Okay, thank you all for joining. Um, this is the Tuesday, July 14th, uh, 2026, uh, Halifax Select Board meeting. We are in the great hall here at 499 Plymouth Street. It is 6:00. This meeting has been posted in accordance with the
provisions of Massachusetts general law chapter 38 section 20B and pursuant to chapter 38 section 20F. Notice is being made that this meeting is being recorded and will be posted on area 58 community access channel. The board chair reasonably anticipates the following matters will be discussed andor voted on
at this meeting. Agenda items may be taken out of order for time management considerations. Uh for those that are willing and able, could you 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, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. Um, so we'll make this as quick as possible. Uh, but the board will now vote to enter into executive session in the town administrator's office to discuss the following. Town council
reappointment pursuant to Massachusetts general law chapter 3A 21A2 to discuss strategy with respect to negotiations with non-UN personnel specifically the proposed reappointment of town council including review of building procedures and policy correspondence provided in
connection with the resident inquiry and to determine the town's position relative to the execution of any agreement or engagement. Um and then we will um also approve of executive session minutes from April 28th, 2026 and June 23rd, 2023.
Um so I'll take a roll call vote. Um actually, yeah, roll call vote. Jonathan, >> yes. >> Uh Bill, >> yes. >> And myself, Tom is yes as well. We'll be back as soon as possible. >> Quick quick meeting. We'll be back as soon as we can, guys. >> Back. Sorry about that. It is 6:24. We
will reconvene in open session. Um the first item uh that we'll take in consideration of the crowd um is the swearing in ceremony for Sergeant McIntyre. Um so I'd like to introduce uh Chief Chavs and Deputy Chief uh Benner.
Please >> I say turn it around. >> Turn it around. >> Let's do this. >> Uh so uh good evening everyone. Just want to thank everybody uh for uh to be here this evening. I appreciate the board's uh taking us on the agenda. I
know you guys have a busy agenda tonight um for this uh kind of momentous occasion. Um we're going to have the pinning ceremony for the first female police sergeant in the history of the Halifax Police Department. So it is uh you know something that doesn't happen very often. So Sergeant McIntyre
graduated from the 65th ROC on July 2nd, 2018. Over her career, she has been assigned to the uh as a court off prosecutor, school resource officer, and patrol division. Sergeant McIntyre will be assigned to both the 4 to 12 and the 8 to four patrol supervisor position.
Tonight is a ceremonial badge pinning as she's already been uh sworn in by the clerk's office on July 1st when she took her oath of office. Uh she is surrounded by the community that she serves along with family and friends that supported her throughout her career. Um, so again,
I just want to congratulate Michelle and ask her to come up. And then I have her um, dad, Allan, please come up to uh, do the uh, pinning. Just make sure you don't injure her. Oops. It's a lot of pressure.
Thank you. AGAIN, thank you everyone. Thank you to the board. Uh congratulations Michelle. Welcome aboard. I'm sure you'll continue on to do a great job. Thank you everyone for this uh spending some time today. >> Thank you again.
>> Thanks chief. >> Congratulations. >> Congratulations. >> And thank you. Welcome to management. Getting crowd here. >> Okay, you're you're all welcome to stay if you'd like. It's riveting. Um I think we'll mostly go in order. I
see some people here for one thing specifically, but we'll mostly go in order. Uh I don't see parks here quite yet anyway. Um so, um Jonathan, would you like to handle the warrants and commitments, please? >> So, I move to affirm approval of the following warrants and commitments.
Harrow warrant number 120 for $358,79253. Vendor warrant number 121 for $135,42146. Payroll warrant number 122 for $3,526. Vendor warrant number 124 for
2,327,388.91. School warrant number 127 for $846,561.91. and the ambulance commitments from June 29th, 2026 to July 5th, 2026 for $91,98120. >> Bill
>> second. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Unanimous. >> All right. I move to approve the following warrants and commitments. Payroll warrant number 126 for $79,25.80. Vendor warrant number 128 for $613,6544. Payroll warrant number one for
$28,143.97. Vendor warrant number two for $544,57548 and the mobile home park fee number 7 for $5,160. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I. >> Unanimous. >> Um, two quick things. We forgot to get a picture with officer McIntyre, Sergeant
McIntyre, but oh well. Sorry about that. Should have got one. Um and then just uh a scrivener's error appears on the agenda. Um just now we had the we entertained an executive session the approval of executive session minutes. Um the second item there should be June
23rd of this year, June 23, 2026. So I just want to clarify that. Um B on the agenda tonight is the um just to discuss the talent bank forms that we received for the vacancy on the Halifax Elementary School Committee. We did have four talent bank forms submitted. Great.
>> Um they are uh James Hopkins, Samantha Cox, Derek Wigman, and Crystal Kingsley. Um they will appear at the next select board meeting on June I'm sorry, July 28th of this month. Um the select board uh will meet in conjunction um to vote
with the Halifax Elementary School Committee. That board uh we will also have uh the finance committee present for that meeting. The finance committee does not take part in the vote uh but they will be present for the discussions um and so forth. So that will appear on July 28th which is our next meeting at
that time uh regular time same place. Um C on the agenda chapter 90 contract Stephen. Yeah, and Pam did a lot of the work on this. >> Yeah, there's a little note inside your um packet that speaks to exactly what
this is. So, this is not a contract amendment that really applies to anything besides extending the authorization for mass DOT under the chapter 90 contract. Um it has to be amended to extend the contract term for an additional 10 years. Yeah.
>> Um so that comes with um the standard contract form which you have in your packet. Uh authorized uh list which is right over here. Tom the >> the contractor authorized signatory list for review and execution. The amen amendment extends the duration of the town's existing agreement but does not
alter the town's chapter 90 contract number or affect its ability to receive chapter 90 roadway funding. Pursuant to requirements established by the office of the comproller. Both uh standard contract form and the CASL must be executed by the same authorized
municipal official. And then following this, the documents must be returned to Mass DOT. So we'll do that once they're executed. And then I would say that um basically we're looking to authorize these and move them back to the state to continue to achieve our chapter 90 funding. >> Yeah.
>> So this is an extension of the contract through June 30, 2037. >> Correct. >> Okay. Seems pretty standard. >> Yep. >> Questions? Nope. Sounds good. >> Yeah, that's when it's going to expire. That's when it expire. People together. >> We had tabled this from a previous meeting as well.
>> Okay. Cities and towns. >> Yep. >> Any questions, guys? >> No. >> Okay. Uh if not, um I will make a motion uh to execute the standard contract form uh extending the town's chapter 90 chapter 90 contract through June 30,
2037. And with that uh with that if that should carry authorize the chair which is myself to sign and execute that contract. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? I >> I Okay. So we'll sign that and get that done. Um right in order here D. Uh
appoint assistant wiring inspectors. >> Um so appointments uh requested here tonight by this board are for Peter Burgess and Scott Materna to serve as assistant wiring inspectors. Um really it's Peter uh uh Burgess who will be
handling the vast majority of them. Uh Scott will be on an emergency basis for um any fire um if if Peter's unavailable. Is that correct? >> Yeah. So the way this breaks down is right now Peter Berus would be coming in as the actual individual permit inspector that's being paid on the
electrical permit. So the way it works is when a when a contractor pulls a permit, the inspector gets a percentage of that permit cost and then the town receives a percentage of that cost. So the permit fee is really limited to that person as far as what percentage they
get. Now in the case of an emergency, there is no fee associated with the emergency. So a lot of times what you have is assistant wiring inspectors that don't want to do inspections in which they will not get paid for. So the reason for having Scott Materna as a
backup is in the instance where the town fire department or another town department or a town function or building were to become impacted and need electrical inspection, we'd be able to do it on an emergency basis with someone in house. This has also been passed by and approved by the ethics
commission. That's where we address the disclosure that he had submitted 2 weeks ago. So essentially, Scott is effectively an emergency backup in the event Peter does not fill up the um the inspection. Now, there may be situations where Mr. Burgess wants to actually carry out the inspections on the
emergency settings and do it for free because there's no fee associated with it, and that's perfectly acceptable as well. It just gives the town a little bit more flexibility when it comes to inspecting things that happen physically to the town owned infrastructure. And these are one-year appointments uh
which would carry us through June 30 of next year as well. >> Any questions, comments? >> No, I I I will say I know Peter Burgess, he's uh for those that are familiar with the scout program here in Halifax, um he is an exceptional leader of our scouts.
He is um a fine choice in my opinion. So excited to to appoint him here. >> Okay. Is that a motion I heard? >> No, I'll make a Sure. If you want a motion, I'll make a motion to appoint both Peter Burgess and Scott Materna as our electrical inspectors uh both with a
term ending June 30th, 2027. >> So moved. >> I'll second that. So all those in favor I >> unanimous. Okay. So we will sign their cards. Do they have to uh meet with Sue at all on that? >> To be sworn in? >> Yep. Sworn in. >> So we'll communicate we'll communicate
that to them as well. Okay. Sounds great. >> Uh and then more boilerplate stuff here. um uh FY2027 signature authority forms. Uh to be in compliance with Massachusetts general law, uh the town accountants office must have signatures on record for those that are approved to
sign bills and payroll for each department, board, and committee. Um so these files need to be updated every year. Um so before us tonight is uh we have what the board of selectmen or the select board um for myself uh William Smith and then Jonathan Celig. And then for the Halifax Police Department, we
have Chief uh Jobs and Deputy Chief Benner. uh invenimatories on that. So uh any questions or comments for that? So, are we setting I guess my quick question is are we setting all three of us to have signing authority or just
appears all the names of people. So, that's why I have you guys put a signature on and if you scroll up >> scroll up >> primary Steve >> Okay. >> Okay. Right. So, there we have >> and Steve is the primary in the chair with the backup.
>> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So, S's going to sign. >> Gotcha. Right here. Gotcha. Okay. promise that it comes in every Tuesday night. >> Perfect. >> Okay. >> Um, does that need a motion to do that?
Do we need to approve that? >> I would just do it out of >> Okay. I will make a motion to approve as printed both the Halifax Select Board Signature Authority as well as the Halifax Police Department uh authority. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? >> I.
>> Okay. Uh, next in order. Have we ever gone all the way in order? I'm not sure. uh parks uh a discussion with the parks department parks commission uh for discussion at Halifax Beach current and ongoing issues. So we do have parks here at least in part um so I don't know how
we want to guide the discussion. I know we've met previously uh last month and there was been some weekends in between. Um some temporary actions were taken by the board in conjunction with Halifax Police and Fire. Um so I know we have residents here to speak to that tonight as well. Um I don't know if we want to
start with Mike. uh from your perspective if you'd like to come up to the mic or you want you want to hear the concerns or how do you want to handle this mic? >> Okay. >> Um >> I was out of time last week so I couldn't respond anybody
>> put up the microphone. >> Come on up just so we can hear you. We won't be able to hear you otherwise. So, I uh I thought some of the other commissioners might have responded or come up tonight or been following it. So, I haven't been able to catch up with actually what's been going on the past
week, week and a half. But anyways, uh it was a mess. Everybody knows it. Everything fell apart. Nothing worked because there was such an influx of people here. It it just was unmanageable. There's no way. marketing
attendant down there. He he couldn't control it the year before. He wasn't even there in July. So, at least we had somebody down there this year and and it still didn't work. Okay. You're running uh you know, you you're running a summer weekends around
here and there's a lot more going on than just down the beach. So, when you call on the police, they're tied up also. So you got neighbors, they're frustrated and they're uh you know very vocal on Facebook and a lot of other things. So
it it turned into a tobacco a debacle if that's the right word. Um and then all of a sudden it gets cleared out what two weeks ago, a week ago. >> Okay. Yeah. I mean, we did there was some temporary
>> there was some temporary action taken specifically from Thursday of the July 4th weekend through that weekend. Um, and that's >> I thought I thought it happened just before July 4th weekend. >> The weekend was >> Yeah, the weekend prior leading into >> leading into the July 4th weekend. Okay. >> So, um,
>> and things have quieted down there a little. >> Well, there's there's nobody down there really. I mean, they all vanished, evaporated. >> Okay. So, it's it's it's usually more manage manageable down there. Um, we have uh Andrews down there. He's been
able to there's like nobody down there. So, I've asked them to check out the other Route 58 boat ramp uh Route 36 Home Street parking area. It's even gone around to the hops, the other other um areas which you know could use a little
monitoring during the day and it was just it was like night and day. So uh there was there was some actions taken that I was unaware of. I wish I was included in the loop when um certain you know things were done. I wish I was told
ahead of time or at least when it was happening instead of after the fact. So I don't want to get into that here but something we can all work on. Um an afteraction plan. I talked to Steve briefly yesterday and uh kind of
gave me a little brief on what what I missed last meeting and uh that we're all trying to get ahead of next year and I think that's mostly why we're here tonight. >> Okay. >> In my misunderstanding or
>> Okay. >> So, um we're doing the best we can with what I got. I got one individual down there. That's all I got. So, I can't do anything else. I got drawings down there to finish to finish up down there so we can get that place
finished. Getting work on that. And I got two other guys that are just busy. They they're not able to help out uh as far as the commissioners. And basically, I'm looking at it and it's eating up a lot of my time on top of it. So, I'd
love to get this thing resolved to an organized fashion. We don't have to go through this again. We try every year. >> You've seen it, Jonathan. >> Right. Every year we try to get ahead of it. We never get ahead of it. Yeah. >> Ever. Pam works on a lot getting the
stickers out, all that stuff, taking the stickers in, the purchasing of the out of town stickers. She's up to her eyeballs. I've asked Sea's helped me out a lot past few weeks uh with a with a vehicle down there. So, he can go down
the beach, go down to 58. They can see a town vehicle. They can see somebody's watching out looking around. I think it's it's helped out a lot. I appreciate that. Thank you, man. And I' and thanks to Caesar for helping me out as well. So, that's the way it should be working.
And so, hopefully uh we got through this hump and we won't bump into this again. Uh the I don't see it really the rest of the year. I think everything's calmed enough, but we can't wait till June, July to say, "Oops, let's do something
more, you know, proactive." So, like you say, you had an idea, uh, Deputy Chief Ted Banner informed me that we're going to lock the gate to under dusk. That's great. Not all the time does it get opened at dawn or just closed at dusk.
Um, right now it's calm enough. Maybe you don't have to do that. I don't know what the decision that went into it or discussions, but I'd be interested in hearing how that worked out. I understand maybe blocking the route for uh uh the Fort Dav boat ramp. I'd love
to have a gate in there, but we haven't had one so far and now that it's blocked off. Was that even effective? Um when everybody cleared out, did you even need it or was it more of a Fourth of July? Didn't I don't know what the end result was that was. Can anybody
tell me that you cleared out the fourth a >> well the temporary closed? So how how did that work out? I haven't heard it how it worked out from anybody on you know the efficiency of it. >> I mean I think >> forward with it. >> I think a combination of factors led to some a level some level of success for
sure. If if the goal was to limit the access um it certainly did that. Um >> did it clear out before that? >> Yeah because that was for every week. So mostly >> so so mostly it
>> that was that was you know a deterrent but it was like a dollar shot day late daylight dollar shot. >> Well yeah that it may it may have been late >> which is something that we need to you know like I said like Steve mentioned you know let's figure out how we can get this ahead but
>> Mike tell me how often does the parks uh commission meet? How often do you guys have meetings? >> Well when I can get them together >> lightly. >> Sure. I haven't been able to get them together. >> We met the last town meeting over there. We had a spot over there in the art room. >> Mhm. >> And we met down there. We tried to get
another meeting a couple weeks after. Try to get another meeting to cuz you know we're burning. I think we gave back to town like almost two grand that we didn't spend down there. Not only, you know, for bodies on the beach for the also the uh budget um for uh
maintenance. So, we couldn't even expend anything that we really needed down there. So, that went back to the town. So, that's like a plus and minus. >> So, we got a new budget now. Um, we're still trying to get together. And summer has always been an issue. >> So, do you do you meet regularly in the
offse like from September to May? Do you meet regularity? >> We try to get it all done. In the past, we try to get it all all set up and done before June, obviously. about it. >> Yeah, I'm not arguing with you. I'm just wondering, you know, if we're if we're a
day late and a dollar short, but we're not you're not meeting regularly, that only exacerbates the problem in my opinion. >> Well, we had everything in place that we had the year before, >> right? But we just and everybody said that that didn't work >> at a on a normal season. >> That would have been fine. We had a parking attendant. Last year we didn't
have one in July. In June. Yeah. Yeah. In June. This year we did have it. Didn't make any difference at all. >> So, we had the buoys out. We had the markers out. We've done We had the porta party there. The place was cleaned up. We spent the weekend cleaning it out. >> Okay.
>> Chippers came down. The town highway came and took it all out. There were trees down all over the place. We got all that out. Came in and cleaned it up. I don't know. >> Mike, just what are we supposed to do? I don't >> Just just remind me. This is obviously your your commission. This is an elected commission, correct? You guys are elected? >> No.
>> Yeah. And how many I should know this, but are there three of you? >> Three. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, it's a it's a and it's a three-year appointment or election elected office position here. All right. Yeah. I think, you know, whether it's in conjunction with our board or something, but I think a more regularly scheduled
get together might be productive for everybody. I sure would. >> Yeah. Okay. Anything for Mike before we get to the >> What What are the parking attendants duties? What is he What is he supposed to do? >> Well, basically, he's down there to check stickers, make sure you're parking down there. He's also checking make sure there's no grills burning. He's also
going over by the ramp just make sure the boats are going in. So he's running over here while somebody's coming in over here and you know >> and he's at some point it's so overwhelming he just >> his own vehicle he's doing this in. >> Sorry, >> his own vehicle. >> He has he was using his own vehicle up
until two weekends ago. So he's got the he's got the car now cuz I had high hopes to have the pickup truck, >> right? >> So we can get the rubbish out of there if it's overflowed and all that. >> So that went away. So, we got the car and now he's he's using that, but I can't load it up with rubbish or anything.
>> Okay. >> Just a couple Can I, Mr. Chair? >> Sure. >> Yeah. Just a couple things. So, I think we wanted to bring you in, Mike, because we were getting concerns from folks and we just wanted to make sure that you guys had the resources you needed to to help folks down there. So,
>> we thought we did and we didn't. >> That's the number one. And then number two, I agree with Tom, regular meetings like um >> Yeah, I know. you know, at least once, you know, >> I get that, but you know, beat up on the wrong guy. So, >> no, no, no, no. I hear you, but and I'm not beating up on you, but I'm just saying, you know, if we can get a hold
of the other two or if we need Pam to contact the other two uh once a month, you know, second or fourth Thursday of the month and >> stuff, but they don't >> Yeah, >> they're elected officials. They don't, >> you know what I'm saying?
>> And then one other one I had, Mike, was like trash, like when the trash kind of gets crazy. Is there anybody from parks that >> I had been taking care of it with my own truck? >> Okay. >> We had a we had a meeting last year towards the end to get the vehicle so I can have a vehicle instead of using my own truck. >> Okay.
>> Mine is like it needs work. >> Yeah. No, I should be using truck. So, we try to keep up with it. >> He left there on a Sunday and Tuesday it was there was rubbish everywhere. >> He's been walking around. He's been cleaning up. Past couple of weeks been great. Okay.
>> Fant. There's been like no rubbish. Um, they moved the barrels over to the packing area. There's nobody down there jet skiing and as much as they did before. So, I'm assuming it's basically crowd levels that have cleaned it up. But, I took care of that all last year
and I'll take care of it again this year if I had access to do stuff. >> Yeah. if I'm here and hoping the other commissioners could contribute and you just got to I I you know you got to talk to them too or >> Okay. >> Okay.
>> That's all I had. >> I appreciate it. >> Okay. >> I appreciate you uh you know putting the effort into this. We do this every year. Uh you know we try to this all starts taking off. We try to get up here and here we are back again. We've done everything we can that we can find. We
got we got enough funding to put one person down there. We maybe need two. Maybe we can get lifeguards down there. Maybe we get some more promotion to get the rest of the to get the rest of the town to participate down there. I mean, they're looking at, you know, I'm sure they're looking at what's going on. They're going, "I ain't going down here.
Half the town doesn't want to come down here. How do you get the town to support what we'd like to have see down there?" Not not only down there. There's other There's other places around that we need to be extending, expanding, and cleaning and, you know, trying to get everything else. We can't. It's just it's just
sucks the life out of you. I'm losing I'm losing a lot on this because nobody else has helped me out and I'm frustrated through the roof and the the the breakdown was like everywhere. So, >> thank you. >> Um Okay. Thank you, Mike.
>> Thanks. Thanks, Mike. >> Thank you. >> Uh >> can I address a few things? >> Sure. >> Okay. >> The week before the 4th of July, >> Steve Name and address. >> Oh, Steve Goodman, 24th Avenue. Everybody knows me. Sorry. >> Everyone at home watching though.
>> Um, the week before the fore, if you weren't paying attention, you don't know what happened. I'm not going to tell you, but the beach got cleared out of people who were abusing the beach. Uh, there was not a single human being there from parks. You can take what he said with a
grain of salt. I have cameras set up in my yard and I'm home every single day at 5:00 and I'm there all weekend. Fourth of July weekend, I had 250 people at my house. We all went down to the beach and there was no trash there when we left cuz that's our neighborhood and we care
about it. Um, >> I didn't interrupt you. Don't interrupt me, >> gentlemen. >> Keep it here, guys. >> So, he says he's been doing everything he can. I think there's just not enough that can be done by a single parks
person. I I moved into town and nobody did anything down there and it was fine. It was beautiful. the people who used it cleaned it themselves and that was perfect. Um, it was the people from out of town who were not respecting the place. Once that stopped, most of the issues stopped. Uh, again, I live right
there. So, I can tell you when you guys put up the chain, great. Two or three people came, they drove down, they saw it, they left. They didn't try to take their jet ski out, they didn't try anything. I don't know if they went to the state ramp or not, but they left. Uh this past week there's been a couple
people uh those of us that watch this continually. Um we call them the scout vehicles. Two or three vehicles come down, they see what's in there for enforcement. Maybe an hour later, five or six more jet skiis come down. This weekend cuz they didn't have such a big group of people to play with. They left
after about an hour cuz they I think they get the point that, you know, they're not welcome here. And the group has gotten smaller through. Like I said, if you don't know what happened, we can have a private talk. I can tell you what happened. Um, I think the gate, a
permanent gate needs to be there. I think that's a great solution. Now, we have some time where we can do it the right way. Put it in place. Uh, that folks in the neighborhood will fund it, but put it in place so that it has its uh resident. I had some residents stop cuz like I said, I'm on my front lawn
every day and asked me what was going on. And I said eventually they'll be and nobody was upset about it. not a single town resident because they knew what was going on the lake. They're like, "Oh, we understand this is temporary." I said, "Yep, you have to go over the state ramp and everybody was happy to do it." So, I think that was a great solution and we thank you for that. Um, I would have
liked to see it stay up cuz literally the day you took it down, the next day there were two people from out of town putting the jet skiis in. Literally took it Tuesday. I walked down there and it was down. Wednesday afternoon when I got home from work, people from uh Brockton and Kingston down there with the jet
skis. So they do watch. They come through the neighborhood. They watch. They alert each other as to what's there for enforcement and not. They could have had that kid. That kid could have been there all summer from day one. He wasn't stopping these guys. You either need to decide that it's a safety issue and
close the parking or not. And as far as the person issuing the parking passes being overwhelmed. I was told by more than one town official we only issued 10 out of town passes. So I don't know how overwhelming they could be because by the third weekend, eight of them had already been given out. So
I don't know how overwhelmed you could be giving out free passes to people from county last year was 10. This year we did opened it up to Mike. What did we decide for? >> How do you know how many out of town permits? Mike
>> 30. >> 30 last year was 10. >> I think we should revisit that. uh 16 last year. >> Nope, we did 10. We were only capping it at 10:00 and I got nine. >> Oh, I know. >> Yeah. I I'd like uh I'm putting in a
formal request with the board since you supervise elected officials. I'd like the meetings from the minute where they decided that I want the minutes from that meeting. >> Well, I don't know that this board has any purview over parks. >> All right. Well, we we've tried to put in a a foyer request for meeting minutes
and they don't have any from any of the meetings that they've actually held. So, I'm putting you and him on notice that I'll be attorney contacting the attorney general because they've had long enough to get us the minutes. They've had over six weeks to get us whatever minutes they may or may not have. And they don't have any, which is an ethics violation
for any elected board in any state, any town in Massachusetts. And they also have to have by town bylaw, they have to have a certain number of meetings per year regardless of what their season is. You know, I I don't think this anybody up on this board is going to argue that with you. Um, but again, you know, we
talk about the town meeting that we just had, elected versus appointed. These are elected bodies, >> right? >> So, elections are coming. >> Okay. Well, that's, you know, I don't know what else to say besides that on that. >> No, I I agree with you. >> Okay. Any other residents want to speak to this?
>> Uh, David Masio, 1610 app. Uh, first of all, I I want to applaud both Jonathan and Tom for you guys did quite a bit of effort of seeing and firsthand what happened. Uh, I'm not sure if you guys have made it there. I think you you come down, we talk to you and then also
Deputy Chief uh Deputy Chief Teddy Benner had been quite involved with a lot of this and I and I really from the bottom of my heart with what's been going on. I appreciate everything. Um, I did email parks last week and not one
not one parks commissioner responded. Um, I can give you the the time stamp. Um, and and I understand Mike said, you know, he was on vacation, so, you know, he couldn't respond. Uh, that being said, if if a parks commissioner doesn't want to be involved, step down and put a talent bank for him in and I'll uh I'll
jump in. Um, I live in that neighborhood and uh I've been pretty I've been pretty indepth with with what's been going on and trying to help out. Um, and I think if that's the case, we need some people that are really going to want to be involved. Uh, some of the things that were brought up, you know, the the the
the attendant was over at the the ramp or he was whatever. I live there. I haven't seen it. So, I'm not saying it's it didn't happen, but we we haven't seen any of the things that we would expect from the commission. Um,
we don't have an exact set of rules. And this is something that I spoke with Deputy Chief Benner on was where are the rules and what what does the parks commission actually handle? Because when we took it upon ourselves to try and stop this
thing before something happened, which I I know you guys all have heard this in Lakeville, there was a jet ski accident. Someone was was killed. Okay. Thank God, and I'm sorry for the families. Thank God it didn't happen here in Halifax. we don't need that. Um, but we were on the verge of that. We were at the precipice
of that happening here and uh, you know, with with the urge of, uh, the board of selectman in and Halifax PD, we got the temporary gate. um with residents that are willing to put the effort in like
myself, Steve, Mark, Amy, Richard Holmes, we could go down a list of of neighbors that are willing to also lend a hand to keeping control of that beach. So that when he says I can't control it, the
number one control of that beach in the last few months has been with residents that live there along with the help of the BOS and Halifax PD. So if parks can't handle it, let's get some people in there that can. Let's do that and then we can start probably enjoying the
beach. And I've spent quite a bit of time since and it's been peaceful. Thank you. I >> I just have one question for Mike. Yeah. >> Yeah. Mike back wouldn't mind. >> Mike, why are we giving out of town
stickers? >> Excuse me. >> Why are we giving out of town stickers? >> Why are we giving out of town stickers? Cuz we had there was an interest on it >> for out of towns to come in there the first I don't know three four years ago. >> And so that's the process we went
through. There's a couple of There's rules posted down there. No, >> I understand that, but I I think you could resolve some of the problem without giving any out of town stickers. >> I'm just a >> So, you know, I'm going to tell you one thing. I'm going to tell you one thing.
I'm just glad I become the boogeyman to help everybody out because Andrew was down there last week. He was on vacation with his family. There was one, not last week, the week before. He was on family with his vacation. He already put it in
before he moved. So, there was one week and he wasn't down there. We have anybody else to back out? Was there any money in the budget to hire police? I have in the past, but it was the end of the year. The money's gone. They're $100 for 8 hours. I can't hire them.
>> See, this is what I'm talking about, >> guys. >> I was being very generous. Okay. Of what went was going on down there and I'm sure you know a little more than All right. So, >> thank you. >> Thank you, Mike.
>> Thank you. >> The uh the stick is out of town. It came through a process. There are minutes on it. Bruce is is doing the is finished. I think he's got two more minutes to finish, but all the other ones prior to that are have been submitted up to last year to our last meeting.
Um and then also this year Bruce is also doing those minutes as well. So I mean I can't you know I got to do the bill and everything else and that's just part of his job. So um just reach out and get Minnesota and
that'll be fine. >> Thanks Mike. >> Amy Troop Tenh Hillside A. I do want to thank you guys very much for that because the uh gate being up did help a lot. Um and it was really great because I saw when I would be coming home from
work families walking their kids down to the beach. It happens all the time now. So it's actually very beautiful. It's kind of back to how it used to be. I mean like little ones with their little Anyway, so thank you. Um, but I think
that the gate really did do a lot and I would say that Bill, Bill or William, what do you Bill Bill? >> Okay. Um, that yeah, the town in 2020 when this started to occur actually has a petition on file with the town clerk's
office to prevent the out of towners because all of the signs that are down there, if you've been down there, you guys have seen them say Halifax residents only and it was like a benefit. So I don't think I think that it's been on record for this 6 years
that the neighborhood doesn't want it to go out to out of town residents or I'm sorry out oftowners. So um that is a note and um but yeah I really think it's beautiful to watch all the children go down to the beach with their parents and
it's it's awesome. So thank you. And if we could do something about getting that gate up. Is that our next plan to do that because that's not really on a parks thing. That's on fourth a. >> I mean that that can be part of the discussion. Um I know we discussed it
previously. Um >> the one that went in late June was a temporary measure >> from Thursday to Sunday. >> Um we can discuss it. I don't know. I don't I don't know the rules and regulations on having a resident funded
event. If it's a town gate, that's probably some things going on there. >> Probably just some avenues we'd have to check into from a legal compliance stand. >> Chief, chief, is that right? Oh, I'm sorry, Amy. Was that Did you >> I think he was going to speak to that. So, >> Oh, okay. Great. All right. That's great. Yeah. No, just that would be good. >> Okay. I didn't mean to cut you off
there. >> Uh that deputy police chief and uh town resident. So, um, few questions about that area down there. I know that we've spoken a few times about it. Where does technically Fourth A end and where does the park
begin? So, where that gate temporarily temporarily is in now, we don't know if a goes down as a public way to that ramp. >> If that's technically a public way, >> has to be open. >> It has to be open. Mhm.
>> So, I believe that the town should maybe look into a land surveyor to find out where that road goes to and who owns what in that area right there. Um, as far as a gate going a little bit further up,
if that's where it's decided to go, then obviously that road is going to be blocked. Then you're going to have vehicles pulling down there. They're probably going to be pulling into residents to turn around down there. These are all different things that need to be um looked at. Temporary gate was
set up. It worked fine. If it is decided to be closed again, we can easily put that gate back uh gate back up. Um the ramp also we all know it's a safety issue with the ramp being
right next to the swim area. >> So if that ramp is shut down, is that going to solve that problem? Yes, it might push a few of the jet skiis out further, but they are still going to be coming up to that beach in that area
right there. Um, and as far as the um attendant goes, if I can get offline and talk to you, but I believe if we move that attendant up to the uh gate up at the front there where the vehicles are pulling in, he can just check the stickers right there.
So, if there isn't a sticker on the vehicle, he has to direct them. they give them any problems, they call us down there, we'll escort them out of there. We've written uh approximately 40 citations down there for about $1,900 so
far. Uh this year, officers do get overwhelmed. They'll go down there, they'll tag 10 of the vehicles. As soon as they leave, 10 more vehicles do show up down there, and sometimes the officers aren't getting back down there for another few hours, depending on the
um shift. Um, so those are a few things that definitely need to be looked at. And as far as the public way goes, we have to look into that to find out where that road actually is and where it stops. >> Is your opinion that the the temporary
gate that the land should be surveyed to have the temporary gate back up or just the just in the event we >> the temporary gate if that's under control of the town and that's blocked, I would believe that would be fine. because it's not blocking the road. But
if the decision >> because it's so far down, but if you're talking about moving the gate up, >> if you're talking about moving that gate up to block off that area there, that's when you have to determine whether it's public way or not. >> Okay. >> Steve go to 24,000 doing my own
research, title searching. Um, I managed to track it up to 1956, and I can't see anywhere where the town owns the beach. Uh, one large chunk of property, if you take a big look at the town, there was a private school that was bequeathed in 1911 to two women, well, to one man, and
then he left it in the 30s to two women. It was a private school, which now sits where the Halifax Elementary School is. They split the property, donated the school building to the town. All the lot numbers that go from 106 straight through Walmart all the way down to the beach are listed on a deed. Uh from
1930, still privately owned. 1956, still privately owned. I still I'm still working my way through it, but I can't find anywhere where the town owns any of that land. >> Now, if the town council can take some of that information, do a little bit digging. I'm working it 40 minutes a day. I work right next to the registry
of deeds. I can go and jump on the computer for 40 minutes a day and it's a lot of digging. It's old documents. It's handwritten documents. It's so it's it just takes a lot of time. I've managed to do this uh from our last meeting to today. I've gotten from 1860 to 1930
1956 is getting vague. So, uh it's something to be thought about. And if if we don't know who owns it, if the town does own it, might generate some income to sell it to a private citizen or a or a neighborhood association or an LLC.
>> You mean hiring the owner and then having that? >> Yes. Yeah. Whoever if the town does own it, that's something to consider. If we can't find who owns it, it may already be owned by an association. I just can't find that paperwork just yet. >> I mean, so we're talking about two different things. I mean, the the surveyor would the surveyor would handle
the land and with the boundaries and so forth, but The the ownership is a registry title title. >> Yeah. It's all part of the I mean it's all the beach issue. >> Yeah. Okay. >> You know, so >> two separate two separate issues, but they both have to be looked at, >> right? Yeah. Right. >> I I haven't had my land surveyed in a
while. I'm guessing that's a close to a five figure job. >> That's what I'm wondering. >> It depends. No, >> we would have to get, you know, requests for proposals on it and it would have to go through an RFP >> 1500. >> No, >> I just had mine done. >> It would depend. I mean >> that's but that's going to be a larger
area. >> Yeah. Private property is 1,500 >> and some firms can also do the title search at the same time. So there might be some value in that as well. >> Okay. Why don't we um thoughts on just kicking the tires about pricing that out and seeing what options
might be out there for tax title and research andor >> uh a land survey? >> Absolutely. >> Just kick the tires and see what we come back at. >> Sure. >> Okay. >> Can I do you want to make a motion? we have. So, I I'll make a motion to have our town administrator um research
pricing on land surveying uh for the gate area on 4th A um as well as tax title for who owns um the Halifax 4th A Beach. >> So moved.
>> I'll second that. Okay. >> All those in favor? >> I >> I Okay. So, we will research the cost to have that land surveyed and also in conjunction with that either with the same or different company um what it would cost to have tax run the tax title research down to figure out ownership uh
of that. >> Yeah, I mean town council could probably do a title search. So, >> so why don't we do that uh those two things for now? Mark, thanks. Uh >> Mark Dylan, 30 Lincoln Street. Um,
I believe a survey has actually already been done by parks as part of their planning grant. I'm not 100% but I do remember them going around >> surveying that area. I don't know if that was part of it
>> two years ago ago maybe give or take whenever the roughly around the time after the time >> Grant was taken. It wouldn't have been that long ago. So that might alleviate that might still be there. It >> probably still be applicable then too. Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thanks Mark.
>> Okay. Um All right. So that's that. So that that would lead us towards possibly investigating a permanent solution maybe. >> So we'll research we'll kick the tires on the cost of that >> uh both the ownership and the um the land. >> Can I can I ask a question too? So the
issue of a residentonly beach. Can we can we look into the legality of making that beach resident only? >> I know the parking is resident only, but I as far as the actual beach itself, I don't know how you make like I I guess
my and you guys can help me out here. It's like if we built hops and said it was for Halifax kids only, you know, like how do you how do you make a beach resident only in a if it truly is a public area? I don't think you can tell folks where
they can use their public area if it's if there's a legal way that you can, you know, if we legally said, "All right, kids, only Halifax kids can use hops." You know what I'm saying? Like, educate me on that. >> I understand what you're what you're saying, but that beach is part of Halifax beaches. It was there's a
neighborhood layout map. I could show it to you. I'll dig it out and bring it down, but it labeled out all the lots and then the beach and it states exactly what it is just so it like Liberty Beach is a homeowners beach, >> but I think that's owned by homeowners.
Amy, I don't if this is owned by the town, it's technically town public property. >> It's always been labeled as a Halifax resident only beach. >> Okay. >> Always. All the signs say it like on the corner of fourth a on all on the fence
everywhere. >> This new thing of you know having out of town res this is a new thing and like I said back in 2020 at the town clerk's office is a petition that that that our neighborhood put together and presented
to the town. Um I'll dig up the exact date but I do have a copy of the petition in my possession so I can bring that out. >> Okay. Yeah. just I mean I wouldn't be opposed to it. I just want to make sure that legally we're allowed to do it. >> I mean you see private beaches all the time. >> Yeah.
>> Places, >> but are we are we in that state right? Are we do we have that same setup as those private beaches? I guess we just double check and make sure that >> Pine and Lakeville has them. Um Morton Park.
>> Yeah. No, I don't I don't doubt they exist. They're up there. I just want to make sure that that before we say this is a resident only beach, it's indeed how we've how it's set up here. >> Yeah. But but it always has been. This is it started to get trespassed in 2020,
which is why we um did that that um petition and um that's that's where we are right now is trying to keep that that way because it's a town benefit. >> Sure. you know.
>> Okay. >> Like just sort of like Tuxbury Beach, they they you have to be a a resident or buy >> or buy a sticker. Yeah. >> But the residents have um the first right over there. >> Yeah. They they open it up to residents first. >> Correct. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> All the all the beaches in my town are residents prim primarily first. >> Right. And and again, if that's the case, I'm all for it. I just want to make sure >> I just want to verify, too, >> before we before we go down a road. But I just want to make sure that we're going down the right road. That's all. >> Yep.
>> Sounds like a plan. Okay. Go. >> So, so if it's a Just educate me here. So, if it's a resident only beach and I have and I I can go, can I bring my sister who lives in Melbour? >> Yes. >> What if I have a PO box? No.
>> No. I'm It's legitimate. So, I mean, if if I'm if I'm if I'm if I'm bringing if I'm bringing my car full of people, but we have eight people with two cars, they could they we can bring two cars full of people. Is that is that what you're suggesting?
>> Not two cars. Like, they have to be Halifax cars. >> Yeah. I just think we need to do some >> It's slippery. >> So, we need to do some digging and square it away. I'm not against it. I'm I'm for whatever advocates for the residents of Halifax and the people who
are living that on a day-to-day basis. >> But if it gets it gets gray pretty quick. >> Sure. >> Um so I just want to make sure that we have our tees crossed and our, you know, eyes dotted. >> Sorry. >> I'm not against it. I just want to make sure we do it right the first time. >> I I don't want to put it forward and then have to take it back because we
were not right or not accurate. >> Yeah. >> Margaret McKenna 121 Lingan. The way that Liberty Beach works, which is the private homeowners beach, is if you have guests, as long as you are with your guests, they are welcome on the beach. >> Sure. >> If they're if you're they are not with
them, then they're not welcome on the beach. And that's the exact way that a residents only beach works, I think, in every other town >> in Massachusetts that has residents only beaches. If you have guests and you bring them with you, they are welcome.
>> Okay. So, Steve, can I ask can we ask if we can kind of do some digging and see what we can find on this? >> Okay, I'll do it right the first time. >> Uh, do we want to address the temporary gate or is that
um not necessary? Do we want to evaluate it? I know it's been quiet for a couple of weekends. The temporary the temporary gate is restricts all access from it's residents and non-residents alike. >> I I wouldn't be opposed to extending
that temporary gate through the summer season. >> Okay. >> Anybody else? >> I think once you take it down, people are going to see it's down. >> Well, it's down. It's down now. >> They're going to start coming back again. >> Mark >> Mark Dylan, 30 Lingan Street. Um to that
point, they are starting to show back up. >> Um taking a step out of whatever corner you want to be about private, not private. One of the things that and Amy kind of alluded to, what we are seeing though is a return of non-residents though that
are also small families and we lost a lot of them and we were actually very close to a lot of them when the jet skis came in the quandies with the alcohol, the fighting, the swearing, just a very bad situation. And that ramp was open.
The biggest problem with that ramp was that they were then pulling out. they were trashed streaming through the neighborhoods and all that, but we did lose a lot of neighboring families from neighboring towns that did come in from East Bridgewater, from Kingston, things like
that. So, it's not necessarily that you you could, and my neighbors are going to kill me for this, but you could possibly make it a joint use if the rules can be enforced. And part of the thing that
brings in bad behaviors is that ramp. And the more you control access through that ramp and it's an inconvenience of going back and forth, the less you will see abuse. And that's the biggest thing that I worry about is cuz once you took
down that sign, as Steve pointed out, couple days scout cars come through. And it's it sounds stupid, but they're just jet ski Facebooks where this what they do. they go and they find where can we run our jet skis where they know there's not as much of enforcement. So I would very much encourage putting that back
up. Um weird side note that is also a freshwater muscle bed which are protected in Massachusetts and that boat ramp goes right through it. So you know those little buggers are keeping that thing nice and clean so we're not having
a blue green algae burst. It's 50 gallons of water per you know by valve. So that's a lot of clean water that they're trying to produce for us. So it's it's another thing to consider cuz that's right where they all nest, live, and reproduce. But that's my bit. Thank
you, Mark. >> Thanks. >> Okay. So >> are you thinking through Monday, September 7th through Labor Day? >> Through Labor Day weekend. >> Through Labor Day weekend. >> Yeah. Yep. >> To a Mr. Chair, you have a hand.
>> Sure. Chair. Mike. >> Mike. >> Sorry. I was looking at my calendar if I fear the day. >> I'd like to ask I've asked for years last year, year before, the year before that. I'd like access to the town
council because I got no guidance on what our where we have authority, where we don't have authority, what we can do, what we can't do, what we can move forward, and I've asked before and I I'd like access for the parks to have town council so we can actually talk to
him. >> Are you talking at like a posted meeting or you talking about No, >> I'm talking about like can we talk to him at the punk? Either way. Okay. I mean, I wasn't, you know, raised park commissioner. I came in, there was a
need. Tom Schindler was down there, could use some help. And here we are today. So, he was building a maintenance. It was easy for him. The other people in one park were building a maintenance. It was easy for them.
Okay. So, you're asked certain things that I can't answer because we have no access to the attorney. And I would appreciate it if we'd had access to the attorney. >> Okay. Noted. >> I appreciate it. Thanks. >> Okay. Seeing no other comment. Um,
>> so Jonathan, you started that. You want to you want to finish that? Maybe September 7th. >> I'll entertain or I'm sorry. I'll make a motion to extend the uh temporary use of the fourth a uh gate, I guess we're
calling it, um from now through the date of September, would you say, Tom? 7. >> Monday, September 7th. >> Labor Day. >> Yeah. Through September 7th, um 20 26 um with the possibility of circling back Yes. Yes,
>> at a later date to possibly extend >> and or do we want to add that we could re choose to revisit if something changes between now and >> absolutely we can revisit. >> Yeah, we could revisit if if need be, but that's the original plan and that's my original motion. So moved.
>> I'll second that. Okay. All those in favor? I >> I Okay. So, we will have uh direct the Halifax Police Department at their earliest convenience um to put that temporary gate back as was um previous previously done uh through Monday, September 7th.
>> And we're also again Tom, Mr. Chair, having Stephen look at um legalities of land surveying >> surveying title surveying the land title search. >> Yep. >> And so, so that all that's going to do is just extend that through September 7th, what was previously done for a
4-day period. That will happen through September 7th unless we choose to revisit it beforehand with new information. >> Correct. >> Good. Okay, that carries 30. Okay. Is anybody here for something specific besides that? >> Okay, we'll just keep going on down in
order. Um, fence viewer. Um, Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 49 authorizes municipalities to appoint one or more fence viewers. Um this is uh infrequently utilized municipal government but often times it comes with
neighborly disputes and fences and so forth. >> Fences spike desk. Yeah. Spite fences. So um this is um the background is that we're looking Michael Broen the building commissioner has um has volunteered agreed to serve in that capacity um and
is being presented for the board for appointment tonight. Um, again, this is just uh chapter 49 MGL allows us to appoint one or more. Yep. >> We don't have one currently. There's been a few situations in the past, the recent past uh looking for one. >> So, um, >> he needs it specifically to deal with a
a problematic fence in town. Okay. >> And we don't have a fence viewer and this general law requires a fence viewer to >> deal with that situation >> or survey. >> What is a fence viewer? The legal definition, >> it's under Mass General Laws chapter 49.
>> What does it mean? >> It just views fences and then establishes a ruling on the fence to either take it down if it's in fact put up illegally. It's typically given to a building inspector or a zoning enforcement officer for when neighbors
build spite fences or fences that are typically not allowed. Um, specifically unpermitted fences. Um, it's very rarely used. That's why you probably don't hear it that often. I I heard it for the first time when it came up on the on this agenda and I had to research it
myself and clarified it with Mike and Mike said that it's it's pretty common in rural towns because you have fences that show up and typically they're not built to the code stipulations whether it's height or >> wouldn't that fall under a building commissioner without >> generally? Yes. But the official title
>> the local bylaw also calls this as well. >> It does. >> You need that official. one of the very first things we talked about at the that first meeting. >> So, the local bylaw actually calls out chapter 49 of the Mass General law requiring a building inspector or appropriate official to have this
stipulation that they can adjudicate these situations. >> I just was confused with I never had seen it before, so I wanted to know. >> It's in there. >> What What property is it or you can't say? >> Um, you can check in with me. Um, but they have it um I don't remember off the top of my head, but I can get it for
you, Amy. Oh, I'm just curious. >> Yeah, I'm I can get that information for you. >> Okay, >> so uh any any other discussion? >> Nope. >> No. Okay. So, I will make a motion to appoint uh Michael Broen as our official fence viewer. >> So moved.
>> Um with a term to expire with a term to expire >> June 30th. June 30th, 2027. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I unanimous. Okay. Um the next one um like to thank uh officer police off
Halifax police officer Daniel Shaheen. Daniel submitted his resignation recently and we would like to uh recognize and thank him for his service in Halifax um and wish him well. Um he had um we had received a notice from the chief uh the past few weeks. Um he will
his last day in Halifax will be effective on July 19th um coming up coming up. So, thank you for his dedication and wish him success moving forward. >> Uh, Mr. Chair. >> Yes, sir. >> Could I could I u make a motion that the board of selectman write a letter of thanks for officer Shaheen. Um, he was
great here in Halifax. He the vision I will always have of him is whenever we had those charity basketball games, >> he could shoot. But, uh, engaging in the community, had a great attitude. Um, you know, sad to see him go. So, I think it'd be nice for the board to >> to pen a letter. Sorry, Pam.
>> Yeah. It's a pen letter, draft one out for prioritize after tomorrow where his last day is uh >> I don't know if I need a motion, but I I I'll make that motion just in case. >> Sure. >> So moved. >> Second. All those in favor. Sorry. Saturday. >> Okay. So if we can get out tomorrow. >> Yeah, that's that's doable.
>> All right. Next on the agenda, we have two road openings. Um >> I'm sorry. Want to get approval on the one for 319 Plymouth Street. Yeah. >> So we we're going to table 319 Plymouth Street. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Other boards and uh
>> and so the the only opening the only road opening we have is at uh 46 Ocean A. Um it's a trench permit with one police detail and has been okay by highway water and conservation. Um this is relative to it's a trench permit. So
uh pretty excavation. Um any questions? >> Water. >> It doesn't ever source. It's got to be gas. It says to replace the service line forever. >> Replace service line. Y >> uh I will make a motion to approve uh
the road road opening at 46 Ocean Avenue. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Unanimous. Okay. Next item uh comes to us from the building and maintenance department. >> One question on 319 Plymouth Street. What was the road opening for on 319 Plymouth Street? It would have had to
have been water. Correct. in the packet. We don't have it in the packet. >> We can guess >> circle back when it comes up. >> Yep. Uh the next one is uh the building maintenance department has submitted two
vacation carryover requests and that's typically something that's handled uh before the end of June, but there was extenduating circumstances here. Yep. >> Um we are in possession of a letter from uh director of building maintenance Scott Materna. Um >> the dates what's important there >> the date uh he had the date is dated for
June 23rd 2026 so we we are in receipt of this prior um or he did send it prior so um it's requesting 40 hours of vacation time for the following employees John Grant and Andrew Pongrats um see how it was a uh technicality I
suppose um I would be inclined to honor those vacation requests as printed >> agreement >> no I agree I you're seeing with the staffing levels we have here in town that unfortunately a lot of folks can't take vacation >> because we're short staffed. So, um I'd be okay with with extending these.
>> I will make a motion to approve uh Scott Matern as director of building maintenance requests as printed to carry over 40-year vacation hours to fiscal 2027 for both John Grant and Andrew Pongrats. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Okay. We've done item we've done letter
K. Uh we'll skip ahead. We'll not go in order here. We'll uh I will have you gentlemen had a chance to approve the to look at the meeting minutes from July 7th. >> Um yes. Yes. That was the uh the Zoom meeting that we had last week. >> Y >> um any questions, comments, additions,
or problems with that? >> No. I'll I'll make a motion to approve the selective meeting minutes from the hybrid July 7th, 2026 uh selectment meeting. >> So moved. >> Second on that. And all those in favor? I >> I. And letter N is a live entertainment permit for a wedding.
>> Exciting. >> Uh on Cherry Street to be held I got to get to get there here. >> What happened to the line item? >> He's jumping back. >> Oh god. Okay. >> There's a lot of those. Trying to be official. I'm trying to be efficient though. >> Oh. Oh, sorry.
>> You're good. Uh to be held uh at 18 Cherry Street. It's a wedding. Uh from 1:00 to 9:00. There there will be a DJ. Uh it's a wedding and all parking will be held on the property homeowner's address uh the homeowner and the property owner's lawn. Uh this has been
approved uh by the police chief. It has been approved by the fire chief and the board of health. Correct. >> Yep. >> Have all three. There's a health >> police. >> Yeah. >> Uh pray hope for good weather. And I will I will make a motion to approve the live entertainment permit uh by the
homeowner Thiago Oliver Santos on 18 Cherry Street for August 15th of this year. >> So moved. Second. If it rains, the wet knot stays tied. So there you go. >> It's good luck. They always say that so no one gets upset. Uh I have a motion and a second. All those in favor? I
>> Okay. So except for the town administrator report, uh all we have left is lengthy line item transfers. Oh, I didn't realize it. So, >> let me skip any here. >> Holy moly. >> We have to handle these all individually.
>> Yeah. >> Quite easy. >> Tom, do you want to go through? They're all right here. If you want to just >> even better through >> um all individual, Stephen, probably. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Get my tongue out here. Okay. Um
so, do I read them first and then make the motion or do I make the motion? Make the motion as I read it. What do I do? >> Um, you could I mean the way they did it at the the FinCon last night was read through it and then just ask for motion. >> Okay. So, uh, the first one is a transfer of $1,245
from the COA clerical wages to the town hall electricity account. The reason for the excess um is the employee resigned from the position and it was never refilled and it's being transferred to town hall electricity because the cost of electricity has increased. That's for 1245. Uh, I will make a motion to approve the
line item transfer for 1,245 from clerical COA clerical wages to the town hall electricity. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> The next one deals uh from the same account from COA clerical wages. Again, the employee resigned from the position. It was never refilled. Transferring
$33163 to the treasurer collector clerical office. Due to the override not being passed, we had to pay all vacation time to an employee who was laid off. I will make a motion to approve the $33163 from COA clerical wages to the treasur
collector clerical account. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? >> I I unanimous. Uh the next one comes again from CO COA clerical wages from an employee who resigned. It was never refilled. We are looking to transfer $3,358.24 to the law general counsel account. Uh
we had five union negotiations that have gone on longer than expected. There was also an increase in public records requests that need to be sent to council. I will make a a motion to approve the line item transfer for $3,35824. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? I. Have we had a lot
of public records requests? Okay. Uh the next uh transfer is from COA clerical wages. Again, employee resigned from the position. It was never refilled. Transferring $1,000 to the clerk's salary. The clerk receives a stipen once they pass their cler clerk's exam. Aron clerk sulis took and passed the exam
midyear. So the stipen was not budgeted for. I will make a motion to transfer 1,000 from COA clerical wages to the clerk's salary account. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Unanimous. Uh the next one again comes from COA clerical wages from an employee resigned from the position. It was ever
refilled to transfer $5,329.18 from gas and oil all departments. Uh the cost of gas and oil has increased. Looking to transfer I will make a motion to transfer $5,329.18 from COA clerical wages to the gas and oil account. >> So moved. >> Second. All those in favor?
>> I unanimous. >> Again, from clerical wages, an employee resigned from this position and it was never refilled, transferring $9,42428 to heating oil. All departments, the cost of heating heating oil has increased and has additionally been a very cold winter. So,
looking to um make a motion to transfer $9,42428 from COA clerical wages to the cost of uh to heating oil all departments. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I Okay, we're off the clerical wages here. We're looking to transfer um I believe this is the one
we tabled from last meeting. Transferring $7,475 from street lights electricity to the highway barn maintenance electricity account. Um the street lights are less expensive to pay for and the cost electricity costs more than the town barn. I will make a motion.
>> I just have a note to add there came up during the fincom um that that was also associated with the credits that were coming over from Brockton that then >> that we don't have anymore. >> Yeah. So there's just a little bit more background on the money reasons there. >> Um and that was going to the credits
going to the town bar. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So that's why the power you'll see the power is almost double what it was last year cuz they had budgeted for the 7K and ended up coming out as 14K, but the solar credits have been being >> applied. They're doubling. They're doubling the Yeah, makes sense.
>> There was a little bit of discussion about that at fin last night. I just wanted to bring that to your guys' attention. >> Thank you. Appreciate that. Um, so I will entertain a motion. I will make a motion rather to transfer $7,475 from street lights street lights electricity to the highway barn
maintenance electrical account. >> So move second. >> All those in favor? >> I I unanimous. Uh transferring from the IT program and training department uh related expenses paid out of licensing line. Uh transferring $520
to the technical support specialist wages. Um longevity not budgeted um >> longevity of >> so Caesar this is in uh relation to Caesar's role uh it was not factored in
at the beginning of the year and then he hit his longevity step and so he got >> the bonus >> makes sense um so I will make a motion to transfer $520 from the IT program and training account to technical support specialist wages >> so moved >> second >> all those in favor unanimous
>> uh looking to transfer from from the police expense account to the police wages account. $990.70 um end of FY26 didn't have any more invoices. Um from the first account and the second account had an officer out on leave for 6 months and had to cover the shift with overtime. So they're looking
to transfer $990.70. I will make a motion to transfer $990.70 from police expense to police wages. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Unanimous. >> Um similar here. uh transferring from the police expense account to police clerical wages. Uh end of 26 is a
surplus on the invoices. Um and the account was short at the beginning by FY26 overtime needed to comply with public records requests. Again, we we'll talk about that maybe later. >> Yeah, you're going to hear about that again. >> All right. I'll entertain a motion to approve as printed $1,13782
from the police expense account to please clarif. >> All those in favor? Hi. >> Unanimous. >> Um, from library clerical wage to library expense, uh, looking to transfer $4,533.35.
The reason for the excess balance in the account is at the start and end of the fiscal year. Multiple positions were frozen that became vacant. A full-time worker started the year working less than less 5 hours per week than they were contracted to work. So, there's a surplus. And the projected the deficit in books and materials is because the
projected deficit state certification relies on your total appropriated budget hours open the public for 38 weeks and a minimum being spent on books and materials the cost of which have going gone up while positions were frozen. Um we increase book and spending materials in the event we had to close due to staff library certification would not be
at risk. So looking to transfer from clerical wage library to library expense for books and materials $4,533.35. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> I unanimous. I note that these last three have not been signed by the FinCon. The rest had previously been signed.
>> They'll be back in front of them tomorrow for their Zoom meeting. Uh they have to they had some things they needed to address, but they're in good shape for you guys tonight. >> Okay. Uh from library library. We just do that one. Let me see. Yeah. >> 36908. >> Yep. Uh transferring from library clerical wage to library expense
supplies. Transferring $3698. Um started the fiscal year. Multiple positions were frozen. It became vacant as a surplus. transferring 340 36908 uh book tape, fiber tape, and book covering materials all increased beyond expectation. Um I will I will make a motion to transfer $3698 from library
clerical wage to library expense supplies. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I unanimous. And the last one is transferring uh from custodian wages um had no applications for the part-time job that was part of the budget. We're transferring se or recommending to
transfer $7,000 to town building expense plumbing issues at the water department bay issue doors at the highway bar and fire department bills all need to be encumbered. I will make a motion to transfer $7,000 from custodian wages to town building expense for $7,000. >> So moved second. >> All those in favor?
>> I Tom good job. >> Well done. >> All right. Um that is the printed agenda minus the town administrator report Stephen. >> Thank you Tom. Um so yeah I've got some
updates here. Uh generalities for the most part. It's been a very hectic couple weeks since the beginning of the new fiscal year. Uh as we are now well on our way into FY2027. Um the first item I have on here uh is
that I had sent you guys a memo a couple probably about a couple weeks ago. I've been talking to department heads about um hours of operation for town hall because we're seeing as we get shorter and shorter staff that um the time spent at windows by department heads is
exceeding what they should be spending. um and they're not able to focus on the measures that keep us in compliance with financial items and policies and laws. So therefore, we're going to have to restrict in my opinion and my suggestion
would be cut back on the hours open to the public so that folks in the building can get their work done and then obviously have hours open to the public. But to at a bare minimum to start we lost about 10% of our headcount. So you could say 10% of the hours are gone
right off the bat. Um we're thinking off I'm thinking in conversation with a lot of the department heads in the building a system of either 8 to 3 or 9 to2 um with windows being closed at lunchtime so that staff can get their appropriate lunch not having to sit at their desk.
Um we are trying to balance their work their work life to make it at least something they want to come and still do every day. Um, with that being said, you know, we don't expect the number of days of operation to be impacted, but maybe certainly
hours. Uh, days like Tuesdays obviously will probably still end up being our long day so that folks can still have that opportunity to come in on the long day, get, you know, plan around that effectively. Um, but we just with the cuts to the town hall, we have to make concessions and those concessions are
going to come with availability to the public. That's the only the only layer we have left in order to save efficiency. So, we have to work on those through closed hours to the public. And that's just the way I'm going to suggest that it has to be done um to meet some of our requirements internally. Um I am
switching up the regularly scheduled department head meetings. Typically, I have them scheduled as the second Tuesday of every month. Uh I don't like that because it coincides with one of the select meetings. That's just too much for for one day. So, uh, I'm now moving department head meetings to the
third month, uh, third Tuesday of each month. So, I'll be meeting with them, uh, next Tuesday, uh, which will be providing updates. Lindsay is going to be providing updates on, um, you know, maintenance of accounts, oversight of accounts, and specifically billing. And,
uh, we did see a number of bills come in today that, you know, were dated back in April and late March, and that just can't happen anymore. So, uh, making announcements like that at the department head meeting just to make sure that folks are getting their bills in and they're paid on time because, you
know, even the smallest things like added cost due to a bill being late at the end of the day that adds up. Um, so operational analysis, we're continuing to evaluate departmental operations, the staffing and the workflow. It's all taking heavy impacts
because of um mainly and namely uh public records requests. And it's not to say that we don't want to do public records requests. We have to do public records requests. It's the scope of the public records requests that are coming in. Um we're we're experiencing these
public records requests that are just so huge in scope that they turn back results of 770,000 files. for instance, like we get a request and it turns back 770,000 hits uh according to
our communications and IT person. So then we got to take that 770,000 and we've worked already 15 hours to get to this point to figure out it would going to take about 300 plus hours to answer this request. And mind you, that's before we even send that to town
council. So, if that were to actually go to town council, that's going to require probably the same amount of time of review by them. Here's the thing. Under mass state law and general law, we can't charge for town council time on public records requests. We can only charge you
for the time our one, you know, $25 an hour as we collect records that are we are custodians of and report them and give them to a person. And that's only after we've met two hours. So after the two hours that we've done for free, we then have to pick a assign a person to
do the public records request. Now for a lot of requests, that's perfectly fine because we get very pointed, very scope, very narrow scope on a lot of these requests. Like if you're asking for a particular document, we are fine with that all day. It's these for some reason in the last couple months we've seen
these broad umbrella type requests that have required last week alone I worked about 18 hours on public records requests. I don't know if the town of Halifax wants their town administrator spending 18 hours on public records requests but that's who they fall to at the end of the day because I'm the
records access officer. So they all have to go through me. that significantly strains me. And then I have to pass down to the department heads what they need to find in their files and what they need to reference in their files to pull out. And then half the time when we submit these requests back for telling
folks that they this is what it's going to cost, this is what it's going to cost to generate and this is how much time it's going to take. Sometimes they'll say yes, sometimes they'll say no. Most of the time it's no. So we've spent all this time preparing these documents and preparing these processes for the person to simply
say no. And that's a strain on us from a bandwidth perspective which takes away from a hundred other things we could be doing. Um and that's why public records requests become costly because you know come the day when one of those
public records requests actually gets paid for one of these giant ones that is out there. There's one currently sitting that is being quoted at about $6,000 to the individual. That would require almost 400 hours of review by town
council at $200 an hour. That's an $80,000 bill that eliminates your legal budget in one item. And it's a huge request. Now, if it was a narrow request that said, "We want this one thing," that's great. We
we'll provide that all day. But it's these huge requests that just are fishing. Even an attorney will tell you it's fishing. In a court of law, they would call it fishing. Um, and that's that's all well and good because then we don't have to send it to town
council most of the time because the quotes are too big, but it's still a significant strain on the ability for us to do the work that's most important. Um, and that's the problem as well. That's a direct result of us needing to
shutter the offices a little bit more so that we're able to do those things because there's compliance that we have to meet. We have to do it within 10 days. It has to be done in a particular manner and it has to be done legally. So we have to pass everything through the proper avenues. And when you rely on
four or five people to do that, it's a lot and it strains. So that's that's what I've done on public records requests just so people understand the impact on both staff and and potential cost of taxpayers. It could become a huge liability. I mean we
we we were talking earlier today. We budgeted 170 grand for legal this year. And just think of it, if that huge request goes through and town council has to review it, that's half your budget gone in one one request
and then you're doing a reserve fund transfer or something at the end of the year to make make up the difference. Like we just went through 13 line item transfers. Uh, one of those was for uh, legal counsel as a matter of fact was for in the amount of what I have it uh,
$3,000 $3,800. >> Yeah. So, $3,358. So, that was a direct result of the flurry of public records requests that we had at the end of the month of June that had to be reviewed by town council because they invol because it was request for executive session minutes
dating back to 1972. I don't know what the person is looking for, but they're looking for executive session minutes from 2025 back to 1972, but that's between them and the lamp post, I guess.
Um, anyways, moving on. Um, coffee with the town administrator. We're still working on this. I'd like to get out and hold more questions and answer sessions like this with the public so that I can answer the questions that you guys want answered, you know, so that way you can come into
a more informal setting and hear what I have to say. So >> you could tour the various coffee shops. Now >> I could definitely could um and then in conjunction with the uh finance committee we are developing a number of dashboards uh on the financial side.
We're getting started there. Caesar's been working on some um software that could enhance the dash dashboards um to try to get some budget trackers and operational metrics that the public can view as we go along throughout the fiscal year so they can see exactly what the cost of everything is as we chart
through the year. Um and then the other the other issue with transparency that's sort of come up um is some of the meetings in town and I think this is probably a larger discussion for this element um you know continued expansion
of the public um what we take or what you guys want to decide to take as far as the other boards and committees because I think especially recently we've had some questions about what certain boards and committees are doing and how their meetings are going, what their meeting, what their minutes
entail. Um, and I think for that reason alone by putting them on Area 58, which is of no additional cost to the town, why not do it? Why not put them on TV and the public can view them in real time or at least pull the transcript after and get their own version of
minutes and have the tape at least? Yeah, this was um this first came up I'm not taking credit for it, but this first came up in a government study committee meeting um and it found that with no extra cost to us that survey that we put out um for the monthlong survey I don't know if you guys are aware of that but
30 days was survey online uh we had 87 respondent 87 unique respondents and the number one suggestion or um feedback we got was greater transparency from those that sit behind the table and from the town from the
outside not just this table but all the tables. So the thought was to ask and request it. All departments and committees and boards have their meetings available um for viewing both in live time and in perpetuity online um so that you somebody can reference it
back. So you know just greater transparency basically was the goal there. I know you said that but u that that was the goal that was the number one thing on our survey list and we're trying to respond to it for those that took the time to take the survey. >> Yeah. And I think it's a perfectly valid point because I think some of the story comes through the minutes, but I think
we all know I think even the folks out in the audience know that they've been around local government long enough that the minutes maybe don't tell you the whole story. But having the tape, the tape does, the tape tells you the whole story. And having both will help you out, you know. So I'm a I'm a firm
believer in this. I I'm in full agreement with it. Um the question then becomes um you know with boards like the water commissioners which they're in their own small very small room um do we make the you know how how do we go about
the avenue of requesting that they get into a situation where they can be taped? >> Yeah. I mean Area 58 can bring a camera over there and >> Yeah. >> and shoot it. Absolutely. We might not have the ability to go. I don't Caesar's probably on, but I don't know if we have
the ability to go live, but Area 58 could easily bring a camera over and shoot their meeting. Also, I know we're allotted a certain amount of events per year for Area 58, and we're always very well well under that number. So, we should have the bandwidth. >> Yeah. Caesar explained the other day, I
had to do with like credits on a 10-year period from Comcast or something like that. >> So, there was plenty of plenty of room. >> Okay. >> Yeah. What do you need? >> Um, the the only question I have on that, someone in the crowd said it. I don't know what purview we have over elected bodies either. Uh the water commissioners are different. So I'm not
We can suggest it, we can recommend it, we can ask, >> but I don't I don't know what they can say. >> But to Jonathan's point, if they're able to just set up a camera over there, at least then it's recorded for posterity sake. >> Along the same lines of we can't make parks commission show. We can ask, you know, we can't make them do anything.
>> I agree. Yep. >> Just want to add that. Sorry. Not appointed. >> Elected, not appointed. >> There you go. >> Yep. Um, so I've already touched on public records. Um, >> I think that's pretty much all I've got. My last point was municipal efficiency
tracking, but I sort of touched on that on public records and the impacts of public records and sort of the inefficient things that occur at town hall and that's the main driver. >> So the hours proposal will be before us on the 28th. Is that what we're suggesting? >> Yeah. And uh 28th in preparation for pro
hopefully a August 1 launch. We should meet uh just so we say it out loud. We should meet in here on the 28th. It's going to be a large HS coming in final should be in here. Um >> and so we're going to meet in here, Pam, for the uh 28 28 >> cuz we're going to have three three
committees or three boards. So >> Okay. >> Um the only other thing I had to add uh was that the gate the temporary gate is back up. So that took all >> as of right now. >> As of now. Wow. >> So, the temporary gate is back up on the fourth street piece.
>> The board of selectman in action. Wow. You got a camera. You got a camera down there. >> Well, Steve was talking. I I skipped out real quick. Yeah. >> Uh, so that's all set. Uh, any public comment, participation, questions from the audience that we didn't touch on? Anything we didn't touch on or wanted to touch on?
>> Just thank you very much for the great app. >> Okay, gentlemen. Anything else? >> No, I if I can run to my softball game right now, that'd be awesome. I don't want to see what the score is unfortunately. >> So hearing none, seeing none, uh it is
7:53. I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So move second. All those in favor. Unanimous. >> Nice job. >> Thank you. Pretty pretty