[music] Good afternoon everybody. Welcome to the February 5th, 2026 meeting of the Chattam Finance Committee. Um, let's see. This meeting is being recorded and will be available shortly hereafter for scheduled and on demand
viewing on any smartphone or tablet device. If anyone else is recording the meeting, including the use of AI note-taking apps, please notify the chair. Seeing none, uh, pursuant to Governor Healey's March
28th, 2025 signing of chapter 2 of the acts of 2025, extending certain COVID 19 measures adopted during the state of emergency suspending certain provisions of the open meeting law general laws chapter 38
section 20 until June 30th, 2027. This meeting of the Chattam Finance Committee is being conducted in person and via remote participation. Every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings as provided for in the
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pound sign or join the meeting online via Microsoft Teams versus the via the link in the posted agenda. We will post a record of this meeting on the town's website as soon as possible.
>> So, we have a quorum of the finance committee present. I'll call the role. Stephen Daniel, >> I'm here Andy. Thank you. >> Okay. Online. Uh Joan Sprag >> here. >> Madison >> here. >> John Pavlardo
>> here. >> Tracy Shields >> here. Tommy Don >> here >> online and chair is here. We definitely have a quorum. Right. Right. Thank you. Um
let's commence by calling on Carrie Mazro, director of finance. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um so today we're going to be going over um a couple of departments, Department of Community Development and Department of Community Services. Um we have um director of
community development Kathleen Dunovan and uh director of community services Leo Lacrosse and we also have um Amy Howell, our deputy director of recreation and beaches to go over their budgets. First I'll go over their
amounts. So the community development division budget for FY2027 is presented at 1,192,258 which is a reflecting a increase of 3.53% from 2026.
Um and then we have um the center for active living which the budget for that is 781,56. And we'll be going over the human services division today at 346,000
and recreation and beaches for 2027 is 1.3 million and the lighthouse beach is presented at 74,912. There's also a um capital item for recreation and beaches uh for the rehab
of Depot tennis street uh sorry the tennis courts at depot street for $27,500. And then there's also a um warrant article for the child care voucher program for 2027 in the amount of $200,000.
That's what we'll be going over today. and I'll um pass it over to Katie to go over her budget. >> Thanks. Welcome, Katie. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. Again, Katie Dunovan,
director of community development. Um I have a fairly brief presentation. Um but just a little bit of background on community development. Um we have 10 full-time employees. Um myself as the director of community development, our building commissioner Jay Briggs,
department coordinator Christina Basset, our local inspector Richard Flores, um Sarah Clark is our central permitting planner. If you recall last year um you approved in the town meeting approved a new local building inspector um for short-term rentals. We are in the
recruitment process at this time. We have Gloria McFersonson, our housing and sustainability director, Christina Grady, our town planner, and then Chantel Kilkenny and Annie Hayes are our department assistants. Uh we also have two um inspectors that are paid per
inspection um for electrical and then plumbing and gas. And that's Pete Winkler and Eric Okola. Just some department statistics from 2025. Uh we processed 1,5 building permits, 892 electrical
permits, 1,241 plumbing and gas permits, and then did a total number of inspections um related to those four uh $4,813 inspections. And the revenue collected um from all of those permits was $66,555.
We also had 400 applications from the regulatory boards with another $42,65 in revenue um from the fees associated with those applications. Um as Carrie mentioned um looking at our
FY27 operating budget um 1,192,258 and as she mentioned it's a 3.53 increase. Um most of that comes from salaries which account for contractual wage step and longevity increases as well as the temporary wages and overtime. Our operating expenses um are
$123,000 um as a request with an increase of 500 over FY26. We have um I asked for an additional $500 in the vehicle maintenance as uh one of our vehicles is getting a little bit older and we want to just have some additional funds in
there. Uh we do not have any capital requests from community development for this year for the coming year. Um and this is just a a chart just showing the you know expenditures. It's a you know primarily salaries uh
purchase of services at 60,000 and then um capital outlay advertising office supplies meetings do and travel and so forth. um you know, minimal amounts, but um but they help to run our department. Um
and let's see. I guess that's pretty much all I have. I know that the the committee may have some questions. Um, I've got my uh digital budget book available and if um you'd like I can >> Yeah, Katie, out of curiosity, the um
earlier chart that showed the revenue from regulatory boards, what which boards are those? >> So, that's uh the planning board, the zoning board of appeals, the historic business district commission, and the historical commission. >> Okay. Right. That's what I thought it might be, but it does not include the
conservation commission. >> It does not. conservation is through the natural resources department. >> Great. Thank you. >> Other questions? John? Oh, anything online? Stephen, >> I'm sorry. Barbara, did you have your hand up? [cough]
>> Go ahead, Stephen. >> Okay. Um, very quickly, Katie, when was the last time that the fee schedule was reviewed? Um, well, leave it at that. When was the last time the fee schedule was repeated?
>> Sure. Actually, um, we did increase the fees. We had a, um, had gone before the select board. I think it was in June of this year and as of October 1st, we had a an increase in our fee schedule uh, for the first time since 2008. Um, so that is uh, fairly new and I think um,
we are certainly starting to see a larger increase in what we're taking in from revenues from those fees. We are we're charging additional fe or new fees um for some things that we never charged fees for but because they require review um those are like exterior mechanical
permits um we've increased the fees um we look at our fees from a building permit standpoint as a um on a per square foot basis. Um so we increase the amount per square foot. We increased the base fees for plumbing uh gas and
electrical fees. So, we are seeing a um an increase in the revenues we're taking in. So, I think we'll need a full year before we realize what that is. But um again, they took those took effect on October 1st. >> All right. That's helpful. Thank you. Hopefully, we won't 18 won't wait 18 years to do so again.
>> Agreed. [clears throat] >> Barbara, >> thank you, Mr. Chair. That was basically my question, too, Katie. I'm wondering, you said that we have some inspectors that we pay on a per inspection basis. How do our fees per inspection compare to what we are paying them?
>> Sure. So, actually um that was one of the things that we wanted to um to look at. So, the the inspectors that we pay on a per inspection basis had requested an increase in their per inspection fee a few years ago, but we wanted to wait until we increased their um we increased
the permit fees before we did that. So, um they get paid $45 per inspection and the fees that we take in cover those um for those permits. Um it all depends on how many there could be a certain number of fixtures. So the it's hard to say
exactly what each inspection um will cover based on the permit fees. Um but so for example, the plumbing inspector may be looking at, you know, four fixtures out there, but he's doing one inspection and charging us for that one inspection. If they are inspecting
um doing a plumbing inspection, that's one fee. If a gas inspection, that's another. But they could be inspecting four or five fixtures and then those fixtures each have a fee associated with those. >> So, but at least they're being covered. >> They are more than being covered at this point in time. Yes.
>> Great. Thanks, Kitty. >> Go ahead, Tracy. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, and forgive my ignorance if this is the incorrect place to ask this, but for fines when somebody like violates their building
permit or builds outside of where they're supposed to, where do those fines come into community development? >> Yes, they typically would, but typically what we would do is um, you know, work without a permit. We double the fee for the permit when they, you know, when they come into compliance. Um re we have
reinspection fees. If somebody um requests an inspection and they're not ready for for the inspection, uh we have a reinspection fee. So we try to capture all of that within um >> so that would be within those numbers we just saw. >> Yes. And I can I'm happy to share the new uh fee schedule with the um with the
finance committee through our director of finance. >> Sure. Sure. might I was inspired to ask because it sometimes feels to me like people bu build in whatever the fine is and still do whatever the heck they want, you know,
and it's seems like for a multi-million dollar property having a fine of just, you know, whatever amount that is, it's well worth it for them to take the slap on the wrist, pay the fine, and make a million more because they built up or
something. You know what I mean? >> Sure. And and typically what we find is a lot of times is that people that don't realize that they needed a permit. We don't typically find it with the larger projects because they're they're aware. Um I don't say it doesn't ever happen, but really what we see for um work
without a permit is is a smaller job that somebody might not realize they needed a permit for. And so, and we work with folks if they're, you know, if they're genuinely, you know, not knowing, you know, we may not charge that, you know, that double that fee, but that that's we leave that up to the
inspector and the building commissioner. And and then if they go outside of the scope of what they've I guess it would be like in front of the planning board or or zoning. If they go outside of the scope of what they've been permitted to do, the inspector would be the one who
finds that and then there would be a you know a fine or a recommendation for changing it. >> Yes. Um, so often, you know, there could be a fine, but but often what happens is we stop the job and they have to go back to the board and and time is money and so, you know, people don't necessarily
want to do that. Most of the time people follow their um the plans that they have approved, but we've had instances where people have gone beyond the scope and we've need to, you know, we've needed to stop projects um and have them go back for um the approvals from the either the
zoning board or historical commission. Um, question for you, G. This is judging from headlines and a local town. Uh, do we have any unclosed building permits? Well, those that haven't been closed out
with a final inspection. >> We actually have been trying to take care of that for quite a few years. Um, we >> I'm glad to hear that. Yes, [laughter] we um and actually actually I don't think we have a lot now because what the state has advised us is that we close them after a certain time period because
they're no longer valid. But for um for a long time we we had all the active building permits um at the front of the office and we would call folks and just you know talk to them you know you need to close out your permit. So, um, our building commissioner and local inspector really kind of keep on top of
that now so we don't have that big backlog to look at. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Appreciate it. Any other questions? Anybody attending online? Oh, doesn't look like it. Thank you, Katie. >> Okay, thank you all very much.
>> Back to you, Carrie. >> Thank you. >> It all comes back to you. >> Thank you, Katie. That was good. Um so next we have um community services and human services for the FY2027 operating budget and um director of community services Leah Lacrosse is here to go
over that. Oh and I'm sorry and Amy Howell as well [laughter] director of recreation and breaches. >> No that's okay. I'm gonna hopefully
Just don't see it on here. Let's see. >> Changing over from one presentation. Okay, thank you Katie. >> Oh, sorry. Trying to be helpful. [laughter] You know how that goes. >> That's community development. There we
go. Thank you. Thank you, um, Carrie, and thank you, Mr. Chair, committee members. I'm Leah Lacrosse, director of community services, and I, too, have a a short, um, budget presentation for you today.
It's rather quick. We're um, as far as the budget goes, we're not doing anything too crazy this year. And I don't know why this isn't working. Here we go. Okay. So, um under the umbrella of community services, we have the Council
on Aging or the Center for Active Living, Recreation and Beaches, and um the human services committee. So, just some information. This is not in the slide, but um we wanted to let you know right now for the COA division,
um we have seven full-time employees. The full-time employees includes our new director of our um writer's cove respit program, our our adult supportive day program. And we also have seven part-time employees, which includes five
drivers and two program aids for the supportive day program, which just celebrated its one-year anniversary, if you can believe it. [clears throat and cough] So, we have um total unduplicated participants, we have 1,441
or 22% of Chattam's year- round population of 6,607, which was the latest number I got from the United States, um from the census, outreach clients, um 518 individual clients, which is 241 more than last
year. And total number of behavioral health calls, which we've really never reported on before, but we have our new clinician is 954. Uh units of attendance, we really blew up this year. Um which I was really
happy to see. Um 10,866, which was 6,347 more um units of attendance than last year. For transportation, uh, total unduplicated transportation participants
was 14833 more than last year. And rides and grocery deliveries was 3,924, which was 466 more than last year. So, as you can see, we've definitely grown, which is which is wonderful. People are
realizing we're here and the services we provide and they're using them. So, we're happy. Um but with growth comes an increased budget. Uh so for our FY27 ask um for salaries and wages 723,687
which is 136 um plus,000 over last year but again that includes the salaries for the day program which we didn't have prior. Uh we also had to hire another part-time driver. Um like for instance today we
had 44 rides scheduled. Um when I first started it was probably three a week if that. So we've really um gone up with that. Our expenses um we're asking for 57,369
which is um just under $4,000 difference this year for a total um increase in our budget of $139,91753. for human services budget overview. Um we are asking this year for 346,550 for a difference of 18,000 plus um plus
18,000. The reason it went up this year is we had a couple of we had one new um one new nonprofit addition this year, but also last year there were several people who were kind of regulars that applied every year that didn't apply um
last year. So our numbers went down last year and they came back this year. Um the new child care voucher amount requested u from the recommended from the human services committee was 200,000. That's a $25,000 increase over
last year and that is because the demand is so high. Um child care continues to be a huge crisis, financial crisis for families. So um that was the the justification for their recommendation
of 25,000 in additional expenses. and we have no capital requests this year as you know um we are hoping to renovate our building and we'll have more to come on that in a couple of weeks and other than that that's all I have if
you have any questions before I turn it over to Amy >> go ahead Tracy >> can you expand a little bit more on what um is the human services budget is used for >> sure absolutely um the human services is a it's a committee appointed by the
select board and they are um they put out an RFP for grant money for nonprofit organizations that serve Chattam residents and then each year there's usually around um 15 to 18 nonprofits that respond and there's a whole package
that they have to fill out with their financials and everything else. they have to um show that they serve Chattam residents and they apply to the human services committee for grant funds. And so the the the it's town monies that's used, but the f the human services
committee is tasked with going through those organizations finances and need requests and then making the recommendation to the town manager. You're >> welcome. >> Barbara, >> thank you Mr. Chair. Um Leah, what the
behavioral health calls, what does that cover? I mean, what kind of is is that physically calling or going out to see people? And um how does one get one of those calls? >> Great questions today. I um so Diane
Nash is our first um the town's first um behavioral health clinician. She was hired um a little over a year ago and she started this program. So she co-responds. She works for the Department of Community Services. She works under um under the community
services. She has office hours both at the SEFL and at the police department. And on the day she's at the police department, she co-responds with them if it's a behavioral health crisis. If there's a call, say for domestic violence or be a a behavioral health
crisis, if someone is having a mental health crisis, she will go on those calls with them with the hopes of diverting them from um the the criminal justice system. So, um she will do she's really there for crisis intervention and
then she will refer them out um once the crisis has subsided, she will refer them out to whatever agencies can help them best. um at the see her hours at the SE file. She sees a lot of our older adults who are living in isolation. Um maybe
having mental health crisis themselves or um they you know they've just lost their spouse and they're experiencing a tremendous amount of grief. She'll help them through that too. Do short-term counseling with them before she refers them out uh to other organizations if
needed. Also, um the child care voucher, is that the 5,000 for um that does this go to nursery schools, 5,000 for the kids who are three and 10,000 for the kids who are four or is that the Florence Seldon?
>> That's the Florence Seldon. >> Okay. Yeah, this is something different and and Amy could pro I Amy, do you want to chime in on what it does like for the park program or um families can apply for child care assistance from this grant and depending on the ages of the
kids, but Amy uses it quite a bit for the park program, the afterchool program if you want to. >> Yeah, sure. It's it's essentially used for um you know outside of the preschool as you said. So for basically licensed afterchool care or licensed uh summer
camps. So for this past year in our afterchool program we had 25 children uh registered in that that use the child care voucher and in the summer wreck program we had 50 children in that that use the summer um that use the voucher program. So it is well used uh for uh
families in town that participate in our programs. >> Oh, that's great. Thanks. >> Sure. Go ahead, >> John. Leah, um the numbers you put up for calls for service and assistance for comparing
last year to this current year show some pretty significant increases which on the one hand is a really good thing. >> Um do you attribute that to people becoming more aware of the opportunities available through the programming or some other reason?
>> I do. Um, you know, we do a lot of, you know, and the town is really good about doing a lot of promotion of our services and everything else, but word of mouth can't be beat. So, um, I'll give you for, uh, for instance, um, our healthy
meals in motion program that we do in conjunction with the family pantry. um anybody regardless of age. Um you don't even have to disclose your financial information if you're feeling food insecure. You fill out an application
with our um outreach coordinator and then once a month you fill out a grocery list. We send it into the family pantry and the third Wednesday of the month the family pantry shows up in a big box truck and unloads the groceries and and we do a drive-thru and load them into
your car. Um, you know, we had, I think we had 14 when we started. We went very quickly up to 50 families. Um, but, you know, we someone in the cribage group told the others in the cribage group and suddenly they were all [laughter]
um, signed up. So, that they've become a very very tight-knit community at the Sefell, which you know is the best thing I think ever. Um, and they talk to each other. And we also unfortunately have a lot of people, you know, in our older
population who experience loss. Um, that's another significant thing in and truly the economy right now. Um, fuel assistance applications and in um trying to have be assisted with Medicare enrollment with all the new rules and
everything else. There's there's so many factors in the economy right now, I think, that are contributing as well. Have you Thank you for that. Have you had conversations about how to handle a like size increase next year and the
year after that? I mean, is this a trend that is going to continue to pull on the services that you offer? >> I'm I'm keeping an eye on the trend um for sure, particularly with outreach services um because I mean I we even had
the CCRTA call us and say, "What are you doing over there? It's it's so great. you you know you've doubled your rides um because of course it takes a burden off public transportation everything else. Um definitely keeping an eye on it and if I have to request Carrie in next
year's budget a part-time additional outreach coordinator, I certainly will if the demand continues on the trend that it's demanding because um as I say, I think I've said in in every one of my presentations, it takes an awful lot for someone to ask for help.
>> And so when they do, we never want to turn them away. >> If I could, one one last point. Um not sure, and this is more of an editorial comment, but not sure if there's a natural um consideration for coordinating the
um I know that there's a a working group looking at uh tax exemptions and various other ways to assist people in need in our community. You've built an infrastructure that certainly is in touch with a lot of people that may qualify for some of
those additional >> absolutely >> benefits. So, I'm not sure if there's been some conversation between your organization and that initiative here in the community, but would think it would make sense to at least trade notes. >> Yes, we have. We have been in touch. um
we probably need to be in touch more and and work together more because I can tell you there are many many many um of our participants who could use that help and we do participate in the um tax workoff program. So, I think we have 14
participants right now in the tax workoff program where people they volunteer um 60 hours of their time to the town and then they get a $500 um tax break on their their property taxes. So, we do have that program, but
I that's one area that I would really like to grow in. >> Yeah. Right. May I again have another question? >> Um going on to the community services question. And um following up on Tracy's question in your response, um you're requesting a $25,000 increase over last
year if I remember correctly from the presentation. >> Yes. >> Um >> for the child care voucher. >> That's for the voucher. Okay. >> Yes. >> So the the board has the select board has a a review committee that reviews
the um the responses to the RFP. >> No. >> No. >> No. They don't. the the human services committee is is tasked with with um going through those responses. Um and
there are times that they people will ask for a certain amount, they may grant them less. >> Yeah. >> Um they may not grant them at all. That's not usually the case, but if they if it it's not, you know, deemed suitable, they they are very serious
about um being good stewards of taxpayer money. Yeah, that's kind of getting at the question I had the underlying question which is what percentage of the requests are we able to fulfill with the allocation we have for this? How many dollars are being requested that go unfunded?
>> Um if they go not a lot to be honest with you. Um, I think there were a couple the requests this year that they there was one organization because they were new, um, they they recommended half of what they
were asking for because they didn't have a lot of the backup materials that that the human services committee likes to see and said, "Come back to us next year." >> Um, so I think that was 2,000. It might might have been a couple hundred dollars more than that. Um, then there was
another organization that asked um a very well-known organization that asked for a lot more than they usually ask for, but the reason for that request wasn't didn't really fit into what the human services committee usually awards for. So, um, they didn't honor that
increase, but again, it's rare. It's rare. So, it's um they make the recommendation and then Jill will and Carrie will put it into the budget and then it goes to town meeting. >> That would be a good metric to keep an eye on. >> Yes, it is a good metric.
>> I got Carrie, you had a partial answer to that. >> Yes. Um so, sometimes at the human services budget, uh we won't receive their invoices until we're closing the books. So what will happen is you'll they'll you'll see like a balance there but we'll encumber the funds for them so
they do get spent. >> Okay. >> Mhm. >> Joanne. Thank you. >> Thanks Mr. Chair. Uh Leah, I just want to compliment you on your use of the added personnel in your department because your outreach to the community has increased and improved to a
wonderful extent. and all the things you offer for the seniors, whether it be in at the house or whether it's at the uh community center or like bringing your uh the police officers uh artwork in for
a month for us to go in and take a look at. These are all wonderful and and I uh just want to compliment you on the way you've used the extra personnel that you've asked for. Well, >> thank you Joanne. >> Steven's got his hand up.
Thank you, Andy. Um, hi, Leo. >> Hi, Stephen. >> Hi. Um, so I've got three questions. One dovetales perhaps a little bit off of one of John's questions, which [snorts] is the the growth in the numbers to what
9,000 plus 9,000 plus hits. Uh, I think was the figure. Exceptional growth, terrific growth. Um, and I guess I'm trying to figure out what you would attribute that to. And again, it may dovetail to part of the
answers you provided, John, but >> yeah, I think I think it does. I think that the word um word of mouth has been the most powerful reason um and then you know closely followed behind by um the
state of the world right now. I think the economy has been very tough in particular on those on fixed incomes. You know, there the the grocery expenses um have increased dramatically, but their income hasn't of course um and you
know, there's a lot of loss out there. There's depression. There's this winter already has been very tough on people mentally. um for all of those reasons. And I and I cannot say um enough about the staff. Our outreach coordinator um
is is out there constantly um and and meeting people where they're at to make sure that their needs are met. everything from this past snowstorm, you know, delivering groceries to people who weren't shoveled out and um you know,
just doing they they really the staff there really goes above and beyond. So I I think that word of mouth helps a lot. >> Terrific. Thank you. Um the um historically with respect to the human services budget, we have received
a a list of the recipients uh as well as the ask and the grant. I'm wondering if it might be possible to get that data. >> Absolutely. I can send that to you this afternoon. >> All right. Terrific. Thank you. >> Sure. Um and then I was wondering if for the benefit of people who may be watching this or later view it, could
you just describe the the process around the the driving the um program that you uh noted um requiring now because of the growth in that program, another part-time employee uh to help facilitate that. Could um you just give us an
overview of how that works, please? >> Certainly. Um again when I started there was very little um in as far as our transportation went. Um and we so we started promoting it a lot. We put it in our newsletter like on the second page
for a while. Um social media we reminded people and then it and then it caught on very very quickly. Um we prioritize medical appointments. They are always the priority. Um we have people who go to chemotherapy appointments. We have
people who go to PT appointments um who couldn't otherwise get there if we they couldn't um you know sometimes public transportation is booked even though they have medical rides they would have to pay uh for an Uber or a cab in order to do that. So we bring them to their
appointment and then bring them home. Then there are once a week we do we pick people up and we um take them to stop and shop. We and the driver will wait there for them while they all do their grocery shopping and then bring them home with their groceries. We do
everything from um pharmacy trips, banking trips um if we have room in the schedule um and there is not need for a medical appointment that day. will, you know, very rarely will bring them to a a hair salon appointment or, you know,
there's there's one person who is um stuck in their homes with no family around and if there's room in the schedule, our driver will call and and you know, pick her and offer to take her to um you know, job lot or something
like that just to get her out of the house. So, it's we do all sorts of things, but primarily it's um medical appointments and and bringing them back and forth to the programs at the SEAL because they wouldn't otherwise be able to get there. [snorts]
>> And how does one sign up for this or how does how does one request a ride? Uh A and B is there kind of a geographical fence around destinations? Can somebody get a lift to Hyannis for an appointment? >> Um it's funny. We just talked about this
today at our meeting, Alexis, who is our transportation coordinator. Um, to get a ride, all you have to do is call um and and say that you want us, you know, sign up for a ride. And, um, she is a master at, you know, making it all work, making
all the, you know, timing it out when people get dropped off and picked up and everything else. Right now, we go as far as Hyannas is our um is our furthest point. uh far this point but um it's something that we're looking into. We don't have a whole lot of demand to go
further than that. Um you know some people want to go to sandwich for PT um but that's usually usually not the case. Most most of the demand is for hyenas for for medical appointments. >> Okay, that's helpful. Thank you. >> Of course.
>> Nice work. Um that's sort of an associated question. Um with that increase in transportation services, you know, you are you trying to keep an eye on your transportation fleet when they need to be replaced, rehabbed?
>> Oh, yes. So, I I don't know a many people don't know this, but our transportation vans um are provided. We have one that was um purchased and gifted to us by the friends of the council aging many years ago. Um, it's
kind of on its last legs. It's a it's a caravan. Our other two vehicles um are given to us by in conjunction with the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority and Mass DOT for their 60 and older program. So, we have to report out to them every
month, you know, the exact mileage, how many trips we took, how many people we serve. I just applied for a grant um for you have to wait I think until you hit 60,000 miles before you can apply for a new one. I did apply for a hybrid model
um 12 passenger van. I haven't heard yet. I expect I expected to hear by now. I haven't heard anything yet. Um so they would provide that and because last year we got hit really hard with repairs. Um so we're we're mindful of that. The good
news is um the CCRTA, they have their own little formula grant that they've been doing the last few years. Depending on the number of rides you provide in mileage um you call, they they give you a grant based on that and we were able to double that grant this year. So, we
use that money strictly for repairs um and maintenance of our vehicles. >> Thank you, Leah. I see Tommy Don's got his hand up. Tommy, >> thank you. Tommy, you there? >> I'm here. Can you hear me?
>> I can. >> Okay. I have a question for Leah. In the budget book, there shows a local inspector. There's no one in that position. Yet, there's 77,000
in the budget for that position. Why? >> So, I think that that's community development. Maybe not community services. >> Okay. All right. >> Sorry about that.
>> That's all right. Thank you. >> Okay. Well, Katie, would you like to answer Tommy's question in the meantime? >> Might as well. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, yes. So, the um position was funded last year. Uh
we've been waiting for guidance through the state on exactly what the requirements are for us to do short-term rental inspections um under the state building code that was changed. I think it was last July 1st. Um we have advertised the position. Um we've been
receiving applications, so we're in the recruitment process right now. Um but as of right now, uh the position is still vacant. Um, but we're hoping to fill that very shortly. >> Thank you, Katie. Does that answer your question, Tommy? >> Yes.
>> Okay, great. That gave everybody else a breather if they could, you know, untense for a minute. [laughter] Other qu Oh, Barbara, go ahead. >> Leah, if someone were inclined to make a donation to any of these um
services that you offer, how would they go about doing that? Um, so there's two ways we have our friends of the Council on Aging because of course we can't do any fundraising. Um, so they have we're they have donations that you can make
restricted donation if you want to. You can make it to the Riders Cove respit, you can make it um towards there's a or programs they they fund our programs for us. Um, but we also take a lot of people when we give them rides, they'll give us
donate a donation of $20. And we do have a separate account for that as well. A donation um what what is it called, Carrie? The I'm just having a mental block right now. I keep thinking of the formula grant. It's not the enrichment fund we call it. Um, and we we do have
that account for for the for it's usually those donations usually come from um people who utilize our transportation, but we do have people who just come in and and donate as well. >> Oh, good. Thanks, Leah. >> Thank you,
>> Tracy. Go ahead. >> Sort of in line with uh Thank you. with with some of the other questions in terms of anticipating future increases. To me, it seems like a lot of calls for
the on the behavioral health. Um, and I can only imagine that growing given the age of the population, the loss, the isolation, the economic pressures. Um, and and the growth of word of mouth of
of that ser those kinds of services being available. Um, my [clears throat] question is is do we need to think in terms of budgeting more for that? like does that need to have an office that's
separate from CFAL? Is that an appropriate venue for it? Do um there need to be, you know, assistance or um any other like how do we bolster sort of that program without burning out the
person that we have doing it? >> All great points. We we agree with you. Um, I check in with her daily. You're not burnt out, are you? Um, she really loves what she does. We're fortunate that way. But, um, we do have an open
position for a second full-time. Two were approved. We have just haven't been successful in our recruitment yet for that. That second person is slated to be housed at the community center. So, that kind of reaching all age groups, too.
And Diane does do all ages right now. She has recently set up um her and Amy have made an agreement where she's going to do um like open office hours at the community center a couple days a week just to get the word out. She has been doing a lot of speaking engagements
around town. She was at the Oreium not long ago talking, you know, promoting her availability for for all the residents as well. So, she's she's been great about taking care of of everybody until we hire a second person.
And there's enough like space at in at the office there for her to to see people. >> Yes. Yes. We um she can see anybody at the community center. I mean at at the seal they don't have to be over 60 we
make sure if she need someone needs to see her they can come there. But recently, we do have an office at the community center um that Amy was kind enough to carve out out of a storage room, but it's beautiful. Um it had windows and everything else. Beautiful.
Um so she can see people there as well. >> Yeah. >> Thanks. Um I don't see anybody else except maybe me. I I have one question I wanted to pursue. I've been trying to remember to ask the respit program I mean one of the reasons for the increase
in the budget was because we've run out the grant period right that helped us to originate that you is that what is the census like in the respit program >> uh the what is the census right now we have eight people
>> and your capacity is >> 12 >> okay >> so we're 12 to 15 I we really are um you know we're hoping ing town meeting hasn't happened yet. So, if we are able to get approval for the additional
funding and are able to do the renovations and have a dedicated space for the day program, we'll go to 15. >> Um, for right now, it's 12 and we probably um won't take many more once we go over to the community center. um if
we go over there for a year during renovations because it's um you know it's the day program is sharing place with our one >> activity room right >> so it makes it really hard we'll also
added in if we the renovations are successful and we have a dedicated space we'll go to more days a week >> do we still have Chattam residents that are using the Orleans rest but >> we have three left yes >> okay >> yep we have three left.
>> They just we just don't provide what they want or >> No, no, not at all. Um, in fact, the participants that go to the day program are regular participants at the SEFL, but because they started in Orleans. Okay. >> Um, it takes an awful lot to get someone
with dementia comfortable and in a routine. And if we disrupted that routine, it could be extremely detrimental to them. And we don't want to do that. and the town has we're so grateful that the town has allowed us to allow them to continue on there. >> Great. Thank you so much. Any other
questions from members of the committee? Anybody online? I don't see any hands up. All right. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Leah. All right, Amy. You're taking center center stage. >> I'm ready. >> All right. So, recreation and beaches by
the numbers. Um, so in 2025, uh, we had 62 programs and special events with over 5,400 registrations, um, last year. So that's about 20 more programs and events and, uh, up about 2,000, uh, registrations participating
in those. Uh, our fitness room, we had 10,386 scans. Um, that is over 3,000 more scans from the previous year. Um and currently at the time of this we have 697 uh active members that utilize the fitness
room. Um so for facility use throughout the town um you can see we have 2500 plus programs, meetings and events and rentals at all the facilities. The bulk of those uh which is a little over 2,300
all happen at the community center. Um, so about 200 are at outside facilities like Kate Gold Park, Chase Park, the beaches. Um, so the bulk of that is at the community center. Um, and for our beaches, you could see uh our gate
attendants sold a little over 8,300 daily beach stickers. U, this is for non-residents, 569 weekly and 53 seasonal beach stickers. It's slightly lower um than last year, mostly in the daily. Um and that is attributed to we
had more online sales um this past year. Um so okay so our um FY27 request is at $1,133,888 for our salaries and wages line. Um the difference is about $100,000.
Uh that is pretty much attributed to obviously contractual wages for our six full-time staff and then seasonal staff. We have about 60 to 70 um and which takes up about 400,000 of that salaries and wages line and that is uh includes
increases to our seasonal staff as well. Uh our expenses stayed pretty steady uh at 174920 with only a $3,100 difference and that is attributed to our portage line which
is contracted out. Um so overall 1,38,88 uh with a difference of 103849 sorry north. Uh our lighthouse beach uh which is uh obviously our lighthouse beach operations, our beach patrol. Um this year, uh seasonal wages, uh we have
an increase of $8,240, uh at 637112, and that is attributed to raising, um you know, their rates to help with recruitment and retention. Our expenses request stayed the same at 11,200.
Um so a total of 74,912. Um and the difference again is in their salaries and wages. And we have one capital request this year and that is for rehabilitation of the depot street tennis courts. Uh so
the project will include basically repainting and ceiling of the courts. Um can kind of see from the pictures those courts used to be blue um and they're no longer blue anymore. So it's down to asphalt and we want to redo them before
um the weather starts to affect the asphalt getting cracks in them. So, we will totally repaint and reseal the courts, new net systems and benches. [clears throat] And that is it. Any questions? >> Members of the finance committee? John,
go ahead. Those courts also pickle courts. >> There are pickle ball lines on them. Yes. [laughter] >> Of course. >> Go ahead. Uh, can go back to Leah for a second. You mentioned cribage. Is there like a cribage club?
They are the cribage masters. [laughter] Um, and they play um, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesdays at one o'clock. And they would love new members. >> I'm like imagining a fundraiser cribage tournament townwide
>> for the CFA or >> they never miss a day, let me tell you. All [laughter] right, Stephen. >> Thanks, Eddie. Um, there was a conversation, I think, at a recent select board meeting uh that centered around
uh summer wages and uh discrepancies, I guess, between uh Chadam within the workforce and then Chadam compared to other communities. Uh, I don't know if it's a question for Amy or for Carrie, but could we just get some color um on
how that all stands now, please? >> Uh, yes. So, um Amy and um HR, they went over the rates last year and they were increased um for FY2027 9.8% over what was last year. So, um,
and currently Amy is still looking at the rates and that we may adjust them a little bit more just to see if they're still in line, but at the time when this budget was created, they were in line with where other surrounding towns were going to be paying their staff as well.
>> Yeah. So, so we meet um regionally, the Cape Islands, all the recreation and beaches. Um, and so our first survey and meeting, we always meet before the season and after the season after the season. So, the rates we have right now, which was around the 10% increase, was
based off of everyone's fall predictions of where they were were where they were at. We recently just had another regional meeting in January um and everyone um kind of brought up the rates and everyone has increased them even
more. So, um so we're as Carrie said, we're looking at it. Um you know, from the fall we were we were above uh the majority of the towns. Now we're, you know, right back with the town. So, we're just, we're get collecting final data um from everyone and then we're
going to kind of re-evaluate where we're at so that um you know, we can um be competitive in the rates. >> That's helpful. Thank you. >> Anecdotally, there certainly seemed to be a problem finding seasonal workers last year,
whether they were, you know, certified lifeguards or not, right? It it pretty much is relegated to the lifeguards where we struggle. Um our summer camp staff we fill every year with with a weight list. I can tell you that this year our summer staff pretty much we
only have one more spot open. Um so it's it's a really um soughta uh program for people to work because they love it and enjoy it. And so we have not struggled for that. Um you know we haven't struggled u with many of our others. it
really it's relegated to the lifeguard position, you know, because yes, money helps, you know, um recruit people, but it's also a very difficult uh position. And so, um we have a low pool of applicants in this town, you know, unfortunately and and surrounding towns,
you know, especially as the youth population continues to drop. Um so uh it's it's difficult for for the lifeguard in the beach patrol position which is why you know we we uh look at those rates of surrounding towns to
really try and get an edge on you know on the rates that we're paying. Is >> there any regional effort to try to increase the pool of applicants? >> Not that not that I'm aware of. Uh every town's pretty much just kind of you know um struggling. They're all, you know,
every town at these meetings, it's everyone's in the same boat. Um, you know, struggling. We have multiple towns that haven't had lifeguards um for the past couple summers, you know, even with with high rates uh of pay. So, it's just it's a regional and national shortage
really. Um and so what we're lucky with is that um right now we all work well together and share that information. Um because you know we're all just trying to do the same thing for our towns and provide safe uh places for patrons to go you know and enjoy their days at the
beach. >> Carrie, >> so I I think you answered my question when you just mentioned national because I was going to say or going to ask was do you think there's less people actually being you have to be certified to be a lifeguard. So there's probably
less people actually going out and getting certified. >> Yes. Yeah. Yeah, I mean we're we're lucky we have a staff person that can certify um in house. >> Uh and if you don't have that, it's a struggle because now you have to push people to the Red Cross. And it's, you
know, the Red Cross, you know, they they obviously are are national and and you know, it's a trend nationally. And so they've really had a push to get the instructor certification, you know, throughout the the towns um so that we can certify guards, you know, in-house.
And last year, uh, we certified 17 guards. Um, the year prior to that, 14, the year prior to that, we didn't have an in-house, um, instructor trainer. And so, we lost a lot of, you know, um, candidates because, you know,
they'll go to a town that can just hire them and, you know, in-house and and certify them. So, having, um, Kaden, who is our Kaden Quinn, who's our instructor, has been, you know, amazing. and and we've seen in we also started a junior guard program for 15 uh year olds
which is like a feeder system for us. Last the first year we did it we had one last year we had six. Um so you know we're just trying to do everything possible to a uh remain competitive and then just you know help us with these
feeder systems and and you know recruit people into the position. >> Great. Thank you. Other questions? I don't see any more online. We're all set. All right. Thank you. >> Appreciate it.
>> Now we have the uh childc care voucher article. Well, I don't know whether the idea was to try to take any action on it or just >> um No action today. Um Leah, did you want to talk about the childcare voucher
program? >> We did pretty much. I mean, >> oh, sorry. Um No, we'll wait to vote on it until after, but it was just wanted to bring it up today. No, >> that's fine. That's good.
>> Carrie, has the select board voted on this yet? No. Um, community development and community services have not presented their budget yet to um, the select board. >> All right. Thank you. >> All right. Then nothing further on that.
Then item number six on our agenda is the RT working group followup and our chairman Stephen Daniel I think wants to address that. >> Uh, thanks Andy. There's um two elements
to this. Um, obviously the residential tax exemption has been in the news quite a bit as of late. Uh, I've received a fair bit of inbound traffic expressing concerns about it as I know other members of the committee have. And
um I think what I would like to do, well I know what I would like to do uh which is to appoint a working group of the finance committee to look into the RTE and prospective alternatives.
um try to define really the cohort that the town is seeking to assist. all the all the as we just reviewed um all the kind of direct targeted programs that we do have childcare voucher program the Florence Seldon
program are directed towards a very specifically and narrowly defined cohort and I have not been able to discern any pattern in the select board deliberations on this topic um that would suggest
a similar cohort. Who who who are we trying to observe? I've raised this point before. Um I'd like the working group to look into whether we are optimizing uh all the available program options uh that the state provides. Uh are we
optimizing the amount that uh we can uh provide within um the programs we do have? um and um you know wherever else the the working group is going to go to. I think clearly to I think a point what John
raised uh conversations with Leah and others are going to be critical path to the success of this and I envision this really as modeled on uh the work we did on housing [clears throat]
which I think we delivered in the uh the winter of 21 I think um we delivered a five a 19page report with recommendations across five different vectors um that uh really sought to create a
pathway um to um advance uh housing uh in the town of Chattam obtainable and affordable. So in that context I've got um four volunteers
uh Eric Whley Andy Young Lard Madison, John Papardo, and myself will be members of this working group. Um and we will uh post these meetings um and take them probably in the small
meeting room there at the annex and we'll begin by kind of defining our timeline adjacent to the work of the working group. Um, I would like the finance committee today to vote on a motion to
uh have an article of town meeting that would provide the sense of the town meeting uh to the select board to defer implementation of the residential tax exemption for a year um while alternatives or refinements uh
are considered. Uh we've obviously learned a lot about the RTE in the last couple of months. It's pretty clear to me without being pjorative that that a lot of homework was not done on the
implications of this thing. um whether it's the people who don't qualify because their properties are held by LLC's, whether it's because the trust documents uh may not comport with the regulations uh you know filing deadlines uh for this
for relief this year uh passed um January 1 12:31 I guess and their implications too for the for the overlay for staffing and I just think that this whole thing has been not a paradigm of
good process. Uh we we can and absolutely should do better, I think, in in making policy in this community. So, um I'm going to put forward a motion to that effect. uh that the select the
select board that the finance committee uh support an article before town meeting uh and present an article on behalf of the finance committee um to defer implementation of the RTE for 12 months.
Um so uh with that is a motion. I'll ask if there's a second and then if you could do a roll call >> if we get a second. >> Okay. So Barbara second. Stephen, you made the motion. Barbara second. [cough]
>> Okay. >> Um Joanne, did you want to say something? >> No. >> Oh, okay. All right. That's all right. I'm just >> Does anybody else want to raise >> for the microphone? >> Um All right, then. Uh any further
discussion on the motion? Hearing? None. Those in favor say I. >> I think we need a roll call, Andy. >> Let's see. I guess we should do roll call. All right. Stephen Daniel. Hi, Andy Young. I Joanne Sprag. >> Hi, >> Robert Madison. John Pepardo, Tracy Shields.
>> Hi. >> Okay. And Tommy Don, you still on there? >> I am here. Hi. >> All right. Good. [clears throat] >> From >> All right. Terrific. Well, thank you guys for that. Um, I uh have been working with Andy on
developing some language around the specifics of the article, which I will circulate to everybody for uh review and comment. uh before presenting it to the moderator. And I guess ultimately uh having actually never done this before, I guess we have to submit a copy to the
town manager's office for review and consideration. Jill, I don't know if you're still on or Carrie, if you could provide some guidance on that, it would be appreciated. [cough] >> Yep. >> Anybody.
>> That sounds like sounds like a plan. >> Carrie, was that Yep. It has to what? Go to Kathy. >> Um, yeah, it would go to Kathy. Is it a Is it just a regular article or would you be doing a citizens petition? Is it
just a regular article? >> I think it would be a citizen's petition. I would hope that it all the members who just voted I would amongst the first >> a citizens petition would need to have um the the signatures on it as well when you submit it. But yeah, and then that
would go to Kathy. >> Okay, terrific. Thank you. Is Julie get looped in at that at some point or we just Kathy? >> Um, I believe she would forward it over to her. >> Okay. >> All right. We'll just we'll just send it to to Kathy when it's ready to go.
>> Okay. >> And date deadline for that. >> Oh, it's March. I can't remember the exact deadline. I'll I'll get it for you. >> Okay. >> Send [clears throat] it to you. >> Just advise. I know it's in March, >> Stephen. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. No, understood. Appreciated. Um my intent would be to see if we can't get this thing wrapped up next week, including signatures. >> Okay. >> So, >> so more more to come from uh more to come from me.
>> All right. I think unless there are other questions, >> are the stra looks like she's thinking pensively about a question. >> I had just asked how many signatures are needed. >> 10. It only takes 10 signatures to put an
article on the warrant. >> Good grief. Yeah, it's 10. >> All right, then. If there's no other business to discuss, u motion to adjurnn. So moved.
>> Second. >> I suppose I should take the motion first, shouldn't I? All right, good. We got a motion to adjurnn. Stephen, >> I >> Okay. And myself, I Joanne, >> yes. >> Barbara Madison, >> yes. >> Pavardo,
>> yes. >> Tracy Shields, >> yes. >> Tommy Don, >> yes. >> Okay, great. Thank you so much. >> Thank you guys. Hope to see you next week when I'm less toxic. >> That's it. Thanks. Bye-bye.
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