Who wants forever? Meeting's open. All right. Are we being recorded? Yes. All right. Better than
good. All right. Meeting minutes. We've got quite a few. Huh. I already read them. Yeah, I read them online, too. All right. Is there a motion? Yeah. Move to move minutes from July 14th,
July 22nd, July 28th, August 4th, August 11th, and August 29th to be approved as written. Um, I'll second. Any discussion? No. All in favor? I
All right. So, we've got some warrants here to look at. [Music] These are all minutes that we'll sign. I promise Joan will sign. All right. So,
oh, this is a big one. $5.40. And we've got payroll warrant. that way. So then Oh, so these are all of our water bills. Yes, ma'am. I just want to make sure. I just get nervous if there's something coming out
of a green place and it's not supposed to happen. Well, she's following. She's asleep. She's moving. Guys, the microphones aren't working. So, if you could, especially because of the noise outside, if you could just be
cognizant and talk really, really loud. Yeah, I think I can do that. Thank you. All right. And then this one. All right. Okay. So, motion to approve uh warrants number five for accounts payable and wired payments uh payroll
and refunds. Is there a second? Second. Any discussion? Nope. All in favor? Yes. All right. Gateway Youth Josh Turner. He's on Zoom. Josh is on Zoom. Yeah, I'm here. Josh can hear us. Good. Hi, Josh. How
are you doing? Well, how are you? Good. Welcome. You wanted to talk to us about indoor soccer. Uh indoor soccer and basketball for GIAA. Okay. Um I I run the indoor soccer program. Um but we have um wrestling program, uh
recreational and travel basketball as well as an indoor soccer program. And we've kind of like run out of gym space here at Littleville and Gateway. Okay. So, you're looking to use our gym? Yes. if if that'd be possible. Yeah, you guys have used it in the past.
Um, and I think that we just had asked for copies of insurance. Okay. And we can provide that. Um, and then you would have to work with Joanne. Um, and she runs the schedule for the gym, so she can let you know
when it's available. Okay. Um the only thing in the past I would say is in the past someone left um wrestling mats and we got stuck with them for years. So that would be the only thing I would ask if there's anything that's going to be left behind.
Okay. Yeah. No, we we plan on just keeping the wrestling program in the uh Gateway Middle School because the mats are already there. Um so it would just be the soccer and basketball programs. Okay. Do you guys have any questions or concerns about that? No, I think it's great. Yeah. The more used the better.
Awesome. Just so you know, um I didn't get a chance actually to talk to Christina today. I'm the wrestling director. Oh, cool. For GAA, so I'm on the board. So I meet we meet once a month. Okay. We actually just met last night. We talked about this. I don't have any
problem with helping to facilitate the the you know, the way that the gym is kept and that stuff. So if you guys have any concerns or whatever, I'm right here. Okay. Yeah. We can we can work with that. Um, we talked a little bit last night about just making sure that the gym is set up
okay so that if anything looks like it could get broken. We'll try to be proactive. Yeah. And maybe put up some cages on the exit signs and that kind of stuff. Oh, cool. So, that would be good. You know, it'll save money ultimately. Yeah.
You know, in the process, but I'll work with Joanne. Okay. To come up with some sort of schedule. Yeah. And I would just make sure like if we have um sometimes if we have meetings in there, John Hopp will set up in advance. So we'll just have to coordinate that so that it's not too far in advance that it messes with your schedule.
Joanne, did you and uh No, I'm just doing a thumbs up. Oh, um and last year we kind of had the practice schedule and stuff everything like set up well in advance. It was like the beginning of November. We knew all the way through the season which teams were going to do what.
Perfect. All right, sounds good. We need a motion. Perfect. I don't think we do. No. Okay. So, if you just want to send the insurance and then get in touch with Joanne, do you have her contact information? I've been emailing Joanne, I believe. So, I think I think I do.
So, you're all set. Awesome. All right. Thank you. Thanks, Josh. All right. You, too. All right. What's next? Personnel policy. Um, I was going to update this from the last meeting, but TJ left. that day.
Yes. Yeah. And I think it's important that we look at a couple of these things together. I don't want to be making the decision. Um, so I'm going to read a couple of points here that the attorneys laid out when we sent some of these questions to
them. Um, part-time, we had a note on here for one of the one of the uh things that we stated was part-time is defined as less than 20 hours per week. Um, and the attorney said back, "Part-time regular employees are those
hired to work less than 40 hours per week, but at least 20 hours per week for at least 40 weeks per year." This proposed change seems to be at at uh aligned with the current definition. Um, he wants us to clarify just to make
sure there's no confusion. So, I just want to make sure that you guys are good with so part time is at least 20. So part-time regular employees are just hired to work less than 40 hours but at least 20 hours minimum 20.
What's less than 20 then? Yeah. What do we call less than 20? Um 40 weeks per because most of our part-time employees don't work that much and you have to offer health insurance
to anyone that works 20 hours or more. Yeah. Well, that's why we have a lot of folks at the 19our mark. So, what do we call those? Well, I think it would be anything less than 20 hours. Part time. Yes. I think that's But we don't want to get into a
situation where we're having to offer health insurance just because they're called parttime. No, I think it's based on hours, right? Okay. So, do you agree, TJ? I agree. Uh, all full-time employees will receive
a the law states that any employee full or part-time working six hours or more on a given day is entitled to an unpaid 30 minute lunch break. Considered adding this to provide clarity for part-time employees as well.
Yeah, we had agreed on that. He just wants us to add that wording. Yep. Okay. I'm just confirming that we're all good. Um, we had noted full-time to be paid at regular rate of pay. He said, "I'm not
sure what this is supposed to mean. The following paragraph suggests that full-time employees receive 10 days of sick leave per year and that part-time employees, those who work less than 40 hours per week, are not entitled to any paid sick leave. Do we pay sick leave for
part-time today?" No. No. No. Okay. I wasn't sure. Yeah. So, we want to leave that, right? Yeah. Okay. Employees awarded vacation personal day may choose to convert up to 80 hours of
vacation leave as sick leave at the close of any one fiscal year up to an acred maximum of 21 days. That's what we hit. Yeah. Right. Okay. So he states, "Is this trying to say that unused vacation may be converted to sick leave?"
Yes. Yeah, I think that's what we were trying to say. He's telling us to do it a different way or it's more pro typical to see provisions that allow employees to convert unused sick leave to vacation. If that is your goal, I recommend mending this provision
to read as follows. At the end of a fiscal year, employees may convert any unused sick leave to vacation up to a maximum of 21 vacation days. You need me to read again? Employees may convert any unused sick
leave to vacation up to a maximum of 21 vacation days. So he's saying instead of vacation to sick, vacation doesn't roll over, right? Is it? Yeah. Vacation. You have to take it. It's use it or lose it.
So, we were talking about rolling vacation, rolling sick, converting it into sick. And he's saying to go the opposite way, right? And convert sick to vacation because why would they want to do that if they roll to vacation up to max 21 days?
What do we want to do? Well, to me, if you didn't take sick leave in your in your year term, uh those are those are open days. They should be paid dates. Otherwise, you didn't take them. So, as a reward, you
get them at the end of the year. Okay. Is that how you I'm think I I think that's what we wanted. Yeah. Okay. So, sick leave if you don't basically if you don't use them Yeah. You can roll them over up to 21 days.
Yeah. Is that right? And convert them to vacation in the new year. That's what this is saying. That's what that's saying. But I I don't know. That's an option. Like some people, you know, like are are you talking at the end of the
fiscal year? Yeah. Isn't it? I don't know. And what how many sick days were we giving? Was it just 10? 10. They don't take them. That's another paycheck. So, you're suggesting like a bio of the
sick time. Yeah. I think we should ask him for clarification on what the difference he's seeing between what we have written and what he's suggesting. Yeah. Because I'm unclear on what the the overall difference is. Well, I'm I'm looking at it this way.
You've got 21 days and you still got your vacation in the in the next fiscal year. All right. Well, you got two weeks vacation plus another four weeks. You know, you're not going to get any work
done. So, it's easier to buy it out and have the work here. What you're saying? Yeah. Let's just get a little more clarification on that. What do you want clarification on though? what he's seeing the difference between what we submitted and what he's
suggesting like what is the difference between the two because I'm not sure and this is all related to sickly vacation time. Okay, I can get clarity on that. Come back. Okay.
So, part-time will be paid up to 12 hours with paid for a scheduled workday. This is related to bereavement. Okay. Okay. Are you looking to award non-consecutive bereavement leave to part-time employees? That is an employee who worked 12 hours
over the course of three days, all it Monday, Wednesday, Friday, would be paid 12 hours of paid leave. No. Do they get bereavement pay? I didn't think we had bereavement for part time. Did we? Yeah. We'll put it there. But no.
Do we do bereavement pay for part time today? I don't think so. No. Part time is part time. That takes care of all vacation time will be frontloaded at the beginning of each fiscal year rather than acrewed. That's what we talked
about, right? Right. He states, "It's fine to frontload vacation, but this could lead to employees resigning on July 2nd and demanding payout for their entire year's worth of vacation." He's giving you the worst case scenario.
To guard against that, possibly consider adding a provision that would prorate an employees vacation for purposes of determining payout at the time of separation. So that basically means adjust the last check. The question, the challenge there is
that is it a two week check? Yes. Yeah. So, yeah, you could wind up adjusting the entire check in that case, right? I mean, our purpose was just to ease up accounting, right? Payroll. Yeah. Right. It makes it easier. People see
that they have that, you know, coming to them. But you want to protect yourself and prorate make sure that they understand that yes, it's going to be it's going to you're going to see it right away. Yeah. But should you leave, we'll prorate it based on
Okay. Okay. Uh, in the event an emergency and vacation time is requested, the employee must notify the supervisor within a reasonable time frame. He states, "I'm not sure what this is supposed to mean. I recommend clarifying." So, and I, you
know, got to agree reasonable time. What does that mean? So, that's kind of in the event of emergency, vacation time is requested, the employee must notify the supervisor. So, you know, I call in emergency today. I mean, it's emergency. We can't an emergency is an emergency. There's no
way to Yeah. But they're saying I want to take vacation pay for that emergency. You have to let us know as as soon as possible. Yep. Yeah, as soon as I mean I don't know does that help question the same thing.
Yes, please about I don't see anything about comp time in in lie of taking overtime or just comp time period. No, we don't have it. Why not?
Thank you for your comment. Thank you for your comment. Um, let's see. I mean, that's just a, you know, as soon as possible and for, you know, reasonable time frame. It's all the same thing. Yeah.
So, you either say within, you know, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, whatever. If you want to get paid vacation, and if I have an emergency, can I take sick leave? Yeah, you can take what time you have available. Yeah.
According to the department head uh well because you don't want somebody not showing up for 4 days and then saying I had an emergency. I want to use my vacation time and meanwhile there was no communication within 24 hours. So if they needed to take the first day sick time and then they could take as vacation.
Well I think anybody who has an emergency call supervisor you would know. Does that work 24 hours? I think so because it's more specific. All right. Their expectations more specific. Love it. If all vacation time has been used prior
to termination, the employees final payroll will be adjusted accordingly. He says I'm again not clear on the meaning of this provision. Um meaning that was that goes back to the whole making sure
that the check is adjusted if they were to get paid. Like, so I think it would need to say not just that it was used. I think the only way that you would adjust it like because if somebody were to leave and they've used all their vacation time and it's not in the negative, there's no adjustment that
needs to be made. They've just used their time and now they've left and then that's it. So, I think the adjustment would be if they were in the negative for vacation time that we would have to Well, now we're going to adjust because they're getting their vacation time all frontloaded, right? because they will
always be adjusted if they if they quit within that first year that year, right? Yes. Wouldn't you say? Yeah. So, do we not even need that then? I don't think we need it. Okay. Because we already have it under the case. All right. So, another question. Mhm.
Um when we were going through the uh union contract, there was one particular area that we haven't discussed. There were wage increases, excuse me, for full-time and part-time
employees that worked in highway as it relates to um getting supplemental licensing. So that was supplemental licensings for 1B or 1 C gave them X number of dollars
more or cents. And the same thing with the greater operator pays an additional in and what we had had here was a buck 20 for this year. We did not put that in the policy. I thought we covered greater operators
somewhere in the policy. I didn't see it. I don't think we did. So, at least I couldn't find it in my notes. If we're going to keep this Mhm. Right. I need to put it in the policy.
Here's the something. What did I do? I taped an Excel sheet, right? I licensing. Yeah. No union and town comparison benefits. Yep. It would have been under wages.
It's not right. Oh, here we go. Um, it would be under wages. Oh, yeah. That's not a touch screen. One day. One day. [Music] Skip it.
VR. No, this is I guess we didn't. Yeah. So, so we want to stick with that $120 for Well, why don't you quick you guys quick look at it. I've looked at it. So, it was the greater operator
additional$120. Yeah. Per hour. Now, but this is I think that this is where we got stuck last time because Oh, it's superintendent certified. So, Ry would be certifying. Yeah. Okay. Because there's no actual certification for a greater operator. It's just correct.
Okay. So, if he recommends it, then that's okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Was that the only one though? Just greater operator. I mean, I think there's other ones. There's greater operator 1 B or 1 C.
What's one B or C? Is that the um hoisting? No, I think hoisting is are it's part of the chart, but these are what you're separate. Yeah, these are separate ones that I that weren't discussed, right?
And what had we agreed on in there for 1, B or C? No, it's not. Yes. I mean, I can just add these two. Yeah, which is, you know, let's do Okay,
we good? Yeah. Um, lastly, let's discuss a couple things. Um, since we're talking about this, uh, the ch the issue of the one-third payment for the CDL license and stuff,
yeah, just from what I'm hearing is still a large contentious thing with highway guys. So, they're not happy with that, right? Um, because they can't they don't have the money to front it. The challenge
also uh from my understanding, this is just my understanding. I don't have any of the facts. This is what was told to me. Matt had the same Matt, right, was had the same deal and we didn't go after him for the money, right? So, they're like, "Well, you didn't go after Matt for the money."
Matt was working under union contract. This is different. Yeah. Yeah. But you still chase them if the if the town's paying for I think the union contract at the time allowed the town to pay for it, right? But if you did not if the union
contract yes reimburse wait the union contract says that he had to sign for five years. If he did not fill the five years he would have to pay some of that back. That's what the contract said. We never got that money back. No.
How long was he here? After his license. After his license for a year. Not five years. No. Three. No. So, the question becomes um Well, can I just say I'm not sure what the prior union contract because the
contract that we're looking at right now that says if you don't stay on I he obtained his CDL under the prior contract. So, I don't know if the prior contract said that you had to stay for five years. I I don't know. Throw that out there. Yeah. Good point. Excellent point.
Yeah. Okay. So anyway that you know there is that if that's the case if we had that if we were to pursue it he we we wouldn't have much of a legal leg to stand on. No and honestly even still we wouldn't
it's been said by legal like yeah you can put that provision in there but you really have to take it out either out of their last check. That's kind of the only way that you're gonna and you're not going to get pull them out of their last check. So even with what we have written which is to pay a third
right and they're still supposed to pay that back if they leave earlier getting that money back is like virtually it's going to cost you more to go after the money than what the money right so is that the right approach or our goal is to help them get
certified because it's beneficial for us and to keep them for longer. So I don't know is there a way to help them with the startup so that they can have the ability to do it? What what I did is I went down to the
CDL school and like I I explained to Ray and to those guys that they can start the course all right on a computer for free. All right. They they have the website to go to.
They have the passcode to go to and they can study for the CDL. They can even take the test as many times as they need to until they pass it. And then they have to pay the $50 upfront to take the test. That once they pass that test,
then that's when the school starts. So, the upfront cost is just the $50 or it's just a $50. But that and if if they if they want to get it, I mean, you're you're you're going to have to prove to me you want it. I'm not going to start shelling out
money and then say, "Oh, well, you know, I I can't do this." So, they have to pay more than 50. They could start at 50, but then they have to pay but they have payment plans that they can go to.
Uh they can uh take night classes once they once they get their permit, they can take night classes. long as they have per a permit and we have a a CDL driver class A or B and in and in
the town there they can actually drive the equipment with them to learn how to drive. So I mean there's a lot of options once they get that permit. So could we want to see them get that permit? Should we require the permit up front?
Yeah. And then once the permit is obtained, we could help with cost of schooling. Yeah, that would that would be the fair thing to do. But you know, so I I guess we would have to know more about the cost of schooling and what is needed.
Has all that information. In fact, I might have some still at home. It's like, if I remember right, it was around $7,000 total and it was a third and a third and a third they had to pay throughout the process before they got their license. Right. Right. And if we pay a third of the
third, you know, like each each uh third comes up and we're pay, you know, $200 and we pay 75 or whatever. Like 12 $1,300. Yeah. Each time. Yeah. Yeah. Um
any other thoughts or any thoughts? I mean, I get it. if they're not if you're not making a ton of money. No, it's hard to come up with $7,000 or whether or not they're gonna, you know, they may not have an ability to get the money um to pay it up.
And that the the whole the whole thought process is all right, we're willing to help you, all right, but you got to show me you want it, right? All right. and they have to make those first steps before I say okay now we'll
help you I cuz I want to see initiative how long is the process do you know it can take up to depending on the student it can take up to maybe eight months oh it can and a payment is required before they start school
well there's a down payment yeah of 1300 or something right so maybe we can look to once they've gotten a permit, we can help with the down payment. No, I mean, why don't you just put language
that the town may decide to assist with the finance of it? Well, that's it. They they they have payment plans. So, even though it's a third a third, a third, uh you it's
broken down payments, you know. So whether it's weekly payments or monthly payments, you know, I mean the way it works when you go to school and company pays for it is you go to school, you pay for it up front, then
you show them demonstrate I passed this part and you get the money because they could go through this whole thing and not pass and then paid for something. Well, that's the whole idea about, you know, taking that first step, all right, and getting permit. But let's say they
get their permit, but then they start school and they're not they don't pass. Well, then they don't get reinforce them just and I'm just brainstorming here, right? That's what we're doing. What if we help them start, right, and reimburse
them after their first year with us and then reimburse them again after their second year with us and write a check again the third year with us. So, in other words, you're not going to get paid the whole thing till you've at least been with us for three years. But then again,
they still have the money. They're not making enough to make the payments. You know what I mean? It it's it's upfront money. But, uh, if they don't have the money, then, you know, we're back at square one. Why don't we talk to Ray and see
what they're actually looking let's bring it up at the uh department level meeting. Is that it for God bless you. Bless you. Okay. We can't put closure of this until
that question's answered. Okay. But that's Yes, we are done that part. Permit for sunset kennels. Come on down. Oh, thanks for coming in, guys. Thank you.
So, do you want to give us a little background about what you've been looking for? Sure. Yes. So, since May, we've been working on opening a doc lodging kennel on Sunset Road, and we have received our kennel license. We have the um the
business certificate for a business in Bamford. We're just working on obtaining the special permit for the actual kennel structure. Yep. So that's what we're looking to receive. And you sent in your email with your application.
Yes. In May, was that right? Yes. Everything started in May where we've sent in the application, pictures of the kennel, a map of the um property, anything that was asked for, we kind of brought it. And we also brought a um uh
we had signatures from all of our abuetting neighbors that they would be okay with the dog lodging kennel uh being exactly where it is. And you sent that to whom? Um this one has not been sent to anyone yet. This one we were waiting on the um
application. I believe we sent to it was all sent to the ZVA. All Yep. To the ZVI. So the issue was that the zoning changed for your property. Correct. After Yes. So where the structure resides, we
were initially told that it would be pretty instantaneous that we would receive the permit. Um they then found later that it had been reszoned to residential property. So where the kennel sits is currently residential which then would require the special permit.
Yes. And but the the kennel was built a long time ago and before the zoning change and you guys if I remember correctly I don't mean to interrupt but you guys had applied prior to the zoning change. Correct. Yes. So, um, my parents had prior
converted a barn that was on agricultural property into the kennel. They, um, had paid for and had it kind of put out into the public to have a hearing and see if anybody came to contest it and everything went through. There has been no documentation of that
though. Nobody can find it. So, that's not on you, right? That's on us. So, we couldn't find those. Yeah. So, we couldn't be grandfathered in. So, it's kind of going into a whole new discussion. So, I just feel like it's really not fair. But where are we? Like
this since May, we've been Yeah. kind of going through different conversations of of being granted this. So, the town can't find the paperwork, right? And everything was sent in May. The other things we have gone back and forth with attorneys a little bit and um I
can't pull it up right now but the attorneys had said if a permit goes to the zoning board and 100 days has passed and no um action has been taken on it then it can just proceed. Um, that's what the attorney said. That's what the attorney said. I'll find
the so I can read it to you. Exactly. I think it was Jonathan's board. 16. Yeah. Um, Holland. Now, she's um newer on there. But this so this got kept getting kicked
back between zoning and planning and it was in the midst of solar stuff. So, it was sort of on the back burner. We picked great time for what was going on. Um, let me see.
[Laughter] It's so oldfashioned. I know. Um, I'm just trying to see if I can find that exact email. So I mean at this point my thoughts are that since they've the 100 days have
passed and they have um the signatures from abutters I feel like should we be talking to zoning? We've talked to some people. Oh we have. We have and it should be noted that zoning fully admits that they already went through the process. They had their
hearing. We just can't find the paperwork which is really not their fault. Um, and what does zone board of appeals say? That's so that that's that is the only zoning. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Um,
they could simply if they didn't act on the application with 100 days of filing allows it to be constructively approved. If the applicant then takes the proper steps to perfect the constructive approval and no one appeals within 20 days, the variance is reported and exercised within a year. No further
legal challenge could be raised. Y So I feel like what do we have to do? What do you think, TJ? Uh I think the undergrads are over. I think they got a clear path to develop. I mean I I feel sorry that all this has
happened because we really want to encourage small businesses in town and I know that it's an area that is needed. people are like ready to use the dog kennel and you know so buy another one I don't think there's actually
I don't think there's anything that we have to do I still want them to run you know yes three years from now somebody else is sitting here and they go wait a minute you know we want to make sure that that uh it's at least noted somewhere that this decision was made
well part of the reason I wanted to have them come was just so that the conversation was in our meeting minutes that it's been read publicly. Okay. Um you could make a motion to acknowledge the 100 days have passed. Yeah. Motion made. Second. Any discussion? All in favor?
I I uh So then you have this email I forwarded you from our attorneys. Um so then I would just like it because it says that um that you take the proper steps to perfect the constructive approval. I don't know exactly what that means, but
um and no one appeals within 20 days and the variance is recorded and exercised within a year. I don't know if that's on our end. We have to Yeah, that's not something they would do. So, we have to record the variance within a year or an exercise a year.
I'll touch base with um that attorney and let them know that select board has made a motion to acknowledge that 100 days have passed without a issue. And what do we do next steps wise to make sure that they're they're okay. Okay. Now one
that's right. Does it have to be inspected? I think that's already all right. Yeah. I think they've done all of it. Oh, good. Just get out of here.
No, the board of health already Jennifer did the board of health already did anything they needed to or does the board of health get involved involved at all? No, you guys took over that. You took it over. You guys did. Great. When um nobody knows.
That's just what I was told probably a year ago. Okay. Took took over all what what did we take on exactly? you took on anything having to do with um panels, the hiring, the anything really.
Oh yeah. I think it started with the animal control. Is that just about the Yeah, I was just going to say maybe that's just like the animal control. Yeah. And then it goes into there. So you're the animal control officer. So she has her rules regulations. So go
whatever. So I already went out and inspected. Okay. Signed off on it. So then when she's ready to take her first dog, I'll just go out there and make sure everything is set up to start.
Okay. The only time there's a bite. Okay. Oh, okay. All right. So, just make sure there's no So, Christina, will um you have their contact information? I don't I don't think I do. Um what is the best email for you? Um, it
would be sunset kennels ma atgmail. Okay. I will get back to you this week once well fingers crossed that the attorney gets back to me, but he will. It just I don't know how many days are going to go
by. So, I will email him and as soon as I have an answer, I will be in touch for that. Super. Thank you. Awesome. Thanks for coming. Thanks so much. Good luck with your business. Yeah. Bring your dogs. Yeah. I bet you. Oh, perfect.
All right. What's next for us? Next is the uh discussion about the firehouse. Okay. So, um I know Christina has put together a next packet for us. The firehouse. I would love to have some more time to look through the packet as homework and then
Adam be here today. He was supposed to, but he's unable to attend. He's flying to California and his flight got delayed and then pushed back. So, I believe he's in the air at the moment. All right. So, I would love to move this
to next week just so that we've had time to review the packet and have Adam here to discuss. I I really don't think that we're going to make any decisions or do anything. No, we're not making any decisions. What the only reason why I put it on the agenda is that I wanted to start back
into it. Um it's been months now. Absolutely. And uh I don't I don't know what the outcome was with the discussions with Weston and Samson and or I do with Weston Samson City Point. I don't know where we're at. Okay.
If that's all in here, is the outcome in here or is this just So the outcome as far as City Point requesting more funding? Yep. Yeah. We're at a standstill with that. So, and is so for clarity for me, is
Adam the leader of this or how's that work? I mean, I mean, I know he's the fire chief, but is he really the leader? I don't think we have had a leader. Um, I think uh uh Daveson
was like chair. Oh, was was he? I think so. I don't think so. I don't know. all he's been involved in in the meetings and stuff, but Oh, with these guys. Yes. Not with the fire projects in general. I I don't know how
the fire highway project at the time. Right. Yeah. Right. Okay. I just think that we need to talk it through and figure out what our next steps are and move it back on the road to what are we doing?
Yeah, absolutely. regardless of what all the other things are that are on the agenda to move forward. So, what's in there? You'll see. Do first. Does anybody have any questions about what's in there? Do I have a digital copy or No, you have a hard copy. I do. Yeah. But I can send you a digital copy.
So, that presentation that you have right there in your hand, right? That is the last Yes, that is the last uh presentation that was given to us. Right. Right. And then the subsequent things you see there is there was a discussion at one point they um you guys wanted sort of a
back of the napkin feasibility study. Not a full study. It was just quick of here. Yeah. The gymnasium. Y you'll see that in there. There findings from that. Then there's also uh a memo from CityPoint that outlines their request
for additional funding for part of the project that we already contracted with them for and have already paid for it and now they want an exorbitant amount more. Um and then sort of a breakdown also from Weston and Samson of where they are
to this point. Okay. So, but I know we're we were gonna table this, but we don't need Adam for this, which is in my my thinking is I wanted to understand was a decision made on city.
No, no, no. That's why I said we're at a standstill. Okay. I thought there was a decision made. No, we've heard back from attorneys, right? or are there still? So, the last meeting that we had with City Point, we let them know that, you
know, we this isn't this is not the contract that we signed. We can't agree to expend this much more money for services that we've already contracted for and that we've paid out for. And at that time, it was sort of coinciding with you guys wanted the POS
feasibility study of the gymnasium. So, the last meeting that we had with the attorneys and Citypoint was that City Point was on a pause. They were just on a pause until everybody can get the information that they need to move forward and that was gosh
back in February or March and we haven't picked back up since then. Okay. I don't really but right um I mean what is the discussion going to be different with Adam here I guess is
the question well I mean I think that he's a pretty integral part of it so I definitely want to know what his opinion is and what the volunteers are thinking at this point um but yeah in terms of what next steps I
know we've got the truck possibly coming in we put that on hold Um, I don't know. I just think you should be a part of the discussion if we want to like have a serious discussion as to what our next step is. There's just there's just one thing that we have to
really consider is we have to do something. We can't correct. You know, I I don't know how much money we've wasted over the years buying equipment and paying to have it downsized. We can't keep doing that. I agree.
So, we have to move forward. No, I'm not get, you know, look, I'm not I'm not saying I'm against the project or anything. I'm just saying I understand that the longer we go, the more money gets wasted, right? Well, not only that, the cost of Right. That's right. I mean,
the first project I worked on, we were looking at $500,000 for a three bay garage that was suitable for a fulls size fire engine, right? And that went the way of the build and now we're looking at millions.
Right. Well, and and you know, in my and I think we we've kind of we might have talked about this suburb, but um we need to get where we're at or what you know what that project team did, what the outcome was and get it in front of the
TI. So that's that's we had that meeting. We did not have that meeting. What meeting do we have where they presented all of their options? No, no, no, never had that meeting. So
that just came and yeah, it was in the auditorium. Got voted down. Got voted down. They did the whole presentation. Thank God I'm see I'm not crazy about it with that final review that they did of the salt shed and all of the work that
people then there was our discussions of why are we doing it with the DPW? What why don't we separate the two? If you just need a firehouse, I'm okay with that. But we don't have that yet. No. Oh, that part that we did, but the engineers presented it at some point. They did present. Yeah.
And it was the combined thing that caused the question of should we separate these and some people only want the firehouse. They, you know, I think that was at the meeting prior, but I feel like we had a meeting. We didn't have one with just with the
firehouse. No, I haven't seen one. But the one that you're talking about, it was a combination of highway and fire, but when we decided not to go with the highway that when we moved forward with the fire, but we never had
fall of 2024 to answer anybody's questions. No, the engineers did not come post fall of 2024 to give any of that information. I know they didn't. I thought there was a presentation about why different areas didn't work out sworn but not to the
ter. Okay. No. Okay. So then yeah, I guess that's part of what we have our next steps are, right? Is having them present. What's the go forward? All right. So
let's wait for him to come in. But so we'll add this again as an action item or as new business. No, it's not new business. it. Uh I would just do it under an action item. Okay. Can we see if it'll be around next week?
Yes. Talk about this next week. Yeah, we'll add another uh policies next week. Policies. Yeah, we have to touch base on that again. At one. Yeah. All right. Okay. And finally, we have Bford Energy Committee Charter
before that. I'm so sorry. Oh, go ahead. Just so we don't forget, Cara. Yeah. The uh do you want to undeclare the emergency? Oh, yeah. Just you would just at the bottom I think it says until you recall.
Okay. So, we declared a state of emergency on the 6 because of the micro burst um that touched down in town. So, we have to have an end date to it and it would be Can we put it as yesterday or do we have You can do it today. Okay. So, are we
Well, they're still working. They're still working. And today, um Scott Flebot from MIMA and the um National Weather Service were here in town and they did not they deemed that there was no tornado or micro burst in
Bford. They how did they by the what they could see from the damage. Okay. Um so as of today we can declare that the state emergency is over because we just need it to be in effect I think during the time that the damage happens
in case of reimbursement situation. Um so motion to um declare the state of the declaration of emergency from September 6, 2025.
Um, what do we want to say? Uh, no longer exists as of September 8th. 9th. N the 9th. No, today's the 8th. 2025. There a second. Second.
Any discussion? Nope. But one discussion. Oh, go ahead. Um, not about that, but let's go ahead and do second on that. It's just a comment. All in favor? Yes. I um will we get emergency funding for the
work that you know has been done by the highway guys? I don't know that you know if I remember right when we were in a meeting and I had said something about the 12 million or whatever it was the million dollars or whatever of do you remember
that and Brady had said that's what emergency funds are for. I said, "What if something happens?" He said, "That's what emergency funds are for." So, there has to be emergency funds out there for highway guys. Oh, absolutely. New work. So, we still go after that
money for anything they've done, including trees. So part of it will be based on the report from FEMA that came out that hopefully they said the survey team did not find evidence of a tornado in or Otis or Blandford and will be making a
determination based on the damage in Berlin later today. So they did find confirmed preliminary analysis that tornadoes occurred in Paxton and Holden but not Otis or Bford. So I wonder if that means that we're not
because I think you can still for like a thunderstorm I think you can still I mean I can so we can so he needs to estimate how much money we spend. We need to reach out and see if there's any option for us to receive between between the fire department, police department, and the highway
department. It's up to them to come up with their hours and and the expenditures that they they incurred while doing it. But we don't want them to go through that if there's no that we're going to say. So that would be our Okay. Well, you have to you have to have a
figure. Well, we we would need to know first that MIMA is even considering it worthy of funding. Well, you know, they're not going to this state. They try. That's why they want to do our
money. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I know that that's what we've had to do in the past and states. I don't know, but I think we should at least have a figure. All right, we got the Blford Energy Committee charter.
Yep. I sent you both. It's not a charter. We can't have charters, so we're calling it the Blford Energy Committee. Okay. On the record, right? Um, and I sent you both copy of what uh Christina and I
worked on together as to what the responsibilities of that committee will be. Okay. Um, I'm assuming you may or may not have read it. Don't know. Um, I'm just Did you just send I said it last week. I have I read all my emails.
Energy committee. That one's from today energy project. Yeah, I just don't want to do it without your view in the which one am I? This one here. Uh that's the what you have up there is
the application form for residents to fill out. Yeah, I love that we have those instead of just ask. I've had a number of residents reach out, so that's good. Great. And we said three residents,
right? Yep. And where do the people who want to volunteer for this draw? Where did they pick up their applications? I'll put that I I haven't really figured out where they're going to pick up that. Probably have to be Tom House. Were
you going to put it online or Yeah. That's fantastic. Looks great. So, we'll post it. Uh, Wendy, post it and Wendy can post the application of Are you okay with it today? Are you okay with it? Yeah. Okay.
We'll get that done this week. Um, we've discussed about when we should actually put this committee together. Um, and we want to do it after September 22nd or do we want to do it before September 22nd?
Um I thought I think we had said we can start it before and then you'll just have that information from the 22nd to go back as part of this group. Um and then how are we determining which
person from which representative I guess or are the committees putting forward a representative? Yes. Okay. We'll ask the committees to put some. Okay. So, I'll send a note out to the committees asking for representatives
to be on this committee. And for the residents, we'll give them two weeks. That sounds fair. Okay. Yeah. And then we'll review this those applicants. If we only get three, we take the three. Yeah. Right. We get more than three, then
we'll review the applications to determine how large do you want the committee to be? We're we're looking for three res. three rows, but it'll also be so will be nine numbers al together. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.
Right. Um also we've got the um on the 18th. Is it the 18th? No, the 16th. The 16th. The um bez people are coming back to do an open house. They requested use of the auditorium. Joanne.
Joanne was there. I just need to have a couple more details so I can help her with that. Okay. Um I'm just going to ask her um how many tables she'd like me to take out. Okay. For her. The chairs are all there. Um if it's open house, I don't know. I'm thinking she she it sounded like she
said there would be different tables and people can ask different questions like it's like this is this area or whatever she needs. Okay. I'll pull them all out. Um I have to take care of that. But you're not going to pull stuff out. Can you ask?
I'll ask. Okay. Um, can you will you just make sure to Right. She's on her own. She's got Yes. I was just gonna say, will you make sure she understands that she has to advertise and and like we're not doing that part of it for her. Um, should I not though put the just
Oh, no. You're w Yeah, you're welcome to do that. But in terms of then the rest is on her. Yeah. Okay. I just don't want to create more work for you guys. Okay. Thank you. And then they did also request to just come to the meeting on the 22nd to be there and listen. I said that's fine. You can't vote. You just
can't. You have to sit. Would you consider like a public hearing or public meeting or what what's the 22nd is a special town meeting? No. So the open house is not a public hearing. It's not a public meeting. They're coming just to hand out
brochures and answer questions. It's not town sanctioned. It's not the select board's not going to be sitting there voting. There's not any of that. They want to come and do their spiel to whoever wants to show up and that's it. It's not public. We're not it's that's it's none of that.
Yeah. It's just the use of I mean it's open to the public but don't it's not a public meeting or public hearing. The meeting an open house is not a meeting. Okay. A meeting.
I can't no shoes. What? Okay. Are we at public comment? Yeah. Um Oh, we got to do Christina's first. Do you have anything for us? Um I got the waiver from DAMP for the highway bathrooms. I spoke with Kelly.
We had a good conversation with Kelly today actually. And I at the next uh departmental meeting. She will be attending and answering any questions and working with each department, okay, with any of their concerns about uh accounting or finance
uh in that manner. So, thank you for that, Jackie. is super helpful. Um, the state of emergency was done, but we're good. Scott came and they did what they had to do. Um, emergency management team, I just want
to say, did a great job. Yes, they were. It was everyone was like responded really quickly. I sent out a text um just asking how everything was. Adam got immediately back and then Ray jumped on and Jen jumped on and um it was like they all coordinate co
coordinated like it was it was done very well. On Thursday the 11th I'm meeting with Melissa. She's going to be the new gateway superintendent. Oh yeah. So, um, I'm meeting with her at 1 PM. I don't know if you would like me to ask her to attend a select board meeting in the
future just so that you guys can meet her, but and you're obviously more than welcome to come meet her as well on Wednesday or Thursday, excuse me. Uh, and then the following Thursday on the 18th, we have another hazard mitigation plan meeting. Oh,
um to earlier today I had a meeting with Sprinkle Water Sewer um to go over their wildfire preparedness plan that's really just centered around wershed areas. Okay. Um, and they're putting together
like their own plan which will have resources for uh towns to call or use if there is a wildfire. Okay. And they don't they're looking for basically like a list of all the
equipment each town has and how they can, you know, connect each town to one another and mutual aid type thing. They pretty much just brought it out. a close couple. Yeah, help us buy a brush truck. So, yeah, I
I was TJ. That I think that's it. Okay. Really? For now. All right. Um public comment. Yes, Colleen. Um I know the Bez meeting's going to be on the 16th that they were not I felt like everyone in town had requested it
be a weekend and they were kind of like, "Yeah, we don't want to do it on weekend." I don't know what time they find the seventh on, but I know she was tossing around 5:00. I personally work from 5:30 every night. I think it's going to be a problem. So, I don't think that they have I just feel like they're they're already showing that they don't
have good will towards trying to accommodate the up there having it while people are working on a week night when the town specifically requested the weekend. Thank you. Anyone else?
All right. Oh, so I know a lot of discussion, a lot of things going on the energy projects. Has there been any further discussion about a morator energy facility? Yeah, I think last time we did a
moratorium, we had to have very specific reasons outlined for why we needed the six month, right? Were you a part of the conservation with all your boards, you're going to quit? Um I was remotely or you know sort of
genetically involved but not directly but you know it just seems like we have no way of controlling how many of these projects are going to come at us and what the rate at which they're going to come and at some point it's going to have a negative
effect. Do you have more that have you received this? We we received a voicemail on our line from an engineering company in New York State. Okay. It was a woman. The message was something like, "Hello, we'd
like to talk to you and introduce you to a new project we're working on for plan." Okay. Just give me a call back. I called back. Sort of got a sort of a cryptic voicemail that said he basically leave a message. I left message and I never heard back.
So, I don't know who they are and what what they're thinking, but and it just seems like at some point we got to gate this down somehow. We can definitely get the um stipulations around a moratorum see what
you know what criteria we have to meet to request one and then I think we had to vote it at special town meeting. I'm not sure. Do you remember that Mary? Did we vote a moratorum for solar? I I think that was on a I think so. Yeah. Um I think you did one on ground mounted
soul. That's what it was. Yeah. They were too busy to do it. Yeah. But we had to have like very specific reasoning for it to be whatever was happening then it's happening now even more. Whatever the whatever happened what was the grounds we used last time.
Yeah. This is way I have to look back at the special town meeting um minutes. But would you mind um you remember what year it was? No. No. Um would you mind just checking with legal about uh the criteria for
moratorum on large scale solar projects commercial I mean there's six big energy projects that are all trying to happen we already have three in town and now we have double that amount we're not even talking the size of them
but even more than you know what I mean it's it's Are they all commercial or are they residential? Yeah, all commercial. We haven't had any res. So, there's three existing facilities that we that we've been working with since 2018. So, solar. So, there's two
currently in the works with both planning and conservation. We've heard about two more from sort of credible uh information that we got in and another one in the phone call I just mentioned. So, I mean,
and two battery storage did in the two bus. You add that all up. I mean, that that's a pretty heavy load for this. Oh, absolutely. Okay. We'll get some information. See, and that doesn't take into effect what
else is going on too. The normal stuff that we deal with, right? Yeah. Yeah. And if we had it has to be a vote maybe to be added. It's too late to add it to this more um say post like 14 days in advance.
We'd have to do another special but it would take us a little while to work with. It's a now the reason I was raising my hand before but it wasn't time for discussion when you're talking about the energy committee. I honestly don't know like if the boards that are already dealing with all these things honestly
have more time to devote to forming a meeting to talk about all the problems that we're having because we have all those kind of things. It's like there's not an end and you know I sent the email to the town that we've been assigned a presiding officer even though if you go
to EFSB board it obiscates the fact that we are it still says to be determined. You have to dig into it. same day that they assigned it, the same morning, within a half an hour that they gave as a presiding officer, they also added a new item to the docket which is changing
all the rules and regulations to make it even faster. And if you looked at their schedule for approving these regulations, every all the changes that they're planning on making and they had a full meeting today will be in place by October. Well, that's for the Eversource
and that's for the large battery storage and that's for all these projects. we find credible reason conservation does. It's just streamlining it where the state just says yes whatever conservation is our last. Now the the
battery system that you're talking about that's one the one with there's two batteries and I understand that but one is tied with Eversource and that's the 50 none of them are one is across the street from the Eversource substation
and one is directly abudding but they're both privately owned. One is called Blandford Storage LLC. That's 50 megawatt and it's owned by the same gentleman that runs the solar that's on the other side of a source. And then there's one across the street which is
clean mission energy that's coming to give the talk on 16 that shows the brochures of like 96 tractor trailers. But I don't know if anyone realizes that 200 megawws 1.55 tractor trailers per
megawatt. It's almost 30 40 truck trailers of just the batteries, not anything else. And how much clear cut acreage are they talking? We don't know because we don't have the planet. They haven't come to us. They said they would come to us by the end of
September when we have the meeting, but we'd like to see. All right. All right. Um, we will get you the information on the moratorum and um see I ask one more question. Sure. So, do we have a sense of where
our state representatives are on this issue? Good question. Are they are they do we know what side of the issue they're on? Are they, you know, willing to work with small towns that are feeling what we're feeling or sense?
Honestly, Jake, this is one of the reasons why I need the committee because yeah, there's not enough bandwidth to do what really needs to happen. you may extend it to more than three residents that aren't working full-time. Well, it would be nine people together,
but it's the the TE cannot just be focused on, you know, what you guys are already doing. It's really focusing on how do you get to the state legislation about this? Because, you know, I'm an
advocate. I'm I'm a believer that if you if the state has a plan and the DPU is behind the whole thing, what is the plan? Because to your point, as a small community, you can't keep up with that plan, whatever it is. So, come in and explain the plan.
Yeah. Nobody wants to be in the dark. Our board has Dick is the only one that's semi-retired. We all work. I just I'm retired, too. Yeah. But that's why I'm saying there may be residents that are retired that can devote more time than people that
work 60our. Understood. You know, we'll see what we That's what I'm saying. I just want to keep it. Maybe there's somebody that is a good administrator and is good at that and maybe somebody's good at something else because the boards are tapped.
Oh, I know. Well, once you start to volunteer, they ask you to volunteer for everything. That's just how it works. Yeah, I know. Okay. Yes. The special town meeting for the moratorum was in se uh August uh 2019.
2019. And I think we got six months on that remembering correctly. Yeah, it was over I think in June 2020. Okay. Thank you guys for everything you're
doing. Meeting was adjourned. We have to sign all those so don't go anywhere. Don't go anywhere. Was up at 2 last night. Forget it. Yes. to drive me.