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needs. John's Liquor Store, 729 Main Street, Falmouth, 508-5482287. >> Okay. Uh, good morning. I'm going to call to order the town of Felmouth Select Board meeting for Saturday, November 22nd,
2025. It is now 9:06 a.m. Uh, please join me in the pledge of 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. Okay. Uh, Mr. Entro, you want to start us off, please? Uh, >> I will, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Good morning, everybody. Uh, again, welcome to our second strategic planning session. Uh, we're uh happy to have back
uh David uh from the uh Collins Center and Phil, and I apologize, Phil. I can't remember your last name and I won't. >> Thank you very much. Um, as you all recall, I think I sent out an email. Um we're going to do this one a little bit differently um because we have six remaining uh strategic priority focus
areas. We're going to split into two separate groups. Uh Peter's going to be assigned um as assistant town manager to participate in one of the groups. I'm going to float a bit um participate some of the discussions. Um we thought that that was the best way in four hours to get through the six remaining priority
areas. Um so that's our goal uh today. Um we're going to start out um we're going to flip the agenda a little bit. Um, if you all don't mind, I've asked David to lead us off with kind of a review of the survey or Phil is going to do this uh review of the survey that was sent out to uh department heads and uh
board and committee chairs. >> Thank you, Mike. Yeah, Phil has uh put together the presentation on the uh survey. So, I'm going to let him take >> All right. Good morning, everyone. and thank you for the opportunity to address your group and I applaud um the select board and town manager, assistant town
manager for um bringing together a strategic planning effort. You may or may not realize it. It's not a common thing in Massachusetts. It's actually very um not very unusual, but it's it's not common among cities and towns. and uh to pull together this kind of an
effort and to devote the amount of time u that you're devoting to it is really um something that you should feel very proud of and it does set Fmouth apart from a lot of communities. Um so my name is Phil Lemnos. I'm an associate at the Colin Center but um and what that really
means is I work with them on a project by project basis. I'm a retired town manager. I've worked in Massachusetts three different communities for over 30 years in that function. Uh so I have kind of a good understanding of the mechanics of local government here in Massachusetts and how departments
interact with each other and so forth. Doesn't make me an expert on any one of those departments. You know, I couldn't be a fire chief. I couldn't be a police chief. Uh but I can be a town manager and was a town manager. So I kind of understand the pain and the happiness these guys go through. Um and I also
understand um uh you know the select board, the role of a select board member and um and many times it's a thankless role. So again, something that um uh you should feel um you should feel proud of the work that you do. You're helping to shape your community. Um the survey was
to me was a very interesting survey in that, you know, by and large I think you have good buy in on the strategic planning process and I'm referring to to this document. So we're not working off of PowerPoint, we're working off of paper. Um, and if you kind of go to the
first page, um, you could see that, um, the the majority of respondents are staff. So 75% of the respondents were staff, 25% are board and committee members. So folks that you may appoint or folks that may get be elected as as separately elected officials. Um, and I
think that's good uh because it really gives you a sense of um what the folks who are going to have to kind of do the day-to-day implementation and be involved in the grind of a strategic plan, how they feel about the various elements of the plan. Um, so I think
that you captured, you know, a good group of folks. You can draw some conclusions from the survey and it will give you a sense directionally of how the strategic planning effort is kind of rolling out and unfolding. Um if you go to the second page and you see we what
we did on this uh document the the blue commentary are the department heads and the uh darker uh bars are the elected officials. So it also gives you a sense within each one of those responses um you know where the you know where
people are leaning. So the second page um is kind of a general question. strategic plan aligns well the com the question or the comment they were asked to respond to strategic plan aligns well with the goals of my department or committee and if you look at this you
know close to 60% of the folks who responded agree uh with that or strongly agree >> may I may I ask a question and this to to you Mike >> uh do we know generally how the department heads handled this did they just look at this
theel mselves. Did they, you know, bring in other staff? I mean, do we have any >> idea of how they went about responding >> responding to this survey? >> Yes. >> It's my understanding that it was by themselves because >> So, they didn't bring in any, you know, any any other >> This is staff in the department. Just
>> correct. Correct. This is a glimpse well that that the perspective of the department heads that responded. >> Okay. Thank you. And kind of continuing along that theme, again, I think you should view the survey as a directional survey. And it, you know, so you could
do additional follow-ups to try to get to metrics within individual departments if you so desired, or you could kind of um indicate to the department heads, we'd like you to kind of maybe give this survey to some of your key department folks to see if there's alignment with the department head and maybe the next
level down or the next couple levels down. Um, but to me this was, you know, and I think you're going to see this theme throughout the survey that the majority of respondents are falling in the agree and strongly agree category. Um, there are some folks that disagree
or don't agree. So in this particular slide about 17% of the folks either disagree and then one or two folks uh or one person strongly disagreed that uh they couldn't make the link between um the plan and how it aligns with um the
goals of their individual department or committee. But you've got this middle group of folks um which are kind of in the neither agree nor disagree um group. And that's great because that's that's a group that you can focus on to move them to the agree or strongly agree. So
you're starting out with a really strong base of folks who think the plan does have some relevancy to their departmental operations or their board and committee operations. You've got another group of folks that are eager I think or at least willing to kind of consider that and they may just need
more education. They may need some more attention. they may need something to move them towards the agree or strongly agree category. And the reason why I think that's an opportunity for you is because again, when you look at the majority, the 60% or so that are in the
agree and strongly agree category, your efforts have been successful at educating those folks and incenting those folks and having them recognize that yeah, the the strategic planning effort is something that has got relevancy. And that, you know, one of
the the addages in town government and is great, we do a lot of plans and they end up sitting on a shelf. I mean, every town manager has heard that in 351 or 52 cities and towns in Massachusetts. And by and large, that's correct. There are a lot of plans sitting on shelves in
town halls. This plan is not sitting on a shelf. That's what that question is kind of pulling out. that there are people that are recognizing the legitimacy of the strategic planning effort. And that's something you can build on because strategic planning really has such a huge value to the
community because it allows the policy makers such as yourself, the management team to not only focus on the day-to-day stuff because you can get lost in the weeds, but to kind of keep an eye on the horizon and say, "Okay, what are the issues that are coming down the pike that we need to kind of keep an eye on
and we need to address if we want to continue to move the community forward." Um, so when you go to the second uh page, you'll see that um or I'm on page three, excuse me. The strategic plan helps me better understand the overall mission of the town. And again, the
majority of folks, you've got about 60% 58% of the folks uh in that are agreeing or strongly agreeing. You've got a group of 13% that disagree, but you've got 30% that are in that category of neither
agree nor disagree. And so we're back into that that spot, that category of neither agree nor disagree as you kind of go through uh this survey. I think that's folks that you need to kind of target and maybe try to figure out, well, what is it? What would what would
it take to move you to agree? What do we need to do to better, you know, bring you into this process? But you're still strongly in the agree and disagree column which again is kind of validation that the effort that you're putting into this is working. It's actually
resonating with people in your organization. >> Yeah. I'd be interested to know more of the feedback like you've highlighted a couple. No input was requested when plans were developed on this. Strongly disagree. The only one person who felt that way. But of all the people who
disagree, I wonder if we should be reading some more of those comments and understand better where we might be missing the mark because there might be some stuff that we're putting out there that it's just not a good idea. >> I think that's a great point and I think again um if you the last page has got some additional quotes kind of different
ways that's not the the totality. Um, but I think you're absolutely correct is that this survey gives you a little bit of a road map of the folks you want to kind of pay some additional attention to. I mean, I think that you could spend time, you know, with the people that
strongly agree, but they already strongly agree. I think that you need to kind of figure out uh again that big group. To me, the middle group is where you have the lowest hanging fruit. What will it take to move neither agree or disagree folks into the agree and
strongly agree category? And then the folks that are kind of disagree and strongly disagree. Throughout the survey, they're a relatively small number of people. And that doesn't mean you should ignore them. It just means that you may take a lot of effort to get them to move one or two categories, but
I think your lowest hanging fruit is that middle group. Um, yes, Phil, sorry. Did you give us uh on the last page was did was it that all of the responses to the open-ended question? >> I'd have to check with um Go ahead. No. Uh and we will provide the the raw all
the raw data, you know, in our report. >> Uh so you'll have all of the comments because we did specifically ask that if you were strongly agree, strongly disagree to give a reason. >> Great. That'll be good. Thank
>> And I know I'm going quickly. Go ahead. >> Yeah. No, I just was going to say I understand the the absolute numbers are very small, but given that this is only department heads and given that it is department heads, they're leading a much larger group. I feel like it's really
important that we get to 100% because if we have an entire department, the Department of Public Works strongly disagrees may only be one. That's really problematic, >> right? >> There are committee members included in
or committee chair. No, I'm just like this is this is one this is three department heads that are in the disagree or strongly disagree and I it's only three but that could be >> really problematic. >> Yeah. >> And again pardon for kind of rushing but I know there's an agenda today a
schedule today and it's a full agenda so I want to respect everyone's time. Um page four uh the prompt was uh the strategic plan is relevant to my daily tasks and to the work of my department staff and board members. So this one is
is a little bit interesting is because now we're getting into the day-to-day. So how are people linking the plan to how they're thinking about operating during the day? You know, so how is that public works director kind of looking at the plan relative to what they're supposed to be doing daytoday? How does it relate to fixing plot holes? Uh you
know that kind of stuff. And it's a little more diffuse, right? So in this one you have about 40% of the folks that are in the agree disagree column. And then you've got a much larger group which is neither agree nor disagree. And then you've got in this category um 25%
of the folks that disagree. >> Okay. Um so I just a comment um this one surprised me u because Peter and I have been working for the past year and a half at least. I'm talking about the KPIs and tying that back to the strategic plan. So that this the the the
responses to that surprised me and and mo most of them were from the department heads because those that's the group and the division heads that we've been working with most closely um and uh and working with them to develop key performance indicators to tie back to one or more of the the priority areas.
So yeah that that that was a little so we have to work on that. And sometimes when you look at when you see something like this which is kind of discordanted from the other survey responses, it may be that if you sat with those department heads and said, "Okay, well, why did you
say disagree? What are the things that you're not connecting?" They actually may be connecting more to the strategic plan than they realize. And it may just be you have to tease out how, you know, what's going on in your daily activity. And do you realize that daily activity is linked to the strategic plan in this
way? So they may not fully recognize that they're they have linkages and it may just be a conversation that you have to kind of sit with them and tease that out. And the the conversation can serve two purposes. It can e it can demonstrate whether or not there is linkage or not and they're just not
viewing it kind of the same prism that that you're viewing it in. And if in fact it's not linked, it does communicate to the department head that you want a link that you want them to really beginning to to think about that. So there's there's work to be done in that area. I guess is I'll just leave it
at that and >> I I I should should know the answer to this question, but was this anonymous? Do we know who responded? So >> it's completely anonymous, >> right? So we don't really know who to reach out to, >> correct? >> To to to you know dig deeper into this
particular question of their their concerns that it doesn't match up, >> right? We know it's department heads and there's >> well we know but but do we know the 25% of the department heads that didn't respond? And >> I push pushed out a reminder. I I just tried doing it was anonymous and I I
pushed out a reminder to please respond. Um so but I don't know who >> Okay. I I kind of figured that was a situation, but when we're talking about reaching out to department heads, we don't really know which ones were in in which column. Well, on a positive note, Peter and I um every every uh every
month meet with the department heads and then the larger group every quarter including division heads. So, in and part of the agenda for those meetings, we've been talking about the nexus, the connection between >> what the daily activities, those key performance indicators that we we gave that briefing on the clear strategies
platform >> and the plan. So, um I think that's where, you know, we have to I get it's maybe it's the way the message was delivered, but we keep >> reinforcing >> refining it and and refining it as well. No, >> this is good to know because we Yeah, there's just a little bit of a
disconnect as far as the message. >> Have any of this is a Sorry. >> I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> This is a good one that you know, we are far too understaffed to plan for improve on anything. Our daily tasks are merely to respond to issues and hopefully get through the day remaining operational. The strategic plan plays no part in
that. So maybe there's something where we can say maybe part of our strategic plan is to make sure we have adequate staff for what we're asking. And I know we don't really want to go there because piling on staff is expensive, but maybe that's a strategy that we have to consider. Maybe we're asking too much
from some of the departments. So >> we could always say consider. >> That doesn't get us anywhere. >> It's a good one though. >> There's a lot of consider in our strategic plan. >> Trying to get rid of that, right? in any of the No, no worries. In any of
the communities um past communities you're familiar with or any any of you guys has what has been the most like the only thing I was thinking in response to this is what if the select board did a meeting like a strategic plan meeting with department heads. Is that something that's been done before in any of the communities that any of you are familiar
with? >> Um years and years ago um a larger city I worked for did that. Um you know typically that's left to to to the management team to work through. Um I think Jack to answer the question directly I think one of the and it was a comment in the first page um there was no initial involvement in the goal
setting right and the goal that's where the rubber meets the road so to speak right so I think early on in the development of the plan maybe that was a bit of an opportunity missed um so trying to get and that's what we're trying to do now again this clear point strategies is get them more engaged with
>> working within the plan right um >> but um it's a mix I >> I myself personally I I like to get direction, policy direction from the governing body and then take that message. >> You you take that. Yeah. >> It's just it's it's it's cleaner that way. >> Yeah. I I I think so too.
>> I would love to see a department head strategy. You know, what is their preferred path forward like the IT director might have I need to hire three people by the next year or two years. I need to implement a certain something.
They probably all have their own goals and hopes and wishes, but we're not really asking what that is. I mean, maybe you are. I don't know how that goes. I know that just falls into the budget. It's their budget request identifies their goals, >> but they might have some kind of concept
of where they should be going and they might not be being steered in that direction right now because we're not really asking them if you know what would you do if you had your way. >> Yeah. Yeah. We'll be talking about it is part part of the budget cycle and I know we got to keep get pressed forward again now but yeah it is part of the budget cycle and we'll be having those
discussions coming up with the FY budget. >> Yeah. I just wanted to in response to that if we were doing a full strategic plan starting from scratch right you already have a strategic plan we're trying to modify it. If we were starting from scratch, we would recommend very
strongly that you have as a as a early stage of the planning the input of your department heads, right? You want you want to first identify who your stakeholders are. Department heads certainly are a big part of your
stakeholder group and you want to get the input first so that you know going in, hey, the IT director thinks he needs another uh systems analyst. Um how does that how does that uh speak to our
strategy? >> So that would be something we would we would want to do early on. you're p you're kind of past that and I think last me I kind of recommended to you that I think this is a you're this is a
fiveyear plan you usually just re revise it and add another year >> right I think it's from what I'm seeing it's time that you took a step back and developed a new plan you know a new plan uh and get back to
um that stakeholder analysis so that you >> can improve those numbers, >> right? >> A strategy for a strategy. >> Yeah. Can I jump in? Um >> if you lump together the top three lines, so neither agree nor disagree with the disagree and strongly
disagree. I think you'll see that there's balance when they look at the importance of the strategic plan. Um that it's valuable, that it um has an overall purpose. And I think that's great because a lot of places I've
worked sometimes that that doesn't balance between the agree and the rest, right? Where I see the disconnect is um the annual budget request, the uh actionable goals and objectives. And I've kind of seen this a little bit just
in my short time here. So, you know, when we talk about rubber meets the road, I think that translates to their actual dollars that they have to run the daily operations, right? So, I'm wondering if there's a chance today to
um think about how we can influence actions of 2026 um directly. I mean, the budget's already there, right? But how can we help guide that with some of the strategic priorities that we're >> Are you talking about this fiscal year or the
>> this coming one year 27? Yeah. >> And then we have 2027 that's being developed right now. So when I look at strategy, strategy should inform if our role is to set policy.
We should use this strategy to set and and edit that annual fiscal policy that we just signed off on and put some words in there into what we want to achieve. So then you have the
ammo per se to then go to the department heads when you roll out the budget and say here's our fiscal policy. Um we need to aim at these things. Go build your budget accordingly plus your normal stuff and we'll look at the pros and cons. So strategy leads into fiscal
policy leads into budget planning. So then you you do the daily operations plus you get that you know yearly change of what the strategic priority might be. So, this goes back to the question that I asked at the meeting the other day, which was we talked about what we did in
2024, right? We had a strategic aim 2025 we had it and then it was like, what are we aiming to do this year? We're like, we don't know. We're trying to figure out where the fiscal policy or where the money is going to be because we're all in a state of being scared because of
Washington DC. So I think um when you look at these numbers there is again tying it back I think or there's a lot of balance when in the importance and I think that's a huge takeaway. um how it leads down and leads
into the daily actions I think is something where we can potentially help as a team maybe with what Jack said maybe there's other avenues >> to express the important >> kind of to the point of the day today just um you know um Mike and Peter have
this huge burden this huge responsibility to try to make these linkages and >> um so when you look at your staff and I won't say I I don't know any of your staff so so that's good because I can't say everybody's name and piss them off. But when you look at look at the kind of
the typical makeup of a municipal organization, you know, the staff abilities are varied and they all come up through the system differently. So, a public works director will have a different set of managerial skills, a different set of priorities and and
abilities than perhaps a fire chief or a police chief, as an example, because they they move through they get to their they they get to the leadership of their particular department sometimes in different ways. And so, that's also one
of the challenges of that one of the reasons why plans end up on shelves is not because people want to put a plan on the shelf. It's just because the crush of the day-to-day activity, the lack of resource to bring the plan into focus and actually make it meaningful. Because
one of the the the hardest thing for a manager to do is say, "Okay, we've got this new master plan gang and it's going to say, you know, we have to have uh six new playgrounds uh you know, by in the next three years." Park and wreck person is excited, very happy when they hear that. Comes to
budget time. Uh well, we're only going to fund we can only afford half a playground. you know, we can replace the structure at this place or that place and they begin to lose um they begin to believe the plan is not valid. Um and so that's the burden on the policy makers and the electorate in
general that if you're going to actually do planning and you're actually going to try to say we want these things, you need to give and I you know, you need to give your servants the resources to do that. It's not the
servants's responsibility to figure out how to resource the house. Okay, that's part of the the role here. Um, so one of the reasons why you may see department heads either say, I don't really see the linkage or um kind of overwhelmed with
day-to-day stuff that I can't put some thought to that is the resources aren't there. Um, and that's a discussion that, you know, is too big for today right now, but it's something that you as policy makers, um, you know, one, the last town I worked in, we went through a
process of goal setting. And it was kind of funny because I had a a board member that just kept peppering goals in and we ended he ended up at like 97 goals and I said facitiously at the public meeting, well, let's go for 100. What the heck?
And he thought I was serious. I mean, so you because it's just you can't do a 100 goals and you you know, so if you're going to do some of these items here, which are all great goals, objectives, strategic planning items, and so forth, you really need to keep as the policy
makers in mind. You have to give your staff resource. They can provide uh guidance as to what the necessary level of resource is, but they can't be magicians. They can't create an outcome if they don't have the tools. That's
just a hard reality. And the department and that goes down to the department head level next as well as the employee level. >> Just one minute 30 seconds. So an example of what Phil's talking about and I think you all know this. I talked about it Monday night. You know, so this the capital improvement plan, we we tie back all of those capital requests, all
$26 million, um were tied back to one or more of the strategic priority areas. So we've got the staff thinking in those terms. Uh, Phil. So, um, and then the performance measurement piece. Um, you know, I I I get a lot of deer in the headlights when I first launched performance measurement. Well, you're going to use that as a hammer to if I
don't meet my goals, right? Said, no, we're going to use it as a wrench. So, throughout the year, every quarter, we're going to take a look at where you're at, and if it's a resource issue, we go to the select board, say, look, this is your priority area. This is where we're at. We need additional resources, staff, financial resources to
meet that goal. If it's if it's a priority select board, this is our argument. We're not meeting it based upon the resources that we have. So, I think we have gotten some buy in. It's just >> Oh, I think it's clear you have got by >> building that system and and uh and and and bring it across the finish line. >> Yeah. >> No, you've absolutely are on the right
track. It's just but part of that isn't just doesn't rest solely with the management team. There's a big component which is why you guys are here today anyway. >> Well, I think we can go just one. >> We talked too much as a >> Dave. Go ahead. tie back is extremely
important and I think that is a huge time commitment that you have to do to tie it back. >> That's constant. >> But I think we need as a board need to help you have a plan and a good strategic plan to help you lead into instead of tie back. Right now we're
tying back and saying give me your budgets and they give you your budgets and we're forcefitting them into strategic plan. Whereas if we lead into but I think that's because the strategic plan has squishy words like consider and all these other things. So it's on us
>> but if we can lead into each year to get to the fiscal policy now you have ammo, you have our backup, we have a meeting, we have whatever and it's a little bit different of a um psychology about it, right? So, I just my role is timekeeper here.
>> Seven more. Seven more minutes on this. >> So, we got seven minutes and we got to blast through about six pages. So, I'm going to limit comments. I'm just we're just going to kind of >> I'll keep it >> blast through. So, we're on page five. Um, which is strategic priority areas are identified in the plan, represent the most important issues that town
government should address. Again, you're at about 50% agree and um strongly agree. you're at half that are saying they neither agree nor disagree. So that's a huge number and that's something that's basically saying we're not we don't
they're not making that link between the strategic plan and their departmental activity or or they're not accepting the priorities that are established by the policym body um and management as to you know how that links to their day-to-day
life. And so those last two slides, the page four slide and page five slide really is getting to kind of the heart of the matter of >> are people viewing the plan as meaningful and are they trying to incorporate the plan into their
day-to-day life, day-to-day activities. >> Just an editorial note on surveys. Um, I know when I answer a survey like this and it has a I don't agree or disagree choice, sometimes I pick that choice just because I don't have the time to
really think about it, right? You know, you just it it's like, oh, I don't know. Maybe um I let's move on, you know. And so some of those people who said neither agree or disagree, maybe if they thought about it a little bit, they they'd come
down one or the other. >> Slide six. Um, again that speaks to, you know, what Mike and Peter have been saying is is they are doing a feedback loop. They are talking to people. They are reaching into the department heads on a regular basis. And that's what slide six is telling you. They're saying
the goals are easily understood. They're able to be communicated to staff andor committee members. So here you've got 63% of the folks saying, "Yeah, we understand what the goals and objectives are. That doesn't mean we're going to do them and we may not do them for a bunch of different reasons. That's a different
question. But they clearly understand what your goals and objectives are. And there's a much smaller group that are kind of in the neither agree nor disagree group. But I think that's kind of testimony again to the the fact that they're seeing you folks do this on a Saturday morning. Believe me, department heads know you're here. Um they're
seeing the management team meet with them and keep bringing this topic up to them in their kind of routines routines of conversation that they're having with those folks. It is been kind of built into their um communication pattern. This is one of those ones where the number drops when you take those neither
disagree or agree and strongly disagree that number drops down to 37% versus some of the others. So it shows the importance. >> Yes. Exactly. So when you look at seven um specific actionable goals help me to develop objectives for my department or
committee. So this goes to what what select board member Reed was saying earlier. How are they linking these goals and objectives to um you know how they develop the goals and objectives for the department? For departments, the the single strongest statement of what they want to
accomplish year in and year out is their budget request. >> Yeah. >> That I mean that's and for many departments >> it's really a cola request. >> And that shouldn't shock you. A police and fire department their budget not my bet is fire department is about 96% of
their budget is personnel. uh police about 95 96% is personnel. They don't have a lot of latitude. If you want them to change the police budget, you have to affect the personnel either fewer officers or more officers because there's really not much left in
the police budget after you take the personnel line item out of it. Public works a little more diffuse because they have materials and so forth. But when you look at kind of the three or four largest departments in a municipality, um they're primarily personnel driven
budgets. And so your ability to kind of affect those departments on a year-to-year basis are really staff driven. If you want to add new objectives that have additional outcomes, that's why you have to really look at that resource question. Um so um
so this particular slide slide seven again points to that issue of well how are they connecting the strategic plan to their to their objectives and does the strategic plan recognize for instance if you say well we want to um
diminish crime in downtown um and you know that's our objective we want a four-point drop in in uh shoplifting in the downtown business district here right here in front of town hall and um you know well how are you going to accomplish that? you know,
it's not just simply a wave of the wand and you say, you know, that's going to be maybe foot patrols. That's going to be different type of policing. That's a resource question for a police chief. >> And it could be an over it's going to might have impact on overtime. It might have impact on just general staffing. It
might have impact on training. I mean, there's lots of things that are that you can as you kind of drill into that objective that are going to affect that department. But if you talk to a police chief, you know, and you ask them to improve a police, you know, public
safety metric, 99% of the time, a police chief or fire chief is going to say, "I can do that if you give me more people because there's that's the way that job gets done. It aren't really any other many workarounds on that." Um, so that's
kind of what what slide seven tells you. Slide eight. Um, the the plan helps me plan my annual budget. This is a good one again because you've got 55% of the folks, excuse me, uh, 22% of the folks say yes, and then you've got a a
majority, 66% of the folks that are either in that agree or disagree category. the um but when you start thinking about the way which most municipal budgets are developed over time
they're starting with what they have this year and when you look again the there's four budgets four or five budgets that consume the vast majority of the general government budget you know aside from health insurance and retire you know all that kind of stuff I'm talking about active operational departmental budgets
those departments are, you know, there the police chief is starting from he's assuming you're going to give me the same number of sworn officers I have this year as a starting point. You're not cutting my officers unless there's, you know, some broader directive that's there's being cuts across the
organization or whatever as an example. So that's his base. Okay? And then from there the the chief may say, well, if you want me to do X, Y, and Z, I need three more officers. I need whatever it may be. you know, you want more firefighter capability, you know, you
want six stations as opposed to five, you can have six stations as long as you're willing to pay. >> Quick quick question regarding the the how this was distributed. Are they optional or required to answer everyone? Because this one has a minus 6 person
drop off. Everything else has 24 respondents. This only has 18. >> It's a it's a it's a Well, go ahead. >> Committees don't usually have budgets. >> Ah, there's the difference. >> Cool. Thank you. >> Yeah, if I could just comment really briefly on this slide, I'm going to
suggest that um when you first look at it, it it looks like we have a problem. Um I would argue it's not a problem because sort of building on what Phil just said, we don't, you know, we don't
ask the departments to necessarily grow their budget. be most of what's discretionary and and could be changed would be adding staff, >> right? >> And we don't generally go into the budget saying ask for as many staff as you need. We could do that and every
department, you know, not every but most departments would, you know, would be able to come up with the reason that they want more staff. I would suggest that it's it's really more the role of the folks in this room based on the strategic plan to say we it's not that
we need the the police chief to have their budget guided by the strategic plan. We need to guide the budget based on the strategic we need to guide the budget based on the strategic plan, not the department. >> Don't we set the the baseline at level
services going forward? Right. So I mean that's a given. So there's really not much >> much more that they can add or you know add it or they can add but >> I can't subtract. >> That's the difference between operations which is 95%
unchangeable. Right. >> All right. We're running to time and I'm going to try to get to the last slide and a half. Okay. So very quickly uh having a strategic plan is valuable to my work and for the town overall. And again here you've got, you know, a supermajority saying they agree and they
strongly agree. So I think people recognize there's value there. It's interesting on the agree category you got kind of um a big block of the boards and committees. So you know the board and committee members are looking for relevancy and agency into the overall process and sometimes board and
committee members uh so I think that's really good that they they do recognize the board and committee me recognize that that the planning process is valuable. Um but by and large you've got great buy in in terms of the recognition of the value of the strategic plan. And then going to the last slide um this
just gives you a sense of kind of priorities um as to kind of where they where folks fall. And I know that you know that's kind of the overall point of what we're doing here over the over the next month or so is taking a look at the existing plan and tweaking it, updating it and so forth. And then you see some
of the um uh commentary just to kind of thrown in there uh that gives you a sense of it. And um you know, I'm not going to speak to any one of those categories because that's part of the process for today and for early December. >> All right. Very good. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Do you guys have an idea who the one person who was mad the day they filled this out was? >> Well, I don't think they're mad. I just >> There's a disconnect between the plan and their department. But the fact there was one person is actually good because it kind of validates the survey overall. >> It It does for sure.
>> I got a guess, but I'm not gonna tell you. >> Let's all write them on a piece of paper. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Well, thanks, Phil. Um, so what we're going to do now sort of until
12:15 or so, next uh little while, we're going to look at the existing goals, the specific and actionable goals to be specific in your current plan.
Um, and you're going to do it in in groups. Group well, group A and group B. Group A will be in this room. Group B will be down the hall with Phil. Um, and each time we and we're going to do we're going to do uh three rounds of this,
right? And each time we do it, we're going to mix up the groups a bit. So, you're not going to be with the same three people all the time to get some make diversity of thought. And then at the end of that time
we'll come back and we'll all reconvene here and uh the groups will present what they found to the to the logic. Here's what here's what we think. So when you're going through these goals, I
want you to keep in mind a couple of things. uh this is an opportunity to eliminate any goals, right? If there's goal there on your list, and I'm going to give you'll have a list in your
group um if there's a goal there on your list um that you don't think is relevant anymore or you think needs to be radically changed, set it aside. Right? We don't want we we
want to focus on the goals in there that are that you think are still valid don't need to be changed a lot and we want to focus on making them smarter. Right? And the way we do that is by adding in some
milestones and a finish line. I'm going to pass out. >> I have a question. >> Last time we went through housing. >> Last time we went through housing. >> I have the
You can take one, pass it down. >> Before we break into the other room where there's no TV coverage or anything, how are we going to manage to convey what happens there to the public? We going to make make a voice recording or take careful notes? going to take notes and you're going to come back in
here at the end and >> tell people what you what you talked about. Okay. >> Um, >> so these were the goals that >> I gathered from our last meeting that you
were important about housing and and you may want to change. You may not agree with what I did here, but I did it as to show you an example of what we're ultimately trying to do. We're trying to say
here's our goal. Here's who's going to be responsible and for your purposes right now, the town manager, right? He'll fill that in in the future. Once the goals are all done, it will be his job to say, "Well,
that's the police chief's responsibility. That's this committee." Um, then there are other key participants. Who else needs to be who's a stakeholder? Who are your stakeholders in this goal? And then milestones
and then a finish line. It's important to have a finish line. I like to look at the finish line first and say, what do I want the world to look like when we've achieved this goal, right? Put it and you want to make sure
you put time. What's the date you're going to achieve that goal? Um and what you know what happens when you what what at a minimum not not not necessarily you see the first one I said your your Falmouth
affordable housing trust receives new revenue from at least one source by July 1st 2027. All right, that's sort of a minimum threshold that you want to cross and say, "Okay, we've we've we've achieved that goal, right? Hopefully, it's going
to be four or five contributions of new revenue or something better than that, but at least one." Um, so this kind of gives you what the idea of
what what we're aiming for when we do that. And you're going to get a blank one of these in your workshop for each topic, for each area with just the goals filled in. And when Phil and I are working with
you, we have this spreadsheet live on our computer and we'll be we'll be uh editing it while you talk. Okay. Now, next time that will be your opportunity to add new
goals. to modify radically modify goals. And if you have a small tweak you want to make to one of these existing goals, that's fine. But if you go ahead, >> you should use a microphone. >> Oh, sorry. >> No, he's got the >> Excuse me. Sorry, >> Dave. One quick thing. Yeah. >> While we're going to be reporting on our
laptop, we're also going to ask one member of the group to becribed so that at the end we can collect that and compare those. And then each group will have to, you know, decide who's going to present the results of their group to the to the to
the bigger group. Um, the other thing to keep in in mind here, we want to make these go I think I said this, want to make them smarter. So that means you want to make sure the goals were achievable. I mean, you were talking about that in relation to the survey.
If you keep putting out goals there that aren't achievable because there aren't resources to achieve them, then department heads get discouraged and they start answering surveys that say, "H, this doesn't matter, right?" Um, so
you want to you want to make sure your goals are achievable. Um, and you want to make them timely, right? You you need to every milestone that you put on here should have a goal, right? It's not a milestone if you don't have a date.
Okay. Phil, anything to add there? >> No, I think I think you covered. >> So, any any questions for split you up. Okay. So, group A is going to stay in this room and that's going to
be Bob, Colin, and Jack. That means uh Peter, Doug, and Heather down the hall with Phil. And uh you'll have 30 minutes. >> Good thing I have my snack already. >> Do you want to use that?
>> Can we nudge the uh temperature down a little bit in here? >> It was 100° when I came in here. >> Was it? Oh, man. Well, thank you for turning it down already. and then it got a little cold. >> Do you want to keep recording this room? >> Yes, sounds good. >> Thank you.
>> What are our topics? >> Phil has them. Phil has Bill has everything down there. >> My freshman year the heat broke in my dorm room. So he turned on in August in DC, so it was 95 for the first two weeks of college. >> Oh my god.
>> I put out drawings. So let me know if it starts to feel like a castle. Thank you for the breakfast. >> Oh yeah. Uh we chose a new place. Um Bagel Haven over in M. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. >> Cool.
>> Peter, you've changed. >> Go still. >> Okay. Why is my screen so dark? very glad. >> All right. So, we are going to work. Well, one thing that I did
um I did made a a kind of an executive decision here. Um your your strategic areas on finance and and your strategic area on energy had each had one goal. So I thought this group could do both of
them in 30 minutes. Okay. So we're going to do deal with both of them. On the other hand, the um uh organizational effectiveness and community engagement area had I don't know like 30 goals. So I divided those.
I put those that were related to community engagement in one pile and those that were related to uh organizational effectiveness in another pile. So those will be worked on uh in separate groups the next round. Okay. So
let's start with energy. Starting with energy. You got if you if you don't have your slides I have coffee. Let's see where we are here. >> Take your notes. >> Thank you. And I'm going to bounce between the groups just before uh uh
David gets started. Um and I'm just kind of acting as a resource and question. >> You were gonna Who's going to be our scrier here? >> Not not me. >> I'm typing. >> Yeah, I was going to say not not me either. So >> that leaves me.
>> I'm typing. >> I know that you makes more sense for you to do it. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Okay. We're doing energy. >> These are loaded on everybody's iPad,
right? I mean, is it? I mean, I don't know. >> The uh the plan is loaded on the iPad. >> That's the uh the forms that >> the forms are. Yeah. >> All right. Energy energy and sustain sustainability. You have one goal in your current plan to explore
partnerships with outside entities to identify proactive ways to encourage electric grid modifications through modernization. Okay. How do we feel about that goal? >> I'm sorry. Hold on one second.
>> I'm looking for the corresponding page within the actual >> So page five of the >> So I'm sorry. Would you repeat that? >> The goal is to explore partnerships with outside entities to identify proactive
ways to encourage electric grid modifications through modernization. That is your single actionable specific and actionable goal in the >> energy.
I think it's a little big. Um read >> on page page five he's gone to the specific to be clear. >> Yeah I mean that's where I'm >> David has gone to the specific section specific actionable goals. Right. If you look on page five of the plan there's a category called ongoing goals within the
strategic priority area but we're we've decided to focus on the specific actionable which is page six >> on the back. >> Yes. On the back. Yeah. >> So we're that's the one we're talking about not not all the other ones that are listed. >> Yeah. Yeah.
explore partnership. Okay, >> okay, >> David, that's the convention you applied to the housing last session, right? Looking at the specific action, >> the specific actionable goals, not the not the other ongoing goals unless one of unless you know if you if you see one
of those other ongoing goals. >> Um, so does that mean to keep them going forward? I mean, is that the idea is that those ongoing goals which are very loosely or we're going to still keep them. >> You're going to keep them. You're going
to keep them. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um because I I think they're general. They're they're general enough that you you don't really need to change, you know, change them. Um but if you see one in that area that you think, you know, hey, if we tweak this one a little bit, we could make it more actionable and
specific, well, we can do that. we can we can add it but that's for next time. >> Okay. >> So the specific actionable goals um are those that we're trying to make smart like David mentioned earlier. Right. >> Right. >> Time bound. Um Right. Okay.
>> Like working with Pure Sky and developing a solar project. That's >> that's very specific. >> And and and certainly fits within that uh that actionable goal. Right. So we've done that. Now you just have to talk as a group as
far as you know um making that smarter >> maybe some milestones some target dates right and some of the target dates like is included and as you're thinking about this >> sorry David >> let's start with yeah >> reference reference this this template right they're all going to be all seven
of them are going to be framed along those lines right >> so who's who's uh who who needs to participate let's start with that who needs to participate in this process our sustainability coordinator. >> Our energy committee.
>> You have an Is you say energy? >> We have an energy committee. >> Energy committee. >> Are they active? >> I believe so. Yeah. We've got a a new applicant coming up at our next meeting that wants to be part of it. very well-known uh person in the science
community, the energy community actually nationally. There it is. Sorry. So, um what when when let's look at this goal. The goal says explore partnerships with outside agencies.
Um what outside agencies? >> Cape Commission. >> Who MBL >> H >> who and MBL uh WHole Oceanographic Institution. >> Oh, okay. Violet. Sorry. >> We ask you why
>> you all are the science people. >> Yeah, but we do oceanography, not energy. Do you do anything with title energy? >> No. >> No, never mind. >> Okay. >> I thought you guys did stuff with >> I mean there might be API
>> but institutionally I don't think going >> may not be a strong alignment. Yep. >> You'd know. >> I think another outside uh stakeholder would be Eversource, you know, these interconnection agreements that would be required. >> And you're in the Cape Cod Compact,
right? >> Yes. Yeah. Yep. That would be another Yeah. >> Yeah. Cape Cod Commission. Um so, while we're identifying these, the word explore, is that too squishy?
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay, cool. All right. So, >> I've always thought consider and explore. I mean, yeah, I think we really need to >> has to be like actionable like >> develop. Develop. >> Yes. >> Develop is a good word. >> Identify and develop because we need to figure out what we're developing before. So,
>> yeah. But but certainly the goal is to develop not to just, you know, explore. So, >> implements, right? However, yeah, >> an action verb about not a >> Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative. I
was trying to think of their name. There's this group that's um trying to do a lot with Tidal Energy that they're based here in uh I think they're based in Marian, but they have a a pretty big team in Fine Renewable Energy Collaborative.
I think your tie into MBL is not wrong. >> I just think it's going to be >> there's probably other >> individuals within >> Yeah, I was thinking >> not institution to town government. I'll be, you know, finding some specific
stakeholders or um knowledge brokers, but we can I I'll put them in because I don't think it's wrong, but we can also include Woodwell and others because we do have a strong scientific community. So, >> yeah, I guess they're just more of like a hey, >> they can be an adviser
>> sourcing. Yeah, sourcing. >> I'm just going to put in scientific community. >> Yeah, just bump them all in. Yeah. You like lumping? >> Yeah. >> You love lumping. You say >> lumping things together. >> Yes.
>> So when you have developed a partnership that that would be the finish line, right? Finish line is you now you you have implemented a partnership. You have
created a partnership with somebody, >> right? You haven't identified exactly who that was going to be yet. Okay. >> Excuse me. >> Question.
>> Um, and when how how long do you think it's going to take you to get there? Is this uh >> well what is it that we want to accomplish actually what what concrete um result would would
would this be >> encouragement doesn't seem to be enough to >> so we are in to identify proactive ways to encourage electric grid modification but >> don't we need to be a little stronger than just encouraging if we're going to
identify develop and or implement a plan Again, I'm just looking I'm attacking the squishy where >> So, yeah. So, a lot of this in my my the way I'm looking at this particular goal um with regards to electric grid modification, a lot of that um and Stephanie Madison, our sustainability specialist, knows more about this than
than I do. Um but a lot of that is um the Eversource and um and at the state level, right? Investing in the infrastructure, right? The electric grid infrastructure. We're behind. The Cape is behind. Um and uh and so a lot of those partnerships are going to be with
again Eversource and lobbying and trying to get additional state resources devoted to improving our grid. >> That's what I understand. >> If I may say, I mean, I I think the the the the problem with this one particular area is that, you know, I think we
should be focusing on some maybe another or different specific actionable goals. I mean, this was something that was, you know, drafted in 2023 and we've just kept, you know, saying the same thing year after year. I'm I'm wondering if we
might not want to focus on one of these other ongoing goals or something that that really has more relevance. I mean, this is certainly important, but I don't I don't see that as such a, you know, critically important, you know. Well, I think one of the thing, one of the one
of the uh weaknesses of this particular goal is it doesn't tell you what >> um >> what's the reason >> what grid modification what the benefit of it is. >> Right? So, if you said we want to modify the grid because um we're having too
many power outages >> or by reducing you know the overall cost to lowincome family. I mean >> some result is what what we're missing here. It seems like this should just be part of a climate goal rather than a a grid independent goal
looking at it. But I mean I guess the only thing you could suggest is I'm not sure what a realistic percentage is but like a percentage of FHA's overall energy be from renewables like solar wind. I'm not sure what is a realistic
percent and it's also like the worst time to be developing those. So we have a the state has a goal right net zero by right and and and all of our plans and objectives have to be focused on ultimately >> aligning with so to stay in line with I
think it's net zero by 203 50 30 >> 50 I believe >> they're trying to walk it back >> little insider base >> but um >> just at the align with the commonwealth's climate goals whatever they I'm sure they have an energy
section >> what current problems do we have with the current grid? It's outdated. >> It's the the the equipment, the infrastructure is is not adequate to handle bringing on additional and I'll use this the solar example, right? The large um uh solar projects, the small
ones, 15 kilowatt um solar array that we put on the fire station in Hatchville was delayed because the infrastructure wasn't in place. So, so that that the infrastructure, the stuff that's beyond the town's control to directly
impact, right? That's an eversource investment that has to be made or the state has to assist in some way. The way I look at this, but it's this it's the equipment that is not adequate. It's antiquated. Um, doesn't exist in some cases. Um, so all of the all of that.
>> So, so a lot of this is not within the town. The the issue I have with this goal is as I look at the department heads and say do this because this is a priority. They don't have a lot of direct impact and and it's it's it's hard for them to come up with key performance indicators the stuff they do dayto-day. That's exactly at the heart
of why we're so that goal is kind of it's hard to it's hard for the departments to to um you know when when we can make it concrete like establish or identify or implement partnerships with but how do they do how does >> Stephanie Madson does a good job
establishing partnerships >> solar canopies would be the only thing of like what I can think of where they've actively pursu like what can we pursue that's probably the extent of it >> and David's an expert in this not more more so than I am but I you to the extent that we can make this more project specific
>> um I think is going to help us help us out. >> So that's why I mean I would say I mean if you look at the ongoing goals at the beginning of this you know this this goal or this this priority area like focus on enhance and promote efforts to improve composting and recycling. I
we're doing a real good job >> there. Uh it's measurable. There are things we could do. We have more sites for composting like the swack wants to do. You know, recycling we've talked, you know, I mean, you know, the the
just something that I think if we list we've really got some meat behind >> what we need to do. It's within our control for the moment. >> David, about carrying that that that ongoing goal over to the specific actionable because there are some projects underway at the county level with regards to
>> Yeah, and that's what I was going to say. The count that's what I meant the county that whole county. So that that that's something that we could certainly um in my opinion and I don't want to mess up I was here to kind of just answer some questions but you know dragging that over into the uh >> so I I'm what I I'm where I am right now
is you you don't want to keep this goal this goal doesn't really doesn't really >> it's not not necessarily keep it but I'm not sure it's the one we you we'd be necessarily focusing on you know I think >> so
I I think we're looking at um a whole new set of goals for this area. >> Mhm. We could have led with that. We wouldn't have had >> Well, I wanted to hear, you know, I wanted to hear what you had to say before I came to that. The entire
feeling of the entire board is, you know, that, you know, we're somewhat hamstrung by what has been done and for which I'm responsible for two years on the board, not, you know, not addressing it and Doug, you know, other years, but
you know, so you want us rightly so to be working within the confines of what we have, but everybody has really good ideas about really what should be our strategic plan going forward. that's more specific, manageable, you know, with with real good milestones. So,
we're kind of, you know, like between a rock and a hard place and, you know, and it's putting a strain on you, you know, and and uh you know, it's trying to keep us on uh on task, >> but uh but I think would you agree Colin
to a certain extent? >> Yeah, I think the goals here are a bit squishy. It's not saying we want to like and I think about the awesome um uh dashboard that you presented to us and the example from Atlanta or wherever
right where it was like we want to reduce emissions by x amount and then you had like that goal but we don't have that here we just have explore a partnership but like to what end and that's kind of where we were going which was okay we know we need infrastructure so I look at it as kind of like a three-
tiered system which is where do we want to go as a town to direct our energy, not necessarily our staff and the daily operations, but it plays into it. But where do we need to go as a town directionally with the state and other things? What is actionable immediately
for our our budget concerns, right? because we might find that there is something we can put into our capital budget later on or or for the next year, which is like to to get this state funding, we actually need this grid
improvement and we put that in. And now because we have that, we can get this. >> And then there's the daily operations to your point, which is this one doesn't really hit them until something happens. So, I wasn't against scrapping it, but
because we didn't we weren't playing or we didn't know which stakeholder group was owning it. If we only go through town departments, well, then this goal doesn't really affect anything to your point, right? But it is something that
we need to do for town. So where where it lands and the responsibility is actually an interesting one because it's another thing that you have to oversee but um yeah it's it's a difficult one because
it doesn't it's not tied to a goal to improve something by X percentage or we're not building another compost site so we don't have a number but it is an important one right like we need the infrastructure >> can I and I don't want bogged down. But
so part of Colin's question right now in my opinion has always been um the difference between a goal, a broad policy strategic goal and then an objective that you undertake a task to achieve that goal. Right? So and again I don't want to over complicate this but I
I think what we're missing are and I guess it's the departments that Peter and I are working with to create those KPIs, right? That become the objectives, right? So trying to frame a broad goal under which we can put in place these
very specific tasks or objectives. Um and I'll give you a perfect example that the problem I have with that goal right now is that a lot of it is beyond >> our ability to influence and impact. Right? So but I'm not saying we take it out. I think it's we have to massage it.
Bob's point about the composting under the sustainability. Um, I think that's a great has a lot of potential because there's actionable timebound steps, right, that we can we can talk about and partners. So, if if if you all are in agreement, I would suggest maybe throwing that enhance and promote
efforts to improve composting, change it around like implement a uh composting program by FY, >> you know, 20. >> Yeah. and and interested parties or the SWAC committee, you know, Stephanie or
>> county joint based Cape Cod because all of those and I'm saying this because there's already a movement in that direction. >> Um and and this will allow us at the department level to create again those tasks or objectives, right, to accomplish this goal. So, I'd throw that I suggest throwing that into the
specific actionable goal category. Keep the one that's currently there. We can massage the language. Um, another example I think is um the uh uh promote and provide infrastructure to support electric vehicles and continue to investigate viability of electric vehicles. >> Yeah, that could be those two could be
combined. Number two and three could be be combined and we're doing you know fairly good job and you know we have some real milestones we've gotten although the police don't like the electric vehicles. Well, and Stephanie has developed and and I I think you know in my mind a broad goal would be um uh
implement >> implement the um electrification fleet electrification plan by FY and again you always want to push yourself right you want to don't get too far up by FY28 right so you're you're you're on exactly
the right track right your goal needs to be specific enough that it is achievable and you need to know what your finish line is right and that but that isn't enough right you can say um implement the uh uh fleet
electrification program by this date while there are steps between that and that date that need to happen right at at a minimum there's a review right you you've set this goal you want it done by this date you at a minimum a milestone
is when do you want to get a progress report Mhm. >> Um that those kinds of things. So, you're on the right track. I I I still have to say that this goal that you have is
way too vague. Doesn't doesn't talk about why. It doesn't talk about what you want to accomplish except create a partnership. Create a partnership to do what? To modernize the electric grid. Why? What's the
benefit you get? Are you are you trying to do that because you you you it doesn't have the capacity to accept more distributed uh uh generation from solar and wind or
whatever or it does or you're getting power outages every time there's a a wind over 30 miles an hour. >> Yeah. No, it's less about the power outage. It's more about we talked about the uh the small example of the fire station. solar panels on the roof. We we were delayed in installing those because
the grid wasn't able to to >> to accept it >> to accept it. So, um so that that's the crux of it. It's it's um >> yeah, it's a in order to in order for the town to further advance its goal towards net zero by
2050. And I think that's right, but maybe >> um establish partnerships with these other entities, right? And um And again, I think and that's where I have a str I struggle with this one because a lot of it is beyond and to no I don't think the
town makes those capital investments because it's Eversourc's infrastructure and there's probably another organization out there that I'm not quite sure of. I know Stephanie's got some more details. Maybe she can get into this. But that's kind of the the issue that I have with this as a goal is is it realistic and achievable,
attainable I should say. I'm not sure so sure because a lot of it's beyond our control certainly beyond the department level control to to do it. So whereas the other things that we just talked about the vehicle electrification, the fleet electrification and the composting, I mean those are programs
that that that are directly within our our >> as is the next one too. The although it needs to be tightened up, you know, the townwide solar, what we're doing with the schools and and you know, rooftop and and so forth, we're actually doing
that and looking to do it in more places. And again I and again I the that's in my mind that's like an objective or a task that achieves the ultimate goal of going net zero by 2050 right so maybe
that's the broader policy goal achieving net zero I mean but the the specific task of working with the schools to you know wherever possible carport solar panels that sort of thing those are very those are those are objectives underneath that goal I think right
that's how I feel Okay. >> I just don't know how we missed those, David. And in this within within this template, >> well, the the the third session was going to be devoted to adding new to adding new goals. So, >> this is a good conversation to have.
Now, you I think we've we've accomplished here is we've identified this area as one that's ripe for a whole bunch of new goals, right? you have >> you want to I'm saying new new act specific and actionable goals they may
be old go they may be in listed somewhere else in the plan but to be added here so I think your report back to the full board should be that you know we've discussed
this area there's there's a lot of opportunity here for some goals that are achievable we all need to think about what those are for next time and come prepared to to start listing them. >> So, so going forward just so I
understand you're basically focusing in the current strategic plan those specific you know that that specific title and what's under that as focusing us going forward not the you know all the squishy stuff at the at the uh at
the beginning. Well, part of the problem, frankly, if I be frank about your plan, is >> please >> that some of the specific and actual goals are squishier than some of the the other goals. >> I you're you're articulating what what I think we've all said up to this point,
but I'm going to ask one thing, Mike. I know you want to go back and forth, and I know Peter's in there. I mean, I think we would be better served if you could stay here with us rather than going back and forth only because I think we need someone that's really familiar with
what's going on in town and staff to to help guide our discussion. >> We're all going to come back and report out anyway. So, I'll be able to to chime in and hear what >> I mean, I just hope you know I I know I would benefit from some you being here.
>> Let's move on to financial and economic stability. >> This one has a lot, doesn't it? >> This has one it has one specific and actionable goal and uh >> this this is blank with you.
>> Sorry. >> But a lot of ongoing goals. >> Yeah, that is that that's that's the issue the framework under which this was created initially. Like David said, I mean sometimes the squishiness appears in the specific actionable goals, right?
sometimes the the more concrete and and in my in my mind the smarter goals are are found within the ongoing goals in a lot of cases, right? >> Yeah. >> And I don't know if the if the group is willing to and maybe it's a suggestion with the bigger group, but move transition some of the ongoing goals over under this
>> like we just did with it. We talked about it. Mhm. >> So something that I've found in reading this is and I think we're everybody has their own you know flowown of nomenclature. So whether it goes
objective goals strategies tactics or goals objective strategy tactics the language often has I think the dashboard language that we want without the numbers. So in financial stability, you know, in here we want to promote
long-term financial stability of the town to maintain AAA bond rating. That's like the overall arching thing that we want, which is like the beauty of this town. We need to maintain it. To maintain it, we need to do these
strategic goals to get within each of these strategic goals. Here are the strategies and tactics to do. and it's all kind of like mushed together a little bit on in the language of the current document. >> So when you know out of all that you
look at the one that you just gave to us on the single grid implement the integrated financial management system approved by town meeting. Well that's not a goal that I would see as on your dashboard. That's just a tactic that adds to the bigger overall goal. So something you know you said it earlier
on kind of we might get to a point where we scrap but right now we're trying to improve >> right >> the question is for you Michael um what do you think in this financial and economic stability I appreciate you saying like don't
change because this is great is like from your perspective what what should be the overarching goals financial and economic stability that then leads to strategies and tactics that we can help develop.
>> Yeah. So, you just mentioned one of them um under the ongoing goals and that that is ensuring not promoting but ensuring long-term financial stability of town operations. I mean that's very general and very broad um but that is I think that's the pinnacle of what the
financial and economic stability now the financial stability um priority area is all about ensuring the long-term financial health of of the town. And then to your point, how do you make
that a smart goal which is, you know, we have to maintain it. Maintain is an A or B, right? Ensuring is nice, but maintaining our trip financial stability is gives us a A or B. We either did it
or we don't. At what completion rate? Because when do we get bond rating? When do we get this? When do we get that? and those become sub uh tasks of that overall goal. So if we were to change this, which I think we're heading in that direction, is you
know maintain long-term financial stability of operations, you know, and to your point, I'm trying to think of what are the um what are the what are the smart components that we add to that, right?
because by when it's kind of overall arching but you know when is our next bond rating you know >> we just had one um so I you know what what big picture maintaining and this speaks to health and financial health is maintaining that AAA that's a huge
priority and goal should be right maintaining the AAA bond rating now to accomplish that there's a lot of things that have to be done right you have to manage debt obligations smartly um you know we we can flesh out those things um when we get back in as a bigger group.
Um and then the finance director can help give some additional because there's a checklist. Yeah. >> And David knows this and some of you may have seen it too, right? That >> Yeah. When you go out for a b when you go out to borrow, right, the your your financial advisor go down with the rating agency and they they have a whole
list of of things they want to see and they give you a rating. >> I think those should be articulated more. what that list in some fashion not in tremendous amount of detail but um
managing debt appropriately uh maintain you have >> financial policies right yes >> okay so >> um what elements of your financial policy making making sure that you your your financial policies I'm sure were
adopted in order to maintain your uh financial stability and your bond rating. Right. >> We talked about debt stabilization in the fiscal policy. Um and uh and and yeah, we >> possible override.
>> Right. Right. >> Right. >> Um >> the only thing I would like to say about this one is I almost feel like it should be two separate goals. Um because I think focusing more on municipal finances is easier to do and I
like I I just for example the connection between support development for improved highspeed internet service has nothing to do with some of the other goals that we're doing. I know that's good for the and we should absolutely do that for the economic health of the town as a whole and some of these other goals like
support business and community development to promote a vibrant local economy, but I think that's so far removed from the fiscal responsibility and the fiscal practices we want to do as a town. I think that there should either be a separate goal or just I mean that just kind of seems like something that like is a given like
>> priority separate priority area. Right now they're >> there are separate priorities the hope of a town and then right >> economic stability. That's I mean you know that and that point is being made constantly you know that that finance and and economic stability are are
completely different concepts right I mean you know people look at the stock market as you know their measure of how well the economy is doing and we all know that that that's where people look first but that has really nothing to do
with the e economy and the economic stability. So, if that's where you were going, Jack, I have your issue with that. And that's the priority area about lumping the the two of them together because >> they're they're they're different uh they're different priorities. >> Particularly funny to me yesterday when
the the the NASDAQ fell three points because the jobs report was too good. >> I was like, "Wow." >> And I think >> but then it rallied >> and then it rallied on Friday. Well, and I think this um the separation is actually really key because
and and Michael, we talked about this when um uh the EDIC, you know, the co-chairs and Wayne came to talk to you and we talked about that we haven't had necessarily an economic development or an economic
stability kind of strategic goal process or whatever in town. And and I would agree with what we're kind of saying here, which is there's a difference between financial stability and I think we've done an extremely good job and our job is to maintain that high level
rating and all that stuff. And the other piece is how do we serve, protect and enhance the economic um conditions of town? Because you know if we look at our sectors, we're travel first, right? We
have a strong technology and science sector, but there's other things and I feel like those belong separate from the financial operations of town and it's more of about an e it's it's legitimately economic development and business development and support, right?
Um >> so the group is thinking that splitting these into two separate now those >> priority area discussed this morning but have having it splitting those out because they are too distinct right >> and I think it would make it easier to make both of them have more actionable
goals that are connected those are connected within one another >> uh process question is the other group are they going to be talking about these two as Well, >> no. >> Okay. So, it's just us reporting just
from our perspective. >> So, if we go back to financial, >> what is the goal then if we were to we can just leave it as a hanging chad for next time, which is we can work on economic stability the next time. But
for the immediate needs of financial, we need we should come up with >> a clear and concise goal and then objectives that are measurable. Right? Because right now we have in my notes the maintain AAA bond rating to do what by when. Right.
>> Okay. And you're scrapping this goal. I'm guessing implement implement the integrated financial management system approved by town meeting. Now that's seems pretty specific to me, right? Town Meeting has approved a system. >> Yeah. and and it's under the implementation is underway right now and
we're at about probably 70% um in terms of it's the munis Tyler Mun software financial management package. So yeah, we're departments are working towards implementing that now. Um, I just I don't Jack to what to me
that seems like that is a a a tactic or an objective to accomplish the broader picture, right? Implementing a piece of software, this is a big piece of software, but I mean it's, >> you know, that that um enterprise software package is just a means to
accomplish that broader goal of, >> you know, financial vitality. You know, maybe stability. I've heard Heather say this before, too. Let's not shoot for stability. Why not prosperity or something something like that? And I I don't want to go too much down that rabbit hole, but you know, so so but
again, that's kind of how my mind is looking at this right now. Um I think it is a good idea to talk about breaking these two into two separate priority areas. Um but again with to to David's question the currently listed specific actionable goal um to me is more of of a
of an objective to achieve a broader goal of >> yeah I now that I know what it is it's it's implementing it didn't you know it's implementing mun that's a milestone right your goal is to maintain your AAA
bond rating well one of the milestones is you know your new financial software package is going to be implemented by the state. >> Yep. And it's going to allow us enable us to have better financial reporting and tighter financial controls, right? All of that feeds up to that AAA bond
rating, right? >> Yeah. >> Better cash >> where we think we're 75% 70%. >> So, and I think that just plays into our overall discussion which is if our overall goal is maintain AAA bond rating, how do we do it? And I think we
started talking about this is one of the many tactics to do that implement and integrate a financial management system approved by town meeting and we can add in by you know whatever the goal is. The other two that we talked about in this discussion is we need to manage debt
obligations. And you know I think the goal is well we can manage and say yeah we did but you know to the everyday reader we want to say manage debt obligations you know not to exceed blank in current fiscal year or you know what is that measurable
thing >> so that it says yep cool we have bond rating and then update financial policies to do what you know by when so u maybe we don't because we it's an ongoing thing But um those were the
things that we talked about, >> right? That's really a performance indicator, right? Right. And that's that's what that's what they you're you're setting the STR you're this is a strategic vision, right? And your strategic vision for the town is keep
that AAA bond rating. >> Yep. >> Right. >> Uh if you had a double A, your vision might be obtain a AAA bond rating. Right. And all of these things are part of that, right? And then all of those
all of those uh objectives under that strategic goal are going to have performance indicators, right? >> One of them is would be um you know keeping the uh the the debt
uh percentage of debt to budget at >> below right. I think that, you know, clarifies it because we can simplify, I think, if I'm hearing you correctly, we can simplify a lot of these things to
keep very high level goals and not necessarily get into um town management's knickers. It's something that, you know, sets an overall goal. Keep bond rating done, you know, like >> Right. Well, keeping the bond ray in triple AAA is going to require a number
of things to to be done, you know, and those are your milestones, right? Well, milestone number one is get that munus implemented 100%. Number two might be >> uh I don't know, it might be uh uh you
know, reduce the the level of of borrowing to below 5% of >> managed debt obligation. >> You know, managed debt obligation. So, we're talking now about internally. I just had a conversation with the fincom chair about um a uh how certain
municipalities have um a debt management um platform, right? Sometimes they use consultants, right, to do this for them. Um other times they do it in house, but that might be, you know, >> so you know when things are coming off and things are added. So try and keep it balanced.
>> If our goal is that AAA and you have that and I keep going back to that visual dashboard like if you say manage debt obligations I feel like that scale is like you know if under this number we're good and if we happen to dial in on July 1st and we see that it's that
we've exceeded that number and now we're risky. Now we know hey let's we got to figure out how to nudge that back down into the acceptable level. Um, and that's like I like the visual as we think about these goals. How do you how do you have that visual dashboard?
um because that's I think it's important for us to to have but anyways to >> you know and one of you one of your strategic goals might be or one of you would might be um maintain unrestrict your unrestricted fund
balance right at at this dollar level or this percent >> free cash uh your free cash plus your stabilization funds right and then your milestones would be um add
$100,000 to your capital stabilization fund in fiscal 2017. >> We do have language in the fiscal policy that talks about um that level of capital and debt stabilization investment. Right. So maybe we need to
take a sharper look at that as we as we try to flush. Two things I have um support opportunities to generate additional funds for community housing is currently living under this goal. Um but we wrote a kind of a better version of that
>> uh or you did actually in in this goal. So um moving that >> yeah together with plan for use development disposition of town property which some of those sites you know aren't really within what we're talking about >> and we've done it in in other uh sites.
I don't remember if we how we handled that in the housing one that we did the first time around about I know you you gave us a copy of that David uh but you know now that those RFPs have been >> Yeah. I mean those are just based on my
notes. >> Yeah. No, I don't remember how we where we landed on that, but um that's certainly something we should probably add as something we've done right for uh for that priority area. >> And the other goal I just wanted to
quickly talk about that I don't love >> uh in terms of like can we do something on this uh respond to fiscal impacts related to market volatility, increase in population work remotely, inflation, and then the rest of it's fine. exploring new grant and revenue opportunities. I think that could be its
own goal that we could edit. But that first part, I mean, Mike, what are you going to do about inflation? Like that's you can solve that problem. >> Not a hell of a lot. >> Yeah. So like things like that, I I just I just think that's unrealistic to ask of of the town. >> Yeah. That's an example of how, you
know, if we're going to make changes to those ongoing goals, we probably need to strike that. I would agree. Um and then you know um and try to make because I do agree that um we should be focusing more on identifying new grant opportunities. We have grant consulting funding
available the town meeting gave us a year ago and we haven't even leveraged that yet. So you know maybe you know um >> and revenue with respect to like the whiff what we're thinking about whiff as a as an increased >> revenue source. Yeah. But again I I
struggle sometimes with strategic plan your document your policy document and so you give that direction maintain AAA bond rating uh to ensure um ongoing financial vitality of the town and then the that myself and Peter and
the department heads come up with those steps right that achieve that goal is that >> and and one of those is identifying grant funding sources. Well, you know, a strategic goal statement, right, is got is gota it
it's got to be specific, but it's also got to be pretty broad. You can be broad and specific at the same time, right? >> Okay. Right. >> Because and what I mean by broad is that it might have several elements in it. >> So, one of the elements in
uh maintaining that AAA bond rating is uh what's your free cash situation, right? what how much uh un unrestricted funds do do you have? >> Right. So a milestone
under that strategic goal of maintaining would be um to have to make that unrestricted fund balance equal to X by X date. And
how you get there >> is now you you you put together the tactics that get you to that date, >> right? >> So is that a >> but the question really is at what level? And correct me if I'm wrong, but we have this document that is policy and
and high level at what point do we add in management's tasks to achieve that? So that I'm hearing like a hybrid that there are some things we can add into the overall objective, but >> I don't think we want to overprescribe.
Right. >> Right. You don't want to overprescribe, but you need to prescribe something. Right. You need you need to give the town manager and the department heads enough specificity that they can align with it. It's hard to align with an amorphous
ball of gelatin. So should the implement integrated financial management system actually be part of a policy or a task? If if our if our overall thing is keep AAA bond rating by maintaining free cash and stabilization funds, managing debt
and updating financial policies, those seem very high level compared to implement that seems very uh that seems two levels down. That's how we get to those overall. Like where should we clock in on this?
>> Well, I think I if I were me, I would put implementing the Muna system as one of the milestones. I would say we want to maintain our AAA bond rating. >> One of the things that we've identified that will help us do that is this Muna system. We got town meeting to approve
the funding. We're implementing it. We want to see it implemented by the state. That's your milestone. And then it's up to him to to work with the town uh finance director or accountant or treasur whoever you have >> to
get that implemented right and that includes and >> then the level of detail that comes in on the management side is okay there's train there's a there's a whole bunch of training that has to happen when you put in a new financial software system. There's there's testing. There's, you
know, there's a whole >> We don't need to get into that here. >> You don't need to get into that here. He does that. But you're saying you our strategic vision is that the Munis software is part of keeping the AAA bond rating. We want to see that
Muna software in by this date. That's our milestone. Tommy man the milestone. >> Okay. said they are going to tie a specific like by implement and and have operational the Tyler Munos financial management system by FY28 as an example. Right. So that's their
role is setting that time bound. Okay. >> Right. Okay. >> So I've let this go on and I we're going to run out of time if I don't we don't move on. So I'm going to go down the hall um and get the others. you are
um >> this is group A. >> This is group A. And where's my list? >> Does the group stay the same? No other groups. >> So >> Doug and Jack, you're going to group B for the next round. Okay.
>> Doug's over there. I go hang out with Doug. >> Bob. >> Group B. Round two. Oh, you just me. Yeah, Jack. Jack and uh >> Doug.
>> Colin are switching this time. >> No, you're going over there. And I guess Doug and >> Doug and somebody came back here. >> Well, and I'm going to the bathroom. >> Yeah. Yeah. Hold on.
I'm going to do my best to read these notes and I'm going to need you all to jump in your computer. >> Well, I think the scriber has to also be the person who's going to record out. >> No, Colin, I'm sorry. You're staying here. >> Just Jack is >> just me. All right. >> Okay.
>> Goodbye. >> Be gone with you. >> Doug is taking up. >> Yeah, Doug's Doug's coming in here. Okay. Mike, sorry I keep calling you Michael. I have a friend that's like I'm Michael and I'm like >> yeah I've had friends that prefer
Michael too. Either way >> I'm uh struggling with this a little bit. Um it's going to be I think what we need to do you know what this is you know a five-year plan but I really do think we need to as a group right um next year right um or when
>> we need we need to the foundations I think need to be looked at right I I I think it's yeah it's too hard it's hard it's difficult to make these these tweaks in my mind right to a um to a plan that I think the formatting
was always an issue you know and again I I'm sitting here right now I've been here two and a half years, Colin. I don't know the difference between an ongoing goal and specific actionable. I mean, why did they why did they do that? I don't I don't know. I think there should be, you know, um some some
discussion about the structure, right? broad policy goal and then objectives which I I think it's not stepping over a line for this governing body to set objectives and then we develop tasks right at the department level to meet
those objectives which ultimately roll up to fulfill those goals. So that's so the formatting of this thing is a little bit of a challenge trying to like step in every year and like tweak it, right? And past past versions of this have been um just
changing language, right? Um at least now we're like trying to strip it down and and kind of like you look under the hood a little bit more and and and >> I I think your dashboard is our example. >> Yeah. which is really like we're going to have a high level objective, but it's
going to have other things in there that kind of show that bar, right? >> You know, the problem with that and and I I think I I don't think I put the cart completely before the horse, but ideally, you want a very strong plan, >> correct? >> It's laid out properly and then you
build the software platform around that. I think I've done it a little bit in reverse order. Well, you had to based on what we currently have, but I think the what I'm saying is use the visual visualization of what we could be measuring as the example to help us actually define what
are those things that we do want to measure as a policy board >> and then the milestones therein so that we can see where the bar is. Not not using that as the >> as the source of our work. It's more of
like we are aiming to have this dashboard >> that is awesome >> that is reflective of these overall goals and I think one of the things we can do as you say is >> draw a line in the sand >> and we just start with the nomenclature
so we've got objective or goal or whatever that overarching thing is >> right >> then what is that subdivision which is um strategy >> how do we achieve those strategy through these tactics but just forming it so we have the same language.
>> But then that's how we end up coming up with those goals to then write the language. And right now, to your point, I think it's a kind of a hodge podge of both or all three. >> Mhm. >> Ongoing versus new versus this versus that.
>> Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, because again going back to that survey, you're busting your chops trying to go through that and be like, how are we
going like and even like is this an ongoing? Is this what is this? This is and before you know it, it's just like we need to go. >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, our strategic plan is evolving from a something that was, I think, designed just to pacify board members to
think that they were being strategic >> to now something that's actually functional. >> Good. >> So, it's an evolution. That's >> I like I like that lot. >> Yeah. You talked about before you came in, we talked about Colin and I were talking about the need, you know, we recognize this is a five-year plan and
maybe the need next year, right? Or as this plan winds down, right, to to to kind of go back and take a look at the formatting and the structure of this thing and is it really what you know, is this really what we want to continue >> um you know, rolling on every year? I don't think it is, honestly. I think
that there's it needs some major modifications as far as the structure of it. So, >> it's sometimes the over >> I agree. So, but but I I mean this plan brings us to 2027, >> correct? Right. >> Um would we
>> be be keeping this, you know, still format or are we thinking that we're going to scrap this and really look to instead of waiting till, you know, 2028 basically, >> right, >> to to to to scrap it and start a new
five-year plan in 2026. I mean, long term, is that what we're >> It's going to take I just just just It's going to take time. If you're going to start from scratch, it's going to take months to get through a a full strategic planning process. So, if you're thinking
about you want something to succeed this plan after 27, I would say that you're going to have to start working on it in the latter half of it. You have to probably nextap >> next spring. >> Yeah.
>> You know, 20 you're probably have to start working on it >> spring of 26 summer of 26 at the latest. >> Yeah. So the one of the things I want to take away from today's session is just that right is the time we've had kind of general discussions about is this really what we want and going forward and you
know after FY27 what then? So yeah I want to take away because the Peter and I can then start reaching out and as David's saying we have to have a lead in right planning of a six-month period right to get it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. at least. Um, >> well, if you're going to go through to identifying your stakeholders and
budgeting for that to them and doing the FY27 budget right now, right, operational budget, right, you heard by April in April town meeting. So, yeah, we'll I'll talk to Peter after it. But if the consensus of the of the select board is this has served us well, but
it's time to move to a to a to a an even better plan. Um, then that's what I need to take. Well, I think I think just the fact that we've started this process and we're getting an outside objective look at what we're producing. >> It's going to change anyway and maybe
it's only going to get us halfway there, but it'll get us set so that next year we can do even better, take it to the next level. I don't think we want to just try to start a whole new thing because you got enough to do every day, right? That could be a big workload trying to
envision it and make it happen and then have buyin from everybody. I think it has to be a gradual transition. >> Okay. So, we're here. What priority area are we? >> We are talking about community engagement. >> What number is that?
>> That right now you have >> service specifically. It's six. Easier to navigate. >> Organizational effectiveness and community >> engagement. I just gave you a spreadsheet there. What I did was I took all of the goals that have to do with community engagement
out of that organizational effectiveness and community engagement. >> This had a lot in it. >> Yeah. So, I put just the community engagement ones on that spreadsheet. >> Okay. That's why I was looking to see. So, you none of the organizational stuff is in here? >> No, the other group is working on that
right now. >> I see. Okay. >> Okay. There were just too many to do in one group. Okay. So, the first one is make municipal services, specifically the town website, easier to navigate. So, shouldn't shouldn't you just say make the town website easier to
navigate? >> Fix the town website could do it. But unfortunately, we're in a contract that's going to expire this year finally. So yeah, with the >> web contractor, we signed a contract for the web and we only we already did our
one overhaul and there's nothing really. >> So uh yeah, so we're using uh Civic Plus right now um is the uh the foundation of the the web and uh I know there's been some talk about a redesign. Um I don't know. I think it's I'll talk to
uh to Diane and Peter. I'm not sure if we have it's if we're in the end of the end of the cycle, end >> coming up the end of this year. I'm not really sure, but that's the answer I got. We couldn't really do a lot because it's a vendor contract and uh we already
used up our one-time big tuneup, which was pretty unfortunate to hear. But I got to say, it's a it's a result of years and years of underfunding it, which we didn't really understand that we were so neglectful until our IT
director quit. and I saw her at the supermarket and she told me the story of why she retired earlier than she had hoped to. And that's just very unfortunate. And now they're still trying to catch up. The stuff's so outdated they can't even transfer files.
They have to manually enter. >> So for this goal, this goal, this goal is pretty specific. It's it's it's borderline strategic. I think we can leave it in there. But if >> isn't it just a milestone? >> What? Yeah. What's your finish line? You do you want to have a new website, a
redesigned website up and running by what date? >> For what purpose? I think >> functionality. >> I think that's the that's the overarching thing that we're missing here. This is a milestone of how to achieve something bigger, right? >> So people can access uh meeting agendas
and minutes >> information just what's the success rate, right? I mean, what what's the you know, how how do we know that that's been accomplished? >> I think that's Colin's question. >> Try it. You go on the website and see if it works. >> But how do we know who's doing it? I
mean, I get >> But there's an overarching goal here for community engagement. The community engagement goal is to foster a to implement better systems that will achieve
uh greater transparency. What? But that you know buy such and such and then of that objective we then have some strategies that kind of break down into sectors that this munip this town website is one milestone that we need to
take credit for if and when we do it. But what is it helping to achieve is that larger thing and again this goes back to the discussion that we were just having which is what what is our community engagement goal >> say in the plan >> wouldn't know wouldn't a a a milestone
be you know increase the number of people you know the number of views to the website I mean wouldn't that be a you know a measure >> that would be a measurement >> a measurable milestone right >> that would be a a performance measurement I would I would say that be
>> no I mean we the milestone could be you know take the number and say we want to hit this this number we want to increase it by 25% all >> municipal services to be available
online that'd be a goal like all your beach stickers anything that you need to do should be easily accessed online all the information you need >> permitting you know allow allow
community to access or >> all municipal services >> all municipal services >> online >> online >> so this I mean >> that's >> high level >> it's a high goal but >> section six is organizational effectiveness and community engagement I would say let's separate the two of them
>> because organizational effectiveness is different than community engagement >> yeah we're just in the engagement phase we're just in the engagement, but it also goes into organizational effectiveness because to our point, we can't do these things online. They require very manual processes and we
often hear uh it's impossible to navigate and figure out where to get X, Y, or Z. So maybe organizational in effectiveness is how do we work as town soup to nuts. Community engagement
is how does the community uh engage or dial into whatever necessary like FCTV is one of those for community engagement, right? They can watch our stuff. they know where to go. Um,
>> right. I Doug, I think your suggestion is effectiveness, not as it there's a communication element, as an engagement element, but it's effective. You want you want to change how how people do things with the town,
right? You want, you know, be able to pay your bills and get your permits and do everything online. That's an effectiveness issue. I think that's I think that's a goal for the other group. I think what we're looking at here is how are we how are we engaging with the
community? >> How are we? >> Yeah. Are we how do you want to improve community engagement? >> Um but Doug's not wrong. I mean it's his goes into organizational effectiveness
and we should not lose um having all municipal services online. Right? That is a major milestone that we can, you know, to be online by a certain time because that's what we're hearing, right? >> We hear nothing but complaints about
inability to navigate the website, >> right? >> Now, >> and that turns people off and pushes them away, >> right? I I understand that. But is it inability to navigate the website for the things that you have currently on the website? Right.
people have are finding it hard to do the things on the website that they currently should be able to do. There's a whole other category of things that you don't have set up like online permitting, right? You're not you're not >> we've started >> you've started. >> We have the building department, but we
still need to do zoning and planning and all that. >> And I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, but I think that's a more that fits more in the community the the organizational effectiveness category. >> I I would agree. I would agree. >> Um, you know, as I'm reading through the
the uh the the preamble, right, of this community engagement, um, I'm trying to get the original sense, right, what the board then was trying to achieve, right? Um, >> I'm not >> they talk about public particip how to increase enhance public participation.
That's less about like being able to to to get a piece of information off the website. I think that is about how effective we are as an organization making those services available. This is more of a public participation and how we how you as a select board, the governing body interact.
>> All right. Well, maybe then that's a whole different thing than what I was thinking of. Maybe we need to start going to the schools, >> community forums, community kids more interested in local government. >> Yeah. I mean, well, we've got the civic, you know, the civic academy that we're participate in that really.
>> Well, we're Yes, we will. Okay. Yeah, >> I mean certainly one of them is going to be the select board, you know, being, you know, the the facilitator or whatever, you know, and we're certainly going to be part, you know, going to the other ones. >> Maybe we should have liaison to uh village association meetings.
>> Yeah, you know, I've I've said that and I've started myself going to the village association. I've gone to West Falmouth. I've gone to East Falmouth. You know, absolutely. >> I think we're on the right path now. But what is if we were to wrap these all together, it's to be more
uh engaged with the community by participating in X Y or Z interaction, right? Like >> and and to measure that we would have to figure out what we're measuring. So if we're going to >> how many times did Colin show up,
>> right? So I I don't want you to throw the web the website thing off this because it is part of a community engagement to have a functioning website, right? If somebody can't find, for example, the
minutes of the planning board meeting last month that talked about reszoning on your website, >> how do they get involved? >> Or worse yet, the agenda agenda. And a lot of committees apparently aren't posting their their minutes in a timely manner. >> That's not Well, that's true, too.
>> Yeah. So, that's something that's a measurable thing we want to ensure. >> I found it interesting with um short-term rental advisory committee that I was sending in the minute uh the agenda request and it was being posted by the clerk's office, but yet people
couldn't find it. Now, if you just did a Google search, you wouldn't find it because you would go back to the first meeting, which was in uh June or whatever, and then if you go to the um website and go to boards and committees and then search for that committee, then
the link worked. So, it's a functionality issue with the website itself. >> Agree. I have a lot of difficulty finding some. Yeah, I even did it myself and I called the clerk's office and I said, "I'm Are you sure you posted that because I don't see it and the meeting
is coming up on Wednesday." >> She goes, "It's definitely posted. I posted just what you put." >> What good is posting if people can't find it? >> Well, that's what But that's not her fault. >> Yeah. No, >> but she did tell me how to find it. She says, "Oh, don't go with the Google search. Go to boards and committees
within the website and then the link will function." >> Thinking of a broader kind of a goal statement. Um, so I'm just talking off the develop systems and practices that allow >> do we use residents or the community? We
don't use citizens >> community >> community to better engage with with with the town capital T >> with the services. >> I mean there's there's really two aspects to engagement, right? I mean one is people are doing this to simplify
their you know their life uh you know paying bills getting permits you know things like and the other is you know how does the community engage with how do the select board in town engage with the community it's kind of a two-way
street whereas the you know the the first part is really just one way I want to pay my bill that's community engagement but then the the other part is the give and take that you know is between the select board >> there is a >> and it's and it's >> crossover yeah
>> we'll get some policies like select board shall dine in Felmouth restaurants once a week >> that's cool I'm going to take yours a step further and say develop systems and practices that allow the community to uh I just messed it up but develop systems
and practices to simplify and streamline access to town services um you know by community members like if we develop those words and and tweak them a little bit to get there we need to add all municipal services online by
such and such and we can have that you know be permitting the stickers to bill pay. The next one down is improve the functionality of online resources so people know where to find things, you know, and that's kind of a mile that's a milestone that we can focus on like is
does that make sense or is that not adding up? >> Yeah. Yeah. Again, I'm still I'm struggling a little bit with this distinction between the organization, you know, how we effectively deliver services, right, or allow people to access those information and services versus the public participation piece
like um an example, um this room right now is not set up and we get some some critiques that you know we can't do hybrid uh meetings, right? And because it's just not set up that way. So that's a public participation. Folks that are homebound, they can't come to a meeting.
Um they can't interact, right? Because FCTV records it and shoots it live. But you can't participate and they're at home throwing their shoe at the TV. >> So that that's public participation and this is my struggle with this and a
little bit about how we successfully senior center, right? Is the senior center set up for hybrid? I don't think a little bit better than >> all it requires is granting access to the fiber network. >> I think you're actually spot on. We're talking about organizational
effectiveness to allow better part public participation in one bucket and the other bucket is community engagement which is a little bit different of a of a look and feel. Like my job at HOIE is director of community engagement and
uh relation community relations, right? So I think community engagement in this is more about community relations which is how do we improve community relations of town uh management and select board
to ensure that we are addressing the needs of the community and to that point it could be you know we've got the civic course coming up we've got the liaison to um village associations dinner once a
But >> these are all tactics, right, that we can measure and say, "Yeah, we're hearing you." Um, we can go to cultural organizations, not just >> uh liaison to village associations. >> We can have lunch at the senior center, >> right? >> So, I think community, we should change
maybe community engagement to community relations. And then the organizational effectiveness and public participation that we are discussing right now is basically how do we connect the services of town to the public so that people can
get what they need right because that's what that's kind of the look and feel that we've been talking about which is hybrid meetings that is a way for public participation to engage with us which is different than community relations. We're talking about the functionality of online to make it
easier, better, more transparent. That is an organizational effectiveness and a public participation piece. Municipal services online. We've talked about this with the beach community, right? Um getting the beach sticker online versus in person or, you know, we can pay
bills, but you know, streamlining those services to make them better and easier. You know, because we still have a split in the population. There are some people that can do online, some people that need to come to the to the offices here, but you know, develop those systems and practices that do that. That's the high
level and here's how and we're going to improve these things so we can kind of hold each other accountable. Same thing with the community relations. hold each other accountable which is we set a high level goal of engage more well by such and such by attending more what we can
then each time this goes to that calendar question which is like >> are we maintaining are we going less >> I still think you're you're you're combining community community engagement and uh organizational effectiveness >> well I think that's his point he's
trying to make is that they're all together in one >> well they don't have to be all right So you community engagement, how how does the community engage with you as a select board or you as a town? How do they find out information?
How do they know when meetings are going to happen? How do they know uh what is on the town meeting warrant? Um, how do they uh interact with you on a
how do they have access to you in uh more unstructured ways? Um, can uh it's not about how do I get a permit?
It's about how do I know what the town is doing? How do I know about how do I know what the town is considering that's going to affect my life? >> We need to increase our presence on social media for one >> because that's been very effective for the police department, fire department,
even the beach committee has been getting a lot of views and you know putting a lot of stuff out there. Maybe the select board should have a Facebook page. I don't know who, you know, we don't have people to manage these things. >> That's the question. I mean that's the >> and we can't unofficially as a select
board member >> we don't want one person saying something on behalf of the select board >> we might be focusing on a couple of things that we feel are important but forgetting about >> other people's uh things that they've noticed were important and becomes
biased >> one of the things we to David's point you know how do we get information out how do people learn about what's happening you know we've talked about that and this is a very specific example more of a objective or a what we put into place to accomplish the broad goal. But the community calendar,
>> a new platform that y >> basically draw it's a it's a software that basically um puts all the information allows people to to subscribe to if I want to know about what's happening in uh with regard to energy. Um they can literally subscribe
to very specific areas. So that's a way that's public engagement, public participation. They can select what information they want to get. Um, and this calendar is set up so that it allows them to get just that information that they need or want, I should say. Um, >> some places do do a newsletter, right?
Monthly they do a newsletter. You can sign up online to be on the list to receive the newsletter. >> We do a we do a we do a newsletter of sorts. um what's going on around town that go gets posted on the website. But if people don't have access to the website, how do they part how is that
enhancing public participation if people don't have access to the website for whatever reason? You know, how do we how are we getting that? How are we how are we engaging with the community >> to allow them to participate in the process of town governments? And you
know, I mean, that's that I think that's what that's the heart of this And there's a lot of similarities and crossovers between the organizational effectiveness and this, but I'm just focusing on again I went to the preamble and the the term public participation was used. So I think that gets to the
heart of the community engagement piece. How do we enhance and allow the public to participate more freely, more openly, more inclusively um in uh in our in in town government. I think the civic academy is an example of that. So implement a civic but again here's my
confusion in and where I sort of going off path broad and then those tasks and objectives to reach the broad goal. Civic academy is a task or an objective right to complete by a certain time to reach this ultimate broad goal.
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> That's where I'm at. That's and that's why I think I'm I'm trying to like look at the plan as it's currently structured and it just doesn't fit that mold in my mind that I'm trying so I'm trying to force a square peg into a round hole a lot of times with regards to how this plan >> So you're talking about public participation. All right. And you've got
this civic academy. The civic academy is usually set up to educate people, right? It's not it's more about um it's more about communication in their direction, not >> true
>> communication from them to you. Right. >> That's true. Although you're going to allow some of that that some of that is going to happen and the but so to me you um that is strategically you strategically thinking
one of the things you want to do is um improve the level of I hate to use the word education but because that has so many different connotations but the the level of knowledge among the general public about
how the town how the town operates are right. You want to you want to you want to improve their knowledge level their >> and to encourage their understanding >> and yes that and to encourage participation in boards and committees. Right. We've got a bunch of vacancies. Maybe people don't have an
understanding. So through education we encourage more participation right >> in the process of joining a board or committee. Right. >> Right. So your your your your big headline is participation. Your strategic goal is education because that
will lead to a measurable goal, a a performance indicator of more people apply to be on boards and committees, >> less vacancies, >> less fewer vacancies by committees. >> Right. >> Um
your uh your over your headline is participation. Um your um your strategic goal is make it to make it easier for the public to
access information, >> right? So that >> not just that share their views. >> Well, I think that's another one. But you make it make it easy to a to to access information because if they don't have the information, they don't know
they don't know what's happening. How do they part how do they know where it is that they want to participate? Right? If if I don't if I don't know that this planning board is going to reszone half of Felmouth, if I haven't
gotten that information, how do I know that that's an opportunity for me to get involved? Right? Things like that. So, education. And then the third piece is how do you get their feedback? How do you get the involve their involvement? Right? You
want to improve that. >> We need a we need a page just for community comment public comment page on the website. You know, I don't like the the new water meter rates. Why do you charge me so much? I hear that on
Facebook. Anybody get a water builder three times? that that would be a system or pract implement a system or a practice having some type of a two-way communication right where people could and maybe that's the hard emails from people and you know right with
>> how we respond I mean and that's something we have on our future agenda is developing you know uh that you've asked for Doug you know consistently about a proper way for us to make sure we're responding in a timely manner and and
>> you know and we we tell them we've looked at it. Thank you for your, you know, thank you for your comments, but we're really not, >> you know, giving them answers. You know, I don't know what the best what the best um >> not consistently >> persist, right? Not consistently and and
and it's understandable. I mean, a we may not really have a consensus opinion to be able to answer that particular question. The other thing is you're flooded with all the other things that you're doing and you know, we all getting getting email. I'm not sure, you
know, a Facebook page is the is is the best way to do it, but something some coordinated way to, you know, let people know that, you know, what's going on and and that their concerns are being looked at
anyway, if not immediately addressed, at least we're, you know, thinking about it. >> Well, you're starting up the select board review, right? >> Yeah. I mean, you know, I think that's been a really uh, you know, a good uh, you know, a good way, you know, what we're doing on FCTV, Mike, Mike and I doing that, you know, program after our
select board meetings. Uh, you know, we've been doing it every, you know, other week, you know, kind of commensurate with the select board meeting and just kind of recapping. >> How long you been doing that? >> We started it I think what we've done four. The first one was so bad that it
never saw the light of day. We've gotten a little bit better and we've done three. We just did one uh, you know, one the other day. I mean, we could do that every week and, you know, and and other select board members >> didn't even know you were doing it, honestly. Talk about lack of it. >> Hasn't really been advertised. Colin
certainly knows we were doing it. >> It is one way now, but the plan is to have people call in, right, live and ask questions. So, that'll be a public participation, right? But again, I'm trying to focus in on the buzzwords that were used, the keywords I should say. >> Um, the original intent who when they
developed this this this priority area, community engagement, what were they looking at? Public participation keeps coming to my mind, right? >> Yeah. >> Um, so how do we two-way communication? We listen to what the concerns are, allow them to participate, give us information, how we how we get
information out to them. That's a two-way. I'm go back to the FCTV um giving them access to our fiber network. I know it's in the past been previously uh considered a security risk allowing them to have access, but it seems to me that it
certainly could be done and they would be eager to go to internetbased system rather than a t cable TV based system that would facilitate the hybrid meetings that would go a long way to helping people get online because a lot of people don't have they don't
understand how to go get FCTV online for one and uh you know you have to go to YouTube then watch the old ones or you go to the FCP fctv.org or and you can select live, you know, but it's tricky and you don't just intuitively think how
to do it. >> And even having done it myself, FCTV is not easy to navigate either to figure out well might be government, but it might be over >> public access. Then you click on something that says fund me, >> right? So about FCTV, just for the
record. Um, but one thing that I, you know, I'm right, I'm trying to rapidly capture what we're talking about here. And so at a high level, we've really discussed the complexity and interrelatedness of the topics that are currently in section six, which is
organizational effective effectiveness and community engagement. And that ranges from how do we get our bills paid and permits made versus access to services and meetings for for participary for participatory governance versus community relations because we're
kind of all talking about these big three buckets, right? So if we were to kind of separate those out, organizational effectiveness and public participation flows into how do we develop systems and practices to simplify and streamline access to town services and information. And we've
talked about how do we get municipal services online as a milestone like buy such and such or the functional adding functionality of online um access to or improve functionality of online access to information. How do we add hybrid
meetings to broaden accessibility to meetings? Right? >> That's granting the access to FCTV, >> right? But that our our job is to set the big goal. How that happens is then done by the town because they might find
that there's a different way than that one. And then adding a community calendar to this. But then to the other part of the discussion is you know and I think we still need to develop a highle statement for how we are going to engage with the community but you know what are
the ways that we can improve to share views and questions and comments and concerns to build trust I think is what we're trying to to do here or you know there's some reason for doing it um and we need to have that and then to do that
we then kind of that we've talked about different things like the civic academy educates folks. Um the liaison to village associations and cultural committees, the increasing the presence of social media, develop a communication protocol to answer questions from
community developments. Those are all tasks or tactics, but the overall thing is that we're kind of working on is is that overlap between organizational effectiveness to improve public participation, but then the other piece is community relations and community
engagement, which is a little similar but a little different feel. >> Is that Did I capture that? >> Yeah, I think you did a very good job capturing that >> because it's complex. It's not easy. Do we have the information to add back into into the template that David put
together as far as >> Yeah. >> Well, I mean, a lot of these things are pretty easy to tick off. I mean, have Junth celebration, have a international day of disability. I mean, these are all pretty, >> you know, >> bring back the pot luck with Harvard Yach Club, which we used.
>> I mean, I didn't know we were holding two community engagement forums a year. I mean, >> we had been they've been they've been issued specific engagement forms that we've had with the police station and ICE, you
know, or at least thinking about I but but we haven't had these, you know, just as a general twice a year, you know, everybody come together and let's chat. I mean, which I guess was what they wanted. >> Just count those those specific ones as as counting in your two, right? Well,
then we're, you know, >> you can do four or five if you, you know, if you want to, but you know, in local government, people come out to a meeting for a reason, right? They they're going to come because the issue that you're talking
about, >> they have they have a stake in that particular issue. If you're too you you have a general one. Yeah, some people are going to come but you know you you might be disappointed in how many >> you know people tend to be more reactionary to things that are
concerning that are troubling them >> rather than things they're happy about. >> So if we can identify things that are maybe our most controversial subjects and our most challenging issues and have forums on those, we'll get more turnout. >> And we might not like what we hear, but
that's a that's That's where you're really engaging the people that need to be engaged. >> So, we have to think in terms of what is our >> what's our biggest challenge like what coming up soon likely to be staffing for the police department because it's going to likely include a tax increase and we
might have to have community engagement. >> Well, I think the community engagement is, you know, are we going to have to increase our taxes and how we going to go about it? Whether it's the cops or, you know, wastewater or or or schools. I mean whatever it is the the engagement
is you know you know we're at a bit of a tipping point you know with respect to our current situation that might require you know uh some extra special >> uh things to happen. >> True. But I don't think it I don't think
we would we're going a little off topic here but it's about engagement. >> I don't think it the best way to do it would be generally speaking we need more money. I think we need to identify specifically what we need money for. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. >> Just like when you're fundraising, if you have a specific thing that you're raising funds for, you're much more
effective than just, hey, give me some money. >> Yeah. But but a lot of people don't know how do we get to that point, you know? Okay, we need more money. What what identify the need and then what are the steps to to address it? What are the possible options we're looking at next
year, three years down the road, five years down the road? And and so >> but it does have to be connected to very specific >> Yeah. Right. So, I think we're we're good here, right? Uh Colin, >> we completely obliterated this. >> I think I I have notes. You have notes.
>> Part of this process is after next after the next session, right? We're going to go through we're going to go through these again with an eye towards uh further refining and and adding new things. But after that's done, I'm going to give you something in writing that
you can react to. So the goal is increase talked about this is right. >> Yeah. >> Right. That's the goal. Increase increase community engagement. I mean we've gone around and around to try to make a goal out of it. It's just
>> I mean in a nutshell that's it. And then there's a several different little milestones like how long will it take before we can give FCTV access to the fiberbased network that we have here? >> We'd have to figure that out and put a number on it. How long before we can
increase, you know, improve the website with a major overhaul that we'll see when the contract is up and put a date on it. >> The Yeah, >> you know, you might have a strategic goal that says um to uh get the uh the the cable on the on the
>> What is it you're trying to achieve? Yeah. >> Right. And why is a milestone to that achieve that? >> Sorry, >> I'm sorry. A milestone to achieving that would be one identify the barriers to doing that right that we want to know
what what are the barriers and we want to know barriers are in 60 days >> there are cost >> right so >> yeah the the comment I was making I'm sorry to interrupt you um I'm trying to look at this you know what from the select board's shoes what is it we're
trying to achieve and why is it important >> right so let's build on what Doug just said we to increase community engagement, we need to add the why >> in order to, right? I mean, we're wondering why
>> in order to, we have a a type of town meeting government that's super dependent on civic participation. If our community doesn't stay engaged, our system of government can't function. you know, we'll if we let everyone just
fall away and become disengaged, we're going to have to go to a mayoral system and professional staff. >> Yeah. Even at that, you still need you still need an informed electorate >> in order to operate a democracy. >> But you that's what you know that's
>> to go back to this missing. >> These are just nationally. >> Yeah. >> A majority of these are tactics. They're not actually goals. there milestones and tactics that achieve the overall goal to where you're thinking >> which is and I think we as a board when we report out our everything is the next
time we come together our job will be to develop a highle statement for why we need community engagement >> well I just said you need a highly engaged >> yeah civic >> a civic participatory >> government yeah
>> and then with that you know here's our strategies for how we're going to do that. And each strategy has some specific tactics. So if we're talking about organizational effectiveness, going back to the first one, >> we can't talk about that. >> Yeah, >> that's that's the other group.
>> It was, but we actually those guys. >> We did get into it though. >> We did because there is an overlap >> systems and practices. >> There is an overlap. >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, do we agree on what I said about, you know, maintaining
engagement is important because of the the need for >> that speaks exactly to why it's important, >> right? >> Yeah, that was what he was asking for. >> What do we want to achieve and why is it important that we achieve it? Yeah, that that does speak to why it's important. >> Are we running out of time?
>> So, I think we can move on to the next round. >> All right. >> Um Colin, you're moving this time. You're going to switch with Heather. Okay. And I think at that point everybody will have been in a different >> before I lose these notes. I'm going to do a little save ass. >> Yeah, please.
>> I didn't do that yet. >> I think we could put the heat up a little bit. >> Yeah, that's what I mean. >> The dry air is becoming cold here now. >> All right. I need another cup of coffee. You know, I got a new heating system put in my
house a few months ago, and uh the installer suggested I put the thermostat on automatic. >> Yeah. >> It could either heat or cool >> whatever's required >> based of what it needs. Yeah. >> But it just kept going on and putting the heat on and then it got too warm and then the air conditioning came on and I
was like, "Wait a minute." >> Constant electricity. Like bounced like a ping pong ball. I said, "No way." >> 71. So see what that feels like. Sometimes I don't have any confidence in >> Is it automatic? What I was just saying though, does it go on from heat to AC or
>> if you there's a mode setting on auto or you can force it to stay on heat so you can cycle through the modes. There's an auto mode. I think that'll just >> I don't know what that is helpful for. Basically, we have a central plant and you have to go around to all the things
and like it's literally like switch down is for summer, switch up is for winter. >> Yeah. >> And what Jack was saying it earlier like sometimes you have you've switched it over to winter but October or November has a really warm day but the system
still like I need to pump heat. You're like no. >> Then you just go to off. >> You go to off. There are sodas and water in the cooler, too. I didn't mention that. >> I was going to ask about that. The soda goes better with the potato juice. >> Yeah. So, I do have soda, water, and uh
it's too late for the orange juice, but that's in there, too. >> Which room am I going to? >> Uh the old water room across next. >> Executive session room. >> Yeah, that's it. >> All right. Have you guys been having fun in here?
>> Oh, yeah. Now you're in the >> We are. We've been going around. >> Oh, this is the cool >> round in circles. >> How's the wa How's the water reservoir, Bob? Is it need refilling? >> The ones that are private, >> they are. And uh the one closest the one
that's that's the bathroom. The one closest to the uh the main door is the men's room. >> The one on the right if you're looking at them both is Matt. There you go. >> Thank you very much. >> I know the secret bathrooms. >> Peter explained that to me.
>> I walked in once to the ladies room. I was pregnant. It was during CO that they took the the uh men's and women's off and uh it's caused it's caused issues. >> Maybe we should put the men's and ladies signs back even though it's consist that
causes some issues too. So >> who's coming down my way? >> Oh, is I supposed to still you guys still again? I'll never talk to a right now. >> We'll have our own strategy, Jack.
coastal and natural resources. >> Oh boy. >> Yeah. >> Good. Good. Yeah, I think we're making progress, too. Um, >> all right. I'm going to go down to that group.
>> So, um, >> yeah, >> postal natural resources. this one, >> etc., etc. >> I haven't been doing a very good job of that in the other room. >> You're doing a lot better than I am. >> Just filling in the chart. >> I think you're kind of taking notes a
little bit. >> Mike, they were asking for you down the other room. They're saying I thought he was going to roll. >> Yeah, that was the plan. And then I >> I thought that that was my plan to rotate. >> That's all right. That room has good momentum.
What number is this? Uh >> five. >> Five. >> Okay. >> So, coastal and natural resources has a number of goals in the uh current plan.
Find it here. Um okay. There are seven goals that have been articulated previously. Um,
develop a plan to prioritize and protect public infrastructure and inform private development. Um coastal resiliency specialists will evaluate the surf the surf drive adaptation pathways outline of coastal
resiliency planning for surf drive report and prepare recommendations. Okay. Um review, discuss and adopt coastal resiliency action plan on recommendation of the coastal resiliency committee. develop beach
improvements and a 10-year beach management plan. Uh prioritize for repairs to aging coastal structures such as docks, ramps, retaining structures. Prioritize, plan, manage needs of nonwaterways, coastal structures such as
parking areas, bridges, bikeways, trunk river, sewer, etc. And finally, explore a policy modeled after Chadam to require recurring beach nourishment to something >> approved structures like revetments and
uh any coastal structure. >> Okay. >> So just something I learned while I was working with the coastal resiliency action committee that we had formed. >> Okay. So any of these goals uh >> does the coastal action committee still
exist? >> No. No, you got a limited term. >> Well, it was respect to the report that Charlie McCarthy was uh Charlie McCaffry was the chair of, right? That report that was issued back in 2021 or 2022.
>> So, that was the misunderstanding I think on the charge because we already had two reports and we specifically named that committee the action committee because we didn't want another report. We wanted them
>> use the existing reports that we had and implement action in collaboration with the beach committee and the DPW. We wanted them to task themselves with some projects. But the instead did another report. So it was a misunderstanding. I
I just couldn't understand what happened. But and then we chose not to renew the committee because it wasn't working as intended. So then we went back to let the DPW do it. Let's hire a coastal resiliency specialist and put them in with the DPW and that will
create the actions that so we shouldn't really be keeping >> I mean >> the way this is worded I mean it's >> honestly all seven of these are to some degree >> antiquate >> out of date irrelevant >> okay >> that's that's what I was >> that's what I want to hear
>> and what happened next was we were in a kind of a holding pattern waiting to hire a coastal resiliency specialist which now we have >> that person is focusing I believe on town infrastructure first prioritizing right >> so um so the resiliency specialist is
currently look looking at um recommendations to implement the surf drive plan I think actually the next meeting you're going to hear that some of those recommendations >> right >> so and it it it some of it's focused on on infrastructure Doug to your points um
but I think it's a broader a broader approach as well um looking in implementing one or more of the recommendations or variations of the recommendations of the uh of the of the of the study, the feasibility study. >> Yeah, I guess I would say combining
NR2, maybe it's also NR3. Um but we need to um adopt and implement uh an adaptive management plan for surf
drive. Right. We've got >> is there an adaptive management plan existing that you can adopt? Well, but there's uh seems to be a bit of a consensus on between the resiliency committee and the D or the CZM coastal
zone management on what might be possible over there. >> There's this which >> there's a couple of different things right there. >> There's right which >> which together >> sets out decision pathways but then we've actually got a new report that's due that we're supposed to hear
in December. >> Yeah. the this near-term. Yes. And it talks about uh the feasibility and pract feasibility of um different um >> beach nourishment do nourishment um options >> and it talks about pathway pathways.
Heather, is that the correct term? In terms of, you know, managed retreats uh from from this coastal roadway surf drive >> um versus um >> which honestly is I'm trying to right the dynamic adaption adaptation pathways
that are in this initial study that we never formally adopted. Um but basically what this new report says is we've already hit one of those decision points >> and we're making that decision right where uh nourishment is no longer
feasible. We're facing loss of the road. We're going to need to >> we are at one of the forks in the decision pathway. >> What what about the recommendation of the committee with respect to the other parts of town that they addressed which have never been looked at? Right. Right.
I mean, all that's really been looked at is Surf Drive and the, you know, problems because that's the biggest and most immediate, but the the the group had recommendations with respect to other areas of town which have never really been looked at very closely. Am I
correct? >> Also, Resilient Resilient Woods Hole has looked at >> um has looked at the Woods Hole area specifically, right? And done that study. >> Yeah. That wasn't the I mean it was a town assisted and you guys have worked very well with them and they've made a point of mentioning that but I mean
there are other air manant and you know and and found heights and you know you know those areas are at risk as well but >> you know we're not really doing much with with respect to what the >> original group recommend. Am I not am I
correct? >> Well I mean I'm not putting you on the spot. We have an engineering design which calls for the creation of a couple of um structures to keep the beach sand on the
beach rather than drifting back into the channel. We're going to widen that channel to get more flushing in Bourne's pond. This is Manatan. >> Sorry, just >> this is at Manatan. >> Man. Yep. And so we were actually at odds with the coastal resiliency action
committee who recommended not putting any more structure anywhere pretty much ever. And so I had to speak at town meeting in favor of supporting the professional engineers design and keeping the ball moving which ended
up with the failure of the core of engineers to approve our plans that we never did rebuild the bridge. We haven't done the widening yet. It's been what 11 years and the costs are skyrocketing making the project in jeopardy now. >> Anyway, um it was just an
an argument on philosophy between some structure some in some places where I feel like it's needed versus just no structure anywhere. >> I mean I think this is what so this is the dynamic adaptation pathways for surf
drive that that report generated. We are here trying to do beach nourishment and restoration facing the fact that we're going to lose part of the road right but we never formally adopted this as our management plan so I think we need to make it a goal to for
surf drive where we've been doing these studies formally adopt our our management strategy our philosophy right this is this is the pathway this is how we're going to make decisions moving forward this is where we are in the plan and actually adopt that and then we need to develop it for all
>> 13 total areas right that >> and would identify included all those >> no this is only this is only surf drive >> yeah and >> the first coastal resiliency well crack their first report identified >> I guess my my point was that we've got
to look at the other parts of town as well and that needs to be part of our our goal you know and a and a measurable goal you know because there are problems Yeah. >> Well, I think that's develop >> throughout. Yeah. So, develop >> just what you said >> resilience plans, adaptation plans for
all 13 areas. Yeah. >> And then formally adopt and and begin implementing the plan. >> But I agree with you on the you know the need for that. But also more specifically on Surf Drive, we might have to have a limited time frame for
any say for instance we choose the nourishment the limited nourishment which is my feeling is keep the road both ways with limited nourishment and just say that this is life expectancy of this policy is a certain number of years maybe only 10 or 12 or whatever. That's
exactly what this adaptation pathways are. Right. You do you do what you're saying until it doesn't work anymore. And so, but this gives us that framework that we need to actually adopt. >> Exactly. So, adopting this this existing plan >> is is one.
>> So, retreat. So, >> which which I think is is actually the >> is kind of >> it's between two and three. >> NR2 and NR3, right? The board was hesitant to >> adopt this policy approach without
having our coastal resilience >> uh coordinator on staff on board. >> Exactly. >> And so we now have a coastal resilience coordinator. So we need to come back and actually review and adopt the surf drive resiliency plan. >> Okay. >> Exactly.
>> Is that a strategic goal? >> Right. >> No. >> Okay. So the strategic goal you need you yeah I'm hearing you need a coastal resiliency action plan for the entire town for the entire >> we do have a vulnerability >> we have an overall yeah and a
vulnerability what we need is actually 13 specific manage like >> um >> like what we have for surf drive we need it for all the >> prioritize those 13 areas >> that's true but event but we need a decision-making framework and plan for
each of the 13 areas >> is unique. >> That's going to take us Yeah, that's going to take us a while. >> Some areas may be just revert to natural process. >> Whatever. Right. They're all going to have different potentially different >> What are the 13 areas called? What do
you What do you refer 13 >> section? >> What do they call them? Coastal um >> neighborhoods. coastal coastal regions. The thing is we now also have the state
overlay uh that we need to evaluate. But um what do they call them? Haha. They just call them 13 sections. 13 sectors.
All right. 13 sectors identified in what are where what what what are they what what document are they identified? >> Coastal resiliency action plan. >> The >> yeah the 13 coastal uh sectors identified by the coastal
resiliency action committee. >> Okay. The one thing the committee did do in their report which was very important and shouldn't be overlooked is that they they didn't just replicate the previous
reports which focused mostly on um geologic and coastal systems but they they went into the public policy uh realm and gave direction to where the select board and planning board need to start leaning people towards
understanding and creating um like um what's that? Uh transfer of development rights if that has an implication. Maybe somebody who has a house in Woods Hole that's going to lose the property to uh flood zones. Maybe there's a place for them to go. Things yet we haven't yet
explored, but there's some p public policy implications that they did raise up that is new that is important that shouldn't be overlooked. So if that's put in that one for a second. So that plan that you that
committee report the action committee report right recommends that has identified these 13 areas and is recommending that there be a action plan developed for each of the
13 areas. >> Okay. >> And we basically started on one. >> Yeah. And we've done that. We've >> And you've done what? >> We've done the one the surf drive. >> Y more specifically a policy plan >> because not all of the recommendations are for action.
>> Okay. I hesitate to call it a management plan because further down here NR4 we have a beach management plan and that is a very >> specific uh regulatory term with the state and a very specific document that we need to
be updating this year and that's so making sure in whatever terminology we use what we're definitely getting at is is like long-term management plans but I don't want to screw up the the terminology there confusing.
>> So you want a management plan for each of the 13. >> Well, is it so is this accurate terminology? The coastal resiliency action plan. We have surf drive, right? >> And you're saying there's 13. >> So we need So we basically need a resiliency plan for each of the 13.
>> Yeah. Okay. So 12 addition >> remaining 12. Uh >> because you're right, the beach management plan is significant different than the resiliency action plan. Yeah. Right. >> Okay. So, you need this action plan for
each of the 13 areas. Um >> well, I think we we need to implement right basically well >> the one for surf drive or evaluate >> hesitant to >> to agree 100% with the recommendations
of the committee. So maybe evaluate and possibly implement or evaluate and consider implementing. >> So now we're talking about surf dry, right? Right. >> Well, I'm talking about the overall um tone of the document. >> We're not talk I mean we haven't talked
about adopting I think the overall crack report. It's simply one of those recommendations that we're taking on as a goal which is that each of the 13 areas needs a resiliency plan. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Right. Right. Okay. So, I want to make
sure we're clear on that. So, >> your each of those need a resiliency plan. Um, so your your strategic goal is to improve
uh coastal resiliency in in the town of of F. >> Address the threat. >> Address, right? What whatever. >> Assess and address. >> Assess and address whatever whatever that is. And one of your actions, one of your
milestones is um uh initiating a planning process, right? You're you really you're trying to initiate a process to develop these plans. >> I would say it's to prioritize the the the list. like we prioritized Surf Drive
first because it's closest to town and we felt like it was at great risk. We know Manant is at similar risk but it's less inhabited. >> Okay. >> And so even though there was a half a plan for Man because it involved our water improvement, water quality
improvement, the main objective with the Manant plan was to widen the inlet to increase flushing and improve the quality of the water there. But in a sense that also translated to a coastal resiliency project because it's involved
the structure of the groins and the management aspects of that beach. >> All right. So, so now we're talking about prioritizing these remaining 12 areas. Do we have do you have you feel like you have enough information to prioritize? >> No. We've been on hold and we've been
giving our coastal resiliency specialist time to get settled in and get a feel for >> we just filled that position not long ago. So So I think that's kind of the way to put him on the spot the first week >> of that coastal resiliency specialist, right? Um is is to assess the risks and threats and and then prioritize. I I
feel >> do you need the management plan before you can >> uh assess the priority is my question. No, I think the prioritization priorization >> because each of these >> at least for Surf Drive developing we're talking about developing 12 more
resiliency plans each of which is likely to take >> twoish years and who knows how long a million in grants. >> Yeah, it was yes. >> Right. So there like we're not going to do all 12 next year. >> Right. >> Okay. Surf drive was chosen because it
presented the the highest threat and right in and and most vulnerability. Right. But I just want to kind of >> strategic strategically thinking, you know, you have these 13 areas that need to be managed in some way.
>> Are you willing, do you think it's appropriate for it to take 26 years to have to end up to have 13 plans in place, you need to do it faster than that, right? So, that's what I'm
trying to get at is the time frame. Uh, when do you want to have your all 13 plans in in place realizing that they're going, you know, you you you might surf drive, you might be implementing
uh some of the recommendations before you get even the next management plan for the next area. >> We might sign off on that one at our next meeting. >> Well, that's what I'm saying. I think we got to, you know, there's there's two buckets here. There's Surf Drive, which is far along in the in the process, and
we're about ready to say, okay, this is direction that should go. And then the other 12 are, you know, the next the next task of Josh or, you know, and the board and, you know, I I mean, to your point, I mean, I don't think it's going
to, you know, like you said, some of them may require there's nothing we're going to do. We don't need to wait two years to be able to say, you know, prioritizing because >> like in Falmouth Heights Beach, we're not losing any sand.
>> So we could say within five years. I mean, I I think that's a measurable, you know. >> Yeah, I think we need >> a measurable goal. So within five years, we've, you know, reviewed, assessed, and and implemented any recommendations out
of the coastal action. >> True. We're probably really only going to take serious action on a few sections. >> That's right. And and the other ones >> be Chapoy and uh >> that west side. There might be something we can do over there some nourishment. >> I think we could do it in five years.
>> So I understand we don't to my knowledge we don't have we the only action plan that we have developed is the one that hasn't even been adopted yet and that is this >> um serve drive plan. Right. Right. Is that
that's the document you said that was never officially adopted. >> Yeah. My point is um you said within five years we don't um we don't have plans for the other 12 se sectors but >> we have the overall report right I mean the overall recommendation
>> we have the vulnerability assessment >> the vulnerability assessment >> we can go back and we can read the the latest report from the coastal resiliency action committee I mean because it's our most recent document and it's it's pretty thorough so that should be what we work from and we can look at the vulnerability assessment and
then we can develop a plan >> quantity and we could have uh our new coastal resiliency specialist come in here and say in our opinion this is where we see the priorities and then we can either agree or disagree. >> Okay. So so based upon that
vulnerability report assessment the coastal resiliency specialist will be able to prioritize the remaining 12 sectors. Yeah, I would say report but in five years the top three >> highest or most vulnerable sectors would be completed. I'm trying to we got 12
sectors to go >> realistically. Yeah. >> If they take a year or two, >> how long Yeah. How long has it taken you to get to the point you are right now with Surf Drive? >> Two years since since the beach committee took the initiative, >> right? So what makes you think it's going to take less than two years to do
the next one? >> Because as we said, some of them don't really need that. No, but >> but the one that does need action. There's going to be another one that needs action. At least one more. How makes you think >> whether or not it needs action doesn't determine how quickly the study happens. The study is to determine whether action
is >> what actions might be appropriate. >> Right. And so I I think you're right. It's going to take the same amount of time to even get through three in five years is going to require that we're doing some concurrently. >> Right. >> Um and
>> but those are done by consultants. So all we have to do is find the funding. >> We got to find the funding. So and there's um so I think maybe one of the whether it's a goal or a milestone for
this committee is to also develop um a resourcing plan right >> for this for this work. >> What about so resource are you going to do are you going to plug in any kind of community outreach into this planning process? >> Yes. That's part of the pro I mean so
for the surf drive plan to date >> um the uh the consultant that has done that Woodsole group is very good about building community engagement into their the planning processes that they run. >> So I don't think it's community engagement about
>> I don't think there's community engagement and this is my personal opinion for this board to do about developing coastal resiliency plans. I think it's community engagement as part of the resiliency planning. Does that make sense? >> It does. So I see the community
engagement piece which is important as a task right that that is up under. >> Yeah. >> To in my mind as I'm listening to the conversation we we have one great study surf drive that needs to be adopted. We use that as a model. We've got 12 remaining sectors that need to be
prioritized. So the coastal resiliency specialist is going to review the remaining 12 sectors and prioritize those based upon threat vulnerability right impact I don't know what the language um and you know within the next
five years um have action plans have action plans developed for three the top three highest priority of the remaining 12 sectors I'm not does that make sense trying to be realistic with the >> right and I think that that's different from what you said Bob you said five years get it all done.
>> Well, I mean, I was being a little optimistic because I don't think that much work, but then, you know, as we go forward and and and in two years when we develop a new plan, if we're making more progress, we can we we can change that goal, you know, to to and admittedly some of these are going to require less
effort than than others. Yeah. So, so knowing what you know now, you think it's feasible, it's achievable to at the end of five years have three more
reports like the surf drive one. >> Um, I thought what Bob was saying was that we would have it all mapped out in five years, not that we're going to have things complete. Oh, he's talking about getting a report getting three reports
or a report that addresses the top three priorities. >> But I think we want to address all all 12 of them. But I think we need to have a metric of, you know, at least three, let's say, that we can see to fruition within this 5-year period.
>> Plans to fruition, not implemented. Oh, >> I'd like to have implemented. Well, I mean, so the implement I I think there's a um >> the the surf drive plan, right? The result of that, like I
said, is um a decision-making framework. It's these pathways, right? So to say that we're implementing that simply means that we are >> keeping an eye on Surf Drive and where we are in this pathway and whether or not decisions need to be made or actions need to be taken. Right? implementation
doesn't necessarily mean we are starting a project right now >> that we're going to rip up the infrastructure and fully fully retreat. We're going to targeted nourishment and and and I just had a discussion consultant with with >> an old adage that says goes something
like this. The problem with planning is it oftenimes deteriorates into work. So when I mean you you you have this action plan and imple if implementing it doesn't mean doing actual work what does
it mean? But it does I mean for the surf drive plan that we currently have in place >> right now we're surf but when that plan was first produced a few years ago there was more of a question >> about where we were in there and we thought we might have five years to watch and wait before we start to take
this action and then it gets to another point. The whole point is that with coastal resilience, it's not it is an ongoing long-term process of coastal change and therefore it's not an onoff switch of like we're building a police
station, it will be done in 29 and that process will be over, right? It's going to be like >> we could >> make a really dramatic decision to immediately retreat in 2 years in accordance with what we're going to be facing in 50 years.
>> So given that >> but what we're choosing instead is an adaptive management plan. And so implementing is >> and it's also like playing football with the goalpost always moving because the >> the really controls what we can do with the coastal zone management and D and all
that. So when we had our study uh commissioned we didn't know what our options would be. Now that what we found out what the options are it changes our >> right >> parameters of what we're going to implement. I would say those those options have also changed and one reason
why I would say I think three in five years as opposed to six years or longer is realistic is because the state has just put in place is putting in place um both legislation and a number of new programs and funding
>> right that involves funding that they've gone through and characterized all of our coastal areas and are providing a lot more resources and options especially for towns like us that we happen to have coastline that falls into
two different regions. We have more coastline, >> okay, >> than any other town, right? So there's there's more options, more support um there than there was I think that's fair to say given that given that definition of implementation, then I I agree it's fair to say five you
can do three of them >> within five years, three more. So you'd have a total of four in fiscal 2031. >> That's probably a good guess, but it's all it is. >> But it is, you know, you know, you say
the state's controlling actually nature's is controlling the whole thing completely out of our hurricane next year. >> You know, it could change next year if we have a hund, you know, a major, you know, category five hurricane. >> Exactly. And they might just say no more funding. >> Yeah. And
>> right, I mean >> with adaptive management, that still means we're implementing the plan. It just means we're at a different phase. >> We're at a different place. >> If things change again, we'll come back next year and adjust our plan again like we do every year. >> This is like a budget. >> All right. So, however you want to, however you want
to, I'll put some some language together about what the actual strategic goal is, but however you want to define the goal, one of the milestones is adopting the the uh the surf >> y
>> point plan. Yep. But I think the overall the overall focus goal or priority is I think as Doug said at the very beginning assess and address the threat to you know our our coastal resources. That's the overarching
uh >> that's right >> we want to accomplish right. >> That's perfect. And so we we assess and address right and one of the milestones is is adopting this plan. It's not so much adopting as choosing the path forward from the plan. They give us a
variety of choices. Abandon the road. >> No, those are the those are the choices that we face it like adopting the plan in my mind means adopting that framework and then we and then when we get to those different decision points, we will be making decisions within that >> framework. I think adopt is a more
definitive item for us, >> right? But we still have to choose. Do we want to keep part of adopting I mean yeah we're going to go through >> if we eliminate the road we can do more nourishment >> and or if we keep the road we do limited nourishment and
>> right but that that decision making >> confronting that specific decision is part of implementing an adaptive management plan >> right and if you haven't first we need to adopt the framework >> if you haven't adopted the framework then you can't you're never going to get >> well I thought we did adopt the framework and that's why they gave us the choices
>> we never actually adopted that framework or like kind of accepted the reporter adopted that framework but mother nature put us at the point where we have to make the decision. >> So there there's milestone one. Milestone two is >> uh develop uh uh three more within
within five years. >> Well when they presented the report to the select board >> you would have then your acknowledge and thank them and knew that we had to come back and make a decision. >> I don't know who was on I wasn't on the board when it was presented. You were. >> Yeah. Well, maybe we need to maybe the
select board actually needs to take some some action on that at, you know, at a future. >> We were just waiting for the cultural resiliency specialist to come in and give us his two cents to say I agree with, you know, I think we were all waiting ready to make a decision, but
yet respectfully hesitant and I think that's the only thing. >> All right. So I think but now that Josh is on the, you know, on on staff, we we should probably hear what he has to say and formally adopt. >> Yeah. >> I just want to be Yeah. So I want to be clear. You're going to hear on December
1st his recommendation off of the surf feasibility, right? Very specific, right? He's going to come with recommendations and I'll give you a sneak preview. It's like a targeted, right? Because Heather's right there. There's a p decision pathway. if this then that you know based on current
situation targeted nourishment um is going to be I think the recommendation you're going to hear um you know the other options are partial retreat full retreat um I guess to be clear though I want to make sure that um what Josh is going the coastal resiliency action plan
um is not specific to Surf Drive Surf Drive has its own yeah >> completed resiliency action plan Right. >> Right. >> I wasn't I wasn't around when that when when the uh when the committee was putting these plans together. So, I'm
just trying to get a better understanding of kind of the >> the hierarchy of the reports. >> It's a nomenclature thing, too. I think as as actually, you know, what we're talking about plan. >> Yep. So, so you got enough for the bas was more of a report.
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> As opposed to a plan. >> That's I was just looking at the front of it. Yeah. It calls it a report, not a plan. does have a number of recommendations, but it's not >> all right. Anything else on this uh list that we we need to wrap up? >> That's the bottom line. I mean, honestly, I think and I think that's a
really good >> Yeah. >> You know, thing to focus on >> NR4 um Mike, do you feel that to some extent the update the 10-year beach management plan >> uh feels more like a task? I mean, it's
required by the state that we update this thing. we're in the process of doing it, but does is it helpful to still have that as a goal in there? >> Um, again, so I don't I think it fits up under a broader goal. Um, I I I think this is more of a um of a of a of an
objective or task. We were having this discussion in some of the other groups. Um, I I don't think it I don't think it um hits the level of a of a of a broad-based goal right now in my mind. >> Okay. >> So, what is the broad-based goal? that
that fits under. What is your What is your strategy? You're It's the strategy of the town of Felmouth to um what >> assess and address the threats of sea
level rise. And >> I I would just I wouldn't even say I would just say assess and address the threats to our coastal resources, the town's coastal resources. just, >> you know, it could be sea level, it could just be climate change, it could
be any number of, you know, >> Heather knows the right size, but I agree with you, but so maybe we I don't think we necessarily need to specify what those threats are. Beach management plan in my mind is a little bit different than
the the adaptive management those resiliency plans in that what the management plan actually gives us is not anything procriptive. It is what are the tools that we have available to us. What are the things
that we are allowed and able and willing to do on our beaches? >> And it's statemandated >> and it's statemanded and it's approved by the state, right? It's like in these areas you can do these things. It does not commit us to doing those things. It doesn't say you should or that you must. And so in my mind the goal there is
almost more of a ensuring um uh the that we have the greatest diversity of tools available to us to manage these these threats. Right. This this beach
management plan says these are all the things that you can and are able to do. >> You you but you you're talking about a beach. I think we've we've put the coastal resiliency thing to bed. I've got enough to work on. And now we're talking about beach improvements,
10-year beach management plan. >> That is not necessarily the same thing as coastal resiliency. That's >> so the beach management plan, I think, is linked to coastal resiliency as well as to improvements. >> Okay. Again, it's it's what set and Mike, jump in here if you have a
different understanding, but but the way Josh and who was the other person that came to the beach committee to talk about this, it basically is it's our toolbox. >> It is the toolbox we have available to us based on agreement between us and the
the state. >> But you want to you you want to you want to basically improve the utility of the beaches. Yeah, like we want to keep them. >> Yeah, you want Right. You want to maintain. >> So, I guess I would say develop beach
improvements >> and like NR5, six, and seven to me are a different thing than the beach management plan, which again is this just kind of it is a statemandated document that we have to have that says these are all the different things
you're allowed to do on these beaches. >> Yeah. And cultural resiliency doesn't just pay attention to the town owned beaches. it pays attention to the whole coast and all the homes that are along it. >> The other part of this that's not the coastal resilience is
uh the goal is to ensure a or to provide a worldclass beach experience for residents and visitors. And the milestones under that are making sure that we have parking lots and bridges
and ramps and whatevers that are not only not crumbling, but that we are really >> and grooming and nourishing. >> You're saying there's a second a second >> a second goal. And I feel like in that kind of it it's it's wrapping up a lot of the things from
>> second, right? That it's about >> say that again. I like tying it into that whole experience. >> Worldclass beach experience for residents and visitors. >> Exactly. That's very well said. >> And to do that, we're going to need all of this capital planning and stuff. >> Okay.
>> All right. So, >> that's a good call. >> That's your strate. So, you So, I think we've gotten made great progress here. We we've we really defined two overarching strategic goals, >> but at the end of the day, we've really
thrown out what's what was in the strategic >> what's in there, but but we're going to incorporate some of these in as >> No, I understand we're not going to throw it out completely, but effectively we we're we're on the way to >> going where this one in particular, I
think you've done a really good job of moving away from uh the tasks to the strategy. Yeah. >> Right. >> Um, you know, and so I've got I've got I've got I think I've got enough to work with you. >> Yeah. No, I think this was very good.
>> I think that for this one that's it >> unless which was your next uh time to all come together and agree on what we just >> now we have to call come together and hear everybody's report. >> If you don't mind that would be great. 45 minutes
and um >> coffee was not as great as I thought it was. >> I think the homework for next I just had too much coffee. >> Think about what we talked about. Think about any anything you want to add. Um and you know we can
>> offer new goals offer any new goals. Um, >> are you going to be able to turn this back around relatively because when we December 6 we made again this >> at least in a you know a fairly rough draft for >> be helpful for them to see that.
>> Yeah. >> Um yeah, maybe that's what I'm going to be doing Thanksgiving. We don't have a lot of time doing >> that's okay. >> Just make sure I have that. That's >> even if it's a rough outline. December
6th, right? That's our next uh time. >> December 6th. Yeah. Yeah. Try to get you that by, you know, at least at least 3 or 4 days before um I hate this. >> All righty. >> Where are we starting?
>> Oh, nothing. I'm just trying to put my notes together in some kind of hearing. >> In England, they call them passenger carrier. So that's what we're getting. You get that passenger carrier. carrier. >> Not getting a minivan.
>> Not. >> You're getting a minivan. >> Getting a passenger carrier. >> Call it what you like. See what it looks like. >> When our kids were first that age, we at the cutting edge of minivans. Embarrassed to see.
>> Dodge Caravan. That's >> Dodge Caravan, you know, panel. >> Yeah. >> They're the best. I know. >> I mean, you could just go full VW ID Buzz. >> I could. >> I so want one of those.
>> We We have one electric. We want >> That's why I don't have one. >> We have one full electric and we just want to diversify for the time being until >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Right. >> So, >> bring us bring us home.
>> 45 minutes left. >> I am willing to go longer. um >> I've got a kind of a hard stop at one. I've got a commitment in hyenas by around two. So >> So um there were six uh discussions. Uh
so if we do five minutes on each one will be 30 minutes. Let's try to aim for that. That'll give us few few minutes for uh so I I think I want to start with the last the last round first. We'll go
we'll go in this order. Um let's start with the management of coastal natural resources uh group talk about >> oh we didn't choose anybody. >> We didn't choose anybody but I don't know if you want to talk.
Well, I think we u you know we started with the uh the overall uh goal to be to assess and address the threat to you know our coastal resources. Uh and from that we basically developed uh I think
two very specific um action items. uh one dealing with uh with the climate action report that was put together back in 2021 or 2022
uh and working off that the u the the surf drive report in particular surf drive plan uh and then uh and then secondarily uh we were talking about the um Heather help me here the beach management and
and and um >> well let's start with the bigger improvements bigger overall goal that we agreed that we need to address the 13 >> areas that have been identified in the report and we need to come up with an action plan >> and prioritize a few of the sections
that we feel are most important and have that those reports ready within a few years and five years we should have the whole uh thing basically laid out as a road map what we're going to do on coastal resiliency I think that's
>> the bigger Well, yeah. To uh to try and look at all of the remaining 12 neighborhoods that were identified in the report and prioritize within that report the the the ones that are most, you know, imminently
problematic. Maybe that's three neighborhoods. Uh and then try to deal with them within a five-year period of time. I think that's where we I think that's where we kind of landed. And then but we also talked about beach improvement and and and why don't you talk you
>> our second goal um provide world-class beach experience for residents and visitors. We didn't get very far into what the milestones for that would be, but broadly uh incorporating a lot of the uh kind of capital planning um and
some of the other goals that were were already in that um section around um planning for infrastructure. Uh, I'm improvising here, but I think things like >> parking lot areas, >> parking lot areas, I think are things like our food trucks and and those sorts
of things would all end up being under that worldass beach experience. >> And I think that that makes the point that we kind of separated out the beach management plan. Even though it's under the umbrella of coastal resiliency, it's a separate management plan. that's kind
of got its own aspects rather than just the broader coastal resiliency threat, >> you know, and I think over the past, you know, year or two that I've been on the select board, I think we've kind of lost focus on really the coast and and what
we need to do there to because we've been dealing with all of these other issues and housing and, you know, wastewater and and and all of that. I think we need to refocus ourselves on this existential threat to the to the town which you know for for the people
who live in the neighborhoods as well as for the people who are coming here you know for the experience of Falmouth. So I think it's really important that we you know grasp that >> but now we have the expertise specialist on board right that we filled that position. Unfortunately, I don't
think we're going to be able to fund the majority of the work that needs to be done, but it's good to at least know what's out there and try to make our way forward as best >> the state has, you know, has some at least it's looking like the state, at least at this point, has money available
and make ready to accept that because if we don't, we won't get any. >> Well, we've got, you know, we've got a couple of good representatives and a state senator that are going to help us do that. Right, Jack? >> Right. But but there are steps that we need to take and like we have started to
but when you know a few years ago we didn't even have the uh vulnerability assessment we didn't have the >> the basic footprint to accept those funds >> and now at least we're in better position like that. >> So I think this this group did a really good job. Uh the intent of strategic
planning is here. You took a list of a laundry list of items that you want to accomplish and you translated that in into two overarching strategic goals. And then we'll what we're going to do is
take that and put together the milestones based on what's in your existing report and you'll be able to look at that next time. >> Okay. >> Okay. But that that's exactly that was exactly the assignment and and you did
well. >> Interesting. I was not in that one. >> So let's derail it every time. >> So let's talk about water, water conservation, wastewater and solid waste
management. That's a long long goal. No. Um it was very interesting high level thought how the two different groups uh operated and uh it was interesting. So we actually reviewed each task to determine the completedness or appropriateness of each one. There were
some that we clearly nixed. There was a bunch that we just cut out because they were not applicable or part of something else. Um I think similar to what you all did where you were able to roll them up to two highle things. I think that's the overall need which is the overall goals
were not necessarily clear but that they needed to be improved and broadened so that we can frame it a little bit better the under the bigger thing that we're trying to attack that is measurable with a scale but many of the things in there um broke down into separate goals which is uh improving quality of our inland
ponds of our coastal ponds and to protect our water quality of soul source aquifer andor surface water supply and so from that a lot of these tasks flow into that because it is the uh CWMP, the discharge methods, those other things.
Those are we we felt kind of like the other activities. They were tasks and milestones that add into a bigger overall goal. We just need to better clearly define what the goal is. And we talked both in terms of waste water, but also portable drinking water
and the the different water sources >> and storm water. >> And we didn't water. didn't add them for the sake of time, but there are very definitive scientific numbers, measures that we can add for the for the goals for the for the tools portion. >> Yeah. So, as we think about that that dashboard, we can use those specific
measurable things to see where we are in terms of the success or if attention is needed on somewhere because we see that let's just say nitrogen increases in said pond or whatever. Well, we know we need to invest in here to nudge it back
down into the safe realm. So, Any questions from the people who didn't? I should have done this the first time. Any questions? What are the goals? >> That's just one goal. >> No, those three >> three. Improve quality of inland ponds, improve quality of coastal ponds. Um, we
need the measurements and the dates, you know, to make it truly smart. But >> all these things kind of rolled up into that. Improve quality of inland ponds, improve quality of coastal ponds, and protect our water quality of our soul source aquafer. surface water supply and storm water go
there somewhere. >> Storm water's in there for all of those. >> Yeah. I mean that storm water kind of goes through all all of those impacts. >> The line up on that one was I think we started with I think 14 or 15 goals, right? >> Yeah. And so we kind of struck certain
goals that we felt that were no longer relevant or were really subservient goals that we just mentioned by your fellow members. So the idea was you know what is trying to be accomplished in this category. It's all about water
quality in one way shape or form and you know Felmouth has this distinction because of the geology of the area of ponds and coastal ponds. Um so make sure to maintain that distinction between these different things.
Um so it really was to reorient this category to the broader charge of improving water quality as a general proposition. you know, kind of those distinctions you just mentioned. And then it makes sense that you're going to
have a storm which is subservient storm water management planity. >> And then we got to the very end and number 15 was suddenly a very smart goal where it was like develop water conservation programs designed to reduce water consumption by 10% by FY27. And
we're like wow where did that come from? Awesome. So that can lead by example of where we need to get to for the overarching goals. >> So you really just define the the main goal but then the items remain the same. >> The three goals but we need to work on the words
>> to work on the milestones within each of the broader goals. Right. some of those some of the items that are currently listed as a whole make >> well I'm hoping that we can come to consensus on my suggestion that we end
the use of potable water for irrigation systems >> that's a big political challenge >> but I think there needs to be a sunset on using this valuable resource for watering your line don't disagree with
That's just one action item I think those big three right in water quality protect water quality >> um or assure um clean actually we missed there was another goal in there wasn't a separate goal to assure
clean water supply what was that goal >> yes >> yeah I think sustainability long-term water >> ensure continuous supply of >> bringing water and adequate water Right. And that's that's where the spring that's where your regulation would go.
>> We need to face up to the D limit on how much we can extract every day because we're continuing to develop housing and so forth. >> Certainly. That would certainly >> Right. So it fits under that goal you just mentioned could also cut across a bunch of like several roles. So
>> or several milestones. Well, there was a goal of reducing consumption by 10%. >> Yeah. But I'm just saying >> which again that probably folds under that >> that's a subservient goal >> category the issue in this category was identify what you know what exactly is
trying to be achieved and then identify what are milestones versus achievements. Okay. >> So if you have improving water quality and so forth um one of the milestones may be what you're talking >> I'm trying to conserve. That's
>> Yeah, I think I think I I I I don't think I don't think this is too far out out of the realm of possibility, but I think if you were successful in getting all of irrigation off of your town water system, you would reduce you would reduce your water consumption by
>> a lot more than 10%, right? >> And it's a big political challenge. I think it's something we need to do early and tell people it's a threeyear sunset, you know, something like that. Um >> so noted I got it. I'll let you know >> an observation and one concern. Um I'll
just say and this is true in the groups that I was in. Um the level at which we were setting goals changed dramatically over the course of the morning. Um so our later goals are far more high level and the milestones that are under them are more equivalent to what we were setting as goals in our first session.
So I'll be interested to see how that >> comes out in the draft. Um, my concern with this one in particular, I'm actually really glad to hear that it was that this pillar was narrowed really to focus in on water supply and and uh
environmental water quality because I've always felt this pillar was way too broad. But I I am concerned that we don't have solid waste represented here if we don't have solid waste represented anywhere. >> Um, so >> okay,
>> this is all about water though. problem. >> So I don't know if solid waste goes under sustainability which has been focused more on just energy. >> We were talking about solid wast we have some really big solid waste issues that we need to be dealing with and it's I think a >> an important part of
>> resource management and sustainability moving forward. So I would hate to not have celebration. >> One of the the group be you know here did discuss you know the swack and and the importance of composting recycling and >> under sustainability we did
>> that's a good point for we'll put some notes together >> and if you don't have anything new just use the old stuff right >> yeah everything um well let's hear from the other goods and at the end I'll kind of summarize. So the next one would be
uh organizational effectiveness which was uh you had that group. I don't >> Doug I don't think that's what we did. >> Oh no >> we did the community involved
engagement. >> That was me and Heather and uh >> me Jack and Peter. you want to throw on that? >> Sure. Um, so again the the goals that we
ended up with are again at at kind of a range of levels. Um, uh, we condensed a few of the the first inherited goals into uh one high level goal to improve strategic alignment. I
don't have the right wording. um to >> improve alignment >> improve an alignment of committee activities to the strategic plan um to uh and under that to develop a communication plan to work with our committees over the next few years to ensure that there's really good
understanding of select board priorities and how we should be interacting um with uh those advisory committees and and vice versa. Um and then the other uh two
goals uh that we had uh one to conduct a DEI audit uh and develop a DEI plan um with the end goal of of having that uh done by FY27
and then another goal to uh provide DEIB training for management team and subsequently all employees. um uh with the goal of having the management or milestone of the management training completed in FY26 and all staff in FY27
and um as a final follow-up milestone in in that process um determining a uh a schedule for ongoing or recurring training to happen. Was there any discussion? Did >> I miss? >> No.
This one could you see it next will be dramatically shorter. We ended up striking several items that and then there were several that >> we started with 15 goals. So >> yeah. And I think we're down to three because many of them were completed or it was noted that a couple of them were
covered in the finance category. So there was redundancy. So we said look that's already been covered and discussed in other categories. So, >> is there a goal of um I wonder if you touched on us responding to recommendations from committees and tracking the implementation of the
recommendations because that's something we've received some >> there was a general goal that was improve alignment committee's actions with strategic plan >> that's getting them in line but what about getting us in line when they give us both add you might want to add that
as a a milestone or must make some kind of a reporting move for select, >> right? >> Share the selection, >> track our success at implementing their recommendations because >> that's something we get kind of some feedback sometimes that committees recommend stuff and it doesn't happen
even though we seem to be supportive, >> right? >> So, I need to I think we need to do a better job of either saying yes, we like your idea and then supporting it or if we don't like the idea, just tell them. So I mean that's interesting because I actually hear potentially a third I
guess fourth goal there >> which is around improving the select boards effectiveness >> right >> in actually >> following following through on not only committee recommendations but on kind of our stated goals right because
>> because what I often hear from committees is they feel like they're making recommendations but they're kind of coming out of the blue and they don't necessarily align with what we're thinking about strategically. So, they kind of understand that they don't get moved forward. So, if we improve that alignment, that feels like one step of that, but there's another part of that I
feel like I'm hearing that's that's we just need to do a better job. >> Sometimes they give us the reports and their recommendations and we nod and say, "Okay, and then we move on." And so, I think we need to do sometimes a better job of making taking notes of what they're recommending and following
up and putting it on our agenda and either voting yes or no. And if it's no, we got to tell them why. >> Good. because I just had the affordable housing committee just sent in a recommendation that they've been working on. I've been working with them on getting they just filed it. So I think hopefully this will serve as an example of vote on it soon and then um kind of
I'll speak to that when that comes up but as a path of this committee's been working on it uh talked with Heather when she was leazison and then me when I was leazison we worked on it tweaked on it and then I'll go before the board kind of as a roadmap of implementing or at least discussing like you mentioned because sometimes we won't go with the
recommendations policies. This is kind of flows into what we were talking about when we were dealing with the community engagement portion of this priority area. There's a lot of overlap between the two and this is just as much a community engagement issue as it is an
organizational effectiveness. >> Before do we want to nail that sentence down though because I think that is important kind of what Doug said as a fourth goal. >> I don't know if someone was ready. >> Yeah. Just to follow up uh you know follow up on the recommendations of
committees and boards by select board uh acceptance and if if we either accept or don't accept. I don't want to be too confusing. I think I said it better earlier and I forgot exactly what I said but >> I think what you said was fine. Just remove that last. >> So is it is it essentially take action
on recommendations received from appointed committee boards and committees? >> Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Improve follow through or improve response time. >> Because I don't think it's a communication thing at all. I think it's just actually doing or saying we're not doing this thing. >> Yeah. Sometimes I think that's where we
>> we drop the ball a little bit because we get a committee report and they'll say at the end of it we hope that you'll do this going forward and then there's a little disconnect there because we might not be taking notes or >> move on to the next thing. >> Move on to the next >> but the way I've captured it is clumsy
will be improved. Follow up on committee, select board, follow up on committee and board requests and recommendations. The milestone, for lack of a better term, would be provide specific feedback and closure. >> Right. That sounds good. >> Yeah. >> And I'm just doing FY27.
>> Yeah. >> I mean, it really is. >> Can you do feedback parenthesis or vote? Like if they literally give us something to vote on, I think that that should be >> Well, I did closure as a general term because closure could mean a lot of different things, >> right? Could mean follow up. It could mean, you know, somebody could propose
something and say, "Well, we want to consider it and >> maybe you should put that back out or whatever." >> Yeah. Some things may not be ready for the prime time. >> You may want Yeah. Right. You may want to vote longer forum on that issue. >> You don't want to substitute.
>> Okay. >> Um Okay. Community engagement. >> We had a high level discussion about the complexity and interrelatedness of all the topics here. Some of it went into uh organizational effectiveness and then we quickly moved it out. But the
organizational stuff that we did touch on were the um practices to simplify systems and practices to simplify and streamline access to town services and information. Um many of these things kind of crossed over into organizational
effectiveness. But talking about just community engagement, we kind of went into two branches of the arm of two branches within that which is there's a public participation part and then there's a community engagement and community relations part. Um the public
participation part was and again all of the tasks that were in here didn't achieve a why. It was just a a nice it was a it was a milestone or a task. So for instance, reinstitute annual potluck social. Okay, that's nice, but like what
is the goal for doing that and what you know how does it start, you know, tying back up to bigger things. So I think what we were trying to really focus or what we did focus our discussion on is that we do need at the next time to come up with a highle statement for community
engagement of select board and town management members um to determine what we want to achieve and why. So we want an example is increase community engagement because participatory government is important for the fill in the blank
>> town meeting form >> meeting form government. Um, and in that we wanted to add in goals of ways to share views, questions, comments, and concerns as a way to build trust, but also to close that communication loop that we just talked about before, which
is often times someone sends something and we, you know, lack of time, lack of protocol, lack of whatever, there's never a follow-up or when a committee says, "Hey, we recommend this." And we don't actually follow up. So >> and the why to why we do the committee community engagement is because the
engaged electorate is essential to this form of government. >> Absolutely. And then we also talked about um the community relations but also the community the participation aspect which is we have an overall goal to reduce the board and committee
vacancies because we want more people to participate. How do we do that? Well, we can do that with our um civic uh academy that's coming up. >> Um and then we can also do that by way of becoming more immersed within the
community. So, we talked about um formalizing liaison to village associations or cultural organizations, increasing our presence in either social media or >> you know some other way. >> Uh communicate. Yeah. schools. Uh
>> FCTV >> FCTV communication protocols to answer. We touched on that. And then another goal is to maintain and increase the number of engagement events. So from what we already do, you know, there was seven of them and well five of them I
wrote which are annual potluck, community forums, town pride day, persons with disabilities day, junth on top of everything else. So um what did I miss from the people? I think you covered it. I think you know a lot of >> the website I think you said you touched
on the website. We we did talk about the fact that we need to overhaul the website. We're in a contract that's going to expire at some point and we need to really >> do another >> We got some interesting feedback on our website. >> What did you get? >> Thinks I think it's pretty good.
>> But he thinks it's great. He thinks it's one of the better ones around. >> Really? >> Pretty bad. There are there are there are ways it's good to hear outside perspectives and and hear positive feedback. So >> interesting. >> Colin, I'm not sure the best would have framed this, but we also discussed
briefly the how a lot of our engagement, community engagement is reactionary to a specific events, right? Um >> ball fields, um you know, uh police facil rather than uh proactively um engaging in soliciting two-way communication.
>> I didn't really think about that. That's tough. That's also just the nature of people, >> especially in Massachusetts. Like that is just kind of how things go. >> But whatever ways we can be proactive >> and the police station, I I mean some of it like the the the baseball fields is
an example of reactionary, right? I mean, we discovered a crisis and of course we're going to have to do community engagement. But the police station in fairness, I mean that started with us just initiating community engagement. We didn't that was that was proactive. Yeah. >> And it was very effective. a very specific um uh
>> project >> project topic. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And we actually sought public engagement like our first couple of meetings honestly if you guys hadn't had the concerns about the watershed and we all agreed we probably would have just voted that site. >> Yeah. >> And then the people would be saying what
were they thinking? But because of our system and what we did and we held off Bob wisely said let's take that go to another meeting >> and we went to the senior center and I said I don't see any activists. Nobody's here complaining. They sure came out quickly after that.
>> So, um, uh, it's interesting. I don't think I fully realized that we were getting only the organizational effectiveness half of what's been a combined pillar. Um there's definitely a lot of overlap, but
one thing I'm that's interesting is that the staff uh barbecue ended up in community engagement. I don't see that as community engagement. And I know one thing that you're really pushing on and I I wonder if we want to consider as an
additional goal is around really stepping up. Um not that it hasn't always been part of what the town did. This is why I'm I question whether it's needs a strategic plan uh goal but is really around employee
um recognition and satisfaction. >> Yeah. So I think that's under the organizational effectiveness retention. >> Right. And so that wasn't under I was in the organizational effectiveness one but the community the the potluck ended up in the community engagement not the
organizational effectiveness. And so we didn't end up talking about that. it. But I think it should be >> that's fine. I just it it was interesting to hear it that way and I think there is potentially something there around continuing to improve staff morale. >> You got your employee of the month or
the employee of the quarter the new program next year >> and that's a measurable thing which you can say we want to maintain or improve employee morale whatever it is. So if it's already high, we want to maintain it. And you can measure employee morale with various, you know, surveys. But um
something I do want to go back to what um Doug reminded me of, and I I kind of got it lost in organizational effectiveness, but we did spend an amount a good amount of time talking about access to services to make things easier. So developing
systems and practices to simplify and streamline access to town services in information. And then we put in the smart goals, but we were talking about all municipals, all municipal services should be online, aka like permitting, stickers, paying bills, and making it
easier, right? We talked about functionality of online access to information. So, we kind of touched on that. We also talked about hybrid meetings and the techn like starting to get that into the planning process so that we can be more inclusive of whether
people are remote or not. But also we talked about um uh access to broadband for FCTV so that or to fiber so that they can have a bigger channel. Right. >> Well, that could that's what would facilitate the hybrid meeting. >> Yep. And then we talked about the need
for a community calendar. Um and that's kind of bridging the social with the all the different town activities that we have and then the civic academy. So I just wanted to make sure we touched on those. on a lot of >> we need to move on because you >> Well, I do I mean as close to one as I
as we can get out of here. That's that's my problem. >> Only takes 30 minutes to get to hyd narrowed public safety down to be pretty >> we did a good job. >> Pretty tight, right? >> Go ahead. >> All right. Let me >> We're going to keep you safe. Do you
have the exact language written or should we have Phil read it? Construct a police station based on the feasibility study. Uh construct a police station at 100 Brick Kiln Road based on the feasibility study with milestones to
include um uh public outreach and securing funding. Um let's see. Uh develop and adopt a long-term police services plan. Uh that
is a um kind of a continuation of the staffing study that was conducted um as over the the past several months to really develop that into something that is um adopted by the select board and um we would then be looking at developing
resourcing plans and that sort of thing. So, it's not just staff numbers, but talking about prioritizing different services, K9, Marine, traffic enforcement. Um, and also as part of that, again, having community engagement to ensure that our whole community is is on board with the direction that we're
taking our police station. sort of a a continuation of the outreach for the police station construction, but now with uh looking at the staffing model and getting the public on board with what the resources are going to be required to expand that power
>> and then the really biggie uh well kind of uh you know that might warrant and do you want to read the exact language that you have >> refers >> and on that note We did decide to >> fire station. >> Yeah, I'll get fire station. Just one
just want to say we collectively felt that striking um the goals that are currently there around um health and human services and specifically um opioid epidemic services. That that was very appropriate as a strategic plan
goal when things were in a crisis mode. And at this point it's um kind of status quo um activities. And so we we struck those um from that >> because we feel like the systems are in place now that work is done. It's not really a strategic goal any longer.
>> It's just that it's an ongoing uh >> it's important. It's ongoing. Right. >> Yeah. Sorry. >> On the fire station issue was continue six fire station model while examining feasibility of combined north and west.
So the goal has been altered slightly and the milestones are consultant should recognition you might need you're going to need some consultancy for that um update service map and and there may be other update items for the consultant but but the general ones were update
service map update response map uh perform financial analysis review and update operational effectiveness six fire station public engagement Once that report is complete, the idea is that you
know you're in a process and you're going to hire some expertise and there was discussion about whether that should be done internally or externally. I think the general thought was having an external uh voice or external services for that makes more sense on a couple of levels.
First of all, um if you have if you're making changes to your life safety, the way in which you're providing life safety services, having expertise, um in the event that you have some kind of what you're getting, you've got a record that
you sought expertise, you hired outside expertise. So, some defensibility for that on that end of it, but also sometimes a disin disinterested voice speaking to the community can carry a
little more weight than an interest. U so there's some benefit >> and if I could clarify I mean I was on the board when we changed these languages in the strategic plan and it was my understanding that we were
continuing to look at the com combination of the uh west and north stations while we maintained the six station model until such time as we decided that it was time to build that new combined station. And I re I regret
that the way the language was written that wasn't clear. So now hopefully this language makes it more clear that the combined station is likely the best outcome. But we need the data to show us that the response times, >> you know, taking into account the
Hatchville station. Now if we do a northwest station, where's that four fourm minutee catchment area in all areas of town? Is it the most effective to have that combined station or are the locations we have more effective? Maybe then we realize we want to keep that six
station. But based on Mr. Ranchaw's analysis by the engineer, how much money it's going to take to get that West Falma station to be able to house a a fire truck, the expense involved, the fact that it's still a station that only
houses two people might not be the best value for our money and might not be providing the best service to people in in that neighborhood in the end. So I think that this big study to figure it out >> along those lines. Um the big change in
that wording was removing the word commit. >> Yes. >> And um because that word obviously can carry lots of different and it might have been written originally as to continue. >> Um but I think from what we could g what
I could gather and others could gather is this commit has taken on a little bit of a life of its own. So this allows you this wording and this the way this is worded allows you to kind of push back away from and park that concept somewhere else and get back
to the original intent which was to continue the six model until we were ready based on >> correct that sounds good for everybody. >> Yeah.
>> Okay. >> Much clearer direction. Yeah. Yeah. >> Fine. Financial uh and economic stability as well as >> financial economics. >> Yes. And sustainability.
>> Um >> who who' you put in charge of that? >> You put Jack on there. This guy spends like money like it's going out of stock. >> I was I'd say I was the most hawkish. I actually don't think I allocated an additional single dollar. >> What? Next next meeting is when we add
the the items he turns 23 essentially where that group ended we don't have much time I'll try to summarize real quick was that next time we need to really address that because it's not there was really the goals that
were there the the actual goals that were there aren't sufficient but there's a lot of economy um on the other list of goals, the uh the ongoing goals. So next time we're going to focus on those
two areas in terms of creating a couple of strategic goals each. But go ahead. In addition that we talk about economic uh development or like the the bifurcation of financial stability versus economic development
>> spend all the money >> and financial financial stability was very simple just keep our AAA rating that was you know and how we get there >> was by the munis program >> right
>> and and manage manage debt obligations >> we really need to flesh out those milestones. >> But the decision, >> the recommendation was to separate out those two. >> Yeah. >> And have an eighth in effect, right? I mean, we're going to have um economic
stability or economic prosperity, however you want to phrase that separate separate area, right? >> The goals are completely different. >> So, yeah, I'm I'm interested. So, we in our discussions and I just want to clarify whether this is a change in the structure of the plan itself. We the
community engagement and organizational effectiveness were split apart. But then what I'm hearing here is that two were combined. There's the financial and then also >> they are currently combined arguing for the opposite. >> They're currently combined as one priority area and we recommending
>> that economic and uh and financial are really two distinct operations. Yeah. >> Updated October 2024. Energy and sustainability is a pillar separate from financial and economic stability. >> No, no, no. We're talking about financial and >> we haven't talked about energy yet. Financial stability. That's what I'm
asking about. You're if is if those two somehow got combined. >> Our group our group just talked about those. We talked dividing economic and and financial. That's what we were talking about. >> Sorry. Okay. And then energy and sustainability remain separate >> but also talked about solid waste maybe
coming out under sustainability. Yeah, >> focusing more on the the measurable, you know, things such as recycling, composting sites and things like that >> because we felt that this one was the most uh dependent on outside actors like
the state and the federal government. Um so really we tried to focus on uh what our goals we can have that we can actually achieve. uh because there was one on renewable energy that we felt was uh put way too much owner on other things happening like Eversource would
have to do a bunch of stuff and I don't know if you have anything in your notes but I think um we really kind of trimmed a lot out of that because it's really asking the town to do things that it just simply can't could not do >> talked about upgrades the to the grid
and uh and some of that um what's the term interconnection and the limitations right now because the aged infrastructure and uh that's really not within our the town. >> We can still send letters and say, >> "Come on, fix this." >> Um, sorry, you're trying to wrap up. >> Yeah. In the two minutes that I have
left, this I want to communicate here. Um, if you were taking notes in your group, please email Phil and I your notes. Um, as soon as you can. Um, we are going to
get a draft of what we talked about today to you by a week from Monday. >> Oh, yeah. >> Thanksgiving. So it'll be it'll be more more or less
an outline of you know what we discussed and then as far as our agenda for the six and we'll be going through that draft right we want to have you look at that before the ready to discuss it. Um
secondly will be to add any new goals. So, you have a new a completely new law that isn't has been addressed u and you want to talk about it, bring me that with you. Um and third,
um and I think it'll become apparent when we get the draft together which areas that we're going to need to spend most time. I think this u economic stability area we don't we really don't have anything um on yet. Um
so >> question. >> Go ahead. >> Will you just take this and redline it with the changes or is it going to be a whole new document? >> It be it'll be a whole new be it'll be um I don't think I have
>> Yeah. Yes. Yeah. you sent to me. >> Yeah. >> I'm just curious about all the existing uh >> at the end. We didn't really go through like we usually do. >> You said that last time. Yeah. >> Yeah. At the end of at the end of the day, >> you're going to get a revised version of
that um that be in draft form that you can then tell me this >> that really consolidates the goals. Doug, I think that was the purpose of this of these sessions is to look at we had a lot of different goals and some of them weren't even relevant. This
consolidates a lot of those into, you know, a lesser number, which in turn is going to make it easier for for the staff, right, to plug in again identify those those day-to-day actionable things that they do to >> I'm fine with that except that I don't want to lose these specific things like
the one about the irrigation. I mean, there are some goals that we talk about in these meetings and we hope to implement them as time and schedule and budget allows, but I don't want to just have a new document that loses a lot of that stuff.
Do do we maybe um just sort of take notes and put them as future select board agenda items if they're really oneoff specific actions that aren't >> Well, I'd like to do that. >> What you're what you're going to get for
next time is a work in progress. It's not going to be the whole picture. >> You're going to get what we talked about today. You're not going to get what we talked about. >> So, what what's our deliverable, I guess, is my question. I mean, do we do we have a new revised strate 2023 to
2027 strategic plan that we the select board votes >> 2025 to 2030 now, right? >> No, >> no, it's not. That's the point. It's we're still dealing with the 23 to 20. That's that was my original up and then going,
>> right? We're not This is not 25 to This is still the 2023 to 2027, I think. Yeah, >> it's up to you. I don't know. I mean, that's what's always been done, right? I mean, it's >> We've always changed the year. Each each year we change until except for last year, >> right? Which I
>> Oh, okay. >> You guys jump in. Doesn't seem to me was a very unfamiliar practice. Doesn't feel like a strategic planning best practice to >> keep the same, >> have it be rolling, have it be rolling in that way.
>> Right. Um, Doug, to your point, one suggestion I might offer is, and again, my understanding of the strategic plan is this is a strategic plan for the entire town, not a select board
annual work plan. And maybe it would be worth once we adopt the strategic plan, this board coming together, it can be just an internal meeting um to actually kind of say, okay, this year's work plan, right? and let's like let's start looking at meetings and where we have
agenda space to talk about irrigation to talk about X Y and Z and and start to ensure that we that we capture all of those specific thoughts and things that we need to do understanding that the strategic plan is
not necessarily the place to capture the select board's annual work plan. I mean my my preference would be >> have to put it on the agenda >> to stay with this and revise it like we have done in the past and then be looking towards maybe a a real new
rewrite, you know, whether it's 6 months out or whatever was we were talking about be before. >> Why keep the dates the same? >> That doesn't make sense to me. We're in 2025 now >> because the the guts of this plan
started in 2023. I mean, But I think we should >> we're not rewriting the whole thing. The the guts of this plan started long before 2023. It was always updated every year since as long as I can remember. >> I think you're at this weird juncture, if I may offer, and and David kind of
referenced it at the beginning of the meeting, which is you've got kind of one foot in this model of the 20 22 to 2027 plan. And my observation from the discussions is and by the fact that a bunch of items were deleted or completed
and then there were some goals that were morphed and so forth. um you know, you're just in this kind of weird spot where you're you're trying to I think you're really trying to do a whole new plan. Um or a substantially
new plan, but >> we're doing a major modification of this plan and I I mean I'm I'm okay with adding years or whatever whatever you want to do. I think >> you know maybe we call it 25 to 29 or something. I don't know. But
that's that's fine. Um, but what I want you to think about is if you're truly doing a strategic plan for the town, you're not going to change it every year, right? It a strategy should have some legs, right? So that the tasks
change, the objectives might change, but the goals should have at least a fiveyear life, right? So you want to it's like a master plan for the town. Not changing the master plan every year. The strategic plan, you update, you
tweak it. It should be a very minor type of thing. Look at what we look at what we did. Where where were we when we adopted the strategic plan? Where are we now? What needs to change? We really shouldn't be messing with the strategy. It sounds to me like you're talking
about the town's comprehensive local plan rather than the select board strategic plan because the select board is a more nimble reactionary group. We're not long range planners like the planning board. We're dealing with the
here and now and we're only going five years out for a reason and we adjust each year as those needs arise and fall off. >> CO came and went. Now it's off the board. They're saying the same thing. >> Okay. >> Okay. But this year, what I learned very
quickly at the last session is that you all wanted to talk about these strategies and the they weren't working for you. A lot of them >> well, it wasn't clear in guidance for the town manager to be effective because it was so vague and open-ended as to
what is we really after. >> The goals were not objective and measurable. Right. And that's definitely otherwise how do you measure progress? >> Yeah. >> Right. So I get back to my previous if you're really doing strategic planning, you set a strategy like the one about
the one that you thought up about uh um flew on my brain, but um beaches, right? World class. You you your strategy is to have worldclass beach beach facilities for your residents and visitors. Mhm. >> That's a strategy that
>> that won't go away. >> That will never go away. Right. But what we do under that might change. Um but I would I would suggest that the major milestones under that don't change unless you don't meet one, right? And if you don't meet one, then you have to
come up with another one. So yeah, you you look do your strategic plan. Five years is a good good horizon. You look at it every year. You haven't rewrited a year, you know. >> So then what happens at the end of five years? >> You rewrite it.
>> You rewrite >> the fiveyear plan. >> You have a more robust rewrite. >> Yeah. >> That's that's the model. >> That's what you've seen. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> If it feels like stakeholder engagement like >> it feels like what's happening now is >> Well, it's definitely, you know, I've
been here nine years. this is a a much more extensive more robust rewrite than we've done in the last nine years. >> So whether this is the time for a reset or a reset is done later, this is going to be a pretty substantial change. I think
>> agreed. One of the things that sorry I forgot me but you know I think the idea of working in some discrete meaning you know discrete metrics into the plan be very helpful.
So it's, you know, whatever it is, if you've got 2,200, you know, let's say one of the one of the items is, you know, the water quality that we talked about, and part of that is, you know, cleaning 20% of the storm water basins every year. You know,
that's measurable, right? You can ask, okay, we've we've got a thousand storm water basins. Did we clean 200 this year? Yes or no? That's a measurable outcome. Um, so I think, you know, part of what has to happen, it's really hard because you know, it's some of this stuff's not
easy to define and is to define what those metrics might be and then also to define what resources are required to be put in place to accomplish the metric because that's the other I mean the plan is the select board's plan and your role as the chief
policy setting body the execution of it is on the town administrative staff but um have you have to give them the resources And don't create too much of a wish list because if we got give ask them to do 200 storm drains and put up a new flag pole and do this and do that
and the other thing, you know, we just pile it on. >> Somebody at the table, one of the select board members of the table says, well, I want 50% of the storm drains clean. >> Plenty expensive to worry. >> So, let's let's thread the needle. Let's use this activity to close out the
current one and just fix it for this year, but use it as practice for how we're going to get at the new one. >> And so, we're going to close this one out. We know the end dates 2027. If we happen to come out, let's just say in 6 months with a new one that's going to be 5 years based on the work we're doing. I
think that's cool. Um and we can you know the the the dates can adjust but I think the activity is to not lose anything that we've been tracking but to start building towards something that is actually more high level and better and the iteration is yes in nine years we
haven't we've all we done is some words smmithing this one's a little bit more intense but it's actually practice for us to get at the the bigger things and practice in hopes that I hope that we use the terms you know tying back and and rubber meets the road that this
actually has an impact uh on 2026 actions. You know, where where we can >> because it's never too late to start, but really to have a focus on if we can't affect the operational budget because that's 90 or 95% set, can't
really be changed by strategy. Um maybe we can have an impact on the 2027 build of the capital planning budget for some of the items that we discussed. >> We can impact our own actions. we can impact our own water. >> So, so yep,
>> you know, good conversation about the the need for resources, but you also need consistency. And that's what a strategic plan does for you. >> Yep. >> It gives you a framework for that fiveyear period so that if there's a
change over in the board, right, you're not you're not changing the plan. The plan stays the same. the people who are newly elected to the board have an opportunity to influence that, but it gives the town manager some consistent. >> Yeah. >> Uh set of strategies to work to work
towards. So that's why you you don't want to be messing with them too much every year. >> Yeah. We don't want to have to do everything by executive order. And on that note, motion to adjurnn. Thank you. Hi, it's Brandon from Crane Appliance.
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