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All right, everybody. Uh, good evening. It is 6:00. It is Tuesday, July 28th, 2026. This is the meeting agenda, the meeting, uh, rather of the Halifax Selectmen, Board of Selectmen. We are in the great hall. It is 6:00. And I will call this meeting to order. This meeting has been posted in accordance with the

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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 and or voted

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on at this meeting. Agenda items may be taken out of order for time management considerations. Um and before we start those willing, would you please stand for the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the

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republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. Um, goodiz crowd for tonight. I guess the first order of business now that the board of selectment is uh open for business is to have each the finance

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committee and the Halifax elementary school committee also open their meetings. Uh, so we can start with the ladies to my right, please. >> Um, it's 6:01 p.m. and I will open the Halifax Elementary School school committee meeting. Um, do I need to do a roll call vote or just open?

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>> Is anyone else? >> What? >> Nope. Okay. All right. >> Okay, Jim. >> Uh, Halifax Finance Committee opened its meeting at 5:30. We adjourned and now have reconvened in the great hall with the selectment. We have one member on

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video. That would be Rodney Hemingway. >> Okay. Um, so as mentioned in the previous statement, uh, agenda items may be taken out of order for time management considerations. Um, so I'm just going to skip right ahead, uh, to letter B on the agenda item, which is a joint meeting. Uh, as mentioned, we are

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joined by the Halifax Elementary School Committee and the finance committee. Um, for purposes tonight, um, we will look to appoint a new member to fill a vacancy on the Halifax Elementary School Committee. Um, and to that end, we have uh four candidates who submitted talent bank application forms. Um, and we

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always thank those who do that uh volunteering their time and efforts for the town, and that's to be commended. So, the listed applicants um are Samantha Cox, James Hopkins, Crystal Kingsley, and Derek Wigman. Um, do I have uh Samantha here this evening?

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Okay, James. Okay, Crystal and Derek. >> Derek. >> Derek with Drew. Okay. Um, okay. So, I guess at this point I would turn it over to the school committee. Um, and uh, we will defer to you. >> Um, we, as we did last time, we want to

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ask questions in order so that they're fair. So, we if we could have I don't know the best way to have all the candidates come up. >> Want to set up chairs? >> Do you guys want to set up chairs? >> Well, I Yeah, if they could sit up here with the microphone, I guess. I don't.

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>> Or do you want to sit here? You can sit here if that works. >> Where you guys want to go? >> No, I think this works great. >> Y >> um so if you could just do a brief introduction. I know we we have the talent bake horns but for everyone else.

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So >> the micrystal. Yeah. So my name is Crystal Kingsley. I'm 49 in Halifax. I'm a mom of two in the school department. Um I'm a healthcare executive that has a background in finance operations and strategic planning. I really was hoping

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you weren't going to do that. [clears throat] Um but that's me. Um two dogs have a great time and it's a summer. >> Okay. >> Here you go, James. >> Thanks. Uh James Hopkins, 20 Pond Street. uh dad of four uh three kids in

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school right now, one on the way. I'm a retired naval officer, uh intelligence ended as a chaplain. Uh I adjunct every once in a while. Um don't have a background in educational administration. I don't know if that's

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good or bad. I guess we'll find out. >> Hi, Samantha Cox, 417 Twin Lakes Drive. Um, I spent many, many years working in early childhood ed. Um, was also um, director certified, so I had a little bit of the finance part of it there. Other than that, I'm actually a personal

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trainer. I work with seniors and I teach mostly at Council on Agings. And yeah, I don't have a background in finance or administration either. >> Okay. Um, how we did it last time was we asked a question and the board of

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selectment asked a question. Is that how Sure. Is that okay? >> Sure. >> Um I guess I'll start with my question. What made you decide to put in a talent bank form for school committee? >> That's the process. Oh >> well, as opposed to maybe like running

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for election for instance or so I think at the point of election there was a lot of town heat and I think it took a lot of thoughtful process to go through what the town does need. Does it need an elected official? doesn't need someone to sit here and and be part of this type

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of process. Um, and again, as a mom of kids in school, I really do think it's it's an opportunity to give back to the community. >> Okay. >> I just saw the announcement online when I saw the upcoming agenda. I saw that

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there was a need. Uh, I have interest with kids in the school system and also I like to be involved in the towns that I live in. Uh, so I saw I saw that overlap. I thought maybe I'm I'm a good fit. I do work with a lot of committees more uh for myself from uh as the

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executive uh and not as as the ones on the committees, but I have a familiar familiarity with how the boards and the committees work. So, all of that together seemed like a a good moment. >> Thank you. I'm a short one over here.

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Uh [laughter] um I had been on the override committee um so I hadn't applied for anything in terms of votes um and there was only the um one position that was actually open and then we were writing Tara in so I wasn't going to go against her

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[laughter] and after learning as much as I did about the workings of the town and how the overrides work and just the financial state of what everybody needed, I really felt it was important

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to have the school committee be supported by as many of us as possible. Um my child is much older and doesn't even live here anymore. He lives in Philly. Um but it was always really important to me the school committee where when he was in school and how much

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it was able to help the school as well. So >> does this bad? >> I don't. Nope. >> Um okay. Um I guess my first question um you you're jumping in midterm. This is seems like an opportunity to fulfill um

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you know a vacated seat uh with a with an expiration date. Um seems to be a good opportunity for learning. Um you know depending on how it goes, what would your appetite be towards continuity uh at the next expiration date? >> I think it's important if you're going to put your hat in mid-range, you're

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going to want to be further along into the years. This isn't something I think is just let's do it for 6 months and say, "Yeah, I've had enough. We're here. It's time. It's the town. It's the need." >> Yeah. I I think it's premature for me, honestly, to say whether or not I would

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want, you know, want to stand for election. Afterwards, I think that would have to go uh I'd have to see how well my own skill set uh and commitments work with the board. uh whether I'm a good fit or not. And uh rather than, you know, say at this moment, for sure, I'm

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going to dig in. I'd like to see how the fit goes. >> Um yes, if I'm going to do something, I'm going to just do it head-on and stay there. Um I do work with a lot of other committees not involved in town as well. Um and no, once you have me, so long as

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you'll keep me, I'm there. >> And then I know it's your turn. We should rotate who goes first, right? Yeah. >> What's my question is what was your best strength or asset that you would bring to the committee? [laughter] >> Um I think my biggest strength could be

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a to think outside the box. Um, I'm always willing to try to find solutions to things that work for people from coming from all different angles, not just like looking at one side of something. I think that's my strongest.

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Somebody else might >> I think my biggest asset that I would bring to it is uh just coming in with a bit of a fresh lens. I've only been living in town here for four years. Uh, so I'm not coming in with kind of a lot

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of preconceived ideas about this. That sounds like a potential criticism of anybody. I don't know how long anyone else has been in town, though. Uh, so coming in with fresh eyes. Uh, I I like taking a a new look at a situation and trying to be critical, trying to be

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objective, uh, and fair. I do this a lot. I work as an executive with about nine committees under me and with them I try to do more of kind of like a shephering view uh and uh more

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big picture vision guidance than micromanagement. Uh so this would be working you know from the other side of it. >> Um I think my biggest asset is collaboration. I'm really good at listening and trying to figure out what

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part of the situation needs to be solved and who's going to be that team that's going to be able to encompass the thoughts, the views, whether they're good, bad, or ugly, and be able to have robust communication at the table because that's what you're supposed to do and need to do in this type of

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atmosphere. >> I'll take the hit. >> You go back to >> All right. Ready for the tough questions? How do you deal with the the pressures of being in a political position with all the people that's on Facebook

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and can say how do you deal with that? How would you >> I'm so ready for this question. [laughter] >> I'm not on Facebook. Uh I guess one of the things uh although all of this is is transitory. I'm happy

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to serve at the pleasure of the public. If I'm asked to serve, I'm happy to do it. I like to be useful. Uh which involves being effective. I think it's difficult to be effective if I'm worried about what every single person thinks.

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Um, I care, but that care can't saturate every decision I make. Um, I'm not somebody who's frequently going to be like polling the public say, "Hey, I've got this vote coming up on this issue. What do you think?" Uh, if you want me to serve, it's because you want to know

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what I think. Uh, and then and I'm going to act and vote on what I think. So, you can have that or not. Yeah, >> it's an easy one for me, too. I'm fine with it. I dealt with it on override committee. [laughter] Um, I've dealt with it with other stuff,

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as Ellen can attest. Um, basically, keep the conversation going, but keep it polite. Don't shut anybody down because they disagree with you. You just open up the conversation, try to point to different facts, and don't take it personally. You know, it everyone's

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going to have their own opinion. You just take it or leave it. And I feel like just trying to educate everybody and being as transparent as possible is going to be the best thing you can possibly do. Back over. >> I love that. Um, I think social media

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has an extreme power in this community if done correctly, appropriately, with kindness, with transparency. So, I'm super looking forward to that type of back and forth online during the different platforms. I'm going to give

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some kudos to Tara because what she has started is something I thought would be great moving forward. This is what it is. These are the minutes. Do you have questions? Here's to go. I think as a community, we're all trying to figure out what's going on. And there's so many

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different sites for Halifax that we really need to rein it in a little bit just to have a central location of truth and then from there a pointer so it's not um I heard this and you heard that and what's really the truth. Good luck to somebody who tries to tear

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me down on Facebook. [laughter] Um, first I just want to say thank you um to both all of you. Um, read your talent bank applications and um, you all have incredible knowledge, skills, and abilities and clear passion. Um, so I just want to quickly just say thank you um, for putting your name out there. Um,

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my question is what do you think are the biggest opportunities and challenges facing um, Halifax Elementary School and serving on the school committee for this upcoming year and future years? You want me to go? Um, opportunities and challenges definitely two different

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paths here. I think there's an opportunity for further transparency. I think there's an opportunity for a level of understanding at a town that probably hasn't had that. And that's not a criticism to anyone. I just think there needs to be more information put forward

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that's tangible and at a level that everyone understands who doesn't come from a finance background, who doesn't come from a strategic background, who doesn't come from a business background, just a mom trying to figure out what do we got to do in the next round of school supplies and do we have to do an

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override? Is there a way? Do I have all the facts? So, I think it's it's really both. It's transparency and and educating the town on what we really need and what it means. I think our greatest opportunity is that every single year we have a chance to uh help shape the the minds of of our of

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our of our children. That's what education is for. And the biggest uh challenge to that is completely perennial and that is the fiscal and personnel uh obstacles to it. Sometimes we we can easily identify what that is.

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Sometimes it's harder. Sometimes you got to do a lot of listening. Sometimes it's easy to know right away and uh and I don't know yet. >> Um I think one of the greatest opportunities is actually sort of everyone together. Um if the town

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together and all the different committees can actually find more ways to communicate, find more ways to be open with each other so that the town can then see that as well. I think that can make a huge difference in how people react to things, vote on things, and

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just feel about different situations. That if everyone's on the same page by a certain point, whether that be a vote or whatever, then it's going to be far better. It's going to be the biggest opportunity we have. and

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thinking on the other way. Um, I feel like >> trying to figure out what's going on. I thought we had a check ready for yesterday. >> No, I forgot to set up the question. [laughter] >> A little help.

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>> There we go. That was the other one. >> Thank you. [laughter] Yeah, just made him all >> Caesar. Probably >> the other room. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> All right.

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>> Challenge. [laughter] Sorry. >> Um, the biggest challenges are going to be to actually accomplish what I think our biggest opportunity is. Pretty simple. >> Okay. >> Back to us now. >> Yeah.

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>> Okay. Um, so again, like Tara said and I said previously, thank you for throwing your hat in the ring. uh no matter what happens tonight, I recommend and hope that everyone comes back for this or another opportunity because everybody there there are always opportunities to serve the community in this capacity or

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others. So, uh my next question, I guess probably the last one that I would have tonight is, you know, if you're chosen and appointed tonight, you're part of a team. Um you know, Bill and I certainly are part of a team with Jonathan. Sometimes you out get outvoted two to one. And while that may come with some

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personal disappointment in the moment, your charge would be to regroup uh reassess and work together collaboratively with the rest of the team to honor the to honor the vote and the succeeding um you know side. So how do you how do you deal with disappointment? How do you deal with

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measured success and and valuing all members of the team no matter uh the side they're on enduring deliberation? >> Yeah, that's the cost of doing business sets life together. And if you can't uh you know work work with the team that you're appointed to work with uh when you collectively you know reach reach an

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agreement um you're only useful up to the point of your vote and then when it comes to execution which is always the special sauce right getting a vote done is part of it right execution has to has to happen after that and you need the whole team on the front end and the back end so if you can't be a team player on

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the back end you're not a lot of use on the front end either. Um it's just part of life. Um [laughter] so basically if you're in a big group, no matter what it is, whether we're a team here, a family at home, whatever, you get outvoted on some things. And so therefore, you just join with a group

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and back them up and move forward as best you can. You know, everybody together backing that idea, working together. you don't go insult. >> I think at some point disappointment is part of who we are and how we handle

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disappointment is how the team then loops forward and operates. I think everyone has an opportunity to sulk and be like that that stinks. But it's how you regroup. It's it's how how you are able as a team to say, "I know you're disappointed and it's okay, but let's regroup and do the next thing because

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the next thing's going to be even more of a challenge, a further challenge or a better decision or it's it's just going to be something, you know, more collaborative down the road." And I think it's just how how you are as a person. I mean, there are people that just can't throw their hands in the air

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and move on. And there's others that shake their head and go, "All right, let's move. Let's put the boots on. Let's go. What does success look um in the first year of you on the school committee? >> Success looks like children getting the education that they ought to receive and

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our bills getting paid. >> Unfortunately, you may have just answered for me, too. But [laughter] yeah, supporting and supporting the teachers, supporting anybody in the school system and really trying to get the best for them, trying to get, you know, the money that is needed, trying

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to work with the other committees to try to, you know, back up the school the best possible. And it's not all going to go right. You know, we know it's not, but yeah, there's a lot of bumps in the road ahead. But I think success is

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everybody being able to work together and accomplish as much as we really can. I mean, there's a lot going on between the ideas of, you know, regionalization and busing and kindergarten and all that. So, getting the best for all of

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those things that you're talking about, getting the best outcome for them so we can provide best for the kids. way once. Okay. I think cohesiveness is might be something a little different than what my my friends here are talking through. I think cohesiveness and I think successfulness of the first year

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is a cohesive unit in government that has transparency that brings the town to a different level of understanding. >> So being on the committees is a big big commitment. Is there anything that's going to prohibit you from attending meetings, town meeting and all that sort

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of stuff? >> Uh, meeting meetings are normally >> just so you're rotating. >> Oh, sure. Yeah. Yeah. >> Um, I only work part-time because of my disability. So, the only thing that stops me coming to meetings is either

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I've had another hip replaced or [laughter] I need surgery of some point. And then, so long as Zoom's an option, I'll be there. Oh, hey. Thank you. Um, I I think the only we're a team, so if if hockeyy's running late and I've got the phone

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number of one of my colleagues, like I'm going to be there 15 minutes. It's communication at its finest. Not everyone's going to be able to be at a meeting or be on time. But if you can share that wealth and knowledge and and communication, I think it's easier and

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palatable to be late or miss something when your team understands that there's going to be a a competing priority. We're all moms and dads and business owners and executives. We we all have a separate life here. I just think it's important to understand what the expectation is, plan around it, and if something happens, it happens.

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>> Uh [clears throat] Mon Monday's my day off. I might in the fall term be teaching on Mondays, but it should be like noon to 1:30, so shouldn't be any time getting back or getting back early. I only travel really quarterly right now

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and I could I could zoom in when I do that and it's usually Monday's a travel day, but I'm I'm usually landed and all that by then. >> You covered a lot of mine. I know everyone has a good question. Do you have any >> We're okay. Y

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>> I just wanted to mention I should have mentioned to start uh Selectman Jonathan Cely could not make it tonight and wished you all well. I think this is his first committ meeting in maybe in his tenure. So >> toward that end, we should talk about how the voting process works, >> right? Someone >> can I just jump in real quick? Uh I am

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going to recuse myself from this vote. I do have a a personal friendship with one of the candidates and I'm going to recuse myself from the vote. So with four members here, I don't know how you want to handle the the voting process. It's supposed to be, I believe, from my understanding all sitting members with a

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vote. So there are seven in total, >> which means that four, >> right, >> carries the vote. >> Okay. But like as long as there's a majority. No, it it still has to be >> my my understanding is >> has to be a majority of the sitting members that would be voting.

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>> So even though some aren't here and you're not seven total, seven, no, I understand that. I just thought it applied to whoever was here. Okay. Um, so how it works is we make a nomination and I do want to echo

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everyone and saying thank you for coming and stepping up and um I know personally for me this is a hard decision >> and um so uh because there's value and I

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can see value in everyone and I um um so Uh but any and um if there are openings in the future and you aren't chosen tonight, we would certainly hope that you would throw your hat in the ring again. It's just that we simply can only choose one. And I mean I'd take all of

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you if we could. [laughter] So that's not how So anyway, um >> can we? >> No. No. So someone has to entertain someone has to make a motion to vote to appoint an individual to

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>> we have enough people to vote because we have a majority. So >> and it basically has to be unanimous for so someone would make a motion whoever wants to make a motion to appoint um one of these individuals and then we would

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have a vote. So, if anyone would like to make a motion, they can. And um you know, the motion has to come from us. Correct. >> I don't know the answer to that. Joe, do you know?

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>> Yeah, I'm not aware of anything that says it has to be one of the >> process previously was just either when I was on the select the elementary school process is just one of the voting members to make the nomination needs to

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be second then you vote if the person doesn't get the required vote somebody else then make a nomination >> or or if that original candidate is not seconded >> no but my question too is if um the [clears throat] motion has to come from a certain board okay that's my question

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um >> I can make a motion >> okay I actually really don't want to make a motion only because as Lauren said, all three of you are incredible. Like truly incredible. And if we could take all three of you, I would absolutely take all three of you. Um I'm

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thinking about both what um you know what the school and the town needs, but also the structure of like I think the current school committee um and like adding in different perspectives and knowledge and skills and abilities. So I guess at this time I will be happy with

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anyone, but at this time I will make a motion. make a motion to elect, >> nominate, >> appoint nominate um James for a position on the Halifax Elementary School Committee. Do I say that right? >> Okay.

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>> So, is there a second? I guess is the next question. >> Is there a second? >> Okay. Not hearing any seconds. We can entertain other motions to appoint >> James. I feel like we're all trying to speak with our eyes. [laughter]

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>> I know. I know. Um again, so same. I think that everyone's amazing and would be such a great asset to this committee. And if you don't want to get appointed today, please come back if we have others because or on our board or on any board because I think it's so awesome that everybody in this is here and we

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all want to be a part of the community and I just encourage everyone to be a part of the community. Um, and that's how we work the best, right? I I personally think that we really need somebody with a strong I would like to work with someone with a strong financial background on the committee because I feel like that's where it's

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tough and you know when we start to do the budget I feel like um somebody with a strong financial background would be really helpful in our in our committee. So with that I um make a motion to nominate Crystal. >> Second um vote.

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>> Um, Jordi, >> yes. >> Terra, >> yes. Absolutely. >> Um, myself is a yes. >> Yes. >> And I abstain. >> Okay. [applause] >> Okay. Thank you to all the candidates

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again. Thank you, Halifax Elementary School Committee. Uh, congratulations to Crystal and uh, again, don't be strangers to the next town bank applications. >> Okay. Uh, piggy backing. Yes. >> Yes. She'll get certified to the town

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clerk's office. Yeah. Yeah. >> No, you can't. >> Crystal, you you can meet with Sue Lawis tomorrow, the town clerk at any point uh, to be sworn in and get your little card. Okay. All right. >> Yeah. Okay.

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>> Okay. Uh moving on, piggybacking way down on the agenda. Um uh we do have uh the superintendent of the Silver Lake School District here, Dr. Jill Pru, um for potential discussion on circuit breaker money. Um this is relative to news that came out at the last Halifax

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Elementary School Committee meeting. Um and Dr. Jill is here. Dr. P is here to speak about it. Thank you. As you um have stated in our July closeout meeting with our school committee, our business director was able to share that we were able to return approximately $700,000 to the

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town. The ability to return funds stems primarily from a 2023 structural budget change and a temporary windfall in circuit breaker, which is special education reimbursements. In 2023, Silver Lake and Union 31

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updated their budget structures to comply with state regulations. As part of this change, secondary and preK special education students were moved out of the Halifax elementary school budget and into the Silver Lake budget as required.

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Because Halifax had previously funded the costs for all grades preK through grades 12 plus in the 2324 school year, Halifax received the state circuit breaker reimbursement for all of those students. However, because secondary and

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prek students were no longer on the Halifax Elementary School budget, the town was allowed to apply that full larger than usual circuit breaker reimbursement as well as their larger special education grants solely to the remaining

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few eligible elementary K through6 students. This temporary boost in available circuit funds,1,35,36863 used this year, allowed Halifax Elementary School to cover a significantly larger share of its special education, tuition, and

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transportation directly from the circuit breaker account rather than using FY26 budget, freeing up the local tax money to be returned to the town. It's important to note that this is a one-time temporary surplus. Going

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forward, Halifax Elementary School will only receive circuit breaker reimbursements for elementary students K through six, meaning funding will be less in the future since it's based on fewer students. Two main timing factors prevented the

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district from knowing this exact outcome until July. In April, district leaders had reached out again to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to ask if they could extend roll over the excess circuit breaker funds into the following school year instead of

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spending or returning them. The Department of Education met with the district in July and officially ruled that they would not allow circuit breaker funds to be extended into another year. Secondly, it's important to note that circuit breaker reimbursements for the

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preceding school year are formally filed with the Department of Education every year in July. For example, the FY26 claims were filed on July 13, 2026. The official filing schedule and the July meeting with the Department of

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Education finalized how much funding could be used and required the remaining balance to be settled. Okay. >> In addition, I have um copies of frequently asked questions that I presented the other day to the town, but

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I'm also happy to share them with you. These are the questions that came up not only through the budget process, um but also in light of the circuit breaker. So, all of those have been compiled here. In addition, we have included our um our date for our public budget hearing which is scheduled for February

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8th. So if with the permission of the chair. >> Sure. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. extras for the community. >> Thank you, Dr. P. >> You're welcome. >> Um, at this point, um, does the finance

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committee, our our board or to help out? >> I have a question which is more just a general why do we have town meeting before the budgets are completely settled for the state of Massachusetts. It seems like it seems like we could avoid a lot of

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whatifs if the budget was set. And I know like fiscal year ends June 30th, but it I mean it a lot of the questions we're getting are because the state budget wasn't set. We don't know a lot of how much funding we're getting, grant money, and so many things. There's

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so many moving parts just with the elementary school budget, never mind the Silver Lake budget, and we I just wonder why we can't like wait. This this came up uh we asked uh this year we asked admittedly late in the

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game, but it was brought up about what would it take to move the town meeting. Uh it is possible. I believe it's written into the bylaws to have it a at a certain point. Um but it is possible to move it, but you I don't believe you want to get in the habit of moving it

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the eve of it should be established. >> Well, that's what I'm saying before now that we've been through so many such difficult financial years. Some part of the difficulty with the override was really I mean there were a lot of problems but the town no matter what has

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a revenue problem. No matter however you do the budget everything we don't have enough money coming in and there's the the waters have been so muddied by so many things including not having budgets set yet by the state. How can you set

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your budget and know how much you're going to you know I mean the circuit breaker is a perfect example of this and why you know because people are like well the school had all that money why are you even asking for an override which you know fair question right except Dr. crew just explained it

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really well. However, it just I we if we really know where we are, which you know there's a lot of things being said, but I mean on the record as a member of the school committee, I want to say our town still has a revenue problem, which is,

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you know, even, you know, with all of the things that have happened, there's still not enough money coming in to cover expenses. And like maybe we'll come up with temporary solution after temporary solution, but the real problem is revenue. Whether it's from business, it has to come from somewhere,

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homeowners or business. That's >> exactly >> just what and and so that's where I'm thinking like if we can make things more clear because I know people say transparency. It's not that we're trying to hide anything. We're not trying to pull a fast one. There are legal

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requirements for education there. And the reason being that they don't want towns to not educate children adequately because people will do that, you know, to fund other departments, which the other departments are really important, too. They're absolutely

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really, but you know, we don't want to ask for things we don't need if we don't have all the information yet, basically. So just to add a little bit of color to that as well. I mean I think the reality of it is we have to vote the budget before the turn of the fiscal year

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anyways. Right. So if what Dr. Pru just said stands true, which is that the Department of Education didn't come in until after July 1st had already started to give the final budget, moving town meeting wouldn't really solve the problem because we still don't have the final numbers before July 1st.

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>> So that's So I guess I guess the bigger question is so Dr. Dr. F, you had mentioned that you reached out to the Department of Education in in April about this figure and when it would be available and what whether or not you could carry it over to the following fiscal year. The next thing that you

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said was they came in in July and told you that you would not be allowed to do that. Are are we to believe that there was no communication between your initial ask and July with them as to a status as to what that would look like? They just came in with a hard no, you can't do it four months later.

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No, I I I would I would characterize it again. It the request didn't come from me. It came from the special education director who handled circuit breaker for us. Um and our business director was also uh copied on the correspondence >> and they went to their liaison. There was communication and the liaison was

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going to look into it. The reality is is that the department of ed recognized the unique situation we were in where Halifax was eligible for this reimbursement but then lost a number of the students that it could spend the money on because they were now

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part of the Silver Lake district not Halifax >> and um they were looking into whether or not that was legally feasible. So I I don't think it was that they were intentionally trying to deny us. I think they they also wanted to make sure that

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we were meeting maintenance of effort. And one of the things with maintenance of effort is that you're expected to spend this at least the same amount on special education each year. Well, when you take the majority of your students and you send them to a different district, albeit Silver Lake, you're not

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going to be spending the same amount of money, >> right? So each year since 2023, we have to sit down with them and we have to go to a meeting and we have to show them how we've spent that the same amount at least in aggregate. >> Sure. >> So again, I wouldn't say they said

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nothing as much as they were waiting for legal. >> So I I think part of so part of what Lauren is saying where you know, we hear a lot about transparency and making sure that we all have the same and as much information as possible as we go through the process. So if if there is dialogue

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that's going on on a significant topic like this between April and July and it's going to potentially have an impact on the budget, I think that's the only thing that we can ask of each other is that we break down those barriers that we have where we're not sharing those communications with each other because if we know that it's a a yellow flag

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that's out there that there's a possibility that something's going to happen with 700 plus thousand dollars, at least we can have preparations [clears throat] for that in either direction rather than just being told in July that hey, it's available. We had no idea what was out there. So, I think that's that's what I look for is the

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opportunities for us to improve the process that we control as a group versus trying to manage the Department of Education, which we all know we're not going to be able to manage. >> Can I just ask a clarification question about the maintenance of effort? Um, is

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that an aggregate or is that a per per pupil expenditure? So in other words, >> it's it's how much the school spends in total on special education for certain categories. And in this case, they aggregate they looked at what we spent

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on all of the students even though they were in different districts so that we could prove that we were we were meeting maintenance of effort. >> So even if you have substantially less students in a subsequent year, you're still required by the law. Yes. To spend the same amount even if you have 60% of the students. >> [clears throat]

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>> cost special and special needs costs specific. >> Again, I I I apologize. My special education director is on vacation this week, so I'm doing my best to try to answer >> Sure. >> on her behalf as well. Um my understanding is that um they they have

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exceptions where you can file and explain why certain things might be different. Okay, >> but all things being equal, >> yes, you need to spend the exact at least the same amount. But if you have something significant then the special education director can go in and explain

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that. Now the the reality is is that uh our special education director does her the very best she can. She has in a sense four separate budgets. She works for four separate districts and she has to do four separate maintenance of

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efforts, four separate sets of grants, four separate circuit breaker reimbursements. Um, so again, it it in terms of timing, she's she's really doing the best she can to give you real time numbers. >> Okay. >> Okay.

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>> Anybody else from the finance committee at this time? I >> I have a couple of questions. Can Can you tell us over how many fiscal years this has been accumulating? >> I mean, there's I I see four represented here, but you know, is there are there

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more or is this a uh So a longer term issue you can carry over your grant for one year only. >> Okay. So so what happens to the funds after that carryover year? They go back to the state. They does the school absorb them.

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>> They go back to the state. >> They go back to the state >> if they're not spent. >> Okay. So but you're returning these dollars to the town this time. We're returning the dollars to the town because we were able to use the circuit breaker, >> right, >> on expenses in the school budget.

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>> Okay. So, looking at your fiscal year, your funding numbers here, has the town been overassessed for these over these last couple of years because there seems to be a lot of leftover money. >> No. >> No.

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>> I wouldn't characterize it as overassessed. Okay. I would say that we went from having 21 eligible students, >> right, >> to three >> and only two years to spend it. >> Mhm. >> And the circuit breaker funding is a

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reimbursement for monies we already spent. So, it's for when we had it's a reimbursement for the 21 students that that we had already spent the money on that previous year and then we only had three students but they reimbursed us

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for the previous year. Then we went down to three students and but the money was still spent and still went to Halifax because that's who spent the money. One of the things that many communities do which was presented to this community

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many years ago was uh special education stabilization fund. And so when things like this happen, communities are able to put excess into stabilization because as you know special education costs can vary greatly and they can change um even

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within a single school year. Um, so one of the things that you may want to consider for the future, which did not pass the last time it was presented, is a stabilization fund. >> Does Kingston have one? >> Yes. >> Does Clinton have one? >> Yes. >> Does Halifax does not have one?

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>> It does not. >> Dr. P. Do you know the last time that was visited, revisited? You said years ago. Do >> I believe it was in my first year as assistant superintendent, so maybe 2017. >> Okay. Not a final call, but anything else from the finance committee at this time

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elementary school at this time? Any questions? Bill, >> anybody from the crowd? Public participation, comments, questions for Dr. P. >> Mary Gra. I just have one question. >> Mary, can Mary, can you just come to the microphone, please? >> Sorry. Name and address, please.

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So, I bought this stuff yesterday. Lauren was nice enough to send >> Name and address, please. Mary >> Mary Gravin East, 98 Clydeo Bosworth Road. Um, Lauren was nice enough to send me these paperwork yesterday. I guess what I'm confused about is in 2324 we had 21 students and we had our funds

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were at 4:30 and now we go up to 26 and we only have four students. But I'm just confused about the numbers because in 25 we had a million 23 and circuit breaker remaining. I'm just I don't understand how these numbers go when we lost so many students if we're not funding

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special ed students. Why are the numbers still so high? >> That's the money that's left over from the >> from 3 years ago though. >> It was from the year before. But Jill, you can >> That's what I just didn't understand because I read this chart. I just didn't understand it.

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>> Yes. In that first year, 2425 a million was carried over. um a million27 a million23 was carried over from the previous year. [music] Now you'll recall not only did we have um extraordinary amounts of circuit breaker

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because we had fewer students to spend it on. But we also had the same problem with grants. So in that first year um our special education director worked with department of ed um to make sure that we got all qualified expenditures paid for with grants so that we wouldn't

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have to return money to the state um allowing us to carry over with the hope that we might be able to have get additional time knowing that the state knew our unique circumstances. that was not the case and so we then took that

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money and applied it to all eligible um opportunities. Now the thing with circuit breaker and grants is that you can't just spend it on on anything that would benefit even just special education students. There are very specific categories and very specific expenses that it can be spent on. So if

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if you don't have expenses in those areas, you can't you can't use the funds. I hope that clarified. >> Anybody else? >> Please. >> Gordon Andrews, 244 Elm Street. Just a a word of caution here that the money's

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coming back now because the number of students dropped. When we look at the preschool numbers, right now preschool is on Civil Lakes tab. So we can forecast a little bit when the kids from preschool move into Hellifax. So there

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will be years where that bumps. you'll hold that funding for the reimbursement for five or six years and then that we'll we're gonna have a lag on that money and we're gonna run into the same sort of issue where if you have a really highcost student, you could end up back

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in the same situation where the town is being returned money because it had a fronted years before. Anybody else? Um, Dr. Pru, I didn't I don't know. You're going to be with us tomorrow night uh in the non-resident section. I don't know. Did you want to speak to any

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of the articles here tonight in advance of that or did you want to hold off until tomorrow specifically? Did you care to mention anything that you would mention tomorrow about if the school was to be returned, any proposed funds, what that might look like? >> Sure. Um, if under the article 200,000

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was returned, then uh Halifax Elementary School would ask the school committee to allow us to um post and hire two uh classroom teachers with with that funding. Um and then we would do our

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best to hire two people before the start of the school year and then get class lists out to parents as soon as possible. So that would that that would be my recommendation to the school committee in terms of how to prioritize uh that money and that would help us to

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um lessen the number of students in in classrooms especially in those areas where classroom sizes are the largest. >> Would we be able to make a motion tonight preemptively for that since we're not having I guess we could have a school committee meeting because um we

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we'll just have another school committee meeting after town meeting. We can. >> Okay. >> Martin, has the school committee voted a different budget since town meeting? >> We have not. >> So the I would recommend at your next scheduled meeting you vote an updated school

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budget one way or the other of how tomorrow night goes. >> Dr. Dr. P, I got one more question for you. >> With the governor releasing chapter more chapter 7 funds, we expecting any more for Halifax?

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>> It's possible. I've I've heard um I haven't heard anything definitive in terms of what we can actually expect. So, I I'm cautiously optimistic. Do >> you have any idea when that would take effect or timeline? I know that it's

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controversial for some. So again, until we actually see what it means for our town, it's it's hard for me to speculate on what it what it may be. Sorry. >> Okay. Thank you for being >> just just one I'm sorry. Just one last

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question, Dr. Jill. The 18 students that left Halifax that you have marked down for 20 in 24 to 25. >> Yes. >> Where'd they go? >> They went to Silver Lake. Silver Lake or >> so they're either prek students or they're secondary students.

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>> Okay. So 18 in that after that uh went into the high school or into Silver Lake Regional. >> Yes. Or the middle school >> after the 23 24 year or after the 24 25 year. Oh,

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>> can I sorry the reason they they stayed where they were basically wherever they were, but it was the re it was the restructuring of the district where it used to be that Halifax paid for all of our special

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education students, but we were told by Desessie that we were doing it incorrectly that like so then the prek program became a part of Silver Lake And so we weren't paying anymore for any of our prek students because they were

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under the umbrella of Silver Lake and not under Halifax anymore. And um the the Desi required us to restructure because we weren't doing it correctly basically in our district. Um so >> they didn't go anywhere. >> They didn't go anywhere. They're still

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in the Yeah, that's that's what I was trying to explain that they didn't they they left our books. That's it. But that's that was my that was my question on maintenance of effort. Is it just dumb luck that we lost six out of seven students and the restructuring and only had three left behind? >> So in in addition, some stayed where

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they were, but some did graduate onto the middle school, >> right, >> or to the high school. So not everybody hopefully not everybody stayed in the same grade. >> I don't mean stay behind. [laughter] I I don't mean stayed behind, but I mean stayed behind in terms of our numbers. We're left we had 21, right? >> We had 18 move in some different

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direction. either moved out of town or to a different school. >> The great news is just by luck, we have three left. >> That first year, you've got a ton of money for all those students. >> It just seems like an anomaly that you didn't have all those students to spend the money on. That first year, Silver Lake received no circuit breaker

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reimbursement >> and they spent the money that year, but we got it. So, >> I'm not arguing where it was spent. It just seems like it just seems like you can't be predictive of 18 out of 21. >> That's 83% of things that stayed that moved on. That doesn't seem like that's statistically likely to happen very

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often. >> Well, it's just it's really purely because of the redistric redistricting and how we used to assign special education students before the redistricting and then how Desi because really we're a school district from for preK then the kids go back to the town

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for the elementary school and then back to the district 7 through 12. >> So, it's kind of odd that we have three separate elementary schools in this district. I mean, I I guess I'll say that maybe not everyone shares that opinion, but like it's interesting that we pull out, you know, and we have all

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these school committees and all these um you know, budgets because this elementary schools are still separate. So linked to this document, you can see um in uh prior to the 23 restructure, we came

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to uh the town and talked about the need to redistrict. Um that for years we had been treating our special education programs as if they were part of Silver Lake when in fact special education programs belong with their schools, whatever the grade level may be. and we

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asked for us to be able to officially recognize prek as part of Silver Lake and to begin um correcting what had been done incorrectly for many many years, decades. Your special education students are the

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students in your Halifax elementary school students who attend the middle and high school in preK are part of the Silver Lake district and should be coming out of the Silver Lake budget. This is confusing to some because with vocational education it's different. The

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state allows us with vocational education to charge that back to the towns. So I know that that's a con it's a confuser for people. So that's why I mention that because I know that that sometimes comes up. Why why are we allowed to do it for this group and not for that group? And it's primarily because it's considered discriminatory

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with special education. >> Okay. >> Jody, did you have something? >> Well, I think that just like to clarify a little bit. I think before the restructured Just to kind of put it in a different perspective, if you lived in Halifax, if you went to the middle school or if you went to the high

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school, Halifax, because if your address was Halifax, we paid for your special education, Halifax. But we don't do that anymore. Now we're only paying for special education for the kids who live in Halifax to go to Halifax Elementary School. The district is paying for our Halifax kids now who need special education fees and costs there. So I

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think that's why it jumped from being so large because we had 21 special students who lived in Halifax who attended the other schools at one point and now we're only paying for our Halifax students who go to the elementary school. So I think

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that that's like a a little bit more of an explanation I think. >> Sure. But correct me. Sure. But if there are if there are 14 grades to be considered, preschool, K kindergarten, and then 1 through 12, we're now saying that

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um seven of them belong into Halifax and seven belong to the district. Seven grade levels, correct? >> Yeah. >> Right. So, it's still a statistical anomaly that 18 of 21 would be out of Halifax regardless of how you do the math. That's the fact is that we have three in our seven grade levels and 18

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now out of them. So that's still not near anywhere near split. So I still think it's an outlier. That's all. >> I have another question if I could. Sorry. Just going back for the 200,000 for tomorrow's meeting. I know we were down three full-time teachers. Is there

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is there a way that we can get three full-time teachers back if we were given that $200,000? >> Again, it will depend upon where they fall in the salary schedule and you may be able to get a part-time FTE for the third. So depending upon where the first two hires fall on the SK salary

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schedule, it will determine what what remains. >> Thank you. >> Question of the two of the two teachers that would be hired, what grades would they be and what are the current numbers in those grades? I'm sorry I don't have that information

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with me. I can I can tell you if you go to our website and if you go to Halifax School Committee and if you go to the March presentation there's a slide and if Thank you. you can probably see

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the class sizes um of and just we just need to be careful that we're using the ones where we reduce the FTE, not the ones where the FTE remain the same. And then that should tell us what our our um largest class sizes we anticipate will be

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>> at a minimum. Maybe we could have that tomorrow night when just for anticipation. >> Absolutely. Sorry about that. No, no, no problem. That's >> while they're looking we can keep going, Gordon. So just another conversation piece is that when you're looking to fully

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regionalize, this conversation yet changes again and the method of funding special education will change again. So you might be in this system for a year or two and then everything could change again if we go to fully regionalize which for special needs actually makes

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more sense for the town. anything on that? >> I think we're still efering over there. Uh Jim, I >> just have one final question. Is this a one-time return or does there going to be other monies coming back in different fiscal years to the town? And how is

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that being accounted for? what policy is in place inside of Silverlake to make sure someone is keeping an eye on this so that it can be, you know, taken care of on a year-to-year basis instead of accumulating and then having a gross amount.

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>> It's not impossible to return money to the town. I don't anticipate it ever being this large again. But I can't I can't guarantee you because I don't know what the influx in or out of the community would be. Um the mechanism that governs us is the state and federal

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laws. We can only spend the money on things that um that qualify and we can only get reimbursement for children who qualify or expenses that qualify. So um all of these things are go through the Department of Education. It goes through

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the state. Federal grants go through the federal government. Um there's there's a lot of oversight as to how grants and reimbursement work. And so whenever there's money uh that we can defay the cost of the local budget, we're always going to try to do that um to the best

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of our ability and return whatever we can to the town. >> Sure. That so I would anticipate that being a yearly event, right? So someone someone inside your organization administratively is watching this. Yep. >> Right. Because I think we can all or at

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least let's not say all I can at least see threequarters of a million dollars is a lot of money to be sitting in an account somewhere and then somebody say oh now I got to turn it back. So what I'm asking is is this just is this just is there something in place moving

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forward that can prevent this type of an accumulation to this scale to make sure that this doesn't happen again >> or can we ask for a status and be privy to that information upon ask? >> Of course. Yes. I I mean if if you you

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pose the question, we can tell you at any point in the year where we are. It will um again when we build the budget we build it on an estimate and we tell you this is an estimate. Circuit breaker we put in this year was based on an estimate. It could have gone up it could

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have gone down. circuit breaker. Best practice with circuit breaker is to carry over funds into the following year because it is such an unpredictable um budget. And so most school communities want to have a healthy amount of money

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to carry over into the next year for unforeseen special education costs because they're not costs that you can say no to and they're not costs that you can control. So if a child needs a has a particular need, you're going to pay for that need whether or not you budgeted

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for it. And so that's why people carry over hundreds of thousands of dollars in circuit breaker. That's a common practice throughout the the Commonwealth. That's not characteristic of Silver Lake or Halifax. That's just

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>> how schools do it. >> I thank you for that response. >> Yeah. So I think the what's in place to to keep it from getting to such a large size moving forward? >> Well, I in theory we would have a better balance

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between the number of students who are eligible and the amount of money coming in. >> If we were to do another restructure, we could have another imbalance. What's in place is that we have a special education a single special education director who services four districts and

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who comes to every school committee meeting and we present a budget to the school committee every week. If there are particular questions about circuit breaker and the timeliness of circuit breaker that information is relative relatively easy to obtain albeit it can change drastically from one day to the

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next because children's placements can change drastically from one day to the next. So what's the average of that then? >> In an average school year, how how much does the special education student headcount fluctuate? >> Average 5, 10, 100?

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>> Yes, it could. >> Okay, I can't get you an average for a reasonable number, not something >> I will get you an average for the meeting. >> Okay. All right, >> Mary.

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>> So, the special ed Mary Grain 98 Clydeo Bosworth, if the special education director is working for all four districts, is it unreasonable for the town, whether it be the selectman finance committee, ask that on a quarterly basis, we get a report that

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shows what we have spent for special ed and what we are asking for back in circuit breaker money. If it's our money and she's working for us, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for a quarterly update. >> Can that become part of our requirement of the special ed director? If we're

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paying her, I think we should be able to get what we need from them. potential to enter into an option to lease agreement with the town. Um, one thing that I will mention, um, is that we are a vertically integrated company.

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So that means that we have all the capabilities to develop, construct, and operate these in-house. We have no intent to sell any sort of lease and uh, sell any sort of lease or the entitlements that would come from going through this process. Um, we want to

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enter into an option to lease agreement that is located at, let me orient myself. Uh, the Himmlock Lane landfill. I believe it's that way. We were just there before coming in here. Um, around 1 megawatt. This was all brought about

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during a 2023 RFP solicitation process that um, my colleagues and Steven's predecessor went through. Nothing materialized from that. So now we would like to bring this back to the table now that we have a little bit more information and um would like to

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investigate whether or not we can make a solar project with a battery happen at that landfill site. Um so as you'll sort of see and I believe you have the summary of the options lease agreement. Um we are proposing to enter into an

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options lease where we give the town immediately uh $5,000 to enter into this option agreement. Uh we would then have an initial term of two years uh renewing at $5,000 per year to conduct all of the studies, surveys necessary to determine

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whether or not a project at that location is possible. Those studies and surveys would primarily be with the uh utility, so National Grid in this case. Um as well as the the Department of Environmental Protection to make sure that the landfill is actually uh capable

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of hosting a project of this nature. Now, once we were to get all of those approvals and entitlements, specifically with the town, but also with the utility and the state and some federal agencies, uh we would be proposing to enter into a 25- year initial term lease agreement to

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lease the premises at the landfill, um which will be more defined as we come to an agreement on the lease at a later date. um to construct and operate the solar facility at the landfill site. Um

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we do not want this to be a risk for the town and I believe we have presented a agreement that has satisfied those conditions. Um just to give ballpark numbers and I do want to clarify that these are estimates based

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on you know assessors value. um over a 25-year cycle, uh we would be providing around $2 $2 million of all-in benefit to the town over that 25 year period. Uh a 30-year period would be just around

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$2.5 million for the town. 35 $3 million and 40 would be just over $3.5 million. So, we would be taking on a lot of or all of the risk in investigating whether or not this is a realistic option for that site. Um, and we would hope to provide benefit to the town in ter in

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terms of both the rent payments, uh, as well as the personal property tax payments that would be owed to the town based on any of the improvements that we would make on the site. So, all of our equipment, etc. Um, so with that, I will say that, you know, obviously this is a

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very preliminary. we will need some sort of agreement in order to investigate this further and adjust any of the site plans that you may see um in that presentation that I shared with you. Um however, we would like to get your feedback on both the process for going through something and and getting a

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lease agreement like this approved uh as well as your initial thoughts on the project and the site itself. >> Yeah. So, I can give you guys a little bit more background if you'd like. So um just to bring everybody up to speed on this, my predecessor had uh begun

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working with Agelitus to develop this site. I think the site actually um came across a couple issues with the cap related to the cap. And as far as what would need what would need to be done to correct the cap issue before we are putting any other sort of structure or

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any other sort of re anything potentially out there. So the cap will need to be replaced. So that's where I approached this conversation again with Sam with the understanding that the town understands that there's potentially um the site's not fit for this operation as

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of yet. Now the other flip side is my previous position as a energy manager. I understand how long these agreements can can take with Eversource as far as hookup and as far as all those agreements that go on behind the scenes when you're actually talking about the establishment of these these sites from

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a lease agreement which is essentially phase two of this because tonight's really phase one where they're where they're proposing to maintain their lease option rights of the site. Um then that lease option rights once the site would be corrected to a condition where

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they could actually place the solar and actually entertain the solar option then they'd be able to move into producing the site and then the lease agreement would kick off where as Sam was just saying as we get closer to interconnection with Everource or whoever the primary um electric producer

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is around here you would end up changing that based on whatever market rates would essentially be. So if the cost of electricity goes up, obviously the lease lease agreement will go up. Um, so again, I've I've operated and managed many of these projects. I've seen them go through this process of having a

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lease option available prior to an actual lease going in. Um, again, this gives them the right to operate on the site and also provides the town with a little bit of revenue with I'll say from my opinion, no risk. But that being said, I would suggest that if the board

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does decide to um approve this or make a motion on this tonight in any regard that that motion would be to send it off to town council for review and then have it come back for signatures and any other minor addit. >> I was just going to ask there are 39 going on 40

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um bullet items here for consideration for the the drawn up lease agreement. >> Yeah. um mindful of previous conversations, how is this fairly boilerplate in terms of a lease agreement or is this specific to Halifax and what can we expect uh from a billable hour standpoint from legal? Is

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this is this an hour worth of review or is this >> so previous? So this would go to a particular individual at uh town council um and he's generally pretty quick. a contract like this from previous experience

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probably an hour or two of review time and then >> I can add to it that this is specifically meant for Halifax but we're not rewriting any formulas here. There are a lot of there is a lot of language in here that you would see in any typical lease agreement in Massachusetts. Um but we have made it

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specifically for the himmllock lane landfill. >> Okay. Bill, do you have anything? >> We get the voting tonight. >> No, I I would just I would say I would follow the I don't know if we need a motion or not. I would, you know, this is not to be um you know, cliche, but

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this is above my pay grade. This 39 page contract. If we're interested, I would I would recommend having legal certain look at it before we proceeded. Okay. >> Kick this off to a future thing. >> Um >> can I ask so you're going to survey the site? Are you also going to repair the

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damage to the site? >> So, we as part of the process of getting all the permits that we would need specifically from the depart Department of Environmental Protection, the state, they would place conditions on us to get the site ready in order to make it safe

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and ensure that a project is actually feasible at the site. So, in in terms of cleaning it up, that would really come from the instructions of the Department of Environmental Protection. Um and they would put a lot of conditions on us to say before you can break any sort of

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ground these are the steps that you have to take in order to make sure that this is a suitable landfill for a project like this. >> What is like the warranty that on the landfill cap that you place you put the solar panels on? How long's the expectation it's going to last?

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>> How long the solar would would stay on there? >> Yeah. >> Um so you know typically we like to estimate it at 25 years. We have seen that as technology has gotten better, they can last, at least the solar piece can last up to 40 years without deteriorating to a point where you would

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want to take it off. Um, so we would, you know, I would say 25 years is the baseline and it could last there for up to 40. >> And if you remove your solar panels and leave, >> are you responsible for any damage to

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the cap that's there? >> Yes, we're responsible for any damage to the cap. we have to, and this is listed in the lease agreement as well, um we would have to return it to the state that we leased it in. Um so we have to put up a certain amount of money in a decommissioning bond that would be there

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in case, you know, anything happens, we abandon the project. That money is there to take care of the decommissioning. I'm not an expert necessarily on what that decommissioning process looks like, but we would be responsible for any damage or cleanup of the site um either, you

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know, at the end of the 40-year life cycle of it or if something were to happen before then, um we would also be responsible for it for the whole life of it. We really want this to be no risk to the town and only benefit in terms of the tax revenue and the lease payments.

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>> Yeah. >> [clears throat] >> Amy troop 10 hillside a um great um I just he did touch on the decommissioning but I wanted to urge everybody to think about the decommissioning very much because the uh solar panels are

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hazardous waste they're labeled there and we're making So if you just say that they last 25 years and you I think you said 2 and a half million is that correct? So if if it was last 25 years would be around 2 million slightly 1.9.

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>> Okay. So we could potentially end up having a cost at the end of that time period to get rid of them. So I just wanted to be sure and I did hear him mention that. But we would want a bond. We don't want to just be like you guys are in charge. we would want a bond and

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maybe some sort of an idea of how much it would cost um at today's market and then reflection of inflation that far. Very important. >> Uh absolutely understood. Sorry, I didn't catch your name. >> Andrew >> Amy.

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>> Um absolutely understood. Um, I encourage you to have legal take a look and make sure that you are comfortable with any sort of remediation that we would be responsible for. Our intent is to uh be able to cover any sort of issues that come along. Um, I don't view

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hazardous waste as necessarily an issue. Um, but all of that will be covered in all of our permits and um, any decommissioning bond that we do present. And a lot of those details can also be hashed out, you know, during the local permitting process where you guys will

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be heavily involved, we would hope, uh, to make sure that any sort of mitigation efforts we can meet and work with the town to be a good partner. >> Okay. >> Anything else? Nope. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Um, Stephen, do we need a motion to this effect or

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just >> I mean, I could if you guys want me by town council. >> Why don't we next forego the motion and ask to send this to town council for review and uh another look down the line for us when when the review is available? >> Yeah. Okay. >> Would would we would you want us to

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have, you know, our internal team um in communication with the with you guys as town council or would it be presented at another meeting like this one today? I would. So, the process would be I would I'll send it to town council for review. Um, I'll get the feedback from town

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council and then send that along in discussions uh one-on-one with these with these guys or just u wait till the next meeting to see what their next move will be. >> Understood. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Chris, did you have a question related to the same topic? >> Yeah. Go ahead.

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>> Chris Witz, 129 Circuit Street. Um, unless I misunderstood the beginning of that, they would fix the cap of the liner before they did the project. >> Yes. >> Would it? >> No. No. No. They wouldn't. They wouldn't be responsible for fixing the cap. They would be identifying the need to fix the

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cap. Correct. >> Correct. >> Yes. So, >> no. So, the town would still need to address the cap issue separately, which has been at least had feasibility studies run on it previously. So what D

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will inform them is the conditions in that need to be met in order for the solar project to proceed >> and that and that was presented 6 months ago for the second time at significant cost with two different options. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> So the town would actually be fixing the

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gap after once it's fixed an agreement with them. >> Yes. >> Okay. because they would have to agree ba even based on this as far as before town council reviews in my review based on this agreement once that finding that would probably deter them because that's

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a unless the town's able to fix it. >> So the town does have to fix it at some point. It's does have to be >> that's another discussion. >> That's a just different disc. >> I had a question on that the the height and the plans of that if it's changing. >> No no nothing's changing on as far as the capping back there cuz we haven't

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reapproached it yet. Okay. >> It's only stands where the feasibility studies and everything has been done up to this point at this at this moment in time. >> My curious is like when it goes to get fixed or the studies are done. >> Oh yeah, sure. >> What soils like com 97 or what would be being brought in to hell effect?

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>> Depends on the type of um capping that D would probably mandate as as well. I mean it would be up to D, but there's different ways to cap landfills. So maybe it's a different scenario. >> Okay. Amy Troop 10 outside app. You could always negotiate that maybe they would

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um participate or take care of that. And also please make sure that town council does go over the decommissioning because again they are they already are labeled hazardous waste. >> Thank you. Okay, seeing no other comment, uh I think we can Bill, can you are we good

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with having Stephen uh contact uh legal counsel on this topic? >> Yes, we are. >> Uh for review of the contract as proposed. >> Okay. >> Good. Okay. So, Steve, let's go ahead and do that with an informal motion. uh on the same topic uh of legal counsel

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um skipping ahead um to letter uh L uh is the discussion on the possible reappoint of Brooks and Durensus as town council. This was um not held but tabled with a 30-day

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appointment uh in late June. Um we did uh meet uh on this and discuss billing uh with legal. Um we spoke to other communities uh throughout others who used different legal counsel um throughout the Commonwealth. And this

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was advised that this billing uh although sometimes difficult to look at they bill in 10-minute increments. So it's 0.12.345 or full hour. Um that is the cheapest billing available. Those rates have not changed in some time. They are below

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market value with other um legal council municipal law firms, including two that we interviewed for possible change in legal counsel uh less than two or just about two years ago. Um so to that end, um I don't know, Bill, do you have

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anything to add to that? Nope. Uh are there any public questions or comments on the topic of the possible reappoint? Sir, >> Ellen De Snow Street. Yeah, I brought this to the board's attention and one of the my concerns looking at legal bills

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is you've got $8,400 in general matters. I understand the process. They should be build by tents. Why do we have certain numbers for $5,000 $8,000 just in general matters that are not broken down into tents? >> Well, I think that was addressed

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previously that some of those Yeah, they they were but some of them were broken down in the text. We couldn't identify, but they were >> they are broken down. They might be blurbs of what was what was been trans you know and it will say 20 point4 they are writing down.

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>> Okay. In in the bills that I received, there's a line item that says general matters. One was $8,400, >> right? Because I didn't give you the breakdown. I'd have to go through them to make sure that I can still have those to do. >> Okay. Is there any answer to my question

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is what happened to the money that went that was applied for the zoning articles? That was one of the questions that I did have. There was um >> that spreadsheet. >> Yeah. Um >> I do have >> I have it here. I think >> I'm going to look at the

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>> I do. >> Yeah, I remember talking about it. >> I mean, is that information going to be available? I mean, we don't have to go through it if it's your decision of who you appoint for council. My concern was on the billing practices and what happened to the $64,000 that was allocated for zoning.

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>> A the vast majority of that uh and I think we can probably >> I do have those bills. I do in the back. They did >> I'm okay to stuff about that. >> Yeah, I think >> I mean the vast uh I'm speaking from memory here and we can get them. Um and I don't see a problem of releasing.

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>> Yeah, I think it's >> Yeah. Um I think the vast majority of it was having town council present for guidance and research with work done by the committee. >> Okay. So I mean I looked at some of the minutes

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in the meeting. I also looked at minutes of meeting for the uh town government study committee. There was no minutes available. You spent $8,500. >> What do you mean there's no minutes available? >> There's no available online >> on the town government website on the town Halifax.

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>> Yeah. I mean, I couldn't find them. You know, I'm not a computer guy, but um was town council present? I mean, this is just small stuff. I mean, you're going to make your decision. Um I just think that information could be available. >> Sure. Question. Town council appeared at the government study committee which I did sit on or do sit on. Town council

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appeared uh in the building twice I believe [snorts] once in each room. Uh the vast majority of that was um >> the review of the >> town town meeting preparation. >> Town meeting preparation was supposedly

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about 15,000. Um the report that I got it was $8,500 that was spent on the government study committee and town council. Those are the numbers that I got. So, um, if they only went twice to a meeting,

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how do you get 8,500? >> Okay. >> You know, um, you know, if that information is going to be made available, then I'm okay with that. >> I mean, I have no problem having it being released.

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>> In terms of what the government study, I thought, pen, this is uh all this is >> Yeah. >> Yeah. the government study, majority of that was the actual crafting of the legal language associated with the town meeting articles. >> So it was $8,500 to draft five articles

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or four articles. >> Well, it was Let me let me just back up for a second. This is a government study has been going on for since October of 24. So we're going on 18 months. So it's an average of $450 per month, which is 2 hours per month of

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billable hours. So, as we developed strategies, questions, and so forth, we did lean on legal counsel. He did come twice to the building, but it's actually only about what? What's 82 divided by 18? $450.

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$450 over 18 months. >> $450. What if he came to the meeting twice? I mean, I asked the town meeting how much was spent and it was a minimal amount. I found out after was $8,500. So if he came every meeting then yes you're

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right $450 but if you review the articles or drafted the articles you're looking at $8500. So is that I don't know what you're paying per hour. >> Well the preparing the going rate >> whether he's here or helping via >> that I understand but it sounds like a

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great amount of money. >> It's 40 hours >> for five articles. >> It's 42 hours over over 18 months. I mean I don't >> 42 hours of what? 42 hours of time. >> So they spent 42 hours drafting the articles

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>> and being in the building and doing everything else associated. >> Well, they only came to the building twice, >> right? But also the drafting of the articles, the preparation of the articles for town meeting. All of that is consumed within that 42.5 hours. >> Yeah. 42 hours.

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>> Okay. You can you can break it down so it looks very small. I see it being very expensive to spend $8,500 on five articles. That I find to be excessive. You can break it down to pennies. You if he was only in the building twice,

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>> I understand that it might have been five, six, 10 hours to prepare those articles. So if it's 10 hours, you paid him $850 an hour. >> No, I think you're every time he's in the building, we pay him to travel. I mean, we're getting into semantics here, but

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>> right, >> he travels down. He's here for 90 minutes. Travel's back. That's 4 and 1 half hours. That's 9 hours. So now eliminate the travel when he's here and we're down to 32 hours over 18 months, which again for guidance on guidance on a town approved committee. >> Okay.

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>> Is this practice going to continue? That's my question. >> Is the government study going to continue? >> No. As far as $8,500 for the government study committee and then the uh what happened with, you know, we we've got zoning bylaws that are a problem. >> Sure. and now we have no money to fix

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it. >> I mean, Allan, I can appreciate you where you're coming from. I always do. I think you're well thought and well, you know, well intentioned. >> Are the public records requests going to continue? Are the um, you know, uh, open meeting law requests going to continue? I don't know. I don't know what to

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expect. All I know is that when we're charged to do something through the town, we're not going to throw our just throw our best guess at it. We're going to depend on legal counsel where appropriate. >> I I agree. So basically you'll make the information available. >> I look up. Yeah. I as far as I'm concerned as long as there's nothing

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there should be nothing in the government studies thing that's confidential. >> There's one of the law. >> That's not my I mean that would be right. >> I'd want to defer to that one. The government studies commission uh uh committee that I chair. I have nothing to hide there. So if you want to work on that at your earliest convenience.

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>> Okay. >> And the zoning bylaw that's that's 63,000. >> That's on the agenda tonight as well. Okay. That's a different topic but I Yes. Related. I understand. >> All right. Thank you. Okay. Uh, that being said, any further questions or comment on that? Okay. I will make a motion to reappoint

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and continue the appointment with Brooks and Durantis to represent us in all matters of municipal law uh through June 30, 2027. >> Second. >> Uh, there's a quorum here, so it's still there's no roll call vote. So, all those in favor, I opposed. Unanimous. Thank

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you for that. Um, just skipping a little out of order. I know there's a couple other people here. I just want to get to one other thing online very quickly. Um, and I don't my I'm not as good as I should be or could be on the iPad. Um, I wanted to recognize um uh the

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resignation of a Halifax police officer that we received recently from uh notified by uh Chief Chavez. And I'm looking to find it here. I don't have it readily available. There's a letter somewhere. after the um >> after hemlock

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>> after him lane. >> Okay. Uh we are in receipt of a letter from Chief Chavs dated July 16th, 2026. Um informing us that officer Paul Campbell had sub has submitted his resignation. Uh Paul's last day was July

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14th. Um I just wanted to thank Paul uh officer Campbell that is uh for his contribution and his time and efforts to the town of Halifax. Uh we certainly wish him well moving forward and it would be my recommendation uh that our board draft a letter to that effect Pam

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uh for signature and release to Paul. Um you know Halifax Police Department is a is a valued asset in the in the community and uh we'll miss officer Campbell's contribution. I know he was big in the public with the dog uh the uh animal control dog Roxy. Uh not animal control but the uh service dog, comfort

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dog, service dog uh Roxy. And I know the kids in town, mine included, appreciated both Paul and the dog. So, uh, we submit our thanks to Officer Campbell. Um, and certainly wish him well in, uh, all future things. >> Good. >> It's also common practice that when he

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leaves the the dog will go with him. >> So, so that'll happen. So, uh, Pam, we'll get a letter going, uh, Officer Campbell, um, for signature and release. Um, okay.

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Uh we have Jerry Joy here tonight. Um Jerry is here um to discuss uh on the agenda. What is this? How does it read? Uh >> before we get into that, wait for the appointment that comes right before

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that. >> Okay, sure. Jerry, give me give me 30 seconds then. Okay, so let's uh skip to letter E. Thank you for that. Um so I was just scanning the room looking for faces that I knew that were on the agenda. All good. Uh letter E. uh the possible appointment to the beautifification committee of Ryan

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Walsh. Uh we do have his talent bank form application here. Is Ryan here this evening? >> Perfect. Want to step it up, Ryan? Thank you for submitting an application. And why don't you tell us a little bit about your yourself and your interest in the uh beautifification? >> Yep. Ryan Walsh to Southern Crary. Um

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yeah, um submitted the talent bank a little while ago. Wanted to get a little bit more um not familiar with the town, but just help out um a little bit more. Um I already coach on all my kids sports teams and things like that. So I'm just looking for other ways to help out around town. Uh beautifification

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committee needed a um another committee member. Um coincidentally my dad's run a landscape company for 25 years. So land beautifification is what I do. Uh so I you know met up with Shirley and on the team and actually already helped out a little bit already. So um ready to join

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if you're willing to have me. >> Terrific. Thank you for volunteering. Shirley, would you like to speak to this? Do you have anything to add for Ryan? >> Yes. >> Our committee, I'm Shirley Graham, 199 Oak Street. I'm the chair of the beautifification committee. We met

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earlier with Ryan in earlier in July and we all voted for him. Um, and he jumped right into things, acquiring a rain barrel for the

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>> for the Margaret Fitzgerald Memorial Garden. And he also st the new tree Sully's tree um on the corner of Hemlock and Plymouth Street. So, hope you'll

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endorse. >> Terrific. You sure? Any questions, Bill, or anything to add? Nope. >> Uh, we always appreciate the volunteers. Ryan, thank you for volunteering and stepping up. I will make a motion and wish him well to appoint Ryan Walsh um as a um as an appointed member of the

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beautifification committee with a term to expire uh June 30th, 2027. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I Okay, you are unanimously chosen. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you, Ryan. >> Tim, I just

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Yep. And I'll get that. >> So, same as before with the school committee, you'll have to go down and see uh Sue Lawless, the town clerk, at some point tomorrow or Wednesday as your time permits. So, she'll officially sign your card and swear you in and all that good stuff. So, that'll be downstairs waiting for you at your convenience starting tomorrow morning. >> Okay. Thank you very much, Charlie.

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Thank you. Sorry about the Amy. Thank you for pointing it out, >> Jerry. Okay, now we're good. >> Okay. We have letter F. Jerry Joy uh is here to speak on behalf of or for the bylaw review committee. Jerry, >> I'm Jerry Joy to Christmas tree lane.

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I'm a member of the uh zoning board and a member of the zoning board uh review committee. Uh just to give you a little background, the review committee was going to present and at 225 the annual meeting uh the bylaw review. We've done

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a complete overlap of the uh the zoning bylaws and we've kind of made them simpler to read, put them in alphabetical order so that you're not going all over the place. So if there was one item for commercial, everything in there for commercial was under that

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one item. It just made it easy to do. Uh since then, uh the planning board at that time was not going to recommend. So we uh passed over so we didn't bring it there. So and then we had the elections. So we lost

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the selectman which was part of the uh committee and we lost the town manager. we left and we had a new building uh manager too. So, we've had a lot of people change, but I have talked to the members. The only person I haven't been able to meet get in contact with was uh

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Jeremy Gillespie. He was a member of the committee, but uh uh John Bruno is here. Uh he's he's he's he's all set to go forward on it. Uh we had uh Jim uh oh boy my mind

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>> Walters >> Walters >> Frank Johnson was here and and Jim Walters were here too and both of them want to stay on the committee. Just to give you an idea this this proposal that we were going to put through. We were all set to bring it to the uh annual

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meeting. So that means that we were pretty much ready for it and it was already approved by the uh legal. So money that was spent has already been spent. Uh and then we had the problem with u missing members and everything else on

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it. Recently I said we did too much work not to get this year passed. So I I' been the last three meetings of the planning board I but attended and I pretty much said okay can you tell me why you didn't you didn't recommend it?

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And we've gone through a couple of items. One was that they thought it might have been too big and if there was a couple of controversial items, it would be talked about, talked about, talked about at the annual meeting and then eventually it'd be voted down because everyone would just be tired of it. And then there was another one,

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another question that was uh site plan review was a problem, but I've asked for give me everything in writing or what you don't like so we can sit down and talk about it and get it done. So, we've been we've been going through it and now I want to make sure that we get a

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committee together so that we can again sit down and say, "Okay, here's the changes we have to make and we can bring it forward." So, we have John Bruno, myself, Jim Walters, and uh >> Frank Johnson,

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>> Frank Johnson have all said they'd like to stay on it. So, we would need someone from the selectman that would like to look at it. I mean, I've already talked to the building comm building commissioner and he he can't he can't attend any night meetings because he's got a lot of stuff going on, but uh

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he would say I I'd meet and review anything you want during the daytime and I can meet with him anytime, you know, when I can and get his input and find out. He is the zoning enforcement officer, so his input is is we should need to make sure that what we're doing

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he can he can enforce and give him something that's uh that's correct. So that's what we like to try and do and get it back together again. This this bylaw is is ready to go. There are some tweaks. I'm not saying that we don't have some problems. We do have a couple.

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One is going to be on political signs. The state says that we cannot do anything about political signs. And in our bylaws, we say you can't put political signs up 60 days prior to and 30 days after. I mean, we're not we're not talking about free speech. I think

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we're looking for cleanup. We just don't want to have the town loaded with political signs after an election. So, I mean, so we have to come up with some kind of wording because the states the state says, you know, it's free speech. So, you can't dictate that you can't

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have a political sign in your lawn, which you can't, but we're not saying you can't do that, but we do have to get some wording in there or we have to remove it. So, that's something that, you know, we'd have to talk about and and get some report back.

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>> Can I just ask a couple of question? Okay. Um, so in your suggestion, you start, you did say that, you know, this is pretty much ready to go. Um, I'd have to review the charge, the appointing charge by, I assume, the board of selectman, one who put this together.

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But am I understanding it right that Jeremy Gillespie is no longer participating? No. >> There's no current board of selecting. So, are you still actively meeting or is this you doing? >> No, we have we I've only been doing it on myself because I wanted to I this is too much. We spent too much time and

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money on this here not to just let it go. >> So, in your recommendation, you've spoken to everybody. John Bruno would be the citizen at large to replace Jeremy and you'd be looking for a fifth person, one of us to represent the board on that my behalf. >> And when you say that things, you mentioned that things are mostly done,

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>> but that the building inspector is not available at night. Is it mostly done or you still need the building inspector in? >> Well, talking with the uh you know planning board, there's a few things that have come up. >> Mhm. >> And you know, okay, we can they're easy enough to resolve. >> We just have to sit down and talk about

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it. >> Okay. >> But the vast majority is done and there would be minimal additional recourse with legal, >> I would say. So, yes. >> Okay. What was the uh do you remember what the budget was for the for the committee at the time? >> Unfortunately, I don't know. Okay. Yeah, we can look at the charge and the budget

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maybe. Pam, um maybe we can pull the charge. >> Sure, John. Welcome back from uh so um the original zoning bylaw, I looked it up, was uh by raw review committee

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rather, was set in May of 2020. And if you look at that in our bylaws, it says the finance committee was supposed to run the show, hire a consultant, and then make a report back. Whatever happened between 2020 and 20 January or

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so of 2023, I don't know. I know that that that original committee had gotten reformed uh and then it was sort of a dead it wasn't going anywhere. So, uh we uh Jonathan, myself, I think um I don't even know if Naja was involved in it,

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but we talked about all right, let's get it going again. We had different reasons for it. So, the board itself voted to reconstitute it uh into uh its last form and the reconstitution, which is I'm sure it's in the minutes somewhere. I

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just couldn't find them. Uh was the uh uh a selectman would be the chairman. Uh the town administrator would be sort of a non- voting member. Uh and then there were uh the rest of the members uh as as Jerry indicated with uh advertisement

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asking for people to that were interested. Uh Frank and uh Jim both said they were. Uh Jerry Gillespie said he was. Uh and that's how that committee got together. So that that's what it was. >> Do you recall what the budget was? >> Well, I was just going to answer that. So in terms of the budget, we never had

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one. All of the bills uh were paid through the board of selectmen uh in the legal account. So what what we uh what we did uh we would we would meet with basically uh Cody would set it up. We meet with everybody. The lawyer would be

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there when we needed him. Uh he'd submit a bill. We would just approve it and then send it up to the board of select them to vote on it to actually pay it. So we never had a budget for anything. >> Okay. >> So you [clears throat] started this two months into CO. That was ambitious. >> I'm sorry. >> You say you start you started this two

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months into CO. That was ambitious. Looking for something to do. Okay. >> I don't know what happened in I wasn't involved in that so I don't really know what how that worked out but that's from what I can see in the bylaw that's how there must have been

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2020 but like he said they didn't start getting together 23. Yeah, that's where it starts. Yeah. >> Yeah. And that's >> Looks like there was an a voted appropriated amount at town meeting on on June 15th of 2020. That's >> right. >> Yes. But we uh when we were when we were

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doing it, >> I don't know where that money went. I don't know if they ever used it. >> Then it was co and then I think you guys >> and then and then the >> Yeah. And then 2 fast forward three two and a half years. The first well I take that back because the first bill that

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was build was build from March of 22 >> through December of 22. It wasn't build until 23 but there was activity. There was legal there was legal work done in 22. >> I don't know. I don't know what happened until

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>> January [snorts] of 23 is when we reconstituted the committee. So what happened between 20 and 23? I don't really know. Okay. >> But I know when we were involved that we didn't have a budget. It was uh like I said, all bills went right to the board.

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Board of selective essentially approved the uh lawyer fees. >> Okay. >> And you can I I mean, unless I understand it, Rob, you can reconstitute this committee anyway you want to. Uh if you don't want to have one of the board of selectment involved, you don't have to. You know, it's up to you how to do

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that. Uh, and I want to give Jerry a lot of compliments because that that board did meet religiously for months. Uh, and uh, we spent an awful lot. Here's got it right here. He's got the whole notebook. We spent a lot of time. We went through

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everything. Uh, we had uh, advice from uh, the current uh, building the at that time building inspector head >> who gave us a lot of good points. Uh, we had legal counsel in there. often. So, you know, went through a pretty thorough

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thing and uh I I give Jerry a lot of compliments because he's one try to get this thing over the finish line. Uh and I think that's what he wants when we proposed it uh for that annual town meeting if you recall. Uh we couldn't get the board uh the planning board's

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approval on it. Um and so what we what we decided to do as a group was to withdraw it at that time because understanding that if a the zoning bylaw was turned down and town meeting. We can't bring it back for two years. So,

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it doesn't make any difference really because it's coming back in two years, but uh but we wanted to uh we wanted to withdraw it and then have that conversation with the planning board which Jerry is now carrying the water on that. He's doing a great job. >> Yeah, I I remember I remember it being

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withdrawn. There was um that was in conjunction that was the uh the MBTA meeting. >> That was part of it. I know in conjunction with that meeting that was Yeah. Um as somebody who spent significant amount of time 42 hours apparently of legal work uh worth I

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appreciate the the bulldog effort because it's it's worth if you're that invested in something and you put time and effort into it and you want to see it through. I understand that. Um so I would >> it's too important not to get done. I mean too much time just to let it die again. >> I would I would be interested in in

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learning more about it. Um, I do have questions um about the composition of the committee. Um, and I'm just going to we can just I'll just put the cards on the table. There have been numerous questions about members of the finance

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committee serving on this zoning bylaw review committee spending money and whether that's allowable uh to sit on both the finance committee and another committee. I I mean honestly at this point in time it really almost doesn't matter who's on that committee

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because all the work's been done if Jerry is going to carry the ball for the most part which he has. Um but uh when I look at the finance committee bylaw that was amended in 1998 uh it says that the finance committee uh

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members can't be on elected or appointed divisions that that deal with the expenditure of funds or or or anything having to do with fun having to do with money. uh what that means in my view I don't think this committee would be one that would be doing that because again

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we never spent any money it all it was just passed up to the board of select them to pay pay >> and maybe that's why it was designed that way >> if if you don't want them on there if you don't want me >> oh it's not specific to them I just it's it's not specific to them I just want to be clear on what the you know >> if you look at the bylaw that's how it's

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written >> okay we can review >> what that means uh you know if you want to have somebody invest the time in town council, you could or or or you could just reconstitute it any which way you want to. And you know, again, the work's done. I mean, the only part that's not

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done, and that's where Jerry's really picked up the ball here, is to try to get the uh planning board's input uh as far as whatever uh disagreements or or suggestions they might have in that. >> Yeah, I've watched the last couple meetings after negotiation at this point.

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>> Okay. >> I mean, if there is some if there is one legal item that they don't want to put in there, we can take that out and present that separately because you know the main thing is to get this whole package passed and if there's an item

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that they is controversial, we can pull that separately and make that a separate item at the end. >> Yeah. You don't want to be preventative there that's taken care of but we still have the bylaws to to complete. >> Yeah. Along those lines, whenever this is presented at town meeting, I don't

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see a reason why we couldn't do it. you had to like you suggesting in multiple articles, right? Say, okay, this is we're going to do this and then there's another article on this, right? So, >> I mean there there's ways we just didn't have it set up that way two years ago.

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>> Okay. >> Um, do you have any questions? >> I mean, like I said, I I value the work that was done. I I don't want it to see go by the wayside. I guess my question or concern would be how we get the ball

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rolling again. Um if in fact and I guess I can review or we can review one more time about the finance committee members being involved. Either way we would have to um either appoint uh or have one of us be a member of that committee. >> I don't know

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>> or not to interrupt I I I forget how the appointment came. I don't think it had an end. I think it was just an appointment. You know usually they say you're going to handle a certain I don't think it had an ending, but >> no. And and that that's how the government study is as well. There's no way. It's open in perpetuity. But if it was constituted as five members, we

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would have to appoint a fifth member in the absence of Jeremy, which would presumably either be one of us or we farm it out. In which case, we would want to submit talent bank applications, right? As an appointed position, we would want to go through that process. >> Really do it any which way you want. My recommendation is keep Jerry on it.

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>> No, I understand. >> You don't I wouldn't be fine, but Jerry's important. >> Yeah. If look is you know if if we want we can have someone on the plane on this too which is no problem. >> That's what I was going to suggest. >> Three meetings that I had I'll tell you

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uh James Walsh I mean he's a new member so it's new eyes and he can look at everything but he's asked every time I presented something he's asked some pretty good questions and you know I haven't asked him to be a member don't get me wrong but uh I' I'd love to have him on it or anything though. Okay

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doesn't matter. Why don't we um Well, I mean, is there harm in waiting till August 11th on this? I mean, there's no urgency in the next two weeks. >> What we're looking forward is to try and have this here in uh in the spring meeting. >> Okay. So, why don't we why don't we table this uh first of all, open to any

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questions and then we why don't we table this for a future discussion. Let it marinate. Uh think about how we want to handle that whether it's a planning board member, somebody on this board or our talent bank application. go over our options and invite Jerry in at a minimum along with anybody else who you deem appropriate from your former committee,

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John, Frank, or Jim. >> And at a minimum, we'll look to place somebody else on that and continue the work. >> Does it have to be five people? >> Well, we I want to I want to look at the charge, too. I want to see cuz before >> if you want to change that, you can change it. >> The I can tell you because I was

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involved, right? And I'm sure Pam will find those minutes. But in it was probably in January of 23 or so because the MBTA thing was getting hot and we needed something to look at that issue. So that's when we said well the zoning bylaw review committee should be doing that

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>> and it that's how it kind of started and uh it was I believe it was my suggestion to set it up the way we did. >> Okay. with and what I wanted at the time which I thought was the most important thing was to have a member of Suckman on that committee and serve as the chairman

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for a couple reasons. One is because it could keep it moving and secondly because again because this committee doesn't have any money and funds that if there was a member of the board select on the committee that we would get the resources we might need such as a town administrator coding or legal fees or

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that kind of set up that way. But if you guys have a better idea, I would re, you know, do whatever you think is. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I can't say enough about the members that we had. Every one of them was fantastic. You know, they're long-term residents of the town. They they care about the town

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>> and they spent a lot of time just going over. We had a lot of arguments, not arguments, but discussions on why is this? Why don't we do that? So, it was it was good. It was very good. Yeah. >> Okay. committee. >> Well, thank you for your continued work

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on that. I I do find value in that. I appreciate you seeing something through or trying to see something through to the end for sure. So, we'll be in touch and invite you back. >> Good enough. >> If you want, I can send you another copy of the uh bylaws that we have. I can send it up to you so you have it >> the revi the ones you've worked on and revised. >> Correct. Yes.

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>> Okay. Yeah. Why don't >> you have it in hand and you know, you'll see you can go through it. What I've done with the the planning board is I've taken like 20 pages and I marked out all the changes and I >> Yeah. >> And then the next meeting I gave another 20 pages. I just want to get each section squared away.

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>> Sure. Yeah. If you want to Yeah. If you want to send that to Pam or directly to us, that's fine. We'll we'll take we'll have you back here. Thank you, >> John. Good to see you. >> Nice to see you guys. Uh any public comment or participation on that topic relative to this topic? >> Where zoning can be a touchy issue. I

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would just recommend that you have those meetings videotaped. >> Yeah, that's >> so that people can go back and pull meeting minutes and ask questions over why they made those decisions and what was discussed. Yeah, we're making an effort um I don't know if it was our last meeting or not, but we're making an

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effort to have to the extent possible all meeting all boards and committees u uh videotaped um you know not live but you know videotaped and uh on area 58 that's the goal. Sooner rather than later water um this one everybody who's

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not currently doing that to do that efforting to do that. >> Yep. Anything else on this topic? Yes. Amy Tren Hillside. I was part of the zoning bylaw review and I have my card stamped without an

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end. The way that this occurred was that we were meeting and we were meeting and going over a chapter or two and going over it on videotape with an attorney. That was the 2022.

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Probably didn't meet before that due to the COVID and you know all of that craziness. But when we did put it together, we had a re a group of nine people. The reasoning is because zoning bylaws protect people's property rights and I'm a huge advocate for property

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rights since I sell real estate and I understand what the zoning is. What happened was that we had some changes in government and then for seven

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months I was from January 23 to July 23 into August because I sent I was in full communication asking whether or not anybody else on the planning board wanted to participate and we were trying

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to put together meetings and we had an um a few people that were being um that were new to the board that were not allowing meetings to occur. They would where we didn't get another planning board member to step up. Gordon R.

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Andrews was going to remain on it and we did have and he was told that he couldn't remain on it even though because he wasn't elected to the planning board anymore, but I don't I don't know what his card was, but there was some detriment done to it. I

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continuously emailed and stayed in touch with John Bruno, former selectman, about this. And then in a meeting in August of 2024, he dismantled the uh nine member board,

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took every planning board member off of it, including myself, citing that I was against MBTA housing, which I believe 712 people in this town were at a meeting that was roughly what, 720. So, I would say that I'm pretty in tune with the

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residents of this town on what they want as far as zoning goes. Um, so I think number one, it got dropped back to five people and we had one person that needed zoning.

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two people that didn't when it and just so to make a point of clarification in December of 2024 is um when the the Thornike project got pushed through that was actually presented at

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the same August meeting where they dismantled the um zoning bylaw review committee and went over the Thornike project with the five members and um so that was a significant thing that happened. Then when we had the MBTA vote

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in the next December of 2025, that's when we had the 700 to2 vote against it. Now move forward to the hearing of the planning board where we went over the entire rewrite. There was a lot of things that weren't

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right about it. If you watch the hearing in April, I I forgive me, I forget the exact date, but April of 2025, you can see that I actually read the entire rewrite and asked questions and um went over the whole entire

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>> That was in this room, right? >> It was. And I went over the entire rewrite. Um and so you can see the different problems that were within it by that. And I'm not stating that the whole rewrite is gone or shouldn't be, but I

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think that some of the comments and some of the town members have stated to me that they think that it should be a nine member board or a seven member board consisting of somebody from the planning board, somebody from the zoning board, somebody from people that actually are

419
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working with the zoning bylaws instead of people that are on the finance committee that don't necessarily really have full knowledge of zoning bylaws and the processes of how we actually use them as far as like site plan review.

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They don't experience that on a regular basis and therefore how would they know how to properly do that. I'm not saying that other people from the town like at large but it's very important process and it has to combine the whole entire

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town. Again, as a real estate um agent for over 21 years, um I would say that I would know zoning bylaws and I have I really honestly think that I was removed for reasons to push through Thorn Dikeke

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without my mouth being there making sure that everything was going okay. And I actually asked the chair going back into um December of 2024 at the hearing for Thornike, I asked the chair of the zoning bylaw review committee at that

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time what was actually removed from the law to allow the overlay and he didn't know. So, I find that pretty concerning because basically what happened was Thornike wrote the overlay and they pushed it in front of us and there was a lot of um things that I would have

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stopped and made. For instance, if I was on there and Thorn Dyke wanted to do this overlay, I would have made huge concessions and negotiated to make sure that our senior center was built, not funded on by the basis of condos sold

425
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because there were a lot of ways that we could have made that happen. I'm a good negotiator. That's why I do what I do. So, I think that it was a a really bad thing for the town and we can see that now. I could get into a whole bunch of thing about Thornike because I don't

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think that we're really getting the money from each sale. >> Let's stay here. >> Yep. But I'm just saying like this is a ve I'm making a point that it's a very important process. >> No, that's why I think we're going to take some time to review it. I I'd like Jonathan's opinion on it. I'd like Bill to digest it.

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>> Um, we probably have some questions. I think they said that they were open to suggestions, ours or others in terms of appointments, whether it's specific to the planning board, members at large, member of the board of selectmen. Um, I think it's all up for review at this point, but there's no set charter, no set um end date. I think it's up up to

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our discretion at this point. >> That sounds that sounds great. Did you you look like you might have something? >> No, I think it should be a member of the planning board only. I related. >> I think that's that makes a lot of sense. And can I please step up and >> yeah, >> this is this is what I had with an open

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seat and I always made sure that everybody knew >> both come planning board meetings and otherwise by email and everything that I wanted to stay on. >> Okay, >> Jerry and then Gordon. Just one quick

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item. One thing I have Andy just said that she uh has reviewed everything on that on our proposal. I just put in writing. Can you tell me in writing so I'm not going to What's the problem? What is the

431
02:01:37.840 --> 02:01:54.560
problem? Tell me in writing. Article one. Boom. I don't like this. Article two. I don't like this. Just put it in writing. I've been trying to pull it out of them. for the last three meetings. It's It's >> So, it's the planning board specifically or >> Yeah. Planning board specifically. I

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said, you know, they're the ones that said, "We're not going to approve it. We're not going to recommend it." Okay. Well, tell me what you don't like. >> Mhm. >> I don't want to hear about other boards. Unfortunately, I was on the other board and, you know, we tried to do it stuff, but things happened. We had selectmans

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that that left. We had the attorneys, the first attorneys we had never showed up in meetings till we had to cancel them and get another one. So things happen, but we're at the point right now if you have a problem with something and that's why I've been giving them pages. Tell me what you don't like. You know,

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it's we're over to anything. >> Okay? >> And all we've done is try to make this simple. We haven't changed a lot of stuff in this year. If there's something that we did, I'm not she's going to say we did it. just tell me. Put it in writing. So I'm not going to come up and

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say, "Okay, you said, she said, I said, please just put it down in writing and we know it's it's simple enough to do." >> Thank you. >> Thanks, J. I was on the board of selectmen when the original group was was made, I believe,

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when we voted to to have the nine member board. I I think looking back at what happened afterwards, the board was condensed. I think just just bluntly Amy was removed from the process. And I think that was to try

437
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to make things move faster. But I think by removing Amy's voice and other people that were assumed to be against change that it broke the process. I think if you had the had the discussion at the

438
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smaller group than when it got out to the bigger group a lot of those items would have been resolved. So I think having a dissenting view on some things might make things difficult in the beginning but at the end process you've already discussed a lot of those issues.

439
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So when you are discussing the makeup of the board, I I I would look for somebody that would be dissenting to some of changes that other people would be for. And I would also just ask you to review the changes and zoning and other

440
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dwelling issues like ADUs that have happened within the state within the last few years so that what they worked on encompasses those changes as well. Thank you. Anything else on the topic?

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Okay, we will circle back to that. Um Jerry's going to send over uh copies of what he has to Pam at his convenience. We'll review it in conjunction with a suggestion from Gordon about recent developments in zoning and ADUs and all changes since that ver is that is that

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version dated, Jerry? Uh I can date it for you. >> Okay. >> It would be the version that we had for uh the 2025 annual meeting >> in May or December. >> Wasn't it December? No.

443
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>> December of 2024 is when we voted on the December 2025 is when we voted on the leg and in April of 2026 uh I'm sorry, >> sorry, 2023 was by 2024 was MBTA. Okay.

444
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>> 25 in the spring is when we didn't move it till we did. >> Got it. Okay. >> Yeah. If you want to send a dated version to Pam, we'll we'll look at that and re we'll circle back to you shortly. >> Okay. >> Sometime in a one time of one of the next two meetings, we'll circle back.

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>> Just as a note, I can show you the work that we had done um in the pre when we had the nine member board. I have a full um binder on everything that we did. >> If you want to send that along to Pam, that would be great. Is that possible?

446
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>> Um I'd have to bring it in copies or something like that. >> Okay. Is anybody else here for anything specific before we run through the rest of it? Got some faithful people online. Okay. I'm going to go quick in order here. You ready?

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>> I'm ready. >> All right. I move to affirm approval of the following warrants. Withholding warrant number 123 for $116,29.19. Vendor warrant number 129 for $42,942.32. Withholding warrant number three for $96,4423.

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And a vendor warrant number four for $174,225.80. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I. Uh, unanimous. I [snorts] move to approve the following warrants. Payroll number five for $289,67989 and vendor warrant number six for

449
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$58,51.71. >> Second. >> Okay, new business. Let me find it here. >> Sue, come on. >> I think Sue, you know, I didn't realize. Uh, >> so we just >> we should have had her go first, but I will read her. She told me after she yelled at me. Kidding.

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>> Uh, where are we? >> Sign these warrants. That's a warrant. >> So, just I don't think you have to just >> uh she wanted I think we're going to read it, right? >> Um uh this is from this uh uh Susan Law, the town clerk. Important dates for

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September 1st, 20 2026 state primary. Please be advised of the following important dates and deadlines for the state preliminary election which will be held on Tuesday, September 1st, 2026. Election day is that Tuesday, September 1st, 2026. Last day to register to vote is Saturday, August 22nd, 2026. Early

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02:07:42.239 --> 02:07:58.719
voting period is Saturday, August 22nd through Thursday, August 27th, 2026. And the town clerk's office at town hall. And the vote by mail application deadline is Tuesday, August 25th, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. So, we will sign that and return it. I think that satisfies that.

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Correct. Okay. Uh we've done B. Uh we have road openings. Um at 314 unit 314B Plymouth Street. This is a uh gas line gas line. >> Ever source. It has been Let me just

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circle down. >> All applicable parties have signed. >> Yep. >> Let me get that. >> Yes. >> All All applicable parties have signed. Um so I will make a motion for the Eversource um trench permit the road

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opening to be approved at 314 unit 314B Plymouth Street as written. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I is unanimous. Okay. Bill, did you have a chance to approve uh to look at the meeting minutes of the board of selection from April 28th, 2026, May 11, 2026, and May

456
02:08:46.560 --> 02:09:03.199
26th? Yes. 2026. Any questions, concerns, comments, additions, or deletions? >> No, I do not. >> Okay. I will take them separately. I will make a any comments or questions on that. I will um I will make a motion to approve the meeting minutes as printed on April 28th, 2026.

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>> Second. >> All those in favor? I. Unanimous. I will make a motion to approve the May 11th, 2026 meeting minutes as printed. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I. Unanimous. And lastly, I will make a motion to approve the meeting minutes of the board selement of May 26, 2026 as printed.

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>> Second. >> All those uh all those in favor? I. Okay. um >> like a >> G. Um this is something uh that's I don't know if Do you want to speak to it? >> I can. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I give you guys a um gave you guys

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a little bit of background via a memo uh probably a couple weeks ago just to sort of give you a gist of what I was thinking in um my conversations with staff in in relation to the cuts they've now experienced in their departments and

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the opportunity to cut back hours that are available to the public so that they can have more time to focus on um compliance issues and other issues that don't require their attention windows because not that we can't deal we can't work without distraction but it gives

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the the focus to especially the folks in finance to finish um things like payroll and get on those things first thing in the morning we have seen a slight reduction in that time but um anyways to get to the meat of this what I'm proposing would be that Monday

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Wednesdays and Thursdays um town hall would be open to the public from 9 to 3:00 p.m. with a standard lunch hour between 12:00 and 1. Sometimes that lunch hour depending on the department will be a half an hour minimum. It could extend to a half an hour, another half an hour depending on if the staffing is

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available. Uh what I'm trying to avoid there is forcing staff to eat their lunch at their desk. They shouldn't really have to be forced to do that. They get a full hour for lunch. So they should be able to take that time and enjoy that time um doing lunch where they see fit. Um the little bit of

464
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background on this and of course the Tuesday long day would still remain 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. So folks who are taking advantage of the longer hours on Tuesday would still be able to take advantage of those those hours. And again, this is just to try to maximize some efficiency while we're still

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experiencing cuts. This could all change tomorrow. >> Excuse me, Steve. >> Yep. >> You say 9:00 a.m. because here's the 8 a.m. >> Yeah, I did. Um, so I had you had 8 a.m. in the memo and is actually 9. >> Okay. >> Yep.

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And the reason for this was we saw a 10% reduction in staffing from a headcount perspective amongst those offices. And then we also saw the 30% reduction in the actual frontline staff that deals with windows. Um so that's where we lost the most staff was the folks that are dealing with the public that actually

467
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come in and have to do their business whether it's paying bills or they're down at the assessor's office with abatements uh whatever the case may be. So this this proposal will only adjust to public facing hours only. It doesn't apply to police, doesn't apply to fire, doesn't apply to the highway department.

468
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It applies to town hall only. Um the purpose of this change is not to reduce public service, but to improve the town's ability to deliver consistent, reliable, and efficient service despite reduced staffing. Um, these will provide predictable public service hours,

469
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improve consistency at the service windows because we're now lacking that staff, reduce the interruptions during complex administrative work. Uh, I don't know if you guys have been by the office, especially the treasure collectors recently. You probably see Linda at the window a lot more than you're used to seeing her. Uh, and

470
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that's based on one cut in her department. Um, and again, she's responsible for doing all the reconciliations in in the town. Her job is of a high level from a compliance perspective and It's not to say that she's not capable of dealing with interruptions during her day. But if

471
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we're going to ask her to man that window, we're paying a little bit higher a rate for someone to be doing that when she has other duties that she really should be paying attention to. And again, it's nothing none of this is a attributed to the staff staff or

472
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individuals at all. This is really just about the staff. Um operational benefits that I see are particularly uh advantageous in uh payroll. We saw an advantage this week where we actually did gain some time. Lindsay informed me that they were able to make it through payroll by the end of Monday of this

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week, which was actually sort of a landmark because typically it takes into the day on Tuesday to finalize it. Um, so that means Harper's at least a initial dent up front here like I had anticipated, which is good to see. um

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some examples of work that's being done when folks are coming in the public just so they get an idea of the work that we're doing behind the scenes. So we're doing payroll processing, we're doing accounts payable, we're budgeting, we're doing budget administration, we're doing procurement, we're permit processing,

475
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we're doing public records requests, we're doing financial reconciliation, we're doing meeting preparation, and we'll respond to all emails and voicemails as they come in. Um so that's that's typically what your department are necessary. That's their necessary responsibilities in their departments. So now that they're being pulled to the

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windows, that becomes a problem because they have to adhere to that and a lot of those items I just mentioned come with um strict compliance and legal uh requirements that are handed down by mass general laws. Uh I do believe that this will actually improve customer

477
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service because we'll a we'll be able to uh rather than dividing the attention between walking customers, telephone calls, emails, and our deadlines, staff can focus on these responsibilities early on and then focus more on on the public when they come into the building, albeit for a shorter period of time

478
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during the day. Um, this will end up being what I see as also a long term long-term support for the employees themselves because it will increase their morale, it will help with retention, it will help with their productivity, and it will ultimately help with their workplace wellness. Um,

479
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not going to name names, but we've I've had some reports out of departments about the amount of work that has already picked up uh based on the cuts the the minimal cuts we did make. and we lost uh the headcount of the two folks and then there was additional spots that

480
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were not backfilled. So, uh individuals in the building are feeling that spillover from responsibilities of other people's roles that we're just going to have to um sort of figure out and move forward with. Uh, and then again, the the main focus I also made sure to keep

481
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was uh pres preserving that uh evening accessibility on Tuesday nights, making sure that we're still open to the 6:30 hour because I know folks that they're going to target one day of the week to get their business done, they'll target that Tuesday when they get out of work. Um, so we can still offer that. And then

482
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um encouraging alternative service options, whether that's being paying paying online or by mail electronically or using the dropboxes. I'm surprised how many people don't utilize the dropboxes. They prefer to come in and actually get serviced at the windows. It's just very interesting to me. Uh

483
02:16:01.360 --> 02:16:18.239
maybe just a social experiment for another day. But I expect outcomes of improved operational efficiency, reduced administrative backlogs, um increased staff availability availability for complex work, improve response times to calls and emails, better utilize uh

484
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limited staffing resources, provide more consistent customer service, and ultimately heading into next year, I think Halifax is going to have some questions as far as what they're going to be able to afford staffing. And I think that if we can get some of these positions into more of a hybrid cross

485
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collaboration uh setting, it would provide some long-term stability for town hall operations if we can get some cross trainining done, get some floaters accepted by the union so we have those administrative folks floating on the floor and have more of a cohesive sort

486
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of one unit operating down there and people can do multiple things. Um, so again, I'm proposing Monday 9 to3, Tuesday 9 to 6:30, Wednesday 9 to 3, Thursday 9 to 3, Friday closed. And just so everyone understands, this doesn't

487
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mean the folks are coming in at 9:00 and clocking on 3. They are still coming in at 7:00 and if they're scheduled to be in at 7:00, then they'll still be clocking out at 4:00 or 4:30 depending on their full work schedule. >> So, okay. I just like to say something. >> Sure. I see the schedule and I'm really

488
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concerned that you're limiting people who work a week. 8 to 4 is a normal work day to one day. Tuesday will be a mad rush after they get in here. I I think it should open up

489
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one other day like in the morning or in the afternoon after 4:30 to 7:00 a.m. just people going to work or doing something, you know, you bring it all down to one day. Now there's going to be a line out the door at that time. I just

490
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I don't know. >> Um >> certainly agree. >> If I can pass that double check you can. Um so there's a Listen, that's a lot of work and a lot of information. I think it's important to note that it's not going to save any money from a town perspective standpoint. Uh

491
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theoretically, it improves efficiencies and gets some balance to employees. Um I'm going to steal a line from EJ from the previous meeting. Um there's a couple different balls in the air here um with current events and short-term

492
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meetings to happen shortly. So, I mean, I think we should table this idea um pending future events unfolding one way or the other. I also would just like to add that we are less than 30 days in to

493
02:18:41.679 --> 02:18:57.840
changes impacted from the May override failing. And while I know the impacts are felt, which is different than what EJ said earlier, that the fire department still has money to fund their salaries and wages in July, while the town employees are feeling that strain. Now, >> Mhm.

494
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>> I'm not 100% convinced that 30 days in is enough of a sample size. But even if it was, um, while I think the idea has great merit and some possibility, I'd like to see how other things unfold in the very near future prior to making any decision on that. Uh, I think we should

495
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have more information. So, that would be my opinion would be to >> Can I just add one more table? >> To table it. >> Yeah, I agree. >> Yeah. Can I just add one more bit of information on that? So, when we're looking at folks adding responsibilities, uh especially our admin staff who just

496
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got unionized, um when they add responsibilities, they then will have the ability to go to their union and speak to the union business rep to potentially argue that those responsibilities are then due for an increase in compensation.

497
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So, they're >> after 30 days. They're >> typically Yeah. Once you have presumed uh it will stipulate in the actual CBA I'd have to look at the timing but if you assume someone's role or their responsibilities for a set period of time you actually due the compensation

498
02:20:01.520 --> 02:20:18.080
that that person was actually or a partial compensation to make up for that. So it's just something to keep in mind >> we have the short staffing but again it could all change tomorrow. >> Well I was just going to say why don't we table this till one of the two meetings in August. Let the chips fall. see what see where uh things unveil

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themselves tomorrow >> and revisit either way. Let's revisit. >> Um Pam, if you want to throw it on a future agenda, how about the next one? >> Uh the 11th if that's okay. Um >> did you have anything else on that bill? >> No, I I agree to table it. I mean, >> I don't think it's a bad idea in

500
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practice. Uh I look I would look at the hours maybe a little bit differently on one of the days, but that's nitpicky. >> Um because I do think there's an opportunity. I mean, similar I used to work in banking. There's a similar thing with online banking, debit cards, direct deposit. Does the bank need to be open for inside service at 7:00 on a Friday night?

501
02:20:49.120 --> 02:21:04.399
>> If the bank is open till 8:00, you'll always have those last minute people coming in at quarter of 8. If you're open till 9:00, they'll come in at quarter of 9. People will adjust. I just want to make sure that we're not acting hastily in terms of a reactionary type of thing. And I do want more information based on tomorrow. >> We understand.

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>> Okay. All right. So, we'll table that one. >> Okay. Um, someone's going to have to double check this entire agenda before we leave. Holidays in Halifax, >> US town greens. US Green. Um, one question I did have on this and I was hoping she was going to be here. I was going to take her up on her attendance.

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She's usually here. Um, they had a vacancy. Um, or they had a reappoint in June that was held and, uh, I suggested at that time that they resubmit talent bank application forms and there was some talk at that time that Holidays in

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Halifax and the fireworks in Halifax were going to combine forces. >> Right. >> Yes. Uh, I'd like an update on that. Uh, separate from this agreement tonight, but maybe we could ask for an update because if it's not going to if they're not going to merge or change substantially, we should move to fill

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that spot appropriately as we do others. So, if we could ask Kim or somebody appropriate on that. Uh, but being where we are today, uh, this event will be held holidays in Halifax. It's always a great time >> um to be held on what I what I assume is a Saturday, 12:12 and a rain date of uh

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12:13. Setup time 9:00 a.m. Start time 5 to 9:00 p.m. Uh, it is um will there be any sale of food not on the town green? Food trucks across the street per usual. Halifax Elementary. I'm sure they'll have a surprise or two in store for us per usual. It's always a great event, very well attended both inside and

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outside. Um, multiple boards and committees are involved in that. Uh, it's always nice, you know, that the blacksmith shop open, the school highway department's very involved. I would uh the library I would make a motion to approve uh that the holidays in Halifax use of the town green on 121226 with a

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rain date of 1213 20226 as requested. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I approved. But Kim uh but Pam if you could just get in touch with him on that question. >> Just as a followup. >> Okay, we'll do this next one. I one lump

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sum. Uh if anybody on this side of the table or in the room has a hold um you can speak to it. I'll pause between each name and then rather than go through them each individually, we'll do what we did on the reappoints previously and approve them as a bunch. So this is the election worker reappoints. Um there are

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15 or so. Uh these are the Democratic Party election workers. Um we're looking to re the town is looking to reappoint. Uh you can say hold if you intend to hold. Kathleen Miller, Judith Wall, Denise Stark,

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um the Republican party election worker, there's one Arthur Vo vote. Um and there are two four 12 or so unenrolled party election workers. Pamela Aduchi, Elizabeth Sieri, Robert M. Doherty,

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Janice Hayward, Anne Hodgej, Elizabeth Mcan, Hope McGyver, Jill McKe, Barbara Jennings, Ramsey, Katherine Roach, William Russell, and Linda Saviano. I did not hear any holds. Any discussion

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needed, questions? >> No. And then we turn >> uh terms to expire 7:27. >> Well, all Okay. Okay. So, I will make a motion to approve all those um on the three categories, all listed election workers for reappointments or

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appointments with terms to expire. I'm sorry, reappoints. >> Um with terms to expire July 27, 2027 as printed. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I unanimous. Okay. Uh letter K, ambulance abatements. I will make a motion to approve ambulance

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abatements for June 2026 in the amount of $116,520 as printed. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I. Unanimous. All right. Give me a quick scan of the meeting. >> Ambulance abatements. That was ambulance

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abatements I believe. Minus Stevens >> potential report. No. Okay. >> I believe we have everything. >> Did a good job. Okay. >> Um, that being said, uh, uh, thank you to all who attended tonight. Very well

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attended for our standards. Thank you to Dr. Pru, uh, both the finance committee and the Halifax Elementary School Committee and those in attendance for your participation. Uh, meetings are always better and more productive when we have the help of people who are invested in the town. So, thank you all for being here. Uh, our next meeting is

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Tuesday. I'm sorry. Our next meeting is tomorrow uh at 8:30 a.m. Our next regularly scheduled board of selected meeting will be Tuesday uh August 11th. >> No, tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. >> No, 8:30 a.m. >> It's Thursday. >> I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

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>> You guys It's It's been a week. It's been a week. >> Let me back up. Our next meeting will be 5:30. It is the premeating of the Halifax board of selecting. >> So, it's not 5. It's 5:30. >> It's 5:30. It's a public open meeting. open section Halifax Elementary School in the large conference room at 5:30. We

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will then move to join town meeting uh at 6:30 6:30 >> 6:30 >> p.m. Same spot as always. Uh and hope that everyone can be there tomorrow. Uh we're looking to redeem ourselves and give a give ourselves a reprieve from the last town meeting. So good thoughts there. Uh our next regularly scheduled

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meeting will be on Tuesday, August 11th. Sorry for the confusion there. Um but for now, is there any more public participation or comment? Anything from our side of the table? Pam, thank you as always. >> It is >> 8:39. >> Too early. 8:39 p.m. I will make a

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motion to adjourn. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I unanimous. Thank you, Caesar, and the crew behind the scenes. We are journ. >> See you tomorrow.