All right. Good evening everyone and welcome to tonight's meeting of the Lunenburgg Select Board. Today is Tuesday, April 7th. 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. In accordance with the requirements of the open meeting law, please be advised 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. Just a reminder of the
two photo competitions that the town has going on right now. So the first is the 300th anniversary committee. We are looking for a logo and we're going to be holding a competition for it. Uh the deadline for that is April 24th and if
you have any questions or submissions then you can send them to Chris Sullivan and that's Chris Sullivan lunbergmma.gov. And the other one is our FY25 annual town report photo contest which this board will be voting for and the
deadline for that is April 10th. Also a reminder that the public input meeting for 925 Massav, which is the old gas station in the center of town, uh which the town has owned since 2020. Uh and we're getting ready to put out an RFP
for that. So if you have thoughts on the future of that building, the future of the building can be guided through the RFP process. So uh if you have any feedback, you should attend that meeting. It is Tuesday, April 21st at 6:30 at the library. And finally, just a
reminder that tomorrow morning is the pancake breakfast at the Lunberg Adult Activity Center at 8:00 a.m. Okay. Public comment. Is there any public comment from the board? >> No. >> Any public comment from the public?
Mrs. Lockwood, you okay? All right. Mr. Bowen won. >> Sorry. No. >> She probably has a lot more detail than me. for a change cuz she's like that. She always has detail which is good.
Hi, John Bowen. Uh 162 Highland Street. Uh I'm here tonight to offer a fiscally responsible alternative to a Proposition 2 and a half override. Uh between fiscal year 2023 and 25, Lunberg public schools received significant one-time federal relief
through SR2, SR3, and ARPA funds. These funds were meant for temporary emergency use, not to replace recurring local revenue. Yet, they were used to support ongoing costs like staffing and programs. When those funds expired, the obligations remained, creating predictable pressure on our operating
budget. This is not a sudden crisis. It's the result of choices made over multiple fiscal years without a sustainability plan or voter acknowledgement. Lunenburgg's total assessed property value is approximately 3.3 billion. I'm proposing a one-time
tax adjustment of $189 per thousand of assessed value. This is not a permanent override. It's a targeted one-time correction that would generate roughly 6.2 million in revenue, enough to stabilize operations while we realign spending with sustainable revenue.
Importantly, Lunenberg voters have already authorized investment authority under Mass General laws 203C. This allows the town to manage funds using a diversified portfolio approach with conservative planning assumptions, which would be between 3 to 5% but could be higher depending upon the market, which
has been doing very well lately. That 6.2 million could generate between 185,000 310,000 annually at the 3 to 5%. That's meaningful support during a fiscal transition, even it doesn't fully replace the school budget. This approach allows us to absorb avoidable cost
increases like healthcare, special education, transportation, and contractual obligations without expanding spending. It also avoids locking in permanent tax heights and preserves flexibility. Overrides should be reserved for new initiatives or true emergency, not used as routine fixes for
structural issues. Repeated overrides erode public trust, place long-term burdens on taxpayers. This proposal also aligns with the town's legal authority and planning best practices. It uses existing assessment data and straightforward arithmetic. It's transparent, defensible, and avoids the
procession of crisisdriven decision-making, which has happened here. Finally, I respectfully ask that this select board also apply a randomized method on voting on warrant articles, especially override related ones. Random sequencing prevents vote stacking and ensures fairness. How votes
are conducted matters in transparency builds public trust and this board would be able to this evening with a quorum to be able to vote for that randomization of the award articles. I appreciate your time. >> Thank you. All right, Mrs. Lockwood first.
>> No, he doesn't. I like to do everyone in the room first. >> Oh, my OCD, I guess. >> Anna Lockwood, 91 Main Street. Um so I have a few comments. First um the finance committee has had held its uh
budget hearing for the annual town meeting and to this day the budget nor the warrant is available on the website. So we have already gone through the process where we would expected we would have hoped that you know there we had disseminated some information for the
public to be able to participate and see um but we haven't done it and I know we want to get it perfect but sometimes just throwing a PDF of a spreadsheet there is good enough um my next comment is related to the balance budget um we
all have heard about the fourth shift to the fire department and on the February meeting where the fire chief was presenting during the meeting it became clear then to me that we are
actually adding personnel to the way the fire department is operating now and I'm not against there that I think that's great we have we have created a a fire department that used to be all on call by creating you
know on having staff doing a little by little. I don't think that in a year that we're having so much cuts is the year necessarily to expand. There is less there's about 200 calls that may require that fourth person.
They have a way to handle those and I think that needs to be part of the conversation because we are cutting services that the public receives. We are also adding an assistant town manager on the balance budget while you know pretty much reducing uh the library
budget, reducing the staff of the senior center and pretty much eliminating recreation. And if the balanced budget is the only thing that passes, if you look at the school side, you're going to see that we're going to be eliminating several classroom teachers. It just
doesn't seem that the priority weighs equally to me. Um the problem the main problem that I have with a balanced budget is that it does feel feels to me that it's trying to create some pain to the public in the
ways that they feel by reducing the service that the public actually uses. And I I don't like that. I think that's somewhat intentional. I think we should be we should work to make to try to avoid as much impact to the public as
possible. So it does feel a little bit of trying to strongarm residents into going to the override. So let's talk about the override in Lunberg. The median household income is actually 113. I used to think it was 120 is 113 which
is about the same as the state. So that's the median. That's not the average. What that tells you is that 50% of the households in Lunenburgg make $113,000 or less. It's not an average. It's just the
midway point. And what I I think a problem that we have is that I'm you know it's a good thing but it is a problem for the public is that sometimes people making decisions about what's going on in the ballots, what it doesn't go in the ballot, what is a part of an override
might be people that are living have an income that's greater than 113,000. But we get a number that 50% or more of people are living households have less than that much money. Um I asked repeatedly to have an option
for level services budget. It turns out that the school level service budget to maintain the current structure that they have would be $800,000 only. And but here we are asking for three times that amount of money. And I think that's
strongarmming the residents again. And I think that's an strategic move by the people making decisions which I'm sorry to say to you. um to strongarm residents into adding services, adding personnel. And one thing that I want to say is that
all the cost pressures that I keep hearing about that the government's suffering, so are the people. Everyone is being affected by the same inflation that the town and the schools are. I don't believe that the override, the
choice to not offer a level services is fair to the voters. And I believe that should have been on the table. And what I see the outcome is that you're putting the residents on a position that is either you vote for this override which
is three times the more than our level of services right now or you face chaos and I think that's not fair. So those are my comments and thank you. >> Thank you Mrs. Lockwood. All right, Mr. Jeff on Zoom. Long time no see. I was going to call you Constable Jeff but then I was like nah you probably
wouldn't like that. Well, good to see everyone first of all. Um, it's been a little while and uh, you know, it is it is good to be with you this evening. Um, you know, everything I guess since I'm here as a console in certain ways. Um, you know, working as a
console for the town has been going pretty well. I hoped to, uh, increase the revenue coming into the town, but the requests have been pretty minimal. Uh, so we've done a couple of surveying, a few eviction uh, notifications. Um, but unfortunately I think we've only
generated about $50 in income uh for the day. >> You just you got to do your name and address. Remember that though. >> I am Michael Ray. Jeff, 1170 Massachusetts Avenue. >> Thank you. So this evening, what I want to talk to you about is, you know, over the last
couple of um months really, uh I've been paying attention and uh I want to thank the town manager, uh members of the select board, members of the uh school committee, finance committee, the superintendent, uh for being so forthcoming and
providing information as has been requested. you know, sitting in your seat for many years, uh, I've struggled with, uh, the impact of an override on the community. And I think that as we go into this year, it is very clear that the town uh,
is suffering, uh, in in its ability to continue to provide services for residents uh, and including and especially the school system. Um, and more more money is needed. I think that that the cost drivers are significant
and um I think it's important as we go into this cycle to explore all the ways in which we can support uh the school and support the town. Having said that, you know, I want to echo some of the comments I just heard. Um, you know,
what concerns me as I look into this budget is that I believe that part of the role and responsibility for the town manager and members of the select board is, you know, you enlisting the community and working with you to solve the problems that are in front of you. Uh, there's a need to have a force shift
at the fire department. It is grossly inherently unfair to expect employees to work 72 hours a week um, year on end. Uh it's an unsustainable situation for anyone who wants life-saving treatment uh in their times of need. It needs to
be funded. So ask the voters to fund it. Um you know, unfortunately what this balanced budget does is while adding in $120,000 for the assistant town manager, which I want to comment, you know, Jen and I have had a
wonderful relationship, it's been minimal. I have not been a big actor behind the scenes. Uh, but in the communications and conversations, Jen has been very forthcoming. But I know that Jyn's a new employee and she went through a hiring process in which I think the town was very transparent and
laying out, you know, what the staffing structure was. Certainly in the role of town manager, there's got to be recognitions that we need to have more services. Um, but as a new town manager, I think the town has been really transparent in how we're structured, how we're organized. This balanced budget
provides a new assistant town manager to the tune of $120,000. Um, it adds in that fourth shift that's vitally needed. But what it also does is it cuts four teachers, pair of professionals at the schools. It cuts a recreational director, a part-time
position, 19 hours a week. It cuts the beach coordinator and all those different services as we go into next year. There will be no beach program next year. It cuts the police department clerk. So if you're having that life emergency and show up at the police department, there's no one there to man
the desk for multiple days out of the week. And it cuts the library budget, which we know the library has functioned as a critical critical community center for our community over these past several years. I I I think tonight is
your last opportunity uh to take a hard look. You know, I I understand the job is hard and I really don't want to be the guy who shows up at the 11th hour telling you how you should have, could have, would have did a better job. I I I really don't want to be that guy. So, I'm not going to be that guy. Balancing
a variety of needs is a hard part of the job, but minimizing harm is critical. The taxpayers are providing the town of Lunberg with thousands of dollars out of their paychecks every month to provide basic services for the community.
the impact of re of reducing school summer programs for families that will cost tens of thousands of dollars to households across the town as they look for those child services over the summer. The beach program has a net
impact of the community. I spoke with the current chair of the parks commission of $15,000 a year that is being cut. I think tonight is an opportunity for you as you finalize this budget to come
to the voters and enlist the voters in joining with you and solving the problems that we are facing as a community. Let's keep intact the things that we know we're doing well. We know we can even be doing better, but we know that so many people depend on these
services. And without them, without that tax revenue that funds these services for about $150,000, it's going to cost them significantly more to go without it. I encourage you to come to the voters with a request for
an override that solves the problems the town is facing. Ask for that force shift to get funded. Ask for that assistant town manager position. Ask for more funding for the school department. ask for it and trust that the voters will
make the best decision that they can for our community. These cuts are simply too painful and they do not need to be. Thank you for your time. >> All right. Thank you. Any other public comment on Zoom? Okay. I'm not seeing any. So, we're
going to move on with our agenda. And up first we have the select board appointment of Andrew Gillis as a member of the Architectural Preservation District Commission. So Andrew, I'll invite you up to the podium. Um I did see your meeting that you had with the
APDC, so I got a chance to already hear you speak about your background. Um fully support uh your appointment tonight. You are immensely qualified and you seem to get along with the commission very well. Uh but I will just ask you to introduce yourself, talk about your background and why you're
interested in serving on the APDC. >> Um sure. Yeah, my name is Andrew Gillis uh 37 Arbor Street. Um so I am a licensed structural engineer uh throughout the course of being an engineer, but I think some of my favorite projects have been some
historical projects. I have a bit of experience especially in Cambridge. Um some in New York with uh in Medford, you know, especially with all the uh history and how old some of the buildings are around here. I have experience ranging from 1840s to early 1900s construction.
Um but besides just the professional aspect, I'm I'm passionate about history, especially local history. Um you know, learning as much as I can as a new resident to the area. Um I'm I was previously on the Wuburn Historical Commission for I think threeish three
and a half years. Um and also served on as a member on the Wuburn 250 250th celebration committee uh where we helped to get a um uh commemorate a new plaque at the uh Wuburn battle road commemorating the uh men who marched on
the alarm back in 1775. So, um I I would say that one of the things that was difficult in Wuburn was that they didn't have a historic preservation district and it was a little bit frustrating at times how limited we were and you know being able to kind of preserve some
history. All that we could do was um and you know uh pass a demolition delay. uh being a part of a preservation district and with my passion for the architecture for history and um is something that I would love to uh provide maybe a
slightly different uh different view as a design professional focused a little bit more technical than architectural but still passionate about the architecture. >> Great. All right. Any questions from board members? >> No, I also watched the uh APDC meeting.
I did too. >> I guess we all did. Um >> so no questions. Thank you for for getting involved and volunteering. >> Right. >> Yeah. So I was just checking. So we do already have someone who's the APDC has a couple of like dedicated spots. There's one of them is a design
professional that was taken. So this is just I guess the atlarge one that we would be appointing you to. Um so I just wanted to check uh before we did that. Um but I don't have any questions for you. I think you're going to do a great job. Um, you've already been going to their meetings and they spoke very highly of you. Um, so all right. Is
there a motion to appoint uh Andrew Gillis to the Architectural Preservation District Commission? And I believe this is a term to expire. Is that correct? Here is it June 2026. That's what is listed on the website.
>> Yeah. So, we're in the reappoint cycle right now. So, um, >> if you would So, the terms would stay the same. So, if you wanted to appoint him and then he'll have to reapply right now or we could say through June 2029. It would just be a little bit earlier.
>> Okay. >> But is he is are you going to start serving straight away? >> Uh that was my plan. Yeah. >> Okay. So, it should be through June 2026 and then you'll just have to reapply almost immediately uh for the full term. >> Okay. We do our annual reappoints uh in
June. So, we start getting all of those submissions in um in the next few weeks. Um, so I know we're just now appointing you, but you are going to have to apply to be reappointed. Um, and then, uh, normally with reappoints, we don't always have you come in to do another
interview. Um, so it should be automatic. Um, but maybe, uh, we will request for the APDC if there's, let's say, more people um, seeking to be appointed than there are vacancies, and sometimes we will, but um, so I think we
can just do a term to expire June 2026, then you'll just have to reapply. Sure. >> Okay. So, is there a motion to appoint Andrew Gillis as a member of the Architectural Preservation District Commission term to expire June 2026? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> A second. Sorry.
>> All right. Any any additional discussion? >> All those in favor say I. >> I. I. Those opposed, no. >> The motion passes unanimously. All right. Congratulations. Um, make sure you go get sworn in at the town clerk. Um, do you know where our office is downstairs? I don't. Okay. So, when you walk in the building, it's the first
office right on the left. >> Uh, so if you come in anytime during the day, she should be able to uh swear you in. And I know you're already in contact with the chair, so I don't know when their next meeting is. I know they they have one sometime this month, but you're probably already tracking that, right? >> Yep. Yeah, I think it was pushed off a week.
>> All right. Fantastic. Well, it was great meeting you. Thank you for wanting to volunteer and hope you have a good night. >> Great. Thank you. >> Take care. >> So, quick question because this came up um at PinCom last night when it says June. Is there a date in June? >> Uh, it's the end of June. >> June 30. >> Yeah. Okay.
>> Okay. >> Okay. All right. Up next, ratification of the town manager's appointment of Exatian Fowler as seasonal cemetery laborer effective April 13th, 2026. >> Do you want to do them both together? >> Yeah. So, these are both seasonal
cemetery laborers. Okay. So, both of them are seasonal cemetery laborers and the second one is James Versah. So, uh, this will be Exxaton's second season with us. We're excited to have him back and James's third season with us. So, it's great when we have these folks that
know the out >> outline of our cemeteries and and how that goes. So, we're thrilled to have them both back. >> Any questions? Is there a motion to ratify the town manager's appointments of Exatian Fowler and James Versat as seasonal cemetery laborers effective
April 13, 2026? So moved. >> Second. >> Any additional discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed, no. Motion passes unanimously. >> All right. And up next, acknowledgement of the resignation of Kennedy Jackson, the police executive assistant,
effective May 15, 2026. >> So, unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, we do have uh the resignation of Kennedy who did start um in his administrative assistant with the police department and worked herself up to the police executive assistant position. Uh she is
moving down south to the Carolas. So >> Oh, well, good for her. >> Good for her. Sorry for us. >> I know. Yeah. Uh it's too bad that Kennedy's leaving us. Um but I hope everything goes well for her down south. >> Okay. Town manager report.
>> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a brief report tonight. Uh 9:25 Massav update. Uh so the town received uh $4,500 or through MRPC's Brownfield steering committee, the town um is receiving $4,500 in funding support to
re-engage Beta Group, who did the environmental work on 925 previously. Um they're going to be providing a recommended cleanup strate strategy with the estimated costs associated with that cleanup strategy and potential funding sources. This will just help round out the RFP a little bit better. We're
expecting that report at the end of this week. And while we did have an appraisal previously on the property, that appraisal did not consider the environmental conditions and determining the highest and best use. So, um, we have engaged with another appraiser, um,
who does have experience appraising properties that have contamination, uh, and they are going to be providing a new appraisal of highest and best use once we have that environmental feedback. Um, and lastly, there's been a public forum, as the chair mentioned, scheduled for
April 21st at 6:30 p.m. at the Lunberg Public Library. Um, the purpose of this public forum is not to necessarily say which particular BR business folks are interested in, but the types of uses that folks are interested in. I did see
a little bit of discussion on social media, folks wondering how we were going to really steer that. And it's it's through the development that the board um creates of the RFP and what based on that feedback what you're looking to have um be a preferred type of use at
the site. So that's again on April 21st at 6:30 at the library. The FY25 audit is underway with our new auditor CBS and staff from CBS was on site um to conduct some of the physical part of the audit last week.
Uh teen center the facilities director and I met with leadership at the teen center last week to discuss the closure of the TC Pacios building. The teen center relies heavily on the use of the gymnasium for their program. Um especially when it's rainy or in the
winter months. Um so they are discussing several temporary options um such as a tent or an athletic dome. Um and they're just to keep the kids out of the elements in the winter. They said the kids don't really care too much about the temperature so much. Um but if if
that becomes a little bit more firm um they might be before this board to talk about some space for this temporary structure. Uh the Flatill Road Bridge IFBB uh has been completed with updated costs and
engineering and that is available as of 10:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. Bids will be due on that May 14th at 12 pm. Uh the adult activity center and teen center flooring IFB has also been prepared and will be released tomorrow morning
available at 10:00 a.m. This project is for the removal of the floor coverings and uh both the adult activity center and teen center and installation of uh both uh vinyl tile and uh carpeting in both of those buildings. Those projects
were both funded under the FY26 capital plan. $41,000 for the adult activity center and $35,000 for the teen center. Bids are due on May 6 at 10 a.m. For recruitments, uh the staff librarian position, the young adult librarian
position is on hold due to the budget. We still have the 9-hour a week dietary aid position, the executive assistant to the police department at 40 hours per week, and the outreach coordinator at 36 hours per week. >> All right. Thank you. Any questions for
the town manager? Okay. So, moving on to new business. All right. So, the first is a request of the treasurer collector to author an advocacy letter to the state delegation regarding legislation to eliminate marking system as enforcement mechanism
for collecting excise taxes and parking citations. Uh so, I'm going to read the letter. Um but basically uh upfront there is a bill being advanced at the state house right now called an act to increase opportunity by ending debt
based driving restrictions. Um and with that it is moving to a system where people um who have outstanding uh debt they are able to uh renew their registration or their license. Um, so
right now I've learned uh we have a marking system that allows our treasurer collector to um mark to the RMV that someone hasn't paid their debt and when their renewal comes up um they are not
allowed to renew until they pay that and then they are then able to remove that flag um and the renewal can then go through. So, I'll just go ahead and read it. Regarding S2874, an act to increase opportunity by ending debt-based driving
restrictions to the legislative delegation of the town of Lunberg. Please accept this written testimony on behalf of the Lunberg Select Board regarding an act to increase opportunity by ending debt based driving restrictions. We respectfully urge you to vote against the provisions of the legislation that would eliminate debt
based driver's license suspensions related to non-payment of motor vehicle excise taxes. While we appreciate the intent of the bill bill, we believe it would result in significant and material unintended consequences for municipalities across the Commonwealth. Motor vehicle excise taxes are among the
largest sources of local receipts for communities and the registry of motor vehicles hold for non-payment of motor vehicle excise tax is currently the only effective enforcement mechanism available to municipalities to ensure collection. Even with this enforcement tool in place, excise tax collection
rates in the year of billing are already substantially lower than those of other local taxes. Without a comparable mechanism, collection rates are likely to decline further, resulting in unavoidable increases in property taxes. Aside from income and sales taxes, the motor vehicle excise tax is one of the
few taxes that impacts residents regardless of property ownership. It is often the only local tax paid by both renters and property owners. Currently, many taxpayers only pay outstanding excise bills when a registry hold affects their ability to register a vehicle or renew a license. Removal of
this enforcement tool will significantly impair municipalities ability to collect these taxes. By way of example, Lunberg's 2025 motor vehicle excise tax collection rate is currently 94.11% representing approximately 2 million in
revenue. The 6% not collected equates to roughly 138,000 and I'm not reading the full numbers here, 138,000. Under current law, this amount is expected to be recovered in future years through registry holds which can be released by the town within 24 hours of payment. If
this enforcement mechanism were eliminated, there would be no clear expectation of recovery, and taxpayers tend to just pick and choose the one they need to be released, leaving the previous taxes unpaid and uncollected. As a result, municipalities would be required to increase overlay reserves to
cover the shortfall, doubling the tax impact. At a time when housing affordability is a pressing concern and a key priority of this administration, this legislation would exacerbate existing challenges. The loss of an effective forcement tool would negatively impact property owners and businesses through increased property
taxes, as well as renters who would likely experience these costs passed on through higher rents. Alternative enforcement methods available to municipalities, including collection agencies and credit reporting, would impose additional administrative burdens and costs, creating further financial hardship for both communities and
taxpayers. For these reasons, we respectfully ask for your support in striking any changes to section 2A of chapter 60A of the Massachusetts General Laws. Preserving this enforcement mechanism is essential to maintaining municipal fiscal stability and avoiding further impacts on housing affordability. Thank you for your
consideration for your continued service to the residents of the town of Lunberg and the Commonwealth. So, we do have Mileen, our treasure collector, here via Zoom uh to answer questions or to provide more information if she would like. Um, I will say from the onset, um,
I did quite a bit of research over the weekend and my leen I regret to inform you, uh, that I actually support this bill. Um, so I will vote to send it if we are so inclined. Uh, but personally, I I won't be signing it. Um, so Mileen,
is there anything else that you want to add um any more background information uh to the request since you're here or are you just do you just want to take questions? Um um I just want to add that if um if
this bill will be passed um it will take a year I think for the town to collect the revenue unlike right now it's part of the cash flow of the town 2 million and something it really helps the town
you know so if this bill pass um we will wait for the do to give that revenue to the Yeah. >> And um just like I said in the letter, it will eliminate the authority to the
for the tax collector for the rent nonrenewal authority and order the uh parking ticket. So for me thinking as a tax collector, it will create an impact on the cash flow of the town. >> Okay. Thank you, Mileen. Any questions?
No, I just think it's a little bit ironic that they're also pushing the municipal empowerment act that will allow towns to raise the excise tax. And it just really boils down to the consistent problem that we're, you know, experiencing not only here in Lunberg but across the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts is a question of affordability. And they consistently seem to come up with band-aid approaches to an underlying problem. So the the underlying problem here is affordability and if the if the state was a good partner and provided us with adequate
funding for our priorities in interests here in town that that these issues uh would would take care of themsel. But it's it's another example of a a a problem that you know created by government that makes the problem
they're trying to solve worse. you know, they create it to begin with and their solution makes it worse. So, people who don't pay their taxes, the burden goes on to to those who do pay pay taxes because as soon as this the the uh the town is denied a payment
of taxes. It's not like they absorb that loss. They they pass it on to every other resident. >> So, I am going to respond to that, but first, I'm going to orient Brian to what he's walking in on. Um he was at work late. Uh so, that's why he's coming in late. uh he didn't just randomly show
up. He was um at a work commitment. Uh so Brian, we're under new business and we're talking about the treasur collector's um request uh regarding uh that bill. Um so my understanding of the bill is that it does provide an alternative which I actually kind of
like. Um so first of all, I'm just going to say I don't believe that anyone should lose their registration or their license effectively because they're poor, right? it then makes it harder to get to work which makes it even harder to financially be able to pay these things. Um right now what happens is
most people don't pay and then when they go to renew they realize oh I need to pay whatever it is that is late and they have to pay it as a lump sum. But under this bill, it's my understanding that it's being moved towards um an early
incomebased payment plan, which in my opinion, if it works properly, might actually lead to more sustainable revenue sources. So, that's just my take on it. Um, you know, as I was reading through the bill and understanding the alternative here, um, I, like I said, I
was trying to get to a yes, but once I sort of understood, uh, what the alternative is, it it made it kind of hard because I just think it's a little more preferable. So, Mileen, could you comment on the alternative approach that's that's in the bill as far as enforcement and
collection? So um for my understanding in this one, I know that um there might a pos there might be a possibility that they can just pick and choose what they want to
renew leaving the rest of because I see it happens um with when taxpayer come forward to us and try to renew their license and they just want to renew like which one they want to renew and uh not wanting to pay
the rest of the bill that is under their name. With this marking system in place, in order for us to release them to the registry of motor vehicle, we have to collect every excise delinquency
before we can release the uh um the renewal of registration or you know licenses or parking tickets. Um for my understanding with this new pending legislation, it will give uh it
will kind of like will not have with we we will it will have a im uh immediate revenue loss, long-term harm to excise collection. is going to be going to be the same as property tax collection where it was so
hard for the town to collect those property ex uh property taxes right now for the businesses you know >> uh and funding mechanism for existing services. So it will create an impact similar to
personal property tax. right now personal property tax we cannot tax them over the registry of motor vehicle even though they have real estate taxes. So those are the type of revenue loss for the town. Whereas right now with this current marketing system we can collect
excise tax for all delinquent taxes before they can renew their uh their license or parking tickets you know. So it's it's a a mechanism or it's a tool that the town that it will help the town
to collect every delinquency for excise taxes. So I guess in terms of process currently you there's a a mechanism to notify the RMV when excise taxes is delinquent under this bill. How would
that communication, how would RMV even know that someone was delinquent and paying their excise tax? So, um there's a st um um after the original bill was be sent after the 30
days of first notice, there will be a 14 days demand notice. Uh after the 14 days demand uh demand notice there will be another 30 days of first service of warrant and then after
that there's another 30 days notice for all the delinquent taxpayer to come forward to pay their excise taxes and then there will be a final notice um uh that will be sent for them for 14 days.
After that they will be sent to the RV to be marked over the registry. >> Okay. So more notification from your office to the individ and also specifically from the RMV. So my reading of it this bill would mandate
that the registry of motor vehicles electronically notifies drivers about unpaid assessments which I don't believe happens now at least I've never received one. I think part of the question is how does the motor how do they talk to each other? >> We're going to have to be notified.
>> We're going to have to be right. >> No. Under the current system, are we required to mark the non-payment? >> Is it up to us? If someone does not pay their excise tax, can we not mark it, not report it as unpaid to the registry?
>> I'd ask that to my lean. Um there's some um so right now after those uh notices will be sent we have the ability to mark them in the RV and there's some there's certain circumstances that they the our deputy
collector who's working for the town that they cannot mark some there's some restrictions some other um I forgot which one it is section five that there's some other that they cannot
mark. It depends on uh some circumstances but most of the time most of the motor vehicle will be marked after the final notice was sent. That's when this is where we can collect we they can re renew until we collect those
excise tax. >> Yeah. If we could keep if it were up to us if I would I would prefer to keep the current system and not report people that don't pay. >> Well, I mean, doesn't >> then what does the current system do?
>> It gives us the option eventually >> that kind of sounds like >> I feel like defeats the purpose. Yeah. Of keeping it, right? right? If you're just not even going to use it in the case where it's really the most effective collection tool that we have, like I'm not disagreeing with that. Um Brian, I know you kind of just walked in
to the middle of this discussion. Do you have any opinions on this? >> Uh I do. Uh my thought is I want to support our employees and I would uh support our employees with signing the letter. >> Okay, that's fair. So I may be the only
one not wanting to sign this. um you know it's a balance and I think it was kind of spoken to earlier by some public commenters although I disagree with them in in their opinions um but it's kind of the same thing right it's a balance supporting the operational needs of a
government and the needs and services that residents and citizens get um and I personally just can't get past the idea that people get their license and their registration taken away because they can't pay for fees. Um, and
I think, you know, the alternative here instead of the the marking system moving to incomebased payment plans, I like that. Um, so I just, you know, the more I read the bill, the more I I realized that I supported it and I just wouldn't be able to sign on to it. Um, but I'll
vote to send it. Um, I just won't sign it myself. So, thank you, Mileen. Um, I know maybe I'm giving you an answer that you didn't want to hear. Um, but it's challenging to get five people to agree to something. Uh, and in this case, personally, I just couldn't get there,
but more than willing to send the letter anyway. All right. Any other >> And I may just add my I >> Yes. And I just want to make add to something because, you know, um, we can always do a payment agreement when somebody needs in in in the in a
circumstances like that. We I can a tax collector can always do a payment agreement. Um so what I did it before one time and then it will unmark uh a a taxpayer to renew their license
uh with a payment tax agreement in place on monthly basis until they can able to pay it. >> Then once they default it to their payment agreement that's when it they will be marked again. So there's there's a thing that we can put in place for a
tax fair in in the very difficult circumstances to be able to renew. So you can control not just the marking but the unmarking as well. >> Right. Okay. >> All right. >> That makes me feel better.
>> All right. Thank you very much, Mileen. And thank you for joining us tonight as well to answer these questions. Okay. Any additional any additional discussion or is there a motion to um approve the sending of the bill drafted by the
treasur collector? >> Um I will make a motion to send the letter >> as um as read tonight. >> All right. Thank you. >> Second. >> There is one edit issue. >> No, there's a there's a verb tense issue. Okay. >> Um,
it is on page two, the paragraph that starts by way of example and uh I don't know if you're in the document and you can see where I highlighted the release to be released. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Uh, choose the one they I don't know if
it's just needed to be released or just need to be released. >> I have to read the whole sentence, but >> so they just >> You got it. They need to be released. >> They >> They need Yeah. And then
>> And then there's a little space right here for fix and stuff. >> Oh, yeah. After that paragraph. >> Oh, okay. >> And make release past tense. >> Mhm. >> What?
Past sugar. >> Okay. Okay. Was there anything else you noticed? >> Yeah, down here Rene. >> No, the space above. Is that where you're headed? >> Yeah, she's going to >> It's fun watching cursors move.
>> Yeah, live editing. Okay. Um, any additional discussion? All those in favor say I. I. >> I. Those opposed, no. Motion passes unanimously. Okay, up next we have I believe it's the
town election warrant. Yep. Approval of the May 16th, 2026 annual town election warrant. Um so we do have the printouts here. We're going to have to sign them tonight. I think it's okay if we sign them after the meeting. Um any discussion on this? We did discuss it
last week. Um seemed like we were good with the language. >> So it's the two questions. >> Mhm. There it is. >> And I assume town council. >> Yes. >> Okay.
>> All right. If there's no other questions, is there a motion to >> The only thing I would add, I don't know if it it's relevant, but somewhat. The school committee voted to co-sponsor the warrant article. They did not vote whether to >> Okay. Yep. So, this is for the election warrant. Um, so it's separate. It is
included in the booklet. Um, which we're also going to review tonight. Um, but these get posted, I believe it's five locations around town, uh, something like that. Um, so it's completely separate from everything that we vote on at town meeting. It's just the, um,
warrant for the annual town election itself. Um, so that's why it has all the vacancies here that are going to be on the ballot and uh the two override questions. >> I'm good. >> Good. >> Okay. Is there a motion to approve the
annual town election warrant for May 16th, 2026? >> So moved. >> Any additional discussion? >> All those in favor say I. >> I. Those opposed? No. The motion passes unanimously. Okay. So, like I said, there's like five copies. We'll just
have to sign them. Um since there's five of them, we can just do it after the meeting. Okay. And then up next we have um two of the same sort of idea here. So we have a vote to Oh, actually no, we don't. So up
next is discuss town manager review process and timeline. Um, so I reached out to the town manager and I posed the question if she wanted to um do the review process after town meeting with everything that was going on. Um, I
believe that conversation was uh, yeah, not really. It's okay if we still do it now. Uh, which was fine with me. I didn't feel strongly, but I felt the need to ask that. Um, so I wanted to bring this forward so we could have that discussion as well and also just talk about the timeline too so that it's on
everyone's radar. Um, so first are we all okay with sticking to the timeline uh that we have the normal timeline? >> What is the normal timeline? >> So the town manager has to do her self-ealuation by April 15th. Um, and then we have to finish the process
before the town election and that's pretty much it. >> Mhm. Unless >> So we have we have about a month, but you have a week. >> Yeah, I have a I have a week, >> which she says is okay. We just need to make the decision now so she can start working on it. But she
>> Right. I'm not going to speak for you. Right. >> Mhm. >> I'm fine either way, but I don't I do want to set a date. I don't if we do move it, I don't want to leave it open-ended. >> Just want to set a date. >> Yeah, for sure. >> But I am a little worried about having a week knowing what the past week, month,
>> six months have been like. >> Mhm. Well, I think we could always check in, right? And if you're not able to get it done, then we can have the discussion again. Um, >> well, we're not we don't have another check-in point yet, >> do we? Oh, >> it's due next Wednesday. So, my my
selfie eval to you would be due next Wednesday. >> Um, and then your evaluation you would have to complete, if you were going to keep on a normal meeting schedule, you'd need to complete no later than May 12th. >> Mh.
I meant if you weren't able to get that evaluation done though, we could >> oh >> discuss that next week and then decide if we wanted to >> push it back. >> I see what you mean. >> Yeah, >> I see what you mean. >> Right. >> Leave it on for the next agenda. >> Yeah.
>> So the board either way. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. I'm flexible. Whatever works for the town manager. >> All right. So it sounds like we can stick to our timeline here. Um so after the town manager does her evaluation um we'll get that to review and then uh we'll also individually do our
evaluations too. Um so we should probably just also come up with a deadline for that too. Maybe tonight. Let's see. Do we think by the end of the month that gives us around two weeks?
We can just aim for that because then we'll have two weeks after that to finish the compiling sharing it as well. So I think it would have to be by that last week of April. So that makes the most sense to me. >> Right before town meeting.
>> Yeah. Okay. Well, I think that really just has to be the timeline. Um >> I think it's doable. That's the deadline for submissions back >> back to me. >> Back to you >> because then I would need time to compile and everything. That would give us two weeks after that,
>> which I think that's fine. >> Mhm. >> Okay. So, sounds like that's a plan and we don't need any votes or anything like that. Uh so, if you feel like there's an issue with that
self-evaluation, then we can bring it up again next week. But, uh, it sounds like we're just going to stick to the normal, uh, timeline and process. Okay. All right. Up next, vote to wave selected requirements for special event application. Um, so we're going to do
this twice. The first is for the Girl Scouts family picnic and bridging ceremony, and the second is for the Lions Cruise Night. Um, so since we're still working on reddrafting the special event policy, uh, it was pretty clear that the intent of the board was to
streamline it and make it a lot easier for applicants. Um, we haven't gotten to finishing that yet because of the budget in town meeting. Um, but we do have these applications here. Um, so I wanted to uh request that the board um wave
some of the more burdensome requirements of the policy um like the printed uh notice for a public hearing uh the notice to a butters and also the um insurance uh certificate requirement as well. And anything else that members of
the board maybe want to wave? Um just opening that up for discussion. >> And Mr. Mr. Chairman, as members consider it, my understanding is that at least I I'm not sure if the Girl Scout event is annual, >> but at least for the Lions cruise night that while the special event policy has
been in place, there was no they they did not >> go through the process. So, this would be an added step this year. the way I look at it because I I have also heard that about other annual events. Um we
have waved requirements although not officially and I don't think it ever really made it to the board cuz I didn't know that until I was told that by an applicant. So FYI. >> So one question I had was I think the
Lions Club it's it's at TCP like at the >> driveway over there. Yeah. Um, so there's really no butters I think to to be concerned about. Where's the other Girl Scout picnic? Are there a Butters that would is that also at TCP the Girl
Scout picnic? Do you recall? I think it is because I remember asking if there was a conflict with the agricultural um farmers market. So, hold on. I think it is at TCP. Yes, TCP.
>> Okay, >> I'm okay waving. I saw I looked ahead. Um I saw there were public hearings posted in the coming weeks >> and I think for these anyway. >> All right. Anyone else? Anyone opposed to waving those burdensome requirements?
>> Okay. Is there a motion to wave the following requirements of our special event policy for the applications for the Lion's Cruise Night and the Girl Scouts family picnic and bridging ceremony, the printed publication
notification for the public hearing, um the notice to a butters, and the certificate of insurance. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any additional discussion? All those in favor say I. I. >> I. Those opposed? No. The motion passes
unanimously. All right. And last is review annual town meeting booklet. Um so it was sent to us earlier today uh to the town manager. Is there anything you want to highlight or talk to that's in there? >> Sure. So this this booklet cannot be
finalized until after some of your votes tonight. >> Um so we have the election warrant. We have the letter from the chair about uh volunteerism. I included a letter uh from myself uh
highlighting about the taring of the override and kind of the structure and so folks can have a little bit of understanding of how it works. Um and then there is a draft of finance committee report. Um once we number the
articles those changes will need to be incorporated. And I believe the chair had a few more tweaks that he was working on for this. The warrant will need to be inserted with the index of articles ahead of it. Uh you have the ground rules from the
moderator. Uh I heard the feedback that the budget last year was too dark in the booklet. So I physically too dark. I lightened it up. Um, and so the budget shows FY24 expand
expended, FY25 budgeted, FY25 actuals, FY26 budgeted, FY27 balanced, tier 1 and tier 2 are all shown um by kind of um the general categories
uh public safety and the like. Um and then there is the revenue expenditure balance sheet. Uh and then a couple inserts that will be specific to certain articles. The uh
new uh pay plan for the SAP. a summary of the sewer enterprise and the pack enterprise and our mailer that goes out uh for compliance with MS4 about uh
greenscaping your guide your lawn. >> I was wondering why that >> so that's in there because by mailing by including it here we meet a requirement by mailing a piece of literature to each and every household. >> Okay, that's really funny. Yeah, I was wondering why that was in >> and so this needs to be to the printer tomorrow. Okay.
>> At some point. >> Yeah. >> Um >> that was my next question. That's what I thought. I thought it was April 8th. So it is >> we have a quick turn. So what um is still being worked on. Um I caught some of that. So the finance committee report. >> So the finance committee report um I
know that we need to update right now there's article XX and article XY. Okay. >> So after right numbering I don't know if they have any more substantive changes. I take their report as it comes. >> Yeah. um and the warrant. >> Mhm. >> And um I don't know if anybody had any
feedback on the letter that I put together. I know I sent you one thing. >> Yeah. You some grammar corrections, >> right? No, it wasn't grammar. No. >> Um and then just really the the numbering of the articles, >> okay,
>> and ordering of the articles, but other there won't be any changes to the budget unless the board >> has some conversation about that. Um or the really any of the other attachments other than lettering. It's in pretty good shape actually. >> Yeah. All right. Any discussion? Any
questions on the booklet? I >> I think in the uh finance committee section where they talk about the the uh fourth shift, the prediums. I think that that bulleted paragraph is still a bit confusing. >> So yeah, we >> that is for the finance committee. This
is they they voted on their report. I'm not going to make any edits to their report. >> Right. Um, I do believe that they took a vote last night giving um, Jean and Chris authority to continue to finesse it, but however substance, >> however it comes is how it will come
because it was voted upon. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. It's not our lane to make changes to the finance committee report. >> Um, >> so will the book be available online once you send
it to? Okay. I thought so. I just wanted people to be aware they can access it then you don't have to wait for once we're done the book the PDF version will go online. >> So I think the finance committee was going to work with you just to make sure there weren't any problems with the book.
>> So the finance committee in advance of their meeting last night and had us check their numbers. >> Yeah. I'm just wondering if you could if you review with them if you went over that article u the par paragraph about the pdium shift if there was anything I want to get
>> respectfully I don't I don't feel it's my role >> I don't feel it's my role they they had two meetings where they discussed this as a committee and they voted and if if the chair is looking for my feedback I'm happy to provide it but I don't feel it's my role to insert myself
>> I was just I just watching the meeting I saw that the two of them were going to work with you on any issues with the with the report. So that's fine. >> Okay. All right. Any other discussion on anything in the booklet?
>> Nope. >> Okay. So we do normally vote on it. So I think we can just do a motion um you know including any changes including the um uh warrant and finance committee
report. Uh, so is there a motion to approve the town meeting booklet as presented? Um, allowing for changes to the finance committee report and the inclusion of the warrant. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. Any additional discussion?
Those in favor say I. >> I. Those opposed, no. The motion passes unanimously. All right. So that's all the new business. Moving on to old business discussion and potential votes to recommend approval of annual town meeting articles. So we just have a few
of them and I am just going to refer to this because it's a lot easier. Uh so okay the first one is the omnibus budget and that is article L I believe it is. Yes. >> Um so I'm also going to pull up the
warrant here. Give me a second. >> While you're pulling that up, um a couple of things that came up last night at the finance committee meeting. Um they asked if in the summary of articles
L and M a comment could be added to um alert people that they can refer to the finance committee's report in the booklet because a lot of times people just flip through and they have a very long report. So I changed the summary since um
>> since that comment >> um for both L&M that the first paragraph >> of both of them says the proposed draft of the FY27 omnibus budget together with the drafts of tier 1 and tier 2 budgets are included in this book following the warrant. >> Please also refer to the town and school
budget sites as well as the finance committee report for additional um information or additional details. So I put that on both. Will you have a page number for the report in the book maybe or something? Because >> Oh, I can You're mixing I can add the page number. Sure.
>> You know, websites and the report is actually physically in the book. People just >> Mhm. >> A lot of people just go right to the articles. >> Yep. Not a problem. >> Thanks. So, that's where L and M just copy paste. Thanks. >> Because they their report is um very
detailed and thorough. I think it's I think it's helpful. I I thought it was a pretty good report. >> Um >> Okay. Um any other >> Sorry. Go ahead. >> Well, the other the other change um as you're just kind of discussing things
more generally. >> Um so on the PEG >> or PAC operating budget, >> the operating budget and the capital budget were combined into one article.
Um, so one of the things that uh PAC is seeking to do this year is to replace the cast system. It's the equipment that allows meetings like this to be broadcast over your television. Um, and on the airwaves and it's basically the
server. Um, they were planning to replace that in FY27. However, it's about $77,000. However, um in speaking to the vendor, there is going to be potentially a up to 15% price increase as of July 1st. So,
the pack director had requested it. It was there any way that we could get uh the funding authorized immediately at town meeting and certainly it would be to approve this as a FY26 capital project as opposed to FY27. in
presenting that to Adam Town council um he said well then we should we should really break this up into two articles so it's not confusing for the voters then so FY27 operating budget is currently as X and the capital budget is
as X1 uh right now uh I did share that with the chair of finance committee in advance of their meeting as I understand that was shared with the finance committee as well and that their recommendation would hold it's just really breaking that one article into two. >> Okay, understood.
All right, so anything else on L? >> I'm sorry. I I thought we were talking generally. I didn't know. >> We would have gotten there anyway. That's fine. Um >> uh l uh members uh should have seen that
in applying the actual enterprise um budgets to the omnibus budget uh that we had a small surplus once once that was done. So there was a small revenue surplus of $41,39820.
Um I discussed that with the superintendent. I am going to uh recommend that we pay the bills of the prior fiscal year from from the excess and then the full 41,390 that it's left to the school department. And so I have
I have uh informed the school department of that. Um and it does change our overall number slightly. >> It's and to be clear, this isn't we didn't find any money. There wasn't any missing many missing missing. This was
when we take the actual enterprise fund costs and their indirect costs and apply them into the operating budget. There was a we had that number had been estimated all along. Um and now it's no longer an estimate. >> Yep. >> Okay. All right. So, I'm not hearing any other discussion on this article. Is
there a motion to recommend approval >> on article L? >> Yes. Um I you know echoing some of the comments made earlier. Is there any appetite to um revisit the line items in there like specifically the assistant town manager? Um you know there is still
a lot to work with in there. >> So I'll just say this. We had hours of budget workshops uh several budget workshops. That was the opportunity for all of us to go. We literally did we went through line by line. We had discussions and we have the final
product that we have now from from the result of a collaborative process that we all engaged in. So I look there are things that I don't like about it either but I understand that I am a member of a team here and I'm willing to move forward with the results the product
that we ended up with. So no I don't think we can just change the budget completely tonight when it needs to go out to the printers tomorrow. I don't think we have the time to do that at this point. So, that's where I'm at. >> I agree with the previous speaker.
>> Yeah, I agree. And I I think it's also not accurate to say that there's $120,000 being added to the balance budget to fund the assistance town manager because, correct me if I'm wrong, but half of that was coming was offset by another
>> I'll tell you exactly how much of a reduction there was. as well as the fires perdm being reduced. It's not what they have today. I think that that's part of the part of the confusion though is is the you know the fourth shift where that initially
was presented that it like that the the example I would use if if we uh instituted the fourth shift today under the the 2026 budget and simply instituted the fourth shift there would
have no impact on the emergency response. In fact, it would be beneficial because it it addresses fundamental quality of life issues for the firefighters as well as lowering their
uh work shift from 48 hours to 42 hours. So, if we strictly instituted the fourth shift, there would be no impact on the emergency response specifically to the ambulance. There's a lot of confusion that comes from the the uh inclusion of
the the pertdium then being redistributed to use for the second ambulance. So it's confusing where it seems like the the information is that there's a cut to the public ser public
safety but the cut is to proposed level of service. If we strictly instituted the fourth shift, the fourth shift alone, there is no impact on emergency services. >> Well, there is by including it in the
operating budget because there one of the cuts, the many cuts across several departments to get the fourth shift in was that PDUM coverage. >> Well, the PDUM coverage that was replaced by the fourth shift,
>> right? And then the predium coverage was going to be rerouted so that there were four people so that we could fully staff the two ambulances two needs. >> So that's a cut to proposed increased service. >> It's a cut to
what we're calling level services but isn't really adequate or fair for our staffing right now and it's a serious need that needs to be addressed. So moving the pdeium from Sundays throughout the week to do the two staffed ambulances is an increased level
of service which I like. Don't get me wrong. I I do think we should have two ambulances but right now we do not. >> Right now we have with >> we have two ambulances. >> Well, we have three >> two ambulances but we have staffing for one and a half technically. So we staff
>> three people >> one ambulance goes out the door and they have to do a recall to staff the second. >> That's right. >> Yeah. >> Sometimes. >> Sometimes. >> Yeah. And I I we're calling this level services. And I think we just need to
admit to ourselves that just because we have something already in the budget. We call that level services. It does not mean that the town is operating efficiently or effectively. So you can call that level services because that's what we're doing now, but it's still a need.
>> Well, I fully support the fourth shift and I fully support having ex expanding the service to be a truly fully staffed two ambulances, but to present that the proposal to move the predium from Sunday and use it during
the week as an extension is a new service. And that had been proposed in all of the presentations >> going back a year >> going back a substantial amount of time >> February >> and I I asked the same question at finance committee.
>> Where were these questions as this town as this board? >> I I raised them. They've been raised. >> Okay. >> It's okay. I look we can we can have the discussion tonight too. I think it's healthy for us to discuss it. There are so many different permutations of how we
could have fit in everything into the balanced budget and left things out of the override. And no matter how we did that, there would be people on this board, on the finance committee, in the public who did not like the result. No matter what, I heard people for the
fourth shift, for example, I heard people say, "No, you need to put it in the operating budget because if you ask for an override, people are going to think that's political. they're not going to like it. Then I heard people sometimes the same people because opinions change and views evolve say no
you should just ask for it in the override if it's such a need let the town decide on it. The same people have taken those two positions. So there's no way that we can get this budget to a point that makes everyone happy and that's okay. So that that was never
going to be a goal here. to answer uh your question previously. Um Cara McCarthy, the information technology and communications director, >> um her position was cut. >> Her position, full-time position is
$59,459.33. That position was cut to fund the assistant town manager at full year. when the assistant tile manager position was originally proposed, it was proposed for a half year >> during the preliminary budget. Um,
and so that cut um does support the making the position full. Yeah, >> I think that's it's it's an important thing to note that during this year's budget building process, looking at the staffing and the needs, we look today
the needs have changed, the priorities have changed. So, so a level service doesn't some of the level services don't make sense like going to online uh gov clear whatever I forget which.gov it is >> um
>> that that allows us to you know become more efficient and maybe reduce some and consolidate some administrative staff. >> There's other changes other needs. So cuts are made because of that because we've had efficiency gains or something and
sometimes cuts are made because of priorities and needs have changed and we they they need to be addressed. Um and I also heard the superintendent say the level service budget for schools I mean it's not working this year. So keeping those services next year it's suddenly
going to work. I mean there's no it's not going to address a lot of the issues that that they're having. So I I think it's a I I look at it as the a strategic
re investment or or reorg of of town and school strategic um placements, positions, cuts, whatever um to address how we have evolved and where we are today. >> Right? And I'll just say some of these aren't new. I mean, the assistant town
manager has been a need for a while. But then, and this isn't just the current town manager. We have had several town managers that work every night, every weekend, and we don't have the capacity to handle all of the projects that we need to get done. And we've known this
for a long time. And that is why we need someone who can serve as that chief project manager to assist in getting what residents and what volunteer board and committee members expect the town to be able to do. So, you know, I I
it's a real need for this organization. I think it's been vetted and at this point, you know, I think four out of one or four to one of the select board members supported it. I believe a majority of finance committee members supported it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think >> the finance committee vote last night
was 42. >> Right. So, >> I'm just critically concerned with the affordability of it. And I know I got pushed back before about saying we're not in the affordability business, but I am and I'm concerned and I and I'm not taking to task any of the emotional
arguments about any of the cuts or even substantiating or um the need for an assistant town manager. I'm not saying that it's not needed. What I'm saying is in these times that I think it is difficult to sell adding positions and I
understand there's a cut and whatnot but I just don't think that this is the time to be pushing that. >> So pointedly is your recommendation then that we restore the $59,459.33 to restore the IT and communication director's position and that we take
that delta and that we put that somewhere else and because this is a balanced budget. So >> can I ask what that delta is to frame this conver? >> Sound it's a 61,000 and change. So so >> and we had a $3 million deficit. >> So well so we're talking about the
balance budget right now. So we're talking about the balanced budget. So right now the balance budget has $121,000 assistant town manager position. It does not have a $59,459.33 IT director. So if we restore that is your suggestion a so you're saying we
eliminate that position regardless. So Cara McCarthy is terminated nonetheless. So we have that ser so we are not having any social media no website. So we're eliminating that is your suggestion and that we take that $120,000 and do what with it? >> My suggestion is to embrace
affordability and try to come forward with a with a budget that addresses and these issues as best we can. So, so what I'm saying is this is a balanced budget right now. >> So, this is a balanced budget >> within the limits of Prop 2 and a half. So, if we are going to take this money
for the assistant town manager, where are we putting it? And we're not restoring carriage position. >> That that's the question. And there's there's plenty of places to fill. >> So, I look at it as it is a balanced budget and we've had those discussions. We've had the departments department heads in and we've heard from them and
this is the need. This is the group decision that we've made and it's a balanced budget that I can support. >> So let's just take a step back again. We have gone through the process already of workshopping this budget. >> I didn't hear alternative plans that you
know prioritized affordability. I would have considered it. >> It is hard it is hard to comment on this as we project into the the subsequent budgets not knowing what those are going to be. And there was conversation that we'd go back later and review them, but
that was, you know, brushed off. So, it's just looking at the totality of this this budget, you know, I support a balanced budget. How how that looks, that is a very difficult discussion. I understand that. But when we move from
this to this, the tier one, tier two, and the size of those is concerning. Yeah. I mean, I >> But we're talking about >> Do you guys remember Do you guys remember last year when we didn't do an override like Well, yeah. You remember? >> She was here. um and and the plan and we
sat down there at that table with the school committee and we said we're going to we're just going to bite the bullet this year, not do an override and and work together to come with a comprehensive town school Lunbergwide
uh plan and override. That's what we did. Um I the piece that we're missing is looking the outyear. Some departments we do have that. that I know school did it and we have that and maybe we can we can put together something. >> I mean it is it is going to be you know
a true spitball exercise cuz no one can don't hold us to anything that we project 3 years out. Um but here we are. We we came together three committees discussed ad nauseium lots of hours and
this is where we are and I view it as like I said a strategic budget that sets up this town as best we can for the future. >> Well that I mean the problem is the best we can. I mean we are trying to fill a chasm. It's not we're not addressing a specific gap. And I we're getting more
to the override, but the problem is affordability and sustainability. Like it's it's pretty clear was last year's budget had a million override on it. Um and you know, we came out with the 3 million free cash. So the reality is
>> whoa whoa whoa. The free cash well some of that was >> was the surplus, right? was there was the 600,000 but >> so I I because free cash was brought up if the if the board has not looked at the free cash um information
I think that that's important to talk about. So free cash is important. Um >> did you drop that in? >> There are I a while ago I'm just trying to see where I have it. I have an older one here. So free cash
the there's recommendations around what your free cash return should be from the Division of Local Services. You don't have to have them, but there's recommendations. The town has met those recommendations three out of the last 10 years. We are below where we are
recommended to return on free cash. Free cash is you you are supposed to intentionally conservatively budget so you can return free cash. It helps your bond rating. It funds things like your stabilization account. It funds your OPED. It funds your roof repair. It
funds your playgrounds. There's that's what free cash is utilized for. Free cash is not a bad thing. There's the fact that we had $3.3 million of free cash. That's 6.65% of our operating budget. That's just over the 5% recommended. Is it more than
we've had in other fiscal years? Sure. The next closest was in 2023. There was 6.53% at $2.9 million. However, looking back to 2016, the town of Lunberg only received $263,000
in free cash. >> That's >> what What could we do with any capital projects that year within without going and asking the folks to borrow? >> And I will say, I don't have the number off the top of my head. I don't think you do either, town manager. Uh, looks
like we're off of Zoom. Um, okay. I think PAC is rejoining. um what was I saying? We went through the exercise on the expenditure size and some on the revenue side as well of getting closer to actuals. So, and that's going to have
an impact next year. >> I don't know how much it's going to be, but it does mean that we're not going to be able to fund as much capital projects and one-time projects. So, free cash does have an actual use, too. And we did squeeze it down a little more this year,
and we're going to feel that. So, I mean, I like, yeah, it's fair that you pointed that out, but I think we went through the process of closing that a little more. I look, we workshopped this. We did it in the tri board to some extent. We did
it as a select board and um you know, the town manager. So, we have the product that we have. I mean, I have opinions, too. There are things that I don't like about this, but I am moving forward with the budget that we have because I, you know, I think it's a good budget. You know, you're never going to
get everything that you want. So, no, to answer the original question, I don't think we're opening up the balance budget uh to make modifications on it tonight. >> I do want to comment on one one thing also, there was a comment that the decisions that were made were made to
feel pain intentionally. That is simply untrue. The the decisions that were made were around supporting the core functionalities of town government first. They were not made in a vacuum. They were made in consultation with
staff. They were made in consultation with the parks commission chair specifically around the recreation. There were many conversations with parks commission chair um about this the recreational programs. And so
I I'm I'm just going to say that I was very careful in making these cuts. This wasn't and intentionally so to not just cause fear factor. If I wanted to have a budget that I was going to cause fear, I would have to drive a
point. I would have closed the library and closed the senior center and that's what would have been on the >> So I'm just going to jump in real quick to the booth. Do you mind unmuting yourself? Uh people on Zoom can't hear you. Okay. All right. So folks on Zoom, you should be able to hear now. I see
PAC is unmuted. Sorry about that. Um for some reason uh the booth uh dropped from the Zoom. Okay. Healthy discussion. Um I do not think it would be wise uh not even at the 11th
hour at you know 11:59 p.m. to open up the balance budget and start making a whole bunch of changes to it. All right. Any other discussion? >> You ready for a motion? >> I I'm ready for a motion. Is there a motion to recommend approval on article L?
>> Uh so moved. >> Second. >> Any additional discussion? All those in favor say I. I. >> Those opposed? No. >> Any abstensions? Motion passes unanimously. >> Okay. Up next is M. And this is the
override. Um so to the town manager I believe you consulted with um the town moderator on how we wanted to structure and handle this. >> I did. >> Did that happen? >> It Yes. So the moderator and I did meet yesterday. Um we also talked about the consent calendar. So when we want to get
to that um what the moderator has requested is that prior to article L >> there is a general discussion um around the balance budget and both tiers of the override >> at town meeting >> at town meeting. >> Okay.
>> And then there would be an up- down vote on article L. >> Mhm. Um and then under article M for the override um not another re not another presentation because that would have already occurred and and two separate
votes one on tier one and one on tier two as two motions underneath um the one article. >> I like that. >> I do too. >> Yep. I think that is efficient especially having the discussion on all of it up first. I actually really like that. Um and I felt the same way about the two separate motions.
>> Okay. Um, so are we going to recommend approval on the one? Oh, I see what Okay, so we the finance committee and I think we should do this too, which is where I was going. So the finance committee did a recommendation for separately for tier one and then one for
tier 2 and I think we should do the same as well. >> Okay. >> Do we think the school committee should vote as well on that recommen? >> I don't think we have time at this point. Um, we got to send this out to the printer tomorrow. um unfortunately,
but I think we know where where they're at. Yeah. >> Um >> okay. So, is there a motion? So, we'll do it like this. Is there a motion to recommend approval for tier one? >> I'll make a motion to recommend approval for tier one. >> Second.
>> Any additional discussion? Okay. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Those opposed? No. >> No. >> The motion passes unan four to three to one. Um, okay. Is there a motion to recommend approval on tier two?
>> I'll make a motion recommend approval for tier two. >> Second. >> Any additional discussion? >> Okay. All those in favor say I. >> I. Those opposed, no. >> No. >> The motion passes 3 to one. All right. What do we have next? Pack. So, this is
article X and X1. Let me just scroll down here to get to it. Okay. So, the first one is the operating budget. >> Any questions on this? I think the only thing that's changed is just separating them out, right? Or
>> uh you have the numbers. You didn't have the numbers previously. So, the FY27 PEG operating budget is $217,84755. $177,000 of that is going to come from their anticipated revenues. And then $40,84755
is coming from their retained earnings. >> Gotcha. My bad. I thought we did that last week, but >> we didn't have the numbers. >> Yeah. Okay. Thanks. Um, all right. Any questions? Is there a motion to recommend approval on article Well, I guess we already did that for article X. We can just keep that and then we can vote on X1.
>> No, you did not. You didn't make recommendations. >> Okay. Well, it's in the >> It's in the file. >> That's not true. Is there a motion to recommend approval for article X? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any additional discussion? All those in favor say I.
>> I. Those opposed, no. The motion passes unanimously. >> Okay. In X1, this is for the capital budget. Any questions on this? I think we've discussed all of it. All right. Is there a motion to recommend approval >> and to include on the warrant? >> Oh, right. Thank you. Is there a motion
to include and recommend approval for article X1? >> Uh, so moved. >> Second. >> Any additional discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed, no. Motion passes unanimously. >> Okay. What do we have next? Why? And that's the next one. So, okay. So, we didn't have the numbers for these,
right? Is that >> right? >> Okay. And it is 500,000 from solid waste disposal enterprise revenues to operate the enterprise fund. Okay. And we've included this, right? >> You've included it? >> Yes. >> Yeah.
>> Okay. Is there a motion to recommend approval? Uh so moved >> second. Any additional discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed? No. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Okay. And I think the last one is the >> the water enterprise.
>> Water and sewer enterprise. >> Okay. So water enterprise is Z. We have included it in the warrant and we have the number now 120,000. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Is there a motion to recommend approval? >> So moved.
>> Second. Any additional discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed, no. The motion passes unanimously. And then one more. Sewer enterprise which is Z2. I >> love it. Okay,
that is total budget 1,981,9936. Estimated revenues $2,8,047. Okay. Is there a motion to recommend approval? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any additional discussion?
All those in favor say I. >> I. Those opposed? No. >> Motion passes unanimously. Okay. I hate that it does this. I can't like click away to not see that right in front of >> happens if I Oh, all right. Guess I just
had to hit escape. All right. So, that looks like it's all the articles, right? Yep. Doesn't look like I'm missing any. >> All right. >> And so, Mr. Chairman, I have suggested numbering just to on the left to go along
along with how they are currently presented. >> I think numbers would be much better, >> right? We need to get them in numbers. So, um I don't know if the board was inclined to reorder any of them. >> No, I mean, no. Uh we discussed it last
week. I don't have any recommendations after that. Does anyone else? >> No. This is the same order as last week. >> Yeah. >> After our change, what we did was we moved capital below the budget.
>> Yeah, that's right. And that was it. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Yeah. No, there's nothing else I want to change. I think it looks good. >> Looks good. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> And um if the board would like to do consent agenda, I've talked to the moderator. I've adjusted the column um
based on his recommendations for included on consent agenda suggestions. >> Did he add any to it or >> he uh deleted some and added some? So, >> okay. So the the ones that we just talked about for the consent agenda were
uh borrow in anticipation of revenue and in spend in anticipation of chapter 90 revolving fund spending limits, >> prior year bills, solid waste enterprise, water enterprise, sewer oped and sewer enterprise. We did talk about
a few of the other um transfers that are in accordance with policy such as the OPED and stabilization fund and he felt that it was important that um we talk about those at town meeting outside of the consent agenda even if it's only for a few minutes to highlight um those
issues to the town more broadly. That's >> fine. I don't disagree with that. So >> there's eight. So, we're left with 27. >> Yeah, it's going to be a long day. >> It's actually shorter than I expected,
but I know they're big ones. >> The number of articles >> outside of the consent agenda. >> Yeah, I don't think I have any recommendations here. Like, I don't think anything that's not in the consent calendar should be included. And I don't
think anything that is included should be removed. Are we expecting any reports? >> Um, I did hear today that the trust fund commission is interested in giving a report to town meeting. That's the only report that I'm aware of. >> Okay.
>> All right. Any other discussion on the warrant? >> Okay. Oh no. >> Discussion on FY26 budget, FY27 budget, capital plan and annual town meeting articles. I think we covered a lot of it. Is there any? >> Isn't that what we just did?
>> It is kind of what we just did, but we've we always have these two standing um agenda items around this time. Um, I think we discussed the budget a lot more during the warrant discussion than we have previously, which is why um, I
think we covered most of it, but anything else anyone wants to say? Okay, minutes. We do have a set of minutes. Uh, March 31st, 2026. Have we had a chance to review these minutes?
>> Yes, >> I did not. >> I did not. >> No. Okay. Do we It sounds like we want to hold off maybe on approving them tonight. >> I read them. >> Yeah. Do you guys want to hold off or
it's up to you guys? >> Yeah, hold off. >> Yeah, let's go. >> Yeah. Okay. So, we'll hold off. But thank you, Melissa, for getting these. >> Okay. Warrants. No warrants tonight. Any action items? On the topic of minutes, um, now that
we're kind of >> maybe able to come up for a little bit of air, um, if we can get back to approving that list of they're like two years old. It's kind of embarrassing. >> Yeah. >> Not kind of, it is. And um, if we could
start checking those off. >> Yeah, I think we will to the best of our ability. >> All right. Committee reports. >> Uh, so action items. I did want to >> Sorry. um getting some emails about online form submitts. Um is there any action? I want to make sure we're
>> reaching out to these people and saying, "Hey, we got this information and we are >> so we appointed that um the resident who wanted to be on the APDC." Um so we had him here tonight and uh we do have a couple more um that are coming up. We also have our annual appointments coming
up soon too. Um so it's going to bleed into that process quite a bit. That's my understanding is that the ones that are coming in at least more recently are based on the ad, right? And that they're coming in in response to the ad. >> Um >> so those No, we'll hold off on those. Um I'll I'll tell you right now, so the
300th committee um we did have one member um submit a town bank form. She's been actively attending all the meetings. Um and you know that in that case, yeah, I think it makes sense to bring her in, but all these others are going to be a part of the reappoint process. Is there someone reaching out
to them to >> Yes. >> Thanks. >> Someone I'm sorry. What? So >> So when we get the form back, are we >> No. Any information about the timeline or they're just getting it on the >> Do they get an automatic response?
>> I don't think so. Through the system. >> I'll have to ask like months later. I understand when you submitted this form, >> but let's also like again like let's separate our annual appointments from from the other ones. Um >> yes, to answer your question, yeah,
Melissa responded with APDC. Um you know, he was here tonight, the 300th committee, same thing. Um that should be coming up soon. Um all the other ones, you know, the annual reappoint process is, you know, a little separate. So the ones that are before us now before that
process, yes, they've been spoken to and engaged with. >> Thank you. Mhm. Oh yeah. Um okay. So with conver conversations with the town manager, we were um looking to schedule a budget uh public information
uh meeting and we were looking to do that on April 23rd. Thursday, April 23rd. >> I will be away. >> Okay. >> Oh, is that school vacation week? >> It is school vacation week. Yeah. here, right? To let you know. >> Oh, that's >> then we should not do it on school
vacation week. Um, originally in picking the 23rd, I picked it because a it was a Thursday, >> so folks tend to be a little more available at the end of the week. But >> that it gave a little bit more time >> right >> before the town meeting, but hearing that it's school vacation week, that
seems quite impractical because a lot of folks are going to be out of town. Yeah. >> Um, so would folks want to do we'd have to really do it probably at maybe the 28th on on a regular meeting night >> or I don't want to do it on the I don't
I mean we could do it on Thursday the 30th. It just doesn't give a lot of time for folks to >> rather have >> it's still it's not a full week but you still have that week for exactly like you said people can process the information um you know follow up with questions and whatnot. It just gives a
little more time for people to think. I don't think doing it on Thursday the 30th and then having town meeting on Saturday the 2nd, two days after that would be uh a good idea. So yeah, I mean I I think that's okay. And also this the last Thursday of the month, the last Tuesday of the month anyway on the 28th.
So right >> in lie of a select board meeting. Sorry, I don't know if you mentioned that. Um in lie of a select board meeting, I think that's okay. >> I tend to assume that we're available on the last Tuesday of the month, but maybe I shouldn't. Um, I never plan to do anything on that Tuesday, but maybe you
guys do. Um, so what what about the 28th >> or 27th >> or Yeah. >> Monday or Tuesday? I wouldn't want to go. >> Where are you planning? >> Probably the adult >> adult activity center. Yep.
>> It's usually the best for information >> in the evening hearings like that. >> In the evening. Um, the suggestion that I've received is that we might have a little bit of a formal presentation program, but more to allow folks to come
and interact directly with department heads and ask questions directly. Not where they have to sit and raise their hand, but they can go up and more like coffee >> openhouse forum style. Go up and ask your questions more one-on-one.
>> Um, that was the thought. >> Mh. So, will department heads be available? Have you checked with them? >> No. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> I mean, at the the 28th sounds like kind of our best and perhaps only real
option. >> Mhm. Yeah, I agree. I'd probably just go >> because next week is too soon. >> Yeah. So, that gives us three full weeks, which I think is enough notice. >> I know. Darn school vacation week.
>> I know. I didn't even think of that. Um, all right. All right. So, it sounds like we're going to go with the 28th. More information to follow. Committee reports. >> I have nothing. >> The board of assessors are going to meet tomorrow. The school committee meet uh
met last week. Um, they did keep the bus fee uh for this coming school year. Um, and they had a facilities and grounds report. That's it. So, Fincom met last night to um finish
voting on the articles and present their report and their next meeting is scheduled for the 23rd. Um remains to be seen if they'll need a a meeting then or not. >> Okay. I don't have a committee report tonight. Public comment. Any public comment from
the public? Anyone on Zoom? All right. Not seeing any public comments on Zoom. Any public comment from the town manager? >> No. >> Any public comment from the board? >> No. >> No. >> Uh I was wondering if the board had any interest. I saw the town of Reading had
sent a letter to the governor seeking support on conducting the audit. I didn't know if we'd be willing to do a similar letter. >> I personally am not. I really we we get a lot of these requests now. Um and I
really just want to limit it to things that are very Lunenburgg specific whether that's funding um stuff like that. I think hon I have a lot of opinions about this but I think it's a little too divisive and a little too heated. Um I think the benefit to
residents about this is limited. Um and I I do not want to get involved in that. I just don't I don't see there being any benefit to it, honestly. So, but again, I have my opinions on it, but I'm separating my opinions from my work here
uh on the select board. Okay. So, I move to enter into executive session and not re-enter 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. This is for Teamsters Union Local 170. It's DPW. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> All right. This will be a roll call vote. Mr. Mloud. >> I. >> Mr. Leighton. >> Hi. >> Miss Em. >> Hi.
>> And an I for myself. We are now in executive session. Uh we will not be re-entering open session. So everyone who tuned in tonight, have a good night.