All right, welcome everyone to the Monday, October 6 meeting of the Select Board, which also includes a joint meeting with um our finance committee. Um I'm going to call the meeting to order. Uh I know that um Chris is not
able to join us tonight. >> Um so, okay, call the meeting to order. That's always correct. First item on the agenda, a vote to approve the minutes of September 22nd, >> uh, 2025. Those look good to me. As always, is that a motion to approve?
>> I'll make a motion to approve the minutes from September 22nd. >> Second. All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Um, meetings attended by select board members. I
do not have I was I was out of state. I'll ask I also not have any um do we have anyone here for public comments? >> Not look like we have any um Okay. So unfinished business discuss and vote to change the date for special town
meeting. My understanding is that either December 6th or December 13th works for all of us on select board and for the town attorney finance committee is are those dates? >> Yes. Yeah. Work for me. I John was >> December 6th or 13th for a special town
meeting. >> December. >> Yeah. We had to we had to push it back because of >> when we were available in November the attorney wasn't. So >> when is the craft fair the grammar school? Don't we have it at the record? >> I don't know. Kristen said it would be
available first. Whichever date. >> All right. Let's do the sixth. >> Yeah. My preference would be the sixth earlier rather than later. All right. So, I make a motion that we um change the date for special town meeting to December 6th, 2025. >> I will second that. >> All in favor?
>> I All right. Um next item, joint meeting with finance. Uh Alan, would you like to open your meeting? >> Thank you. I make a motion to uh open the finance committ meeting with the select board
631. >> And I make a motion to approve the meeting minutes of the August 25th finance committee meeting as presented. >> Second. All in favor? Thank you. >> Okay. So, um
discuss and vote to approve a reserve fund transfer request for the chip. going to make a motion to we transfer $3,000 to the treasurer training not to mention the name but the account rather present
balance is 10360 at the middle town meeting these funds are to pay Jan Warner for time spent training our new assistant treasur tax collector at the time of the original budget was was set we did not expect Lori Hall the former
assistant Anyone here to um make a motion? >> Uh question. What's where are we transferring? What account we transferring it from? >> I'll have it right here. But it will be uh >> have to be the >> the general fund.
It will be to the treasury $3,000. >> So that's to cover just unanticipated expenses and Lauren Jan had to stay on. >> Right. Right. So, it was only budgeted for her to um be training Sean, but with
the two of them there, it's just it's just better if we have Jan. >> Yeah. Money well spent. >> Yes. Great. >> We want all of Jan's expertise. >> I make a motion to approve. Anyone care to second? Second. All in favor? I I
>> Thank you. Next. Um, so next, uh, healthcare options regarding Hampshire County insurance. Mary, you want to give us an update on where we are with that? >> Um,
sure. It's a it's a little complicated, I will say. Um I I'll go to the punch line first, which is after everything that I've learned, my personal feeling is that the best thing we can do is to stay with the trust and do our best to
short up and make sure that we keep the trust. hearing the same presentation at school committee and the the risk of you know the people coming back for charges after the fact
>> that seems that's really the best option. >> Okay. So the same thing. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. >> It's not clawbacks but whatever. >> But that's the issue is that they that they can't tell us what liability for during that transition period. >> Correct. We don't Yes. So, we did um
authorize Alliance to request our PLA's data. That has not been forthcoming. Yeah. So, we really have we'd be operating in the dark, but there's so many other issues that are going on too. For instance, if we change the plan or the vendor that has to be bargained, >> right? >> And with the deadlines, there simply is
not enough time between now to do that. Um, and that the only real option I think would be the GIC because Maya has said they can't necessarily take everybody on. I mean, we could try for both, but to be perfectly honest,
and Sean can speak to this as well, when we when actually when Sean looked at all the the plans, even with the increases, we're still at least as good >> and some of the other plans have higher deductibles and co-pays. >> They all do. Yeah.
>> Yeah. That's the uh main thing is because we have the uh contracts for the four different meanings. >> Yeah. >> So if we were to change another like my so we might be in violation
>> would have to reopen >> and that could be really certain won't get that done. >> Yes. I spent a lot of time last year arguing so I do not want to go back. We can't we have December and so you have a lot of question.
So if I understand your report correctly, one town voted for the they want the trust to fail. >> One town voted not to raise another 20% on October 1st. >> So what are they going to do? >> No, that the rest of the group voted
yes. So it passed. I see. >> I just wanted to say that only one gave a negative vote. Everybody else voted in favor. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Now, what happens should the trust fail, >> we have no health insurance.
>> No. Doesn't it mean that doesn't mean that the t you're directly on liable for the bills? The towns the the members of the trust would be directly liable. >> I don't I my understanding is that we would be financially on the hook for
everything, the claims and everything. >> That's what I'm saying. >> That's my understanding. So that would be a disaster. >> Yes. We're selfured anyway, aren't we? >> I'm sorry. >> Are we self-insured? Is that what it's called? >> Right. Right. So we're basically on the
hook for the claims anyway, >> but that's you're doing a bigger group. So you're kind of >> minimizing risk. >> But it's not like we're going from no liability to 100% liability. We we've always had liability for those,
>> right? So we just don't know how like how much what percentage of these claims are from this town. You too small for them to over 100 members. So they don't give us that data that >> we do have a right to that data but yes.
>> So I have another question. Are you from >> Chris? Well I thought okay I'm sorry. Um I just have seen it from the side or maybe I we only met once. We met. Yeah. Right.
>> Okay. So um so my question is this. Um so we have reinsurance for the disaster cases that we currently that's in place and that's how the trust works, right? So my question is does anybody know what the administration percentage is for the trust?
>> What percentage expenses? Yeah. Paying going towards administration itself. >> Does anybody know? >> Yeah. That was included in the email that you you sent out a month ago. >> Yes. >> So what is it? >> We'll get all the financials from the organization. >> Yeah. So what is it? Is it 20%?
>> Oh, no. No, no, no. As a matter of fact, I think they're very proud of the fact that their administrative costs are so low because there's just one one or two in place. >> Yeah. >> Um >> one or two or who somebody processes the claims. >> Yeah. >> It's a third party, right? Yeah, they have five.
>> They have five times. >> Yeah. >> But they don't process the claims. >> Clearing house. >> Yeah. I'm sorry. >> Okay. >> We'll they'll handle the paperwork for the claims. >> This is very tricky. Somebody I mean I
was in this business. It's very tricky. So even the way claims are coded can make a big difference. And that's not >> I know way too much about third party billing. So yes,
>> but so and there are companies that do nothing but advise and even act as an intermediary to work on the claims of the different providers. So I guess that we we really
can't go there because we're talking we this is we get those claims. the trust gets those claims >> like clearing houses like change health care that went under last year and took everybody's money. But I'm saying it's not like we can
we can't have a an entity analyze the claims >> because they've already been analyzed and repermutated to you know the the the practitioners have comes back to them and says no you don't want to code that this way you want to code another way. I think they
do have some level of claim detail they can give us, but they haven't given to us yet. But we we are entitled to some level of claim detail. >> Well, all you can do is feed that to an to an to an entity that's going to but that's not where what I'm getting at and
I'm I'm just processing out loud. Yeah. We don't have the c it's not in our purview because you know here's xyz practitioner submits a claim but before they submit the claim in their office their whatever it is they they change it
around to maximize their reimbursement is is what it comes down to and we can't so once we get that claim it it's not going to do us any good. We're not the practitioner. All we can do is look at the at the demographics, the population,
and see see if the claims are within the right >> ballpark compared to other similar populations. You know, you you the claims you don't have to identify the claims >> and that's the data we're trying to get from >> they can scrub the data so we can't like
trace it to an employee, right? >> Because that would be >> sort of a HIPPO violation in some level, >> right? >> This is scary. I I didn't I I thought we had reinsurance for more than the total disasters, but I guess we don't. So, you
know, they're talking about six figure claims, right? That's $100,000 claims. Those are not covered by reinsurance. >> Um >> or are they? >> I'm not sure what you mean by the reinsurance.
>> Okay. You mean in other words getting insurance on top of your insurance? >> No, it's like the trust go the trust goes you know they >> okay self insurance I I understand but they they will um you know xyz
individual has some god awful thing that's going on and it looks like it's going to be chronic. It's going to be they're going to be on the hook for these bills for maybe 10 years or whatever. And I I'm not sure at what
point the reinsurance can be purchased because by it it gets to be you know if it's too late like any kind of insurance you're not going to get a premium that makes any sense if you have somebody who's on their deathbed but they're you know they
can be there for 10 years with major supports or whatever. So, I don't really know how that works, but the more folks that can be pulled out of the general pool and brought over to be reinsured,
the healthier a pool you have for for the for the group, >> right? But we can't split out our group. We can't say you high riskers and you low riskers. >> It's up to the trust to be doing that. And I was under the impression that they
are doing that. >> Well, everybody I'm sure they have all that data on I mean in general what what the risk of the pool is because that's where they generate their fees from their right their financial projections.
So they do based on the risk of the pool like I say all the time you know you know I run 10 mental health clinics so it's a really stressful job. So we're actually high risk pool because even though we're not lifting doing you know
like a like in a in a factory you might be there's a lot of stress um you know so it so you're considered like that people in health care actually high risk to be high users for health care right first of all they're educated about it
but also they are >> but stressful jobs >> rates >> rates are typically set by the demographic You know, >> not in the current market. The current market has gone berserk. I I >> You mean they're asking what do you do for work?
>> There are no controls on the current market. They're they're charging what they can. >> I'm sorry. >> There are no controls on the current market. Private for-profit companies are making the decisions to make more money
by that's this is my personal opinion. So there's no, it used to be like Medicaid products were run by the state. So Mass Health was run by MBHP. All those people were state employees. >> They ran it.
>> Now they've privatized. They put it out to forprofit insurance companies who nobody's keeping any control over them. They're just like, "Let their board members make more money. Keep jacking up our cost. Jacking up our costs." >> I get that. But it's still when it comes
down to it, how do they how do these insurance companies give you a bid or give the trust? Well, well, see this is when you're self-insured, you get this pool of premiums and you don't pay out the claims from those premiums. And all
I'm trying to say is has the reinsurance factor has has that been looked at really carefully? Because if you can reinsure higher risk individuals and and the reinsurance is done on an
individual by individual basis, they may not know that they're being reinsured or their claims are being paid by whatever insurance company, but that's what that's what groups have historically done. >> I'm not I don't know. I can't I don't
feel what you mean by insurance expertise at the board. >> Yeah. But it should go. But there is going to be a meeting this week. You know, you could ask that question. >> October 9th at 10:00 a.m. >> Yeah. And we're all going to be on that. >> Okay. And the 20% number was just a number that was sort of pulled out of
thin air to well, here's a starting point to try and see like in one. It's like they have I could call it free cash. let's see what our cash is like at the end of a month or two months and see or you know or at the end of the year to
see if but they can't the trust can't go I don't think I what do I know can they borrow money to cover a deficit >> well I think the state historically would support them >> there no >> shouldn't they
>> no they're not covered by any statute so it would be a very special case >> to get money from the state to cover and and we're not the only ones Just think of all the towns that are in this insurance trust right now, >> right? It's 73 towns in this trust, but there are other trusts in the state that
are in trouble as well, right? >> So, yeah. I just want to also give you a real quick aside that's a little even another scary thing that I learned last week, which is that they're now using AI to do the coding. [Music] >> Oh, they're insurance companies on both
sides on both sides sort of fighting over what code it should. >> They're using AI to deny claim. Yeah, basically. Yeah, it's >> I have I have a comment and a suggestion that would be, you know, I think it makes sense. We're kind of steered towards having to stick with the
Hampshire County Group Insurance Trust. I'm just going back to the fiscal audit from 2023 which pointed towards a lot of deficiencies in the internal controls of trust which the board you know never I haven't seen
the response to the findings from marketing company CPA. I would like to see the 2024 data another just that has not been published on the Hampshire County Loop Insurance Trust website
and I'd like to see you know if there's possible the balance sheet and income statement condition at the end of June 30th this is 12 it might not be probably I just want to see that what we're looking at in terms of what we're faced
with are increased insurance payments of also putting in to recapitalize the trust itself. >> Well, this is one of the reasons why, you know, Alliant had come to us and they're speaking with a lot of the other towns in the trust and what they would like to do. I believe they're meeting
with the executive committee or did meet today with the executive committee of the deep group um because they have offered to come in and give their expertise basically sort of to do a free audit which you know I personally would like to see the results of it.
>> I'm talking about the financial performance itself because >> they're probably looking at it all from the standpoint of will the trust be adequately capitaliz that level historic experience. also their financials. >> Well, they'll need the financials. So, yeah.
>> Well, they have to have an outside company audit their taxes and all that every year. >> Yeah. So, we have they haven't published they mean the Hampshire the board of trustees and the insurance trust haven't been published in 2020. It should be I'm sure an audit was done.
>> Yeah. So, I'm sure it was done. I mean, I guess the concern is that we agreed a 20% premium increase and yet they still go bust in June because we we don't know. Well, they do things on a cash basis, which is one of the concerns I have because it means that probably there were a lot of acured liabilities
>> which if on a cash basis wouldn't be recorded in the financial statements >> because even this past January, the trust knew financially it was going sol. It was pretty clear. They publicly announced until months later, it was pretty clear by the start of this
calendar year. >> Yes, they were aware that the cliff was coming. So, um, Erica, do you have a, um, do you know the number your groups your, you know, the GCC? What are they, they're not the
this trust, right? >> It's, uh, group insurance. It's, and, and that was one of the options that was presented to us as well was to join the GIC. Yeah. >> GIC. >> Yeah. But again, because of the like just because of the enrollment deadline and all of the negotiating we'd have to
do with the different bargaining units, >> it just >> there's no time. >> There's we just don't have the time to switch at this point. So, >> why is the So, what we're trying to do is is minimize risk for ourselves.
Are we planning to still apply to GIC for some future date even though we can't get in by the December 1st deadline? Is what's the next deadline? >> The next deadline would my understanding would be December 1st of the following
year. >> So even then, don't I recall that we wouldn't have assurance until June of >> July following the following year. So, so, >> so we we basically need the trust to survive at least
>> um Okay. >> And so the application process for GIC is dependent on us renegotiating with the unions or can we start the process? >> Well, they're they're just in the first
year of a three-year contract, so we would have to renegotiate it for >> No, I'm I'm just asking was the mechanics of this. Okay. >> Do the union negotiations have to occur prior to the application? >> Oh, absolutely.
>> Well, how do you know if you you're applying how do you know what your rates are going to be? How do you negotiate on plans that you don't have? >> Well, they'd already given us the GIC has given us already what their rates are for Yeah. for this year. >> So, they gave us the list of the current plans. Yes.
>> But they don't have them. Okay. But again, we wouldn't be in until July 1st of next year, next >> 28 >> 27th, sorry, >> 27. Right. So any plans that you negotiated may not be relevant
for the next fiscal year. I'm I'm just trying to understand, >> you know, I understand exactly what you're saying. How do you negotiate when you >> order assessment have to happen for us to at least begin the application process? >> Well, no. Can't the the percentage the
town versus the uh member percentages that could be negotiated but can't in other words there's obviously a clause in the contract that says you can re renegotiate if certain conditions happen and I assume that this would be a
condition I don't you know honestly I haven't been through the whole process >> this is a mess >> for how for how it goes >> but also not just for I mean that's we're not the only No, just going across the whole country, >> right? And and I'm not I'm not writing
Maya off either. It's just that they had said and one of the questions I posed was, can we apply to both and do the best, >> right? >> Which makes all the sense in the world. But the problem is right now in our situation right this second, we don't have time to do that process. So my
personal recommendation would be to to get oversight in the trust, support it as long as we can and then explore every option for the following fiscal year. >> Right. We have no option for the rest of this. >> Right. Right. >> That's I mean that's that's very clear. We have to we have to continue with the current you
>> plan. But how do we position ourselves so that on July one we have an option going somewhere? >> Right. And that's one of the reasons why um the board hired labor counsel um who's also the same council for >> school committee.
>> Yeah. The school committee. So >> at least we're going to have our ducks in a row for proceeding and knowing what the steps are because it's it's complicated. >> Yeah. No, I get it. I get it. Yeah. >> But for now, do we need to vote on the >> No, there was I just put all I put down
was discussion because >> Okay. Well, the only thing we didn't agree to was the such such special town. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> To bring our bring our >> Yeah. And honestly, this is this is also more direction for Sean who is the
voting member on the IA. So, if he understands >> right >> that everybody feels this way, then he's got directions for >> Yeah. So, so um a special town meeting then we'll have to vote this additional coming from cash.
>> Correct. >> And we got a certified tax. >> Oh boy. >> We have it by December. >> Yeah. Yes. >> You haven't gotten my tax bill, are they? >> No, those are delayed too, I'm afraid.
>> So, yeah. Well, I know everybody's home. >> Good thing we work on the first floor. We haven't fallen. >> Yeah, but it was I forget because because we also know that Medex is going up January 1st. So, we have to include the increase for October 1st and Medex
for January 1st and I don't remember the whole amount for that. Was it close to 130? 120 around 120. >> Yeah. So, that'll be asked for out of free cash. So, so there were two
increases at this moment, right? Was it am I reading this right? 18% and then 20%. >> It was 18 and 20 on for July 1st which we included in the FY26 budget. Then October 1st it was another 20 across the board.
>> So they've gone up 40%. >> Basically and if it compounded it's more than that. >> Yeah. So they have 42% effect. >> Even still they have lower rates than GIML right now. That's a breath >> horing >> can't afford it but driving it.
>> It's like getting life insurance with the shady life insurance 20 years from now, >> right? >> All right. Okay. So, there was our discussion. >> You made enough. >> Yeah. >> I make a motion to adjurnn. Second in
favor. 656. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Finance committee. I'll see you on this Thursday morning, 10 o'clock. >> Yep. >> Okay. All right. New business discussion and vote on applying for two free comprehensive building assessments
studies from Eversource. One for town hall and one for the grammar school. >> I like motion. We can do those right away. >> These are free. >> They're free. >> Okay. Yeah. And essentially they're gonna basically give us kind of like an energy assessment or >> we don't want to buy the new boiler for
the school and smart system to run the whole and in with the mini splits and everything else. >> Correct. >> Yeah. So this was from everything I talking with every source and green community. This is the first step where
we can apply for the ones that you're >> I made a motion. >> All right. I'm going to second Elaine's motion to apply for two three comprehensive building assessments for members for town hall. >> All in favor? >> I >> um discussion and vote on signing the
Upper Pioneer Valley Veterans Services District agreement for FY 27 and 28. So essentially um they're very early. We didn't have to have this in until April, but it's one of those things they got it to me now and you know, so we can we can table it
if you want until later because it's not >> Yeah, let's go ahead and I mean I know that we've done this regular. Okay. >> All right. So, we need to vote. Um items not anticipated 48 hours in advance. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. Finance. Um none. I think um town administrator updates. Oh. >> Um all right. Uh there was an update from parks and recreation. There are two fences that
they need to replace. One behind town hall and one along Weightley Road. Um they're going to try to do Weightley the Weightley fence this season. Um, and they already have the funding for that transfer station. Aaron Foster is almost
done with the transfer the PSA shed insulation project. So, that's great news. And then we're going to open the Conway Mall for a soft opening this weekend. Nice. >> So, yeah. Um, the only other thing really to let you know is Lori Farcus and I did work
together and we submitted that um, dam removal >> application for the flag dam. >> And then I did have in your packets the quote that I got, we can talk about it later for approval, but the quotes for the um, public parking science for the ball field.
>> So that's pretty much it. Oh, we are going to reapply for the green communities grant, the street lights grant. I'm working with Ted Harvey um and probably Chris and Chris Mason. Did you say your street light is gone? >> Yes, it's already been removed because
we had asked them to remove them. And I looked up the other day and I went, "Oh, our street lights gone." >> Yeah. In front of her house. They was like they're they were doing something. She was like, "I'm going to hope they're not putting another pole in or fixing the light." But I think I don't know. I haven't up. >> They had a couple of crews. I know John knows about it. She pays because you
know they need a details for that. Yeah. So, they're coming down. >> Cool. >> Making progress even if we didn't get that's great. >> Um, okay. Select board member comments and concerns. Just it was amazing festival.
Thank you, Hazel and committee for running getting such a great day and it was really I just everybody seemed happy. >> Yeah, I think it was a we lucked out with the weather. It's great. >> Yeah. Also, I have to say credit card
machine for the merch table was a game changer. I'm very proud of that innovation. >> Yes, that's good. >> Yeah. Um, and there's still festival merch for sale on our website, festivals.com. If anyone's watching, sign.
>> Okay. >> Plenty of great con lost her t-shirt. She bought a t-shirt that left the >> I saw her walking by with the t-shirt. >> So, she she Yeah. There's there's >> there's more.
>> There's more. So, um Okay. So, >> I'll contribute to that if you know what we had and want. >> Um okay. So, mail we had a letter from the historical commission about Bwell's fairy bridge um and some damages that we've all noticed over the years.
>> I said fairy here bridge. This is the Bville. This is the Burkeville. >> Oh jeez. Um yeah. Uh so so the historical commission has uh basically suggested that we get in touch with 3G construction who was
the contractor for the bridge restoration and ask them about you know some of their very specific concerns about um the aesthetics of the bridge and the integrity of the bridge as well. So I think the next step would basically for us to you know I mean they they've given this to us and then I guess we
just reached out to 3G. >> Um there's some pictures in there. There's been like, you know, if if you walk across it, there's been some damage done to some of the the interior railings, um, some of the external boards. They were, you know, concerned about maybe like maybe 3G should make
some recommendation about the usage of salt, all that. Um, I mean, it has been like 15, 20 years, I think. >> Yeah. And I think maybe some sort of maintenance plan is kind of what they're looking for, too, just to make sure that it's kept up to >> and I think that would fall under, you know, basically.
>> Yes. But I think we also have at least a little bit of money left um from Coven Bridge. Not a lot, but >> like from the original restoration, >> I believe. So, >> I'm pretty sure someone came in here and it's on one of the meetings saw the delivery truck that hit.
>> Yeah. I feel >> The reason I don't know about that is because I heard it. >> Someone knows which truck. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I don't know that we actually have >> a while. Yes, >> that was a suggestion that we reach out to the company that Yeah. >> that we that someone believes
or >> No, I get it's while I have to look back. >> Yeah. >> Um All right. So, I guess next steps we're just gonna we'll >> I'll work with Ron on it. >> Yeah. Or Ron to reach out the original contractor and develop some kind of
maintenance plan for the bridge. Um okay. Announcements? >> I have none. No. >> Our next meeting is here October 20th in two weeks at 6 pm.
Um, so with that, I'm going to make a motion to adjurnn. I'll second that. All in favor? Nice. All right, we are charged.