And I will call to order this uh July 6th meeting of uh the select board. I want let's see are we on Tony? >> There's a message I think >> meeting is being recorded. All right. This meeting is being recorded.
Looks like we got it for prosperity etc. So let us start out with the pledge of allegiance. All those who can stand here. 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. Great. First on the agenda, public comment on nonaggenda items.
Mr. Starky. Yes, you are recognized. Um, Jim Starky, 13 Tucks Point Road. From the founding documents of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1641 to the present, the Massachusetts has
held the sea and the sea bottom in trust for the public and requires that resources associated be administered in a fair and equitable manner. Couple years ago, this life court decided that fair and equitable didn't work for the
really rich. So, you set up a second program where the people could pay nine and $10,000 a year rental. Just give over 270 people on the waiting list who've been there for up to 20 years. Now that while this is morally
reprehensible, it does establish what the street price street value of a moring in Manchester Harbor is, which is between 9 and $10,000 a year. So fiveyear amorization,
let's say a retail value is somewhere between 45 and $50,000. Now, you may ask, what keeps a harbor master honest if he hands out freebies with the retail value of $40 to $50,000?
And the answer in theory is this. The state be requires that all marines be assigned from a written list, a written set of procedures. Second, we have a set of procedures that are very precise. says that any mo any vacant moing has to
be assigned to somebody who will vote on the change list. And the third is we have a town bylaw that requires that all marine transactions be published to a public list, public log.
So how has this turned out? Well, not terribly well. Um I have a couple things for you. One is a list of 14 Morins for 14 people who went straight from the rating list to inner harbor mines. Now these violated our harbor regulations.
It violated the D regulations that assignments have to be from a written list and it also cheated 14 people on the change list from getting inner harbor wars. So I'll give you this one. The second is >> thank you
>> a list of 21 22 inner harbor moing assignments for boats that somebody will put a bigger boat that wouldn't fit on us moing move to another moing in the harbor. Now these 22 are also each one is in violation of marine regulations.
Each one is in violation of the D regulation that every assignment be done from a written list. And each one of these 22 cheats 22 people on the change list from getting it in a harbor moring. Next, I have a list of 11 stealth
warnings given to Manchester Marine in 2024. Um, I call them stealth because a public record request shows that there was absolutely no communication about these morins between the harbor department and
Manchester Marines. So, we'll call these Harbor Administration by nudge nudge wink wink. Um, each of these 11 mines, stealth morings, um, is a violation of our marine regulation, is a violation of the D regulation that everything be
assigned from a written procedure. It's also cheats 11 people on the change list from inner harbor moings and it cheats 11 people on the waiting list for morings in the outer harbor. And finally, eight morings were giving
to the Crocker boatyard. I'll just repeat this because it's boring. Uh these were given in 2024. They each of them is in violation of a morine regulation. each is in violation of the D regulation that every morning be signed from a written procedure. And
these also cheat eight people on the change list from an inner motor harbor and it cheats eight people on the waiting list for water in the outer harbor. So we get to the third leg of what keeps the harbor master honest and
that is the transaction law. From the beginning, Bayion has refused to do that. He's got a lot to cover up for. He's got a lot to cover up for and he refuses to do it and that is reprehensible because it's it's the law.
He could he should be referred for prosecution for refusing to obey a town hall. One last thing before I shut up and leave you all deliberations. And that is when Bayion gave me the notice that he was going to revoke my boring
my morning permit that he offered to set up a meeting with him. And I thought this was a little bit unusual because his cover story was that in fact in 1941 it was the master who
screwed up and not me. Um, but then I thought of it a little bit more and you know I'm from Chicago and I kind of understand when somebody wants to have a meeting like this and that is you this essentially it was going to be you know Jim this is a pretty nice morning that
you've got here. It'd be a real shame if something happened to it. Maybe you want to think about shutting your yap up. Well I have and I'm not going to shut my yap up. Harbor Master is not honest. He is not
following rules. He's making rules. Zach, I think we're done now. You okay? And once you start disparaging a member of town staff, I'm done listening. >> This is all right. That's no no disparaging the various people. Once you start making accusations, that's in a
separate category. Thank you for your comments. >> Mr. Chairman, if I if I might just through the board and for the public watching the >> um >> a lot of the comments made have been uh inquired through my office and from me
to the hard master. We've looked into a lot of these claims. Uh I feel that we've given response to those claims. Um Mr. Mr. Starky or any resident has the right to uh you know ask a question or
if he thinks there's a something of concerning matter to bring that to my attention or the harve's attention and we'll take a look at it and review it and we we've not found any substantiating evidence to the claims that were just made or the ones that have been submitted to us but we will
continue to look through anything that's brought to our attention and it's my opinion that the ARM masteraster has been honest has been responsible and has been doing his job properly. >> Okay. All right. Thank you, Mr. Barla. We've got four sheets of paper here and
take a look through them appropriate time. Yes. >> Yes. Um I I want to state that I have also met with the harbor master and though I have absolutely no evidence of wrongdoing, I I agree with Mr. Starky
that the bylaw calls for a publishing of transactions and I have met with the harbor master. I have and I when I look on the website I still don't see that. So I have no evidence of wrongdoing. But I think
honestly one way to put this to bed is to publish transactions. Not the result of the transactions >> which is published now >> which is published now but the actual transactions ads moves changes
removals that is a transaction. And if those were published I really think a lot of this discussion would go away. That was that that information was added to the ex the mooring list earlier this year. Good. I will take a look at it. Thank you. >> Published
>> outside the hard master's office. I agree. The website >> it's not online. >> The website needs to be updated with the with the updated information. >> Right. Okay. Thank you. >> That information exists. It's just not >> not on the website. Okay. Thank you. And I I don't know to what extent it's in a spreadsheet such that it's convenient to
do so because there are literally hundreds of those types of transactions. So I don't know how practical that is. But um we'll take a look at this information and see what is new and uh we can we can react. Um
other public comments on non-aggenda items. I have a couple and one is I would like to read a commendation for the public safety and town departments for uh July 4th for July 3rd and 4th and the select board wants to commend our public safety
personnel, police, fire and harbor as well as the parks and wreck and the BPW for their leadership throughout the July 3rd and July 4th events from the boat parade to the street parade to the fireworks and everything in between. The extreme heat created an even greater
demand on our resources and their resourcefulness. The high level of planning, preparation, staffing, and coordination was evident throughout all the events. Often, it's only when things return to normal that we think back and realize the effort that it takes to make
things go so smoothly. And from the perspective of the many participants, things did go smoothly. These are significant, heavily attended events. The year at this year, the added challenge of the parade and fireworks taking place on a weekend created an
even greater demand on public safety resources. Everyone involved should be proud of the work they did over these challenging couple of days. We on the select board certainly are. So, the select board and the Manchester community commend you, public safety,
and the town uh town departments of DPW and parks and wreck, and we thank you. So, we'll put that in the record. Um, the other thing I'd like to comment about is the parade. The select board was in the parade and
it worked out well. >> Ryan, I say, has to take a seat about twothirds of the way through. >> Was he had nothing to do with the heat, >> but we gave away 30 pounds of candy. It was the exact amount. >> Good. >> We gave away 1500 flags. >> 1,500 flags.
>> And we wound up with about 25 or 30 extra. So, I'd say that's >> you had some left over from last year. >> We had about 50 left over from last year. So, I'd say this is this is a good number. And I think every I know I finished I got to the finish line. I don't think I saw you >> I have not finished read yet and I don't
I didn't plan on doing that. I get to beat Street Mitch around. That's a lot. >> And Jeff, I think you did you make it? I can't. I think you did. I think I saw you there. Okay, great. So, I want to thank you all for uh >> Huh? you were further behind me than me.
>> Well, because people want to talk to you, Alex, like you know, >> right? And then I just to that point, uh I think that uh John really did a great job. He was running. >> Yes, >> he was running to keep up with things and I just
>> It was See you later. >> Okay. Well, thank you. Um the next on the list are uh action and task items on our action list. Anything anyone has to say in that
regard to add, subtract, comment on. Okay, I think we're set with that. The uh next event is the National Grid hearing and I will
look to a motion from Miss Harris. >> I move that the select board open a public hear the public hearing on the National Grid and Verizon New England Inc. petition WR pound sign 31224720 for the installation of one jointowned
pole on Harbor Street. Second. >> Any further discussion? None. >> Jeff, >> yes. >> Brian, >> yes. >> Kathy, >> yes. >> And John says yes. Okay. Uh,
National Grid. >> Thank you. >> Mahabiki representing National Grid, 44 River Street, Beverly, Massachusetts. This is an inline pole for an antenna going in the area.
>> What is the antenna? >> Cellular. >> Cellular. >> Is this a new pole or just something that was be It's being replaced. It's an old new pole. Okay. >> It's a joint pole if you're a joint.
>> Is this a really tall pole or is this you know I mean >> it's a regular pole? >> It's a regular pole. Okay. >> And it will have antennas only for Horizon. >> It could have others or the antenna
could be used by others. I don't know what that contracting between them is. This is just for our poll. We have to put their antenna on change to >> Okay. Any further questions?
Um, that all set. >> I think we are uh set. >> Well, any any questions from the public, >> Tony? >> I don't see anything online. >> Okay. All right, Mr. Solison. >> I believe I believe I move that the
select board close the evidentiary portion of the hearing. >> Second. >> Okay. Jeff, >> yes. >> Brian, >> yes. >> Ann, >> yes. >> Kathy, >> yes. >> Knee, yes. Okay. Uh, no. >> I move that the select board approve National Grid and Verizon New England,
Inc. petition WR 31224720 for the installation of one jointowned pole on Harbor Street as shown on the provided plan. At the end of the meeting, I mentioned that the town of Marian, we're always looking for
comparable towns to compare how they do things. and I stumbled upon the town of Marian which is in the southshore. Um similar population you know seaside town like us. Um they seem to have are
nearing completion on a DPW building for $6 million. So curious as to how they did that. So I sent the information to Chuck and the committee and they're going to take a look at that. um don't know if it's something, you know, there are lessons there that we can leverage,
but at that price tag, we ought to take a look at least what's going on. That's it. >> Great. Thank you. Uh are we up? Do you want to keep the leazison or are we >> We're back up. >> We're back. All right. We will hold off of the breast until um appropriate time.
Okay. Um the next item is the drought level update and that's either you Tony and or Chuck. >> Yep. Chuck, are you uh can you come off mute? There he is. >> Dad, can you hear me? >> Yes. >> So, we >> Chuck, I'll just start us off. Uh we
we're still considered our region is still considered a level three critical drought by the state. Uh as you are aware, we put in a um a water ban uh about a little bit more
than a week ago. um largely because of the pump at Lincoln Street Well needing uh to be replaced. Uh so because of that 60% you know uh 40% of the town that is
served out of Lincoln Street well is now being served everybody is being served off of Gral Pond and we were having trouble keeping up with the demand of the water usage. Uh so put that ban has helped. Um, we still feel that, uh, you
know, Graly Pond as far as capacity goes is at good levels. Um, and I'll let Chuck talk a little bit more about the pump issue at Lincoln Street. Well, I I my recommendation is that we continue to keep that ban in place uh, because the pump is not installed yet, the new pump,
and we're still in a level three critical drought. >> Chuck. >> Yep. So, I'll just add that I did get an update on the pump. It is being uh still in shipping. Uh they said we would have it by the end of the week. Uh and we
said that we would, you know, if they could have a crew available to install it when it gets, you know, on site that that would be great. So I'm hoping Friday at the latest. Uh um certainly by next Monday, uh even if they had to work over the weekend, uh they would install
it. Um so that's that's the plan right now for the pump. Um I think I sent you an email Tony, but the uh the drought task force at the state level uh will be meeting on Wednesday. So they won't possibly update that until Wednesday. The you know the state anyway. Um I
think it's highly unlikely even the rain that's forecast tonight and tomorrow that they'll kind of change that drought declaration, but um we won't know officially until sometime after Wednesday anyway. >> Okay. All right. myself. You'll know
more. This is kind of dayto-day, but the pump will show up in the next few days. We're still in the ban and we had a discussion with regard to what we're going to do about the ban because from a water perspective, we aren't under the same stress, I guess, as the rest of the t of the state is. But because we're
down a pump, it's essentially created a problem for us. But we can get an update from you, Chuck, two weeks from now. >> For sure. >> Okay. Plan on it. Any other questions? >> I imagine Lincoln Street well is in
pretty good shape then. >> Yeah, the silver lining for sure is that once we get it back online, the uh yield should be looking very very good for the duration of the summer, >> right? Um when we first when we discussed this most recently um there was concern that this was a
time of year when people were starting gardens and that um since our water resources were in fact in good shape that we as water and sewer committee
>> commission >> that we decided not to declare um that not to enforce a watering ban Mhm. >> And when the pump comes on and we have lots of water in the well and Gral Pond is in fine shape, I don't see why we should
change our mind. >> Yeah, agree with that. >> I wasn't a citizen. I think I can read. Uh >> so I think I think the the communication that I saw indicated that people were allowed to use drip irrigation or hand water after it
>> between 5 and 8 in the morning. Yes. So people can water their planting hand watering. It's the sprinklers and the lawns and that kind of stuff that was not >> allowed under the ban. >> Right. And that's and that's our
>> um version of a water band. It's not technically compliant with the water ban that D requires us put in when we go into a level three critical drought. So it's a little bit more friendly to um you know the scenario that you were just talking about. So we tried to go with
something a little bit less intrusive. >> Could we get some data and some facts like what was the water usage before we instituted the friendly ban and what's the water usage been like? Like how much did it get reduced? >> Yeah, we can give you
>> now that you have the water meters and all that. Yeah, for the water meters that are installed, we have uh a good set of data there that we, you know, we're monitoring >> that as well as the levels in the tank. You know, even >> it's it's it wasn't that Grally Pond
didn't have the resource available. It was just that the tank gets pumped, you know, to keep up with demand. And our concern was that uh if we didn't reduce that demand on the system and we had some sort of public emergency,
>> you know, that you want to make sure that the fire hydrants are going to be fully supported. So >> I'm certainly not arguing that we shouldn't keep a b keep a restriction until the pump is in place, >> but I the situation >> to I think I agree with Ann that once we
know APW signs off that the uh pump is working and we're all on all cylinders, can we revert back to uh prefailure uh discussions? >> We we definitely we absolutely can. I just, you know, will note that we'll
have to notify the D that the ban is coming off. Um, I don't know how respond. >> What Brian is advocating for is a discussion and I I agree with that. I'm just looking for data before we make a final decision. That's and you I think
you have the data. >> Uh, so odds are the new pump will be installed and operating before our next meeting. So if you want to just leave it in place until we next meet or whether you want us to make a decision, you
know, to to >> Yeah. Collectively, uh Chuck, when that pump goes online, are you that is an event? Are you obligated to communicate with the D about that event? I think not like officially like typ our
typical practice would be to you know notify the people at DP that because we we did the same when the well went down. So like we put them kind of on notice that you know we're having an issue with our pump. We're going to get it fixed and we'll let them know when we get it fixed. So that would be that part. There's also a separate item where you
institute a ban of any kind that you notify D about that ban. And so it's like kind of one is like a very generic email that gets sent to you know dp.com where there's another one that's you know sending it to a person so they understand what's going on. And so that's the difference between the two
kind of notifications there. Um, so we would if we lift the ban completely, then I would send that formal, you know, notification to that address where they're kind of tracking those uh, bands. >> And maybe they see it, maybe they don't
because they're communicating with, well, hundreds of towns, >> right? >> Okay. All right. All right. So, is there any harm in leaving it in place for like for a week to monitor the situation, making sure the pump is working the way it's supposed to, and then at our
meeting on the 20th, address with with facts and data, here's what the situation is, and make a decision. >> So, our our current friendly ban isn't within D regulations anyway, is what you're saying, right? >> Correct. >> Yeah. Well, I mean, the the form that I
fill out is still formal, you know what I mean? Like, it's it it doesn't say it it doesn't have every last level of detail in the form. It's like it's in instituting a non-essential outdoor ban. So, that's that's the difference. I
mean, it's not like I don't know how to I can show you guys the form if you want, but like there's like there's a lot of kind of nuance there in the form itself, >> right? I mean, we're we're we're not um the non-essential, you know, we're not asking we're not allowing people to wash their sidewalks or whatever, you know, that kind of stuff.
>> Well, washing >> certainly say that washing boats is still going on, >> right? Washing boats, but >> and that's important if you're taking a boat. >> Yeah. >> From various between freshwater and
>> people cleaning their decks and that kind of stuff, you know, can that wait until the 20th? >> I think so. and and by then the state may have made a change to the drought uh designation. So if if that's uh
>> well I think we definitely should revisit this next meeting at least. >> By that time we'll have the data plus we will have we will know if the the in place and doing what it's supposed to be doing. >> Sarah Sarah Millish
>> Sarah Yes. >> Yes. I I think what you need to take into consideration is that for instance I have irrigation systems that are older and are not drip but they are solely
watering shrubbery and vegetables and to put a ban on that watering is decimating my landscaping. And and perhaps if you're going to restrict irrigation systems, you could say irrigation systems for the purpose of
water of watering lawns and not just assume that the only use of drip is for shrubbery. Um because it's it's crazy if we have enough water to restrict the watering of shrubs and vegetables. and
I'm dealing with a quarter acre of landscaping and I cannot handwater it. >> It's physically invisible. >> That's the implication with the policy the way people interpret that right now. >> Right. >> And I would just like that kind of goes
to the point like that these type of nuances are not in the form that I fill out and they're not kind of in our we're not nobody's policing this at at this level. So, like I mean I I I think we're spending a lot of time on something that's not really, you know, it's not the point. The point is certainly more
to what Sarah's saying. You know, we're not looking to irrigate, you know, acres of lawn like that. That is certainly not in the spirit of our ban. Uh but we're not also writing down every last um you know, for instance, uh to go out and
police it either. >> Right. All right. return on the 20th. >> So, you're saying we'll just ignore our regulations and let people do anything with watering lawns. >> Uh, not with watering lawns, but with the other
>> But I think the ban as it's stated allows people to do the slow drip watering whatever within certain hours. So, you know, I landscaping, too. We shouldn't be doing that at noon time, you know, because the water it's just a waste of water. It just evaporates. So,
I think the ban we have in place allows certain watering, but in certain hours where it makes sense and we're not wasting water. >> I think we're we allow hand watering. >> Hand watering. And that doesn't address Sarah's problem. >> Well, she's got soaker hoses or something like that.
>> No, she doesn't. She has sprinklers >> that are that are in the in the in the garden areas. Okay. All right. But that's not on the lawns which cover But we're currently not allowing sprinklers. Well, I think we have to address this.
She has sprinklers, but whenever you say sprinklers, you're thinking sprinkling a lawn as opposed to sprinkling a garden. >> So, I think this is where the data might be helpful. Maybe Chuck can help us. Maybe it's now that >> I mean, I can give you the anecdotal like, but again, like I'm not I'm not able to parse if somebody is using it in
the same fashion as Sarah is versus, you know, irrigate. I mean certainly you can tell the the lawn waterers in the in the new system but like if you just want to know like the the demand you know the the treatment plant is pumping a certain capacity every day you know pre the ban
during the ban during the you know when the well went down ban and then you know and then today and then I'll I'll say even over the weekend we kind of ticked back up into the you know this is definitely beyond but it was also 100° and you know 4th of July the you know
the population in town went up probably double. So like you know like these are things that happen on a you know from time to time and we just have to go with it but there's nothing really there's nothing more we can do except message like don't be wasteful you know.
>> Yeah. So the data for instance you know looking at the meter data it shows you usage >> and so it's easy to identify automated irrigation systems because you'll see >> you know >> they come on the same time >> a thousand gallons right three times a
day you know so it's odds are it's not someone >> uh hand watering so that and and that was a driving force of you know us not being able to keep up with demand So I I will say it seemed like uh the residents, you
know, responded well and we were able to start we were able to start keeping up with the demand in the tank, >> right? We we definitely were and we were and we were able to maintain it, you know, throughout and so like you know that was the that was the point of what we did and what we were looking to
achieve. >> All right, we'll provide that data. >> Yep. >> And uh we'll return to this on the 20th. So that should that goes on the actions. >> It goes Yeah, it'll be scheduled. Um
okay. Um fiscal year 27 appointments. Tony. We have a number of appointments today. As you know, we've we're going through a couple different categories of
appointments. Uh today, uh these are reappointments for fiscal year 27 uh which includes two-year terms for the affordable housing trust. Uh reappointing Sarah Malish and Muffin Driscoll. Three-year terms uh in the
bike and ped committee. The board of assessors, the board of registars, the CPC, the concoming historical commission, Manchester coastal stream team and MBTA advisory
board. There are three uh new volunteers that are uh with us tonight um that I'd like to tell you a little bit about. Again, I've been meeting with um all these uh volunteers that have put their
name in to join a committee. Um I'll start with uh Sean Adams who is uh being recommended for appointment to the sustainability committee. Uh Sean and I met in early June. Um
very interested in joining the sustainability committee. uh has hasn't had any prior um municipal committee experience. Uh however um has been an employee uh employee resource group um
looking specifically at sustainability. Uh he's participated in the last three sustainability meetings. So doing his homework and understanding what their uh priorities and charge is. uh with three kids at home. Uh they're
very interested in composting and beach cleaning and promoting the communication of sustainability. Um we talked about how we accomplished those things and the importance of those items to our coastal community. uh moved moved uh into town about a year
ago. originally from Nevada and um and actually uh was was living out in um was living out in California when they dealt with the fires and that was a a
key moment where they decided to move to the east coast and we're connected through a friend to Manchester by the Sea and he spoke Sean spoke spoke about how that experience you know really motivated him to be get involved in this
area. Um um is perfectly fine with uh the demand of the committee and being able to attend meetings and as always we talked about um the open meeting law and understanding the charge of the committee and uh conflict of interest
law and and those types of things. So Sean, are you uh online? Okay. Sean, do you want to introduce yourself? Say a little bit more. >> Yeah, sure. Thank you for the intro. Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay, great. Um, so yeah, as Tony said,
I moved here from California about a year ago. Um, sustainability has always been something that I've been passionate about um, primarily with my within my workplaces. I ran the employee resource groups uh for North America at multiple companies with the focus of uh with the
focus on sustainability. So yeah, I'm very excited to work with the town and for the town um on you know different ways that we can maintain our sustainability efforts uh and continue to to move that forward. So thanks for having me tonight. I appreciate the the
opportunity. Great. Any comments, questions from uh the panel? >> No. Thank you very much for volunteering. >> Yes, it is. Thank you. >> Especially as a new employee, a new res. >> Yes. Thank you for getting involved.
>> Ignorance is blessed. >> Yeah, it's my pleasure. >> Great. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, next I'll go with um Ellen Flatley who is uh looking to join the um parks
and recreation committee. Uh born and raised in Manchester um and worked at the beach in college. Uh was a seasonal employee for us with the parks and recck department. Um she participated in a lot of the parks and
recck programs as a kid and she uh spoke a lot about her affinity for the spaces here in Manchester and the programs that we offer. Serves on the Fourth of July advisory board. Um her professional experience was very
impressive and honestly couldn't have been more ideal for the parks and rep committee. Um she's worked in tourism for 20 years. Um specifically in attractions and sales and marketing. Um
worked at the Intrepid Space Museum in New York. Lived there for 11 years. Uh primarily managing, planning, and overseeing the overnight uh program uh with the Boy Scouts. Um and if you didn't know, that's an
aircraft carrier in the Hudson River. Um she then worked at the 911 museum in New York. Um and really high standard of uh operating procedures and heavily
involved in the elements of that. um currently currently I believe uh uh still works for an attraction company and also um had experience with Trip Advisor uh overseeing um Eastern Canada
attractions and Europe companies as well. Um again generational family here in town. Um uh her father and her aunt served it as town council for the town in the in the past and her grandfather was moderator
in the 50s. Um comfortable with the with the demand of the committee um able to attend all the meetings and again we spoke a lot about open meeting law and the charge of the committee and things of that nature. Um Ellen would you like to add anything to that?
>> What he said >> did I did I do okay? Yeah, you did. Okay. Yeah. So, I'm Ellen um Flattley. I um was on the Fourth of July advisory board, so I'm in recovery mode a little bit. So, um but yeah, no, I've uh been a
uh sort of bred into me to give back to the community. So, it's my turn. So, um I think given my professional experience, Parks and Rec's a really good fit. I work really well with Cheryl. Um we've worked really closely together for the last two Fourth of July. Um, and she recommended that I
encourage me to apply. So, I look forward to to serving people. >> This is your second bite of the apple. >> Yeah, I was going to say >> it was impressive even two years ago. >> Not much has changed, but I have um got
through two Fourth of July now and and know a little bit more about how >> things work. >> Well, thank you for coming back. >> Another round. Appreciate it. >> You know all the players now. Bill came back. >> That's great. Wonderful. Glad
that you can devote the time to that. >> Great. Thank you. >> And uh Kevin Omera, who's a new member for the historical commission uh is here. We met earlier this month as well. Um moved into Manchester 16 years ago.
uh lives right next to uh the district uh the historic district but not actually in it. However, um manages his home uh with an emphasis of uh you know conser protecting uh the
historic nature of the of of that property and has been really involved uh with the historic commission. has attended multiple meetings. Um uh has no prior experience with uh local boards but um he's got the you know in
our through our conversation with his experience attending the meetings and um the folks on the historic commission uh knowing them and understanding how it works. I feel he has a familiar enough that he'll catch up to speed really quickly. Um again no problem with the
demand of the committee. uh he's um spoke with Rosemary. He's familiar with the items that are in front of the commission um and uh works remotely in Burlington, so able to attend the meetings in person if need
be. Uh Kevin, >> um yes, I so I moved to town 16 years ago. Prior to that, I actually had a car here before that. So, um, and I love the downtown area and love, um, you know,
the the work that people have been doing to try to make sure that the historic nature of it is preserved. As Tony mentioned, I bought a house that needed to be restored. So, I tried to u maintain that historic change a lot of
things I did, you know. So I I'm looking forward to fairing and doing my part to finish that. >> Thanks. >> Thank you for raising your hand. Appreciate it. >> Any further questions here? You'll have
a front row seat on the sawmill Brook project. I can see that. >> I mean for sure. But Morris Court, you know, strangely enough, I mean, the historic district just goes along Central Street, Washington Street, and just the houses on the street does not go up any of the side streets really at
all. Kind of a strange >> I know that >> I did go to the museum to try to get some of the history of of my house and some of the other houses on the street there, but >> they give you credit for that to see what it looked like about 150 years ago. >> Well, my house started as boarding house.
>> Okay. Any other questions here from >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And I have I have one more too. I'm sorry I missed one. Bingo. Uh new member uh for the bike and ped committee. Um
grew up in Brooklyn. Uh just moved to Manchester by the Sea. Um Kobe and his uh girlfriend Carara moved to Manchester by the Sea not that long ago and immediately uh participated in a beach cleanup uh have been attending public
events um and paying attention to what's happening in municipal government. Uh both have requested to join to be appointed to committees. >> Uh so I found that I found that exciting that you know they they want to get involved with the community immediately.
um worked uh for the Brooklyn Teen Center. Uh he was a board member in high school. Uh he connected he's spoken with the bike and peg committee already and good with understanding with what their charge is and the demand that comes with that committee. Was a bike mechanic in
Ptown during COVID. Is an avid cyclist. Um his professional uh experience involves uh being a mechanical engineer with the US Navy and currently works for an aborne mechanical uh mechanical engineer for another airborne private
company. um very eager to get involved, happy happy to uh meet the demand of the committee. And we talked again about open meeting law and the importance of that. And um all all of the members, especially new members, you know, when they get sworn in, they're uh provided
links to trainings on conflict of interest and open meeting law. So we talk a little bit about it but they get the formal training once once. >> Hobie moved here about two months ago. >> Awesome. Get right involved. Excellent.
>> One of the big things that attracted me moved here was the beach of course in uh the trail network here. I to eager to get involved as Tony said with the community. um and learn about how we plan uh bike infrastructure and
regulation. Um special thing, the day after I moved to the town, I was going to get gas at 7 in the morning and I saw some 10-year-olds riding their bike around downtown. Special place that kids are just free to bikes around.
>> Excellent. Thanks so much for raising your hand so much. All right. Well, I don't know how many folks you know, but you're going to increase that number pretty quickly. >> Yeah. The folks on that committee, Terry Common, he'll introduce you to everybody. >> Terry. >> Oh, yeah. Sunday mornings and and other
times, too. >> Questions, comments from the uh panel. >> Yeah. Welcome to town and welcome aboard. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank Thank you very much, Colby. Well, this is uh this is great, Tony. We've got um four folks that are are new to
the system and that's it's great to get more and more different people involved. >> Excellent. >> Ready for a motion? >> Yes. >> I move the select board appoint individuals listed on the appointment list to the respective boards and
committees for the terms indicated thereon. >> Second. >> Discussion. Kathy, >> yes. >> Ann, >> yes. Brian, >> yes. >> Jeff, >> yes. >> John is yes. Great. >> You're all official.
You don't have to hang around for the rest of the meeting if you want to. But if you're interested, >> escape while you can. >> Go team USA. Okay. >> Right. Thank you very much. Great. All right.
>> Buildings and trash fees. Who's dealing with that? Let's see. >> Tony, is that on your uh See, so Tony, I guess we just need to uh have a discussion on this. >> We we uh published these changes about a
month ago. Uh these specific changes to the building permit fees and the trash bag fees. Um provided the data that uh we had received regarding the building permit fees. Uh we requested comments from the
public. I think you received some of those comments. We didn't get a three or four. >> Yeah, we didn't get a lot. Um but um I would I would think that maybe we talk a little bit more about the trash bag proposal. Um given
>> or maybe not talk about it at all. >> Well, well, you >> Well, we're voting on as far as voting on whether to uh approve the increase. Um, and we'll we'll talk about the trash uh contract in a moment. Um, but I do
think you know the especially the um fact that things are moving faster than expected now with conversion to automated. it it presents itself as an opportunity to maybe put a hold on increasing the trash bag fee and kind of coming back to
it as we go through the process of >> figuring out how >> figuring out how we're going to do trash >> comprehensive. Yeah. >> And prior to this past week, you know, our plan was that we knew automated collection was coming. Um, and our plan
was to do that methodically over the next year and really talk through how that conversion was going to occur and and get public input on that. Um, now it's happening faster than expected and that changes a little bit as to the
reasoning, you know, why we were u making this trash bag fee change. So, I do think we revisit it, but it if if you know, I might suggest that we could kind of put a hold on that change for now.
>> Uh, yes, I things will be kind of resolved one way or another within the next two months. >> So, I mean, a hold until All right, here's the picture. And are they going away? Are they going away a lot? A little? We don't know. We got some good ideas, but we don't know just yet. So
that's that's a reasonable thing because it really is all integrated with all all >> I think that uh given the timing uh you want to add insult to injury. >> Well, it's just you know everything's in flux. You don't want to in institute a
change that might only be good for two months and then do another, you know, we still got to figure out how we're going to deal with the transfer station if people want to break there. So, I think it makes sense to put a hold on the trash fee uh trash bag fee increases until we figure out a comprehensive approach. >> Right. I think all of the comments were
about bags, weren't they? >> I understand. I think they were >> secondary market. A lot of people who bought a lot of trash bags. I think >> Yeah. Yeah. I I wonder if we should do something to suggest to people that this is a bad time to buy trash bags >> in bulk.
>> Either in bulk or at all. >> Well, I mean, they may need them. Well, I think it's important to answer the trash bags still have a use. >> What's their use? >> So, that been a question but all the trash bags in one trash bag and throw
them up. >> Uh, but I think that I mean that question I've I've seen on social media. I was asked, you know, what am I going to do with my trash bags? Well, if you know, you're going to need them if you still plan on going to the transfer station. >> I think we just want to put this conversation on hold. >> Yeah. Where where was this publicized?
Where did these people read that the the number was going up? And it was not going up as of what? July one, I guess. Was that their >> trash bag fees? Yeah. Well, they sent out communications. >> That was a communication. >> During the just during the regular um
>> in the tide, it was on the uh >> All right. Okay. So, um >> and on the website, >> well, the tide is weekly. We need to put probably something in there. So because people are still expecting that to happen and right now has it happened
>> or not? Is there an anticipation? >> No, we haven't approved the >> No, they just saw that this would happen. I think we need to put another comment in the tie to the effect that this is >> tabled on on hold pending discussion of the rest of the old trash situation. Okay. So, if you could have Tiffany do
that, that would be good. >> Everything else I'm good. >> Okay. the rest of them. I think we had a short discussion on that either a month ago or two weeks ago. >> These are in keeping with local uh Yeah. So, and we're still not at the high end.
>> Yeah. >> At that point, >> right? >> Did Did you tell me I think I did ask I want to know how much money we got out of the building permits relative to total dollars on permits, fees, licenses? So
in going from 21 2021 to 2025 and 2021 was a little bit of a weird it was an anomaly because of COVID and the change to the market. Uh but in 2021, our total
building, electrical, gas, and plumbing revenues for permits was a little bit more than $252,000. In 2022, a little bit more than 302,000. In 2023,
uh 353,000. In 2024, 430,000. And in 2025, 387,000. All right. And we're increasing this by 67%. Yes.
>> Because that might be the >> Yeah, >> I trust your math. >> Well, Dean already did. >> And so I'm just going to round it up and say we're around 400,000 bucks. And so 67% is uh is what? 267,000. So that goes that will go from 400 to
670 more or less straight line >> depending on how many permits are folded. >> That's correct. I'm just looking I just rounded off this line of about 400 or so. Okay. >> Yeah. Through the 30 plus communities that we looked at, the average uh rate
was $11.7 per thousand. >> Is it 30 communities? >> 36 I think. Is it largely northeast Massachusetts or was it scattered? >> Um, it was all about it was uh
Beverly, Chelsea, Sus, Danvers, Canton, Marblehead, North Reading, Swans, Nucket, Lynfield, Georgetown, Boxford, Hamilton, Rockport, Chadam, Orleans, uh, a little bit scene, but pretty much a lot of people.
>> Yeah. The outreach ones are all coastal. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The outreach ones to make sure they want to go to school. >> The high the highest was $15.30. The lowest was $5 and we have been at six.
>> Okay. This does not seem like a crazy number to me. >> No, no, I'm good with all that. Yeah. >> Okay. Um and that the electrical is going from three to five based upon >> it's always been half the rate of the
building therapy. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Okay. All right. Other questions or comments on building electrical? Uh plumbing is not on here. We kind of
dealt with that. Is that specifically omitted here? It's kind of in the same >> I think we have I think it's built into the building permit fees. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Are we ready for a motion? >> I think we are. >> I move that the select board approve the
revised building permit fees, electric permit fees as proposed by the building inspector and the director of public works with the fees to become effective immediately. >> Second. >> Further discussion. Ready to vote. Jeb, >> yes. >> Ryan, >> yes.
>> An? Yes. >> Kathy, >> yes. >> And John is yes. >> Okay. So, those those will go in there. That will be Does that get announced someplace, Tony, or is that just all of a sudden when you show up at the building department, you see the numbers?
>> We'll update the be list on the website. It'll get integrated into the online portal. >> And this will go in effect when? >> Immediately tomorrow. >> Today. Okay. Good. All right.
Next discussion item, capital plan review. >> So, >> could I ask that the next time we do this, you provide a link that where we can pick up the spreadsheet. I can barely read the pico type and I need I
want to be able to compare things and and doing that on this paper is sort of very hard. Yes. Uh, you got a PDF version. Um, the spreadsheets I can give you >> the spreadsheet. >> They're they're going to be a couple of
documents. Uh, >> I want >> I will send them all to you. >> I want the >> XLS, not PDF. >> You're right. Yep. >> They can just blow it up. >> Oh, okay. >> You in town. We'll be back. Okay.
>> Okay. Uh the yeah the with these spreadsheets and these large capital plans uh you're always fighting the margins on a standard piece of paper. We're trying to uh
>> I I understand why the type is so small, but if you gave me something that I could use on my computer so I could scroll around on it. >> Yes, >> that would be >> happy to send that over. Um, we've talked about this a little bit in the past. Uh, we are we're due to
take another look uh at our capital plan. Uh, it's been a few years and one of the thing the approach that we're taking is having multiple sheets as part of this plan because naturally there's a lot of different ways to look at the
information. The plan that we've presented in draft form uh lists out all of our capital items um by category, facility, um infrastructure, amenity,
school district, and then a a uh projected cost of the projects. Um the the following page the following page then uh breaks that
out into multiple years looking forward as to when those costs may hit our books. Um still categorized in the different categories. And then the following page, which I think is probably the most helpful that you
eventually get to, is organizing uh those capital items in a fiscal year chronological order. So you can start to look at how does this impact the town over the upcoming years. And the the next page is really what I
think is a it's a summary of the capital plan um that looks at how the debt of these projects impact the town, what that debt service looks like per fiscal year, and also a summary of revenue that helps us
fiscally plan for that debt. That needs to be updated as well. Uh we hope to be adding in a comprehensive fleet schedule list as well. And um we talked about a list for
uh different types of studies or um other analysis that we might have programmed. We Chuck and Andrea and I will continue to work on refining this so it gets to a form where uh the select board can vote
to approve the capital plan. >> Um part what we talked about the other day was the facility planning committee and their role and how they get guidance from the town or the select board as to
what may be at the top of their priority list. Uh so in the near future we really want to take a look at you know this capital plan and specifically the facility categories and those that you know are due for discussion or potential
um request for funding in the upcoming town meeting or the following year. Um and then once that's approved, the facility planning committee can get to kind of keep look looking at those items
specifically, understand what their guidance is. So that way when it comes time to come back to the select board or the finance committee in the spring to prepare prepare for town meeting, the facility planning committee has already kind of done a lot of that work that
they're charged to do. Uh so we're ready to go. So I'm looking at yeah this last page which is the one that really said here's where your accountability is what you're spending and when you're going to spend it and we got like a ratchets of two and a
half% for several years in a row there for borrowed monies which is a lot and this is where things stand right now. this that is that is a few maybe it came in FY26 so a year
old I think so it needs to be updated >> so one of the pieces of information I'm not clear on because it's a really good comprehensive look so first of all thank you um it's my understanding that some of these
things especially under the facilities we're um planning are The priority may be driven by available grant funding. For example, the um bath house or or um
>> the harbor master >> harbor master office, >> right? >> So that what for example when you see harbor master office 750k is that assuming that we would pursue granting for the whole 750?
Okay. So in this highle overview, which is terrific, it might be helpful to just have a little column to designate that. So we spend more time talking about the things that we might need to tax for. Um
and then um you know, for example, things that we hope we'll get grant funding for. If we don't and they're a nice to have that may fall to the lower lower on the priority list, right? So I think the grant >> designation might be helpful.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. We can come up with some way to >> identify that something. Yeah. >> Change the color. >> Yeah. Something something simple. >> Yeah. The the harbor office is not on the list here in the the end >> of the facilities. >> Well, it isn't facilities. It's not in
the not in the debt service. >> Yeah. I just look at the high level overview of everything. >> Yeah. The first the first thing I can kind of read >> because if it says planning level FY of completion um for example the fiscal
year that fourth column in here >> um uh new DPW it says planning level fiscal year of completion FY27. Does that mean according to the most recent data we want to understand what
we're doing this fiscal year? Right. >> Right. >> But then there's the new then there's the harbor master office which I guess should have been done >> two years >> two years ago. So I like this this column is a really
good column and if you guys get that up to date just from a facilities planning committee that helps us. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. What's the >> make sense to order the subcategories by date of completion? They seem to be just sort of random.
>> Yeah. Yeah. The planning level that that column there. Yes. I think they also need to be updated. >> They have to be updated first. >> Yeah. Well, he can sort them and then fix them, >> right? Because that that's a that's a good place to start. And then um if we
know something's grant funded, you know, we may spend less time. >> Right. Right now the assumption is we'll borrow on everything. >> Well, not not quite. You know, the >> as far as this capital plan goes, >> how it feeds into a lot of the
discussion that the select board or the facilities planning committee or the finance committee are going to be involved in. Um, obviously the ones that are going to be taxing to our residents, you know, are going to be on this list, but they're projects that may not come
at a cost to the town um, as far as capital investment goes, but they still have to be, you know, discussed and agreed upon by the town if it's something that we want to be pursuing. Um so this really this document when
completed really kind of provides a like the core guidance um of priorities right you know to myself and um >> yeah so this is the whole thing >> it's it's it's a good listing to Kathy's
comment I agree you need a column that says where is possible financing you don't need to do anything with it >> it's a source >> financing source this might be a funing And if we get it, just be prepared. We're going to have to recast things a little bit because we're not borrowing that money. But you need to know where
those possibilities exist. >> So for example, for the facility planning committee, you know, even if we got a grant to build a facility that you know and it was fully funded through grant, there's going to be operational costs associated with that. And some of
the comments or commentary at the facility planning committee is how do we want to design this building you know for what it's going to look like in 20 years 30 years you know what's that annual operational expense. So even though it may not trigger a select uh
town meeting vote to spend money on it because it's funded by a grant there's still some cost element and therefore you know important for those discussions to be had. >> Okay. Well, I I think you've you've got all the layouts that people need to need to
see at some point in time when they're trying to look and see what's going on. I I can't think of any other. You've got four different layouts. That's everything. Uh >> that's a good list. Really good list. >> So, at this point, the next step is really, okay, let's make sure this is a
little more updated because some of this is old >> and it doesn't reflect reality. needs to be pushed ahead so that it knows this is where we are fiscal year 27 going forward instead of fiscal year 25. Oh, we didn't do this and we didn't do that. It's not real. Okay.
>> Yeah. I think the next time we come to the select board with an updated draft um we could, you know, spend a little bit more time kind of talking through >> like the next couple year projects. >> That's when you want to focus down. I
believe what's happening bumped out. Should this be bumped up? Should it, you know, any any types of >> All right, >> this would be good um just to make sure that what we show here in the updated version is also um uh we use it to
update Chuck's list of the to-dos for the facilities plan committee. He's got our action list. So, that would be good. >> Yeah, >> it's good. >> Any other questions, comments on uh these lots of numbers? Oh, yes, sir.
my great 37 project street finance committee. I know we talked about this before when the fincom and the selectman met about grants and I know Tony when you go on the site you can see all the grants that are in various states but I was wondering we've talked about this if
there's a forward look or a planning look on what grants we're applying for and the reason I mention this is oftentimes we apply for a grant we get it and then it's like okay we've sort of caught the bus now what do we do and
sometimes times our participation with that grant involves a fair amount of capital funding down the road, maintenance funding, operational funding. So, kind of looking at that overall picture ahead of time should be really good because there might be
grants that quite frankly look really promising, but you just look at the big picture and go in context with everything else you're doing. We just can't quite afford this now. We don't have staff for it or whatever. So I'm just sort of I'm always thinking five
years out, 10 years out. What how can we order these things by priority? That's just my comment. I know we've mentioned this before. It usually starts with grants, then gets to debt and operation, vehicles, all sorts of things. So
>> yeah, we discussed that at the at the facilities planning committee. We don't want the presence of a grant to drive our priorities. We want our priorities to be driven by us and the town's folk and then we figure out how to fund the stuff, but we don't want to tail wagging
the dog. >> Thanks. In practice, it's it's a mix of the two. I think, you know, there's certainly some planning involved in a lot of them. Sometimes a grant is presented, you know, becomes available
and we may look at it and say, is there something that we've been talking about or, you know, has been planned for uh that this could be helpful to? And then there's also that layer of, well, what's the fine print involved with this grant? What does it require, you know, long
term for the town and try to make a decision as to whether it's something that we want to pursue or not? You know, typically when a grant is announced, you you have a decent amount of time to evaluate that. Sometimes longer than
others. Um, so I think it's a good it's a good point. I think that you'll never really have like the full picture because of the grants that pop up sometimes. Um, but it's a good it's a good especially for the grants that we know come out on
an annual basis. you look at the capital plan, you know, like when we're talking about the senior center for instance, we know green communities opportunities are available. So, we're looking at looking looking at that. Uh with the harbor office, we know when seapport uh
economic council grants happen. So, there's some some of it you can have a better planning approach to. Some of it won't be there, but that's that's okay. you know the they filter through you know filter through a process and sometimes work and are worth it and
sometimes they aren't >> right good thank you any further comment on this discussion item so this will get revisited >> when >> um
it's like either >> two months out three months out >> yeah I would I would say a month >> month yeah we we can't go too far we the facility planning committee obviously is looking for some guidance and before you know it we'll be getting ready for
spring town meeting. So >> okay can you add that to our to-do list on an action item and throw in something in August >> that would be good >> if you provide access to the current state >> through um spreadsheets.
>> Yes. >> So >> yes I can use that. I had the same problem and did it. They do not print well. >> I don't know whether it's the printing or my eyes, but it's a bad combination. >> Okay,
the next topic, waste disposal and curbside collection contract update. perhaps number one on our list, but it was down on the list. >> Yes, >> that's number one. I think in >> um >> our concerns right now.
>> Yeah. Well, f I mean, first of all, acknowledging the inconvenience of the interruption in service is important. Um you know, this is quite frankly, it's the last thing that we wanted to experience again after last year. Uh,
and the decision that we made the other day was a was a difficult decision to make, but as I've spoke with all of you, it was it was really about a, you know, a shortterm headache and inconvenience for a
long-term benefit. Um, the easy easier road may have been to just resign with Republic, our pre-existing contractor. Uh but we had serious concerns about the terms of the
contract and those were identified uh really through the strike that we went through last year where the the contract that the town was engaged in with Republic gave us no protection or
leverage and um we suffered for that you know where we had to absorb a lot of cost uh that we had taken on in order to, you know, fix or or or service uh the the residents during the strike.
>> Didn't we get a reduction in fees as well >> in in the proposed contract? >> No, no, no. In in when it when it happened and we spent the money picking stuff up, I believe that they reduced the fees for the time that they were not
servicing. >> Right. Uh technically per the contract they didn't have to reduce anything. Uh they ended up only charging us for the services that they provided. Uh we fought back and forth with Republic about also, you know, reducing the fee
based on the money that we spent in order to >> backfill their operation. Um and they they weren't interested in that. They're not charging us for doing it and we do it. >> Now, we ended up submitting them a
payment that reduced it according to our calculations and they took that payment. >> But, um, technically per the contract, they could have >> they could have walked away. >> They could have fought us on that. >> Um, so we actually under Greg dating
back to December of 2024, the town has asked Republic for a new contract. uh expecting that the contract was expiring in June just the other day. Um and then the strike occurred and we pushed for
language for a new contract shortly after that after especially experiencing all those issues. Um in the early spring of this year, uh we pushed really hard to get updated numbers for the upcoming year because we
were developing the budget. Um, and if you know, if you recall, it wasn't until I think February or March that they even gave us some proposed numbers that would was enough to put into the budget so we could properly plan for the upcoming
fiscal year. Uh we continued to push on uh Republic for real numbers and uh eventually we got those but we still hadn't got a contract amendment >> uh because we had already been looking
at our contract with KP Law, our legal council, >> and identified terms that we wanted to change moving forward. um when th when they went on strike, 14 communities were
involved and KP law for those towns that had KP law uh looked at all the contracts and we had one of the worst terms, you know, as far as language in the contract. We had one of the evictions. So, it was very important to us to fix those things.
Uh we didn't receive the contract terms from the public until the last Friday in May. Uh so a month before the contract was due to expire, we submitted back the changes to the
terms that we wanted that KP Law uh drafted for us and a week before the contract expired, Republic rejected those changes. Um now throughout this time in the last
six months we've been pushing Republic for information and also reaching out to other vendors. Uh we really didn't have a lot of luck. Um I think it's fair to say that Manchester really doesn't move the needle far for these contractors. Uh
but one thing that changed was Republic who then had us Gloucester, Beverly, North Reading all with contracts coming up for expiration in June. North Reading, Glosser and Beverly switched to Cassella
and a lot of uh they laid off a lot of their employees in Republic and a lot of those employees were then hired by Cassella to service those communities. Uh once Cassella moved into our neighboring communities, their interest in picking up Manchester by the Sea grew
and Hamilton and Wenham who have had Cassella for the last uh however long their contract with Cassella was expiring in June as well. So, they had been negotiating a new contract with Cassella for an extension and Beverly
and Glosser and North uh Reading had picked up Cassella and then we were our terms were rejected by Republic. But we really ramped up conversations in the last week or so, two weeks with Cassella and we were uh
happy with the contract terms that Hamilton and Wenham with KP Law negotiated with Cassella. That included, you know, eliminating a labor strike from the force majour section of the contract. Um included title for the
waist stream. Uh so that is once Pella collects trash they have legal title of it versus >> we maintaining that legal title. >> Um >> what's the significance of that? >> Well, it's if it's contaminated in any
way, if it gets, you know, down the road once it goes from them to the next stop. um important insurance information and non-performance liquidated damages >> which we never had in our current
contract. So Cassella had agreed to those terms with Hamilton and Wenham their legal council and KP Law legal council for those two towns had agreed to those terms and they actually signed on June 30th.
So on July 1st, uh we spoke with Cassella again and said, "We would like the same contract terms. Um and if you're willing to take us on, we we'd be happy to do that." And they agreed. Uh
so again, it was things moved really fast there in the end. And I think it was a product of Cassella picking up some of our neighboring towns, Republic being reluctant uh to negotiate the terms of the contract. And the more and
more I spoke with other communities, um the more concern I had for uh Republic, you know, doing a five-year contract with Republic long term. Uh so that brings us to July 2nd when we
notified Republic and we notified the residents immediately uh that we were going to be dealing with this interruption. We have limited information right now because Cassella quickly was picking us up and adding them to their schedule. They knew we knew that they weren't
going to be here today and tomorrow. Uh but they did say we hope to be there the following week. We don't know if it's going to be a weekly trash and recycling collection from now through September or if it's going to be every other week
recycling or, you know, some other form. We're waiting for them to give us that information so we can talk about that with the residents. I mentioned to them how important it was that no matter what the form looks like that it's consistent and that we can get that message out.
One of the biggest scars I think from the Republic strike was we wouldn't know until the night before our collection day whether or not they were coming. And I think that was a very that was a that was a a tough position you know for us
and for our residents you know to be in. So we want to get that information out as soon as possible. The other element with moving to Cassella was that we have to move to automated collection by September. Um, now we always knew that we were going to have to move to
automated collection. Like I as I mentioned earlier, uh, the deal with Republic was that we would just have a sir charge of about $14,000 per month that we did not convert. But we were adamant about taking our time and
performing a proper public process uh, as to how we wanted to um, roll that out and and and organize that. So now we have to do that quickly and it's going to be a busy July and August uh
developing um a proposed approach, gathering public input and deciding how that's going to work. But it's going to include a uniform trash barrel or uniform
recycling barrel. um whether those are 35gallon, 65gallon, 96gallon uh totes. Um whether you provide an option for residents to choose uh
whether there's a fee associated with that, um you know, the transfer station and still using the the uh orange bags to uh for overflow. uh a lot of those decisions, you know, we have to come up with in a quick in a
quick turnaround so we can get back to, you know, confirmed automated collect or get to automated collection on a weekly process. There's also the option of going to every other week recycling when it comes to automated collection, which
saves about $70,000 on the contract. Um those are things that we're going to talk about and gather gather feedback from the public. But um we have been working on this for quite some time and unfortunately it
takes two partners to sign a contract and we weren't getting the response that we wanted to. Um but we're happy with the terms of the new contract with Cassella. It's I think it's positive that they are going to be servicing the communities around us. So, they're going
to be in the area, you know, every week. Um, and we got to go through inconvenience in the short term. Uh, but we're going to we're going to try as hard as we can to get this figured out and communicate as best as we can and
get it back to normal. So, what is the current until we have more information, right? What is the current communication plan? Because in the absence, so what we've noticed, right, is in the absence of detailed communication, the residents are
scouring >> the websites of the neighboring towns and assuming sometimes that we're going to do the same thing, which is not true. So, um, I think, you know, you kind of did a really good crisis communication
last year, right? A weekly update no matter what. I I think, you know, that was successful. um last year and I I think you should consider doing it again. You right >> if nothing's changed, you just tell everybody, hey, nothing's changed or we
know we're going to need the orange bags. Not quite sure for what yet. Maybe just the transfer station, but you know, don't throw them all out yet. You know, anything you can tell them that we know >> or or just no new info every week, just say something. But they are really
scouring >> Yeah. the the web right now. >> Yeah. >> They're very resourceful. >> The next the first level I think a little bit more explanation as to what just happened. Yeah. You know, last week was immediately we need to let people
know, >> right? >> Trash isn't coming next week. >> Um obviously without the background that I just talked about led to a lot of response. So the next line of communication is really kind of explaining the situation that we found ourselves in and that we are truly
making a you know the harder but correct decision I think for the residents long term. Um and then shortly thereafter is what to expect as far as Cassella collection format over the next few
weeks, couple months. Um and then really promoting you know the public forums that we're going to have or you know what are the the details that we're going to be discussing and once those decisions are made
>> what do you want to give people um a place to send a a centralized place to send their questions? >> Yes. you know um just you know you I think you published a FAQ last year right so maybe you know
a centralized place for because otherwise they're going to be aing you know emailing you emailing Chuck emailing us posting on Facebook and just collecting >> really it should be the TPW >> yeah will they have the same role I'm just saying but we haven't told anybody to do that right so
>> will they have the same role this summer as they did last summer dpw >> yeah Okay. For for helping people that for whatever reason. So >> yeah, and it's already >> I think maybe the DPW even was running the roots for a few days at some point,
>> but after that it was kind of ad hoc when when people had problems. >> Okay. So any kind of the schedule andor what that cost is for the summer, that's still all in the works. We don't know with Cassella, >> but you're when are they due to come back with us or is that a daily
discussion with those guys? Well, so they as well as dealing with the holiday, uh, they've, you know, added new contracts and got and and we're running around, I think, setting up all these new
accounts. So, uh, they have our language and our questions as far as finalizing the contract and signing it. They have our commitment to move forward. Um, I'm hoping to get that back this week and also this week have some sort of
understanding from them as to what they can provide to us in the coming weeks and months. >> In parallel. All right. So, both of these answers have to come back. >> Yeah. And they they've mentioned that they some of it is what happened in Beverly um with Republic where
shortly after the contract the decision was made to go with Cassella. Republic had laid off a number of their employees and then Cassella picked them up uh which offered them the opportunity, you know, the ability to ramp up, you know, service quickly. >> These people know the neighborhood.
>> They know the roots. Yeah. So, uh, we'll see if something like that happens here, too. Um, but they they'll get us information as soon as possible. The other thing I really want to know from them is when do we need to make a decision about the types of barrels? Um, if we're aiming for a September 1st
roll out, I assume we have to make that decision with enough lead time so that the barrels can get stamped. And >> so, so there's there's the questions directly related to the barrels, but then there's also the ancillary questions like, okay, so we usually put
our, you know, barrels out on the street where there's parking allowed. Now, do we have to walk them across the other side of the street because the cars are going to block the barrels? You know, so there's all the ancillary stuff. That's why, you know, I think just publishing something weekly with random questions
we're all going to come up with is is just >> just like you did last year, it would be really helpful. And I want to be as available as possible to residents that if they have questions or comments um to
stop by town hall, uh send me an email. You know, we want to we I've live as a Beverly resident um you know, we knowing that this automated collection was going to conversion was
going to happen. I saw firsthand how it was as a resident to be absorbing that information and kind of following it along and really wanted to get this done the right way uh and make it as as least impactful
as possible and now unfortunately we're right where we didn't want to be. >> Um so we're going to do everything we can uh to make up for that. Mhm. >> So what are the corners of your your discussion then? Who pays for the
barrels? How many sizes? >> What else? >> What to do with the bags? Orange bags. >> Bags. >> Yeah. I mean, they probably are still needed for the transfer station >> probably >> for overflow. So that's what to do about
the orange bags. How do people get rid of the barrels they already have? >> Yes. Getting throwing out a trash can turns out to be hard. Well, I thank the contract. So, they they take care of that. >> They'll take away the barrels. >> What to do? I mean, right now, recycling is free. >> Yep.
>> Okay. So, is that still going to be the case even though you're getting a barrel or is that not going to be the case? >> They're charging us for it. >> I guess, >> like I said, I'm just You asked what could some of those other questions be? >> Um, are people going to have to pay for recycling where they don't today?
>> Um, what to do about those? How do you charge? I mean, do we charge by a year or do we >> Well, I it's usually like a the water sewer payment, you know, bills. >> Well, I mean, okay, the water and sewer doesn't quite work because we have people who are not on water.
>> I'm just saying it's a mechanism usually people that I know of, you know, they get bills, you know, like they would. So, we Yeah. >> Yeah. We >> or or we could put it on the tax rate. And the advantage of that is that for people
>> less it's less administratively burdensome >> it's beneficial to the resident. Um the issue is that >> not only you know the contract even if we resigned with Republic we're looking at a 50% increase in cost of contract
>> plus a 5% increase per year for the next five years. And by going to automated collection and eliminating >> orange bags, >> most of the orange bags, >> that revenue stream was around $300,000. So
we're faced with a $600,0005 to $600,000 change >> in the finance. >> Okay. you know, with the increase in cost and the reduction revenue >> 300,000 into the budget. I think >> we full Yeah, we we're we're funded on
the in the budget. Um we expected that the increase in the bag fees would help with that a little bit. Um obviously that's different now. >> So, so you could >> you could have bin fees, right? Instead of bag fees, you have a different type of fee, right? >> It's not that's I think what Ann is
asking. Those those are the elements of the conversation. in every other week. >> I don't I don't I think that we will for the upcoming fiscal year we could absorb this change but I don't think >> in the long run
>> I'd be nervous about the next four years the general fund being able to support that cost on its own. >> But I I think one of the advantages of a public meeting is that people tell me things that I hadn't thought about.
>> Right. and and and I wish we had been able to have that discussion about this contract. Um >> well, I think what we're talking about now is not specific to the contract. It's it's how do we want to implement it? How are we going to pay for it?
>> How are we going to pay for it? >> How are we going to pay for it? We we have time to talk to the public about we have time. We have time. We have money enough in the budget so that we don't have to make that decision by September. You also have the option or I wouldn't say the option, the opportunity to talk
with all these other towns. They're not having conversations that are any different what's going on here. >> Right. Right. >> Okay. And we don't need to reinvent the wheel. Just say went down this road, went down that road, this is what happened, etc. >> Lessons learned. Yeah. >> And we can find out pretty quickly what
didn't work and why it didn't work. Have any of these towns done it for like, I don't know, two or three years? >> And so they >> longer than that. Some town like Beverly for instance, we've had we've we have a trash fee uh in Beverly that we pay as
part of our utility bill quarterly. Uh I think it's quarterly. >> Okay. >> Uh but we didn't have bags. >> We could put trash out in whatever barrel we owned and it would get collected. We were limited to the size of the barrel and how many barrels we put out.
>> Um that's the difference here is the we're converting from a from use >> a true pay as you throw >> right yeah >> style >> not 100% but it was a big chunk of what the cost was and we're converting if you
don't do anything that it's there is no use at all somebody uses it a lot or a little because everybody's paying the same number and >> that makes noise >> when you go to the automated collection you lose >> some of that ability to you know that
>> it's based on usage or more so based on usage, right? And so now you're talking about a fee that you have to kind of standardize that and it doesn't matter how much you use the trash and recycling. Um unless of course it's overflow or how
much you don't use it, you'd be contributing >> or or you could if you had differentiz barrels, you could charge different amounts. >> You could, but we'll have to investigate all of that. I mean, before what was $800,000 for trash hauling plus disposal
and $300,000 for the bag. So 40% of the cost was use based because it was bags >> and uh I mean going the system just as it stands 100% is none of it is use based
>> and and then of course there's the sustainability side of the conversation too is you know pushing recycling and pushing composting. Uh >> composting. Yeah. But recycling at this point >> costwise is more expensive. >> Yeah.
>> Recycling costs more than trash. Uh but um you know moving things like into composting reduces your tonnage. Uh so there's there's a lot of um >> Black Earth did a really good job. >> The sustainability committee to help us,
>> right? Well, did a good job of saying >> buy compostable >> paper plates. Yeah. Fourth of >> July, right? >> Well, a dialogue on that sort of stuff. And I think it's a little early right now, but we need to get some input from some of these other towns as to why
things didn't work certain ways and why they're doing things. And that has to be a dialogue that really has to start this month, >> like at the next meeting. And maybe there's a forum. I don't know. Is that something that lends itself to that? Do you have any >> and I are and I are
>> talking through that communication plan tomorrow. >> Okay. >> And we may be, >> you know, coming up with some public meeting dates to put out there. >> I I don't do something. >> We can we can get that started. Um and
communicated even short of knowing what the next couple weeks look like, you know, if we're going we're going to be talking about this so consistently anyways. I'd like to get that out there so people know, okay, there's there is an opportunity coming to learn
more about this and provide input. >> Good. >> Are you going to put out some kind of public statement saying how we got to where we are right now? >> Yes. Uh we I have a draft I started writing
up a script for the Manchester Minute video. Uh, I plan on doing a article from the town administrator in the Cricut. >> Yeah, that's good. >> Um, and hopefully the video goes out tomorrow. >> Okay.
>> Article in the Cricut and all that stuff >> and all. Yep. >> Just regular communication. At least people know where to go. And >> yeah, >> you want to talk to the Boston Times? >> Yeah. Yep. I'm sure uh you probably
reached out already. So yeah, I will. >> Okay. >> Hopefully the globe won't be interested. >> Good. Well, um >> it's it's at the top of your to-do list just like it was a year ago. Congratulations. Every time the first of
every year >> and let's hope not. >> I think it's you. I this one this one bothers me because I really you know we really really did not want to be in this situation. We never wanted to repeated that of that last year
>> and it was it was a tough decision because the easy the easy option was to just resign with Republic but I in my in my gut I all the signals and all the conversations we've been having and seeing all these other these bigger
towns convert to Cassella it just made me nervous about the contract and when they did not when they rejected our proposed changes uh so late in the game. Um that was that
was a moment there where it's like okay we have to make a hard decision here. >> In other words, it is unwise to sign a contract with a supplier who you know maybe doesn't want your business. M >> when you are a small fish
in a big pond, you don't have any leverage. And we are not a small fish. We are guppies. Okay. >> So, um you don't get the attention. Takes two to tango. >> And if you don't have an interested partner, >> how big a company is it to sell?
>> They're pretty big. Uh >> nationwide or regional? They're nationwide, but they are p primarily eastern from Maryland up to Maine. Um they're like the number one recycle on the recycling side. They're probably the
number one company on the East Coast. >> Um >> I guess I don't understand quite how our I I've heard presentations by the people who run the recycling plant. Will we use the same recycling plant or will we
we'll use Cassella's >> recycle? We'll >> have to use Cassella's. >> Okay. >> So, it's not the North End over or wherever we >> No, that's that's trash. >> That's trash. That's Willow Bridge. >> I think theirs is in Boston somewhere outside of Boston.
>> Okay. So, we may have different requirements. >> No, it'll be the same standards. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> that was one of the that was one of the issues. I don't know if you remember we talked about like could we do this
inhouse or could we use black earth or you know but the issue is that we have a we have the contract for >> the trash >> the trash but we don't on recycling so >> and the probably the companies don't want aren't interested in >> the collectors
>> manage those recycling facilities >> vertical so you you end up >> vertical monopoly >> yeah kind of capture >> you'd end up hit on it with the recycling contract at that point if they even allowed you to dispose of stuff.
>> I assume that they they are not set up to handle any kind of multiple stream. >> I can find out. I can find out. I >> mean just just if we could separate glass and paper
um it's more barrels. It's more hassle, but it's much better recycling. >> Uh, one thing that we touched on briefly with Cassella, but still haven't gone through the fine details yet, is um
whether we could have a hardboard election opportunity for residents, especially when you go to these automated barrels. You know, the cardboard tends to mess you up. take up a lot of space mess you up big time. Yeah. >> Um
>> may be less convenient, you know, to have to bring your cardboard to, let's say, the transfer station for a cardboard dumpster, but um it also may allow you to >> put, you know, >> lower cost. >> Yeah. I don't know. So, so we'll we'll find out what that what that looks like
and talk through that, too. >> What are we doing about recycling at the transfer station right now? It's still the same. >> Yep. We have a we have two separate recycling and trash. >> Who's hauling? >> But that's not changing while this two-month
>> no >> situations and trash. >> Cassella is hauling. >> Cassella is hauling our uh >> stuff from the transfer station. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Y >> and I saw them putting in dumpsters. >> Y Okay. I was there today. >> I was there this morning.
>> Wasn't Wasn't heavy traffic. >> It started around a little before 8. There was a little bit of a line. was good. >> Great. >> All right. Thank you for the update there. This is going to be a a standing topic
>> for a while. Okay. Um, one school street brick sidewalk. Yes. >> Good. Thank you very much. >> Um, all right. So, one school street, a
brick sidewalk was installed by the owner of that property. Essentially, what we're talking about is an encroachment. You know, to to think about it that way, it's an encroachment property. >> Rip up the sidewalk in front of your house, you would expect to be in
trouble, >> right? >> You would think, >> right? Um, now there was communication with the town about this idea of uh piloting a brick sidewalk to which we were, okay, we could we could think about doing
that. Uh, that that might work, but we need to talk to all the right people. It's got to go through a process. We need to make sure that the spec of the install is going to meet our standards. You know, those things were communicated. Um however the next you
know very shortly thereafter the sidewalk started to be installed. Um so what do we what are our options? Um essentially you're dealing with like an encroachment on public property which our our
ability to combat that is through legal action. Uh it's not a fine. We don't have we can't just come up with a number to throw a fine at it or something like that. Um, we've been through these types of
encroachment issues in the past and the legal road tends to be a long one that eventually ends up in, you know, you get pressured into a we should just come up with some sort of settlement approach here to fix what what we're dealing
with. Um, I've talked with legal about what that what what does that look like? And essentially the option is a an agreement. We have a couple things that we have to be mindful of. One is
indemnity. Um look, you know that if anyone is injured, um you know, on that property, we want to be indemnified because we didn't build it. It wasn't to our spec. We would want the property owner to be liable for that. Um, two is
if we're not wanting to keep a brick sidewalk, if we're not happy with the way that it was installed and we want it converted back to something else or installed a certain way, the owner should have to pay for
that, not the town. Um, and three, uh, some sort of commitment that that is that this wouldn't happen again in the future. Um, so they're working on a a draft agreement of of that
of that nature uh for me to to meet with the property owner >> and then hopefully get agreement on that. And I'll share that draft agreement with all of you before >> um forward. the plantings that were there
um were native and perennial and the English ivy just doesn't cut it. >> I if if you want uh we could probably add that to the conversation about uh proper types of planting that we would
want to see there. Um I I I believe those plantings have has been have been changed since the original planting of the uh native >> style. I think that I think those have been gone for a while but nonetheless
>> there were garden type plants rather than the shy. >> Yeah. >> And and >> he has been maintaining those plants. I think the property owner >> property owner has since he took possession of it >> and that was what >> the plants that were there the past couple of years
>> I think I and I could be wrong I think he purchased the building the dean I believe >> uh some changes going on I think maybe two years ago those those plantings were changed but he has made but he's been maintaining that >> they were changed because of visibility
problems >> the original ones were too tall >> that that was on the corner of of Union and summer. >> Yeah, we're talking on the right on school on Union and school. Yeah, I think that school those plants were too high.
>> Yeah, they want to get visibility for school. >> I I believe that the property owner did in fact uh do that when he first took possession. >> But you're saying that they they have been changed in the last two or three weeks. >> No, no, no. Uh in the last few years, I
think. >> Yeah, they were changed when they got the sign. The actual the actual bed was the same size. I think they just changed. >> They put in something some other plan. I don't know what plan. >> English ivy. >> Okay. >> Not nearly as lovely as what was
>> I guess my my concern right at this minute is if somebody gets hurt on that sidewalk for whatever reason, >> who is liable right now? >> We are. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's >> so we need to take action fairly
quickly. >> That'll be in that. So this commitment not to reaffend, does that come with a penalty should they reaffend? because if we have this type of u agreement um then should it happen again that
would be especially unfortunate I'll say and deserving of some type of penalty I don't think and if you warn them ahead of time you know >> you know again full disclosure I'm a tenant okay but I've also you know uh
represented the town with him over the last couple years on the community center u some other issues I think that that is something that uh we should uh talk to legal about as far as a penalty going forward
uh unless he can't proceed with anything without written approval from this board. >> Y >> and uh >> understand you can't penalize them and and >> we can't go past but but no >> and I don't know if that's something legal can look at as far as
>> you know briefly about that. >> Yeah. Um there was a couple concerns with that approach from legal is one is what what authority or guidance are we
pulling from some sort of regulation that would point to what that penalty amount should be. There really isn't anything in existence there. And two, um, it may be,
you know, a penalty for if you do it again, but it also then kind of becomes a price to do it again. >> My suggestion is x amount of dollars per day >> while it becomes and make it, you know, after a while. Truth truthfully the I
don't >> the penalty is we we would take legal action and we would you know point to this agreement if if we get signed agreement on some sort of terms that we're good with. >> Well I don't understand that them having to agree. Okay. An agreement is normally
an agreement between two parties. They broke the law. Okay. They ripped up public property. I don't understand the concept of agreeing to something. >> Well it's leverage. It's basically leverage. I mean our our our option is to take legal action,
>> right? >> And if we want to pursue legal action, that's a decision we would make. You know, >> can we wrap our legal costs on this into the restoration of that sidewalk, >> right? >> We could push for that, but I don't know
if a judge would ultimately do it. >> I I don't see why. Honestly, I don't see why not because we can't let everybody rip up public sidewalks whenever they feel we can. >> We shouldn't be on the hook to defend ourselves on something like this. >> Yeah, >> I if it ever even went to trial, you
know, it's >> I'm not saying it is, but part of this agreement, you know, there's got to be more than just putting the sidewalk back. >> Well, I think that to that point, let's draft it and see what happens. But but to Jeff's point, let's be tracking our
legal costs and ask for reimbursement of those as well, >> right? Why shouldn't >> Absolutely. >> Oh, I'm sorry. You mean >> the current ones? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> The clock is ticking right now. >> It is ticking. Should make them pay. >> Um >> um so Oh, go ahead. >> Yeah, that that's fair. And and right
now one of the requests is when and if and I assume it's a it's a when question that the uh the sidewalks in all of the area based on what the DIP decides to do changes they have to meet that requirement on their dime. They already
have the bricks there. I assume it'll be bricks but they're going to have to >> So let's follow that thread. I know that Mark Resnik was working with the planning board, I guess, to kind of discuss um brick sidewalks. How long will it take to complete that analysis and
process? Because if it's going to be all year, I say get rid of the brick, put in something that's standard that we know people won't trip over or whatever. And >> well, just >> just even for snow removal because now
you got pavement. >> Well, I'm >> and then you got bricks. >> What's going to keep the the >> Can I keep this bricks out? >> Well, let me just Can I just clarify my thought? My thought was part of I think the reason why this happens is sometimes
municipalities are slow to make decisions and people get impatient. It's not a good reason to go ripping up a sidewalk, but part of, you know, we we're not 100% blameless here. So, what I'm just asking, I think that the potential solution might depend on how
long it's going to take to get through our whole process on whether or not we want a brick sidewalk. If that process is going to be a long time, my personal opinion is rip it up, put it back the way it should be, and send the bill to the to the property owner. >> Well, first of all, you don't know the
spec that is built to. So even if we was different than our spec even if we decide to put in brick sidewalks, we don't know that that patch >> is going to be what we want down the road. >> True. >> We we
>> Yes, you're correct. And I can tell you that we know that >> the spec that it was built at is not to our standard. >> Yeah. >> Well, I didn't I agree and I didn't want to get into that. that now which which it may fine short term but a lot of the
reason for that spec is to ensure >> long term >> we may I suggest the following all right yes we don't know what the DIP wants to do okay at this point we don't know brick uh okay or style of brick or
whatever okay the that small portion is there. Let's take it for a ride. Let's see how it how it handles entire uh four seasons. Winter, heat. Okay. Then,
uh that gives the DIP some ideas of of what it looks like, what they're going to do. If the DIP decides we're going to change it, then he rips it out. Or if the DIP says, we like the brick, we like the those are Boston City Hall papers, which are common all over the place.
Okay. Then if uh then if they like that but uh under the opaces of uh of the uh DPW they want the the DPW wants it laid differently then at that point he has to
rip it up and put it down to the specifications of the town but it's there. >> I just want to clarify this is not in the hands of the downtown improvement committee. It's in the hands of the town planner and the planning board. >> I don't think it is. Isn't that it's it's slightly, >> isn't it?
>> I'm just saying as far as so the the downtown improvement committee um uh worked with, you know, members of the community and somebody suggested the brick sidewalks. They brought that to Mark Resnik. Mark has been working on the standards or whatever. Downtown
improvement committee, I just want to correct you. Downtown improvement committee is not >> But my point is we've got a short a very small sample and that's you know in architecture you know in construction there's a lot of times they say I want to see a sample okay okay and the when
the re reality here is I was up in gunk maine on sun on Friday okay Portland there's brick it's gorgeous it's all over the place I've always been a fan of brick papers we have it there it's let's keep an eye on it if at any given time
DPW determines that it's a hazard then it has to be ripped up. So I think what tone it is it's not a st it's not up to our standard is what I heard. >> I would I would say that >> that decision changes based on
the agreement of indemnifying the town one. >> Right. >> If that if we don't get that agreement signing over >> liability to the property owner >> we got to do something. >> Absolutely. I I don't disagree with that at all.
>> So that's number one. Number two is agre, you know, agreement. I would like to have agreement in writing that whenever, whyever the town decides it needs to be reinstalled properly or >> removed
>> removed that the property owner has to do it or agree to pay for whatever cost we incur. >> Yeah, highly agree. So I would just advise us though if let's say we get this agreement in place >> again my question is how long is it going to take the town because to make a
decision because what you don't want to do is reward bad behavior it sets a really bad precedent so can we get this decision done in a couple of months and either you know I personally I'd like this all addressed before the winter time
>> right I would I don't want that thing sitting out there as a badge of honor you know, and and giving other people ideas that they can just destroy town property because >> I mean, what kind of timeline are you looking at to figure out >> time's important?
>> I I I agree. It has to be soon. Is this is in Mark's hands? I just I just he might make a com I you know it's >> the way that this was done was improper and I and I think we all agree that it's
got to go through a certain process but I wouldn't necessarily characterize it as someone d you know if it was destroyed we'd be acting a lot faster you know this is >> this was a the the idea of doing a pilot you know
we were open to that concept cept, but it had to go through a certain process. It's the process in which that this was done that's the problem. And it may be that we don't want to do brick sidewalks in the future. I just I I wouldn't >> Well, I just The only thing I'd say though is I >> No, if it was a pile of rubble,
>> I understand that there's a distinction, but because it wasn't built because we do have some standards for brick sidewalks and because it wasn't done to our standard >> by definition, unless we're going to change our standard, it needs to come out anyway. That's my point. It has to
come out anyway. It doesn't meet our standard. So, I'm just >> This trial horse is useless, >> right? >> Bingo. Better way of saying it. So, that's my point is it's got to come out anyway. How long is it going to take for us to get through our process?
I'd like it done before. You know, >> I've seen just to as I recollect I recall because the uh the implementation of anything sidewalk wise
was kind of put on the back burner while we waited for the culvert to get done. There was no sense getting involved with anything and I believe that was you know you can check with the people on the Okay. So now that there is we have a a time frame of the culvert, we think we do. And now that we have a reason to act
quickly, then uh we can take a look at you're right. >> What is our reason to act quickly though? >> Not that sidewalk though. That was kind of it's more of the stuff. >> He came up with this six years ago in front of the Roardi building. >> He wanted to put
>> Rick in front of there. And you were right because the culvert was coming up. He wanted to extend it all the way down to Sawbrook. I think we're pretty close >> at his right >> right at his expense and he was willing to do that and when >> you're on the HTC at the time >> and and and when the whole sawmill
project was pending and at that time he said oh it'll be done in two years here we are five years later um it that whole discussion kind of went away but this has been in his mind for >> it was also the lead service line
requirements that came out in the last couple years and from our perspective Ive if we were if we had to replace any service lines under sidewalks >> uh that would not be good make sure you do that before you change
>> I would also suggest that whatever or whatever conditions that we set >> well the owner also be uh responsible for if there has to be utility work done under those sidewalks that uh he absorbs those costs of replacing
because it's a lot harder to replace brick than it is to just post more as >> well. Right now you've got you've got three points you're trying to make. Indemnification replace that if required really kind of depending on what happens with uh with
Mark and his requirement for the the other sidewalks and uh some sort of penalty or something. You can't do this to any place else and frankly owns the whole block. So he has a vested interest one way the other say I want to do this. That's a that's a valid comment.
that uh he's in a he's in a position with other >> ancillary look. Is it time to look at maybe a bylaw? >> Well, don't Well, we have other issues on other rights way another uh where other people are uh >> encroaching
>> encroaching. So maybe it's time to take a look at that. >> Isn't it already illegal? Like what is that? I'm not sure what that would get us over and above over and above our right >> to defend our sidewalks as is. >> Yeah. Okay. >> And again, if you
>> if you try to come up with like a penalty amount, >> you can just pay the penalty and say that. >> Yeah. I mean, that's that's useless. I mean, for some people >> and we deal with it. We deal with it every spring. Uh because
you know edges of uh garden beds, mailboxes, fences, you know, all of these things that are technically in the town right away are, you know, sometimes get damaged during snow removal in the
winter time. And you know, we have we technically could say it shouldn't be there in the first place, right? But we try to do the right thing and clean stuff up, you know. So, it's like there there's a lot of different nuance
scenarios of encroachment issues that my point is that you have to be careful with the bylaws even if it was something we wanted to do. >> Chuck has his hand up. >> Does Chuck have his hand up? >> Chuck, you are recognized.
>> Thanks. I I guess I it's a minor point I guess in this discussion, but I just want to also mention, you know, I did talk to the the proprietor of the shop at one school and I think that, you know, they're not looking for us to go rip out the brick to prove a point right
now. You know, they were they were just as surprised as we were that the work took place. Um, so you know, I think we we need to line up all these kind of discussion points and agreements and whatnot, but you know, I I don't also want to like, you know, create another
hardship to try and prove a point. >> So, you're saying leave it there? Is that what I'm hearing? I'm >> I'm saying not like it's not on my short list of things to, you know, rectify the the brick sidewalk that, you know, is perfectly walkable right now in the
summertime. um you know just to you know like you know I think we were talking about like just rip it out and put it back like that was my first impulse but then I talked to the proprietor and you know like they're a small business they're not looking to you know lose more days because we're you know
disrupting their frontage you know >> well number one that's their landlord's fault that's not our fault >> understood but it doesn't change the fact that it it's a huge disruption >> I understand but what's going to happen this winter if that frosty if we got to do snow storm removal. >> I'm not I'm not saying we shouldn't do
it by this winter even. I'm just saying like that was kind of where I took pause. So, I just wanted to add that to the conversation. >> Thank you. >> Well, that's not necessarily part of the picture of the first pass that Tony's putting together with the >> Yeah. >> with the legal the legal. >> I hope we can close the discussion. My
point is I don't want to be talking about this two years from now. I want to know what we're going to do >> soon and then execute the plan. Tony, >> it should take them two years to figure out what kind of brick we want and whether or not we want brick. >> We should have that done by the end of the year by the end of the year.
>> Please, let's just make But you can't fix it at the end of the year. >> I'm looking looking for a decision. Do we want brick or not? I think >> whether we want brick or not doesn't matter. We have to >> It's got to come out anyway. >> Situation, right? >> It's going to come out anyway.
>> Okay. So, you you'll put together a letter and share it with us? >> Yeah. within the week, I guess, or something. >> Yeah, they're legal drafting it. >> Okay. >> Uh we we had a lawn discussion. I was hoping to talk with the property owner
uh last week, but >> didn't fit together. >> Drowning in trash discussions. >> Understood. >> Charles. >> All right. All right. Let's move on to U
6D. outer house roles and responsibilities and we haven't >> Yes. Uh so >> the last when we signed the agreement it was discussed about well who's going to be responsible for the town's
responsibilities as part of that agreement and asked that I come up with you know what that looks like. Um there was some delay when we signed that agreement and uh Sarah Melish had talked
to the CDC and we sent them a copy of the signed agreement. They needed the original. They came and got the the original agreement just a couple weeks back. Uh Mark is reaching out to the CDC to understand where and when the
marketing format of changing over properties occurs and where we are in that status. But according to the agreement, setting rents uh is usually determined
right after April when the CDC puts out the AMI data. So once that data comes out, the landlord or the property owner basically just proposes what the rent fees are going to
be and then the select board has 30 days to approve or deny that. So the idea would be sometime in April or May is when this annual process would occur.
However, uh they may not have a vacancy between now and then in which case they don't have to set you know so maybe this upcoming April or May will be the first time we go through this process. Maybe not. It depends on whether they have
uh affordable rents to actually approve rates for based on the AMI at that time. They may not have had any changeover in their um >> so they have to wait for a vacancy before setting the rent for the year. >> Well, sounds odd >> for the for the unit.
>> The affordable units rent is what they're setting, >> right? So they can set they could set the rent although nothing may be available. >> I mean I would think it's best just operationally to get in the habit
setting the you know rates or at least confirming what's there every year on an annual basis. That way you don't forget, you know, somebody doesn't forget. >> And also, should there be an unforeseen >> vacancy, you know, you have an opportunity to to,
>> you know, get a different. >> I don't see what the difference is between having a review of it every May and reviewing it every year. >> I I got the impression we were talking about not reviewing it at all if there
were no vacancies, and I just didn't think that made sense. Well, it's >> I could have misunderstood. Maybe I misunderstood. >> The process starts with them proposing rents and you know, so we'll we'll tell them we want them to propose rents for this upcoming year and it be on an
annual basis every April or May. Um but at the end of the day, they it starts with them proposing the rents. >> They propose a rent and then you go to the lottery and see who's somebody gets pulled out for that. It's >> two separate two separate things. the
the as far as that agreement, the responsibility of the town is to review >> and approve and >> Okay. >> And that's all we're we're >> and yeah, but that but that space
eventually gets filled by somebody. Right now there is nobody that has gone through that process. >> I don't know. That's what Mark's reaching out to the CDC. We have to get eight people in there before we can get that whole business, that whole building on shi, right?
>> That's as they get filled. >> That's correct. Well, well, one gets filled and then you've got one and then another one gets filled and they now you got 29, right? >> Okay, I understand how that works. >> Yep. >> But we got zero right now.
>> But all the all these has been turned over. >> All these units are not the same. So the prices are going to be different, >> right? >> Yeah. So they would have to set prices for whatever one bedroom would be
this that they're going to have to have that whole price list anyway >> for us to approve. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Now I I think I think the proper person to manage this is Mark. It makes sense. I think it'd be nice if the if somebody
from the affordable housing trust uh was was involved as well, but you know, I don't want to put that responsibility on I don't think, you know, putting that responsibility solely on a volunteer, you know, isn't a good way for us to do
it. So, I think I've talked with Mark Resnik about planer, >> but it seems we should know yearly what's going on each year at each each point. Sarah, Sarah, you're recognized. Yes, it's it's my understand the way this works in practice is the state
comes out with the allowable rents for the various 80% of AMI, 60% of AMI, etc. and these entities automatically adjust their rates to the new state standards. >> That makes sense. >> And it's done like clockwork. That makes
sense. >> So they do it in May and then and if the select board does not approve the rates within 30 days, they automatically go into effect. >> Oh, right. >> So it's not really like the town is doing anything.
>> Got it. So if we're a rubber stamp or if we're opportunity to object on what I have no idea, but >> kind of a courtesy. >> Got it. >> Right. and and the the they have had a lot of turnover.
they the >> it's it's very likely that they'll get to that number very quickly, but the as of today, the EOHLC has not yet signed
off on that regulatory agreement because Northshore CDC had not submitted it to EOHLC. So, we signed it. Northshore CDC has to sign it and then EOHLC signs it and then
they can go into the lottery process for openings. >> And who's writing hurt on that? And all >> Northshore CDC? They they contacted me and because they wanted to come before the affordable housing trust and I said, "Well, I don't
have a copy of the final executed agreement." And then he comes back to me and says, "Oh, they say they need the original." And I had sent them a I had sent Northshore CDC a copy back right after
you guys signed it >> in March, I think. >> Um, so they just haven't followed through. Um and >> okay >> and it's my understanding they have some interest in adding more
units there. >> So is my to answer John's question is Mark writing her up? >> Yeah who checking with them like every week you sign it. You sign it where we stand here. >> Well the reason the affordable housing trust stepped in is because it wasn't happening.
>> Thank you. >> And that's wonderful. Again, I'm not sure we've answered the question. Is it still the Affordable Housing Trust that's that's riding her on it or is Mark >> Well, I talked to Mark today and he was going to reach out to Northshore CDC, but Sarah's already had a lot of
conversations with them. So, want to make sure that, you know, if it's switching to Mark that they're they're aware of that and keep progress moving forward and it doesn't come off as some sort of like unnecessary duplicative effort. >> Um, yeah. Sa Sarah, are you checking in with
them as a matter of course, like every week? Like, where are we? >> I was going to follow up with him. >> I think that's probably the wise thing to do because you're already in there. Once once that goes, things can kind of get handed over, but I wouldn't go change horses in the middle of the
stream right now. You're you're your name is known. Is that good? I think >> well and and the the the problem they've had is they advertised the units and they weren't receiving applications from
the Manchester residents. So they reached out to the affordable housing trust and said, "Can you help us?" >> I don't know how that picking order works. >> At which point I said, "So where's the copy of the agreement?
Okay. >> So, maybe we can just get an update on this in, you know, next month or something. Is >> can we just put it on the action list to see where to whom and what the status is so we don't >> I'll give the guy a call tomorrow. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Okay, we'll revisit in a month. Let's say liaison updates. We shall continue. Jeff, where are we? >> I don't I don't have anything for you this week. >> It is a holiday stretch here.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. Uh Brian, >> I'm not much you I mean my box and wrecked. Everyone was quite visible to other people. >> Okay. Yeah, they were uh I think that they did Yman's work. Uh and again to
just part of that to jump on what you said earlier is what you you talked about the heat. You talked about the holidays. You forgot to mention free ride Friday. >> Yeah. >> Overtaxed from everything I'm told. Uh
and it was from what I understand is that uh there were close to 300 kids that came off the train at like quarter of uh nine drunk kids coming off the train. So after they were turned away at the beach uh there were people that uh this goes back to something about the
the uh how the mass office as well is that Bravo it was like according to according to the people who had just closed up and locked up it was like a zombie apocalypse >> people trying to get in. So, and again looking for bathrooms, but as far as the
I think that uh uh Pox and Rick did a great job as well. Everyone else did. So, I bet nothing else beyond that. >> My son called it the running of the teen, you know, the running of the bulls and the running of the teenagers. >> Oh, they were running.
>> Oh, yeah, they were. They were there. I was there. Yeah. And the beauty here, you know, getting back to it, just to touch base and stray out of out of lane again, is for the most part everything that we know, the rest of the population doesn't know. So, it went well. >> You know, as far as the the general
population, the town of Manchester is concerned. It went because they didn't hear anything. It's because it went so well. >> Yes. >> And the things that didn't go well, they didn't know about. >> That's still a sign of it going well. That's right. >> Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. Good. Anything
else? >> No. Dan, what's happened? >> Um, the schools um had one meeting since our last meeting. Um, and and they are going on holiday
schedule. Um, which I think means one meeting a month month or maybe only one meeting in August. Um, the they're wrapping up their year. I familiar with that. um and trying to figure out um
budgets that were over spent, budgets that were underspent. They think they're going to end up with um a reasonable um excess not not the 600,000 that they had have had once in a while in the past but
substantial excess in their excess in deficiencies which they will carry over into the next year's budget. Um I've been with the seen the board of health from time to time and the board of health um
working with the Gloucester in their joint >> initiative. >> The joint Yes. And the first year of the two-year thing is over and they still haven't quite figured out how to take the scanned documents and fit them. They
it'll be done next week. They say um the second year is supposed to be human services. Um and human services in Manchester and human services in Gloucester are somewhat
different and trying to figure out what services are appropriate for Manchester and how they can be how they can be provided uh how they can be accelerated with this grant. Um, I think they're settling in on um
isolated seniors and probably should work with Council on Aging. >> Yeah. >> And and find ways of expediting the efforts of the of the Council on Aging.
>> Okay. Um, from my perspective, Council on Aging now has a sign up in front of the Masonic building that that the senior community center is
coming slash Mason's building. No, the new building is coming with a picture of the uh building. So, that went up last Thursday, I think, Wednesday or Thursday. Looks really good. Yeah. >> Have any of you did you notice it? >> Yeah, I looked at it. It looks good. Yeah, >> we wanted a pressure to get that up
before July 4th because there'll be a lot of people walking around. So, um, people become become aware of that. Um, I can't say anything started with the money raising activities yet. I haven't spoken with Susan Beckman in the last
two weeks on that, but should be should be kicking off like now with the expressions of interest, written expressions of interest. Um, Department of Public Works, Chuck is on on the call. Maybe maybe not now. I don't know. But um,
uh, Tapen, she says Tapen Street is out to bid the water project there, which was what, six million? Five or five? Four million. >> Four million. >> Four million. that's out to bid in the end of the month. The bids for both the
culver here, saw as well as uh Atwater. Um the the Culver there, those those will those will go out and both of them are anticipated to start sometime in the fall. So that's good news. The historic district commission uh meets this
Thursday, so there's no information uh on that. And uh the library is pretty quiet. Nothing special going on there right now. >> Supposed to be quiet. >> Business is usually right. But um consent agenda.
>> Anyone have any problems? >> Anybody questions or issues on the dump truck or >> the minutes of the softball? >> We all set? >> We are set. I move the board approve the consent agenda items.
>> Second. >> All right. >> Jeff, >> yes. >> Brian, >> yes. And >> yes. >> Kathy, >> yes. >> John, yes. >> Tony, administrator report. >> Uh, so
trash obviously is a big item and will continue to be over the coming months. Uh, we're still in contract negotiations with our unions. We had my computer just went
um we've had a number of uh public events obviously the 4th of July as you mentioned and as you talked about at the beginning I mean the collaboration amongst parks and rack police fire harbor uh DPW was incredible And there's
a lot a lot to do with u the planning for that on the that you mentioned that people don't know or may not be aware of um utilizing NEML and bringing in other outside uh departments to help with public safety. You know, it was really
seamless. So, they did a great job with that. Um the I I attended the fireworks show with my family and the parade and um we were very very happy. It was it was a >> I think you got a flag.
>> Got a flag. I got I got a flag at the parade. Um the the fireworks show was amazing. >> It was amazing. Um, asking both parenting. >> We had a the fire department had a um
end of school year ice cream um giveaway uh that was well attended and went really well. Uh we had we've been meeting uh as the trustees of the Masons uh been meeting on a regular every other
week schedule and uh the sign that you mentioned at the property was our first official vote as trustee members. >> Um great because it's >> common change. >> Um
>> we're tying up. See, I'm looking at my calendar here. Oh, tomorrow uh we have Division of Local Services DOR coming in for round one of the uh financial management report. >> Uh they'll be here tomorrow and then
again on the 15th. >> I know the 15th. That is normal. >> Um and we have our we have a joint meeting Wednesday night with the finance committee and the select board to go over end of year transfers.
Hopefully uh all you guys can make it or at least a quorum and if not uh we can schedule as long as the select board votes prior to the 15th we can only schedule another >> Are we good for Wednesday? I'm not sure yet. 7 o'clock.
>> I can do virtual. I cannot be in the >> Okay. All right. That's something >> likely I might be. >> I will be here >> and I will >> How long is it going to take? You going to be here? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Shouldn't take that. I might be able to do virtual then. >> It's the first thing on the agenda and and then they have more items but you
don't have to stick around. >> I might be able to do virtual. >> So what time we'll be the first? >> 7 o'clock. >> No, we'll be the first on their agenda then. >> Yeah. Okay. >> So I'll be >> Yeah, I jump by 7:30. >> Yes.
>> Yeah. Uh, and then today we had a great event out on the front steps. Uh, you know, saying goodbye to Todd on his last day and swearing in now, Chief Mark McCoy. Well attended. Thank you all for coming. And I thought that went really well as well.
>> Really nice event despite the uv question. Is is that a wakeup call? I mean, maybe he shouldn't be driving anyway. I don't know. I think uh I think we the guest somewhere around 90
years old. >> Uh and then I'll just we we >> uh should be posting the uh position of assistant assessor GIS coordinator internally um this week as well. And
and then we are working with the finance team on getting the finance clerk position posted this month. We always wanted it to line up that a high a start date of a new employee in that department didn't come in June or July
because of the end start of a new fiscal year would have been too much to do. Uh so I'm hoping to get that posted this month and hopefully hired next next month. Okay, good. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you for the
>> Do we have something you need us to sign? >> Yes. You want something signed? >> I move to adjourn. >> Okay, we can work the signing after adjournment. I just work through a motion to adjurnn. Do we have one?
>> I move to second. All in favor? I >> I >> Great. >> Thanks. Thank you for your patience. Thank you. >> So you want to sign up to sign what I want to do.
>> I'll pass it down. Miss >> same thing. Three copies looks like national Right. Then you can put them on. >> I signed a one-year extension on our
cell tower um with lease with found castle. >> What is that? Like the one we have >> up I think at school street. These are all like kind of cool. >> But I met with uh Mitch over in Rockport.
uh they had just recently gone through a procurement another procurement just doing the one-year extension >> and he gave me his feedback and he worked with Shireen over at KP Law. So my plan will be to do that in this upcoming