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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=aWN7FL3kfqU

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Call the meeting to order. It's 5:30. Please join us for the pledge of allegiance. >> 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

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justice for all. >> Okay. Um, >> we should have citizen participation day. >> I think Chase. >> Yeah. So, uh, Ron, are we going to do the citizen participation? >> Yeah, if if you want, we could >> give them a few minutes to say what they

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want and then move on from there. Unless I want to sit around for all the appointments. >> Yeah. So, folks, we have a lot of appointments and everything to do tonight, Jay. So, I know you wanted to make a few comments. >> Yeah. >> Uh we won't be able to have any discussion on this because we were

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unaware of it and it's not on the agenda, but we'll allow you a few minutes to uh say your piece and then go from there. >> Doing what the state told us. >> Okay. >> They want to put the town on formal notice. >> And what is this in regards to, please? >> The wine house. >> Wine house. Okay. formal notice to the

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town. There's no evidence by way of the public records request for the freedom of information stuff has been supplied the town has any involvement with that place from 2020 to 2022.

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No involvement, no permits, no nothing. And what they want us to do is to give you guys the opportunity because according to the state is solve town's problems. It's not their problem.

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>> Yep. >> So they said they would step in if the town doesn't do it. So what we're supposed to do is call them on Monday and let them know are they still in operation or not. They're still in operation. They make an appointment with

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the Hampshire County District Attorney's Office to bring all the stuff in. where it goes from there. I'm not a lawyer, but I don't think it's going to look good for the town because I don't care if you go by the uh building

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commissioner if they if the wine house doesn't issue the the town any request for applications, then how can anybody address them? You

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can't inspect. You can't put out electricians. You can't put out plumbers. You can't put out anything. You can't do letters of uh oxygen. You can't do nothing. They've been operating. The way they put it was

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I forget example. It was basically they were doing what they want and there's no inspection. Uh they did want me to mention cuz Carol has been asking she's 82 and she's having issues of her own. So

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if all of a sudden all these pros and everything come above then they want to know why the town didn't issue them with the public records request because now the town is liable under Massachusetts law 66 something for not providing it.

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But basically, and we only did up to 2022 to begin with because there were no records. There's no records of renovations of the doghouse into the manufacturing and bottling facility.

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There's no records of the tasting room. Uh they've been dumping industrial waste on the ground over there according to what the water health and Boston says. And you can't take wine. It's a

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different kind of waste. I I don't know. They just said it wasn't called industrial waste. And that cannot be inputed into a septic system like we have cuz we're not municipal. So, and also no title five has been done

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on that house. By law, it's supposed to be done within two years after the purchase. None's been done. As you too may know, because I know Ron wasn't here, he's been told to do a site

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plan by the building commissioner. He's been told to do the site plan, but the ZBA hasn't done it. Uh, and the only thing that in your package they want me to point out to you that basically

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the licensing is not done by zoning. It's done by Massachusetts general law. So when the select board originally issued the wine license, they violated the law

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because it didn't meet the requirements of Massachusetts general law. also other things that have been done over there such as renovation of the buildings to meet health codes to meet everything else. There's no records of

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anything. Zero records. So they're asking me how come I can't answer that. All I can document is what you guys give me from the public records request. And so basically, you know, we'll do anything. We'll give you anything you

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want that we got or the state got. We're not hiding nothing. But the bottom line is they said they should be closed because they're creating health hazards. There's no guarantee in any of the water they're using to create their wine is

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good water. There's no uh evidence that they're dumping well they are dumping the water directly into the ground. They had they called a dry well which is illegal because well you're more familiar Mark with the they did the uh

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what do you call over the dump? They had to go around and do all those test. >> Well yeah the bor the borings and stuff. Yeah. >> Yeah. They're going to have to do them all over there now because there's no evidence what was done and what wasn't done.

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um they just form like that and you can tell I didn't write this. You can look at you can tell when you know it was written by them in Boston. >> Yeah. >> Three different attorneys in Boston. >> And so basically the town has the

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opportunity to fix it or the state will come in and fix it. And they say you won't like it. state comes in and every one of those things for violations are punishable by fines

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or andor jail time for both. I want to make that clear. And now since you've been formally notified, we did we just did it through complaints before. Anybody that's involved with that place

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that they found guilty can be considered accessory before and or after the fact. I don't have nothing else to say. I mean, I don't want to take up your time. I I told you. >> Yeah. >> It's been more than 10 minutes.

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>> Just trying to pass it all off. Yeah. >> Do you have any questions for us? >> None whatsoever. We're not going to discuss it at this time until we talk to council. Yep. You can just tell him the timer's going. >> He'll he'll get it all. So, we'll we'll address it ASAP.

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>> The biggest thing I think on the top is the alcohol and the border health. Be perfectly honest with you. when you come to the zoning and that stuff. Well, oh, they want want me to mention to you on the ZBA, they had no

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business getting involved because those things for the wine are derived from Massachusetts general law and they have no authority to modify any Massachusett. They can only modify the zoning.

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They did mention to me that and I I didn't write all this stuff down. I I I can't remember all this how many pages. >> I can't remember. But if you guys need anything from us, we'd be happy to dig through all the stuff we got or call

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Boston back cuz we got three contacts there. >> Okay. >> And and get a foyer as fast as we can. But our deadline right now by the state is Monday. If he's open this weekend, we're to call them and tell them he's open or he's not open. That's the only

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thing that we have to do right now. And they're going to take it from there. >> Okay. >> Very good, Jay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Now, >> are you are you going to make a decision on it eventually? >> Who does that? >> We We won't make any comments at this

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time, ma'am, because we don't have counsel and it's got to go in front of them before we can >> It's got to do what? It needs to go in front of council before we can sort it out and make any decisions on it. >> I said the two biggest things I think is the board of health and the alcohol. I

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mean, it clearly shows he'd been making wine since 2020. He didn't even apply for a permit to 2022. So, they asked me silly questions like, "Why did they do this?" I said, "I can't answer that." >> Somebody will be in touch.

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>> Yeah, probably you. Okay. Oh, probably Ron. That's his job. >> That's why they got made. >> Yeah. Okay. We didn't know if it would be Quinland or whatever. >> You're saying Monday is the deadline, right? >> Yeah. We have to call them back on

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Monday and see if they're still >> open. >> Open. And if the answer is yes, then they're going to take it from there and they're going to give us an appointment with the Hampshire County District Attorney's Office

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and if the answer is no, the select board is addressing it and we just sit back and wait for the select board to address it. Is that simple for us? Anything from you guys? >> No.

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>> No. I wish I had tools and I got rid of it. >> I couldn't I couldn't figure it. >> You got your lawn mower though, right? >> Yeah, I did that the other day. We talked. We did get that done. So, good. >> Can I ask who who will you contact? Will it be Jay or Carol?

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>> Um, >> well, she asked to contact me because she doesn't know how to do email or any of that stuff. That's why on the complaint um she had me put down my email address and contact me her I mean

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she's 82 years old and you know she just lost her husband recently over there >> and she doesn't know how to do that stuff >> so >> so what >> so I guess >> I have Jay's contact >> y so Ron will get in touch with you >> have fun no problem hey have a nice

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>> you too >> thank you too >> trying to stay cool here on uh >> he's playing baseball on a Thursday. So, >> Oh, he's crazy. >> No, they already postponed. >> All right. >> Okay. Okay. New business. We have uh yearly

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appointments for 2026 to affirm and appoint. Um, Ron, I don't know if you did you talk to Mark in regards to how we can go about this. Do we go about it by page or >> Well, that was one of the things Kathy

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had mentioned on Thursday as something for the board to consider to kind of streamline it is to in essence kind of, you know, look at let's call it just page one. Mhm. >> If there's questions on page one, point out those questions and that way you can

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focus discussion or deliberation on whatever those questions are and then pass, you know, the I would have to assume probably 95% of them there'll be no questions, >> right? Okay. Um, I did look through them thoroughly. It appears that a lot of them are still the same from past years.

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They haven't changed. Um, the only question I would have are the ones that are not highlighted and if we're going to continue with these people or not. Um, on the new list, are they where is my new list? >> People aren't highlighted there. Well,

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actually, it looks like there's at least one person who's not highlighted that their term is should be up this year. >> Correct. And I believe if they're not highlighted that they have not expressed interest either one there was no comment from the chair. >> Just to take a step back Kathy had

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reached out to each of the chairs indicating you know >> you know so and so is up for uh for reappoint. Are they interested? >> If they said yes then you can see they're they're highlighted. Okay. If not then it's questionable.

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>> Okay. So looking at the new list that she gave us today, it appears that they are all in line with each other. The ones that are not highlighted. >> Yes. >> So okay. All right then. I guess we can entertain motions to proceed and point.

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All right. I'm just uh now I'm confused a little bit. So hang in there. So everybody who is in white, what does that mean? Well, >> not 100% sure because I know Rick Buller, you guys just announced that >> we just appointed him a couple weeks

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ago, right? >> Yep. Exactly. >> Or a month ago, whatever it was. So, I guess he would not need to be reappointed. So, maybe that's a better way to phrase it. The ones that she's highlighted are ones that should be reappointed. >> But I don't know that he ever got a card afterwards. So, it's probably better just >> I think we just have to appoint

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everybody unfortunately. I mean, and not unfortunately in terms of appointing the people, but um like I'm seeing people on here. I'm not clear whether they want to be on something or not. I think some people I know who I think may not want to be on there, but I'm not really sure.

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Um like the personnel board we have one person get well but we wouldn't appoint people where his term is up in 2028. I don't know if there's an easy way to get through it. Um, okay. So, like look

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at the board of appeals for a minute. We have so we have we're appointing Donald D. Roa. I guess his term is up in 2028. That would make sense. Jeremy Carrier is term is up now. So, we' be reappointing him. >> Yep.

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Yeah, associate members I believe are only yearly. >> Okay. Um >> Jeremy resigned from that board two years ago, >> right? But I think he agreed to be an associate member this coming year kind of thing. So I think that's what that's about. >> Um

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>> I think like Kathy said, she like Ron was explaining, you can go page one, do you have any issues? >> Yeah. >> And then this will get posted on the website within the next day or so so people can see the boards that are appointed. >> Okay. Okay. So, that's what I would do. >> Quick question there then. Building

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inspector, special local inspectors term was up. Why does it say 2026? Is that just I'm This is kind of confusing. You see what I'm saying? >> I do. >> Oh, yeah.

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>> I'm not even sure who that person is or what he does. Oh, special local inspector must just be somebody that fills in when uh when Tom is not available. >> No, that that doesn't make sense because that's not the they they use he uses that Kevin Ross out of Northampton, but he's not around.

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>> So, I don't know who this gentleman is. >> Um and that like I don't what does it mean when people's terms are I mean you're not going to appoint somebody for 2026 who's already been up. Um I don't know the person for the cable t TV advisory committee but

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>> or are those appointments for 26 27 >> and the 27th >> 27th fiscal year but she they go through this year it is a little bit confusing. >> Yeah. >> Yeah it is. Yeah. I can see >> just because of the dates. >> Yep. I was going to say that the dates

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>> most of them have moved forward but there are a few like Emily Reed 2026. See, when I got the original, it said Kathy and it should be Emily. >> I bet she changed names and didn't change dates or years because she was trying to get this done. Yes, cuz she was off on Friday. I think that's that's

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what it looks like. >> All right. >> I would just note that anybody in that has an expiring contract uh appointment in 2026 will go till 2027. At this point, I think that kind of covers us. Do >> So, do we do we point to special local inspector?

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Is that the weights and measures and stuff like that? >> Oh, yes, it could be. >> See, there was the weights and measures. >> Yeah, we end up using we we subcontract at Northampton. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Jason Forgue. Isn't that Isn't he measur? >> I think he might be. >> He might be. Yeah, I think he might be

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>> building. >> I'm sorry. >> Jason is a South building inspector. >> Jason is okay. So, that doesn't So, so he must be here because he would fill in if he had to. >> Yeah. Maybe it's an additional fill in or >> correct >> again. Maybe maybe Kevin Ross can't do it anymore. Maybe maybe that is what the

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case is, >> right? >> Um, and I think that's exactly what she did when she she replaced herself with Emily and then didn't then didn't then didn't then didn't then didn't then didn't then didn't then didn't then didn't then didn't then didn't change to 2027. >> All right. Well, let's go. Um, but then I don't know when these

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terms end. That's Well, D Ro is 2028. That's fine. >> I would I would do the 2026es for till 2027. At least we have the year and then >> if we need to modify, we probably bring it up bring it bring bring a few names in >> next meeting.

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>> Yeah, you know, I would say yes, >> we have to at least get them appointed in >> not highly worried about it. I'm just want to make sure we're okay. Okay. So, we're going to make that um Okay. So, the first page I got um David Johnson on cable TV advisory

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committee and set that to 2027. Um we're appointing the special local inspector, I presume. >> Yes, he is highlighted. So, >> okay. So, I'll change that to 2027.

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Um, Emily Reed, ethics commission liaison 2027. >> They all seem to be 27 throughout. >> All right. So, I get this through a year anyway. So, we can just approve by page. We don't have to read all these. >> That's what she said. Yes. >> All of them are 28 and the rest are 29s.

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So, >> okay. I may make a motion that we approve the um appointments for page one which runs from the almer's whiting street fund to some of the ambulance call force.

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>> I will second that motion. All in favor? >> I >> I any opposed? No discussion. >> Okay, same thing. Um, second page, Evan Bryant's going to go to 2027 for Forest

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Warden. Um, okay. Looks like the only change on that side on that. Um, all the rest are going forward. >> Okay. So, I move that we um approve the appointments for um runs

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from Austin plant to some guy named Kevin O'Grady. >> Are you sure you want to have a we had enough problems this year? No more changes. >> I will second the motion.

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>> All in favor? I >> I >> nothing happen. >> Okay. >> It appears there's only a couple of names that are dated for 2017. >> I think there was a typo. >> Yeah.

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>> Okay. Yeah. This is the kind of list I would never want to work with personally. >> Mr. Chair, can I uh ask on page three for police officers, you you both or the board met Dylan St. H and Gabriel Ortiz probably about a month ago and you guys appointed them

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>> uh conditionally upon them completing their physicals and background checks. >> That's great. >> They are that they are to that point now that if we could appoint them for one-year term to 2027 on both of them. >> Dilda St. An will be a full-time police officer, >> one-year probation, so 2027.

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>> All right. and Gabriel Ortiz is a part-time police officer and that again will be a one-year probationary term. If we could put those in those two proper categories. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Ron, do you have that? >> Yep.

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>> Okay. Okay. I move that we approve page three that runs from Alan Brooks at Ken Kamia um and a whole bunch of committees and um positions. And I will second that motion.

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All in favor? >> I >> I. And then uh do you want another motion just to appoint the two officers or we good? >> I think as long as we put them on this official list, >> then we're good. >> Yep. >> Okay. Very good. >> And if we can just check on those few

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that are labeled. I mean, there's really not that many. I saw four or five of them. Maybe two. Yes, I believe you have these back tomorrow. >> Yeah, because I I'm thinking and this is just a guesstimate that some of these are one-year terms and some of them are

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three-year terms. So that's why you see the dates jumping back and forth. >> Correct. >> I do remember that from past years. >> I don't even remember past years. Last >> last year was pretty bad and before that

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it was a long time ago. So I guess I remember >> All right. >> Okay. Next order of business is to sign a new police contract. >> Yes, sir. In your packet, you should see really two documents that pertain to the

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contract. one is the actual agreement and then there's an addendum which holds the uh the wage chart. >> So both of them to together combined are in fact the contract and there are two originals that would be need would need

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to be signed. >> Mhm. >> So I've read through it thoroughly which is kind of funny because Jay said I don't know if you want to read all through this but I I do just to see if there's any changes. I cross reference uh the last contract that I was sitting

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in on and it looks like there's only a couple of changes. Chief, >> could you address that or >> some minor legal uh language that attorney Collins suggested the town put in? >> Yep. >> And the union agreed. >> Okay.

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>> Um and again, uh a modest cola and some modest changes along with the um some of they receive. >> Yep. Um Chris Martin was involved in negotiating this for the town as well. Um so he was very um knowledgeable about

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what our budget is and um felt this was a fair to both sides. I think it's very fair. Um I was very happy to see the percentages of your raises that you were very fair to the town this year. Um and the other small

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changes are very minimal. So, I would uh if Mark, if you're happy with everything, did you have any questions or >> I'll make a motion that we um approve and sign the police contract or actually it's all of us. >> All right. I will second that motion.

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All in favor? >> I >> I Any discussion? >> Any discussion? >> Any opposed? None opposed. It's >> going to be a record quick meeting. No spot for a date there, but I guess >> should we date it on the side of our

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name? >> Probably. >> Probably. Right. >> Was it the 27th? >> 29th. >> 29th. 29th. >> You're losing days. I went back in time. >> I'd go It was cooler a couple days ago. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I went for a to your kid for a

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walk dressed like this and it's comfortable. I >> think by Wednesday. >> Yeah. >> Even in a pair of shorts here. >> I'm off for the rest after tomorrow. I'm off for the rest of the week. So, >> and I think there's a there's a second one. Didn't you say? >> Yeah, there are two. One original for

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us, one original for the union. >> And well, when Jeff gets back, do you want him to sign that? I mean, two of us signed. So, >> I would say he probably should uh >> Yeah, but I was just >> I think he should. Yeah. >> All right. >> I always forget he's your dispatcher.

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>> Yeah. Okay, we're all set with that. >> We're all set with that. >> Okay. Um discussion for replacing Council on Aging Director. >> Uh yes. Uh very briefly, as you know,

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Natalie's uh contract ends or expires tomorrow and um we have been posting for approximately a month now. Uh we don't have a whole heck of a lot of applications in so far. Just just two. >> Just two.

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>> I'm hoping that maybe Kathy hit because she was the the focal point. I'm hoping over the last couple days that she's been out that she's received a couple more, but at this point only two have been received. and I have recruited uh Chief O'By as well as Barbara uh the

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chair of the council on aging to be the quoteunquote search committee along with myself and what we're going to be doing is as soon as uh you know end of day tomorrow first thing on Wednesday I'll be giving the chief and Barbara the whatever applications resumes that we

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have accumulated at that point and then uh sometime next week then we're going to actually go through the all the paperwork and come up with our interview list. So, we're we're trying to fasttrack this. Um Amy and Mike, I've

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spoken with both of them. They're obviously very aware that the senior center is resting uh mostly on their shoulders right now. So, um >> Okay. >> I let them know, you know, whatever help they need, they to reach out before it gets to, you know, get get to be a

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situation, if you will. So, I think they're they're both aware aware of that. And um we're we're hoping to get a a director in as soon as possible just because we are short. >> And is it still listed currently for to take applications in? Is it still

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>> Yep. Right through right through uh end of day tomorrow, June 30th. >> Should we should we relist it to try and get more people that might be interested or >> Yeah. Let's see if anything came in. Uh Kathy should be in tomorrow. So, who

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knows? We we could have got, you know, a few more that have come in over the uh those last couple days. Generally, I tend to see that you you tend to get push of applications right at the deadline. >> That's when you get the coffin makers

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looking to make a career switch. >> Well, you guys are meeting next Monday anyway. So, it's not like it's two or three weeks that we'd be without >> Are we on the fifth? >> The sixth. I think Monday the 6th. >> I'm assuming you are. I yeah I mean

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>> I'll take your word for it. >> I think we are I think we already discussed a few things like liaison are going to go on there. Um I think Kathy has a little list already. A couple pollings. >> Oh yeah. Poll hearings. >> I imagine we'll have some warrants coming up. We don't have any warrants tonight. >> Correct. >> Yeah. Steve is uh has been out is um

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he's he did come in to actually finish the warrant. So the warrants are finished. Payroll will okay >> will go out on on time and everything, but he's still kind of a hurt. So, okay, we're taking a little bit slow with him and um yeah, definitely on the six we'll

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we'll see some words. >> Okay, very good. Is there anything else that we need to add? >> I have four things not for decisions, but um we had discussed earlier in the year reappointing energy committee. Mhm.

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>> Um, so I'll I haven't had time to put a charge together that I don't know if I mentioned putting together a grant committee, which was basically >> You did. >> Okay. >> Yep. I do remember that. >> I'm glad if somebody remembers what I did. >> Um, I don't have a charge for that, but

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um, and I don't even necessarily have, you know, members. That would be something that we would um, go out for. Um, so with a grant committee obviously look for grants. Um, would they report directly to Ron with that

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information? >> The way I'm the way I've pictured it is, um, I think we need a reality check on grants. I think >> ever since I've been involved in town politics, people have been saying we need to have we need to get grants. We need to get grants. And I don't think

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that people understand the complexities involved with grants like matching um you know matching funds like somebody to administer the grant. Um one of the reasons we get grants through the fire department and the police department is because we have somebody to administer them. So one of the one of my goals

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would be to um get people you know hopefully five people who are educated in how grants work. they understand the landscape of grants, what's available, what are the requirements, and then if if they come across things um to propose them. Um that was that was my original

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thought. >> And there's also the whole funding mechanism because a lot of times people might say, "Oh, this is a great grant, you know, let's go for it." Find out it's maybe a 70% match. And then we look and there's no 30% that we can pull from that's been set aside

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in the >> Oh, good point. Right. We don't have the funds to pull from >> the $300,000 for the matching part. It's a little hard to come up. >> Well, I think when Ron brought it up, too, some of these grants are like a two-page thing. No big deal to apply for, but the actual administration of them are bare. >> Yeah. Okay. >> You know,

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>> um, >> so yeah. So, my my I don't want to say it's an ulterior motive, but I just felt like there are a few things that people say all the time, like it's just, oh, you know, we're leaving money on the grant tree. We should be picking that. And um that's not that simple. And I' so

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I'd like a I'd like to get, you know, five people who actually are informed. They learn about grants and stuff like that. And hopefully you're able to spread the word and uh provide a reality check on when people think there's a grant fairy out there

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and it just needs that, you know, little wand. >> And as Ron just said, sometimes it, you know, there's grants that just won't apply to us for whatever reason, funding or whatever. So, >> so um I we had talked about um getting a financial management review from the

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Department of Labor Local Services. >> Yep. >> I sent an email to them. Haven't heard back yet, but >> Okay. Um and I asked Ron about that a little bit. Um you know, if it's absolutely necessary, it's not completely necessary. Is there a reason that you want to go down that road?

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>> Uh we did one in 2007. I think we need to look at it again to see it. basically looks at the structure of our financial stuff. It's also free. >> All right. I think uh yeah, I guess we can discuss that some more next week with Jeff here because I'd prefer him to be on board >> Yep.

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>> with everything that we're discussing. So, >> yeah. Okay. >> Um and the final thing is just I started exploring this and this is again not a decision we can make tonight, but um inviting to have a student come and sit with us at the table once a month for

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the school year. um purpose basically getting introducing kids to local government. >> All right. >> Um so I ran it by u Alli Jordan. She seemed like it was interesting. She suggested talking to Kelly Romano, but

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um you know, but that's something for us to decide as a board. >> Okay. And I guess for lack of knowledge, is that completely legal just to sit here and >> Yeah, I mean obviously they wouldn't be

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uh you know voting members or anything along those lines. Yeah, correct. um I don't I don't believe there is I mean especially if it's discussed and the board agrees then you know we can sit at the end of the table and frankly whether or not they have input into the

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in the actual meeting it's probably a chair's decision >> okay >> and you want to do it once a month each >> I think probably yeah I mean um >> yeah and it's I mean the school committee has a student representative they're they probably have voting rights

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I don't even know Oh, that's a good question. >> But we're not looking for voting rights. We're not looking for a fourth member. It would be just a opportunity to bring kids in and I would like to make sure that we have a diversity of kids so they're not just all the kids who are on the student council for example. They're

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like, you know, I want kids. >> Would it be the same child >> throughout a term throughout a year or one once a month? >> Okay. So, >> um so we could >> So you get through about seven or eight kids maybe in the course of the school year. So, which is yeah, seven or eight

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opportunities for kids to, you know, have a seat at the table, see how things work. Um, as a teacher, if you want, I will sit next to them and explain things as we go through it so they know what's going on. >> Um, but I just thought, you know, it's kind of an it's a nice thing to do. It's a good thing for the kids. It's a good

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thing for the community to see that and it's an opportunity to educate the kids and the public. So, I just thought it'd be worth pursuing. >> Okay. Would we want these as topics of discussion on the agenda for 76? >> Yeah, we'll try to have the

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>> we try to get some people together and we to charge a board or >> I'll create I'll create a board. >> Well, we I'll have to advertise the committees, right? Um >> so we may not have it for the six that >> I'll just I put up maybe I'll have to charge. I >> was going to say if we charge that could

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help with recruiting as well. >> Sure. Yeah. Yeah. If we put a charge forward, then they'll know what we're looking for and people can get involved if they choose to. >> Definitely easier to sign somebody up if they know what they're signing up for. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's the frustration. I mean, we do have some open like we have a historical

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commission. We have one member. >> That's not a commission. It's a person, >> right? >> So, uh point >> and I don't know how many people we put on there. I don't know if it's unlimited. I don't know if it's three. But, um we can't recruit if we don't know we have. I think the biggest you probably want an odd number. That way

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people can, >> you know, you can have a vote if there's an issue. But, uh, >> absolutely. >> Um, >> I would say for boards like that, I would think >> five probably would be a max because if you had too many. >> I think it becomes conflict be between

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some people. >> And it's harder to get seven or eight, seven or nine people together at one meeting, too, you know. >> I would I think I would top it at five. I >> if we could do that if >> it was a commission I' even three because I >> Okay. >> Um honestly it'd be hard to get five

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four more people. >> Okay. So call it three to five. >> Yeah. >> I guess >> that's true. Give us like >> um but if we can figure out Yeah. We can talk to Kathy, figure out what we do have for vacancies and then we'll publicize those and ask for people to submit the letters of interest. Sounds

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good. >> Yeah, we can definitely put that up on the website. >> Again, I like that. We liked your idea last year about whether people want to >> continue on boards, but we had to depend on department head or I'm sorry, uh, chairs this year because >> just the office is just so short short

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staff right now. Then >> she did we did the best we could with what we had. >> That makes sense. Yeah. >> Um, >> and then again, we'll ask department heads to kind of get emails of everybody so we don't have to actually do a physical mailing. >> Yeah, it' be nice. The post office is getting pretty darn expensive, you know. >> Absolutely. At 82 cents a stamp, right?

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>> How much is it now? >> 82 cents. It's going up too, might I think. >> Couple weeks. >> Couple weeks, right? Yeah. >> Get those forever stamps now. >> Public service announcements get in the 75 cents or something. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And then on the other end, um, you

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know, we came up with that volunteer form for volunteers. Um, you know, maybe we could come up with some kind of short form >> for boards even and then and then that would help to streamline the appointments. >> True. >> Right. you know, if they if they have a

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one-year appointment, they know they have to come back and, you know, sign up again, then that would help things. >> Yeah. It would save appointing someone in a session like this and then a month later they you know, I really don't want it and now we're back to having to

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recruit and appoint and >> so just a suggestion but >> because I mean I think of this as part of our farm team for other off you know people running for office and stuff. the more people you can get involved and actually doing stuff, learning the ropes of a a committee and

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seeing that actually there are non-financial benefits to uh being on a committee serving the top. >> Yeah. Well, as the as the saying goes, it takes a village, right? So, okay. If there's nothing else, I will

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entertain a motion to adjourn. >> Were you guys going to sing now? >> No, I thought it was your night. Yeah, >> I've been working on a John, but >> I'm going to want some piano. >> I don't that that that thing is not tuned.

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>> Yeah, God knows what it is. But uh All right, I'll make a motion to journ. >> I will second the motion. All in favor? >> I >> I >> Yeah, actually I was actually learning uh

