All right. Okay. So, seeing that it is uh 600 6 o'clock on my phone, I'd like to open the Halifax board of selectment meeting for Thursday, February 26, 2026. We're in the selectman meeting room as I said
at 6:00. Uh quick attendance here. We have Assistant Pam McCerry, Selectman Bill Smith, Selectman Thomas Pratt, myself, Selectman Jonathan Celig, our um town administrator Steven Silvo. Uh and I'm just going to make this announcement here. This meeting has been posted in
accordance with the provisions of Mass General Law Chapter 30A section 20B. In pursuant to chapter 38 section 20F, notice is being made that this meeting is being recorded and will be posted on area 58 community access channel. The board chair reasonably anticipates the
following matters will be discussed and/or voted on at this meeting. And the agenda items may be taken out of order for time management considerations. So, if you guys will please indulge me, I'd like to start the meeting as we usually do. If you can stand, we're going to do 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. Thank you guys. All right. Well, we really uh don't have
any special guests tonight for any set agenda item. So, uh the beauty of that is we can go right down right down the shoot here. So, Bill, if you want to start us off with the uh affirmation of warrants and commitments, please. >> I move to affirm approval of the following warrants and commitments.
Vendor warrant number 77 for $7,000. Vendor warrant number 77 for 79,18561. Payroll warrant number 78 for $458,634.25. Vendor Wright 80 for 75,44151
cents. Withholding warrant number 81 for 157,4841. Able commitments 2226 to 2826 for 51,89.70. Aimless commitments 21626 to 2226 for $45,749.
>> Second. >> All those in favor? I oppose. Passes unanimous. All right, we're going to jump down to a uh for new business, which is uh the beer and wine license. So, originally we had a public hearing scheduled for our meeting that was going to be held on Tuesday. Um as part of uh
that process of a beer and wine license given out, uh you have to hold a public hearing. Unfortunately, we couldn't get in touch with all the parties involved to make sure that they could make it to this meeting tonight uh in such a short time. So, what we've decided to do, we're going to move that public hearing
to March 24th. Right. Is that date correct, Pam? >> We're going to move that one to March 24th. That way, all the parties that are involved can be there. Um, Mother Nature kind of put a cake in the works on our schedule this week. So, unfortunately, if you guys were here to hear about that one, you're going to have to wait a
month. So that is the use there. All right, we're going to go down to B use of town green boy scouts bottle drive. Uh this is the annual well multi-annual happens many times a year. Boy Scouts are doing their uh canon bottle drive. This one is April 11th. Um which is
going to they're going to be there setting up at 7:00 a.m. They're going to run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. They use the front of the town hall. It's kind of their central station that they have folks running around and picking up bottles and cans. if you're driving by, you can also drop them off there. Um, it's kind of I don't want to say a
rubber stamp at this point, but they've uh been doing this for quite some time. So, um, I will entertain a motion. Any questions from the board at all on this one? I'll entertain a motion to approve the use of town green by the Boy Scouts for their bottle drive on April 11th starting at 7:00 a.m. with a run time of
9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. >> So moved. >> Second. All those in favor? I opposed. Passes unanimous. All right, sticking on the town green, we're going to go down to C, which is a date change for the Halifax Pride event. So, Halifax Pride had come up to us already
to outline their event for June. Uh, and we received an email from one of the organizers saying that they would like to move it back a week essentially from the 6th uh with a rain date of the 7th, move it back a week to June 13th with a rain date of the 14th. Uh Pam, I see
here on the email that um are there any sort of conflicts or anything with >> No, there is an IRA. >> Okay. So, yeah. >> So, essentially the event is staying exactly the same. They're just moving it back a week. >> Forward a week. >> What's that? >> Is it forward a week? >> Nope. Forward. >> Forward a week.
>> Yeah. What's the sixth and seventh? >> Oh, I read Thank you. Good catch. I read that backwards. >> Right. >> No, you're right. Good catch. >> Thank you guys. No, we're originally scheduled. No, he said they were originally scheduled for June 6th and 7th. >> I'd like to move it to 13th and 14th.
>> That's forward. >> You said back. >> You said back. >> You just semantic. >> Semantic. Sorry. Sorry about that. >> That's okay. >> No, no, no. I get it. We're moving it forward a week, not back a week. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Sorry about that. >> Anywh who, are we okay with moving it
from the 6th and 7th to the 13th and 14th? Um, I will entertain a motion to approve moving that date. >> So move. >> Second. All those in favor? I opposed. Passes unanimous. Sorry about that confusion, guys. All right, down to D. Ambulance abatements. Uh, if you guys
have had a chance to look at those, I'll entertain a motion to approve the abatements for February 2026 for the amount of $141,212.61. >> So moved. >> You said February. It's for January. >> February. >> February. No, this one says January. >> Okay.
What in the wide world of sports is going on? >> I do not know. I I put so February it says >> so you know I looked at the date for um >> all right strike that strike it from the record I looked at the >> we're all a little we're all a little
shining crazy here with all the snow. >> Oh my gosh. >> Um I'll take that back. We're going to we're going to entertain a motion to approve the abatements for January 2026 for the sum of $141,21261. So >> second. >> All those in favor? I oppose. Passes
unanimous. Good catch, Bill. All right. E, we have uh some exciting news here. We update and review on potential government study committee warrant articles. >> So, this is Mr. Pratt's baby here. >> Adopted baby.
>> Yeah. Not necessarily blood baby, but >> uh I'll give you guys the floor here and you can kind of walk us through what you've done. How long has this committee been going on? >> Yeah, sure. So this um this was born of John Bruno's idea um better part of 18 months ago. So and we had our first the
government study took applications for talent bank forms and we formed a a sixperson committee um in September of 2024. We held our first meeting in October of 2024. And so we're about 18 months into this. We were um we started
with um then town administrator Cody Hadad. Um we had six original members. We have um two are no longer with the committee. Uh we do thank them for their commitment to it. Uh we have added a fifth member. So we're back to five. Uh over the course of the last 18 months we
have met with um every department, every chief, every committee, every subcommittee, department heads, committees, um boards, and so forth. Um we've had dozens of meetings. I think upwards of 37 meetings over 18 months.
>> Wow. >> We started off every other week. There were some periods where we met more frequently, some less frequently. Um, so we're before you tonight with Well, I'm representing the government study committee tonight. The the board of selectment is the appointing authority. Um, we could have gone a citizen petition route or this route. What we're
here tonight is to ask for the board of selectman's um uh approval or permission to place five different warrants uh five different articles warrants articles on the upcoming warrant for May consideration in May by the town. So we're not asking
anybody to support anything. We're just asking us the board selecting to to move us forward one step and placing us at town meeting and then subsequently on the ballot where needed. Um, so there's just five. Uh, I have them labeled A through E or one through five. And I'm not going to read the whole thing. You
guys have it in your packet. Unless I need to read the whole thing, Stephen. I don't need to read the whole warrant article, do I? Or do I? >> No, I think you could say >> it'll be in the warrant, right? >> As printed and it'll be in the warrant. Yeah. Okay. >> But this is your chance to get it out to the public what you know, start. >> All right. Well, I guess I could They're
lengthy, but I can read them. Uh, article A is um the office of town clerk from elected to appointed to see if the town will vote pursuant to the provisions of mass general laws chapter 41 section 1B to change the office of town clerk from an elected position to an appointed office that any incumbent
of such officer at the time of acceptance by the voters of this change from elected to appointed shall continue to hold set office until the duties said to perform their office until the expiration of their term. So, what this means is that we're proposing at town meeting in May for a vote to see if the
town will approve changing the office from elected to appointed. The current clerk, the town clerk would serve the remainder of the term, which in this case is 2028, I believe. Um, and at that time, the the position would be then an
appointed one by the board of select. Um very similar uh article B uh or two in our thing um would be to change the office of town treasurer collector from elected to appointed. Very similar language to see if the town will vote pursuant to the provisions of mass
general laws chapter 41 section 1b to change the office of treasur collector from an elected to an appointed office that any incumbent of such serving office at the time of acceptance by the voters of this change from elected to appointed shall continue to hold set office until the expiration of that term. So essentially we'd be looking to change the office from elected to
appointed and then that current term by our current treasur collector would run out and at that point the new treasur collector if approved would then be appointed by the board selected. I should backtrack and just note that if these are passed at town meeting um both the town clerk's position and the
treasur collectors would then have to be approved at the ballot at the following at the following election. Um, article C, uh, or three, depending on how you read these, um, is to change the office of town highway department superintendent from elected to
appointed, very same, uh, very similar verbiage to see if the town will vote pursuant to the provisions of Mass General Laws, chapter 41, section 1B, to change the office of highway surveyor called in Halifax as highway department superintendent from an elected office to an appointed office that any such
incumbent of such office serving at the time of acceptance by the voters of this change from elected to shall continue to hold said office until the expiration of the term. This one is a little different. Um the highway superintendent is on the ballot this year. Uh we're not
challenging that uh or suggesting a change immediately. This would take place at the expiration of the next term. So anybody um choosing to run for highway superintendent uh having a three-year elected term by the voting body would then serve that term at the
expiration of that term in 2029. should again town meeting and the ballot both approve it, the change would happen in 2029. So, it's important to note that that would sunset at the expiration of that term when we're not looking to cut off the current elected term. Okay.
Article four is to rename the board of selectmen to the select board to see if the town will amend chapter 42 of the town's general bylaws to rename the town's chief executive board from the board of selectman to the select board as set forth below and to make corresponding changes throughout the bylaws or take any other action there
relative there too. Chapter 42 select and add a new section 42-4 as follows. Name change notwithstanding any general laws general or special law to the contrary and except where the context clearly requires otherwise the town board selected is hereby renamed the select board. Um so that one does not
have to go on a ballot. Best I know that one goes uh at town meeting and requires a majority vote only for the change. And then article E or five depending on how we're counting um also requires a home rule petition which is notice notification to the state legislature.
um an act amending chapter 82 of the acts of 1950 to change elected water commissioners to appointed water commissioners to see if the town will vote to request his representatives in the general court to introduce special legislation the text of which is set forth below amending chapter 82 of the
act of 1950 to change the elected water commissioners to appointed water commissioners and to authorize the general court with the approval of the board of selectmen to make changes of form to the text thereof as being being necessary or advisable in order to accomplish the intent and purpose public purpose of this legislation in order to secure
passage. So something to note there as well. There are three different uh water commissioners at this time. One is up for election each subsequent year including one this year if passed both at town meeting the ballot and approved by the state legislature. This rule or
this law would would be subsequent to the elected body this year. So the election in 2026 whether contested or not would be upheld. That entire term would be honored through 2029 and subsequent elections in 2027 and 2028 moving forward would be the change. The
current water commissioners would each serve out their terms should they wish to. Any subsequent nomination or change thereof would be appointed by the board of select if approved both times and passed by the state legislature. So four out of five are changing things from elected to appointment. U with the board of selected being your appointing
authority. The fifth is a name change only from board of selectment um to select board. Um all four elected to appointed have to be approved by the voting body and at town meeting and at the ballot >> and the water commissioners which is the last one that I read would also have to be approved by the state legislature
with the home petition uh rule. So that is a summation of what we're looking for after 18 months. You know, the goal of this was to streamline government, improve efficiencies of reporting structure, work towards possible changes in town structure and time management up to and including a
charter. Uh this is going to be a long process as outlined by John Bruno. We're not there yet. Um we thought that rather than to continue meeting twice a week and it's been hard work. It's been diligent. the committee members have shown up and um you know made a difference and been involved and
invested and we thought it better to take the temperature of the town which has been done a couple different times before um with our recommendations um myself uh on the committee uh chairman of the finance committee Jim Walters member at large Mary Grace
member at large Carrie Sers uh member at large um Mark Dylan um all active in the in the committee uh we were joined by Sandy Nolan uh at up until a certain point and also we had Josh Curtis on the committee uh until his untimely passing.
Um you know I don't want to speak for those no longer on the committee but the five of us here who have put the time in and the work in believe these all to be worthy of your consideration. Um all independent of each other it's not an accident that they're separate. In the past citizens petitions have been looped
together and lumped together as one highway department clerk treasure collector one all together. These are separate for your review and that is intentional by the committee um standing on their own. Um there will be more if approved and and on the town warrant. Uh
you'll hear more from us via social media on town website and in newspaper print hoping to reach quite a few people um with the support that uh we feel they deserve uh or at least your consideration and your time and thought to. So I we don't come come tonight
before you asking for a vote. Just that uh as your appointed authority, our appointed authority um have us see through the process and take the temperature of the town as as they see fit. That's where we are. >> Excellent. I want to commend you, Tom. Um I've I've walked through town hall here where it's like, oh, another
government study committee meeting. I mean, you guys put in the time, you put in the hours, uh you've done the research. Uh, and it's our job to continually look at the government, to continually look at the town of Halifax, see what the trends are, see if there's any way possible that we can be a more
efficient government for the people here in town. So, >> yeah. And I don't want you guys Well, thank you. And I don't want to overstep, you know, speaking to it. I don't want to be uh overly articulate about it, but I mean, you'll hear more from us as to reasoning, um, the the the rationale behind where we how we got to where we
got, um, the statistics behind things, the numbers behind things, the trends, the pros and the cons. You'll hear more from us tonight, but in the interest of time and consideration uh with a warrant deadline approaching in a couple of weeks, um the goal was to put each of these five independent of each other on the warrant um and then let the chips
fall where they may. That's >> and and I should add that Stephen has also sat in recently since his hire. Um and I don't want to speak for you having been there, but I mean um it was it was exhaustive work. It was thorough. Um it was laborious and you know we feel we've done right by the charge that we were
presented with. So >> here here and I'm always a fan of giving it to the town for them to >> this is where this is where we are. This is what we think and >> what do you think? >> Sure. >> Awesome. Okay. Bill, anything you >> Yeah. Um you want me to take them separately, Tom? Or you want me to put
them together as far as a motion goes to to put them on? >> I mean, unless there's a specific uh reason to keep them separate, you maybe just in your language say please place five separate articles as outlined. >> Okay. >> On the warrant for May. >> Okay. Um so that that being the case,
I'll entertain a motion to um allow these five presented articles by the government study committee to be presented on the annual town warrant for the 2026 annual town meeting uh per the board of selectment. >> So moved. >> Second.
>> All right. All those in favor? I opposed. Passes unanimous. Nice work, Tom. Thank you. >> All right. Going down to F, road opening Oak Street. We have our information here. Uh, it's a trench permit. It requires one detail. Highway's okay,
water's okay, conservation's okay, and this is happening at 59 Oak Street, and it's a repair on a leak for service. So, does anybody have any questions about the uh road opening being requested? Seeing none, I will entertain a motion
to approve the road opening for 59 Oak Street uh to repair said leak. >> So, move. >> Second. All those in favor? I opposed. Passes. >> All right. Next up is our MMA membership.
Uh Stephen, you're going to have to help me out with this. >> So, you guys are probably familiar with MMA, which is the Massminiscal Association >> or mixed martial arts >> or martial arts, whatever whatever you >> whatever you're into. >> Whatever you're into, right? Um the MMA
is the Massachusetts Municipal Managers Association. So, it's a subsection and what they do is they have annual meetings that are just town administrators, town managers, uh, and deputies and assistants. Uh, they also offer additional leadership course work that's typically free of charge. For
instance, I'll be doing um a small cohort over the next uh there's Tuesday mornings for the next six weeks. Uh, about an hour and a half commitment each week um you know for three sessions for executive uh coaching that's free of charge.
>> Great. So that will help to just you know continuing education and anything that's free is is fine by me. Um so I think the membership here is is um determined based on the person's salary. So this is typical amongst these types
of organizations. they charge like a small percentage but uh basically it's just the MMA but specifically for managers and it's just another group that we sort of are able to you know list serve with and get more ideas with especially with some of the issues that
this community is facing. It would be good to have those network connections available to me at you know face to face you know meetings and being able to say hey how how did you navigate this? So, I think it's um it's something above and beyond. Something that I'm passionate about is continuing education and you
know for the price tag it's it's pretty reasonable compared to other membership fees. So, >> and then I'm seeing here is it is that the 11250 >> 11250 >> 11250. Okay. And yeah, to your point, you know, I think you'll admit you're a little bit new at this gig, which is fine. So, I think any sort of um
resources we can give you, any sort of help we can give you, I think only makes sense. Um, so I think that's short money for I think the return on investment. So >> yeah, I mean the executive session cost uh alone for those three sessions is well over $112 on the on the market. So
right there it's it's value right right off the bat. >> Sure. >> So >> okay guys, any questions for >> Oh yeah. Uh can you identify yourself as troop? >> Yeah in troop house. Can you tell me who's running that class? like who who
are the um so the MMA is that an IGO by the state and who's running it? >> The Mass Municipal Association is a large non u nonprofit organization in the state that assists all 351 towns and communities in the state basically with
legislation help. You know, they represent towns on the state house floor for small government and governmental aid. Um they're basically a a networking ability for towns to you know bring their resources together to make change.
Um you know >> what kind of change >> we do all kinds of change and I also sit on the energy and environment subcommittee. So we bring items to like the state house floor and argue for and witness and testify based on items on the state house floor for like the
banning of um a specific type of rodent aside that was making you know that was basically blood thinners that was killing rodents and then it was going up the food chain to the birds >> to the birds. So those types of change like policy types of policy change like the MBTA for instance you know we have
groups like that that are talking about both sides whether you're on the housing side or whether you're on the other side. So there's a lot of resources in the MMA that we are able to find our corner essentially and find our group of like likewise communities that we can
associate with. You know it's not all just one cookie cutter organization that does everything the same way. you sort of find your own groups and you're able to get resources from them, get help and just collaborate with them. >> So, as an example, you'd be trying to root with Karma and other towns that are
trying to fight the state with the unfunded mandate MBTA 3A. you would be trying to group with those towns to help Halifax fight that not the ones that are not aligned with us for >> I would say it's more of a it's more of an organization that provides guidance
and what to do in those situations you know and the proper guidance of best management practices like aligning yourself with town council and how to go through those processes but of course having the resources in order to reach out to those other communities that are in the same position you are is certainly something that we've you know
even at this past conference in January Right. There were groups that got together like small town administrators um group. So there's a bunch of different groups that are you know towns below 10,000 population. They have a group and then you have groups of you know association and town finance
committee. So there's a bunch of subsections. So you can find what you need in order for resources. And again just finding those examples of what might have worked for another community getting through a situation and being able to use their ideas. Um, I wouldn't say they specifically help you with
counsel or those types of things in your specific case, but they will certainly guide you to the best management of how to get through those avenues. >> Okay. >> I think Amy, just to clarify too, um, it's like you're on our planning board, so like maybe when you were elected, you
reach out to folks you might know on other planning boards and say, "Hey, how do you approach like just a networking like brain share kind of thing, group think kind of thing." So like I can reach out to different selectmen in different communities, you know, hey, has something like this happened in your community? What what steps did you guys take? So you're not committing to any
sort of, you know, this is how we're going to attack things, but you're using it to just gather information from as many different places as you can. So that's kind of what the MMA does. >> So cool. >> All right, we're going to go to our H on
our agenda. Approve that. Approve it. Oh, we got approved. Man, I'm off my game tonight. I apologize, guys. Uh, so any other questions for Stephen at all? We're good. All right. Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to approve the agreement uh to have an MMA
MMA membership uh for the Is it the town of Halifax, Stephen, or is it your yours? >> Specifically, I believe it's tied to me through my MMA membership. >> Okay. So I will approve uh membership
for Steven soil for MMA. >> So move >> second. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. Passes unanimous. >> Thank you guys for being on me tonight. Definitely authentic. Uh H intermunicipal agreement for clinician. So this is that agreement uh
that we discussed when we had Chief Jobs in here uh as well as the sergeant from Kingston. They were using the opioid settlement money to uh kind of start a um phys clinical physician clinician I
guess is the word for um drug use uh council and it was going to be shared by Halifax Kingston and Flinton. They were going to construct a um I guess a trailer for a better word over in Kingston and they were going to uh >> they're buying a trailer. Yeah, they're
buying the trailer and they're going to use this money uh that the town's received for opioid uh the opioid settlement to help fund the um clinician that will be used by all three communities. So, looks like we are here
two more communities added to it. I think one of them is >> one of we're adding Carver. >> We're adding it looks like Hansen and Carver. >> Yeah. Now, >> so we've added these two here. So, it's now a total of five. >> Yeah. on the count of the calculation of the contribution of our opioid.
>> Yeah, it will go down. I don't know. We don't know the exact figure because I did talk to the chief. But yes, still >> that's quite a load for one commission. All these towns, >> five different communities. >> Five different communities. That's a lot. >> Yeah. >> I don't see how Halifax being the
smaller community in Plton are going to get the same services that >> Carver or Hans or Kingston. >> Well, we're also contributing a lower amount, right? It's commensurate with That's true. >> I think the argument here and I share some of those same concerns, but I think the argument here is either, you know, we have the funds set aside through the
open settlement fund. So, it's either we have them and use them or we set this one out and have no services for the time. >> No, I understand that. >> I agree. It's a lot. But is it is it worth having them come back in to
explain what the differences are or you guys? >> I think maybe we should, you know, how long has he agreed for? Let's see. >> 12 month period. >> A year. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> You know, just try for a year. See, it works out.
>> Okay. >> I mean, our our commitment is less than we had previously approved. So, I think that it was worthwhile then, it's worthwhile now to have available to to the residents. >> Sure. But I understand Bill's concerns where we don't want to make sure we're spread it too thin with too many towns. But to your point, we could uh see how
it runs for a year and then circle back. >> Yeah. Yeah, I just I'm not sure what the the alternative is to set it out and it does not be a plan be on the table. So, >> sure. Sure. >> Okay. Any other questions, guys? Seeing none. All right. I'll entertain a motion to enter into the intermunicipal
agreement between the towns of Kingston, Carver, Halifax, Hansen, and Plenton for shared CL clinician services. >> So move second. All those in favor? I opposed. Passes unanimous. All right, we're going to go down to I,
which is to reappoint Linda Reading to the Halifax Cultural Council. Pam, you are our cultural council guru. Yes, sir. >> Um, would you like to speak to this uh reappointment here? >> Um, yeah. Her appointment, it's it's a three-year term, right? And you can only serve two consecutive ones. So, you can
serve three years, then get reappointed and serve three years, and then you got to sit off for a year. >> Gotcha. >> So, um, actually, um, Brian Cling, he's already served two three year terms. So now we have Cecil for the year. >> Gotcha. >> Now we only have four. >> I think that we just um I'll have Caesar
advertised to see if anybody would like to be on the cultural council. >> And what uh what's the commitment like? Here's your chance to pitch it. What do we What do you >> It's not much of a commitment. I mean, we we meet once the applications get submitted to Mass Cultural Council. We meet in November. We go over the
applications. We vote on them. We vote on the bills that we, you know, do throughout the year. And then to be honest, I I do most of it. I heavy. I'll go on the I'll go on the website and I'll um I'll do the denials, >> then I'll do the approvals, then I'll
send out the denial letters. So, you know, they they do it well. I mean, you know, because Charlie used to do it and then I go, why now Charlie left the now I'm doing it. >> We appreciate your reference. How many how many is the full council? Like, can you have
>> up to 22 people? What? >> You can >> who set up a council with 22 people? >> I That's what it says in the book. I >> Wow. Nothing's going to get done. >> I know. Yeah. Um, so I hope to get maybe a couple more people on before November.
>> Okay. >> Cuz you really do cuz there's only four of us. That's really >> And there's no prior experience needed or anything like that. >> We just go through the applications. Once we get the panel book, I'll email it to the members and then they'll look through the panel book and they'll see what who's asking for what.
A lot of times we can't fund everything that they that they ask for. I mean because now the funds are really getting smaller and small like 7700. >> That's not a lot. We have like 26 applicants. >> You're cutting the pie. >> Yeah. If we're giving everybody just a
little bit of what which is all we can do, >> right? >> Okay. And you're you're here to vouch for Linda. >> Oh yeah. No, she said she wanted to be reappointed. I contacted her. >> Okay. All right. Any questions, guys, for Pam at all? No. All right. See none,
I'll entertain a motion uh to reappoint Linda Reading to the Halifax Cultural Council uh with an effective date of 12426 and a term ending 1242029. >> So move second. >> All those in favor? I opposed. Passes.
All right, we're going down to J here on your agenda, uh which is the potential release of executive session minutes. So you'll see there on the agenda there are 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 different dates here. I don't know if the board's had a chance to look at them all. Um I've actually given them a look see. So
what happens with executive session minutes is uh there are certain reasons where as a board it's not um in the town's best interest to discuss things in in the public sector. So for a very specific set of reasons the board will go into executive session to discuss a
lot of times it's a litigation case. Um it's something where essentially uh privacy is of the utmost importance. After a set time, after the uh effects of uh whatever we were discussed has come and gone, uh it is our duty as a board to release those as quickly as we
can to the public. Um so the board has looked at these executive session minutes for the following dates. We have deemed that uh none of the information there right now is overly sensitive to anything going on in the town as it currently stands. So, we are voting or
potentially voting here to release the executive session minutes. So, guys, any questions on any of those dates? Um, you guys okay if we go through and release the the dates that I will read off? >> No, you okay? >> These ones you printed. These are
>> those ones were approved in the executive session tonight, >> right? These are enough. These are enough. These are enough. These are all these. Okay. No, those are those are >> those are pretty exact. >> Those are your go. >> No, no, no. Different things. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, yeah.
>> Those are >> All right. Seeing no further discussion, I'll entertain a motion to release the executive session minutes for the following dates. August 13, 2024. August 19th, 2024. August 27th, 2024. September
3rd, 2024. September 10th, 2024. October 8th, 2024. October 22nd, 2024. November 6th, 2024. November 19th, 2024. February 25th, 2025, March 25th, 2025, and August
26th, 2025. >> So moved. >> Second. All those in favor? I opposed. Passes unanimous. >> Thank you, Pam. Thank you. I know that's a lot of minutes, so appreciate that. All right, now the best part of the meeting down to K, our town
administrator update. Mr. Steven, you have the floor. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, first off, I'd like to start with, um, you know, following this recent historic weather event. Uh, we have to express, you know, sincere appreciation to our first responders, our police, our
fire, highway department, and all other essential personnel that really stepped up, went above and beyond, and worked around the clock to manage this this weather event. Um, I can tell you from being down in Felmouth most of the week and Monday and Tuesday, I couldn't do anything. And by the time I got here on
Wednesday, things were sort of normal. So, I was I took a a breath a deep breath because I was like very worried about what I was going to be driving back into. So, that was it was great to see. I was uh in contact with Chief with him the entire time. Uh he did a great
job holding things down. So, cheap jobs and Steve does at highway. So, I can't thank them enough for holding things together. um residents seemed to pay attention for the most part to the warnings to stay off the roads and allowed the staff to get around and
clean everything as effectively as they could. So, thank you to everybody for that. Um I think this community did a little bit better than surrounding communities and that's something to be said for our community as well as Halifax. Um so, you know, we're obviously going to be still in recovery mode for a few more days. Um we're
expecting a little bit more weather this weekend. We hope it misses us. Um, and hopefully we can, you know, inch back to normal operations as the as the snow starts to go away. But I'd be remiss if I didn't also thank some internal staff that worked somehow through the through
the conditions on Monday and Tuesday. Um, that was Lindsay Martinelli, the the town accountant, and Linda McCarthy, the town treasurer and collector. um for them to be able to turn around payroll and still get everybody paid and keep everybody happy on that side. I mean,
most of us weren't I wasn't concerned. I didn't expect to get paid this week cuz I was just like there's too much going on. They still managed to get it done. It was balanced to the scent and everybody got their paycheck on time still this week. So, another another, you know, feather in their hat, you
know, well done. Job well done. I couldn't thank them enough because it saved us a lot of headaches probably yesterday and today. So thanks to them and their staff because they worked as much as they possibly could during again I was in stuck in a snowbank on Cape
Cod. So um you know moving on to the you know orders other orders of business um you know basically staging for union negotiations we are negotiating with five out of six unions this year. Um so I will be reaching out to each of you as
the liaison to your various unions. I'm staging the various schedules because with five I I don't want to do them all. I can't just block out a whole week. So, I got to be able to stagger them. Um the union stewards and the representatives are chomping at the bit to get to the
table. And I've also been trying to also keep them a little bit, you know, not at bay, but just saying, "Hey, we're still working through the budget to know what we're bringing to the table." Um so, uh moving on to the annual town meeting warrant, which me and Pam have been working on. um you know, pulling all the
warrant articles together, going through last year's um familiarizing myself with last year's warrant to know what's standard in Halifax's warrant and now adding all the board of selectman items that will be coming through. I found out today we'll be having one come through the planning board as well. Um so we'll
get that on on the warrant as well. Uh everything's coming together in that sense. Uh March 10th is coming up very quickly, especially with the two days we lost due to weather. So, there may be some consideration and discussion. Um, you guys may just want to I'll put it to
each of you individually, think about potentially extending the deadline in case something happens. Maybe give folks an extra day or two. Again, just something to think about um and we'll talk about it. But, um the next item, we do have a new conservation agent
starting um on March 5th. Uh this was secured through the intermunicipal agreement with the town of Bridgewater. Uh Pam sat in through the interviews. Um and the young man coming to town I think is going to be wellliked and fit right in. Um you know straight out of the
military, straight into his bachelor's degree, straight into his master's degree and he loves science. So we're excited to have him and excited to to get him up to speed. So um the first formal department head meeting will be March 10th. Uh so next Tuesday, not this
coming Tuesday, but the one Tuesday. And u now I'll give you some of the the main item I've been working on which is the the fiscal year 2027 budget. Um so right now we're projecting a 1.1 to$ 1.2 million deficit and that's across all
town departments. Um I've already made significant efforts in this building alone um identifying reductions and operational adjustments wherever flexibility exists. We are getting down and cuts are starting to get real deep and I've already removed about and the
only place to cut left at this point is personnel and wages. That's where we're at. Um so I've removed about 7% additionally on top of the level funding budget that was provided by all department heads in this building. Um, I've asked the police and fire chiefs
for significant cuts and they both have responded and I do have a list of those impacts and what those will be if the extent of the cut is needed. Um, and just so you guys understand that's $150,000 off their wage lines. Uh, so you can imagine how deep that's going to
cut and that's projected to get down to balance. Now, obviously, we have free cash coming in, so we have some numbers and we have some puzzle pieces to play with to see where we stand, but I just wanted to put this out there so you guys have the numbers and understand what I'm
asking for from department. Um, and then lastly, uh, you know, I can I can attest to what it will result in this building, and that will be, you know, slower permitting times, uh, less efficiency, uh, payroll deficiencies potentially.
We're we're already, you know, again, we're cutting back on administrative staff that that helps support the rest of the town staff and we're getting back to, you know, now cutting support of the department heads and it's it's getting to the point where you're up beyond the
point of no return. So, it's getting pretty dire. Um there's there's a way out of it for sure and we're going to have to come up with those options and start thinking about those. And then I just have some other mis miscellaneous items that will hope bring up the mood in here a little bit, brighten it a
little bit. Um I hate to be the downer, but you know, I think we're we're not unique. Halifax is not unique in this situation. This whole this whole region is facing deficits in the same same magnitude for the most part. Um we have uh five staff members attending the
women's leading government uh conference next week at Devons. Um that's going to be Sue, Lindsay, Caroline, Pam, and Linda. Uh so they're going to be heading up at the end of next week uh on Thursday. Uh and that's great. You know, that's another MMA uh sponsored event. So they get to meet and you know learn
from other other leaders and other women specifically women leaders in the region. Um and Pam can attest to it. You went last year, right? >> Yeah, we all went last year. >> Yeah. So it's a great event. Um >> and then related to that, um I'm starting section four or five of my
leadership certificate course. um hopefully wrapping up here soon, but now I've moved into human resources, which is seems like it's perfect timing. And then I get burning lunch for the last 5 weeks. Going to be like rounded back into uh you know, and then lastly, just to comment on what um Pam had brought up
kind of late today, but the $90,000 earmark uh regarding the Mansona ponds. Uh, so we did get an earmark that will be coming in to address um pollution, mil foil, vegetation growth, and other things that are going on in the Monta ponds to the $290,000 and it will help
address those issues in the bonds. >> Great. >> So, um, beyond that, I'm going to be here tomorrow cuz class was cancelled. Um, and I'll be working on budgets and and more. So, if anyone wants to stop by and see me, please come by.
>> Great. Um, ladies first. Amy Gran Troop 10 out. Um, can I ask where you heard that the planning board is putting something on the town meeting? >> Yeah. So, um, Tom came by today and we
had a um he had brought up a I guess down at the industrial park uh industrial drive. Uh it was zoned residential towards the end towards the backside. So what we would like to do or what the player would like to do is
reszone it as industrial so it fits more in with what the character is down there and that will require obviously a Tom Muting vote and everything else but that's sort of the essence of the article at this point. It came to me pretty much late last week. So I just became aware of it.
>> Okay. Cuz the planning board hasn't discussed it. >> Yeah. I mean I just I just saying like so it can't come from the planning board from one member of five >> no the B the board of >> so then it would be coming from Tom
Millius as a person because it didn't get voted on by the planning board or discuss >> at this point yes but then in order yeah I mean >> well it's a very important >> it needs to be 21 days before physical town meeting so it needs to be approved by or voted on by the planning board 21
days before town meeting so We still have plenty of time before that physical date. All I know is I'm just it came to me late in the day. It needs to go on the warrant. So, and that's why I also brought up the fact that the warrant closes March 10th and we're up against it. >> Right. Well, that would just be a petition of a person because the
planning board hasn't even discussed it. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I think that's Amy's point is that it would go before the planning board for the planning board to discuss to vote to put it on. >> Yeah. >> Chris, you had one. Chris Wit. >> Chris Winnowitz, 129 Circuit Street. A
question about the conservation agent. Is that set up as the last one shared 50/50 with Bridgewwater? >> Yep. >> So, just so everyone's aware that would be working under the chairman, Marilyn McDonald, and multiple members of the
conservation of Maryland's Landing that bringing contaminated dirt. There's issues there with conservation. We could ident we could easily identify any potential conflicts heading into any potential filing and address those prior
>> just so people are aware of that the chairman of the conservation as a member of McDonald and other people on the conservation are also associated with McDonald's industries. >> Okay. Yeah. Where were >> we going to have her in?
>> Um we looking to have her in. >> Yeah, >> sure. I know. Um and this is getting off topic. We we don't have it on agenda, but I do know that board of health uh recently in their latest meeting voted to have an independent engineer come and examine the property uh and bring their
findings to the board of health. So, I think that's where we're at right now. >> Ty. >> Yeah. So, I think Tylen Bond will uh give it an independent examination. >> So, I think that's where that that's at. >> Okay. Um well, Stephen, you stole my
thunder a little bit. I just wanted to thank um our crews. >> That was historic what we had this week. I was very little when the blizzard of 78 happened, so I don't remember it too well. Um you guys might remember a little more than I do, but uh for me personally, that was the most snow I
think I've seen in one storm. you know, 30 inches of snow in a 36-hour period was insanity. Um, so for them to even dig us out as well as they could as quickly as they could, uh, is a testament to them. Um, going non-stop.
And not to get all cheesy on you guys, but I loved it that I I witnessed neighbors reaching out to neighbors, you know, like, "Hey, do you guys need help? You guys all set? We had people snowblowing other people's track." Like just it was awesome. It was awesome. So sometimes the tough things bring up the
good things in folks. Um so that was great. How is everybody doing with no school this week? That was a little tough, you know, nice test to the parents. Um but I think our school administration did a great job getting the word out as quickly as they could. Uh so another unexpected week off for
the kids this week. Um but again, I think it was a shining moment for Halifax. I think we did as exceeded what we could have done given the resources that we have to throw at something like this. So kudos to our police, fire crews, Scott on Highway. And also a
shout out over to Caesar. Uh I think he was living in the building for a while. He was just blasting out as much information as he could to people. Um it was really cool to see the team all come together. So that's my cheesy soap box moment. I just want >> to piggy back on that. I think it's
obviously they put a lot of time and effort in and long hours and so forth. I mean, for me, and I think maybe most people, we were able to stay home with our families and have some memories with kids and small families. And I know some of those guys in highway have young kids, and if nothing else, long hours and late nights, but they were also just
away from their families, which during difficult weather is difficult, it was hard, and then just be not to have the memories at home. So, there's a sacrifice there. Yeah, they got paid for it and yeah, they're long hours and some of that comes with the job, but I think the sacrifice maybe just time away um should be noted as well.
You're here. >> All right. Anything else for the board before So, we do have an executive session on the agenda tonight, guys, where our council is here going to be joining us. So, we won't be coming out after executive session. So, I'm just going to make this announcement here uh that the Halifax board selectman will
vote to enter into executive session and the town administrator's office pursuant to Mass General Law Chapter 38 section 21. And we will, as I said, not return to open session. Um uh item A is MBTA zoning mandate pursuant to Mass General Law chapter 38 section 2183 to discuss
strategy with respect to litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the public body. B Morse Brothers Incorporated versus Town of Halifax to discuss strategy with respect to litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the public body and the
chair so declares and I do. And then C, finally the approval of some executive session minutes for June 24th, 2025, July 1st, 2025, November 4th, 2025, December 17th, 2025, and December 31st, 2025. So I'll
entertain a motion to uh enter into that. >> So moved. >> Second. All right. This is a roll call vote because it's executive session. Bill, >> I. >> Tom, >> yes. >> Myself is a yes. Passes unanimous. Thank you guys for coming out tonight and we will see you subsequently. Thank you.
Take care.