Okay. Good evening. Today is Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026. We are the Halifax Select Board. It is 6:00 and we are in the Great Hall. This meeting has been posted in accordance with the provisions of Mass General Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 30A Section 20B and pursuant to Chapter 30A 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, which is myself, reasonably anticipates the following matters will be discussed and
or voted on at this meeting. Agenda items may be taken out of order for time management considerations. And again, in a long-standing tradition, those that are able, please stand as we recite the Pledge of Allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> [clears throat] >> Just by way of introduction, all the way to the right is our administrative assistant, Pamela McSherry. To her left, Jonathan Selectman Jonathan
Selig. To my immediate right, Selectman William Smith. Myself, Tom Pratt. And our Town Administrator, Steven Silva. The board will now vote to enter to enter into executive session in the Town Administrator's office to discuss the following. Fire Union pursuant to MGL 30A Section
21A3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigation position litigating position of the public body and the chair so declares. Fire Chief pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws C Chapter 30A Section 21A2
to discuss and consider the terms of a proposed employment agreement with the fire chief and determine and to determine the town's position relative to the executive execution of said agreement. And finally, deputy police chief, pursuant to MGL chapter 30A 21A2 to discuss and consider the terms of a
proposed employment agreement with the deputy police chief and to determine the town's position relative to the execution of said agreement. We will then return to open session. We will try to be as quick as we can. >> I'll make that motion. >> Sorry, yeah. Uh do I have a motion to enter into executive session?
>> So moved. >> And I have a second, yep. >> All those in favor? >> On on executive, Tom. >> Oh, we'll do a roll call. Jonathan, roll call? >> Yes. >> Uh Bill? >> Yes. >> And myself is yes as well. 3-0, we'll be back. >> Back as soon as we can. >> Okay, sorry for the delay there. Uh it
is 6:33 or you're back from executive session. Uh it is a lengthy agenda tonight. We'll do our best to move quickly through it without rushing. Um we are going to take some things out of order tonight as we typically do. Um I'm mindful that some people are here for a specific purpose. Um
Uh today was the last day of school for the Halifax Elementary School and we have one of our students here today. Um Dylan Cullinan uh back in May submitted a letter to the board and I'd like to read it aloud here. It says, "Dear Board of Selectmen, my name is
Dylan Cullinan. I'm 11 years old and in the fifth grade at Halifax Elementary School. I realized that our town was missing a flag and was inspired to create one. I propose this flag to be the flag of our town. Here's a breakdown of the meaning." And then I have a picture here. Do you want to hold that up while I read that?
The blue represents the twin lakes, an icon of the town, and being split into two represents our differences as people. The gray represents the road, not just the one in real life, but also it is where our people meet and shows our united destiny and progress towards a better future.
That is why I believe this design should be the flag of Halifax. Respectfully yours, Dylan Cullman." And he signed it. Um so, a couple meetings ago, our board elected to A, invite Dylan here tonight with his family, but B, post this downstairs as you walk in for the remainder of the
summer as a testament to his hard work and you know, innovation. Dylan, we congratulate you for being proactive and an involved member of the community. And if you're so willing, we can meet you over here. We're going to invite you up on stage and let you sit in the big chair with a picture with
us if you wouldn't mind. And Dylan, thank you very much. How about a hand for Dylan? >> [applause] >> Come on up. You're the big time right here. Want to hold some of the letters up? Want to hold the letters up? Yeah, come on in. >> No, I don't
>> Come up here. >> [laughter] >> Thank you, Dylan. >> [applause] >> All right, let me just get reset up here quickly. Um let's see. Like I said, this is lengthy. We'll go as quickly as we can. Um
we had also discussed What was the other one? Um >> [clears throat] >> Uh the beautification committee. Uh do we have any members of the beautification committee here this evening? Uh they were here to discuss possibly a memorial tree for John Sullivan.
Yeah, absolutely. You're welcome. >> Hi, Tina Palmer from the beautification committee. A couple months back after John passed away the water department employees donated a hundred dollars toward a memorial tree and they asked the beautification committee to find a place
to put that into purchase the tree. So I talked with Steve Hayward about putting it on the town green cuz some of those trees there are looking pretty sad. And uh we'll probably coming down sooner than later. So we thought we'd be proactive in that way and put a tree
along the roadway right there on is that what's that say word street? What Hemlock Street I know it begins with an H. >> Hemlock. >> Steve Hayward Hemlock Street yeah I got it. >> What kind of what kind of tree is it? >> And so he's we we kind of picked out a spot and he's going to mark that spot and and help us get it in the ground and
the water department may end up helping us do a little ceremony for that tree. So he's okayed it we need your okay and that's the one thing and then I have the second thing. >> Sure did you have a question Bill? >> What kind of tree is it? >> It's going to be a maple. >> Maple okay. >> And the maintenance of the the
maintenance of the tree in the area would fall under the purview of the highway department. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah the tree warden. >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> Um any questions? >> Nope. >> No if Steve is okayed as our tree warden. >> Yes. >> Let's go. >> Okay. So the second thing involves
getting a couple of rain barrels that we want to put in the corner of the building right by the Margaret Fitzgerald garden so that we can start to capture some of the water that comes down off the roof so that we are not using town water as much to water the plants in her garden. Um that's gotten
the okay from um Scott Moderna. >> [laughter] >> Okay. >> Um he said that was okay and that he would install them with the overflow. >> Great. >> With everything. >> Okay. Steve do we need votes on either of those two items? >> Probably should. >> Okay. Circling back to number one
I would entertain a motion to approve the memorial tree to be placed on town property in honor of John Sullivan. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? Aye. Okay, that's all set. And then on the second item, so we're talking about two barrels to be placed in the corner of the building. >> Yep. >> Like big blue barrels, non-descript?
>> you they're they're fairly large, they're yay big. Um but they're behind you won't see them because of the trees that are in front of the garden. So you probably won't even notice. >> Okay. I mean, subject to that I would be okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Sure. >> Yeah, subject to being the non-descript and in a place a place appropriately.
Okay, I would entertain a motion to approve the barrels to be placed to be to be housed at the beautification committee alongside the building. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? Aye. Okay, you're all set. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um
>> We have fireworks, too. >> Yeah, skip just just skipping ahead cuz this is right next to it. I don't know if we have anybody here tonight, but there was a town greasy town green use permit for the Boy Scouts Troop 39 for a bottle drive to be to occur on June 11th July 11th.
Which Pam said the the town green was available that day, correct? Um their past permit and certificate of insurance is still active. They do this fairly regularly throughout the year. I'm sure if you have any questions on that. Okay, I would entertain a motion to
approve the Boy Scout Troop 39 bottle drive on July 11th as printed. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? Aye. Opposed, unanimous. Okay, and the fireworks committee. Um do we have an okay fireworks committee? So there's a
couple different things here, I believe. There is a 12:00 to 5:00. I'd have to look, but 12:00 to 5:00 um permit um uh to be to be put on by the Halifax fireworks committee. Um I'm sorry, 5:00 to 10:00. The DJ will
stop when the fireworks start. It has been okayed by the fire chief, the police chief, and the Board of Health all separately. Um and then the fireworks start. I don't know, people always ask me dusk after after dark. When it's dark
and it is well attended. So do your best to listen to public safety in terms of parking and signage and so forth. Any discussions or concerns about the permit for this Saturday the 27th. >> No, it seems you know, not not status quo, but it's what we've
done in years past. So I don't have a problem with it. >> Neither do I. Bill anything? >> Just pray for good weather. >> I was going to say weather weather be on the forefront of our minds. Is there a rain date? I should know this. There's no Sunday. Okay. Same time on that. Okay. So I would entertain a motion to
approve the Halifax Firework Committee from 5 to 10 on July June 27th with a rain date to follow on June 28th with the same time and scope. Do I have that motion? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? Unanimous. That's what she said.
>> The other one, too. >> You know the use of town green. Um >> 36 on your thing. >> Yeah. This is also put on by the Halifax fireworks in conjunction with Holidays in Halifax for a farmers market craft fair, tractors and a barbecue
to start on the same day. Set up to begin at 8:00 a.m. Start time 9:00 a.m. with a 3:00 p.m. end date with food to be provided. I assume the rain date to be the same of the 28th. Same time, same place. I would similarly entertain a motion to approve this as printed.
>> So moved. >> Second. >> Come on down. >> All those in favor? It's a great event for both town and neighboring towns and those who wish to participate. So hope for good weather and thank you for putting on all the volunteers. >> Thank you guys. >> Okay. Is besides
the lake and any discussion about budget things? Is there anybody here for a specific reason tonight? Oh, you got it. Yes. Okay. Let's get to This is the longest one in my tenure on the board. It's H. H. Board of
Assessors. Okay. So, would you like to provide a little background on this? >> Yeah. Um good evening, Dottie. >> Hi. >> Um so, yeah. So, the Board of Assessors is currently searching for the next Principal Assessor and Appraiser for the town of Halifax.
Uh they had held interviews >> July 6th. >> July No. Um June June 6th. >> June 16th. I read >> And they have postponed the selection date until July 2nd. So, the Selectmen
would like to know what the plan is in the meantime while that spot will now be vacant with the impending retirement. I believe Debbie's last day, except vacation days, is um Thursday. So, >> Right. >> Um >> [clears throat] >> I spoke to Debbie today and the
um reval is approximately at an 80% finished. Um most of the work is done by a vendor, PK. Um as of now, the values are in the hands of the state to be certified. So, most of our work here in-house is done.
Um when that's finished, there'll be a period of at least five business days that is called public disclosure. That's when the values are posted proposed values are posted and anyone who's interested can ask for their field card,
come in and and discuss what's what their value is and why it's valued like that. Our administrative assessor, Caroline, is 100% capable of going over the field card and explaining answering any questions. So, um
I I don't believe that there's any real reason to have to to appoint an interim at the at this time. Um as far as the timeline goes, um there is um if if we make a suggestion or or try to hire
someone between July 6th and the 10th, um there's a possibility that candidate would have to give notice if necessary, um and with with that timing, um the worst case scenario, a person would be
hired by August 1st. That gives um enough time for the certification of our values to happen, um and it also gives time for the um the clerk, the accountant, and the
collector treasurer to input their data once our values are certified by the state, um and then the um the the open um >> [clears throat] >> the
um certification public disclosure will have happened. Um then we go on to the classification hearing, and then um that gives us time to get the tax bills set and ready, not us, but the collector treasurer's office and to get them out so that they can go
out by October 1st. So, I don't see a problem with any delay. >> Okay. Um just one question backing up to the beginning of what you said. The work is 80% done. The 20% The 20% is less time sensitive at this point where
we are, where it's in the state's hands? >> Well, it's less that we physically have to do here. The state has to do it. We're not involved in that, um except for answering any questions that they have on a certain property or asking us to say, "Gee, I want to see
more information on such and such a property or whatever." Just asking um detailed questions if they have any. Um Caroline is completely able to pull a field guide and give them any information that they need. >> Okay. Questions? [snorts] >> No.
>> No. Yeah, I was I was one of the I actually approached Steven about having this on the agenda tonight. And it was just to make sure that, as you say, Dottie, um we're still searching for our full-time assessor. Uh and I know that that is not taking longer than expected, but taking a
little bit. So, I just wanted to make sure that we as a town were covered if we had an assessor in place that had the paperwork, had the necessary qualifications if it took longer than expected to get somebody into that full-time role. >> Right. >> And to me it sounds like we're we're okay. In your opinion, we're good to go.
>> so, yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. I think that we're all set. >> Thank you for coming in, then. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Um just two more quick ones before we can get to the the heavy hitters here. Um we have on item I on your agenda,
um a disclosure of a public employee for an uncompensated position. Um this is Scott Matarazzo, um our you know, in building and maintenance, um who is uh will be uncompensated or is proposing to be uncompensated as an assistant wiring inspector.
Um Steven, does this this has to do with the absence of a wiring inspector? >> Uh not the absence of a wiring inspector, but the absence of a wiring inspector that can do emergency um inspections that are basically unbillable and uncompensated. So, in the
typical wiring um inspection service, the wiring inspector is afforded a certain percentage of the permit fee. Uh in the case of uh structure fire or demolition of a building or some emergency happens and a building is destroyed, and the fire chief or the
building inspector needs someone to come in and verify the wiring and the inspections after that emergency happens, there's no fee associated with that. So, a lot of the times what happens is you have these assistant town wiring inspectors that with no compensation on the table do not take
these assignments. So, by having Scott have the ability to be a wiring inspector in the event this would only be in the event of emergencies at this point. It would not be on any of the permitted situations in town. It would be strictly for emergency basis where we
had a structure fire, building collapse, or something that we just really needed that wiring inspector present for. It's um you know, it's nice that we have someone qualified to do it that's already in house and is willing to do it for you know, not being compensated as well. So, he did have to file a disclosure with
the ethics commission cuz technically it is holding a second position and they are fine with that as well. So, they issued the disclosure on it in a positive manner. >> Okay. Questions? >> No, I'd I'd like to give Mr. Materna his flowers. I don't know if they are,
Scott. Um Scott is constantly trying to lean in and trying to help our community. Uh this doesn't surprise me that he offered to do this to help us out. Um and he is an incredible asset to the town of Halifax. I want to thank you, Scott, for all you do and I would be thrilled to uh
okay this uh disclosure. >> Okay, sounds like a motion. >> Yeah, I'll make that motion. To okay the disclosure of uh Scott Materna for an uncompensated position of assistant wiring inspector. >> So moved. >> I'll second that. All those in favor?
>> Aye. >> Carries unanimously. Thank you, Scott, for your help. >> Appreciate it. >> Okay, let's just fire these off uh well uh yeah, let's just go right in order. Jonathan, why don't you get back to the the vendor warrants? >> back to the top for those playing along at home. I move to affirm approval of the following warrants. Vendor warrant
number 114 for $127,355.33. Payroll warrant number 115 for $466,682.16. Vendor warrant number 116 for $126,835.57. Withholding warrant number 117 for $160,735.74. >> So moved.
>> And second. All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Uh carries unanimously. >> I move to approve the following warrants and commitments. Vendor warrant number 118 for $80,448.32. Payroll warrant number 119 for $762,190.33. And the ambulance commitment from June
1st, 2026 to June 7th, 2026 for $65,142.30. >> So moved. >> Second. All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Carries unanimously. >> Aye. >> Okay, down to new business. Did we all have a chance to review the Board of Selectmen at that time's
meetings minutes from March 31st, 2026? >> We did. >> Yes. >> Any changes, additions, or deletions needed? >> Nope. >> I will entertain a motion to approve the March 31st, 2026 minutes meeting minutes as printed. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Unanimous. Okay. Just quickly, we have
three contracts which we spoke about in executive session to to go over quickly here. Um letter B is a is a side agreement with the fire department. Um I don't know if we want to say anything more about that, but that has been approved. Um
Um well, in executive session it was approved to bring out in open session. So, I will entertain a motion to approve the fire department side agreement as printed. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Unanimous. And then C and D I'll lump in with same separately, but we have two um
two members of our community who are up for contract renegotiation renegotiation on July 1st. Um we will entertain shortly a motion to enter an agreement a three-year agreement with Fire Chief Mike Witham and a one-year agreement with Deputy
Police Chief Ted Venner. Um So, uh that being said, those guys have been here for for some time and we thank them for the contribution and uh we are excited for their continued involvement um and are excited to present these new contracts to them. So, I would entertain a motion to approve um
or to authorize us to sign the contract for 3 years for Fire Chief Mike Whitham as printed. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Unanimous. And then similarly, I would entertain a motion to approve a 1-year contract uh to take us until July 1st, 2027 for
Deputy Police Chief Theodore Bennin. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Okay. And then uh thank you both. Uh we will sign those before we leave tonight. Uh we also have ambulance abatements for May 2026 for in the total of I will entertain a motion to approve the
ambulance abatements for May 2026 for $135,463.23. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Okay. This is might be the longest meeting we've had in a couple months. Uh not even halfway through, but we are here at letter F. We have a citizens
petition request um that we received um and the certified signatures have been completed by our town clerk's office. Our obligation is to host and hold a special town meeting within a 45-day time period of the signatures being
certified. Uh tonight uh being uh Tuesday, June 23rd, we are officially opening the town warrant um for a special town meeting. That warrant will remain open until >> July 7th. >> July
>> July 7th, at which point it will close. The town meeting, the special town meeting, will be held at the Halifax Elementary School on Wednesday, July 29th at 6:30. That is within the 45-day requirement. That also gives us 22 days once the
warrant has been closed to get it to print and in the hands of the public. Do I have all those dates correct? >> Yes, you do. >> All right, we are open I will entertain a motion to open the town the the warrant for a special town meeting to be held on July 29th. >> So moved. >> Second.
>> All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Okay, so we're open now. The warrant is open. There this item will be on the warrant. There may be others placed by the town. It's also an opportunity if the citizen petitions other ones to be placed on the warrant. That's your prerogative as well and you can visit the town clerk should you
care to be on care to be on the warrant. Um any other discussion needed or wanted on that item? >> No. >> Okay. Um reappointments. This can be fairly quick. We have a number of reappointments for the town. Um these are appointments by those that have
either that have been there before. These are reappointments on a number of things. Um and the way we've done in the past is that I've that the chair has read them and should any member at present in the room have an objection or a hold >> to announce the hold and at that point
we would vote on those that we have not held and revisit those that have been held. Is that Is everyone comfortable with that procedure? Okay. >> it. Fire away. >> Okay, these are all appointments to be effective July 1, 2026. Got to deep breath here. >> [laughter]
>> All right, for the Agricultural Commission for a period of two years, Sheila O'Hanley. For the Beautification Committee for a period of one year, Shirley Graf. >> Nope, you missed one. >> Nope, you're looking >> Joanne Smith. >> Nope, you're looking at your white form. >> White form. >> There have been there have been changes. >> Oh, okay. >> mention that? >> Nope, thank you.
>> Thank you. Recheck. All right, back to the top. >> Uh to appoint Sheila O'Hanley for a two-year appointment to the Agricultural Commission. Beautification Committee for one year, Shirley Graf, Robert Hodge, Christina Palmer, Cassandra Doyle Waden. For the Cable TV Advisory Committee for
a period of one year, Janice Hayward and John Shiavone. Cemetery Superintendent and Burial Agent for a for a of one year are Steven Hayward. The Conservation Commission for a period of 3 years, a term of 3 years, Edward Lane. Council on Aging for a term of 3 years, Patricia Tomeo. Halifax Emergency
Management Agency Director for a period of 1 year, Michael Witham. Halifax Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director, uh Joao Chaves. Holidays in Halifax for a 1-year term, Kimberly Campbell and Tanya Massa. License Authority Agent, Licensing Authority Agent.
>> on Holidays in Halifax, please? >> We're holding Holidays in Halifax. >> Yes. >> Okay. Licensing Authority Agents, for all for a term of 1 year. Chief Joao Chaves, Deputy Chief Theodore Benner, Officer Michael Bonkerusky, Officer Paul Campbell, Sergeant William Caprio,
Officer Daniel Shaheen, Officer Joseph Cushman, Officer Patrick DeRoe, Officer William Feltrup, Officer William Maloney, Sergeant Robert McDonough, Sergeant Michelle McIntyre, Officer Steven Raditz, Officer Michael Schleif, Officer Ryan Simpson,
Building and School Municipal School Building Committee, for a period of 3 years, Robert Hodge. Parking Clerk, 1 year, Linda McCarthy. Police Matrons, 1 year, Janice Hayward, Susan Lawless, Tina Oliveira, Antoinette Ross. Special Police Officers, Jay Guedeboni,
Albert Hingston, Patrick Sterling. Sealer of Weights and Measures, 1 year, David Moore. Town Council, 1 year, Brooks and Durences. We have a hold on Town Council. Town Director of County Cooperative Extension Service, Keziah Nasrella. Tree
Warden, 3 years, R. Steven Hayward. Veterans Agent, Veterans Service Officer, and Veterans Burial Agent, 1 year, Steven Littlefield. Veterans Agent Assistants, 1 year, Shawn Goyette, Robert Mullen. Veterans Services Committee, 1 year, Steven Littlefield, Shawn Goyette,
Robert Mullen, R. Steven Hayward, Mark Chetwyn, Mary Gravinese. Wiring Inspector, Dennis McManus. And the Zoning Board of Appeals for a term of 5 years, Tina Kenyon. Okay. So, with the exception of the two items that have been held, Holidays in
Halifax, and Town Council, um seemingly there are no questions for those. Any discussion needed? >> Nope. >> Any questions? Okay. Can I do these all in one fell swoop, we think, or do I have to read them individually?
>> I'd say one fell swoop. >> One fell swoop, as previously described, I would have vote, I would entertain a motion to approve the Agricultural Commission, Beautification Committee, Cable TV, Cemetery Superintendent, Conservation Commission, Council on Aging, Halifax Emergency Management Director, Halifax Management Agency
Deputy Director, Licensing Authority Agents, Municipal and School Building Committee, Parking Clerk, Police Matrons, Special Police Officers, Sealer of Weights and Measures, Town Director of the County Cooperative Extension Service, Tree Warden, Veterans Agent, Veterans Service Officer, and Veterans Burial Agent, Burial Agent, Veterans
Agent Assistants, Veterans Service Committee, Wiring Inspector, and the Zoning Board of Appeals. >> So moved. >> Who was the middle? No, I'm kidding. Second. >> All those in favor, aye. Unanimous. Okay, back to the first held item in order, Holidays in Halifax. >> Yeah, I just wanted to speak to it. I
know that, um first off, Kim and Tanya are a dream team, but I know recently that, uh Kim has, I'm sorry, Tanya has alerted me, uh that she may need to step down as, uh just in result of some health stuff that's popped up. So, I know we have
members here, and I know Kim, you're here as well. Do you under Do you know if if Tanya is staying on said committee, or or is >> not heard from her directly or saying that, but she did tell me she had to step away from some responsibilities right now. >> Okay. I just didn't know if that was a
>> And I did try to text her to see >> Okay. >> Yeah, and yeah, I did call and left her a message, but I didn't hear back. >> She did reach out, um to me, uh actually I bumped into her, um and just she did kind of say that uh she might need to step away for a while. So, I don't know if the proper procedure
here is to not reappoint her. Uh, and if she does too, >> [clears throat] >> maybe at a later date come in and if she feels like she can reappoint herself, then maybe she >> I think that's probably a fair notion. I mean, if we if we decline to reappoint that at some point sooner rather than later, it would probably be opened up to a talent bank form at which point she
could resubmit if interested at that time. >> I think that might be the play here. >> Is that reasonable? >> Yeah, I think that's reasonable. >> Okay. How are we feeling about that? >> Sure. >> Sure. >> So, I guess I could make a motion to reappoint Kimberly Campbell for Holidays in Halifax for a one-year term. >> So moved. >> Second. All those in favor?
>> Aye. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Kimberly's on. And so, that would be a vacant position. Um, and just in the interest of housekeeping, do we want to just immediately move to have that talent bank form posted and position open rather than wait?
>> Um, no. I think we hold off. >> Okay. >> Because there's also talk as well of maybe merging our two committees, our our Fourth of July Committee and our Holidays in Halifax Committee, and look at maybe possibly one Halifax Celebrates Committee. >> Okay. >> Um, that would handle all of our
celebrations. >> And maybe not too many changes are needed this week where you're leading up to a big event. Okay, so let's table that. >> Yep. >> Um, Pam, if you can make note of that to revisit that at some time. All right. And then, the other hold we had uh, was on town council.
>> Good evening. Alan Dias, Snow Street. I asked to hold the town council reappointment based on reviewing some of the legal bills and coming up with numbers like $45,000 strictly just in general matters.
Typically, attorneys bill on an hourly basis. >> [clears throat] >> Other attorneys that work for the town bill on an hourly basis. The firm that you have, Brooks and DeRenzis, bills one month $8,500 general matters. What are those general matters?
What are we being billed for? I think there should be some accountability. Um so I'm asking the board that if they're going to renew the the contract, and that should be up to the board, that that practice be eliminated.
We should be billed on an hourly basis just like every other attorney bills. Second item that I have, back in um 2022, town meeting voted $65,000 for the uh zoning bylaw committee
uh to change the bylaws. Since then, the bylaws have not been changed. There's a balance in that account of $944,000. Excuse me, $944. I'm going to ask that the board >> [clears throat] >> come up with an explanation as what
happened to the other 64,000. Did this go to Brooks and DeRensis? Did it go to some place else? Um so I I think, you know, as taxpayers, we should be able to know where our money's being spent. Um and reviewing the
medical these these legal bills, like I say, the other firms bill on an hourly basis. Um you know, I'm looking here at uh February 4th, 2026, $4,700 in general matters, $460 in
general litigation. What is it? How many court cases do we have? I don't know if somebody can answer that. Who would we like? >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> Well, we all have who we like, but >> Okay, no, you did ask. If you guys don't mind,
>> Yeah, come on, Mr. Cherry. No, come on, you got >> You you asked for the public records, and you asked what they were for. Some of those things we could not give you. And so I that's why I listed general matters. Under general matters on their invoices, it does say what we did. I'd
have to go through each one and see which one I would be able to tell you to see that yes, we did general we spent this much time on let's say preparing for a town meeting or asking you know, having questions on articles. So, it's not just general matters. There's They just There
There is descriptions, but there's some things I just could not give you. And that's because >> So, you're you're saying Pam that there are explanations, but it's just >> some of the other things that you were saying. Some of the things I cannot give you cuz we could still be able to get litigation and that's what I'm That's what I have to check with the town
council. So, >> Okay. >> That's That's why. >> Mr. Chairman, through you to speaker. Are they being billed on an hourly basis? >> Yes, what they do is they they break down what they what they, you know, what Let's say it's 0.40 you know, minutes and you take that and they
whatever their rate is, you times it by that. So, it's not Let's say they're getting $200 an hour, they're not getting $200 for the 40 minutes they worked out for 40 40. It's broken down. It's It's divided by that. >> Okay. In looking at some of these fees, um for
instance, this is through an email, uh the town spent $15,600 in town meeting. Um they spent $8,200 on a government study committee. They spent for some reason $7,000 >> $8,200 on the government study committee? >> That's correct.
>> Okay. For what? >> So, that's what it >> That That's what you spent. I mean and I reviewed some of the minutes. Although the minutes aren't up to date, uh you spent $8,200 on a government study committee. Um and then you got about us complaints and stuff. This stuff should be broken
down. This is a better explanation than reviewing the bills. But, is the board telling me that Brooks and Derensis is going to be billing the town on an hourly basis? I'm just going by the bills. >> No, it's Alan, it's a fair point and to
be honest with you, about 2 years ago in 2024, we did entertain and meet with several in open session, several different law firms in a discussion to possibly make a change in town council. My recollection at that time, and now
this is before you, but John Bruno and Jonathan, the billing matters of all three of them were drastically different. There was retainers, there was straight hourly, there was a big difference in how they billed. Some of them had minimums and some of them did not.
And some were capped, but the cap was high. The cap to get to you had to spend a certain amount of money every month whether you met that money or not. And Brooks and Drummey and I believe, I don't want to speak out of turn, fell somewhere in the middle. I'd have to review the contract. You can count me as
shocked that the government study committee spent anywhere near that amount of money. So, I'll look into that one. I could look into everything that Pam sent you. Um >> And >> Your Your concern is is warranted, really. >> That's right. Yeah. >> Al, just to a clarifier, are you
concerned about the the quality of legal representation or just the billing, would you say? >> I'm looking at both. You know, I'm looking at the amount of litigation that we have, and I don't think the town has a tremendous amount of litigation. I think they're spending money where they shouldn't be with some of the cases.
Um I've seen other towns that are spending more, but I don't think that we're getting the bang for the buck. And if I look at the bills to see just what they're doing to accomplish either winning a case or losing a case, it's not there.
>> Okay. >> So, how are we being represented? The only case that I know that Brooks and Drummey and I won in the last 5 years was the case uh I I think it was 13 citizens against the town regarding the building inspector. Um the town did win that case.
And then they fired the building inspector. The rest of the cases we pretty much lost. You know, you got You got two MBTA cases that are pending. You've got Morse Brothers that's pending. Um and we don't know where those cases are going to go. And you know, we allocated
170,000. Could that money be spent someplace else? >> Sure. I know we Can I talk? >> Absolutely. >> I know we looked into increasing the number in light of the MBTA situation, um expecting more uh legal help, you know, after our MBTA
non-compliance. So, that's that number. And again, Alan, that's to we don't have to spend at that number. You know, that's just to make sure that if it does, if, you know, we run into a lot of legal matters thanks to things like MBTA, we're covered. >> Yes, but the town has been spending
that. And then a few years ago, you went into reserve fund to to uh supplement the legal budget. >> Right. >> You know, um so, are we getting the best bang for our buck? And I was at that interview with the other counsel. So, I'm aware that their billing practices, you can go with
a minimum and they'll you can call them 100 times or you can be paid per call. And that's a decision Slocum should make. Um but, what are we paying an hour to Brooks and Remmes? I'm just asking. I mean, I can look at the other bills and see what we're paying KP Law. Um then
you've got some other firms. I don't think that's appropriate to be billed. So, I don't know I haven't asked for the contract in Brooks and Remmes. So, I don't know what is the hourly rate. >> Yeah. We'd have to look it up. >> I'll look it up for >> I'll look it up. I don't have it off
hand, Alan. I apologize. >> Okay. It's okay. >> I would ask that this be held until we get some answers. >> Yeah. >> You know, I know that, you know, we need town counsel because there is pending litigation. Um uh but, again, are we getting the best bang for the buck? >> Yeah.
Uh all good points, Alan, to be honest with you. Uh I do have a concern though about not having town counsel on board, even for an interim [clears throat] basis. So, >> Well, I I I mean, you I think you can hold it. I mean, you're not going to I don't expect you to fire town council without doing interviews. >> Sure.
>> I just think that if you're going to renew the contract, that there should be some hourly billing and there should be some explanations. >> Well, I understand that the litigation and general matters is >> Sure. But I the That's the way I'm reading this is the the appointment ends on June 30th. So, absent a new appointment But the the appointment
>> Well, I would ask the appointment be for 30 days. >> And circle back. >> Yeah, that's that's fair. That's fair. >> That's fair. >> Uh all right. So, Do you want Do you want to make the motion or should we make it a motion? >> We need to make >> Okay. I can't make a motion. >> Okay. I mean, I I can make the suggestion but I can't make a motion. >> Uh all right. I would entertain a
motion. I'll make a motion to hold the appointment on town council, Brooks and Derensis, for a period of Do you want to have coincide with the meeting that we have already scheduled to make it easier? >> Yeah, let's let's let's >> All right. For >> Jim, just to be What you said was you
want to hold the appointment. You don't want to hold the appointment. You want to approve it for a 30-day >> Okay. All right. Let's um I'll make a motion to approve an appointment a reappointment of Brooks and Derensis for a period of 35 days to be rediscussed at our select board meeting
on Tuesday, July 28th. >> So moved. >> Yeah, I'll second. >> Okay. All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Aye. >> Okay. Thank you, Alan. All right. Unless I skipped anything, I think A through G are good. H we have handled. I we have handled.
We have J K L M. Let's skip down and we can uh we can get to the uh discussion on the beach. So, um unless anybody's here for something specific that's quick, uh we're going to jump down to uh letter U, uh which is a discussion on Halifax
beach, the current and ongoing issues uh there within. Who would care to be heard? >> I'll go first. >> Okay. Name and address, please. >> What's that? >> Name and address, sir. >> Steve Goodman, 24th Avenue. Something for you to look at while I'm
talking. >> Thank you. >> These photographs, everything in there >> Thanks, Steve. >> I believe are things that are safety issues for our town created by a group of people who come and use jet
skis on the lake unfettered. Um >> [sighs] >> I think that uh there's trash. You can see there's people parking in the water. These videos here, every video and every photograph, I have some videos playing
just so people can see what I'm talking about. Every video you see and every photograph you see was taken from the public beach or from the private beach at 10th and 11th, which means all of that activity you see is within 300 ft of swimming area
or it's even closer. It's between the buoys that say no wake and the swimming area where our children are swimming. Uh it's a pretty big safety issue. It's a pretty big liability issue for the town. Um we've talked about the problem. Some of the part of the problem is that
the access to the beach, um the lake is only so big. Parking areas are only so big. Um by limiting it, which I think is what we should do, and I have some ideas. My opinion, doing some research, talking
to the state EPO officer, the state ramp on Route 58 is designed in a specific way. You're only allowed to park there with the trailer, and that's state law, state enforcement. There's only so many parking spaces.
If that parking lot is full, you have to find somewhere else. The issue we have now is when that parking lot is full of, let's say, the bass boats or a few jet skiers from town. They have found their way to the 4th Ave ramp, which is not public access.
But what happens is you're bringing a tremendous amount of traffic to a neighborhood that's full of children. Uh you can see some of the pictures you're getting stuck. And now this is the emergency access for the for the our police and fire. So that's a safety issue if there is an issue on the lake.
Um the trash, like I said, that's that's secondary. Um the ramp is clogged up most of the day as far as traffic goes. Um and the traffic in the neighborhood, you'll see in one of the pictures, that's my vehicle being towed away. I'm still dealing with the aftereffects of
having been rear-ended by a Porsche that was towing a jet ski trailer. Um so we've already had a safety issue. I'm just glad that it was my car that got hit and not somebody's children or dog or someone out jogging, which is frequent activities we have in our neighborhood.
The road is barely wide enough for two cars, yet we have anywhere from 100 to 150. This portion of the video here is five jet skiers harassing a guy on a bass boat. I know that you don't have the authority to to enforce the boating laws, but you're
not supposed to be under power within 150 ft of another craft that includes your other jet ski friends. That's a huge liability for the town. And I've seen it happen in other towns where two people hit each other acting like this, they both sue the town and they both win cuz the town is supposed
to stop them from acting this way. Um we've added a parking attendant or the parks the town has through the parks department. By adding a parking attendant that doesn't seem to have any an enforcement power, which you've created is a permissible mayhem.
Uh it it's a it's a public nuisance and it's a liability cuz now people think, well, there's an attendant down there. He should have stopped me. Why is he allowing this to go on? Some of the photographs you have are the alcohol that I'm told no one's drinking on the beach by the attendant and by
officers when they show up. They have no evidence that anyone's drinking, so there's nothing they can do. Here's your evidence. Again, it's not about the trash, it's not about the people. That's a safety issue. People are drinking all day, jet skiing all day, and then driving home.
Probably under the influence. I can't say that for sure, but I know they're jet skiing under the influence. I propose for this season a gate get put up on 4th Ave. Police and fire are given access to it. I would like to see maybe not this season, maybe starting in
the fall, full access to Halifax residents through perhaps a key box that they would get a code to. Cuz according to the website where these out-of-town people have gone to get their beach pass, it says directly on there that the Halifax that the 4th Ave ramp is for residents only and only to
load and unload boats, not to load and unload their people and their friends at the beach. So, they know what the rule is, there's just no one there stopping them. Okay. I I'd like to see that happen. I hope you can make it happen. It's It's really becoming a real safety issue. Like I said, I'm glad I'm the only one
that got hurt. Uh if you have any questions about any of these pictures, all of these pictures, again, were taken just this year. Some of them as recently as Sunday when there was an attendant there most of the day. Um and
all were taken from the beach or from the private beach on 11th. The videos as well. You can see that gentleman is inside the buoys where it says no wake. I know you can't enforce the laws, but somebody has to. Thank you for your time.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you, Steve. >> Any other comments uh from the room on that, same topic? >> How's it going? Uh Mark Dillon, 30 Lingan Street. Uh so, I live immediately across from the boat ramp. Um I have two children,
one of which is autistic. Um I cannot let them out on a weekend to play in the yard, to go anywhere near it. Unfortunately, what's happening to Steve's point is the unfettered drinking, the uncontrolled use of
watercraft, so on and so forth. What it does is it breed the situation where at 7:00 at night, once the attendant, if it's even on a weekend, has left, they load up, they're highly intoxicated, and they go
flying out of the boat ramp area. Some of them get stuck. It damages that ramp. I don't even think emergency services can really functionally use that. Um you know, at this point, we also don't have control over the hours of operation
of that park. That park states from dawn till dusk, barring a spelling error on the sign. But, we're not enforcing that. That's a simple locking situation. Other towns where that happens,
hey, move on out. It's time to go. If you're not locking it up, and you're still here, you're getting locked inside, and it's X amount to get you out. Make it $500. Make it $1,000. Doesn't matter. And there's always the pushback that we get
from our complaints is, well, if we do it for you for them, we got to do it for everybody. Go for it, please. Doesn't matter if you're a local, you're out-of-towner, the way this beach is being used currently, it's reckless.
I've actually been looking at ways to sell my house, but I can't because of that. I don't want to leave. But if it's my kids' safety or this beach, it's my kids' safety. You know, we have members of the
community who have been here for a long time. They're new people, people that have been building their families. I've been there for 16 years. Can't use the beach anymore. If you know anything about autism, water is their safe space. Number of times I've seen my daughter
just stare at that lake. Can't take her down cuz if I do, my luck, someone's going to lose control of that jet ski and they're going to take her out. And then what do I do? You know, fortunately, I have good people.
I'm at my wit's end. I'm getting choked up, but it's where I'm at. You know, we love this town, we love this community, we love this lake, but it's it's getting destroyed. Something like a gate for the ramp to keep it to emergency services and eventually locals.
And then properly maintaining how the beach is managed is key. If we can get it The parking attendant and there's some pictures in there of a white tent in the park with two cars next to it. You may only be able to see one. That's the parking attendant. He's
not in the parking lot. People are going past him carrying cases of Corona, Modelo, Coors Light. And when he says something, they wave his hand at him and they just move along. Again, you know, that water needs to be
handled by the state, but we can handle the land and I I hope we can come up with some solution that works. I will point out the parks department is not here. So, to me that says a lack of caring for their own residents, but that's my
opinion. Do with it what you will. Thank you. >> Thank Mark. >> Thank you. Thanks. >> Thanks, Mark. >> I just want to add, sorry. I live in the Hancock neighborhood of Bowdoin Street, so I brought my wife and kids here. Um, but I just want to add to Mark's point, I mean, we we see these people at
the beach all day long. They drive past our house, you know, I'm yelling at cars flying by. I spoke to an officer last weekend. And like Mark said, they sit there and they're intoxicated, right? And God save whoever hits my kid because they're coming up the street leaving the lake. And that's all I'm just going to leave
it there. You know, it's it's tiring. We moved into town in what, February 2020? The first summer here, it was quiet, you know, we enjoyed the beach, we brought our kid or our daughter down there at the time. We can't even do that anymore on the weekends, you know? These people, they come here, they disrespect the town.
They drive around with these, you know, citations on their car, you know, to me, it's a big middle finger to the police officers, first of all, you know, driving on the street with a citation on the car with a parking ticket. Um, they disrespect the neighborhood. Um, in fact, last weekend, I had someone try to knock over one of the signs in
the front of our yard that says slow down, you know, there's kids here. Um, and like Mark said, it's it's destroying our neighborhood. It's disrespectful, and it's coming down to a matter of safety. So, that's that's all I want to say. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Hi, I'm Jim Sweeney, 93rd Ave. Um, a lot of those pictures you can see right there, those jet skis are parked on on my beach, in my yard. I find people in my yard every weekend urinating in my in my yard, empty bottles in the yard. I call the police, there's nobody over
there. They're not there anymore. Of course they're not out of there, they've relieved themselves and moved on. It's gotten to the point I can't be home any weekend anymore. I've been I've been in that piece of property right there, that's my yard right there. 36 years. I can't I can't put my boat in the
water. They They ride so close to my boat they smack it against the dock and damage it. I I don't Is there any way that um the bylaw that we that we passed They determined that the Twin Lakes are one lake.
They're twins. They're related individuals. Can that be appealed? >> Yes. You talking about the the the the article from the bylaw from 2 years ago talking about that that that bylaw? >> They They said to me that the Attorney General said to me part of the reason,
not the only reason, was that by acreage the Twin Lakes are considered one lake. Show me where [clears throat] they're connected. Right. You can get a canoe. Not right now, the water's so low. You can get a canoe from one lake to the other. You can't paddle it. You have to get out and push it.
The water's less than 3 in deep to get through the culvert. So, hydrologically, yes, they're one lake. But, there's no access. These people who come every weekend could never get onto East Lake. >> So, I Okay. >> If it was considered one lake, we would
it would have passed, I believe. >> Okay. Okay. That's fine. Is there just something else, sir? >> Sorry. >> Okay. Okay, thank you. >> I did just something what they to add on to what my husband said. I've been very concerned about the following
of straight Last time I brought my kids to the lake was last year in the summer. I even called the cops and you should have called the cops last year when my child, 1 year old, got knocked over by a wave from one of the jet skiers, fell on his face, and had to be rescued because
he couldn't get up. I had to run across the the where from where I was sitting to go rescue him because he got knocked over by a lake by by a wave just by being playing on those shallow part of the water. I have not been down there.
>> Great wolf lodge, wow. >> Um we have not gone on a weekend yet because I'm afraid that that would happen again. >> Great Wolf Lodge. >> That would happen again to him and you know, he's only two now. So, uh it's
>> Let's go to Great Wolf Lodge. >> Sorry. Uh and it's just it's just something that it's My kids love going in the water. They love going to play and I just it's I feel unsafe and uncomfortable going. >> Mhm. >> By the way that there are always also
Not that it bothers too much, but when there when there's so many people on the wall on the the small part of the sand and then they're there drinking, they're there just kicking ball. It
it's unsafe. It's too many people. It's just too many people on such a small area that it's it has become it's it's a safety issue. >> Mhm. >> And they're outside playing most of the weekend
and the way the cars drive by our house, it's insane. We are very uncomfortable with them just being outside because last year as well and I'm I'm waiting for it to happen again because it's just the beginning of
it, we had a car swerving to our yard as they were leaving the beach. Um probably being intoxicated at that point, but he swerved into my yard and left. And it's just the beginning of the summer. I'm waiting for that to happen
and I'm I'm just praying to God that my kids are not out there playing because it's my property, why can I have them play? It's just that's just what I wanted to do that. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Good luck at the Great Wolf Lodge, buddy. >> My name is >> My name is Rich Holmes, 2513 >> Rich, come up. They won't be able to hear you. >> Richard Holmes, 2513th Ave. Uh, last summer, my kids were all kayaking
having a great time. Jet skis circled them, bothered them, called the police. The police did do something about it. Um, I won't We have four kayaks in the yard now that just sit there and I won't let them on the beach. During the midweek when it's when it's quiet, yes. During
the weekends, absolutely not. And that's pretty disgusting when you know, we have our own private beach too that they go out of and I won't even That's where they went out last time. I won't even let them out there. Not during the weekends, absolutely not. It's not worth it.
So, that's kind of stinks, you know what I mean? They used to do it and enjoy. What more do you want than your kids going down and go kayaking on the lake, right? Fishing, doing whatever. Not absolutely not allowed. So.
Um, that's all I got to say. We've been down there a couple nights. Uh, even sometimes during the week when it gets hot, it it's just horrible. We sit at the private beach and watch the public beach what happens there. And it's just disgusting. Even on
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. It's reckless. But, and they're starting to party out on the peninsula there and we I think you guys got photos of it, but we just literally went out there before we came here. There's still Jameson bottles, flip flops, Corona
bottle caps, bottles all around. I got pictures on my phone. Literally timestamp from 20 minutes ago. So, I don't know. We Something needs to be done, right? >> I agree. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Rich. >> you.
>> Thanks, Rich. >> Thanks, Rich. >> Hello. Holly Jones, 30 Lincoln Street. Um so, Steve had some good suggestions, um but everything costs money. Which we all get. Um so, the Lincoln Street, the abs, I know
we could rally if you make a motion to put something forth, we could help fund whatever material needed, uh any labor, anything. And we're we're at our wit's end at this point, so if you make a motion tonight, hopefully that's part of the consideration. So.
That's all I have to say. >> Thanks, Holly. >> Thank you. >> Cheryl Wilburn, 42 Second Ave. Um so, I have a video from my neighbor who was down there and basically, there is a trailer that's just packed down there and there's a truck with a trailer. So, for the safety
reason of somebody having to get in there to rescue somebody off the lake, it's blocked because they'll leave in trailers unhitched there and then backing in and just leaving their trucks there. So, I know that the officers are are trying to have them move, but we only
have a couple on on the weekend and they can't be there doing that while they're out trying to help and rescue other people and, you know, medical issues and such. Um so, I don't know if you want to see it. I have it on my phone, it's a little video, um
but it's it's a it's a safety issue that they can't you won't be able to get an emergency vehicle down there to get anybody out if it has to happen. And the the public thing, you can't get down there anyways because that's just jammed cuz it's a public access, but ours should not be public access. It says
residents only. It's all over there, there were signs everywhere. We've gone over this numerous years and it's really never gotten the attention that it's deserved. Um and I feel like it just gets swept underneath the rug, and we get no we get
no relief, no >> Sure, where was that truck and trailer? It wasn't at the 4th Ave. Where was Where was it? >> It's basically on 4th Ave on the boat ramp on 4th Ave. So, the trailer is just sitting there, and then the truck is there with another one attached [clears throat] to it.
So, it's just we keep fighting for help, and we we need help. And we need to be heard, and if we, like they said, if we can't come up with the funds, I'm sure all of us would somehow rally to get it done.
And we have, you know, we have great people on the town in our neighborhood out on our own that could probably put something like this together. Um >> Okay. >> So, we realize it has to be open to the public, to our residents who deserve to go there.
So, that lockbox does sound like a great idea. There's lockbox, you go use it, you lock it back up. So, I mean something has to be done, and it goes I'm sorry to say it goes on deaf ears, that it doesn't It's been year after year after year. And at this point, I
really just give up. I really I don't I don't want to fight I don't even want to bring it up anymore, but you need to know they're blocking the public access. They're coming down the street, flying down the street. Like you can't get down our street. Like on a Sunday, if you try
to get down there, they have trailers come in and out, and they're not even from here. And they're blocking their our access to take if we from my street at 42nd Ave, if I want to go left down into the neighborhood and go out towards Rodney's Pizza,
I can't go left because there's too much commotion. It's it's very hectic, very dangerous. You can't walk on our streets. There really is a big safety issue and we have all the kids rented. My kids have grown up now. So, but it's still a major situation for
those children in the neighborhood. And this needs to be something that's brought to your attention. I did hear from another neighbor that one of them um the neighbor had told him um you can't launch a boat here. He threw some
words, you know, the visitor threw some words at him. And then he started um backing out aggressively. And the neighbor said, "Hey, hey. Whoa, there's a there's a kid. There's a kid." And he just kept swearing. So, we're disrespected
by them and they're they shouldn't be using it and we need to stop it. There's got to be something that can be done to stop it. It's a If it was happening and I know you're all from the town, right? If this was your neighborhood, this wouldn't be happening. But because it's the abs,
it's happening. Because like I said before in many situations, we're not we don't get the attention we deserve and we deserve attention. But this safety matter. So, that's all I got to say. >> Thank you, Sharon.
>> Thank you. >> All right, my name's Paul Digman. 1140 3rd Ave. And I just want to say real quick that we're new to the town and when me and my wife looked at the house and we bought it, that was a big selling point or buying point I should say to buying the house was I was like, "Look, we can just walk right to the end of the
street. We got a nice beach to go to. We really going to like living in this house. We're going to buy it." And that's why we bought it. And to not be able to use the lake, which is the reason why we bought the house, is really disappointing. And and that's really all I have to say. I don't have a lot. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Good evening. >> Good evening. >> Hi. >> Sarah Sloat, 36 2nd Avenue. Um I live off of Lingan Street. And as we all know, Lingan Street is a very long but narrow street to begin
with. So, the traffic on the weekends is multiplied by our visitors that come on the weekend through with their cars and their
trailers. Across from my son's house, there was a car and a trailer parked all day long. And in between that car that was parked all
day long and my son's house, there was traffic back and forth. There were motorcycles driving quickly through that narrow section in the start of Lingan Street. There was
people there were there was a truck coming over the hill and coming towards those motorcycles with no slowing down, no stopping and then, oh, there you are.
Now, I've lived here for 33 years and yes, like Paul and Anna, I bought my home because there was a beach and there was quiet and there was a place where I could have solace at the end of the day.
We can't do that now. And we can't do that because whatever law or bylaw has been dealt with is not being able to be enforced. We need to look at it as an enforcement
of not not caring about other people but caring about the people that originally created and are the taxpayers of the Halifax residents. Let's open it up.
Let's get it done and let's not have others ruin our wonderful town. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you, sir. >> Hi, I'm Megan Woodberry. I reside at 35 8th Avenue. I've been in this town my
whole life. I learned to swim at that beach. It has never seen so much traffic in my whole life. It has become unmanageable and unsafe. The same Sunday that Steve got rear-ended, somebody whipped out of the
beach and nearly hit a kid on a bike. No regard. No regard. Our neighborhood is not the nicest in town. All of us know that. We have that damn eyesore that was the Briggs home for a very long time. Now we have to worry about asbestos in our air when
they tear that down. But, we need something done about our visitors because they are now getting to the point where they're intimidating the locals. People are being denied access to the beach and then being bullied to
the point where they are fearing harm. And we have our police not doing a damn thing about it because they are grossly outnumbered. We have two police on staff during the day who are not going to take
on over 80 drunk people who are coming from Massachusetts near and far. One of the issues that I saw on the 14th of July when I went to the beach is that a lot of these people with jet skis not
only blocking access to the boat ramp, they are also getting dangerously close to the swimming area where their families are swimming. What is wrong with these people that they think that is okay where they're
endangering their own families? This is getting out of control and it's a powder keg. It is not doing any of us a damn good having these people come here. There
needs to be something done drastically. I suggest since I know these people have been kicked out of numerous places around the state, not only with their boats, but with their ATVs.
I suggest that we reach out to those towns and ask what they did to help get rid of this problem. And not only is it a problem, it's a bunch of illegal activities that are not being dealt with. There's drinking on
the beach. There's fires on the beach. There's literally New Hampshire freaking jet skis that are in our lake and I looked up the law when it comes to out of state jet skis. They're being towed by Massachusetts
vehicles, but they have their jet skis with New Hampshire registrations. And from what I read, you have 60 days to transfer your registration to the state where you live. These are easy tickets. This is easy money for the town to be made and the
cops are not doing it because they do not want to deal with these people who are being intimidating. I got harassed in my yard taking my dog out on that Sunday. Having someone drive by and be like,
"Oh, look, another resident calling about the people on the beach." I was just looking at the time on my phone. I suggest if you don't think this is a problem, you take your families down to the beach. You let your kids be in
danger or your grandkids and see how close they are getting. This is just absurd. It's absurd. If the cops need help, you have various reinforcements. But I need to know that this is something that's going to be done cuz I
do not want to see one of our kids in the neighborhood a blood stain on our short street. I don't want to see any kids get hurt. I don't want to see their kids getting hurt. I don't want to see people break out in fights. I don't want that. I just want
our beach to be peaceful. And I know there's a handful of families that come to the weekend to just have their kids play at the beach. We have no issues with them. We have the issues with the people who are breaking the rules. I hope you guys will listen to some of
the wonderful suggestions that we have. We have plenty of evidence. We're gathering more evidence every weekend. But something needs to be done. And there's simple ones that could be done and I think the cops need to start They need to step up.
And if they can't step up, you need to find a different law enforcement to come and help them out. Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Okay. Sure. Just your name and address again, Cheryl.
>> 42nd Ave. Another thing that's happening, too, is that they think that we as a town are a joke. They've said in their, you know, that there's no rules. There's no no enforcement. There's no rules, so they
can do whatever they want. We The cops are down there now. Now they're down there. We've gotten the attention, right? We We've only got a couple, but they're they're there. They're They're doing what they can, right? But if they're out there saying there's no rules, and that's why they're coming
here, that's an embarrassment for us that you haven't listened in 3 years to us telling you what's going on. And they're just like, this is it's let's have party here. These people don't care. They don't care about their town. Let's care about our town. Let's do
something, please. And do you have a suggestion? I mean you must have thoughts on this of what can be done. Something needs to be done. I I I I >> Can I say something? >> I thought >> Yeah, I mean
yeah, thank you, Sharon. I mean I don't know if that's all the public comment. I know I don't want to speak for anybody else up here. I mean we have individually all been down there at periods throughout weeks and weekends. >> Sunday at 3:00. >> Yes, on a Sunday. Yeah. >> At 3:00? >> Yeah. >> Cuz they have to work, some of them.
>> Yeah. And I'll just allow if you're all set, I'll allow more public comment and then we can get to us and then >> Hi guys. First of all, I would >> identify yourself? >> Oh, sorry. Amy True, 10 Hillside Ave. First of all, I would really like to thank you guys cuz I know that you took some time out of your day. Jonathan, I
saw you. I did hear that you were at the beach, and I sincerely thank you. I I don't know if you are, but I'm if you are I I you probably were. Um I appreciate it because it's really really um it's dangerous and and it and I think
just the 150 ft or 300 ft law to the swim lines would be something that we should enforce and the beaching of those jet skis. Um but I I used to run a kayak crew out of there. We also used to all meet, but we get surrounded. They're They're It's
really sad. Um and there is a little girl that lives next door to me that was on a paddle board with her mother and they're not here tonight probably cuz she's so young. They were actually darted at by a jet ski on a paddle board, a mother and a 5-year-old girl. And it's
kind of scary to see. So, um I appreciate the fact that you guys spent your time, but I also want to say that the environmental issues by them not following the 150 ft from the shores is starting to dig into the
shoreline and undercut the trees. And so, those trees are going to be a problem in following falling into the lake. And um that would also hurt people's properties, especially those on the Ocean Ave side or any of them that are
really close to the water. So, I just wanted to add that the environmental issues, but I do believe that we have laws on the book that could easily be taken. And I think um Hull um Hampton Beach, Narragansett Beach
have all had um these incidents um along with some others where they have called in state police and they've called in things because it is scary. And I don't want to see any one of those jet skis colliding cuz it's just a matter of time or heaven
forbid one of them hit somebody and kill somebody cuz that will be a devastation in of itself. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh Mark Dulan, 30 Wingate Street. Um one thing I did want to mention that I did forget to Um we had been told in past years that
the town took grant money from the state that actually made it a public beach. That's not accurate. We took a planning grant which was to allow us to plan for improvements. We never got an action
grant. Even if we had gotten an action grant those action grants still allow us to maintain them as a private residence only beach. And I'm not talking Lincoln Street and your abs, residents of Halifax cuz there's people in these streets would love to
know the fish that I've pulled out of there before. If you're a fisherman, that's great. If you have kids that want to canoe, it's great. But there's nothing that we have done as a town that forces us to open that beach to anybody but residents. And that should just be considered as well.
>> Thank you. Okay, thank you all. Um all well spoken. I thought well organized, so thank you for that. Um I know we probably all have some individual comments. I guess I Sure. Sure, last one, sure. >> I wasn't going to talk at all tonight. I still
>> [laughter] >> You're doing great. >> Cheryl Howell, 42 Second Ave. Another thing is that they're parking at other spots. So I went and I spoke [clears throat] So Mia's ice cream, they're trying to park there. They're stopping them. They're saying, "No, you can't park here. You want to come have
an ice cream? Have your ice cream and and go, you know, enjoy your ice cream." Um but you they've they basically are parking at Walmart, which I know there's nothing we can do about this, all right? But I did make Walmart aware, but I told one of the workers at the customer service if they could
please tell their manager that they have people that aren't even coming in their store. They're just parking there. They learned the back way through the woods behind Walmart. Now they just cut through the woods and off they go. Most of them are walking on the street um just [snorts] getting down there. So,
I've made Walmart aware of it. I went over to the pot shop dispensary, and I've talked to them, and they basically said the two trailers that they had in their property, they were told that it was their uh
their friends, the owner's friends, which is fine. But, I just thought everybody should know. You also had the problems, and she's not here tonight, but from 550, that they torment the people that are getting married. They're swinging by there, and swinging by there, yelling, "Don't do it. Don't
do it." And they're disturbing the people that are trying to eat at the restaurant. And then they're starting to park there. We have records the tow trucks that sit at 550. We had two of them. Um, they sit there all day long to just wait, just wait for it to happen.
So, it's like it talking to a tow truck driver saying, "Yeah, we know this is a problem." I've spoken to a police in Pembroke. They had this problem. They don't have it anymore. So, they've done something. We need to do something. All right, I I
I can't go around and keep advocating to businesses, and and people can't keep doing this. I came up with pictures before and photos, and did all that stuff, and and it it goes on deaf ears. Let's do something, please. Please.
>> Mhm. Okay. So, just to jump off, thank you all. Um I have been down there, uh with Deputy Chief Benner. We ran into Steve when we were down there. Um, I've met with a handful of residents, some who are in the room
tonight. I've been down there, uh not twice, but three times with my family on Saturday and Sunday, not a Father's Day weekend, but the previous weekend. So, I'm aware of it. I haven't spent a day down there, and I don't want to speak for anybody else, but I'm aware of it. You know, I'm aware of it based on history. I'm aware of it based on my own
eyes, those couple days that I was down there. Um I think we hear you. Um I just want to make a couple of quick points before I get to, you know, these guys and some solutions, maybe. There's a couple of different issues here.
There's some things we can control and some things we have less control over. The state boat ramp is an example of something that we have less control over. It's not zero, but any improvements or suggestions or solutions that we provide on the 4th
Street, you know, boat ramp or the beach or the parking attendant or the police or the tickets or the Walmart cut-through or the Mias or anything like that, some of that is obfuscated by what happens at 58 because we have less control. That's a state boat ramp. Now, I do understand and you can maybe I
maybe you folks know, I believe there's a rule that we do have the option for a gate at the boat ramp on 58, which is state run, that we could choose to close at dusk. That's number one. I would be in favor of that if possibly
enforceable. That would have to be have to be in worked out in conjunction with the environmental police. Uh we can't control that. We don't have jurisdiction unless it's an emergency, probably. We can't control the jet skis on the lake, either. If they're out there, if they park at 50 on 58 and they're there,
I agree with all of you that it's a dangerous issue, a safety issue, an inconvenience, unfortunate, and so forth. And And out-of-towner should not be the priority. The Halifax resident should be the priority, but we don't have complete control over it. We do have some mitigating circumstances that we could
help. A gate there would be a proposal that I would look into on 58. I would be in favor of a gate to be placed at Lingan Narrows on uh 4th Ave um at a property line to be determined in conjunction with fire and emergency services, like
Steve mentioned, a a box, a Knox Box for the police and fire to have the codes to. Residents to be given codes to. I don't know that it will curtail all of the traffic. It may not improve the beach. But it will improve the access to the beach, which will make it harder to get there.
The goal is not to make it hard for anybody in particular. The goal is to do it the right way by the Halifax residents, whose street it is, whose neighborhood it is. So I and then that in conjunction with parks or somebody enforcing the laws at dusk. If the parks are supposed to be dawn to dusk. If the
gates are open till 10:00 p.m. on a Saturday night, then access is available for everybody. And that's not how it's designed to be. So that's just my quick summary. We're aware of it. We're not blind to it. We're not deaf to it. We've been there. We've seen it. It's June, you know,
there's time left, but we have to move some quickly. But I would be in favor of both a a ramp to be placed on 4th Ave and a and a and a gate to be to be closed at dusk on 58th, which is something I believe to be in our purview. >> Do you mean a gate at the ramp?
>> I'm sorry, a gate on the 4th Street ramp. You know, with a with a lockbox and a similar gate on 58th. >> So >> Yes. Bill. >> People are going to continue doing this until you do something about it. I'm all
for enforcement. Believe me, I love enforcement. When there's a problem, you do target enforcement. It's going to cost money. Take your guys off duty, you pay them overtime, you put them in civilian clothes, they go down there, and they just pop up in the day, no one knows they're
going to be there, and they raid the they raid and do whatever they got to do. That will solve some of the problems on the beach. But you got to do it not once, not twice, three or four times. The other problem is in other communities, we were part of Metro Lake, you need a boat.
You have to have a police boat. It's going to cost money. You man that boat with two officers, and I guarantee you those jet skis will be gone. They will not come back. They start writing them tickets, they're gone. It's time to stop putting a band-aid on it and time to step up and say we're
going to solve the problem. The problem's going to cost money. We're all in it together. Let's get the boat. Let's train the guys. Let's put them out there. Let's do target enforcement. Like you said, put a gate up. You start arresting people, pulling towing cars, they won't come back.
And that's that's how I see it, so. >> Um couple of notes from um what you guys were saying. First off, what you guys all I appreciate what you brought here tonight. You were You were eloquent. A lot of you You were even killed. Wasn't hollering. I think we're all on the same
page in a lot of this. Um some notes that I had on this. I too am for a gate on 4th Ave. If that is a possibility at all, I would be all for that. Um and I think we need to, you know, let's get that from police and fire tomorrow. And if that's doable, if
that's legal, let's do it. So, there's my first part there. Number two, I did I was reached out by our um police chief and deputy chief that couldn't be here tonight. They have told me that they are watching this meeting um and have plans in action to to come
up with solutions. So, that's number two. That said, I'll be honest, I'm really bummed that Parks is not here right now. We knew this was on the agenda for a long time, uh and the fact that no one here from Parks is here to weigh in on this bumps me out. So, that
that's uh another thing I wanted to bring up. >> [sighs] >> Another thing I'd like to do, and if the board is okay with it, we need to write the state about this. I don't know if it'll have any teeth, but we tried to regulate this body of water, and the state said we couldn't. If that's the
case, then the state needs to help fix what's going on here. So, I've heard from folks down there. I too have gone down and and spent some time at the beach. Um that the environmental policeman that comes down is great. But, he's stretched to how many communities, Mark? It's 25
communities. 51 lakes. How how is that effective? How How is the state running a program that has one officer in charge of 51 That's absurd. So, I would be for this board writing a strongly worded letter to the state, to
the environmental police department, to demand help. To demand help because if we can't fix it the way we want to fix it, the state has to kick in and help us. Um that's there as well. Uh and oh, and finally,
we just voted tonight to open uh a warrant for a special town meeting. I would ask this board that before our July meeting, or at least the end of our July meeting, the last meeting that we can have, that we take a hard look at our bylaws
about this. If there's a way that we can somehow um make a beach resident only uh in bylaw form, if there's anything we can do to strengthen the teeth that the town has for this body of water, I I say that we ask our legal counsel to
take a look at this um and try to try to give ourselves more power because you say there's nothing we can do, there's nothing we can do. Let's see if there's a way to change some of our bylaws so that there is something we can do. >> Um >> Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me.
>> Please. >> Yeah. No, you can come up when I'm done. I'll I'll be done in two two shakes here. Um So, yeah. So, I had that there as well. Uh special town meeting. If hopefully we could do something for this coming town meeting, uh special one in July. If unfortunately, if we don't have the
bandwidth to get it done by then, we will also be having a town meeting hopefully November. So, you know, my preference would obviously be to try to get something going now for July. If that's not feasible, I don't want to promise the moon here, guys. If that's not feasible, at least have something
going for the November town meeting to get it on the books. Um and I think Hold on. I had a boat. Um and I had a boat. I had a boat. And I think that is all that I had here. >> I think the big thing, you know, I think
those idea about the boat is a terrific one. As I told the couple residents when we met, though, I think like I'm just I'm just ball parking. If there are eight issues down there that need addressing and five of them are easy to fix and relatively cheap and quick to fix.
Changing those five quickly might change the landscape more than you think. I don't think we should shoot for the moon and do all eight or wait for all eight. If there are two, three, four that can get done sooner rather than later and we keep working towards five and six. >> Sure. >> I don't think we should wait for the boat. The boat's great, you know. >> Costs money.
>> But if the boat's 2 years away, we shouldn't not do A, B, and C. >> No, you have to do it now. >> Uh now. So, I think that's a good, you know, we're going to try to move this along a little bit, but Steve and then you want to speak and then if anybody else new wants to speak or very quickly just to try to move it. We have a lot left to go. >> Steve Goodman, 24th Ave. Just a couple
points for the town council. Um it's classified as a great pond and lake. Um uh and it it's since it's hydrologically one lake, it's hydrologically connected to Silver Lake and it's classified by the state as a class A drinking water lake.
That may enable us to have some kind of uh say about the capacity, the number of boats. And that's why I think the boat ramp is designed If you go to the state ramp, there's only 20 spots. If those 20 spots are full too bad, go to another lake. >> Right. >> And then so I think it was designed that way on purpose. Um
>> And Steve, did you say earlier that only trucks with trailers can park there? >> That's what the state sign says. >> So, there's got to be >> You cannot park there unless you are launching a boat. >> Yeah. >> Correct. >> Clarifying the point. >> So, there's no one there to enforce it. >> Well, unless they have a marshal there. >> Uh last year he came on Memorial Day and uh to your point, he came on 4th of July
weekend and I got to tell you, he confiscated two jet skis and he probably wrote just watching him, he probably wrote, I don't know, 40, 50,000 dollars worth of tickets. Same guys are back next week. >> Really? >> Guys jet ski, trailer and truck weren't registered. He confiscated all three of them. The guy paid, got them out, he was
back the next week. They don't care. And I have some facts. None of these people are from anywhere around here. None of them. I without without putting myself in harm's way, I have ways of finding out where they all
live and none of them live here. >> I hear you. >> They're all from North Shore towns and things like that. And to the other point, I think Dave might go ahead and say it, I can have a gate up by this weekend. Money's not an issue. >> Yeah. >> I'll have the proper lock for the fire department. The fire police will have a key. I'll have it up by Friday afternoon
if that's what you decide. >> Please. >> Megan, you want to add something? >> Hi, Megan Weber, 35 8th Ave. Um why can't the cops do a sobriety check and lock the gate on Sundays in particular? Like have set up a little
like almost like a sobriety check because most of them have been drinking and that's >> To do a sobriety check, you have to post it in advance. It's like a roadblock. You got to post it in advance, the hours you're going to be there. It's a whole process.
>> All right. >> Unless you have probable cause. >> Unless you don't have it. >> Probable cause, yes, if you see something erratic, yes, but to do a sobriety checkpoint, you have to post it in the paper. >> All right. I didn't know that, good to know. One of our residents did look into it and there's no little bylaws involving the
beaches because the beach was our our lake is a man-made lake. So, there's no real laws, so we might have to actually write some to actually get some progress done. >> Sure. >> And one of the things I noticed is that when we try to correct some of these people by telling them no you can't have
a propane tank on the beach and no you shouldn't have alcohol on the beach. No English. But when the cops come, perfect [clears throat] English. So a little bit of ignorance on that fact but you know
it's getting tiresome. I get it. I just want to be careful about a couple things because we got to you know the rules need to be the rules. We we're advocating for Halifax residents but we got to be careful about the application of the rules. But the other thing is that I would just be I would just caution everybody is just to take a step back. Like I said, I was there two or three times
over the past couple weekends. I wouldn't say the only people drinking on the beach were from out of town. >> I wouldn't have doubt it. >> I wouldn't say the only drunk people on the beach were from out of town either. So I would just be careful about casting wide nets. >> We're all walking home. >> Yeah. >> No no alcohol on the beach.
No al No alcohol on the beach is no alcohol on the beach and that is not specific to Halifax or not. So I would just be careful about casting a wide net. We want the rules to be in place in in support of the Halifax residents. Well then they should they should be enforced equally whether you're from here or not.
Just want to make that very clear. In support of the police and the rules. >> Yep. No no argument here. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Did anybody else have anything to say before we just kind of wrap this up on our boat here? >> No, I thought they gave by the weekend if we >> Okay.
I don't know what the board's appetite is to take an official motion. I don't know that we need to or should we but I would be interested in contacting both Yes, sir. This will be this will be it before we kind of move on to this topic, okay? Probably won't be the last time it's on the agenda.
>> Yeah, Dick Wright, Brand Ice Circle. On the sub coming special town meeting how would you go about selecting an agenda if you will getting items on the warrant? >> So if you have a petition, if you want to have an item placed on the warrant, you need you can see the
town clerk. You have to obtain the language of your article and then I 200 signatures. Is that standard? >> It's different for special >> it might be >> It's just different for articles. >> Okay. It might be different. To to call the meeting is 200 and is it
>> I'd have to look. I know >> Okay. Town Town clerk. >> Okay. >> And then they have to be turned in before the close of the warrant which in this case would be July 7th. >> 7th. >> So you could go see town clerk tomorrow get the signatures, turn them back in and have them certified before the close
of the warrant. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Sure. >> Thank you. >> I mean I would be interested. I don't know if it's a motion or not. I would be interested in contacting both chiefs, police and fire, at our earliest convenience, double checking the legality of putting those gates up and enforcing the installation and you
know, regulating of the gate specifically on the on this case we're talking about 4th Ave. I don't know if we who we would contact about my general idea about the boat ramp having a gate locked. Maybe ask them as well in conjunction with that, but I don't want that to hold
up 4th Ave. It could be a separate question. >> Tom, can I can I propose a motion to have a locked gate under key box at 4th Ave boat ramp pending approval from our police and fire chief.
>> Yes. Yes, unless do we have to have anybody from zoning or building or anybody to make for property purposes? >> Steven's here. Steven's here. >> So because you're putting in something within 100 ft of a resource area, you're going to have to go through
conservation. This is not a >> That's just a >> That's the law. >> That's just the law. >> Well that's it. Guys, please. We we want to fix this. We have to do it legally. That's the thing that we have to always maintain that we do have to do it legally. >> So at a minimum it would require a
filing with the with the conservation commission. >> Guys Guys, just listen, please. >> It would still need a filing even if it was a minor filing of some >> So, what's the What do we believe the regulation of 100 ft of what? >> It'd be 100 ft of a pond's edge, so you'd have to file a request for a determination of applicability, which is
basically you asking the Conservation Commission if the project has a negative impact on the on the pond. Now, what I'm not saying is that it would be denied. What I'm saying is there's a process that needs to be carried out for the gate to be placed legally. Now, can that be you know, can you speak to the chair of
that commission and see if you can get it done on an emergency basis of some sort? >> Let's try. >> Maybe. >> Let's try. >> Let's try. >> I just wanted to bring up that is one permit that you would need to clarify. >> meeting right there? >> Meeting tonight. >> They are meeting tonight, yes. Um I know they had a meeting at 7:00, so they
might be done by now. >> Okay. >> Um but it's certainly something I can bring to the chair. >> Why don't we There's a motion on the floor, though. >> There's a motion. >> Okay. Bill, did you have a second on that? >> I second it. >> Okay. And the motion to refresh was to have a check with the chiefs of police and
>> Check with police and fire to put a lock box gate on the 4th Ave ramp. >> Okay. Pending Pending approval from both chiefs and any other necessary channels. >> It >> Or I Or >> No.
>> No. >> No. Just chiefs. >> Excuse me. >> What What >> I thought you were saying that it was 100 ft from the troll line. >> Yeah, if you're within 100 ft of a resource area under Massachusetts
>> More than 100 ft from the troll line, the gate, would that still have to go before Conservation? >> If you are within 100 ft of any resource area >> If you're at 101 ft, we wouldn't need to go before Conservation. >> Right, and I think that's what Jonathan is suggesting. Let's get Let's get the police and fire I don't want to speak
for you. >> Sure. >> Let's get police and fire on board, figure out where the gate can go is, measure it, see if we need a determination, and if so ask the conservation commission for to be on their next appointment uh next uh meeting and or have an emergency meeting called if they're willing to entertain it.
>> I was I was there Sunday. That gate is probably more than 100 I'm betting. >> It depends on where you >> More than 100 ft from the from the shore. >> It dep- it depends cuz there's also public driveway to consider behind Steve's house. So all right. Uh let's do let's do a vote. Let's let's send it to a vote uh seconded.
Uh all those in favor of Jonathan's motion uh say I. >> I. >> Opposed unanimous. We will send that tomorrow to Chief Shaw and Chief Witham um for their approval >> Yep. >> discussion there within and hopefully get them down there. I don't know if that would be Steve Hayward who would
help them or >> know. It sounds like there's some residents that might be able to help out as well. >> figure out the gate. So okay. >> As as needed whatever >> Yeah. Let's let's start let 1 second Amy. Let's start let's start there. Let's let's not be done with it. Let's all get on get in get in front of
conservation commission. >> Yep. >> We'll work on Jonathan's suggestion for the bylaws for our next meeting. Uh I would be interested in learning the how to do the boat ramp on 58. Guys can we just have some quiet here please? Just some quiet continue the continue the meeting here. I'd like to investigate the boat ramp on 58 and see what it involves what that involves
>> just take uh probably coordination and collaboration with the state whether it's fish and wildlife >> ask. Let's ask. My opinion still remains let's do the small things that add up to a difference. Let's not wait for the big stuff and that was with my opinion. Amy go ahead. >> I 1,000% agree with that. Amy Troop 10
Hillside Ave. I just was going to say that it can be attached to posts that are already there and not have to do anything. So we wouldn't be disturbing any ground. And I would also argue that the the um jet skis being within the
proximity and on the beach of the swim lines is a major problem for our conservation over. So this would be actually preventing conservation problems and we can do this outside of that. And it's just dangerous because we're going to end up having somebody killed.
>> Amy, I agree with you 100%. What I'm saying is the proper avenues have to just go through. It may be a delay of like a week. >> Let's do it right the first Let's do it right. That way we don't have to undo anything we've done. Let's do it right. Let's see if we figure out the answers and do it right. That's my opinion. Last comment, David. Come to the podium, please. All the way up. All the way up.
>> Identify yourself, sir. David Macio, 16 10th Ave. I actually just wanted to say thank you, Steve, Tom, and Jonathan. I've seen you guys Sorry, I didn't see you there. But I did see you guys putting putting effort in and I want to say thank you. You spent some time there on Sunday, so I appreciate it. That's
all I just wanted to say. Thank you for putting in the time. >> We need the help. >> Yep. Thanks. >> Okay. Uh again, just echo Jonathan's thoughts. I said it briefly, too. Thank you for being organized, passionate, eloquent. You guys were well prepared and makes a difference. We all We do understand. You know, we don't live necessarily right
there with you, but we understand. So, we'll we'll try. We'll give it our best go. It's in the chief's hands. We'll figure out what the next conservation commission and we'll go from there. We'll and >> I have a history in conservation, so I know ways to get around >> And it can And you know what? And this the board will always allow public comment. So, at the end of the
meetings, if you're if it's not on the agenda and you want to have it be brought up again, bring it up and we'll revisit it again. Okay? All right. Thank you. Okay. >> All right. >> I believe we're through I and we stopped on J. Um there are several vacation requests
from the highway department. Um I don't know if we need to detail or maybe we do, I don't know, if we need to detail these specifically. >> I think everyone's probably everyone from what I saw as they came in was was asking for their maximum carryover. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> And does that have to be illuminated in
detail or we just >> They all differ based on their union contracts and whether or not they're non-union wage personnel cuz the non-union wage personnel can end up being more hours. >> Help me out Help me out a page here. Where are we? >> Yeah, uh you're on that 24 on the on the gizmos. Gizmo keeps going.
>> Page 24 is the first group. What the This is locks every 30 seconds. >> I know. >> All right, page. You say 34? >> 24. >> 24. All right. So, um we'll read these um dated uh from Kathy Garland on June 5th, the following employees are requesting 40 hours of vacation to be
carried over in FY 27. The amount of time per employees is as follows. And I hope everyone's name right. Donald Crow, 40 hours. Kathy Kathleen Garland, 40 hours. Ed Murphy, 40 hours. Excuse me, Justin Keeley, 40 hours. And Mark McGarry, 40 hours. The department um is stretched pretty thin. They do a
lot of work. Um I don't see any issue um with this. Any Any conversation? >> No. >> Uh I will make a motion to approve uh all five uh Donald, Kathleen, Ed, Justin, and Mark's request for 40 hours be carried over in FY 27. >> So moved. >> Second.
>> Uh all those in favor? Aye. Unanimous. Okay. Similar requests. Does anybody know Pamela McSherry? >> Uh terrible employee. >> Oh, I don't know. >> Uh we're going to look into this further. >> Pamela has a similar request. Uh staffing shortage over the last 10
months. Uh has not been able to use her all of her vacation time. Requesting uh an additional 20 hours of vacation time to be carried over um to my 214 that is allowed. So, an additional 20 hours from Pam. I know Pam has been working short um
through several transitions. I have no issue. Conversation Discussion? >> Well, you know, we've gone through town administrators. We've been short-staffed. Um we can't expect to run so lean and not have folks not be able to take time off of work. So, I'm all for carrying this over. >> Uh I will make a motion to approve the
request by Pam McSherry for an additional 20 hours. >> Second. >> So moved. >> All those in favor? Aye. Unanimous. Okay. Uh Chief uh L uh Chief Mike Witham has a similar request. >> 26. >> Um
>> 26, yeah. >> I'm not going to read the whole thing, but uh Chief has uh 2 weeks of unused vacation time he's looking to carry over. Um talks about work-life balance, talks about um staffing challenges, which we know are adequate and and certainly supported by document. Um
that being said, um in conjunction with his excellent work and his new contract, I would uh have no issue with this. >> Same. >> I will make a motion to approve Chief Mike Whitten's uh request uh to carry over an additional 2 weeks of unused vacation time. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All
>> Aye. >> Okay. Skipping down ahead to V. >> V vacation >> V >> V >> I would say good luck on the Pam. Is this in the packet, Pam, too? Probably not, right? >> Um is Caesar's in there? >> Is it? >> It's at the very bottom.
>> Oh. >> All right, so Caesar um from the IT uh requesting to carry over an additional 96 hours of accrued vacation time in the fiscal year 2027 due to ongoing operational responsibilities and project commitments unable to use.
Um you know, similar similar sentiment for me. Uh one-man department for the most part with help, but one man. Uh I would uh I'll make a motion to approve uh Caesar Claro's uh vacation um carry over request. >> So moved. >> Second.
>> All those in favor? >> Aye. >> Aye. Unanimous. Okay. And then lastly on that very topic, W we have a vacation request um um from our COA director, uh Darlene Regan, requesting a vacation carry over for FY
27, uh 50 hours um that she's looking to carry over for FY 27 on that. A- Any comment on that or is that good as is? >> I think it's the very least we could do. >> Yeah. I agree I agree.
>> Yeah. >> Stop doing that, Darlene. >> Okay. I will make a motion uh gladly, as as Jonathan said, to approve the FY27 carryover request for Darlene Brigham. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor. >> I. Thank you, Darlene. >> Okay.
The only items I have left on this before public comment was unless I'm wrong, OS >> T >> We need M. >> M. All right. Okay, M. Let's do M. >> Yeah. >> Advisory regarding 3:00 a.m. in public consumption areas. >> What's that? The period
>> That is Maura Healey signing a law early June. I think mostly because of the World Cup. That certain establishments could apply and be granted liquor licenses to extend to 3:00 a.m. >> I don't think we need that in Halifax. >> I'm not a Is there Is there something in
front of us about this or is this just >> This came into every town. It's funny because when I when I was meeting at the South Coast managers lunch we had recently a couple of other managers brought it up and they were in much bigger communities and even those communities decided not
to extend it to 3:00 >> Yeah. So this is This needs to be voted yes or no and this is our within our purview. I'm okay as is. >> Yeah. >> I don't think we need to say without I don't I'm not even aware of anything >> it if they sell it on the boat ramp? >> [laughter]
>> I will make a motion to Do I need to take no action or decline to adopt the >> Decline to I guess however you want to word it but I would say decline to adopt the option to >> Yeah. >> All right. Remain open till 3:00 a.m. >> There's no penalty here. This is within town's authority to enforce their liquor their liquor license, correct?
>> All right. I will make a motion to choose to not enact and decline to put into effect the extension of liquor liability licenses being available to sell alcohol until 3:00 a.m. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. Sorry. All those in favor. I. Okay.
That's a I heard about that with the World Cup and I That's interesting. >> That's more for the city. >> All the Scots drank the entire city last night. >> Turn on me. All right. Number letter S. This should be fairly quick. >> What about O? I'm going to go back up to that. This is just on my list. O, this is something that I had asked to
have Steve to run down at our appointment liaison couple meetings ago. We are the Board of Selectmen appoints liaisons to certain boards and statutory liaisons. And so one of the things that we weren't 100% sure on because we've never had one on paper was how to handle the
whistleblower statute. This was in the past applied to a town administrator and he's in the building appropriately directing traffic. So I would make the motion to nominate unless there's any discussion and that I would make the motion to appoint town administrator Steven Solbo
as the liaison to the whistleblower whistleblower liaison I guess. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? Unanimous. Okay. We have T and O. I guess O is probably more cumbersome Steve chapter 90 contracts. What do you need from us on that? >> Doesn't give the amount.
>> No, I didn't see the I did yeah, that's what Frank always asked for the amount on that and I didn't see it either. We are on page >> Yeah, where are we? >> It's after the alcohol thing. Before the alcohol thing. >> It's like 30 something I think. >> 37?
I think. >> Mass dot standard contract is that what it is this one? Yeah, start the it's lengthy. >> It doesn't list an it should list an amount on it though. >> It starts on page 37 that's correct. >> Yeah, this is standard contract. >> Standard contract. >> It's a standard contract.
May be incurred as executive latest things are below no obligation have been incurred. This is standard right? And this is it's mandatory. So I don't know this is within general laws chapter 29 section 23A. I'm not overly I'm going to be honest with you I'm not overly familiar with this.
>> State state operating contract from the OSD. >> I've signed numerous ones of these. These it has doesn't have an amount. I I understand why there's no amount. >> Where would the where would the amount be in the like the in the in the provisions page in the up front >> First of all, there's the amount. It's not the amount, it's the >> Third block being down.
Which says compensation. >> Yeah. >> Right there in the very good >> the rate contract maximum obligation for the contract, that's blank. >> Yeah, then it says the Yeah. So, that's >> That's different for you? >> Yeah, it should be the same amount. >> It's not right here. >> Yeah, I'm seeing that. Doesn't, you know,
what are you signing for? >> Pam, this is what we got directly from the state, right? >> Yeah, that's >> This is what they sent us. >> From DOT, yeah. >> Um >> We can probably hold and >> Can we hold it and put it on our >> Is there Is it time sensitive at all? Does it Are we Are we doing any projects
before the next? >> Doesn't have a date on it. What's the date on it? >> Contract amendment. Well, the contract terminates in 2037, so it's an 11-year contract. That's >> No. >> And it says this is a contract
amendment, not a new contract. Amendment to the date, scope, or budget. So, where are those? >> Why don't we table it? >> We'll table it. >> to have to table it. >> I'd like to send it to >> Yep. >> Too many questions. >> All right, let's let's let's move this uh Pam, let's move this to the July 14th meeting uh pending more information.
Steve, can you track that down? Okay. General goods and service contracts with annual value, okay, that's good. >> I don't kind of I didn't even That one snuck up on me. >> Uh and then just one more on um before public comment and then town administrator report. Um we do have um a
line item transfer to be considered on page >> Yep. >> Uh >> Near the bottom, Pam says. >> Yes. Okay, dated 6/11. Request is hereby made for the following transfer from appropriation. I'm sorry. >> 46.
>> Uh an appropriation with accordance chapter 40 section 33B of Massachusetts General Laws. Please transfer the amount of $2,200 uh from the town administrator's salary line uh to the selectmen clerical wages.
Um the prior account has a current balance. The other one would run short with funding. The reason for the projected deficit is selectmen secretary, uh that would be Irma, uh stayed on uh during the transition period that we had with between town administrators for longer than we anticipated. Um so that account is short
to finish up June 30, 2026. The amount of uh so just to recap, 2200 for the TA salary line to the selectmen clerical wages. Any discussion? >> Nope. >> Nope. >> All those in favor? I. Opposed? Unanimous. Okay. So two items left. We have public comment and then the town
administrator's report. I think in the interest of the guests, we'll just do public comment quickly, Stephen, if you're okay with that. >> Sure. >> Okay. I have two letters um from town residents, both dated for June 22 21, 2026. Um they're of decent length, but I'd like
to read them. So I mentioned earlier, we'll always take public comment as long as it's uh delivered appropriately and timely um and within reason and this these certainly were and they're appropriate as well. Uh dear selectmen, I'm not and I don't know do I read who they're from? I don't know. Do I do that or not? All right, this is from uh Georgiana
Kowallis. Dear select board members, knowing the upcoming fiscal year will be a tough will be a tough one for our town, I'm asking you to encourage the Council of Aging as well as the library trustees to minimize the cuts to their budget, which are so important to our senior citizens as well as the disabled. In my situation, I'm 81 years old and can no
longer drive due to health issues. I so look forward to the monthly visits of the bookmobile, which delivers me several large print books. Meals on Wheels volunteers bring a smile as well as a meal. They bring contact within the community to us who are mostly homebound. These services may be small items in the budget, but they are large items in the lives of our senior
disabled citizens. Respectfully, Georgiana Kowallis. And the second with a similar sentiment, uh although a bit longer, was from Isabella Rose. To the select board, finance committee, Council on Aging Board, and town leaders. I'm in writing in support of preserving funding and staffing for the
Halifax Council on Aging. Our seniors are a vital asset to our community. They have spent their lives working, raising families, volunteering, serving others, and helping build the town we call home. They deserve to age with dignity, support, and respect. As the former chair of Generations in support of the Halifax Council on Aging, I know
firsthand how important these services are and how much dedication goes into providing them. The Council on Aging is not just a building on a lot or a line item on the budget. It is a lifeline for many older adults, especially those who are isolated, homebound, or have limited support systems. I know from experience
that Darlene has worked tirelessly tirelessly on behalf of Halifax seniors, often putting in far more hours than anyone should reasonably expect it to work. She deserves to be fairly compensated for her time and dedication. One person cannot continue to shoulder the responsibilities of the entire department. Dedicated staff deserve support, not
additional burdens created by staffing cuts. Through my broader work advocacy work, I have I seen how vital community-based supports are to older adults and individuals living with disabilities. These services are not simply conveniences, they are life-saving, they help people remain connected, informed,
nourished, independent, and able to age in place with dignity. Many residents rely on the Council on Aging for programs, information, transportation, outreach, and social connection. Reducing hours and support will impact some of the most vulnerable members of of our community. Although Meals on Wheels is provided
through Old Colony Elder Services, many homebound residents depend on that upon that service. My mother enjoys her Meals on Wheels and looks forward to the visits from those who deliver them. They bring much more than nourishment, they bring kindness, companionship, and a smile that brightens her day. I know that I know that same experience
is shared by many homebound seniors throughout our community. Likewise, the Holmes Public Library book library's bookmobile service brings joy and connection to residents who are unable to visit the library. My mother greatly enjoys the bookmobile, and I know many others do as well. These programs are not luxuries, they enrich lives and help
older adults remain connected to their community. I also find myself asking, "What role can Generations in Support of the Halifax Council on Aging play during this difficult time?" The organization was created specifically to support the Council on Aging and the seniors it serves.
I hope community leaders, volunteers, and supporters will come together to explore how we can assist and advocate for these essential services. Regardless of how residents voted, we now have a responsibility to ensure that our seniors are not left behind. They are not disposable, nor should they be
forgotten when times become difficult. They need us now more than ever. How we treat our elders says much more about who we are as a community. I hope Halifax will continue to recognize the value, wisdom, and dignity of its older residents and do everything possible to preserve the services they deserve. Respectfully, Isabella Rose.
So, those were two letters that we received uh in the last 48 hours that could not make their way into the packet. Um I'm wondering if anybody here has public comment on the same topic. >> Frederick Corrigan, 7 Rosewood Drive. I'm very involved with the Council on
Aging. They do a tremendous job in this town. Unfortunately, um there was three people running the Council on Aging. It was the director and two assistants.
Two assistants both quit without notice. And that can happen with any job or any company, whatever. What troubles me a little bit is that you members of the board have not even advertised those two
permission uh positions. And I'm kind of wondering why. Why aren't we looking for two more people to fill these positions for assistance because that one director
even though she's working 50, 60, 70 hours a week and that's no lie. And we're letting that happen. And what's going to happen if she gets sick because she's working herself right into the ground through true dedication?
I'm saying to you we need to look at the picture of for our seniors because without the Council of Aging our seniors are in trouble. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Sure. >> Now that you have been longer
Um I want to say thank you to um everyone that has written uh a letter of support. Um we're all aging and I we can't change it. I wish we could. Um unfortunately we'll be there someday. We all >> I want to stay in this beautiful town.
And uh reason why I want to stay in it as well. Um to bring forth the services and the programs that are available out there at the state and federal level. And we are getting Everybody's turning 65 all of a sudden.
Then Medicare, all this stuff is coming forth now. And I'm I'm overwhelmed by a lot of the different programs, SNAP program and all the funding that's being affected too at the federal level. But never say never to me in terms of
what's available in around the around the corner. We will find the services out there no matter what. And that's what I aim to do for the town and that's what I've always been doing for the last 5 years. So with that said I appreciate the notes
and I have other ones as well that I received, thank you notes as well. But I'm not looking for accolades. I only look for the support from the board, and I respect everyone here, and I want to thank you for all the supports thus far. And going forward, I hope that
will continue um as well as the other boards that um you know, that are the COA advisory board and the growth of it. The growth of this town is here. We're getting new people in that are looking for
amazing things. Stuff that I feel like I want to create. The things that we all will appreciate at some point when we're all 60. Um but, things that are going to be fun to do. Wellness programs and things of that nature.
So, I want to see this town make well or do well by the aging population because we're all aging. And unfortunately, you know, we can do everything else and avoid it, but it's there. And and we all want to stay in town.
So, I thank everyone. I thank um you know, Bella and her mom and and the bookmobile and the food we bring in. I actually just met with Social Community Action Council president. And you know, she was we're working together in terms
of services, in terms of other things we can provide to the to the community here. We met to talk about needs of Halifax. So, that's the networking we need to continue, and that's what I plan to do. So, I thank everyone for the support.
And you and thank you. >> Thank you, Darlene. Thank you. >> Thank you, Darlene. >> Thank you. >> Just name and address when you get to the mic, sir. >> Uh my name is Martin Toohey. Uh 134 Brandeis Circle. Uh retiree from the Halifax Elementary School. Uh this fall,
my health coverage was canceled by my insurer. So, I attempted to go to the Council on Aging, but unfortunately they were understaffed. Darlene took it upon herself to make a special interest to be able to get my wife and I that coverage
and the information about pertaining that coverage. Uh and over the years that I've been going to the Council, I've noticed that there's been more participation from a lot of gentlemen who have never been there before. That's one way that they
were able to come in get a community sense there. Before prior to that, there was only maybe one or two gentlemen that would come there. So, it is a welcoming place to be and it does need to be staffed. Thanks a lot. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you again. Once again, Dick Wright, 1 Brandyce Circle. I like to speak on behalf of the Council on Aging. I know a lot of people seem to think that it's just a handful of old people that get together and have coffee. Uh that's not necessarily true. There's a lot that goes on. We are restricted
restricted by the number of people that we can have in there and Darlene is kind of a stickler on how many people we can have. So, we have to break it up and spread it out on a number of days. For example, she has a fitness class that can't be held at the Council on Aging.
She has other programs that can't be held at the Council on Aging. Uh we have programs where we have people that need MassHealth. They need help with Social Security. I know there's the outreach person that calls We have a large community, the
uh mobile home estates that need uh attention. Uh it's a vital department in the town is what I'm trying to put across. I know you gentlemen are tired and want to go home, so I'll I'll end it there. Thank you for your time. >> you're good. Okay. good. >> You know, when you ask when you ask
people what they think of you know, the Board of Selectmen or the town administrator or that fourth grade teacher, you probably get some mixed reviews. You don't hear too many mixed reviews about Darlene's performance by those who take advantage of her at the Council on Aging. That's pretty unanimous. So, uh you have some
support here in this room. You have support here behind this table. Um it may not always feel like that given the fact that there's some difficult decisions that have been placed before the town. Um some of those are you know, are part of or could be part of a discussion
at the July 29th special town meeting. That will be that I can't rule it in or out, but I wouldn't be surprised to have it be listed there. Um but I just wanted to you know, from my perspective, a lot of people's opinions of a lot of people are mixed. I don't really hear too much of that from you or about you. So, I think that the
people who take advantage of the Council on Aging are lucky to have done so under your guidance and uh you know, just as a personal aside, I I had hoped that the override passed because I thought that that would be one of the bigger losses that the town experienced and you know, I wish it had been different um in that regard. So,
maybe some time left to re-kick the tires and see what happens, but um certainly some support here in the room for you. >> Just real quickly. So, before I did the Selectmen gig, I was um president of the Friends of Hops, the playground committee to redo our playground over
there. Um and we undertook a long arduous task of trying to raise money. And I was getting ready to go into our Council on Aging to to talk to the folks there about it and they said, "What are you doing?" I said, "Well, I want to see if they want to help out with the playground." Those folks have been waiting years for
a senior center. They're not going to want to help. And I'll tell you to a person in that room, they were receptive, they were supportive, and this was a group that again, unfortunately gets forgotten a lot in towns. So, for them to realize the value of what a playground means,
it's it's our turn as a town to realize the need and necessity of what that population is as well. So, um kudos to you, Darlene, and kudos to to uh keeping this going and keeping this a strong department. That it's a great community. And hope
And yeah, I don't want to get the cart before the horse, but we have our municipal and school building committee meetings that are looking at a new Council on Aging building, and that Council on Aging building is going to happen. A 3,600 square foot Council on Aging building is coming.
Well, a commercial kitchen would be nice, but but we will have the space to host events, to have people there um despite, you know, some folks that that may not want to uh to commit to that number. So, we're we're we're pushing forward. That was one of the things I
ran on because, again, to see those people that uh were so supportive of a playground that really had nothing to do with what they were doing, but they were still in it. Um a new COA is one of the reasons that I'm here. So. >> What is the status of it? They haven't
>> So, we're we're expecting more designs coming back from uh >> Revisions, correct? >> Revisions, correct. Correct revisions. So, um we are due a meeting. Steven, do you remember when the next meeting of the municipal building committee is? In a couple weeks? >> announced it. >> They haven't announced it yet. So,
they're working on revisions. Um you know, hopefully before the end of of uh Yeah, the design team has it. So. >> So, this is way off the uh cot the timeline then. >> Um not way off. I think we're probably 2
months 2 months behind original. Yeah. >> Yeah. October to pick a contractor? >> Yeah, and I think they were looking at maybe breaking ground if if they could over the winter. So. No, I know. No, it's coming. It's coming.
It's coming. Darlene, I agree with what you said because I don't understand why people don't realize we're all going to that place. >> Sure. >> Why not make it better for when you get there? >> Yeah. >> But people just don't see it that way. They They They see the day right now what they want right now and they don't
see the future. >> Yeah. >> There's no planning for the future anywhere. >> Yeah, I can see the next this group that's coming in through um the new condos are seeing something that they're coming from places that have established you know >> Absolutely. >> Mhm. >> or
um centers for active living and they're like, "Okay, where is active living here?" >> Yeah. >> It's here. It's here. Just give us some time to build this, you know. We're building a future for everyone. >> Right. >> And we're not being utilized just by
older adults like myself. Um everybody's older. But I mean, ask a 30-year-old and what is old and then say a 40-year-old and a 40-year-old what is what is old and a 50-year-old. So, you know, who knows what age means, right? >> Yeah. Old. >> Mhm.
>> You don't know what age means. So, only I mean, the only power that people would have anyways. Uh support one another and realize that a lot of the caregivers in town are young people asking what where do we go with a loved one that's injured
or something that they need for support services, wheelchairs or stuff. I had a 44-year-old needing a wheelchair, you know. And you know, a uh a uh a need like a wheelchair and we had it.
So, you know, durable medical equipment. Seems like you know, we're saving Medicare a lot of money. >> Mhm. >> Cuz I I've been to a couple of the coffees on Thursday and I just want to say the knowledge and wisdom of the people that go there is incredible. If you could just listen to them talk, they know so much.
>> Yeah. No, a million years ago I ran a cribbage night over there. It was awesome. >> Yeah. >> It was >> Really >> Yeah. >> Mrs. Aldridge >> I bring my own coffee. I bring Dunkin' Donuts. >> Miss Miss Dean is being very patient here. Ma'am? >> Hi. Gina Alger, 340 Plymouth Street.
The biggest loss that this town is going to have is the loss of Darlene if she has to leave. People don't know what she does. This girl has a heart and she shows it with the seniors.
They all love her. There's nothing she won't do for you. She just loves people. And the seniors are her babies. And
as I told you all before this town has never done anything for the seniors. >> You're right. >> They've never supported the seniors. They don't want the seniors. And it's a shame.
Because all you people are going to be seniors someday and you're going to be looking for help. And [snorts] if you have no place to go to get it you're not going to get it or go to another town. I would be very disappointed
if it came to that. I've lived in town for 70 years. And we got somebody that loves people, that loves the seniors. She'll do anything for you.
She's the only one in this town that works 40-plus hours. And I'm appalled to see the treatment that she is getting.
Out of everyone. And that's all I have to say. I'm just terribly disappointed and disgusted with my town. Thank you. >> Thank you. Dolly, I think if we can get a lot of
people to come to that special town meeting, a lot of seniors to move to move the needle in the right direction. That's what you need. Cuz that one group's not going to allow the you know Right. Right. Right.
This will be quick. This meeting will be quick, we hope. Well, quicker than this one, I don't know. >> [laughter] >> I don't think anybody, you know, I don't think you know, Mrs. Alger, those are some pretty strong words, you know, I don't think anybody disagrees with your
sentiment. I don't know who you're I I don't know who you're saying you're disappointed in the town. I'm not sure if that's reflective of the voters or this table or or what, but you know, we're hopeful. I mean, I I was hopeful back on election night uh once we fought to get that on the
ballot. The override on the ballot. You know, to reset to reset it. That was the town's opportunity to be heard, and I think I don't want to speak for anybody. I know how I voted, and I I voted I voted to for the override to pass. To fund the COA, to fund the fire, to fund
the appropriate things for town services. I can't make anybody else vote that way. So, when you say the town, I'm hoping that you understand that we're trying and we have advocated and we'll continue to do so for the senior center both as it stands and as it could stand in the winter.
Any other public comment on another topic before we Sure. Can you Dolly, can you just come back to the podium, please? >> I was referring to the fact of that of going through what we have to go through right now in order to bring a semblance of some kind
of order going forward and hiring the people that was necessary of van driver. We have medical appointments that we can't even satisfy right now. That's important today for our senior population. We're having difficulties with the servicing part of it, which I'm trying
to manipulate and manage and massage and all that other stuff. So I think that what Tina is referencing is the fact that we have funding and that GATRA funding supports the van drivers. It does support our town's transportation.
And that's the whole goal of this whole GATRA is to bring forth this transportation that we can have access funding or funding that's coming in that's reimbursements and not a grant. So with that said, I mean I think
to have to go through what we're doing this and go through that's extra, you know, July 29th date and all this other stuff and you know, for the seniors to be frightened by what's being done at this point and I think that's what Tina is referencing
and I know that's pretty scary for a lot of the seniors. They're like, where are we going to go with my How am I going to get to the grocery store? A grocery store. That's that's a simple thing for us, right? But a lot of people it isn't. And for the the the camaraderie, the
spirit of bringing people in to even have a lunch we've never had that before and now it's grown. We have a thing for Sole Purpose, who has been amazing supporting us throughout all of this. We're trying to
find locations. We have so many people now wanting to join because they love the environment Sole Purpose has provided to us and the support in keeping them active. We have more seniors now in that class than we ever
did and now we we have four more people that are going to be joining. We don't have enough room now. And that's a good thing, right? We want to keep Yeah, we want to keep them healthy. It's a All that's a part of who we are. No No matter what age. And unfortunately,
we all age and we can't control that, but again, the service we we provide within our town is so important and for us to have to take a step back and you know, kind of breathe and gulp, what's going
to happen next is what's scary. And I believe it's scary to people that have no one there for them. Um so the state's asking us to create this environment where we don't think about age, that we think about who we are as
individuals and wake up and support that and provide these wonderful programs out there. And whether it be pickleball, whether it be, you know, weight lifting or anything or cycling bike biking or whatever, but
Sole Purpose uh hundred tall can support some of it, but we don't even have access to this room anymore. And even if we wanted to do we wanted to do some other things and you know, people are coming to me like, "Hey, what about we Why can't we do this?" And I'm
like, "Spacing." But, you know, again, thank thank we're thankful for Sole Purpose and and the support and to keep us healthy and diabetes is an issue today, all these different things. the adopters are now send sign up for that class.
So, it's a good thing in the end and I like I said, for us to have to go and take a step back, I've actually then did some changes in my life, you know, so that I can I don't know what the next thing is going to be and I just play it
day by day. I shouldn't have to do that. And so, but I'm here for you. I'm here for the town, too. So, let's see where it goes, I guess. >> Any other public comment on any other topics?
Okay. Stephen, town administrator report? >> Yep. We've got some topics to discuss tonight. Um I'll just run down these real quickly seeing as I'd like to get out of here before 9:00. Um so, we're still working on We're getting close to the end of the fiscal
year 2026, so we're working on closing that Continuing to monitor uh departmental budgets as they wind down here for the end of the year. We'll have 15 years into the July to do any rollbacks or uh pullbacks into 2026 in order to pay any bills that may be outstanding or come in
a little late. Um and you know, Lindsay and Linda are obviously working hard to maintain the town's financial position as we had in 27. Obviously, some of the questions we we heard tonight about um questions that, you know, uh about not filling positions, a lot of those positions were
actually frozen and they've been frozen for quite a while and once they were not filled or once they became vacant, they were not filled for that reason for being frozen. That was part of the fiscal posture heading into the end of FY 2026. Um
then uh moving on to fiscal 2027 priorities, um we're uh working with the FinCom, uh maintaining fiscal stability and strengthening long-term financial planning. We're going to do that through a number of ways. Um and I'll get into a little bit more
about how the public will be able to watch how we're doing that as well. Uh so, we're going to complete our ongoing collective bargaining negotiations here pretty soon. I'm getting pretty close with a couple of the unions. A couple others shouldn't be that far behind. Um there's five out of six being
bargained right now total. So, we should have more news and hopefully close those out pretty soon. Be a nice thing to get off my plate so I can focus on a lot of other things. Um on the heels of that, once we know that number, which we pretty much know, we will be able to figure out which
component of free cash is available for the extra fell town meeting in which is scheduled now for probably uh November-December. Um that will be capital items and any other items that FinCom decides to put money towards. Again, the FinCom is the
holder of the purse. So, if anyone has any questions about how money is spent and where the suggestions come from, we all make suggestions, we all make our um best management practices ideas known to them, but they are the holder of the purse, so they ultimately make the budget decisions.
So, >> [clears throat] >> uh we're going to continue uh we have a few uh staffing transitions uh to make here as the fiscal year closes out. We are actively going to be laying off two employees here in town hall um a week from today.
Um that being the assistant collector and that also being the administrative assistant in the assessment uh the assessor's office. Um so, again, we're going to be even shorter over here on the town side. Um and again,
as Tom said, we gave the option to the public who decided they didn't want it. So, uh we will see impacts as a result of that for town hall uh operating hours open to the public. I expect to have a memo prepared regarding that. You could
see a shift more towards um other communities that have had to face similar budgetary concerns like Plimpton. Um you know, take a look at what hours they're open. Uh we may be shrinking back to our open hours being available to the same amount of hours because our efficiencies are
being stretched very thin as we've seen here tonight by the litany of vacation carryover requests. We simply have department heads that have to answer to windows and do things that are way you know, it's not that they're outside their job description, but they need to
be focusing on higher level things to help us remain in compliance with financial and other legal matters, and those things are simply falling behind because we are open to the public constantly putting out fires. Um and that will change even more
drastically July 1st when we make these cuts and they become official because then we'll even be shorter staffed. Uh at the next meeting you guys will see uh Agelitus which will be bringing forth a lease agreement that you guys had seen previously for Hemlock Lane back here.
Um I've asked a representative to come forth with it to discuss the couple of options cuz you guys had said that there was two options at one point. I'm going to be meeting with Sam in between. We're going to have a prepa- uh we're going to prepare. Um there's about a 20-year lease sitting
in a contract form right now that I am aware of. I have scanned it over. I've seen the numbers, but before we get to that point of signing and bringing it in front of you, I wanted to make sure everything we've gone through everything, make sure we're getting top dollar out of it, see if market change market has changed since then because we
all know the price of energy's gone up since then. >> Oh yes. >> So it might constitute a change in the contract as well. Um >> [clears throat] >> So moving on to departmental reviews which folds in again to more of why we're seeing all these vacation carryover requests. Um obviously we need
to take a deeper look at these departments under the new fiscal constraints we have. And again, we need to take a look at the available hours we are open to the public um across the board so that we can see if we can gain any efficiencies anywhere because again,
like I said, there are thing things that are falling behind um and need to be addressed and we're just too busy dealing with things that priority-wise could be could wait. But as when with windows being open, we like to deal with the customer first. It's a
customer service-based field, public administration. So we're trying our best, but changes will probably have to be made. Um and then we've got, like I said, some personnel issues as we close out the month here. Uh as as a result of the recent government study oversight committee, um
we had some items come out of that that we will be implementing as we move forward over the summer. Um the first one is coffee with the town administrator. Uh I had run uh one of those, I think the first one was at the Council on Aging very early on. Uh so I'll probably schedule one for at least at the Council
on Aging, uh rotate around buildings, probably have some in here. Um right now tentatively have that scheduled for once a month so folks can come in, ask questions about projects. Again, this is to build the transparency. It seems like there's a lot of questions that folks have over the course of the week, course of the month, in between select board
meetings, and it would be a good place where maybe you have a question that I can't answer on the spot, but I can bring it to the select the selectmen for them to talk about at a meeting, and then of course I can answer anything or take anything down that you guys may want addressed and bring it to their attention.
Um >> [clears throat] >> So, moving on, another item that came of that meeting was a resident budget dashboard. Um so what we'd like to do in order to clarify some transparency on the budgets is create a dashboard on the website
that will show you a tracker. So starting with the fis- beginning of the fiscal year, you'll see roughly the dollar amount that's on the tracker. And then as the year goes on, you'll see that tracker go down and, you know, monthly we get updates of where the budget stand in each department. So,
you'll see, "Hey, we're sitting now in December. That's about 50% of the way through the year. Where is the fire department sitting at their budget at this current moment?" It should be at roughly 50%. So, that way the residents will know, "Hey, it's tracking in the right direction. It's on It's on
course." And then that way residents can say, "Hey, why was the line maybe tilted in this direction or not? Maybe we had an emergency where we had to ex- extend some OT." And we can explain it. But that way when emergencies come up, you might see some blips. And that way it's just more transparent to the
public. So, the the public is just more aware of what's going on. Um Moving on. Um I know that Cody uh had done some work with Area 58 um and done some TV spots. I hope to implement the same spots and do those again. Bringing
in whether it's internal town staff for some interviews, selectmen uh for some Q&A sessions. Uh again, uh just trying to get out there more transparency. I've been that in town now for 6 months. I think it's about time to get out there a little bit more. We've been extremely busy uh obviously as you all know.
Um so, again, [clears throat] more transparency, you know, more oversight from the public, the ability to see more about what's going on behind these curtains as we like to say. Um Couple of a couple of these last items I just want to mention just get them on
the record. Um Municipal efficiency tracking. This is something that I'm going to do for myself because I think I get a lot of questions about where my time goes in a week. And I think it's important that if the public ever wants to know where some of our department heads and I'm going to try to see what department heads are
also able to do this. But when I worked in the private sector, you had to fill out your timesheet every week and it had to be based on billable hours. So, if you didn't have anything to bill for that hour, you would often write overhead. And in this line of work, you could call
overhead anytime somebody stops by your office and takes an hour and a half of your time. That's overhead or inefficiencies. So, I'm going to start tracking that time. Um that time will also get lumped in with things like frivolous public records requests. I call them frivolous, we'll still fill
them, but we get an awful lot of public records requests. We get so many public records requests in this town. Uh I've served in six other communities, and this is the most public records requests I've seen in any community. And I'm not talking just about the most,
I'm talking about the complexity as well. And that the complexity is what breeds the cost. Because not only does it take time for our staff to compile all these public records, which we'll do, and we can we're a town under 20,000, so we're allowed to, you know, for the first 2
hours figure out what it's going to take for us to pull everything together, and then we can bill at $25 an hour for however long that takes. We have to ask you first if you want to pay that. If you agree, then we have to take someone off their normal job, have them compile that, and
then if anything in there is legal related or town council related, we then have to send it to town council for review, redactions, and segregation so that nothing potentially confidential or sensitive gets leaked
to the public on a public records request. So, not only So, we're not charging the public residents fees for the town council review, but ultimately those town council fees get paid by all the rest of the taxpayers in town,
and they also end up under general matters on our bills, which is another point that came up earlier tonight. Um so, that's sort of how it cyclically works. That's the closed loop on that. And we're getting a lot of those to the point where we're asking um even the the records there's a
special records supervisor that sits at the state level which you can bring questions and concerns to him about whether it's you know, being inundated with public records requests records requests about the same issue over and over again
things like that can ultimately be you know, enforced by the supervisor of records at the state level. So, I just want the public to know that we are full we are willing to do your public records request. They may take a little bit longer especially after July 1st with
the with the less staff that we'll have on hand. We will tell you if it's going to take us longer. We ask you for more time, but please understand this is expensive from an efficiency standpoint of the town staff and it can become very expensive to the other taxpayers in town if we
have to have those public records reviewed by town council. So, it's just that's more of a public statement just so folks understand what the implications of a public records request can really mean financially. So, I just wanted to put that out there um
because again, it's something that takes up getting back to the efficiency tracker. I felt like this week we've not just me, but several staff members have been working on several different public records requests and it has taken up a majority
of our time and we have other issues in town that we need to deal with like figuring out how to get the council on aging moving forward in the right fashion and state. We've got the ponds and lake situation. So, we've got issues we need to address and we're spending a
lot of time on these records requests and you know, some of them are easy. And again, the last point I can make on this and it would make it really easy for us internally if you have that scope really exact that's that's perfect. I'll answer to in a day if it's perfect and you're you know exactly what you're looking
for, those are easy to fill cuz we'll get them right to you. Because most sometimes when people want something they know exists, they'll come and look for it. It's these umbrella these wide nets that are cast cuz then we have to keep responding back to them and say, "Please shrink the net. Please shrink the net." until when they agree
to pay for it. So, that's how the public records request process works in a nutshell for anyone who didn't understand it. >> [laughter] >> Just so you get a good explanation of it and why it can become so tedious and and frustrating. [clears throat] >> Good?
>> I'm good, yeah. >> Okay. I feel like we just got here. >> [laughter] >> um >> We just crossed the 3-hour mark. >> Just one last thing from me. We started the meeting with this um with young Dylan Cullinan. I just want to thank all the bus drivers, the students, the
custodians, all those involved in the child the child's the children's education throughout the school year, keeping the kids safe. Congratulations to the graduates from Silver Lake. Congratulations to the graduates from preschool who are just starting kindergarten and those graduating AES
moving to the Silver Lake. We wish you the best in your next step. And thank you to all the educators who put the time in and investing in the kids. I just want to make sure that was known. And again, fireworks festivities Town Hall runs the whole day. 9:00 a.m. set up uh
through fireworks. So, it'll be a full day for those that are interested. Thank you to the committee, Jonathan included. >> Yeah. >> Um chaired by Janice and Kimberly and all the all the rest for your time and effort to give the community and surrounding towns a great event. Hope it uh hope it's good weather for you. >> Yeah, let's hope. >> All right. >> Praying for sunshine.
>> Rain did on Sunday. What else from you, gentlemen? >> No, just to adapt to you really quick on school being out, just be careful. Um no kids in school mean kids are out and about. So, please be careful as you're driving. Uh you're seeing kids all over the place. You know, the new advent of the e-bike.
Um kids are all over the place now, so just please be careful on the roadways and make sure everybody's okay. >> Everyone have a safe summer. >> Yep. Bill. >> Okay. That being the case, this is the longest one yet. Exactly 9:00. >> 3 hours. >> 3 hours. >> I will entertain a entertain a motion to
adjourn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor. >> Aye. >> Hit it right on the head. >> Fam, thank you as always. Stephen, thank you. Thanks, guys. >> Thank you.