Okay. Uh, welcome everyone. Um, we have our fire chief with us tonight, Lenny. So, I'm going to share his proposed budget and we'll talk through it. Um,
Lenny, thanks for joining us. Um, this is, I think, at least your second year in a row talking to us about budgets. Probably >> third. >> Third. Yeah. Okay. >> Y. >> All right. So, um,
we've got a couple new members of the committee and this, you're the first of our department heads that we've been we met with this budget season. So, um I'll just say for the benefit of the new members that um this is kind of an
opportunity for us to have department heads walk us through their proposed budget. Um kind of give any important sort of rationale for why they're projecting the amounts they are
for various lines. gives us a chance to ask any kinds of clarifying questions and then uh we will let let it go for the night. So that that's the plan. Um, I'll also just say that one one of the
things you'll notice about I think pretty much most budgets that we're going to review with department heads is that there are not we're we're not we're just looking at their um other
than personnel expenses. Um so the kind of things like salaries and and um cola increases those get um those are obviously determined by the personnel board's
policy. So we'll we'll see those later in the year, but um we we typically don't see the salary portion of these budgets um since there's not really much to discuss there. So that's the explanation for that. So Lenny, do
you want to just kind of walk us through your FY27 proposed budget? And um >> Yes. Well, >> yeah. >> Well, I know the meeting I know the meeting we had the other week about the town basically is broke. So um I could
easily I could easily add several thousand to each one of those lines and put it to good use, but I know that's not what you guys would like. So, um I figure I can do it even board for this year for next year. >> And uh my issue here it's uh my
personnel costs are hard for me to re figure out because if we do a quick thing I should have uh um let me let me just go to one of the warrant payroll warrants.
Um, one, two, three, four. So, right now we have seven firefighters, not not including myself. And if I get new firefighters and they go do a lot of training, you know, that can obviously eat up the budget. Um, if I do
seven seven uh firefighters and we do uh tw uh basically 50 training Thursdays a year times 50 equals at three hours per training
>> is $1,50 times the hourly rate of $23 gets me to $24,000. just for training. That's without any ex uh that's without any first responder.
That's without any um um uh Franklin 6 or Mass Fire Academy hours, you know. So, and it's mostly also the call wages because again, some some years we've had a lot of calls and some years we haven't had many. Um it's
hard it's hard to predict when you're got when somebody's going to call 911. Uh several years ago we had 180 calls. And if we had uh just say average say 180 times say we have four people show
up out of three hours each time three that's 2100 hours times $23. That gets me to 49,000 for call wages possibly. So, that's kind of basically why I upped the wages a little bit, just
so I don't have to ask you like towards the end of the year. >> Um, hey, I don't have any money to train people for this weekend or or okay, maybe we can't, you know, maybe >> I'll pick and choose who who gets to go to the call, you know, and that's
something I don't want to do. So, that's basically why I upped it a little bit for the trainings and the uh call wages. >> Okay. So I think you've done some you kind of walked us through some math that I think is helpful for our committee to
just be aware of. So on the training >> uh line the the So you essentially hold a training day a week. Is that did I understand that correctly? Is that kind of the
>> Yes, pretty much we train every Thursday night for about three to three and a half hours. Uh and then also there's uh first responder training that we have to do. >> Uh that can be whenever evenings on the week or could be on uh could be every
other Saturday for like a month. Um we did a car a live fire car burn last weekend. So that was about five hours on Saturday for everybody, you know. So uh we do extra stuff. I'm pretty sure you
guys kind of uh whatever I spend one year, you kind of carry it over to the next year. At least that's what I kind of feel like you guys did the last several years. >> Um I know you upped it when I asked for the three-hour minimum. >> And I was just snuck in one year just I
was just basically just below what you guys gave me for that year. >> And I'm just kind of like if we get more calls than that year, we're going to be over it. Right. >> So,
>> so yeah, I'm looking. It looks like on the training wages. Um, so we've we've been budgeted at 27,000
for last year and uh let's see I uh >> and that's for this year AJ right at 27,000 >> sorry for the current year. Yeah, exactly. uh prior to that. So FY
25 actually NF FY25 you were budgeted at 27,000 but you actually your actual spent was looks like 25 >> 26 >> Yeah. Yeah. 26,000. Okay. Uh, and then I'm
looking FY24 actual was 22.5, FY23 was 21.4 and then uh actual for 22 was 19.3. Okay. All right.
So, I think kind of one thought I had here was I wonder if there if it would be a reasonable request for us to hold this training line
um level from last year with the understanding that you're going to you're going to operate the department exactly like you need to and if if at some point this year it turns out that I
don't know you're you've got greater attendance at trainings or more trainings are scheduled and you end up exceeding that $27,000 budget. you know, you you know, we we
would obviously have some recourse to give you to to to make a transfer to accommodate that that need, but um given that it doesn't look like we've exceeded that $27,000
budget, I haven't actually looked at um the FY25 actuals. I suppose we could do that. Um >> it's right there. >> Yeah. Oh, sorry. No, I'm at the uh >> 26 actually. >> 26 uh which of course we're in. So uh yeah. So I don't know. I guess given all
of that, I'm wondering if you think it might be reasonable to actually for both the training and the call wages lines to maybe leave those level with an understanding that you could come to us if you end up exceeding those lines. And
again, the message I think would be operate the department the way you have and don't make any adjustments on account of these budgeted amounts. Would would that does that strike you as a reasonable >> request?
>> I think yeah, I think that's reasonable. Um, pretty much like I can't control when somebody comes to drill or takes six months off and >> right >> and goes to go through there. I have taken several people off the roster just because they were in college and it doesn't seem like they're going to be
coming back, >> right? >> Um so that's why it's down to seven now. Um I might get one or two new people shortly. >> Uh so it's kind of that's that part's out of my control. I mean, I really wish we had over 10 people on the department
because uh you know, if I'm out for a training somewhere or you know, anything, it's like sometimes there's not really anybody in town to respond. So, um that's my, you know, that's my two cents there. So, it's not easy having, uh, you know, the town always,
uh, you know, 100% coverage. It's pretty difficult sometime. And I really wish we did. I wish I had more people on the department personally, but uh that's that's all. >> Yep. And that um that seven
num that number of of seven firefighters, how does that compare to sort of recent history in terms of how many folks we've carried on? >> It's pretty low, but all the members are
fairly active. So, we've had uh we've had up to like probably like 13 members on the department, but you could probably pick almost five of them that would hardly ever make trainings and ever make uh calls, >> right? >> So, at least the seven that's on now are
all really active. So, >> Gotcha. Okay. Uh Susie, I see your hand up. Um I looked on the current um as of November 16th and 33% of call of training wages have been spent.
>> Okay. All right. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Um All right. So the other suggestion, the other suggestion I had was I I I actually s thought there might be
um um a rationale for keeping the training and call wages lines level for now, but giving a slight boost to your maintenance. Maybe you could talk us a little through that line because it
looks like that got over spent by a decent amount and I'm wondering if there was anything unusual last year or if if that line might be actually under funded given the realities
>> it would be more money on mainten maintenance would be nice. I mean I would put it to good use. So, uh, fiscal year 2025, the, uh, engine 2 failed the pump test for a number of reasons. And so, I had
to send it out to, uh, down to Rhode Island for like three weeks to get the pump worked on. >> And that was like um that was like a 10 or $11,000 bill. >> Uh, and Gabe Gabe ran it through. I think when I got the bill, it was like
last February, I think. >> Mhm. >> Or maybe January. I don't know exactly when, but around that time frame. >> And uh Gabe ran it through as a special request and she made it happen. Um as for this year for maintenance, I kind of
scheduled a lot of the maintenance to get it done and over with in the beginning of the fiscal year rather than scramble at the end. Mhm. >> Um and again, engine two needed a fair amount, both engine two and engine one needed a fair amount of extra work outside the
actual service. Um and that's why those bills are a little higher than normal and that's why my maintenance is almost uh spent for the year. That's as of right now. Um I don't anticipate next year being that bad, but I don't know. I
mean, I can't tell you when the fire truck's going to break, you know. So, um Yeah. >> Okay. >> I think Susie's got >> I have some numbers. Um so, >> yeah, please.
>> Yeah. So, 91% of the maintenance budget is spent for FY26. um 33% of the training budget and 52% of the call wages has been spent. So this occurred to me as we're sitting here.
Maybe I can prepare those kind of numbers for everybody's budget so you see where they are. >> Um because we are not we are finishing the we're just starting the sixth month of our budget. Is that right? >> Um
>> yeah just starting number six. So, >> um, that gives you a idea of what the spending is. >> Yeah, that's good. That's good information. And I guess there's generally a little bit of a lag, right, on the the spending and on on some of those
lines. So, >> um, okay. >> So, so I just need to check with Lenny. Are you expecting because you did a lot of the maintenance up front, was there anything else you were thinking you were going to attempt on maintenance this year? Um, yeah, I was going back and
forth. I was trying to get uh it would be nice if I can get the uh power inverters installed in some of the trucks. I have to get a quote from a guy. >> Um, I don't know if I could sneak it a little bit of that in from the uh the equipment line item because it's kind of
half equipment, half maintenance in a way. Mhm. >> Um I would like to eventually move a lot of the gas engines and take them off the truck fire trucks and put replace them with battery tools. >> Um just so it'll be a lot nicer not to
have gas cans inside the truck inside the trucks and have maybe the chainsaws, the gas powered chainsaws be on the shelf. If we have a big ice storm, we could pull them out then. But uh just for light duty work, I think battery tools would be sufficient. Um, that
would save us a generator and gas cans and stuff on the fire truck. So, I'll need uh power inverters to put do that so I can charge back the cordless dual batteries. >> Um, yeah. Uh, Lenny, I think when when it
comes time to do to make that transition >> that that sounds like um a good project for capital planning committee. So since it's kind of >> I think I could sneak, you know, I in a way I think I can just sneak it into the maintenance budget and equipment budget
and Okay. >> be done with it. So >> it's not a significant Yeah. >> Uh not not entirely. Um Rome wasn't built in a day. So I'd kind of go in the same approach here. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um,
so I'm thinking I here's what here's what I'm thinking is maybe um le like just just to sort of throw an alternative proposal here. Um, what if
we level funded training wages to 27,000 again with an understanding that we we may see you at some point next year with a a finance committee um transfer request. Uh, and then, you
know, maybe boosted your call wages to like 21,000 something like that. >> Okay. Then um maybe uh increase your maintenance line to I
don't know some something like 18,000 which is not a significant change but it's at least a little bit more >> flexibility. Do those sound like >> I think that sounds good. If I mean maintenance is a tricky one because if nothing breaks and all I have to do is
service, you know, there could be a lot of money still on the table that I could just leave to the town, too. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, I think that's fine. I think that's reasonable. >> Yeah. I mean, may maybe we're sort of maybe I'm kind of overreacting to, you
know, two years now in a row where you've had kind of significant issues that you've had to deal with on in terms of maintenance. But um we could always if it if that turns out to be the case, we could always >> return that number to something lower in
a you know in a following. >> Yeah. Okay, that sounds good. >> What any other thoughts from the fincom um about some of those suggestions? >> What what would that bring the bottom
line to? Right. >> Let's see. Trying to keep that the same. >> Yeah. So, we said 27. So, this thing is a PDF right now. So, I'm gonna have to just do the math here. >> Um, >> do you want me to resubmit this?
Uh I think once we wrap up this discussion I think if if if if you are on board with some of these suggestions then I would recommend yeah just plugging in uh some of these new numbers and then resubmitting that just so we
have well we'll have a record of it in the minutes but it's nice to have >> yeah a clean form. So I think we said uh >> operating is the same. >> Yeah. 8,100 for operating
>> maintenance. >> 18,000 for >> maintenance. Equipment. >> Okay. Um >> and 188 for >> Yeah, we'll level fund equipment at 188.
Then uh 27,000 for >> training >> training wages. And then >> you said 21 >> Yeah, 21,000 for call wages. That would bring us to
>> 7,000. >> Wait, is that I think I did something wrong here. Is that I got 92,900. Is that right? Let's see. Did I do math right? I have 76700. Does that look right? >> Too low.
>> I think you're I think you're missing a line there. So I have 92,900. So, >> so that what did you have maintenance as? 18. >> I had it at 18,000. >> Okay. 18.7.
So, that's 16. >> So, it's essentially >> level funding >> level funding the budget with just um you know a slight increase on maintenance. Uh why is that? I feel like
we should be We should be Something's not adding up. >> I have 929 900. >> Yeah, 92,900. >> Okay. >> I feel like we've added more than $500. >> So why double
>> Oh, you know why? Because the the FY26 total includes the emergency management which is actually a separate >> right >> budget line al together. So, let me just make sure that's right. >> And does that sound doable for you,
Lenny? Because it's really asking you to do a level fund. >> Yeah. Yeah, I can. Yeah, it's uh it's something I can do. >> All right. So the the total for FY26 for everything
not including the emergency management um director stipen is 89,44 >> 89 what was it again? 404 >> for FY26 >> for FY26. Right. So this would
this this budget for FY27 is an increase of $3,496 >> which is basically a 3.9% increase. >> Yeah. over um
FY26. >> Yeah, I think I can do that. >> Okay. All right. So, if you wouldn't mind um just yeah, resubmitting this with those
new uh values for for those three lines that we've altered from from here and resubmit that. That that would be great. And you know, we'll we'll just we'll we'll keep looking at your budget next year um at different points in the year
and see how we're doing on training and call wages and see if there's a need to have you come do a >> y a transfer request. Susie. >> So, I think the important message too is is you you stated that
um Lenny needs to run the fire department as he needs it to be run and that it is okay to come to the fincom for um expenditures that are not anticipated. And then we're talking about that for FY26.
>> And then um when we get into passing a budget for FY27, we're hoping these numbers hold. But again, we want the department to be run in a safe and appropriate way and so >> we're prepared to meet some of that if
necessary out of the fincom reserve. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah, I appreciate it. Thank you. >> Okay, Lenny, just I had one clarifying question just it'd be helpful for for our info. you had quoted um uh a a wage
that we pay for training and for call wages. Was it was that the same wage or is there a different wage that we pay for training versus call wages? >> No, they're the same. But >> 23 >> as of right now, this is what the
warrants We have 23 uh3 an hour. >> So $23.3. >> Yeah. >> Uh and 30 cents. >> Oh, and 30 cents. Okay, got it. And I assume I assume that gets um we have the
same cola policy that gets calculated for those wages. Is that is that right? >> Yes. Becky gave me the number and then uh Haley gave me the other number from >> uh for FY26 and
>> I just realiz I never >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Training and calls is the same wage except it is a three-hour minimum for >> right >> for for calls. >> I I just have have you found that to be helpful in recruiting people, having
people stay or >> um >> how how has that worked out? I think it helps for the people that make the lot the most of the calls. I do. Um, obviously somebody can't really leave their job when they're working in Ammerst or Deerfield. Um, I think it
helps some. Um, like I said, we don't have many people on the department, so it's uh, >> yeah, >> I think it helps. >> I suppose it's like a twoprong thing, right? It's there's a question of does
it help you recruit um firefighters and then does it help the the actual response rate for calls? Is that is that is that a theory that like having a minimum? >> Well, put it this way. If we didn't pay
him anything, I don't think some of them would be here at all. >> Right. >> So, I I think at the end of the day, it is helpful. It is a pretty expensive hobby as for being a call firefighter. M >> um so at least you know they can get something if they're leaving their job
to come to come to the station. >> Um I think it helps. Um did we get too much? It's it's hard to say right now with you know we only have seven people on the department. Um,
you know, when I when it's hard to tell because uh, you know, before we had when we had Mark, we never had to pay Mark Mark Foster and he was he was just into it. I mean, >> and now I don't have that, you know. So, he was a he was a pretty big part of having uh like a response up until he
passed away. Um, and obviously uh we couldn't pay him for calls because of his disability, but he was super helpful. I can think of a number of calls that was just him and as of you know right now I'm thinking I think last
year we had two non-responses. One was we're in orange at a at a fire so we couldn't respond because everybody's in orange. Um and then another time I was yeah nobody was in town. So, um I can think Mark was in
town a lot and he did a number of of uh solo responses >> and I wish we could find somebody like them uh like him. Um, that's I don't it's it's really hard to really
tell exactly one year to the next with uh with firefighters because it's like one of them may have a kid kid and all of a sudden that goes out the window. You can't stop what you're doing and leave your leave an infant on the floor, you know, to go to the fire station. So,
you know, every person's unique on the fire department and it's kind of hard and every year is unique and every year is kind of a challenge. So, it's really hard to say one thing is going to make or break everything, but I think it helps. >> Yeah. >> So, >> good.
>> That makes sense. Good. Okay. Any other questions for Lenny before we cut him loose? Jim? >> Yeah. Um before we leave uh we lose Lenny, Lenny, when we met last week going over all this, we talked quite a bit about capital, too. And I I know
tonight we're not going to get into capital. That's not on the agenda. >> Um but you did have a a nice document that you put together that >> that basically is is more of a planning document for the future >> future needs, >> capital needs. And I don't know if
there's anything you want to share tonight. Uh just briefly, you know, it's not really part of the agenda, but since you have the finance committee, uh >> I don't know how to put it on. Um I don't know how to put it on. Maybe
unless I could email it to one of you people. Um yeah. Um is this the upto-date one? I mean, AJ, if we do have a little time to go through this, it might be Yeah, it might be helpful.
>> I think we've got plenty of time tonight. We don't have much on the agenda besides. >> All right, let me uh let's see. Do I email it to >> You can email it to uh finerry.org. All right, I just sent it.
>> Okay, one thing this doesn't happen. This really wasn't on my radar up until last Friday when we got to lower the lake. And I'm now wondering about the, you know, we might have to have the lake lower by uh, you know, five feet, which
is actually going to be very difficult to draft water from with the fire trucks. Um, I was looking at other >> Could you Sorry. Could could you kind of w explain that one more time? Um, I think I >> uh the Lake Wyola is a water source
obviously for the fire department. >> Yep. And I never thought of this up until last Friday. The dam office of dam safety wants us to lower the lake by three feet >> because of issues at the dam. >> Five feet.
>> And five feet. Three feet. >> Five feet total. >> Yeah. Five feet total. >> So it's it's three feet more than it usually is for this time of year. Is that >> Yes. >> Okay. Wow. >> So that means our stand pipe is going to be in the air when we're trying to
draft. And I don't know if this is going to be issues. I was talking to the Wendle fire chief and at some point I would like to think about putting an additional uh uh standpipe in just over the border in Wendell for the Lake Wyola
region. So I don't know. I haven't really gotten too too far with this right now, but that's that would be another thing to put on my uh >> long-term equipment needs here. >> Is the Beaver Dam at the at the bridge,
is that impacting it as well? >> No, those are two separate dams. And the Beaver Dam is actually removed. So, that was >> dismantled last week. Yes, for now. >> Yeah. >> So,
So, um, >> why don't you walk us through Yeah. what you >> Okay, >> here. >> We have our our I should have put a date on this because I had made this uh a year or two ago. >> Mhm. >> But basically, our rescue that goes on
every medical and motor vehicle accident. Uh, it's a pretty new truck and I think it's gotten another, you know, not 15 years from now, but it's 10 plus years easily. Mhm. >> Um, engine one, it's our uh it's our
newer engine. It's a 2016. It can be used as an engine or a tanker. And uh we take it pretty much pretty much to any fire we go to. And that's that that engine's over a million dollars
replacement. Um, and that's a 15 I think it should be good for another 15 years. Engine two is kind of the one I would like to replace. Uh, that's a primary engine. It's a little bit smaller than our engine one, so it can get in. That's kind of like our first response because
it can get up, right? It can basically go up anybody's driveway. It's a a little bit smaller. Um, and I'm got a couple quotes in the 700 to 850 range for them. And I would like to that's the
one I would like to get going on replacing in the next couple years. Um, and then I'm looking at brush one and brush two. Uh, brush one is a was the old rescue truck and it's a 91 and
it does start hard. Uh, it would be nice to get a new brush truck at some point. I think I was thinking after the engine because the engines the I think the the engine to me is more important than the brush truck.
Um though the cost will be substantially less at you know it's basically an F F450 body and we can uh we can put the skid unit with the pump on it on the on the new truck. So we don't really have to buy a we just need to buy the the
pickup truck and frame and without a bed and put the bed from our old brush truck on the new truck. So, we're just buying an actual F550 or something. >> Mhm. >> And uh we got Brush 2. It's the Army
truck. Uh that's the one that's kind of it works good when it's working. It's problematic a lot of times. It's not easy to run. Half me would like just to possibly get a little bit bigger of a brush truck and just have one brush
truck instead of two. But, uh, I kind of most of the firefighters don't want to see that happen. So, I'm kind of in the thinking phase on that. So, >> I got the chief's car. That's the one I drive pretty much every day. Um, that's
almost brand new, so I think it should be good for 15 years. >> Uh, her SCBAs, uh, we got, uh, I should have put the date when we bought them on that. SCBAs are still surv
every 15 years though some departments have them a little old longer than that. Uh that's kind of a big ticket item coming up in a few years. So we have uh nine air packs total at seven grand a
piece. That would be definitely a uh >> is that the equipment that at one point we had this um idea of kind of making a contributing to >> the bottles? >> Yeah. >> So the bottles are separate that they're
used with the SCBAs but they're separate. >> I see. >> So uh that's the bottles go on the SCBAs. >> Okay. Got it. And uh those also have a 15-year lifespan. But you know how I said several years ago that we're just
buying bottles that we quite not need right now. >> Mhm. >> You know, so we do have a fair amount of them. So the first batch with 15 at 15 years, you know, we still have a bunch to be serviceable. >> We still have a bunch that we can still
put on the truck. So I'm not that worried about the SCBA bottles. Mhm. >> Um, the SCBA compressor. This is one that's pretty expensive, but it could, it's a pretty old compressor. It's mid90s, but it doesn't have many hours
on it. So, it's kind of hard to say when it's going to go down or when it's, it could be good for another 10 years. Uh, I get a serviced once once a year and uh and I submit the air quality and that gets tested once a year and it seems to
be okay. So, um, and then I also have the bottom here is a 30,000galon water tank. I would like at the school right now. The elementary school has basically no water to put a fire out there. So, basically, whatever we show up with a
fire truck, that's the water we have. It would be nice to have a like a sistern in the in the ground near the near the elementary school that we could one truck could pull up to and spray water for a good 30 minutes. So if that might
have a chance to put the fire out. >> Um so probably right below that it would be nice to add another stand pipe in the Lake Wyola region. And I don't think I was going to talk to a couple contractors to see how much they cost, but uh I don't know if the highway
department can do it or it might be easier just to have a contractor do it. But, uh, I know I don't I haven't really been around when the ones in town were put in, so I'm not really quite too familiar with it, but I do know it's
basically just a plastic pipe going out to the middle of the pond and a pipe coming up right by the road that with a, you know, with a fitting on it. So, >> I don't know the cost on those. probably you're looking at probably two to three
thousand in materials and probably, you know, probably double that for for labor if we were to hire an outside contractor. And if a highway department could do it, it would probably just be materials. So, >> okay.
>> Yeah, those are that's the stuff on my radar basically. >> Well, this is a great planning document. Super helpful. Um, so it sounds like the the smaller engine is the is the in the in the immediate term is the the project
that we're likely to see >> in the next year or two. Is that right? >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. That's helpful. Do you think you'll be submitting a request to capital planning this year or do you thinking next year maybe?
>> Um, I don't know. Um, I'm usually behind on a lot of stuff, so I might not get to it this year. >> But, uh, yeah, it, you know, the the engine's a 97, >> you know, so it would be coming up 30 years pretty quick. So,
>> um, I think 30 years for a firetruck. It doesn't owe us anything. I did get a quote for rebuilding it because I know several people really want it rebuilt to save money. And the quote that I got was $390,000.
And that essentially doesn't change. It's the same engine, transmission, and wiring harness. So, and drivetrain. So, I'm like, man, we're getting the same truck back except new lights and a new paint job for >> almost $400,000. I just I just kind of
felt that was good money after bad. >> Yes. So, um, yeah, because I know people still still ask about it. So, >> yeah. Well, that I mean, it would be good to share that information with with Capital Planning when you're >> when you're ready to submit this. Yeah.
>> Yeah. I never really met with Capital Planning, honestly. I know I've met with you guys every year. I haven't really I don't know if I maybe missed one of their meetings or they've just never invited me. So the so the process I mean if unless you submit um a request to
them and um uh and there's a there's a form that gets filled out um a capital request form unless you submit a request. They're not going to invite you to to any okay to a meeting. But as but if you
do um then uh then uh they'll they'll invite you to a meeting and it's you know it'll be to your benefit to have as much of the sort of documentation the quotes the rationale kind of sort of
mapped out for them. That's the kind ofation that failed failed. >> I did give this I did give this to Ellen McCay several times. Okay. At least I think I did. >> Yeah. >> Or at least I remember I did. >> I mean, I used to be part of the the capital planning committee and I remember hearing about this. So, yeah. I
I I think it's I think it's sort of on their general radar, but there's a difference between that and then actually having um you know, a request in hand. So, yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, we did see this this list in in capital planning. I mean, and I
think one of the I mean, just thoughts that came up with us. I mean, in terms of the firetruck is it sounds like I mean, it's taking a long time right now for firet trucks to be built and, you know, whether we need to get that in Q. Um, also, >> yeah, the the salesman that I just recently talked to, he said like we
could get it in like four to five months. Okay. >> So, I'm not really asking for anything custom. If you want a custom firet truck, you can be out a year. If you can get more something a little more close to a stock standard firet truck, you can save a little more money and they're
more more available. Um, I don't really need all the bells and whistles. I think something stock and I'm not really too thrilled with the total everything being custom on it, you know. I don't think uh I don't think it's all that much helpful
honestly. So, >> good good to know. >> Yeah. AJ AJ just yeah from from my understanding uh so capital planning the planning the capital planning committee they only look at the uh >> uh capital requirements for the upcoming
year for that that subsequent year. They're not looking beyond that from a for planning purposes or long-term planning purposes. They're not really >> we're working on building a better long-term planning process. >> Okay, that's good to that's good to hear.
>> Yeah. Um and I and I think looking at Lenny's document here, this is when we get into the role of looking at capital stabilization and you know what to allocate towards capital stabilization to help dampen out the year-to-year
blips somewhat uh impact on town and the town the town taxes. Uh this kind of a document can be really helpful, you know, in combination in combination with what you're talking about, Laura, >> uh with looking at a longer term plan. Yeah, I mean I think that's that is one
of the things we ought to um I think discuss this year is looking at the the contribution that that we include in the operating budget for capital stabilization.
And you know I think there's a I think it's it's been a long time since we've looked at what we're contributing Um and of course we have an amount but then you know we subtract from that any
debt service we're actually responsible for in in that budget year. And so I think one of the questions is do we need to actually start to to do to make a more significant contribution to
um to to the capital stabilization account in anticipation of some really big ticket items like a fire truck fire engine and I think if I remember correctly the highway department has a big ticket item coming up uh in the near
near future. Um, so you know, and this whole thing with Pelum, I think has gotten me thinking about this as well. If you'll recall from our last meeting, they, you know, they've been putting aside money every year. I mean, their
their goal really is to not utilize to to to to not rely on borrowing for their big capital projects. And so that's how they deal that's how they're dealing with the school roof. And you know, and that might be a little bit of
an extreme sort of strategy, but I don't know. But but I but I it has gotten me thinking that maybe we should be putting away more in our capital stabilization. I think we it's been a couple year. a few years now where we haven't had like
a big big ticket item like a you know um and obviously outside of the new library building but um so yeah >> you might not have to go to the extreme AJ like a helum but but still you know
maybe some level of >> additional capital stabilization in line with some level of borrowing. >> Yes. >> Yeah. What? >> Well, I'll I'll ask a question after Susie. >> Okay. >> Two things. One is that our number has
stayed fixed while inflation has gone on. So clearly, you could just rationalize that we need to have more in our capital stabilization because the items we're buying are more expensive and the loans are bigger. The other piece I'm wondering is
um perhaps Lenny should submit the request for a new engine 2 this year so that the capital planning begins to wrestle with it. Um because it may not take an extra long time to turn around the order, but
people gathering the information and understanding what's um needed might take um some time. So, I I wonder if he should um submit it for this year's capital plan. >> Okay. Uh one question on uh say if I did
the fire truck in five years from now, would it be possible to have like, you know, like a 50,000 a year fund for like five years going right to the fire truck? Is that something doable? Because like the library was doing that for, you know, for some money for a number of
years. So would this be something doable or >> Well, I mean that's essentially what I'm talking about is Yeah, totally. It wouldn't be earmarked specifically for fire department, but it would be um but but we have a line in our operating
budget which is literally written as transfer to capital stabilization and for Susie might have a better understanding for how long we've been I think we've been doing it for at least five six years. Um we we have an amount
which is basically $113,000 that we that we contribute from the operating budget to our capital stabilization account. But there's an important caveat which is that that we
only transfer $113,000 when in a year where we're we're not incurring any debt service for any projects in that G year. What we do is we essentially subtract
any debt service that we're paying in a given year from that amount of $113,000. And so for in FY I'm looking at the budget. So in FY24 we only contributed $54,000
to capital sta stabilization because we, you know, had roughly $70,000 in in debt service that we paid in that year. In FY25, we only contributed $86,000 to capital stabilization. And in FY26
with the library debt service coming into play, we actually didn't contribute anything to capital stabilization. So that policy I think is something that we I think need to revisit and think about whether
we want to whether that whether a that's the right amount but also just the concept of basically offsetting that contribution with um you know with whatever debt service we're paying in that given year. It's easy.
>> But I think that Lenny offered yet another um model >> and it would be and you know who all thinks about this um would be that the town would contribute a earmarked fund
to a fire truck at a certain amount like he said the library did. And that money came out of um >> that money came out of well originally it got put into the operating budget. >> Yeah, it was it was
>> I don't remember though if we put any free cash against it but so this is another model. That's another piece of model and there are probably pros and cons and there may be people who are more um supportive of a specific
earmarked firet truck fund and that that would be another way to sort of approach the public. So I think we probably need to consider different concepts but I do think the first step is for it to go the proposal to go to the capital planning so we begin to wrestle with it.
>> Yeah. So I think that that strategy for Susie and Lenny that doesn't work for uh the kind of capital project where you know it's it's a short term like you need it soon because the whole concept is that you know like maybe the the
newer the the engine one you know where you think you've got somewhere 10 to 15 years of life on that on that vehicle that might be an appropriate um strategy where you're sort of building a fund. We're contributing a
certain amount of it every year and then by the time you get to the point where that current truck has, you know, is ready to be turned over, you've you've got a substantial um it wouldn't it wouldn't help you for engine two because
you've you're going to need to replace that it sounds like in the next, you know, year or two. And so yeah. Yeah, the idea of building a fund is not it's not going to happen in in one one year or something. >> Well, I was thinking if it could knock, you know,
>> if the fund got up to $100,000, then that's it turns a 750 >> Yeah. >> firetruck into a 650 firet truck. >> Sure. And just to give everybody the the background, we I think through FY22,
>> we would contribute every year $25,000 >> from the operating budget to a new library building fund. And I do think in one year, Susie, we did
we because of um of uh kind of COVID related sort of financial concerns, we for in that in that one year we used cash reserves to fund that. But typically what we had been doing was
actually just h you know using tax levy to fund that that line every year. uh April. >> Yeah. I wonder if there would be a way of taking once we have our certified free cash designating a certain percent of that to go into capital stabilization
on an annual basis. Um I'm not sure if that would need a twothirds majority vote from the town to do that. Um, but just to have it. So when when we get our free cash certified, a percent of that
goes right into capital stabilization. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. That's that's a thought. Um, yeah. These are these are good these are good topics for us to consider this year. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Any other questions for Lenny?
>> Thanks. All right, Lenny, really appreciate all the preparation. Uh, >> okay. Thank you. >> And also the flexibility on some of these new numbers we proposed, but >> I think the message was heard loud and clear. Just, you know, none of this should impact
>> the important decisions you're making about how you run the department. It's just a matter of, you know, how we budget and things. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. Yeah. Thank Thanks, L. Good meeting with you last week. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. come back again for another tour if you want.
>> Okay, we'll do. >> All right, take care. Thank you. >> Thanks, Lenny. Um, okay. So, I think as everybody saw from my email, uh, the highway department needed to postpone,
not just for the weather, but that that I think was a big issue. But I think that I email George sent me yesterday was that there were also a couple of budget related sort of decisions or that um Dave was
still needing to kind of think through. So one of the things we'll have to do maybe we want to just jump to that right now is think about where to slot him in. Um so I'm going to pull up the schedule.
Um, and actually one thing, just a housekeeping thing, Haley, since um since the budget for Lenny that I had was um was a PDF, I can't make any changes to it. So, it sounds like he is going to sub resubmit it to you. Um,
yes. If you wouldn't mind just replacing when you get it from him, the document in the Google Drive with the >> the the the figures that we changed tonight just because I'm I don't want to lose lose
track of that. Um, okay. So, uh, question is what to do about highway. So, I really would like to keep December
30th open if possible because I know that everybody that's a big travel time and I'm I don't even know what where I'm going to be myself. I'm wondering if we could do if if we think we can do that combine it
with the elementary school >> budget review on the 13th. >> Yeah. >> All right. I'm gonna slot slot them in there and let George know. Um, okay. All right. I think that that should
cover it. And then I just got uh the treasurers budget. I don't think it's actually in the Google Drive yet, so I'll add it. Um, and I believe we have the assessors there. So, I think we're all ready for our next one, but let me
just confirm that. Uh, yep. So, we've got the assessor's budget in the Google Drive and the treasurer's budget will be there um later as soon as we wrap up tonight. So,
um, for the December 16th meeting, those documents should be ready for you guys to to review. Um, okay, that's it on and then I saw
Susie that you put uh or or somebody put the elementary school preliminary budget in there as well. >> You did that. >> I did that. All right. I sent it to you and you dropped it in because I >> I didn't remember doing that. Okay. Uh
All right. So, let's do some minutes and then I have an update for you guys on um regional school budget stuff. Uh all right. And since George is not here, we'll have I'll have to make changes.
uh it's in this word version. Okay. All right. So, this is November 19th. Um Okay. So, let's take a look at this. Great
on this um tax Great reconciliate uh reconciliation question. Did everybody get George sent the an Excel workbook with all his calculations? Did Did that get sent to everybody? Okay, good.
All right. Okay. Any These look great to me. Does anybody have any questions or suggestions? >> There's a correction on page two um section 7B. There's roughly 680
people there, not 600. >> All right. >> Um, that's the only offer I have. >> Okay. Anybody else have any other corrections or questions? >> All right. So, I'll make a motion to
approve the minutes for November 19th as amended. >> Second. >> Second. Okay, I think I'm up first tonight. Cashew I >> Moer I >> Moss I. >> Soyto I. >> Stein of stain
>> Walton I put that right. Uh so I will save this. I'll send it to George. Okay. Um, Haley, I didn't get a chance to follow
up with you on whether the select board had a chance to talk about this four towns regional school working group thing. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Um, they are comfortable with you and I representing the town.
>> Okay, great. Perfect. Um so um I met with uh uh the other members of this data group today pretty briefly. The update is that um John Tricky is going to represent
Palum. Um Steve Weiss is going to represent Leverit. Um and uh Ammerst is figuring out what they're going to do because they've got these uh council members that I think
want to participate. I think the message that's going to be sent to them is that this um the collaboration that was discussed at the four towns meeting is really a
research and sort of study exercise. It's not a decision-making, you know, body. And so there will be an opportunity for sort of the larger four towns group to um you know to to to deliberate on re
you know recommendations and strategies. But that this what what's really on the table right now is essentially like a um kind of a expanded research group that includes the region's fiscal
sustainability committee and um essentially you know one uh representative from each town which is our kind of currently constructed data group. Um the Haley the the the larger
Four Towns group is going to meet on Tuesday. Uh I think you should have gotten >> um an invite. Great. Okay. So on Tuesday at uh 2:15. Um one of the things that's going to
complicate this is I guess in in January every year Ammerst Town Council like does their assignments for the year. So it may be like it may be like a totally new group of people that they designate to work on on
um with with the region on this stuff. But anyway, that that's that's not our problem. Um okay the in terms of strategy like what we're going to do um the the data group has started a list of
um essentially like uh here it is um kind of topic areas that uh we would sort of propose to kind of work with the fiscal
sustainab ability committee to kind of research and I'm going to share I haven't had a chance to um do any kind of detailed uh suggestions on this but this is kind
of where the sort of draft looks like right >> AJ could you remind me who is in the fiscal sustainability group >> so that's um that's the regionals committee and Mets, Anna Herd, Deb Leonard.
>> Okay. >> And um Bridget Hines. >> Okay. And so does the >> I can't I can't recall if Tim Shores like I think he's been a part of that group, but I think he might have temporarily stepped down, but but those are the the core members.
>> And so where does um Shannon Bernacia and uh and the superintendent fit in? So th so they're not I guess technically part of that group but I think the idea is we would involve them in this research uh study group. So the concept
was that there would be it would be a joint effort of the fiscal sustainability group, a member of each town who's kind, you know, interested in data analysis and and research and then
key um resources including the finance director for the region, the superintendent, um this guy Brian Harvey who's um uh Lyn Griezmer's partner who's done a lot of
sort of data analysis and and collection and has this massive archive of Desi data that he's been making available to folks. Um so >> okay >> I I think those are the main people now but I think I think there was some
suggestion that Tim could be one of those kind of resources that we also bring in as well. >> One two Three, four, five, six. >> Oh, um, Kathy Shown, I should say, is
the Ammerst uh rep. >> So, there's like nine or 10 people altogether. >> Something like that. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Sorry. So, so I think the thought was that once we actually get to meet as part of this expanded group that one
thought would be to have to kind of be prepared to with a list of topic areas that we're interested in collaborating with the fiscal sustainability committee to research and analyze. And so this is
um kind of a preliminary list, but um we we all said that we would do kind of as our homework, we would sort of add to this um and and and potentially comment on it um for our next meeting next week.
>> So number two, when it says full analysis of fixed cost, you're talking in the operating budget or just in the education part? So um ju uh so just the education part. Um, but I think
yeah, I think there's a little bit of a concern that like there was sort of good energy coming out of that four towns meeting and then like there hasn't been a lot that's happened since then. So I I think I think everybody sort of had a moment maybe kind of coming back after
Thanksgiving break every sort of had a moment of like cons like concern. Let's get let's get let's re-engage and get this moving. So I think um Lynn and Bob from Pelum are going to reach out to the
superintendent and Sarah Best Kenny to just kind of re-engage on this make a plan for potentially having you know um actually pulling these groups together. And the other thing on number four are
is that including rural aid which is not exactly chapter 70 but it's funding >> it should >> it should yes affects people pretty differently and actually there's SOS money but SOSA but that that's in I
believe that's right in the chapter 79. >> What is SOSA? >> Student Opportunity Act. >> Okay. >> Yeah. But I think that's somehow written right in chapter 70, but rural aid is separate.
>> Okay. >> Yep. And the and the rural aid funds actually they get awarded directly to the um school, right? They don't come through the cherry sheet. Yeah. >> Right.
>> Okay. April, >> I was just wondering is there going to be any analysis of how charter schools are impacting um like the if we could get more of a sense of who are who's attending the the schools.
>> Yep. Yeah. >> Yeah. Right. Why? Why? >> Yeah. >> Right. Do we even talk to people and make this? Has anybody actually kind of gone through the exercise of talking, you know, interviewing families that have made that choice and say, you know,
what what what drove that decision? Be an interesting project, you know. And I guess for that same area, you might have more analysis of choice, school choice, because something like Pelum is totally >> Yes.
>> dependent on that. So it'll be charter and choice. >> Well, I'm also curious how the the impact it's going to be. Well, actually, it's not really relevant. The the sixth graders and Ammerst joining the middle school. I mean, that that does shift the culture there.
um up middle school, >> which I understand from the news has gotten very complicated all of a sudden. Like I think there was some some desire to reconsider that maybe on the part of a couple of or revisit that
decision, but kind of late to be doing it and yeah uh I is that isn't that supposed to begin in September 26? Yeah. Yeah. I think I read at the last regional school committee
uh some members raised a desire to revisit that decision. Not necessarily they weren't like saying we should not do that but they wanted to kind of have a discussion about it. So all right okay so um I think there'll be
more news on this at our next meeting. Um, so I think this list is going to get um cleaned up. You guys have given me some suggestions here. If you have other ones you want to make sure get sort of
put on this list, by all means, email me and then I will um the other members of the group are also commenting on this. And so there'll be a new version of this and I'll share that with everybody as soon as I have it. Okay. All right.
That's pretty much all I had for tonight. Uh do do does anybody else have any topics to discuss? Susie? >> Um we have two. One um is Laura and I
have talked and she has done the main drafting of the article that we need to have the fincom understand because um this is the last meeting before the middle of the month when we want to release it. >> Great. Um, do you have a draft or something that you want us to to Lauren?
>> Do you have the draft to put up? >> Well, I didn't have it open, but I can grab it. >> Okay. >> All right. And while we're waiting on that, uh, Jim, I see your hand up. >> Yeah. Just a question um for maybe
future meeting agenda topic and that is uh uh and we I think of this gone have done this in the past reviewing how we're doing >> performance spending versus budget. >> You're right. We haven't we we haven't
done a an expense report uh uh review in a in a in a while. Yeah. I would suggest again that we have just one or two people look at it and highlight it rather than us all sit at a
meeting and sort of scroll through it then. Um I think that would be easier for me. >> Yeah. Um yes, maybe we should try doing that. I know I know it's come up as a suggestion before. So, are there like are there two
members that would volunteer to and let's be clear about what what we would what these folks would be doing. they would be looking at in a in in the leadup to a FINCOM meeting, they would be looking at the most recent um expense
report um and would be reviewing our sort of status of spending on various lines and would be highlighting any significant
any lines that are significantly underspent or over spent given where we are in the year and we would be bringing those lines to everyone's attention and potentially looking for explanations
maybe from Haley or we might say we need to talk to so and so to investigate why this line is you know being spent at this rate you know so um are there a couple members that would be willing to do that
and interested in doing that. >> Uh yeah, I guess I be I guess I always I mean maybe as member I just I'm not clear because I think all of us as finance committee members we might all see things ourselves that either you
know that stand out or we have question or think about. So, I guess I' I'd be cautious about limiting, >> you know, us looking at these and and just the two of us or or some select number. >> Um, I guess I'm just not clear. >> Yeah,
>> you know, we all we all will have access, right, to this these reports and >> they're all >> I would think all of us should have the opportunity to have, >> you know, to have to review and look and Yeah. And if we have a comment, we can use that time during the meeting uh to
>> 100%. >> So, so to be clear, the all of the expense reports are are now, you know, for at least for the last year, I think, have been um posted on the website. So, they're
available for any the whole members of the public including Fincom members. So at any point you can pull down um the most recent expense report, look at it, spend as much time as you want on it. I think
the the thought is is that we had like in in years past we had built into our agenda um periodically a time for the committee to look at the expense report as a large group. And I think
um I think some members felt like it wasn't a great use of time. What would often happen is that like we would basically spend, you know, 15 minutes or so in the, you know, during a busy meeting just kind of scrolling through
this form together and like on the spot. like I I don't think there was a a a good practice of people spending time reviewing them in advance of the meeting. So the suggestion was well maybe if a couple of members sort of
took on the responsibility to to actually do you know a more meaningful scan of those in advance of the meetings and bring to the attention of the full committee any you know
you know any any interesting takeaways from from that review. But again, that wouldn't preclude all members, you know, from reviewing and raising other issues. >> Does that clarify, Jim?
>> Yeah, I think so. guess um maybe another way I'm just thinking through what your what the concern is and I think I hear your concern and maybe other way you know maybe just have a standing item agenda item and if no one has anything if if that if no one has gone through
and or has gone through and doesn't have any questions we just move on to the next agenda item. Mhm. >> Um you know uh and if somebody does have something that they have done their homework on say I want to drill into this more then they we start drilling into it >> right
>> um as opposed >> I just think seems to me this is something that's all the finance committee that this is our budget and this is we're all concerned about spending >> and um >> yeah no I get it >> uh
>> Susie >> but the reality was especially last year as things started rocketing forward, we blew it off over and over and did not look at those numbers very much at all. Um I think from probably December on. So
what I'm hoping is that somebody takes the responsibility and um looks at the numbers and and brings our attention to it and certainly we can look beyond what they're pointing out. But um it's like tonight Laura and I are
going to make you all responsible for editing this document with us to paying attention to this and she and I are taking that responsibility to bring up these. Um so I I feel like if we don't assign it to somebody or to somebody's
um we will easily get overwhelmed and not get back to it because we have that track record. >> Yeah. So yeah, I think I think maybe that's I might not have framed it in the best way. Um, so I think the the thought is
>> Jim is that we would include it as not a standing item necessarily at every meeting, but maybe every other meeting or something like that. We would have an item on the agenda for for um uh expense report. And what we what this would kind
of what what we would be assured of is that there would be at least you know two members that had had an opportunity to review it in advance. The expectation is that they would the that they they would
bring items of concern to the full committee, but that we all would be encouraged to do um you know to to take a look at those beforehand and bring any questions or concerns. >> Um but at least this would given that
two people would have like a specific responsibility to do it that would ensure that it actually gets done. Uh Haley, >> um I was just thinking like logistically, >> it would be helpful if people had questions if I could get them in
advance, especially where I'm usually zooming from home and I don't have like all my office stuff. I don't want to have to say like, "Oh, let me check on that. That's not helpful for >> everyone here." >> Um but maybe one thing, you know, I could bring to meetings is to take that
expense report and maybe just pull out some highlights. You could do like a one pager and then that is you know that way you could put eyes on it. >> Um and maybe >> I think that would be great actually. >> Um >> yeah. Could you Haley could you describe
that a little more what you're proposing? >> Oh um so I was just thinking something along the lines of you know take the expense report and maybe if we had like a really big bill um if we had like a maintenance issue with one of the DPW equipments that's something that I would
bring forward. you know, there's like a a difference in spending that's over maybe a certain percentage. Um, and just kind of pull out some things and, you know, of course, you can go through it at your leisure, but that way you could just get like a snapshot of what the big highlights were or if nothing was
different in any given time period. >> I think that would be very beneficial or productive or productive. Yeah. What what what Haley is proposing. >> I agree. >> Yeah. So maybe we can put that on our next
agenda and maybe do that like every other FINCOM meeting. >> That'd be great. But again, that doesn't preclude members from, you know, at any point pulling up, you
know, the the expense report and and bringing their own questions, you know, that um that may overlap with things that Haley's going to talk about, but but maybe might be separate issues al together. >> Yeah, I guess that's that's news to me, AJ, what you mentioned. You you said on the was it the fincom website or
>> uh So, I'll tell you exactly. It's um it goes to I think it's under budget information that is under trying to remember now. Yeah. So under town govern governance is the main heading on the Sheetsbury
website. Then there's budget and expenses as a sub >> okay >> item. And then you'll see there a long list of expense reports that >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> And the ones that are called details are
to satisfy citizens that want to see exact expenditures and it's quite elaborate. You can look at the other one that's just like regular. >> Yeah. So >> I guess I've been I guess I've been slacking. I didn't realize we had all this this stuff out there. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Uh no, it's been a good a good change. I think we've been doing it for a year now. Yeah. >> So, yeah, just to just to reinforce Sus's point, you're really going to want to look at the documents that have >> the word expenses in it >> and and a date. It'll say through
November 30th, not the one that says details that that that the details. What that includes is literally the like >> um vendors vendor payments. So it's not just like this much spent on this line, but it's
like spent this amount to this vendor, you know. So that's that's a level of detail that probably not particularly helpful for this exercise. >> Okay. Well, thanks. >> Yep. All right. So I think we have a plan there. Um,
sorry, just Okay. So, uh, Laura and Susie, you want to kind of talk? We'll take a look at this document. >> So, we decided that the December, um, one is going to be about context and
challenges. um so that the people who are not following the bouncing ball every moment would understand where the planning some of the context and challenges that this plan FY27 will be planning.
>> Yeah. So yeah, I mean reminding people that we're doing a series um kind of reiterating I mean I think you know the challenges that we've brought up in like many many of these meetings around you know inflation rising costs and the flat state aid.
>> Um >> pulling out some specific examples of things that we know are impacting us right now. I'm wondering if on your list of factors driving this year's constraints
is there would like our health insurance increases. Oh yeah, that's there. Okay. So that's under personnel costs. Okay. I mean, I could pull it out separate if we wanted to do that, but it's >> it's >> Yeah. Yeah. I think I think it's there,
but I I'm I don't know. I'm of two minds. I mean, it is such a significant factor. Um maybe it deserves its own line, but >> are you are you talking the insurance? Is that >> Yeah, exactly. Yeah. >> Yeah. That is really a big piece, right? Yeah.
>> To put the word steep in front of health insurance increases. >> Yes. Yeah. And Julie, you want to add anything about the rising cost of education? >> Yeah. >> Um, >> yes. >> And I'm not sure how you would
>> I think that rising cost is due to most well mostly wages and health insurance. >> There is like out of district placements, but I don't think that should be in this one. >> Yeah.
>> Um, no. One of the things I like about Laura's style is that it's not too much. Yes. It's not too much to read. >> No, this Yeah, this is very accessible, understandable, >> right?
>> And Lauren, did you decide about the graph? >> Yeah. So, I mean, AJ, I mean, you used that graph in the four town meeting of just kind of showing that example of how um like town like the property rate tax has gone up like this while the state aid has gone flat. I mean, including
that graph, I mean, in here might be nice. I mean, either for alone or for four towns. I mean, I don't know what state you have it in, but >> yep, >> the context of the four towns all facing the same thing, I think, is a good
message to reiterate just in the graph. It doesn't have to be a long narrative. Um, but um I I think that that is a graphic that um has some weight. And this this particular one, I think we're
now at about twothird of a page, Laura. I can't remember. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, the graph could fit in there maybe someplace. >> Put it right here. >> Yeah. Um >> Yeah.
>> And then and then we would have and so she mentioned the postcards and the meetings and the connecting and she even has the link to sign up on the town announce list. So hopefully we're
getting people to see how they can know more before town meetings. >> Yeah. So kind of assurance that we have a plan. I mean kind of additional things that people can do. Um and just kind of I mean I think that encouragement to you know kind of continue to follow this so
that we're prepared for town meeting. >> Yeah. >> I really like your format, Laura. I think two things might bolster it. If you can add percentages, I think when people read this, they don't have any context. Like, but if I read that and I
saw, oh, health insurance went up 40%. That's something that I think you can wrap your head around. Or like if we pay 40 uh $40,000 a quarter on PAS testing, that helps people give like context. And then my only other thing would be I
think it's worth it to give a definition for excess levy capacity because I think if we're trying to reach people who don't know who are in the loop they might not know what that means and usually people you know they have short attention spans.
>> It's always that's a hard one to find like >> concise definition. >> Yes. Um, >> so maybe just use reserves because people will understand that I think more than because even for for me sometimes
excess levy it's tough. But it does occur to me that that might be another like I I'm sure there's no shortage of topics for you guys and these newsletters, but like the whole two and a half like for for dummies kind
of uh write up might actually be a useful >> Yeah, I think I think in the spring I mean kind of closer to town meeting because we don't want people to you know see it now and totally forget. Um so like maybe March or so. I mean I think we had kind of proposed one that's kind of like deciphering the like weird
things that you see in budget and you might not know what they are. So things like opeds uh excess levy capacity you know the uh capital um stuff stabilization >> right because there's a there's a um one
one is going to be called tools and another one is going to be called about dealing with mystery concepts. I can't find my list of the schedule, but >> yeah. >> Yeah. I So I don't I don't think it's ne if you if you did feel like you needed
to explain something about excess levy capacity. I think the essential point is just that there's an amount the town is legally able to collect in property taxes every year and excess levy
capacity is the the the difference between that legally allowed amount and what we're actually um collecting. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So we have a on January 13th we're going to do one the January 13th meeting we're going to review the one that's
elements in the toolbox >> and later um yeah that's that's where we would come into revenue more because that's the toolbox we have later there's one called um on March 10th explaining mystery
expense lines. So, I think that we probably um and we'll be bringing the draft to you, but I think it's okay to mention excess levy capacity here or we can leave it out and just bring it up on January 13th, the January dispatch.
>> Yeah, I don't see any problem with having just getting the that into our language. >> You know, we don't have to define it here, >> right? >> And it's very different than reserves, >> right? >> Yeah. And it's kind of those things I guess if we put it here and then say
we'll talk more about these in January then if somebody's curious about that then >> right >> we can hit it several times. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Thank you for doing this. >> I think this is great. >> Yeah. And there was so much talk at the
department heads meeting about the need to not just like to the need to share this information with the public and get them educated on these challenges and I think this does a very good job of summarizing
what we essentially talked >> maybe after health insurance we could put in parentheses 43% with an exclamation mark and just >> that would be a factor. toid >> um it emphasizes health insurance cost
um and then just go on from there. >> So right now this is just going out on town announce. Is that right? And >> well um it also goes in the school newsletter. They accepted that idea. >> Okay. >> Um and I went to talk to the school the
PTO and brought this specific thing. So it's like a tool we can carry around. Um and we are talking about trying to get in the front of more um social groups in Shootsberry. So
>> um Laura, I think you need a chart from me, right? So, um, >> yeah, you could give me that and then I can find >> Was this, just so I'm clear, was this the chart that showed, um, the average single family tax bill for Shootsberry over I think it was like
a 20-year period. >> Yeah. I mean, it had it has the one line that shows the Yeah. the the property tax and then the other line that shows the state aid. >> Oh, yeah. Okay. Got it. Right. >> Well, you were looking at the one that had it for four towns, right? Yeah.
Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. So, that's um Okay. So, I'm going to pull that one up. Okay. So, I'll send that to you. Um >> wrap up. >> I think this is awesome. This is I'm really glad we're doing this.
>> Any other suggestions? >> Do you have a piece cost that we can >> Yeah. It's about 40,000 a quarter and and I could get you a more precise number
>> uh tomorrow when I see Gail. >> Okay. >> And and >> a date. >> Haley, is that for both testing and then the filter whatever replacements and or no? No. Is it just >> Yeah, those are bundled in
>> and the contract, right? Okay. >> Yes. >> With Tigen Bond. Actually, that's good to have a quarterly. I don't I feel like that's the first time I've heard us talk about quarterly. >> We do need to have PAS on one agenda
because um Brennan did the analysis of the of um where the costs were coming from and we do know that it moved from quarterly to halfyear. So, we're expecting some things to be different. So, um um I we have to work on those
numbers and look at them. >> Mhm. >> I mean, I think if you two get me that stuff, I mean, we can put that in. And mean Susie, do you want to send it out again? >> Well, I I don't I think we can approve it approve it tonight. we know how it's
going to look. And then um we're guessing that it's going to be on the website probably >> on the 15th. And we also put it on our town um web page,
town announce web page, blah blah blah. >> All right. Great. Laura, what I'm going to send you is the whole PowerPoint, but just you can go right to slide number four is the one you're looking for. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right.
>> I don't think we need to vote on this. So, >> do we need to vote? I can't remember if we voted. >> I don't think so. >> Do you want to That feels like Well, whatever, folks. Thank >> I don't think we voted last. from from my perspective. I think all I
think all the committee needs is the opportunity to sort of comment and and share any sort of feedback but it's not like to approve. Uh yeah, >> right. >> That's my thought.
>> My feedback is my feedback is it looks great. Looks really nice. Excellent document. >> Great. >> Okay. So, I'm sending this to you right now, Laura. The um the one other item I have is um
the school budgets up in the uh docs and um I guess we need to structure um questions and answers. Um I I seem to be losing papers here. Um
but I think they are in late January. Mhm. >> Um, so we want to get questions to them. Um, and you know, these are hard things to sort your way through. So I think we
would have to have it as an agenda item um that we sit and look have having already looked to school budget figure out if we have any questions or directions we need to. They wanted to make sure that we understood
the document that's on our Google Docs is what it takes to run the school. They know with an outof district placement situation, it's coming in at 6.32 increase. Um they are going to take it
back and say this would be the way we want to run the school, but we know that we have to reduce it and they're going to work on reducing it. Um, but I do think um people need to look it over and maybe
have it an agenda item to generate any questions. >> Yeah. And so the the idea is that we would we would share a list of questions in advance of January 13th or after. Okay. Yeah. All right. So everybody
should review the school budget document that's in the Google Drive. Um, and maybe on the 16th, we'll take a few minutes to just talk through any questions that we want to make sure we
cover at that January 13th meeting. Okay. Anything else? All right. So I'll make a motion to uh adjourn Fincom at 8:12. >> Second.
>> Okay. Cashew I >> Moer I. >> Moss I. >> I. >> Stein I. >> Walton. I. >> Okay. Thanks everybody. >> All righty. >> Thank you. Take care. >> You have you all have a good evening.
>> That's the plan. All right. Bye.