have at least two fin members on Zoom. Am I missing anybody? All right. Okay. Um I have full faith that Ed will happily correct me if I missed any. All right. So, let's call FinCom to order um with a roll call vote and then I'll give select board an opportunity to call to order because I
believe you all have an all zoom quorum yourselves and I think you're posted. So, but yeah, let's do fin. So, uh uh calling attendance uh John >> here, Mark >> here, >> Jeffrey >> here, >> Ed >> here,
>> Emily >> here, >> Joe Mcdana >> here, >> Maryanne >> here, >> and Joe Carneahan here. Um, I see on Zoom I do see Chris, Carlo, and Karen Rosillis.
>> Thanks, Joe. I'll call the select board to order. We're posted, so I'll take a roll call. Um, Carlo Bachi >> here. >> Karen Rose Gillis >> here. >> And anybody in person? Joe? >> Nope.
>> Not. and Chris Haley is here as well. Thanks. >> All right, let's uh move along here. So, that tells me my my laptop's even telling me my Wi-Fi stinks. Hopefully, I will still be able to read the packet and run a meeting.
All right, so uh after calling to order, next up is public comment. Uh if anyone would like to speak, please just give your name and street. >> Oh, yeah. Please if you can write the microphone that we are all using is that one in the ceiling there. So if you need to know where to point your voice.
>> Okay, I'll try. >> Uh thank you. I'm Marilyn Chapley 11 John Carver Road. I am a member of the Council on Aging, but I'm here on my own behalf. Um I'd like to follow up on discussion of the Elder and Human Services proposed FY27 budget and the
ways in which the Burbank Trust in particular can help. First, just to level set, the Burbank Trust was established in 1998 to enhance the quality of Reading's senior citizens. It wasn't, however, intended to serve as an
ongoing operating subsidy for the department. Also, I want to recognize the careful stewardship of the Commissioners of Trust Funds and the Council on Aging. Because of their work, the original $250,000 gift has grown over the past 28 years to
about $389,000 today. That's a very positive outcome. To preserve this resource for future generations of seniors, it's important that the principal continue to grow. And in general, that means spending only the interest rather than drawing down the
principal. Good news is that right now about $80,000 of that 389,000 represents accumulated interest. This was intentionally built up while ARPA funding was available, creating what
might be might be described as a rainy day cushion as we transition to the recal. However, I want you to be aware that that cushion could be used up fairly quickly. the way it got talked about last week, everyone was all excited about 389 thou. It's it's 80,000
in terms of this. Um, in FY26, the Council on Aging has already supported two requests totaling 10,000 to help address EHS budget shortfalls. So, we're already right in there trying to help them. I al also anticipate
roughly 5,000 to 10,000 more this year for senior programming as ARPA funding winds down. Looking ahead to FY27, the Council on Aging will likely need to reserve about $15,000 to support the
programs traditionally funded by the Burbank Trust, events, educational programs, and activities that help make the senior center vibrant but not covered by the core budget. In addition, we've heard discussion about potential EHS requests of up to
35,000 to buffer the new revolving fund and possibly another 20,000 for a pilot program related to program fees. These are operational needs in my view. Taken together, those uses could fully consume the 80,000 currently available in
accumulated interest. And at that point any additional uses beyond all the things I just disc discussed of the fund would begin drawing down on the principal. In my view using the principle as an ongoing funding source for operational needs would gradually
undermine the purpose of the Burbank trust. For that reason I support the one-time budget increase that was proposed earlier this week by Ron Powell. And I won't go through all his numbers again. and I know he emailed it to you and you've talked it through with him.
In closing, we have created, it's true, a Burbank rainy day type of balance in the Burbank fund and it certainly could help with transition. It's all subject, of course, COA approval, but that was the thinking when we were building up
the um acred money that it would perhaps go to that. Um and so it's 80,000, not 389,000. Um and in addition, in my opinion, the Burbank Trust should continue enhancing
seniors lives, not filling structural gaps in the operating budget. This is how it was originally conceived and for 28 years it's done a fabulous job and we should make sure that it gets to continue focusing its money in the way that it has. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. I'm looking for any other public comment. Please come on up. Thank you. Angela Bend to Orchard Park Drive. I haven't finished writing things
up, but I'm here to talk about article 14. The town, I don't believe, has properly investigated ways to fund unified sports, which was an instructional motion um
at the last year before within the year. Um unified sports, no one is saying it's not a great program. Everyone agrees that it is. adaptive programs, also a wonderful program.
They could be funded as a community priority. That would be a great way to fund it. That hasn't been explored. The instructional motion, I believe, was for the the town and the school to
explore ways to fund it, including with the Burbank fund. The Burbank board members should not be dictating how the town spend its free cash. The fact that the Burbank board has made this article
a requisite for parking for pickle ball is so distasteful to me and to many other people. Pickle ball was approved by town meeting. People asked about
parking. There was no mention of a exchange. You will only get pickle ball parking if this article goes forth. But that is what has happened.
The town has decided last summer to dissolve the the Burbank fund. And I I just want to be clear that's a completely separate Burbank fund that that Marilyn was talking about. So people might be watching this. It's a
very different thing. This Burbank fund that I'm talking about is the rent in lie of taxes. And it is so distasteful to me that the Burbank board has asked for this article
to go through in order for them to agree to parking. That is what the town manager told me. The previous town manager told me. He also told me that that would be the the contract would be signed long before
this ever went to town meeting. I'm not sure that the contract has been signed. They still were discussing changes to it last night. There are separate issues here. Coming up with a way to fund
unified sports adaptive sports is a great thing. The town should be discussing it. The town should be discussing that in context with a override, in context with the needs of the seniors who are underfunded for this
year and for next year. And I was here two years ago saying money should not money should not go to temporary pickle ball courts.
We all agreed that we needed to get pickle ball courts. I said, "Do not give the $200,000 for the temporary courts. Let's see how things play out. Let's work on this." The town worked on it. RPA made a very
generous donation. They amped up their donations. They amped up their their fundraising. They made a generous donation. And we have a wonderful solution. And I am sure that the town fin working with the select board and town staff can come up with the right
way to fund unified sports. Article 14 is the wrong way to fund it. It is the wrong way to fund it and it is it is it is just so wrong in so many ways. So, I hope that you will consider
that a lot of people are are really in favor of unified sports and adaptive sports. No one no one is doubting that. But we need to come up with the right way to fund it. Article 14 is the wrong way and I hope that you do not uh I hope
you give it a thumbs down or whatever you do. Thank you. >> See, we have hands on Zoom. Yes. Um uh I see actually Chris is first on my list. So Chris Haley, >> I'm just running to get money. >> Yes, my car. >> Please go ahead.
>> Sorry. >> Thanks, Joe. Um uh Chris Haley, 71 tennis and road speaking as uh as a resident. Um with article 14 coming before Fincom tonight, I just want you to take in consideration what is before
you tonight. not anything else that has been said would a should have is the amount of time, effort and energy put into particular things. You have what's in front of you tonight and that is what you will be voting on um or recommending. Um you can always do
things other separate ways and things can be done however but this is what's put forth uh to you tonight. Um, I just want to reiterate that the instructional motion from April of 2025, which was
instructional motion number 25-02 by uh Eric Gaffin of Precinct 4, was instructing the town manager um that staff inclusive of schools identify and create a sustainable funding mechanism for expanding adaptive
programming using existing town funds and future donations from the Burbank. ICE uh authority. That was Eric Gaffen making that recommend uh making that instructional motion to town meeting. That is not the Burbank Ice Arena
dictating where money goes. That was his instructional motion that set what is before you uh in motion tonight. So hopefully you judge that on its merits alone as it is. And uh I appreciate your
time. Thank you. Thank you. Uh Carlo, >> thank you. Can you guys hear me? >> Yes. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. And um Carlo Bachi Main Street speaking as a resident and I guess as a select board member for the sake of it. It's a little
frustrating where I hear a few people uh between last night and tonight stating that Burbank is telling us Burbank is asking us to put this on the warrant. They're not telling us. So that's a big
distinction in my in my view. They're asking us to put on the warrant and let Tom Meaning discuss it. I'm not going to go over all the minutia that has gone over the past couple of days or weeks over this article, but uh as I stated in
public before, this is another tool in the toolbox to fund this unbelievable program. So, I I don't appreciate residents saying they're telling us to do this. They're asking us to do this. put on an article and let town meeting
decide if we're going to create two stabilization funds, one stabilization fund or however we go forward. So, I ask you to vote on the merits of this article. Uh, as Chris Haley said,
Burbank did not bring this forward. So, uh, we voted last night on this and I appreciate all your time and energy on this and, uh, thank you for letting me speak. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. I'm looking around
for any other hands. Seeing none. Let's continue. Got to say I'm having technical difficulties here and having trouble loading the uh thing documents on my computer. I've got them on my I've got a backup on my phone here. I'll use it if I have to. All
right. Um continuing with our agenda. Uh leazison reports. Again, it's only been a week since our last meeting, but anyone have anything to share? >> I do. >> Please go ahead. Um, so I attended on Monday a joint meeting between Council on Aging and uh, Recreation Committee
where um, wonderful town staff presented a preliminary budget for the recal project, building facility, whatever we're calling it. Um, and so just to report here some key takeaways. There
was a presentation made that is if it is not up on the website yet, it will be very soon. Um but the key takeaways is that you know compared to the operating costs for the Pleasant Street Center um we're looking at additional expenses in facility operations, cleaning,
maintenance, utilities, all that around 360K uh between FY27 and FY28. Um there's also going to be an increase in uh staffing costs uh owing to the uh part-time therapeutic recreation person
and front desk staff for the recal building around 48,000. Um but there will be some offsetting revenue opportunities from the new building um from both EHS and recreation and other sources with rentals that would be
somewhere on the order of like $200,000. So, um, you know, there's definitely opportunity for us to get some additional revenue from the new space through rental and programming. Um, but we are, you know, just to be mindful that there will be an increase uh in for
the facility side of the house and the staffing side of the house. Um, so there's, uh, a lot of work was put in by by Jane, Jenna, uh, Jim, and Carrie, uh, and Joe from facilities, um, to kind of get these numbers together with some
help from consultants. Um, and there's some details that will be available on the recal website or on with the posting. I don't know exactly where it's going to end up, but we can follow. >> I think it's on the recal site, but where it's on elder human services. I'll double check right now. >> Yeah, we just sent it to get posted. So,
I don't know if it's up yet. >> Yeah. >> Is that something uh Yeah, go ahead. Um is that is that something um that we could have uh folks come in and just address the whole thing income on that? >> Um >> we're going to be going to select board
two on the 24th. >> 24th. >> Yep. >> Okay. Yeah, that that's some I mean >> uh taking future meeting agendas way out of order. I think >> Yeah. Yeah. Just you think that's a good uh >> Well, I mean I have questions. >> That's a good suggestion. you're I in
fairness to Emily, you're not going to be able to answer that. Um um but yeah, so I just you're kind of curious on that stuff. >> No, numbers are out there preliminary. Um and they'll be lots of opportunity, I'm sure, to talk about them in the coming weeks and months.
>> Yeah, we can there's plenty of time this it's better it's better to be early than late, but it's Yeah, that's >> Yep. That's it for me. Anyone else? I'll take a select word from last night.
I um um sat in the corner there for a while. Um last night um so I think um main things kind of pertinent from a um finance committee perspective um and you know it's already been you know kind of handled in public comment a lot of
discussions on um on article 14 and how it's um how it's structured. there's been there was some um uh just restructuring of it. Um and um it was a really uh good discussion. Um it happened kind of later when town council came on, but I think the way that it's
structured now gives the gives the town the um and town meeting the most flexibility um for when it um for when it gets discussed on the floor. And I'm sure we can, you know, uh go through that part of it. Um but um um there were other items that were a lot of items that were discussed in in the meeting. I
think that's probably the more the main one for uh the business at hand. Um but outside of that, we're kind of um um you know there there was a discussion on uh amending um acting town manager's uh
contract and and and and um how the path is going going forward, but that was u kind of all positive from that perspective. Uh Jeffrey, so usually the school div school committee has meetings where they announce exciting things coming up and I just wanted to put a a note that the uh
robotics team will be hosting a New England district uh event this weekend. So if you want to come down to the fieldhouse and and see some robots in action which will be a fun time. >> Didn't not to add or on but I thought I saw in the paper that our color guard
won the state championship. You know there are a bunch of things but yeah >> and the drama club is competing in you know in the semi-finals down in way something rather now we or I forget which one it is
way far away but >> none of this is financial and all this is awesome. All right. Um, uh, anything else? All right, let's go on to talking about the budget, which of course we had a, um,
lengthy presentation on. Um, I will say two years ago we did the budget or rather well, you know, for fiscal year 26, we did the budget in one night. I thought we could do it again in one night. Technically, we could, but I do not recommend doing the FY28 budget in one night. I've just >> noted
>> noted noting that for my successor whoever they may be. Um yes. So are there um now actually I'm going to say we can put off the voting on the lines of the budget perhaps if if it's okay with the committee. Um
>> I did want to go over with you a change that's happened since we met last week. >> Okay. Um, >> so Jane, >> Jane and her team um was negotiating with Maya, our um insurance provider, to try and get a lower rate. And we recently bought our rates for fiscal 27,
which we saved um a little over $100,000. And so I changed it on this budget to bring down the pre-cash use by 100,000. Um it was a little bit more than that, but I had to um increase um our deductibles. We had like 60,000. I had
to have money there for deductibles. So, um, I ended up, let's see, where is it here on the budget? This property casualty went down by $100,000. And that's where I changed that. And then I brought this down by 100,000. Every little bit counts because we
started off at 6,750 when we started this process. So, 300, I'll take it. It's not great. >> And last week, you had already said you reduced the free cash usage. So, this is more. So now everybody has their community priorities and they want it right back, right? >> Yeah. Well, we had just been talking
with the insurance provider, but they gave us our number, workers comp and property casualty together, not broken out. So I didn't know how much savings we were talking about. I'm like, I need you to break it out or I'm not going to be able to incorporate it into the budget. And they did that for us. And, you know, hats off to Jane and her team
because they, you know, they got us some a good amount of money off of our off of our insurance premiums, which is nice because we've been seeing a lot of like 10% increases year after year. Um, and to see it go down and get a good a good chunk of it back or a little bit back.
It helps. It's It's only been possible because um we have really excellent loss ratios. And we have those really excellent loss ratios because our staff does an amazing job of um reducing, you know, exposure. So, you know, floods, um
pipe freeze ups, all all kinds of, you know, any workers comp, blah blah blah. We work really hard, uh across all the departments to keep our risk low. We have a safety committee. It's a thing. Um and they do an excellent job. But because we had 45% loss ratios, I went
back and said, "You're going to have to do better than this." The expectation is they're going down next year anyway to most communities, 2 and a half%. And we're like, "That's that's not going to be enough. You have to do better." So, we got closer to 8 9% um reduction in
our J. Uh sorry. >> Go for it. Sorry. Um so um just out of curiosity um how did you know that data to be able to I mean it's great to ask but like it's it but having the data in the background is what makes
it effective like h um and I don't want to bury the lead again another great example of how awesome town staff is um you know and another example of it but uh just kind of curious as far as like from a negotiation and you know and
recognizing that and knowing that you could do that. Just I'm just curious on a little bit peak behind the curtain as far as how that goes. >> You want to get in the inside baseball? I do. >> I understand. No. So what we did is um we have renewal periods every year and so we go over what our loss runs are
because that's because if you you should be around 80%, you should be between 60 and 80, you know, like that's that's about right. We're really low and we haven't always been really low. >> Okay. But I know that when we're low, we're really good in the reinsurance market. We're looking really good for them and we're helping keep their
exposures low and being able to resell their risk. So I said, I want I want the full data. And then I I said, we're going to go out to bid. We're going to go out and look at other companies, but that's a really laborious process, and we really like what you offer us, and we know what other companies offer, which
isn't nearly what Maya offers offers us. They really are just an exceptional company to work with. But that being said, I don't care. Money talks. Yep. >> And um and they they were it took a long time. It took a long time because we started these conversations in November
and they came back once and we said >> not good enough. >> No, thank you. Come back again. And so we had those conversations last week. So November till March. >> And this is for like one year, Jane, like or >> Well, your loss funds dictate your
premium. So if we have Why do I knock on the wood, right? So yeah, everybody if if something bad were to happen that would dictate an increase in premiums next year. So we look at that every single year. But we work very hard to manage and keep our risk very well. So what will happen is because we're paying
less money, any losses we have will chew up a larger percentage. So the loss run will rise. That's to be expected, but we still expect to be quite, you know, a lower than that threshold. So it should be good. But you said we'll have higher deductibles too. Did you say that?
>> We we made some changes to a few. They gave us some options to take higher deductibles on some things. We made a couple of small changes that we'll have. We think it not as big enough. But >> so we don't need more that much more to cover those. >> We don't believe so. Yeah. Yeah. But we
took some of that and saved it. So yeah, for the >> So this is just it it was health insurance and this is like property and casualty. >> That's right. It's all of our, you know, >> doesn't include like the police car getting total. That's something else. It does. Oh, it does. And even with that, we were still good. >> Yes. Okay.
>> Yep. Yep. It's It's law enforcement liability. It's professional lines liability. It's um and any kind of litigation is covered under this insurance. Um you know, damage damage to property, loss of property, that kind of stuff. Yep. All
of it. >> That's good news. >> So good. So good. She was more but good. >> So, was there more or >> That was it. I I have the I just wanted to make sure I updated the spending scorecard so that when we vote the lines
that you're voting the right amounts and I went and I did check it and it is correct. So, >> and you changed article 14 last night or broke since we saw it before it got broken up. >> Article 14 is the is that the unified adaptive? >> We will get to that. That's not
>> Was that changed >> which I think might have been changed. >> The language has changed on the >> com. It's one one two numbers. >> I'm not as familiar with that. I'll take you through it. >> Okay. >> Yeah, we'll have plenty of questions for that when we get to I'm sure. All right.
Um yeah, I guess um >> Jeffrey, you emailed not to put you on the spot. You emailed me a good question. I'll ask it myself if you don't. Um, so I had a question about the way that the uh $80,000 for the dispatch
software was done. was put as a community uh priority so that it you know so that it fit into the budget and the way I understand community pri priorities right is those come out of the the accommodated costs right so you take you know whatever the the big number is you you you take off the
accommodated cost and then you split the remainder essentially you know 30 some% to town 60 some percent to the school so if you take 80,000 out of the top then 60ome% of that is actually coming out of the school's budget So it made it easier
to fit the 80,000 into the town side of the budget, but it then took 60% of 80, so something like $50,000 out of the school budget. So >> we didn't take anything out of either budget. So the community priority because I had savings in debt, which
debt is an accommodated cost. Okay? >> I normally would have spent that money on capital because it's 5% debt and capital. I made the judgment call that our number was high enough that I thought you guys would want me to reduce free cash use. And so it was about
300,000 about 280 I want to say. I said okay I'll reduce free cash by by 200,000 and keep the 80 to make this community priority for both because it does service you know it's for public safety. It services both towns. So it's servicing both of our needs. I felt like
it was the perfect community priority. So it didn't impact any of the money that was allocated to the town or school side. In fact, in fact, the town site had given 75,000 of, you know, because remember we talked about um the original budget we had talked about was a 2.75%
budget, but when I spoke to the school department, they felt it would be really tight for them. And I thought we could work a 2.75 because our preliminary numbers with salaries came out to about 2 and a half or 2.75. So, I knew that the biggest expense we have is salaries and if that's coming in around there, we
should be good. Um and so we agreed that um if we went to a 3% operating budget that we would give that additional 75,000 that the town would have got to the the school side to bring their operating budget up a little bit more to make it a little bit more um manageable for them.
>> As it turns out, doing this kind of gives it almost like gives the town back what we gave away. But um in this case, we put it into accommodated cost. It builds it into the base because it still goes into the town's budget, but it's counted just like an accommodated cost is. it builds it into the base and it
will be there next year to, you know, to build on. Adding $80,000 to a budget line item that didn't exist. It it really it's a lot. It wasn't something that was easily done and I cut so much from the town budget and I couldn't find
anymore to cut without cutting staff and so I felt like that was the best option. So, I really did not impact the town and school budgets in terms of what we said the split is between the two of us because the savings came from timing related to debt and premiums we we
received from the um the offerings of debt like changed what the actual principal and interest payments were that we had on our schedules which were estimated a certain percentage. So, those changes netted down to a number that I would have typically spent on capital. I chose not to spend it on
capital. Bring capital down to four and a half instead of the 4.75% that we talked about and use that to reduce free cash. And that 80,000 was part of that number. It was about 280 that I had. >> The net the net. So it really didn't impact the town or school side what the
numbers were that we broke out at that point when you met at financial form. Those numbers never changed. The savings came from that accommodated cost area that had already been budgeted before we split the money. And then those numbers changed. >> Thank you. >> Does that make sense? >> Yeah.
>> Okay. >> I have a related question that that came up when I was talking with Jeffrey about this about the um and and you alluded to how in the fall when we were setting free cash guidance, we projected a 3.43% increase for the schools and a 2.75%
increase for the town. Uh, but I'm looking at the budget and it looks like >> they give you 2% because they have their accommodated cost piece in there. So, >> Right. Right. I'm I'm not I'm not I'm I'm correctly I believe um not including that in this part of the conversation.
That wasn't what we were the 3.43 that they talked about. But then it seems like they came back with 3.14 and the town um actually I'm a little confused. page 23 of the budget. Um, if you don't mind taking a look, it looks like it says town departments were
both 1.7% and 1.4%. Um, both of which are small and way less than 2.75. So, I like that. >> Um, but I want to know which number is right and am I correctly comparing these things? >> Okay, so you're looking at Okay, so there's a couple things at play. So on
page 23, what you're seeing is the the town departments without shared cost. There are some accommodated costs that are in town departments. Yes. So for instance, utilities is an accommodated cost, right? >> But it's in the facilities budget and
there was significant reductions in facilities. I want to say it took $135,000 out of their electricity budget. So you're going to see some reductions in there that are being incorporated here. um you know and they're related to accommodated costs. So you're not seeing
the operating cost separate from the accommodated cost. The anything that's accommodated cost that's in a department you're going to see it in this page. So if I were to take them out, you'd see the 2.75 or whatever it was. I actually think I brought it down. I don't even
know that we got 2.75, but in general, that's what we had planned. Um let's see what other departments would have that. administrative services has the property and casualty as which is an accommodated cost that's in there. Um
any other ones? Public works. Um public works might have some things in there that are you know not part of the shared cost. When you look at the shared costs when you look at that page those are things that are budgeted on their own line on the spending scorecard. So debt capital
those things that you see that are individual. They're not built into a department. they're their own line, their own section of the budget. But if they're not in that shared cost section, they're built into a department's budget. So, I did feel like a lot of people asked the question of me, why did
the school say that their budget only went up 2% 2% overall because their um out of district special ed was reduced? And so, a lot of people were asking me that question. So, I expected that was what your question was. I am not one of those people. I'm not one of those
people. But yeah, they so their operating budget might have went up 3.43, but they had such a large reduction in their um out of district special ed the net you're looking at. >> I'm asking about this because and I don't know if you had a chance to look at the draft uh budget finance committee
budget summary, but >> I did not >> I did call out the um because if you had you'd probably be able to tell me I was wrong. Uh so >> and nobody I didn't even know it was in here yet. It has to be because I think it has to be um >> I just last time we did this
>> I've been busy with other things so I didn't even know it was in there yet. >> Okay. Yeah. So um at the bottom of the first page I tried to um oh of the packet >> a lot. >> Or is it what page is is in the budget?
>> In the budget. Yeah. >> Well it's not in the budget is it? It's I think it's at the end of the packet. It's at the end. It's at the very end of the packet >> because you haven't put it in. >> Oh, she hasn't put it in the budget book yet. That's why I didn't see it because she hadn't reviewed the budget book and I didn't see it when I reviewed >> version of the packet is at the end of
>> the new new one that came today. >> It's like 20. >> All right. No, I think I found it. >> It's not the end. There's minutes after it. >> Yes, but it's pretty close. >> All right. So, it's not in the actual the town book yet. Okay. That's why I didn't see it. Okay. Okay, thanks to my
dodgy internet connection, I cannot load the packet for tonight's meeting on computer, but I do have the original doc. I see it's loading on yours. I'm glad somebody on somebody's working for somebody. I don't know why it's not working for me. >> Are you connected to the Reading Public Library and then you have to accept the internet?
>> Uh I did connect to the public library. Pardon the public uh tech support going on here. Um just curious, >> you're talking about the 3.4 3.43 43 increase number that you have in the >> so the the 3.14 being less than 3.43
seems like a good thing that I would like to highlight and the town number which I guess is more than 1.7 >> 1.4 >> well it's 1.4 >> end up being 1.4 before I changed that um property. >> I'm trying to do an apple stablish comparison against the 2.75 because you
all did the the narrative here is uh you all were already displaying some creativity. I say you all town staff um you know came into this with creativity at the beginning with the whole well what if we went for 3% overall but slightly more than that for the school and slightly less than that for the town
and then as far as I understand it both sides proceeded to come in under those projected budgets. >> So I don't get that the school came in under the 3.43 because the number that I gave them is the number I see in their budget. So that's where I'm not sure
about I didn't know that that was >> 3.4. Yeah, because if you look at their >> you see their numbers >> in the school committee, >> I mean the number that they put into our accounting software matches the number I said was 3.43. So I don't know
>> that was the same number 3.43 and 3.14. I don't understand. >> So I don't know if that's an error or if there's if they're putting in a budget that's lower than what I told them they could have, but that's not what they've entered into the mun system. >> All right. So this is good feedback. I want to remove things from the budget
summary that are not >> this page is end 204. >> It's at the end of the packet. I didn't I had seen it yet. >> And then whereas the um uh >> I don't know if they're calculating it differently, but
>> yes. So whereas page 92 of the budget 96 of the packet is where I got the 3.14. >> Sorry. >> I have to look at what they're doing there. What page is that? uh 92 of the budget or it's 96 of my PDF.
>> Jack Jackie has it up. If you can see that look at the screen. >> Oh, I didn't know she had it up. >> See, I don't know. That doesn't do anything. >> That's separate grading operating and special accommodating. So maybe that >> and what we I my understanding was that we got you know
>> that can't be right. >> Our free cash recommendation was based on them having a need of >> I think the issue they might have is that H the community priority might be making an issue where they have it like last year was the last this year is the last
year that they had the 150,000 community priority. Maybe that's driving their numbers but they've got something wrong there because to my knowledge in my budget they have used every cent I gave them. >> All right, which I mean that's how
budgets usually work. Uh >> I mean I don't see why they would go come in under. We can get the packet from two weeks ago and Phil Little has >> I think there's got to be an error somewhere in how they calculated that because that's not what I have. >> Remember I asked you that same question the next day
>> when I was doing the budget message. >> I thought it was because of um because a lot of people were asking the question about the 2%. They said their budget only went 2%. Maybe it was you who asked me. Maybe it was you. But I showed that their budget is 53,815771. That's what they spent. And that is 3.43
over what it was last year. >> Oh, here's the thing. >> I think it's >> because they're funding out of here. >> See, I have to in order to bring into the baseline the community priority, I have to add it in here. It doesn't look
like they've added it in. And then 75,000 extra that we gave them. So yeah, I mean I think it's just a matter of them not including the community priority in their >> baseline to 3.14% to us two weeks ago. I'm looking at the presentation. >> I think it's because they have the extra
column for community priority. I think that 150 should they're not calculating it including that 150. >> Oh okay. >> There's a difference that relates to that community priority. In order for that community priority to be built in, I have to bring it into the base every
year until it goes away. Um, so I'm guessing the way I'm calculating it, the way they're calculating it, so either my number is wrong or theirs, but that there's a difference in the way we're doing it. And >> I thought now their community priority was for kindergarten and didn't they finally now it's free. And so
>> yes, it is. And so that was fiscal 26, but the way our budget is built in order to make sure that that is part of the baseline each year that you add it, you have to add it into the year that you're starting to budget for to make sure it's there. gone. >> So, so, so, uh, I just pulled out my calculator on my computer, you're 100%
correct. If I compare the FY27 number to the initial allocation of FI26, >> it's 3.43. >> Mhm. >> If I compare it to the combined initial allocation plus community priority for FI26, it's 3.14.
So, they did uh Okay, so this is this is definitely something in the uh this is why it's a draft budget summary and not the final one. >> Um >> I don't think it um is a material difference, but I'm not sure which one. >> I'm not going to I'm not going to brag that they got under 343 if they just got
343. Getting 343 is impressive enough. >> I have it at 3483, but maybe one of us is wrong, but I have them spending the whole is >> 815771, which is correct. I thought you were saying that they didn't spend it all and that the number was lower than that, but that's what I have
>> effects because of community property. >> So yeah, it is um again in a way. All right. Okay. So that's >> I mean if you put it in at 3.14 I mean I don't think it's a big deal but
>> no it's it's it's just um there's a narrative here about everything that you all staff have done through the year to make this budget work >> and I want to include all the parts that are real and none of the parts that I made up. >> So now I've got to check the math like which number is right but I thought you
were saying they didn't spend the whole budget. I'm like I know they did. >> Y can I add something? Um, so sure, we I I um haven't had a chance to to talk to you since we saw this um a couple weeks ago. Um, and I know that they, you know,
kind of all hands- on deck, full creativity. One of the areas that was um was raised um by superintendent and uh and finance director was um and I and I believe I might have this wrong um um but they were looking and I think as
we're related to special ed um they were taking they were utilizing um both like this year's allocation and then next year's allocation >> school choice. >> Okay. for was it school choice and and like and using that and kind of pulling
that in and kind of creating to be able to kind of solve where we are today but then creating a kind of a further hole. >> Yeah. A bigger hole for the future >> for future. >> That's why I say fiscal 28. I can't see how this budget works. >> Okay. Yeah. It's on the agenda too.
>> Yeah. So, so I I guess you know from um and I don't think this is the case, but just taking you know that um scenario that's not something that we've done on the town side. Correct.
>> Not that I can think of. Nothing I can think of. The one thing that we'd like to change in the future that we haven't been able to is um the seniors have asked for more programming money and we've never really had a large amount of programming money. Programs that they would participate in have always been
cash pay or you know or you know kind of subsidized a little bit by a small budget but nothing like what they had for ARPA. Um obviously with the recal center that's something we're thinking we'd like to look at because we do get an elder services grant. about $100,000
every year and we use it towards the staff that help run the senior center. Um it would be nice to be able to fully staff the senior center without support from a grant to use that grant for programming. So it's always been kind of a thought, but we're in the space of cut
cut. We can't add, you know, even if we want to, we can't add. And so, um, that's one thing in the future that we know that is been asked about that we can't seem to fund that in like unified sports, things like that, but nothing like where we're digging ourselves a bigger hole, I guess.
>> So, just to kind of follow along and and it's a perfect segue. It's another question that I had and I hope it's appropriate for timing wise, Joe. Sorry if it's not. Um, but um, are we are how are we tracking the leftover community
priorities? So like you just mentioned, you know, the stuff for elder services, the stuff for unifor unified and adaptive sports, things that have started to come up more in discussions. Um I know for the schools, you preK is mentioned, you know, there's there you
there there are other, you know, pieces that are out there. Um how how do are we how do we collect it and how do we prioritize th those community priorities? um you know once they're once they're all in the same bucket and
then um how do we what the process as far as kind of moving that forward and how that how that looks. I guess that's there's a lot to unpack there but >> so we don't use community priorities very often at all. the fact that we've used it for the last several years to
get the the full day K paid, you know, free. Free, not paid. Um, that was an effort that took a few years, you know, but normally that line is blank. We don't normally have something unless something has to be added that benefits both sides typically. The last time I'd
seen it used prior to that was for um an SRO, like they needed another school resource officer over at the schools, and that benefited both town and school side. Um and and and also I we will use it if there's something that's new that we but again it's always something that
like might need to like like software like that licensing for the building security that's another area where we had to build up um you know a budget but I think we actually in incorporated that into the town budget and took the hit. I don't think we did a community priority, but sometimes there are things like that
and as they come up, we organically just determine, is this something that makes sense to make a community priority or do we wait until we can find some other funding source? They there's not usually a ton of requests, but this unified sports has been talked about and um and
normally if our budget was healthier, I wouldn't have thought anything but adding that, but not not right now. I when I'm told to cut, I cut. I don't add, but it does seem like a worthy cause and in a normal year that they're not struggling financially. I mean, it
would be up to like Fincom and Select Board to kind of chime in and let me know. I don't think that that's worthy of your community priority, but I share with you and figured we might have be on the same page with that. That $80,000 was impossible in a 2.75% budget to pull
in for this licensing for the public safety software. I assumed that you would be okay with it and it did seem like you were but generally that conversation would probably happen with all those groups. It would be happening with the school and the town manager fincom and select board. Do we all
agree? So the first ones to hear about my thoughts was the select board because they were the first round of our budget conversation and they didn't seem to have an issue with it. Obviously if they did we would have had to rework things but it was a difficult budget to say the least. I mean >> no totally. If I can just make an
observation um everything she said and then also normally in the budget process over time you have a level one budget right the level one budget is what your department heads say is there if we had the right amount of funding this is what it looks
like we haven't really presented level one budgets in a couple of years you know the guidance that's coming in is like level fund or two and a half% and so we're kind of skipping past what level one looks like and really just going to kind of level two and the town managers always and then we're coming
again and you know and reducing that. So having the conversation about where departments really need to be hasn't really been happening and so those those pieces are just like we can't we can't fund conservation commission to where they want to be. We can't fund elder and human services programming to where we
would like it to be. Um and there's some growing pains there as well coming off of the ARPA funds. Okay. >> Sure. Um and and there's a new software that we're putting in there and the recreation revolving fund paid for that. So that's not coming out of the general fund. Um and and adaptive uh sports, you
know, both in recreation and then in the school department. Super important. Um again, there's we can't add in when we're already trying to reduce. So um you know, my recommendation going forward is that we really make an effort to have a real level one conversation.
What does level one actually look like? And then we make those games. We start paying attention to where do we need to be? You know, operations department needs adaptive uh we need software to make our website um ADA accessible by next April. This is state law. It's not
in this budget. So, we don't have that. Um and that's also that came up way late in the budget process that we realized we had to figure out that. So, that's a different problem. We're going to have to figure that out. But, you know, it's not in here. >> Do you know how much that software would cost? It's like I think between five and
six. It's based on your population. We have a briefing coming up >> and it's an annual expense. >> Yep. So, we're looking to see if there are other ways that we can make that happen as well. But other communities are it's layered on top of your website. So, it it converts all your PDFs because
we have just legacy PDFs that cannot be read by screen readers because they appear as a image. >> See, I can do that though. >> We have to build it into the machine. There you go. Exactly. Yes. And >> yeah, exactly. >> It'll it'll cost you five or six grand a year.
>> But I'm not bringing that forward as like something that needs to be funded. I'm just these are as as a process goes, we need to get back to what does level one actually look like and have the department head say that and everybody's going to be like woof and then what are we going to do?
>> So, so uh uh if you can just on on that piece. So, um, walk me through that in that scenario. Like there's a level one like on a calendar like when when does like when when would that kind of come through and
um like like as we look at it from like >> do you want a normal year or do you want FY28? >> Um, let's do FY28. I was going to say I know which one I want and it's that one. Go on. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, um, if you watch the finance the select board meeting last
night, you'll recall my memo to them that asked them to do a retreat in May. >> Yes. >> And I I asked them to do that retreat and we're going to start planning that. And the intention there, among other things, um, is to start to give the select board, okay, you're the select
board. We want to have you sort of directing the policy. Where do you want to go here and getting ahead of that? >> Um, and then we start the work. Sharon starts the work on on every fiscal year in July. It it begins in July and we
start with, you know, capital planning meetings and then we have other capital planning meetings later in the year, but it's an it's a it's a long process. Um so we need to start talking about okay, where do we want to be? What are we going to what are we going to uh what direction are we going to try and go? Are we going to work for an override or
not work for an override? When do we want that to be? Those conversations have to happen. And then we start, you know, in July. FY28's going to be a lift. >> Can I ask a question just not to bring up a new topic, but with an override,
are you trying to look at what like I've seen Winchester has an override in like a week and they had an and other communities. They've have override planning committees that maybe get appointed by the select board or appointed by Fang Stone and one we I don't think we had we had ad hoc community groups the last time around,
but I don't believe we had anything internal. I was on the staff did the the background work and then the uh community groups came forward >> and we're limited to what we can say on the >> 100%. Yeah, >> we can only give them facts. We can advocate
>> similar to what we did for school buildings, >> right? For the Yeah, exactly. So, we did the select board put out a survey for the one that for the 2018 >> Oh, right. And then and why the previous one didn't pass. That's when I remember when I first saw you. >> That's right. That was Yeah, that was
exactly right. So that's when I did the analysis on that and we presented that and then um that data that we gathered there helped kind of pick what the sweet spot would be for what we thought would pass and and that bore out. So >> I'm I'm just we're jumping around the
the agenda, but I'm I'm I'm kind of happy this agenda covers but no, don't be sorry because this is this agenda covers a lot of topics that are interrelated and it is not possible to I mean I'm you know like later we're going to talk about article 14 which talks
about uh uh you know one way of funding unified sports but community priorities another way of funding unified sports and I don't know how we can actually I'm a I'm trying to think about how this could work at town meeting. For example, if
people wanted to say, "Oh, this should be a community priority." versus saying, "This should be Burbank funds versus >> pay fees like the seniors or pay pay some of it, right? >> Uh I I suppose yeah, I mean >> I think the school department's very committed to keeping unified sports and
unpaid >> w could be different. >> Were could be different for sure >> because it's also going to draw people from outside of reading, too. I mean, if they wanted to, they could add free cash to our budget, you know, but it's already a whopping number. So, I don't know. But they could say, "We think this is worthwhile
as a community priority." And increase that number, whatever that number has to be. >> I did I thought of a question. And I think I know the answer, but I'll go ahead and ask it because it's kind of along the lines what you're saying, which is given that we're coming in $300,000 under FINOM's guidance. Um, you
know, why not add an $80,000 community priority or whatever for, you know, 80,000 was the number we did for the the um the software. I don't know what the number would be for >> the software wasn't optional to, >> right? Software wasn't. I understand that. But then like whatever the um I
don't actually know by the way what this hypothetical amount there's no numbers in the we don't have 25,000 I think it's only 25 right because we were told to cut cut like I I didn't feel comfortable introducing it so >> yeah so but I mean like that's a a um I
mean I I understand that you are trying to you know serve the residents of reading as a resident of reading I greatly appreciate that um but where's the part where the residents of reading say no actually we want this one >> they can do that at town meeting floor you could actually tell me today add it
in if we want it in you know like it it's it's really up to the volunteer committees to tell to guide us and like you're telling us at financial forum this is the max I can see us using for free cash build a budget based on it and if I come to you and I say I've reduced
it like well can you add this back you could certainly do that that's definitely under your your charge you could say to me hey add the 25,000 I want that in there >> so 20 25 That's that's the number that's been ended up identified for unified and adaptive sports. Is that what or is that
something? >> So unified the school department is currently funding it to the tune of about $20,000. Gotcha. >> And they make that work, >> but it is not easy. Um they pull that from their athletic revolving and and other sources. Sure.
>> Um the request is about $25,000. um that would allow them to expand the program to um elementary school and more middle school, high school programming. >> And that's so that's only school side. That doesn't that's not nothing on >> unified sports is the only adaptive program that's going on in the school
department. And that's the request for the adaptive the unified sport. >> So the 25 number is is a is a is a school number versus a a recreation number. >> That's correct. Yep. And that's just to give you a sense of size. Unified sports increased 80% this year.
or I mean >> in participation >> not >> and if you didn't add the money tunique has that opportunity as well they could stand up and say I want to modify this budget to include this much money for unified sports >> at this much money and so we'd increase
the number we've presented in front of them >> and then that would and then that automatically sorry I'm >> you're good and that automatically if that happens that just automatically comes from free cash >> yeah there would be no other source because we've got a balance >> strictly speaking I think we would be saying it comes from free cash, but yes,
that's of of that would be the all of the choices. >> Yeah, go ahead. >> Kind of just goes against the message. I'm sorry. >> I'll wait as long as I have to. >> Appreciate your patience. >> This this is a question that maybe you guys don't fully know the answer to, but for the unified sports program. So, my
kid is going into nth grade next year and we just learned about unified PE. Is this limited to the unified PE program or is this extracurricular? I know there's like a basketball program. I think it's extracurricular. So, yeah, it's um typically developing and um you
know, folks that need some more supports. Um it covers their coach, it covers referees, it covers um athletic trainers, it covers transportation equipment, um officials. >> I wasn't sure if this affected the
inschool unified vis class. >> I don't think so. So I think if it's during the school day that's something that is um covered by the regular school budget. >> Yeah. I mean where where I'm going with I mean again I'm trying to figure out
what's the right way to even talk about this because we will have at town meeting we may or may not discuss article 14 before we discuss the budget. Um uh usually I'm assuming we're going to do the budget on the second night of town meeting as we usually do. Um, so it kind
of depends on how long we decide to argue about CPA. I think, um, >> see on day five. >> Joe, are you um are you just asking or saying that like mechanically if based on the order that we take
um the warrant articles? So if we did we p if we passed on the on the budget and then we did 14 and then 14 changes it do we have to go back? >> I I actually think that I think 14 is meant to be a savings account really
because to be honest >> we would just do it in the budget. We would do it in the budget discussion if if if someone wanted to be able to add the 25 they would just do it during the budget discussion. It's it's really >> unre budget discussion. >> Gotcha. Okay. Article 14 could be alongside of it as an additional funding
source to expand the program. But in truth, the Burbank only turns over money when it has when it has access to turn over to us. If they're doing a lot of capital improvements to the building, we the formula they use to pay rent to us is after they've paid out their capital
and funded their capital reserve and all of that. So when they have a lot of capital, we don't get anything. So there may not be anything to go in it for a few years. >> 100%. It that's why it's imperfect. >> Correct. Yeah, that's >> perfect. So, I'm gonna um suggest a way that we can go forward because we're sort of bounc like again great
discussion. Like I'm very interested in this. I'm glad we're going to talk about this. I've heard so many people talk to me about these things and I'm really glad to get to actually like talk to the actual experts here. Um so, um earlier I was going to mention that if it is okay with the committee, I'd like to vote on
the budget at the end of the meeting. that would give uh people on Zoom who maybe wanted to drop off before we voted on 39 line items uh could do so Mark and Zoe >> and so um but on the other hand would
not exclude those people from any other part of this meeting or discussion because I do really appreciate Mark and John's contributions. >> Oh jeez, you shouldn't have said that. >> No objection from me. >> No objection. So, but given that we won't have voted on it, we could also come back to discussing it because um
you know, I expect to learn some things when we get to that part of the warrant and we're going to talk about that first. Um so, yeah, there's a question of of um we won't have we won't have closed our uh this committee won't have closed our options with our opinions
about the budget before we talk about the warrant. And then again we got to figure out what's going on at town meeting so that people understand you know if they vote on this they've implicitly voted on something else. >> So I wanted to make something clear because you had said something about you know um the budget and in terms of when
when do people have the opportunity to make changes. So we used to do the budget as level one used to be as Jean said everything you need really need right that you think if you could have anything to get your budget optimal what would it be? It used to be that and then
we would show that as our first presentation. It would go to the select board. We get comments back from the select board and knowing that that's not the budget we're going to get because we can't afford it. But then Bob would be able to make a list of everything that had to be cut to get down to what the
real budget is. So that you can see that we can't run at the level we really think we want to. So that there's that level one. That's when usually would go to like the level one is the department head's ideal budget. Yep. and then it would be presented to the select board and then the town manager would come back with a balanced budget without all
that stuff and you know and and it goes on that process. So it's like level one is the department heads, level two is like what we bring to the select board and Bob cuts it. Level three would be with the cuts, level four would be coming to you and you can make changes
and you vote on those changes and then that goes to town meeting. Level five is town meeting. They're the ultimate authority. what they say goes. If they want to change this budget in any way, shape or form to what from what we have, they have that power. So, it does have
lend itself with all the levels to many levels where there could be resident participation in the approach and making comments that might help us drive the bus in the direction they'd like us to go. So, I just figured I'd mention that. Yeah, it sounds like there might be a
question for the moderator, not part of this discussion here about how to because it does seem like the budget discussion and the article 14 discussion are not independent. And so we're going to have one of these things where people are trying to debate two different articles at once, which is of course not normally how it works. >> Yeah, definitely.
>> But that's a moderator question, not an US question. >> Okay. >> So, >> all right. Um, as for us questions, um, have we done anything on the agenda? No, I mean no honestly I don't mean that I don't so so no I can answer that
question I will take that question seriously at face value and answer face value >> I say that we have retired the first three bullets through leazison reports we have made some progress on discussing in the budget discussing financial articles for town meeting discussing process for FY28 override discussing
future meeting agendas and oh discussing the report too um so we have touched on all of those >> yeah I said no for you we didn't cross any of them >> I'm crossed any of them off and >> absolutely nothing. So, >> so I believe the first one to cross off, if I'm not wrong here, might be the
warrant, the annual 2026 annual town meeting. >> So, if it's okay with everybody, let's move on to that and get our actual presentation from our acting town manager about this year town meeting we're about to have. >> As if watching last night's select,
>> it's my secret. I didn't watch it. She's going to see. So, the first few articles I probably >> Yeah, I know. I'm just trying to I I I can't read that with these glasses. These glasses at this distance. So, >> So, >> bear with me one second. >> The first one that we would go to is Oh,
actually, it's the summarized one. I thought that we showed the one that goes to the full of the printer. >> Yeah, the one that goes to the printer. So, article three is the Is that the one that's the >> capital? Oh, no. Article four. Sorry. on article three. So article four.
>> Yeah. Thank you. >> Oh, there it is. It is. I was looking at the wrong one. >> So article four is where we >> That's the capital one one time, everybody. Sorry. Oh, yes. >> So article four is your your standard capital improvement changes. Every time
we're preparing for a town meeting, it's an opportunity to um update our capital plan. So we meet with all department heads and we make some changes. Um this year, facilities expressed some concern for fiscal 26. they need um to replace the town hall AC unit. Um and they also
need to do some work on the town hall upper rubber roof. And so they've asked for $80,000 for that. Um so that's a change that came out of those meetings. And then there was um
65,000 net change for fiscal 27. So when I originally put in the budget for um fiscal 27, the capital had this Bobcat skid for facilities and they said we don't need that for another two years. You could push that out. So that was part of the savings that I um
incorporated debt in this capital was part of that money. Um and then there was um a mower that didn't need to got moved out three years. And in order to not have to change the number, I just increase paving by 12,500. Um because paving has just been an area
where I'm just throwing whatever I can at it because it's just not enough. Um in fiscal 28 we have $564,000 in change and um $500,000 of it is debt. Um and that is um for field lighting. We
had is that like was that a storm that took down the lights for? >> Yes, we had a micro burst. >> Yep. So that's for us to do some replacement work there. 164,000 for a garage generator. 300,000 for a simulation mannequin for the fire
department. They use that for like medical emergencies. Um and 100,000 for um town common electrical updates. So that's the changes to the general fund for capital under enterprise. I don't think we have anything on the dummy or the mannequin. Like what happened to the
old one? It just has to get updated. >> Aged. Yeah, it's old. but they use it a lot for their training. It keeps them sharp. >> Actually, there's a picture of the old one right now on our website um as part of a press release for their new heart monitor, the Zol X heart monitors that
was supported last year. It's really really cool. And WHD >> I went over I talked to >> That's me. I never seen it. >> I will I'll tell the chief. Um so, no, it's uh it's really it's really cool. And so these uh mannequins give a better
feedback into how we train our our staff and what these employees. >> So unlike the old ones that you learn CPR on that, they're actually much more active, it sounds like. >> Yes, they have a lot more feedback, a lot more detail. Tells you and like the new monitors tell if you're if your CPR is deep enough into the chest if you're
if you're over oxygenating the patient or under oxygenating the patient. you know, all kinds of detail um that we're getting in the monitors and the the mannequin is meant to go along with that. >> Okay. Thanks, Marian. >> I just had a question with the um the
light pole that fell at the high school that would would that have been covered by the property and liability insurance. >> You would have thought. And it was to the tune of $25,000 for all of them. >> I don't understand it. It doesn't
replace it. That's for sure. No, it's not replacement value in this case. Um, we did work with May on that. They they gave us what they could give us for that. I mean, you know, you get more coverage in your buildings and things like that. So, um, they were when the when they came down from the micro burst, right? And then there,
uh, RMLD was called in to, um, evaluate the other poles like this. I don't know if you've been down there, but there are padding around those poles. And that padding did a tremendous job retaining moisture next to wooden poles. and that's the end of that. So, they're like, "These all have to go." And then
they did an evaluation of a number of polls all through town and they, you know, Armaldi fabulous to work with. So, they they came out very quickly. The the area was um taped off because it wasn't safe until it could be made safe. So, >> so will the replacement poles be metal
or the same like wooden? I think um they're going to work it into the Birch Meadow phase three um and and work the lighting in that angle. So that hasn't been decided, but it's not going to be this facility here. >> So there can be for certain sports that
are playing that they'll do like um to like movable lighting, >> the generator ones. They're right. >> Y this is a point of order, so I'm going to go ahead and interrupt. Just note that the I think the psych board is deacto adjourned because uh Carlo has
dropped off. So for whoever doing those you know extremely short like minutes or whatever >> just letting you all know. Sorry please continue. >> I was just if we're going to put the lighting into B of phase three why does it appear on the
>> isn't that temporary repair? >> Oh um I may have misspoken my friends. I thought that they had said the first two, but then they said, "No, I think we're going to need it before we even get to >> I think you're right. Actually, I think
you're right. I had a brief conversation in the hallway with Jim Sullivan about this >> three weeks ago." So, um, so yeah, I think I think this is just for Driscoll Field, but there is lighting in the birch metal phase. >> There was some discussion of having it part of birch metal phase 2, but I think
that that won't have taken off quick enough. as I recall that they wanted to get some lights maybe that didn't need the padding because they were further out of the field and that would have been >> appropriate for phase three but with no lighting. Yeah, maybe >> they have none now. >> I think they they said they have
generators to put some kind of >> I did have a convers Well, that might be for I'm sorry it's for this season. They'll be okay for this season. I think these lights will go up next spring, maybe in the fall. Ryan Percol is on and uh he I don't know how well he's read into this particular issue but um he
might be able to give us a little color. >> Uh I certainly can. This is um >> if you want to think of this as 2B um phase 2B. So we're going to come in and replace these prior to phase three because we need lights. Um we're hoping
next year Okay. >> Thank you, Ryan. >> You're welcome. >> I was gonna ask about Tom common electrical upgrades. I mean, the um uh like most residents, the only electrical lighting or electrical anything on the common I'm aware of are the holiday
lights. That's right. >> Which are is this is this just in support of that? Is this for anything else? >> I think it wasn't it related to that? >> It's I think it's related to the holiday lights. Chris Cole is on and I think he is prepared. >> Yeah, I can just uh mention briefly on that. That's um more or less just a
placeholder for right now for a few years out because um we are going to have to make some upgrades to the electrical on the common from the wiring the underground conduit to the um the outlets that the lights for the trees plug into because they are quite old. So
cool. Just wonder if there's anything else there that I didn't know about, but no, >> that's pretty much it. Cool. >> Jackie, can you scroll up so we can see enterprise? >> Yeah, we can move on enterprise. I think that was all the questions for general
fund, but thank you. >> If I had any changes, I don't think I did. >> There's a Oh, there's one. Yes. So, there's um a request in fiscal 27 for 150,000 for a water capital master plan. I don't know when the last one was done, but it will help us identify, you know,
capital needs within the water department. And that was requested by Chris Cole. >> Anything else? Looks like that's the only thing we have related to enterprise questions.
>> I have a procedural question for the uh committee. Do we want to vote on these as we go through them or do we want to vote on them like bang bang bang at the end? >> Go ahead and vote on this while we're here. Yeah, >> let's start knocking these out. Let's start crossing off a few lines as it
were. We haven't crossed off enough lines. Let's cross off some lines. >> So, in that case, um uh obviously finance committee needs to vote on a recommendation on article four here. >> Um any further discussion before we vote?
Can I have a motion? >> Uh move to recommend the contents of articles. Is this four? >> Four. >> Four. I had to scroll up. Sorry. >> Um, >> recommend the contents of article 4 to town meeting as presented. >> Second.
>> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. That was close. Um, all right. Uh, last chance for discussion. Seeing none, uh, starting on Zoom. Uh, Mark, >> yes. >> Don,
>> yes. >> Making sure I'm not missing anyone on Zoom. Ed, you don't count because you're here. Uh, Jeffrey, >> yes. >> Ed, >> yes. >> Emily, >> yes. >> Joe, yes. >> Marianne, >> yes. >> And Joe Garnan, yes.
>> Um, that is what eight zero. Yeah, we're missing Andre. That's it. So, all right. >> And Joe, I can talk to it if you want. >> If you want to get that out of the way. >> Yeah, let's go ahead and and uh let me open that up here. I don't have a place to write this down. Can I do at the end? I don't care. >> No, no, this is cool. >> Just going to present
>> uh reports. No, I want to write this down and we start talking about this. All right. >> Um, clarify that a little. So, >> yeah. No, that's um >> going for the easy one. I like it. >> Low hanging fruit. >> It's helping us get through our agenda
and I appreciate that and I want to reward that by going with All right, let's continue then. Uh, can we please hear about our next financial article which I assume is five. >> Oh, boy. Howdy. >> Go ahead. >> You ready for me to go through it? as I'll ever be.
>> I have read it. >> I wasn't ready for it. Um anyway, so health insurance, we're going to need a little bit more money. Um at April Town meeting, another 400,000 where enrollment is up about 1.7% over what it was last year. At the same time,
in addition, we had um in January, our Medex, which is our supplemental plan for Medicare for our seniors, um had we went up 14 more%. So last year um if you recall it went up 19%. This year it's up 14%. So the combination of increased
enrollment and the increase in cost as of January one for Medex um that 400,000 comes from there. Unemployment we need another 120,000. I don't know what's going on with unemployment but it's it seems like it's growing every year. But one of the things that I learned um from
conversation with um HR and one of the agents that we deal with, a third party agent related to unemployment that I didn't know is that you would think unemployment is is based solely on our decisions to lay people off or you know and and to to some
extent that is what it is. We are self-insured for unemployment. However, if we have somebody leave our employee and within 15 months of just leaving on their own accord, if they end up on unemployment, we get a share of their unemployment. And so, because I mean, sometimes we be like, "That person left
on their own. Why are they on my report?" And so, if they end up on unemployment because they're laid off from their new job or whatever, we end up with a a fraction of it because we don't pay into the pool is the way it was explained to me. So, but still even with the numbers increasing the way they
are, the only way we could get in as a municipality, we pay self-employed, we we'll actually pay all the claims that come in for us. Um, but if we get into the pool, in order to get in the pool, you have to pay like I think it's one or two% of your gross payroll to get in and
you've got to pay that for two years and then it goes down to like 0.5%. But still, it ends up being more than what we're paying now. Even though this is the number almost looks like it's doubling this year, it's still less than what it would cost us to be in the pool and it's beyond our control.
Unfortunately, on workers comp, I had taken away $90,000 at November town meeting as as extra savings. Um, and what happens every year with workers comp is they bill us our workers comp based on the jobs that people are working and and it's usually probably based on the prior year and then they do
an audit of what was your actual payroll and and the employees that had were actually on and what our actual payroll is. They came back with a $31,000 adjustment to their bills. So, I have to ask for that because I took away the extra. Um, Minute Man um doesn't have
any students. There's $55,000 there that we had budgeted. We haven't had students there in a few years, but we always keep a baseline in case kids go there. But Essex North is um they're they're up 32% over the prior year, and we need 65,000 for their assessment. So, it's a net
increase of 10. Um and then we have the vacation buyout for our town manager at 45,000. Um the it um the clerks, the 4500, that's just a reclass between salaries and expense. So some of the um
professional services that we um sometimes hire out, we have IT clerks that we hire interns for the IT clerks that have that same skill set. So he just wanted to reclass 4500 so he could actually have the interns that he employs do that work instead of the
professional services and it probably is cheaper to be honest. And then I tried to find as much savings to help buffer the blow of this article. So, in public services, we had some attrition savings of 25,000. I took that away. Veterans
aid is continuing to decline and um there was an additional amount. I took $70,000 away from their budget because it seemed that they would not be using it by June. Um finance, I had some attrition savings of $10,000.
Also, in finance, every 5 years, the assessor has to do a full reval of all of the properties. And in order to do that, because they have to touch every property, they do um get some consulting services in to help get that work done. And that's 75,000. So you only see that
in there once every 5 years. We don't build it into our budget because it would make it kind of be down. We tend to ask for it at a November town meeting. So it's not built into the base anywhere. Public um safety um police overtime, they need an additional 250,000. I from
what I understand they have have a lot of openings that have been driving over time. They have one police officer who is um in the reserves who's deployed. Correct. >> In addition um they have been covering a lot of public events and we've never
really been able to fund that. I don't know. Um he had >> details >> details. Um, so when Fidel was here, he had told them, "Look, you have to cover the the the events when they were doing the beer gardens and all that stuff."
So, a lot of events are falling onto the police overtime budget that I hadn't realized personally that we were doing as much as we were. Um, and so they need an additional 250,000 to get to the end of the year. Public um, works wages, we had some attrition savings of about
100,000 from open positions, so I took that out. snow and ice. We needed a whopping $800,000, which hurts. I don't think I've seen that number like that in a long time. We have some savings and street light expenses that we're taking at 20,000. But in the end, the net
effect of all of this is $1,586,000 of free cash, which really is a lot and was hard for me to digest. But mother nature did not want to cooperate this year and that's the big piece of it. More just about half of it is snow and
ice but still a lot of money. Questions? >> Um go ahead. >> Like the 800,000 have we spent all that yet or you have a buffer still in there? >> It looks like it's been spent or encumbered. So what happens is when we when we sign contracts or we know we
have um expenses related to an event, we do POS and that holds money. So, between expenses and the money being held, there's only like $28,000 after this $800,000 because I kind of put it in there because it's allowed to be deficit spended. Um, and in talking to Chris
Cole, we came up with this number. I put it in there as a dummy number that I'm going to ask for it at town meeting hoping the number wouldn't be as high as I put in there. I said, "No, you're never going to spend that." And here we are. Looks like we're spending it. And hopefully they won't run over that. Hopefully that we're done with this now
and it will be fine. Um, I do remember last year there was something that Chris and I hadn't thought of that that happens that I hope I I tried to call him earlier to see. Um, there's something that gets paid out at the end for all the pe all the people who um do
snow and ice, like some sort of stipen that gets paid out that we pay it at the end of the season. >> And it was about 30,000 last year. So, it would probably wipe out what's left. I think there was $28,000 in there. Um, if that hasn't already been paid, we could go a little more negative. So, you
might see it as a fin comic cost, but I'm at the point where I'm not touching this anymore. Like, I don't want to add any more to this number. Um, but yeah, >> we'll wait for the sun to melt it. Yeah. So, so the um the 5year revaluation. >> So, does that mean like assessed values
most likely would go up because we have done this for 5 years and based on the real estate price history? I I don't know if it necessarily means that the values will go up, but it generally means that they have to take a look at every single property, but they're doing that every year, but they're not getting
to every property every year at the 5-year reval. They need to have touched all the properties. So, it could mean that the assessed values could go up. I guess it just >> But it's not across the board. You're saying it could be the percentage that's left having been like fully assessed or >> but but because you they're doing a
reval through the do um they need to have you know proof of every one of them being touched. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Before anyone watching this is just responding to adding something to what Joe said before anyone watching this gets nervous. If everyone's property value goes up by the same amount, that
has exactly no effect on anyone's taxes um because the taxes is governed by Proposition two and a half. And so it just be a lower rate on a higher evaluation. >> Go ahead, Mary. >> Um I can't remember if I thought I heard this when we had the police presentation
about the overtime. Are we going to charge organizations a fee now or for police detail? I I I that's what I advised him. I was surprised to hear that there were some offense that were, you know, let's say say done by the the
Chamber of Commerce that we are not that we're paying for that he was charging to his budget that I wasn't aware that that was a directive that he was given. >> How many of the events are are run by the town? >> Is it mostly private entities whether it's, you know, a parade or
>> certain things they have to cover, but I'm not entirely sure. Do you know? >> Uh yeah. So we have um some town sponsored events, but if it's sponsored by like the library for instance, the library pays for the details out of their out of their budget. >> They pay then the chamber should pay, right?
>> I've already had those conversations with the chamber for sure. So um we became more aware of um where the police overtime budgets and had these conversations recently. Uh so in a recent meeting with the chamber, I put them on notice. Um that particular event
is requires four officers. Um what was Winterfest, which will now be I think April Fest. >> Um but it could still be Winterfest with the way this winter's going, right? Um so um so >> $800,000 line there that makes that really unfunny joke.
>> Is that the only overtime? And do you also require DPW overtime for cleanup after these events, too? >> There are Well, that's not in the police overtime. >> No, it would be regular. I mean, are we are we incurring other expenses for these events, too? >> We do. And we Yeah, I see what you mean.
Um, we do have overtime events and also in facilities for some of these events. They're overtime like the fall street fair, >> you know, and so we're working with event coordinators. We met with Rotary. Uh we met with chamber recently to um
let them in and some other entities let them know that we either we uh we can do what we can to reduce those overtime costs right it's pouring rain out you know we don't need the Rotary pays for their overtime >> I mean if they held it in the school they'd be paying for custodian events but you know our ground it's on our
property it's not free >> right no but Rotary pays for their details um I'm not sure about the police details with that I know they pay the DPW details so um yeah I I mean, we have to have these conversations right now with these boards. I have a I'm asked
for an estimate on what the details will cost for the chamber for this event because it's kind of short notice that we've told them that the world is changing. >> Do other communities charge for these things, too? Is it a precedent? Then then it's a no-brainer to me. But >> I don't disagree. Following up on that topic myself
because I'm I'm I have a few stickers on here that might suggest that I'm involved in the pride parade in June and I understand the decisions already been made for that one that uh the town will not be funding the detail that we have to fund raise for it which again makes sense. It's what I as long as the same
rules for everyone then that makes sense. So it sounds like maybe a decision like obviously we are paying overtime here because there must have been some details in the past that uh the town did pay for but are we saying going forward across the board
everybody Yeah. I mean so >> it's a it's you know a better stewardship of our of resources to you know require that and work with event organizers as well to tailor the event to maybe not require as many um details. You know, the pride parade's a wonderful
event and the way that that works in order to get through the lights because of the >> it doesn't necessarily involve streets because it's a parade. So, I get that. >> Yeah. And so, we have quite a few officers that, you know, have to help out on that. And, you know, part of the we can't take just people off shift
because if we're taking officers off shift, then they're not available to respond. You know, we've tried to do that during COVID. It was easier to do that for certain events because it wasn't really busy in town. there weren't a lot of, you know, cars on the road. There weren't a lot of things happening. So, um, they weren't as busy.
They're a lot busier today. And so, um, and that goes for all of the events that we have. So, it's an adjustment. >> Other questions or comments on article five? >> Just wow. I mean other than boyh howdy or whatever you know that's the point
>> when town meeting sees the money they'll they'll have questions but it's mostly snow or half snow >> it's half of the snow and then a giant chunk of what's left is health insurance >> which is also the bane of the next budget and then I mean the next biggest item after the health insurance is police overtime so we'll probably we may talk about that again at town meeting
>> that's fine >> but there the public can readily understand I mean they're directly experiencing some of these themselves they've seen the snow they probably have we all have their own health insurance going up, >> right? And many of the public attend these events that have police details and CRPD there. So, no,
>> do we recommend or make a recommendation on the article or is this the one we also have to do we have to do this line by line? >> No, this one's just one article. This is an update to the FY26 budget. So, this is just one thing. >> So, just the 27 we have to do all the lines of article 10. I think that's where we punt.
>> Um, so motion to recommend the condens meeting is presented. Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Uh, last chance for discussion before we vote. >> Sharon, if you just want to put a couple of dollar signs in there, like particularly the last line. >> Oh, okay. It's a good point in terms of the formatting.
>> Good to know. >> I was I was I was prepared to recommend the article even with the missing dollar signs, but good to include those, too. >> Put the double the double dollar sign. >> You might throw in some emojis. >> Article got a last minute change, so I'm sure that's the dollar sign,
>> right? Uh, I got other emojis that come to mind when I think about paying for the >> Did you get the one on >> the first page of the 4500s there? >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Jackie. >> Jackie, between the J91 and the K91,
there's a blank row. Since we're doing this, you know, >> thank you. >> Turkey is the queen. >> She's in the >> So, you don't need to toss out. I had to throw things at her twice today. Should probably matter.
>> There we go. Jackie Banks. Thumbs up. >> All right. So, let's um Anything else before we vote? >> All right. For some reason, we're in a different order on Zoom, but I'm going to call them as I see them. Uh so, uh John,
>> yes. >> Yes. >> Jeffrey, >> yes. >> Ed, >> yes. >> Emily, >> yes. >> Uh Joe Mcdana, >> yes. Maryanne. >> Yes. >> Joe Carneahan. Yes. Eat zero. Uh, anyone will particularly want to give that one
>> before we This one's less desirable. What do you think? >> I mean, so I'll I'll So, one thing um I want want to um make a comment here that um I will be wearing a second hat at town meeting because as the chair of the CPA study committee, I'll be presenting
on article 13. Um so I've already said I don't want so I I shouldn't be giving the finance committee report on that. Uh, and I also was going to see if I could get someone else to do the budget report. Um, uh, so because I think people will already be tired of my
voice, uh, during this town meeting. >> I'm happy to do both of those. >> Okay. All right. Cool. Well, we'll we can uh we do have more items than we have committee members. So, anyway, I was going to volunteer to take this one, which is no fun. um and uh because I
should do something um but it won't be as as long as uh >> as the budget report which actually does usually involve some comments. >> Yeah, I by my count it's four 5 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 and 16. That's 11.
>> So >> we should start scheming on which one we're giving to Andre >> saying Andre can take all of them. >> So Joe Carneahan's doing five. That's what I >> I'll always have my scrap paper. >> Yep. No, it's good to have copies of that because we're always scrambling to be like, "Wait, who's doing this one?"
>> Um, if um just a quick uh point, um do we know um are we tackling these in order as it relates to the nights of town meeting? >> I think it's know the town night order nights town meeting because we don't
know how long people are going to um Yeah. >> Are we taking actually are we taking any of them out of order? I should let me let me maybe ask it that way. >> Well, we're gonna we're gonna as as discussed earlier, I was figuring we would vote on the budget last article 10. >> No, I mean at time >> at town meeting. >> Oh, at town meeting. >> Not that I know of.
>> No one's >> This one would probably be on night one would be my guess. >> Yeah, I mean my my I'm just conscious of uh I'm not going to be there for night one. >> Oh, okay. All right. Just >> Oh, maybe you could do article 14. >> Oh. Oh. Uh >> take 14. Easy. 14. 14's easy. I'll take
14. >> Clear. Never mind. Um, wow. Okay. Um, we haven't gotten to it yet. I'm sorry. All right. So, yeah. No, I think the only out order thing actually is is budget at the beginning of night two. >> I mean, I'm assuming that I haven't I have no inside information, but we
always do it that way. So, and because I didn't know if there was pass, you know, regardless of if there's six instructional motions or who whoever knows what's going to happen. Yep. >> Yeah. So, all right. Okay. So, let's move on. I think is article seven the next one for us to talk about seven.
So this is a routine um article. So we have as part of our fiscal 26 budget, we have money budgeted for OPED and we wait until April to transfer it into the trust just so we can use it as a hedge against health insurance. Although we kind of already carved into it already.
It used to be 500,000 in the general fund. I think we're doing 200,000 this year. Um and then water 85,025 from sewer and 10,05 from storm water. So for a total of 32500 transferred into the OPED trust.
>> Is that okay? That does math. >> Yes. All right. >> The math mathing. >> Yes. So yeah, and normally that number is 500,000, but of course because the number was so harsh last year, like when we were building this budget, we took
300,000 off of it, unfortunately. >> Any questions? >> Yep. Any questions or comments on this one? >> When does it have to be funded, fully funded? How long do we have? There is no it's not mandated so it doesn't have a
fully funded date. So our >> pension's the one that's got yeah pensions got a 2032 fully funded date and we're hoping that we can redirect funding towards OPED to make a more meaningful commitment to it but >> we have to get there.
>> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Motion to recommend the contents of article 7 to town meeting is presented. >> Second. Thank you Emily. Thank you Ed. Any further discussion before we vote? Seeing none, why does Zoom keep
reordering people? I don't Oh, now put John in front first. So, okay. Uh, uh, let's go. Roll call vote. Uh, John. >> Yes. >> Uh, who am I muted? >> No, I'm not muted. >> Can you hear me? I said yes.
>> Uh, >> that's Sully. Yes, >> that's John. Yes, I heard John. Yes. And then I said Mark. >> Yes. Thank you. Uh, great. Uh, Jeffrey, >> yes. >> Ed, >> yes. >> Emily, >> yes. >> Joe Mcdana, >> yes. >> Maryanne, >> yes. >> Joe Carneahan, yes. U, who wants to give
this one? It's a easy one. If you take this one, it might give you a hard one to somewhere else. To >> say Andrew. >> Okay, that's fine. Actually, that's fine. >> Eight zero. All right. Oracle H
revolving funds. So, this is an article that we do every year. It's just um approving the spending limits on our existing revolving funds. They're the same as they are each year. There's no new ones and there's no changes to the spending limits. Yeah, this also includes a I guess a
change to the fine print of the inspection revolving fund. >> Oh yeah, with the inspection revolving fund, we always update it to take out projects that are completed. They're usually larger projects that we put into the inspections revolving fund. So we have money to monitor those projects and the ones in bold would be new projects
that we'd like to add to the inspections for evolving fund. Sorry about that. >> So I just have a question. So 459 main the 128 tire is still not done or it looks done or or it'll get it'll still extend into
>> I'm not sure. Do you know anything about that? >> I don't know anything about that. >> Johnson Woods is never done. >> It's never it's never done. >> Time I've been in town. >> Are they continuing to do more? >> There there is there is a tree on the property they haven't cut down yet for another townhouse. So yeah,
>> that one I know for sure. I don't know if he makes the decision of when to take these off. >> Yeah, >> I think it's once they've received their certific certificate of occupancy. >> I'm not the one who exes it out, I guess. >> And they keep the permits open. So, Johnson Woods has the permit open. Yeah. >> So, 459 is still still going.
>> Has a permit open like you said. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. I just wondered how that worked. >> For my motion, >> I don't see any further discussion. So, yes, I believe we are ready for a motion. All right. Motion to recommend the contents of article 8 town meeting as presented. >> Second.
>> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion before we vote? >> Starting on Zoom. Uh, John, >> yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Ed, >> yes. >> Emily, >> yep. >> John, yes. >> Marianne,
>> yes. And >> Joe Carneahan, yes. >> Uh, this is another positively boring one. Anybody? >> I can do it since I asked. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> All right.
Uh, article nine, sending some debt, I think. >> Yeah, this is kind of a housekeeping kind of item. when we were um reconciling our records with our bonding agent, they had an um an unissued debt,
unauthorized but unissued debt for 422 that we did not have on our books. And in looking back, what had happened was um back in April of 2015, um we approved article 16, which was $422
of debt from the MRA, but this was the first one, I think, that we did. It was an MRA grant debt program. So 75% of what was being offered was actually grant and 25% was loan. But the way that's supposed to be voted, you're
supposed to vote the total of both, not just the loan. And so at that first town meeting, um the way it was written in the motion, all we authorized was the debt portion of the offering. So bond council had caught it. We went back in November to correct it, but instead of
just doing the grant portion that we didn't authorize the last time, the motion had both in it, which I didn't pick up on because I didn't have it as authorized and unissued, but the bonding agent did because they had all the motions. And so, um, when we reconciled that, I said, "Okay, I'll get rid of
that. I'll go and I'll resend it." So, all I'm asking is for them to resend the duplicate that's out there that never got issued. Not very exciting. >> Say well summarized. >> Yeah. >> Uh motion to recommend the contents of
article 9 to 10 meeting as presented. >> Second. Thank you Emily. Thank you Ed. Last chance for discussion. All right. Uh starting on Zoom. Um uh John. >> Yes. Yes. >> Jeffrey,
>> yes. >> Ed, >> yes. >> Emily, >> yep. >> Joe McDonald. >> Yes. >> Marianne, >> yes. >> Joe Garnan, yes. >> Uh, about say should should we give this one to Andry because it's a he is the he is the treasurer, former treasur.
>> He might he would he would understand this better than any of us. Uh, staff not included, of course. Um I'll I'll I'll tenatively throw him to that one and we can see if he you know we also don't know for a fact that he'll be there for the relevant night of town meeting. So we might need to
>> if if he's not I will >> yeah we can we can get >> both start with E. So >> several people haven't been volunteered for anything yet. So we have um some flexibility. All right. Uh skipping article 10 for now. God.
>> And going on to article 11, which we are uh asked to vote to vote on. >> Okay, I can take this one. Would you uh >> I actually don't know anything about it. >> Okay. Um so we applied for and received um a park grant. Um this is the first
park grant the town's ever received and the park grants in the amount of $100,000. Um, in order for us to accept the park grant, uh, this is to offset expenses really difficult. Um, in order for us to, um, accept the $100,000,
we have to, um, ensure that that parcel of land that the courts is on is forever preserved um, as recreational space. And we have to ensure there is some parking associated with it. And so we're going
to have a um we have to divide the parcel uh from pickle ball and recount. And then the line for the parcel that goes to pickle ball will go through the parking lot and that those spots there, these eight spots that are immediately
adjacent would stay with the pickle ball parcel if somewhere down the road the recal facility was redeveloped into something else. Okay. Um, so that won't affect our plans for pickle ball parking. That pickle ball parking will still happen behind Burbank Arena.
There'll be a crossing there to access the courts and the recal lot is still the recal lot for recal purposes. Um, so the question is to town meeting does it have an appetite to put this land into
um recreational space in perpetuity to accept the grant? And um and that's the question. So >> ma'am, >> I I don't want to open a can of worms on the Burbank lease, but I thought I heard
or read something in it from last night that there's something where the skating rink can use pickle ball parking at some time. >> That's right. >> So that wouldn't impact this because that's a private use versus >> So the pickle ball parking that we're talking about is in the back of the
Burbank lot. Um, and we the in the master license agreement, that's a reciprocal use. So, when we have big events at recal, um, like the daddyaughter dance, which is super popular, we can have overflow parking. And likewise, when they have like a big
hockey tournament like they had a couple weeks ago, um which was such a such a fun time to go, um they can use the recal lot to overflow, um and reduce the amount of people walking out onto Hil Street and parking at a church. So that
license agreement addresses that. >> Okay. So those transient uses could still also use the >> Yes. This is just in case we tear down recal in a hundred years and and turn it into something else. Um, a flying car
shop, whatever it might be, that parking for that those courts stays attached. It's it's a requirement. It's really kind of shortsighted, we think, on the part of the Commonwealth because this is a shared parking agreement. It's better land use to have to pave less less land
or use less land for cars because >> we're sharing these. surprised the state doesn't say except for housing, you know, because they want housing, >> right? And we develop into that. >> And the argument at the state level is we should take away all the thresholds of parking with housing. So this is not that with um with this. So it's a little
bit of a golden handcuff with that with that grant, but it's a reimbursement based grant. So the work um that goes to this grant has to happen after July 1st. Um so our pickle ball contractor or is prepared to um do certain you know work
after >> so if we violated this we would have to give the grant back or is the penalty worse than that? >> No. So the question that came up last night and Andrew McNichols said he didn't think there was a mechanism to do that and in 30 years from now we're not sure anybody's going to know um who's
going to be asking >> it's going to be like Memorial Park where people are arguing 100 years later can we can we play a baseball game at Memorial Park you know and >> it was a deed to no one can find it so someday no one's going to be able to find this >> we will bury it time capsule
>> I thought the deed was on the wall of the room next door actually so We know where to find that one. >> Yeah, that one actually is. But um mailed me a copy of it so that I can take care of it. >> I'm just saying like people trying to find the airs to say can get out of that.
>> Um I see. Yes. Uh somebody said parking minimums. John Sullins's hand went up. I'm sure it's a coincidence. Go on. >> Actually has nothing to do with parking minimums. Uh Jean, is there any kind of uh backs stop if like in perpetuity that
landscape in the future could change? Like if that wetland kind of expands into a recreational area, do we have to does the town obligated to engineer that back to the recreational usage or do we have to say like this is now a
recreational wetland that you can swim in? If it's if it's like a trail system, recreational wetland a 100 years from now and those and those courts have, you know, been taken out or whatever, it would still be recreational. Um, so you wouldn't be able to redevelop it. You would have to
>> probably get, you know, a home rule petition or something to, >> you know, okay, >> sounds like a future reading problem. >> I think we give it to them. >> Yeah. They can deal with that. They can deal with that while they're planning
the 450th anniversary celebration. >> Uh Joe, you put a hand up. >> Well, just quickly, like would this work the same way if it was in the city, you know, like an urban area where bike parking was limited? That still insist on >> That's a big part of it. Actually, that's a big part of it is that they're
giving, you know, money into particularly into cities um to create recreational spaces and they want people to be able to access them and and get to them and not develop that space and cut it off from everything. >> It also goes against like pedestrian friendly, bike friendly in a city and
all that. So, yeah. Okay. I know that's not you >> got to say. >> Yeah. I'm not going to speak for the comm but we're grateful for the grant but we >> I didn't feel that town staff wanted to put our thumb on the scale of should we accept this or not. We're not in a position to say no to $100,000 but we
leave that up to town meeting to decide the project is funded without it. So >> it just costs $100,000 more. >> That's correct. >> I know what I think. All right. Other
comments or questions? >> Motion to recommend the contents of article 11 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. >> Any further discussion before we vote? >> Permittable. >> Yeah. >> All right. Starting on Zoom. Uh, John.
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. laughing. >> I'm not sure what what what I think, but let's have Tom beating vote on it because >> sounds good. Uh Ed, >> yes. >> Emily,
>> yes. >> Uh Joe Mcdana, >> yes. >> Maryanne, >> yes. >> Joe Carneahan, yes. 8 Z. Uh any volunteers to present this one? I'm looking at people who aren't signed up for anything yet. Um >> get your pickle.
>> I'll take it. >> I was going to say there we go. All right. Uh, article 13. And I did um ask my my illustrious vice chair to uh uh run any debate that we have on this so that I'm not because I might have to
answer questions about the CPA given my CPA study committee hat. So, I'm going to hand over that gavvel to Emily for discussion of this article. All right. >> But I I think town staff goes first as always. >> Yes. >> Who's presenting this one?
>> CPA. >> Yeah, this is the CPA is presenting this one. Um >> unless you want us to I say us. I have I'm joined by one member of the CPA study committee here in the audience. I don't see anyone on Zoom.
>> No. Um so >> is this the article to get to put the ballot on? >> This is the article. Yeah, this is the article to um >> I don't I don't have my um >> not slide deck handy, but um uh the one
that we presented to the select board. >> Um all right, I guess >> but it's just to put the article on the ballot. >> It's just to put it on the ballot. >> Yeah. So, and we've talked about >> November ballot. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, all right. I'll go ahead and since I've handed off that gavl, I'll go ahead and talk like a member of
the CPA study committee even though I'm sitting up here. Um so uh yes so this is to put the community preservation act to the voters of reading uh at the November 2026 election. Uh this um uh we have
discussed the CPA here in this group a couple times. I'm certainly happy to answer more questions. I think maybe the um sort of interesting parts of the recommendations are I believe the background section has the recommended exemptions. Is that right? Yeah. Yeah.
>> So, um the the 1% search charge level, uh which isn't applied to the first $100,000 of your residential property and isn't applied to your commercial industrial property at all. Uh and it would exempt um low and moderate income seniors and lowincome residents of all
ages. Uh where low income is defined as 80% of area median income. Um which is less than Reading's median income, but still. Um and then uh moderate is less than 100% of area median income. And uh yes, this is something that we've
looked into for going on two years now. Um looking at projects that reading has previously funded uh that would have been CPA eligible, looking at the money that we could get from the state to help fund those projects. And I see a hand from someone who's not
me. Mark, please. So, this is to recommend that it goes on the ballot, not that we approve it, that we're recommending approving it. >> 100%. >> Yeah. So, that's probably important to to get that, you know, whoever presents that to say that.
>> Fun fact, uh the CPA study committee can ask town meeting to put this on the ballot, but the CPA study committee as a town board cannot suggest how voters should vote on it when it's on the ballot. So I'm I'm not saying anything to you about that right now.
>> I have a question. I have qu So two two questions. One, if town meeting voted this down, you have another mechanism, if my understanding is correct, to get this on the ballot with petition. Okay, that's first. And number two, is is November 2026 the only time this could
be presented before the voters? Could it also be presented on the same ballot that we have an operating override whether you like it or not? I'm just >> So, it must be presented at a regularly scheduled state or local election. It
cannot be a special election. >> Could it be a regularly scheduled municip municipal election? >> Yes. And interestingly, it doesn't the rules don't go both way. So, you can have an override vote at the same time as a state election. You can't have a CPA vote at the same
time as a special election override. So like you're allowed to do an override vote whenever we have done them like 2016 was in September so it was a special election and 2018 was at the April local election but I understand it override votes can also be done in
November at state elections. CPA has to either be April local election or November state election. Can't even be the state primary. So, it could be April 2027 could be both an override and a CPA vote. Hypothetically, it would require another town meeting
vote. I guess it's just my concern about having everything before the voters. And I I worry about this kind of vote jeopardizing an override vote. And I think the voters would should have everything in front of them at the same time and be able to add up. Okay, what's this all going to cost me? But that's
just I'm I'm for it in principle. Is there a reason why? >> I was just going to say that if we're looking for an override for 2028, I think we should be aiming for November 2026. We start building the budget around that time. That way, we don't have to build two separate budgets.
>> That's pretty quick. And when and we don't ask town meeting to put an override vote on the November 2026 budget or we're going to have to call a special town meeting to do that. >> Select board. >> That's a select. was only select. >> I was surprised. I I put this on the
agenda for tonight because there are some things about this that I learned that were not intuitive. Like the fact that an override does not go to town meeting before it goes to the voters. >> It says the select board must place the override question on the ballot. >> Yeah, I I think last time they did go over I know
>> say that the town meeting must approve the budget related to the over but not the over. It doesn't say that they have to >> and you don't have to do it in that order. having town meeting approve a budget that depends on an override that hasn't passed yet. Might not be a great use of town meeting's time. >> Oh, I I understand that. I I remember with the previous overrides, there was
at least one meeting where we had a poll where we had little um clickers to see what we would approve and they called in other meetings and it's just it's such a maybe the town is more used to the idea of an override now. I'm just concerned about it. Um
I guess if it's at the same time of an over but we we can't guarant >> we can't guarantee that because we can't call it. It has to be called >> and it's not like it could be written into it in my opinion. It's I can't change it. >> If I recommend it, I would say that that's where I'd recommend the override
take place. But >> right, but that's what we're not voting on the over >> but I just feel like CPA should coincide with it. We can't guarantee that. Yes, I was quite uh surprised to learn that uh finance committee despite the name has exactly
zero ro formal role in an override uh other than reviewing the budget that you know can be uh passed after the override uh either passes or fails. But whether or not to have the override is the select board because they call elections and it is >> but we're the ones who kind of explain,
hey, free cash is getting drawn down at six million a year. It's usually a collaborative effort even though you don't officially have like the select board is counting on you to you know put up the flag and say I think it's time you know
>> like somebody give me a flag >> I'm done that was just my question >> other comments questions >> so I mean in principle the fact that this is a tax mechanism where the state is going to kick us in some extra money for things that generally speaking we
would already do. It seems like, you know, a great idea to do this and people are concerned, oh, we will, you know, the town will just spend extra money, spend extra money. I think to counter that, the fact that the current override that we had back in 2018 has lasted so
long tends to indicate that the town does not just go spend extra money that it has because it can. Um, I maybe I'm not sure. I I know that we've certainly spent lots of funds in these areas. I'm not sure how tight the the the
restrictions are. You have to spend 10% at least 10% in these things. Like certainly we've done a lot of open space stuff. I don't know that we've actually done a lot with affordable housing in the past 10 years. So, you know, is that now some money that we would not have
spent on affordable housing, but will be forced to by the way this is set up. >> All right. >> I remembered that. >> Raise my hand. You did great. I spend way too much time chairing meetings. >> All right. Um so yes, the um uh what
Jeffreey's referring to is that one of the requirements of CPA is that uh of the uh CPA funds um that which includes both the search charge and the state partial match. Um 10% every year must be set aside for each of three categories.
Uh uh affordable housing, historic preservation, and open space. Open space includes both recreation and conservation. Um, looking at our historical spending on CPAish projects without, you know, I'm not a lawyer. I'm not making a
statement on whether any given project is specifically eligible because that's above my pay grade. But, um, the vast majority have been recreation. So, hitting the 10% for open space would be, uh, trivial. Um uh coming next is
historic preservation building projects on historic buildings like Town Hall or Parker or Joshua Eaton or the library. Um by the way that that one that number that million dollar a year number for CP eligible projects doesn't include the library construction project which was
of course massive. Um uh but uh that's off the end of the 10-year window that I looked at. So, um, of those things, you're right. Uh, the town doesn't actually spend a dime on affordable housing, which you can have opinions
about that. Um, uh, I know what mine are. And, um, so it is not strictly true to say a 100% of this money would go to things the town is already spending money on. 10% of it would have to go to affordable housing and then 90% of it would go to things that uh, the town is
already spending money on. Um, of course, given a 15 to 20% match from the state, you're still coming out ahead. So, and you're getting something hopefully for that affordable housing money, man. Oh, sorry. >> That's okay. Yeah. So I guess just to
respond to Jeff, I mean, yeah, we didn't spend the other 20 2018 override as quickly as people anticipated, but there was a pandemic in the middle of there and ARPA money that I feel like it skewed two or three years or more of our
budget that artificially we we didn't spend as much. And my concern also, it'll depend on the amount of the override that we think we're going to need. Now, I'm starting to think this should come after we've approved an override because we we're
still not seeing the full impact of the debt exclusion that is going to be hitting citizens. We're going to have to see what our override's going to be. And I don't want to scare anyone with numbers, whether it's could be like 10 million or more. But I I just feel like
there's going to be I don't I maybe with the amount of the override, yes, we've been doing some of these kinds of rec recreation, you know, birch metal phase 2, birch metal phase three, whatever projects in the past. Notwithstanding what we think in
capital, the public might want to just say, whoa, you know, we've got these two big building projects. Maybe we're not going to do the wreck projects at the pace of the past. and the other the other parts I I love, you know, preserving um
areas, but we're I don't know how much left in town of open space is there to buy and preserve. And I know I had asked in the past about how you what you can spend for historical buildings. And I think there are some limits like like
even with the affordable housing, you can only do certain like you can't repair it. you can explain to me if you can't. Some of the things we want to do aren't covered by it. So, I like the idea of CPA, but maybe I'm echoing the thought of some other select board
members that I I want to make sure an override passes and the public is comfortable with what they're paying for the override and when the um other debt kicks in and then they can say, "Yes, we're willing to do this on top." I hate
doing it ahead of things. I though I I understand in principle putting it before the voters, but the voters might might be voting blind. I mean, probably not. Probably we're going to get an override in front of them, but then I don't know. Timing is everything, I guess.
>> Jeffrey. >> Yeah. My my question is, you know, and maybe it's to Marian's point that getting everything in front of them at the same time that if we looked at the CPA and said, look, if we know we're getting this much from CPA, the override can be a little bit smaller because
we'll have already funded all of the recreations or open space projects out of that, right? >> Yeah. The override is for operating expenses. You know, we can decide, no, we're going to put Birch Meadow phase four or whatever five years down the line. I mean, we've got to cover we've got to do what the law says we have to do. pay our pay our teachers, pay our
police, pay our firefighter. Like we have those operating expenses is what's driving the override. Am I correct? Most of it I mean our largest expense is the the salaries of course. Um but what's grown out of control is accommodated costs such as um health insurance
>> is the CPA >> rubbish all these different things like the property and casualty insurance was multiple years of 10%. At one point we had n the natural gas contract go up 30%. Like we've had a lot of whammy
numbers hit us out out of the ordinary doubledigit numbers hitting us in the area of accommodated cost. And I would say that you know even the contracts for salaries were probably during inflationary periods harder to settle and probably are higher than what we are used to seeing. So there's a combination
of things that are playing into why this is happening. But inflation is the main reason and it's it's all over the place in our budget. It's in our salary numbers. It's in a company. >> But all of that if if we didn't get an override, I mean, in addition to whatever if it didn't pass, which I I
don't think that would be the case, other than okay, we have to do certain capital things to keep not let stuff go into disrepair. wouldn't we be not doing the kinds of projects um
>> we would prioritize what we have to do >> right versus >> because we're really at the point that the cuts that would needed would need to be made if an override were not to pass would be staff there wouldn't be enough I think in what we cut in capital to
save the budget but would people in the town rather pay another a little bit more an override versus 1% and let's, you know, buy some more open space. We'd rather we'd rather have our 1% of taxes go
towards keeping staff. >> I don't I don't know that that's the choice, but >> it's hard. I mean, I do see what Jeffree is saying about if we have things that are planned and this money is coming in as an additional source, maybe your overall could be smaller. >> If people were willing to >> Yeah. I mean, I feel like we have a very
disciplined approach to our budgeting and so that we are sticking somewhat closely to that 5% debt and capital. And so, we're trying to fund the infrastructure in a way that even at hard times, we're still doing a baseline of four and a half like what we're doing this year. Even though this was a hard
budget, we still stuck to that discipline that others probably would not have. So, I do feel like there's always some level of capital this could potentially help with, but I just don't know. Every year it changes every year. what we have as a need is different. Sometimes we have a fire truck on there.
Sometimes, you know, we have additional crosswalk work >> and, you know, given geopolitical situations, our fuel costs could be up by 30%. >> It's hard to know. It's really hard to know and I Yeah. I mean, so I can I could argue it both ways, honestly. >> Yeah.
>> Yep. So, um, again, trying to be extremely careful not to oversell anything here. So, uh, would the November 2026 hypothetical override be 1% smaller if there was a 1% CPA search charge on the ballot? No, I don't think
it works that way. Um, I think that the pitch here is one of um because a lot of CPA eligible projects that Reading has funded in the past, we've done so at town meeting out of free cash. We have done some of them with included debt in inside the levy as well. So, uh, for the
included debt inside the levy stuff, that would impact the operating budget by allowing us to revisit our policy of 5% on debt and capital. If if there are projects that would have come out of that 5% that aren't coming out of it anymore, perhaps we only need four and a
half. Um, that's a, you know, so that would be that would be a partial impact on the operating budget. And then the other impact is that, you know, every few years over the last couple years, we've taken a couple billion bucks out of free cash for like Birch Meadow phase two or whatever. >> That's because we we felt flush. We were
looking and saying, "Oh, there's 20 million in free cash. I mean, it's not so not so pretty anymore, you know?" >> Yeah. I mean, we're now getting into sort of how did the how did the town meeting feel about these things when they voted them, which I think we're we're speculating. What we do know is definitely did vote for them. >> Sorry, we went back and forth. You're
not supposed to do that. No, that we're debating this article. You know, >> other Sorry, you still going, Marian? >> No, I'm done. I'm just seeing other hands. >> Thoughts? I can't see. >> Uh, I will entertain a motion.
>> Oh, do I get to do it this time? >> Sure. Well, >> or was that weird because I'm on >> say Yeah. Don't Don't >> I won't do it. Somebody else, please. >> Motion to accept the >> recommend to re I'm sorry. Uh, >> I'm sorry. I got off. No, I'm sorry. I just I got off the uh
>> 13. >> All right. Um >> it's article 13, right? >> Article 13. Okay. Um move to uh recommend uh the contents of article 13 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you, Ed. Thank you, Jeffrey.
>> Last chance for talking. >> All right, we'll start on Zoom. John. >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. >> Ed, >> yes. >> Joe Carnean, >> yes. >> Maryanne, >> no. >> Joe Mcdana,
>> yes. >> And Emily, >> yes. I guess I struggle with that one. >> That time. >> Okay. So, that was uh 71 for those keeping score at home. And now I will pass the metaphorical gavl back
to Mr. Caraman. And she didn't have to hit me with it once. >> Then you're going to present this article probably. >> Uh, no. Well, I was I don't think you should. >> No, I will I won't be presenting the finance committee report on the article. >> I can >> I will be presenting the article. >> You'll presenting the article.
>> I will be presenting the finance committee report on the article or Sarah and I will be presenting probably. >> Um, I'm happy to do it this way. >> Okay. >> Unless Maryann you would like to since you had the dissenting vote. No, no,
there'll be there'll be people in the every discussion. >> It won't be the only center. >> I It's unconditional, but I can't vote that way. I just think this isn't the right time. >> Yeah, but that's just me. >> We got to have something that's not
unanimous. I just >> You know where my vote was going. >> Yes. Yep. No, that was a good discussion. I appreciate the uh input um wearing my CPA hat. I appreciate the input from everybody wearing my FinCom shirt hat as well. All right, back to being fin chair. I believe our next one
is article 14. >> Article 14. >> That one's going to we're going to be some discussion as well. Um, please go ahead. Okay. So, article 14 originally um sought to dedicate uh monies no less than 25%
up to 50% of Burbank uh arena received rental payments um for the purposes of funding unified sports to the tune you know coaches, athletic trainers etc. Um based on community feedback and discussion that we had um
we I decided to change it to this version which would create two stabilization funds. One for the school department for adaptive programming and which includes unified sports. It's the only adaptive programming right now. And
um one for recreation department adaptive and therapeutic programming stabilization fund. same same sort of thing. Um at the select board meeting last night after um quite a bit of debate the select board decided so the
under the law this sort of stabilization fund is a minimum 25% of the of the income flow and um what they decided to do is put no more than 100%. In case town meeting were to only create one stabilization fund, it could then be
decided that up to 100% of the rental payments could be dedicated to that S. They wanted to kind of it's pretty broad and it allows town meeting to make that decision. And so that's what it is. Um this was
born out of conversations following um the instructional motion last year talking with um the superintendent of schools. I did talk to the superintendent of schools um prior to making this change in language and he was fine with that. Um and Ben will be
working on motions will be the next thing as we go forward to kind of nail they might make a recommendation on what that figure should be but town will debate it. Okay, >> I have questions, but I should not go first because I've got this gamble back
again. So, >> questions. >> Oh, I saw Jeffrey first. I'm just curious whether we have any other spe uh stabilization funds of this nature and uh you know what what's different about the Burbank Ice Arena income versus say
Home Depot saying hey Home Depot wants their property tax to be allocated to or someone making a motion that said hey affordable housing should take some piece of the Home Depot tax res. I mean it just it seems like a weird thing that I've never not that you know as as we've
heard before that not that I have anything and in fact support the the u unified sports and and talk to a parent about you know as a participant but it just this doesn't seem like something we've done before. It seems strange to me to set up the funding in this man
manner. >> Understood. Um it is unusual. So I would I would agree. I don't think we have any other stabilizations that are set up this way. No, the only stabilizations that we have are the smart growth stabilization, the sped stabilization, and then a regular stabilization we
don't have. But the one thing I will say is unique about the revenue is that we don't count on it and we don't budget the money from our bank because it's unpredictable, right? >> And so it's money that flows right to free cash when we get it. And so most of
our revenues we do budget for, we do use them to fund our operating budget. We count on them to be there. This is a revenue source that years ago we stopped counting on when they needed to do a lot of capital and we knew we weren't going to get any money. And so anything that we had been getting we were putting into
a fund and then we realized well it probably should just flow right to free cash because we couldn't figure out how how is this fund set up like was this a we couldn't find the backup for it. So right so we ended up closing it to free cash what was in that fund and now it would just come into the general fund
and it would go right to free cash. So it's part it's not budgeted for because it's an unknown of what kind of revenue we'll see and that would be what would make it different from other revenues that we see. >> And additionally um the genesis for some of these conversations came up during the how do we fund pickle ball
conversation and there was you know 400 about $400,000 sitting in this Burbank AC you know acred um rental payments. So in your example, you said Home Depot wants to that that those are tax payments. >> Those are tax. These are not tax
payments. They're also not payment in lie of taxes. They are rent payments. The town owns the land. >> So there be there never would have been any taxes. >> No, it's the town's land. >> We rent a payment in le of rent. I think there may have been a >> These are rent payments. >> Oh, some Yes,
>> they they are rent. >> Prior to the property becoming ours, I think that's what they used to pay. payment of the whip tax >> back prior to the lease. Yeah. >> And then of course now us being the owner, there wouldn't be any tax. Yeah. Correct. >> So um so these are so that's a different revenue source. I don't we aren't in the
really in the business of leasing things now. You know what we don't know what will happen with the Pleasant Street. Didn't we just have a presentation about this? >> Just set that aside. It might happen. We'll see. But um but so this is a lease that we have and and I think it's really
the only lease that we have. And so, um, the thought is we can we can put the money aside and and put it to work in a way that we think is beneficial to the community. Um, and, uh, it's up to town meeting to decide if it is an
efficacious use of it or not. Otherwise, it just goes to free cash. >> So, I think this question is for Sharon. When you say you couldn't come to count on this money, is it that it sometimes there's zero or sometime? Okay.
>> A lot of years it's zero. So, you know, as the building ages, there's more capital needs and they're doing more. Anytime they're having to put some capital out, they've now got to build up their reserves. So, anytime something's going on, you could say two years at least that you if they have something that they're paying for in one year or the next year, they may not have
anything to turn over because now they've got to fund their capital reserve fund. And so there's like all these parameters built into the lease of how much money they can hold in a capital reserve. And and so we just know just based on the years that when they're doing capital, we're probably
not going to get anything. And so this year there was zero, but the year before we got $113,000. It's it's hard to say. Prior to that, there were years we got $12,000 or 14,000. It's a very unpredictable number. And so I only put in our
projected revenues for our budgets, numbers that I'm pretty sure we're getting. You know, I'm not going to put a a number in that I'm not sure is coming as part of our operating budget, counting on that money to be there and then having it. Should I keep going? >> Go ahead. I see John, we'll let you
finish. >> Um, so you know, just trying to think of this as like Jeffrey said, I think there's broad community support for this program. So if we li if if we pursue this option for funding it, we are
potentially limiting ourselves from being able to fund it. >> I would think they could work in one another. >> Okay, there's still opportunity. >> We could use it as a funding source to help the operating budget. But like let's say you they set this up.
First off, when I saw this, I was like, okay, there's no money coming in right now. I don't know how that helps us, you know? Nothing is nothing. Do you know? Um, but in the end, like I think that in the short term, your option is probably going to be some sort of community priority or adding it to an override or
something of that nature that this could be building up in the in helping us fund it in the future. We could use it to come into the operating budget to help us fund a program that we're expanding on, or we could use it to expand the program. So that money could just be kind of looking at it like a savings
account for the future to expand that program to help keep that program going in lean years where we're not doing as well, you know. So I think you could look at in conjunction with one another, but I don't think it solves the problem >> initially because I can't say for sure
that that there's going to be any money there in the near future. You know, if if we get money every year and we have more reliable source there, then it's a different story. But it's a mechanism to start a savings account is the way I'm looking at it, you know, >> especially if it's one if it's onetime
dollars. So if there was a community priority that was put aside and it's it's a modest amount of 25,000 just for unified sports. Um but they need to buy one time, you know, equipment cost. Those are pretty minor for what it is, but it's equipment costs or it's um or
who knows then or the um all of the RMHS kids are in every tournament and that athletic revolving fund is running way down in a year because that's the that's how they pay for their transportation and so forth. You know, they have a backup resource to tap into.
>> Sorry, our teams are too good. >> I love our problems. >> Yeah. >> Uh Maryanne, >> so is this >> Oh, sorry. I No, go. I did John has hand up and I forgot and I'm trying not to discriminate against you. I you you'll be next for John. Go ahead.
>> Uh thanks. I guess just to kind of piggyback on Emily's question, Sharon, do you know off the top of your head what the average rent payment we get from Burbank like over the last however many years? >> I could look it up. I have a schedule
that I keep. >> Let's see. >> It fluctuates quite a bit. I mean, >> like I >> I understand that it fluctuates, but I guess like I think we're looking at we heard earlier uh they're open for 25k on the school
side for their budget. Like they're 20 now and they're looking to go up to 25. Uh and if we're assuming the same amount on town side, we're looking for like 50k a year to fund this program. Like >> would it could it average out to that amount? So, the town side, the
recreation department, we have uh put into our operating uh budget for the recal property uh for FY28 a figure that I can't remember off the top of my head for um an a part-time therapeutic wreck person. Um and so that's that's what
recreation is doing. And that may or may not be able to be um offset by um recre revolving funds, but that number is captured in that budget. I can tell exactly what came in for reading ice. Can you want me to share it on the screen or do you want me to tell
you if she do I can I share where she shared? >> Jackie, if you can like Sharon share. >> She's a girl. She can share. >> Oh, I didn't know if we could share at the same time.
>> Oh, I didn't know that you could do that. Slick. All right, >> you're good now. >> So, is it up there? >> It's coming. It's working on it. >> Oh, we got >> These are the exact amounts that were turned over since 2010. >> Make it way bigger. >> Okay. Bigger.
>> So, it's really they had paid most years, just a couple 63 and now they're going to have this high higher limit. >> In the beginning, it was like 2012 when I came in, they didn't pay. And then, you know, like they told us we're going to start having capital needs and Yeah.
So, it's all over the place. Some years you're seeing 14, 22, 14. You know, it's all over the place. So, it's not, but the average turnover across all these years is about $63,000. >> Do we know why 24 went up so much? Is it
because of some programs they ran or increase in >> paid the roof off? >> They they may have maxed out their capital reserve in the prior year and then >> to us. That would be my guess. Not knowing off the top of my head, that would be my guess. But
>> like look like 2021 was nothing because probably 2020 they couldn't even be open because of the pandemic. So you could see that pattern. >> So yeah, fiscal 21 would have been a rough one for >> and then 2023 was the roof year. So even 2022 probably 2021
was impacted. >> I'm sure there was some ramp back. Uh Marian go ahead. >> So can can you go back to the article the stabilization? So, I'm sure people are going to try to change things about this on the floor at
town meeting, but wasn't there at one point this article going to be subject to town meeting appropriation? Like this would go this way assuming town meeting agreed every year or because it's a stabilization like was that going to be one format of it where every year town
meeting would decide yes, we'll allocate 50% of this rent or not? But now it's just definitely >> So the way it works, that's a great question. Um, the way it works is town meeting will decide what the number is, right? We'll decide in the motion what that number is. But
>> so every year town meeting gets to pick the percent >> only if we want to change it. So town meeting chooses for it to be, you know, 100%. And then in five years and then then it will be 100% until town meeting, you know, so we put back. Okay, maybe we
we don't need 100% anymore because we've got a lot built up and so they change it to 25% because that's the minimum and that would be 25% to each fund and then the other 50% would go to free cash. So town meeting theoretically has flexibility every year but to change
okay and I guess the other thing is >> what I think said that they had to wait for two years >> I correct you're right >> so when the school department and someone correct me if I'm wrong I'm wrong when they establish their special ed reserve they put like a cap on it I
think >> because then the rest would return to the town >> is there going to be a cap on these funds There is no cap on these funds. >> Okay. >> No, there's no >> because that might make it more palatable also to some people. >> Could there be one? Because yeah, that's the
>> I can ask IRA if with this particular kind of stabilization fund if it can be capped. >> I don't know. >> And if there's a minimum of 25% that it may >> and then >> from that particular income flow >> and then I guess I are there conditions
to draw out of it. We have to that's not in here. Like we know, okay, the special ed, >> it can only go for the purposes stated in the stabilization fund. So, you know, it says funding >> coaches, instructors, service, referees,
>> official. Yeah. And I I talked with Tom Mashevski to >> those seem fairly all-encompassing. >> Yep. >> But you couldn't take it up for something unrelated to, you know, adapt to. And I I and I and and I guess there's not something where say it's a
year that there's there's not like a maximum like say for some reason the skating rank had a banner year and they were going to report like 150,000 to the town or something and and there's not like an upper limit on what they would take or a cap on it.
>> Yeah. I'd like Yeah, cap makes sense to me too. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I I'll ask Aria tomorrow if she can >> because it could just get ridicul. >> Yeah, I mean >> it's a great problem to have, but if you have a need for it in other parts of
your budget and you kind of >> made it kind of earmarked to this, >> it seems just seems like there's a way to accomplish both goals to build up a savings account so they have a backs stop. Y >> in my opinion, I don't think it's the schools aren't going to charge, but I think if Wreck charges a little bit for
some of the programs, just like with the seniors having to pay fees, it just feels fair that >> we're offering them something. But it >> Yep. >> Um I Mark's got to stand up on Zoom, but then I see you. >> Yeah. So I do have a question. And so I know to you know the tow meeting will
set the 25 to 100% but I thought to spend money out of a stabilization fund also needed approval. I'm not sure at town meeting or isn't there am I wrong on that or >> no you're correct that at at town meeting it will have to be appropriated
out. So that will be an article and with this particular fund it's just a simple majority not a two-thirds majority. >> Okay. >> Yep. I check to know. >> Yep. So there's a chance money could go into the stabilization fund but not ever spent or >> I don't think we would let that happen
but theoretically yes it has to be approved and to be to be expended to be appropriate >> town meeting didn't appro approve the appropriation I suppose that's possible >> that's possible >> Joe >> um so so if I read this right though we
could vote the town meeting for like 25% 25% and then 50% would still go to free cash. >> Correct. >> On a totally unpredictable income every year. >> Correct. >> Yeah. It just seems I don't know. >> It does seem that over time like that number could rise and you could be
putting an obnoxious amount of money into something that maybe you don't need that much money. That's the only thing I would I think a cap would make sense. >> I I I like the idea of a cap. I always also worry that like we're it's like an unpredictable like source. Like we really don't know. >> And this is like the rink's only getting
older. I mean, I haven't been in it for two months, but it's it's it's I mean, it's it's an older rink and we I don't think they even have a capital I'm not that close to it. They do if they have a capital program. And >> so, in their Yeah, in their lease, there is a requirement in their rent
calculation portion of the lease that states um how they maintain um a contingency reserve fund. Um so, the contingency reserve uh in the original lease is $300,000. adjusted for CPI. >> What did they negotiate it to last night?
>> So, they wanted it was 500 that was presented and the select board said, "Why don't we put it at 415,000 because that felt um that that was about where they were right now." >> I see. Um so that they thought and then it would also continue to grow with the
CPI. >> Okay. >> So, yeah. >> And and how much is in the fund now? Like that? I think he said that this year they're expected to be at about 415,000 or 417,000. I think that um the
liaison from Burbank stated Sleboard leaison to Burbank Carl McFaten stated last night during SLboard. >> So if they have that that kind of reserve, we might actually see it turned over next year. >> You might see this year. >> Yeah. Uh Jeffrey, you
>> so you know person to this approval that I'm you know it for a town meeting then to approve it like you could be in the middle of a a school year and say hey we want to we we spent too much money or we you know for a program and then oh we can't add you know a new unified sport
of a different kind or something in the middle of the year because we have to wait till April town meeting to approve the funding out of it. Yeah, >> I'm not sure this is Yeah, it's puts an odd constraint on on the program and and you know options to expand it to other
sports or to other grades. >> That's a good point. ahead. >> Um so, um and Jane, just kind of correct me if my memory um serves prior to the select board meeting last night was the
original um language to Joe's point, it was 25 and the rest of free cashache and then the and then it was changed at the select board to the new language. >> It was 20 it was it was up to 50% and no less than 25%. So,
with two funds um and each one getting 50% that would have been 100% of all Burbank rental payments. Um but what they they changed the language to allow >> that's in case they moved in >> case they only had one >> in case they only had one. It was okay.
Yeah. >> All right. I So there w there even in the original there wasn't um the idea that there would be a portion and um that would go back to free cash. There could if if only if town meeting said it'll be 25% to each fund, right? Which
was the minimum, then 50% could go back to free cash. Sleptboard just wanted to give the option that all of it could. >> Yep. Gotcha. Perfect. Yep. >> Making a point to let other people talk for us, but I'm still um
I still don't understand why we're doing this. like we could just pay for it because everybody wants it. Like community priority, you know, and I mean I would even in our
relatively dark financial times that we're in right now, I'm pretty sure that it, you know, tell members will trip over themselves to vote for this um to vote for funding for unified sports in general. Um it's uh so I don't I'm trying to figure out why
we need to constrain ourselves like in these various ways versus like the money goes to free cash and then town meeting gets to spend it on what town meeting wants and what town meeting wants is unified sports. So why all the extra steps?
>> I don't know. I I I not to be argumentative but I might ask you the same question about the CPA. reserve the funds >> about say is is there a 20% match in here somewhere that I'm missing because that's the >> noact is it really always a 20% match
>> 15 same difference >> there is no match >> there is asked and answered >> yeah no that was that was a pretty easy question actually I could answer those >> you're ready you're ready I feel you're ready >> I think it's because it's it they want it in the budget now and they don't want
to wait till next year or you make it a community like the budget has been built, right? >> I mean, it could be modified. >> Yeah. Well, $25,000 is >> you can do both. >> Small out of, you know, >> we have a lot of small requests.
>> There's a lot of people, >> like we heard the other night, you got >> 150,000 in small requests. I think how do you pick which one you put and not put? There's all these boards that want extra money and there's I mean, >> you know, it's not for us to see.
>> There's 135, but you know, the the trees want 25. >> It I mean it it is for town meeting to say in the sense that town meeting could either approve this or not. Um or how meaning could again I mean this is the
uh complexity here is like versus you know again just make the thing and I mean yes it does mean picking and choosing but like the other things that we got requests for weren't the subjects of instructional motions with broad support in previous years. >> Correct. >> This was
>> so that does make me think that town meeting has a different attitude towards this versus So, >> trees. >> I mean, we love trees. Don't get me wrong. We love trees. But don't don't you know, if you're going to make us choose between, you know, helping children with disabilities and trees, I
>> don't make us choose between our kids and anything else. >> This this just seems like something, you know, our trees got ARPA money, seniors got opera money, we had adaptive swim money, and I think everyone who got the ARPA money, they're suffering withdrawal, too. They got used to what we're giving them.
>> Yeah. You know what? That's >> what was the ARPA committee thinking? >> I know. >> But it was a lot. You know, they still the teachers got money. I mean, we had to really spread the love, you know, that it's
>> people we we created an expectation of service in this town. I think that, >> you know, >> it's hard to keep up with. >> All good points. I would I would say like I said at the select board meeting, this is not the only way to fund unified
sports or adaptive programming. It's one way and it may not be the best way forever. It may not be the best way, >> but it's one way and it says we're having funds that are generated from a lease that we have going to create
goodness in the community. >> Yeah. >> And it doesn't have to be that way forever, >> right? But >> you could get amended on the floor to have caps for example. >> Yeah, I did ask. I think that'll make it better. >> Yep. I said that off and I'll get back to you on what that >> because then the money once you hit the
cap then it start goes back into the free cash and all the other things. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. I mean the the way I keep seeing this is like there's there's two possibilities in the future. Either this is money that town meeting would have wanted to spend on unified
sports in the future in which case town meeting would spend it on unified sports in the future because town meeting it's up to town meeting or it's not in which case town meeting is voting now to constrain what actions town meeting can take in the future
>> and like is this I I mean that's which and for the record I'm pretty sure that Tom is going to want to fund this in the future because it turns out that we're going to all of our kids then too. >> So, so this is kind of hypothetical, but
at the same time it's it's um >> it seems like it's like a there's like a hypothetical downside and no upside. I'm like, well, that's a weird trade-off in my mind. >> Why are you saying there's no upside? >> Uh because we could I mean it's it's our money. We could spend it. We can amend
the budget. You know, we can finance committee can vote to recommend >> money. Yeah. that that um the budget line for uh you know I mean strictly speaking I think the budget's been written to us but we can in our report say we vote to recommend this article
with an amendment to increase of 20 you know $25,000 in this line of of accommodated costs for this community priority >> but it's only perpetually or one year >> once you put it into the baseline it would it would probably go into the school department's budget and they
would have it as a baseline for next year so they have 25,000 >> we still have to fund it next here like it's not I mean >> it would be part of their basic >> none of these things none of these things cause us to have money that we didn't already have. I'll add >> um just so one one quick uh question um
for the question to town council is um and are we asking is it just a um a cap um for the the fund or the contribution per for like you know cap on an on a
one-year um uh contribution or a cap overall for the size of the fund. >> Take both. Well, so it's written right now that you could you you you fix the number, you fix the percentage percentage. >> So town meeting motion will give it
it'll be 30%. Or or whatever it is. So it'll be fixed. >> Yeah. But I think the question to town council are we are we just asking it what the cap like can we institute a cap on how much would go in any one year or >> oh like an actual balance?
>> It has to be 25% minimum. So I can ask about the annual contribution being capped and then the% accumulation whichever is less >> or just a cap on the stabilization total like it can grow up to let's say 100,000 or 200,000 or whatever that cap is that you decide that way there that if if we
got all this excess money going in there that we don't just keep piling it in there when that money could be used for something else. >> So yeah, when you say at least 25% is that it's either zero or 25% it can't be 10 or it has to be 25% at least 25.
>> So it can't be zero. So we can't or if there's no money. But what I'm saying if we hit a cap, so we've got $10 million in the fund after, you know, I don't know what happened. And now we say, "Oh, I'm sorry, but we allocated 25% and we have to keep putting 25% in there even though we're
$10 million already and there's no more unified sports that we can have because we have 50 different I don't know." >> Again, these are hypotheticals, but at the same time, I'm also not seeing the upside on the other side either. So >> can I ask a question? What is there a provision for? And maybe this is if we
would need to ask for stopping these contributions or dissolving such a fund. >> I think it would have to be town meeting vote or to reverse what you've done. you know, town meeting voted to put if if they were to vote to put this in place,
town meeting could vote to >> I mean, like say say we decide to say say this passes, but then we decide to make it a community priority just like with the full day kindergarten fund, you spend it down or or dissolve it or something. So, okay. >> Yeah, that's right.
>> Yeah, I think the you know, sorry. Um, go for it. >> I I I think the Jane, I think your point is is is is the right one. It's it's a imperfect mechanism to fund this. Um, and and for
my my opinion, even that it's even though it's imperfect, um, it still gives the right, you know, kind of indication. Um I think for from for me my vote would be to recommend it um because I think it gives the right indication and and then it's debated on
the town floor you know at town meeting. >> I think um Mr. Chairman that the power of the Burbank lease payments is not so much in the annual contribution but in the the power of it is in the accumulated contribution. Right? looking
at 63,000 or you know 13,000 or 15,000 or 113,000 isn't isn't great but we were able to put 200,000 of it toward the pickle ball project which was meaningful in making that project pass. So, you know, it's one-time monies
for one-time costs, and we're trying to help fund an operational expense. And so, that's where your community priority kind of helps, but you have to put that money every year into your operational budget >> or be in their baseline. If you put in
as >> it would be put in the baseline the following year, >> but then with anything, it cost you more every year. you know, the people who work on adaptive sports make, you know, get pay increases, all that. So, what's 25,000 this year would have to grow next year to cover what the costs are for the
next year. You know, >> I I'm I'm confused though cuz like running adaptive sports is an every year operational cost like >> like other sports, >> right? And so
whereas like the Burbank funds in the past, we used them for one-time things because they're unpredictable, >> right? >> Generally, if we're going to earmark unpredictable things for anything, I would want to earmark them for something unpredictable and instead find
predictable money to, you know, fund. I mean again it's all you know at the end of the day I suspect that this is not going to change what's going to happen that like these this is like the money that Burbank pays the town is the town's money and the town will spend the town's
money on this and whether it goes through another account or not doesn't change that >> but I still haven't heard why and why we would do take irregular money to cover earmark that for a regular expense
>> I I think if anything it just shows a commitment to find money for it. Do you know that that it's like we we're in a tight budget position right now, but we're willing to commit to this. Anything that comes in we you know I think it's kind of like it's showing the community that there's a commitment to put money towards this however we have
to get it in there. You know what I mean? Like but I do feel like is I mean right now we don't feel like we can add anything and we've got all these different boards and committees coming at us saying we need more money. We can't do everything we need to do. We have elder services saying we need money for programming. We have all these
different things and it's not it's not really the year for us to be adding anything. I mean, so this kind of puts that instructional motion kind of says we don't have any room in our budget for it right now, but we're willing to commit X to be able to do
>> maybe they'll go the rest of the way and this is getting it started and $155 million budget. >> This the rent we're getting is dimminimous, >> you know. Yeah, but I mean I think that's the message. It's like we heard this instructional motion and we cannot
expand our budget right now or we we didn't feel that we could expand it because we've got all these different asks like how who who can prioritize what what ask is most important out of those things. It's really difficult. We shouldn't be adding anything or the >> So this is the best we can do right now. >> I think that you could look at it that
way. I mean, but to me, like I I guess I would have probably wanted to do it as a community priority because it's such a small thing, but this allows a program to grow. You could look at it that way. If money is being designated to it in the back end and we put it in as a community priority, maybe this money
could expand the program or like Jane said, maybe purchase equipment, much neededed equipment for the program. So I I I think it's just a it shows a commitment to to do something with an instructional motion that it seemed like there was a powerful message that the
town meeting wanted us to find something that we could commit towards that program. >> Couldn't you still show that same commitment without setting up a fund >> just make it look at it from both angles like I personally would have done it differently. That doesn't mean that
there's no merit to it, you know? I mean I do feel like >> I'm supportive but I just don't like the mechanism. feel like the mechanism, like you said, the restrictions make me a little bit leerary of it just because you've got to go be able to go to town meeting and ask for the money and if that means that you have less less
flexibility than a regular program would have within our budget to to make changes and add things and all of that. Um, they have to wait for town meeting to make any kind of change. So, that's the piece I don't love about it, but I see the commitment that it's trying to
point out that we that we do think it's important and we're willing to pledge, let's say, revenue that could be coming in to save towards expanding the program, but >> I know you say I've had a couple things.
Um, so I'm getting Nancy. Um, so, uh, I want to point out sort of a rhetorical thing that's going on here where like I've heard, uh, we can't choose among these things, but like adopting this is choosing among these things. So, we can
choose among these things. We can also choose among these things other ways. This isn't the only way to choose among these things. >> But Tom me should be the one who kind of wants to, but they did point to it by an instruction. Do you know what I mean? >> Right. But there's there's more than so yeah. So but the statement that we can't
choose among these things now Tom meeting can totally choose among things. Tom Megan can say um you know pass this amendment and reject that amendment. >> I guess I say that for me when I'm being told keep this budget in mind. I'm getting my select board saying cut as much as you can get us through another year without an override. That's not the
time for you to ask me to add anything. I'm not going to look at that list and pick which one I can do. If I can only do one I'm going to understood. this is this is not uh >> I mean that's that's under the purview of of town meeting and finan to say I think this is a small enough number that
I would like to do this you know and I don't think the $25,000 of free cash is a big deal but for me to come at you with it was when when I'm getting that >> no one's accusing you of coming at us >> if I were to come at you with all the requests that I got this year of things that I couldn't add for yes no I'm
stating for the record I'm impressed at the way you manage that barrage of requests, you know, in a way >> and capture sanity >> and uh but then yeah, our job is are the voters of reading, you know, who elect
town meeting members and so forth, you know, um it is our job to make these choices. So, I'm not u you know, hesitant to make them and and I wouldn't say we can't choose because we totally can. Um I'm going to stop talking for a second even though I have more questions. Ed.
>> Yeah. So I again just to um like kind of further on I think the other thing to to look at um you know can notwithstanding what you were just saying Joe but like I I think it's proper to put it in this perspective like and and I think for um
the discussion at town meeting doing this doesn't start it like like you know what I mean like this is you know someone that wants um you know um you know funding for this
given the nature of the fund and the rental payments this this won't do anything in the very short term um and I think that's important for people to know but I but I think to um to to extend on that though this is I
think a given the instructional motion and everything that's kind of all the conversations across all of the committees and and and and and everywhere, you know, um that's happened. We've now unearthed something that's important, you know, from from
the community. But I this gets back to what I was saying before. It's in it. If you want to fund it now, this is not the this isn't the right vehicle to be able to do it because it's because because it is the one it's unpredictable as far as
when many come money comes in and it's one time versus operational. What what we're looking to be able to do is operational and this you you can't tie these two things together. Um, but I do think it's good to have it in place
going forward when there are one times associated with with that with that type of a program. >> Uh, I think you brought up exactly something I was going to talk or ask about because I don't know. So like this doesn't have any impact on the
availability of unified or adaptive sports in FY27, right? Because Yeah. So >> I think that there's some baseline number that the school department is carrying for unified sports whatever they started with. >> Huh? >> No expansion.
>> They looked at 10,000 and they needed 20. That was a doc. Someone had a letter Dr. Milishki. >> I think you're right. I think >> because it it's it's um you know irrespective of this article
if you know I would like to know if town meeting wants to fund this program right now then we have to find money some other way right now >> exactly >> which would be presumably expressed in the form of amending the you know budget
to add a community priority for this um and we know the amount that would be needed or can we I guess we get ask get that information before town meeting but it would be nice to know in advance. >> I thought you said that they said 25,000 >> looking for 25,000. >> He was looking for >> confirm that with
>> Okay, but that's a pretty small number. >> That's and just to be able to clarify that point that is only for whatever the school has identified. This doesn't stand anything that that wouldn't stand any money for recreation to stand up any programs >> provided by the town.
>> It's just for unified sports. school department expanding their existing program >> just the unified sports program. >> Gotcha. >> Sorry Joe, I didn't mean I just wanted to clarify that. >> So Jeffrey, you mentioned that community priority. Now typically the school budget is voted as a line item down at
the bottom and it's the school committee that decides how much to allocate to athletics or regular day education. So if we do a community priority, can we specify that that community priority is specifically for unified sports or do we say we want to increase the school line budget and ask the school committee to
spend it on the superintendent to put it where the school committee to put it where we're asking, but they're under no requirement to do so. Like you could increase by 25,000 and they could use it for something else. >> But I I would
>> there would be blood. We can't. They don't They don't have a line by line budget. It's not the same as the town where you could say, "I'm going to add this money to administrative services and we have to use it in there. >> They their budget is different. It's bottom line." So, if you chose to do something like this, like add the
25,000, it would go into their their budget. I would increase it and then they'd probably have to readress it as a school committee to allocate it to where it needs to go. I don't I don't believe that they wouldn't do as you asked. I I don't get this sense that they would do
anything odd with the money, but just the way it's voted, there's no way for me to say, "Oh, you didn't use it for that." There's no there's no recourse there. >> Can I pile pile on that question? Does the same hold true for stabilization
funds? So these there's one for the school department. So if town meeting, you know, we get the funds, we have the, you know, we get some rent, we have the funds, and then at the next town meeting, we do a dispersement to the school. Is it the same there? Like where
here's $20,000 for you to spend on unified sports. Are they under obligation to do it? I again, they probably would. >> I would I would say in good faith they probably would, but they would it would become part of that one line that you're voting. So they could choose not to, but
I I don't get the vibe that >> but if it comes from the stabilization fund, they have to. >> No, that was the I think the question was >> that was Emily's question. The answer was no. >> But what if it's like a school revolving account? Like schools even within their revolving account like they can't spend
full day money on special ed for example or something like that. So if they had a dedicated >> No, I don't think I don't think I don't think that's correct because that's not how it's written. It's a new special purpose stabilization fund to fund to be called the school department adaptive
programming stabilization fund for the purpose of supporting the provision of adaptive programming. So if you take it out like if you take it out of the out of the fund they can only use it for what's that's >> that's but you're not going to that we don't
charge expenses to the stabilization fund. It would be money coming in to support the operating budget and so those expenses are part of their operating budget. So it I would think that they would honor what it says the stabilization is for. But we've had that
issue come up in the past with other superintendents where on town meeting floor they say if I give you an extra this much money will you do this? He's like, "I would love the extra money, but whatever the super I wasn't here then, but I I >> I mean, if he had this $20,000 and you
know that the special education transportation fund was missing $2,000, like gee, I've got to get these kids bust over there, right? I mean, >> sports is great, but >> it was a revolving account. Remember with the revolving accounts, we couldn't touch the like when we had the previous over. You couldn't touch it was all this
money and extended day revolving. Couldn't touch it. Could only be spent on that." >> So, They do they do abide by it. You know, whatever the fun could be a revolving account instead of a stabilization account. I suppose >> that's that's possible. Yeah. Because then you spend the money right after the >> then it would only go to it. That's the
way you guarantee. >> Yeah. So, >> but I mean I can't see this. I can't see the school not using it for what what it's for because it's very much it's clear as day what we're asking the fund to be. >> We're going to have a new superintendent. Thank you. >> I don't think that's true.
I'm I'm speaking to what I know is the administration right now. That doesn't mean >> Have we had enough? Are we ready for a motion? >> Move the question. >> Phil already know when you need. >> Yeah. Um >> the wording on this is fixed, right?
Because the select board voted on it. >> Yeah. The warrant is closed. Right. >> Coaches this this this and any other. It's like >> does that require you to spend on all of the things? It should say or. >> Yeah. Or >> because if you say and then we're
required to spend money some amount of money on coaches and trainers and support staff and >> and any other expenses intended to support the program. But >> is that something that be I mean I I suspect that changing that and to an or I mean I am not a moderator but I might guess that you could change that that
would be within the four corners of the article to change that one in the motion >> including but not exactly >> just extended just extended my travel days. >> Clearly there was a little bit of discussion. Um yeah so no we're voting on this as it's written. So
stabilization not revolving I guess and not well the and or probably doesn't matter. Um I'm pretty sure that one doesn't matter. Um and then again sort of the with the constraints as we understand them. All right.
>> Motion to recommend the contents of article 14 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. Thank you Emily. Thank you Ed. Any final discussion before we vote? All right. Starting on Zoom. Uh John,
>> yes. >> John, I could not hear you. >> Yes. >> Um uh Mark, >> yes. >> Uh Jeffrey, >> no. Ed, >> yes. >> Emily.
>> Struggling. >> I'm gonna go no. >> No. All right. Um Joe Mcdana, >> no. >> Uh Marian, >> yes. >> And Joe Carran, no. Uh that is a 44. >> We need entry.
>> Just a recommendation to report. >> I think we voted yes we voted 44 on the question of recommending this to town meetings. So that is a >> a lack of a recommendation. >> I mean that is a vote that is a vote on a recommendation. Is it a recommendation? >> My word than that. >> That's philosophy. Well
>> who who already who already volunteered to give this report? I don't know though it expresses our discussion really. There's an ambiguous and there's and >> I think like I would say I had a conditional no before. Mine's almost a conditional yes because I believe this should be a cap but I also believe
that's what's going to happen. >> Yeah. >> So um presented a way to fund this. >> Yes. Well so we're not done we haven't discussed the we're not done with the budget yet. >> Yeah I know we got to do all those individuals and it's 10 o'clock. Who is
>> Don't we have another article? >> We still have two more. >> We have two more financial articles. One of which is a giant boatload of money. Um >> no, we have >> one of us is a giant load boatload of money from enterprise funds, which feels less painful than a giant boatload of money from free cash or debt or
whatever, but um I guess it's debt. So anyway, please go ahead. >> Who's doing article 15? >> Uh Ed. >> Ed preemptively claimed that one earlier. >> Oh, I thought he said he was going to be traveling. All right. Uh now I mean we're not going to get to that. I think um Ryan will be presenting the town.
>> So this is article 15. This is to fund the Parker turf field. Parker turf is uh 18 years old. They typically have a life of 10 to 12 years. Um it is very worn. It requires um regular maintenance. Um
fixing the field, doing the infill. The bleachers are also there. That's part of the project. >> Repairing damage from fireworks set off on it. >> I have no comment. Um, don't don't be doing that. Um, additional improvements include making it ADA accessible from
the upper parking lot down to the field. Um, replacing the deteriorated oversized bleachers with low maintenance seating wall or appropriately sized code compliant bleachers. The the works the plan has been done. Um the estimated
cost is 1.7 million. >> Uh >> we do have uh Ryan PL still on the call. >> He's not sleeping. >> I see um I see a hand up from Mark.
>> So I've got a question. And over the last 18 years, how much do we think we've saved by not having to do, you know, if it was grass, the maintenance on this field? >> Not sure. I have no idea. I don't know. >> And what will we save, I guess, in the
future? If it's 10 to 12 years life, and you have to do a lot less maintenance on these versus grass, we got to be saving money, right? >> I mean, we're saving money. The reality is it's a heavily used field. I it's heavily used and so if you have grass you can't use it that much. So you have
a lot fewer sports that can happen there because they can't you just wear out the grass and it's just not really safe to >> or it's muddy. >> It's muddy. It's hard. It's compacted. Um so that's a factor. >> But what type of maintenance would we
have to do if it was grass? So, other than, you know, mowing, but wouldn't it have to be like would it have to be receded after like five or six years? Like, do we have any estimate on what the cost would be if we didn't do this >> in terms of an alternative?
>> Well, we'd have to take if we wanted to go back to grass, we'd have to build a new grass field and rip all of this up and build a new grass field. So it's either >> no but even even just would we spend just say it's a 12 year life would we spend you know more than a million7 if
it was grass >> over those 12 years >> facilities kind of I mean >> you know that Ryan >> I mean that's that's a that's a difficult cost to >> to do on the fly. I mean, if if you think about um a natural turf field and
and the amount of use that this field gets in and the area that this field is in, any rain, any saturation, I mean, you can see it at Morton Field when it gets a lot of rain, you know, we have a lot of issues out there where you can't use it. Um, this is a heavily used area.
Uh, to Jane's point, if we went to natural grass, you you'd have to probably spend even more than that to put it back to natural grass. And if this had a lot of use, you'd have to replace the field and take it offline for more than a season. Um, so that turf
could mature. Um, so you're cutting, you're airrating, you're sprinkling, you're receding, you're resolding, you're repatching areas. Um, that cost uh I I don't know what the figure is. We can we can find out for you, but that cost is is high. Maintenance cost is
high. Uh, and that's why a lot of these uh fields are going to turf. gonna just get Forest Gump to do it. >> I'm gonna call on Joe. >> Go ahead. >> Um do do we know like the the breakdown between um I I definitely agree the
field needs to be replaced, but like the rest of the stuff there like the replacing the bleachers. Do you have any rough idea on >> the percentages? >> What What piece of it is the bleachers and what piece of it is the the the turf and those pieces? That's a good question. I don't have it at hand. I
don't know if you know that, Ryan, off the top of your head. >> Uh, if you give me a second, I can probably try to find that. I I could tell you the replacement of the turf is probably um along the lines of 1.2 million uh and change. Um
maybe even a little bit more than that. uh what what you're seeing for the you know removing the bleachers, putting in putting in a wall that doesn't really have to be maintained, a lowlying wall. So there's going to be no more bleachers left there. And really the ADA accessibility is probably driving a little bit more of of that cost
difference between the um just the turf replacement and um adding some of those amenities on. >> And do we um I'm assuming it makes sense to do this all at once. Like would we >> Yeah. Could we do the bleachers later or >> we're taking out the bleachers that have
to be inspected every year and all of that, you know? >> Yeah. So th those bleachers may you know back in 2007 and when roughly when we replaced this um the bleachers were in not great condition. Um the bleachers now are in in a lot rough condition.
Underneath the bleachers are all broken up. we have issues with um runoff and and issues with runoff coming out close to the turf field. So, and and again, I just want to touch on the fact that we don't really have accessible we don't
have any access from um the school. So, that's really more of the driving factor than the bleachers because we have to rip the bleachers out to get the ADA accessibility in anyway. >> And we don't have we don't have a scoreboard on that field, I don't think, do we?
Uh we currently do not, but under the scope of the article, um it is in there for amenities and things like that if if if we do have some additional funds. We I think number seven on there >> um again and this is a draft conceptual
um the upper 88 compliancy is going to change a little bit, but seven is oh just a placement of a scoreboard, a freestanding scoreboard. >> There's also a college building. Um there's repaving of the access road.
>> Yeah, we're widening the we're we're making the field slightly wider because we have need we just need a little bit more room uh for player um staging areas which would be number three and things of that nature. Uh and another important
thing about this field is back in 2007 and 2008 um it wasn't standard practice to have what they call a well the the vendor that sells it is Brock pad but there's a padding that goes underneath the fields now that even if these do
lose some of their their crumb rubber or in this case we're we're putting an um organic uh fill they don't um they they'll still meet the the hick rating and the uh GMAX rating which have had we
tested this field you know there's fear that this this will not pass those too. Uh Jeffrey, >> I'm curious. Um with the reduction, I mean taking out the bleachers, are are there sports, high school sports or JV
or something that play there that need the stands for or the the bleachers for a for spectators or I mean I'm thinking that the low wall is not going to be a lot of of seating compared to what's available now, but I don't know how much demand there is for
spectator. >> Yeah, we're there's certainly not a demand as big as the bleachers that are there now. I don't know if you've been out there in a while, but the the bleacher sets that are out there now are massive. Um, we've talked with recreation um gone over a lot of the use numbers
with Activitas, our consultant, um, and feel as though that that seating would be ideal for, uh, the use of the field that's out there. Um, there are areas where you can just stand along a fence that's going to be there, too. So, it's just more of a lowmaintenance
scenario um to help reduce overall maintenance costs on this field in the area. >> Um Ed, >> um isn't so this is Parker. Is is this where they have graduation for them? Eighth grade graduation. Is it was it is
it on Parker field? >> Yes. >> And so, >> yeah, I would assume so. So >> I think that was when they used the uh I recall that's where the bleachers were used the most was during that during that event. >> Does activas know about Parker
graduation? >> But that's one that's once a year and I know one of my kids it was inside because it rained so they did it in the auditorium and the other one >> was co it was 2021 and we did it at the high school on their field. I mean it's once a year they could move it to the high school if they had had to.
>> Yeah. I mean, bleachers are very expensive. We can we can add them to the project if we'd like. >> So, that's a good segue to my question. Really, my question is a comment, which is I probably don't need to say, but for the love of everything, please be clear
about what things might be added to the project or removed from the project depending on the size of the bids for the main park. >> So, uh, our background is pretty clear. Um, basically everything that you see there, amenities, everything, um, turf,
um, the wall, any bleachers that we may put in, that's in there, too. >> Um, and accessibility. >> So, we do have we do have that language in there to leave it open for us. >> Yeah. >> Just want to want to avert that. We don't need to have that uh situation
again or that that >> Nope. We're very well aware. Um, where is this? How's this funded? Is this >> debt inside the levy? Okay. >> Yeah. So, this is requesting debt. >> Okay. >> Authorization of debt.
>> Love that debt. >> I love that AAA credit rating is what I love. But anyway, all right. Uh, Mark, >> so if if this does pass, will it be done in the summer? Is that the plan or when's the timing?
The timing for this would be spring of 27. So spring summer 27. We're going to we're going to allow this a go. I believe it it does does that sound right Sharon and Jane?
>> Yeah, that's that's correct. I'm co-mingling projects, so I'm just thinking about it in my head. >> We'll start next spring. Yes, correct. >> Spring 27. >> Will fell up my eighth grader's graduation. It's I will not let that
influence my vote here. >> It's It's really nice to have it at the high school. There's a lot more parking. Just trust me. >> Yeah. >> Parker. >> It was really not good when it was in the You want it at the high school. This is a blessing for you. >> All right.
Duly noted. All right. Other comments? Um, >> I'm not seeing any. >> All right. Motion to recommend the contents of article 15 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any
further discussion before we vote? Seeing none. Uh, starting on Zoom. John, >> yes. >> Who might be muted? Mark. >> Yes. Uh, thank you. Jeffrey, >> yes. >> Ed, >> yes. >> Emily,
>> yes. >> Joe Mcdana, >> yes. >> Maryannne, >> yes. >> Joe Carneahan, yes. 8 Z, who wants to give that report? That one's not claimed yet. >> Okay, moving on. >> Uh, we'll wait till
Okay, >> there you go. >> We're signing people now. >> That's it. It's past 10. We're signing people now. All right. >> Uh, we're still not done. Article 16, right? >> Article 16. That is correct. This article is to authorize
uh debt for the replacement of two sewer pump stations. One is 51 years old. Um great vintage 1974. No reason. No reason. Um and the Brewer Lane pump station was built in 1979.
Um also a lovely a lovely vintage. Um, you do not want to have sewer pump stations fail. >> My recommendation would be don't do that. Don't do that. Um, Ryan is on. He can speak to it >> or Chris is here.
>> Both of them could speak to it. >> They both can speak to it. There's a lot of maintenance involved with these stations. This is a talkative group, but I'm not anticipate but I'm not anticipating really have much sewer failure. Do we have much to say about sewer pump failure at 10:15?
>> Let me let me roll up my shirt sleeves and dig into that. No, I don't have anything. >> It's a community priority. >> It would be we have enterprise funds for this, but this would be this debt would be paid with um sewer enterprise fund. >> It would be in the general fund.
>> Yeah. will be incorporated in the right to pay the debt. >> Yep. >> This is part of a regular, you know, plan or prioritized plan. It's presented in the article about what needs to be done. Joseph Way is first, Brewer Lane is second. You can see Stout Grove, etc.
Um, you know, we think this is responsible maintenance. As you know, with our sewer, we do a lot of work to maintain our sewer system to reduce um sewer backups. Nobody wants a sewer backup. That's why we put out >> preach into the choir at this point. >> We put out a lot of information about
please don't put grease or or wipes into the into the pipes there. And you know these stations struggle with some of that with grease issues and electrical problems. So >> I don't see any question on this one. >> Motion to recommend the contents of
article 16 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. Thank you Emily. Thank you Ed. Any further discussion before we vote? Seeing none, uh, starting on Zoom, John, >> yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Ed,
>> yes. Emily, >> yes. >> Uh, Joe Mcdana, >> yes. >> Uh, Maryanne, >> yes. >> Joe Carneahan, yes. 8 Z. >> Uh, who doesn't have one of these yet? I >> think we got them all. Now, >> Jeffrey doesn't have one. >> There's a chance that I will not be on the finance committee at the time of
town meeting. So you can assign something to me. >> There we go. >> I knew that's a reason why he was quiet. >> Interesting. Okay. >> You know, >> I got the first one. >> Okay. >> Capital plan. >> So you assign it to me or I decide that if I'm still on finance committee, I get to pick up ones for somebody who's
absent. >> It doesn't, you know, I about to say it's it's um Joe and I can flip a coin. Um we're the first two. We're kind of circling back around to the back at this point. Um, uh, actually Joe, I'll nominate you because again, I'm going to be tired of
my own voice this town meeting. So, >> we already doubled up Andre. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Not on, you know, not not on, you know, hard ones or anything. Not on hard ball.
Okay. All right. We can actually cross something off. It only took hours. >> Oh, we still got to do article 10. Uh well, yeah, that is I mean that is that's got its own bullet in the agenda to discuss and vote on. Yes, this was other financial articles. >> All right. So, um
>> so we done with Chris. >> Yeah. So, um Jeez, we are not going to get >> Ryan. >> Thank you guys. Let's get out by 11 tonight. >> Uh let's Yeah. So, the things we have to do. Um although, God, I hate I hate treating the override as not a have to
do. We maybe we'll get to future agendas and maybe we'll actually figure out some other time to meet because I feel like that's getting >> we have to talk about that. >> That is coming up so fast. All right, but what we have to have to do is uh the report to town meeting and voting on the
budget. Um there was a draft report. Maybe I'll bring that up now because again I'm putting off the vote on the budget to the last possible second. Um uh I wrote a thing. It was I already know it's wrong in with respect to uh
the bottom of the first page that's already noted. Um but yes um did people have >> comments, questions, concerns, correction? >> Sorry. Um change the free cash amount. >> Yes. Oh yeah, that's already I got that
one actually. I already made that edit but yes, good call. So yes, the cuts like these reduce the projected use of free cash in the F27 budget at the top of page two here to 6.45. 45 million, >> which again compared to 6.75 million, >> that's a lot, but it's lower.
>> Exactly. All right, Jeffrey, you had a hand up. >> I have three things. The first thing is just a stupid grammar point is the first paragraph. The period goes inside the quotation marks. >> Oh, you got you got me on that last I hang with other countries. >> Check your work.
>> But you you that was your comment on my report last year. H I >> maybe uh the there's a bullet item relying on the new special education stabilization fund instead of prepaying out a district special education cost. I don't recall that being
>> Am I mixing up the >> I think it was the >> the two years of um school choice funds that were used. >> They may have been both. >> I mean my my understanding is that they always prepay the tuition. I think they
did they reduce that. >> No, this year they did something different though. They're using school ch I remember I asked how come you're this thing didn't go up as much. They Well, they're drawing right out of their reserve fund >> or the special ed stabilization fund.
>> I think they're drawing out of it this year. That's what I thought. >> I'd have to look back at the presentation and my my laptop's dead. But >> that question, wasn't that what they said? Yeah. >> So, okay. So, let let's um >> I mean, but out of district special
costs are going down and you're saying that's because they're drawing, not because the costs go down or >> No, the cost went down, but the but their transportation was going up like 30%. So, I was just ask I remember asking why are >> cost going and and he said we're we were
using some of the special ed stabilization fund. >> We'd have to bring up the presentation from February 25th to see that. All right. So, so let's um >> Jeffrey, do you have a um because I'm not this is not an exhaustive list of all the clever things went into its budget. The report cannot be that long.
>> Um >> the bit about >> um search >> uh utilizing school choice funds from both the >> this year and that's what I'm yes utilizing. Okay,
>> that's I mean that's I know that they're doing they know that that's not sustainable, but >> they're >> choice uh >> some of these but I mean they always pre whenever they get to the end of the year and they're like okay if we have special ed money left over we prepay our tuition
and that's always what they're doing and I you know I assume they intend to do that and if you didn't prepay it then you'd have even more special ed costs to pay >> as opposed to that helping you out in any case >> I See, Jack is going to edit mode. I am editing in my uh Google Docs copy here,
too. >> Yeah. And I'm trying to find it in the school budget geographical. >> Yeah. I mean, it it's it's So, if I change that relying on new special fund instead of prepaying, then I could change that bullet to utilizing school choice funds from both the current and subsequent years or current and next
year or current and following year. >> It was the previous and >> previous and current year. Previous and current years. Okay. And then the other you described the Kilaman recal project as passroughs and I'm I'm not sure
that's the thing I would have used for that. So I'm not I do want to talk about that because if you look at like you're like oh my god property taxes went up 9%. No your property taxes going to the operating budget went up two and a half% and then your property taxes to pay for big chunks of kill and recal went up
another 7%. So like ouch but it's also not the same thing. But I I guess I wouldn't describe it as a pass through. >> How would you or others describe it? Because it's not it's not we can't use that money for the you know it comes from the taxpayers and it goes to the
project and it doesn't get to be used in the >> I would call it direct support of >> yes >> project. >> All right. Uh so let me find where I wrote about that. That was in um >> you like
>> Yeah. >> Yes. Um, >> that's totally what I was going to say. >> Okay. All right. These are um >> we're in sync tonight then. >> All right. Hold on. Um, well, yes. So, um,
these are um the last page. >> Yeah. No, I'm looking at it. So, these are passroughs. These voters right um these are uh so I'm going to say these are temporary tax increases that the voters
of writing chose uh to earmark for these two specific projects. Okay. So these are uh temporary tax increases uh that the voters of reading chose to
accept. um uh to error mark for these two specific projects >> too. So more tax I see that comes in the same amount of tax money goes out to pay for
those products. >> Yeah, those are my comments. >> Cool. No, that's a good one. Especially Um, Jax, what's my deadline for getting this to you or if
>> we'll go to print in a couple weeks, so >> Oh, okay. All right. Well, that's that's positively luxurious amounts of time. The last last year, I wrote this report and you said the answer the answer to that question was tomorrow. So, uh, I'm trying to not
get caught like that this time. And we also had an extra week of meetings last year. So, >> all right. Really minded, Joe? Um, first I love the word trillemma. Is that how you say it? >> Uh, yes. um rather than say like either
permitting new development. Do you want to say like I don't know like like adapting or accommodating development because it's more like the the action right the it's not the actual
permit type I figured are you trying >> yeah I mean permit is a term of art in this in the field of of building of course so I get where you're going at where like it's not specifically about building permits or permits or whatever it's permitting in the sense of uh >> we allow it. Um, so allowing allowing
>> Yeah, allowing. Yeah, >> allowing. There we go. That is not allowing is not the same. Um, >> yeah. >> And yeah, I mean, you know, we're allowing a lot more things to be built, meaning yes, more students in schools.
Yeah, I think allowing is good. >> All right. Other >> This meeting is a bladder buster. >> I know. Oh, I gota I'm sorry people. >> Yeah, know we're we're taking we're doing shifts here. Um try not to take any
>> We're going around the table. You went and I went and you went. >> Yeah. Um there's probably a queue somewhere. All right. Um any other comments on the budget summary? >> Nope. >> No. All right. Cool. I don't think that requires a vote, per se. Um back to the
agenda. Um, geez. I don't want to have another meeting and I don't want to not talk about the override, but I feel like it's too late to start a conversation about the override, isn't it? Yeah. >> Don't we have do we have to vote all those individual lines?
>> We do. I'm putting that one off to the very very last thing >> before midnight. >> Um, right. But I'm I'm because we're, you know, in in case in case the meetings suddenly somehow becomes not hybrid before that. >> Yeah. >> Thanks, guys. Um
>> yep I think we um when's the next possible date that we could um that we have >> neat I mean we have next week as a placeholder because there wasn't a guar and indeed a ser chair than the one you're stuck with would have already
booked us out to next week because we wouldn't have gone through the whole town budget in one night which means we wouldn't have gotten through the whole warrant tonight which means we would be meeting next week. So >> is that too um so and apologies let me
know if I I'm I'm encroaching on um uh top uh agenda topics here but um what exactly are we going to discuss in reli um in relation to over like what's and and and does that dictate a certain time
that we need to do it? I mean, um, sooner the better, I feel like, is the sense because this is, you know, it's kind of hard to overstate the impact of having an override or not on the FY28 budget. >> Could you have the override on your agenda for tonight?
>> Yes. >> Um, but >> I mean, we're not setting a number or something. >> No. No. Although, but like, how does the number get set? I bet that if it weren't 10:30 at night, it would be a reasonable question to ask town staff, hey, where do these numbers come from? Um, and uh,
>> does it also given the um, the mechanism is do we need to take a cue from the select board or or are we doing are we purposely doing it ahead of the select board when they make their um, their their have their discussion on it? I I
I'm I'm just trying to understand, you know, do we need to do it next week or do we just need to target it prior to their next meeting? Is it post election? You know, it's like there's, you know, a couple different kind of >> It's got to be they have one they have one meeting between now and the
election. >> Yeah. So, so >> they're not going to be planning any overrides in one meeting. Um uh so that's not a concern as far as like there's no but also honestly part of what I want to understand is how the how
we are supposed to collaborate with them on this and what's the appropriate way to support >> I think it makes sense to schedule the meeting you know with that being the topic with the select board because member Karen Herrick was asking us you know we should have a joint meeting almost like a financial forum
>> to talk about the situation and the number actually gets set by the select board, but with recommendations coming from this board, >> so they don't make it up with a >> but you know, like I want to say the number that we had the first override came with a recommendation from Bob and then there were other things that they
wanted to add and they asked for a bigger number than maybe what he had originally asked for, you know. So, but in the end, what ends up on that ballot is what they decide the number is. >> There's a joint meeting with the school committee and the and the select board. >> Oh, yeah. school committee should be involved.
>> Finance committee. >> It's kind of like another >> fin say we just we just reinvented the financial forum. It sounds like under future meeting agendas we should totally have a financial forum about this. Um you know sometime uh I mean there's probably not time between the election and doing anything
before the election probably doesn't make sense. Um uh I don't know who will be on the school committee. Um but um the uh uh likewise um but there's probably not much time between the
election in town meeting. There's only like three weeks there or something. >> And I'm assuming that you all will be rather busy, but I don't know. I mean, >> why do we have to have an overnight discussion before town meeting, not after? >> I would think after I mean just because you're we're
prepping for you. So we're looking at May be harder to do. We're looking at May and May is not too late as far as >> I mean a lot of times we don't meet after town meeting until like our end of June day. So other other than >> these would be adding special meetings and then there'd be all kinds
offormational sessions for >> for residents to learn more about it. But I think it starts with a conversation like more kind of more like the financial form where all the key players come in school committee and common. select. >> That would be my guess if I remember
correctly, but I I want to say that was the kind of meeting we started the whole conversation with. With that being the topic >> last night, the select board um based on some consensus decided to uh target May 9th, Sunday, Saturday, May 9th for their
retreat. >> Okay. >> So, I'm starting to try to put some reservations and hold space and and do that kind of thing. Um and we'll confirm that after the election. But yeah, so they're they're planning that that's the first Saturday. If town meeting goes
four nights, um >> that'll be the Saturday after the last night. And so it's just they're going to go straight into their retreat. >> So then would you would you recommend that we had a forum prior to or post?
>> We can't have a forum like while town meeting is happening too. No, it's just it's really tough to do, >> but it's it's it's and again I'm not trying to cram things in, but it's May 11th and March 11th now. Yeah. So, >> it sounds like
>> you got to have a form before the summer because people will be around. >> Yeah. So, it looks like we're ending up in the, you know, I mean, I don't have my calendar for November ballot start late May. I mean obviously staying away from Memorial Day but >> latest just so
>> you so you would recommend doing it post >> their >> I think yeah let this the select board we'll have some time we'll get some numbers together we'll you know start taking a look at the appetite >> and then there'll be some some more discussion about how do we want to approach it and give you guys some time
if you have ideas about what you want to you know communicate that to us and >> we'll also have some time to have some there's not a lot of runway here to build up to that retreat and then to the financial forum Um, so yeah. >> All right. So, we're looking at a Yeah.
Like on my >> May 13th like that's >> or maybe the 20th >> May 20th cent is probably right. >> What's the difference? I guess or because it's so soon. >> I think it's just one week is the difference going on here. >> Well, I think we would want to meet with the select before we had the full.
>> Oh, would we? No, I thought this was the meeting with >> So, it is you're going to need a break. So we would invite the committee to that meeting too or just ask >> fresh. >> All right. Okay. So um we can put that in pencil. Obviously we got to talk to the other chairs of the other committees
and so on and so forth. But yeah. Okay. So we're looking at late May for that. Not tonight. Um and not next week either. Um, there was an item about finance committee email communication just having to do with the fact that residents try to reach out to us and it
doesn't get to us because it ends up in uh I think both Sharon's and my spam folders and nowhere else. >> Um, it's not a great system. >> I think I I think both of the emails we were looking for did show up in mine, but one I used it was there a day before
I noticed it was there. I get a lot of emails just in >> um but I I think I saw emails from you guys before I'd even gotten to the one you guys were looking for. I think Maryanne might have sent something saying somebody reached out to me said they sent us an email and it was sent
that night before >> and things that was the thing that went into the junk mail folder, right? >> Yes. >> And it didn't go into my junk mail folder. I just I have so many when I come in I hadn't gotten to it. So I saw your email before I saw the actual email you wrote. >> Right. cuz just someone the resident who was on the COA and I didn't even know
there was another one. There might have even been a third one that I haven't seen. >> I only saw two. >> This person told me like three different COA members, but I only saw two. So maybe they emailed the wrong >> we had in person representation as well. But yeah, >> it could be I'll have to check my spam folder. >> I think the inerson person who spoke was
supposedly the third person who I was the other two COA people told me, oh this third person sent an email, but I didn't see it. So maybe she chose to come speak in person instead. >> All right. Anyway, I'm we don't need to change anything about how that works tonight, but in the future, we might want to switch to
>> actually having a form by which we could all get emailed, but I won't not make any decisions at this point in the night other than prov one little thing back to the override if it's a little thing, but um DLS has a nice website where you can punch in the the numbers. >> Yeah, they do. They have a lot of information. >> You want to do a million, you want to do
10 million, what the tax impact would be. M >> is by how by all the data already they know what our tax they set our tax we set our tax with >> but then does that take into account what we're kicking in when the debt exclusion kicks in too. I mean that's
just taxes due to the override but a resident's going to want the bottom line. >> Yeah. You still have the tax calculator. >> Yeah. We can do another calculator to include everything. >> Yeah. Because the debt's not in there right now. My guess is that they don't know what we're paying for the debt. So, it's going to not include the debt
exclusion, but it gives you a rough idea. >> All right. We haven't actually voted on the budget yet. So, let's um and and we there's actually still a substantive question about um uh if and how this committee would like to uh make a
recommendation about um unified sports and community priorities. Um so, sorry to cut off the thing, but I'm >> we got to go. >> We got to go. So, um, let's see. I guess hold on. I got to
find the scorecard, which again, I never did get to load successfully here. >> I think there's a connection issue for some of the guys online, too. >> Uh, >> I'm getting unstability. >> Yeah, >> you get instability because you're constable. >> We're having trouble. I mean, I see Bark
and John still seem animated to me. >> Yeah, they might. They might have a connection issue, though. >> Oh, but they might have a connection issue. >> Yeah, they might have a connection issue. I just I I don't know. I know. I know that usually cuts out. >> It's it's I'm not sure you get I'm not sure you get where I was going with this. >> Um
>> Oh, never mind. Yeah. >> So, um uh the Hold on. I'm getting the scorecard, which is what we actually vote on. >> Um 21 in the PDF >> because I want to see if that's um which I'm getting on my phone because my internet connection on my computer doesn't work.
>> Well, look on this. >> I think we should work. >> I think we should have um Jackie bring it up because Thank you. All right. So, hypothetically to if we wanted to, you know, express
um unified sports as a community priority, uh that would be >> we would add it to the school department budget. >> Okay. Add it to the school department. All right. >> Then then I would just change it on the financial forecast as well to increase
the free cash by 25,000. >> Yeah. All right. >> If that's what you want to do. Yeah. Yeah, the cleaning crew is here. That's that's our sign that we need to get the heck out. All right. >> Another way of saying it's time to go. >> Yes. All right. Um, so >> yeah, go if if you don't mind. Um,
so normally we just go through these and vote on each one. Um, are there any other amendments besides that one that we might that anyone wants to to vote with this committee?
No. Okay. I'm not seeing any. All right. So, in that case, I think the way we should do this is go through line by line uh with um uh we are still hybrid for the moment. I don't know if we are going to stay hybrid.
>> We'll start doing them and we'll see how long we still have hybrid. >> Uh yeah. Um >> we only have one or do we have two? >> We have um two. Um, so, um, Mark and John, I hope you are both picking up what I'm putting
down here. Um, it would be rude for me to throw you out of the meeting, but on the other hand, >> we just saw one drop. >> Okay. Yes. All right. Um, All right. So, uh, okay. I I am I We are eternally grateful. >> Good job. Great job. >> Okay. >> Thanks, boys.
>> Yes. No, they can't hear us say this, but they could. >> Love you, M. subtle hint. >> They're watching it on TV. Let's vote for Let's vote um on each line and then when we get to the um uh >> 99.
>> Is that true? >> Chris Haley >> saying if you start the meeting with a roll call, the entire meeting remains roll call vote. Is that true? >> I don't know. >> I don't know if >> I mean it's not what we did last year. >> I am not in charge of your meeting, Mr. Ch. >> I know. >> Nope. You're in charge, Joe.
>> The meeting is up to you. But I I don't know if that's true or false. I'm going to do a little bookie right now. >> Well, you you can still roll call. It's it's still easier doing it in in person than than you're doing it online. >> I mean, that is true.
It would be >> It is a lot faster when you don't have to, but that's I get it. >> All right. Um I'm giving people a second to um Chris has come up before at select board. He would know for sure.
Well, that's a good learning moment because I didn't know that, >> right? >> It's not awful. >> So, I guess we do roll call. I guess I'm texting the town clerk, but I hope that she's asleep. >> Well, she did. >> Oh, she just read the message. >> Okay.
>> Um, if we kind of can't get them back, what happens if they It's fine. It just we have to roll call and we're in the room. >> If you're doing it if you start the meeting with roll call, you have to stay. I didn't know that was >> I mean, but now that we know it, you
can't claim ignorance. That's for sure. >> If that's if that's true, >> let's see. >> Three dots. Several people still. >> Several people are are double, triple, and quadruple checking this here. >> Yeah. >> Hoping to find that to be a false
statement. We're looking for the loophole only for finance. >> Exactly. >> There's no one watching. >> She says if all members are online, if any members are online, all online members dropped off. >> Okay. She read that. We enjoying our
>> waiting suspense. I mean, at some point researching the question takes longer than doing >> just doing it right. Yeah. Then no. She said then no. >> She's saying >> let the record show the town clerk has weighed in at 10:41 p.m.
>> All right. Does anyone here know if >> you want to trust your Gemini here? >> Please don't ask me to go on the record about that. >> If in Massachusetts if a says if any member of a public body participates remotely all votes must be taken by roll call. This requirement holds true
regardless of whether members drop off provided at least one remote participant remains. >> Okay. >> The body holds a quorum. >> Yeah, but there isn't one. >> We have a quorum and no remote participants remain. Okay. All right. That's I think um moving on, you know. >> All right. In that case, let's do this.
Um, got the scorecard here and then when we get to U999 school department, um, I'll ask for a vote on whether or not the committee recommends an amendment of an increase of 25,000. Sound good? >> Yeah. All right.
>> We discussing anything on mass or we already discussed the budget and we feel good going straight to >> I think you move a motion and we see what comes up. >> All right. Mo motion to recommend the contents of line B99 to town meeting. >> Second.
Uh, any discussion? Nope. All in favor? 5. Uh, wait. 6. 6. Cool. Yeah, we still got six even. All right. Um, please. >> Motion to recommend the the line item C99 to town meeting.
>> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none. All in favor? Yes. >> 6 >> motion to recommend line item D99 to town meeting as presented. >> Second.
>> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? >> Note that that 250% is because of kill. >> Yeah, exactly. That's right. >> The dead exclusion. That's the first. >> Yeah. >> Um motion to recommend line E99 to town
meeting is presented. Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? 6 >> motion to recommend line F99 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Any discussion?
Seeing none, all in favor? 6. >> Motion to recommend line item G91 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. Sorry. >> Uh any discussion? Seeing none. All in favor? >> 6.
>> Motion to recommend line item G92 to town meeting is presented. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Seeing none. All in favor? I could be replaced with a recording. 6. >> Motion to recommend line item G91A. The
tow meeting is presented. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? 6. Motion to recommend line item G92A to town meeting as presented. >> Uh, is that the one we just did? >> Nope. >> No, we didn't.
>> Okay, we did 90 >> 91 A 92A. >> Understood. All right. >> Second. >> Thank you. Uh, any discussion? >> Seeing none. All in favor? 6. >> Motion to recommend line item H91 to town meeting is presented.
>> Second. Any discussion? Uh, seeing none. All in favor? 6 >> motion to recommend line item H92 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you, Ellie. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion?
>> Seeing none, all in favor? 6. >> Motion to recommend line item I 91 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Uh, thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor?
6. Motion to recommend line item I92 to town meeting is presented. >> Second. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? >> Motion to recommend line item G91 to town meeting is presented. >> Second.
>> Uh, wait, G or J? >> J, excuse me. >> All right, that's a friendly amendment to J91. >> Friendly amendment. It's I'm going cross. It's all good. Second. >> All right. Uh, thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? 6
>> motion to recommend line item J92 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? >> 6. We'd all just stand here with our hands up. No. Um, that would get tiring. Go on. >> Motion to recommend line item K91 to town meeting is presented.
>> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? >> 6. Motion to recommend line item K92 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor?
>> 6. >> Motion to recommend line item K93 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? 6. >> Motion to recommend line item K94 to town meeting as presented.
>> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? 6. >> Motion to recommend line item K95 to town meeting is presented. >> Second. >> Uh, thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any
discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? Zero. >> Motion to recommend line item L91 to town meeting is presented. >> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? Zero. Motion to recommend line item L92
to town meeting is presented. >> Second. >> Thank you. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? >> Uh 6. Sorry about that. >> Five and a half. No. 6. >> Motion to recommend line item M91 to
town meeting is presented. >> Second. Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? Uh 6. Motion to recommend line item M92 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any
discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? >> All right. >> Do you want motion then discussion with amendment or do you want >> Yeah, I think make the motion. >> Motion to recommend line item U999 to town meeting as presented.
>> Second. Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Um, I certainly have an amendment in mind. Would someone want to make the motion instead of me? >> I will make the motion. Okay. >> Motion to increase the amount on line U99 to add $25,000 specifically for unified sports to the school department
budget. >> FY27. >> Did I say the FY27 budget? >> There's a lot of numbers there, so I have to make sure we put it in the right place. >> Yep. >> All right. Sounds good. Thank you, Jeffrey. Thank you, Ed. Uh discussion of
this amendment. Uh Emily, >> I support this amendment. >> That's the voting part, but yeah, >> I encourage my fellow committee members to do the same. There's the discussion. >> There you go.
>> We've we've never done something like this before, and I love the fact that we're doing it for this. I think it I think this is a fantastic um normally we we wait for this to happen on the meeting town floor town meeting floor and I think this is I'm I echo Emily. I
think this is great. That's what priority means. >> But we're not doing this for the town side. We're only doing it for the schools. So only unified but not adapted >> at this juncture. >> At this juncture we don't we don't have anything for them.
>> Hasn't been scoped or anything. Yeah, we don't have a scope for it. >> I think that the school department already has an existing program that they were looking to expand upon. We haven't built anything within the town budget. >> We have some I think adaptive programs that we use, but that's done through
recreation already. So, it's not our therapeutic rec person. It's not any of that. So, it's just some >> It sounds like the town side that maybe article 14 was looking to fund in the future is sounds like it's probably going to be part of recal operations. weeks better. Yep.
>> So, not >> that time we might have more flexibility in our budget, too. >> Yes. >> We'll discuss that at a forum in May. All right. Uh, any other discussion about this? >> Just procedural question. So, I see Jackie as updating it in the scorecard.
This wouldn't be an update to the existing scorecard. This would be a recommendation on top of the existing scorecard. >> No, this will be what goes to town meeting because these are the numbers that are approved by you. >> Got it. So that would be different. So the town manager number is what's next to it.
>> That's what came to. I see. I see. >> And and and usually the numbers are the same, but when you make an adjustment, it shows under the thing. >> Yes. Right. column. And >> so it will it will show like this to >> it will show like this to town meeting. So they'll know that you changed it if
they if they're paying attention. I'm sure you would >> I will put it. Yes. I'm going to amend the the budget summary to call this out first. >> Okay. Perfect. Thank you for clarifying that, >> Jar. I've never seen ENG different. Yeah, that's >> I've only seen it happen.
>> I I I hate doing it to the new town manager like this, but um but you know, it's one of the things we got to do. >> Got to do it. >> All right, we're getting goofy here. Um we are Is there more on topic discussion of the amendment?
>> Seeing none voting on the amendment to uh change the you know G30 there in the spreadsheet. That is the finance committee budget recommendation for line U99 um as presented. So all right uh all in favor
6. >> Awesome. All right. Now back to >> any further discussion on the the main motion as it were seeing none. All in favor? >> 6. >> Motion to recommend line item W99 to
town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you Emily. Thank you Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? 6. >> Motion to recommend line item X99 to town meeting is presented. >> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any
discussion? Seeing none, all in favor 6. >> Motion to recommend line item Y9 to town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? 6. Motion to recommend line item Z99 to
town meeting as presented. >> Second. >> Uh thank you Emily. Thank you Ed. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? 6. >> Motion to recommend line item ZZ9 to town meeting as presented. That one's weird.
>> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Emily, for navigating that the weirdest line in the in the that we have to vote on. Thank you, Ed, for the second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? 6. All right. Uh, so there were minutes. Do
we go to Were there minutes? >> There were 225 scrolling. >> Oh jeez. >> And >> I'm going to have to look at them on my phone because the internet doesn't work on my computer. Go figure. >> Yeah, the internet turned off. >> Thing turned off. >> Is it because the library? You're on the
library. >> I don't know. I I I have stupid Verizon. I have a work phone on 5G. >> Wait, are there two minutes? I found one. I just see I just see 225 on the revised packet. >> Yeah. >> Motion to approve uh finance committee meeting minutes from the 22526 meeting
as presented. >> Second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Ed. >> Any comments or anything on the minutes? >> Me, too. >> Nope. >> Oh. All right. Seeing none, let's vote. Uh voting on approving the minutes.
>> 6. Waited till it actually became 6. >> Sorry. Sorry. scrolling due to the next minutes because I think we have two or we just have one. >> All right. Sorry. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> A second. >> Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Jeffrey. >> Avoid Jeffrey. >> All in favor?
>> 6. We are out before 11.