meeting of October 23rd to order. Uh, in accordance with the requirements of the open meeting law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunberg Public Access channel and Facebook live on the public access Facebook page. Uh, there is also
a Zoom meeting that can be found on the agenda that's found on the lunbergma.gov website. And with that, if we can rise for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag >> flag United States of America
>> to the republic for which it stands >> one nation under God indivisible and justice for all. >> All right. Um I do not have any well I guess maybe I do have an announcement. Next
meeting of the finance committee on November 13th uh will be our public hearing and know it's also when we will um take uh initial votes on our um recommendations against the various articles. Uh we usually wait for the
public hearing before doing that. Um any other announcements? Um it makes sense. So that means the booklet is going to be printed without our recommendation and
are we doing a consent calendar this year uh for this town meeting? >> We haven't discussed a consent calendar yet. We haven't discussed what articles may or may not be on a consent calendar, but I imagine that will be a discussion as we discuss the motions with the SL
board. >> All right. So, if there is a consent calendar and we have it by the 13th, we'll we'll um make our recommendations on that as well. So, just send it over to myself and Jean
and probably to the whole committee because I'll I'll be out on the 13th. [Music] All right. Um, any public comment from the public? >> Any public comment from the committee?
>> Oh, >> okay. Um, is there any town manager or finance director reports? >> Yes, actually. >> Do you want a microphone for the table? >> Oh, um, yes, actually, because I'm going
to probably do the warrant from down there. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, I do have a couple updates. I think that these are things that may have trickled through to the finance committee in different ways, but just to make sure that you are hearing them all collectively together. Um, Ezekiel
Ayala's last day of service in the town of Lunenburgg presently physically present was this past Monday and Katie McKenna, the new finance director, um, began the same day. Um, I think there was some question that she had started already, but she started this Monday. Um
the payroll and benefits position. Nancy Aor is retiring um October 31st. The town has contracted through Robert Half for a temporary individual in that capacity. Um and he began several weeks ago. He is familiar with municipal
payroll and benefits and is also familiar with Munice. So this is work he's trained with Nancy for a couple weeks and is covering. Um we do have a offer out for the assistant accountant position. Uh but uh in the interim we have Steve Barrett who some of you may
or may not remember. He's a retired finance director. Uh he's assisted the town of Lunenburgg in the past with accounts payable and he's back in that same capacity. So we are keeping the wheels on the bus. Um but we are still working to fill the positions. Um
other updates for that are relevant to this body. The um the town has also contracted with Eric Kincherf CPA who is providing transitional services to the town for the finance director transition. um they
had been part of their task had been assisting with the year-end closeout, the FY25 closeout um in preparation of free cash certification by DLS. Um this week we decided that they were going to take the entirety of the FY25 closeout and they're going to complete that
entire process on behalf of that town. What does this mean? It's likely that free cash will not be certified by special town meeting, but there are no appropriations planned from free cash at this town meeting. So there should not be an impact. Um the tax classification hearing is
scheduled presently for likely an offcycle select board meeting on November 25th. Um the classification hearing is a required annual step each year where uh the select board votes to determine whether there's a shift between the different classes of property, residential, commercial,
industrial, and personal. This hearing does not increase or reduce the tax levy itself, but determines how the levy will be aortioned. This hearing must occur before tax bills are mailed out and tax bills are to be mailed out by December 30th.
And the last update uh that I had is that there had been some uh headlines that Governor Healey was pulling back the $125 million in local earmarks that were included in the FY26 state budget due to uh revenue projections not
meeting the mark. We have uh two earmarks in the budget. $30,000 for uh Lunberg public schools to supplement guidance, counseling, mental health, and special education and $40,000 for the security system upgrades to the Lunberg public schools. Those
funds actually have now flowed from the governor to despite that earlier report have flowed to from the governor to the state agencies. I was contacted by Representative Scarsdale thankfully earlier this week who informed us of that and said get your requests for the
funds in quickly um because they may not remain even though they were released. So we went ahead and made those requests um initiated that process. >> How much was the security one did you say? >> 40. >> 40. >> It's a total of 70,000 between the two. Thank you. >> And those are my reports.
>> Excellent. Any questions? Okay. >> All right. All right. Well, the next item up is special town warrant. >> Okay. >> So maybe the way we can do this is just you know introduce the article. um we
can have a quick discussion as to whether it has any kind of financial implications, uh ask any questions, have any kind of discussion on it, and then move through them. Um just because there's only four of us here tonight, it's not the final warrant, and we haven't had a public
comment, a public hearing, I I don't recommend that we um take votes or anything on on them. Um, but especially if there's any questions we have, it's better to get them out in the open now so that at the public hearing when we go
through them and vote on them. Um, article two is amending the fiscal year 2026 budget. The actual transfers will be included in the motion um and will be available uh as a handout.
You will get um some details on this before your November 13th meeting, but I would recommend that you defer this vote all the way to town meeting uh in case there's anything that changes between your public hearing and then. Um but
we're currently looking at where there's budget uh transfers from salary reserve out of the salary reserve for the intended purposes. um for some of them are ready to go such as the police chief um the finance
director and the police uh wages from the collective bargaining. Um we also are calculating what the anticipated expenses are going to be in relation to all those changes in the finance department that I just discussed and having to bring in outside contractors.
Um that will likely be an additional raise and appropriate um and the funding source. Why can we raise and appropriate additional funds is because of the um increase in uh new growth actuals compared to estimates. Uh and then uh we
are tracking right now a potential need for some additional funds in the library to cover a series of uh maternity leaves. So those are currently right now what's being tracked as budget adjustments for FY26. Um I have question um the new
growth the actual versus budget is is that for FY26? >> Yes. >> Isn't that doesn't that usually flow into free cash for the next following uh next fiscal year? it's available for appropriation first
once once the assessors you can you do not have to appropriate from it but if you've appropriated I don't I haven't looked back at prior um town meetings to see where your appropriation source has been but anytime that you've raised and appropriated at the fall town meeting if
you went to the levy limit um at the annual town meeting it's either you are changing your revenue projections >> or free cash actual versus estimates have come >> right and if my memory serves me right I think
I we don't usually raise and appropriate a lot during fall town meeting um I think one year we did because there was an um an item that didn't pass in the a cash item uh warrant didn't
pass full funded in the spring town meeting and then there was $250,000 available for that Paul um and I think that has always been part that actual versus growth has always been part of our free cash um so it just giving you
information from be but my question is what is the amount that you're thinking you will be using because I think the total um I was listening to the assessor's office it was they had projected 400 but
it is 1.2 true. >> I have not heard from the assessor this week. We've been crossing kind of our schedules due to two different conferences, but I've heard that the actuals are substantially higher than the um estimates, which is typical. Um
>> I think it's 400 versus 1.2 1.3. >> I don't believe it was as high as 400, but we can certainly get those numbers, right? So um RA we're raising and appropriating additional funds because these are two unanticipated the salary reserve transfers are transfers. Those
aren't additional funds but the the coverage in the accounting office and finance financial positions and the library um maternity leaves weren't being tracked or anticipated for us to be able to budget them. >> I understood my my question was do you
have a estimate how much of the raise in the >> No, not at this. No, I said that we would be still working on getting those numbers finalized. We're working on that actively. President, >> what were you saying on the 400 versus >> I think 1.2 million. >> I I think that's what I heard. I I
listened on like 2.0 and you know I I remember it was it was a big number as the time manager suggested is a lot and and and I remember them saying oh that's quite a bit and so that's that's >> like 800k additional than what we
expected. I So again, don't I know it was a big number >> in that ballpark is what you're >> for some reason I thought it was more in the 500 ballpark, but I'm just I haven't heard it directly. >> I'm not going to hold anyone to it, but okay. >> Yeah. >> And so uh raise and appropriate at uh
the fall special town meeting does require a higher threshold of vote than at the annual town meeting. And it's twothirds vote. thirds >> and and the the budget transfer the line item transfers. I didn't think that was something that needs to eating approval.
I think >> I am so glad that you said that, Miss Lockwood, because I don't think so either. Um, however, I tried to get a straight answer on that point from the department of revenue and from town council and I couldn't get a straight
answer on the salary reserve transfers. Um I believe that the way we vote them that is not necessary either. Um however they are recommending a belts and suspenders just in case approach on those salary reserve transfers.
>> Caesar do in your time have you remembered ever transferring that? >> Oh no they so they have historically been transferred um with the collective bargaining agreements but also at the same time there was raise and appropriate additional funds. There's
only been one that I can see um there that there was a transfer from a salary reserve without an associated raise and appropriate to cover a contract. But typically it's you're covering the contract through two means which you might as well just vote it then at town
meeting but >> okay any other questions on article two. >> Nope. >> Okay. The next article is bills from a prior fiscal year. At the special town meeting, this has a 9/10en quantum of
vote and we are currently tracking one bill uh from Haywood Hospital for employee health in the amount of $266. Uh again on this one, this is uh something that I would recommend that the finance committee defer all the way
to town meeting on Okay, any questions? Seems pretty straightforward. >> All right, article four. >> Article 4 is authorization to fund special projects. At the time of this
was originally drafted was a little more broad. Um, so that's why the article itself is broad. It could have just said authorization to fund storm water consulting I suppose. Um but this is additional funds for uh storm water
consulting services associated with MS4 compliance specifically for the consultant uh who has been working on the storm water utility. um we are in the process of switching consultants and so to get the the level of information
and data and work that they need um in order to fully investigate that. Um so we are short by $42,900 then with going to the new consultant. Um the planned the likely motion under this article will be tr to transfer
those funds from prior fiscal year unexpended uh capital articles or article um I'm looking at a few right now and I'm I have the town meeting warrant votes on my desk to just double check that those funds weren't already
moved and are just sitting in the account looking like they're there. Um there are some older capital that are remaining on the books that we're not moving forward with those projects at this time. The one that I'm specifically looking at at the moment to transfer is there was a little overund
100 and change um for ADA at Ritter. Um that is not enough to do an access project by a a large margin. Um and with the municipal building design project, the ADA would be incorporated up into
that. So um that those funds are just sitting there for very under underfunded project. >> So you would take 43k from the 100 or you would return all 100. >> Take the 43k from the 100. Why not just
take the whole if you're not doing that the but can I just um if we have 120 I understand we're going to use 40 why not just take the entire money back and put it back that to go towards free cash
>> because good question so the remainder does not have to release the remainder back to free cash there's no town meeting vote required we can do that to move it from one project to another we need the town meeting vote So the remainder that that may happen to the remainder,
>> okay? Because it, you know, we start like financially speaking, I don't like having money, buckets of money that we know we're not going to use, but we're going to leave it there. Like let's just >> No, we have we have a lot of old capital to Carter Teranzini started really
weaning through that. That work continues to make sure that we're spending down those capital projects. And then if if there's not anything else left in that fiscal year that might run over, we need to close them out. >> Can we um
you know, when Katie kind of gets up to speed and has a spare cycle or two, kind of get that list of >> all the ongoing capital projects. Sure. >> And then report it, >> you know, to us and probably capital planning committee to be honest with you. Um
just so we we kind of have an idea of that. >> Absolutely. And if we decide not to use that particular old capital account, there's others that we may be able to use as well. >> Yeah, I kind of agree with what Anna says is that if if we just have these
capital projects that are just sitting there, we're we're actually losing money based on >> um years gone by, right? >> Okay. >> Okay. Uh the next article is uh mostly a
cleanup article. So it's a transfer from PAC. Um at the town meeting in at the annual town meeting there was uh $31,271 um that it basically is a pass through. So the retained earnings
uh fund, the general fund, and then the general fund uses the same amount of money to pay packreated expenses. Uh in talking to Adam Costa, he said that's a not the best way to do this. Um so we cleaned up that language, but this is
because um the retained earnings were not certified at the time of the annual town meeting. So this is that same amount of money being transferred um from the retain earnings directly to their enterprise fund instead of doing that pass through. And then there is an
additional $4,000 uh for their videographing videographer staff. >> So this is an addition of their previous of their budget. 4,000 is new. >> Okay.
>> The other money is the easiest way to explain it redoing what we did in the annual same money moving it different moving it in a different manner. >> Okay. Um so this is not a case that they
had and it was they were taking $35,000 from retained earnings. So this is not a new $35,000. They were taking $31,271 already. >> It's a new four on top of it. >> Okay. Um
yeah, I I I mean they have a technically a lot of retained earnings and based on the recommendations that I saw on the financial policies, they're well above, but we need to they need to get their
operations in order because 35,000 wasn't their budget their revenue this year about 125,000 that they're receiving in fees from the Right. They're um they are exceeding their receipts at the moment. They're relying
on their retained earnings. >> Right. And that's my point. >> Yeah. Yeah. Like you know. Yeah. Do you know the total of their budget? Because I >> send that as an action.
>> You wanted me to follow up? >> Yeah. The next Can we >> Yeah, we can. I'm just saying that I think this this is a high percentage of their budget. They're their operations are sustain are being sustained by their retaining earn earnings and you know
over like we got to make a decision. We shouldn't be growing their operations beyond what they can sustain in the long run because they can use that retained earnings for purchasing of new equipment like other things. And if they're using
that for operations, it we should stop growing pack until there is another re you know and that's all. >> Right. So I think I think that's a good topic when they're presenting their next year's budget. I think for $4,000 they
already have we've already um approved the 31,271. Um the funding stream for PAC is obviously um at risk because as more and more people cut the cord, right? It it is
more and more on the people that still have have cable as the as the source of this. So um >> although there is legislation as Mr. Mr. Steve will tell you to um to change that to streaming services. >> We talked about that for a while.
>> Yeah. >> Taxing the streamers or something. >> Yeah. The six years I've been on. >> So So Chris, I I hear you about having that conversation during budget presentation. But we did that conversation during budget. I think that
feedback back needs to go in before they come in to their budget presentation because by the time they come with their budget presentation, they already made their budget around what they're planning to do. >> Okay. >> So,
so in the tri board maybe >> it it could be sure. >> Did we review them in tribul? >> Okay. Tri board's a good point. Yep. Okay. Any other questions on this one? >> All right, article six. Okay, so the
next article is a transfer of $10,000 from the cemetery sale of lots funds to their capital article fund. And they are planning uh to use these funds to straighten headstones and repair headstones and other cemetery projects
with them >> at both do you know at North. >> Okay. >> Would you like that next time? >> Just wondering. I drive by South Cemetery a lot and there are a lot of headstones that are not straight.
Any questions on this article? >> Okay, next article is authorization to fund a sum of money for project estimators. So the the thought here is that um we are
we have experienced um projects that we have good faith estimates for that when we actually go out because we did them internally when we came up with those numbers internally when we go out we're finding that the bids are coming in higher. That's happened time and again. Um and uh the facilities director
approached me with this idea that he thought it would be useful to have a pool of funds that he could use to um obtain professional project estimators when estimating capital projects. Um the average cost of a project estimator is
between $6 and $7,000 per project. Um so that was the initial conversation. uh since that time the the it was expanded um to include the schools who face the same problems. Um and so we came up with
the $50,000 amount as just an estimate of what could cover potentially over the next three years. Uh so this these funds by living in a standalone article um don't get tied to the fiscal year
budget. You don't have to use it all in one year. you could use it all in year two for example. Um and similar to the uh storm water article the likely motion under this article will be unexpended prior year capital funds and that same
ADA Ritter project which here I feel is absolutely appropriate because we're illustrating the need for estimators um in a low estimate. So where does this money live then? Does it kind of live in the capital
>> each budget? >> Each each uh capital fiscal year has its own budget and so the money sits in that budget divided by each project. >> Wait, this money is going to live inside.
>> Oh, this Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were talking about where it was coming from. >> No, the 50k like where it was >> 50k will live in its own account. Yes, it will live in its own account. >> Is it like a part of the capital? >> It's in the location. >> It's just it's its own it will be its
own standalone article. They any articles that you vote like this that aren't part of capital. They live essentially by themselves in a as a >> but they're not tied to a fiscal year. >> They're not tied to a fiscal year. >> They're tied to a a use,
>> right? And tied to the town meeting vote, >> right? Sure. Who would be responsible for for expending the money? I mean, I know that the various directors would, but would you be responsible for making sure that it's >> Yes. the approval through the town manager?
>> Okay. So, this would do about seven or eight >> Yeah. >> projects. >> Yep. >> Okay. Have you worked through like which ones you would apply this to? like I guess >> no >> sometimes it's things that you know a
department head says this is the best thing ever and then it comes before a capital plan and it's like you know 26 out of 25 projects. So um I I'll give you an example where one would be very helpful right now. Um
Chris is working to estimate the uh asbestous full asbestous remediation at TCP in the area that's being decommissioned and it's taking a lot of his time and it's a best estimate. It's the best estimate that he can come up with, but he's not a professional
asbestous remediator. >> I'm not against the idea of it. I just don't want to spend $6,000 on a project that really has no hope of ever being funded. Like, like if we're off doing the dozen projects on Brooks House, we're wasting a lot of money, right?
>> Of course, >> that's an extreme example, maybe, but you get my point, right? So, what's the process? I think the the town manager is going to have to make the decision on what projects a project estimator makes sense on with in collaboration with the facilities director of either the school
and the superintendent in that case or the town. >> Okay. Any other questions on this one? >> Um will the the PW director also have access? he will have access but he does have some funds in his operating budget
that he can use for this same purpose. So if he were to exhaust those funds then he could access this as well. I think that that though would be the goal is that if this works that we would want to put into the operating budgets of the
annual operating budgets how you know are we only doing three a year then let's put in 21,000 into the operating budget. Are we doing two a year or 14,000? >> Right? because I I don't think that every project will require, you know, an escalator of this level,
>> right? >> All right. Any other questions on article 7? >> All right. Article eight. >> Okay. The next article establishes but does not fund a special education reserve fund. And so this is an adoption
of an MGL. Um and uh the the purpose of the fund is to help uh level out the tax impact for unanticipated or fluctuating special special education services. Um there's some specific rules about how
much money can go into the fund. Uh the fund cannot have a balance that exceeds 2% of the annual net school spending of the district. Um and then the funds can be transferred out uh without going to town meeting by a uh joint majority vote
of the school committee and select board and the funds also carry over from year to year if not utilized >> when you is 2% net school funding include um Monty Tech?
>> No, I do not believe so. No, I do not believe so. I was going to ask what is net school spending? Is that just the money that's raised and appropriate through tax funding? Is it the foundation thing? Is it the >> I'm going to do the best that I can with this and ask that you ask this question
of the superintendent, but it's essentially that net school spending is the total amount of monies that are spent by the town of Lunenburgg on schools. So that includes things that are living outside of the school operating budget. Um
so >> capital >> huh >> capital plans capital projects >> no like uh benefits that are being administered through the town um the time of that benefit administration through the town can be
>> retirement payments to >> good question I'm not 100% on that okay this is net school spending though this is a this is a Dr. Fortuna, >> okay, >> area. >> So, I I have some thoughts about this and
and I've been thinking about this one quite a bit. One, the issues that we have run into funding related to the schools have not been because a new kid moved in and required a lot more money.
We last year we uh in the spring of 2026 we funded another $50,000 to the school because a new kid had moved in. So I don't want to well I I will say you know it feels a little bit of a red
heron for me to even be talking about this because this has not been the issue that we run into is to fiscal man it's really has been a fiscal management problem that I see it uh lack of clarity
um and I I I really I'm really cautious and concerned about we're creating this fund and we don't need to talk about it because there is no funding. But then when it comes next year, we're going to
hear well we should fund that fund that we created because otherwise why did we create it? So my first question is can this fund be created and funded in the same town meeting? >> Can it? >> Yes. Yes, it can. Okay. So I see no
reason to establish this fund and mercaters even further. There's just no reason in my my mind that we are not solving any issue. It has very specific uses from what I heard and what you just described and what it's here. It it it just marks
the water even further. and and I really don't want to have this conversation comes next spring of we need to fund this because why else did we created this fund. So that's and I I would love to be convinced otherwise you know
change my mind but right now I just don't see a reason for creating this fund. I >> I'm support this. I I mean an out of district placement can run half a million plus depend upon what it is. So
to me this is just an ability to have a an insurance policy in place. >> But has that ever happened? >> Well, you have life insurance. >> Have you ever died? >> That's not the question. >> Well, it is the question, right?
>> I mean, don't we don't need to do this, you know. It's just a question. Has that ever happened where a new kid moved in and is a $500,000 plus? >> I think it happens a lot throughout the Commonwealth. >> Well, we're a school of, you know, each
graduating class is about 100 kids sometimes, >> which makes the ramifications of this even more on the town. >> Is is this a fairly is this is a state law that we're following here. Is this a fairly new law? Is this why or is this something because I'm just wondering why why now?
Is it is it a question of it's a new law that we should probably do because I I I agree with that. >> I understand the what why you want to do something like this because it is it can happen that you have a a major expense
that you don't know about. >> I mean the town we do don't we have emergency funds that it's appropriated every year? Um >> finan the reserve fund. >> We have reserve funds. >> Yeah. which we've fund what about 180 to
200 more recently >> I'd say let's if that's the case let's fund that higher >> 2016 >> 2016 >> right so it's it's been around for a while so um is this something that you brought up you think is or is this a school uh school >> this is the school
>> the new superintendent is this something that >> the new superintendent I believe has experienced um the use of special education reserve funds in previous communities that she's worked And as I understand, this is something that she brought to the school committee
and that they supported. >> Yeah. I think the history of it is that, you know, we the finance committee brought this up as a potential idea to have some kind of reserve fund. Tony really liked it and has been a huge advocate for it. So I think I think
Tony's one of the major drivers behind it. I'm sure he'll be at town meeting. Um, so I do this think this is something we should vote on even though there is no direct financial impact associated with
this one article. I do think a finance committee because there is the future we're setting up a structure for the future that is finance related. So um, when the time comes we should make our recommendations known. Um, I I am a fan of it though. I do think it's like just
having that money available. I don't quite understand how the circuit breaker kind of plays in against this too cuz those circuit breaker funds probably should be a revenue source for it. If you deplete it because of
something, you should probably replenish it with circuit breaker funds when they become available so it's not some kind of windfall back into the schools for that one year. So, I I think passing this should come
with some level of policy or something else associated. I don't know if it's school committee policy or or select board policy on how to deal with circuit breaker funds. >> Circuit breaker is exclusive to the
school committee. >> Yeah. School. I I will say that I I don't know where the school committee is on this one point in particular, but it had been raised at as somewhere as a thought of somebody um that the entirety of the school budget
that remained at the end of the year, any surplus excess, 100% of that be the funding source for this. Um I have stated um privately, but I'll state publicly that that is not something that I would be in favor of for a variety of reasons. >> Okay.
that would I mean the the how to fund it would be a annual town meeting correct >> that we should all work through the correct stuff of >> um having this even if you never fund it I mean it's just a something we have at our disposal if we need to
>> okay any other questions on this >> okay the next one is the 41A property tax deferral um article this we have already we're already doing 41A property tax deferrals. Um, this is a uh program
that allows seniors to defer their property taxes um until they either sell the home or pass away. Um, and the town um doesn't lose those deferred property taxes. Um, we just collect them at a later point.
Um, so town meeting doesn't need to adopt this program, but town meeting is authorized to both lower the interest rate, which we have already done. At a previous town meeting, we lowered the interest rate from 8% to 4%. And it also allows um
town meeting to vote to increase the income threshold. So presently the income threshold is at $20,000 and so the plan is to increase it uh to 100% that's allowed on uh 100% of the
circuit breaker which is what the statute allows um for single filers. So presently that amount is 72,000. Um by writing this article in this way and not the original draft said from 20,000 to the 72,000.
Um attorney Costa modified this to 100% of the amount established annually by the commissioner of revenue. Um that that uh removes the requirement of us going back to town meeting each time that circuit breaker is increased and it just becomes an automatic. Um there will
be a uh financial impact um of this article um but we are not able to quantify it because we do not have data of how many more people may be uh eligible for the program and um it's not
a permanent impact though it's just in that you we we get the money uh we get those funds that are deferred later it's just the impact to that present collection year. So I so I so I guess it's so the way I
thought it this would work is that this would be an accounts receivables in the town's book. >> Mhm. >> But the town can still use that money as part of the budget. >> Not until we so deferring it. So let's
say their property tax bill is $10,000 a year each year and they're in this program for eight years. So that's $80,000 that the town is not collecting until that house is sold in year eight and with interest. So it's we're not
getting the annual revenue in the collections, >> right? But I thought this would live in the town's books as similar to an accounts receivables where you can, you know, if you're doing acrual versus versus cash. So
>> use it in the negative. No, >> because you you you know these things are all a little different. Um so >> that's not my understanding of how it operates. You you cannot use it until you collect it. >> So your any deferrals would be reduced
from our our our levy our our our levy amount. >> Uh no, it's the the overlay would need to increase to cover it. So this gets funded by the overlay. >> That's one possibility.
>> Okay. I >> It's a likely possibility. >> Okay. So it does need to be funded every year. It's not like an accounts receivables that you can use money against it. >> No, you can't use money against it, >> but we won't be able to quantify how
many more people are applying until we have the program because we don't have those kinds of statistics on how many people how how many people we know. How? There's one. I believe there's one right now at the $20,000 income level. We don't know how many more people will capture between 20,000 and 72,000.
>> Is it 72 or is it 110? I thought I heard >> 72. >> What was the 110 for couple? >> So that is the legislation only allow. So that's the the way that it was originally crafted had the three different layers. So um single, single,
filing, jointly. Um the legislation only allows you to go to the single non of head non-head of household level which is the 72,000. They cap it there. Okay. Um so
is the the requirement of this for this deferral is a similar to requirements of other um you know >> like there's an application process that would be run through the board of assessors and then have to
>> because I'm thinking like if >> if we have other programs that's offered that the circuit breaker is the what qualifies people. We can have an idea of how many people are using. >> Oh, that's not a bad idea.
>> You know, like let's say a 100% of the people that are using any kind of benefit from assessors now they're going to transfer to 100% to do um deferral and we would have you know
it it would be a worst case scenario with current customers if you will. I see what you mean. I'll ask those questions. Okay. >> So, is this It says until the senior, but if it's if it's a married couple, it's when both seniors pass
>> when when nobody is neither are residing in the home either through sale or passing. >> Okay. But it is upon when they when their death is when it's because they may have a trust, right? >> Yeah. They may have a trust. So it's
it's the death or if they sell prior to passing. So if they move into they downsize then it would kick in then as well. >> Okay. But if they do >> but if they had a trust it would be upon their death and paid paid out prior to
the trustees receiving the income. >> Okay. >> It's it becomes a lean on the house. >> In fact we become first. >> Yes. Primary. Yeah. But we have the tax lean is always first anyway beyond anything else.
>> Yeah. But this one I think this one is more of a lean because if they have a a mortgage they need to get uh permission from >> coordination or >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. >> Okay. Any other questions?
>> All right. >> All right. Article 10. >> All right. I think the next couple are mostly non-financial, so I'll go a little bit quicker unless you want me to slow down. Um, so the next one is to
obtain an easement over the portion of land that currently has our ramp outside this building on it. Um, we do not own that land. Uh, we have a license for it right now, but this is to obtain the easement.
Um the next article is to transfer the care custody and control of kids kingdom and the land and its land from the school committee to the select board. Can I just a question on that? So, you're going to
are you going to come out of this with a map that shows the definitive lines of what the school committee owns and what the select board owns? >> Let me share my screen if I may. if I can.
>> Do I need to allow you to? >> I think so. And I need to find my document. Anyway, >> it says all can share. >> There is a map. >> All right. And while you while you're doing that, the plan on this is related to the parking for the
>> the reason for this is really for the parking of the >> of the ego house. Yeah. >> Okay. So there was um a capital project to look in the design of that um that we we haven't hired anybody yet to do that design work but it has been proposed
that the possible location for the parking would be uh where Kids Kingdom presently is. Um, all right. I probably put it somewhere so Okay, I do have a map. I don't I'll I'll circulate it. So, there the map
that was on file uh when everything but this transferred um at that town meeting. It's we're going to use the same map um which will be on file with the town clerk and there was the only piece of land that was carved out was this one piece of land.
So everything now will be under the care custody and control of this select board. All of the TCP land. This is the only thing that was retained by the school committee. I guess my question is a little different. Like that whole area is like if you take the all the town
land in that >> um area, there's some that's school, there's some that's town, >> most of it already transferred. >> It did already transfer. >> Mhm. And so that map that was used at that town meeting when it was transferred,
I know I sent it to Cara. Um >> like Brook's house was sometimes in question and >> Nope. That's that's been transferred. >> Okay. >> Oh, actually, hold on. Here it is. >> Okay. >> Remember we were in the municipal building where they we were talking
about the Brooks House and there doesn't appear to be any that that particular area has any special boundaries. It's just all part of the the one. >> Oh, it says I'm restricted from sharing. >> Okay.
>> Why? I'm gonna attach this to an email. >> Chris, if I send it to you, can you drop it in the share folder? >> Yeah. >> For everything. >> Yeah, I don't need to see it right now. I don't want to. >> Okay. This is the map that was used at
the last town meeting when that when the transfer of everything else um was was transferred and it said on on this map it says playground retained by school department. So everything else transferred
that was on that parcel except for this. >> Okay. >> And actually Mrs. Bernard was critical in finding this information for me. Wow. >> I don't think she likes being called that.
>> Oh, she loves it. Oh, there you go. So, next to that top red area, which is the TCP building, you see to the left kind of a speckled square with an arrow to it.
Okay. right here. >> Are we filing this with >> town clerk and online so people can look at this map and it will be >> No, the registry of deeds and stuff. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, we will. >> So, this right here
that's speckled. >> Okay. I guess my point being is if we're going to go through the effort of filing with the registry of deed, let's make that whole thing right. If it's not right, if it's already otherwise, right, then that's fine.
>> But I I just recall that at one point >> there's been a lot of confusion around who owes what in that area. >> Yeah, we should just get it cleared. And >> Mhm. >> And in fact, like there are anyway I I the if you look at
I I think the town has some properties that we could unload that's been on the books forever and we don't use it. And >> I don't disagree with you on that one. >> Say it again. >> I said I don't disagree with you on that one. >> You disagree? I >> I don't disagree with you on that one.
>> Okay. Any questions on article 11? All right. Article 12. >> Okay. Article 12 um changes the notice requirement uh for town meeting from the booklet that we are currently using to a
postcard um advising folks that uh the town meeting warrant is available and where it is available. Um and uh and does not change that time. So, it's still the 14 days prior to the
town meeting, but just changes it from the booklet to uh just a notification. It says notification. It could be a letter, but we're contemplating a postcard. >> So, is it the plan that if someone wants a booklet, it gets mailed to them? >> If somebody wants a booklet that is not
able to access it online or pick it up in town hall or library in the other buildings, we will absolutely mail it to them. Oh, and that's not going to generate un the unintended consequence of people calling and requesting and your
executive assistant having to go miss all these booklets. >> I don't believe so. Um I've been in two communities where we've made this change. Um and that's always the concern is this loss of access. Um and in both
of those communities we've said similarly. um two maybe folks will need it mailed to them folks t those folks your town meeting voters know how to get their warrant typically um but we don't have a
problem mailing even if it's 50 it's the comparison and not having it by that date that's one of the biggest things of this which this committee has has really understood is that the mailing and having to get to a professional printing
company really pushes the timeline for what gets in that book and what doesn't get in that book. >> We would have another week >> for it. >> Yeah. Yeah. I I I hear you. I I I love the idea that, you know, people that are
not plugged in, you know, that listens to the assessor's office meetings, you know, on the way to work. I love that everyone gets that booklet at home and they have that opportunity to decide if there's something that they feel strong
and passionate about and go. I I you know, you're you're increasing a step for people to do that. Um it it's it's it's the beauty of it. Well, you know, because now they got to go to a website, they got to find it reading it. Like I
personally I mean you saw I came print with the printed paperwork today. Um, so I I I I I hear what we're trying to do. I I just I don't I love how town
Lunberg's town government is very close to the people and and I feel like, you know, these things that take it away. I I don't I don't love it. That's it. >> I think it's um sure, not everybody's going to like this. This certainly has
um a fair amount of people that may not like it, but I do believe it was a recommendation of the budget task force. >> Um and I did speak to a colleague yesterday at a conference and she just kind of remarked, we were talking about how this article had the potential for some controversy that they just sent out
their postcards in their town that had a QR code on them and she was able to see how many people clicked through that QR code to actually go and it was like 30, right? even though it mailed to the whole household. So, I mean,
I you can take that data point to argue that probably either way that people aren't going to click through or that people are going to just put it in the recycling bin because >> it's a postcard, you know. But that's I mean it was really interesting actually
to go to the post office shortly after the warrant went out and uh your town clerk was over there um feriting out booklets out of the recycling bin because there were so many that went from people's PO boxes to directly to the recycling bin.
But then there is the 300 people that show up at a town meeting that received those at home. And >> I I I anyway it's >> all right. >> I will say again I'm a fan of it because it adds time to it. And then the
question is this will also save money, right? I mean how much is that the cost of mailing 5,000 printing and mailing 5,000 booklets? Off the top of my head, I want to say it was between seven and $8,000 for the annual, but I can get
that exact bill. >> Okay. >> And there's no implications on like the um um do we also send out in that the um the election that or is that that's
different, right? the election warrant um is in a Yeah. Isn't it >> that's not that same mailing, right? >> Yeah. So, the the uh the warrant for any town meeting with reporting
recommendations of the finance committee together with the warrant for the annual town election shall be posted to the town website and available at town hall. >> Okay. So, >> and then the notification of the date of town meeting and the availability of the
warrant will be mailed to each. >> Okay. >> Okay. I'm a fan of it. >> 13. >> All right. This is a planning article, a zoning article. It does have financial impact.
So, this is the MVTA uh zoning act compliance article. um where we are uh zoning as of right um high density uh but this does not require anything to be built um
and uh the density is 15 units per acre. We are uh or the planning board is proposing to zone this over uh an area uh that already has a uh residential apartment complex on it, Tritown. Um, and
so what would be the impact of that to Tritown in the future? Um, if they decide that they need to renovate or would like to renovate, um, they could build slightly denser than they already are, but not um, substantially denser than they already are. Um, but what
happens if we don't do this? And this is why there's a financial impact. So, um, if the town does not vote in support of this article, and this is the last opportunity, the first and last opportunity that the town has to weigh in on this article, um,
we will likely lose um, state funding um, for from a variety of grant programs and other initiatives. Um I was reading it through and hoping to see a map of where they're zoning. They talk about the overlaying
um on on the purpose. It says far rate zoning family this zoning blah blah >> the map will be on file with the town clerk. Not >> so so there will be a a map once.
>> Mhm. >> Okay. Um I the other I know there was a court court decision that the the rules for the 3A were not properly
disseminated published blah blah blah blah and they had to redo it again and has that process gone through? >> As far as I know it has. that was because that was gonna so there was the um the kind of bellweather case testing
whether or not this this act itself was essentially an unfunded mandate to municipalities and whether municipalities could say no. Um because originally it was um originally as as municipalities I will say understood it anyways is that if you
do not adhere to the zoning you will lose out on grant opportunities. So some communities said fine, we're then fine. Um and then the state sued them. So this was the case testing that. Um and the courts said that no, it's not an
unfunded mandate. Yes, you have to comply. But the state had a technical error. Go back and fix that technical matter. And as far as I know, that happened very quickly. >> Yeah. >> I I didn't think that they made any other findings other than this wasn't published.
>> They did. I'll share the case. >> Um but um so does the rules have been published because the the conversations that they had was that you know we're trying to create this bylaw to fit rules
that have not been you know >> Oh no no no. So no that was not the the case. It was the manner in which the regulations it was the method by which the regulations not that there weren't any regulations. So they had to fix they had to fix their method.
>> Yeah. There there was actually a um listening session or something that uh >> Yeah, Matt has done Yeah. Yeah. Matt has done a great job interacting with the public. >> I thought it was a pretty well done. It's probably online if anyone wants to. >> Yes, it is online. And um he they are
also having their public hearing >> 23rd. 27th >> 27th. Thank you. Okay. And I do think that this is this one was the one that at least the listening session I was at, they or input session or whatever it was that I think we recommended. >> Yes, that's correct. >> Yeah.
>> Paper compliance. >> Yep. >> Mhm. >> What what I find ironic about this idea of paper compliance and I'm going to and I'm going to use someone told me this and I was like, "Oh, that makes a lot of sense, right?" is that if you are are
for MB MBTA zoning, the paper compliance should be offending you in a way, right? Like you you believe that we need more housing, there's good intent here and here comes Lunberg just doing paper compliance and you know and if you're
against this, you know, like it's it I mean I I I don't like the state telling us what to do. Um there is actually but anyway I and you know and here we are complying. Um so
I I just don't like it in uh I've heard the planning board share our comment that in response to the paper compliance instead of us saying it like this we should say that Lunenburgg has already done the work and we should take credit for being so uh insightful in doing the
work ahead of time. >> That's right. We anticipated it. >> Great. It's my understanding that most of the things that we would have to do we've already done. >> Correct. >> Right. >> So there is not a lot of change to this. And now does the state have the right to well I guess they do but I'll just ask
it anyways to come back and say oh we now have a new rule. >> Oh yes. >> And then we have >> Yes. >> Is this going to say we automatically agreed to it or do we have to have another vote to accept? >> No. This will so so this will change the zoning. So, this will allow the zoning
as of right in the area that's zoned for MBTA compliance. Um, and then it would follow the normal course of a project coming through if there was a project proposed. Now, can I promise that the legislature won't have another
MBTA zoning v 2.0? No. I I guess what Tom is asking it's actually I I think I understood the question a little different >> because the way we're designing this is through the rule the reg rules and
regulation they created after the the law passed. >> Okay. And I think what he's asking is well if they change those rules and regulations because the the the the actually actually what it was written uh related
to the law is very little and the rules and regulation is what sats desk that's not even done by the legislator. So if they change now the the rules and regulation do we have to automatically update accept those? I think that that would be
best answered by it depends how they change them and whether or not their change is legal and all of those things. But um the this um deviates I guess from the model bylaw in one area and that's about design standards. And so
attorney Costa flagged that today um to me and we can submit the article in advance to the attorney general and we're going to do that to get pre-review um to make sure that because this is our last opportunity that this will be
acceptable to them as written. Okay. Article 14. >> Ah, another zoning article. No financial impact though. So, currently uh uh there's a requirement that comment and driveways are paved with 3 in
minimum of concrete. And so this issue actually >> huh for two minutes. Okay. >> I did all right. Um, this article removes the requirement um that it's batuminous concrete and uh
allows the planning board to approve an alternative appropriate material for common drives. They actually encountered this when they had an applicant and they wanted to approve some material other than a common drive uh other than concrete
recently and they realized they did not have that flexibility. Any questions? All right. 15. >> Okay. So, the next three articles are um all SAP amendments. Um labor council is
reviewing all three of these tonight. Now, I might have seen an email come through. Um so, the first one is amending uh the SAP plan chart itself um with position
titles. So, it's adding a conservation agent to the uh grade 13 that uh was a union position and the union has agreed that it can be moved to the SAP. Uh changing the title of land use
director to director of planning and economic development. Um and then there is a new title of special assist. Oh, there it is. SAP articles right there. Uh a new title, special assistant to the assessor
temporary. And so you may recall that in at the annual town meeting, um there was an appropriation of $27,500 for in a standalone article similar to what we're doing with the project
estimators for um do directives for the assessors phase one. So there are a number of directives that the assessors need to complete prior to the next full reevaluation. And um the original thought was that
they would chunk out the projects that uh need to be accomplished and that we would fund it at the annual town meeting and then put out an RFP. So, we did put out an RFP for the first phase of of the project, which is a
review of the neighborhood codes, uh, specifically neighborhood 3, which is the largest neighborhood in Lunenburgg. Um, but also looking at all neighborhoods, um, and there were no biders on the RFP. So that's telling.
Um, so there were two options that we thought about which was packaging everything together rather than breaking it out and putting that out for another RFP, obtaining additional funding to fund it. Um, and see what happens there
or to bring it inhouse. And so for a variety of reasons, we decided to bring it inhouse. Um, and the only way to do that is by uh hiring somebody. Um, and to hire somebody, their position title needs to be listed on the SAP if they're
non-union. So, uh, the the range, the grade is four asterisks because there's already one, two, and three asterisks, and the asterisk will say subject to an employment contract. So, we're essentially um taking this
this is not a regular type employee. Um so, they're not going to have holiday pay. Um they're not getting benefit time. They're a temporary employee. So, all their terms and conditions of their employment will be outlined in the employment agreement as opposed to being
put on a grade. Um you are also changing the land user director to director of planning. So is um department heads are not part of
the SAP are they? Yes, most of them are. Yeah, >> some are are with a contract only, right? >> There's still SAP employees that their employment agreement might dictate a portion of their employment terms with the town, but if it's silent, then then
the SAP carries for all other terms. >> Gotcha. Okay. >> All right. Any questions on this? >> All right. 16. >> Okay. So uh 16 and 17 were originally two articles. They have been broken
apart into two. Um the full language of the articles is they're each 17 pages long. So you have those in those separate documents. I think one is called SAP personnel board and SAP everything else. Um so those will those
full documents will be available like the other documents uh but not printed here. Um the first one is a host of benefit changes um and other terms and conditions of employment. Um this will
have a financial impact. I have not seen the final draft back from attorney Terry and the change in the vacation particularly is something that based on how he finally drafted it, we're going to have to transition um folks from the
vacation system that we currently have to the vacation system that we're planning to move to. And there is a cost associated with that. So I need to look at what he has sent me back just a few minutes ago to be able to quantify that cost. Um but there is a large variety of changes
um to this and without seeing his edits I don't know how much folks want to go into that. You have I think a chart that was previously provided outlining all of the changes to each of the sections. Happy
to go through that if you'd like. >> Um so we have that available to us if we want to review it prior to next week. uh or next meeting, sorry. Um otherwise, I >> Yeah, if if folks have questions, please
let me know. Otherwise, I'll quantify what I believe the financial impact to be before your next meeting. >> I So, I started rating, but I couldn't finish everything. Um I like updating, you know, benefits and make it more
friendly for employees. And I think that's those changes are pretty straightforward with their goal. I'm not crazy about the personnel committee elimination. >> That's not in this one yet. >> Huh? >> That's the next one. >> Oh, sorry. I thought you said the next
two and there was only two left. >> Yeah, the next two. But I thought you were only talking about this one. >> Oh, okay. So, go ahead. I thought you were you talked about both. >> Right. Any other questions on 16? >> Where do we find this?
Where do we find the changes? >> You have the um document. >> Oh, >> that SA What's the type SAP? There's two SAP documents. >> Give me a second. >> And what they were emailed to us.
>> So Jay, they are in they were emailed to us earlier today and I put them in the meeting material 2025 >> uh 1023 folder as well. Okay. >> This that's SAP for tone meaning changes
other than personnel committee. Is that the file >> other than personnel committee is the one and then the next one is the personnel committee. Yeah. >> Yeah. So all that in addition to this is in that in that folder >> meeting.
All right. Can we um go back to 15 please? >> Sure. Regarding the land use director change of title, isn't director of planning and economic development kind of two different
positions? The land use director as it was um as the job description had existed and it no longer exists in this form >> oversaw the building commissioner, the conservation agent. >> Yeah.
>> Uh and um am I missing anybody? It at one point it covered the board of health. >> Um that at some point was stripped away. Um but this this remove the the there should not be somebody between the
building commissioner and the town manager. That's very not typical. um >> planners. We have been told in our last recruitment that the land use director
was a and the way that it was set up was a um a factor in why we weren't receiving uh applications. Um it's very not typical to have a planner overseeing a building
commissioner. the dire the title director of planning and economic development speaks to the core of what the functionality of that position is and has been um and aligns with what folks recognize in the more in
the industry as the title >> do how many other small towns like Lunberg have that position that title title. >> They have a a town planner, director of planning, director of planning and economic development. Those are the
three typical ones that you see if they have a planner. >> Oh, most towns this size have a planner. Real small towns don't. And then in regard to this special assistant position, what makes you think if you you're going
to get somebody to do this, if you already put this out to RFP and didn't get any response >> because this will >> it's my understanding after the tax debacle thing that it's very hard to get uh assessors that
assessor are in uh short supply. So, >> what kind what kind of qualifications is this person going to need? >> It's likely that this position would be filled um by a retired assessor. Um is the most likely person that would be
filling this position. um unless that retired assessor ran their own company, um they most likely would not be bidding on an RFP where they may be wanting to work um the amount of hours that they
could work uh and still maintain their retirement benefits. >> Is there an hourly figure been established? >> No, it will be subject to an employment agreement. And if you can't find someone to fill a
position, >> and we'll be back coming up with another creative solution. >> Okay. Any other questions, Jay? >> Uh, no, not right now. Thank you. >> Okay. Thanks, Jay. Um okay, article 17.
>> Okay, article 17 is uh the elimination of the personnel committee and um there is u a long document which I've shared with you about personnel committees. I understand you talked about it briefly
at your last meeting. Um but the the growing trend is that um once a town switches um to a town manager form of government andor um obtain staff that is uh dedicated to the
human resources functions that the um that the role of the personnel committee shifts. Um, and what I found most interesting and that if you haven't read that document, I I would ask that you do, is that the um recent financial
reviews by the Division of Local Services have flagged personnel boards and committees as something um that is duplicative um and that quote towns are ultimately best served by having a professional manager who can develop and oversee a full-time structured personnel
management program. Um, this approach recognizes the growing importance of and risks inherent in personnel issues. Um, so there are a whole host of reasons uh why this change is being suggested. Um, and I'm happy to answer any questions on
this one. >> So, picking up where I left the last >> There you go. Um, I don't like it. Um, I don't like how quickly it's coming. I don't like that it hasn't been a lot of public discussions about it. Um I think that
you know I don't I don't see the rush on getting it done like you have said before everything when we don't have a personnel committee defaults to you. So you know if we hold off for another six months and see you know push down this
to the bylaw review and and you know see if there are other what other options exists out there. You you know if you it sounds like you watched the last meeting. I did not. >> Okay. The you know Grafton has gone through the same thing and they they retained the personnel committee. They
rewrote everything to change it so that is a lighter lift for the personnel committee but it kept from brief reading because I didn't have time to do a lot of research. It seems like you know it the the people because it's a town direct government right by still keeping
that structure that functionality it still has that people's you know the citizens of the town still have some close has has a handon overseeing and talking and you know so I would be curious to
I'm glad that you did the work and sounds like Julie did some work and I I think probably know likely where we going to end up but I would wish that we would have time to to discuss this discuss other options
and see where we want to where we land if everything's functioning right now I I personally don't see the the rush and it and it's taking government away from the people's hand the citizens hand and usually speaking I'm I'm never going to really have a good it's never going to
be my preference just generally speaking So those are my thoughts. >> So let me just ask some questions related to that and maybe I should know this but what um authority did the personnel committee
have other than advising and creating articles for approval at town meeting? >> Hold on one moment please. Okay. And these this um in the document that you guys have or I shouldn't say
you guys the document that this committee has um entitled the personnel board background and information you have a chart that's embedded in that document. So the personnel committee had the the following charges. They can
under section 70-2 issue, amend or revoke administrative orders for the purposes to of giving effect to the provision of this bylaw and for the purposes of giving effect to this provision of such other bylaws and votes of the towns pertaining to personnel administration as such committee may be
responsible for administering or enforcing. I did reach out to the town clerk and ask if there had been any administrative orders ever on file. Um I have not heard back on that. It's been a little while, but I know she had some surgery. Um I'm not aware of any though.
>> What is an administrative order? >> I have no idea. >> Okay. But they could give them >> they could um section I'm assuming that it's a memo that further outlines or orders some element
>> hold >> that they're allowed under the plan. They shall have access to all facts, figures, records, and other information relating to the personnel of town departments under 70-2. I don't know what all facts, figures,
and records are, but um I will say that that certainly gives me substantial concern. >> Seems like everything. >> Yep. Um under 70-5, they may tentatively add new job titles and descriptions to the SAP, establishing grades with
minimum and maximum wage or salary brackets, and reclassifying existing jobs. um essentially prior to the next town meeting any actions um that they take um can must be approved by the
finance committee and select board um an action must take happen at the next town meeting. So the practical example of that, the conservation agent position coming onto the SAP, I could have done it now as well, but you don't have to
wait to town meeting as long as you go to the next town meeting to do it. I just don't know that that makes a whole heck of a lot of sense to hire somebody into a position without knowing town meetings vote only to find out that town meeting might actually not vote in favor. Uh 70-6 determines that a reclassification will
be consistent with the provisions of the SAP. 70-7 maintains written job descriptions in the jobs or positions in the SAP describing the essential functions, requirements, and duties. Um every 3 years, review the wage and salary
schedules of all positions in the SAP and recommend to the select board any action deemed desirable to maintain a fair and equitable pay level. approve one or more step raise rate increases at the time of promotion upon recommendation of the department head.
The chair and the chair alone of the personnel committee consult with the town manager on hiring employees beyond the minimum of the rate range of the job for which the new employee is hired based on the employees qualifications and experience or marketing conditions.
So town manager has authority to hire a step one. Um, above that you would need to consult with consult with the chair of the personnel committee. I'm not sure if that means they need to approve it or not. Um, approve as a entire committee any
proposal by the town manager to hire a new employee above step four. Um, this is the one area that um, if there is no personnel committee, there's no authorization for the town manager or other entity to approve hiring a new employee. I do want to stop
on this one for a moment. In the prior article, there is language um that addresses this one element should this article not pass and that's that if there is an absence of the personnel committee um that the
select board may approve hiring a new employee above the step four. So it does give that release in the absence of the personnel committee. So now the >> not in this article in the other article. So if this article were to fail
at town meeting that release lever would be included in the other article that if there's no if there's no if the personnel can't committee can't meet due to quorum that the select board would be able to hire above a step four that's in that omnibus article. The one prior
>> which one? 16 >> is it 17? Yes 16. >> Okay. >> Okay. um approves pay adjustment section in budgets submitted by department heads in accordance with the SAP
provides consultation on the sick leave bank policy prior to adoption by the select board. That's it. I actually had somebody um who was a proponent for retaining the personnel committee say, "But where would grievances go?"
And that's not something that's currently being heard by the personnel committee. >> So we would continue to see articles like article 15 come before town meeting. >> Absolutely. >> It's just that the personnel committee would not
>> Right. >> Okay. Any other questions, comments, statements about this? Seems like we'll have some potential debate on that one. I don't know that there'd be a financial
impact on that, right? >> I I think there's a financial impact on the other one. Um, but not that one in my opinion. >> I mean, 16. Yes. I I mean we're changing you know the structure of
who makes decisions about hiring above a staff >> four. >> Yeah. So >> but >> I I do think there is a financial impact on how we operate. It does have so
>> okay so um we can have that debate on the 23rd for our I mean >> 13th >> 13th for our recommendation or I should say >> are you going to be here? >> No. love me.
>> And I'm not calling in either. >> All right. Okay. So, that's all 17 articles. Any last comments or go backs or requests for information between now and the 13th? >> Can I just go over the list to make sure
that of requests that I have everything? >> Okay. >> Okay. So on articles the capital list and outstanding balances pack budget and total breakdown location of cemeteries
whether it's both um how many people the how many people are using the assessor's program currently um and get some data derived from that. Um the bill from the annual town meeting booklet mailing.
You want to see a copy of the map for the MBTA zoning and a copy of and a link to the case. >> Well, you sent the map >> for MBTA. >> Oh, MBTA. Sorry. Yeah. So I did find
um our new growth for FY26 had been projected at 400,000 and looking at the
um I'm just trying to thank you um and and they said a lot of that it was there disaster that a lot of the new growth, the unexpected new growth is based because of the the good work that
the new assessor has been knowing. Linda, she she has found a lot of issues with our houses that hadn't been proper like finished, didn't make it through or there were discounts that were put it in there.
>> Functional obsolescence. >> Yes. Um so it is it is 1.3. Um, it it's I'm just reading >> 1.3. >> That's what they said. Um,
waiting. I mean, I I can play the the >> I heard I was in a conference yesterday and I heard I heard when you come back and talk to Linda, you're going to be happy, >> right? Respondent need inspection. So, other sent record card. No, not that
one. >> Um, the SAS value. So 979 that's the new total for new growth. >> Oh 979. >> So that's that. But then they go on and say um personal property
um it was 398 instead of 60. So between everything it came to 1.3. That is what I understood and that's what I'm reading here that between new growth and personal property that they
always underestimate was 1.3. >> Okay. So >> just get confirmation of that for >> I will I will >> what what new construction have we had come online that would generate that kind of funding? >> Oh it's not just it's little things decks
um additions. >> No that's not new growth. New growth is is a development. >> No, that personal property >> that's based off building permit >> new growth >> that doesn't gen that doesn't generate 1.3 million. A deck small additions do not generate 1.3 million. It's
>> not a deck. >> So you're correct that it does not that 1.3 is not only decks, but you're incorrect that decks are not included in new growth. And so all >> that was the 398. >> That was at 398. So deck is not personal
property. >> Personal personal property. >> No. >> Okay. It Okay. >> Well, we don't know yet. So, why don't we wait till the we get the final you're going to get the final report from the assessor? >> Yeah. >> So, but from my understanding, they found either
um it wasn't properly put down or they didn't apply for a building permit when they should have. And >> so, first of all, your new growth is always estimated conservatively, >> right? >> Intentionally. Um, so if it comes in higher, it's either full-scale projects,
it's projects that at the time of the last maybe they were under construction but hadn't received a final certificate of occupancy. That will change the gross value substantially. And it's um there was a lot of these properties that had a what's called a functional obsolescence
which would be if you had a room in your house that you couldn't really access except through like a little crawl space but there was a whole room that is functional obsolescence. So that gets deleted basically that you can't use it. So it's not doesn't >> it's not living space
>> right? >> It's not living space. So they went and they looked at a lot of those to they found some things weren't accurate. Um they've been doing a lot of data collection and so and there's some commercials too that >> commercial property
>> in commercial a lot of times the taxes are are based on the revenue that the business is generating some >> that's part of it >> part of it. So, like if something had been entered a long time ago, but the business now has turned around, you
know, that was also a problem. >> Do you think it'd be reasonable to have some kind of summary of how this three came about? >> Um, and then >> if you could just mail that Sure. >> prior to the meeting, >> I'd be interested in that as well.
>> Any other questions? Jay, >> that has not been certified yet though, right? Jay, I'm going to repeat what I said. I don't know. I've been I have missed the I'm hearing this through third party. I have not had a direct conversation with
the assessor this week. >> Okay. Does it need to be certified to raise an appropriate? >> It needs to it needs to get submitted to DLS. Yes. >> Yep. >> Submitted or certified? I don't know what DLS does with it once they receive it. I don't know what that but it needs
to get submitted by DS. We'll get back to you. Okay. >> Not an assessor. >> Well, if you want to be one, then >> No, thank you. Absolutely not. >> Okay. >> Okay. Any other missing requests? Um,
did we have something we were going to ask the the net school funding? Oh, net school spending. >> Net schools spending >> um >> funding or spending >> spending. It's >> just what that calc
>> how calculated. Mhm. >> Okay. And then just that action of the request for not related to this but of all the capital projects. I actually think it's kind of related to, you know, you're going to be spending some of it so potentially. >> Um,
which brings us into the next um business, which was the fiscal 26 first quarter. I just called it actuals versus budget because that's kind of all we really received was a one pager of the actuals versus budget for both the school and the and the town. Um, I did
talk with town manager earlier in the week and one of the things that these first quarter reports probably need a bit of work. Um, and I think once Katie kind of gets up to speed and uses um, you know, her her best practices from,
you know, however many years she's been doing her role in other communities. Um, I think we need a better, you know, just than here's the actuals, here's the percent spend and etc. Because, okay, we're 30% spent. Should we be 30 spent
or should we be 20% spent, right? Um, so I think that that's kind of something that I'd like to see going forward written down at the right level of detail. I'm sure um school committee would like to see something similar on their side and I'm sure select board
would like to see a a similar report. So um and I think we can be willing to work with her as she um you know behind the scenes to to see what that needs to look like over time. Uh but other than that um any comments,
questions, etc. on first quarter actuals versus budget for for either of schools or or municipal. >> No. >> Okay. The next thing is just a reminder we have upcoming tribard meetings
topics. Um do we know when the next tribard meeting is going to be? >> No. We're going to have a scheduling challenge I think. So what we're coming up against. So November 18th
or is town meeting um that Thursday would be ideal but for some other big things happening that Thursday during the day. Um so that's not going to work. I don't know how folks feel about the following week which is Thanksgiving week. And
that's the issue that we're running into is that those last two weeks of November are kind of consumed. Um in I don't have a problem meeting um on that Thanksgiving week. Um but I don't know what other folks availability might be
like. >> Okay. I personally could maybe can you just pull the audience on that one? >> Yeah, I'll poll. >> Okay. Um I think I personally could if it's early in the week. Um >> yeah, Monday or Tuesday is what I was thinking. >> Okay.
>> I do think like of the upcoming stuff obviously the school budget is the big one, right? You know. >> Yeah. And I I think >> classified >> I think that perhaps it's been suggested and I think I agree that for what remains to be presented that we don't
try to do it all on one night that we give the school >> Yeah. >> a dedicated night. >> Okay. I I think the other topics, like I said, I'm not sure that debt service might be one that's pretty good to to kind of go through. >> Uh the other ones,
>> general government's not going to be that exciting, but debt service a little bit. Yeah. >> And I think, you know, I think the time we've spent on that at that time of the year has given me a good feeling going into budget season that we don't have to replicate that. we have a good
understanding of where what each of the departments is looking to either grow or remain stable and we can start to weigh those right out of the gate on where do where does the community want to prioritize
>> the you know the direction of this town. Um I do think maybe you and I need to sit down at some point and just put together a um budget >> calendar >> calendar. Um, so
>> I should have said it in my report to you, but if you have not read if the members of this committee have not read the new report by the MU municipal association, um, the perfect storm, um,
it's on the MMA website. It's not very long. It's about 13 pages long. Uh there's nothing earthshattering or new in that report. Um and it's not 13 dense pages. It's like 13 pages with graphics like a magazine. Um, but I think that
the way they package the information and some of the data that they are using is is a different a little bit different and it I just think it's as we're discussing in trib where we're going. I think that
it's just interesting for folks to read. So if you haven't checked that, it's on the MMA web page and it's called a perfect storm. It came out about two weeks ago. Sorry. Um, on your list of of pending items,
um, I guess for the pack, we talked about communicating with them about getting their operations under their revenues during tribard. Is that what Yeah, that's where we land. Okay. It's a long day. >> Okay. Yeah, never mind. >> So, just for everyone's awareness here,
one thing that um, Tony had mentioned to me that he and Dr. 14 had had kind of met and he he was saying that there's a t 20% turnover in the teaching core. you said it. Um, so that's something I asked for
them to come forward and say, well, that's kind of an interesting data point, but like how would you bin the turnover? Is it early career, late career, retirements? Is there any trends that are coming out of of what that, you know, might lead to that? So um
>> well I mean the retirement thing just pure retirement, you know, we are the the the late baby boomers are retiring like there. Anyway, I there's a lot of
nuances there that I don't want to get into it right now, >> but that's just speculation. Is it retirement? Is it No, I'm with you. >> New opportunity like let's get to the >> a little bit more data. associated the on that so maybe we can take action >> or not right
>> okay um okay uh old business does anyone want to talk anything on prior tri board meetings okay minutes um do you know if we approved the July 8th
tri board meeting last time >> I don't recall >> all All right. So, there's three sets of minutes that we have to well that are ready for approval. The July 8th tri board and then there's uh Danielle also sent
and placed in the folders September 25th and October 9th. Um so, is everyone ready to approve those three sets of minutes? If so, I would entertain a motion to approve July 8th tri board September
25th and October 9th minutes. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. Uh roll call vote. Uh Jay >> I. >> Anna >> I. >> Uh Tom >> I. >> All right. And an I for myself. All right. And as always, thank you to
Danielle for doing those. All right. Any committee reports? Okay. >> So, uh I I don't think we have committee assignments, do we? I don't I don't remember recalling committing
assignments since I joined back in February or January when I whatever I joined. >> We don't have to address that today, but that keeps my head. So now I told you it's out of my head. >> Okay. I mean I think we certainly have
some because we're on certain committee boards, right? Capital planning is not has not really met yet. That would be one report maybe I should have made. Um you know Tom's on the building committee and you're on certain committees as well
right outside of this. But uh yeah maybe we do need to go back through that. The other question is do we want to reorganize? We haven't reorganized for a year. Um, and I will say that being chair with my work
schedule is is pretty difficult. Um, I'm guess maybe willing to do it for the remainder of the year, but um I'm not sure I'm going to be able to continue to do it after that. I'm actually up this year too at the end of this year. So, I don't know. I'll have
to decide what I'm going to do. So maybe we do need to assign committees and do that kind of stuff at a future meeting. Okay. Upcoming meetings, tri board meeting potentially the week of Thanksgiving. Um, November 13th is public hearing.
I'll need to postpublic hearing and I think you need to do something. >> I think you got to send it to the ledger or something. >> Oh, as soon as you have the senator's house as >> Okay. Um,
special town meeting on the 18th. Um, is there any public comment from the public? I lost track of Zoom here. Any public comment from the committee? >> Nope. >> All right. And with that at 9:03, I'd
entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. Uh roll call vote. Jay >> I. >> Anna. >> I. >> Tom. >> I. >> I. For myself. Thank you all.