Yeah. All right. Where did my share about go? Let's see. Oh, there it is. Okay. Uh, see. All right. I guess I have the word
version here, so I can just make changes right into this. Hello, Susie. You're the Did you I can't remember. You drafted these, right? Because George was out >> or >> am I confusing? >> I can't remember.
>> All right. >> Too many things. >> Either way, I have the word version here, so I'll just make any changes we make tonight. Okay. Uh yes. >> So I have to take him out of the attending in the header.
>> Oh no. >> Oh, I already did that. Sorry. >> Yeah. All right. Um All right. [Music] Yeah. Okay.
Okay. Uh, anybody have any questions or suggestions? All right. So, I'm gonna make a motion to approve the minutes from September 9th as written. >> You get a second. >> I'll second.
>> Okay. Great. All right. Let's see. I think I'm up first tonight, right? Yeah. Cashew I >> Moery, Moss Eye, >> soy eye, >> Stein eye. Great. All right. So, that's
ninth and then >> Well, did Jim vote there? >> Oh, >> no. I was I was on mute. I'm sorry. Uh Walt and I >> Great. >> All right. Uh and then 25th. Okay.
[Music] All right. >> Yeah. Okay. So, um You know, I just unrelated to the minutes, but I just had a thought, which is that I think we're going to need to
update our final budget uh to take out this. Am I think about this right? >> Yep. >> Because that was that that was going to come from levy, right? Uh or no >> no >> no that was going to come from stabilization.
>> Yeah. >> So I'm trying to think does that I think there is a section the budget where or maybe it's more the the annual report. Okay. Anyway, I'll talk to George when he's back. But I
think we will have to update at least the annual report to reflect that that didn't actually happen. Okay. I have a suggestion for 5A. >> Okay. >> Um I wanted to add on to the sentence
when it says to the latest cost estimate of 10 million say to make the roof solar ready. >> Okay. Roof solar. Okay. Uh how about to say to
comply with >> Yeah. the MSBA's requirement to make the solar roof ready. >> Yep. >> Solar. >> Okay. To comply with the MSBA requirement to
Okay. Okay. >> Yeah, that's good. Um Okay. Yeah. Haley, just looking at this, do do we have an update on this mosquito control bill that we think is outstanding from
FY? Have you heard anything about this recently? >> I have not. >> Okay. All right. Um I think maybe I need to email Gail about that. See, she has
appeal. Okay. All right. Um, any questions or additional suggestions on these minutes? Okay. So, I'll make a motion to approve the minutes from September 25th as amended. I'll >> second. Okay. Uh, Cashew. I
>> moer I >> Moss I so I >> Stein abstain >> Walton I >> great >> all right well then we are caught up on minutes >> um
>> Haley I have a question that maybe you can answer um and with our Zoom accounts that that each of the sort of committees have. Is there a feature that automatically starts
>> the recording or does it always have to be manually >> um like turn like you know started. Okay. No, there's a there's a setting for automatic record and automatic AI
>> note takingaking >> that you can toggle on and off. >> Okay. And are people generally doing that for both uh recording and sort of AI summary stuff? >> Yeah. Makes note taking easier. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. So, I should
change those because I I think I've had at least one meeting where I forgot to >> start the recording and I think that means that it doesn't get posted to the >> public YouTube account. All right. So, I will fix that. Um, okay. So, let's talk
about our um proposed meeting with uh department heads. So, uh, first off, we have a potential date, um, which Haley, I think is October 22nd
at 10 a.m. Is that right? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, how does that sound to folks? I know it works for me, but I don't know about others. Looks good for me.
>> What did was it the the 22nd >> 22nd at 10 a.m.? No, I can't. >> It is a Wednesday. >> I work on Wednesdays. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And I have the grandkids here all day Wednesday. >> Oh, bring them. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> It's not great for me either. >> All right. So, Haley, do we have some flexibility? um or was that already a planned meeting for that day or >> it's it is mostly because we did a poll and that's when the vast majority of
staff can be there. >> I see. >> Um we could look at doing a Zoom link if maybe folks can tune in that way. >> Um >> I'll be seeing clients. >> Okay. >> Bring them
in a construction meeting. We could It would be an interesting I think your granddaughters would ace it. >> All right. Um so maybe would it be possible Haley to
look at the sort of second most um available option on your um on your poll? >> Let me just bring it up. Okay. Okay. Um, Wednesday is definitely the day
because there's only two people who can't make it. >> Um, >> three. >> And us three. >> Yeah. Are there any times of day that on on the 22nd that might help with folks that
are not available or is it really a full day? >> Yeah, I I work 10 to 7 on that day. It's a long day. >> All right. >> We could look at Tuesday, but we would be missing our collector,
our accountant, and our land use clerk. I think we I think um that >> I think we might have to do that. How How is Tuesday? >> That's good. >> 21st for me. It's fine as long as it's um like before
1:30 or something like in the morning or up to 1:30. Um I have something later today that day but only in the morning. But I'm also wondering like is it more important for um those of us who can't come on Wednesdays to be there or more
important for the accountant to be there? >> The accountant budget doesn't fluctuate in this way. Um so um we so I think the accountant um and I think the collector we can catch up catch her up with what's
going on. Um I whatever we're going to do, we're going to come out with some kind of um presentation to all boards afterwards. So >> and I can follow up with them as the liaison thing. >> Right. >> Right.
>> Could we maybe look at the next week? I just think it's important for as many staff to be there and maybe if I shoot them times the week after they'll have something better. >> We're getting too late. We're getting too late. um
27. >> We have to go because we're going to have a followup to what we figure out. Um and then then we and you know it'd be great if we could get something out to people um in the week that we meet so
that they can begin to look at their budget given our understanding of where we're at which is different than any other year in a lot while >> right so Haley if we did the the 21st
would we have police highway um elementary school um sort of like our core kind of >> yeah and fire >> provision. Yeah. department.
>> Yeah, we would have police and fire. I did not extend this to the school since I thought that was like more of a separate procedure. But I can check with Ann and see if she can come >> on the 22nd. >> I think I think we should include that.
>> Talking the 21st. Yeah. Yeah. >> Tuesday, not the >> correct. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I mean, I'll I'll throw it out there to them. >> Okay. >> And see who can >> Yeah. And I think I think the
um So, you said it's it's the collector, the accountant, and the land use clerk. Is that those were the the main folks? Yeah. Available. >> They're also going to be unavailable on Tuesday morning, and so will our treasurer. All
right. >> Um, what is when would the treasurer like is there an early afternoon option or it's really >> um he can do two to like two to three
>> there on that. >> I don't think that's that's not going to work for me. But um all right. So, I I think we're probably going to have to do the Tuesday, you know, morning, early afternoon, which whatever time slot we
can make work there and then catch >> the folks. Uh, and >> I have a memorial service in the afternoon. I could do the morning, but I can't do the afternoon. >> Let's do the morning. And and the other thing is is I think we can record the discussion and make sure that in
addition to the sort of followup in person, you know what? >> Yeah. I mean, if you can record it, then I don't think I need to be there >> live. So, >> yeah, >> I don't know if that >> um Well, we'll definitely record it, I
think. Um, so what is So, um, is there an option in the morning that folks were pulled on, Haley? >> Yeah. So, best time would be 10:00 a.m. >> Okay, >> perfect. >> All right. Can we lock that in then? the 21st
at 10 a.m. >> And with um the school um we could have Caitlyn or Ann or um you know we have a variety of people who could come if Anna
can't come at that time but she might be able to come. She knows this is coming. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> This will be in person at town hall. >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. Okay. Great. So, we've got um a date.
I think we before we sort of talk about what information we want to present, um let's make sure we're all on the same page about sort of purpose and structure. Um here's my takeaways from our last discussion about
about this was that sort of purpose was to have department heads and key staff um get some important information about
um our FY27 sort of budget picture and some of the unique challenges that we're dealing with and needing to plan for. So, it would be an important way for us to make sure that there's kind of shared
information like a common sort of set of information about what those challenges are that everybody has access to, right? um and to have them um kind of roll up their sleeves and and
think about some implications for how um budget planning will need to um consider those challenges for FY27 and have them potentially uh begin to think about some some
guidelines and some some strategies that can kind of help address those challenges. Does that sound right to people? >> Yep. Yeah. >> Okay. So, I think
I think what that means in terms of structure is that we're going to have a portion of this meeting presumably at the top of the meeting where we make a we share
information, right? And it's really like a onedirection, you know, conversation where we're providing kind of an information dump on like a whole whole set of issues. Um and
then it's really a listening session for us and it's the department heads sort of you know discussing reacting and and talking amongst themselves about potential challenges I mean sorry
strategies and I think there's a few few reasons why that structure is going to be important. There's a very practical one, right, which is that we're not going to post this as an open fin
meeting. Um, and that means that we can't have any sort of deliberation. Um, so that's that that's a sort of practical constraint. Um, and that requires us to sort of structure the
meaning this way. And then I think I think there's a kind of philosophical reason as well, which is that we really I think the thought was before us kind of coming in with a sort of heavy-handed like here's here's what you guys need
are going to need to do this year, right? Like here's a set of guidelines that we're going to impose and you guys are going to have to comply with, right? we're sort of giving the departments some agency and some opportunity to to
to think about like potential solutions that sort of come from from them. And I think um it may be the case like don't get me wrong that we may need to like based on what comes out of this conversation we may feel like you know
that's those strategies are not going to like are not going to solve these challenges and we're going to definitely need to share some guidance but but at least we're sort of like starting from a premise that like we're going to help we're going to provide them the
information and give them an opportunity to >> I don't know That that's my thinking about it, please. >> Yeah. And we may come up with some ideas from from the department heads that could be very helpful. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And I I just wanted to make sure
that the librarian is invited. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Great. Uh Susie, >> and I also think that we would do well to hand out the information at least a couple days ahead of time because this
is something they should read over. We're not asking them to come from cold. And so, um, I I I was trying to think, is there a problem with putting that information out without an explanation, but we can have the caveat on it saying, and we'll
go over this information, but please look it over first so that um people feel they're a little prepared for it. >> Yeah, I think that's a good idea. >> Okay. Um, so do we feel like we have an agreement
about sort of purpose and structure for this? Okay. Um, okay. So then I think the next thing for us to discuss is what information do we want to share as
part of a, you know, a presentation? And um, I had some s suggestions, but I want to start with Susie. Susie, you emailed me um and I think the whole the whole group a list of um suggestions. So, do you want to kind of walk us through your thoughts on
that? >> Okay. Um mine are focused on the revenue side because we've never shared with our departments ahead of time what we're thinking about the revenue picture. The fact is we don't have hard numbers, but we do have some numbers that we can work
out. So, um, new growth is still a guess and we'll probably talk to the assessors ahead of time to see if we can get some kind of sense of where that's at. The local receipts, not a big number, but we would just include that. um the state
aid component. Again, we don't know anything about this number um until um the earliest is the governor's budget in January, but we can I I'm seeing this as information that we have um maybe like
seven years. I don't I don't want it to be overwhelming, but seven years is before COVID and now up to now. So, um we could look at the state aid. Um >> so so you're you're suggesting for each of these categories that we present a sort of historical >> Yeah.
>> information trend for for each of them. Okay. Got it. >> Yeah. And um in the state aid, it's the general um the state land pilot um the chapter 70, the chapter 90, the new fair
share stream and rural aid. and then a seven-year history of the levy >> and a and of um also a seven-year history of cash reserves. Um I think we're laying out what we see the money as and
then the discussion I think in that seven years will show where we're at. Um maybe we would also put up um an inflation rate line. Um, >> so I had a thought about that which is that I I was thinking
>> that we ought to show a graph of the average single family >> bill over the same period. >> Yeah. and plot the inflation index on that graph because I think what it's
going we know what it's going to show which is that our our taxes are increasing um or you know by um you know a higher rate than than inflation is over this period of time. Well, and that's true for state aid, you
know, so it's it's not just so having the inflation rate there is is a cue for a bunch of things, but those two things especially. >> Yeah. Um, April. >> Yeah. Do we also want to include some of the big unknown expenses
such as PAS? Yeah. I mean, >> so I I had a list of like kind of what I'm calling FY27 budget challenges and that I think we ought to communicate and share, you know, probably after we do this sort
of big histo big, you know, sort of big picture historical trends on each of these areas. And so here's what I have on my list is um what I'm saying are like the following items
will likely need to be restored to the operating budget in FY27. >> Yeah. >> And that's $50,000 for the contribution to the OPED fund. It's
$62,500 for um health insurance assessment. And we should probably describe these as kind of the floor, right? I mean, it's um $34,000 for the regional budget uh regional
school budget that we had, you know, funded with reserves, $34,000 for the elementary school budget, and then $8,250 for veterans benefits. So all five of
those were either things that we zeroed out for, you know, reasons that were explained at special town meeting or were um sort of subsidized with cash reserves for for FY26 and and now the
the thinking is is that there's a a likelihood that we're going to need to build them back into the operating budget. Okay. And then there's a second group of challenges which I'm calling sort of new budget items, right, that we think
there's a likelihood are going to need to be included in FY 27. And so those are um debts. Our first debt service payment on the library building
>> was $17,000. um phase what I'm calling phase two of the salary alignments that we began last year and then potentially a PAS mitigation
fund or some you know some some budget line that um yeah provides additional um additional funding for for the mitigation work that needs to be done.
So, >> there's one more item is the 30,000 for building >> uh building fund building repairs and I guess that would be >> well we don't care which column it's in. >> I think it's the first right because it
it was part of our operating budget and for just a you know kind of a peculiar sort of reason it it dropped off last year but it was always Yeah. So, good. So, building fund, uh, $30,000.
Okay. Anything else that I'm missing that we we sort of know are I mean, I was thinking like at some point we're going to have a different scale on the regional school capital
side, but I don't think it's quite that I don't think we're going to see the dramatic increase for FY27. I think it's still sort of two years or so or more away. Um, April. >> Yeah. I was wondering um my brain just
stopped about oh um capital like we're probably going to need a greater I mean >> where we are with those large expenses. >> Yeah. >> Which will be borrowed but Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay.
>> So I Yeah. Uh Molly, >> the new library building is also going to have some expenses that the current library like water testing. >> Very good. Very good. So >> operating expenses. >> Yeah. So So um sorry, new library,
building expenses. So you said water testing. What are some other ones that we we think >> like it has an alarm system. It's just like a lot of um contract stuff that we are getting as much covered under the building contract
so that the state is picking up like the first year of it. >> Got it. >> So, I don't know if it's going to hit I don't know exactly when it's going to start to hit. I think it's fiscal year 27. >> Okay. What about >> and it includes um insurance, the libraries insurance. >> Okay. All right. So, that's good. I'm
going to add this to the new budget list item list. Um, okay. I think to April's point, I think we should give them sort of a preview of some potential capital items that we know or we think may come
up this year. But we'll just have to communicate that that's that's sort of a separate category from these other things which we think are, you know, are going to impact the operating budget as opposed to, you know, requiring us to
use cash reserves or borrow money for these other things. Um, okay. Anything else? We miss it. Um, so
he doesn't know this, but that's the the price for not being at a meeting. I think I'm going to recruit George to do the first part of this, which is the seven-year sort of um
you know kind of trends on um the five sort of categories that uh Susie suggested and then maybe I will sort of draft um kind of a set of bullets that talk
about sort of the um the the challenge is um for FY27. I think we also ought to exp also um we ought to probably say something about the use of cash reserves to fund
the budget and the um the use of excess levy capacity because I think I think we want people to to understand that even though that excess
levy capacity exists test, right? It's we we we took a really we we obviously it's an estimate at this point, but we're taking a pretty big chunk of it for FY26. I think pe people should have that should have that knowledge. I think um
so I think I can take a stab at um a set of bullets that kind of walk through these this this kind of more miscellaneous list of sort of budget issues that we want people to consider. Jim, >> yeah, you mentioned free cash AJ as a
topic and what what's the message? What's your what what do you see as a message there with free cash? >> Well, I think there's a couple things. one I think as part of the historical picture that Susie is suggesting I think we should just present the data you know
just without interpretation this is this is what our cash balances have you know have um looked like over this seven-year period um I think it's going to show that we we've used a pretty good you know pretty
significant chunk of it la last couple years but I think we should also So um communicate our the sort of policy around appro you know appropriate uses of cash
reserves and because I think you know there is I think some knowledge and understanding that we've used it reluctantly to fund certain budget items but that we're trying to um to minimize
you know the the extent of of our use of that. So I think that would be a message that we want to communicate. What what do you think? Anything else that >> Yeah. No, I I think that was the was important. I I was hoping to hear that last part that we don't normally we don't typically want to
>> get in the habit of using cash, free cash for for the budget, >> right? >> Um it's only in emergency type situations like we had a couple of those this past this past go around. >> Yeah. uh Susie >> and we can show what percentage of the
budget we still have in those cash reserves, which is an underlying policy. And I believe we're pretty close to it. We probably went less than 10, but that is a policy that we um have worked towards.
>> Yeah. And so just for people's um uh benefit, we have a couple of in in those finance committee um municipal finance guidelines that we have um that are what about 10 years old
or maybe not quite what whatever the time frame is. Um, one of them is that we, the town should maintain um, cash reserves um, of or sorry, free cash reserves that are equivalent to 10% of the operating
budget. And we think we're right about that, but I think we did dip just below it, but not not by a lot, but but by a little, I think, the last time we looked at this. Um, and then >> even with the reertification, AJ, with the reertified, we might have added we
might have added to that. >> Good question. I think we we've got to look at it. You're right. We've got to look at it. Um, >> um, either way, I don't I think we're going to be sort of either just above it or just, but yeah, I think we're sort of close >> pretty much.
>> Yeah. And then there's another guideline that we maintain. believe it's 5% of our operating budget in stabilization reserves. And >> I I we we we used some some
stabilization funds at special town meetings. So that's another thing we need to take a look at and see how we're doing there. >> And that's one of the resources listed on the FinCom web page down towards the bottom. the management um guidelines and
um I think people might find that helpful. >> So Susie I think on this um you know one of the categories you talked about presenting seven years of historical data on was cash reserves and I I'm
thinking we should we should reflect that in two different ways. One would be what what are the actual balances over you know in each year over a seven-year period and what do those balances represent as a proportion of the
operating budget a percentage of the operating budget over those and and maybe even show you know a dash line at 10 you know 10% for free cash and 5% for stabilization we could sort of see how we've tracked um on those guidelines
something something like Okay. Um, Susie see your hand up. The other thing is that Anna Herd made a request for information specific to education spending and you know whether we deal with that separately
um or think about it somehow but um I feel like we don't really I I do not want to get into separate I don't want to separate out the tracks of budgets um because we are a whole town and we're
working on it and we do know we're working on the regional budget through a specific committee. So, um I I can um I could go ahead and get that information for her and just send it to her, but I I don't see it as part of um one
department sort of being uh analyzed. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, I think that's right. I think I think it would be a mistake to sort of highlight a single department even even though obviously
schools are such a big um share of our budget but yeah I think I think that's right. Um, so just so everybody's clear, so we got a um a request from Anna Herd, who's the Shootesberry representative to the um regional school committee that
reads, "I was wondering how difficult it would be to send me the percentage of the town's general fund budget that was allocated to education broken down by elementary school and regional schools. And then the actual spend percentage,
actual school spend, actual general fund spend. also for elementary and region for as many years as possible. So I assume what she's Yeah. What she's asking for were the the budgeted amounts,
you know, that we presented in annual town meeting budgets for each of these years and then the actual spend. Although I think for for schools, we almost always like basically spend whatever was budgeted. But anyway, we can we can we can certainly look at
that. Um, and then but here's the thing and I was thinking about this Susie is that um I think that information if we just pull it from the budget is going to be missing
um an important expense. And then I and I know from discussions with the other towns, this is part of what people are trying to do is inform the whole four towns group about what is the actual
amount of spending devoted to education and there are certain categories of things and it's a little bit different for each town. Like for Ammerst it's they're spending a lot of money on a new building, right? And that's they they they sort of feel like well that's you
know that's that's an important um you know amount of spending they're doing uh on education. I think for Shootsberry what it what it's what it would be missing is all of the benefits
contributions that go to school employees. Um I think just at the elementary right because the for the regional budget it's built into our it's built into our assessment. So for the elementary all and I think it's both retirement and health insurance. Is that
right? >> Yeah. So I think >> and OPED right? >> Yes you're right. So I think what we want to do is share this information to Anna but add
um those those items as you know here are some additional and so I think this is going to require us to get some information >> either from Ryan. >> Sure. Right. >> Who who who who who would that be? You think it's Ryan that would >> Yeah.
>> Yep. Are there also capital improvement projects that have happened out there that you would want to include? >> Yeah, there definitely have been. I'm thinking like there was the alarm, >> the roof, the painting, >> the painting, the alarms. Didn't we do
like a We did a whole >> cameras. That was pretty small, but it was part of it. Security. >> Yeah. So, you're right. I think we want to also >> And sidewalks. >> Track sidewalks. Although, sidewalks are coming up, right? Or do we or do did we do them? No,
they managed that it sort of. >> Okay. All right. So, yeah, I think we wanna I think we want to include basically and I I think we can describe them as you know uh benefits
contributions that fall outside of the budget line >> budget. Yeah. that that are in the operating budget but that are obviously related to education costs and then capital spending. So yes, good point.
Yeah. All right. So, um I think I'll reach out to Ryan to see if and it may be I don't know how precise, right? because she's looking for historical data and I feel like you know Ryan's not going to be psyched about me
asking right >> for for 15 years can you tell me exactly how many school employees were what the health insurance so I think maybe we can ask him >> to give us like a proportion of our maybe maybe that's that would be like an
estimate of what proportion of our health insurance what proportion of our retirement and what proportion of our oped web costs go to school employees. It's going to be a large, right? I mean, it's obviously the largest group, right? Um, and then
just apply that proportion and explain to Anna that this is an estimate of what the town contributes outside of the school related operating budget lines to to those things.
All right, Susie. >> I think it's important to remember that these people are our part-time workers um who uh probably do more than they're being paid for. And so it's easy for people to say, "I want to know." It's like, "Yep, you do want to know." So, I think your proportion is a good idea.
And we should just keep an eye on what we ask people to figure out. like George, we can ask him. >> But um for these for our employees, we need to pay attention to not overloading this. >> Yeah. And my my rule of thumb on that is
like to limit the going back and back and back and you know like even with people somebody like um Kathy Sheridan, is that her first name? Kathy or no, the the finance director at the at the school. Uh >> yes, >> Shannon.
>> Oh no, Kathy. Okay. Um, so like in instead of us going back like multiple times say, "Oh, can you also get us this? Can you also get us this?" It's I think it's important for us to have like as complete a set of questions or
requests as possible. I know that that's can be very frustrating to have to like keep hear you know like keep getting multiple requests from people for information. Okay. So, um I think we have
um so I I think we have a a plan. Um Susie, would you would you be willing to just give Anna a buzz and just explain to her sort of our plan and what what we think we're >> Yep. >> be able to pull together for her. Okay.
>> Yeah. >> Great. All right. Um, so if we're meeting the department heads on the 21st, let's just see. Um, that's actually
the day we would be meeting as a committee, right? Let's do it from >> today. So we will not actually have a meeting where we can look at this information we want to
share with the department heads. I think that's a little tricky. I feel like we probably want to be able to look at that all together, like look at a draft and say um can we do a little subcommittee
of two? >> Yeah. >> And and get and pull it together and get it out there. Um, and then I'm looking, oh, so the 21st is our normal night meeting and
we need to keep moving forward. >> I want to sort of >> I don't know the right word, apologize that this is unusual. This year is not like the regular year. So if you're finding, you know, if like you're wondering why we're on high speed
and often and we got to get to the place where we're actually talking with departments oneonone. So if if meeting that night on the 21st because I keep my Tuesday nights open, um I'm willing. But I understand why this is uh a bait and
switch. This is a lovely committee to be on. one meeting a month for half a year, >> right? So I I just I just want to explain that this is this is I mean 26 planning FY26 it was every every meeting
there was a surprise. This one all those surprises have added up. >> Yeah. No, you're right. I think, you know, the other thing is we we have we kind of have to keep the 21st because we we do this thing of alternating with the
select board and it really complicates and I think if I remember Molly has we we sort of kind of >> I do but it September actually threw it off. So my thing is now tonight and >> it is okay.
All right. Um well, we certainly don't want to screw over the select board. Um and you know, we can't get Haley's to, you know, um presence or meeting the same time as the select board. So, I
think we will have to keep the 21st. Um but not everybody has to come to the daytime meeting that day with the um with the department heads. I think it's whoever's, you know, whoever's available and it will be um, you know, we will we
will make sure it's it's recorded. Okay. Um, let's see. Anything else? Um, Susie, >> I've been worrying about PAS. I feel
like we need an update from um from ARPS um from Tigen Bond and from D and ask them for sort of a projection like um what are the what are the um
projected testing times coming up? H was there an increase? What's the kind of increase we've been looking at? Um, is the DP um getting to a place where they're satisfied? Um, what's the contract with Tigan Bond
costing? So, I think some I think Haley needs to do a deep dive on PAS because we're going to be trying to represent this in our budget and I think we don't have that information. Um, so I keep
wondering like I it's PAS isn't something you get to the end of, but you you reach a place where you're filtering as as many houses as you need to right now. And then that's another cost is the filters getting replaced. So TIG and
Bond knows that information. We don't. And um it would it would come into how we project that cost. >> Yeah. And I think the other piece of that Susie is what what has what's left of what has been allocated. Um you know
like what what what's the balance of basically our PAS resource mitigation resources at this point. Jim. >> Yeah. To that point Susie you you you listed some things that we need to understand regarding PAS and the costs
what to expect. Do we have a point person like who's leading all all of that? Uh, you know, these PAS different >> me. Okay. Haley. Okay. Okay. >> Yeah. I mean, we have a contractor that's that's tying bond that's doing
like that's managing the work, right? Yeah. >> They're a hired LSP. >> Okay. So, it's really more in your your area, Haley, to keep track of or tally just where we are and where we expect to be going forward. Yes.
>> Okay. The other the other on this um what's our current thinking going forward? Uh is there state support, federal support to be expected? Um I mean this is this is a global problem. Uh it's very what we're facing is not
too different from what lots of other places around the country are facing. Um where does it pick where do we in our role in responsibility uh stop and where do we expect or can imagine that we get support from state
or federal >> right >> yeah that would be talking to our legislators too >> so that would be good to get an update from the legislators because um they would know whether it's starting to look
at the state level instead of just us. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So Joe Cmerford and Marin Saunders might I know I think there was I I I seem to recall either George or you
Susie kind of raised this with them beforehand at least just to flag it for them as a issue that we're dealing with but that they're likely to hear from other communities and I think actually leverage got some issue but I don't
think the source of it was a municip municipal >> building. So I don't I don't think it's like um something the town is you know financially responsible for but I think there is there was something discovered there that somebody said it
in a different meeting anyway. Um, okay. So, Haley, would it be possible to get like um sort of an update on the PAS sort of outlook and kind of what the
what sort of current resources are and what what some of the expenses might be in the future. >> Oh, did we lose it? >> Well, she Oh, she might she might have had to step away. Okay. Um, okay. Let's see.
Uh, anything else on planning for this department head meeting? I think we've got a plan, right? Um, so, uh, I I think,
um, potentially maybe a a subcommittee that can work on the the information to share. Maybe that could be you, Susie, myself, and George since we've sort of talked about like specific
things that each of us might might uh contribute to this. Does that sound right to to everybody? >> Jim? >> Yeah. Yeah. Just one other item. I I'm fine with what you just said, AJ, but what other what about um I think there was some comment on inflation earlier.
>> Yeah. Um but the inflation piece and what you we talk about some significant things that can move >> costs going forward. I would think inflation is going to be up there too. >> Yeah. >> Um you know I I don't know how you all dealt with that last year because last year would have been a big inflation year.
>> Uh but through the budget process, you know, maybe whatever was done last year might be appropriate or maybe that's just something that we need to add to the list. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I mean there probably are some
um and Jim, you might actually be more better informed about this than I do, but but there probably are some like early sort of inflation um projections that for the for for sort
of the the you know the year coming up that are pro probably issued by by the appropriate government agencies. Does that sound right to you or >> Yeah, it used to be. They the agency that does that, they've
>> fired some people and there's uh and then and actually they're not even reporting some data right now. Um >> but yeah. Yeah. Right now I I still think they're looking at around 3% as far as current current inflation and and
they're still trying to push that number down, but that's about where we are. >> Okay. Yeah. >> All right. Yeah, that makes sense, Susie. And in I think inflation the numbers you get are uh an amalgam there. I wage
inflation has definitely got to be more than 3%. And so I don't know I don't know Jim if this sounds like a fun project but um if you could get some information about inflation numbers. We did say we wanted to make a graph of the
single family tax bill with a inflation um overlay to how that's going. But um I maybe it's too deep in the weeds. Maybe we just need to talk about salaries and
wages and all that separately, not at this meeting. But that that that inflation is significant. It's not 3%. [Music] Right. >> Um okay.
uh anything else um to think through as part part of this meeting? So, I'll I'll reach out to George, see if he's available, and then Susie, maybe we'll find a time for the
three of us to just meet um this week. I don't I can't recall when he's when he's next available. So, I I'll shoot him an email and see. Okay. And so you're thinking that we would meet to sort of put the information together. When do you feel like we should get it out to
the um attendees? >> Well, I think sort of realistically we probably would be I can't see us getting anything any sooner than like the end of next week, right? Like the 17th.
>> Yes. So if we get it out on either the 16th or the 17th, Thursday or Friday. >> Yeah. I think that's probably the best we're going to be able to get it. Yeah. Um and I think the the um you know again I'll take I think I'm I'm
comfortable sort of putting together a set of bullets that kind of talk about some of the budget challenges that we've gone through um we talked through in this meeting and then you know I think
maybe you and George could think through and he could actually implement um you know uh a set of charts that show the the I think what do we say seven-year sort of historical trend on each of
those five kind of categories. Yeah. But I think it would be good for the three of us to just have a even if it's just half an hour just to make sure we're all on the same page about kind of what this this thing's going to be what's going to comprise this this handout. And then um
who's doing what? >> Okay. >> All right. Um >> I just want to say I really appreciate you're doing that. There's that's a lot of work and I I I really appreciate that. Thank you.
>> All right. Um Okay. >> One more thing, Haley. Do you think you could have some PAS numbers um by the 16th or the 17th? Um, so I will be gone next week and I can see what I can pull together before
then. >> Okay. >> All right. Um Okay. I think um we ought to I think Haley, you were um interested in us taking a look at that
sort of budget process. sheet and just kind of walking through that to make sure we're all in the same sort of have the same sort of understanding about that. Um I'm going to share that now. >> Yeah, I really just had a couple of
quick questions >> um on some of the the lines. >> Yep. >> So, I noticed in this section, the first section, there are some positions that are not in there, and I did not know if that was intentional or not. And so this
is this first group of the salary that have the cola applied to them. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Which ones were you thinking of? >> Um there's not a line for the highway equipment operators, library staff.
Um I had my notes in another sheet of paper. Uh like treasure is not on here. Collector is not on here. Console is a question mark. So, I'm not sure um what that means, but there are some positions that are not
per this cola eligible. [Music] >> So, I think all the ones you just listed, at least my understanding is those should be on this list, right? I mean, those are all >> positions that um Susie, would it be
possible uh for you to update this list with those? Yeah, maybe April can um look it over and help because from the personnel board, this is some some of their discussion. So, we could do that after the meeting, but you're right, there's those are missing and I don't
remember why that would be. >> So, the the the the exception are basically those positions that are that have kind of negotiated contracts, right? that uh
>> that have built-in um uh cost of living increases built into their contracts, right? So that that would apply to >> um the town administrator, the fire chief,
the police chief, the highway superintendent, and that also applies to like the actual police officers themselves, right? Or do they >> they have I would have to look at the CDA. Yeah, they have a union. So it's
>> right. So then the school staff they have track that has Okay. >> All right. Uh um Haley, do you have any other questions about this? >> Yes.
>> So if you keep scrolling down, keep going down, going down. Um there it is. 27. >> Mhm. >> 27 through 29. Um, says that that's the TA
responsibility, but I'm just wondering since we have an emergency management director, was there a reason that that was assigned to the TA? >> Probably not. I mean, the reason probably being we never we we had have historically just gotten sort of
placeholders for each of these items from the from the town administrator. Like we've never met with the emergency management director beforehand. Um >> Okay.
>> Know who it was before we um ma made this appointment this year. >> Oh, okay. >> Um >> he may and um Lenny may not have experience with some of these numbers. Um, and I know that Becky always came up
with the ambulance service number. Um, so however she did the background work, um, and also when it was Walter, he might have done some of the background work with her, but it was something that came from her desk. >> Okay. Is that something we can look at
changing? I mean, I don't know what system she used and if Lenny has the title and the stipend, um, you know, I can support him. we can do it together like the first year that you know I'm not opposed to that but um it just seems like something that should
fall under his purview and then my other question had to do with the tree warden line since there was there's another line that says that the tree warden is the highway super and so I would basically just go to him and say what are your expenses so I was thinking just
cut out the middle person >> yeah that was folded into his job >> okay gotcha Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. I think that makes sense. I think so for I think it's fair to say that for some of these items,
>> Haley, I think the implication is not necessarily that you're going to like unilaterally make a decision about what to budget for these, but it's more you'll be the >> the sort of like communicator to the
finance committee. this is this is got >> like you can level fund this expense or you know there's something you know some something unusual this year so we need to bump this up or reduce you know so I think it's um for some of these I think
the way to think of it is just that you'll you know um you'll be able to kind of gather whatever relevant information and communicate that to the finance committee so we know we a sense of what to budget for in you know in the uh the
FY27 budget. >> Okay, that makes sense. >> Um and then I think that was it. >> Okay, >> so I guess that also answers like kind of an aside question I had is that you know you have specific liaison >> for different departments,
>> but based on what you just said, it sounds like that's the way that we lia on those specific budget lines, >> right? Okay. Perfect. Uh Susie >> and the liaison don't discuss salary. So
um that's how we ended up with the error about the um fire sheet. Oh no, the highway super because we don't go over the wages. We go over the operating expenses and all the wages are in our operating budget. Um the process to get
that information was coming from the TA. >> Okay. >> So actually that raises a good question and maybe we know we have an answer to this now. Do do we have any um positions that have contract
negotiations happening this year to be implemented in FY27? >> Yes. Okay. My contract is up at the end of this fiscal year. >> We have
>> and let me just check on let me bring up um Dave's contract real quick. >> Be in the third year. Yeah, his ends 2027 and then we are in the second year of
three years for the police collective bargaining. >> So we'll have to do that coming up. >> Okay. All right. So, I'm going to take from that then that what we can assume is that all of the salary lines for
contracted positions, we can just look at the current contracts to >> to get their um their salaries. Um the one exception is the town administrator salary. We'll have to sort
of depending on the timeline for that >> negotiation, we'll we'll have a placeholder in until we have um a finalized number for that. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> But we don't typically go looking for that. That's the number that the TA gives us um because we don't go through
the contracts in general. >> Um Okay. All right. Let me give just uh a brief update on the this four towns fiscal sustainability
group and then um and then Haley after that if you could do a little open meeting law refresher for us >> and um I think we might be able to wrap up at that point. Uh so
the kind of a couple interesting developments on this four towns fiscal sustainability group. One is that there was and I was aware of this group but I didn't actually know like um much about
kind of the work they were doing. It turns out there is there is actually is a fiscal sustainability group or subcommittee of the regional school committee that has been sort of thinking about collecting data planning um and they have shared a
report um that essentially summarizes their work and findings. I'm going to share that with you all because I can't recall if I actually sent that out to everybody. So I will send that. Um so you have that and there's a bunch of
sort of interesting I think findings. Um some of which I think were a little bit sort of counterintuitive or sort of contradicted. I think some assumptions that people in the sort of
what I'm going to just refer to as the four towns group which you know sort of like the finance committee people and the select board people with town counselors that are sort of meeting independently of the the um the uh regional school committee and and so
some of those things are there was an assertion in their report that that starting teacher salaries in the regional district are significantly lower than some other
districts like 7 to 10%. Now their report specifically said starting salaries which makes me think that like maybe it's a different story if we actually look at the sort of average teacher salary and you know it might be
the case that Ammerst and you know teachers um compared to other districts might may have more seniority. I'm not I'm not sure. I mean, so so there's a set of follow-up questions that are being submitted to them. But anyway, so I
think that's that's one sort of counterintuitive finding. I think that there was a finding in there that said that the ARP's budget increase for FY26 was smaller than many other districts that approved increases that were in the
8 to 15% in um range. Um the report asserted that um ARBs has reduced its teaching staff um over the by by a significant margin
over the last two decades. I think it was like 30 something percent which I think contradicted a point that some Ammeris town counselor folks had which was where they had looked at like the total FTEEs
for the district and saw that as a relatively stable number over this time period. So I think that's one of the follow-up questions for them as well. Is it possible that the number of teachers are decreasing but maybe
the number of support staff or pair of professionals is increasing or something. Anyway, so there's some follow-up questions on that. Um uh anyway, I'll share the report with you, but I think the way I think people in this fiscal sustainability group are
thinking about it now is that why are we working independently from this subcommittee of the regional school committee, right? It seems silly. We're actually looking at a lot of the same topics. And so I think that there's been um a communication with the
superintendent and with um some members of the regional school committee to suggest that we actually have like a combined working group that where some of the people in this four towns data group could join their fiscal and that we actually kind of work on these things
together which I think I think there's an opportunity to to do some good work collaboratively. So hopefully that will happen and I think there's going to be a four towns meeting. Um I don't know what the time frame is but I think at that
meeting that's going to there's there's going to be an expectation that each town is going to share important information about their budget outlook for FY27. So, in some ways, it's good that we're pulling
together all this information for our department heads because I think I think we're going to want to share that information, a lot of that information or some of it with the the four challenge group as well so that people have an a good understanding of what are some of the kind of unique
challenges that we're dealing with in Shbury. So, at at a future meeting, maybe that October 21st meeting, I'm going to want to ask you all to help think through some of the sort of a set of talking
points or bullet points that we want to share at a future for towns meeting. So, that's something to sort of look forward to and think about um at maybe our next meeting. Um, okay. I think that's it on
unless you guys have any questions. Okay. Um, Haley, can you talk to us a little bit about um open meaning law and what are sort of the dos and don'ts? I
think um I'm often in this position where I'm like sharing information with the that I think the full committee needs like like this this report that I'm going to send you right after we wrap up tonight. And I think it would be good
for folks to know like what are the dos and don'ts around communication and information sharing and requests that happen in between posted fin meetings. >> Okay. Yep. I got a very quick crash
course to all the experts. Um so there are three definitions that you need to be mindful of deliberation. So any oral or written communication in any medium um between or among a quorum of say the
fincom on public business within its purview. Um so that's sharing opinions, feelings, ideas, beliefs or concerns about public business. Um you got to be mindful of quorum. So that's just a simple majority. Communicating with a
quorum of the board is prohibited. Um and then medium. So it's everything. It's emails, texts, it's phone logs, it's Google Doc chats, um comments, and so basically it doesn't matter what
you're using. It's just that you're using something. Um and so >> can I can I ask follow question? So, for example, so like I'm gonna send this report out because I have it and you all
need to need to digest it and look at it. It's appropriate for me to share information and documents that I think committee members need to have access to.
>> But in the context of an email, for example, that shares that information or those documents, I can't communicate an opinion about what's in those documents. Is that >> correct? >> Okay. >> Um, so I'll jump ahead to what's
considered safe. um distributing the agenda, scheduling information, you know, when do we want to meet, distributing meeting materials, and any procedural information. Um it's just as soon as you say, I think this is the action we should take or someone replies
all that you violated the open meeting law. So, you just want to be careful again of expressing opinions, um hitting reply all, circulating those opinions. So if somebody expresses an opinion and then it gets reposted somewhere and then
proposing a formal action. And so those are things you do not want to do. And I will say that in my 6 months of experience on this job, there are folks who are very keenly aware of the open meeting law and who do exercise their right to file complaints. Um I think
we've had maybe three or more since I've been here. Um, so it's not uncommon that you might get a records request for something that you've sent out and just want to make sure that, you know, we don't have to pay any fines. >> Okay. And then and then I'm I'm sure
this is the case, but just just to make sure we're all on the same page, any sort of subcommittee work that as long as the membership of that subcommittee is three or fewer people can meet independently.
Uh do do those have to be posted? >> Yes. Subcommittees it's the same rule. So you still have to post you still have to do meeting minutes and all that. >> Okay. All right. Um and uh
so then so then the same thing would apply right outside of those posted subcommittee meetings. we can't communicate opinions about like I couldn't I couldn't for example email
um Susie and George on this document that we're going to be pulling together for department heads and say you know I like these bullets I don't like this bullet I don't think we should say it this way I think we should say like that that that kind of communication
would um would violate yeah >> it's definitely best to avoid it You can do like you can send out the meeting materials and if people have comments they can respond to you directly but that should be the only >> Okay. >> Direction of conversation.
>> Okay. Got it. All right. So not a reply all but just directly to the center. Okay Susie. >> Um but if we post it as a meeting we can have those conversations as part of our meeting. It's a public meeting. And then other pieces, um, Haley, I know you use
the sort of giant U, but, have you had complaints on the FINCOM? Because I I have like a sense of what we do and I want to make sure that I understand that what we do has not flagged a complaint. >> No. Um, but it is good to get the refresher because I don't think that was
something I talked to either Molly or Laura about. And coincidentally, all complaints are also public records, so you can look those up if you're so inclined. Yeah, I mean we definitely had one. I'm trying to think if it was last year or I
think it was last year, but that was that was an unusual situation because that was where we had a quorum of the finance committee join a select board meeting, right? And then we >> hadn't posted a meeting. We hadn't
posted a meeting and we actually I think multiple members spoke at that select board meeting and so yeah somebody yeah somebody filed the complaint. here. >> Yeah. To the uh mentioned CC all. So I I I guess I if if AJ you send something
out to all of us. >> Um I could reply back to you just to you and and indicate what I think about something. Um but if I copying the whole team >> uh that there's an issue. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Well, that's good. That's good to
understand. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And so sometimes with the select board like I'll put in italic somewhere and says, "Don't reply all to this email, you know, respond to me individually because then hopefully people read that." >> Yeah.
>> Um, Molly, >> so you were saying that if AJ, Susie, and George were to like talk about this document, they shouldn't do that. There are not a quorum. >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, I just you also want
to just kind of I think it's just important if you get in the habit of we that's not something we do then it totally it it's much safer that way I guess is what I'm saying. You know, yeah, you could maybe technically, but if you get in the habit of that,
you're more likely to run a risk. >> So that's why I just tell everyone, you know, just do it that one way. >> Yeah. Like I think in our example, I'm assuming since it's a threeperson subcommittee that a quorum would be
would be too, right? So, even even Susie replying to my email, just me um for that work, I think that probably would and and stating an opinion about some something I've shared would be would be technically a
violation and since that's a threeperson subcommittee. So, yeah. >> What do you think? Excuse me. No, >> I don't know. you know, then that would mean if we put four people on, you could reply to one
person. Um, and and we've we've done this work before and what we did is post it as a a meeting. >> So, in that case, we would probably do better to have four people at least putitively on the heading.
>> Okay. All right. So, we'll we'll we'll post I'll find out when George is available. We'll make it a posted meeting. We'll just >> we'll limit our communication to that meeting >> in the meeting, right?
>> Okay. Any questions from um for anybody? Okay. Thanks, Haley. >> No problem. >> Um anything else that we need to >> discuss tonight?
>> I want to check. Isn't it ARS? Ammerst Pelum Regional School. >> Yeah. Why do I always say? >> I mean, we call it ARPS. So, I'm trying to figure out if there's another acronym that's supposed to be R A R P.
>> Isn't it Amoris Regional Public School? >> That's a good question. >> Oh, yeah. >> I don't know which one it is. >> That's what it is. Well, you can go. It's on their website. There's an Ammerst Pelum Regional School. >> That's what it is. But I can see why
there could be another thing. Ammerst. >> All All I know is that is that all of the email addresses are are arbs.org. So, we're definitely we're using the acronym, right? We just don't >> I assume it's then >> I see what they did. They they
hyphenated Ammerst Pelum >> so they only go by the A. I see. >> So that'd be a re Okay. A and then regional public schools. >> Yeah. Exactly. >> Yeah. Tricky. >> It is tricky. >> We should bring that up at the next
meeting. >> Yes. No. >> All right. Um, anything else? >> All right. I'll make a a motion tojourn. A second. >> All right. Cashew I >> Moery,
>> Mosai, >> Widow Eye, >> Stagy, >> Walton I. >> Okay, thanks everybody. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Thank you for half an hour tonight. >> Take good care. >> No morning stories. Okay.
>> Bye. >> All right. Take care. >> Have a You'll have a good week. >> Yep. detail.