stands under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Richard, >> it's not on yet. >> We're live. >> Oh, we're live. >> Thank you. Thank you for checking. Um,
we'll go somewhat out of order tonight, but but uh there are no remarks from the chair tonight. We'll do grants, gifts, and donations. Acceptance on behalf of New Council on Aging, $100 from Bob and Sheila Haynes. >> Move to accept. >> Second.
>> Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? >> I. >> I. Acceptance on behalf of the Newbury Police Department, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Municipal Speed Feedback Signage Program, award of three speed sign data collection units.
>> Motion to accept. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I I >> acceptance on behalf of the IT department $20,000 community compact cabinet's information technology grant award. >> Motion to accept.
>> Second. All those in favor. I >> acceptance on behalf of the Newbury Fire Department. $100 from Da Melansen. >> Motion to accept. >> Second.
>> All in favor? I. >> Acceptance on behalf of the Newbury Fire Department, $2,500 from Paul Garish and the Garish Family Foundation. >> Accept. >> Second. >> All in favor? I. I.
I don't think is Mr. Is um Mr. Sabatino here? We're going to take him out of sequence. He's not here. We had a public hearing that supposed to start at 7:15,
but I think that um >> You want to do the slam licenses? Go through them quickly. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, we can do that quickly. >> Do them all together. >> We'll skip down how I'd like to read I'd like to read all the names. >> If you have an issue with the name, flag
it and we'll go back to it and discuss it. Okay. >> Uh we're reviewing and approving the 2026 commercial claim permit renewal applications. We need a motion. >> Move to review and accept the 2026 commercial claim permit renewal
applications. >> A second, please. >> Second. >> Okay, we'll hold discussion. Alexander Maxon 7 Meers Lane. Alexander Montto Hanover Street. Augustus Campotelli 12
Main Street. Ben Kby 158 Elm Street. Charles Colby 142 High Road. Charles Kby Jr. 56R Central Street. Cody Nixon 12 New Road. David Elwell 48 Fruit Street. David Morse 119 Main Street. Frank
Bennett 131 High Road. Frank Hoyer, 35 Old Rowley Road. >> Fred Hoyer. >> Ho, I'm sorry. Fred Hoyer. Gav, thank you. Gavin Colby, 56R Central Street. Jacob France, one Hawk Haven Way. Jay Dodge, 45 Fruit Street. Jeffrey Jan, 32
Forest Street. Jeffrey Thuro, 132 High Road. Jeffrey Thurlo Jr. 154 164 High Road. John Short, 120 Main Street. John Thistlewood, 538 Main Street. Josh McKinnon 3 Barack A. Joshua Dodge 45
Fruit Street. Kyle Adams 42 Cottage Road. Laura Colby 171 Hay Street. Leonard Dobson 12 right rear Old Point Road. Mason Colby 56R Central Street. Michael Nixon 12 New Road. Noah Merrill
131 High Road. Paul Thistlewood 26 Central Street. Peter Thistlewood 26 Central Street. Rob. Robert Fornia 15 Spring Hill Road. Robert J. Colby 171 Hay Street. Steven Wood 9 L Street. Thomas White 36
Downfall Road. Timothy Castine 6A Rogers Lane. William Palap >> Capulius Jr. 48 Cottage Road. William Short 145 Main Street. Any discussion on any of these names that I read off?
Hearing none. All those in favor? >> I >> I. Anyone opposed? Hearing none, it passed. And we'll do the uh review and approve 2026 new commercial clam permit application.
>> Um Mr. Chair, I move that we review and approve the 2026 new clam uh new commercial clam permit applications for James Kennedy at 40 Cottage Road. That's my motion. >> Second. Second.
>> Okay. Any discussion on this hearing? None. All in favor? I. >> Anyone opposed? >> Hearing none. It passed. >> Um, >> have 10 minutes. >> We still have 10 minutes. Review and approve 2026 short-term rental
applications. So, let's have a motion for that, >> please. I move that we review and approve the 2026 short-term rental applications as read as as one. We put a hold on if you
second for that. Please >> second. >> Okay. Elena Goden at 59 Northern Boulevard permit str0001. AR Dick Gant at 14 Dartmouth Way, permit STR-26-002. Mary Ellen Vesprini at 1145th Street,
permit STR-26-3. Lisa Burick at 37 Annapolis Way permit STR-26-004. Terry Reese Steinck at 33 For Boredom Way permit STR-26- 0005. Lisa Cavalaro >> Joy help me out on behalf of
>> or Yes. >> On behalf of >> Yep. >> On behalf of Castell Truches LLC at 35 Portum Way STR-26-006. Any discussion on any of those names? I don't have any discussion, but I do have a couple of questions.
The Eleanor Goden God um is just a drawn um so >> but it has no measurements or anything like that. Just not required. No, we
just asked for a parking plan designating where the parking will be in relation to the um the location to ensure that there are parking spots designated. >> All right. And then there were
a couple that didn't have Lisa Burke did not have a certificate of insurance or proposed parking plan
attached um checked off on her her sheet. >> They were um received and that's why they were moved forward. >> Okay. And then on again on Terry Reese Stein uh the same
certificate of insurance and proposed parking plan attached. They were received from them. Uh so the certificates of insurance were a little tough initially because insurance certificates look very different from each person. So it was kind of a
learning curve. Plus, the way the statute is written in Massachusetts, if they are renting from, I'm sorry, if they are offering the short-term rental through a host agency like Airbnb, things like that, they can be covered by
their insurance. So, in your packet, um I don't know if you have any in this go round or if you're going to see them the next time on the 14th, you'll see some uh applicants have a letter where they say, "I only rent through this
um host agency." And that's why to designate that they're covered by their insurance, >> Airbnb, Verbbo. >> Exactly. Yep. Um, and the other question I had was in order for somebody to um
what is the how long do you have to be a resident in the state of Massachusetts in order to be an owner occupied >> or you do you just have to own the property because some of them state
uh that they're owner occupied. You don't like if it's a two unit. >> Yeah. >> Some it's checked it's checked off as owner occupied. Um, so as I understand it, that means they're living at the residence. And
>> my question is there is there are a couple of people that show their actual residence not as Newbury that there's one person from Pennsylvania and one person from Toppsfield.
>> They're still allowed to rent the unit. Um or are you saying that they're showing >> that they're they're showing um on their check off that they're owner occupied? >> So is it possible that they're owner occupied? They own the property, but their primary residence is outside of
the Commonwealth and they only >> they only summer here. They have a two family and they summer here. That's >> that's my question. But I didn't know if if it falls under the owner occupied
when they're not there, does that give them permission to rent the facility? >> They're allowed to rent. So for instance, if it someone you'll see lives in California, they own the property. It
is their property to rent so long as they've complied with the requirements under the law. So, same thing if somebody had two residences and and maybe they're here just in the summer, but they're still allowed to rent maybe the second unit.
>> They don't have to be on premise to rent their second unit, do I? >> No. No, we don't require that. >> Yeah, I didn't think. >> And we don't And we don't differentiate in terms of the town between owner occupied and not. Um, sometimes it'll be flagged on their insurance that the the
insurance codes will be different, but the statute just requires that it has a minimum of $1 million liability insurance >> and that's what we're making sure they all meet either through their own private insurance or through the host agency. Yeah, it it was just um the
language was a little bit confusing as far as when it says owner occupied, you you assume that they that's where they they're living, but then stating that they have uh a different resident that
uh that's where I I I questioned it. >> Perhaps they perhaps they occupy perhaps they'll occupy the summertime. They come up from Pennsylvania, occupy it in the summertime, and rent the other unit. >> Yeah, >> it's possible. >> Possible. Good questions. Very good questions.
>> Anything else? >> That's all I have on that. >> Are there any other discussion? Any other discussion points? Hearing none. All in favor? >> I >> I. Anyone opposed to this? Anyone abstaining?
Hearing none. That passes. >> We have three minutes. >> Three minutes. You have any good jokes, Alicia? >> Read all these names in three minutes. The election worker. >> Um perhaps, >> perhaps. Go for it.
>> You want to try? >> Yeah. Okay. >> Let's have a motion, please. >> I move that we um review and approve the 2026 election workers for a term of um April 1st, 2026 to December 31st, 2026 um as follows. Would you like me to read
them? I have a second for the motion. Second. >> Yeah. Would you please? >> Sure. Uh Karen Barry, 12 Parker River Drive. Maxine Balus for Oak Terrace. Essa Bernier 55 Elm Street and Borbo 21A
Maple Street. Donna Callahan for Tory Lane. Wanda Crowe 28 K Street. Janine Cunningham 143 Scotland Road. Lisa Dorville 2 46 Low Street. John Elwell, 266 High Street in Newport. Barbara
Fernold, 46 Lafayette Road in Salsbury. Jane McNeel, 343rd Street. Uh Virginia Salem, 219 Beach Road, Unit One Salsbury. Jessica McCale, 60 Old Rally Road. Wilma McDonald, 229 North End
Boulevard, Salsbury. Kathy Muse, 10 Marsh Avenue. Dave O'Neal, 31 Pearson Drive. Molly Sheamus, 35 Hanover Street. Richard Keys 38 Parker Street. Chris Cernach 30 Rob Lane. Drew Davidson 20 40
57 Southern Boulevard. Nancy Burke 10 Len Road. Alexander Burke 10 Locken Road. Alyssa Walton 78 Hanover Street. Leslie Lipkin 37 Sunset Drive. >> Does anyone have any discussion of for
any of these names? Hearing none. All those in favor? >> I. >> Anyone opposed? Anyone abstaining? Hearing none. That they all pass. And I think it's only one minute away.
>> Wait for one minute. Does Leslie have the have the public hearing? >> Leslie, you have the uh public hearing notice. >> Sure. >> Okay. >> To read. Okay. We're not open yet. >> We're not ready yet. >> Okay. I've got it in front of me when we >> Perfect. 7:15.
>> 7:15. >> It's um Now it's time to open up the public hearing. Could I have a motion to open up the public hearing? >> I move to open the public hearing. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> I. Anyone opposed to this?
Abstaining hearing? None. Okay. Leslie, would you please read the public hearing legal notice? >> Yes. The town of Newbury report select board 12 Kentway sweep 210 Bfield Mass 922. Legal notice. Town of Newbury 12 Kent
Wayfield Mass 01922. public hearing in accordance with the chap with chapter 138 section 15A of Massachusetts general laws. Notice is hereby given that Newbury Select Board acting as the licensing authority of the town of
Newbury will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, March 24th at 7:15 p.m. on the application of James Sullivan Rusty Can LLC 6D Fruit Street Fruit Street Newbury, Mass. Transfer of liquor
license from James Sullivan Wyatts Market LLC. please. Uh it published on Wednesday, March 11th, 2026. >> Thank you, Leslie. >> You're welcome. >> Um
can we confirm that the tear sheets from the Daily News legal ads have been received? >> They have. >> They have. >> Okay. Is the applicant or applicants representative here tonight to present? >> Yes. >> Sure. Why don't you come up to the podium, please? Introduce yourself and
give us your name and address, please. Good evening. My name is Dawson Cooper. I'm an attorney at Upton Canal in Devlin. I'm here on behalf of Rusty K LLC. With me tonight is the proposed manager of record for the location, Jim Sullivan. Uh Rusty Can LLC has applied
to transfer a section 15 license from Wyatt's Market LLC. The license will remain at the same location at 6D Fruit Street. Uh this transfer is simply an effort to consolidate the corporate structure holding these licenses. Currently they're the Rusty Can is held
by Rusty Can LLC and the market is held by Wyatt's Market. They'd like them to be held by the same entity in Rusty Can. Um the two entities share a common ownership. Um there are no planned operational changes to the market at this moment. Um Jim, the proposed
manager of record, is also a part owner of the Rusty Can LLC. helps run the market and the Rusty Can restaurant. He's vast experience in the food and beverage industry and is familiar with the rules and regulations pertaining to the sale and service of alcohol. Um, with that, we're happy to answer any questions the board may have and we want
to thank you for your time. >> Thanks very much. Um, board members, do does anyone have any comments, questions on what has just been presented? Is it going to is it going to remain a
um same kind of uh convenience type of >> Yes. At this moment there's no planned operational changes. So it's just to kind of consolidate that corporate structure. >> All right. >> Anyone else? Any other questions or
comments? Has anyone gotten any written correspondence regarding the project from any other interested parties? >> None has been received by the town. >> Okay. I have to open up the hearing to public
comment. Does anyone from the public wish to meet any make any comments about this? >> Okay. Hearing none board members, any other further comments or questions about what's being proposed? Hearing none.
I'll need a motion and a second to continue the hearing to a date and time certain, but there are any questions. It's not to be continued. Sorry. >> Okay. Um, did we have a motion? Did we do a motion? I don't think >> we had a motion to open. >> Okay, we do. We second it. >> Yes. to open but not to
>> once again. Are there any more questions? >> So, Mr. Chairman, I don't see any questions. I I can I make a motion that the board um vote to direct staff as appropriate to approve the transfer
application as presented this this evening. >> Second. >> Any discussion about that motion that was just made? >> Hearing none. All All in favor? I >> I Anyone opposed abstaining? Hearing
none and >> I move to close the public hearing. >> Perfect. Second. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I >> I. >> Anyone opposed or abstaining? Hearing none. >> James Sullivan, um, you do awesome
things for the Council on Aging for celebrating Veterans Day. Veterans Day, the breakfast and the lunches they have. And um you know, Mike does a terrific job coordinating it and and uh I'm a veteran and on behalf of all Newbury veterans, I thank you for what you do.
>> It's my pleasure. >> And you donate. It's a it's a donation from your establishment and and uh I encourage everyone to frequent the Rusty Ken as a token of appreciation. Thank you. >> You're a real asset to the >> It's delicious. >> My pleasure. Again, so much.
>> Thank you all. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So, >> we're back to the regular hearing. >> Committee want to open. Yeah. Great. >> We will open uh we'll start at the
center of the table table with Amy. If each member can just say their name so we can have roll call to establish forum. Amy Crouch, >> Steve Kenny, >> Vanessa Rossy, Eric Kohl's, Jacobson, >> Frank, >> Joseph Elliott, >> Richard Keys. >> Excellent. We have seven out of seven
members here tonight. So, we are good to open. >> Thanks. Okay. Public comment in general. Is anyone here for public comment? >> That's the same as citizen request. >> It is. It is. Okay. Evelyn, let me read
the the statement and you can come up, please. To receive oral communications from members of the public. Members of the public may address the select board for up to up to three minutes. The select board shall not engage in discussion on topics raised during public comment, but may choose to add
the topic to a future agenda. This agenda segment will be limited to 15 minutes unless extended at the discretion of the chairperson. Evelyn, come on up. I think you know what to do. Get yourself >> noise
field cuz that's what it's about field. We're wondering if the selectman will take into um consideration adding to your new sign um at the central fields that if you would make note of Bfield
since the property is in Bfield and we um I have some signatures here from folks um that are asking that you consider that. Um, we were even thinking underneath the sign if there's no street address. So maybe you could put I don't
know what is it 115 whatever. Um, Central Street Biffield. >> We're not really supposed to have discussion, but I know this really came about by the recreation committee. The renaming of the field and altering altering the sign I think is something
that they did. So we can take it under advisement. >> Okay. Yeah. It's not we're not asking for um you know a change to this present sign just to add by field keep us on the map. >> Understood. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Evelyn, thanks very much. >> Okay.
>> Keep us on the map. >> Okay. >> Any other >> any other public comments? We'll move on to new business. And um >> thanks Evelyn. >> Thank you very much Evelyn. Good night. >> Marshall, do you want to come up and join us up here so you can here or at
the podium, whichever you prefer to do. >> I can stay right here. We'll do fine with >> capital planning committee. >> So, this is Marshall Jasperson. He's the chairperson on the capital planning committee.
>> Thank you, Marshall, for coming. >> Okay. Happy to be here. Now, do you want to go through the the normal things you do with finance committee and do capital planning afterward or >> It's up to you. But how do you think it would would fit in better if you did it
first or after we went through the warrant? >> We go through >> after we go through the warrant. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Okay. All right. >> Can we ask questions of him as we go through the war? >> Sure. >> Excellent. >> Sure. >> Perfect. >> Good. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, now it's to review the annual
town meeting warrant with the finance committee. So, let's have a motion to do that, please. I move that we review um the annual town meeting warrant here with the finance committee with input from the capital planning committee. >> Sorry.
>> All those in favor from both committees I guess. >> I >> Okay. We all have draft copies that were given us to to to us tonight. So this is a standard format.
What's the best way to approach this? I'm going >> to ask the prime minister to go through it. >> Tracy, would you do that for us? >> Sure. Um, thank you, Mr. Chairman. So tonight on the agenda obviously is the annual operating budget and our uh
warrant. It's a proposal that is does present a balanced budget. Um I know with the finance committee and and with the select board alike we've had conversations and about how challenging this year was. Um I think if we had to
pick a theme probably for this year it's kind of it's all about balance, right? trying to understand um just like we found balance between how we fund education and municipal services. We had to look at this one this budget proposal
very carefully to be mindful of finding balance between what the residents want for services. Um, and how do we provide those within the confines of the revenues that we have, the the property tax revenues, the
available funds, the state aid. So, we were able to do that. Um, but we weren't able to do it without deviating slightly from our financial goals and objectives this year. So, normally we don't ever fund our
operating budget with one-time revenues, but this year we're, you know, making an exception and in order to avoid back-to-back override proposals and where we were able to bring um the delta
between the two to a much smaller amount, um we're only considering about $250,000. um will use this proposal um uses free cash to to bridge that that little gap
that we have. Um revenues on the revenue side, we've seen declining new growth. Preliminary numbers indicate only about $70,000 from the assessors. Um total new revenues everything we expect to to
receive this year is only about 950,000. Um and that is assuming a level services budget. Um initially the proposals that we had received were looking at about $1.9
million increase. Obviously, you don't have to be an accountant to realize that that doesn't add up. On the expenditure side of the balance sheet, it didn't look much better. We're struggling with rising health care costs, increasing
material and supply costs, increasing lease costs, um significant requests for additional personnel, which were denied. Um, we had hoped to provide the non-represented employees an annual wage increase of two and a half percent this
year. We're only going to be able to provide 2%. Um, we're under a lot of prof uh pressure to provide more competitive wages in particular in public safety, but in all aspects of our governmental operations.
Um I think the bottom line is that that you know cost increases are outpacing our revenues. We know it. We we saw it coming. Our financial forecasts indicated that actually we saw it almost
two years ago. So it doesn't make it any easier when when you're in the thick of it. the the the bigger cost drivers this year were um again things we knew about, but now they're coming home to roost.
We've got to pay pick up the cost of the two additional firefighters that have been funded under the safer grant. That was about $115,000 hit. Um, we've had a lot of increases in our annual software licensing, significant increases this year, um,
which we haven't seen them this high in the past. We're picking up the previously half of funding release for the council on a uh only half of it though this year and then the other half next year. Public safety uh, increases
are pretty significant this year. Educational funding, as you know, is up significantly. Um, insurance premiums are up about 6.3%. Which we're pretty fortunate because the initial pro projections were double
digits. So, we're we're pretty pleased with that number, believe it or not. Um, so this again, this budget is balanced. It does propose the use of one-time revenues to bridge the budgetary gap. Um,
as you recall last year, residents at the annual town meeting did vote to reclassify the PEG access funds. We had talked about that a lot over the last few years. So, now that it's a general fund, the the $1.19
million that was sitting in that account closed out at the end of the fiscal year, became a component of free cash. That's why our free cash was certified a little bit higher um than normal. And uh the plan again is to use some of those
funds 250,000 to support the operating budget even though it's in conflict with our financial management. And I know I keep saying it, but I I want it to be clear that everybody knows we're acknowledging that um and understands that we are indeed kicking this down,
you know, kicking this can down the road because um we're we're hoping that our revenue picture will improve next year. And I know, Chairman Deo, you're going to tell me that hope isn't a plan, as you always do, but um we do have some subdivision
growth on the horizon that may help, but that of course assumes that everything stays the same with all of our expenditure side of the balance sheet, which we know isn't going to happen. So, just that everyone's aware um that this
is what the proposal includes. Um, and I guess you know I I I I know I've directed you all to the perfect storm report by MMA and they are going to be advoc advocating on behalf of all the cities and towns for some relief
primarily the um increase in discretionary state aid funding for the communities um and uh additional options for communities.
like meals taxes, lodging taxes, those types of things. Additional taxes that we'll have an opportunity to enact as well as um property taxation flexibility, which whether or not they'll get those through, I I don't
know. But they're they're trying. Everyone's aware of it. If there's any comfort in understanding that it's not just us, it's not just us. um you read about some of our local communities, they're all struggling with the same the same situation. So,
this proposal is balanced. It will get us through next fiscal year, but I I don't think it's going to be easy for the next I don't know, three years. I would predict three or four years. So, more than that. Yeah.
>> I'm more of an optimist than you, Frank. Yeah, that's that's what I would say. So, if you want to start just with the very beginning of the warrant, we can we can go through each of the individual items. Um,
so starting with, you know, article four, which is the appropriations, you can see the total. Actually, Tracy, can I just u ask that looking at article three and looking at last year's town meeting, it looks like everything there is the same salaries with the exception of town clerk.
>> Correct. >> Is that correct? >> That is correct. >> I just wanted to call that just so that we >> acknowledge that that's the one that went up. >> Yes. Yes. Town clerk's um presented a proposal for a wage increase has been
pre presented multiple times um and based on the analysis that was more than warranted. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I'm sorry. Um and none of the other things on article one other than date and um no
>> article one. Did we change any of the we didn't change any of the terms? >> No. >> No, those are all the same. Okay. >> Those are all the same. All right. Nope. Article four represents the the total operating budget. Um you can see it
there. We're looking at um all of the cost centers. There's not significant increases there. Uh I'm taking up all your space here. the um in terms of increases by function
what we see in general government is about a 5% increase a little over a 5% increase public safety as I mentioned is about 8% education
this year is 5.3 DPW 2.9%. Human services are going down uh a little over 1%. Culture and recreation is up 8%. Debt service is down 24.3%.
I will tell you, people see that and think, "Oh, great. We're we're gaining levy capacity." We're not. We don't have any debt in our operating budget structure. All of our debt service is exclusions.
So any debt going forward would need to be exclusions because we have no room within our operating budget to fund it. Currently we have no living capacity. Um employee benefits are up about 5 12%. So
overall the total budget proposal is up 4.6%. And we'll in the booklet, like we do we've done the last few years, we'll include the breakdown of every individual line item so people can see exactly what functions are increasing or
decreasing. And Tracy, just as a clarification point, because this the warrant does not have the warrant is just the articles that we warn of. The motion on the floor will include to raise an appropriate as
well as the use of 250 from free cash. >> It will. >> It will. So when when the motion is made, it will explain the funds that will come from raise and appropriate the 250 from free cash and then we also have about 270,000 that
comes to pay that we take out of our um oh my god we take out of our I can't remember the name of the fund special assessment fund the the sewer betterment sewer and water betterment special assessment fund to pay for the debt
service for the Plum Island project. >> And I also just kind of looked up and these are my notes, so they may not be the official vote totals, but I have that talking about that PEG vote that we took last year, um, which was article 18 at last year's town meeting. By my
count, that passed 71% of, uh, the vote. It was 219 in favor, 89 opposed. Um, so that was the moving and it of the balance from the special revenue fund into free cash.
>> Correct. >> Okay. It was closing out and there was some conversation about what that was committed to and we were promised and just so everyone's clear. I I I just thought it might be helpful to read the language that was in the booklet. It
says there is a balance of $1,153,910 in the special revenue fund. If revoked, these funds would be closed out to the town's general fund to later be certified as free cash. These funds could be committed in the future to defer the increasing costs of education
funding or other town operations. So that you know that was what >> Thank you. And can you remind us what our free cash certification was in that we received in October? 3,285,964. >> I think you don't know it off the top of
your head. >> Thank you so much. So, so that so 1.1 of that three correct is from PEG, correct? Just wanted to kind of >> follow the money. >> Yep. >> Yep. >> Thank you.
>> So, that's pretty much in a nutshell the operating budget. Um, article five is our annual appropriation into the stabilization fund. We've it's been as high as, you know, 250,000 a year and
this is kind of the low where we've been the last couple of years. Um, currently we have a little over 172,000. If this should be approved, we'll have 222,000. Last year we had initially put in for and the initial article last year was
200,000 but the motion made on the floor was for 50,000. So this is level with what we did last year but we would end up with over 200,000. >> Okay. >> And there are no expenditures being proposed >> taken out of from the stabilization
coming out of stabilization at this annual town meeting. Okay. Thank you. Article six um is again our an annual appropriation. These probably look very familiar to you all by now into the um OPED trust fund. So we're seeking
200,000 to be deposited in. We have an OPED liability over 6.7 million. Um, right now we have a little over 1.9 million in the trust and if this should
be approved, we'll have a little over 2 million in the trust. >> Exactly. How does that work? I'm not I'm not really >> We have other postemployment benefits that we're required to pay on behalf of employees and it's what's called an
unfunded liability. So what we're trying to do, we're always we're always seeking um bond rating status, right? We're always trying to make sure our finances are in such order that we remain aa bond
rated community in the event that we, you know, have things like facilities to address and want to go out and issue debt, you want to you want to maintain those um that high level. And one of the things that communities are asked to do is to fund this liability, this unfunded
liability. It's always mentioned. I don't know if anyone like me reads our annual audit reports. It talks about this um >> I'm going to say that young lady right there. >> She probably does, but um it talks about
the unfunded liability and what communities should do. So, we're we're quite a ways away from being fully funded, but I like have the idea of having this article appear every year because it reminds everybody that it's
still out there. Um, so that's that's the commitment that we've made pretty much every year. When we started though, we were funding it within um the confines of two and a half. So, we were funding it within our tax rate. Now we're taking funds from free cash to
fund it. >> How does our 20 28% 28% funded standing compare to other municipalities within that same >> I don't think we're out of the range. There are a few in the Commonwealth that
have fully funded but not many and there are others that haven't even don't address it at all. >> Ours is not Commonwealth wide, right? isn't isn't ours only. >> Ours is only town of Newberry. >> Ours is town. It's not part of a it's not part of a larger uh really.
>> No, it's town of Newbury. We we do have an additional unfunded liability as as um a member community of Triton as well. >> Okay. And that's completely un I can't answer that, but I don't believe
I've ever seen it in their budget. >> I've never seen it in their budget. I read it. >> I'm not 100% sure, but I can find out. >> And Tracy, just to clarify on articles five and six, are those both come intended to come from free cash as well? >> Um the 50,000 from the stabilization
fund is uh raise and appropriate. >> Okay. >> And then uh the 200 for uh OPAB is cash. >> Thank you. And we're also required every two years to uh conduct an actuarial analysis and
the next article will fund that. >> Yep. >> And that would I'm assuming free cash. >> Correct. >> Got it. Okay. Article eight are our revolving funds. Those look familiar. I'm sure we have two. We have the recreation revolving
fund and the municipal waterways improvements and maintenance fund, also known as the harbor master fund. They um the fees that they take in fund their operations for the year >> and the recreation fund is at level with
last year and >> recreation fund is level, municipal waterways is up. >> Okay, I have a question on that. that recreation revolving fund has been at that same amount for years. >> Um, >> since I was on >> Yeah. Are they able to live within I
guess they're able to live within that because they're not asking for any additional. >> So, the only additional funding that they asked for this year and it is in the form of a line item is a very small payroll and expense account. So, um, in
the backup detail of the budget, which will be in the back of the warrant, they asked for a total of $15,000 >> and they can fund it within within this 50,000. Is that >> cannot? So, the funds that come in for
the rental of the fees, uh, the field fees, >> right, >> um, can only be expended for expenses that relate to the fields. >> Okay. So that small position is going to come out of the operating budget. >> Correct. >> Thank you. >> So they're getting into that's out of the operating budget.
>> Yeah. And they've had problems where with the basketball they, you know, needed to replace nets or whatever they need to do and they can't do it out of the uh revolving fund account. So this gives them a little bit of expense money
that they can make repairs as necessary. >> Great. Thank you. Article nine is the ambulance enterprise fund. That's up slightly from last year by only about $4,000.
>> And is that also because of insurance and and medical >> expense driven? Most of the um increases that you see in any of the expense budget are supplies, services, utilities,
gas. Yeah. Article 10 um represents funding that will be coming from the ambulance enterprise free cash. And there are uh three payments. So year
I think we're year three on the lease for the ambulance. That's a seven-year lease. The cardiac monitor defibrillator um was on last year, but they had hoped to get a grant, but they were unsuccessful.
The one they have is a 2010 outdated model. And I understand that OAMS, who is the agency that oversees the ambulance, is recommending that they address this. The Lucas chest compression device, we
have two. We're looking for a third one to go into the So, we would have one for each ambulance. It's a mechanical device that does the compressions, the CPR compressions. And do you know how much is in the
ambulance enterprise free cash fund? I somewhere $270,188. So if all of those were to be approved, we'd end up with about $122,000. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Mhm.
Article 11 um represents most of um our capital requests and those in particular that are funded with free cash equipment purchase which is going to allow us to move all the equipment from
High Road over here. Uh we've had a request for emergency management response vehicle for 69,000. The current vehicle is a I believe it's a 2007. Yeah, it's a 2007. Um and this past year
we spent over $7,000 in repairs. It's got a lot of rust. It's it's time for that to be replaced. Um we've had a proposal for um replacing the pilings at our town docks for
22,000. Those are over 20 years old as well. I believe 18 18. Uh we have had a request from the fire department for two sets of hydraulic
extrication tools. Total of 134,000. >> Is that a different term like from the jaws of life? >> That's correct. >> Okay. >> Yep. That's exactly right. Uh, one is 15 years old, the other is 20 years old.
The fire department has requested $100,000 for a record records management software system. Currently, we use IMC, which is um a system that the police department uses, but we've been notified that IMC may no longer be supporting
fire. So, we're going to have to um look into well, we're already looking into new records management software, but this looks like the best approach. We have a request for 250,000 for the senior center, the next phase, the
feasibility study and conceptual design. I wanted to mention though that fee in conversations with the architect would include if you wanted to consider um a senior
center and a town hall on that location. So that number could be reduced if the board wants to only consider senior center um then it would likely be less. So that that is the high end of
considering all of it. And the council on aging has also requested a transport vehicle to help people um to provide transportation for medical appointments. And I think I skipped the big one which was the Morgan
a fire station repairs. We had DMS design come out and do a report on all of the issues and last year we funded about a h 100,000 and this is the balance of what needs to be done. The report identified issues with roof,
gutters, um trim, siding, doors, windows, lighting, flooring, kitchen, and the most substantial were plumbing and electrical. So that would that number would address all of those things. Um
for a second, >> wasn't there a question about u $600,000 repair and a request also for possibility of a
new fire station? So yeah, I I mean is this a good segue? Chairman Jasper. >> Okay. >> To jump into it. >> Thank you. Listen. Um
looking at at uh the capital requests for the buildings that we have. Morgan, the Morgan Avenue Fire Station has been in in sad shape for a number of years and it it's been patching along, but
they have looked for and have requested a new fire station in the future. So, it's a future request. We have the same thing for the Council on Aging. We have the same thing for the um
town hall rent spaces. And so from the uh capital planning part of this, it makes sense to look for solutions to these problems on a
long-term basis and with a lot of flexibility so that the town can get the best bang for the buck. We've gone through this several times as you all will remember and people have um
looked at at combined facilities that were turned down. It turned out to be more expensive in the long run to go separate facilities. It's the recommendation of the capital planning committee to the select board
that it's time once again to put on the the agenda looking at those capital building needs
in a flexible way so that we can get our the best bang for the buck. Um, it's no surprise that if we can combine things, we can save some money and having uh having facilities that are
exclusively for one agency or another without sharing some of the common aspects that uh utilities would have, certain rooms would have um just costs more money. And so looking at that would
would be a long-term solution. Also, one of the studies that we did years ago um looked at how long we can expect these capital projects to go. And so,
um, Capital Planning did a a study years ago on the life expectancy of some of these buildings. And for buildings that were still in use but relatively old, we found that we
could expect uh a lot of buildings that have lasted from between 80 and 100 years in service in the municipal u service. And so that that inventory is
not an inventory that just lasts 30 years, which would be the mortgage perhaps, but in fact after the mortgage is done, uh you will have a building that is going to last a lot longer. That was a sticking point that came up the
last time we looked at a capital building plan. Uh and it was quite confusing I think to the people in the town who then voted it down as being too costly when when they did not see the sort of the tail end of
that project being a lot less expensive than than rental. So uh our recommendation is that the uh select board take that up as something that uh
we look forward to working on and uh coming up with some some viable plans that will serve the town for a long long time and still be cost effective.
>> Thanks again, Leslie. >> Thank you. You're very welcome. It it's there are so many things that are so needed in the town and it's right now
it's just unfortunate that the economic future here um not here in Newbury but nationwide is is kind of crazy. So, it's going to be these are going to be the things that
are going people are going to want to ask questions about. Well, it's it you bring up a wonderful point because u we had looked at this before u back when we were actually going
through a period of paying off our long-term debt and would have the ability without raising taxes to go for some uh funding options. that would have
been kind of level. That that period is now gone. But the need is still there. >> And as we had done in the past with with those options is uh we may have to do
that and looking at our alternatives. We're trying to find something and it would be trying to find something that in the long run is going to be cost-effective for the town and that's
uh you know and and I recognize that the town is going to be sensitive to that that uh it is one of the the realities of no we don't want to spend on this or that or something else but in fact that's that's the nature of of going
forward with the talent. You have to have to have those things. >> Operational question, Tracy, and then I'll tell you why. So, have we traditionally always lumped all these items into one warrant article >> the last few years? >> We've never extricated any of the larger
ones. I mean, the reason >> we've started doing, they call it a consent warrant. That's that was a recommendation of town council that we started doing. So, you're looking at a line item. >> Well, I Yeah, but I can't prove it. But um
to me it puts things that absolutely positively need to be done period at a disadvantage because it lumps them with things that if you're paying attention are debatable. So and let me and this ties back so
>> sure >> Marshall used the word confusing. I think it's more confusing now than it ever has been. I think we I think Marshall and all the people involved put a pretty straightforward plan together for large items in the past. Those did not pass.
Now, if you're paying attention and you're thinking about the fiscal future of your town, you're saying, "All right, 611 grand for the fire department. It's a mess. It needs to be fixed. I I get it. But we've been kicking around
this idea of a fire department for ages now. So, can that 600 number get by on a lesser number to get it because we're actually starting a plan to build a firehouse or 250k for a study for the Council on Aging plus 40 grand for a new
vehicle? Okay, I realize municipal studies are expensive. I understand that they're they're expensive. It is what it is. But if we're going to bandandy about with these ideas of joint facilities
and whatever else, is this money well spent in the interim? So with our voter turnout in this town, >> which is not great, and and granted maybe a lot of people are just not paying attention, but if you are paying attention, >> last year, >> what's that? >> About 350 last year. >> Yeah. But if you are paying attention,
we should be talking in real terms about the big items >> and cuz this this nickel and dimming if if we do want to do those things is going to come back and bite us. And it's and and these are not nickel and dime
numbers, you know. Um but yet by lumping all these together, well, you know, the town pylons need to be replaced. They're 22 years old. They fall apart. Yeah, it's 22 grand. We're lumping everything together when some of these other items I I think are worthy of
more significant discussion and and and and somebody to lay out a larger plan. >> May I speak to that for just a second because when we when we discussed this with some of the people who came forward
with requests >> Yeah. And we we talked just about those things. Some of those requests were were actually removed from the table pending a discussion from the select board as to
say, well, you know, if we won't be looking at a new fire station, then we don't want to fix the wiring in the old fire station. >> We want to, you know, let that we can live with this for a couple more years. Let's see how it goes. So, we are
sensitive to taking some of the things off of the table that you know if you put them on >> and I don't know if it needs to be I I and I I appreciate that and I understand it. I I just don't know that these things need to be left off either. I
think they need to be discussed as part of a little bit more concrete larger plan. Right? Because the numbers are >> large. They're B like >> it's for for a company or for a company for a uh a town that is quote unquote
flying in the face of our own fiscal response fiscal prudence that we used in the past to to fund our schools and what have you. >> 250k is a good number. It's a big number. You know, it's half the number that we're appropriating basically out of PEG funds in the past. And we're
saying, "All right, well, PEG was for the kids and okay, I'm I'm there. I'm with you. I'm I'm with you 100%. That's a big number. >> That's a big number. >> Um >> the only >> for a study >> for a study for a bunch of guys to give you a scary number as to what to what your COA is going to cost you.
>> But the 40,000 into it, it's almost 300 >> took 300 grand. The only the only problem I see is we've been discussing the fire station, the town hall, and even the senior center not quite as long.
>> But for the 15 years I've been here and the 10 years before I got here, >> and we've made no progress on any of this. >> We have a police station. >> We have a police station that costs more than we appropriated. It came in under budget after we appropriated correctly.
Right. >> And we bypassed multiple times of combined use buildings that would have been paid more than halfway paid off by now >> because we can't come up with a plan that is cost effective and makes sense
to the voters. And it is killing me to see $350,000 in the operating budget for 2027 to rent the building we are sitting in right now to rent this space. >> That is money. We wouldn't have to pull
money out of free cash if we were in a building. Yes, we'd still have utilities. >> Yes. But we are taking money out of our budget every year to put into rent. And how long have we been here now? We're now at 10 years. >> 10 years.
>> 10 years. 10 years that we have put this off. And I think we absolutely should have a longer term plan so that we get out of this. But it does have to we have to have people who care. when we
had 300 people showing up. We missed the vote for it passed by a majority >> but not >> for the multi-use but not twothirds >> and that is a shame. >> It you did you did bring up a good
point. It's the job here to get any of this done is our job to to help people understand
when you talk about money to anybody to just about anybody it's a really sensitive area. So the job and it's a hard it's a hard job and you know the formula has to be just right in order
for it to go forward and I guess it just hasn't been just right just yet >> and and that's I understand that point nothing gets cheaper ever nothing gets cheaper none of it does ever
>> and the longer that we and and this is to say like I certainly certainly don't want to be painted as I don't want firefighters to go without. I don't want them to have to work in a crappy building. >> Mhm. >> That that that's the furthest thing. Who know? However, we can just continue to
kick cans down the road. But if we don't talk seriously >> about, >> hey, these are our constraints on COA. These are our constraints or whatever. This is what we need to to to try and build a facility, bare bones facility. We can make it
better as a game, but it but one that up to code. >> This is what it costs today and this is how we would do it because the nickel and dime costs get bigger and bigger and bigger all the time. >> So, agreed. I have a question to Frank's
point. The $611,000 that's requested to upgrade the repairs to the Morgan app, >> where will that bring us? Well, that is that just a patch or is that going to permanently fix that? So, we don't need to discuss >> that will not permanently fix that
building. >> So, that's not a 20 year that's not a 20-year fix or a 10-year fix or >> that's that's new bathrooms basically. >> So, one year fix >> Oh, it's more than one year for sure. But but >> I mean it's it's
patching up something that when you look again you look at the most cost effective way. We have to look at time periods that people have refused to look at. And this was one of the big things that came out at our last uh town
meeting when we tried to do this, which was people said, "Well, here's what 30 years of rent would be. In 30 years of mortgage, 30 years of rent, the next year you rent again. 30 years of mortgage, the next year you're done."
And we showed that in fact the most coste effective thing to do was to combine build a new building. Now because we have three facilities
that are looking at new buildings. Two are rentals. Okay. We don't have a building to replace. One has a building to replace. It's time to get serious with this long-term stuff is is going to be cheaper for the town
long term, better for the town long term. And and quite frankly, we did a really poor job of selling that fact. And the people who did a really good job
of selling misinformation >> took the day. That's right. >> And and I think to to be fair, I think the cankicking numbers used to be a lot lower. >> Oh, yeah. >> Right. And all of a sudden now the can's got a lot bigger >> and those numbers start to show up on
the balance sheet of a town with 26 million. >> Yeah. >> We are right. I mean, when >> when when when basic when when uh uh duct tape and bubble gum repairs start to run you 600 grand, >> what happened? >> Yeah. you know, beyond that.
>> Um, and and I I personally think that that and I could be >> overestimating, but >> people are going to start paying attention, I think, cuz it is going it is >> and they're going to come in and say,
"No, no, that's too much. we you know >> and I that's where I think I don't know that that was my initial question was should things be extricated put in their own life item what have you because >> so Frank are you asking that I think what I'm hearing you say that this
article number you'd like to see that broken up into separate articles so article 11 should be like one two three four five six >> I just I don't want to I don't want to um I don't want to take you know a a moral stance for anyone one else. I
count for one vote. But I guess I'm just envisioning a scenario in which like, yeah, I want 600 grand for the fire department. I don't know if I want 250k for a study, you know, and it's like, well, since I got to pay 250 since a yes vote is 250k for a study, no.
>> Then you're going to get another >> because you're always going to clutch your wallet in a time of indecision. >> So, yeah. So, could you put holds on these items and then discuss it and then make amendments on the floor? Is that too complex? >> No, you can do that. Um, this is our capital plan for this year. So, that you
know like talking about how how do we propose this? That's one of one of the things that we've been talking about is we have all of these facilities that we need to address. What a lot of communities have done successfully but at significant expense is put together
the grand proposal and and I know no one wants to face it because then you're not talking about $40 a year like we were back in 2015. You're talking $1,000 a year. Um, but they put together a single
capital plan >> and they address all of the issues and they vote it as Triton building, middle high school campus and a town hall and a senior center and and they put that big number and they're even
hiring PR firms to help them get it through because the reality is, you know, Marshall, you mentioned we didn't do a great job at at promoting it, but we're not PR people. You know, the most of us, certainly any of us in town hall
wouldn't be promoting it anyway, but it's not something that we have great experience with. I think that a a combined capital at least a capital vision to sell >> before that gargantuan number from Triton comes rolling along to try and
get some of these things underway because um I I I think that I you know my concern is it's been for a few years that we're going to keep kicking the can and then all of a sudden it's like well we are at the end of the road everything
the can has become um there >> monolith and >> nobody's kicking it. >> Um >> so I don't know. I mean that that's I I'm I don't want to speak for anybody else. I I think that um I I think that
it might be advantageous to to break some things up by choice to to let voters say yes, I'm on board for public safety or I'm not on board for this or I'm whatever the case may be. So like in other words to to just kind of break it
down into a little small thing if you were to to put them into different categories, different articles that you would pro probably have more success on the projects that
um that people would >> you might just be a public safety person in which case you might well we need execution tools. we need >> or you could lose this whole thing. Period. End of story. >> I It feels to me that the more items you lump in there, the more likely you are
to get a no because if people are again, if people are even uncertain, the answer is no. If you come to me with with a grand plan like I need money right now for such and such, if I don't get it, even though it might be a great idea, if I don't get it, the answer is
no >> until you can finally explain it to me in a way that I can understand and why you need this capital, then I might come around. >> But I think I think you I you know, again, I come back to that word that most use confusing. I think some of this stuff is confusing.
I I I could see someone I say, wait a minute, aren't we aren't we like building new fires? We talking about building a new fire station um or COA, you know, I I know >> there's been no conversation about building a new fire station. So, >> that's a longterm request.
>> Just a quick question. >> Yes. >> So, this this 250, if I'm to understand it correctly, the 250 accounts for um the senior center and the town hall, potentially the fire station as well. >> No. So, this is not in the conceptual
design. So the senior the um council on aging u ad hoc committee we had a presentation Mr. Chairman I don't remember what the date was do you remember >> it was on a Saturday >> a Saturday few Saturdays ago um they had
done an analysis of site selection and um space needs so that and presented that publicly. The next phase would be um the conceptual design and the feasibility study. They they
narrowed it not down not completely to this Kentway parcel, but that seemed to be the parcel that rose to the top in their their discussions. It's large enough that it could support a senior center, but it could also support
an an additional building. We had always thought that there was a preference that that um High Road be the civic center complex, if you will, for lack of a better term. But it doesn't
seem that that people now that the municipal operation has been here for so long, it doesn't seem like people are um committed to only that location. >> So, would this be an alternative? could this
be the new civic center complex where you have the library, the senior center and the town offices there. So that was kind of what the conversation um how the conversation moved forward. But you know there there hasn't been any
discussion in terms of select board or capital planning as identifying yes we need to move forward with this particular site. Our opportunity as as Frank mentioned was 2015. We were going to address the public safety building
with a combined police fire station and the town hall because we knew Triton was coming. We knew we had pretty significant um expenses at the elementary school, which we haven't talked about that, but there's over a million dollars in repairs needed at the
elementary school as well. So, yes, we did kick the can down the road because we couldn't get it passed, but here we are. So, >> but it sounds to me just really sorry, Marshall, really quickly. Um, it sounds to me though like this 250k line item
doesn't fit the bill for what we need. So, my my thought is either we make it fit the bill for everything and we rename it, right? Is this phase one of our town center? like we rename it something that's applicable to that or
maybe we need to re-imagine what this is potentially. Um because I feel like 250K is a lot for something that's not going to tick all of our boxes, but I I feel very strongly that it would be helpful for us to dive into this. So, I don't
know if there's enough time to potentially update that, change that, or make that something else. But to to Frank's point and everyone's point here, we've kicked the can a lot and I just want to make sure that we um you know are thinking through >> I I and and I'll be I'll think you're
absolutely right, but I'll take it further in that it strikes me as premature. It it's it sounds like we're throwing 250k at another thing that we may well not do. >> Um and that's and and in the meantime, look, I I'm I know this makes me sound
like a kromagin. I understand that. But it's a tough cell when I pass an empty building on high road every damn day. Right. >> Yeah. >> It's and I get and I yield to Bob Connors on me. He knows what he's talking about. He says the rehab of this building cost >> so >> it's got a roof that doesn't leak.
>> So here's the door. Here's kind of all of this stuff is is important, but the big piece that's missing from this discussion is the cost that the rising continuously
rising costs of public education is not going to go away. We're going to see 10% increases year-over-year for Triton coming down the road. It's not going to change. We can't override
our way out of that those increases. So, something is going to get cut. It's either going to be public education or it's going to be town town, the town side of things because we continuously rent and the
rent goes up for this this space here. Our town office is here. The council on aging downstairs is going to come off. You're going to have half a million dollars roughly over the next three years. Every year,
half a million dollars in rent. that if we had a project that would be a debt exclusion, that half a million dollars would shift off of the operating side of the budget to the debt exclusion side of the
budget, which we have plenty of room for because we have very low debt right now. We have room to go up on that. And then that other half a million dollars will help offset. Will it completely offset
the rising cost of public education? No. But it will help it significantly. And we're still going to probably have to override our way out of a little bit of this. >> So what's like the next step? I guess like >> I say I am right now sitting here normally I am you know we see our
capital plan. I know that Marshall I know everyone who sits on capital planning has looked at all of these things. this 250 for the senior center is the one that makes me just want to say no to this. And I usually would vote yes on everything um to support this town and move us forward. But I feel
like we're throwing money at something that is it's >> not probably >> it's necessary, but it is in the co in the scheme of the fire station falling down. There's a decrepit building around the corner from my house that has been unoccupied for 10 years.
Like why can we can we do this to put this $250,000 to something that's for more of the town, not just for the senior center? That looks like we're building some we're thinking of building something for a small portion of our population. We're 6,000 people in this
town and we're going to we're going to we're sending the message that we're going to drop money into the seniors while we're paying rent and not funding education.
It just this one just bugs me this year. >> And it doesn't get it doesn't even get you a shovel stuck in the ground. >> Right. This is just >> and and the and and if it comes in, you know, again, I sound like a commodian and I understand that. >> No, you don't. >> But, you know, if a high flutin architectural
firm comes up with another I'm using the vernacular of the time around the town hall, comes up with another Taj Mahal looking project for the COA, it's going to go right to vote and it's going to get downed again and then and boom, you blew 250 and whatever else in the
process. How much does somebody think a senior center right now just to like we're not talking this is going to be a million dollar project. >> We're in multi-million dollars to build something. >> Four was the number banding around. Right. >> Okay. >> Building would be fine. >> Just a thought.
>> Yeah. >> You can fix it. Nice >> mandate as it's been written for the town is to look at fiveyear plans. I'm going to suggest that the select
board change that mandate to look at a longer horizon and a larger project for capital planning to ring in the 15 buildings
of the town so that we can come back with a much longer term uh Look, that includes, you know, things like the the fires, the uh fire trucks and the ambulances and the town docks
and the boats and all that other stuff. But what we have not had on there, and I think it makes sense to add to the capital planning mandate, looking at the buildings
and uh some longer term planning and and bringing in some other resources to to get some of that done. >> Yeah. >> I mean, it's not going to be done this year for sure. >> No. And but my concern is and and it's
you know again it's just a concern that cannot be alleviated I don't think which is you just as you get this all together and you got a Triton building about to smash you in the face >> but I mean it's an appropriate >> task for capital planning
>> to expand to do that >> to Erica and Frank I think they're both correct on the fact that you know your feelings are a little bit uneasy about the 250,000 and And not that you want to take away from the
seniors, but if most people, and I've listened to a lot of stuff sometimes, you know, to my dismay, but um it would eliminate the other things
that are far more important because if they look at if that's the determining factor of the vote, to say, "I'm not going to vote for that because I'm not going to vote for that full package because then you've eliminated all the other stuff as well."
>> Yes. >> And and so Morgan AB really takes a huge hit. Uh the pilings is they they all go all of it goes away. >> I just think Yeah. I think some of those things are very black and white. You need new draws of life, you need new
jaws of life. It is what it is, right? You got to pony up for them. >> It's they cost what they cost. There's no sense in debating it. >> Just even >> if you're in a wreck car, you want to get out. Period. You're right. That's it. >> Um, and I I just don't think that it it it holds the same it should be
classified in the same fashion as a feasibility study for something that, you know, if I were a gambler, I would empty my wallet. It's not going to happen anytime soon. >> I don't see it. So I I I just think I
think we have dissimilar items, very dissimilar items lumped into one category. >> And and one of the things that just just looking at the council on aging in the draft budget, >> the total amount of the for salary and
wages and expenses for that, not including rent, is less than $250,000. So, we're going to spend $250,000 that's not going to any service. It's the promise. It's not even the promise. It's the just to see if we can
build something to provide services that we only provide for at about $225,000 a year. It seems just to be an out >> conceptual in the title. which is going to conceptually entitle
it's going to be hard to swallow for >> Yeah, I think you're right. I just don't I feel like we're in a fiscal situation that we don't have money for. >> I think I mean I sat and I listened on that Saturday and I think in defense of the of the group that spent a lot of
time and effort in this project, I think that they do see all of these things that we're talking about coming down the road. I think they see the rent coming down and they're trying to find a solution and they're trying just to keep
it in the forefront of the town's mind because it appears as if the town hall need a backseat. >> I I I'm sure I'm sure that you're right, but I'm and I'm not saying that anyone's acting in any nefarious fashion. I'm not
saying that at all. But if but if it was me >> and I needed 250 for a study. >> I'm going to slip it right in with the fire department and the draws of life. >> I hear you. >> Cuz who the hell votes against the draws of life, >> right? I'm going to I'm going to package it right in there and is a line item and boom, I'll get my money.
>> Any of those can be >> first of all the select board will have to vote on all of these articles whether they leave them in or take them out. So >> that's the first step and then any of them can be removed or voted down at at town meeting. So it's not like you have
to vote for all or nine. You can vote for any of them individually just like you can for all the line items in our operating budget. >> Yeah. >> So when we build a new town hall, >> right? That's a when we um the first
step is going to be a feasibility design. Right. >> So, to your point about kicking the can down the road, at some point we're going to have to take the vote to say let's spend 250, >> but we also do have what close to 5 million
>> that would be we could the select board at that time could ask whether or not that would be dutifully spent from that >> project. I think we need to remember that that money was set aside by the voters to address the long-term capital
needs of >> the town >> of the town offices. So that that's where I think we need to get creative on what we're doing because free cash is a one-time thing and understanding that that would be our investment in the plan.
>> Right. and to speak to that property at 25 high road. Um because it sits in the historic district, they can't do the town can't make any renovations to that. It can't demolish it. It can't do anything to that until
the historical commission weighs in on that because if that building is truly historic, it needs to be protected. So that's the first step to do anything over there. >> Hi L. I see L here.
>> That goes by. >> And there's an agenda item tonight to talk about that. >> Right. Yeah. >> And on this I mean I don't know if we need to. >> Patrick, what do you see for the timing for the building committee uh at Triton? So, we're probably going to we just
actually had a meeting on it um this past week um to pick a designer. And so, we're looking the earliest that we would see a number would probably be in the fall of 2027 and the earliest that we would vote on funding it would be in the
spring of 2028. >> So, annual town meeting at the spring of 2028. >> Annual town years we could be looking at building. So that's something you have to hang out in the future is something that >> is going to >> Mhm.
>> converge in the whole plan of this what you were talking about last >> Yep. >> And then Whittier will be behind that perhaps. >> No. Whittier I hope the Commonwealth will pick that up. >> Perhaps. >> But until until we find out that hope is not a plan. >> I know.
>> I sat through that meeting that you were at. >> Yeah. >> You think the state's going to phone you up for that? >> Come on. I think they're going to put it with um higher education. Maybe >> that's the governor's vision anyways, I think. But even if you're talking about
a comprehensive proposal that would encompass all of the facility needs, if >> Triton's coming in 2028, we need money for the studies now in order >> for Triton or
>> wrap them all together. The Triton's one's already done. That's already >> It's already done. >> Yeah. Yeah. There's no >> But you're talking about tax. >> No. No. I'm talking like in order to get ahead of the 2028 vote, it means that spring of 2027, which is FY28, it's next
spring and we don't like we're sitting here and it was two years ago that we put forth the town hall, right? >> Was it two years ago or three years ago now? >> Could been three. So three years we've sat and just
>> who's count? >> So what are our options? Like is our option can we strike this from the cap budget for this year? Is our option do we revisit this and change this number based on our recommendation? Is this that we break it out and let
everyone vote like what's what are what can we do here? >> So this is a discussion right now is meeting with the finance committee and we're discussing the warrant. We're taking in information, listening, and then the select board will come together and vote.
>> You guys will vote the warrant about it and then you >> and then we will vote to recommend or not recommend each article. >> Gotcha. Thank you, sir. >> So, yeah, we have couple more >> couple more gorounds before this comes to town meeting. But yes, >> I kind of want to make it clear to the
public that's watching that, you know, budgeting, operational budgeting is a process. It doesn't just happen January 1. Okay, we're going to get our budget now. Let's go. It doesn't work like that. And that's why I know if people that follow us, follow our board
meetings, we'll hear the town administrator came to us, I don't know, Jan, end of February looking for possibly, you know, when she was putting preliminary numbers together. They look much different than they look they look now. You take the best estimate that you
have at the time to make educational guesses and that educated guesses. And that's how how we put this all together. And even after we meet now, when we get to town meeting floor, there's a good
chance that some of these numbers may change again because that's that's how that's all. >> Yeah. Yeah, stabilization's one that was at 200,000 when it was put on the warrant and then the motion at town meeting was for 50, >> right, >> last year. We've had ones and we've also
had ones that have come off entirely. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> we move we the select will move no action on >> no action on one of them. >> Just we don't want to do it. So, >> um, >> yeah. So, it's it's a big process and we're in the middle of it. Making the
sausage. Article 12. Um, so this proposes our expenditures from free cash. It includes municipal offices security system. That's uh it's an internal system. It's for cameras. It
would allow for um access to the PD um panic buttons, uh alarm panels, door chimes, the likes. That's for $9,000. Uh the public safety, we updated the town's website, but we have not done the
public safety websites. So, that's for $6,000. That would incorporate it into the town's website as well. Library needs a new printer. performance is poor and it also is not secure.
And the historic commission committee is requesting $3,500 for celebrations and restorations of maps and the likes. Uh so that all would
be coming from free cash. Can we go back to the capital planning for a question? I have another question that I didn't ask. I'm sorry. For the council on aging transport vehicle for $40,000. We already have the van. We do. How come they need this, too?
>> Oh, go ahead. Explain that. What they have is a van that is a pretty large vehicle. for taking one person to a doctor's appointment or something, finding a driver for the van can be very difficult. Whereas, if they have a a
sedan or a small SUV, just about anybody can drive it. And so, it just fills in that blank. >> Okay? >> And it's uh what they're looking for is a used probably a a compact
vehicle. >> Okay. the SUV types are easier for people to get in and out of as well. >> Thank you. >> I'm sorry. If I could uh just ask a question about that as well. So, you buy
a $40,000 vehicle. Um, do you have to hire an additional person to drive the vehicle? >> I believe their intent is the staff. >> Staff staff only staff or volunteers can drive. That changes liability insurance though too, doesn't it?
>> No. >> No. If you >> Okay, there are >> What do the volunteers drive now? >> Pardon? >> What do the volunteers drive now? >> Own vehicles. They don't >> they drive their own cars. And we have one person who is the van
driver. And so this would be basically a vehicle that people could come and say, "Okay, I need need you to take Marshall to the doctors. Um, fine. Take the van or somebody needs to
do something that is we're not going to take the the large van out for that. >> How frequent are these? Did they say >> they have said that it's relatively frequent, but I I don't have a number for you. And
again, if it's if it's not terribly frequent, it lasts a long time. And $40,000 what we have said is certified used, not new.
>> If they use their current vehicles now, are they reimbursed for um mileage? >> I don't have an answer for that. >> Thank you, Marsha. You're welcome. Sorry to go backwards.
>> Quir want to know minds want to know what's the unpaid bill for UMTC and I know that this is going to take a 56 majority or something four fifths majority depends to pay it 9/10 >> um 9/10 majority it's for unemployment
um expenses. Uh, so we had a a new system was implemented by our vendor and notices weren't issued until after the beginning of the next fiscal year. So that one was missed. It is verified and we are responsible for it. >> All right.
>> Because that's a big number. Usually they're like $78. >> Yeah. >> It wasn't a tree. >> Yep. >> Okay. And article 14 um is for a a new all a new proposal for
a reserve compensation fund. And we have our team from the HR board here with us this evening. Uh chairman Mark Lechman and Diane Doyle who is the employee rep to kind of walk us through this. Come on up.
Thank you. Mark Lechman, 28 Riverview Drive. Um, here at the lectern in my official capacity as chair of the HR board. I'm joined this evening by Diane Doyle, another of the longtime members of the the HR board and one of our two
employee representatives to the board. And um we're here to just share a few thoughts about where the concept for this article came from. And uh I promise to be brief, but happy to answer any questions you may have. Uh the idea for
this reserve compensation fund was born out of an exercise that we did back in late summer, early fall along with an outside uh municipal compensation and classification consultant who came in
and did us an exhaustive study for us looking at how we classify our roles, all employees of the town, what our compensation plan looks like, Uh and what we asked this consultant to
do is to you know pick at that program to see what its strengths were, what its weaknesses might be and how we can make it better going forward. And the result of that was a a new classification system which we've now been using for the last couple months which is more
robust. I think better serves the the needs of the towns and its employees. Uh but what also came out of it is a conclusion that while Newbury in general has done a fine job with uh its
compensation program clearly we have fallen below uh the marketplace if you will not across the board but in uh in looking at a number of positions town we fall below
competitive communities around us in both the entry level the midpoint and the tax, not dramatically so, but enough that it caught our attention. And as a result of that, we've been chewing on an idea for the past few months of creating this reserve
compensation fund. We've spoken at length with Tracy about it. Um, and what we tried to do in in the creation of this fund is to answer two basic questions. One is how can Dubbury be
forward thinking about the challenges of hiring, training, and most importantly keeping valued long-term employees. The second question is how does the town, if it chooses to, how does the
town ensure that the fund is created and administered with the proper checks and balances, it's practical in its use. uh and most importantly uh allows town meeting voters the ultimate authority here of approving or denying the uh the
fund. Uh I don't have the uh the article in front of me, but I understand it's it's fairly quick, one paragraph. And uh my hope is that uh if you choose to move forward with this this article that the
corresponding warrant explanation will flush out a lot of the details specific examples of when this fund might be used. >> Do you want to hear the wording of the article? I'm >> sorry. You want to hear the wording of the article to determine if it does
address what you want >> the more explanation or the article itself. >> The article the the article itself. >> Okay. The article itself, my understanding was fairly brief. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I think it's a good >> Okay. >> Yeah. The warrant explanation that I
assume will come with it will give much greater detail about you know where the money is coming from examples of the specific needs that might come up >> for the use of this fun. >> Okay. Gotcha. >> Yeah. >> Gotcha. >> Yeah. We the warrant explanations
usually get drafted by because it's a finance committee booklet. So what we would do is work in conjunction with Tracy to come up with the language on that and then we end up uh voting it as the finance committee, right? >> To get the appropriations thing. >> We're more than happy to lend a hand
there. >> Excellent. Yeah. So who would I guess that's the thing is that what would be what would the process for >> withdrawing money from this look like? >> What the process look like? >> Yes. So, if we needed if you needed to
take $5,000 out of this reserve compensation fund, >> who would make that? Who would vote on that? Because like we like the finance committee can >> the reserve fund >> only we can vote that money. So, how does this 25 get voted out?
>> Right. We look at it as a two and potentially a three-step approval process. >> Okay. which again makes it, I think, fiscally more prudent and and more importantly, it gives town meeting voters a peace of mind that this isn't just a willy-nilly expenditure of funds,
whether it's $5 or $5,000. So, the understanding is that a uh department manager might come to Tracy indicating a need based on certain criteria that have been established for the use of the fund.
Tracy would need to approve it. From there it would need to go to the select board for second level of approval. And on the rare occasion where the HR board might be asked to weigh in, we would be a third vetting process. Again, the HR board does not have any
jurisdiction over compensation matters per se other than the fact that we set the the the uh the table, if you will. uh trust >> we are certainly there at any point in time you need us to to advise and consult on whether this is an
appropriate use of the funds. So there would be specific criteria under which the funds could be used. Uh there'll be a two or sometimes a three-step process of approval before any expenditure is made from the fund.
Every year the town will create a report at the end of the fiscal year talking about the uses of that fund with an understanding that any and this is critically important. Any money that remains in the fund at the end of the fiscal year would revert back to free
cash and each year town meeting will have the opportunity to vote yes or no to recreate the fund in the subsequent year. So in effect, this is a one-year test to see if it's an effective use of the funds that have been appropriated
from free cash. The hope, in fact, the expectation is that in many years there will be no money expended from this fund. As Tracy has talked to us about, often it's rare when
you may need to use $5,000 or $10,000 or whatever whatever it may be for the purposes of keeping a valued employee in his or her seat. By the way, I was as I was listening to that robust conversation before
I should since I say as a 50-year resident of this town, I very much appreciate that robust conversation about capital needs. Our job is to look at another kind of a capital, human capital needs. This town I think has been blessed for many years with great
employees, high quality employees, long lasting employees, loyal employees. But there there always comes a time when even the most loyal employee may be enticed to go elsewhere in the very
competitive municipal marketplace. Or perhaps someone's role has significantly changed, has taken on increasing responsibilities as a result of a reorg and perhaps more money is needed in a very challenging budget environment as you folks have been talking about for the last hour.
And so uh we understand that that there may be years that that funds are are appropriated from this uh municipal compensation fund. We hope that there are years where no money is used from it, in which case the entire 25,000, if that's the number that town meeting
votes on every year, we go right back into free cash. Very transparent. Hopefully, everybody feels it's a practical need. Uh, and one that's important to make sure that we maintain the balance of uh of a great employee
population. >> So, the most common application this is essentially a counter offer fund. cover offer fund. Sometimes we have issues that pop up um in CVAS, they might cross fiscal years. Um we had
a situation happened that kind of brought this to light this past year. We had um an assistant position that was a very strong employee
who left to go to another community and before I could even prepare reserve fund transfer to bring before you guys it was kind of already resolved. >> Um >> so this this would decrease the time. >> It would allow us to be a player a
little bit. No, really. Cuz I'm going to say like I know we've seen reserve company transfers in the past few years. Every once in a while we'll see one about this. Um but it's not it hasn't been. >> Just a quick question uh comment first.
Um I like the phrasing or the framing of it as being a one-year thing that we're going to try out and see if it works because I mean hope it works. But um but the 25 25,000 what like what how did you come up with that particular number? You know why not 50? Why not 10? What's the
>> We initially had 50. >> Well, what we tried to balance was the potential for need with the likelihood of passage of town meeting frankly. >> Yeah. >> And there's no magic number here. It could have been 50. Uh we were batting
as Tracy better 25 to 50. We felt that especially given the fact that as an example in this previous year indicated there probably would have been no funds >> appropriated from that that fund and so we thought 25k was a prudent number a
number that hopefully town meeting voters would look at and say it's reasonable. By the way, it represents I believe the $25,000 figure represents less than one half of 1% of the overall
wage budget anticipated for FY27. So, it's a small ask. It's a big number, but it's a small ask. I guess that's also less than 1% of free cash. I understand you've already been talking about for you know all the challenges of you having a free cash but
this is our baby and this is >> is there any other communities around us that have this fund >> there are some weed to do a little bit of homework on that and realized that digging at that was was a challenge in of itself a number of towns have it but
they have it as a line item as part of their operating budget and my understanding and I'm married 55 5 years. My wife doesn't let me near the checkbook. So when it comes to budgetary issues, I'm going to turn it over to the to the experts here,
the subject matter experts. But my understanding is because of the way Newbury does its budgeting, >> it would have required us to create reserve compensation funds in each of the budget categories. >> Every department, every department would have that that would have become a you
know a bureaucratic nightmare. So we came up with this as a as a creative solution to make it one bucket. In theory, you know, any department with proper justification could go to a manager and ultimately Tracy and I should say ultimately then to Tracy,
then to the select board for your approval. So two-step approval process, maybe a third with HR involved. We're hoping that this would give town meeting voters comfort, you know, appreciation for the fact that human capital, while the numbers aren't
as large perhaps as as they are for some of the the the physical capital needs that the town has, it's just as important to make sure that we maintain a workforce that that continues to provide exceptional quality service to the residents of Newbury, Biffield, and
Plum Island. >> So, I have one more question. Why why did you choose the select board to be the second authority? Like the res is there a fund transfer right now is the finance committee like why wouldn't this sit with the finance committee as well?
Um, so I I we did think about it. Um, but it seemed to make more sense where you're the appointing authority. Um, and I do all the the reporting to you when there's new hires and it it could lay with either board.
>> I would also say that the frequency with which the select board meets is more timely to these types of decisions. If we are in putting together seven of us to approve something for this in a month then we have a no other >> business there's certain months of the
year that we aren't you all >> don't even meet >> yeah we yeah we there's yeah in January we didn't meet so this would be something that I think you guys would be a more >> able to act more timely nimble yeah >> to to achieve because like that's thing like if it could have been a reserve
time transfer >> reserve fund transfer and they that there was not enough time for that then our board would slow the process down. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Anything? >> I just want to add Frank. Um obviously
it's you know we set the budget as you're discussing now. We set the budget, those salaries in many of those departments are set at budget time. And we do see that within the work that we do here, a lot of times our departments are very thinly staffed and we're being
asked to take on more responsibility and more things that come across our desk, whether they be mandates or what have you. So um this was an opportunity to address and again just to to clarify there would have to be a justified need increase in hours or you know looking at the compensation for that particular
position. Um and the last thing I would say is that again you know you're being many of the departments are thinly staffed and rather than lose a skilled seasoned professional be more cost-effective to be able to utilize a fund like this to retain and or support
increased needs in those departments. So that's sort of the key points that I I take away from why why we think this is imperative especially in light of the budget that you're discussing. One could one could argue well 25,000 is you know is is on top of all the different items
that you're discussing but I I think that it's important to retain the staff and the skilled level that you have >> um rather than have to increase your staff. >> Yeah. No, I I I had assumed when I read it, I assumed counter offer fund because I I know that Tracy had tried to jump
through some hoops for somebody last year, I think. And >> and the idea that somebody's going to postpone their other potential employers. Well, I got to wait till >> Yeah. >> I got to wait till town meeting to see if I can >> and if I can, then I'm not going to take
your job. is, you know, it's not, >> we tried to make this as time sensitive as we possibly could while still maintaining the integrity of a two-step approval process. >> Yeah. >> So, >> y >> any other questions? >> Thank you for your time. >> Thanks.
>> Thanks, Diane. >> Excuse me. >> So, the next sections are the citizens petitions. We have received those two petitions to date. one relative to the Asgars
and um the second one was requesting the use of free cash to pay educational assessments in the amount of 500,000. >> Quick question. This was a article 15 says a resubmit. >> It didn't pass.
>> It didn't pass last time. Is that why >> this is different from the one that was presented before? This is regulating it on private property, >> right? That's what Yeah, that's why I'm like it's a resubmit of a home petition. I'm kind of confused by that, but >> yeah.
>> All right. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> I I How is this >> and they're suggesting that >> get into it, but how is it enforceable? We >> Well, they're suggesting >> ascar inspectors. >> They're suggesting that the board of health be the inspectors and we have one
>> one Yeah. Yeah. So, we already had one health inspector looking to Okay. >> So, it it it it would certainly need a whole team, I would imagine. And I'm not sure how they would report it or how what >> Yeah, it's got to make sure nobody's using rat poison.
>> Yeah. Okay. Um and I noticed that on 15 it says who inserted at the request of. Is that because of the language they submitted? That was the language they submitted. But when town council reviewed, excuse me, and provided some feedback today,
she suggested that we put um language in here which has already been updated that um says uh it was submitted by um Jack Ryiki and I believe 12 citizens. That's for 16 for 16. Okay.
>> All right. And then that in his 16 is >> frankly unne unnecessary if we pass article 4. >> Correct. >> Right. And also I also kind of thinks that we'd
voted to take it from free cash. That's okay. That is one thing to fully fund such assessments and thereby approve the district's budgets. for the year is that's a step too far is
that that isn't the vote. We can't vote the school district's budget in a citizens petition petition. >> So I what happens when we receive citizens petitions is we have to take the language as >> as they put it. Okay.
>> It's like asking for money to put in a gate that you can't put in. >> Right. So, has town council reviewed this article yet? >> Yes. >> And she approves the like the the language or >> We don't approve the language.
>> No. >> So, it just language >> submitted. >> If this passes, the 500,000 would go into the operating budget. It wouldn't be expended. >> It would be closed out
>> and it would be closed out as free cash at the end. >> Okay. >> Why is it confusing? >> It's It is confusing. >> It is. It's confusing. It's redundant. >> It's redundant. It's confusing. And it's it's disappointing.
It's disappointing when when you know >> this happens a couple this has happened to us a couple of times in the past with other residents not not just Mr. Right, Vicki? But other residents that um they don't understand the process. They don't understand how municipal government
works, governance work. They don't understand that how the process goes. And then they they put these things up here and it's just confusing. So, we'll just have to speak to this article. Need to control the narrative. If article 4
passes, is would there be an opportunity for whoever put this article six on here to the citizen to actually step forward and repeal their >> withdraw? >> That would be an option. >> Move no action. You could move them. Someone can move it. No action.
>> Did that the someone has to be the person that one of those? >> No. And anyone can anyone >> I mean he can whoever presents these can withdraw them at any time between now and so you're not um you're not going to be signing the actual warrant until the
14th. >> Um so there's an opportunity to withdraw them between now and then or if it's not withdrawn and it remains on um you could move someone could move no action pass over it. So based on what we've
discussed tonight and based on what's in article 4, >> to your point, it's redundant. So there's the time to remove it before town meeting or even if it gets to town meeting to wait for the vote to just take this off the table. So, article 17 um is
um in relation to the meals tax. So, this is taking the formal vote at town meeting um in the hopes of collecting about 68 $70,000
a year in meals taxes. Don't we already 75% or 75 cents on a bill? >> 75%. >> 75% >> okay. >> Yeah. >> So that needs to be add the percentage needs
>> and then we say how grand 75 bill >> the select board approved it. >> Oh the select board approved it but we haven't put it in front of town. Got it. Okay. All right. Right. So this is the town meetings like and that will go in the rationale is that it's already been approved and that the amount expected is
68 to 70k paid for by those individuals who choose to dine in our town. >> Right. >> Gotcha. Right. >> And we know that Newbury Port has >> they have this as well. They do. They do. >> Oh yeah. >> Okay.
>> And then 18 is a lodging checks. >> And I see that is for short-term rentals. So that list of short-term rentals, those individuals could then they'd be adding they could add 6% to their rental in order to collect this and pass it back
to us. >> Okay? >> And that's passed on to the guests obviously. And there's also an application fee, a $250 application fee, which could bring in about another $40,000. But um given the lists that
we've received from the state um we're finding out that a lot of them are no longer doing it or they properties have sold. So the list isn't great but it has the potential to bring in another 40,000
from the application fees. So yeah, so article 19 was submitted by the police chief. It was it's basically a solicitor bylaw. It was at the request of some residents because we're seeing more and more people in town and this
requires them to to um be vetted by the police department before they're allowed to go out campusing around town. >> Didn't they always have to before? Wasn't that always Did you have to check in with the police if you were gonna go door? >> In most towns that have the spy law, we
just didn't have >> We had somebody solar panels. That's always then you get people posting out on Facebook like, "Hey, did you see this person walking around with the clipboard?" >> He's from
Exactly. I have a question on this one. How does the solicitor know that he has to go do that now? >> I'm kind of someone calls, >> we'll send them to the police department. >> That's what's happening. At least get
all the calls. >> Okay. >> So, um >> looks a good question. >> So, article 20 is the um law study committee. This has not had its public
hearing yet. So that's occurring uh in April one. Is that right? Believe >> I believe it's April 13th. >> April 13th. But uh town council has come back with some amendments. They she had some identified some concerns. So she's
going to be offering um amended language to the the low grade historic study committee. >> Is that going to be ready for town meeting? I hope so. You've >> been working on this two and a half years. >> I know.
>> But in your defense, I believe the Massachusetts Historical Commission held you guys up for a for a little bit, >> right? We had somebody that was going to gave us twoe turnaround on the review and they quit before we got into it. >> Yeah. >> And then it took months and we missed the meeting last year.
>> Yeah. for two years. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Pretty much. >> This is this is already facing a rough road, I'm afraid. Twothirds majority. >> Nobody is in the local historic district
unless they want to be. Everybody there is thumbs up. >> Okay. >> I visited three of them last week. Everybody wants to be in it. full disclosure on >> in the in the proposed district.
>> How how many how many residences in the proposed district? >> Uh eight or 10 residences total or is it far more than that? >> Um there's there's more than 10, but some of them are two of them are
cemeteries. So I better know >> they don't have a lot to say. >> 12 rings a bell, so 10 sounds right. few cemeteries. >> So about about a dozen residences in the
>> and they're all surrounding the in either the approaches to or surrounding the Greek. >> Tracy, is there any financial implications of any of the bylaws changes? Um well certainly the well the ones other two that we've already gone beyond
these this >> article 21 is um the proposal that's already been approved by the select board changing the zoning board appeals membership >> and then we get to article 22
and we have the chairman of our planning board night who's here to kind of discuss the the rest of the All right, Martha Taylor, I think. >> Oh, yes, she is there. Okay. >> Hide behind the >> Okay. Former planner Martha Taylor.
>> Hello everyone and thank you um for considering the um articles. I believe it's 21 through 25. Um Martha the special projects uh planner has been working on this now
the second year of the reotification a lot of our stuff and then I'll leave it to her to explain some more. She's been working hard at it. So >> thank you. >> Thank you buddy. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. I'll try to make
this really brief. It's I know we got a lot to talk about and the zoning stuff is uh quite a lot. So I'll try to make it a little more simple. Um so article 21 as Tracy already mentioned that's the increase in the membership of the ZA and
that's already you guys are familiar with that. Um as part of the zoning process the planning board is required to hold a public hearing on any potential zoning amendments. So that was referred to the planning board for public hearing. public hearing was held last um at the last meeting on March
18th and the board voted to recommend that. So that's you know formally coming back to you. Uh the next what we're calling a new article is on inclusionary zoning and this is something that has this is article 22 on the warrant. uh something
that the the board has been talking about for many many many years as as a potential bylaw amendment to help increase um affordable housing within the town. Our approach is a little bit
different. Um in discussion with town council, we came to the conclusion that it would be best rather than requiring any developer of developments over a certain number to actually include an affordable unit, it would be to incentivize them to do it. So the way
we've written the bylaw is anybody who's doing four or more units um can provide a if they a provider an affordable unit they can get an incentive of one market rate unit. So
um and that number is if it's 80% of the area median income it would be one if it's 60% of the area income two bonus units. So the hope is that this will actually be be a mechanism for for increasing our
affordable housing. We've already had few initiatives, the accessory dwelling unit um update which we had last year and the MBTA communities which we had the year before. So that is the next one. And then article
23 um is the start of what we're calling the new conication articles and we're dealing with that a little bit differently than we have in the past and discussing with town council because the recottification
u basically includes almost every single article in his own bylaw. We've created a separate booklet that the article language in the warrant will refer to and that includes the language of it's it's articles 2 through 11 that are
actually involved in in the recontification. Um, so it includes the language of all of those and um, it involves things like cleaning up um, boundary desript um, zoning and
district boundary descriptions. There are no changes to the boundaries, but the descriptions are being updated. moving uh definitions that are specific to certain um sections of the bylaw, such as wind, energy, moving them from the back of the
bylaw to within that particular section. Um some language that town council has recommended to bring it into um sort of current current practice um compliance with Mass General law, things like that.
some changes that have been made to agree with current practice of the zoning board of appeals. For example, they we have language in the zoning bylaw right now about findings, but almost everything they do is a special permit. So, um I I'm happy to go through the changes
in more detail if you'd like to, but I also don't want to get into the into the weeds for you too much. Um the next article um so article 24 is um the second part of the reconification which is changes to the table of use
regulations. Um we took a took a look at it in terms of some of the uses. Um but probably the biggest change is recommending change to the special permit granting authority to really put it mostly on the land use
boards. In other words, this the planning board and the zoning board of appeals, there were a number of uses in there, special permits granted by the select board and that was really a holdover from previous iterations of the bylaw. So, in almost all cases and in
some cases the same use was in some districts um special permit by the select board, in other districts special permit by the planning board. So we've tried to make it more consistent and again sort of put that in the hands of the land use boards because the select board really deals with other kinds of
permitting licensing and that kind of stuff. Um and there were some changes that were made to agree with changes that were voted in in previous years in particular MBTA communities and the accessory
dwelling bylaw. And then the next one, maybe the biggest change, article 25, um proposes that we put all of our um clean energy related bylaws, the um
wind bylaws and solar bylaw and a new battery energy storage bylaw into a new article. So this would become article 11 and then the following articles would be remembered accordingly. Um there are not many changes proposed
to the large wind and small wind. Um solar has been um largely um reorganized and updated to become consistent with kind of two things. One is case law um which has basically said that solar is
is a protected use and needs to be allowed within you know a certain amount of town by right as opposed to requiring it by special permit everywhere. And um also last year or two years ago now, the state passed um 2024
uh climate act which is establishing a um consolidated permitting process. So this this change to the bylaw is intended to be consistent with that process.
So it also includes the new battery energy storage bylaw. Um and um that looks at battery energy storage in terms of its storage capacity and has three tiers um tier one, tier two, tier
three depending on the question the amount of storage capacity that it has and also whether it's it's accessory to a use and being fed by solar or whether it's being fed by the grid. So I those are those are the
the five articles that are being proposed and we did hold the planning board held the um held its public hearing on March 4th for um the re recottification articles and the inclusionary zoning article to recommend.
So I'm happy to try to answer any questions if you have them. >> Um in the draft article is it the highlighted yellow parts. Is that a typo? Articles 23, 23, and 25. Should that be 23, 24, and 25? >> Probably. >> Okay,
>> thank you. Yeah, it's been going back and forth a little bit. >> It's in a couple of places. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We'll be double checking all of that. Thanks for catching that. >> Any any questions? >> Thanks, Martha. Thanks, Rudy. >> Thank you. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you. >> So, we're going to pick up I think at 2026 business licenses. Would you like to go? >> We are going to close. I will entertain a motion to close the finance committee meeting. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I
this group will reconvene on Tuesday, April 7th, where we will discuss this, start our draft ration. We will not vote on our recommendations until after the select board has set the warrant. >> Okay, that is that is set for April 21st
right now. That's when we're going to vote. You guys are going to probably 14th as you all exact. I'm going to not be around. I'm going to be in London. >> No. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Thank you. Bye.
Thank you. Thank you. You >> want to take a five minute break or Yeah, let's take Where are we now? If >> if my check marks are okay. >> Business licenses. >> 2000 business license renewals. >> Yep.
>> We did the election markers. >> Yep. >> Business license renewals and the new one. Then the public properties >> and then the high road. >> Oh. Are we talking?
>> Okay, we're good to go. >> Okay. Um, let's pick up now and u we're going to review and approve the 2026 business license renewals. So, let's uh have a a motion to go through that list. >> I move that we review and approve the 2026 business license renewals
in tandem or all together. >> We can read them all together. >> All together, please. >> Can you second? Second >> all those in No, not yet. Boat Restoration Ralph Johnson Jr. President doing business as Per Lel Company
incorporated at Lane's End General Business Bait Shop. Elizabeth Molton dash Cowi and Martha Molton doing business as Surfland Bait and Tackle LLC at 30 Plum Island Boulevard. >> That's it.
Any discussion of the two these two licenses renewals hearing? None. All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. Review and approve new 2026 business licenses. I move that we re
review and approve the 2026 BIS new business license for the used car dealers license class 2 to Anthony Sabatino DBA Autobarn at two Highfield Road for internet sales by appointment only.
>> A second. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> I >> I >> as a public property use request from Ton Woodruff on behalf of the Governor's Academy for Middle Road to hoist four floats in Gangway into the river.
>> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> All those in favor? I >> I. >> All business. 25 High Road historical significance. >> Okay. Um,
Mr. Chair, I move to direct the assistant town administrator to submit a demolition application to the building inspector pursuant to bylaw chapter 65 section 4 for the old town hall at 25
high road. >> Second, please. >> Second. >> Discussion. I I believe this is what formally kicks off what your committee needed to move out and do that study. >> Right. >> That's why you guys couldn't go forward
on your on one of your meetings, right? >> Sorry, what? >> That's why you couldn't go forward on one of your one of the meetings, >> right? Because all the all the explanations were in in there. So, we we couldn't consider it because we weren't sure what was going to happen to it. It wasn't a demolition. And it was the
question actually to us was is it a significant structure and the answer was yes it's in historic district. >> So that that was easy. Now the question is it is it preferably preserved and we have all the criteria for that.
>> Perfect. >> And then we'll discuss that and then there'll be a vote I guess. How how long a period of time do you have to >> there's a there's a this time period in the demolition >> 30 days I think by law5 >> the days are spelled out I'm not sure
what it is but >> if you look at bylaw 65 it spells it out of hearings >> the timing of hearings so the whole process exactly >> I've already done the whole preliminary one but I'll present to the group
>> any more questions about this hearing none all in favor I >> I Anyone opposed? >> Opposed. >> So, okay. Passes three to one. >> Yeah. >> So, I'll go home. >> Good night.
>> Thank you. >> Good night. Oh, by the way, Annette, thank you for the KitKat. >> Excuse me. >> Enjoy dinner. >> Okay. >> Meeting updates. >> Leslie, anything? Uh
I went to the um capital planning last week and um basically the discussion that we had this evening was what was discussed as far as uh the
fire department, the COA, things of that nature. Um, and I didn't make it to the ASUS meeting this week, but I and I
didn't bring my notes with me, but uh, Sadi up did update me with notes from uh, Deb Rogers because she has some information um, as far as that's concerned for the as they like to call it waste watchers
and for the waste management. And so there were some really good explanations on what we're doing, how like even um the recycling at Melo began, how we and all of that and and and how we can
go further on that to be a greener community. >> Okay. Anything? >> No. Patrick, >> as I mentioned earlier, we had a meeting um with the Triton School Building Committee and uh the a subcommittee of
the Triton School Building Committee to talk about the designer selection. And um the only thing I would share that I think was was important was um as you know, it is a middle school and a high school. And so the designer that um is most likely to be selected um has done a
number of middle schools, which I think was actually good. so that they'll be a they have the experience of how do you blend a middle school into a high school while still keeping a middle school separate. So, um I think that's a good a good qualification. Um and apparently they they have worked with there was
that list of all the subcontract subcontractors that they would use and a lot of the subcontract contractors on that list were already companies that Triton has been using before for other things and so it it looks like it's going forward really smoothly. A >> lot of continuity there.
>> Yeah. Excellent. >> It's like a lot of people are nervous about their kids coming out of elementary and going into middle and being blended in with high school kids. >> Yeah. >> Age the age difference and maturity
difference. >> Right. And for me talking to the the or looking at the designer's uh submission was seeing that they had done middle school so that they could clearly architecturally and design and through a design a purposeful design have a
separation of the schools on the same campus and like sharing you know things that need to be shared but at least some sort of design intentionally designed physical se separation of middle school and high school. Yeah. So, >> are they recording those, Patrick, so
they can be watched on YouTube? >> This one was at the um this was just a subcommittee to to review the design submissions and it was at the um at the high school in the in the central office conference room. So, if there was a
camera on, I didn't notice it, but um >> yeah, >> and there were people, it was uh Nerissa from the school community. um >> somebody somebody who was there as a sort of a citizen rep from the the um district and then
>> from Rally or just from from Titan and then >> and myself and then like the superintendent and the principal and all that. So >> yeah, was Michael Co there? >> No, not from that one. >> I have a bunch. The last time we met was
on March 3rd. On March 4th, uh Tracy and I both went to the regional agreement amendment committee at Northeast Community College and that work is proceeding. On the 5th, I went to the DCC meeting. You were there in Salsbury. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Um
>> Yeah, that was >> And you were there as well. >> Mhm. >> And Patrick was there as well. >> That was exciting. >> Fifth, uh let's see, three four >> on the 10th I was at Peter Hall. We had a meeting about a memo of understanding
of how to use Peter Hall which was the second installment of meetings soon to go to three I'm sure maybe on the 12th I attended an affordable housing meeting with some citizens. On the 8th
I did a networking meeting with Raleigh and Salsbury select board people. Two from Raleigh, Mike from Salsbury. Uh, number seven, on the 19th, I was at the Eastern Essex Veterans District meeting.
We got an 11,295 refund because they had accumulated $150,000 worth of money that wasn't spent over past years. So, it kind of like, you know, I I asked questions about it and that money was divided up
amongst the six districts. Okay, that was on the on the 19th and we also voted Topppsfield into that district. So the district is now seven municipalities. Our assessment for 2027
is $32,212.99. Um it's slightly more than $1,000 less than last year's I think only because Topsfield joined and there were more people to spread the money against. That was seven. On the 20th Friday, I
went to the MMA legislative meeting in which was held in in Foxford and we listened to what the uh what was being told about u the states inability to help us with education. >> Yeah. >> More or less. Sorry to say it like that, but
>> what did they say? >> It was it was the the weren't there. The reps were there. Um, uh, Kasna, Kasna was not there and Tara was not there as well. So, their reps were there and, uh, but MMA put on a
really good presentation and talked about what they're lobbying for, you know, which is all stuff and we're encouraged to try to support them in their lobbying activity. Uh, I did go on the 10th to the ACES meeting, the weight
waste meeting. That was session two. Sadi was there >> and um I stayed there for about two hours but I did not go to the breakout sessions so it was a busy month for me and that is that is it. >> Wow. >> How about a motion to review and approve
meeting minutes? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor. >> I a motion for warrants to approve warrants. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. Can we have a motion to adjourn?
>> So move. Oh yeah. >> Anyone opposed to that? All those in favor? I >> I