We're going to start with the roll call. We have uh Mr. O'Neal, Mr. Kimble, Mr. Rich, and myself. >> And we'll start with the pledge of allegiance. >> I alian to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which
it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Uh we're going to start uh with a couple of proclamations. We have uh National Police Week.
Mr. G. National Police Week proclamation to recognize and to honor the service and sacrifices of those law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty while protecting our community and safeguarding our democracy. Whereas there are more than 800,000 law
enforcement officers serving communities across the United States, including the dedicated members of NO Police Department. And whereas since the first recorded death in 1786, there are 24,775 law enforcement officers in the United
States that have made the ultimate sacrifice and have died in the line of duty, including Detective Sergeant Steven Deoscus, a member of the Norton Police Department. And whereas the name of these dedicated public servants are engraved in the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in
Washington, DC. And whereas 363 new names of fallen heroes are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial this spring, including 109 officers in 2025 and 254 officer died in previous years.
And whereas the service and sacrifice of all officers killed in the line of duty may be honored during the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund 36 candlelight vigil on the evening of May 13, 2026.
And whereas the candlelight vigil is part of National Police Week which will be observed this week from May 11th to May 26, 2026. Whereas May 15th is designated as police officers memorial day in order the
foreign officers and their families and the US flag should be flown at half staff. Now therefore, let it be resolved that the town of Norton will absorb May 11th through 16th as National Police Week and publicly salutes the service of our law enforcement officers in our
community and across communities across the nation. The northern bordman chief, would you mind coming up? Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate all your work. >> Thank you. >> And thank you for recognizing uh police week. Um having a a friend and colleague
who happens to be on the wall in Washington DC um is is a a time this is a time to really remember not only what he service and his service and sacrifice but the others when people were going about their business. Yesterday, there was a a funeral service in Salem,
Massachusetts for a trooper that was killed and his his name will be on the wall next week of next year. So, I appreciate uh you taking the time to recognize National Police Week. Thank you. Thank you, Chief. And um I'd just like to say that uh I
can't say enough good things about uh Norton Police Department and all the good work that they do here in town. So, thank you for your leadership in that effort. Okay. 57th annual professional municipal clerk's week. Mr. Chairman,
>> Mr. Kimble, >> town clerk's week proclamation to recognize and honor the vital services performed by our town clerks and their importance to the communities they serve. Whereas the office of town clerk is a timeworned and vital part of local government and exist throughout the
world. And [clears throat] whereas town clerks are the information center of local government, provide essential services to residents, businesses, and public officials. And whereas town clerks serve as the custodians of official records, administrators of
elections, keeper of vital statistics, licensing officials, and trusted resources for public information. And whereas the town clerks continue to strive to improve the administration of the town government through education, professionalism, and dedication to
public service. And whereas the town clerk office plays a critical role in supporting transparency, accountability, and a democratic process within the town of Norton. And whereas the town of Norton is grateful for the profession professionalism, hard work, and
commitment demonstrated by the Norton town clerk's office and service of the community. Now therefore it be resolved that the Norton select board hereby recognizes the week of May 4th 10 2026 to May 10th 2026 as town clerk's week in
the town of Norton and encourages all residents to acknowledge the important contributions made by town clerks to our community and local government signed by the Norton board of select board. >> Joe, would you mind coming up and Stella? Come on in and let's get a picture with the whole
uh board. And Chief, don't go anywhere. We want to get a picture with you as [laughter] well. >> You're not off the hook. Chief, >> thank you so much for all your hard work. And I appreciate everything that you and your staff do to uh make the town a better place. And all the work
that you do is unbelievable between elections and the licensing that you do. And thank you so much for having >> Thank you. We appreciate the acknowledgement. >> Thank you. You want Let's take a picture over near the flag so we can have that.
>> How many people did you wed last year? >> Did you marry anybody? >> Um, I did. >> Yeah. >> I think the flag's better than the doorway. >> Yeah. >> Chief, come on. Great. >> Thank you. >> We didn't take the opportunity when you were getting
welcome. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you both. >> Like the rose between the thorns here. >> Oh, here we go. [laughter] >> I know that was coming. >> Can I take 30 seconds to just move >> the other chair? You know, you might as well.
>> Sorry. No, no, no. It's fine. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Well, not too quickly. [laughter] >> Professional photo booth at this point. >> Would you guys mind professional photo booth at this point? Right. >> There's been a lot of photos lately. >> Yeah. >> Oops.
>> We should put one up in the corner over there. >> Yeah. >> Just what we need. Okay. >> Okay. She's my web, so I'm [clears throat] sure. >> All right, let's >> Okay. So, moving on to uh appointments,
resignations, and retirements. We have an appointment to the historic district commission, Mr. Town Manager. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, we have a couple of uh nominations and it is up to
the board to select who will be the next appointee. Um, we have attached in your packet page one and one and six it looks like or five and six, sorry. Uh, the nominations from the Boston Society of
Architecture as required by our bylaw are Miranda Dolio and Oh, I apologize. That's the one that wrote the letter. The two nominees are Neilia Morrison and Chantel Cocher.
So >> would you like to come up and speak say anything? [laughter] >> Through through your chair unless I'm missing something for us to make uh an appointment. We need to know a little bit more. Neilia, we've been introduced to already, but I don't know any
information about Chantel. >> I don't know um who Chantel is. Uh neither one of the uh candidates are here today. >> Correct. So we've we had previously received information on Nelia. We've not received any information on Chantel. So
I'm not sure how we can make a decision with without having information on both candidates. >> Do we have a letter from Chantel at all that of her interest in it? >> No, you don't because she wasn't asked to submit a letter and the reason being
she has no interest. We needed a second name and we got a second name and that second person Chantel is simply not interested. Her name is being submitted because we needed two names and in fact Nelia has been working with us for several months
on several things that are going on in the historic district and um she is obviously our requested nominee. >> Mr. chairman, >> Mr. Kimble. >> So, I've I've been going to some of the meetings on the for the historic
district um sitting in on some of them and I've been observing Neo has actually been very much involved in the process for a while and has been looking forward to getting appointed to this. Uh if the other person Chantel is not interested
and obviously we should give Neil the opportunity to do the fill the position and do the job. She in my opinion she's already been doing it. she just hadn't hasn't had the uh been had been in the position to vote or to really didn't get involved. So, I think she'd be an excellent candidate and I would highly
recommend that we uh we appoint her. >> I would entertain a motion >> through your chair. One last question. >> Yes. >> Um are we certain that Chantel is not interested or we assuming she's not interested because she's not been in contact with you? >> She's not interested in pursuing period. >> Did she express that?
>> Pardon me. >> Did she express that she was not interested? >> Did she express that? Most definitely. >> Then why would the why would the BSA appoint her as an option if she had no interest? >> Because we needed a second person. And it was Millia who went about to try to find somebody who fulfills the
requirements because we needed a second uh option. And while we're at it, after you vote, while we're at it, how do we eliminate that need? Because that is having to do with the realtor as well. And are there any other boards that
demand an option >> through you, Mr. Chair? Um, we will be discussing later this evening um a bylaw review committee and that would be the appropriate vehicle to amend the bylaw. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Chair. Mr. Rich,
>> I'd like to make a motion to appoint Mrs. Neilad Morrison to the historic district commission. Second >> motion and a second. Any discussion? >> Seeing none. All those in favor? >> I >> I >> I opposed.
>> I >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> And Mr. Chairman, just for the record, that term is July 1st, 2026 to June 30th, 2029. >> Thank you. I'm glad you mentioned that. Well, um, just so we're clear, because
we're um I think because we're appointing her as of today, it can only be through 2028. It can't be for It can't be more than 3 years. >> Yes. Yes, sir. Just because she'd like to start immediately. So, instead of
July 1st, she'd like to start May 14th today through June 30th, 2028. So, I'll modify that motion to include today's date, May 14th, 2026 through through uh June what? >> 30th.
>> June 30th, 2028. >> Yes. >> Okay. [snorts] >> Thank you. >> Thank you. And she's ready to be nominated on next meeting, which is the 4th of June. I mean, sworn in. >> She can see the the town clerk anytime to be sworn in.
>> Right. She I've already made the arrangements. She's out of the country tonight and if she were able to be, I'm sure she would be here. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Um, next on the agenda is minutes. >> Anybody have any questions about the
minutes of April 30th? >> Mr. Chair, >> Mr. Rich >> like to make a motion to approve the minutes of April 30th, 2026. >> Second. >> Motion in a second. Any discussion? See? >> None. [clears throat] All those in favor? >> I >> I
>> I. >> Licenses and permits for uh the uh Memorial Day parade for the uh Norton Veterans Council is uh looking for a permit to have a parade. Mr. town manager. Is there uh anything that's out of line on this?
>> Um, thank you, Mr. Chair. This looks like the same as it does every year. We have a Mr. Gary Cameron, uh, president of the Norton Veterans Council, applying for the routine Memorial Day parade. And, uh, just so we're clear, the U
Memorial Day parade starts at the high school, goes up to the uh, corner of uh, Pine Street. They have a little ceremony there and then they go to the Clemen for a ceremony and then they go to the Trent Memorial for a ceremony and then they return to the high school.
Mr. Chair, Mr. Rich, >> seeing all um department heads signed off on the license application, I'd like to make a motion to approve the permit for the May 25th, 2026
Memorial Day parade uh by the Norton Veterans Council. >> Second >> motion and a second. Any further discussion? >> Seeing none, all in favor? I I >> I >> So, we have a August 8th, 2026 special
one-day liquor license for Smoky Chestnut Farm. Uh yes, sir. This is a frequent flyer. Uh the board is used to Smokeoky Chestnut Farm um having activities and events. Uh this one in particular is al
starts on page 20 of your packet and is also highlighted on page 25. There's a little flyer, hot rods for horses. Um, so all the signoffs for this one are also completed and we see no reason not
to uh recommend approval of this one. >> Mr. Chairman, Mr. Kimble. >> So, just so everyone knows that this is their fifth annual car show fundraiser, uh, hot rods horses. It's $20 per vehicle. are approve have to be free for
registered in order to uh to bring your vehicle in. There's a $10 admission at the door and children on the 10 are free. Uh they're being sponsored by Hopper Lane Brewery and uh looks like they got a a food truck there also. And
again, this is um 50 car max be held uh on from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. >> Mr. >> on August 8th. >> Mr. Chair, >> Mr. Rich >> like to make a motion to approve the uh license or permit uh the license for the
August 8th, 2026 uh special one-day liquor license for Smoky Chestnut Farm Hot Rods for Horses. >> Second motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? I'm sorry, this is a liquor license, so we'll do a
roll call. >> Yes. >> Mr. O'Neal? >> Yes. >> Miss Luchiano? >> Yes. >> Mr. Kimble? >> Yes. >> Mr. Rich? >> Yes. And I am a yes as well. So this is another one day license for Smoky Chestnut Farm. Um October 3rd,
2026. Uh yes, sir. Thank you. And it's um as you said the same applicant just a different date and the date here is October 3rd or with a rain date of October 5th or sorry rain date of
October 4th and everything is in order. All the department signoffs have been completed. Thank you Mr. Chair. Mr. Rich. >> Maybe this is directed at Mr. town manager or
uh Miss Energrren, I see the building department approval on the sign off timeline still active. Is that um accurate? >> Uh no, that has been approved. >> Okay.
>> We we we prepared the packets well in advance. >> Okay, fair enough. Uh with that, Mr. Chair, I'd like to make a motion to approve the uh one day liquor license for Smoky Chestnut Farm
for October 3rd, 2026. If I could add a rain date of October 4th, >> second motion in a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? I'm sorry. We're going to do a roll call
again. Mr. O'Neal, >> yes. >> Miss Luchiano. >> Mr. Kimble? >> Yes. >> Mr. Rich? >> Yes. and I am a yes as well. So, we have a uh special event parking permit for Shane Bervetti at 260
Mansfield A from June 1st to November 1st, 2026. This is a uh an annual uh application that they put in uh they have parking that they use on their property for at uh for the uh Exfinity
Center. >> Uh yes, sir. Precisely. And you'll notice that all the signoffs for this are complete. Um also and I would note that although building department shows as active, it has subsequently been approved by building and there are 36
parking spots um to go along with the the map on page 34. So we would recommend approval of this special event parking permit. >> Mr. Chairman, Mr. [clears throat] Kimble
>> make a motion to approve the application for Shane Bvetti for 260 Mansfield A Norton Massachusetts for a uh what do you call this thing >> commercial commercial lot
>> uh [snorts] for 36 parking spaces >> June no 1st to November >> June 1st to November >> 1st >> first okay thank you Second >> motion and a second. Any further discussion?
Seeing none, um I don't think we need to do a roll call on this one. So, >> all in favor? >> I >> I >> I thank you. Announcements. Mr. Kimble. [sighs and gasps]
>> Let's see. Another reminder, Nortontown meeting will be held next Monday, May 18th, 2026 at 7 p.m. This will be held at the Norton High School on West Main Street. Founders Day will be held on June 27th,
2026. Uh vendors who are interested, please email, this is one word, norton, founders day atgmail.com. Uh we're looking for for vendors who want to set up uh that day. It can be a local business. It could be a um uh
nonprofit. Could be an organization that wants to get their word out. Anything of us. So, we're encouraging everyone to please contact us and continue to make this Founders Day event uh uh more resourceful, plus have more participation. Uh that same day on June
27th, we'll be having our fireworks that evening. So, we're encouraging everyone to uh to attend that also. Which brings me to the Norton BFW Carnival, which is June 25th through 28th
um 2026. Um again, this is our third fourth >> fourth year that we're putting the Veterans Council is putting it on and uh it'll be at the Yellow School and again that's the 25th or the 28th. We just mentioned the hot rod for horses
which is going to be on August 8th. There's a separate stroll going to be held here at the town hall this Saturday, May 16th from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Um, Mr. Town Manager, maybe you could give us a bit more information about that.
>> Um, sure, Mr. Kimble. Um, I've actually attended one of these and it was uh fantastic. It's it's an amazing environment. They have a little something for everyone. It's a craft show. It's local vendors. Um there is a, you know, there's 96 vendors, free
admission, music. It's familyfriendly for all ages. Um they have a little, you know, something you want to buy something. You want to sip and alcoholic beverage and uh make some new friends. It's parking is going to be tight. So So get
here early. There's also a shuttle, I understand, from the Great Woods uh marketplace parking lot um that the the organizer there has set up. Um it's going to be a great time. Uh come on out 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday. As far as parking, Mr. Chairman, the we
have a lot of parking around. I know the lot's going to be used for this for this event, but we do have parking to the um to the side of the building. We have parking behind the building. Uh we've got some blacking at the library. There are a number of races. The only concern
I have about the 16th is it's also graduation day for Wheaten College and that's going to be in the morning. So I would make an assumption that most of that traffic should have died down. So just for anyone who who might be coming to the center of town on [clears throat]
Saturday the 16th, be well aware that there may be some uh some traffic issues in the center of town. I fainted on that one, too. The Veterans Day uh Veterans Memorial Day parade will be held on May 25th, 2026. As we mentioned earlier, um we're
hoping that we can get more people involved. We want people to come out. Uh if you want to put a float in the ve on the parade, we'd love to have you. If you have an antique vehicle you'd like to like to bring along, we'd love to have that, too. So, um, again, that's Memorial Day, May 25th. It kicks off at
10:00 a.m. in the morning at the, uh, Northern High School. And I think that's all I have. >> Thank you. Anybody else have any, uh, other announcements? Moving on. New business, the bylaw review committee discussion.
>> Mr. Town. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um so this has been uh suggested um by uh numerous people numerous times. Uh this is something that's really important to do. So every five and every
10 years there's either a charter review or a bylaw review. So we are due for a bylaw review. Uh that means that the select board has the pleasure of appointing a committee to consist of five residents of Norton to review the
bylaws. And I' I've seen this done in other communities. It's it's really useful uh to have a broad I mean it's up to the board of course to have a broad cross-section. You know, a lawyer is helpful when reviewing bylaws. Um you
know, different professionals, people that have been around a while. Um there's a lot of aspects to review. Uh conformity with the charter um you know emergence of new committees, what committees uh might be better uh restructured, maybe potentially
different requirements for certain committees. uh but you know it's completely up to the the board who to appoint then this group would meet for um I would suggest the board put a time limit after appointing which you know no
urgency to do so tonight um but to say you know report back to the board in 6 months or even a year with their recommendations which the board would then forward uh to town meeting at the board's discretion. Um so this is a great opportunity and something sorely
needed and um I look forward to um to seeing uh which direction the board would like to take. So I'd be uh looking for any proposals that any board members have um if on how
to select the five members that uh we would have on this board. I think that uh one of them should be a select board member. Um, other than that, um, open to discussion. Mr. Chairman,
>> Mr. Kimble, >> I think the last time we did this, um, we pretty much put out the word that we were looking for, that would have been [clears throat] 20 2015, um, looking for people who might be interested in in serving on this before
we start appointing uh, people already in office. Perhaps we could see what interest is out there and there may be some people um that may want to serve that will u bring a different perspective and amount of detail [clears throat] to the uh to the
board. I have a problem with one member from the select board serving unlike the other charter review which in the years ending zero that pretty much establishes who's going to be on that that review board and this one does not. It just says that we need to pick five people.
Um, if one of them if you're if the board wants to have one of them as a member of the uh select board to be appointed, I'm I'm perfectly fine with that. But I'd be curious to see just how many letters of interest we might get from uh from people in the community to see who who does serve, who wants to
serve, and uh take it from there. Um I I would say that the issue we're going to have with this as we have with anything else with information we're trying to get out to the public, how do we get the information out to people so that they know that uh we are looking
for people. Um so um I'd be open to suggestions on how we think we should do that. >> Mr. Chairman, >> Mr. Kimble. >> I mean, obviously Facebook is an important um message board these days. I would
suggest that at Monday night's town meeting, we ask the moderator to read this to the uh people that that have come to the town meeting, send letters to all department heads, committees that we have,
um letting them know that we're looking for for people to serve and continue to talk talk this up as much as we can. I think it's important to give give it some time so people that the word does get out there so we can get as
many people that want to be involved. You know, I I kind of picture of people who have served in the past on various boards and committees might might come forward and and say, "Hey, I want to give another another try at this and and make changes to it." this proposal. This
board is is a special committee and it's basically the revisions of bylaws, just taking another look at bylaws and how some of those have been drafted and how they could be changed. Um, some of the committees and boards that we have could
be modified as, you know, Peg just indicated. you know, maybe this board could look at how we appoint that historic district commission person and maybe we can we can make that go away or modify it in some way. So, I
know the town manager has a number of uh articles that he was going to bring to the town meeting this time around that would be involved in this conversation also. So, I'm not too sure I want to hurry up and make an appointment, but I
would say within the next 30 days, we should make appointments. Just try to get the word out the best we can. So, if we um maybe put a timeline of uh July 1st, we come up with a committee and uh perhaps uh Mr. town manager. We
could put a uh email blast out to all boards and committees and uh let them know that we're looking for uh potential uh people to sit on this committee so that we can get as uh a wide range as possible instead of um
looking at the same people saying the same things. >> Um of of course happy to assist in getting the word out to as many people as possible. Okay. And I think if we put a uh July 1st date on that so that uh we have uh
whatever meeting we have closest to that time, we can uh maybe appoint that committee. >> Mr. Chairman, we should set aside some time for interviews also as much try to try to set up some interviews >> after July 1. Obviously, we'll try to do
that. >> We may have to may it may take a couple meetings to do them all. That's all. depending on how many people we have uh wanting to serve. Y >> uh just another thought, we've recently started um using the the tax bills, the
real estate tax bill, the excise tax bills as opportunities to get out information to residents so I could check with the assessors and the the treasurer and see if there are any bills that line up with this if the board would like.
>> Thank you. Yeah. Yep. >> Okay. Next is uh dissolve the gold star committee. Mr. Kimell, I think this is uh right up uh in your wheelhouse. [laughter]
So, the gold star committee was formed in um October 2012 uh when Greg um Trent uh was killed in action in Afghanistan. So the board of swagman at that time formed a committee to um to address the u
the recognition of a first fallen soldier we'd had in Norton since uh World War II. So it was important that for the town to to get involved and we did. Uh we formed a committee in October. Uh started immediately going out and
raising funds through uh any any way we possibly could. And [clears throat] that following Memorial Day, uh, May of 20 May of 2013, we, um, we dedicated the park to Gregory
Trent. So, we're very pleased that we were able to do that in a 9-month uh, period of time. As we all know, town government doesn't work that fast, and we were fortunate enough to get it done. So since then the gold star committee has
really basically been consisted of four people. After the event uh everyone else pretty much backed off and the remaining four uh of us continue to uh to do the job uh until 2020.
All of the um funding was raised through yard sales and we had mediums we events. We had all kinds of stuff. We raised money every year and between $4 and $6,000 was being raised every year to maintain the park
um on our behalf. Then the pandemic hit in 2020 and everything went to crap. So obviously we couldn't go out and we couldn't raise money. We couldn't come up with ways to to continue to maintain it. So um I volunteered to continue to uh take care
of it until we got back on our feet after the pandemic. And here we are, 2026, and I'm still pretty much in charge of the park. Um, three years ago, we realized that we were we were reaching out to organizations,
specifically federal military organizations that would would make contributions to the Trenton Memorial. Unfortunately, they wouldn't do it because we are a town committee. And because we were part of a town committee, they weren't inclined to give
us any kind of grants or any kind of money. So two years ago, uh, we established a nonprofit 501c3 fund and any money we've been raising since that time has been going into that nonprofit. The town manager at the time
was aware of it. The town accountant was aware of it. And uh but we still had a few thousand dollar left in this account that we were advised to continue to sell down payown any invoices, any bills, you know, we bring bring it to the back to
the town and the town would take care of it. Um that account has pretty much been drained as of a week ago. Uh I just had to plant some new shbery and buy some supplies for spring and the balance of
that account is now uh depleted. So as of this point the go committee is broke and we have no additional funds left. Uh the 501c3 has has been and will continue to uh stay on top of the park and continue to
do exactly what we've been done since doing since the year 2013. Nothing changes. The only change would be that the ghost committee is no longer necessary. There are four of us involved. myself, Bill Novik who now lives in W um
Walpole, Mass. Uh Donna Ross who lives down in down near the Cape and and [clears throat] John um >> Denny >> Denny, I'm sorry, John Denny who was in Taton. So I'm really the only member left that lives in Norton of the park.
Anyway, so u the uh the nonprofit will take it from this day on. It is the hope and desire of the committee, the nonprofit, to continue raise money uh for this park so it becomes self-sufficient. And when we're all gone, we're already
we're already working with the next generation to continue to maintain and take care of this park. If something comes up in the meantime, if we have another, say, flowing hero, which we we pretty don't, but if we do, um we'll be in a position to um
to add to the memorial in the future. Uh we have had conversations uh with the veterans groups to actually add an additional stone up there to represent the Middle Eastern conflicts and with some of the people from Norton who have
served in those capacities. So that's something else we're looking into also. But I I would appreciate the select board u dissolving the committee. Um really is no longer necessary. But I want to thank the people of Norton for
all the effort and time and money you've given us to to get this park established. And we'll continue to we promise we continue to m we'll maintain and take care of the park into the future as long as we possibly can. Um
and then hopefully have it set up where other people will be able to take care of it. >> So um Mr. Kimell, I would just like to personally thank you and the Gold Star Committee for um all of your hard work and dedication to um all of your efforts
that uh have gone into creating that park and keeping it up. Um if anybody ever has the opportunity to go, it's right next to CVS right on West Main Street. You can go check out the uh the Trent Memorial that the Gold Star Committee has set up. And I think it's a
it's an amazing um tribute to uh Mr. Trent and um to the hard work that the gold star committee has put into that. So, thank you for all of your efforts, >> Mr. Chair. So, I was sitting at the light um backed up in front of the L
school the other day and I look over the my shoulder and there's Mr. Kimble on his hands and knees and his work clothes trimming all of the bushes along the path which I believe you had planted all of those alongside either side of the path itself. I know you mow it um when it needs to be mowed yourself basically.
And so you can't move out of town. [laughter] >> I promise I'm not going to but if I do I'll still come back and take care. >> Mr. Chair, I wanted to ask um so to make sure that the potential donors and to the 501c3 don't get confused that we
remove the um any reference to this gold star committee from our website town website. >> Absolutely. >> As well as our um annual town town report as well. >> So that uh basically they can run continue to run independently >> um with no connection to the town which
will be more I I I would imagine more efficient in view as well. Yeah, >> good job, Bob. >> Mr. Chair, >> Mr. Rich, >> I move that the select board dissolve the Gold Star Committee, which is currently inactive and is not required by the charter or general bylaws.
>> Second. >> Uh motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? >> I >> I >> opposed. Thank you again, Mr. Kimble. >> Thank you. [laughter] >> Thank you. >> [laughter]
>> Okay. Town meeting warrant article number five. So this is um changed over over time and uh the uh article that's going to be moved forward at uh town meeting uh we haven't voted
on yet for article 5. So um Mr. uh town manager if you'd uh >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, as you alluded to, this is a little different than the article we brought forward last time, and that's intentional because we want to give the the board and the residents
more time to absorb to to think through this and to make ultimately the best decision for the town um and the its employees, the residents. So, we're only bringing the the routine uh bylaw that's brought uh pretty much every spring. And
here there's just two uh amendments. One is for the director of senior services who's doing great things at the senior center. The other is the human resources generalist who is doing great things at town hall to benefit the town, the schools. And I'm happy to give my strong
recommendation for both of these u to increase efficiency to better provide services to residents um employees and to to further the teamwork the great things that are happening here in the town every day. Um, and with your permission, Mr. Chair, I'd like the
assistant town manager to introduce please. >> Please. >> Good evening. >> Good evening. As Mr. Town Manager indicated, um the only changes that we're requesting the board take action on are the the typical
standard ones that have been essentially brought forward at town meeting yearly. Uh with the addition of the director of senior services as well as the human resources generalist. Uh in your packet, you do have the um the proposed uh
salary ranges for that. Uh, additionally, you also have the former uh, job descriptions as well as the recommended job descriptions for each. Um, we did in fact put in the study for
the director of senior services as that was applicable. That was the uh the salary study that was done previously under previous management. Um however that was not done for the human generalist. So we
did take a crack at that. Um in addition we did put in the data that we found uh for relevant towns with similar job titles with those salary ranges in order to land at that u proposed salary range that we're that's
within your packet. And with that I'll take any questions that anyone has regarding either of these positions or the salary uh proposals that we've attached. questions. >> Uh, yes, Mr. Chair. Thank you, >> Mr. O'Neal. >> Um, what does the payroll and benefits
administrator make right now? What is their current salary this fiscal year? >> Bear with me. Oh, thank you. So, I believe that was the 55,000. >> Yeah, 54676. >> That's correct.
>> Great. Thank you. Um, Mr. Chair, >> Mr. Just an observation and correct me if I'm wrong. The >> the new director of senior services both of them is is their current salary within the
current uh midmax the current range. >> I believe it is but I would confer with TMtown manager for that specific question. So the current salary was amended when she got the current incumbent was hired as the assistant human services
director. >> I I don't have that number on my tip of my tongue. If you if you have a number, I could probably confirm. If I recall correctly at the FINCOM meeting, I think you had indicated that they're or you did that they're in the the current range even next year they'll be in the
current range. >> I would I would say so >> believe that's accurate. >> So So Mr. Chair just said um I did a lot of uh research on this earlier today. So given that the the two
um director of uh uh senior services are within the current range and will be next year with with their annual increase. This article is going before the town meeting basically just for one position the payroll and benefits administrator um
for that because you can go a year with the two director of senior services because they're already within the range. They're not going to go outside the range. They're I don't know if you need a title change. Probably not. Um so basically this article is going
before the town just for one position for one employee. And given that that person's salary now is around 55,000 and the max on that position goes up to 66,000, a little less than 66,000. that
person could basically receive up to a 20% pay increase within the current um range with no change. So, I wanted to point that out to
everybody. So, if we did nothing, basically the payroll and benefits administrator could get up to a 20% pay increase in the other uh two positions, whatever their increases would fall within the range. So, I just wanted to mention that
when this goes before the town meeting, that's >> they're going to people are going to want to know how much are these people making and are they in the range that >> and why and why are we fighting this battle now for one position? >> I can I can assist with that if if I may.
>> Yeah, go ahead. >> Okay. Um what we're trying to do here is what we've done is an exhaustive review of what other towns very le very similarly placed like Norton are using for HR function. The HR function has
been non-existent here in in town hall for Norton. Um coming in there's zero policies and procedures. There were almost no job descriptions and the job descriptions that we have are 19 to 25
years old if we have them. Um there's been no ability to negotiate with any of the insurance carriers. I'm sure all of you have seen across the news that all other towns uh that are going in their town meeting right now are talking about
major cuts and major layoffs. One of the things we've been able to do because we've been utilizing essentially what is an HR generalist uh here in the town hall is able to negotiate with the SMHG to take that massive increase of the 13%
for Blue Cross and get it negotiated down to the 7.5% for the HMO and even lower for the HSA. And I'm happy to report that many, many, many people are switching over to the HSA. those kinds of things have already paid dividends.
That's what we're looking for. We're looking for someone who is innovative, who's got the connections. Another example I'll give you is the this individual uh the in which would be the place of HR generalist, not payroll's benefit coordinator. Payroll would be
separated from this the benefit coordinator portion would be allocated to the HR generalist. What this allowed was this allowed the HR generalist to have because there's myself and this person who are do dually doing these things. This person was allowed to meet
with 30 individuals just this week to have an individual one-on-one conversation with them and their spouses if they so chose. They were able to leave after 30 to 45 minutes of a very very well comprehensive thoughtout
change into their health insurance which made them feel better, made us feel better because if they did the switch we're making out. It also allows us to have a more of one-on-one. Um, and finally, what I'll what I'll I'm not
going to get into every single detail about what this person does, but the job description of the payroll and benefits administrator, if you look at it closely, it essentially is data entry. It's data entry of payroll. It's data entry of onboarding. Those things would remain within the treasurer's
department. The HR generalist is is removed from that. They'll be working under the town manager. It'll be a contract. And that's important because this isn't a union position. This person is going to be involved in strategy such as negotiating contracts with Blue Cross through the SMHG such as developing
innovative ideas that help bring funds back to the town. Um certainly no one's trying to move a fast one. We want to have a welleducated employee base. Um, this individual also, um, you know, for what it's worth, 90%
of the visits that this person has had thus far have been with the school. I'm not sure if everyone knows, but um, the the current person who would be in line for the human resources generalist does all of the benefits for all the whole
school department as well. So in terms of salary what we're going is we don't want to change we don't want to change the salaries based on individuals right we want to have comprehensive terms and job titles and job positions for the future and so forth what we're
looking for is to have an HR generalist essentially below the assistant town manager and the town manager and then below them would be a payroll and benefits or a payroll um processing data point data entry person. So that way we
can kind of alleviate some of that time consuming thing, those time-consuming processes and allow another person to have one-on-one access with the employees we're here to to work with and inform them about these things. And finally, one other additional very
important thing that I think that is is wildly important is the amount of lawsuits that we can prevent by having an HR generalist is within your packet. And I strongly urge you to look at that. Towns who don't do not have a well ststructured HR department are grossly
at risk for litigation. Um when people are not well prepared and not well-versed in their rights in ensuring that we're Cobra compliant FML FMLA compliant once we're not in compliance with those things it's very hard to come back from and it's and it's a a ripple
effect once one person knows about it and is latigious it's it's wildfire. So having these things in place certainly secures the town in terms of how to protect itself while also simultaneously making sure that the employees who work
for work with us are protected, have the best benefits, have the most clearly explained benefits. There's an open line of communication with directly with town hall and can also help be a strategist in terms of figuring things out and thinking outside of the box for those
other things. I find myself to be extremely grateful every day that uh I'm part of the team that gets to go to town hall without having to say we're shutting down a fire department. That we're we have to say we're shutting down a police department. I'm very proud of these things and I'm very proud of the team that came up with some of these
innovative ideas such as this to help. >> Yeah. Um thank thank you very much for all of that. So, Mr. Chair, my has anybody had the opportunity to look at the the new position um job description compared to the current uh payroll and administrator
>> position job description? >> No. >> Okay. >> I got I I did read I read I read through them. Yes. Um there there was obviously there is a difference. >> Yeah. >> You know, the responsibilities are definitely different. Um,
putting that aside based on based on the job description itself, it to me it's already proving that it's well worth the investment no matter what we do here because it's already working even before meeting. What we're trying
to do is already working beforehand. Um, you know, just Mr. Chairman, if I could, >> Mr. Yeah, I look at this article every year and every year we go to town meeting and every year some years the budget the entire budget goes through
and no one even asks a question but every time we get to this category we have a conversation and what's always blown my mind first of all this is a remnant of prior to the adoption of the town charter we had a personnel board
the personnel board used to do this They used to do the surveys. They used to come to the selectman and say, "Here's the positions. Here's what we think the ranges should be based on our what we what we've done on on our review." When we adopted the charter, we
changed a lot of stuff. But the one thing we didn't change was this. This was for whatever reason continued to tick along. It shouldn't have been. It should have been incorporated in the responsibilities of the town manager way back in 1989.
It it didn't happen. It blows my mind every year when we go to town meeting and they ask questions about this. We have roughly a dozen non-UN positions. No one ever asks about the school side of the budget and how
many non-union positions we have there. What are their arranges? We don't know. What's their job description? We don't know. My point to the whole thing is if we had done this properly back in ' 89, we wouldn't be having this conversation at all because this is the
responsibility of the town manager and the select board. We are the ones to establish the job descriptions, the job titles, and the compensation. We should be doing that. And I know that's what you tried to do, Mr. Gold. uh and
they had to modify it back because of some of the uh the push back we were getting. But for a budget that's 30% of the entire budget, we're very being very transparent here. We're going to town meeting. If we want to give someone a
20% increase, we can't just do it like the school committee can. They can do that within their when they're in their legal purview, they can do that. We can't. We have to go to town meeting and say, "Here it is. And by the way, this is what we're asking. We have to get their permission. It's an archaic
system. It should go away and we should be treated on the municipal side the same way we are on the school side. And I'm hoping that eventually we can get this whole personnel policy corrected and we can
move on. You know, a few years ago, I remember we tried to change the charter and that was defeated. back then they were willing to consider the possibility of 7 n 11 of us making these decisions day-to-day decisions. It's rumbling out
there again in the you can hear it. You can hear it in in the early rumblings of it. But yet when you've got an opportunity for five select board members and a town manager to make these decisions, suddenly what? You're taking my you're taking my rights away. And
that's not what we're trying to do. We're just trying to clean it up. So, I guess I'm somewhat frustrated when we we do this every year because the same conversation every year, same questions every year, like we're trying to pull a
fast one. We're not. And we are being a lot more transparent than the other 70%. That's all I can say. >> Mr. Just wanted to point out that um the only time you need to go to a town meeting is to increase the max on the
range. So today, Mark could give this person a 20% raise today because it's within the minmax uh based on what the person makes today. You could give her a 20% raise and she'd be right up at the bumping right at the the top max without
uh town meeting approval. It's just because we're asking to change the uh the maximum uh in the range that we have to go to town meeting. So Mr. Kimble is is right on that aspect. Um, so I went to the FINCOM meeting and I actually
spoke uh in favor of this and then I got the job descriptions. I got some additional information afterwards. They voted against it 6 to4. So that tells you what kind of influence I have. [laughter] >> Point of information it was um the end vote was no action.
>> No action 64. That's right. >> Right. >> So they won't. >> So they and and they went back and forth. I think they voted no and then they went and I think there was a little bit of confusion around how to vote it at the time. But the bottom line is the fincom's not going to move this article at town meeting. So it would be up to
somebody else uh to move it and given three out of five of us have not even compared the two job descriptions and the fact that the salaries can be increased substantially or within the same range today without getting any action from town meeting. you could give
this person a 20% raise today and then in October, make the proper adjustments to the whole uh grid, not just that one position, and and kind of do it right uh all in one uh fell swoop. and then we would have more time to review the job descriptions um
and maybe do a better job with our homework given that you know it's going to the town meeting and the warrant without um without a recommendation uh no action and the fact that we haven't even read all of the information ourself um my my suggestion is just to leave it
as is to Mr. To Kimble's point, with the current organizational setup, we're already seeing a lot of progress and a lot of gains with the payroll and benefits administrator doing a lot of this work already. I looked at her job description and it's broad enough where she can continue to do what she's been
doing, right? Um >> I'm sorry. So, are you I just want to be clear. So, are you suggesting that um the person who has the payroll benefits position now should continue to do what she's doing for the same salary as the
payroll benefits data entry person. >> The person who has a position now who makes $55,000. >> But that's the data entry position versus the the senior level. >> The job description has a lot more than data entry. She does >> that's a ve and that's because it's an old job description. That's one of the
ones that is an an outdated job description. We'd be redoing the job description uh when we redo all the job descriptions, which is coming up. >> That is not her current job description. >> That's [clears throat] her current one. We'd be looking to revamp that to make it a payrolls payable person so that it
can be managed to be a data entry person under the treasury which is what hers was but to be maximizing the best use of our senior staff to be able to do bigger issue things and having the data person
the data entry on the payroll portion of what it is we do is an is hour long hours of long processes and that's because we don't have adequate software right now to assist with that. So these kinds of things entering payroll
entering um onboarding information per employee that starts is extraordinarily timeconuming for one employee it can take to up to 1 to two hours per data entry person. So it's not necessarily feasible given the direction
that where we want to go in the future which which is to be making Norton a place people a desired place for people to work a place that has great onboarding a place that has a welcoming a place that has updated job descriptions a place that can actually compete in the marketplace that's what
we want to get we're not talking about so much the individual per person we're talking about how to create this um under the town manager's vision of how to make us a upandcomer in today's environment and part of that is to have
an HR department not necessarily having the HR department being run by someone who is doing data entry >> that answers your question >> Mr. Cherry I understand completely and thank you for all of that background so it sounds like there'll be an additional person being requested a data entry
person in the future >> eventually yes >> Mr. Gold thank you Mr. chair and and as you can see um we have a lot of enthusiasm on on our side about about this and it's not just to clarify it's not about I couldn't just give someone a
raise now the true check and balance and the way it should be and the way it is of town meeting is the power of the purse that's what Congress has in the federal government that's what town meeting has in our local government they they appropriate they set aside the
money for each position so this to me isn't about people. It's about the organization. It's about modernizing, professionalizing. I'm not even looking at the people in the roles. I mean, that's a part of it. I'm looking at what's the best structure to modernize, professionalize the services we give our
residents. Where's the best bang for our buck? As was alluded to, we're looking at revamping a payroll payables person, which was previously a payroll benefits person. So, we're looking at switching up roles. Um the way the organization is
now, what people are doing does not match what their title is, does not match the best practice of organization, does not match the the way it should be. The select board and town manager working hand in hand to to innovate to to make
the government work for the people. Um so this in my mind is what is the best structure going forward um regardless of who's sitting in that role. Um, and I would recommend it >> for you, chair. >> Mr. Luchiano,
>> sorry, I have several questions. I've not had a chance to review these job descriptions thoroughly yet. One of the things that I'm not seeing in the human resources one, at least my quick skim right now, is um investigation of grievances. That seems to be a central
role of a human resources role. And is it in here? I'm just missing it. >> That's pretty much my perview. >> That's your job. So investigative of grievances is is under my job description. >> Okay. >> Um I I would sorry Mr. Chair. Um in
every job description I approve it says uh in the last line all other related duties as assigned. I would definitely include that as one of the duties that this person would be performing. >> Um and the other question is based on what you're outlining today. So this you
>> and it is on page 123. The proposed red lines is just adding a new position. So it looks as though you could have both a payroll and benefits administrator and a human resources generalist. It sounds like based on this conversation, what you're really looking to restructure to
have is a human resources generalist and then a payroll administrative something or other person >> at a at assumingly a much lower salary than what we're seeing here. >> Yes. Would we be bringing that when the time has come to the next town meeting
to do a we wouldn't be filling this right away obviously with the caveat that we know that that would be a much higher end for a data entry >> right but if that was the vision I guess why weren't we accomplishing both of those in the same at the same time so it was matching up with the vision
>> I I can answer that one um when we had begun this process it originally had started out with obviously what we were doing with the with the senior your center um and what happened there and then we took a look a look at the charter and the bylaws and agree with Mr. Kimble. Um, we found some
discrepancies in there. So, what we did was we went to council and asked for some advice on what to do with the bylaws. That turnaround took some time regret regrettably. So, you folks didn't get the information in time. We were pushing the clock on town meeting. So,
we have withdrawn all of that information. Um, and and same thing with the payroll administrator. It kind of took a backseat to what we could present to you. these things are going very quickly. So it it just took a a backseat, if you
will. >> So to Kevin's point, if we're if we're not sort of truly reflecting the the future structure of what we want, being an administrative data entry position and then the human resources generalist,
is there an urgency to doing this now or doing it the proper way in the fall perhaps? And you're you're suggesting the proper way would be to >> reflect both job changes. >> Just reflect the the reduction in pay. >> Well, I'm assuming you're going to
change it from payroll and benefits administrator to payroll >> something data entry. >> I'll be honest, the treasurer just started Monday, so we would we did want her consultation in on this as well. Um specifically since it would be under her department. Um and we haven't quite
gotten there yet. um doesn't mean that there's a lack of need to have part A installed. >> Okay. My other question was around the director of senior services. >> Yes. >> So the prior director I believe was the council of aging director.
>> You've now split it into two separate directors. Where is the other director covered? >> So the other director is covered >> in Cena a union. >> Yes. >> And so these were discussed with the unions and negotiated. Cena A, Cena B, and asks me
>> those are that was a union position. >> So what is the other tit what is the other director title? >> Director of human services, director of senior services are the two titles. And again just uh for clarity um that was in
response to the changing the location of the senior center from the previous location to the current location which caused which was wildly popular and caused um the influx of people to go from about 20 people a day to about 200 plus people per day. And it allows them
to now be able to have directors of those two um concentrate concentrations and have their staff as such. They're both responsible for budgets. They're both responsible for, you know, the global overlook as a whole while having
individual staff underneath them. >> Mr. Mr. Chair. >> Oh, go ahead, >> Mr. Kimble. >> To my earlier point, we're having this long conversation about positions, job titles.
There's not a person in this room can tell me what the non-union personnel job titles are in the school system. You can't show me a contract from the school side of the business. We're tearing this thing apart like
we're trying to pull something off. And that's not what we're trying to do. We're trying to trying to wrap our arms around something that's not working right and has been broken for a long time and trying to fix it. We just talked about creating a charter commission review. This is the kind of
stuff we want them to look at. And if the town is going to be expected, if the municipal side of government is going to be expected to show our job classifications for non-union personnel, then the school side should do it too. If we're expected to give a range on
salaries for all these positions, the school side should do it also. So, I think this is the kind of stuff that needs to be needs to be addressed in the future. Right now, I think this is the way to fix this. And I don't want to jeopardize the possibility that we lose somebody in this whole mix of things
because we're talking about a job classific reclassification or perhaps even a a different range for that position. It's got to stop. And we are have been for many many years ignored on certain
aspects. You can go online right now and you can see every union contract we have in the mun municipal side. You cannot find them for the school side. So just so people understand how the town budget works in case you don't. When we appropriate money for payroll, we can
only use it for payroll. If we have expenses, we can only use it for expenses. We can't take money from expenses and use it for payroll and vice versa. That's not how it works on the school side by federal law, by state and federal laws,
which is perfectly legal. We give them a lump sum of money. They can move it around any way they want. They can reclassify their job positions. They can give salary increases without time approval because no one ever stands up and asks the question, "What new
positions do you have? How did you compensate them? None of that is ever had because of an archaic personnel policy that should have been abolished years ago. We're having this very half hour, 45 minute conversation.
I don't understand it. I just don't understand it. Through you, chair. >> Mr. Luch, >> I really just think it's unfair to pull the school into this conversation. they are they are um guided by Mass General law. We have to
comply with Mass General law. Um and I understand that because they're the biggest part of the budget that they seem to be the target all the time, but I think it's unfair to kind of cast um doubt and um kind of theories around what they could
could be doing around behind the scenes unfairly when they're not here to speak for themselves. And I would add to that that when town meeting comes up and this is why we're having the conversation. If we have the town town meeting, people should be asking these questions. If
they're going to ask it from the mun municipal side, they should be asking on the other side. Those questions are never asked. There are a number of non-union personnel in that school department that none of us even know exist. I'm not trying to pick on the school committee, and you're absolutely
right. what they're doing is perfectly legal. They have every right to do it this way. But as a citizen and I'm sitting here looking at non-union positions on the municipal side and not knowing anything about the the school budget side of it, I don't know who the
arrangers are. I don't know who they who's working over there. I don't have contracts to look at. That's the only point I was trying to make about the schools. They are doing what they legally allowed to do and I have no no problem with that. But when we go through the bud when the uh charter
review, I would like to see the same information like this on the municipal side on the school side so we can take a look at it. And the one other thing that I want to see, Mr. Town Manager, in the near future is we're always talking
about compensation and salaries. Salary, salary, salary. Let's talk about the other monkey in the room. What are the benefits? How much are we paying for benefits? Let's do a survey of communities around us and determine what our benefit structure
looks like in comparison to other communities. If you want to get a true value of what we're paying the cost, that's the way to do it. We're we're pretty generous. I think we're pretty generous on the benefit side of it. And I think it's in time that we we take a a
hard look at that and determine exactly how much money we're spending. I don't want to miss M Miss Luciano has the impression I'm trying to bash the school committee uh school superintendent. This is absolutely not true. What I'm trying to
do is show a difference between what happens on municipal side compared to school side. And in the future, I'd like to see the same information. >> Mr. Kimell, um thank you for all that information. I would just like to uh try to bring our focus back to the question
at hand. What was it, [laughter] >> Mr. Chair? Oh, >> Mr. Rich, >> if if you'd allow me to do that, uh uh I definitely my two cents on um on this article is
um you know, it is a multi-step process. uh streamlining and straightening out archaic uh descriptions uh titles and uh you know the town as we all know does not like change. Everyone runs around with their hair on fire when
there's some sort of change being proposed. But, you know, this is this is how to do it. And this is literal business HR strategy 101. And I um I I don't understand the the huge cause for
concern reading what I have read anyway. To my understanding, um this is how it's done in how I've seen it in 30 years. Uh unfortunately it's not how Norton
has done it. And um you know the the first way to change something is take the first step. Everyone everyone screams from the top of their lungs they want change want change and then change is presented and all of a sudden everybody thinks that there's some sort
of uh you know coup or some sort of you know something done behind the scenes or or this or that. And um you know I just you know taking the data as it is uh we are maximizing what what is trying to be
done here is maximizing resources that are available to us that are already providing cost savings uh and just straightening out the language in the bylaw. I mean, this is,
in my opinion, this is really a non uh contestable kind of thing. This is as positive from every single angle. And I just don't I don't understand um the adversity to it. Uh so with that,
I'd like to make a motion to approve article 5 with the modifications as presented. >> Second. >> So motion and a second. Any further discussion? >> Uh, yes, Mr. Chair, please. >> Mr. O'Neal. [clears throat] >> So, I I agree with if this was a month
earlier, I'd probably be fine with it because I have plenty of time. Most of us have have not read the job descriptions. And I'm I fully understand the big picture, but there are there are pieces missing from this puzzle right now. If we adopt these two job
descriptions, which by the way, the human resource generalist has a lot of overlap with the um assistant manager of uh human resources and administration. If you read it and compare it against that uh position, but if you look at the two
positions that we're proposing, if they both if they get approved to town meeting, there there is going to be gaps. There are going to be gaps that are currently in the current payroll and benefits administrator job description roles and responsibilities that are
currently in hers. If that goes away and we don't replace that position with a data entry person, there are going to be duties that are going to be not shown on any either one of those two job descriptions. So, I want to make sure everybody knows that >> point of information that's just not
correct. I I I just read I read the job descriptions as a we black and white >> that the job descriptions do include an overlap in benefits and payroll and payables is essentially what the assistant town accountant was um I I'll
say incorrectly labeled position uh one of many and there will be more productive changes coming in the future. Crossraining is a good thing. Modernization is a good thing. >> Mr. Mr. Chair, there are three bullet points on benefits consultation and and there's nothing in here as far as
payroll on the new um benefit um human resource general list and to my point you guys haven't been able to read this yourself. So like I'm just reading what I see and we haven't had any discussions around it. So >> I I will just say if I may, Mr. chair.
Um, we did have these available >> Monday printed um for everyone so that everyone could be wellversed on this so we could have a good conversation. No one was trying to pull anything over. Um, but um, and I just did want to address one point that you brought up
earlier um, as to why couldn't we just pay this person the max? Well, for two reasons. One, the payroll position right now is a union position. um it's not a contract position. So that union
position um is couldn't be doing the same thing. Um secondarily, even even if the person in this position was a contract position and was in the
payroll and benefits position and you're right, you said, "Why don't you just pay them the max and no one would know better?" That's the opposite of what we're trying to do. We're trying to be as transparent and show people what we're trying to do.
We're trying to rebuild something that's modern, that's effective, so we can look back on it with pride and say, "Thank you for helping us, for believing in us, for believing in in the town manager's vision and saying we built this >> and this is why to say we would do it
backwards." >> Hang on one second. >> Mr. chair, but I did not say nobody would know better. Oh, I >> I want to be completely as transparent as everybody else. All I'm saying is, >> you know, do you need a job title in order to give a pay increase? Is that what I'm hearing?
>> Well, to be in the human generalist position could she could not be part of the union. >> And by the way, this that position is listed under the non-UN jobs article 2 job classifications, payroll and benefits administrator. >> And yeah, it was a union position, >> so it's on the wrong list. >> Okay. So, we have a motion and a second.
And uh is there any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? >> I >> I >> All those opposed >> I >> I thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Next on the agenda is all other town meeting articles subjects to discussion. Um I think we voted on everything else on the uh town meeting warrant. That is correct, Mr. Chair.
>> Uh town manager report. >> Uh thank you. So as everyone knows, the annual town meeting scheduled for Monday, May 8th. Uh we're excited to >> 18th >> uh 18th. Thank you. Uh we're excited to uh present to the residents the
opportunity to decide the town's future on a a number of issues from construction projects to budgets. Uh very proud of this budget that is forward-looking multi-year plan to put the town on sustainable financial
footing. We've made significant strides to bring us into balance by reducing our reliance on one-time funding by over $700,000, presenting a balanced budget without layoffs. In this environment where most cities and towns, they're talking about
closing fire stations, laying off droves of people. Even affluent towns like Lexington is laying off dozens of people. We're proposing laying off exactly zero people. This budget, very proud of it. proud of the department heads, the finance committee, the
employees, the town manager staff who put in countless hours uh overtime and unpaid to put together this collaborative team effort. Um there's been extensive outreach this year. Um I'd venture to say more than has been
done ever in the past. For the first time, the select board chair and town manager, um went to Norton Media, filmed a uh primer on town meeting, um introduced specific articles, uh we printed flyers, we've um performed uh
social media out outreach, posted on the website, had a constable serve um as is legally required, all the the public postings. Um just very excited, encourage everyone to attend. Mr. Chairman, >> invite your friends.
>> Mr. Chairman, >> Mr. Gibble, >> Mr. Go, you you have copies of these up in your selectman's office, right? Uh >> we do the clerk's office and the selectman. >> So, if anyone out there is listening and want some information, fly to the town meeting. These packets are already
available at town hall. You can come in here to the clerk's office or to the managers manager's office and pick up a copy before Monday if you want to take some time to go through it yourself rather than waiting until you you sign your sign in and suddenly they give you the information and you're supposed to
understand it all. This gives you a chance to uh look at it in advance. >> Uh thank you Mr. Kimble. So in addition to having them available um at the clerk's office, the select board's office, they're also available online. So you can just, you know, go home, go to the uh I Google town meeting Norton
town meeting warrant. It's the first thing that comes up uh through through your chair. Just one >> miss >> point of clarification. You indicated there were no layoffs. If I understood listening to the income comm uh committee meetings properly, the money
that was moved was to save studentf facing positions. However, there were other positions that were impacted. Is that not true? Uh I understand that due to um there might be uh like two retirements or two
nontenured people um so there would not have to be a single layoff. Uh moving to the next item. I received correspondence from uh the K. Burton Scholarship Committee appointment and this is an annual event that happens um
this year on Thursday, May 28th. Um so I understand that that's in two weeks from today. So where we would normally have a board meeting um it looks like we'll schedule that for the following Thursday unless there's a urgency or the chair
informs me different. Um but there's a number uh in fact a significant number of students that submitted essays and I understand that select board um is invited to select uh a member to review those essays in coordination with a
member of the school committee and to recommend and to pres present the scholarship on that day. if you don't mind. Um, is there uh somebody on the board that would uh be willing to look at those essays and uh perhaps work with the
school committee so we can make uh some recommendations? >> Uh Mr. Chair, so I've done this before as a school committee chair and I believe and Bob has as well as select board chair. I believe it the K Burton double check it, Mr. Town Manager. I
think it's supposed to be the chair of both committees unless they've opened it up to anyone who wants to be appointed by the the board and committee. You may not have all the language. Just >> verify that it doesn't have to be the chair. It can be anyone from the board. Um
>> Mr. Chairman, >> Mr. Kimble, >> as chair, I have not all I've done it a number of times, [laughter] more times I want to talk about. Uh after you read about 50 of these essays, they kind of get your mind kind of fries. But um it doesn't have to be the chairman. It
could be >> anyone that we we want to wants to volunteer >> can be appointed to it. Uh it's a very very important committee and they what they try to do is uh the way scholarship was set up is they try to give every student something. You know they might
give one student a lot more than the others but they try to try to give everybody something uh in the process. So, uh, I would highly recommend if anyone has never done it, uh, would try to do it. I'm I I don't think I'm going to volunteer, but [laughter]
>> if someone else would like to, uh, >> did it last year. >> Is that anybody interested in uh, helping out with that? >> I'm happy to do it. Uh, >> thank you very much for that. It is, >> it says that it's being reviewed on May 28th, which I believe is that a select board meeting date? >> Uh, we're going to that's the when the
presentation's made, two weeks from today. >> So, Mr. Chairman, the presentation is going to be on May 28th. You're going to be meeting a week before that. >> Okay. >> So that you can make the presentation on the 28th. >> So and uh we are going to uh um change
our regularly scheduled meeting off the 28th because of that night because there will be several of us that will be at that awards uh night at the high school. >> Got it. And Mr. chair and by the way and Bob can probably it's I believe there
are to his point they try to spread the wealth um as many people as possible and and as you know sometimes the same kids get all the scholarships this is an opportunity to give some of the other kids some money as well um and uh and I
think the principal hands them out am I right yes >> so you don't have to hand them out you just have to select them and the principal will hand them out during the awards night >> so we'll get you that uh the information and your contact information and who you all of that for that. >> Sounds good.
>> Thank you. >> Uh thank you. Um so yes, I'll forward you that information and that's from Daniel Marchin at the guidance assistant at the high school. Um so
uh next veterans recognition and community partnerships. So, we're coordinating with the veterans council, the school department, and veterans agent to recognize those families of soldiers that have been called overseas, including in the Middle East uh recently. And this is a community
building event. We deeply, I'm sure the board joins us in being appreciative of the sacrifices made by those who leave their homes and families to defend our freedom overseas. And we they deserve our recognition and gratitude today and always. So stay tuned for um events and
activities to support those people. U Mr. town manager just to uh make everybody aware that um if they want to come to the um Memorial Day um celebration that we'll have on the
common um the uh PM MIA um display that we have here will be in the uh gazebo on the common so that everybody can go and take a look at that. >> Mr. Chairman, >> Mr. Kimble, >> in addition to the uh community
partnership, we should add the VFW and the American Legion. Even though the Veterans Council is represents both of those, they both they're both separate organizations that the Veterans Council works with. So, I think we should add them into the mix also.
>> Um, of course. Thank you. Um, yes, the the VFW, the Legion, the Veterans Council, the Veterans Department. Hopefully, I didn't forget anyone. Oh, there's a we have uh Norton is uh well known for their support of uh veterans. So,
>> that's such a wonderful thing. And then the last point on the town manager report is our financial operations and uh update on the treasur's office. Um Miss Graasso just left us, but I was just going to compliment her and her team on getting so quickly adjusted. Um
she continues to amaze me every day. She's a big catch for the town. She did amazing work um where she was and she's not missed a beat and um grateful she didn't even take a week off between her last job and this job and she's
coordinating our debt management. She's showed me a little a chart online that that gives us our debt schedule for the next 20 30 years. This forward planning is inspiring. She's coordinating with uh the finance departments. um just very
impressed. We're positioned to maximize our interest, our investing. Um she's actually transition certain funds into higher yield accounts already. >> Um including the opioid fund. >> Good. Very good. That's great.
>> So, Mr. Town Manager, I'm sorry, Mr. Chair, through you. >> Yes. >> Um how about the um the debt obligation? And I noticed that on the three-year trend on the budget sheet that they're all declining, which is great news. We'll see what happens with the middle school roof. It's not
that big of a project, but I know the high school project, this building, it looks like we may have peaked as a as a as a group as a group of all of our uh long-term debt. Um, which is promising. >> Right. There's there's a lot of there's
debt exclusion debt that's outside of the two and a half levy and then there's debt that we've fit inside the budget. Um so that I mean they both peaked with the completion of this facility, the council on aging community center, the
turf fields, the debt exclusion debt has also peaked and you know every year for the next 20 years after the project was approved. Um but also as you know significant uh budget debt is also on a downward trend uh which is a good thing. Um
so we're continuing to keep an eye on that. We're still slightly above where we would like to be on debttobudget ratio but we're looking forward to productive conversations with the treasurer who really has an eye for this. So we'll continue to monitor that.
I'm very excited for those. >> And then one last comment. believe the short-term uh debt has has zeroed out for next year. >> Uh that would be the the bands the bond anticipation notes. Correct. Those are >> bridge loans >> done anticipation in uh as a step one of
a larger borrowing. So it's like a temporary you know less than one year borrowing to get us on track to a bigger borrowing. Um so >> Mr. Chairman, >> Mr. Kimble >> on the on the if you don't mind Mr. Mr. O'Neal, if I could ask you a question.
When we did the addition on the high school, >> the addition on the high school, >> when was it done? >> 2013. >> Did we did we finance on the on the two and a half or >> No, we had we had exclusion. It was 13 million and it was completed in 2013.
>> So, it's 12 13 years now. Okay. Definitely beyond the halfway point. >> That should be coming down. These interest on long-term debts, Mr. town manager. Are they is this just the municipal stuff or is this including water and sewer and everything else? >> Um it's it's everything
>> everything. So as it's coming down that obviously gives us more money to to spend for other purposes. So so it's refreshing as you say Mr. O'Neal that it's starting to slide down finally. >> Thank you Mr. Chair. Happy to continue
these discussions as our financial condition continues to improve. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Graasso, for your diligent work. Thank you. Um, warrants chair, I make a motion we approve
inverse warrant 26-44 dated April 30th, 2026. Second. >> Motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? >> I >> I. >> Chairman, I make a motion that we approve U invoice warrant 26-45 dated
May 7th, 2026. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? >> I. >> Mr. Chairman, I make a motion we approve payroll warrant 26-22 for the week ending April 25th, 2026.
>> Second. >> Motion and a second. Any further discussion? >> Seeing none, all in favor? >> I I select board report and mail. Anybody have any mail they want to talk about? Nobody got any bills that they don't
>> I have some bills if you want. >> I have a question. Uh we're not going to meet on the 28th because a lot of us are going to be invite invited and involved in the class night. So the next meeting would be >> um we're going to uh move that to the following Thursday.
>> So that'll be June 4th. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, I would just like to take a moment to um thank Christie for um I have uh I've asked the town manager and uh to get the
information for the meeting and the packets ready for us earlier so that everybody should have them by Monday. From now on, we're going to uh close um any uh further items to be put on the
agenda on Friday at noon time. So, uh by Monday, you should have your packets available. And um I think it's a great help to have the information uh numbered in our packets. And I think it's a real great help to have uh the table of
contents available so we can find the information quickly. So thank you for that second. [laughter] >> Okay, we're not going into executive session. Motion to adjurnn. >> I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. I should have brought this up before. Just one quick
question. Um >> I studied the budget. By the way, thanks for providing uh Chrissy the whole uh Tom Warren. um miscellaneous expenses. I notice that's a big increase almost 400,000 um over this current year to next year. You should just explain
what's in that bucket. U Mr. Town Manager. >> Uh sure, happy to. Uh so this is contains about four items, I believe. So it's the pension obligation. It's the um
the insurance about a million dollars in insurance. It's uh contribution to OPED which is uh retirees health insurance benefits and uh an account for
uh union negotiation uh salary increases. >> Okay. That that can't be allocated to the >> correct um accounting item at this point because it's still being negotiated or the salary increases I'm talking about. >> I none of the eight unions have settled
yet. We were trying to um so unfortunately we're just not there. >> Gotcha. Great. Thank you. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. [laughter] >> All in favor? >> I I >> Hey, I hope uh see everybody at town
meeting on the 18th and then at the uh senior night on the uh what's the date? >> 28th. >> 28th. So, thank you.