2025 meeting of the Garter City Council finance committee will come to order. The assistant clerk will please call the role. Councelor General, present. Councelor Heglin, present. Councelor Mack, present. Announcement of open meeting minute recordings. The open meeting recording notices posted on the
wall by the door. Is anyone here staff recording? Hearing none. Um read to the reading of prior meeting minutes. Uh review and approval. Uh meeting minutes of April 7th, 2025. Move to dispense with the reading of the
minutes and accept them as presented. Second. Motion made by councelor Heglin, second by councelor Mack to dispense with the reading of the minutes and accept them as presented. Is there any further discussion? I was absent from that meeting, but I watched the video. So, I was able to prepare the minutes. So, just
for transparency purposes. Thank you, Council M. Council. So, all those in favor say I. I. All those opposed. Motion carries. Um, first item on the agenda, item 11537, a measure authorizing the Gardener Community Action Committee,
CAC, to modify the structure of their lease space at the Waterford Community Center. Uh, Mayor Nicholson was unable to be here today, uh, but does did provide a letter as well as executive director of the CAC, Julie Mian. Um the
long and short of it is that any major alterations to the lease space according to uh the lease signed by the CAC with the city at the Waterford Union Center must be approved by the city council. CAC is requesting to construct a wall in their lease section. For those familiar
with the building walking in the main entrance, the old principal's office was to the right. The assistant principal's office, storage room, and then the library were down a smaller hallway. The plan is to build a wall to the front of that hallway. So, um there's more security for all the items that are
being brought in the general public for having access to it to be a locked door there. Um I believe described in the letter. Uh director Mi says that the wall will not reach the the top of the um the ceiling, but we'll provide the security they find um necessary. So,
that was the item presented there. If there's um a motion or further discussion of topic um from the committee, I make motion that we um pass 11537 uh for approval to the full council. Second motion made by councelor Max,
seconded by councelor Hegund to recommend authorization of a measure to the full council. Is there any further discussion on the item? I I just think it's very clear um Miss Mian was very um forthright in the need for the security of this area.
Um and I just appreciate them doing it now. Why construction is still being done is not an afterthought, you know, months down the road. Um so I see no need for us to um to not approve um securing her space. Well said. Yeah, I
agree as well. I think it's a thorough um thorough presentation here. Um it's not a major change to the layout of the building function. You're still walking in the main hallway and if you're not interacting with CAC, you're just going forward to the other sections. Um so I don't think there's um any reason not to
approve it. Um it's not anything further. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed. Motion carries. On to subsection 3 in subcommittee. Item 11482 discussions regarding the city's health insurance payments and trust fund. Richard is with
us here. Thank you for in your follow. No problem. Um the current balance on the health trust as of 430 came in at uh1,438,042. Um la the prior month was around that much. It was probably about
$25,000 difference. Um right. And I also got a stop-loss um report a couple weeks ago that there is about $462,74 that are um basically outstanding reimbursements. So basically we're waiting for those reimbursements
to come in. So that's good news. 462 462,000. Yep. 462704. Mhm. So, if those come in hopefully before the um 6:30, that'll help our health trust. Um the other thing that came in is the amount of
claims I got the bill um the beginning of this month. The amount that came in for claims uh that was over the monthly deposit was 136,832. So, that decreases the um the
health trust balance. So, if the reimbursement comes in and the monthly well, like I said, the monthly deposit um over claims uh or over the monthly deposit was low this year. Like I said,
uh this month it came in at 136 versus prior months was around 400,000. So, basically claims were less than prior months. Um the projection I have for five uh the end of May is 1.7
million for the uh the health trust. Again if that all depends if that stop loss reimbursement comes in. Thank you Richard. Any questions from the committee? No good news good report. Yeah a little
healthier what we want. Yeah. Okay. Any objection? I have nothing further to just like to keep this item on here for absolutely further monitoring. But I'm glad to hear we're tracking the right direction and thank you for being here. Thank you. Item 1142 will remain on the agenda. Uh
item 11507, a report from the Ronald Cormier memorial committee. I know we have director Cormier of the purchase department here as well. um who may have some information but I don't know if there's any preliminary discussions surrounding it surrounding it um at this
point because I know director mayor please come up um is getting quotes for the plaque which he can discuss with us um I think it would be prudent at this point for us to um bring to back to the full council um
a motion to resend the vote to name the council chamber is taken on June 17th 2024 under item 11256. Um and it was amended on September 4th, 2024 by item 11382 in honor of the late counselor um
at the request of his family um with the report that came back from the uh Ronald F. Cormier memorial committee um was to place a plaque in council chambers and to the family asked not to name the chambers after him. Um, so I think we've
had this item on our agenda enough that it's that it's about time to bring it back to the council to resend the vote um and then proceed with um the purchasing of the plaque and we can get further information by director any information do you have about the u so far? I think it was two meetings ago,
I was provided with a committee's uh quote that they had already received, which roughly around $4,500 for a bronze plaque, 14 inches by 18 in, which I would assume matches what's up there. Um, I've since sought out four different quotes. Um, one was for 46 and 4650 and
one was for 6,000. I'm still waiting for the fourth quote, which it'll be. So, we've done our due diligence. We've done sound business practices for under 10,000. We've actually gone further than that. Uh so at this time I just have some additional questions to the committee on how they're going to
provide the image and um after that I can provide the council with formal three quotes or four quotes if I can get the fourth one and then you'll have all you need for your purchase. Counselor has asked me what the turnaround is on it. I just checked right when I sat down. I still don't have an email back
on the turnaround. So I can provide that when needed. So that's what you're looking at. appreciate the 45 45 to 6,000. Thank you. Any questions? No, it sounds good. I think if you know if we think we have that information sooner
than later, then yeah, we might as well move this forward and kick it to the the full council. The the vote resended regardless. I mean, the purchase of the flag really is the mayor's decision as to as well as to where the money's where
he's taking it from from the budget. Um, but the vote has to be rescended anyways at some point. So, I just can't see it's it's been almost a year. I can't see continuing it further. And I think we should all just honor the family's request. Yes, Makes sense. So, guess
trying to coales it all together. Um, a motion to recommend a motion recommend sending the report and report from us up to the full council with a recommendation to resend the prior vote. Um, can I have the dates? I have it written here so I can
give it to the clerk. That'd be perfect. Yeah. Okay. So, I believe that's a motion by councelor Mack. Second. Seconded by councelor Heglin um to um do the affformentioned uh motion. Uh any further discussion? Do you want me to read this as it is? Please do. Okay. Um
on our agenda, it's item 11507. And I make a motion to resend the vote to name the council chamber taken on June 17th, 2024, item number 11256, which was amended on September 4th, 2024 by item 11382 in honor of the late councelor Ronald F. Cormier at the
request of his family and to purchase the plaque recommended by the Ronald F. Cormier memorial committee to be placed in council chambers. Any further discussion? If I can just just one thing to add, I'll have all that information by the time you meet on Monday. So you'll have numbers, you'll
have turnar around, you'll have everything by probably by tomorrow afternoon, but but definitely by Monday. So obviously get everything to the clerk's office for us and much appreciated. Thank you. Um that being said, any further questions on that? All those in favor
say I. I. All those opposed car that to the Thank you. Thank you. Um item 11516, a proposal by President Tyrus that the city council discuss the creation of a special committee for the Waterford Community Center project. Um
we did have um a discussion on this last meeting. Um obviously still on our um our agenda here. I don't know if anyone has anything further to add for this item this evening. Councelor Hegman. Councelor M. I do. if you want. I just want to say that I I watched the meeting
and um you know I I I think it's a great idea. I understand President Tyrros's um position as to why he proposed this and the mayor's explanation of how long the committee would be into effect um at least for the first year and a half of the center um to oversee policies and
projects and um any type of um conflicts that could possibly occur within the agencies in the building. Um and uh and my fellow counselors had great questions um at that presentation. So um no, I I I just think it I was very much in favor
of it. Um my thoughts were coming into today and I'm glad you got a chance to see it that it might be worth us maybe coming up with some of our more solidified ideas today. And I would be happy to also sort of formalize that for
a future meeting when the mayor is here to propose something to him to kind of get this moving along a little quicker and we've had a lot of good discussions around it. Um, and I was thinking particularly if we were talking about what would we see for the committee? Um, and maybe some of that scope for the group and then I can take our discussion
and perhaps formalize something for a future meeting. That makes sense. Um, I think scope is the the big focus that we're on here now. As you stated, the time frame for the committee was kind of hashed out and I think we've agreed upon that. Um some a smaller group was more
appropriate uh appointees, one possibly one from the mayor, one from the council president and then one that's shared um common appointment between the two. Um but the scope um I don't know if anyone's kick off the discussion for that or I can start as well. Um sure.
Sure. I And I was thinking a little bit about the committee cuz I know we think we said three, mayor said he'd be willing to go to five. Um I was wondering if we did I know I I was one of the people that brought this up. I think having a city official there is obviously a really good idea whether it's the future new building commissioner or if it's director Stevens
or someone else because we'll want connection to the building for other policies and things that exist. The council leaison or another appointee I think is a good idea. We already have the president of the council as a council leazison. It might be him, might be someone else, but then we want to
balance it with three other residents instead of just one. That was my only thought to have a little more community input. I think I think it was you counelor that said something too about the stakeholders being present represented. That's we were talking about the scope having them present to
the group, talk to the group, but they they actually I think it'd be important for them to have a common liaison on that committee to be a voice. um not necessarily one of the directors in charge, but somebody you know um that
they could agree upon um to represent uh their needs and you know their desires and their concerns as they come. So I I just think you know it's it's it's nice to have people on the outside. However, if you're not there on the day-to-day
runningings of the building and seeing what's going on, it's really it's really hard to weigh in and yeah, what their needs are. Exactly. Okay. I think that I would be open to that too. Maybe a little bit bigger than excluding more from the at
least close closer tied to the the uh community center. Makes sense. Um I mean I think in general it's just facility. The big thing would be facility oversight and you know what steps are being done where what there's certain roadblocks being yeah um you know run
into um when recommendations of how to um ensure compliance with local and state regulations um I think that type of oversight is is necessary um financial oversight of how we're going to handle um incoming um funds um and
possibly you know lease agreements as well just maybe bedroom, whether we do something like that with that committee or not. Um, planning for just renting out the the gym or the, you know, the um the stage possibly too. There's still I believe some room in there to utilize
that. Um, so just the logistics of how you do it, how you rent it, who you call or is there some kind of form you fill out or you know who does it go through um which department um were some of the things I had jotted down here um and
getting maybe even getting the word out about its availability um being an option to be used in the city. Um people are going to have to become aware that media can use that gym. Um, so those are my thoughts at least so far. It almost needs like a facilities coordinator for
the equity too of the use of the building when you have a lot of people there. Um, you know, it's my whole thing and this goes back to my school days. I mean whether it's this the auditorium at the high school
or the middle school or everything I always felt there should be one central facilities coordinator for the city because the left hand usually doesn't know what the right hand's doing and especially when it comes to having you know needing to have custodial staff and
you know somebody could say yeah we said they could use it but you know at the middle school but you know the middle school had something on and and and the whole communication part because there there are a lot facilities that can be used within the city um for outside groups as well as you know for for city
departments and and activities. Um but that that was something that was mentioned a long time ago that there should be one central scheduling person. Yeah, that's a good thought and I know the mayor made mention of the last being two whether that's one internal whether it's contracting another organization but that is on this committee I think
could look at too. Mhm. Great. It's kind of what I have for so far. Unless you have anything further to add. No, I don't think so. Um plan maybe to ask I guess council he kind of coales
something um together. Yeah, I would happily take present present at the next um the next meeting and then we can start to move forward from there. Great. Um and um unless there's anything further just keep the item on the agenda for now. Great. and be discussed further
with uh the mayor and whoever else maybe we'll um we'll have here for the item. So hear no objection items say on the calendar. Next we have item 11517 proposal by President Tyler that the city council discuss the city's current sexual harassment policy and other city
policies. Uh director Morris of human resources here um to any questions you may have on the policies. Um, I don't know if anyone has questions, comments, concerns at this point for her. Not yet. Um, first of all, just want to
say thank you. We said at our last meeting, but you weren't here, but thank you for I think taking the lead on this and updating these really old policies. It's nice to see something more formal and fresh and modernized. Um, just kind of curious sort of what went
into the process, where you added the process. I know we've seen I think we saw social media dress code and sexual harassment. Um and I have a couple maybe follow-ups, but yeah. Yeah. Um really what I've been doing is reaching out to other municipalities to find out what
their policies look like. Um taking bits and pieces that I think are modern and updated and make sense and kind of just pulling them all together based on what ours are, what theirs are. Um just doing some basic research online and just putting together something that I feel
is a a good mix. Um I have I'm working on a couple others. Um President Tyrros asked me to update. I recently completed the injured at work. Um there seems to be a lot of miscommunication about when to um inform who of an an injury, when
it happens, what the next steps are. Um, so I just completed that one and I'm working on a annual evaluation process. Um, so those are those are the major ones. Thank you. Mhm. Um, so it sounds I know
the you know the building was closed on 59. How did that training go? It was more a conversation than a training. Just reviewing them, making sure everyone was aware of the policy updates. um they were mailed out after the fact so everyone has um written
copies. I do want to and this is a bigger task so I want to do it but I don't really know how yet is I would love to see an electronic onboarding process um from the city. It just most platforms have a cost to them which I I
don't think we can do right now. Um but included in that is annual reviews of policy. So people are signing off on an annual basis saying they receive them, they understand them if they have questions um and on an HR and knowing that people are reviewing them annually.
So I think that's huge. Um so it's it's in my brain. It just I haven't figured out a way to do it yet. Understood. But they've signed off acknowledgement of receiving the new policy. We did not sign off on um receiving them. A couple departments
took it upon themselves to um send them in saying they received them, but we did not request everyone to sign off on them just because then you have, you know, your DPW, fire, police, they weren't at the um a couple people popped in, but um they weren't there. So then it's a
bigger picture of how do you get every single school employee, DPW employee. Um so that's why I would really love an electronic system because if you have an email, you can sign off and receive these policies. um getting paper signatures from every single city city
employee is almost an impossible task. So you would want to ask the schools because the schools we uh at the opening day there's a list of their policies. Okay. Um the sexual harassment, you know, there's the whole the whole bunch. I haven't done much technology and all
that. They're on there and after you read them, you have to sign a picture. So the school's currently doing that. Perfect. In addition to that, every year you get the employee handbook, the school, the faculty handbook, and then you also have to sign with that page
that you received it. Perfect. Um, so everybody has a printed copy, but the school's been doing that for years. I think there's at least six or seven policies. Everybody's given um like, you know, on the first professional connect day, I think they're doing like an hour and a half and everybody has to go through they have to sign off. They have
a deadline that everybody has to sign off on. Perfect. Well, that's that's half the battle right there. Yeah, we do just a Google form for now. I mean, if there'll be a better system one day, but it's worked. So, if that's something in the meantime, that's maybe an idea. Okay. You're
acknowledging the goals. But that I have read it says, you know, you received you for every individual policy. Yeah. You know, that you've you've read it and you understand the policies and you know, and and you you agree to, you know, abide by the policies and stuff like that. So then
and then you would have a record of who hasn't done it. Exactly. Okay. Perfect. I just since you're right, since if money is a factor, it might be a nice for you to electronically collect. Yep. Save some trees and Yeah, that would that would definitely work for those who have city um city email addresses. It
might be a little challenging for I haven't run into this here um but some of the unions previously have gotten push back if they're a union employee and they don't have a city email, you know, do we have to pay them for their time to read things off hours? And it there are a couple logistic things that
might come into play, but um I absolutely think we need to modernize even our employee on boarding. It's very much needed. At at what point would a person not have it email? Um so
like our DPW laborers do not. Um I believe all of fire and police do now, but DPW does not. Um I think they're the only ones. How's it right now? Is there a reason? I'm just curious. Yeah, I'm just
You might not know. I I Yeah, I I've heard departmentally they didn't want them to have them at some point. Um I I'm not entirely sure put you on the spot, but I mean I just think that for this purpose, you know what I mean, that
they all have an email and they know on such and such a day, you know, it's raining and everyone's going to go, you know, right? Go and do it. um that's something that can be controlled within you know I mean you can also disable the email address for a while but it just doesn't make sense that you know what
unfortunately whether they they they want it or not I would have loved not to have had a school email address but I we really as employees aren't given a choice in that matter and I think maybe that needs to be reconsidered but I think you know absolutely you know because you I mean you you need to have a a record and and um I I think people
too as employees need a way to to communicate and receive things um and get more with the times and have everything being done by paper. Mhm. In my opinion. Other random on this social media did it
come up the idea of even just using one page versus every department having their own page and just the city hall page. That's I know luckily director O'Keefe has control of password supposedly for every but I wasn't sure. No. So there hasn't been that
conversation. Um part of it is that he needs to be an administrator on every page created. So he does have access to that for um you know record request and and moderation of the pages but um that wasn't brought up. Okay. Thank you. Of course. That's all I have. Um so the
next next things coming up probably trying to obviously the policy sign up annual evaluations. What's the current status of of that process that I have submitted the top ones that I feel are pretty much everyone still does good old fashioned paper and pen for
evaluations. Um so I picked out a few that I recommend um just based on the ease. Um some of them did not have goals. I think everyone should have goals. Um some of them asked for self evaluation, some of them did not. So I did I compiled the list. I sent them to
the mayor of the ones that I would recommend. Um, then I'm just waiting for his response to find which ones he feels would be good. Um, I still have questions myself. You know, should these evaluations be tied to compensation? Um,
you know, how would that work? So, I have a lot of thoughts, but it's it hasn't been worked out as of yet. Okay. And then obviously then once that those pieces were in place, there'd be some kind of timeline of, you know, selfie vows and then vows from the manager.
Exactly. Department heads and then a meeting to discuss the evaluations. Exactly. If and when conversation may or may not be able to tie to that would happen next. Yep. Perfect. Um that's all I all I had. I had nothing further at this time. Just thank you for all the
policies and what you're working on going forward. I think they're all great steps and thank you for coming today. Of course. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome. Um, I'm open to discussion on how we'd like to handle this this item on here. Do we want to continue to have updates
on the um the policies and proposals? I would and I actually think it might be worth kind of moving to give an update to the full council too on what we learned today and just thinking the hard work that's being done and um but I'd be curious to see how the injured and emails and other things work out too.
Okay, I think that makes sense. Um, so motion to update the full keep this on our agenda but also create a new item update in the council on where things stand. Do I have a second? Second. A motion made by councelor Heglin to keep the item on the agenda but give an
update to the council. Um, made by councelor Heglund, seconded by councelor Mack. Is there any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed. Hearing none. Motion carries. And we have item 11518
uh proposal by president Towers that the city council discuss the current state of facilities management for all municipal buildings. Um discussed at the last meeting a bit as well. Um it's obviously everything's kind of scattered with union and non-un employees. There's
not one standard facilities manager. Um so I'm open to further discussion on the item if anyone has anything ready read ready readily available for today. Um I just from from the last meeting when I watched it um there were very good questions asked and I I really think um
councelor Hegel when he said I think things could be maybe done if more efficiently. Um it seems like there's a lot of people doing different things and um you know I'm I'm going to use the example of Stonefield. You know the school department has their
crew, DPW has their crew. Nobody knows who's in charge. You know it never gets to be more. They're pointing at each other. um you know so I I but the the staff is there to do it you know that's that's a frustrating part when you know when and I read this I'm like okay they they do have the people um you you have
to realize the schools are now condensed really to one big campus with the exception bell um but I I I think you know it's great to know who we have and how many people we have but I just think that maybe things could be better organized yeah I agree I appreciate that
I think we had a really good conversation I The chairman also made a good point that it probably was just a case of things were added and fixed and done as needed and it was never reviewed because it was going okay and working. But um I think it is something yeah that is long overdue for a book. Uh, and maybe
Director Morse might know this. Um, we we get the list the letter. Are there any actual org charts of the departments and who's under who? And um, so there was an or dart submitted
with last year's budget from my understanding. Um, I do not know of anything other than that and I I fully agree. I think there needs to be a better structure, but Alec just said there is I had a conversation with President Tyrros about this and it just
makes it a little difficult because we have union, non-union, school department, police department, city. So, it it definitely needs some organization. Um, but I just don't know how to do that with the with all the union involvement as well. Okay. Thank you. Do you would you be able to get us
that or chart the one that was submitted already or are you looking for a whole revamped the one that it was submitted at hand if that's not absolutely yeah appreciate it. I think there's I actually stopped and talked to Director Morris before this meeting about this
item. Um and there's also a vacancy for in the building department that the director has um put in us two weeks notice. Um, so there may be an opportunity to try and um reorganize um how everything is done. Um, this may be a good good point to to do that. Um, I'm
going to continue conversations with her about this to see if maybe we can get something kind of hammered out for lack of a better term that at least does does it in some fashion. Um, if we're able to. Obviously, there will be issues of um could be issues depending on how we organize it of funding for like a
overarching position to manage all of them. Um it's just not clear um yet, but hopefully with the the chart and I may be able to get some more information um chat some more with the director um hopefully something further to discuss
at the next meeting. Uh and the mayor will most likely be here as well whether it's the next meeting. I have a bunch of seasons upon us here with all these items that we say we're going to discuss um the next meeting. It may be a couple meetings out next time they get brought up. But um I think that obviously
without any objection I'd like to keep the item on our agenda. Agreed. I agree and I just just you know to say what we're doing and we're enlarging the senior center and the more care you know with the with the needs of the pool. I think now is a really good time for us to keep it on our our calendar and start
looking at things. No, it's even kind of interconnected with the Waterford Community Center project now that we're discussing it. Um so I think that makes sense. So there's no no further discussion. Uh we'll keep item 11518 on the calendar. Agreed. Agreed.
Um we'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. It's been moved. Second. Motion made by councelor Edgman. Second by councelor Mack to adjurnn. All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed. Motion carries. The meeting stands adjourned. Thank you everyone.