this uh meeting by reading the script. Um so good evening. As a preliminary matter, this is Jillian Prenagghast. I am the chair of the finance committee. Um this open meeting is being conducted via Zoom. Speakers on the agenda will be participating remotely and the chair may
allow for the public to provide comment in accordance with open meeting law regulation 940 CMR29.10. Please be advised that all FINCOM members are attending this meeting remotely. In addition, because FINCOM members are attending remotely, all votes taken at this meeting will be roll
by roll call vote. Lastly, if any FINCOM members are not clearly audible to his or her members or any members of the public, please notify the chair immediately, and we will do our best to remedy the problem and will inform the public whether the meeting will continue. Please permit me to confirm that all FINCOM members and persons
anticipated on the agenda are present and can hear me. When members, when I call your name, please respond in the affirmative. Nathan, >> yes. Linda, >> yes. Mim, >> yes.
>> Katie, >> yes. And I apologize. I'm trying to get my camera to work, so bear with me in the meantime. >> That's okay. Mine doesn't work, so uh Nathaniel. >> Yes, >> Peter.
>> Yes. >> All right. Um, and we don't have any um anticipated uh speakers on the agenda. Um, but I do see Greg's on there, so I saw you give me a thumbs up. So, hi Greg. Thanks for coming.
>> Welcome. >> Um, so the committee uh would like to hear public comments. Uh, and if there's further action that is required by the um by the finance committee, the chair will add the matter as appropriate to the forthcoming agenda. Depending on the
comment, we may, if we are able, within the confines of open meeting law, respond with information as opposed to needing to deliberate on the matter. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and our participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, this meeting and soon public
hearing will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast to individual attendees unless required by law. Accordingly, please be aware that other folks may be able to see and hear you. So, please take care not to screen share your computer and keep your microphone muted when you are not
speaking. Uh, anything that you broadcast may be captured by the recording. Later, you can find this meeting posted to the WAVM YouTube channel. Thank you WAVM for your support. For all of our meeting materials, you can find them on board docs. Um, and we recommend that the members of the public follow along the
agenda as posted there unless I note otherwise. Um, and we will now be turning to the agenda. But before we do so, please permit me to cover some ground rules for effective and clear conduct of our business and to ensure accurate meeting minutes. I will introduce each speaker
on the agenda and after they conclude their remarks, I will go down a line of finance committee members, inviting them to provide any comment, questions, or motions. Please uh hold until their name is called. Further, please remember to mute your phone um or your computer when you are not speaking. Please remember to
speak clearly and in a way that helps generate accurate meeting minutes. For any response, please wait until the chair yields the floor to you and state your name before speaking. If members wish to engage um with other members, please do so through the chair taking care to identify for yourself. Um and um
for items with public comment since there will be a public hearing um after members have spoken, the chair may afford the public comment as follows. I will first ask the member of the public who wishes to speak to identify themselves by their name and their address only. Once uh there is a list of
all public commentators. I will call in each by name and afford up to two minutes or any comments. Um public comment um will be allowed u at this meeting. Uh and there will be a public uh hearing aspect to this meeting as
well. Um so that that is the remote meeting script in its entirety. its glorious entirety. Um so for our meeting today um we will be talking about the annual town meeting uh
and we will also have a public hearing um on our recommendations for each of the topics. So I think I did note in our public hearing notice um that I would start the public hearing at 7:05. Um so we are a little bit late. uh had some
technical challenges. So, um I would like to uh um we don't make a motion to open the meeting. Uh I don't think, but um I would propose that we go to the public hearing section of our meeting and then circle back to the annual town meeting
topic after we close the public hearing. Um so, how this typically works is I will open up the warrant. Um I will go through the warrant. I will go through the finance committee recommendations. Not all of our votes and recommendations made it into the printed warrant. Um but
they should be posted on board docs. So I will bring that up and then after each article um we don't have too many members of the public here today. Um but I will pause to see if there is any public comment questions or otherwise um
from our members or from the public. So, let me share this is the printed warrant. Um, so you can find this on the town website. It goes over all the different articles. Um, so for article number one, that is a
town report acceptance. Um, so the finance committee did recommend this and this is an annual procedural article to accept reports from various town committees. Is there any public questions or comments on article number one?
All right, not seeing any. We'll go on to article number two. So, article number two is obsolete equipment. Um, the finance committee recommends this and this is an annual procedural article that will allow the select board to sell or dispose of surplus equipment in accordance with state law. Uh, are there
any public questions or comments on this article? No. All right. Um so for article number three, this is the prior um year fiscal bills. Finance committee recommended this. Um and our
comments are that passage of this article will appropriate uh a little over 66k from precash for the purpose of paying bills for prior fiscal years. anytime funds are uh needed for
I got to keep let me I notice that you know people come in and join uh on the Zoom meeting so I'm just going to stop sharing for a minute so I'll put on the little doorbell noise um so I'll notice if people join so I won't they won't get trapped in the
meeting room uh and I will also uh make co-host of some of the finance committee members here uh in case I miss anyone while I'm reading. All right.
Okay. So all the finance committee members um should have that ability uh in case I miss anyone while I'm reading uh here. Okay. So uh to get back here. So for article number three, this was the prior
year fiscal bills. Um so finance committee did recommend this um as I said and this would appropriate free cash um for the purpose of paying bills for prior fiscal years. Um,
are there any questions or comments? Uh, public comments on article number three. All right, I'm not seeing any. So, we'll go to article number four. This is certified free cash appropriation. Um and as you can see here it covers um
these uh different purposes and um this is number four. So this was one of the ones that was not printed in the warrant. Um so I'll pull up my second
screen here and this is the ones that did not make it into the warrant. So you can see for article number four um finance committee did recommend and these will be available as handouts at town meeting and also posted on the website.
So the finance committee recommended this um free cash appropriation. So this is the term for surplus money from the fiscal year either revenue that exceeded the budget or expenses that were lower than the budget. Historically we've used these funds for snow and ice deficit um
to supplement reserve fund or for capital purchases. This year we're able to find additional capital products because um we are covering the snow and ice deficit in article 10. So these uh projects have been prioritized by the capital planning committee. So finance
committee noted the high cost of the truck that was in this list um but reviewed this and the documents and the estimate documents and believe it is in alignment with current costs. Um, we have also reviewed the circumstances leading to the prior year bills amount of about 66K and we're comfortable that
they are unique and not a systemic uh challenge. So, we also believe that the 211K for solid waste and recycling is a small hedge fund for starting a new program with a lot of untested assumptions driving the budget. So overall we did
end up recommending article number four. Um so are there any questions or public comments on article number four? All right. I'm not seeing any. So
we will go to article number five. So this is the salary administration plan. Um so the finance committee did recommend this article. Um this sets the pay rates for town
employees that are not covered by a union contract or an individual contract. These rates mostly apply to part-time employees. Uh and this plan does include a small increase to the upper limits of several categories. Um but no increases were proposed for the inspector of animals, the registar of
voters, the clerk registars of voters or the moderators in this proposal. Are there any questions or comments for article number five? All right. So, we'll go on to article number six. So, article number six is
the retirement board stipend um proposal and the finance committee did not recommend this article. Um so, we recognize the efforts and the dedication of the retirement board in maintaining the stability of the pension fund um and acknowledge that the
requested stipend amount aligns with those offered in similar towns. However, we felt that this uh we did not recommend approval of this article. Um and we had concerns regarding appointed and elected members um anticipating stipens for what historically has been voluntary service in Maynard. Uh and we
also had concern concerns about funding these through the retirement investment returns which is how these would be funded especially given the current uncertain financial environment. Uh we were also concerned about the precedent of reintroducing articles that were previously rejected at town meetings
without any substantive changes. Um so this article is identical to the one that was presented at the annual town meeting in May 2025 which failed to achieve a majority vote. Um it it was 53 yeses and 57 nos and one blank.
Are there any um questions or comments on article number six? So, I do see uh a hand raised here. Um, so I recognize Patrick. >> Hi there. Thank you for opening this up. Um, I was hoping that you could provide
a little bit more context for this article. So, there were two things I wanted to ask. You mentioned that the requested stipend amount align with those offered in similar towns and I was wondering if you could speak to other towns that have
implemented um compensation along these lines. I'm curious number one if other towns are also funding their stipens in the way that this article proposes
through the investment returns. And I'm also wondering if you can tell us generally do do towns around here is this typically a volunteer role or is it more common for this position to be paid?
>> That's a great question. Um, so these are there are several these are um there's a couple different positions on this board and I'm trying to look up my notes from
the prior meetings here. Um, so in our prior meetings here um this so there was a couple questions there. So generally um some of the I believe one or two of the positions are um
this isn't the right article. Um yeah so we'll start with so there's a couple questions here. One of them was about um the c the money. So, typically they are funded through their investment returns
and um I'm trying to find we got sort of a summary of this article and I have too much stuff open right now to be able to find it. So, let me try to close this. Um retire retirement articles and background. Um,
so I'm pulling up here some additional information we have from um, so these are other um, towns and areas and sort of what their compensation is. Um, and you can see
this is like three pages of um, different areas that have stipens and what they are. So sort of the range that is in this article is uh similar to the ones that are listed here as you can
see. Um not all areas have a stipend. Um so this is sort of like an example of some of the other areas around. So it ranges somewhere between 3 to uh 4.5K. So this is um this is where we we had
you know that the amount requested is sort of in line with other areas. Um and let me see so typically it is from the investment returns. Um so it wouldn't be coming
from like the general fund but the challenge is that in years if the investment returns are not um great there's still sort of um a level in that fund that has to be paid to the retirees. So, and this was something
that I'm not entirely um I believe it would have to come from the general fund or another source like if there are certain number that are paying into it and the investment returns are not great that year. I think there's a certain
amount that um is mandatory is my understanding. So, and my understanding is that this sort of aligns with um the amounts. So, the amounts are sort of set by state law is my understanding.
So, it can be anywhere from 3,000 to 4.5K. Um and um currently there is um one member that is already on stipend like that's sort of mandated by state law. um
and the other members um would be around 15k annually. So that would be um the other members. So it would be around 12K a year is my understanding. So um so and I think a couple of our members
more had a concern that this is the exact same article that was brought to town meeting a year before which did not pass with no substantive changes. um and had concern over what precedent that might set for articles that don't pass that just come back um exactly the same
to um subsequent years. So I think that was something we raised in our prior discussions at past public meetings in our finance committee group. Um, and if I could add Jill, um, please, >> there's also the aspect of there are,
you know, off the top of my head, six to seven, you know, pretty active town boards that do a whole lot of work for the town. And I think we're a little concerned about moving in the direction of stipens for any board that's supposed to be a
volunteer board. Um, so personally I am anyway. >> Thank you. Did any other FECOM members have any other comments on this topic? All right. Did I get all the questions,
Patrick? I was a little a little bit everywhere looking trying to pull those uh documents up for you. You did. Thank you. >> Perfect. All right. Any further questions on this article?
>> All right. Let me pull back up. Okay. So, that was article number six. Uh I'm not hearing any additional questions on article number six at this time. All right. So article number seven is
the general fund. Um so this is sort of allocating um this is raising and appropriating um money to cover um the main um budget spenders in the
uh across the board here. So um finance committee did recommend this article. So you can see it's all the major major categories the general government public safety etc etc. Um, and our comment did not make the printed warrant. So, I'll
pull up the separate document here. Um, so this is the general fund budget. So, this would adopt the proposed general fund budget in the total amount listed here. Um, so this is an increase of 5.8% over the prior year. Um, constraints on
this budget are highlighted. Um, so we wanted to highlight some of the constraints here. Um, so there's 942,440 increase in employee benefits. So this is a 9% increase over last year due to rapidly increasing health insurance
costs. So this expense has grown to be 20% of the total budget. So, we note that the debt cost has risen um from 3,417,266 to 5,257,000 uh and $613.
So, due to the green meta school, so this is going to have a notable impact on property taxes and not the general fund budget. So the balance in the stabilization fund also went down um from $2,578,335 to $2,332,796 before this year's addition of roughly
45K. So the table that's in the article provides a breakdown of the budget across the 10 major town functions and it illustrates how these funds are allocated. So the budget development process, it'll begin months in advance of the town meeting that's coming up next week. It includes extensive
discussion at public meetings held by various town boards and committees. And it represents a collaborative effort among the select board, the town administrator, the finance committee, the school committee, and all department heads. And we really encourage everyone um and all town meeting voters to engage in these discussions throughout the
process. So this starts all the way back in February. Um, Katie, are we missing a sentence here? >> That looks like a duplication. >> I think it's duplicated. Yeah, I think it's just in entered there, but should be deleted. >> Oh, okay. Thank you.
>> Yeah, there you go. >> Um, all right. So, um, FinCom recognizes that budget development involves ongoing constraints and requires difficult decisions. So for the FY27 planning, a certain uh large future capital expenses have been
largely deferred with the exception of the proposal to initiate engineering work to begin addressing the town's water system constraints. So this is largely considered um the most important priority for the town. And FINCOM also notes ongoing capital needs including
the um the highway department or the DPW garage which is overdue for replacement as well as the golf course building roof. um and and the roof at Fowler Middle School. So despite these challenges, we voted to recommend this article. It presents a balanced budget
that appropriate ways the town need against the available revenues under Proposition 2 and a half and anticipated new growth. So and in appendix A of the warrant document, which is posted online, it sort of breaks further down these 10 major town functions into like
line items of specific things in each department. Um, so are there any public questions or comments? I'll share the article here again. Um, for
article number seven, general fund budget. All right. I'm not hearing any public questions or comments uh on article number seven. So I'll move on to article number eight.
Um all right so article number eight is authorizing revolving fund expenditures and you can see in the table here these are the different revolving funds um that are proposed um and the finance committee recommends this article. So this is an annual
procedural article to authorize the town to collect and distribute money for the stated purposes. Uh, for example, the Council on Aging or COA van service. Um, collected fees can only be expended for the COA operational expenses. Um, and
um, we did want to note the limits for the electrical vehicle charging stations increased by 20K and the municipal municipal permitting has increased by 10K since the prior fiscal year. Are there any public questions or
comments on article number eight? All right, I'm not hearing any. So, we'll open up to article number nine here. So, this is to transfer funds from ambulance receipts reserved for lease appropriation for fiscal year 2026.
Um, so our recommendation and comments didn't make it into the printed warrant. So I will pull them up here. So this is article number nine. So the finance committee did recommend this article. Um and passage of this article
will move money from ambulance receipts to be used for leasing equipment required for emergency services. So we did recommend article number nine. And those were our comments. Are there any public uh questions or
comments on article number nine? No. All right. So, we'll go on to article number 10. So, this is the general fund capital overlay. Um, so we would like to transfer unexpended funds from the following capital funds for the
following purposes. Um, and in here you can see we would like to take from all of these different line items specifically these amounts. And then in this uh second column it tells you if it was at the special town meeting or at the annual town meeting when this
occurred. Uh, and you can see on the very right column the amount of money. And then we would like to move this to the general fund for snow and ice deficit and the stabilization fund. So, um, it's basically taking money that
hasn't been spent for these purposes, uh, and moving it. So, the finance committee did recommend this article. So, it'll take the unspent money from previously authorized projects, um, and use it primarily for the snow and ice with the remainder in the capital stabilization uh, account. So, this
unspent money is from projects that are either not started or they were lower than budgeted costs and they have been completed. So the snow and ice deficit is a regular planned occurrence generally funded from free cash. Um but by closing these projects we're able to use this uh free cash for other purposes
instead. So that's the purpose of article uh number 10. Are there any public questions or comments on article number 10? All right. I'm not seeing any. So we'll move on to article number 11. So this is
the golf course receipt transfer. Um so this will be transferring um76, uh756.84 from uh the receipts reserved for appropriation to pay for capital improvements on the golf course. The
finance committee did recommend this article uh and the sponsor provided some very nice comments here. Um, we are recommending this um because passage of this would allow the town to use last year's revenue from the golf course to pay for its maintenance and improve of
the golf course as it has in prior years. Uh, it is part of ongoing savings plan also um to fund largely all capital improvements to the clubhouse um pending the review and advice from the newly formed golf course advisory task force. So, the finance committee believes that
this is the most appropriate um allocation of the golf course revenue. Are there any questions or public comment on article number 11? Nope. All right. I'm not hearing any. So, we will jump on to article number
12. So, this is for contract length authorization for police body cameras. Um, so this is um this our recommendation and vote did not make it into the printed warrant. So allow me to pull up the
document here. So this is for article number 12. Um, so the finance committee did vote to recommend article number 12. Um, so the mayor police recommend acquisition of body cameras to provide accountability
and transparency. So, in article number four, there was $52,000 of free cash allocated um along with a state grant, which is not in the the ATM warrant, of about a little over 70K to support an anticipated 5-year contract for the
acquisition of cameras, storage, maintenance, training, and any other costs associated with the implementation of body cameras. The total cost of this 5-year contract is approximately 124K. So contracts over 3 years require special review by the town. So the
finance committee recommends an exemption to the three-year limit for this purpose because it's limited to a single instance of a contract for the police body cameras. The finance committee also recommends this article because procurement will likely be made using the standard state contract with a
predetermined length of five years. So the finance committee is concerned about the use of contracts for more than three years particularly for technology. Um but we did recommend this particular article um because it seems we're comfortable that it's clearly outlined
for the purpose uh and will also allow us to use the state grant of 70k for this purpose. Are there any public questions or comments for article number 12? I'll pop back over to the
uh warrant document. All right. So, I'm not hearing any public questions or comments for article number 12. We'll move on to article number 13. So, this is lease of a section of the reservoir lot off of Summer Street.
Um so the finance committee did recommend this article and the sponsor comments were quite um thorough here describing the situation. So um we recommended it because passage of this article would allow the town to
procure a new lease for the property at the reservoir lot off of summer street. So this parcel is currently where a cell tower is and the current lease is expiring. So, the town will negotiate a lease through the request for proposal process. Um, and voting of this article
will allow the town up to a 30-year lease term, which is potentially um allow for a more advantageous proposal. Are there any public questions or comments on article number 13? No. All right.
We have article number 14. So 14 is the community preservation fund budget. Um so the finance committee did recommend this article. Uh and in the sponsor's comments they sort of explain what this budget is. Um and we are
recommending this because it would authorize 450K in FY27 to the C the community preservation funds which is sometimes uh abbreviated as CPC. So this budget is based on the projection of revenue collected through the community preservation act which is
CPA because we love acronyms. So this is the real estate taxed search charge that was adopted at the 2007 town meeting and it's similar to the budget for FY26. um there'll be a little bit less interest because long-term debt um has
been paid off um for the purchase of the municipal golf course. So that goes down a little bit every year. So the CPA um has been a valuable source of revenue to our town with the benefit of estate partial match funds and they can be
appropriated for designated uses only and the CPC has distributed the anticipated monies in this articles in accordance with their requirements. Um so they they align with historic preservation, affordable housing and outdoor recreation space.
Are there any public questions or comments on article number 14? All right, not hearing any. So I'm going to jump to article number 15. So this is related to article number 14 in the fact that it is um involving
the same uh committee, the community preservation committee. So, this is the appropriations and it describes in the article and in the sponsor's comments um what they would like to use these appropriations for.
So, this is about um $474,940 and we recommended this article. Um the sponsor comments go through the uses here. Um and this would allow these four projects as described here
um to go through. So this covers the affordable housing fund, the um regional housing service office, um the conservation trust fund, and the historical commission and monument plaque restoration projects. So these are we recommend this because
the appro proposed appropriations are the result of the community preservation committee's due diligence in the process uh and we believe they will provide long-term benefits to the town. Are there any public questions or comments on article number 15?
All right. So now we're going to get into the water and sewer articles. So article number 16 um is the water enterprise fund budget for fiscal 27. So these are the different line items here as described in the article and
finance committee did recommend um the sponsor comments um nicely describe the situation. So we recommended because this creates the FY27 budget for the water enterprise fund. This continues to support the development of new water sources which are needed for the town.
There's a 1% decrease in this budget because some of the ongoing work at Rockland Field has proved less expensive than originally thought. Um water uses water users will note that there is a planned 7% increase in water rates even though the budget is not increasing.
This is because water uses down and the price must increase to raise the same amount of money. Overall, the lower water usage is good because it reduces the strain on the water supply. Are there any public questions or comments on article number 16?
All right. So, in article number 17, it's the water retained earnings transfer um and the operating budget reserve fund. So the finance committee did recommend this. Uh the sponsor comments sort of described the purpose of this um and our comments
um are why we recommended it. The finance committee recommends this transfer from the certified water retained earnings to the water enterprise operating budget reserve fund. So this is consistent with the town's financial policies for enterprise funds which call for maintaining
reserves to address unanticipated operating and capital needs within the water system. Given the age of mustard mayor's water infrastructure and the potential for unexpected failures, we believe that maintaining a dedicated reserve at this level is a proven riskmanagement practice that supports long-term sustainability of the water
enterprise. Is there any public questions or comments on article number 17? No. So article number 18 is the water
retained earning transfer. So um and this is for closing out of um so finance committee recommends this um and this is for closing out a capacity improvement project.
So, this article would transfer $148,41310 out of a 9112,539 water retained earnings for the DPW to close out the roughly 8 million well 4A project. Water retained earnings are the surplus funds from the water prize
enterprise fund from FY25. Finance Committee supports this transfer as rates will not be affected and long-term debt payments will be reduced. Are there any public questions or comments on article number 18? No.
All right. So, that brings us on to article number 19. So, this is a water project borrowing authorization request. Um, so this is for $3 million um to pay the cost for engineering and design and
development. Um, so the finance committee recommended this. Um, so but our printed comments did not make it into the warrant. So allow me to bring up our printed comments. So article number 19.
So, um, we do recommend this article and our comments here are ensuring an adequate and resilient water supply is among the most significant long-term priorities facing the town of Maynard and has been consistently identified as such by the Department of Public Works and other town boards and committees.
This project represents an important step in implementing the town's water master plan by advancing the engineering and design of additional groundwater sources and related treatment plant upgrades necessary to meet current and future demands. The finance committee notes that the debt service associated
with this borrowing is intended to be funded through the water enterprise revenues and it's already accounted for within the recently adopted 7% water rate increase with approximately 30% of that increase attributable to this project. Specifically,
the committee further supports the town's decision to fund the investment through the water enterprise rather than through a general tax override. Financing this project through the water system and water rates places the cost on water usage rather than on property taxation aligning the burden of payment
with the system users rather than the homeowners um through taxes. So this is the reason that we recommend this approval for article number 19. Are there any public questions or comments on article number 19?
All right, I'm not hearing any. Um, so we'll go on to article number 20. So article number 20 is a PAC settlement award funding. Um, so this is covering about 662,225
uh $5542. Uh the finance committee recommended this and passing of this article would transfer legal settlement settlement funds already held by the town to the water improvement fund which is a water enterprise capital fund. This will allow
the town to use this money to upgrade our water management and treatment facilities. Is there any public uh questions or comments on article number 20? All right, I'm not hearing any.
So go on to article number 21. So now we get into the sewer enterprise funds. Um so this is the budget for the fiscal year 27 and you can see the different line items here for um the sewer enterprise fund
budget. So, the finance committee recommended this article. Um, and our printed comments didn't make it into the warrant. So, let me pull up that document here to display. All right. So, uh, the finance committee
recommended that. So this article creates the FY27 budget for the sewer enterprise fund. This budget is increasing 2.3%. The budget growth is reasonable and did not include major changes at this time. Do we have any public questions or
comments for article number 21? All right, not hearing any. So, we'll go to article number 22. Um, so 22 is the sewer retained earnings transfer. Um, and the finance committee
did recommend. So this article proposed transferring 200K from the sewer retained earnings with a current balance of $838,5 to replenish the FY27 sewer enterprise reserve fund. The sewer retained
earnings represent the accumulated surplus from prior fiscal years within the the sewer enterprise operating account. Given the continued aging of the town sewer system, this reserve enhances financial flexibility and minimizes disruptions to ongoing operations.
Is there any public questions or comments for article number 22? No. Okay. Um so article number 23 is about the sewer retained earnings uh
transfer for capital equipment. Um so our vote and recommendations did not make it in for this. Um so allow me to pull up that second artic uh second document here. This is article number 23. So finance
committee recommends um this article transfers 120k of the sewer retained earnings for the DPW to use for capital equipment procurement. These will allow for the purchase of a new truck uh as the existing one is from 2008 and repairs would outweigh the new
vehicle cost. So this will allow the department of public um public works works waste I think it's works um the Department of Public Works to properly service the town sewer
operations and repairs. Maintaining an aging fleet of vehicles can add additional cost to the town through this vehicle maintenance repairs. So, finance committee supports this transfer to strengthen the DPW's fleet. Are there any public questions or
comments on article number 23? All right, not hearing any. So we'll go on to number 24. So 24 is the sewer retained earnings transfer for a rotating biological contactor or RBC. So this is an appropriation of 250K and
the finance committee recommended. Um the sponsor comments um are good at describing sort of what this is and what this does. Um so we recommended approval of this article um
which is uh from the sewer retained earnings which is currently totaling $838,05 um from FY25 um so that's for emergency repairs to critical infrastructure at the wastewater treatment plant. This article is structured um as an accounting
exercise to bridge the funding cycle and maintain the reserve fund. And importantly, the transfer will not impact water or sewer rates. Specifically, these funds will address the failure of one rotating biological con conttor or RBC, a vital component of
the plant system of 12 RBC units, most of which are past their expected lifespan and require sequential replacement. While proactive replacement of two to three units at a time would ideally help manage life cycle costs, it's not feasible at the present due to the need for broader plant upgrades and
current funding limitations. The typical replacement cost per RBC ranges from 250 to 350K and recent pre procurement has ex um has experienced lead times up to 46 weeks due to terrorists and global events.
Because the plant is only addressing failures as they occur, swift action is necessary to ensure compliance with regulatory standards. The finance committee supports this measure as a safeguard to public health and environmental quality through timely repairs and essential infrastructure. Is there any public questions or
comments on article number 24? No. All right. So we will jump on to number article number 25. So article number 25 is a citizen's petition. Um so citizens petitions are exactly what they sound like. So they are brought forth by a
citizen um who goes through the petition petition process. Um and this particular citizens petition I think there's five four or five on this on this annual town meeting. Um so this is the first of them um by independent groups. So, this
is the regulation of outdoor lighting. So, this would bring forth a new bylaw about outdoor lighting. Um, and you can read it in the um printed warrant. Um, and it sort of gives you a description of what types of lights in
this bylaw would be permissible uh or not permissible and um talking about the different types of lumens and nuisances and the outputs and otherwise um that
you can read in the document here. Um so and also the enforcement Um, so, um, the finance committee did recommend this
article, but our comments did not make it into the printed warrant. So, I will pull those up now. Um, so overall, the finance committee uh recommended this article. They recognize that this proposed bylaw um is the
result of a multi-year effort by Green Maynard team and has undergone several revisions throughout its development. The sponsor presented this to numerous towns boards committees and incorporated feedback received during the process resulting in a thoughtful um proposal.
So, the committee notes this bylaw only applies to new and replacement outdoor lighting fixtures and includes a grandfather position provision exempting existing features or fixtures. Um so the committee notes that these compliant
fixtures are generally available at comparable cost um and that this would require fixtures um designed to a different lighting standard rather than um you know a more expensive um equipment.
So um during deliberations the finance committee discussed several concerns including the technical complexity and the practicality of administration and enforcement um and questions regarding which town officials or departments will be responsible for its implementation. Um and this is actually why several of
the members um voted no against this article. But overall we do recommend this article um since it passed by majority. So the committee also noted that some provisions may require um interpretive judgment by town staff which may create
challenges in consistent enforcement. Um so we did note those concerns. Um but despite those concerns um overall the the finance committee recommended by majority this article um as they feel it will be a long-term benefit to the
community. Are there any citizens questions or comments uh for article number 25? All right, I am not seeing any. I'm going to stop sharing. I'll start
sharing the ATM again. Um so article number 26 is the new solid waste recycling enterprise fund budget. Um you might have seen flyers about this.
Um so our recommendation and vote did not make the printed warrant. Oh I should have just left the last page open. Um but I'll open it again. So article number 26. So the finance committee did recommend this article. So
we recommend the proposed budget for the solid waste program. Um Massachusetts faces very high trash and recycling costs due to landfill closures, limited competition among haulers and rising fuel costs. So, as a town, we have little control over these statewide
issues, but the budget has um tried to do its best to limit these rising costs by switching to an automated cart program. So, this is where residential trash is put into like carts that are mechanically lifted and emptied by a truck. Um, and a secondary effect of this
change will improve public health and reduce litter. The new carts will help keep animals out of the trash um by limiting use of loose trash bags and adding new public trash cans to downtown that will be emptied twice weekly. So, the finance committee notes that this article concerns over only the overall
budget of the solid waste program and not the rates paid by each household which will be managed by the board of health um which you might have got a mailing like a flyer about. Um a no vote would leave the town without a solid waste program. So residents will be forced to contract trash services
privately um potentially at a greater estimated cost. That's sort of unknown. Um are there any public questions or comments about article number 26? All right. So, I'm not hearing any. Um, so we'll go
to article number 27. Um, so this is another citizens petition. So, this is a resolution in support of changing the state flag and seal of Massachusetts. Um, so um the finance committee did recommend this article. So, um, the
majority of the committee was swayed by the merits of this citizen's petition. We recommended its approval. So, this would be um approving for a new flag and seal for the Commonwealth. Um and we did want to note that we are concerned that town meeting already sort
of runs long and that it's difficult to get through the issues pertaining directly to our town of Maynard. So, articles like this that are sort of state level articles uh or pertain to other levels of government may not be the best use of town meeting time. Are there any public questions or
comments about article number 27? No. Okay. Um so article number 28 is a zoning bylaw update. Um so this would um amend the bylaws for um marijuana
dispensaries. Um so finance committee did recommend this article. Um existing recreational marijuana establishments in the central district business business district are successfully integrated into the district. These
establish establishments contribute a regular source of revenue to the town and any new establishment or change um in the use of an existing establishment would be reviewed by the planning board. in general um basically you are granting a uh they grant a special permit uh at
the planning board to establish and they establish regular reviews of this permit. So um so this would allow the medical marijuana dispensaries that are not allowed in the central business district but recreational marijuana establishments are allowed by special
permits. Are there any public questions or comments for article number 28? No. Okay. So, not hearing any. Um, so article number 29 is a bylaw amendment for dog licenses. Um,
so you can see this updates the bylaw where they cross things out. um they would get rid of and then they would replace with sort of the bold and and underlined words and this would update the bylaw. Um
here um so our our comments and our vote did not make it into this warrant. Um so let me pull up the document here. for the bylaw amendment dog licenses. So
the finance committee recommends this article. Um we recommend passage of article number 29. It reworks our dog license bylaw which is mandated by a new state law or Ali's law that requires annual inspection of dog kennels. Um there is also a modest increase to dog
fees and late fees proposed to keep fees in line with rising administrative costs and to incentivize timely registrations of dogs and prevent extra work of chasing down um registrations. So that would increase
um then the fees um as the sponsor comment says have been unchanged since before 2013. Um, are there any questions or public comments about article number 29?
No. Okay. So, I'm not hearing any. So, we'll go on to article number 30. So, article number 30 is a citizens petition. Um, so this is a zoning change for 141 Parker Street. Um and this would
um reszone it um from industrial to business district. Um so finance committee recommended this um reszoning. So this would reszone a small parcel that's currently zoned as industrial. It's adjacent to the 129 Parker Street.
Um and uh we felt that commercial is more appropriate than industrial and this would facilitate commercial development that is physically beneficial to the town. Is there any public questions or comments on article number 30?
No. All right. Um and then article number 31 is the citizens petition. So this is for tax title payment agreements. Um this would be to amend bylaws to adopt an additional um section in there.
so that the town treasurer and collector could pursue um pursue and establish payment um for these articles. So we go down here. So our comments uh and
our vote did not make it into um into the printed warrant here. So, um you can see the sponsor comments are quite thorough um on this topic and let me pull up the fincom comments. Um so for article number 31, the fin the
finance committee at this time does not recommend the article as it is printed. Um so we're not recom we're not able to recommend it as it is printed in the warrant as it's not legally permissible as drafted. um according to town council. So um it's our understanding
that it may be amended on the town the floor of the town meeting. Um but currently as it is written um we do not recommend it. Let's pull this back up. Um all right. I
recognize um Patrick. I see your hand raised. Thanks again. If you're able, could you share some more information about why this proposed article is not legally permissible in its current form?
>> Yes. Let me see. I'm just going to stop sharing so I can try to find documents like I did the last time. I'm going to go All right. Let me see. How do I All right. So, um
my understanding is there are some conceptual and some syntax issues in the way that it's currently written. So, um, one of them is in a part of this proposed bylaw. Um, they have to cross out must be and you have to have R. So,
it's kind of like a small syntax challenge. Um, the other one is, um, looking at the attorney general approval of other towns and such that have passed similar bylaws. Um, and there's often like a stumbling block, um, for like the
statutory requirement. So um this sometimes will fail to get approval um because this defers the collector or treasurer um to do like different classes of taxpayers might get differential treatment. So um in and
they sort of cite in section B talking about the applicability. So it reply it it applies to commercial, residential, industrial and open space properties. Um, and our town zoning bylaw creates several different districts. Um, and there's like, you know, there's
residential districts, there's a couple different types of them. There's different business type districts and industrial districts. Um, so some of the town parcels are ineligible with the current way that this is written, I guess, uh, according to town council.
So, this could be updated um and they could strike out a certain section and replace it with different, you know, this bylaw could apply to all land within the town or something like that. But that's not how it's currently written. So, it's not currently written to sort of fit into our current tone
town zoning areas, if that makes sense. Sort of the zoning table that's in, for example, the prior marijuana article. Um, and the other one is that, um, there's a proposed bylaw dealing with financial hardship agreements. Um, which
there's like different statutory requirements, I guess, to treat all taxes, um, classes of tax titles the same. Um, and this would potentially not do that. Um, so I believe that the my understanding is that the sponsor of
this article is sort of going to make an amendment on town floor to address some of these challenges. Um, but as the article is currently written, um, we didn't think it was necessarily in order, so that's why we voted to not recommend it.
Did that answer your question or do you have any other follow-up questions? >> No, that answers it. Thank you. >> Thanks. All right. Um, I recommend I recognize Kimberly. >> Uh, yes. Is it possible to get uh the
comments on why it wasn't recommended as part of the public meeting uh notes today so I can have them before the town meeting? >> Um, sure. The um the document the word document that I keep pulling up. So this
this document here um this is on the board doc's um website on the town website. So you should be able to have access to this um this current document. >> Very good. Thank you very much. Great.
>> If you have challenges though, you can feel free to email um the Maynard Town Finance Committee email um and after the meeting I'll be able to email it to you directly if that's helpful. Thank you. I appreciate that. >> You're welcome.
All right. Do you have any other um questions or comments um for article number 31? All right. Uh I'm not currently seeing any. Uh where are we?
So, article number 32, we're on article number 32. So, this is the transfer from capital stabilization. Um, so our comments uh and vote did not make it into the um printed warrant.
So this is for capital stabilization for 20 uh sorry 22,423 for costs associated with acquisition of police cruisers for the town. So let me pull up our word file document here.
Um so uh finance committee did recommend this article. So passing of this article would um use uh 200 uh sorry 22,423 of the $416,58 currently in the capital stabilization
fund to help purchase two police cruisers. The total cost of the cruisers is $144,000 with the other 21 uh21,577 A long night here reading letters and numbers uh coming from free cash. So
that's article number four. The capital stabilization fund is a savings account that is specifically intended for purchasing capital items. So Fincom re recommends this article given the relatively small outflow and importance of keeping emergency equipment up to date.
So that is article number 32. Is there any public questions or comments on article number 32? No. All right. So, I'm not hearing any additional um public questions or comments on article number 32. Um that
is the last article um in the annual town meeting warrant. Um, so and that concludes all of our recommendations um and comments for all of the articles. Uh, is there any further public questions or comments on the annual town
meeting warrant or the annual town meeting itself? All right. I am not hearing any, um, if that's the case, um, I would like to move to close our public
hearing at 8:11 p.m. Um, and then we'll go back to our normal finance committee meeting. Um, so I believe to close the public hearing meeting, I have to take a roll call vote. So, I will take a roll call vote of the finance committee to close our public
hearing at 8:11 p.m. Linda, >> yes. >> Male. >> Yes. >> Nathan, >> yes. >> Peter, >> yes. >> Katie, >> yes.
>> Nathaniel, >> yes. >> I am also yes. So, um, we will close our public hearing here. And then Linda, >> if required, um I don't think I was I I think I was muted when I seconded Jill's
motion to close the hearing. >> Okay, Jill Jill voted. Okay, Jill first, Peter second. Thank you. >> Okay. >> All right, great. So, um so now I'll close this uh
minimize this. I have too many windows open. All right. So, all right. So, basically that closes out our public hearing. Um, so we have our annual town meeting uh discussion um if
there's any updates to the articles and um any additional potential voting. So, um, so I think the only other things I have for the annual town meeting is, um, we got a draft of the slides, uh, that
Greg's going to present that we could potentially go over. Um, and I think for article, um, I'm going to stop sharing. I closed things too soon. Um, so for article number 31, I we did
get additional information on what so that the change of the article might be on the floor of town meeting. Um, so I thought it might be good for us to think about because we'll probably have to take a vote on the floor of town meeting if that is recognized as an amendment. I
don't know, Greg, if you received that. Um, but I think we got additional updates on how that's going to be amended on the floor. >> I don't remember if I got I've gotten so many emails about town meeting, so I don't remember. But either way, I was going to follow up with um
>> Kimberly Connors, who is she was on this, but she my understanding is she's going to be presenting it. So, I'll follow up with her about making sure that Dick Downey said he wanted to make sure that we had the um Oh, I have gotten the slides now. I'm remembering I have gotten the slides,
but he Dick Downey wanted to have the motion form in hand ahead of time, even though we've already gotten the slides of what the of what it will be. Those slides might be on the I don't know if I gave them to you, Jill, but I I uploaded >> I uploaded the PowerPoint, >> but it's an old version. So, what you
see on the website is like an like an old version. I can try to get that to you if you give me a little bit of time. >> Um, are they in the annual town meeting slides? Because I have the draft that you gave me from uh May 5th.
>> Uh, you can check. I don't remember. I don't remember. All the versions are getting mixed together, but I'm going to try to get either way. >> Okay. Um, so let's see. >> Way way at the bottom.
>> Way way at the bottom. Wait. Whoops. Hold on. You guys are all right. There we go. Way way at the bottom. All right. Um, Parker Street. Still more. Um. >> Oh, you did. That's it. That's it.
>> There we go. This is the one. All right. >> I'll see you guys on the other side of the discussion. >> All right. Thank you, Muel. Um, all right. So, how do I >> I think further down there was a slide
labeled amendments, but maybe I misread agreements. >> Yeah, I just saw it. It's um I just got it here. It's uh >> that's there's no pages. Yeah, there's no pages here. >> Okay. So um
so as as town council said so they were proposed to update it to say the bylaw will apply with all land within the town instead of by the because they don't name all the different districts and then C2 was amended to okay
to date E and F is stricken And okay, even if it's stricken. Okay. So, we talked a little bit about this last week, Jill. And
>> yeah, the recording's not posted yet, so I didn't get to hear it yet. Okay. So I would love to hear what was talked about. >> I know you're cons or I I heard you were concerned about the idea that you know it's difficult for us to you know actually take a vote on something that really hasn't happened yet. But I would
propose that we could discuss it, discuss the, you know, I don't know if any of us want to get too technical on the amendment, but you know, could do something like if this is accepted by town council and ruled valid,
then, you know, the substance of the article still stands and, you know, without taking a vote tonight, we could do our discussion. people could have an idea. I I think a discussion on town meeting floor is very
awkward. I think it would be totally appropriate for you to stand up and say, "We knew this was coming. We've discussed this. We will do a formal public vote now." Um, you know, members are free to say something, but you know, we're not expecting a lot of discussion
about this article or this amendment because we've already discussed it at, you know, this prior public meeting. and then we just do the vote and get it over with and not have it, you know, devolve into I can't hear you. What about the, you know, and a bunch of questions and
everything. Um, so that would be my suggestion on how to deal with this. >> Okay. >> Do we want because we haven't yet printed um printed our document yet. the votes that
didn't make it into the warrant. We could potentially say if this is amended on the floor as we expect from the sponsor sending us messages, this is how we would vote if it is amended. Like I we could also put it in
the handout we're going to do. We could I I' I'd be less likely to do that, but you know, if other members want to do that, I you know, >> I I have a broad sense of our advisory powers, so I think we can do what we want to, but
>> right, I don't know that we have to, but I'm just saying it's a possibility and I'm not sure I'm comfortable with it, but it is a possibility. >> Yep. So what how what was the temperature of the discussions prior because I was not
in that meeting. So that maybe get high level over >> I feel we didn't get into who felt strongly one way or the other just that as in its current state that we couldn't take a vote on it and that we needed to
revisit it which would be today. >> I'm going to sign off guys because I got to get my kids to bed. I'll see you guys. >> Okay. All right. Bye. >> Bye. Um, Katie may be more correct and I missed a meeting somewhere along the line.
I guess I would have said I thought there was support for the article generally. >> Yeah, I think more support than not support. Yeah, I agree. >> Okay. >> Okay. Oh, I'll let
>> Thanks. Mhm. All right. I for me it's really hard to follow unless I like literally take article number 31, which is what I'm going to do with y'all live cuz cuz I'm I'm a little slow. I'm going to
take it and do what they say because I don't have an actual document in front of me. So, if I make a Word file. >> Oh, that looks ugly. That looks ugly as heck. All right, just leave it alone. Um, >> I learned the copy paste with the
warrant does not translate into Word very well. >> No, it doesn't. Yeah, it looks pretty terrible. Uh, let me see if I can find a prior version of this article as a Word file.
No, they're all PDFs. All right. Um Okay. So um so it sounds like that the discussions in the past were generally favorable. Um my my concern is that the treasurer collector does not think or does not
want to give up the ability like the current the current way of working. Did we talk about that in any of the past meetings? Because I' I've missed a lot of past meetings. I I I think that came up. Um I echo
that. And I also, you know, just generally I I I don't know that this is urgent enough that I wouldn't benefit from, you know, going back and forth with the treasur collector some and it can go on
fall or next spring. um is that a complex amendment like this I think is difficult with a citizens petition. >> Okay. >> Um All right. >> Well, we may be in the minority.
>> Yeah. So all right. So we're gonna maybe maybe I can just share it this way. Just share this. This is the printed. So it's going to take.
All right. So in B clickability. So, it's going to going to let's see well let me actually write on this strike through it's going to strike through these.
Okay. So, it's going to strike through that. Oops. Too far. It's going to strike through those and it's going to replace them instead by all land within the town. So that's fine. Um
C2 says this. Oh, why is it striking everything? That's fine. So C2 is going to be all real estate tax and water and sewer user fees for the fiscal year are paid.
So it's just updating the wording, I guess. Paid to date. Okay. Um and then E and F are fully stricken. Uh
okay. So E and F. So the hardship agreement is gone. It's just gone. The whole thing's gone. And the financial So the whole thing about the financial hardship agreement is just gone. is not there anymore.
So basically the tur collector will still have the authority to have these written payment agreements. and they will be for a 4-year term. This will not include a waiver of interest,
but it will have a interest for 50% of the interest. So, this was the treasurer collector did not want to wave any of the interest. I think was one of the concerns. Um, and then there's no financial hardship agreements at all. So, anyone could do
this even if they don't have a hardship, but I don't know why they would, you know, allegedly if they're not paying the taxes, I would assume there's some kind of a hardship, but that's totally stricken out. So for me, not having the hardship clause in there kind of guts
this um for me as as one member. >> Uh sorry, Jill, just to clarify by it guts it you you don't mean you mean that um it loses your support for this or you mean that it's a toothless um um like
amendment? I don't understand. For me, sort of the purpose was like to help people who are having a hard time, having a financial hardship. Um, and now that's not in there at all.
Like, I don't understand how it would be substantially different than what is currently. And that's why I'm looking through uh on my other screen or not my not shared part of the screen about
who this will benefit um like looking at Let me stop sharing. C >> can I can I add to that too, Jill, because I'm rereading now. It's just going to be section D, that section D part. And as I'm reading it, you make
this agreement, you have to pay all the interest for four years and you only get that interest rebate at the end of the four years. So it just seems it seems un it just it just I don't see how it's going to work
for anybody. the same kind of thing if I'm reading it right which >> no >> because D says you the waiver shall occur at the time of the agreement's maturity and shall only occur if you fully comply with the terms of the
agreement. So, it's it to me you're having to pay all the interest along the way and then you get that that 50% interest reduction at the
end of the agreement. But I maybe that's not how it's going to work. >> That is what it looks like though, Linda. >> It is. Yeah, it looks like you're paying everything >> and you have to be current >> and if you can't pay anything, how is that helping
>> reduce in the moment? >> Well, it could be that it's a waiver of the balance of in of unpaid interest, but it's at the end of the agreement, not at the beginning. >> Yeah, >> you're right. I don't know how that
matches with current. I don't know how it's Yeah, I just don't see how >> because it's not going to wave any past interest. >> So, these are the slides from the sponsor that are in them saying what does it do?
>> Um, basically it will make sure that we don't sue to foreclose. Did we talk about how often >> Oh, sorry, Jill. Sorry. Does that happen often that the town sues to foreclose? >> He had some land court docket numbers
which indicated that it was infrequent. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> He gave us he listed the the ones Yeah. No, this is um hold on, I'm sharing the wrong screen. Um so if you
look at the in the printed ATM warrant, the sponsor comments, they only get the interest waiver after they've completed the terms of the payment agreement. So that's how it is supposed to read. So I just wanted to let address that here. >> Okay. So that is Yeah. So that is how
it's going to work. >> And then this is the examples that he site that they cite in the sponsor comments. So it has 10 of these lawsuits between 2022 and 2026.
So only 10 of them within that period of four years. >> Are those for separate properties or are some of those like for the same property >> like separate legal actions for the same property?
I don't know. Not sure, but they are. And and all of these are totaling a little less than 12K. So I mean I think it's very thorough in sort of the examples here. Um
and that you know these the sponsor comments oops in the printed warrant are not suggesting a floor amendment to strike ENF but it sounds like in the actual upcoming warrant uh they will be striking uh
they will be striking E and enough. So the sponsor comments were written in mind that they were not going to do that. So I think for me it's it's not as um that the financial hardship thing on
there is not included, which I understand because it's kind of complicated to prove financial hardship, especially across all types of town. Um what do they call it? all parcels in town or something. Um,
so I think I don't know as one member I think it's a little bit of a challenge for me. Um, I would probably vote not to recommend just because the financial hardship is is no longer in there. It's It's tough to get over the fact that the treasurer collector is not in
favor of this and that um the town received like legal advice not to adopt it. I'm just looking at this email from uh Allison Fininnel at Brown Legal. Uh
>> let me see. I can probably pull that up. >> That's the attachment that was a TC and leg review CP if you want to search your email for that. It >> was from uh this is in the April 7th
meeting documents. April 7th. I will just open that folder on my computer. That would be way easier. TC. Is it the TC and legal review one or
is it the TC response? Yeah. Okay. this one. Uh, so they currently have the ability to enter into a payment agreement prior to the tax or going to tax title. Um, so she's not opposed to the law, but she
doesn't recommend waving the interest. So that's waiver at the end once they pay it off. Um, and then if someone is already in tax title, they get an interest rate covered under Mass General Law. So the interest rate who for people who
pay the taxes late is 14%. Um and then if someone actually goes into tax title, it's reduced um to 8%. So people that are in tax title already have a benefit over those who pay.
I mean, I'm not I'm not sure I'm fully convinced by that argument because if somebody's having trouble paying their taxes and have to go into like a payment plan, 14 or 16% interest on, you know, is like a $10,000 bill for your single
family home in Maynard on average. Um, that's like a lot of interest accumulating pretty quickly. Um, like it makes sense to me that like waving interest or like freezing it during during the time when it's being negotiated, that doesn't
like that seems like some somebody winds up in a situation where they need that out of hardship. It doesn't seem like you're giving them like an advantage over somebody else by waving that >> and you have to pay it for all those four years and you don't get it back
until the end even, right? Yeah. >> So if they can pay it over their Yeah. I don't I mean the point is they can't pay it. >> Um it's it's interesting that you know towards the Yeah. Yeah. In the section that you're in right now that collection
of interest is essential to the fiscal health. Collection of taxile accounts is not it's built into the annual budget. um that I mean I maybe that's just like phrased in an unusual way, but it just seems odd that like counting on interest for late payments is like part of the
budget. I guess it's it's meant to equal, you know, the amount the money like the value the the town is like losing by not having timely payments. Um but yeah. >> Yeah. See, I was worried that it would
set up an incentive for people not to pay your taxes, that you take that money and invest it, >> you know, you But I don't think you're going to get I don't think there's an incentive there, financial incentive to not pay because you're you're you're
going to be accumulating 14%. >> Yeah, you're not going to earn that in the market over time. >> No. No. Isn't >> I thought with some of the other waiverss you would, but I don't think there is an incentive. not to pay >> in May. This is the best May in about 10
years in the financial district. And if you invested smartly, you you were getting like 20 to 25% back this month. >> Yeah. >> So that's more than 16%. >> Isn't this just a tool for the town though? Like incentive or not, whether
or not the town is interested in it, it's just a tool in a tool belt, right? There's no like if this was to affect me, I don't get to choose that this would be applied to me, right? It's up to the town. I don't know if that's true. I think
once it's once it's in the town bylaws, then it's something you can request, too. But I don't know if you request it if you'll get it. It's like the abatement process. You can request an abatement, but you might not get it,
>> right? I can request a special permit and I'll get denied if I want to put a, you know, roller coaster up in my backyard, but >> Right. >> Yeah. It's it's just a a pathway and a tool. So, that I I'm just kind of indifferent on
it due to that concept alone. I don't have an issue. I mean, I guess clutter could be a negative, but I don't aside from that, I don't see a problem here. And I think some of the other things that they brought up were interesting is
that, you know, they're recommending that it's only for single family homes and the way it will be amended on the floor is for every type of property, even industrial and open space. Um, and that it doesn't say anything about it has to be the lawful record holder. I
don't think uh like if someone inherits this house and it's in a rears or whatever. And I don't know, they're I mean, they're pretty insistent on they don't want to wave interest totally.
So, giving the 50% interest back at the end is uh something that they're not recommending. So >> yeah, I I don't love that applies to all types of property and it removes removes the uh hardship uh qualification even if
you know it seems like anybody agreeing to this would be in some sort of hardship. ship. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, I agree with that. >> But unfortunately, as it is currently, uh it didn't sound like those would be able to go through the way it's
currently written. So, it was good spirit. I I appreciated the spirit of the article. Um, all right. I'm going to stop sharing. Do we have any other further discussion
we want to make on uh on this article? So if do we anticipate after it's an amended at time meeting the moderator may ask us for a recommendation and then we would have to vote
>> next next Monday. >> Yes. So that's why I wanted to bring it up now. So okay >> when the moderator >> this is how it will be amended which is how it is presented in the slides right there. how are we potentially going to vote? Um or at least we'll have our
discussion now and we can vote on the floor. So that's what we have a decision to do tonight. So we can vote on how we anticipate how it will be amended based on the ATM slides. Um we don't have a changed article in front of us right
now. So, part of what Greg said is that they have to fill out the form that Dick wants them to fill out, the amendment form. So, they have to take exactly what they're going to do. They're going to take the article itself and they're going to I think they can say it like they say it in the slides. They're going
to strike out certain things. I don't think they necessarily have to like rewrite the entire article and cross things out on it. Although, it would probably easier to read that way. Um, which is why I was sort of doing it just back of the envelope here. Um, but this is, you know, this is how
they'll be amending it. And then they'll they'll cross out and be the different things here. And they'll say all space. Um, and then they'll cross out ENF, which is the financial hardship. Um, so I don't know. We have a decision as a
committee. We could at since we know how they're proposing to amend it on the floor, we could take a roll call vote tonight um in anticipation of that and I can sort of read that at the the town meeting. I won't have to
necessarily read like a full comment. Um, I don't think I think I just have to say recommends or not recommends. But since we haven't yet printed our thing, our um handout yet, we could also potentially
put it in the handout. But the risk is that if they decide to change it further before the town meeting, um, what we put in the printed handout may not no longer be applicable. So,
well, I will open the floor to the rest of the committee if you would like to take a roll call vote tonight or if we on the amendment uh as presented to us in the ATM draft slides.
or we can just vote on the floor and just do a informal straw poll right now. But I think we should do one of those two things >> as a one member. I ju I just assume do a vote now um and then we can use that as
our recommendation one way or the other at town meeting rather than have to have some sort of vote like during town meeting and prolong things even further. >> Yeah, I bet we all feel what we're going to feel now and that probably won't
change come town meeting. I'll say at this point I'm kind of leaning against I think that that now that it applies to everyone like commercial there's no hardship. It's I think the picture was like a an an owner
gets in trouble a homeowner and you want to save their primary residence. Um the the treasurer says that she they we already have a lot of tools for the most vulnerable for elderly for veterans.
Um the history shows very little use. Um and it's really important. It's you can see financially we really want to get taxes paid on a timely basis. And I'm also kind of persuaded by the the
fact that people who pay late, say you're just, you know, you're missing whatever your May 1 date, you're going to get a 14% bump and here would be an 8% bump. Um, I don't know. It's It's tough, you know,
but do we need just need one more tool to to to get people squared away with the town Um, sounds like we're uh we're kind of leaning against it at this point. So, I'll just go ahead and um I'll move not
to recommend um the article as we expect it to be amended amended on the floor. All right. So, we have a motion not to recommend uh as we anticipate it to be amended on the floor. Do we have a
second? Um, I'll excuse me. I'll second that. >> All right. So, we have a move and a second. Do we have any further discussion to not recommend as we anticipate it to be amended? It's a mouthful.
All right. I don't hear any. So, uh, I will take a roll call vote not to recommend. So, a yes vote would mean that you would not recommend. Linda, >> yes. Nathan,
>> yes. >> Peter, >> yes. >> Katie, >> yes. >> Ezananiel, >> no. >> I am also a yes. Um, and male is abstaining u because of potential
conflict of interest uh in our discussions and in our votes. Um, so that is that's a five to one vote not to recommend. Wait, four six six to one vote not to no
five to one because Michael is not um and one staying or not participating. Okay. >> Um All right. So if we want to put it in
um if we want to put it in our written handout, we can do so. So I put here does not recommend. Um so the fin does not recommend this article as anticipated for amendment on the ATM
floor. um since um it would apply to all land within the town. Um and striking sections ENF. Um, we felt this, do we want to anticipate like we felt
that this drove move the article away from financial hardship and you know single owner financial hardship situations or something. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Lind Linda had a good way of phrasing it that um like our
understanding was this is this is meant to help save like a primary residence of like a single family home um from like financial hardship, but that it's like broadened to include commercial
properties and it it removes like hardship requirements and that the it it's it's too broad. And the town already has um more narrowly
like focused tools to help with uh hardships, paying taxes like abatements and and um abatements, elderly deferrals, and other exemptions to
uh quote from the treasurer collector. That's not here. I think I shut it. Shoot. All right. So, what is it? A I don't see that phrase in this email. Can you maybe say that one more time?
It's um on page three uh bullet uh point number four starting with the municipality has existing means um >> abatement process elderly deferrals and many exemptions You know, I would cut out the how that
it regularly exercises to help people in need. I just I would say like this is like applying to all land and not having financial hardship requirements is is much too broad. The town already has more narrowly focused tools for um
addressing, you know, tax payment issues or uh addressing um these needs such as Yeah, it says apply to all land within
town section B and instead of striking say and remove financial hardship requirements. Uh we like we're in favor of the um like the stated goal of of trying to
save single family homes or uh or prevent prevent uh foreclosures on you know primary residences. But um this is not narrowly tailored
enough or it's it's it's much too broad. If you can come in support of the spirit of the original article, but without these um specifications or like requirements, without these definitions, uh
restrictions Because if we say but with these changes like it can't go as it's written right now because it's not in order. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But with these changes um something like that maybe.
>> Yeah. >> Or even even kind of single family. I mean uh owner occupied homes. not single family owner occupied homes. >> Yeah. I don't think single family necessarily has anything to do with it. You know, somebody in a in like a like
is >> the same needs as someone in a single family home. Okay. Does that sort of capture our spirit then? No. Okay. So, one question is, does this sort of capture what we would like to see in our comments? The second is, do
we want it to be in our handout? Because if we don't want it in the handout, this is what I can read when we when we're on stage instead. >> I kind of like plan B. >> I do too because we don't know what's going to happen. >> Yeah, >> we don't know what's going to happen.
So, if this is exactly how it will change, this is what I can potentially read on stage. um instead of, you know, having it in the printed handout and then maybe something changes between now and then. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I like that. >> Okay.
All right. Let me before I lose this, let me make sure I post it. And this is article 31. All right. Okay. Um, great.
I have that in my notes here. Perfect. Okay. Uh, do we have any other further comments or discussion on article number 31. All right. Uh if we have no further
uh questions or comments or otherwise uh I will say the presentation sort of has slides about each of the articles. So um if that is uh important I would say the
only thing it's really important for is uh I just wanted to bring to your attention article number seven. So the general fund there'll be a little uh update on that
from um I think the select board will give this presentation. Uh I'm not entirely sure. um because they're the sponsor of this article. Um and I do like that they'll have Let me make this a little smaller.
I don't know why. We go. Um they talk about prioritizing the right investments and how much you know certain things cost. So I think it's nice that they'll actually show this and talk about this uh at town meeting. And then it's talking about, you know, the
different types of maintenance cycles as well. So, um, I thought it was nice that they do a little timeline of the projects over 400K. So, um, and then I think the only other things
in here that we might not have seen are Oops. Um, so I think the slides from the citizens petition outdoor lighting are very similar to what they showed us um in our
like when we invited them to come talk to us. Um, they're very similar slides. Um, so I think they're pretty much the same slides. Um and then the citizens station for this
flag seal actually has a couple slides or two slides. Um and then the Parker Street um 141 Parker Street which is article 30 also has a slide. So just showing you a overhead
view. So that's the the building that's right in front of the this is the market basket and the um little area here uh 129 Parker Street. Um, so it's sort of showing they have an outline of the parcel. So,
um, I think that's nice. I think that those were the two uh two other things that we didn't see um before. So, those are the slides. Uh, in terms of ATM topics, uh, I think
that's all I have. Does anyone else have any ATM topics you wanted to bring to attention of the committee? No. All right. If there's no additional ATM topics, uh we will go on to our routine agenda. All right. So, I'm going to save this.
All right. And then our routine agenda, we have our finance committee meeting minutes from uh May 4th. I was not present at this meeting. Um so you finalized your comments on all those different articles which were in
that word file. So thank you for sharing that with me. Uh I look forward to looking at the meeting. Uh, I did just get a link to the meeting because it was on the OES OEM. It was on one of the Zoom
accounts I don't usually use. So, um, I did get a link to that. So, I'll get that over to Mike at WABM and he'll be able to help us get that on the website. So, that's super. I will watch that later this week. Um and then you approve the minutes and we
talked about future meeting um topics. Do you have any feedback or otherwise in the minutes of May 4th? >> I think they look good. I'll make a motion to approve the minutes for May 4th. >> Seconded. All right, we got a motion, we got a
second. Uh, do we have any further discussion? All right, so I will take a roll call vote to approve. Linda, >> yes. >> Nathan, >> yes. >> Male, >> yes.
>> Katie, >> yes. >> Peter, >> yes. >> Daniel, >> yes. and I will be an abstain because I was absent.
So meeting minutes are approved. Um all right. So I'll close those out. All right. Uh updates from chairs and members. Do we have any updates from individual members on any of the committees you leaison to or otherwise?
Um, I did sort of have a general question. I just wanted to reach out to male if the uh select board if Dave Gavin got in contact with you about selecting the people for that award. Was that all set? Is that good? >> Yes. Uh, we were able to we were planning to meet as a as a sort of a
subcommittee um over Zoom. Um, but then we I guess we realized that the meeting could be an email. So we all just sort of reviewed it. Um and then uh we agreed on sort of recommendations and those were transmitted to Greg. Uh so should be uh all set there. Um >> perfect. Thank you for your support
there. I appreciate it. >> Of course. Uh happy to do so. And actually I would just mention um I I did uh want to let you know want to let all of you know unfortunately due to like a super mandatory work event um I won't be able to make it to the town meeting as I will have to be like out of state that whole week. Um but just wanted to let
you guys know unfortunately. Um, but I'll be, you know, back online sort of the the next meeting and stuff. >> All right. Well, thank you uh for letting us know. >> Of course. >> Best of wish uh work wishes. Uh I understand as I was myself absent for
almost three weeks. So work do be working. >> What can you do? I guess. >> Exactly. All right. Um, is anyone else gonna uh potentially miss the ATM meeting? That will be in person at the
Fowler School. That will not be remote. So, um, we're sort of I'm sort of jumping to our next topic, which is, uh, planning for future meetings. So, the ATM is on the 18th. Um, I will I have to put up a public meeting posting for it.
So, usually what we do is we say that we'll be there at 6:30 in case we need to deliberate or talk about anything ahead of town meeting. But I think we've got all our ducks in a row with our meeting tonight. But I'll still post it for 6:30. So I would recommend you showing up before 7. Uh otherwise you'll
have to go up and walk and sit on the stage in front of everyone as town meeting has already started. So um I do recommend you getting there earlier than 7. Um all right. Okay. Um that sounds good. So we should
have a quorum then. So okay. So uh any additional updates from members? Uh I did the only other update I had was about the trash and recycling uh program. So um there was meetings on May 2nd and 3rd on this topic uh and also on
May 5th. uh and there will be some additional se sessions that will be advertised uh in the upcoming weeks. um which I think they posted on the website but I don't um >> I I attended one. It was real very well
done. I think some interesting concerns came up. One was from condo the big condo complexes on how they're going to manipulate all this stuff and uh >> right >> they're going to have an and and the oneway streets and with the automatic
loading only goes on one side of the truck. Um, so there was, you know, there's going to be some challenges and they're going to have a sample trash bin so people can see how big these things are going to be. Was really well done and well attended, too.
Yeah. So, there'll be some additional person um meetings. Well, the 9th is already gone. There'll be one tomorrow on the 12th um from 9 to 10 in the morning. It's a Zoom meeting. There'll be one um in person Saturday, May 16th
from 2 to 3 at the public library. And there'll be another in-person one on May 20th from 7 to 8 at the Fowler School auditorium. So, um, and all of this is on the solid waste
and recycling town website as well. So, that's where I'm pulling the dates from. Yeah. So, I have to attend one of those, too. I have questions. Maybe I'll just send an email. All right. Um, and that was my update.
Are there any other updates? No. All right. So, uh, our next meeting will be on May 18th, uh, at the annual town meeting. Um, we will not have a meeting on the 25th, um, because that is Memorial Day.
So, our next meeting will be June 8th. Um so I would propose that our topics would be um ATM debrief and feedback um planning for the new fiscal year
and roles in the committee. Um because in the July meetings um Dick will open our first July meeting and I have to coordinate with him uh what meeting that would be. Um ideally it would be on like the 13th of July.
So that's the second Monday, but I can see what his availability is. Um and I know people are starting to travel potentially for like summer holiday and stuff. So, in July, if there's certain Mondays that are better for people, let me know.
But I can see if Dick is available um for the 13th to open our first um first uh meeting of the fiscal year. And then in that meeting, he would appoint Zeus, the chair, who's the vice chair, and the scribe um and then hand the
meeting over to us. So uh people can start thinking if you would like to have a new role in the committee if you would like to be chair you would like to be vice chair if you would like to be the scribe um or otherwise and then uh Nail I think you're you're departing
in August or so is that did I get that right? >> Yes. Yes. That's correct. So uh the the movein date for like law school is a little bit they haven't sort of print up all the or orientation dates yet. Um, but I'm thinking I think we we had talked about this maybe a little bit last time, but I was thinking if it's
sort of more, you know, simple and easy, I can just like whenever the new fiscal year starts, so that meeting on the 13th um with Dick, that could be like my first meeting where I wouldn't be sort of I would have um ended like right before that, I guess. So, if that's easier, I can do that and I can just
like let Dick know and stuff. or if it doesn't make much difference um because it's like the middle of the term. I think we had talked about that too. I can just like play it a bit more by ear and stuff. Whatever's whatever is more >> Where are you going? >> Um I'll be off to to law school. Uh so
Columbia, New York City. Um >> Columbia. Okay, great. >> Starting in the fall. Yeah. Yeah. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> Exciting. >> Yeah. So I think um and I also sort of reminded Dick um today because we had our pre-ATM meeting. So that's one of
the updates I forgot to share. So the Monday before the ATM at usually it's at noon. We have a meeting with all the heads of the um different committees and with the town the moderator um and we sort of go over what the plans are for the um the meeting. Um,
so I think there's one open position once you know you're departing um on our committee and I think there was one additional position on the planning board maybe. Um, but he said Dick said that he was going to the town moderator since they're his appointed committees
that he would um potentially advertise it at the town meeting >> um as being an opening. So um >> so that way um >> Oh, go ahead. Sorry. >> Yeah. So that way it'll sort he'll be able to see. Um so usually I think you
know as we're all appointed by him we sort of know how it works. But for people who might not know and are listening to the recording um this is um usually he'll say like at the town meeting like these committees have potential open positions and to go talk
to him and he sort of talks to them and interviews them and asks them you know why they're interested and gives an idea of what the different roles of the different committees are. So, um, yeah. >> Um, >> did Dick mention anything about whether whether there's a particular date that I
should have, um, sort of resigned by or did he not have a preference? Kind of either way. >> Um, no, I'm not aware that there's a preference. Uh, so I think whatever makes sense um for you and for getting
ready for your move and and your big life adventure um is also important to consider, too. So, we do really appreciate all the work you've done on the committee. Um, and >> thank you for for your service. So, I did also want to make sure I got that in there, too. We're not shoving you out
the door. Um, >> oh, >> yeah. Well, I I can maybe I can ask him then if he would like if it's easier for him on on his side to have me gone by the new fiscal year or if he doesn't care either way, then I'll just ask him and and see what the, you know, the
preferences and stuff. And then if not, I'll I'll we'll I'll I'll kick sort of the final sort of determination down the road as to as to what date I leave by once I know more about my schedule and stuff. >> Sounds great. Yeah, I can also ask in that town meeting next week since uh since it sounds like you'll be traveling
for work. So >> that would be perfect actually, Jill. Um thank you. Yeah. >> Yeah. So I want to put a note here. Um, all right. So, it's in my notes. Great.
Okay. Um, so I think that covers our future um future meetings. Um, and the agenda for our June 8th meeting. Um, I don't I don't really have a lot of topics there. If we want to start
getting back into our uh fiscal fiscal projections, like the five-year projections and stuff, that's something that I think is good in the summertime because it's not as oh my god, ATM special town meeting, uh, all the warrant articles are due. So, if
that's something we want to start exploring, and I'm sort of looking at you, Nathan, since that's sort of your spreadsheet, baby. If that's something you want me to put on the agenda, I can do that. Um, we don't necessarily have to decide now. I mean, we could talk about it. Um,
well, I think we would have to actually talk about it now. So, unless we have it as a topic in our annual town meeting uh meeting, which I don't think we want to do, >> or you can let me know sort of by email and I can post the meeting closer to
June. >> Yeah, that sounds >> Yeah. Why don't you go ahead and and put that in the uh the agenda? I I also um at like the last uh meeting I'd floated the idea of like if we wanted to discuss
having some sort of like goals as a as a finance committee of what we think should be happening with the town budget like I'd really like to see a dedicated um line for capital uh capital funds. I'd like to see our stabilization fund um like getting back up to like a
recommended level. Okay. Uh, what FY are we on? We're on FY 28 starting in July. No, >> 27. Get ahead of myself. >> Well, except the budget we'll be
discussing for the new capital line would be F28. Okay. Yeah, exactly. >> So old. Okay. Um All right. Great. So I think we have a good u meeting um topic set out for next time
for June 8th. Uh I will be posting our meeting for the ATM. I'll sort that out with the clerk and make sure I use the right legal words in the top of the letterhead. Uh, and posting that as a separate finance committee meeting. I
think if I'm posting it as a meeting, that means we need to post meeting minutes, but I get conflicting stuff about that every year. So, I apologize in advance, Linda, but we may or may not need minutes for the annual town meeting. >> Yep,
we do. I I just copy, but anyway. Right. Yeah. Which is totally fine. That's how it should be. >> Um >> Well, except if we do a meeting on the floor, an actual vote. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So otherwise um if it's amended as in the current um slides, then I think we can refer to our meeting of tonight because we did vote on on how it's amended tonight.
But if it changes, we'll have to revote again. Okay. Any other topics for discussion this evening? All right. Uh I'm going a little horse from all the talking. So, uh, if we are
completed for this evening, um, yes, I would recommend >> I I would just quickly say, excellent job, Jill. >> Yeah, thanks, Jill. >> To crank that out in just a little over an hour. >> Did good >> with good questions and good discussion. >> Yeah, we had good questions and
discussion. Yeah, I was glad that I could find those documents because I was >> I was doing a little bit of sweating trying to find those retirement documents. I'm like, I know they're here somewhere. Uh, feel like I need some elevator music for those times.
>> Pulled through. >> Yeah, I guess in terms of order, um, should I send those? May maybe I'll send those to you, Katie, so they can also be on board docs since I did bring them up as documents during the session.
>> Let's see. We'll see if I could I could find them again. Uh, Um, no. I should be able to find them. So, I will uh email >> Bordox is we're not do is there still a date that we're not doing Bordox?
>> I don't know. It was like this time last year they were like we're switching by December 2025 and it obviously didn't happen. So, I never heard anything after that. So, >> maybe they renewed the contract until this December. I don't know. >> It's working though now, right?
Yeah, it is. Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay, good. I am glad because I was concerned. >> Um, okay. Yeah. So, I think that's all of uh all the topics for tonight. Would we
like to take a roll call vote to adjurnn? >> I will make a motion to adjurnn at 9:22. Or did we already do that? >> We didn't do that yet. >> All right. I'll first for 922 adjourning. >> I'll second.
>> We are first and a second. No further discussion. Roll call vote to adjourn. Linda, >> yes. >> Nathan, >> yes. >> Male, >> yes. >> Katie, >> yes.
>> Peter, >> yes. >> Daniel, >> yes. >> I am also a yes. We are adjourned. Thank you everyone.