WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=R-1ADkXPnew

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: R-1ADkXPnew):
- 00:00:02: Meeting Start, Quorum Confirmation, and March Minutes Approval
- 00:01:08: Reissuing Permit for 31 Mel Drive; Well Setback Issue
- 00:06:10: Motion, Discussion, and Amendment: Annual Water Testing Requirement
- 00:14:09: MAFco Concurrence Meeting and Emergency Preparedness Funding
- 00:17:23: Morris Hill Camp Inspection Process; Fee Confusion
- 00:26:12: For COG Report Distribution and Adjournment Planning


Part: 1

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I think that's new. I haven't found it there before, but >> Okay, >> there it is. Okay, so for the recording, this is April 1st and um we have a quorum consisting of me and Arlene and

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Garrett and we have Claire as our guest. And we do not have draft minutes from our meeting of March 18th, but we do have draft minutes from our meeting of March 4th. And I wonder if we might

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approve those. >> I'll move to approve. >> I second. >> Okay. Any discussion? >> No. >> Hearing none. All in favor? Arlene? >> Yes. >> Garrett?

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>> Yes. at yes they are approved. Um we have a situation going on. It's not it's not dire or anything. I I know this has come up with us before

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but we have 31 Mel drive which has been um um vacant for a while. It's changed hands a few times. We have an issued permit and

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local upgrade approval from uh well from three years ago. Um, and so the and it hasn't been it hasn't been installed because um the owner at the

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time um ran out of money and he sold the place to somebody else who now wants to get that permit renewed. Um I'll just tell you what I did. I can't ask your permission because I've done it. Um

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>> excuse me. Uh, I gave the installer got the installer to get um a permit and um gave him permission to start the installation. What we're going to what I'm having them do, in fact, I've was already I've

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already had them start this. the new owner has filled out a new disposal works construction permit application um that we're not going to charge him for because it's already been reviewed um quite some time ago. Um, and we're

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going to, what I would want to do, I'm going to ask you for permission to do is reissue that permit with this year's number on it so that it will be more consistent with reality. Possibly it's in now. Possibly they haven't started

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yet, but it's it's moving forward. The only the only little wrinkle I had with this was I I got in touch with Meg Tudran and because um she's in charge of

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assigning someone to or doing it herself to do the final inspection. She also does a bottom inspection where they they do the excavation and then she inspects that before they put down the they actually do the installation which I've

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never heard of anybody else doing. And um Meg got kind of excited about the fact that um the well is only 70 feet away which is perfectly legal and legitimate. um we can we can vary that

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distance down to no less than 50 ft and we frequently do that at the lake. I assured her that in all these years we have not seen any septic system contamination around the lake in spite of extensive water testing of private

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wells um and that um we attribute that to the soils around the lake and that we're not worried about it. She um she pressed me to do something and so we agreed that we would put that I would

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put um a a condition on the permit to um to test the wellwater for choleform and nitrate annually at some point in the late

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summer probably you know August 15th to September 1st. or something along that line. So that's where we are. Um I don't mind putting that condition on it, although we haven't been been consistent about

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that. The the only thing that cons concerns me here is that Megan seems to me to be a little bit overzealous. you know, she's she's new to all this and so she's just come off

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trainings and she is um eager to to implement every single thing that she's learned. Um sometimes I think to the the detriment of the the

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process, but um in this case it's not doing any harm I think to to go along with this. She even said, "Oh, if this were in Greenfield, I wouldn't permit it." Which I don't see how she could not permit it. The law says that they can

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have this this um reduction in setback. So, what I am asking for is the board to agree to reissue this permit for 31 Mel drive with a new um a new number

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reflecting its being issued in April of 2026 with a local upgrade approval for the well setback. um and to wave the fee since it's already been >> Mhm. >> reviewed. >> Mhm.

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>> Do I hear such a motion? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. And any discussion on this or or questions or >> so are we going to add in the condition

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of annual water testing for color forum? >> Did I not did I not mention that when I just asked >> you when you gave us the background? Yes. But not um not when you sort of worded the

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the motion but so we will be adding this annual testing >> requirement not just a suggestion but a requirement and how's that going to be I've always sort of wondered how do we enforce that you know if we have said to

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someone you need to test annually because you've got fewer than 100 ft going here um how do we hold people to that >> that's a really good question and that's why we have not done this very often. Yeah,

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>> I think I I know the the owners slightly and I think that they will be agreeable to do it and um if there's a problem, I can explain to them that there are health consequences, potential health consequences if

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nitrates get into the well that they would then be liable for >> they failed to to comply. Um, that's pretty much all we can do.

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>> And and Megan is pointing to to something so like training or or something to say that this is needed. Um, I wonder if she could give us, you know, like a a you know, source. Is

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it spelled out in training materials that she received or you know just so that we can have uh a level of awareness about it too? I mean you know so maybe there's been changes in the way that they're

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training about this and I don't know. >> We have suggest am I right Cat? We have suggested it in the past when there's a local upgrade approval to uh less than 100 between 50 and 100 ft between well and septic septic

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but I don't know have we required it or just urged it we have technically years ago required it but because we didn't really have any way of enforcing it um it it just kind of fell

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by the wayside. >> Yeah. >> But it is an inexpensive test to do. It's not it's not a big deal, >> right? >> So, and you know, so with Megan, it may be that they're that they're training

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differently. Garrett, we should in fact find out about that. But also, she she um had reduced her nurses training as as part of her reason. The way she put it rather dramatically was that at 70 feet

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she said nitrates are going to get in that well and nitrates can kill children and um that is all a little bit dramatic and I don't think that nitrates are going to get in the well because we have that situation all over the lake and it

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hasn't been a problem because we are blessed with these sandy soils. However, it does seem reasonable to to require water testing. I'd love to require water testing for basically everybody on the lake.

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>> So, Arlene, would you want to propose an amendment to our motion adding the condition of annual testing for cholififor and nitrate? Yes, I would like if um I'd like to amend the motion to reflect a

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requirement for annual water testing late in the summer season. >> Okay. Um >> I'll second. Yeah. >> Okay. So, let me get it too.

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Um Gosh, this is tiresome, isn't it? We have to go through all this all these details. Um so we need to vote on this amendment to the motion. >> Any discussion on the amendment?

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>> Hearing none. Let's vote. Arlene, >> yes. >> Garrett, >> yes. >> Cat, yes. Okay. So, the the motion is amended to include required annual water testing. And if there's no further

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discussion, let's >> I will I will just say that I am happy to put it onto my calendar flagged as a a board of health item um sometime in September that we

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need to look for these water tests from anyone. we've issued this type of a um condition, you know, a permit with such a condition. Um so that it'll at

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least um remind me to bring it up at a meeting so we can look into whether or not test results have come in from >> that would be great. >> Okay, >> that would be excellent. >> I don't have a name to attach to that, but I don't know that I need to. um

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somewhere should we have a list of okay here are all the people we should be seeing water testing um results late in the summer I don't know if we can actually go back into our minutes and find the other

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people that once upon a time we had incredible >> order we can do from this point a list we start a list. But I think the best thing to do is to keep it by address. >> Not because not because I wouldn't want to reveal the people's names, but just

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because that changes and the address stays the same. >> Right. >> So, this one 31 Merrill Drive. >> All right. I will put it on a calendar. And that would be >> But they're not they're not going to be installed. I mean, they may if they get

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it installed soon, they would have one season. Would we require it of them this year? I think they should do it this year just as a baseline. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And I think that I think that it's going to be done quite soon. Actually,

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it's going to be installed soon. Um the people have only live here part-time. They have another place on the lake. So, um my guess is that they're going to keep the place that they have and they're going to rent this one out.

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So, are we ready to vote on the on the motion as amended? >> Yes. >> Okay. All in favor? Arlene? >> Yes. >> Garrett? >> Yes. >> Cat? Yes. All right. I will um I will issue that

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permit. post haste. Anything else that you guys need to tell me? Oh, Garrett, I just saw an email about um the concurrence meeting of

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MAFco. Is that something that I should attend or can you handle that for us or >> I I I can do that. So So just uh for background and uh to give Claire some more information. So, um, so MAFCO is the Mohawk area public

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health coalition. Uh, so basically all of the Franklin County communities, uh, boards of health and health departments form this coalition around uh, emergency preparedness work related to public health and and uh, public health

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emergencies. MAFCO receives funding from DPH that comes from CDC and each year when CDC renews the funding, they require state health departments to

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gain local input and support for how it is that they propose to use the funding and distribute the funding. Um, so each of the coalitions in the state, and there's about

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I don't know, there's probably about a dozen uh coalitions that receive funding statewide, maybe more. Um, each coalition has to meet, review the amount of money that they're going to get from DPH and the associated deliverables,

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and then take a vote to say whether or not they concur with how the state's going to approach it. Typically, it's a closed, you know, a done deal. Uh the coalitions vote to do that. Uh sometimes there's some push back um on the state

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just in, you know, so like during CO um in particular, there was some push back uh by coalitions um just because of the way things rolled out with COVID and COVID vaccination. Um, so there's not

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uh basically DPH is proposing to level fund everyone uh which first of all I'm surprised CDC is going to issue the funding um given the state of affairs at the CDC um but the fact that it's level funding is

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very appealing um in the current climate. So, I don't imagine that there will be a lot of push back um at the meeting, but I'll I'll attend the meeting. I'll uh

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vote for uh for Shbury. >> Great. Thank you. >> Is there anything else that we >> Yes. >> or talk about? Okay. Go ahead. >> Please. It's this. I'm very confused about the c upcoming inspection of

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Morris Hill camp. Mhm. >> So, Victoria Shaw, the director of the camp, called me um a little while ago and said that um

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she um was aware she I guess she was aware that Claudia was no longer a part of um no longer our health agent and no longer available to do the inspections. And um so anyway, she and her assistant

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director Jess have been in touch with Megan. This may reflect on um your earlier comment about how Megan is maybe um a little over the top on some things. So, she's been in touch with Megan

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and Megan has sent her a whole bunch of stuff and um Victoria is very confused because it's a very different process than anything she ever went through with um with um Claudia in the past. So, um,

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Megan is telling her you should fill out the Shootsbury camp application and pay the associated fee. Is there a camp application, by the way? I don't know it. >> If there is, you know, there there might be. We never

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handled it as the board of >> the health agent always did. >> So, here's the other thing she's telling her. Um, we need the documents three weeks before the first day of camp. Um, then she says all of the policies

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should be placed in a binder and turned into the Shootspray Health Department 3 weeks before camp. Um, and then one of their inspectors will review the binder before the inspection date.

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And then she says, "I'm CCing the Shootesbury Health Department." so they can share their application and permit fee with you. >> So, okay, I know that there was a permit fee and I think it was $200. I can check

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that in our financial records and I can look back and see if there is an application form that that they've been filling out for our health agents. >> Okay. and I and see if I can um sort of

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generate that. >> Okay. >> This thing about the binder that is totally new to me. >> Yeah. But evidently Victoria's going to be looking to drop off a binder with us. >> Okay. Well, that's fine.

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>> So, yeah. And then we somehow need to arrange for um the um collaborative inspectors to pick that binder up, >> right? >> I mean, I guess we can leave it in the

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Shootsbury mailbox in town hall, I suppose. >> Yeah. Or we could just take it out of the binder and mail it to them. M >> so interestingly there is a recreational camp permit >> that

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>> says eastern eastern Franklin County Health District >> that's posted on MAHB's website. >> Oh, great. Okay. >> Oh, interesting. >> So, I'll I'll circulate the link to that. >> Thank you. >> That would be great.

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>> It says that there's a fee of $25. This says that that it's payable to the town of Northfield. So, this may be an old form, but >> right. It sounds like it's a form that we can um that we can adapt.

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>> Yeah. >> Is there anything anything detailed on it? Like asking for detailed information basically just who they are and what they want. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay.

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>> Okay. >> Well, that's u that's very helpful. I was completely bewildered by some of this communication. And also, it's looks like Megan when communicating about this is sending

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it all to me even though she's saying, you know, that she's been in touch with the health department. But, um, >> let me check. I think I think I might have been copied on that. >> Um, nope. It's just to Morris Hill and my board of health address, but that may

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be because Megan knows that I've been involved with the camp um answering questions, >> right, >> and tackling problems in the past, but okay, >> let me just just see

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Right. Oh, you know, yeah, she sent it to Shootster Public Health, so she's probably thinking that that is the the main >> main address. Yeah, >> main address. I'll I'll make sure she uh she gets straightened out on that. But

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I'm glad that you're being the point person on this. Yeah, I'm still I feel like I'm kind of um in the dark about some of this, but yeah, I'll do my best. I will look at that um MAHV website and

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>> Yeah. Yeah, I will too and we can pull together some. >> And it looks like there's a separate fee that uh Victoria questioned. She's finally, how should we pay the $175 fee? a check at the time of the inspection or

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ahead of time. And that sounds different from the permit fee. >> It seems to me that that there was one basically one fee and it was $200 and um it basically covered the time that they had to spend going over the policies and

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the medical records and that stuff and it's payable. So, it may be that that's the 200 the 200 you're thinking of maybe a $25 permit fee and the $175 inspection fee. >> Uhhuh. Right. I don't think they've previously been separated out,

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>> but Right. And now it now it's separate the 25 to to the town of Shootsbury, 175 to the collaborative evidently. >> Oh, is that how it's going to be? >> I don't know. I'm I'm thinking out loud here about maybe that's >> because >> Okay,

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>> Garrett, you mentioned a $25 fee with the applica. So, there may be this application fee, you know, the permit fee, but the inspection fee may be over on above that. >> Yeah, I don't think >> I don't think it says anything about

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inspection fee. It's just theation. >> All right. annual fee 25, >> but Victoria evidently has been told about a $175 fee. I don't have that email. I just have her

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uh questions that she sent afterward um that I got included on. >> Okay. Well, I'll follow this up with Megan and see basically who's going to get the fee and and um >> what should we what should we do about it? >> All right. Yeah, it's a whole different

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process than we've been used to. >> Yep. Everything is. And you know, if we're going to if we're going to dissolve the district and move into the collaborative, things are going to be very different. >> Yeah. I And I told Victoria that there was that my confusion was because, you

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know, this is all a big change and we've had a difficult time replacing um an inspector and anyway, the collaborative just works differently than we did before. But >> right okay I'll see what I can find out.

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>> Okay >> and I'll also let Megan know about the email address and that shoots very public health is not really it. >> It's just me. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Right. and she gets emails from me, but

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because Shootsbury Public Health was on some of the your correspondence with Yeah. >> Victoria, she just I think she just assumed >> Yep. Okay. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> Well, thanks. That's uh that's all helpful.

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Is there more that we need to talk about? I had one question and that was if uh the rest of you received an email from Clara Lopez from for Cog. >> Yes, but I haven't actually opened it yet.

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>> I just I wanted to un try to better understand who this went to and um if I needed to forward it on to others, but I think it it probably went out to all of the board of health members for the town. >> What Clara's last name again is what? Uh

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Lopez, it's the subject line is for COG 2025 annual report for shootsbury. >> Oh, I think I did see that. Um no, >> and I I just wasn't sure if we needed to share it with others if it's

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>> No, I did not >> broader than health related. I haven't looked at it. >> I haven't either. It came in about three hours ago, Arlene. Okay. Huh. I don't appear to have it. >> Okay. I'll send it around to the whole

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board. >> Okay. >> And it does look like it's broader than health related. So, >> interesting. Okay. Yeah. I haven't had a chance to look at it yet. >> Okay. >> Another thing I haven't had a chance to

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get back to is the the um regulation, battery storage regulation. that I've just completely let that slide because >> yeah, >> I've got an awful lot else going on. But >> Sure. >> Um maybe we can get back to that after

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not tonight. >> Yeah. Okay. >> All right. >> So, if that's all we've got, we could probably adjourn. >> Okay. Um, and we'll be meeting next on April 15th.

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>> And I know that we'll be having or I expect that we will be having a disposal works um, construction permit application or interestingly enough apparently for that little red A-frame down near the dam

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on on Lockpond Road. >> Okay. >> Which I thought was recently repaired. So maybe they're upgrading it. I don't know. >> That's the only thing I know of um right now.

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>> All right. If we don't have anything else to say, let's adjourn. >> I agree. Okay. >> Good. >> All right. Thank you all and see you in a couple weeks. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. Good night.

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>> Okay. Good night.