Hello. I'm not on the screen, but hello and welcome to the warrant committee meeting for February 2nd, 2026. Karen, can you call roll? >> Yes, we have Jay Funling, Macy Lee, Nicole Boyce, Lorraine D, Grace Story,
Julia Maxwell is on Zoom, Brian Magcguire is here, Lee Michael Mlan is on Zoom, and Nicholas Tangi is here. You have a quorum. Okay, great. The first thing on our agenda was approving minutes. I don't believe we have any recently in our
>> Sorry. Um I think we'll wait till next time. Next time. Um I have a batch that I'm going to send to you tomorrow that I started today. So there'll be a batch about eight, maybe more I get to. >> Great. >> Thank you, Karen.
>> Next thing on the agenda is talking about the budget. Of course, we had a long meeting dedicated only to the budget on Thursday. Uh I'll give you I don't have many updates. I'll give you a few updates since Thursday, then open up see if
anybody wants to discuss. Uh as usual, I'm trusting if somebody didn't make the meeting that they've watched it. You know, I'm not going to hit you with a stick if you have questions about what you missed, but I'm assuming that. So, um, one thing that I
misspoke at the meeting on Thursday, we talked a bit about the school circuit breaker. Uh, the school committee wanted me to be clear that that is a revolving fund. It is not a stabilization fund or however I refer to it. Uh, it's a revolving fund. So, money goes in, money
comes out. I did learn that money can only go in from the state. I'm getting a little off topic. I'll script here. Money can only go in from the state. So, even if the town wants to put money directly in there, they can't. But that wasn't the point of my note here. My note was that it's a revolving fund. Every year money goes in, money comes
out. It can hold funds for up to two years. So for example, we're in the year 2026, fiscal year 2026. Right now we're getting reimbursements from the year 2025. We have to spend the money that we received this year by at latest fiscal
year 2027. Um so by my math, if you know, I think the school wants to hold one year in reserve. By my math, that's the most they could possibly hold is one year reserve. >> Special education circuit breaker.
>> I'm sorry. That's the special education circuit breaker revolving fund. So, that's the one under control of the school committee. >> And is there a second one too? >> Well, the other one would be the town special education stabilization fund
which was created last year is empty. And to get money out of that requires approval of the select board and the school committee. So those are two two that serve a s well I might get chastised if I say they
serve a similar purpose but in my mind they serve a similar purpose >> because the spending is going to the same place. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> Can I ask one question about >> why do they have to spend it at a certain point in time because it's already reimbursed from past expenses. >> I mean the short answer is I don't know.
Maybe the long answer is that the state doesn't want you to build up an infinite block. Maybe they're saying, >> but it's money you already spent, so it's really just getting your money back. >> It is, but I also think the state doesn't want they want you to spend it because it's similar with budget issues in my office, public office that they
want you it's Yeah. Does it utilize it? And also, if you don't, you might lose it. >> Okay. next year because then they're wondering, "Oh, well, you don't you didn't need to use this money, so we'll take it out of your budget." >> I'm not sure about the second part because, you know, the state puts it in our account and then ours,
>> but sometimes they Yeah, that's the only money that goes in that that fund. It's the reimbursement amount, right? And then then the stabilization is the money we would put in separately. >> Exactly. >> To enhance whatever we got. Okay, understood. Uh
>> that is normally 700,000 which was part of the override >> different different account. >> It's different. It's different. It's whateveration fund for the school. >> There's a special education stabilization fund which is currently empty. Doesn't have anything in it. >> Then there's the operating budget >> stabilization >> stabilization fund. Do I get that? But
the school one there was a amendment for that last year. >> No, >> it was just for special education. >> It was just special. Yeah. But this one here, it just depends on how much they request for reimbursement. So it fluctuates if I remember that correctly. So it's not a 700,000 cap. >> It's not 700. >> No, it just depends on how much for the
year. Totally different. >> Yeah. And it's not full reimbursement if I'm correct. It's partially to a certain extent. >> If a student costs over a certain amount, so it's not, >> let's say my student needs reading help and they cost $5,000. That's not going to be part of it. It's, you know, if
they cost over a certain amount, the state will give, let's say, 75% over that amount, except that they might not be 75%. It might be 70%, might be something else. >> Okay. >> I apologize if I don't understand. I'm sorry. Did somebody else raise it? >> Last year we voted for two stabilization
funds in the budget, right? One was for the town for 700 >> operating budget stabilization fund >> and then wasn't one for the school also. >> There's one for the school that's empty. That's a special ed stabilization fund. >> Well, we voted an amount for that. >> No. Nope. >> Just to set it up. >> We did just to set it up.
>> Yeah. I think Brian, you're thinking of the um operating budget still. Was it Jay's? And that had a 2 million >> initial seed and then 700,000 per year. Yeah. >> To that fund. So that maybe but maybe you're we were thinking that was two different funds or something. I don't know. >> Put money into that. That was part of
>> there was talk in the spring of putting money into that, but then the schools needed >> I don't want to use the word bailout. Needed the cash then. So instead of putting it into that account, we gave it to the schools. >> Okay. But I think when he was here, he wanted to try and start with 700 to put into
that stabilization fund. Oh, >> the money that he had because he was sitting right here. I remember anything. >> Thank you. You're I'm getting my 700s confused. >> That's the other thing. Thank you. >> The school wants to I'll say put in, but they would say we're not putting in,
we're just taking less out. >> Build it up at around 700 a year. >> Exactly. >> You're right. You're all right. Thank you. That's the one that the schools control. That's the circuit breaker stabilization fund. They want to take out less than is getting put in for the next few years. Okay.
>> The dollar amount just happened to be the same. You're right. >> Yeah, I remember that. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> So, next bullet point update, new growth. I talked to Mr. Milano about remember I was making various assumptions, maybe a little aggressive,
including assuming new growth would be bigger. Mr. Mr. Milano said a couple things. He said he's assuming $1 million now. I said, "Let's assume a million and a quarter." He said, "No, no, well, it might be higher." He doesn't want to probably can't count. I talked to him
today. He said, "We can't really count on anything more than the new growth until the fall when we really know really what it is." He said, "So don't, you know, don't be counting on more and don't be expecting that in February, March, April, we're going to have more
new growth number with the exception of we charge a lot lot of property taxes on utility poles and gas pipes set up by my employer, Eversource, and other utilities, and there are new more of those every year. By the end of February, we will know more about any
new utility polls going in." So at first he said new growth isn't going to grow anytime between now and town meeting and they said uh maybe in February we'll know a little bit. So what that means >> those taxes come from the utility companies not okay
>> and then they come from us >> the circle of life. >> Yay. Um, so that means the forecast that I showed you last week and I said these are ballpark numbers. Take 250,000 out of my
FY27 forecast and each year after that. Um, >> so that just gets passed on to consumers. That's all that does not taxing the P utility PS. >> Again, I work for Everource. I don't want to put my foot in my mouth, but you
can you can figure it out for yourself. Um, Mr. Milano will know more about the budget in a week or so. He said, "I can talk to you next Monday." I said, "We're meeting every other Monday." Um, so he
he will know a lot. He's working with Miss Dexter. He's working with Joanna about um should know her last name. Um, he's going to know more about the budget in a week or so. And in the meantime of things that are coming up in a week or
so or within the next week on Wednesday afternoon there is a meeting with the select board finance committee and the school committee finance committee. I believe I am invited to that meeting and I have tried to invite Elaine also. They were very specific. They wanted to keep
it small. I would love to invite all 15 of you. They want to keep it small. Um you know of course Elaine our member was on the school committee for six years. was on the school committee finance subcommittee for five years. So hopefully she and I are going to show up
and be able to speak. Um >> what are the meetings at 8 in the morning on Wednesdays that you asked us to see if we could >> Oh um that is similar that is they have a weekly except for this week a weekly
school committee finance subcommittee >> different than what you were talking >> different but similar I mean this is replacing that for this week this is specifically school committee finance subcommittee specifically meeting with the select board and I've invited myself as you know that's the only way I get to
go anywhere as I invite myself. So um and on the same topic in that meeting and other meetings whenever I'm talking to someone I can speak for myself. I can say my opinion is this. If the warrant committee wants me to say I and the
warrant committee feel this way. That's what we sort of discussed a little bit last week is do people want to take a vote on something related to big picture where the town is going. Uh some people said last week they didn't think we should be voting on anything. That's a
perfectly fine opinion. I I'm perfectly capable of walking into these meetings and saying I think X, Y, and Z. If the warrant committee wants me to speak with the full force of the warrant committee, you can vote for me to give an opinion also. And I'll leave it at that.
>> What else are we going to talk about tonight? >> Police budget and most of the time it will be police budget and non-budget articles. Lee Michael, you have your hand up. >> Hey Jay, did you hear anything um back from the school committee in terms of
what you had proposed in theory last week? >> Um yes, I heard I got a couple messages. One of them was the thing that I said at the front sort of correcting me that circuit breaker was a revolving fund. Um I don't want to quote word for word. I
will say I heard appreciation that we were working towards a solution. And I also heard you know there are nuances of the circuit breaker revolving fund that I probably did not get right. And I thought I said over and over during that meeting I'm probably getting this a
little wrong. And uh I think I did. >> No it's something Jake. yelled at. Sorry, Jay. It did happen. Um, well, that's a bummer. Yeah, I I my opinion stands for >> positive than negative. More positive.
>> Would you say >> it was more positive than negative? >> Oh, that's great. Good. Well, that came from a um an educator is not a surprise then. Um my my stand from last week was that I didn't think we had enough information at this point about how the
other boards, you know, feel about things in order to take a vote and like give you the full force. I but I do think it is your job and feel empowered to go and chat with those other board leaders and try to come up with a solution. It's it's going to be a little
bit of jockeying because none of the people that are in that room are able to really speak on behalf of their full board. You know, you're going you're talking with the select board and they're like, I'm not exactly sure where the whole board is on this, but I think we'll go in this direction. And that's just the way it is, you know, and you
kind of know our vibe. So, you know, generally what way we may be leaning or not, but it's it's hard to take a vote on each one of those things that you're out there discussing with people. >> Okay. Um, I see Julie's hand up. I will say another thing I heard feedback from the
school committee was sort of push back on, and I appreciate this push back on we approve a total amount. We don't we don't dig into the line items of their budget and say, "No, you should hire a music teacher instead of an art
teacher." And so I got a little bit of push back on, you know, we were discussing at length how they're going to, I'll use the word fund, fund their circuit breaker revolving fund. I got push back on. That's our business. I
think I would push back on that push back and say, you know, for high level things. I think I think we do have we can at least at the very least give wisdom if not I mean we still it is their choice. We
give them a dollar amount and they decide what to do with it. But should be back and forth. Yeah, there should be back and forth on what they're going to do with it. Uh Julia had her hand up, but Lee Michael did you have a followup? >> Yeah, Lee Michael. Go ahead, Lee Michael.
>> Sorry, Julia. Thank you. Yeah, I just wanted on the school committee thing, other people can get the impression that the warrant committee sometimes tells the school committee what to do with their um what to do with their positions or their money when there's an override
or there's cost cutting. because the warm committee often has the list of changes that are going to inevitably probably happen if the cuts are made. And that's generally because the the school committee will come in a little closer to the budget time and they'll
say, you know, if you can't give me XYZ dollars, then we're not going to be able to fully fund what our plan is for this year, which means we won't have enough special education teachers, we won't have enough, etc. and they said and then they'll say, "So, in order to meet the budget number, we would have to make the
following cuts because they have to get into that number somehow." And so, there's this there will be a period of time where there's some back and forth about, all right, well, if we can give you this money, can you hire that teacher back? And but it's really not the warrant committee telling the school committee what to do. It's just kind of
understanding the impact that the the the budget vote will have. Thanks for letting me jump in, Julia. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, no problem. Um, Julia,
>> so um I think uh since your presentation last week, Jay, what my thoughts have sort of been distilled down to and what I I would love in an ideal world for you to be able to take away from being
present at the meeting on Wednesday is I mean to get very specific I guess like is the school committee considering um your proposed changes at all. Um and
if not, why not? Like I would just I would love to have a really nuanced understanding of what if they're not considering it, you know, why like what are the pieces they disagree on? What are we missing here as a committee when
we look at this and think, "Wow, this looks like a great way to potentially avoid layoffs," which as a school parent would certainly be my preference versus building up um you know, it's kind of a nice to have rainy day fund account. So,
um, yeah, I guess, you know, if we're if we're making requests of you, that would be mine to just really again have as much detail as they're willing to give as to, uh, if they're not considering your option that your, you know, sort of proposal, why, why not, where do they
disagree and and, you know, can we get down to bas agreement on basic facts, I guess. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Michael. >> Yeah, I just wanted to say this is going to be a lot harder than any of us can
anticipate really. There's going to be so many discussions over the next couple of weeks with each of the boards. And Julia, one of the things that causes that is going to cause a lot of grief is that people are going to try to protect their money and their budgets because for the school, it has really
significant ramifications. And the that board will probably have an opinion as to whether or not they should be paying half of the $2 million shortfall or whatever it is the problem is. Somebody might go, "We don't have that $2 million because of why reason? Why would we take
that money from the children?" So it they're not going to jump on board of any plan right now, I don't think, anyway, because nobody wants to say, "Yeah, I'm willing to give, you know, $700,000, $900,000 or whatever." Um,
it's going to be a more delicate like dance than that. >> But even that even that understanding of no way, we're not giving up, you know, this 700,000 for whatever. like that would be helpful for me to understand
and you know when fellow parent friends of mine are like oh you're on the warrant committee what's going on why you know why do the school committee and the warrant committee see differently on this it would be helpful to um have that understanding even if I don't personally
agree with their assessment >> and I I would recommend for now whoa sorry there's an infinite screen. Sorry, I'll stop. Uh, I would recommend everyone, frankly, everyone on this committee, but certainly if you're invol
interested in this, to listen to a week, five days ago on a Wednesday, there's a school budget subcommittee meeting and it's a little over an hour and they
discuss this and their views on this in detail. So, I would recommend listening to that. It is on the podcast. I had such a fun weekend, voting things onto the podcast, and I got things loaded on from September through this week.
Not every committee, but the school budget subcommittee is on there. And school finance subcommittee January 28th. I would recommend everyone listen to that. It's on a podcast. You can listen to it while doing your dishes,
walking your dog, whatever. Um, so yeah, that will start to address that question. What's up, Brian? >> Um, going back to your other comment, I do know apparently you can't tell them how to spend the money, but you can tell them how much money they get or we can recommend how much money they get, which
is really true anyways. >> Recommended town. >> Recommended. Um, but I think if like inflation is 3% and they ask for something more than that, more than something that's unusual, like 5% or whatever it is that >> we should get reasons for it. We should
get like detail as to what is in that that difference. >> Yeah. To justify it. There should be some justification. >> Just like every budget in town, they're going to give us some justification and they're going to tell us, you know, why it changed from X to Y. And they're going to tell you've made a good point. What's your head? How many employees you
have? I think that's definitely something we want to get. >> Um, and similarly, when we say we can't tell them how to spend it, >> they can say we're going to spend on x, y, and z, you know, we're going to have this amount of headcount. We're going to put this amount here. And then the year comes and it's possible that they don't.
And you know, sometimes it's something minor and nobody cares. Sometimes it's something less minor and people do care. And as was pointed out, I think it was like two years ago, so I'll say five or six years ago, the schools asked for money for X, but they weren't able to
spend it on X, so they spent it on Y. And then they were getting beat up for it every time they came in front of us. And our chair two years ago said, well, we can trust them to spend on what they say they're going to spend it on because obviously when they don't do that, we beat them up every time they come in front of us. He was more eloquent than I
was. The point is, every budget in town, including the schools, tells us what they're going to spend it on. Every budget in town, including the schools and all the others, might spend a little differently. Um, and if so, they should answer for that. >> Did that address your question or your
comment? >> It did. I mean, I I don't think Yeah, I'm just saying I I just clear like I think that that was my issue last year, but um you know, if they need they need a new bus, that's an extra 100,000. Maybe that's not different from salaries or they need, you know, or they have an
increase in special ed students or a reduction and that will change things, you know, or out of district people this year versus last year. What's the difference? >> We should have that. There should be some analysis of that. I would say just like every other budget, in the same way that we don't want the police chief to come in here and we all brainstorm
questions to throw at him for two hours, whether it's questions about the police budget or the school budget or whatever, organize your questions, send them to our representative, they'll get the answers. They don't get the answers, rinse and repeat. Um, you know, I don't really want there will be a little bit
of this because the schools will come in and talk to us and there will be a little bit of us asking them questions, but I'd like to minimize that and maximize getting our questions ahead of time, getting the answers ahead of time. Time around this table is efficient. >> And that's not due until we're talking
like April, right, for the school budget. >> Oh, I mean the warrant goes to print like April 1. So March, >> March, if not sooner. I mean, we'll probably see them in person. Wow, it's already February. >> January. Yeah, I would say as soon as possible, actually. We're getting in there.
>> Yeah. Yeah, maybe even more than once. Um, are we done discussing the item of big picture budget? >> Okay. Um, I know Ron is in the waiting room because he was accused for that. So, Ron and I think Larry's also in the waiting room. If um Larry, could you
accept the invitation to be promoted, please, if you'd like to be? >> Okay, I won't wait for them. Next on the agenda is the police budget. I see. >> You might need to make that invitation again. >> I'm sorry.
>> Because they probably declined. >> Oh, I have. Yes. Thank you. There. Here it comes. Okay. Mine's very brief. I met with uh Chief King this evening. Um his budget is
similar to last year's. There's a increase for need of 189,000, but the need of an IT person remains the same as last year. So there there is a great need for an IT person because they have money earmarked and put away for
body cams which every police officer should have. Um, Milton does not have them because they need a full-time IT person to handle the software to work with the software um in regards to
preservation um preservation orders uh discovery requests reactions etc. So that need remains the same. Um but the good news on that front is uh Nick Milano is a huge supporter of the police
department getting an IT person. Um and they might get creative with it. Um in terms of right now they have four openings um on their personnel for police officer positions. Two people recently retired and then two as it is
every year. So there a total of four. So, Chief King told me that he is willing to swap out one of those um law enforcement officer positions for an IT person so that there won't be an increase in the budget for this IT
person. And it is a huge support of this. I think it's a great idea. Um I was frankly once again surprised that they have not been able to uh body cams which they need. Um I think
almost every police department has them. Well, at least the big ones do and Milton certainly should have one given the crimes that they had to investigate the last year. So, I think it's a great idea that they he might swap off um out one of those positions for IT person.
So, I hope it works out. Um but otherwise um everything is you know essentially the same this 10% increase in a lot of things u mostly in insurance because that's across the board um in every single state on every single level
insurance >> health insurance yeah all the premiums have all gone up 10% um I know this based on just my position alone um personally as well my premiums have gone up but it's crossed about 10% on Medicaid um everything supplemental
everything. So so that's um one of the reasons why his cost um in his bases increased by 180. So so it was fairly simple. Um but um I think when Nick comes in to present I think that's a
great thing to ask him because he um and she had conversations about so I hope it works out. I hope they're able to swapping out one of the positions and not having to increase the budget. Um
there's anything else? Those are the major ones. Um there's always a budget for um two new cruisers every year. Um they did get three last year. They ended up getting an extra one. They don't think they're going to need to get um two new
cruises this year. It's just a pleasure to talk to you. He doesn't ask for a lot. So, does anyone have any questions about the police budget? >> Larry. >> Uh, yeah. I just want to reiterate about
that it the IT position that comes up a lot in the IT committee and uh it's a real drain on the town IT department um to have to support the police department as well and it's also very difficult because they have pretty unique technology over there. So, yeah, that's u that's great. That's great to hear.
But um as far as this healthcare uh issue, it keeps coming up with every department that comes before us, the health insurance issues. Is there some sort of a general discussion we could have with say Nick Milano about that at some point about anything that could be done about the health insurance? I can't
imagine that there isn't as much to be done. that's been in the news a lot. But, you know, I just thought since it is such a significant expense for the town all across the board, I'm wondering if there's something that can um I don't know if there's any options we could explore or something. I don't
know. Thought I'd throw that out there. >> I can guarantee you that he has spent many many hours focused on health insurance in the last 12 months. >> I'd imagine so. >> He has a 10% increase on all premiums
um across the board. Amazing. every state is that do we expect that every year that kind of increase that's a lot high >> this year I think >> there's a number of reason >> just like 10% every year
>> I will tell you it's a history for Milton you know I I advocated for cutting the health insurance budget a few years ago because for the previous let's say travel back in time two years for the previous five years our health costs have been flat before CO, during
CO, after CO they were just flat. It was amazing and they shot up last year and this year I my ears confused. Two years ago they started going up and so >> the increases went in in December. >> Yeah. No, I know they hit in January. I
know that >> they all hit in January and it's like across the board and I think a part of it is because during COVID there was the public health emergency so they can't remain the same. nothing changed for obvious reasons. So, >> I think part of it could be the
compensation of the lack of change um during those four to five years and now we're just catching up. But, you know, there's a lot of other things going on too. Um and it's like I said, it's not just private insurance companies, it's with Medicaid as well. So, everyone's feeling it. Um, so I
don't think it's it's definitely not just a town and I and I truly don't think the town needs to do anything about it. It's just everyone is facing that issue. >> Yeah, he's uh we are self-insured. So employee goes to the doctor.
>> Selfinsured. We >> Yeah, we're selfinsured. >> We have a we have stop loss. Employee goes to the doctor. the doc the bill flows through an insurance company eventually lands in a trust which eventually comes from the town. Uh so they're looking at actual claims and you
know they're they're going to be looking through February like what are actual claims, you know, with the consultants. So they don't know for sure. I think they'll have a final number at the end of February and say we got to cut it off and see. And for the town as a whole, not only
has the inflation been up, but I know a year ago, we just had a lot of other people, a lot of other town employees join insurance and join the insurance with their families. So, that's sort of unrelated to health insurance inflation, but it's our
uh there are some things you can do. You could um especially if it's a negotiating contracts, you could do a thing where you have a spousal deferral program. So because it's because it's such a good plan, you know, some people drop it, their spouse drops their insurance, it comes on the town's plan.
So you could have a policy, but you can't do that. If they get if they get offered insurance from their company, you can make that a it's a contractual thing. So you could that would help. That's one thing you could do. Um and you can also do the opposite where you could pay people give them a
bonus if they wanted to go on their spouse's insurance. >> Yeah. And the other thing would be like limiting part- timerrs because because it's a municipal or however it works city town or a city you pay uh benefits based on 20 hours. So you could try to
say well you can't instead of having two parttimers you know have one full-timer and then you'd save $10,000 three things you benefits for part- timerrs >> 20 hours a month. $20 >> if it's more than 20. >> Yeah. So if you have that
>> so you could try to limit that. >> No. >> So that's we got a little off topic, but that's the police budget item. >> So I think it's positive. So come in, but I think having Nick here would be great because >> great swap out. And it might be good
just to have a general discussion with Nick about insurance >> regardless, right? I mean, we kind of know it was like we're all like stuff, but it might be good to just sort of lay it out. And I think your projection of 7% going forward, it would be useful to talk to Nick about whether that's realistic. I guess that goes to Grace's
question just seems so high that multiples a lot. >> Well, my gut says self-insuring is still probably cheaper. I mean, I'm sure that's my other question. It's cheap to selfinsure than it is. I mean, that's almost always true. If you're good at
>> we have stop someone >> gets an illness that costs a million dollars, our stop loss insurance will pay for everything over 150 or something. >> Um, next on the agenda was the capital budget. I think maybe next time we'll
>> I am hoping so. The the reason I keep delaying it is because as Nick said, it's a moving target over these weeks that we've met. Um, categories have changed because either the the department has pulled it back and
decided it could be another year or grants are coming through. Um, the uh center on aging, council on aging put in a grant last year and didn't get it, so they put in the ban, but now they
may get it. So that could come off it. So they're still looking at some of those things. And then I think the capital planning committee, not improvement planning, the capital planning committee has some funding that would be able to be contributed to some
parts of this capital improvement planning committee. So Nick is going back and forth a lot about it. So, um I we have another meeting I believe in a week and hopefully we can then settle on
on that from there. >> So, here's a question. So, the last I heard as of a week or two ago, Nick was thinking there'd be $1.2 million spent on non-bonded capital, so things we pay cash for. So, if for example,
let's say there's a van included in there and then somebody gets a grant to pay for the van. Is that when $2.2 million go down or do you say, "Oh, now we've got money to spend on the next thing on our list." >> He didn't get into that much detail that
that I understood because it hasn't been absolutely um approved that people are getting these other funds. So I would think the answer is yes but um >> yeah so >> yes too much
>> the funding would go down the number go down I would assume so but it may then shift to something >> some other item but the also the a lot of what's on this this thing here are replacements of things in the town that
we maybe not pay attention to and trace like all of the windows in the town hall have to be replaced because they're all either leaking or air is coming because they haven't same thing with the schools. Um they're they haven't replaced all the windows. So it's not
like they're looking to do that in one year. But what they one of the funds here is that um the consultant to come through and say but it's like 70,000 for that to come through and say how can we do this? Um do we have to do all of the
town hall at once? um is it once every year that we do certain amounts? So that's the kind of information he's still trying to kind of collect. When we met last week, I think it was um he just said still a little bit of a moving
target. And so um okay. So hopefully, yes, in another week I will bring something back to the committee and if it's not final, I will meet with Nick and say, "What can I say that's not going to really kind of mess
things up here, but um and I don't think we're going to be bonding a lot this year." I don't think we have the capacity for that. So, so a couple of moving targets as he said, but that's the reason I keep asking to have it pushed is because the different meetings
I'm going to that changed a little bit. We changed a little bit. So, I don't want to have long discussions about I don't think we should do that and the next meeting is it's been taken off the table already because of whatever things are being mixed around. So very
complicated budget this is as far as you know free cash and what's being bonded and what that on and on. So >> that's it. >> So I think with the exception of capital I think we've had presentations from all the I'll call them big budget items that
I wanted a presentation about and then there's the small budget items which I think I said a while ago maybe get people to write up a little summary. I certainly haven't enforced that. Um, so yeah, I was tempted to say, does anybody have
a small budget item they want to talk to, but that's a little in our Does anybody have anything they want to bring up to the group about other budget items they've been looking at? I >> I'll reach out to people. I've been
meaning to do this for weeks with the smaller budget items and say, "Here's something I think you might look look at. maybe write it up for different groups. Uh so the next thing on our the next and sort of final thing final group of things on the agenda is the non-budget
articles coming four time meeting this spring. I was talking to Mr. Milano today. He said I hope you're not neglecting these non-budget articles. And I said I definitely am. I mean, for one thing, there are say four or five ones that I said
there's no small parts, only small actors, but these are small. And I think I said two weeks ago I would be assigning them to people. I've been a little distracted with other things, so I haven't done that. Um, again, I'll pick your names out of a hat and think I had the people who volunteered to take
one of the I'll say smaller, some of them could be a little bit involved. Uh the one of the bigger articles coming before us this spring is the fire athetherton fire station study.
I believe we have um our team looking at that is Nikki, Larry, and Macy. Uh I don't know if y'all have talked about it, if you've looked at it. I I would say the big thing I'm asking for you is watch the meetings. you know most
important meeting is the one from I think it was exactly two weeks ago premeating talking about after 10 and there was post meeting of the whole the whole committee which also still talked about after 10 I haven't even watched the whole thing I watched about half of that I thought it was a very good discussion so of you on
this fire station group please watch at least that meeting start asking questions and really take ownership I mean this is something that I I'm interested in this topic and I sort of want to be involved too but got a lot on my plate. So, I'm going to need y'all to take ownership. You need
me to give you direction, I'm happy to assume that you have the three of you have anything you want to say about so far. >> A lot of chatter in the >> Yeah, we and yeah, and we haven't gotten to There's Larry. Hi, Larry. We haven't The three of us haven't gotten together
yet, but I'm just right now sending an email to you guys and we'll just coordinate, start talking. um who obviously will watch the the um the meetings, whatever the videos, but who should we meet with? Like who's our point of contact? >> Okay, that gets to my next bullet point.
Brian Walsh is the chair of that committee. >> Okay. >> Um Brian Walsh and you want to talk to the police chief and you want to talk to Nick. >> Okay. Police chief, fire chief. >> Fire chief. >> I mean, >> so one of those heroes. Okay. And then
>> as he said, the police chief is great to talk to. No, he sounds delightful. >> The fire chief. >> The fire chief is there, too. >> Great, too. >> Yeah, I knew you chatted with him as well. He's probably been to my house for one of my random fears of something burning down. So, he's like, "Oh, her again." Okay. Um,
awesome. >> And Brian Walsh did say he's happy to come talk to us. He said probably a month from now. I said, he called me today. I said, "Not tonight, maybe two weeks." And he said a month might be better just given where things are. But
but y'all should be moving on this >> um that's fire station smaller articles signs. Uh I think that's still Macy and Larry. I know that the goar
>> Oh, no nothing. I I just been reviewing the planning board meetings. That's all on that. And then I have um I have a draft copy of it. Um I'm not sure if that's been released widely or not. Somebody just forwarded it to me,
somebody else on the sign review committee. So, >> but I what what I'm wondering about is if it's even worth talking about if legal hasn't reviewed it yet. So, I guess that's the question because I don't want to go through what we went through last time. You know, we're sort of bounced all around.
>> Uh I'd rather have legal review it before we even look at it. That's a good idea, Larry. I suggest that weal >> uh Ron, there's the historic district. Uh I haven't looked at, but I know you're
looking at it and we've talked about where things stand with that, I believe. Yeah, I I tried to contact the uh the chair of that committee, so I still haven't been able to connect with him. U I did review the article the the
article. Um I had some questions that are very similar to what we raised at Warren Committee two years ago when we reviewed an earlier version that seemed very similar. >> Um so we'll see about that. They also
spoke to uh some impacted residents who own property in the district >> and there were some there are some concerns about you know how the uh the article as written will impact them. So we'll try to gather some of that input
as well. >> Okay, great. Thank you. And sticking with Ron, the demolition bylaw, >> I spoke to the historical commission. Um, and I think they're there. I I had
to review this article some more, but I I did talk to them maybe two months ago about this proposed article. Uh, they they wanted to expand the definition of demolition. So, it's not full 100% destruction of a structure. So if you
were to uh make substantial changes that that that could bring their uh bring bring a proposed project into their purview for review. So um so I'll dig more into that article. >> Jay, they do have a very small budget.
Uh I I don't know the exact number, but they they told me there's a tiny budget and it's typically for for training and they sometimes have um speakers come in on historical architectural topics. I think it's it's probably a tiny portion
of our budget, but I'll take a look into that. >> Okay. Okay. Um and there may be discussions around the sort of practicality of when I was talking to Nick today. I I didn't understand what he said so I hesitated to pass it on but someone in town hall was like you know
basically the question of you can write this law how does exactly work so you don't hear that from someone else maybe can tell you who to talk to and the final thing which has been on the select board's agenda but I I think
the I think the uh wording is not final is a marijuana marijuana related law. So shortly after marijuana was legalized at some step in Massachusetts, town meeting voted to not have marijuana
dispensaries. I don't know what businesses marijuana businesses in town have. And so there may be a there may be an article coming in front of town meeting to undo that. I think the the tricky part is I think what nobody wants
is we undo that and it's a free-for-all. What the advocates would want is undo that and then the planning board sets up regulations of where you can have a marijuana business and then you can have
it. So, um, that's sort of a question right now is nobody wants to open Pandora's box. I want to move in that direction. Uh, and I have our public health expert, William Maxwell, assigned to that.
>> That is the agenda for tonight. >> Can I can I ask on the uh solar panels? That's a two, right? Um I don't know who initiates that which I am in favor of generally on principal but um why are they leasing them versus
buying them direct? I can't answer that question, but I can tell you what I learned today, which is that the the our legal council is very thorough and they're going through all sorts of things specifically regarding that solar article. And
so it's it's being held up with legal right now. They think it's got to be a lot of work. And I I said to Mr. Milano, I said, "We've got solar panels on lots of buildings in town. Is it just one more?" So that didn't answer that question. No, >> it's tied up with legal at the moment. >> Yeah. Um, there should be some analysis
on like buy versus lease. >> And I assume it's going to be better to buy, but maybe I'm wrong, but even if it's a 30-year lease, which is a long time, they should own it at the end, but um there should be some I would think it's it's usually better to buy and um
generally >> Yeah. >> And they last for a long time and there should be some analysis on how much money they're saving on electricity. >> Yeah. Yeah. you're yes to all that. >> I don't know if the fact that we're a town and not a taxable entity if that changes things.
>> I'm just making stuff up at this point. >> Get credits from I don't know. Um there were like Massachusetts at one time did have a program for the towns. I don't know if it expired. >> I'm hearing a volunteer. All right. >> Sorry to cut you off, but >> anyways.
Who's running that? >> Who in who in this committee? >> No, who in the town? I mean, aside from just saying Nick, I don't know in all his free time. Um, so we've gotten through our agenda.
>> Wait, but we didn't talk about the non-financial ones. Are we just not going to >> That's what we're talking about right now. >> Oh, you meant we've got through our agenda. I know we're going through them broadly, but do we have any more like detail about them at this point? You're saying no, we don't. Okay, perfect. >> I told you what I know. >> All right.
next week. >> Just a short meeting is like a gift from God. >> Yeah. Yeah. Next meeting. >> Move to address. >> I mean, if we're on a if we're on a two week schedule, then we're meeting in two weeks. Uh things are going hot and hectic with the >> holiday. That's President.
>> You people are on it. >> All of y'all. >> Hold on. Let me ask you, what do you >> Tuesday? It's a little >> Is that And then is that is the rest of that week school vacation week? >> The whole week. I won't be around. So So would we prefer to aim for like the
previous Thursday >> or the previous Mondays? We stick with Monday. >> That's next Monday. >> That's just I don't know if we'll have >> I don't know if we'll have anything. >> Why don't we do the Monday after >> 23rd? >> We'll say the Monday after and I'll
reserve the right to call a call an emergency on the Thursday before. they are, but you know, I don't know if waiting three weeks between meetings is um >> folks. >> Yes.
>> Um I think two two Mondays from now is school vacation week, right? >> Correct. >> That's we that's a non-starter. >> So I >> So we're saying >> 23rd >> people are saying three weeks from now. I was wondering if three weeks is too
long to go between meetings. Um I I here's what I'll say three weeks from now, but I'm gonna, you know, >> reach out to No, no, what I'm saying is I'm going to reach out to most people in this committee and keep keep things moving. Know all these non-budget
articles we just discussed, try to make sure those are moving. Um yeah, because we're gonna eventually want to talk about around the table. So yeah, I think three weeks from today is a good call,
but we'll all be if you're not busy enough, let me know. We'll all be working on our various sub I'll call them subcommittees, sub projects in the next three weeks. >> Then do we meet basically every week after that until April 1st when this
thing goes to print? >> I think I think we have to. You know, again, because I was going through these, don't call them non-budget items. Each one of them requires a discussion around this table as short as possible, but uh >> No, I was just trying to think ahead. >> Yeah. Yeah. I think that's probably
that's probably the best call is plan for every week. >> Lee Michael can tell us what it used to be like. How often did you meet in in March when you were in charge, Lee Michael? Every it was definitely every week for sure. >> Oh, I thought
>> we were I think we were meeting every week starting in January back in that those days though. >> I remember visiting a a meeting where you were when you were a member and somebody said, "Oh, we're meeting twice a week for the next two months, guys."
>> So, I thought it was more than once a week. Oh, there was No, there for sure were times when it was more than once a week, but it wasn't for an extended period of time, I don't think. I think that was like a crunch. >> Okay. >> All right. Reminiscing. People were
zipping out their bags. Motion to >> adjourn. To second. >> Second. >> All in favor? Okay. Michael, that was you voting. Okay, great. Thank you. >> Take some candy on the way.