So, we'll go ahead and get started. I'll call this meeting to order. It's November 24th, 2025 at 7 p.m. Uh, first thing on our agenda is the phase one office reconfiguration. Mr. Town Administrator.
>> So, um, okay. Uh, I had a I know that uh uh Chuck was uh was in today uh walking around talking with uh talking with Eric and other other staff. Uh Mark was kind enough to come in and on um Thursday of
of last week walk around with some of his suggestions of uh of potential reuses in certain um uh in uh especially over in the office where the
um where HR is is moving across too. Um you all also have the uh configuration of the um uh the proposed areas of uh with Diane uh Dickensson coming over uh the
reconfigure with with uh um Tony and uh Lisa and myself. [snorts] Um and there is uh looking at uh overall uh because there there is an outlet that is in one of the one of the nonloadadbearing
walls to be removed and and repositioned uh a light switch and an electrical outlet. Uh depending on what the situation is with uh with the carpet uh with uh and and how that would be remedied. The worst case scenario to to
do that would be approximately $3,500 with $2,000 uh sended towards the carpet, $1,500 towards the um uh the door frame, a dumpster for the uh
for the area for the new door frame to go between where the exist where those the two leather chairs are. There'd be a door put in there uh to go into the next office, which would be proposed to be mine. And then um the uh uh to knock
down the uh the wall that currently um um Oh, we've got a pet show off. I've got I've got dogs. Right. [laughter] Um and uh for us to um uh to bring a
dumpster uh there uh to dump some stuff out which and we'll utilize that. We would utilize that dumpster in other areas for some other things that were not uh disposed of uh in other parts of uh of town hall whether it be on the
third floor or would be whether it be on the second floor. Uh just in just for general cleanup. It's not with any direction or intent, just general cleanup. And I take any questions. >> Anyone?
>> Okay. >> No, I'll jump in. >> Yep. >> Um, okay. So, you're you think it's going to be $3,500 all in to tear down a wall, build,
an office, take down a piece of another wall, close off a doorway. I don't I don't see how we I don't think I think that's a very conservative number. >> Well, I'm getting this from Eric and from Henry. This is not something that I
chose. We're not closing off any doorway. Uh we're creating a >> I'm sorry. >> So, room 307, which is now HR. >> Yes, sir. >> That door wouldn't be closed. >> It would be closed and locked with a
direction with an arrow uh pointed, let's say, to the left. But we're not going to sheetrock it and and just and eliminate that doorway >> on the plan that we have it. I just didn't understand what that box was there. [snorts] Um, >> fair enough.
>> So, you mentioned framing in a door. >> Yes, sir. >> Between 307 and [snorts] 305. >> Yes. >> All right. And then framing off or taking down the framing that was put in when we first had a town
administrator. So that the wall that goes from the swinging door basically from um where the leather chairs are now across to kind of in front of your existing office >> um the bookshelves
and then where the door is to the TA's office. That wall has to come down completely. And that's So you're saying that there's going to be $2,000 worth of carpet that would have to be repaired. the worst case scenario there wasn't that was the uh worst case scenario
about replacement repair of of carpet um uh in that area. So the counter would rem be removed that that is there right now and also that wall which basically separates what
is Tony's office and um the uh where where Lisa is and where the out where the outer office is. So, basically, we're expanding the outer office, squaring that off, and Tony would move into my existing office, and Diane would
move into what is the lunch slashconference room. >> I think it's 305A. Um, I I I think the numbers are pretty light, Jim. I'm not going to lie, that that I don't think we can do the work that is on this plan. And basically,
you're saying that that's turnkey. Everything that you've outlined on the plan that we received would be done for a total of $3,500. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Is there a um does is there a plan that doesn't include
307? Let's say we wanted to make 307 into a turn it back into a conference room or just put a conference table and have it be a conference room or an overflow room or or or interview room, whatever you have. Um, what is the cost not to put a doorway
between the existing office and HR? Oh, I think that is probably I think on uh when Tony showed it to me the other day, it's probably $1500 to $200 for the door frame,
but the the labor is done in house. So, it's going to be like for like just like the other doors that are in the building or in the office. It would um like for like I'm sorry.
>> Are you going to be reusing like the the assistant town administrator's office door put in there or because $150 to $200? I'm going to take the I'm going to take the I'm going to take the door that's currently going into my office and then
move it there and and the the door that is currently going into Tony's office, he will use it for his for his proposed new location where I am now. So, there's no new doors to be purchased. >> Just a door frame to to support a
>> just one door >> commercial door. I I I mean I'm I'm I'm questioning all of the numbers, Jim, to be honest. I mean, the 150 to 200 sounds light, even just for a door frame. Um and the 3500 for all this work to be done is um I I I
can't see it getting done for that. I beyond that I I think that uh it's an unnecessary change. I don't think it needs to be done. Um I think it sends a bad message not just to the employees, but also to the residents. Um it it creates that ivy
tower for the town administrator and um I mean early early on over the past couple years when we're talking about um the potential of moving town hall you've always stood by I don't care where I work I can work in a closet and that's that's a quote from you you've done
you've said it a few times a treehouse >> pardon me >> actually it was a treehouse >> you've said closet to me because we talked about the one that goes between the school department in the uh hallway. Um
I I just think right now we're trying to You just told me today about the the the budget cuts we need to make. I mean, I [clears throat] just we're we're trying to pinch every nickel we can. I mean, you're trying to do that with um health insurance. And I I just don't think it's
a good look. Regardless whether it's whether it truly is $3,500 or it's some other number, I just don't think this sends a good message. I I don't think it shows good leadership from us or from you. Thank you for your input.
>> Does anyone else have questions or comments for Jim? >> Go ahead, Matthew. Um, if the estimate is incorrect by or in and Jim is has underestimated the cost by a large degree, I suggest we
give him enough rope to hang himself and find out what it costs at the end of the process. Uh, and as I said at our last meeting, I don't know why we're micromanaging this project. Um, this is not our domain. It doesn't cost money. Like, let Jim reconfigure the office. um
along with the staff that approves in any way he wants. >> If I could just reply to that, it's we do we have standing here. It's care custody and control of that building and um we have to do what's responsible. I mean Jim Jim
may not be here or there could be somebody else that wants to do some other configuration of the offices. We can't just keep moving walls and and and building out different spaces. I I just I think I don't think this is micromanagement. I don't think we're getting in the weeds. I think this is
something that we absolutely should show some leadership on and um make the right choice. >> Okay. Well, I disagree. >> Mark, did you have a question or comment? >> Sure. So, I don't have a problem with
move of the HR to the new space. I think um they are very crowded in where they're at. Um, I still um I I do agree with Chuck that it's a bad look that we're spending money um on this when we
are in such a budget crunch. Jim, can you comment where we're taking the money from? Well, if uh we would we could take it from the $160,000 that is sitting there for uh that is a
culmination of the other of the other um areas. Uh the other we did it at town meeting the other capital improvements. So it has to be done. It has to be uh that money has to be used on um
reconfiguration, rehab, uh uh anything like that. I would uh that's where I'd propose it would come from. >> Is that the only option or is that your preferred option? >> That is the I think that's that's the
preferred option. >> Okay. Um, so again, I'll say that that would be taking money out of a capital into from the capital plan into something that we didn't actually plan for in the capital plan. And I know it's
a small percentage, but it's still kind of breaking with what we said we were doing with that money. My bigger concern was with this is we still haven't seen an overall plan for where everyone moves what the two
six month one year two-year vision is for where people end up in the building right how we what we can and can't mothball right um what the building looks like and I really am leerary to spend money on doing things until we
know what where the long the long game is, right? We know that we you said Jim several times she was planning to be in the building for 5 to seven years, right? So, what is the plan for the building for the next 3 years, right?
Are we move I we obviously have talked about moving the building department and that stuff around. Is there other plans or what else are we going to be doing? Right? Let's figure out how everyone moves in the right direction as a unit, even if it's in phases, so we know what
every where everyone ends up, right? Cuz maybe in the long run, it's best that your office, I'm just going to say throw it out there, moves over to where uh Kelly's old office was and then we just spent this money on taking out walls that we may not have needed to do. So
I'd still like to see a a full scale plan of the building of where what we are doing rather than just these little onesie twoosies things. >> Well, the from the the the proposal you
had before, it's not a onesie a twoosy thing. I mean, we've we've obviously identified areas of within the town hall. First of all, we're changing um what was originally proposed. I believe it was four years ago with identifying
36 King Street to purchase to move out to two departments to build a new senior center to build the library that was the idea of eventually vacating the building alto together. So considering that the message we received uh most recently we
will be staying there. Okay. So let's still we want to we don't want to spread the team out. We want to keep the team as closely together as possible. And by bringing them up, uh, first of all, the the the finance team, the assessor's
team, the town clerk, and it all absolutely happy with where they are. And quite honestly, they're they're they're in they're in good places. Now, we can't move the town clerk. She's got a massive safe in there. Unless we can move that, that's not going any place.
The assessors are right across from the treasur's office which is part of the financial team. So we want to take what lands in buildings and bring them more in the mainstream upstairs in which um
uh uh it would that's where the on second floor where parks and recreation is and was rather and by doing that um that that basically identifies the areas for stay together and for the workflow
and it's uh and There doesn't need to be a move after that. >> So in the next three three years for the building, the only thing you see is moving land use from the from the ground floor to the second floor and no other reconfigurations.
>> I do not see anything else because it doesn't make it doesn't make sense. Um uh because we we will solve the area of potential any expansion for for B for offices for personnel wise rather that
is absorbed on the in the second floor in in the new configuration such as for example if the if you know something with the board of health if we want to bring on um a halftime inspector um or anything else well is there a
place for he or she to land you know we would there would be space available for that for growth. That was one of the things that I had to the team in lands and buildings said you have to identify growth potential because count on us being here for five years.
That's if it happens if we move sooner so be it. But if we're here longer then we'll deal with it you know beyond that. >> Okay. And have we done an assessment on the systems on that side of the building to
know what their lifetime expectancy is, if they're better than on the other side or >> um it it was bo both are in a according to our facilities manager. Um it's
we're at hit or miss. I mean, we could it could last a couple years, it could go. We had no idea that the air conditioning was going to go in lands and buildings and that was a hit or miss and that that is that is now gone. Uh, in regards to that, so we have one
system for the building. We don't have the ability to isolate any any place and turn turn utilities off. We have turned the water off in a number of different ba in a number of bathroom areas. um throughout the building, but beyond
that, we have not been able to discontinue any any heat uh or anything like that. >> And the gym is going to stay in an area that has no AC.
>> The gym um I'm sorry, where is the gym? I apologize. >> The old Cooper room. >> Cooper room. >> Okay, let's try this. Where's the old Kooper room? >> Right next to land and buildings
>> in that back corner. >> Okay. So, is that where the current is that where the current um where the exercise equipment is? Is that what you're referring to? >> Yes, >> that would that would stay. They have made there's been no mention about that moving,
>> but there's no AC there. All I can tell you, Mark, is that there everyone is aware of that that there has been they worked um people people worked um did their exercise and work out after work there over the course of the summer
and there was there was no air conditioning there this summer. So I don't know if it's a fan thing that that that was in there or anything like that, but it has not been brought to my attention that it's unbearable. we have to find a new place for the um
uh for the exercise equipment. No one has said that whatsoever and there was a a lot of use there. >> Okay, good questions. >> I'm done. >> Um, you know, I couple I look at it a
couple different ways. You know, Matthew, I I agree. It's not the business that I I want to be in either um as far as layout um and how the how the operationally is, you know, put together besides just consulting with us
to see if it all makes sense. But the um the bigger picture I have is, you know, the town the town voted in July um for us not to change or move the building, you know, move out of the building and and turn it into apartments
and um that that whole methodology. So, I'm kind of stuck with um looking at it from a point of um I'd like to see what that maximum number is. um
that we're allowed to do I I don't I don't know what what is that number is it 30% you guys have mentioned it before to that building before we have we we we trigger all the ADA and all the other things that would have to happen we'd
have to do a much greater um project um I want to know what that number is and I think we should budget for it should literally get on the capital uh in the cycle boom this Is it do I
think the town hall can be worked in the exact way it is? I do. The problem I have with the town hall right now, it's not representative. It's representative of Littleton 30 years ago to me when I look at, you know, it's kind of like walking into a
smaller town. It's just not how, you know, when I walk into the clerk's office or any of the offices, it's just not conducive. So, I want to see this tied into a much bigger plan across the board to do as many upgrades as we can
to that building with the thought process that we may be there a lot longer than 5 years, 10 years. I mean, that it it's not that unrealistic. Time flies when we're when we're doing things like this. And with all the projects that we know that are going on with DPW,
you know, potentially coming up next, town halls typically get kicked down the road until something happens until, you know, until, you know, we um [clears throat] so I want to do all we can for this building, but I think it belongs in the
budget cycle to go up against everything else that's out there. So, um, and make it a much a much bigger design, much bigger project, and have it have it laid out. And if that means it this happens on this budget cycle, then so be it.
Let's get it out there so we see what it is. Throw the throw the numbers out there. Um, because it it's important to me. It's not like it's a, you know, I'm not giving it a backseat to anything. I I just think that we're
being a little bit shortsighted and Jim is, you know, kind of bandating it it bandating it the best we can. We're talking about a no cost move, a no cost building this or, you know, putting a door frame in. H that's not really
solving the bigger picture that I I would like to address. um and potentially all at once just to knock it all out and then okay, now we have live a a space um that our employees can be proud of. And it's um we've taken full
advantage of all of this room now that's been created by the other um you know departments moving out and potentially gives us space things we hadn't thought of. We talked about the gym equipment. Well, yeah, I would love to have the town employees have access to a gym in that building. Now, I know
we have the the senior center um that has has a facility. So, maybe it's not as important. Um but something of that ilk, you know, a a more design a more desirable common room or for places like that, you know, the the lunchroom,
things like that that we could the small things that are going to help us keep employees um in our town as opposed, you know, just those little things. Um, so more to me it's just I'd like to see it as a part of a much bigger project.
That's where I come down on this. And I don't need to know where everybody's going to be, but I I let's let's renovate. The the Tom said this is the building we want you in right now. Okay. Well, let's look at this realistically and see what we can do. A vacuum was
created with everybody moving out. So, we're expected to fill those spaces. It's not just a turnkey operation. it it just doesn't work like that. So there's there's a cost to this to the decisions we make and I think we should absorb as much of this as we can in a bigger
scale. Let's >> through a budget process. >> Yeah. Through the budget process. Well, I thought that and I I believe that the conversation the last one on the on the larger picture of with moving
um the lands and buildings up to the second floor that that was going to be discussed on on on Super Saturday and decided uh because there it is. It's currently within the budget. I mean there is there is I shouldn't say within
the budget. There are there are there are resources that uh are available if if if the if it's approved to to spend the money on on the move. I mean, I just
hate with so many moving parts with the potential of if there's opportunities out there for us to relocate and by looking at doing a large scale
renovation of soup to nuts there. Um, does that mean so that that means we're absolutely eliminating the deeply affordable units to go there? >> It doesn't. But what it it means that
the town the town has spoken. They have voted. Um, and whether that was an appetite, you know, the effect of a developer getting another building, whether it was the effect of many reasons I I'm assuming people voted on it, but it was
pretty resounding um feedback that I think this board got and and you too, Jim, to some degree, but I I believe um it's kind of a we'd just be playing a game if I said, "Okay, we
something comes available, a newer building. Um, some of the discussions we've had are obviously in the background that have happened in the past and maybe something be makes a lot more sense and we put it in front of the town and and we find out, you know what, the reason why a lot of the people voted
no last time is cuz they want us in this building in this complex, this the town hall. So, then we're right back to square one and we haven't done anything. Um, so I I I I know what you're saying. We put a
lot of money into this um to do a as much rena as we can inside that building and then something becomes available if 5 years is going to be a harder sell potentially, >> right? I I and because well now you've
just spent all of that money. But I think it's the cost of doing business when you have a town hall that's that's aging and we had some major major departments move out. We have all of this space sitting there and you know I I can't bear walking in some of the offices anymore and seeing papers
stacked to the ceiling and it just the compressed I open it up get really really hit this hard. So I that's where I'm coming from and I it might not be popular with the board, you know, but it's it's just kind
of where my mindset is overall. Well, it's um I don't think it's I I don't think it's prudent considering what what is still outstanding in the in regards to information or opportunities that are there to for us to go and and just
basically um commit ourselves for the next 15 years of doing the major renovation with spending millions because it's it will take millions to go in and reconfigure it with all new systems uh throughout. It's it's
basically looking at the same thing that um with the with a Shaker Lane renovation if you're looking at it now we have to go out and we've got to move people out of town hall. We have to find a temporary location. Uh we does that mean we have a bunch of trailers in the
back in the in the back parking lot? Uh, and I think there's way too many questions still outstanding of potential opportunities. And this is
um I mean this is this is this is something that is you know really basically nothing. I mean you know this first phase the second phase um absolutely you know and and and making the proposal on
on Super Saturday with with all the necessary information and I know that uh the conversation uh we had after it was voted down at town meeting and rightfully so. What I heard was not yet not yet. It's too much too fast right
now. So, okay, let's uh um So, let's go back to the drawing board because ultimately, look, all I know is we could stay there forever as far as I'm concerned. If if but the whole thing was I was tasked
with a deeply affordable senior housing. If that was the if that was the powers to be that wish to have it there, that was the that was the understanding. I'm trying to fulfill that from before and bring that to fruition and think
outside the box and be as creative as possible with, you know, having getting, you know, achieving that or we just completely scrap it and say stay everything is got to go between 410
and 550 or find another location. So be it. I'll take my direction from from the select board and I will but right now unless I'm told differently and that's where I am >> right
>> go ahead Mark >> go ahead Chuck >> I was just going to say Gary were you making the point that we should find out with with the ADA compliance being 30% over five years um 30% of the assessed value um were you making the point let's find out what that kicker is like spend
up to potentially or maybe not. I mean, I I'd like to know. I mean, the entire infrastructure isn't horrible. I mean, so it's I just don't know what is that
what is that number? What could we spend realistically? And you know, if it's few hundred,000 even to get this to wow, we've really got because some of the spaces are are in pretty decent shape. But um and I'm not talking about the
heat system and all that. That's not going to change. That's not going to go away. Um so I that's kind of what I was thinking of. Let's see what how much we can get done reasonably without hitting that 30%. which I don't and I understand Jim
what you're saying because if you really want if you jump all in you jump all in and you're doing the whole heating system ventilation you're almost gutting the building moving out and then I >> you are >> I I was more in the hundreds of thousands of dollar project
of doing the internal you know structuring making it making it look good inside the best we could >> one thing that one one thing and I'm sorry to interrupt the one the the one thing that we'll forget getting here is the fact that you know the the the the
the employees the team down in the lands and buildings. I mean you you have in your information packets the fact the the challenges that they have storage getting getting a temp in there getting an intern in there's no space
confidentiality workspace I there there is it's it's fraught with with issues and um and we have a nurse in a closet in the building next door where I know
>> you know she should be where the where the board of health is. He needs an office and and I think the building commissioner I think the building commissioner should have a big enough office that he can bring and and spread plans out and everything. Right. So right now he's got to go up to the
second floor, you know, bring a contractor up to the second floor and stand there and and do it that way, which is not I mean I'm I'm not I'm not trying to say this for the optics. I mean what is reasonable in in
in day-to-day operations and you're talking about uh employee attraction or retention or anything? Um, I I I I think I think by not us
recognizing a very very very powerful voice. I mean, this wasn't this isn't one or two people like complaining. This is a team that came together and said we need to do something different here. And I I I agree with them and I support what they
want. >> So Jim, I have a question. If we take if we take the >> we're talking two different things here now, but >> right >> we have your plan for $3500. We have the plan for lands and buildings land use
department for $160ish,000, >> right? Yep. >> Whatever. Let's say we take that $150,000 to town meeting and it fails. What is plan B? And would you have still have spent the $3,500 on your office or would you be doing something different?
>> Well, first of all, it's the worst case scenario is the $3,500. So, um, >> how can you say that? >> I all I can say that, how I can say that, Chuck, is the fact that I asked two professionals who are in the business.
>> Let's just assume it's 3,500. I don't want to bicker over how much it is, but you we're spending the money. We're spending some money. Would you still be spending the money if we weren't doing the land use thing next? If there was something else other than land use next, would you still be spending the money today?
>> If there was something else, >> if if we if if we went to town meeting and the vote to move land use from the first floor to the second floor failed, would you still go forward with the same plan you have on the third floor or would you be pursuing something else?
>> Well, there would have to be something done. Let's put it this way. with four people in that office is does not work. So something would have to be done. >> Four people in your office or four people in HR office. >> Four people in four people in my office doesn't work.
So something would have to be done. Money would be spent someplace. I'm just and that's that's all that's being presented. I understand what I understand the question mark and
and what if the what if the $150,000 passed at super Saturday. So I think obviously we can talk about hypotheticals for a really long time and there's a lot of points where decisions are going to get made.
Some of them are going to be within our control and some of them are going to be wholly outside our control. For me the question is these are our employees. They've told us what they need. Can we do better? The answer is yes.
So, I think we should do better. So, that's why I'm in favor of moving forward with this now. >> But they've already they've already moved, right? >> Oh, yeah. There's been there's been there's been two one and one office that has moved and one that has re that has
that is in the process of of relocating. And thank you for accounting has moved. They were extremely cooperative with moving to make to provide the opportunity for HR to have the
confidential area that they need that they haven't had for how many years um since you you know when HR was was was brought on you you you've expanded it you identified it as a board. This is not this is not a decision or or a situation that's been taken lightly.
This this is probably this conversation with the team is probably going on 10 months and back and forth and scenario and and everything like that and and it's and clearly there is there is there is
that need here. If I might just add something about 307 if um if we obviously it's going to be vacated. HR is moving across the hall to the space that the accounting department was in. Um, and Jim, you brought up um
expandability. Gary, I think mentioned um opportunities for expansion. With us not doing anything with 307 right now, but putting a conference room or Gary mentioned a lunch room or a common room or something like that, that affords us an opportunity for some growth and for
for some flexibility. Um, that I mean, what is what is the plan with Diane Dickerson? I mean, >> Diane Dickerson, as far as I'm concerned, she can stay there for a hundred years. She does a great job. She does a great job for the town. She works
very very hard. She's a very very nice person. She's very pleasant. She's very very helpful. She'll she'll help out in any way she she can, which she's a great employee. She's a fantastic employee. So, I'm as far as I'm concerned, she's there for as long as she wants.
Anything beyond that. So it doesn't, you know, for our opportunity, for our growth potential in terms of expansion, our expansion, you know, based upon the conversations we've had, our expansion is really going to go towards um we'll go towards public safety
personnel. And when we have an expansion opportunity, that's where we are at this point. And um uh like I said and I'm I will I will say it again, four people in that office does not work.
So how you want to do it from there? >> So I'll rephrase Chuck's question. If Diana retires tomorrow, are you replacing her? >> Absolutely. >> So So it's a long term that there's four people in your office.
>> Correct. Yes, sir. >> Any other comments? >> Yeah. What is the square footage of the existing town administrator's office, Jim? >> I don't know. I don't know because I'm I'm pretty sure we've got four employees working in spaces that
are smaller than what you have there. And each one of these is basically a everybody's got their own their own space. If we were to if we were to say eliminate 307, if we were to do um Diane into the conference room and
not make any changes at this point until after we get more information, we go to town meeting or look for funding or that kind of thing. Um I think it's a terrible look. >> It's a dead point. It's a dead point, Chuck. >> Which part? >> It's the whole what what you're saying.
It's a dead point to look for money, you know, >> bad luck. >> It's it's a dead the point it's a dead point because you know as well as I do to go look for money to try and it's >> I think I said it was a land grab last
time, Jim, and I feel the same. >> You know what? It's not a land first opportunity you have to put a That's >> not a land grab. >> A big a big >> And I take exception to that. I take exception to that statement. That's that's my opinion. Yeah. I just don't
think it it looks good and I don't think we need to do it right now. I think Diane's in Australia until the end of July or January or something like that. I I think we can address it in other ways.
>> I don't think it's a good point, Jim. It's your opinion. >> Fair enough, Chuck. Fair enough. Fair enough. Anybody else? Amy, we don't have public comment on the agenda for today, but if you want to make a brief statement, that'd be okay.
>> Um, I I know this building is so hard for everybody. Um, I think what I would love to see is maybe a consultant. I know it would cost money to come in and make a short-term and long-term plan. I think there's a lot of decisions everyone's
trying to make and maybe having an outside um, you know, plan to just kind of look at um, for a structure may be helpful. Um, I'm personally would be fine putting in $150,000 to um, you know, make sure
that we keep our employees, not retain our employees because when we lose them, um, it's, you know, it costs money to replace them and lost productivity. Um, and yeah, and I think our employees work really hard and I think they deserve it. And um I'm not really sure the town,
well, I'll speak for myself, um really would want to entertain a really large renovation project considering all the projects we're currently paying for. I think people may want to see some projects um roll off um the taxes before I would consider like a big renovation,
but I know it's needed. The building is um not really functionable. So, thank you, Amy. >> Those moves are already made. All right, >> just to clarify there just I mean something to say. Sorry.
>> Yes, I'm sorry. I I mean just for clarification, Amy, the HR department is moving across the hall. That's so we're taking care of those employees. The accounting department has already moved moved down to the second floor of the old library. Um so we we I don't think there's anybody that doesn't want to
take care of our employees. Just want to make that clear. No, I know it's a lot of choices to make in a tough budget. So, understood. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Amy. All right. Um, I'd like to go ahead and and
take a vote on this. So, is the motion that we are voting to approve the move and the expenditure of $3,500 to refurbish the town administrator's office? >> The move's done.
>> No, the town administrator's office. >> So, >> so like you said, HR has it. I will pay the $3,500 myself. So, it cost nothing. Let's I go there. >> No, I I
>> I appreciate I appreciate it, but >> Thank you. I don't >> Let's go ahead and um >> Madam Chair, may I propose that we take a vote on leaving 307 out for now and just going with the status quo and
moving Diane into the conference room? >> No, >> we never had we never had that conference room before. >> No, let's vote on the proposal as it was. I'm asking I'm asking the chairwoman. >> So, sorry. 307 is which? >> It's uh >> one at a time, please.
>> Okay. And you want a vote to leave it the way it is? >> I just I'd like to amend what's in front of us right now. Obviously, Diane needs a space because we've already moved her stuff out of the space that she was in um for good reason because it's going to
be a file. There's going to be files in there. Um, and it's a lockable office. It locks from the hallway as well as from the office area. I get that. Um, but just don't touch 307 right now. Leave that as a vacant room.
Leave the counter the way it is. Don't take down walls and set Diane up. >> Okay. I understand that's a counter proposal, but I think I would like I'm going to hold a vote first on what was proposed initially. Okay,
>> thank you for consideration. >> Gary, can you uh come up with a motion on the fly here? >> Um, >> we've got up to $3,500 for >> town administrator's office in 307. >> Okay. So, we're move moving that the
select board or that the >> um >> allocate authorizes $3,500 for >> the re up to $3,500 for the renovation of the town administrator's office um expansion into room 307
>> including >> from what funds, Jim, >> can you add that to the motion, please? the the funds that have been identified that were that it was a culmination of uh balances for previous capital
improvement projects. >> So So as >> are there any other capital improvement projects that we've already said no to? >> Is that a clarification question, Chuck, or or is this >> I'm answering my own I'll answer my own question. There are other capital
improvement projects that were put on hold and and not approved that this would be jumping ahead of. >> All right. So, we're in the middle of of drafting a motion, please. >> But this it's been moved and second and that's this is the opportunity for more deliberation. >> Did we get a second?
>> I second I seconded the motion and I will second it as amended with the clarification on the funding. >> Okay. All right. Moved by Matthew. Excuse me. Moved by Gary. Seconded by Chuck. >> Seconded by Matthew.
>> Oh, Matthew. >> Yeah. All right. Let me try again. Moved by Gary. Seconded by Matthew. >> Drombacher. >> Come back to me, please. >> All right. Matthew. >> Matthew's. Yes.
>> Gary. Uh, Gary's no. >> Chuck. >> Chuck's no. >> Karen is a yes. Mark. >> Aha. You waited. >> Yeah, I'm going to go with a no. [clears throat] >> I'll entertain a motion to,
as Chuck proposed, Uh, >> well, can we talk about it first? I don't I'm not sure. >> Just just redo 307. Is that what you're proposing? >> No. >> Well, 30 307 would be empty just to and
I think it's already been kind of assumed that Diane's going to move across. So, um, with all due respect, I don't think we need to take a separate motion. If I can have a point of clarification on why Diane is moving across the street, please, you are wrong, Mr. Dost.
Why? It's because it's confidentiality. Because the walls over there are paper thin. And that's why you can hear the conversations between what is the old accounting office with uh the conversations going into uh into
where Diane sits. No, that the what I said, Jim, was exactly what you told me that we needed to be able to lock those files in there. >> I I I never I never said that to you. >> Okay. >> I thought the lockable files thing was was Michelle's files, not Dian's.
>> That's correct. >> Right. HR files. >> Right. Okay. So, all right. Does anybody >> cool? [snorts] >> So, Chuck, you're saying that you don't
think we need a motion >> um >> to rearrange. Okay. >> Yeah, because we're not we're not doing any we're not affecting any change in that office. We're not we're taking the conference room table out. Maybe we could put that in 307. Um
and setting up a workstation for a special projects coordinator. Okay. >> I I I really don't think so, but let me get consensus from the >> No, I think it's a fair point. It's just re it's literally moving furniture, which I don't think requires a motion or
a vote. >> So So what about taking down Michelle's walls in 307? I mean, that's basically a something that they're cube walls effectively, right? So those could be taken down for free effectively, right?
My objection isn't to the move, it's to spending money through the non-normal process. So >> I already explained though, Mark, that I would pay for it. And in terms of the walls that are in Michelle's, that will
be done inhouse. >> So that's what I was saying. If you want to take down the walls in Michelle's office, that's fine by me. If you want to figure out what to do with that room, I think that's all good, right? But I
don't think we should be Yeah. as a for Yeah. I don't think we should be spending money outside of the normal process. >> Yeah. I think Michelle's walls aren't structural. >> So >> I don't even think they're >> modular. Exactly. >> So,
>> right. Actually, those those walls might be able to be set up down on land use to create a space won't be private, but repurpose them. Okay, >> excuse me. Let's move on to uh B. Sorry.
Uh authorizing the town administrator to execute the MSBA documents. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. This is really um this is something that uh I am I am requesting. Um it's part of what MSBA
was looking for the other day that all the necessary the votes the certified votes all the signatures the uh were put together um in order to submit it to the MSBA MSBA the other day. Town council advised that I request a vote of the
select board um authorizing me to sign it as um to move forward in uh in the project. Anybody have any questions? >> Okay, >> I have a stupid question. What happens if we don't authorize you? What would
that mean? >> You'd have to ask town council, Mr. Yeah, Mark. You'd have to ask town council. I I mean who if you're not author have there been things that you've been supposed to sign before that you weren't authorized for. This is just something new because we're moving to the newer phase. I mean we've signed a
lot of documents with MSBA so far. Is this what's different now than before? Just that we're looking to spend more money. I all I can say is town council wanted to just confirm that it was authorized by the select board. I I thought the
same thing, but I wasn't going to question town council. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else? >> Okay, >> all right. >> You have a motion?
>> I I will in a second. Um >> Oh, thanks. There we go. Uh, move that the select board authorize the town administrator to execute the MSBA documents. >> Second.
>> Moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. Mark >> I. >> Chuck. >> Chuck an I. >> Matthew. >> Matthew's yes. >> Gary. >> Gary's yes. >> Karen is also a yes. >> Thank you very much, everybody.
>> Right. Um motion to adjurnn. >> Well, before we adjourn, Jim, just so you're clear, the >> don't go spending your own money to do this because it was there was a no vote for the for the work. >> Understood, Mr. Dost.
>> Well, you threw it out there again, so I just wanted to make sure you didn't want you to do that. And I don't think we could do that legally. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Now, motion to adjurnn. Second. >> Moved by Gary, seconded by Matthew. Mark
>> I. >> Chuck. >> It's an I. >> Matthew. >> Matthew. I >> Gary. >> Gary's an I. >> And I'm also an I. Thank you everybody. Appreciate this. >> Have a good evening. Happy Thanksgiving. >> You too. Thanks.