Good evening and welcome to the March 2nd, 2026 meeting of the Hampton Select Board and Board of Health being held at the town hall 85 Warham Road. Please stand for 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. All right. We are broadcasting this meeting over Zoom as well as recording it. Is there anyone else recording the meeting? Kristen Rivers from the Times. Hello, Kristen. All right. First, we are starting the
meeting a little early because we have a fairly extensive agenda and we're expecting some real high-profile guests around six o'clock, right, Don? Are we good? >> Oh, yeah. Poll. Oh, good. >> Yeah,
>> good. I can find out about that double pole on the Ames Road. Okay. Not those not not the grip. Okay. All right. I'm going to just uh we do have a couple of minutes. Executive session. We have some
three executive s minutes from the November 10th, November 24th and December 8th. uh they were solely for the purpose of meeting or discussing the highway union contract
and I think we're we have signed that contract. We are pretty done with it. I entertain a motion to accept all three minutes and I'll throw it to Don with or without. >> I think with we can we can >> at this point we sign a contract.
>> Yeah. Okay. So move with with relation to these. >> Second. >> All in favor? I. So that's November 10, 24th, and like a consent agenda at that point. All right.
And we have first on the agenda the fire department, and they brought us their budget. >> Hi, Chief. >> Hi. How are you? Thanks for having us tonight. >> Thanks for having us. I appreciate the early you have a copy
take. >> So chief tell us a quick overview. What are the changes to your budget? Uh the only changes is a little bit operations only covered cost of exceeding expenses of the natural gas bill from Eversource and
National Grid electrical. These are increase uh we took last year's and how much we're paying this year. Okay. Well, do we have a different copy? So, I've got one here that shows your appropriation is dropping from 59 to 50.
>> That's under salaries. >> I understand that. So, you don't have a more upto-date one? >> No, because the salary the number you're looking at, John, my salary is not included because none of the salaries are included. >> No, the cola was issued a couple weeks ago. I thought you guys would have that
up. You want that copy? >> Yeah, please. I thought we weren't supposed to bring copies with >> usually you don't want copies of the salaries included in our budget. >> Well, if the cola hasn't been done, but now >> they did send out the email about the cola a couple weeks. >> You do both ways in case you ask for
>> and we have to see it before going to advisory. So, thank you. >> Thank you so much. You can have these back sent out wasn't fine.
>> So this be inclusive of cola and any steps as applicable not every year as the treasurer is present to us. >> Okay. >> All right. So the salary went up
12. The bulk of that is cola you think or hour change >> it would be cola that seems about right 12,000 you know 2 and a2% okay
and then the fences as you said you threw a little in for operations. >> Yeah, it's for utilities. >> Operations is includ utilities. >> Yeah. Okay. Gas and electric. >> Hope you're right. Who knows? It's a
dayby-day proposition right now where those prices are going. >> All right. Any capital needs this year? The only capital needs that we're thinking about is some additional um fire pages.
We have a program software is called I am responding and it works good except we can't not monitor it 247. We're not at the station 247. >> So a lot of times the computer will do an update. We'll kick kick that program
off and then we lose um you know our we lose the program. So, who's not going out onto people's smartphones and stuff? They're not receiving the messages or um another instance is we lose the u Wi-Fi or or cable internet.
>> Um so, it's not 100% reliable. A lot of people rely on it, but in those situations um especially recently, we found out that a lot of people don't have pagers or they should have pages. So this is just a um a article or 10 additional
fire pages. It's not on that it's not on this be a town meeting thing because it's a once cost one time cost. It wouldn't be on this budget or would you put it on the bottom? >> Are you asking for a warrant article for
these pages? >> Yes. >> So yes, it would be on there. >> Okay. >> All right. That's my bad. >> So, because we're asking for all warrant articles at this time as well. >> So, you were going to submit one for approximately how much?
>> 6,000 rough roughly $6,000 pages. >> Okay. And Brian's working on the draft one right now. I don't think I saw that on there. >> Oh, Jean's not buying. She There's a place on there. >> All right. >> All right. >> No truck ladder truck.
>> Um, no. The new forestry truck's supposed to be delivered this week. >> Is it time? >> Great. Ribbon cutting. >> Well, I think I want to have it at the
fire station before I been a long time to uh to wait get on it changes and stuff. So, I'm not going to set any final dates until it's actually in our possession. >> Okay. Good letter and everything. hand. It's great. Any other questions for the chief?
>> Yeah. What's the shift coverage? >> Um that's for like if people go out on vacation or sick days, uh we need money to pay for them because when they're out, they're still getting paid. Um so just that that fund goes to pay trip coverage.
>> Like you would call a call call person, right? >> Yeah. >> Fill in. And that's worst case. I mean, it might be on occasion you might not have that third person there. >> Might happen, right? >> Do they get the same rate of pay as they do when they go on a call?
>> No, it's it's um it's on here. They get >> Yeah. >> 2606. >> 2606 for someone that comes in on the ship. Yeah. And then they would be there for the eight hours, right?
Correct. >> And the EMS uh quality assurance. >> Yep. >> Who does that? >> Or Lieutenant Josh Sterling. Sterling. >> No. Are the are the the That's for for your department.
Does the ambulance service have the same thing? They must have to do that too, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, they must have >> requirement. >> The and the the the um well, you're are your is your pay a salary or a stipen?
>> Salary. >> And what about the fire officer? >> Stipen. Stipen. >> Stipen. So I was just wondering if that goes towards our hand counter retirement. You know that we have to okay
forest fire expense with the new truck. You probably won't have a forest fire expense. That's what that new truck would prevent all forest fires, right? Hopefully something be said about advertising for God's ears.
>> Okay, I'm all set. >> Great. When any questions are there? Well, thank you for coming in. Do you have any questions for us? >> Um, no. If we get the contract for the
uh architect designer for fire station sign, that'd be good if we get that done this week. That would be huge for us. Yeah. Moving on that and answer everybody's else's questions. >> That's all. >> Great. I have a cookie. Did you Did you
get the email I sent about the >> That's what I'm referencing. Good. >> We still need a architect to get us to that spot where we can tell you. >> We're good. >> We have enough. >> Great.
>> Thank you. Thank you. >> Are we free? >> I guess so. >> No, apparently not. No. >> Doug, >> they're going to be in the room we used to be out of the hall.
All right, Wendle, you uh saw how difficult it can be appearing before us. We still have the opportunity to lead before we put you under the, you know, the bright lights. Here I am.
>> Oh, how come we divide up the enforcement and the inspection? Is that does that get that come like from a revolving fund or something or you just >> Originally when I was hired it was strictly inspection and then John
slipped in the zoning enforcement about eight months after I was here. So that's why I think Cliff had added on a separate line item, but it's always been in my time, it's always been two items, >> right? >> I just think comes in case someday
>> I think if the town wants to hire retired cop or something to do it, >> I think that's why it was busted out kind of like that. But realistically, zoning and building are handinand. So you really can't >> not do one without doing the other,
>> right? >> Doesn't include all the complaints or >> No, but it always have been funded two separate ways, but now it's one or whatever slip that it was just a way counting measure at that point. Sure. Um the now obviously you get a lot of offset so to speak. You know, it looks
like a heck of a number for inspection, but you earn a lot of account as well with this inspection. >> So far, >> which all goes to general fund. So far this fiscal year, we've brought in around $70,000. >> My department, I try to structure it so
that the way you're supposed to structure it is it basically offsets itself, but we're not neutral. >> We're not a profit center, right? >> Because, you know, >> I can't just keep increasing fees. It'll be kind of like a backhanded tax for the
people. Um, by the same respect, I want to keep them low so that people come in and, >> you know, aren't afraid to come in and use us, but it's not strictly just the uh building department. I mean, I literally do the storm water. I'm on any
committee you guys volunteer me for. >> Well, does does look like, you know, at the if you're tracking that way, you are going to be pretty much revenue neutral at the end of the year. Well, that's why I think Cliff used to always love it when I would come in because he would brag about like my department really
doesn't cost the town >> a tremendous amount of money and we're also needed for a service for the community. >> Sure. >> And I know Don has brought up the point in the past about our are our fees equivalent to other towns and you've kind of kept kept them that way.
>> Yeah. I mean when we changed the fee structure probably about four or five years ago I want to say I had done the research with the surrounding communities you know if you go further towards the east it becomes more or also has a
wicked high pay structure as well but really my goal is to try to make it so that people come in um and I'm not stealing their living room floor when they pull a permit you know there's a balance stair where you don't want to overdo it, but you also have to pay for
the service. >> I do want to thank you also when we did the move back in November and I would come in here and I would see you actually constructing benches and counters and stuff like that. And like >> don't tell everybody that I'm a carpenter.
>> I'm not because I wanted us to have counters. >> I don't hear that. I wanted our counters to be handicapped accessible and >> and I got that and I got that. But Don brought up a point. Did you take out a permit for that counter? >> I gave myself permission. >> Okay. Just check.
>> Did you pay the fee? >> I think you guys paid the fee on that. >> Thank you. >> But no, it's pretty nice looking. You like to say you worked on it and thank you for that. >> Yeah, you're welcome. I wanted to help her about too because you know we had limited time and we wanted everybody to
get in here and again it was important for me just to try to have something that we didn't have at the old town hall right >> and there were quite a few offices without any barrier >> you know and it's fine when people are nice but sometimes they try to go around
the desk sit on Karen's lap and look at what she's looking at on computer so we don't have to worry about that anymore >> yeah I think that's not something we encourage, >> right? >> Well, I think if you go around to most of the surrounding communities, their town halls have counter space where they
can serve the people and that's all we ever really wanted, >> right? >> But with regards to the other stuff, it's level services, right? Tried to keep the funding the same. >> Um Karen is due for a uh a step
increase, I believe, this year as well. So that reflects that. Um but other than that, we're where we are every year. Um and again, my goal is to try to be a no-load department for the community, but
you know, we are required department. So Oh, I see. Yep. It's backwards. All right. That explains it. It's stepping great stuff, >> right? Anybody else? Does that reflect that though? >> Yeah, because it's backwards step grade,
not grade step, but >> still grade four request. >> Let's just portion >> request requested grade. >> So it's still so and that figure that figure is the right
figure. Sounds like it. I mean it's up roughly. It's only like a book. because >> maybe this will help. >> Two and a half would be just clarification from the treasurer with regards to where we're going.
>> Oh, I see. I think I think we did the um the grade change >> and so for until that time he was going to wait for the grade to catch up for him. >> Okay. Yeah, that was a reverse salary to catch up with a grade. Okay,
>> okay, got it. But yeah, you say 55 for Karen, but your sheet reflects four five, >> right? And that's where she actually is. >> So that's a pipe on the feet. >> Correct. Okay, >> great. That's good. No questions.
Straight forward. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you for coming. Good luck. Thank you. >> Good luck. Are you in the city uh advisory tonight? >> Right. I'm going to tell them you guys okay me for a monster raise just a look
at their face. >> They're probably watching this right now. They already know. >> Oh, that's no fun. >> Thank you. All right. All right, we're a little early for the public hearing. Are you all here for the public hearing?
>> Yeah. >> Okay, that's going to be at 6. We have to have it at the time we post it. We can't start early because there might be 100 people coming at six o'clock that want to hear everything. >> There are not going to be 100 people coming.
>> Too hard to get chairs. >> All right. So, while we're waiting, uh, >> Mr. Lair, >> you want to do the food permits? >> Yes, please. >> We have them. Do I have them in here? >> Maybe one back.
>> Here they are. >> Orange. >> I have two uh health permits for DNR Farm. One permit is for retail food service and the other permit is for residential kitchen establishment and
they've been approved by the board of health and inspector and I we double check that with them and they're all set. So entertain a motion to approve. >> Second. >> All in favor I. >> Okay.
We also have on the agenda to reappoint the uh associate member to the planning board for the last couple years been Joe Cibilia and I believe conversation Joe does want to continue in that role and with potential changes in membership it
would be prudent right now to make sure he's involved in any upcoming permit. So albeit I don't see any anyone else coming forward for it candidates they can off run for the open
sea if they want that's not something that's what I'm saying that's cons approval of Mr. for associate member at the planning board >> and what is the term we have for that D is every year >> I think it's every year >> I think every year
>> second >> all in favor so Joe will continue until June 30th >> sorry Ted didn't get the memo 5:30. >> Oh, no, I didn't. I missed everything. I missed the pledge.
That's >> We appointed you to another board while you weren't here, too. >> Inside your name. Never mind. You get the bills. Yeah. The bills or I know I was just saw that email from Warren
about the next heard from about a while. So here Brian, do we have this? Do you have this on the computer? If you wanted to throw the map up, we have a response from Mark.
I didn't see one. So Sean, we knew you were coming, so we asked the chief just just in case. >> Thank you, Chief. Shin, >> did you expect a problem or were you Oh, I was It wasn't for you when I was
We have cookies for you. Couple more. A couple more minutes. I have one. Don't go by that clock. >> No. Done. >> No. >> Yeah. >> Mark has no objections. >> All right. >> What do they put in this?
>> You sure the chief is good with that new poll? Also >> she had to find out >> names. anymore. >> Is that the project? >> No. Way up
the hallway between Wilham and us. I was >> the right road, but where two3 >> something like blue planning boards.
I'm sure the other thing is the pilots would have to readjust. >> Yeah. Which I'm sure that's what it's for the beginning. That's the whole purpose right there. >> Yes.
>> It's interesting though why they would need a pole just for that purpose. It's a long span to 100 ft. You'd be increasing and I'm pretty sure all >> whatever interconnect All
right, it is six o'clock. I'd like to call a public hearing to order for the purpose of a poll hearing, a request, a joint request of National Grid and Verizon to install a poll on Ames Road. This is the time and date for
that meeting. Who do we have representing the petitioner? >> Hi, I'm on Zoom. >> All right, Charles. Hello. >> Hi. How you guys doing? Good. You're appearing before the hand and select board acting in our capacity as the permit granter. And what do you want to
tell us about this application? >> Um, so basically what we want to install a midspan pole where you see on pole 17 and a half. >> Oh, I'm sorry. One second. >> So we basically want to install a midspan pull receive 17 and a half
between pull 17 and pull 18. The reason we're installing this pole is because on pole 18 they have a riser pole for an underground service to I believe um address 150 and according to our practices we can't put a transformer on P 18 with a riser pole. So we're making
that midspan pull so we can attach it for um the solar farm attach the transformer for the solar farm. So, and I see that in your application you talk about adding the potential of adding more panels at that farm.
>> Yes. >> So, this is a currently existing solar installation. >> Um, yes, I believe so. >> You believe so or it is? >> I'm sorry. Yes, it is. I'm sorry. >> Thank you. Is that the one that is split
is onethird of it in Hampton and the rest is in Wilberham. Um, that I'm not sure of. >> I'm I'm here on behalf of another designer. >> Of course. Of course. Always. >> Yeah.
>> Well, and it does seem to be I think Don, you're reflecting at that point and sometimes it doesn't seem like no offense to you, but we're not getting people who really are tied into the project like they cut cards and the loser comes to our meeting, >> you know. Um,
>> yeah. >> Sorry. Sorry, Charles, but I mean it doesn't sound like you're really that intimately involved in the specifics of the project. >> Um, no. I was only told about the details about it, but I didn't have any um I wasn't involved in the designing
process of it. >> Yeah. >> But I'm I'm aware what's going on for the most part. >> Okay. Well, I mean, from an aware standpoint, this kind of is a telling us that, oh, by the way, they're expanding that solar field >> and which Yes. wouldn't know if we
didn't know about this pole. The purpose of the pole itself because of the the rule about holding a transformer, etc. That part seems fine. I'm a little more concerned about what do you mean you're expanding the solar field. Obviously, I believe the town has a pilot in place
for that and that would have to be uh gone over with the assessors as well at that point. All right. Thank you for that. Do we have anything from town officials? the highway superintendent is susceptible. >> Okay. Do
>> you know if the solar panels are being expanded on the Hampton side or the Wilberham side? >> Um I can let me I can pull this up. Let me see. I'm sorry. Um I can pull up the information. One second. It's going to be
One moment. Slow Wi-Fi. I apologize. >> Carolyn, this is on Ames Road. >> Somebody on Zoom just asked a question. name. >> Um,
>> as comes up as a res >> I don't see any >> um it doesn't look like it's crossing into Wraham. It's at a residential house. >> Yeah. All right. So, just panels. >> So, is it So, the panels being added to
a residential house or to the solar farm that's there. I don't see any sol. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Are you here speaking on behalf of the owners or anything? >> 158.
>> 158. Okay. >> Okay. So, I'm just trying to get a sense of first off for a home installation to hear of a transformer upgrade is pretty in my experience unusual. >> Yes. Um because we're looking at the
house here and it looks like a normal they're adding panels that back yard or something. If they're going to do that, they're going to We have to check with planning board to see what's going on there. If they know anything about it
is they're adding panels in the yard. They have to get a permit for that too. Right. Right. Um we didn't keep it building commissioner. >> All right. Uh Charles, I don't mean to be obstruous on this, but I think we're going to
get a little little more information about this before we go further. John, your thoughts? I think we should >> we need a little more information, >> right? And no offense to you again. You got thrown into this. You don't have a lot of background to it. So,
um, >> are we going to Brian, you can help me out here? Should we close the hearing? Should we >> return the hearing? >> In order to not readvertise it, there there should be a motion to continue the hearing to its date, time, and place, sir.
>> Okay. I would appreciate it if that can be done so we don't have to revertise. >> Well, if it makes you happy, if it makes you happy, it makes us happy, Brian. So, I'll entertain that motion. Um, I don't see why they can't do it in two weeks.
So, that be 9:16. >> All right. I make I move that we uh continue the hearing until 6:00 p.m. on March 16, 2026. >> Second. >> All those in favor? Exactly. >> So, Carl, we're going to try and do some
research on our part. We'll probably be reaching out to whoever sent the applicant or the application and look for a little more information. >> All right. I appreciate you guys. >> All right. Thank you. And but before we is there anything you all want to bring up or you know as much as we do at this
point. >> Is there a individual house? Why do they have to add another pole? Why can't they put the transfer on an existing pool? Well, he said they can't, but I mean, why do you need the transformer for just a regular solar installation? You know,
lots of people with solar on their homes. They don't have a transformer, right? >> So, a little more explanation. We need it. You need it. >> Yeah. >> So, anyhow, now you got the directions for here. We'll see you back in two weeks. >> All right. Thank you, Bill.
Has already been made seconded to uh the hearing for two weeks. So, that's All right. Next on the agenda, >> highlight of the evening. >> What?
>> No, Chief. It's not you, it's them. So, we have um opportunity for some members of the school committee and school administration to chat with us about the upcoming budget. We invite you to come down to We already heard last
week that sometimes it's tough to pick up people in the back row. We probably don't get this from Wilberham, but we offer you homemade cookies. >> Did you make them yourself? >> Close enough. Close enough. They're made in town. >> Oh, great. I'm taking
>> It's really good. >> Where are they made? >> Huh? Huh? Oh, okay. >> Uh, >> you guys want me to call for it? >> Yes. >> Okay. Do you mind if I >> No, not at all. >> All right. Um, uh,
>> 6:09. >> At 6:09 p.m., I'd like to call to order the hand school district technology finance subcommittee. In attendance, we have myself, Michelle, and Sean. Is that okay that I am? >> You were posted. You're calling it the
work. >> Correct. >> Correct. I I had um I pulled to see who's going to come >> and since we had a quorum I made >> good call. So have any >> All right. So, this happened because I
saw a couple weeks ago you had presented to the Wrahamham finance committee and Josh felt we we wanted to hear the same thing and we knew that if you took a couple weeks the numbers would be even better when you came to us. So, before
us we have uh obviously the finance subcommittee Dr. Carbasi Michelle the school chair thank you Sean Kennedy as well and we have Dr. Provost Dr. Slaughter and thank you both for coming.
So want to kick it off and tell us the good news. Well, I guess I'll start with the good news and then um let Doug fill in a little more detail which is that your wish that the numbers would get a little bit better um has been fulfilled.
Not a lot better, but a little bit better. So, uh, with that, I'll turn it over to Doug. >> That would heard enough. >> So, in your pack, there's actually two pieces to that. At the very back is some stuff on capital. I'll touch on that at the end, but but that's the last oh, six
or seven pages. It restarts the numbering when you're here. But >> I think the biggest problem with their paper budget. >> Yeah. Exactly. Um needless to say we had a you know I had a conversation with our student services director and superintendent this afternoon uh and we actually you know adjusted some of these numbers
literally at 4:30 this afternoon. Um we had some good news in that regard. There's been some some recent uh developments around some some expectations for some kids in the coming year. Uh improved uh our student services line. So on the front page of this is sort of a summary of everything
all together. As you go through it, you get more of a line by line um of of the last five years or so of the of the actual spending fiscal 26 budget for both copies of that. >> What's that? >> These extra copies of >> Yes.
>> Um numbers are changed. >> So things to point out that have changed since you probably last saw this uh student services like I said today is about is about $200,000 maybe a little more than that better today than it was yesterday. Um so that's that's you know a good direction for us and helpful in
that regard. The other major change since since the last sort of published version of this was in transportation. We worked with um our our transportation provider lower Pioneer Valley Educational Consortium. We are going to uh have one less route than we currently have in our in our budget.
>> Um which lowered that uh cost a little bit as well. So those two things have helped contribute to uh our budget improving. Uh our overall budget before offsets is is below six and a half%. Now it was up at seven, maybe a little more than seven when we started this in in
January. Um our offsets there in the middle of the page, things that we we have for grants and and larger uh resources that we we bring to bear have stayed the same uh over the course of the the budgeting season so far. Um, and
then at the the bottom little section with a green header there is is things that are considered uh explicitly revenue by the state. Uh, again, those estimates have not changed since earlier in the year. Um, so we've got an, you know, an estimate for our transportation rebursement,
um, what we think Medicaid reimbursement will look like. Our interest revenue, you'll notice I bumped that up quite a bit this year. We've been trending a little higher over the last few years. it seemed reasonable to sort of bump that up a little bit. >> Um and then and then a portion of our END our overall END for this this for
this budget cycle is a little over 1.2 million. So this uh using 700,000 for the budget leaves about 500,000 for for any uh you know emergencies or other uh unforeseen circumstances might arise during the coming year. Um, all that
said, you know, what's left after you take all those things out is what's left to be assessed for the operating and the and and the debt. Um, and those are pretty significant increases still for the two communities. Um, we don't have settled contracts for our two largest
units, our unit C, which is our pair educators and our and our teachers. >> Um, we have estimates is where we think we'll settle um in this. We, you know, accounted for steps, that sort of made an estimate what we think we're going to settle, but we're still negotiations. Matter of fact, there'll be meeting tomorrow night uh where we're we're
going to continue to work on that uh and hopefully uh resolve that fairly soon and and be able to lock that in a little better for us. Um the capital you're seeing at the very bottom of this is just regional capital. There's only one item on your uh sort of town capital
request uh which is I'll get to later. Um, the other thing I'll point out is if you're thumbming through the the line by line, there are some areas of the budget that have traditionally had some of these offsets applied to them. For example, IPA is often applied to pair
educator salaries or pair professional salaries. So, you'll see those. So, if you see something that jumps up pretty high, a percentage change from one year to the next, that's highlighted in green, we're typically going to have one of these entitlement grants or or other sources of funds that are going to help reduce that a little bit so that the year-over-year is not quite as extreme
as what it shows there in in the moment. Um, >> if I can just provide some context that the pair professional line that he was just referencing is on page 18. >> Well, if you could just share me. So
what page shows your projected increase to the tonic income specifically that? >> So it's right on this front page. And so if you look at um there's a there's a section that says
operating debt amount to be assessed right in the just before the very very last little cluster of numbers. Hammond sits right in the middle of that block of three. Current year it's 9,332785. The projected uh amount for the coming year is 10,29776
>> increased just shy of a little over 9 and a half 950,000 >> just under a million >> just under a million right >> and that's just operating in debt the capital actually I trimmed that today as well um partly based on some feedback from our friends in Wilberham and and so
that's actually going to be a smaller amount for the regional capital uh request u uh from the from the current year. Um, so that's the that's the you know sort of the bad news there. The 10.34% is
where we're at right now. >> Um, or an overall change from from status, >> right? So looking at I'm going to obviously say some things and then the other two members will speak. Um
the budgets I went up like you're showing here 6 and a half%. Roughly roughly two large increases a million dollars in benefit and insuranceances a million dollars in miniature the largest ones that jump out to me.
Going back historically looking at benefits and insuranceances, I don't see that type of year-toear growth prior to the past couple of years. And I'm just going to like jump on my soap box for a bit and I think I've
shared this with you before and this is maybe not under your control but you are the largest part of the Scanic Valley Collaborative in terms of the health insurance and it's my understanding that they
present an increase and that is what it is and you take that increase the all the members That's the increase. There's not a lot of push back to it. I speak personally because I have a business and every year our provider
comes to us and said, you know, Health New England's going up this much, Fallon's going up this much, Pilgrim's going up this much. And my brother and I have to make a decision about how we can mitigate that increase without overloading the people participating.
And it may mean changing a copay. It may mean changing the out of network deductible. And I question if Scanic Valley actually does any of this because this type of increase shows to me that they just present you with a number. Hey, health
insurance is going up 9 and a half% and that's the way it is. And I think there's an opportunity for the member towns and organizations to push back and say, you know, we need to bring that cost down because this doesn't reflect
any push back by Hampton over the school or whatever or taking that opportunity to say, "Look, can't we do better by doing something?" You have an obligation just as the town does to provide insurance to your employees and your participants.
But there's no nothing in there that says this is the type you shall have a 0% co-pay going to an office or whatever. And I think there's an opportunity here for the budget to be trimmed by saying the plan has to be adjusted. So what? It's a
really good plan. Brian took a look at the plan and showed that for instance the family was it which was was it Blue Cross family blue cross was 2500 we have Harvard our family is 1300 at my
office and we have pretty decent co-pays and stuff like that and if you're offering that it's a bit of a Cadillac when I actually went back and asked my guy what if I offered Blue Cross. He
said, "With your current numbers and stuff like that, your cost would be probably$,550, nowhere near 2500." And I'm saying to you, in my opinion, there's an opportunity here for ourselves, Wolverham, the school
district to go back to Scanic Valley and say, "We need better numbers from you. you need to present us some options that we can go back and say, "Hey, our insurance number is not going to go up a million dollars because we're going to take advantage of
some cost savings there." That's just me throwing it out to you. I see an opportunity there. Maybe it's not being taken. >> So, I'll offer a little bit of a >> Thank you. >> a picture. And I and I will say and I've always said this to you, Doug, you come from back from a town perspective. You
were a select board member, >> so you know where we're coming from because you've been on both sides of this. >> So you know the the directors on us >> just like it was for you. >> Yeah. >> And I think the the thing I'll say is that the you know where we set the rates, you know, the conversation, you
know, sort of what they were projecting um was a 17% increase. So, but that's sort of looking at a single year and I think you know to uh to Dick's credit he pushed hard and said I don't think it should be that that's just too short of history to to lean on that and the
trends nationwide and health insurance have been really really tough for everybody both on the drug side the drug side of the equation and then the services provided side of the equation both those have been very high of late um but you know we didn't have a conversation about plan design change
>> I think you know this so we had zero 0% two years ago we had 4% this year. It's going to be between depending on which plan you have 10 and a half some people 15 but most people are either 10 and a half or 11 and a half% increase. Um you know it's a pretty hefty hit to us as
well as our our staff right >> um typically the things you do with plan design change shift burden onto those who utilize it more uh and to the employee a little bit. So when you have higher co-pays or higher deductibles or those kind of things it shifts the cost to users. That's, you know, that's part
of the conversation, but we do, >> part of the conversation needs to be with our different unions about those kinds of change that care. Now, it's not to say they have the right to say, right, >> what it is. >> Um, you know, we do negotiate, I think, in their contracts, the percentage split. >> That's it. >> But that's it.
>> Um, but I think we're we're we're at that point. I would agree with you. We've had a couple years where we've had a preced increase. It's looking like >> fiscal 28 will be kind of in that same vein if we don't touch anything. I mean just the nature of where >> right but just historically when thank you for the look back but I don't think
we've seen that type of >> meteoric rise in that part of the budget. Yeah, >> like you say, you've had a couple of good years, but >> yeah, and I think it's it's it's time for that conversation, >> you know. I think you're right. I don't know if and I think we should have that
conversation now because different kind of plan design changes, you know, it's >> it's one of those things that's creates a whole series of domino effects to sort of understand the complex and so I think it's worth things starting a conversation now quite frankly >> um with the with Scandic Valley. I mean
that you know I would suggest that is part of our coming work in the next couple meetings like you we usually get an update on how performance has been and I think it's you know I think it's a valid question to ask like hey what are the other things we can do >> uh to mitigate these costs is to take
take a hit of 10 11% >> they do pretty well there were years in the past where we've had the opportunity to have like a month free >> because they've accumulated so much money they didn't have to build the towns >> right >> and again same You're not paying these places to make
money. You know, they're municipal operations. They're supposed to like do it at cost and that's it. You save a little more for later. >> Yeah. >> But, you know, like was said in a town meeting way back when, I don't pay the town to be my bank. >> Right. >> Right. >> You pay it to be efficient or whatever.
Municipalities are like businesses. They don't have to make money. >> Right. >> They need to cover their costs. So I expressed that as in my opinion an opportunity perhaps for a budget adjustment there. Um Doug I had a question. Our
relationship with Scantic Valley everybody in Scantic Valley goes with the same insurer and they negotiate that or do we do different parties who participate have the option to go different ways? Like if we push back and say okay well we're like the big boy and
fool here. you know, we want things changed. Are we going to cause a cascade of changes for everyone else who participates or could it could a change just happen? >> It would be an a holistic change. So the you know the plans are offered and and how they're
structured is a to my understanding is is done holistically across the group. So we have to you know as a you know multiple member body have to come to agreement about that. Now there are aspects that aren't specific to ours like split between what we pay versus
you know school district versus split and staff pay that kind of thing is is part of negotiations but the actual plans offered is collectively decided members um so there's opportunity to have that conversation you know others may be open to that
and and it might benefit them as well >> right and I will say you make the point that yes there's a change to it but the participant plan is also paying something and I don't know if you're 7525 like we are different bargaining units have different numbers but say you
are and you drop that down by for example say you do the 25 to 15 the participant is also saving money they're getting 25% of that savings on a weekly basis as well so they may be who's to
say somebody says you know what the co-ay I see a doctor twice a year the money I'm saving is and you can come being touched by my two co-pays I go to. And that's a balancing thing. Everybody picks a plan. You know, whether you have a family, you have a employee plus one
or solo, whatever. I only bring it out in my opinion that's a place to pay money because I see it as a huge increase area. I know benefits and insuranceances isn't only health, >> right? >> But it's a huge outlier inside. >> Yes. >> Non.
I got under maintenance uh for green metals. You have $45,000. That for a specific specific things or is that just to add there just in case something goes? >> So, I actually double checked today since you posed the question. So, I appreciate you asking that ahead of time so I can look it up a little bit. Uh
it's a variety of different services. A lot of them are um you know plumbing repair, electrical repair, uh pest control, those kind of things. Uh things for our you know PA system and bells. um uh security system. So the line share
that. So we budgeted 36 for the current year. I think that number is too low and I'm looking at the full history of it. It's part of why I bumped it up as much as I did. Right now as of today, you know, money out the door, 31,000 at 36. So I'm probably gonna and we got 2,300 or so encumbered. So we'll probably hit
all of that money by the end of March easily, >> maybe into April a little bit. So then the rest of the year will be you know robbing Peter to pay Paul as they say. Um so I think it it's a variety of things. It's no specific um you know
projects or or uh planned activities. I mean you know it's it's general dealing with things as they arise that that need attention and repair. One of the things that uh when we talked about the core program that we're
concerned about if that they would continue to do maintenance and repairs at the Wilberham Middle School is there in the budget for that. >> Yeah. So in the capital um in the regional well in the in the actually you actually have it here too because the
Wolver capital is in in this as well. So, you look at those last few pages uh of the of the of the packet there and get into sort of the green sheets. Um you know, it's you you'll see some projects uh for the for the middle school in particular. Um we've got
40,000 for some exterior doors. We've got uh 30,000 for some some HBAC work. Another 35,000 for some repair work for sidewalks, that sort of thing. So, we're trying to to um you know, chip away at a few things that are most challenging to keeping the building, you know,
functioning well and yet, you know, that we'll also get a fair amount of use of before we might have something else online, the core program project. Um, so we're we're making some, you know, uh requests there. Uh and
>> is that door repair part of the uh regional budget or would that be a landlord problem? That's a capital. >> So it's it's it's technically a landlord problem. So we suggest it as a as a capital project because it's of enough size to qualify it. It becomes um you
know we sort of if they approve that as part of their capital plan for the whole of the town. Um we sort of manage the project for them but the actual you know balance sheet that it goes on is the town of Wilberamps because they own
>> I took part in that tour there. You probably could find a couple of nice doors over at Memorial that aren't being used and just move them over. >> That may be true, too. >> Couple lynch pins. >> Trying to save We're not trying to save over him money. We're trying to save us money. >> Oh, no. Come on. We're one for all people.
>> How long past that money? Let him go. I mean the the importance of that as you know is is for the core program that we in we're insisting that you know we continue to as much as possible fix it and keep it running so that kids are safe and and the staff is safe with that type of
thing. I I know also on the capital you have the for meadows to also private now right and all. >> Yeah.
That's that's stuff for next year, but there's stuff that we're going on right now. >> We got Didn't we do some uh switch upgrade agreements last year? >> We did not. >> Like a switcher upgrades every year. We have
>> So we you have 150,000 you're requesting this year. >> Yeah. So this is the so the the system that's in place currently that switches to uh if power goes out we switch the generator
>> that's fine when we want to switch back. No, I think he I thought we were talking network switch. He did do some network switch. This this project specifically is for the switch on the generator >> and it's
>> it does not it does not flip back when the power comes back on. Doug was explaining you have to bring in a technician to manually flip the switch because the electronic switch doesn't work anymore. And at some point that manual switch will fail as well.
>> How much is it how much does it cost to have the guy come in? >> Yeah. Really? >> We got people looking for work. I mean, seriously. >> Yeah. It's uh it's like $600 or $800 and it's and it's you know, we were fortunate when it happened earlier this year at some point power dropped. It was
earlier than the fall. Um >> really >> they were able to uh >> Oh, no. Really? >> Yeah. Really? I live next door and I don't recall power going out in the fall. So I'm on the same line. >> Even even a short interruption will cause it to kick over and it doesn't
kick back. >> Kind of the problem, >> right? But we uh so we were fortunate that we call it's um it's ever source. No, it's not ever source. It's national grid. Um they were able to send technician out you know
within a few hours to do that. Um, you know, so we're we're not only is there a cost associated with, but there's a timing. So if they're busy with other things, >> it's going to be a challenge to get that. >> So So an upgraded transfer, which is how much? >> Uh, 150,000
on the job. >> 600. Okay. >> Yeah. >> We we understand one. It's been it's been kind of failing a little bit at a time, but it's gotten >> Does it fail? Does it fail? Uh I mean,
does the power go off if there's not a storm or something? >> Um I only know of one instance this year we've lost power where the generator kicked on. Um it's really, you know, so so that part works great. Uh it's sort of when the power comes back to the
system >> and the and the generator doesn't power the entire building. just, you know, sort of essential services kind of thing. So, you know, to to so when power comes back, >> um, you know, we're dependent upon being able to connect with these folks and them come out and make that switch and and at some point it will entirely fail
and not be able to be, you know, sort of switch back on. >> How old is the switch, Doug? And and what lifespan do we expect? >> We got that one when we did the uh we put the new generator in when we did the expansion to Green Meadows back in O2. I'm roughly there.
>> Yeah. That's probably >> 25 years. But it seems like that's not >> what transfer switch and I'm sure that generator is probably in the I don't know 100KW 200 KW range
or something which I thought was sized for the whole building >> and I'm just that's a stunning number for transfers which as opposed to it's working to flip over when the storm happens and to flip it back that is take
the transfer the generator offline and connect back to the grid. >> Oh, >> I can confirm. >> Yeah, please. But just >> absolutely. >> Uh nothing to do with the budget. Are you guys going to have an amendment to
the regional agreement for the town meeting? >> So, the question for Michelle or >> I knew you were going to have some questions about the regional agreement, so I brought the most current version of it. walk you through changes dated time
stamps as well. >> Yellow was new. >> Yes. That trip hazard there. I should probably >> all the changes are on page six and
these changes were um put into this version of the agreement after the discussions earlier in the fall regarding going into the core program. the rationale for them was to um prepare
for a future state when there would be a regional building of some sort and capital costs would be shared between the two towns. So, what's changed specifically here on page six is paragraph D, which was the
paragraph that really wasn't gaining any traction, is now um removed. And then paragraph E is revised um so that it references not only grades 9 through 12, which is mini jog, but is grades served
by that property. So it would kind of um an elastic clause if you will that allowed um any type of grade configuration that was a regional building to fall under the same sort of cost share agreement that exists for
minog where costs are split based on the enrollment proportion of the enrollment students from both towns. um that was presented at a planning meeting a couple of months ago at this point I believe.
>> Yeah. >> Um I I my sense of it is that there may be some um acceptability around paragraph E for any
new projects such as a core project. But the elimination of paragraph D is very unacceptable to Wilberham because in the event that we are to go into a core project, it's not as though um the existing building would vaporize and the
new building just appear. There would be a period of transition. And so dealing with capital costs um during the period of transition I is what I would characterize as right now. Um after that meeting, a suggestion I had made,
actually had an opportunity to talk to the select board after that meeting. Um and suggestion I made was to um ask the attorneys to look at this language and see if there is something that could be worked out that would be amenable to the
two towns into the district. Um, I know that Wilberham has uh I received communications from Wilberham that they have authorized their attorney to uh go ahead and do that. I checked in with our attorney today to see if any um contact had been made. It hasn't at this point,
but I would expect um uh attorney winner from Hamner to be reaching out. Part of my part of my request was that they communicate with the legal representation for Hampton. So I my ask tonight would be that you would
authorize that so that those conversations could take place so that we could move something forward which is all a long preamble to say I can't answer whether or not something's coming forward at the meetings because I think the um there's some language that needs
to be worked out. I'm going to call it paragraph, you know, >> X. >> Yeah, paragraph X. Whatever goes between C and Z and E. Well, is it and correct me if I'm wrong, my understanding is the whole thing for us revolved around
pre-existing. I think that one word has been our things uh going forward and assuming you were in the core program and you're expecting a new building either on that site or in a
different site. Anybody would be realistic as well. They're not going to spend a ton of money taking care of something like, "Oh my gosh, we need a new gymnasium." Well, for five years, you don't need a new gymnasium. You need to fix this part of the floor here so
it's good for five years. They would be prudent about it. We would understand that. It's in my understanding, the thing that's been holding it all up is pre-existing that perhaps was
not addressed at the time. And Sean, you've been part of this and I think you sense that that's been where we've been hung up the whole time. >> Yeah. >> Right. Okay. Michelle as well. Don, you've been fairly involved in this. I'm not sure if you recall.
>> I'm Sean. This is Michelle. >> Hello. You know, that's my thought. Anyone who's the superintendent would know when he gets an email at 3:00 in the morning thinking about this right off the treadmill. >> Y
>> uh under E, if let's say this is theoretical, let's say if E passed, right? Wouldn't Wraim have to sell the building or give the building to the region to make it a regional building?
that is another issue that I think needs to be addressed. Um, you know, there have been some conversations about different mechanisms that could cause the um building to go from its current ownership to ownership by the district, but we never really had details on that.
Um, >> no, excuse me for interrupt, but I'm just thinking about in in terms of maintaining the building. This is a this is going to be a five or six year process no matter what happens. Correct. >> So, let's say the core program look at
uh we you can't build a new building, but we think you should renovate this one and add five classrooms to it. I mean, that's a five or six year or eight year project anyhow, right? So, it's those pre-existing things that are
>> how do we Well, you know, you're trying to deal with them. I know you're doing a few things. If you're trying to make it generic, make it generic. Mike the, >> you know, say you say, are all buildings leased by the thing? And then >> you open it up. I know there's Wolver kids at Green Meadows. Do we start
getting into, oh, they need a percentage of those five kids, but like you're pulling this this thread on the sweater here, and either you're so specific or it just opens everything up. And I know we're all trying to get the same
thing, but it goes back to the letter the three of us crafted. How are we going to be sure if you're in the core program, the kids that go to Warham Middle, Hampton and Wolverham kids for the next five years, the next six years, all kids, we're not talking Hampton, you're concerned about the
Wolverham kids as well. >> We want them to have a great experience before they get them in their truck. >> Safe. >> Safe experience. >> Exactly. Well, I think the the best assurance I can offer, not that it's a guarantee, are the the back pages in
your your budget. You see the projects we have planned for the middle school over the next several years. You know, say not a guarantee because it's not within our power to make them happen. But, you know, we certainly have done our due diligence in terms of
identifying most critical projects and putting together a sequence that we think makes sense. >> Maybe it'll change. Maybe you don't change the regional agreement except for the other things and you wait for the core program to rule and then we have a memorandum of understanding between the
three parties to cover the fiveyear period. Something like that because now we're all invested. >> Yeah. >> And now we have a clear sense of okay now I'm not going to do that $2 million project. I can get by with 100,000 to hold off whatever and just see where it
goes. But right now all you're ready for in one basket. you've gone to the core program and they're either going to go new one renovation or nope and then we go back to drawing board >> maybe maybe
year >> we don't get invited in the first year there's an excellent opportunity we would be invited to a year or two after there's you know to some extent the core program there's need and to some extent sometimes when the need outstretches the funding there's a line
>> now does Anybody have does anybody in the room have experience with the core program personally hands on and what would your obviously I'm not holding you to what what do you think the recommendation would be based on that bill do you think >> realistically they're going to say fix it or is it yeah >> no I discussed with the superintendent
at long meadow who just they just they're on the tail end of their core program and he was quite familiar with the assessment done in 2015 since he was our superintendent at the time and It would
be difficult for him to imagine that. So the only question mark is I I think the big question mark is you know whether we'll be invited in and I think that probably be more dependent on funding than else you know I think that we we've talked to a lot of people that
have been involved in core programs and we've taken their feedback and we've take you know that's why you know we made the request to the select boards to get letters of support because we know that it's one of the things that they look for are the select boards in agreement with the school or is the school committee going rogue and they
want to start building new buildings, right? Because they don't want to waste their time. >> I would say my experience with I think the state because of knowing some of the people in the state, they're going to go towards honestly the campus idea because it checks a lot more boxes. The land is
owned by both towns. >> Sure. >> It has the room because at one point you had both high schools there before they demolished the old one. So you know there's land available. It gets away from owned by one town versus owned by both towns. It speaks to what
Massachusetts wants to be for the 21st century presentation. It speaks to consolidation of resources. The district offices there for both buildings. Uh your eighth grader can walk next door and audit a high school class, which is what Massachusetts wants
to present as educationally ahead of the game. I think they would go that way because of what they've done at other places in the state, East Hampton with the campus, things like that. So, just my thought. >> If I may throw one thing out on the timing, remember this is an every other
year >> program. So, uh, and originally we had gone for renovation in the building. Now we're going for the >> for the core, right? So, the core program. So if for some reason we do get
bumped, it's just going to add another two years onto this cycle. Another two years of the kids in the same school, another two years. >> Actually, it the core program they offer every year. >> Oh, >> the accelerator is every other year now. >> Okay. I'm sorry.
>> I was I was they were both going back and forth. >> Thank you for that. But it is, you know, you do have to do the >> again >> and you know there's a lot of different >> So back to I think Don's original question, where are we with potential
warrant article on the regional agreement? If you're saying, well, we want legal teams to look at it. I guess we'll see it next year. You have 17 lawyers in a room. The only thing that's going to be done is the bill keeps coming, right, Don?
>> I mean, I I guess he's bringing up a good question, right? We're coming to the time of the year where if there's a possibility there being something each of the towns needs to at least put a placeholder bar right it could be a pro no action it comes out if we don't get
our ducks together which is very >> foreseeable I'll also give you the opportunity to present your case for coming up later >> I don't know I mean you two are on the planning board and John you're there you're in the conversations what do you guys think should we be asking the towns
to put put in a placeholder or should we be saying let's just sh >> placeholder please >> placeholder please okay >> agreed >> all right all right and so we'll send a communication to the same effect everyone because I don't think we have
this conversation >> I think we were talking about a place we don't >> weeks later than hen we have a few weeks >> we got a little bit more >> but we also need to get this information out to the public on what the changes are with them understand it, get into
it, ask questions, that kind of thing, rather than an uneducated populace saying, "We don't know what this is. We don't understand these changes potentially." >> Very good point, Sean. challenge we're facing because we don't know for sure
exactly what the changes will be yet. >> And it could be that we have changes decided but maybe we all feel it's too late and we haven't become move no action because we feel like we haven't been able to campaign yet. That's a great point. >> And just kind of back to the budget
stuff kind of this is going to be an unpopular question anyway. See the news company is here. They're laying off. This one's laying off cutting this. are outsourcing this is with this budget is there any kind of cuts I'm not this is not a suggestion on my part this is just
me you're merely just inquiring is these numbers with an increased that size is there is this mainly insurance or is there is there any thoughts of cuts is there any any services have been cut things like that just just questions is this status quo or >> yeah this level services you know which
would be what we're doing right now rolling it over next year by and large I mean there's a few tweaks to that relative to things we know about for example like today with the special education changes that we adjust. We know that that's a change we can, you know, plan for. Um, you know, we know
what kinds of retirees we have, that kind of those things are in there, but but but by and large, you know, we're not there yet as far as the any kind of adjustments that way, but but it is part of the coming conversation for sure >> with the exception of transportation. We do have that reduction in transportation
services. Yeah. >> Obviously, we didn't have our budget roundt meetings, but we typically hear from both senator and reps at that time. We saw the governor's presentation, which wasn't as rupal as it would have liked. Typically, in the past, that's
been the up here and they come back down from it. It's a little scary that it wasn't up here and they're possibly there. Do you have a sense from a Angelo, Brian, Jake that perhaps the legislature might do a little better
than the governor did? We have any kind of indicator for that? >> I don't have any solid indicator in that. I can say, you know, the history on this is that usually the House and Senate add a little bit more in chapter 70. The the danger is that sometimes
they take money from other programs to help fund after. So, right. Um, so we'll see. Well, we have suggestions for other programs they could do instead, not hurting us, but >> and I'm sure they're going to bring regional transportation back up to maybe
even 110% pass back for less. >> Um, >> from your lips to go. >> Yeah. So, again, it was scary having been here a while to see the governor's budget not be the huge one that they try to come under. If it's down here, they
come under that's not good for us. Hopefully, they send a message and like, oh, those other programs you're talking about funding, we need to take care of our students instead. Maybe that'll be the habit. Stop with the cry and light a candle. All right. Um,
I apologize for not going too deep into your bug here. I heard a lot of thing. We just, in my sense, we wanted the 30,000 foot brought down to a,000 ft. Where can we save? What are you seeing? When do you might see another thing? And
give us that personal update on it, if you will. Don, I have another topic. >> Oh, good. Julia, give me 30 sec. Give me 30 seconds on the facility rental fees resolving fund.
>> Facilities rental fee revolving fund. So, uh, if people use our facility, um, we charge some rent, uh, you know, to to co and anytime you do a revolving fund of of any sort, um, which you're allowed to do for certain circumstance, but you have to spend the resources that you
collect on supporting that thing. So, for us, you know, um, you know, small capital or projects. So, as you glance through this, you'll see some stuff highlighted in kind of a light yellow kind of color. So door locks and door knobs that's something you know that everybody that comes to use the building
that's a that's a valid you know sort of use of that funding. >> Where is that where's that authorized I mean our revolving funds go to a town meeting every year to be is this just something internally created under the umbrella of school department and you
>> the school committee has to set up revolving funds. >> No it's in your meetings you authorize it not. Okay. >> Yep. And once once established they stay but again you know we we do get audited every year and you know we report on all those funds and so we do have to if we were to spend money on something else like I don't know buying a
superintendent new car out of that >> always that example >> again >> uh you know that wouldn't be an appropriate use of that >> now do you sweep that on an annual basis or >> no uh we we have the balance >> you can encumber it >> we was that >> you can encumber it to the following
fiscal Yes, >> you can roll it forward and we do and and you know that we I will say that you know we we have not tapped into that recently. I'm definitely and you'll see it in the capital plan and some other places where >> we'll start utilizing that resource a little bit more. Um I think we're sort
of sitting on a little bit of money that's great for our you know interest income but not really helping >> mitigate some other costs that it could and should. And >> can you can you collect that for use of the auditorium or the pool and anything else to feed? Yeah. >> So might grow into now I can take care of something because now I've got a nest
egg too. >> Exactly. Exactly right. And so you know we we try to do that. There's there are other ones you know some of them are much more modest you know like we rent for instruments in the band program. So then that helps buy some of the music they use or repairs that kind of thing.
Those are much more modest. Um but the facility rentals is is is one where we have a little more current capacity. And so that's part of why, like I said, you'll see it in our capital plan a little bit to offset some of the things that have been there and need to be attended to and are hard to fund and and
uh and and uh and there's some, you know, some some operating supports we'll probably use a little bit this year to cover some, you know, cleaning supplies and, you know, paper goods because those things have gone through the roof this year as far as price. So, uh, it'll, you know, we'll probably modestly use a
little bit of that to help, uh, you know, soften the blow on the budget. um uh and we need to revisit our actual what we're charging per piece uh you know so one of the things and this actually is also true with talking about plan design changes if you if you offer
the least expensive thing start to attract what you may or may not want to do right >> um and you know when you do it in insurance suddenly you attract a lot of people and potentially a lot of people that might have a lot of health needs so then everybody's costs go up
significantly u you watch the history of GIC you see that sort of thing happen. Um I think from the standpoint of like you know facilities rental um you know we're not a it's not a profit center. It's not a you know we're not in that business and we're not good at that because that's not what we do. At the same time you know do we have an
opportunity to provide a resource to community? Yeah. And and can we offset some of the the cost of that and support our own programming with a little bit of that resource? >> Well the correlation is there as you said facility has fix some doors which part of it makes sense >> right? The car is definitely out of it.
>> Yeah, it's not gonna happen. >> Sorry, John. >> No, that's that's a good >> Now, you guys have another meeting tonight or No, I thought we were >> We do. >> We do. We have a another meeting of just our subcommittee. That's at 7:15, I
believe. >> Okay, good. >> I have a question for you. Um, so I'm hearing a lot from people that this is going to be a very big year for for Hamden. There's a lot of things going on, of course, like moving over here and stuff like that. There's a lot of
challenges on your on your >> This used to be a school, you know. >> Yeah. Really? >> You left that there's extra paper and you can take it. >> Okay, we'll take it on the way out. Um, but I wanted to ask you, um,
>> what do you think of that close to a million dollars that were coming at you? What did you originally plan on? Is that something that if nothing changes, are you going to be able to to handle that? Because I I want to make this >> I I will say that we haven't talked a
number. All I've heard is from the advisory and I think they've shared that with the finance committee in Warberham that they were kicking around a number in the 450 475 range that they felt with what they've seen so far
is the number that they have allocated towards growth in the school budget. >> Okay. So that's half of what we're looking at. Roughly half. Yes. And I think in conversation you may have had some as well. Um I think Warraham was
comfortable with that type of projection at that point. So it does get back into is there a place in the middle that we can meet. >> Nobody wants to hear the dreaded 112. >> Right. >> Right. Because that doesn't help anybody. Two and a half over or two and
a half. That doesn't help anybody. How close are you to a two and a half override right now? >> I don't think we're even close to the number you got. The police keep coming in next and I think you wanted a new cruiser for every officer. Something like that. >> Oh, really?
>> Great. There you go. Grave tasers. >> There you go. Well, that that makes sense. >> That's where we are. >> We're not we're not at that point. Obviously, even the largest budget, we haven't we haven't gotten everybody.
>> What I know I know Wilberham has a million dollars before they hit the levy limit. >> What What is What is Ham what does Hamen put in as a placeholder >> before we will call it? >> No. >> Yeah. So, Hamen tries to stay a million dollars under the levy limit. When you
hit the levy limit, you got to go into a two and a half over, right? So, does does Hampton have a >> a little threshold >> a little threshold that you always try to keep it at that number or >> again still we haven't got our new growth number yet. So, we really aren't
even close to keeping that sense of where we are. >> Are we going to keep 250? Are we going to keep a million? We're not even there yet. >> Number try to keep each year. Say whatever is going on each year. >> We got a lot of great advice from the treasur's office. They're the people
that work in there are incredible. Yeah. Excellent. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. You want to resolve your meeting or >> No, actually we're going to postpone and move. Correct.
>> You want to postpone and move? >> Recess, right? Recess. Recess. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> All right. >> Mike. Mike, take that bag with you. >> Yeah. We won't be on camera the next game.
>> We will be on camera. >> Yeah, but the travel the next game. Thank you guys. >> Thank you for your time. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Here we go. >> Which one's coming forward? All right.
>> Yeah, it >> Why don't you text him and tell him you love them here? >> The other. >> Yeah, exactly. >> No cookies again. >> All right. >> I had one last >> Hey, where were you at? I I looked for you on aisle five the other day. You weren't there.
>> Wasn't there? >> No. >> That's funny. I thought of you, too. >> I usually run you, Jim Joliker, Carl Sternberg. We're all at the big Y together like I see him at the store. >> He loves to shop and I don't.
>> Yeah. He >> goes every other day. >> Exactly. Bye, Mary. >> Whether he needs to or not. Whether my wife >> true. So, next on our agenda is the uh police budget. >> Good evening. Good evening.
>> Welcome. Nice tan. >> Thank you. >> It was an extended trip as you heard, not planned. >> So, you all have a copy of this, I believe. >> My my trusty wingman here.
>> Yeah, I lowered it a little bit. >> Kidding. Thank you for that. We did. >> Don't worry. You're still in it, Julie. You're all right. But you're still there. >> You can't get rid of her. You can't get rid of her. Or or Tom, my maintenance fan. You can't get rid of these.
>> She was well trained. >> They are the uh the backbone of >> So, as you see, fiscal 27 budget here. Um >> bottom line, how much did you go off? >> Bottom line, I believe number up about
roughly 25,000. So taking into account the contractual raise for all patrol and sergeants which was 4% contractual um that raise of moving up about 25,000 roughly only represents about a one and a half%
overall >> um full budget raise. So I think that um that's a pretty fair increase again considering that contractual raise which as you know the the bulk of this budget
is salary line. Um we tried to lower a couple things and try to keep some things the same. Um right now we're on track in our services, utilities, electric things like that. As you talked about previously with others those those
costs have been going up. Right now, I think we are still pretty good for pistol 26, moving forward to 27. Uh we've kept those numbers the same and I think we'll be okay with those. And of course, we have a new facilities manager and he may be taking over some things in
the future. Uh I think we're going to be phasing that in though. So, couple things we lowered. I did um address that uh building maintenance and landscape line. We're reducing that down. Um we're dropping that by about $3,500. and we're going to keep a small amount of money
there. I already talked to Mark with DPW. He's agreed to take on lawn mowing and upkeep of the building. >> So, I'd like to keep a little bit of money in that line just for the supply side of things for him. Obviously, he's providing the labor and again with uh facilities management and as we move
forward, maybe that's something that will ultimately shift out of our budget. >> I think we're all learning this year might be a bit of a learning curve, >> right? So, I think that's going to take some time to really >> figure out and see what we're going to need there. But I'd like to keep some money there. So reduce it by about 3500. >> Okay. The other one, and you know, my
pet peeve is going to be a school resource officer. >> Sure. >> So we see it there. We have a somebody test at almost $70 an hour. >> And I've always said, >> how come this can't be one of the guys who were on ship at that guys on a ship
at that time rather than a number that's different than the ship number? Well, I know there's a training involved in certification. There is >> couple of things, couple of schools of thought, pun intended, with the school resource officer. >> So, you see the the average the hourly
rate you see is an average rate based upon who works the shift for coverage >> and the overtime. Now, the SRO now has to take that's a national training called NASRO that's to be certified. And then there was an annual refresher training for all
SRO's in addition to their standard inservice annual training. So we have to maintain that standard. Right now it's only one officer who has that full certification. So to simply take an officer from the shift.
>> Now this is only budgeted at two shifts per week, >> a four-hour block. Mhm. >> Could we simply take an officer and have them head over to the school and and have lunch with the kids for an hour? Yes. That really doesn't serve the full purpose of what a school resource
officer does. But my understanding is having talked to the people at the school, they don't have an opportunity for the SRO to go in the classrooms because the classrooms are so busy that it's typically just been lunchtime monitoring
and interact with the students. They made the point that part goes great. The kids loved having the SRO there, but there has not been the opportunity like gosh, go back in the day with the DARE program in the classroom itself because
the programs the school day is so jam-packed. There has not been the opportunity for the SRO to be in the classroom. That's what I'm hearing from. known. But with the DARE program that was scheduled time, but my point is that the 4-hour shift,
>> there has not been the opportunity for those hours to be spent in the classroom. >> No, they don't. And an SRO doesn't typically spend their time >> simply in the classroom setting. It's as much of an interaction piece. And >> okay, but where are the four hours then? If lunch only goes for an hour, what are
the other three hours doing? Why can't why couldn't it be honestly eight hours at an hour and a half a day or two hours for four days or something like that. So it is more when the kids are coming and going they're seeing and there's the interaction there during that time. >> And if you do that though you're going
to pull from the shift >> each each day potentially >> potentially >> to try to cover that in an hour and a half. >> But again it's got to be somebody who's trained as an >> SRO. So then I'm forced to look at contractual minimums. And if I have an
officer come in to cover the officer who can serve as the SRO, if I have to pay somebody a 4hour minimum, >> why? Why do you have to bring somebody in? Why can't that be part of their duty for the day? Like, oh, you're on by the way.
>> So then I put my shift minimum down. >> And if something happens, they leave. >> I always throw it out there. We're looking at everything. >> I understand that. So, I'm I have to push back on it a bit because I see the value of an SRO in the school. I would like to see that school resource officer
have a dedicated space at the school, have a place that they could even use as a temporary office space so that they are there dedicated for that four hours even if it is only two days a week. >> So, that students have a chance to interact with that SRO and develop a
better relationship. It develops a better relationship with the officer, the community, the students, the teachers. >> I think we would be remiss to simply remove an SRO entirely. >> But to have them simply pop in for 45
minutes or an hour sort of at at their leisure just to cover lunch or something, I don't think is doing the program any justice. >> Right. And I'm not saying remove the SRO. I'm saying now what's expensed is how how can we look at expensing it differently. So we still have the SRO
but we're not making it outside so to speak the regular budget. >> No >> the problem happened when the contract was agreed upon the the detective used to cover the road >> but contractually that all changed
>> that >> that's what happened. That's why we're we have to and then the officers have a 4-hour minimum for overtime, >> right? >> So, right, contractually. >> So, I I can't just rely on the one officer who's working a 4 and2
rotational schedule. >> We have to schedule those shifts according to his schedule. So, we don't always pay the school resource officer with that budget line. Sometimes it's paying the replacement
officer to cover. So the SRO who may be on the ship. So if we decide to do it on Tuesdays and Thursdays, let's say as an example, and the officer is working a four and two rotation >> throughout that six weeks in that rotation, there'll be days where he's off on a Tuesday. So on that day, he can
come in for four hours, work his SRO shift. He's getting paid as the SRO. When he's on his day on, he gets replaced. Again, if it was a Tuesday, Thursday schedule or whatever we decided, Monday, Wednesday, he may get replaced if he's on shift. So, the shift gets covered and that
officer is dedicated to the school. So, they're not getting pulled away when a bad call comes in or, you know, god forbid something something drastic. Um, I just find value to having an officer >> dedicated to it. >> That's okay. Go back. The other thing, so I understand being pulled in when
you're not on duty. So, you're on duty. It is your SRO turn. Go over and be SRO. Somebody else is going to come in and cover for you at the 4 hour. >> Yes. >> If they're on shift and going over to B SRO, what rate are they being paid?
>> The number the same number being on shift. >> Their shift rate. >> Their ship rate. And then you've got the extra there to cover the person coming in to cover. >> Yes. >> Well, you budgeted the 69. >> Yes. >> Right. And that 69 figures we just
>> No, but I mean that's not that's not the hour that could be used to pay the overtime or sorry cover it. >> Okay, that's that's correct. Thank you. >> And how you know it's budgeted four hours. What's the reality? Like when they were leave Hampton at 11 o'clock, what time do they get back to the
station typically from the school back? Is it a couple hours? >> Well, they're not leaving Hampton though either. They're going to Meadows. >> Green Meadows, excuse me. Okay. So, >> um >> No, it's it's typically about four hours. I mean it's four because we won't let the replacement officer go after >> right
>> two hours >> it's a contract if you're contracted for four well you're going to work four and so I'm going to have the SRO >> cover four hours >> I will say if you're saying the budget went up 25K in totality that's pretty good
>> it is >> um are we are we saying >> are you pulling those and it didn't before but are you going to put the cruiser keep it in the budget because I also saw a placeholder in the strap warrant for it. >> So we have a placeholder for the the
warrant I believe. Right. So >> or was that a second? >> No, it's it's going to be warned >> as an as a truck. >> We haven't gone we haven't gotten that right there. >> That was on the money side. So it won't
>> Yeah, it's about 40. It was $5,000. >> $5,000 for the truck. $5,000 for >> right or depends on the bid on the state bid that year too. Really does. So >> I would be more comfortable having it personally in the budget >> because Donald it's always been one car
a year in the budget. >> It's in the budget. >> No, I'm saying I'm more comfortable with that rather than a warrant article. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> And I would because I'd like to be >> I would prefer to do it that way if if we can have a good a good rotation every year
in the budget. And then maybe three years down. It's been at least two without a car. >> I understand. Then every three years we would have a special time meeting. We pull in the extra car there to try and like >> Yeah. Obviously >> catch up if you will. >> And sometimes you need to do that
especially if you have something where you get a bad car or right >> a crash or something where we don't replace it, right? >> Um >> you know so we've kept the maintenance line the same in fiscal 27 as it is now. But that sort of anticipates getting one
new car this year >> because if we don't then we're going to run into some maintenance issues. >> Okay. Specific to the car and I know you've had conversations with different department stuff like that. The car you're proposing to turn over the cruiser
wicked bad shape or just high mileage? >> High mileage. High high hours. So, we have two frontline cars that are both at right around 100,000 miles >> and getting high hours. >> Mhm. >> And they're getting to be more expensive on the maintenance side of things. One
of them recently uh started to experience some transmission issues. We're hoping it just they can't find anything wrong with it yet, but we're hoping it it holds out because, you know, if the transmission goes, that's 5 to7,000 to replace it versus
>> park it, shove it, don't put the money into it, >> trade it in, and replace it because it's I don't want to spend. >> Well, I know you you mentioned, pardon me, state union. You talked about that there was a conversation with another department head about potentially turning that over, although it didn't
seem like it would fit their need. So I don't think it would fit their knee towing. >> I don't think it would fit their need to >> from what they expressed before with the towing and stuff like that. Right. >> So my other thought would be and this goes you recall this. We did a a pass
down for the animal control officer several years back and that vehicle as you're well aware has a high maintenance need. Would this be how much training you get on this? Would this be an opportunity to explore rolling this vehicle down and getting rid of the red
one? >> So, because I don't you would know better how many miles go on the acco vehicle >> in the last year less than a th000 miles. >> So, it wouldn't problem with that car is that it sits too much. >> Right.
>> That's more detrimental to it than than the use. And it's >> No, honestly, >> you're wrong. So, I think that >> No, honestly, we can take care of that by making it a you just take it out once a month and do something. >> I think what might make sense is that one is getting very old.
>> And I think that rather than trade in one of these cars that has 100,000 on it, but it's many model years newer. >> At at worst, it's a 2021, >> I think. I'm sorry. 22. So, I have two frontline fleet
vehicles that are 2022s with about 100,000 miles and a lot of hours on them. Right. >> But that's still a much better vehicle than what the ACO has. >> Well, that's what I'm saying. >> There's It makes no sense to trade it for what they're going to give us. >> Well, that's what I'm saying. Well, we should get rid of the red thing and we can pass this one down. I think
it's >> as long as it then make then makes a little schedule. Hey, look. On the sixth of every month, you guys take it out for one shift or something like that just to keep it running because if Shelley hasn't picked it up in a couple months, whatever, you're concerned about it sitting too much.
>> Yes. >> Right. So, we'll just work it in like I don't care. Maybe the SRO takes it. >> Well, but it wouldn't be for patrol use because it loses a lot of >> No, that's even better. >> All of it equipment. >> Then it' be the SRO drive it over to the school. You don't need the equipment in it.
Well, to your point until something goes wrong and I want that SR to respond. >> No, I understand something work it out. I think it's >> I think that interdep departmental um sharing of these vehicles makes sense when we can pass along a vehicle that is
it's no longer ideal for our frontline use where it has to start and it has to run every time no matter what, >> right? But when it goes to a secondary use, um whether it goes to the acco or to facilities or to even even if it was a secondary vehicle for fire, an admin
vehicle if they needed one, >> it makes no sense to trade that car in for $500 or $750, >> right? >> When it's worth a lot more than that, >> so it helps the police department. If we can acquire the new vehicle, it helps them get a better vehicle in their fleet
and overall we're going to save money >> and potentially it gives you a little breathing room in your maintenance account so that way you're not like worried about oh my gosh is going to fall out of Shel's car >> or fire department had that too >> and we are still maintaining Shel's car for her. >> Right. Exactly.
>> ACO maintenance comes out of the police vehicle maintenance budget. >> Right. So you're looking to present the warrant article for the cruiser and I think the board understands the need for that at this point. you know, put in the budget. >> They're going to add that into the
thing. The other concern you had was >> uh changing out the car, the guns. >> Yeah. >> And projected cost, would you say, was 10. >> So, I've gotten some We put a placeholder in there. Um about 15,000.
Now, I have gotten some down and dirty estimates, I'll call it. Um, I reached out to some vendors to try to get some quotes very quickly just as a placeholder. Um, we would get some traded value for what we have currently obviously, but our
weapons are getting old. Uh, they're becoming maintenance issues. Industry standard in in this business is 6 to 8 years. It's time to upgrade due to wear and tear. And I I don't know we can talk about how often they get used, but the fact is it's it's cycles and
rounds per year annual training which >> well that's and I had a conversation we had the conversation about the rifles before and down recall somebody said hey it was Scott one rifle fell apart >> and we were all rifles previously and they >> and we were all like how can that be you don't use them but I understand during
certification you could be firing a thousand rounds through different things so they do get used during that time. So that's we'll move past that. We understand. One thing we did talk about was other
funding revenues. Several years back, we needed a second cruiser in one budget year. And we paid for half of that cruiser by excess money accumulated in the offduty account. >> Correct. And I mentioned to you before and I think Julie was going to look into
how much has accumulated since that time that >> 35,000. >> Yeah. That may have been before your time. >> Oh, >> that at that time it was like five six years ago at least. >> Yeah. >> And we get on it basis we pick up 10 is it 10% basically on every roughly
>> it's 10% and also >> there's a fee uses as well >> the 10% admin fee plus if a cruiser is used in a detail >> that goes into the admin fee as well and it's $10 an hour. >> I know. And so like if they have an eight hour detail, they use a cruiser,
80 bucks on top of the >> they can use the red car from now on. Really makes it >> you got to put on fire. So obviously the number in the treasurer's report doesn't doesn't reflect the encumbered money you owe to the county sheriff to East L.
Boom. But there is a number in there that's that's Hammond's money if you >> the admin line. >> Well, it doesn't show when she sends it. That's what I'm just saying. It just shows the gross number. Yes. >> So, if you looked at that gross number, I think last time I saw it was in the 70 or 80 range. >> Yeah.
>> How much of that belongs to Hampton? >> Probably. Well, right now, I looked at it last week. I think we're up 30 almost up to 35,000. >> Like I say, we we capped it for this had to be seven years ago for 30 back then. >> And like I say, you've got some
encumbered because you worked at DTL. You owe the county sheriff, >> right? Small revolving piece in there, >> right? Exactly. So, so >> like churches and like other municipalities, they don't have the 10% fee. >> Mhm. >> But most like National Grid
>> and all everyone else, >> they should be a 15%. >> I know. Really? >> That's what I think. >> Okay. Listen to her. She's been around. So, obviously you know where I'm going with this. Is there an opportunity to use some of this money for the guns?
>> Yes, I I would. But it has to go back into the general fund, right, Brian? those >> it didn't last time and maybe we did it wrong but we just we just a motion at that time >> we know that >> raised 30,000 it was 30,000 from taxes
and 30,000 transfer from offduty account >> we know that we can't direct those funds directly to the police budget they have to go general fund they have to go in that revolving account what the board >> go back to >> decides to do with it and apply it to but I know that we can't simply take
that 10% and administrative fee put itirectly. >> We're not asking to. >> No, >> we're saying what we did was you have money in an offduty account. >> We're saying we can make the warrant article say we're going to
instead of raising appropriate we move to the old right. >> We also >> not you're saying >> we can't make a we can't say oh $10 is going to go towards this every time. No, it's going to go into off duty, but at
some point we can move it out of there. Did that pass last time >> and >> but you can move it to the general fund, >> right? >> No, we we took a motion or we can look it up. >> I know we did, but it's just >> right. >> We own the car. It's brass.
>> Uh every licensed carry we get, we get that's $100. We get $25 of the 100. >> I know. So your think because the way you're think about sweeping the money and it's free cash money at that point. >> It must >> right but it doesn't
go into that >> but we haven't done that. You're saying you're saying to go into the general fund we'd almost have to sweep the money >> that's what any >> and we haven't done that. No, not in the last year or so because >> as a >> Cliff used to do it
>> 30 days >> used to likely >> knock a little out every time. >> Yeah. >> Not the whole thing, but he'd take a little something. >> He'd take the admin fees. Yeah. >> Right. So we could >> which the opp if you wanted to do it that way, the gun purchase would be in
the fall because it' be part of the free cash number at that point. You just left it out. And that gets into, okay, you got to have it now or can you wait till November? >> No, we can wait till November on that. That's something we could do in the fall. >> I mean, it's easy enough to say, look,
in the fall, you're going to have 15K left in that account to take care of the pistols. Maybe have a better number then. Who's to say? >> Okay, then we could do that. >> Would the board interested in pursue that? And >> then we'll take that one off the uh board.
>> Okay. and we'll pull something extra for you to make economy. Thank you. >> Maybe want the red six years since that money. >> So that's why the total is up there. >> Yeah.
>> Been at least five or six years from what Scott had told. >> Yeah. >> Reserves you talking. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Right. And who's to say the fall doesn't fall doesn't look good and there might be an opportunity for another cruiser at
that point. It's not going to be wasted because if you got two at 100 right now we do and that's >> we'll know more then. But I mean it could be this might be the year when we've got to do the effective we skipped one last year. >> And if it's
>> and they run 247 basically the cars the cruisers they're in them 247. >> Yeah. at least three line cars or all three shifts a day every day. It just adds up adds up very quickly. So even on a year where we've we have not when you
skip one year >> it puts a takes a real >> you know 20,000 miles cars it adds up quickly. Um, obviously we have some things we've talked about you before with you before
about uh it coverage things like that and I'm sure you're still exploring that with >> we are >> the people and um I did hear that Tony is going back to work which is great >> back as of today. >> Yep. Great. So um hopefully we get a
chance to explore that with him as well as the camera issue we've been talking about. Um, Don I know has brought up where we stand with the dispatch. You know, is there going to be an opportunity perhaps to
if they're expanding the dispatch group, is there an opportunity for the state to maybe relook at how they do? >> We should be cheaper. >> Well, that's what we're thinking. >> See what's available. >> They're talking about Graanby now. >> Is it Grahamby they're bringing possibility? >> I think so.
>> Palmer dropped out. I think it was Graham, right? Yeah. So now that um Anony's back uh we'll resume our monthly meetings and that's when I can I just emailed him actually today about that. So let's we need to talk about this regional agreement and what we're going to do moving forward and
>> right now we're looking at >> where we're going to be at for a number >> 125 right now. >> Yeah, it's a big number >> it is. And the regionalization money throughout the state had >> had changed. So there was a large pot of money for regionalization initially and
that's what saved us the money >> right >> and now a lot of those funds are gone. Now, as they take on other municipalities because they have more, will the state >> be able to incentiv right? If you want us to grow and do
what you want us to do, you need to incentivize us at that point, right? >> Should all share the savings hopefully. >> Caring is caring. >> 25 still cheaper than having full-time dispatchers. >> It is. It's much, right? >> Cheaper
much. What do you want from us? >> Well, we've kept the I I I want to bring up this one point. We've kept the training line level funded. >> We always go over it.
>> We always go over the mandated training from the state annual inservice training for every officer because now we are in a postcommission world. Certified police officers. You know, go back five years. Your training could have been a 10x
number of hours. Now it's mandatory number of hours per year. So with the officers we have including the reserves, our training budget is not quite where it needs to be even to cover the mandatory training for each
officer each year. >> Okay. So >> change the number. And then I have to consider additional training opportunities for officers, supervisory training, additional school, specialty things like that.
There's there's very little funding within this budget to cover those things. Aside from now, what's mandatory from the state, um, one thing I changed very early this year was, uh, doing legal updates um, in person at the police academy in Holio. We still do
quite a bit of our training online, but the legal updates, which is an eight hour course, eight hour block of time, >> I'm sorry, was six hours. Um, I elected to do that in person at the police academy because there's a lot more value to that for my officers to get the that
piece of their training in person with the attorneys that are there teaching it. They find a lot of value in that. So, even that increased the training for officer two hours of state. I mean we all said we get those notices that the
AG will come out and do training or programs for municipal health and stuff like >> no this is all has to be through the municipal police training council all has to be through the state through the training council. >> All right Sophie how much money you want
that's on camera. So if you have like 41 now >> 41 what are you looking how many what do you want it to be >> 50 should be about 50 >> okay write it up >> okay >> I mean if you're going over every year
we don't like we want services I mean that's not that big of a increase you're looking at the big big big >> but I think we need to increase it because we're we are not even covering the mandatory >> and is there in prior years though going
over. Has there always been an opportunity for the town accountant to say, "Okay, you're under in this account. I can always cover that overage in training." >> I will count it as overtime. >> Okay. So, >> take it out of general payroll at that point.
>> Yeah. In this year, >> I think it would be better though to have that line increase. >> I'd like to be realistic for that. >> And if you got it'll just be the extra money to >> go back. We're spending the money to put it in the proper place. Agreed. Okay.
>> And you should get money a pretty decent amount back because we're down and off. >> We've been doing pretty well. >> Mhm. >> But we half the year Billy Jake had the injury. >> So, we had to compensate for that. But
we used reserves >> to fill his ship and then he was on light duty. >> I did hear reserves. um their hourly. How often does that go up? >> So it hasn't gone up in at least five or
six years. >> Yes. Five years. >> Five years. >> It's been 25. >> So I did a quick wage study with some other towns. Um >> and we're too low in that department. Especially again when I consider that this is now all of my reserve officers
have to be certified, right? They have to hit that standard. It's a more professional way to do policing, frankly. Um, and they're deserving of a a higher rate of pay. Okay. And they're going elsewhere to work. I have a couple of reserves who work another >> 20 28.
>> The number was 25 >> and I want to move it to 28. >> And that's it hasn't been adjusted. >> Five years. Okay. >> And that's so that's >> and that'll be competitive with other towns or it's still a little low. >> It gets us competitive. Um, >> one town is a little bit lower, but they
have a shift differential. >> Shift differentials, higher uniform allowance, things like that. So, it's >> But we need to we need to raise it because we it's hard to attract people to. >> Yep. >> Exactly. >> Right. Okay.
>> What else? What else do you want? >> I said they got enough. They're out of here. No, we're good. >> I got a card. I got shipment. They more money. >> Give Give everyone tomorrow one of these. Okay, >> guys.
>> Lauren, where's Lauren? She usually takes those. >> She's still recovering on Zoom. >> Bad. Hi, Lauren. >> Feel better when we got to go this way. >> Good point. Hi, Lauren.
Let's move along here. Thank you. >> Where are you staying? >> I don't. >> I've got to get him. >> Poor guy. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> Thank you for coming in. >> Thank you. >> When do you go see advisory?
>> Next Monday. >> Okay. Next Monday. >> Great. See what they say. See what they say about the cruiser. >> I'll take these for the Are you going back to the station? >> No, no, no, no. Leave them. Take the poll.
Take care. >> Thank you. >> Tad, you want to come closer or >> any money or what? >> All right. What's next? >> Any money? >> You guys are in a good mood. Yeah, I could drive. Stay away from that one.
>> Yeah. Let's not go there. >> Um, all right. So, pretty much the last thing on our agenda is the warrant review. Brian has put together a draft warrant with just 34
34 things on. We didn't knock we knocked one off tonight, which is good. The cruiser came off. Nothing in here is a surprise. Everything we've talked about, articles uh 24 through
28 are going to be a fun. >> I'm going to put a placeholder in there for the region, but it's it's going nowhere. I don't think so. >> Hit me again. So, why did we have to do the town meeting start time again?
Is that because it can only be done at annual time meeting? General annual. Okay. No, that could be a surprise anybody. Uh >> I thought we did the firefighter before. Maybe that was a different guy. >> No, no, we did hit him. >> We did Peter.
>> We did Peter, but I think he's at the next age level. We will go to good. >> Yeah, I remember I made the motion. Well, he does clean repair though. So, thank him for being involved.
This will just be a on the agenda pretty much for everyone. Okay. Correspondence. There was something >> we got we got we got the select for budget review. >> I thought Randy said nothing really
changed. Well, we want to I want to make a motion to want to make a motion to u eliminate the public nurse position or get a motion. You know, after the health department, you wanted to change your
budget. That's why Okay, we're changing the budget. >> Tell me too, Mr. Chairman. >> All right. What do we got? >> Basically, D report back from the health department. I don't see an ongoing need for the hammer bear. eliminate that because we're in the
share. Was there something maybe Lauren said when I talked to the correspondents or something? >> Yeah. >> Well, something >> we are outfitting the what used to be called a small meeting room, but it's
going to be called the community meeting room. >> Oh, yeah. And there was an offer for donation >> for a donation of a flat screen TV. >> Was it graduate pest that wanted to use it for a couple presentations? >> Yep. >> So they're willing to still rent the room.
>> Yeah. >> And they're doing so corporate training or whatever. They look for a space. >> Yep. And they'd like to donate a flat screen TV. >> Okay. Is that similar to the one we had in our office basically? Where is that one going to be? That one's uh that's a
good question. Um we'll have to there's the one that was in your office currently is in a is still packed, >> right? >> Um so we'll have to figure out um obviously this room will need one. This one's from the large meeting room currently. So that meeting room likely
need one. So there is an additional need for one more TV. >> Good. >> The board wants to accept it. >> Thank them very much. But hey, we're still approving. And so they're asking to rent the room. Those applications go
through you or through us? >> They go through Lauren. >> Okay. And she approves them or >> um So the way that we've done it is the the meeting room ones, kind of the the run-of-the-mill ones, we just approve those.
>> There's ones that are going to be larger events, then we'll bring those to the board. >> Okay. So the theater guild, the scannic valley artist, things like that if they want the captorium that needs to come through us and stuff. Okay. >> All right. So we'll leave you to you and
Lauren to work it out with >> graduate test. He's a graduate. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> All right. Uh select member report. I think it's been a kind of a der of meetings lately. We just got the uh the
um old townhouse committee meeting tomorrow night six o'clock here. >> Okay. Is that one going to be on Zoom too? >> We're going to zoom that one. We won't have our Zoom operator, but I think we have people on the committee who will be able to push the on button and the off
button. >> Is that true? >> Well, Heather probably could do it or Texas. >> What? Heather's in Texas. >> Oh, Amy. >> Amy's first. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Well, Steve might be able to, too. He seem to be pretty literate.
>> Steve. >> Yeah. >> Brian. >> Brian's leaving. >> Yeah, we'll figure it. >> He's leaving the committee. Please. >> Hey, if we can't figure it out, we won't soon. >> Brian leaving the committee. >> He's not.
>> He has a previous occasion. No, I meant >> No, no, no, no. That that Brian can't be like two feet of snow out there. >> Report
tournament this weekend. >> Oh, great. >> All right. So, how >> Oh, what do we even do? Uh, bids for the South Road Bridge repair are due on Thursday. Let's see.
So, I have none so far. So, that's good. >> Can we get a list of the other 14 bridges and figure out what the state's going to ask us for next? >> I have and I have a meeting. Mark and I are going to go to a meeting on March 12
uh on the fair program FIR. That's for the bridge on Mill Road. They're fixing up for >> for great so far. >> And that's the program that uh Steve Tyler was trying to push for Main Street Bridge, right?
>> Yeah. I think the magnitude the cost the cost of the main street bridge is the millions. This one is more of a bridge preventive made. >> No, the cost of his design is in the millions. the cost of the simple repair is a lot less.
>> I agree. >> Yeah. >> Um and the other project that's currently out the bid is the senior center HBAC replacement and those bits and we will be getting out with HBAC
improvements to uh the new town hall shortly. This can't be right. 2200 for the old town all the way 750 per year. Yeah. >> Gas for gas. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Significantly less here. >> Huh.
>> Significantly less here. >> It's I know that. But the old town hall, this is the gas bill and it's 2200. >> Yep. >> With nobody in it. >> Oh, I I'm not sure. >> That's what I'm saying. This is the >> when we first when we first when we
first moved in here, we compared them that were significantly less here as you >> Okay. But still the electric the electric bill is still 7,000 here. >> I'm surprised we got those numbers from the school department going back five
years and they were averaging four to $5,000 a month for a gas healthier. I mean that's that's not applying. Um we still need to apply those. So we'll see if they think the the amount is like 7,000 by now. That's
credits. >> Yeah. also could be made. They don't understand when they say building town hall, what they need for town hall, but >> you know what's the fiscal location are they actually referring to here?
You know, but I go back to Yes. Still going to be utilities here are going to be a thing. Yeah. I mean, we're paying the heating bills for the gymnasium and they're in there five, six days a week, which can't hard
to believe that that number is so small for heating. >> Forget >> unless unless I think you know they're referring to town hall broadly. The service address is 85 road. No, I'm >> saying the 2200
should be here, not I don't think so. Um I did so I did reach out to uh Evers and National Grid >> and I mentioned last time that we're working with a vendor. I think it's AEG Energy from Baston metal. They came in
and did uh an assessment of the building on on Friday or at least wanted to do assessments on Friday. They're going to walk through with their uh insulation vendor um this week. Um, I finally heard back from the National Grid Energy Conservation People and they suggested
that we look at um, changing our electricity supplier here. I haven't gone I haven't gone into depth about that, but I guess there's like there's a energy switchmass.gov website, but we can compare rates. >> So, I think our I think we're currently we're using the default supplier for
>> right >> as national grid. So there might be some savings there, but that would involve energy contracts, >> speculating, possibly speculating on rates future, but it might be a way to to keep down some of those costs because the rates are pretty high right now.
Obviously, everybody knows >> in terms of upgrades to the building, you can all the funds we have except for obviously HVAC are committed at this point or spent >> pretty close. Yeah. >> Yeah. um where we
so like you said you got the Hback thing we talked about potentially expanding if the number comes in good it might cover a little more than what we had you know we have this part we want to do we think it'll take this much if it comes in lower we can do a little more to it as
well um we talked before about the abatement in the hallway and I think we asked last week about could we get them to quote option Option A, option B, go around the corner, whatever. If they're in here for
5,000, it's only X number more to go. >> Yeah, I Herb and I talked about that. Who's going to reach out to you? >> Who's going to reach out to you about that? >> Oh, okay. Great. >> Yeah, I think you did have some discussions with with Abide when they were here. >> Yeah, you know, whatever the flat cost
is and then maybe it's not too bad to grow a little more, you know. So you got anything? >> Whatever happened with with dredging? No pond. >> I brought that up a little while ago. We were talking about what was it? Some
project that Oh, could have that uh we needed to do something for part of the water qualify for that. >> It's not in that section. >> It's not that section. And then we had spoken remember to senator goi about it or
>> going somewhere state died with money they had there so >> same thing >> and it didn't seem to be the problem I won't say went away but we had heard about the spread to the property behind it and then >> we didn't hear it
>> yeah you know who's tapped for that is Joe >> exactly I was thinking the same Yeah. >> Yeah. >> He's a go-getter. Okay. >> You've got a staff meeting Wednesday,
right? >> Yeah. >> Will it be here? >> Uh, probably not. Could be. I think about it actually. >> Haven't thought about it.
>> Oh, all the equipment's here. So, I don't know. chairs in the audience. What? What? Two, four, eight. Although send a circle. You can tell the special the special people can roll the
black ones in from our office. Make a big circle. >> Motion to adjourn. All in favor? Thank you all. Hi, Lauren.