Heat. Heat. Where is the You're on. >> Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the February 17th, 2026 meeting of the Town of Cadam Select Board. Please note 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, 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. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 3A section 20 until June 30th, 2027. This meeting of the Chattam Select Board 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 order. A reminder that persons who would like to listen to this meeting while in progress may do so by calling the phone number 158-9454410
conference ID 203 386491 pound or join the meeting online via Microsoft Teams through the link in the posted agenda. While this is a live broadcast and Simocast on Chattam TV Xfinity channel 1072, despite our best efforts, we may not be able to provide
real-time access. We will post a record of this meeting on the town's website as soon as possible. First order of business is to establish a quorum. Miss Davis >> present. >> Mr. Dykins >> present. >> Mr. Matters >> present. >> Mr. Smith >> present. >> And the chair is present.
Um the first order of business is that the board will go into executive session. Um, this is an executive session. Item Roman number one, Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 38, Section 21, uh, parenthesis 2, to conduct strategy sessions in preparation
for negotiations with non-UN personnel, or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-UN personnel, parenthesis, town manager, and that the chair declares that an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the town with a return to
open session. with a return to open session. I'm going to offer a motion. I move that the se the the select board go into executive session under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 38 section 21 uh parenthesis 2 to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for
negotiations with non-UN personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-union personnel. is town manager and that the chair declares that an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the town with a
return to open session. Is there a second? >> Second. >> It's been moved and seconded. I'll call the role. >> Miss Davis. >> Hi. >> Mr. Dykens. >> Hi. >> Mr. Meadows. >> Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> I. >> And the chair votes I. We are going going to go into executive session. We will return to open session when that is
concluded. Okay, we are back in open session. Um, and the next item of business is the approval of minutes of the meeting of February 3rd. >> Motion to >> 26. >> Motion to approve. >> Is there a second? >> Second.
>> Moved and seconded. Um, any corrections? I have one on page seven. Um, in the second to last line of the final paragraph before the vote that's
showing, this is the paragraph that begins the select board discussed timing. Um, after the word raised, um, it says raised common noting current practices are not fully aligned with the charter. I'd like to strike the word
noting and substitute with one member asserting that with with one member asserting that current practices are not fully aligned with the charter. I I don't think there was consensus that we were not fully aligned. I want to respect the fact that one member did bring that up.
>> Yes, Jeff. >> Uh just on the roll call from the finance for the finance committee. >> Yeah. >> To adjourn. It all says present present present. I I think those were Yes. Yes. Yes. >> Yes. Yes. That's correct. minor, but >> all right. Anybody have any issues?
Okay. All I call for the vote. Uh Miss Davis. >> Hi, >> Mr. Dikkins. Hi, >> Mr. Meadows. >> Hi, >> Mr. Smith. >> I >> and the chair votes I. >> 5 to zero. Public announcements. I do I have one myself. I'm going to take out of order
um item six, I'm sorry, 7 D1. This is to fix salaries for elected officials. I'm going to take that right after uh item A, which is the I'm sorry, right after item B, which is the finance committee recommendations.
Um I we'll we'll take it then. I want to make sure we have a full board present at that time. I think one of our members um is has to leave early. Uh so uh with that, any other public announcements or agenda item requests from the board? >> No, Mr. Chairman, I do have to leave at
8 o'clock this evening. >> Okay. Any from the public? Seeing none there, we'll move on. There's no public hearing tonight. We have a consent agenda on three items. To consider the
acceptance of a memorial bench donation at Seaside Lynx Golf Course. To consider the acceptance of evergreen tree donation at the Chattam Fish Pier at Chattam Garden Club. to consider sales on town property fishing vessel F Lily Gene fundraiser on February 26 at
70 702 Main Street Chatam the community center. I did ask a question which uh Kathy obtained some information on. The application for the um Lily Gene fundraiser uh was submitted by an individual but the proceeds of that
fundraiser are going to a nonprofit organization um Gloucester Fishing Preservation Foundation I think it's called. >> Glouster Community Preservation. >> Thank you. >> So that was clarified. Should we pull that item uh as a separate item only
because there's a time change I think also requested. So >> uh we can or we can just acknowledge the time >> whatever whatever is the cleanest. >> We'll just take a vote on all three items with that time change. Is that okay? >> Okay. Is there a mo motion to approve the consent agenda?
>> I move to approve the consent agenda. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. I'll call the role. Miss Davis. >> I. >> Mr. Dykins. >> I. >> Mr. Matters. I just should we just note what the time changes for the public? >> Yeah. What is the time change? Why don't you note it, Corey, because I've forgotten. >> I believe it's an hour earlier with four
o'clock close. >> It's 12 to 4. >> 12 to 4 >> instead of 12 to 3. >> Right. Okay. 12 to 3. You're rather. Yeah. >> Right. And wrong. Okay. Okay. Um so Cory, you were the next to vote. >> I um Mr. Smith >> I. >> And the chair votes I.
Okay. Any public comments on the business agenda? You can comment now or you can comment later on, >> but you can comment twice. >> I can't. >> Um, go ahead. >> Brian Phillips, 37 Orleans Road. Um, I'm
not sure if this is funny or sad, but I always thought Kathleen Donovan was the uh assistant town manager, so congratulations on the recognition you uh deserve. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other public comments? Yes, there's one on the screen.
Is that Elaine? >> Elaine Gibbs. >> Uh, yes. Thank you. Uh, this is regarding item A on the um town manager the assistant town manager position. >> Yes. Um, >> do you want to talk now or did you want to talk during that that agenda item because I will
>> since it's first I can just talk now. I think the administrative staffing budget is hard to justify. Uh to put it in perspective, Chadam has a full-time population of 6,500 and may go up to 30,000 at some point.
Uh California has 39.5 million, New York 20 million, Texas 31.7 million, Florida 23 million. The town manager has paid more than all but the New York governor at 185,000 for this position. That's
more than 37 governors. And I do believe that's ex exorbitant. Um, this position is further insulating the town manager from the public and circumventing in my view town meeting. To do this by an administrative order rather than to
bring it to town meeting uh that would require twothirds vote for funding which is only three months away I think is totally inappropriate. So I would hope that you vote against this and do it the proper way. Uh this is worse than when
we found the loophole where town meeting could reject something and then they could bring it back 3 months later uh under um if it passed uh on the ballot question. Uh I think this is far worse.
I think it's circumventing the process. It's totally unnecessary and I hope you will postpone it or vote against it and bring it to town meeting so that people can look at it, hear the discussion and the justification and then move forward that way. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Elaine. Any other public
comment on the business agenda at this time? Okay, seeing none. First item is to consider the town manager's administrative order number six filing regarding a reestablishment of the assistant town manager and appointment. Uh this has been requested
by select board uh our select board clerk Steuart Smith. Um and um town manager made the filing on February the 6th I believe. And under the charter,
uh, an administrative order goes into place on the 30th day after filing unless the select board either votes to advance its effective date or votes to reject it, in which case it fall it fails. I do want to say a couple of
things about this. I'm going to turn to Mr. Smith because um he requested this um be brought forward um and then we can have some discussion at the select board among the select board members and then additional public comment. Uh, with
respect to public comment, I I'm going to ask that comment be limited to the reestablishment of the assisted town manager position um and to refrain from the subject of a promotion which is a personnel matter and that's really for the select board
only. Um, we do have a 3minut limit and um, while I tend to be fairly generous in allowing people to speak, uh, I'm going to ask people to keep to that and to I am requesting that people avoid any
um, comment on individual um, employees of the town. um in terms of any disparagement of of or or of of any public employee. So, I'll leave it
at that. Um Stuart, you would ask that this be brought forward. >> Yep. >> Yes. Thank you, Dean. Um maybe just to make things more clear, maybe uh we could I could ask Jill to explain the administrative
order to us and the public so we kind of understand. And I know she's got it in the memo obviously, but not everybody public reads that. So Joe, >> thank you, Mr. Chair. >> All right. So um uh this evening, um
what you're considering is the administrative order number six to reestablish the position of assistant town manager. and my intent is to appoint the director of community development uh Katie Dunanovan to that role. And the actions part of the 2027
FY2027 um budget review and it came about for a number of years. So, I've been thinking about it, but the timing seemed to be right now as we look at the board's enhanced goals and objectives and the
many initiatives that are that we're initiating uh that cross department. So, um, I thought it's really important that with in particular Katie in her role as the most senior department head that we
now have in the role and the work that she's done brilliant, brilliantly um, starting with Cadam 365 and working on initiatives that have high community interest and uh, really affect the community as a whole. um we need to
continue those type of initiatives and I felt with the reestablishment of the assistant town manager would recognize um her activities and role that she's been doing for quite some time. Uh the other item is that the
previous town manager had the assistant town manager role tied to the finance director as well as the treasurer collector. I think we're pretty well set with finances with it being my background as well and that I find that some of the areas that I'm having um
some difficulty of rising to a level of priority that I think needs to be with the select board are those initiatives to carry out. uh paid parking really isn't community development, but it is a an initiative that is entailing the
police department, it certainly with community development, but it's an initiative that that for me uh provides some relief so that I can continue to focus on the day-to-day operations of a $50 million
budget with 30 plus committees and boards and working also for five members of the select board and there's a lot going on. So I felt this would really help us achieve the goals that you desire.
Great. And um if I might the is there a particular reason that maybe I'm missing that you chose the administrative order process in the in the uh
in your administrative order because well is there a thought there? There is uh one of the reasons is that um back in 2021 2022 um I presented a pretty ambitious
uh reorganization at that time with uh community services being joined with community development. Um and that after that we had also um or just prior to that the department of natural resources. So that was presented as a administrative order and for continuity
so that someone could look back to see how this position came about. I felt it was important to file the administrative order so that the public a would know that there is a position of assistant town manager and that it would receive
the executive authority. again the town managers accountable to uh the public and the select board but for a continuity factor I felt it was important to present it as an administrative order and I cited the section of the charter in the administrative order as well and I felt
it was appropriate and the only other thing I didn't say before is that the fiscal impact for the administrative order is about $3,900 and that there needs to be a budget adjustment. So, I'm really happy that it was brought before the board um tonight
before you make your uh recommendations to the finance committee. >> Great. Thank you. Um I just had a few questions. Um some comments that
it's not a it's not a big deal. Um, but I'm not sure the administrative order was necessary because I don't know I don't know what department you're merging um, as an example, but it's not a it's it's not a it's not a big deal to
me. The um, so I am a a little I find my notes here. Um I'm I I'm a little takenback by the timing of the administrative
order because as you point out correctly that the you know the administrative order when it's issued the select board gets 30 days to uh to um reject it if they choose. Now the board can do nothing and then it
automatically takes effect. uh hence why I put it on the uh select board's agenda because I think that that's the most transparent way to you know to get these types of things uh uh vetted. Um and
the the order was issued on February 4th. Select board meeting was on February 3rd. So it's the day after the select boards meeting. So it burns up uh some time on
that 30 days. I think it would have been you know I think it would have been better to issue it the day before uh perhaps on the second. Um clearly this was on your mind and um uh we'll get
into you know the particulars but I'm having difficulty with that. Um related to this is the uh the individual that we're talking about are they in a that you're merging uh a new position of
assistant town manager with the director of community development. Are they in a union or a contir contract? >> They're under the personnel policies. >> They're under the per So they don't have a contract. They're under the 30-year-old policies. Um,
so, uh, you mentioned in your in your memo that you're reestablishing the position of, uh, of assistant town manager, and I understand the history,
you cite it, back to 2002. Um, that's that history is not as straightforward as is alluded in this memo because, you know, I I spent a lot of time
going through warrants uh uh past uh old administrative orders. Um, and a lot of paperwork here. Uh and there was no administrative order
for this for this uh back in 2002 when this uh creation of the assistant town manager was supposed to have taken place. I I don't disagree that it was um it was proposed uh but it was never implemented
and I think that's an important distinction. It never happened and it didn't My recollection is it hadn't been reborn until several years ago and I think you brought it up to um but it was a very different position. You were I think uh attempting to make it a
full-time position and now you're uh proposing to make it a um uh a uh a sort of a part-time position combined with a department head level position. Um, so I just wanted to point out that the back in 2002, so we get the history
straight, uh, that um, uh, the the the finance director was never also the assistant town manager. Um, that person acted in a in a acting capacity in the absence of the town manager, similar to
Miss Dunovan, but um, it had a very uh, I just want to make sure everybody understood that. Yeah, if I can speak to that. So, Don Puyant had that position and I reached out and his title was assistant town manager slashdirector of
or finance director and I had trouble finding some documentation of it myself, but there I saw some items um in an article covered I think it was the chronicle um who at again I wasn't here at the time but there's there was
something published to say that um Mr. Poant was the second in command and he received the title. So there is a title there of assistant town manager. It was held by Don Pouant. I don't know where it went though. That was one thing I
couldn't find. I don't know why the current or then finance director, the successor um how it went. But in looking back through files um and looking at just you know some searches too I know he had the position. So um if
and then I don't know if you want me to talk about the the intent on the filing of it. Um >> yeah sure. So, I I intentionally did it on a Wednesday and happened to be ready at that Wednesday because it would provide at least two days to get it onto a
select board agenda in advance versus if it was submitted on the Tuesday, it still wouldn't have been able to I mean, someone could have um acknowledged that they received it, but there there was no action that could be taken because it would have be too late to post the
agenda. So I my intent was to have four meetings potentially for the select board to take action if they wanted to. And with that by the time the select board had transmitted their budget to the finance committee on February 24th I
would have expected action to occur so that we can make the adjustment that's already in the budget to put the full salary within community development versus the town manager's office. >> Sure. So, you know, it was a long time ago. Um, I
get uh I get that you have to search newspapers, but the point is there was never administrative order filed that I could find anyway. Um, and there was no appointment made for finance director, town manager. It was a
proposal, but it never made it to print. It didn't happen. So, um, I looked at the town reports. in the town report, the person then who held the position of finance director was identified clearly in the four town reports that I read around
that time period uh for um as the finance director, not the assistant town manager. So um this is from my perspective and from the documentation I have this is not a resurrection of an old proposal or an old an old action
that actually took place. This is newer than that. Um, so, uh, I think that's important to point out. Um, the other thing I'm having difficulty with is, um, that you in the
memo you mention that there's, uh, a number of other towns, if not most all of them, either have an assistant town manager or have a um, uh, have a combination of some sort. Um, and while
that's correct, a number of those towns don't have key positions like we do here. One of which is, uh, uh, you know, a couple of communities have assistant town managers, but there's no finance director. The town manager or the
assistant plays that role to some with some help with the accountant and what have you. So, um I think the comparisons, you know, we have to compare apples to apples. And you know, some other key positions are not all
other towns have um have a special projects administrator. I had to kind of look into that history a little bit to kind of understand how that all transpired. And um um so a lot of the
duties in other towns that a projects administrator would do would be done by the assistant town manager. We have a communications uh I'll call it director if that's the right term um at town hall and those f many of those functions
would be um handled by a town manager or an assistant town manager type um position. So I I think we're um you know I completely support having a acting town manager in the town manager's
absence. I'm perfectly fine with who you have chosen. no problem with that. Um, but to combine it with community development, um, is problematic to me. Community development is a large department. It has, uh, and we only seem to be adding to its responsibilities
with affordable housing and what have you. So, there's more direct reports than there was just a few years ago to community development. That position is important. the department is large and I would prefer to see that person focused
on all of those functions which I can list uh that are under uh community development presently and there's there's it's one of your larger departments. Um, so, um, I don't have any trouble with the, uh,
you know, with the numbers that you came came to with the $5,000 stipen that currently exists. That's perfectly appropriate. And um um but if you dedicate that plus the $3,000
whatever you come up with $9,000 to uh to one person, it's going to it's going to restrict your ability to uh maneuver, which you know we've done in the past where one time when the town manager is absent, this department head would run the department run the town
manager position and then it moved around. this is going to this is going to tie your hands uh to to to a degree. Um so um those are those are my comments. Um I think that uh like I said
I think having an acting town manager is perfectly appropriate. The person you've chosen is perfectly appropriate with me. Um, but I think it's vitally important that that person focus their mission entirely on all of those functions under
community development and um, we go from there. Thank you. >> Any other comments from the board, >> Corey? Um I'm I kind of just simplified. I understand where it's coming from, but
my only reservation I think Stuart did hit on this. Um and this is this is this is nothing nothing to reflect on Katie's performance. She is a wonderful employee, but whoever is in the position of director of community development um is has a lot of task on their hands.
It's it's you know, we seem to have a lot of projects. staff is working quite diligently. Um I think they they sometimes they work when they shouldn't work. I mean, we saw we get, you know, email responses that we see CCD on and, you know, staffs responding on their off
hours, on their vacations, and I personally, I think the guys shouldn't be doing that. But anyway, the director of community development has a lot on their plate and to add assistant town manager responsibilities, um, I fear could be the detriment of of
of the town, some of the projects being completed. So um I just think the particular structure um creates a little bit of concern for me. Um nothing to do with the particular individuals, the complete faith in them, but I you know we can only expect so much out of one
person. And um I think that's where the flaw comes in with this. Um and that's where I think the concern for me it stands. Um that we think we could we we got to look at figuring it out how to give our best resources to our staff. um because we have a lot of projects and if
you notice they take time and a lot of patience and a lot of meetings. So um I think just the reality is I think this is a bit of a a stretch uh to put on that put on that one position. That's just my my thoughts. >> Any other comments at the board?
Shireen? Yeah, I just I'm in support of the position um because I think in just what you said, it supports, you know, this position would support enhancing the town projects and some of the things that Joel had mentioned uh in the way of um you know, sustainability, paid parking, some of the projects that that
we wanted to have a little more in depth um and and have them move forward. So, I I'm fine with the executive order. I think the increase is nominal. I have full confidence that Jill is choosing somebody who can um do this cross
departmental you know sort of work with uh with with no problem and step in when Jill is a you know um you know not available or well not available she's always available but I mean if she's out um uh you know on vacation and other
matters uh that she tends to so I'm supportive >> Jeff. Yeah, I'm supportive as well. Well, I'll just read from the memo. Um, the assistant town manager shall serve as the town manager's principal deputy and shall act as acting town manager during periods when the town manager was unavailable. The position will assist
with implementation of select board policy direction, coordination of cross- departmental initiatives, interdep departmental problem solving, and other duties as assigned by the town manager. I think J Jill is is attuned to um not burdening her direct reports and her staff with um unnecessary
responsibilities and she'll be very judicious in terms of how she uses Katie's talents uh as we go forward. So um I think um we've we've long argued actually discussed here um the need for an for an assistant town manager. Um we're a $45 million complicated
operation. Um Jill is available literally 247, but at times he needs some leveraging. So I am fully fully supportive of this and I have no issue whatsoever with this coming via an administrative order. None whatsoever. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um I just wanted to address
the the process question that was raised in the public comment earlier. Um this is what the charter says uh in section 5-1 A method of organization. The or town
departments the organization of town government into operating departments for the provision of services and the administration of government shall be the responsibility of the town manager. Subject only to the express prohibitions in the laws of the commonwealth or the provisions of this charter. The town
manager may by administrative order reorganize, consolidate, create, merge, divide or abolish any town department or office in whole or in part. Establish such new town departments or offices as the town manager deems necessary or advisable and
prescribe the functions and the administrative procedures to be followed by all such departments or offices. So I think um uh the creation of this whether whether they did it right in 2002 or not and knowing how things would have been
done in this town in the past um I think I think the town manager can can create this position of administrative I'm sorry assistant town manager uh by administrative order consistent with the charter.
Uh, it's been pointed out of the 15 towns on Cape Cod, only Cadam only Chadam has no assistant town manager or assistant town administrator. And I appreciate what Stuart said about
the qualifications in some of these other communities uh in terms of the departmentalization, but our departmental structure was set up to deal with the services and demands that the public wants. Um,
I told the town manager eight or nine years ago that she should have an assistant town manager. She didn't put this idea in my head. I think she needed one
in order to be able to provide the services and support that the select board requires that our committees require and the public requires and the staff requires. Um her choice of whatever employee she
chooses to put in that position is up to her. I certainly would very much endorse Katie in this position because I have worked with Katie extensively. Uh she is the um among among I think just two most
senior department heads we have in town and I know other department heads uh look to her for guidance and advice and we're getting this position on the cheap for $3,900.
So, I fully support this and um I um think myself we should just let it stand and go into effect on the 30th day. Those are my thoughts on it. Um I will now turn to any additional public comment in the audience uh in person or
online. Yes, sir. See, I am letting you talk twice. Brian Phillips, 374 Lans Road. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, so I just wanted to point out some inconsistencies and staff recommendations. I totally think you deserve a $5,000
raise, but it seems like kind of the way we've been treating like the yoga teachers and the uh, you know, the garbage people, asking them to take a pay cut. It's not like you were asked to take a pay cut to do this job. So, I think, you know, we should we should bring back the yoga
teachers uh to 10% and then the do something for the garbage people. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other public comment? >> Stephen, >> I'm sorry. There's Stephen Daniel. You're muted, Stephen.
>> I'm getting there. Uh Stephen Daniel Harding Lane. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, echoing to some degree your comments, uh, I too have had conversations with the town manager over the last four or five years about my
view that, uh, the town would benefit, she would benefit from an assistant town manager. uh all the literature that I'm familiar with on the management side and the way I ran the businesses that I was responsible for um
9 10 11 direct reports isn't viable. Um so I wholly support uh the position for whatever that's worth and am a huge fan of Katie like uh and I imagine all of you guys are as well. So that's it. >> Thank you. Um any other public comment?
I don't see Oh, yes. No, that's Stephen. Um, I see none. I'll bring it back to the board. Is there any action the board wishes to take? >> Well, uh, are we going to take a vote? >> You can you can offer a motion. Yes, I'm
It's open to offer any motion you'd like. >> Yeah. I I uh I think you noticed in my comments I didn't argue against an assistant town manager position. >> Yeah. >> Uh I don't agree with this uh move. um for the reasons I stated our our uh our
ship is topheavy. We have too many administrators, too many managers, and not enough people in the trench. And uh um I think that's clear from our organizational chart and the uh 37 new positions we've created over 14 years.
So um I'm going to make a motion that uh this administrative order be indefinitely postponed. >> Is there a second to that? The second for conversation definitely postpone just that means just tableabling it for
just just define I believe I understand define what you're saying >> um uh maybe I shouldn't say indefinitely I would just say postponed uh until um there's time to work on a uh with the town manager um have a better
understanding of this maybe a better uh a scheme. Like I said, there's just uh um this department is way busy and um and we have too many people at the top. >> So the the the charter says that it goes
into effect unless the select board shall within the 30 days vote to reject it or has earlier voted to affirm it. So, I mean, I think you can interpret that liberally to allow for um an extension of time to review it, but that's just my I guess I'll make that
administrative observation, but I leave it up to you to offer the motion. >> Yeah, I mean, that was my motion. I didn't want to out and out reject it. Um, you know, I don't want to be that harsh. I'm just saying that uh it needs more it needs more thoughtful study and comparison with the other communities on
um because I think we're duplicating missions here unnecessarily. So, not to put words in your mouth, but your motion is to um to delay it pending further study. Is that >> Yeah, further study. Um maybe uh you
know, we can have consultations with the town manager. I haven't had the opportunity to speak to her about it any >> Okay. >> I think at all or at any length. >> Is there a second to that motion? >> Thank you. >> Well, I second it for discussion. A a I wanted to have the clarification on indefinite postponement which means
something completely different from my you know experience on the board. Um >> I was copying town meeting. >> So So we're no longer the motion is no longer indefinite postponement but delay pending further study. >> That I think is reasonable. So yes, my
second stands for that clarification. >> Okay. Is there any debate on that motion discussion? Okay. I'll call the role. Miss Davis, >> no. >> Mr. Dikkins, >> no. >> Mr. Meadows, >> hi. >> Mr. Smith, >> I.
>> Chair votes, no. >> So, the administrative order will stand unless there are any other motions. >> Okay. Thank you. So, that's two to three. Um,
next item is the FI Finance Committee um preliminary FY2027 budget recommendations. I know the chairman is online, but I um the vice chair is here, Mr. Andy Young is going to present the recommendations of the finance committee. >> Thank you.
>> For our charter, Andy, welcome. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um I'm Andy Young, member of the finance committee. I am standing in for our chairperson, Stephen Daniel, who I believe is still online.
>> Yes. Um, in any event, um, we've distributed to you, I believe, our perspective on the proposed fiscal year 27 budget, and I'm here to read it to you if you would like or read it to the public,
which might be more appropriate. Um, in the back, it's matter of background. In October of 2025, the Massachusetts Municipal Association issued a report entitled, "A perfect storm. Cities and towns face historic fiscal pressures.
Sluggish state raid and revenues and restrictions on revenue generation imposed by state law are two of the reasons municipal budgets face particular strain at present. Additionally, inflation and the disappearance of COVID related federal
aid has further compounded budgeting challenges for cities and states and towns across the state. Governor Healey's fiscal year 2027 budget message explicitly notes that federal policy changes, including
tariffs, immigration enforcement changes, and cuts to research and education funding create headwinds for the Massachusetts economy and state revenue. If state aid is reduced, Cape Cod towns like Chadam, which granted
receive minimal state aid relative to their total budget, would affects field effects primarily through reduced education circuit breaker reimbursements or regional school district pressures. With that in mind, the average Miss Massachusetts municipality has basically
seen no change in state education age over the past 20 plus years. It's against this background of uncertainty that we consider the proposed fiscal year 27 budget. Our initial perspective on it overall we
find it to be a thoughtful and intentional budget while noting that past decisions of course have led us to fewer choices at present. Cadam continues to benefit tremendously from its AAA bond rating emblematic of
our fis prudent fiscal management, robust economy and strong controls. While Cadama is one of the lowest effective tax rates in the state, we've been the beneficiaries of a significant growth in postcoid property valuations,
something that is not generally considered sustainable at the same rate. At the same time, expenses have increasingly been growing at a multiple of the postcoid valuation growth rate. Scheduled salaries and benefits
represent approximately 71% of the operating budget, excluding debt and education. Existing union contracts expire June 30th, 2027, likely adding additional pressure to the town's financial picture
going forward. Inflationary impacts on employee benefits, insurance shortages, energy, and ordinary operating expenses have been considerable. While inflation has moderated slightly over the last several
months, it's important to recognize that interest rates, which are also reflective of rates of inflation, tend to trade in 40-year time frames. the last deflationary cycle really ending in 2022 just three years ago. We're committed to
a significant array of large capital projects at present. 90 Bridge Street, the transfer station, center for active living, wastewater infrastructure, repairs to the Monoy Regional School District Middle School, and proposed maintenance of one of the water stand
pipes stressing resources and staff. One big thing, Chadam Chadam Elementary School. Chadam assumed financial responsibility for the elementary school three years ago at an initial cost of 777,000.
Since then, that number has grown by 199% over four years. Fiscal year 25 was a million 921. Fiscal year 26 2,215. Fiscal year 27 is projected to be 2,324.
We understand that 1% of the short-term rental tax is directed to funding this cost. But in fiscal year 26 that amounted to 995,000 and change. So we have to wonder for how long is this sustainable given the
enrollment statistics. Another big thing while not strictly a budget matter it certainly is tangential to the topic topic the finance which has has to do with the residential tax exemption. The finance committee will be unanimously proposing
an article at town meeting to offer the opinion of town meeting to defer implementation of the RT for a year or so. The further study can be conducted to ascertain if there is a more targeted means of addressing the specific concerns of the select board. relative
to retention of residents. And we have appointed five members of the committee to a working group to study the issue and develop recommendations for consideration and the level of well almost existential questions. Can we continue to afford
providing level services given the effects of inflation, the highly structured nature of most of our co cost obligations? How do we engage with our partner in the Monoy Regional School District, which has already reached the extent of its levy limit and is seeking to reduce or
assign to us the budget our educators believe is necessary to appropriately prepare our children for the future. While the finance committee has been enthusiastic supporters for enhanced social spending, particularly to ease pressures on young families or to
attract and retain young families. It's increasingly clear we have built something of a cost trap for ourselves. How do we manage the growth of these programs going forward considering all other local budget pressures going forward? How do we think about
programs which have really de facto become annual appropriations such as OPED dredging and the Chamber of Commerce. There's some other smaller things that we'd like to comment on. The ice and snow and ice budget needs to be
re-evaluated. Um just you know we have a little bit of um history here in fiscal year uh 25 the budget was 95,000 the actual was expenditure was 153,000
FY26 budget was 95,000 oddly enough FY26 the expenditure to date is 239,000 not too surprising but the proposed amount for fiscal year 27 is 95,000
charter versus bylaws. There appears to be some um conflict or differences between the charter and our bylaws around the budget process uh mostly having to do with timing uh that we'd like to see addressed.
Um, we also need to set period periodicity of review of town service pricing with a goal of 100% fixed cost recovery through users. Disseminate information regarding results to date of the sewer project.
Hook up data any material data regarding water quality as a result of the project. The Crawl Road intersection keeps raising its ugly head. um with to the best of our knowledge that has not been withdrawn. Is there any evidence that water use
restrictions are effective? Would pricing the resource correctly be more effective? And that concludes the report. Thank you. Thank you, uh Andy. Um I I have some responsive comments, but I was going to offer Stephen an
opportunity to say something if he would like. Uh, thank you, Dean, and thank you, Andy. Um, the reason I asked Andy to present the report this year, um, it's cuz I've had the flu for the last 12
days. Um, so I think the we had this conversation in the in the finance committee meeting this afternoon and the input I received from the members of the committee has been tonally different
uh than it's been historically. um there's sort of an increasing sense of constraint uh of kind of budgetary inflexibility um
and I mean I guess the report you know endeavored to speak to that whether it's cost pressures within the schools and uh I think we can all expect that Har is going to come back and uh endeavor again they made it very clear they're going to
endeavor to try to renegotiate uh the regional agreement again. Um the uh the impact of of inflationary cost pressures. Um and it just it just feels as though things are a little tighter. I think
we're confident in 2027. Uh but when the uh union contracts the three union contracts get renegotiated uh in the summer of next year um what are they going to be the perspective impacts of that? So, it's in the what 11
or 12 years that I've been on the finance committee, I've never kind of read this sense of concern uh that I'm that I'm getting from the committee and and hopefully that was well uh well reflected in in uh the talking points that Indie presented.
>> Thank you. Well, I let me just tick off a few points, then I'll turn to other board members. Um because you mentioned the Haritch interest in having Chadam pay more and re reopening the formula. Um I don't really understand what their beef is. 77% of the students
approximately in the Monomey Regional School District come from Haritch and Haritch is under the formula Haritch is paying 74% of the bill. So what's unfair about that? Um I will mention with respect to the
sewer project, we have been getting updates. Um we have detailed updates on the progress of the connections uh and and including more recently um well I guess it was with respect to muddy the muddy river project. We had some
information about the effectiveness of the change there that really wasn't related to the sewer. I know that Greg Burman has talked with us about um um and Rob Philly um
working on getting that kind of data. So, you're correct to bring it up, but I I did really want to mention that we've had some detailed reports on the progress of connections, the number of hookups that's been presented to us as well as to the water and sewer advisory uh committee. With respect to the
elementary school, we did set up this special account as you point out Andy uh with 1% of one of the um 2% increase in the short in the rental tax that is assigned to the elementary school and
another 1% uh for attainable housing in a special account. And um I that that account is now approximately $3 million I think. Carrie, is that correct? $3 million. and that's available to address
some of the needs whether we're going to have to put a new roof on that building and so forth. Now whether there will be enough in there over time to account for the type of uh maintenance expense expenditures that you know we can anticipate we don't know but it's something it's like what we did with
OPED when we set aside um not just 150,000 a year but um 50% of the former sir tax for for um the um >> land bank
>> land bank thank you which which went out of existence. Um, and we should take a look at things. We're, you know, we have um an item on the agenda tonight that is being suggested might cause might cost excess in excess of $300,000. It's a worthwhile
item, but we need to take a look at it. We need to take a look at anything that comes before us. You know, do we We're spending a lot of money to bring the boat house here. We don't own the boat, but we have the boat house coming in here. We let the boat go to Orleans. It'll never come back. They're building
their own boat house. Um, so we can all jump and support these things and then five or 10 years later look back and say, well, maybe things are a little bleaker than than we
thought. I want to say one thing about aligning alignment between the charter and the finance committee. And I really have only started thinking about this after 10 years in this position. I suspect Chattam is rather unique, rather unique among all the 351 cities
and towns where the finance committee which is appointed by the moderator and not the select board gives a report on the budget to the executive of the town. In other communities, the finance committee gives the report and
recommendations to the legislative body to town meeting. Now, I think this is a legacy of the days when the finance committee set the budget. And there's some good about that because
it it it avoids confrontation between the finance committee and and the town executive, which we are. But at the same time, it presents issues and Stuart has brought these up in the charter on the timing of the approvals that are needed
to get things on the warrant and recommended. So I think at some point I I applaud the finance committee for recommending that this be take this this be looked at, but I hope it it'll be when we do look at this, I think the charter committee has to be appointed in
2030. I hope that who's ever on that committee looks at this more globally and just isn't stuck in the past and I don't know what the solution is but it is an interesting uh observation um at least to me. So at the same time let me
conclude by saying I always appreciate I served on the finance committee. I love the finance committee. Uh, I can't say that it's my favorite committee because I have other committees that I that I that I have allegiance to, but I think people know where I stand with respect
to the finance committee. And I I I always defend their independence because they don't report to us. And with that, I'm going to open it up to further comment from the board. Corey, >> thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll make some
very couple simple statements. Uh, first of all, Andy, thank you very much for your report. very much appreciate the work of the finance committee and the input you guys put in. Uh I just want to hit on three things. Um you know the the regional agreement, it's it's going to be something we're going to have to navigate. It's it's not something that's
that is going to just just magically disappear. We have a lot of conversations. We've had conversations. We get to continue our conversations and um I think we got to find some uh common ground on on a lot of it. I mean, obviously, we're out for the students because we're supporting the the outcome
of all our the the the individuals who go through the school system and and you know, we support the teachers and staff, but the the percentages are going to be at a big discussion. Uh sewing obviously another big topic. Um I think we're going to have to look at other um
conversations in that. Most of us attended uh the Cape Island selectment council on Friday and the guest speaker's conversation topic was sewering and IA systems and you know other you know alternative technologies. So um I think there's going to be another layer of that conversation that
we got to introduce to to see what our long-term goals are and how we achieve them and um with responsible you know expenses. So that's something that's going to be I think coming in the short term. And the final thing is I want to talk about crow before I'm off this board.
Um, I have my position on it. Um, hasn't budged much. Um, so yes, I I do hope we still talk about Cor Road at some point soon. >> I'm with you on that one, Corey, as you know. >> Uh, who's next? >> I'll go. >> Yeah. Uh, once again, thankful, very
thankful for your thoughtful approach. Uh, um, Andy, thanks for that. Stephen, your whole committee. I see Barbara's here. Really, really appreciative of your input. I'm not as concerned uh you know the charter gets back back in swing for review I think in in five years or
four or five years. I'm not as concerned with the process that we've enjoyed I've been here this is my 13th year that I've enjoyed um along the way every single year and I do think that the finance committee's input before we we finalize
the budget is extremely important. And I think that has been happening. Maybe not exactly in sync with every article that we consider for either um uh uh placing on the warranty for recommendation, but um it's hasn't really been all that unourred. In fact, I think our
relationship with our finance committee is an excellent one. Um and I also think that the finance committee in its wisdom does speak to the legislative body. They have a they a beautiful wrapup on your view on the budget and every single warrant that I think is read religiously
by those that are interested in the finance committee's approach. And again, you you you vote on every single article and the town certainly knows exactly where the finance committee stands on every article. So, I'm I'm fairly um not ambivalent, I'm fairly supportive of the
the process that we've had and if we need to, you know, slow down our consideration, I I think that would be an impediment to our considering the budget, which we like to do. We like to look at the budget. We have all the departments that are presented. Um terms of the schools, you guys know I've been intimately involved for years with the
schools and um way back when in December of 11 when we voted to to regionalize by a scant 61 votes. And the operating agreement, frankly, has stood it stood the test of time um over those intervening years. And we had one one session a year and a half or so ago with
Haritch. And I think the operating agreement is going to be tough for our town to to revisit and reconsider. I I I I think I don't think it was it was crafted in unfairness. I think it was crafted in and in in in the spirit of
partnership and doing uh based on the foundation of of enrollment three-year rolling enrollment. I I don't know at the time we had a consultant and it was he was a wonderful consultant. He did that across the state and did it many times consulted to regions many times and that's what folks were doing. And I
hear from Haritch now that they're considering value valuation approach. They're considering Chadam's wealth to be an issue and they want to bake our valuations into somehow into the into the into the formula and that's going to be that's going to uh demand some art. Um that's going to be artful um when
they get to that point trying to trying to uh bake valuation assessments and assessments into formulas. We are responsible for the debt and now we're responsible for the elementary school. And I'm glad you brought it up. um our I I I goodness gracious, we need more kids
in this town and my support of affordable housing has been very much predicated on and I know it's late to the game and it's going to take time. It's going to take time to get, you know, to get shovels in the ground and get folks here and and living here and having kids here, but goodness, we need
that. So, um, over time, I think hopefully the hope is, and again, we're maybe too late to the game, but hopefully we'll get young young people here and and and fill our elementary school with kids. That being said, if it doesn't happen, I think it's not unoured to think about other options. I know it's anathema. I know it's it's
blasphemy, but, you know, if we continue to have an enrollment that's dwindling, dwindling, dwindling, dwindling, then obviously the town fathers at the time will have to really think long and hard about what what to do with the elementary school. it would be another asset in town. But I I'm don't get me wrong, please. I love the elementary
school. I want an elementary school. It's just the the facts of enrollment are going to dictate kind of where where we head with that stuff. Love the fact you brought up water. Um I I am extremely comfortable in my role as a select board member with what our approach to water. Been very thoughtful.
It's and it's difficult to say that our restrictions have helped, but I think they have and I think we we need to do some kind of utilization regression analysis based on how many wells we're feeding us each day, blah blah blah, but the data we get is excellent. So
hopefully if you guys obviously we'll share with the world, but the data we get out of our department is just superb. Um and we have used less water over the years. Um, you know, I the the capital uh for the tower for our our water tower is
something that we just got to do. It's not wasn't even a hard decision for this member of the board. Um, we don't take care of that. You know, we're we're brain dead and we're late to the game there. So, if I were to prioritize any of our capital projects, that certainly rises to the top in in my PE brain. Um,
as Dean noted again, we do have some dollars sort of squirreled away for the elementary school in particular. So, I would look forward to not overburdening budgets going forward other than the use of those money should we have to replace the roof, which I think we will. And there may be boiler considerations as
well. It's just with with any kind of question mark over the facility, it's kind of difficult to expend that kind of money. So, again, another conversation we'll have to we'll have to have there. Um, inflation's inflation. Um, we get the notion of, uh, it can't be, you
know, you can't do everything all the time, all at once. Uh, can't spend all the money. But, but those capital projects that rear their ugly heads, and I'm talking about Writers Cove, and I'm talking about Barnhill Landing in particular, and the Fish Pier in in
years past. They're very difficult items to just gloss over and say, "Oh, we'll put that off for a year or two." We can't. We've got to invest in our infrastructure and we're challenged with rising sea level and more storms etc. But we are a community hard and fast by
the sea and this defines what we are and who we are. So I for one think those capital investments are also no-brainers. Um and we batted around the darn council on aging. Got to love them forever. And I think we've finally come up with a plan that I think will pass
town meeting uh due to some of your good work and the committee's good work. So hopefully we'll get that by town meeting. And your your focus on the residential tax exemption is welcomed. Uh you know, I I as you know, I I've voted against it for years and have uh
changed my vote this year for a host of reasons and I'll be more articulate about those reasons going forward. But if you guys can come up with a a more focused uh initiative that makes sense, then I'm certainly going to bend a good ear towards it. Okay, those are my comments. I really always
appreciate your your your your insights, your dedication. Um, I was on the finance committee way back when in the mid 80s and you go line item by line item and you know this town financially better than anybody perhaps. So, I really do appreciate your input and uh I thank you for your patience this
evening. Thanks, >> Shireen. Uh Stephen and Barbara, Andy, appreciate your presence today and the good work that you've been doing. Um we don't lose sight over you guys looking at at a lot of this. You know, I was
really um I really want to emphasize we understand the way the world is running right now and how things are and the uncertainties. We we know that those things are going to impact small communities, municipalities, and the people that live there. One of the
things I do not want to lose sight of is um our tie into the whole social spending aspect of trying to keep the community intact and having you know not just attracting young people but you know keeping locals uh in the community.
Uh one of the things that it's all tied into like the affordable housing. Well, it's going to, as Jeff said, it's going to take time to get people here and it might build up the school system and and enhance, you know, some of the more community-based sort of like
living styles that we used to we grow up with. Um, on the agenda coming up are two important ones that I think I've had conversations with the finance director, I mean finance chair, a number of times. Um, number one is some of the deed
restriction concepts that we had batted around a few times being really an important factor to look at. These are all supporting locals. These cost money. Maybe we find ways to fund these in a different way if we do decide to go in that direction as well as a leasing
program for locals, for homeowners to lease to locals. All these kind of things can help enhance um our sustainability as a community. And I don't want the finance committee to lose sight that those are the important factors of why we are Chattam and why we
want to keep Chadam, you know, or enhance the quality of life in Chadam. So, thank you. >> Any other comments from the board, Steuart? >> Sure. Um, I didn't mean to upset the apple cart when I brought the uh charter issue
forward on the uh vote, but um but well, maybe I did. Um, I think it's important that the select board hear from the finance committee uh prior to our taking a vote as it states so in the charter. I don't think there's anything foreign about that. I don't think there's
anything ara archaic about that. Um, maybe uh or not maybe. I do believe that the bylaws need to be adjusted. Um, and you don't have to wait till 2030 if you want to change the charter. You can do it more quickly. Thank you. Oh, one other thing, Andy, specifically, you you
had commented, but I think I missed it on on your uh your folks uh philosophy on the fees uh covering expenses. What the I I guess I don't know, Stephen. I I'll be happy to answer. Um
our our observation has been essentially that the town has been very reluctant to revisit fee schedules for recoveries from from users and that you know perhaps one way to approach it is that every time you go back and take a look
you then set your next time of review. So set it up whatever it is every year, every 3 years, 5 years, uh to try to make sure we get closer to the goal of 100% recovery of whatever that cost is.
Um so we we certainly understand and acknowledge that's difficult to do, but um otherwise it it kind of gets the idea of fee review gets buried. >> It's too I >> go ahead. Sorry. I would just add um
there's no there's no sense of intentionality. Um but we did learn recently that the community development fees had not been updated for 18 years. Um so we get that. I think we also
understand that 100% kind of fairbox recovery as as it's called been called um is highly aspirational. Uh but we do think that establishing
goals and timelines that this and it needs to be roll you know it should be rolling right not every not every fee structure needs to be reviewed every uh all all at once. So maybe the transfer station and the water
rates and beach stickers are one year and landing fees and you know are a different year but coming up with a cycle of whatever it is two three four years and codifying that >> uh we think would be prudent and appropriate.
>> Sure. And I think you'll see when the economic development committee comes forward with some of their thoughts on the transfer station fees they're kind of at a similar philosophy. Um although different departments charge different fees and some are more capable than
others on recovering uh expenses but that sort of philosophy is coming around. I think um when I first was elected here I did ask for if we had a a a uh philosophy or management scheme on
when we raise fees when we don't. And um I think that that's a work in progress. >> Thank you. >> Agreed. and we would certainly support those efforts. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. Um with respect to the um trash hauling fees, we're going to have
a public hearing on the 3rd of March. There'll be a recommendation from our DPW director. I think we're going to talk about um phasing in um um an achievement of 100% recovery on
that. And um but we'll we'll we'll entertain that. On the third, I did want to say with respect to the charter, I'm not proposing that we chuck out the current um reporting obligations. I just think in 2030,
and I don't plan on being on being in being on this board in 2030, but I hope whoever's on the charter review committee at that time, we'll uh we'll take a look at things um more contemporaneously and see if that's the best system. As I say, there's two sides to the coin. One is what is the role of
the finance committee? it, you know, are they part of the executive of the town or are they part of the legislative branch of the town? It's sort of a hybrid in my mind. Um, and I think the open communication we've had, the budget summit, we've had what, 13 of them, 14.
I've been in every one of them. um I think really helps uh when we have a a collaborative effort on on um the preparation of a budget that is submitted to town meeting and we can differ mostly most of the time our recommendations to town meeting are the
same on on the various articles and certainly on the um operating and capital budgets they've been the same for a number of years so I just really wanted to to make that point um but I as if I can just jump in for a quick second Um
to be clear, what what we were endeavoring to do um or I guess I was since I holding holding the pen uh was to be responsive to Stuart's observation that there's a mism mismatch >> Yes. >> in the calendar. >> Yeah. >> Um I think we like what we do
uh and we like the collaborative nature of it. We think it's it's productive and beneficial to the town. >> Yeah. But the observation was directly related to troubling up the observation Stuart made about kind of the calendar mismatch.
>> No, I appreciate that very much. Uh and unless there are any comments from the public, don't see any. I thank the finance committee chair and vice chair and Barbara Madison is here as well. I don't see any other members of the finance committee present. Am I missing
somebody? No. um for the excellent work you all do and I as I said earlier I I know what it I know what it's like because I was on it and I enjoyed it very much. You got to play the role of selectman without having to run for the office. You're a for you're a former you're a
former selectman though so you know that. Thank you very much everybody. >> Thank thank you. >> Thank you Dean. >> Thank you Stephen. Um so I want to move up uh as I said the item on fixed salaries elected officials. This has continued from last
week uh when uh uh the um proposed stipens were presented for our consideration and we didn't have a full board and um with that in mind I'm going to ask that
we again invoke the rule of necessity because we all are conflicted here uh and under the conflict of interest law chapter 268A uh we each have to declare our interest and then take a vote. So I I will start and say I'm I have an
interest in what I'm paid as a stipen as for being an elected member of the select board. Jeff >> as do I. >> Steuart. >> As do I. >> Shireen. >> As do I. >> And Cy. >> As do I. >> All right. Is there a motion to in to adopt the rule of necessity?
>> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> I'll call the role. Miss Davis. Hi. >> Mr. Dykins. Hi. >> Mr. Meadow. Hi. Mr. Smith I and the chair votes I. Okay. Now we'll get to the content of this. I proposed uh an increase which I think is fairly modest
uh first in the moderators stipen from $1,200 to $1,500 for the individual members of the select board from $4,000 to $6,000 and for the chair an extra uh one instead of $1,000
to $1,500. I'm not going to benefit from that because I don't expect to be chair after May. And and no, you're not going to force it on me. And um this would go into effect on uh July 1 for the beginning of the next fiscal year. And
the reason I I proposed it is because it reflects what I feel um is the time commitment that that we are all putting into this into these positions. And I think it has multiplied. I served as chair eight years ago. I think it is multiplied at least three times. Um, so
that's it, you know, and I propose we send it to town meeting. The finance committee will make a recommendation. I think they're considering it on Thursday. I know they had some discussion of it today. Uh, and um, let town meeting decide. They can default back to the existing. They can
decide to vote to pay no stipens. Corey, >> no, I was going to say I I I support the uh mechanical p, you know, process we're putting forward. We we talked a little bit about dual articles uh last time we discussed this. Um basically, town
meeting has the opportunity. When you set a dollar amount, you cannot go higher at town meeting, but you can lower it at town meeting. So, they have the discretion to either maintain what is presented in the article uh or lower the amount at their discretion. So, the mechanics are there. this option at town
meeting floor to to take whatever position the voters want to. Um so I understand the mechanics of putting one article together as drafted. So um my my previous conversations about having dual articles um is negated. So I'm fine with
that. Um before I call anyone I see Carrie, our finance director, did you want to report on finance committee's discussion today? Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh Carrie Mazero, director of finance. Um, the finance committee discussed this article today.
Um, and they recommended doing one article because I know you guys discussed having two, but I thought it was going to be too confusing for the taxpayers to see two different articles. Um, so they did recommend having one article. Um, they
were recommending the existing schedule. um they felt that um this should have been seen soon sooner and because they already voted on the original article. Um it's not reflecting on anybody's work as they understand that the select board
does a ton of work and um they just felt like it should have been mentioned to sooner. >> Was there a vote taken? >> Yes. Um it was um recommending the existing schedule of 620.
So, six approved the original schedule and two opposed it. >> Thank you. Any further discussion at the board? >> Sure. >> So, when we chatted about this earlier, um
maybe I'm misreading this, but uh we we talked about two things. One was your proposal. Um and I mentioned that maybe it would be better to um have it take
effect with new members who are elected and that way there's no you know misconception of you know uh bad things happening. I just thought that that would uh dissuade that argument. Um I think then Corey suggested
uh two articles to move forward. Uh I don't know whether we voted on anything. >> No, we we did we didn't take any votes last time. >> And the um I think uh Corey's suggestion basically accomplishes I think to some
degree what I was trying to do. Um at least it gives the voters an a more clear option. Um but I don't know if uh you know if we if we uh talked at all about um at any depth about uh for new
members who who were elected. >> Yeah. I mean I Corey uh I Stephen I'll call on you in a sec. Corey I think just sort of withdrew the idea of submitting two articles. >> My my bringing forth the idea of two articles is um you know I don't want to push this
one way or another. It's it sounds like a broken record. We do not do this with a stipen. It is greatly appreciated, you know, but we don't do this with a stipen. And the voters at the end of the day are going to decide yay or n where they stand on this on this dollar amount. Are they comfortable
with the existing dollar amount? Do they want a higher dollar amount? So, I was thinking of having one with the current dollar amount and another article with the second with a higher dollar amount, which as Carrie mentioned is could be a little confusion confusing.
An article at town meeting would has a dollar amount cannot be raised at town meeting floor, but it can be lowered at town meeting floor. So, the article gets put one article would be put forward with a higher dollar amount. If the voters disagree with that, they could lower it. They could lower it to
anything they wanted to. they could lower it to >> zero. >> Yeah, it was zero. So, so there's a risk here, but um mechanically having the one article with with the voters's understanding if they chose not to support that higher amount, they could lower it to whatever threshold they so
choose at town meeting floor was a cleaner um mech um process-wise. Stuart, >> I I know you brought this forward, De, but you and I had chatted about this and um so it wasn't always it wasn't I was intending on bringing it forward anyway,
but really um I targeted the new members um the the who were elected to office in order to entice some maybe younger folks to the board. Uh, and I wasn't only thinking this board,
but maybe in the future talking about other more regulatory boards. Um, to get the younger folks and families involved in the process. Um, they may have to give up something and maybe that's a second job. This doesn't cover that. But
if if and I think the people that I spoke with were completely unaware that uh they could get health insurance also, that's an important thing for people trying to live in this town. And um so those were my two motivations and that's where I was at.
>> Yeah, I I think that um you can still have that incentive without discriminating among the five board members by just allotting the increase to the the newer elected the newly elected people. I I think I said
last week, I'm not sure that's even I and I haven't researched it whether you can legally do that, but I I can tell you that having served on the the board for now 11 years and I'm going to be sitting next to somebody that's going to get a larger stipen than I who just got
elected. I that's I find that a little >> Yeah, it's it's it's not it's not the most the greatest way. Um, just understand my two other motivations. And if we're not doing it for the stipens, which I don't think we are. Well, then no harm to file, right? We don't care if
the next person is. >> Stephen, you had your hand up >> and you're frozen. >> Thank you. >> No, I'm not frozen. I shouldn't be frozen. Um, >> you're not. >> Well, we would we would uh we would happily uh accept a raise for members of
the finance committee. Um there were really two um elements that that Carrie didn't mention. One is I guess there was a little concern that I expressed and I saw some heads nodding about the perspective optics of a 50% increase.
um and whether $1,000 or $1250 to kind of get the plane in the air uh might be helpful or potentially more palatable for town meeting. The other is this too falls
into our thinking around periodicity, right? Should there be an annual cola that gets applied to your salaries and your your um dispersements? um should it be every two years, every 3 years those numbers are reviewed? So, we
would throw that into the the the periodicity basket for lack of a better term. I just want to throw those two things out there. >> Thank you very much. >> Um okay, I don't see any other public comment. Yes, sir.
>> Brian Phillips, 374 Orleans Road. Um, I'm running for selection, so I don't know if there's conflict of interest here, but um, this is a full 60-hour week job. Tons of reading, tons of meetings, and I put a little thought into this. I think it should be $10,000 a year, $200 a week.
Um, I think it should be enough money to cover gas, and you guys got to do a lot of like coffee meetings, you know, lunch meetings and stuff like that. So, I think that's kind of, you know, what it should cover. Um, especially if you keep it, you know, in Chadam to, you know, stimulate the economy. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. I had originally
thought of 10,000 to be honest with you, but I thought I was concerned about the optics as well. Although I should say if we made our decisions based on optics, nothing would get done in this town. >> Um, Mr. Chair, I just want to >> Miss Davis,
>> um, I'm I'm fine with moving this forward and um, you know, and I'll make a motion after this, but I do want to just reiterate that it's not just coffee meetings and lunch meetings. It's representing you know several different
leaison to boards and um constituent services and uh regional meetings and uh a number of other things. This is a lot of commitment but it also is based on what kind of commitment you yourself as an individual select board member would
like to make. So some people might just do this meeting and then be fine with their liaison. Others are more engaging. So, so it's really hard to tell what kind of, you know, you can't put a dollar value on this, obviously. So, I just wanted to put that uh say that um
in respect to the good work that this board has done and is doing and will continue to do. Um so, I'm going to move that the town vote to fix the salaries of the elected town officers in accordance with the positions and the amounts in this article >> as as proposed as proposed in the
article. Sorry. >> You want to place vote to place first? >> Oh, yeah. I'll vote motion to place the article uh fixed salaries and elected officials. >> I'll second that. >> Moved and seconded. Any further discussion? This is to place it on the warrant. >> Miss Davis. >> Hi.
>> Mr. Dykins. Hi. >> Mr. Matters. >> Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> I. >> And the chair votes I. Is there a motion to recommend? >> Motion to recommend. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded to recommend. Is uh any discussion? >> Miss Davis. Hi. >> Mr. Dykins. Hi. Mr. Meadows. Hi.
>> Mr. Smith >> I >> and the chair votes eye. Very good. Thank you. Next item on the agenda. You can tell that to the finance committee on Thursday. They're just going to take this up. Thank you. And Stephen is listening too. Um we're going
to have a FY2027 budget review for the community services department just which is deals with the council on aging, recreation and beaches and human services. And then there is a child care voucher program article with a recommendation to vote in place and recommend. I'll call in our finance
director, Carrie Masero. Thank you again, Mr. Chair. Um so the tonight we're going to be going over the FY2027 operating uh for community services which includes recreation and beaches. Um their budget is presented at
3.4 4 million um a increase of 6.9% or 222,000 over the current fiscal year. Um I won't go through every single line item, but um there's also a uh capital
item on here for 27,500 that will be discussed for recreation and beaches for the rehab of Depot Street tennis courts. And um like you mentioned, there will be an article on the childare voucher in the amount of $200,000.
Um and we have Leah Lacrosse, the director of community services here and the deputy director of recreation, Amy Howell, to go over the budget for you. Perfect. >> Welcome. >> Evening. Good evening, everybody. Thank
you. >> Leah Lacrosse, director of community services. Um I think we're going to start with the Council on Aging or in the Center for Active Living and then I'll turn it over to Amy. So we experienced some growth this year.
Um this year we had um for the department total unduplicated participants there were,441 or 22% of Chadam's year round population. The 6,67 hasn't been updated in a couple years
because that's the census number, but that's what we know it as right now. Um, the total number of active outreach clients is 518, which is up 241 individuals from last year. The total number of behavioral health calls is
954. We don't have a lot to compare it to. As you know, Diane is new in her position. Um but it certainly outlines that there is a need for these services. Uh the units of attendance which means that the
1,441 people signed in um for programs or services 10,866 times. As you can see that's a big jump from last year. Uh over 6,300 more than
last year. Um, we also grew our transportation programs. It 148 um unduplicated transportation participants, 33 more than last year. Rides and grocery deliveries um 3,924
um for this for last year, 466 more than the year before. And um that was that was again quite a considerable jump. as people learn more about our services, they're utilizing them, which is exactly
what we want them to do. So for um FY27, we're proposing 723,687 in salaries for a difference of um a little over 136,000.
Expenses went up. We are proposing 3,785. That's more to do the cost of postage has gone up. We do have um more subscribers to our newsletter. The cost of office supplies and with um more
staff we have more office supplies that we need for a total of difference of $139,91753. human services. Um there FY27 there were 300 the the human services committee
recommended 346,550 in um human service grants. That was a difference of 18,000. The um the biggest difference in that is there were people that didn't apply um last year who did regulars um regular
applicants such as the Independence House didn't apply last year but they did apply uh this year and plus we had an addition of a new um applicant this year and the new child care voucher amount. The human services committee is
requesting um an amount of 200,000 this year. uh which is a 25,000 increase, but the demand is there. Um as Amy could tell you more in her presentation that those funds are utilized by the families that we do have and they are um a huge a
huge help to the families in our town. Capital requests, we have none this year. Um so I'm happy to report that. And then um >> before you go into recreation, can I just ask a question about the
>> certainly >> the well this is this is the freestanding article >> on the childcare vouchers program for what is it 200,000. >> Yes. >> I had been um I've been given to understand that the original request for
monoy was was 25,000 more than that. >> That's different. Um so if I go back um that would have been that would have raised the FY27 number an additional 25,000 that's separate from the childare
voucher program. U Monoy Community Services just manages our childare voucher >> but as a grantee um they requested an additional $25,000 more >> on top of what? on top of um let's see
if I have the number with me here. >> I did have it with me. Their usual they they have asked for the same amount um for the last few years. The reason um the additional 25,000
no one from I don't think anyone from the human services >> I think it was like 165. >> That's right. Thank you. 165 is their normal. They asked for a one-time addition of 25,000. The reason the human services committee voted not to recommend it is because it
wasn't going towards direct services. It was to um put in their bank account in case construction ran over and that was the reason they listed for the one-time increase. >> Okay. Um, so the human services where they where it wasn't going to be used
towards direct services felt that they shouldn't um recommend funding for it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Any other questions before I turn it over to Amy? >> I had a question about salaries. Can you go back to the >> Certainly. >> I had a question about salaries. Leah,
just go back to the >> Yes. >> Yeah. The $136,000 increase. Is that all contractual? uh what what's up with that? So the the 136,000 is um well we
have the addition of the the day program the writers cove respit we've just turned one on that program which is great um but we have the director's salary the aid salary we have um seven full-time employees so yes it's contractual
>> you have seven full-time employees in that in that program itself >> no not in that program we total we have total the cfal has seven full-time employees. They have we now have five part-time drivers because of the increase in the transportation demand.
And we have a um two part-time aids for the day program. >> So you have in the day program you have one full-time person and two part-time aids. >> Correct. Yes. Both of the aids work 16 hours per week. >> Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. That just looked like a large increase. Thank you.
>> Certainly. >> Yes, Shireen. Um Leah Council on Aging, do you track in kind services or donations like um like food donations and things like that? Is that considered part of your budget at all or is not
>> but it is part of your operating? >> Yes. >> So is there a way to reflect that um in your operation just to or to going forward if it could be noted? I think it would be helpful for folks to understand that there's a lot of volunteering and some a lot of in well not maybe not
enough but it's something that helps um support the demand on the community the community has on the council on aging. >> Yes. And I I think that's a great suggestion and we do track our volunteer hours and um recently our volunteer coordinator has been tracking um the the
translation and how many um dollars those hours translate to. So I can forward that to to the committee if you >> Yeah, I think it'd be important that it's available for anybody that asks at town meeting or even be noted at town meeting when when >> Absolutely. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Some of the um contributions like in food come from the friends of the council on aging. Is that not not correct? They they underwrite the cost of some of those programs. So, the Friends of the Council on Aging pays for the majority of our programs, our enrichment programs, our finance, uh, I
mean our finance, our fitness programs. Um, wellness programs, they finance nearly 100% of that. Um, they don't finance services, you know, our outreach, that sort of thing. >> How about the what I was getting at is like the Christmas and the Thanksgiving
food contributions. That come from the friends. >> That comes from the friends. >> That's what I thought. Okay. Yes. >> Unless there are any more questions, we can go to Amy now. >> I just have a quick comment on the human services committee. The the amount of due diligence that they go through making decisions about which
organizations to fund is superb. Um they do their research, they do their homework, they interview folks, and they have presentations and really they do a wonderful job. So, a shout out and a thanks to the human services committee. Thanks. >> I agree. Thank you,
Amy. recreation and beaches. Um, so looking back uh at the last year, we offered 62 programs uh and special events. Uh that's a little bit more than 20 uh from last year with about 5,400 uh
registrations in those programs events. Um and that is about 2,000 more registrations uh than the previous year. Our fitness room at the community center uh had a little over 10,300 access scans uh which is 3,000 more uh
than the previous year and we have about 697 active members currently that use the fitness room at the community center. Um so for uh uses at Town of Chadam facilities we had a little over 2500 programs, meetings, events,
rentals. Uh the bulk of those take place at the community center. About 2,300 of those are all located at the community center and about 200 of them are outside. So at Cel Park, Chasees um but the bulk is at the community
center. Uh and at our beaches, our beachgate attendants sold uh over 8,300 daily uh non-resident beach passes, 569 weekly, and 53 seasonal. uh that was right around the same amount as last
year, but we did have a much larger um online sales this past summer. So, so our uh budget this year for personnel salaries and wages is1,13388. Um about 400,000 of that is for our
seasonal workers. We have six full-time staff uh in the recreation department and anywhere about 60 to 70 seasonal uh employees throughout the throughout the year. So about $400,000 of that budget is uh towards our seasonal workers. The
main difference of the 100,000 is for obviously contractual obligations for our full-time staff, but also a significant increase to our seasonal workers. Um, and we are in the process of evaluating that to see if we do need to increase it even a little bit more.
Um, for our expenses, we went up 3100 and that is on our portable toilets line. Um, and that is just for contractual uh obligations for our portable toilets. everything else remained a level funded. Um so currently as it stands our difference is about
103,000 this year. So for Lighthouse Beach um our salaries uh Lighthouse Beach is all seasonal staff. Um so all of our salaries are seasonal staff there and that's currently at 63,712. Uh again, we are taking a look at that
currently just to make sure we are uh competitive with uh our surrounding towns. So that could go up. Um our expenses line remain level funded. Um and so the difference is for the seasonal salaries of 8,240.
And our one capital item this year is for the tennis courts at depot. Uh you can see in these pictures kind of um those used to be blue um but they're now black. So it means we're down to the asphalt and before uh the weather
damages the asphalt and cracks it we want to reseal it um which will help protect the asphalt and maintain the courts for for the future years. And that is around 27,500 which will mainly include the resiling,
repainting of the the tennis courts, new nets, and some new benches for um the patrons that play there. >> Okay, >> that is it. Any questions? >> Any questions from the board? Corey, >> thank you. Amy and Leah. Um, for the
seasonal employees, spec specifically the beaches, not only do we have to look to be u competitive, but I think we need to make sure that we're paying uh paying appropriately for the type of ask we're looking for because lifeguards have been hard to get every year. I think we we we made some a little more traction last
year. We started in a bit of a slump um rallied at the end and I think we did fairly well with staffing for last season. But um that's something that it's going to be a consistent hurdle for for any beach community really. Um so actually how do we stand right now with
um our staffing for the summer? >> So it's hard to say right now because we're just in the in the middle of of um getting everyone to respond to us. Um they don't tend to respond. It takes a it takes a couple emails. Um but we have gotten a lot of feedback. Um currently, you know, right now we the lifeguards
received over a 10% um budget increase and we sit um the second highest rate um is what we're promoting uh to help recruit and and retain lifeguards. So that is already helping us. We're seeing um applications come in from friends. Um
and you know a larger point is obviously you know and it's been discussed you know throughout the night uh is uh the rapid decline of the numbers of youth in the town. So you know we do have a lower pool of applicants that we try to to
grab. Um so the cost does help but you know it's always going to be a struggle. We are lucky that we have uh Kaden Quinn on our staff that can certify the guards. Uh I think I've mentioned previously um last year he certified 17 guards for us. Um in previous years we
had to send them away to get certified which means we probably lost half of them. Um we also started the junior guard program two years ago. Um the first year we had one guard. Last year we had six junior guards which are 15 year olds. So they can't be fully
certified but at 16 then they become certified. It's it's a feeding a feeder system for us. And this year we already have about five or six applicants for our junior guards. So we really feel like that is helping us kind of um have a a great feeder system for the guards.
Um and and then of course obviously looking at the the salaries is going to help us kind of recruit uh and retain these guards after we get them in the system. >> Okay. Uh second question for the lighthouse. Uh what what is our plan coming up for this year? We talking strictly um guards monitors. Um what's
the what's the game plan for this summer? So, the goal will be to have the beach patrol out there. Um, again, you know, their salaries right now are starting at um $24, which we believe is very competitive. Um, and you know, our goal is to recruit and and get the staff
out there. It's always our goal is is to have them out there and and right now we're just, you know, getting out wherever we can. Um, going to job fairs, you know, posting them everywhere. Um, it'll be put in the Chronicle. So really just doing everything we can and and the
salary will help us get there. So that that is our goal is to have beach patrol out there this year. >> Okay, last question. Uh tennis court repairs. So the community has a couple tennis courts. Um some fall under the town of Chadam um review. um some that
are connected to the schools are going to be a different discussion, but we've had some discussions with park and wreck about the tennis courts at the middle school which fall under the regional agreement which could be a interesting conversations with the cost percentage whatever. Um so just to be clear, so the
these courts are what the town we're looking at. We're monitoring or checking on maintenance and we've identified it. So correct this is not really competing against some of these other courts like the schools, but this is this is on our our watch. Correct. Yes. So these are these are under our management
>> um and you know we don't want them to get to the level of um you know the other tennis courts and so that's why we want would like to reseal them. So >> right because they get to a certain point then that that simple repair becomes a very very very expensive replacement. >> Yes. Y >> All right. Thank you. >> Any other comments from the board?
Stuart. >> Sure. Um glad to hear about the we're trying to pay these seasonal folks uh what they not only what they deserve but competitive with like communities with like responsibilities. I just comment
again that um I don't think it's so much under your purview but um you know there's a melee of other seasonal employees uh throughout scattered throughout the town that um we need to address those uh those
salaries and uh the numbers I've were hearing were from my perspective not adequate. Um the so the the stepping stones courts those are under the jurisdiction of the Monoy school folks.
>> Uh the tennis courts correct. Yes. >> And um I guess this is a broader question, but uh that's come up with a couple of different folks in town. They're they're really not in very good shape at all. I'm glad to see you're preventing doing
some preventative maintenance here. Um, were did you want to chime in on that? Oh, I thought you wanted to chime in. >> Well, I'm struggling for how do we address those court problems in a in the Monoy school district? Do we wait for the school budget to come forward with
their capital request because they're in very bad condition >> there. It's nothing is this this has been brought up at park and wreck committee meetings on at least two occasions. um both superintendent and the athletic director have were present
at the last one. Um there's been you know quotes to replace it which are extremely expensive. Um there's a definitely identification that the repair needs to happen which is at a lower price. I mean it's doable. I think we had uh one company come in with a
with a soft quote and then we were going to come back with a hard quote which I don't think we received at least at least from the committee perspective we haven't received any hard number for the repairs um but there's nothing queued up and if it falls under the regional agreement um you know the cost split
between Cadam and Harwitch um would fall into place and of course the conversation of you know are these really school function tenants courts, is there a benefit of the town? It it becomes a very delicate conversation which we have
to have and the courts are overdue for repair and it needs to be it needs to be fixed for the safety of anyone using it. But um I don't believe anything is queued up in anyone's budget uh unfortunately for this coming year. >> So if I might the first first step if I might we got to bring it to the attention of our school committee our
school committee members. So we bring them to the Chattam school committee members say hey we got an issue bing bang boom and they're they're in the throws of finalizing their budget now. So this may maybe may be actually a little late you guys, but but they should be aware that this is an issue and that we want to deal with it and we want to talk about it,
>> but that's the next step. >> They're they're coming in next week. >> Yeah, we could talk to them next week. >> Yeah. Okay, great. Um just wanted to see what the pathway forward was uh on that and more towards your >> interest. The South Chattam uh courts,
how are they um doing? So the child's um where the South Cadam playground is. Is that your name too? Yeah. Okay. Yep. Uh we actually are that came up at uh the last park and recck meeting and um there's going to be a site visit to go um take a look at them and it's also
going to be a part of the larger picture of our updated open space and recck plan um that's coming down the pipeline. Um, so that plan will look at all of the town's recreational facilities, evaluate them, um, you know, and, uh, you know,
get the public's kind of input about, um, you know, the what they're looking for, um, about the quality. Um, and so we're kind of we're kind of waiting for for that to to, um, come to fruition,
uh, which I believe will be this year. And so those will be a large part of that plan. Um and the park and rec commission is obviously also aware of it because we do have a site visit. Um you know because that was brought up at the previous meeting as well to kind of go take a look and evaluate them. >> And is is are they are they any sort of
a uh the five-year capital plan for it seems to me that >> not currently. >> No. And they're not in a the outlying plan of 10 to or 20 to 25 year capital plan. >> Not currently. that can age with the um what comes from the open space and rec
plan. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Anybody else? Okay. Um we have one item we're being asked to consider for placement as a separate warrant article and this is the child care voucher
program in the amount of um $200,000 um to place and recommend. Is there a motion on this? >> Mr. Mr. Chairman, I move to place the childc care voucher program article on the 2026 annual town meeting warrant. >> Is there a second?
>> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Call the role. Miss Davis. >> I. >> Mr. Dyken. >> Hi. >> Mr. Matters. >> I. >> Mr. Smith. >> I. >> Chair votes I. Is there a motion to recommend? >> Mr. Chairman, I move to recommend the childcare voucher program article. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. I'll call the role.
Miss Davis. >> Hi. >> Mr. Dikkins. >> Hi. >> Mr. Matters. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. and the chair votes eye. Okay. Um I'm going to do something perhaps out of order because I there are a number of people in the audience here. I think I
suspect they're here for the Eversource. Is that correct? Who's here on Eversource? >> All right. Okay. >> Okay. What I'd like to do is do the capital project article on the Center for Active Living next. Um I think that
should be fairly straightforward. Then I'll I'm going to take the ever source matter out of order because right now it's listed as at the end of the agenda and I don't want to have people having to wait. Uh uh so uh the next item will be the capital project article for the
expansion and renovation of the existing center uh for active living the cfell and ballot question number one. Um Jill um who's presenting this and uh it seems to me this is fairly straightforward. We the board did vote to ask >> staff to
draft an article and um and a ballot question. >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So um we do have a member of the center for active living building working group with us in the audience and um this is more of a
financial article. You've already approved and seen the plans and the the process and I'm kind of stalling for a second. Terry was going to pop in here, but nonetheless, um, so the there's two components to the funding for the
program. One is a ballot question, which is a capital expenditure exclusion, and it's a one-year increase to the tax rate. And with that, uh, the total amount that is needed at this time, and
I'll I'll deviate a little bit here, the bids for the Center for Active Living Renovations um, are due working backwards on March 20th. That's the general contractors, and then the subcontractors are first, and that is on March 6. Closing of the
warrant is around that same time, March 20th timing. And with that with a capital expense expenditure exclusion, we have to have the actual amount in the ballot question. And that's unlike a borrowing authorization where we say
shall the town uh secure funding via debt blah blah blah. This has a specific number. So, working backwards, Carrie's found a way to transfer a portion of the needed, which is um $1,880,000
portion of free cash and a portion of closing out a few other capital articles. So, the actual, and we're going to work on this number a little bit, amount needed through the capital exclusion, she has it here, is
1,329,47316. Um, we're going to work through that, but I just wanted to work backwards that the bid inhand approach that the board had endorsed through the the working group, that's our intention. It just everything is cutting it very close. And
so we want to make sure that there is sufficient funding for the exclusion and have that presented as a ballot question. >> So my question is if the if the bids are out right now, I understand they went out. Um and what if they come in at an
amount higher than these numbers? What are we going to do? And what what are we being what are we being asked to vote on tonight? >> Carrie wants to speak to >> Yes, Carrie. So, um, my recommendation is to go slightly higher on the, um, the
ballot question and make it an even number. So, it's not so it's it's just because it's so specific, it's because of the transfer and appropriate from the prior year articles. So, my suggestion is to go a little bit slightly higher, like do 1.5, so that way you have an
amount there. It's slightly higher, so it will cover any other costs that come in for the bid. And then obviously we have the transfer and appropriate from free cash for the 515,000. And then we have the transfer of the
other articles. And then if we have more than what's needed, we can close out those amounts and they'll just close out to free cash. >> So we have two items. Well, let's take the ballot question first. >> Yep. is is the um
um I guess the the the working group team the staff are they comfortable with 1.5 is there any prospect that this could come in the bids could come in higher than 1.5 >> I can >> and what's the deadline by which we have to establish the ballot question
>> we need to have the ballot question and the article before we go to print so in a few weeks. >> Yeah. So it's it's pretty close. We could probably extend it a little bit. The bids would come in. We'd have a sense of it, not necessarily award it,
but I think we can do that following Tuesday in order for the board to vote the final number. >> So, we going to vote it on this v vote on this a second time. Is that what you're saying? >> Uh, we can hold off. We just wanted to bring it to the board's attention for
now. And it looks like it would be the 24th as the last date, but it's really pushing it. But we need to have a bid in hand because that's our commitment that we made to town meeting. >> And the same thing would be true of the article, the warrant article, because we
have to have the correct number to go in the warrant. >> Correct. >> You're not proposing any increases there because these are fixed numbers. Well, the ballot cash. >> Ballot cash. Free cash. >> No, I wouldn't change the free cash or
that um Okay. The prior year articles, those are fixed. >> What does the board want to do? >> Mr. Mr. D. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, Mr. Chairman. Um so just run through me again one run again for us the dates certain that we are going to get we're going to be
opening bids on which date and which date do we have an intervening select board meeting after we open bids and do we have time then to vote uh to to place and recommend the actual numbers that the town will be seeing and that will be included in what we solicit in the
warrant or we send out in the warrant. do are there what what what are you asking us to do tonight? >> Um well, I'm asking you to hold on it until we can get a final number on the capital on the capital request because >> it's evolving as of this afternoon.
>> We definitely need the number on the ballot, an exact number that we're going to >> Okay, so filed sub bids >> y >> March 6. Then the filed general contractor bids on March 20th.
>> Okay. And then do we have a board meeting right there after? >> You have a board >> Do we have a board meeting right there after? >> 10 and 17. >> Huh? >> We could the the next board meeting after that would be Tuesday the 24th of March.
>> Okay. And then when's the print date? >> It would go likely the next day to the printer. >> That's the ballot or the warrant or both? It's It's technically both because the ballot question is included in the warrant, >> but the town clerk has to print the ballots.
>> Um, she does. Yep. >> Okay. >> What does the board want to do tonight? >> I I I would like to to place and vote the article that's going to be placed in front of the town. >> Yeah, I think that that's >> I agree.
>> important and we could >> I don't want to do anything tonight. >> Okay. >> You want to defer? >> I do. >> And if we're Well, I agree with that. Yes. And and if we need to have an additional meeting, so be it. >> We can do that. We can do that. >> Yeah. But I'm not, you know, Okay. >> Okay. >> I don't want the public to be confused by anything, especially on this one.
>> We're very supportive of this, but we need to know the numbers. I need correct need to hear that because the council on aging meeting tomorrow. I don't want to be unhappy. >> Not not supportive. We're just not going to >> And the chair is watching us. I can see she's on. She was on before. She's on now. Okay. Uh any further comment on
this? We will defer. All right. I'm going to take out of order the final item which is G. On to number seven, discussion on the reported August 19 20th power surge and consideration of a letter to Eversource. This is a a
request by the energy and climate action committee and is um uh the chair >> Bob Wcher is on the phone. Edward Chhater your presentation and um Greg Burman the staff leaison is or is it
Terry? I can't remember you both. >> It it's kind of a tag team. >> Okay. Okay. So I I'll turn it to whoever Bob chapter I guess. >> Yes. Can you guys hear me? >> Yes, absolutely. >> All right. Uh there's a few slides and I'll I'll try to make this as quick as I
can. Uh, and I can't see the slides or or so somebody's going to have to forward them, but if you could go to the second slide. Uh, I'll give you a little bit of background. Um, there was an event on August 19th or 20th in which at
least 20 homes in Chattam were affected by a grid event. Um there were uh solar micro inverters and other electric equipment uh EV chargers, televisions that were damaged.
Uh as far as we know, there was no damage to any of the town buildings or solar panels. Eversource has retained legal counsel in this matter as has Nphase, which is the manufactured the microver inverters. Uh the energy
committee uh got involved because one of the affected residents Jeffrey Vanor who I believe is at the podium uh ask for our involvement. Have the next slide. Why this is an issue for Chattam Select
Board? Um well Eversource and Mphase have failed to respond to the homeowners concerns despite repeated requests. uh other residents may not know that they were affected by this event. Um so we would like to make this as public as
we can so other Chattam residents and business can check their systems. Chattam building owners should know how to protect their properties from future events. This isn't really the first time that uh this has happened. uh we'd like to get a comprehensive
assessment from Eversource as to why it happened and what uh people should do to protect their solar systems and the other electrical equipment. So, uh we're hoping that the select board would
consider a role in getting Eversource to cooperate. >> Okay. >> So, what actions uh have been taken? Um, Jeffrey Vanor has collected the names of some of the affected homes. Eversource
hired an expert who wrote a report. Eversource initially refused to release the report to Mr. Vanor, but he ultimately relented requiring him to keep a a NDA. Mr. Vanor asked Eversource attorneys for
permission to share the report, but Eversource refused. So, Mr. Vanor came to the to me the chair of the energy and climate action committee. The uh committee met. We uh decided that this
was a matter of concern to Chadam. We met with the town manager and the fire chief. Um Mr. Vanor met with the fire chief several times and I've had a meeting with some of the select board
members, town manager and staff and the fire chief. Uh can you go to the next slide? Actions the town residents should take. Um this is for anybody that hasn't
checked. you can contact Nphase um to see if um your solar system has been damaged. Um and there we would like to get some more information from Eversource but uh
on the efficacy of installing surge protectors for the home and for the solar systems but it's unclear whether those would have worked and it would be nice to get some uh input from Eversource on whether that's even worthwhile.
So the the what next slide what we're hoping the select board will do is to put some um pressure on Eversource to discuss this matter in with a Cadam uh committee. Uh we're hoping it would be
the select board, but it could be uh the energy and climate action committee or it could be one uh the energy and action committee and I could report back to the select board, but but it um I I believe it's a big enough issue affecting Chadam
and it's a big enough issue that it that could happen again. It's it's inhibiting the um the uh so solar in the future because residents are now scared that they're going to
make these large investments in solar and they're not uh going to be able to recover them. So, uh th those are the requests. There is a letter that was drafted. Um
uh it it mentioned uh it mentioned that there was some uh recovery energy uh money recovered but the real issue is that the damages that were done um and at least some some men uh way to recover
the the that uh money. So I I just bring I'm bringing this up to you as a as the chairman of the energy and climate action committee. Uh I know that in the audience there are a number of the residents who were affected and you may
have questions for Mr. Vancor who has has spent a lot of time investigating this issue. >> Okay. Thank you Bob very much. Um, who drafted the letter? Was it >> Well, the problem is I have two
different letters circulating here. >> Okay. >> Um, I have one that we wrote and then I believe it was rewritten by someone on on the uh town staff. So, >> okay. >> And I don't have them in front of me. So, all right. I I think that whatever
letter you have in front of you right now, uh it's pro it probably could use some some adjustment, but the the thought is to get Eversource to come to Chadam to discuss this matter.
>> Okay. Uh well, the letter that's on the screen is um doesn't refer to dollar amounts. It's essentially a a letter that requests a resource come before the select board to discuss this matter. Um I have a I have a few questions. So they're sort of factual, but I I I'm I'm
going to unless the board wants to make comment now, I'm going to open it up to public comment. And Mr. Vanor, I think that's you. I think um happy to hear from you, but let me ask you a couple of questions first. >> Absolutely. Um, so, uh, I know a little
bit about this because I was at a staff meeting on this with, uh, Mr. Witcher and others. Um, there's there's a company called Mphase, I guess. >> That's correct. Thank you, by the way. Thank you very much for allowing us to present to you. I appreciate >> the time of the uh, select board very
much. >> Sure. >> Excuse me. Yes, there is a company called Nphase. >> Were they the installer or the manufacturer of the solar panels in question or some of the solar panels? They are not the manufacturer of the solar p solar panels. The manufacturer of the solar panels varies for each
excuse me for each homeowner. Uh but each homeowner does have uh and this is the item in question has end what are called micro inverters and about 500 of these were rendered inoperable. These are about $200 or $300 a piece all of which are now sitting in a landfill. Um
and all of them have been rendered inoperable. Um so that is the answer to the question. Is it only Mphase inverters that have been that were damaged or >> as as far as we know it is only Nphase? Um remember that by way of background I
actually went door todo looking for people. Spent months finding everyone. I don't believe that I found everyone. I've not been successful in finding everyone but certainly we found everyone who's sitting over here and a number of people uh on the phone as well. >> Okay. I asked because I was wondering if
if the the the possible culprit here is the manufacturer versus the electric. I don't know. I'm just throwing this out. If they're all man if if the only ones that were if the only inverters that were rendered inoperable were from one manufacturer.
>> Correct. >> It's a curious point. >> It is a curious point is ones that we are certainly investigating. I think the weight of the evidence certainly indicates that Eversource is likely a significant source of the issues that we're encountering and that's why we want to talk to them.
>> Dean, if if I could interject something. >> Yes, Bob. >> There there there was damage to more than the inverters. There was an EV charger. There was on television. >> Okay. I heard you. Okay. Thank you. That is that is why we think that it more likely than not is Eversource because we
have 500 of these devices. And then we have in the audience we have uh Mr. Chima who's sitting here had a stove, a computer, Mr. Gagan who is sitting behind him had air conditioning equipment. Um Mr. Campbell over here had uh an EV charger. Um we've got lots of
other damaged equipment. So it's very I think that the weight is is we're certainly looking at Nphase uh but we're the weight is is with Eversource at this point. Okay. And my second question to you is uh I understand there was some activity at the Department of Public Utilities, the state. What what can you
tell us enlighten us a little bit about? I know a little bit about it. I'm not sure the whole board knows about it. >> Sure. Um it's really a very long discussion and obviously we don't have the time tonight. So I'm going to try to be as brief as possible. Uh Eversource monitors their equipment through something called SCADA which you're probably familiar with and that SCADA
system is a very old system. It's not meant uh by design to get robust amounts of information. So what Ever Source has told the Department of Public Utilities, which very well may be true, is we don't see anything that happened. We're not seeing anything uh on our end. Nphase is
also saying we're not seeing anything on our end as well. But here's one thing we know for sure. The Easter Bunny didn't deliver this president to 20 this present to 20 residents, right? All this didn't happen because of the residents. That we know for sure, right? We have 20 geographically dispersed houses that
have various equipment damaged. Um, and there's no indication whatsoever that it's a failure of our electrical systems. It's not a failure of our um of of our equipment. We know for a fact that it's either Eversource or NPhase that we know for sure. So, whatever to
answer your question, Mr. Diccastro, what N everource told the DPU is we don't see anything. And so what the DPU took from that is well and I'm happy to get the the full select board uh their report which is very short. It's actually just a simple email. What they
basically said is well we don't see anything. We don't have any basis to go forward with respect to the solar issue because we only filed this with the DPU solar division. Right? There's a special solar division um that is governed by
this 200page tariff which I had the pleasure of getting familiar with that I didn't even know existed until now. And this is the document that they're relying on just in the DPU um solar division. So this is not before the full DPU. And there's a lot of additional
facts we don't yet know. So, I thought what was appropriate here is to bring it to um the select board's attention and see if we can get some movement there because whatever source has done is they simply will not respond to the to the homeowners. We have tried and tried and
what they do is they've they've hired lots of lawyers. They're very good at that. Um those lawyers have put up lots of roadblocks and one of the most interesting roadblocks I think they've put up and and uh Mr. Mr. Worsher went through this before, but I think it bears note and a little bit of emphasis. Is Eversource hired an expert from
Boston to come to our home and meet with me and two of my fellow um homeowners on Labor Day along with the head of engineering. And they drafted an expert report. That expert report they refused to give me for a month. I fought over
and over to get that expert report. They made me agree to confidentiality and they will not allow me to disclose that expert report to my fellow homeowners who should see it. And just yesterday, for the sixth time, I emailed their lawyers and said, "I'm going before the select board. Can I show the select board the expert report?" The answer was
no. That is simply outrageous. It's it it's nothing short of outrageous. Um you cannot you you cannot be a utility operating in this town and not provide information to the residents in the select board. So, our ask here, just to be clear, and I know our time is
limited, our ask is very limited of you. We are asking for very little. I I think respectfully what we're asking for you is is you to send this letter and Bob and I talked about this this morning. Asking the most knowledgeable person at Eversource, not a talking head, not a lawyer, but somebody who knows what's
happening to come before the energy committee, not you, not taking up your time, not burdening you with additional administrative burden, but come to the energy committee and answer their questions and then Bob, as he sees fit with his committee, will report back to you. That is all we are asking tonight.
It's as simple as that. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh unless you have I interrupted your I started by interrupting you for um we can obviously request that they come. We can't compel them to come. We don't regulate them. We and in the past when we have we have asked them to come. They have come right
>> for us >> and I have certainly I have certainly evaluated that risk. I I full well know that they may not come. But won't that say a lot if the select board of Chadam asked them to come and explain why hundreds of these micro inverters were destroyed? Hundreds of thousands of
dollars of damage. 20 solar systems taken out of commission that we know of. The the consequence that more people may not get solar, right? They may not want to make that investment. As Bob mentioned, if Eversource decides not to come, that's going to tell us a lot. >> Yeah.
>> I think that should probably color how the select board views them going forward. We have we have ongoing matters with them and so they have they have been cooperative in the past. We had them come and talk with us about uh responses to storms and that sort of thing. So with that, I mean Corey, did
you want to say something? >> I think you you you're you kind of hit the nail on the head. I think I think the letter itself is is is not a heavy lift for us. No, it's a very straightforward request >> and you're not asking us to get involved in litigation or anything like that. It's a simple it's it's a very straightforward public request.
from our citizens to the entity. The expectation is this entity is lawyered up and they are not going to come forward and speak if there's any sense of litigation. So I think we just got to be realistic with the expectation. >> I'm okay with the concept of sending a letter. Might want to tweak it a little
bit. Um >> um because you know we don't have the data as to whether quote an event occurred. We we I don't dispute what you're saying, but I I might want to just >> qualify it a little bit. >> If go ahead, if I may, if you don't mind. Yes, sir. One thing that's
important to realize is the manufacturer of the micro inverters does have the data and they have offered to turn it over to Eversource and Eversource refuses to engage with them. As far as I know, obviously I'm not on these calls, but I know for a fact that the micro inverter company, Nphase, sent an email,
because I'm on that email, to Eversource saying, "We have all this grid grid data. We know exactly what the voltages were. We know exactly what happened, and we'd like to give that to you. Can we have a di a dialogue about that?" Eversource wouldn't respond. And the reason they probably didn't respond
would be my guess is because that data is not good for them. >> Okay, Jeff? Yeah, I'm fully supportive of signing on to a letter. Again, I think it needs a little word smithing, but not much. And I think the avenue, the process, if you will, of going back to ECAC is the right avenue.
>> Um, I think that's fine. Thank you. Um I I think the the issue is here is clearly there was an anomaly somewhere in in the grid and our folks suffered you know from that anomaly and we just want to know number one what the ideology of the anomaly was and can we get a surge protection system individually or
somewhere else you know to to prevent it from if should there be a future anomaly from messing up our solar our solar systems are going >> Thank you I you know >> I appreciate that >> and Eversource you know ought to be better behaved >> correct and A few a few notes I think I
want to make on what you just said. Our ask is really only A, B, and C. What occurred to the extent knowable? And there's there are two versions. The version I have that I prefer actually has a little bit more on AB and C, but let me just illustrate it real quickly. A, what occurred to the extent knowable? If if it's not knowable, then we
understand it's not knowable. B, how it can be prevented in the future if knowable. And then number C or letter C, which I've met with the fire chief on two occasions now with some of my fellow residents, is that we're safe. That's actually the greatest concern here because I've emailed both Eversource and
NPhase and asked them to represent in writing that there is no risk whatsoever and they've not been able to do that and that is a serious question. I've also met with the fire chief and I certainly don't want to put words in his mouth and he is on the call tonight. Um but it's my understanding that he's not able and
and I respect that and I think he's right that he's not able to give us the all clear that hey this event you're perfectly safe, you can sleep at night, don't worry about it. That's a serious concern. Um, when you have this many volts, remember these are class 3 devices that have their own surge, but let me just grab it real quick. If you'd
like to see it, I'd be happy. >> Be careful. >> Pass it around. Um, this device has its own there's there's one of these for each panel. Um, so we have 500 of these between the 20 homeowners. Each one of these has its own built-in surge protector that can take up to 275 volts
before anything even happens. We already know we're well past 275 volts. It doesn't take an electrical engineer to realize that when you get over 275 volts, you have the potential for real trouble. >> I have two quick follow-ups. Sure. Just geography. No, no rhyme or reason to the
geography locally. And how about surrounding towns? >> On your first question. It's throughout Chadam. I've not done a pinpoint map, but it's all over Chadam. Um, and then with respect to your second question, which is a very interesting question, the CEO of my generation who I've talked to extensively and who's been very, very
helpful. I just want to put in Mr. weight. I want to put in a good word for him. He's he's really been very helpful um to to me I think to most of the homeowners um is that he has observed according to him and I don't have firsthand knowledge of this. Most of the things I've told you today I have firsthand knowledge of this one I don't
but he has told me that this event has happened before in Brewster and East or at least something similar to that. um he actually gave me a print out from 2021 um that I'm happy to share with you and happy to put into the record where the event was 322
volts. That should scare everyone on this committee because um on the select board because even though you may or may not have solar, you certainly have electricity. And this is not I want to emphasize again, this is not just a solar event. There's lots of equipment that has been damaged and like I said, it doesn't take an electrical engineer
to realize 322 volts is not a good thing. Thank you. You're welcome. >> Um I fully support the letter and u the the only question I had. You're going to word smith this I guess dean. >> Well I I just really you know I we can't
quote demand and that doesn't say demand but I I want to kind of >> smooth it a little bit and I don't want to make assertions that the select board >> doesn't have evidence. We haven't researched it. So when they say what occurred I'd like to say what might have occurred something like that.
>> Okay. But I think if the board wanted wanted to authorize uh the chair and the town manager to work work this or the staff whatever >> that that's fine with me. I was going to also add or I was going to ask um this this draft letter says dear Eversource.
I see that going like >> nowhere. Is there a cont Nothing like holding somebody responsible. Sure. Is there someone we can >> I communicate I've communicated on a daily basis since August 19th and 20 literally every day with the two lawyers there uh John who goes by Jack uh and
Ashley Martin. They're at the law firm that represents Eversource in all of their utility matters uh throughout the state. Um I've gotten to know them quite well. Um you could easily send the letter to them and I would be happy >> maybe it should be sent to them rather than rather than cease to them. >> You can easily send it to them. If I can if I can just say one thing that's
important. Um the most important part of the letter is that you request respectfully you request that the person most knowledgeable comes. Um because otherwise they're just going to send a lawyer and we're going to do the same thing. Bob's committee, the the climate action committee, I think everybody
really wants real answers. What I like about this doing it this way is it doesn't burden you with getting prepared for that meeting, questioning them. it it and and we thought Bob and I thought long and hard about that because that way it makes it easier for you and then you can get the the summary version, right? You don't need to be in the weeds on every single issue. You can let Bob's
committee do the work and then report back to you. So, we thought that was a good way to alleviate some of your administrative >> I think that makes a lot of sense. Okay. >> The other thought I had was um do you think there's any value in copying the uh DPU? >> Sure. Absolutely. >> So, somebody that you know
>> Absolutely. I know them well too. I can easily get you those addresses. >> Great. give us the content on that >> and thank you very much for your time. We greatly appreciate >> any Thank you. Any other public comment we have? Yes, sir. Tom >> Gagan. Thank you, Dean. What I'd like to uh impress the board with uh in terms of
the effect of this uh power surge is that the it also affected our house uh Barbara and I we live on uh Joshua Jethro right around the corner from Jeff when he was starting to do his investigation is it affects motherboards
and uh this is an example of the motherboard. uh we have a central air and there's two larger versions down there. So to connect this with Eversource which is the question uh and
was it just a power surge or was a piece of equipment we hired a local uh company to come in for HVAC system. Uh they came in when we found out from Jeff that there was an issue in the neighborhood. So, this is after um well, the event
took place in in um in August. Uh we lost our air conditioning and so we started looking around and when you try to go to a company in August telling them you have problem with your air conditioner, you know what that gets you. >> They finally showed up uh the air
conditioning company and they reported to us the loss of three motherboards in this unit. So that question how would this happen? I mean I could see a motherboard going or it was old and it
was defective. So my we asked Barbara and I asked a question of the heating company HVAC company if they would do some investigation and they said that um I purported to
them that maybe there was a power surge. Could that be what effectively blew out these Muller boards? So, what I have and certainly willing to share it with the board at one time or certainly with the energy committee, um they reported to me
the company that came and repaired it that they met with and talked with the engineering company for Mishubichi, which was the manufacturer of the unit that became defective. And here it says in an email from them uh that it was
done the equipment is likely from a power surge uh from the utility company. So Misha Bichi reported to the repair company and they put in writing that it was very likely that you lost all of
this technology because of a a power surge. I think that's important for the town to know uh in the fact that um not only the the effect that this has on what we do in terms of our present
energy equipment um but it wasn't just the the uh solar and Barbara and I have solar on our home and it wasn't affected. We have computers in our house and they weren't affected because we have power surge units in the office to
take care of that a buffer. So it was very select with this particular equipment on those particular days because there was no energy uh surge protection for that. So, I'm just trying to let you know that there's a lot of stuff that was affected by this power
surge with some documentation from the manufacturer that in fact that probably was the cost and >> those motherboards are pretty expensive. >> And if the board needs a copy of that email, be glad to. And thank you for your time. >> Thank you, Tom. Anybody else want to speak to this? I think the sentiment is
that we're going to send a letter something along the lines of that draft that's on the screen. Um, I'll work with the town manager and staff and maybe we'll also consult with Bob Wchfter. Run it by him. Is that okay, Bob?
>> Mr. WAfter. >> Sorry, that's great. Yes. >> So, do we want to do we need to take a vote? I'm happy to >> I think we have I think we have consensus here big time. >> Okay. Probably best to take a vote. >> Take a vote. Okay. just to >> I I move that we write a letter to Eversource and and you guys draft it and
uh have uh empower the chair and the town manager to draft it and and we'll sign it and get it out there. >> Well, I'll sign it. >> I'll sign it. >> I'll second that. >> Yep. I'll sign it. >> Moved and seconded. Okay. Call the RO. Miss Miss Davis. Hi, >> Mr. Dyken. Hi, >> Mr. Matters. Hi, >> Mr. Smith. Hi, >> Chair B. Thank you. Thank you everybody
for coming. Sorry you had to wait. Thank you. Thank you, Bob. Thank you, Mr. Vanor. Hi, Mr. Shell. Nice to see you. Um >> okay. Uh we're now um on D uh three
floor treatment replacements, municipal buildings, the community center, town hall, and police station. Who's doing this? Terry Whan. >> Yes, >> this might be Jeff. >> Excuse me. Uh can we um can we go outside please everyone?
Can we go outside, please? >> Thank you. >> Terry, >> move it along. >> That was good. Get taken out. >> We'll try to take all these votes before 8:00. >> That was good. No. Okay, John, >> you left. Not as left.
>> Just Katie. >> All right. Yeah, you're on, Terry. >> Okay. Thanks. Sorry. I was just making sure that you're >> I'd like to try to get >> Yeah. >> all of these done. So, >> yeah. Again, I think this one >> five votes on these. >> Sure. This one I think again is pretty straightforward. The request. So basically this is uh kind of has history
with uh some previous articles and some previous requests u where we've um combined the the remaining um projects that need to be completed for the um uh floor treatment replacement basically going from a carpet to a hard surface.
Um so uh in this proposal um the the article would would uh fund uh the the change out of all the carpeted areas at the community center uh the police dispatch the entire area of dispatch and then town offices uh remaining carpeted
areas that have not yet been converted uh from a few projects. So so that uh grand total of square footage is 21 approximately 21,700 square ft. Uh we we've just completed uh some projects. So we have I have the math in there
where we assumed a a $22 per per square foot value. Um came up with total project um implementation costs and then put a 10% contingency on that. Um that resulted in a grand total of $525,000
uh dollars. We do have some uh funding still left over from an article that uh was for uh some flooring at the town hall. So, we already have 50,000 of that uh still available. And then the request is um for $475,000
and the uh finance directors director of finance is here if um you need any information on the rationale on uh the the nature of the free article being free cash. >> Has this gone before finance yet? Finance Committee >> Carrie
>> I don't >> or is it Thursday >> scheduled >> they see this one tomorrow >> okay um Thursday you mean >> Thursday >> oh yes >> yes I'm sorry Thursday >> any comments on this this is a freestanding article for floor
treatments for $475,000 >> believe believe it or not I do have a comment and a question >> Steuart goes first >> oh gohead no Steu go ahead >> I think you hit the green button >> okay well I might I might have had the green button first So, it's got to be a hard flooring versus carpet. Get it. Um, is it a plastic uh material that looks
like wood that we can refurbish? We can buff out, wash and buff out and wax and make it look really pretty. I just had really good experience at the hospital laying down >> laminate laminated flooring that looks great because they wash it and shine it all the time. They have this machine
that goes and buffs it and stuff. Phenomenal. So, >> it's a product product been using at um we've put it through again the testing if you will. So, we've used at the um Council on Aging. We've got at the DPW um uh area um and then also a couple
applications that are brand new essentially in in town offices area. So again, that's we're looking for the longer term um you know, maintenance as well as the health benefits and uh just ease of of um care as well versus carpeting and uh shampooing and cleaning
rugs, those types of things. So >> totally totally in favor, >> Stuart. >> Yeah, I I fully support this. Um one question, couple of questions though. Are you worried at all or concerned? And I like the hard flooring idea, but is it going to be loud, do you think? Like at
dispatch, is that going to >> I don't know. I don't >> Yeah, I mean dispatch uh so I mean our experience I mean I I can't speak to um um any interference with equipment or anything like that but >> use it firsthand at DPW every day. I
mean there's a lot of you know uh people coming in and out and I haven't noticed any problems with that. Okay. Uh the the chief, you know, actually was was u part of the um making this request to to make that change over. >> And and lastly, uh
town hall isn't going anywhere. The town offices are going to stay probably at 549 for the foreseeable future. Um is there a m is there like a uh a capital plan for your other improvements? like you've got bad
windows, you've got bad siding. I mean, we can paint that thing to death. And I mean, eventually it's going to need a more thorough siding, you know. I mean, we we haven't done, you know, typically we would do some type of building assessment for that.
And we we haven't done that looking at it um in in total from that perspective from the from the shell you know from the windows you know we would probably you know look at that from a perspective of energy conservation and and do that
but that there's no project right now um on the horizon for that. Well, I would suggest that it somehow get on a capital plan because um you know, I was looking at I went in to get my agenda and and the siding. Look at how many times you paint that. It's never going to adhere.
I mean, Mr. Pomeroy could weigh in on that. Um and the windows of course aren't they're not even high performance windows, so they're no good. And >> you probably do them both at the same time, but it should that absolutely needs to be on a capital plan somewhere. >> Sure.
>> Yeah. And I think if not to take too much time, but again, I think if you see the work that was done on the on the um with the redo of the restrooms, probably bringing that finish through the rest of the building and again, you know, getting away from the historical materials as well. So that's been, you know, will give us the longer
maintenance and everything you're familiar with on the working group. So you're welcome. >> Any other comments? If not, uh can we have a motion to place? >> Move to place. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded to place. Um, Miss I'll call the role. Miss Dykin, Mr. Miss
Davis. >> Uh, yes. >> Mr. Dykins. >> Hi. >> Mr. Meadows. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> I. >> And the chair votes. Is the motion to recommend? >> Move to recommend. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Move. Seconded. Call the role. Miss Davis. >> Hi. >> Mr. Dykins. >> Hi. >> Mr. Matters. Hi. >> Mr. Smith.
>> I. >> And the chair votes I. >> Okay. Thank you, Terry. And so Carrie, now you have several here. uh the PEG public education government cable access fund stabilization trust fund appropriation, the expendable trust fund retirement for retirement and a new
grant match fund and the sewer capital transfer from wastewater capital stabilization fund. Do you want to take us through these? Um yes, >> you can do that within 10 minutes we can have five votes on this. >> Okay. Um so um similar to last year the
PEG access funds um those are money that we received from Comcast that go to public education and government and the public portion is to go to uh Cape Media where we have our contract with them. Um so this is the money that we've taken in
in 2025 and it's held um in the amount of $76,458. Um and that will need to be appropriated to fund the Cape Media per their contract. >> Why don't we take these one by one? So,
there is an article proposed for the PEG >> public cable access and technology $76,458. >> That's the article. Is there a motion to >> second move? Moved and seconded to place. I'll call the role. Miss Davis. >> Mr. Dyken. >> Hi. >> Mr. Matters. Hi.
>> Mr. Smith. >> I chair votes. Is there a motion to recommend? >> Move to recommend. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. I'll call the role. Miss Davis. Hi, >> Mr. Dykens. Hi, >> Mr. Matters. Hi, >> Mr. Smith. Hi. >> The chair votes I. >> The next is the stabilization trust fund
appropriation. >> Uh, yes, that's correct. Um, so, um, this is to, sorry, I don't have the article right in front of me. I want to get to the article. This is another annual article. We didn't do this last
year because we actually were actually at around in between the 3 to 5%. So stabilization according to our financial policies established in 2012 stated that we should have at least a balance of 5%. I believe it states 3 to 5%. Um so
regardless right now we're slightly below that. This will bring us in just above 6%. It will be a transfer from free cash in the amount of $330 $330,00058. Um, and also a transfer from an old
article in the amount of $19,942. Article 14 that was done in May of 2011. This was actually an article that was from the capital stabilization. Um, and we're going to put the money back in there because it's no longer
needed. It's just been sitting on the books for a long time, so it's just cleaning it up and putting it back where it belongs. >> Is this the rainy day fund? >> This is like the rainy day fund. Yeah. >> Okay. Um, were any of these taken up by the fincom today or >> uh yes, they voted to approve all of these.
>> Okay. >> Uh, if there's uh no discussion, I'll entertain a motion to place. >> Move to place. >> Is there second? >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. I'll call the role. Miss Davis. Hi. >> Mr. Dyson. Hi. >> Mr. Matters. Hi. >> Mr. Mr. Smith I
>> chair votes eye. Is there a motion to recommend? >> Move to recommend. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Miss Davis. >> Hi. >> Mr. Dyken. >> Hi. >> Mr. Meadows. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. >> Chair votes eye. >> U. Next is the expendable trust fund for retirement.
>> Uh, yes. This is another um article that you've probably seen in the past. Um it's funding the retirement account where we pay um when somebody retires their acred vacation and sick time um to not overspend our operating budget. Um
the account currently has $64,000 in it. This is just to kind of chew it up a little bit more. So it has um with $50,000 added to it. Um, we had a few retirements over the past few years and this is where it's
typically paid from. So, I think when I first started there was like $140,000 in here. So, it's it's depleted a little bit. >> Move to place. Is there a second? >> I guess second. >> Any discussion, questions?
>> Um, I guess two things. >> One, I'm long gone, so I guess I can vote on this. Oh, yeah. Yeah. >> Um and >> there's no benefits paid out of this. >> Oh, good. All right. And secondly, um where did where did we pay these uh
these funds from before before we had this this uh account >> that I'm not sure. You probably use your regular operating budget. I don't say that I don't use the operating budget. If there is a retirement that comes through where it's where we can absorb
the amount, it will get paid out of the operating budget. If it's not absorbable, it will come out of here. >> So, there's no other account that this that we drew funds from that I'm just curious. >> No, there isn't. And I think we seated it with free cash a few years ago. >> Great. Thank you.
>> All right. If there are no other questions, we call the role on the motion to place. Miss Davis, >> I. >> Mr. Dens, hi. >> Mr. Matters. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. Hi. >> The chair votes. Is there motion to recommend? >> Move to recommend. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. I'll call the role. Miss Davis. Hi.
>> Mr. Dikkins. Hi. Mr. Matters. Hi. Mr. Smith. Vote. Sai. Next is the grant match fund. This is a new one. >> This is a new one. Um I am making this recommendation so that way um there is a fund that we can use when somebody wants
to a department wants to apply for a grant that's a matching grant because when we build our operating budget we don't have the funds there if somebody needs a 25% match for a grant. Um so for example if we need matching funds for a
dredging grant um it just gives us leverage that we can provide that that when we're applying for the grant that we do have funds available to use and that's you know that helps us be able to get the grants when um when departments
apply for them. >> Sure. Um I don't have any issue with this in theory. Um, I can see the rationale for it. Um, however, I I am concerned about
the town um kind of like slipping into committing themselves to grants and we don't fully realize or understand the ramifications of accepting those grants. >> Um, so and and you know, for my opinion,
that's that's occurred, but uh I don't think it gets vetted well enough. And I'm uh looking to see um that now the this matching would be somewhat well >> it's not a lot of money. It's not a lot of money.
>> It's not um cuz I was more concerned about some other things that were coming up when going through the budget process. And um I feel like if a department were to use these funds, it would be um required that they go and
ask the town manager and maybe and possibly come in from the select board and ask to use the funds before it just gets approved to use them. So >> yeah, I mean what what do you think about that, Jill? because I I'm worried about currently
you would sign off on these and I'm just looking to vet some of these um more thoroughly. I know you do, but I'm thinking more of a public vetting like here at the select board and what does that mess up your process? >> I don't think so. I mean, we should know
a grant deadline well in advance so that if there um needs to be a presentation noting that there is a certain percent of a local match and what it means in the future kind of like your your donation acceptance policy. So that was
back in what 2011 or so. I don't have any issue with this. It's just it will be on onus on us to make sure that the departments applying for the grants or submitting them has enough space in that um submittal period to bring it to the select board. >> Yeah. And I mean you you know and you're
reviewing them so you're probably uh aware of red flags that are committing us committing us to you know a procy that we may not like. And I'm thinking of you know uh well I'm thinking of a couple of departments that
concern me. Um, so I yeah, if that could happen that would be helpful. I fully support the >> Yeah. And I think it's more like Seapport Economic Council. I mean, there's some big ones. And then there was another grant, a federal grant for us to get the surf boat that we actually went to town meeting because it was
250,000 to get that matching grant part of it. So it >> I don't know if Greg's still on it. It doesn't happen a lot, but it mostly happens with natural resources. >> Yeah. and the you know we've we've vetted those grants in the past to the
point where we've had actually had to have a dialogue with the issuing agency saying hey listen we're not going to we're not going to sign off on these provisions and some would say well you're not getting the grant money and others wanted to give us the money and we were able to negotiate with them and
I'm thinking specifically around the waterfront and committing committing uh or keeping local regulatory control over uh the waterfront which the town has had a history of striving for successfully and uh goes back you know
>> 60 years well even further. So I just want to kind of carry that theory forward with these other departments. Thanks and I support >> we so we can sort of by consensus stipulate that the town manager will bring these before us just as we did with the waterfront bond
>> projects. We made clear that those had to come before us before they were spent. Um that's for us. We don't have to send that to town meeting but >> Okay. Is there a sentiment on that of consensus? >> Yes. >> Report that in the minutes. >> Yes. >> Okay. U
move to place or second. >> I'll second it. >> Okay. Moved and seconded. I'll call the role. Ms. Davis. Hi. >> Mr. Dikens. Hi. Mr. Matters. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. >> And the chair votes I. Is there a motion to recommend? >> Recommend. Mr. Chair. >> Second. >> And we'll call the role. Miss Davis. Mr.
Dikkins. Mr. Matters. Mr. Smith I >> the chair votes I the last one is a sewer capital transfer from the wastewater capitalization capital stabilization fund carry. >> Uh yes. So um this is an article seeking uh $2 million from the wastewater capital stabilization fund to uh cover
costs for article 18 that was voted in 2017. Um these are for costs that were not covered by the Clean Water Trust um for design and engineering, bidding costs, utility relocations, uh sewer easements,
filing costs, and there's other costs that uh are not covered by the Clean Water Trust. Um this has also um the article kind of changed a little bit over the years because it was done in 2017, not to mention the inflation costs
that we've incurred. Um, so therefore, I'm requesting a transfer of $2 million to come out of the wastewater capital stabilization fund. Um, how the article was actually written was to have an additional cost to come out of this
artic from this this fund. Um there's currently $4 million in there and we'll be getting another 1.5 this year and we just deposited 400,000 from the town of Harwitch into this fund. >> Vote to um motion vote to place.
>> Second. >> Okay. Mo moved and seconded to place. I'll call a role. Miss Davis >> I. >> Mr. Dykins. >> Hi. >> Mr. Matters. >> Hi. >> Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith. >> Hi. >> Chair votes. Motion to recommend >> sec. Uh yes. So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second.
>> Moved and seconded. Miss Davis. >> Hi. >> Mr. Dikkins. Hi. Mr. Meadows. Hi. >> Mr. Smith. Hi. >> Mur votes. I um thank you. >> Thank you. >> I think that's it, right? >> Okay. Um so, um the
>> Okay. So the next item on the agenda is the lease to locals program um which was um requested by board member Davis. This was continued uh we had an initial discussion about it on um October 14th
of last year. So I'll turn to Shireen ask you to um >> I I'm going to have um our housing director make a presentation for us. But in the meantime, I just wanted to sort of introduce this up a little bit that um
um you know, this is again one of the housing tools in our toolbox if we're to consider this program. Um and it would be to um um fund a a lease to locals program, which would have specific parameters around it, where the money
would come from, who would be eligible for this, and so forth. Um there's several towns that have um adopted this uh this program uh with some success. Um and there is but there is some costs to
it obviously. Um we're hoping that we'll be able to um fund this through the attainable housing fund um which would limit the uh income um uh restriction on who would be able to benefit from this. But in the meantime, I guess Gloria, you
could probably spell it out for us if you don't mind. and appreciate you putting the memo together. >> Hi everyone. Thanks Shireen. Um, so I'll do a really brief summary. Shireen actually did a lot of research on this in the fall when she first presented it
to you. There's several communities on the Cape Islands that actually do a quote unquote lease to locals program. Um, all of them are administered by a single company called Placemate. Um, and the programs, you know, have various
parameters for what they look for. Um, different towns have different income limits for tenants. Um, when I put together the table that's in your staff report, I tried to pick a program that to me made the most sense for Chadam as
a comparable. And um, East Ham and Orleans do a joint program. So, I put details of those programs into a into a table for you. Um, as kind of the base of what we're looking at. Um, and then to the right in the notes column, I
added um what other towns do, where it differed. A lot of these things are very similar from town to town. Um, and then a few things are different. Income limits can be different. Having rental caps or not having rental caps, um, is different. It's all spelled out there.
Um, basically what it involves is the town provides a financial subsidy to um, supposed landlords. Now, these are not landlords that are currently renting to year-round residents. The idea behind this program is that you take current um
short-term rentals or maybe properties that aren't rented at all and pull them into the fold so that they're being rented to um yearround people as a way of increasing the supply of year- round housing without actually building more
units. Um it's been fairly successful as Shireen mentioned um in some towns more than others. Orleans and East Ham just started the program less than a year ago. I think they have um nine participating properties. Province Town started a year and a half ago. It has 51
participating properties um which is which is pretty high for the for the towns on the Cape. Um anyway, um it really involves a commitment from the town to subsidizing these rentals so that it makes it um
more feasible for people to rent year round as opposed to making more money through short-term rentals. Um and as Shireen mentioned, there are um there are different ways that it can be funded. Um, ideally we would use um the
attainable housing fund which is a dedicated account specifically for um projects up to 200% AMI. It's a really good funding source because it doesn't actually impact the budget. It's an account that collects short-term rental tax revenue 1% um on a quarterly basis
and right now it's um you know accumulating money waiting to be spent on attainable housing pro projects. Earlier in the meeting, Dean had mentioned that it has approximately three million. It's about 3.1 million. Um, but don't get your hopes up because we're probably going to be using some of
that for stepping stones and definitely um in the future Old Harbor Road. So, we even though even though it's there, we have a lot of um attainable housing projects in the pipeline. Um, and with this, I will um open it up to questions if you have specific questions based on the staff report or if you have
questions on how it's administered. Um, I think I I came on pretty strong in the in the staff report saying we can't just join East Ham in Orleans. Like in some ways it makes the most sense because demographics and rent-wise they're very similar to us. But um like everything we have to go through a procurement process
and um it's possible that Placemate will put in a proposal and get selected. It's possible someone else will. >> Um um are there any questions or do you need further clarification on anything? Gloria, I just wanted to ask a question regarding the um subsequent years was
the first year is calling for $312,500. How what happens in the subsequent years? >> Um so every year um there's a set amount that would be um dedicated to
subsidizing properties. Right now, if you look in the table, East Ham and Orleans give a one-time rental subsidy. And for a lot of property owners, that's enough to like get them over the hump. So, you give them that subsidy one year and then they go on renting without the
subsidy. Some towns like Province Town and Nucket do two years of subsidy or three years of subsidy. Um, the idea is that, you know, every year you would pull in new properties potentially to do this.
>> Okay. But it is an annual fee. But not it's not an annual fee. It's the annual cost to to um subsidize these rentals. >> Okay. And um is it you were thinking that would that Chadam would be better off just running
our own program >> or is that asking too much at this point? >> No. I So I don't think it's asking too much. So my my initial instinct was we already have two neighboring towns that are doing this. Why not um if we go
through the procurement process and placemates selected, why not just jump onto that program? It's already developed. It's going to save us some costs in administration. It's going to save us some cost in developing the program. Um so from that perspective financially,
it's a little bit better for the town. In my opinion, the biggest strength of that actually is that it really fosters a regional approach. So people can potentially live in Chadam but work in East Ham or live in Orleans and work in
Chadam and still qualify for the program. If you look at other towns like Province Town or Nantucket, I mean obviously Nantucket because the island's the the town or Chillmark, those are towns that if they're participating in the program, the people have to live
there or work there. Whereas if you join with other towns, then all of a sudden your um your applicable area is larger, you know, you might find a really great rental in East Ham, even if you work in Chadam, and that could work with this program. >> Okay, Shireen, you wanted to
>> Yeah, I did want to add a couple of things because we went back and forth on on the idea of the um um the Orleans Eastam partnership. Ideally, if Haritch had a program, that would be our sweet spot right there because we share a school district with them,
>> right? >> And um I think that we could do a lot of um uh crossbeneficial kind of programs with Haritch that we're not doing such as like beach permits and things like that, you know, just because we align with their school region. However, they
don't have that program right now, but we could, >> you know, offer it to Haritch residents if we wanted to or or or people that work in the school district. There's a lot of different things we could do. But what the sweet spot about this, one thing that we'd have to do is enter into an a municipal agreement with those
towns. Obviously, that would have to happen. But the sweet thing about this is if you look at the AMI designation, this really aligns with municipal workforce salaries and um uh as well as
teacher salaries and this is really where we are struggling uh especially as a community to find um you know uh to find and m retain you know uh people in in the community. So, um, so in saying
that, I mean, I'm I'm open to doing a pilot. I mean, I could go either way with whether we do this just strictly to Chadam or we not. One of the other points I want to uh point out is if we do the residential tax exemption, this
kind of incentive for somebody who owns two homes and they have one as a rental property, this is an this could help offset that tax differential that they may feel. So that's kind of a benefit as well if if that goes forward. >> Okay. >> Okay. So there's a couple addedins that
I want. I I think if we're going to go forward with this, we're going to have to give some guidance to the staff, what type of article to draft for town meeting. I had a question. Um, if we use attainable housing funds, they go, we have to go to town meeting to get approval. That's a simple majority vote,
but it says if we use general funds, a a supermajority is required. Why is that? Is that correct? Yeah. Carrie, it seemed to me that would be a simple majority also. >> Say that again. What was the simple majority? It says >> difference. >> It says general funds could be used with
a supermajority vote at town meeting. >> General funds. >> I would have thought it would be majority. >> It's not simple majority. Do we >> It's a simple majority. If it's even if it's raise and appropriate or free cash,
>> um it's coming out of the um attainable housing trust. Correct. Well, that's one option there that's that's suggested in the in the um memo. >> Okay. >> And it says that would require a simple majority majority vote. But then it goes on to say general funds could be used
with a supermajority vote. And I'm not sure why why >> I don't know where they're going to come from from the general fund, but I suggest using the attainable housing trust funds. >> Gloria, do you do you know where that came from? >> I so I wrote that. I could be wrong. I just required a twothirds vote to expend
funds. >> Okay. Okay. >> I think she was using it as a hypothetical more than I think the recommendation is we go with the attainable fund. >> Well, well, what would we like to do with this? I mean, I don't know if I see the chair of the housing um um
partnership here. I don't know if you wanted to say anything, Carolyn, um or anybody else who's still on. Yeah. Hello, Carolyn McClullen, South Cadam. I I just want to uh voice support for this program. Um I think it's interesting because it kind of models
this rental assistance we have for rental assistance programs we have for the lower AMIs and we're we're supplementing them and this is just targeting that next higher demographic. Um and it would be wonderful to do a pilot program, see how much interest there is. Um if any interest would reap
a reward. And also just to point out, we have so much housing on the horizon locally that we're planning and also regionally being able to get a placeholder for these people to hang on where, you know, if they're in critical housing, obviously they're going to leave, you know, they can't stay, they got to leave. If we can keep them here a
little bit longer, um, and maybe as we have more housing that opens up, they'll be able to take advantage of that. Um, I know when the uh the uh rental assistance we have for the lower AMIs, that's usually a two or threeyear commitment. um probably the same about approximately
the same amount of money. They don't give so much upfront. They do so much a month. They do three four $500 a month different programs. So it comes out to dollar-wise about the same that you're talk the same figure that you're talking about. But um I would 100% support this. Anything we can do, try and see if it
works. Um >> well, thank you. Uh this this has had some success in other towns. So, the Easttown Orleans program, which began in July of 2025, has nine participating properties between the two towns and 24
people housed. Province Town uh began the program in April of 2024, 51 properties participating and 78 people housed. So, you know, it's has some merit here in just in terms of the evidence. Corey,
>> uh just one quick one small question. Um this references the studios one bedroom, two bedroom, threebedroom. Um aside from a door and a window which you know specifically identifies a bedroom. Is there is there any like minimal square footage for what that should that
bedroom should be? Because I mean I know there's a lot of old camps out there that are threebedroom but they're you know 1,200 square feet and there's three bedroomedroom houses that are 4,000 5,000 square feet. So, I'm just trying to, you know, just understand there's ever been any discussion about that
element. >> So, we don't I I haven't seen any programs that put a square foot um minimum on bedroom size. I think that that's all determined by the board of health and what constitutes a bedroom. So, the one thing that all of these
other programs have in place that province that um Chadam would have to put in place is a rental certificate program for these properties. So, right now we have a a rental certificate program for short-term rentals. Um but
this would require us to have the same kind of review and evaluation of rental properties um as we do for short-term rentals. Uh then followup question then >> do we need any extra staff or would this fall under the uh proposed staff for the
short-term rental um that we have already in place? >> Um I would assume that the rental certificate program that's in place for short-term rentals could add you know x
number of um long-term lease to local rentals to it. >> Okay. Thank you Stuart. I I was ready to make a motion if you >> Yeah, go ahead. >> Yeah. So, I I'll make a motion that we uh uh uh endorse this program uh and fund it through the affordable housing
trust fund >> and >> attainable. I'm sorry. Attainable >> and um so and that would >> as recommended. Is that what you're >> Is that okay? Yes. Said as recommended and that would include um instructing
the staff to draft an article so we could place it in a timely fashion on the on the town meeting warrant. >> Yes. >> And I think when it comes to the idea of >> I think if it comes to the idea of who if if and when we partner once this is
probably the funding is appropriated that's when you can make fine-tune the program a little more to do we want to partner with Orleans and East Hammer or do we want to do a pilot program? Okay. >> One year. I'm I'm not I'm not asking for the select board to commit to anything
right now because it's it's very new. >> Yeah. >> But I think it it's both they both have merits. It's just where we go from there. >> And we can we can refine it a little bit when when the article comes before us. >> Right. >> So is it's been moved. Is there a second? >> Second.
>> Okay. Moved and seconded. I'll call the role. >> Miss Davis. >> Hi. >> Um Mr. Meadows. >> Hi. >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. >> The chair votes side. Thank you. Thank you, Gloria. Thank you very much. Uh Shireen, >> could I could I make one more request about this? So if this warrant article
is actually funded at town meeting, I would request another meeting with the select board so we could start to um make some decisions about this because if we put out a request for proposals for a project administrator, I think it would be important to know some of the
parameters that we want to do and if we really want to do a Chattam specific program um or if we want to take the program parameters from East Ham and Orleans that'll impact the RFP. So we should have another discussion if we get funding at town meeting. >> So this would be right after town
meeting, not before town meeting. Okay. Yes. Correct. We can do that. >> Okay. And thank you, Gloria. The last item on the agenda is a discussion on I'm sorry. Chattam home ownership opportunity program, the chop house deed restrictions. This is I think anformational thing, but it's quite
quite a lot of information good information in there. >> Uh this is also this has also been requested by Shireen Davis on a couple of occasions. So Shar. >> Yeah. Thank you. And again, I'm going to um send it over to Gloria for the presentation. Um there's there was a
there's been a lot of interest on on um deed restricted properties, especially around the um Chattam home ownership opportunity program um uh houses and prop properties. And what we wanted to do is Gloria was uh laid out a pretty um
specific um sort of like scenario of of of what something like this could look at. We've been talking about deed restrictions in Chattam for a long time. Uh as again this is another tool in the toolbox if we if we do uh proceed with
this. Um but I think what um when the um affordable housing trust fund committee brought it up and so didn't um um Debbie Aman was present for that. We invited her because she had expressed interest in an agenda item at request on that. So
I'm just going to let Gloria let let uh give us an overview of what we what what you made that presentation for and and again appreciate the uh staff report. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, all right. So, this
this is a lot of information as was mentioned. Um, you know, since I've been here, people have been talking about the CHOP properties and the fact that the deed restrictions are expiring and, you know, what can we do to do that to save them? Can we purchase deed restrictions,
new ones on them? And so starting last fall, actually the end of last summer into the fall, we worked with um Barrett Planning as a consultant to look at the chop properties. I had some really specific things that I wanted them to
look at. We wanted to see um the differences in the deed restrictions between the properties. We wanted to see how those deed restrictions um worked with respect to like area median income or or the value of the property. We just wanted like a really
good overview of every house and every deed restriction. Um what we found and and a lot of people already knew this is that originally there were 32 deed restricted properties. Um they were all at the time quote unquote affordable like that capital A affordable 80% AMI
and below. Um the deed restrictions at the time in the 80s were written for um a horizon of 40 years. So at the end of 40 years the deed restriction was given a quote unquote certificate of compliance and it
was um then you know no longer a deed restricted property. So we haven't actually hit the 40 years yet. Um it's just a couple of years away. But in the meantime we've lost several properties. um have they've quote unquote dropped
out of the program. Um that's happened in a number of ways. Um the way the deed restrictions were written, if a property goes into foreclosure, the deed restriction doesn't survive the foreclosure. I think we lost three properties that way. Um the other I
think 11 or or so eight more we lost just because there's a real process and procedure for the state the EOHLC not the town the state to um you know determine what a reasonable sale price
is. They have a right of first refusal. They have to find an eligible buyer. And it's possible that when these properties came up for sale, either um the EOHLC decided they weren't going to pursue um keeping them deed restricted or perhaps
they didn't find a buyer in time. But in any case, um some of those properties dropped out of the program in that way, too. Um the good news is that five properties actually sold, went through the process, and got a new deed restriction. And now since the 80s a lot
has changed um with the understanding of deed restrictions and also the ability to do deed restrictions in perpetuity. So five units were actually um resold and given what's called now universal deed writers and those deed writers are
in perpetuity. So, some of the some of the properties dropped out. Some of the properties have new deed writers in perpetuity, but a full 50% of the properties, 16 of them, um have never sold. So, they have their original deed writers, which are going to um start
expiring in another um 2 years. And um you know at this point um when people ask me what what we can do to save them, I think that realistically um most people who live there are savvy and understood that their deed riders were
um going to last for 40 years and they're probably you know waiting out the 40 years to sell their properties um and potentially retire or maybe not sell the properties maybe just stay there with an undeed restricted um property. So in order to make the purchase the
potential p purchase of deed restrictions um palatable one of the things we asked consultants to do was look at all of these deed restrictions look how each property is restricted at what AMI and let's figure
out the gap between the market rate sale price and the sale price at that deed restriction just so that we can have a sense of the number or that gap so that maybe we could potentially price deed restrictions um in that way so that if
we were to offer a deed restriction um it wouldn't really cost anyone anything. It would really be like almost a one for one. So as you saw in the spreadsheet and the consultant report um that was really unrealistic and we had a feeling
it was going to go this way. So, the gap was so expensive. It was like hundreds of thousands of dollars. And it's not really feasible to pay that much for a deed restriction. Um, if you're thinking about doing a a number of deed restrictions, either on the chop properties or townwide. And remember,
anytime we do a deed restriction program, we would have to go through the normal procurement process. We'd have to put out an RFP asking for proposals for people who want to sell us deed restrictions. Um, and you know, we may capture some some of the chop houses, we
may not. Um, we can capture other properties throughout town, but it's a town it would be a townwide program. It's not targeted at any particular neighborhood. Um, so anyway, so so armed with that information that um to do that kind of
one for one, this is exactly what your deed restriction is worth. Um, understanding that that's way too much money for the town to spend, um, we started thinking about, well, how else can you do this? And there's a few ways. So, you could do just a random value
deed restriction. You can put out an RFP that says, um, the town is willing to pay $150,000 for deed restrictions. Um, do we have any takers? Um, and you may get someone, um, or a couple of people.
The other way to do it um is is by um potentially doing like a higher AMI. So um people can sell it at a higher value because it's worth more because it can can go for a family at you know 200% AMI and then that maybe makes it a little
bit more palatable. Um so that's a way to do it. I know Nantucket does a program similar to that where they do um year- round deed restrictions. They don't have a set limit. Like they didn't put a a cap on it. They didn't say, "Oh, we're going to pay 200,000 or whatever
for it." Um they basically said, um whatever it takes, like the least amount of money that we can pay to meet the program's requirements is what we're going to pay. Um up to a maximum of 20% of the um fair market value of the house. So when I when I think about
that, I think that probably they're always going to be paying 20% of the fair market value because who's going to negotiate down when they have that that kind of upper limit. Um, and Nantucket also puts a 240% AMI restriction on that. Um, and they
put out actually they just started their pilot program. They put out an RFP a couple months ago. They received six responses. So, six people proposed to allow the town to buy a deed restriction from them. As it turns out, three of them um the proposals didn't qualify,
but it was more because of the wording in the RFP, which they're changing and they're going to reissue. The other three um qualified in that respect, but they're in the process of income qualifying them, right? because if you
put a 240% AMI deed restriction on your house, you have to meet the requirements of the deed restrictions. So, they're in the process of income qualifying three and also, like I said, putting out the RFP. So, we'll get more information in the next month or so with how that works
out. Um but the other way which is new from my discussions last week with the housing partnership and the week before with the affordable housing trust is that we can also do um year-round housing occupancy restrictions which is allowed um through seasonal communities
which was adopted by town meeting um in 2025. And so those deed restrictions would not have um a limit on the AMI that a household made. So, it could really be any AMI. Um, it gives us a lot
more flexibility. Um, which means you wouldn't have to income qualify people if people were willing to um sell the town a year-round housing occupancy um restriction. Um, as long as they live there year round or rented it year round, um, it would it would work
without any regard to income. Um, just another tool in our in our in our toolbox and something to consider. Uh, I think I I think I went through enough. I'm wondering if there are any questions at this point. >> Shireen, um, what would you like us I
know it's intend there's no draft motion. Well, >> there is. >> There's a suggested motion that um, No, there's no actual motion. What would you like the board to consider doing? >> Well, I think it's this was forformational purposes. Uh, right now I
mean we do have a draft somewhat of a draft motion in the back. I think that um I'm open to hearing any questions that anybody has. Um maybe we can re you know if we wanted to try to do something for a town meeting this gets revisited
um once uh Gloria hears the feedback and comes back with a more fine-tuned proposal. That might be the best way to do it. >> Yeah. My my overarching comment was that because um we have 2028 coming up um and
these restrictions are going to expire. Time >> it's timely. >> Timely timeliness is important. Uh there was um there something in the memo about um a townwide survey of property owners and that's I think that's probably a good first step. I don't know who conducts that survey. Is it the town or
do we >> So we tal we talked about that. Yeah. And I I don't know if it could be facilitated through the community housing partnership or staff just directs it um with the with um our communications director. I think it's entirely up to us how we do that.
>> I know a few back 10 plus years ago they they did the senior center as it was then called Council on Aging oversaw a um and staff um a survey. It got it was done through the Collins Center. >> Yes. >> They got a 32% response which was very
good. Yeah, it is for >> So I think we had to pay for that, didn't we? Yeah. >> So anyway, I think that's a good idea. Cy, >> no, >> I was going to say I'm supportive of this. I mean, I remember this is going back several years um you know, sitting down with Debbie Aman and former
selectman Florence Sheldon uh about the chop houses. We're looking at, you know, can we try to purchase deed the deed restrictions and all kinds of other scenarios. So this is this has been going this conversation has been going on for a very very long time. So any any
you know ideas or traction that we can can move forward to kind of start addressing um the things that are clearly on our radar um I think are is to the benefit of the community. So um no delay on my part. I want to kind of move forward and and see what we can
kind of craft and position ourselves at the best possible outcome. >> Thanks Shireen. Did you have something? >> Yeah. just wanted to see if Jill thought this was capable to be done in house a survey and whether >> I planned on I planned on pulling
together the survey. I think we can do it in house. >> Yeah, I just we just need to regroup with Gloria and Shauna to make sure that it's with our population too. It can't just be like a survey monkey. It's there's probably going to have to be a written component. And so we just have
to map that out. I think that's one of our motions then that we can we can put together um and I'll I'll make that motion now if and then we can continue conversations about next steps >> that we put a survey together to assess
the um the um how how do I want to put this little bit >> inventory is that what >> yeah inventory yeah and actually I think within that survey it not just an inventory but just a a desire of um of
homeowners that may be interested in a program like this. >> All right. Is there a second to that motion? >> I'll second it. >> Okay. Moved and seconded. Any discussion? Okay. Uh call the roll. Um Miss Davis. >> Hi. >> Oh, I'm sorry, Brian.
>> Brian Phillips, 374 Road. um the people that live in those houses have um done a lot for this community and contributed a lot to this community and I think it's you know uh I think it's a big success that we've had you know at least 16 families living here for 40 years contributing and I'm glad
that their deed restrictions are uh retiring and that they get to you know pass their house on to their kids and and stuff like that. So I think they deserve it. Thank you. >> Thank you Brian. I just want to make sure that um the public knows this isn't going to be a mandatory thing. This is would be voluntary. So, it would be
anybody that was interested in it, not that we're forcing it down one neighborhood's throat. >> Uh before I call the role, I just want to thank um Debbie Aman for staying on top of this. She has emailed some of us multiple times on this over the years. So, call the role. Miss Davis,
>> I >> Mr. Dykins, I'm sorry, Miss Mr. Meadows. >> Hi, >> Mr. Smith. >> Hi. >> And the chair of vote. That's four to zero. One last motion for the night. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Is there a second? >> Second that.
>> Moved and seconded. Call the role. Miss Davis. >> Hi. >> Mr. Meadows. >> Hi. >> Uh, Mr. Smith. >> I. >> And the chair votes I. We are adjourned at 8:37 p.m. Good night.