Good evening and welcome to the June 9th, 2026 meeting of the East Meadow Town Council. I'll call the meeting to order and ask to stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance 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. And I would ask that we take a brief moment of silence to reflect on all of the events going on both here and abroad. Thank you. In accordance with Mass General Law, this meeting is being
recorded by LCAT. And if there's anyone else in the audience recording, if you could identify yourself. Seeing none. Um, public comments. Is there anyone in the this evening? I don't see anyone in the audience and I don't see anyone with their hand raised.
>> I don't see anyone. >> Okay. Council comments. Any council for the comment this evening? >> Just a couple. Um and again, it's only a quick comment. Um in the future, I'd like to see us get an update on where we stand with the fiber optic and where we
stand with the waste oil containment and system. As to your first topic, we actually have that planned for our next meeting to beautiful have an update. >> See, see how efficient you guys are. [laughter] >> And we should have our uh second and
third quote any second now. Um and I between Bruce and my reserve account, we'll get that ordered before the year ends. >> Two weeks >> for the oil tank. So, and then installation will be I forgot what they said the lead time was on the tanks. Uh,
but we'd like to get them uh ordered before we close the books for FY26. >> Great. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? I won't steal Jackie's thunder with the collection update, but just thank you to
her and her team and coordinating and orchestrating all of that. And then also congratulations to those who won at our local election this year, but also for everyone that participated in the process. It's nice to have a lot of community outreach and campaigning going
on. It gets people involved and that was exciting to see. >> I look forward to working with everybody for a new term. So, thank you. >> Congratulations. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> Welcome [clears throat] back. [laughter] >> Great job.
>> All right. Town manager report town. Good evening. Uh I similarly [clears throat] uh left all the election stuff out of my report as to not steal anybody's thunder, but I'll I'll echo uh Connor's statements and uh great first election
for Jackie as clerk uh and her team. The the uh the election process in town is really uh really exceptional. It it works really well and uh literally uh nice little transition of power. Uh Jackie and her team did a great job. So
um that was exciting and congrats to my neighbor. Um attached to this report uh find project reports for the weeks of May 18th and May 25th uh for the construction at the high school and auditorium. Uh
the the details are starting to really come into play now. There's I mean some of those pictures had landscaping in them. So, like we're really uh we're really getting down to to the end here. Um and the next time we meet, uh the new building could very well be the only one
on the site. Uh as demolition is supposed to begin shortly after the bell stops ringing on the last day of school, uh which is June 17th. So, uh we're right there. here in [laughter] >> all the uh scheduling and progress
information uh as always you can see on the website esomema.govhs building project. Uh the time capsule uh from 1976 has been unearthed uh and was on display at on May 30th at the
Norcross House uh for our kickoff event. Uh right next to it was the new newly decorated time capsule that we're going to put right back in. It's uh the same spot at Heritage Park this July. Uh thanks uh for Go Graphics uh for
decorating uh it looks it looks amazing and and thanks to CPC and the council for uh the funding for that decoration because it really does look good. Um so the event was very well attended and everything was wonderful you know except
for the MC uh which was me uh begrudgingly no uh we had students from Mountain View uh there sharing their letters. I got a chuckle uh [laughter] everybody's letter was addressed to the year 2076 which was really cute to hear
read out loud uh dear 2076. Um but the kids did great. George Kingston, uh, also great, some history. Uh, Ralph, uh, was kind enough to say a few words. I I might have forced him, uh, but, um,
really sort of eloquently put this all into play into place about how lucky we are to to live in this community. Uh, so thanks for that, Ralph. Um, lot of thanks to go around. uh Don Stark, Stan Bureak, the Rotary Club, uh everybody on
the historical commission and and the Norcross House for hosting. Uh [clears throat] it really was a fun day and uh we have some some more fun events. The the uh um the it was on display this Saturday at Brown Farm for
Summerfest. Um, there's boxes at the town manager's office, the library, and right outside the door here at the COA for anybody that wants to uh donate anything to the time capsule. We have a list of things that are and aren't
allowed specifically. uh but also reserve the right for the committee to put whatever we want in there depending on space andor um you know anything on the list that wouldn't be conducive. Also, we'll do
our best to uh shrink wrap everything before it gets buried. Um we had a little bit of damage to the materials in the 1976 capsule. Uh a a root found its way in there and >> then the water did too. So, um, uh,
George, uh, Kingston has been going through that, drying that out. We we were able to save quite a bit of stuff, but, um, not everything survived, so we're going to do our best to make sure that, uh, history doesn't repeat itself. Um,
uh, this summer, uh, the town's participating in the 2020 2026 local finance commonwealth fellowship program. Uh this is a paid internship fully funded through the state and has community college students obtain uh an understanding of general and municipal
finance and accounting concepts, practices, and systems. Uh our fellow is Zach Barabani. Uh hopefully I didn't butcher his name. I haven't even met him yet. Uh will be with uh with us for most of July and August. uh bouncing around
the finance office, accounting, uh assessing, uh treasur collector, uh the manager's office, um just to sort of uh get an idea of what we do in the public sector and and how great it is to work
uh or at least in the town of Islam. Um again, Brown Farm, uh we had a nice event on Saturday. Um, Rotary Club, uh, again, uh, hosted with Wreck. Uh, the historical commission was there, the
library was there, we had, uh, music. Clover Brook Farm was there with some some animals. Bounce House. uh just another good uh gathering in that space which I'm going to continue to push that we use more and more um and and start to
come up with some plans on how to sort of develop that into a a gathering space because it really is a beautiful piece of property um and and every event up there seems to go very well. So um uh summer reading uh kicked off at the
library on June 1st and runs through August 8th. Uh due to our construction at the library, we had to postpone uh I think it would have been tonight my favorite event, the the kickoff party for summer reading. Popsicles and popcorn. I mean, I'm in uh it's uh it's
usually a great time, but they're going to have a an end of the event, end of the summer party uh to sort of note the summer reading crew. Um, you can log on to the public library website to register for the program and enter into drawings and contests and win big
prizes. Um, I'm going to do a little uh employee spotlight and introduction. Speaking of begrudgingly, I asked Matt at the end of last week to come and say hi so that everybody could put a face to the name of our new building commissioner. So, he is here tonight to
say hello to everybody. So, uh, welcome Matt Goodchild. Uh, come on up. Good evening everyone. >> Good evening. >> Good child. I'm a town resident. Been here about 10 years. I'm very excited about the role as commissioner and uh meeting you all individually and look
forward to moving forward and getting this going, you know. >> Great. Welcome aboard. >> Welcome aboard. >> So excited about uh the zoning aspect. [laughter] >> It seems like that that's always the >> be the warning for sure. >> Yeah. [laughter]
locking that cell phone number. >> That will do. >> Yeah, it's going to be another challenge, but we'll get through it, you know. >> Awesome. >> Nice to meet you. >> Thank you, Matt. Appreciate it. Thanks for your time. >> Yep. Take care, guys.
>> Um, we got a bunch of upcoming events at the end of the month. We have our sort of week and a half uh Fourth of July extravaganza at Center Field. Uh car show on the 26th uh [clears throat] at 5:00 p.m. Bonfire the 27th at 5. Uh
there's a cornhole tournament on the 28th starting at 3. Uh a veterans appreciation dinner June 29th uh at 5. Those are all at center field. Uh then the carnival comes in uh for the 30th uh 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and fourth. Uh they did
have a lot of success after the parade last year on the 4th. So they're going to stay open again. Um the the laser light show obviously uh again uh at Maple Shade uh July 3rd and then uh the Fourth of July parade uh at
10:00 a.m. uh which is always a good time. and we'll all be um wearing the same shirt. [laughter] [snorts] >> Uh a little bit different. >> Ralph did have the shirt on he was talking about at Summerfest at Brown
Farm on Saturday. >> American flag one. >> It is shark. [laughter] >> It is shark. Uh and that's it for tonight unless anybody has any questions. Um thank you. >> A lot of events coming up which is
awesome. Good weather for all of those things. >> Yeah. [clears throat] >> Yeah. Thank you, Tom. Well, I unfortunately couldn't make it to the time capsule reveal there. It was cool to see the pictures along on online that the historical commission posted, and I
was actually pretty surprised how well the red, white, and blue paint held up for >> I know, right? Pretty good. Yeah, >> that's pretty interesting. >> Are you putting a copy of the charter in the time capsule? >> That could be. That's good idea. A pretty pretty great idea. Uh I'm sure
it'll Yeah, >> it'll probably be the same >> submitted by Kathy Hill. Uh >> well, it signifies a difference in, you know, a change in the form of government. >> Yep. >> And and I wonder what if we're going to re, you know, sort of review it every 10 years like the charter says, what it
will look like 50 years later. >> 50 years, right? >> Yeah, that's a great idea. >> Maybe we'll take Ralph's bylaw book from him, too, and put it in. I know there was also a picture when I was there I think of like the select board at the time. I mean it wouldn't be bad. Maybe if we could group
>> we could council as it stands at 250 >> right >> June >> June. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Can I get mayor? >> That's a good idea too >> like that with the charter perhap just to show like because I think there was Yeah. It was I think Rep. Iris Holland
and a few of the select board members. I don't know if those were actually in it was in the time capsule or >> what year was the time capsule? 1976. >> Okay. >> I don't know if the photos were actually in there, but it was really interesting to just see all the and like the big news events of that time and it was it was an interest cool really cool event.
>> That's a good idea. >> Great. I like that. >> I'm sure we could >> get a photo at the next meeting. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> I'll just let Jamie know that we're going to do that. >> Yep. Perfect. >> Great. >> She takes a heck of a head shot. I mean, she made me look good. [laughter]
>> That's funny. It's not that funny. [laughter] >> That's good. [laughter] >> All right. Anything else for Tom's report? >> Great. Thank you. >> We have no communications or public
hearings this evening. So, licensing matters. Our first one is approving a farmers market permit application for Broken Creek Vineyard at the farmers market. I believe I uh >> someone in the audience. >> Hello.
>> Good evening. [clears throat] >> Kennedy, I'm not representing I'm representing the farmers market. The um Broken Creek Vineyard is supposed to be also on tonight. >> [cough] >> Got another hand. >> I think there's somebody that's up top.
>> Oh, there we go. >> Right. >> Thank you, Sean. [clears throat] >> Abigail. >> Ah, here we go. Hi. >> Good evening. >> Hello. >> Hi. I'm Abby from Broken Creek Vineyard.
I'm the owner. Abby Scaff. >> Nice to meet you. Would you mind just providing a brief overview of what you're looking to do at the farmers market? >> Um, so we um typically bring around like four to five different wines and we
offer samples um 1 oz samples to guests uh to try so that they can buy bottles to go. >> Great. Thank you. >> Does anyone from the council have any questions? >> Oh, it seems pretty straightforward to me. Absolutely.
>> All right. I will entertain a motion then. >> I make a motion to approve a farmers market application for Broken Creek Vineyard at the Farmers Market, 46 Maple Street from June through August 26th on select dates.
>> Second. >> Motion was made and seconded. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. I. >> Opposed? [clears throat] Motion passes. >> Could I clarify the address? said 64 Maple Street. >> Oops.
>> Oh, sure. >> Thank you. >> Nope. You guys have to go down the street. >> Ah, yeah. There you go. >> This is the [laughter] bank. >> Okay. >> Probably amended. >> Sure. Just for safety, we will >> um I make a motion that we amend our
thing to 64 Maple Street instead of 46. Second. >> All right. Motion made, seconded, and thirded. Any other discussion? Seeing none. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Thank you for the correction. >> Thank you very much. I appreciate.
>> Good luck. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. >> Okay. Next, we have approving a change of hours for East Village Tavern. We had originally approved this at a previous meeting, but the hours are now looking to be 3 to 11 instead of 5 to 11. So,
I'll make a motion to approve a change of hours to a previously approved 1-day liquor license for East Village Tavern on June 28th, 2026 um from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. We're changing that to 300 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
>> Second. Motion was made and seconded. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. We have no financial matters. Uh we do have approval of the May 26th open
session minutes. >> I make a motion to approve the May 26, 2026 open session minutes. >> Second. Motion was made and seconded. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. [clears throat]
>> Any opposed? Motion passes. since there were so many pages to it. Thank you guys for putting that together, Cynthia and Jackie, especially with the elections. It was very quick and thorough [clears throat] business. We have the 250th anniversary. Uh from our last
right after our last meeting, I did place the order for the polo shirts. They're expected to be in around June 19th or so. So, we'll have those hopefully for the second meeting and then uh plenty of time for the fourth. >> Are those Where are those getting [clears throat] delivered?
>> Uh to my house. >> Oh, perfect. You're not closed on the 19th. >> Oh, I [laughter] awesome. >> Our offices are closed. >> Yeah, they could come in earlier. It just said that was like the end date of when they would be delivered by. So, maybe we'll get them sooner.
>> So, we could all wear them at the next meeting for the photo. >> We could. >> Sure. [laughter] >> Just a thought. And I did get a couple extra sizes, too, just in case we find that they don't fit
the way we expect. So, >> I don't know if anyone had any else for the 250th, but so far I think we're think we're on track. >> Oh, the banners. I don't know if you had an update on that. Oh. Uh yeah, actually
I was expecting uh the full quote today, but they will be installed around town next week. Um so uh we got some couple locations of big uh banners. Uh one of
which uh will be on the side of Napa. uh the the big blank side I mean an enormous uh which will be cool because everything is happening at the center. Uh there'll be a smaller banner facing on the back stop of center field facing
in towards um the carnival uh area. Uh we have four sort of drop down banners on the side of the library. If you can picture the brick stansions, >> uh it's going to be like in every other scenario cuz there's some downspouts that come on a couple of them. So, it'll
be sort of symmetrical. >> Um and then, uh the the pole ones, we ended up with uh all three and we'll just sort of blend them how we ever >> how we think that's going to be. the the bigger signs uh because we sort of
already hit go on the time capsule using the town hall one. All the big banners will be the town hall one. Um but the the banners on the street polls will all will there's we got we got all three. So
um so that uh go graphics will coordinate directly with DPW next week for whenever they can get them up, but they should be up next week. That's all. >> Yeah. >> Exciting. >> Thank you, Tom. >> Yep. >> Anyone have anything else? Okay. Uh,
town manager performance evaluation. This is >> I'll go. [laughter] >> That's funny. Um, thank you to everyone for submitting their evaluations. So, now the subcommittee will be tasked with
before our next meeting going through and kind of compiling everyone's responses. and coming up with the collective summary from all of us and then putting together uh three or four suggested goals at which point then I can meet with Tom to make sure we're in alignment and he's in agreement with it
and then we'll hopefully at our next meeting vote on on what those goals might be and then move forward from there. But so far I think based off of folks responses were overall pretty satisfied with Tom's job. We're not not
looking to fire him. So, [laughter] >> great news. >> I haven't read them all yet. >> Not so fast. [laughter] >> We'll still be able to keep the shirt, though. >> Thank you, Catherine. [laughter] >> Did he get a shirt? >> Did you? We ordered
>> down below. >> Yeah, there you go. That's [laughter] fine. >> And he did send me this morning and I hadn't had a chance to forward it to you all his version of our template filled in with the score. So the subcommittee will have that if they choose to factor that into their
summary. >> The the caveat was that I I would be willing to go up or down on any any one of those scores on any given day. [laughter] >> No, it is a hard thing to >> difficult, isn't it? >> It's impossible. >> It's like I said, it depends on the week
that you're in, what you remember, what you don't remember. I mean, if you're looking back over the whole year, there's >> ups and downs throughout the whole year. So, >> but more to come on that, but thank you to you all. Okay, new business. Uh, we
have the June 2nd, 2026 local. [clears throat] >> Yes, >> the aforementioned thunder. Go >> write it down. Okay. So, as of election day, we had
14,146 registered voters and a total of 1,266 ballots were cast. And the voter turnout was approximately 8.95%. We mailed out 108 early and absentee
ballots and 95 of those were returned and counted. >> Turnout was low, but it's always low for the local elections. And I'd like to congratulate all the candidates who participated in the election and extend a special
congratulation to those elected to serve the residents of Isa. We appreciate everyone who took part in the democratic process whether as a candidate, voter, or election. [laughter] >> Do you want the result? >> Read them out if you don't mind. Let's
get them. >> You already have them. Don't >> bury the lead, Jackie. [laughter] Right. [snorts] I got to be able to see it. [laughter] >> Okay. Town council, we had Matt Boucher 673,
Jonathan Torra, 713, Carolyn Ferrris, 658, and school committee three-year. Carolyn Jar Zapski 807 William Straler 750
the one-year school committee uh Sarah Trullio 645 Christina Cooper who ran on a writen was 346 in question one yeses were 685 nos were 468
amen Yay. >> That is awesome. >> That is awesome. Now that's all [laughter] done. >> I was pleasantly surprised that the questions passed, but it was definitely helpful for our KY bylaw review committee process to
>> to proceed in a costefficient and overall efficient manners. >> I got the letter explaining the question after the election >> on Saturday. >> Yeah, a lot of people did. Yeah, I I wondered cuz I was I wasn't sure. >> Some people got them on time, some
people didn't. [clears throat] >> I live at the end of town, I guess. [laughter] >> Interesting. >> At least people knew how to vote. Anyway, >> it's Yeah, it's interesting. We >> all those letters have to be mailed from the bulk mail center and Cindy and I
dropped them off >> and it's really Isn't it really up to the bulk mail center when it goes out? Do they have a do they have an option or you know maybe to do some some days and some another day? [clears throat] >> I don't know. When we got there they just said they would send it out.
>> We had a similar issue uh at tax time if you recall when the calendar flipped. Everybody was wondering where their tax bill was and we got them out right when we were supposed to. It just however long the postal service takes to get it to your mailbox is got >> that that that's the part
[clears throat] that we don't control anymore. That's right. >> Just a quick question, Jackie. So, when you're going through tabulating, if let's say the town council had some writeins, >> are those kicked off separate and then you have to
>> add them in. Yeah. So, what I just read is the final. >> Yeah. No, I understand. I just wasn't sure if there was five different names written in or if there was 24 different names. >> I think the only thing that changed was precinct five. um they didn't have their writings in
the right spot, but most of them were blanks or nothing to make like a different >> I was just curious if some of uh the school committee one year um >> Oh, I got >> was written in for the town council by accident.
>> There were a lot of uh the one-year school committee >> Yeah. >> was written in under the three-year. >> Oh boy. >> And those don't count >> and probably under town council as well. >> Okay. And it wouldn't count because it's not in the right >> Exactly. >> Thank you.
>> Just curious. >> Oh, that's good to know. >> All right. Thank you, Jackie. Hey, next we have discussing the fire department coverage and grant opportunity for submission deadline. I know this stemmed from some recent
discussions that have been going on, but this was also in part um something that I had asked Tom a little while ago was we had often found out about grants that submitted only when it's up for the council to ultimately approve them. And
I thought it would be helpful if the council had a step at the beginning of the process before we actually submit any paperwork seeking out [clears throat] a grant if we're all on board so that we're not wasting everyone's time just to turn around and not approve it at the end of the the
stage. So that's part of what we're here for. >> Good evening. >> Evening. Uh first I just like to say thanks for um getting us on the agenda um just because there is a deadline for that grant. Um it is a fairly lengthy one to fill out. So, uh, to be able to get before you, uh, discuss it and to,
um, and to get your approval to move forward, it's certainly helpful that you were able to get us on the agenda, but thankful for that, of course. Um, so, as you everyone knows, the fire department's kind of hit some unique staffing situations over the last um, the last year and a half anyways, but
this fiscal year being particularly difficult. Um, just some background, back in October of 24, Chief Moriceet and I changed our minimum staffing from five to six. Um, at the time it was certainly manageable. Um, and it made
sense for safety, for um, you know, service to the town and things like that, but what we encountered shortly after was kind of a string of anything from uh, injured on duties to long-term illnesses and things like that. So, it kind of put a strain on the ability to
maintain six a six person minimum. Um, but we kept doing it. We carried it over into I carried it over into fiscal year uh 26. Um, I I I didn't want to go below that six person minimum. Um, that's where we are today. We continue to
struggle with injured on duties, FMLAs, maternity leave, etc. We're down about 23% of our department right now. We're down six people. Three are long-term till at least the fall. One is indefinite and the other two should be returning somewhere the end of July,
early August. Um so what that um got the deputy thinking the uh FEMA released their AFG assistance firefighter grant program a couple weeks ago. Um it's in three parts. There's one that you can use for uh fire um fire prevention and
safety, one is for things like equipment, and the other one is for staffing. It's called the safer grant. And what this allows departments to do is um to apply for uh positions to help
improve your staffing and to minimize um the cost by it's a three-year step. So the first two years the grant picks up 75% of the base pay and the benefits.
The third year they pick up 65% of the salary and the benefits. And then from years four on the full responsibility lies on the municipality. Um so that is the grant that we're kind of seeking approval for today to go forward and move forward with. Um, one
of the things that we're running into with a minimum of six person staffing is that we're almost always at six and more often than not about 80% of the time we're at five with we allow two people off or work. So when we're at seven,
which is our max staffing, we allow two people to take personal time off at any point, which brings us down to fives. We're almost constantly back filling to six, which um is what's affecting our overtime budget right now, [clears throat] more so because of the the injuries and the and the um and the
and the personal leaves, but it's it's a big it's a big bite out of our overtime um that we're back filling. You throw in sick time and things like that. Right now, we're currently backfilling um we're back filling two positions minimum every day. Um when we're doing that
through fors um for context of forsin is when we can't fill a shift through voluntary means. So we will go down a list. We call people in on their day off and they have to come in to work. Um in April we did that 34 times. In May we
did it 52 times. So far in June we're at 18. We had nine just over the weekend. Um it's incredibly taxing on our people. um we're we're literally forcing them in and now they're getting to the point
where they have to call in sick because now they've worked so much that you know they're they're coming into a point where now they can't you know it it affects their health and things like that. So um we're just we're just at a point now where a six person minimum
with a seven person max is not sustainable. What we're hoping to do is to add four positions through the safer grant. That will allow our max staffing per shift to be eight. Whereas, if we have that eighth person,
two people off at a time would still bring us to our minimum where we wouldn't have to backfill. [clears throat] It would also reduce the amount of EMS call back we have to do. Anytime both ambulances leave at the or out of the building at the same time, we do a call back for one member to
increase our fire staff. We try and maintain three if we can. Um EMS call back is completely voluntary. We hit it, you know, we average about three call backs filled per day out of maybe the
six or seven that we put out. Um so there's no requirement on any of our members to come back on an EMS call back. um they can do it as you know as the convenience fits for them. It's hard you know especially during a weekday during school. A lot of our members have families they don't have the ability to
just come in and go to work. It's for an undetermined amount of time uh when they do a call back. It's you could be there for an hour, you could be there for three hours. It just depends on how the call volume is that day. So it's difficult a lot of times for our members to commit to an EMS call back if they don't have a a wide range of hours
available to them. this eighth person per shift would reduce the EMS call back and it would reduce the amount of back filling that we have to maintain. Um again years one and two the amount of money we would save on call back and
back filling just about hits that number that we'd be responsible for. Obviously, we don't hit that number as we get into years three and on because we're taking on 65%. And then again, 100% after that. Um,
but for the well-being of our people, the deputy and I certainly feel this is necessary. We are our car our call volume doesn't sustain the amount of people that we have right now. We are our ambulances are out of the building
at the same time constantly. It leaves two members back in the station. Again, we can't depend on that call back because it's not guaranteed. Um the constant back filling, the overtime, it's taking a toll on all of our folks. We need them when they come in on their
scheduled shift to be at the top of their game. And when they're filling three or four overtime shifts a week, being forced in on a day off, it it takes a toll on them. You know, I the deputy and I certainly can appreciate the financial obligation that that this
takes on. You know, we we've seen all the news articles that have happened lately with with municipal budgets and we completely appreciate it. But beyond all those dollar signs, we have people that are getting burnt out to the point where if
we lose somebody because they want to go somewhere where the call volume is less and they're not forced in as much, now we're going to be down an entire shift. And when I took this job, I said I didn't want
a recruitment plan. I wanted a retention plan. And if we can't retain the people we have, we're going to be up against it more than we are now. And the department, the [clears throat] community, and our members cannot afford to do that. So, you know, respectfully,
we are asking for permission to move ahead with this grant and to be assured that it would be funded past that third year as well. That's that's where we're at. Thank you for the uh overview of the
request just um because I didn't write it down as you were saying all the points. Years one and two, what was the percent? >> Years one and two uh we were responsible for 25% of base salary and benefits >> and then it was 65 and year three were
responsible for 65. Are there any to your knowledge like restrictions or requirements in the grant that you know if you ask for like those four positions that you h if you were to receive the grant do you have to do all four or is it possible to say oh we could only take
on two or three and kind of give >> um I believe through the grant you can't do more than what you've asked for >> like if it's not based on a dollar amount It's it's based on the people you're you can't exceed the amount of people you're asking for. When you build
the grant, you build it with those four positions in [clears throat] >> in place. Um, you know, that being said, you certainly could, you know, do it for less. You just when you do a um a uh you'd have to do an amendment to the grant to say that you're doing it for
two or three or, you know, four. >> Yeah. And I'm not suggesting that we should do that. It was just if something happened to change between now and approval time, >> right? Sure. >> Chief, have you been able to um anticipating that you get a favorable
vote? Have you costed out what that would look like for four additional >> firefighters um at first the 75 and then the 65? >> Yeah. So, um Tom and Kim and the deputy I we sat down and we went over those numbers. We did put together um
something that I can certainly send to everyone so you have a look at how that number looks and um additionally how the overtime with a seven person minimum and an eight person would compare and the savings to the overtime and how that could apply towards what we're what
we're paying into the grant. >> Sure. Um, chief, the area fire departments that also have ambulance, are they experiencing the same kind of manpower issue or is that more unique to us? >> Well, the the amount of people that are
out is unique to us. Um, it's not common for a fire department our size to have, you know, such a large percentage of their staff out. Um, our call volume is higher than any of our surrounding communities. It's about a thousand calls
higher than Long Meadow. It's about about a thousand more than Wilberham. Um it's we we're we're unique. We're unique in the amount of facilities we have >> for nursing homes. It's that is a very unusual amount >> of um of uh care facilities to have in
in one community. So that's and that's uh between the [clears throat] nursing homes and assisted living and the group homes, it's 48% of our medicals. >> Wow. >> The long-term injuries, I'm not asking you to go into detail. are they pretty much um part and parcel to the kinds of
things you folks do? >> It is it I mean it's it's a physical job uh with the EMS side and the fire side both very physical. Um so yeah there there's it's very common injuries that you'll find in the fire service which fire >> but they're all able to get better and come back so far.
>> That's the hope so far. Yeah. >> Yeah. We do have some one that is uh indefinite but um the other the other ones are are >> One other question. um should we go forward with this, what would be your expectation of being able to um have
four, you know, [clears throat] individuals ready to serve? I mean, >> so that's um you know, the problem is is that you know, so we find out the grant usually gets released in September. >> Okay. >> So, we wouldn't be able to um start really recruiting until then. Um my goal
would be that if we could get people in uh the start of November. So basically year one is basically we're working off of seven months worth of salary and benefits. So the number um you know it wouldn't be a full year salary and
benefits we'd be undertaking. Uh I'd be reluctant to put out a potential hiring because if we don't get the grant then it kind of puts us in a a weird spot, >> right? >> But we have also u come up with something that might be beneficial to us
in that respect. So, the safer grant is our long-term plan, right? That's how we're trying to get our staffing increased consistently. With the amount of injuries that we have now, we need to fix that that short-term gap between now and November.
Um, we've talked about the possibility of hiring PDM paramedics. These would be paid as they work. Um, they would not be um they would not be part of our firefighting um staff. they would be there for EMS
only. But on the days that we can't fill our overtime through the voluntary means before we go to that force inend list, we give the next uh the group of prediums a chance to sign up and work some of those shifts. Um and that would
take uh some of the burden off of our members from having to get forced in. and it gives them a chance to rotate off the ambulance onto the fire apparatus which gives them a break from from EMS duty for a 12 or 24 hour period. Um, with that we would basically create a
pool of paramedics that could be hired full-time if we were lucky enough to get the grant. We kind of would, for lack of a better term, kick the tires on a few folks before, you know, they have an opportunity to work with us. How do we work with them? How do they work with us? how they work within the system. And
to be honest, a lot of those people that are going to be that are that would be applying for the PDM are probably firefighters already. They just are, you know, they're just looking for part-time work. They don't want to work for the private ambulance companies. So, it's possible that we could essentially be,
you know, looking at members that could be coming in that are already firefighters. >> That's encouraging that, you know, that there are options out there. >> So, it's kind of twofold. that helps us in the short term as far as plugging some of these holes, but it also gives us a pool of people to choose from if we're fortunate enough to get the grant.
>> Thank you. >> That was going to be one of my questions was what kinds of people would even do the PDM thing. Um, you know, we get a wide range of folks like, um, obviously a lot of the private EMS companies. Um, you know,
people do their jobs there, but some people like the idea of working, uh, on firebased EMS. Um, a lot of the the private EMS companies, you mobile post, you sit in a an ambulance all day in a parking lot or it's not the best working
conditions. whereas, you know, you get a chance to come in, work within a fire department, you have the amenities of a fire station, a firehouse, the camaraderie of a firehouse. So, we hope that that's a little bit more attractive than just, you know, them just picking up overtime shifts where they're
working. And it's probably a little bit more competitive for overtime shifts in these uh private um EMS companies because there's so many people. >> That makes sense. chair. >> Sure. >> Um on the town side, the analysis that
you guys have done, is this sustainable? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Um I I think uh obviously especially in the first couple years where we're not picking up the whole tab, but when when um when you
look at what's going to come off the the the payroll and and overtime and you look at what this is going to do for the department, not only the people, but the budget, um
on a four-year scale, we probably won't even notice. Sort of akin to the the um electric bill at the high school, how we're going to sort of phase that in and by the time we get there, you're not going to notice the blip because we've gotten there slowly. Uh this is almost
the ex same exact arc, >> if you will. Um >> and I and I think it's only going to make it all better. So that I'm guessing the overtime savings that we can see on paper will be even better in year five.
and eight. Does that make sense? I >> just want to see a situation where you invest so much in some people and then you lose another company. You serve. >> Yeah. And and again that that's something that um is is a delicate balance because the the municipal world
seems to walk around and this is uh sort of the the point where we yes we spend a lot of money on things but some of those things are important and the only way to retain people is to make sure that they don't want to go anywhere else. And so that's not only compensation, but that's
providing a situation that they want to be in. Um, so that it's not just about compensation. Uh, and I think this is like the perfect idea to do all of that. [laughter] >> Thank you. Um, so first and foremost,
what the fire department does is essential in our count. Um the ambulance service is second to none. Um I hear that from everyone. I also have heard over time that the stress um on the firefighters is extreme
and being called in [clears throat] like you said mandated. Um it it's difficult and I I've known that for quite some time. Um, I think this grants a nice little um hopefully a fill in for us so
that we can ease into it. Um, I'm for it. Um, but I am going into it optimistically. Um, I don't think savings on overtime is going to cover new employees. We we've looked at this
before. Uh, police department, they we hired extra police and guess what? the overtime never went down. Um there's things that happen. >> Um but with that being said, just taking a little bit of the workload
off of the firefighters alone the stress and all to me it's worth it. Um and again I don't say that lightly. Um like you said for you're looking at four, right? Um I mean four new employees that
that's a good chunk of money. um when you go forwards. Um but I do think it's sustainable. I think it's something that that we should invest in. [clears throat] >> I have a quick question. Um not to be negative, but do we have a
plan in case we don't get this? Because it sounds like we need some some staff. >> We do need some staff. And again, um the hope is that that the PDM employees can plug that hole until we get the grant. However, if we don't get the grant,
>> um we could be looking at the right now it looks like we could get three of those members back in the fall. So, we could extend that PDM program a little longer till we get some of our
staff back. Um, you know, we've discussed the possibilities of an impact shift where one member works during our busiest hours for an extended amount of time. So now it's it's just an additional position. Um, again, that shift is only impactful when we are
fully staffed at 7. Um, but that being said, right now we have [clears throat] two members that are indefinitely out and we're we don't really know. We don't have a return date for them. three of those members should be back by the fall.
Um, so beyond looking at the safer grant for this this staffing, um, you know, I would love to see it go through if we could build if we could build the staffing bit by bit to get to
that point eventually. You know, that's something to consider as well. the deputy and I we like I said we we we know what's going on in area departments as well. We don't come here asking for four people lightly. Um but we are in a unique position unique to
East Song Meadow. It's not something that other departments around us are experiencing with the amount of people we have out the call volume we have and the amount of forced overtime that we're we're we're putting on our people. We need to figure this out so that we
can get our people back to whole again and be able to operate at the highest level >> of I mean of course obvious >> so I would say >> I just want a backup plan in case we don't get the grant >> if the grant isn't it doesn't go favorably for us >> I would you know I would hope that we
could build up to eight uh either you know over the course of the next you know two years or so and get to that point. Uh I understand the responsibility of taking on full salaries and benefits. Um but I would
advocate strongly that we make the attempt to build without the grant to the point of eight at some point within the next 2 to 3 years. So just to put some rough numbers on things, that would be the backup plan if this is the the way we thought it would go,
>> right? >> Would [snorts] be to sort of maybe just try to add one every year for the next four or five years. The impact in year one is for four with the grant is 93,000 >> which would be the impact of one employee
>> with salary and benefits. Okay. >> So it almost works out so that if you added one if we didn't get the grant and we added one every year we'd still get there in four years. They'll be at the same budget number. >> The grant just allows us to do it at a quicker pace. >> Yeah. I mean like I said I mean guys
need staff. So, I just want to make sure if we're not getting this in, >> that's obviously going to be dependent every year when we talk about the budget. Of course, like we're there may be a year in there where we can't afford to add another one even though we want to and we this is our plan. We we try to
come up with the best plan possible and sometimes we just physically can't do it. Um, which is something that we have to deal with and maybe this pdium thing lasts longer than we want it to as a stop gap. Um
but we we'll we'll we'll just hope that the grant is uh successful and we can we can move it forward quickly and if not uh we'll we'll pivot. And again I I want to commend both of these gentlemen for going through all these exercises and
recognizes a problem in their building uh and and really working the problem. Um, and they didn't come and ask for the meeting until all this stuff was laid out, all these options were laid out. Um, and uh, I just want to commend them
both for for the work they did. Um, appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Y, >> um, I suppose another benefit, so if you were able to get those four people through this grant now, that could give you some additional flexibility
shiftwise. Like I know you're thinking that you would have, you know, seven or eight people, you know, staffed up, but if you found that you needed, you know, more during a certain time or less during another, you'd have that flexibility now rather than four years from now trying to figure out how to
>> redesign this. >> Yep. >> Conor, just a quick question. When you hire, um, are you hiring basically someone with no knowledge and have to put them through fire training and then or are we looking to
relocate someone from another department? [laughter] >> Nobody wants to come to our department right now. >> So, so I guess I guess it depends on who's hiring in the area, right? Like how how open is the market for firefighter paramedics? Um, you know,
some people problems exist in every fire station, you know what I mean? Um, in every fire department, they're just different. Um, so people might be looking to leave their department for a different reason. In the past, we found mostly that we hire non-firefighters and put them through the fire academy. That's
typically what happens. Rarely do we actually take on someone who's already firefighter uh certified. So, we usually will bring in somebody who is a medic [snorts] and then they'll go through the fire academy and then now they're now they're the full package. That's typically how it works. It's usually
It's usually people who are working in private EMS that are looking to get into firebased EMS. >> What's the time frame going from higher to >> uh it really depends on when the when the academy starts because it's it's a 10-week program. So if you hire and the
academy just started >> it's you've got a minimum of 10 weeks. But >> I'm thinking is you said the grant you'll know September. >> It's mid September. Even if you were able to hire, right? Then you're looking October, November probably like >> I would think November, December when we
we would really start having having someone start >> the pdeium is definitely going to be something >> right. >> So if we have that predium pool to pick from that would help us. >> Yeah. >> You know >> that the language for theou is uh at the attorney's office right
now. Um, and I I think the union is has sent it to their attorney as well just to make sure that the >> we've had that conversation. It's not built into our contract to have perume employees. So, >> okay. >> Yeah. I think from my perspective, it it
makes sense. I mean, we know how hard everyone is working and how much of a toll that takes, especially with the long shift durations, too. It's not like you're just going there for eight hours and going home. >> Right. Right. Yeah. It's when we're one one person is out, it's a full 24 hours that we're trying to cover. So, it's it's difficult. You know, we we've split
it up so that it's two six hours and one 12 hour. Um that's kind of how we've run. So, so far it's worked, but you know, just the uniqueness of our of our shorten of staff is is kind of where we're we're at now. We're up against the
wall of it. >> I do want to thank you both for putting together a pretty comprehensive plan. It seems like you've thought through all the different options, short-term, long-term, and then if that long-term one doesn't work out, what else you could do? So, it's nice to have a good plan there.
>> You want to share the other part of that grant submitt, the apparatus or >> fire truck? [laughter] >> I mean, why not? We're here, >> right? >> Uh this you want to speak to it. >> So, so we're applying for another uh
part of this um federal federal grant program. um the assistant assistance to firefighters grant. Um and uh we're submitting for a brush truck, a four-wheel drive off-road unit. Um it has a small tank and a pump and it's uh
with the new solar fields in town and al a lot of the farmland we have uh we don't have any off-road capability at all in the department. Um [clears throat] so this truck would replace a 2009 Pierce Contender. contender. >> That's a fulls size fire engine.
>> And to replace that piece would be about >> today 1.5 million. >> Um >> with a 2-year bill, >> with a 2-year [clears throat] plus bill. >> Um so I'm proposing that we don't replace that, we replace it with the brush unit, which is about uh 375,000
roughly. So it's a it's a huge savings for the town and a huge increase in our capability. >> Okay. >> Yeah. [clears throat] >> Perfect. So, and it doesn't affect our ISO rating, I believe. Right. >> Right. So, it would be green. It will not >> It will not be green. >> It wouldn't affect our ISO rating
because our ladder is also it's a quint. It's a It has a pump on it. So, essentially, we have three apparatus that um [clears throat] supply and disperse water. So, it doesn't affect our ISO rating wouldn't go down by getting rid of a class A pumper. >> And the town would only be responsible
for 5% of that. So, about 17,000 and change. >> Oh, wow. instead of one point. >> It's essentially yeah an upgrade to the to the capability of the department and less expenses in vehicle replacement and insurance.
>> It would bring our fleet up to uh the oldest vehicle being seven eight eight years old by the time we got that vehicle. So you wouldn't really be looking to replace any fire apparatus >> right for 15 years really. I mean >> and this piece can be used for brush
fires. It can be used for uh off-road. Um it can just it can transport uh members and equipment to and from scenes. It can be used for details. Um very versatile. It it can also tow a trailer for future >> Yeah. >> uh endeavors. >> Water rescue, things like that. >> Water rescue. Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Anyway, thank you. >> No problem. Thank you. That one also sounds interesting. I mean, I know we've seen some more brush fires over the last few years with drier conditions. Seems like that's more apt. Uh >> it has definitely increased. Brush fires have definitely increased. That new
solar field off of Peas. The only access point is Builton Road in Summers. The deputy and I toured that uh on Monday and I would be it's a quarter mile dirt road from the Builton Road entrance to our entrance uh on the East Long
Meadow line. I would not take a $700,000 fire engine down that road, >> right? >> Cuz we'll probably get it towed out of there. It's rough. >> Yeah. Um but and and what we're experiencing with a lot of these uh solar fields is it's brush fires is the
most common hazard when when it comes around to it. So and we were out there and certainly it's the the brush is overgrown around all of the fields as well. So >> yeah, not a place you want to take a brand new million-doll fire apparatus. >> But it's very it's it's extremely remote
and that is the only access to that field. And then the one off of uh Denow as well is very hard to get in and out of as well. So um a vehicle like this would a multi-purpose >> and this truck could also be added to part of the um the state task force, the
state mobilization plan. So it'll be used regionally as well. >> Sure. [laughter] There was a lot of discussion about access to that solar field when we were in the middle of it >> and aside from being reassured. Um I'm hearing a different story.
[clears throat] Summers Connecticut, can they respond or would they respond? >> So we met with the fire chief in Summers on uh Monday and we are going to add them as an automatic response if we get called uh to our solar field. It's the
same company that has both fields. Um we're still working out um um lake keyed access and what it would look like when if something gets reported does it get reported through the the the summers uh solar field or would it come through our address? So we're still working out some
of those things. I talked to um to Rob Machilla and he he put me in contact with the um the um the project manager for that solar field. So I'll be reaching out to him this week to to try and nail down some of the decisions. But um Summers will be added to our um to our automatic response for that. And
their chief is actually um like the smartest person ever when it comes to solar stuff. He is beyond knowledgeable. >> He taught nationally. [clears throat] >> They've had Yes, he does. He He instructs nationally on this. Um they've actually had three fires at that building road
>> um that we've that we've responded to in the past as well. So, uh, luckily the the panels were right, you know, inside the gate, so there really wasn't a lot of travel. But for us to get to ours, it's probably a solid quarter of a mile >> easy >> on on hard pack dirt. And if if it's a rainy season, it's there's a lot of wash
out of potential for wash out. So that's a little bit terrifying for us. [clears throat] I would like to think that down the road, should there be any other opportunities for developers to come before the town for solar farms, that
the planning board think long and hard about ensuring that the developer will create a very usable entrance and egress. [snorts] >> Yeah, >> you would think. >> Yeah, there is a service road that runs
behind it. I've been told is uh belongs to utility companies, but they won't grant access to it to the company that's installing the solar field. And honestly, even if we could gain access to it, it's it's no better than the hard pack road that we'd be going in
on. >> So with that solar field, I think there's an additional issue because aren't they coming all the way down the Baker Road and putting in a structure in order to hook into the lines? >> Yeah. I which again now you're going to have to
not only get into the solar field but then get down the power lines or up the power lines. >> Yeah, it's definitely a >> tough situation. >> Definitely a remote area. >> And it's I think it's great that apparatus should uh be a lot more efficient to do it than
>> than a million dollar fire. [laughter] >> I know we towed our engine from Hampton and Summers to WB Hill and it was somewhere [snorts] in the amounts of $400 and something dollars to tow that thing. So, >> and that engine 3 was recently operated
out of brush fire in Hamden a couple months ago and it had to get pulled out by a front end loader that's got buried in the no damage to the vehicle. It was it was fine, but >> they're not made to be offroad. >> Yeah, [laughter] definitely not. >> You could take them there, but it's not advisable. [laughter]
>> So, hopefully this vehicle um would allow us better access, more capabilities, uh better service. We could provide better service. I think that would be a great addition if we could >> for for really a fraction of the cost when you think about it. >> Thank you. >> Right. >> I suppose just for formality we can make a motion to signal our support. So I
move that the town council signals its support for the fire department to proceed with the aforementioned grants. >> Second. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> Motion made and seconded. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes.
>> Excellent. Appreciate it. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Well done. >> Good night. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Great job. >> Oh, yeah. We'll have the reading. >> Yeah, I was going to skip to >> that. Okay.
>> Just the changes. >> Okay. Next we have the proposed bylaw amendment chapter 500 fee fine and penalty schedule which would be a first reading. But before we do the first reading portion, we do have
Tammy Spencer here, our health director, and we could continue the discussion that we had about the farmers market fee schedule and any questions we might have or trying to walk through. Come on up. >> Hi Tammy. Hi Tammy. Hi Tammy.
>> A lot of departments tonight and none of the ones that are usually here. Jamie's not here. Rebecca's not here. >> Right. >> Kim's not here. >> Welcome. >> Thank you for coming. [laughter] >> I know we had a little bit of correspondence before about some uh
questions we had about the the farmers market permit. And truthfully, I read it three times and I thought I understood it, but now [laughter] [clears throat] than what I expected. um asked me if there was any way I could connect any dots. [laughter]
>> Um maybe it would be helpful if you could walk us through like if someone was and I don't know if it's if there's any difference between town resident versus not, but just like what the different workflows might be. So, like if you're trying to participate
in a farmers market in town and say you're trying to bake bread or some other thing like that, what are the things that you need to do and how much might that cost someone versus if you're just trying to sell stuff that you picked out of the field and you're not, you know, doing any manufacturing with
it. What does that require and how much it costs? Maybe that'll help us get a better understanding. So, if you are attending the farmers market and you are a true farm, if you're selling an agricultural product, uncut, unprocessed, um, veggies, um,
honey, eggs, that sort of thing, you have no obligation to the health department. Go ahead and firm. But if you are going to be selling any um, prepared food for retail um, other than that, then you would have to get a temporary food service permit. And a
couple years ago, kind of to make it a little easier on um people who attended and kind more affordable, we actually created a new category that was called the farmers market temporary food service permit. Um and that's $75 for the whole season of the farmers market.
If you uh were not a licensed food service establishment in East Long Meadow, but you were somewhere else, um you would only be owing the town $75 for that because you're you're paying your um fees and your permitting and your inspections for your permit um to make
whatever product it is in the other town. If you are um a food service establishment here in East Long Meadow, you would have to have um to show us proof of um you know permitting here and that would be part of the process of applying for a temporary permit to sell
your food somewhere else. So in this case a farmers market. Um the fee schedule for that um ranges from $200 to $700. Um and then the unless it's a residential food permit and it's just
$200. Um and then so the farmers market just started this weekend. So we started with our inspections um at the farmers market on Saturdays. Um and we'll do spot checks throughout the season as well. Um,
is there any part in there that I could clear? I guess [laughter] >> um >> yes. >> I guess one additional one for me. So, do you know if other communities have that same sort of setup? So, like I'm just making this up. If you were, you
know, someone in Springfield and you were just participating in a farmers market, not even in Esau Meadow, but whether it was Springfield or somewhere else, do they also have to do that same sort of permitting process? Is that more of like a state? >> Yeah, it should be something very similar. We have no additional um health
department regulations other than an exclusion to the non- retail exclusion in the town of East Law Meadow. So what we're doing mimics what's in the food code and what should be done in other towns. >> Other questions? So a residential food
permit. So I decide I've got my kitchen. It's got a great stove. I want to bake some cookies to sell down at the farmers market. So I need a residential food permit. Right. And if I read your email correctly, that allows me to make the
food. It doesn't allow me to sell the food. >> Yeah. >> What good is making the food if you can't do anything with it? >> So, so now all of a sudden we're we're having two permits. I [clears throat] I mean it to me it
doesn't make any sense to be able to make the food, but you just can't do anything with the food. Um >> are you able to sell the food out of your kitchen? Um that >> can't I believe that due to zoning they
can't directly come to >> do I go ahead I guess I don't mean like directly out of the kitchen like >> deliver it >> yeah you could you could deliver it to people yes >> so you're so so they can sell it
>> so the residential food permit allows you to make it then you need a site plan >> for kitchen So one's 200, site plan's 100. And if you go to the farmers market, that's another 75. Then you have
to pay the farmers market to be there. Um I don't know why anyone would do it. I I mean truthfully [clears throat] if you if you look at the cost um $4005 $500 total fees to the amount you have
to make is just it's not going to work for most people. Um especially if they're only doing like the local I mean it's one thing if they're going to every single farmers market and really pushing it but you
know the real small ones are the ones that are going to get hit the hardest. Um, is there any way to do um like group these together into one like a cottage food kitchen and [clears throat] that
covers you know the site plan um the residential kitchen the I mean I'm [clears throat] just trying to think outside the box >> discount permit plan. Are you talking about like trying to discern between a casual business owner and a non-casual
business owner or >> most casual? Most people that have a residential kitchen are not running your bakery or, you know, they're not selling, you know, a thousand loaves of bread a week. Um, >> we have some very active um, residential
kitchens in town that do things other than baking that actually don't even come to the farmers markets that they make a lot of their own business out of their home doing that. So, it's kind of hard to separate those people out from a
casual I guess someone who's I just want to do one over the weekend or something like that. under zoning though. Under zoning, isn't it? Um to the point where if it's um if it gets too large, you're not supposed to do it
in a residential zone. >> Yeah. Like isn't there a cap or something that >> or that would be able to maybe discern if you are just doing it level like >> at some point you're not a cottage kitchen anymore. You're running a business out of your house. And you can
also be a um you can also be a uh a distributor out of your house and get a state license. So you would be getting license with us and then you'd be getting a state license to to sell say uh dip or something mixes and to mail them or to sell them directly to
Arnolds, that kind of thing. Um, so there's a different there's a variety of them, but we would still be using the exact same regulations, the food code to regulate somebody who did that as somebody who said they just wanted to participate in
farmers market. The same food safety um regulations apply. So this fee schedule for like the the extra ones beyond the $75 is built on just like the state regs that we basically are following like that that's
where those numbers basically come from like the cost the cost of each fee like is that because we're trying to make sure people are complying with just basically the state regulations the $100 the $200 >> the the price is not from the state code
it's ask from what I've done and what predecessors done like based off of how much it costs >> cost actually do okay >> to do that >> and [clears throat] I will say um thank you for shortening that up and all uh when you first came here it was multiple
pages and that and I [clears throat] was trying to put it in the fee schedule and Tim here was nice enough to condense it. >> I do appreciate that. >> It helps us too. [laughter] Any other questions or
>> thoughts? >> Additionally, um the Massachusetts Health Officers Association, which is um an organization that helps out um health departments, they've recently done um put out a
a fee schedule tool for towns to use. And that's something that over the next year that we're looking to um try to use that tool and see how our fees align with um [clears throat] the results of that. >> I'm just curious, do we have a general
idea of how many cottage kitchens we have in town? >> Um I want to say probably about a dozen. >> The number kind of fluctuates per year. This year we've had maybe about four or five more than last year. Um,
we've had a lot more temporary food permits this year, record-breaking [laughter] than any other year. Um, I just [clears throat] couldn't pull up the number because it's we licensed them exactly like we like we licensed them under the same category as uh as any
other. So when I pull it up in the system, I need somebody smarter than me to pull out the [laughter] look. No, our our my admin knows how to do the right uh uh the right queries to pull that one up, but I would estimate
from what I've done this year about 12, I'd say. >> I I would guess that I mean that's a decent amount. >> Yeah, I think thank you for explaining that more. I think I understand the process now and how those fees align.
I do still struggle with the overall cost for some people, but I understand how difficult that might be to try to segment them from everybody else that might be doing commercial activity. But it does seem like a lot if someone's just trying to participate in your local
community and paying a lot of money and not maybe ever making that much profit back out of it. >> Do you guys know how much a cake costs? [laughter] >> I'm just saying. Yeah, >> I'm not kidding. This is not a joke. >> Yeah, >> like if someone if you were I have a
person in mind. >> I'm not going to say her name because I don't know if she's permitted [laughter] for thinking. I'm like, "Oh my god, I hope she has." But anyways, um it's like $100 for >> an 8 in cake, not happy birthday,
Sophie, >> right? >> So I mean >> $100. >> Yeah, they're expensive. >> Yes. >> Yes. This is not >> Here we go. Costco. [laughter] Yes. Yes. Yeah. So, I mean, when you think about
that, >> I don't know. >> But maybe it's $100 because the fees are so high. >> I don't think so. But if she's just making out of her kitchen, she only has one feet. >> Sure. [laughter] >> So,
>> great. Interesting. >> Anything else for Tammy? [laughter] >> Oh, I got to go. I did [snorts] also want to >> why not the cupcakes or Oh my god. >> On June 20th, uh oops, sorry.
On June 20th, we'll be having the um green team recycling event at Mountain View. Um we've been moving around every year ever since the high school's been doing the work. It is from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. >> The EC cycle. >> It's the E cycle and the um dehumidifier
drop off. >> Okay. Um, yeah. Uh, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. >> Cool. Good. >> Great. >> Take an old air fryer. >> I believe what they would probably like 15 bucks. [laughter] >> Is that one up? [clears throat]
>> How'd it go in uh Sorry. How'd it go in Westfield today? >> Very, very good. We're doing a um it was sort of a strategic planning for our shared services. um basically just figure out what the four towns really want out of um this arrangement
together. So >> awesome. >> Hopefully we we threw a lot of >> You got into a fight while you were there. Do I need to call someone? >> Oh, it was a colelaw accident. >> Colelaw accident. I hope you have your cottage permit. Making colelaw.
>> Threw out a lot of cabbage. [laughter] >> Thank you, Tammy. >> Thank you, Tammy. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Okay, now we can proceed with the first reading portion of chapter 500. Uh we
only need to do the changes. So >> before we get started, >> Tom, did you u send this out to all the different departments? >> Yep. >> Any anything that really jumped out?
>> Nope. Um, aside from the sort of usual suspects, uh, water and sewer rates, um, >> water Katie changed, um, >> the copy on the second floor to match the copy on the first floor. I I don't
know if there were people were running up the stairs to get the cheaper copies or whatever, but now they're all 15 cents. Uh, >> upstairs. >> And then, uh, I think I think that was about it. Most most people didn't have
any changes to their um to their fees that they were >> like three. >> Yeah. Yep. That would that went out to the department heads to for any input. >> So the reason for my question is obviously we've had the general bylaw
committee uh looking at those and we're going to be changing the schedule quite a bit um based on that. Um there were some fees within um the general bylaws that weren't included in the schedule and all. And what I was hoping is most
of these other than the ones that the um council has already voted on, which would be your water rates and your EMS, if we did those now and then the one 15 cent copier when we do the rest, I [clears throat] don't think it would
have to go to the subcommittee or anything because we've already voted on it. That was my thought. >> No, that makes sense. Plus, it would shorten tonight down by almost 30 seconds. >> You are fishing.
>> Basically, look at everything else besides EMS and water and sewer after July. >> July. >> Yeah. Do the EMS >> water and sewer tonight maybe. >> Right. >> And then else probably in July
do everything at once. We can now do it, >> right? >> That makes sense. [clears throat] Okay, so we >> Thanks, Tammy. >> With just the >> Thank you, Tammy. >> The ones that really changed from our budget that we passed.
>> I had it open the other day. >> Scroll down. >> I think it's right there. [snorts] >> The change ones or should we? >> Yeah, just the change ones. So, to start, it's 500-6, [clears throat] fire department fees, fines, and penalties. Uh, we have ambulance service
BLS emergency and non-emergency transport is changed to $1,445. Then BLS emergency transport Medicare is changed to 47392. BLS non-emergency Medicare is 29620.
ALS1 emergency non-emergency transport is 230926. ALS emergency transport Medicare is 56279. ALS1 non-emergency transport Medicare is $355.44.
ALS2 emergency transport is 3,475.70. ALS2 emergency transport Medicare is $814.56. Mileage per mile is $38.99 and intercept fee is $321.36.
We keep skipping down. >> 500. [clears throat and laughter] >> That's it for EMS. I think >> that was it for EMS. >> Kind of the first one. The BLS emergency transport Medicare. It's $473.92. >> Right. >> Okay.
>> The numbers are sort of merging together. >> Yeah. posted. It almost looked like there was a thousand point there, but it's >> Yeah, >> I was like, "Wow, >> those um uh I just want to make a note. Those Medicare were effective uh July
1st of 2026, and we would expect that they would be changed again July uh >> excuse me, January 1st, 2026. And I'd be expecting them to change again January 1st, 2027. So, these will be good, >> right? six months >> for now. >> For six months,
>> but we didn't change them. Again, I I guess I would ask >> when we get that letter about the Medicare, do you want to go into a bylaw uh change right then or do we sort of just run out the fiscal year and change
them just once a year? uh just so I uh can sort of let Carrie know in the fire department that when she gets the letter about what the Medicare rates have changed to. I mean, the purpose of this is so that our rates are always semi up to date, right? And so, um or do we just
want to say that they're up to date as of July 1 of the year? >> So, when the rates change, do we approve the rate change sort of like what we do during the budget? >> So, great question. I don't think so. So we should change them
>> bec well it's out of our control also. >> Right. Right. >> So the rate is the rate and then the the ones that say Medicare are just all we're allowed to get all we're allowed to charge >> rate from Medicare. >> So >> but the new rate isn't subject to us
changing the rate in in our no the the the state law would sort of govern >> I guess it would it would go it would go up. So, if we wanted to take the lesser amount, I'm sure uh everybody would be okay with that. But I I don't know that we would be.
>> I don't think we necessarily need to worry about it in January. But maybe in the bylaw review, maybe in the comments um section next to the Medicare one, we could just add a note that these are, you know, change every on a January basis. It's really the reimbursement
rate out of our control, something to that effect. that we >> All right. >> Context. >> Yeah. That I was surprised when she sent me the the list of the Medicare rates because I didn't think we had them yet. And and then I looked closer and it
didn't say July 1. It said January 1st. Uh so I would expect that that would be when we would get those. >> They do it on a calendar year instead of our fiscal year. >> So just food for thought. >> And then would we update those every January? >> Um not in our schedule. I think we would
just wait cuz we're really even when we approve it in the budget, we're only doing that once a year anyway. So, I think that makes sense to keep that same. >> Yeah, because it's only a reimbursement rate. It's not something that we're charging. It's what we get back, >> right?
>> Yeah. We're still billing our rate. >> Yeah. >> Got it. >> But the Medicare rate is that that's what we're actually collecting from from Medicare patients. >> I'd like to up that.
just throw in an extra 4 or 500. We'll call it even. >> And I think based on the suggestions, so we um would do any other change with the other bylaw review committee change
recommendations, we'll skip 500-8 till then. And that gets us down to >> where is it? Oh yeah. Yep. >> 500 -12 public works department fees, fines and penalties. >> And we get down tables [clears throat]
here under G water, sewer and storm water rates. It would be water standard rate is $4.97 per 100 cubic foot. Uh water agricultural rate is $3.73
per 100 cubic foot. And sewer rate is $56 per 100 cubic foot. That was that would be it there. I don't see any other green text. Okay, that concludes our first reading.
>> Okay, >> any thoughts or comments, questions? >> I think it's pretty straightforward with matching our budget. >> Um, so I suppose normally we would for any of these changes send it to the council's
>> normal bylaw review committee, not the charter version of it. But >> but considering the council's already approved him, we have no say. So >> I don't think we need to >> do that just for a blanket recommendation. So we'll take that up for our second reading in public hearing
at our next meeting which is uh what's that 23rd? >> 23rd. >> 23rd. >> Okay. Then next we had a bylaw review committee report with recommended bylaw changes. I think now that we know that
our ballot question passed, we can get the report compiled and then I think from the time that it's submitted to the clerk, we then have 90 days, I believe, for the council to act on it and vote on
it one way or another. So, >> so does the council have to vote to split this into two separate entities? One would be the future zoning bylaws, which we haven't even started on. The other would be the general bylaws, which
we've pretty much completed already. That's a good question. I guess it depends on interpretation because originally we interpreted it that all of the town's bylaws are considered general bylaws for review. But then we
know that of course the zoning chapter is kind of specific and separate and not really a general bylaw. So I don't know if we need to depending on how we want to interpret that. Well, I was just thinking that we could take care of the general, get that out of the way as
we're reviewing the zoning, knowing that we're going to be reviewing all of them and we'll do it as two separate public hearings once when we get the zoning done, which may be 25 or 30 public hearings depending on what's changed. >> I think I think keeping them separate is
probably [clears throat] more efficient way to do it. I don't I don't think even with the bylaw question anybody ever envisioned a zoning public hearing with any other chapter for a public hearing. >> I Yeah, I don't I didn't envision that. >> Yeah, correct.
>> I think that that's probably reasonable. >> Um so with that, um I asked Jackie to forward me a word copy of the document. I will change the coloring so that anything we're suggesting to go into it I will have in green. Um [clears throat]
I will strike out and have in red anything we're looking to take away from it. And I will [clears throat] add in the last chapter 315 which I have. It's just not in the document and I'll have that ready for the next meeting for you. um I'll send it ahead of time and that
way there at least everyone has it and I don't know if we want to do a reading of it or however you want to go ahead at that point. >> Great. That'll be a fun project. >> Quite interesting. [laughter] >> I suppose I forget cuz I know the last time we did this one it was the
recotification one. We didn't have to read all of it because it was the the package. Does that count this time too? because we're now able to group them that we don't have to read every strike through and we just have to come up with a summarization I believe of
>> so on the ecode we came up with a summary of um what do I want to say what we considered um highlights or important uh ones um but I think when we actually did it didn't we go through
when we did the reading and say we're going to change this to this on all of them >> I think So >> yeah, I think it was just for the public uh knowledge to say, "Hey, here's some important things that are coming up." I don't think the public really cares how many commas we're changing,
>> right? >> I would hope not. Anyways, >> well, a lot of people like grammar out there. [clears throat] >> I found that out [laughter] >> and capitalization. I'm like, whatever. I think just like in order to be
thorough, I think [clears throat] Jesse's sort of recommendation on this is since we don't really nowhere, we don't in the state doesn't refined reading, [clears throat] uh, you have to go to the sort of Oxford dictionary and that means saying the words aloud. So,
uh, there's really no way getting around that. I don't think based on the language in our current uh constitution uh you you got to read it which is cumbersome but >> you have to read all changes. >> Yes. >> We don't have to read all general.
>> Oh yeah. No no [laughter] god no. Oh boy. >> No but but those the words need to be read. >> It'll go quick. >> We don't have that many. >> Yeah. I suppose from a process perspective, knowing how many of them
there are and how long that might take, are we able to split a first reading across meetings to do like sections of it or do we have to have like a 4-hour marathon to read every >> change in the same meeting?
[clears throat] >> I think based on what I've seen, the reading will probably go pretty quick. >> Okay. >> But I'll send it out to everyone >> get a better feel for it. And I we we can separate into two meetings a reading. >> Okay. [clears throat] >> Yeah. Cuz the first reading wouldn't be
the public hearing, right? So you you could just continue your conversation the next meeting. >> I I mean I can verify, but that sounds right to me. >> I think so, too. I just wanted the sanity check. >> Those are always good.
>> I agree. I don't think so. Take that. >> I I don't think so. >> It's mostly grammar and I some changes here and there. Nothing crazy. >> All right. Cool. All right. So, we'll have that for our next meeting as an action then.
>> Yeah. As soon as I get the document done, I will email it out and good luck [snorts] reading. >> Thanks for Marilyn. I'll send it to you first. >> Okay. Send [laughter] it to the first. >> Can I ask a question about the whole I'm sorry. Was it were you
>> No, I won't be on the council. Why is it? [laughter] >> Oh, you're it's going to be done next week, so you you'll still be on. >> I know at the beginning, uh Ryan was pinging me with with questions that were sort of gerine to to my office when you
guys were going through this. Did that sort of happen uh with all department heads allowing them to give suggestions for changes to the to at least the general bylaws at this point? >> Yes. >> Awesome. That's great. Thank you. And there was quite a few changes.
>> Great. Awesome. No, I mean, they're the ones that are are dealing in and with these laws. Um, and they would have the best idea of >> Well, that that's one of the reasons I sat down with Tammy because I sent back like one or two little items and I'm
like, Oxford, what what does this mean? You know, between the two of us, we're reading it going, does that like bull? I took it as a bulldog, meaning a ferocious dog. Yeah. She said, "Well, no, it could be a bull >> literally arm."
>> So, those were clarifications there. Okay. And great. >> She did a great job with it. >> All right. So, that was it for that. In terms of action items for our next meeting, >> we'll have our council picture for the time capsule. We'll do a town manager
evaluation. Um, we'll introduce the bylaw changes report. >> Um, we'll have next year's schedule set up, the calendar print out for council rules, and then that's all I have so
far. Oh, and the second reading of the um, >> peace schedule. >> That's all you have? >> That's it so far. >> Do we have to dress up like we were wearing 1776? [laughter] Although I don't have those those kinds of
>> you know the wigs and >> all right when when is our um July meeting tentative schedule for the >> Yeah. Because of the way the 4th of July falls this year it's a little later. So it's what you said the 14th. >> 13th >> 14th 14th.
>> Thank you. Wow. >> And I assume similar to yours, we'll have the same meeting in July and August. And >> unless something comes up need two or three with the [laughter] >> Yeah, maybe. Yeah, right.
But >> could Zoom that. >> Oh, wait. We didn't We haven't had very good luck with with Zoom meetings. Let's not do that. [laughter] It's >> a 20. >> All right. everything's >> um I suppose just forecasting ahead then if we have about a 90-day window from
the time that that's submitted to vote on it we'll probably want to schedule the public hearing for the second reading of those bylaw package changes probably for the August meeting so that at least we'd start the process depending on how long it takes us to to
do that so I don't know >> we should have an expedited schedule so Maryland can suffer with >> [laughter] >> No, now she marathon audience. >> All right. Anything else on this for our next? [snorts]
>> Okay. Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Made and seconded. Any further discussion? Seeing none in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. We have adjourned at 7:37.
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