This is the finance committee. It's April 2nd. In accordance with the requirements of the open meeting law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the public Lunberg access channel and on Facebook live on the
public access Facebook page and will be uploaded to the Lunberg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. For those who would like to participate remotely from a computer, please use the link on the agenda at lunbergmass.gov.
From a telephone, dial toll-free 888-4754499. We could stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance 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. >> Are there any announcements? >> Nope. Nope. Jay, any announcements? No. >> No. >> Public >> public comments.
>> Town manager. >> No report. >> Finance director. >> Okay. Then we're going to go to the articles. talk. Do you want to read them? >> What do you want to read them like we did last year? >> Uh, okay. Well, we can start with uh
article A. Authorize to hear and or accept the prop reports of officers and committees of the town. Um, this is a pretty standard one. Um >> do we have any I don't think anybody's
is any committees so far. No committee so far to indicate um that they are planning to provide a report to town meeting. >> So we can either vote to approve it or no financial impact. Probably no no
financial impact. >> Yep. I'll make a motion that we um uh vote vote to have no financial impact. >> So moved. >> Second. Have roll call vote. Jay >> I. >> Anna
>> I. >> Tanya >> I. >> Tom >> I. >> And I for myself. >> Okay. B authorized to borrow in anticipation of revenue and to enter into compensating balance agreement with a bank. Uh this is the town manager. I
think this is a new one, right? Um >> no, this article was on last year. >> Okay. So this this has to do if we come into some cash flow issues, we'll borrow the money, correct? Pay it back when money correct comes in. So this >> it's a failsafe article.
>> Okay. Any uh comments on that from anybody? I guess. >> No. Why? >> Go ahead. >> Why are we seeing it again? Is it is this re recurring every year?
>> You have to reauthorize the vote each year. >> Mhm. >> Thank you. Um, and it it's usually short-term borrowing and it's whatever market rate or you go
through a bond like the B municipal bonding rules. >> I actually have never had to go through the process. So, I don't have the I don't know the details of the process off the top of my head. Um, but they are short-term borrowings as you anticipate cash flow coming in. Have you ever been
involved in one of these? No. >> Okay. Have a motion. >> Make a motion to vote or make a motion. I approve to approve it. I make a motion to approve. >> Second. >> You make a motion to approve. Okay.
>> Jay. >> Madam >> I. >> To clarify, the finance committee does not approve warrant articles. The finance committee recommends or finds no financial impact or does not recommend an article. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. That's right.
>> To recommend >> to >> recommend >> recommend approval. >> Yes. >> Yes. I'll second the recommendation of approval. >> We'll have a roll call. J >> I >> Anna >> I >> Tanya >> I
>> Tom >> I >> I myself. >> Okay. C. Authorization to expend funds in anticipation of reimbursement of state highway assistant aid of chapter 90 money. So this is the same thing. We have to do this every year also.
>> Correct. >> Any any comments? >> Um so this is for chapter 90. Um this is something that Jen brought. We used to not do that but um and I'm
just wondering is this mandated by the state laws? >> No. It authorizes the town to expend funds in advance of actually receiving them from the state for the chapter 90. >> Right. We never had done this before you came around. So I'm just it's a curiosity not necessarily.
>> It just it gives you the option to. This town carries a very large chapter 90 balance. Um so it's likely that you didn't actually have to do this because you have a large chapter 90 balance carrying over from year to year. This just authorizes that. I think that these two articles together should be standard
articles on your warrant into perpetuity. Gotcha. >> Okay. Any other comments? Jay. I'll make a motion that we recommend approval. >> Second.
>> Jay, >> yes. >> Roll call vote. Yes. >> Yeah. I >> Anna >> I Tanya >> I >> Tom >> I >> me I >> D. the economic development committee
revolving funds to see if the town will vote to amend the uh code of Lunberg chapter 138 entitled departmental revolving funds section five entitled authorized revolving funds subsection D
by the creation of an additional revolving fund as follows to be named economic development revolving fund and administered as presented and Basically it is uh
will be uh authorized to spend from the fund director of planning and economic development of or the planning board and um it'll be for fiscal year 2027 and subsequent years
and uh set for the fiscal year 27 a a spending limit of $10,000. Yeah. Oh, I'm sorry, Tom. Are there any comments? Um, so I I can give insight a little bit
onto why we're um creating this fund. the town has done um has had the meet and greet that the economic development committee wants to continue having um and it's been difficult for us to manage the cash
because we got some sponsoring and like sponsoring the food like my business has donated some money to just be able to put the event together and not cost the taxpayer any money and it's just been we've been uneasy about doing because we are handling money in and out in the
name of the town. So that's where, you know, Jen has been open to creating this revolving fund. >> Okay. I recommend approval. >> Second. >> I'll second. >> Jay,
>> I Tom I for myself. All right. E technical revolving funds to see if the town will vote to amend the code of Luenberg chapter 138
entitled departmental revolving funds section 138-5 entitled authorized revolving fund subsection D by amending the entry for the tech technical revolving funds namely in the column therefore entitled department board committ Committee agent
or officers authorized to spend from funds by replacing the existing texts in its entirety with town manager or his or her design or take any other actions related to um so this uh I guess this
had other departments but you want to keep it under your control or people that you designate. No, it's that the current spending authority listed in the bylaw. And if I could just make a suggestion, a lot of these the articles are written in legal ease. The summaries
are written in layman's terms. So, a lot of these if you're trying to figure out what they do, please refer to the the summary as well. Um, the current uh folks with spending authority are the town manager, the title of IT director. We have nobody with the title of IT
director. We the land use director. we have nobody with the title of land use director. So by changing it to the town manager designate, it allows me to designate the employee who's actually paying the bills um from this account to be the one to pay the bills from this account.
>> Okay. So basically if we change the names of anybody else, you can just assign it to them rather than have to go through and get approved from somebody else. Can you give an example of who the designate would be right now since those two aren't there?
>> So, right now the person um that is processing these bills is the building commissioner. >> Okay. Uh it could be the the building commissioner does not have a dedicated admin, but it likely will have an admin. Um and the admin will be the one who is
going to be processing these bills. >> Okay. Any other comment? >> I recommend approval. >> Why is the building commissioner processing these bills? >> Not that it has a financial impact, but
because he doesn't have an admin >> and I do not believe this article has a financial impact. Well, I mean I well >> I guess why is the technology evolving under the building commission? >> If you had read the summary, it says
it's to pay the open gov uh invoices which are associated with online permitting. >> Where does it say that >> in the summary? Those are the only paying for the the permits that come through open gov.
>> The only allowable expenses from the technology revolving fund are associated with the online permitting which is open gov. Again I do not believe that this has a direct financial impact. >> I understand that but we can ask question.
Yeah, Jay, go ahead with your questions. That >> those are my questions. >> That that's good. And and I I I disagree on having a financial impact. I don't think we need to go into those rabbit holes because, you know,
um so but thank you. Let's not go into rabbit holes. Um let's just try to answer questions because if Jay has questions, I would say the public has questions. So that's that's why this rules are important. Um I make a motion to recommend approval of this motion of
this article. >> Second. >> I second that. I agree it does have it might have some type of financial impact somewhere and I think we should just vote on it in that way. >> Jay, >> I >> Anna >> I Tanya
>> I >> Tom >> I myself. I >> Okay. Revolving funds to see if the town will vote to authorize revolving funds for various department uh boards, committees, agencies, or offices
pursuant to chap master law chapter 44 section 30 uh 53e and a half for the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 2026 to be expended in accordance with chapter 138 of the town's general bylaws
or to take any action relative thereof. And then there's a list of the uh items. These are all the revolving funds and their limits. Ambulance bills 100,000. Um I uh >> can I read them out loud quickly for for the public? Ambulance billing is
100,000. Timber rights 10,000. School custodial special details 13,000. Green thumb 5,000. Library revolving fund 12,000. Council on aging Mark revolving account 60,000. Storm water task force 5,000 electric
gas plumbing inspector of revolving account 75,000 technology revolving account 30,000 local wet lands protection bylaw fees 50,000 COA meal site uh revolving account 20,000 and the parks programming 77,000
any comment Jay do you have any comment No, >> I'll make a motion to recommend um approval for article F revolving funds. >> Second,
>> J. I >> t uh Anna. >> I Tanya. >> I >> Tom. >> I >> myself. I >> authorized to pay expenses from prior year fis uh prior fiscal year. Um
>> do we have an amount for that or no? >> We won't have that yet. Right. >> Yes. Listed in the summary, there are two outstanding invoices to Aeroseptic in the amounts of $1,317.50 50 and $57,77.50.
My recommendation to the finance committee would be though to defer to town meeting. Um in the case that there are additional ones, you could perhaps take a partial recommendation tonight based on these two as they're going to be printed. But okay. Um I'll make a
motion to defer article um G authorization to pay prior pay expenses from prior fiscal year. >> Second. Okay. J >> I >> Anna >> I >> Tanya >> I Tom
>> I >> and an I for myself. Uh H, fiscal year 2026 budget adjustment to see if the town will vote to transfer from available funds all sums or of money necessary to amend the amount voted for
the town's fiscal year 2026 budget under article 10 of the May 3rd, 2025 annual town meeting in article 2 of the November 18th, 2025 special town meeting
or to take any other actions that relate to there too. >> I have a question about this one. Um, if you're making movements within the 26 budget, isn't that something you can do with the authorization of select
board and uh and I it might be select board and and >> it depends on timing and timing of the year. This is a placeholder. There is going to be no motions at this point under this article. >> Okay. But but you do >> so no so the select board unlike the
school committee the select board doesn't author authorize transfers for the town budget. Um there there is year-end transfers uh that are allowable within the last 60 days of the fiscal year uh that the finance committee and
the select board together jointly can make those transfers. But you alone can't transfer from like within a department >> within a department >> within a department. >> And then um for the broader question of between departments that's one for legal
counsel and we're going to give you an it depends on that because that's similar to the capital planning article could be discussed in multiple ways and I don't want to go down that rabbit hole tonight. Um but at least between one departmental yes. So for example I can
right now authorize a transfer from a fire department expense line to a fire department salary not line. >> Right. >> The where it becomes a little more gray is authorizing a transfer from the fire department expense line to a police department expense line. And we have
authority to do that within the last two months of the fiscal year um with a finance committee select board transfer. Um, but again, there's no transfers here that are occurring at this town meeting. I think we did some at the um trying to
remember what we did at the annual town meeting last year, but there were a few at the annual town meeting last year. >> Okay. I Yeah, I just didn't think that we needed to do this at town meeting. Um, and and I tried to make town meetings shorter. So,
>> presently, this will be a motion to pass over. >> Okay. Um, since we don't have an amount or anything, I um I I would suggest that we defer. >> Second. >> Yep. >> Jay.
>> Yeah. I >> Anna >> I >> Tanya >> I >> Tom >> I >> me I >> uh I fiscal year 2026 closeouts to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds a sum of
funds to cover the fiscal year 2026 in prior years operating deficits or take any actions relative there too. Uh this as I'm reading through has to mostly do with the uh snow and ice removal I think. So
um we don't have a figure for that yet I don't think so we can >> at the bottom down there. >> It's a 615 now. >> Um >> it better not be anywhere right.
My back won't handle it. Karen. Um, we would do this if we don't have any leftover monies, right? >> Say that again. >> Oh, she got me. >> Oh, okay. >> I wasn't sure if you were trying to avoid my questions, but no. Need to reup
on beverages. Um, so, uh, you see the current estimated deficit there is 615,000. We're going to be able to cover some, but not all of that within with transfers. Um, we don't have all of the final snow and ice bills in yet. Once we
have the final snow and ice bills in, we'll see what we can cover with transfers, but we're not going to be able to cover all of it. I have earmarked on your free cash uh spending plan that you have before you up to $500,000. I expect it's going to be less than that, but I just don't know how
much less at this point. >> Okay. So since we don't have a figure yet and we'll we'll get a full explanation either later on or at any time meeting I recommend we defer >> a second
>> Jay >> I >> Anna >> I >> Tom >> I >> I >> Okay, this uh the fiscal year 2027 communist budget to see if the town will
vote to raise an appropriate or transfer for funds or sum of to defay the charges of expenses for town for the fiscal year 2027 and to fix salaries and compensations of all elected officials of the town and any other items included in the budget of the town manager or
take any other actions relative to there too. Um, >> and this one is another one that >> this is the non-override, right? These >> Yeah, but we we're still missing some
funds, right? Listed here. >> So that's you don't have all of the motions. And so what you're missing is where we're transferring from. Those are what would be included in the motion. uh where we're transferring from the
exact amounts from the different uh enterprise funds for the indirect costs and the like, >> right? Including like turf to pay the debt on the turf field. So those you don't have those final numbers here. >> So the fi if it helps the select board
is is I don't know if they're going to defer defer they may vote next Tuesday but they haven't taken a position yet for the same reason. So I I personally uh I think it has been a thing for us.
We always defer when we don't have final numbers. >> Mhm. >> Um I would say we should do that. >> Um so I'll make a motion to defer. >> Second. Jay >> Hi >> Anna >> I >> Tanya
>> I >> Tom >> I >> I myself >> okay >> M fiscal year 2027 proposed 2 and a half override to see if the town will vote to raise appropriate sums as may be necessary to
supplement the general operating fund of the town and the Lunberg public schools for fiscal year 2027. Seven. Provide, however, that such appropriation shall be expressly contingent upon the approval of the voters of the Proposition 2 and a half question so-called in accordance with the general
law chapter 59 21 CG as followed. 2 million4 for tier 1, 3.3 million for tier two overrides with the understanding that each amount will be presented to the voters as a
separate ballot question and that if any more than one question is approved only the highest approved amount shall be implemented or take any other actions they're they're relative to. It's going to be two separate uh votes
at the if uh at the uh at the ballot, but it's one vote at the town meeting. Is that right? >> Undetermined at this point. >> Okay. So, >> well, undetermined as to whether or not it's going to be multiple motions, how
the moderator wants that to look, if he has an opinion on that. So, >> is that up to the moderator? The select board asked me to consult with the moderator on it. >> Okay. >> And is the ballot um on the ballot has that been decided or no? >> Um more or less. Uh the numbers have
been decided, right? >> Um and the actual ballot language will be voted next Tuesday by the select board. It's with council right now. I think they voted subject to the final language from council. >> So is so is it currently going to be sort of um two ballots or one ballot?
>> So good question. So on the election warrant it must be two separate questions. So it by law it has to be two separate questions on the election warrant on the town meeting warrant. So the town
meeting does not approve an override. The town election approves an override. Town meeting approves an appropriation. So town meeting could move approve one appropriation, could approve two appropriations, two
different appropriations, or could potentially approve three appropriations. That's just the amount of spending. That's the spending authority. It um it does not apply to the override. So the override is the uh separate question on raising the actual levy limit. Um, and
so on the election warrant, those two override questions need to appear as two separate questions. The way it appears on the town meeting warrant, it could be one article like there was uh separating out the omnibus
budget and the override budget was not necessary. It could have been all one article with multiple motions. Um, there's a variety of it could have been three articles. It may be three articles. Um, but there's no legal requirement on how it appears for the
town meeting warrant because it is just an appropriation as opposed to the election warrant. >> Jen, what's the what's the hesitation or what what's the delay on the select board voting on this? They're voting on it Tuesday.
>> No. So, the the select board's recommendations, you mean? So, the select board voted the two override figures. >> Okay. Yeah. Um I don't know why they did it. I actually don't know why they I I
>> Oh, maybe they just wanted the final language from Oh, no, no, no. I know what it was. They wanted me to consult with the moderator on how he his interest in how kind of break up whether to break those up is two motions under one article. That's what it was. They wanted that consultation with the moderator first, the moderator and I are
meeting on Monday. I mean maybe it would be it would be better for us to wait for that language as well before we vote on it. >> So functionally your vote tonight would not change. >> Okay. >> Because whether it's whether you vote if
you want to vote the two separate tiers and then I can put that here whether it's going to I can indicate you know different votes on different tiers. However it gets split up we can apply your vote appropriately to the book. Um,
but whether or not it's in one article or two articles doesn't or shouldn't change what the finance committee's recommendation on the underlying matter is, which is the just general override. >> Correct. 2.4 and 3.3. >> So, you think we should have two
separate votes and have two uh and two se I mean, would that be >> that would be the pleasure of the committee? I don't I don't >> Well, what do you think, Mr. Chairman? We could do two separate votes, one on
audit on tier one and tier two. >> We can sure, you know, anyway we want to present things. >> I I mean >> and that would be in the in the warrant that people would get. It would be
it would be clearer to them if we had, you know, if we had if we all voted to reject or approve both of them. That's fine. But it would also be clearer that we looked at each individual one. So it might be better information for for the
town. That's all. >> Right. Um, you know, I I I personally, you know, I I I have a hard time voting, recommending approval of an override or
not because I think um, you know, sitting in this place here, I I can advocate for my position in public but I think everyone for us to be truly a representation of our community. Um we
wanted to the vote to be everyone votes according to their ability to you know fund an override or not. I I I So anyway, I have a hard time like
recommending people to spend more money of their taxes in this position, you know, like not me as a private citizen. Um I think the override should be put to the voters um
and and the voters decide. I um I I wish the numbers had been different and represented something different. Um, but with that I
that's that I'm I I hope I wish us to not take the vote tonight because I'm very close to abstaining and we if I abstain we not even going to have the majority even if everybody votes yes
because a vote like I think a vote with uh less than four votes is Oh, you guys will have four. So yeah, if everybody's going to vote for I forgot we're five here. >> Um but right now I'm probably gonna abstain
because I don't know where I'm thinking. So we can decide to defer or to vote it tonight or to wait to have the full board and vote. >> We could defer and wait for Chris and Mike. >> Yeah, I think that's >> I would defer if we this is a big thing.
Um, so with that, I mean, I I personally don't have any strong opinions either way. I uh I'd vote now for it, but uh you know, I can see why waiting for Chris or or Mike. But I I do think we
that's kind of our biggest job here uh as a finance committee is to make a recommendation to the uh annual meeting and to the town on what uh we recommend. And I know that uh on some of the things we don't go
like this is exactly what I would do. Uh but and I and especially with these overrides uh definitely clear that that this is going to be have a financial impact on everybody in town, every homeowner in town at least every business owner in town who owns real
estate. Um so uh and some of them are going to it's going to be a bigger burden than others. Um and uh but you know you have to I guess our decision is is this the right thing for the town as a whole.
>> Yeah. >> I mean I I am with you Tom and if we were to have to you know hand to God vote on it I wouldn't recommend approval because we've already talked about this for months and months and months. Um, but if if the board here thinks the committee here thinks it's better to
wait for our full board to move forward, I have no problem deferring either. If I I heard Jay said that he'd prefer to defer and Anna, you'd prefer to defer. >> Yep. >> So, >> Madam Chair, I I forget the if I may, I forget the conversation at the end of
your last meeting. Did you have a full board available next Monday night for a Zoom meeting? I know there was some tentative I think discussion it because >> I think I think we would have full a full board
>> if if the committee was inclined >> um to take some of these maybe not everyone where we some of them you've deferred to town meeting bills of a prior fiscal year that are likely to stay deferred until town meeting but there are some other ones like this one that you might have a full board next
Monday is provided that I have every um everything that I need by Wednesday, I can get those recommendations into the mailing as long as I have it by Wednesday. So to the extent that this is something that you know the community at
large is probably very interested in knowing the position of the finance committee on if that was possible to take that vote that would be great. If not, we'll have it deferred. Yeah, I think um I think it would be better if
we could do that do it next week in time for you to get it by Wednesday. >> I'll make a motion that we defer. Second Jay. >> Hi. >> Anna. >> Hi. >> Tanya. >> Hi. >> Tom. >> I.
>> I for myself. >> J. Fiscal year 2026 capital program funding reauthorizations to see if the town will vote to amend the vote taken under article 8 of the May 3rd, 2025
annual town meeting to fund fiscal year 2026 program of capital uh projects option two by rescending the authorization to transfer from our article 6 of the May 7th, 2022
annual meaning the sum of $325,000. Uh second one is to resend the vote taken under article 11 of the November 14th, 2023 special town meeting to fund the repair of the roof at the TC Pacio
building. And three, authorize the transfer from article six of the uh May 7th, 2022 annual town meeting to be included in the uh funding of the 1.225
uh 1,225,000 uh dollar fiscal year 26 capital budget. Option two, as appearing in the May 3rd, 2025 annual town meeting warrant booklet or take any other actions there too.
Um, Madame Chair, if I can help, um, the third paragraph down >> in the summary explains this in the clearest language. >> And this is a housekeeping article, although very confusing, I will admit.
So, town meeting at the May 7th, 2022 town meeting appropriated funds for the FY23 capital plan for the hazardous material abatement at the old primary school. Those funds were not utilized for that purpose and were reappropriated
at the November 14th, 2023 special town meeting to refund to repair to fund the repair of the roof at the TCO or portion of the roof at the TC Pasios building which did not proceed due to an accounting error. Those same funds were
also reappropriated at the 2025 annual town meeting to fund the FY26 capital fund. no funds have been expended um from that transfer. When this error was found, we held it. So, this what this article does is unwind those two
prior appropriations from the FY23 capital plan as if they never happened. So, it unwinds the vote funding the TCP roof repair. It unwinds the vote last May funding a portion of the capital plan, bringing it basically all the way back so that the funding is where it
began in the May 7th, 2022 vote for the FY23 capital plan and reappropriates it, reappropriates it from that original source back to the FY26 capital plan. So, we're unwinding and redoing what we already did. Um, but just to clean up
the language and have it be clean. >> So, just reallocating the funds that were never spent to the We're actually not reallocating. We had So we are revoting what we voted last May. So last May, we voted to take 325,000
of the un unspent funds uh from uh the I'm sorry, was it 300 300,000 from no 325,000 from the unspent funds from the FY23 capital plan and put them
towards the FY26 capital plan. The issue there though is that those funds had already been moved to fund the TCP roof repair. So they shouldn't have they weren't available truly available for reappropriation into the FY26 capital
plan because they've already moved. Nothing has been spent. We unwind one vote. We unwind the other vote and take it go back to where we thought we were last May. >> Thanks. I think I'm gonna have to have this visually to vote for voters showing kind of the votes and arrows on a
handout because >> truthfully like this is this is something that is to explain it is confusing and it truly is a housekeeping article. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Would somebody like to
>> I'll recommend we uh uh recommend approval. Second J. >> I >> Anna. >> Um I >> those are I >> Oh. >> Oh
>> Tanya >> I Tom >> I >> myself I >> Okay. fiscal year 2027 capital budget to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate and or transfer from available funds a sum of money to
purchase and or lease purchase and equip the fiscal year 2027 program of capital projects as illustrated in the charts below including all costs incidental or related thereto and as needed to authorize lease purchase agreements for
the periods up to or in excess of a 3 years for such purpose or to take any other actions uh relative there too. And there's a list of items here. DPW Flatill uh bridge uh
completion $350,000 uh free cash or taxation $350,000. Um, police uh patrol cruiser uh 600 uh 68,627. It's free cash 418,627.
>> Is that right? >> What was the question? >> This the uh second one. The police cruise. Is that >> 68,627? >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yes. Okay. Uh uh three fire engine two
uh 4x4 brush truck replacement $335,000. Uh schools primary school entry and uh driveway expansion design $25,000. Um uh police
school primary school playground design $30,000. uh super uh supervised cruiser 68,627 public safety building roof repair $494,500 uh facilities public safety building
boiler upgrade $115,000 schools uh school door uh door security intercom at Turkey Hill and primary replacement $24,44 facilities public safety controls upgrades 35,000 front end loader for the
DPW snow plows replace retain spare $259,000 and it adult activity center network upgrade $20,45 >> is the primary school playground design is that an accessibility design what is
that so the primary school um design needs to occur for a or the the playground change needs to occur for a couple of reasons and uh I don't want to speak for the school committee but I'm going to do my
be best to uh share what I what I have. So the uh the parking and access really the access to the primary school there's funds uh to change that design that will likely result in the need to move the
playground anyways. The playground is also oversized. The equipment is oversized for the age of the children at that school and it would be to bring it up to ADA compliance. So this this is
design funds only. Uh transparently um there uh in a supplemental budget bill. Uh there have been funds included on the house side uh for this as well. Uh the senate I don't think has taken up the bill but it is it is earmarked in a
house bill. So should uh the state come through with funding for this instead uh those funds would obviously not go to this project would be available for contingency on other capital projects from within the same plan and any un unexpended
funds from this plan at the end when all projects are complete would be available for reappropriation. Okay. Um, so I I mentioned this before. Um, a design playground like it's I think it's a waste of money and I will
explain why because for playgrounds the people design are usually the people that sell and make equipment. And usually you don't do a design bed build. You do a you allocate the money how much
you money you have for a playground. You can pay millions of dollars for a playground. You can also have a $200,000 playground and you do we have $250,000 for a playground. You then do a bid design build and
and I I have said that this is a you know it's a more economical way to do bid design build. Um it you know >> I may be wrong but correct me. I I think you have to have a design to apply for the grant or the funding. No,
>> they're pro they're most likely not applying for any grants to fund this. >> Okay. But the the funding from the House or the Senate, what you were talking about, but that might be the playground funding. >> Nope. So the the funding uh from the legislature would be the same funding for design. >> Okay.
>> It's the same. It's the same 30,000. >> So they're going to require it either way. >> So no, nobody's requiring a design. Um, what Anna is saying is is a truthful possibility. So, you can there's more than one way to to build a playground.
And the way that she described is a way to build a playground. It's not there's not a legal requirement to have the design done first. >> Okay. Any other comments? >> No. Have a motion.
I'll make a motion that we recommend approval of the capital program. >> Jay, >> we never >> I have a second. >> Oh, sorry. >> Second. >> Jay, >> you said I >> I >> You said I
>> Anna >> I >> Tanya >> I because it's one thing is not going to change my mind on the whole capital plan. So I >> I >> I for myself. Okay. >> So, one thing about t sharing
information is that the public can the town meeting make a motion to reduce the amount if they want to. >> So, >> in a part of these processes about sharing information with the public. >> Okay. X
public educational government PEG access enterprise fund to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds a sum of money to fund the fiscal year 2027 public educational PEG a government uh
PEG access enterprise operating in capital budgets or to take any other action relative there two. So, this is the annual vote to for PAC.
>> My recommendation is that you uh defer at least until next Monday on this one. I've been working with the pack director. We've had some revisions to the budget, which is why this is in bright yellow with a bunch of XXX for the numbers. So, uh defer at least until Monday, if not until town meeting.
>> Yeah. Are they looking for another place? Is that uh or is there change their budget or >> no? Uh in reviewing their budget, I I wanted to adjust some numbers with the director. >> Okay. >> But they they uh they do have a
budgetary increase uh planning for a lease, but I think that that was presented to you already. >> Have we made progress on some of those conversations? Is it too early to say? >> For a lease, no, unfortunately not. Uh Fitchburg I think was looking for
something a little different in combining. So >> Oh, they wanted to combine. >> Yeah. >> Oh, I mean it wouldn't be a bad thing, is it? >> It maybe not in the long term. It's just right now what we need to deal with right now is just the space needs and
then we can have those conversations. But um no, they so I think we're we're finding some space needs for some of their things uh within the town. uh some of their space needs, but there it's going to be their studio space um that remains a challenge.
>> So, I'll make a motion that we defer. >> Second. >> Jay, >> I >> Anna >> I Tanya >> I Tom >> I >> myself I >> Okay. Why? solid waste disposal program
enterprise funds to see if the town will vote to raise uh to raise and appropriate or transfer from funds available as some of money to operate the solid waste disposal program enterprise fund for fiscal year 2027 or
take any other actions related there too. And uh in the summary it talks about the uh fund does not cover the cost of recycling. The plan motion under this article be $500,000 from solid waste disposal enterprise revenue to
operate the solid waste program for fiscal year 2027. So it's half a million dollars. >> So we don't have the final amount. So you defer. >> Well, it's fine. We usually make motions, just historically speaking, we
always make motions with a number. >> 500,000. >> Um, >> solid waste enterprise 500,000. >> So, is that Well, it says the planned amount. So, so you caught me on planned amount versus the amount is. >> So, there's there's three different
things that you have when you look at a warrant. You have the warrant article language. oftentimes in the warrant article itself there's not a number. You have the motion which is the number. The motion typically does not get printed on
the face of the of the booklet. The motion is something separate. Then we have the summary. This motion will be the number printed in this summary. I can't say it says planned because anything could happen, right?
But the motion for this article will be $500,000 transfer. >> So So just I Okay. So if it's the if the if our motion is to recommend a $500,000, yes, but if it's we don't have a number, we would have been making a motion is my
point. >> Yeah. I I do not believe this number will be changing. So >> Okay. When you use the word planned, you threw me off with that. Um, so I'll make a motion to approve recommendation for a solid waste disposal program enterprise
fund for the amount of 500,000. Second >> Jay >> I >> Anna >> I >> Tanya >> I >> Tom >> I >> I >> Z water enterprise fund to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate
or transfer from available funds a sum of money to operate the water enterprise fund for fiscal year 2027 or take any actions any other actions relative there The plan is for $120,000 from the
enterprise revenue to operate the fund for next year. >> This one is in bright yellow. >> I'm Are you looking at an old copy? The one that you have printed tonight should be >> No, I'm looking >> The 120 is 120 is the number. >> I'm looking at your big spreadsheet.
He's you. >> Oh, that's that yellow there is for the select board's recommendation. The select board did not make a recommendation. The 120 is the number though. >> Okay. So, um >> um so not for tonight.
Um but it's related to water the water enterprise fund. I I have I I have heard that we are the town is not going to get paid back. It's going to take a while. >> I would like to understand the math. Sure. >> On that and I'm sure you probably have
that and maybe and I I believe you. I just like to see spreadsheets and understand how everything worked out. >> Sure. And so for this one um for the 120 we are estimating that we are going to
be paying Frisburg $87,463.86. the 30% that we receive on top of that is uh $26,23916 and so rounding up to 120 um because those are based on usage estimates and and the 30% is our contract.
>> 30% is the maximum that we are allowed to bill under the intermunicipal agreement and that 30% is what we will be using to pay back the town. >> Okay, I I'll I'll wait to get my math questions answered later. Um, okay. I
make a recommendation to approve the water enterprise uh fund for $120,000 for fiscal year FY27. >> Second. >> Jay, >> I >> Anna
>> I >> Tanya >> I >> Tom >> I >> I myself. >> Now we're getting to the funny numbers. Z1 transfer of funds to the OPEDS OP
sewer uh trust fund. See if the town will vote to transfer from available funds the sum of $1600 into the OP >> OPED OPED sewer trust fund or to take
any other actions relative there too. OPED is other post employment employment benefits. Um so this is the sewers uh contribution to the OPED benefits of their employees.
Um I have a few questions. Um this is for their current employees, right? >> Correct. Um, how's the liability calculated, the 1,600 on >> um I would have to get back to you on that.
>> Okay. Um, and my next question is how come PEG or PAC doesn't I don't see an article for PAC is related to that. >> That is a wonderful question. I I just is that's a big liability for the tow
and um and I if it seems that that would be a reasonable thing for the enterprise fund to carry on those. >> Do you know if it ever was in the I can look back myself. I >> I don't think it has ever was but the
you know we have done a lot of things that shouldn't have been done in the past and like cleaning up things the way you've been doing. No, that's actually a really good thing to look into. Thank you all. >> Okay. >> For this for this warrant, it's likely too late, but >> I mean, is it I mean, is it is the
select board uh warrant? They can add. >> So, we would have to So, it's PAC's budget though. It would have to go back to a meeting of PAC. They would have to re This is something new that that board would likely want to consider at their budget. They would want to consider it as a board. I think we're going to vote
on this next Tuesday. it there's not that amount. Yeah. >> Um can we maybe have this like I know we have done have voted on fall fall so maybe we can do the FY27 vote for
>> Okay. Thank you. And as related to the current article on uh the the sewer option to approve um okay here um I'll make a motion to
recommend approval of the OPED sewer trust fund uh transfer for $1600. Um >> second Jay >> I >> Anna >> I >> Tanya >> I
>> Tom >> I >> myself I >> uh Z2 fiscal year 2027 sewer enterprise to see if the town will vote to raise an appropriate or transfer funds available funds a sum of money to operate the
sewer enterprise fund for fiscal year 2027 or take any other actions relative there True. >> Does anybody have any questions on that? >> And >> I can make a motion to recommend
approval of a total budget for the sewer enterprise fund for a total budget of 1,981,993,06. >> Second >> J. I >> Anna >> I Tanya >> I >> Tom
>> I >> salaries administrative plan staff adjustment for fiscal year 2027 to see if the town will vote to replace the current salary schedules in the code of Lunberg chapter 70 entitled salary administration plans
section 70-8 entitled salary schedules section A and specifically section uh uh schedule A as referenced therein as amended with the fiscal year 2027 salary schedule which authorizes wages
increases for fiscal year 2027 for permanent employees not covered by the collective bargaining unit agreement or individual contract and therefore to transfer a sum of money from uh available funds to fund the wage increase for fiscal year 2027
or take any other action. relative there too. And this proposal provides a 3% cost of living adjustment for SAP employees for fiscal year 2027 is is the three is that the percentage
from social security the 3% round number >> has it doesn't have anything to do with social security. That's our cost of living increase here locally for the town of Lunberg. Um, and there is uh that accounts for approximately
uh $52,000. It's a little short of a little short of $52,000 would be the total transfer from the salary reserve under this line. So, if you recall from when you were looking at the budgets, there were uh folks who were shaded in pink and it said that the cola had not
yet been applied. This is that cola that then gets applied and carried through uh from the salary reserve and transferred into the individual budget lines if approved by town meeting. So it's sitting in this it would sit in the salary reserve for now. >> So so that's going to sit on FY27 budget
and the salary reserve >> the 52,000. Yes. And so it'll be a transfer from the salary reserve over there. The reason I what I was asking for was because um the cost of living adjustment is actually a a number that the federal government
puts out. It's generated by the bureau of labor and statistic and announced by the social security administration. And my question was is 3% that number from the federal government or are we assuming that that is the number of that
we Lunberg is doing? This is the we Lunenburgg cola. So colas are used that term cola is used across organizations across government structures. The 3% is the we Lunenburgg cola. That that was my that was my initial question. Um is
anywhere in the SAP that guarantees those employees a federal cola at least? >> Again this has nothing to do with federal cola. >> I I I understand that. I'm just asking the basis of the contract. Is there any
guarantee for the SAP employees they will receive every year an adjustment of cost of living? >> There's no there's no guarant there's no guarantee that any employee other than those who are bound by collective bargaining agreements receive a cost of
living increase. So SAP employees the pay plan is voted each year at town meeting. >> So Jen, I appreciate how well prepared you are. if I could just like elaborate my questions and if if you if I could just elaborate it fully and probably
when I have less back and forth. So like that please allow me to finish my question even if it's long winded. I'm Brazilian after all. My main language is Portuguese. So I'm sorry. Just allow me to speak in full and then we'll just go.
I I I was interrupted when I was trying to ask a question, but if I could just next time, I would appreciate Jay. >> Hi. >> No. Did you have a question? Your hand
is up. >> My hand was up. >> Yep. >> Yeah. H >> I must have hit it by mistake. >> No. >> Slowing us down, Jay. Slowing us down. Somebody want to make a motion?
>> I recommend we approve. >> I second. >> Jay >> I >> Anna >> I >> Tanya >> I >> Tom >> I >> myself I >> Okay. Okay. aa
fund uh the first year of the professional firefighters union collective bargaining agreement to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds a sum of money to fund the first year of the collective bargaining
agreement dated July 1st 2026 through June 30th 2029 with the um professional firefighters uh um local 435
8A professional firefighters union or take any other action there related there too. So this article will um so is that been done yet? that we
>> so this and the three two articles that follow it are all uh to fund the first year of the three active collective bargaining agreements that the town has. Firefighters union um DPW and uh
clerical union. We do not haveus on any of these um at this point. Um although fire is very close, clerical union is very close and DPW is in active negotiations right now. So, um, the select board, uh, deferred to town
meeting on all three of these. Um, to be clear, the role of town meeting, so that this board and the public is aware, the role of town meeting is not to approve or deny the collective bargaining agreement, that approval lies with the select
board. the town meeting by funding the first year of the agreement provides the consideration necessary to bind the town to the terms of the agreement. So it's actually the vote is actually binding the town to the its obligations under the collective bargaining agreement and
then any transfers associated um with funding the first year of the contract will also be transferred from the salary reserve. I mean, I feel like if we're close, if they're close, we should defer as well because I think you should defer on all three of these.
>> One thing that has come up in previous town meeting before you were here, Jen, is that although we meeting doesn't vote on approving the contract, town meeting members want to understand, you know, the highlights of
the the contracts. Um so I'll just mention that so we don't get to tell meeting and and you know an appropriate question about a public document is asked and we don't have you know so I think just the highlights
um I seen being asked and I seen hostile responses to the public members which I don't think is warranted. >> Yeah. provided that we're so if we're still negotiating with any of these groups, it's it's not a public document, but um absolutely if if we're done theou
if if we're only atou stage or the final contract is absolutely a public document. So thank you for sharing with me what town meeting voters may be expecting on those. >> Yeah, if we have one, you can we'll talk about it. Yeah. So just for efficiency
of of uh of the process here, can I make a motion to defer uh first year to defer our recommendation to town meeting uh the article for first year of firefighter contracts with local 5369,
first year of clerical union uh AFS CME Council 93 and the first year of team Mr. DPW contract. >> Second. >> Jay. >> I. >> Anna. >> I.
>> Tanya. >> I. >> Tom. >> I. >> Myself. I. >> M1. Special appropriation to see if the town will vote to transfer from available funds a sum of money to fund the following
TC Pasio operating costs and certain decommissioning expenses. 121,800 special assistant to the assessor 27,500 or take any other actions relative there too.
>> I recommend approval. >> Were there any comments? >> No. Okay. Um when we make our motions I've been trying to call out a number on all although it's not about what's on the meeting or booklet or motion just
about our process we always call out the numbers so I'm happy to make the motion I make a motion to approve to recommend approval of special appropriation for TC passes operating cost of $121,800
uh specialist Listen to the assessor for $27,500. >> I second. Jay >> I >> Honor >> I >> Tanya >> I Tom >> I >> I for myself. >> Oh appropriate free cash to
the OPED trust fund. to see if the town will vote to raise an appropriate uh or transfer from available funds to sum into the OPED trust funds to that was created November 10th, 2010 special town meeting or to take any other actions
there too. And this is there any impact there for us if it's moving around? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, uh we are transferring uh $335,437
of certified free cash in accordance with the Lunberg's financial policies. um to the OPED towards the OPED liability. Uh we had talked about pre at the last meeting that there is the Lunberg uh financial policy calling for 10% transfer of the certified free cash.
Um and that's what this article accomplishes. >> Thank you. >> Comments? >> No. >> I recommend we approve. Second >> Jay U can can we put a number in that
Jay? Can you just say approve 330 >> 335,437 >> second. >> Jay >> I >> Anna >> I >> Tom >> I >> I apologize Jen I did not read the
summary in the next page. I did not flip. That was on me. uh appropriation to the compensated absence the reserve fund to see the town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from the available funds a sum
of $10,000 to the compensated absence tease reserve fund that was created at the May 3rd 2025 annual town meeting or to take any other actions there on there too >> $10,000
$10,000. Yeah, >> I think we we discussed this two meetings ago or trying to remember when it was we we had a discussion about that. >> The only question I have have we had any payouts from that account? >> No.
So there's we put 10,000 in last year, putting 10,000 in this year. Probably won't do it again after this year. >> You're just trying to build up enough so that >> just a little just a little cushion. And so we do have we do have a line in our
um operating budget that we have for salary um it's it's next to the uh fincom reserve I believe um for retirement buybacks. So this is just if that line is exceeded. >> Okay.
>> So I don't think we need to keep a large balance in there. That's >> I recommend we uh recommend approval for $10,000. Second >> Jay >> I >> Anna >> I Tanya >> I >> Tom >> I
>> I myself >> Q appropriation to the 300th anniversary committee to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer the the available funds the sum of $15,000 to the three 300th anniversary committee
for the activities program events and celebrations planned by the committee and associated with the 300th anniversary of the incorporation of the town of Lunberg with such appropriations to expire June 30th, 2029 or take any
other actions relative there too. >> Any comments? >> Nope. >> Jay, I'll recommend approval for >> uh is it 15,000? $15,000.
Second, Jay. >> No. Um I think 15,000 is too much. >> Okay. >> Anna, I I kind of agree with Jay and I seen around the state that the state where
gives us gives towns money. We need to be knocking on their estate. Um I'm going to vote yes, but I do think it's too much money. We have always done these by the way with volunteer money and volunteer everything. >> So
>> I it that's like we should keep the Lunberg tradition of >> hard work and volunteering but I I'll vote yes just so we have the four votes that we need. >> Tanya, >> I'm with you. J
>> I >> myself I >> so 4 to one >> uh article Q >> no for yeah >> article Q1 appropriate free cash to the stabilization fund to see if the town will vote to raise an appropriate or
transfer from funds available a sum of money to the stabilization fund or to take any other actions relative there too. And uh the present balance of the stabilization fund is over $3 million and the planned motion under this
article is for $250,000 which I guess is the I think the standard what we do or we try to do every year if we can. >> Sometimes we've done more or less. >> So if we can Oh.
Oh, I was reading the wrong one. Sorry. Any comments? >> I'll recommend we approve the um from free cash to stabilization fund of $250,000. >> Second.
Oh, I'm sorry. >> So, just one thing. I I thought Jen then not in the last meeting but the meeting before I think was the one we were sitting here like as a group I we there was a discussion of if we're taking money out
of that account this year we're not putting any in and you said no we're not I'm not this is um we're taking money out of the special purpose vehicle stabilization fund this is our general purpose stabilization fund this is the type of fund that we would go to if we
were and I I know some people think we're in dire financial circumstances right now, but if we were in dire financial circumstances for general operations, this is what we would use um in that circumstance. >> This is not the vehicle correctation
fund. Okay, >> thank you. Yep. >> Jay, >> I >> Anna >> I >> Tanya >> I >> Tom >> I >> for myself. >> Okay. Article Q2 appropriate free cash
to the special purpose stabilization fund. See if the Tom will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from funds available a sum of money to the special purpose stabilization fund or take any other action relative there too. Um the
current balance of the stabilization fund is $11,026. We're looking to uh $250,000 from free cash to um this will be for I guess health insurance.
>> That's correct. This is specific. So the town has a number of special purpose stabilization funds. This one is uh the health insurance stabilization fund. Um the thought here is we don't know what next year brings. We've had a lot of discussions around this being a pressure
point on the budget. Um and this will be a source if if we need to go to that uh if we have another high year of insurance. So what is the the town like
everything included? Total insurance health insurance cost. >> Total health insurance cost. >> Yeah. If you want to give me like ballpark, >> I can give you town um really quickly. School, not as quickly. Uh
the total town active health insurance is 1,454,862. >> And how about the um the retirees? The total on that >> town retirees 570 school retirees 1,655,000.
So I think the schools is around 3 and a half million. >> If you give me a second I can tell you roughly. >> Um 1.43 for simu. So it seems like between all the
buckets, we're talking about close to $8 million total in insurance, health insurance costs that we pay. I don't know if any I'm going in a different way, but if anybody has a school budget that they can pull up
quickly maybe while I'm looking in a different way. My >> health >> my question like so I remember when we put the money in for the um the healthcare insurance the healthcare uh not the healthcare yeah the health
insurance um was because we had a load than expected >> and we we had the previous manager was working like holding steady that you know part of the budget should be for health insurance um a 250 50 on close to
$8 million. Um just so is at 3.1% of of that budget. I I I like my questions would be what do
what when would you use this money? What would trigger you to use that money? because I know how the previous one was like I was you know I know how that was created what money we put it there the logic for that money and when we used it
so with that I would ask you the same question you know when would you use it um let's start with you know what is your plan for using it >> potentially as early as next year I'm potentially as early as next year
I understand. Is it when it crosses 8%, is it when it crosses 10%. So that you're going to work on your budget now like you start working on your F28 budget comes July 1st, right? You start planning everything. So the previous
time manageer she used to hold that you know her budget increases would always have that slot saved for health insurance. So whenever it pass that that projected increase should use that. So that's the question I'm asking you. >> I'm not going to be able to answer that
question for you tonight. We are in a very different market than we were even 3 years ago both with our overall operating budget together with the health insurance market. Um what I'm trying to do here is give the town some options. Um we're bringing an override
forward this year of substance. Um, we have a higher than usual free cash amount. Uh, putting some funds here set aside for health insurance helps to brace the town a little bit if there is another large increase.
I'm not going to give you a bright line rule tonight of what that looks like. And I'm not going to compare health insurance markets to what we were doing four years ago. >> It's not about a market. It's about having a plan just like we have a plan with the specialist stabilization, you
know, the vehicle fund. We have a plan for that and we elaborate a plan. I I and I don't think we should be running with a lot of free cash. That has been my position. Um so I this this one will
be a no for me until I have a plan or we can defer it or and I'm not saying a set plan. I'm saying an outline of what that plan would be. >> I think this is different than the like the vehicle funds cuz we kind of know
when we need a new vehicle every 3 years for or whatever. Uh this is we have no idea what health insurance will be next year, the year after, the year after that. And this is just trying to build in some cushion so that if we do have a
20% year or a 5% year uh which we don't know we'll we'll be able to have money and be available and it won't destroy our our budget for that year. We it won't put extra strain on it if if that is uh so I think it's always good to put
those things in there if you can. Um um I think with the amount of free cash that we have, it's I think that would be a good use of it. Um if things slow down
and I wouldn't say we should do that every year. Uh but um the next few years will be interesting. >> And Tom, I don't disagree with any of anything that you said. I I'm just asking for an outline of the plan for
using it. Um and and I think when you're putting money away, you know, that's that's that's not too much to ask for an outline. >> Well, I think she said that she was, you know, if if the health insurance rates
went up a lot one particular year, the >> define a lot of money, but we don't I mean, it would depend on other things. if if we were flushed with cash and you know uh that particular year maybe we didn't have to draw on it but um it's
just there. I mean it's it's not like the the motor vehicles where we know that's going to happen. It this is more of a an in an insurance. It's a it's a it's a something to help the town u uh from a uh an outlying year, I guess,
would be the >> And I also see I think where you can look at the data and the trending health insurance cost, they'll go down. They never go down. >> They're not going to go down. >> So, they're going to go up. >> So, even if it went up for 2%, >> right? >> This provides a cushion. It's >> it's not going to go down.
>> Yeah. And and we've had there was a year, I think a few years ago where it didn't go up at all. it went down and and actually I think the town um put money aside. >> That's when you created the fund. >> That's when you created the fund. So, you know,
none of us if if I knew what insurance costs will be next year next year, I could probably find some way to make a zillion dollars off of that. So, um I think it's it's a good thing to have. It's a nice uh it is one of the drivers
of our costs. Um and it's the one that we know the least about in the future. We know if we have a contract with our with our buses, we have a three or four-year contract. We kind of know the future. If we have uh you know our our expenses for employees, as we saw today,
we have contracts and they go out two or three years. Uh some of them do. So this is the one that we have no idea. So, I'm going to give you a a line out of what I'm looking for. Uh, ears where
the health insurance cost goes above 10% will activate will use the funds. That that there you go. We you gave me the parameters when the funds are going to be used. That that's all I'm asking is what is that? Now, if you say, you know, I know it's a three about 3% of
our overall cost. So that means that the health insurance just went up by 14%. Okay, that's an outline. Is it the years that goes above 8%. The other flip to that top. So that's the outline that I'm looking for. It's you don't need to have
you know precise market projections for that. The other thing is it is $250,000 where, you know, if the last year we did use half a million dollars to help the school get by and they're looking to like if the override doesn't pass,
honestly, I'll prefer to put this $250,000 towards trying to save some positions at the school and and you know, like I it when you don't have a lot of money, you got to kind of plan, you know, your shopping a little bit like that way. So that's I I need more
information about the plans for the use of this fund, how big we wanted that to be. Right now it would be a 3% of our total expenditures and where it's going to go. So I I don't think my request, this request from a financial point is unreasonable.
I also think we have like overrides on the ballot that we're going to be talking about and I do not want to go back to residents in future years for another override. I'd rather have a fund established that's not going to affect resident taxes. >> Like
we can't just keep going back every year if there's an increase in health insurance for another override or ask for more money from the tax the taxpayers. So, and this is coming from free cash. So one of the things
you use free cash for is capital items and for stabilization kind of funds. You try not to use them for op uh annual operating funds. So it's it's a a good purpose of the money.
>> Somebody want to make a motion? I'll I'll make a motion that we uh recommend approval of the uh $250,000 um transfer from free cash to the special purpose stabilization fund. I
second. >> Jay >> I >> Anna >> no. Tanya >> I >> Tom >> I >> myself I >> Okay, next one is DVD vacation systems
uh vacation system transition liability reduction to see if the town will vote to transfer from available funds a sum of money for the purpose of funding a buyout of acred vacation time for town employees in connection with the
transition to the acrrual based vacation system adopted at the November 25th uh 2025 special town meeting and summer provisions adopted through the collective bargaining agreement said funds to be used to compensate eligible
employees for a portion of their acred vacation balance as of June 30th 2026 in order to reduce the town's long-term vacation leave liability associated with the transition to the acrruel base
system or take any other actions relative there too. And the uh motion would be for transfer 270,000 in free cash to buy 100% of the outstanding vacation liability owned by
employees. >> I have questions about that, but do you have I mean I I read the the summary. Do you have other things you want to say before I ask my questions? Yeah. Um maybe it'll clarify, maybe it won't. So um so a couple things that we
have to do. So for salary administrative plan employees, uh we have to buy based on the vote at November time town time meeting all the time over 3 weeks that they that they would have gotten dropped on July 1st.
So this is time for actually for SAP employees and union employees, this is time that they've already earned and that they are owed as of July 1st. So if each and every one of these employees were to leave service on July 1st, 2026,
we would owe them $270,000 for the total vacation time that is going to drop on July 1st. That's time that they've already earned. I just want to I'm I'm re-emphasizing it because that's time that they've already earned. So for the salary in administrative plan
employees and for the police who have a settled contract and for the fire department where we have an agreement around this and the clerical union where we have an agreement around this uh we're still negotiating with DPW. um we are
obligated to purchase the time above and beyond the 3 weeks. That 3 weeks that's left um so whatever 3 weeks or under whatever it's left gets divided into thirds and those employees uh use a
third of the time in year 1, a third of the time in year two and a third of the time in year three. So if they had for example if they had five weeks of vacation two that would drop on July 1st two weeks the town is obligated to buy off
the remaining 3 weeks one year would be used one week would be used in year 1 week in year two one week in year three before other time is used that they are now earning. So that is an administrative burden number one to have to track that kind of
acrruel bucket time is what we've called it but the acrrual bucket time across the years as we burn down that liability. That's number one. Number two is by buying off this liability at today's dollars
we're paying for it now um as opposed to if we have to buy it out in future years. So, where we had a large a higher than normal uh return of free cash, knowing that we had to do something, we looked first at what did we have to buy
off, it's approximately $50,000. That's for everybody for week three and up or above 3 weeks of vacation. Uh for everybody for everything else, it's $270,000. So, um, for a variety of reasons, it's
my recommendation that we buy off 100% of the liability and transition as clean as possible on July 1 to the new system. >> So, we are is the new system where they have a limit how much they can accumulate.
>> So, the new system So, let me explain just a little bit about the current system for most employees. So, most employees are hired by the town of Lunenburgg. they start working and they're not allowed to take any vacation time at all until July 1 when they
receive their drop. On the July 1 date, they only get um whatever they would have a proportional amount acrewed in the prior year. So, it takes some time if you are hired by the town of Lunberg to get up to a your full vacation
benefit, whether it's even two weeks. You don't really have access to that. starting for new employees that since November, since that vote in November, anybody that's been hired since then that's an SAP employee, for example. So, I'll just describe it for them. Um although it's the same in the collective
bargaining agreements, anybody that's hired starts acrewing their vacation immediately. So, if they have 2 weeks of vacation time that they acrew a year, they start acrewing that in month one. They're allowed to take it in the red. If they
take no vacation time by the end of their first year of service, they would have their two weeks acred. If they continue in service beyond that one year and they still haven't taken any vacation, they
get capped at one week above their annual acrual. So yes, this is this is that uh that it keeps going until they're capped. Um but they would in order to hit that cap you would need to go for an entire year without taking any
vacation time but it's a continual acral method. Um it disjoints us from the fiscal year. Uh what's really important about that right now is that if you come around municipal buildings in the month of June, uh which is sometimes our
busiest time as we're doing year end, everybody's burning off their vacation because they have an arbitrary deadline of June 30th. So um this is not giving any employee anything that they're not entitled to. It's buying off the liability.
>> Okay. So my question was it it for the new system caps at a maximum of of they're allowed year plus one week. Is that correct? >> Correct. Is is that um is that uh across
the board or is that something you're negotiating with all the unions? And because the vote that we took last year was for SAP. So, it's it's been negotiated and settled with the police union. >> Okay. >> Uh they actually started this July 1st
of this year. So, they they're they're 3 weeks and above their above 3 weeks has already been bought off. So, they just have whatever was below that. >> Um this has been settled with fire and clerical and and so the DPW is still
negotiating on this one. My but the goal is that it's going to be universal across the organization, >> right? Is is the is the buy the immediate buy is also negotiated and accepted for all
the groups you just mentioned the um >> the buying out versus them being allowed to take more vacation on year two and three as you described earlier. >> The buying out of uh anything above 3 weeks has been negotiated.
uh we would have to if town meeting approves this executeus with uh the bargaining units. >> Okay. And with the SAP that was voted in November that we are going to buy or we voted that we're going to buy up above X
number of weeks and employees can I just sent an email on this today. So hold on I'm going to read exactly from it. Thought I sent an email on this today. I must have a draft email on this today.
So, it's with the um I'll try to do it from memory. with the SAP employees. The language that got um approved by town meeting was that we are obligated to buy everything above the 3 weeks and that um if funds are available the town manager
and the employee can agree to uh go further than that. So it's possibility that not 100% depending on what those look like it's a possibility that 100% of this does not get expended. Um in that case it can it's available for reappropriation.
>> Okay. So when you my question was related to the SAP employees >> does the in employee has to agree with you to buy their vacation or can you mandate them >> for over 3 weeks mandate?
>> You can mandate them and that was already voted at in November. >> Okay. >> So this is just about the dollars and cents. This is not about any changes to any plans. It's about the >> right I'm just trying to understand like you said the employee has to agree
but the union and employees have to agree the SAP were mandated last November. >> Well, let me Okay, I'm going to get the language of Hold on a second. Oh, this light's to the end. I think I'm going to get a migraine.
Sorry. >> Is it brighter than usual? Oh, >> Jen, you can just send >> I'm right here. >> Oh, okay. Okay. So, um there's several paragraphs about
the transition, but the one that's on point to this employees may request and the town manager may approve subject to the availability of funds to be paid for a greater amount of their balance as of
June 30, 2026. Any remainder shall as detailed above be banked in three equal increments for 27 28 29 unless the employee and the town manager agree that the bank time shall be used for a shorter period of time. So for SAP
employees they could say I don't want to be bought out. >> Gotcha. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other comment? It's a motion.
>> Recommend we approve the 270,000 from free cash. >> Second, >> Jay. >> I >> Anna. >> I Tanya. >> Hi, >> Tom. >> I e amendment to amendments to the salary
administration plan, positions, titles, and grades. See the town will vote to amend the code of the Lunberg chapter 70 entitled salaries administration plan schedule A entitled classifications and salary schedules as follows. That the position of assistant town manager be
added and assigned to grade 17 and that the title of the assistant town manager/hr director be amended to HR director or take any other actions related there too. So this is probably not a financial
issue because this is not funding the positions. This is just grading them. >> Well, it has an indirect impact like we vote on SAP recommendations. >> Um on the SAP right now the assistant town manager is assistant town manager
HR director. >> Correct. >> On the document >> at a grade 16. So the grade 16 position would become human resources director and the grade 17 position would be assistant town manager. >> Can you say that again? Would would the
director remain at a 16? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> I'm all for it. But I'm just trying to think does it have a financial impact or does >> funding the positions would be a financial thing. Creating having them listed on a on on there and grading them
is is not a direct financial impact. >> I I think it does have a direct financial impact once you're creating the fund. We have voted many different things where we create fund and we fund things. Um I am not against adding an
assistant manager. I don't think a year of cuts is when we should be adding and I don't think um my question is in terms of the HR director the current person working on HR director as who's doing
the work as HR director she is doing other tasks has a job description being like a revised job description is her role going to change the piece of her role that will change is procurement. That's
that's the one piece uh that's nonHR that's in her job description. That time will absolutely be filled with other HR mileers. And I think you also said Jen when we talked about this a while ago that operations might come off her later. Um
>> well that's that's the one it's the it's the procurement piece. >> Okay. That's the only non-HR function that she's serving in depending on and we're working on a job description for uh the assistant town manager position.
Um and um depending on who we we get uh to serve in that position um they may or may not be procurement certified. So um the current HR director may have to do some toutelage in that area. Are are you
a certified per procurement? >> No. >> Are you looking >> partially? >> Partially. Okay. Um >> I need the I need the three days out of office to go keep taking the classes. >> Gotcha. the um I mean there's no elaboration to me on
how the HR so just you know the last year that Heather was here that year which was we added ours to that position. So anyway I I I hear you. I don't disagree with things. I just
don't think the all the information is out there for me to make. I'd like to maybe defer this and maybe I can I can have some conversations with you, Jen. Um, right now I'll I'll vote no on this. Um, I don't have enough information to
make a recommendation. Although I do agree with you, Anna, that we are, you know, in a monetary crunch. I think that if we do not add this position, this town cannot operate at the level it needs to operate for it to
function. My fear is is that Jenna is going to burn out and that's it and we're going to lose a very very very qualified and very good town manager. And I think we've seen in the past couple years what not having a good town
manager looks like and why we are kind of where we are. I I didn't say any I don't have enough information. I don't believe in throwing money at problems and I don't think Jen is throwing money at problems. I making a financial decision don't have enough
information to make that decision. That's it. It's not personal. It's very, you know, very straightforward. I if someone is asking me >> like the salary amount, the job description. >> I mean, it doesn't have to be a job
description, but we added ours to the person who's currently doing HR director a couple not even what two it'll be two meeting two town meetings ago. so that they could do more. I want to understand not a job description but you can give
me list of tasks how their times are consumed and what is missing to do that they're going to do further. I mean this is like anyone adding a position in their in their com in a company they're going to have to they will go through this process and also on the sens
manager I understand too that they're looking to you know to alleviate some of the tasks that Jen has what are the tasks again not a job description like when you're adding a a new position these are the questions you get asked in a in a corporation is who are you
looking to add what are the job descript what are the job functions they're going to do and it's it's not out of this world so I'm asking for basic information before I add new people to you know to our organization that's basic not
just going to help Jen what are they going to help Jen with >> right >> that's it I I would have loved for this question to have come last week >> I respect that opinion too >> well I mean this is >> well this is really I mean what you're ask we deferred the budget That's where the money is being spent.
This is just setting up a a table of salaries and administrative and and grades. Um, so this is not spending money. If we uh so my thing is that this is not about a financial thing. Now, if
you don't have this done, can you then hire a an assistant town manager? I guess you can't because it's not on the list. Uh but um ultimately the budget I think it it was the the the uh regular
budget the initial budget included the assistant town manager. So um we're we deferred that and we can discuss all that at with the with uh the other two members of our committee um when we discuss uh L I think it is. So to me, I
mean, we can either we can defer this one too if you want because I uh but to me this is a a non-financial uh item. >> Well, I I don't agree with them not being financial and I I I'm okay deferring so that you know then we can
be presented with that information. I don't The whole purpose of this is just to add a grade level to assistant town manager and to take town manager/HR director and make it HR director.
>> I I I hear that. I'm not disagreeing. So it has nothing to do with >> I you know I'm happy to pull up previous finance committee meetings uh finance meetings where we discussed this it it
we have incomplete information we can defer to the next meeting where maybe we'll have better information that we're presenting the public that's all our meeting is on Monday respectfully respectfully if if your meeting is on Monday you will receive no additional information between now and Monday on
this matter And we did talk about >> one other thing. Hold on. I wasn't done when Jana started talking. One other thing is technically the T manager can although we have the SAP that does have an assistant home manager in HR director. I believe she can hire
multiple people under the same title. So I don't have enough information. I'm happy to put it a list of questions that I would have you know before I vote on this. And additionally, I I think we've other people have been hired in this
town and we've put other things on without these this information, without job descriptions, without salaries, like we we voted to add positions. I I think job descriptions and things like that, you know,
HR directors and and managers and all that, that's kind of their uh uh it's not for the finance committee to to know what the HR director's job description should look like. Uh but I I think as far as just talking about the assistant
town manager and the HR director and all that, we've had discussions in the uh tri committees. We have had discussions in finance with the town manager and others uh and uh and people were heard and voiced and I know some people
disagree with it and others agree uh but uh you know at some point you know we have to uh I I see you know one of the select board members voted against this. So my I didn't listen to the meeting, so I don't know what the what the thing is,
but my my guess is that that select board person had a had an issue with this and uh made that vote. So I I think um >> we could um defer it and can we just make a discussion, but I think we we
pretty much have made our decisions and we and we have enough information to do the things that we as as a committee need to do. Well, I I mean Tom, I literally just said that I don't have enough information and when we are adding these positions before they would
be approved by a personnel committee which now that the manager is acting as the a as the uh personnel committee so we don't have enough information happy to defer it and I just want to say this is not the first time this has been
brought up right and we we had opportunities to ask for more information and we did not I asking for information right now. Yes, >> you've had this way before >> it. I don't First of all, I'm not limited to time when I can ask for information. First, second thing is last
meeting when I was bringing up questions that I had to the fire chief. The chair was hurrying me up. So, you know, now we have the time to ask questions. Please don't chest fellow members for asking questions. And and I've been the, you know, I've been really good about
getting out questions when I have them. So please >> Jay. >> Yeah. I just wanted to say that the IT director position is being eliminated to fund this position which is what I had
an issue with. >> Was it eliminated or was it just never filled? >> It's not. >> It's not the IT director position. We do not have an IT director position. We use >> we use Souzer IT. >> Mhm.
>> This is the IT and communications manager. >> Yes. >> It's not an IT director. She does not do IT work per se. >> But that position is being eliminated to fund the assistant town manager.
>> Yes. But I'm concerned with what your understanding of that position is if you're referring to it as an IT director and thinking of it as the individual that used to serve in that role who was working on computers and installing software and fixing things. That's not
what the IT and communications manager's job is. They are an intermediary between Souzar IT and the town, but they are not an IT director. So, it's not as though we're losing um somebody that is ensuring network security. Um I just
want to be clear on that. >> So, you think we should just defer it? I think I mean we we we're going to be we already deferred the budget. So, this seems to be related to the whole budget item. Um, I'll make a motion that we defer this to
our um to our next meeting. >> Second, >> Jay. >> Yes. To defer >> Anna, >> I you got because it's a roll call. We got to wait for you. >> I know what it's like to be on.
>> I doing a great job, Jean. Tom, >> I uh I vote no. Hi. Um, GG, notice of the town meeting. Let's see if the town will vote to amend the code of Lunberg chapter 181 entitled probably 81
entitled town meetings section one entitled warrants by making certain deletions, strikethroughs, and additions in bold. Um, I'm not going to go through all that because down here it says the town currently mails the warrant books to every household in which a registered
voter resides. This mailing has a substantial cost for both printing and of the booklets and the mailing itself. The amendment would allow uh notice of the town meeting in a form of a letter or a postcard to be mailed to each household at a much lower cost. The
printing of the booklets also co uh cause a time restraint for staff and board and committees. So basically this would uh allow us to not be required to mail the uh warrants to everybody. mail
a notice postcard or whatever and then then a town person could then say yes, mail me one by not uh by whatever the uh the thing says. So that's that's what this is. >> We'll still provide copies at town meeting.
No, >> I don't know. >> Okay. >> Would that be Well, she's not here. She's >> I know we always we I don't think it's required, but I think we always had extra copies whatever was left over. they always brought. >> I think it's a great idea. I mean, we're trying to save money and this one
>> I can't I think it was like 40,000. Was that the I can't remember what the budget was. >> No, >> for the printing and mailing this money, but obviously not. >> Well, I recommend we approve. >> Yeah, there's definitely a financial
interest, not not because of the issue of changing it, but because it will save us money. So there's a financial interest. So I agree. I I'll second the approval. >> Jay, >> I'm going to say no on this. >> Um so
I I'm going to be a no on this because I don't think the U Council on Aging has re had the opportunity to review the final language and that was the concern that we had last meeting. It was Lou Franco proposed to pass it
because council n had not time to review it and ensure and I think the language is fine. It's just we pass it because of that. So that time >> I >> I >> I
3 to two. >> Okay. HH transfer of custody and care and control of Kids Kingdom and the land from the school committee to the select board. Um,
I don't there's no Is this not a uh financial issue? I don't >> I >> I don't think this one is a financial issue. Um, so I'll make a motion to find that the transfer of Kids Kingdom land
is uh represents no financial impact to the town. >> I'll second that. >> Okay. >> All right. Anna >> I Tanya >> I Tom >> I >> myself I >> um I I open or ll
I I H I I I open space committee. This town will vote to amend the code of Lunberg chapter 12 entitled board commissions and committees by inserting a new article 9 thereto entitled open
space committee as follows. And It's a lot of stuff here. You can just read the summary on the uh open space committee is an ad hoc as needed committee of the planning board. The open space committee seeks through this article to become a standing
committee of the town. The committee which is an advisory and not a regulatory would include one member uh each of the planning board, conservation committee, parks commission, agricultural commission and three at large committee members. The primary
duties of the committee are to produce and update Lunberg's open space plan, recreation plan, and assist and advise other Tom boards and committees regard the use acquisition of open space areas for the community. review chapter 61
conversions and make recommendations to the select board in to maintain the inventory of open space in Lunenburgg. So I I actually think this has a financial impact. Um not necessarily direct but indirect. And I'll tell you how when we bought the land property,
the group that was negotiating that they had to update our open space book which is mandatory by the state if you want to apply for recreational and land um resources. So what happened was this
committee was put together um at an ad hoc place to to create to create that document and then we were able to buy to purchase the lane property with money from the state. So
by making this committee a standalone committee we and with the designation that they are responsible for maintaining the open space um book uh that is required it's going to give us that good standing with the state
regularly currently in some communities the um that that is is under the conservation commission. Um, a lot of a lot of towns have an open space. So, that was why the recommendation came.
>> Any other comment? >> So, you going to make a motion to approve? >> I'll make a motion that the finance committee finds that um recommends the creation of the open space committee as a standalone committee. >> I'll second it. Sure,
>> Jay. I'm going to say the article has no financial impact and I support it but I don't believe it has a financial impact on the budget. Anna >> I >> Tanya >> I >> Tom
>> I myself I >> uh amendment to the sewer bylaws to see if the town will vote to amend the code of Lunberg chapter 200 entitled sewer section 200-8 entitled waiverss by making certain deletions and strike
through and additions in bold italics as follows and basically it's uh strike through emergency circumstances threat to the safety and and continued use of the property that a waiver may be resolved to unusual or extraordinary
circumstances threatened the safety and continued use of the property that a waiver may resolve. So, it's just changing the the language. Um, and this came from the sewer commission.
So, this is something that they must have thought was going to make their job easier and make it a little bit cleaner and better. I don't see any financial impact on this to the town.
So, I'll make a motion that we uh no financial impact. >> Second. Jay. >> Hi. >> Anna. >> Hi. >> Tanya. >> Hi. >> Tom. >> Hi. >> Hi.
>> That is it. >> Yay. >> Did everybody have a chance to look at the finance committee report? The one that you and Mike contributed to? Is that the one? Yep. Yes.
So, we're going to meet on the 6th, right? Should we wait till Chris and back? >> Good. >> Yeah, cuz there's already an agenda. >> We have an agenda out there, >> so we're good. >> It's the same agenda as this one. I
think Chris just put it out and said >> just in case. >> Yep. >> So, let me just hold off on that back. Um, does anybody want to discuss old business? Um, let's see. I watched the school
committee meeting there. I Yeah. Um, did anybody have a chance to look at the minutes? >> I did. >> Yep. And I'll make a motion we approve them >> for the uh
>> 226 26 352 and 319. >> Second >> Jay, >> I'll abstain. >> Okay. >> Anna >> I Tanya >> I >> Tom >> I >> mean I
there any committee reports? topic for future meetings. >> I think we have them already set up >> just the ones that we need to discuss. >> I think we should just go through all the deferred even if they don't, you know what I mean? >> Yeah. Even if we're deferring to town meeting, I think we should say we're
deferring that to town meeting if we don't have sufficient funds or the ones that we kind of had some conflict on >> um during this meeting. >> There aren't that many that we defer is they'll some of them will take a >> some discussion. >> Some we just don't have the numbers yet. So,
>> right. And some of them don't have the numbers which >> is always at every town meeting there's some that we're waiting for the final number. Is there any public comment? >> No.
>> Any comment from the committee? >> Do I have a motion to adjourn? >> I'll make that motion. >> Second. >> Jay, >> I. >> Anna, >> I. >> Tanya, >> I Tom >> I.
>> Myself. Hi. Hey.