All right, welcome everyone to the April 15th meeting of the MLP board and um tax day. I hope you all got your taxes in. Um >> extension. We got an extension. Yes,
>> the best money I spend every year is my accountant. >> It is. Yeah, I don't >> I just Yeah, let let the experts do it. Um I am Gail Hunters, MLP manager, facilitating the meeting. This meeting is fully remote participating remotely.
We also have MLP board members Jim Hemingway, Graham Septton, and Steve Schmidt. And joining us also we have community member Craig Martin. Uh first order of business is to approve the previous meeting minutes as submitted
and amended uh for March 18th. >> So moved. >> Thank you. Can I have a second? >> Second. >> Second. >> Thank you. Excellent. And all in favor of approving the minutes? Jim >> I. >> Graham I.
>> And Steve I. >> Excellent. Um, all right. Well, let's um jump right in with the HUT report because we've had some uh fun with our HVAC lately. >> Okay. Um,
uh, yeah. Can you hear me? I >> I >> I can myself. >> Yeah. And Gra, do you want to do you want to take it or should I read my notes on this? >> Um, no. it the the essence of uh um uh so um so the uh as of last month the
north unit is uh had a leak and presumably is still leaking. Uh the uh the technician the PVE technician topped it up um uh with u refrigerant. So the refrigerant was leaking. Uh probably
must be still leaking. Uh, and they gave a price, an estimate for replacing it. They gave you a couple of estimates, didn't it? And one of those estimates was Mitsubishi. So, um, so um the other
unit um is working in cooling mode. The the mouse one now, the south unit uh is working in cooling mo in cooling mode. It had been turning itself off whenever it was in um automatic. Uh, so, um,
maybe it'll keep going. And I've I've mostly had the mouse one off, the south unit off because the, um, I wanted to see the leaky one, how long it would work. Um, it continues to work. Okay. I
can actually tell that it it is not failing on refrigerant pressure because when it does that, it uses a lot more electricity. And I can see or I could see that last time on the power monitoring
um uh unit. So um so yeah, you know, uh we need to replace the worst one first, I think, which is the leaky one. Um so the everything else in the hut looked good last night, though the storm was wicked bad,
>> man. Crashing down rain. >> Yeah, it was something. Yeah. So >> yeah. Yeah. I was saying at the beginning of the meeting it was we didn't have any outages though. No, we didn't lose any drops. I mean I think it was just really really hard rain. Um and especially if there's no leaves on the trees, I think that's less impactful on
on the trees, you know, it doesn't like grab them as much. So >> uh we were l we were lucky in that. Um and um oh, so just to finish off on the HVAC, so uh Graham and I talked about this whole thing and um so our our go
forward plan here is to leave the south uh mouse unit in uh cooling mode because that's what we need for the summer. And um it's hopefully not going to shut itself off because that has a tendency
to happen in auto mode. Um, you know, Pioneer Valley said that that's a kind of a known issue and we'll see how long the north unit holds up. It may it may last the summer if this refrigerant leak is really really small. Graham will continue to monitor the electricity
there. Uh, so we hopefully get a heads up, but kind of like while it fails or before it fails. Um, and we will replace it when needed. Um, our two quotes were for the custom comfort for 9,442.
Um, and the Mitubishi for 9,233. I think at the last meeting we already talked about how we don't want the custom comfort. They're too new. They're not established. They're not a major known manufacturer and they're more expensive. Um, so if it does need
replacement, we'll um, uh, I will, unless I don't have it has any objections, I will go ahead and schedule a replacement of the using the Mitubishi one for that north unit um, when it when
it fails. >> So, >> yeah, >> good good plan. So, I'm I'm curious now about the south unit, also known as the mouse unit. >> Yeah, I like the mouse unit name kind of better, but okay, continue.
>> That we had assumed that this random shutting down was due to the mouse damage or the lingering effects of its impact on the electronics. And how can you tell, you know, what's happening to
electronics? It's not like some mechanical device you take apart and see where the damage is. Um, but the the service people now mentioning that this is a known problem of it shutting off in auto mode. So maybe its current problems
aren't related to the mouse issue and it's just an inherent problem with that unit when running in auto mode, which of course is not good. But at least we our workaround is to manually
set it for either auto or I mean either cool or heat and whatever we need. And uh maybe maybe we can keep going with that way. >> Yeah. Yeah. Possibly. And >> hopefully. >> Yeah. Yeah. And then, you know, and also
because we have a space heater there now, um, you know, I do wonder if maybe running these units in just one mode at a time requires less of something, you know, about them. Like, okay, we're just going to all we're monitoring is the cool. Um, it's not quite as taxing on
them. Um, so, you know, we we could we could get lucky here, which would be nice because we have been so unlucky when it comes to our HVAC between the power surges and the mice and everything. Um so
um, so yeah, and Steve also, um, you know, I know you sent that email and I I just wanted to say, uh, never feel badly about making suggestions, um, that, um, I think it's always good to walk around them. And I think it's something we do really well as a
committee is interrogate options of like why not why not a residential, you know, air conditioner? Why why wouldn't that? And so, um, yeah, and you know, we're going to look at all the information. We're going to make a best call. And who knows if
installing these, uh, mini splits was was good or bad. You know, you can't, uh, we don't know. You can't do an AB comparison. We don't know what the the costs of for, you know, maintenance and electricity and everything would have been if we just installed what some of the other um, MLPS did, you know, just
the recommended things. So anyway, I just wanted to say that like never never hold back from suggesting something. We'll walk around it. We'll interrogate it. We'll ask the questions and come out with a um you know a a best decision at the end and live with it.
Um let's see for um I did want to mention that that um uh Pioneer um HVAC did not charge us for this the second diagnostic visit. Graham, I don't know if I told you that. So,
>> you know, they sent the >> over the last month or whatever, they sent out somebody first to do the diagnosis who was like spent hours there and didn't couldn't fix it and then they sent kind of like their expert guy in the second one. So, they didn't charge us for the second one, which I was
pleased about. Um, so that, you know, we're not like being charged for multiple visits when they couldn't figure it out initially. >> Yeah. Um, let's see. Um, I saw Graham your email
to United Concrete to figure out our R values to see if maybe we can can um should insulate our hut a little bit better. Um, so thanks for reaching out to him. Um I I did a seat I did a seat
of the back of the envelope calculation of the R value based on um on it being concrete um standard concrete and or concrete has very little R value. Concrete's about like uh a fraction of a
of a an R unit per inch. So assuming it's 2 in then it's like you know a quarter of a an R dash.25 25 for the concrete and then it said 2 in of insulation without they didn't say what the insulation was. Um so I just assumed
that was some sort of foam an average foam insulation. Anyhow the the the the calculation I get uh is um is is something like uh you know five uh maybe
six R six or R seven but less than R10. Um that's that's my guess. And um and for buildings that are heated or cooled in our in our zone, you're supposed to have um well, actually for New York City zone, uh floors R19, walls
R15, and ceiling R60. So um so you know, uh it could do with a little more R, I reckon. Um uh if we uh and that and the easiest way to do that might be the um some sort of encapsulation of the whole
heart. Then you don't have to stuff around on the inside with things that are already on the walls. So um so yeah. >> Yeah. I can't imagine any solution where stuffing the insides would work for us. There's like there's just like there's not enough room. There's too much crap
on the walls. It just I >> busy walls. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's that's interesting. I wonder what a I don't know. Do you just buy a second hut and put it on the first hut? >> Well, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Nest Nested huts. >> Nested huts. A little Russian dolls of
huting. I don't know. >> Russian huts. Yeah. >> Okay. >> I mean, yeah. I Graham, thank thank you for reaching out to them and I I uh you know, I I saw what what the specs were for the hut and just is 2 in, but yeah,
it doesn't tell you what it is. Um, I mean assume it's a rigid board of >> some sort. Uh, or yeah, I suppose it could have been sprayed in when they after they don't know. That would be useful thing to know.
>> But I I assume some sort of foam and I and the foams are all, you know, there's a range of of uh of our values for foam and I just pick the average one. So, okay. All right. Um, let's see. We need a um I have on my list to do a hut caretaker
succession plan. So, Graham, I'll be in touch with you um outside of meeting here to um uh document that. I have some great documentation from you already um that is in our manual. So, I'll I'll pull that together and once we get a
handle on that, um I'll write, you know, I'll uh work with you to to write that up so that we know exactly what you're doing so that we can do a a smooth handoff to whoever is is next. It might it might be me, it might be Andy, um our new uh member, assuming that he wins the
election. Um let's see what else. Oh, big Oh, go ahead Steve. >> Throwing one thing there. I don't think the hut uh maintenance person needs to be a board member either. >> You know, if there was somebody in the true community
>> that really little projects like that, but they didn't want to belong to a board. They didn't want to have to run for office. They didn't want to have to sit through meetings like this, but kind of like to go down and do a little project and, you know, was good with, you know, with with tinkering with
things. >> Good suggestion. Don't let them tinker with the network, though. >> No. No, no unplugging. >> Yeah, no unplugging. No looking down the fibers. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's a good suggestion. No reason for them to be on the board.
They're just looking after a hut. >> Yeah, >> outside the concrete box there, Steve. That's good. >> Right. Thinking outside the box. >> All right. Uh let's see. In other news, uh big thanks to um Graham who got a new
router installed at the Shootsberry Athletic Club. Um I did help but it was mostly standing on stools and stuff. >> Gail Gail invaluable. >> Uh yeah, but we did it together just for the record.
>> Yep. Um we still haven't installed the router on the out a new access point rather uh under the pavilion there and um so that's >> it is plugged it is plugged in at 10meg to working. >> Yeah. So it's it's kind of working but
we've determined that the um Ethernet cable that serves it is pretty old and maybe never worked to begin with. So, we're going to cut off both ends. Um, re-terminate it, test it. Um, and
Graham, I don't know if I mentioned this, Nate has a um a a a Ethernet tester, so we can we we have the equipment to not just um uh kind of guess if it's good or not, but actually test test it. if it is not good. Graham
made a good point that we don't want to be messing with the drop ceiling at the Shootsbury Athletic Club in case there is any kind of contamination up there of >> it was it was a wicked mess when I was above that ceiling 25 years ago. So
>> yeah. So >> Rob got so then so then what's the solution? >> Yeah. So I think our our plan B, so let's say we terminate it. It the the the the Ethernet that's installed there is just not good. Then I suggest we try
pull through. We take the old cord and just see if we can pull it through without dis, you know, I mean, yes, it'll disturb a little bit of stuff, but no, like we're not going to mess with the, you know, the the um acoustic tiles or anything. Just see if we can get a new one pulled through. Um and that and
that should do it. If that doesn't work, we'll come up with a plan C yet to be determined. Um, but I think Graham has a really good point that as a kind of just a volunteer service here, getting into messing with ceiling installations is
more than we have we and the MLP want to get involved with. Um, so we could just say here SACE, you need to get this from here to here and then and then plug this in. Um, >> I think that's a good idea. Yeah. >> Yeah. And well also because you know we
don't what if we break something and it just it's just more than what any of us want to get involved in. >> Good. >> So that's the that's the plan there. But the one we do have installed is performing very nicely. Um no complaints
uh from from the SACE and um the speeds are are much faster and it seems to be able to handle the traffic um so far. And the one in the pavilion, I checked um on when there was uh the trivia night
the other night and um that it was actually that you can tell from the the online, you know, app uh um which you have too, G um that um that it was picking it was carrying the the satellite unit was carrying about about
10 or 12 of the people plus the display. So, u it wasn't heavily loaded. Um and as as um Gail alluded, it's only feeding at 10 megabits per second Ethernet. So So um so it's not a very um you know, it
would rather be doing gig. Um but u but but yeah, it's working at 10 meg and and it was carrying people. So, uh, the the other interesting thing that I learned when we were testing this satellite was, um, uh, that it was a little bit what I
said last month that, um, speed tests on the, um, you know, there's an inconsistency or something going wrong. So, I Googled it and sure enough, it said thath when you do a just a speed test with, you know, your device on a
satellite, you you're not going to get much better than half of the speed that it's actually working at because of the the the steps that it has to get back to the the test that it's going to. It has to get back to the router and then
beyond. So, um and it talked about bottlenecks. So, sometimes it does a lot worse than that. So anyhow, that there were a couple of times with the um with the satellite type um the extenders that we were testing that I was in the house
here and I was and as I complained, you know, the speed tests just weren't weren't making sense at all. So yeah, there's there's there's something to consider if you're ever doing that. >> Yep. Um
all right. uh maintenance and service uh 33 tickets in March. So, a small uptick from the previous month, but still well within our normal ranges. Um
let's see. financial report is we currently have um a balance of one thou uh $152,96 um and then what is it? Three three more months of MLP fees coming in. So, we
will end the year with a pretty uh healthy um uh budget and surplus. Um >> I assume the debt payment then has not been deducted from that balance yet.
>> Nope. So, yeah, the the uh debt payment of 97,900 is still to be taken out of that usually comes out in April. So, um by May, we'll have a pretty complete picture. the storm season will be done. Knock on wood. The debt payment will uh have
gone. Um and you know, so we'll have a good sense then of how much we'll be carrying into the next fiscal year. >> And do we have a bill yet for that repair down on General Hills uh road area? >> We do have a bill. I just got it
yesterday. And uh the bill is uh not as bad as we thought. I we took bets last time. >> Yeah. >> Non-binding bets on how much it was going to be. I think I bet >> like 12,000. >> And does everyone remember what their
bets were? >> No. >> Round 10. >> Yeah. Yeah. We're all betting round 10. Get this. 2,152. >> Wow. >> Oh, wow. >> Yeah. >> Oh, man. >> Yeah. Yeah. So it was and I think what
um it it was um a fiber technician foreman and a uh ground person and a bucket truck each for eight hours. I think maybe what saved us here is that there's no overtime. Um and if if you
recall I was like there's only you know two or three houses out. Don't don't work overnight. So they worked for a little while and then they came back the next day. Um, so that was >> that was helpful, but it was even with that much much lower than than I
thought. And um uh it was a uh and Certex uh did the did the work for us, but of course it's all under um you know our contract pricing. >> Oh, good. >> Right. >> Yeah. Wasn't
the um a th00and feet of cable a part of this repair? >> Yes, good point, Jim. Um and that is going to show up on a different bill. >> Oh, >> that's that's Yeah, that's that's a really good point.
>> I didn't I didn't remember that they had that big materials charge. >> Probably two bucks a foot, something of that order. Okay. All right. Um,
oh, speaking as long as we're we're on the uh topic of of materials here. Um, last meeting we all um voted and and you gave me the green light to contact Sheld to see if they would take the surplus
spools off our hand because they're just sitting next to the highway barn taking up space and slowly rotting into the ground. Um, and we're just like there's no application where we're going to we're going to probably use these. So, we
should get them used somewhere so they just don't turn into expensive junk for us. Um and so I contacted um, uh, our town admin and said, you know, how do we, how do you, how do you do
this? What are the rules around getting rid of surplus material? I sent out an email to all of you about uh, what those rules are. And there is a mass general law, section 15 kind of spells it all out. Here's how a municipality can get
rid of it. Um, and you do have to, um, basically do reverse bids. Um, and make that surplus material available to the anyone who wants to buy it. Um, and then
you have to or should, you know, take the highest bid there unless it's less than $10,000. In which case, if we as a um board have a policy written down for how to dispose of uh leftover material,
we can just enact that. Um and um as long as we have that written procedure, that counts and it has to be less than 10 grand. So um a couple things have happened. Lee has has gone up and and taken a a good look
at it and he said, "Yep, I think I think we can use this." Um, and he'll and he's he's trying to work out a way for them to get them all right because it's there's a big transportation issue here of getting, you know, moving these huge reels. Um, so he's going to work with
his team on how are we going to take these and where are we going to store them and and keep them and use them. Um, I have asked him to give me an approximate pricing on what a re real reel of the 216s would be. Graham, I'm
assuming that the one that's 216 is the going to be the most expensive one because it has the most fibers. Um yeah, the the issue for one the issue for a big cable sitting on a real um outside going cooling heating cooling
heating is it gets a memory um and it and it ends up being very hard to use it when you're putting it up on a thing. So that might actually be a bit of a um you know that that that has been totally devalued. the heavy all the heavy duty
one, the the big the the thicker ones because that memory that memory will be when they're putting it up that it's hard to lash it to the the carrier. So So that that might be um you know not much um not much value there. I I my guess is it's a couple of thousand bucks
for the whole lot of them that uh it's a secondhand price at this point having sat out there and the and the um you know sat out there with their reels slowly rotting. So, but >> yeah, whatever they say. >> Yeah, for me it's it's more like just
documenting it. I need I need so so I asked Lee for the the price of like just what you know what's a price per foot of of the most expensive fiber brand new and from that I can extrapolate what these like lesser fibers would be and
then have just some documentation proving this out that yes this is all worth less than $10,000 probably a lot less um that if we tried to sell it I don't I don't anyone would be interested in something like this so um >> anyway I will continue.
>> So you need a depreciation factor to put on >> initial and it may be that you know the the large uh diameter ones are the uh have a very high depreciation. They may be you know
down to essentially zero value. Um and so >> yeah. Yeah. How does how does one figure out a depreciation value? Like where does that come from? >> Yeah. How does one how does one document it? >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> Of >> I guess we Yeah. For that we'd have to put it out to bid and see what sort of bids we get when nobody wants to pay pay us for them. They all appreciate by 100%. Well, that's one possibility is that we
put it out for a bit and then when no one responds then then we're free and clear. >> True. Yeah. Yeah. I guess I' I'd love I'd love to not go through the song and dance of of
doing a bidding process if we can somehow prove that it's less than than 10,000. >> Um let's see. Well, let me let me work on that of of you know, if I can get the price new and then ask around um you
know, maybe maybe Sheld even knows this as a bigger entity who's maybe dealt with this before of like how do you >> how do you figure out depreciation of of equipment um in in this uh like you know well we were talking about taxes. I know that my accountant has depreciation
schedules for things like the computers that I use in my business, but I think that's a more known entity of a category of things. I think it's like a fi I think it's five years. Um, >> well, isn't the cable when we were
starting this project? Wasn't it considered to be good in on the line in the field good for 30 years? Even though we said it really probably lasts longer than that, but that was sort of a general figure. >> It was indeed. Yeah.
>> And this stuff's been sitting there now for what? >> Seven years. >> Uh so >> there's a quarter, right? 25% right there. Yeah. I I I would depreciate it to 50%. Yeah. No, more than >> well, but the actual value is going to
be less because if I'm if I'm ISP in wherever some other city, >> I don't want to put up a fiber that's got an appreciated lifetime, right? >> Yeah. >> Um Yeah. >> Because because the because the cost of
installation is ridiculously high, >> right? So even even if >> I say, "Okay, fine. I'll replace it uh instead of 30 years, I'll replace it in 23 years." No one's going to want to do that. >> No. >> Yeah. Yeah. Because the labor installation cost is the same for brand
new or >> Exactly. >> or old. So, >> exactly. We would >> We wouldn't have done that. Yeah. We would not have done that when we were building ours. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. 75% reduction. Uh 75% depreciated then. That might be a good sort of idea.
>> Yeah. Let me well just let me let me ask around and see if I can get some some uh documented data on like depreciation schedules for leftover fiber and and condition of that fiber. Um and um yeah,
just you know, make sure we're doing due diligence here to prove out that this is not worth um you know, putting it out to bid uh to recoup anything because it's lost so much value. Um I think for for
tonight um if we can approve of the policy of if it is less than this how to get rid of it. That way I can just run with it and make sure that we can um work with Shell uh
for them to take it. If they can't I'll come back um to all of you about about next steps which will likely be bidding. Um, so yeah, Graham, >> one possibility occurred to me was um, yeah, one could just make an IGA
agreement, right? I mean, you don't have to bid an IG agreement and their their agreement would be we'll take it away for, you know, for five bucks and and um, and we would be um, yeah, we would we would say yes, that would be good.
So, yeah. Um yeah, I think I I don't think that works in this context though because because the Mass General Law section 15 um spells out in um in in in
detail that you are supposed to try to get the value from it if it's more than $10,000. And it like it doesn't matter who you're who you're who you're giving it to kind of or who you're selling it to. Um there's no special
um uh kind of dispensation or exception that I see for fellow municipalities or like if you donated for a for a nonprofit for example. Um
only at the bottom it says um less than the fair market value to a charitable organization which has received a tax exemption. So you can give it to someone But then they have to take a tax exemption for the value that it is.
>> So it's a it seems like they really don't want you just giving stuff, you know. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. But I reckon it's absolutely not worth 10,000 bucks. So >> yeah. Yeah. Well, no, I I totally agree.
We just have to we just have to like prove it out. So that's >> so that's that's what I'll I'll I'll keep working on here. um is is find finding a way to do that. >> You know, I'm thinking like there were
about 40 towns that installed fiber networks around the same time we did and a little little after us. I wonder what other there must be other towns that are dealing with the same issue. >> I don't think so. Um because
um for most of the other towns, Westfield Gas and Electric did their buildouts and so I would think that they are the holders of any of that excess material and it just got used up on the next project. >> Um
>> so I think I think we're an anomaly in that way. Um you know I bet Lever had excess materials but um you know they're not they're not GON so it's a whole different thing. Um, so would you feel comfortable if we
voted on adopting the policy or policy procedure for surplus materials valued at less than $10,000? Uh, so that in the next two months if I can prove it all out that we can just move on that.
>> Do you have a >> Sounds good. >> Okay, great. Um, so I'm going to uh why don't I just read out the policy and then one of you can make a motion to adopt it, a second it, and then we'll vote. Sound good?
>> Yeah. >> Okay. So, the draft um of the policy up for consideration is when the Shootsberry MLP has equipment or materials it no longer needs and the estimated value is less than $10,000,
the board may choose to donate those items instead of selling them. Who we can donate to is another town or municipal light plant or a nonprofit or charitable organization must be taxexempt.
We the steps we will follow is estimate the value of the items, discuss the proposed donation at a public board meeting and finally take a vote. A majority of the board with a full quorum present must approve.
If the board does not approve the donation, the items will be sold or disposed of following state law, such as through bids, auction, or real resale markets as outlined in section 15 of Mass General Law. And the goal of this
policy is to make it easier to reuse equipment in a way that benefits other public or charitable organizations while still following Massachusetts law. Any questions, changes? Sounds good. >> Okay.
>> Um >> I would move that we adopt that policy. >> Excellent. >> Second. >> Thank you. Um all in favor, Jim. >> Uh I >> Graham >> I. >> And Steve >> I >> Okay. Excellent. So I'm going to put
this into our policy documents so we have it. Um, and I'll keep working on my end about um, doing the first step of estimating the value of the items. >> Very good. >> All right. Oh, and Craig, you had asked
a question about the using this process for the routers which we have acquired so far for testing purposes. And >> when we get to that point, which we're not there yet, but yeah. >> Yeah. And for that for that it actually doesn't matter because we can distribute
our routers to towns people. That's what they were purchased for without without problem. So if we wanted to um as as long as we prove out that they've gone to benefit Shootzberry residents within
our network, that falls within the um uh within the grant. >> Yeah. But we're making we're making the decision we're making the decision to get give it to particular shoots for residents >> which could be seen as um laying
favorites which we're not allowed to do. >> We could raffle it. We could say the first 20 >> maybe. Yeah, that that is probably legitimate. >> Yeah. I was >> Yeah. Yeah. My my idea was was to was to
actually do a um just do do a lottery of at the end of this process when everyone who wants a new you know router has has gotten one. We say hey we have some surplus from when we were doing these investigations um into various models. If you want one
put your name in by this date and then we pull the first you know the first name here's your pick. That one goes away. next name. Take your pe pick of what's left next one until they're all gone. Um, so that's kind of what I was >> thinking. That's probably it. Legit. I
don't know. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Sounds good. >> Yeah. I I And and it as long as we keep track of which addresses they go to, we can show to the state like these were distributed and, you know, used to the households that they were meant to serve
and it's all under our taxpayer umbrella. you know, that's that's the real thing is that we're not, >> you know, handing out um you know, goods and materials to people who aren't taxpayers here.
>> Yep. >> Um and Gail, it would make it a lot more complicated to give them the pick. So, I I would figure we just decide, you know, 1 2 3 4 5. Because when you think about it, if you've got a back and forth of
which one do you want, then you know, I don't know. So, gets messy. >> Yeah, it's true. I I have ideas for how um kind of in a in a hands-off way, we can we can control that. Um but we'll we'll figure it out. Yeah, I agree. We
don't we don't over complicate it. >> Yeah. >> Um All right. I'm just looking over the agenda list of all the stuff here. Did we cover everything? Uh okay. Uh the last thing that we need to talk about is as always um routers
and kind of you know next steps with the um FCC guidelines about US manufactured ones. So, uh, that's the only thing I have left. Does anybody have any other topics that you'd like to discuss? Nothing. All right.
Um, so on March 27th, the FCC came uh down with a requirement that all routers that are going to be sold in the US that aren't already for sale um be wholly
manufactured in the US and have wholly US parts to them. Currently, there's only one router that fits that description, and that's the uh Starlink um routers, which don't work for us
because we are not a Starlink connected uh service. So, >> y >> that leads us to um be in a little bit of a stuck place where we're trying to find a new router to distribute to all of Shootpair residents and we have
nothing to choose from. um manufacturers can go through an approval process or rather an application process to prove out to the FCC that their routers meet federal guidelines for um for security um with
their components and manufacturing process. Um as of now I don't know of any routers that have either or manufacturers that have entered this process or been approved. Um, so we're a little bit stuck. Um,
there's some been some ideas floated um by all of you that perhaps um I could reach out to MBI and say what do we do here? This clock is ticking on using up this money, but we can't really use it because of this um
uh this block on on routers. um we could go ahead and use a portion of the money and just buy what's out there. I don't feel great about that. Um because the risk of that is that we say we use that, you know, $25,000 that we have in the
grant by the routers and then 3 months from now they're like they don't meet the security, they don't meet the security requirements. these aren't an approved router and all of a sudden we've spent all this money on routers that I would assume most Shootsbury residents may not want um if they're not
on the special list um so um you know I don't >> yes Brandon Steve >> they wouldn't be supported as well you know probably so it would be a problem
that way >> I mean it's one thing as an individual ual to go out and one of us buys something to use in our home, takes that risk on a single item we bought and, you know, says, "Well, I'll deal with the consequences." You know, but for the MLP
to do this for a townwide installation, Yeah. that's that's much stickier, I think, ill advised. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You wouldn't want a you wouldn't want a a router that wasn't getting security updates as well. And that's what would
be missing, I think. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, we're we're just in the same place that we are now where Wi-Fi55s are are no longer supported and we're trying to solve this and we can't. Um
so um you know, as a >> Yeah. What was it, Craig? But my reading of it is that existing router models already authorized by the F FCC can continue to be sold.
>> Am I not reading that right? >> Uh no, I I read that too, but I don't it's um like if you go on Amazon and you look at the routers, does that mean because it's on Amazon and it's for sale, it's been
approved already? >> I would assume so. that Amazon's not going to sell you a a router that's not approved by the FCC. >> In fact, they're probably not allowed to sell a router that's not approved by the FCC. >> So, do do you think that this
this mandate is just kind of like empty? Well, what it means is that when when Netgear wants to come out with a new router and get authorization from the FCC, the FCC is going to say sorry because it wasn't made in the US.
That's that's my reading of it. I don't know. Maybe we want to get uh the town's lawyer to look at this or or as you say, I think that uh you know, maybe maybe um MBI has has thought of this already and gotten a
a ruling. >> All right. So, >> All right. So, we need a bit a better understanding of what actually this means. Um, >> do routers for sale already meet the criteria >> or is everything but
okay wait >> or have FCC approval? Yeah, but even okay, even if we read it that way though, that means that the routers that are kind of available right now are grandfathered in >> to to be sold and then um
it did sound a little like that, >> right? Right. But then can they can they keep making them? >> I think so. Uh >> cuz I'm trying just trying to think of of like okay,
>> you know, we buy 600 of them and they're like, "Oh, no. We're not making anymore at selling anymore because they don't they don't meet the requirements." >> Yeah. I mean, they're already quote unquote authorized for sale in the US. So, I think that applies to things that
have not been manufactured yet, but that particular model has is authorized for sale in the US. Now, you know, whether the Trump administration might put on additional restrictions a month from now, Lord only knows, >> right?
>> But but my reading of the current restriction is that if it's a available for sale in the US, then it's legitimate. >> Yeah, I I I thought that sounded like that. So, >> okay.
>> Oh. There is this software update deadline which I don't understand and we did talk about this before. Uh I don't know. >> Yeah.
All right. So All right. So I can I can ask I can ask Donna about this. um see if she can shed any light on to it. Um where else could we get more information? I could ask MBI. >> Yeah.
>> Any anyone else that you can think of who >> HG and and SH will have >> Yes. Yes. And that will only be in relation to um them running stuff like um lever because
they've got Kaix um and Kaix well I wonder where Kaix is made and designed. I mean it's Cal Kaix stands for California, right? >> Taiwan, I think, >> right? >> I mean, none none of these none of these
are are currently manufactured here and and even if they are um they have components, >> right, that aren't >> um >> made here. So that and that >> Sheld will know Sheld will know how it applies to Kaix for instance.
>> Yeah. Yeah. I think they will. And and this question about not allowing updates seemed ridiculous on the face, right? Because we I have a router in my house right now. They're going to tell me after March 1, 2027, I can't update it, which is ridiculous because it's all
about security and updates are important for security, right? >> Yeah. No, that's the one part of the ruling I do not understand. uh uh the logic the logic I suspect
would be that they don't want the Chinese enemy or whatever foreign enemy uh updating our security by putting worms and and Trojan horses and uh and you know >> as long as they as long as they put the
worms and Trojan horses in before March 1, 2027, they're okay. >> I know. I know. Now that makes >> And then and then I'm not allowed to do an update to get rid of the worm. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, it's it's it's as crazy as some other federal policies. Yeah. >> And you know, you might argue to be
cynical that that now we're getting back to our original worry that they want to create a huge market starting in 2027 for routers made in Utah, right? But >> Oh, yeah. But there's no way that the US
is going to start having enough production to replace all of the routers in the US right now on March 2027. It's just not poss or Texas or whatever. There's no way they can do that. >> Yep.
>> And and not to mention not to mention that all the public's going to get pissed off because now they have to go buy a new router, >> right? I I don't understand that part of the ruling except for the I understand the thing you're saying, but
>> but it still doesn't make sense. >> Yeah, >> we need a legal ruling. >> We need a new federal government. >> That's for sure. >> Yeah. Well, I will do some research and try to try to uh shed some light on
exactly what is what does this mean um for our purposes and as a um uh you know as a basically an ISP standin service. No.
>> Um, do you think, Gail, any of the other municipalities that got this grant from MBI would be in a similar situation of actually using it to purchase um routers or other uh equipment that be impacted
by this ruling? >> I don't, but that's something that I can run by MBI. um you know I don't have insight into what other towns are doing but ask them is is anyone else doing a router deployment and can I talk to them uh to see if we can um you know put our
heads together to see how they're they're dealing with it >> as well as seeing if MBI is amunable to uh extending this till this all shakes out and we get a better understanding of what the ruling means what what we can
actually purchase >> right now Right. Right. Um, AI tells me that Netgear has reported that its products have achieved approved status and are not subject to that March one deadline. >> Excellent.
>> But that's that's AI telling me that. So, who knows? >> And the AI probably went through a server in in China. I don't know. >> But, >> yes. So, so it's possible that Netanyar really does have a and the others are
going to get it too. I mean, >> yeah. Yeah. Like, like, you know, they they they h they have to sell to this market. So, whatever it is, they're going to um they're they're going to work to make sure that it meets the approval, >> right?
But yeah, it's kind of like when I >> mean I think the concern is valid. Um although I wonder if a lot of the issue really isn't so much the hard where the
hardware is manufactured as the software, you know, the operating system, the the uh the firmware in it. Um, >> I just put a link in the chat that that's from Netgear that says they have
this approval. It's on their website. >> Okay. >> For what it's worth. >> And again, I'll be surprised if the other major players don't also get this. Yeah, >> they probably have to pay extra fees to >> either to the federal government or
Yeah, who knows? >> This is all about milking. Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. It's conditional approval. Okay. The first retail consumer router company to receive conditional approval.
>> All right. All right. Well, that's that's a that's a really positive sign. >> Hopefully the the rest will follow. >> Yeah. >> It was a net gear. It was a Netgear Orbee that we installed in the AC. And >> Oh, good.
>> And we Yeah, but but I I liked I liked that one. I tested it before I I tested it here before we put it in there. So So yeah, it was easy to install as as we know. It was good good to install it, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah, I thought I thought it was
good too in the um uh you know the the interface um to you know the admin interface I thought was was good as well. >> So all right um all right well to be continued
indeed. Anything else? >> I also put another link in the chat just now. There's a CNET article about about this and one of the one of the questions is should I wait or rush to buy a new router? >> Yeah.
>> Okay. But they do say you might want to wait just to see what happens. >> Oh, that's nice. They have an entire chart on this one about the router company and the status following the announcement >> in that CNET article. It would just go
go through all the major manufacturers >> um and and kind of like where they are >> um and subject to the ban. Yeah. >> Okay. >> That's weird because Taiwan is not a country that is on our our bad list at
all. I mean, I'm I'm planning a trip there and it's a it's a category one country which means there's no restrictions on travel at least. This is all about tariffs. >> Yeah. No, it's it it it's not Yeah. It's not it my understanding it's not it's not country based. It's all countries.
It just has to be in the US. So, so only Texas >> is >> it's it's effectively a Paris a tariff on foreign routers is what it's going to end up being. >> Yeah. >> Anyway, I'll stop googling. >> Yeah. Okay.
>> Oh, but it's so attractive. It is. I know. Just sucked in there. Okay. Um, all right. Anything else before we adjourn? >> All right. Um, nope. >> And, um, Jim, I will capture those
those, um, uh, URLs that Craig sent out so they can be part of the minutes. >> Um, I'll send them to you in an email. >> What are the URLs? you just you just talked about.
>> Yeah. Yeah. We should probably put them in the official minutes because they've been referenced in a in a meeting. >> Okay. >> Yeah. But I'll I'll I'll send them I'll send them to you in in an email. So, don't um worry about it. >> Okay. Well, I as you know, I I work on
the minutes right after the meeting here. So, >> yes, I'll send them to you right away. >> All right. Thank you. >> Sure. Um, okay. Um, >> okay. >> Well, thanks. Thanks so much. And it is six o'clock and it is like fully
daylight out. So, >> it is >> and warm. >> Summary and summary. >> Summary and warm. You can you can go and enjoy the evenings. >> Okay. >> Motion to adjournment.
>> Motion to second. I >> Sounds good. Okay. Byebye everyone. >> All right. Take care everyone. Bye-bye. >> Bye.