All right. Good evening and welcome to tonight's meeting of the Lunberg Select Board. Today is Tuesday, July 1st. Please 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. What is happening? In accordance with the requirements of the open meeting law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunberg public access channel
on Facebook Live on the public access Facebook page and will be uploaded to the Lunberg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the chair. Votes may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be
discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by the open meeting law. We're going to begin tonight with announcements and I have a couple. The Lunberg Historical Society will be holding a book launch and author signing for the new book Images of America Way
Park tomorrow, Wednesday, July 3rd, from 1 to 3:00 p.m. and then again at 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Lunberg Public Library. If you can't attend, the book is available through the historical society, local bookstores,armacies, and superstores. The Lunberg Town Band
concerts are starting up again. The first one is next Monday, July 7th, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at TC Pacios. This year's program will include patriotic music, marches, musicals, folk songs, jazz, and
music from our armed services. Due to a wonderful donation from a Lunberg music lover, the band will be premiering over 12 new arrangements during the course of the season this year. And lastly, the town beach is now open. To purchase a pass, you can visit the town website or
go directly to the parks website at lunbergmma.mmyre.com. Any other announcements tonight? All right, so scheduled meetings. Up first, we have an application for a special event license for the Shrieks and Creeks
Haunted House and Hayride Festival. Uh so I'm going to invite up Michelle Biza, the executive director of the club, the Lunberg Teen Center to talk about this event. Uh this unfortunately because of our kind of cumbersome uh special event policy, we still need to post a public
hearing. So we can't make a determination tonight, but we can uh ask any questions and you have an opportunity to talk to us and the community about the event. Awesome. Hi, I'm Michelle Feliza. I'm the director of the club and I brought with me Lisa Gamberdella. She's our board
chair and Jeremy Martin. He's our treasurer. Um I'm happy to answer any questions that you have and some of you I haven't met. So, thank you for having us tonight. Any questions for the board? Any changes from the normal shrieks and creeks? The only thing we're doing a
little differently this year is we're starting a little bit earlier and adding like a fall festival family style thing. not so scary. Um, you know, pumpkin decorating and um, maybe trick-or-treating through the haunted house instead of scary haunted house. Um, so that's it. We'll start at 4:30
instead of 6:30. Good. Oh, that's a nice addition. You know, come every year. My kids have always loved it. Yep. Yep. There's lots of littles that come and it's very hard to manage if you have some littles that want to go in the haunted house and some big kids. So, this way the littles have some time and
then the big kids have some time. So, through you, Mr. if there's any things that board members would want answered before the public hearing. Um, you want to let me know and we can get that sorted out if anything comes to your mind. That way we're all
set for the public hearing um when that's posted. Have you run into any issues getting all the approvals and every is it just like the abutters list notifying them for the public hearing now? Yep. So that's a little bit different for us this year. We didn't do that last year. Um, but I did, um, I've communicated with police, fire, DPW, all
of the the usual suspects, right? Um, and everybody's in approval and happy to help and, um, so I submitted you guys the abutters list today. Yep. Okay. So, we could probably post that for um, 2 weeks from now, right? Um, the 15th because it's 10 days. I don't think with
the ledger that we're gonna make the deadline, but so it'll pro I I can check, but um it'll either be the meeting of the 17th or the first meeting in August based on the ledgers posting. Okay. Well, we have a lot of time still, so that's okay. Awesome. And if you have any questions, what year is this? This
is our ninth. Wow. Wow. Yeah. And um you'll all have a letter in your mailbox. Um we're celebrating 20 years this summer. So our birthday party is at the end of this month, July 31st. We would love for you to come see the club, hear from the kids. Um, it's only here because you guys support it. So, thank
you. All right. Any other questions? All right. So, unfortunately, it looks like we're going to have to have you back again for the actual public hearing, but it looks like everything's in order. So, once we actually posted, it'll be all set. Excellent. Yeah. Thank you so much for coming in tonight. Thank you for all the work that you guys do.
Thank you guys. Yeah, of course. Have a good night. It's nice seeing you. Good night. Thanks. You, too. All right. Right. Up next, we have a joint meeting with the planning board to consider the appointment of Adam Bernie to the planning board. So, I will invite the three of you up. There are microphones on the table and they're
green, so it looks like they should be all set to go. And I will ask the chair to call the planning board to order. Purely a procedural question cuz I haven't opened at someone else's meeting before. Um,
I actually don't have to do the rigma roll about being recorded and just call it to order now. Right. Right. Good news. We're called to order. All right. All right. Fantastic. Um, just a note, um, I think we all know this, but also for the public, Adam Bernie was not
available to be here tonight. Um, I am making the assumption that he is well known in the community and by us uh, well enough to still be considered for appointment. Um, but I'll just pass it off to you guys if you know you want to speak to Adam Bernie or anything like
that. I I would call attention to a sentence from Mr. Bernie's um uh volunteer to serve form. I consider myself reasonably familiar with zoning, permitting, municipal operations, and other relevant topics. Um, I thought it
was important to share the absolute understatement of the year. Um for for those in the public who may not know, Mr. Bernie was the town's planner and land use director for
8ish years. Um so uh he has served the board in the role of the employee uh that supports them for a long time. He has been gone for a couple years. Um but he is a resident of
the town and has volunteered uh if we are willing to be appointed to the planning board. Um he does not intend to serve beyond May. He would there's not an intent to run for office but um he
would be an absolute asset as we h head in for MBTA communities and everything else we have in the pipeline. Great. Any questions or comments from the select board? I don't have any questions other than my comment is just thank you to Adam. You know, looking forward to if if we support this to have him have him
back in town. Um known him for a long time. So looking forward to having him. I think again like like Matt Matt said, it's he's a really valuable resource. So um playing board, do you have anything else to share? I didn't want to steal anyone's thunder. No, you covered it all. Okay, great.
Great. Anything else? Go ahead, Glenn. Yeah, I'd just like to to thank him for stepping forward. I mean, it is akin to a bus driver electing to drive a bus as his personal vehicle. Um, but we are very fortunate to have Mr. Bernie step forward and share his
experience in planning and as well as his information or knowledge of town. And I I do think it's important to stress that, you know, you don't need the level of experience that uh Mr. Bernie is bringing to the board, you know, and just just as a message to the
public, uh it's, you know, if it was a um silver lining, if he's if he's not, you know, intending to go beyond May, it's just important to put it out to the public that, you know, myself in particular are in the opinion that it's nice to have somebody on the board that
has a lot to learn. And that's the essentially the role I had there for a year on the planning board. And I'm almost brought to tears seeing you guys out there that I'm no longer with the board. Well, not but but it is is truly a very important board, arguably, you
know, one of the mo most important boards in town and it is a well-run board and is in desperate need of um you know, members to to help out. And again, I think that that's just a point that um you know, citizens with an a particular
interest or a desire to to serve in their uh you know, participate in their local government. There's there's no better way than to volunteer for any board really. But just tonight, a specific example of of the planning board in the the reach and impact that that board has. Um,
it's just very important that pe people not be intimidated by the fact, you know, how incredibly fortunate we are for him to step forward with his with this experience. And I'll just I just want to echo comments that have been stated already that um to thank Adam first of all for
volunteering and um secondly how lucky we are to have someone in town with this level of experience and knowledge. um incredible value I think to the board for the next year. I am very grateful that when I called him to say, "Adam, do
you know anyone who might be a good fit for the board?" He said, "Well, I have been talking to my wife like I did not dare hold me that
but wonderful." Um great. So, all right. Awesome. So, I can make the motion just procedurally how we'll do this. Um, we're all going to vote. So, I'll do it by roll call vote for the select board and then you can u do roll call vote for uh your board. Sure.
Oh, sorry. Um, all right. I move to appoint Adam Bernie to the planning board term to expire at the next annual town election. I'll second that motion. All right. Any more discussion? Will it be a roll call vote? Mr. Mloud I. Mr. Leon. I. Miss Em. I. Miss Moore. I. and
an I for myself. Miss Reed I, Mr. Wils, I and an I for myself. Fantastic. All right, the motion passes unanimously. Mhm. Um, great. You can you remind him to get sworn in? I will do that. Um, and if he watches this, thank you, Adam.
Yeah, of course. Yep. Yep. Um, Mr. chair, before we adjourn the joint meeting, um the planning board's plant on the select board in our attempt to take over town government, I mean the cloud, um uh since he was going to report to you later on our decision for
MBTA communities, he asked if I would be willing just to share the direction the planning board chose for that. I could share that now or he could share it later in the meeting if you'd like. Um later in the meeting. Okay. Communication from other boards. Oh yeah, we can do it during communication from other boards just so it's you know
during a proper agenda item. That's fine. But we'll be there in a couple minutes. That's all you, sir. Unless I can hang out too if you want. That's fine. Okay. Great. Great. All right. Thank you. Do you want to adjourn your meeting now? Yep. Uh motion to adjourn the meeting. Second. Moved and seconded.
All in do we don't have to roll call correct here? No. No. All in favor? I. Perfect. All right. Great. It was good seeing you guys. Have a good night. You'll just be like 10 minutes, I think. Yeah. Yeah. 10 minutes. Not not that long. Oh, that's fine.
All right. Moving on to public comment. Are there any public comments from the board this evening? Nope. Any public comments from the public? Mr. Bowen, senior, you're muted. You need to unmute yourself. Yes. How are you? Uh John Bowen, 162
Highland Street. Uh hope everybody is doing well. I just wanted to uh make a quick comment about Adam Bernie. Uh I think it was an excellent choice. Um, Adam uh has assisted with myself and my wife uh with regard to a number of
different issues here in town and I think that he's fully qualified and uh I think that the select board and the planning board uh made the right choice with um appointing uh Alan Bern uh Adam Bernie for the next uh year even though
he's not going to run for office. I think he brings a lot of information uh from his experience to the town and I think that it's extremely important that we have that in town because uh we have a tendency in town to do things by custom as opposed to by law and Adam
Bernie has always executed things lawfully within town and I just wanted to mention thank you. All right, thank you Mr. Bowen senior and now on to Mr. Bowen Jr. Hi everybody.
Uh I would be there too. You're going to have to one of you is going to have to unmute your computer if you're good. Keep going. Apologize about that. So I would be there in person but uh when I was about to leave it started
pouring. So I'm online now. So, my name is John Bowen Jr. 152 Highland Street. Since moving to Lunberg, I've had the privilege and honor of getting to know one of the town's employees on a personal level. Not every Not everyone.
Sorry, one I think they need to turn the other computer off at the home if they're together. There's just If you guys have two devices next to each other, you're going to have to either turn one off or unmute it or something. Uh, is it good now?
Probably turn down the volume on one of them. Go ahead and talk. Okay, good. Yeah, you're good. Go ahead. Okay. Sorry about that. My name is John Bowen Jr. 162 Highland Street. Since moving to Lunenburgg, I've
had the privilege and honor of getting to know one of the town's employees on a personal level. Not everyone is as is as fortunate enough to know this individual as I do. He is not only deeply committed and highly skilled in his work, he is also a genuinely good man. The person I
am speaking about is Todd Hullman. Over time, I've come to see firsthand his dedication, integrity, and professionalism in his role as cemetery superintendent. Unfortunately, I've also witnessed an ongoing pattern of criticism directed at him, like comments suggesting that his work isn't up to par
in efforts by certain individuals, both past and present members of boards and commissions, to undermine his reputation by attacking his character. These comments have been circulating for nearly a year since I've lived in Lunberg, and they are not only unfair,
they are unfounded. Todd Hullman has consistently provided exceptional service to this town. He deserves recognition and respect, not unfounded scrutiny. These attacks on Todd Hullman have gone unchecked for far too long, and I have to step forward. Thank you for your time.
All right. Thank you, Mr. Bowen Jr., are there any other public comments? All right. Seeing none, communications from other boards. So, Mr. Brener, I'll invite you back up. Uh, good evening. I am Matthew Brener,
chair of the select board and um, since I was here tonight. Oh, wow. Two years and you're I am glad you all enjoy your role in town. I enjoy mine. I am happy to keep
those streams separate. Boy, how uh chair of the playing board. Um uh since I was here tonight, uh Mr. Mloud asked if I would be willing to tell you where the planning board landed on MBTA communities. Um, we did have two
public info information slashd discussion sessions with the community and um, and what was unsurprising to me but good to hear was the community is really kind of aligned
along the idea of what's commonly called paper compliance. Um now as our contractor that we're that we've hired has pointed out another term for paper compliance in this case is Lunenburgg is
the fir was the first town municipality in the state to do a 40R district. Um so uh smart growth district we have traditionally been ahead of the curve in forwardlooking in terms of things like
housing. So paper compliance the state lets you do it and in this case I mean by intention and this is taking credit for work we've already done. This is us saying hey that MBTA communities thing you want we kind of actually did that
like over 10 years ago. So, we're good. Um, the planning board uh voted to instruct our uh contractor because they're the ones who will write the bylaw that will come back to us and
get it passed through the state and everything else and checked. Um, basically it's just bumping up the zoning at Tritown um from 22 units per acre to 26 units
per acre. That should have until those buildings are so old that they can't stand and would get replaced, which is not I mean you're you're talking 30 years or whatever, right? there would be there's not any reason
that would change things and then in 30 years we're going to be living in a different municipality for all intents and purposes and even then the change is minor and might not even be used at all. So, it's really a great option for us.
And what that does is that frees us up um and there was support amongst the citizenry I spoke with to be aware that this frees us up to continue to be forward thinking about housing because we've had a couple
instances now in past year where us being forward thinking has kind of saved our kesters where the state comes down from high saying you need to do this and we go oh we're already 90% % of the way there.
Towns that haven't been forward thinking have faced really much more stark changes not at and not necessarily at a time or in a way that's best for them. So there was interest from the town in
leveraging this not to say good enough no change but to be aware we do need to keep looking forward so that we aren't caught unawares in a year to five or 10 but that's where we're going with MBTA communities. Um I'm still working on a
couple paperwork backend things with the contractor but they will come back to the planning board in fall with a finished approved bylaw. We'll hold our public hearings and it should be on special town meeting. uh if you're willing to put it there. Yeah. Great. And thank you for holding the um public
information sessions. I think those were probably particularly helpful. I think um probably the biggest misconception about the MBTA Communities Act is that compliant people think that compliance means new development, right? But it doesn't necessarily mean new development. Um so yeah, I think
educating people about that might make it a little easier for people. I certainly hope so. And then we'll have to think about what we'll be doing next. But now the master plan is up and running full steam. Hopefully we'll have answers on that too shortly. Yeah. And there was a great meeting that we had
last right um attended that. Great. Thank you so much for your time. Well, I'll just see if any any questions of the MBTA communities. Yeah, I don't know if it was mentioned but that information session is on YouTube so it it can be viewed. Yes, it is on YouTube. If someone really wants the I mean if
someone can't see the PowerPoint well there and wants me to send it to them, drop me an email in an email and I will um uh happily send that over to you so you can follow along on the PowerPoint at home if that's your choice. Maybe we
could get that on the website. On the PowerPoint? Sure. Yeah, I'm happy for it to be on the website. It is better with narration because I don't design slides to be Yeah. Without it. Yeah. But I I do think it's still
probably worthwhile and helpful. Maybe we can have a link to the YouTube video with it. Great. Sure. I will happily send that on over. Awesome. Great. Other questions? Nope. All right. Well, thanks, Matt. Thank you. Have a good night. Have a good night.
All right. appointments, ratifications, and resignations. Um, let's just do the ratification of the town manager's appointment of Cara McCarthy, communications and IT manager, effective July 2nd, 2025 first. So, uh, a lot of folks know Cara. She's
been serving the town for, um, I think the better part of a year now. And so this is the position that we she started as part-time, was expanded over time, but um this is the position that we created at the town meeting and now she is filling it hopefully. Awesome. Any
questions for the town manager? No. All right. Well, this is exciting. Cara is awesome. She does great work. So, it's, you know, great to see her taking on this role. So, I will move to ratify the town manager's appointment of Cara McCarthy as the communications and IT manager effective July 2nd, 2025.
Second. Any additional discussion? Those in favor say I. I. Those opposed, no. The motion passes unanimously. All right. Just giving Amanda some time to come back to. Okay. So, we'll move on to our annual select board appointments. And we only have one interview tonight.
So, we do have Tiffany Warren who is with us tonight on Zoom. and she is seeking appointment to the cultural council. So, hi Tiffany, can we hear you? Hello. All right, great. We can hear you. Um, so I'll just pass it off to you and give
you an opportunity to introduce yourself, talk about your background, and let us know um why you're interested in serving on the cultural council. Awesome. Thank you. Um, yeah, so I heard about the cultural council from my daughter is in kindergarten in
Lunenburgg. Um, and I heard about it from one of the other parents and thought that it sounded like a good way for me to get involved in the town. Um, I grew up in Lunenburgg and then went to college in Boston. Um, and then bought a house with my husband in Lunenburgg. I'm
at 707 Lancaster um, in 2013. Um, and now we have two kids in the schools. Um, a preschooler and a kindergartener. Um, and I am a graphic designer. um and worked as a graphic designer in corporate America for about 10 years. Um
so definitely interested and like very interested in the arts. Um and uh wanted to find a way to be more involved in the town as a whole. Um I'm a Girl Scout leader in town. Um and
really loved the way that that's connected me to the community. Um, so I was looking for ways to be a part of the town and I thought the cultural um, council would be a great way to do that. Um, and I was able to meet Aly and attend one of their meetings a couple weeks ago. Um, and it sounded a great
way like you know things organizations in town that I'm already you know utilizing with my family, things like the Lunberg Library and the Boys and Girls Club and the Senior Center. Um, and how do we get them more involved in what the cultural council does? Um, so yeah, I thought it would be a good fit
and a good way for me to um, now that my kids are sort of in the school system and I'm out and about in town more, um, get involved. Awesome. All right. Thank you very much, Tiffany. And I I see that you went to Nor Eastern University. Is that true?
Cool. I am also a Husky. Not that that's going to influence my decision tonight, uh, but it sounds like you'd be a great fit. So, I'll open it up to, uh, the other board members for any questions or comments. I also have a connection with Tiffany. We graduated high school together. Oh, good to see you again. And
thank you for volunteering. Um so, but I don't have any other questions. It's always great to see more people getting involved, especially from our generation. Mhm. Yeah. Tiffany, I also want to thank you for um volunteering and you answered the question I was going to ask you. If you met with anyone from the council or attended any
meetings, so thank you for for doing that um in advance. That's that's great. And uh yeah, thanks again. And I would also thank you for volunteering as well as attending uh the meeting uh and I think you bring a unique perspective that will uh help the committee as well.
Thank you. And yes, thank you. Yeah. All right. Thank you. I went to the meeting and I met Ely and then within this like a week later maybe I met she was at the playground with her son who's also in preschool and I was like, "Yeah, we are all like we're all in this together." So
it was nice to make those connections. Great. Well, thank you, Tiffany, for your interest in volunteering for the town. Uh, it really seems like you'd be a great fit. Uh, so with that, I will move to appoint Tiffany Warren to the Cultural Council term to expire June
30th, 2028. Second. Any additional discussion? Those in favor say I. I. Those opposed, no. The motion passes unanimously. All right. Congratulations, Tiffany. Um, just go to the town clerk's office and town hall to get sworn in. Uh, and then just talk to Elise and she
can help you. Awesome. Thank you so much, everyone. Yeah, no problem. Have a good night, Tiffany. Thank you. You too. Bye. All right. Town manager report. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, uh, the first is a good announcement. So, thanks to the entire legislative delegation for
championing championing $300,000 to the Lunberg public schools in a supplemental budget bill. of the funding, $195,000 is earmarked for the purchase of two transportation vans. The thought here is that the um athletic uh costs can be
reduced by the purchase of those vans. $55,000 for infrastructure upgrades and $50,000 for educational materials. Um that is a huge sum of money coming through um a supplemental budget. So, thank you for the advocacy at the um
state house by our legislative leaders. Uh on June 25th, damage was observed to the fence and play structure at Wallace Park due to a motor vehicle accident. A claim has been filed with our insurance company and the adjuster had been out to view the damage. The damage is presently
estimated at approximately $18,000. Um through action at the 2024 special town meeting, the MAR Connect program was funded through June 30th, 2025. This funding was not carried forward through fiscal year 2026. and the the program
ceases on June 30th. So, this is the um they had lost grant funding and the town stepped up to support that um program and uh this is not something that was carried forward in this year's budget.
Um Flatill Road Bridge through council, the town has made some forward progress with KC, the vendor. Um, I hope to have more of an update on July 17th, but um, they are talking, they are at the table. Um, we have a good date for completion
of the project and there does seem to be some agreement to temporarily reopen the bridge. In the meantime, um, there's just a few more issues that we need to sort through with them in order to make this work. Um, PJ Keating paved a small section of Reservoir Road this week and
completed driveway aprons on Mopus Road and Eastern Avenue. Uh ice cream social is being planned for staff next week um to celebrate the start of a new fiscal year summer um and also to use the opportunity to engage with staff on various initiatives that we're working
on and to uh seek their feedback during that time. So we're going to be closing for one hour I'm thinking on Wednesday. Uh TBD have to work it out with Cherry Hill. Um, so, uh, town offices will be closed though this Friday in recognition of 4th of July and wishing all residents
a happy but safe 4th of July. Uh, project updates. The town is posting um a IFB for guardrail replacement on Lancaster A on July 9th. Those will be due July 24th. Um, anybody that's been around our municipal buildings um might
have noticed that they're not as clean as they typically are and that's because we're in between cleaning vendors. We had terminated the contract with the vendor that was awarded um the bid and we have a we just got a temp in this week, but uh the bids are due back July
14th and we cannot wait to have a permanent contractor under agreement again. Uh TC Pacios decommissioning of the school department has been actively vacating the TC Pacios building and the staff offices have all been relocated. Um our town staff is now working on
organizing and purging the old files and upgrades to the internet are underway to support the relocation of pack from where they were to where they're going. Uh current vacancies, we have a dietary aid position of nine hours per week that's been posted for a while. Uh the
other person um that is in that dietary aid role is out right now. So we have posted a temporary uh position as well. Um we've posted a temporary meal site worker at 36 hours to cover a staff
outage there. Uh I think the board is aware but the public is not perhaps that the planning assistant uh Logan Okonnell uh was hired to serve in the executive assistant to the select board and town manager role. Uh his start date was
supposed to be today. Uh we were first backfilling his position uh which Jennifer Dagel started today and we're very grateful that that position has been filled but um Logan has decided to uh seek uh work in the private sector. Uh so we now need to repost this
position. Um this sets the office back substantially. Uh we have an equipment operator posted a vacancy uh coming up there due to uh I don't have the date of it yet. Um so I don't have a resignation date yet, but we're posting it in
advance. Somebody's leaving for uh MASDOT. Um and the LAN use director. I sent the board um separate email about that, but uh labor council should be weighing in on that position so we can get that posted. And the conservation
administrator position uh there will be a vacancy in that uh as of next week. Uh we had an interim conservation agent in um and she is willing to continue to stay on as interim while we sort out next steps. So I don't have any concerns
whatsoever about uh that position. uh board and committee vacancies. So, now that we've gone through a lot of interviewing folks, I'm going to start just kind of regularly reporting on what's still out there. So, Agricultural Commission one vacancy, Architectural
Preservation District Commission 1, Cultural Council 2, Green Communities 2, Historical Commission 1, Personnel Board 5, PAC 1, Stormwater Task Force One, and ZBA Associate 1. And that concludes my report and happy to answer any questions. Great. Thank you. Any
questions for the town to town manager? I have two. Um the Flatill road bridge, yes, that was inspected and couldn't reopen because it didn't pass some. So are there repairs required to reopen at all? So it's not that it couldn't
reopen. It's that um Massdot if it was their decision to make would not reopen it. They strongly suggested that the town not reopen it. So in the conversations that we're having um are about shifting the liability if it's reopened
uh to the vendor um and putting a plate. Okay. I was going to ask if any work was going to be done before we open to just temporary. Okay. Um the other question is about the executive assistant to town manager and select board. Are you posting a temp position as well for
that? So, um I reached out to a temp vendor already and I got a quote back that um is substantial. Uh $80 an hour for the work. Um bit of sticker shock. Need to rethink that.
Is it? Yeah. Okay. I am I will say this the minute writers I'm going to at least keep one if not two on to keep us current and keep chipping away at that backlog. Um did your mic just go off? I touched it.
Oh, it sounds different now. I know it does. I heard it. Yeah. Okay. Touch it again. Um yeah, it does sound quieter in here. Um, so but that yeah, I I I think that $80 an hour is a is a bit difficult. Even if it's not 36, is there
some middle ground? I think 80 hour dollars an hour is just a that's a lot. No. Yeah. Is difficult. So I think you know that it's going to be a challenge. Um, we're going to post it a little bit
differently. Um, this is a position that was always able to be contracted prior to the change. I'm going to post the the ad that for the right candidate contract might be available, which maybe that will change things.
Any other questions? I have a general question about the guardrail on Lancaster. Is that the where all guardrail is or is it just a small is it just a section? It's okay if you don't know. can also look at it. But yeah, it's not posted yet, but I can pull up. That was just a curious curious. I don't think it's the whole It's so It's only a
day of work, so I can't imagine that it's Yeah, I can't imagine it's the entire guardrail. All right, thank you very much. All right, moving on to new business. So, first we have um method of adding select board signatures for licenses and
permits for open gov software. As we move all of our uh licensing and permitting over to open gov, there's a decision that we have to make on how we want to handle adding our signatures to things. And uh Jen, I will have you just sort of talk through the options here
that we have. Sure. So the first option that we have is what we have been doing is that after there's a vote of the board, we'll go into the open gov system and print out something that you will all physically sign. Um I don't suggest that option u but you it's certainly a
option. So the other options are that after the action is taken by the board members can go in and affirmatively affix their signature through open gov system or staff can after the vote um
indicate to the system that the vote had been taken in the affirmative and then that would automatically affix those signatures. So, it's really do you want the staff to affix your signatures after the vote or do you want to be going in proactively and ensuring that your signature only goes on a perimeter or
license that you put it on? So, one question that I have about that last option is it just going to put all five of our signatures on regardless of maybe how a vote happens. I think that there's a way that you can set it so it's just who voted. Okay. Well, I prefer that method. What do other board members think? Which method? Having that last
one? Having the staff do it. Yes. Mhm. I just was making sure I was on the Yeah. Yeah. I mean, as long as we're ensuring accuracy with when we do have a new staff member, um, I'm fine with it as well. I am, too. Is there a way to check?
Yeah, sure. Okay. Yep. You mean check in advance or check? No, just that you know if if three of us were here that only three Yes. Yes. I'm okay with it. Yep. Fine. Seems the easiest way to
handle it, right? I don't think we should be doing wet signatures anymore. Um, and I I just don't want to do dog docky sign. So, okay. Do you want us to vote on this? I do. Okay. I will move for the select board to authorize staff
to record votes in open gov for our licensing and permitting. Second. Any additional discussion? Those in favor say I. I. I. Those opposed? No. Motion passes unanimously. Mr. Chairman, before you go on to the next, I do have uh the answer to Miss Moore's question. Okay.
Is 160 to 196 Lancaster. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Old business FY2026 select board and town manager goal setting. So, the town manager did do some revisions. Nothing too substantial to hers. So, we can review those first. And um do you want
to just talk through them once we pull it up? Sure. So that is let me see goals and objectives and then it's in your memo. So if you open up 6 2825 memo to the select board I think it's in this one
right? Yes. So basically anything that's in red or struck out but this was um this was really in contemplation these modifications were made after um I heard that we wouldn't be having the executive
assistant starting on July 1st. um that substantially just changes everything for the office. So um on certain elements I just softened the language to suggest that they were multi-year goals or that we were going to begin something
some not a lot of them but some of them did that. Um there were two goals of substance that you see were very different. Um and that's since I've learned information since we last talked. So um the revised the operating
capital budget submission forms um the clear gov software we are going back to using that for budgeting and we had a demo two weeks ago and there's really not a necessity to have separate forms with that software. Nice. So that that
kind of solves that. So the begin to use the clear gov software for the FY27 operating and capital budget. I replaced that language. Um the other item is relative to tax title and uh in the change of the tax title process. I think
the original goal was that we get a tax title auction within this fiscal year. Um with the change to the tax title process, I was not aware that we now need to list the property on the market for 12 months. Um so that makes this impossible to get an auction in 12
months. So uh the other thing is that um they are uh are these lists that town that town boards and committees I've learned have identified properties that they're interested in. Um there's a number of
boards that have expressed an interest in these properties and so I think we need to revisit those conversation with the boards and explore that a little bit more because we're holding on to quite a lot of property. Um that perhaps I'm
going to give a very specific example. Um it was actually in uh one of the sets of minutes I think that you have later on the night. So 14 Sunset A um is a property that does above water and the
conservation commission had expressed an interest in it. If you look at that property um there's really no access. It is a property for a small home. The parcel is for a small home. It it really so things like that where the use while
a board or committee may desire this property if it really should be returned to the tax roles. Um, I think that those are the conversations that we need to gauge in and that ultimately the select board has the decision of what properties we're choosing to retain and
which properties we're not. So, having come across those lists, um, I I added that here. Mhm. Great. Any questions? Are you ready to approve these? There's still lofty goals. That was
really loud. There's still lofty goals. You've still you feel confident even with the revisions. So the way I look at goals is that so I think that that's a philosophy question, right? Do I think that this board
should expect that 100% of these things are going to be 100% completed by this time next year? I think that's an unrealistic expectation. Things are going to happen. Some things are going to take less time on this list. Some things are going to take more thing time
on this list. But I think that all of these things um you know we need to get going on them and we so if if the goal is to complete something and we've moved the needle 50% we've moved the needle
50%. If that means to this board that my review is meets expectations that's fine, right? Like I think that as long as we have an understanding that this is a goal and not a assignment then I think that okay it's fair and you you call
some out that they will span multiple years so yes I do agree it's aggressive though but I like it Renee will be the one holding my feet to the fire.
All right. Are we ready to approve these? I am. I Is there a motion to approve FY2026 town manager goals? So moved. Second. Any additional discussion? Those in favor say I. I. I. Those opposed? No. Motion passes unanimously. All right. On
to the select board goals. Does anyone have anything that they want to modify in our goals in uh goal number three? Yep. Um and I apologize for missing the
June 3rd meeting, but I did review the information there and in the e update from town council about the um our practices and policies about the flag. Is that something that we should revisit?
We um I don't really think we need to revisit it. Um well, I guess that's just my opinion. we could potentially consider actually implementing a policy on it. Um I don't in my opinion I don't
think it rises to the occasion of being a goal. Um but it is still something that we could do if we would like to. Yeah. It was just in reading that that e update from I believe that was our town council to to all their all their clients. It wasn't to us specifically.
It was KP law. It's not ours. That's not ours. But it was in the packet. Yeah. It was in the packet. Right. So um so the policy is if would stand in the place of the board making a decision. So I think
that there's a nuance here that if it's the select board declaring that they would like to fly x flag in recognition of why there's no need for a policy because that is protected government speech. That is the government speaking
versus the policy comes into play when you have um a request and you're deciding whether or not to approve requests cuz there was one the one aspect of that
that e update was that you know it said like the holdings from that shirt left case the Boston case suggests that it is an appropriate time to examine existing practices and policies regarding flag raising to ensure compliance with the
first amendment and that was back in 22. Right. Right. Yeah. So I think at that time if I can just comment that there were policies that spoke to what was flown and what wasn't flown. So in I think
what KP law was suggesting there is that if you had a policy look at it right to make sure it aligns. But So I guess we just my question would be how do we handle it when other people come before us? Do we refer to a a
policy? I mean it's not really something that we've had to deal with before under your current model. You would make the determination of whether or not it's government speech. Right.
And I How do you feel about that model? Do you think it's an issue? Do you think it needs to be revised? Or if maybe we got an update specifically from our town council. Mhm. We can start there. That would be fair.
Yeah, that's fine. Yeah, we can start there. Any other changes that any board members have? Go ahead. I do um just a general comment. Some of them I can all go through some specifics, but I think that some of them
we need to be more specific and include a specific outcome or deliverable and timing. Um for example for the FY27 budget goal number goal number one objective four
um this is about looking at digitizing the annual town report and alternative notifications. I think we need to do that in in time for special town meeting if we're going to bring it forward. I'd like uh my opinion is I'd like this
board to bring it forward for special town meeting if we are. So this so you want to okay so so add by special by special town meeting um and and submit you know warrant article if appropriate or something. Okay. So, let's see. Consider the feasibility and cost efficiencies of digitizing the annual. I
think evaluate is even stronger than consider. Um, evaluate the I'm fine with that. Okay. But now I'm just word smithing. Yeah, that's okay. Evaluate the feasibility and cost efficiencies of digitizing the annual town report and alternative notifications for the town
meeting warrant in advance of the special town meeting. Yes. And submit warrant article if appropriate. Okay. in advance of the special town meeting and submit uh warrant.
Well, isn't that tied to um Isn't there something in Wouldn't that require like a bylaw change? Yeah. So, I think that that's what she's saying bylaw. It has to It's a bylaw change. Bring the bylaw change. Yeah. Okay. I misunderstood your last part. And submit warrant article. Um
if that's what we decide to do. If I mean this board has to decide if that's if appropriate. Yeah. Okay. Gotcha. Um I think also let's see still on goal number one I missed objective one. So this is about collaborating. Uh
basically the the tri board. Y um to put a time constraint on that. So wow why did I write 2026? This is 20 Q3 Q4 2025. Okay, adding adding, you know, a time bound for that to commit to to doing
that. Okay, so we by the end of 2025. Okay, so we could say at this part right here um through regularly scheduled. So we could say through regularly scheduled tri board meetings um during or throughout
I think it's the schedule is through J. I mean it runs it runs into January, but it does. Yeah. Yeah, we could go into objective two for that too for a date. Hold on, let me read objective two now. So, objective two is evaluate the data and information presented at the tri board meetings in order to develop a
select board recommendation to town meeting on the FY27 budget, including but not limited to potential budget cuts, level funding, or Prop 2 and a half overrides. Um, okay. to. So what we could say is here we
could just change it to annual town meeting uh to be a little more specific on that in but I I think six because this is what we hear every year right that it's last
minute. Yeah. And then we run out of time. So, I think we have to I think we have to commit to having a recommendation a lot earlier. Mhm. Well, I think we're I I don't know pick January, February,
something. Right. Right. And I I think I don't remember how the uh tri board meetings are broken out. Yeah, that is pretty much the timeline. It's it's mid January for the FY27 plan discussion. So that might be a little aspirational if you wanted to say February. That's what
well February I mean but February I don't think you want to be doing it much after February right that's the outside I mean in a perfect world it would be before but okay let's say we we have to commit I think we have to draw a line in the sand and commit to it well I think the really important part is that we're
having all of these meetings monthly in order to prepare for that right I think that's like the key here I I want the meetings are good if we don't come away with something concrete that's for nothing Yeah.
So I I think because you know I think people in town want you know are we are we serious and yes I think we are and by putting a deadline I think we're okay we're making that known. Okay so what I'm going to do here is so um through
regularly scheduled tri board meetings through February 2026. We could even say through July, right? We could add cuz we're starting on them now, right? July 2025 um to February 2026. So that captures a
timeline, right? I think that's good. What do you think? But having a recommendation at the end of those meetings. Yeah. So well that's that's like February. Yeah. Yep. That's that's objective two. Was the last meeting planned for January? What was the last That's why I'm saying I would say
like we're probably making the determination by February, but the tri board hopefully is done by January, end of January. Yeah, but this is select board recommendation. So the recommendation should come us when Yeah. I just look at it as like that's more of
the tri board meetings in the first objective where the decision more. Yes. Yes. Right. Yes. Okay. Okay, so let's see. Um, evaluate the data information presented at the tri board meetings in order to develop a selectable recommendation to annual town
meeting in 2026 on the FY27 budget. Um, so pretty much you're saying you want to capture something in here about having that ready at a certain point. I feel like that's your February date, your FY27 budget. Yeah. By February. Yeah.
26. Okay. So, which part where do we want to put that? Let me see. uh to do in order to develop it like board recommendation by two meeting the deadline there on the
FY27 budget by February 2026 at the end of it y include but not yes evaluate we could even say um by no it's probably not the right by February 2026
I mean how do how do we feel about that deadline though who knows what's going to happen, right? We might have to pivot. We might have to take again, that's why it's a goal, right? Again, you can you can miss it by a month and still, right? As long as we're aiming for it. And I think we certainly you make significant progress, right? Okay.
That's why I wondered too if the objective one should be January instead of February and then objective two hits. Well, you're right because that actually that Yes, you're right. Keep us on track. Yeah, cuz that's the last meeting. Okay. And if we go into February in objective one, you know, so be it. Uh, right. Our goal is to be done
by January. Yeah, that's a good one. Okay, this kind of leads into the our this maybe this maybe this question is more relevant to the next part point on our agenda, but I was thinking about um how we're going to get the information out
to the public about these meetings. Not everybody reads minutes, but that led me into who's doing minutes for these meetings. Um, but then could we have some sort of a summary then online that is just like a brief blurb of what happens in these meetings if people don't watch them or don't read all of our minutes? I don't know if that's
probably not possible given staffing. given the staffing. Um, as far as the minutes are concerned, at least at the beginning, I was contemplating having one of the paid minute takers um, just take the minutes and then distribute them to the other two boards to modify them
as necessary for their posting, you know, so it takes a lot of the work out of it. But yeah, we can definitely think about that and talk about it a little more because I agree it's really important to get visibility at the minimum. But, you know, engagement from the public
throughout the process. Mhm. All right. Anything else you want to change on the goals? Yep. Okay. Well, just just to that point about the the the tri board and again, I think it jumps to the next the next agenda item, but it's just a little concerning in
that it's like seems like a foregone conclusion of the the continuity of that trio um you know, concept. watching a lot of meetings there's clearly a lot of concerns about the you know the viability I mean I think everybody universally agrees that there should be
a tri board meeting of everybody to discuss and get on the same page but I think I share the I share the the concerns that everybody seems to have of you know the viability of such a you know you know possibly an unwieldy kind
of uh you know tri board setup so that that's the only that's The only concern I and I do understand that it is is quote just a goal but uh I think it's important to recognize the fact that that that tribe board concept is a is a
a big deal to get to get running particularly under the you know it would be nice if that was you know already up and running and established to to address the type of issues we're going to be addressing. So I just think it's important to to acknowledge that uh
there's a lot of trepidation going into this whole process of a of a tri board. Yeah, you're definitely right about that. I mean this is completely experimental. You know, none of us have really done anything like this and we're going to sort of learn as we go. Um but I think it's important at least for us
to do this in good faith and have that open invitation and who knows what's going to happen, you know? Um who knows? So, and I we'll definitely, you know, we'll probably touch on that in our next discussion. And and just as a reminder to the board, these goals at any time if
if the worstc case scenario happens and the tri board just doesn't work. Mhm. You can modify your goals accordingly. Right. So, right, you can carry on. You can pick the banner up and keep going with it. It's supposed to be a living document. Right. Right. Exactly. All
right, Miss Emp um goal number three. So objectives two and three y about reviewing different policies, do we want to say create new pol do want to commit to creating a new policy? Yeah, we could definitely add some language for that. So instead of just review the town's etc
policy, we could say um review and consider changes uh review and revise. Review and revise. Okay, I like that. Review and revise. And then review and revise.
I had a question on not a question but maybe a suggestion for that goal as well and it's sort of already governed by law but I'm not sure whether we should have a policy um for volunteers requiring them to take open meeting law trainings and ethics trainings. I think they have to do that anyway but I'm wondering if
we should codify that for the town um as something that when volunteers come on board like these are your expectations. We we can I don't think we have a policy on that. I think the town clerk already does. Let me check with the town clerk. I think she already has um a policy. But but I
think that because we we do have a lot of new people coming on board or just as a good refresher, I think it would be important that we're making sure that's happening. So I would love to see a a review or an update of that policy if it exists or creation if it does not exist. Okay. If if I could just piggyback off that, Mr. chairman, perhaps if open
meeting law and ethics are a concern for the board, perhaps we want to host a another I think I said this before and there's been one, but perhaps we want to host another townwide board committee commission forum with town council that
everybody can come. I mean, that that could be a goal. Yeah, we've done that in the past. I just remember the last time we've done it is I can't remember now. It would probably be a good idea to offer that pretty regularly. Yeah. Um, but I'd like to see that under the board's the policies and procedures personally. Okay. Because I know we did it two years ago. I don't know if we did
it last year. If it's an annual thing, I' I'd be interested in knowing, but we could definitely try to make that, you know, a regular thing. I think it was recorded, right? Is there somewhere? I feel like I've saw it. Probably is, but it's probably very at this point. Yeah, because I do remember we did that two
years ago. Okay. No, that's a good thing. It's a good thing for us to look into. Um the other comment I had, I don't know if this belongs in the goal, but just I want to mention it so I don't forget
later. Um the goal number two, the objective one about the municipal building design committee working with them. I would really like to see them present um recommended next steps at special town meeting. Present recommended next steps. Present
present something. What where is this going? Yeah, we are going to meet with them in two weeks. Um, and I think we're gonna really get into all of that then. Um, I think there's a lot to work up to before it's presented to the town again. Yeah, I think there's a lot of work to
do, but right to have all that work done in time for special town meeting, whatever is going to happen um will be discussed then. How do we feel? Do we want to add something like that in here for a goal?
I feel like that fits with the objective one of that goal too. We're going to work collaboratively with the the committee to determine what what we want to see. Yeah. I'm just trying to make them something specific and more measurable and time, you know, kind of smartish, not the full smart. Yeah.
Like how do we know it's achieved, not so wishy-washy, right? Yeah. No, I I hear that. Um Okay. So, let's see. work collaboratively with the municipal building design committee to determine how best to address the needs of our municipal buildings post annual town
meeting. Um, and then I'll let's see, comma, um, including potential presentation, articles, presentations, working towards a presentation at special town meeting. I feel like maybe
we should say post 2025 annual town. Oh, sure. Yes. Thank you. I'm trying to be more specific with these town meeting references. Um, okay. Including potential warrant articles or presentations at special
special town meeting. I think something that the board could do um that would fall into your wheelhouse potentially is if the municipal building design committee didn't have the capacity to have tours to set that up. That could be
something that this board could make sure happens before the next town meeting. Yeah, I think that would be good to do. And then you're just owning that piece of it and ensuring that that happens. That's what I do.
Okay. So, um we might want to just add another objective for that or do we want to add it into here including potential warrant articles or presentations at those and organized tours of municipal buildings.
I like that. And I just put that S in parenthesis. Buildings or Okay. Okay, great. Yeah, no, that's a really good one. Thank you. And I don't know if it's possible to to envelop like the um involvement of employees specifically
like the mun uh the facilities director in the process. I well I remember the context that we discussed that in was potentially reviewing the charge and composition composition. I think we were going to put we were going to put
him on right as an as a ad hoc. Right. Right. Yeah. So I, you know, I still think we should do that. So we captured that here in objective two. Do you have any others, Missy? Nope. Nope. Okay. Does anyone else
are we ready to approve them? Well, I still want to add my objective six to go, but that's just I don't know how anyone else feels about that one. Okay. Um, yeah, I I'm okay with adding that, especially if we're focusing on like the training. I think that that
would be really good. Um, like hosting another training with town council for all Yeah. I just don't even know that anyone everyone knows that there they should be doing these things. So, a policy policy and coupled with the training, right? Right. Um, I know we do
get emails from the town clerk cuz I got mine this year. Um, but yeah, we can Let's see. Let's word this. Objective six, create a policy regarding the periodic
uh open meeting law and conflict of interest training. Um for elected and appointed Mhm. members of boards slash committees slash
commissions and organize uh regularly held uh organize a organize okay yeah organize a um uh information session
training session uh a uh a workshop workshop okay with town council with town council So, oops. That's how you spell that. I'm the same. Okay. All right. How's that? How does everybody else feel about that?
I feel like I just brought it up. No, I think it's actually really good. Yeah, I think that's a really good one. Okay. Anything else? Ready to approve them? All right. Is there a motion to approve the FY26
select board goals? So moved. Second. Any additional discussion? Those in favor say I. I. I. Those opposed, no. The motion passes unanimously. Okay. Next up, discussion on the tri board meeting of the select board, school committee, and finance committee.
Uh, so this is just going to be a standing agenda item, just FYI, so we can, you know, come back from the meetings and discuss anything that we want to discuss. Um, we do have, um, drafted ground rules that we can start with and review them. And other than
that, I mean, we could vote to approve them. Uh, I don't know if we necessarily need to. Um, but we could start there and then if there's any other discussion, we can have it then. Okay. So, is everyone um looking at the ground rules?
So, I'll just read through them. Purpose. The tri board meetings bring together the select board, finance committee, and school committee to collaborate in the development of the FY2027 operating budget and a three-year financial forecast. These meetings aim to provide transparency, collaboration,
mutual understanding and consensus across these stakeholder public bodies. I'll just pause there. Any discussion on that? Okay. So, one, shared values and commitments. Collaboration over competition. We are
one team working toward a common goal, the financial and operational well-being of the town of Lunenburgg and its residents. Two, respect for diverse roles and authority. Recognize and respect the distinct statutory and functional roles of each board and
committee. Three, commitment to transparency. Be honest and open about fiscal challenges, priorities, and assumptions. Avoid withholding information or surprises. Four, consensus building. While
disagreements are expected, all parties commit to seeking common ground and shared solutions. Any discussion on the shared values and commitments? Mr. Chair, I have a question. Can you give some history on where this came from? Did this come from collaboration of people? Oh, sorry. So, Jen drafted,
please. So, we had a we had a meeting with um the all chairs were invited. Unfortunately, one could not attend. But after that meeting and with the superintendent and the new superintendent, I want to say this was about a month ago, maybe. Yeah, just
about. It was. Yeah. And um at that meeting the desire for some set of operating ground rules or principles or guiding uh policies was established that that there was a desire for that. So I
took those and what I knew about the process and I fed them into my friend Shhat GPT. So it does have that chat GPT feel to it. And then honestly you're open and honest about Oh yeah. I'm not going to lie. It's a great tool. Um and then modified them. um shared them with
the chairs of each of those bodies. Um there was a couple of tweaks um but there hasn't I don't think that you you all haven't formally sat down to like dig through them but yeah but the chairs of the other two boards um have seen
them. Okay. So I would assume potentially next week we'll be discussing the ground rules if any if the other boards have thoughts or it is on the agenda for next week if I remember correctly on so the a couple ways to do it each board could the we
could formally adopt these I think I think the chairs probably need to meet before next week if possible one's on vacation but um you know we could formally adopt these this could just be grinding principles we could adopt them as a group, but I don't what I don't
want to have happen is that we spend 3 hours on July 8th going through this. I don't want that either. No, that's why I was asking the industry was, you know, that that there's been some other eyes on this and people are aware. It's not just the first time, right? But I do think it's important. It sets the
expectations of how, you know, it's going to operate. Um, so, you know, thank you for putting this together. I do think it's important for us to have and review and, you know, it just sets the tone, right? or at least tries. Yeah. Okay.
So, I'll just keep going. We can just keep reading through it. Two, meeting conduct and etiquette. Etiquate. Etiquette. One, equal voice for all members. Every member from each of the three boards has an equal right to speak, ask questions, and contribute ideas. Two, respect time limits.
Meetings will follow an agenda and respect time constraints. Comments and questions should be concise and on topic. Each member is limited to three minutes per topic for comments and suggestions or comments and questions. Meetings will adjourn no later than 10 p.m.
Hard stop. Hard stop. Hard stop. I know people are going to want less than earlier. I'm opposite. Not that I I don't ever want to be here past 10 p.m., but what if we're like in the middle of a really important discussion and we want to go beyond 10 p.m.? I guess we if we turn into a pumpkin. I also turn into
pumpkin. I am yawning at the end of it. I just, you know, this is going to be like the one meeting that we're like super productive and no one I mean I don't know. I would hope so. Um, you know, you definitely hit the point of diminishing uh returns once you especially once you get into hour three. I'm not advocating for past 10 p.m. I was just Yeah, I mean I think and we
could always make the call. You know, it's not like we forcibly get removed from the building. So I thought I had it. Yeah, me too. All right. Three. One person speaks at a time. No interrupting. Members from all board should wait to be recognized by
the chair of the meeting. Four, active listening. Listen to understand, not just to reply. Avoid side conversations or distractions. Five, participate with those in the room. Avoid conversations and messaging with those not present in the room. Six, assume good intentions.
Approach discussions with curiosity, not judgment. All members are presumed to act in the best interest of the town. Seven, patience with process. This is a new process for staff members, town leaders, boards, and committees, and the public. We will be patient with the
process and recognize the process may not be smooth to begin with. I have no problem with these. I think that this should be how meetings are held anyway. I feel a little bit like I'm being told like I'm an elementary
school student what I should be doing. Mhm. But well, I think this came out of the concern that Mr. Mloud shared earlier that I think, you know, we all have. Who knows what's really going to happen when we get 17 people in a room. Yeah. So, you know, I Yes, you're right.
It is like kind of patronizing to like read through all of this. Um but, you know. Mhm. Um is it going to be hybrid? Is that an option? Um in person? No. Because of um where we're meeting. Yeah. Yeah. So, where are we meeting? Do we know? Um the Lunberg Adult Activity
Center is at least for the first one. There was a desire to meet at the library, but the room was not available for the first one. So, but I think that those are going to be the two locations. Which room at the library? So, there'll be no remote access if you're not available. Okay. There's 17 people. Yep.
So, we can fit we can fit everyone in the room on the right or really both. It has, you know, a rectangular setup with tables. Um I don't know if you watched the master plan. Master plan. There were a lot of people. Are you talking about the I thought you were talking about the library. Okay. Oh, no, no, no. We couldn't fit. Do you think we can fit 17
people in that room? In the library? In the me where we had the master plans too. I think so. Yeah. I mean the council on aging, you know, they're not 17, but you know, they have substantial membership. So, okay. But what if these are open to the public, right? Yep.
Public. Mhm. What about capacity issues with that room? There's got to be a Yeah. I mean, I think if we are seeing that there's like a huge turnout for these, we're going to have to pivot. Yeah. I mean, I think that there's a lot of this that like if X happens, we're gonna have to pivot. That's not a great
Yeah, it's not a great location. Um, there was a desire to not be in this room and to not be in the school committee room, meeting room. It was there was a desire from members to have a more neutralish location. Right. Yeah.
Certainly no none of this none of this is the it wouldn't work. Mr. from Mloud. Do we know who the chair is? Uh, so we It might rotate. It's further down. I mean, okay. I was just going to mention that the library room holds 75. So, I
think we'll be fine. The library room. Yeah. Oh, not the room. It's just not available in the first one. Library. Yeah, cuz the room that we did your interview was you you were just going through. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. It
would have to be the Yeah. Yeah. The the room where Yeah. So, I will just know like no one's no one's technically going to chair it because it's going to be three separately posted meetings, right? Um I think the facilitation will rotate and that's an option. If we need it, we
can do that. Um call in Tim. Yep. So, we'll see. We'll see. I I shouldn't say a We need someone to moderate, right? And that's what I mean by chair the meeting. I know. Yep. So yeah, my concern would be yeah, people going over the three minutes and somebody's got to call call that three minutes. Yep. You
get one of those big red timers or just the perception of one board's getting more time than another board or something. I mean great I would love if Tim was available honestly. Yeah. I mean we really want to explore that. We can so there's been soft discussion with
him. Um, if there's a desire of I think all I think I would want like all of the bodies to be comfortable with that or at least all of the chairs to be comfortable with that. But um the chairs have a conversation. Tim is aware that
the meeting is July 8th. Yeah. So we can get clarification on that and see if it's something that we want to do. But I have no issue with it. It might honestly be a good idea. So I think one of the things that when you're chairing a meeting is always difficult is to be engaged in the conversation listening
and moderating the meeting. Exactly. Like personally like I'm going to be honest I don't want to moderate these meetings you know like I want to go I want to listen I want to learn you know I want to participate and if my focus is going to be on you know 3 minutes
exactly um you know moderating a discussion between 17 people you know I'm probably not really going to be able to listen and learn as much so I think there's benefit um in that aspect as well. Will they be recorded? Yes. Yes. Okay. Good.
Okay, I don't remember where I left off because I scrolled down. Um, patience with process. I think that's where I left off. Okay, so three, structure and communication agendas and materials in advance. Meeting agendas will be distributed at least 48 hours in advance to allow for review and informed
discussion. Staff will endeavor to provide supporting documents 48 hours in advance. I want to stop on this one. So, one of the concerns that I've heard um through some of the topics and other boards is staff getting just pummeled with requests and not being able to keep
up. So, I'm trying at least with this kind of information flow to set reasonable expectations that we're going to we're going to try to have everything out 48 hours in advance, but if it might not be possible. And so people need to be accepting that staff on in
all departments is going to be doing a lot of extra work. Absolutely. Do you know how you're going to share the material? And I'll tell you why I bring it up. With the budget task force, I had to get a school well because the superintendent set up a Google Drive using the school's
Google. So I had to get a school email so I could access their Google Drive and that's where we shared all the documents. So, my preference for meeting packets is one zipped PDF that's one packet that gets emailed. Okay. As long as Yeah. We don't have to deal with
drives and full email cuz I know they're separate and it can be hard to get common access for everyone. Yeah, for sure. So, that's fine. Don't want to deal with that. I'm good with email. All right. Great. Defined roles in meetings. A neutral facilitator or rotating chair will
moderate meetings to ensure balanced participation and agenda pro progress. We just talked about that. Clear documentation. Accurate meeting minutes or summaries will be prepared and shared with all members to ensure continuity and accountability. Participation by boards and committees. Participation in
the tribard meetings is voluntary. Any public body may choose to withdraw at any point in time. All right. Four, conflict resolution in decision-making. One, address conflict directly and constructively. Concerns will be raised respectfully during
meetings, not via public forums or social media. Two, disagreement is not disrespect. Honest differences of opinion are essential and will be addressed with professionalism. Five, commitment and accountability, regular attendance and participation.
Members commit to attending each tribard meeting prepared to engage meaningfully. two, accountability to each other and the community. Members are expected to uphold these ground rules and hold each other respectfully accountable when they are not followed. So, we can discuss it a little more. Uh,
if we want to vote to adopt it tonight, we can. Um, so I have a just a comment about attendance. Sure. Um, members commit to attending each tribard meeting prepare. I mean, I suppose you're saying to prepare, but like I know next week I've let you both know there's a chance I might not be able to be there. was
hoping that maybe I could join remotely if I'm not back from my appointment in time, but I don't want to feel like I'm not committed to attending if I unfortunately have a unavoidable conflict. Yeah. I mean, go ahead. I I I think you could add something here to say absence uh some absences are
expected. I mean, I don't want I don't want it to feel like if someone can't attend that they're that they're right, you know, saying that they don't respect the tribe board. Absolutely. I mean, I fully expect that we're not going to have full attendance for every single one of these meetings. And that's okay. We're dealing with 17 people.
Exactly. 17 schedules. We're never going to have What about swapping the word commit to endeavor? I like it. Yep. Sure. Let's do that. But you made me think of a question now. What was we need to have um quorum of each of the
three in order? Oh, to meet even for meeting. So you so the meeting will continue just that board cannot vote. I don't really think that there's going to be a lot of votes here. I think it's gonna be a lot of discussion and really a vote to adjurnn. Um about the only
vote. So that that body could certainly be there. Um they'd have to be careful with any discussion that they had that it could be deliberation. So, I think that I think that if you have a board that's there that doesn't have a quorum,
those members are just going to have to be really like listening as opposed to speaking. Yeah. Okay. That's that's the negative of not having a quorum is that you're really there to listen and maybe ask questions, but you'd have to be careful that you're not discussing a
matter under your jurisdiction. All right. Any other discussion on these ground rules? I would just say just because the next or the first meeting is July 8th, I think we should take action tonight. Yeah, I think so, too. It'll probably save us some time. So, even if it changes. Yeah, of course. Yeah, we can
always vote again. Yep, for sure. All right. Any other discussion on this? All right. Is there a motion to approve the ground rules as modified? So moved. Second. Any additional discussion? Those in favor say I. I. I. Those opposed? No. Motion passes unanimously.
Mr. Mr. Chairman, I will send these out to the other chairs and uh the superintendent and I will explain that we took this vote tonight, but that we're certainly open to tweaks if that if that's the will of the board. Great.
Any other discussion we want to have on this tonight just about the tri board meetings in general? Um okay, so we're meeting next Tuesday. Mhm. at the adult activity center. Um,
is there an I think I saw Finncom posting an agenda for that meeting. Is that going to be or do we have to post our own? We we will have to post our own too. He did a little early cuz he's on vacation. Um, but yeah, we're going to post it this week. There's no public comment. No public comment. So, that is there is no public comment at these.
Mhm. Even though public can attend. Yep. There's no public comment though. This is this we have to get to. We only have what is it six meetings or so and three hours. We really this is a tight schedule as
is. We have to make sure that these are informational and as efficient as possible and obviously you know people are more than welcome to come make a public comment here at finance committee school committee. So there's definitely still an option for people. And who will be attending outside of the boards? Tell
manager superintendent. Yeah. And then um might be meeting dependent as well as and then and any department and and then it after those three it kind of becomes okay who's available. Mhm.
Or not who's available who's on who's on. Right. Yeah. All right. Great. Any other discussion? All right. Moving on. ARPA American Rescue Plan Act update. Okay.
So, I'm going to thank uh Miss Mi for this request because it allowed us to see where we are. So, in the drive, you have a memo for me that kind of goes over or goes over what um projects still have remaining balances and then
attached to that is the initial commitments. So, uh, just in summary, the town received $3,57,970.58 through the American Rescue Plan Act, also known as ARPA. Uh, the board worked fast and furious through December 31st,
2024 to get those funds committed. We sure did. Uh, and approximately 900,000 of them are unspent. Um, as we kind of go through these, I'm just going to highlight, you know, what's the status of some of them, but if you have
questions, just please, if you don't mind just hopping in. So, um, the Turkey Hill uh, Lions Club, they are on track to spend um, but they are they submit invoices like every month. Um, so I'm just going to make sure that they know
the expenditure deadline. Then you're going to see a bunch of the ones like the next one which is $150 remainder for the Boys and Girls Club project. At the end of um 2024, close to the end of 2024, there was some language that came
out um in federal guidance about the ability to almost the way we treat our capital program that if you have an overrun in some areas, you can move it from one project to another.
That's with ARPA. There's only specific um triggers that would allow us to move things. So, if we have if we have projects that had a commitment that we're short on, we may be able to move
some of these little remainder amounts. Otherwise, they may just be gone. So, if something, for example, this one, you know, there must have been an estimate at some point that it's 5600 and there's $150 sitting there. I know. Can they can they just buy, you know, tissues, toilet
paper? No. So, you can't do that, right? So, you can't do that. But computers for coding and digital lit literacy education, if there's something related to that, certainly. Mhm. Well, is there is there also part of the process of if they can't like buy another computer cuz
it's so much money, can they return it and we can re Yes. And that process expired December 31st, 2024. So, that's that. Yes, there was, but we are past that point. So, you're saying that there's like software CDs related to this that maybe are out there probably.
So, we're going to see if we can either move them into different projects that they qualify or if there's some kind of little something that's related uh ambulance. I think there was two IV poles, right, that were purchased. So, you know, is there something related to that that we've already purchased that we can do? So, we'll we'll look or
something. We'll look. Yeah. Two. Exactly. So, we'll look at all that. Um, Brighteyed is another one that um is rolling. I am a little more concerned here um because of the amount remaining that that's a lot of money that they need to get spent. Um pack equipment
upgrades. Um this $4,119 remainder. Um we're going to just see what we purchased that can qualify for this. Um there is $18,500 left. Um, as long as that we have all
the invoices in uh for the municipal building design project. That's the one. So, I don't know how much work the they could do with that. It's not none. I know. But that that I mean that's it's
10% of Great. So, I think that that one we're going to have to put a pin in that until July 17th and see what the thoughts are. Um, so you have some small remainders here for the fire department ambulance.
$1,300, $290, $2,600 for the power stretcher. Um, Turkey Hill fire alarm overrun. Uh, this project is, I believe, uh, supposed to start in August. So, um, that should be
taken care of. The plow trucks, um, have been purchased by the schools. the invoice just isn't processing. Um, I honestly do not know why this 2500 uh is still here. So, I have to find out why there's still just this small
overage for the six wheel and 10 wheel dump truck. Um, there is a huge one of that 900,000. So, 900,000 sounds a sounds like a lot of money still needing to be spent, but here it is. Here's a lot of it. $480,000 are for vehicles, two two um plow trucks
that we ordered back in November. Um I believe they're on on the lot just getting their final upfit. So November of 2023. Yeah. Yes, that's correct. So that is accurate. Um can you remind me what the date is that we have to have this all expended? December 202 uh this
the end of this year. Yeah. So um so I don't have concern about this. Um, and then the sewer manhole covers, uh, we have a contract for that that's going to be completed this summer. So, there's there's a large chunk of the money that has not been spent. Mhm. Uh, tree
removal, $28, uh,,000 uh, to be done this summer. Cement mixer and the uh, memorial garden at the library had small couple hundred remainders. Uh, the teen room. Uh, I need to talk to Mera about
this. I think that if I recall watching some of the old meetings, there was some conversation about the with the board here and the trustees that there was plans for what happened if there was a remainder left over and other projects. So, yeah. Is that sounding familiar? Um,
let's see. Marshall Park. Okay, so there is $13,266 here. This is every single thing that can be applied against ARPA has been applied. So that is real um that they have that left. So uh the conversation
with the parks commission chair is going to be around what can you use that money for with the vendor to get something something that we're going to need anyways whether this project goes to town meeting this year or next probably related to the small project. Can it go
to any kind of improve any regular maintenance upgrades? Oh, because because it would like your I'm so sorry. Can it go to the skate park? No. So, it could all of this could have happened. Yeah. Last year. Yeah.
So, but yet it can move to another project that potentially it has like there's a lot of but it it can move in between these projects, right? I would love from like a totally different project from another department commission. That seems odd to me. But it
it was there's the language is tech like when I read it there's a lot of ifs if if this happens and if this happens and if this happens you can move the money. It may be that we just can't. Mhm. Um all right. Munis consultant and munus uh
web deployment. These there these will be spent. I'm not concerned about either of these. Um, you have some little remainders here from uh historic commission HVAC upgrades and
wire shelfing, $20 and $30. Uh, DPW floors have $411. Uh, the roof replacement, here's a bigger one, $7,700 remaining. That's done. That's Yep. And, uh, the conservation commission
local match for a grant they have, that work is still ongoing. uh cultural council. I'm not sure on this one um if they're still ongoing. So that I need to follow up with. But I do appreciate you bringing this up because it forced me to do this. Well, I mean I appreciate you
know I told you know you Ezie, everyone on the team digging through this because I know it was a whirlwind and you know it was when we had interim town managers. So, um, and I think one of the best things about this is it forced us
to get all our documents all together in one place and we know that there's going to be a single audit on these. So, we're now a little bit more ready for the auditor than we would have been. Um, but can we do a back of the envelope calculation for how much we think we have remaining? Because how much we
think we have remaining? That's real. That That's real. I don't know. Yeah. Back of the envelope. Cuz I'm thinking it's a pretty big number. I don't know. Yep. Give me just a second cuz there's some four and five digit numbers in here.
Are we assuming that municipal building design is going to use their 185? No. No. That could Yeah, the concern is where can we spend that? Yeah, that's that's in the remaining balance, I think. Right. I I keep asking questions of like, oh, can we use it for this? And the answer seems to be no. So, I'm a
little concerned that our options are limited. Well, you can use it on for the contract that you have. So, you can with Taylor and Burns, you can keep using it for that contract. You'd have to reach out to Taylor and Burns to do additional work. Yeah. I think the concern is that's not going to
get you much work. That's the concern that it doesn't get us much. Um I think we're really talking about potential of 150,000. That's all of all these little drips and 7,000 here. It's worse than I thought. But but do you know I don't
know if Brian knows did you get all the invoices from Taylor and burn? Are those closed out? No. So that's that. So we're still processing invoices. Yeah, that will come down. Well, I don't know about that one, but we we are still just in general processing invoices for this fiscal year. I don't I can't speak to
whether Municipal Building Design has submitted all their invoices or not, but there are other ones that invoices are still being processing. Um there's some missing from this list. This is just the ones that have outstanding balances. Okay. Okay. And then the full list is attached behind. Okay. Okay. So all the
the older ones that have been could we transfer money if there's anything applicable to ones that don't have balances? Yeah. So I I that's that's what I need to figure out. So um there's a few things in addition to kind of how to that contingency works that I need to
go over with town council and just get sorted um to see how we take care of that. If it's six digits, it would be I mean if we could just say so if if the language is such that we could say just
for example we put this under contract this being the municipal building design project we with an intent to bring it to town meeting. We did not expect that town meeting was going to reject this and now
right we are facing change circumstances. So, we would like to take this other money, these remainder funds, and apply them. That would be a really nice way to do that, right? And so, that's what I need to figure out if we've got enough of a trigger to do the redesign. That that's the first
question. The next question is what do we do with it? And then, do we have the time to do what we want to do because it has to be done by the end of this. We are five months from the end of the year. I don't know what our contract is with Taylor and Burn. If it's we have to go
out to bid a whole process again, if it's a change order, it it depends on what their scope is or if even if that's where we want to spend the money. It depends on what what their scope's going to be and what what they I don't know. I have I have not had any conversations
with Taylor and Burns and I wouldn't do that until we hear from Oh, no. Yeah. Billings. Yeah. Um but it's sounding like if we have money to spend, our options are things that are on this list. Yes. Yes. That pretty that is this list or
the other list. The full list. The full list. The full list that already spent what they were allocated that zeroed out whatever they were given potentially, right? Yeah. And that I mean I read that language a couple times and I need to I need to ask
somebody else, right? Yeah. Well, um, thank you. But this this is Yeah. something we need to stay on top of. Yep. For sure. Thank you for doing all this. Well, and I thanks to Esie and
Julie and Julie. Okay. I I'm sure that they were not I was not their favorite person over the past couple weeks getting this together. No, it's important though. Make sure we figure all it out. So, thank you. Okay, moving on. discussion on sickly
bank policy. You're still waiting for some feedback, right? Yeah, actually I've gotten the feedback. I just I have not been able to with everything else get back on. That's okay. We'll pick it up. What else? I know. All right. So, we'll pick this up in a couple weeks. Maybe more than that.
No worries. Although, it is going to be part of my ice cream social. I'm forcing you to engage with me about things. You want ice cream. You must answer questions. Perfect. All right. Tax investigation
report. I don't have it. Um, we are going to invite the principal assessor here in two weeks, right? On the 15th. Is that right? Is it 15th or 17th? 15th. 15th. Really? Okay. Yeah. Um, so that would be a good opportunity to have um the finalized um report for us to
review. Uh, but tonight we don't have it. 56 car a seller hold. So, two parts, right? There's the appraisal and then we need to uh finally schedule that sitewalk as well. Um any update on the appraisal? Uh no. Okay.
So, um do we want to go ahead and schedule that or do we want to wait until after the appraisal? Does it really matter? It it doesn't matter. I think you should go ahead and schedule the sitewalk cuz it needs to be Well, unless you don't speak, it needs to be a posted meeting and all that. Right. Right. Um Okay. So, I would assume that
maybe like a weekend would be best for something like this or No, typically. Yeah. Maybe like a Saturday. Saturday, July 5th. No. No. Saturdays are really tough. Really tough. Okay. Yeah.
Um, it's not going to rain. I don't know. Well, maybe um pick a nice rainy day. If we did it during the week, then it's probably going to be even tougher, right? Like I would say Friday, but I don't know if that would work, right? I can't do weekdays. I'm more
free during the summer. Yeah. Um what about the if you did it early evening with while the light is still Yeah, especially this time of year. Really doesn't uh go till like 8 till 9, right? Okay, we could do that um during the evening. Um
what are you interested in seeing this property? I'm going to get eaten by mosquitoes is what I'm thinking. Um, yeah. Friday. Friday, July 4th. We can't do before Friday.
No. No. Friday. Generally. You can't do Fridays generally. Uh, no. Friday is generally not before 5:00 though. Not before. Well, yeah. We probably have to do it after. Would we want to do like Friday at 6 or something like that to
aim for? I think Monday really want to do this on a Friday night. I can normally do a Monday at 6. Monday at 6. How's that? How's Monday? Monday the 7th. Oh, this Monday. Oh, I cannot do I'm in Yeah. No. How about the 14th?
14th. Um, hold on one minute. That would work. I can do the 14th. The 14th. Okay. So, July 14th. Um, I'm still looking. Yep. um at 6. Yeah, I'll meet you there.
Okay. With bug spray and Yeah, you'll be okay. Mr. Mloud might be a little late, but does that work for you? Yep. Okay. 14th 6 p.m. All right. July 14th at 6 p.m. Write it down. Could we do it before our
meeting on the 15th? Um, if we're going to do it at 6 p.m. instead of having to come in two days in a row, we could do that because then we could just post it as one meeting. Well, no, that might be two meetings, but that's fine. Let's do two six on a Tuesday.
Look, if not Monday's fine do it. I'm just thinking instead of I cannot. Okay. All right. So, we'll stick with um Monday, July 14th at 6 p.m. Okay. Minutes. We have two sets of minutes. December 3rd, 2024, December
10th, 2024. Have members had an opportunity to review them? Yes. Yes. Any changes? I had I had one change and I fix it. And you did. All right. It was justing abstain again. You don't have to abstain. Yeah, but I didn't I feel more
comfortable. It's your decision. Okay. All right. Any other um changes here? No, but I did like the attachments in one of the sets of minutes. I thought that was nice. Yeah. All right. I will move to approve the minutes for December 3rd, 2024 and December 10th, 2024. Second. Any
additional discussion? Those in favor say I. I. Those posts, no. The motion passes unanimously. No, you're Oh, my my bad. Any abstensions? I. Okay. The motion passes. Uh 401. Sorry.
Warrants. We don't have any warrants tonight. Action items. Are there any action items? Um, I have a question, not an action item, but you made me think of it when you mentioned the principal assessor will be presenting. Mhm. When are the tax bills? They have to be mailed soon,
right? The Q1, Q2 for cuz they're due August. Is that not Wait, is it August? When is the next June? September. They're due September. September. Yeah. So, we just they were just due June 1st,
right? Need to go on. Let me see if it's on the website if I can get to the right department. Okay. Preliminaries just got mailed out. Okay, that's what
Okay. Okay. And I do remember that they did. Um, so that actually did happen. Um, and so cuz it's been really quiet. I was like, I should be getting a bill soon. Yeah, they got mailed. Okay, good. Um, they should be arriving from Kelly and Ryan for you in your mailbox. August
1st, due date. It is August 1st. Yeah. And no, then the second one is November 1st. We don't have much time. It's July. Um, okay. And then I guess our request to just let us know when sewer mails out their next since the migration to the
cloud how the next billing cycle goes. Yeah. So so far there have not been I know there was some comment um made at the last meeting. There wasn't there hasn't been munis related issues with the new system in the sewer bills so far. They haven't mailed since the migration. Right. The bill hasn't gone
out or No, you're right. They there hasn't right. So the next the next one but but to that other comment that was made yet that's there's not a mun issue with the with the bills but um yes I will let you know when the next bill goes out. Thank you. Thanks.
Any other action items committee reports? Mr. Mloud do you have one? um just a planning board, but I think he covered everything pertinent there. Um I still need some guidance with the MAR
is it and MMO are the two. Sorry, that's my fault. I I'll do it before I leave the building tonight. But you're not missing any meetings, so don't worry. Was that it? Yep. Uh, the board of assessors met June
11th. I was not able to attend or watch. I was away. Um, and I haven't watched the YouTube yet, but I will. Uh, they are also meeting on July 16th is their next meeting. The school committee met on June 18th.
Uh, Dr. Burnham um it was her last meeting. She retired after um 38 years of teaching and education. Uh they talked about the transport transportation forms were already due uh for busing. The offices to Turkey Hill
moved on the June 26th or they were planning to the they're planning to contract services for the finance position for now. Um, it's going to be the same firm but a different person as their last time they had uh contracted
services. And uh it's temporary and Dr. Fortuna, the new superintendent, will be hiring after July 4th. Um they're trying to make the preschool more flexible. Uh they talked about the field trips to DC and nature's classroom being important
for for students to attend, trying to make it affordable. Um they discussed level funding and cuts and level service trying to maintain services. Um they talked about the community preservation act and how that could
potentially help fund Lunberg and uh they talked about the end of the year assessment data. That was it. That's all I had. All right. Um stormwater task force met last Thursday. We had um Nick
Christophori from CI who's our consultant um and has been providing uh guidance on setting up a storm water utility um having a tier structure. So we spent a lot of time discussing the tiers and and the rating rate um or
searchcharge uh schedule. Um we Nick answered a lot of our questions but then we had some more that he's needs to get back to us with some data. um DPW director was on vacation so he wasn't able to attend. Um
so the plan is that we would give an update a presentation to finance committee and select board in the Septemberish time frame and a more um deeper update at the
special town meeting in the fall with the ultimate goal of bringing forward a formal plan by annual town meeting. That is the stretch goal. So, we'll see how that goes because there'll be a lot of outreach and education
that's necessary for that, too. That's it. Economic development committee hasn't met. Um, but the master plan steering committee did have a very productive meeting. Um, both the town manager and the chair um were in attendance. We had a reorganization. Um we did find out that the planning board
was able to permanently reduce the quorum to that committee to five which is really helpful. Um we're trying to get recruit members from the existing makeup of the committee to have some more involvement but at least hopefully we won't have the same quorum issues with the meetings that we've been having
previously. Um the vendor was there and did a bit of a presentation and um it seems that we have some more active engagement with the committee members who we all have some homework that we're doing. Um and we will be meeting regularly as much as
we can as close as we can to the schedule of the second and fourth Wednesday of every month to try to get this master plan done. Great. And I don't have a committee report tonight. All right. Upcoming meetings. We are meeting next Tuesday, July 8th, and that is our first tri board meeting of the
select board, school committee, and finance committee. I'm going to just chime in. I think I said earlier, but there's a good chance I won't be there. Um, does not mean I'm not committed to this process. Um, I have a medical appointment that I'm going to try my best to be back from Boston, but I might not be there. We understand. It's all
right. We might still be talking right up until 10 p.m. No, don't do that. Um and then a regularly scheduled select board meeting the following Tuesday, July 15th, 2025. Public comment. Any public comment from the public,
Mr. Bowen. Hi everyone. Uh John Bowen, 162 Highland Street. I just wanted to uh make some comments uh with regard to your uh condition of your north cemetery. Uh your north cemetery has a number of different uh shrubs and bushes that kind
of like run along the line uh of Homeman Street uh that need to be tied back. That's an expensive cost. There's another expensive cost of replacing the ones that have been damaged by the ice storm three and a half years ago that the town manager came out and actually
viewed because I saw her at the cemetery cuz I live across the street. Um, however, uh, it doesn't seem to be on the agenda of any of your cemetery commission. Now, as you're all aware, I did run for cemetery commission uh, this year. I did not get elected because uh,
uh, the town decided that uh, I was not the suitable candidate. uh to be able to be a commissioner on the cemetery commission. But after reviewing the last cemetery commission meeting, I see it's more of the same. This is a problem that we have here in this community, okay? Of
having more of the same. And I just wanted to make it clear that unless you're going to fix the existing problem, stop talking about the future problems. the existing problems that you have over there on the aesthetics on the
outside of that cemetery are a result of the failure of this town to have the money to do so. I made a proposal to this community of which the select board before it changed its hands with uh um uh with Mr. Leighton and uh Mr. Mloud uh
that a cemetery corporation uh would better benefit the cemetery because there were avenues for which to generate money if money is a problem which obviously clearly listening to tonight's meeting um Miss uh Warren that there are
money problems and in order to correct those money problems we have to think outside the box. I gave you outside the box. You you haven't talked about it. your cemetery commission has not talked about it. You're following along more of the same. You're going to get more of
the same. If you want to do something, you have to step forward. You have to take risks. You have to take, you know, a little bit of a chance, okay, to be able to step outside the box because what you've been doing inside the box and what has been, and I'm going to say
this, quote, customary, okay, hasn't been working for you. So, what we have to do is we have to make changes. And if that's uncomfortable for people, then it's uncomfortable for people. But I'm going to tell you this right now. After watching the last Cemetery Commission meeting, I'm appalled, okay, that
they're still talking and complaining and not doing. And I hope that this board will do something with regard to the failure to take care of our cemeteries in this town. And it has nothing to do with the employees. It has everything to do with your commission.
And that is the platform that I ran on. And I'm gonna tell you right now, you're still All right. Thank you, Mr. Bone, for your public comment. All right. Thank you for your time. You're welcome. Have a good night. And I see no other public. Any public comment from the town manager? No. Any
public comment from the board? No. None. Okay. Well, we will see you all next Tuesday for our first scheduled tri board meeting. I move to enter into executive session and not re-enter open session after exiting executive session
pursuant to MGL chapter 30 section 21 A2 to conduct contract negotiations with non-union personnel. This is for the town manager. You can do both motions together if you can. Yeah. Okay. and to also and I also move to enter into executive session and
not reenter open session after exiting executive session pursuant to MGL chapter 30 section 21A3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body and the chair so declares and this is for the New England police benevolent
association local 353 second any additional discussion this will be a roll call vote mloud I Mr. Mr. Leighton. I Miss Em. Hi, Miss Moore. I and an I for myself. We are now in executive session. Good night, everyone.