Hello everybody. There you go. Looking for a little sound. Okay. Noting a quorum and a successful return of the warrant. I call this special town meeting to order.
I'm Jimmy Reor. I'm your moderator. >> It's good to see you all. To my right, your left, we have the select board, town administrator, town council. To my left and your right, we have town
clerk, we have finance committee, personnel committee. We have anybody from there? Okay. Finance committee. So this is the way this works. The purpose of a town meeting is to
conduct the yearly business of a town or by and or twice a year from the budget and finance committee to material needs Conway whether it be
fire, EMS, police department or administrative needs, corrections in addition to town policies or bylaws are just keeping the town compliant. with the ever changing world we live in. How town meeting works. You have
received the town warrant and a warrant light. Each warrant article is the town's suggestion on how we deal with each topic covered by a warrant article. Each article will be read in order of listening on the warrant. After each is read, the select board will enter a
motion for consideration to the floor, after which a second to the motion will be asked for. If a further explanation of the motion is needed, the principal most able to explain will try to do just that.
The floor will then open for discussion on the motion. Speakers must be residents or gained permission to speak. To speak, you must raise your hand and be recognized by the moderator
before moving to or being handed a microphone. We do have a microphone and a runner today who will approach you. State your name and please keep your comments to within a twominut period. During discussion, some behavior is
unacceptable and may cause you to forfeit your right to speak. Vulgarity and personal attacks will not be tolerated. Raising your voice and talking taking over the talking over the two-minute mark may also cause the same
end result. The moderator would like to limit each citizen to speaking only once per article. During discussion of each article, please keep in mind that if someone else has a different opinion than you, it
doesn't mean they're wrong. It just means their life experiences have led them to a different conclusion. During discussion, we may decide to vote on an article as is or amend it or change it. We could also decide to table
it, put it aside to another time. Each article is open to many parliamentary motions and these are outlined in the handbook town meeting time published by the Massachusetts moderators association in 1962
and recently re uh redone for the fourth time by town meeting vote in 23. >> So that's how we're going to run. >> Sure. Okay. So, let's start with article one
>> real quick. I'm sorry. Um, when you're looking at the uh votes between different boards and committees, you'll see three numbers in some cases. The first number will be yay. Second number nay, and third number just means absent. Committee members
test the clickers. Voting clickers. >> Are we doing a test run? >> Uh uh. You want to do a test? >> Okay. Green is yes. Red is no. Yellow is
abstain. So, >> let's have a test. >> Let's have a test. Let's vote. >> We vote on your shirt. >> Sure. Okay, we look like everything's coming
through. Great. >> Close the Okay, >> article one. I move that the town vote to appropriate and transfer to the general fund $537,857 for the purchase of a new ambulance as presented in the warrant.
Oh, do I need to read the Okay. Um 400 uh 451 64 $451,641 will come from the ambulance stabilization fund. $40,000 from the ambulance reserve for receipts fund. $46,216
from free cash. >> Do I have a motion? >> That's your motion. >> That's my motion. Yes. >> What do I need for a motion? >> Second. >> Thank you. We have a motion and second. Let's open it up for discussion.
Daryl Chase 904. >> Daryl Chase 904 Bars Fairy Road. Could you let us know how much is in free cash at this time? >> Yes. Yes. That is the free cash that was certified for
this year is $894,273. Any other discussion? Okay, let's vote. Five more seconds. Voting is closed. The motion passes. 64
five against one abstension. Article two. >> I move that the town vote to appropriate and transfer $125,000 from free cash to the general fund to cover the increased cost of health insurance for town employees in FY26.
Second. Thank you. Let's open it to discussion. >> Hello, Carl Anderson from 291 Riley Road. I was just wondering what percentage increase that number represents. >> About
this is about 10%. I >> think it's a $900,000 line. >> 20% >> since Jan. >> Yeah. Okay. So, what happened is that for October 1st, the it the um increase
was 20%. And it had also been 20% for July 1st. So, this amount actually represents about a tenth of the budget. It's about 900,000 just shy of a million I think for employees um costs. So I
think although it may be less for that may be the total employee benefit line. Sorry. Any other discussion? Okay, let's vote on article two. Five more seconds.
>> 20 in July and 20 in October. >> Voting is closed. >> Article two passes. 60 yes, seven no. >> Article three. I move that the town vote to appropriate and transfer $38,025 from free cash to the general fund to
pay for necessary upgrades to the town's electronic infrastructure. I have a second discussion. Oh, >> discussion one last time. Kenwat 72 Parson Hill Drive. What exactly is this for electronic upgrades?
This is mostly for hardware. Um when the town voted this summer to um move to a managed IT services. uh the the quote that we were given. It turns out when they came in and started to do some of
the necessary upgrades, our hardware was not actually sufficient to support the the changes that need to be made. >> Any other discussion? Let's vote on article three. Five more seconds. Voting is closed.
Article three passes. 60 yes, eight no, three abstensions. Article four. I move that the town vote to appropriate and transfer $3,500 from free cash to the general fund to pay for the purchase
of public street lights. >> We have motion in a second. Any discussion? >> Okay, let's vote. Article four. Five more seconds. Voting is closed. Motion passes. 59 yes, 10 no, one
abstension. Article five. I move that the town vote to appropriate and transfer $23,636 from free cash to the general fund to pay back stipend payments to a town employee. >> Second.
>> I have a second discussion. Michelle Har Michelle Harris 99 Shelurn Falls Road. Who is this for? What is it for? >> Can you take that one, Bernique? >> Yeah, I'm H. So, what happened is um
when I prepare the budget every year, I add in what was expended in the prior year. And I happened to notice this past year that the amount that was excuse me put in for a stipend for this person was
not the amount that was paid out and there was a big discrepancy. So then I went back and got the information about how many years has this gone on. The problem was that there was an increase that happened in the stipend but it never got translated properly through the process. So instead of being paid
the increased stipen, this person was just getting a cola increase on the lower amount from earlier on. So this had gone on for 10 years. Um so what we're trying to do is just do the right thing and make the payments that were
supposed to have been made all this time. Any other discussion? Okay, let's vote on article five. Five more seconds. Voting is closed. Article five passes. 70 yes, three no.
Two abstensions. Article six. I move that the town vote to appropriate and transfer the balance of funds previously appropriated for transfer station repaving to pay for new Conway Mall expenses and right to farm signs as presented in the warrant.
>> Second. >> I have a second discussion. Article six. Oh, >> the two of us. >> Yeah. So, I'm Susan Schroeder and I live on Maggie Drive and um Carl's over there
because he is part of this project. In 2017, the town voted to be a right to farm town and we started working on creating uh the signs to go with that so that there would be a an appropriate visibility of the fact that one of the
primary characters of Conway is farming. Um but our commission agricultural commission sort of fell apart and the project ended. We've revised it. I've been working with Veraneique and our artist is Amy Anderson and uh we have some beautiful signs and we'd like to
get them up on the roads. They'll be on six of the entrance roads coming into town. Thank you. >> Any other discussion? >> All right, let's vote Article Six. Five more seconds. Voting is closed. Article six passes. 62 yes, 11 no, two
abstensions. Article 7. I move that the town vote to appropriate and transfer $7,000 from free cash to the general fund to cover the additional cost of hiring an accounting firm for February through June of FY26.
>> Second. >> I have a second discussion. >> Pamela Gilmore, 194 River Street. Uh, is $7,000 the accounting fee for four months of services? >> Yes, it is. >> Wow.
>> No, I'm I'm sorry. Just to c That's how much additional we will need in the budget line. >> There was funding there. This is just what we need to add on top of that. Um, >> I want to say it's about 3500 a month
or that's I'm sorry, that's what it will be I believe in the next year. But in any case, yes, it's just an addition to the line that we already have to cover the cost. >> Any other discussion? Let's vote on article 7.
Five more seconds. Voting is closed. Article 7 passes. 63 yes, 10 no. Two extensions. Article eight. >> I move that the town vote to appropriate and transfer $7,211
from free cash to the general fund to partially cover the cost of replacing a fence along Weightley Road at the ball field. >> Second. >> We have a second. Discussion. Okay, let's vote on article 8. Five more seconds.
Voting is closed. Article 8 passes. 57 yes, 10 no, two extensions. >> Article nine. >> I move that the town vote to appropriate and transfer the remainder of the following funds. $50,565
from the highway facility fund, 46 thou 46,236 from the highway storage building fund, and $8,000 from the purchase of the boom lift to the general fund to pay for the replacement of the public safety building garage roof and other costs associated with the public safety
building. >> I have a second discussion. Okay, let's vote on article 9. >> I know, right? Five more seconds. >> Voting is closed. Article 9 passes. 70 yes, five nos, two
extensions. Article 10. >> I move that the town vote to appropriate and transfer $24,321 from free cash to the general fund to pay for an American with Disabilities
Act self-evaluation of town properties. >> Second. >> Second discussion. Jane Roy Brown, six Parsons Road. I just want to know what self- evvaluation means in this context, please. >> So, excuse me. It means that the town is
looking at itself and all of its different facilities and things including the website um to come up with a plan for how to make sure that the all the town properties are accessible. This was done back I want to say in 2018. Um and it is a requirement for us to be
able to apply for other grants from um the uh municipal office of disability with the state. So we have to have the self-evaluation in place. It has to be updated for us to be able to apply. This is actually a precursor to applying for
a Lula lift for town hall. So that's not to mention the fact that it's something that we need to be doing. >> Howdy. I'm Mary Mcccleintoch. I live right down the hill on 116. Um will there be an opportunity for people in
town in this self-evaluation process to have input, public input? >> Yes. And we'll be told that through the Conway currents or >> how will we know? >> Yes, I can absolutely do that. Yes. >> Yeah, that would be great. I have
opinions. I'd love to share them. >> Any other discussion? >> Vote on. >> We have one over here, Jenny. get away from that speaker Michelle Harris 99 Shelurn Falls Road. So, is this if it's a self-evaluation, is this
somebody's salary in every town property that I can think of is handicap accessible? So, does this include state forests or the new parks that are being built?
>> No. Um so this is would be hiring um a company to perform this evaluation with us. It will include the school particularly because the school is the emergency shelter. Um and again and so it'll include town hall town offices. Um
the new public safety building shouldn't be a problem because it's being built right now. So it's to standards. Also the the parks and the ball fields um and the website. It's basically to ensure that all of these things are completely accessible and these things do change
over time. Um the requirements and also the capabilities to um ensure accessibility. So >> long-term goal is to not be in the town offices. So once the public safety building is completed, the fire department and police department can
then move their offices over there and um then we can go into town hall. Town Hall does not have a lift. So, you know, the some of the offices will be upstairs. So, there's going to need to be a lift in that building. >> Hi, Elizabeth Stowe. Um, Deerfield Road,
South Deerfield Road. Um, am I right in assuming that this is not just physical disability when you say uh it's things like sight, hearing, an array of disabilities? Yes. Okay. Thank you. >> Any other discussion?
>> Let's vote on article 10. Five more seconds. Voting is closed. Article 10 passes. 69. Yes. 8 no one abstension. Article 11.
>> I move that the town vote to approve the payment out of the FY26 information technology budget $23.72 for Comcast invoices from FY25. >> Second. >> I have a second. Discussion.
Let's vote on article 11. It is a >> five more seconds. >> I know I didn't screw around. >> Voting is closed. Article 11 passes. 68 yes, eight no. One abstension.
Article 12. I move that the town vote to appropriate or reserve for later appropriation $69,000 from the community preservation fund for use by the Conway Cemetery Association for removal of overgrown trees that are threatening ancient gravestones in the oldest part
of historic Howland Cemetery. >> There's a second discussion. My name is John Cordis. Um 67 Upper Baptist Hill Road. Um I have family connections that go way back and my great uncle is buried in the
Howland Cemetery, but it's a very important location for multiple reasons. Obviously, the historic gravestones that are mentioned. My concern though as a climate activist is that the um white pines that are in that cemetery also
have historic value. Um many of you probably know that the tallest tree in New England is in Massachusetts in the Mohawk Trail State Forest, a white pine. And these these
trees were known as the king's pines uh back in revolutionary days. Um, I could go on bore you about all this forestry, but um I've spoken with um a tree scientist about this who has
emphasized the carbon sequestration of older trees far surpasses trees that are younger. And so I'm wondering as we appropriate this money if uh we could have some discussion about are there any
other alternatives to actually cutting the trees down completely. Um I know that some of the gravestones are already moved by the larger girth trees. So that if we were to cut the tree down
that's not going to solve that problem because there's still going to be a stump there. Um, so I would just hope that we could have a little bit more discussion maybe with the cemetery association as a town. And I'm going to try to post something in the currents um
from this tree scientist that I'd spoken with just to get a little bit more discussion going. >> Okay. Thank you. >> In the back. >> We're coming. Uh, Amanda Kirk, 1733 Roaring Brook Road. I'm curious where the 69,000
figure comes from, if that's an estimate from a specific tree removal service or if you got competing estimates. Um, as a historic preservationist, I am concerned about the preservation of the graves, but that that figure sounds excessive
for uh removal of a few trees. >> Do we have anyone here from the cemetery association? >> Oh, thank you, Jim. Hello again. Michelle Harris, 99 Shelurn Falls Road and neighbor to the Howland
Cemetery. Where to begin? Um, to answer your questions first, it is not threatening the graves. It has already destroyed multiple graves. every year or when there's a snowstorm or an
ice storm, the branches from those trees continue to come down. Um Ken WT is here and he is in charge of the spring cleanup in that cemetery and there is mass destruction over there of
these graves. Um to answer your question, I received three quotes ranging from 50 to close to 100,000. This 69,000 that we asked for was the middle quote and somebody local that we
know. The highest quote came from Northern Tree Service, a huge company out of I want to say Springfield. Um they came in at 90 plus,000. Just to add a note to this, um, because of the graves, because of the
destruction, because of the soil, etc., this project is massive. I won't go into all the little details, but it requires bringing in protection for the grass, gravel to put the out riggers on on the
crane. It involves a 300 ton crane because it has to come it has to park on the road and be able to reach over and get the top of these pines which have to come down piece by piece because of I mean the graves are right up against
these trees at this point. There is only six six white pines, a dead red maple, and there is another one that I can't remember what it is. They're all over in the old section of the cemetery.
Um, did I cover everything? Oh, the carbon footprint um or the carbon concerns. The cemetery fund does have a little bit of money, not a lot. And our plan is after this project is to go in and
actually find somebody that can help us and plant smaller, friendlier, nondestructive trees and bushes over there with the stumps. We have talked about putting, I don't know, whiskey barrels with flowers on top of them so
they're not quite as stumpy looking. Um, we'll take them down as far as we can. Obviously, the stumps are not going to be pulled because there are graves right up against the base of these trees. I can't think of either or question. I
think I've answered them all. If I haven't, please let me Oh, hello. >> Um, Julia Stone, um, River's Edge Drive. Michelle, has the association consulted anyone to figure out what the effect would be from killing those trees in
terms of um soil uh water drainage and the effects down on the road that goes nearby and things like frost heaves? >> Yes. Um yes and no. The soil over there is very
poor. It's very sandy soil. We've never had a flooding problem or a drainage problem. And that is quite a that is quite a null. We've never had problems with the soil or with the roads except
for that massive rain that we got that washed out the bottom of the upper road that is nowhere near that null or the old section of the cemetery. I keep calling it the null. Has the association consulted any
specialists to figure out what the effect will be of removing those trees? >> No, we have not because we did not see that as an issue based on history. The only effect that it's going to have is saving the rest of those slate stones
over there that we see. >> All right. So, that that's your goal. Understandable. Um may I suggest consulting with somebody because we've seen examples when removal of one tree has an effect out on the
building on the water seepage to the buildings nearby. So there water seepage could change and uh maybe have effect potentially on the road that goes by >> um because there is a massive root system associated with these trees.
>> Correct. And those root roots would be dead eventually and they'll rot >> and that would change the situation in the soil there. >> Mhm. >> We could hire a consultant. I'm imagine because the word consultant is associated with this person, it's going
to cost a lot of money that we probably do not have. And we're trying to get this project done sooner than later because every year more things are destroyed over there, more graves are destroyed. >> Okay. Perhaps could be a way to find a
specialist, a knowledgeable person to talk to. >> Hello there. Any other questions >> behind you too, Adam? >> You can go there first. >> Hi, Julia Washurn. New Hall Road. Um, couple of quick questions. I understand
both sides of this. I understand the importance of the historic preservation and I understand the importance of um of protecting h uh heritage trees. My understanding from listening to you is this is about seven trees. And are they I mean are they heritage trees? Are they
deemed has anyone I mean it sounds like they're very very old and tall and and maybe healthy? Um are the trees not healthy? So have they been evaluated by an arborist to say yes these are hazardous trees?
>> We haven't had it evaluated. we deem them as hazardous because every year they're destroying graves. >> Yeah. So my question then would be has anyone explored any alternatives to cutting them down such as limming them or trimming them or set so forth?
>> That would probably involve just about every limb in the tree and then instead of having a 10-ft stump, we would have a 150 foot stump. >> No, I'm not I'm not being sarcastic. My my point is that I'm just asking is has everything possibly been done to see
what could be done about saving the trees? And if so, then I would suggest that you go ahead and cut them. But I just want to know if there's more research to be done before we do that. >> Could you Kenw please?
>> Ken WT Parsons Hill Drive. Okay. Along with Michelle, I've been on a committee for I don't want to guess how many years. I have every every year, fall and spring cleanup, I get the inmates from the jail. We do massive
amount of brush removal, picking up those branches, have in there with chainsaws, cutting the limbs up that fall. Those trees are dying rapidly. The big pines, you can walk right up to them. You can peel the one inch thick
bark right off of the root systems are dying. The trees are dying. There's nothing we can do. We they're they're not safe enough to climb. >> We've had our We've had arborists go in there, assess them. They said we can't
send people up these trees. It has to be done with a crane, taking it from the top to the bottom. So there is no saving those trees. There's also the maple trees that Michelle mentioned. Same thing. Every year, massive limbs come
off of those, the size of the trunks of most trees. They smash the stones. So, every year we're in there with the inmates cutting them up. I know because I'm in there with them. >> Any other discussion?
Um, John Harrison, Baptist Hill Road. I just want to mention as a nearby neighbor of the cemetery that if you the more familiar you are with the cemetery, the more you would actually realize the problem with the trees. Um, and it's not just small limbs that come down. It is
often very large portions of the trunk. And when you see what they do to the stones, they are not just knocked over. They are turned into little tiny smitherines. I mean, they're obliterated. And we've seen this over the years, big limbs coming down every year. So I think there's no solution to
it other than to try to really mitigate with the trees. >> Mary Iwin Baptist Hill Road. >> Okay. >> The historical significance of Howland Cemetery is very important.
This is the oldest part of Howland where some remarkable people are buried. We have lost a number of trees. Michelle, can you tell us approximately how many trees have been cut already and has that
impacted drainage or or the terrain in any way? I believe I believe there's been a minimum of four trees taken already years ago. >> Has no impact on the soil. >> I just
>> I heard a suggestion to move the question >> and a second. So let's let's take a quick voice vote on that. All in favor of moving the question >> I >> opposed.
Okay, let's vote on article 12. Five more seconds. Voting is closed. Article 12 passes. 62 yes, 14 no, three abstensions. Article 13. >> I move that the town vote to approve the
grant match and administration account to include all expenses necessary for the application and administration of grants applied for by the town. >> I have a second discussion. >> Suzanne Archim, Upper Baptist Hill Road.
So I have a question. Um the the wording on this is really kind of vague and the example given in the light warrant states um design and engineering costs.
My understanding is that generally those would be included in a phase one grant. Um the the idea is that for certain grants we may not be in the best position to apply for them because a little design or engineering work is
necessary in order to actually prepare the grant application. So this would just give that account the ability to spend the money on you know say say a consulting engineer to review the grant application um so that we could put that application forward. So, my only concern
or one concern about that is that there's no limit on that. >> Well, the um >> that there's no what >> limit. Oh, no. >> Yeah. Well, there's no limit because we're not I mean, there's a limit. There's there's an amount that's in the grant in the admin the grant
administration account. So, this just basically gives us more flexibility in spending the money that's already been appropriated for that account. >> Okay. Got it. Thank you. The other account actually only has 13,500
just so you're aware. >> Any other discussion? >> Let's vote on article 13. Five more seconds. Voting is closed. Article 13 passes. 66 yes, six no, three
extensions. >> Article 14. >> I move that the town vote to amend its general bylaws as presented in the warrant. >> I have a second. Discussion. >> You want to save trees? Here's your chance.
>> Okay. Elizabeth Stow 304 South Field Road. Yeah, I really love trees, but I remember paper >> when you used to like read it. Um, we were prepared today because we'd gotten the town warrant in the mail and we had
read it thoroughly and argued over it and stuff. Um, we just aren't these computer people. I I can't read a long document on the internet and I don't see why you shouldn't keep mailing them out. Thank you. >> They'll be available
>> that Yeah. So, we will still mail them, but they'll be available on request. So, as opposed to spending $3,000 to mail to every single post office box and address in Conway, um we'll only mail them to people who actually do want a physical
copy or you can pick up a physical copy at town hall, but we'll definitely make physical copies still available by mail. We just won't by default mail them to everyone in town. >> Daryl Chase 904 Bardsville Road. Um, just to be clear, is it is this is just the town report or is it the warrant as
well? >> Just >> because I think she was talking about the warrant. >> Yeah, it's just the town report which is the huge >> Right. But the but the printed warrant will still be mailed. >> The warrant will Yeah, we'll continue to mail. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other discussion? Oh,
>> Jane Roy Brown, Six Parsons Road. How would a person opt in or out for the mailing of the report, please? >> I think at this point emailing or calling the town administrator, but we could certainly I mean I don't see why we couldn't have a you know form on the website that make it really easy to you
know put in your information and request Lucinda Cathkart 482 New Hall Road. I think if the presumption is we want to be accommodating to people that are going to not want to do the computer thing for all the right reasons, I think that the campaign to give them the
option to receive it via mailing needs to be like in the current. It needs to be something that's not just online because I think you're going to miss who you don't want to miss. >> Yeah. Thank you. I will definitely do that. >> Any other discussion? Oh,
hi Drew Cronin, Wheatly Road. I'm just wondering, is it possible to email them out? Because for those of us who don't go on the website regularly or go to these places, wouldn't email be also a effective option? >> Yeah, I don't see why we we couldn't do
that. We we could, but I would just have to say we don't have all your email addresses. So, it' still have to be a request. So, the form that I could put on the website would be printed copy or emailed copy and you'd have to give me your email address. >> Um, we Yeah, I guess we we could um
>> I don't know, Don, is that necessary to do a floor amendment to specify that we'll it will still be available in other >> It says are mailed upon request. So, >> Okay. If you want to be really specific, you can say mailed or emailed upon request. >> Okay. So, how do we do that, Jimmy? Make
a motion to amend the floor amendment. >> I don't know if it really requires amending it. >> Well, Donna says we should just to be our basis. Okay. >> So, do I make a motion to Okay. So, I'm going to make a motion to amend um the
article as it was written. Um so, currently it says will be mailed upon request. will say mailed or emailed upon request. >> We have a second on the amendment to article 14.
We have a second. Any discussion on that amendment? Okay, let's vote on amending article 14 >> by voice. >> By voice. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. >> Noted.
The amendment passes. Now, let's vote on article 14 as amended. Five more seconds. Voting is closed. Article 14 passes. 75 yes. Four no. >> Do you close the meeting or do I?
>> I have. I do. >> Okay. >> But yes. Okay. >> That was one quick meeting. I before I have a motion uh to adjourn, I'd just like to note that yesterday was
a half day of school here. There were sixth graders who were in afterchool program who volunteered to set this room up with Emily Sweet. >> And they are uh Logan Phillips,
Cade Anderson, Martin Karns, Cash Waskevitz, Huck Caris, and Freddy Swinderski. And their teacher was thrilled that they volunteered to do it. So, I thought I'd mention it to you today. >> All right.
>> Thank you. >> Now, I would entertain a move to adjurnn >> and a second. >> Second. >> Let's vote. >> I >> I This meeting is adjourned. >> Almost.
All right.