um we have a financial advisor um just that we work with. Yep. >> Awesome. Thank you. Are there any questions in this? And and I I before we open the meeting up to the public, I explained that I can't see
anything right now for some for some reason when you uh try to access the town website from Switzerland. Switzerland is a barred country and you can't get in. So, so I will get access to what is being posted. But this is
being posted in today's packet, correct? >> Yeah, it's in the packet. has been written. >> And I just want to clarify, you all thank me, but really should thank Paul because these are Paul's uh um you know, Paul has to greenlight anything that comes to this committee and it ultimately, you know, will be Paul's
budget, the town manager's budget that gets presented to the the finance or to the council. >> That's that's job security for Sean. He knows he does it. >> Thank you, Paul and Sean. >> Thank you, Paul. >> Thank you.
you know, so for so just to give people a little bit of we have a few minutes left, so I just wanted the the next meeting we have. Um, let me just pull up my notes on it, but we are not the community preservation act set of
projects is has not yet come to the council. So we won't see them till the our second meeting in March. We won't see them on the March 3rd meeting, but we'll see them at the following meeting. the the meeting ever was the and let me just see what we I had worked out
potentially what we would be looking at for next our next March meeting. Um talked this through with Shman a little bit. So if the financial orders were still around, we could continue discussion on
them, a report on what happens in the four town meeting. Um then Anna's your request on should we uh start meeting earlier or meet with some departments. Sean thought he could report back to us
and we could have a discussion on what that might look like in October. So right now I don't think anything's coming to us from the council for that March 3rd meeting. So I when we look at the schedule for for the May meetings, I
also noticed we weren't meeting enough times in November to do uh to do our guidelines. So I suggested a potential additional meeting. So instead of having that discussion today, we'll have that on March 3rd just on uh its schedules
for the year. And I can give a a bird's eyee view going forward for you know things like when we'll be doing the regional capital budget you know are we going to have that as a piece and when to schedule hearings. The finance committee schedules the budget hearings.
Um so I have potential dates for those. So that'll be the March 3rd meeting. Um barring anything that I don't know about. So Sean, >> I just want to clarify um because it's not on my calendar. So for there is a
four town meeting this Saturday. I know I should probably have that on my calendar, but I didn't see it on >> I got notice about it, but I have not seen anything since. >> Okay. >> We we we were we had a hold on our calendars for it. >> Okay. >> So I don't know whether that has
changed. >> I don't see it on the regional school calendar yet. Deb Deb Leonard is in the audience. I don't know if it's corre uh uh okay to ask her >> if she still did the >> raised her hand. >> Bring her in. Deb raised her hand. Hi
Deb. >> Hi. Uh yes, we are still planning on having that. The the hearing will be a meeting on Thursday. The budget hearing will not be a hearing, but we will be still having a meeting on Thursday on
the regional budget and the um four towns meeting on Saturday. >> But you're not doing a hearing. So, you're having a meeting on the budget, but not a hearing on >> We will have to do a hearing. I think it it's now the 10th. We did not put it in
the newspaper. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Okay. So, you know, we we normally get from Serbes Kenny uh we got the hold originally and we usually get material
often just before the meeting, but it goes on to the agenda. So, and everyone Joe, if you want to attend those, we everyone can attend, you know, on the committee. >> Yeah, I will be there, I think, on Saturday. >> Yeah. Assuming that >> it's nine o'clock at the middle school
middle school library. >> Yep. Okay. Yeah, it's right behind my house. So, I'll be there. Anything else? If not, at 2:59, I make a motion to adjurnn. Is there a second?
>> Second. >> Then I'll put it to a vote. Joe, >> I approve. Yay. >> Lynn, >> yes. >> Sam, >> hi. >> Anna, >> hi. >> Jill, >> yes. >> And Kathy, yes. We It's uni unanimous.
And thank you both. Paul and Sean because I know you did work between last night's meeting and today's meeting for getting all of this to us. Thank you both very much and all the staff that works behind you. Thank you. >> Thank you.