All right, the time now is uh 6 o'clock. I'd like to open the Halifax board of selectment meeting for Tuesday, May 26th, 2026. We are in the selectman meeting room here, Halifax Town Hall. Um just a quick um introduction of folks. We have our administrative assistant Pam
McSherry, our town administrator Steven Silbo, myself, uh Jonathan Celig, selectman, selectman Tom Pratt, selectman Bill Smith, and just an announcement that this meeting has been posted in accordance with the provisions of Mass General Law Chapter 3A section 20B and pursuant to chapter 38 section
20F, notice 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. And I do plan to take agenda items out of order for time management
considerations. Before we get too far down the road, if you guys could please join me, we're going to stand and salute the flag, please. 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. >> Thank you. All right, so before we get going here, um, as I said, we are going to take things a little bit out of order. Um, for those that may or may not know, we had our
town meeting and our election recently. So, as is tradition with our board, well, first off, we are now a select board, which is going to take me a while to get used to. We are no longer the board of selectmen. We are now officially the select board. So, um after um those elections happen, the
select board usually discusses um any sort of board realignment if the board would like to consider. So, um traditionally, it's usually the selectman that is up for election the coming uh election year, but that's again a loose uh tradition. I know that
I uh myself was up for one year, but we had uh John Bruno remained as chair. So, um I just want to open up to the board, let you guys chime in as to what we think the board wants to look like for this upcoming year. >> Speak now or forever hold your peace.
>> Any thoughts? >> I think it's a good idea if you have a re-election to be the champion. that again um I don't mind I don't mind jumping in. I don't I know Tommy you have young kids I can do that as well. Um or if you want to take a shot at it
Tom again I I'm not strongly leaning either way but I I understand >> what we want to do. So so be it. That's if that's the way the board wants to do it then we'll ask >> Are you It's up to you though Tom. I mean >> I'm happy to take a spin. >> Yeah. >> Are you sure? >> Take a spin. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. Um, if if that's >> direction you want to go. >> No, only if you want to. >> No, listen. >> Here's the thing, though. I mean, I know you have young kids and I know you're working during the day. >> I had young kids and I worked during the
day two years ago when I ran. So, >> I know. But selected the the chair is is a bit of a different animal, okay? >> And you have to dig in more. So, I understand if if you think that um I understand if you think that uh you know, maybe you you you'd like to be on the board but not be chair. I'm I'm fine
with that as well. So what you know it's kind of the ball's kind of in your court. I don't think you have a wrong answer, Tommy. >> I mean, I'm not going to nominate myself, but here's the thing. I wouldn't shy away from it if nominated. So that's, you know, that's up to you guys. We're all equal voices here, so let the chips fall within me. I'm I'm good. >> Okay. Bill, you like to make a motion at
all? >> I make a motion to nominate Tom Pratt as chair of the board of selectment. >> I will second that motion. All right. Uh roll call vote. All those in favor? I >> I opposed. Passes unanimous.
>> All right. And now we have the uh the order of vice chair. Uh we have myself and we have Bill. So uh does anybody have any strong feelings as who would like to be vice? >> Well, I think you know following the previous thought, it might make sense to keep the rotation as is. >> Okay.
>> Um and rotate it up. Um so toward that end, I would I would lean one way, but I'm also open to suggestions. >> Bill, you have a you have a thought either way. Doesn't matter to me. Either way, good. >> Okay. Um, do you want me to I'll make a
motion to make Bill Smith the vice chair of the board of selectman for the upcoming fiscal year? >> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> I opposed. Passes unanimous. And then I believe clerk is the last one, right? So, uh, anybody want to kick me down to
cir clerk? I will make a motion to nominate Jonathan Celig as the select board clerk for the upcoming year. >> I'll second that. Or Bill, you want to second? >> Second. Bill will second that. >> All those in favor? >> I >> I >> I >> opposed. Passes unanimous.
>> All right, Tom. The meeting now is yours. >> Oh, that's how it works. >> That's how it works. No time like the present. >> Imagine that. >> No time like the present, Tom. So, I get to hand this over to you >> with a heavy fist. >> Uhhuh. And honestly, you know, we'll
we'll work together. We'll figure this out. >> Uh well, where prior promises were made to move things out of order passing the gavl, let's jump down uh to letter G, uh the All-Star waste contract extension, which is letter J and your packets. >> Um Stephen, I'll probably ask you to
jump in on this, but I believe before us are at least two options uh for extension. uh one that runs July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028 with years four and five outlined and the other, correct me if I'm wrong, runs July 1, 2026
through June 30, 2029 with years 4, 5, and 6 outlined. >> That is correct. >> Okay. Anything we should else we should know or anything that should be added on on the town side? >> Yeah, I can just add that um we've been having discussions with all state waste um dating back to Jonathan was that was
probably two months ago now. >> Yep. So we had um started the discussions because we knew that the contract was coming to an end. Um we sat down with All State Waste. They came to the table very fairly understanding the town's and pretty much the region's fiscal constraints heading into this
year. Um and they came in very strong with an offer of 0% increase from uh 26 to 27 and then a 5% increase from 27 and 28 and then even went further to offer a 0% change off the 5% from 2028 into
2029. Thus making the three-year option 050 and the 2-year option 05. So that's essentially the difference um in the two offers that are standing before you or standing before you right now. and then I brought them by uh tonight. I'll stay
away as far as any explanations because I know the one thing I was not 100% and can't explain 100% is the difference in the toters and the the difference in the cost savings with the toters now being uh more paid for by the town coming off the bookstore. So, um, Alex here from
All State Ways to sort of explain that that difference there to help you guys understand what that little difference would do to the overall price in potential savings of the three-year contract versus the 2-year extension. >> Alex, would you like to speak to that?
>> Oh, sure. Um, yes. So, uh, we, uh, put out the two contract extensions to to speak to the two-year contract extension is essentially the same as the three-year. The three-year just adds that third year with the same uh collection price as year two. The only
things that are going to change in those years are the variable costs. So the disposal uh tonnage um those will increase every year uh because we can't control those. Um we can control the curbside collection cost which is our trucks, our drivers uh picking up the residents. But as far as disposal goes,
the endsite, you know, uh dictates that for us. And the only other thing uh it's so it's the variable cost of the tonnage, the price per yard, which is uh the trash that's in the municipal dumpsters like at the schools and things like that. Another end thing, the trash
price goes up, we have to kind of pass that along. Um and then the the cost per hall, that's what we do over at the recycle center for the open top containers. Um, I believe we're currently doing it at 2
235 a hall. Um, so those prices will increase year-over-year as well. Uh, it's pretty limited relatively speaking as far as the price goes what that cost will do. Um, the next year we have is 245. So $10 a hall. If you do, you know,
50 halls in a year, which I think would be high, you're talking $500 a year. So the curbside collection is the biggest bulk of it. It's that 170 uh uh the $170,000 billing. Um that's where you're going to see the 0% price increase from
this year to next. You'll see 5% the following year and 0% again. Um so that big line item that that I think it's about 16 to $17,000 of monthly billing. Uh that's the price cost that we can control. Um,
and as far as the towers go, we um we worked with uh the town of Halifax when they first rolled out uh this new contract for us to pick up the curbside collection. And we had purchased the towers um so that way Halifax could not
have to shell out as big of a an amount at the beginning of the contract. And we financed it throughout the three years of the project. So it was it was uh spread out over the first 36 months which will be coming to an end as of June 30th. So that price is falling off.
So there will be some savings because um it looks like Halifax has all the assets they need right now. And we'll always be there too to accommodate anything if we do need to come to an agreement again. Um I don't think it would need to be financed because it would probably be a smaller tower order. We had to do it for the whole town when we first went
through. But if it was a situation where we wanted to order, you know, a hundred cars, which could be $10,000 nowadays, I'm not 100%. But we could also provide financing for that as well and spread it out. Um, so yeah, we think that the uh
0% price increase is is it's more than competitive and part of the reason we did it was um like I said, there's certain things that we can control and there's certain things that we can pass along. And I think we've had a great working relationship and um you know we we look forward to continuing it if
possible and uh we've had the same pretty much the same driver the whole time and he enjoys doing it as well. So we hope we can stick too questions from the board. So just so I understand Alex the increase um the cost
of disposal obviously kind of goes up and down. So the 5% increase in year five would essentially be for your folks like your drivers, your where is that 5% I mean if everything is kind of tied to um the price of disposal where is that f
you know what I'm saying where that 5% is is coming in that. >> So uh a lot of it I mean a lot of it's just overhead payroll uh insurance factors and things like that. So normally the we've definitely seen a trend. It used to be 3 and a.5% with CPI but then CPI
kind of got out of control and towns were saying you can't give me 12% price increases just because the economy is doing its thing. So >> they like to get more of the fixed uh the fixed price increases on it. >> And I'd probably say the last three or four years the lowest you see nowadays
is 5%. It used to be that three and a half to four. Okay. Um, and so with us being able to have a little bit of uh part of the benefit of doing a contract for so long is is when we first start doing it, it costs uh say 20% more
because we have to get used to everything. We have to learn the roots, drive the roots, train the drivers, everything like that. So, one of the things that we're not shy to share is the benefit of of the fact that our drivers are used to it. Um, I know our drivers will be able to do it quicker than anybody just because they know, not because they're the best in the world,
but when you get used to doing something, I don't even think they look at a map anymore and they pick everything up, no problem. So, um, with that, you shave a couple hours off. So, we're able to kind of uh build a level of comfort where, you know, obviously
everybody wants to make more money in business and and do 5% price increases every year. But, um, if it's a situation where we can make that accommodation, we have no problem doing the uh the 0% on the collection cost knowing that our our
driver knows his way around. But, um, and that'll cover, like I said, annual, you know, uh, insurance costs on our end. maintenance, things like that. >> Sure. >> Um, so yeah, I mean, we we'd be glad to do it and we just, you know, the the it's I'd say the baseline across the
board is usually 5% every year. So that 5% for year two is more of just what the standard uh increase would normally be. And uh, you know, we're hoping with the extension, we hope that the 0% is a is a good incentive to uh to stick with us. >> Yeah, I I got to say it's been a a
success story in my mind for for the town of Halifax. Um you guys came in, we were on the bag system. Um quite frankly, the town was losing money on our trash collection and we've been able to stabilize that. Um turning into an enterprise fund, which is great. You know, we're not the town's not making
money handover fist on this, but we're at least, you know, a little bit above water, which is where we want to be. Um and I appreciate the services you guys do. I feel like we are one of the more competitive trash uh services around private town, you know, you name it. We're we're you guys are right up there.
So, um, to come in at 050, in my opinion, is is fantastic. So, I was glad to see those numbers. >> Now, you guys don't adjust through the years for fuel cost and stuff like that, like search charge for fuel costs. So,
it could be a future discussion. That's that's another thing with us. you know, we're we're family-owned and operated and we don't necessarily have that uh you know, a a variable cost manager that's looking at fuel influxes and and
how things are going. We do have it built into the contract. It is something that we have been looking at where in the contract it does say that we can pass on fuel search charge up to 6% if we start getting charged that by the dumps. Uh, we have been being charged
that, but it's something that, like I said, we're we're we're familyowned. We're community people. It's something we really really try to fend off as long as we can. Right now, we're definitely seeing a a a highrise. We're hoping the
law of averages kind of brings it back down. Um, because we don't want to be one of those companies that tax on a fuel charge, then gets rid of a fuel charge and tax on it. And so right now we have been dealing with it on our end, but it hasn't been passed along because it's really only been 2 months when you
really look at it on average that it's been kind of out of control. So >> you never know next month it could be right back down to normal and the last thing we want to do is throw a crazy search charge on there and then pull it off the next month. >> Yeah. Instability. >> Yeah. So if it if it sort of plateaus at
this level, it might be a conversation where we may have to pass it on. we wouldn't pass those costs on without uh you know going over those things with you what the cost would be and but yeah as of right now they're they're being fended off >> and so either way that fuel charge is
not on the table for the contract extension it's in the actual original agreement for that fuel charge >> I'm sorry >> the original the fuel charge is in the original agreement not the contract extension that we're looking at >> so it would be it would be carried over to the extension the extension is just for the the pricing to do everything the fuel charge is is
>> is in the base agreement, not these two options. >> Right. Exactly. Okay. Yeah. Exactly. And like I said, we would we would reach out before we ever we ever build it out. I think the only place Sorry, my uh Victoria's here and she handles a lot of the building stuff. >> Um it's 275 per ton just on the disposal
side of it. Um right now that's how it is. And I think there is an escalator in there from the previous contract. Um I would have to look and see what the escalator was, but it would be, you know, either the same, which I think is 3% or we could keep it, you know, as is. But I do think it's $2.75
per ton. Um I don't have it off the top of my head, but I think you guys usually do about 75 to 80 tons uh per 70 maybe 70 tons per month. >> Okay. >> So you can do that math. >> Okay. So there currently is a fuel. Okay. I'm sorry about that. I I
misspoke. So it is in the contract. Um >> and so it we have a billing for it. >> Yeah. 275 per ton. It has a little escalator in there, but I think the escalator is 3% per year. Um, it's just on the tonnage. >> So, you're looking at about 200 a little over $200 a month. >> Something like that.
>> Yeah. >> Now, just uh I wasn't here when we orig negotiated this first contract. Any any recall on how many companies we interviewed at the time? >> What we have? I think we had seven submit bids, so it was a sealed bid process. Um, and I will say Allstate Waste came in well below uh all the
others. So, um, and you guys were a little bit of a newer company at the time and I think maybe starting to >> get your >> older company but newer in the res. Correct. Correct. I don't want to misspoke but um, >> yeah. And I know since you guys have uh, you're handling Rockland now you're
handling Abington. >> Um, you know, so a growing company. So, and I will say um not to toot your horn, but I I really haven't heard any any complaints, which you know, for a townwide, you know, it's you usually get some complaints and there really hasn't
been too much. So, I do think um these guys have been doing a great job. >> Our driver our driver does a good job. We have a really great group. I mean, we don't want to take all the credit. Our our employees are really awesome. They do a great job. We also work alongside Susan for what we call credit holds. So when residents, you know, don't pay the
bill, you know, we have a driver that does such an awesome job making sure that we're not picking up those residents until they pay their bill. And that's something that, you know, the system doesn't automatically do. That's very on the driver to make sure he's keeping track of, you know, who is paying into their program and who isn't. And um, you know, we like to make sure
that that's also handled the right way, too. That way, you know, it does kind of get people to make sure that they do pay for their their trash service. You know, I had another carrier and I'm not going to say who it was, but they would pull up and they they look at your trash. They saw something sticking out like a
piece of metal. They take a picture and drive away and they say, "Oh, we're not taking that." It was like little piece of metal. We're not taking metal. And they would take it. >> This was another holler. >> Another holler. >> So to it's it's we always kind of are in
this this this gray area of practice versus policy. So, you know, in in policy, we want, you know, lids to be closed as a cost control because the bid is for 65gallon cards. So, our cost is we have to figure out what's the cost of
uh, you know, 1,200 65gallon cards. So, when they're open, we definitely allow discretion. I'd say we're probably more fair than than unfair on it. Certain materials can be tricky. I don't know. You know, it really does depend on on on what's described. I mean, if we
see, you know, paint cans or batteries in there, we can't pick those things up. Um, or we could pick those things up, but if we ever went and dumped them and they found out, you know, hey, a load from Halifax just came in with a car battery or a diesel tank in there, >> that that's when letters start going out
from the D. So, >> and we also try >> and we also try to protect the town as well because you guys are paying for the disposal. Um, so if we do find, you know, someone's renovating their bathroom and they plan on putting all of the demo inside their tower, ultimately
that's affecting our truck size-wise and also, you know, the truck doesn't work properly. We have a blade that goes back so we can't take those materials, but we're also protecting the town because if you have 10 tons of demo coming from a house from a renovation project when they should have outsourced it to a rolloff container, we're also making sure that you guys aren't paying for the
disposal of of demo. Um, and we do always tell the drivers, we don't want a ton of phone calls. We want you to pick up the trash. That's what we're here to do. That's what we say is the easiest part of our job. We just pick up trash. We don't try to over complicate it. Um, but we do tell the drivers, we are going to pull the dash cam footage. Just make
it like very reasonable. Hey, I didn't pick it up because look at this tower. It has to be something we can get behind and back. Obviously, if it's one piece of something sticking out, you know, don't don't make a crazy phone call for one one little thing and we pull the footage and it's it's really nothing. So they do a good job at, you know, making
sure that if it is egregious or it's something you really can't take that we won't or if they catch construction debris or something that we wouldn't want the town to be paying for the disposal of that they they let us know. >> Anything else? >> No. >> No. Again, it's been a it's been a
success story. When this first launched and I'd drive up my street, I'd see a handful of the black barrels and now over time, uh the majority of my street is all black barrels now. So, it's a testament to the job you guys have done. I think it's was a great partnership. Uh, and then just looking through this
contract here, it seems more than fair to go to go forward. >> Broke, don't fix it. >> And so, there are two options before us. There's an extension, as I mentioned, um, for year four and what would be year four and five that extends through June 30, 2028 with a 0% cost increase on the
on the um on the on the base collection rate and then 5% the following year. The other option is a three-year extension, 0%, 5%, and then off the five, the 0% increase takes us through June 30, 2029. Does the board have a particular feeling
um one way or the other on that? >> What do you think? I mean, to me, the 050 is the way to go personally. >> Oh, yeah, definitely. >> Yeah, I would agree. Lock in the lock in the 0% >> for the extra year. I mean, if it was a 05 something, then there would be discussion on what next year looks like.
But if we can guarantee that 0% >> for what would be the third following year. >> Um, all good there. >> Y. >> Okay. So, um I would entertain a motion to on our paperwork um sign a contract extension agreement uh with All State Waste Inc. Uh to be
dated July 1st, 2026 and with an end date of June 30, 2029. Do I have that motion? >> So moved. >> Any second? >> Second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. >> Uh unanimous. Okay. So, what do we need from us? A signature from Steven or what happens there? >> I would imagine you guys would draft up
an extension. I'll send it over. I'll have our town council review it and then um I would figure that vote authorized me as the signing agent for >> Yeah. Okay. So, I will I will make uh a secondary motion extending off of that to allow town administrator Steven Silbo
legal counsel to sign agreement wasting. >> So, move. >> I'll second that. >> All those in favor? I opposed. Unanimous again. Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you so much. >> Yeah, appreciate it, guys. >> Appreciate it. >> Great work.
>> Thank you. >> All right, back to uh an order of assembly here. So, if we move to the top and our new clerk, Jonathan, >> that's me. I move to affirm approval of the following warrants and commitments. Payroll warrant number 106 for
$463,660.87. Vendor warrant number 107 for1,464,4429. Withholding warrant number 108 for $157,1649. And the ambulance commitments from 5426 to 51026 for $163,976. >> Second. Second.
>> All those in favor? I opposed. Unanimous. I move to approve the following warrant, the vendor warrant number 109 for $83,1510. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. Uh unanimous. >> Okay. Down to new business. Uh letter A.
Uh in your packets, you have uh what amounts to two road openings, one at 22 Homes Street, the other at 267 Home Street. Best I can tell. um the building inspector, uh police, highway, water, and conservation uh have all signed off
on each of these. Um the only stipulation coming from the highway, uh the stipulations were attached to the permit. Um uh I don't know if we need to make a separate motion for each of these or one is sufficient. >> They're both Well, you guys, could you
do both? Uh any questions or discussion on either of these uh road openings? They both have to do with gas up and gas line service. Yeah, they're um they are abandoning gas services at both locations. The same um size ro 4x6. >> Okay.
>> Yeah, just two different locations. >> For housekeeping, let's take them separately. Uh I will entertain a motion um to approve a road opening at 22 Home Street as described. >> So moved. Second. >> All those in favor? >> Opposed? Unanimous. And similarly, I will entertain a motion to approve a road opening at 267 Home Street as
described. >> So moved. Second. All those uh all those in favor >> I opposed unanimous. >> Um skipping down uh letter D um select board liaison list. >> Um so this is something that we go through every year. Some of these are
carryovers. We can go through them individually um if we're wanting to but basically uh each member of the board of selectman uh takes on a liazison list to each of the various departments around town. Um a lot of them have traditionally carried over. Um so I have
two lists. I have the um the ones that we've um secured on the left. The leazison on the list currently uh the ADA coordinator is the town administrator. He is also the chief procurement officer uh the leazison of the finance committee and the financial management team. We have Chief Mike with them uh as the Halifax emergency
management liaison and Steve Hayward as the leazison to cemetery. Um the rest um I believe either need assignment or reassignment. I don't know what the board's um appetite for reassignment is or are we interested in remaining the same as we have been. Uh do you want to
go through them? Is there is there a need to go through them one by one or only add where necessary? >> Uh we can we can tick down the list if that's okay and then we just if we want to keep them the same. >> All right. So um the uh on the on the
leazison list that needs to be on here um the animal control officer now that is >> no no longer needed. Correct. >> No. >> Okay. Um the building and these don't need motions. This is just a discussion. >> Just discussion. >> Uh the building facility uh maintenance
um leaison. I mean Jonathan you had mentioned that you are there for a lot of this anyway. >> Y >> let's put John through that. >> Uh cable TV advisory committee in the past has also been Jonathan. >> Yep. I don't mind doing that again. >> Capital planning committee. Bill, you've been previously been assigned.
>> Yep. I'll do that. >> Uh Steve is on cemeteries. mentioned the next three chief procurement finance committee and financial management are all Steven >> fire department >> that was me I'll stay on if you >> want you put them on the bridge man emergency management hallax fireworks
committee um >> I don't mind staying on if you want that's going to be me >> highway I am on it and will stay unless someone feels strongly >> holidays in Halifax Jonathan >> yep >> okay uh the MBTA advisory board we have two uh myself as the main leazison and
Jonathan as the alternate. Um, >> I'll gladly give I'll give my alternate to Bill if he wants. >> You can have both. >> Uh, that's fine. I'll stay on there. Do you want to Do you want to give Bill the alternates? >> Yes. Okay. >> If that's all right. >> Sure. >> Memorial Day celebration is over. >> Memorial celebration is Yep. We're going
to strike that. Um, more on the Memorial Day later. Uh, the Monset Lake issues. I have been on that and can remain. >> Okay. Uh, Bill, you are our OCPC delegate with Jonathan serving as the alternate. That's the old plan, old colony. >> Y. >> Okay. Bill, you are also the Plymouth
County Advisory Board representative and I serve as the alternate there. >> Okay. All right. >> Um, >> town government study committee. Um, we are meeting on Thursday. Um, I'm happy to stay on that. >> Okay. >> I am also on the traffic safety committee. I will remain. >> Okay.
>> The zoning bylaw review committee. Now, where are we on that? Has that is that committee active? >> The last I heard was when they put their proposals together for town meeting what a year ago, 2025 following the meeting. >> So, I don't know if they've met since um
>> John Bruno was the one that spirited. >> Oh, until we until we hear differently perhaps let's leave Jonathan on there as a should they ever reconvene. >> Okay. Um similarly, should we have uh the override study committee? >> Sure.
>> Um as well >> until further notice. >> Yeah. So that's a good idea. >> Uh maybe appropriate to have Jonathan on there as well as the chair of the committee. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Uh down to union contracts. Um probably makes sense to keep most of these the same. I would say especially
this year. >> Y >> um Jonathan, you're on clerical. I'm on highway and cemetery. Jonathan on firefighters. I'm on mixed unit. Bill and police officers and sergeants and Jonathan on the school. >> Yep. >> Uh and then the only other thing I have and I don't have one listed for last
year, I'm not sure if this is Stephen or otherwise, but the whistleblower statue. Um have we ever had that? >> I don't even know. I I don't think that's been filled since I've been here. I don't know. >> Yeah, I wasn't filled previously on the old forms I found. So, I can look more
into it, of course, see if it's ever been filled. Why don't we look into that and then table that one and final we can finalize the rest of these as described. >> Yeah. >> And then um circle back next meeting or whenever we have an answer or more finite information. >> Who has clerical? >> Um Jonathan
>> Jonathan Tom Jonathan Tom Bill Jonathan >> Pass. >> Okay. Any questions or concerns? >> I'm sorry. Mix >> mix it was Tom. Yeah, it makes I think I agree Tom, especially where a lot of
these negotiations are still ongoing, right? >> Doesn't make sense to squish them. >> Switch in the middle. >> Okay. Uh any further any further discussion needed uh on that? >> No. >> Okay. Um we'll go in order from here for a minute. Uh and E, uh pickle ball court
update relative to signage. >> Yeah. So, a couple updates here. One is on the signage. We've uh finalized the sign. We'll have it by the end of this week and that will lead into an opening ceremony and ribbon cutting on Monday uh June 1st. Um Michael Develin with um
Thorn Dikeke is helping set that up. Uh or is it um Featherwinds? I forget. I always mix those two up. Featherwinds at Thorn Dike. >> Thornike's the company. Featherwinds the complex. >> Okay. So, one or the other. Um but they're going to do an opening ceremony on June 1st as we have coordinated. Uh
Plymouth Halifax Express is not going to be able to be there, but we will take pictures and u make sure we document the event and send it along for a an appearance in the newspaper at a later time. Um so it's all ready to go. Um Scott Madna was big on securing the sign
um through uh a place visit sign in West Bridgewater. So finally, >> do we need to Pam, do we need to post a a site visit? Like I don't know if the the board wants to go is that something we should >> if you guys do a quorum. Yeah. the three of us go for >> why don't we talk to case
>> yeah so for the county >> I'll finalize the time and send it along to you guys >> okay that's the update we have on the pickle ball court so uh Monday is the is the unveiling um f uh a vacation carryover
request uh from a member of our water department Keith Bador um I don't know what the standard protocol said do we care detail here or um just review these uh as a whole. >> He's looking for 40 hours. >> Okay. Um >> what comes over?
>> I I have it. I need to know it was to be read. >> Y >> um Keith is asking to carry over 40 hours um indicating that he has been unable to fulfill the available vacation time before the anniversary uh due to the lack of recent staffing which we are aware of at the moment. Oh yeah.
>> Um so those guys are working hard and extra uh picking up some slack. So I we're thankful for it. So um this vacation request is um uh asking to carry over an additional 40 hours of vacation time for a total of 80 which is
above the the um contract. So um I have no issue with it especially given the circumstances um given that any discussion? >> No. Makes sense. >> Okay. I will entertain a motion to approve the vacation request from Keith Bador um whose anniversary date is July 1st. >> So move and I will second.
>> Okay. All those in favor? I opposed. Unan. >> Okay. Um, skipping two ahead. Uh, I need to talk to we need to talk about rescending the April 2026 ambulance abatements. Uh, changing that from $124,31.77
down to $16,905. And this comes at the um, uh, indication from Kendra Kelly uh, and Lindsay and also Linda. Uh, we need to resend that vote for an incorrect past amount. Um, do I have a motion to that effect? >> So, >> any second? >> Second.
>> All those uh in favor? >> I >> I opposed is good. Um, along the same lines, I will entertain a motion to approve ambulance abatesments from March 2026 for $17,885.88. >> So, move second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. We are
good there. Unanimous. Okay. Um, letter J um came comes to us uh from a citizen, a fifth grader uh who sent a letter to the then board of select and now the select board dated May 12th and I just
like to read it quickly. Um it says I'm sure it's okay to say the name. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Uh my name is Dylan Cullinin. 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 meeting. 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 is also it is
where our people meet and show 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 Cutman. And he signed it. Um, so this is Dylan's idea. He's a fifth grader. Uh, obviously a smart guy. Um,
>> love the design. >> And so the board has taken this into consideration. And Jonathan, why don't you uh >> Yeah. So I think um and just to honor uh Dylan and and thinking outside the box, I would love if the board would be be so kind to um have this displayed in the uh
atrium essentially as you walk into town hall with a little explainer of what it is uh and give Dylan his props because um you know, it was well thought out. Uh, I think it's a great message. Um, and I think when somebody takes the time like this to reach out and try to engage, I think we need to reward
behavior like that, especially in our youth. So, um, you know, if the board would be interested, I' I'd love to have this on display uh, maybe through the summer um, in town hall. >> Yeah, I think it's a great idea. I like the spir I like the spirit of his uh, his thought process and uh, we could use
more outside the box thinking just like that. So, um, I don't know. We probably don't need a motion or anything. Do we need something like that officially to just put it on display? We can we can log into the record if needed. I don't know. I don't know. >> Yeah. I mean, it's up to you. >> Yeah. Okay. Let's let's make it official. I will entertain a motion uh to create some sort of space downtown at
the entry of town hall um to display Dylan's artwork uh along with his vision uh through at least the remainder of the summer of 2026. >> So move. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Opposed? Okay. Thank you, Dylan. >> Thank you, Dylan. >> Thank you for your engagement. Uh and then um the last listed item on our
agenda before I skip back to the top. Um and I'm not sure what if anything we need to do about the bylaw update on the website. >> Yeah. So on this one, I just wanted to give some props for some props for due uh to some of the staff that sometimes goes on some um as outside of the town ministry's report. Um Caesar's been
doing a great job lately and he recently u jumped on updating all these chapters that have been kind of languishing since 2025. went online, updated all the policies and bylaws here in front of us. You know, chapter 1, chapter 76, 109,
138, 146, 164, 167, and uh chapter 8240. So, just wanted to give him some thanks for doing that and going above and beyond. And, you know, we're all busy over here at town hall and it's something that was sort of waiting. Um, town clerk brought up those changes, Hannah brought up those changes, and
Susan jumped on and did it. So I want to uh you know point that out and make sure that everyone kind of gets a piece of the congratulatory talk around here. So >> sure. >> Yeah. Especially where you know Irma who no longer is here that was a big part of her job. So appreciate to Caesar kind of
absorbing some of the work >> right across the finish line >> right? >> Yeah. >> Yes. Thank you Caesar. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh I believe I had on everything through K with the exception of one item. Um so we're going to circle back to the top and if we find it okay uh
town meeting discussion um kind of the elephant in the room. Uh this is the first opportunity that our board has had an opportunity to be together since the second night um of the meeting. Um so I thought it appropriate that uh anyone who had anything to offer or say uh on
our board or maybe perhaps Stephen. I'm not sure what everyone's appetite is, but I'm happy to lead off if unless I have an objection. Go ahead. Go ahead. >> Um, tough couple weeks, tough couple nights. We've had a lot I've had a lot of difficult conversations. Um, I don't think that was our best performance um,
by any measure. Um, I've had the opportunity to listen to the finance committee meeting on uh, last Wednesday. Um, subsequent discussions I've seen both online and in person. Um, you know, there's a million things that could be said. I I think the two the two key
things that I'd like to hit on um is that we we kind of have to own this in my opinion. Um you know, it wasn't perfect at all. There's a lot of room for improvement which we will strive for. Um it was the perfect storm. There's a lot of different things that
came into play. uh late information, new numbers, new staffing, um uncertainty at the state level, a lot of different things that you could point to. But the bottom line is is that regardless of how we got there, we needed to be better prepared when we
were there. Somebody in the room, and this is why I ran for the board of selectment two years ago, had to step up and kind of uh take charge and get the ball stopping from rolling down the hill. So when I say the talent, I mean everybody on our side of the table that was facing the crowd. Somebody, and I'll
own it, had to be the person to just step back, just take a deep breath and and get organized quickly. And that didn't happen on multiple occasions. And we have to own that. Um, anybody who was on the fence that night uh about whether the town had its stuff together or how I should vote on Saturday, I mean, they
were given a pretty clear indicator of, you know, where we, you know, how prepared we appeared to be. And I know it's not for lack of effort. uh on our board, the finance committee, the town administrator, the accountant, the the legal team, um the moderator, everybody, I think, put their best effort in.
Ultimately, the per confluence of circumstances took over and it just wasn't good enough that night, and we had trouble digging ourselves out. Now, Tuesday was better. Um it wasn't perfect. Um, you know, I think this board has made substantial progress in the last couple years and the fact that
there's a mistrust or some uncertainty about where we're coming from is unfortunate, but I think that we as a board need to, you know, galvanize ourselves, be better should a fall meeting happen, uh, ramp up for May of next year and kind of put the trust back um, you know, in the in the hands of the
voters who I think, you know, sent a message. Both meetings were well attended. Um, Saturday was well attended. The vote was 24 something% which is a good good um showing. Um I don't think it was our best effort. There's no excuses for it. Uh we need to be better collectively as a unit. I
don't think it was for lack of effort on anybody's part. Um the only thing that I would refute is that those on our side of the table are profiting from any uh uncertainty that was the town meeting. I mean those those allegations are first of all there's no money to take but B uh
we've it's not about that. We try our best to put our for our best foot forward for the town and sometimes we fall short. Unfortunate timing um but not lack of effort on anybody's part of the town side I believe. So unfortunate that it happened. Um I thank I thank all
voters for their engagement. Um sometimes that's that's just the way it goes. But again I wish we put our best foot forward. So that's what I want to say. >> Yeah. I can I talk about I'm the clerk now. So, I don't know if we can win going here, you know.
>> Um, no, I I agree with Tom. I I I agree that there were a lot of um mitigating circumstances going on leading into that meeting, but bottom line is your buck stops with the selective, right? We're we're the executive body of the town. Um, and and people are trusting us to to
blaze a trail for the town. Um, that said, it is kind of like, you know, when the when the Patriots are doing well, everybody thinks the quarterback's great. and when the Patriots aren't, you know, the quarterback's not doing well. So, we get a lot of undue praise and then sometimes we get a little undue criticism. Um, but again, not making
excuses. The buck stops with us. We have to be better. That that's bottom line. We have to we have to um make sure that that doesn't ever happen again. >> Agreed. >> I think we have to own it what happened and I think we hit rock bottom. We can
only move up from there. I mean, I think the finance committee does a great job. I was on the finance committee. Those they do a great job. So, people were blaming them. That's not fair. They didn't have all the information they should have had. So, you can't blame anybody, but we'll take the blame and make it better. Yeah.
>> I just want to add one thing. Um, and this is I'm not going to get specific here, but I think, you know, it would have been helpful if um you know, when in my idea if somebody had taken charge, if somebody stepped up. I think we needed to hear from a few different people that night that maybe didn't get the opportunity to take the microphone. Um, you know, the crowd was active and
so forth, but there were also some guests and visitors there that might have been able to lend some information that might have been helpful at the time and you know, um, I didn't think to recognize them at the time and call them up to to answer some questions that I wish I had or anybody had. But, you know, like Bill said, hopefully rock bottom only up to go from here. And I
it's incumbent upon all of us to you know to like Bill said I think I mentioned own it uh be better strive to be better and and you know regain regain the trust and I think we've gone a long way towards earning I think we can start over and whatever that means to the to the voters is up to them but I think we can only give it continue to give it our
best shot. is my question is there any way that we can start the process earlier and get more information make force the schools to start the process earlier so the information is there not the last minute
>> well I think >> we're going to try >> I think there was some discussion on that on the finance committee on Wednesday uh last Wednesday >> about having regular earlier um >> yeah starting the process earlier yeah >> again some of it is beyond a little timeline some of bit correct.
>> Their calendar is a little bit difficult than ours. Yes. >> So, there are some um situations which are simply beyond our control that we're going to have to go into some situations not similar to what we entered into this year, but you enter the with the unknown
in some in all years almost. That NSS number is one of the big ones because you never know what next year is going to return. Um but I do have anything to add if you want me to add now. Um, you know, I think when I I've done a lot of reflecting on this, um, it was probably the most challenging week of my career
to this point. I've been doing this for I haven't been in this role for, uh, this role in particular 15 years, but I've been in local government for 15 years, and that was the hardest week of my career. So, I spent a number of years doing this. Um, residents deserve and demand accuracy. They demand
organization. They deserve organization. Um, they deserve professionalism. and they also deserve orderly deliberation and I failed on all four of those for that night. So, uh I know I only played a part in that but um when my part fails
often the other parts will fail too. So I think all leaders have to hold themselves accountable. They have to be open to criticism that comes their way. Um you know that is the person that I interviewed as. That's the person I'll continue to be. You know I acknowledge
and accept my mistakes and I will get better. Um, you know, I'm more than willing to accept any criticism that comes my way and uh I always focus on improvement rather than deflection. So, I do want to say that uh the staff here at town hall uh I cannot give them more,
you know, um thanks than the help they gave me preparing for this. It was a short runway. We did, as Tom said, all of us gave it our absolute best shot. There was a lot of unknowns that came in at the end, but again, we have decisions in front of us that we could have probably made different and we did and I
didn't and that falls on me. So, next year's process will look different. This year, we are going to have to do a special town meeting because we have to do a capital plan. Uh, that means we have to certify free cash before probably the end of October. Um, that's going to require a whole new set of
requirements in order to get that done, especially since we've now got going to now try to find a assistant town accountant to assist Lindsay with that process or just facto with a consultant because that's a crucial process that will need to be done in advance of that
meeting. Um, and then moving forwards towards May, I think next May, uh, we will have a much better leadup to the meeting. um as far as strategy goes, as far as mock meetings, as far as preparation and practice, uh cuz that's never going to happen again. Not under my watch.
>> You got to give yourself some grace, too, Stephen. I mean, you came in at the end of of January, uh in in a an override year is a challenge for seasoned town administrators, you know. So, we we baptized you by fire. >> I'm a perfectionist at the end of the
day, so and I know that it's hard to be, but no, I'm going to learn from these mistakes. That's that's the one thing. I know I made mistakes and like I said, I don't have to touch them. I know exactly what those mistakes are and I want to learn them and get them better. So >> yeah, I think you know Jonathan used a sports analogy a minute ago, not to beat a dead horse, but I mean if if you're a
baseball team and everyone goes 0 for five, everyone looks like they didn't know what they're doing cuz a someone goes four for five, they save the day. And unfortunately we didn't have that guy going four for five on a couple home runs. No, >> it was uh you know sharing the blame, sharing sharing the responsibility, owning the responsibility.
>> And the old saying goes, you know, that the fish rots from the head up and so like Jonathan said that a fish head down, that's us. We're at the top and we have to step in and own that >> and um and not back. >> Treat it as a learning experience. Move forward. >> Nothing. You can't put toothpaste back in the tubes. It It happened. We're here
and uh it's armed up. That's where we are. >> Better moving forward. >> Anything else to add to the town meeting discussion? >> Nope. Okay. Uh down to L town administrator reports. >> Yeah. So, I've got a few items to go through tonight. Um so, tomorrow through
the end of the week, I will be at the Massachusetts man uh mass mass municipal managers association spring um event. So, all of us um town managers and town administrators that just got beaten up during town meeting season are going to go talk about it for three days and
figure out strategies and collaborate about what went wrong and what we can do better. So um again right into the learning really just you know collaborating with my colleagues making sure that um we get better. Um I will be available via email and phone. I'll be down on Brewster uh for the rest of the
week. So feel free to continue to contact me if you need to. Um I am going to schedule my next department head meeting for June 9th which is uh the next uh select board meeting. I will not be here for the select board meeting that night because I will be attending graduation for the MMA SUFFK program uh
which I just completed on May 22nd. So graduation's on June 9th. I'll get that certificate from SUFFK um and go from there. Um, one thing I didn't get to do as we talked about the short runway was um, kind of go around to departments and
just sit with the department heads, look over the operations of the entire department, look at the budget with them line by line and figure out sort of what was going on and plan on doing that. Now that time meeting is passed, go sit with each department head and have 45 minute to an hour conversation, take a look at their budget line by line, figure out
what it pays for so I can get a better map of the entire financial picture and it will help me just to you know there's still some staff in town that I haven't really had a chance to actually talk to for more than 2 minutes. So that'll be good opportunity to do that as well. None of the department has of course but
other staff in the buildings. Um I'm going to start building some uh subgroup sub working groups. Um, one's going to be a finance team. Uh, that would be the town accountant, myself, um, and, uh, and someone else selected for that, but I'll think about it. But there's going to be a finance team, an HR team, and
then an executive team. The HR team, myself, Pam, and, um, potentially um, Michelle Smith to help with HR benefits coordination as especially as we look at um, the health insurance. We're going to have, you know, strategize looking at health
insurance, getting a team together to kind of parse out some of those parts that Michelle can look at, that me and Pan can look at as we talk about um potentially looking at different plans, different deductibles. Uh you know, there's cost savings there potentially that we could sort of get for the town
on the health insurance side for for folks. um gonna entertain with Mayflower first and then obviously I'm going to speak to other town managers and town administrators to figure out what they did for their health insurance because I know that that has been a popular way to
uh achieve monet monetary savings in some communities around us recently. So and significant monetary change or monetary savings. Um right now we're still as you guys mentioned earlier we're still engaged with five out of six unions in collective bargaining. Uh that's going along well. We had fire
this morning. Um, so there's an interesting project developing at the library. So, um, as you guys may or may not remember, uh, $50,000 earmark was put for the library rooftop over at the, uh, Polish Public Library. Um, and then Gr, uh, Dylan actually landed another
grant that is associated with solar. So by getting new roof then you can put new solar and then you can start cutting away from their energy cost save on the bills and then thus push more money back towards the general fund lower the cost that it actually costs to run the library. So that's that's one of these
innovative ways where you can sort of cycle the money back in a way that you get savings one place and stuff you can utilize it elsewhere. Um so that project's just kicking off. We're gonna have um myself, Scott Materna, Dylan, and um you know um
>> Kathy Stanley uh help with that as far as getting that kicked off and uh off the ground as far as the grants go. Uh one of the few grants that the NBA MBTA uh zoning zoning applies didn't take back. I think it's I don't know how much money exactly it is, but I know that the
rooftop was $50,000. So um as you guys brought up uh cost savings and financial review efforts uh we did meet with the fincom last Wednesday and started speaking about some of these um various trackers that we be building as far as spreadsheets go
uh better understanding of when you know a more public process as far as budgeting goes this year bringing department heads and departments in front of the fincom earlier in the year for more in-depth reviews so that way we have better more firm numbers even say September October, November. So that
that way the picture is more solid as we head into uh March, April, you know, that way we're just that much further ahead of the game. Um so uh I did also reach back out to Christopher Jean in uh Kathy Latro's
office asking about the master plan here, Mark, that was from FY 2026. Still have not heard back just yet. I imagine something may move on that or shake loose once the fiscal year closes state level. Um I am going to have another
meeting here pretty soon. I think next week it is next week, next Thursday. Um about the solar project that's associated with 60 hemlock back here by the DPW landfill. Um and then lastly um
just addressing special town meeting. Um, so looking at that timing, I was looking up kind of the timeline on how the how it looks to get to certified free cash before town meeting in the
fall because I know that the goal is to make sure we try to land it before Thanksgiving. So that would require a certification of free cash at the end of November so that it would be good through November 30th. >> October. >> October. >> October. October 30th. Yeah. Sorry. October 30th. So be good to the end of
November through town meeting. Um that's a very aggressive timeline just putting it up there. It's very aggressive but um I also at the same time aligned a call with Eric Kiner to make sure that whatever help we may need to bring in on that regard because again being down we
we know we now have to fill the assistant down role because it is now vacant. Um, so we need to fill that role and then on top of what that department already does, we need to find time in order to free gas certification, which is a cumbersome lift regardless. Um, it
was one of Bill's main tasks and he was a consultant that was here weekly for an entire year just to get to some free cash number and that was the one thing he was mainly working on. It's a lot of reconciliation in that process. So that was something that we need to look at almost immediately. Um and I
like I said I have a meeting with American sheriff next week and I believe that UCCCO but I can switch that to the cliff if it is more applicable at this point. >> So you're saying I'm looking at the calendar here certification then free cash hopefully by the end of October. >> Mhm. >> Which makes a special time meeting in
November pushing it or >> prior it would that would make it so that we would be able to hold it prior to Thanksgiving >> which would be by or before November 19th >> because you'd already do it the week of Thanksgiving. >> No, it's got to be prior week prior. All right. More to follow on that, I suppose.
>> Yep. And then lastly, um, as Linda McCarthy came in right before the meeting, uh, just added it, um, there will probably be a need for a select board meeting probably next week, whether it's Zoom or something remote. Um, we just, and she's going to check with the closing attorney on this. So,
the town just did finish an auction for a tax uh, tax delinquent property. Um, so we did get the auction completed on that. And now in order to finalize that sale, the board of selectment needs to sign off on the deed. Uh because we didn't get it in time prior to this
meeting being posted, we will have to hold another meeting so you guys can officially sign up. So uh we'll have to schedule that for early next week. Again, the the date on the paper that Klette said was uh June 5th. Um and Lind is going to check on that because if it can get kicked to the 9th, then it could
just get be pushed back to your next scheduling meeting. So we'll know by tomorrow on that. I'm available either way. >> Yeah, I can work around it then >> with notice. No problem. >> Yeah. And then uh other than that, I have nothing else unless you guys have questions for me. >> I have no questions. I just thought uh
maybe appropriate to just mention that yesterday's Memorial Day um event organized by Steve Littlefield and the Veterans of the Foreign Wars uh was very well attended. I thought um I don't know, maybe a quarter, 100 and a half maybe. >> Um despite not the best weather, very
well attended. I thought it was a very nice ceremony. Um, uh, Steve did indicate and he reminded us that the the celebration quote unquote has been moved to Veterans Day. And yesterday was more about remembrance, but a couple nice speakers with a couple nice, uh, presentations and so forth. And I just want to thank um, Steve for putting that
on. Also Caesar and Area 58 team for giving up their morning in preparation for that. But um, does the board have anything else? Just a quick shout out to um our highway department because I feel like I don't know if it's me getting cheesy and sentimental, but driving
around town last week, >> the town looks great. Like the the the grass, the um the aesthetics, the buildings, our our crews. Um I don't know. Again, maybe I'm getting sentimental. Maybe I'm still reeling from our town meeting. Um but just we we
live in a great town and it was just a beautiful town this week. So kudos to beautifification, our building guys, our highway guys. Um you know everything's just this is a beautiful time of year in Halifax. >> Anything from the crowd? Yes, sir.
>> Uh Chris want to watch 129 service. I just something that was bothering me for well probably a good 5 months now. But bringing Memorial Day had more thought about it. The flag out front that we fly in the town hall. I've noticed it's been in the complete darkness every night. I
didn't know if that's something the town could work towards to have a light put on it. >> Like it's supposed to be properly displayed. >> Supposed to be a light. >> Supposed to be a light. If it's if it's flying at night, it needs to be lit. Yeah. >> I know it's state law to properly
display it in front of municipal buildings. >> It's just after Memorial Day. I thought more about it and seeing it in the pitch black. >> Do we think there are solar out there? I don't know. I I thought I thought we had I thought it was so we could check with Steve. I thought quite a while ago it
was obviously up and then >> well the thing broke the pole broke and it and it fell over. So >> Oh, you were just telling me about that. I just >> old school building and just fixed it. So I don't know if it hits the solo thing. >> We can look into it.
>> It was Yeah. Because there's rules and there's also best practice and they you know it's followed. You know, they just had to fix the pole. So, I can ask Scott. >> Yeah, they thought that they were painting it, but it broke. >> It fell. >> It fell over. >> Oh, they didn't take that down.
>> Take advantage of the situation to paint it. >> They painted it. They painted it because it fell down. >> Pile up the bowl. >> I don't know. I don't think there is. >> And I'm just >> I first started noticing when we had lights lighting up the whole side of the town hall there and the flag was in
complete darkness and I was like, Yeah, once it's an easy fix. Yeah, for sure. >> Okay, we'll get we'll get half fixed. Thank you. >> Thanks, Chris. >> Anything else from the cop? >> Okay, >> that's it. >> All right, >> Mr. Chair, that's a pretty good meeting.
>> Under an hour. >> A through M. 1 hour. >> Not bad. You did a great job. >> 7:00. I will entertain a motion to adjourn our uh select um select board meeting. >> So move. All those in favor? I It is unanimous. 7 o'clock. We are returned.
Thank you.