Are you guys all set? >> Uh, yeah. >> All right, stand by. In 5 4 3 2 1. >> Good evening. E evening everyone. Welcome to the March 23rd, 2026 meeting of the Long Meadow Select Board. Uh,
this is select board chair Josh Lavine. I will be confirming that all members and persons anticipated on the agenda are present and can hear me. Members, when I call your name, please respond in the affirmative. Dan Workout >> here. >> Beneath Mavathy >> here. >> Andrew Lamb here. >> Shelley Mayor Dwolf >> here. >> Staff, when I call your name, please
respond in the affirmative. Lynn Simmons, >> she is here. Peggy Sheldon >> here. This open meeting of the Long Meadow Select Board is convened in person and via Zoom webinar as posted on the agenda and town's website identifying how the public may join.
There is no chat or Q&A function. All the materials for this meeting are available on the agenda posted on long meadow ma.gov. The public is encouraged to follow along using the posted agenda unless I note otherwise. This meeting will feature resident comment. For residents attending the meeting in person, please raise your hand when we
get to the comment section of the meeting and I will call on you to approach the microphone. For residents participating in the meeting via Zoom webinar format, please use the raise a hand icon at the bottom of the screen. Meeting moderator will promote you to pan unmute you and give you permission to speak. If you join the webinar by
phone, dial star9 to raise your hand and star six to mute unmute. Residents who wish to speak will identify their names and addresses only. Each individual is afforded three minutes for comments. Please note that this meeting is being recorded and that some attendees are participating by video conference. Please remember to mute your phone or
computer when you are not speaking. If anyone in attendance is recording this meeting, please announce yourself now. Seeing none, we'll move on to the pledge of >> allegiance. Algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. do that. >> Uh, starting out with announcements. Citizen of the year nominations. Nomination forms for citizen of the year awards are now available and should be submitted by Friday, April 10th, 2026.
The awards are presented yearly at the annual town meeting. Citizens are encouraged to submit award nominations for a citizen, community, organization, and/or group who deserve recognition for performing a service or act beyond what is normally expected in service to the town and community. For additional
information on award criteria and to submit a nomination, please visit long metalmma.govvic alerts. Community preservation committee spring application cycle. The community preservation committee will now be accepting applications.
Sorry, I lost my will now be accepting applications to be submitted by April 7th, 2026 for possible consideration at the 2026 fall special town meeting. The application form and information about the community preservation act process can be found on
the community preservation committee page at long meadow ma.gov. Long me Earth Day cleanup. The Earth Day Cleanup event sponsored by the Energy and Sustainability Committee and Recycling Commission be held on Saturday, April 18th from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. For additional information and to sign up to
volunteer, please visit long meadowmma.gov/earth. Free paper shredding event. A free paper shredding event will be held on Saturday, April 25th from 9:00 am to 11 am at the Long Meadow High School parking lot. More information on the event can be found at Long Meadow Ma.gov.
Okay. Move on to resident comments. Tom Shay 81 Green Meadow Drive. Concerning the water and sewer, substantially better process this year. Ian and Lisa did a nice job. I agree with option three to be fully funded operation and maintenance. The DPW did a
very good presentation to justify that. Definitely in favor of increasing the fixed fee portion as detailed in my email to you. I think the water and retained earnings balances grown a little too quickly. Could maybe take those back a half, but whatever. for
next year. You've got a good base, but you need to calculate the fixed charges, roughly 50% of overall charges, and decide how to recover those as a percentage through fixed charges. Otherwise, the increments are arbitrary. Quarter review by Ian and Lisa is a
great idea. Fiber, good to see is produced dead schedule allowed by Mass General Law since the two previous ones by fiber spring were not allowed. There is no financial model need a 20-year source and use need assumptions and many other things. There has been no
involvement of finance committee. When will a public information session be scheduled? The original model or the latest model by Fiberspring was minimal at best. What will the impact be
on Long Meadow's debt ratings? S&P has already said Long Meadow has too much debt for its current rating. corporate governance. How is this going on the warrant? Mass General law says Fiverr must be done through an MLP. Select board can be the MLP. The select board cannot be the MLP until there's a
charter change. An MLP is a separate and distinct entity from the town. Lack of disclosure. August 2025th, Long Meadow, excuse me, South Hadley Gas and Electric said that we have submitted
poll applications, but there is another company ahead of us that will push up approve our approval process back by 6 months. The other party's territory and ours may or may not overlap. This is very concerning and never disclosed. The push back can be longer than 6 months if I
assume it's gateway makes ready payments essentially a block while being reviewed and then a priority construction period. November town meeting for funding was also in fiber springs minutes. I don't know why that didn't
happen. Status of gateway. What is the status? There's been conversations last July which you heard about at a meeting last February. Basically, at the end of the day, this thing is not ripe for a warrant. There needs to be a full
financial review and a 20-year model. How many years of negative cash flow are there? Is the 491,000 owed back to Long Meadow in the model? Because I've been told that's up to debate. It just doesn't work. And if you put
that on the warrant, I don't think you're doing it properly. I didn't even take my full time. That's how bad it is. >> Okay, we'll move on to uh Oh, anybody online?
>> No hands up. Okay. Uh moving on to kudos and plaudits. Uh staff recognition. March 11th, 2026, the trial for defendant Salif Alin Fozy concluded. If you recall, on April 14th, 2024, Fozy threatened threatened the Jewish
population on social media while posing with a firearm in front of the JCC on Converse Street. Due to the diligence of the Long Police Department, the in incident was investigated and Fozy was taken into custody less than an hour after being identified. Fuzzy was ultimately charged with multiple
offenses including hate crimes and last week was sentenced to 2.5 years in the house of correction. He will then be placed on 5 years probation. He must stay 500 yards away from the JCC in Yeshiva. We want to take a moment to recognize the hard work that that was contri that contributed to this case.
While involvement varied, each of the LPD officers involved contributed to the overall success of the case. Incidents of this nature have a significant impact on our community and their efforts are very much appreciated and reflect well on the department council on aging meals on wheels and
fire and police departments. We would like to recognize the outstanding efforts of Cecilia Roslin Godhack uh adult center outreach coordinator meals on wheels volunteers middle police and fire department for their recent coordinated wellness check on a local senior. Thanks to their collaboration, the team identified a senior in urgent
need of services. Their timely intervention likely had a significant impact on this individual's well-being. According to LPD and LFD personnel on the scene, the senior resident likely would have faced dire consequences had Cecilia not reached out to coordinate the check-in. Their dedication, teamwork, and compassion exemplify the
very best of our community services and show the meaningful difference that can be achieved when multiple departments and volunteers work together. Um, Lynn, thank you to you and Mike for putting that report together. That's great. Any other kudos and plots before we move on?
Okay. Uh, any select board comments otherwise? >> Go ahead. >> Thank you. Just to respond to a couple of things that Mr. Shay just asked about what's funny. I don't understand. Okay. Um, so just a couple of things to respond to. So, I think a lot of this
we're going to respond to just when we talk about the uh warrant article as well as when we talk about the Fiverr financing, but uh two things I just want to respond to the corporate governance um comments. The this has been explained to Mr. Sheay over email multiple times.
Uh this is just a basic legal principle that uh state statute supersedes town charters and bylaws. It wouldn't make sense if a town charter could pass a law that was in violation of the state statute. Uh that just doesn't make any sense that towns could then create laws
that could violate state laws. Um what the state statute says is that the select board or an MLP board is in charge of the municipal light plant. The select board is the MLP board currently. The reason why we're having a charter change is because the state statute
allows towns to choose how they want to populate the MLP board. And so that's why we have asked the state legislature for permission to amend our town charter so that we can appoint members to a municipal life plan board and have them populate the board. So this is just
basic. I think you know you can ask any attorney that you know in your life. These are just basic legal principles. Um the the second part about uh Fiber Spring having something in their meeting minutes about um or or Shell having something in their meeting minutes about
uh a November uh special town meeting vote. I mean that's that's maybe what they thought would happen. Not sure. Uh I don't know why it was in their meeting minutes. I don't know what I didn't attend the meeting and so that has nothing that re really is relevant to us. We have ne we never put that on our
special town meeting. Um, and I think a project of this size, it'd be inappropriate to put it on a special town meeting. And so I think it's being done correctly to have it at our next annual town meeting after um, you know, design engineering has been completed. So, uh, the rest of it, you know, I'll
we'll answer in due course. >> All right. Thank you, Ben. Uh, anybody else? Shel. >> Okay. Nothing for me today. >> Oh, Dan, I'm sorry. Your hand was behind me. Um, uh, yeah, I just wanted to
actually, uh, Shelley's husband, I wanted to cong congratulate, uh, Damian Dewolf for completing, uh, the FBI National Academy class. Uh, this is an very intensive 10-week, uh, intensive training for national and international
law enforcement uh, leaders. I'm sure Shelley is uh, relieved to have her husband uh, back home now. Um, I just wanted to congratulate uh Damian for uh his completion. >> Thank you, Dan. I appreciate that. And I
got to make sure Damian's watching so he sees the shout out, too. So, thank you. >> Okay, great. Um, moving on, we have a committee appoint board and committee appointments. We have three
that we interviewed at our last meeting. Uh, do we have a motion? >> Yes. I Oh, sorry. >> There you go. Fire away. >> Um, I'll move to appoint Ethan Kendrick to a one-year associate non- voting term expiring June 30th, 2027 on the
conservation commission. >> Second. >> Any further discussion? Peggy about to do everything by roll vote. All right. >> Tell me. >> Yes. >> Yes. Workco. >> Yes. >> Benathy. >> Yes. >> Andrew. >> Yes. >> Josh. >> Yes.
>> Okay. And I will move to appoint Matthew Delson to the DEI advisory um group for a one-year for a sorry for a three-year term expiring June 30th, 2029. >> Second.
>> Anything further? >> Yeah, just real quick. I I I meant to speak up last time. And I just thought um that his testimony was very, you know, courageous and um we get to have a lot of um folks in front of us that want to uh serve on different committees and
I just was really I was really touched by his um his life experience and just, you know, courage to to step up and and serve the the town. And um I I did mean to say a couple words last time, but I think we all probably felt the same from
from that. So, thank you. Well said, Dan. Thank you. Uh Peggy >> Shelard, >> yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Josh, >> yes. And I'll vote to appoint Gary Gay
to the Historic District Commission for a three-year alternate term expiring June 30th, 2029. >> Second. >> Anything further than Okay. Go ahead, Peggy. >> Sh. Yes. >> Danco.
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Andrew Lamb. >> Yes. >> Josh. >> Yes. >> And we have a a letter uh from the from Concom and this is not something I've ever dealt with. So if you could go ahead L.
>> Yep. Uh so uh as you'll see in the letter there's two members. one is a associate member and the other is a full member. There's been some scheduling conflicts and the associate member has actually been the one attending um mo the majority of the meetings uh whereas
the full member has actually not been there as often as I think he probably intended when he first applied. Uh and so between the chair and those two members there's been discussion about swapping their appointment and both were agreeable. it would work better for the conservation commission and give them a
full voting member that's uh able to attend all their meetings. So, it's just a reassignment of terms. >> Okay. And so, that's um I guess it's not out of the course of what we can do. It's within our power to do that. Correct. We don't have to interview. So,
>> if everyone's comfortable with that, I think that makes a lot of sense. >> Uh we can go go ahead with a motion. Do we need two motions? >> No, just one. It's fine. Um so I will move to reassign um
Leah Far to the sorry so she's going to be moved to associate >> no fulltime >> full-time member and then Richard McCulla to associate member right yeah okay so I will move to reappoint uh Leah
Farr to um a full-time member and reappoint Richard McCulla to an associate member. >> Second. >> All right. Anything further on that? And those will expire 2028, >> I believe. So, >> okay, great. Um, go ahead. Thank you,
>> Shelard. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. And then moving on to presentations. Uh, first up, we have the fiscical year
2027 capital improvement plan. Okay, that was quick. Um, thank you. I don't have a formal like uh slide deck for you tonight. Um, at least on this I do on the budget next. Uh, so your capital plan um again this year is going
to be presented by me. Um, we're pending a charter change that's in its third reading in the Senate. So hopefully that makes its way through and then you'll have a new constituted capital planning committee um and a process that will coincide next year. Um, so attached to
your agenda is a is my recommended FY27 capital plan. Um, it was revised from what was originally sent to the capital planning committee in January and the revision relates to a change to balance the FY27 budget. So, I'll go back to
FY26 um to have this make a little more sense. Uh, in FY26, we had a budget shortfall and in order to balance the budget, we reduced the capital plan and changed how we were funding two projects. they were uh going to be borrowing projects with the debt service
paid for out of the ongoing capital line item. Uh and so when we started building the FY27 budget, we had the hole from FY26 to fill if we wanted to meet the full capital planning policy, which was 3% of general fund revenue, which was
about $2.3 million. uh as the budget came further into focus, we realized that it would not be possible to present you a balanced budget without the use of reserves while meeting that uh increase in capital. And so tonight, uh what you have is a essentially a level funded
capital plan from FY26 numbers 1.556 million. Um, and I can go through the list of projects with you. Um, and explain, you know, how I ranked them and and how I, um, assigned dollar
amounts to some of them that were not necessarily the full ask of the department. >> Thanks, Lyn. Um, I have a question first on the uh sidewalk replacement, which is something we always like to throw extra
money at when we can. Uh, so that's down from the request about how much how many miles or feet of sidewalk will that cover the 190? >> Uh, good good question. It depends on
the extent of what uh the sidewalk repair is. if it's just a resurfacing or a curb cut, not a curb cut, I'm sorry, a curb, uh stop ramp, uh stop bar, things like that. Um uh we do also have the DPW director here
tonight, too. So, if you wanted spec specificity on how far that would go, he might be able to do that off the top of his head. >> I guess well, my my follow-up question, I guess the better question is, are there any areas in town where this is specifically uh planned to be used for?
Sean Mandus, DP director. Um, yeah, actually the section of Forest Glenn is one that pops out. We're not going to be able to get that covered by the current TIP project. So, we're going to allocate funds to finish that kind of area as a whole, but we have a significant backlogs of sidewalks. I can give you a
a big list. I have I actually went over it with Tim today. So, um I can follow up and give you a list of the sidewalks that are backlogged and an idea um about about what we're going to be doing in the future. >> Okay. I think yeah, if we can see how big the backlog is and if we need to allocate more, which if there is more,
it'd be good. All right. Thanks, Sean. >> Um and then obviously, as always, there's a lot of requests that we we couldn't fulfill. >> Yep. Um, was there anything that uh was a late cut that we're going to try to to get next time around?
>> Um, one of the ones that you'll see on here was for the center school parking lot. Uh, this was one that we we did want to address, but um, with the upcoming work that's about to take place there for the roof replacement and windows, um, this was one that we felt
like we could defer. Um but this is one that we do want to get done in the next couple years. And um some other ones um I mean certainly the need greatly outweighs what we have available for funds. You've probably remembered from last fiscal
year capital plan that the police department was on there as well for needing exterior work. Uh there is a design that's in process and that is um really going to dictate the extent of what we can do there. Um I am also
looking for uh legislative help with some funding there and um potentially making an ask of the capital stabilization at the fall town meeting once we know really what's available to us for um for funding and how far we
want to go with the work that's needed. Thank you. And then uh my last question before we move on to Andrew under it is is that the um the cameras that we've pulled back on a couple times? I know that that's uh smart cash or sorry free
cash is >> um yeah so there's network equipment projection equipment and then the Long Meadow Police Department network enhancements. Um, so all of that, um, the projection equipment is for the schools, network equipment is for both town and schools,
and then the LPD network enhancements are for obviously the police department. >> Okay. Oh, this I thought Okay. I don't know why I thought there was >> We did do cameras last year. Um, >> I thought they got pulled off, didn't we? >> We did, but we ended up um funding them through uh free cash in the fall or
there was a late a late fall article for it. >> Okay. All right. I knew I was missing something. All right. Thank you. And then the last one I would just call out here is um center school, the front entrance architecture. This is to cover a portion of the project that needs to be addressed uh but does not fall into
the MSBA accelerated repair. It's not eligible. So while we're there, we're going to do this work. >> Great. Uh thank you. And that by architecture that's like the kind the cement at the bottom where the drainage is.
>> Yes. >> Okay. >> Great. Um Andrew. >> Yeah. Yeah, I just wanted to share a few things. Uh Lynn was kind enough to kind of go over this very detailed fashion with me earlier. Um and I just wanted to say for those with interest, it's I appreciated the balance budget this
year. I know it was really difficult and I see that you basically prioritized the things that you felt we needed to accomplish, which I think you have the greatest knowledge of even more so than us. But some of the things that I had asked about for those with interest um
you know we're using free cash some of the leftover free cash to cover some of these. I assume that those are like your secondary second tier priorities. One was interesting where I questioned what does Williams alternate field usage maintenance mean. It actually doesn't necessarily mean the fields at Williams
per se. It's the fact that there's fields around town that will be used more because of the construction at Williams and it's kind of in the anticipation of using those a great deal. So, um, would it be fair to say that you use free cash essentially to do
what you felt was the second tier priorities? >> Um, yes. I don't I maybe you're giving me a little more credit. >> Um, but yeah, I guess that would make sense. And um uh thank you for pointing that out about the Williams field maintenance because as we get to the
warrant article, you'll see that um the actual article calls it something different because this list is generated in the fall. So we have quite a bit of time between then and I just didn't update the title on the list here, but you'll see the title updated in the warrant to better explain what it
actually is. So, it's to deal with the overuse of the other fields as a result of Williams coming offline and then also start some work on um some necessary uh design redesign of some of those fields as a result of that overuse including irrigation.
>> Yeah. I just wanted to point out that you know you made you know you're we're funding 1.5 million but we're also using free cash to kind of do additional things to try to help. Yeah. essentially. So, >> anything else? Um, do you want to talk about the five-year plan now or is that
a separate >> Sure, we can. Um, we can. It's uh really just a it's it's mostly for um I mean it's for everyone's knowledge, but I look at it more as um keeping track of all of the assets and inventory that we
have um facilities and infrastructure so that we know on the it's on the horizon that you know you don't just buy it once and and forget about it. You have to keep track of it. Um, and as I've pointed out last year, DPW has made strides in improving that five-year
capital plan. Um, it's a sobering number to see, but I'd rather see it and know what's there than ignore it and pretend that it's not coming. Um, and so we just we'll have to have some conversations about what is the priority and how we're going to tackle it. But I think that all
in um collectively between the work of the select board, my office, the departments um we've done a really good job prioritizing and going after different buckets of money because if it's just if we just relied on capital, it wouldn't get done. Um and I think
it's been great that you know, it's a testament to the work you guys did last year with road resurfacing. You were able to tackle a lot um in a very short amount of time. And the same goes with a lot of these other projects. We're looking at all sorts of different ways to fund things. >> So,
so the fi as a five-year plan, this isn't a plan of here's what we're going to do. Here's we're keeping track of it because if you look at the bottom line, it's $28. >> And they're just best guess estimates for the price. I mean, none of us know what, you know, a window is going to cost in five years,
>> but it's really more for just tracking purposes. >> So, it's looking at what we can what's out there, what we can pick off and plan for. >> Yep. >> Okay, great. Well, I think that's that's a very useful exercise. So, thank you. >> Uh, anybody else? >> And just kind of piggyback off of that,
I think that's what also made the road paving project uh such a good one because we were using 20 25$26 for paving that, you know, uh, went a lot further than if we had waited for that same money. So, >> absolutely. >> Yeah.
>> Josh, >> go ahead. >> Um, and Oh, that's great. Um, and Lynn, I really appreciate and and as well as Ian, I know I met with you earlier or last week. We spent considerable amount of time going through the budget. So, appreciate everything. My one thing I
wanted to talk about was the ambulance. I thought that was um and just kind of the work that the select board did with um making sure we hired two firefighters um to support that. And maybe you want to touch on on that and and how we have the 3%
um we have to pay 3% for the billing as well and how it's almost a double-edged sword. >> Yeah. Um and I can also address it during um the budget conversation, but for the purposes of this um I can talk about it in terms of the ambulance the capital replacement. So, the way it's
been set up, um, which Ian and I inherited, uh, is that you, we project what our ambulance receipts will be, and anything over that that comes in higher, luckily it has, uh, is what goes into the ambulance fund to build up to replace an ambulance when it's time to
do that. So, that ambulance fund um has a balance of whatever amount it is right now. I It's on one of my sheets here. Um and then we'll add we keep adding to it with those additional um ambulance receipts that come in over what we've projected in the budget.
>> And had we not had the the two additional firefighters EMT with the raise in calls, we'd be missing out on opportunities to to support um you know, individuals in the town and surrounding areas as well. >> Yeah, absolutely. We we're seeing a
major uptick in um ambulance revenue and it's we're running two ambulances full-time now because we have those extra positions >> which is exactly what Chief Rigney told us was going to happen. >> Y >> so kudos and applauds to him. >> Yep. >> Okay.
>> So do you want me to just talk about process a little bit here? >> So normally uh normally this would be the fin the capital planning committee presenting it to you. Um I'm presenting it to you. So now it eventually becomes your plan. You um don't have to make any votes on it tonight. You can um go
deliberate, discuss, uh and then think about it. You come back on the sixth and you can either adopt it as is or modify it, but ultimately it goes into the budget um or into the warrant uh as capital projects that get listed out below the budget.
>> I know this is a time of year where you see a lot of us in your office um you Mike and Ian. So, uh, we appreciate you doing that and, um, talk more on this. Anybody have anything they want to talk about in the capital plan before we move on? >> Okay, great. Um,
let's go on to the, uh, town manager budget presentation. >> Okay, so this I do have a formal presentation for. Are you able to put that on the screen? >> You're driving, so want to share. >> I'm not in the Zoom, so if you just
bring it up um, the what I emailed you. No, it was a PowerPoint that I emailed you tonight or a couple hours ago. >> Mhm. >> Okay. So, if you download it and then share it as a slideshow.
>> Absolutely. screen. >> Thank you. All right. So, it's um just have you. Thank you. And I will advance slides. That's right. All right.
See if this works. If we're I'm testing out the presenter being the one to uh >> You want to go to >> Yeah. Where where is >> You want to start the slide? >> Yeah. Where is that? >> Top left. >> Oh my god. >> Oh my god. Here.
>> I can't read it from here. >> View. >> That makes me feel better. No, we're good. We're good. Yep. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Your eyes are a lot younger than mine. >> Okay. All right. So, um, as you all know, we we are here tonight to talk
about the FY27 budget. Um, just a quick review, we started this budget process in December of 25 with a joint meeting uh here in this room with the select board, school committee, and finance committee. At that time we made some projections based on revenue expenses.
Um what we kind of thought at the time um also at that time I'll point out here at the bottom we were pres uh preparing for a 3% general fund revenue um uh policy goal for the capital plan. Um unfortunately as I just previously said
we were not able to meet that. So in December we were projecting a budget deficit of uh $1.3 million. Okay. So, some highlights before we get into the low lightss. Um, the uh FY27
budget is balanced without the use of reserves. And I felt like it was really important to highlight that first because this was a really challenging budget. And you'll see as I go further on, we had to make some pretty serious decisions on um projects that we really
wanted to keep moving forward, but uh did have to put a pause on in order to not tap into those one-time funds. Um we are going to the full um 2 and a half% and the budget will be able to main current level service.
So, a breakdown. Um, the way this really comes together is by looking at what our projected revenue increases are. We started getting much firmer numbers in late January when we got the governor's budget. So, this is based on the governor's numbers. And then once we
started getting in uh some of our uh non-negotiable costs, which uh primarily is health insurance, that is a big driver. uh and then retiree health insurance and our retirement contribution. So, as you'll see, um our revenue is projected to increase 2.5 million and our
non-negotiable expense increases. So, again, employee health insurance, retiree health insurance, retirement contribution, the amount that we're giving to the schools and the um collective bargaining agreement increases total 2.9 million. So off the
start um we did not have any uh surplus to work from. Uh so we were looking at cuts to offices and and where we could make this work. So this just summarizes a lot of what I said but also includes the enterprise
funds. I'll skim through this because you feel free if I'm going too quick let me know. But a lot of this you've already um >> received. Yes. Uh, quick question online. The slides aren't moving for us, so we're not seeing any of the slides.
We can hear you just fine, but the slides aren't following your >> really sharing. >> Yeah, >> thank you. We'll see if we can troubleshoot that. >> Yeah, >> maybe you have to reshare. >> How about now, Shel?
>> Yes. >> Yep. It's working now. Thank you. >> Okay, >> that's weird. Okay, so uh here we are just exp uh showing you the summary of expenses. Um this is just pulls directly from the budget documents, but it shows
you where we were uh in the current fiscal year and then uh what we're projecting and it shows the percent changes there on the right. Um it may um look a little different than that slide of that breakdown that I was showing
you, but you can see some of the decreases. General government and DPW, for example, um those are not truly I'm sorry, those absorb um the collective bar some of the collective bargaining because those two departments have unions as well as public safety. So
those are um not necessarily uh the true cut. It's based on the cut and the um increase. I'm not explaining that correctly. >> Can you try to get that to full screen again? >> Sorry. >> Can you try to get that to full screen on what
>> an option for that? >> I think if you >> um >> you might be able to drag it option. >> Is it doing it off of this? >> Wait, I might be able to do it. You see the magnifying glass? >> I cannot see.
>> Bottom left. >> Like how do you get rid of that screen on the side? >> Bottom left. >> Drag the border. >> Yeah, you should be able to to share option. Share settings tools. No, it's
>> that you. >> No, >> no, it must be a >> It's not a zoom option. It's a >> PowerPoint thing. >> I can't read it. >> I only have two options though. Okay. >> No, it's not a zoom. That's That's a zoom option. Go up to Can you go up and
hit F11 up above >> in PowerPoint? No, it's not a zoom option. >> Josh, >> close that. Go to Hit PowerPoint. Click don't not there. Click on PowerPoint up above and anywhere. And you just said F11.
>> No, not there. >> That's a zoom option. Don't don't click up there. Click on >> settings where should be just click on click on the slot >> and then press F11. >> Try F11. >> And then just press F11. >> The key F11
>> on your laptop. There's a F11 key at the top of the >> zoom. >> Can you read that from here? >> Oh, sorry. It's F5. >> What? >> F5. >> I don't know what's going on here. >> Can you hit F5? No.
>> What the heck? >> Let's give him that five. So that's not it. >> Okay, we'll just try to hit share slide or show again. What is it? >> Screen recording. >> Yeah. F5. >> I mean
Just minimize it. If it keeps loading, just minimize it. >> Josh, just minimize it. It'll keep popping up. trying to get you. Yeah, >> it wants something. Whatever F5 was F11, it wants it's not doing that.
>> Okay, so Zoom >> presenter view >> just start slideshow. Agreed. >> Slideshow. >> That's fine. I can click through. >> Let's see if this works. >> And is it are sharing still?
>> Control delete. >> Just restart. >> We switched to paper slides. I don't know. >> God, that made me feel old. Hey, there we go. Is it switching slides for you, Shelley?
>> No. >> Sorry, I couldn't get it off mute. No, it's not. It actually, from my view, it looks like the intro slide, but then I can see all of the presenter notes to the um left-hand side of the screen. >> Holy crap. Okay,
>> it it looks like it's in like um note note sharing mode. I think I know what it is >> versus like online presentation mode >> I figured that out afterwards. >> I was like, "Wait, did I not say last?" >> I didn't get it at first, but thanks. I
had some memories from middle school along those lines as the aggressor and the victim. Frankly, >> I remember somebody uh did it to another kid in my middle school and think that really hurt the cockiness. >> Yeah. Just go.
>> Yeah. >> Should we reg town with our stupid things we did when we were young? >> Pass the time. >> I think I' I'd get run out of town, that's for sure. Oh my god. I forgot we changed
the order of the agenda. >> Oh gosh. >> Where's the ninja class? Pioneer >> and it's like it's like a ninja warrior class. >> I did um I took my kids to their
birthday party at the movement terrain ninja thing. >> Yeah, it was fun. But I did and I I messed up my hands for like six months. I think about Bloodbuster trying to do like the salmon run. >> It's fun. Those are cool.
>> Yeah. Yeah. They're doing like the monkey stuff. >> Yeah. Yeah. Like >> I got to watch for this show. >> Farmington folks that in my class. >> Oh, really? >> Miller's
Jacobs. >> I think I need all the kids that just said hi to her. Okay. >> Okay. This should work. Uh so um as I was saying uh expense summary just uh again summarizes all the expenses that make up the budget.
And uh you can go to the next slide Peggy. The slideshow >> from current slide that second one on the left. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Shelley, were you able Oh, go back one. Shelley, were you able to see that
change to items of note? No, it it's still on the expense summary slide. >> Okay. So, Peggy, minimize your SC. Hit escape. Minimize your screen. >> Hit escape. That button. >> Oh,
got two screens up. That's why you see what's happening. Bring them all up. You should be able to see that items of note now. >> No, >> no, it's it's still on the expense summary
>> slide. now. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Items of note. Yep. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, um this is going to just dive us into kind of how this came together um and some of the issues that we are
having. Um, one of the um, one of the actually the highlights that we're able to keep and implement into this budget is a change how we're going to upgrade DPW and fire department administrative vehicles. Uh, we're going to enter into a fleet leasing program. Uh, we did
pilot this with three vehicles at the DPW um, currently. Uh, and so that two of them have been received, the third one's on order. Um, this is going to allow us to turn over those outdated vehicles at a much quicker rate and be
less costly for us in the long run. Uh, previously we were only funding these vehicles through uh, capital or free cash. And as we saw on the previous slides and as you heard in my last presentation, there just is not enough capital to make all of this stuff work.
And um the fleet is was aging at a at a rate that we just could not support. And the cost of vehicles since really coming out of the pandemic has just increased so drastically that um one truck is $100,000, one basic truck is $100,000
and you know that's just not sustainable. So, uh, we're really looking forward to this new way of, uh, managing the fleet and, um, it's been much easier to, um, prepare for what we can expect for costs on an ongoing
basis. Um, the other thing that I'm I'm happy we were able to do in this this budget, uh, was implement the cost of living assessment for nonUN staff. So, historically, this has been funded through a separate article at town
meeting. uh and has generally not been applied until sometime into the fiscal year. Uh it was a couple things. It was not transparent and it was not easy to um uh navigate for us. So what we are
doing is we built a cola into the operating budgets for the departments that have non-union employees. Um the colas for union employees were already built in. So, we weren't talking about a a large amount of staff, but we did um want to make this change. It's it's
definitely more transparent, but it also shows that um uh it it allows us to prepare what a cola is going to be and also for staff to know what it is that's coming up for the new fiscal year for them. Um and then, as we talked about already, the health insurance is really one of our
biggest drivers. Uh we projected in December a 7.5% increase and it came in at 11.2. 2%. So it was much higher than we initially projected. Um that really was not um of any fault of ours with
that projection number. Uh our uh health insurance increases have always been 7% or below. We have not had anything even close to 11.2%. Um we're certainly not alone in that. Many other communities across the
Commonwealth are facing the same thing. we just uh were able to prolong how how long we had before we had these double- digit increases. Um we do not have a general fund budget contribution towards OPED. Uh this is the first budget year
that since I've been here that we have not had one in our operating budget. Um but it was a result of needing to balance the budget. And uh one thing also for transparency purposes we have created a new emergency management division nested under the
public safety division and we have consolidated the westcom assessment into that line. Uh historically the westcom assessment had been split between police and fire and we've now um uh combined those into the westcom assessment line
so we can really track the cost of of that going forward. And I did put a note in there. Um the last year that the town operated its own dispatch out of the uh fire out of the police department was fiscal 2019 and our total budget that year was 223,000. So we are above that
about was that about $50,000. Um but this service that we are getting um is is heads above what we were able to provide before. >> Next slide. on that last point. Yep. >> Um >> stay here.
>> Is that in line with uh inflation the 223 to 987? >> No. >> Okay. That's still above that. And um one of the things that you and I talked about uh was there's plenty of room in Westcom if we
want if different communities want to come in which would lower our assessment. >> Yes. And is that uh is that something the Westcom is actively trying to do? >> Absolutely. Yeah. Tours are happening all the time, conversations with other communities, especially as other
communities budgets get tighter. It's very financially advantageous to consider regionalization. Um as we benefited from the state 911 grant to to regionalize those other communities can do that, too. We had five years of that. >> Okay, great.
>> Thank you. And you can go to the next slide, Peggy. >> It's not changing. >> Not moving. >> No. >> Advancing again. It's stuck this way. Same freeze. on my screen.
>> I don't want to blame Shel for this, but I guess we would have had to do this anyway. >> Might have to escape again. And >> there. >> Yep. Um, no. FY 20 27 challenges >> eight.
>> Yeah. >> 8. >> Yeah. >> Can we just leave it like Shel? Can you see that? >> Yes, I can. >> All right. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, um there were obviously a
lot of challenges. Um but I wanted to call out just a few here. Um the school department increase. I know they get a lot of flak sometimes for their massive budget. Um, this 2.6% increase is the smallest that we've uh provided for since FY2021.
Um, they have been very good partners in shouldering some of this. They also are fully aware that uh the next few budget years are going to be very tough and are um willing to participate in any discussions that we have related to uh
how we can kind of get through that together. Um in no go back uh so the second bullet there um in FY26 we made significant investments into
DPW. It was to the tune of about $700,000 and this was to try to further a lot of the work that had been done on reports and studies and you know calling out deferred maintenance and infrastructure needs. Unfortunately, a lot of that did have to get rolled back
in to balance for FY27. Um we're still going to be able to maintain services. We just are not going to be looking to make improvements on some of those studies and reports that that did detail, you know, uh, significant needs.
Um, it I will caution though that this means that in FY28 and beyond, it's going to get tighter and tighter and harder and harder to um, continue to say that we're going to maintain services. And this last bullet there, um the cost
for us to do business is just outpacing the amount of revenue that we collect to keep going. Um we usually talk about this in in terms of our limited revenue sources um while costs grow. It's we just um are unable to find new
revenue that and this isn't a Long Meadow problem. This is a municipality problem across the state. There are just so few revenue sources that don't um go after the same people over and over uh that just can't keep pace with the
actual cost of of running a business. And we're a municipality, but we still have employees and we still have overhead and we still have employee benefits that we have to pay. And those are going up at a rate that our revenue is not keeping pace with. Next slide, please.
So, some things that um Ian and I talk about all the time that we're considering and we want to make you aware of as well. Um this is just these numbers are based on the governor's budget. We are still uh thick in the state budget process and there could be changes hopefully towards um a better
direction for us, but we'll be watching it nonetheless. Um we're hoping that our unrestricted general government aid number comes in higher. Uh we could have changes to chapter 70 which could be generally has been an increase. We're at the minimum level right now. So
hopefully it just goes up. Um we're also continually watching the federal uh uh landscape just to see what's going to happen with some federal grants that we do still have. Um we did lose that brick grant I told you about a while ago. Um it did sound like maybe there were some
changes to that and and we maybe could see that funding. So we are still watching that. um and things that are out of our control, including economic uncertainty. The uh upheaval that seems to be going on everywhere, is generally not a a good um financial indicator for
us and things. Uh so we're watching that as well. And then ones that we've put on your radar before, but continue to be here with us are um our local receipts. So, the MGM surrounding community status funding that comes into us. It expires in 2031,
2030 something. Um, it's coming up quicker than we think. It's about $300,000, a little bit more. Uh, and that will be revenue that just goes away. Um, we have a public health excellence grant that is funded through FY27. They had previously committed funding
through FY uh 2035. They are rolling that back now and they are not committing to anything past FY27. So, we'll be watching to see what happens there. And the um pilot agreement payment that we were receiving from Bayath is still paused and that's
about $63,000. Next slide. >> Uh on the MGM money, can you remind us what you're we talked about anticipating that that dropping out. Can you can you tell us how we're doing that? Um, so we our goal had been to
start reducing the budget by an amount that was slow over time so that by the time we got there we had weaned oursel off of that. >> But we can't. So we're going to be in a worse position trying to >> I mean we could but what are we willing to to do? >> Cut now. Right.
>> Right. Um so just giving you the the balance here of what we have for reserves. Um you'll see that the free cash amount 1.58 million. Um that's what you'll see in the warrant discussion next about um
funding a lot of our projects out of that 1.5 million. Um operating stabilization has 8.3 million in it. Peggy, you can go to the next slide. And these fund balances are also um you can find these on the uh overview
document of the budget at the very very bottom. Um but all of this will be posted to the town manager page as well. So this just tells you where we are. And don't be alarmed by that ambulance reserve of zero. We just bought a new ambulance. So that number should be
zero. And I think the last slide just talks about the timeline here. Um so obviously tonight is the presentation. Um it's up to you whether you want to call in departments to have some budget hearings and then April 6th is a joint meeting with finance committee and you'll vote
on the FY27 budget. >> Okay. Thank you Lynn. Um, Ian, anything to add before we jump into questions? >> Uh, sure. Just to really piggyback on what Lynn talked about with uh future considerations, uh, Massachusetts Municipal Association
put out two reports uh, back in the fall and winter talking about perfect storm. And these papers talked about how municipalities across the Commonwealth are really struggling when it comes to both generating new revenue, which Lynn talked about, but also state aid as a
whole. Um, if you look at the last 20 years, state aid has actually declined on an inflation basis when it comes to what communities are getting in terms of their dollars from the state. So, it's something that um our advocates are looking at and are pushing our state
legislators to give us additional funds because we know how important it is as local leaders to have funds available for us to take care of projects. So, it is something that is on my radar and as we look at future years, it's very
important for us to kind of do better projections to figure out what our ultimate costs will be. I think with our financial forecast that we did in the fall, it's something that I'll look to do again this summer going into next budget year so that we can get a better handle on where we will be at the start
of the year so we can better plan for what's to come. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um move on to Are you ready for question? Oh, go ahead. Um, thank you, Lynn. You know, I I know this is a really difficult budget. I really appreciated the cooperative
spirit with the school committee that you mentioned as well. I I generally support the budget and I just the one thing that I had brought up with Lynn in a conversation uh was this idea that we don't put anything into OPED. For those who don't know, OPED is our like
contribution to the future uh commitments we make to our employees with their health insurance and things like that. It's obviously important to kind of fund this uh fund so that we'll have the money to do that. And all towns are kind of far behind, but in 2013,
this the select board made a policy that we put 25 basis points every year from the tax levy into this and increase it up to 2%. And this year, if we actually stuck with that policy, it would be over $600,000 we' be putting in. So, I I
talked to Lynn and I honestly felt like it would be nice and good uh and prudent to make us like a almost a token or just a small contribution from free cash of maybe 50,000 bucks. We have $1.5 million of free cash that she could allocate and
she said um she could make that happen. Um but I didn't know if any of my colleagues objected to something like that. Um, but I thought that that would be a good thing to show that we're not just entirely kicking the can down the road and not thinking about it. I didn't want this to be the only year we'd ever
not done anything towards that. >> Yeah. Um, I I think that that is well just to I think re-qualify what you said, we can do it. Uh, you know, we can we can ask them to do it, put in our budget, but if we want to do it that it's up to us.
>> That's true. >> Yeah. And I I think that that is >> I think it is a good idea. I agree with you. We have a policy in place for it. It's um and Lynn sent us free cash allocations today and so we can certainly discuss how we want to do
that. Um because I I think that it is a good idea um to show that we're because we talk a lot about kicking the can down the road and I don't think we should be guilty of it. So I think but we have to figure out where our priorities are and where we where we're willing to pull
back a little bit on that. But I thank you for bringing it up because I I do agree with you, >> Dan Bern. >> Sorry. Yeah, I know. I agree with you as well, Andrew. Um, obviously this was a conversation that you and Lynn had. Um, is there um
something behind arriving at the $50,000 number or >> it's totally arbitrary and I felt that it was like the small, you know, obviously I would love for the number to be bigger. In ideal world, it would be part of our budget to be honest. Um, I after extensive conversations and thinking about what had to be sacrificed
to get to where we are, I felt like the free cash wasn't it would be another warrant article basically like the other free cash items. But I felt that at least that would be the easiest and the least painful way of making this gesture basically. Um, and it it could certainly
be more, but I think Lynn literally went through all of the choices that she did with free cash with me. And obviously, as you can imagine, they're all very um, you know, valuable things. Um, the numbers that she allocated them
certainly could be moved around and that's probably where the 50,000 or 100,000, whatever we whatever we direct her to do, uh, would come from. But um >> Oh, and and just on that, one of the difficulties in
looking at our free cash for this is because we have a big n our biggest number on our free cash is a number we don't is still could still move >> the snow and ice. >> Yeah. Uh DPW, do we Let's say we got no more snow. I'm not going to lie. And
when are we going to know how much our number is for this season? >> 450,000 right now, I think. >> Okay. 450,000 >> over. Yeah. So, we're pulling pulling that in. That's fine. Um it has to be
paid, but we that is the number if we don't have anything else coming in. >> We got a little bit of buffer in case there's a bill that hasn't come in yet, but we're pretty confident. >> Okay. Well, that's good. Let's hope that nothing else happens, but you never know. >> But to answer your question, beneath it
was arbitrary. >> Yeah. Um and then um you know I and I not recalling all the details of this um you know perfectly but um I I feel like at one of these years that we made an OPED contribution using free cash at the
special town meeting um after we kind of got a better handle on free cash numbers. Yeah. >> Um I mean would might that be a better option than maybe um doing it now for our annual town meeting? >> We've done that quite a few times. Um >> but it's because we pulled back on OPED,
right? Uh yeah. So we were filling in the gap. >> I think it was like we made a little bit of but then like we were below what the policy suggested. We're far we're not even pretending to approach it this time >> and then to like make up a little bit of difference with the extra free cash. >> Right. Right. Okay. >> Yeah. >> So Vene, one of the reasons for choosing
to do it in the fall is you allow yourself the ability to reertify free cash. So if there are if there are additional funds that are available come uh 6:30 those are not allowed to be spent until free cash is certified in
September October time frame. So that usually allows for a full year of free cash to be available versus using what is remaining after special town meeting in the fall of last year. Mhm. >> Tricky thing about free cash is there's not always free Correct. There's not necessarily free cash,
>> right? That's the >> And um what's important to note is the tighter we get with budgeting, the less free cash there will be. >> Yeah. >> So that would so so that statement it would make it more make more sense for us to use free
cash at our special time meeting as opposed to making a part of our budget right now. Right. Um, so you if you use free cash right now, I you wouldn't be putting in the budget unless you want to you then you're changing you could no
longer say the budget is balanced without the use of reserves. >> I wasn't suggesting it being part of the budget to be honest to use. >> Yeah, exactly. like with along with her other half dozen things that she wants to do with free cash. >> It would be ideal for it to be in the budget, but it's a difficult
>> um and you could there's nothing preventing you from doing in the fall, too, if we have a nice surplus of free cash again and uh >> we're adding more. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Right. Yeah. >> So, we can you you sent us I think that was today you sent us our free your free
cash uh suggested allocations today. Uh so I I think we can stew on that a little bit. We don't have to make a decision today, but there uh there are a couple things on there that I we can certainly look at. >> Um but otherwise, every
there's 1,600 bucks left over, but every everything else has been accounted for. Um yeah, I think if unless anyone wants to make a decision tonight, I think we can all stew on a little bit. >> I did have one question, but first Andrew, thank you for bringing that up.
that seeing that number is really >> mindboggling really to see that. Um, but in terms of the local receipts, I think it was like 388,000. Is there a trend in any type of receipt that we're receiving that's helping drive that number higher?
>> Um, motor vehicle excise has been a pretty healthy increase over the years. Um, that's that's one we've been watching. Um, ambulance is is definitely the biggest. um that is that uh we just got the February closeout and they've
already met their goal for the entire fiscal year. Uh so that that's pretty substantial. Um we don't see that changing for 27, but we're not we never budget to that full extent of what we think it's going to be. Um but we are
going to watch it very closely over the rest of this fiscal year and certainly all of next. Um, in terms of other receipts, um, those are really, >> yeah, >> those are the biggest. >> I almost fainted when I got the excise
tax bill for my wife's car. So, yeah, >> if more people buy new cars, we'll we'll be all right. >> Yep. >> Um, all right. I had some um line item questions that I think I know the answers to, but I think it'd be good to
call out so people can get an idea if they're looking at this and watching the video uh down the road. Um one of and a good exercise is usually to look in the column Z and find a big number and then ask what's going on
there. >> Um so the assistant town manager that went up quite a bit. >> Can you explain what happened there? Yes. Uh so as as you may recall um we had a change in position in the office and when uh that when Karin left and
before Mike joined um we restructured the position and really uh took away uh some of the duties and um we're kind of taking a year to see how it shook out in doing so. um realized that uh the work
actually didn't go away and if anything um taken on more of the true assistant town manager work as opposed to the planning and community development work. And um uh it was not a true reflection of the job duties. And so in polling, assistant
town managers in the area um realized we were significantly below what the market was paying. And so this was a um adjustment to reflect that um what the position really costs. >> Okay. And speaking of adjustments, uh a
lot of the salary adjustments on our side, if you look at them, they're between four and 5%. >> Yes. >> So why is that? >> Yep. Two reasons. Um one is uh that cola that I talked about before, that was never built into the budget previously. So the number in prior year budgets
would be lower um because a cola was never built in. Um additionally, as you recall a couple years ago, we did a wage and classification study which um gave us all new wage scales and almost all employees have steps eligible. So those
are a 2.1% step increase. So that that's why you see that number there. >> So those are some of our non-negotiables. Uh yeah, the step certainly the cola for non-union is negotiable, but >> um okay. And then I'm looking on uh at line
335. Uh there is a decrease in the uh street and traffic lights, a massive decrease. And uh I thought if you could explain what what that was. >> Yeah, this is one we've been spending a lot of time looking at. So this relates
to the fact that the um street light account is no longer purchasing net metering credits that they cannot use. So this is a result of the um amended net metering agreement that we have that we now cash out those credits instead of applying them to accounts. So DPW is no
longer paying for credits that they can't use. So that's showing that drastic reduction there. They're truly only paying for the electricity. >> And where are the past credits? The past credits right now are still in a check at a in a check with Eversource. Uh we need to have a conversation about um
whether we want to continue the fight with DOR. Uh legal counsel feels like we have a very strong argument. They have other communities taking that argument to do and to the attorney general's office to create that revolving fund. um or do we want to um put our energy into
just taking the the payment from Eversource, letting it flow to free cash, and then allocating it to um projects that we see fit. >> Yeah, I'm looking at um on page eight starting on the 400 under DPW, uh
there's a couple big reductions in looks like maintenance articles like fence and turf. >> Yep. Uh so turf uh this is one of the ones that is helping balance the budget. Um not because we don't have a need but because for FY27
we are we've reduced that amount to balance the budget but the plan is to use the revenue that's been um building in the cell tower account. So years ago, town meeting voted to create a special revenue account for the Bliss Road cell
tower and we receive um monthly rent payments essentially for the space. Um it that money has not been touched. There's about $175,000 in there. It can only be used for grounds related purchases or uh budgetary items. So they
they will be essentially supplanting the budget with that. You also put fence repair as one of the things you use for free cash, right? Yeah. So, supplementing this with >> fence fence repair and the playground um were two items that were added in the FY26 budget because they really should
be annual operating expenses. The town owns a lot of fence does need to be maintained. Uh we have not been budgeting for it except for FY26. I've cut it out of 27 to balance us, but I've got two article or one article to fund
both of those with free cash at the um as you'll see in the warrant that we can discuss. And >> that's an example of the goal to take care of what we have. >> Yes. Um and then just one the you know the the cut for the high school pool 200,000. It looks like that. That's
that's how it shows on um the spreadsheet here, but really, if you remember, it was the influx of money at the fall town meeting to um take care of the pool to to fix the high school pool. So, it's not truly a reduction. It's just going back to what it was.
>> Uh and then line 595, uh if anyone's looking at this, it'll jump out. There's a cut in veterans benefits. Could you explain that? >> Yes, thank you. Um, so we really took a hard line, um, looking through every single line of every person's budget and
comparing the projected FY27 budget to the current year-to-ate budget in 26 and what they turned back for 25 to to see if there were any um, consistencies. And that line was only 33% spent and we're more than halfway
through the fiscal year. And so we started digging into that some more and uh historically that line has been turning back 15 to $20,000 a year. The budget the benefits were kept there because it's really hard to predict if a veteran is going to move into town that needs um services and qualifies for
chapter 115 or um veterans that maybe were not previously needing benefits that already are in town now are needing benefits. And so it's hard to predict. So they've kept that buffer. We're not in the position anymore where we can keep significant buffers like that. And
so we made the decision to cut it. And if a veteran comes in and does need something, we um will not turn anyone away, but we'll we'll um figure out how to to fund it. >> Okay. Thank you. And then last, when I was going through this and I just if
anyone wants to read spreadsheets, they can see like the 638 and down. Those are budget busters. Those are >> y >> it's one uh over a million bucks in increases just on three items. So it's
very tough to balance a budget when you have that kind of increases. So uh nice work and you know we we all thank you. Um anybody else have any specific questions on the budget? I just had one one one question and I'm
not sure if this is even like my first time going through this process in this way. And Lynn, you and I talked a little earlier about this. Just hearing the challenges kind of balancing this budget this year, knowing that the coming years are probably going to be even more challenging for us. We talked a little
bit about our strategy for for the budgets in the years forward and how do we go about kind of establishing that strategy so we can kind of best use and I may get some of these budget uh items wrong like the the free cash the
stabilization fund um you know there's options there and so how do we have that strategy and that plan to help us move into 2028 fiscal year 2020 29 when we know it's only going to get harder. Um, I know we talked a little bit about
that, but how do we best do that? So, much like I think the select board has done uh prior to me getting there has really had a plan to help us improve in certain spaces. How do we do that from a budgetary perspective? >> Yeah, that that's a great question. Um,
and I'll answer it a couple ways. Uh, one is, um, I think we've collectively been been kind of talking about that, not maybe as directly as what you're asking, but in terms of the update of the financial policies. Um, I know Ian and I are really looking forward to the
DLS training that we're going to go to, and we we hope to bring you back some really robust and best practice based policies. So, I think that will help chart some of that course that we need to to be on. Um but secondly um this budget has given me a lot of pause in
terms of what are we going to do next year and the year after that and um it is much bigger of a conversation that needs to be had and so I know I've talked with a lot of you about my idea um to form a budget task force and I am
working on that and I plan to bring you something more formal at an upcoming meeting to really kind of kick that off and and launch it. Um, I've seen it in other cities and towns when they are at the um crossroads of a significant budget problem. You really need to bring
more people together to figure out what are what are our uh core goals and what are we willing to to cut or um what is absolutely not on the table to cut and how do we come up with more money to fund it. Uh, but I think that we all need to be having those conversations
and uh the free cash and our stabilization fund need to be part of that conversation as well. >> Yeah, >> I didn't think about this before. Would um do you have the school committee or school side of it involved in that?
>> Absolutely. Um I have had conversations with the superintendent and the business manager. They are um happy to participate. They have to be at the table. They're our largest department. Um and uh they will also bring the ask of of um um my ask to have school
committee representatives there as well, not just uh school leadership. And then I will likely make that same ask of a select board member to participate um as long along with finance committee members and then general public. >> Yeah, I I love that idea, especially with the general public. I think Lynn,
you brought up a really great point. Um, and we talked a little bit about it earlier, but just helping all of us understand what those kind of what is our town's priorities and what are some things that we may be willing to pause on in difficult budget years and then
how do we plan to kind of deal with that. I I love the idea of having that budget task force and um spending a little more time on a strategy for the years forward. I think that can also help us just communicate with residents, helping them understand maybe why
certain decisions were made and and um and then two, just thank you for putting all this documentation together. It was really helpful going through this the first time and seeing kind of how it differed from last year to this year and and where we're making changes. So, I appreciate all the effort you and the
departments did as well. >> All right, great. Um, so it looks like there's nothing else. Uh, so we'll be considering this again at our next meeting. Um, and if anyone would like a department to appear, um, let me and Lynn know and we can work on that on the
agenda. All right. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Oh, and Ian, anything else to add before we move on? >> No. >> Look really eager to All right. Uh, we have two one day liquor license applications. >> All right. I will move to approve St.
Mary's one day liquor license application for April 11th, 2026. >> Second. >> Okay. Anything further? Peggy. >> Shelley may >> Yes. >> Vanco. >> Yes. >> M. >> Yes. >> Andrew Lamb. >> Yes. >> Josh.
>> Yes. And I will move to approve uh the Long Meadow Adult Center um uh one day liquor license applications for April 2nd, 2026 and April 30th, 2026.
>> Second further all those in favor I'm sorry go ahead Peggy May >> yes >> yes >> yes >> yes >> yes.
All right. Uh, moving on to sorry, moving on to correspondence. Um, we have a there's a request from some residents along Meadow or sorry, Glen Meadow uh to be able to bring alcoholic beverages to the dinner table. Um, which would be a violation of Glen
Meadow's liquor license. >> Um, Lynn, has this I mean I think I know the answer to this, but have we run this by town council at all? Um we have not but it it's not I mean I can't but uh I I don't know
>> and they there was a question is that the residents should have been notified were they I don't recall what was the notification for residents I I presume they posted it >> yeah well it was posted uh in terms of whether they if they were next door and
considered in a butter they would have received a notification um but if they actually lived inside Glenn Glenn Meadow. Uh I'm not I don't know that they would have I don't know what Glen Meadow did to inform there. >> Okay. Yeah. I I think it's it's
unfortunate that this is um that some residents do not want that and I I wish we had heard from them. I but I think we would have had people on going both ways on that. So um but we we should respond and explain
the the limits of the license on that. Um then we have a request for a tree hearing uh which will be coming up at a future meeting. Uh anybody else on correspondence?
Okay. Uh moving on town manager report. I I presume your budget presentation was in lie of your report this week. >> Um >> or do you have anything else you want to add? >> Oh, I thought there was a report. Maybe it didn't get attached. Um I'll just defer to the next meeting.
>> Okay. Uh, any questions on anything for Lynn on any of the monthly reports? Okay, great. >> We have a minutes to approve. >> I will move to approve the March 9th uh, 2026 select board meeting minutes.
>> Second. >> Go ahead, Peggy. >> Shelley may >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Beny, >> yes. >> Andrew Lamb, >> yes. >> Josh, >> yes. All right, moving on to uh moral business, water and sewer right
discussion. Uh Ian, is this you? >> Yes. >> Right. Go ahead. >> Uh Peggy, this should be a uh >> PowerPoint. >> Oh, I'm nervous. >> So, round three of our discussion. >> So, that's a charm. At the uh at the
last uh water sewer rate discussion, uh the select board asked Lena and myself to come up with some additional rates for the water enterprise system. Kind of a 3A, 3B, 3C that looks at um using more
fixed rate revenue um in terms of uh the two options available which is our variable rate and our fixed rate. So what I return to the board with if you look at FY27 water proposals is those three options. So looking comparing from
FY26 to the three options in 27 you will see option 3A was the original um option three proposed at the last meeting which looks at a 4% variable increase in our uh rate and a 30% increase in our fixed
rate. Option B is half of the increase in our variable rate and a 40% increase in our fixed rate. And the final option is our option 3C, which is keeping our variable rate flat and a 75% increase in
the fixed rates. I'll call attention to uh the six um WAT quarterly base charge at the bottom of the fixed rate options. This is something new for FY27 as this is one singular pipe and Sean
can correct me where it's we have a connection with Springfield. Um this is the only pipe in town that requires this size pipe and we did some comparative data to determine what that fixed cost should be and we came up with a
quarterly rate of $4,400 for that pipe. >> Who pays that? US or Springfield? It's the one scenario where Springfield's our customer. >> Okay, good. >> So, uh, looking at the revenue options on the right,
>> agree to this. >> Uh, looking at the revenue options on the right, uh, looks at the different uh, consumption and fixed rates and how much revenue that generates. As I've explained in the past, uh we like to build in a cushion just to make sure
that there are um building in um caveats for rate variability. So each of the different options has some um wiggle room in case there are differences. Um, looking at the three options,
looking at the three options, these all include uh funding a retained earnings of $250,000, which was the original goal of the select board for the water options. >> Oh, okay. All right. Um, just a note for the board, um, the quarterly base charge
for, uh, the six watt is showed at our annual versus our quarterly. So, our quarterly would be the,00 just as a note. Um, moving on to the next slide, looking at our FY27 sewer proposal. So, our sewer proposal is did not change
from our prior discussion. So, the board has the ability to recommend a 12% decrease in our variable rate for FY 26 to 27 with a coinciding 25% increase in our fixed rate for um sewer. Um the
revenue factors on the right side show a mix of consumption and fixed rates um including the $250,000 in retained earnings as the board has um as a goal with an additional cushion built in for rate variability.
Moving on to our storm water proposal on the next slide. Um this is the first um slide for the stormwater proposal as we are still in the um stage where the storm water enterprise is subsidized by
the general fund. So we present it as a balanced budget. Um you will see that there are two items in the estimated revenue. The tax subsidy and the storm water fees. Um within that there is a percent of the operating budget that covers the storm water fees that is
represented by the tax subsidy. As you can see um over time it increases in terms of how much is covered. So as we move towards 100% enterprise funding uh storm water fees will become a larger
percentage of that um total revenue. Each year it increases approximately 4.11% as per the select board policy. Uh the one equivalent residential unit um increases
um from 974 to 1132. That includes uh 2% allowance for abatements, write-offs, and credits as we have done historically with allowing for abatements and write offs for the storm water rates. Um, as you can see in the bottom, how we
calculate what we have for storm water fees, we take our FY27 um, equivalent residential units times our billable units of 7,475 um, to get our total revenues generated.
Moving on to the next slide, we look at our comparables. So looking at the water, this is comparing our low users to our average users to our high users for FY25, 26, and the three options proposed for
FY27. As you can see, I'd like to highlight that if the board were to choose an option C, um the low user would actually see an increase in their rates for FY27
um more so than um the average and high users. And that's simply because as we move towards more fixed rates um low users do not have um the or low users are still using the same amount of
usage. So their fixed rate makes up a larger percentage of their revenues or of their bill. Um in terms of the overall options there really isn't that much of a difference in terms of option A through C when you look at FY27. I was
very curious myself to see this as I wasn't sure if there would be some variability rate to rate. So I wanted to just call this out for the board. Moving on to sewer um we look to see that from a low average and high user um
with the decrease in the variable rate for FY27 each of the different users will see a decrease in their rates accordingly. So this is something that we should be um well received by the residents as
there's been a lot of work as to um forecasting and projecting what the sewer rate has needed in terms of addressing our capital needs as well as um giving us the ability to take on more work in our operating funds. Finally,
looking at uh the combined data for all rates. Um, I apologize for the colors. It just makes it easier to see. Um, we look at our low, average, and high uses again for FY25 through FY27. As I alluded to earlier, there really
isn't that much of a difference in terms of the three options comparing uh our FY27s A through C. And finally, um, with all of that to be said, um, just as a note to the board,
the motions that would be made tonight on the next slide, um, take, uh, take advantage or are affecting our April billing, which would be our Q1 billing. So all of these rates would be set for Q1 through Q4 of FR27
instead of having the issue that we've had previously where we would be in Q1 sitting rates for Q2 and not taking advantage of those new revenues for next year. So, I really want to thank the board for um being able to go through
this process when we did so that we can set the rates accordingly and um look at next year. >> All right. Thank you, Ian. I I want to thank you for uh putting this together. I think through the sessions, you now have a a good way of presenting this
that we can use going forward. it really it helps to visualize it and uh give us an idea of how we can uh create the revenue we we need. Um so thank you. Uh
I I I think moving towards continuing to move towards uh higher portions of fixed rate is a is the way to go. And I and overall I I totally agree with you that
from two years ago to last year was a big jump. We're not going to see as much of a jump this year and people will be happy about that especially with the sewer rates going down. Uh I don't know how granular people will get but I do think for I'm in favor of um option A to
give our lower users who are I think are might be people who are trying to be more uh costconscious um to give them the ability to really be master their own destiny and keeping their their bill low. Um, and so the
and the increase the fixed rate will will continue to go up and we're going to have to keep doing that. But we can kind of uh blunt the impact a bit by keeping the uh increase more on the fixed sorry the variable rates while
still increasing the the fixed rates. So if anybody else would like to chime in uh that's just my two cents. Yeah. So, I was actually kind of thinking about it the other way of um going with uh 3C uh because I I know
that our goal has always been and I know Dan was kind of the biggest proponent of this um when we started talking about this a couple years ago was to move this fixed rate up and um you know in kind of seeing the price differentials where they are right now, it almost makes more sense to me to move that fixed rate to
kind of where we want to end up with. um you know in the long run. Um and so uh that's kind of how I was thinking about it um of just you know if we're making these drastic if we're making these you know significant moves towards where we want to go like you know kind of why
stop here and let's make the let's take another significant step towards that. >> I'm agnostic. I think we're raising the same amount of money um in all three options. the rate was pretty much going to be the same. Maybe you should just choose the one in the middle for since
you beat each one of the ones on the end. I'm good either way. >> Uh dinner, >> I mean it's kind of a crapshoot if you ask me, but I think we're getting what we've accomplished. Um my only my only other point was when I was looking at
when we're looking at the motions just in terms of the utility bill insert, but I think maybe we'll talk further about that. I just I'm curious what that would say. >> Sure. >> Because I think it's important for the >> the residents to know like why we're on this um this path forward. So I think
that's important. But uh yeah to Venise's point and what we've we what we've said during the whole process is making sure that budgeting moving forward we have a fixed rate that we know from a budget perspective that we can put it against our uh neverending
projects that we have and we exactly we know and have a good idea of what type of dollars we're raising uh against the projects that we have in front of us. So, I think we're in a much better place than we've been in the past and um I'm happy that we're no longer um you know
using funds to pay down the rate and we see infrastructure which was crumbling previously and will continue if we don't address it. So, I just want to thank everyone for their for their efforts on this. So Dan, to your point about the utility bill inserts, these motions are
kind of generic just to hit the main points that both Lyn and myself need in terms of what the board needs to approve. If there are specific language or guidance for the utility bill that you want inserted, I would include that the motion. >> Okay.
Yeah, >> I don't obtain a motion, but I just before we get to that, beneath I'm defin certainly not saying I disagree with you in any way. Um because we it is still a 30% increase and we have been making significant jumps and I I think we all
have the same goal. Um but just the ways of going about it and thankfully this year it is a much we're >> we're pretty close. Yeah, it's it's and it's the three proposals that we have come down to out of our original three
are not not too far off. So, nobody's uh I think it's not a large disagreement. Certainly don't feel that strongly about it. Um but since you feel so strongly >> Oh, no. I don't feel strong. I I just I just wanted to say that that's how when I was reviewing all this uh you know
>> we're not going to have a duel but Shel has >> I don't see her picture anymore so didn't see if she had a hand up. Shel did you want to speak? >> I was I was going to I was leaning more towards three option 3A um simply because of kind of increasing that fixed
rate. Um I think we were just all maybe slightly in different positions. So, I'm not sure where that leaves us from emotion, but um I I just wanted to share that I I kind of was leaning towards the 3A option. Um if I'm if I'm interpreting
that correctly, that we're increasing the fixed rate a little bit higher and it's lowering the variable rate if if I'm correct. Right. That's the highest fixed rate increase. So you're you would be uh 3C.
>> Got it. Okay. So that I flipped it. >> Well, Shel, now you now you have to move in favor of option 3C. >> Does she have to read all the numbers for the different Okay. >> No, >> no. It's uh So you can plug in the motion below with I believe 0 and 75.
>> Yep. And then the uh variable rate. >> I I can uh make the motion if uh You know, Shel's on Zoom, so it might be a little bit more difficult. Um, >> wait, did what what motion here on the line? >> No, no. I I can make the motion, Shelley. Um,
>> okay. >> Um, I'll move to set the fixed meter rate at a 75% increase and the variable rate at a 0% increase, which would make the water rate uh 6.49.
>> Second. >> Anything further? Just as a note, um I just want to ask Lisa, um when do these need to be effective as of? >> It'll be effective as of April 1st usage, but it won't be until the bill in
August. >> Thank you. >> Okay, I see nothing further. Uh thank you for clarifying. Go ahead. >> Is there a second? >> May. Yeah, >> sorry I wasn't unmuting. Um, yes. >> Thanks, Danco.
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Angel, >> yes. >> Josh, >> no. >> Um, all right. So, that passes. Thank you very much to everyone. Uh, Ian and the DPW team and everyone else involved. We >> You have to do the other ones. >> We have to do the other ones more here.
>> All right. >> I was so excited we got what we want. All right. I'll move to set the fixed um and sorry, I'll move to set the fixed meter rate for sewer at a 25% increase and the variable rate at a 12% decrease for sewer which would make uh the sewer
rate 455 including a residential summer two quarter 55 unit cap. Second. >> Any further? Shel. >> Shelley. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Mati. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. It's too early for me to be losing
my mind already. >> I'll uh move to set the storm water rate at 1132 per equivalent residential unit uh with an annual rate of 135.81. >> Have a second. >> A second. Sorry.
>> Anything further? Thank you. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Josh, >> yes. >> Okay. And I will move to apply the same discount used for storm water to the warm to the water fixed meter rates and
sewer fixed meter rates. >> Second. >> Anything further? All those. Go ahead, Peggy. >> Shelter Wolf. >> Yes. >> Dan Warco. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Andrew Lamb. >> Yes. >> Joshine. >> Yes. >> Okay. And I will move to approve the
utility bill insert explaining the increases in fixed meter and variable rates. Second further >> chor. >> Yes. >> Dance work. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Andrew Lamb. >> Yes.
>> Yes. Uh and Lisa, when would this insert go in? >> There'll be the May bill so we can bring it to you. So you'll see it before that. >> Okay. So, right at the beginning of the heavy watering season, although not judging what's going on outside.
Okay. Now, can we move on everyone? >> Thank you. >> Thank you everyone. Appreciate it. Okay. Um and then next up, we're moving to municipal fiber project borrowing considerations.
>> That would be me again. Um uh I have a memo for the board as well as some um debt schedules. Um I'll just go through the the memo.
>> Go please. >> Uh the select board has requested information from the finance director on the presentation of the municipal fiber project from Fiberspring. On January 5th, 2026, Fiberspring presented the select board a project summary and financial review of the buildout of town-owned fiber internet system.
Fiberspring's presentation used the 30-year borrowing with total project costs of $27 million. Attached to this memo is a spreadsheet with different borrowing general options. These options are all based on a 20-year fixed term with an interest rate of 4%. It is important to note that the interest
rates can vary if the town seeks short-term borrowings as well as interest rates demanded by current economic conditions. The borrowing for this project is proposed at a debt exclusion. No estimated tax impacts have been prepared as part of this presentation. A debt exclusion would be
done under chapter 44 section 8. Specifically, it reads for establishing, purchasing, extending or enlarging a municipally owned gas or electric light plant, community and town television system, or in our case, telecommunication system for 20 years. General obligation bonds do not have the
option for a balloon payment after 20 years, then refinancing to a 30-year term. If the project if the town were to pursue this project, the overall borrowing would be impacted by the take rate. Take rate is based on the number of connected customers within the service compared to the overall service
population. For example, community has 5,000 households. 2500 connected customers would be a 50% take rate. The more connected customers, the more the project is able to recover in costs and reduce future borrowings. If the project surpassed a 40% take rate, the town could see savings in the form of reduced
borrowings in the future. With that being said, I'll highlight the uh spreadsheets that are attached. The first one is just a baseline for the board and residents to see. This is not a option that we would pursue, but just
to see what the overall borrowing would be. Um, at $27 million uh at a 4% uh rate over 20 years, our total payments would start at $2.4 million and decrease over the life of the loan. Uh the next
five schedules look at the phasing of the different um construction over a five-year term with the first one being a 6.4 million borrowing starting in 2028 interest rate of 4%. uh this would be about 578,700
in total payments. And moving along through the different phases, there are different um borrowing requirements as um presented by uh fiber springs for each um subsequent fiscal year.
Finally, uh the last page, page eight, looks at if the community determined to do the fiber hub first. The fiber hub being the initial um station as well as the surrounding area. This would be a $6.5 million borrowing at a 4% interest
rate would give us a total payments of $585,000 the first year. um and then declining payments subsequently. >> Yeah, I I can uh jump in there. So, um, no, thank you, Ian, uh, for presenting this. And I think, um, you know, just to
kind of provide context here, uh, to this memo, um, you know, when Fiverr made their presentation, what they provided us was the model that they used, um, when they financed their project to do, uh, 20-year borrowing with a 30-year uh, immortization period. And the reason why they did it, they
were able to do it that way is because they borrowed through MWIC and through their MLP. And so doing it that way because this is a project that will obviously um bring in revenue and bring in cash flow, it makes sense to do it that way because the cash flow that you
start generating can end up taking care of that balloon payment or make a significant uh you know dent into that balloon payment. Um and then that keeps the uh burden on residents um and taxpayers at a minimum because we can't
borrow through um and we you know I thank Ian for doing his due diligence and you know meeting with Emwick and and talking to them about this um you know it wasn't an option for us at this time um to say to the people you know to our residents that we can finance this
through emwick um and borrowing in that way. Um, and also it's not something that fits into the budget. And so because of that, this has to be done through a debt exclusion. And I completely agree with um, you know, and Ian looked at this, our financial adviser looked at this and, you know,
and and me too with uh, looking at the statute. I think the statute's pretty clear and saying that with a debt exclusion for this type of um, borrowing, it needs to be limited to 20 years. And so what you're looking at now is taking a look at the financial model
that uh fiber spring presented and you know which Ian has looked at and you know he's looked at all the assumptions and everything um and just adjusting that amorization period from 30 years to 20 years and then looking at what that brings us to. So, um, you know, so to
update it from 30 years to down to 20 years, you're looking at a 40% take rate, um, being 8.7 million, um, in terms of, uh, you know, uh, property tax, debt exclusion, you
know, funds to, uh, close the gap. Um, at a 50% take rate, it's 5.1 million, and at a 60% take rate, it's 3.3 million. So that range of how much this could cost our taxpayers is between 3.3 million to 8.7 million depending on the
take rate. Um and I think um you know with EWIC which was an interesting conversation. So Mwick is an organization that um most that that a lot of municipal light plants if not all um utilize to borrow uh through. uh it
provides you a lot of advantages in terms of you know um the uh I guess the efficiency and the support that they provide a town's financial team um they provide a pool loan program um that
towns can make use of but the thing that um is is how the way the network works is that the backs stop is not property taxes the back stop is energy rate payers so the difference that would be made up is through an increase in energy
rates instead of uh you know property tax increase and most of these towns have their own energy um you know entities so it makes sense for them to do it that way. Uh we obviously don't have that but what we do have is municipal aggregation and you can actually do it through municipal
aggregation. Um, and right now I, you know, the numbers don't work for that to make sense because obviously there are not, um, you know, there are much fewer people in town enrolled into municipal aggregation than there are, you know,
our whole tax base. And so you'd be putting more of a burden on a fewer number of homes. So it doesn't make sense at this point. What we have seen though is that our enrollment in municipal aggregation has been increasing since it rolled out. Um and
what Mwick's financial folks told us was that the way that this works, it could make sense down the road if um enough people sign up for municipal aggregation in our town. Um and if enough commercial
businesses sign up where the rates may make more sense for us to borrow through uh Mwick and you know using the energy rate uh payers uh as as the backs stop as opposed to um going through the debt
exclusion. Now, the way that we are borrowing for fiber, uh, by doing five different borrowings, it gives us time to kind of take a look at this and adjust if we need to. So, you know, a couple years down the road, it might make more like if we get to our third or fourth
borrowing, it might make more sense for us to do it through Mwick than using the debt exclusion authorization. Um, and so this is just something that we will have to monitor. like the MLP will have to monitor, the finance director will have to monitor, um bond council will have to
monitor. Um and I think you know the charge for everyone would be how can we do this with putting the lowest amount of um you know um tax burden on our residents. Um and that should be the charge for this. Um so I think that's that's important to note. Um the other
thing that I wanted to um talk about was um the the last kind of piece of information that we you know don't have definitive uh for our financial models is the make ready costs. Um fibers obviously did uh design and engineering. So they went to every poll in Long
Meadow. They took a look at the condition of the poles. They estimated what the make ready cost would be. And you know, the number that they used in their financial models was that it was an average cost of $2,000 per poll. And now they um you know, are kind of airing
or I guess you know, they're being very conservative with this because they don't want to uh you know um have it go the other way. Um but that's kind of the the um you know, the the way that they approached it was to say this is going to probably be about $2,000 per poll. Um
if if you know this has been a whole new world to kind of uh get a peak into but the world of private utilities I I think after going through this experience and working with Eversource and everything um you know it just makes me even more
uh I guess committed to uh the notion that we should be disentangling ourselves from these private utilities because it is really like a black box and they kind of just do whatever they want and they don't feel any need to tell you anything. Um, and you know, I mean, I think just today we're seeing,
you know, Eversource start this construction on Laurel Street right before our L project, even though they knew for years they needed to do it and they knew for years that we were starting the L project, but they decided to wait until now to do it um right before we were starting it. And this is kind of the experience it's been with
these make ready costs. So, Fibers has been on um Eversource saying, you know, we need to c can you move this along? can you give us uh can you process the applications a few weeks ago? They get back to Fiverr and they say somebody
else has put in poll applications um and we uh forgot to ask them for checks and so they have just been sitting on these poll applications which you know they again they don't tell you anything but of course and I think it's gateway
fiber um they put in these pull applications uh didn't even ask them for their checks or payment for it and they've just been sitting on it for who knows how Um, which is just incredibly frustrating because last year they told us that they would have make ready costs for us uh by
quarter 2. Um, now when we met with Gateway Fiber last summer, um, because Gateway Fiber was complete unfamiliar with the public hearing process, which is just, you know, the routine process that utilities have to go to go through
to get um, permission to use public rightways. Um after we explained the process to them, we told them, you know, you if you've got poll applications, go ahead and initiate public hearings. And what they said to us was, well, we don't want to do that. We want to see where it
might make sense for us to build out and then, you know, we'll make decisions about where we'll build out and where we won't build out. So, um, again, it's just a complete unknown. We what we do know and you know what they told us was that they had put in pole applications
in East Long Meadow. They got make ready costs determined that it was uh not feasible and they withdrew all their poll applications and now East Long Meadow you know gets to just move ahead with their um town on fiber. Um when the
municipal fiber task force met with go net speed goonet speed had told us that they put in pull applications in Long Meadow about four or five years ago. um looked at the make ready costs and decided to pull out. Um they did the same thing in Agawan as well. Um there is no town in Western Mass where a third
party has come in and completely built out um a a town. Um and so what is you know and the Springfield City Council I think I talked about this uh you know during the January 5th meeting too. The Springfield City Council had this long discussion um last summer too because
you know with these companies there's really nothing you can do to block them from coming in. Um you know these polls are owned by third parties. It's kind of between those third parties and whichever third parties coming in. And you know what the Springfield City Council said was the same thing that the
that the Musil fiber task force said is that um you know it's you're kind of putting the town in a really really bad spot if you're allowing some company to come in and build out just the profitable areas of town because then no one else is going to come in and build out the less profitable or unprofitable
areas. So then you're just going to be kind of out of luck. And we've seen this happen in you know East Hampton and Northampton and Lello um and everywhere. So um so you know that part is it's frustrating because there's nothing that you can kind of hold them to or there's
you know they can tell you one thing but they don't have to do it. Um and so you know I think that really the only way to kind of go about this is the same way that um that East Long Meadow went about it. It's the same way that West Springfield went about it because they had the same issue too with Gonet Speed
and Gonet Speed ended up uh withdrawing their applications. It's just for the town to decide whether we want town owned fiber or not and to vote on that because if we um decide we don't want town owned fiber, there's really nothing else for the town to do. I mean, it's just kind of the wild west. It's like
utility companies and we'll build out maybe or they maybe won't, but there's no really role for the town after that. So, um so yeah. So the so fi ferspring
has also um you know they have uh sent a letter to Eversource about um you know their delay here and they've requested the Eversource uh process or poll applications at the same time um or or even before this other entity uh because
you know they might be in violation of some regulations uh for not um for not processing them in a timely manner. Uh but you know that's something that needs to play out and that's something that ever source needs to needs to move on. Um but so make ready costs like I said
we don't have the exact number for it but fiber string was conservative in their estimate for the financial model so you know I feel comfortable going with what you know they provided as their estimate for that. >> All right thank you Ben. Um I had a
question for the uh finance office. Is it possible I know there's a number of scenarios here and some different moving targets. Is it possible to do a uh projected payment impact like we did for the the middle school >> estimate tax impact? Yeah.
>> Yes, that's possible. >> You think that would be useful? >> Oh, yeah. I think that Yeah, I think and I think that that would really kind of I think put into perspective um you know what the would really help folks understand what the tax impact is
here because I think people keep seeing this $27 million number as the project cost but of course that's not what the cost of the project is going to be for our taxpayers. Um so I think that would really help. Um yeah. >> Is it possible to do like I and I this is requiring a lot of speculation
obviously uh at different take rates. >> I don't know if that >> you have to do that. >> Yeah. I mean yeah we'd have to do that if we want to give an accurate projection but >> well I mean you could do it worst case like >> sure worst case scenario I guess is we >> borrow money and then nothing ever happens. But
>> Venice shared the numbers actually. So thank you Vene was very informative. Um, a few comments I have. Um, so we know now it has to be a 20 20-year loan and basically the to me the number that matters to the town because it's a complicated situation. It's not 27
million. Obviously, it's less than that. And before when fiber string came, it was a 30-year loan. It was going to be like, if I recall, 1.5 to 4 million depending on the take rate. And I came to this meeting wondering what it was going to be. Now, Veneath basically shared it with us. It it goes to like
3.3 to 8.7. And so really Ian you would just know what if we borrowed 3.3 million what would it what would the you know average town owner change the property tax etc. So that will be very helpful. Um I I think it would be
helpful to explain if you think it's relevant beneath or maybe Lynn what emwick is. I I think 99% of the people watching or and those not watching have no idea what we're talking what you're talking about. I didn't know until today. If you don't think it's relevant or we want to save it, that's one thing. But I thought as you were discussing
that, I'm thinking people don't know what you're referring to. Uh, another question, will we not have make ready cost by the town meeting, do you think, >> or is that possible still? >> So, um, so I don't think that we'll have
make ready costs by town meeting. Yeah, I don't think >> And I understand you're saying that the proposal was conservative, but >> yeah, >> that's that's important. And then >> my just so I understand, I'm sure others have the same question. Are you saying that this gateway company got their poll applications in before us? So we have to
wait and that's kind of why we can't we we're just waiting and we can't get this stuff >> right. So yes so so Eversource the way that they handle it is whoever comes to you know whoever comes pull applications first. So we don't know if you know how many pull applications gateway fiber put
in or >> but how long are they able to I mean is there a period of time after which they say there's no action they're not doing anything now it's your turn. That's what we're saying is because we're saying Eversource should have done something with these. They've just been sitting on them. They didn't even realize that they
didn't even get payment from them. >> Um, which is incredibly frustrating. Um, so yeah. So, so we're trying to make the argument that, you know, we've we've waited. This is frustrating the town's ability to make decisions. Um, and they should they should move along forward
with this and, you know, and process our applications and give us the make ready costs. Um, so, uh, you know, like I said, this is just incredibly frustrating with the way that Eversource handled this. Um, as for Emwick, um, Emwick is on the town warrant and there's a little explanation, um,
associated with that. Um, >> and I don't know, Ian used to work for Emwick, I think, so you might uh, be able to explain. >> For the warrant, too, this better, but yeah, but basically it's it's a it was created, I believe, in the 1970s. It's a public corporation that's just um was
created to um allow municipal light plants in Massachusetts to um you know get better rates for funding to make funding more efficient to provide uh better um resources to communities. Um
and so part of it is is they have a whole team of folks that work on this. And so um you know it it puts less of a burden administratively on the town. Uh Emwick does a lot of that work. Um and then also they have a pool loan program
which they well you know I guess the idea is that they pull with other MLPS to get favorable rates. Um and so there's really no downside to you know joining. Um we can decide whether we want to utilize it or not after we join.
Interestingly, you know, we would if we I think if we vote in May, we would be the first MLP to join that's um that does not have its own electric light plant. Um so we'd be the first fiber only um MLP to join. And so they um told
us, you know, they're basically kind of they're excited about this because this is kind of, you know, they're going to look into different ways that they can be helpful because they don't assume that we're going to be the only uh one. I think East Long Meadow is also considering joining as well and I'm sure there's going to be more soon. Um, so
there are a lot of things that you know potential opportunities I think. Um, and Ian, I know that you were in on that meeting and, um, I know that's for you too and kind of providing this debt schedule. Um, I think part of the reason why you did that was because I think you
were also aware that uh, potential opportunities could, you know, give us a lot of, you know, different favorable borrowing options. Yeah, go ahead. >> Well, since we're talking about it now, I just my feeling is generally like we want we should obviously all of us want
to do as much as possible to give as much information to our town at the town meeting. And I think that we will have some numbers, but we won't have certain things like make ready costs. I'm worried that
it's not it's already kind of not ideal that we don't have the specific numbers, but I was just a little worried as somebody who literally just crammed on what Mwick was today that it gets comp it's a little complicating things a little bit. Like I people in the town reading, they're not going to know what
it is. They're going to come and see that it's the article that I saw was positioned before the fiber article and someone's going to have to explain to them this is a thing we could do. There's no cost to do it, but it might
be a way and we're kind of doing this as an alternate way of possibly getting a loan which would be based on not the collateral is not your property taxes but it's your electricity rates. um which I think is a lot to unpack when
you're already there to talk about fiber. Why are we talking about this? You know, so I I wondered if it was something we could just do that after like if the town approves fiber then do this later as a and then that would give us the option instead of like muddying the waters so much. That's just was my
impression after a day of even considering this. >> Yeah. No, I mean I think that makes sense. I think um we could flip those articles and it's almost like you know wow then it becomes a very relevant conversation. >> Yeah. Right. Um and I think um and I and I think I mean you're completely right in that um you know some of this a lot
of this is you know and if you look at other warrant articles for other towns that have done this the level of specificity is not near the level ours is at. And I think because of because a lot of these towns understand that, you know, the finance director, the MLP,
that they're going to be managing the take rates and everything as this project goes, as these borrowings happen and be making these decisions where they're, you know, leveraging different uh ways of funds. I think that, you know, to say that this 3.3 to 8.7
million u that that range is like the worst case scenario. I think it's it's kind of like, you know, the best way to present it, you know, is say like, okay, this is what we project. We could possibly do better if we get better, you know, borrowing terms and have options through Mwick, but like this is what we should
expect. what my my worry and I wonder if it's possible to get Fiberstein to come in here to give us an updated proposal. Um, so if you think about like worst case scenarios, a situation where it's a 20-year loan and then they let's say they come and they said, "Okay, just
throw out the proposal we sent you before we gave you before with 30 years. Now the subscriber rate's going to be, I don't know, $110." And then my concern would be well now that's going to not be
as affordable or not necessarily cheaper or a lot cheaper than Comcast and then you might have this negative spiral where it's not working because people aren't subscribing and then take rates low and then so that's that's why I wonder maybe if they would be willing to
come at an April meeting to kind of just so when we go to town meeting you know this is we can tell people okay it'll cost the town maybe between 3.3 to 86 and that'll be this amount on everyone's average tax bill, but this is what the subscriber rate will be. And everyone
make your own decision based on your own situation. I think that would be >> that would be good if we could accomplish that. >> So this 3.3 to 8.7 is based on a $90 >> Oh, it is per month. Okay. So that's so like nothing has changed from their only variable. From their um it's just changing the amortization period. Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> So you know if we wanted it to change it lower, we could make the sub, you know, the MLP. Yeah. Could decide that's up to could do that. I think the way that we presented it or you know fire presented was $90 because it just seemed like a manageable number that would get people
to you know buy in and uh but you know that's it's up to us. >> How much is it in South? >> South I believe is 75. But you know that's that's kind of the difference is that um the places where they have their own um electric and light plants they
own all their poles. So places like um Westfield or South Hadley, they have prices around $75 because they didn't have to do any of the uh you know the the yearly pole uh fees and all those things. Um and and so we're we're more
in line with where East Long Meadow is. Um so East Long Meadow is saying that theirs is going to be between you know 80 to 90 um because they are you know more similar situated to us. Yeah. Yeah, a lot to uh you know, I just went over a lot, but so yeah, you know, feel
free obviously anyone can um uh you know, ask any questions, happy to answer them. I think we're going to be coming out with more stuff to um you know, educate the public about this. Um, Fiberspring has um developed marketing
materials um and so I think at maybe our next meeting um we can put that on the agenda to take a look at and approve and um so they've developed like mailings and social media um posts and everything like that. So um and possibly like you
know social media videos as well um to really just educate folks uh about about this you know project. But you know what I will say too is that because this is new to Long Meadow uh you know it's this is something that you know I think 28
towns in Western Central Mass have done already. So um you know while it may seem risky and all that to us you know this is something that's it's tried and true tried and true model um and it's and it's worked over and over again. Um, so and I think that's be important to
kind of uh educate folks too about that about you know this is not something to necessarily be that scared of. Uh, you know the the risk I don't think is as high as maybe people initially feel like it might be just one quick question and thanks for
putting all this together and um I appreciate it. Um, I I think just the take it's all about the take rate, right? I mean so in terms of rolling this out I mean do you foresee gaps period of time where you know one year
two year where we're stuck at 30 40% take rate just because of the infrastructure or the polls and and we don't and we're we're in a standstill or are they in are they ensuring fibers that um we're going to be able to start just moving to different neighborhoods
and and really rolling this out uh more quickly to help with the take rate. >> Yes. Uh so yeah, I I think you're completely right. It's it's really just all about uh the take rate here. And I think the initial pilot area the fiber spring uh identified is um neighborhoods
that are surrounding the shops because the fiber hub will be um you know next to where the the tower is. Um and what they identified were just closely or you know densely populated areas that were just all poles. So, I think with that
first pallet area, I think it's um I think they would be able to connect around 1,600 homes um to get this going. Um you know, South Hadley, 5 years into their uh buildout, they are at 55% take
rate. Um you know, a lot of this is word of mouth. Um, you know, we've been talking, uh, you know, in the summer about getting a website for folks to express their interest, um, um, in Fiverr so that they get, um, so they can
get so that they can get um, uh, you know, reached out to when it becomes available in their neighborhood. Um, we did receive some feedback from South Hadley themselves and from some other communities that in communities where they put that kind of website out before it's actually available, it kind of
caused confusion because people were like, "Oh, I thought this was a done deal. I thought uh, you know, we we already had this." Um, and then it just ended up causing more confusion and frustration. So that's what we did. So the website is ready, but we decided to uh, you know, kind of hold off on publicizing it until, you know, if this
passes. Um, but I think, you know, that'll be just kind of a a connection, you know, a marketing point if this passes to say, "Hey, you know, this is the website. It's ready. You know, sign up and, you know, you might be connected as soon as next year." Um, because the first homes would be, uh, you know, possibly be connected uh, next year if
this passes. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you, Van. Did you memorize all that? >> Man, it's been a lot of work for a few years. So, >> thank you. Appreciate you. uh
continually keeping us updated and having good information for us. >> Thank you. Appreciate that. >> All right. Um moving on to new business. We have public shade public shade tree hearing decision appeal. I'd like to approach.
Thank you very much for waiting. Appreciate your patience. >> All right. Good evening everyone. I'm Leah Wner. I'm the tree warden and conservation agent for the town. So, um just a little bit of background, the um as you guys already previously mentioned at one point, the um DOT tip project is
coming through that's going to take place Western Drive Long Meadow Street and um Forest Fun. So, within that, uh project plans, they were submitted to me and the Springfield Tree Warden. Springfield had to do a hearing as well as Long Meadow. Um the only two the only
removal proposed by DOT is the initial pinnoke as you enter along Meadow Street um north um coming off of the 91 south. Um the second pinoke uh just beyond it. I highly recommended that DOT include
that in their hearing. It is one that is incredibly likely to take equal damage if um as the original Pinnoke. Um so they moved forward. they understood um my evaluation there. So DOT submitted a request for a tree hearing. That tree
hearing was held Thursday, March 12th. And I had received a few objections prior to that meeting as well as at that meeting plenty of thoughtful questions from the residents who did attend. Um there were some questions about the availability to redirect the street
center line in order to take more on the other side's tree belt. Uh unfortunately, DOT did mention that if that were the case, uh the street coming off of 91 off of the highway and under Route 5 would be uh more of a curved street. Uh keeping that and maintaining that straight lane way is definitely a
more favorable um um setup for something coming off of such a highly trafficked area. So, what I did in my review, uh you know, these plans were presented me to me. um they were not uh they were at 100% not for my ability to really have
any push about changing the plans. So instead of reviewing them under that scope, I reviewed them under the lens of if these trees were to remain, what impacts would exist after the fact. So one of the thought uh one of the other good questions that were asked was could we maintain the trees, keep them there,
and see what happens after construction and how they react. um especially oaks, they're going to still look totally fine for a couple of years with some slow decline. But the main issue is uh where excavation is going to take place about two to three feet uh from that tree's
trunk uh and directly into that critical root zone. The tree is going to act as a hinge. Uh so you get one wind event and the tree is just going to very likely to hinge over and that would head towards the direction of the house and the sidewalk. So um for those reasons uh
between grading um you know heavy excavation heavy compaction um the trees will die over time or if not become subject to wind throw. So um that is why the town is back requesting an appeal for the removals that were objected to
on the 12th. >> Thank you very much. Um, and Andrew pulled up the Google maps and >> just is can you I didn't is this is this the tree we're talking about? >> There are two. So, >> are there's one on the tree belt? Is there another? >> There are two on the tree belt. So, if
yes, you were at uh 32 Long Meadow Street there. The first two trees. Yes. >> And then it's to the left. >> Um, the first two within the tree belt. So, that one directly I think in the center of your screen is the first one. >> These two would you say?
So >> there's a pole. There's a pole in between both of them. >> These two. >> So the first the first two on the tree belt. >> The f Yes. The first two on the tree belt. My contacts are good, but not that good. >> So um yeah, I I looked at this. I drive
by it every day, but these are and I I absolutely appreciate what you do and what you said in this that you are trying to within your means do what you can to protect the trees. Um and absolutely agree that this is the entrance to our town. These are some of
the first trees that people see and we are a tree tree city. Um but there are there are lots of trees behind. This is just trees on the tree belt. Um not to diminish what they are. They're beautiful trees. Um but I I'm getting some work done on my house and we had an arborist out and he was explaining
things to us and protecting the trees. and when you work this close um unfortunately that I I I always defer to you of course on your knowledge, but um I would not want to be in a position where these trees have
been weakened and something happens where somebody gets hurt or property damage better case scenario. But we we don't want that. We we've had a lot of uh tree hearings on unfortunately where we have looked at trees that we are they look may look
fine to us but to a trained eye they're not and and that's something we have to worry about. Um and so unfortunately I I have to agree with you. Um and I but I appreciate the the thought that you put into this and that
you talk to residents and are doing what you can to protect the tree. Uh this is something that there's a street project that's being done for the betterment of our town and to make traffic better and uh make our streets safer. We have to continue with that
with the trees. >> Um Andrew, >> can you comment a little bit more on the risk that you believe there would be if we left these trees, which are gorgeous. I think we all agree. um to see
like you basically made it sound pretty definitive that they would collapse eventually and we deal with this a lot in medicine where it's like oh you know there's no there's no definit totally understand if I live near this tree I'd probably be one of those people
who objected and said let's just try like what's the worst that can happen the chance it's not going to fall in my house the ants. Any tree could fall over. This is just me speaking as a third person. Any tree could fall over at any time in any windstorm, you know, like the these are very um majestic
trees and I would be it would be quite a shame actually to let them go. And I'm not and so I I'm looking for more of your educa your to educate us about like when you say it could hinge and fall over. I'm sure that's true, but is it
also possible that it might survive? Okay. Uh that's that is a really good question and I also um would like to mention that of course I don't want to remove the trees either. You know I love them. Oaks are very tough for me to put out for removal. Um so just reviewing it
more under that realistic lens that arburst lens is what I had to go into when reviewing these trees. Um so part of the training I did in 2024 I had my I received my track. So that's a tree risk assessment qualification. So in that training and through that exam um yeah I
worked closely with ISA arborists. They walked us through um different ways to evaluate tree risk. There's a couple of matrix matrices you compare. So there's um likelihood of failure likelihood or impact of failure. Um and at the end you
come up with your risk rating. Um, so when I looked at this, and I would like to say DOT did hire an arborist to do a full arburest report of the trees along the construction pathway. Um, that arborist did come up with, um, both of these trees having high impacts from
construction. Um, one of the things that I really focus on in terms of the root system, um, is those two trees specifically have historically been poorly mulched. So they do have two mulch volcanoes on them. I would be a bit anxious, of course you don't know
without digging into the tree of the trunk to really know, but I'd be anxious that there is some beginning of trunk rot or root rot at the base of those roots right at the um the where they enter the ground because of that um almost suffocation of the mulch really
being up on the tree itself. Um tree roots also only grow about 12 to 18 in uh below the surface for the most part. So, um, any kind of excavation, you know, there's oftentimes that, um, thought that there's a tap routt that kind of just holds it down and holds a
tree anchored in the ground. Um, that there is one when they're very little and then once it starts, the root system starts to develop, the tap routt kicks out to the side and expands um, in conjunction with the other uh, structural roots. So that tree in itself
already having a um an improper mulching system. Um you know a tough grade and would experience an additional grade change to meet the um the tree belt with the proposed roadway. Um any kind of construction impacts from that compaction over that root system,
getting rid of those macro pores, getting rid of the air in the area. Um all of that combined. Can I definitively say the tree will fall over? No. Is it a risk beyond an acceptable level that I would be comfortable with? I would say
yes. Um I did also have the Springfield tree warden. We just walked it together, the both of us. He's also um ISA certified. I myself am IA certified. Um and we all kind of came to the general conclusion that unfortunately um that the trees are the construction
impact is going to well exceed the risk. That's acceptable. I think just to go on that if you if you had said I think the trees would could have a chance I I would defer to that I think so I um that was a great question but uh I >> is the road going to be is the road
going to be widened there or is it is it is going to be >> it's not just going to be improved and it's going to be the boundaries are the same. It's it's actually be closer to the tree. >> Correct. >> Two lanes there. >> You're putting two lanes there going south. >> Yeah.
And so the tree belt will be significantly less. >> Sorry. >> I think partly what you can't sorry partly you can't really get an idea of is the elevation change until you're out there to look to see just how much we're digging how close to that tree. >> I see.
>> And to go a little beyond any if we leave the tree in an area where there was less targets, it'd be a little bit maybe easier to but that's the busiest road in town. So you're going to hinge that tree and put it in a way going to fall towards the road. So the road is going to be much further closer to that new curve.
>> Is the tree belt would you say like going to be half the width that it is now? >> I actually have plans. It's going to be pretty close to at least there and then >> literally going right up to the tree >> and then it's going to narrow. So it's going to have two lanes to get through the lights and then narrow >> into one merge into one. Sorry. Um, and
also I I was my street had the micro burst a couple years ago and it was uh really I I was not at home and I got home and I said, "Wow, dodged the bullet there. We don't want uh" And I I see my neighbor uh who was
>> didn't dodge the bullet. >> Didn't dodge the bullet. I think it hit your garage, right? >> Yeah. So, yeah, we and thankfully nobody got hurt, but uh it was we really got lucky. But that does remind me to um have you is this something that the tree committee has discussed >> as well?
>> Um so I don't know if there's any tree committee members in online there's um Bill Sefeld behind me who is a tree committee member and Lou Cornet was at the um at the hearing on the 12th. He just couldn't be here today. Um all in a general understanding, you know, there was certainly some some similar tough
questions that I heard at the hearing have heard here today. Um is there any way around it? But there was the general understanding that um unfortunately if this is what is it's got to be um we never want to remove trees um we always want to replace. So
>> so the tree committee was in favor of removal as well. Thanks. >> We had multiple public hearings about this. It's been a sevenish year process. So everyone's had a lot of notice and DOT does everything possible to make sure that there's not um issues at the end like they would stop construction.
So, everyone had a chance to to talk and we did do everything possible to design the road to limit the impact to the trees all through there. This was the least invasive way to design the road to meet the DOT standards. Okay.
Any other questions from the board? >> Okay. Thank you very much. We appreciate it again. Um and what action what are our uh options for action when
I I don't remember what we uh what we can do here we are upholding no denying the or we can deny the objection is that right >> you can overturn Oh >> yes so for select boards um you guys can
overturn the hearing of the tree warden Um, so if you were to vote tonight and to do that, it would take effect immediately. Um, in cities like Springfield had the same issue. Their mayor is allowed to do it under Mass General chapter 87. Um, here in Long Meadow, it would be you guys making a
vote. >> So, what what is our vote? Sorry. >> To overturn uh the decision made on the 12th. >> Okay. Oh, because there was an there was an objection. >> Correct. >> Okay. Which means we have to have a hearing. Got it. I forgot my Mass General laws.
Okay. So, I would entertain a motion to overturn the hearing result for the two pin oak trees located at 32 Long Meadow Street. >> So moved.
>> Second. Anything further? And >> yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. Lamb. >> Yes. >> Yes. With regrets. Thank you very much again. We appreciate
you coming in and your patience. >> All right. 9:30 >> draft warrant. >> Let's go. >> I can handle it any way you want. I can speed through and just I'll keep going unless I hear questions or
>> I think if it's something that we is part for the course you can just say that jump right ahead. Yeah. >> Okay. So I will jump all the way to article three um just the free cash for snow and ice. This is what we have estimated at as um invoices have come
in. Um we don't anticipate to go any further and as you heard from Sean earlier there's a little bit of a buffer in that number. Can just to bring us uh back to or we kind of glossed over it but the time bond study
on having flat uh funding for snow and ice. Uh do you recall that? >> Um I don't but we uh budget the minimum amount required. >> I don't remember what they they were advocating for. Does anybody remember that?
>> No. It was obviously I don't remember but it was something flat like always having the same amount no matter what. >> We always do 125 >> but we're always wrong. >> So um Mass general law allows what are
called legal deficits. Snow and ice is one of those where towns as long as they set either equal to or greater than the prior year's appropriation for snow and ice are allowed to deficit spend. the article that is in front of you is the
um way to uh make whole that deficit. >> I'm not saying it's it's wrong. I just wonder if that's if it's the best. >> Are you wondering why we're trying to be more accurate every year? Because always I think it's because of this rule that if you increased it then you'd have to keep it that way.
>> Correct. >> Yeah. And I understand that. But if >> if next year we do 150 >> and it's 600. No. No, no. If we if it's more and we don't have the free cash to do it. >> So, the other option would be um if it's not paid through free cash, you can
raise it on the tax recap. >> Okay. >> So, those are the two options available. >> So, there's never going to be a hole. It's just a matter of how we do it. Yeah. I'm not I'm not saying we're doing anything wrong. I just wonder it was recommended to us. We should look into it because I I don't remember what the recommendation was, but if there's a
better way to do it, uh we should at least look into I mean, I I think you make a good point. It could be more accurate and a more prudent way to do it to actually try to get a little closer to the actual snow budge. I mean, you could probably give us I'm not asking for this, but you could give us a each
year for the last 10 years how much under the actual cost we were. I'm sure it was under significantly under every single year. Not even, you know, even the lighter years, but >> we have had years where it was pretty close. >> I actually have that in the uh financial forecast >> and keep it where it's at. Yeah. Yeah,
this year was crazy. Obviously, like last year >> we had a bunch of small storms that so it was also weird, but you just don't know, >> right? >> Yeah. All right. >> Well, just food for thought. >> Yep. And if we do increase that number up from that 125, it cuts into that whole budget conversation we're having
on where where are we pulling it? >> Yeah. No, I'm I'm comfortable with that. Maybe maybe we are flat. I don't know. So, just uh I don't know. Go back and >> Yeah. >> Look at that meeting. >> Yep. >> All right. Thank you. Uh, article four is free cash funding for the revolution
uh 250 events. >> The budget is still 10,000. We just put in a 2,00 just in case of surprise. >> Yeah, I didn't object to that. I >> I think it's great we're doing this. So, yeah. >> Uh, five is another free cash article. Um, this is for both fence repairs and
playground maintenance. So, total 70,000. Uh, article six is the borrowing for center school. Uh this is um an authorization language is provided by MSBA or I should say u approved by them.
Uh this is to fund the borrowing for the roof. Article seven is the town joining Mwick. There's two draft um languages in there. We can choose which one we would like the longer version or the shorter version um with the explanation that we
that was prepared. Can I ask a question? So, do we feel like it would be okay to move this to after the next article, which seems to make sense because I'm a little concerned this is going to be a confusing long discussion that is only
really relevant if the next article passes. >> Um, >> is that not I suppose it could be I mean, yeah, it doesn't matter to me which where it goes. You guys can tell me what you want. I think swapping at the very least is a good idea.
>> Yeah, I agree. Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. Uh, article eight is the borrowing authorization for the municipal fiber project. Right. Nine is the budget. 10 is the um capital plan with the different funding
sources called out there. Uh as you'll see under funds from um the treasury, we've changed it to Russell Field and High School practice field design. That is uh the two field locations that will bear the brunt of Williams being offline. >> Could you say that again? I'm sorry.
>> Yep. uh the Russell under um the capital article uh funds available from the treasury. We've retitled that Williams field one to Russell Field and High School practice field design because those are the two locations that are going to bear the burden of Williams being offline.
>> Gotcha. >> I meant to ask this when we were looking at the capital plan. Why is the fire alarm panel at the library so expensive? >> Yes, that's >> um that's what they cost. >> Really? >> Yeah. between electricity um upgrades or the up uh electricity uh connections
with it and then wiring it up. >> That's like that panel that shows the different zones and >> Yep. >> Wow. Okay. >> Lyn, did you We're past the free cash articles. Do you feel like you have enough? Do you need us to explicitly tell you about adding 50,000 for OPED or
Yes. >> You want Okay, >> we would have to pull it from something. >> Yeah. or deplete down to 16,000 left in a free cash free cash balance. There's 76 remaining. >> Oh, but Oh, I thought you had 75 towards uh the L project.
>> That I don't that's like a lingering. >> I don't know what What is that? >> We didn't fund that. I don't >> No, that don't you don't have to worry about that. >> Oh, because the bottom line you sent us had 1,600 bucks. >> Yeah, we didn't fund that. It was I think DPW is a little worried about cushion on some of the L project work um
and not having enough buffer but I have not heard from them again about that. So >> okay >> but it seemed from our prior conversations that we could take like 10 from a few other like five other places >> if you want to. Yeah, you just have to tell me what you want to do so we can add it in.
>> So there's there's 75 grand right now though. Yeah, >> that is either that we could use for this or it could be a buffer or it is a buffer for >> snow. But we feel pretty good about that. Okay. So, we need to but we knew
we'll tell you at the next meeting. >> Yeah. I mean I if you want me to add an OPED article, I would prefer to do it now. I don't necessarily need the dollar amount, but we have to like add it in. >> I Well, I Yeah, I think so.
>> I agree. Yep. >> 50. >> Everyone good? >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Just pull it from Andrew >> a little bit from every your discretion >> still. >> Pull it from the select board salary.
>> So if you're if you're looking for some recommendations, what I would likely do is um I'll pull probably 20 or 30 from the fence and another um 10 or 15 from the playground if not a little bit more because there is five grand in the operating budget. I'll come up with um >> whatever you think is
>> 50 so that it's not an impact. >> And do you still think you think we should keep the 75 cushion on the free cash? >> Doesn't hurt. >> Yeah. >> Whatever whatever we don't use rolls to next year use free cash. >> So then if there if it really was free free cash, we can put it towards OP.
>> Yeah. And I'll I'll likely drop the um Russell Field down a little bit because I between that and the cell tower money, I think we're going to be okay. Okay. And it's that is spread over multiple years too. It's not just one season. >> Good idea. Thanks. Thank you.
>> Sorry. Actually, um there was there was something in the fiber article that I just wanted to um highlight really fast. Um in the last sentence of the explanation, um it talks about the MLP board paying the town back to cover the expenses of the pole applications and design and engineering. So when the uh
this article was at the I think it was the '04 uh sorry 2024 uh fall special town meeting, the explanation for the article said that the town would pay back or the MLP would pay back the town for these expenses at the first uh debt
borrowing. Um which you know I don't know if it ever actually I can't recall why that was put in there that way. it never really made sense to borrow an extra 491,000 that our town like taxpayers would be on the hook for
uh to just pay the town back. Um and so none of that was binding because that was not actually part of the motion. It was just part of the explanation in the article. Um so I think you know we should we should change that and um offer an explanation that says that this
will be paid back. you know, I think it's worded in a financially respons responsible ma manner that does not overburden Long Meadow taxpayers. Um, you know, I think a couple of different options for that. Right now in uh fiber in the financial models, they have um we
have set aside $50,000 for an MLP manager um compensation um yearly uh which I don't think that we need. And so, you know, that could be a place where that's already in the financial models. Instead, we could say that $50,000 goes back uh you know, the MLP
will pay the town that $50,000 over the course of 10 years um you know, each year until it hits that $491 or you know, the MLP board can say, you know, once this uh becomes cash flow positive or something, you know, uh then they'll pay the the town back that amount. But I
think that's um that's important to kind of explain to our residents because I don't I don't really see the value in us borrowing an extra 491 um to just push that you know as part on our taxpayers as part of the debt debt exclusion.
>> Right. Um uh article 11 is um the transfer of the operating stabilization fund interest uh into the capital stabilization fund. This is one that was started last year. Um article 12 I do need a little bit of
um consensus on. So this is um also a capital article but it would be funding the storm water capacity study and catch basin repair which are two capital items through the use of retained earnings in the storm water fund. The reason that I
need your attention on this one is it will drop us below the storm water policy 500,000. We've done it before for um most of our water sewer projects we've gone below. Um, but I did want to call this out because it if you do
approve this it, you know, we we would be below the policy for a little bit. >> And what is it dropping us to? >> So, we are currently at 683878 in the enterprise fund retainer. >> So, this would get us to like four >> a little bit less. Sorry. >> It would be like
>> 280 or something. >> Yeah. Like 300,000. It would cut it cut it in half essentially. >> And then um what would the the rate we just said? When would that what's the outlook for getting us back to our policy? >> It it depends. I mean the way the storm
water is built, we built like a balanced budget. So unless there's turnbacks or additional revenues generated, it would be, you know, quite some time before we see um the storm water retained earnings
um come back to that level. It's not It's not as um rapid as the water or sewer would be. >> Okay. Well, we could set the rate to raise it get there a little quicker. >> Yep. >> And these are both this a study and a
repair or >> catch basin repairs, which really should be in the operating budget, but >> Okay. And then it's a study for uh a future project. >> Yep. >> Okay. Which we always hear is good to
have in the hopper. So, okay. I think we should I'm fine with it. I think we should with the idea that let's take a look at the storm water going forward and have a plan on that and how to uh keep it up because if it
takes a long time and the projects that come out of there are this expensive as they all are, we should have an eye towards building it up quicker so we can uh have money available when we need it. Okay. Um 13 is our standard um district
improvement financing article. Uh 14 is um uh this one. Yeah, I'll let you do this. >> Yeah. So 14 is the ambulance capital account. What that is is previously the ambulance revenues would go into an
ambulance fund. Uh the do has said that the ambulance fund as it previously was was not allowed. So we had to close out all the excess funds to free cash. Um this would create a capital account similar to how we have the firetruck
fund where the uh select board could allocate um free cash that comes from ambulance revenues into this capital account funding future ambulances. Because right now what will happen is
any excess revenues from ambulance would close to free cash instead of closing to the ambulance fund. So Chief Riggney has asked me to designate going forward um any amounts associated with this as he would like to see them stay within the
ambulance fund. >> Okay. >> I'll let you do 15 and 16. >> So 15 and 16. So if you recall from our discussions from water sewer, I had talked about um capital closeouts related to prior borrowing
authorizations. Uh do allows municipalities to close out funds from prior borrowing authorizations to use towards equal or longer term borrowings. Uh articles 15 relate to prior borrowings that were close out and go
towards um the water manes project upcoming. And article 16 would go towards the slip lining project. >> Keep going. >> Uh so article 17. So going back to fire. So this article would resend article 13
from our 2023 annual town meeting. Um when we originally um authorized the fire truck, it had to come with a borrowing authorization in order for us to get the contract in place for the fire truck. Um because we now have the funds available with the most recent
capital funding, um we will need to resend the borrowing in order for us to pay for the fire truck. Okay. >> Um 18 and 19 are our standard revolving funds. um they they are reauthorized with a spending threshold or a
cap of the revolving fund amount. So it's the adult center and the athletic field signage and then 20 21 22 23 24 25 um are all uh community preservation
articles. All right. Um 26 is a cleanup um to um sorry let me get my notes on this just because I'm jumping ahead faster than I was prepared. Okay. Uh 26 is to give authorization to
the historical commission to administer the bylaw. Um the uh in the description you'll see the original intent of the bylaws proposed in 20 in 2006 but was amended on the floor of town meeting and passed to create a standalone um
building demolition committee. The committee's current structure calls for four at large members and one representative from both historical and historic district. Uh the committee's business fluctuates based on uh infrequency of buildings that meet the
definition and um uh does the committee does not have active membership and they struggle to find people. The historical commission however is active um and they have discussed having the capacity to take on the authority originally assigned to to that group.
>> Okay. Um >> and can I just ask a question that we passed on the two CPCs? >> Yeah. one I was glad that there the CPC money to improve like the pool amenities. That's I think a great use of that. But then one question I had on this Bliss Park clay courts renewal
project. $71,000 for the project. You know, >> how do they came up with that number? Like is it something we're hiring someone to do or Okay. And that's how much it cost to like >> pull like survey the public and >> Yes. >> when they give us they'll like have a plan, right? Like did for the other
courts or the other fields. So yeah, I'm looking forward. >> Oh, it's more than just those four tennis courts. >> No, no, I'm sorry. They did um the the presentation we had two years ago. Same. They looked at all the fields and said same group. You mean >> I don't know if the same group, but same idea. So they'll they'll do a survey.
This is what I imagine. >> Have like a hearing or something. >> Do a survey to have public input, whatever, and then say here's some options and then we can go from there. >> Thanks. >> Okay. uh 27 um amendment to the historic district commission bylaw. It removes the consecutive terms provision in the
bylaw right now. So right now uh if you serve more than two consecutive you're not allowed to serve more than two consecutive terms. Um this has been proposed by the commission to keep some continuity in their operations. Um they've struggled to keep vac to fill vacancies. Um and they've had people
who've wanted to stay on have to step off because of that. >> Why why was that in there? Um, I don't know, but it's been in there for a while. >> We'd have to go back to the creation of it to figure it out. >> Okay.
>> Um, article 28 is one that you may remember from the Falltown meeting, the snow shoveling bylaw. Um, we have spent a lot of time internally working on this and reviewing, you know, the data that's come in. Um, we've clarified snow and
ice occurrence in the def um definition section, clarified how the fine schedule works. We've uh added the chapter 85-6 of the Mass General Law that allows us to assess the cost of snow removal um and ice on sidewalks. And we've clarified how code enforcement will
educate prior to enforcing fines with the exception of repeat offenders. I will also have a full complement of the building department staff and code enforcement at the meeting to address some very specific questions that might come up.
Okay. And 29 is an article that um has been requested by the Long Meadow Police Department. They will be at the meeting April 6th if we need them to be to uh answer specific questions when you vote on articles for the warrant. They've had uh ongoing topic uh ongoing discussions
both locally and nationally on this topic. um they've been, you know, keyed into what other communities have happening. Um and most recently, the town of South Hadley added a similar bylaw last fall. It um this again comes from Chief Stocks and Detective Barry.
Uh there are several concerns regarding the presence of these cryptocurrency machines, including their potential to facilitate unregulated financial transactions and their frequent use in fraudulent schemes that target target vulnerable residents. Um, by implementing this ban, they it will
provide better protection to the community from these risks and ensure local regulations reflect our commitment to public safety and financial security. Um, and this is just something that LPD hopes we consider putting on the warrant.
And article 30 is an amendment to the zoning bylaws sign regulations. Chapter 315 was amended in 2024 to clarify language and remove redundancies between this chapter in relation to
chapter 242, which is the uh billboards and advertising in the general bylaws with the occasional request to place commercial messaging or logos on commercial properties. The intent of this amendment is to clarify that commercial messages or symbols are not permitted to be placed on warning or
directional signs. >> Is that a hearing on this already? Um, it might be to tomorrow night. Um, I'm sorry, it might be on the 31st, >> but if it hasn't happened yet, it they have multiple meetings scheduled. I
actually I think it's April 15th, >> okay? And that brings us to hopefully the end. Oh, no, citizen petitions, but >> those aren't ones I can really speak to. Well, nothing we can do about him anyway,
>> right? >> Okay. >> And then Lynn, can you just uh remind us of the schedule for this? So, do we have to close the warrant at our next meeting? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> April 6th. Then, uh, finance committee votes on their recommendations. We
insert those into the warrant. It gets a final run through by three of us and then it gets sent to the printer and it gets distributed I want to say around April 23rd. Just as a note uh finance committee is intending to be at the April 6th meeting
and they will meet after the joint meeting to vote for the articles. So they'll take care of that that evening. >> Great. Thank you. Lyn, I just had one question because I know we talked a little bit about the the fields and with the Williams. Um, is this maybe an opportunity for us to to look at Bay
Path and and trying to see if we can leverage some of their fields? I know parking is kind of an issue, but >> I mean, we no longer have the pilot in place, right? And just wondering if that might be an opportunity for us to to help during this uh growing stage of the
school. >> Yeah, that's an that's interesting. Yeah. >> Has that ever been asked of that before? >> Um, I have been I've heard that yes, there's been conversation years ago about that.
>> Okay. Worth looking into. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Good question. Um, so sounds like we're all set on the warrant. We want to move on to
Seasonal liquor license renewal. >> Pretty straightforward. Um, it's your only seasonal license. Clubhouse Cafe. Um, and all is in order. >> Ben, didn't you ask something about Franconia?
>> Lynn is like, "Don't bring it up." >> He did. Dan did. It was a really great question, and I wish I had a good answer. Um just to remind people the question was where do they pay their meals tax? >> Well now then I started thinking as well
for water sewer as well. I mean >> they probably have a big pipe going to them. Let's the fix be gigantic. >> I am just >> that's easier for us to find. Um yeah that that's very straightforward. >> I mean if we find another one of those large pipes again quarterly
>> 100 bucks right now. >> That was yearly. Yeah. >> 4,400. >> But >> yeah. So anyways, yeah, I mean I think there's more to come on that, but well, no on the on the uh >> D. Don't throw at us at a good time. >> Yeah. >> No on the receipts for uh >> Yeah. Just to close the loop on it. Um
do will not divulge uh who pays meals tax and where they pay it. >> Really? So I keep going back to Lynn. I'm like, how is this possible? How can they say there's really no paper trail? I don't understand. >> We get a lump sum check. So they they won't
>> it goes to our treasurer. I called do and I asked if I can verify myself as a government official in order to make sure that it's confidential information and they would not provide it to me. >> So >> and I engaged Representative Ash's office. >> Oh great. >> Y
>> and they were not able to get the information either. >> I'm sorry I asked. >> No, it's a great question and we didn't want to know how much. We just wanted confirmation if they're, you know, uh, straddling multiple municipalities, like where are they paying them? >> Yeah, we'll get to the bottom of it
someday. That'd be great. >> All right. >> So, you just need to vote on that liquor license. >> I will uh move to uh approve Clubhouse Cafe LLC Franconia's all alcohol seasonal um license.
>> Second. Shel. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> We've got opiate litigation still, right? >> Yes. I didn't close up my computer. >> I'm anticipating a easy vote on this.
I'll entertain a motion to authorize the town manager to sign six remnant defendants participation forms. >> Second. >> Um I Lyn, you sent I I don't think this is necessarily public knowledge. So, we we've received information on it.
>> Uh we're not going to discuss it, but it has been uh everyone has reviewed it. >> Wait, wait. So moved, right? >> Yep. >> So moved. >> Second. You second. >> Oh, yeah. We got that. I think uh go ahead. >> Shelter Wolf. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Mathy. Yes. Andrew Lamb. >> Yes. >> Yes. And entertain a motion to adjurnn. So move second. Go ahead. Yes. >> Yes.
>> Yes. Hope you feel better, Shel. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Have a good night, everyone. Thank you.