[Music] 32. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. >> Right. It's a short meeting. I've been gone for the last two, I think.
>> I know. I lose track because I don't pay attention after that. So, here we go. Um um Tammy Martin, our town administrator, will give us an update on the closing of the fiscal 25 books. >> Yes. So our update is so the treasurer
is doing well. He's up to May now. So we have a few more days and he said he'll have June. So that's a good thing. Um we had asked the tax collector to give us a subsequent titles and that has been given to Steve as well. So we're looking good on that. Maline will be coming November 17th and starting the closing
in the tax rate recap for us. So, I do know she's actually really working on it already. So, I'm crossing my fingers that everything will close in time as long as everything balances because obviously Steve and I are going to have to make sure when he gets all caught up that we are all completely balanced.
>> There are some people who are unbalanced, but we're going to have to make the >> but at least we're getting we're looking at progress. That's the main point. >> It's not how I meant Gotcha. >> Well, you can try to keep that up. Keep
up the pretense of me not saying weird things. >> All right, here we go. Um B, we don't have an update right now. >> So, they are waiting for more information. So, they're not ready to move yet. They're hoping to know more on November 17th at our next meeting. >> Okay.
>> And then CSD, but do you have any questions, any of you, for the first two that I >> unknown caller? What was that? Show you something. It's from Huntsville, Alabama. I wonder if it's like the space station. They want me for the space space army. Is that
what they call it? >> Yeah, the call list. >> Yeah, I'm on the call list. It's like an emergency. >> Got to go. Got problems on Mars. >> Jeez. I never get those phone calls either. All right. So, that's November 17th. We'll also be meeting with the
school committee that night. >> Yes. Is there anything else we got coming up? >> So that night on the school committee I'm going to go over with our RFP because Holly and I have been working on the RFP for our trash um RFP agreement. So that'll be working on that and we're going to talk more about
the uh health cons tax for our health insurance. I found a consultant. Okay. >> So I fig I'd go into more detail for you with that on you once I get more because I just sent over everything, but I want to go into more detail on that as well. So, we got a few items we need to discuss on November 17th as well.
>> I know. Um, speaking of health insurance, I know Senator Ala brought something up not too long ago on the Senate floor. >> Yeah. >> Talking about that and how it's it is a burden. >> It is the um >> I think he co-sponsored a bill at that
time and see what they could do >> to assist with it because it is to note that it's not just us, a lot of the surrounding towns and actually other towns throughout the state too. Well, I will tell you what I did do. So, um I got in touch with NFP consultant. Um she
seems very informative. She's working with a few other towns with the Hampshire retirement. They do actually a free analysis. We put out a letter for us to get the claims of our health insurance claims and they I already sent that over to her today and hoping to set
up a meeting with her going forward to see where we're at. Basically, we need to see, you know, what are we going to do? I mean, we don't know what we're supposed to do. This is all new to all of us, including myself. So, do we stay in with Hampshire? Do we decide to look elsewhere? They also end up doing an
RFP. Again, I don't want to get too much involved because I have to wait for my meeting. I don't want to say the wrong thing, but I will let you know that we did find someone and is free for the analysis down the road. Do I think we need a consultant to continue to help us maybe on a quarterly basis? I do. I
think we need to look out, but that would be looking for estimates and seeing where we go from there. Most towns, I'd say 85 90% of them do have consultants. It's a very important thing that we have. We would be more I feel like we'd be more assured as to where we're going and what we are doing. So I
feel like even talking with her name's Tara today felt like a bunch has been lifted off my shoulder just knowing that she's going to be looking at our claims and letting us know exactly where we are and what should we do, you know, from here on and what if something happens. What if bankruptcy happens? I don't know
what's going to happen. >> So I am on it. We are definitely working towards it and I to tell you that RFP, we're working on that as well. We're getting almost close to the finish line. As a matter of fact, we brought Dave in. Dave's been working with me and Holly on that. And hopefully November 17th, we'll
have it ready to be put out and we have to wait for revealing wage. There's a lot of things we have to have before we can even set it up, you know, send it out to uh procurement combis. So, we are in the process of that, too. We are working very um hard on that as well. It's too heavy for us to move by
ourselves. >> That was too hard to lift. Heavy lifts. >> Yeah, >> I still got stuff in my yard. All right, Dave D. Roer, would you like to come on up? >> It's always good news when we talk to Dave. Not tonight.
>> So, I don't know if Tammy informed you, um, we've been having trouble with the generator for few weeks now. We've been working. >> She didn't say us. You said you were having trouble with it. >> What was that? >> You said you were having trouble having trouble last.
>> We've tried everything. Uh I've had my mechanic, myself, Russ, our retired mechanic looking at it, two different technicians from two different companies. We're all pulling our hair out. What we
>> What I think it's zeroing in on is Spark. And the problem is it's a 30-year-old Ford engine. Ford no longer produces the OEM uh ignition control module. Coler, which is the generator
manufacturer, doesn't it's an obsolete part. So, they no longer um are going to support it. We have tried three different uh aftermarket. Two from Napa, one from O'Reilly. It's
all the same Chinese part. I don't know if it was a bad batch of them. I don't know. But there's something's going on and it's it's nothing serviceable that we can deal with that we can find. We've tried everything isolating every component on
the generator. At this stage, we've probably spent over four or $5,000 in labor and parts on and and these generator texts that come in are not cheap. Um >> I want to say also I just want to say that Dave and I have been working
through this. So we were hoping that obviously it was going to get resolved and fix the problem, but I think before we spend I don't think we should be spending any more money because it's already 30 years old and we can't find the problem. That's where he's going to go with on the next. But I do want to just say that that was why we tried to
fix it before >> and knowing that that they're not going to support >> some of these critical components. Um I don't know how wise it is to fix it anyway. >> It ends up do we deal with the problem now or do we do deal with it 6 months, a year, two years from now, but it's going
to be >> it's going to need to be dealt with. >> See one too like tell them what this is emergency. >> That station is an a critical station. If that if we lose power, we will have a spill and you will get fined by the D and the EPA. Um,
I called four different companies to see about purchasing another generator, just the generator, not the transfer switch, bare minimum cost. I found one company in Connecticut that could that has one in stock and could
deliver. Kinsley, which is the colder big Coler dealer in the area, is 25 week lead time. There's nothing. They have nothing in their inventory. There's nothing uh in the Northeast probably that they
could put their hands on. >> So, they're out. >> They're out. They quoted me a price, but it it's a little bit cheaper than the guy that can um locate one within a week. Um, the price I got from him was a
common C50NG and it was 26,000 plus $700 delivery. Uh, Kinsley is $24,138 plus an $1,199 tariff fee. And the
difference with the one coming out of Connecticut, it has an enclosure. We don't need the enclosure because it's going inside of that green pot that's up there. So the enclosure is typically a little bit more expensive. So that would explain why the the one we can get is
probably a little bit more expensive than we would have to order. The other two companies, Caterpillar didn't even call me back and um Big E Power said he was going to check into it and see if he could find one. Never called me back. So we got two no bids and two bids. But
one of the things I was asking for is in stock and available immediate delivery. So Kinsley obviously can't do that. Um they don't have one in stock. So I I I was going to I can give you copies of
all of this or Tammy and u everyone pass it along what I have so far. But um I just wanted to prepare you for it. Um, >> so just to be clear for people who might be watching, we have we're talking about the sewer pumping station here,
>> correct? I >> you guys are always there every morning or or is >> for the last week we've been there. >> Every time I drive by, I see a truck. Um, so it's a backup generator that's not working. >> Correct. If we lose power um and the
sewer still flows there, >> we'll fill that station up >> and we'll overflow and back up into houses and whatnot. Um we did look into the account balances. I stopped all of our
contractors from doing any non critical work right now. Um, meaning out of the sewer budgets, we have funds for septic tank pumping, for title five expenses. They do the title fives. I
stopped all of that just in case we want to try to pay for this out of our maintenance budgets because there is no article or anything that wasn't put forward. Um, >> but does can't the finance committee approve money for
emergency situations? >> So, this is an enterprise fund and it's called retained earnings. It's something to it's for enterprise funds. So, that's he did try calling John because we were going to go that route originally. Right now, we don't have any retained earnings. So, we won't have that until our free cash certification is
completed. Once that gets completed, then your enterprise funds will have the retained earnings and then you could move forward and push that towards capital, which that should have probably been one thing that we should have done since it's 30 years old. Um,
>> we're going to be real tight. Um, because the the generator is not the only expense. We'd have to I would use my guys get it into the into the existing hut there. We have to repipe the uh exhaust. Obviously, the gas has
to be repiped and the electrical would have to be rerun. So, there's going to be an electrician, plumber, and our guys working on it. Um, >> if there's enough, I can't promise obviously. I don't know what you get back for retained earnings. I don't know any of that because I have this my first year here. But if there's enough in the
retained earnings, by all means, we could replenish, >> you know, >> well, I think we should the money is there to replenish it because we're obviously >> we're just taking away from other areas that >> the need to be done. >> It's already accounted for. >> Yeah. >> Right. And it needs to be there also.
So, >> yes. >> And this is not the only generator we're going to have to deal with. We do not have one at Pleasant Street. Chris and I were talking about that a couple years ago. I did give him prices for a new generator at Pleasant Street and there
was nothing in the budget. Nothing brought forward. Um, so that's why I we Tammy and I were looking to see if he had brought something forward in the sewer budget last year and there's nothing there. So there's no extra cushion. I could have pushed off
the one on Pleasant Street, taken that money and put it into State Street, >> but Pleasant Street was never brought forward. So, >> so do we have the funding source >> if you I don't know how much do you how is your retained earnings and you usually get it back Dave when you
>> Well, there's there's enough money in the maintenance and um we have another line item for monitoring or inflow >> infiltration testing and monitoring. Um,
if we take all of those, there's there's enough money to pay for that $26,000 generator and probably enough to do the the additional piping work that's necessary. >> It's important that that >> but if anything else breaks, >> it leaves us critically low with low
funds in in the sewer budget, >> right? >> Um, >> do we have anything coming up for like a We usually have a town meeting and that's about time. Well, once once your free cash certified gets accepted, then your retained earnings. What happens is
we don't have any free cash. Even if you did have any free cash certified, it goes back, right? So, now you have to close out your books. You get your free cash certified, get your retained earnings for um your enterprise funds that we have right now. So, as of right now, we have nothing. We don't have retained earnings. We don't have free
cash certification. So, we need that in order to replenish these. We could have a special town meeting depending on like I said I don't know what you normally get for retained earnings. Um but you can definitely use that for capital or in your budget. >> Yeah.
>> And that's pretty much what John Labber was suggesting that we do is fund it from here now and then replenish those funds >> the retained earnings. >> So we've been talking with Tammy and John. >> Yeah. We've been trying to >> figure out a way through this. Well,
again, it's just it's not a want, it's a need. >> We're playing Russian roulette right now. We do have a trailer mounted generator >> in my maintenance bay hooked up to a truck. That way there if something if we lose power, somebody takes out a
telephone pole, we can run a truck down here with the generator, twist lock, plug it, it should But that generator is probably a 50-y old generator that we pulled out of the fire department years ago. And you know it's
let's um and it takes time to get it here, set it up, get it running all time that's ticking as as the sewers >> is flowing >> windy the last you're a little nervous last weekend because of the winds. I I would never want to go through winter
>> I mean >> with this situation because that's when >> when things usually happen if there's a major snowstorm something the power goes down we're busy with other things and we don't have time to come and babysit a pump station >> turn around time start to finish if you
get the one out of Connecticut >> that's when you're talking about right we that have it can get it >> um I think we could get it in probably in place maybe within in a week. Um,
but again, I'd have to get an electrician here. I'm not sure the timing of that. I haven't reached out to anybody yet. >> Yeah. I mean, if there's a way to get that I'd like to have it done before Thanksgiving. Alaskans want something like that to go on Thanksgiving and, you know, people are dealing with stuff like
that. >> That would probably make your Thanksgiving very bad. >> Yeah, I' I've been a lot of sleepless nights, believe me. >> All of us. >> All right. So, um, we're the sewer commissioners. >> Yeah. So, you guys have made it world
and, uh, to allow him to take it out of his >> maintenance and infiltration monitoring line item. Is that what you said? >> Yeah. Inflow infiltration testing. There's a $20,000 line item there. Um, the maintenance account's going to be a little lower
than what I have here in front of me because I just put a bunch of bills in today from all the parts that we've been throwing at this old one. Um, and we're and I didn't even get I didn't get the bill, an actual invoice that I can pay from one of the technicians that came
out. And he's got at least what is that $2,200 in in labor and working on this old one that we he spent a lot of time. And I mean, I I'm comfortable that we didn't miss
anything cuz he went through and backtracked a lot of it. We we tested every wire. We didn't know if it was mice damage. They'll get into chew the wires and cause a little short here and there. And we we checked every wire, every everything. We've
>> we've done our due diligence. >> They definitely did your due diligence. That's for sure. >> So, I think we all agree that it's a necessity at this point. Um, I guess a question for you, Dave, would be the uh infiltration testing. How critical is
that? And how often does that normally happen? And can we wait until free cash comes around to replenish and do those things? >> I think we can. We normally do a report every year to the EPA. Yep. >> In D.
Um yeah >> we hire a a consultant to do that. Um, so I think we're making a prudent decision uh spending it on something that is an actual problem now, not on something that could be a problem 10 years from now.
>> Agreed. >> We don't get it fixed and something goes wrong, we'll have another form to fill out for EPA. >> The cost is only going to be more. >> Yeah, we don't need that. >> Now, it the one you're looking at, it's a Caterpillar set. >> Uh, it's a Cumins.
>> Cummings. Cumins generator with a Cumins um >> kind of spec sheet. >> You don't think my Prius would work? >> You can bring it over. >> You don't have to bring the other generator over. >> Can it do >> 208 volt? You're good.
>> I only get about 40 miles. >> If you don't mind parking it there for the next 6 months, >> but I mean the generator you're talking about is a it's a good generator or not. Um yeah Cumins Coler Caterpillar they're all brand name generators. They're all >> Okay.
>> decent generators. >> Um, so we're going to want a motion to um purchase the Cumins generator um using money from the maintenance account and inflow
infiltration monitoring. So, >> uh, it it's out of the sewer budget basically. We'll >> Okay, we'll >> take it out of many line items we can. >> We'll leave the details to you guys. >> So, I'll make a motion that we allow a
new generator to be purchased through um, money from our sore budget at this current time. >> I'll second the motion. >> All in favor? I >> Okay, thank you. I'll get >> get all the paperwork to me too just so
>> I'll bring in the packet tomorrow. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Every time I drove by, it's in the truck and I will like You do monitor it every day or something, don't you? >> We No, we I remotely monitor it every day and then we'll uh a couple times a week. We'll have people physically go to
there. Uh once a week we normally start the generators um make sure everything's good and running and now they're not. Uh but um we're our people are there at least once once a week and then there's two people
from Beluretown that come in at odd hours too. >> You can't run an extension cord from here out there. >> Two 208 volt >> big extension cord. >> Yeah. A long way. >> All right. Thanks. >> Okay. I appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Um
>> did you talk to them also about the auction vehicles? >> No, because we didn't have it in time. We got to put on November 17th. >> Okay. >> For them to approve it all. If you want back, then that would be >> Well, I I know we wanted to get rid of a lot of those vehicles that are hanging around. >> It was too late by the time you gave it
to me. >> I'll just wait to call auctions until you tell me. >> Room for a portable garage, >> but that'll be going on November 17th. >> Although, while you're here, could we ask for your input on that? The the garage at West Street. What? Do you have
any input on that? the one that's got to be moved. >> What do you think? >> We erected the first one. They're not they're not easy to do, >> right? Um >> I was I was thinking more along the lines of placement of it
and you know if we move it within the property is there any specific area that might be better do you think if it's possible that way or >> I I I think that's pretty much up to the committee that how they're planning everything laying out the right storm
water and >> what are the future problem we have is the garage and the conics boxes all can't be They won't fit, >> right? >> The ConX boxes can be moved by us. I mean, we can move them with a loader and forks as long as they're emptied. I I
spoke with Jeremy about that. I wouldn't want to move anything like >> We can empty them out. That's >> um I think the bell, the old bell from Kellogg Hall is in one of them. Um got to be careful with that. Don't want to even though we could probably lift it with the bell in it. You don't want to >> knock it over and break it or anything.
Um, I know it was expensive to do the uh to move or to build that shed. I think from memory 60,000 or somewhere around there to >> to actually put it up. The first one,
which is the same size as our salt shed, our crew erected and put it up the first time. When it was damaged by a windstorm, Chris had filed an insurance claim to re
>> install the canvas on it. >> Um, which takes a lot of bodies. I mean, you you should have six or eight guys pulling because you got to pull the canvas over on can't do it on a windy day, obviously. Um,
I was thinking when when I first heard that Jeremy had to move that one, I was thinking about possible ways we could move it in without taking the canvas off. If you're only moving it a short distance, you might be able to >> Well, that might do it. If we find a new
location for the ConX boxes, >> we can move that within the parking lot. Just move it away from where it is currently. >> What are the ConX boxes? >> That's our >> There's two ConX boxes. >> And what are ConX? >> Uh the storage >> like a container.
>> Overseas containers. >> Okay. So that that was our thought process is we'd like to keep it there knowing that it's easier to move the >> con box are piece of cake. We can move those in a few minutes. The moving that shed is a it's a big problem.
>> It's an underr of the highway department for a couple conics box. >> We I >> I don't want to put you on the spot but we don't have we have to find location for it. It's >> I'm sure we can find location. a lot of
property owners in the town. So, >> but what is is it stuff that Jeremy uses every day? I I >> we don't know what's in them site. We didn't we didn't talk to him to see what's in them. >> We just know there's not enough room on
site for both items. >> And obviously, we want to leave we don't want to move the garage. The farther we move it, the more it costs. So, we'd like to just be nice if we could just levitate it 20 ft over if that's what it needed. But, >> well, I have moved >> that's not realistic
>> buildings before with with a crane or whatever. You you have to shore them up. I've never moved a portable structure like that and tried to do it in one piece. Something like that. It's probably safer to take it down. You might be able to move the frame by
hanging it with a some kind of rigging in a crane, just swinging it over and not reassembling the entire framework of the structure. But >> I mean, you could try to move it with the canvas on, but it's risky, >> I think. Well, I think if it twists a little bit
>> in movement, then you're going to change anyway. So, I think at least the canvas would have to come off or the tarp, whatever they call it, whatever material it is, >> and maybe the structure could be moved like you're saying, but we don't want to damage it either. We just want to
>> move it over and be done with it and keep using it. So, I was just, you know, looking for a little bit of uh input from you. There's a reason why it's expensive. Um, it it it takes a lot of bodies when you're putting the
>> the uh the cover on it. >> I mean, it's not rocket science or anything, but it just takes a lot of a lot of people you're paying prevailing rate to just stay there for a few hours while you're securing that that tarp and putting it over.
>> Okay. Very good. All right. Thank you, Steve. Okay. >> All right. I think that's it. >> I'll make a motion to chair. >> I will second the motion. All >> those in favor? I