WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=YbjjPmqsvDM

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: YbjjPmqsvDM):
- 00:00:20: Call to Order, Introductions, and Budget Overview
- 00:03:14: Budget Adjustments and Surplus Identification for Fiscal 2027
- 00:06:18: Discussion on Cuts and Prioritizing Budget Restoration
- 00:09:07: Clarification of Budget Items and Potential Shopping List
- 00:10:03: Senate Budget Updates and Funding Scenarios Discussion
- 00:11:24: Priority Setting, Public Safety, and Staff Retention
- 00:14:11: Public Safety Priorities: Active Shooter Training and Staffing
- 00:16:58: Prioritizing Public Safety, Flooding, and Staff Compensation
- 00:18:10: Ambulance Revenue Projections and Potential Budget Adjustments
- 00:20:25: Understanding Revenue, Cola, and Vehicle Excise Tax Concerns
- 00:22:31: Vehicle Excise Tax Estimates and Revenue Management Concerns
- 00:26:22: School Funding, Budget Priorities, and Employee Compensation
- 00:31:03: Override Scenarios and Potential Budget Reallocations Discussed
- 00:33:15: Preparing Two Budgets: Override Passing or Failing Scenario
- 00:34:18: Motion to Reinstate Fire, Police, and Training Line Items
- 00:35:59: Possible Cola Raises, Fall Town Meeting, and Highway Priorities
- 00:38:14: Catch Basin Cleaning, Revenue Estimates, and Motion Clarifications
- 00:39:23: Staffing Clarification: Fire Department Positions and Resources
- 00:44:46: Motion to Adjust the Budget for Safety and Maintenance
- 00:46:39: Formal Motion for 1B Budget Adjustments and Vote Tally
- 00:47:49: Discussion on School Funding and Changing Prioritization
- 00:48:53: Discussion Regarding School Budget and Override Allocation
- 00:51:07: Concerns Over State Review and Net School Spending
- 00:52:59: Reviewing Teacher Salaries, Median Income, and Override Concerns
- 00:59:15: Introducing a Motion for Additional School Budget Changes
- 01:00:24: Clarification of Override and School District Confidence Levels
- 01:02:17: Discussion: Town Meeting and School Budget Numbers Review
- 01:04:11: Conservative Approach and Potential Budget Cuts Discussion
- 01:06:08: Killing Override Chances and Public comment
- 01:07:17: Override chances and School committee question
- 01:09:13: Prepare Statement Regarding END funding
- 01:17:06: budget discussion
- 01:18:21: Budget Adjustment Approval and Discussion
- 01:19:51: Motion of 1B budget requested Vote
- 01:20:40: budget is unstable
- 01:22:31: Additional budget discussion
- 01:25:37: Budget is approved
- 01:26:01: Updates and Select Board Announcements
- 01:32:29: Traffic controller
- 01:33:09: meeting minutes from April 3rd
- 01:33:28: Public Hearing
- 01:47:40: Public Hearing closed
- 01:52:32: Proposed Special and Annual Town Meeting Warrant Articles Discussion
- 02:09:15: Traffic control request to improve hiring
- 02:14:19: Cover Zoning Board Appeals short commings
- 02:18:08: Appointment to Technology Advisory Committee Vote
- 02:18:35: Economic Discussion: Review & Solutions
- 02:24:09: Approve to the music in the pines
- 02:25:31: Snowman is approved
- 02:31:59: One-Day Wine and Malt License approval
- 02:43:40: Ratified Veterans Park Vote
- 02:43:57: Ratified the Lakeville Country Club liaisons
- 02:47:02: Discuss entering Executive Session


Part: 1

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All right. Good evening everyone. With a quorum of the select board being present this evening, I'd like to call the select board and wage and personnel board um to order at 5:47 p.m. here uh at the Lakefield Police Station on

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Tuesday, May 5th at 5:47. Lakeam is recording. Is there anybody else here recording this evening? >> Okay, seeing none, um if you'd like to call your meeting to order. >> Sure. I'll call the May 5th Lakeville Finance Committee meeting to order at

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5:47 p.m. present >> right here. Cost stand present. >> Deals present. >> Okay. And it looks like >> present. >> Okay. If we could all rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the

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United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. So, um tonight we get to do our budget wrapup

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session. So, we've had three evenings where the finance committee and the select board and administration got together with our town department heads to talk about um the outlook for the budget for FY27. So, we've instituted this budget wrap-up

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um because there's some things that you know may have changed here and there and it gives us a chance to dialogue a little bit about um the upcoming budget um cycle. So, um, with that, I would like to turn this over to our town administrator to walk us through.

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>> Thank you. Um, so there have been a few minor changes. Um, we'll go through this sheet um that is on the screen um kind of what might go through, but there has been some changes. We wanted to give the board as many options as possible when it comes to cuts um to bring back or

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not. Um so we looked at every kind of major cut that has been um contemplated. We are um contemplating potential COLA increases. Uh we gave each option of what that would cost both a union and non-union. Um and then we've kind of

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gone into uh some expenses that could be brought back. Um but I can let Mike kind of uh take us away on what the screen shows us. >> Thank you, Andrew. Um yeah, so as Andrew mentioned um we have some adjustments

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since we built the budget books and we first put the uh 2027 operating budget before you. Um this happens a lot of times going into budget season there's some unknowns. We have to rely on prior year actuals or estimates. Um so since we're in such a a crunch budget crunch

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of a year, we thought we would identify um some surplus and have the board decide on what they would like to implement if anything. So I'll kind of take it from the top of the sheets you have. Um first is IT. So this is the

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contract with our IT services. Um there was some built-in increases for 27 and uh Mr. McN has decided to opt out of those and keep it level funded for 27. Um next is some software services. This was um overestimated because there was

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unknowns. There were threeear subscriptions. Um, we were trying to like get some of the costs down and M. McN was successful. As you can see, he saved $46,824. Um, next is the planning due to resignation. Um, we lost a long tenure

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employee and we are bringing this appropriation back down to the entry level gradepth. So, it's approximately $9,523 of savings there. However, it is being offset. um we are going to bring someone in to do zoning board of appeals to kind

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of avoid a disruption of of uh services in that department. So the net result is about 2,800. As you can see the 27 the 6,700 is going back into the budget. Uh next is workers comp and property liability insurance. Um we are level

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funding those based off actual numbers we've received. So those are going to go back down um by about $15,000. And the last the negative 1,079 that's a charish assessment. So we got our house budget last week and one of

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our assessments went up about,79. So it's unfavorable to the town, but overall we found $74,435 of appropriations. Uh next is revenue. So we were able to identify some pieces of revenue that we could potentially increase. We've had a successful uh

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couple months with our investment income, which is a local receipt. We originally had it at 164,000. We're going to decide to we decided to increase that 20,000 to 184. And then the other two pieces of revenue are state aid. Um the house budget came out

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last week. Andrew visited the state house yesterday. >> Yesterday. >> And we found that our unrestricted general government aid is going to come up $88,000. and that our chapter 70 is coming up a bit as well. So we were able to find

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approximately $120,000 there. Um so we found a total savings since we first presented the budget of 215,924. Um with that the bottom half of the sheet we listed a majority of our cuts.

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So our big cuts, personnel cuts, um the some expenditure cuts from public works at the bottom. We even put in 1, two, 3% colas for both union and non-union. And we kind of put this spreadsheet together to allow the board to decide on what they would like to bring back to

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the budget, if anything. Um, and we can kind of uh go through the list and pick and rebalance it. I will say that we only have 215,000 to go around and the total cuts are 1,253,000. So, we're still going to be unable to

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bring back everything, but at least this gives us an opportunity to bring back something. >> Yeah. >> So, >> so we're currently sitting at the deficit of the 137 662, correct? >> So, that deficit does include all the colas. >> Yeah.

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>> So, also you wouldn't do 1 2 and 3% for one person. >> So, that that number is inflated. >> But, >> does that make sense? >> No. So the a non-UN person will get one, two, or 3%. They won't get all three.

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>> So they won't get like 6%. You know what I mean? So you would pick off one of those and then we delete the rest. So that number would come down. So, if you decided to do 3% for both union and non-union, it's $765,000.

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Would still be short because you have all the other cuts that we've we had to do for fiscal 27, but we just recognized that surplus and we wanted to bring it to the board's attention to decide what they wanted to put back into the FY27 operating budget.

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>> I'm just trying to understand the sheet. Um cuz I see where you know the 215 comes into play. I get that. >> Mhm. >> But when I'm looking at the bottom um I wanted to know the number that was

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what we would have to cut without the numbers at the top. So what am I looking at the the one two or the one zero? >> Well if if the board wants to implement colas you're looking at the one two. Okay. >> But that gives you multiple scenarios.

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>> So it gives you a 1% 2% 3% for union and the same for non-union. As Andrew mentioned, you're not going to get all of that. You're not going to get 6%. But we wanted to show a 1% for union or non-union is 83,576.

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A 3% is 129,000. A 3% for union is 28,000. We wanted to give you the full picture. >> I see. and let you guys decide. And that's why I brought the Excel sheet to be honest. We can balance as we go. >> I wasn't reading it across and down, but

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>> it's all here. >> Yep. Okay, I gotcha. All right. So, madam chair, can I ask a question? >> Sure. So what I understand this is basically the be you know the salary reductions and the expenditure reductions that's

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kind of our like okay we got a little more money let's go shopping and this is our shopping this is where we can go shopping hypothetically >> if you'd like >> to simplify it. >> Yes. >> Okay. So if we were to add up whatever we wanted here and it equaled 215,000 then we could take a vote on those items

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essentially. >> Okay. So that includes the expenditure reductions. >> Yeah. I wanted to list the salary reductions and the expenditure deductions separately. Um as you can see they were all um police and then public works. So

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>> thank you. >> Yes. >> Um the um >> the car sheet new car sheet number 1.3 million. >> Yes. Um, so the do is still showing a number of 1.264.

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Is the 1.344? Is that the Senate proposed? >> Yeah, they so the Senate submitted a budget today. Um, that document's online that cherry sheets haven't been updated. >> Yeah, I see that. So that 1.34 is the Senate proposed

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uh growth fund funding number. It's the Senate plus what we have what has not been posted yet by the state which is an additional 80,000 from unrestricted general government aid. >> So that 1.34 is going to go up another 80k. >> No, that is with the we we jumped the

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gun even though they haven't posted yet cuz we >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Andrew knows we're getting the 80k. Right. So >> um what about the I know you you mentioned that the 40s funding the house cut that in half. dropped us about down

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about 300k. Is that factored into >> I talked to our state senator yesterday at the state house. He said that the 40s money would hold from last uh from this from the house budget initial. He actually said it might go up to what it was last year, >> but we won't know that until the cherry sheets are posted.

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>> Right. >> I was hoping to be by tonight, but it's not. >> Are you saying he's giving you an indication that it will be what the original number was presented to the house by the by the governor? potentially fiscal 26 number which is 676,000. >> Oh yeah, you're right. That was the number I think you originally had.

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>> Yeah, we knocked it down about 100 grand. That might come back, it might not. That's like completely volatile right now. So I didn't want to put that in play with this. >> Your budget is assuming a 50% reduction in the 40s funding. Has that already been accounted for or is that still

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>> We accounted for what the house gave us? >> Yeah, we did that 300. >> Oh, okay. So good. So if it's restored, we'll have 300,000. >> Okay. >> Which we can deal with in the fall. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Madam Chair, can I just clarify this is if the override doesn't pass, just to

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make it clear to everyone. >> So one budget. >> Y. >> So I guess it's it's what would our priorities would be um you know as finance committee and select board. Um,

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you know, like you said, uh, Barbara, it's it's, you know, like going shopping. I know last year and I think the year before that, um, we had a little extra and we allocated it to specific things. So, um it would be up

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to the board either we do nothing with it or um we bring back those items that we feel as though are priorities which we I know the select board um when asked at

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the beginning of the process was to um level services and retain staff. that was that was our priority. Whether it's, you know, shifted now that we've gotten to this point of the the

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discussion, you know, is it is up for debate? My my recommendation is public safety is always so my first choice would be first recommendation would be to restore uh the full salaries the the positions

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that were eliminated from the fire department the full-time position in the call firefighters would be my first recommendation which would be about it's 71k for the full-time firefighter uh and 42

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uh 42 plus another 175 um for the call of firefighters between wages, drills and so forth. >> This would be $130,500 to bring back those three lines. >> Madam Chair,

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>> yes. Can I ask the police chief if the education and training does that get everyone to do the active shooter? >> So the the active shooter and I I talked

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about this recently. Um Andrew, the active shooter training is about $10,000. So when when I cut the budget, it that active shooter training wasn't even in there. >> Oh, okay. >> So it does reduce a little bit of training, but not specifically for active shooter training, if that makes

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sense. >> Okay. I'm just really curious if we can get everybody, not just the day shift. >> Yeah. So I would mandate that and that training itself or mandating it and then

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training the trainers is about $10,000. Okay. >> May I ask a follow-up question, >> Chief? So, in our budget items that we have up here, education and training, if we choose to reallocate the education

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and training of the $10,000, can that be allocated to active shooter? >> Yes. >> Do you think that's in line with your priorities or I don't because we don't want to tell you, right? I mean, none of us want to tell you what your team needs. Maybe you need something more that was already in that 10,000 and you

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need another 10,000. >> I believe it's a priority and that that figure would get us I would use that to mandate the training for that 27. >> Do you need more cuz we need to be having that conversation. >> So it would be when we do the training

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it's a joint free town police lakeful police free town fire. So there's also a cost that the fire chief is going to have to incur if we do if we do it correctly. Um I mean historically we we paid for it out of our training budget. Um so we

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just prioritize our training needs and this is obviously be a high priority for us. So we would not do something and and and should and support this training program. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you madam chair.

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>> Yes. that 17,500 hourly wages, fire, common drills, EMT, that wouldn't go towards that. That goes just to pay ro if we had qualified fighters on the department still. >> Yeah, >> that would come out of that portion to

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pay the qualified fighters. There's a separate line that pays for full-time firefighters to train >> which is already funded currently. >> Okay. I mean, I agree with select board member

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Planka that I'd like to see um public safety restored. >> I'll second that or third that. Um but I'd like to mention the catch basin cleaning I feel is also really really important because we've had a lot of flooding issues in town. I don't know

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what the longer term cost to roads and so forth may be. I know your friend's not here, but um I just I I see a lot of flooded roads and that concerns me cutting from that particular line item.

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>> Math hats up >> and 100 a priority for me is it's been keeping me up at night when we talked about not >> um

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you know, providing cola for our staff um across the board. I know um you know, we will make every effort to make sure that um you know, we keep our our teams whole, but that's what keeps me up at night. I

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would like to at least have the conversation about um making sure that there is some level of increase to our staff. Um, Madam Chair, might I ask Mike Ellis the projected revenue for

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the ambulance? >> That looks very conservative to me. Do you have any of those figures? >> Um, I don't >> I know we have what's in the book, but I don't know where we're at currently cuz we are almost through the year. >> Yeah. Um, so we're due to some turnover

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in the treasur's office, we're about a month or so behind in posting local receipts at the moment. But um I did do an analysis. Mike, I don't know if you'd agree, but we are kind of on pace for about 1 1,200,000 1,300,000 I think. >> Um I would agree those numbers. We're

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we're six last month we were $6,000 off of same same time last year. >> Yeah, >> it's it's pretty volatile. So we're on pace for for same revenue as last year. >> 1.2 million was in change last year. >> Yeah, we're roughly collecting about $100,000 a month. So it'll wind up being

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about 1.2 sometimes a little more >> cuz let's see 2026 was 1.1 and then proposed 2027 we have at 1.085 085 which was a reduction of 50.

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That 50 could help us allow owed a lot. >> Sorry. So So you're looking at the 1B >> Yeah. >> budget. And I I appreciate, you know, the conservative because we don't ever want to, you know,

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uh overestimate receipts. So the $50,000 decrease is actually in the 1A budget under the assumption that the override passes. So I think that's why we decreased it 50,000 because we were so close to our prior year actuals that we needed to kind of create that that

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cushion. Um so that's why we reduced it because we would have the over the >> override >> under the assumption the override passes. Yeah. As you can see on the 1B, we kept at 1,135,000 um because we would we would need every

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dollar. >> So part of the override was to kind of look at the overall health, not just to say what did we cut from appropriations. We had to take a look at the revenue as well. So >> okay, the 20. So we don't know if that 1.1 is

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actual. Do you know where you're at? >> I'm not sure if it was two years ago, but it sounds >> on the 2026. >> So last year's revenue, is that what you're asking me? >> Yeah, it was it was a little over 1.2. It's close to 1.2 last year. >> Okay.

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>> I'm pay to do it again this year. >> And I'm also So when I do this, I have to um I can't go any higher than the prior year actual otherwise the state will will they want to know why. I have to provide an explanation. Um, so that's

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why we kind of kept it at 1,135,000 because we had collected 1,150,000. So we're right up against it. Now we're estimating future receipts. So we may see 1.2 million, but we may not. So you'd have to kind of find that sweet spot with the local receipts.

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>> And the state can absolutely say, you know, go back and rebuild these. Well, I'm not saying increase it if we don't restore the personnel to work it cuz we'll never make it if we don't have the people to actually do the work. But

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>> um if the board does decide to reinstate >> the the all the uh personnel then I do think >> they would make that. I do feel confident on the 1B number of 1,135.

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Judging where your receipts were at in January and February, I think that's a very realistic number that we're going to hit. So, >> okay. >> Point out on the cola. So, the one obviously the 2% 3% can't do unless you just did the non-un versus the union. I

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don't know when you you're talking about cola. Are you talking about non-union or both? >> So everybody. So I mean my understanding is did you put the um the union on notice >> about budget

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>> because those were discussions? >> Mhm. >> No. >> Oh the contracts. >> No, we've just held off on negotiations. >> Okay. >> Because in order to give both a 1% that's basically the 215,000. So just pointing that out, >> right?

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>> Yeah. >> Do we really through you, Madam Chair, have cause to believe that the vehicle excise tax won't come in at least 140 seems like a lot to take off.

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You can't push that up at all. Are >> you looking at the 1A budget? >> Yes. >> Well, I'm just comparing it. Yeah. To the 2026. So that's 2.4. >> And then you have it at 2.34.

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>> My biggest concern. Um, so do when they look at our estimated receipts, they look at our bottom line. I think part of part of the reason we've gotten in this kind of financial problem is that we're pushing up high on receipts. We're in the high 90s. Y >> most towns that are in good financial shape are below 70s.

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>> Um so I mean we could go up higher. It's just we're putting ourselves in a bigger hole for next year. Hey, and I do want to add, you know, in fiscal 25, we kind of we realized that the smart growth was being taken away from us in February of

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fiscal 25 about $430,000. We in that same month received an excess check from the schools of about $430,000. That was general fund revenue. That basically saved our receipts. >> Okay. uh from the state kind of pulling

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the pulling the rug out from us if we didn't receive that excess END in fiscal 25 our receipts would have been extremely low just by chance. So um I'm usually and we I think to balance the fiscal 25 budget I wasn't here but they went extremely high on the local

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receipts. They went right up to actuals to balance and that's why we're trying to bring them back down a little bit. >> Great. And I mean, I know we're trying to balance the budget to save the budget, but any extras, and there won't be much, will close to free cash, which

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can be used for capital purchases or however the board desires. So, um, >> and currently we're not using any free cash, right, for the >> the 1B budget is using 150,000 for the

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reserve fund. >> Okay. 1 A. We're totally off. We cash. >> Madam Chair, I'm just looking at the math. If we restore police, fire and the training, you you're looking at about $44,000 left to work with. That's pretty

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much it. >> So, I'm not sure you any of the Cas is going to put you over. So, I don't see how you >> That's why I'm looking for just a little more. Yeah, I I I don't see how you get and I I do believe police and fire have to come back and that's that's always my

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my first go-to. >> I I appreciate when you call 911 that these fine gentlemen have their team show up and above anything else. >> Madam Chair, maybe this is an opportunity. Yeah, I don't want to digress too much from this discussion,

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but I have another discussion point I had to bring up with the budget that may help restore shifting some budget priorities which would allow potentially to restore the colas for municipal employees. May I bring that up? >> Yeah,

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>> I mean general budget discussion. So um so relating back to the school funding, we're all aware, we've seen the proposals, we've seen the numbers that >> if the and again we're focusing on if the override is successful, which is the

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scenario we're talking about here. Um this the our assessment has gone up $1.8 million. It's about 10% increase. Uh we know we know historically um it's gone up three four%

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>> 5% occasionally um which exceeds we all know our 2 and 12% cap that we can raise I'll let which is our primary funding source so I'd like to discuss uh uh for our

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recommended budget reducing that amount to a number that's more sustainable which we've all been advocating for for years in my opinion Um, so of that $1.8 million increase for the

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assessment of just talking about sweet life, but we're not talking about any other schools. Um, we know that that number in part based off of the presentations, the number that's been provided by the district, uh, is included about a million well about $650,000

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in END spending, which is a one-time use. Um so by again by using one-time use funds that creates a budget deficit now because those funds are not in future years available to cover that

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deficit. So that puts the burden on the communities to cover that deficit. The school also used the current fiscal year school employees and circuit breaker funding which I wouldn't categorize that as one time use fund but I would categorize that as funds that you can't

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always rely on. The numbers vary from year to year. Almost kind of like a grant scenario type thing. >> Uh so that's about a million dollars right there. Um take off uh Freetown Lakeville split roughly 6040. That would

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give us about about um about 8 uh 800K roughly. Um and >> by take by reducing it by another roughly 500k

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that would allow us to retain more funds within our community to fund potentially those raises colas and so forth from mun employees. Um we know we're aware that the teachers the current fiscal year

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received a on average about a 5% raise. The new three-year contract was just signed. Raises are anywhere from four to six over the next three years. Um, so

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in my mind, our municipal employees looking at potentially 0% uh is, you know, I obviously I think we all have an issue with that. Um, so again, my recommendation is to reduce it

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by about $1.3 million. Would leave about a 500k increase for the schools, which is about I calculated about a 3% rate, which again still exceeds a 2.5% cap for our levy increase. Um, so that would be

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my recommendation that we would adjust the budget. Uh, and that additional 500k savings, again, we could apply that to our coolers. uh step increases of any applicable for municipal employees and then remaining amounts we could find other areas that could help. Uh I think

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capital stabilization if I recall um we could save some money that we're pulling out of the capital stabilization account by that savings. We all know that we use capital stabilization funds for ASAPS. So that money could be retained for future projects supporting ASAPS

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sidewalks. I'm aware of that. It's been an issue of uh public safety sidewalks in front of the school uh and potentially maybe help with funding the new roof that's going to be required. I'd ask where I'm going to come up. >> Your scenario is based if the override

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passes >> correct. because right now if there was no override we would be funding our Freetown Lakeville school um with about 350,000 >> correct increase and that would be the

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correct correct it >> increase so what we're talking about tonight is if we're as Darren brought up that this is you know no no override with what we have for receipts and we have the 200

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little plus 15 um that we were I guess unaware of um until this evening and the school's at 3:50. So it's pretty

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darn bleak right now. So, I guess your scenario is is something, you know, if the override were to pass um >> because we put out there, but the

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override um for the first year, second year, and third year and the first year was 2.4. I don't have the paperwork in front of me. Is that correct? >> 2.6715. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, and that was to

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fully fund the schools and the balance for the town >> for years three. >> I'm talking just one. >> Oh, sorry. >> This is just one. So, it was fully funding the school with their request and then the rest was to balance the

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town. Am I correct? >> Okay. And you're looking to change that? >> Correct. I don't believe we're legally locked into those numbers. I mean, that's the whole purpose of tonight's we have the

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authority to adjust the budget based off of what town administrator has provided recommended. >> But our budget is still unstable right now because we don't know. >> Oh, this this just multiple unknowns. Correct. >> Right. Okay, Chris, you're assuming that your

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figure is all assuming the override passes. >> Correct. This right. What I'm assumption, I think. >> Right. Yeah. But we need to be prepared. That's coming out of tonight's meeting. We're going to have we're going to vote on two budgets. The override fails, the override passes, and that'll be presented at the town meeting.

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>> But we'll know before the town meeting whether it passed or fail. >> We'll only present one budget. >> Town meeting. >> Correct. I mean, if it passes, you have a lot more leeway to do what you need to do. If it doesn't, you got to work on these numbers here. This is this is the

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critical number. I agree everything that you said. I I think it's But me personally, I don't agree with an override, but more importantly, the people I've talked to, I I I don't see how this override.

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Madam Chair, for the purposes of this conversation, this portion of the sheet that's provided, this is based on the assumption that we do not have that the override has failed. >> Correct. >> Can we complete the conversation about this piece before we move on to the

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possibility of the override passing and then continue that conversation cuz otherwise I will get confused. >> Yep. No, I right there with you. Okay. >> And we don't want Bobus. >> We definitely don't. I know. >> Okay. Um,

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so can I can I make a motion? I'm going to make a motion because I think if if I understand the math that you just did and I'm on board with that. Um, that we go ahead and make the decision to reinstate use the 215,924

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to reinstate the fire and the police departments as their those four line items. the 31178, the 71,000, the 42,000, and the 175.

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And down below on expenditure reductions, the $10,000 on the education and training because I think there's enough people that agree with that that we could entertain a vote. I'm not saying it has to be the limit, but maybe that we decide those can or

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can't be. >> Right. I Madam Chair, that'd be step one. And then we could if we want to continue on other items another vote. >> So we're at I could see 171 678. Is that correct? >> That's correct. Yeah.

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>> And the road concerns because the budget was really I mean there were some significant things taken out of our our highway as well. >> Question Madam Chair. >> Yes. So, let's say

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we vote in this budget and we don't do the cola raises. If we have something good happen, we can reinstate those and everyone would get back pay for that time too,

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right? >> Yeah. many communities um if good news happens throughout the summer or the fall, you'll come back in the in the fall town meeting, do a uh town meeting article and you would do um retro payments. >> Yeah. Okay.

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>> Yep. >> So, even if we voted in in the fall and people aren't receiving it on July 1st or whenever the first payroll date is, it would be retroactive and they would be made whole. Correct. Okay.

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because that would be something I know there's a motion. >> Um, >> I didn't know if you were >> I'll second your motion. >> Okay. >> I didn't know if you wanted to because you had pointed out the catch basin line painting. I don't know in a in order of

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priority what they would be for um for highway. Do we know? >> Um I believe it would go um roadway maintenance is the most um I guess the most important to him. What the reason he was comfortable doing

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those cuts is that chapter 90 has gone significantly up. >> Okay. >> Um but these give him great flexibility in the budget cuz DPW they do a lot of different things. One of the big ones is truck repairs. Some years that might not

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hit anything and some years a heavy truck might break down. So sometimes you may not use these lines, but they use them almost like a catch all line to pay for that kind of stuff. So um I would say roadway maintenance

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would probably be the most ideal for him and whatever we decide we can always come back in the fall too um if there's opportunity. And all of this is on the assumption that the override fails. So this is a

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kind of a worst case scenario. Rather likely scenario, but >> so just to be clear, can you what items are we including on this motion? >> The he has them highlighted up above. police, fire, education, and then we have

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>> that's over. You went over the truth basin has to come off. >> Yeah, you can. >> I do want to add we put 80,000 as a placeholder. We think the number is going to be closer to 88,000. Chris, as you mentioned, they haven't gone public with the cherry sheets yet. We could

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probably just squeeze in catch patient cleaning as well. That would put us at 223. Obviously, we're going by what we've heard from the state, but I I just wanted to throw that out there. We could probably make the catch basin cleaning work and then we would use almost every

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dollar of that 215 or 223. So, >> the catch basin save wear and tear on future road maintenance. So, >> madam chair. >> Yes. So, um, if I could have some clarification, um, from, um, the fire

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chief, the on on these positions, um, there's one full-time position and then there's the the on call list, but the the on call, those aren't positions. That's an hourly rate that we would pay

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if people are respond to an uh aid, right? >> So, for budgeting purposes, it's calculated on on 20 positions. We have 18 people on the on the boats. Right now, there's no expense incurred unless

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they come back in for a fall. Um, and we have some very active qualifyers and we have some less active qualifiers. That's kind of how how it all works out. Okay. But for clarity, it's not that we're cutting 18 or 20 positions. It It's one

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position plus the hourly rate for people should we need to call them in. >> There's currently there's 18 firefighters on the on the books that that wouldn't be able to work next year if uh if the if they weren't added that funding wasn't added back to the budget. Um, >> but they're not I what I'm trying to get

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at is they're not full-time positions that we're >> No, they're not full-time, they're parttime, >> but they're hourly if we if only if we need them. >> Yep. >> Okay. Um, so that was um

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one question and then the second question was when we talk about this this full-time position, >> Mhm. There's the ideal makeup of what a shift looks like and then there's an acceptable level of what that shift

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looks like in terms of um staffing. Correct. >> Correct. >> So the it's not a case if we didn't hire this one position or keep this one position. It's not a case of people not being able to respond to a call. It just

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is the difference in the number of people that would respond to the call. Correct. >> I wouldn't agree with that statement. Um, the more people we have on duty, the higher level of capacity we have, so we can handle simultaneous calls. If we have three people on duty, we can't

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handle simultaneous calls. Um, we wouldn't be able to handle a cardiac arrest. So, the the ideal is isn't really even four, but it's what's manageable within our the constraints of our budget. Um, comparable towns, comparable fire departments, staff with typically probably an average of five.

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um and up to eight in the northern end of the county which is excessive I think. Um the more often we have four people on duty the better able were able to meet our our mission demands. When we when we added the fourth person we saw a

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correlation in the in the spike in revenue which was correlated to increased capacity. So there's a demand for our services. We had more resources to answer those services and we saw a corresponding increase in revenue. Um, you know, if we added more and more people, I would see that continue, but

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I'd say we're getting closer to the sweet spot where we have enough resources on duty uh to capture the call call volume. Does that make sense? >> Um, >> can I ask a followup question? >> So,

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if we lay off a full-time person, then we don't have the on call either. Correct. >> That's correct. >> So, we don't have them for a backup. >> Mhm. >> Because of contract stuff for

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>> So, yesterday we had uh two recalls. Um we had to make some full-time and on call firefighters that came back. Some of those on on call firefighters, these part- timerrs, they responded to the mutual aid fires that we went to in in Westport in Roth. Uh some of those on call firefighters went to the car

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accident that we had in county. um for the the the rollover. Um so these on call firefighters basically allowed us to to to handle uh two emergencies and then field two ambulances to a car accident that happened on on uh on

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county and we wouldn't be able to do that without them. There would be that we would have to go back to mutual aid and there wasn't really any mutual aid available because there was fires all around us. >> Yeah. >> So it would have been a tight situation. >> But the full-timers get through you, Madam Chair. Sorry. the full-timers do

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get some protection because of their union contract that so you can't just get rid of five full-timers and say, "Oh, we're just going to go with all call." >> They would they would fight that and they base their argument on um the fact

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that the contract says layoffs would be by seniority. And then there's another clause in the contract that says all matters not covered by the contract are addressed uh addressed in rules and regulations. in rules and regulations that specifies our chain of command from from me down to the most junior

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qualified fighter. So that would be what they would use to to fight that that that stat or that valley. >> Thank you. >> Did you have addition? >> No. >> Anybody else? So,

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we're going to take the roadway maintenance off of that. Is that what we're doing? >> Yeah. >> No, >> we're going to leave that on there and then keep the the catch basin. >> So, as I said, we did an $80,000 placeholder for the state number cuz it's not out yet. But Andrew said it's

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going to be closer to 88. So, if we plug that 8,000 difference in, we can actually do everything highlighted in yellow, which includes half year patrolman, call one firefighter, education and training, maintenance, catch bas and cleaning, and still be

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under by $246. >> Andrew, you're hanging your hat on this 8 grand, right? >> No, it's definitely it's it was posted today in the state budget. The chair she had been updated to reflect that number. Can we have the uh like remaining valid number without relying on the eight? So

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like we fund the cash basin for nine grand and then when the eight comes in we can adjust it. >> It's possible like don't spend it if you don't have it >> right. >> It's not in the bank. You can't use it right.

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>> Did everybody hear that? reduce that 17,000 by 9,000 so that it falls within the um the total of the 215 >> and we later on

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>> 215 678 correct >> that's correct so a couple hundred. >> Okay. So, everybody's comfortable with what we just discussed. That was part of your motion. >> State the motion. >> Yeah.

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>> So, and that would be your motion with your second and then we would need to do the same here, too. >> Okay. >> You make that motion. >> We I don't have a second at this table. >> We motion. >> Oh, okay. Make the motion again. Okay. I'm making the motion that we adjust the

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um 1B budget. It's a 1B. Yes. 1B budget um to account for the reinstatement of line 30 uh police 31178 firefighter 71,000

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Coleman 42,000 Coleman EMT75 police education and training 10,000 roadway maintenance we adjusted that one didn't we that's the 35. Uh, but the last one we're adjusting the 17 down to

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nine. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Tiny eye. >> Right. I >> Manovsky. I >> cost I guess I'll entertain the the same motion for the select board. So move. >> Second.

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>> There's a motion in a second. Is there any discussion >> hearing? None. Roll, please. Baby and I. >> H. I. >> B. I. Carboni I >> Howard. No. Okay. Is there any um other Oh, so you want to

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continue the discussion now into if in fact it were a positive outcome for the override? Madam Chair, can we talk about which papers we're going to reference now to talk about because I want to make sure

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I'm really lucky to have >> You can share my papers. We have a whole lot of papers. Oh, >> so we're looking at the >> 16 page 16.

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>> Sure. So, if you're looking at the the the district operations assessment line item, you see this again, the increase of $1.8 million. is a 10% increase. Uh historically we've never given more

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than three 4% going back over the past four or five years. Uh and re recognizing that our um property tax levy is capped at 2 and a half%.

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Um so again my proposal is to reduce that number by about 1.3 million. It would give them about a 500k increase would be about a 3% increase. Uh and that would allow us to retain more funds

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within um within uh the town budget which we could use for uh restoring like I said earlier capital capital capitalization stabilization account which could be used for future capital projects at the school. So again that

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money again would be going in part would be going towards school capital as wampset capital projects. Uh we could also use it for various other uh line items that have been reduced uh based off of what's been proposed uh on the

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budget and I don't have any at the moment. I don't have specific proposals on what we could increase. I would defer that to our town administrator and our finance director to go back with some recommendations. So, I don't know if that would mean we'd have to hold up

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voting on this budget tonight. If if we vote to reduce the assessment for the district, um the next step would be where are we going to allocate uh that savings? Madam Chair, so again to clarify, so the

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override passes, the number is what it is, even though the school budget's a lot less than what we're what we had projected. And then that additional money that has been given to us through the override is spent somewhere else. >> Correct. We allocated. >> Correct.

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>> Madame Chair, I will you guys talk all the time about how the state looks at from us from budget year to budget year. If something like that happens, doesn't that put us in uh some sort of hazard with the state

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because we we basically allocated funds and then we pulled back so we have access. >> So our override is set up in a way that the the funds aren't allocated any specific way. It's will be contingent on the town meeting vote. So the budget

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hasn't been set yet. Chris is advocating to change what the budget is so the funds go different places. the state wouldn't. >> So we have until town meeting to finalize. Gotcha. >> And m if I may and this no we are far exceeded the net school spending and minimum contribution

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numbers and all that. So maybe your question was in reference to some of that >> some of that I don't really understand how this looks. >> We're not we're well above um minimum contributions and net school spending numbers. >> Okay. >> Right. So that would be a potential

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issue if we were proposing numbers less than uh again minimum contribution net school spending which I am not. >> Okay. Cuz if I'm not mistaken I believe we are a million above net school spending.

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>> I don't have it in front of me right >> 3 million >> maybe north of that. Yeah it's pretty significant. three and a half I think >> to make >> and I do remember a time and that oh Rich is here too um where it was actually brought down very close to net school spending so there were some

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significant cuts you know at the schools so um you know we're you know we re regained >> right and madam chair this is again this is the assessment from January I know it's been adjusted a bit by the school department uh but we're about $4 million above net school spending

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>> okay Okay. Which again that's just the state >> putting a formula out there and you know whether you know we feel that that's parody in

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there that's up to >> discussion. So, I don't disagree with uh select board member Plano that we should perhaps um reduce it mainly because we keep

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hearing about this capital plan that has millions and millions of dollars worth of um items that are going to be need needed to be fixed and how do we fix them if we don't have the money to do that? And also,

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I do believe the school department, the district has a pretty healthy I don't know if Andrew or Mike knows um like circuit breaker that they could pull money from if they need it. Don't Aren't they Don't they have over a million dollars in circuit breaker

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money? >> Um I I don't know what the exact balance is off the top of my head. So, and I mean they have school choice money, so it's not like they don't have some of their own reserves which should

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be used. And I don't someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't I know they used some school choice money for >> the onetime funds last year, but I think

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they have some healthy balances there, which is money that should be used in the operating budget. So I'm curious why they haven't used that when that's money that especially in the case of circuit

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breaker gets reimbursed by the state. So I'm not sure why they're not using some of their own money. And again that can only be used for certain things, but there's plenty of those certain things in the budget that it could go to offset. So

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I can't speak for the schools. Um, but I mean I thought through our conversations that they were attributing those funds to the operational budget as well. Um, so I don't disagree. I may disagree

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on the amount, but I don't disagree that I feel like we need to do the responsible thing. I mean, you know, a roof is very expensive and there's no way, at least I'm going to

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the town's people to ask for any more extra money. So, >> about the roof of the of one of the on the school campus. Is that what you're asking? The >> roof. Oh, asit. Right. >> Yeah. Well, that's, you know, that would

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be a capital for us because it's our building, >> right? Just like we didn't, we paid for the doors and windows, which was >> two 2 million. >> 2 million. We got some money from the state, but we paid, you know,

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I I mean, those repairs come in denominations of millions and Madam Chair, I have a point of information I'd like to share since we're having a discussion. Um, as many of you know, I'm in the mortgage industry. I'm inside of people's pocketbooks, and I'm deeply concerned

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about um increases in property taxes, increases in groceries, increases across the board, and I could talk about that for hours and hours. Um, at our last meeting, Rich Lamera stood up and gave us some figures, and I wasn't clear on where those numbers were coming from.

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Um, I had thought we were talking between 8 and 9% for the override um, uh, increase, and it actually was 8.49 in my particular case, which I'm sure it would carry down based on property values. Um, so I was right, but I was

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wrong because I wasn't factoring in the second and the third override. In addition to that, we also have Old Colony coming around the corner. Okay? And Old Colony, just need to repeat this. We are getting grant money for this just like we did when we built the library. And if we miss that window,

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we're going to end up regretting it. So, I'm just going to say that again about Old Colony. But if you total up the total of the increases for all the things we wanted to do, it does equal 22.73%. Rich, so you were right when you brought up 25%. He was not wrong. It's 23.73 in

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my particular case. That's troubling, right? It's very concerning. I then took the opportunity to look at the teacher reports which are on the teacher website which talk about the salaries because percentage- wise I was quite surprised by the numbers that we saw and I reviewed um a document

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that's available to the public. Uh, it's the AMI lookup tool that Fanny May produces for the income relative to specific um, census tracks in Lakeville. Our area median income is $152,000. 80% of AMI, which is where the real

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bonuses start when you're in the mortgage business. 80% of AMI is $121,680. 50% of AI is when you really start getting food stuff and you might even be eligible for food aid at 76,000. 80% of 50% of area median income. So when I

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looked at the teacher pay scales, what I found was the highest paid teacher in the top tier at the end of the budget, the last budget raise, that number would be lower than today's area median income

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for the town of Lakeville. So it is it is something to consider, right? It is something to consider. It is an enormous investment into our schools. But I do think and I'm looking at this schedule here that was provided and I'm comparing at the bottom of the teacher salary

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schedule we had I believe it was 100 and it was 116856 was the highest that someone with a master's degree. So I just wanted to bring that up because I think it's a pertinent fact to the budget um to what's happening in the community

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wherever we stand. That's it's just important to understand the compensation relative to what's happening in the in the median income. So data >> numbers. >> Okay. Anybody else?

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>> Next step. I mean I could certainly introduce a motion. Is it appropriate to introduce a motion now? Do we want to continue the budget discussions? that that my proposal but is that how do you want to proceed I

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guess is what I'm asking >> um madam chair report >> yes may I ask just a clarification member so it what you're saying is we would still ask for the 2.6 six in year one, but we would just appropriate it differently. >> Correct.

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>> Okay. Thank you. We haven't appropriated I guess for point of clarification we haven't appropriated it yet but we did say >> that we would fund the school request and then the rest because we had asked

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administration from both towns and our school administration to look at the next three years and how do we get to where we need to be over the next three years with our contractual and our maintenance obligations.

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And this is um what the proposal was. So for the first year um that's where the 26 came in. Um, Madam Chair, if I may, it may also help um my uh my propo, I guess, my

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argument that years two and year three, I think our confidence, and this was a question asked the last meeting, our confidence level in the override funding for year two and year three, we don't have firm school district budget numbers

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yet, nor can we get those at this point. I I I I admit that. Uh but I believe our confidence level may not be what we think it is for years two and years three. And this may be a way to help increase the confident levels for years two and years three.

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>> Confidence leveling >> that the override the numbers as presented are going to cover those you know adequately protect those budgets for years two and year three. And that's the discussion we had last

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time and I put you on the spot, right? How do we how do we accounted for these increases? And what you're saying is you're not sure that because we can't be really sure until we get the budget from the school. >> Correct. >> That those figures have been adequately reflected into these overrides. So there

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is not a guarantee that we wouldn't come back and need another override. >> Correct. Um and Mor, if I may, can I if I direct to uh town administrator, can you provide the year two and year three estimated school budget numbers? Yeah. Um I don't have them right in

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front of me, but it's roughly 15 and 13. >> No, as far as I know, um I'm sorry. That's that's the increase. >> Correct. >> Just make sure everybody say that's projected increase. Year two and year three, we're looking at another million plus

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again when historically we've only gone up 300 maybe 500K. So, we're looking at year two and year three million plus additional increases coming from the school district, which our override numbers are for years

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2 and year three. It's going to eat up all of it. >> I I will say um there's I think there's two two articles in town meeting that if approved would raise an additional north of 200,000 annually, which is not captured in any budget so far. So, I

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mean, there is room to get more money into the budget. We didn't do that because we didn't thought that was irresponsible to bank on a meal tax passing for one example. >> Um, but that would come into play if it gets approved on June 8th. >> So, you're also building your tax base. So, you're multiplying the two and a

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half by a greater number each year assuming it passes. So, there's, >> you know, we're going to be away from that 750 2 and 1 half% average. That'll grow as well. Now that said, I get the I mean the question Barbara asked and then Chris has asked me is the confidence level

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doing a three-year forecast. I mean I don't think anyone's confident in anything. Like just as one example this year we were looking at health insurance increase of 40%. Um we switched health groups and the increase was only 16%. But I I mean I can't guarantee it's not

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going to hit 50% next year. I I just don't know. We made calculated assumptions based off information we know now. I don't see us if an override passes all three years coming back next year and doing another one. >> That's no >> reckless I think. >> So I think we'd have to find a way to

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make it work no matter what happens. >> Which Pat I think just kind of helps support my argument if we be a little more conservative this year for the school budget could help us in >> years two and years three.

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Madam Chair, >> if the vote is the May 19th and town meeting is June 8th, >> do we have to decide that tonight? >> No, I I'd have to speak with the

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chairwoman on this, but I'm I'm thinking we approve the warrant next Tuesday night. So, has to be very quick that we do that, make any sort of changes to the budget cuz that would have to be reflected in the article one. So

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I think we have to advertise by May 21st. I think the date is >> right. I think we were looking at the that calendar. So excuse me without knowing that vote the outcome of the the ballot. There's

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still a window that we can call a meeting. >> Sorry to add more confusion to this, but um Freetown is finalizing their warrant on May 11th. >> Um so any number we come out with, they have to then change their warrant or

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else unless we want to do a joint meeting with Freetown, which I don't think anyone has an appetite for that. Um so ideally we we finalize a number and give it to Freetown as soon as possible. So

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>> would next week or one more week still fit with that timeline? >> No. Unless we schedule another one, let's say Monday night and then then the 11th. Well, no. Monday's the 11th. So if we go to town meeting with

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a budget without a voted budget without the the override and the override does pass, can that be adjusted? The way I mean we can get into this in the next agenda item, but I was thinking of presenting two numbers and then the

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motion would capture depending on how the election goes on the 19th. So we have two numbers. Here's a deal ride fails, you go to option 1B. That number comes and we vote that number. >> Okay. So, you're looking for

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you're looking for a vote from us this evening? >> Ideally, yes. >> Okay. So, >> chair, if I could just throw another wrench in the works, >> I I think that you are effectively going to kill the override chances altogether

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by adjusting the school's budget prior to um the receipt of that money. Um, I think that you I think that the people that are going to vote for that override to benefit the schools knowing that the

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intent of this board may be to not provide them the amount of funding that we uh have publicly said is going to go towards the schools or projected will go towards the schools, I think is

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effectively going to crush that override alto together. And I I think that needs to be given some serious consideration. >> Thank you, Mr. Hunt. I couldn't agree with you more. >> So, >> is there a public comment at this

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meeting or not on the agenda? Um, we usually don't, but we might open up to, you know, just >> Um, so you're looking for trouble. >> Um, two votes,

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A and B. >> Correct. >> Could the Could the school committee answer those questions that you posed? >> The questions. you had two questions about the END branding and Miss Fabian had a question as well

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>> on the circuit breaker. >> Okay. And certainly in just a moment. So, I'm going to need the numbers from you um because I can go through this and it's going to probably take me a few minutes, but I need to know what the

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recommended budget number is >> with the changes we made >> with the changes we made for tonight. And that's for 1 A, >> right? >> Yeah, we can get that. >> Yeah, >> that was 1B though, right?

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>> Oh, I'm sorry. 1B. Sorry everybody. >> We do get a little confused too. So that was for 1B. >> It fails. >> Yeah. And I want just the confirmation for what the 1A

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um budget amount is going to be too. Okay. Um, would you like to just answer those questions? >> Sure, if that's okay. >> Yeah. And I'm sorry, your your first name is Kevin. >> Sure. My name is Katherine Tro and I'm the school committee secretary.

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>> Can everybody hear? >> Can I stand up? >> Yes, please. >> You want to sit here? >> I don't need to sit. I can stand. >> Okay. So, we prepared a statement referencing the concern about D funding

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um because that was brought up at the last meeting. So, um we'd like to take a moment to address some of the recent discussions in the community regarding last year's use of excess and deficiency funds as well as the teacher contract ratified at our last meeting. The school

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committee understands and respects the concern about using one-time funds for ongoing expenses. The concern is valid. Last year's use of END was not intended as a long-term solution, but as a temporary bridge. It allowed us to make

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necessary progress toward more competitive teacher compensation while also helping to avert a potential job action that could have disrupted learning. Without that funding, the district would have faced an additional 12 to 15 staff

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reductions on top of the already 11 positions reduced in the approved budget for FY26. Given that our district already ranks among the lowest in Massachusetts in per pupil spending and 11 positions were already being reduced, the additional 12

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to 15 reductions would have had a direct and significant impact on student services and educational opportunities. It's also important to recognize that we were operating under a timing constraint. The contract was ratified

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after the budget had already been approved, leaving no opportunity to revisit the assessments to our member towns. We are fully aware that this approach is not sustainable long term. In fact, that was reflected in a separate vote last

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year when a proposal to use END to offset four staffing reductions did not pass. We hear the concerns that have been raised and they are part of how we are thinking about future decisions. At the same time, it's important to ground this conversation in context. Our

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district operates in the bottom tier of per people pup people spending among comparable Massachusetts districts and our salaries have consistently trended below market both at the entry level and top steps compared to similar South Coast communities. When looking at the

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FY27 comps, the first year of this new contract, we are still consistently in the bottom third of South Coast districts. This new contract is designed to begin closing the gap, not to exceed the market, but to remain competitive. It

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reflects three considerations. maintaining competitiveness with peer districts, aligning with real world economic pressures, and implementing changes in FA phased financially responsible way. The large percentages

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being cited combine multiple years in step progressions which overstate what's actually happening annually. While concerns about cost are understandable, our educators are the single most important inschool factor affecting student outcomes. There are

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real risks to remaining below market, particularly when it comes to recruiting and retaining highquality educators and maintaining long-term stability in the district. Turnover, vacancies, and instability in staffing directly affects student achievement and continuity of

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instruction. We remain committed to fiscal responsibility, transparency, and continued collaboration with both member towns as we work to address long-term challenges while preserving the quality of education our students deserve.

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And then to address the question about that Miss Fabian, you posed about END funding. Why aren't we using that now? It was written into the budget. >> Um, a more question in circuit break as well too. How much do you know how

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much you have left? >> I can I can get that for you. >> Okay. >> I don't have it off the top of my head. >> Okay. >> But I can look. >> But you do understand through you, Madam Chair. I'm sorry. >> No, that's okay. >> That you know, we are constantly coming to the same residents and increasing

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their taxes and increasing their taxes. And if the district is sitting on a million and a half, I'm not expecting the district to use all of it. and also because some of the money gets reimbursed the following year for

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expenses this year. So there is nothing easy about this. It is very complicated. But that still I would like to see more of the district's money being used instead of always coming to the town

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because as you plainly see we don't have boatloads of of money either. So, >> so my understanding was that it was already built into the budget that was presented by Mr. Higgins, but I will get confirmation for you and and let the

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>> and just you can send it to town administrator. They'll distribute it through >> to the finance committee and select board >> so that at least we'll we'll know. >> Thank you very much. >> Appreciate that. I think all these discussions are really important and I'm just going to bring

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forward some additional information for consideration. Senior citizens in this in across the country recognized a social security increase of 2.8% against a CPI of 3.3%.

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I myself am holding off on buying a car because my taxes will be going up a couple hundred dollar a month. And I fully support education. I fully support public education. And I want it all to go really well for everybody. And I

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believe in supporting STEM. And I could go on about that for quite a long time. I wrote two pages of notes. I'm going to keep it short. I just really think that this community, if we understand this isn't an us versus them, this is an us and us. This is a family conversation

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about how we're going to compromise. So, when Chris is bringing up ideas about how to make things work, it's because we've got a group of people over here that are also not getting a raise, who are working incredible hours. So, we're kind of trying to bring everybody together to say, "Look, if somebody like

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me is going to have to cut someplace to find that extra $200 a month, which I know that the seniors in my community cannot afford, they cannot afford it. Their average increase for for a senior is $56 a month against our taxes." So,

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there's some real inequities happening here, and this is where we need to be having these conversations. But I really hope that we as a community can hold ourselves together and be understanding about the fact that it's a very complicated issue. It's not something that's just us versus them. Okay. And I

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just need to let my big feelings out. Are you okay with that? >> I'm >> you know I need to share. So >> and we're here for you. >> I'm glad. Thank you. Thank you. >> All right. We have a >> We don't have it quite yet. Mike's just trying to get the number.

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>> Do you need a calculator? He's got Mike. He's got Mike. >> That's me. Sorry. >> I just want to make sure that the numbers are >> Yeah. >> accurate. >> So the 1B budget, the general fund

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operating budget would be 38,640, 207. And that's that's bringing back >> 38,640, 207 will be the 1B general fund operating budget. And that's bringing back everything mentioned earlier and

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adjusting the revenues. >> Okay. And this is no override. >> No override. >> Okay. And you're working on the other one. >> Yeah, we got to >> That's why I didn't leave. >> Yeah, that may take a little more time. >> Might take a little more time. But um I

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think the takeaway would be if we wanted is the applicant to change the 1A budget significantly from what was presented previously. >> I don't think so. >> A good number. >> Well, that Yeah, I know there's talk about potentially changing the school

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budget. Is that definitely something that the board wants? >> I'm willing to make a motion on that to gauge the interest. >> You can make a motion. Sure. >> So, I I would make a motion to reduce uh let's see. Right.

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the Freetown Lake for assessment operations budget line item reduce it by total of 1 1 uh3 million which would leave $525,353,000

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total uh increase about a 3% increase. So it's currently 1825 353 take up 1.3 and that leaves 525 353. Did I do the math correctly? >> Mhm. >> All right. So that's your motion.

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>> That's my motion. >> Do I hear a second? >> Motion doesn't carry. >> Sorry. All right. So, so with that, I will entertain a motion for the 1B um as if we were not talking about any override

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as we are currently in our financial situation um of going to town meeting with a requested budget of 38 million $640,27. So moved. >> Second.

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>> Motion in a second. Any discussion? Hearing none. Roll please. Fabian. I. >> Hunt. >> I. >> Plug. I. >> Carbon. I. >> Howard. I. >> Okay. So, there's your 1B. >> We'll need to come back and do something. We We have the revenue

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adjustment, some of the savings. We need to go back and I don't want to give up wrong number. >> That's right. because if we're making a a motion um with a a number, I want to make sure that it's accurate. So, um the select board is planning on meeting next

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week um because we like to meet once a week now um temporary. >> So, um but I guess the finance committee can make a a motion for the 1B

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>> one. Okay. Well, we'll make a motion on the same uh vote on the same motion that just approved. I got a second. >> Tiny I. >> Right. I >> Manovsky I >> Costan I feels I. >> Okay.

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As far as the um the 1A which you're going to crunch some more numbers and have it, you know, more accurate. Um, would you be available for the meeting on next week on the 12th? >> I don't know what I would do without

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being here on a Tuesday here. >> No, I am not available. >> Okay. >> Do we have I'll pick you up? >> Quite right. >> Probably I can be here. >> Uh, I actually have a meeting at night. I can't be here. >> You have a call on the three. >> Mike shows up. >> Yeah. >> Okay.

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>> No pressure. Mike, >> bring snacks. >> Okay. I just want to make sure that um because I know in the past you select boards voted their budget and then finance committee votes night of town meeting but this has been important to

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me and I think it's been um with consensus that you know having the discussions together has been important. So >> on that note, will there be public discussion? >> Madam Chair, can I make can I interrupt? May I ask you reminded the public that

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we have a community outreach tomorrow night >> 6:00? >> Yes, we were going to go through that with our but thank you Barbara. No, for making um mention we um Mr. Blanca was going to make the announcement through um our announcements when we get to that

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to that. But um when we get to you mean next week is there going to be a request mad chair for youain tonight? Madam Chair, um I I would love it if we would do what we do at town meeting if someone has something

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different to offer because I I mean I if anybody thinks we don't know the budget better than you know and we understand everything making these decisions isn't easy and

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and I and I agree with what member Fabian says. we have been here at the table and I know that we've been listening um you know to the conversations um so I think we all have a a pretty sound understanding what it means um by you know our decision and

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our and our vote so we've made a a decision tonight based on um you know what we have available for financial you know financial um situation next week we will vote um and I I don't

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know that it would be for the allocation of it, but just the number for the for the override for the budget. So, we understand um and as you can tell that there was not an appetite to to shift what we've already stated um for what the override would be

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representing. >> Well, Madame Chair, to to further clarify your point, there is not no point of discussion that's going to change what we just voted on. Correct. However, the family discussion that I want to have with everybody is going to be continued tomorrow night at the

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public library where we can continue our community outreach discussion in advance of the final vote next week. So perhaps that is a better time for >> will everybody be able to come tomorrow evening? >> Okay. I I plan on being there as well. So madam chair.

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>> Yes. I also because we have to operate under ethical rules and everything. We're not really supposed to be promoting or not promoting. >> Oh, agreed. And I don't know if some of

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the comments will lead to override talk and that's really not supposed to come from our >> and I think everybody understands that that we we can advocate one way or another. So um you know we we will listen but we wouldn't be able to you

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know engage. So >> the students have a lot to say and like to speak. Are they going to be allowed to speak tomorrow night? >> They can anybody can speak tomorrow night. It's a public information. So >> and I believe it is recording. It is also clarify some like miss statements

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that were sent tonight as well. Right. Okay. Well, I want to thank our finance committee for for joining us this evening. Um, is there any additional business that you need to conduct? >> Anything else? >> No. >> Second. >> I

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thought I deal. >> Thank you. >> Looks like we do good. We're going to push on. >> Okay. Um just real quick you I can see you have the sun.

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>> I can send it to you would drive at all the doctors. >> I think you guys got a one piece of >> weed at the beginning of the year. Um but Google Drive is now into the best

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bet because um >> Mr. Plank just mentioned um Andrew that the school budget is um on the Google Drive so all the documents are there. Um would you please make sure that the select board and the finance committee

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um tomorrow receives that link so that we all have a chance to just kind of go in and take a look at that. I know we did get the hard binders but things have shifted since then. So I might make a recommendation that we

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don't have hard copies but next year save some money. Okay. Um, I'd like to move uh right along to select board announcements. Mr. Plona. >> All right. Good evening. Current uh current committee or commission

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vacancies include the following. Associate member for v zoning board of appeals. A member for the board of registars. Two vacancies and one atlarge member for the cable TV advisory committee. One at large member for the economic development committee and one at large member for the zoning bylaw

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review advisory committee. Details on these positions can be found on the town's Facebook page or the website lakevillemma.org underd from the town clerk's office. Please return your 2026 town census. Deadline for voter registration for the

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operational override is May 8. That's voter registration by 5:00 p.m. The deadline for voter registration for the old colony building project override is June 9 by 5:00 p.m. That's all the announcements we have, Madam Chair. And that will all be um also posted on the

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town clerk's um website. So if if you do have time with a cup of coffee and you'd like to peruse um our town clerk does put a lot of information out there um for everybody. Uh but one other thing I wanted to make mention as um member um

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Manovsky mentioned that tomorrow night is the otherformational meeting u for the override information. So, that's going to be held at the Lakeville Library from 6:00 to 7:00 and it will be um recorded.

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So, any other announcements? What month are we in? >> May. >> May. Okay. Just checking. Oh, Mr. Support Administrator report. >> Thank you. Um, so as I've mentioned

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before, I went I was invited to the state house yesterday um by the Massive Municipal Association. I was one of probably four or five appointed um town administrators in the state. I was invited to that. It was the um state senate just um releasing their state

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aid. It's the biggest state aid package in I think Massachusetts history. Um I was invited I think by Senator Rogers to attend. It was pretty cool to be there and meet all those people. Um, and obviously to get the inside scoop on what Wakefield is getting um, which is

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cool. Um, as I've said, Wakeville is going to get approximately 88,000 new dollars um, this year. Um, I'd like to recognize Emily Serret and Mike Ellis and Lacy Marshall. Um, they've done

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amazing work putting together override information. We get a lot of questions, a lot of work um, behind the scenes to get all this done. just want to recognize them for the good work they've done. Um, and then the last piece, um, we took

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a vote last week to add town, uh, meeting clickers to the town meeting warrant. >> Um, I think the town clerk had made that recommendation to be cautious. Um, when Jay Talman, our town council, came in last week, I wanted to run that by him.

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um which I gave from our town meeting warrant and he actually said that was only required if the wording in our bylaws was written a certain way. It's not it's actually up to the town moderator to make that call. Um so it's up to the board. I guess we we could

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take a vote, but it would be non-binding at town meeting. Um so I think Katie Goodfellow can chime in on that. My understanding is she's open to it, but obviously for the fall um there's a lot of training that goes into it. So, we want to make sure it's done well, done right.

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>> So, that would be between the town moderator and um the town clerk. >> I think it's ultimately the town moderator's call whether she wants to recommend it or not. I know they've done it. >> I think they've gotten the same donation in Northfor where Jay Talman is actually the town moderator. He is not a fan of

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the clickers and he's refused to use them. Every town's a little bit different what they want to do, oldfashioned versus new age. Um, I think Katie's open to the new age approach, so we'll see how it goes. >> And if the new age approach is not palatable, we can go back to the

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old way, the old way. >> Yeah, it's worked for uh since 1853. >> Okay. All right. Well, we did have um an exercise in opening the town meeting warrant and adding an article and closing it, so it wasn't wasted,

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>> right? >> All right. No, it was good to be um cautious with the approach. And then Emily, if you have any updates. >> Uh, sure. So, I just wanted to talk about override outreach. Um, last week we put out on Facebook and had a pretty good response to several pieces of

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outreach information outreach information um that are also on the town website. So, we put something out on operational impacts and a ballot explanation. And then just today we uh released the first I guess rendition of

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the Q&A. So we've had a good amount of questions come in and I think the one released today is about 20 questions and since we posted that we've gotten several more. So we're going to be updating it. Um but we do appreciate people sitting in question. It it helps us get an idea of what people are you

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know wanting to know most about so we can kind of cater our outreach in that way. So >> smart. And that's what is included in in here is the Q&A. >> Uh the Q&A, no is not included in here. It's on the website. I can send it along. >> Okay.

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All right. Excellent. Um anybody have anything for for Andrew? Thank you very very much. Lacy, thank you again for the um the monthly newsletter cuz that was

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included in here as well. Okay, we have a set of minutes from April 3rd uh that I'm hoping everybody had a chance to take a look at this um so I'll entertain a motion to approve the meeting minutes for April 3rd.

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>> So moved. >> Seconded. >> Motion in a second. Any discussion hearing? None. Roll. Fabian Ebste. >> I. >> Carbon. I Howard I. Okay. Thank you.

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Okay. So, about 40 minutes, 50 minutes later, but um so we do have a hearing this evening uh for class uh 2 for 12 Tonaton Street.

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So I I guess I'm going to read the article and then we'll open the this article. It's the advertisement article >> and then we'll open up the hearing. So, pursuant to chapter 140, section 59 of

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the general laws, the board of selectmen, we need to change that, um, will conduct a public hearing on the application of Eric Monahan Flex Fleet Motors LLC for a class 2

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motor vehicle sales license to be exercised at 12 Taton Street, Lakeville, Massachusetts. said, "Hearing will be held at the Lakeville Police Station meeting room at 323 Bedford Street, Lakeville, Mass at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday,

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May 5th, 2026. And it's um by your Lakeville Select Board. Um so with that, I will entertain a motion to open this hearing at 7:21." >> So moved. >> Seconded.

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>> In a role, please. Fabian I >> Carboni I >> Howard I Okay, hearing is open. Uh is there anybody here representing? >> Nice to meet you. Why don't you come on

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up? >> Mhm. So, we received the um application which is in um in our packets. Yes. >> And we also have part of the process is

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our um inspector will go out and take a look you know and make a recommendation you know to the select board. So we did receive our letter from our building commissioner this evening. I don't know did anybody get a chance to

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take a look at it? Okay. So, this is a business um that you're looking to operate at 12 Taunt Lakeville, Mass. Um why don't you talk to us a little bit about the scope of what you're doing?

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>> Okay. So, um detach garage. I'll do um usually I just do um I'll I'll take a vehicle that needs an engine or transmission and I'll I'll do the repairs and then resell that. So, having this will will help me process the titles better. Um,

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so I'd be looking for uh well, Jerry White had had a property right close and um and that had 12 vehicles. Um so something similar to that. No real display. Maybe one or two

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cars out front which is is separate and um it sits all in a business own property. Um so I don't think it would have any impact on a residential community. Okay. Anybody have any questions for Eric?

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Is there any umbody else that would be here to speak to the application? Okay. >> Oh, are you moving to a vote? Are we still talking? >> We're still talking >> cuz we'll vote after we close the hearing.

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>> Okay. Um, so I I see in the packet that we have sample other licenses for similar and and the conditions kind of vary number of vehicles and stuff like that. So and I read the bylaw bylaw.

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>> So um my question is I guess we as a board we allowed flexibility to define those above above and beyond what the bylaw state so x number of vehicles can be stored or something or whatever. Am I understanding that correctly? because I I see what's been done in the past. It's kind of all over the place,

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>> right? >> Um and in the packet there was a recommendation um or but we could >> that too >> look at because we're what we're talking about is conditions. >> No, no, I understand. >> So with any application or any permit speak to that? >> H >> could I speak to that? >> Sure.

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>> So I think that's um really the the neighbor neighborhood is what is dictating those licenses completely. So that's why I referenced um Jerry White's property at 35 Town Street, which is within four houses from us.

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>> Okay. >> And I think that, you know, reading the um proposed, you know, conditions, you know, they're reasonable and I think that um you know, they would meet what you're you're looking to accomplish here, too.

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Um, I've only had to do renewals. I haven't never really had to do a new application. So, this is a new one on me, too. Okay. Does anybody else have anything from Mr. Monahan? Any other questions or comments?

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Okay. Um, with that, I will entertain a motion to close the hearing at 7:25. Um, we have everything the list and I just want to be sure. I might have missed that. So, we don't

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need to continue. >> Yeah. >> Right. We were waiting on the letter. >> Okay. And we got it. And we got it. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, we did the legal ad, we got the locus map, and we have the application as well as the um inspection >> y

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>> outcome. So madam chair we have to pick numbers correct for Mr. Monahan, >> right? We have we have anywhere from 1 to four for discussion on on garage unregistered vehicles and then any anywhere from 4 to 8 in total.

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>> Correct. >> Is that as part of the hearing or >> it's part of I'm sorry. Yes. This the conditions would be part of the hearing discussion and then when we close the hearing then we vote on the motion and the conditions to carry with the application.

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So everything that um our building inspector has looked at um you know so basically it's it's up to the select board to make a determination to support the application based on his findings. Um so the number of unared um

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unregistered vehicles um one to four for discussion. So whatever this would be unared, unregistered. So these would be out in your property and you're thinking two. >> I I would I would like the four. They

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wouldn't be seen by anyone. It would have no no impact on the the neighborhood. That's for sure. >> Okay. >> You know, because there was, you know, there was 12 down the street. Okay. Yeah. So, that's my goal.

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>> All right. So, we're looking at possibly four. And then what about the um associated with the license? Um would be 4 to 8. >> I apologize. I I misunderstood that. Okay. So, with

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the license, the unregistered Okay. So the license could hold up to eight for a recommendation. Is that what I'm understand? >> That's my understanding. >> Yeah. Look, let's look at the uh

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let's see. Yeah. So we like this one is uh Freetown Street. So that's very residential. We all know that. Uh one unregistered and then two unlicensed. 10 vehicles. Yeah, they do get a little crafty, don't they?

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Um, well, let's let's let's start with the with the highest recommendation and we'll we'll go from there on uh Darling's recommendation. >> Okay. Um, one of the other conditions that we

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can impose would be that repairs and maintenance of the vehicle would be done inside the existing garage um and limited to the motor vehicles associated with that license. >> Certainly. >> Um any all new and used parts, equipment, andor materials associated

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with that license are to be blocked from view >> um from the street and an adjacent family home. Um, no vehicles associated with the license shall exceed 26,000 gross vehicle weight. Yep.

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>> Um, nor would they require a commercial driver's um license. Signage is limited limited to just a single unlit um sign two square ft in area. Uh, no more than three people who are not residents of

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the dwelling shall be employed at the location. Um, we're looking at uh possibly con um considering the hours would be limited to 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 400 p.m. on Saturdays, and

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then no work on Sundays or federal or state holidays. >> Perfectly fine. >> Okay, Madam Chair. Yes. So, you think you can operate within all those even the holidays and everything >> with those restrictions?

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>> Not a problem. Okay. I just don't want you not to be successful. So, if there is one that might be difficult, now is the time. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Is there any other discussion points that the board would like to?

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>> Well, I think given Mr. Monahan parody to the former business down the street uh run by Mr. White is certainly reasonable. Um, you know, the other locations mentioned, uh, you know, one is very close to a school, another one

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is on a very busy street, another one is, uh, never really took off and got is is a is a cleanup site right now, in particular on Kingman Street. Um, yeah. I I would think that, you know, he also

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has to live on that property and and probably doesn't want to look at a look at a bunch of debris or anything like that. Like to keep the yard is very neat now. I'm sure you'd like to keep it very neat. Okay. >> Yeah. But still be able to run a business and and support it. So,

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um chair, I'd be in favor of a total of a total of 12 uh with the four for on garage unregistered and then the associated vehicles uh eight >> eight. Okay. And the the other conditions um

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satisfactory. >> Yeah, the other conditions look good and and certainly if uh things aren't met, Mr. Dan can weigh in if need be. Okay. >> Any other discussion?

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>> Um, Madam Chair, I would like to recommend the um the numbers recommended by Mr. Darling. So, the the four um unregistered, unared, and the maximum of eight total, >> which is what we have down here. Right.

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>> Right. But I think >> Yeah. My my my apologies. My motion was for a total of 12 for par. If if I'm reading this correct, Mr. Darling is looking for a total of eight altogether. Is that is that how the rest of the board's reading that now that I look at that?

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>> Yes. My my understanding is the recommendation is a maximum of eight by Mr. Darling and uh so I was supporting that number and you were supporting increasing it. I

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I believe I misinterpreted this as a as four unregistered motor vehicles on site. >> Oh, plus the eight >> plus the other vehicles associated. >> Oh, so I I said where it says total number of vehicles associated with the

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license four to eight >> having not weighed in on one of these before with a new issuance. >> Yeah, cuz it's two different bullets. So that's where I thought it would be if it were max it would be the total of 12. Um

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I mean he is saying total but I looked at it the same way that it's like what number Hunt did. I was kind of adding them. >> Me too. >> But it does say total. So maybe we should go with eight. >> Yeah man. My interpretation is total is

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total. So total eight of those eight one more could be the un garage unregistered >> that's my interpretation. >> So with that if this is what the board's um you know um flavor is um to go with

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eight there's no reason why next year when there's a a request for renewal >> um that the discussion happened to say that if there was an increase requested. So, um, so maybe we start

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there and then >> reasonable. >> We're working through this, too. So, >> all right. If there's no other discussion, I will entertain a motion to close the hearing at 7:34. >> So, move. >> Second. >> Roll, please. Fabian,

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>> I love I >> Carboni. I Okay. Um, now I'll entertain a motion uh to approve the application for the class to motor vehicle license. Um, make sure

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I have this right. Um, for 12 Ton Street um for Flex Fleet Motors LLC uh with the following conditions. um

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number of unar unregistered motor motor vehicles um in total number of vehicles associated with this license um for total of eight and then do you want me to list all the other >> I do I did get them before you don't

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have to if you don't want to I have them >> okay and with the other conditions as presented and stated previously clarification before we um so if we say

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eight. Does that mean there can be eight on garage unregistered? Cuz um he's recommending one to four on garage unregistered. Do we have to specify that? So we could say four or four

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unregistered ungared with a total number of eight which means four would have to be registered. >> Okay. So I'll make that motion.

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>> Okay. >> With all the other >> wait um How can they be registered? >> I don't know. I'm just reading the recommendation for >> if if there's eight vehicles with the

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ability to be attached to the license. >> Yep. >> And those cars are just for sale, >> right? That's why I feel like I don't know maybe we do need some clarification on the recommendation because it says

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number of unared unregistered motor vehicles 1 to4 does say for discussion though and then total number of vehicles associated with the license is 4 to 8. So my understanding would be that four of

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them have to be registered or garageed. >> Mhm. >> That's fine. >> Mr. Darling. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, four have to be registered or garageed. >> So, the total would be >> So, they can be unregistered but remain in the garage. >> Correct.

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>> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. Again, I just want to be sure you know you can be successful. >> Garage is an important >> piece to know. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> So, why don't you go ahead and make that the motion so that it's very clear for

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the record. So, I I uh I I make the motion that we approve the class 2 motor vehicle license for 12 Taton Street. Um with the following conditions. Number of ungared unregistered motor vehicles on

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site 1 to 4. Total number of vehicles associated with this license 4 to 8. All repairs and maintenance of motor vehicles are to be done inside of the existing garage and limited to motor vehicles associated with this license. All new and used parts, equipment, and or materials associated with the license

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are to be blocked from the view of the street and adjacent single family home. No vehicles associated with this license shall exceed 26,000 gross vehicle weight, nor shall they require commercial driver's license CDL to operate. Signage limited to single unlit

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sign two square feet in area or less. No more than three people who are not residents of the dwelling shall be employed in relation to this license. And hours of operation shall be limited to 7:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 400 p.m. Saturdays, and no work on Sundays and federal and

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state holidays. I have a motion and a second. We're really good at discussion. Is there any further discussion hearing? None. Roll please. Baby and I. >> Hunt I. >> Blood I. >> Carbon. I. Howard. I. You have yourself

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a license. >> Thank you everyone. >> Right. Very nice to see you. Enjoy your evening and thank you for staying. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh proposed special town meeting and annual town meeting warrant articles. Um,

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Mr. Sukloth, would you like to >> Yes. Um, so it's important to note there's no vote on this tonight. This is just for discussion purposes. >> Um, we'll start with the special town meeting warrant draft. Um, right now we have article one just in case there's

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any unpaid bills that come in between now and next week. Um, we don't have any right now. Um, article two is to pay any sort of related deficit for the Gateway Health Group that may

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exist. Um, we don't know what that's going to be quite yet. Um, we're hoping to hear back on Friday what that could be. So, there'll be an amount likely put in here. I just don't know what that'll be quite yet. So, any discussion on special town

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meeting? Okay. And just want to make sure that it is for posted for 6:30, right? It will be post. Yep. 6:30. >> 6:30. Um Yeah. And then there's been some changes. Um I just got um mine back

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from town council today. So um there's some changes that we have to make grammatical and small little things. >> Certainly. But just for purposes of this, the special town meeting um will be will be >> 6:30. So, we're gonna need a quorum at

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6:30, even if it's just one article. >> Yep. >> Okay. Um, so the annual town meeting, article one will be the budget. Article two will be the budget but for

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the parks. Article three would be the omnibus for the capital plan. Article four, um we need to add these numbers in is the budget for the CPC

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community preservation fund. Um article five is a specific project that is choose to be funded this year, which is the Lakeville Cemetery Commission um wants to do gravestone repairs at Thompson Hill for $15,000 and paid for out of the reserve for

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historic um resources. Article six is the recall provision for Freetown Lakeville School Committee. Okay, Freetown has this on their annual. So, this will finally be addressed and

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finalized. Um, article 7 is $50,000 for compensated absences. Um, retirements or resignations are owed out of the budget generally, which can leave us feeling it if the budget's too tight. So, we're

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choosing to fund this out of free cash. Um, we did this last annual >> and we used it to uh for pretty pretty sizable payouts. The police department might have quite a bit coming up. So, that's this is kind of preparing for that eventual hit to the budget. >> Okay.

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>> Um, article 8 is to accept section 18B of chapter 53 of uh the Mass General laws. This um is for local ballot questions. Proposition 2 and a half overrides. Um, if people are probably aware, when the state does a state

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ballot initiative, they hand out like a maybe it's a blue book or red book. >> Red book. >> It's a red book. This gives us the local option to do it for town special town elections. >> Okay. >> Um, article nine is um the meals tax.

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One edit to this, it would take effect on October 1st. This is just due to the timing. To make it effective July 1st, we would have had to uh hit a May 31st deadline. Um we didn't quite hit that. Um article 10 is to hire a water

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consultant out of um the sale of water tower account. This would assist with IMA agreements, uh water studies and any and all water issues in town. Um this would be so 25,000 for that purpose.

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Article 11 is um edits to the earth work bylaw. Um I pushed the um cubic yards down to a,000 from 2,000. I removed the um I guess the quote unquote loophole tied to

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incidental um costs or incidental um incidental earthwork removal. Um and I think that was it for that. Oh, and um I changed the enforcement from the town's building commissioner to the select board or their designate.

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Um article 12 is the revolving fund. Um this is something we have to do annually. Um this we only have one. It's the conservation commission's revolving fund. We put 10,000 right now. We might push that down to 7500. But this is

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something we have to do every single year. just set the the limit by which we collect and can spend out of it. Um, article 13 is a cryptocurrency automatic teller machine prohibition. Um, we don't have any in town right now, but

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this would uh put a ban on those. This these are used generally for uh for scams. Um, generally, um, article 14 is to, uh, push up the fees for late excise tax, um, payments from, I think it's

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currently $20 to $30, which is the maximum by state law. I think this would bring in about 25 to 30,000 extra funds annually. This would just be for late payments only. Um, article 15 is the zoning bylaw. This

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would um add data centers to the zoning bylaws. Um it would change the definition of what that is and then where it would go. Um article 16, Emily, if you want to

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explain this one probably better than I could. >> Sure. So article 16 uh is from is a recommendation from the energy advisory committee. It's part of the process to become a climate leader. One of the five criteria is a commitment from the

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community um to decarbonize. So, it's a non-binding article, but it's just to kind of show that, you know, the people of Lakeville are behind becoming um climate leaders. >> So, there's five criteria to join. This

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is just one of the five. Um, and then the last one is a citizen's petition to create a wetland protection bylaw. >> So, there's one on here that I'm not seeing. >> Which one?

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>> Which is the override. >> So, that would be within article one. There would be a motion attached to that. >> Okay. >> Essentially, this sets the budget. Um, there'll be a motion to whether to adopt

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>> the override if it passes at town if it passes at the special election. If it doesn't, we have a different motion that says adopt. >> Okay. >> B. I think why I'm just asking cuz typically, you know, it's a two-step process obviously and we've always been

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at like town meeting first and then it's been the ballot afterwards. So, there's no law that says we can't do the ballot first and then town meeting. I just curious cuz I don't recall in my, you know, number of years here, 30 years of

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um that we did it the other way, you know, this way. So, that's why I needed to ask. >> I've seen I've seen towns do both. They have an article one is the override. Article B is a non-override. Um I've seen one like what I potentially proposing here which is one article with

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multiple motions to adopt an override or a non-override. I'm meeting with town council to kind of sort that out logistically how it would be. Um I'm hoping to meet with them this week. They may change it to do two different articles, but I think right now the the

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easiest way to do it is just one. >> Okay. So, the expectation for next week is to review the actual language from council. Correct. Because we need to review it. Um, and it needs to get published.

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>> So, we'll dig in a little deeper next week. Um, once it's published, we're going to schedule our hearing. Well, it's not it's it's more of a bug budget. I mean, excuse me. Um the warrant review with the with the FINCOM. At that time,

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um we'll go through them. We'll make our recommendations um to recommend or not. We've been doing that for the last couple years and I think there's still an appetite for that unless board decides not to >> and get Finn's recommendation too.

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>> Yep. And then um from there we can also decide and we can do it next week too. Who would like to read what articles um that the select board sponsoring? >> Madam Chair, um if if I have questions on some of these, would that be for next

430
02:02:08.159 --> 02:02:24.080
week or can I ask them now? >> Um you can certainly ask them now. I mean, maybe that will will help with if there's anything that Andrew has to go back to council for. Um I was wondering on

431
02:02:24.080 --> 02:02:38.719
article 11 I think um on page seven when it talks about the offenses uh and the fines basically Mike what I was wondering is

432
02:02:38.719 --> 02:02:53.840
how much of a deterrent is this expected to be and the reason I ask is because often when people uh look at the say earth removal they just consider this $300 part of a

433
02:02:53.840 --> 02:03:12.119
fee as opposed to a fine. And so if it's supposed to be a deterrent, then I would say that maybe those numbers are too low is um and then that would be the same comment that I have on

434
02:03:12.159 --> 02:03:31.159
article 17 on page 12. um when it talks about the um the dollar amounts 100 200 and 300 again if it's meant to be a deterrent I would say that maybe we make that number higher

435
02:03:31.199 --> 02:03:47.360
otherwise uh like I said they just consider it cost of doing business >> so I guess the question we could ask town council is there any limit to the height of the fine >> right yeah I can do Well, article 17 is

436
02:03:47.360 --> 02:04:04.239
petition, so we can't touch that one. >> Right. Exactly. Um, >> so anytime somebody submits a citizen's petition, >> it will go in um as presented because it's a citizen's petition. Anything else outside Yeah. Anything outside of that,

437
02:04:04.239 --> 02:04:21.920
we have the ability to weigh in on. >> I see. I didn't see that. It may um actually depending on if town moderator thinks it's within the I guess the the feeling of it that could be amended on the floor of town meeting

438
02:04:21.920 --> 02:04:36.960
like someone could say that they're too well in it raise them up town call. So, I guess the, you know, if we could find out from council because you'll be working with council anyways on these to find out what if there's a maximum, >> right?

439
02:04:36.960 --> 02:04:52.480
>> Um, and then we can certainly decide at that point, too. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um, I have a just one question for council. Um, you know, and I I mentioned it at our last meeting that when we do

440
02:04:52.480 --> 02:05:09.040
anything with regards to zoning and overlay, I want to make sure that we're very clear and that it's understandable to our our residents, even to us, sometimes can be a little crazy. Um, so we currently have the marijuana overlay district um that was approved at town

441
02:05:09.040 --> 02:05:24.320
meeting. So, we have those already established. So I know that the data center which I think is really important to make sure that we have that you know in a particular area because I was listening um to the planning board and I I support the initiative of having

442
02:05:24.320 --> 02:05:41.520
designated area um but I guess the question to town council is um to if it's going to be considered in the same overlay district can we just put a data center overlay

443
02:05:41.520 --> 02:05:56.239
on the marijuana overlay district versus combining the two. Is there what's the pros and cons of of doing that? And is there does that open up any particular liability

444
02:05:56.239 --> 02:06:15.599
um or questionable um down the road if one of the other has to be opened for discussion or change? Good question. >> So, >> yeah, I can check. >> I'm just Yeah, if we can get an answer

445
02:06:15.599 --> 02:06:31.679
for that one, too, cuz I support it. I just want to make sure that um having the the same overlay is not hindering us in any way. But, anybody else have any questions about any of the articles

446
02:06:31.679 --> 02:06:46.719
um that Andrew can take back to town council um for next week? Madam Chair, I I think some of these are a little complicated and I know it is absolutely positively up to the moderator how much

447
02:06:46.719 --> 02:07:04.400
conversation or uh visual aids or um whatever she wants to allow. Um, but I just want to be sure that on some of these some things and usually Katie's very good, but I just feel like

448
02:07:04.400 --> 02:07:21.520
some of these are pretty complicated. And as usual, you know, we advertise it, try to get people to read it, unlike the olden days when we would first time we saw it was when we were walking into town meeting. So, I just want to encourage folks to try to read these

449
02:07:21.520 --> 02:07:37.119
ahead of time. >> Mhm. The goal would be to do another town meeting guide. We passed it out at town meeting last year, which I think helped people with some of the stuff. So, >> would we be able to get it um ahead of time for I mean, I know you'd have to

450
02:07:37.119 --> 02:07:54.800
probably start drafting it now if it's if you hadn't already cuz I know you the the office is always trying to be proactive, but um yeah, if we could get that, you know, maybe ahead of time. >> Mhm. Maybe we have it for more review.

451
02:07:54.800 --> 02:08:12.400
Just maybe just a thought. >> Yeah, definitely. >> Give people a chance to digest. >> All right. Anybody else have anything on the articles? Um Andrew, anything else that we need to be consider consider this evening?

452
02:08:12.400 --> 02:08:27.920
>> No. No. I'll get back with uh town council and uh I'll come back with a final what this will look like. We'll we'll obviously post a warrant that looks like this. What we'll um do like we did the last couple years is create a motion. So the motion's on here and then

453
02:08:27.920 --> 02:08:43.599
we'll have what the select board and the finance committee recommend put not on here. So when you show up to town meeting as a resident, you kind of have everything that we see on the stage. >> That would be nice. And if um if there was a hearing held >> Yep.

454
02:08:43.599 --> 02:08:59.040
>> Um would be great too. you know, anything that is associated with that that will only um support um I guess the overall transparency of of what we're trying to do here. So,

455
02:08:59.040 --> 02:09:21.040
okay. Thank you very much. Um Chief Perkins, would you like to join us, Lacy? So, in front of us this evening, we have a uh request to approve the hiring of eight civilian traffic controllers um at

456
02:09:21.040 --> 02:09:37.360
no cost to the town. So, I'm looking to you to explain to us what you're looking to to do here. If you've if you've noticed all the uh construction work on Route 79, there's a minimum of three police officers out there a day or

457
02:09:37.360 --> 02:09:54.320
civilian traffic controllers out there a day. Um in the coming weeks, they're going to be 5 to seven per day. Um, we haven't had to call on mutual aid towns to fill spots, but I can see

458
02:09:54.320 --> 02:10:10.000
burnout happening and I don't have enough civilian traffic controllers right now uh to assist with um that amount of work that's coming up which is going to last over the next 3 years. >> And what is the criteria? Because I recall in the last couple of years we we

459
02:10:10.000 --> 02:10:26.280
did this we put up something out there for this, right? >> Correct. Yeah. We we got a whole job description and uh criteria um and qualifications of a civilian traffic uh controller. >> Okay. Right.

460
02:10:26.719 --> 02:10:42.079
>> We currently have 10 and I would say there's maybe four that work regularly. So I'm looking to find people who are going to work regularly and that can be relied on. >> Okay. And and right now, I mean, this is

461
02:10:42.079 --> 02:10:57.040
just your pool of civilian traffic controllers, and they would be utilized to cover traffic controlled issues or concerns. >> Yep. >> Um, as needed. >> Yes.

462
02:10:57.040 --> 02:11:14.800
>> Okay. And where needed? >> So, it doesn't just have to be 79. Correct. Anywhere. >> Yeah. It could be any other um non security detail I guess is what you you call it. There are some details that require a sworn police officer. Uh the

463
02:11:14.800 --> 02:11:33.040
traffic control details that we have uh don't require or will require someone there, but they don't have to be sworn. >> Okay. >> And you do some training with them, too. Yeah. So, that's part of their their qualifications that they have to be qualified or they had to have attended a

464
02:11:33.040 --> 02:11:48.560
flagger uh certification course. >> Oh my gosh, there's a flagger course. I mean, you would be a great flagger. I'd be a flagger. I might be too nice, though. Um Okay. Um well, I guess I'll entertain a

465
02:11:48.560 --> 02:12:06.239
motion um to approve the request um of the hiring of eight civilian traffic controllers. which would be effective this this budget cycle, right? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. So move

466
02:12:06.239 --> 02:12:22.560
>> second. >> All right. Discussion, madam chair. Um could you explain a little bit more about how it's at no cost to the town? >> Sure. So the the companies that work um like the the company that's doing Route

467
02:12:22.560 --> 02:12:39.520
79, they pay um the town and then and the town pays the the uh traffic controller. Same thing like any middle bar G& we send them an invoice, they pay the town and then um that's how that's how they paid.

468
02:12:39.520 --> 02:12:54.719
>> Okay. And there's no risk of us not being reimbursed. >> No. Nope. >> All right. Thank you. Yep. And some some companies that we don't have a um an established working relationship with, they have to pay in advance.

469
02:12:54.719 --> 02:13:11.760
>> Thank you. >> Okay. Is the rate um do they get paid the same? Is it less? >> It's the same. It's the same. That's that one detail rate and uh civilian traffic would get that same rate. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And chief, is there a processing fee

470
02:13:11.760 --> 02:13:27.840
like there is with details? Is there a 10%? Correct. This there there is a um >> a 10% service charge that the town collects off of uh off of each detail and then there's a 15% cruiser charge if

471
02:13:27.840 --> 02:13:44.800
they request a cruiser. And we do have a civilian traffic car that doesn't have blue lights and it has yellow lights. So if it's a civilian traffic person and it is requested that they have uh flashing lights on scene, they'll take that car. And there's an additional 15% uh that

472
02:13:44.800 --> 02:14:04.079
the town collects. >> It's got yellow lights, not blue. >> So these eight So these eight people will make the town some money over the next three years. >> Correct. >> Okay. So that was our we had a motion second then we had our

473
02:14:04.079 --> 02:14:19.599
discussion. Thank you. Roll baby and I >> I carbon I >> Howard I. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. Lacy, you're still here for something? Yes. Yes. Okay. >> All right. So, we have a request um in

474
02:14:19.599 --> 02:14:36.639
front of us to approve the additional duties and hours for the executive assistant to the select board and town administrator. Um so, currently our executive assistant to the select board and town administrator works 36 hours per week. Um there's a request for an additional 4

475
02:14:36.639 --> 02:14:52.239
hours that would be allocated to the zoning board as um we heard earlier this evening that we've had um a resignation from that clerical position. So we're looking to fill that clerical position

476
02:14:52.239 --> 02:15:09.679
the continuous support to our zoning board. Um and this is the the request in front of us this evening to address that that shortage. So, what I'm really trying to do is create backups. So, right now, if we

477
02:15:09.679 --> 02:15:26.320
have somebody lead, there's really nobody that steps in and is also trained to be able to do like a backup. So, the plan is that the executive assistant would be taking on those 4 hours, getting those additional 4 hours, but we would also leave that in the planning

478
02:15:26.320 --> 02:15:43.920
clerk's description as well. So, two people would be able to do that job. So what we're trying to do now is make sure that there's like cross trainining in between the different offices in case somebody does leave there's somebody that can backfill that or at least support it while we're waiting for somebody else to fill the seat. Okay.

479
02:15:43.920 --> 02:16:00.719
And it makes sense. So with this additional um four hours um there is um a cost of 6,64144 that you've that you've calculated um that's >> which would be that's the which would I believe we discussed and would is

480
02:16:00.719 --> 02:16:14.880
included in the >> the request. >> Yes. >> The budget request. So >> okay make sense. >> Okay. >> Yep. Yes. So, this is to fill the gap until we hire a

481
02:16:14.880 --> 02:16:31.520
new planning uh you a planning clerk. >> No, I'd like to actually continue it. This is where I would like to be able to have offices start integrating with other offices. >> So, we hire a planning clerk and and

482
02:16:31.520 --> 02:16:48.559
Colleen will still help. >> Yes. >> Planning. So, the the only reason zoning fell under planning was because at the time the planning clerk that we hired was already doing the zoning work. They weren't meant to be together. They were

483
02:16:48.559 --> 02:17:04.240
meant to be separated. Uh they're two different parts of the process, right? So, I'd like to keep it in the planner's description um to just maintain that there is a backup, but Colleen would

484
02:17:04.240 --> 02:17:21.200
take over as the primary. >> Oh, okay. Help zoning. >> And yes, so those four extra hours that we're adding to our schedule would be dedicated to zoning. And when I spoke to the planning chair and to the planning

485
02:17:21.200 --> 02:17:37.200
clerk, they said it's about 4 hours a week. So it works out. >> Okay. >> And this is something that you would take on? >> Yes. >> Okay. Just making sure we're not >> N for not at all very interested in it. Just another thing to add to my

486
02:17:37.200 --> 02:17:52.800
wheelhouse. So I appreciate it. >> All right. Right. I'll entertain a motion um to approve the additional duties and hours for the executive assistant to the select board and town administrator uh to cover the um

487
02:17:52.800 --> 02:18:08.080
the the zoning board the ZBA zoning board of appeals. >> So moved. >> Second discussion. >> How long have we been trying to do cross training? >> Quite some time. Yeah. But we have

488
02:18:08.080 --> 02:18:24.800
longevity. That's that's the key here. um you know with our town that >> Mhm. >> we've got we've got some good crew good good people. Okay. >> Roll please. >> Fab and I >> Carboni I

489
02:18:24.800 --> 02:18:41.359
thank you. >> Thank you Lacy. >> Okay. We'll move right through um the next appointments in Lency. Um so we need to appoint Kristen Howard. I So we had the discussion. This is kind of coming back. We had the discussion to

490
02:18:41.359 --> 02:18:58.160
change the charge for the advisory uh technology advisory committee at the last meeting. Um now we're looking for a motion to appoint Kristen Howard as the select board representative to the technology advisory committee with a term to expire. We're going to put it

491
02:18:58.160 --> 02:19:11.760
through July. >> Yeah. >> And then we'll reappoint. >> Yes. >> So through July 31st. >> So move. >> Seconded. discussion. Hearing none roll maybe an I.

492
02:19:11.760 --> 02:19:30.719
>> I carbon I. Okay. Um we did h we do have a um application. Kelly if you'd like to come on up. Um we probably won't talk to you much but um it's nice to know who you are and >> so u as Mr. Planka mentioned um earlier

493
02:19:30.719 --> 02:19:45.519
through the select board announcements that we still have some vacancies on some of the committees. Um, so we're looking for a full compliment um across the board would be lovely. Um, and Kelly has answered the call u for the economic

494
02:19:45.519 --> 02:20:00.479
uh development committee. So with us we have our um appointment application, a letter of interest and a resume. So if there's any questions that anybody would like to ask Kelly um or you can certainly share with us why you

495
02:20:00.479 --> 02:20:17.680
would like to become an EDC member. Um, I'm retired military. I grew up as a military brat. Lived in a lot of places. My parents are both from Massachusetts. Um, I chose to move to Lakeville.

496
02:20:17.680 --> 02:20:35.439
Um, for many reasons, one of which is I like the rural feel, but I also like the easy access to the train to go into Boston or other places is very appealing. I like to be part of a of the a solution and

497
02:20:35.439 --> 02:20:51.439
uh I as I live in the estates um in Learon Hills and we have some issues so I've been able to interact with the select board a little bit um and through this process I've learned um that we have some issues in Lakeville and I

498
02:20:51.439 --> 02:21:07.840
would like to offer I I want to be part of the solution to me it's very important that we start really and I think you will have. But we need to really continue the effort in getting um taking the burden off of property owners

499
02:21:07.840 --> 02:21:23.920
and getting and getting corporate taxes into this town. And I have some ideas. Um one of the things I'm looking at, I've researched are getting perhaps some primary care, internal medicine, um cardiology, orthopedic, those types

500
02:21:23.920 --> 02:21:41.680
of um clinics here. Um there's a there's we sit in a great location to attract medical including pediatrics based on the research. I just want to be that's one solution and I would just want I want to offer my assistance in getting

501
02:21:41.680 --> 02:21:58.640
taking the tax burden off of our properties our our um sorry our residential property taxes and bring in more um corporations. So, I'm I'm excited to be a part of this solution. >> Great.

502
02:21:58.640 --> 02:22:15.920
Okay. Anybody has any questions? >> Oh, so I I will throw my support behind Miss Newman. I've worked with her for over a year now trying to resolve some Baron Hills war issues with Tartan. Um, so I think she'll be a fine addition to the EDC. She has my support and I

503
02:22:15.920 --> 02:22:32.479
promise as a retired Air Force veteran, I will not hold it against her that she's a retired Marine >> and Navy. I was a marine officer for eight years and then a physician assistant in the >> It's all the same to me. >> But a bunch is a budget, right? >> Who knows better.

504
02:22:32.479 --> 02:22:47.760
>> All the same. >> Okay. M madam chair, as long as it's on my mind and we have a couple of folks from EDC right now. a a few years ago, I don't know if you remember, but we had gotten a solicitation from a movie

505
02:22:47.760 --> 02:23:04.000
company that actually wanted to do movies in Lakeville, and it they you know, I would love to see if we can Lakeville's beautiful. Why not? >> Yeah. >> You know, >> absolutely. I want to just be a conduit. I want to I I I think it's great. Any

506
02:23:04.000 --> 02:23:20.800
ideas are good ideas and you just drill them down. But we've got to do something. It's We're way overdue. It's time and I'd like to be a part of the solution. >> Super. So, let's get her appointed and uh get her swan in. She can be here Monday. >> Would you like to make a motion?

507
02:23:20.800 --> 02:23:36.080
>> Yeah, why don't you make the motion? >> Uh, all right. Okay. I move to appoint Miss Kelly Newman as the atlarge member to the economic development committee with terri July 31st, 2026. >> Second motion to second. Discussion

508
02:23:36.080 --> 02:23:53.280
hearing. None. Roll. Fabby and I. >> I. >> Carbon I. Howard I. >> All right. So, um because we have the meeting Monday, um we need to have the appointment card and let's get you appointed and >> tell me what I need to do

509
02:23:53.280 --> 02:24:09.520
email listing so you'll get all the materials that'll go out for the meeting on Monday. >> Thank you. >> Excellent. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh, we have a request from the parks commission to hold a music in the pines, which I think is such a catchy

510
02:24:09.520 --> 02:24:26.479
title. Um, on the dates of August 4th, 2026, August 11th, August 18th, August 25th from 5 to 9:00 p.m. as indicated. Now, this was in front of us at the last meeting and it came back because >> I was waiting for the um police chief.

511
02:24:26.479 --> 02:24:42.160
>> Yes. >> And they have since had their own meeting and they have worked everything out. So, it's ready to go. >> All right. So, everything that's required um for this public way application has been addressed. >> Okay. So, this is this is kind of new.

512
02:24:42.160 --> 02:25:00.080
We've got the um the summer by by the arts council. Yep. Music. And then this kind of in the later summer. Nice. Okay. So, I'll entertain a motion to approve the public way license application for

513
02:25:00.080 --> 02:25:15.680
the Lakeville Parks Commission to hold their music in the pines on the dates as stated from 5 to 9. Um, and we have the proper signoffs. >> So moved. >> Second. Discussion

514
02:25:15.680 --> 02:25:31.600
hearing none. Roll. >> Baby and I. >> Hunt. >> I. >> Garbon I. >> Howard. I Okay. Um, Miss Spiel, why don't you come on up? I don't think there's going to be much discussion, but um, might as well join us.

515
02:25:31.600 --> 02:25:49.200
>> Well, it kind of is. >> So, we've um this we put we tabled this at the last meeting because there was a question um about the insurance requirement um that went with the application. And um we have reached out to council

516
02:25:49.200 --> 02:26:04.399
because we directed our town administrator to do so. Um and so that's why it's back here in front of us. Um just to make sure that we are doing what we're supposed to be doing. So can you explain to us?

517
02:26:04.399 --> 02:26:21.760
>> So we have a a release of claims indemnity and hold harmless agreement. This was crafted by KP Law a handful of years ago. I think it's been used off and on. Um but it's been it's it's used for the purpose of uh renting out the townhouse or town hall kind of areas.

518
02:26:21.760 --> 02:26:36.880
Um, we have a policy that I think I forwarded to everybody called the townhouse, town office building property use policy and it outlines kind of what is needed. Um, I talked to our adviser, insurance adviser, and he recommended it's always good to get a certificate of

519
02:26:36.880 --> 02:26:52.080
liability insurance, but past practice has been if an event is kind of this nature where it's kind of not um heavy use, it's you're putting um >> it's a display,

520
02:26:52.080 --> 02:27:08.720
>> but it's it's a display. There's not a lot of high risk involved and the purpose of it is to raise money for the animal shelter. past practice has been to just require an indemnity agreement, which would mean that Sue would release any claims against the town if anything

521
02:27:08.720 --> 02:27:24.160
were to happen. >> But does it also mean that if something did happen, they could come after me cuz I have signed that waiver? And that's what I was told by I had an attorney look it over and an insurance company

522
02:27:24.160 --> 02:27:40.960
and they both said the same thing. you are crazy to sign that waiver. >> So, here we are. >> Okay. >> Um I and I spoke to when the insurance agent and she said, you know, you can do a one-day policy, which we do issue. She

523
02:27:40.960 --> 02:27:56.720
said, but this is for the whole month of December. We can't issue one just for a specific period of time. So, I would have to get a policy for the entire year. >> Jeez. Yeah. >> Madam Chair. >> Oh my goodness. So,

524
02:27:56.720 --> 02:28:12.319
I'm just I know we've approved in the past because um organizations not to have to do that because they are raising money for like a town

525
02:28:12.319 --> 02:28:29.840
department. I think one of them was the friends of the senior center that we didn't make them. We as a board approved them as a group operating as part of the town. So that way our

526
02:28:29.840 --> 02:28:46.080
insurance covered them and they didn't have to do the the waiver or whatever that is. But what department would they be would be sponsoring? I guess we have to be very clear that it's would be

527
02:28:46.080 --> 02:29:01.920
>> but I mean all the proceeds they're not it's not going >> right because I mean I'm not profiting off I mean everything everything's going to the animal shelter >> and I don't think anybody has any question about you know the the event cuz I think it's it's awesome it's great

528
02:29:01.920 --> 02:29:19.120
>> but we want to make sure because our job is to make sure that the liability um is off the town at at any you know >> but I mean all right say as swamps of kids are coming over to go to the library. They're walking down the sidewalk. The snowmen are there. They see it. They fall. So, okay. Do you say,

529
02:29:19.120 --> 02:29:35.359
"Oh, well, they fell cuz they were looking at the snowman or they fell because, you know, it's just there's a little >> gray area. I mean, say someone comes to the library to return books or whatever. They see the snowman, they start walking across the parking lot, they fall. Who are they going to go after? The town

530
02:29:35.359 --> 02:29:51.600
will go after me. How do you prove what they were doing?" >> Yeah. I I I don't know. I just, you know, I want to make sure that we're, >> you know, we're consistent. >> Um, you know, obviously we've had the the waves in the past. Um,

531
02:29:51.600 --> 02:30:08.880
>> and I I mean, I feel like it's up to our board, too, because if we're allowing this to take place, then we're in charge of all the town's buildings, and I don't know why we wouldn't, >> right? And and I'm not It's not this.

532
02:30:08.880 --> 02:30:27.439
It's not this cuz I support this, right? I've participated in this. >> I'm saying that if there's any other group that comes in front of us that's not sponsored by a department of the town, how do you justify this one and

533
02:30:27.439 --> 02:30:43.040
not something else? Because it's left to the discretion. our goal and correct me if I'm wrong is to make sure that the there's no liability for the town and that obviously nobody else you know can get hurt. So >> no chair I think that's question for the

534
02:30:43.040 --> 02:30:59.520
law firm the lawyers don't have to because Sue is saying this form here KP in the past said this form was acceptable now we're hearing that KP's that Sue's attorney saying >> well it's a give and take like her attorney's trying to make sure she's not liable

535
02:30:59.520 --> 02:31:15.040
>> I don't disagree with what her Cuz I mean, say someone has it, you know, they don't like me or something, they say, "Oh, I'm going to just >> fall over and I'm going to sue her." >> I mean, I think it would just our our council

536
02:31:15.040 --> 02:31:32.080
>> I mean, it would be a shame not to be able to do this, right? >> No, I agree. I agree. We want to make sure not to go off the subject or anything. I don't know what's involved in a 5013. >> Oh, it's a lot. It takes a couple of years. Um or

537
02:31:32.080 --> 02:31:49.680
it it goes under, you know, another >> Well, could I mean since we're using part of the library property, could it go under the library? >> That makes you have to have the library. >> That makes sense. It would be a shame to see to to see this fundraiser not

538
02:31:49.680 --> 02:32:05.840
happen. And I'm sure that there is some legal language and some a department like the library that could be under their umbrella because you can't expect this woman to take the liability on of

539
02:32:05.840 --> 02:32:21.600
of anything that could happen. I mean, it would just make it impossibly risky for her. >> I mean, we raised $12,000 last year for the >> It's great, but I want to make sure that, you know, >> right? And I totally get it, but I don't

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responsible either. >> Like to add that even if someone got their own rider for coverage for one day, it's not like the town cancels its insurance. So no

541
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matter what, if we're approving it, we're always going to be on the hook. So, I guess it's a question of do we want people doing community events or not? >> That's a very good point,

542
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>> Madam Chair. Yes. May um I have a couple of things. One is that the way that this um agreement is written is it's very specific to the town the Lakeville townhouse andor the town office building. So, it's specific to

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buildings. So my my question um for Miss Spiller is that the event as I understand it is not taking place in a building. >> No. >> That the

544
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uh snow people >> Mhm. >> are going to be displayed next to a a public sidewalk. You're It's not that they're going to walk onto the grounds like that's part of the

545
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I mean they could but that's not you or or do you do you have some sort of a >> It's the sidewalk that goes from the old town hall to the library. >> That's a public sidewalk. Well, because well, is it would you call Yeah, I guess you'd call it a public town

546
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>> because I I guess what I'm in terms of clarity if it's merely something that people are looking at like you mentioned earlier, it's a display and they're merely walking on the public sidewalk that they would walk on anyway and that you're not encouraging them to go on a

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tour within the the display that it is a public walk. There is through the chair there is a presentation on the what is it the gazebo the >> the final >> center stage award >> on center stage there's a present

548
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there's an there awards given there's a little bit of a >> but that's just one >> but which you know so you know people do go on the grass there I don't know how how much harm can be gotten by walking

549
02:34:45.680 --> 02:35:02.800
across a green but Um certainly it's not it's it's not uh an area that you would expect to have injuries or that kind of thing. But as I said before, I'm sure that legal

550
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language could be, you know, drawn up that would be simple enough for this one day event that we >> Well, it's not really one day. It's the whole month of December. >> The month of December. Okay. So the I'm certain that that something could be drawn up legally that would prevent her

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from incurring liability that would just allow it to go through as nicely as it did last year because it raised so much money for the for the uh shelter. >> Andrew, what is your recommendation as the town administrator? Um because I know we have time, >> right? Which is great.

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>> Yes. >> So very proactive in that respect. >> I like the idea of co-sponsoring it. H >> I like the idea of co-sponsoring it with either the library or the animal shelter and then any liability would be on the town's insurance. >> Okay. >> So find a sponsor.

553
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>> So yeah. So pull my waiver. I don't want to throw on the waiver. >> I think you should formally get clarification on those that still my opinion has not been resolved is >> agree. what what issue

554
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>> if for a a any other non girl scouts or whatever they want to use it I have we clarified that by forcing them to sign this form which according to Sue's council is saying you're now accepting liability responsibility is that the way

555
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we want to proceed on this I think we still need some guidance from council on >> yeah essentially why we have this is like all liability shifts to her so her attorney was is definitely right with saying She doesn't want the liability, but from our perspective, from our perspective,

556
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>> we want we want to push it all to her. >> Thank you. >> You know, I'm sorry to say it that way. >> Okay. >> But um >> it is what it is. So, Girls Council, whatever, they want to use town property and we're updating the policy as we speak >> to include the property. That's the right another component to it.

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>> They need to be aware that they're going to incur all liability. >> Well, so I guess you're right. So, in the past, the select board has allowed car washes to take place at the town hall.

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>> The difference is they're doing the fundraiser for themselves to keep >> their own money as opposed to >> their friends. Yeah. >> You know, so and I do believe the friends, well, the friends of the senior center, they're not part of the senior

559
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center. They are a friends group that raises money and gives it. And that's why we had said um that's why it it was said we want that to take place so that you know there can be money raised and the

560
02:37:45.680 --> 02:38:03.040
board accepted the responsibility. So, >> so the select board determines those town sponsored events versus the high school car washes and so forth with the understanding that they need to be aware

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that by signing this they're accepting. I mean, I guess not our job to educate them, but I think people know that when they're signing this form, they're accepting, >> right? But we would um we would ask them just like when the um

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madam chair when the um triathlon comes through here they have to have their own >> sure and we asked for that as part of their permitting process but this is not quite at the level of the the car washes are not rising to the level of the triathlon. joke.

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>> So the the only other thing is we could say absolutely nothing like no. >> We could say no. >> That's the easy way. >> We could we could say no. >> I don't want to say no. >> But we're not that we're not that way. So we want to make sure that we try to, >> you know, accommodate. But

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>> so I think in the updated policy, which we're working on right now, we need to clarify some language versus the town sponsored events versus >> Right. because it's in here. It says, you know, events sponsored by the town, events sponsored by Lakeville residents for nonprofit fundraising, and events

565
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which are are sponsored by local nonprofit organizations. So, there are three different categories. So, yeah. Um, so find a sponsor, I guess. >> Yeah, I think >> so. So, I want to withdraw that waiver

566
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that I signed. I want that out. So, I'm not >> to me the animal shelter makes the most sense, >> right? Right. because that's the that's what the fun is. So >> So they would actually be putting on the event and you would just be running it.

567
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>> Yeah. Through the chair. I think in in these f economic times where we're looking at such a you know drastic budget problems, it seems to me in the same way that we need to attract businesses to Lakeville. I think we need

568
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to make it friendly also and and Moren said I don't think we're friendly enough to business. I think we need to make it friendly to people who want to do things that would benefit groups like the shelter. >> Absolutely.

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>> And and that so the easier we make it for people to do that I think the more that you'll see. >> Right. >> And I don't think Dave would have a problem co-sponsoring. >> Yeah. No, we just have a conversation. Right. I mean, he does he does his own, you know, fundraising events too at

570
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other you know, but I just >> um you know, number one, we got to look at the liability for the town. We got to protect the town. >> So, and we have to protect ourselves for that. Okay. So, we'll um we'll bring it back. >> Okay.

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>> Cuz we'd like to have you come to every meeting now. >> We're here. We'll see you next week. >> No, please give me a few weeks. All right. So, do you want me to reach out to Dave or >> I can set up a meeting for all four of us to just go over it quickly and get on

572
02:41:00.960 --> 02:41:16.960
the same page. Okay. >> And then come back and maybe a month or so. >> Yeah, that's fine. >> Yeah. I don't want to actually >> Okay. Thank you. >> And then we'll And when it does come back, we can have a vote. >> Okay. So, do we want to withdraw everything right now or

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>> We're just tableabling it. >> Table. Okay. But withdraw the waiver, please. All right. You have If you have the original, you can shred it. >> I have the original. >> You have it. Please shred it. >> Of course. >> Thank you. >> Thanks for coming out. So, thanks.

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Multiple copies of I'm just kidding. >> Okay. We have um a one-day wine and malt license for the Redand Brewing for an event to be held on May 16th, 2026 at the Angres Conway Farm at 33 Southworth Street. Uh okay. Question. Is everything

575
02:41:49.680 --> 02:42:03.920
in here? cuz I'm going to cuz I went through this this weekend. In my eyes, I see everything is here, but I'd like confirmation that everything's here. >> Yeah, he's a he's an established business owner in town. He's very

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regulated by the ABCC, so he's good. Okay. >> All right. Entertain a motion to approve. >> Is this in lie of the one we tabled last week? Did we approve one? Didn't we? We approved one for the tipsy mermaid.

577
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>> Yes, >> that's all set. >> That's all set. >> So, this is a different I have multiple. I have function. >> I have more coming. They're just a few months out, so on. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yep. Uh, so I move to approve a 1-day beer and wine license for Red Hand

578
02:42:36.720 --> 02:42:52.399
Brewing for an event to be held on May 16th, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Anger's Conway Farm, 33 Southworth Street, Lakeville. I second discussion hearing none. Roll >> ab.

579
02:42:52.399 --> 02:43:07.120
>> Carbon I. >> Howard I. >> Okay. All right. So we do have some new business here um that came um this evening um that didn't make the agenda

580
02:43:07.120 --> 02:43:25.520
because their meeting happened and post the posting. So we had reached out to the other uh membership on the veterans uh park committee. >> So the

581
02:43:25.520 --> 02:43:40.319
commission the historic commission has uh voted to represent and support the veterans park committee uh with their representative of Joan Morton. So I think Joan Martin would be lovely.

582
02:43:40.319 --> 02:43:57.760
So, if we could, we'll have to ratify it at the next meeting. Um, so we may have to make a note to add that to the agenda, too. >> Um, to appoint Joan Morton to the Veterans Park Committee as the representative for historic commission

583
02:43:57.760 --> 02:44:19.160
through June 30th, 2026. Motion. Oh, so moved. >> Second. >> Discussion. Very happy to have Joan. Um roll baby and I >> Hunt I >> Carboni. I >> Howard I.

584
02:44:19.840 --> 02:44:35.279
>> We need to ratify the vote um to appoint Leah Fabian and Paul Hunt um as the Lakeville Country Club liaison. I'll I'll entertain that motion. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Discussion.

585
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There's no end date people. No end date. That's right. No end dates. >> All right. Roll, please. Baby and I. >> I. >> Carbon. Iard. I. >> Um, the next meeting of the select board is next week um at the Council on Aging.

586
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I can't wait till I have a home. Mhm. >> That we can say is our home. >> I know, right? That our meetings are always there at the same. >> We couldn't meet here next week cuz they have other meetings. >> They bumped us. >> What's up? >> They bumped us. We came in.

587
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>> We came in after and they were already. >> So, you know what? We'll we're just the traveling select board show. >> Find us if you can, but we're at the Council on Aging >> next week. Next week.

588
02:45:22.960 --> 02:45:39.840
>> Uh, so there is some correspondence in here. I did look at it. I have no clue what it means. Um, this is from Verizon, which we typically get um updates from Verizon or Comcast. Um, but I did look into this and I just not even sure what

589
02:45:39.840 --> 02:45:56.720
this is. Can somebody explain this to me? >> FYI. >> It's an FYI. >> Um, and it's part of our packet online. So, if anybody would like to take a look, it's a letter. >> It's part of the their contract with us that they have to provide this information. >> Okay. Yeah. >> All right. What it means, I'm not sure,

590
02:45:56.720 --> 02:46:14.160
but they do have to. >> So, maybe we can post this somewhere. >> It's on the in the packet. you want that's more than two clicks. >> Well, true. >> So, I think maybe maybe we can consider a correspondence >> page or maybe a Verizon tab or

591
02:46:14.160 --> 02:46:29.520
something. We got to find a place for this kind of stuff. >> Okay. Yeah, that >> because we're not reading it, we're not discussing it, we're receiving it. What do we do with it? It gets filed away. And >> does the cable folks have a part on the website? Wouldn't this go under there?

592
02:46:29.520 --> 02:46:46.240
>> Mhm. That's what I was going to say. to Lake Cam. >> No, the uh cable TV commission. >> Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. >> The advisor. >> Yeah, they do have one. >> But to your point, this is a public notice. >> Yeah. >> And my one of my recommendations I just passed along uh for the new website is

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to have a public notice >> section that that >> we were just talking about that. >> That would be why you're on there. >> A legal notice. >> Policy. >> Yeah. Policy. >> Sounds amazing, >> right? All right. So, let's make sure we we do that. So perfect. Thank you.

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02:47:02.080 --> 02:47:17.279
>> All right. Um, we do need executive session briefly this evening. So, I'll entertain a motion to enter executive session pursuant to Mass General Law Chapter 3A section 21A6 to consider the purchase exchange lease

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or value of real estate if the chair declares that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiation position of the public body with Lakeville Country Club and not to return into open session at 8:34 p.m. >> So moved.

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>> Second roll, please. Baby and I >> Carboni I Howard I. >> Okay, we are in executive session.