[Music] [Music] Okay. Um, well, it's 6 o'clock. I know that um I know that Ed Brian is not going to be on. I don't see Mike Reignetta, nor do I see Cheryl. But
there's four of the four of the seven members here. So, I think we have quum. I think we could go ahead and go. Yeah. Um so why don't we just go in the interest of time, we'll just go ahead and get started. Um this is the meeting of the Halifax Finance Committee and it
is being recorded by Area 58. Uh this is the uh the members who are in attendance at this point are Michael Bennett, Frank Johnston, Bill Smith, and myself. Um,
and uh from the town we have Cody and we have uh Lindsay Martinelli on. So, um I'm here. Oh, there you are, Cheryl. Oh, there you are. Okay. And Cheryl Burke. Thank you, Cheryl. All right. So uh because this is a video
meeting video call the all all roll call there will be a roll call vote for all items that need to be approved. So uh starting with our agenda um we have two sets of meeting minutes to be uh reviewed and approved. Um and uh those
are for 417 and for 4 I think 15 I believe. We did not get a chance to go over the um the the 42 the April 2nd minutes. Uh we'll be doing that at the next
meeting. I see Mike Reetta is here also. Thank you everybody for attending. Okay. So um we'll start with uh the minutes from 4 4:15. Has everybody had a chance to
review the minutes? Yes. Anybody have any ads, changes, or deletions or questions? Very good. Can I get a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Second. Thank you. Roll call vote. Cheryl. Uh, I
abstain. I wasn't there. Oh, you weren't there, right? Okay. Thank you. Mike Bennett. Yes. Frank Johnston. Yes. On the minutes from 04152025. Thank you, sir. Bill Smith, yes. Mike
Rignetta, yes. And I a yes as well. So, that passes. Uh those minutes are approved. Uh the next set is 4:15. Um has everybody had a chance to take a look at those?
Anybody have any ads, changes, or deletions? Very good. May I get a motion to approve? So move. Second. Thank you. Roll call vote. Cheryl. I was absent.
Very good. Mike Bennett. Yes. Frank Johnson. Yes. On the 4:15 2020 2020 25. Thank you, sir. Bill Smith. Yes. Mike Ragnetta. Yes. And I'm a yes as well. So
that motion passes as well. Thank you so much. Um okay. So we will close out the meeting minutes part of the agenda. Uh the next item we have is the regionalization study meeting. Um so I think uh Cody, you want to give a little
background on that? I think this is regarding the elementary school and the regionalization piece. Correct. Uh yes, exactly. So, you may recall we initially the school committee had requested that we apply for a um efficiency and
regionalization grant through the Commonwealth. We um Kingston took the lead on it last year. We didn't get awarded it. Um we Halifax took the lead on it this year. We were awarded the grant. Um and then we we gave it back we
gave it to Kingston because we were not we weren't going to be in compliance with the MBTA zoning. So rather than lose it, um the department of revenue allowed us to transfer it over to Kingston with that. The the idea of this study is to study full regionalization,
right? So right now we're regionalized at the uh preK and 7 through 12 level. Um right now and and what this would look at is regionalizing, you know, everything prek through through 12 um and then through 22 actually, I should
say, for special education students. Um, so we I've met with uh Kingston Town Administrator a few times on this and the school administrative team. We thought it would be best to put together kind of a steering committee. Um, and with that we decided to um to put
forward a a member from the uh school elementary school committees, a member of the board of selectmen from each community and a member of the finance committee from each community as well as you know the town administrators. Um the selectman have chosen someone believe the school committee have chosen someone. So now it's just we need a
finance committee representative for Halifax. Okay. So who would be interested in joining the uh regionalization committee? I'll do it.
Okay. My only suggestion, and you you don't have to take it, but um maybe to do one of your school liaison or or if you're if you're not going to have one of your school leaison, maybe switch that person to a school liaison because this is
likely going to be a long-term stud. You know, this isn't something that's going to take 6 months. Um we anticipate it taking at least a year, you know, potentially 18 months plus. So I think and a big part of this is going to be digging into the financials and again
not not that you'll be the one digging in but the consultant will be um so the the more involved I guess you have as a finance committee member and the more under you all have an understanding of the school but um the leaison I think maybe have a little bit more um just
interaction with the schools so it may make sense to do that you you don't have to just a suggestion given the length of time that this study will likely take. So, fairly sizable time commitment is what you're
um length. Yes. I don't anticipate this being a heavy heavy lift uh as far as you know, meetings weekly or or these long and thorough meetings. But um you know for the for the consultant or consultants to really do a a good job and give us the report I think that's
needed in order to make an educated decision on this. We anticipate like I said about a year plus um all the way through. Okay. I mean I I have so Ed's the other school liaison that we have. I mean, I don't have a
problem jumping on the committee if it's not that, you know, if no one else objects or no one else wants to do it. Okay. So, I'll I I'll go ahead put my name in there, Cody. I'll go ahead and take that. Um and maybe uh next time
I chat with Ed, you know, perhaps we can tag team that if that's possible. So I I do think that we're trying to because it's already a sizable group, we are trying to keep it to just one member for from each representation just
because if we start allowing two, I mean now this already, you know, 10 15 member group can turn into 30 plus and we're never going to get anything accomplished. All right. So, I guess I'm I'm it then at this point,
unless Well, Mike Bennett had asked Jim if he could be that, but um Oh, I don't know if you heard that. That's fine. I mean, I I think Cody made a good point and and I'll I I'll acquies to Cody's good point,
so I have no problem with that. [Music] Okay. You sure about that, Mike? Yes, absolutely. Okay. All right. So, I guess I'll represent the finance committee on the regionalization study stuff, and I'll
make sure I keep the finance committee updated on everything that goes on. Thanks, Jim. All right. Um, so we'll close out that agenda item. Um, so, uh, that moves us actually into correspondence. And as
may arise, I haven't gotten any specific emails, um, for the finance committee from constituents or otherwise. Uh, does anybody has anybody else received anything that they would like to bring to the finance committee's attention at this point? No, I I have
not. I have not either. that. Huh? Me? Yeah. I thought I checked I checked my junk file, too. Yeah, that seems to be where they go for some. Yeah, some reason they they fall in the junk file. Okay.
All right. Uh, as may arise, any anything that anybody wants to discuss that was not reasonably anticipated by our agenda? All right, very good. So, we will close that agenda item out. Um, public participation. We have some people on
the phone. Anybody would like to have any questions for anyone on the finance committee regarding town finances. All right. Very good. Hearing none, uh, I will close out that agenda item. Um, which brings us to the final item, which is next meeting planning.
Now, Cody, I know you said something about the 28th. Um, I don't know if uh if um I don't know if we really need a meeting next week, but so I'm thinking
probably the uh I think like is it the fifth? We have a b another budget forum scheduled for the fifth, right? Oh, if you were to um we had scheduled out for 6, I don't I don't know that you're going to have a
ton to do, but if you needed to, you could always do like a 5:45 if you had some business before you know the forum kicks off at 6. Right. Right. So, we should we should know that at that point, right? So, I think what we'll do, guys, is we will and ladies, I think we will um go ahead and just cancel next
week's meeting, which is the 28th. um because there's nothing pressing at this point, but if something does come up, we'll make sure we let everybody know and get an agenda out there in time to have the meeting. Um until that time, then we will Yeah, I think that's what we'll do. Uh Cody, we'll just uh we'll
bank on the uh on the 5th uh to we're going to be there at the uh at the forum anyway. Um and if we have anything that comes up, we will take care of it. We'll set something up uh for prior to the meeting. So, Jim, actually, now that I think of it, maybe maybe plan to do 545 anyway as
I So, May um is when we can start doing line item transfers as you all know and I I know of a couple accounts that we're going to need those transfers. Okay. Can we get those ahead of time? Um OD. Cody.
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. We were just kind of kicking that around a little bit before the meeting started. Okay. And they're using the new form that shows like the account number that it's going to come from and the account number it's going to, right? Yeah. Yeah.
It's primarily um electricity. That's kind of the big one right now. And then um we may have a postage, well actually three that I know of. Electricity potentially postage and um town meeting, warrants, printing. the the cost of
printing has skyrocketed over the last year and a half. Um and also we've had two town meeting. Well, this will be our second town meeting of the year and um we don't always budget for a full warrant for a second town meeting. So, we're going to be over there.
Okay. All right. Okay. Um electricity postage and printing the All right. I just uh I'm sorry, Jim. Go ahead. Back to the as may arise, please. Uh Cody, um the 30th, um
we have a zoning bylaw uh forum. Is that still a go? Uh yes, it is the a week from tomorrow. Yep. That's on the 30th, right? Okay. Yes. Y Okay. Well, sorry about that, Jim. Oh, it's okay. 6 p.m. Yeah, it's okay. Yeah,
the 30th is the is that piece. Was there and and just to kind of dubtail into that, Frank, a little bit, Cody, was there any anything that came out of the planning committee meeting regarding that? Um, no. Well, I shouldn't say that. If you have an opportunity, you can watch
it. I I there was a lot that came out of it. Um, I think it's up to individual members to determine what of substance came out. Um there was the the planning board um did not make a recommendation yet. They're
pushing their recommendation to um their next meeting. They did there was one member in particular who who had concerns with every section pretty much every section of the proposed bylaw. um one member was missing and then the other three members
that were present um seemed very um receptive to the proposed changes and did not express any concerns. Got it. Okay. I I'll go back and look at that. Yeah. Allow about two hours and 45 minutes, Jim. Really? Yeah. I looked at
I got through the first hour today and then I was going to finish it up tomorrow. Okay. So So they didn't uh vote then. Cody, they did not. No, they closed the public hearing, which is the only legal requirement that we needed.
So, the the law basically says for all zoning changes, you need the planning board needs to either give a recommendation at town meeting or the public hearing must have been held at least 21 days prior to town meeting should they decide to not provide a recommendation. And so, we were like 24
or 25. So, if they choose not to make a recommendation, that would not hinder us in in voting on the zoning. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. Thanks, Cody. I appreciate the update. No problem. All right.
Um well, ladies and gentlemen, I think that concludes our business for this evening. Um, unless anyone has anything else that they would like to chat about. It's going to be May 5th at 5:45 p.m.
That's correct, sir. That's in That's in person. Yeah. Great Hall in person. Yeah. Yeah. I guess I'll just add if anyone has any, you know, comments, feedback, recommendations on, you know, the second budget
forum, hope more than receptive to those. if you think there's a way to boost that experience. Um I you know you see a you hear I'm hearing a lot of feedback that we're not you know providing enough information to the public and we're not preparing the
public as much but I mean I'm not sure what else we can do. This is these are two forms. I mean it literally went almost line by line on the budget. Um but if you if there's anything you guys think of please let me know. Yeah. And and unfortunately there
was I believe only two citizens there. I think the only I think the only citizen was uh um Chris. There was one other gentleman as well came in at the end. Yeah, at the
end there was somebody there. Yeah, we did, you know, it was recorded and we did post it online. We created that budget page right on the homepage and it's been posted there now. So, you know, if anyone missed it, they can go watch it and, you know, if they watch it and there's questions that didn't get answered, they can always attend in
person or virtually the next one and, you know, we'll either, like I said, if we don't have the answers that night, we'll work to get the answers and and publish it. Did uh can we tell how many um views or hits we got on what's posted? I don't know if it's set up that
way or not. I'm not sure. That's a good question. I can Caesar on. Yeah, Caesar's on. Yeah, I can get that information for you for the next meeting. Just curious. And maybe send out a new Oh, I think you already sent out a new posting for that. Correct.
Caesar, you sent a reminder for the April one and then there's going to be another reminder the day of or the day before day of for the May. Yeah. Okay. So, there's Frank to answer your question, there's been three views.
three. Yeah, you can just go to YouTube and see that now. Yeah. Okay. So, yeah. Unfort Yeah. Geez, I thought that was going to go over really well. Um people viewing and and having I
was expecting more than what we got. Yes. Yeah. I'm hopeful the fifth um has some more interested residents given it's we're the week right before town meeting people are hopefully getting a little bit more interested.
Um but we'll see right thank you for that uh Cody and Caesar. Yeah, I appreciate it. All right. Any other any other further items to be discussed?
Nope. Okay. And I get a motion for adjournment. So move. Second. You roll call. Cheryl. Yes. Mike Bennett. Yes. Frank Johnston. Yes. To
adjourn, please. Bill Smith. Yes. Mike Retta. Yes. And I'm a yes as well. This meeting is adjourned. Thanks everybody for attending. Thank you. [Music] [Music]