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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=xu2hya0wN1w

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June 23rd, 2026 and we are going to go ahead and start our agenda with community input. Do we have any community input from anyone online or in the room? Okay, hearing none, we will go ahead and move on to the second item on the

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agenda, which is FY26 end-of-year financial transfers, and this is a joint meeting with the FinCom. And we're going to take a vote at the end of this. So, anyone from FinCom want to come forward or bring themselves on >> Why don't you all come forward so they

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can hear on >> Okay. >> Do I have a remote? Yep, Victor. All right, I'd like to open the Finance Committee June 22nd meeting with a roll call vote or roll call to open. >> Brownie, Brown here. >> Cataccio, here.

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>> Delia, here. >> Wheelman, here. >> Liang, here. >> Okay, we're open. >> Okay. Was there a presentation or anything that you guys have prepared? >> Yes, so this is Kelly, actually, who's joining us. She's going to present the

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uh end-of-year transfers to both the Select Board and the Finance Committee. >> Good evening. Ryan, is it okay to share my screen? >> Should be. >> [snorts] >> Hey, can everyone see the PDF here? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. So,

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every year, um around this time, between May 1st and July 15th, Mass General Law allows, um a combination of Select Board and FinCom vote to allow us to reorganize uh the

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budget lines based on actual experiences during the fiscal year. Um so, that's what this represents. Um, anything that is a positive number in this chart is a department that needed additional funds to support their needs

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this fiscal year. Anything that is a negative is what was pulled together to decrease those budgets to help offset the other increases. So if you were to add all these up, um, I did it seven times today to be really sure, um, but they do net out to zero. So total budget

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impact is zero. It's all just moving between the operating budget uh, line items. Um, so I guess I can kind of go through really quickly the the I feel like the increases are probably

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more relevant than, you know, the decreases, um, in in your eyes. So for some of the top line items, um, the police department we're asking for an increase to their budget line for a hundred thousand dollars. Um, we started this

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fiscal year with, um, an employee retirement. Um, that was a, you know, kind of a little bit of a setback for the budget from, you know, different um, payment standpoints. So that occurred, plus there's other contractual

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adjustments that happened during the year that can't always be exactly planned for, um, such as vacation buybacks, those types of things, um, cuz it's not a guarantee folks are going to take that approach versus carrying their time over. Um, so year to year that can vary.

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Um, town hall maintenance and facilities is and requesting an increase of forty-five thousand dollars. That is to assist with the, you know, the unpredictable nature of facilities, um, including, you know, different things

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that are happening in different buildings like town hall, the police department, the library, um, DPW, those are all buildings that the facilities department is supporting right now. Um Snow and ice is the next line for

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42,000. So, this one FinCom, you're going to see this again in your later meeting. Um the total ask for snow and ice for an increase is $110,000. So, this year, as we all saw, Mother Nature threw us a doozy. Um so, we budgeted

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$90,000 for snow and ice and 200,000 was what was spent out of that line. So, to close the gap, um $110,000 is needed. We were able to support a good chunk of it here through line item transfers, but we will be asking for a

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reserve fund transfer separately from FinCom to uh to close that gap there. Um some good news there outside of this is that a um the governor approved a supplemental budget for about $144,000

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applicable to Carlisle. Um it's going to be distributed in a similar way as Chapter 90 funds. Um but that almost offsets, you know, our our overage in snow and ice this year. So, that's something positive out of all this. Um

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Communications, 23,000. A big chunk of that is IT related. Um they've had We they've had some unexpected costs for um technology and a good good amount of overtime, as well. And then the town clerk line, it's really small um on this

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list, but that is the adjustment to shift funds from the historical commission line as we hired the assistant town clerk to absorb those duties. But, um the budget was set prior to that that hire happening. So, the budget

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lived in historic. We moved it up to the town clerk line to to help keep them even. I'll I'll pause for any questions. >> Kelly, I'm looking down toward the bottom the CCRSD. This is the I assume the regional school. Is this where Okay,

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cuz I'm under the impression that that municipal modernization act that you cite there, I thought it exempted schools. >> The Carlisle public schools. So the Carlisle public schools, their budget the $13 million budget that they have is under

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the control of the school committee. The assessment that we pay to the high school is under the the jurisdiction of the town. >> The difference there the 22,000 is the difference in state aid. So when they projected their budget to you, they used

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a number that was less than what it ended up being in the in the the state's consolidated budget. So that 22,000 is they reduced the assessment during Concord's town meeting because they had better state aid numbers. So we received a $22,000

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coupon. >> Okay. I mean I'm not going to turn down good money, but the I mean I had to look up this law because I didn't I'm not super familiar with it and it did say that no year-end alternative transfer can take funds from or give funds to a

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school department without the express approving vote from the school committee. I assume they voted on it. >> So we're very unique. We have both a regional school and a local school. So local school has full jurisdiction of their budget and we cannot change between lines without a vote of the school committee.

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What Kelly's saying is the regional school, they give us a bill and we pay it. So if we if we say that bill's going to be $100 in this case it turns out to be 90, we get to keep the 10 without without their say-so. If they had an excess in their account and we wanted to grab it, that would be a different

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story. But this is our money. >> Okay. Got it. So we'll take our money back. Okay. Um FinCom, did you have any puts and takes on any of this? >> This pretty standard. >> Yeah.

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>> This any year transfers. >> Mhm. >> Mark? >> So, to add some >> Hello. Hello. >> Hey. >> To add a little bit about um future thinking and the way it relates to the '27 budget, this police budget is exactly what we thought it was going to

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be based on uh that retirement and decisions that were made. So, we do think that the police this is a one-time um issue with the police department as as we dealt with some retirements and HR stuff. On the town hall and maintenance side, we under budgeted them by 25,000

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>> Mhm. >> uh last year during the half uh the half step towards the full maintenance, we did a lot of work to understand that budget. So, the deficit is really 20,000 in unexpected costs. Um we fixed the 25,000 in the FY27 budget.

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Communications we talked about a lot during the budget process. This was making all of the police and communication computers managed per uh the needs of their systems. So, there wasn't a managed computer previously. We only dealt with IT when we had to. Now,

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they're on a managed system the way all of our computers are here in town hall. So, they bore the brunt of both police and their own costs there. That was increased in the IT budget and we covered it under our new contract as well. So, you won't see that again.

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>> Ryan, just did or or Kelly, just for the snow and ice, that's always low typically. Can you just give a quick synopsis of how that the unique aspect of snow and ice and why it's under budgeted, the problems of increasing the budget, and

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is there any change on the horizon for how we can how that can be managed? Cuz I know we always under budget. We don't want to increase the budget cuz once you increase it, you can't decrease it. Can you just give a quick synopsis of that? >> So, if you if you decrease it, you lose

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the ability to add it to your tax rate. So, um let me explain that more simply. If you overspend in that line item, you can then put it on your tax rate, meaning without a vote of town meeting, you can increase people's taxes in order to pay for that deficit because of the

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unique nature of snow ice cuz you could have a really bad year. Um so, you also you still have that option. So, we could put that on the tax tax rate and increase taxes to cover that, basically saying FY 27 is going to pay for FY 26. >> But in terms of the operating budget,

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what's the there's a particular scenario with snow and ice where Correct, if it >> It's something like if you if you over budget, it's stuck in there. >> Yeah, you can't decrease >> You can't transfer it out. >> Right. We it's always under budgeted.

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>> Yes. >> Because you can't Can you just remind us of why I thought there was a law like you can't literally you can't reduce your >> Can't use it in the end of the year transfers. >> If you decrease it, you lose the ability

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to do what I'm saying, which is to add it to your tax rate rather than cover it with free cash, which is what we're doing essentially by moving it between lines. >> I thought there was >> A snow and ice deficit, if you overspend the appropriation, it's considered a

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legal deficit. So, right now we're budgeting snow and ice at $90,000. Um you're allowed to increase that budget line and maintain your status to overspend that budget and add it to the next year's tax rate, which is not what we're doing here. We're, you know,

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transferring between funds that we already have available. But if you were to decrease the budget from 90,000 to 100,000 going into you know, an upcoming fiscal year, the state considers that you know, that you would no longer be able to overspend that budget and apply

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it to the tax rate. We can still do this process here if we over, you know, we're going to overspend the line item for, you know, Mother Nature, but you wouldn't be able to use it on the upcoming tax tax rate like you can currently. Does that make sense?

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>> So, the best way to understand this is if we didn't have the ability to transfer from other funds, we would have a hole in the budget that we can't fix. So, you can take that hole and put it on next year's taxes if you want to legally. If you decrease the snow and ice, basically

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they think you are trying to hide money, right? So, then you can't you lose that option. So, you you do want to under budget, but not so much that you're >> Cuz we're typically like >> over budget? What happens? Let's say we had a surplus of 50,000 cuz we budgeted 150,000. I think

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that's the question. >> Yeah, well, I know and I know we >> a reason we >> under budget it like 40 to 60k. >> under budget. I I thought there was a reason, too, we don't over budget. >> Right. >> Because it it's a flexible line. So, best practice is

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you under budget because you can overspend it. >> Oh, okay. >> It doesn't make as much sense in Carlisle because you you never put it on your tax rate. >> if you over budget, you're automatically going to over tax. But a lot of towns, if they had a $100,000 they wouldn't be able to cover it, so

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you'd have to use the tax rate. So, you would lose that option. >> That's historically the snow and ice is the big transfer. You know you're going to have a snow and ice transfer every year, usually in 40 to 50k. >> And we did raise it even a few years ago. I think it used to be 50 and now it's 90, you said, so. >> But it's probably good to just

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periodically revisit that strategy. >> I remember when we raised it, it was a year that it barely snowed and we still went over. Yeah. >> Yeah, a good litmus test. >> To Jim's credit, he considers this to be something that he needs to try to cover, so he doesn't spend in other areas to to overcome it.

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Putting it on the tax rate would allow you to have a 100,000 for other transfers or free cash, but it would also increase the tax impact. Um, which is not something you presented to town meeting. >> Yeah, Ryan, you make a good point. So, for for snow and ice, if you look at

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some of the negative lines in here, you'll see the transfer station 15,000, road maintenance 15,000, and then Department of Public Works 30,000. Those are all negative numbers. Those are all like Ryan said, Jim considers his DPW

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budget, and he looks at all four of those categories. So, he tries to make up, even if you get, you know, a ton of snow, he's trying to identify that within his other budget lines to try to offset that burden at the same time during the year.

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>> And he did that and more. >> And And there's a reason why Well, I don't want to get into it, but theoretically, snow and ice should be part of DPW, you would think. But, it has to be its own separate account. >> Because it has this unique flexibility.

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>> Yeah, okay. >> It's a New England special. >> Yeah, >> [laughter] >> we've got a few of those. >> On the revenue side, just a couple things to point out. Um, the inspectional services, that was the the move from John to an interim.

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So, that's why that excess exists there. Historical Commission was the combination of the assistant town clerk and the historical commission admin, so that's a internal regionalization, if you will. And then, the blanket insurance is a lot of that work is

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Gretchen getting control of insurance, maximizing their rewards program, so that so that we can have money returned there. So, there's a lot of good savings being done here with proactive, um, town employees, including Jim, who didn't hire a

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employee in order to help offset this deficit for for a couple months, although we hired that employee now. So, that was helping with the DPW public works line. >> And I'm sorry, remind me, Ryan, what was the vocational item? >> Just looking at the amount.

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>> You in the middle, it's 1,500. >> That's 67, no, $1,500. We came in just slightly under. That's a combination of the bus and contract for FY26 and the um the two semesters that we paid to Minute Man for our current student.

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>> Okay. >> So, we slightly over budgeted there. The the veterans agent is really veteran benefits. >> Uh-huh. >> Veteran benefits are also a unique line. If you have someone who qualifies for the assistance program, which is very difficult, so you don't get a lot in

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Carlisle, but you have to pay it. So, it's one of those accounts where if someone comes in and they need the money, you have to pay it out of that operating budget, even if you didn't budget for it. So, you budget for it, but often here it's not used, so that money ends up being returned. So, it's a risk It's another risk account. Do you want to

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have money in there? So, at one point this year we did have a a client. If that client had continued monthly and it wasn't a one-time assistance, that would have eaten through all of the veteran benefits line. Um but then we didn't have another client for the rest of the year, so it's an interesting account. There's

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some risk management involved. >> You budgeted 10,000 for that? >> 10,000. >> Yeah. Mark >> Question, question. Presumably, there's other >> State >> Yeah. Mark Bershadsky, uh Finance Committee. Uh presumably, there's other line items

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that will have uh an underspend this year. >> Yes. >> shown here that will go to free cash or some other thing. So, how did you guys pick and choose where to grab the money to cover this

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versus letting it uh just go over to free cash? >> So, Kelly is meticulous about this, and she can explain her process, but she will only take from accounts that that she believes through risk analysis will not be spent by the end of this fiscal year, which we still have a couple weeks

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left. But there are a lot of accounts that add up to a significant amount of money that we can't just do a dollar for dollar. So really her effort here is to make it as transparent as possible for you. So for 15 out there's 15 in. There's more in some of those accounts

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and there's more in other accounts, but she wanted it to match. We wanted it to match for transparency purposes. >> Right. There will still be turnbacks and even in some of the accounts that are you know, contributing funds to help offset um the overages, I do still

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expect turnbacks really in all of these accounts. You know, even in facilities we're transferring 45,000. There should still be a buffer there that you know, we're not coming right up to the the dollar at the end of the fiscal year cuz that you know, that would create

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a lot of um anxiety in the accounting department. Um so we try to build in a little bit of room so it's not quite so close that it's that it becomes a problem in a couple weeks. Cuz we can only do this through July 15th. So if something you know, something goes

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haywire between now and then I'd be you know, knocking on your doorstep again and my hope is to not have to do that. >> So overall um um my belief is that we'll have spent 99.something percent of the budget. 1% of the budget

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is about 370,000 in turnbacks um after including this. So that's about where we want to be in terms of free cash development in our financial policies. >> It's good. A slightly under run is fine. Yeah.

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>> What were some of the big items in the maintenance and facilities that make up the 45,000? >> There was nothing nothing massive. It wasn't capital. It was 4,000 here and I don't I don't have the exact list

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prepared, but I can get it for you. >> But nothing that stood out stands out. >> Is that like the plumbing repair and >> Uh the town hall flood, yeah. >> Yeah, it was one of >> Yeah, there was a there was quite a bit of plumbing um related troubles between here, the police station, the library. Um

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but those are those are the ones that those add up you know, relatively quickly as Ryan said, three, four thousand dollars here and there. Those are the trouble spots that kind of you know, built things up. Um as you mentioned earlier, we also under budgeted the facilities by

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about 25,000. So, the other 20, you know, some of that's attributable to electricity costs as well. Um the electricity costs has has been pretty high um this year. Um but I think everyone is seeing that even on a personal level. Um

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So, it is a combination of moderate to smaller items, nothing massive or capital related. >> Okay, thank you. >> The finance committee will know um as well as we've talked about this a lot that there are lines in the budget that are called facilities and maintenance that are used for

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not not like nefariously, but for other purposes. So, we're trying to get a hold of everything that was considered maintenance and facilities and get it under one department so that you can understand how it's being spent and not have like you know, the select board budget also include an electric bill or something

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like that. So, as we do that, it's going to get cleaner and cleaner and we can identify those one offs better. >> Okay. Okay, so how does this work when we have a joint meeting? Does the Does FinCom need to make a motion and we make a motion or how does that >> Yeah, you each make individual

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>> Yep. So, for this one um backwards from the budget process, it's actually the select board is to vote first and the FinCom concurs with the select board on your decision. >> I like that. >> Great. >> I'd make a motion then I'd move that the select board vote pursuant to Mass

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General Law chapter 44 section 33B to approve year-end transfers between various line items of the fiscal year 2026 budget as detailed in the memo from the town accountant dated June 23rd, 2026. >> Second.

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>> Thank you. Okay, let's go ahead and take a vote. All in favor? >> Aye. >> Aye. >> Any opposed? Okay. Uh >> Okay. >> Someone want to make a motion as well?

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>> Can you scroll? >> Sorry. >> There we go. >> Oh, we don't have ours there. So, is it just we concur? >> It's the same. >> Yeah, there's a second like after the >> Oh, the same motion. >> Financial I'll just read the whole thing. >> All right. >> Yeah.

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>> Um I move that the finance committee vote >> pursuant to Mass General Law chapter 44 section 33B uh to approve year-end transfers between various line items of the fiscal year 2026 budget as detailed in the memo from the town accountant dated June 23rd,

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2026. >> I'll second. >> You and we have the member online so let's do a roll call vote. >> Hutchinson >> Brown aye. >> Katich aye. >> Zaleha >> Newman aye. >> Layton aye. >> Okay.

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There you go, Kelly. >> Thank you very much. Um Christine and James Of course. Um I'll send a DocuSign to both chairs for a final signature. Um but then that should do it. Thank you very much. >> Great. >> Thank you.

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>> We're just going to move now to the last session. >> Okay. We are >> To the upstairs room? >> Yeah. We're actually on schedule. Why don't we turn our attention Do you guys need to adjourn? >> Yeah. Are you >> Well, are Are we joint with >> Yes, we are with the town meeting study committee.

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You guys want to come together? >> Everyone's going to be need a bigger table. >> [laughter] >> David Modell, welcome back. >> Well, how are you? >> Doing great. >> Different perspective Where's Mr. Thomas today? >> He's apparently at a World Cup game.

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>> No, which one? The one down in Canada. >> Apparently, yeah. I don't know which >> England and Ghana, maybe? That's England and Ghana. They didn't even score. No one scored. >> Well, the chair of the town meeting study committee is taking his retirement

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from the select board very very seriously, and so he asked if I would lead the >> [laughter] >> Super. Do you guys need to um >> We already did. >> No, we are we we So, we voted to to approve our report, and um

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uh our apologies. I We didn't figure out until a few minutes ago that uh you didn't have our you know, 99.8% completed draft included in your packet.

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So, apologies about that. So, um what I'm going to do is there's um the the full report, which includes two appendices, is under 30 pages um with pretty generous spacing, and there is an executive summary at the beginning. So,

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what I will do is quickly uh not do the entire executive summary, but quickly run run through it. So, um just And let's see, who was Travis, I think you were on the board at the time that we started this um and

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Nathan certainly was cuz he was part of it and David obviously was, but um so the committee was established uh in February of 2024 by the select board with the goal to quote investigate and recommend strategies to heighten citizen

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engagement in the town meeting process and improve town meeting. Um and so that was that was our our mission and um we you know basically our view was that

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um people um you know there there are certain barriers um and things that discourage people from attending town meeting and so we um through the couple of years that we've been meeting we've been

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trying to figure out three things. Are there ways to make uh to enable and encourage more voters to participate? Can the meeting be made more efficient and enjoyable? And how can voters become better informed before they arrive? Uh people who come to town meeting

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um and regulars actually tend to enjoy it. They're engaged, they think you know that they're doing something important, they value participatory democracy. Um people who don't tend to either uh believe we found from surveys either

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things are running fine in town so don't bother me or they genuinely they're interested, but they're too busy, life is too difficult, whatever. And some people think it is too long and tedious. So um we tried to come up with a bunch of ideas and recommendations that would uh

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that would enable us to address as many of those things as possible. We followed an iterative iterative process. The nice thing about me participating first ex officio and then I became a formal member the committee midway through was that as good ideas

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came up we tried to implement them. So a lot of the recommendations in the report have already been implemented implemented. So this is one of those reports that was a success before it was delivered. >> Same it took so long that >> [laughter] >> it went across three different town meetings.

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So we had a living laboratory. >> [clears throat] >> Um okay. So here the uh there are a bunch of recommendations executive summary tries to just narrow down on the ones that are most important. The number one recommendation that we have is that we

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hold the annual town meeting on Sunday afternoon. And we call that the single most impactful change. Um attendance at the May 2025 meeting was 381 which was but all well above the pre-pandemic average of 278

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or the post-pandemic average of 228 looking at the years 2022 to 2024. So that's we we we believe that that is the thing that it it is the best way to deal with child care

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uh deals with uh other other conflicts that people have or just being stressed out their business travel and things like that. So we really do think that the Sunday afternoon scheduling is the way to go. Um >> [clears throat] >> other things that we believe very

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important um and here's one that's already been in place at least this year was close the annual warrant no later than the end of February uh and require sponsoring boards and committees to submit public outreach plans alongside their warrant placeholder requests. The earlier that

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you close the warrant the more outreach that the boards and committees can make the better educated the public can be the the the fewer issues that you run into but in order to get that schedule done you need to commit to the town

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meeting date. You need to set it as early as possible. Uh I mean, as early in your new fiscal your new fiscal year, you need to decide what the date is going to be is what I mean. So, everyone knows what the schedule is. Um

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publish uh provide every household timely comprehensive information on each warrant article through a dedicated section of the town website supplemented by podcasts, short videos, social media postings. That's been a huge win. Uh Ryan and the rest of the team have just

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done a bang-up job, and all the boards and committees have been enthusiastic participants. We think that's been a big win. Uh and then the last one, we didn't take a position as a committee on remote participation. It's uh too early to

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tell, and there's a lot of mixed stuff, but certainly a lot of townspeople are interested in it, and there are other towns who have bigger IT budgets and bigger aspirations. We're trying to push things. So, our recommendation there is at least continue to monitor what other

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towns are doing in terms of state legislative authorization, and as that evolves, at that point, you and or other town bodies may want to take take a position. Um we are not recommending scheduling

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routine fall special town meetings, which is something that we tried for a number of years. Uh and so, the recommendation is just go back to what we used to have, which is if we need a a fall special town meeting, we schedule one, um but we don't plan on doing it

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regularly. Um nor do we recommend replacing open town meeting with representative town meeting. Um there are a couple of other things that um just want to mention. Um one is that uh I'm actually the the

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recommendation is that when you set the annual town meeting date for next spring, you should do that by June 30th each year. Set that as your goal. Concord set there is 2 weeks ago. They chose May 18th, May 19th, something like that. I I

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forget what it is, but 17th. Um and get that get get that scheduled as soon as possible. Um and the we're also say target a date on or before the first weekend in May. The thing about the Sunday meetings, the

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further you get into May, the more conflicts you get with graduations, reunions, weddings, and stuff like that in May. So, uh the sweet spot is earlier in May. Couldn't do it this year because of the fire station, but we highly

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recommend that. Um something that we that was recommended and we've already implemented and then I think it's been pretty successful is that we get right down to business starting with the financial uh stuff. Um and I think uh

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my my personal perception is that that worked very well this year and I think people appreciated it. Uh one thing that I'm going to add that the committee didn't We didn't really discuss new recommendations late this spring cuz we sort of finished our our main work in

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the in the winter. Um but I had attended the Concord town meeting in late April this year and saw that their FinCom delivers their report, which is just their assessment, their the this is a long-range view of the town finances.

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Here's what's happened Here's what will happen to tax rates if we approve everything that's on the warrant and so forth. And I saw that night and it was separate from the budget rather than smooshing the report and the budget proposal together as we have done. I saw

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that, I thought it was great. They nailed it in like 6 minutes. I mentioned it to James, but it was already too late to change the freight train that was already headed down the road in Carlisle, and sure enough we got to town meeting and most of the questions that FinCom got were exactly

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that they would have been nailed had had that overview been presented separately. So, my personal recommendation is that that we move to a format like that of having the Finance Committee report

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first thing up in the meeting as part of the acceptance of reports motion, and then that's really separate, you know, you give it 5-6 minutes, whatever it is, and then the budget presentation be separate. Um

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couple of other things I will skip over from our executive's summary. Um last thing I want to mention from the executive summary is um that we establish a town meeting advisory

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committee appointed by the moderator in consultation with the select board to provide ongoing feedback and continuity. Uh I've been doing this moderator job for the last 18 years. The first 15-16, I never really had a set of people who

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could push me around, give me a hard time, make good recommendations, and so forth. I've loved having this group of dedicated people. I found it immensely valuable, and I think uh it'll would be

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it'll be valu- valuable to me, and it'll be really valuable to my successor. Um so, I think we ought to go ahead and do that. I don't have details of how we're going to do it, but just conceptually, um that's that's uh

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part of the part of what this this is is reporting. And then one final thing I'll drop in as moderator, it's my personal recommendation, moderator, not a committee thing. But, um I'm I'm done being major technical support for town meeting.

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And so, um Bill Rizzo, uh who's also been spending many, many hours helping with technical support, uh has recommended to that FinCom and the Select Board at least consider following the successful model of what you're

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doing with the facilities. Can you Does it make sense to combine uh IT support from the school with Town Hall? Um move some money over there so that the the school can actually uh can

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hire additional staff who is Microsoft enabled, um and so that you have the combination of what you need for town meeting, combination of network expertise and a budget and coordination and management. Um along with dedicated support what the

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Town Hall employees need. Um that would be uh a huge thing. So, uh the my personal recommendation is just drop that idea and hope that you will look at it over the coming year. So, that's the that's the quick run-through.

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>> There are a lot of really great things in here, but what I can't get past is has it really been 18 years? >> I know. >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> That's right. >> We got to look in the mirror following this show. >> I know, you know, unfortunately, it's been all downhill since the first

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meeting. >> [laughter] >> Which I I well re- remember, I was at a barbecue in July or something like that, and Tim Holt, uh this after I was elected in May, Tim Holt, who was on the Select Board, said, "Wayne, I got bad news. We're going to have

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a special town meeting." And I was like, I it in September. Uh said, "I'm not prepared. I don't know how to do it. I haven't even been to my trainer or anything like that." He said, "Don't worry. It's easy. One article, all we have to do is vote to lower the

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tax rate." >> Oh. [laughter] >> It was Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it was Yeah, it was early the state bought back some high yield high interest rate bonds or something like that. There was some sort of deal where actually unexpected money came in.

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Um Larry Barton made it as usual 8 minute no one could hear understand what he mumbled what he said, but we all voted and the meeting was over in 12 minutes. So. >> How about the one right at the height of COVID where we were in the school parking lot? >> Well, that was >> I remember that.

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>> thing of us and we got it done in a way that was an hour. >> I I'll make a couple just quick remarks. I think I'm not sure we solved the fundamental conundrum which is do people, especially younger people, appreciate the uniqueness and the value

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of of face-to-face deliberation of the issues, right? I mean, we get inundated by information and people have all kinds of uh They have all kinds of um claims on their time, especially with young kids and we get all that. But,

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it's so rare, you know, in this world, in a true democracy, which the town is more of a true democracy than most places, and have the opportunity, we call it legislative legislature for a day or legislator for a day, but it's the

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chance and it's historical, yes, but it's the chance to actually deliberate with your peer citizens about issues that matter to you in the town over which you have a reasonable amount of say. It's not like 300 million people

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voting or whatever, right? So, that's a rarity and it's a special thing and it skews older now, you know, people get older maybe less commitment and they appreciate it and all of us who are in town government are here cuz we like that stuff, so all right, but

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I don't think we really moved the needle significantly that way and some of it will be, I think, technology over time to a generation that is like, "Well, why are we all sitting here for 3 hours? Like, what's that?" But I think if we can continue, you know, to

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nip at the edges, right? So, things that Wayne and his team did to make it a much more streamlined meeting, that's really good. I think what Ryan and Aubrey and everybody did it, you know, with some summarization by us, but really their

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uh own initiative to get more information in many, many channels, podcast, website, whatever. I mean, get people to kind of learn about stuff. I think we just have to keep at it, you know, and just try to and maybe someday, you know, Sunday's a good and

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by the way, not what not only just May, but keep an eye like you want like crappy weather. >> [laughter] >> But, I think, you know, in in thinking back at it, we've done a lot of little things and some of them are are good. We

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just have to stay at it. And the last one is this idea of uh I use the term Brian taught me, operationalizing the the town meeting. So, we we we were pushed into sort of an operational role when we did all this stuff like the food trucks and this and that,

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but that really wasn't our purpose. But, there is a spot for it's a if we want to make it a centerpiece event, you know, you got to have some people who are willing to put the time in to do the regular things about promoting it and making sure everything runs well. So, uh

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so, those are takeaways. They're not quite in in the report, but as we keep going, I think that's that's important. And finally, I'd say, and no surprise to you, we're not the only town that's running into this. Almost every town we spoke with is has exactly the same

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problem. So, but I it was it was an honor to serve with this team, and they did a great job. >> Well taken, David. Yeah, you know, some of us with teenagers often fear for the collapse of intellectual collapse of our society. But

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>> [laughter] >> I I think that the >> felt the same. >> Yes, I'm sure. >> In fact, my mom reminded me of that a few years >> Yes, the exchange of ideas, the dialogue, you know, people coming prepared to have their mind changed and listening to their townspeople, all of whom

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make very good points. Um you know, it's it's a valuable forum, and it's not something that I experienced until I moved here 10 years ago. So, um good job on removing barriers and trying new ideas. What I What other I questions or comments do we have?

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>> I have a specific question about the Sunday, because I know we had it on Monday this year. I don't recall what the attendance was. I do recall you doing the opening poll question and asking, "Do you prefer Sunday or Monday?" And I thought the preference was Monday.

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>> Well, yeah, but >> it's a totally >> a totally skewed sample. >> [laughter] >> But where do you get the Sunday from? Like what >> Oh, the Sunday We we had we had ex- extensive, you know, we did a variety of surveys over the course of our work, and

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um you know, that there it it tilted towards Sunday, uh though, you know, there was a significant minority, um who said Monday, but um I I I think it deserves a couple more

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year trial and see how it it settles out. Um you know, that a year ago we had um the looming MBTA. We didn't have the exact thing, but we had the advisory articles and a couple of other

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uh controversial things. Um, but I mean, if you look at it as the pop- we actually get it from both ends. As the population ages, the number of of our residents who do not want to be out late because they're concerned about

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driving in the dark is increasing. People with younger kids offering child care in the school for, you know, 7:30, 8:00 meeting when you want them in bed at

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7:30 or 8:00 doesn't really solve the problem for them. Whereas, if it's Sunday and Brian uh may- maybe you should actually talk to you're the one who has the the clearest view on this. >> Yeah, it just it does remove a barrier

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to a certain group of people from coming. I mean, I can speak to my own experience with a first grader, third grader, seventh grader. I can leave them for several hours on a Sunday. My wife and I could leave them. On a Monday night, I'm not trusting the seventh grader to get everybody to bed and and all that. So, you know, this

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past town meeting I was the only one who went. She's watched online until it got to something she cared about, zoomed over, and then zoomed back. But, um also just being fresher at 1:00 in the afternoon versus 6:30, 7:00 at night, I think has to be factored in.

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>> Well, and the other point you made a number of times was that the child care issue is much easier for parents to deal with on their own on a Sunday afternoon. Like, you know, the okay, the fifth grader is going to spend the

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afternoon with friends or whatever. Um, so we obviously need to do some things to make sure that the Sunday meetings don't extend into 6 and 7 8 8:00 p.m. which was something that we we learned the first time that we we

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didn't have that one correct, but we now know to do it again, we know how I think we know how to do it right. >> Yeah, I mean we tried, as you know well know, we tried a food truck cuz it's sort of a lunch time. Didn't really get the response. Doesn't mean it was a bad idea. Just, you know, we have to be again more creative. The

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operational committee, and it's mentioned in the report, there's other ways to provide food other ways people could maybe have some kind of snack. Child care also, we didn't get the interest. There was an art club that Rachel Levy had proposed and then not enough people signed, but

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doesn't mean it was a bad idea. I mean it was the first time. So, I think part of the just going to Sundays will break the paradigm a little bit, right? I mean it it just is a different look. Again, early you got to thread the needle, right? Saturdays typically

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sports of kids. Sunday, there's church, but after that it tends to be a little bit generally a little bit more open. It's not football season, etc. etc. And if it's before all these other activities, there I am I do believe there's a window in say April where early April where

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there's not so much competition for that Sunday afternoon, and if you start it and you're still time efficient if you start at 1:00 and you're done by 4:00, that's not different than 6:00 to 9:00, 6:00 to 10:00. I mean, you can manage it inside a frame. And I I think

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we can begin to shake loose some people who feel there's impediments to them. >> Just to be clear, I thought earlier it was early May. Is it April or May? >> I would advocate for April personally. >> So, what what we've heard, which includes from town council Tom

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Harrington his his general perception is that for the the towns that meet, some meet on Saturdays, for example, Lincoln is all day, typically like the last Saturday in March.

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And I forget one of the North Shore towns was big advocate for Sunday. The ones that get the most attendance tend to be late March, early April. And the further you get into spring was Tom's observation was the more

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competition you get with other other events. You then have with April, you then have the issue of you don't want to do it on either weekend of the school break, so so that that's a little bit of a challenge, but you know, that that's why

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we said no later than early then the weekend before Mother's Day is is practically what I think your deadline is for a good Sunday. >> First Sunday in May of the year. >> First Sunday in May. >> Could be, yeah. >> And I mean, yeah, it goes back to

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Wayne's point, but set the calendar early. Take a look at I mean, one thing we didn't do well that first Sunday, we didn't do a full conflict check. Cuz uh we ran into college reunions, which was totally not on my, you know, or graduations, rather, which was

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definitely not on my radar screen. But I think if you take a look and you look at when are the seven yards and when is the Easter vacation and spring vacation. Is Mother's [clears throat] Day and when is Easter? And you know, you're going to triangulate around like two or three possible dates and if you pick it and

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people can I mean, it's again, this is a long iterative process and it may be in a few years if you give it a couple years and it's not moving the needle, then okay, maybe we go back, but we believe it's worth giving more than one try.

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>> Okay. >> Yes, John. >> Christine, you have someone on line. >> Okay. Just uh John Balentine 268's history. I just want to sort of reiterate Wayne's comment that going back 20 years

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and then I also, by the way, happen to read Dave Modells' uh 2009 letter of from the FinCom outlining the challenges that were running happening in budgets. And I think FinCom sort of

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deferred a little bit to it's in the budget book, and you sort of set the process, but if you look at the earlier letters, they're often saying, "Here's what the challenges are. Here's what's going on, and we know this is tough." And I think town meeting is a time to communicate these issues both by FinCom

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and the Select Board. And I think it's really important. You're the leaders. You've worked really hard to get here to communicate that, you know, quickly, up front, and say, "Here's what we're dealing with. They're not easy. We know that." And we've all seen the grumbling and seeing the woods and other places. And And so, and also and and School

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Committee does a tremendous amount of work. And as you know, Brian has, you know, and I have not read the recent report, but there's a lot of things there that's out there to be communicated. This is your one time when you got a bunch of people together. Let's use it to get it out there because not many people do it. And it doesn't

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have to be long, but just get there, say, "Here the issues. We're dealing with them. They're not easy. And um you know, you've done a tremendous amount of work. You're wrestling with all these issues. These are not easy, and we know that." And people need to know that. But I don't think that gets through easily. >> Yeah. Yeah, I think that's a

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great idea to open get down to business as Wayne called it, right? Get in there with the FinCom report and the budget presentation. >> But you guys, too. You should say something up front to them what you're doing because you're the leaders. You're the you run the process. And I think in some ways just having these committees [clears throat] is we

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look to you with the FinCom to make this work. And you work really hard. >> So, we have a comment online. Can you announce yourself, please? >> It's Nancy. >> Nancy. >> Oh, yes. I I Yeah, I just I wanted to add that um

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because I did the survey, um and Sunday came from survey results. And um in particular on the survey that we did last May, there was almost nobody that said that Sunday was harder. And of course that's a skewed sample too because those were

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people that were at that town meeting. But almost everybody said it was either easier or it didn't make any difference. So we do have some empirical evidence for why it makes sense. That's all. Just wanted to add that. >> Okay. Thank you.

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>> I would say Nancy was our data guru. I mean she ran the surveys and again, samples is small town sample sizes are small, but we get a couple hundred responses and you get some patterning. You presented that at some interim meeting I think a few year ago or so.

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Some patterns are emerging about what people think about it and so there's data. >> Can I just ask a question? So Wayne, you talked about forming before when you visited you said it was a kitchen cabinet that you had formed to to kind of give you from as from a I haven't read the

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report, but from a recommendation standpoint, what do you think is going to be most effective? Is this a formal cabinet type thing or board going forward and how do we maintain what you all have done as a committee and keep that momentum, but maybe we don't have

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that volunteerism. I don't know. >> Well, I think the two two things are connected. Well, um uh So I I I need to sort of figure out I want to consult with other moderators and

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because some some towns do have standing committees of various stripes and I want to I haven't had a chance to do research to find out which thing which formats actually work and which don't. Um in my mind I was

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thinking I would love to have a you know, a a set of people that say just thinking about the annual town meeting schedule. Um so, assuming that it's going to be late April, early May. Um I would love

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to have um people to sit down with say in February when we know what the warrant or is shaping up to be and talk about okay, you know, are what are there particular things we want to try and so

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forth and just you know, sort of brainstorm a a a bunch of things. And then um as we get closer to the meeting, there may be particular issues of um where I I'd like some advice to think

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through how do you know, what are you all hearing about, you know, how are exercise are people about this and that and can sort of just help me make some tactical decisions. Uh and then and then could meet afterwards to give me feedback, ask

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questions and and so forth. Um and you know, we'll come up with a bunch of things to do differently the next time. Maybe we meet in the fall, maybe we don't. We certainly would if there were a a fall town meeting. Uh but it's just meet a couple of times

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a year and the importance of having a committee be um a couple of things. One is if people are appointed to committee, they'll they tend most of the time to take the job a little bit more seriously, which is good. Two, um

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it gives me if I do implement some changes cuz there are a lot of things I can just decide to do unilaterally. Just because I have the power to do it doesn't mean it's smart for me to do it. But if it's a good idea and the committee has encouraged me to do that,

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then when I introduce the change, I can say, "Hey, the advisory committee thought we ought to try it this way, so we're going to try it this way. >> Sure. Give some legitimacy to the change. And then the third thing is the point that you mentioned is that that committee they'll have their Bible and

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they can say, "Okay, how we doing on on these things?" You know, there was this recommendation that was made a year two ago. Nobody did anything with it. Do we still think that's viable? Yeah, we do. So, let's pay attention to it. So, I think that that actually is part of the mechanism for

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follow-through of this report. >> Okay. Were there any aspects of the 2026 annual town meeting that you guys wanted to run through or like a after action review on that? >> Um

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I mean, I think we we made continued inroads into efficiency. >> Mhm. >> Uh the sequencing as Wayne mentioned of Um I can't remember exactly, but budget was right up I don't know if it was first, but it was right early. >> Yes. >> Uh I mean, listen, if you start from the

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beginning, the classic model is 7:00 p.m. There's lollygagging and delays in check-in, getting a quorum, and there's the exits, and then there's the roll call, and there's the report about the I don't know, some federal like threat thing, and then there's acknowledgement of people

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retired. By 8:00 you're settled in. Like people are like, "What? It's 8:00, right?" So, we moved it back an hour because people are not as tethered to their commuting as in years past. And again, and I from my own experience, I know that Mondays, if it is going to

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be weekday, people tend to work remotely at the edges of the week. So, we can start earlier. We're crisper at the beginning. We eliminated things that we didn't feel were actually necessary. Put the names of the volunteers up. Don't read all the names, you know. Little things, they add up.

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Then get the media issues up front. Wayne has proposed and it's worked out pretty well to cut the time allotted to presenters from >> went from eight to six and then from three to two on the >> So, you know, be crisper that way. Make sure people are lined up at the

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microphones, you know, things like that. So, if we can get through uh significant issues, then people will leave. And when when issues that they care about are presented in the gallery, they may decide to leave. And all right, you know, that's okay. But they're there for the

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ones that count, we'll take it. So, I think if we continue to I you're asking me about 26. I I think it was successful because there was still quite a bit on the agenda and we got through it with with with reasonable debate. It wasn't like there was no debate. There were issues

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that, you know, went back and forth quite a bit. But we kind of buttoned the whole thing up and it was done in the night. So, I think it was okay. >> I think one comment, just to echo I think something you said Wayne, and needing more >> [clears throat] >> these town meetings are getting more technically demanding in terms of not

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only the standard microphones, but we've got the clickers, we've got the AV setup, we've got >> Clickers helps a lot, by the way. That's a huge What's a That's been a huge >> But there's a lot there's a heavy lift now with just the setup, the AV setup.

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And and I think we need to as a select board, we need to make sure that the appropriate support and resources are brought to bear so that I know there were some delays at the beginning that related to the microphones and some people couldn't hear and then, you know, so I think

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it's on us to to make sure that that the town meeting has the appropriate technical support so that the moderator and all the participants can just get rolling. And it is a lot. >> On the clicker part, I I kind of towards the end you stopped using the

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clicker and it kind of went faster, but it was clear that those, you know, it wasn't it was clear anyway to me that it probably wasn't going to be a close vote. >> Right. That's right. >> So, maybe using the clicker a little less and just using it for the closer vote cuz I I think it really

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slows it down. >> Yeah, I've I've To be honest, I've I've gone back and forth. We started doing it that way. Then there was the question of well, how you deciding which things are are likely to be close or not and and

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you you see when you do the clickers, we have far fewer unanimous votes than we used to. >> Right. Yeah. >> So, that is telling you that the privacy of the clickers does matter. >> I think that was going to mention that. >> So, it's so I'm

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>> Right. >> I I sort of made the call on the fly that okay, it's starting to get late. If we go to the voice votes now, it'll probably be okay, but >> Yeah. >> I don't know Ask me how I feel the next time we have a vote. >> say I agree with Wayne and I

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I can tell you a close family member, I won't say who, on a certain issue, I won't say what, was disappointed that it was a voice vote because that person did not feel that he or she could say no to the issue even though they

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felt that they wanted to say no. And and even if it's going to be overwhelming, some people feel like they want to register their disapproval and or approval, whichever way it is. And I I think the clicker, the anonymity of the clicker. Now, does that run against the

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this town meeting uh at you know, of like everybody's in together and you have to get your fellow citizens to know what your opinion is. Maybe, but I think I think the anonymity of voting has helped. Makes it better. Vote.

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>> I'll just make a two quick thing come related comments to the items that you brought up is um I have spoken with spoken with Wayne about it, but I like the idea of a 5 or 6 minute like um you mentioned the Concord does state of the financial union. I think that it makes more sense. Right now, when I've

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done the presentation, more than half of it is state of the financial union. It doesn't have to do with the budget. But it's discussing Article 1, so it doesn't quite make sense. So I do think that that makes more sense and it also gives a little more breathing room to

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kind of give the big picture, if you will. So I like that. It would shorten the budget. It would also if the select board wanted to come up and discuss, it's not really appropriate on the budget because that's our budget that you either support it or not. But if there's more of a financial state of the union, I think that makes sense.

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The other one I wanted to mention is one thing that FinCom is as a goal for the summer working with Ryan is going to be to kind of codify our process in terms of dates and setting goals. And the way that we would do that is to work backwards from a set town meeting. So 90 days before

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town meeting, we are going to present X to the select board or whatever it is. That's the way that we plan on implementing those checkpoints. So with that so by setting an early date knowing that it's May 15th and we're going to work backwards from that at the very

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beginning of our budget process will be very helpful as well. >> Yeah, we're going to be setting those dates. Yeah, I would say I know that's on the agenda, isn't it? >> May 2nd. >> Yes, John. >> There's one other issue that we

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discussed at the Concord Human Service meeting today. As you know, it's been kind of percolating around City in the Woods, is there's a group of seniors and I'm and we're trying to evaluate feel like they're not their voices aren't being heard and what that means and

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you know, we were talking about it and part of it is just they're not coming to enough meetings and doing stuff and participating, so they don't understand stuff. But I think that is an important issue and it was and obviously part of this is around taxes, but there are more things than that and somehow and we at

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the COA/HS have to figure out what to do with that and how to get more sense of participation of this 20-30% of the town that is support things and not that they're being neglected. >> They're not coming for physical reasons to the meeting? >> We don't know and that we were talking

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about he's not going to town to various meetings and things like that and so we were talking about setting up a liaison like they should be going to the school committee meetings. They should be going to things so there's a a process of understanding and it gets communicated and instead they're feeling isolated at least a group and again we're trying to

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evaluate and figure this out and I can kind of look at numbers rather than sort of the process, but clearly this is a sense and you know, Rebecca, you know this and so this is something I think we need to work on because this is a significant part of the population. We want to make them feel supportive of what's happening rather than being

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excluded and there's something to sort of say, "Hey, I don't like what's happening here." >> Yeah, you should tap Nancy. I mean, accessibility was one of the things we discussed >> But this is more than town meetings. >> I know, but but broadly, how do you get people? Do you Is it transportation to

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get them there? Is it uh you know, how do you make it easy? How do you make it easier if if they have physical or cognitive disabilities to be part of this? >> But we want to be supportive of the school. >> Sure. >> Well, I think maybe if we're talking

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about closing the warrant early, right? And and socializing those issues um for a longer period of time, maybe that would give the opportunity to help and make that a special kind of initiative. >> Good come on, those nobody comes to their

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>> Right. >> So what's you know, I mean, this is a this is you know, you have these meetings done all the work and nobody shows up. >> Yeah. >> I don't know. Is it all for donuts and coffee? I don't know. >> [laughter] >> Well, I Yeah, I think these last couple of comments bring us sort of back to what the overall approach of the committee

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was. Which is to recognize town meeting, and particularly the annual town meeting, sort of feels like an event. But in fact, all it is is the caboose of a train

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that was a really long train, took off months and months before. And the more that people understand that if you really care about what's going to happen at town meeting, you need to pay attention and get

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engaged well before town meeting. I was personally I didn't know whether to be horrified, appalled, or just totally amused that the the day before this after 6 days after town meeting,

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the day before the town election when we're to vote on the the bond overrides, a discussion blows up on City on the Woods about, "Oh, what does all this mean for our taxes?" And all sorts of financial analysis, which

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had they had they had [laughter] they you know, had they looked at things that the FinCom had published 6 weeks before, they would have had their answers. But that is symptomatic of this lack of engagement.

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And so, the more that we can build awareness of this just this town is just about as transparent as as as any town government that I'm aware of. And you know, kudos to Ryan and the

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rest of the staff to make and and leadership of these two committees in particular. I was huge progress has been done over the last couple of years and people just need to be we need to figure out how to make them more aware of it and how to

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tap that resource if they're interested. >> Yeah. >> Can I just say that the amount of work not only for the volunteers who do the work needed to do town meeting but also the outreach between the podcast and the videos and the tours and the hearings

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and all of these things a tremendous amount of work is being done by the volunteers to push information out. Um and I'll say like even something is top of mind as the fire station you know our tours we have

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two or three people show up. And so um you know and I don't think that's a lack of we're you know Aubrey's pushing all the buttons in terms of social media outreach and so we need to continue to do all those things um but at the end of the day it's also incumbent on the residents >> That's true.

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>> to receive that and engage um and so yes there's always more we can be doing but we are doing a lot and I just want to acknowledge the tremendous amount of work that goes into not only the work for the articles but also the communication that we're pushing out for the articles. We're

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doing a ton. >> You know Christine you asked about the last meeting. And I believe and you and I spoke about this I believe the quality of the debate this spring was better. >> Yes. >> Wasn't a lot a lot of stupid questions like >> [laughter]

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>> people had paid attention those who showed up >> Yes. >> paid attention >> had paid attention to the prep work and were focusing on the issues that needed deliberation not so much the expository issues about you know that they got elsewhere. So I think >> And you know I think back to the different points of view that we had

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right the fall town meeting where we were all debating MBTA you know the young man stood up and I'm thinking oh my goodness what is he going to contribute to this conversation after we've been debating it for five hours and he says they're going to live in your basement if you don't you know like haven't thought of that.

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So, okay. >> MTA was an example where it was actually resolved for the most part before this fall town meeting. Because of But but because of all the pre-work though, that was an interesting case study where the once we got to town meeting, the kind of air was out of the balloon, so to speak. >> Yeah, but there are other reasons for

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that, but yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay, we're um running a little over on time, and we do want to get to actually scheduling >> We have and we also have to vote on the committee, right? >> Uh >> We're going to dissolve the committee? >> We're dissolving the committee.

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>> There's a motion um to accept the report and to dissolve the town meeting study committee. Do you want me to Do we want to Do we want to make that motion? Okay. >> [laughter] >> I've been doing forever. >> Well, you'd love you'd love We would love for you to dissolve it. I don't know that you need to dissolve it, but

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you might want to actually have a copy of the report before you vote to dissolve. >> Oh, you'll have that. You'll have >> We have I see something in email. I haven't read through it. If we have any follow-up questions, we know who to talk to. Okay. >> Do we want to move to So, why don't we move uh I move to accept the final report of the town meeting study

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committee as the committee's work is complete. I further move to dissolve the town meeting study committee. >> I second that. >> Okay, great. Thank you very much. Uh any discussion? Deliberation? Okay. Let's go ahead and take a vote. All in favor? >> I.

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>> Any opposed? Okay, the eyes have it. >> Go in peace. >> Thank you very much for [laughter] your work. Thank you. >> We're going to close our meeting if you don't mind. >> We have to close our meeting, too. >> Uh motion to adjourn forever.

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>> [laughter] >> I second. >> We have to do a >> We've already been dissolved. >> [laughter] >> Well, you just kind of disappear, but >> a roll call. So, I'll take a motion to adjourn. >> Second. >> Oh, is he on? Okay. I'll >> And our meeting schedule.

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>> Thank you, Aaron. Roll call vote? >> Burnstine? >> Brown? >> Tashjian? >> I'm here. >> Nolan? I'm here. >> Thank you. >> I'm here. >> Yes. >> I'm here. >> Thank you all for >> Good. So far, so good. Just trying to live up to your standards. Yeah, yeah.

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>> [laughter] >> It's your fault. >> Yeah, it's always been David's involved. It's always when Whenever we're doing David, we always say, "Oh, right. Congratulations." >> Thank you, David. >> Thanks for playing. >> You sure you don't want to stay around for the dates? >> We're going to set the dates.

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>> Do you have Well, we have to talk about that. >> Now we have to take care of Well, there wasn't until you presented. >> [laughter] >> Look what you walked into. >> Okay, so for the fall, it has been proposed for November 16th. Is that right?

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>> So that that's a date that we gave you as staff. If you want to push it back where it is. And the the two reasons why we're recommending that you do push it back is one, and Julie's in the room so she can add more color, but um the Planning Board has authorized

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Julie and Melissa through the Historical Commission to staff the demo delay bylaw effort to add more staff time to the outreach and the finalizing of of that process to to give it some more some more clarity, which which we think

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as a staff it needs based on conversations that that you've had. Additionally, the Bog House is in one of those situations where if you didn't have a fall town meeting, the land transfer discussion and vote um it probably doesn't have to happen in

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the fall, but it it probably shouldn't wait until the spring in terms of the timing. So, you could get away with not having the fall vote, but you shouldn't wait until until the spring. So, put this in a tough spot. So, because of that, we are recommending that you push the original

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date of October mid-October to November 16th. The reason why November 16th, the orchestra is there and they're a big tenant of the school and it would be a massive disruption to them and to the facilities to do it earlier and then you run into Thanksgiving. So the 16th is literally the first and only day you

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could do it. >> Okay. >> Where we Where we at with Ferns? Is there any update cuz I know there's a potential need for a vote depending on how things turn out with the perk testing even prior to November though.

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>> There's a lot of speculative information I can share. >> Yeah, I don't Yeah. >> I had a conversation with them today. It wouldn't be bad to have a potential placeholder for something Ferns related in November, but I I don't even know if that would be >> Okay, so you don't you don't think there

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might need action before November? >> No. But what we do think is that there would be demo demo the way bylaw something with the bog house and the article 97 transfer and then um you would have a round of CPA requests at a minimum if you had a fall town

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meeting. >> Okay, so just to check though, one of the recommendations out of our esteemed uh town meeting committee was uh Monday night is not preferred. Sunday would be preferred and Sunday is November 15th.

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So instead of November 16th >> Yeah. >> I know you said it's for annual town meeting, but let's I mean I have to say I think those same truths hold for families um in November is you know, it's not just April or May. Um so could we possibly check on November 15th?

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>> We did and you can't. >> We can or cannot? >> You could, but you'd be competing with the orchestra. It'd be very loud. >> Oh, I see. So the or Okay, that's what you meant by the orchestra. The orchestra is practicing or what playing or something? >> Um those are their performances in that time frame.

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>> I see. Okay. So, it really was November 16th. Okay. >> It would be a hustle for us to get it ready, but that's the really the only day. >> It's also football season. >> Yeah, that that that that that is that was part of the reason why we just

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focused on the annual and we figured that so many different things come up with the special that that it was it was hard to make a generalized recommendation. There's never going to be a perfect date for either of them. So, if it needs to be my personal view is if it needs to be

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Monday then fine. Put it Monday. The 6:00 start does seem to help. So, you know, we can stick with that. Um but um >> Okay. >> Just looking at my notes and I know I'm not trying to convince you here, but

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Diamond Park is also going to be the significant CPA ask. >> Right. >> It's the centerpiece presentation. >> Right. Yeah, I have that in my notes. Okay. Um So, what do we we need to vote on a date or what do we need to do for the date?

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>> We wanted to bring it to you for discussion. >> Okay. I don't see [clears throat] a motion. So, >> We didn't want to be presented >> We can move it. I mean, the other alternative was October 18th. >> Right, that's what we originally >> These are our it's a binary decision here. >> But they're not going to have his >> Right.

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>> So, there's it's not a it's so there's not really much debate or deliberation. >> It's funneling us >> [laughter] >> Yeah, we're kind of >> You have so many options of one. So, we may as well set that date, right? >> time. Yeah. >> have to have one either. We're just this is just a recommendation we're

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making. >> Yeah, there's I mean, the issues are stacking up. We we are trying to avoid it. What's that, Rebecca? >> We could cancel it. >> Yes, we can so >> Yeah. >> There's no reason not to set the date and then if we needed to cancel it later. >> Yeah, so if we are going to have a fall town meeting. Uh

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>> November 16th, Thursday. >> Yeah. So, can I Can we have a motion on that? >> I move that we uh schedule the a potential fall 2026 town meeting for November 16th at 6:00 p.m. in Corey Auditorium. I'm sorry.

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Bur- Burley Auditorium. >> I'll second. >> Yeah. >> Great. Okay, thank you very much. Oh, uh any discussion or deliberation? >> I would just one thing I would just mention and and I know um Julie's on board with this and she's

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going to be helping anyway, but one of the recommendations is that when there are bylaws on on a warrant that the full text of the proposed bylaw be there, that it's not just a placeholder in the warrant >> Oh.

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>> with language to come later as we unfortunately were forced into a couple of times. Uh and was you know, the last time demolition delay bylaw, it was a placeholder and they weren't able to finish. And I I I my

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informal position is um which is you know, subject to change, but but if if if a if the text isn't isn't published in the warrant I may conclude that there hasn't been sufficient notice to

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um to the town about what the changes are going to be. So, >> Okay. >> um that's incentive to the historical commission to um finish up the bylaw language early. >> That's a good idea. >> If they want to have a town meeting

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vote. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Okay. Where did we leave off? We >> That was deliberation. >> deliberation. Any other deliberation? >> I think the point is we need to quickly set some of those key deadlines cuz we've talked about the same thing of

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needing to get hard deadlines in for some of these cuz last go around it was things were changing up until the last minute then people pull your articles and then you're left with a Yeah, doesn't work. >> Okay. Let's take a vote.

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>> Okay. >> Voice vote. All in favor? >> I. >> I. >> Any no votes? Okay, the eyes have it. And I think that is fall town meeting and then the 2027 annual town meeting date. We had a

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>> Quickly before we move. Is there a date where we would for the warrant that we we could like You said put it needs to be in the published warrant. >> So you need 2 weeks to publish the warrant but typically we do a month. So your meeting on October 13th would be a good

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>> So October 13th, I mean informally people should know like pencils down for bylaws on October 13th or thereabouts. >> Yeah, that that's right. And part of the reason that the when we were trying to do regular fall town meetings that it

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didn't really take was people would disappear for the summer and then they didn't really get started until mid to late September and that's way too late for us. >> So coming out of this meeting that 16th means you're you need to be done the first half of October with all your

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language approved legally all that stuff. >> Absolutely. >> Okay, turning our attention to 2027 annual town meeting date. It has been suggested for May 17th which is also a Monday. >> No, it's just uh >> Just throwing it out there. >> Yeah.

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>> day you did this year but Concord's already set that date. Which leads me to another recommendation to you that I do >> strongly suggest that you make town meeting a date every year at 9:00. >> that's what we are yeah, during the >> Not something that you set every year. >> Like the first Sunday of every month is

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what I just >> Right. >> hypothetically proposed. >> Of May? >> Of May, sorry. May or or of April. I don't You guys were kind of You guys were kind of all >> Get through them quickly. >> Um >> You have 12 town meetings >> Well, historically it used to be like

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third or used to be April. For many years. >> Okay. >> And then we with COVID we moved back to June and then for reasons uh >> So, look at the span between November and April though. I feel like we're going to be like back-to-back.

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>> Yeah. >> That's um >> [clears throat] >> And with the holidays, I don't know. That's a super quick turn for people if uh they're shaping up before annual town meeting. >> Can I ask the town administrator so why did you come to conclusion it should be a set like the first Sunday because

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sometimes there's you need that flexibility. >> There's two reasons why I'm recommending. So, this comes from my work in other other communities. This the set date allows your your staff to help your boards and committees to create schedules with some consistency.

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And also because we've been driving the multi-functional use of all of our our properties. Like the school is completely stressed in their facilities' use, which [clears throat] is a good thing, in the Burley Auditorium. So, um by the time we decide to set a town

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meeting, you're you're kind of pushed to like this is the date you can have. If you set the date, I think it's easier to amend it, but that's reserves that date for you to have. >> Okay. >> And then it allows everyone to plan including myself, the FinCom budgets

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back plan so that you have everything you need to make those decisions. >> Can we just ask that we are making sure if we're going to do that kind of thing that we're taking into account religious holidays that might fall on the date and shift. So, that's my only concern about just saying the first Sunday in May or

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whatever. >> Right. Mhm. That's a good consideration. [clears throat] >> Orthodox Easter is Easter is >> Easter early. >> Or I have Orthodox Easter popping up on my >> And I think depending on the year, you'll get Jewish holidays.

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>> Yep. Passover >> Okay. >> first anyway. >> Okay. >> The second reason is >> Yeah. >> The second reason is what the study committee was talking about is the more consistent it is, the more people know when to look for it, the more likely you are to get participation. >> Right.

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>> So if they know the budget comes out at this time of year, they'll look for it. If it comes out scattershot, then there are some people who will be like, "Oh, that came out or it didn't or when does that come out?" And I do think that takes maybe even a generation to cement, but in some towns it's known when these things happen.

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>> Right. >> I think that drives you to the like the first weekend in May because April is the school break shifts around and like it'd be hard to say like the third or the final Sunday in April cuz sometimes that's school break, you have Easter, you have Jewish holiday, you have all these

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holidays and it it's putting you kind of into that first weekend in May. And then the second weekend is usually Mother's Day, so then you're it's like >> [laughter] >> quickly your options narrow. >> We can always amend it. >> Yeah. >> If we determine there's a >> But I mean if you want to say like it's

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this typically, it would probably be like the first weekend in May. >> Yeah. >> The second weekend is Mother's Day, third weekend we're getting late and we're involved in conflicts and April's school break's shifting around. That's two weekends. >> Yeah. >> So, I don't know.

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>> So, can we tentatively say So, when you put when you proposed Ryan May 17th, that's not because you'd already put some rigor to the, you know, scheduling or anything. That's just that >> It was the I thought it was the best day, but so it conquered cuz it was >> [laughter]

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>> Okay, so can we can we look at tentatively Sunday May 2nd then? 2027? >> Yes, May 2nd is I'm in 26, sorry. Just lost the summer in the winter, yep. Sunday, May 2nd.

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>> Okay. It's Orthodox Easter. Do we I don't know what our population is that isn't serving to >> Greek. Greek, too. >> Pasha. >> Yeah. I don't know.

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>> I don't think there's ever going to be a good day that 100% of the population can accommodate. >> No. So, why don't we put that in as the placeholder and then if we need to modify it for some reason, we can. >> Yeah. >> But we're 11 months out, 10 months out, it's a pretty good start.

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>> Yep. >> Unless there's some school conflict that's known at this point. >> I mean, Sundays are going to be tougher with these religious conflicts in general, but >> Yep. Right. Okay. >> We generally we're going to say just Sunday and then we'll discuss

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>> time were you saying in the afternoons? >> Um I think the 1:00 start is >> 1:00 start, okay. >> good time. >> Do we need to vote on that or do you want to research it and get back to us? >> Yep, that's good. We'll We'll schedule it. >> Okay. >> And then work the dates back in the various

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processes like FinCom and all that. >> Yep. Why didn't we like the 16th again? I'm sorry. Too late. >> Too late. >> Concord town meeting starts on the 17th. There's a There's a world where you'd have 2 days and you'd run into the Concord's meeting.

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>> You don't want to >> You start >> to get into college graduations, too. That's what we ran into last time. And nicer weather. >> [laughter] >> No, I really I would say I think you want to go back into April pre >> Okay. >> pre-break like the 11th.

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>> And we did this year late to give as much time as possible with the fire station to try to get the fire station. So, we intentionally pushed this past one as late as we thought was viable. >> Yeah. >> We didn't that wasn't intended to be a recurring practice.

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>> What do you think, Rebecca? >> I just have a hard time cuz I think they're like I don't know here in Carlisle, but I know at least I have two friends that celebrate Orthodox Easter, so I know it's a thing, right? Yeah. With the and

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so like I'm the the holiday would preclude them from coming to a town election that afternoon. Town meeting. I think probably it's like dinner with family and >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> And plus church in the morning, I would guess so. And yeah, travel

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to have family gatherings. >> Is Saturday any better? No. I don't know. Okay. Okay. >> This is the This is a problem in in increased problem with Sundays, right? You have more religious events typically. >> So, why don't we go ahead and I I don't want to discuss this anymore cuz we're

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running way over and we have our MVP discussion coming up. So, why don't we go ahead and um Ryan, research that if that's you know the date that really looks the best, um you know schedule it.

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Okay. >> But then we have to vote it by the next meeting or something. >> Yeah, let's just preclude and is there any other except for the holiday? Is that it? >> So, the other one was it going back far to April 11th. That's the other date. >> April 11th, yes.

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>> Which is really early. >> So >> I think would not conflict >> It would not be that early. That's [snorts] true. So, April 11th, May 2nd, which is the better option. Okay, let's go ahead and move on um cuz we are 12 minutes behind schedule. Okay, so

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item five our MVP presentation. Oh, we do have a hand up from Christina. Christina, yes. We would, yes. >> [laughter] >> Thank you. I just FYI that root to sustainability day has

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now sort of shifted to a Sunday, the first Sunday in May so that it doesn't overlap >> [laughter] >> Monday town meeting are ultimately >> What happened to Earth Day, Christina? Earth Day? What happened to Earth Day?

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>> Earth Day coincides with school vacation and we're trying to engage more students and parents. And so that's why we've shifted it to the first Sunday in May and it seemed to work a lot better this year. Just figured I'd, you know, throw

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another little wrench in the whole discussion. >> [laughter] >> Okay. >> Thanks. >> Okay. >> I swear I didn't set that up. >> [laughter] >> That's why you want to set the date as early as possible. >> Right.

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>> First mover advantage. All right. >> Okay, MVP. Julie, thank you for joining us. Sorry we're running late. >> And then let me screen share, please. >> Hopefully a less controversial topic you get to present to us.

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>> Hopefully. I don't know. TBD. Um So >> Should be >> Okay, great. Let me just get my Let me just see what I can do here. Some of you were on the select board when the

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MVP climate resilient Carlisle project um came around a couple times um with consultant Horsley Witten. Let me just see if I can get this to show presenter view. Hold on. There we go.

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Will it work? Yes. Okay. Um So, tonight I'm here to talk to you about the MVP process here in Carlisle and to hopefully get your support for um the report and the recommendations um

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such that you would incorporate the recommendations into your goal-setting discussions. Um I was going to start with a little background on MVP, like what it is at the state and local level, like really quick, um and then transition into the climate resilient Carlisle kind of

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report, if that makes sense to you. But, if you all are really familiar and don't want the background, just let me know. Um Okay. I'll try to be quick. So, um MVP stands for Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness. It's a program of the EOEAA, which is the Executive Office of

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Energy and Environmental Affairs. It started in 2017 and it helps communities build resilience to climate change. They offer planning grants and action grants. In 2020, Carlisle received a planning grant and did the Community Resilience Building Process that's required locally

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if a town wants to become eligible for action grants. So, 2020-2021, that process happened. That was before my time here, so some of you may have been involved in it and know more about it. Um but, I'm just going to try to kind of give a quick overview of what the goal was. Um the community came together and discussed

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the strengths, vulnerabilities, and opportunities um in the present and future related to a focus on infrastructure, society, and the environment. And, I don't know why my slide keeps advancing when I'm not touching my computer. Must be magic. Um but, anyway. So, in 2021, uh the culmination of that process

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was the Carlisle MVP report that was submitted to the state and that made the town eligible for action grants. So, fast forward to 2022-2023, I came to work for the town. There was the planning board was interested in applying for an action grant. So, we did

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apply and we received a grant and that would enable us to ratify the prior community resilience building effort, strategically tie that effort to the master plan and other prioritized work plans that were happening around town, make sure to include feedback from a wide range of boards and committees and

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involve staff who may have previously been siloed. So, really sort of building capacity in town hall. And again, what is happening? >> You're out of time. >> Oh, did I do that to myself? >> Could be built into the the deck. >> Well, I did not intend for that, so

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maybe I should just [clears throat] talk faster. Okay. >> [laughter] >> And the goal would be to create a road map for implementation, basically ratifying the prior discussions. Um Okay, now I'm faster than the slide. Okay. So, in 2024, the MVP core

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committee was established and included a lot of different staff and board representatives. We hired Horsley Whitten Group as the consultant lead on the project. In February, we had a community forum and kicked off the project. In spring, we did deep dive meetings with many different boards and committees in town to kind of like understand the priorities locally. In

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the summer, Horsley Whitten revealed their preliminary findings, which yielded six major themes. And then in the fall, we did circle back meetings with the boards and committees to just figure out, are we forgetting anything? What are we missing? Like, is this really the direction we want to go in? Do you guys all agree with these

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preliminary findings? Okay. I'm really fast. In the winter of 2025, we concluded the circle back meetings. In the spring, a draft report came out. We did a community wide survey. There was a postcard that went to all households in town announcing that survey. And then in June, the Climate Resilient

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Carlisle Report was released and the MVP core committee started to transition towards implementation of the recommendations in the report. So, this is just a summary of the planning effort. I'm just going to skip past this. But this is There was a lot of work involved in this process. And so, now moving forward to what is

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climate resilient Carlisle? I feel like I'm going to have >> [laughter] >> Okay. So, it's kind of fun. I like the challenge. Okay. So, basically, um it's it was a project to protect what we love about Carlisle by preparing for the impacts of climate change um with goals and recommendations rooted in um

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Carlisle's values and that would be local and realistic. Okay. Um so, there were six themes and 20 recommendations. My plan is to quickly go through the six themes and then note kind of one recommendation that fit into each theme. Um and you guys can get the bigger picture by actually reading the report which has

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all of the uh recommendations. So, um first I'm going to start by just noting that all of the recommendations are tied to a toolkit for action. So, changing local zoning is not always going to fix everything cuz the town changes slowly over time. So, zoning isn't always the tool. Um there's policies, there's GIS,

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there's education and outreach, there's different town initiatives and programs. Um so, the report kind of identifies recommendations and then identifies lead boards and committees and the different pieces of the toolkit that would be um would be utilized to implement the recommendations. Okay. So, theme one is

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eco-landscapes. Um Let me just give you a little information. So, we started with eco-landscapes because they form the foundation of our water systems, biodiversity, carbon storage, and flood prevention. Um we need to protect or restore natural systems to protect homes

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and people. Um the These are the key actions. So, ensuring open spaces are valuable and connected, encouraging resilient landscaping practices, and preserving trees both public and private. And the action that I'm going to delve into tonight is um creating valuable connected open space.

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So, we currently have some zoning bylaws that um like the conservation cluster and residential open space community that require a portion of the property be preserved as open space in perpetuity. Um that open space like the language in those bylaws isn't really that tight or that strong. So, the goal

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would be to look at zoning and um strengthen the language around open space so that it creates um meaningful wildlife habitat, connects to existing natural areas, um extends extends habitats um and just

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like achieves more of the goals of why we want to have open space in town. Um and that would um Let's see. So, it's good planning, it supports flood mitigation, water quality, bio and biodiversity protection. So,

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Okay. Theme two, fire protection. A little quick overview of this view. So, Carlisle 70% forested, it's a great asset, but also a huge vulnerability. Um our development pattern with large homes tucked into mature forest um is classic wildland urban interface or WUI, which

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is where fire risk tends to spike. Um so, the key actions that are recommended in the report for fire protection are developing forest management plans with landowners, educating homeowners on the wildfire risk and mitigation that they can do in their own properties,

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promoting safety for battery-powered technologies, um and mapping, analyzing, and oh no. Uh mapping, analyzing, and expanding firefighting water sources. The action that I'm going to talk about tonight is related to education um for homeowners on wildfire risk and ways

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they can mitigate. This includes things like safe vegetation placement around the property, using fire-resistant building materials, um if you have uh battery-operated um technology like an EV or an electric

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scooter or uh batteries uh storage, basically alerting the fire department they can have a registry, map it, and then if there's an issue at the property when dispatch goes out, they know that that's on the property. And then when they get there, there could be a sticker program actually that identifies like where that is. So, because they require

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different types of um fire suppression methods, um and they burn a lot hotter. So, they're a risk for our firefighters. So, that's kind of like you might remember the top finder program. I actually remember it. I was alive during that. >> [laughter] >> Um, we had those on my windows at my house. Um, so it'd be a similar kind of idea like battery inside this room,

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right? Um, okay. And then there's also this idea of like request to coach. So, it comes from the HeatSmart Alliance. Um, and people can recommend that a trained volunteer come to their home and give them custom advice on how to reduce fire risk around their property. So,

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that's something the fire department is um, interested in trying to implement in town. All right. So, um, theme three floods, wetlands, and drainage. Um, this is a fast-moving, high-stakes topic. About 20% of Carlisle's land area

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is in a flood hazard district. We've also got a lot of wetlands, ponds, roadside swales, and private wells and septic systems. So, there are three key actions. Um, expanding the flood plain in the local code, enhancing wetlands protection, and clarifying ownership and

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maintenance of roadside ditches. So, the wetlands protection one is the one I'm going to talk about because the conservation commission is actively looking to update their wetlands bylaw. Um, I think they got some feedback from town council that they're going to digest in the next couple months with the hope to bring something to maybe

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next spring town meeting. Um, that's the update I got today. But, there are things we can do like have a local wetlands buffer so that we're not just relying on the state regulations. We can actually have some stronger regulations locally. Um, additional flood storage requirements, storm water um, management

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that applies to smaller projects. There's a variety of things and the cons com is looking at all of them. Okay. So, theme four ooh, housing and buildings. Um, so this one um, addresses ways to mitigate the environmental footprint and carbon

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emissions from existing structures. Um, key actions related to this are retrofitting historic structures while preserving historic values. So So, allowing people who own historic structures to retrofit for climate adaptation um in a way that still preserves historic

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value. Um reusing structures and materials to reduce carbon emissions. Reducing environmental footprint of large homes and yards. And so, in this one there's a few initiatives locally that are underway that I wanted to highlight. Um So, we have the Bog House conversion,

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[clears throat] which is a reuse and adaptive reuse of an existing um historic structure. There is the Planning Board is discussing an update to the distinctive structures bylaw, which to expand adaptive reuse options for structures that were constructed prior to 1932.

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Um and then the Historical Commission is looking at a demolition review bylaw that would include language incentivizing deconstruction as an option for having a demolition delay released earlier um than the 12-month period. So, those are some things that are underway.

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And then the language in the demolition review bylaw contemplates promoting salvage and reuse of materials similar to what happened with the Greenough Barn property, which I have a picture here on the screen. So, that's a local uh What am I trying to look for? A local

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example of a great outcome. Okay. All right. [laughter] So, theme five, infrastructure. Um So, this the part of this resilience [clears throat] conversation is interesting cuz it involves things that are underground and invisible, right? Like your septic systems and your wells, things that are above ground and taken

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for granted, right? like roads, culverts, and catch basins, and then the things in between like electrical, right? But these are all things that Carlisle residents rely on every day. Um so, it's important that um all the systems are considered in terms of climate

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adaptation because they are under threat from climate change. So, the key actions in this theme are evaluating problem areas for power outages and considering whether it might make sense to try to underground in some locations, although that is very costly.

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Um, clarifying implications of local septic and well standards, um exploring a septic system utility for long-term maintenance and investing through capital and grants and maintenance and repair of roads, culverts, and catch basins. And we did

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just I can't say we cuz I didn't really do it, but Ryan and Sarah just applied for an MVP action grant actually for design work for four of our most vulnerable culverts um in town. So, hopefully >> Number three That That What does that mean? The septic

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>> one I'm going to talk about, actually. So >> Like a municipal utility or uh >> So, a septic utility basically would would be a third-party entity that would oversee and manage um the

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inspections, maintenance, um and of the private septics throughout town, right? So, it's People are concerned that, you know, septic systems aren't being maintained and could be leaching into the groundwater where we get our drinking water from, right? So, a septic utility

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kind of takes that fear by fear away by like having a third-party entity really be responsible uh for overseeing local septic systems. Um they wouldn't own them. They would just like um communicate with homeowners, identify emerging risks, um

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remind uh homeowners about inspections and pump-outs. There would be a database. There could be a lot of data gathered that could support other efforts in town. Um it's the kind of thing like I used to work in a town with a stormwater utility. So, the stormwater utility worked in like maybe a similar way where

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each homeowner paid up, you know, the amount of their property frontage on the public street was what they contributed to the stormwater utility. And then the town would go in and kind of maintain the stormwater infrastructure for them. Um so you're not relying on individual homeowners to remember to maintain

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>> Right. >> uh, you important utility infrastructure on their property. >> And that's something the town would contract with with the utility and fund through >> Yeah. So >> tax base? Like how do those normally work? >> So I am not the expert on this and we

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would need to dig into this a little [clears throat] bit more, but my understanding is you we could start slowly, like a pilot project, kind of see if there are homeowners that want to participate and try to build it from there. Um, so it's something to just put a pin in for the future. And this is an The

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reason I showed this one is because a lot of the things I've shown before are things that like the town is already kind of working on. And this is something that would be more of a long-term recommendation that would involve considerable discussion. Um, it'd be a whole new kind of model. There are towns in the state that are doing it. Um, and they're they're largely

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towns that are entirely reliant on septic systems, um, for wastewater management. So. >> Like us. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So, more on that definitely I can like try to answer your questions, uh, offline, too.

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And then theme six it is the last theme, social resilience. Um, I just want to make sure I say the things I should say. Uh, so >> [laughter] >> this theme gets to the heart of the matter, right? This theme is about people, right? So, resilience is hyper

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local. It's about neighbors helping neighbors, right? And being there and providing assistance and support when things go wrong. Um, so there are a couple actions under this. The first one is exploring housing options to support family and social connections balanced with ecological impacts. Um, and then

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the second one is cultivating community and social connections. The one I'm going to focus on is this picture of an ADU in Concord. Um, 92% of Carlisle's housing stock is single family homes. Most have three or or bedrooms. Um, many have four or more. This doesn't work for everybody.

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Carlisle has an aging population as well. Um, many residents are looking for one floor living, smaller homes, walkable access to service and neighbors. Um, again, proximity to neighbors can be the most important thing if we have like a climate disaster. Um,

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so this involves like some zoning changes. There were some last year, right, for the ADU bylaw to align with the state. So, that kind of helps with this, right? Um, but additional zoning changes that deal with um, designing neighborhoods for accessibility and connection, smaller homes, clustering,

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um, to help people stay connected, um, which ultimately is a form of social resilience. So. Um, this is also aligned with Carlisle's housing plan and master plan. >> Thank you. And the last slide, >> Sure. >> it it was the one right before this. Explore housing options to support

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family and social connections balanced with ecological impact. What is just so I understand cuz it's kind of broad. >> Right. >> Is that saying like we want to look at expanding housing options, but we want to look at the ecological impacts of what if you have

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too many houses? I'm trying to understand I mean, cuz it >> Yeah, this is my awkward way of saying it's not just going to be runaway density, right? Like it's going to have to be a balance of all things, right? >> Okay. >> Especially in a town um, that cares so deeply about open space protection and also is reliant on

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septic and well. So. Okay. >> Yeah. Does that answer your question? >> Mhm. >> So, that is the quick and dirty presentation. >> It was great. Nice to >> Sure. Um,

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that was really >> So, there's a lot of big >> Yeah. >> things in here, right? And I'm sure if you go through them all, they all make sense. You're like, that sounds good. That sounds good. Then there's the lens of what's practical, what's the bang for your buck? What's tactical? Um and is

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Is it kind of So, do we view this kind of like the master plan of like here are our goals and then as as each respective committee looks at its goals you know, we kind of map them to different things and you you take some of these big ideas and you translate it

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into prioritization and a specific tactical plan. >> Yeah, so one of the things about this is like it really does tie into a lot of things that are already kind of outlined in the master plan and the process was a ratification of conversations that have happened

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over a long period of time. Um there are of course a couple new ideas in here, right? Like the septic utility is kind of a new idea. Um but the planning board did vote to support this. The MBP core committee was one of their um I guess subcommittees you would call it. Um

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or one of their They were the parent committee of this committee, right? So, they are building it into their goal setting as well. Um they're the recommendations that are in this that where they're listed as the lead entity or a major contributing entity, they're building it

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into their goal setting process. So, I was kind of imagining a similar thing could happen. Um >> Cuz I don't know where to begin like >> Well, >> in terms of So, for an example, like um like we know from working on the fire station like forest fires are like one

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of the biggest threats to Carlisle. So, you could say we're going to spend $50 million building culverts at every particular location, but it's not practical and we have to prioritize that. We're going into a goal setting session in July and I'm just trying to think about how do we

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Go ahead and jump in. >> And so, if would you mind putting that presentation back up and your six or five or six major themes that you >> Yeah, and I was actually we do have an implementation matrix actually that the core committee made that kind of >> on the

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on the So, I was going to suggest if if it's goal setting, again it's like the master plan where you have all of these these different competing things. In this case it's they're all they're not really competing, but they are competing for

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our time relative to those themes and and I'd love to tackle all of those simultaneously, but I don't think the town, you know, or at least it's the select board has the you know bandwidth to tackle everything. So, it's

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almost like we have to prioritize for at least for [clears throat] a year's goal and give our staff kind of the direction of these are the priority or we take those from the boards as you were saying Scott like but we're still going to have to decide from the board's standpoint

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relative to our budget and what we think are town priorities. So >> I think we're kind of doing like in the in the case of fire protection like we've kind of said we're going to support this fire station cuz we want to maintain the volunteer we want to the level of fire response and then you you defer to the fire department to say

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here's a particular program to educate So, I feel like we we've kind of ad hoc done that to some extent with fire protection. These other ones some of them we have infrastructure with the culverts and drainage and all this other stuff. >> Right. But but Scott for fire protection you know you said we've kind of done

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that we have but we've got you know as the chief would say well we could do a lot more of education outreach on and and so do we want to channel our resources and say that's really important and we should focus on that or not. >> Well, I think the chief should be like

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he should be getting this presentation and he should be like yeah let's do the back cuz I know like battery is an important thing there. So, I think each chief's department yeah. >> The chief was on the committee. >> I don't think we can as we can set high level goals but I think we do need the different departments to

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make recommendations. >> So, I think that some of these organically align with what the select board was going to discuss as part of our goals right? And then some of these might be better delegated to other committees and boards. >> Right. >> So. >> Like the septic thing, like

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who should look into that? Is that planning board it like where does that live? >> So we have a matrix or the we do so just so so the fire chief was heavily involved in this. He was on the MVP core committee as were but I I should have had a slide for this but we had someone from conservation, health, fire,

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uh DPW, >> sustainability >> sustainability, Ryan me like planning I'm forgetting um ESC members were very involved. Um and we came up with this matrix and we had identified we worked with Horsley Witten to identify the lead

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entities, supporting entities and then also time frames. So the yellow ones that are highlighted over on the right are either initiated or in progress um in some fashion and this spreadsheet kind of extends out with lots of notes but >> That's good information. >> This is

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yeah and then we have >> Do you have select board next to I mean I guess maybe maybe our job is to figure out what our what our name is next to. >> There's there are a few related to infrastructure um and so you guys could agree or disagree and let us know. >> Okay.

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>> So that's that's all. >> have done the hard work of still that's great. >> And then I did separate out the 2026 ones >> Well I again I'm saying they're all important in their own way but but you don't have physically the time or resources to focus on anything. So I

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think someone needs to take some leadership of giving direction to to people and and you're right maybe organically it just happens but maybe not. >> But this is this is >> Their leading entity column kind of assigns out who should logically have the action and then

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>> Did you work with those entities to identify them? >> Yes. Yes. And then it's a suggestion for the few that are assigned to the select board, we will absolutely consider those when we're setting our goals. I think it's July 7th that we decided on. So.

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>> Is there any process by which like I don't know if there's like an MVP like an annual meeting or something where we just cuz we got all these lenses, master plan, MVP like it's helpful to have this something like this where annually you have like we have our select board

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goals. Some of them align with MVP goals. MVP's got its own goals. Just this annual kind of check-in and goal setting process that just becomes codified so we know that these these big ideas are actually being translated into action and that different this work is

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happening. Right? Cuz we can't we can't oversee all these different elements, but we I do think we have an obligation to make sure that it is happening and something like this is a great tool. >> Yeah. Yeah, I agree. >> So there the select board is

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like you've identified the the overall executive of the town. But you have committees and staff that do all of these functions. What I would suggest is you meet with them and ask them The great example is Aubrey and I went to the COHS meeting today and they were

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talking about that last item number six, social isolation and what they can do in order to create more connection. They don't use the MVP language, but it would be great for that committee to have a charge to say read this report and come back to us with what you think your ideas would be

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cuz it it would engage them. It would allow them to do that work and then you get a report back on some actions that could be taken. Like housing options and other things that allow you to communicate better to the public why you're focusing on X or Y issue, not because it's a fringe issue,

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but because it aligns with all of these different goals. The fire chief's another example. He works for you. So if you said give us a presentation on our vulnerabilities in terms of water access for fire fighting, then I think you would have a better idea of where to invest capital.

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Cuz he's been talking about it, but it's not necessarily in the capital plan. Because cuz there's there's other priorities. But a big talking point for the DPW was the cistern and its ability to help that building in that area, and that doesn't meet this plan, but it's not necessarily

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talked about that way. It's talked about individually, and it should be talked about holistically. So, as you bring these boards in, you might have talking points from the master plan, from this that say, "What what have you been doing here? What should we know?"

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>> We need to balance the We need to balance those vulnerability planning with immediate needs and all the other things we deal with. So, that's I think where the trick comes in. >> And I'll be candid, you have some advisory groups that are working on what they think they should be working on,

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for good or bad. And you should be checking to make sure they're aligned with your goals and this. Most of them are, however. saying like there's a ton of rogue boards out there. But if you think that fire protection is the town's number one issue, then you know, most of your advisory board should

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be considering it. >> And that's what I was kind of suggesting, is that you almost have to prioritize some of those in that, because we want boards to focus on what we think is our should be priorities. >> Right.

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>> Okay. >> There's a comment from Christina Sideropoulos. >> Comment from Christina. >> Hi, thank you. Um I was a part of the the MVP core committee. >> introduce yourself? >> I'm so sorry. Christina Sideropoulos, co-chair of the Environmental

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Sustainability Committee, Highland um I'm not Highland, oh my gosh, it's my previous address. Hemlock Hill Road. Uh thank you. Um so, I just one thing that kept coming up during the process was um the the concept of balance, because um,

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these these goals can be competing if they are addressed in a vacuum, um, because addressing just one of the recommendations could negatively impact, um, if it's only addressed in a vacuum,

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could negatively impact some of the other recommendations. And so, um, one of the one of the difficulties we had was trying to figure out how to balance everything. And so, I just wanted to convey that, um, in in your goal

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setting, in, you know, priority setting, um, that it's sort of important to not just focus on one thing without, um, taking into consideration how it impacts some of the other recommendations. Um,

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and there's no easy answer for that, um, other than keeping the big picture in mind with all decisions in relation to the MVP. So, just wanted to share that. Thank you. >> Thank you, Christina. >> This is grant valuable, too. So, we took

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a big swing at MVP, and the the grant we applied for is 600 grand for court. >> Oh, excellent. >> So, it's not it's not small. >> Excellent. >> access to funding. >> Right. >> But, the committee will have to decide where that goes. >> Yeah. >> So, the top goal of the MVP plan is to

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secure funding. That's how we get you to talk about it. >> [laughter] >> Okay. Is there anything else on this topic? Are we >> There was a motion. I don't know to, um, what was it? Endorse? I'm not What What

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does that mean? Does that We don't have to formally accept it. Is that correct? >> Right. >> You just want us to >> Like acknowledgement that you support the work that was done, the report, the recommendations, and we'll build it into your goal setting framework. >> Great.

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>> Um and it does dovetail a lot with like the master plan housing and open space point. Like there's a lot of overlap. >> Okay. Thank you, Julie. >> Sure. >> Can we get a motion? >> Do we need a motion on I mean, I think we can just bake this into our goal setting because

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like when we say move to endorse the final report recommendations, I don't know that I'm ready to endorse like recommendations, right? I would just say maybe it maybe tonight we just yes, we endorse this work. We want to build it into our goal

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setting. And I think that's probably enough. >> So we will endeavor to incorporate these into our as you know, into our goal setting. And yeah, okay. That makes sense. But no motion necessary. >> Yeah, I don't I don't think we need a Do

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we need anything from a grant standpoint that's official? >> No, the not Well, not from my perspective for this grant. >> Yeah. >> My comment is the the town brought all of its different interests and entities into this plan.

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So there is no board or committee that's going to agree with all the recommendations. >> Right. >> What we're trying to get you to do is to see holistically the various recommendations here and how they all interconnect. Because you're not the only board that's going to say

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we're not sure yet if we want to endorse this, but we are asking you to engage with it. >> Okay. >> So how how about maybe I take a run at a motion that's a little bit different. I move like What if we said I move to endorse the MVP preparedness final reports and and the

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goals identified within that report. >> How is that different than the recommendations? >> What's that? >> How is that different than the recommendations? >> goals recommend To me, recommendations are specific tactics. Like it's that's it's that whole spreadsheet, right? And I don't know

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that we would endorse every specific >> I like the work that's been done. I'm not >> No, I know. >> Okay. >> But I mean, do we want to endorse the report itself or the >> No, I'm happy with endorsing the report. Yeah. I mean, I think we paid for it and I think we got our money's worth, more

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than so. >> Well, it was grant funded. It was grant Excellent. >> Do we not want a motion then? Just or do we want a motion just to endorse >> Let's do a motion to have a formal endorsement. >> Okay. I move that we endorse the municipal vulnerability preparedness final report.

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>> I'll second. Thank you. We're back. Any discussion or deliberation? Okay, let's go ahead and take a voice vote. All in favor? >> I. >> I. >> Any no votes? Okay, and the eyes have it. Thank you very much for your time,

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Julie. That's good work there. >> be ongoing? I mean, like the MVP Okay. >> So, the implementation committee is going to meet periodically. Um the MVP core committee was disbanded by the planning board so that we could transition to implementation. Okay. And then we will meet uh periodically and then we report to the state once a year.

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>> Okay. >> Yeah. >> And it'll be good for us to get >> Yeah. >> And just want to acknowledge the work of staff and volunteer work that went into this and um it wasn't always pretty, right? It was It was a very energetic discussion about [clears throat] a lot of these difficult

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topics. Like most of the important things in Carlisle. So, um I suggest or recommend that everybody read the report, not just the select board, but um it is a it is a compromised document that is trying to address what what could be the strongest vulnerabilities of the town.

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It's a 20-year document. Um like the master plan. And it's a lot of good stuff in there. >> And it is bringing grants into Carlisle, too. Like it is allowing >> Yes. >> Which is important people understand. This isn't just a academic thing that's sitting on a shelf. This actually is benefiting the town financially, too.

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>> Yep. >> And the things that make Carlisle great are also the things that make it the most >> vulnerable. >> Yeah, so. >> Great. >> Thank you again, Julie. Okay, the next topic on our agenda is item six, notice of intent to sell land

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classified under MGL 61 section 8 right of first refusal. And um there's no sponsoring entity and if we were to pursue this right, we have no money to actually buy it. So, I might In my mind anyway, I'm shaping up to one

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pretty easy vote, but everyone, you know, tell me what you think. Do we have any discussion on this point? >> Is there any other commentary? So, so for background, the the state allows through law, which have been

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adopted by the town, certain exemptions for property use. And this was This was one of them. Uh 61 section 8. So, in exchange for preserving or using a land in a certain way, the town charges less taxes to that resident.

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The benefit to the town is if that protected land comes for sale or they try to put it into a different use, then you get the right to buy it first. So, that's what this is. >> Okay. >> Um I will say we've had a lot of conversations about land. The best way

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to purchase land is to to get way ahead of the actual sale of it because you're now in a situation where in order to buy this piece of land, you would need to call a special town meeting before your fall town meeting. >> Yes. >> Um and I'm Yeah. >> So, the Oh, sorry, Travis. Go ahead. >> No, go ahead.

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>> I was going to say this piece of property came up during the MBTA discussions, as you may recall, right? And the owner spoke, I think, in this very room, if I recall, uh and said that um you know, he was wanting it to be

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the piece of land designated and you know, was ready to sell to a developer. Um you know, but that's I think that's the first and last I've heard on this piece of property. I don't have I I did take the pulse of some

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communities in or committees in town and asked if anyone had any designs on this piece of property and I got a bunch of um no's. So again, no sponsoring entity, no funding set aside, we're not prepared for this. I feel like it would be a

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distraction. What are you going to say, Travis? >> I was going to say that I've over the years on the select board, there are parcels that come up from time to time and it it tends to be this type of reactive situation and so jumping ahead to our goal-setting session, I think

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it's going to be important for the select board and for the town to make sure we understand the parcels and the I think the planning board may have already done this at some point or we have, you know, but prioritizing the parcels that the town is interested in, especially the interconnectedness of

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those and and you know, so maybe we'll get to a goal or something of really focusing on getting our staff to and committees to focus on that. >> Yeah. >> So we're ahead of the game and we know what we would as a town like to try to

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acquire someday if it becomes available rather than reactive. >> Yeah. And Ryan, we have no budget line item for this sort of thing, right? >> No. Um >> any hidden funds somewhere. >> Yeah, to just to add to Travis's comment, the open space and recreation

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plan does identify and prioritize land for that purpose. Uh we've made recommendations to the CHT before that they should be try to proactively identify potential affordable housing parcels. But you know, you're talking lots of money here to buy. Um mechanically

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if you are interested, we need to act pretty fast and you need to direct us to do so. Um if you're not, it would be I don't know how else to say it. It would be mean to hold it up. Right? So, um we don't want to presume that you that you do want to buy it or you don't, but if you definitely don't, it would be

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good to tell them so that they can move on. >> Okay. >> Um but what we're talking about here is identifying pieces in the future that it would as Travis said, it would be less reactive. Oh, this is up and it's out of chapter 1. And great, we can now do something. >> Right.

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>> And that's again, like we just talked about with MVP, it's a coordinated, you know, effort among different constituencies in town. You know, it could be affordable housing, it could be recreation. I mean, there's a lot of considerations. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um

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any other deliberation, Rebecca? What do you feel about this? >> Let's buy it. >> I know, right? I'm like >> Wait, it's 14 acres. Somebody said to me at some point, maybe those kinds of parcels will come up for sale someday. >> Yes. >> Here we are. >> Here we are. >> Anyway,

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um no, I don't have any. >> So, I think the best thing to hope for would be a developer, you know, for if if you're in favor of, you know, more housing and more diverse housing in Carlisle. Uh if the developer who gets it goes

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through a friendly 40B, so to speak. And I'll put that in air quotes. So. >> This town has a recording [laughter] and I'm just, you know, like >> Yes, Julie. >> It has an approved conservation >> Great. >> for a common driveway for six lots. >> Yeah. >> Oh, excellent. It's on here. >> Yeah, yeah.

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>> Six lots. >> The conservation cluster? >> Yep. >> Which is >> It's it's a it's a >> Were you >> Yeah, so it >> You you >> Oh, yes. I did say >> You got like um the other What's the name of the development? >> So,

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there's Wood Ridge Village, which is a residential open space community where all the structures are on one lot and then there's preserve land in the back. This is actually six two acre lots and then but they share a common driveway and housing and then the back part is would be converted to permanent for open

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space preservation. >> In reality with $2.4 million purchase price on the the thing that's $400,000 a lot, it's none of them are going to be affordable per se and that's >> Right. >> Right, we don't require inclusionary zoning in our bylaws so

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>> Okay. >> we're not going to get any >> No. >> No. >> I would I would prefer we allow the owners of the land to move forward so I >> I think that's exactly right. Okay, so can we get a motion then? >> Uh which number is it?

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>> We're on page 33 of 109. >> I'll do it. I move that the select board vote not to exercise the municipality's right of first refusal under Master General Law Chapter 61 uh Section 8 with respect to the property identified in the notice of

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intent dated June 3rd, 2026 and authorize the chair to sign and transmit the written notice of non-exercise and any related documents required by law. The notice of non-exercise shall contain the record owner's name and a description of the premises adequate for identification and shall be recorded at

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the registry of deeds. >> Do I hear a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Travis. Any discussion? Okay. Let's go ahead and take a vote. All in favor? >> I. >> I. >> Any no votes? Okay.

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The eyes have it. >> We had two options prepared and this is the negative option so if you could all sign each of these, this is the letter as described in the motion. >> The other option have like the little kitty where we put start putting money >> [laughter] >> This is the envelope

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>> The five of us contributed a half for dollars. >> The other option would we stay here all night. the end. >> [laughter] >> Anyone go back to the budget transfers? >> [gasps] >> Yes. >> Uh Kel Carpenter, 683 East Street, I'm here for the school. >> Yep. >> While you guys sign, I wanted to ask um does anybody in town

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have a list of properties where um you know, on which you could exercise that? I'm curious about that. How many properties we talking about? >> We do. >> The open space plan has a list of 61 properties. 61 properties, yeah. Sorry, not 61 properties. >> 61 >> Yeah, 61 properties.

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>> Oh, okay. >> Um I can share it with you. I'll email it to you right now. >> And chapter 61 again is >> forestry, farm, and the 61, 61A, and 61B. I'm forgetting what they all There's three of them. But this one is 61, forestry.

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>> The concept is a use that the town would benefit from. Forest, agriculture, open space. >> Which leads me to my next question. Deeds. >> And to to be a to be the to qualify, do you have to be of a certain size and Like what what qualifies you for the chapter?

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>> Well, like in the farming one, you have to be a certain size, you have to actually sell I think $600 worth of product a year. You know, there's there's certain metrics and I would think everyone would qualify into forestry and Carl. >> Yes. >> But

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>> Okay, thank you very much for that discussion. Um next we are Well, we're running a little 10 minutes behind, but we do have a town administrator report and I have every confidence Ryan will catch us up. >> Excellent. A little bit to talk about, so it's a

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little bit longer report today, but um happy to answer any questions. This is my town administrator report for June 23rd, 2026. We had our first outdoor patio coffee hour, cuz my space for having coffee hour is disappearing um even more so when the library goes under renovation. But we had a productive

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event with great weather, like we anticipated. Topics included property assessment, which it typically does. Wetland regulations, interestingly, which came up tonight and will be a talking point as we head into the annual town meeting, and environmental stewardship. So, a

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good strong discussion, and my favorite part is sometimes it doesn't even involve me. Sometimes people just start talking, and I'm there, and I don't know what to do except listen >> [laughter] >> and internalize the internalize the conversation, and I always enjoy it. Going to do it again on July 14th at

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10:00 a.m. on the patio, and hoping to get the same type of spirited spirited discussion. Tonight, we talked about making sure that people stay connected to information and long-term planning. You can do that by by getting listening to this on a podcast or on our video

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series, signing up for email alerts, getting our newsletter, and we added TV technology to the Town Hall entryway. We're going to be running reels and information for people that visit Town Hall. This is specifically targeting targeting our senior population and other information

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delivery as they come here for senior center activities, but anybody that comes to Town Hall will benefit. >> [snorts] >> So, that's going to be a good thing. Thanks to MMN for helping us with that, and Aubrey's going to be running the content given to her by all of our town staff. Speaking of Aubrey, for your human

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resources report, we did appoint Anthony Cianci as our new DPW laborer. He started this week and completed all of his training. I know that because I didn't let him go out into the field until he completed all of his training, but he has experience as a as evacuation laborer, HVAC installer,

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carpenter, call firefighter, and other experiences. So, great to add him to the team. Aubrey also has finished updating the personnel policies. She's going to be establishing an annual review process going forward to make that less cumbersome in the future. It should just be

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the changes that come up year to year. So, she's going to be starting that process again, which I'm sure you're excited to hear. She's also going to reconvene the insurance advisory committee. This was a recommendation from our finance committee meetings, etc., to look at um health insurance, the rising costs,

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different options that we may or may not have. There There isn't going to be any silver bullet in there, but we do want to make sure that we're talking about that prior to the pressures of the budget season before we know those costs. So, that's all in our HR updates. In terms of the department updates, I'm

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watching the state budget. The state budget has several items moving that matter to Carlisle. So, first, the um House budget has a $55,000 earmark. I'm sorry, not the House budget, the supplemental budget. This is an FY26 supplemental, so a change to their FY26

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that they're talking about right now. $55,000 to help with the school infrastructure projects, which would create more MFC contingency and offset some of the tax costs. In addition, Senator Barrett included an earmark in the environmental bond bill. One of his key target areas is

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environmentalism, that would help uh with the costs of the RTU units at Robins Grant and Town Hall. It's a significant earmark as it exists right now. So, if any of you have relationships with the senator, I would I would tell you uh this is one that we definitely want.

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You also heard tonight from Kelly that the supplemental budget includes $144,000 to Carlisle to offset the costs and uh damages from this winter's weather. That will be essentially added to your Chapter 90 pool. So, this will help us

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uh repave and resurface roads, do design work, help with the uh the sidewalk project, etc. So, that was much needed addition to to our money. As you know, we had to cut some of the road money this year for to make the capital plan work, and this offsets that for sure.

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The TSAC. The TSAC is recommending the following to you. They want to add a parking restriction to their regulations and policies. This is also supported by Jim, your DPW director. And as it is as follows, parking within the transfer station is limited to 15 minutes. This requirement is necessary to assure

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adequate traffic flow. If you're parked longer than 15 minutes, a transfer station attendant may ask you to move your car outside the transfer station and park elsewhere where it's legal to do so. Um this seems like a small thing, but it's it's a big problem at the transfer station. Um people can come as much as they want,

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but they they can't just sit in place cuz it interferes with traffic and we want to make sure that there's language that supports um the staff and their ability to move people along when necessary. Uh there's been some confrontations about this. We're not asking you to support anything tonight. Just wanted to let you know

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that this recommendation is coming from the TSEC in order to help with operations. Surplus equipment. So, attached to this report is a list of surplus equipment identified by the DPW for disposal long identified a couple years ago. They haven't used this equipment. In accordance with town policy and mass

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procurement law, these items must be sold through a competitive process and we're going to use a municipal bidding site subject to your approval. If you're willing to vote tonight, uh we will advertise this equipment on this platform to try to generate some revenue, but at least dispose of it correctly.

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>> Okay. Can we get a motion? >> Um I move to declare I'm sorry. I move to declare the list of equipment surplus and authorize its disposal in accordance with mass general law chapter 30B section 15 and the applicable local written procedures. >> Okay. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Travis.

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Any discussion or deliberation? Okay. Let's go ahead and take a vote. All in favor? >> I. >> I. >> Any no votes? Okay. The eyes have it. I think we're good to >> Surplus. >> Surplus. >> Surplus it. All right. Uh that's also

502
02:15:54.280 --> 02:16:10.760
going to tie well with the DPW renovation that's hopefully approved in the spring. So, all all of it is tied together and makes sense. Bedford Road, the gift from the state to pave Bedford Road. We met Jim and I with representatives from MassDOT to review that paving project. Uh they will be funding the paving of the entire

503
02:16:10.760 --> 02:16:26.160
roadway, which is a significant investment, a couple hundred thousand dollars. Um it has a broad construction window, so it's either going to begin this fall or early next year, depending on the way all of their projects fall. So, this is a a big uh bond for the state, and they go town

504
02:16:26.160 --> 02:16:42.519
to town. So, where our project fits in is well where they're doing it. So, since they're paying for it, I guess I guess that's fine. Uh we also are trying to time it with the sidewalk project. So, if they can accommodate us for later in the spring, maybe we can make sure that's all coordinated. >> Mhm. >> Cuz there is a piece of the sidewalk

505
02:16:42.519 --> 02:17:00.080
project on Bedford Road. Natural gas pricing. Uh some of you are new to this board. We talk about natural gas pricing. It is not a significant impact to the town, but it is something that we need to do. Most of our accounts are our large accounts are at the school, which may change with some of the um RTU investments that we're

506
02:17:00.080 --> 02:17:16.280
making. But, we have a couple accounts um with other buildings in town. Um while we're not a large consumer, we do have a consultant who helps us with it. We we review quarterly the the market, and he's suggesting right now that we wait, cuz the market um due to nash- uh

507
02:17:16.280 --> 02:17:33.400
international events is a little high right now, as you can imagine. So, we're tracking that. I expect to do that next quarter. So, uh before the winter, and hopefully this uh current current agreement that may or may not impact gas prices holds, and we might we might get some favorable

508
02:17:33.400 --> 02:17:49.040
action from that in terms of natural gas. >> Yes. >> See how I walked through the politics of that pretty >> Yeah, excellent job. >> Uh we have a custodial services bid out, and we have strong interest. So, this is us trying to back up our custodial staff

509
02:17:49.040 --> 02:18:04.120
with the ability to con- to contract the work. So, while we're very happy with our custodial staff, and this isn't intended to replace them, as they leave, we're having extreme difficulty replacing them with new staff. So, we're looking at a contract that would be cost neutral or or improved because we don't

510
02:18:04.120 --> 02:18:21.320
have to pay benefits. Um this is one of the ways we're trying to to stabilize our employment costs and it's um mostly for the night custodian positions. So, we're looking to have two pieces to this contract. One is an emergency placement if someone quits, leaves, or

511
02:18:21.320 --> 02:18:37.559
um is is let go. And the other is for a more permanent placement so we have maximum flexibility. And it's a 3-year contract so um we're hoping the pricing is good and and this is a solution that we can do. All right, moving into capital projects, the elevator modernization project is

512
02:18:37.559 --> 02:18:53.599
going to begin on July 13th. We have that in writing so that will start and everyone's excited about that. Again, it's going to start at the school and then it's going to move to likely town hall and then coordinate with the library project. The library one as I keep telling you has a lot of different side projects and um things so we're

513
02:18:53.599 --> 02:19:09.320
just making sure all of that's coordinated. Annual road maintenance, this is out to bid as well. Expected return date of July 7th and the primary bid includes Hildreth, Pope, Southwest, Judy Farm Road, and the drainage improvements to Audubon Lane that this board discussed.

514
02:19:09.320 --> 02:19:25.200
That's in the primary bid. The alternate bids include a lot of work on North Road, Indian Hill, and Autumn Lane. Uh overall, it was estimated that that entire package is 900,000 so we'll have to have a discussion when those bids come in about what alternates we may or may not accept.

515
02:19:25.200 --> 02:19:40.400
And then we started design work on the Connected Carlisle Sidewalk Project. This has a uh late fall bidding timeline with an early spring start. We have 600,000 secured in grant funding thanks to the safety committee. And um we are working with Diamond Park

516
02:19:40.400 --> 02:19:56.320
as I told you last time to try to the Diamond Park subcommittee to try and connect the ADA parts which would make it CPA eligible again. So, uh if we can get our act together, this might be one of the things you see in the newly minted fall town meeting. I just talked about for CPA projects,

517
02:19:56.320 --> 02:20:13.080
the main one you have going on right now is the Diamond Park study. This is the one that's moving along the fastest. They are trying to get um to get their whole design in place for a potential funding ask at a fall town meeting, but definitely at the annual town meeting.

518
02:20:13.080 --> 02:20:29.080
And then Cranberry Bog Dam number one, um I'm not trying to bum you out, but there's no new information on this, and it's it's going to be a big talking point. Um I don't have any good information for you, but you should stay tuned and and tune in to the cons conservation commission as they talk about this. It's um

519
02:20:29.080 --> 02:20:45.240
not only in a significant infrastructure, but also has a lot of political implications. So, it's it's going to be a it's going to be an interesting discussion. For your building construction projects, if you look over the police station, you can see new new framing. That's exciting. Most of the uh digging and and

520
02:20:45.240 --> 02:21:01.840
dirt has been settled and still within the contingency, so we can say this is on budget. In our last meeting, it was the first time that was formally discussed that the project will extend a couple months um at a minimum. So, we're working on getting that and its implications to you as soon as possible, but we still do

521
02:21:01.840 --> 02:21:19.080
project that this will be on budget. For the fire station renovation, we signed the contract today. So, the notice to proceed will be coming out in the next couple weeks. Same thing with the library renovation. That contract was signed, and that will start to move as well. For the DPW renovation, the building

522
02:21:19.080 --> 02:21:34.720
committee met with HKA to review the conceptual design and discuss potential refinements. The goal of that discussion, and you have your chair here if he wants to add anything to this, is to bring you the final pre-design concept and idea and cost so

523
02:21:34.720 --> 02:21:51.400
that you're comfortable with the actual construction documents moving forward and starting to to be developed. It's important that the select board is on the same page with the committee so that that process runs well. And some employee recognition. So, first, um Bill Rizzo is not an employee,

524
02:21:51.400 --> 02:22:07.240
but he does have a town laptop and has done a lot of facilities work for the town. He's never been an official employee, but um well, he was in OPM, but that's that's a different type of employee. His service through facilities management as volunteerism is is extraordinary is is the best word for

525
02:22:07.240 --> 02:22:24.120
it. So, before you had a facilities department on the town side, it was Bill and other volunteers and Jerry and others who who helped keep critical building systems operating. Uh in fact, the first time I met Bill, I think he was on the roof some of the maintenance that's required free of charge, which is which is pretty

526
02:22:24.120 --> 02:22:39.880
incredible. He's also been the institutional knowledge for me and others as we work on complex problems. Um his dedication, expertise, and care for the community helped keep Carlisle running, especially its buildings. And as the Municipal Facilities Committee, most of the his

527
02:22:39.880 --> 02:22:55.160
uh ideas, thoughts, and work are now the projects that we're working on and doing. So, he's he's been um integral to this community for a long time. So, his MFC service is coming to an end, but he's still on two uh active building committees. So, he'll be around

528
02:22:55.160 --> 02:23:10.840
for a little bit. So, um we haven't had a formal recognition, but I I wanted to recognize his end to his MFC work, which has been incredible. >> He's really incredible. I will say, you know, he knows about like the wires underground saying, "Well, you can't do this cuz it's here." And you know, just really good knowledge.

529
02:23:10.840 --> 02:23:26.720
>> Yeah, Stephen calls him all the time. He answers the call and says, "What is this? Why was this duct tape together? What decision was made?" And uh he always has the answer, which is incredible. Also want to recognize Judy Hodges, so another one-of-a-kind employee. I would call her and say, "We need some help

530
02:23:26.720 --> 02:23:43.240
with minutes on this board. Can you come in?" And she would come in and do that work. Uh she's done that eight times in the town, served in eight different roles. Most recently, she was working with the Conservation Commission while they had staffing issues, right? Uh working on the backlog.

531
02:23:43.240 --> 02:23:58.760
She also um has dedicated countless hours to organizing files, completing detailed and technical work for the Board of Health. And thanks to her, all of that was up-to-date and ready for when Megan came in and started working. So, that was a

532
02:23:58.760 --> 02:24:15.560
great transition and and thanks to Judy. So, I wanted to thank her for willingness to step in where is needed. Again, eight different roles and titles in the town, all having to do with administrative work on the land use side. And then Rich Hennessy, I'd like to thank Rich for his service which ends on July 1st when a familiar face John

533
02:24:15.560 --> 02:24:31.840
Metivier comes back as our regional building commissioner. But, Rich stepped in. He looked at me every single day and was like, "Please, can this service end?" He had other work to do and he stayed committed to the role. I don't think you had any complaints. I definitely didn't have any complaints

534
02:24:31.840 --> 02:24:47.960
while he was serving in that role. A lot of people helped him. Julie, John, others were were helping with historical. But, having him serve as the building commissioner not only saved us money, but saved us the operational pain that comes with it. So, that position requires a specialized certification, extensive experience, and

535
02:24:47.960 --> 02:25:04.200
a willingness to just take on responsibility. So, he adjusted his work schedule, dedicated countless hours, figured it out, and helped our building department run smoothly and bridge to this new long-term relationship that we're going to have with with Lincoln. So, behalf of the community, thanks to Rich for stepping in and and doing a

536
02:25:04.200 --> 02:25:20.760
great job. Some upcoming topics for you, you're going to be talking about your goals. We're going to try to send out as much information to you as possible. But, you saw a lot of it tonight which is you should look at previous goals, bring your own thoughts and goals, and then some of the planning like the master

537
02:25:20.760 --> 02:25:37.120
plan, open space plan, different things that might inform what we want to do. There was no sign requests or approvals in the last 2 weeks. First time that's ever happened to me here. We're all signed out. And then,

538
02:25:37.120 --> 02:25:52.480
there's some dates we have set the Select Board goal session for the 7th. Right? That's That's going to happen now. And some topics on your upcoming meeting besides goals include an update about the bog house, uh potential vocational school discussion, although with the hiring of the interim superintendent, I

539
02:25:52.480 --> 02:26:08.840
think that might get pushed. Um and then you're going to have some reports from committees and uh some talks about the committees and charters that you have to make sure that that is all aligned with what you want. >> For those committee reports, how what is our system for I mean, it sounds like

540
02:26:08.840 --> 02:26:24.640
Conscom would be a good candidate with all the damn work that you just mentioned. >> Yeah. >> Do you Is there an order or a prioritization that you have in mind? >> I would suggest a structure of what are your goals, what are you working on, what should we know? >> Mhm. >> And just the three simple questions and

541
02:26:24.640 --> 02:26:40.960
then just springboard in and have that conversation flow. >> Right, but as like I don't know, which board should we have in first, I guess is all I'm trying to >> I think your goal session will help. >> Clarify that. Okay. >> Mhm. >> Got it. >> All right, two things I do need to talk to you about.

542
02:26:40.960 --> 02:26:55.240
Um one is the canvassing and solicitation bylaw requires that I set times and money. So, I'm suggesting $25 fee as was discussed during the um debate about the bylaw and that

543
02:26:55.240 --> 02:27:12.800
the hours be from sunrise to sunset. That's my recommendation. >> Reasonable. Any discussion there? >> I think that's good. I was thinking about the sunrise part. I I don't know how to set up the right time, but I would suggest to any canvassers that if they show up to

544
02:27:12.800 --> 02:27:29.120
anyone's house at sunrise, >> [laughter] >> they're probably not going to buy it. >> Yes. >> But sunset I think is important. That's fine. >> Yes, that is true. So, >> Okay. >> you don't have to vote on that. If there's no comments, then I'll take that as a good starting point for that bylaw this year.

545
02:27:29.120 --> 02:27:44.400
>> Yes. >> The second thing is we were approached by an attorney, a municipal attorney, about a fire a fire engine lawsuit. So, they believe they have evidence that the few providers that that make these engines are extorting communities really

546
02:27:44.400 --> 02:28:01.040
by increasing the cost so significantly because there's only a certain amount of supply for these. It only applies to things you've purchased and our last purchase is just outside the window, so it might be included. It was a $600,000 engine, so the the return on investment might not

547
02:28:01.040 --> 02:28:17.760
be high, but I wanted to make sure that I talked to you about that approach. So, I'm not recommending necessarily that we join the lawsuit, but of course if you want to, we can. Uh I did talk to this lawyer about the fact that we were basically held hostage contractually uh during the last

548
02:28:17.760 --> 02:28:33.640
negotiation and had to have a second town meeting vote because the um contract was so variable that we that they just changed the dollar amount on us even though we had a signed contract. Um so, that that was of interest to them and maybe that'll go somewhere. >> Mhm.

549
02:28:33.640 --> 02:28:49.520
>> But uh I do owe this attorney an answer. I think he came out and talked to us, so uh if there's any interest in pursuing this, let me know. The chief said he could go either way and be happy to talk to you about it. So, if you want me to bring you more information, I can. Um if you don't want me working on this,

550
02:28:49.520 --> 02:29:05.280
I won't. >> What does the board feel like? >> You what is entailed? >> About an hour. It's not a big lift. It would be some of your time though to understand it and >> So, they're concerned it's outside the statute of limitations though? Is that the >> Yeah. But he said he would take the info and

551
02:29:05.280 --> 02:29:21.240
it would require the chief talking to talking to this this lawyer this law firm, me. >> I assume this is a national lawsuit. >> Yes. >> So, all across the country communities. It's It's not like by participating we're at I mean,

552
02:29:21.240 --> 02:29:38.400
obviously the more towns you have in this, the more weight, but you know, I don't know that we're going to put it over the top in terms of >> No. >> Contingency based fee? >> Yes. >> What do you think? >> think? You're an expert at this. >> Yeah.

553
02:29:38.400 --> 02:29:54.280
>> Um I don't know. It seems like we might we would likely get cut, but >> Well, all right. So, um why don't I review it with you since you have that expertise and then we'll bring something to the board again. >> Okay. Sounds good. Thank you. Okay. Was there anything else for you?

554
02:29:54.280 --> 02:30:10.400
>> That's it. That's it. >> Okay. >> It's a lot there. >> Yeah, that was a meaty report. Thank you. Okay. Um Liaison assignments and reports. >> Uh yeah, assignments. >> So, for those of us who already had liaison assignments, is there anything

555
02:30:10.400 --> 02:30:25.400
>> We didn't vote on them. I think we >> No, we didn't. >> of stuck We said we'd mull them over and if anyone had any comments. >> So, from our last year's assignments, if anyone had anything to update, anything? Yeah.

556
02:30:25.400 --> 02:30:40.480
>> On the included sheet, I'm happy to keep the like for the blank ones, I'm happy to I think I said it at the meeting last time. I'm happy to keep the other I had like cemetery task force unless you know, someone else really wanted that or even historical commission just given that the the primary focus of that will

557
02:30:40.480 --> 02:30:57.280
be the demo review bylaw which I've been communicating with them on. So, I'm happy to keep those two which are >> Okay. Dave's not here. Let's put him on everything. >> I sense that. >> Yeah, that's the other >> to do that to you last time. >> [laughter] >> Um that's why I showed up. >> We watched the tape. Everything that's

558
02:30:57.280 --> 02:31:16.640
blank, we didn't have a definitive >> Yeah. >> Oh, interesting. >> So, I'm happy to keep those two that have were I did last year and they're blank now. Um So, historical and cemetery committee. >> Yep.

559
02:31:21.920 --> 02:31:39.400
>> Do we need And you said the audit committee isn't >> I'll fill that one. Yep. >> That's It's a thing anymore, right? >> Okay. >> So, leaves >> Yeah, I'll do the library trustees. I guess I thought I said that during our meeting. Uh agricultural commission. >> I thought Dave had actually volunteered

560
02:31:39.400 --> 02:31:56.520
for that, but if they listen to the tape >> what they >> Well, it sounds like he just did. >> [laughter] >> You can put him on that. >> think he said, "Oh, I'm around during the day." >> Right. >> Right. Yeah, I don't And then uh rec committee

561
02:31:56.520 --> 02:32:12.800
rec commission, sorry. Rec rec youth. Are those usually a package deal or no? >> No. >> They are separate, but there is um some overlap in discussions. Um I was both of those this

562
02:32:12.800 --> 02:32:27.880
past year. Do they do hybrid meetings? >> No. No. >> Uh they They were online, each one of them. >> Rec is >> I mean, these are >> Oh, you mean full online, not hybrid? >> full online then?

563
02:32:27.880 --> 02:32:43.320
>> Rec meets fully in person. >> The one that I joined was online. I don't know. >> You can always ask them to just if you know someone on the committee, just have them take their phone and you can even listen in, not because we're typically Well, we're typically not participating as much. >> You don't need to go all of them.

564
02:32:43.320 --> 02:33:02.120
>> You do whatever you want, but >> The the the The idea is not that as liaison you attend every meeting. >> No, it's to let them know that >> be the point of contact. You you reach out to them, they reach out to you. You're the >> Okay. >> point of focus, so you don't need to >> I could do those then.

565
02:33:02.120 --> 02:33:18.200
>> Some of them do. >> Rec and youth. They're well known. >> like youth I know all of those. >> Yes. >> That commission, like I know the entire group of them, so >> Yeah, so that's >> anything else outstanding, Ryan? >> Uh MAPC and Magic.

566
02:33:18.200 --> 02:33:39.360
Say that again. >> That's the I I was that last year. It's a very low lift. >> What's that? >> advisory. >> Oh. >> Yes. Yes. >> So, if I'm doing planning, should I be doing that one? >> That would be an excellent fit. >> And they meet on Tuesday mornings or

567
02:33:39.360 --> 02:33:57.080
something. >> And like 9:00 to 11:00. On Zoom. >> You do not. I I go to as many as I can and then be a planning board representative. >> Okay. >> Just to give the board an update too on the ZBA. I'm the liaison to that or was

568
02:33:57.080 --> 02:34:12.400
going to be. But, there was a question at last meeting about that there weren't going to be enough members to have actually a committee formed or at least enough. So, I had volunteered to be on that. So did Mark Bernstein. And he's here tonight. But, as it turns

569
02:34:12.400 --> 02:34:28.120
out, they asked legal counsel and legal counsel didn't think it was a conflict. Oh, one thing that came up was could Mark serve because he's on FinCom. And legal counsel didn't think that there was an issue with that. Is that >> Yeah. >> Right? So, you know, that's always a

570
02:34:28.120 --> 02:34:44.560
possibility that we can we don't have to have that as a hurdle anymore or if unless the select board thinks so. But, but as it turns out, Julie, I guess you said there were three you're going to go back to them. That's all right. You see, this is why all we need to talk.

571
02:34:44.560 --> 02:34:59.520
>> And I don't think the ZBA members knew that their terms were up. I certainly didn't. >> Right. >> So, we are reaching out to them to see if they want to be reappointed. >> Yeah. I think they just didn't realize. And I didn't realize either so I didn't tell them. >> Okay. >> It's all right.

572
02:34:59.520 --> 02:35:16.227
>> Thank you. Okay. So, >> And then the River Stewardship Committee. >> Oh. >> River Stewardship. This is the pulling the chestnuts out of the river and it's always on the day I can't do that. >> I mean, same here. >> [laughter]

573
02:35:16.440 --> 02:35:34.320
>> I just did that and I >> This is the one where I think you would have a relationship with someone on the committee and just stay informed. >> I'll do >> [laughter] >> I feel like we haven't given them enough to get >> Ryan, I'll sign up for that one. >> Okay.

574
02:35:34.320 --> 02:35:49.760
>> All right. >> So, do a tally. Let us know if any of these are like heavily skewed toward you know, someone doesn't have enough assignments or someone has way too many. Cuz I'm not really sure what I signed up for at this point. >> [laughter] >> Seems all right. >> Okay.

575
02:35:49.760 --> 02:36:05.720
>> We can we can look at these next >> Do we need to approve this or >> planning session. We'll just look. >> Are you sure you want to do You don't want >> Why don't we can approve it and amend it just so we can start >> Okay. Yeah. >> telling cuz it'd be good to start telling committees of changes, right? >> Yes.

576
02:36:05.720 --> 02:36:22.880
Okay. Do we have a motion then? >> I move that we approve the fiscal year 2027 select board liaison assignments as published in the latest draft of the package uh for

577
02:36:22.880 --> 02:36:39.520
23rd with the amended at or the additions and the additions that we made tonight. >> Great. Thank you, Travis. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Any discussion or deliberation? >> Can we make clerical change to my name spelling

578
02:36:39.520 --> 02:36:55.720
without >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. So, that correction >> name wrong, Greg. You almost got off You almost got out of all your liaison assignments. >> [laughter] >> Exactly. >> Okay. Any other discussion?

579
02:36:55.760 --> 02:37:12.720
Okay, let's go ahead and take a vote. All in favor? >> I. >> Any no votes? Okay, the eyes have it and we're good on liaison assignments. Okay, next on the agenda is appointments. We have an appointment for

580
02:37:12.720 --> 02:37:30.520
is it Kira Pratt's from ESC? >> Is it Kira or Kria? >> Kira. >> So is this misspelled in the motion Oh. >> correctly. It's pronounced Kira. >> Okay. >> Okay. Kira Pratt's from ESC. Christina, do you have any remarks or

581
02:37:30.520 --> 02:37:46.440
supporting information? >> Um see, we didn't actually realize we thought that she was appointed for a three-year position, but she was ended up being appointed for a vacancy. So we didn't realize that her term was up.

582
02:37:46.440 --> 02:38:01.840
She's a been a wonderful addition to ESC. The committee hasn't specifically had a chance to discuss her reappointment, but she's been just a wonderful member of ESC. So I can't imagine anyone

583
02:38:01.840 --> 02:38:20.240
not being supportive of her reappointment. >> Great. Okay, do we have a motion to or is there any say Do we have any other I read her application. Sounds great. Okay, do we have a motion then?

584
02:38:20.240 --> 02:38:35.760
>> I move to reappoint Kira Pratt's to the Environmental Sustainability Committee with a term of July 1st, 2026 through June 30th, 2027. >> I will second. >> Second. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Any discussion or

585
02:38:35.760 --> 02:38:55.080
deliberation? >> I'm so sorry. Is it Is it Shouldn't it be through the end of 2029? >> Yeah, I was just looking. Why would that be a year? >> Oh, good point. >> I'm so sorry to interrupt. >> Yeah, no, that's I don't

586
02:38:55.080 --> 02:39:10.760
>> Um not sure what >> It's a three-year term for ESC, right? >> It is. >> Okay. >> Yeah, unless they were filling a vacancy that was, you know, I mean, the interim for that vacancy. We could always just appoint a one-year term and then

587
02:39:10.760 --> 02:39:27.000
reappoint. >> Let me just look real quick on the um the >> May I say something? She actually uh ended up being appointed for 1 year this past go-around. >> So, was she only volunteering for 1 more

588
02:39:27.000 --> 02:39:41.320
year? Was that her intent? >> Well, her >> No, no. The intent was that she was going to be appointed for 3 years, but somehow clerically, she ended up just being appointed for 1 year. >> So, wait. >> Yeah. And on the website, it says term

589
02:39:41.320 --> 02:39:58.160
ending 2028. So, I'm guessing it's a 3-year term starting a year ago. >> Yeah, that's what I was thinking. >> So, um we can we can appoint her for a year and adjust that, or we can just >> I would say appoint for the maximum allowable term. >> Okay, for the remainder of the

590
02:39:58.160 --> 02:40:14.480
term. >> So, 2029 is what we thought. Christina thought it was supposed to be. >> maximum >> No, no, the maximum allowable. >> Yeah. >> And that way it covers it? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Do you want to amend your >> Uh now I got to find it again. >> Wait, is that to 2028 or >> We would just say maximum.

591
02:40:14.480 --> 02:40:31.400
>> Oh. >> So, we move to reappoint Kira Procs to the Environmental Sustainability Committee with a term ending at the maximum allowable period. >> For the vacant position. >> For the current vacant position.

592
02:40:31.400 --> 02:40:49.720
>> Okay, is there a second? Second. Okay. Any other discussion? Okay, let's go ahead and take a vote. All in favor? >> I. >> Any no votes? Okay, hearing none,

593
02:40:49.720 --> 02:41:05.200
we have a new appointee for the ESC. Thank you, Christina. >> Gretchen and the AI bot can untangle that one. >> [laughter] >> Great. Okay, moving on from appointments. Uh and now we're 3 minutes ahead of

594
02:41:05.200 --> 02:41:21.520
schedule. Excellent. Look at us. The review of warrants and minutes. We do have a vote on that. Um did everyone have a chance to read the June 9th minutes? Do we have any corrections or amendments?

595
02:41:21.520 --> 02:41:37.600
>> My only Well, it's not a correction. Well, I don't know. It was a comment that I noticed the roll call, they already have the the positions labeled in the roll call, chair, vice chair, but we hadn't yet voted on them. So interesting. Yeah, as of that moment

596
02:41:37.600 --> 02:41:55.640
in time, no, they were >> So they weren't >> Okay. Well, she did a retrospective. >> [laughter] >> I don't know. I don't know if that matters, but >> Interesting. >> Yeah, I don't know. I'll allow it. >> [laughter] >> I was going to say I don't know.

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>> Yeah, I don't know. That's one of those weird like, how do you even open the meeting? >> Yeah. >> Well, you didn't have a chair. >> Brian. >> Said we're going to vote on it. >> Okay, were there any other >> no comments. >> comments or anything? Okay. Do we have a

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>> Uh move to approve the minutes of June 9th, 2026 select board meeting. >> Second. >> Thank you very much. Any discussion or deliberation other than >> Well, actually one thing. No, I don't have any discussion. >> I was leaving [laughter] and I was going to have Mark There was one thing.

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>> Oh, okay. Okay, let's go ahead and take a vote then. All in favor? >> I. >> I. >> Any no votes? Okay. The eyes have it. Thank you very much. >> Can I ask to go out of order if you think cuz I think we're doing cemetery deeds, but I wanted to but since Mark's

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still here. Um there was if you have liaison reports, I did want to talk just briefly about the DPW uh building committee. We have met um and we met with our consultant. Our consultant had a number of ideas, um and I just want to not only

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inform you but I I really want to take not only inform you but get a pulse of what the select board thinks. Part of it was right-size that well first of all it was location. We talked about potentially moving initially the thought was it was going to replace the existing

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facility and the consultant has made a really good case that we really should move it to where there's you know where all the brush is kept and there's a extra building kind of where behind the transfer station. I don't know if you're following but locate it there because it'll be

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further out of the wetlands. We voted to do that and is subsequently they're going to start that Ryan will move forward hopefully and as we move forward to get the survey done and all the the work needed to study that site and to really move that site forward. The issue

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came up with right-sizing the the facility because our consultant thinks you know we could we need a little bit more than what's there and we discussed budgetary concerns and one of the things that I think that is helpful is we always talk about the

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needs and what we want to build to the need of that but also we have to be cognizant of you know this is what we reasonably think we can spend and we had said in the meeting that was kind of a $15 million what the select board

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we had talked about. One and and so that's kind of part of that discussion. One thing that had come up though was the ESC representative Keith Aaron is obviously very supportive as as I think our is our board and and the certainly

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the ESC of putting solar on the roof of the building and the question came up is that part of that budget of the 15 because it will have a impact on that whole decision-making process. And I and I'm asking you if there's anything I

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missed in that discussion. And I just think it's important that we we flush that out as a board because the the committee is wrestling with that, too, or will be. Um and that'll have a, you know, we're also looking at things like the cistern, which was mentioned

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earlier, which is a huge component or it's a large investment, and we'll have to work with the fire chief as to what the right size of that is cuz as you expand that, everyone says, "Oh, we want more." Well, that's great, but there's just cost concerns about that. >> So, Travis, is the question

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the question in front of the board is was did the 15 million include solar? >> Correct. And I you're going to ask, "What is the cost of the solar?" And I don't have that. >> I don't remember solar being part of the package. That was not scoped when we discussed I remember Jerry talking to us

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about it. We discussed the prefab versus the not prefab. I don't remember solar. >> There are some I mean, I know with the fire station, there was some the building codes require some energy offsets, correct? So, I would say

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if the solar's needed to satisfy that requirement, it would probably be part of the project. If it's not, if it's extra, if it's just a good thing to do, a smart thing to do, I would say no. I know with the fire station, there were some energy efficiency stuff built into the built into the core

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plan to satisfy our building requirements, correct? >> Yep. >> Right? So, what And it might not be solar, it might be other It might already be energy efficient and meet that. Do Do you see the distinction I'm making on that one? >> I think so. >> But typically, I would say no.

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But then if the building doesn't meet the energy requirements, you need solar to do that. Right. Right? So, that would be my If it's a nice to do, then I would like the fire station, there's solar that's not included that could be added in the future. >> Mhm.

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>> Is there anything else I missed in that? I think that's an important question for the board. >> If >> No, I think that's >> articulated correctly as to >> Rebecca. >> There's going to be a few talking points. >> [laughter] >> That's true. >> If we're saying no, are we reinstalling

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the conduit for the uh >> I would advocate for that. I would advocate for that, but the question well, but who knows? I mean, this may come down to making choices is ultimately and I I just would like to have a sense of her ahead of time so

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that our committee like heads the right direction in making those choices rather than >> I think if it's a no, we should still be looking to try and do the conduit piece because that's a money saver later. >> So, wired for but not putting natural solar.

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>> That's kind of what the fire station was. >> Was that at the fire station? >> Yeah. >> [clears throat] >> Um but like all building projects like I don't know where it's tracking and it's too early to say, but we were the

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15 million is an arbitrary number. I'm not saying it should be above or below that, but it's >> The consultant I think reasonably thinks that's achievable, but there are considerations depending on as we get into it. Um he gave us examples of

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comparable sized or larger that were done for less and I'm like, well, then we're in great shape, you know? >> [laughter] >> But but I don't I think >> Okay. >> I think we need to target something, otherwise it gets >> I wouldn't want them making an operational

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compromise to have solar panels if it wasn't required. Like I think the building needs to serve the function of the DPW first. If we can if we can make it and we if we that doesn't support solar panels at this time, I think if if there's a potential for that in the future, we should be smart about it, but

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I wouldn't I wouldn't cut something operationally for solar if that's the trade-off you're talking. >> Okay, that's good. >> That would be my view. I'm not saying we don't do solar, but that's prioritization I think is operational. >> was going to come to the select board

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anyway at some point, but this is all, you know, gets shaped up front and so it's a >> Yeah, add alternates and all that stuff. How do you prioritize? Sure. There might be grants like cuz I know the thing >> if the uh fuel tanks >> Oof.

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>> Is that included or not? >> No. That would not be included. >> going Okay. >> Cuz we have a capital plan for this. >> We do have a capital plan, but that's a million dollars worth of work. >> Yeah. But that's >> To me that's separate and independent of DPW building.

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>> Okay, well, it's going to be done at the same time likely, so that'll have to be broken out for a town meeting vote likely for >> I mean separate from a from a budgetary standpoint. I see the fuel thing as a separate project. I mean it could be approved all, but I wouldn't say 15

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million and includes the fuel tank. >> Okay. >> Good to know. >> Okay. >> That would I mean that's my individual view. >> said in our budgeting generally? I mean the things that we've told put forward to the town. >> The hybrid option presented to as it

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exists was 13.5 million with 1.5 in design costs or soft costs. >> The hybrid. >> So the the conceptual design. >> This was the original plan. >> with the 1.4 you already approved. >> What was the hybrid though? >> That's what they called it because we

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were going to take it at the existing facility. We're going to put it down raise demo the building and then put up a prefab building. >> And you're going to put hybrid vehicles in there? No. >> So we switched designers. So right now I would, you know, just colloquially say that they dis- always

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disagree. So we're working through >> Well, it's a different location, too. >> What does it does not happen? Where does it need to be? And then, what does that shake out in terms of their estimate of cost? And then, that has to come back to you to make sure that it makes sense. Financially and everything. >> Yeah, I have more confidence in our new

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program than I did our old program. >> Okay. >> I like the location. We walked that at the last tour. There's a lot of good reasons to move from the existing city. >> And you don't have the cost incurred of temporary facility. >> Just getting away from the

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>> operate out of the existing one, they can then just >> Yeah. >> Where that current one is in relation to that wetlands is >> Sorry to take up the time. >> Okay. No, that's a good good discussion. >> large chunk of your year, so it's going to be a >> Yeah. >> Thanks, Mark.

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>> The first of many decisions, I'm sure on that. Okay. Cemetery deeds. We have a number of transfers. >> Yes. >> This is the very last page of our packet. Do we have any Can I get a motion? >> I'll move.

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>> Can we do them all at once? >> You can't. >> Okay. I move to transfer land in the public burial ground at the Green Cemetery as described deed 875 to Kenny Sec- Sec- Sulk, sir.

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Church Street for lot D 350 grave four. That's my motion. >> Oh, do we have to move and then second every single one? >> That's what you >> Uh I think you have to read them all. >> Read them all. Read them all. >> Okay. D Okay. So, and then deed 876 to Anita and Dave Murphy of Bedford Road

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for lot C 17 grave four. Deed 877 to John Mann, Heald Road for for lot D 350 grave two. Deed 878 to Margaret Claybrook, Sterns Street for lot D 227

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grave three. Deed 879 to Philip and Margaret Gladstone, Curve Street for lot D 227 graves 1, 2, 4, and 5 in deed 880 to Mark Spears and Sandra Bolduc Bolduc

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North Road for lot D 222 grave 4. >> Thank you, Travis. >> That's my motion. Second? Okay. >> Thank you, Rebecca. Okay. Any discussion on that? Okay, let's go ahead and take a vote. All in favor?

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>> Aye. >> Any no votes? Okay, and it is moved. >> Is this the old pricing or the new pricing? The new pricing. >> pricing. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> I feel like we we're signing a lot of like we're running out of space.

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>> second-to-last bullet, Ryan, Margaret looks like it could potentially be misspelled. >> Okay. Well, Mara >> Gladstone >> Mara Gara? >> Okay, and I think >> Well, let's look on the the deed. >> Mm. >> That should be correct. >> I'll look on the list.

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>> That's it. >> I think it's >> It's spelled correctly there. >> It's spelled correctly. >> spelled incorrectly in there. >> Okay. >> Okay. Excellent. Did we cover all our agenda items? It looks like we are down to community input. Anybody online have any

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comments? >> Were there any other liaisons I don't have any liaisons >> We already did Well, >> Did anyone else have any? >> Liaisons assignments and reports was all at one. And yeah, if you had any others, now would be time to add them in. We approved the minutes, do we need to

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do the warrants separate? I'm sorry, Rebecca. The warrants separate? Or cuz we approved the minutes, but >> You don't >> 9:45 >> The warrants are informational. >> Okay, they're Okay. >> And I sign the warrants electronically.

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>> Electronically, yeah. >> I see. >> I'll do the next one in person, but yeah, I sign them remotely. >> Very good. >> That was easy. >> Okay. >> Okay. Any community input? Okay, I think Can I get a move to adjourn? Or I move to adjourn.

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>> I move to adjourn. >> I yeah. >> You can't. >> [laughter] >> I'm used to moving to adjourn, but only cuz I'm not chair. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. I'll I'll ta- Okay. >> All in favor? >> All in favor? Aye.