Okay, welcome to our April 28th meeting. Uh, under announcements, I call the meeting to order. Under our announcements, uh, town hall meeting will be May 12th at 700 p.m. at Smith
Academy. Uh, hopefully you can attend the town meeting on May 12th. After all, it is your money. It's your pocketbook. Hope to see you there. Uh town elections will follow on May uh 19th and the town
clerk said if you're not a registered voter, the last day to register is May 1st. Memorial Day will be on May 24th on Sunday. Uh the ceremony will be in front
of on the side of town hall at Smith Academy Park to honor those that have made the ultimate sacrifice and there'll be a barbecue that follows. Graduation is on June 5th. Uh also the month of May
we'll be having uh concerts and we'll be hearing about that shortly. And uh there is a will be update later on the uh Elm Street Bridge project and we do a meeting the finance committee at 6:30.
And before I forget because we're going to have a long meeting, I want to take this is going to be our last televised meeting before town elections unless something happens. And I want to thank uh Greg Gagnen for his time on the
board. Uh we appreciate you serving and thanks for all you do. We don't always agree, but we've always had respect for one another's opinions, which is uh nice in this type of political climate. So those are my announcements. I don't know
if you guys have any announcements here. >> Okay, with that being said, um is there anybody here for public forum? >> Do you want to do this real quick? Oh, publication. >> Okay. I also like to mention the
Hatfield Swack board welcomes everyone to its meetings and all the public meetings of the town of Hatfield. All regular and special meetings of the boards and the committees of the town of Hatfield shall be open to the public and shall conform to the open meeting law. Executive sections are closed to the
public and will be held only as prescribed by the statutes of Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is important to recognize that the open meeting law affords the opportunity to listen to the proceedings but not necessarily participate. During meetings
of the select board, an attempt will be made to find a balance between hearing from members of the community and conducting required business of the hatro select board for the public's information. This meeting is being recorded. Thank you for reminding me. I
appreciate that. So, we will move with our consent agenda. Uh, do I have a motion on the minutes? >> I'll make a motion to approve the April 14th, 2026 meeting minutes. >> Second. >> Motion made. Motion seconded. Any
discussion? All in favor? >> Motion carries. >> Under posted business, uh, we're going to be having Karen Gatenby come up here for right there by the microphone. uh she's with the Hatfield Cultural
Council. Maybe you can give us a little update on the Hatfield Cultural Council and and the possible concerts that you guys are planning for Smith Academy Park. I know you're here to request permission for use of Smith Academy Park, but since you're here, I thought
I'd give you the opportunity to tell the town anything that the Hat Hatfield Cultural Society is up to and and what's happening. Well, we got a whole list of things. >> Okay. >> I don't know if you got a copy of that. >> We do.
>> Okay. So, I don't really know how to publicize this. Uh we were just discussing how to even get a picture uh transferred from one thing to another. So, uh, she's gonna help me figure out
something, >> but hopefully we can go through the, um, town of Hatfield, uh, page on Facebook. They post stuff for us, too. >> Okay. >> And the library does, too, because they have a lot of associated things that
happen. The historical society does also, and they got a lot of stuff on the list. and um the celebration committee were uh going to do two of the concerts in tandem with them or the money anyway.
So um if you got any ideas about [laughter] how to publicize this, that'd be great. >> Well, do we have this on our town website yet? >> Uh we do not yet, but as soon as we have this approved, we'll be good to go. >> Yeah, once we approve it, we can uh post
it on our website. Yeah, I I'd like it to be if it could be like like the hat the historical society did with pictures and so I haven't figured that out. All I got is this. So, um you know I got to work on that. >> We we can help with that.
>> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So, the three concerts are the so classic soul Mottown in July and then the Bavarian um like Oktoberfest people. All right.
>> Um they're in September and then Oakland Stroke is uh June. >> Uh so those are the three that we'd like to have over in the park. >> Nice. So now you you've been talking with the celebration committee on uh
their concerts and your concerts or or not? I mean [clears throat] >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. So you guys are all coordinated. That's all right. >> Yeah. That's the main thing. >> The calendar. That's that's great. I I do appreciate all the work uh everybody's been doing on providing
concerts for the town and the other functions that the cultural council does. So, uh as far as the park, the only the only complaint I ever heard was kids running on the veteran stone. So, I
don't know if if if that and there's I don't think there's any been a problem with cleanup on the park, has there? I mean, everything's been pretty pretty good as far as uh people policing themselves and stuff. So, I don't have
any questions. I don't know if you guys have any questions on the use of the park. >> N time. I appreciate you guys having those many. >> Yeah, my only question was if it's been coordinated with celebration and their stuff as well, but it sounds like it has. So, >> it coordinated. So, that's good.
>> So, >> so with that being said, I'll I'll entertain a motion. I'll make a motion to approve Hatfield Cultural Council to use Smith Academy Park for concerts. >> Second. [snorts] >> Motion made. Motion seconded. Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I.
>> Motion carries. So, Cultural Council, you're all set. And next up is celebration committee. [laughter] >> Kathleen can give us an update a little bit on the celebration committee. And >> Sure. Uh so we are uh finishing up
planning our summer concert series. We have five concerts from May to September. And so the first one would be Chicken Wire on uh May 15th, Oakland Stroke, the 60s experience, uh Blue Groove, and then we'll finish it
up with the Hoffra House Bavarian Band. So as Karen had mentioned, two of those are funded by the Cultural Council. That would be Oakland Stroke as well as the Hoffra uh House Bavarian Band. So, we have that going on. Um further on, we're bringing the fireworks back this
upcoming year and uh also we'll have the float contest again. >> Okay, nice. Great. >> Yes, we're just looking for approval to make sure that we can use the pavilion uh Smith Academy Park this summer for the dates that we have. We've already planned uh you know, in the past we've
done the third Friday of each month. We're planning to do six to eight for the first four concerts and then September 5 to 7 just based on the setting of the sun. >> I think the town has been very appreciative of the work of the celebration committee and the concerts.
I think people enjoy bringing their chairs and listening to the music here. I think it's it's nice for the town. So, thank you for the work and effort you put into that. Uh do my colleagues have any questions? Oh, >> I appreciate it, too. It's great. I love it. I just had one more question for
you. Um, so this year we're not doing like if where we have inclement weather, we're just canceling our concerts and then it'll be a concert, you know, base by uh case by case. So if we did decide to reschedule a concert, what would be the protocol, you know, to get approval
from all of you for that? >> Well, I think the approver right now would be for this summer, right? I mean, Andrew, you want to weigh in on this? Yeah, I mean if you're comfortable with saying maybe we just go through me and then since you've already approved it, I'll just make sure nothing else is on
the calendar, there's no other conflicts and then they're good to go. Is that that work? >> I think if we approve the that you're allowed to use it for the summer and if there's a change, just let Andrew know and and that that should work, I think. >> It's a great plan. Yes. >> Great. Thank you so much.
>> So, with that, I I will entertain a motion. I'll make a motion to approve celebration committee use of Smith Academy Park for summer concert series. >> Second. >> Motion made. Motion seconded. Any discussion? All in favor? I. >> Motion carries. Well, thank you very much for being here. Yes.
>> I [clears throat] believe uh did you want to go out of order around anything? I There was a request to go out of order. >> Yeah, I we have some folks here from Smith Academy. We also have Mike Bartley here for his item. So I'll leave it to you, Chair >> John Garrett and the students come on up
from Smith Academy. Uh previously uh the students had proposed a big sign to be put in at Smith Academy, a digital sign. I believe it looks great. It's all
brand new out there. I think you're just waiting for for power. about I'll let I'll let you guys introduce yourselves and discuss the project. >> Uh good evening. I'm uh Tyler Levali and I'm one of the students working on the
welcome sign project. >> Levi Shay >> Ryan Leer. >> I'm John here and I'm their teacher and I'm really just here to support them because it's very much a student driven project. They have done all the work.
>> Yeah. We just figured we'd come back here to kind of update you guys where we're at in our process of making the sign. Uh, we've been in contact with Marlo and Andrew who have been so helpful in helping us work through it. Marlo's helped us pick out a great spot
for the sign to go. That's he's dig safe it to my knowledge. It's looks clean, no underground wires or anything. And Andrew has helped us with advice on the sign and helping us get to these meetings. So, and I also shared with him
and Marlo a sign design that our group has finalized and that we really like. And if you guys have any suggestions on that, you can um please share. >> Actually, I like you guys taking the lead on on coming up with it. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> We Yeah, we just we finalized it. We just wondered if >> Do you have a um updated version to share or or the one you sent me? >> The one you sent. Well, if John, if you want um to uh I can share my screen once I have uh I'll tell you when I have it
ready. >> And this is the sign on Elm Street, correct? The welcome to Hatfield sign. >> Yes. >> Just as another piece of context for anybody in the public that's wondering what this project is, it's a civic action project which is part of the state law when they introduce civics
into the eighth grade. They gave the option for a civic project for high school students. It's not a requirement for graduation. Although personally I think it should be but these gentlemen are doing that for their news literacy and criminal law class they're taking with me at the school. >> So that's the kind of context of this.
>> Are you just waiting for a meter now? Right. I mean >> they got to pop a meter in for electricity or is electricity from the high school sign. This is remember those students came to talk to us about putting a sign uh they had originally said at the intersection of Elm Street and Elm Court and now it's
going to be a little bit further down on Elm Street. It's a welcome to Hatfield kind of sign. Oh, my apologies. Okay. >> And this is what they've designed and they'd love if you're watching from the public, feel free to get in touch with with me if you have any thoughts on this, but they've put put the work in to
I think it looks pretty nice. This is what they have. >> You want to tell us maybe how uh how you came to this and and what's uh what what you like about it? So, we took inspiration from other city welcome signs, town welcome signs, and
we really liked the like rectangle base with the half circle with like the uh emblem in the middle. >> And of course, proud of our past, optimistic about our future, and I think we should have we should put Hatfield in big bold letters just to know like where they're at. And I I I think it looks
really nice. >> Yeah. My only feedback was, you know, it's it's a it's a bold thing to do to decide what the what the saying is that you want on it. And I think you you pick something that, you know, is is is um I'd say uh strong and inspirational and it's a question of if uh folks in the
public or the board like this would want something else. Um you know, that's that's just the only part that that folks might have opinions on is how I felt. >> We're open to all feedback. Yeah, >> if [clears throat] I could add the location, it'll be just just west of Elm
Court, >> far enough >> up the road towards the bridge we're going to talk about. >> Um before the guard rail, before the state layout, uh it'll be standalone. There'll be no sight line of sight issues getting out of Elm Court. It'll be a standalone sign. It was way too
busy right down in the area of Elm Court with underground utilities and everything. So, uh, I think it would go well there. And then it was suggested that if they have any type of lights, solar lights, that it goes on top pointing down at the sign that way
there, we don't have to worry about snow, ice, and snow plows taking out stuff that's put in the ground. And they've [clears throat] been great to work with. >> How big how big is this? That that was part of our next steps that we were going to share with you.
After we have the actual design finalized, which I think we pretty much do, we were going to figure out the exact dimensions of the sign. And we've come in contact with a guy who came into my dad's store. I believe his name was >> Keith Brick Design. He said he was
willing to help us with the sign. So, our next step are our next steps are going to be get getting in touch with him and getting it kind of finalized and then building the frame and hopefully installing it most of the summer. >> Excellent. >> I mean, I think that's great. I
appreciate the initiative that you folks have taken. It's >> looks good. >> Fantastic. >> Yeah. And let us know if you what you need when it goes when it becomes time for installation. We'll have to redig safe it even though we know there's nothing there. It's just the law. So,
um, and we can assist in any way from, uh, the DPW. Let us know. >> Nice. Thanks for doing this. >> Yeah, no problem. >> Very much. >> Yeah. Thanks for help. >> So, what would be our next step? Do we just bring this back up at our next
meeting after town meeting or do we want to have like a public comment section or what do you think? >> That's uh I think it's up to you. I think this this board gets to decide on, you know, use of town properties and and
signage. Um, if you think you'd want to have some larger forum for this, you certainly could. Um, or survey or something else, just, you know, what whatever you think would be a good way to get some some public feedback if you want it.
I think if we just put it on our agenda for our next posted meeting if people feel strongly that they want to come in and discuss it further then we can do that at that point and then >> yeah we could do that I mean and they can come in comment if they want if they
don't comment we go with what we have. Yeah, I think I mean I think it looks great, so I don't have a problem with it. But >> well, how about I post it, you know, on the website on Facebook just kind of as this is what we're thinking. If you've got thoughts, you can send them here and and we'll, you know, share them with the board at the next meeting.
>> Try not to let it become like a just comment on Facebook kind of thing. But but which I think >> we can avoid especially when we say it's a Smith Academy student project and there's no need to >> I mean since since the thing is since the town people pay the taxes and and
support the town it's important that we also give them a voice and you guys have gone above and beyond. I think that's that's going to be the sign. But it's still nice, as my colleague has mentioned, to let the town have at least
a small voice and an opinion of whether they they think it's aesthetically pleasing or whatever. So, >> does look great, though. I I like it a lot. >> It looks great. >> I think it's going to look fantastic. >> Okay. Well, thank you for all your work and
>> your time. [clears throat] >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Appreciate everybody. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> Uh, Andrew, you wanted to take another item out of order. Is that correct? >> Let's go to um Mike
to talk about the affordable housing project. [clears throat] >> Thank you. Okay, Mike Bartley is here. Uh, this is in relation to an article that will be at town uh meeting. It's I'm not sure what
number it'll be. Right now, it's article 30, but that number could change. And the article state states to see if the town will vote to appropriate by transfer from community preservation community housing reserve account upon the recommendation of community
preservation committee a sum of a 100,000 to build affordable housing at 7 Elm Street. such project to be under the guidance of the select board and said funds to be expended upon the direction of the community preservation committee
or take any action thereof. Now that when I read this it just gave me a lot of questions on exactly what is the project and how does that work because presently seven Elm Street I I know it as Chucky's old house, right?
>> Yes. >> And it's presently a two family house. So, so how does how does that work and it becomes affordable? So, you can explain to the town because you'll probably have to explain a town meeting. There'll be a lot of questions. So, my
questions presently to you are things that uh I I'm not against affordable housing in town. I think it's great. I just if it's under a purview to give somebody 100,000, it's like how does that work? And is it uh stay affordable
housing forever? how do how are people selected for this uh etc etc. So I'll give you the floor to uh explain that. >> Those are all the right questions. [laughter] >> Uh so I'm proposing an 8 unit building
with two subsidized housing inventory uh moderate income apartments. The other six will be market rate. This grant will be exclusively used for pre-development services such as
engineering, architectural, legal, and permitting fees. This uh project shall be permitted through the state of Massachusetts by the 40B process. A 40B process is allowed when a
registered subsidized housing inventory count is below 10% of total housing units in a town. Hatfield stands at 2.7%. An example of SHI subsidized housing
inventory is Kapawanc where eligibility is determined by income and the rent charge a resident is also determined by a personal income level. So
the first step is a project eligibility letter which is a pretty intense application. You'll see this these are all the steps. they're outlined in that process. And um
personally, I was going to try to start the application myself, but is so intense and so it uses such specific knowledge of the process that I wouldn't know even know where to start. So I need to hire qualified architects and
engineers to begin the process. You'll also see this picture. This this is not what it will look like. It's a representation of what I think it should be. It should be
uh specific to the historical district. It should like look like a 200-y old house with a fresh coat of paint. And uh there's also some support material in that package.
The green is the 2040 report 2040 committee comprehensive report. And this section is the uh it's called affordable homes and vibrant neighborhoods where it it gives a structure to how we should
start to build affordable housing in Hadfield. And that committee, uh, Luke and I sat on that and we met for two years once a month and at every meeting we talked about the importance of adding
affordable housing for the town. Uh this here you don't have but this is a report by the Massachusetts Housing Partnership on how CPA funds should be used to promote affordable housing and
it's it goes into great detail. It's it's uh 50 pages exactly on the process of doing it. And I've tried to conform to the CPA rules on housing,
the uh the intention that the town has from the 2040 committee of promoting affordable housing in a sensitive way to the way we live. And this is uh the one mark with the
yellow highlighter is the 2015 housing production plan where it says we should be adding eight affordable units every year to try to make up the deficit. And
since 2015 we've added zero. So it's it's time has come. And this right here uh with the orange marking, it's called Building Homes Building Futures. It's a UMass Donahghue
Institute and Wayfinders study on um what the state and this region needs for new housing units. And they came up, this was the last year's report, August 25th,
2025. We need in Hampshire County 5,149 new apartment units or dwelling units to keep up with demand. So prices won't keep spiraling up as people want to live
here or continue living here. >> So uh getting back I mean I don't think anybody disputes what you're saying. We've been talking about it in town for a while. The need for affordable housing. Uh the 100,000 you said would go for architectural fees and permitting
and would that house then become two units afford affordable units or how would that >> sorry uh this this structure will replace the barn that's there in the same footprint. >> So it's not for the house it's for the
barn or >> no the barn will be taken down and donated to historical society or whoever wants to do it. Um, and it'll be placed in the same footprint. Brand new structure, brand new building. >> So, this is for architectural
permitting. Taking down the barn, >> not taking down the barn. That's the construction phase. >> Okay. >> This is all pre-development. >> Pre-development. They call it pre-construction or pre-development, which um
if the town decides to give a pre-development grant, it opens up avenues for state and federal money. It's called good faith that the town wants to promote something like this and
it it shows that uh the town's on board with a project. the pre so basically this is a pre-development grant you're looking for >> correct >> so how did how did they come about 100,000 for pre-development is that like
a a industrywide standard or >> I spoke with uh some people at Valley CDC who do this all the time they're the biggest player in this area and a few architectural firms and they said that's a good number to start with it could
probably all be done up to construction phase with that level of money. >> So, does that mean you would be coming back to the town for more money for actual construction? >> I think it would probably come from the state, >> state and federal.
>> So, the pre construction phase, the money you're looking for was then you could go to the state and request from the state funding to build something. It unlocks doors that would wouldn't be open if the town wasn't on board.
>> And it's called um they generally call it a friendly 40B, which I would work with the town. You know, we we we'd agree on what we wanted to build, >> which makes sense for the town. Now that the town is working towards a housing
trust, would the housing trust then be the people that in the future if he if he got a pre-development grant of the 100,000 would now and then he got to the point of construction phase with the
housing uh grant, land [clears throat] grant that we were tying in now be the the the department that oversees this. He certainly could go say like in a year and a half to a a housing trust once it has, you know, funds, members, uh,
training, everything else. They would have funds in hand that could be used to help subsidize a project. Um, they'd have to to to have proof, you know, from the applicant that subsidy is needed, uh, that it would help, you know, create these subsidized units. Um, that
>> units would you are you hoping to put in >> eight >> eight units? and two of them would be affordable in this site. >> Two would be affordable. >> Now, a nice thing for the town is based on the current state regulations, the town actually would get credit for um all of those units be on the subsidized
housing inventory if you're at 25% of the units as affordable. Um so it would count for us as creating eight units of affordable housing, which is a little funny, but that is the way the state works. So this is sort of like the same process a a developer would go through
for putting in affordable housing. The same >> he's a developer. >> Yeah. [laughter] So you're acting as a as a developer, correct? >> And that's the property where the eight units would go on and the 100,000 just a
pre uh construction grant. And then after that, the hope is to have the state provide some funding. so that you could have two affordable housing units out of the eight. So, >> yes.
>> Okay. I just I I think I got it. >> And as Andrew said, we're at such a deficit with affordable SHI subsidized housing units that getting the bonus of all eight really looks good, >> okay, >> to everyone involved.
>> Now, I better understand what the $100,000, >> right? >> So, and you know, you say my questions. I I don't know if my colleagues have any questions. >> So, I I'll just add that um often in in this space, it's it can be considered a
risk for a town to make a grant for pre-development funds because there's a risk the project might not be completed. There's a risk that um there's less proof that the subsidy is needed uh than you would know later on in the project. So, I just want to know, Mike, if you'd
be open to some kind of, you know, contract that would say, you know, subject to clawbacks in the case that the pre-development funds are used in a way that it shows actually either the project is infeasible or that the the subsidy wasn't necessary at the $100,000
level. If if the if the project pencils out so that those two affordable units are actually just subsidized by the rents you get from the other six, then perhaps um it might make sense to return some of those funds to the town because they need to be used for public benefit. And if the benefit only goes towards the
developer, the town could be found in in uh in violation of how these funds are supposed to be used. So I think you're going about all this, you know, the way you need to. Just wanted to make sure you'd be open to to language like that to make sure the town's protected. So, what happens if what happens if it goes over the 100,000 on a pre-development?
>> That's on me. >> It's on you. >> Or or he tries to find other funds. >> Um, I lost my train of thought on this. >> Valley Valley CDC maybe has some guidance on this or >> Yeah. Valley CDC says an affordable unit
costs $500,000 to build. >> Okay. a nonaffordable unit cost $300,000 to build because of all the pre-development uh hoops you need to jump through for the state and everything. So
to get any of it developed, you have to be putting up that money so far up front uh to get to the point of construction that it's, you know, I don't have $100,000, you know, I have the knowledge to build it. I don't have $100,000 to
stick up front and do it. But if the project pencils out that you'd be making enough rents later in in enough in rent for the receivable future, then you know even if you were to sell it at a certain point that shows that it's a viable project, you know, a bank would might be willing to put up the funds in a way that the town doesn't need to. So just
you you need to be able to show it doesn't pencil out that the bank could make it up or or traditional finance could do it. You need the public subsidy. So as long as you can show that, then I think we're in great shape. The affordable units always rent at a loss >> because it's based on income. So if you
have a the market rate units, you know, at a certain dollar amount, >> you could be charging one quarter of that for an affordable unit. >> So basically on on one hand, both the town could be at risk and you as a
developer could be at risk, right? Uh >> so the mechanism that they use with a pre um project eligibility letter is so far it's so uh it's so far ahead of all of it that if it's not eligible or not
feasible I would stop you know a a small portion would get it through the project eligibility letter before the 40B process so if it's totally can't be done in any way. It'll be a small portion of
that that will be spent. This isn't $100,000, then it's all set. Um, as we talked about in the CPA meeting, there would be uh milestones for payment along the way, and I think we broke it down
into four, which is project eligibility letter, 40B application, um, it was uh, permits, construction permits,
and um there's a process of you have to have to have eligible people ready to rent it. So, you have to maintain a list first and that's a very specific function.
The town wouldn't even pay half of the money until the project is basically built. It sounds like be based on on that dispersement schedule. Well, I think I think the last of it would be paid for the building permit. >> Yep.
And that probably be the majority of it because >> yeah, >> you have to get architectural plans to the specific whereas the project eligibility it's more broad >> more broad uh >> okay >> notions
concepts >> and it sounds like you were open to those contract provisions I was talking about earlier that just >> I yes I suppose so [laughter] >> good [clears throat] >> okay >> because I know the construction part. If I got to the construction part, it'll be
built. If if it if it's not feasible by what the architects say or give me, it ends right there. >> Well, on one hand, in order to get affordable housing in town, I think the
town should be developer friendly because if you don't get developers in the bill, you're not going to get the affordable housing. So, uh, this might be a test of of showing that the town is developer friendly to get the eight
units in and that may actually trigger future developers building affordable housing in some other parts of town. I don't know. I'm just talking. I think the other thing to touch on too is that, and Mike brought it up, is that
this is considered a friendly 40B where he's coming and trying to work with the town to develop a plan to be able to implement this. There's also an unfriendly 40B [laughter] where a developer can complete, if they have the funding already, they can completely
leverage 40B. And there's to my understanding of the way that the law reads, there's not a whole lot that the town can do to stop it until we reach that 10% threshold. >> Okay. >> So in this case, >> all the zoning laws would be >> circumvent,
>> right? So in this case, Mike's coming to try to seek funding so that he can do a friendly 40B. The town would then also have some input and some guidance onto um development of the plan. And then it we would end up gaining essentially
eight units of affordable housing stock which would help increase us from that 2.7 closer to the 10%. It's [clears throat] not going to get us all the way there, but it'll it'll help. >> And as in sits, this housing production plan is out of date by five years. So
all bets are off. Someone could come in here tomorrow and say, "I'm going to build. This is what I'm going to build. Thank you. Yeah. >> So, it protects us. Uh, as this says, the eight units would protect us from an
unfriendly 40B for one year. >> Is it showing that you're making adequate progress? So, they like seeing that. >> Yeah. >> And and as we sit, um, the town is proposing a new housing production plan within the next year. Let me take my
notes. um new housing production plan, an affordable housing trust fund, and a review of current zoning bylaws and uh the implementation of the 2040 comprehensive plan all at once. And
there's no one in town that's done this since Kapawanc. Um so there's no one with the knowledge to do it. So, my books will be open, completely transparent on what's going on on my side, and you know, the town
would probably do the same so we can get it how we want it. >> Oh, I I appreciate that. I know you I know you recognize how important the the town is and keeping the fabric of the town the way it is in any ways. So, I do
appreciate you coming explaining and now I have a lot more knowledge than I had before. So, >> all this source material might be kind of hard to read, but there's a lot of information in it that >> I kind of put it all together and drafted it a way forward. You know,
>> it's a good test before town meeting for you. You know, >> yeah, [laughter] >> probably same questions people ask, >> right? been doing a real road show and hitting hitting uh as many of the commissions and boards that are relevant to this as he can. So, I think he's he's sharpened
up the his presentation. So, >> yeah, I've uh I've well, it started two years ago where I got a uh construction supervisor's license, which I can apply for any building permit in the state of Massachusetts.
I've been registered as a uh solar inst installation company for 10 years since I started putting up my solar panels. So, I got I I've been working toward this for two plus years and
um I've just found out how complex it is uh to get to the point of doing the construction. They make it hard so um there's no fraud, you know, everything's really hashed out
before any money crosses, you know, crosses the your desk. >> Okay. Well, I don't have any more questions, you guys. Hey, well, thanks for coming. I appreciate >> explaining that. Yeah, thank you. >> I just want to add uh with the aging
population in Hatfield, we need younger people. >> And you know, it'd be helpful to know a 25-year-old carpenter, a 30-year-old car mechanic, and you know, we have people that are retiring and ending their careers and settling here.
>> And you're right now you're talking to the choir because I know that. So, right. And I and I think a lot of work's been done with planning uh board and other committees to try to move in that direction to try to figure out how to make it work. So,
>> and I also talked to a gentleman this weekend where he said, "I've got this nest egg of a house. You know, if I could spend some of that money without borrowing against it, I would sell my house, find an apartment,
give that house to my children, or take the $600,000 that I sell it for for retirement, >> right? >> So, there's another option. You know, he's got a three-bedroom house and it's him and his wife in their 70s and, you know, his his children could fill it
with kids. >> Okay. Well, again, thank you for coming. Got a busy agenda. So, we're going to be moving right along. >> Thank you. >> Okay, skipping around. We've done topic one, topic two. Okay, [snorts]
we're going to go to topic three. Let me adjust my paperwork here. This should move quickly through here. Okay. Topic three is an application for a 1-day liquor license for Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity on May 20th,
26 at 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at RK Miles, 71 West Street, West Hack. We've approved this over the last few years. I don't see any problems with this application. Uh unless my colleagues have any questions. If not, I will
accept the motion. I'll make a motion to approve the 1-day liquor license for Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity on May 20th, 2026 at 6 p.m. till 8:00 p.m. at RK Miles, 21 West Street, West Hatfield, Massachusetts. >> Second. >> Motion made. Motion seconded. Any
discussion? All in favor? >> Motion carries. Topic four is an application for one day liquor license for the beer guy for a private event to be held at Dervilian 15 Billings Wade Hatfield on May 30th, 2026 from 1 to 6
p.m. You have the application in front of you. Uh under topic four, uh I don't have any questions. Everything looks in order and insurance is there. If that I will accept the motion. I will make a motion to approve a one-day
liquor license for the beer guy for private events to be held at the pavilion 15 Billingsway Hatfield on May 30th, 2026 from 1 to 6 and July 1st, 2026 from 4 to 9. >> Second. >> Motion made, motion seconded. Any
discussion? All in favor? >> I. >> Motion carries. Topic five. Five is an approval of an all alcohol beverage license for Isaiah Corp. Uh DBA Hatfield Market 72 School Street, Hatfield, Mass. We previously had approved this. The
license has finally come in. So uh I don't know if you have any questions, but if not, I will accept the motion. I'll make an a motion to approve all alcoholic beverages license for Xanax
Corporation doing business as Hatfield Market 72 School Street Hatfield Mass. >> Second. >> Motion made. Motion seconded. Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> Motion carries. We're moving topic six, appointments and
resignations. The resignation of David Brezom from Open Space Committee. >> I will make a motion to approve the resignation of David Brezom from Open Space Committee. >> A second. >> Motion made. Motion seconded. And please
send David letter. Thank you for being on the committee. Motion carries. Appointment of William uh Man as an alternate electrical inspector. I don't have any questions on this. This is uh
>> I should have asked Tim Pure when he was still here, but but this was uh Tim had a couple folks who um would fit the um alternate or assistant electoral commissioner position. Well, inspector Well, and there's uh two people um that you see for you um who can serve as that
alternate. So, there's two different positions they're basically being appointed to, but uh both of them well qualified and should be able to help Tim with the inspections as needed. Is there >> one appointment to be a Herman as alternate electrical inspector and the other appointment of Paul Miller as
electrical inspector, but these have to be done separately, correct? >> Yep. We'll do them separately. >> Between an alternate and an assistant, it's the same thing. They'll they're functionally going to be the same. >> Okay. >> Motion made, motion seconded. Any discussion? All in favor? Nope.
>> Motion carries. I'll take another motion on Paul Miller. >> They're different. All right. I like a motion to appoint Paul Miller as assistant electrical inspector. >> Second. >> Motion made. Motion seconded. Any discussion? If not, all in favor?
>> I. >> Motion carries. Uh topic seven is approval of water and sewer commitment. This is commitment number three. As you know, we've changed the billing on water
and sewer and and this is commitment three. So, I don't know if uh Marwell wants any discussion on this or Andrew on this. >> No, there there's not really much to add
except um that that this is um our next round of of of billing and um No, I don't really have much more to add on this. Yeah, I would say it's been much quieter this round as far as issues, reading, and all that. >> Okay.
So, with that being said, I will entertain a motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve water and sewer commitment commitment number three. >> Second. >> Motion made. Motion seconded. Any discussion? All in favor? >> Motion carries. Topic eight's been done.
We'll move to topic nine. Uh we finally have a settlement regarding West Street eminent domain case. I don't know if Andrew wants to uh comment on that at all. >> Yeah, I mean I'm happy to speak to this briefly. Um
so we have been discussing this in executive session in the past. Um we've gone through a couple back and forths with the um attorney representing um the the state of of Susan Barry. Uh this is all related to the eminent domain case
on on West Street. Um there was dispute about how much the property would be impacted by uh the uh sewer infrastructure work that was there. Um we were going in the direction where it looked like there there might be a much higher payment needed because of the um
demands of going to trial or anything else. Um, in this case, um, there was a new individual who took over the suit after the the death of Miss Barry and, um, basically it it's ended up in a place where both parties are are
comfortable with this settlement amount of $20,000 and avoiding going to any kind of of jury trial, which is going to be the best outcome for really all parties here. So, uh, we're we're comfortable with signing on to this. uh it's mostly going to be funded through uh a budget line that we still have for
uh domain cases um and takings. So we'll be able to to use that for the majority of the the funds and um it does also include um a line about the lateral movements. Um the um the attorney uh
believed that uh the town had in some ways not uh acted in in good faith in in uh installing the connection lines for the sewer um where the property owner wanted. Um the town does not agree to
that. Um but uh what we have agreed to is that if for any reason there should be work right outside that property um in that exact location uh we'll be willing to um help install the the sewer lines in the location where they want. We believe it's unlikely that work will
be taking place in that location. >> Okay. I do want to thank my colleagues and Andrew Andrew for all the work that went into this agreement. It's been going on for a few years and and we finally came to an agreement that I think is is good for the town and and I
do appreciate everybody sticking with this. So, uh with that being said, I'll entertain a motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve the settlement for West Street eminent domain case as proposed. >> Second. >> Motion made. Motion seconded. Any discussion? All in favor?
>> I. >> Motion carries. Uh topic 10 notice of award of generator project. >> Yes. So this is um some really good news here. Um we are still under budget on the um wastewater treatment plant
project right now. Um our engineers on this uh on this project are still looking into opportunities to uh still use the rest of the funds that are assigned to it. Typically if we end up under budget on a project we say great we'll take the rest of the money and give it back to the taxpayers. In this
case, um, the end of a project is being paid for by the United States Department of Agriculture. There's a USDA grant that we've received for this project that doesn't kick in until you're in the last, say, 8% of the project. So, uh, the project is mostly done. We are now
into that grant round. Um, the project cost that USDA, you know, is granting part of has to include the contingency. And since the project has gone quite well, we haven't eaten into a lot of that contingency. So, we have extra funds available um for anything that's
related to this project. Uh we had some early uh versions of the project that also included um generator installation and uh we'll be able to move forward that those generators um as a part of this project now. And we went out to bid
because our general contractor on the project was bidding was um offering a price that we thought was higher than we would have received if we'd gone out to bid for this. And that was confirmed. Um it was looking like it would be around $650,000 after going out to bid. The
total amount is going to be um uh the the $328,000. The winning bid was Elm Electrical. So, the recommendation will be to uh award Elm Electrical the bid. They are they came in as the lowest bidder when we
first opened the bids. There was then another bidder that looked like uh they actually were the lowest because there was a a math error on their on the forums. Um but after working with them and and looking through their qualifications, uh we're uncomfortable saying that they are the most uh um
responsive and responsible bidder in this case. um they did not quite have enough experience to to meet what we were looking for. Uh so we're able to disqualify them and move to Elm the the next highest bidder uh next lowest bidder and uh we'd like to award them
the project and get started soon. >> Okay. Any questions? >> Nope. >> Then I entertain a motion. >> Make a motion to award generator installation project to Elm Electrical. >> Second. >> Motion made. Motion seconded. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I.
>> Okay. Topic 11, MOA with public employee commitment and Hatfield unions on plan design changes for health insurance. And I know Andrew's been heavily involved with this. So, I'll let you've >> heard a lot from me on health insurance the last couple months and you probably
will still continue to hear me more from me on health insurance as we look into options for the next year. Um, where we are currently is that we will be staying with the Hampshire County Group Insurance Trust uh with the next year. Um, and the help Hampshire County Group Insurance Trust has increased their
rates by 12.48% this year. Now, in an earlier proposal, they looked like they were going to need to increase by over 16%. Um, but they were able to make some plan design changes for uh all enrolles. And anytime you make plan design
changes, you need to go through a process to negotiate that with your public employee committee. public employee committee is made up of representatives from our different uh collective bargaining units in the town. Uh so there's a process um uh 21 through 23 of uh Mass Journal Law Chapter 32B.
Um and we followed that process but also just signed anou with with the u collective bargaining um uh associations. So our plan is um to
uh following the the the state statute that that governs how these things work. We will be instituting the plan design changes. Um all of these uh all of our employees taking the health insurance are eligible for mitigation. U when you make these plan design changes, the town
u receives some savings for doing this. 25% of those savings need to be passed along to the employees in recognition of the inconvenience of needing to change plans or needing to change the design because they'll now have deductibles on their plans of uh $250 for an
individual, $500 for a family, and then higher co-pays, especially for um specialists. Co-pays will go from $35 to $60 and co-pays are also increasing for a number of other services as well. So, um, we have this calculated what the mitigation will look like for those on
the the lower plans. The individuals on the HMO, they'll receive $108 in in mitigation. A family on the Blueare, the the PO will receive $347 in mitigation. This will be done through a one-time check that we'll do in July. So, just
they'll get a onetime check to help go towards um the impact of having these co-pays. So, it's kind of nice that in the first year, if you have a $250 co-pay, you get $100 back. So, it's it's a smaller um sorry, if you have a deductible, smaller deductible in that first year, which is nice. Um so, that
those are the overall terms of this uh MOA. Uh the unions have signal they're on board with this. So, um I will have a final version that's put together for your signature, but I just want you to approve the terms and then uh once we have the the version for the signature,
I'll get that to the chair to to sign. If that sounds good to everybody. >> Make sense? >> Any concerns? >> Great. >> I'll [clears throat] make a motion to approve the MOA as proposed. >> Second. >> Motion made. Uh second,
>> I think second. >> Seconded. Motion made. Motion seconded. Uh, any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> I. >> Motion carries. >> I'm trying to get to 6:30 for these guys over here. Okay. Well, we have we'll do DPW report, then we'll go with finance
committee because they're they're here for 6:30. >> I don't have anything. So, all my items have basically been cut. >> That's why you can go home. Really? >> They have to be here anyway. So, if you want them to go on time, that's fine. >> That's fine. If you want, >> you go ahead, I think, and then we'll bring it back up.
>> [clears throat] >> So, I I actually have a lot to report. Most of it is just high level. Um, but we're I'm currently uh acquiring quotes uh in schedule meetings with contracts for the irrigation project next door in this Anderson Street uh excuse me, Smith
Academy Park. Uh I'm waiting for them to come in. I expect them tomorrow or by the end of the week. Um, I guess the project was intended to have a well service the irrigation plant next door only because we we should be be careful
of how much irrigation we tap into our daily withdrawal rate of our our town water. Um, it's creeping [clears throat] up there and then for future development and expansion, we're going to want some wiggle room there. Um, so it was it was mentioned earlier about
all the the activities in the park. I think irrigation could be pretty easy to schedule around. It's not like if you're digging 10 foot deep trenches and leaving big holes, it's it's pretty um pretty much near the surface a foot deep. So, I think I can schedule around
that if we get to that point. I want to make sure we have enough funding. Uh the projects the project is being funded by CPA funds and I believe it was $30,000. Um, [clears throat] also we're getting going on the surveying for the two cemeteries, which was a CPA funded
project for us to um redevelop or develop the roadways around the Brad Street Cemetery and uh some work in the Main Street Cemetery. Um the [clears throat] the biggest news is uh we received I received correspondence for from Mass DOT
regarding the Elm Street bridge replacement. Uh I attached the information for your review. was just an overview and a scope, a very high level where the project's at. So, I reached out to um the Mass DOT [clears throat]
representative u that was mentioned in the paperwork for more information uh because in the letter that I received, it said that I would be receiving 25% design specs on the replacement of of that bridge. Um I'm [clears throat] working through it and through Mass DOT
to get into those specs. It's a special software, so I wasn't able to get in today. Um, [clears throat] so it appears to me that when they start the 25% design, it's a long way from the project starting. I just when these are
all designed like this from 25 to 100% design is a couple years generally on a on a larger project. I'm not sure if this one will be sped up or not. Um, once I get into the design, we we have 30 days to comment back to Mass DOT on
our comments as far as the design of the bridge. Uh, anything we point out, it'll include um a traffic safety plan that includes public safety. Um, so [clears throat] on and so forth, and that's something we can look at and approve. And when I talked to this
gentleman yesterday, they're well on their way and they've already specked all the bridges along uh West Street for detours and everything else. So, they're well on their way on that plan, but we'll be able to take a look at it. I signed my uh myself up like as I said
and Luke up and Dwayne up to get into this blue beam beam system that they get to review the actual plans. Um, if anyone else would like to be part of that and go in there, all I have to do is uh give your email to Mass DOT. This Christopher Cameron.
Um, so the other piece of it is as we go, um, I think it would be a good idea to, um, I talked to both chiefs a little bit on this already that we should I would like to include them and potentially also the school department, um, get together and meet and discuss
the, uh, the alternate routes and the detour routes as we go for buses, uh, fire, police and fire, so on and so forth. Um, so if they have any comments to come back on, um, they may see something I may not see, we can comment back to Mass DOT and then they can make
the adjustments or answer. >> Well, I mean, when we get to that project, what you're talking about two years, we're talking a complete bridge replacement, which could shut that bridge down for 60 days, according to what I read. So beforehand, the only
suggestion I'd make for mass dot if we have a sign that starts warning people, you know, in advance that the bridge will be closed and a certain date so people can start being aware of it that drive down that road. That's all. And I
do appreciate you talking with all the chiefs and stuff because you know it there's going to be some planning that needs to be done especially with ambulance coverage and contacting the other ambulance companies that service town etc etc and fire department and all
that. So whether we get to the point within a year or so uh that'll probably be Luke's problem by then. >> [laughter] >> Oh, so >> good. >> So, we'll we'll uh they'll still be on the board. I don't know if I will by the
time we get to replace this bridge. But anyways, uh I >> I think the other piece of it is we we all know there's heavy truck traffic in the area of that bridge, too. Um so, I'm I'm interested on my end to see how the detours are going to work and where they're going to put all these trucks in
and out uh West Street and to get to 91. So, um, but [clears throat] stay tuned. I mean, as soon as, um, uh, you know, L Luke, Dwayne and I can review, I I have a meeting with the chiefs and probably the school superintendent on the busing. Um, I'd like to get back to Mass DOT and
and give any comments we may have on that. But, uh, just to reiterate, that complete bridge is coming out for 60 days. It's going to be nothing but a a missing bridge. Um, and they're going to install a pedestrian foot bridge, um, back in its place. so pedestrians and
cyclists can use it. Um, so generally we're probably looking at the full replacement 28. All depends on funding uh through Boston and Mass DOT, but probably looking at 2028 would be my guess. Could get moved up could go further out.
>> Okay. So I I don't know. We got the finance committee here. I don't know if you want to keep going with or can you summarize >> finish what you have and >> uh I'll go high level on the rest of the stuff that I have. Um so I mean the Elm
Street um bridge replacement was the big one. Um so the the town hall letters uh they were in production. We expect to have them uh up in the in the front of the town hall painted and the flag pole painted uh in advance of Memorial Day.
We had a little bit of an emergency, an emergency dig yesterday. Uh yesterday we had a sinkhole and a covert failure on on the west end of um King Street. Uh dug it up. It wasn't as bad as we thought. It was a 36-inch cover. Um
we'll just say that less than standard construction procedures were done when the the pipes were put together. Uh we put the pipes back together properly and got it back filled in one day. So, good job by the crew. Um the [clears throat] grade on gravel roads is all set for now
for the spring springtime grade. Uh Dwayne is working on stump grinding and getting tree quotes for uh trees that have been requested from removals. Um and we have the street sweepers in town. I expect they should be able to they
won't be in town tomorrow, but they should be able to finish up on Thursday. Um day pond project. Um there was a small punch list. Uh Western did a good job. They took care of everything. We're well on our way to Well, we are at
substantial completion on that. Just awaiting one more inspection. Um [clears throat] uh the boilers that's moving around uh right along. They were supposed to fire the first one today. Um they have a separate group that comes in and test fires these things and checks
them out, but they they found a gas leak. They were working on that today. So, they didn't they didn't get their gas inspection uh on that that boiler, but I expect that to be up and running by the end of the week. Let it run for a few days and then they'll start in on the second boiler.
[clears throat and cough] The uh pavement management, I should be getting a schedule tomorrow of the evaluation of our roads. So, that's kind of ongoing. Elementary school roof, um the big change there is it got pushed out one week to May 4th for start date on the
shingle portion. Um, we had kind of a a pre-walkound last week or the week before just so that everybody understands where mater materials will be stockpiled and and we've worked pretty heavily with the with the um the principal and the school superintendent.
Um, it's been like a ballet to figure this all out, but I think we have a good plan of working around the the the kids. Um, the other thing I wanted to mention is we have a small section of water mane we have to finish up on Straits Road
regardless of if we get the grant or not. But we left off about 150 ft from the pave section in the gravel when they installed the water man. So we got to get at least 150 ft in if we get that grant. We got to get that in kind of a high priority job for the DPW
because [clears throat] once we get that grant we got to we have this year to spend it. So, and we should be hearing by the end of May. So, I've talked I've met with the [clears throat] both the highway and and water superintendent and they're on board and we're developing a plan for that. We've already got the
materials for it, so there's there's no additional cost there. Um, [sighs] and real quick, uh, facilities, um, all the windows inside and out be done June 4th here in the town hall. Um, and then
we have a deep cleaning schedule for Friday, May 15th, late morning into the early afternoon, which will work out good because of the town hall hours on a Friday. So, um, many other things going on, but I I don't need to ramble on on >> Oh, thank you for that. I noticed the
sweepers are out there doing the roads. That's sort of neat, especially the machines they have. They have some new stuff out there. So, >> yeah. Yeah. >> Uh, okay. With that being said, we'll entertain the finance
committee. I apologize that we went over. >> I was asking two pages. >> Hey, great meeting tonight after >> um I have it on the agenda, but we should we should stop. Yeah. >> Yeah, that's
>> okay. Hey, we're meeting with the finance committee. It's a town meeting. Warrants will be discussed. >> I'll give you plenty of room there. [clears throat] Okay. Uh we're back and I I do want to thank uh the finance committee for
coming here tonight. We have to go through warrants. My understanding is you guys all worked last night long hours and reviewed the budget. So, >> uh you made you're [clears throat] making some suggestions on changes and I
don't know if you guys want to discuss that first or go right to the articles. >> Yeah, I I think we should check in on budget uh first if that sounds good. Um, John, if you want to share my screen, um, that'd be helpful. >> Just go over.
>> So, um, I had sent around a document that showed basically where we were at because I think we looked pretty aggressively at either limiting spending in a few lines, um, which mostly
included not meeting new requests for spending rather than say cutting from last year. um you know I had done an initial round to make sure that you know anything that that the town administrator was responsible for less so than other departments um was at the
right level. So things like property insurance I think were paired back health insurance you know things that needed to be brought back to the right spending level. That was all done in kind of the first pass and the second pass was looking at what were the alternative sources of funding that were available. what were we going to do to
to close the $565,000 deficit that was out there. And then once we made some of the the cuts that were needed, uh found additional funding sources and then um committed to using some free cash and also um some other
one-time sources and then accounting for the the proper um uh reimbursements from the water sewer enterprise fund as well as cable enterprise fund. Once we went through all of that, we actually ended up at what we determined to be around an
$84,000 surplus. So that meant that maybe some of the um decisions that we'd made from a place of let's cut back spending could be revisited. And I think we did that last night with the finance committee. Um I'll share the document that that I put together so you can kind
of just go through that quickly. I think that's helpful. [snorts] So, this is that kind of budget decisions document I put together. $84,000 surplus. There were a number of things we could revisit and I tried to show if they would decrease the surplus
in red, increase the surplus in green. We talked about the um police department salaries ultimately deciding that the number that we're at right now, the $346,000 is close enough to the ask that came in at $353,000 that we should be fine if there's an overage there. It's
something that we could cover through a mid-year transfer or through the finance committee reserve. Um for the fire chief salary, uh we had uh split the salary um 6040 between fire and ambulance. In the past, it was more like 9010 fire and ambulance. We decided not to do anything
to change that. Now, for full-time fire and ambulance employees, um the chief had originally asked for an increase to that line. Um that would uh come closer. You okay? Yeah. Uh increase to that line
uh that would help uh bring these these rules a little closer to the um compensation that they generally see in other towns. Um the finance committee had opted for a 2.7% increase instead uh and splitting um fire and ambulance
60/40 rather than kind of closer to say 7030 before. Um we've decided to keep that split 60/40 but met the original um request for appropriation which would put us I'll show you Sorry, too much fire.
The request was for 75 uh for 83,000 um from fire and 37,000 from ambulance. We're going to do 48,000 from ambulance, 72,000 for fire, which would meet the original request. Just
the the split is is more from um ambulance than originally asked for, which then means it's coming from the ambulance fund rather than from the general fund. And then no changes made to the part-time salaries. Actually, the part-time
salaries, the request was for 125,000. We kept it uh even funding to 16,000 and change rather than um the 125. That was the decision of the finance committee last night. Finance committee would also keep the tree warden um
uh expenses line at $40,000 rather than 45. The assessor's salary at 46,900 rather than 54,600 as requested. and then would restore um the full 40,000 to the finance committee reserve rather than the 30,000 that we had uh talked
about. Now the other thing that finance decided on last night was they would like to remove the DPW mini loader from the um annual budget from a lease line and instead pay for it outright uh from free cash, make a onetime free cash um
transfer ofund $100,500. Um, so instead of needing to pay for interest in the next 5 years, we would just buy it outright. Um, they would keep the fire uh chief truck in the the um leases.
So that is basically it of the things that I that I went through. >> It reduces the overall lease payment by from where we were last year by what 60. >> Yeah. So it basically it reduces last
year's budget line by around $80,000. >> $8,000. >> Yeah, >> we had reduced it by 63 or something like that by just eliminating like just we had already paid for things. Um this would take us down around 80
>> thousand total over last year. >> Um I think the thinking here was that um given some uncertainty about future years the less tied down we could be to a long-term
lease on this thing, which is needed. Uh there's no argument about we're not arguing that. Um just saying that it might be better to purchase that right right now and then uh because we the other the rest of the lease is relatively new. It's last year's.
>> Oh, it came last year. Yeah. >> So, we're going to be tied to it for four years. There's no real relief in sight. So, I don't feel like it was like a strong like, oh, we have to do this, but we went back and forth on it and decided if
we have the money right now, we're holding a bunch of free cash in reserve, maybe we can just get it done and not think about it. Uh, next year that $25,000 might be needed. >> So, I think that brings us to the free cash plan. I think you'd have to look through everything we're planning on
doing for free cash right now to make sure that that sounds good. So, um, we ended last year with $1,59,000 in free cash certified. That's what we have right now. There's $90,000 that's on the warrant right now to correct a past accounting issue. There's
not really much we can do about that. We've talked about this before. I had originally shown the health insurance line is closer to 90,000. I'm recommending, and we'll get to this later in this meeting, that we make a mid-year transfer um tonight, uh from the vocational education line, which
it's just we've we've paid all the the payments from that for this year. We're going to end up with around $50,000 extra from that line. I recommend we take 45,000 of that to uh put towards health insurance for this year. And then all we'll need from uh the uh free cash
would be 38,700. So that brings down the full amount we need uh by making that transfer. >> Do we want to just go a little bit into the thinking on that or >> go for it? >> I think some of the thinking there is that um
we think we're probably unlikely to see um health insurance increases comparable to what we've seen over the last 18 months. You know, I certainly going to go up. It does and probably will go up more than what we've historically seen because those those numbers were
artificially deflated um by the use of the trust. But hopefully it will not be in the neighborhood of what we've seen over the last year and a half. If it is, I think we have to
dramatically rethink some things because it's going to be really difficult. >> Yeah. And as we've been saying, you know, this is in many ways a what I'm pitching is a bridge year. And I I do think everything needs to be on the table for looking at potentially bringing down costs next year. And one
of those things would be health insurance. I think we should entertain the GIC again. I think we should look at what other options might be. Um but at the same time, I do think that the Hampshire County Group Insurance Trust has shown much better management in the second half of this year than the first.
I feel good about the options available to them to try to bring down some costs. So, um, we need to pay health insurance bills this year. There's not really a way around it. Um, but what I'm saying is, uh, half of it can be paid for through, um, money that Earth's not going to use. It's already in this
year's budget, and the other half we'll we'll take for free cash. So, that's that. Snow and ice, same thing. Half and half. Um, we should have enough money from this year's DPW budget to cover about half of the deficit, a little less. Uh there's $66,000
uh in deficit for so and ICE this year. That's a real testament to leadership in DPW this year between uh Marlo Dwayne and everyone else. Um we've had $100,000 in the past for a deficit. For years we had a lot less snow and ice. So really appreciate the work they did this year to, you know, be mindful of the cost
while also, I think, delivering A+ services. So not a lot of complaints about how our roads were done besides maybe one person in this room. But um uh yeah, really really good work there. So $34,5 $34,500 that we need from free cash snow
Ice. >> I just have one question on the uh the vocational Yep. >> transfer. >> Um how do how do we feel that affects our outlook for our free cash for next year? Because that would transfer over to free cash for next year, right? >> Yep. It's kind of a choice that you'd
make. either we use the free cash now um we'd have a higher amount that we need or you have more that closes out next year. It's >> I mean in theory, >> right? >> It's kind of a one for one. Um and it's a question of would you rather have more money closed to free cash for next year
or more that you're using now? It's kind of a distinction a difference. The difference would be that um even if you identified that money and knew it was coming back to you, you wouldn't be able to touch it until free cash was certified, >> right? >> And the free cash that's already
certified, you could spend at a special time, meaning if you had to, right? >> So, I guess that would be the difference rather than waiting, you know. >> Yeah. I mean, it makes sense. I just know we've talked multiple times about the concern of the reserve. >> Right now, you we're looking at $350,000 being left, >> right? And if and if some of these
things that are on here don't get passed at town meeting like happened last year. >> Yep. >> That goes back into that number, >> right? So that could continue to climb. >> So that would continue like that 140,000 for Elm Street last Elm Court last year didn't go through. That went back into the free cash. >> Yeah.
>> That's why our numbers higher this year than we probably would have been. Okay. But we saved that we must have had 500 over 500,000 in free cash. >> Yeah. >> Going into the this year. >> Yeah. >> Sounds good. I just thought it was something to Yeah, it's a it's a good question. Yeah. >> Yeah, for sure.
>> Um, so I'd still recommend taking $10,000, putting it towards OPED from the um from the uh free cash amount, not making stabilization fund transfer this year. It doesn't make sense since we're already taking from one-time sources to
to fund this year's budget, but we'd like to turn that around in the future. $140,000 for a budget supplement. Now, if you're keeping score at home, this number was $200,000 before. So, through um some some cuts and some other things,
um we don't need to use as much free cash as we thought. If we go back through the budget and we feel like something else needs to be funded at a higher level or um if um you know, something else happens and and projections come in lower on something else, that gives us some more free cash
to work with. But $140,000 in free cash rather than 200, which I think is is good. >> Um $2,790 for a prior year's bill. That's pretty straightforward. Let's talk about capital expenses. This is where things currently stand based on kind of agonizing going back and forth
with this finance committee. We would pay for the fire radios, $12,500 from free cash. We'd pay for the apparatus bay roof for uh at the fire department, $35,000 from free cash. would not do the town hall flooring at this time. Uh debris loader would be is is already
paid for already in process from the current uh DPW budget this year. Guard rail mower will most likely need to wait on because it's kind of impossible to find one at the moment due to uh tariffs and supply chain issues. So we can wait on that. That's a bummer, but just the
reality at the moment. >> Um >> can't buy what we can't buy. I guess that's >> so I think the biggest question in here is was there any strong feeling that we should actually just move forward with the town hall flooring. Um I've been of the opinion that that uh it's a great
CPA project and once we have all of the documentation for it, we'll be able to apply for it for next year and and get this done in a year and a half. It's not great to wait, but I think we can do it then. >> Yeah. And then apparatus bay roof I
think is worth doing. Um but uh finance committee land on the side of moving forward with it. That's >> up to this group to talk about. And this obviously all these things will be on the warrant as well. So we'll need to get them passed through town meeting. If if uh the town's people disagree, then they'll be able to to voice
>> that then. >> It's pretty low capital expenditures this year. We're not doing hardly anything really. Um >> just things that need to be done. And you know, I think some of that is really about the fact that we've been doing the lease for so long that we have a lot of
stuff that functions and works and we don't need to replace it. So, >> and we had a lot of capital last year. >> There are a lot of things we put in for last year, a number of new leased vehicles. >> Um certainly a very large uh debt excluded project for our schools and our
parking lots. So, this is just a smaller year and I think that's fine. Uh, for route five, um, I'd like that to come from enterprise fund and from an existing warrant article that we can transfer. Um, we have the, um, mini loader, as we said before,
instead of doing it through a lease, we would do it as an outright, um, free cash purchase. Uh, $35,000 to go to the unemployment trust just to make sure that that's beefed up in the case of uh, potentially higher claims this year. There's already $100,000 in that trust.
Another 35 would just be helpful. Yeah, >> Elm Court is one we'll we'll need to talk about, but this would be the the project that we've been talking about for some time of uh pouring concrete floor um uh hooking up electric to the um to the garage there and getting
garage doors installed >> and that would make the garage fully functional. Um and I think that'd be a good step for the town. So, great. Uh this was discussed last time. South County ambulance fees, as we said, will probably be assessed around $70,000 uh
next year from uh South County um for uh their uh reporting to mutual aid calls that in their mind have not really been mutual aid since we don't have the resources to respond in kind to all of their calls. So, they will be uh
charging us $350 a call. Um we think that'll be around 50,000 uh $70,000. This would help mitigate uh those payments so it's not all coming from the ambulance fund. The way we would structure this, it's kind of the same thing that um Luke was alluding to earlier, just kind of which way the
payments go. What we'll probably do is just transfer $50,000 to the ambulance receipts reserved account. That means that um when our accountants take out the full amount of the the budget, we'll have kind of a lower number in that receipts reserved account, but we'll put
money in from free cash to to um strengthen it back up a little bit. So, you could either do it that $50,000 goes right into our budget or $50,000 goes to the receipt reserve. This should be clean enough. Um let's make sure the accountants are okay with it.
This was discussed last time. um [snorts] some kind of studies on regionalization, shared services, or other efficiencies for school and town services. Um $50,000 should should get us started. Uh especially since there is are resources from the state for schools
and potentially some money coming from the the uh the um supplemental fair share uh bill as well. So, and then we have some budget lines that could be used as well. So $50,000 should give us something to to get started with some studies and and consultant
assistance on exploring shared services and regalization for a number of services that we provide. Um if we want the number to be higher, we can talk about it, but I think it would get us started for this year. And then the school special ed reserve fund. We talked last time about the $75,000 grant
that we uh believe we'll be receiving. If we pair that grant with $50,000, then we'll have around the amount that um an unexpected outofd district placement would cost can be around $135,000 to a student. So, if we get one of those
midyear, we won't have to dip into emergency funds. We won't have to call a special town meeting. We'll have the funding in place through that grant, the reserve fund, which I think is is good planning for the future because these things happen. So, that's the free cash plan as it currently stands. It puts us at $350,000
left. uh presuming none of these items uh fail to pass town meeting. I view that as a little under our target which our financial policy set 3 to 5% of general fund budget should be in reserved in free cash but between our stabilization fund and and a couple
other sources that we have the finance reserve account we should be in decent shape. Um $350,000 to start with for free cash is is a is an okay place to begin. The only other question I had, I was just curious on the reasoning for the mini loader being a full payment on
free cash rather than a lease. >> Yeah, fin if there was any specific guidance on that. I >> I think we we went back and forth on it a bunch. It wasn't hard one way or another, you know. I think that it's just
do we want to free up potential money for next year and the year after and the year after that which we may need. Um and also reduces the amount of interest you have to pay uh on the thing over that period of time. Um and you know we talked about do we need this item and
you know some level it came down to we have to deal with the sidewalk somehow. We really have no mechanism to do that. We don't require people to shovel their own sidewalks like some other places may do. And I don't think we have any
mechanism to enforce it. And if we did do that, so we need some way to manage it um downtown. And that seems to be the way to manage it that makes the >> it would be a $22,000 and change um addition to the to the lease line in
the DPW budget for the next five years. >> Right. Okay. So we we think things are going to be tight again next year and the year after that. So right that 20s something thousand dollars that we're not going to have to pay the next four years or five years,
>> right? And again, it just goes back to it makes it it makes more sense to do that and then take the hit on the free cash than to try to keep it and spread it out. >> Yeah, we still have a decent number of free cash left over. Mhm. >> Yeah. I feel like if we were going to go much lower, we probably wouldn't have
done that, you know, just >> Yeah. I I think either decision is defensible. I think that the lease is a is a decent deal for the town, but I also think um getting it done in one year could also look nice in the budget for future years. So, and also it helps
you >> lease program that's all we ever did. >> Sure. >> Right. >> You know, so makes sense. [snorts] >> Yep. Any other thoughts on the free cash plan as it currently stands? So, the free cash plan transitions nicely into
the the warrant. I'm trying to think for Oh, I should show um where we're at for the budget workbook. So, after all of that, what it ends up showing, and all we ever really look in this is
to make sure it's all accurate and that this number is a good one. So, it show a $25,000 surplus right now. So, we had 84,000. We're down to 25,000. Uh, after reducing the free cash payments and doing a number of those other restorations of splits and other things.
I can I think 25 is a good number. Um, I wouldn't want to get anywhere below that. >> So, yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. We felt like that was that was where we wanted to target as a bottom line if we if we could. I mean,
obviously, we've been much closer before. >> Oh, yeah. >> Where are we? Where are we with the accountants looking over all this stuff? >> So, after this, they they were with us and and agreed to the $84,000 number. There haven't been any substantive
changes besides kind of like getting to where we wanted to go after that. >> So, they looked at it and at when it was at 84, >> they saw the 84, they agree with the 84. So, um >> so we should >> they backed it up with their backup. So, I will I have sent them all of this and
then we will meet this week to make sure that we're still in the same place. They will sign off saying that they think we're good. >> Yeah, we didn't make any changes that should impact that. >> That's what I'm thinking. Right. Um and if I did make a spreadsheet error somewhere, they'll catch it. And I don't think it will cost us $25,000, but
they'll they'll catch it. >> Right. >> I do want to note that one other just because we've talked about other sources available. This is one that that Lou could flag that there is a fund from the conservation account um for anything
comes in in permits and fees, we we can use that to pay for expenses. So, this captures $6,000 from that account um that we haven't really used in the past um to go towards the general fund as well. So, another nice little uh source of of of income that we haven't used
before um that I think makes sense to use this time. And it's not a one time it's a one-time fee, but it but it makes sense in that it does replenish and it's paying for conservation fund activities to pay for admin time and everything else. So that's that.
All right. So that's the workbook. Um if we feel good about the workbook, then I think we start working through the warrant. If that sounds all right. >> That sounds right. So, um, you were all given the most recent version of the
warrant, but I did update it based on last night's meeting, so I can pass around copies of that. History for you. >> I think we have them down here already. >> Does it What What date does it say on the top left? >> 423. >> Yeah, we have 428. >> Oh, okay. That's old
>> because we met last night. So, and then there's one for Make sure Karen gets one. Then I have an extra >> one there. >> Actually, pass this one down and Karen can give that to Marlo and the chief so they can follow along as well.
>> All right. I was hoping that as we do this, we can also have the finance committee vote to um >> endorse the articles. and I have it here so folks can follow along at home. Article one is elections
that doesn't require any action. Okay. Article two, we have this every year in here to see if the town will vote to authorize like to apply for accept and expand without further appropriation any state or federal grants. There was a thread going around in my um
town administrator uh network asking if you actually need this. So I asked town council and they said actually the select board is authorized to do all of this. So you don't need to bring this article to town meeting. So that that is at the advice of council
that we can remove this article as long as everyone here is is comfortable with that. The select board doesn't need to ask for town meeting approval to apply for >> just fewer things >> accept and expend grants. >> Right. >> Does that sound good everybody? >> Yeah. >> It's all legal. Yeah. >> It's gone. Sweet.
>> No. Town council approved. Um now we do need to um authorize the treasurer to enter into a compensating balance agreement. Um and that one we typically have recommended by the finance committee. So we'll keep this. And does the finance committee want to
vote to approve? >> Want to make a motion? >> Make a motion to accept article three. [snorts] >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> Great. on the same in the same vein, article 4 here um
>> does not need to be approved by um town meeting as well if we want to move forward in that way. So we like to strike this one as well. >> Yeah, we stopped including it in the budget. >> It's not in the budget >> because it >> the select board does need to vote on it at some point. Uh but it does not need
to go to town meeting. >> All right. >> Okay. >> And I will update these numbers later. I'm not going to change the numbers right now so we don't get confused. >> Yeah. >> So next um would be our snow and ice unless you want to move this further
down the warrant. Um I know this one is sometimes challenge but I think it's fine. >> So it's going to say a sum of money to implement uh supplement the fiscal year 2026 this current fiscal year snow ice budget. >> Make a motion to accept article five. >> Second. >> All those in favor?
>> I. >> And sounds good. All right. Next is a four fifths vote. Um this is to pay that one bill from last from two years ago for portaotties. >> Make a motion to >> if you don't pay they bring them back.
>> Second. [laughter] >> Um do you want to ask for the all in favor? >> Yes. All in favor of article six. >> Great. >> I >> Okay. Article seven. This would be to see if the town will both to raise and appropriate appropriate by transfer
otherwise provide a sum of money for engineering and legal services for mitigation of route 5 infrastructure project or take any other action relative there too. We're going to need to have a good explanation for this. I'm sure there's residents who will be concerned but I think we'll we'll say we really also just want an account so we
can track this because we intend to be compensated for much of this as well. >> And you've got that in the budget >> or something. Yes, >> you've got that in the budget already. >> It's uh the free cash mentioned the free cash plan. It's going to be $60,000 it'll ask from from retained earnings
and I'll also transfer $30,000 from another engineering fund [clears throat] >> uh to go to this for now. >> Okay. >> The MS4 plan that we haven't spent anything from. >> Plus, we're hoping to recoup this, >> right? Yeah. Yeah. Make a motion to accept article seven. >> Second. All those in favor? I I
>> So, we're going to recommend seven. >> Yeah. Next eight. This is OPED with $10,000. >> I motion to approve. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I I >> and select board. If there's any of
these that you have concerns about or questions on, just let me know. So, um, this will be a majority vote. Um, this is that past uh, accounting error that we talked about. There's $90,000 he'll need. I don't see a way around this one. >> Make a motion to accept article nine. >> Second. >> All those in favor? Hi.
>> Hi. >> Hi. >> Okay. This is the $34,000 we want to put towards this year's uh health insurance expenses. Also, the free cash plan. >> Motion to approve. Second. >> All those in favor?
>> I. >> And um just so you know, um all of these are saying a sum of money. will fill in the exact sum when we do the motions rather than um here in the warrant in case something changes. It doesn't bind
us to it. Um but I'll have those motions done by the end of this week so you can all review. But it'll all be in line with the free cash plan and everything else we've agreed on. Good. Um this is the $35,000 to the town's unemployment trust that I mentioned. >> Motion to accept to approve or support
article 11. >> Second. All those in favor? I >> I opposed. >> Good. >> All right. Next is a uh uh $50,000 to the ambulance trust. Uh sorry, ambulance receipt reserved. >> Uh make a motion to approve to support
article 12. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I I >> this one I don't know if we need to be honest and I need to figure this out. This is uh vote to raise and appropriate appropriate by transfer otherwise provide some money to supplement the 2027 fiscal year budget. I feel like
that just gets done in the budget article. >> I do too. >> I don't think that has >> that's the 140,000 from free cash to supplement the budget >> that comes from >> I don't think we don't think we've ever done that. Have we? I don't remember doing this in past
town meetings. >> Have you ever used free cash though for the budget? >> We have. And you typically just put it as part of the budget article. It's part of the budget >> funding source >> and it's recognized in the funding source of the budget. >> Yeah. So I I think we can remove this. >> Yeah. I mean I would certainly check
with town council, but I can't >> I don't know why it stands aside from any other revenue really. >> That was um really just me trying to make sure I had everything from free cash. >> As long as the budget that they're going to be given on that town meeting y reflects that 140,000 as a funding
source, >> right, >> then that shouldn't be an issue, right? It counts as we because the the budget article will say appropriate by by transfer, >> right? >> This this is a transfer, >> correct? Yeah. >> So, I'm going to remove this because this should be fine. >> Okay.
>> I'm just going to make a note of it. All right. The next one is the one that we talked about last time and I want to make sure everyone's comfortable with the the language here. To raise an appropriate appropriate transfer, otherwise provide a sum of money for consultant support for studying or implementing improvements to
service delivery by town departments, including regionalization, shared services or consolidation. Is that kind of what we're looking for? Is that broad enough? >> That covers pretty much all the options. I I believe it's it puts everything on the table. My only concern with it is
that I thought we had made we were talking about making it more pointed towards the schools and I just want to make sure that this doesn't limit us for our grant funding opportunities. >> How would it limit >> if this is going into account that's specific for a study to the schools?
Because the I mean the way this reads to me is that we could use this money for um >> we could >> yeah shared services amongst if we wanted to look at DPW or police or whatever >> by uh service delivery by town departments >> I
>> improve improvements to schools and or should the word schools be in here somewhere >> puts it I me personally we're looking at all town services absolutely schools >> schools counts >> but we have to look at all whether it's DPW, fire, ambulance,
police. I mean, those are all areas we >> that should be looked at. >> I just wonder >> regionalization is that that that's >> if I capitalized the word >> goes with schools versus >> but it could it could go with other department option and that's not the only
>> right >> department that could do I think it's just that's generic. Should I say schools and town departments just so that it's >> because if you say town departments that might make someone I mean think I mean town hall. >> Yeah. >> So because it's a town operated school. It's >> Yeah.
>> It is a town I mean it's part of the town. There is >> part of our town department, right? >> All right. >> There's no other separate district. >> Is that okay with us? >> What do you What do you think? I just when I brought it up last week, I was bringing it up in specificness to the
the school department, not not anything else. Yeah. >> Because I think if you spread the 50,000 out and we start looking at all the departments, we could make that money disappear pretty quickly. >> For example, the the study that was done for fire and EMS three years ago, that
was 25,000 right there. That would eat up half of this right away. >> Yeah. and and kind of in my mind the thought was you'd have like one for something like that and the the remaining 25 would go to schools essentially and then there's other supplemental funds out there between state support and state grants that
would also go to schools. That's kind of how I thought of it. >> You could argue we need more money. You could argue we should focus in just on one of them. But >> yeah, >> could also argue it may take more than a year to do all this too. >> And then you put in for next year >> and you might have more money in the budget next year to continue this,
>> right? because it may it may not it may not get done. >> Yeah. >> You know, >> also there's a you know there is a like if you wanted to do that there is a targeted there's a there's a process for it. So there's probably also an example
like you have to set up a specific committee if that's what you want to look at like if you want >> if you go regionalization >> if you want to look at regionalization you have to set there's a there's a process already laid out for that. So, I think you would have to find
a descriptor of the process to include in an article if that's specifically how you want to do it. >> Could we make the article say that the school would be the first thing that this would go towards? >> Um, I think you got to look at everything. >> I don't know what >> Oh, yeah. But first, the school I think
that's what our primary concern is right now. >> I I wouldn't agree with that. I think my primary concern is everything, >> you know, as we as we look forward and and I think this is a great thing for
educating towns people because I think we're going to learn I think we'll learn a lot by doing this >> and then it might make make it easier down the road to justify some sort of override because we figure out, you
know, for whatever department in order to keep it that we need more money. But but I I see this as a g great educational tool for all towns people cuz let's let's be honest, there's a lot of rumors out there about all this stuff
and this puts it on paper and we get get something hopefully that that makes sense because I don't we don't know. >> I guess too what's the intention like what's the structure look like here?
Essentially, we'd have this and a select board would have to come up with scopes of work that they would want done and you you would get your quotes and >> right >> they would choose consultants to >> but wouldn't you be working with the school committee because the school
committee is an elected an elected board and >> right >> I think you have to >> you want to be very careful about >> well also yeah I mean you do have to come up with a scope of work obviously Right. But you
>> this is the plan. I I I guess I just don't know what the plan is. Is the plan for the select board to oversee all of this on without anybody else? I mean the idea I floated before was to come up with some kind of >> committee >> some kind of super committee some kind
of you know budget deficit committee that would be supervising this scope of work and an overall plan to try to uh close this this uh budget deficit that we have the structural deficit um looking at anything that's on the table
and that would include select board and school committee representation among others and they would supervise us That's That's what I would recommend. Yeah. But >> I would think you'd also want other town service, other >> Oh, for sure. >> You want police, fire, DPW?
>> Yeah. >> Library, Council on [clears throat] Aging, >> members. Yeah. >> You know, who all those things need to be >> Oh, yeah. >> Yep. Yeah. I would There's other committees like this that have been put together by other towns.
>> I mean, we look at what other towns are going through right now, like South Hadley and other towns, and we are so lucky that we're not going through this, but if we delay this >> because they're even looking at >> us in that. >> We're even looking at a regional council on aging up in South County.
>> Sure. >> You know, not every town has has, you know, be great if every town had their own, but um was it Deerfield, Weightley, Sunderland trying to put a a regional council on aging together someplace up there and trying to find a spot for it.
>> Yep. >> So it's it's not just >> Yeah. the schools and the police and the fire. Yeah, >> I just wanted to make a point. You know, there's a lot of discussion about what the plan is and who you're going to
review and who's going to sit on the committee. This article is just to appropriate or transfer a sum of money for town. The planning and who's going to be reviewed and everything else really comes later after the money is appropriated. >> So, >> unless it doesn't, I mean, if you That's
correct. If you wanted to structure the article and and it could be in the motion that gets made, you could put more strings on it, but the more you do that, the more likely it is to not pass. I think >> you want to make it as friend as friendly as possible in order to get it
to go through. >> Yeah. So, if it says like this, the select board can steer it. >> I think they have to. >> Yeah. I mean the board would have to direct it to give the town's people an understanding of what the money is going to be spent for.
>> You're you're whatever committee you come up with would be under the purview of the select board anyways. >> I just think you're >> the first intent is knowing about the schools. That's one of the intent. I do agree with other services for >> the other department that makes sense
too but >> you just [snorts] >> but they don't appropriate the money for the from the town >> budget. That's true. >> Select board does the money is coming from the town budget under >> town berser under the bursers of the >> from town. just yeah tell me it's just
>> yeah this is fine because I honestly think you're going to need like from where we're starting from if you have a committee as described or close to as described or anything like described you are going to need six to eight
months just to figure out what your opportunities are there in some ways you're not just gonna I mean, that's my nightmare, but I I know you're right. [laughter] >> But like, I mean, we've all just spent all our time in the budget. We know that there's four or five things that we
probably just need to start with, >> right? There are four or five things. That's absolutely right. But you're going to have to figure out which of the four or five things are real opportunities. That's that then you're going to really dig into because you're not going to really dig into things that really in the end aren't going to yield
anything. >> Yeah. But I mean when we go to town meeting we have to explain what the intent of this article is and how we expect to spend it. But if we don't if we don't then it's going to be voted down.
>> Right? So I mean if we go to town meeting and say the intent right now is to form a committee and start with say the schools and then move to other departments maybe that's the direction we should go in. I I think it's it's
preparing I agree with what you're saying, but this is preparing the town for what we see as budget challenges in the next couple of years. >> Yeah. How are we get Yeah, because I >> How are we going to get through these?
>> And I think there'd be support for that. >> I do too. And I think you do need some You won't get We won't get anywhere without money. >> Yeah. >> You know what I mean? Like you need a st you need somebody to get >> started to follow up on things who's going to do all the leg work. >> You're really going to unless somebody's
going to take it on as a full-time job as a volunteer. >> Yeah. >> You're going to need somebody or else you're just going to >> spin wheels and you're probably have to hire consultants. >> That's that's what this is for. >> Yeah. First time staff person can >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah. So, do you feel that the town's people will understand the wording of this article or should it be rewarded to reflect what we're saying or what you're saying that it needs to direct to all
town services to help educate them in the future? That sort of makes more sense in a way. And should it be rewarded? That's all I'm I'm questioning is the word. >> You want to keep it as broad as possible so that you can do whatever you need to do. >> Yeah. We want to make it as simple for
people to understand the the true intent. >> Your your your first step might be we get somebody on board who digs into what are the funding opportunities to study specific topics, >> right?
>> What kind of a, you know, regionalization grant can we get to do X, Y, or Z? >> Right? I guess the one thing I might change here after thinking about this is when I say studying or implementing improvements to service delivery, we're really talking about efficiencies in service delivery. If if that's the way
we want to go, we're trying to talk about how do you save money essentially. >> Sure. >> I know it's a small thing, but I think >> Yeah. >> I mean, you could Yeah. >> Yeah. I don't think any of those
language changes are going to really impact how you spend money, you know. >> No, I don't think so. I just want to be more accurate. All right. Do we have a motion? >> Motion to support article 14. >> How much money were we >> 50,000? It's It's not a bad start.
>> Second. >> Second. >> Yeah. >> All in favor? >> I article 15. um to see if the town will vote to accept provisions of master general law chapter 40 section 13E to allow the Hatfield public schools to create a reserve fund to pay without
further appropriation for unanticipated or unbudgeted costs of special education recovery high school programs out of district tuition or transportation take any other action relative there too. So this is the special education fund to spend from it needs to be approved by
select board and uh school committee but not by town meeting. So if something comes up in the middle of the year or they have an out district replacement, they need to pay for it. We don't need to call a special town meeting, they just vote from select board and >> and this is just to set up the fund. This article, >> this article sets up the fund.
>> No money associated with it at all at this point. >> Not until we not until we get to the article, correct? Directly below. [laughter] >> What do you think? >> Yes. >> We don't have to vote on we don't Yeah, there's no money. So we don't we don't have to vote on it. >> Fair enough. >> Well, >> well, I mean, it's a funding mechanism. I feel like it's creating a funding
measure. >> The next one is what we would vote on though. >> No, we should vote on this. >> It's creating a brand new motion to support article 15. >> Yeah. Second. All in favor? >> I >> All right. Um $50,000 to go into that fund. >> Motion to support article 16.
>> Second. All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Let's take a quick pause here. So, that that's a lot of business in the beginning of the meeting, but I think it's all important things and I'll I'll do my best to get, you know, the fact sheets and things out about this. Um, you know, it almost feels like we need to kind of tee up for folks in the
beginning just what this meeting's about because it's a lot about our budget position, our financial position, and a lot of things that we'd want to do to to improve it moving forward. So, we might just want to think about how that gets messaged to folks ahead of time. >> Yeah. I mean, I would just on 15, I
would say it's important just specifically because it it's important that we understand and recommend it or not because it it specifically sets up something that's different than other things in town, other funding
mechanisms, which is it's it's an appropriation outside of it. It's it's money that's being preappropriated for expenses that may or may not occur, >> right? And it will require no further appropriation. >> And if it doesn't occur, it stays there. >> Yeah. >> Yes. It doesn't go back to free.
>> Doesn't go back to anywhere. It just stays there. >> Yeah. >> Which is not unique, but different than mostly how we do it. >> It's a reserve fund. We don't have a lot of those, >> right? >> Okay. [snorts] FY 2026 operating budget. I started with
uh see if the town will vote to repurpose funds appropriated under previously passed warrant articles supplement the 2027 fiscal year budget. When we did the special town meeting, we did this separately from the budget article. Um and this was to close [clears throat] few accounts that we
had. Uh as a reminder, I'll show you what those are because those will be broken down here in the motion just not in the warrant. They are budget plan. Smith Academy carpets $4,000. Trash
compactor $2,000. Police com uh police cruiser $21,000. >> Pretty straightforward. >> Yeah, >> those are just all in excess and they go towards the budget rather than >> Yeah. >> into free cash. >> I move to uh support 17 article 17.
>> Second. All in favor? >> I >> I um just we should probably tally that up at some point so we have that number exact number. >> Want to know? [snorts]
>> You know what I mean? Because we're using a variety of >> the motion. >> No, no. I mean, we're we're using that. We're using 140,000 free cash. >> Where's all the one time funding? >> Correct. We're using a variety of different things here. So, I think we should have a >> Yeah. I I mean it's going to be about
$200,000. >> Yeah. >> So we should we should have backup for that. >> Yep. >> Because it just because it it's important to know [snorts] >> because that also gets to the question of how big is the structural deficit?
>> Yes. >> Right. >> Article 18 is is the budget article. to see if the town will vote to act on fiscal year 2027 budget to raise an appropriate appropriate by transfer from all these things and free cash is in here so we don't need the separate
thing. >> Okay. Move to approve uh article 18. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> article 19 resend the bond authorization voted for the replacement of the Hatfield Elementary School roof and boilers. So as you all remember we had
two different roof and boilers articles. >> Yep. One of them with debt exclusion, one of them without. This one we can resend because the debt exclusion passed. Okay. >> I hope he speaks out borrows money to replace the boiler. We already >> motion to support article 19.
>> So move. >> All in favor? >> I. >> So >> someone else say I or it's going to bug me. >> Are we? >> Are we okay? It's interesting. We're doing the budget kind of in the middle
of all this and then we go on to quite a few other things after. And I'm just thinking back to old school days where the budget was the last thing we did. And so I don't know. I don't know if we've gotten any feedback that doing it this
way is [snorts] right or wrong, but >> I mean in my mind we're we're there to pass the budget. Um, it's it's kind of the most important article that's here. The things that I have before it, you kind of need to pass in order to >> get there,
>> right? >> And then the rest is more of the the rest is is really capital. You could do capital first if you wanted. That's also an option. Because because what used to happen is they they would carry
be it at the end so that people would stay for town meeting. >> That didn't necessarily work well but we did do that. >> Yeah. I mean sometimes [snorts] people come for certain articles it passes or fails and
>> there is an advantage to doing it that way. The advantage is that if you have the budget last for for example, >> let's say there was a particular capital item that you didn't uh that didn't pass
>> that you then wanted to maybe I don't know enter into a vehicle lease for. >> Sure. >> It would be hard to then >> you could then amend the budget. >> Yeah. Uh, I'm open to anything. Um, and select board sets the warrant. So, if there's any thoughts you all have for where you
want things to go >> and you may not want to either. You might just say, "Hey, whatever." That's how it is. >> I will say the order is mildly arbitrary. I' I've taken it from what whatever we did two years ago, which turned into what we did last year, which is kind of where we are now.
>> Um, if you've got a better way to order things, [snorts] I'm very much on board with it. It it is very hard to predict. >> Yeah, you never know >> what people are going to want to spend a lot of time talking about. >> Sure is. >> That's >> There will be something in here that none of us will know
>> that we'll be spending a lot of time on and we'll walk out saying we didn't see that >> last year was day was the the puddle. >> Yes. >> The puddle. It's bad. [laughter] >> Exactly. I mean, it happens every year. >> Could be that again. >> I hope not.
>> Clearly. I Yeah. All right. >> But anyway, we're going to recommend it regardless of wherever you put up. >> It's your choice. >> Anyone want to move to recommend article 20? >> You do that yet? No. >> Oh, article 20 revolving funds.
>> Yeah. I move to >> There's nothing to that. >> Support article 20. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> I >> All right. Capital Um 21. This is fire and ambulance department radios. I we basically
already approved these because we talked through the free cash plan, but >> Yep. >> Yeah. I move to support article 21. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I I recommended. >> I should strike this because this is uh guardrail mower which not going to do
this year from. >> All right. Fire Department apparatus bay roof. >> Yeah. I move to support article 23. Second. >> All in favor? I >> I >> Elm court. >> I move to support 24.
>> Second. >> Marlo, is the language in here okay? Pour concrete floor installed garage door openers, electrify, and otherwise upgrade DPW garage. I think other otherwise upgrade covers that's how I feel. >> Anything you might do other than build a new thing.
>> Are we going to anticipate people wanting to speak about this as it has been every single year that this has gone on? >> Yeah, I think we should because I personally am I'm against doing this myself. I know everybody else is for it. >> Yeah, >> building [snorts] was a big mistake and we shouldn't be putting any more money
into it. But >> well, we can have you represent the uh the con and either Ed or who can speak to the positive case for it. >> It does take away from valid validity of voting on town floor and what we do as groups, but something still needs to be done with the building at some point. So
I I kind of do agree with Greg, but I mean something needs to be done with the building. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So I think it would be good to have someone speak in favor of it. Just be ready to go on that. And I Greg, you're perfectly welcome to speak against it, too. I think it's fine. If
it gets built, we'll name a building after be fine. >> I mean, there's a definite use now that's been outlined by Marlo on use of that building and how it can be used for cold storage and protect a bunch of equipment. And there's been a negotiation with COA on the van for use
of the building. So there the money will go for things that the town needs as far as the COA van stuff. So, um, >> should there be some sort of a handout about all that or should I think there should be >> or should some somebody be prepared to speak to all that kind of stuff?
>> I would be prepared to speak on it. So, >> you would be prepared to speak on it. Okay. >> Yeah. I just think we're fine supporting it. I just think we're going to need to explain explain it. Yeah. >> Yeah. Absolutely. >> Absolutely prepared to speak. >> We should do something about it. Yeah. >> I think the lesson's been learned. We go for
>> And I will say I made 180° swing from a couple years ago because I was standing up in in opposition of it. So >> you opposed 140,000 last year and this year if we get it done for half the cost that's great value. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> I mean it's half the lift of what we were trying to go for last year. There's a clear path forward of what the
building can actually use. >> I don't want to suggest that only because you know they might want to wait for next year and it'll be 30 [laughter] for sure. >> All right. Finance committee. What do you say? Article 24. >> Yeah. Didn't we already? >> We did that. Yeah, we did it. We did 24. Yeah,
>> 25. I'm going to strike because this is the uh town hall floor >> entry way, right? >> That's good. Done. >> What's next? >> 26. >> Mini loader. This would be a free cache. Um Marlo, am I calling it the right
thing by calling it a mini loader or is there a better name for it? >> That's fine. >> All right. Yeah. You just probably have to explain it a little more on town floor maybe. >> And what it's going to be used for. >> Yeah. But you'll be fine. >> Yeah.
>> I I I make a motion to support article 26. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I 27 the fire chief's uh vehicle. >> It would be. Yes. So, we'd have to just say what the vehicle is, how we'd be paying for it,
and why a lease is a good idea, what the annual lease payments are. >> It's already recommended. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Recommended by finance committee. Yeah. Make a motion to support article 27. >> Second. All those in favor? >> I recommend it.
>> That's capital before CPA. Here's CPA. Um, actually want this to be where did article 27 show in the budget worksheet. I just don't remember seeing that in like the lease or is it not in there yet? >> Great question. So, it shows up in the
>> I think >> DPW budget. Let me show you. >> Yeah, right there. >> So, here's vehicle lease. Last year it was $233,000. We had a significant amount fall off. Um
the recommendation is for this which is our existing amount from the general fund is 139462. We have another basically $40,000 that comes from water and sewer. >> Y >> and then um $19,634
is what the annual payment for the chief's vehicle would be. >> Okay. and where and some of that's coming from there and some of it's coming from >> that's the current proposal is that we would take half of it from um half it would go right into the DPW lease line
and half of it would come from >> does it come from the ambulance reserve >> ambulance trust and I that's because this ambulance trust surplus has been paying for an ambulance for the last five years $20,000 a year >> um so instead of paying $20,000 next
year would pay $9,800 So, so no matter where the source is, you're still going to keep that >> 19,000 in the DPW budget. >> Yep. Uh 19,000. >> It gets offset uh in my workbook by this line right here.
>> Okay. >> Yeah. >> And we don't need to show it as being in fire because it's both general fund. I think >> it's not necessary. >> Yeah. because our some of our water sewer trucks are still in that >> and those don't show up in the DPW
budget because I show them in the water sewer budget instead. I saw chief's hand up. >> Yeah, >> I know this was up there the last time. I'm just >> trying to find the reasoning why it's going to come out. Part of the fire chief's vehicle is going to come out of am. >> The vehicle itself is used EMS wise for
probably less than 1% of the actual job. Yeah, the argument was that >> when they're responding to medicals except for a handful of after hours is already on duty at that point. So it's not going to medical calls. [clears throat] >> And the argument was that the fire chief
is also the EMS director. So you can make a case that their vehicle can also be paid for through this. That's that's the the case you'd make. >> Yeah. It has more to do with what the job is >> and and you know I I will make sure that
our accounting team is comfortable with that. Um I think I think that needs to be done. Um and we can adjust that if if they think we're going down a wrong path. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Because it' be significantly less than when we were paying off the ambulance. Right. >> Right. I think the argument from the
chief would be that the account exists to pay for ambulance capital. You that that feels pretty good. Now, >> what do we estimate? Are we going to get 10 years out of the ambulance or >> got 16 out of the last one? So, get at least 10. [laughter]
>> We're what? Five years in. We got >> six. >> Six years. Oh, that's right. That was a longer >> February 20th 20. Well, it's already paid for. >> Yeah. >> Vehicle has been here since February 20th of 2020. >> Okay.
>> It's great. Cool. Thank you for going over that. No, no, it's worth it to slow this [laughter] all down. >> Um, and then, uh, >> do you have any >> community?
>> We made it to CPA. >> Well, we don't really vote on any of this. >> Yeah, we I think we will. Yeah, >> we will need to vote on >> we have because >> um >> it's always a little weird because we don't even review it.
>> Yeah, but uh some of these things many of the items have financial impact on the town >> on the rest of the town. >> So like if we build a giant new park >> Yeah. >> and then we have to maintain it. Do we have the capability to do that? >> To do that, right?
>> Yeah. >> Good point. >> Since CPA doesn't pay for any of that like I mean they're not allowed to >> for sure. So um this first part is is kind of housekeeping. Uh we are eligible to take
5% of our um of our appropriation for CPA and put it towards admin expenses. This would only be about 3%. Um but that would go towards admin expenses for um for staff who work with the CPA or for any expenses they have say for you know
paper uh office supplies meeting postings whatever else. >> Um and then there's a formula you take 10% of the appropriation and that goes to historic uh community and open space and then you estimate what the revenues are going to be towards the budgeted
reserve. The rest goes to budgeted reserve after that. So again, really nice portion of of CPA money that we'll receive this year. Um, >> all sounds good. I just the number you got 12,000 up here and we've got 105 down here.
>> I'm realizing that um I I think that's a more accurate number for what we would um spend for our admin staff if if that's amendable to this board. >> Yeah, that's that's fine. I just want to make sure >> slightly. So that's a change that we're making on the fly if that sounds good to everybody. Okay. >> Yeah.
um finance scope of this >> motion. >> Motion to support article 28. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> All right. Number one, this is supplemental funding for the uh steeple
project that was done last year. Um it's like $4,000. It's pretty small. Yep. >> Motion to support article 29. >> Second. All in favor? Hi. Hi. >> This is supplemental funding for the Day
Pond project. This is 20 uh I think it's $26,000. The reason that we still need money for this project after getting two appropriations in the past, the first year they received all of the money that they thought they needed except for uh funds that they hoped to receive through
a large grant. The next year they received the rest of that money um not through the grant because the grant didn't come through. All of that was done with preliminary estimates. We didn't have our construction estimates from the the contractor yet from from uh from our consultant. So once they finished the
permitting, everything else and they finished the the final designs, they came back with cost estimates that showed that we probably would have been around $50,000 over on this project. We went out to bid, had a great bid result, um and they came back basically within
the realm of of the low end of this project. That did result in still about $26,000 short on the project, but when we came to town meeting last year, we didn't have our cost estimates. So, I think we did pretty well. Um, and the project is now substantially complete. So, we're asking for a final $26,000 to
take us home. >> And committee preservation approved it. >> Yep. >> CP motion to support article 30. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> I. Once once that's all done, who's responsible for maintaining that whole
area? >> That would be DPW. >> Is that added? I mean, I know we're halfway through this thing, but is that added job responsibility or >> Marlo, any thoughts?
>> I know the fishing game will take on the the part of putting in the airator and taking the airator out. So, as far as that part, they they maintain it. I know when it's a fishing derby, they might come and do some trimming and stuff.
>> Uh the rest of it, most of it is uh >> I mean, I'm not opposed it. I just >> The other main concern from like the needing for the dredge was the sedimentation and a lot of that sedimentation problem has been handled
through a private project. So, that's not coming down the waterway anymore. >> Yeah. So that was something that we discussed on the conservation end of stuff previous to the project happening. So >> I think be virtually maintenancefree unless we get debris and some of the screen the discharge piping and that's
all simple stuff to to maintain. >> Oh yeah. >> Down to the west side anyway. So >> should as long as it's not being filled in it should >> Yeah. >> Right. And I would >> Yeah. I would say it's largely
maintenancefree for at least the first five years or so. And then after that, >> it eventually silts up, but >> something will have to happen eventually, but >> yeah. >> No, it's good. >> Good. Thank you. >> Next is Cutter Farm Museum. We received money last year to get this project started. Uh we've been able to hire an
architect and get a big plan together. It looks really good. We've applied for state funding um that would allow us to get this project done this year as long as this appropriation comes through as well. Um it said $50,000 in your packet. I for consistency I'm changing this to a
sum of for now. >> Um although arguably I could put the number in cons since since we know what CPA's already approved but I'm just going to say a sum of to keep ourselves consistent and then the 50,000 will show up in the motion. >> Okay, cool. >> Make make a motion to support article
31. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I recommend >> this is one I'm really excited about. Um Marlo just took this and rang with it. Uh this is to restore um and install new
recreational equipment in the school street park. This right over here around the corner behind the fire station. We've got two play structures there. Actually, we we have a swing set and one play structure on top of old uh not to code, you know, mulch and uh and and
other materials. Um, we'll get two new play structures in here and replace all of the the the wood chips. Um, >> and the fencing >> and the fencing. So, we'll make the whole thing look really nice and we should do be able to do it for right around $72,000. Um, and I think that'll be a nice nice
plus for that that area. >> Sure. >> Yeah. I make a motion to support 30 article 32. >> Second. >> All [clears throat] those in favor? I recommend it. 33. This is the one we've discussed already
this evening. Um this is the um community preservation uh housing project over at 7 Elm Street. >> This is Is this the first one we've ever done? >> Uh there's been money towards Capital and other things for affordable housing in the past, but but yeah, this is
>> privately built affordable housing. Yeah, the first one, right? Uh, we might have done a Habitat for Humanity project in the past, too. But >> did that actually happen? >> I don't know. >> That Habitat for Humanity? >> No. >> Oh, too bad. We tried to >> We We tried and it it didn't
>> didn't go. >> I make a motion to support article 33. >> Second. All those in favor? >> I >> I recommended. >> Um, I wonder if I should I said to build affordable housing. This is for pre-development funding. I wonder if
that should >> right >> support affordable housing. >> Does it say to take any other action relative there too? >> It does. You're probably fine. >> I It feels like that's an action relative to building, right? >> Yeah. >> All right. I'm fine with it.
This is $40,000 also for housing. This would create a housing production plan. Um which is also alluded to tonight. Um, and this is something we wanted to do in house last year, but my time and the assistant planner's time is just severely limited. So, this will get us some consultant support, get the housing
production plan done. Uh, follows up on the comprehensive plan really nicely. And then >> value planning commission >> probably, but we could also make it available to anybody. >> Yeah, >> probably would need to. >> Um, >> motion to support article 34. >> Second.
Um, all in favor? >> Oh, sorry. All in favor? >> I >> I recommended. >> Great. >> That's awesome. >> Um, >> this is cool. This is a short one. Uh, agricultural preservation restriction. Uh, we talked to the Galanka farm folks
earlier. U, the state requires that, uh, towns make a match towards this. Um, we have a decent amount of funds in a in a in another fund from the past available. Uh we'd need about $4,000 left to bring us over the line to uh support the APR.
>> Make a motion to support article 35. >> Second. >> All those in [clears throat] favor? >> I. >> Is this land in both Hatfield and Weightley? >> That that is true. Yes, it's in Hatfield and Weightley. >> So Weightley >> has actually more of the land but less of the assessed value. Um
>> because the house and the and the business are up on the on the Hatfield side probably, right? Yeah. >> Yes, that's it. So, um, the state asked us both for a 10% match and we said that that doesn't make sense. We're both eligible for 5% matches, so that's what
we're going to do. Um, the state will be fine with it. >> Weightley is going to >> Weightley's good. They've already got the money. >> They've already got the money. >> Yeah, they've already approved it. And actually, we're pretty close to um I think we're all in favor of the project. So, just a little more money and >> great project. >> Yeah, it's cool. I mean, you know,
wherever the line is, there is [laughter] >> I think I think lately and us have >> we can both enjoy it. >> Yeah, we've been fine. Yeah. >> All right. Uh, this one we've talked about before as well. Uh, except the provisions of master law chapter 44 section 55 C to create a municipal
affordable housing trust fund. Um, this would create the fund. We would not put any money into it at this time, which kind of gives us a year to get folks on board. We have uh technical assistance through the Massachusetts Housing Partnership to train them and then next year we'd put money into the fund and
then they can be on their way and start giving out money for projects. Uh this does not require a vote from finance I believe because I don't think it has a actually you could argue you should because a a housing [clears throat] trust has considerable
oversight over money if it's given to them. >> So I'll make a motion to support article 36. All [clears throat] those in favor? >> I I >> is the ultimate goal here to bring it's just to bring more affordable housing.
>> Yes. And the other nice part of it is that you'd have a a group of people ideally who you know could become a little more knowledgeable in affordable housing. Um so that instead of bringing every affordable housing proposal to the community preservation act who you know
they all do other things, >> right? you'd get a little more guidance over over this. So, >> that's awesome. >> And then zoning bylaw. Um, this one doesn't need to go to to finance, but um this is the battery energy storage system. I think we we got a good primer
on this before. So, if this looks good, everybody, then we're good. >> This is the bulkiest part of the warrant, but all that looks good. >> Which brings us to article for now 38. See if the town will vote to hear any and all reports, which have to do well
for the town. Um, this will be said over the shuffling of paper and chairs as people start to leave the room. But, um, that's it. >> Anything feel like it's missing, unclear? Anything else? >> Wasn't the bylaw committee going to do something?
>> Great question. Um, >> having a change in >> We don't need the bylaw committee to bring anything forward at this time. >> Okay. Um, next year we'll bring forward a set of bylaw changes um to bring us into the correct format and to make some some edits. Okay. >> And that will all be overseen by the
consultant that we're working with this year. >> Um, I want to pass this around real quick. I feel like >> is all of this going to be included in the warrant or this is going to be a separate handout? >> Uh, I think it all has to be in the warrant. Typically, we print the motions
for everybody and not the warrant, right? But I think we should print some copies of the bylaw as well. Uh so people have it. Um I am recommending and we don't have to do this tonight if if you don't want to. But I'm recommending that just because I know we'll need this
especially the second one a little less than the first but I think the first two making this this transfer now from chapter 32 uh to chapter 32b insurance the health health insurance from vocational tuition transportation. We know we have the money available from the vote transportation that will allow
us to make sure we have the money when our bill comes at the end of May paired with the the town meeting change. Um and then we know that our legal bills are going to be higher this year because of the special council we retained for the route 5 project. So um I'd recommend that come from finance committee reserve
fund. Although you don't have to do that because we could just use the the funds that come in at town meeting. So up to you. Um, I don't care one way or another, but we're I'd be happy to do that. We just need >> I don't remember doing a midyear transfer. Like,
>> you just do it end of year. >> You do it >> We do it end of year, but but from finance reserve, we could just do a transfer. >> Yes. But the only thing is we just we usually have a form because we need the accountant. Yeah. >> To certify that the money is there. >> So, let's let's wait for this.
>> So, if we just get that form, we can do it anytime. >> Yeah. Yeah. Let's wait for that. We could actually do it before town meeting if you want. Yeah. Certainly not opposed. >> All right. So, yeah, you could do it at your meeting. Before town meeting, >> right? >> Yeah. >> All right. I'll get that through accounting. >> Yeah. >> And at least for the second one because the legal one will create the fund that
night. We should probably just use that first. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Uh >> the other one though, I mean the vocational tuition, we can do that. >> We you can do it next in two weeks. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. That's fine. >> Yeah. >> One way or another.
>> Yep. Any other thoughts on this? No. All right, good. Um, >> yeah, I don't think we've ever done a mid-year transfer before. We usually do many a year, but it doesn't >> I only was worried about it to just make sure we can pay our uh health insurance bill, but I think we'll be fine because we'll have the uh we can do this and we'll have the
>> do that. Yes, >> but we'll we'll be in good shape because town meeting is in two weeks and yeah, the bill won't come in till after that. >> Just let us know. >> All right. So, I had discuss your transfers. I had town uh meeting warrant. I had FY27 budget. Do we need
to um so I guess you'll need to approve the warrant and then I need to just uh make the format changes and print it. >> Do we need to approve the budget? The budget comes from us or do we do that the night of town meeting >> uh >> in case there changes that come up?
>> I mean, you can always keep doing it. It doesn't really matter. [snorts] We should probably let's do it then because then we can have the final version to >> Yeah. You know what I mean? >> Andrew's going to run run by the accountant and we'll just make sure >> we'll just do it then.
>> So before the town meeting when we have our meeting premeating we'll preing >> we'll do it then. >> Yep. >> That's fine. >> Perfect. >> Anticipate it's going to happen but >> we'll we meetings at 700. We plan to meet at 6. Is that what we would normally do? >> Yeah, we normally meet at 6.
>> Yeah. And we're at Smith Academy still, right? >> Okay. Accepted a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. Are we still >> I gentlemen? >> Thank you guys.
>> Thank you. >> So I am just making these changes to the warrants. You can sign that. Um, [clears throat] do you need to um vote to approve the warrant? >> I guess you can wait until you have the format changes, [clears throat] but up
to you. Thanks everybody. >> Byebye. Bye. >> I'll let you make your changes. >> You don't have a talent. You said you do not have a town administrator. Okay. >> Everything's been covered. So, we have any unfinished business
before I make a motion to go into executive session. >> Do you want to make your um >> motion to um accept the warrant? >> Yes. Um >> sure. I'll make a motion to approve the
annual town meeting warrant as proposed and amended. >> Second. >> Motion made. Motion seconded. Any discussion? All in favor? I. >> Motion carries. >> Okay. So, that takes care of everything.
With that being said, [clears throat] make a motion to go into executive session with special counsel pursuant to general C3A section 21A3 to discuss strategy with respect to potential litigation arising from the route 5
infrastructure project and pursuant to general laws C 30A section 21 A7 T to comply with or act with the authority of the law general laws C4S726
discuss privilege communication from special counsel and not return to regular session. >> So um Jorski I have a second >> second. >> Okay. Motion made. Motion seconded.
Jorski I don't >> and we will not be coming back. So thank you John. Good night.