Hello and welcome to the warrant committee meeting of June 15, 2026 in what I certainly assume is the final meeting of this fiscal year and this warrant committee's year. Uh never say never, but I'm pretty sure it's the
final meeting. Uh Karen, can you call us to order by calling RO? >> FJ Fundling Lauren D. I'm I hear a new question. Grace DH is on Zoom. Larry Johnson,
>> Julia Maxwell is on Zoom. Brian Maguire. Ronald Sia is on Zoom. And Nicholas in the room. You have a quorum. >> Thank you. Can you try promoting Ron again? I I hit him with a I hit him with a stick and he's he's he knows what to do now.
Uh, so the first thing on our agenda is to approve minutes. Uh, Karen, I I didn't give you a heads up, but can I ask you to We got several emails worth of minutes over the past >> week,
>> 23, >> less than a week. >> Uh, first of all, I'll look I'll look around the room and virtually. Are people okay with voting on minutes? We go. Okay. Karen, can you inform us what minutes we
have to vote on? >> From 2025, you have September 24th, September 29th, October 24th, November 3rd, December 8th, and December 15. From 2026, you have January 20th,
January 29th, February 2nd, February 26th, March 2nd, 9, 11, and 17. And you have May 6, May 7, and May 11. >> Okay, we have heard that list. Would someone like to make a motion?
>> Make a motion to approve all the minutes that were just mentioned. >> Second it. >> Okay. Uh, Nick made the motion and Lorraine seconded. Any discussion? Karen, can you do a roll call vote?
>> Um, sorry. Lorraine, >> yes. [snorts] >> Grace, >> yes. >> Larry, >> yes. >> Julia, >> yes. >> Brian, >> yes. >> Ron, >> yes. [snorts]
>> Nick, >> yes. >> And Jay, >> yes. >> Motion carries. And Karen, I want to thank you and Macy, if you're listening, I want to thank you, too. At the beginning of this term, we were years
behind in our minutes. And when I asked Macy to be secretary, one thing I asked her to do is get those minutes under control. And I have not had to do any work for the minutes. And I thank you and Macy for that, Karen. And you did it. You are we all cut up or we I
shouldn't uh shouldn't focus on the negatives. Let's pretend we're all >> I owe you a few sets. You're about three behind and then adding today. So, yes, I do owe you something. They're all short meetings. >> We're practically all cut. >> Thank you so much for that. And thank you, Mason.
Uh the next item of real business for tonight, and I'd like to ask Town Administrator Nick Milano to join us at the table. He's going to describe a bit of what this next item of business is about. I mean, I'll say it's about at the end of the year, there are funds
transfers from one account to another and then in theory, some of them would require a warrant committee vote. In actuality, what happens each year is the warrant committee appoints someone to be their sole design to go through that TDM. Nick, can you say more about the
process? >> Yeah, that's an open-ended question. So there will be three kind of groups of requests that we'll bring um for approval. The first is reserve fund transfers. The reserve fund that is appropriated each year as part of the
operating budget um is under the approval authority of the warrant committee. So we'll use the reserve fund to um transfer money out and into departmental budgets that have overspent whether on expenses or on salaries or in the case of health insurance. insurance
budget comes in um over budget. So the first source of funding that we turn to is typically the reserve funding. Uh so those require approval from the war committee or the war committee to vote to designate a committee or an individual to approve those. The second set is appropriations transfers. So
those are um [snorts] if you look in the warrant, every line that's in the warrant is a set budget. So we can't move money from police salaries to police expenses without approval of the mark committee and the select board. Um so that requires approval from both
boards. Um so we'll also generally have sometimes um transfers that require movement between departmental lines. So not example from police salaries to police expenses or vice versa or alternatively from one department to another department.
from police to DPW, DPW to police. Those kinds of transfers would require approval as I mentioned by the law committee and the select board. And the third um batch of this is uh more seldom is um an authority to overspend a
revolving fund limit. So if you'll remember there's an article on the warrant that sets limits on how much each revolving fund can spend from um overspend that limit with the approval again of the select board of the war committee. It's assuming there's enough
money in the fund um there's an annual spending limit that is below the amount of money that's in the fund that requires people to spend over. So those are the three kind of general transactions. I think this year we've talked a bit about snow and ice. So we
we will have transfers related to the snow and ice budget that is in deficit of you know about $1.5 million at this point. Um so we're already identifying departmental budgets and other budgets that we expect to have um underspent funds and we'll um have a number of
transfers to to alleviate that deficit as much as possible. So in the last couple of years it's been more um nothing on that scale. So this has been a worse year in general of snow and ice. Um I'll just note as a side point that we don't have to close that snowized
budget. We actually have three years to resolve that deficit now. The state law has changed around that. So um we want to address it now. Um but we have options to extend that if necessary. So those are the three uh types of transfers. You know, health insurance is one we always um keep an eye on just
because people can come go off the plan, people can go from individual to family plans. Our our cost kind of change on a given year. And then snow and ice is the other big one. And then there may be um things in departments that just incur a little bit above spending than is
typical, but that's the general level. >> Okay. And I know we're two weeks from the end of the fiscal year and I think you told me you don't have total numbers together, but do you have what what do Okay, we know snow and ice went over
budget. Do you know what else we know that we can should move? Uh in terms of going over budget, no, I think um we feel okay on the other departmental budgets. Um in terms of any uh kind of deficit that would be significant. I
don't see that. Health insurance, like I say, we it is one that we have to monitor closely and we pay for um all the teachers payroll for the summer. They choose to take that money um in one month some gets paid out on last week's payroll. So once that payroll settles,
we're able to kind of fine-tune departmental budgets um particularly related to health insurance as that's just a little bit of a tricky one to map out. Um we expect to have savings in the select board budget. We had a vacancy in the assistant town administrator position, the director planning
position, the assistant director position for much of the fiscal year. So there are decent savings in this budget that will likely transfer the snow and ice. We had a tweak to debt service. So we expect savings in the debt service line again likely to be transfers to snow and ice and then um the other
departmental budgets have been on track or under budget. So we think there is savings in in several other departmental budgets that we should be able to move to snow ice to to take a big hit at that >> can I ask about the teachers? So most of the summer is in the next fiscal year.
So, if they get their paycheck today, it's budgeted accordingly. >> It's it's their pay for this entire year over they can take it just the months that they work. >> Okay? >> Or they can um spread it out over 26 pays or 20 pays. So, there's a there's a
big lump sum that happens right now. So, it's the same amount. It's just a tiny question of what it's actually. I can't say I totally follow how we keep the fiscal years. >> That's a >> finance director question that I can't address fully either, but I can just
tell you that's what happens. >> Make a liability for it though, right? [snorts] >> I'm sorry. >> You make a liability for it. I would suspect accounting world that I'm not in anymore. >> Okay. [clears throat] Exactly. >> So, it should work like you expense it technically in this year. I would think
the school would I would think it would >> I don't want I don't want to misspeak or speak wrongly about it. >> That's how I would think you do it. >> It's what they're owed for this school year of income >> um can be taken over the course of the
entire year over the or over some other kind of payments but it's the same amount paid over the course of the school year. It's just question of when they receive it or not. It's a pretty comment. >> Yeah.
>> So, regarding snow and ice, I know you you don't know what you don't know. I didn't hear you say yes, we'll have enough to cover the snow and ice budget or no, we definitely won't. You didn't say either one of those. So, >> yeah, I I want to wait for a little more certainty as we move through the next
couple of um vendor warrants and the final payroll warrant because it's going to be about pulling from those departmental budgets where possible. >> Um the state legislature, and I don't know if the governor signed it yet, but they approved a supplemental budget in
the last couple of weeks, maybe a week ago, that provides $80 million to cities and towns for snow and ice. Um shared on the >> [snorts] >> road mileage calculation that they use for the chapter 90 money that goes to city and towns for roads. So that is about $250,000 that the state is
providing towards snow and ice expenses for fiscal 26. Um in addition to that, there's another $20 million that is set aside for cities and towns that were particularly hard hit that we expect most of that to flow to the Cape and South Coast that had extended outages and extended um delays and getting back
to open. But maybe that means is a little bit more for Milton. That's kind of TBD. So, um, that's one factor that we need to see what that money comes down into. Um, we did have a the state did submit for a disaster declaration from FEMA. So, there's a question of is
there another couple hundred,000 when it comes to Milton through a federal disaster declaration that we apply for. Um, and then the various transfers that we mentioned. So, there's a few different strategies we can follow. And closing the deficit in its entirety may not be necessary depending on what's
going on with the state. it's going to FEMA. So, that's part of the calculation as well. So, I'm hopeful, but I don't I'm not I don't want to say we'll close all that. No problem. Um I just there's a couple of different factors that we have to kind
>> and when will all this be? >> Uh I'd say um with certainty the last date for approval of any of these would be July 15th. So, um, we processed payments in the prior fiscal year up and until, um, that the week prior to that.
So, um, I would say we would be done with this work by July 14th. Um, but we should know to a much greater degree by the first week of July. >> Okay. So, in the past, the warrant committee
has voted to nominate the chair or the secretary if needed to sign things on their behalf, approve transfers on their behalf. I plan to be in the area first two weeks of July. So, not trying to
grab power here, but >> I I'm I'm I'm willing if the committee wants to make me their designate to approve these transfers. >> Sure. >> I'm willing to
thank you. >> Here, read uh read read. >> Just one more question though. Where is it recorded? like when when you make these decisions when you vote to approve the transfers like how does the public get access to? >> So it's reported in the
the next year's annual town warrant. So one of the tables in there is the prior year reserve on transfers. We've always when we've in prior years we've invited members of the committee to join when we've had a conversation about them to to give the overview. Um and we usually
produce a electronic report that can be shared. and the appropriations transfers in the change with the revolving fund also needs the select board approval. So that would be also discussed in a vot meeting. So there's a couple different >> I'm just curious
>> can I ask how much is in the reserve right now? >> I don't have the appropriation on the top of my head. It was three either 286 or $300,000 in that range in fiscal 26. >> Yeah. And I don't think we used any
>> 282. We have not yet >> and like for the owners that would go first. >> Not necessarily. >> Not necessarily. I think >> department expenses. >> It might it just because it's sometimes it's easier to have a reserve fund transfer go into a department and then
do transfer from other departments or it's really just a kind of a transparency thing. what makes the most sense to be the most easily understood how we resolve these issues. >> Yeah. >> Should I make a motion then? >> Did you? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay.
>> Yeah. I found it. >> I gave you the wording of a motion. Okay. >> I move to authorize J funding to approve reserve fund transfers, appropriation transfers, and revolving fund expens expenditure limit increases on behalf of the committee. >> Second.
Okay. Any discussion? >> Karen, can you do a roll call vote? >> Yes. >> Grace, >> yes. >> Larry, >> yes. [snorts] >> Julia, >> yes. >> Brian,
>> yes. >> Ron, >> yes. >> Nick, >> yes. >> NJ, >> abstain. The motion carries. >> Okay. The next thing on the agenda is
upcoming issues for the fall. Now, our committee turns over July 1, but to the extent that we can see what's coming in the fall, I'd like to hear it. Um, I think that the agenda said number one, library college, and number two, all other
following articles. So, I mean, I I you know, I think some of you know there's a question of the library college possible purchase. I asked Mr. Milano to speak to it. Not so much the what classes would we put there? Should we put kindergarten there? Should we put eighth grade there?
Does it have enough rooms? Not so much that we can, you know, I I encourage you to watch school committee meetings and school building committee meetings that address that issue. What I wanted the warrant committee to know about is the money stuff. I mean, Mr. Milano can't
say anything secret about how much we might or might not pay for it. Aside from that, sort of the the nuts and bolts of what gets [snorts] approved when and how we make decisions, things like that. So, Mr. Milan,
>> uh, sure. So, um, I'll just give a kind of a a recap on what's been publicly discussed and address that question. School committee has voted to um approve a potential program of district administration pre kindergarten and kindergarten. Uh if the
town were to require library college, [clears throat] it's located on Adam Street. It's 303 Adam Street. It's about 4.7 acres and maybe 50,000 square feet of space and we're kind of three buildings. If you've seen the building from Adam Street, it's historic mansion. That's where the college has its
administrative spaces. Uh there's a big classroom building behind it and then connecting the two buildings to the left is like a admin office type space as well. Um we the select board has approved um conducting appraisal of the property. Uh
so we will um get the ball moving on an appraisal of the property um to just inform uh their decision- making around potential price. uh library has um signed up with a broker. So they're um starting to kind of d you know enter
that process of trying to sell the property. The school building committee um at its prior meeting authorized um uh some funding to hire an architect to evaluate the classroom portion of the of
the structure to to identify how many spaces um they could make out of what's there. um how many spaces they need and how many spaces would need to be added onto it. So the project any project there would require an additional renovation um because the space itself
is not sufficient for the program um any kind of program the district currently provides. So there's a few different items going on. Select is evaluating from a purchase perspective how much to pay. school committee evaluating from a programming perspective like what program makes the most sense there and
the school building committee is evaluating helping provide information related to what a construction project might be there. Um all this will [snorts] feed into an ultimate decision whether to receive or not in terms of acquiring property. The last time the
town purchased substantial property was the uh location of the east fire station is being built at 432 Adam Street. That was in 2021 I think. Um so the process will be similar to that with one uh kind of change where we'll do an appraisal. Um the select board can can negotiate
and enter into a an option to buy or purchase a sale, however you want to kind of characterize that agreement. Um but it has to be contingent upon a town meeting vote because town meeting vote is required to acquire property. The town meeting vote is going to be necessary to fund it. And in this case,
most likely a town meeting vote will um the purchase price, excuse me, will be um high enough that the town wouldn't be able to absorb the cost within its budget. So, we will likely need a debt exclusion uh which would require a ballot question go out to the voters to
ask to let the voters um increase their taxes for the duration of a bond to purchase the property. So, um, in terms of the money, you know, I think the appraised value, assessed value, I think is around $10 million on the town's books. So, we'll see where purchase
price lands. But, um, if the town is successful in negotiating that, I should add as a caveat. Um, but that is kind of the broadstrokes process where select board has the power to to enter into an agreement, but only to do that, it's always going to be contingent on the
town vote in this in this place. will likely be continuing the town meeting vote and a ballot question. Uh timing on that is still um up in the air. We obviously have a state election approaching in November. Uh so we've had some discussions about uh a ballot question potentially on that ballot. Um
however, if you haven't been following the news too much, there are already potentially 11 ballot questions that's going to be on the state election ballot in November. It's going to be a lengthy ballot. So there's some discussion about whether you know question 12 being the Athens fire st fire station or question
13 buying a potential operate um college acquisition is bet better or whether it makes sense to have a special election for these issues. So that's something that is still weighing um to put a question on the on the ballot you have to submit it to the state by August 5th.
So that's kind of the first date at which there's a kind of go no-go um deadline for the town to put a question on that November ballot. If we don't make that or for a policy reason don't think that's the best option, there would have to be a special election at some point in fall winter time frame for
that exclusion. Um so that's the kind of overview of where things stand. um school committee and school representatives seem to be excited about the opportunity it offers. Um and there's continued analysis for that on both programming front as well
as the kind of building facility site front to to verify that it would work and how much would it cost to turn it into a building. And one thing I just want to note is um to convert it to a school and to use it as a school would require a project and that would not be
asked of the voters this fall. First step will be acquisition and then there will have to be if we're going to use it some kind of renovation. So that would likely be um a follow-up question of money that would also require that exclusion vote in the future. Um so it
would be in lie of another school project that we're currently working with MSBA on. Um but it would be you know a to be determined project cost of out >> what you uh I'm going to ask you a lot
of questions you don't necessarily I'm confused because I this is probably a good reason but like they say it's a former college with classrooms how could that not that's not accommodating for because they're too big classrooms physically. Is that what the issue is? Do you know >> the classroom some of them are large at
that and then at that grade level um I'm probably beyond my expert that's definitely beyond my expertise but you know cla bathrooms and classrooms is preferred at that level. Something [clears throat] that doesn't happen. >> Um there are a couple of larger classrooms already um in that building
that are you know kind of lecture hall type building. It's it's more geared toward college um for that setup. Um they have a decent library on the second or third floor that's pretty large. So some of it so I think it's much you know putting up walls in different places and
building walls to create the other spaces that schools the bones >> right. Does the town ever think about hiring like a construction consulting company to
analyze costs and something like that? So in this we will be required to have a project manager that would serve in that role um under general laws for any kind of public construction project over $1.5 million you need that um so it's it's an
ownorous project manager and we've the school building committee is in the midst of procurement right now for school project with the MSBA. Um but that would be something that would have to be done or we could you potentially use this project manager for this. It's kind of >> is it you mean is the project manager
part of the school building committee? >> No, they work for the town. >> They're a separate person to support the town's perspective for but they don't work for the [snorts] >> No, they're hired directly by the town to oversee the architect and the um any
of the subs etc. and the GC on the town. Okay. Who owns the building now? >> The college still owns it. So the library college bought it from the congregation of the sisters of St. Joseph from Fon um 15 10 or 15 years ago I think. So but the college owns it.
It's winding down all of its assets. Um program some programs moved to Curry College and some moved elsewhere. So this >> I thought they all moved to Curry. No >> um their larger programs did. So library is still an institution and they're going to use this ass the proceeds and sale for some purpose
>> only as endowment to support their programs going forward. >> Okay. >> And then my other question is um if this went forward is any of that project potentially reimbursible under the MSBA or does that open up a whole new application process all over again?
You start from the beginning and all the time that goes with that? >> It's an a bit of an open question at this point. Um, so where we are at in the MSBA process is we've applied and got into the program for a school project. >> Y >> we have communicated with MSBA about the
district's needs focusing on addressing overcrowding K to8. So the MSBA has signed the town has signed a feasibility study agreement with MSBA that stipulates what we are allowed to study and design for a school project. That's a K to5 building for 495 students. Like
a new elementary building K to 5495. A new grade 78 building for 660 kids. Um as a new building. Um and then we can also study an addition renovation of the Cunningham Colopot building. Those are the three options we're allowed to
study. The sites are kind of up in the air. We could study 10 different sites if we have them. Um so library college could be studied but under the parameters of K to5 495 students or for middle school 660 students
>> to study a prek kindergarten option there would require MSBA to allowing us to do that. What that process looks like I don't know how long might that process take. It's a question that we've asked and we're trying to get a little bit of a better understanding
from that. Thank you. I mean, I guess it's not it's probably too soon to tell, but overall, is there a savings here >> based on as compared to the the earlier project and speed project? It's hard to say. >> Yeah, it's hard to say. That's that's
why they've hired the architect, the MS the school building committee is meeting as we speak to um also bring on a structural engineer and a cost estimator so that they can begin to put numbers to those ideas. you know, if it is drastically less square feet, then yes,
it's a renovation though. So, does that incur some kind of unknown or unexpected cost as a um as a concern potentially. Um and then the acquisition cost, whether you consider that as part of the overall cost of the budget or not, and that that would add to that.
>> Um but, you know, public construction is,100 square foot right now. So, it's it really is a square foot conversation. Even if it's a smaller building, smaller footprint, it should in theory be cheaper. But renovation just adds a little bit complexity there. >> In terms of these often specialized code
for the energy codes requirements, >> it's almost from experience, I'd say it's almost always significantly cheaper to renovate than it is to build new. >> Is it really? >> Yeah. >> I've not seen not I've done it a few times and not seen it that way, but who
knows? Like I don't know what's hiding. >> Yeah. But I never know what those nuns did. >> Well, I do actually school. So, [laughter] >> whacked a few times. >> So, then if we're talking August, we decide whether or not to put
something on the ballot. Maybe uh let's say October, we go to town meeting. Maybe November, we vote. Uh talk to us before that. So, at what point will we I mean, because I think what Larry said, you know, we got the two options, the
chicken and the fish, which um you know, I guess you sort of just addressed this, but will we have >> when? Huh? >> By when? >> Yeah. By when will we have some things we can make a good estimate of >> this price versus this price? >> So, the where the school building
committee is working towards has been working towards that end of July time frame. So that should hopefully give the select board enough time to say yes, let's proceed with um putting the question on the ballot. Um so but I would say in terms of evaluating the
existing conditions with cost estimates um and conceptual what's what it might look like that would probably be like end of July early August when the town and the broker and labet can put pen to
paper on an agreement if they if they so choose to put pen to paper that's a little bit more up in the air. Everything that they've told us is, you know, we're really looking to start kind of the marketing in the summer as we head towards August when they they really start to shut down their operations. And they've so far hit that.
They they signed up with a broker in the last couple of weeks and we've been in touch with them. So, I think there'll be more information regarding the potential project and in quantum of cost by the end of July. >> Um, we'll just have to kind of keep everybody posted as we go in terms of
the acquisition aspect of it. Not that it would save money, but does it expedite the process? Will the town look at using eminent domain at all for that or I don't know I don't know how those considerations are balanced? >> It's not been something we've discussed.
I it's more of a probably a stick and a threat than um but it it would be an >> on in the letter of the law it would be an option that eminent domain is there to seize land and pay a fair price for it for public purpose. Right. So those are the kind of metrics you have to hit.
It's not been something we've discussed to this point. >> Um >> so I don't want to speak beyond that. And it is it is a legal option the town could exercise they'd have to change this I'm sorry they'd have to change the zoning right
if they wanted to put in like complexes. >> Uh but so medical uh educational uses and religious uses are just kind of allowed just they're protected uses. So those kinds of uses would be allowed. So another educational institution could
buy it and operate it as an educational facility or religious facility. Um you know obviously a 40B project would not be subject to local zoning. Um in the town is not over the 10% threshold for 40B. So that remains a risk but anything beyond that would require it's it's
residential zoning and mil you're allowed to do you know single family homes and not much more than that residential zoning. would be fairly limited under the existing designing framework if you're trying to work with that. >> So I think I understand you, but to confirm what you know might be in front of town meeting this fall and might be
on a ballot this fall would only be the purchase of the real estate and not the cost of for example the cost of renovation of the building. That would not be something we're voting on this fall. I've not seen anything to suggest that
we're on track to even be to be ready for that. >> Okay. >> So, that I mean that that might cause some nervousness and you know, we're spending X million dollars to buy real property. I don't want to say without a plan for how to use it, but with a with a not
finished plan for how to use it. You know, not [clears throat] knowing if the renovations will cost $10 million or $100 million. I I can see that being a stumbling block >> and that's why I think the how much will the renovation cost that's why we're
trying to get to the end of July time frame with a better understanding of that with numbers that we can that can be shared publicly okay >> in terms of a specific price for a project that would be a later conversation and the other thing is and potentially alongside that article would
have to be um an appropriation to to design that project. Um, so that there might be a few >> the first the initial one. >> Yeah. And that is a little dependent on what the MSBA's process require.
>> Okay. [snorts] >> I watched that school committee meeting where they went through the options. They seem legitimately enthused and have been very thoughtful about it. I was impressed. >> Yeah. I'm really excited about it. >> Yeah.
I noticed that I went just years ago and I felt very funny about it. You know, I didn't like it for >> Yeah, I'd certainly encourage people to watch uh I don't know, you know, maybe I'll try to find the greatest hits of these meetings that have happened in the
past month or so. And I don't know, maybe I should volunteer for other work, but I know [laughter] >> they were in discussion. They were I would agree they were good conversations where they give they went through a bunch of different options and and why some didn't work and some wouldn't work.
[snorts] >> Okay. Are we done with that item? Okay. Thank you. So other fall town meeting articles that you think might and I know the fall town meeting I think the plan is for it to be a little bit earlier than normal. Maybe midocctober is that >> that had been the plan until the library
thing started. So the the normal um date of the fall town meeting in in according to the bylaw it says it's the fourth fourth Monday in October if necessary. Um this year that would be one week before the state election. So early voting in person early voting would and vote by mail would all be well underway.
So typically in the state election year we try to move that away from that um that that date. So we had looked at the week prior to that. So October 19th as the date of the town meeting um with a few balls in the air related to Laboreet maybe that moves but that would probably
be the um the date we're looking at as as things stand. Um other articles Atheon Street as we've talked about um that needs to come back to town meeting um any kind of supplemental appropriations which would be unusual but is is possible. So, for example, in
the Stone Ice example, if um [snorts] it may be um necessary to recommend a supplemental appropriation as part of the fiscal 27 budget to address some of the snow and ice, um deficit if that still persists. So, that would be a potential warrant article. And then, um
the planning board is starting to talk about some zoning um potential zoning options um and zoning bylaws. one I I know has been discussed a little bit has been um better regulation around Airbnb because it's not currently regulated. >> Um so whether they're on necessarily
agree to move forward on that kind of to be determined and and what the timeline might be but that's just something out there and if that is the case then there's probably a local option statute that the town needs to adopt to um levy an additional local fee on those. So
there's there's a couple of different items there. Um but right now it's still a little up in the air. I did uh remind Departments and others that if you're if you're aware of any articles, let us know by the end of this month because it's going to come up and summer goes by very fast.
>> You said [snorts] the words levy a fee. So the sort of thing where we'd have to pass the zoning and I mean what do we have to do to get the money coming in? >> Exactly. >> Seriously. >> No, that that was an actual question. Uh, so there's a local option hotels tax
to my knowledge hasn't adopted. I haven't done the homework to to verify. There wouldn't have been a reason to before. So if Airbnbs are technically lawful and short-term rental position free advertising, if they're lawful and regulated, then we'd want to make sure
we're capturing all the potential revenue that goes along with it. Um, if that is a decision that planning forward and others in the top choose to make. Are you saying we'd have to pass a zoning article in order to start? Again, I'm focused on the money in order to start collecting the fees. We have to pass a zoning article that
>> because they're technically not they're technically prohibited now. >> Oh, okay. Thank you. I didn't understand. >> And if they're they're operating, we try to stop them when they operate, but they are technically not authorized operations. So, by allowing them, you can have them be registered there. Sure.
I'm sure there'd be still some that operate without being registered, but then we can chase them down. >> Any idea of the ballpark? >> I haven't really, this is late breaking, so I haven't really done a lot of work on it. >> I'm just wondering, can can we twist the
arms of the planning board to get move, you know, sorry, I was I don't want to out anybody, but I was having a discussion with the warrant committee member just today who was saying, "What can we do to bring in more revenue?" So, you know, I'm thinking it takes a year and a half to write this
zoning article and start collecting the revenue versus four months to write the article and start collecting revenue if it's a non-trivial amount of money. >> It seems like it's pretty high priority for them. >> Okay. I haven't been paying attention. >> There was a [clears throat] big article in Milton Times this week. Last week. Last week.
>> Okay. I saw the article about a week ago. I read it. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And I've had conversations with people on the planning board. >> Great. It didn't seem to have a lot of detail in the article that it's an issue. >> No, that's true. >> And a lot of cities and the good thing is a lot of cities and towns have
adopted bylaws by now. So, there are a lot of examples and it's not like we're it's not starting from scratch. And I know that they've seen some examples of other communities. >> I would venture to think it would be good for Milton only because we're so close to Boston and hotel space is
limited. So, >> yeah. Well, if you read that article, we're missing out because of the World Cup right now. >> Oh, I'm sure. I'm sure. >> There's a lot of Airbnb operating. I'm really surprised that they're banned [clears throat] forcing it. >> Yeah, that was just a bit of a state.
>> They said what? One in the AR, if I remember correctly, they said there's a house in Milton's going for 8,000 a night for the >> Really? >> No kidding. >> Yeah. >> What are they doing? [laughter] >> They are technically not authorized, but it's hard. It's hard to it's hard to
regulate because it's not it's it's just tricky to >> track them down, find the owners, and have them go to the code enforcement letters. But um >> once they're registered, you could probably >> more that. >> Yeah, you can go through or VBO, whatever, get the information from them
once you have a process in place. Okay, [clears throat] that's it for the uh fall time meeting articles. The next thing on the only other thing on our agenda for tonight, Nick, is no sort of an open-ended discussion of what we can do better next
year. You're welcome to stay for that discussion. >> I will be here. If you have any questions, let me know. And I just view it as a as a two-way street. If there's stuff that our our office and the other offices in the town, the other departments in the town can help your work. Um that's what we're here for. So please let us know when we're happy to
assist you. >> Okay. >> Thank you. [clears throat] >> Uh so just because it is a very open-ended conversation, I'll share some of the things I sent around an email as conversation starters.
I really wanted just to get everybody's thoughts. And it's it's sort of like your annual review at work. If you go to talk to your boss and your boss says, "You did everything great." Well, that's not very helpful. I think we did a very good job this year. I'd be thrilled if you all said we did a very good job this year, but that's not sort of what this
conversation is about. The conversation is about what can we do better? So, you know, open-ended question, what can we do to improve things next year? Would anyone like to start? I know I've got lots of opinions in this
group. That's that's why I love you. Jay, >> it's up to you. I mean, I'm open to starting. I know you and I had a conversation about this. Um, and this is my first year here, so I know I kind of took some time to learn a little bit more about what the warrant committee does and how it functions. So, it took
me a little bit to understand it. So, I thank you guys for the patience. And I thought maybe and I I mean, Jay, I don't think I need to present. I It's up to you. I'm open to sharing the presentation with people later on that I kind of threw in chat GBT or whatever.
But I thought we could start looking at being a little bit more connected to the the um select committee, the select board rather, um to try and understand how they're [snorts] how they're coming up with warrants and giving them to us. Um because I feel like some of the
warrants that we get are a little bit random and not sure how they're coming to us and how we're having an impact in terms of bettering the town. Some of them I see where there's a good impact and you know I think the work we do when we're going through them, we're trying
to be thorough. We're trying to look at things in the right way. Um but I feel like we don't have a lot of control over them once they get to us. We can change the wording or we can say they can't go, but we don't have a lot of control about what's actually getting through in terms
of the warrants being presented. And I think we should have more sort of more a closer relationship with the select committee to say why are they coming here and and where is the impact. So I'll kind of leave it just started there. Jay, >> so yeah, you and I had some
conversations about this. I think if I were to rephrase it, you'd say, you know, every article that comes to us and eventually goes to town meeting, you know, what's the real purpose of this? How does this fit with town goals, whether they be financial or otherwise? Um,
>> I mean, overall, I mean, what I kind of learned having been in this process a year is that I feel like we're missing strategy kind of as a town, as a whole. maybe just because I've been in corporate for a really long time and that when I do things, I look and try and tie it back to a goal. It's like,
okay, if I'm looking at something, how is this tying back to a fiscal goal or to a community goal or or a safety goal or something? And I see sometimes I see these warrants and I'm like, what are we trying to accomplish here? And how is this improving the town as a whole? And
I feel like this is the select committee should come to us and say, "Well, we're presenting this to you because we think this is going to improve the community in this way." I mean, I just used the sign bylaw as an example. I'm kind of like, "Okay, why did we do that?" Not sure why we needed to do that. Um maybe
a couple of others, too. And I think there should be more reason and rationale for why they're bringing um warrants to us and and for us to look back and say, well, let's evaluate these and say, what's the greater impact of these warrants? And why do we need to be doing them? Is it going to improve our
um financial status? Is it going to improve the um the safety of the town? Is it going to improve the education system? I just think we need more of a kind of a more structure to when we're looking at warrants, when we're evaluating them, putting them together, and looking at the longer term impact in
terms of when we're approving them. That's kind of just fine. >> My thought I think probably a um some sort of a checklist or I don't >> I have a whole presentation, Larry, if you want to see it. >> But yeah, like guidelines or whatever um
so that we're consistent. Do you want to throw up my All right, Jay. Do you want Do you have my presentation or I got >> I do have your presentation. Um you guys later >> just to give you an idea. This is >> Take me a minute. Wait, no. I I don't
have it handy. >> I have it. I have it. Let me see. Can I share it? Can I share it? >> All right. I'll show like I kind of just threw this. I was just throwing it together getting ideas. Um but one of the things I was thinking is like okay so you know
what is it what do we do as a town and I said you know around who do we work with do we work with select board planning board and then the war committee and how do we work together we we create the articles we shape them and look at the fiscal reviews and the timing this is
kind of like the structure of the of the organizations we propose bylaws um we we you know create a scorecard and then we recommend it to the town hall. Um, and then we look at our we have a fiscal impact strategic priority match and then
the town town meeting kind of looks at it and then how do we actually go about doing that saying that we have we should I personally think we should have some strategic initiatives like what should a town as a whole have like what should the priorities be? Now, you can debate
this all day long and of course everybody has different ideas, but I was thinking, okay, you have fiscal priorities, you have safety priorities, you have infrastructure priorities, you have education and and youth development, housing, zoning, transportation, health and human services, and parks. Kind of like the eight key strategic, you can add them.
Like I said, you can add them, change them, all those things kind of, and this is just kind of a swag. You can fix it, change it, whatever. But saying if those are the strategic priorities then you kind of look at all the warrants in these kind of um pass fail kind of gate
readiness you know does it fit the municipal authorities is in the proper forum is the draft ready is there a fiscal not is an implementation owner and is there a public notice notice process this is kind of this isn't a great slide I don't love that slide but then every one of them kind of goes through a pointing process and we could
fix all this but to give like your priorities and say okay each warrant has a priority. Is it meeting your fiscal responsibility? Is it on point from a strategic perspective meaning matches one of these strategic initiatives? Is it um you know does is it meeting a good
amount of the residents? Like now of course you can't satisfy everybody but is it reaching enough of the residents that it's having a good impact or is it one or two people in the community? I mean that's some of the things I think some of these things need to be considering. Is it reducing risk? Is it
making sure there's continuity of service? Is it um enforcable? Um is it ready to be, you know, be the implementation and can be and can be implemented? Um is there in including equity and access, public transparency and deliberate readiness like the
putting different point structures to these warrants when we're looking at it to help us evaluate things that it's not just random when we're bringing these things um forward. Um and and it it has some strategy to like what are we trying
to do every time we put a warrant in front of somebody? What are they what do what is it you know contributing to the community. So that's kind of what I was trying to think through and say okay you know here's a guide every time we look at a warrant and every time we bring these to the town meeting so that it has a little bit of structure. I just put
this together like over the weekend to say you know hey look this might be a way we could start looking at things. Obviously there would need to be a lot more work put into it. Um but um that to me made a little sense because I feel like sometimes these warrants that come over I'm kind of like what are we trying
to solve for? Yeah, of course small little things that not little but I mean like everybody has their ideas of what they want but how many people are we trying to solve? Do we have the money to solve for it? There's not endless resources and we're here for hours and hours and hours and
needs and meetings. So that was kind of what I was thinking. Grace, you gonna send that around? >> Do you guys? Yeah, sure. >> Yeah, >> I think it's a great This is just my quick opinion. I think it's a great
idea. I would just be careful with some checks and balances. I mean, the the select board is elected. We're appointed I I I think I don't know if it's our place to tell them how to decide what articles come before the town. I think
that's their job as elected officials >> and our job is to kind of advise on those articles. So I don't know I don't know how closely we should be involved in all those determinations that the select board goes through on thinking what's the
right thing to present at a given time. Ron, I I get that and that's why I was saying, you know, is there a way for us to partner with them to get to either guide them or advise them to say, "Look, is there a way we can get some more strategy or for them to give us more guidance of when they're bringing stuff to us?" Because I feel like it's almost
fully curated when they get we get it and it's like, "Oh, here you go. Here, go decide." You know what I mean? It's like throwing it over the fence and we have nothing. What can we do with that? >> Oh, totally agree. And I think >> that's my problem is like, >> yeah, >> what are we doing? We're deciding on something that's almost halfbaked. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I I think even even like I think
about baby steps. I think even having whoever advocates for an article to come present it would be a huge accomplishment you know I think we don't even get that and >> not even that Ron but to give me like I mean you're a lawyer right you have to
argue your point you have to tell me why you're doing what you're doing like I can't go in front of a a CEO and tell him why I'm presenting a business case without telling them what where the impact is. You're just throwing me over articles and I have to say, "Okay, sure, whatever." I don't know what why.
Sometimes I know the impact, sometimes I don't. Why are you presenting this to me? You know what I mean? I don't feel like we're getting that in the in the best way. Where's the impact to the community? Why are you bringing bylaw when I don't have enough businesses to bring in revenue? Why are you doing [clears throat]
>> Yeah, I think I think all those points make sense. I I would just say we're not the decision maker. So I don't think that they have >> the decision makers should do that because they have to they represent the the people in this town. I mean we should be presenting these we're we're getting this to the people that we're
representing for the rest of the town. You know we're impacting the future of the town. >> This logic should be presented to the town. But anyway, I get to start a list. I've got Bryant, Larry, and me. >> That was my two cents. >> Thanks, Grace. >> I think we're still talking about your
two cents. >> And I think it's hard to >> Yeah. manage. But I like it. But one thing last year and this year that really drove me crazy and it drove everybody in the war community. What things were promoted on the war to as warrants and we could never talk to
the person who presented it and try to vet it out with them and we wasted a lot of time because of that especially last year was a big one with the right thing. But I don't know if that's something can you say to people like Liz Sil's on the phone. I don't know if she can say to to can you say, "Hey, you guys have to sit
in front of the war committee and present it and talk to them about it." You just can't like >> Well, I will say that gets to what I was about to say, which was in response to Ron and now you um it's it's one thing to I I think that chair or his designate
of the select board I think would probably come to us and talk to us about any article that they present. you know, if if they an article comes to them and they say, "Yes, we'll put this on the warrant." And it comes to us, I hope the select board would be prepared to defend
it. You know, here's why we thought it was appropriate to put on the warrant. But the counterpoint to that is like, let's say that they got that from the XYZ committee or let's say it's coming directly from the XYZ committee and they're putting it on the warrant. [snorts] Having the advocate for every
article come and talk to us could be a lot of talking. And so that's one thing I was trying to do with the experts this year is Larry, you're the expert on that. You go talk to XYZ committee and then you come tell us what they think because otherwise they're so happy about the article they put forward, they're
going to come talk to us for an hour. >> And my judgment this year was that wasn't the best use of our time. If the committee disagrees, that's one thing. >> Well, I mean I think it I mean I think you struck a balance. And some of the big important articles, you know, Meredith came from the planning board
came [clears throat] and spoke, you know, about the signage, >> by the way, we had several people speak on on the Athens Street station, >> but not but every budget. I we didn't we didn't have the the department heads of every budget. >> Well, not only every budget, but you know, I think every article for the fall
town meeting, we we didn't have a sleptboard coming. Maybe we should have probably we should have >> and a few a few of them. Yeah, I agree. probably would have stood to hear from the experts. But yeah, I mean the sign bylaw, I got to tell you, Grace, I think it's a bad example because we did have narrative here explaining the reasoning why we were passing the bylaw. You may
not have agreed with what the reasoning was, but she did explain what the purpose of the bylaw was and why we were doing it. Um, but there are other examples and I really and overall I agree with you know that approach. I mean that was my suggestion too is some
kind of a checklist and here you already went ahead and did it. That's great. so that we're all a little bit more consistent about, you know, when we go to these articles and when we're reviewing. >> No, I'm just saying like to so we we have a better sense of why we're doing it and it has more consistency and we understand the fuller impact.
>> Yeah. >> When we're in front I mean to one to manage time. I mean Jay to your point it is the best trying to use people's time in the right way and having the bigger best impact to the the community overall. That's >> well the other issue is too is if it's
if we're reviewing bylaws and we're not lawyers. Now I was you know theoretically I was you know I was doing that with Macy who is a lawyer. Um but I you know I can't shake the feeling that there's things that I I might have missed when I play myself even though
there other people. when when it came up before town meeting, you know, several town meeting members had suggestions for changes and I was like, wish I'd cop this, but what are you going to do? Can't >> correct. I guess my my response would be I I don't care who on this committee is
an attorney or not. >> That's not our job. That's town council's job >> along with whoever wrote it. >> That's right. >> If we are finding, let's call them legalish errors, that's a problem. >> Yeah. Even if it is Macy and Ron working on it and you know they're both
attorneys and they find legal errors. >> Yeah, >> we shouldn't have found that. >> That's true. It's supposed to be in a final form when it comes to us. >> Yeah. I mean, you know, might send us drafts. That's fine, too. But >> but the um I mean the checklist and the strategic goals and things like that. I
think that's really great, Grace. I think that's that's awesome. >> Can you say there you said you were going to suggest a checklist. Can you say more about >> maybe that overlap with what Grace said you say about that? I really just I mean I was I hadn't really fully
debated it, but it's it's pretty close to what Grace just presented, you know, which is um you know, as you're looking if you're looking at a bylaw or you're looking at a budget article, here's um here's the considerations. Here's a list of considerations that that you should consider. And then if we're all
consistent when we're reviewing these things, >> that's a good point. >> I think it helps and it'll actually make things go a little bit more smoothly here. I'm not so sure, Grace, about the waiting system. I I think that'll be pretty controversial, but everything else about that is >> I mean, you can adjust it, but it just
helps to sort of align to, you know, strategy and saying, "Okay, are we moving in the right direct?" And part of this, I talked to Jay earlier about this of like, >> you know, if we agree to where we're trying to put our resources and our energies, the waiting system helps. But, you know, I mean, it's all, you know,
agree with how >> Yeah. I mean, it's just hard. I mean, how do you agree with you? Yeah, sure. Fiscal responsibility is important, but we're not a for-profit organization. We're accountable, you know. >> No, but we're limited in resources, Larry. That's part of the issue. We don't have endless resources. Nobody
ever does. We don't have endless time or resources, right? That's the issue, you know. >> Well, that's really the debatable about whether that's the most important thing to be considered. That's it. All depends on I mean, we're
Anyways, that's a that's I mean, that's a debate you could have. That's why I'm saying like the leading system is a little problematic, but the other stuff, the strategic goals, I think is great. I think that's that's a great way to look at it and like look figuring out what the strategic goals are for the town.
And then >> yeah, I mean, we already have a master plan that was made 12 years ago. We might be having a new one coming up. >> Um, >> start there. >> I guess one thing, you know, the good thing and the bad thing about RAC's plan is it's very ambitious. Like, you know,
we have a master plan. It's 200 pages long. So yeah, I I've had a few conversations with Grace and I I love the ideas, but I'm not sure how to implement >> Yeah. >> a lot of them. So I I'm not trying to be negative, Grace. And this
>> requires some more thought. Give us all something to think about. >> Framework that Grace shared was the kind of I think the need for things to come more fully baked. I do think there were some things that were y >> kind of incomplete and I liked the way
in which she framed things up front which is you know people should be compelled to sort of make the argument of why not not just the nuts and bolts of it but why it's important in the first place and how that fits into the importance of the town. I think the scoring system is tricky because it you
know it's kind of subjective how you'd allocate the points and then how you're going to score the individual categories. you know, it's very much in the eye of the beholder and and to Ron's point where we're not elected, it might be might rub some people the wrong way if we're going to try to create a scoring system. But the u the the first
part about like, you know, there's whatever she had aid on her grid about, you know, this is where it fits in and this is why this issue is important. I think that would be really helpful. Um, so I think that would be good. Yeah, because I mean if you look at the sign bylaw, I mean it's a bylaw about
science, you know, you don't really consider the fiscal impact of that, but we should because we're a war company. We should be considering the fiscal impact. >> You could even have put, >> you know, >> and I don't remember why I mean get the benefit of the sound bylaw, but I don't know why
what the problem was that we're trying to solve. Like I don't remember hearing about that and I feel >> efficiency silly now >> efficiency or was it that people were like having inappropriate signs that they were trying to >> screen I don't remember like I should have I feel foolish now reflecting on it
now that that wasn't something that we >> No but Nick I think that's what I was trying to get at is that a lot of times when I'm doing things at work is I try and tell people what is the problem what is the job to be done what are we trying to solve% >> the job to be done is the key that I
think we need to think about when we're looking at at warrants and who is who are the people we're trying to serve when we're doing this, you know, and the impact. And I think those are the questions we need to be asking when warrants are being presented >> and when we're evaluating. And I don't know that those are being asked when the
warrants are being sent to us. >> I don't have any issue with that. >> I I think I can >> the sign bylaw example. I think I can see both sides. I think both from the meetings and from personal talks with Meredith Hall, personal talks with Larry, I think the problem they were solving was that the current process is
confusing, maybe doesn't match what's written in the law, >> and that we were trying to make it less confusing for the people participating. >> That's right. >> But I also agree with Grace and Nick that that was not made super clear in large font and blazing neon sign, so to
speak. >> Here's the problem we're trying to solve, >> right? was >> it was a scope statement at the beginning of everybody's presentation and then you know 10 minutes later you're in the weeds of looking at the sign bylaws and why you're changing signs and you [clears throat] know all these different things and it's hard you lose sight of it very quickly.
This would [clears throat] come to my idea or my point that I'd like to raise, which is I thought it took a while for me to kind of get the lay of the land about how to um share information that I was supposed to share with the committees. Like we had first round with
the fall uh warrants like um I don't remember what the first item that we talked about. Somebody did an awesome job kind of set the standard for everybody else. wasn't clear if that was really the standard we all want to aim for, but it kind of became apparent that it was. But if there's a sample for that, I think that would be helpful.
Like, you know, sort of when you you're assigned one of these topics when you come to the committee, it would be great to have X, Y, and Z included in the information that you're going to summarize and share. You know, that has to be more robust for some items than others. And then I think there's a different format for when you do the the
individual department budgets. Um, and it's um, so a template or sample for that that would be a best practishly, but like a good format would have helped me a lot as a firsttime person to be more effective in sharing my first time
through some of those issues. I would have appreciated that and and um, and hopefully maybe would have created more efficiencies. And uh, I don't know, I'll jump to my third thing since I'm on a roll. I mean, I think you did a great job as a chairman of the committee and I really
appreciate the time that you put into it and the organization and the discipline and I think, you know, your leadership really helped us to function more effectively as a group and use time efficiently. Um, so I think that's a real win for for me personally, I think
for the group in total, but I can only speak for myself. >> Right. >> I feel like a team. >> Yeah. Ron, I see your hand up. >> Great points by Nick. Um, on on Grace on your your suggestions.
I I love them. I think there is a lot of stuff in there we can suggest to the select board in terms of how they present the town and the town meeting overall. Right. I don't know if we would say, "Do you have to do XYZ
to put a warrant in front of us?" But I do think all the things you said, advocating, explaining why. I think if they don't want to do it for us, I don't think they have to because we have a job. We're the warrant committee. We're going to review the the warrant no matter what. They should really do it at least, you know, to the town and to the
town meeting. And I I assume they do that. I assume they have meetings. I assume they advocate and they explain their positions. I don't I don't listen to all of them. I just, you know, I don't think we we attend all of them. But uh but maybe some of it's already in there and and how they have public you
know meetings for the citizens. Uh but but I think we could say hey at minimum whoever sponsors an article this is expectation that you will come before the warrant committee and do xyz. You know, Jay, I do think you made a a a
intentional decision not to require every advocate or every party who's involved to come present to us. And I do think that saved a lot of time. So, I'm I'm torn between those two. Sometimes it's nicer to have firsthand [clears throat] information from the person who's really advocating, but then I agree it could
take a lot of time and sometimes we get in a rut and it's easier to have like a oneoff and then someone presents it to us. But I I I I don't know what's the right way, but it's one of the two, maybe somewhere in between. Um, but I I think, you know, maybe it's some guard
rails on what what should the uh the owner of the of the warrant article be prepared to do and maybe meet with us, fill out some information, some background information, and then come present if if we request it. Uh, so
that's that's one one thought I had. Uh, the other thought I had that that I still don't know how we can get better about was around the budgets. I feel like we we have the budget, there's not a lot we can really do about it. We ask a bunch of questions and at the end of
it there's we're kind of like, okay, yes, we all support the fire department and we all want more firefighters, but that's just not going to happen because no one's really pushing for it. we just kind of nod and you know we vote the article and then you know we're not able
to uh really influence the long-term direction and I don't know how we fix that but uh but I I think that part I think we could try and figure out how to do a little better because it does feel like the budget is already cooked and and we're not really able to uh to give
much guidance there. >> That's a very good point, Ron. I think it'll be an important one for this year. Um I will say that uh in in recent conversations it's come up that some people you know we are you know town
meeting is the final say on the budget and we are the next to final say on the budget. we are the say of what gets presented at town meeting and you know I made that clear to everyone in this committee in the uh summit that we had in the fall but it's come up that some
people in town government didn't quite get that we were the final say they thought Nick's budget was the final say and so I'm optimistic that you know once we sort of hammer that out and say okay who does what uh I think
I think I'm going to be working with the select board chair and really say, "Okay, who does what at what time of the year?" And one possibility is, I mean, in the bylaws by January 31st, Mr. Milano hands a copy of the budget to the select board into the Warren Committee.
One possibility, I'm not saying it's necessarily this, is that before January 31st, it's sort of in the select board's hands, and after January 31st, it's in our hands, and they can give us advice if they want, but it's uh it's in our hand. I mean that's it's sort of a
subjective point of view issue but if you know maybe that's one thought is that the handout handovers that and as we all know and January 31st we're still getting changes in from expected state aid still getting changes in from healthcare so maybe that's the correct handoff
um yeah in that case in that situation you mean we would be adjusting and moving money where we think it's it would be appropriate is that what you say you're saying in terms of the budget Yeah. What I'm thinking is, and I'm I'm not saying this is where we're going to end up. I
think I want to or I shouldn't say I uh I will say that, you know, I have put in to come back to the warrant committee next year and we'll see if the moderator reappoints me and we'll see whoever is elected chair. But if whoever is elected
chair next year works with the chair of the select board and sort of hammers out, okay, who's really doing what wins. So, for example, I think of this spring and the dollars would change. And Mr. Milano [snorts] went to the select board and said, "The dollars have changed. I want to change the budget in this way."
And the select board said, "Yeah, we think that's good." There's nothing wrong with that. Mr. Milano can talk to the select board about whatever he wants. And the select board can vote on whatever they want, but maybe if we just change the uh and and it's on me. I did not invite Mr. Milano to our meetings
nearly as often as I should have. But if I start inviting Mr. Milano every meeting after July January 31st and if the [clears throat] numbers changed he says the numbers changed here's one way to move them and we say yeah we think that's a good way to move it or how about if you move this here and there.
Um did I answer your question Grace? >> No no I I I get it. Um but I I think there's still limited at the end of the day unless we're really in the government we're not going to be moving a lot of money around >> to Ron's point. I think it, you know, because we're not going to be really
throwing budgets here and there and everywhere at that point. I don't know, you know, I don't know how much more you're going to have in terms of moving money, even if we're the last people to touch it. >> Well, and and part of this, I'll admit, is my my personal inclination. I'm I'm more interested in things like what do
we put into reserves? And I'm less interested in them. I know we should little budgets. I would argue that, you know, I don't know if we're the right ones to say yes, you should hire a librarian or, you know, we have money. Should you hire a librarian or firefighter? I don't know if they're we're the ones to say that, but I think,
you know, where we might have a say is how much money do we put in the reserve account or the stabilization account next year? Which stabilization account? We have several of them. How much is coming out of the operating budget stabilization fund? Things like that. Maybe it's just where my personal
interest lies, but that might be where we have a >> Yeah, I mean I did mention to you I also do think we need to have a little bit more focus on how do we raise fees or revenue in that way too to help impact the budget. Is there any way we could
have any >> on that? So >> I think there's a lot of value in our role as interpreters for town meeting you know interpreting the budget for town or interpreting the board for town meetings. I think there's a lot of value there. You know, I know that wasn't traditionally our role.
>> Um I mean >> I'm not following >> Well, I think I mean I guess before we had this town administrator, we had didn't put more committee make a lot more direct. Yeah. They made the budget. Yeah. Right. >> But um but I mean I think there's still a lot
of value in just being interpreters the budget, you know, and writing those artic you know working with the department heads, meeting with them and writing up their articles. I think there's still a lot of value there even if we're not really going to change the budget. >> I mean, >> we're as an unelected body.
>> I I don't 100% agree with that. I mean, you know, by by law, it's it's our budget that we're presenting to. >> No, we say by law, but you know, should we change it or not? I think Ron had a very good point in that if it comes to us, you know, if the final version comes
to us March 15th, we don't have a whole lot of chance to do anything other than say, well, we can say yes or we can throw a hand grenade into this budget. Those are our two choices. So, what can we do, you know, in the fall before Mr. Wano even starts the first draft of the budget, saying priorities in the winter
when he's working on the budget or in the spring after he's made the first version of the budget? what can we do so we're something other than well we've got this at the last minute and and you know I'm not blaming Mr. He's been on time with everything. Um, no, but when
things are changing and when we're waiting for those changes to come to us, what can we do other than wait for the changes to come to us and then say yes or >> I mean, Jace, there's some I mean, we went through it last year. Like, there's some areas where we know we need to
spend money. Like we talked earlier about the accounting software. We have to be like, look, you have to pay for that this year. you know, like we have to start telling them, okay, here are some priorities you have to put money out for, you know, that we know are going to impact the budget. Maybe that's kind of where we have impact.
>> Great example, >> you know, because that's going to have an impact on the operation. >> Yeah, that was the IT budget too where we made a pretty strong suggestion that even do some kind of a pen test this year department test. >> I remember that discussion. I don't know
if anything happened. I sent that forward to a little discussion back and forth. I don't think it came to any >> I don't know if that changed the dollars to Okay, >> it might be for this year. >> Okay, I'm going to bring it up every time I talk to him.
>> Okay, >> Brian. Yes. >> You change subjects? >> Sure. >> Might change it back, but that's fine. >> That's right. Um I I so I've said this before so I don't want to put people on the board but like I got on the budget committee I mean I got on the warm
committee called budget committee because it is but I got on the warm committee because a couple years ago I was watching town meeting and they were talking about putting in a new field and people would got up and they said we never did a cost analysis on this and
then other people said no we did do a cost analysis on it and I always never understood how both can't be true. So I got a memorial committee and I asked did we do when I got on I asked guy commissioner and I said did we do a
class analysis he said yeah we did said okay can I see it so I got emailed a ton of files and I went through them all I couldn't find it so I said it's not here and then I said
where is this cost analysis and There wasn't one done, as it turns out, by the town, but there was one done by the vendor who was trying to sell us this field. So like
I as a businessman, I would never take a vendor's analysis as truth in glass because they're trying to sell you something that's millions of dollars. Like you should do your own. It should have been their own. The town should have done their own analysis on that just to check it would be sure about it.
But there's nothing in the files on this. And that's a big flaw I've seen throughout this is that people buy things or do things or say things and there's not really a good analysis on it, good cost analysis on it. And [snorts]
I'll say one thing that bothered me was when we were doing capital expenditures and we're talking about the town bought a $700,000 truck. And I questioned it at a meeting on a Thursday and I said, "Is there a cost analysis on it?" And so
they said, "Yeah, they talked about it at the meeting." And I said, "Well, what is it?" And nobody knew. So I actually went back and I watched the meeting and there was nothing on paper. It was it was just word of mouth. Well, it costs so much a day if we need to use this
truck. I can't remember what it was like. I wrote it down like $800 or $1,000 a day or something. We have to rent this truck and uh so we should do it. But like that's not a good analysis like
you know. So, I went through and I tried to figure it out myself and I said, "Well, if you use it nine months a year, because you're not going to use it in the winter, was digging into the ground and if you used it four days a week, like nobody really knew how many times you really needed to use it." And the best I could figure out, it might have been a six-year payback. If you used it
four days a week, nine months a year, you know, if you did, it would be like a six-year payback. But I didn't really have the numbers. And and actually at that meeting I asked if we could wait until Monday till we
got that and nobody wanted to. And so I went back and looked and we did it without we bought a $700,000 truck and had no cost. No, nothing in writing. I mean in whether it was a right decision or not, I don't know. But nobody else knows either. Like nobody put anything
in writing on that that said like on a piece of paper like it's net present value. It's going to pay for itself in three years, five years, 10 years. And I just think that that happens a lot and I think people should that should be
>> agree. I agree with you. >> Yeah, you're making a good point. That sounds like a capital expenditure. >> Yeah, that >> can I ask Lorraine like what sort of work does the capital committee do for things like that? >> I you can probably answer more. Um again I don't have any of the information in
front of me but the information that was presented at the meetings that I went to were [clears throat] requests from different departments and sort of the life of the in the either instruments or
devices or vehicles how long they had how long they've been using them and that when their life was sort of going to have to be replenished just like you do with your own cars and stuff. I think he may. >> Can you answer more to the question?
>> Do you It's fine if you didn't hear the question. >> I mean, I didn't >> didn't hear the topic of discussion. >> Yeah. I mean, I didn't >> The topic was like if we're doing capital expense like buying a large truck, >> what sort of thousand truck?
>> Yeah. What sort of analysis is done to justify the expense? I mean, >> is there anything in writing on it? >> The capital committee takes all of its incorrect requests in writing with back up from each of the department heads. It's distributed to the capital
committee members and then is evaluated by the committee. Um, the department heads are invited to attend and they were invited at that meeting to to address questions, respond to questions. Maybe we should >> if there is a certain analysis folks are
looking for before it goes to town meeting. If that's requested, we can follow up with it. >> In that case, the capital committee spent about an hour talking about it, 45 minutes to an hour going over it. >> And I agree with the recommendation
included in the capital budget request. >> We should attend the capital improvement. >> Yeah. [snorts] >> I didn't see anything in writing. It sounded very verbal to me when I was in there like this this >> but the members of the committee were provided with all the the backup that
every single request has a request with details and explanations and and rationale behind it. >> Yeah. >> I just don't have anything tonight. So I get I mean I think that's a place where capital committee members saw that heard it read it followed through with
it whether that needs to follow through to this committee too. Sure. But did we do a cost analysis is how much is this going to that effect? No. I mean it was a piece of equipment that adds value in terms of projects the town can undertake more quickly and more
>> like what's the payback on it? How many years will it pay for this? Brian, let's really talk about sort of what will we be doing next year. >> That's what I think you should have stuff in writing on something like that. >> Okay, >> I think the town should do it as a whole. >> We could start with attending the capital improvement planning committee
meetings and find out what their process is. >> 15 of us. >> No, no, no. Me and Brian can go >> has designate on the committee already. >> That's true. >> Right. I I just don't have information tonight because I didn't know all of this was coming out, but information
>> I think the question is not was this truck a good purchase. The question is what should we be doing next year? >> Procedure. >> Yeah. >> What's the payback on something like that that you would spend that much money >> specifically capital, >> right? >> Okay. >> And I was asking that that's one of my questions I was asking and I at least felt like at the very least we could
have waited on that phone until because I thought $700,000 is a lot of money. >> Okay. >> I think >> I don't remember that if that was the end. I mean, I I I certainly feel like as a chair, I feel like we spent a lot of time in the spring on the non-budget articles and, you know, I blamed myself
and then the budget article sort of came up at the end and it was like, oh no, we got to get this done. So, I certainly thought we could have spent, you know, balanced out the time in the spring a little bit better. [snorts] >> Yeah, it's tough because it's supposed to be fall for zooming, spring for
budget, but yeah, it doesn't work that way. Uh Ron, I see your hand is about this is about Oh, Ron, you're you're recognized. >> Mine is a little different. If we can um we're finished with this one. Hey Jay, I
thought the presentation you provided the the town meeting about how to think about reserves and [snorts] when the the the town should start thinking about, you know, when do we tap into the reserves. think I think we all know that was received very well. So, I think we
should do more of that. And maybe that's maybe that goes to Grace's earlier point about having more of a strategy from the select board and having those types of formal presentations to the town um would be helpful. I think what you did could be a model for how the committees
can present um higher level information so people can actually follow. I think people get, you know, I don't people are busy and they can't follow every single article and know where all the articles fit in, but having some uh, you know, big picture items could be useful. >> Yeah, Ron, that's actually what I told
Jay. I said, Jay, that should be like the starting point of what I was building off of. >> So, like a guide point. >> Yeah. >> I think that what he presented was very, very good and really helpful. I mean they did that years ago and they passed the you know five whatever it was the
the master plan you know but that was 12 that was 12 years ago master right master plan. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I had mentioned to I had mentioned to Jay that I mean like if we have a plan at town meeting in May or in in October it should be at least the key tenants of what we should be working on
as a town. You >> know one of those meetings every year should be presented. >> But that's just my thought. A couple of really quick items. >> Sure. >> But they're >> Yeah. >> Topic. I mean, just based on everything
we've discussed, I think a uh I think a template for for a PowerPoint slide deck for each article would be good be helpful. You know, you can use that as a model. You don't have to follow it strictly. You can add slides or remove slides of course, but I think that would help. Like here's five slides looking
for this scope, the purpose, that kind of thing to present to the rest of us. And then also a template for a warrant committee comment for the warrant comments. >> Okay? >> Because u you know we all have various writing styles. We all kind of probably thought different things were important for
every article and u [snorts] in order to have a consistent warrant. It seems like having some kind of just pul it's like here's here's the things that you need to present like so for a budget item you know what's new where are the shortfalls you know what are the
new items this year what are they being what are the big projects that >> that's a good idea and then the the reader know I mean there'll only be exceptions >> but the reader can see ah I just looked at the police budget now I'm looking at the council on aging budget and they both say here's last year's budget
here's what Yeah. [snorts] >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, I can put something together if you want and then we can all discuss it. >> Is it a template for those two things or is just an outline? >> Basically, >> yeah. >> Yeah. [clears throat] Just it's nothing
too nothing too crazy, but it's a little bit more consistent. Um, one thing I'm wondering, this is sort of circling back to the, you know, how do we work with the budget? Um, I mean the the, you know, we have 15 of us and in theory
all 15 of us are very interested in the budget. So, how do we make decision like should we have a you know, we're the finance subcommittee. We have a finance sub subcommittee of like three people who sort of take my spreadsheet that I made
a couple months ago and work with Nick to update it and I don't know just really dig into it in the same way that you know for every article we we allocated them out this year and said okay we don't expect everybody to read these 20 page zoning articles we want you and you to read
these 20 page zoning articles. We have a small subcommittee that really digs into the I shouldn't say subcommittee because then we got open meeting law problems but uh I don't know how a group of 15 sort of makes
especially budget decisions like what are our priorities I I I don't know I'm sort of rambling at this point >> I don't know man I thought it worked pretty well you know for the budgets maybe >> you weren't sitting next to me in my basement I was working on that Excel file Okay, sorry. Sorry to complain, but
>> but you know I I do wonder whether that comes back to the kind of original concept of of are you getting things in a fully complete manner or did did the resolution of that issue fall to you because you were
willing to roll up your sleeves and do the job and you had a really good thoughts? Is it really the is it really your role to have done that or is it somebody else's in town to have really taken the leadership on that? And I do wonder whether >> that's somebody else's role like I think
you should be involved and consulted and you know all that kind of stuff but I feel like you kind of went further than you probably should have. Um, and I think that's similar to some of the other articles that we're talking about where we would get things and they weren't fully complete. And so people on the committee would have to spend a lot
of time to kind of wrestle them over the line and make, you know, suggestions or edits when really that probably should have come in in a different way. Um, and so I don't know, that's a that's a tricky one. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, not I mean I was sort of wondering I mean did you consult with the town treasurer or is that even her
role >> treasur or financial administrator? >> I know. Um >> I know you consulted financial work. >> No regarding what >> when you know that preservation was really fun you know it was a ton of
work. No, that one that one didn't bother me as much as it was the you know the kind of wrangling over um the school committee allocation and those final nuts and bolts where I think you did a lot of
>> budget work and manipulating of things and looking at you did some stuff looking to the future as well but the presentation on the on the reserve um I can't remember the name of the term from the override operating override, you
know, um, reserve fund or whatever. I thought that was great and I think that is appropriate the work that you did there, but I think some of the stuff leading up to the completion of the warrant maybe was [snorts] not not something you have to have done.
>> I'm sorry. I'm like, >> but to Nick's point, it is something we should do. That to Nick's point, it's something we should be doing on a regular basis. So, everybody's looking at it. >> Well, I mean, I guess I mean, the way I'm interpreting it is some of those big,
you know, those crazy in-depth analysis that you did, I'm wondering why there wasn't an elected official or employee that >> on my to-do list, which I have not done, is circle back with my colleagues at town hall who I think I have a very good
relationship with, and say, "Here's the spreadsheet that I ended up with after a bunch of trial and error." >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Can you can you take this over? Yeah. Because >> I mean whatever it happens, you know, you have a unique skill set that, you know, people that are working 40 hours
and have a million things going on, you know, don't have the time to do, for example. And well, I mean, everybody works 40 hours a day. You know what I mean? >> I don't know. Who knows, you know, why it wasn't you have a unique skill set and you put it to use, you know, in the service of the town, which is great for
a volunteer, but it did seem like something that should be done every year obviously and >> possibly by [snorts] this great discussion. J. >> Yes.
>> One other uh observation that I have. I think we did a I think it was great the way we shared drafts of the comments. I think we had a lot more time to review this year than in prior years. So I think we should continue to do that to the extent possible. >> Okay.
What I wish in hindsight we had done, we didn't have to wait till a week before the warrant went to print to start writing comments. Some of those comments could have been written >> a month earlier. [clears throat] So, >> I mean, I had I did one of them like I think I discussed it five or six months
before before meeting, [clears throat] you know. >> Yeah. Yeah, we did. But but yeah, I like sharing those. Thank you. That's another thing though that a new person might not know is that they're responsible for drafting those comments. >> Yeah, >> I assume it wasn't. But then it turns
out it wasn't really the case. Somebody did like one person before. Did one person write all the comments or was it always the entire >> I don't know. I >> I mean I I don't know. >> Yeah, >> I think Dave and Tom wrote a lot of them.
>> Oh, really? Seems impossible. And then also a lot of them were just pulled from last year. I think that sort of fell through the cracks this year was last year's. >> And I think Jay, if I recall, a lot of times those prior warrant committee chairs had
to write them at the last minute because we we didn't get updated versions of articles till the last minute. And it's kind of like we can barely have time to vote and it was like a scramble even to get the comments written. So I think that that there there's just some of that timing uh complexity that happened
in the past which we can't control. So >> yeah, I mean I'll say this morning committee had the benefit of not having especially controversial diff I won't say not difficult but especially controversial articles in front of us. We we benefit from that. Um I would like
to turn to our fearless leader Liz. You've been listening. Um now the open question is what should be be doing different next year? If you would like to chime in then you are recognized. If not then that's fine too.
>> Thanks Jay. Hi everyone. Um I think this was a really great discussion so far and I really [clears throat] appreciate every Can you hear me? I really appreciate everyone's really great thoughts and hearing them. You know, I have been really incredibly impressed
with the warrant committee this year. Um, I have heard so many good things about this year's warrant committee and I'm really very appreciative for all of you. I think that you know your comments before that it was um maybe Nick said
this, I don't remember, but that it's like a team and I really did feel like it was a team and I felt like it was a really good team effort. So I want to say that that was a wonderful thing that happened um with this particular group and I felt like um I also want to thank
in particular Jay of course because you know being the chair of the warrant committee is a lot of hard work, a lot of effort goes into it and also I heard so many really good things. people really appreciating the detail and the
time that you spent going into the budget in the beginning of town meeting um I think was really very helpful for a lot of people and a lot of people said that they really appreciated that. So I think that that was a really good addition um in my opinion I think that
that's something that you know feel free to continue um next year. I think that you know the point about the warrant committee visa v a select board obviously that's something that's been the subject of some discussion I agree
that the warrant committee you know is the town's finance committee and so obviously the town meeting votes on the recommendations of the warrant committee and so I appreciate all of your points Grace um
about how we can work or how the warrant committee can work cooperatively with the select board to try to make sure that the warrant committee has all the information that they need in a timely fashion. I agree that this year it seemed to be um really working well between the different um town boards and
committees and the warrant committee getting everything a little bit earlier um than maybe had happened in the past. And so I think that those are all really good points. I agree also with your point, Ron, you know that this is an appointed committee. Um, at the same time, you know, it's very clear to me
what the bylaws and the laws of the Commonwealth say that the warrant committee should be doing. So, I don't want to say that it's, you know, it's not really an advisory board. It's not um something that's just well, it's appointed and so we can ignore it. It's
a really essential essential part of the legislative branch, which is town meeting. And I think that town meeting really looks to and has looked to in the past and is looking to again the warrant committee really for advice and guidance
about especially the budgetary items. You know, when I first talked to all of you in the beginning of last year about the non-budgetary items, I was really pleased to see sort of the tactic that Jay and the rest of you had taken regarding really having experts in those
areas. I had said that I really thought that um after reading town meeting time with regard to non-budgetary warrant committee articles you know where people do have a particular expertise or where people are able to really dig in to
those particular non-budgetary warrant articles that's where the warrant committee is really beneficial and so I think having all those wholesome discussions um having that real real look into it having those experts I thought really worked well this
Um, and as for the budgetary items, I mean, I agree that having the warrant committee really look into this one enables town meeting um, members who haven't had a chance maybe to dig into it as much as they might be able to, but also really the town's people. I think a
lot of people really do watch these warrant committee meetings. Um, and a lot of people really watch town meeting and they really appreciate hearing from the chair of the warrant committee. So all that to say, you know, I think that it will be sorted out amongst um you
know, the select board and whatever [clears throat] other boards and committees and the warrant committee and the warrant committee chair and myself and you know who's in charge of what and by what timeline. But I think that we've all worked really well together this year. You've all worked really well together this year. And I just wanted to
really say, you know, next year, whoever still wants to remain and is reappointed, and if you haven't told me, please tell me. Um, I've heard from all, but I think maybe one or two of you that I know were, um, having to, uh, reflect a little bit about the time commitment
and things like that. But, um, I really want to encourage those of you that are doing it again next year to really, you know, just continue on as we have been. I think this has been a really remarkable year for the warrant committee and again I have heard nothing
but good things and I am absolutely sure 110% that people would tell me if they didn't feel that way. Um, and so yeah, that's it for me, but I thought that this discussion was really great. And if people have other thoughts, you know, I'd love to hear them. If people have
thoughts um over the summer or before the fall town meeting or at any time, you know, I'm really always very available to hear them. Um, and yeah, that's it for me. But thank you so much, Jay, for inviting me and giving me an opportunity to talk to everyone. All
right. Uh, I think that wraps up that discussion. I will say this is the last meeting of the year. Thank you all. If anybody has anything they want to say, they're welcome to. >> Oh, I just want to see Grace. Grace, can
you share the presentation or can you share it? >> Yeah, I'll send it to you guys. I sent it to you guys. >> Yeah. >> It's a great place to start for sure. >> I'll say something. Unfortunately, I won't be on it next year. >> Oh, >> so I'm sorry. Um, but um I want to thank
everybody for the opportunity. >> Um, I'll say I really liked it as a life experience. It was great. I learned a lot and um I'm impressed with all the workings that go on at the time. It's it's wild. But you know, one thing I liked uh I've met a lot of nice people.
I've met a lot of good people and I like the professionalism of of two years of everybody on it. I've seen other committees that um I don't think were very professional and this one I thought always was two years in a row I thought it was very good
>> healthy conversations so I like that that's how it should be you know what I mean yeah so thank you for that >> thank you >> thanks list Dylan for letting me stay home >> maybe that's a shame >> all right >> so um
>> good perspective responsibility ask questions. >> I think that brings us to an end for the year. >> If someone would like to make the final motion >> to >> I'll make a motion. >> Brian's making
>> I'll second whatever motion you've made to [clears throat] say. >> Okay. All in favor? Go off mute and say I I oppose. No. Okay.