Okay. All right. Good evening, Hollist, and welcome to the March 9th select board meeting. We have a very we have some very special guests to give us some updates. We have uh our uh state senator uh Karen Spilka, who's also the Senate President, and we have uh Representative
James Arena D. Rosa here to give us some updates. And just to um clarify sort of how the the process will work here, they'll they'll give their updates. Then the select board might have a few questions and then I will give an opportunity for the school committee
chair and the finance committee chair to chime in um on behalf of their boards just so we can keep things manageable so there's not 17 people asking you uh lots of questions. So we want to respect your time and and and such. So um we can get started. Um welcome. Thank you very much
for coming in this evening and um we're going to kick it off with uh with you uh Senate President when uh whenever you're ready. >> Thank you. I'm ready. >> Sounds good. >> I'm ready now. Thanks so much. Thank you for inviting us again. I always enjoy coming here with with uh Representative
uh and and to talk to you and find out what your concerns are and the issues surrounding the city uh the town. I mean, and I know that we talk to you and the town manager and and officials here constantly, and I want to thank everybody for keeping us in the loop,
keeping us informed. It helps us do our job better when things come up. Sometimes quickly when we're in the state house doing bills, when we know what's going on, sometimes it's easier for us to quickly insert something for the town of Hollist to get something.
and we work really closely together. I just want to thank uh Representative Arena D. Roza for his partnership, his friendship, and working so closely together definitely helps Holliston and all of Metro West. So, it's a pleasure
working with all of you, and uh uh it's great to be here. Um I it's great to have have you here tonight and I again uh congratulate Frank on uh being on paternity leave. That's very exciting. Um, and I'm looking forward to hearing
from the finance committee chair and the school committee chair for all the issues that are important. Um, I'll I'll start um to just say uh I want to thank everybody that's here tonight, whether it be physically here or virtual,
because there's so many things going on and uh it's great that people are paying attention to to Holliston and what's going on here in Massachusetts and actually across across the nation. Um, I'll start sort of with the budget to
give you a flavor because I know that's really important to all of you in the utmost in your mind. Um, I I have to start out by saying that the Trump administration's massive cuts to services and grants to Massachusetts,
not only the country, but specifically to Massachusetts, have had and continue to have a very significant impact on Massachusetts. We are nearing$4 billion dollar with a B in real
financial impacts to Massachusetts from health care subsidies. He's cutting about 350,000 Massachusetts residents off of health care. Now, if they still go for help and go to a hospital or a provider by law,
now the federal government is not going to pay for anything for them. the state must pay they we still have to provide health care. So it falls on what's called the uncompensated care pool which Massachusetts over the last 10 20 years
has decreased that that amount tremendously. So now it's it's beginning to come back up already and that will increase uh hundreds of millions of dollars our liability. uh the SNAP
program cuts, changes to PEL eligibility um and education. We have had cuts from not only uh public higher ed but K to2 cuts uh early ed and care head start programs. Nothing is off the table with
them. Unfortunately, because of this, we are being very cautious with taxpayer money. Even though the state's incoming revenue de year year-to-ate revenues are ahead of last year's collections by a little over
$800 million. So that's great. And if it was just Massachusetts on our own, we would be, I think, in decent shape. But when we're getting all those cuts to the in the federal dollars that supports a lot of the programs that you know towns
like Hollist have or schools and many so many other things, uh there's just no way we're going to be able to fill the gap from from all of that. Um so, you know, we're being cautious. Um, and for the current fiscal year, just to review,
Holliston's chapter 70 funding for its K to2 schools was increased by nearly $400,000 uh to more than $9.5 million. UG unrestricted uh local aid was increased
by about $20,000 under that formula. We have more than doubled Hollist circuit breaker uh funding in the past few years. And I know how much mental health support has been, how important it's been for Hollist. Um, so I I will
continue to prioritize that. I was able to get several hundred,000 for my communities. And I applaud Hollist uh working with James uh in in getting $100,000 in the school system for our our Holliston students mental mental
health because we know that that's so important. Um, I'm proud to say that working together, we doubled Hollist's Chapter 90 road and bridge support over the last few years. The governor's chapter 90 bill was had a hearing last week. So, uh, we're looking forward to
the House doing it and then doing it quickly in the Senate. So, hopefully uh, Holliston can get its chapter 90 money when it's construction season is still very active. I've heard from I mentioned the school committee about B budget challenges
we're facing and clearly uh mindful that this is an area that we really need to prioritize in all ways and uh look forward to giving support to the district in in the schools. Um as we approach the budget process in the
coming months I promise you uh that we will work together to do everything we can for Holliston. Just to summarize local projects that that we've done. Um last year we were able to get 50,000 for the covered garing for the Council on
Aging's EV minivan. Uh as I mentioned we got 100,000 for uh mental health for the schools. I think that has been really helpful. Um 400,000 for municipal EV charging stations in my district. uh
trying to spread that and I know they are expensive for for municipalities to do on their own but citizens want want them and we should be providing them. Um so uh I'm also proud working with with uh Representative Arena D. Roza and the
town administration uh to get $1 million grant to close the budget gap for the construction of the Woodland Street Bridge. That was a kudos to I mean I know this this was a great example of it takes a village type of
deal where so many people worked. It was it was a long time coming but boy what a terrific project. Uh periodically I I would drive by there during all the or try to you know go on either side until it was completed but it's really a fantastic project. Um so I want to thank
everybody who contributed to that project. Um, I want to mention the constituent service work that my office has done this year as well. A lot of people don't realize that if they have difficulties, they can call my office uh
representatives office for assistance in state uh services, programs, uh, unemployment compensation, uh, you know, a whole array of services if they have any questions to call. We may not be able to help in every single circumstance, but we can sometimes
direct them to somebody that can help them. And it's really important um that they they contact us and uh not only for constituent help, but to express their views and and uh ideas on a wide wide range of topics. Just to let you know,
my office has responded to over 4,000 people across my district just this year alone. And I take great pride in providing that ser service and encourage residents to reach out if they need assistance or want to have their voice
heard. You know, we we will listen. Uh my district team is exceptional and always ready to help. I have Dennis Gian Betty from my team here tonight. Um he's been a longterm and and really understands uh the town townwide issues.
Um, I'm proud that we finally won approval of the Mass School Building Authority to enter into the feasibility study for a new Hollist High School. Uh, look forward to working closely with all members of the town, the representative.
Um, and this clearly is a great testament to the town's perseverance and it's very exciting. So, um, I'm very I'm very looking forward to that. I'm also pleased working together that uh we were able to secure $1.5 million uh for Mass
Works um grants. The town received a million in federal support for the downtown sewer project. Finally getting Holliston into the sewer system underway, which also is very exciting. look forward to continuing to support
and assist Holliston in our pursuit of other funding opportunities and projects or any other priorities that Holliston may have. Um I just want to take a moment before I turn it over. I'm trying I'm trying to be brief because I know
you have a long long agenda. Um you know just to talk a little bit about legislation and what what's we've done on the horizon. Um, I do want want to reiterate that the Senate is focused on bringing down costs for families. Um,
and I have to say fighting the the federal chaos and some of the the the Trump's policies and what what's going on. Um, we're tackling housing. What I hear the most about is affordability and housing. We did a $5 billion bond bill
for housing last session, which is great, but we all know that's going to take a little while to actually produce. It's it's underway and there already have been thousands of of units produced, but um I've tasked the Senate chair of the housing committee to look
at housing policy. What go around the state, find out what the barriers are, are the regions similar? Are there similarities? Are there differences? What can we do to make housing now? Because we know when when people are going out for renting, renting is
highly, you know, expensive. Buying houses are are out of the limits for so many families, particularly our young families. So, we really need to produce more. We need to maybe change some policy. It can't just we can't just rest on housing production. We have to look
at policies also. So we are taking a good look at that. Um and nothing is really off the table. So if anybody listening or any has any ideas, please feel free to share. >> Uh this tax season, seniors are already seeing relief through the senior cir
circuit breaker. We did uh the beginning of this last session the largest tax reliefs tax cut bill in uh se several decades here in Massachusetts. Uh we made the uh child care and dependent
care tax credit the largest in the nation. We doubled the senior circuit breaker from 1,200 to 2400 for seniors. You don't have to own a house. You can rent and you still can get some relief. So if people have any questions about
that, uh you can contact the senior center, my office, the representatives office. We're here to help. But that is a significant savings. Also, things that we did that people may not be aware of, uh, the free school meals, we did
breakfast and lunch. That saves $1,200 per family per child every year. So, if you have one kid, you're saving 1,200. Two kids, 2400. Significant savings. And our kids are really benefiting from from that. Um, so
we're we're looking at other ways. Uh, the other thing I want to mention, uh, last September, uh, we did a cell phone ban, bell-to-bell ban for schools, I believe. Talk about mental health issues. Um, it's it this communities
that have adopted a cell phone ban have really benefited. My son is a high school history teacher in the New York City and they started the ban this this September. um they were very anxious about it. Turns out this the kids love
it. They are focusing more on school. They're talking more with their peers. They're getting more more more work done. They're not going to the bathroom as much to make plans to meet with their friends to do drugs. I mean, everything the bullying has cut down. My son said
and other people that I speak to say it's really a gamecher for the kids in particular. And so I'm hoping that we can get that on the governor's desk early this spring so that schools can plan on a bell-to-bell ban this coming
September. I think we owe it to our kids. I think it would really make a difference. The other things we've done is um in February of of last year um I started a steering and policy committee
in in response to some of the chaos that was going on with the new administration. Um it we called it Senate Response 2025. First thing out of the gate that we did was a bill we call Shield 2.0 I know
protecting and enhancing women's reproductive care and health care and uh protecting gender affirming care here in Massachusetts. People said to me, you know, aren't you making Massachusetts a target? I said, we're we're already a
target. We need to really show people that we're protecting them. And the so the umbrella of this this committee is look at meet with all of the senators, find out what's perling up in their their districts, the issues in their committees uh because their of their
chairs, find out what the issues are. Uh meet with advocates and stakeholders and and so we we did that was the first bill and the house did that quickly and it was signed into law by the governor last summer. Uh we did a major data privacy
bill. We believe that your personal data is just that it's personal and you should decide who gets to collect it and whether what they do with it. And if you don't want them to sell it, they shouldn't be allowed to sell your data. Companies are making millions of dollars more than some some of these country
companies more than the product and they're selling. They're selling the data that they are collecting. And so under this bill, they have to show that they actually need to collect that specific data for the purpose of their their business. We protect children with
that. We protect g your GPS data so that another state can't come in. If somebody comes here for the health care that we've just protected, uh they can't go to uh companies and say, "We want to buy your GPS data to find out who from
Tennessee came here or wherever." And and it protects it from the federal government coming in and taking all all of your data as well. So, um there's many many other things. We've uh protected uh our enhanced protections
for all of our children uh for our schools that they have the right for education and other things. And we are looking right now at some immigrant protections. The governor came out recently in her supplemental budget um protecting them from so-called safe
spaces, hospitals, churches, you know, synagogues, um schools, and uh I support those. And there are others that we are looking at, including um Senator Brownsburgger is working with with this committee in ca coming up with a bill
that would uh allow a Massachusetts citizen to sue ICE for violation of civil rights. That's a new concept. Uh we presented it and now other states are beginning to look at and adopt it. But just unfortunately, all of immigration
pretty much is covered by the federal government. And so it limits what we can do, but we are trying to find the sweet spot where we can reach in and protect our residents uh because of what we've seen across the country. So uh protect
our residents, defend our values, and uh help Massachusetts has been a big um big I big thrust for uh what we're working on. Now, lastly, I I want to say I look forward to seeing Holliston again soon when the students of the Holliston Drug
and Alcohol Coalition comes to the state house. That's always a lot of fun. Uh I appreciate your continued partnership and working together. It's so important and I thank you. Um and I'll turn it over to James. >> Wonderful. Thank you. Thank you.
>> Start up. Sure. Well, first of all, thank you. It's really an honor to represent the town of Hollist. Um what a gorgeous day. Today I was able to walk from Mudville. So that was a nice start to my evening. Um we are really blessed to have Karen Spok not only as our senator but as the Senate President during these very challenging times. She
has an amazing team. You've been so supportive. I really appreciate it. Um we're always calling asking for advice. Dennis, great group over there and uh really appreciate that. And the senator always provides such a great overview of what's going on, what's happening at the state house and around financial issues.
I just like to add a little color commentary at this point and then we'll get to your questions. So I just have a couple minutes just a few things that I've been taking a look at. Some of these are longer term issues as well. >> One of them is I actually was approached by three school committee chairs before I was even sworn in >> who were concerned that why was the
state raising the out of district special education tuition by it was 14% and almost 20% in two years. And I've actually had meetings with superintendents and committees and different things and I've actually filed legislation and these things take a long time. But but my premise is this. We tell cities and towns you can only raise
taxes by 2 and a half% and not go to the voters. So why can the state with impunity pass on a 14% that 5% increase. Now every child should get what they needs. That is not what I'm saying. But the question is who pays? And I just think we should look at other ways. The small towns just get crushed by these
kinds of things. We're trying to do better. Uh I know these conversations are going to continue. I also, you know, if we were in another part of the country, the 15 towns around here would be in one school system. We do a little collaboration. I wish we did more centers of excellence, sharing expertise. It would also keep kids closer to their homes, which is what
most special ed parents want if they can. So, um, a lot of work to do in the future. I know things are going to get looked at, but just wanted to put that out there. The senator mentioned affordability. We're hearing it all the time. Housing. The other one is energy bills. Um, people send me their bills and I'm like, yeah, I I get stish. I'm
afraid to open my bill. The sticker shock is horrible. What's going on? Um, but I also, you know, consider myself a relatively smart person. I can't understand my bill. I had to sit with somebody to really understand what's in that bill. And that is part of the problem because there's this sort of myth out there of why is it so high? Um,
and you know, we passed legislation. It's going to go to the Senate will look at it as well. We certainly want to balance long-term transition to clean energy against current costs. Can we do some rate savings? One of the things I hope we look at eventually is this GSE program. It was a program to fix gas
leaks that was supposed to cost residents $5 a month. Okay? I certainly want our gas leaks to be fixed. But now this, you know, where's the oversight? If if you have a mile of of pipeline and there's and there's seven leaks, okay, fix the mile. I get it. No problem. You
have five or six miles of pipeline, three leaks, fix the three leaks. There doesn't seem I've been probing and asking and I'm, you know, still fairly new to the state house. Where's the oversight of that? Where's the municipal role in that? What's needed? What's not needed? Lots of conversations ahead. Um and and of course a long way to go for
the for the for the comm we we get there, but it's important. I'm really glad the senator mentioned uh universal school meals, which is something I'd worked on for my career really. And was but but what's really important is those things pass and people say, "Well, why are we helping them?" It helps everyone. And we would have saved $2,400 a year
when my kids were in public school, right? So it's for middle class, even more if you have more kids, right? Yeah. You you're doing the math. is doing the math in her head. But but you know, it's a it's a it's a it's it's good for all of us and so many programs are like that that you know, it may be helping a specific group. It's really uh good for
all of us. >> I want to put out something. I call this situational awareness as your state representative because I hear I have heard and gotten a number of complaints from businesses in the town of Hollist on how difficult it is to do work and
establish work here in Holl. I know we've got a new team, Frank's on leave and and here maybe you can a new pair of eyes can look at it. It's not for me to say what it is. Is it our regs? Is it the way they're interpreted? Is it the staff? Is it is it the communication? I don't know. Um but people, you know,
they people think they're at the finish line. Oh, two more things or two more things. And and just to be clear, because I know some like, oh, I know who he's talking about. This is not one business. This is not two. This is not three. This is not four. I track at the state house complaints or issues with
state agencies and you know no one's perfect. There's always this anomaly here and there. You know, you you get a handful of that's a systems issue that really needs to be looked at. So, if I can be helpful if it's something with the state and I always say this, look, if there's a state thing in here that I can look at, I'm happy to do that. Um,
most of it is town purview. Um, but as a resident, you know, the only way we're going to hold taxes and obeyance is to grow the business sector in a responsible way. And I get that and it's our town. We have to do it our best way. Just wanted to put that out there for you to consider. Um, great success so
far with the downtown sewers. Kudos to John Cronin and and that team. Um, happy to be helpful as you go for the next round. I guess you're going for another round this spring. Um, always will be supportive uh in any way that I can. Um, larger earwarks, it's really leadership that carries the the weight for all. So,
I'm so pleased to have Senator Spila and again Dennis has just been great. Um, I get to do little earmarks that I try to help and I I try to base them on what I'm hearing from people in town. And one thing I heard a lot about in the last year from people community groups in
Hollison like James, why is it so costly now for our police details? You know, it's it's it's costing more and more. And and to be clear, I'm not questioning Chief Stone. He's had to face the the concept that we now have lost our auxiliary police. was one of these well-intentioned the post commission,
but they didn't give small towns enough time. I loved our auxiliaries. They were local. They knew the town another pair of hands for a special event, not as costly. He doesn't have that option anymore. So, I'm not questioning what's charged. The issue is how do we help community groups? Um, we've had some conversations. I talked to legal in at
the state house. Um, and we I can do an EMR, which hopefully will will get some money to the town. The town can decide how best to use it. I think Ben had some good ideas on parameters, you know, up to 50%, maybe $1,000 max per event. But these community groups do so many good things for our town. One group said,
"James, we only raised $2,000. We ended up using a huge chunk of it for our police detail." So, I think it's a good thing that we can do. Um, so many of them do great charity work and they support this community culturally and other ways as well. So, uh, hopefully that will get through. And just to echo the senator, if I can be helpful to the
board, to people in town, to to staff, uh, let me know. Um, and and again, if any residents need help, whoever's out there watching, listening, you know, there was a survey at the Hollison Senior Center a few years ago, and when one of the questions was, do you know who to call if you need help with government? And two out of three people
said no. And I think it was because they weren't sure, well, is it state, is it federal, is it local? And as senator said, call us and we will try, we can problem solve. If it's a state issue, we'll help you navigate it. But if it's if it's something with the feds, we'll put you in touch with our congressional delegation, the appropriate office. Same
thing. If it's something that's really local, we'll call the town manager, one of you, and say, "Hey, is this something you can help with?" But we really are there to help and uh do the best we can. And I look forward to working with all of you in the months and years ahead. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Um, so, um, I'll just, uh,
make one comment and then I'll open up to the board and then I'll we might have some questions from the finance committee chair and the school committee chair. Um, so I just wanted to say thank you to both of you first of all coming in this evening and thank you for all your support for Hollist. Um, we really appreciate all the things that you do for us um, all the time and uh, your
continued support with as you say like you know the sewers and the Woodland Street project and uh, things like that are really uh, impactful for the community. So we're really grateful for all that you do for us uh, every day. >> It's always a team effort. So thank you. >> Absolutely. So I'm going to kick it off and see Tina. Do you have any questions or comments?
>> Uh, a couple comments and and maybe one question out of it. Uh we have a great partnership with our state reps truly. And I I just want to bring it home for a moment for what we see here at the table with the issues that come before us and the department heads that come to speak to us about what they're dealing with in their departments. We had our budget
hearing a full day on a Saturday just a couple weeks ago and we heard from a number of our department heads about the mental health concerns that they see in their departments and you know it's not really a budget conversation although it is. It's just sharing. Uh, so we heard from Kathy Lang, who is our veterans
agent, that she is experiencing these issues, these concerns within the work that she's doing. We heard from Cynthia Levnick, our new Council on Aging director, about her needs and her concerns. And we heard from Jackie Winer, our youth and family services director, about her concerns all related to mental health. So I believe Frank
Dvasio before he went away went out rather on paternity uh leave contacted both of you to say that we'll be looking for ways in which we can work with you through that great partnership that we have to maybe bring some resources to the town of Holliston in any department.
I named these as three but in any department to identify to address rather the the mental health needs that we're hearing from our department heads >> work with you on this. >> Thank you very much. Um along the lines of that great partnership, uh Karen, you mentioned the Woodland Street Dam and
the the gap funding that you were able to uh address to get that project completed. Thank you. As well as the support for the Mass Works grant for the sewer, uh you that partnership to help us secure state funding and also I'm sure you had a hand with the federal funding with Jim McGovern coming through
on the $1 million plus that he was able to bring to Hollist um after it was put on pause early in this administration. Um the the this partnership is huge for us. Um you mentioned the chapter 90 money and how that has increased to come back to Holliston to support us. Our
road network is in increasingly better shape and we are increasingly providing access for people who want more safety on the roads but also people who want more access for biking and walking. >> I believe our our data supports that things are improving in Holl. believe we
have more people who are accessing the transportation network in Holl the way they want to and doing it more safely. Uh but I come back to that partnership that we have with you and both of your offices. It really makes a big difference when we see chapter 90 go up, when we see these uh infrastructure
projects moving forward. So I I want to thank you for that. And finally uh you asked if we have well I would come back to your comment. We have had sta about um business development, business activity here in Hollist. We have had staffing changes over the past year. Our
board has dealt with a number of um not challenges but just changes. So I think we're in a period where there's opportunity and I think this board is motivated to find the opportunity to address some of the concerns and more that you brought up and that we know exists. So I would point to three
things. I would say we are looking for an economic development coordinator. We have that metropolitan area planning council's map for us. uh we're not even in year three of a three-year program. So, we're actively working. So, we have an opportunity here in this hire to
really double down on the plan that we have. Um we have a town manager and a board motivated to look at our land use departments and find ways to improve efficiency and address the concerns that you've brought up. Um and I I believe
personally that this is a town that should be looking at a local option meals tax in the future. It'll be a difficult conversation for all of the obvious reasons, but I believe that's another opportunity that we haven't tapped into that can promote promote economic development and we can turn it back to promote uh business activity in
Hollist. So, I I think we have good planning in place. Uh I think we need to execute those plans and I think we have some opportunity with staffing to really do that in the coming year or two. So, thank you for raising the concern and I would say this board is hyperfocused on that. Um, and we have uh some work ahead
of us, but I think we're we're up for the task. In terms of questions, I have one. You mentioned the five billion dollars that was set aside or or earmarked or whatever the correct word is. Forgive me for not knowing that right now, but uh five billion for house >> stuck in the bill that was
well like some of the five billion. Uh I think when you said how can you help? I think for a town like Hollist, getting guidance and support on using CPA funds and uh maximizing a housing trust and how that could work in the town of
Hollist to bring affordable housing and all of the different ways by which we can do it. if there's funding that allows us to do that or if there's guidance or support. >> Would it be helpful to have some of you meet with people representatives from the Secretariat of Housing and Livable
Communities to bring your questions to them and if we could send you them your questions in advance, maybe they could either come out here or meet you in the state house. we could host it and have a session just for Holliston and the
housing and livable communities folks and we could we could do that for for you. >> Yeah, thank you. That would be wonderful. I think we have a very healthy CPA. We have a very active CPC which community preservation act fund and a community preservation committee. We have very motivated people. Uh and I
think we have an opportunity there as well to do something in terms of housing. So look forward to that conversation. We'll reach out to you. >> Yeah, Dennis will follow up. Wonderful. Thank you. Thank you. That's all I had. Appreciate it. >> Just want just one comment. Hollson has done such a great job with long-term planning, especially with the way we've
spaced out capital. And you mentioned congressional directed spending. One of the things that I've learned, it's so important as soon as the town knows or has a good idea on where it wants to go. Those those are long cycles. Um and some of those meetings take years. So, as soon as anybody's got something in the works, please let us know and we can be
thinking about it and talking to our contacts uh in the Senate office and congressional offices as well. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you. >> Okay, >> Dana. >> Absolutely. Uh, Senator Spila, first of all, thank you. I really appreciate all the work you've done for Hollist on the budget and on a lot of different uh
items that are heading us from the state level. I'm kind of curious um given that you're in a very difficult situation with federal spending cuts that you did not ask for, but that you have capacity for >> Yeah. It's a between flat UGGA, the federal exposure you've described, do
you see um a near or midterm term realistic path where state, local, and federal fiscal relationship is tenable or should we be kind of preparing ourselves and planning around structural constraints going forward for the near term? >> It it's hard to know. I have to say it's
hard just like you see on TV, on the radio, how things change almost daily. So you we could be planning for something and then it just goes out the window because he changes his mind or the the plan. Um I know we are being
cautious. Uh it would be great to be able to say to you tonight we're going to dramatically increase Chapter 70 or local aid or these other things. But I wouldn't want to do that knowing that there is a chance and I I wouldn't even
try to figure out what the percentage chance is because again it's hard. It would be a guesstimate. Um so we're being cautious. Uh you have the governor's budget. Um there will be some changes. The house always has
differences and then the senate has some differences. you know, we can keep you in touch with where we are heading. But again, as in so many years past, if you need to get a number and you at least use the governor's number, that
generally is at least somewhat safe. But if you have questions, call, you know, and we'll give the straight scoop as to what's going on. Um but you know we know I mean even during 2015 2016 when we hit a a reception and that's the when I
became chair of ways and means and it was like here you go you know we yeah thanks >> we had to cut the budget a billion dollars each of those two years we held harmless local aid and I held harmless chapter 70 because knowing but that
means then that other things have to get cut and it's hard when you have may have cuts this deep. It It's not just the the I mean, it goes into the bone and and um there are several lawsuits still going on.
Attorney General Campbell has some lawsuits with some other attorneys generals across the country to fight some of these massive cuts. Um particularly for education and and other things. Uh so and and thankfully we have
the fair share. I know that for some people that's controversial, but uh the fair share has covered the school meals, a lot of the the K to2 education, the early ed reform and some funding um and and keeping kids and providers in early
education and the the public higher ed uh tuition and fees. I mean, we have some of the best plans, lowest debt for public higher ed, uh, in in the country right now, and I want to keep it that way. So, you know, we'll use every
resource we have and and innovation. We'll try to be innovative as well. >> I appreciate that. I know. Oh, yeah. James, feel free. >> Well, I was just going to say we we appreciate the rock and a hard place situation here in a lot of big infrastructure things rolling down the hill here in Hollist. a bit of a renaissance coming, but we want to be
good custodians of the fiscal dollar and make sure that we're doing the right thing at the right pace. So, we'll we'll try to keep an ear to the wire and if you have any information, please let us know. I think we're all trying to do right by the town, >> right? Well, no. And and part of the challenge is there's there's different kind of cuts. There's the cuts that say, "Oh, we're not going to be able to do
the bridge on the cake." But then there's cuts to essential services and like how are we going to be able to cover this? Can we cover it? Is it possible? And we're not going to be able to cover everything. And then on top of it, and these are the things that really worry me, and remember I during Obama, I ran USDA food nutrition, and I've been meeting with people and and you look
into the details of some of the bills coming out on SNAP. If we want to have a SNAP program, $50 million more, we have to pay the federal to the federal government. If we don't get the error rate down, we're going to pay $400 million. Those are like actual costs that we have no control over. So it's
all these complex uh situations that are that are bending against each other and then on top of it they change their mind every other week. You know you try to plan I was on TV when when Mary did it now John has the show and she said how are you dealing with all this? This is the problem Mary is I could talk to you something about what we're doing today and by the time the next show shows I
said it'll be different. So we're doing the best we can >> manage chaos >> staying in touch is >> sometimes not so managed. >> We're working at it. We're working at it. And then uh James just a followup uh so on the on the point about business uh that's something I'm very interested in point is really well taken um I'm
actively interested in things like structural licensing reforms and you know maybe ways of making that a little bit more concentrated. Would you mind sharing if it's possible? Do you have any more details on specifically the issues some of the businesses mentioned? It's okay if you want to take that offline but I want to make sure
>> I can do a little of both. I can give you one of the things is that a couple things people thought they had everything lined up. they did what they were asked to do and oh wait you have more things to do that's a communications issue that's something we should be able to deal with um around structural issues there are some
discussions about you know we have 351 cities and towns 351 approaches maybe there are some things not all because we want to give local control that should be a statewide system around planning and that there's real discussions about that and happy to talk to you I'm not leading someone else >> I would love to follow up on that
>> those kinds of things but it it it's a mix of things and I and and that's why I'm like I'm not where it lies because some of it might be the rules and the way they're interpreted. Some of it might be the people and and maybe there's this opportunity as Tina said, you've got new people in new people here leading the town. So maybe we can just
be positive and go forward. But I think we want to be good to local business as best we can. Doesn't mean the town doesn't have purview on where it wants to develop and not doesn't mean the town shouldn't have things to say well we don't really want that but yeah and we can happy to talk more too. >> Great. Thank you very much. Feel said. >> Yeah. Okay. Great. Um so now um I was
going to invite uh the school committee chair to come up just uh we have to come up to a microphone. That's the only thing Sarah and then uh I will invite uh the uh finance committee chairs on the uh the zoom. Um but um Sarah is here and might have some questions or comments on behalf of the school committee.
>> Well, thank you. Thank you for having having me here and um really pleased to be here with both of you. Um, I just really want to extend our thanks for all of your support. Um, you know, specifically, we're so excited
about our invitation to the MSBA process for the Hollison High School. Um, it's been many years in the making and you've continued to support us all the way through this. So, we're really um, incredibly excited to be jumping into
this the eligibility phase. Um, I know we also sent you letters about chapter 70 funding. Um, but we also are fully appreciative of all of the things that you're weighing. Um, you have provided much support. Um, that we are
just very aware of. We understand the the difficult decisions that go into that. Um, you know, I was at the Tri County, I saw you at the Tri County, um, superintendent's breakfast the other, it was just last week, I think, but it seemed like a long time ago. Um, but
it's, you know, the message is really the same, I think, among every, you know, all of the communities. We, we all need the funding. Um, we're all making difficult decisions and it's it's hard. Um but I it's clear that you are
listening and keeping our students and our education um top of mind and high priority and we're just really grateful for for your support. >> Um so I think that's all. >> Thank you for doing great work in difficult circumstances and all of the
staff and teachers and everybody there administration everybody. Mhm. >> It's tough times. You know, kids are are struggling in so many different ways. Mental health one of them, but so many different ways. >> So, yeah. Thank you. >> Yeah. No, certainly big challenges. One
of the things that that I'd like to learn, actually, I have a meeting with Ken next week to understand some of the formulas, but um and I talked and I Karen's been around for a while and and I know there were different phases of ed reform, so and and I'm not sure where you were involved and and not here yet when Dave Mñani was around. Um I look at
the formulas. I'm trying to understand it better because look, do I want to make sure student opportunity that t and Lawrence kids desperately have needs? I get it. No problem. I don't particularly like that they then throw us in with, oh, you're like Weston and Welssley. Well, we're not Western and Welsley,
right? We're in the middle. And I don't and I I actually asked one of the people who's been there a while. I said, why didn't you have some graduated system that said, sure, these systems have real desperate needs. We're going to have to give them some extra. You're in the middle. We're going to give you some help. And then there's these other towns that are minimum minimum support. I I
and and and she actually said that there've been some discussions of beginning to talk about it. Of course, it's always a question of how much money we have, but I I I I do think there's going to be I mean, I'm I'm I didn't say it as diplomatically as the senator did, but she talks about the importance of regional equity. Um, which I I love that
phrase. Um, and I I just there there's something there that we could we could work around and hopefully we'll get there eventually. But it I I look at the numbers. When I was first elected, the governor would announce percentages and I would go and run and do the math and then and then the numbers would come. I'm like, wait, what happened? So now
I'm getting there and I'm talking again next week. But anyway, we'll see. But thank you. >> We are we are looking at at chapter 70 uh looking at it again. In fact, the Senate last year included uh the beginning stages of of looking at it. And I I think it's time we built into
the formula when we did it last time every 10 years. We may need it a little bit earlier than that to to look at some of the inequities as well like what Histon and similar towns experience. >> Do you have thoughts on that?
>> I'm not the chapter 70. So >> if you could just just quickly >> one Yeah. >> Chapter just chapter 70 is incredibly important. We would love your support on increasing that. what you did last year with the 75% fully funding the 75% reimbursement of transportation was just
out of the park huge and really appreciate that. So certainly if you could do that again that that would be right and that's why >> much more impactful than >> we try to look at if we can't do it one way what other ways can we do it that will most help >> some of the communities
>> okay >> yeah but thank you for letting us know >> thank you >> thank you >> thank you Sarah all right um I see Dr. Shada on the Zoom. Uh Dr. Shada, do you have some comments or questions for the uh legislators? >> Oh, I always do
the uh by the way, I thank you again. I as Mondays are always a bad night for me, which is why I end up zooming in instead of being there in person, but I I want to start by saying thank you. I know you both put in a lot of effort on behalf of Hollist. So, uh it's definitely appreciated. I'll try to keep it quick because I have my list of
little things here that I wanted to I I'll start out just by fulfilling my mandatory obligation to say when are you going to fix the open meeting law so that I don't have to do minutes anymore for a quarter of meetings and so that I don't have to read that stupid thing every time I have a new meeting. >> I I agree that we need to take a look at
that. I I'm very complicated and controversial, but uh we need to start talking about about that and and public records. Yes. Well, I I I I'll tell you right now, I'd be happy to volunteer to work with either one on reddrafting the
language to more appropriately suit the modern technologies because uh but it's one of these things where as I said, you've only got a year and two months to extend it again. So, uh >> so we'll see we'll see if the next pandemic comes before we finally codify
it for real. So, in any case, um that's that that's just my little my annual gripe to you guys. Um I was listening to what both of you said and that I wrote down a couple of notes because there were a couple of things that I thought um could help maybe. Okay. So so one is
um you talk about the federal government and obviously we all know what's going on with the federal government. So I understand the problems you have there. uh when you talk about things at the town level and even between residents and the municipalities, one of the
things for example that that I think that the state needs to look at and do some real work on are things like utility rates. Okay, so as you know, New England has one of the highest electricity rates in the country and I mean it's double what the national
average is. Okay. So, when we talk about things like helping town budgets, helping residential, you know, affordability, things like this, that's something that helps both, right? We we pay for electricity just like residents do as a town, right? So, so I know that
the governor was touting the now getting the hydro Quebec, you know, link and it's going to reduce things, but to James point, there are lots of things that go into an electric bill that like the mass save thing, which I'm I'm not an anti-mass, but as you know, you were
involved with this, significantly raised the budget for Massave, caused a significant increase in the charge on on utility bills, caused a lot of people to start screaming, caused the governor to back off a little you know, things like that. But that's the kind of thing where there should have been that discussion up
front of, okay, we want to put more towards these efforts, but what is that going to do to the to the the average resident in terms of their utility bills because those, as I said, that that's something that helps everybody, governments, private individuals. So, I just encourage you to keep looking at uh
ways of of trying to bring down electricity rates. That's, you know, utility rates. The other thing Dan touched on a minute ago, which was sped costs, right? I'll I'll reiterate what James said. Everybody gets a, you know, gets a public education. I'm not saying
anything about sped in particular, but I'm just saying from a financial point of view, right? The the variability. I think that one thing the state needs to start paying more attention to is how variability in costs affects towns like Holl. There are towns that are much
bigger, much more wealthy that can absorb fluctuations a little bit better. And then there are towns smaller than us that have far worse than we do. But but one of the problems is some things that come along are so variable that when they hit, you know, I'll give you a
perfect timely example. Foxboro with the World Cup, right? You've heard about this whole thing about their 7.8 million for security, right? They're screaming about wanting the money partly because they're not a big enough town to support fronting $7.8 million for the World Cup. >> Frankly, I don't think any town should
front that money. >> Exactly. Right. But but but the point is that that there are other aspects like like the sped costs when you talk about things like, okay, we're going to just have out of state tuition go up. You know, the town has to find a way to cover that. The state may come back and
say, well, next year it'll show up in your your chapter 70 reimbursement. the next year, but that's a year later, right? So, so there are things like that I think that you guys could look at too in terms of improving some of the reimbursement processes to not have the towns have to front an entire year's
worth of costs before getting them back. I think that's that's one other thing. Um, okay, the last couple things you guys didn't mention, but I I put these on my list anyway. One is we had this blizzard two weeks ago. Snow and ice is obviously a big problem for a lot of municipalities this winter.
In the past, there have been uh state efforts to assist with major storms where we'd see some, you know, if there's some supplemental funding to help offset the costs of the major storms like the blizzard, not the minor ones, right? And I was just wondering if
that's anything that's on either of your radars for the coming >> months because that would be a big help. I mean, our we're already, you know, to probably at least a quarter million over on snow and ice right now. Um, which is, you know, to be fair and not to panic
anybody, it's not that atypical, but it is atypical in the sense it's more typical of a bad winter. We haven't had one in 10 years, right? So, so there are things like that where I I look at, you know, you talk about ways you can help the municipalities. That's a way where you can say, okay, this is a variable
cost that happens, you know, acts of nature. But if we have a little supplemental funding, we can benefit all municipalities by saying, hey, we're going to reimburse some of the expenses for this this storm because, you know, we understand that's, you know, you're you're getting hit hard this winter, you
know, that kind of thing. >> Um, and finally, one thing, uh, the one last thing I had was, um, health insurance, right? So, so when you know the town left West Suburban this year and went on the GIC, which has resulted
in a savings that is basically going to allow us to probably get the budget balance this year, which is good. Okay. However, the bigger issue that I see having done this for a long time, it's more long term is
these things are just eroding away the the ability of municipal governments to do anything. And I'll I'll go back a long time and say, okay, when we went to school, how many schools had activity fees for sports? How many schools had,
you know, had had activity fees for clubs? How many fees schools had bus fees, right? And what's happened is over the last, you know, 20, 30 years or whatever, it's slowly creeped in. Why has that happened? Because municipalities because of Prop 2 and a half, which I'm
not anti-prop 2 and a half, but I'm saying that every decision that's made at the state level concerning municipal finance has to take that into account that when a cost gets shoved onto a town, they can't just go ask for more money easily, right? And nor do you want
them to, right? But but the but the point is that you know it's a spent transportation cost increase here. It's a you know a new state mandate here over here for voting and elections here and things like that. And when you add it all up what it does every year is when we sit there and say okay here's how
much we can raise the levy legally without an override. Well here's that pot and a good chunk of it gets eaten up before we even start. And health insurance is one of them. That's why I was going to why I wanted to go on that. you look at health insurance inflation uh you know the the some insurers and
this doesn't apply to like the GIC but I'm saying some health insurers in this state have been getting approved 12 and 14% increases and I can tell you personally I know my own health insurance has gone up 14% this year and went up 12% last year so I've given you
real numbers right and that's not insignificant sitting you know we sit there and say inflation is 3%. Well, who cares if you're paying 14% more for for your health insurance, right? And and again, I'm not I'm not this is not on the two of you, but you were asking
about areas that I think the state could look at to help improve things for everybody. And and that's what I see, right? I I I I sometimes wonder the extent to which the agencies
that oversee some of these increases are living up to their mandates as opposed to just taking the data that comes from the companies and saying, "Okay." Right? Because that's the way it looks on some of these things, right? You know, Eversource comes in and says, "Okay, we
need we need a ton of more money, so approve our new electric rates." And it's only when people start screaming that the governor turns around and says, "Well, maybe we'll cut down mass save to help." But where was the digging into the data? Maybe I missed it. Maybe they did it. I'm not I'm not watching their hearings, but it's the kind of thing
where it's like you should have known this is going to happen if you're approving a 10 15% rate increase, right? So, where's the where's the analytics saying, hey, Eversource or or National Grid or whatever, you know, hey, we're going to look at your numbers and you got to do a better job of managing your
costs. You can't come over here and ask for 10% 15% every year. Anyway, that that's my little rant for today. But as I said, when you were talking about different areas, I wrote down a few things that I personally, as you know, I've been doing the finance committee job for a long time. And
>> I see I've seen the erosion take place over my time on the finance committee. And it's one of these things where, you know, now I'm looking at it saying, well, you know, if you're looking for areas to explore, those are the things that I think, uh, you know, could get some attention that could benefit not just the residents, but also the
municipalities. So, >> and of course, >> and I thank you for all of that. Uh, a lot of that we do look into like the electric rates, utility rates. When we start hearing, when we get our bills and we hear from our constituents, we
contact the state agencies. We sit down with them. My office sits down with them and asks them to explain what's going on and and justify what what's happening. So, it is important for people to contact us with those things. But a lot I just want to note that a lot of what
you you've mentioned involves more revenue. And you know, not all of it, but but but a lot of it. And I do just want to mention I I have to to mention this that you know as you as you heard things are tight now there is a
potential ballot initiative up for for the ballot next November that would lower our income tax from 5% to 4%. Now I'm not going to get into the politics of income tax and taxes but I do want to
mention two things. Um, millionaires would get an additional $10,000, at least $10,000 a year by that ballot initiative. Somebody on minimum wage would get almost $300
for the year back from that tax decrease. The state would lose $5 billion out of a $61 billion budget. That is a significant chunk of revenue. So on top
of the Trump cuts um and our revenue to put that on top of it. I just think people need to think twice. You're mentioning a lot of areas. I would love to be able to say yes, we'll give more revenue to to these areas, but just like
the town has one pot of money uh and works hard to extend it as best and as equitable as it possibly can, the state does too. So, I appreciate the feedback though and we'll keep talking about a lot of those issues.
>> And can I look forward >> and just to be just to be clear on some of them, I think that it's you're correct. It's revenue, but it's also in my mind efficiency, right? You get into this mode where every year the utilities come. Every year the utilities file a rate increase, every year they kind of
look at the same things. It's like, as I said, at some point you have to look at that and say, "Okay, you know, let's go look. you you got let's talk about how you guys become more efficient so you're not coming to us with a 10% raise next year. >> I I agree. I think the governor did did do that this year. But I I agree that
should be done that should be gone done on everything presented by the big companies. >> Yeah. So Ken, I look forward to our meeting next week and and maybe talk about some of these systems issues. I know I have a lot of questions for you. And just back on what the senator said about this this ballot issue, the state
government, we can't print money like they do with the feds. the feds can promise you a tax cut, print out money and not have to pay. We we have to balance the budget. And unlike folks that we have in the town where we present to the town and say, "You want to have this new school? This is what it's going to cost. We need or we need an operational override. If not, we're
going to lose two police officers." This is a question of do you want less taxes? Well, I want less taxes. I want to play less, right? >> Everybody, >> what's the cost to it? And I hope we're going to do a good job at least explaining so people know what it is that's going to happen if if it passes. Sorry. Anyway, but I'll look forward to
our meeting soon. >> Great. >> Thanks, Ken. Um, any final thoughts before? >> No, a lot of uh food to think about, you know. Uh, but as always, thank you so much. It's great to see you. Thank you. Um,
>> very very good. Many issues that we will continue to follow up on. >> Thank you so much. We appreciate you coming in this evening and um we'll uh look forward to talking to you again >> soon. >> And we'll we'll work to to schedule that that meeting with housing and livable, whatever works best for for all of you.
>> Perfect. Stay in touch on anything. Thank you all. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. Have a great night. >> Lovely. >> I know. I know. It's left of it. Yes. Thank you. >> Byebye. Byebye. Byebye. >> We'll give them a moment to uh
head on out. All right. >> All right. Um, so next we have a couple items on the agenda for uh conversations about the the town meeting warrant. Uh I'm going to talk about the town meeting the warrant in general a little bit for just a second here. Um while we have
some members of the school committee here because uh there certainly been some uh questions about the uh the MSBA process and the uh the role of the select board here and the uh the warrant uh for town meeting in May. And so um
the question that has been presented to me is is the feasibility study an article for the feasibility study on the warrant in May and the answer is yes there is an article for the feasibility study on the warrant in May um that is
there um at this point we've submitted uh language through our council who said go it's the MSBA's perview so it would go to the MSBA so the MSBA has the language and they're reviewing the language for the action ual article. Um, and then on the other side there the
other pieces financial is being able to sort of uh figure out how that works. It's a it's a it's a large sum of money and it's not and it's there's a some moving parts here and we'll get there. It's just it's it's not it's not a simple here it is. That's it. It's that
we have to go through some steps here and we will we'll get through it and uh and get there. And you know, as far as I'm concerned, you know, we're closing the warrant this evening. It's on the warrant. Um there is no intention um as far as I know I'll let the other board
members speak up about it as well. Um there's no intention to take it off the warrant. Um and any intention to do so would be with a conversation between the schools and the select board as far as I'm concerned. And normally under statute the select board manages the
town meeting warrant. And I think this is particularly important. Um, it's a communitywide decision and I believe that there should be as much community opportunity for conversation and it's a slow process. We're we're not even in the eligibility phase yet and you know this is going to take years. There's
going to be a lot of conversations about this. It's going to go in front of town meeting multiple times. There's going to be ballots. It's going to be things on the ballot in the future. Let's, you know, we have to make sure that we're we're aware that this is going to take a lot of time and we're going to get there. And you know, right
now we're just trying to figure out how that feasibility study goes forward. So, um, it's there. It's not going anywhere. And I believe both boards should have that conversation before anything would take place. And nothing is going to take place without that conversation happening. And I'll let um, Tina, if you
want to speak up about this as well. >> Yeah, I would just I would say that uh, you know, uh, this board has consistently demonstrated over seven years, seven years, seven applications. It's either seven or eight. >> It's a lot. It's We'll go with seven. This board has has consistently voted to
support the statement of interest. Um I recall going into the state house a year and a half ago uh December of 24 to sit down with Dennis June Betty in uh the Senate President's office and I brought forward three concerns that I felt as a board member that select board was
hearing a lot about and I wanted to present them to her office and ask for their support and advocacy. One of those being the new high school build. our uh statement of interest uh to enter into the MSBA program. So, we've I feel we've done nothing but demonstrate support and
I look forward to continuing to do that. I think we have examples of how that is that work is happening. Now, I would say I appreciate the working group. I have really enjoyed collaborating with the two members of the school committee who are in the working group and I look forward to more productive conversations
that I bring back to my board to share. nothing is everything rather I should say is uh brought back to the board to share with uh you both and Frank and Hillary have done the same with with their committee and I think that is the best example to the community of of good
faith transparency and an openness to dialogue and I uh look forward to continuing to do that while also continuing to support this project going forward. >> Great. That's all I have to say. >> Great David. >> Yeah, nothing much to add. I want to thank Tina for that. I completely agree that us working with the other boards is
going to be key for me. It's really just about being fast and thoughtful at the same time. So, that's where I'm at. >> Okay, great. Uh, yes. >> Can I ask a question? >> Uh, sure. >> Do you want to come up? >> Yes. >> May approach the bench,
>> please. Well, you're not on camera like you need to be uh on microphone. >> Okay. So, appreciate it. Just so just quickly because I didn't actually hear the words. Can both Damon and Tina state definitively that they support having the article on the May time meeting war? That's AB. >> Absolutely. >> Okay.
>> Yeah. >> What? I'm sorry. What is that? >> Just that you support having the feasibility study article on the May time meeting warrant. >> We will have a vote to >> Is it I'm sorry. >> Well, there's nothing to vote on right now. We don't have >> No, I'm not asking for a vote. I'm just I'm just I'm asking >> it's on the warrant right now. So, isn't that isn't that support?
>> Well, last October the $2 million capital request for the roof was on the warrant and then there was a vote to take it off the warrant. And so what I'm saying now is I'm looking for a statement of of support, not necessarily support for the article that you vote for at town meeting and that you support your but that you support it being on
the May tell me warrant >> and I think I think this you have you >> I think this board has said yes and and it's not going anywhere. It's not going to be taken off the warrant. >> I have not heard Tina say that. >> Is there is there a challenge in the question? No, just the question is do
you do you publicly support having the feasibility study on the Maytown meeting warrant? >> As my chair stated, it is on the warrant. >> The select for supports having it on the warrant whether or not the individual like we're not moving it. It's not going anywhere. It is on the warrant. It is
it's not you would not go we would not be removed without your board and my board agreeing to do so. >> Right. That's that's not exactly what I'm hearing, but since >> you know it's like well but the thing is is that it's there. So isn't that that
is supporting >> the million dollar capital request for the roof was there until it wasn't? So all I'm saying is that was removed. >> But what what I've said repeatedly is that in order to remove it, your board and my board would have to agree to do so.
>> Okay. >> I I would say this one thing. A a past vote that demonstrates the result is the result of a thorough deliberation by a three-member board that ultimately prevailed is good open public process
and deliberation. Let's not take that and bring it forward to serve as a purpose to distrust the members of this board on this current situation. I understand what you're referring to and I take no issue with
your opinion on that moment, that vote, but let's not bring forward something that was a representation of deliberate open dialogue that ultimately prevailed for the benefit of of the issue that you state, which was the roof repair for the
the elementary school. That prevailed and it came from thorough deliberation, which is what we are tasked to do as elected officials. and I'll I I'll stand by that any day. But let's not bring that forward and say that that serves as a purpose to seow distrust today. Our
statements have been clear. They've been transparent. There's no indication to suggest that there's something nefarious happening based on a prior vote that represents a thorough deliberate decision-making process in an open public.
>> I I don't I don't want to get I don't want to litigate this right now. >> Okay. I would just say that I disagree with that. You can disagree. That is totally fine if you want to do that. I I think this board's very clear. It's on the warrant. It's not going anywhere unless your board and our board agrees to do so. >> I appreciate your your your demonstration of support.
>> My only caveat there I think we all share is we all reserve the right to be better informed and smarter tomorrow than we are today. >> So, right, notwithstanding new information, new oddities that show up, but you know where my heart's at. >> Appreciate it. Thank you. Thanks, Dan.
>> All right. Next up, we have the board of assessors, Mr. Kevin. >> Just the principal assessor today. >> Just the principal assessor this evening. >> Thank you. >> And uh what we're going to do this
evening if uh we are going to talk a little bit about some of the articles that you are putting in front of us, >> right? Which the board has voted to put before you. >> Okay. Great. >> And uh the the the um I understand the language, but we had placeholders previously for the warrant. So this
isn't there's nothing new. >> It's just language. >> Hopefully the town manager gave you the final wording because I know at our budget hearing >> you had a previous version even though I had given him the final. >> That's okay. >> The final version. >> We still have time to to tweak the
language. We just want to make sure that list. >> The town manager while I was already working on proposing these to the board, the town manager approached me with the exact same ideas. >> Okay. So he is perfectly in sync with
these. >> Wonderful. That's great. >> So do you want me to run through them quickly or? >> Yeah, why don't you just kind of walk us through what is uh being put in front of us. >> Okay. Well, as you know, the Department of Revenue disallowed
the transfer from the assessor's overlay account that was voted on at last October's town meeting. >> Yes. >> So, one of them is to nullify that vote. Um the transfer was subsequently made by the finance committee uh from the reserve fund.
>> Okay. >> Uh but in order to clean up everything um >> we're going to nullify that. Okay. >> We need to nullify that vote. >> Gotcha. >> Um the next one is one that the town manager is actually asked to postpone till the fall town meeting. >> Okay. >> Um which is the contribution to the
fiscal year 31 department of revenue resertification. >> Is that is that on the warrant tonight? It should not be. >> It is not. >> It is not. Okay. >> No, but it was in the package. >> Okay. >> But uh >> the re the reason I ask is just that because we're we're going to close the warrant this evening. If it was on
there, we could have we could vote to remove it. That's that's all I was going to >> Okay. But uh both the town manager and the board of assessors and myself all agree with postponing it. >> Sounds good. >> Okay. The Now we're getting into the meat of what is a package of articles. And the best way to explain
it is um we're trying to ensure that we're offering seniors and veterans the maximum exemptions we can. >> Okay?
>> And over the years, the state has changed these. Um a year or two ago, they passed the well, four years ago, they did the brave act. Then they did the Heroes Act. So what we did is we went through all the exemptions we offer
>> versus what's available and we're now proposing to bring us up to the level that we're offering everything we can locally. So, one of them actually is readdopting something we've adopted, which is the
so-called clause 41C senior exemption, uh, which we already offer, but um, for some reason the do not have it on the list of things we offer. And by voting it and then submitting the vote to them, I can't answer for what
happened prior to me being employed by the town. So, we're just really accepting a town law and doing exactly what we've been doing, but being able to forward a certified vote to the Department of Revenue so they know we're offering it. Um, there
is one caveat on this one. The current exemption we offer is $1,000. The Senate last two weeks ago passed a bill that the House has yet to pass that would change this exemption to allow a
town um right now it's a $500 exemption and the town voted to raise it to the maximum of a thousand. If the bill uh prior to the town meeting is passed and signed by the governor, it would let the town set that amount at any dollar
amount it wants. What I would suggest is if that happens, still stick with this and then we have a discussion for future years >> on whether to increase it. >> Okay. >> Um the next one adds the annual cost of living to that exemption. And what this
allows is uh every year in January, the department of revenue would tell us what the cost of living adjustment is. And if we accept this article, we would then apply it. So, for example, the $1,000 exemption had had we had this in place
now, 2.9% would have been added to it. Um, and the total increased cost to the town through the overlay fund, uh, given who has it now would have been $261. Not a huge amount of money to begin
raising people up. And it just means that instead of the same thousand every year, you know, if the cost of living is 1%, it goes up by 1%. Yes, it will creep up over the years, >> but it's ensuring that we're giving the seniors the most we can give them as an exemption.
The next one is the same thing to the other senior exemption, which is a very small exemption uh called the clause 17D. And I just found a typo in my wording. That's okay. We'll we'll catch it in the
the printing. And again, it's the same cola. Had that been in place this year, the additional cost would have been $11.50. The next article is we currently offer what's called a clause 18 uh tax deferral. that is primarily for seniors
who have severe medical issues where we can wave all or part of their taxes. We consistently in my five years here have had about five or six people who get their 100% waiver and although we're not allowed to talk about them, I
can tell you they're in no shape to pay anything um mentally, physically, whatever. What this one would do is we've had questions over the years of can't you help somebody who temporarily has a financial hiccup in their lives
but is not a senior and doesn't have a medical issue. This clause 18A would allow the board of assessors to give a temporary deferral. Let's say somebody says, "I've gotten
laid off. I'm actively pursuing a job, but I can't pay my tax bill this year. It would allow us to, this is a deferral. It would allow them to defer the bill for a maximum of three years, pay it back with interest to the town.
Uh the assessors would do it on a the board would do it on a case-byase basis. We have had people approach us in the last year or two and say, "I'm in this situation. There's no way we can help them." The town does not lose the revenue. it does come back to the town
with interest and we have a lean on their property to ensure that. >> Can I ask a quick question? >> Yeah. Yes. >> Do you when that happens, do you direct them to the Holl Community Action Fund? >> We do that. And if they might not be able to pay the bill,
>> you know, somebody comes to us, um, typically they come in January when they've gotten the two final quarter bills and they may not have paid the first two quarter and they find themselves owing whatever their bill is.
And at that point, you know, we refer people to them all the time. We we have a network of referrals among the senior center, the youth and family services ourselves. >> It sounds like this article would allow for more efficient process by which they could relief. >> Gives you a little bit more agency in
the process. >> It it it one more avenue of help for people in temporary need. That's the way I'd phrase it. However, it's not a grant because it we do put a lean on the property and they do have to pay it back with interest
within three years. >> And the board would be very very judicious about giving these out. I mean, this is not something you give out willy-nilly. But on the other hand, if you have somebody, it's the difference of them losing their house or their kids
dropping out of college and they need temporary help. It just gives us the ability to do that >> and it's the only thing the only tool we would have to help a non senior by the way. >> Mhm. >> Um now we go to the veterans. The same thing would allow adding the cola to the
veterans exemptions that we have. Um in one case had we had it in place this year $1,100 additional cost. Um, the next one is a new law that came about um in the so-called Heroes Act a
year and a half ago, which basically said if you are the surviving parents of someone who died in action, whether uh a full-time service person or a person in the National Guard called up to active duty
um by the president, not the um that their surviving parents or guardians would get the same thing that a spouse would get, which is a full exemption for property taxes. Right now, as far as I know, we have
nobody in this circumstance, but we wanted the ability to offer it if something happens. The next one was, as you know, um we exempt the first 5,000. Well, no, we don't exempt the first 5,000. We exempt
anybody who has personal property under $5,000 from taxation. In fiscal 22, we raised it from 3,000 to 5,000. Uh, two years ago, the town's auditor suggesting increasing it to 10,000. Uh, we've
looked at that. the annual loss in tax revenue to the town would be less than $3,000 a year, but it really is a way um the representative mentioned helping businesses. This basically would eliminate not real
estate taxes, but the personal property taxes from probably 99% of every small business in this town. And and again, it's not costing us. The majority of this tax, by the way, is paid by um the
larger building owners and the two largest contributors are instar gas and instar electric pay the bulk of it and along Gas. So in reality, if I went up and down Main Street right now, I would say that it would eliminate personal property tax from everybody from here
probably all the way up to uh to Hoppingburg. It's a it's a good thing for small businesses. It's something we can give them as a help. And and again, you know, we lost I think I think we came out with like 27 or
2,800 when we raised it from 3,000 to 5,000. Again, the maximum we'd lose is $3,000 right now. And it's it's a way of helping the small business. And then finally, um, this is one that I
discovered Hopington did, um, that I'll talk about. This would be very similar to our means tested exemption that we petitioned the legislature four years ago to grant. We're in the second year of that means tested.
Um Hopkin um as you know uh is in a school building boom and so they submitted one that would exempt the same people who qualify for the circuit breaker exemption
they exempted from paying for their school building projects. We've kind of written this to say first of all right now only 33 people meet the qualifications. So I don't want anybody to think this is a mass
exemption of hundreds of people in the town. Um, this if passed by town meeting and then the legislature would allow the board of assessors
to exempt seniors from a portion of the debt exclusion construction project costs, not the whole thing. >> Who sets the portion? >> The board of assessors.
I have no problem changing that to the board of to the select board at all. I'm just I'm using Hopington's wording and changed it. >> Um, as you know, you set the percentage for the uh senior circuit breaker means test primarily because that's a tax
classification issue and you hold the classification hearing every year. This would actually be a an exemption, not a classification issue. And basically right now I can I can't tell you what the costs are, but I can
tell you that for this year we had 33 people meet the criteria to do this. And you could say let's exempt let's just say that a project added $100 a year to their bill. You could say
we'll exempt that $100 for the people who qualify. In this case, that would be $3,300. Um, and you know, I I don't think the board of assessors would take an action without collaborating with your board. Uh, if you want to leave the wording as
as board of assessors, >> I think we can talk about it at some point. Um, have a conversation about what the right right thing to do. As you said that Hawkington has they use the assessors do it in Hawkington. >> They do. There's only one town that has this right now. >> That's Hington. I happened to uh was
talking to the Hopington assessor at a meeting and I was asking him how his circuit breaker was going because our wording actually stemmed off of his. >> Yeah. >> And he said, "Well, we did this last year and it passed the legislature. Fiscal 27 will be the first year they do it."
>> Okay. >> So, nobody's done it before. Um >> Okay. >> But on the other hand, I went to the town manager and I said, "We have a chance to be leaders." Um, >> and given all the projects, it might be it might be uh prudent to have some
>> Well, I also thought if you know when you do a debt exclusion, it's usually a year or two before you actually borrow the money, >> right? >> This would allow time for the town meeting to think about it. And by the way, it has the same three-year sunset clause. So, it would have to be renewed every three years by the town meeting.
>> Okay. Um, this would be a chance to get something through. If it goes through the Mattown meeting and then it typically takes the legislature about 18 months to two years, it might be signed into law by the time we borrow money.
And if you can help 33 people, >> yeah, >> a little bit or maybe it'll be 40 people. You can also, by the way, by setting set a limit on the amount. is written here that the board of assessors
could could throttle the amount to be exempted. >> Um, and you said that the board of assessors has approved each one of these. >> They have approved all of these articles >> as they as they are. >> They actually in this one they actually edited and made changes too. >> Okay.
>> Um, >> okay. >> And I personally took it away from being school focused to make it debt exclusion focused. >> Okay. Um >> would it um so would it would be basically per year based on each of the debt exclusions or would it be like you know
>> they would have to apply every year. >> Okay. >> I'll run you through the thing. The the the person would have to be 65 or older. >> Yep. >> Get the circuit breaker tax exemption from the state. >> Yep. >> Live in the town for a minimum of 10
years. Mhm. >> Um it would be the circuit breaker income guidelines and asset guidelines. >> Mhm. >> And then they'd have to apply an individual application every year. >> Okay.
>> And then would look at the total people allowed >> and you know probably the assessing staff would make a recommendation to the board. >> Mh. And I think in this case the
discussion with the board is they would probably have a discussion with you if it's left as board of assessors before deciding on what to exactly you could you could just say let's say I'm going to pick a number out of thin air. I think we calculated uh I'm going to put
James on the spot. You and I you and I calculated a a real broad ballpark for the highway horn, >> right? >> Do you remember what we came up with? was between 259 and 359. >> Okay. So, let's say it's 200.
We could say exempt the whole 200, except a hundred of it, except half of it. Um, and then just like this, the means tested senior exemption, that amount that's exempted gets spread among
all the residential taxpayer. So you're shifting that burden to all the residential taxpayer including the people getting it by the way. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> So right now you know we've shifted
was $73,000 this year I believe. >> Okay. >> In the means tested. You wouldn't know the amount until you actually had a debt exclusion. >> But the intent is to give people some relief.
>> Sure. I don't want to say total relief, summer relief. And when you add in all the criteria and keep it to the means tested, I mean, there were 18 people last year, we're 33 people this year. We're not talking thousands of people, right?
>> Okay, great. Um, uh, >> and again, this would have to be explained at length at town meeting. >> I know. I know. >> And town meeting would have to prove. >> Yes. >> And then would have to go take it up to the, uh, state level and >> got to approve it. But it got approved at the legislature.
>> Well, the the fact that Hopkins what typically happens is what happened with the means tested candidly is three or four towns started, >> right? >> There's now 18 towns. >> Okay. >> And there's now pending in the house
instead of each town submitting their own, there's now pending a bill that would just allow cities and towns to adopt this by a vote of town meeting instead of petitioning. >> Yeah. What I envision is if we're number two, >> Yeah. >> there'll be a number three. >> Yeah. And it'll keep
>> and by the time you get to 10 or 15, there'll be a bill. >> To make it easier for people to do it because >> it makes sense to do it with a given all the projects. So, >> yeah. And the thought behind it was we have some costs coming in the future, >> right? Right. >> It would be nice to lay the groundwork
>> to have things available >> when that happens. Yeah. My guess we we the nicest way I say we talk to most of the seniors >> right >> who face economic difficulties with
their taxes. >> Yes. >> We help them fill out the abatements. We kind of know what they're thinking and they're not shy about telling us. >> Yeah. >> I can't afford to vote for this or that. >> Yeah. >> Yep. This might be
>> a way to give them a little bit of relief. >> Relief. So they might feel more comfortable >> supporting >> supporting something. >> Gotcha. >> That they believe in but economically can't >> support. >> Okay. >> And I'm being very honest about it's putting a tool in place. >> Yeah. No, absolutely. And I think it's
good to have tools available to us um to help people who who need it. >> So those are the articles. >> Okay. And >> great, >> Tina. I was gonna let see if Tina or Damon have any any questions or comments this time.
>> I like the way you describe this as a package of articles, a cluster of articles that are looking to get the maximum exemption for seniors. I I >> And veterans >> and veterans. Thank you. Uh I I think that's an noble endeavor and one that ultimately this town would support. I
think the spirit and the intent of this last article is a good one. My my this is a first, I think, where you are where we're being presented with um a change that would allow somebody to vote for spending that they're not then responsible for.
>> Well, they don't know that yet, >> right? Uh it it's hard to it's hard to explain because you don't know if a person voting to approve this would ever be eligible. They they might know because they've
already qualified for senior exemptions in under the other >> under the policies that we have. >> But we're going to need more than 33 people to approve it if you want to tell me anything. >> Is there a path to this passing that goes to the ballot box as opposed to
through town meeting? >> Um you you could indeed do that. what you were what you would be voting on in the ballot box is to ask the state legislature to pass special legislation. How you do that? I mean, typical route
is have town meeting vote on it. If you want to run it through the ballot box, um I think you know three pages of text might be more confusing than some of the state ballot questions. At least in a town meeting, you could explain it thoroughly and answer questions. But
that's again that's up to you folks. >> Not me. I don't set policy. >> I have no concern about the the spirit and intent. >> Yeah. >> None whatsoever. uh and I do not have the framework in my thinking to look at this uh in the way
that I think it actually might need to be looked at which is to say >> Damon you go next because I think I might need to think about my thoughts for a little bit as I I'm saying these things out loud context but also keep in mind this is we're getting this introduced to us this doesn't mean this
is the final word that we this is just an opportunity to ask the assessor about the the particular >> May may I put it this way. >> Whether it goes before whoever attends the town meeting >> or whether it goes before a broad audience at the ballot box, the intent is the same.
>> So people look at it, ask questions about it, they decide to say yes, ask the legislature to do it or they say no, don't ask the legislator to do it. It it's irrelevant to me the method chosen to get it there. >> Understood. Understood. you know, and
and again, I'll give you pros and cons of each. Cow meeting, people can ask questions in person, right? >> The ballot box, they can't >> a finite audience, a broader audience. >> Council has reviewed the articles. >> I don't think so.
>> I don't think we to your point where this is not a we're listening and hearing and we're we we have a long runway before town meeting, I'd be more than satisfied to hear town council's feedback on this. this I think the concern it's not even a concern the framing that is in that's forming in my
mind is to to the the exemptions that are in the prior articles refer to the operating budget >> the the right they're they're basically you're you're accepting a portion of state law that allows you to change existing things
>> the oper and they do change the operating budget in terms of overlay Excuse me. >> Well, thank you for the presentation. If town council is going to review, I will wait for their feedback. I again uh appreciate the intent and spirit and
support it ultimately, but I will I there's some the mind is grappling with a few complex thoughts that uh I'm not articulating well and I think council will help me form them or remove them and I'd look forward to that feedback. Yeah. And we can like we this is this is the first
stage like we're just let's just know what's out there and then you know we're not tonight is just uh informational and then we can we can explore what those look like >> and quite honestly if the board wants to table it for a year and do research on it that's not an issue.
>> I'm not endorsing put it in the package. >> Okay. >> We'll see if my mother comes to the table and yells at me for votes that I pass. >> David. >> Uh yeah. So I'm I'm glad that you mentioned having town council reviewed. in line with the spirit of the thing. I do think there's a couple of nuances there in the language section two that
allows the board to broadly have discretion over I think it was assets in excess of the intended recipients etc. which gets into kind of a question of like is that is that well defined? Um do we have do we have like a number and I
think that that's the means testing that you've already alluded to. >> If I may that is u >> not looking to resolve it here. I'm just saying that that's something that's the state criteria for the circuit breaker. So that's set by the state >> and that kind of relates to the board having discretion over such a small
group of individuals. I actually worry about rules that put um very personal touches on law because like you might think that if it was we're talking about 33 people, but those are going to be people we know, members of the community who might interact with the board as well. So, I just think we want to be
thoughtful about the legislative implications of pushing this through at the state level, not that we'd be pushing it through, but I I like the spirit of it. I would just want it reviewed by council. There's a couple of nuances in there that make me a little bit nervous, but I the idea is fantastic. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I would just say the majority of
it has already been vetted by town council and the legislator's council. Okay. >> But but again anything again it was just part of a package to try to >> for sure. No no thank you. >> And that's and I I think it's good to it's also it's good to have these conversations about all these different these different pieces
>> and that's only one part that we're even raising. So I mean that's kind of and I >> it's interesting that there is an entire course on tax policy that assessors can take and I've taken it three times. because I want to teach it.
>> And um that's where you have these discussions, >> right? >> And and again, we we are more implementers of policy than policy centers. >> Your your confidence is impressive and and appreciated. Your confidence in what you're presenting to the board means I
understand and I appreciate that. uh the the knowledge that you bring to the board, to your board and this board in terms of the the exemptions here is impressive and thank you. >> I I thank you Tina. I don't like to brag but the bill that's before the house to
make the means tested adopted by town meeting. I wrote it. >> Nice. Nice. It's great. You can brag a little. >> It's fine. >> No, I actually co-wrote there. There was an assessor in the Northshore. he, I, and the uh legislative staff of the joint committee on revenue wrote wrote
that bill uh several times last year. So, >> well, we we appreciate all the things that you do for all of us and thinking about those kinds of things. It's uh we're we're grateful for >> candidly, I don't I don't I personally I just like to see it get implemented before I leave.
>> Understood. Understood. I understand. And we'll uh you know I think uh you know there there might be some questions and uh you know but I think uh the the idea I think is a solid one and I think we'll uh figure we'll figure it out. >> Yeah. U you know if if you don't I know
Ben you and I have discussed it but yeah at some point in the next calendar year I'm I'm I'll be retiring. So then I can go apply for these. >> Well good for you. Thank you Kevin. Appreciate everything. >> Appreciate it. Um, and I know I have two
people here. Um, if you don't mind, I was going to get the clerk real quick um before we uh talk to talk to you the moderator about um another another topic. Um Liz, are you there? Liz Greeno?
>> Yes, I am. >> Hello. Hello. Good evening. >> Hi. Good evening. I'm sorry my camera is not working tonight. >> That is that is quite all right. We can hear you. Um so um there's a couple articles that you had uh uh brought forward for general bylaw changes
regarding kennel licensing. >> Yes. >> Could you just uh sort of walk us Sorry. Go ahead. >> What we're trying to do here and it's it's um both general bylaws and zoning bylaws to be more in line with the
state. Um the state passed uh Ali's law a year or so ago to more define kennel licensing and protect dogs that are in kennels. So it's just changing a
number. Our current bylaws say um five dogs four dogs sorry are a kennel. The state says five. We are moving ours up to five so that we're we're in line with the state. So those are the only changes is the definition of a kennel would be
would be five dogs and um in the language of the kennel um description it would be five dogs as opposed to four. >> So that's the yeah that's the only change the substantive change in both of these bylaws >> and that is it >> would be to change to five dogs. Okay.
Uh Damon Tina do you have any questions about that? Just one, Liz. The consequence of not changing this would be that their license could be in jeopardy because they they could be acting as as they think they would in any other part of the state, but here in here in Hollist, their their license
would be called into question because they had five dogs and not four. Is that kind of where this goes in terms of consequences of not making the change? it would actually be business. Um because if somebody has five four personal items
um I mean sorry they if they were to have yeah four right now they're required to have a count >> but if they have f they don't have to with four. >> Okay. >> They would with they would with five. >> Okay.
Got it. Okay. Damon. Anything? >> No. Just anecdotally, I literally had a conversation with someone today who has three dogs who was saying they can't get a fourth because of the kennel law. >> So interesting. >> Okay. >> I don't know. Fascinating. Fascinating. Thank you. That's all. I I think I understand the gist of this. Thank you.
>> Okay, >> Liz. I I appreciate you being patient with us while we uh we got to that. So, thank you very much. >> You're welcome. >> Have a wonderful evening. >> Happy to be here. You, too. >> All right. Moving on um to Michelle Zamer, our
moderator. >> Joanne, >> of course, if you'd like to bring Joan to the table. >> Um and welcome. We have our moderator and our town historian. >> Um we were coming here to talk a little bit about the 250th anniversary and um
some opportunities for town meeting. Um if you kind of want to walk us through what you're thinking about. >> Sure. It's um nothing is firm in stone. And before I start, I want to say my intent is not to make town leading town meetings last longer. >> It's not the Oscars.
>> We're not going to have songs and dances or anything like that. >> Oh, wait. Let me cross that off. Um you know, it's the 250th and a lot of towns across the state are doing things. Um, one of one of the
things when I moved to Hollist, you know, I'm from the Midwest and I was so excited about Massachusetts and the history and my birthday is the um December 16th which is the Boston Tea Party and you know the first my very first birthday we went to the
reenactment and I was really into it and then you know we moved to Hollist and you're like nothing happened here >> you know we didn't have we didn't have you know well we didn't have battles we didn't have, you know, there's you don't learn about Hollist when you're, you
know, in school. >> Washington drove a truck to actually put it up over the uh the uh the balancing rock instead of trying to push it over, >> right? That that's it is uh George Washington ritual try you try to push it back. They should do that. Yeah. You know, it' be as successful as George
Washington was as pushing it off. So, but I think it would be a nice fun community thing. So we want to do something >> that doesn't give someone a big education but give them pride in Hollist and know that things did happen here.
>> Okay. >> Um so one of the things uh that I talked to Joanne about is some kind of display in the lobby of town meeting of uh the high school outside of >> and so she can >> talk about that a little. >> Yeah, we brought it all together. Uh,
one thing is that it's too bad that 1774 was much more exciting than Hollison, but unfortunately that's not the way it is because you know the British are going to be leaving next week. Yep. >> And uh, it got pretty quiet after that, but not totally. Right. >> Yeah. And we wanted to also show not
only what was going on in Ferris. The war effort was happening but also the other little things that were happening in Hollison according to the uh, selectman's meetings. Yes. We took it from there and also a lot that came from the receipts and expenditures. And if
you really want to have some great reading, that's at the public library, you know, in the back stacks in the reference area where you can go from like 177 66 I think it is all all the way up to 1800 and see all the stuff
that they spent the money on and it shows how the town was um operating. Now, so what we did was we took um uh first of all the major events uh and um all of the doings that were going on in Hollison as far as for instance about
what they were procuring for the war effort because remember there wasn't any um uh central army. It all had to be done grassroots right from Holliston. So we have in here all of the events that came here, you know, cost of keeping men
in service, for instance, that was all Hollison's responsibility in each town. You got a little bit of money from uh the the colony and really not much from uh from the United States as it was being formed and everything, but it had
to all come from here. And it came with some really interesting things about where your money came from. Uh, one of them was about uh the widow Jarushia Russell and what did she do? She donated some money to the town or loaned it actually
for the purchase of guns. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. It was that sort of thing. There were people that were bringing together food, clothing, shelter, and everything. And of course, the famous story of uh Staples Chamberlain, but that was 1778, who took it all down to Valley Forge. >> Okay, >> there were other ones that did that,
too. But uh we're listing out just some of the things that happened as far as business as usual with uh with the town fathers so to speak. Little bit of an introduction here. Um when we were putting it together with what we have for information, we could do an entire book just on this thing. So we have to
really kind of cut it back. But the other things we also had here was from the expenses of the town uh for how much uh money they had to pull together, you know, for 22 men to tyonderoga in July. Uh, and then five men, well, they had to
pay 70 pounds to go to New York. And it went all the way down. Just to show you what was being pulled together locally in order to get the soldiers going off. So, from small town in Hollison, over 200 men served in some way or form in the war of the revolution. A lot of what
was going on was with people in town. perhaps some that were a little more um too old to go much you know but that a lot of it was going on at home. So you have all of that and I also have here also um all of the soldiers
who had died in service and each one of them of course is an interesting story uh in 1776 for our banner year that we're going to be looking at in particular Timothy Johnson. He was 17 years old probably. Well, we're not really sure because they never really
sent you back anything to tell you how they died in in most cases. And we do know when you get down to Valley Forge that some of them did die at Valley Forge and they died of u I hope not hypothermia but disease and and food and all that. But that's uh this the names
here and all of the money that was going out and coming in because it was all locally raised. And then just the business as usual. And in here is not only about the war effort, but it was also some other little things we wanted to make sure that it wasn't the only
thing that we were talking about. Uh for instance, uh Okay. Yeah. Down here. Um on June 25th, Elizabeth Travis, 9 years old, was indentured as as a an apprentice. That was a very common thing. It sounds terrible, but actually
it's not as bad as it sounds. is probably a good thing as far as she was concerned because her mother had died and all that. But July 4th, the Declaration of Independence uh was ratified here, but it did not get to Boston until the 15th, you know, and so
it is in the Hollison records, transcribed into the Hollison records in September. So that's how it kind of rolled out. But there were other things going on. You had to pay uh people, teachers in in the schools. uh they was
continuing to do that. Uh but uh a lot of what was going on had to do with uh raising the money. Uh for instance um of course what happened uh at Bunker Hill caused a lot of people to be displaced and uh the Chamberlain family of which
we did have some in Hollison. Uh we were uh we were sending them money for food, clothing, and shelter and rent uh as they were trying to get themselves reestablished back in Boston. Uh and it was funny because the Charles Town selectman sent a letter out to Hollison
Select saying, "Hey, we've got this family here and you know, you really should be giving some money to help support them." Those are the types of things that the selectmen would end up with. And and by the way, back then you had a little extra help. There were five selectmen, not three.
>> A little a little, >> right? Just just saying. Yeah. Okay. >> So, our intention is to get these onto a poster and have them someplace in the hall. We have somebody that's working on that right now. She's trying to figure out about maybe getting them on easels, but she's working it out. Okay. Now, the
other thing is I do I assume that you're going to at least make a slight mention of it. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yes. Okay. So, you have a slight mention of it. And I'm also thinking that perhaps somewhere on the town site that we ought to post this later, the pages of this later. Yeah.
>> Uh so that we can refer people to uh read up on it because basically what it's going to be is for people standing in line and waiting to go in and maybe catching a little uh bit of curiosity about it and maybe they'll also look at it on the way out, but they may want to take a look at it more closely and
perhaps putting it up somewhere on the >> town hall website. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, we can definitely uh have that put up on the website. Um uh once once you have it digitized, we can do that for you. >> Oh, yes. I've got it digitized. I can send you those files. >> Wonderful. >> Sounds good. Yeah. Send it to uh send it
to the town manager and we cannot >> Yes. Okay. All right. All right. I'll I'll refer it all to him. Uh once that uh Yeah. when it comes to that >> and you're saying like there there would be potentially just like some some statements made or you thinking anything else of how we >> Well, I've talked to talked to Chief
Stone and he's trying to arrange uh color guard. >> Okay. >> Um and I've left a message for David List. I haven't heard back from him to get someone to sing the national anthem. >> Okay. Um, and then I was going to read
this is a template that my MMA which is the moderators association MMA they actually call the other MMA the other MMA course. >> Um, >> there's a there's a template um of what
moderate it's just three paragraphs. It's not that long of what they're um going to be reading. >> Okay. um and or four and it should be um tailored to Hollist. >> Okay.
>> Um because in I thought this was interesting. In 1768 there was the Massachusetts Convention of Towns >> and uh Timothy Rockwood was there >> and he represented Hollist. >> Okay. So I thought I don't you know you
don't think of things like that and um just that the MMA believes that the um the Declaration of Independence it actually started in town meetings because a lot of the wording is
wording that was in Massachusetts town meetings. >> Okay. They asked for suggestions from the towns and and the one that we were discussing it was about um that the British in Boston had said that uh the towns and everything you cannot have any town meetings. They were cancelling
everything like that and and Michelle asked me to look it up and I said, "Oh yeah, I know the answer." Uh they said, "Uh no way." and they they continued on business as usual and in it said we will only follow the rules and regulations that are set
forth by the Massachusetts colonial government. You know the heck with you British, you know, so they considered uh they carried it on. But but I know 1774 was really the most exciting time during this era in Hollison because not only
about what was going on leading up to the war but also some things that were going on locally uh in this matters and other matters as well. >> Right. People think it started on a bridge with you know the shot heard around the world. It was actually the culmination. >> They were working it up for years before
it. Yeah. >> A big thing. >> But then things quieted down in 1776 and everybody went to New York. >> Right. where they belong. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I think it's fascinating. Look forward to all of it. Thank you. And I the color guard that's that's um that's would be a >> nice idea.
>> Quite a demonstration for town meetings. So, thank you for for reaching out and organizing that. That's right. I really love the idea. Uh I feel like we've talked about this before, but are all those documents in the library, are they digitized in a way? No. That would make them Okay. >> No. You take take your reading glasses and a pen and a pencil and some paper.
No. It's really interesting because um Hollis and history are spread all over town >> uh at the public library because that's the most easily to um access. Uh that's where I found the receipts and expenditures and it's a four volume set of these books and the reading is
amazing because it was done um all those transcriptions were taken out of town files uh back in the 1930s by the town historian at that time, Daniel Chase. God bless him. He did things I could never have done. But anyway, he uh went through town records and called out um
different subject matter including about the war and all that and he put them in these books. He also apparently has sent a copy a carbon copy I assume into mass archives at the time in the 1930s and but the thing is that u he also made a
statement in the essay that he in the introduction and this really struck me. It was around uh 1805 I think it was there was an article in town meeting and it said if it was uh if it was considered to be by particularly the
treasurer it was appointed to him that if he saw that it was within his um if he agreed that he would do this that all of the old records would just be trashed thrown out. Okay. And I went, "Oh my god, you and so then I made sure I
looked it up on the next thing and to make sure that Dan had Dan Chase hit it right." Hollison did not throw up the records. And in it he said that very few towns that he could find actually did save them other he said Waltham did, but he said I couldn't really find a trend
where most of these places kept paper. So, thank goodness Hollison did because the history that uh most of this that I got out of there came from those records and they are excellent reading. I mean uh the history on it and everything. This was also in the same book here and
this is what I call my the original newcomers to Holliston list and this is in this during this time during the revolutionary war and going through and seeing some of these names in here. Um many of them I find elsewhere but
there's other ones that I learned like Kato Hart which we have to share with Framingham but he uh was a um Revolutionary War soldier and as the quip on other records say that his his time in the army was as long as George
Washington's which was very unusual because most will go in for three months or even a week. We have a list of American soldiers that did just that, including those in Hollist. >> Interesting. >> And I know who they are. >> And we also have to have something about
Freeman. >> Oh, yeah. >> Oh. Oh. 1774. Yeah. Freeman writers. >> And he is really interested. You can find all of this um online. You can Google him, you know. Freeman, Massachusetts, 1774. And if you can't find him, look up Felix Hullbrook
because it's under there, too. Anyway, four men in Massachusetts um uh presented a petition to the the House of Representatives in Massachusetts. And he was very polite,
very very civil, basically um laying out a proposal to abolish slavery in Massachusetts and very kind about it. He even gave some, you know, possibilities and, you know, some ideas and everything like that. And apparently uh the House
of Representatives said, "Oh, this sounds like a great idea." And so they voted yes. And then it goes to the governor to sign. And the governor who was a I'm sorry, a Tory. >> You know my history.
>> Wow. >> Yes. Oh, yes. Of course. Yes. Of course. And so unfortunately, Governor Hutchinson did not sign it. Now, it's kind of a strange situation in Massachusetts because you would have free blacks living next to enslaved,
including in Hollist. Uh, that was the situation here, too. Uh, I will say that as far as I can tell, most were free blacks in Hollis, but not all. And, um, so they had to wait about 8 years until about well, they really started to uh,
abolish it in 1780 and I think they finished it. you know how legislators can be very slow and they uh did finally abolish it and of course it was u one of the earliest in the new United States >> wasn't until a state supreme court decision about two years after the ratification
>> right exactly so that but the thing is those four men and uh they were free blacks and u uh you can find that petition it's online and everything and the whole story behind it and one of my chief regrets is that two out of those
four men on that petition have Wikipedia pages. Freeman does not. You know anybody that can do a Wikipedia page? I have all the material high school project. >> I think that would be absolutely good. Yeah. I I I wish I could find somebody
who would do that. U because Felix Hullbrook was one of the other signers on that and he does have a really nice Wikipedia page and Hollison should do something about Freeman. >> Yes. >> Yeah. He was a very interesting man and oh by the way he was a carpenter. There
was Jethro Jones who was in this list lived in Hollis for 10 years. If you happen to go down to Williamsburg Museum in Virginia uh Jethro Jones's um plane his carpenters plane is on display there in that museum. And I I
got a call from the curator one time and he's going oh we have a Jethro Jones. And I go who what? Well, I learned a whole lot about him very quickly because and I said, "Well, how did you know that it was from here?" He said he had carved on one side his name, Jethro Jones, and
you can you can look up the pictures. It's online, too. And on the back side it said Hollist. >> Only Hollister in America, so it's going to be >> There you go. And he SAID, WELL, HE SAID, WELL, it was kind of easy to track you guys out. >> But it it's great history because Jethro
was also in here on the newcomers list as well. He was here for 10 years and then he went on to after that he went to Leicester. He he uh joined up in the uh in the uh uh army and everything. He ended up in uh Blandford
where he did very well all the way along the line and out in Blandford they have some historical markers up there and also a street named after him. The whole bit uh they've done their homework. >> Nice. >> Yeah. And you can get all of that online too. So if anyone here or anyone listening has any ideas or anything, you
can contact one of us. >> Okay. >> Yeah, exactly. >> We really appreciate you uh coming down. When you got that subdigitized, send it to the town manager or when it's ready and then we can have a >> Well, what I can Wait a minute. What I can do first of all, I mean, I shouldn't be walking away from it. There you go.
There. There's the rough draft. Yeah. As far as I know, that's exactly what it's going to go up as. I don't know if there's going to be any minor changes in the meime. It's ready. You send it to us and we'll put it on the website. >> Okay. Yeah, I'll get it to Frank. >> Thank you so much. Have a wonderful evening. Cheers. >> All right. Thanks.
>> All right. Um Okay. Um due to an oversight, we did not have public comment on the agenda. Um but I'm going to offer the opportunity if anybody would like to make a public comment at this time. Uh, anyone in the room
interested in public comment? All righty then. Um, anyone on the Zoom call have a public comment this evening that they would like to share with us? Andreas, I see your hand raised. We just have your name and address and uh you can uh give us your comment and uh thank
you. >> Hey, good afternoon everybody. First of all, Andre has 12 street. Can you all hear me? Okay. >> Yes. Yeah. >> Yes. So yeah, I'm not sure if this is the right moment to talk about it. I know I had emailed you, Ben, about talking
about PI situations. No, that we have had before. >> Sure. >> Is this the right moment for me to talk about this? >> If you'd like to make a public comment Yeah. about it, you this is an opportunity for you to do so. >> Yeah. So I think it's pretty appropriate after the conversation we had about the
budgets, Massachusetts budget, town budget and how we must become a little bit more efficient in the use of our resources given the whole tax burdens that we are now facing. Basically, I want to pass proposal which I believe won't be able to we won't be
able to work it for May maybe before October and I wanted to know if and how the best way to proceed with this if select will supported if this board is willing to actually champion it or if
itself and the rest um the base of the proposal. Yep. >> Yes. >> No, I thought you were asking me for for an answer but go ahead. Yeah, exactly. I mean, I'm really looking to put this out on the board and
we don't need an answer tonight, but we will definitely start working on some solutions for this. >> Okay. >> Uh, basically what I've been seeing, and this is problem that I've been coming up here to the port for already eight years now. Not every year because not every
year we've had the snow we've had. So, snow is one of those problems that if you ignore it long enough long enough, it goes away. >> Yes. So, but we also know that as weather changes, we are going to have three bass storms coming our way. Some years
without snow, but some years with two or three feet of snow. So, we really need to get this in order. Now, basically what we're talking about, and I'm not sure if any of you had a chance to see the PowerPoint presentation I know before,
Ena, Damon, did any of you actually get to see? I do believe I saw it. It's been been a little bit but yeah I remember it. >> Yes. >> Okay. So basically the problem I have seen is the irresponsible management of snow on ice by commercial landlords and
by the cloud companies basically all commercial. This does not involve any residential addresses and so only involve commercial ones of them basically blocking sidewalks uh ging and dumping snow on the roads making the
roads narrow the streets unsafe for children drivers pedestrians dogs pretty much everybody also ties into what you were talking before about making houses a safe place for people to walk for residents to be able to transit safely
and enjoy And eventually also I mean I wish Mr. Walker was here. I know Robert sent me through my street today. I would really love to know how much it cost to clean up the street and how much money us the taxpayers lose having to clean the
street above the mess that the commercial landlords in Pur Street create. It would be a nice number to knowing that we're a couple hundred,000 deep into snow cleaning and if a lot of this comes from commercial people well.
So for many reasons this problem needs to tackle legislation not really anything else because we don't have legislation in the town to address the fact that if they do it nothing happens not even a slap on the wrist. So, I'm put saying let's put some bark into it
and let's put some fight into it. Let's put some legislation that disallows this commercial landlords and plow companies from doing any kind of uh dangerous situations or situations that will involve the town to come and
clean it up and in order to enforce it include very heavy fines. I'm thinking at the order of $500 initial and 300 500 date question >> thoughts comments >> I have a question for you Andress you
contacted Robert Walker regarding this is that right I believe he was CCD or included >> okay >> everybody that I thought of would be relevant now thank you just if we when we seek a followup uh information good to know Robert's read in on this thank
And also I want to make something absolutely clear. The highway department has worked tirelessly this year on these tough storms. I have no nothing but praises for the work they've done. In fact, I asked my girl Girl Scout to this
year during Girl Scout Week. We will be giving our gift to the H for their hard work. We don't want to make their life hard. We want to make it easy. Sure. >> We want to make it easier for everybody, residents, the highway department, the
town. And that is really what I want to see. So my question is, do we need to pass this on a vote on the October meeting? Is this something that can't be changed bylaws directly by the select board? >> Um I would say what I would say is if
we're going to talk about bylaws, it would have to go through town meeting process. And I think um what I would say is maybe we get together in um you can get together to talk to the board after town meeting and we can start that
process. We have a little thankfully we have a little bit of runway before October and we're not you know we can make sure that that you know we understand exactly what you're thinking about and stuff like that and if you have you know language that's been passed in other communities for example that's really useful because that means
the attorney general has already approved it. things like that can be very beneficial um in helping um this board be able to assess that. I you know I can't say whether or not we would uh uh put something on the warrant you know this this far in advance you know with
no language or um deeper information that we would need to go through. Um but I think conceptually we understand what you're saying. We're happy to start that process um you know right after town meeting um to to explore what options we have. We've we've actually talked this
board has actually talked about another situation with snow removal and you know thinking about some of those kinds of things. you know um you know the comment you made to me about that was you might want to not want to mix them together but let's look at that as a you know um
together to sort of understand that if that's something we want to explore and how we want to get there because I think uh you present a an important question that I think we um we should have we should start to tackle and and explore at uh um when we have a little bit more time and bandwidth to really get into
it. >> Perfect. Yeah, I actually in the notes chain I did send proposal very rough draft. >> Okay. >> Some starting an idea of what the language will look like. >> Yeah. And also it's from the towns.
>> Okay. >> That have current regulations more than that. So I regulations from those towns so we can use it as a template based on what >> Okay. >> Sounds good Andreas. Thank you very
much. I know it's like it's the draft already. >> Okay, sounds good. Yeah, we'll we'll go back and we can explore it and we can talk we can talk further um in the in the time to come. >> Thank you. >> Awesome folks. Thank you very much everybody. Have a wonderful night.
>> Thank you very much. Any other public comment on the Zoom this evening? All right, hearing none. It's after nine o'clock and I missed an item on the agenda uh shockingly. Um it's uh I I I failed to take a vote to close the May
2026 town meeting warrant. >> So uh apologies um and um you both comfortable doing that this evening. We uh had set a time of 4 p.m. this evening um to do so. So we can just make it official that it is closed.
>> Unacceptable. >> Can't believe we missed it. >> I know. Move to close the town meeting uh on today, March 9th, 2026, inclusive of articles as presented. >> Seconded. >> All right. All those in favor? >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> All right. The warrant is now closed. We certainly are able to reopen it if we need to make edits. Um more like deleting articles and things like that. Substantive changes to articles do not require reopening
anyway. Okay, now we are caught up. Okay. Uh, select board member updates. Tina, >> uh, given the hour and the early start I have tomorrow morning, I have none. >> Okay, Damon. >> Oh, I'll go with a quick one and not a long one. Uh, just really interested to
hear that some of those documents are not digitized from the historical society. I think it might be worth a conversation in the future to set aside some funds to do so. feel things burn very well and >> things things like that can be there might be grant opportunities to >> historic question is on that they would
they present it to us the last time they brought up uh that was one of the items that they had was uh >> I thought it was digitizing the clerk's records I don't know about the ones that they're talking about other processes by which you could do that so they're interested >> as long as it's comprehensive I'm >> I'm sure they're I'm sure they're
looking at all those things because yes I agree they should be digitized and they should be searchable and you should be able to >> you know as much data to extract You see things with uh AI being able to find things like this is what this is and being able to do all sorts of cool stuff that you might not have been able to find. >> That's it. That's all I'm saying. Cheers.
>> Um I have no sector updates at this time either. Um let's see. We have uh MSBA uh high school project updates as needed. I have asked this to be a standing agenda item just to give us some space to have a
conversation if we need to. I don't believe there's anything. Cheryl, is there okay >> that I can see. All righty. I just like to have it there just in case because sometimes things can come up very quickly and uh just having a little bit of space there to to have it I think is important. Uh board business. I think we
have one appointment. >> Move to approve uh move to approve the appointment to the open space committee for Bob Derling for a term to expire June 2026. And thank you to Bob Derling for volunteering. We actually have a letter. Would you like me to read that into the public comment or the comment
on this? >> Uh sure. We have a letter of support. >> Why don't we read the one from him? Why don't we read his because he wants to. >> Ah, thank you. Uh, >> let's read that one. >> My name is So with this motion. My name is Bob Derling and I'm interested in a position on the open space committee. I
have a deep interest in preserving the open spaces of Hollist. As a photographer, I've spent a lot of time documenting the wildlife and insect life of our town. And so I'm quite familiar with the many of the wild spaces. And also I also spent a lot of time photographing Upswing Farm when they were still in town. And I love a good
trail run, too. I feel certain that my photography could be used as a marketing andformational asset for the committee. Please let me know what the next steps are. Should my next step should be for my potential candidacy. Thank you, Bob. You're doing it right now. Okay.
>> It's not potential anymore. >> So, the motion is out to appoint Bob Derling. >> Seconded. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I I >> Thank you, Bob. Appreciate you stepping up to volunteer. Um, warrants Cheryl.
>> Yes. Okay. Um, February 23rd was 3,366,52518 and March 2nd was 562,51147. >> Wonderful. Excellent. Any other business? I wonder if we should have a snow and
ice policy review at some point on the agenda if Robert Walker and and uh Frank feel it's appropriate to bring it to a a future agenda given the year we last updated it uh in 22. So, I wonder if if there's some reflection, a little debrief. Maybe
there isn't, but maybe it's a conversation to have with Frank to see. >> Maybe we can uh maybe we can Yeah. have that conversation. That's fine. If you want me to. >> Okay. Damon, anything? >> Nope. >> All right. I will entertain a motion to adjourn at 9:12 p.m. >> So moved. >> Seconded.
>> All those in favor? >> I I We are adjourned at 9:12. Thank you very much for your time this evening, and I hope you have a wonderful evening. Enjoy the nice weather. >> Recording.