And the line moves across the Okay, join with me for the pledge of >> allegiance 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. Do we stand for a moment and just have a silent prayer for our country and for our military and for those that are in any kind of uh that it affects anybody throughout the world. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Okay. So as we begin uh please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcasted live on YouTube. The meeting will uh the meeting file will be shared with various
public access channels throughout Plymouth County for further potential rebroadcasting. Okay. So we'll go on to our I will entertain a motion. >> Madam Chair, I'll make a motion that we accept the minutes of February 26th. Second. All in favor?
>> I. >> Madam chair, vote to accept and approve CPS forms from Megan Moa resignation. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> I have to abstain. Madam chair. >> Okay. >> Next item. >> Do I entertain a motion with you?
>> I think that's red. >> Oh yes, that's right. At a regular meeting of the county commissioners holding at Plymouth on the 12th day of March 2026 AD ordered that the county treasurer pay to Matthew Hanley of 79 Pearl Street Plymouth
Massachusetts is a sum of $5,96.15 from the Plymouth County fiscal 2026 budget sick leave the sum of $2,154.83. As said, Matthew Hanley retired from the position of special assistant to the treasurer at the Plymouth County Commissioner's Office on February 17,
2026 with 347 hours to his sick leave credit. The amount of sickly buyback is 20% of 49.40 hours at the rate of compensation of $4362 per hour. Vacation, the sum of $3,751.32. As said, Matthew Hanley retired from the
position of special assistant to the treasurer at the Plymouth County Commissioner's Office on February 17, 2026 with 44 hours to his vacation leave credit for fiscal year 2026 and 42 hours to his vacation leave credit for fiscal year 2027 at the rate of compensation of
$4362 per hour. >> I'll second that. All in favor? >> I abain. >> One abstain, Mr. Hanley. Madam chair vote to accept and approve vender vouchers. >> Second.
>> All in favor? I >> chair vote on Plymouth County digital accessibility policy. >> Uh okay. >> I think we have to do payroll vouchers first. I apologize. Okay. I'll motion to accept and approve payroll vouchers. Second. >> All I
Okay. The next one is the >> administrator has a question. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Oh, no. I just um I can speak to the uh mun municipal um digital accessibility when you'd like. Madam Chair, >> I was just going to ask if both of uh the commissioners had a chance to read
through it and are familiar with it or have any questions. >> This was the item that was discussed uh at the statewide association meeting, right? It's something relative to that effect. Uh yes, >> not in great detail, but I'm aware generally aware of
>> in your packets. Um there are a couple of slides I just want to go over uh digital accessibility and um there's actually an entire federal law uh that is uh right here. It's uh the mass
federal law. It's uh uh 28 CFR part 35. Uh and it speaks to updating um the non-discrimination on the basis of disability accessibility to web information and services of state and
local government entitles. Um the reason why this is critical, number one, it's a federal law. Uh but number two, one in four adults in America uh have some type of disability. uh and um 28% of adults
uh do have a disability. Uh this has been um uh highlighted and uh discussed. It's a department of justice regulation. It deals with both uh the ADA and actual uh code regulations along with uh these
new accessibility for digital access. uh and the critical point uh along with allowing our citizens to participate more wholly in digital uh government uh there's a a
bottom line to it too for for the county. So these uh these laws were accepted into Florida a couple years ago and when they did uh there were some m municipalities uh that did not follow uh and uh web ADA lawsuits have been
skyrocketing since. So in in Florida uh there was a 41 in uh% increase in lawsuits uh over the previous year when these new laws came into into being. uh and um of the 4,605
lawsuits, they were settling uh with on an average of about $37,000 per lawsuit. So, it's critical dollars uh that we need to protect the county along with allowing access for our disabled uh citizens. Uh also in your
packet is a web accessibility checklist just for a little bit of back information. And we did uh forward to the commissioners uh last week the actual accessibility um uh policy and uh Chris Hefernon uh did a phenomenal job uh pulling this
together. And madam, with your uh approval, I'd like uh him just to give a a quick overview and uh be able to answer any questions that the commissioners would have. >> Great. Thank you. >> Got you, Madam Chair. practitioners. Um,
this web accessibility policy um was inspired by the statewide framework. The state has offered a framework to municipalities in order to craft individual policies. It meets and exceeds the federal standard going forward. And I'm happy to um take any of your questions.
>> So, um I know that there's is there a deadline and when is that deadline that we have to be compliant with? I should be asking. >> So, it's April 24th is the deadline. Uh there is a part of the legislation for register of deeds specifically that is actually one year from now. So uh but uh
they've been working they've been working with us. They were part of our civics plus meeting the other day. Um so they are working to fulfill their obligation to this as well. >> Okay. And I know that there there is a cost to it. I don't know if the other commissioners are aware of the cost. So
>> so the the cost is approximately $5,500 with a $500 starting fee. So, it would be $5,000 going forward uh pretty much in perpetuity to the to the vendor that we have uh we have looked at and been um conversing with over the last few weeks. >> Okay, great. Any other questions?
>> Um no, I want to thank uh Mr. Hefernon uh and Mr. Basler for everyone's efforts on this. I mean, obviously on top of being complying with federal law, I think it's just important that we are doing everything we can to be accessible and transparent to every member of our
population. someone who works uh in a federal for a federally recognized company that deals with folks who have hearing disabilities. Certainly, it's um uh what I enjoy about that work is helping people and and knowing and being more sensitive to the fact that that sometimes it's difficult for people to
get here and in this uh day and age, this modern day and age where we can uh continue to put these things online. That's great. Um doesn't sound like the cost, would you say the upfront cost? >> The upfront crop cost would be $5,500. that includes the starting fee of $500 a year which would be subtracted um from
the regular fee going forward very short money for us to continue providing the uh excellent services that we do at the county. So, I want to thank all of you for your efforts on this and uh looking forward to we already have a great website. Uh anyway, I believe um but I'm
certainly looking forward to uh all the additional resources and uh being uh fully compliant with federal law is something that we do really well here as we uh as we know. So, that's a good thing. >> True you, Madam Chair. Uh Chris, great
job. Frank, the team as always. Um just a question as little as it may sound is this a funded or unfunded mandate >> from the federal government. It is an unfunded mandate from the federal >> from the state. >> The state is not offering us any support. >> So we'll be doing it from available
funds to be in compliance and that's just going to hit our bottom line. Right. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yes, Frank. >> We do have uh this in uh in our technology fund. So uh this policy is one of five steps that we need to comply with. The next uh thing on the agenda
which is the uh coordinator is number two. Uh compliance of the website is number three and that includes uh uh translation into 197 languages. >> So you you'll all be able to practice your uh travel. Sure.
>> Uh then, uh a transition plan is the fourth piece and a grievance opportunity for those that aren't um that have a have a concern is the fifth piece. Uh Teresa, Chris, and I have been working along with Nancy because she's our
primary uh web interface. Uh the four of us have been working on getting into compliance on all those pieces. And actually, we thought it would be a lot more um costly and actually uh things the way they've worked out working with
our vendors and some um uh good meetings, we've been able to uh bring down that cost uh pretty pretty. >> So the 5500 is for the whole thing, not the one of five phases. It's it'll cover the whole
>> the other a lot of them are policy like this is approval. So there's really not a cost to that. >> The hard cost is only the actual website bill from Civics Plus Improvement, >> which will allow any of our PDFs online to be opened and to be accessible with
the right font, the right lighting, the right coverage of the page, um the right um uh any pictures will be transferred uh into digital into digital uh um word words so that because people can't see a
picture. So they then use voice recognizing um software to then read or have read to you um the description of the picture. So all that's included. It's a really uh Civic Plus. Uh they have the majority of websites of municipal order in our area
and they do a phenomenal job. >> Well, the fact that you recognize the timeline and you know you cited all the average lawsuits. So I'm grateful and thank you Chris and Tesa for getting it done. Okay. So, we need a any other questions
for Chris? >> No. I'll make a motion to accept the Plymouth County Digital Accessibility Policy. >> Second. >> All in favor? I. >> And I'll make a motion to appoint Chris Henin as American Disability Act coordinator. Second. >> All in favor? >> I.
>> Okay. And can I entertain a vote in distribution of Plymouth County Municipal Survey and cover letter? Is that you also, Chris? I should have I should have just have a seat up front, Chris. No, I'm kidding.
Um, so I last week u Madam Chair and I sat down to uh go over the potential structure of the municipal survey as well um as well as a cover letter to be sent out to um town managers, town administrators, me members of select boards and town councils. um a copy of that letter and the survey before you
this evening for your of u for your response and I'm happy to answer any questions that um commissioners have >> and I think that the letter that you did was very good like I said it might be just a little bit too long sometimes you don't get the um uh interest from the
town manages to read through the whole thing uh but I think this is a good beginning and as we go out to our towns and we certainly can discuss it with them and see if they had, you know, engaged in uh doing the survey. So, thank you. I don't know if anybody else had the opportunity to read it. I know
Chris sent it to you sent it out to all of us. Didn't >> I did send it to you um to you specifically, Madam Chair, but u if the if the membership has any amendments or additions that they would like to make um I'm more than happy to um work with them to make that along with your blessing as well um to make sure that that happens.
>> Okay, everybody okay with that? And we can Okay, very good. So, is that through emotions? >> Well, are we adopting this document as it is right now or are we seeking >> input then? >> Well, if you'd like to table it and look
at it and vote on it next time, we can. Otherwise, we can go ahead and vote on it and have them send it out. >> Yeah, I'm ambivalent either way. Um, the only thing I wonder that this in relation to the to the leadership summits we've done, the one thing I want
to figure out is is what the end goal um of this survey will be. I I know we're availing ourselves in the letter sort of states in general what we're looking for. Um, what I want to make sure we do
is we streamline perhaps some of the questions. You know, looking at the first one, what is the most significant financial operational challenges currently facing your municipality? I just watching a lot of select board meetings and reading online, I think we can gander at what a lot of their
>> financial stressors are. Um, given our meager budget, I'm I want to just be careful that we're not putting ourselves in a position where we're going to be asked to do one, five, seven, eight different things that we can't fully
execute. Um, but I I like the spirit of it. I'm just curious. um is there a way we could potentially streamline um the types of questions we ask so that we can try and drive that a
more universal answer that also puts the county in a position to be able to execute something. Um I think the treasurer noted at the last meeting uh the pond management where there's one community that doesn't want to spend 5,000 to save 75. So um that that's my
only thoughts. I mean, I I like the idea. I just wonder if there's a way to streamline it more so that way we're not I just imagine 27 communities are going to produce a whole lot of um
a whole lot of answers and then it's going to be a matter of sifting through uh significant amount of answers. So, that that's my only thought, but I'm I'm generally ambivalent otherwise. I just I'm more spitballing on ways we can perhaps make it a more efficient
document. Um, >> and I think my thoughts were that uh at least this opens up the uh conversation in uh with the towns and yeah, we're going to come up with probably uh 10 different things, but then if there's just two things that maybe we could uh
trigger in on, maybe others will come in on it. Uh but at least we have an idea of what they're struggling with. We haven't really we kind of feel like we know but we don't really know what every pound is different. So >> no they are >> this is just uh opening up a a mutual
relationship and you know how we can help them. >> Yeah. And I mean I watch a lot of selective meetings. The only thing that I I want us to be careful of is if they give us 10 things and we come up with two how our community is going to feel about the other eight that we perhaps don't do. That's all. But I I'm I'm fine
with it as it is. And >> you know >> and I think it's just the beginning. we might be able to get them to them later. The other, you know, ones that we didn't weren't able to, but I think that, you know, we, like I said, this is just general conversation uh with our communities to see where they what, you
know, where they fall in and, you know, what where their struggles are. So, >> yeah, make a suggestion, Madam Chair. Um, where Jared and I are seeing it for the first time, Jared, I don't know how you feel. If you want to I I'll take some time to look at it. if you want to add to it or just like you said if
you're okay with it. I'm I'm okay with it but you know Kristen and the chair put it together. We're seeing it for the first time. So I don't know if you want to take the time to add some specific questions there right here. I see four questions. >> Yeah. >> You know what I'm saying? Should we go
deeper? I don't know. I mean it's worthy of the conversation. >> Well, and it's a matter I think four is probably good to your point, Commissioner. I think if we add more, they might not do it at all. Right. No, really. I mean, they're they're in budget season. You add you add more and these are pretty um
verbose isn't the right word I want to use, but they're very um thoughtout questions, right? They're not, you know, it's not just, you know, what's your name? So, there's there's some some meat to it. I mean, I like I said, I'm fine with it either way. I just want to make sure that we're not putting into
uh the county ether um things that we may or may not be able to do. That that's all. I'm fine with it as it is if you are Commissioner Hy. >> I am as well and and honestly it's data collection. So this is just one of maybe many approaches. I know the each of us
will be going out into the communities and soliciting you know input from them you know conversationally and maybe this can start the ball rolling getting them thinking in a certain direction because uh you're sending to the administrators and the select board members. Is it to
the chair or is it to everyone? the I I I don't know if that was a question to me or the chair. >> Oh, through you to the chair. I see all the um where it's sent to the town manager, administrator, members of the select board and town council. So, does that mean in a board with five people
that potentially seven people are going to get this survey or is it one point of contact? >> That was a discussion that uh both the chair and I had and um honestly would be at the um whatever the board would see fit to do. My idea was that uh you know
in my frustration is that a lot of times the town managers, town administrators, whatever they're called, uh get this information, they don't share it with the uh voter selectman. Uh so I really wanted to have both of them receive the same information, maybe get to talk
themselves uh and see uh what they could do because I think that they're just as much in uh involved in their budget as the town manager. So I think it would open up a lot of conversations with several you know different >> I agree uh you know listening is is you
know half the job here and quite frankly with the creation of the executive committee with the administrators and managers and the elected committee. It's kind of funny in the conversations we have, the two different >> uh thought processes when we ask them the same questions. The priorities are a
little different from the electeds to the managers. And um I think this, you know, only helps if we get it out there to everyone and then we follow up individually. And Frank, we're we're due to have another meeting with that group probably in the late spring or early summer.
>> We could uh usually we would have it in springtime. um prior to uh in the past we had a prior to town meetings. >> It was April >> which usually go April May. >> So that's why we did it early April. We're kind of behind the the ball a little bit there.
>> So does it make sense if we get this into the community we follow up individually then call for meeting in the same vein that they can maybe properly plan for their town meeting. >> Yeah. And then um I think last year we did it a little later. The first year we did it right before town meetings. Uh
last year I'm I'm recalling that. I thought it was like right right the fir was it the end of April? I thought it was beginning of June. >> No, it definitely wasn't beginning of June. I think about the end of April. >> I can't remember. April right the Red Sox season was starting.
>> I think it bears as fruit because I think a lot of u the conversations we had have gotten us to this point. So >> take the ninth. I'm I'm happy to have it go out uh to everyone and then if we all follow up and then have a big meeting on outcomes. >> The only one thing I and I'm sorry I'll
recognize you in one second uh treasurer. Uh the only one thing and and maybe you'll agree is that you know we send it to the town administrator and then instead of to all the board members just to the chair. >> I was asking about the suggestion. >> Yeah. And then they can share it with their other board members.
>> Maybe they can have discussions, >> you know. I think that might be better. And I think I know we had or I had told you to sign it to all of them, but I I would change that. >> Of course. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Maybe actually, Madam Chair, if I may. Um perhaps the chair and their advisory
board member. >> Well, that was another question, you know, as we have and I've said it many times, the advisory board members uh come to our meeting, but then they don't go back and share it with their uh board members. So, that might be a good idea. >> Yeah. I mean, add them. So if the chair is is different from an ad board member,
at least the ad board member, they come here to meet and they have that that vested interest. I I agree with whoever just said I think sending to >> I mean almost every uh town now is a five member board. You know, just doing rough math, you're going to get over a
hundred responses and it's data collection to Commissioner Hanley's point. Sometimes that's not a a bad thing, but you also might want to streamline that data um to be from those who are most invested. So using that
logic, the chair of the select board is, you know, going to be a little more invested perhaps than another member. Not saying other members wouldn't be, but you know, the chair usually is. The advisory board member is obviously invested in what we do as the advisory board member. And then of course the manager or administrator it's you know
hopefully they incorporate into a part of their day job. So that might be a good way to streamline the responses we get and and within that that data we'll be able to perhaps pick a a couple of um a couple of things that again hopefully
they will partner with us on. So, just to clarify it with you, uh we'll send it to the town administrator, town managers, the chair, and the advisory board member. Okay. Uh treasurer. >> Commissioner, >> two quick thoughts. >> Yeah.
>> One is if you're doing the meetings early enough, you may want to hold off on sending out the survey because you could announce it at those meetings and get them engaged. My other thought though is if you're sending this out, I would send it to all the selectmen and not just two or or one. It I know it
seems like a lot, but a divergence of opinions. And you really collect everybody. It's done by email. I would imagine >> uh it could be done by both avenues. If if email is sufficient, if if we'd like a hard copy, we that can be done as well. >> I wouldn't I wouldn't necessarily pick just two members of the board. You still
have some three member boards. So I don't think it's that honors to include all of them. Um, I'm not sure. My concern is twofold. One, you don't want to leave anybody out. >> Two, you want them to respond. So, I thought if you could get a meeting, set those meetings up in April, may not be enough time to do that. And then
announce this, get them engaged to respond to the survey. My concern is if you just send it out and you don't include everybody, you may not get as as big a response as you would like. So the other question that I have as you and I spoke um and getting the group together
and maybe having them sit at a table together maybe with one of their board members just maybe invite one of their board members, you know, the town manager and probably the um the chair. Uh then they could even discuss this. They would have all received it.
>> Yeah. I I worry if it just goes out. I mean, obviously, it's a timing issue, and it's too bad we're not having that meeting, but I know what time is. I think if you were to announce it at the meeting, you'd get a better response. That being said, having the meeting with
more people is always a good idea. Separate from that, if you want to get the survey out before the meeting, my only thought is send it to all the members of the course. Don't just send it to two. Well, then when we uh have the meeting with all of them there, then we could
discuss some of the survey questions and some of the things that you know people were interested in, maybe we'd come across one or two. >> It's not mandatory. It's voluntary. So, you know, but I to to the treasurer's point, if we did send it out and if you send it out, Chris, formatted
electronically where you can fill it as with a PDF, >> you know, and then um to the commissioner to the chair's point that if we're going out to have the meeting, if they already have the surveys and she can have a conversation initially and then from that conversation, maybe have
a sit down or a working group with the administrator, the chair and the advisory board member. So if we put it out to the hole and then those representatives who actually interact with us on a regular basis, I think that would make sense. >> Happy to do it.
>> I think so. I think that's in a form of a motion that we're going to accept. >> A longwinded one. >> Yeah. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I Good. Thank you. Okay. Um can I entertain another motion to vote
for Plymouth County Commissioners Creed? And I think you have that in your packet. Uh hopefully everybody I know I did read it when I was here uh one of the last times and I just uh wanted to get your feedback on this. >> Yeah, I had some feedback, Madame Chair,
if I may. Um like I said at the last meeting, I appreciate the uh the spirit of this, you know, the take us higher and I want to embrace it with arms wide open. Um I had a question though. Who authored this document?
>> Who offered it? >> Who wrote it? >> I I put it together. That's what I >> thought. Yes. >> To you. >> That's what I felt that I believed in and I would like to have something that what uh Plymouth County stands for and how we stand.
>> Well, we do take an oath of office. So, that that certainly lays out well what we stand for. So, I just share something uh with you here because when you read it last month, there were some words that seemed a little odd.
>> Have my original one. >> So, that this was the original, wasn't it? >> Yeah. No, it was. And and when I reread it, uh especially having read some of the stuff you've written before, a couple of things struck stuck out to me. So one of the things that uh my friends in the education profession do now um
because students use chat GPT and artificial intelligence uh to try and write their documents >> um there are detectors online. >> So I ran this through two artificial intelligence detectors. >> I do use um AI sometimes. Yep.
>> Okay. Well, so this was 100% generated by artificial intelligence when I read when I ran this document through an AI detector. Mhm. >> Uh the second detector I ran it through indicated that it was 47%. >> Uh the breakdown of the 40, you know,
the breakdown of that, the parts that it believed to be likely human were the benign parts, right? The Plymouth County Commissioners, it deemed that to be likely human. It deemed Plymouth County Commissioners Creed to be a likely human, >> right, >> statement. So did you write this or did
artificial intelligence write this? >> Uh I gave most of my ideas and what I wanted. Yeah. to chat GPT or what >> some of it was, you know, just in general, but not all of it. >> So, my problem with >> I don't think there's any problem with that. That's not illegal.
>> Um, well, here's the thing. Knowing how chat GBT works and knowing how artificial intelligence works is artificial intelligence >> uh isn't it's a misnomer because it's not that intelligent. What it does is it aggregates uh readily available uh documents that are existent in other
places. So there is the possibility that some of these pieces um are borderline plagiarized. Not saying they are, but artificial intelligence by virtue of the fact that you utilize AI and not yourself. Um I can't uh deduce whether
this document was produced by you or by a computer. Myself personally where you've now admitted that it it was produced by artificial intelligence. I'm very uncomfortable u by AI. I've never used it to produce any sort of documents. I've never used it really to
produce anything. Um I have always written my own documents, my own letters and um I'm concerned with the rise and use of it. That's obviously a separate discussion on the state of the world that has nothing to do with this. But um
I'm personally not comfortable uh candidly voting for something that was produced by by a computer by artificial intelligence. It really wasn't. I mean, I, you know, these were my ideas. It was just really kind of putting in a format of h how I wanted to
get it out. Uh, I mean, these are my ideas and my what I wanted to uh present to the commission and uh so I have no I don't have any problem with it. This is what I thought. Uh, and this is why I brought it to you to see if you approved
of it or not. But this is and I will, you know, take a note that this is what I, you know, put in in my words just a little more a little more formal, a little bit better. I understand that but I think the the point I'm making is I'm artificial intelligence in chat GPT
utilizes readily available >> documents around the world. God knows from where the idea that this could be borderline plagiarized is a significant problem. That's what chat GPT does. It does not Yes. It takes your I I mean I know the spirit of how it works. You put it in there and you ask her to spit
something out. I I I if this was yours and strictly yours, then fine. But some of the way it was some of the way it read it it stuck out to me. >> Um and I am concerned and this might lead to a
greater policy within this building about the use of artificial intelligence as it relates I think the governor just put a policy in herself at the state. I mean, this is again I just to be frank about it, if this was a a college course or a high school course, this this would this would get an F because the teacher
would have deduced it was artificially uh produced. And that's that is not something I will ever be comfortable voting for or supporting. If if you want to produce something that's a little more that is humanly
I think this is perfectly you know fine and this is what I feel most of what I do write or I say here are coming from my words and and how I feel and what I want uh for us to go forward. Um, so I
don't have any problem. If you want to look it up and think that I duplicated, I just copied it, you go right ahead because it's not I don't get what your point is. If you're not for it, then that's perfectly fine. But nothing to do with that. >> Um, I think that what we're going to do is uh I would like to
>> I just speak Madam Chair, just curious. I I too AI new to me. Um, but I have a question. And it's a tool now that's being offered to us um maybe to refine ideas to come up with the proper language. And I just wonder do you ever
use uh the grammar or the spell check or the thesaurus when you're writing something when you go to save a document and you see the red line that's misspelled. Do you use any kind of AI assess all the time? >> So that's well it's a tool. All right.
And the question the bottom line is this Jared if I may just do you believe in the spirit of the words all right the chair has represented that she wants to under her leadership bring us all together under one roof she wants to reaffirm I think our commitment to communities and based on where this
world is right now and when you look at what communities are going through specifically on the on the money end of things and the idea that people are having to do overrides um you know we're here as a regional entity that's coming to the end of its opera stewardship and
then the question and the reason for this the surveys is to say what's next for Plymouth County. So I think what you know in the past is especially in our election you know people were talking about transparency this that and the other thing. Right. I read this and I felt very comfortable that it's a
reassurance to the 27 communities that we as a group of three if we adopt it and it's always better to adopt things unanimously. But if the vote goes 2 to1 and your reason is because you don't believe that these are her thoughts but
do you believe in the words that are written? Do you think that there's anything from, you know, communist country here or anyone who's an enemy of the state that these words can't be reproduced for us to reassure the communities that we as a group are committed? Do you believe in the words?
Did you read it? I know you >> I did feel uncomfortable, but I'm just curious. >> I No, I I did, Commissioner, through through the chair to you. I did read it. Um, >> so you're questioning actually my letter writing and English is not my my forte
and so I do ask, you know, for them to correct it with commas and spell check and everything. I I admit to that. I I I don't want to waste too much time on the Microsoft Word spell check or thesaurus versus the the difference
between that >> and the use of artificial intelligence and drafting a document that a government body is going to be expected to adhere to. So that's why I open my remarks with the fact that we swore an oath of office. Well, all three of us
stand behind it all. >> And that oath of office governs and dictates what we do. This I looked at as something supplemental or in addition to the oath of office that the three of us have all sworn and I know the three of us take very seriously.
There's a major difference and again we no need to really get into the major difference between spellch check or the thesaurus when typing a Microsoft Word document when I have spent any of us have spent several hours behind a
computer typing. Um >> I'm sure I'm sure Mr. Afronin typed that letter. Right. There's a big difference between that and then sitting down and picking up your phone or going to a random website and saying I have a couple of ideas. Can you spit this out
for me? Um that those are two very very different things and I am I am not comfortable with that. And again, that's why I make the point and and I had asked a couple of old teachers who are still, you know, from high school who are still teaching. Um, for some of the websites
they use to detect that I if if this document was turned into a teacher or a college professor, it would get an F because it it was not produced by the individual. To the commissioner's point, do I necessarily I I mean I I don't
disagree with the sentiment. I said that last month when I first heard it read. I I don't necessarily see why I need it, but if you feel you need it, then that's fine by you. I don't I don't But all that aside, if Chairman Wright wrote this
>> Mhm. >> fine. Chairman Wright did not write it. You you by your admission, you went on to it to GPT or artificial intelligence. >> AI in the past, but I didn't say I wrote it. I wrote this. >> If I may the record, >> I'm not going to give you.
>> So, you didn't write. So, do you you sat down and tugged this >> used AI? But you know what? We're not going to get into any of this right now. There is if there's a motion on the table, we're going to make the motion or uh second it. If not, then uh that's perfectly fine. If you don't want to
have this, I feel that I'm trying to think of us as commissioners and what is the best uh we want to get out to our communities and what we do. And um I just thought that this would be a great idea. We don't have anything like this,
but I'm not going to sit here and have an argument with you about whether I wrote it or whether I didn't write. Most times what I write, I write from the heart. And uh a lot of people think it's silly. But if you don't appreciate what I do, that's perfectly perfectly fine. >> Absolutely not what I said. All I ask
you that you did use AI to write this and now you're saying you didn't. Madam Chair, may I make a motion to adopt uh the PI Plymouth County Commissioners Creed, our commitment to our member communities. The preamble, we the Plymouth County Commissioners believe
that our member communities deserve leadership defined by strength, decisive action, and measurable results. We recognize that leadership is not a position held, but a trust earned through daily service and unwavering
integrity. We believe in the following principles. The standard of service. Presence. We commit to showing up when it matters most. Ensuring the voice of the county is present in the moments that define our future. Integrity. We
place the highest. We place the interest of our communities above all else. Possessing the legacy of excellence for every community we serve. Signed with determination and gratitude. The Plymouth County Commissioners. I move
that we adopt it and have it posted at uh all our buildings. >> All right. A motion on the table. Any second? I will second that. >> Motion, madam chair. >> All in favor? >> On the motion, if I may. Uh there's a
great line of unwavering integrity. So you've said the balance you're used or you did not recognize you. I did not recognize you. There's a motion on the table. I think the taxpayers at home deserve a straight answer from you, Madam Chair. You said at the beginning
of my my questions that you used AI and then you just said you did not use AI. So I think the the people at home just deserve an answer. Did you or did not utilize art recogniz Madam Chair? >> Okay. Uh there is so >> detectors indicate that you are not
telling the truth. >> I second it. All in favor? >> I I Okay. None. And I would like when this is posted that it be reflected that the vote was 2 to one. And uh I believe that it is necessary that at least
recognized >> this is artificial intelligence and not produced >> by any human being. >> Okay. I think you had a very tough upbringing and you're angry. So all right let's move on to uh we need a
motion to vote geographic representation for commissioners and liaison >> move madam chair >> we have a second I'll second that all in favor >> the motion I would just like to noted that I will again be uh continuing to
work with all 27 communities why do you why are you just rifling through these madam chair why don't you want to ex tell the communities which ones you're working with and which ones you're not working with why not for the viewers inform the communities which one you
care about and Commissioner Hanley care about and maybe tell the communities that are watching which ones you don't care about. >> Do I have to ask you to leave the meeting? >> You have no right to do so. Madam Chair, if I may, I will read the following. >> And I don't want to hear again from you until
>> presented. Madam Chair, >> I'm a no on the uh vote that was just ramped through by >> for the record, Madam Chair, um by the vote of this evening, the under your leadership, you've divided the county into three nine member communities where
we all have a responsibility to the to this body to report back the municipalities that we will represent under your management plan. Starting with you, Madam Chair, you will have the city of Brockton, the town of Bridgewwater, the town of Middbor, the town of Wham, the town of Pemroke, the
town of Rockland, the town of Whitman, the town of Kingston, the town of Lakeville, the town of Norwell, town of Hull, the town of West Bridgewwater, and Rochester. I will have Plymouth, Marshfield, Hingham, Situit, Abington, Duxberry, Piano, East Bridgewater, Cava,
Hansen, Halifax, Matapoet, Marian, and Plimpmpton. And Commissioner Valenzola is assigned um Brockton as well, Plymouth, Bridgewwater, Marshfield, Middle. I'm sorry, is that a typo?
>> Because it sounds as if dual >> Oh, yeah. representation. >> He's going to have all 26 towns. >> Okay. Yeah. All right. Is that how that reads? All right. >> 26 towns >> in addition 27. If he could focus uh a little bit more
on East Bridgewater, Lakeville, Caba, Norwell, Hansen, Hull, Halifax, West Bridgewater, Matapoet, Rochester, Marian, and Clinton. I guess that would be on the minor side. And on the major side, you have all 27 communities. And I'll do is that
>> I just say that I want to thank uh the team here for uh putting this together. I did not have anything to do with they put the the towns up for each of us which I was hoping that you know we're all in favor for whatever towns that we got. Um and I did tell him that you know
Commissioner Valenzola did uh want the 26 towns that he represents 26 towns. Not that we don't represent 26 towns and we have every right to go to all the other towns that we want to go to. It's just easier in the beginning in which we will all visit all 27 towns. I keep
saying 26, all 27 towns, but I thought during the programs that we're trying to uh implement that it would be a little easier to take fewer towns and and focus in on them. But um we will visit uh all 27 towns. >> Yeah.
>> So there is a motion on the table and >> and on the motion I want to make sure it's clarified. I don't take any sort of orders from either one of you. I take mine from the inhabitants and voters of Plymouth County. So, um I will continue to work with all 27 communities and the
relationships and partnerships that I have built across the county. >> If you feel that you had to get that out, that's perfectly fine because we understand that you're uh >> are you going to make fun of my upbringing again, Madam Chair? >> Business, Madam Chair. >> Anyways, so let's get on with the
agenda. So, American Recovery Plan uh update and distribution votes. We have any >> No votes. >> No votes. Okay. Thank you. Uh extension uh director's report. >> Good afternoon, commissioners. Uh we had a great day yesterday at the
Massachusetts State Agriculture Day. >> Um had I apologize I couldn't bring any food with me to share. Uh-huh. Um, but it was quite an incredible day for Plymouth County 4. Not only did we have our normal delegation and make our office visit uh and do all of the
wonderful things that our 4ers attend and do on this day, but through a um application process and then somewhat of a contest. Uh, two of our Plymouth County 4ers were selected as the main youth speakers
of the entire day. Wow. >> Share. Um the main youth speaker with FFA, we alternate from year to year. Um so the girl in the picture here uh on my right is Molly Quinn uh forer from
Middleboro. Um she was our youth speaker in our morning portion. Um downstairs we had all of the youth of the day in attendance, FFA members, other agricultural and technical schools as well as our 4 delegation uh and members of all of those institutions. uh and a
few other places. She gave a 10-minute speech that was incredible. Um very moved by everybody and I hope that she will be able to come here and maybe repeat it or offer part of it for you all at a future meeting. Um and then this lovely young lady on the left is
Mary Riley from Whitman. >> She was chosen as the big speaker for the upstairs portion. So she was with the grand staircase behind her. Um the governor was not in attendance for it yesterday. However, there were many of our local reps and lots of folks from
the commodity groups who were there and she did a tremendous job as well. Um, incredible to be able to speak under those circumstances for kids this age. Um, Molly is 15 years old, Mary is 17 years old. Makes you think that our future is going to be all set with kids
like this at the lead. So, it was an awesome awesome day. I do have another photo I can share just of some of our other Plymouth uh Plymouth delegation. Um, and I just wanted you to know, I just wanted to read a quick, um, quote or two from some of the parents and community members who,
you know, give us feedback on days like this. So, this was a quote from a mom who emailed me last night. Uh, her three kids attended. They live in Marshfield. They're part of the Farmic 4 club. She said, "I just wanted to thank you again for a great day. Blessed to be part of such an amazing community and so proud
of the kids. They are the future. Today was powerful. I teared up a few times. is such a reminder that we need to work hard for everything we love. Alongside of you all, we continue to work hard to preserve the ad community now and for the future. I never knew what I was
doing signing my babies up for 4. You have given them such a gift, a gift of knowledge, kindness, and patience. 4 is truly a tremendous blessing. Thank you for including us in your family. Um, another one, this was just a text message I received from again a mom who
has and her daughter. I've chaperoned on um several national trips and other events. Amazing day. Such a treat to see my daughter in her element. Thank you for being the guiding light through it all. What a huge effort and labor of love for you and all of them at the helm. >> Very cool. >> So again, lots of things like this are
coming in. It really is a wonderful day. Um so good for the kids to see, you know, civic engagement in action. Uh I just can't say enough good things about it. So again, hopefully you'll get a taste of some of those speakers um in days to come. And the other thing I wanted to mention in regards to a day
that John Hornstroke was selected as the farmer of the year for all. >> So of course John Hornstroke Hornstro farms in Norwell now Whitman. >> Now Whitman >> um cows are back at Whitman for anyone who's following that. So that's a big moment. They actually had their first truck of milk go out yesterday as well
from the Whitman location. So we're very very pleased um with that. I attended the Plymouth County Farm Bureau legislative breakfast on Friday. Um Meg Riley attended with me. That again was a great prep for a day. It was wonderful to see a lot of our you know local
Plymouth County folks there. Ken Squeezy got to talk with the kids who we had in attendance at that meeting and talk more about our 4 absentism bill which unfortunately is a little stale at the moment but we hope it will get moving along again soon. Um there are some big issues going on locally with the A
community with sand mining. Um and also around another primary issue that I apologize I'm just not quite fluent in. Um but those are the big Plymouth County things that were discussed at the meeting as well as you know a lot of the other good things that are going on. Um and finally
we had 140 presenters at our annual visual presentation day at Bristol County um agricultural high school. Huge turnout. We have not had that many kids in an event like this in a very long time. We are building towards something.
It's great. Uh it was a little bit tight to get all of the kids in, but we did it. Um had a great crew downstairs that kept me organized throughout the day. So that's what's going on in 4 and extension. >> So Molly, I went to the um Southshore uh vocational school last evening. They had
a big event there. A lot of people about 75 to 100 people. And I had a couple people come over and say that they saw uh I think it was you and Megat uh yesterday at the state house. Uh raved about you and how you know much you were involved and how much you helped them and everything. So
>> thank you. >> Pretty good. Great, you know, great performance. >> Yeah, it was it was a wonderful day. >> Thank you. >> Madam Chair, if I may. >> Yes. >> Congratulations. I'll tell you been here 13 years and this is the best report the happiest
report that I've seen from you and I am so proud of you you know for shephering this program obviously the quality is getting better but we were always that little 4 group that had a big footprint at the state house big footprint at the
fairs and uh you know I just have to congratulate you and your team because now you're growing that at one time it was you >> and you are >> it and I see you bursting with pride right now and I'm so happy for you. >> Yeah, it it was wonderful. I think that was my 15th um act day. So,
>> so that means we've probably over overlapped a day m you madam chair at some point. Um but I'll echo commissioner Hanley sentiments and certainly um although I think she's given many wonderful reports like this because I think it is a testament to your leadership of course the groups that you bring to Washington DC. Um, but
to have the recognition of Plymouth County's program, especially in that building and in that setting, of course, in the state house in the Hall of Flags. Um, I'm glad hopefully you were able to have some of the samplings that were in there. Um, because that was always a
state house staffer's favorite day was was a day because you knew you were getting a really nice lunch that day. And um but again, it's it's a true testament to the work that you and your entire team do and um really grateful for that effort and that partnership. I
I think you know people don't think of Massachusetts as being agriculturally centered. they don't really think of the county, but as you pointed out with sand mining and the cranberry bogs and of course all the other uh different farms across the county um there's a significant amount of agriculture here and to continue to foster that um
interest in farming and agriculture uh is important because Lord knows I'm not going to farm my own food. So um we need to we need to make sure that folks and you kids that are interested in that continue to do so. So really thank you and your team always do a wonderful job.
Uh anytime you're out there, it's always the most complimented um department I get whenever I'm out uh visiting the 27 communities and beyond. And when I talk to my friends in the legislature, it's the same thing. So thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Now's the time to ask for a raise.
>> And you can probably get home in a decent Iowa tonight. >> I'm home for a fair meeting at that time of your night. >> Good. >> I want to think about that. >> Okay. Um, we'll do the register report. No, he's not here this evening, of course. Um,
Treasurer O'Brien. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> If I might just follow up on what you folks have said about Molly and the uh team that she brought up at the state house. I was here yesterday afternoon and they came back and were excited and
my kids were just so thrilled about their day. They were wondering what room they were in. So, they showed me a video. They were in gardener auditorials, which we were able to identify. And I got to watch a little of the speech that Molly Quinn gave uh better than most speeches that some of the reps and senators did give. Uh, and
I I would suggest that if you had a chance at one of your meetings, you invite her in uh maybe to give the speech or >> version of the speech or the highlights and talk about her day up on Beacon Hill. Uh because she was just so thrilled to be there. Um, also listening
to what Molly said, just a suggestion, uh, you might want to send a commendation over to John Hornstruck for his award as well. Um, because it's a regional enterprise going from Norwell to Whitman and recognize his accomplishment. Uh, might be something nice. Um, but I I leave that to you.
But, you know, just the work that they do and as you've said, I get to hear it because I still have some friends up at the state house. Uh, and they were just raving about the team from Pum County and the work that Molly does. It's nice to see people that love what they do.
Um, segueing from that to two just updates. One, the Mayfell Municipal Health Group had its uh general board meetings yesterday. The week is flying about yesterday. Uh, and thank Commissioner Valenzola for attending and uh, leading many of the votes. Um, we
accomplished a lot at the meeting. Uh we were able to report that while people are struggling with huge increases at the national level and the state level, Mayflower continues to be in very good shape. Uh we voted a 10% uh increase in health insurance which is much lower
than most other places, significantly lower. Uh we voted in two new members uh to the group. The town of Lakeville has now joined the Mayflow Municipal Health Group and the Old Rochester Regional School District has joined. Um, we have six more in the queue maybe before the
next goround. Uh, looking because what's fascinating is even though our increase was 10%. There were some folks that had some lower increases, not too many, but even those increases, even though they were lower than our increase because their bottom line was
so far ahead of ours. So, our program is cheaper than their program, even though they're identical. So an 8% increase over a higher cost is still higher than our program. So as we look around what we offer is still better and cheaper than you can get anywhere else. Uh so it
was a very good meeting very well attended. I think we had uh 85% of our our members in attendance and it went very well and looking forward to the next fiscal year. Also on the dental program we had a 0% increase uh into the next fiscal year.
>> Just a question if I may. Um so the um in most cases you know when you add many hands make for light work and in this case does the the fees become do they they become less the more communities
that you add understanding you have to consider history but if we are large enough do you have the buying power instead of one community going along with the state's program versus our program do we get stronger and Do the
benefits get better? Does the cost reduce when you bring on potentially six more, you know, depending on claim history? Because I'm guessing you wouldn't let them in if the claim history brought us down, right? >> So, what you do get is significant
economies of scale that offer us to allow us to offer a program at a lower cost. So, absolutely. Yes. We're now at about 8,500 subscribers. Uh that's individuals. We're probably close to 15,000 members when you include their
spouses and their families. Um, so good size. We have a little room to grow uh we think to get to our our niche, but that is what allows us to provide the plans at this level. What's interesting, so again, you may have read in the paper there's a local community facing 19%
increase in their health insurance. Um, and it's fascinating to me because their plans, which are in many respects identical to some of the plans we offer, are already more expensive than ours. So, we have a 10% increase on our
already cheaper plans. They have a 19% increase on their more expensive plans. They're paying even that much more. So, the rubric was well defined with Situ. Situate was able to join our program at the rates that they had previously
plus whatever increase we had which last year was 6 uh 25. And the delta is allowing them to pay into the trust fund for two or three years to cover that cost. And then when they're paid in they get back to the lower rates that the Mayflower Group
has. So they'll be one of the few towns in two or three years to actually offer a decrease in their health insurance cost because they're coming down to the cheaper Mayflower rates. So the short answer is it's the economies of scale we effectuate by our size that allow us to
offer cheaper plans. But the other value ad we have is our employees provide all the administrative work and the financial work. No other joint purchase group has that. That's what makes us different and that allows us to negotiate better rates with our two providers, Blue Cross and what are they
now? Uh Harvard Harvard 132. >> Oh 321 something like that. Yeah. >> 32. >> We knew we'd get there eventually. >> Eventually. >> So we can negotiate lower fees because other people have them doing administrative work. We do that and it's
a lot cheaper for us to do it than Blue Cross Blue Shield or 32. Um the other advantage we bring to the table is of course having unions at our steering committee meeting. So we have firefighters and teachers and retirees represented. So that allows us to think
of some of the things that other groups don't think about puts us a little bit ahead of the curve. Um, so it it's it's fascinating to see and I made the comment yesterday that Little Pod Beth Municipal Health Group in the southeast corner of Massachusetts has figured out the rubric
to provide good quality health insurance at a reasonable cost and they haven't been able to do it in many other places. Um, GIC just set their rates. Uh, they're going to range anywhere between, I think, 8 and 14% increases, but they're going to the legislature for $300 million. there's already going to
be a deficit. >> Wow. >> Just amazing to me. >> They already know the rates they've set aren't going to be enough to cover the cost. They're a student of $300 million and yet they set those rates. >> Um, and I shouldn't just pick on Massachusetts because that's happening in every state and it's happening at the
national level. >> But we're saying, okay, we know costs are going to be high. We built up a reserve. We're going to use some of that reserve to stabilize rates over the years. And we're not only going to pay our cost, but we're going to be able to bring groups in and have a reserve so we can stabilize those rates for another five years. >> Just enrollment wise, the number of
communities of our 27, how many actually not not the other entities, just cities and towns, how many are registered right now? >> Of the 27 in Plymouth County, how many part of May? >> Yeah. >> Don't know that number. >> Just a just a off >> a rough guess. >> 50%.
>> Oh, more than 50%. I'd say maybe 18 of them. So we got a little work to do. And of the six that are in the queue, are there any towns that involved in that? >> One of them would be yes. >> Okay, that's that's great. >> And I would say there are others that would want to join that probably
would not be allowed in all. >> Okay. >> Sorry. >> That's any other question about one other little item to report. Um, I am pleased to report the hard work of the deputy treasurer continues to pay off
and you will soon have a contract from Northern Essex Community College for parking member number 48. >> Oh, I got my note in front so I didn't make a single mistake from that report. >> That wasn't AI generated, was it? >> It was not. I have yet written. >> Yeah. >> No spell checker.
>> Not necessarily my own spell checker. >> I'm proud of you. Yeah, >> I would have fixed it. Any other questions? >> I don't have any >> other than Thank you very much. >> Thank you. You're welcome. >> Okay. So, I guess we're going to go on
to the administrator's report and um also the maintenance department. >> Great. Uh thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I am just passing over uh some old and uh wire pictures and new pictures of the uh
Wearham District uh courthouse. Uh it shows uh pictures before the uh latest ceiling and late renovation project and then uh post project. They're pretty remarkable. um going from dark, dingy and 1970s old smoke uh stained uh
ceilings to uh nice bright uh new and energy efficient ceiling. So the team has been doing an amazing job and uh and uh we appreciated the support of the uh vote of the commissioners in order to do that project. Um for the administrator's
report, I have a number of updates. Uh in your packet, you'll see a press release from the Old Colony Planning Group and Plymouth County uh and uh concerning the food resiliency uh MVP grant. Uh you'll see that um we were we
worked with the uh group uh to put that press release out uh along with our other partners and um that is hitting the uh was released today. So you'll see it in local media. Uh and it does include a quote from the chair. Uh we
did find out last minute through our partners at uh and teammates at Norark County that there had been a FEMA reimbursement request program for Winter Storm Hernando uh available last uh uh
available uh for submission on Friday. We found out about this on uh Friday morning early and were able to turn it around uh during the workday uh so that we were able to submit uh $25,977
in costs. Um want to thank the treasurer who uh pointed that out uh in conversations with Norfolk County and then we were able to uh to uh quickly get on it. don't know how much of that will be approved because right now
there's a very narrow focus only on costs of the actual two days of the storm. Uh we included all the costs of the cleanup uh even though they um followed all the way to 4 days after the cleanup because we had a travel ban within the county. Uh that wasn't
released until Wednesday morning. So, uh, that's why we we're hoping that the, uh, legisl legislation and the, uh, and the federal FEMA groups, uh, MIMA and FEMA, uh, will allow all the costs and then we'll get reimbursement. It's uh
geared towards uh um uh contractor costs to clear the clear the buildings. Uh our overtime for our team members and then even um allocated overtime costs for some of our equipment that was utilized like snowblowers.
Uh we did uh find out uh yesterday that uh SEIU and Alfred Jones has requested an arbitration hearing uh as the next steps uh in his grievance. Uh Shannon uh county council and I Shannon Resnik uh
will be working uh with um the arbitration board and we'll keep you a breast of the uh situation. Uh and finally in your packet there is a schedule of dates for upcoming meetings along with some times. Uh I'll work with the chair um and we'll take feedback
after the next couple of meetings to see uh how the uh timings and the meetings uh work out. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Okay. Any questions from? >> None. Okay, we'll move on. Uh municipal
programs and opportunities discussion for Plymouth County. Uh we have Commissioner Hanley for sailor weight and measure program discussion. >> Yes. Uh Madam Chair, thank you. Uh earlier this week I had the opportunity to sit with the team um to discuss
weights and measures uh a program that is being undertaken um for feasibility and actually it's implemented uh up in North County. Uh Bill Buckley is the assistant administrator and he's leading up um
their program. Um I took an interest in it when we were together at the Mass County Commissions Association meeting. I actually got a chance to sit with them and I'd asked Frank, Teresa and Chris to look into it and I know that Frank had called up there and there was a
significant uh difference from what I remember the conversation being at the table with the county commissioners association and that is uh the county underwrites $100,000 on that uh program which is not feasible
for us. However, we in the past have gone to municipal municipalities and asked them uh I think it was the water resource and I think Jared alludes to it that they wouldn't spend 5,000 to save 75,000. But I think for the members that
were part participating up there, there was an aortioned share of a whole body of full-time employees pay and benefits um that we were asking for a portion of and then trying to combine that to get a 100% um benefit and payroll package for
someone to undertake the water resource authority. And I don't know where that is in terms of how that actually um finished. Uh I don't know if there are other member communities that are paying a portion share for that person that we were trying to get or to run that
program, but the idea here was um because they had started regional weights and measures and I actually spoke to Nancy about it. Her husband uh Rob uh does six communities on his own uh independent. I think it's outsourced.
So that, you know, the problem with communities having to pay full-time personal full-time benefits uh and then full-time retirement benefits is something that I think the 27 communities all have to uh address. And so I was starting and asked Frank to
look into it and he brought that up. I think it's worthy of further study. But more so, I think when we get the results of the survey, in the conversations with the electeds and the um administrators and the managers, I think we might be
able to come up with programming. You know, in our some of our meetings previous to this, we asked for um the people who were present at those meetings to suggest where are the economies of scale, where are the areas
um that we may help and we talked about regional um dog uh animal control office. We talked about transportation. I think with opera ending, I think timing wise, especially with what we just laid out um on the schedule on the
survey, that we'll be well positioned come the end of opera and the end of the revenue that comes from it um to potentially create opportunities for uh those member communities to share resources. I know when I was up in um
the town of Hullbrook, uh we were the dog officer uh for the town of Randolph and the town of Avon. Uh just before I left, we combined and became a regional veterans agent uh entity with the town and intermunicipal agreement with the
town of Brainree as the lead in Hullberrook and Avon participating. So those types of things in light of all of you know the cities and towns u financial considerations I think we're well positioned to uh potentially if as
long as we're it's not costing us money and at least we can break even and the and the example I'll give with that is you know the work uh of the parking department for years that was a loss leader but it was an essential uh program for the member communities that
participated but It really came to a point where it would have probably gone out of business if it weren't for the work of the deputy treasurer. And now, as we here learn tonight, 48th community, >> and that is now an economy of scale gained because we we had the idea that
we wanted to provide this. And I don't think what we're trying to do to help our member communities is any different from the ticketing program. And if we had to absorb it at a break even cost so that they didn't have to absorb the OPED liability, the the the financial
wherewithal of having all those positions individually funded, I think we've proven that regionalization can be uh something that will help our member community. So with that, that's just the way it's a measures. I got to uh introduce and I have to give Chris Effan
like hats off on a white paper he wrote about uh anorobic digestion and it was fantastic. I think you distributed for the members. Um, and I invite my colleagues to be fully participating uh in this. Uh, I think Frank with this new
labor that you have, I'm just invigorated that we're able to address these um opportunities and I think we have the right talent. Uh even, you know, Teresa was talking about food waste in the school system that you're getting federal money on and they send
you the food whether you need it or not and you're hauling uh costs out of control and you looked at anorobic digestion. So I'm excited to announce that that is my revenue generating program. Uh I've tked the group to
involve the other counties uh with us being the laboratory. So there is monies available u for us with the um commission of the board to go after as the um the pilot program and to see uh
if this program could work for us. uh if you take the uh time to look at the packet that was presented by Congress, I think you'd see that there opportunity, but there's a lot of sweat uh many hands make light work and I think bringing all
of those entities together to do that. That'll be the one program that I'm going to work on, you know, I'll work on others. Uh tonight there was um at the last minute um an earmark offered by um
Congressman Keading that uh I spoke off camera earlier about to you treasurer uh in pursuit of a command and control center that may be an operation center for programs we have going on uh with the fire departments as well as regional
911. So that is uh something that um I would ask that our commissioners vote to authorize Frank to enter into the application pot of that earmach. So uh give him the latitude to create um
through the rules of that airmach uh Plymouth County's request for a million-doll airmock uh through um Congressman Keaton's office. I know the chair had uh had uh some to do with that with their office as well. So that would
be my um report on my part of revenue uh sharing with the the county left anything out. But >> is that through a motion uh to have uh Frank have the authority to >> move manager? We have a second.
>> I have a point of order. Um did you say you spoke earlier this evening on that? >> It came in with like 20 minutes to go. Um so the problem is that the program of the airmark if we want to apply this is by the way an ongoing conversation that
started last year Jared but we it was after the earmark. So this allows us to apply by no means it has to pass the legislation and then it's a wish. >> Well what are we applying for? It's not on the agenda. So, are we applying it
for all we all that's on the agenda is sealer of weights and measures. So, >> right. Well, >> and I heard about anorobic digestion and I hear about a command center. So, what is the motion for >> to give Frank the authorization to look into the air >> that that Congressman Keading filed?
>> Well, he hasn't filed yet. We have to >> I did listen, Madam Chair. I'm pointing out that this is something that has been just brought up within the last >> five minutes and is not on the agenda. And I would posit that the administrator does not need a vote of this board on something not duly notice on the agenda
to pursue nor does Congressman Keading need a vote of this board to file any amendments he >> but we do need to fill it if I may >> because it came in late Jared I think it's within the authority of the chair to allow that to come in because it it
is timesensitive and to delay it without authorizing him would I think just be a loss to the county an opportunity. So, I would just ask you to potentially go along with the vote. Let Frank fill out the application. Whether we're successful or not is another question,
but to not allow us to apply, it isn't like it was planned. It came in 20 minutes before the meeting. So, with a deadline, >> just because I understand how federal and state law making works. So, >> Congress passes CARES, right? It then comes to the attention of the county
that there's $90 million available. After they pass it, the county applies for it. I'm not squaring away knowing how federal and and state legislation works, why we need to vote on something that's not on the agenda
for an amendment that may or may not pass. I hope it passes, but if the amendment, when is the amendment being taken up by Congress? Is it being taken up today? Right now, >> if I may, the application deadline is Monday. And just so you know,
>> so then the amendment already passed. Not to interrupt. >> No, no, no. It hasn't passed. So, it's an annual airmark that every congressional person gets. Okay. So, every year they go through a process. Okay. They put it out there, they get feedback, and then they do a wish list.
Okay. To allow us to get on the wish list, the congressman's office requires an application. Okay. This, as I stated, began last year. Um, and we missed the deadline for earmark. I don't know why
and how. At the 11th hour, maybe he had another earmark that didn't go through, but he remembered that we were interested. And at quarter 4, we got the call, are you interested if we can if you fill out the application of us filing? And that's where it is. So if we
don't allow it at because it was a late entry, she can deem that it is available uh for discussion because it was unforeseen at the publication. I believe that's the case. But you know, >> we're just giving Frank permission. We're just giving Frank permission to
pursue and to look into it. >> I'm not comfortable voting for something that's not on the agenda. >> Why does that surprise me? But that's okay. >> Would like to follow the law is on the floor. Madam Chair, >> I will follow the open meeting law. That that should truly not surprise you, Madam Chair. And I and I know
>> I have a motion on the floor. Is there a second? >> I'll make a second. All in favor? >> I will abstain because I support the spirit of it, however, where it's not on the agenda and I still don't know what exactly is being applied for. That's fine. >> That wasn't fully stated. energy. I'd ask that the administrative fully uh
advise the mission member that of what? >> No, I understand it just wasn't on the this went from seals and weights and measures to asking government >> was all of our programs as far as my understanding of the agenda. Weights and measures was one that I asked to be
brought in, but I was here prepared to talk about anorobic digestion. And at the 11th hour, this opportunity came in for the county to receive up to a million dollars. And you know, if um you know, if it goes through, I'm I'm happy to offer it and I'm glad it was
seconded. And that's why we have on the agenda the municipal programs that we can uh freely talk about that we are as commissioners going out and looking into programs to bring into our communities. So I want to thank you uh for bringing your ideas and it's always good to have
uh all of us um go out and look into our member communities and find out what their needs are. So, uh, Commissioner Valenzola, do you have any programs or anything you want to report on that maybe you have, uh, that you're working on? >> Um, well, I did read the anorobic
digestion briefing and and major commendations to Mr. Hefern, and thank you very much for your effort in writing this, you writing this, of course. um just one of the things that I I just want to make sure that's out there as I
read this um you know it it's sometimes doing the right thing isn't the the easy thing and sometimes uh pointing out issues with some things while it may not be popular I I just have noted that there is a a sign
there's a lot of cons in this report which is fine and there are some pros and I'm not necessarily uh not open to this idea. Um but from what I was able to deduce in reading this, this appears to be an incredibly
expensive endeavor for the county. >> Um and one of the things that I I don't need to go into full detail on it now, the cons, you know, folks can read that for themselves. Again, it's a it's an
awful lot of money, but municipal programs opportunity discussion is is a broad uh agenda item. Um I think it's important to frame what the purpose of of government is. Governments at any
level, whether it be a town, a county, a state, or of course the fed, were created to provide services that people wanted to collectively have. That is the purpose of government. While it's nice that we may be able to try and and
generate revenue, uh there's not a single government entity on the planet or at least in the United States of America that that generates revenue. What we do is we we we have some cost basis that uh participating members pay
us to be participatory in. Uh the parking department a great example, municipal procurement, a great example. Um, but when you factor in the IBIDA and uh and the cost of labor to produce those things, we're pretty much breaking even. And that's fine. I'm fine with that because at the end of the day, what
I fully believe is when executing something like the parking department, which was an unfunded mandate by the Commonwealth in 1982, uh we have provided an incredible program for our member communities. And as the deputy treasurer discovered a couple of years back, uh, a lot of our municipalities
are too small for the private sector vendors to even want to be bothered with. And we've been able to work in that space and bring communities from here to the Birkshars on board. And that that's through his effort and his his knowledge and knowhow. But when it comes
to things like anorobic digestion or a command center, um I am really concerned with putting the county in a position where we're doing something that's financially infeasible that's going to cost an exorbitant
amount of money that is not in any way going to provide the tangible return that I think my colleagues here seem to believe. And I think it gets to a a philosophical idea about the purpose of government which again I'm not going to
expand upon but government town government was founded public schools were founded because people wanted to have that service. Public schools don't make any money. Roadways are handled by communities and not the private sector. Why? Because communities felt we need
roads to get to places and it's a lot better to have a community do it rather than the private sector. That's that's the ultimate purpose of government. In my years of civic historical research, uh I've never been able to find a single government entity that is
able to shoehorn um a private almost private sector uh uh uh business model into their plan because people want services, people expect services. Um and it's not expected to
turn turn a profit. Um, so to the specific question, I I guess I'll just answer this. I will continue to work on and collaborate with the 27 communities that I was elected to serve with the select board members, town managers, city councilors, counselors across the county who I was elected to serve and
work with. And I will continue to think about and work with them on fostering ideas where the county can be a vehicle for regionalization. And I will continue to point to the food insecurity program um that uh is again providing a service
putting the county in a space where we would not have ordinarily been uh addressing food insecurity. Who would have ever thought that that was a problem uh in Plymouth County in 2025 and 2026 but um utilizing the different resources that we collectively bring to
bear to address issues that people want. That's the expectation I have set for myself and I believe that Plymouth County can execute. Um, building an anorobic digesttor seems like a nice idea. It costs a lot of money. Building
a command center seems like a nice idea. Maybe the federal government will pay for it. Maybe they won't. Then we got to staff it. That's going to come with legacy costs. There's a whole host of other things. So, um, so again, and I'll I'll end my comments with, um, I will
always continue to look for opportunities for this, uh, government to utilize the collective network we have and we have built and the relationships we fostered through CARES and through AARPA to continue to be that
entity that uh, that serves the communities and serves the taxpayers. Because ultimately if we can uh produce those tangible results, we will save the community's money, we will save the taxpayers money and that is the ultimate
uh that is my personal ultimate goal. That's my personal creed that I came up with myself and that's how I approach this and that's how I'll continue to approach it. So u I will continue to talk about pond management. And I think that's an excellent program that can save municipalities money. And I'll continue pushing my friends across the
county uh to continue utilize or to to push their communities as they enter town meeting phase uh to do that to do that program. Um again, something like NIH, not a not a necessarily a money maker, but something that is a service that people want and need in their homes
that is something that is executable. We are executing it figuring out ways to continue that program. Um, but the idea that Plymouth County can suddenly morph into some corporation, I think is ambitious. But, um, that's something
that you guys want to focus on trying to figure out. I'll continue figuring out myself uh, as well. But, in the meantime, I'll continue uh, operating in these spaces and lanes that I think the county can operate and function in best. >> Madam Chair, may I respond?
>> Thank you for the education. I think that uh we went on maybe a little bit too long on that, but uh you're a true politician. You don't answer the question. So, thank you for the education. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I do want to remind my colleague that tonight
specifically, we're asked to come to the board with our programs for um generation. And there is historical precedent in this county specifically on public private um programs that were negotiated that could have generated
revenue. But from my colleague, I would just because he referenced history. I'm reminded of uh a quote by Theodore Roosevelt, the man in the arena, and I'll read it. It's not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the
doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who is who comes up short again and again because there is no
effort without error or shortcoming, but who does actually strive to do the deeds he knows. great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows the end and the triumph of high achievement, and
who at worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. So the critic is not who counts. So thank you, Madam Chair, for giving me
that response. >> Thank you. Uh I'm going to move on and I you know do see that the handbook uh is in our file here. Uh do we did we need a vote on that? I know there was some discussion on the flex time that we're
>> So that was for uh per chair uh as uh we uh the policy handbook was just handed out with some edits for future consideration just for your uh review. Uh we don't have that on the on the agenda for
tonight. I do have um along the bullet item that we're discussing uh we our staff uh the team did come together uh the leadership team to talk about some opportunities that may be of interest to you.
>> Uh if you like we more than happy to run through a few uh programs that we think are easily not easily but are achievable uh and can move forward if you like. I can review them with you or we can put that on for discussion at the next meeting.
>> Uh no, I think that there that's in our folder. Um I know time is getting on. I'm want to be sensitive. The whole idea of having an earlier meeting was to get everybody out of here at a decent time. Uh so we can put maybe put that on for the next agenda. >> Sure.
>> Yep. I think thank you. And um couple other things. Um I happen to be out in the the community. I just um actually it was yesterday >> for the vendor. I'm sorry.
>> Very well. >> And um somebody had asked me about the audits. Uh so I told them to go online. They should find it online. Uh and then I got a call uh this morning actually that it
wasn't online. Uh I looked it up and it was up to uh 2023 I think it was. So, uh, this is 2026. Uh, are we going to get that brought up to date? >> So, I'm more than happy to answer or the
treasurer can answer. Um, what would you like to answer? Chair, >> just make a point of order. This is not on the agenda for discussion. >> Um, I'm just answering a >> Oh, no, I understand. It was a point of order for the chair. >> Yes. Okay. Well then I would >> audits are done postc closing of the
year and postc closing of the accounts. They usually trail at one point I think we trailed our audits by 10 or more years. Uh it's very um we had uh our auditor change hands from uh through acquisition.
>> Ciz was our first uh uh this is one of our first audits with CBIS. Uh so um and we had a change of position within their unit. So we are working and fi finalizing uh the audits been probably
what 95% completed and we are just waiting on uh a few final documents with the organization to come into uh into fin to get you the final audit. But we're well within um the normal cycle of
of auditing. Uh so again we uh this is uh fiscal 24 um and then we'll roll right into fiscal 25. We're in fiscal 26. Uh fiscal 25 just closed um a couple months ago uh
little you know last fall. So um again we are well within cycle uh and we post uh unlike other municipalities uh we post all our audits for all of the public to see. Uh it's underneath the treasures tab of the um of the uh
website. >> Very good. Thank you. That was just because I was questioned out in the community uh in Alaska. So so thank you for that information. So, uh, I think, uh, my ending statement, which I usually do at the end, uh, I is probably
probably right in line of tonight's commissioners meetings. Uh, this was geared to teamwork makes the dream work. I wrote this myself. This is not AI. I did spelling check. That's all just for your information.
So, as an elected representative of 27 diverse communities within Plymouth County, the effectiveness of success of our governance rest fundamentally on the strength of our teamwork. We are not three individuals acting in isolation. We are commissioners charged
with shared responsibilities to oversee county operations, allocate resources, responsibility, serve the collective interests of every resident and municipality. Teamwork is not merely a suggestion. It is a critical necessary necessity for
navigating the complex challenges of opportunities facing our county. When we operate as a cohesive unit, listening actively, respect, respecting diverse viewpoints, engaging in constructive debate, and ultimately committing to a
unified decision. We present a strong stable front that inspires confidence in our constituents. Our goal must always be team building, not team breaking. This means prioritizing collaboration over divisions, seeking common ground
over entrench entrenched positions, and always remembering that our ultimate client is the public we serve across all 27 communities. A united commission, huh, let me say that again. a united commission budgets responsible and uh to
emergencies and foster economic vitality across the entire community. We are committed to working as a unifying team to ensure Plymouth County thrives for all. Our success is linked to our ability to function as one dedicated
body for betterment of every resident. Uh again uh I like to just bring these things as a note that we can go on uh with good thoughts before we leave. Uh I want to thank the team that we have
here. I think we all work very well together. Uh we have uh a great uh treasures office uh parking department. Molly, you do a fantastic job. Chris and Trisha, welcome to the team. Uh our team and the commission department.
uh we wouldn't be here without you people and uh I really think you do a great job and I I think that we strive together uh as one unity. So thank you and uh good night. Do I hear madam chair? >> Do I hear a motion to adjurnn? So
>> move. >> Second. >> All in favor? I butt.