in my lifetime. I mean, I can't live long enough. Save any money. So, he says, "This is the town board selection regular meeting. Today is Wednesday, May 14th, 2025 and at 6:00 or 6:05 p.m. Uh, this is in person and via Zoom at Oldtown
Hall 1111 Somerset Abdite and Mass. This meeting is being recorded. The listing of matters of those reasonably anticipated by the chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be ordered for discussion to the extent committed by law. Can we please have a
call to order? Nicole Melo present. Mark Fico present and Peter Karen present. in the uh stand for the pledge of allegiance. And if you don't mind uh just stand for a little while after we have uh free vessels that we lost this week. I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Like I said, we lost three residents this week and they were friends and neighbors of everyone uh who who knew them. Hillary McGovern, uh,
Lorna Dascos, and Donald Ranger. Thank you. We'll open the uh, Wednesday, May 14th meeting of the finance committee. Nobody's on Zoom, so we don't need to do roll call, so we're we're good to go.
Okay. uh is the um transfer of the request uh reserve fund transfer request is going to be for us. This is a review discuss and act for us. What are we doing? So um yeah, thank you. We um we're putting in a reserve
fund a transfer request uh for a for a new module in in Vadar. Um this is for the boat the boat excise tax module. uh we found out that we um um the uh what we've been using we weren't able to
collect uh taxes on on the boat billing. So uh we were informed by the state we have to do that. So we uh reached out uh to our to our uh sales rep and um they came us with the quote. It was um it was unexpected uh but this uh for this year
to to get it up and running it's uh $5,576. Um the future um the annual module cost will be about $990 which we've already uh calculated into the FY26 budget. Okay.
Do you have any questions? No. Um I just don't think I see the the paperwork. Did Did we get the paperwork? So this request is actually it's really just a finance committee request. The select do not have the vote or that's why we don't you guys have any
questions on it? So is the boat um excise tax for this year yet to be collected? Correct. And um is this going to result in an increase next year on the over you know spread among all the boat owners?
Um the uh the 5576 or or well whoever has a boat will be collecting the excise tax. I mean we have an annual fee for the new module, right? So that did we not have that fee before? Correct. Correct. So, so, so that's going to be spread out. It's going to be calculated into when they
calculate the uh excise tax for the boat owners. So, how's it being paid for? Um, it's we the state informed us that we have to collect the tax. So, um we may uh be at at break even. We don't have a
lot of boats here in in the town of Bank we collect the tax for, but it's an obligation we have to do uh for the state. How much do we collect in um excise tax on boats? I think the current commitment was around
it was either 5 to7,000. I think it was 7,000 and we're going to spend 5,576. That's just the initial initial purchase and the setup. That's why it's 990 after. Correct.
But this is all a mood point because we have to Okay. So waste it is what it is. Yeah. A motion. Make a motion. Second. Well, there's no motion yet.
I make a motion for uh the finance committee to transfer from the reserve fund in accordance to chapter 40 uh the amount requested 5,500 5,576 to
um the account listed account listed for implementing boat excise tax module in the vadar system. Second. Second. All in favor? Okay, this is going to go over now the
uh the town war articles and obviously some of them you guys vote on, some you don't have to. Uh so take care of the ones that you have to vote on and you guys can leave then we'll continue with our regular meeting. Um again this is a review discuss and act for all of us in
starting with uh 113. Oh so you want to review the budget not the war articles? Um, no. We can do the more on articles, but we usually vote on the I mean go over the budget if we're not doing that tonight. That saves us a lot of time
because there are discrepancies from what we recommended compared to what the finance committee recommended. Do you want I've got the list of the uh accounts that there's a difference. Okay. So, we start page.
That was a that was a discussion with the moderator, right? Uh so you guys were eliminating that all together. Uh no that we dropped that to 250 250 on the sheet that we have. I don't have it written down. Okay. Actually you want this? Oh yeah. Do you mind here
recommendations are Oh gosh. All right. Um is there any questions for the No. No. Then uh the other one was the board of selection. We uh decreased the salary by
1/3. Wait, can I go back for your assignment? Yeah. Um I So as we're going through them, are we trying to come to an agreement or what's No question, right? Because they're going to have their recommendation at the time will have our recommendation. Okay. And if we
decide to have any changes, we can change it. Okay. All right. Thank you. Um, no, we can't change it. Through uh through the chair, I think it would be best if you if you could come into some reconciliation between the two. Okay. As
we go through each budget, right? Okay. Um, so anyway, we reduced it by a third. We fig we take a third this year, a third year, and a third the following year. Uh, you guys increased it by half. Yeah, we went with the half across the board for all all department. Any particular reason why? Uh felt the town
administrator made a uh compelling argument. Okay. And I think the s extra savings was in the about um between a third and it was $11,000 between five digits. I'm willing to um go with their
recommendations as knowing that the moderator knowing that he's not always going to be the same moderator, but the one that we currently have was okay with that number. Mark, my thoughts are that I want to treat everyone the same. So, whatever
elected whatever we do for one elected official, I want to do for all of it. Okay. So, the the one thing that just kind of sits with me is some of these folks were have been elected for a little while and they did real they kind I left knowing there was going to be a certain salary or stipens and um
so I thought the third third and a third kind of they could see it coming and perhaps plan better if um folks attended on this versus going right to half zero can I make a comment to that so one of
the meetings that we did have that Kevin attended if I recall correctly he waved the whole thing I remember that we gave back cuz we didn't feel though we appreciated it, he's still serving. So yeah, I believe he texted uh Jake during
another meeting and said he was good at that. Yeah, my thoughts more just treat everyone the same. Not just about the moderator, just treating every elected official the same. Our as well that everybody should be in the same position. It's not this one and that one. Right. Um I guess the only the only
thing to add to that is we weren't uh we were looking at this as a one time not a third third to get it get them down to zero. Right. So long term if if our financial picture isn't um looking any better I would imagine these would eventually go to zero. That was kind of
the thought process. I think when the SLman talked about it and then we did discuss in a different meeting if we able to get in a better position of course we would start adjusting them in the opposite direction. That's my thought process.
Okay. I'd rather see it go to a third. Uh I I understand it's $11,000 difference, but like what Mock said, uh these people were appointed or elected knowing that it was a certain figure and to
uh for example uh somebody had come to me or actually two people uh and were concerned about they weren't doing it for the money but they needed the money and just to take that away from them after we've asked them to to put their time in doesn't seem to be fair. That's sad.
This is for next year not for this is for starting in in 26 what in fiscal year 26 mostly start in July. Do most of the I mean finance committee you guys might even know but you get paid. Mhm. Most
finance committee members don't know that when they first come on. They learn it. Sure. Yeah. After the first annual town meeting. Do most other positions, similar positions, is that a June payment or is that something that they get radatively over the course of the year? Um, the majority are paid monthly.
Monthly you guys are pay twice a year, right? Just once. Just once a year. Yeah. Some are quarterly. the majority. Thank you. You guys have any opinion on I mean is it is it half as opposed to a third a third and a third? So we had we
had voted on half and that was just one time. Well that was yeah based on the what we thought it would just be the 26th year but Mhm. I mean that that makes sense. Then you still have some compensation instead of
just phasing it out. Well, we were looking to phase it out over 3 years. Mhm. So, I think this is a healthy discussion to have at town meeting. I mean, this is right, you know, it's not a hill that
we're dying over, but um if we can't agree, that's fine. We'll let the uh the people up meeting decide guys have any opinions on I understand both points of view. Um and I kind of agree with Mark look at
it on an individual basis but so it's a tough one. Um well half gives you a significant savings now and then we can see where we are next year.
Um, have these always been paid? Yes. I'm not optimistic we're going to solve all our financial issues next year. So, I'm thinking we're going to go for another third next year. Um, and I hope we could, like I said, go in the other direction, but if not, at least we're
kind of planning over time over three years, so folks can plan. That's that's my only thought. So, so basically you're looking at 20 to go from a third third year. If it's 11,000 to save that 16%, we're looking
at 22 23,000 next year to go from 33 to 66 roughly. Roughly, if we're in that position where we're 22,000 matrix, we're in a lot more trouble than I didn't do this to get
paid. to be honest. I mean, we started conversation with the budget this year that we're in this position next year. Zero. It's going to be zero and and then some. Absolutely. That's a possibility as well. Yeah. Mhm.
I thought ours was dissolved. Uh, no. Ours is on here at the same as everybody else, but cut right. Ours is right now in at half of what it was for the current year. I think
yeah up to the you guys you want to adjust or keep it at the half. We would need a motion to adjust or we can just move on. Okay, let's just take it to the floor. Yeah, we'll just recommend half. Yeah.
So there is a change on 122 though. Yeah, that is uh the contract. Yeah, it's the um it's all administrative assistance contracts done negotiating. So there's
some adjustments in there. You see it in 5110. And that is the only the only difference right also the stipens. Oh and stipens. I think let me see I wrote down travel. No travel. What line number seconds
first two? 5012 5101 and 5102. Thank you. So from finance committee standpoint there is 5110 has been adjusted to um agree to the contract at 3877416. I'll take a motion to adjust
that motion to adjust that 5110. You have a second amendment. I'll second. All in favor? I just need to I'm sorry. 5110 to 3877416.
Okay. Administrator recommendations. Okay. No mark. No. Happy to make a motion. Okay. I'll make a motion for line 5110 to match the town administrator recommendation of $38,77416.
I'll second that. Motion made in second. discussion in favor and then it's the same same thing on 124. Yeah, the uh same dollar 51 3877416 and then is the education
statement is that a new Yes. Okay. And contractual. Yes. That that's the only changes. Yes. Okay. So, uh 5110 to 3877416 and 5157 maybe for education
stipens for 1,500 per the new contract. Any questions on those? Nope. Anybody would like to make a motion? Motion to amend. 5110 to
3877416 and 5157 to 1500. Second. I second that. All in favor? I opposed. I have it. Okay. I leave the finance seconds the way they are. I'm a town
hall in the town meeting. I'm sorry. Peter, you guys have uh I'm sorry. Uh Nicole, Jeremy, concerns. No. What? No. I'll make a motion for 5010 to master the town administrator's
recommendation for 38,774.16 and 5157 education in the amount of $1,500. I'll second that. Motion made and seconded. Any more discussion? All those in favor? Right. Through the chair just for clarification. So we make the is it is
it fair to say can we just make the assumption when it comes to board and committee stings that you'll stay a third and stay here? Yes. So 131 we'll leave alone 135. Same serena. This is a contract. Yeah.
And education stipen change there as well. Yes. Salary and education. 5105 going to 100 39252 and the stipen increasing 400.
Before I ask Oh, I did um pass the certification. Congratulations. Yeah, thank you. Awesome. Yeah, thanks. No surprise. Any questions on that? Those two lines? No
questions. Take a motion. Motion to change. As stated. As stated. Second. Second. All in favor? I I opposed. Have it.
Okay. Item 141 is going to be the same. uh 146 collector. We just have to we have ahead. Um I don't have any. No, I'll make a motion for 5105 salary town common to recommend in the amount
of $100,39252 and 5157 education for $1,750. Motion made second discussion. All those in favor? Uh 146 is the next just a change
to equipment repair maintenance. It's a 5240. 5240. Yep. I know we had some discussion on this. Basically, between the two accounts, he had 800. Now he goes, right now it's
down to 200. I think the discussion was that nothing had been spent out of that line through March of this year. So the com felt they could Is anything get spent now? I did not pull a report through April.
So there's no finance committee recommendation on that for 200. We has voted on zero zero. And the select men also have the option to come down to meet Fincom. It's, you know, not always one way. Mhm. I think
that's fair. Do that. No one has a We can pass on it. Leave it as is. Pass. Good. Okay. Nicole, you have any concerns? No. Mark, I'll make a motion for
5240. Uh, it's going to be in the amount of $0. I will second that. Motion being seconded. Any more discussion? All those in favor? I counselor I think was similar in after discussion with Ralph that we thought the 50 was a
great town council department. Thank you. Yeah, we did have that discussion and I think we talked about this because go back to special if we need it if we needed it. Correct. Keep that to 4500.
45,000. Good job. Guys, stick with where it is. If it's special, does that mean it could end up actually being more? Could because Yeah, you'd be That's what you get paid anyway. It' be a request. So 45 to maybe pay more or 50 to maybe
pay more. So we'll go 45. You want to make it 45? Second. Any discussion? That makes sense. All in favor? I I opposed. Okay. Going to keep it the way it is.
Yep. Yes. 1553. Does that change what we just This is um has to do with the uh with the betterments that that Paul put
forward last time he was here. So right now the betterments I've just done on an Excel sheet outside of our accounting system. Um and there was one year that it didn't quite make it to the real estate taxes.
So there was one year that we didn't collect on any of them. So now I am kind of requesting that we do move it into the accounting system and we got another quote from Vadar and that wouldn't be until fiscal year 26. So I did I was able to do the full excise this year and
then the betterment work into the budget for next year. So the without the betterment the betterment being off on the side sheet it's causing the evaluations to be off. It caused too many error. and we were
unable to collect revenues. So to me that's needs to be corrected especially you know if there's a lot of turnover and some can easily misplace it because it's only held in one one department. Is this just similar to the boat
exercise that's a big upfront and then Yep. It's about the same cost. What item number 5303? Do you know like what we collect on that? Like just like a rough range?
I've looked at it so many times. Um, not really. Did you? Not I mean I think it's under like $10,000. Okay. It's not a big revenue. Yeah. Thank you. We would just look. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's only
half a dozen residents, too. And this is something that similar to the boat. We we probably have to do this, right? And um is is this the onetime initiation fee? And then after that, it would be just a user fee every year. As similar to B just the annual
fee is about 900. Thank you. This is to collect what? What are we collecting on this one? About 10. What? About 10,000. No, but what what is it for? Uh the betterments are being
kept off basically an Excel spreadsheet right now. So then that's got to be manually entered whereas this throws it into the regular accounting software. We have to do it. Any questions? Are we sticking
to 21 or 26? Yes, we don't want to do this one as a reserve transfer because this is an operating cost for next year and that's why they have 27. Okay. Any questions? No. No.
We going to go to the 27 increase. What do you think? We have to. Yeah, I think. Yeah. A motion. Motion to make it 2741033 as stated.
Second. All in favor? Hi. We have on this one because Okay. Any discussion, guys? No. No. Make a motion for 5303 to match the town administrator recommendation of $27,410.33.
I'll second that. Motion being seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor? For 158. I know the discussion from our side, our end of it was that isn't spending anything. So, cut the 2500.
Anyone else have any thoughts on on that for 158? 2500 sounds good. So, keep it at that 5,000. Yep. Yeah. Yep. Motion to keep it at the
5,000. Yes, we don't even need to just leave it. Motionless what we'd like to do. No motion. We're looking to meet. Okay. Yes. Um not to keep talking about special,
but I know Paul had a new for this and I would support if he is collecting on um the tax title and progressing supporting putting something the fall for him. But let's see if he puts this to good use first. Okay. Uh, yes. I would I would
make a motion for 5,300 to match the FINCOM recommendation of $5,000. I'll second that. Motion being accepted. Any more discussion? All those in favor? I uh planning 2041. I think that's
uh there is a change demolition demo 5380. We both have 168 but it's department request of 10 and 10 administrative 10 uh 5380 demolition. Thank you.
That is 10,000 the right number? 10,000 is the right number. Yeah, we had discussion with the building commission. Okay. I'm assuming you guys are good to go down to the 10. Oh yeah. Yep. Make a motion. Make a motion to go down to 10 on what is it? 5380.
Second. All in favor? I post. Yes. I have it. Any discussion, guys? What? I need a second. I'm sorry. 53 under 241 instead of 168,000. Can you say it again? I couldn't find
it. Sure. Oh, you got it. It's going to be 10,000. Okay. The baton administrator has requested the building. Okay. I I will put that in the form of a motion. I'll second that. Motion made second. Any more discussion? All those in favor?
292 292 building 500 building and they've got nothing 5250 as I recall from discussion she did have a plan on what she was using the 500 on the building. The building's been powerful. Yeah, it's
been now. But yeah, I think that's what her plan was. We're not sure. We'll cut it to 250. Do you have any idea what that cost?
Um I think the uh someone donated their time and materials they have it powerwashed. So So I don't know what the cost was. We did pay a few hundred. Okay. I mean maybe I thought we the building
inspector was I mean the town was going to do that. I think I remember paying a bill for that being maybe even just the materials would be probably a couple hundred. So I think the PD wash was about 800 and then the
ACL was less motion to make it 250 for 5250. No second we don't we don't know how much that they actually spent building I mean materials that the guy donated his time
materials were about 20050 I would be okay I second that that's a second thank you all in favor I post it we changed to 250 you have any preference
I agree. I agree too. The um the fact that we have the highway department that can do it. I don't see why we should go to an outside source. Does she have some? Yeah. Is it something that's necessary to do yearly? Does she have any other was there any
other usage for the funds that she mentioned? I don't remember. Not just She's the exper. Oh, 1341 910 for uh 5690 and in 300. Sorry, did you see that? Yeah,
education. Uh down to education 5690. Is that that looks is that not the number that we voted on to 1341910? Oh, no. I changed it. That is not the number. I can grab the old book. No, I've got the I've got the old I know you
had mentioned to me that the number changed. So, I just want to show 1341. I think you vote on the 13404, right? 13401. If that's in that's the right number. 401 is the new.
Okay. All right. So, last when we voted last time, um they were going to make some changes at the meeting the next night or the next week. Mhm. 1341910 is the number that they came in at. Okay.
That's the number we recommended. Yep. Uh, so we recommended originally 14 uh 13 404 404 13404. So they came about $2,700.
So So is this an amended? Yeah, this would be an amended. Okay. Well, then I'll uh propose be amended to the regional school assessment
5690 to 1341910. and second. All in favor? I I post. Yes. I didn't even have it on here. Yes, you did. Yes, you did. They already adjusted it for Yeah. Yeah, it was
already pre-ust. That's why I didn't see it. Yeah. No, it looks like what? It's already there. Yeah. Um, I'll make a motion for line 5690, uh, DR Regional School District to be 13,41,910.
Motion second. Any discussion on this? All those in favor? I 429. Anyone has any questions on what was recommended? 29 for repair and
maintenance. Energy. Oh, and energy and repair and maintenance. Repair both. We recommended 800. Yeah, sure. Why? Town administrator said six. We should go to the town administrators.
Yeah. Make a motion for 5210 energy to go to 600 as the town administrator recommended. Sorry, that's the difference between the fincome and the BOS wreck is the $500 in the repair and maintenance line
on the repair and maintenance line. Yeah, the $500 difference. Fin voted 500 and the BOS has that zero. So that's the line we're trying to get. So 5243. Yes. Well, we got 500. So we don't have to make a motion, right?
If you wanted to don't want to remember our discussion on this. Yeah. What was going to require? Yeah, there's no spending. Oh, maybe that's why. Okay. I think that's why we came to that. I think in the past there were problems with the
lights. Y and then there was discussion about um Berkeley reimbursing us for part of all of it. agree. So 491 that's just a matter of the new contract.
Yes. Oh yeah. The new contract came in lower lower than what we have voted on 28696. I recommend that we Go. Um, recommend 28696 for
5310. [Applause] A second. Second. All in favor? I I post have it. So that's what 28 what? 696. Yep. I have no discussion.
No. I'll make a motion for 5310 contract payable mowing to be recommended as 28,696. Motion made and seconded. I second that. Motion made second. Any more discussion in favor? I
Okay, let's go here. think we left in the 500 for the community garden took it out. What line? 1 uh 6:30 [Music] [Applause]
6:30 doesn't look like they have they expended anything this year. Is that right over here behind the um community garden. Yeah. 691. The other supplies we left, we pulled that out besides
uh besides me bargaining in on their meeting last night because I thought our meeting was last night. Yesterday I thought it was Wednesday all day long. Uh any other changes to uh any reasons additional reasons that I the 400 would
be spent? We haven't entered anything. We said nothing. So what line is this? Uh 5581 for in 630 and 630 is your zero based on 630. 630 partially that and
then that yeah 5581. Yeah. And we're doing 500. They're doing nothing. Oh, we're on 558 supplies. Oh, thank you. And what did you say? I'm willing to
meet with the con. Oh, absolutely. Yes. That informative motion. Second. Motion made second. Any more discussion? Motion. other articles. Everybody the
[Applause] book if I if I miss one just let me know. We've done. Anybody have any questions on article 3 for prior year bills? I'm assuming uniforms. Is that t-shirts like that? I'm sorry. Uniforms. Is that
these uniforms? Yeah, the police department uniforms. These are all bills from last year for for officer. Yes. Okay. And uh factory motorsports just it's got to be just a part
the highway department. Yeah. Sounds like they something the street sweeper they want to know. Any questions on any of the uh No. Take a motion.
Can I take a motion? Is your motion also going to include the funding source because that's something we didn't really discuss. Okay. I have projected the funding sources for all of these switch. Do you mind taking please and it's written on the side.
Okay. at least what I was going to say. So, uh, so we have free free cash for the prior year if and is the recommendation is no one else has any questions. We take a motion. Make a motion for article
three to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate and/or transfer from available funds the amount of 174.74 to pay for prior year bills or take any other action relative there too. Can we change that to to
cash transfer from free cash? Transfer from free cash. Second. Second. All in favor? I opposed. Yes. You need um we need to number six for
enter. We need to do that. Yeah. us on that. Is that part of um we we already recommended that, right? We did. Yep. Yeah. Oh, yeah. As as part
of the budget. Yeah. Okay. And then you do have to do it again for the warrant. Okay. For the warrant also. Okay. Uh so is on actually no page here but article six transfer for sewer enterprise for
Tim Duran's 411843 which agrees to our discussions in our vote on the April 16th meeting. Any questions? Can I just ask a question on that? Yeah.
Yeah. Um on the stipens for our sewer commissioners, it looks like it's the same. It did that decrease by a third too cuz that would affect article six, right? The salaries for direct costs.
It would because that was an enterprise fund. We left that on alone where they're raising their money basically from their own revenues. That's why we we left it there. I'm not sure if we had that discussion as a board. No. But I didn't I
personally think enterprise whether or not it's still a taxpayer and it's still being it's still being taxed. It's still paying a fee to use it. Um Mark just it is not it's not a tax. It's a bill usage. Pay usage, right?
It's not a tax but it's under the town. They're elected members of the town. The board of school commissioners, we have our own annual meeting every year and our rate payers are invited to come to vote on our
budget and that's the way it's always worked and that's the way the enterprise system works. All our bills are paid for by the rate users or the rate payers. So how come like the water district and
the fire district they also have salaries and are elected right the the north and fire district often breaks by the enterprise system also all their employees and their staff are paid for by the rate
payers. So why is the sewer on our warrant but those they aren't? Do you know it's a separate entity? So so the sewer commissioners are not a separate entity then if the fire if the districts aren't Yeah. Right. There the fire
district and what district governmental agencies which are outside of the town outside of the town of because they can raise their own they can raise. Okay. We um this is an enterprise fund. I mean
you have the accounting I'm right sewer can't create their own taxes but north fire district water district they can raise their own taxes if I may sew department is a department
of the town of Dyton. They do have an enterprise account. I'm one of the people that pays into that because we pay for services, but they are elected officials like planning and assesses and select men. My position is and I told
Mr. Derry this because he's one of the commissioners, everyone should be treated the same elected officials. If you're going to reduce the salaries of the other elected officials that are departments within the town, this department should also be cut. So to say
they have an enterprise fund, it's public money. Yes, we put this in. The fact that they have a budget meeting and everybody can go and express their opinion is no different than when the board of its budget and says what it
wants to do. It still comes back to town administrator, board of selection, and the finance committee. It is public money. And to say that they're different, they are not a district. You can't compare them to Dyon water, not Dyton 5 or Dyon
electric light. They have se separate elected officials running those districts as does the school department. So if you are going to make the reductions, whether it's 50% or 33%. All town elected officials should be treated the same. And the SOA
commissions fall into the same category as the rest of us. That makes sense. And on the same line as what Nancy said, planning board, we don't have a board of selectman recommendation. Was that do you know was that uh sorry to hijack your lineup. Okay. Was that voted as a third? Do you
know? Sorry. On right. So the planning the recommendation would have a third. Okay. So the only thing that we have a discrepancy on is suing commissioner. Yes. I tend that what Nancy said makes sense to me and that's the principle that I was recently alluded to was to
treat them the same because they are listed amongst other elected officials on the warrant. Um so I would I'd like the board hopefully to be by her as well. I wanted to say that before you guys
made your Thank you. Yes. cuz then we would have I would like to say that if you're going to reduce the food commission is stipen that the money that you'd be saving will not go into this general
fund stay in our enterprise account you basic yeah so the yeah so we would be reducing the transfer from sewer enterprise retained earnings portion on article six mark is that what you're recommending So on the direct cost salaries, that's
what I'm thinking. Uh well, so what we're looking at Yes. Yes. But then where that number comes in on article six on the warrant, it's broken up between two different sections. One being sewer receipts. Yes. And one being transfer from enterprise retained
earnings. Right. My assumption that I think Woody I think this is what you're asking is that it would reduce the transfer from sewer enterprise retained earnings. Yes. Okay. Thank you. And and just so
everybody knows you know um when you flush the toilet that stuff just don't go away. You know we have a superintendent, we have a staff. We actually have people that work for the sewer department that most people don't realize. So it's not a little septic
system. There you go. Well, Woody, if I'm going to make you laugh at all tonight, it's that under my breath. I guess a poop. You didn't laugh. Can we vote on that? We can. Yeah. Okay.
So to to I mean my opinion everybody should be treated equally. So if we did want to revisit that that would go to the 50% 5101 would be 17225. 5102 would be 228581.
I'm getting to change the new numbers. So that would change changing 5101 to 17225 5102 to 2285 81 80 no 84 four.
Yes, no problem. This is actually no one yet again. So I have the the chairman's salary would be $2,29610 and each members would be $1,523.74. So we'd be reducing the um
the stipens from $8,1618 to $5,34358. So there's a difference of $2,67260. So the um the transfer from sewer enterprise uh fund retained earnings would be
$78,72083. Sorry, I matched with your first number. 78,000 what? Okay. I think 781 I think 78,375. Well, actually his was 70% 7880
$47 48. [Applause] So that's what I say. 385. Yeah, I think you said a third, not 2/3 for the $3,440.50. That one the second line.
That's right. So what do you have for number? For number for line 5102, the $457167 would go to $3,4748. So what they collected stays the same. Yeah. But these changed. Yeah.
Are you ready? We don't have to make We have to make a motion, right? We will. Motion be seconded. Any discussion? More discussion. For us, it would be the 50% would be a
change roughly $1,000. Doug's got my son. Make a motion for article six. Uh wait, sorry. We have too many things going on here. So, first we have to change the budget, which Mark just did, and then
we'll go back to the article. Okay. So in the budget you have the number for the first line 1722 17225 then 228584. Yes. There you go. So we need a motion on that. Yes.
[Music] 17225. Okay. 51. Okay. So, I make a motion to uh change or to we recommend 17 to 20 22 and 25 cents. Okay. Uh 1,700
17 7225 for 5101 and 45102 is that 512 Uh 228584. Sorry, I just couldn't read it. I know.
Second. Uh all in favor? I I oppose. does have a token bringing that to article 6 would be 329825 through sewer receipts and
77,38535 transferred from sewer enterprise retained earnings totaling 40721035. Make a motion on article 6 as read. Second Oh, the bottom line was
407 500. 2 47 210 35 M uh there's a motion. Was it seconded? Yep. Seconded. All in favor? I opposed. Yes. Have it. For article 7, I'm assuming we we can we
can make a motion just as as in the as written in the article. Yes. Anyone have any questions on on the CPC funding? Make a motion to accept article 7 as written to see if the town will vote to
appropriate or reserve from the community preservation act annual reserves in the amounts recommended by the committee preservate the Community Preservation Committee and in accordance with MGL chapter 44B section 6 for the
committee's administrative expenses, community preservation projects and other expenses in the fiscal year fiscal year 2026 with each item to be considered a separate appropriation or take any action relative there too. Appropriation
from FY2026 estimated revenues for the CPC administrative expense 7,600 reserves from FY2026 estimated revenues for historic resources 15,200 from FY 2026 estimated revenues
for community housing 15,200 from FY2026 estimated revenues for open space 15,200 from FY Y 2026 revenues for budget reserves 98,900. Anybody second? I second.
All in favor? I I I post have it. Um article 8, I'm assume we can still we can just say as as written. So if anyone wants to make a motion for article 8, just we can say as
written. Okay. and make a motion. Go ahead. Go ahead. I motion that we accept article 8 as written. All in favor? I opposed it. And nine would be the
same for CPC as written. I make a motion that we accept article 9 as written. Second. All in favor? I I opposed. You guys have it.
Uh 12th is the next for us. Is this the snow and ice transfer from free cash? Any questions on that? No. Motion.
I'll make a motion to accept article 12 as written with funding being from free cash. Funding being from free cash. Second. All in favor? I I opposed. I have it. 13 is from the PE account.
Make a motion that we accept article 13 as written with funds coming from. Second. All in favor? I I have it. 14 suggestion is precache here. Um maybe
just you guys know what this one is. I could Yeah, I could explain. Uh we're going for another um fiber grant. We need a 5% match. So this would be this would represent that 5% match to to um uh complete the fiber connections to
the um highway uh the transfer station and the uh and the uh animal control office. So all town will be connected at that point. Is this TMLP? We're working with them. Yes. Did you
ask him to hook up my house? Sure. Going to hook up Forest Street. Yeah. Yeah. And how did we get to this $10,000 figure? That's the minimum we can put up. Yes. 5%. That's the match, right?
Okay. So, so 5%. It's about $200,000 with the uh total funding for it. So we would have to what um what what does um can you tell
me the municipal buildings and connects again? Sure. It would be the uh it would be the animal control transfer station and and highway. And also it would uh create a connection
between the two water towers or hybrid connection between the two water towers for for communications. Awesome. Thank you. Y having the transfer station on will that help with the POS?
Yes. Great. Good. Any questions on 14? Nope. Take a motion. Proposed uh motion to accept article 14 as written. Second. Was that with the funds and
source being free cash? Yep. With the and second. All in favor? I I post it. 15 is a deposit to stabilization. Do we know where if everything goes the way
it's going where what free cash would be left over? Yeah. About 200 a little more. A little more than two. That's the first thing I thought. So that's before 57. We were 57 and then I dropped the
entrance to 37. Oh yeah. 3704. And we're we're we're appropriating this to the stabilization fund. This is for stuff we don't know that might come up. 60 60 just assuming everything. Yes.
Is there a number on that 25,000 that you perceive that you already know is probably going to get used uh at a stabilization? So, they're going to take the 25,000 transfer from available funds to stabilization. So is there things that
we think are coming down the pike in stabilization that we need the entire 25,000? So this the regular we've got the two stabilization accounts. One is the capital and one is the in essence operational savings and this one is the
this one's the operational. So operationally speaking we have reason to believe we need that 25,000 or is there another number? So once it goes into stabilization then
it can't be can't be used except for 2/3 2/3 vote at a town annual or special town meeting to be used again. So in essence it locks some of the free cash remaining free cash into that into that account.
um financial committee. It's we're trying our best to uh to retain strong uh positive fiscal uh fiscal uh habits and one of them is to every year we should put money into the stabilization
fund. Uh our our creditors our creditors look at that. It's stabilization fund sometimes called the rainy day fund. So, um, you know, I wanted to put something in it and I mean, it's free cash. I felt that this was a an appropriate use of
that of those funds. Yeah, it's more it really is. I mean, at 25,000, it's a token contribution. And I think the state likes towns and cities to have 8 to 12% in stabilization funds,
which I think we last year were pretty close. Um, based on the increase, the 25 wouldn't get get you to the 8 to 12% this year, but we don't really have the choice to increase it more. Maybe maybe at a special time we can put some more,
but Okay. questions on discussion from free. Yeah. Okay. So, I'll make a motion that we accept article 15 as written with the $25,000 coming from free cash.
Second. All in favor? I oppose. Opposed. What? eyes have it. Uh, article [Applause] 20. Okay. This is the this is the
discussion from last meeting regarding um funding for communications. I guess my question right right this is article 19 is would be direct result of article 18 article 18 is uh from uh me
chapter 44 in case it will not case if if any time uh in the future the town decides to go forward with some sort of ballot question exclusion debt exclusion proposition 2 and a half this gives the
town the opportunity to um explain um explain the difference uh between what a yes vote means and a no vote and a no vote. So the funding uh the funding for that would um be paid for county council
review and mailed to the So just to go from 18 19 and 20 if 18 were to pass would we still look to 19? Well, no. If Well, if if um let's say
if if 19 doesn't pass, then we don't need 20. Then we don't Yeah. Then we don't need then we don't need 20. If 18 passes, we'll still look to pass 19. Yes. Okay. Every
everybody understand that. And then 20 is to pay for communications for article 19. Okay. Which if it doesn't pass, we don't need. Great. Somebody's a resident that has a question. Hi, I have a question.
Um, does somebody I don't really understand this whole sanitation enterprise. Does somebody before it goes to a vote before the town send something out or explain to us what is the implications of the sanitation enterprise vice just having it as part of our built-in taxes?
We had a presentation at our last board of selectman meeting. We're going to discuss it more tonight. I'm sure we'll have a presentation at town meeting and um it would be subject to debate at town meeting. Is that a fair response, Ralph? that isn't it's part of my uh uh town
administrative update. We'll put it on the website as well information. I mean you're asking people to vote and you know as a percentage of the town is like less than a half of a percent was here you know right town meetings where we
want we want that to be would I be right to assume too that like that kind of information if you guys have any presentations or anything that'll be at the town meeting as well right absolutely it'll be at town meeting it's at the on the June 9th meeting that's when the vote is so we're going to be
getting information But to emphasize the point, yeah, the more information, the more information you can get on it beforehand, the the easier decision or the more informative a decision made. Well, and I think the less turn of the meeting. True. Yeah,
absolutely. Uh, back to article 20. Any any questions on the session? So, do we need a motion on 20 in case 19 passes? Yeah. So, I make a motion to see if the town will vote to raise and
appropriate and transfer from free cash free cash a sum of $7,000 to be expended by the board of selectmen to fund the implementation of the provisions of MGL chapter 53
18B or take any other action relative thereto if 19 passes. That's fine. Okay, I second. Uh, all in favor? I I I post guys have it. And if
I'm not mistaken, that is um just the only other thing on our agenda or or it's just the April 60 minutes if everybody had a chance to read both versions. Any questions? Any other questions? If not, a motion to approve
those minutes. I make a motion that we accept the meeting minutes from the April 16th meeting. Second. All in favor? I opposed. Have it. Our next scheduled meeting would be right before June 9th,
probably 6:00 at this point. Um otherwise nothing else. Make a motion for our field. All in favor? I I thank you. Thank you. Thanks.
Any discussion in favor? Guys, we're going to start again. [Applause] [Music] Okay. Presentation out of order. I want to take my question.
Okay, guys. Oh, we are. Okay. Good evening. Um, so you can just go to our next slide and then I'll launch from there. So, uh, I'm Bruce Thompson. I'm with a company called The Maximus Incorporated. I am Zenica's project
manager for the former Zenica site on Main Street. And I'm here with James Barbas with Geiointech, who's one of our consultants. And we're here to we're not after hearing the last hour and 15 minutes, we're asking for no money. And in fact, some of the things we're going to ask about we would fund,
but I'll get there. So, um, introduction we wanted to do tonight is talking about the the dam, the Muddy Cove Pond Dam on Elm Street, and, uh, a little bit about the status of it. There's been some issues that we're managing and it's led
us to look hard at what the options are for that dam. And basically where we are is it's leaking through the bottom of it and we should either remove it or repair it. And we'll talk about some of the issues that we have there. And really
this is intended as an introductory view for you all. And then we have a a reservation with the conservation commission in June to talk about similar issues. Um, at the end of this process, um, we've already been in front of the office of dam safety and there's a
variety, you know, very bluntly, there's a variety of programs that if Dyton was a partner in this, we could get grants and then it could help affect how we do restoration and what happens there. More on that in a minute. Can you go to our next? So, uh, all you live here, you
know, this this dam's been sitting there. It was built in 1950. It provided uh basically uh clean water a non-cont cooling water for at that point in time that was ICI Americas running the the site. Uh Zenica took over the property
uh early '9s and the site was basically decommissioned uh starting in 1994. So this empoundment which is the Muddy Cove Pond no longer has its original use, its intended use. Uh so there there's no need for it as far as
Zenica is concerned and uh through Geocentech our consultant we've been it's a it's a dam. So uh as an owner of a dam you get to do inspections and reporting through the office of dam safety. We have an emergency action plan. We meet with your uh uh your your
fire chief and we go through that and and it's basically for long-term flooding issues and we report up. Can you go to our next one? So the issue that we found uh March 23 was uh seepage and what this is is water
underflowing the dam. So and eventually it can start to tunnel out and cause a catastrophic failure. Um so that's a bad thing. We saw that uh through our our our monthly inspections and the first thing we did was lower the level of the
pond behind the dam. And the reason why is that reduces the pressure. It reduces the force that's trying to push water through and make the dam erode. So that's a temporary um basically approach to save it, reduce the pressure and that
and we maintain that. We look at storms, we reduce the amount of water behind there so we don't have issues. Um and we continue to inspect and and basically we we monitor it. So that's been the interim actions. Thank you. So, you know, not to go into regs,
I've already heard MGL. So, we have we have 302 CMR and under uh the state's dam rigs at this point, we would either need to go in and remove the dam and restore the impounded area behind it or
we would have to do fairly massive rehabilitation. uh to meet the full dam safety requirements. The spillway would be double triple three times three times the width and there would be a lot of other construction work there really in
our mind to no purpose because Zenica uh has no need for it. So, uh, we've been through this process. Uh, this is James Specialty is is looking at dams. And if you've been tracking what's happened in Massachusetts, uh, Office of Dam safety
would like these nonutilized dams gone. And there's a couple of reasons. Uh, one is, you know, top line like eliminating the risk of failure is a great thing for public safety. So, if you don't have it and it doesn't decay, that's a good reason. Uh so that would affect flooding
and other potentials that come out of there. Uh another big push has been uh fish passage for herring. So there is another um railroad bridge, the former railroad bridge right along the route which we're looking at basically building a fish ladder in and this would
allow herring to go all the way upstream. Um a as a future discussion with you all. uh the impounded area could become open space for the town. Uh Zenica would be willing to do this work and then deed
it over and uh then you know we don't we don't have a need for it anymore. And there's a a few other issues here. Looking at your open space plan, we think it it fits in the vision uh of what what the town's been looking for, but that's that's kind of a secondary
pitch. Can you hit the next one? So, um, that's the overarching view. And we also thought it might help to see some more, uh, local projects where there have been, uh, dams and fish ladders removed and areas restored. And I want to let
James talk about those and then we'll try to leave time for questions because we know you're all short on time. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, not too far away and Plymouth is they removed about seven dams for very similar purposes. aging didn't serve a purpose. Um, homes is one
example that's similar. Um, had a pretty sizable empoundment behind it and um, from here they actually included a more formal park um, behind in in the restoration. But overall, if you go to the next slide, um, you can kind of see
how the empoundment can turn into a green space habitat. Um, so you know, if you're thinking about now, right now we have a warm water fishery, right? In the summer, water goes down, barely any water goes over the dam itself. There's no water
going through the low flow outlet. It just turns into a big bathtub full of green algae kind of muck. Um, future condition, if we removed it, now you have birding habitat. Now you have other habitat, you know, year round
um that you can um survive in better wetlands cuz you're going to have flowing water constantly. Um things of that nature that we'd be looking to improve on. Um so that's one example. Um next one is, you know, same in Plymouth,
just another dam removal. Um, and that's kind of we like this one because this is kind of the the stream will probably be smaller than that, right? Even out there upstream and downstream. It's not a large stream, but it would be something like that where you kind of have a a
nice little um stream coming through and then, you know, meadow and transition into to forest over time. Um, and the empoundment and like Bruce said, you know, the the restoration piece is that's you know, we're really early in
the process. So, part of why we're here is we want we understand this is, you know, your community and, you know, in the future restoration, you know, kind of some input and things like that as we go along cuz that's where, you know, we
have opportunities and and this is just a very high level rendering um of something that it could look like. So, um, if you look there, there's the pond now and then a kind of a future stream, meandering stream. Once again, do not
scale that stream to reality. It will not be that wide. It's not a design. Um, let me hit one one other point. So, we're talking about the dam. I I think everybody's aware there's also the plant site where we're having an environmental
investigation. I also manage that. This is upstream. And another part of our whole vision for this project is we have sediment on the site that's going to need some work, some remediation. And a big part of our vision is we need we want to work from upstream to
downstream. So the dam project kind of comes work first. And with our other working with EPA, we're not ready to work on the plant site. That's that's moving along. We actually just submitted a major report into EPA. So that's going to pick up. But this is kind of our
first step is to start getting ourselves oriented. And lastly, u there we'll be back in front of you all concomments and army corps and everything else whether we do restoration or or rehabilitation or we take it out. It's basically the same
kind of a permitting process. It's probably 18 months or more to get through all the hurdles where we can come back and really start work. So, uh, I know that was kind of a blast from a fire hose of information, but we also had a short time and we wanted also allow time if you had any questions or
concerns. Thank you. Um, obviously it's information only, but um, just briefly, what are the real upsides to doing this? I mean, it's nice. It looks nice. Uh,
I'm not so sure that it's just not a a monetary situation for It it definitely costs and it definitely there's an insurance cost, there's a maintenance cost, there's a risk and quite honestly the thing that we're kind of tired of is the trespassing and the
amount of work we do every year to go in and fix the fences because of jumping. It it's a it's I think what the lawyers would call an attractive nuisance. And so it's it's Zenica property, but it's being used as a swimming fishing hole, whatever else.
You know, there there is a risk there. Um, yeah, the the financial side is real, but I don't think there's an obligation for Zenica to maintain something in perpetuity that they have no use for and has exceeded its basically its design lifespan, right? So, it's definitely a benefit. I
get it. Um, we're very sensitive. We, you know, know the houses right there. Uh, folks are going to be losing a waterfront, right? But it's not their property. Y it's the other side. it, you know, a as a long reach. Um, I think Zenica would like, you know, if we had
to go down the restoration and rebuild it, we would like to still give it away and hand over if there's maintenance monitoring, let some a town manage it as a recreation area would be great, but we don't see a benefit over the long term
to having basically a a what are we at? A medium risk, high risk, high risk. We're a high-risisk dam by how the de how how office of dam safety qualifies it because it's just it's it's compacted earth and there's no there's no use for it. So we don't have a real incentive to
go out and say oh hey we you know we need this for some purpose. So moving it along and if you think about long term right water quality is going to be a bigger issue. um shallow dams that warm
up. Now you're talking about harmful algal blooms. You're talking about other uh health risks um risk for your dogs or things like that that can really make them sick. That that is going to be a real thing for dams like this one as
temperature rises and and other impacts in the summer. As you said, people are not supposed to be utilizing that water. So, it really shouldn't be a public health risk if they're staying off the property as they Right. That's a huge if because every year we're spending tens
of thousands of dollars fixing the fences. Mhm. Right. Because I'll stop cutting them. That'd be great. I don't think we've seen you out there. That's how good I am. Yes. Yes, sir. I kind of have a series of questions. We're gonna Oh, wait. Sorry. Let you guys go. We'll be right back with you
guys. Okay. Um Nicole, do you have questions? So I just I have a question in regards to water displacement. Um I have concerns. I have history with losing a family business to water displacement from a community that said it could never happen and then 5 ft of
water came and blew the door right off the business. Business loss gone forever. If we're changing the way the water works, is there any kind of concerns and anything like that happening? Right. Yeah. We've been doing the hydraulic modeling for this.
Um there is a transfer right there. The the dam does not store it's not a flood control dam by definition right now. Right. There is no flood control purpose. But because the dam spillway is
undersized, it does store a little bit during floods. There would not be what we're seeing a change in frequency of flooding downstream and it would be ten of feet. Right. And we're talking all the way up to the 500year flood. Now, where a
benefit could occur is Main Street, the Main Street Bridge is actually below the top of dam. So, if you did get a large flood right now, Main Street would flood because of the dam in its current state. Um, that would not happen if we removed
it. So, there would actually be probably more of a net benefit to Main Street than downstream flood risk. Thank you. Um, I have a few questions. Um, so how did we arrive here? Are you here because you have to be here or does Zenica have
a priority of educating our community? Both. Okay. Right. I mean, this is what I do for a living is I manage big environmental remediation projects. I was in front of a different community up in another part of Massachusetts today on one of my other projects. So trying
to explain what we're doing which can be very technical is part of it. Um the the dam issue came up when we observed seepage based on our monitoring of it and said this is a problem. So now we have an issue. So now we do need to be
in front of you because we have to we're we're looking at that path forward and right now our best vision is that removal is is a better option and the regulatory agencies office of dam safety mass DP are going to support that because that's what they're trying to do
with other similar dams around the state. Okay. But but also then looking at that um you know I'd like to look at it as a benefit because we can take this open water body. Yes, skating, other things, but it can actually become a
very nice viable uplands, you know, park open space. Uh, and part of that would be part of our restoration. And that would be an area, you know, town's on board. Then we think about, oh, where do you want walking trails? How do we utilize this space? We can get more
creative with how it gets delivered. particularly if you had a um an opinion that maybe the town would want to take the property, not not buy it, but take it out as a donation and then add it to your open space. Okay. And is there any
immediate public safety or life threats? I no that we addressed that by lowering the level of water behind and then we've been monitoring the amount of seepage coming out and so we're able to make a direct correlation that that's reduced and we don't have a concern about
imminent failure and what is a optimistic and conservative timeline if this is to move forward and the dam is to be the biggest the biggest time issue is just the permitting process because we've got to um local, state, and
federal permits. So, we got to go through the Army Corps. So, there's a a layer and that's probably on the 18-month, you know, window just to get through those hurdles without delays. You know, you guys have done other projects, you know how state permitting can go, right? So, that that's the
issue. Uh but you know again we we've looked at this we've been grinding on it and we said it's time to get in front of the community so we can get some direction and ideally try to you know merge our approaches and you talk about remediation to the
area. Is is there is there remediation of you know to make it usable or is there any contamination? So the dam impoundment is not contaminated. There's been some sediment sampling up behind the dam because it was just making non-cont cooling water pipe down
to the industrial area. The industrial area definitely has contamination that's going to need remediation. We've been through risk assessment there. So whether it's treated in situ or excavated, that's a future problem. The dam itself is not impacted. There are no environmental no contamination concerns
associated with what we're talking about right now. Right now. Okay. because I think residents definitely want to hear that big concern. So none of this work would have any health impacts to our community. No, no. I mean, anytime you move dirt, you have dust controls, but
we monitor that. We, you know, you get your water truck and you you meet ocean requirements. Yeah. But it's no chemical issues. No. And we'll be doing additional sampling of the sediment and everything as part of the permitting process. So that
Thank you. Yep. Yes, sir. My name is Glenn Cabbage. I am uh over in 2484 Pleasant Street. So, I'm real close to the what I think is called Money Cove itself, the downstream of the dam. Um just a couple of questions. In
general, the reason for the fence is that just liability, things like that or I mean cuz as you said, it is kind of a fishing hole for a lot of people the around the pond itself around the uh the like the fence around the spillway area. It was a really protected
and we had people jumping off the roof of the little shed there. Okay. Water. We're trying to Okay. Just curious. All right. In terms of I I guess my biggest concern is not so much whether there's a pond or not. It's what happens as that
water comes down through the contaminated area out into the cove and out into the to the river. Can you tell us what's going on now? There's got to be contaminants reaching the cove and thus the river now. And how
much worse would it be if we removed the dam, I mean even gradually to allow the water out? Um, can we talk to the mic or um is that it for you or do you have you're going to have more? Okay.
So, um, most of the contamination that we're tracking, you know, this place closed in '94. So, and most of the impacts were, you know, what's called the encapsulated lagoon area right next to Route 134 where all the fragmitees are. That got filled in in 74.
So you know the the the contamination here is historic. It's not current. We have done a lot of sampling of surface water, groundwater, sediment, soil, everything else. Surface water is not impacted. It's not moving
contamination. But Muddy Cove itself uh is that's that's the last place we're coming down as we move down from upstream to downstream near the river. And uh at one point Muddy Cove is going to get dredged right there. There are contaminants. There are PCBs, mercury,
phes there that have been there for, you know, there are studies that, well, I've been involved 10 years and the studies go back into the '9s and they, you know, the concentrations aren't going up. Yeah. They were there from historic releases. Can Can I ask
just real quick, how far down does that go? Because the tide goes in and out. Yeah. Yeah. Uh, you got to be swashing all over the area. Mo, but the the the kind of dep area, the dropout, if you will, it really happened inside Muddy Cove. We definitely have we've we've
monitored the tidal effects. We're not seeing it going out into the river. We're really seeing the the concentration. We have sampling. Actually, we'll talk to the town because we're going to change the bridge there. So, there's some sediment right in there that we have data on, but there's a concentration gradient. You can see it
decreases as you get out to the outlet. Okay. Um, if I just as a followup, if you can hear me. Um, in terms of will there be major cleanup on the site prior to the dam
being removed if that's the way things turn up? Um, I based on my knowledge there will be major cleanup on the site. There are issues in soil, sediment, groundwater prior to the dam. No, no, no. It on the on the plant site itself, the 333 Main Street. We want to do the
dam first and then we're going to work from upstream to downstream. But I mean the contamination is downream. If the contamination Yeah. The if the dam our view is if the dam is removed, it has no impact on mobilizing what we're doing on
the site itself. We'd always have that we'd always have that flow. If we're digging in the brook, we end up bypassing the brook. I mean, because we're talking a lot greater flow at least temporarily, right? Not really. So the spillway there, it's an in inout
essentially relationship. So the amount of flow coming through for your even your larger storm events are is going to be really close. Um so and that's what we're looking at. We're looking at a lot of these things through this design.
Make sure that we're not mobilizing. If anything, there'll be some clean sediment, clean, you know, sediment from the pond that comes down and covers a lot of kind of which we dig out in the future. Which we'll dig out in the future, but it will actually create a layer in between. Yeah. Um as it comes
along. I think the other thing on the dam on the lowering the stage in the pond. Uh so we've got an a bypass valve. So it's not like we're going to, you know, knock the bricks out. It's just going to gush out. It's going to be it's it's a it's actually a really huge pain
in the ass to open the valve because it's like a lot of turns to move it. But we'll we'll open it up and slowly release the water. Right. That that's key. Like don't don't cause other problems. No scour. Right. Really a a managed flow, not a catastrophic
release. Yeah. How long if that again if it if it all happens, how long would it take to drain the pond? Oh, not long. Yeah. Yeah. I mean the there's not a lot of flow that comes through the brook on a a base flow. And I mean if we opened
that valve full that pipe full it would take only a couple days to Well, actually have to meter down. Yeah. So we want to drain it down over a period of a few weeks, not a few days. So we won't open it all the way. We'll we'll meter
it down. So it it's a slow release when we draw it down beforehand. Last last question. You said you'd have to uh drench the cove. Yeah. How long after again all this other potential work would that happen? The cove is going to be probably the last thing we do. So
what's the uh we don't even have a decision document from EPA yet. So it's probably 10 years. But that'll that'll get and for the environmental side, the dredging, right? We go pull out all the mud. It gets on trucks. It'll go to somewhere
else. And then we'll come in and we have to do restoration, replanting, mitigation, restore wetlands. So, it won't it won't be back exactly as it is now, but our goal is that within a couple of years, right, it the scars fill in and and it was gone tomorrow.
Yeah. When would dredging happen? Years it no it so different program. What we're doing with the dam is office of dam safety. It's not an environmental contamination. It's just happens to be same property owner and same town, right? Same site. The environmental side
is on a track where we are under a basically consent decree with EPA and the way it works is like we just sent in the baseline ecological risk assessment. You know, 4inch ring binder, very beefy. It's looking at risk to the critters
there. EPA will review that. When it gets approved, we move to our next step. So, we we've got a couple of documents that have to go through before we get to that approval. And at the end of that process, we'll be in here doing a public meeting on what's being recommended for the main site itself. Okay. Absolutely.
Yes, ma'am. Go ahead. You go ahead. Nancy Gulot, former resident of Main Street, former selectman. Uh gentlemen, the first thing I want to say, not Muddy Cove, Sally Richmond Brook is what fills that
pond. The Cove is beyond the plant site. They call it Muddy Cove Brook. No such thing. That map will show you. It's the Sally Richmond brook historically speaking. And it was Arnold Hoffman and Company, not ICI when that was
built. Okay. And they they were after Anchor Color and Gum. Anyhow, what I am surprised to hear tonight is when Jack Taylor came on the board of Selectman and we talked about uh
acquiring gifts from Astroenica. One of the questions we they offered us a package all the property including the pond on Elm Street boarded by Elman Maine. Okay. And three lots on Maine
that have frontage on Maine. So we talked about acquiring the property and we had uh Beth Talbot, former person with the we called her the dam lady. D am but that was her area of expertise
and I know she's moved on to somewhere else in the state and she came down and talked about the dam because our question was um what kind of a risk are we facing? The dam has been rated fair I think since I lived in
town. So and I have correspondence to this effect somewhere. There's got to be a file in this town with all this good stuff in it. I got in touch with the gentleman at um Astroenica. I think his name was Charles Elmond. Ring a bell. Okay.
And I said to him, we are interested in all of it. However, can we break these gifts up because the whole damn pawn situation, that's one thing. we would love to get those three pieces of land
on Main Street. So they allowed us to do that and the town did accept at a town meeting gift of those three lots which enables you to walk from the land we acquired on Brook Street on the north side when we acquired the western part
of the river. You can actually walk on town land all the way down to that pond through that land because we own all that land. So, we thought this is a great place to connect up all our walking trails for recreational purposes. Then the next proposal was,
and by the way, yes, that dam was tested, the water and everything else because we hired uh Weston and Samson. I'm thinking we had grant money to do it. Does that ring a bell, Tom? But anyhow, the the testing they're
referring to was done at our request by Weston and Samson and they did not find contaminants because it was built to be a if you will clean water source for the manufacturing process because they didn't have town water at the time. Matter of fact, there's a
pipeline that runs from the Segregancet River, the land that we acquired all down through the back that goes down to that because when Mr. Ferry and Mr. Fernet and I went down to look at the property on Brook Street. Uh, Bill Fernette pointed out the pipe. It's
still there. You can see it. So, that helped feed that fill that pond. So, the only thing they found in the in the sediment of the dam was something that they described and they said, "That that's not hazardous." I says, "What is it? I don't understand."
He says, "Well, the easiest way to say to you what it is, it's from burning wood. we can't figure out how it got into the dam, the pond. And I laughed and said, we used to ice skate there in the winter and we would build a fire on the pond because we could build it on
the ice and when we went home, we didn't have to worry about the fire. It would melt and all right. So that explained that particular item that turned up in the in the muck. So then the next proposal again Charles
Elmondorf after we had it all tested and by the way the testing on that um property was with the understanding that um if the property was donated to the town it could only be used for
recreational purposes. it could not be developed so forth so on including the three lots that we acquired and they did not want any deep digging or drilling and I had talked to the uh people at Weston and Samson that we
hired and I said you're not going to find anything that land on Main Street was not a chemical dump or anything else and the pond itself was created for a clean water source so that was all okay.
Um, we put together the board of selecting by then. I don't think Jack was on the board. I'm not sure. I'd have to look. But we put together because I put it together this proposal. And what we said was we would
consider acquiring the the pond, the dam that section as a gift. But to go to town meeting, we need the following things. We want the dam to be restored to a grade better than
fairy. We want an engineering study of the dam to tell us what needs to be done as far as the upgrading at their expense and what it would cost in the future for the town if we own the dam because we would have to maintain it if we were
going to accept it. And we also were talking to uh Astroenica about having some kind of a um fund that they would contribute to that would be on deposit with the town that the town could use to offset any
future expenses. That would be so the town could keep it as a recreation area. Time and memorial that pond has been used for fishing and skating. As I said, I skated there when I was in high school. Um the uh yes it was trespassing but
quite frankly uh there's a parking area on the south side and the people that own the house on the corner of Maine and um Elm off to the side there there was parking and they would let the kids park there to go out and play hockey and skate and do all that other
stuff. The last conversation I had with uh Astroenica and again I think it's Mr. Elundorf. He says, "Um, that looks like a proposal. We'll get back to you." Now, on the other side of that is removing
it. Things that were pointed out to us by uh the dam lady. Um, number one, all those people that live on Main Street have waterfront property.
They're going to have a say in whether or not that pawn disappears, okay? Which in effect is something that the Astroenica would have to look into, but they certainly would have a say because they're considered waterfront property.
Um, as far as the uh the little diagram that showed the stream, any of you that got the first calendar that we put out has got a picture of the pond when it was drained. Uh, Mr. Ferry needed to fix the culvert on Main Street where the brook goes
under and goes into the pond. So, uh, the fire chief at the time working with Mr. Ferry opened the spigot. They drained the pond. I took that picture and I've got a bunch more. Sally Richmond Brook is nothing more than a meandering brook through a
mud hole. When you look at that pawn for Main Street, oh, it looks big. I don't think it's three foot deep. The bottom is very very very shallow. Yes, down at the the dam where the the house is, it's deeper and that's where the kids jump off in the
summertime. But the pond itself is not deep. It's not like you got gazillion gallons of water and you've got this big dam holding it back. I will also point out the heaviest rain I ever remember in this town was at the end of March into
the first part of April, March 31 to maybe April 1, 2010. Every stream, every river except for the Taton River was over its brook. Lincoln Avenue couldn't drive down it. It was flooded. Brook Street where the
Segregancit Rivers, everything was flooded. The water behind that dam was controlled and only came down the spillway. Yes, it was roaring. That dam have that dam had never overflowed. And we get over 10 inches of rain back in in
that time. I have never heard and I have personally never seen that dam I'm talking the banks overflow. The existing spillway has handled the flow. My thoughts about this whole thing is
you need to know as a board what your predecessors did. I was one of them. What information is should be on file? The discussions we had and my question is wait a minute if Mr. Elundorf is still
there or whoever replaced him. What happened to the proposal that we had that would have allowed the town to accept it as a gift, keep it as a recreation area, uh, have it improved before we took it, not affect the people who live on
Main Street and their waterfront property, um, but still continue to have something because yes, it is trespassing, been trespassed on from day one, but the former owners quite frankly never enforced keep out, right? So, it's
been fishing, it's been ice skating, it's been every now and then you'll see a canoe out there. You can't put much more than a canoe because it's so shallow. But what I'm saying to you is looking at this, I really think you need to know more of the history. I don't remember
everything in the agreement, but I do remember those clauses because as a board, we discussed it and it was like we're willing to accept it and take it to the people and say, "Do you want accept this as a gift?" But we didn't want to end up with something that we
couldn't afford. We would be forced to maintain or take down which would not eliminate the problem except Astroenica would be free of it. Um so you this is all kinds of stuff you need to know and there is certainly files and information
on this. Did I respond to that Mr. Chairman? Sure. Um the board is aware of that. Um, I've heard a lot of this before and I would say it would be an executive session topic and I wouldn't want to say anything that could impact the bargaining or negotiating power of
the town for that land. So, I would say that I believe the board is pretty pretty aware of what you what you said. Okay. And and what I'm saying to you is the part that was public, okay? That it wasn't news. the the part that what I have told you is the part that's public
was public information and we did discuss it. All I know is this is the first time I've heard anything about doing anything with the pond or the dam or letting it taking it down. Uh having served on that
uh environmental committee at MMA, I visited dam sites. We actually had a dam removal party out in uh I think it was um it's not little uh just beyond Bolton Lancaster when they took down a dam and and it was restored and and the EPA not
EPA D came up big celebration about what occurred. So I'm not taking a position either way. All I'm saying to you is there is and the public should be aware. There is more to this and the town's
involvement than has been mentioned tonight and what's being talked about is removal and and I'm just saying everybody needs to know more about it. And yes, executive session, no question about it. Thank you.
Just real quick. Sure. Uh Chuck Elondorf retired at the end of last year and so I'm not aware of exactly what the offers were. John Paul Rossi is his replacement and if there's negotiation to be had with the board directly, John Paul will come up and we can arrange that. Okay.
Okay. Doug White, 455 Forest Street. I'm not an engineer, but it sounds to me like the project's going backwards. So if if in fact the the dam does come down and that water is going to run through, shouldn't that area of the um the down
uh stream where Astroenica was or Zenica, whoever they are, where the contamination is, shouldn't that all be cleaned up first and then have the cove cleaned out first and then let the clean water that's above the dam come through
or fix the dam but still clean that up underneath? And another thing to consider is that's owned by by you guys. And I'm sure there's property taxes being collected on that as you own it. And if we get it, we lose the property
tax, but we gain the expense of putting in the um walking trails or the connections and things like that. So, just things to consider that if we're going to go further into a negotiation, whether it's to keep the um the the dam
there fixed and then work out a deal or take the dam down after you clean up what's necessary to be clean being cleaned up down below before any water goes through there and carries it out to the river. Um so, so those are just some
considerations. I just wanted the board and the public to consider on going forward and it would be the loss of revenue and it would be the cost of maintaining it and um how much is it going to cost. I'm sure that the bed of that pond is either littered with or has
a lot of um you know just sediment that's been building up underneath that water for years. And what what would be the plan if it was to take the dam down to restore that land? And my my opinion is that that would happen have to happen after everything's cleaned up downstream
because then once once it's done, then it might be something to entertain to take over. But you know, we just had a board meeting where we're trying to cobble together a budget with uh you know, some pretty difficult situations. Um losing even more revenue uh from
property taxes doesn't help the situation. That's all I have. Thanks. Thank you. Um, yeah, the re revenue side, not looking at that's yours. Um, and the tax thing, I I I I get that restoration, everything else in there. If we ended up
with walking trails, we're not looking at the town to pay for that. Uh, the long-term on&m that you're concerned about is the exact reason why our clients concerned about it, right? They uh there's a cost of insurance, of the annual inspections, and then whatever
rehab. It's it's um it's not cheap. So I you know we didn't really see that that was fair to try to shift to the town and the cost you know as a as a book item for long-term on and m is not trivial. So you know there's a vision there and
the sequencing of the work um we're not concerned about erosion in the middle of the site. We're probably end up rechaning part of the brook through the middle of the site to do some of our work. And everything we do is we we we minimize that migration and there's ways
we do that. I'm a major project over on the Blackstone River right now. We're digging in flood waters and you know we there there are ways that we do that. That's what we do all the time. So the se I'm not too worried about the sequencing and on we don't want to wait you know 10 years to go deal with the
dam. Right now it's in a high hazard condition. We have an issue. We've already identified with the seepage. So, even though I told it's like a 2-year permitting hoop, that's trying to fasttrack this. Now, is the 10 the 10year sequencing that you don't want to wait for, is that the part that's the
cleaning up of the Yeah. the site. Yeah. So get take the dam away as a hazard and we still have to deal with the remediation and and I and I don't want to wait that long either, but I would rather have that done first and then if the dam is fixed in the meantime or or
the dam water is kept lower, but um it's more valuable to us when all of that's done than you know the sequence that it looks like it's laying out in right now. Okay. Is anybody
else We're here. Take shots. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I make a motion that we return to um discussing the warrant. Second. Any discussion? All those in
Peter, are we just going through and accepting and recommending? Recommending. So only financial articles. All of them. Everything. Yes. And she wants to know the funding sites. No, you remember we wouldn't stop doing that last night. That's good. I'll
take it. But we could just do it. You can just make move to recommend. That's You have to read the whole thing. No. Yeah. I'm sorry. Yeah. But we want to we want to read the whole thing. I got time. Okay. Article one.
Motion to recommend as written. I'll second that. Motion second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I I. Article two. Motion to recommend as written. I'll second that. Any discussion? All those in favor? I move to re amend as written. Motion. Is
it as written by the finance committee recommendation? Because they said like free cash, right? Or transfer. Nope. So the BOS is just recommending to place the article place on the warrant. Okay. I motion to recommend to place article three on the warrant. Second motion
discussion. I motion to recommend to place article four on warrant. I'll second that. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I motion to recommend place article 5 on the warrant. Second motion made second.
Any discussion in favor? I motion to recommend to place article six on warrant. I'll second that. Motion being seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor? I I motion to recommend to place article 7 on the warrant as written. Motion being
seconded. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. Article eight. Motion to recommend to place article 8 on warrant as written. I'll second that. Motion being accepted. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. Article nine. Motion to recommend um article 9 be placed on
the warrant as written. Second. Motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. Article 10. Motion to recommend to place article 10 on warrant as written. I'll second that. Motion made. Any discussion? All those in favor? I I
motion to recommend to place article 11 on the warrant as written. Second. Motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I Article 12 motion to recommend article 12 uh to place article 12 on warrant as written I'll second that motion second any discussion all
those in favor I article 13 motion to recommend to place article 13 on the warrant as written second motion made any discussion all those in favor I 14 motion to recommend to place article 14 on warrant as written I'll second that
motion any discussion all those in favor I article 15 motion to Place article 15 as written on the warrant. Second motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I article 17 16 16
motion to recommend article to place article 16 on warrant as written. I'll second that. Motion second discussion. All those in favor? I article 17. Um motion to recommend to place article 17 on the warrant as written. Second motion
may second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I I article 18. Motion to place article 18 on warrant as written. I'll second that. Motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. Article 19. Motion to recommend to place article 19 on the warrant as written.
Second. Motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. Article 20. Motion to place article 20 on warrant as written. I'll second that. Motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. Article 21. I'll make a motion to recommend um article 21 to
be placed on the warrant as written. Second motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I article 22. Motion to place article 22 on warrant as written. I'll second that. Motion made in second. Any discussion? All those in favor. Article 23. Make a
motion to place article 23 on the warrant as um written. Second. We haven't had any discussion on article 23. Do you know if the building commissioner will be there to um to
present this to the town's people? Will be. Oh, this is the planning board. Yeah. Okay. Very good. So, none of this was the building commissioner. None of these. It's way it's quite back there.
I don't even know where it is. Article 24. I make a motion to place article 24 on the warrant as written. Second motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I article 25 motion to place article 25 on warrant as
written. Oh, I'll second. Sorry. Motion made a second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. Article 26. I'll make a motion to recommend to place article 26 on the warrant as written. Second. Motion made a second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. Article 27. Motion to place
article 27 on warrant as written. Second motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I 28. Make a motion to recommend to place article 28 on the um warrant as written. Second favor.
Okay. Very good. Thank you. You're holding down that side of the room. I had to move. I couldn't see the screen see what they said next. By the way, that pond has never been a bathtub full of scum and
everything else. Absolutely not. The kids wouldn't have been swimming in it and the people wouldn't have been fishing. Um, so I asked to be placed on the warrant um because I got the final report on the 2024 Pan Mass
Challenge. They raised 75 million, which I think was a little more than their goal. Uh, I not sure what the upcoming goal is going to be, but it's going to be higher than that, I'm sure. Just to give you some quick facts, uh upcoming
pan mass challenge for those of you who volunteer, August 2nd is the first Saturday and that's when they come through Dyon. And um August 3rd is when it they start out from the uh maritime
academy and go on to Ptown. So, um, for all the residents that stand out there and cheer them on and the people that volunteer and do everything else, August 2nd will be the day they come through Dyon. Um, the the team I support, Hela's
on Wheels, uh, Eric Heler just made a a personal note in his appeal for funding. He says, "This year I will be writing to celebrate my brother Steve's recovery from lung cancer to a large degree thanks to very early detection." He's
lost both of his parents over the years to uh different kinds of cancer and they always volunteered. So, it's kind of poignant uh when he talks about his family. Um the major concern is the the potential cuts in
uh funding uh at the federal level. So, they're really concerned about uh being able to raise uh funds uh I guess to offset what they anticipate might be cut.
Um so, so this is all part of what they are writing for. In your package, there was a a pie chart. I'll hold this up. Maybe the camera can pick it up this way. This one's in color so it shows a little
better. The largest pot that you can see um which is um 19.5 which is the if you will uh the the um quarter the of the pie. um it goes to
pediatric oncology and the next largest amount 10.3 million is uh hemat hematlogic oncology. Um this is the first time they've done this but I think this is really interesting because you can look at it and very quickly see
where the money goes. So, I just want everybody to know August 2nd is the day they'll be coming to Dyon, all of those who stand out there year after year and cheer them on. Uh the volunteers and everything else. Uh we're looking forward to that again this year. And
I'll probably ask you to let me make another announcement before August the second. Thank you. Right. Are we on um the Dyton Lions Club Food Bank will be held next on Saturday, May 17th, 2025
located at Town Hall. It is in the lower level. The Dyon Historical Society is holding a plant sale on Saturday, May 17th, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Winsslow Davis Museum, 1217 Williams Street. Stop by and get your
plants for the gardens. This event is rain or shine. Um, the Dyon Historical Society is having their annual Dyon Strawberry Festival on Saturday, June 7th, 2025 from 11 a.m. to 3 PM. This event will take place at the Lions
Pavilion. There will be crafts, vendors, live music, children's activities, and of course, Strawberry Shortcake. Um, the Town of Dayton's annual town meeting will take place Monday, June 9th, 2029 at the Dyton Roth High School auditorium. The meeting will begin at 7
p.m. Warrant article information will be mailed to each home prior to the meeting. Thank you. Uh now is the first of two public inputs. Does anybody want to be heard at this time? Yes, sir. Hi. Hi. Don Galuchcci, 2086 Palmer Street. I just had a couple of uh quick
things. Um, number one, regarding the uh enterprise fund, I have to agree with the uh person who asked earlier. Um, you know, I only just heard about it really in in detail in conversation with Select Karen today. So, um, I'm getting a lot
of questions about it. I'd probably like to hear more about that and I think everybody would um before town meeting, I would think. Okay, great. Um, next regarding the dam, um, I don't
like the idea of them taking it down. I also don't like the idea of, uh, the town taking it over because that's going to be a cost that's going to be astronomical. As they were saying, there's got to be some sort of a halfway ground in between, uh, the town taking
it over or um, you know, essentially what I'm saying is Zenica's on the hook for the fix right now. And if the town holds their feet to the fire, we can force them to fix it rather than just, you know, cut it up and do away with it.
Lately, the um the tendency by big government entities like the EPA, like Department of Environmental Protection has been to restore these things to their natural condition. But I think Ditton's a special case because I I think it was
you Mark or maybe Doug White that mentioned um you know the effluent or the downstream flow. Um and it was you Nikki too. Uh when when that water lets go, when that water comes down, it's not just the water that you see on the surface, but there's going to be water
underground and so forth. It's going to sweep through and it's going to carry some of those contaminants. Um Mr. Preston, was it the chief engineer? Yeah, that's his name. Um, he told me a few years ago
that the uh contaminants in the Brownfield site across from the fire station had leaked down into the bedrock and that nobody would be building on that site for probably hundreds of years. It's it's um it's it's going it's going to be
years and years before there's any kind of remediation, decades, centuries even. So, and those are his own words. So, um I think they're on the hook and we should be very careful about how we how we tread and not just roll over for
them, but hold their feet to the fire and uh maintain some corporate responsibility for them. Um, and that's pretty much all I had right now as far as uh as far as as the budget. You guys have your hands full. I know that.
Um, but the tendency to uh overspend has caught up with us finally. I just wanted to say that at large to the town. Thank you very much. Anyone else at this time? Moving on to administrator's report, please.
Thank you. Um just a a quick uh a few updates on the on the enterprise fund. Uh number one, I had uh uh put forward um a one sheet with with questions and answers. So um I hope you could take a look at it. So what I I do intend to put
that on the website. I tweaked the um I tweaked the presentation a little bit so the colors uh so the colors are better and uh we're going to put that on the website. And it is uh my intent maybe to work with to work with one of the selectmen to do a question and answer so
we could have it uh on on cable TV all in preparation for uh for town meeting. Um I would like to make uh just sort of um one one thought to the one thought to the selectman that maybe um can we um hold off on on the methodology uh which
we going to use to to fund the enterprise fund. Um I know uh last week um everybody was sort of wanted to do the bags. Uh the bags uh I I would um like to sort of take a look at it to see
which which method works the best. Um the bags um it's the simplest way to go. Um it's a fair way to go, but it's stretched out over time. So sometimes we got to think about, you know, are we collecting enough money throughout the um throughout the year to meet to meet
the needs? Um, you know, one of the, um, one of the other methodologies was a sticker up front, then sort of keep the bag prices as they are. Again, I think that's a fair way to do it because we could work on the sticker price and the bag price to sort of u to sort of make
sure that um, people who who generate less trash pay less. And I think I and I think that's sort of the goal here. Um, the other one is just the flat fee. Um, as I put forward uh last week, you know,
the co the average cost to um the average fee for for the for the household will be approximately $360. And that if we just went even Stevens across the board. Um, but that
also takes um that also, you know, we're going to need some analysis on that. you know that I based on a low number of households. You know, not to get in the weeds here, we have 2,911 households. Um
I based it on a D number that 2,630 households and I was at a trash symposium today and we saw that uh that the um uh Ditton's numbers we have 2,800 households that use that take advantage of the trash. So these are the numbers
we have to um uh go through and to to find out you know which which methodology it would be uh would be the fairest uh in in fee collection. Um you know we're going to look at all of them. Um I I think the difficult thing is that
uh you know we're going into um we're going into town meeting saying you know you know it's a utility it's a fee we have to take it out of the general fund and and we have to figure out how to right how to how to create or how to
collect that how to collect that fee. Um, so the way we do it, you know, it's it's going to take, you know, it's going to take some analysis. Um, and I will be uh doing my best to continue to put that
out, you know, up to um up to and at and at the town meeting. So, I'm available for any questions. I just wanted to give you a a quick uh, you know, quick update. I try to keep the, you know, the the questions we've been, you know, we've been hearing. Um, you know, I put
it in hopefully sui succinct answers and then we start putting out information for the the four weeks leading up to uh leading up to town meeting. The stickers or the bags would still be the same problem. We wouldn't know what it's
going to bring in until they're sold. So, six months into it, we still won't have a figure whether we go the bags or the sticker which they're going to buy. So, right. So, when I say well, when I say the stickers you buy, um, it's the
sticker, it's sort of the upfront cost. So, you have to have a sticker on your on your pale and so that's the upfront cost. You you pay that at the beginning of the year and then throughout the year, you buy the Right. So, you buy the bags.
So, so go ahead. You're going to be selling more than one sticker per person. Where's the sticker going to go? Um on the trash bag. On the No, no. On the pale. On the pale. On a pale. Right. Yeah. We had There's another community I
had, like I said, um I had a discussion um right so we're trying to to make this the fairest and easiest way to do it. And I was discussing with with with Peter Borges that you know if someone has a pale, he sees the pale, it has the sticker on it on the pale, right? And
inside the pale has the the town bags. So So with those town bags, he could throw, you know, pick up the town bags. And he the the sticker identifies the household as being part of the curbside pickup program. Seems like it's going to
be more complicated. Yes. because you have somebody who in January or whatever fiscal or calendar year buys a sticker u for $300 some odd dollars. Is it going to be pro for somebody who buys it in?
No. No. The sticker is the the sticker price is the sticker price. So at the beginning of the year, so so the estimated cost of the sticker and we could look at it for for households 65 and older and 75 and older. Estimated
cost of the sticker is $200. So, okay. No, I don't have any questions. Um, no. I I still like the idea just of eliminating the sticker and going with the actual cost of the trash bags. Do you still think that's a possibility
that we can explore? No, we we're going to explore. Yeah, we we we're going to have to explore all the possibilities, but I think yeah and in in general it will be presented to the select minister which ultimately if enterprise fund passes what you know what direction to go into because I was hoping at this
meeting we were going to make that decision. So then at our May 28th meeting we could work on getting more information out to the residents on that. Next we have a meeting next Wednesday. We do. Yeah.
Oh, awesome. No. Yeah, I've just kind of forgot for a second there. So, you don't want us to vote on it this evening because Well, I I I'm going to say this. You had said the bags and I would go with the bags and I'm just putting out, you know, another idea. But I will, you
know, we'll we'll craft the information uh towards towards the bag price towards just straight bags for next week. Is that okay? For next week. Yeah. And then one other thing that I mentioned at the last meeting is could you also explore the possibility of if there's something
we can do for the seniors whether it's a like I know there's some neighboring communities that do a free bag program or if there's a reduced price or like that option if the bag's going to be a lot more costly but is something we can do to offer seniors yeah we'll um we'll look at that we'll look at that offset
that one I'll have uh actually I have border health taking a look at the bags with the bag prices and and We're not going to we're not going to keep the same bag. We're going to change the bag from a clear bag to, you know, to a different color. And if eventually that's the way
we go, you know, we we'll have a new set of bags. And I I want the community to also understand that we only have so many options. There's only so many different things we can do, right? So, we've we've talked about our meetings. We have um we can do a debt exclusion.
We can look at how we pull trash out of our budget or we can cut services and um personnel. So, which still don't cover the shortfall. I just have to say that every time you say that because people aren't surprised when we cut personnel and then we're like we still don't have
any money. And and so just my counter to that is I don't think the enterprise fund is going to solve everything either. So in your own personal finances, if you're not making ends meet, one thing probably won't solve it, right? You may have to cut with how much you go out to eat. You might have to cut
cable. You might have to cut some subscriptions, right? It is never just one sizefits-all. So, I agree with you. Select Melo. Sure, maybe cutting personnel and services won't solve it. But if we do, that's why I asked for it for it to be at this town meeting to
present that to to the residents to have that as an option because we may have to have an enterprise fund and cut personnel and services. And the longer we wait on that, we're going to drain our free cash in the meantime. So, I do think it's too
bad that we don't have that option on this town meeting. Um, however, the two options we do have on the table is the enterprise fund and um if the town wants to fund a a debt exclusion. So, my long-winded answer is before the
community just says no to this um just think of what the alternatives is because I agree with select personnel and services probably won't solve it. However, the debt exclusion is going to raise your taxes to a level higher most
likely than having a um an enterprise fund for trash and looking at your personnel and services. So, keep that in mind before you vote down the trash, right? Because that is that's we're thinking outside the box. We don't have
every answer for you tonight. Um, but the longer if if we're not open to these and we just put a wall up, we're going to box ourselves into not have very many options. So, allow us to please allow us to explore it. Um,
and we're trying I haven't heard any other solutions in the town other than those three things that I've mentioned. I haven't heard anyone in the town bring any other sustainable solution on how to fix our budget shortfall. uh through the chair just just for for clarification uh
select me I know what you mean but but it's we are not again for clarity we are not voting for a debt exclusion at this at this town at this on this warrant we are voting to put the explan explain uh
a vote whether it's a debt exclusion or or capital exclusion or or or prop two and a half so it's I just just for clarity we're not voting for a debt exclusion usion. So, and I know and I know that's what you meant. So, I just wanted to make sure people understood that. And the conversation that arise to
get to that point was the selectman did everything in our power to educate the voters on the debt exclusion last November. Um, but during that process, we found there's this mass general law that we can accept that would further educate our voters. So, we're looking
for the town's people to accept this mass general law. So if in the future the board ever voted on a debt exclusion, we could explain better and do a mailing to the voters on what a yes vote means and a no vote means. So but that of course comes with a cost if we
do that enhanced as I want like to call it debt exclusion vote. But we're certainly not going to cut our way out of the cuts to make. Yes, sir. May I? Yes. Sure. Bob Perry, Stanzion Drive 1531. Um, I
actually came here for another reason, specifically article 31, uh, 21, excuse me, but, um, listening to this discussion, I'd like to clarify a couple of points. I am a member of the waste reduction committee and I am not speaking for the committee, but just a little bit of
background. Number one, uh the reason the price of the bags went up, we did a very detailed analysis of how much um appropriated funds were paying for the trash program, etc. We raised the bag to try to lower the amount appropriated
funds as well as in concert with pay as you throw do two things. Number one, the person or persons that threw a great deal of trash away uh shouldn't be um should pay for what they throw as
opposed to using appropriated funds at 100% level uh somebody like Lenny who throws away one bag a week is uh supplementing me throwing 10 bags a week. Okay? And that we didn't consider that fair. Okay? Okay, that's why we
generated uh an additional cost increase or we propose a cost increase uh to minimize funds uh appropriated funds and to make the system fair. Number one. Number two, different subject. Um uh Fleckman Pico made a point regarding
education. Um I would propose this. uh we certainly are not in a financial position to do what I'm about to propose at this point in time, but I think there's a great need
for education on these particularly thorny issues such as the one we've discussed here in Enterprise Fund and I envision something like when you see for instance the last uh state election we had voting on various articles just a
synopsis of if you vote yes This is what it means. If you vote no, this is what it means. Because when we went into the last meeting and looked at the debt exclusion, if you looked at Dyon social media, you know, I I don't even need to
to, you know, tell you well, it was uh radiating in all directions, the opinions, and I think it's important that when we get into thorny issues such as enterprise fund or something that requires a change to what we're doing or
uh spending a great deal of money or going in a different direction, I I think it's critical for the board that proposes it, the subcommittee that proposes it etc to put together a document like that and whether it go out it should go out in all media electronic
media and depending upon I would say the the complexity of the issue uh or the uh monetary amount involved in the issue maybe even a mailing okay but get the word out there so to minimize the
confusion factor Um, that was essentially it. Thank you for your time. Can I just piggyback off that for a second? That's a great point. And we are going to be doing a mailing with the warrant. So, it'd be really nice if maybe we can work on adding a page or two to the warrant that kind of
addresses the enterprise fund. I don't know how the board feels about that, but if we get creative, perhaps at our next meeting, we can put some more information on the warrant on the enterprise fund to give residents some more information on it. Can I ask the one sheet in regards to that he just
said getting stuff out the strawberry vine? Could you ask if you could put this strawberry vine? All right. Thank you. And I had one more key point and I thank you. Um, with regards to the enterprise fund and whatever way you decide to go and
trash, if you elect to move towards privatization or move towards people being able to um residents being able to uh whether it be in a neighborhood or a culde-sac, etc., set up their own
private, if you will, with a their own contract of trash removal. Bear this in mind that when you develop this program, you had best develop a backdoor so the people that suddenly after a year or two don't like the way
their personal program is going, they can come back into any town program that may exist because if there's if there's a trap anywhere for the town, it's going to be people opting out and then opting back in again. And I say that because
and I'm going to we use Borgous. It's not fair to Borgess to suddenly see revenues or whatever diminished and then suddenly the workload increases again because people say it's just not working. Our own private uh trash removal contract is not working. So I
think that's a key component any program that's developed. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I've heard Tom Galuchcci um 2086 Bomber Street again. Um, what I've heard tonight, uh, regarding all of this is you have a bunch of stuff and there's
some eagerness to jump on it right now. And once again, I'd urge some restraint because I've heard a lot of excrement being thrown at the wall and nothing sticking. Particularly a $200 trash fee, a $200
sticker fee. That's absurd. A lot of people can't come up with that. So, I don't want to see that. I like the idea of pay as you go. If um if you look back at the root of it, it comes from, you know, all these big government statists that are running around in this state, you know, with the Green New Deal and
all that crap. But honestly, we need to um we need to have something that's a little more equitable. And pay as you go is the way to go. You know, if we have to pay $5 a bag or $6 a bag to cover some liberals's uh you know, utopian dream, then that's what we have to do, I
guess, until we get out of this state. But in the meantime, you know, that's uh that's where we're at. So, I'd rather see a pay as you go system rather than a sticker, rather than a garbage barrel. I don't generally use a garbage barrel because we have critters in my neighborhood. I just put out the trash
right before the guy comes. Um so, you're not you're not going to see a sticker in front of my house. Anyway, that's all I had. Thank you. Yes. Melissa Perry, 1211 Pine Street. And this may be my ignorance, but we've said people haven't come up with alternative
ideas. Again, maybe my ignorance, but I don't know what it's costing the town to pick up free recycling when we're paying for that recycling disposal. I'm sure um people put stuff in the recycling bin
that probably belongs in the trash. And I bet that's probably at least one bag per week per household. I mean, I don't know if that's an option. And people may be upset about the town saying we're not doing recycling. Well, we have to It's a
state law, but what is the cost of us doing that for nothing? I mean, we have to pay. Sure. We have to pay to get rid of cardboard at work. Um, so there's an expense to us that Okay, like I said, my ignorance, but it just seems like
There's an added expense to us to do that for free when it's costing for us to throw away recycles, not throw away to have recycles movement because they have trash, right? And two things, the state requires that we recycle. Okay?
And two, if you put recycles in the trash, we get audited. Our trash uh gets audited to make sure that it's not people are not throwing their recycles away. Oops. I'm not sure if Tom Ferry's not here.
Don't come over to my house. It averages like 13 times a year or 13 loads. I'm not I don't remember the exact formula that they use. Uh so it's not as simple as just not recycling. Okay. And the
trash tonnage would go up and then the cost would go up if you're putting it in the trash. Yeah. I just thought if it went in the trash then people are paying for the bags and it's not cost the bags don't cover our cost of trash not and yeah I realize that yeah so okay I too again um for the pay as you throw but
that was my call thank you thank you anyone else so we can do pay you throw the board's talked about that it would just go into an enterprise fund that is definitely what we're proposing and that seems to be the direction we're going so that is I think we're kind of on board with
everyone in the Is that a fair statement? Absolutely. Okay. Well, it's it's it's good because now I know we'll just focus on the bags. That's perfect. And that really hasn't changed from our last meeting. We all said the same thing at our last meeting as well.
I don't have any. I just want to thank Ralph and uh the finance team for putting together the warrant and um Serena, you're always kind of the unsung hero. Um, so I want to thank you personally for all you do and the information you bring us and um, makes
our job easier. So, thank you guys. Thank you. Thanks. Um, we have no old business on new business and this is discuss the conflict of interest. Well, um, three are from uh, conservation agent Lisa Calonia. The
first um the first one is um all three of them she had discussions with the attorney general's office which suggested that she submit um um this uh uh appearance of conflict of interest to the to the board of select men. The
first one um if I um remember she um she had worked for this company she no long which she no longer works for. Um they're doing work in in Dyon. Um, so she just um she as she indicates in in
her letter uh in her form that um she no longer works for M u MBL corporation permitting and then she could um she could carry out her duties in a fair and and unbiased manner. So that's the first
one. If I could I could go over all three at once if you want. Yeah. Do you have any question? Yeah. The second one is that um she had um she had worked uh for a company which is a subsidiary of um of another company
that's doing work in Dayton. It's like um it's like one company removed. Um again again she states uh that um she could be she'll be fair and and impartial um carrying uh carrying out her duties the performance of her
duties. And the last one was that uh she is actually recusing herself because she has um she is still a direct consultant for the company. The company um the work she does for the company is not in the town of Nighton, but they're doing it
here. So she's recusing herself uh from it just to just to avoid any any appearance any appearance of impropriy. And again, she spoke with the uh attorney general's office and they directed her
uh for this method. No. So this is a review discussion act. So we need a motion to accept. I'll make a motion to accept the conflicts of interest and place on file for Lisa Calonia. I'll second that.
Motion second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I discuss. It's a Yes. All the paperwork is in. Diner being is it bought bought? Uh yeah, it's a it's a transfer. It went
from It went from from Oh, Jesse's Diner to Triple. She sold it. Now it's Triple T. She is here in the audience if you want to ask. Congratulations. I'm sorry. You were here a couple weeks
ago, weren't you? No. No. Okay. I'm sorry. Thank you for sitting. That's okay. I learned a lot about today. Do you live in Denon? No. I live in Oh, so sorry. That's okay.
I don't have any questions. Good luck, guys. been here before as we continue to go as No, I don't have anything. Thank you. No, I have the same thoughts as Sluckman Karen. Thanks for continuing to have
business in town. So, fantastic. Okay, so I'll make a motion to approve the common Vic license for Triple T's Diner, 2035 Winup Street. I'll second that. Motion made second. Any discussion for those in favor? I congrats. Thank you. Thanks you
guys a lot. Approval of the warrant. I'd make a motion to approve the warrant paid by May 15, 2025. 46A25 for 127,273.88 and 46B-25 for $285,776.85.
85. I'll second that. Motion made a second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. There's no correspondence. So, it's approval of the minutes. I'll make a motion to approve the board of selectmen special meeting minutes of March 31st, 2025. Second. Motion made
second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I make a motion to approve the board of selectman regular meeting minutes of May 7th, 2025. Second. Motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I public info one more time.
Okay. I'll make a motion to adjurnn. Second. I