All right, everybody. It is uh 6:00. We will call this meeting to order. This is a meeting of the Halifax Finance Committee on the uh 16th of March of 2026. Uh, this meeting has been posted in
accordance with the provisions of MGL chapter 30 section 20B and is being recorded and will be posted on area 58 community access channel. The finance committee reasonably anticipates the following matters to be discussed and or voted on at this meeting. Agenda items
may be taken out of order for time management considerations. And the committee members in attendance are Cheryl Burke, M uh Frank Johnston, uh EJ Brian, Mike Regetta, Rod Hemingway, and myself. Um we uh and Mike Bennett should
be along here shortly. Um so with that, uh as this is a virtual call, all votes will be taken via roll call. So uh the first item we have on our agenda is the approval of meeting minutes. Now, I sent out the corrected minutes for the last couple of meetings today. So, if
you guys want to, you know, if you haven't had a chance to read it, that's fine. They just went out today. So, they will be on the next agenda to get approved uh for the corrections that were asked for. Um, so we will pass on that uh that specific agenda item and then we will move to the budget meeting
uh review. I put this on here because we did have a three-hour meeting uh last Monday and we really didn't have an opportunity to kind of, you know, decompress and kind of chat about what we heard while we were there. Um so I want to open it up to the floor for comments from the members or and uh you
know, just some discussion on some of the some of the challenges uh that uh that at least I heard um on Monday night. So please, ladies and gentlemen, Well, you know, I voiced my opinion early in the meeting with the with the
police and fire budgets. Um, and I'm assuming um I haven't seen the revised ones, but I'm assuming they're going going to stay the way they are. And um I believe Jim, correct me if I'm wrong, you went to the selectma meeting.
Did they vote for the override? They did vote to put the an override on the um on the on the uh town meeting warrant. Um but they so they haven't decided which whether they want to do
one uh one override or they want to do you know the school and then the general town government. Um which in my opinion you should do it. It's it's kind of an all or nothing thing at this point. >> Yeah. And that's kind of the way I'm
thinking too. I was looking originally at a split, you know, and the more I thought about it after listening to the comments and the meeting and stuff, I think it's best to roll it all into one override. Um, >> right. >> And now because I thought they weren't
going to make do that until they were going to hold a Thursday meeting, but I see they didn't do that to make that decision last week. That's what they had talked about in our joint meeting, >> right? And so if I'd have known that, I would have went to Tuesday's meeting because I
thought they were punting till Thursday on that. >> Right. >> No, that's fair. And I think I believe the process at this point is they just have to vote. They just voted on putting an override out there because that vote does have to come from them. The form that it takes doesn't really have to be
specified or settled on until the it goes to print for the warrant. >> Really? >> Yeah. >> They just did the 1.5. So that's the total that they voted on. So if it later gets broken up, it's $1.5 million
whether you break it up or you keep it. So they voted yes to go forward with a $1.5 million override, >> right? So how are they going to break it? >> They did not discuss that. >> They haven't determined that yet. >> They didn't discuss if they actually
will. They didn't discuss any of that. The only thing they had to do was the total number which is the 1.5. >> Yeah. So, Steve, the town administrator did not exceed the 1.5. That's the maximum amount. Correct.
>> That is correct. >> Cuz he had talked about adjusting more numbers prior to >> Yeah. No, they did 1.5. >> So, we're staying with the numbers that we were presented with on last Monday. Is that correct?
>> Yep. I have a quick question. How how would like Frank said the same thing. I was thinking how I thought they were going to go till Thursday and then they didn't. How how as a town member or even on the support, how would I know that?
How did I not know that Tuesday they made they going to make a vote and then Thursday there was no meeting when Monday night they said they were going to make a meeting for Thursday. How would we know that as the public? How would I know that? kept looking at the see if they met the deadline for the second meeting and they didn't. >> Right.
>> So, I'm like, okay. But their agenda didn't say for the Tuesday meeting they were going to discuss that unless they pulled it up under under as may arise. I'd have to go back and look at their agenda.
>> The override wasn't on Tuesday. So, I don't think it was specifically on the agenda for Tuesday, >> right? >> I believe it was it was discussed and voted on during the um during the uh town administrator update.
>> Yeah. Because in the in the joint meeting, they said they well, they couldn't vote the day that we were doing it because they didn't have it on their agenda, right? And my understanding was it wasn't on Tuesdays either. That's why I said, "Well, we're going to do it on Thursday. give us more time to figure it out.
And then they didn't pull their meeting. >> Yeah. No, that I am not sure about. >> Yeah. But either way, it's done. So, >> yeah. No, I mean, I'm glad it's done. I'm just curious how we seem we seemed pretty involved in that whole the whole discussion about it and then as a finance committee, we
didn't know it was happening whereas just town member, I didn't know it was happening. Like that's >> you're absolutely correct, Michael. >> Yeah. I mean, they they thought they could vote for it at our meeting, but because they hadn't po posted it as part of any sort of agenda from our meeting
because I don't think they had an agenda, right? Because they they joined our meeting >> that they couldn't do it during our session. Uh, and that they were going to work to do the Tuesday and then the Thursday like you guys said, but Thursday never happened for for whatever reason.
>> Thursday of Thursday of last week. >> That's correct. Yeah, that was my understanding as well that they were going to do a Thursday. >> Last thing they said >> 48 hour notice, >> right? Because they didn't have they wanted to make sure they met the 48 hours for Thursday. >> Right. >> Right. >> Yeah. In in fairness, I I do think that
they were kind of speaking in the moment. Like it was it was all happening right then and there. And I think they just kind of threw out arbitrary days to to try to play try to play it out so that they were legally meeting the the notice um requirements that they had. I
I don't think they had actually thought through it enough to really see when it was actually going to play out. >> That's >> Yeah, I still like I just don't like personally feeling uninformed. That's all. Maybe it's just me. >> Yeah. No, I'm with you. I'm I'm with you 100%. Mike,
>> excuse me. I don't disagree. Oops. Hey, Susan. How are you? >> Hi. Uh just to interject a little bit. Um, yes, it was on the I don't know what was said or who said what, but I'm just letting you know that um it was an agenda item to speak for the draft
ballot questions because I needed I needed it to do the draft and that was so that's where they were talking about the wording for the 1.5. >> Okay. >> All right. >> And that was on Susan that was on Tuesday's agenda, right? >> That's correct. >> It was. Yes.
>> Okay. All right. So then they were just misinformed about how they could get that done on Tuesday. basically by telling us they had to wait till Thursday. >> Yeah, that's what that's and that's what I'm saying, Mike, where I think they were just speaking in the moment at our meeting where it was like >> kind of panic mode. It had just happened
and they were throwing out an idea without realizing the significance of others that might have heard it. >> Yeah. Again, just, you know, with our meeting being recorded on Monday in this in the world of transparency that we are really working hard to to live up to for the
town when that gets said at our meeting on Monday night and then that happens on Tuesday. It's not a bad thing. It's just you knew we knew it was coming. It just without the notice I felt I feel like I would like to have known. That's all. >> Yeah.
>> Again, I hate to interject. I believe that that was just the wording for the ballot question. I don't believe they voted on how to separate the question. >> They did not. That is correct. >> They just voted the amount of the override, not how it's going to be
structured or how it's going to be on the ballot. >> Correct. >> And Sue, that's the question that is out there right now is when that 1.5 million vote actually happened versus when we thought it was going to happen. I think that's what Mike's driving at. >> Oh, okay. I thought All right. because I
do know that the separation has not been decided. So, >> right. No. Yeah, that's fine. Yeah. Agreed. Agreed. >> Okay. All right. >> Well, I'm looking at your agenda right now from Tuesday, >> and I may be misunderstanding this un
Well, Jim, you said they put it in the town administrator update. >> Well, it was it was discussed during the draft ballot questions. >> During the draft ballot questions, >> right? didn't know that the um budget
was a uh bot was a ballot question. >> Not the budget, the override is a ballot question, >> right? The override is a ballot question. So, >> we're not talking about the budget. So, we're talking these are two separate things. >> All right.
>> Because the ballot question fulfills the uh gives us the ability to set the budget that's been proposed. Is that right? No, the ballot question is the override. The budget is the finance committee's budget that we have not approved yet.
>> Right. >> Right. >> So, we haven't approved the town's budget. The only thing that was discussed was how much the override was going to be. >> Right. >> All right. >> All right. I think that I liked and
appreciated the department heads who spoke about their departments and the effects uh of either approving the override or not approving it and what the real life effects will be for the town because I think everyone needs to understand the gravity of which we're kind of going
forward with this process and approving the budgets and getting them set for the various towns uh departments including fire and police and schools which are the the biggest budget items but also So, the council on aging and how that will impact uh their ability to provide
services to our elders. And I just really appreciated that people took it seriously and really uh spoke to what these numbers will actually mean for overnight fire or overnight police. and uh and the the fire chief who spoke
about two and two principle like if we're cut down the two firemen they will not be able to enter a building until they get mutual aid or to have uh two people outside to enter. I think those kind of things a lot of people don't quite understand uh how a budget will
impact the ability to provide best services to the community. >> Yeah. No, that's that's a fair point. I think they had that same situation actually on Wednesday of last week where we had an the am the Halifax ambulance
was out. There was a car accident. The only two people that could respond was the fire chief and deputy chief uh Benner while they waited for mutual aid ambulance to come in from Hansen, which you know obviously delays um you know
delays delays the care that uh an ambulance brings with it. So you know the Chief Whitam and and Chief Benner probably most likely rendered first responder aid as best they possibly could with whatever equipment they had in their vehicles. Um, but you know, the
advanced care that comes with an ambulance wasn't there until whenever it got there. So, that's that's the first thing. The second thing is if there are if there are structural operating budget cuts because a a an override is not approved, that becomes an even more
commonplace problem >> than what it currently is. So these are the things that we need to kind of work through to get out in front of the our the constituency of of Halifax and its residents so they have
an understanding of you know what's you know what what this actually means. >> Y that's that's kind of where we're at. So, you know, with that said, you know, there's a a we put a PowerPoint together
and Steve I gave it to Steve today for him to give to the override study committee for them to kind of grind through and and structure a conversation that they can have with the residents as part of the uh as part of the committee. So, what I'm going to I'm going to share my screen and share it with you guys
now. Um so, you can have a look at it. Um it's just basically facts basically. Um, it is not anything, you know, it's it's pretty simple. Let me know when you guys can see it. Everybody see it?
>> No. >> No. >> I'm up. >> Okay. All right. So, there's kind of like just a very quick agenda. This again is as when I put it together, it's just all
just basic uh factual information. So what the situation is um you know our level service budget gap 1.5 million. This is not new spending. It's going to maintain current police and fire staffing, current school
staffing, current DPW services that includes trash pickup and all the other and the recycle center and all those things associated with it. and then the current library and senior services, right? Why is there a gap? Well, here's why. So, the major cost drivers have
been health insurance, special education, contractual wages, storm water management, energy, and utilities. So, everything is up starting with health insurance at 14.2% increased. Uh, storm water management is up 28%. The
Plymouth County retirement is up 7.6. Um a Silverlake regional assessment is up 6% over last year and then the energy and utilities is up an average of 6%. So you know state law limits re revenue growth while the essential costs
continue to rise. So we proposition 2 and a half is what we can raise it. Uh but you know costs have exceeded that obviously. So where do the tax dollars go when they are allocated correctly? Um typical breakdown of the $31.3 million which is
the town budget is 53% goes to the school. 12% goes to benefits and insurance. 11.4 goes to the police and fire. Uh public works is 8.2. General is 6.4. So that's the general government is just the town hall. Um library is 1.1.
The COA is 7. And then parks and wreck is around2 on average. So, you know, the majority of the budget funds direct services to the residents. So, a failed override means those services get cut. So, if the override fails, what happens?
Possible impacts. Schools, larger class sizes and program reductions, public safety, reduced police staffing and slower response coverage. Public works, fewer road repairs, reduced snow and maintenance capacity. um community services, library hour
reductions, reduced senior programs. So, you know, the bud the state requires that the town have a balanced budget. So, if we don't have if the override fails, the cuts have to be made to balance the budget. Frank,
>> I want to back up a notch there on that last slide. Um can you pull back on that? Um police and fire 11.4% 4% and but the next slide after that Jim there's no mention of what what cuts in fire we're
looking at um we're just talking large class sizes reductions reduce police staffing slow response coverage is slow response coverage referencing to fire >> I would imagine yeah that's that's
that's a good point >> yeah I think it's supposed to be reduced police and fire >> yeah I think fire needs could be called out in this. >> Sure. >> Because they're being asked to cut roughly the same amount of money. >> Correct. But we're only saying police
here. And I want the fire in here because the fire is a major impact potential for the town, the residents, and potentially for homeowners insurance as well. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. I I really like that that bit. It was it was helpful to hear the interplay between fire staffing and homeowners insurance >> and >> below a certain level that will impact that. I think that's an important thing for us to for for residents to
understand to to consume. >> Thank you for making that um addition in there, Jim. I appreciate it. >> No, no worries. No worries. I want this to be, you know, the thing is what I what I what I want to avoid is the issue we ran into with the u with the MBTA
stuff, which is just a a conflating of issues uh creating misinformation everywhere. Um, correct. So, you know, I want this to be factual. Like, you can point to something. This is what it is. This is what it means. And there's no
way that it can be disputed, obuscated, or create or or, you know, twisted in a way that it's that it that it doesn't mean what what the town needs to have happen. And and in that light of what you just said, Jim, about the MBTA,
um that is a major impact on the budget without being able to get the different various grants that we need. And particularly in the schools, if I remember correctly, >> they mentioned it was like 400,000 that
they lost this year because of the MBTA. >> That's correct. 400,000 in discretionary grants. That's strictly in the school. That doesn't include the town stuff that we have going on and our litigation cost. >> Correct.
>> And those are all driving the budget numbers as well to being higher with the override. You know, >> um >> the over is 1.5 million and 400,000 of that said just in the school alone. So now instead of 1.1, we're at 1.5.
You know, you can look at those numbers any way you want. But that that's reality, >> right? >> Yeah. And our attorney's fees. And we haven't even got in the courtroom yet. >> No. And I think uh I believe the
information I have is they're waiting to hear how the Marshfield case plays out in the Supreme Court. >> Yes. The Marshfield article, if anybody read that over the weekend, wasn't pretty. >> No. I have I have a question. Did the
chapter we uh we were told the chapter 90 funding went down from uh what three either three or 400k uh for roadways. Is that related to the MBTA uh uh communities? >> No. No. That's um that's statemandated
funding. >> Okay. >> Chapter 70 and chapter 90. So chapter 70 is for the schools. Chapter 90 is for highways. >> Yeah. And it's based on the amount of highway about the amount of mileage of roadways you have to cover in your town. >> So that has decreased.
>> Yeah. >> Or Halifax. I don't know if that is as a result of the um MBTA non-compliance, but it shouldn't be because those are statemandated funds. >> Yeah, that's >> I didn't know the reason for the
reduction. >> I'm sorry. >> I just didn't know the reason for the reduction. The chapter 90. That's why I was trying to understand what what the reason was for the reduction was. >> Lindsay may be able to weigh in a little bit on this or Steve, but I don't think Steve's on. Um >> I don't think Steve's on.
>> What was the cut on that, Lindsay? 200 or 400. Uh that >> um it was actually three something. We usually get a little over seven and we are getting >> um >> Yeah. So it's actually like 300. A
little bit more than 300. Um, so yeah, I was almost cut in half. >> Yeah. So, >> whether or not it's >> whether or not it's MBTA, I don't have the answer for that. >> I'm not going down that road. >> I'm It's on the federal side because it's highways and roads and things of
that nature. Funding that the state probably receives from the federal government and then whatever they have from that funding gets dispersed amongst the towns. >> I I believe that's what that how that works. Right. >> I just wanted to say that I don't know
what the reason is for that. >> Yeah. >> But that was in fact a reduction of 300 to $350,000. >> Yeah. Which is significant to our road maintenance. >> Absolutely. >> It is. Yeah.
>> And and as we're all aware, there's several roads in Halifax that need a lot of love. >> It's got to be connected to something though. There was the uh the state chapter 90 funding for this year increased by 50%. >> Right? >> So if ours went down 50% but the state
funding to chapter 90 fund statewide went up 50%. Then we got hurt somehow. No, that's fair. >> Well, that's the side that the residents don't see. >> Right. Right. That's the side they need to understand also is that
>> absolutely >> you know whatever what what we're getting this year we will not get next year. >> Yeah. You're right. Right. >> That's crazy. Statewide chapter 90 went from 200 million to 300 million for the state this year and we went down.
>> Right. >> Instead of going up we went down. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Whether they redefine roads somehow or we were cut for some reason we don't know yet. Mike, was that chapter 70 or chapter 90 money?
>> This is chapter 90 money. I just looked it up now. Chapter 90. >> It was 90 money. Yeah. >> So why why why is Halifax getting a $300,000 hit then from the state? >> Yep. This was what the governor signed back in August of 25.
>> Okay. >> Anyways. Yeah. >> Great. >> All right. So, um, service reductions, uh, so the cost of the override. So, this comes straight off of the tax calculator at the Department of Revenue.
Um, you know, the, uh, 1.5 million override, uh, average median home median home value currently is 53,2178, 532 a year, $44.33 a month extra on top of what people are
paying currently per month. Um and that's just based that's just an average, right? Obviously per house um value will impact uh what your uh what the result will be. >> That's a great chart though there Jim. I
like your chart that way. Everyone has an idea, right? Then everyone kind of has an idea what the house value is. So >> Right. >> That's good. >> So we got that and now it's up to the residents to decide. So you know it's their decision. override passes, we maintain police, fire, and school
staffing levels, maintain our infrastructure, and stabilize town finances. If it fails, it's immediate service reductions, continued budget pressure, and potential larger cuts later. So, I mean, that's this is what I think it's it's I wanted to keep it as simple
as possible um and just put information in there. Information that can be verified through other means. >> Yeah, Jim, I think this is great. I think this is um to your point, it's it cuts right to the chase. Um but I think
what it really does too is it it opens conversation, albeit amongst the residents residents themselves, if nothing else, right? Um because there is enough gray hair where you need to drum up conversation in order to talk through it. So I I think this is an outstanding job.
>> Well, it's a start. That's what I that's that's what I think. It's a start and you know, we'll see. We'll see what happens uh after they uh you know, after the town after the override study committee uh figures out what they want to do, right?
>> What's the timeline on that, Jim? >> I'm sorry. What's the timeline on them making a decision here? The overall study. >> I I don't know. Uh they're meeting tonight at this that's why that's so I think Steven's at that meeting. Um so I don't I don't know what their timeline
is. I think they I think we need to get this out there fast. >> You know, I would say by like Friday. That's what I would say if I was on that committee. >> Yeah. Maybe Mike will be on here in a little bit when he gets out of that meeting. >> Yep. we can know what they're talking
about. >> So, you know, it's just going to be and I think I would like to, you know, and Lindsay, I would like to encourage all of our department heads to put together some kind of write up of what that what a cut would mean to their division and
how that would impact the residents directly. Yeah, that's something that um Steve's already talked about doing, >> you know, and then that stuff needs to get published, whether it's a video or whether it's a word document, whatever, >> you know, let's get it out there.
I think that the idea as well that was that crystallized the importance of this from the last meeting we had was when uh cuts are made that cascade beyond just the 10% cut or whatever the cut would be if the override fails that there's
certain things that could happen to trigger more cuts at the library or the fire or we permanently shove an ambulance. like there there's things like that that uh it's not just the money piece. It's looking at the bigger picture of how that impacts a community
because of the cascading events to uh and some of the obligations that these department heads have to meet their own uh certification and accreditation like the library. It was pretty scary to hear the library if they were to lose accreditation and just the years it took was it West Bridgewater I don't think is
still out of their uh their budget hole uh and their community can't access the wider network of libraries that they're a part of. I just think things like that are are helpful for people to have real world real world links to uh what can happen if if this doesn't pass. So
>> yeah. Well, it's essential for the finance committee when these cuts come for the for the town um administration and the finance committee to engage with the community, get feedback, right? I think the number one thing we need to do is ensure that we are as transparent as
we possibly can be with everything that we're discussing and everything that's possible out there. you know, so you know, when we're talking about delaying maintenance and infrastructure projects because we don't have the funding to do it, when we're talking about reducing even further
library services, um, you know, uh, parks and wreck, you know, when we begin probably asking families to to, you know, to put more into it from their own pockets because the town can't provide specific things um that we currently
provide. Um, you know, it's, uh, you know, I'm sure that, you know, from an administrative perspective, they're going to be looking at streamlining, you know, how many people do what and teaming things up on an individual to share that service across the, uh, you
know, across the across the the town hall. Um, you know, obviously, and I think everybody can agree that the number one challenge is going to be the school, right? So the schools who for some reason come to a finance
meeting without numbers um you know and saying that their net school spending number has to be you know what they don't even know what that is and I I don't know that may be true but I would think somebody at the department of elementary and secondary education knows
what the net school spending number is for the school. So, you know, just we just got to make that phone call, I think. Um, but you know, the law I sent everybody the um the the spreadsheet of the current budget for the elementary
school. Um, you know, I cut it up a little bit when I got it. uh and have some, you know, kind of odd thoughts on why why we contribute half a million dollars to the administrative part of the school and the shared service as it
were. >> Um >> yeah, it the numbers are crazy in these budgets. It's Yeah. >> And they don't and they don't come in and explain it, you know.
>> No, thank you. So we have to we have to get this right. Like we this this process between the schools and communication back to the town is um is problematic at best.
And we saw it last year. We're looking at it again right now this year. But nothing changes with the process that they process that they use to make it a more transparent one. And I I believe it was Sarah in our meeting last week made
a comment about how they work on the budget behind the scenes and then they send their draft out draft out in December for folks to to take a look at for the first time. I believe that's what she said. Um, and if that is in fact true, it it it how does it make
sense that the first input anyone has with a line item that's 53% of our budget, nobody has any input in that until it becomes final draft for people to look at. That just doesn't make >> it just doesn't make sense. And and I'm
not faulting the school committee. I know they work really hard. I'm friends with a lot of them and I and I respect the work that they do. But but administration needs to come back and be a little bit more transparent. I didn't feel like a lot of the questions that we were that we were asking in our meeting
last week were answered with much confidence at all. And there were there's several line items in that budget where you can look at it and raise eyebrows and say, you know, why why are we increasing by this percentage? and to not get a response
that makes sense is is nothing else but concerning. >> Um, so I don't know how we do it. I don't know what we do, but we've got to figure out a way to have all of us be more accountable with this particular budget because it is so significant to
the town overall. And the way it's being done right now doesn't work, but we need them to meet us halfway. And that's that's kind of my point. I and I Jim, I know you tried to to make it happen for this year and and it it's it's for some
reason we're not getting that pull back and I I just I don't get it. But that's all I wanted to say. I wanted that to be on record. >> No. And and I think that's a fair point, EJ. It's I've been I've been going after the school at least twice a month asking
them what their budget for next year will be. And you know, and I you know, and again, it's this it's, you know, it's I understand that they're busy. I understand that they're uh you know, they say they're short-handed and and
they they may be. Um I just don't think that, you know, what we are asking as a town is unreasonable when, you know, they're coming to us for an assessment of $8 million for the
middle school and the high school. and, you know, an additional $500,000 from the uh from the elementary school in shared costs. >> Yeah, it it could be as simple. And Jim, I I know the effort that you've put in this year with them. I I I admire you
for it. Um but you know, the reality of when you're creating a budget of this size, I'm I'm assuming it's not done just word of mouth sitting in a room. There has to be dialogue within that group that happens and presentations
that happen within that group in order for them to form their numbers. If it's too much because of the the workload that's on their plate, I get it. I mean, if they're overloaded, then then fine, exclude us from those meetings, but share the information. And that's that's
it's as easy as that. take the slide deck that you present and share it with the folks that need to know because they need to be able to talk to the community about it. And when that doesn't happen, it makes all of us look bad. So, we're not we're not asking them to go out of their way for us. We're just asking them
to share information. >> Right. Well, when 71% of the budget is wrapped around the labor, there should be enough um help within the central office budget to get numbers out in a timely fashion
to the finance committee and the town of Halifax. Um so I just don't buy that BS. Um there's there's no way that they don't know what these numbers are rolling every day
and there's no reason they can't be sending out estimated numbers at a minimum to the finance committees of the three towns. >> Yeah. No, and I I know that, Frank, but I I I don't want to I don't want to fingerpoint in the process either, right? Because we we truly don't know
what their process is. We don't know how they form their budget every year. And but I think that's that's part of my issue. Like we we want to know because we want to be able to help. And the way to go into this is say, okay, whether it's you're short staffed or whether you're just excluding us, whatever the
reason is, we have to put that aside now and figure out how we get it right moving forward. It needs to be a moving forward conversation and not stay stuck in the mud as to why we keep doing it the same the same way over year over year. We ask every year and Jim asks twice a
month and we get the same BS answers or nothing at all. And you show up at a town meeting with a freaking card, 4 and a half by eight card with a budget on each side of it is ridiculous.
>> Yeah, I think Steve seems like he's motivated to to try to get this right, too. I think he might, you know, maybe he'll be the the push that we need, but um there's there's definitely more recognition to it this year from his level than we've seen in the past.
>> Well, the school needs to reciprocate as well, >> right? It's got to be more collaborative than what it is now. It just has to be. And I understand that they have three towns they're working with. you know that's that certainly is a uh um is is a
consideration but that that's not that's not an impossibility. I think we've all >> we've all worked on you know crossf functional teams where there has been more than you know four people you have to talk to at once. >> Absolutely. And if somebody's using that
as an excuse then we got the wrong person speaking. >> Yep. It's ridiculous and they need to hear that. It's ridiculous. They need some egg on their face and get in gear and get moving on this damn thing.
>> I think on I'll say I got two seconds. I think on a positive side, if we can encourage the school committee and department to understand how much they need the town to buy into their >> budget and their program, you know, they
I think that's what I tried to say at the meeting last week where when we talked about the things like, you know, paid busing or pay kindergarten, you know, I think the town of 7,000 plus needs to know that they're making the same sacrifices and looking at the
things that the rest of the town is and then make that get the town to buy in. So far, we haven't seen that, which makes it hard for the general public to say, "Okay, here's $10 million. Do what you want to do." >> Yeah. Yeah. We're fine. >> Right. >> And uh we are here as a finance
committee to help the entire town. Helping the town, helping the school. We need to understand their numbers so we can best advocate. Why do you why do you need this this additional money? what are you doing? So that when we have town folk who are upset cuz their taxes may
be going up, we can help articulate why uh offer them a compelling reason why the why the school needs additional funds. We need to understand that and and that they should know we're here to to assist and to help guide and and not to be an obstruction, but we have to
understand it because people are going to ask us. It's our budget. We have to be able to present it to them and articulate why these numbers are what they are. >> Exactly. >> Quick, I have a I have a quick question. Does anybody remember off the top of their head what the net school spending number was that they asked for last year?
>> They didn't have la um >> last year. Didn't they have didn't they give us a ballpark number the other day at the meeting? >> 800,000. I thought that >> not not for this year. Not not for next year. Now >> they didn't. They said their their their
um uh >> No, they said they said 8 million, right? Was that 8,96,750? I found it. >> Right. >> Yeah, that was that was the estimate that they threw out. Yes, >> that was the estimate. >> All right. So just per per mass
department of elementary and secondary education office of school finance the required net school spending in 2024 was 7849455. In 2025 it was 7618209. So I'm not sure what the formula works
or why it went up. If it went down roughly 230,000 from 24 to 25, I don't know why it would go up >> 500,000 for 25 for 26 or 27. >> I don't need them. >> It's a good clip. Mr. Michael,
>> you know, I like to be able to find information. >> There's somebody that has that answer, but they're not talking about it. >> Yeah. I mean, there's there's nobody went down from 24 to 25 by 15%.
the required spend and then it's up that much money for for next year. I need if they could tell us that'd be great. I just don't understand why. >> Anyways, >> did you have any insight on that? Um yeah, I looked at the So this is all
preliminary, but um I pulled up the website on Thursday and the required contribution from the town is 4 million. I'll just say 4.4. And then the chapter 78 is
a little over 3.6. So, it does say on the website that the required net school spending is the 8,96 that they gave. Um, I do know that the contribution number from the town, the 4.4, the benefits is
included in that. Um, the building insurance is included in that number. The health insurance is included in that number. So how it all works together and comes to that num the net school spending number
I don't know but that those three numbers were just on that website. I can share the link too if anyone wants to look at it. It shows >> all of Massachusetts. >> Yeah, please share that. >> So I can send that link >> with everybody to everybody.
>> Definitely the mass.edu uh page. Lindsay. >> Um, it was >> Yeah, the Department of Education. >> Yeah. All right. Yeah, that's where I'm at. >> I'll send it right now. >> Yeah. on purpose so I can see. Sorry.
Thanks. beeping, right? Okay. So, we've discussed the override. Um, you know, that's so it's going to be 1.5 million. That's that's the override number. How it appears on the warrant has yet to be determined, which will
then have to be reviewed by us uh and approved by the finance committee. Um, because it would be our approval that goes into town meeting. Um, the other thing, one of the things that I did when I looked at the, um, the budget that
Steve had put together and put in the word document that he shared, um, he, you know, a couple of the things I thought, um, we shouldn't cut and one of them was holidays in Halifax. So, he had eliminated that budget completely
and uh was looking for that committee to do fundraising, I think is what the selectmen are asking or thinking about having them do. Um, personally, I think for $3,500. Um, that's not something I would cut cuz
I think holidays, you know, holidays in Halifax, you know, brings a lot of families in, brings a lot of people in and the kids and, you know, grandparents and parents. Um, and I don't think, just personally, I don't think that's something the town should be looking at cutting off. Now, I understand that
it's, you know, a a a line item that is to be managed, right? Um, but I think its benefit far outweighs the spend of $3,500 >> right here. Is that the total spend for the entire night or is that what I think? >> Yeah, I think so.
>> That's not like that's like minus donations or plus donations or >> No, it's minus that's without any donations. That's the town's contribution, >> right? Exactly. Yeah. The majority of that event is um through um donations and things like that.
So, I mean, we can push it all out. It's, you know, that's something I think we should discuss. I personally don't think that's the right, you know, the right way. >> Um, >> I would love to keep that on our budget no matter what. Yes. >> Yeah. I think it's it's a good thing
>> to the town. >> Yeah. $3,500. You know, yes, that's a lot of money, but in the grand scheme of things, there's other ways to save $3,500, >> right?
>> On a lot of the other some of the other department things that can be looked at, which were already looked at, but there's probably still some room left. >> Correct. Yeah, if I'm if I'm not mistaken, um that's mostly for detail work, I believe, for the night
>> probably. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, so those are a couple of things I think it's going to be, you know, I'd really like to get to like reviewing how this is going to appear on the warrant so we can, you know, kind of hash it out
uh sooner rather than later. Now, I understand it's going to be a little bit, right? Cuz it's still being worked on. Lindsay, correct me if I'm wrong. Um, you know, and there are some adjustments that need to be made still as it as it is. Um, but the sooner we can have a look at it and and kind of
give some feedback on what we think it should be or how it should be broken up, you know, it's going to be better for us to be able to uh to discuss with the town residents.
There we go. No, don't do that. So, has have you guys had an opportunity to look at the proposal that Steve had in the document? >> Are you talking about the one that he sent?
>> The one that had the two budgets in it. >> Yeah. >> One had the over with an override, one had without an override. Without the override? Yes. >> Okay. Anybody have any thoughts on that? Anything? No. Anybody?
>> Yes. >> Nothing from me. Nothing. >> No. >> Okay. Nothing that hasn't already been discussed, >> right? that we went into that I felt we went into that pretty good the other night.
I And that's why I was wondering if he's changed anything since that document came out that we haven't seen yet. >> Not that I am specifically aware of >> cuz he said he was going to go in and
redo a lot of things within that document as far as the budget numbers, the verbiage, and things of that. I don't think he's sent anything out new. Lindsay, is a new document been created yet? >> No. >> No. Okay.
>> All right. Yep. I like it. I think it was articulate, straight to the point, clear, gave a rationale, history. I think it's important to understand the history of where health has been and where we are now.
>> Yeah. Well, let's need to make sure we're not that your document or your PowerPoint, Jim, I should say, isn't contradicting anything he says or what he's what that document says versus what yours says as well, you know? >> Right. No, that's that's fair. I've left the document the PowerPoint will be left
in his hands to work with the override committee. you know, I just put something together because I hadn't seen anything yet and I just thought we should have something, you know, that makes sense and makes sense to, you know, everyone else.
All right. Okay. So, um we'll uh if there's no other comments or questions or discussion around the budget meeting review, we will close that agenda item. Um, we'll move on to the town administrator updates. Uh, Lindsay,
anything Steve left with you to chat about? >> No. >> Okay. All right. So, we'll uh we will close that item out and hopefully when we meet again, which is uh we'll talk about next meeting planning here shortly, um we'll
have Steve on to give us kind of an update of where he's at with everything. Uh so, that closes out that specific item. We'll move on to correspondence and as may arise. Uh, I haven't gotten anything from any towns people. I checked the town mailbox today. There's nothing there. Um, and um, you know, so
uh, is anybody on the committee have anything they would like to discuss outside of what has already been discussed with the with the committee while we are all here? >> Yes. some kind of an update as soon as
possible regarding what the um override committee decides on things >> from tonight's meeting. >> Frank, your mic's a little um kind of fuzzy. >> How about that, Jim? >> That's better. >> Okay, I was laying back a little bit.
Sorry about that. um if we could get something from the override committee on what they decided tonight because the windows getting really tight here and they need to have some decisions, you know, um and where we're
at with things because May's coming up quick. Yes, it is. It's going to be here before you know it. Yeah, it's got a and the warrant has to go to print two weeks before, right?
>> Yeah. >> So, it's actually it's we got to have something by before in the next couple of weeks, >> right? In next two weeks. That's it. >> So, decision a couple big decisions need to be made on what we're doing here and
how we're going to get the message out. >> Yep. And don't get out the road show. Yeah. And hopefully to take an account of a road show. >> Well, we need to get the town, we need to get public meetings up. >> Yeah, >> that's what we need to have happen.
>> And give people an opportunity to show up. >> So, um, about that, Jim, can can we do those virtually as well or No. >> Um, well, I mean, they were all virtual last year, weren't they?
>> Yes. I thought I thought we were up there in >> We were there. >> We were there. If you make it there. >> Yeah. If you would need if you need to be virtual for the meeting, that's absolutely fine. >> But the residents had access to those
meetings, the live feed. >> Yeah. No, no, no. I was I was I wasn't referring to me personally. I was referring to the residents and making sure that they have virtual access to it as well. >> Only only because we don't see people u physically there. That's all. >> Right. But if we have it already, that's good.
>> Yeah. >> But unfortunately, last year we only had a handful of people on those meetings. >> And it's we had we we had some on the first one. We had, I think, none on the second one. >> I thought uh we had a couple, but yeah,
either way, it wasn't it was a heck of a lot less than I would have thought. >> Right. >> People want the answers they're looking for. or hopefully they'll show up and we'll start talking about it in advance, you know. >> Well, I think the first place we need to go, Mike, and correct me if I'm wrong, but the first place we need to go with
any document is out to the out to the social media stuff. >> Yes. Yeah. >> You know, the Halifax community page, the Halifax locals page, all that stuff. Just get it out there. >> Yeah. And then come talk about it in person. They got to come want to talk about it and ask us questions and get get true information.
>> Exactly. Right. We live in the same community. We don't live in the we don't live in the virtual world. While we exist a lot of our time there, we also these are actual cuts or or level funding that will affect our real world, not our virtual world. And
let's come together and have hard adult conversations about things that affect all of us, >> right? Yes. There will be no anonymous cuts. >> No, it's true. >> There will not be someone will be impacted by it.
>> Yes. Mr. Mr. Mrs. anonymous. I want to get the feelings of the cops if they don't want to come get the information. That's what I can say. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's very true. Very true. >> All right. Um there's nothing else.
>> I had one one question. Go ahead. >> The uh the Massachusetts Municipal Association sent out um notice of a meeting of uh town finance committees on April 9th in Middleton >> from 6 to 8. Have uh has this committee gone to that type of meeting in the past
and uh what are our thoughts about it for this time? >> So we those are in the those are in Western Mass. Those are those are for the towns that couldn't make it to the annual meeting in October. >> Oh. Oh. >> So they have they split it up into two
separate meetings. Um they have some out out west for those towns out there who you know who don't who don't drive over to Shirley. Um >> for uh for Sharon Sharon
>> Sharon Sharon >> just for everybody's edification next year is going to be in Foxboro. >> Foxboro. >> Yeah. >> Where Gillette? >> Um at the Foxboro the new Foxboro Community Center. Oh. Oh, okay.
That's not too far. >> No, it's right next to Sharon as it's about 40 minutes. It's a beautiful >> 495 north to go south on 95 to get there. >> Hey man, any way I can get close to Bass Pro Shops, I'm going.
>> That must be where you got that shirt tonight. Your little camo shirt, huh, Jim? >> This is This is Ireland rugby. Oh, I couldn't see the island. Okay. All I saw was the camouflage stuff. I thought you were out hunting. Um, so yeah, next year will be in Foxboro.
>> All right. Anybody have anything else? >> No. >> Okay. We will close out correspondence and as may arise and move into public participation. >> No. No. No. No. No. No. No. Anyone from the public have anything they would like to ask the committee while we are here,
>> comments, questions about any of the discussions? Okay, hearing none, we will close that. Um, and that'll take us into next meeting planning. So, um, I will chat with Steve.
I'd like to put another virtual meeting on the calendar for next Monday if that works for everybody. Six o'clock just to focus on like the budget and the bud and the articles and yeah, if we can get some feedback on where we're at with that.
>> Yeah, we could have budgets, could have the override committee, right? >> Right. >> We should have uh we should have free cash certified by then. Is that right, Lindsay? >> Still don't know what that is. >> Supposed to be today. I have not gotten anything from the state yet, so
I don't know. >> I think I think at the one of the last meetings somebody had mentioned March 15th or 16th would have been on >> Yeah. When do we normally get that Lindsy? Yeah. >> Um yeah, it's in March. I usually I will get when everything's been accepted,
certified, all that, I get an email from um the state. So, just waiting on that. >> Okay. So, so everything's been submitted then. >> Yeah, I believe so. Yes. >> Okay.
>> Yeah. I think Steve said I think Steve said March 15th actually was the date. So, it could be any day now. Hopefully. >> Yeah. >> One would hope. >> Yeah. You know, one would hope. All right. So, that will be the 23rd.
That's a virtual meeting, correct? >> Virtual meeting on the 23rd. >> I will get an agenda up. It'll be fairly general. Um, budget, warrant articles, and then our usual lineup of items.
Does that work for everybody? >> Yep. >> Yes, sir. For me, Jim. >> All right. Very good. All right. Well, if there is no further business with the finance committee, is there a
motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Second. Thank you. Roll call vote. Cheryl. >> Don't muted. >> I think she just I think she That's a yes. Where she
>> I think she's Does she drop off? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, she's gone. Yep. She already adjourned. >> I guess it's a yes. >> Frank, please. >> Thank you. EJ, >> yes to adjourn.
>> Mike, >> yes. Yes to adjourn. >> Rod, >> yes to adjourn. >> I'm a yes as well. We are adjourned. Thank you all for joining. We'll talk next week. >> Thank you all. Take care. Bye. >> Bye.