Hey Jay. >> Hey George. How's it going? >> Good. Good. Yeah. Thanks for reaching out to Ryan about the health insurance. That's great news. >> Excellent news. >> Yeah. I didn't I didn't realize we had a couple of uh
um I guess uh some turnover staff turnover that's reduced the biggest number of covered employees and family members but >> yeah I mean it's got to be at the school right
>> I would think so yeah >> yeah no I didn't realize it either >> I mean I guess it could be that you know it's not a reduction in employees but maybe family members. Uh but I don't know like those who are getting family coverage versus
>> Right. Well, sometimes a person leaves and they were family and a person now they hire somebody young and new who's not married and >> Yeah. Exactly. >> Yeah. Makes sense. >> Yeah. >> But we'll take it. Anything we can do to get this this thing closer. I know you you you want to get to 500. I hope we
can get to 400. >> Yeah. So, I I'll tell you, you know, I So, one thing we have to do tonight is um incorporate those or figure out how we're going to incorporate those library expenses because those are not in aside
from the um water testing is it? Yeah. Uh we haven't put the other expenses, >> right? HBAC, the cleanings, the rug cleanings, windows cleanings. >> Yeah, I think we'll do that tonight. But I think before we do that, um,
let's see, where's my >> I did update the budget, uh, just just that health insurance number and that, um, uh, and that got us to that gets us to
revenue. 451, >> right? But I'll bet you that assumes that we're still going to use 50,000 for health insurance. >> Yeah. Actually, what that assumes is And uh wait, what did I do here? Let's see.
I had a recommendation I was going to make. Yeah. No, that that that still has the 50K in. Hi, Susie. >> Hi. Yeah. >> Hi. >> Uh so, you're right. Well, we should >> we'll have to talk about that. Yeah. I I I was going to make a proposal to
slice that in half um and do 25 instead of >> Yeah, that seems reasonable. >> But anyway, we can we can talk about it tonight. Um >> one thing I think about our free cash coming out of FY26 is we had a lot of placeholders
that did not go to the high limit. So, I believe we're going to have more cash reserves by unspent lines than normal. >> Is that right? >> That's my guess. >> That would be nice. >> I'm always amazed each year by how much
it ends up being. >> Yeah. I wish there was, you know, I I I haven't sort of thought this through, but I I I wonder if there there is a way I don't I don't think we're going to be able to figure it out now, but um if there's a way for
us to sort of make an informed projection like around this time each year, you know, based on spending levels of, you know, >> that's what we're asking um for when um Haley writes up the expenditures. We
want to know the underspent ones as well. >> And some of those um assumptions or placeholders change, but I'm a little concerned about how we figure out a placeholder because I think it's been the conservative thing is to go high,
>> but we might be going too high. >> Yeah. But that that would be awfully helpful to have like at this point because you know especially next week when we figure out um how we're going to fund the
various capital items. It would be quite helpful to have like a decent projection of what kind you know what's going to be returned to free cash at the end of this current year. >> Yeah. I'm not sure that's an easy thing to do. >> Yeah. I have to think it through but
yeah. All right. It's >> might be a next year thing, but that would be that would be a very helpful step in our process if if right around this time each year we did some examination of spending levels and made
a you know a still a conservative but a but an informed estimate of what we might what might be returned to free cash because of uh under spent lines. All right, let's see. It looks like Laura's missing.
>> Yeah. >> Uh, >> good evening all. >> Hey, Jim. >> Jim. >> Good to see Haley. Did you get out of the uh select board early or or are they still going? Yeah,
>> we ended at 6:25, but I do have to hop off at 7:30. >> Okay. All right. So, I think what I'm going to do is just we're g we'll just start with the budget. And I think that's the most important thing for you to be a part of. >> And let's not forget to do the minutes.
>> Yes. But if it's okay, we'll we'll do that after. >> Yeah. Yeah, it's okay. I'm not >> All right. I think I'm going to call I don't know. Uh not sure. I don't think I got a message from Laura, but uh
let me check real fast. And I'm here. I'm just finishing my dinner and none of you want to watch that. So, >> what are you having? >> Yeah, it depends. >> I know. I had a granola bar.
>> Work day today. >> Work day. >> Yeah, granola bar. You didn't have time for supper? >> No, I'll get it later. I I took a nap. I went for a ski and I came home. >> Really? Really? It was perfect.
>> Yeah, the snow is beautiful. You had to have a raincoat on though. >> No, it was snowing at the time. It's kind of yucky out there now. But >> yeah, just the snow was so thick. I just cleared in snow in the yard. I got covered. >> Feels so good.
>> All right, I'm gonna call >> Laura >> the FinCom to order at 6:33. Okay. Uh so um we've got Haley for an hour, so I'm going to jump right ahead to
um the budget. Uh we'll we'll take a look at it. There's couple of things, a couple of updates and then Haley, you might have some additional ones. I'm not sure. But um we I think everybody got an email uh
today from that I forwarded from Ryan which uh was very positive news on the health insurance front. So we have um I think a firm number we can budget which
is 88,68 which is an 8.7 sorry 8.76% increase from FY25. So that's significantly less than the 20% increase we were planning. Um
>> yeah we got 8.91 plugged in there now. Right. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So, that's that's a cut of, you know, uh over $80,000, which is uh which is great because uh and it's good timing because I think we were, you know, it was it was
we had this this kind of informal goal to try to get us get our final budget in at uh under, you know, a $500 uh increase for the average single family taxpayer. And um that certainly
in and of itself gets us there, but not that we shouldn't try to do even better, but but but anyway, so that's good news. Um one thing we do have to do tonight I want to make sure we do is review that list of library related expenses that um
Maryanne shared. uh and we have to and the only one that has been accounted for in our budget was the water test thing. Um so uh so I think um there's a document that she shared. I think I
forwarded it to everybody and um we should just go through that and figure out how we where whether we want to plug them into the budget lines that she's recommending. And then also there is at our last meeting we we tentatively
talked about using $5,000 of of of cash reserves to fund some of the some portion of the library the new library expenses. So we should talk about whether we still want to do that. Um
okay so let me share the budget. Oh, the >> AJ, I I I might have misheard you. You you talked about the you the news today on the insurance and did you say it gets us
>> uh to Yeah, I think uh so like you can see right here. So in this budget, this is exactly the budget that we've you we shared in advance of the fiscal summit. The only difference is that I've plugged
in this new uh figure that Ryan gave us for the health insurance premium. Everything else is the same as the last version that we've discussed. And that in and of itself gets us to a four an
average single family tax bill of $7,221 which which can be expressed as an increase of $451 over uh FY26. So that change gets kind of took us below the $500 mark. But there's an
important caveat, which is that I think we should talk about whether it's still we we still feel like we can justify putting $50,000 um of cash reserves towards that health insurance increase because
the total increase and maybe we'll just get go there right now. Um is $65,68. So, you know, our whole logic of of of utilizing cash reserves to help with this line was that, you know, it was too
significant an increase to have the taxpayer shoulder in one year. So, we wanted to kind of phase in that increase. I My gut reaction, I'm curious to hear how you all feel about it. My gut reaction is is that it's probably not
um sort of fiscally sound to absorb most of that increase, 50,000 of it um with cash reserves. Um so I was wondering if we wanted to to rethink that assumption. >> AJ, I'm still just I still have a
question on where we are. Um now if you pull if you go to the revenue tab >> Yeah. Can you shrink this down? >> Can you cut out some of those years so we can be looking? Yeah. >> Yeah. Let's I'm going to cut out FY2.
>> Perfect. Thank you. >> Yeah. Okay. So, yeah, the bottom. >> Yeah. Okay. I guess I'm uh I'm looking maybe what's confusing me is uh is column P. >> Okay. Yeah. >> And that's the difference. >> Yeah. So, this is >> 851. I'm looking at that 851,
>> right? So, this is the uh you're right. This this is this is not that's just hardcoded in here. That should not be there. That was the old figure that we were looking at before we made this health insurance adjustment
and before all of those adjustments that we made at our last meeting. So, that's no longer relevant. I should get >> Okay. >> I should get rid of that. This is This is where we are right now. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um, I don't know what this 964 is.
Let's see. N96 plus 096. >> Go ahead, Jay. >> That's That's a two-year. Yeah, George. >> Yeah, just while while we're on that, like, you know, Jim Jim brings up a good point. So, I I This also includes the 15-year loan versus the 10-year loan for
the library. >> No, I think this is the 10-year. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, it's what we presented to the town department heads prior to our recommendations. I mean, it seems to me we've got some of our recommendations
in here and some are not. >> I think the uh well, I think the ones that are in here right now are let's see. So, the 41 I have an important phone call. Unfortunately, I need to drop off.
>> Okay. All right. So, just bear with me a second. I'm going to make sure that I've got the right that this this already this budget already made that adjustment that results in us switching from a
10-year to a 15-year term on the uh library. I just have to check one thing to make sure that's right. Uh, >> could you shrink this budget down too? >> Oh, yeah. >> Just shrink the budget.
>> All right. >> Magic wand. >> Yes. >> Make it a little bigger, too. Okay. >> Yeah. So this does this budget already takes the step about uh related
to the library debt of extending it to a 15 years. >> Oh yeah, there you go. Yeah, that's the principle for 15 year. Yeah, I think we might want to fix the interest number, but yes, that's right. >> Yeah. >> Good. >> Um Okay, so why don't we do this? Can
can just since we're on this health insurance thing, can we have a discussion about whether we still want to apply $50,000 of cash reserves to ease that increase? Susie,
>> I want to mention that um the way they got that down is they doubled the deductibles and some of the co-pays are raised and so they and there's probably some pharmaceutical reduction because um
of ompic um but it looked to me like from the article in the gazette, which can always make sure you've got information correct from the newspaper, but it looks like the employee employees will take a cost
increase and the town will take a cost decrease. And so I'm concerned about that. I don't really know how we would go about um addressing that, but I want to point it out.
>> Yeah. So, so, uh, just to make sure I understand your point, you're saying that one of the ways they were able to achieve this more modest increase versus the larger one we were thinking might be likely is because they made they they
voted to implement some changes in uh, in terms of benefits to employees that result in larger deductibles for primarily for them. Is that right? And maybe >> Yeah. Okay, >> that's good. >> I'm in the minutes I'm going to say
employees and retirees. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. All right. Um, so I was prepared to suggest uh at this meeting that we
cut this health insurance >> see cash reserves that were applying for health insurance increase in half to $25,000. So, we're still absorbing some of what is what did I say? A
>> 65,000 >> $65,000 increase, but um >> wait a sec. >> It's not it's it's not as significant as what we were we thought we were going to be doing. Um
how do folks feel about that? >> I I agree. any anybody object or any concerns or any >> No, I'm wondering is there something else we could apply that to, you know, a portion of that that we've not >> um
>> Don't worry, we'll find something. >> Sure. >> It'll find us. I mean, to that point, April, what I would say is, you know, we were we were going to use $193,000 in free cash. Now, I take 25 away from that.
>> I I 193 is a lot. Um, >> it's more than last year. >> Yeah, it's more than last year and it's, you know, it's a big proportion of our million-doll balance, >> almost 20%. So, you know, when we get closer, I think we should think about
>> there might be a situation that arises that and that we should use it for, but I think at this point, let's not necessarily go look for it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, I think that makes sense. >> Yeah. I think, you know, I think I think the only one that comes
to mind, and again, I I don't think I would recommend this, but if if if we were inclined to to apply an additional $25,000 to the budget, I think maybe a smaller reduction in the in the building
repairs uh fund than you know which we which we cut substantially um last last meeting. Uh Jim, >> yeah, I just um want to make sure I
understand I I know we talked about this $500 is sort of like that's our target, right? Uh we want to try to keep below a $500 average increase. >> Yeah. >> Um what is our thinking on that? Is that
where we think the town is is is that's where their acceptance line is? Um what's I just want to make sure we're all on the same page if standing, you know, where where we're where we're coming with this $500 average average increase.
>> Yeah. uh Sizzy >> for me it indicates to the taxpayers that we are making an effort not to simply push the tax button and have
their taxes go up and that um it's the direction we want to head in. It still is a significant increase. Um, but I but I feel like all of our activity this year should be trying to pull back from
where we were in FY26 as best as possible. So that would be, you know, paying attention to how our cash reserves are used so that we can head in the right direction and also with the taxes. I think that we are in
such a um unknown territory. Um, if we bring did bring the increase down below 500, we don't know if that will be what happens in FY28, but I feel like if we can take if we can do that this year, we would um
be supporting our taxpayers better. >> Okay. I guess before George goes, I just so I I interpret that to mean that um the the average taxpayer would think the $500 increase is acceptable. It's palatable. It is palatable for the And
I'm just raising as a question. I don't know the answer. Um >> I think I I mean just to jump in, I think that's right. I mean I think I think we have a I think we have a responsibility to >> to develop a budget that we have reasonable confidence is going to be
supported by the residents. And you know also balances our sort of dual goals of trying to contain costs to the extent that we can so that
it you know the the town is reasonably affordable to live in for for residents while at the same time you know maintaining critical services. So yeah, I think I think all of that all of that is sort of part of our responsibility. I think I think it would
be irresponsible for us to plow ahead with a budget and develop a budget that we have low confidence is going to be, you know, approved by or accepted by by residents. That that would be a mistake.
Yeah, I think um George, >> yeah, I that's basically what I was going to say too. It's our responsibility is to really try and balance the needs of the town without overburdening the taxpayers. But I do think 500 is
I don't know what 500 is and I don't know what the taxpayers find acceptable and unacceptable for me and AJ I think you you said it but for me it's what will the taxpayers support on Tom floor and after last year's $500
increase I don't know if $500 is what they would would do. I think I don't know how we find that out, but I think we just keep trying to do as best we can and get this number lower. I I'd like to see it below 400 myself, $100 a quarter. Um, and and the other and the other
thing I wanted to say, the one thing I did want to say that wasn't mentioned is um that's where long range planning can help because we can get a sense of what this we have now a sense of what 27 looks like. We can extrapolate 28 through 3031
and see what kind of a tax increase do we think we're going to need in those future years. Is it going to be $500 every year? I was always I always like to believe that when you have a big increase one year like we had last year, you propped yourself up for future years. But listening to how they're
talking in South Hadley, the big increases there don't seem to be sustaining them for just one year. And they're going to need more beyond that. And I think it's in our best interest to our taxpayers best interest to know if that's really our situation or not.
>> Susie, >> I think when we're talking about this, we have a couple of angles when we're talking to the taxpayers. One is that compared to other towns, Shootsberry has had um more success at managing their increases. So, Pelum had a thousand
dollars on the average tax bill last year. I don't know what their thinking will be, but we can compare we and we have come to town meeting with comparative tables to show how it is because this is a statewide problem. It's not uh it's not simply what
Shootsbury has made decisions on. And the other thing is our budget has um undertaken some costs that um were coming due. One is the beginning of the library and the other is the health insurance. I think we can pretty much um
plan on about a 15% increase each year and we had some flat years and so it kind of makes sense that it went up three times 15 last year. Um so I think our budgeting schedule we can do better at paying attention to that and not
accept um a present that says oh no no no increase this year. That's not likely. So we've learned some things. We brought some costs on compared to other towns. We are doing um we're managing as best we can. And I I know that um when
we say 500, maybe that's not um what other people what taxpayers are going to think is reasonable, but we do have a presentation that makes a context for it. Okay, April. >> Well, I just wanted to note that, you know, it's $1,000 over the last two
years. It's, you know, and if we can get it closer to 400, I think that would be helpful to the taxpayers. >> Yeah. >> A lot. >> Sure. Okay. Um,
so I think one thing we could do now is I I I still think we have a few items in the budget that have to be updated um before we can get um the best handle on
where we are right at this moment right now. So maybe what we can do is go over those at this point and start plug plugging those in. Um, let me start with I think the uh let's start with the
library cost. Susie, >> there is a revenue figure that I don't know if we've settled and unfortunately it would go backwards. So, um I wonder if you want to do a revenue picture first or just start with a library.
>> Um, >> doesn't matter. Let let's let's let's plug in our expense budget with any updates since our last um meeting and and then we can turn to to revenue. >> Okay.
>> Okay. So this is the document that uh Maryanne shared. So let me pull up my budget. Okay. All right. So,
we've got 400, sorry, $540 for fire alarm. Uh $4,000 for water testing that we've already we already had plugged in.
Uh let's see, which line did we use? on this. >> You plugged in water. >> Yeah, water. I think it was a different line that she's recommending, but nevertheless, >> oh, line 172.
>> Yep. $4,000 172. Yep. >> Yeah. Okay, that's already in there. Um, $500 for septic pumping, $5,500 for HVAC maintenance, $500 for carpet cleaning. Okay. Um, I'm
trying to remember. Were any of these things, uh, Molly, you might be the best person to answer this. Were any of those items >> flagged in our initial discussion as things that were going to be covered by the um,
>> the friends and other things? I'm pretty sure the this is the list of that this list does not include any of those things because window washing was on that list. >> Okay, that was >> so there's other things that are on that list that aren't on this one. >> Okay, got it. Okay. So, um,
AJ, would you be able to blow that up just a one tad higher? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, Haley, do you have any concerns about those lines that are here? $540
fire alarm, 500 for septic, >> 5,500 for HVAC, 500 for carbon cleaning. >> This is the first I'm seeing this. Um, but I mean, no, nothing off the top. That's actually kind of lower than I thought. I think the only thing that
sticks out is the big ticket item, the HVAC maintenance. >> Um, and then I think below also talking about the electric line. >> Uhhuh. Yeah. >> The 2400. >> Let's talk about that in a minute. Yeah. Um,
okay. So, all right. So, I think before we get to supplies here, I think what we can do is plug in 540, 500 for septic, 5,500 for HVAC,
500 for carpet clean. That's $7,040. Molly, I'm wondering if you would be willing to just when you get a chance just have a chat with Maryanne and just ask her for kind of what was the basis for this estimate here? Is that like
>> So that's they signed a contract and it includes the um it includes the filters and somebody getting up in there and changing them out >> and doing basic >> like maintenance. >> Okay. So that's um so so that's actually
something that gets contracted and so that's a known number that was like an estimate or something like that. Okay. >> Yeah. I just wanted to make sure that um that was the case. All right. So I'm going to plug that into
uh line 81 because I think we've dropped a line since here. So, um, so our budget for equipment maintenance is going to go from $1,200
and we're going to add $7,040. So, that's going to go to $19,4. And I'm going to add a little note in here. includes uh new
library building maintenance costs and I'll put in fire alarm septic opening
HVAC carpet cleaning. Okay. All right. So that's plugged in now to the equipment maintenance line. Then for supplies, which is actually line 86,
um, we've got an additional $1,100. Haley, any concerns about those numbers? >> No. >> Okay. So, I'm going to plug that into line 86. So the budget's going to go from $3,500.
We're going to add $1,100. So that's going to go to $4,600. Includes restroom and cleaning supplies
for library building. Yeah. All right. Okay. So those are now accounted for in the budget. Um, okay. So, let's read this. Electricity needs. The library solar panels are designed to provide 110% of the energy needs over
the course of a year. During the winter months, production will be lower and there may be bills that will be offset by credits earned in the warmer months. Since actual usage and production are unknown, does it seem reasonable to budget some additional funds for the new
library prior to the activation of the solar panels? The bill is worth $600 a month. Molly, I'm assuming the the the solar system has either been activated now or will be before the start of the
fiscal year. Is that >> it's operating now. It just wasn't for >> We didn't have a poll for a long time and they needed electricity for the building and stuff. >> Okay. >> So, I I I'm gonna um Well, I see a hand up. But before I chime in, let me see
get Susie's feedback. >> I don't see why we would do that because the electricity line is all the buildings before we open the new library. The old library used electricity
>> and so it's in that electricity line in our budget. So even if they're not on 100% um you know over the whole year, I don't understand why we would increase the our
electricity line. >> Yeah. So I think Marian's thought was that that building will be used for something and we'll still have electricity needs for something and I I don't know the timeline of that and maybe not as many hours as the library. >> I'm on the reuse committee. It's nowhere
near running. They so far the town the town's going to look at this but not even this year. Um not even this I mean not this um town meeting. And so it it is not slated to be a fulluse building at all.
>> Okay. I agree with not adding it to it and think that we, you know, like she said, it'll fluctuate and as long as we can say, look, we don't expect the library to be on the hook if it does not pay all for its entire electrical bill. Um, I think that would I think she's
just concerned about >> Yeah. >> being prepared. >> Yeah, Haley, >> I would definitely recommend adding something to that line. you know, the bills that we got for like that $600 bill, that was a lot more than what we
get for other town buildings. Um, I believe I had I believe Gail had even reached out to Marian to ask like if the contractors could pay some of that. It's like a first year expense. I don't think we want to just assume that there's going to be no change to the electric line to cover our bases if we need it.
There some additional funding should be provided. >> Okay, George. I would, you know, if we do that, I would say it should be a small number. I think we're going to have timing issues because this building started in the winter. Had this building started in July first, I think we would
have got big credits on electricity. I think in the course of the year, she's probably right. It's going to pay for itself. And the budget gets you through to the end of the year. We might overspend it and be ahead of schedule on the spending. We might be at 80% when we're in March, but the months of May
and June, I know I have solar panels. you produce a lot of electricity and so you get those credits. >> So I'm inclined I'm inclined not to add to it and let it ride and we've got fincom reserves for next year but you know if we do add to it I wouldn't want
to add a very large number. >> Yeah, >> I wouldn't panic because of where we are right now and what we've seen so far. >> Yeah, >> they spent a lot of time with snow on them. So, my my feedback is that I think I
think the $600 a month is it's hard to to know how to interpret that because it obviously was before we had um our solar system running. So, I I wouldn't read too much into that. Uh and I think
there's a range of possible results here, right? Some of them are probably going to on on one end of that range is that we might actually you know um produce as much as 110% of the energy the building is going to actually use in
which case we'll we'll be getting you know credits um to you know yeah there may be some maybe because of a timing issue um we we may be um there may be some added electricity expense But even
that possibility is probably going to be more a function of the timing that George was saying where you know we're we're going to be we're not going to have had an opportunity to acrue a bunch of credits during the season like you
know the summer season where you know we where the system's producing a lot of energy so that for the purpose of budgeting I don't think we want to build sort of a baseline in here that is that that assumes that system is not going to
perform well. So I I think we can deal with this through fincom reserves and I would recommend that we not uh adjust our electricity line for this. Um and we treat this as a year a research year.
We'll see, you know, we'll we'll see what what how the, you know, what what the costs are and we'll maybe we'll need to revisit this next year. That would be my take. Any any other thoughts about that? So, it sounds like we had at least three
people that were sort of inclined to not um anybody want to just voice a uh I know Haley, you were recommending we got something to it. Um, but FinCom members, anybody want to push back on that before
we move on to the next thing? Okay. All right. So, I think we'll leave it as is then. Um, and then I'm trying to make sense of this bottom part. Services funded by other town budget lines that will migrate from the Spear Library to the Sheetsberry Public Library.
>> So, no. >> So, these are things that should already be in the budget. >> So, we don't need to make any adjustments. Yeah. >> Okay. All right. Got it. So I think we are done with um making whatever adjustments we needed to to the budget.
>> So there's there's one more thing related to the library that we talked about last time and that was the number of hours for the custodian. >> Yep. >> And we weren't sure if it was increasing again or had already increased. >> So let's see.
>> And then I had a question about the highway budget. if >> okay >> now would be an okay time to ask that or in a minute. >> Yeah, let me just answer the question about custodial wages. So, uh let me stop sharing this document. Go
back to the budget. >> Yeah, we were discussing that last night at the personnel board meeting. How many hours a week >> is he at? Eight and getting four more. Is that 12? Is he at 10 and getting four
more? Is at 14? >> Yeah. So, I think Yeah. So, we've added four additional hours this for this budget >> on top of what we did in the FY26 budget, which I can't remember how many
hours we added last year. Does anybody remember recall? Well, I can call it up, but >> I'll look it up. >> Yeah, it's it's we have a note in the FY26 final budget. Uh, let's see. Final FY26
maybe 80. >> Yeah, because my understanding was that those hours had already been increased in task in anticipation of the new building being opened and that there weren't going to be additional hours added, but I was hoping that Haley knew. All right. So,
>> that was I don't think that was my understanding. My thought it was supposed to come out of this year, but >> So, last year >> something different. >> Yeah. Last year we added $5,000 to the custodial wages line. So, the
FY26 budget, we bumped up that number from $8,51 in FY25 to $13,76 for the FY26 budget. >> Some of that was the salary alignment.
>> Yes. And I think some but I don't I think most of it I if I want to say it was about $5,000 was for the new hours. Um, I wish the note didn't didn't just says additional hours for the new library, but it didn't say exact. >> I'll be looking through the minutes to
find it. >> Okay. All right. Um, so actually, I do think now that I look at this number here, that doesn't look like a substantial enough increase to account for four additional hours. So
I think I think all this is doing is it's is it's applying the salary alignment and the cola increase. Does that sound right to you, Haley? >> Yes. >> But that's 12%. >> Yeah. No. >> Yeah.
>> It shouldn't be 12%. I don't think >> when you factor in the alignment. >> Okay. So, um, April, do you have do you have actually maybe this is a good time for you to update us? Yeah, it would be. And I don't have the there's a a grid that we were using. I don't know if you
have that, Haley. >> No, Melissa has it. >> Yeah, Melissa was going to send that. I haven't gotten that yet. Um, but we worked on that last night and uh wish I had the numbers in front of me
actually >> because we were trying to decide what this was the increase. So this tab is not helpful then the salary alignment study >> that's old that's old that's not helpful >> that's the one we had prior to the
meeting yesterday but part of the meeting yesterday also was um the personnel board granted the collector an extra four additional hours per week. So her figure will have to be updated now. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> But we don't have precise numbers for
any of these things or we or >> we do. They're just not sent to us yet. Someone else has the spreadsheet. >> Yeah, I'm sorry about that. >> Can we Can we ask her to send it? Can somebody email her? >> Yeah, let me >> We have We did it today. >> Oh, okay.
>> All right. >> Yes. Um >> shoot. >> All right. So, this might be a good time to talk about schedule because one thing I um uh in in in
communication with Haley and Brennan, they So, the town would like us to meet with the select board on March 31st to finalize the town warrant. And I think that means that we have to have our
final budget and vote on them on it at at a meeting on March 24th. So >> that's sort of need these all these last little >> Yes. >> details like kind of ASAP. Um
>> so Susie >> I have the minute about um from last year. Yeah. >> Okay. says um this is on the March 4th. It says custodial wages line 75 needs 5,220
for an additional 5 hours a week, 52 weeks per year at the new library. >> Okay. >> Um >> so that so that that's mostly how we got from this number of 7,473 >> Yeah.
>> to 13,776. question. >> So, where does the four come from? >> Yeah, I don't know. Um, to me, this 12 I mean, I know it's a 12.85% increase, but that doesn't seem like a large enough
increase to explain four additional hours. But maybe I'm not I I just given that five hours bumped us $5,000 here, I'm thinking four hours would would be bumping us significantly higher. Why are
we talking four more hours? I don't understand that. >> Yeah, >> I think the hours >> the hours were in this year's budget, they shouldn't be additional hours. >> Five hours is what of of of custodial time is is the number needed for the
library >> and that was put in in FY26. >> Yes. >> Okay. So then I don't know why this is >> Yeah. So there shouldn't be additional hours. There should just be the cola and the adjustment. I'm pretty sure, >> right? Okay. All right. >> Apparently additional hours for other
positions. So that'll whatever we save here will go somewhere else. >> Okay. All right. So So we'll just need the new the actual final se aligned aligned salary and cola applied. And so
we're not sure if this is right, but I guess we'll see. We'll get that. The I >> Yeah. The one cons the only one concern I would have is we see an increase last year because we knew the library was going to start this year. But was it a full year? Did it represent a full year?
So that difference from 74 to 13? It sure looks like it does. >> But we might want to just check the math on that. >> It was calculated for 52 weeks. >> Oh, okay. You did say that. That's right. Okay. Never mind. And >> then then it looks like it's we don't any additional hours. Okay.
All right. Um, so I think at this point, uh, what we what what still needs to be updated is, um, all of these year 2 salary alignments because April, I know we
don't have the exact number, but is it correct to say that the personnel board did recommend >> um, making that those the the second phase of those alignments? Yes, we did. And I think as um I have a it it comes
to an additional 12,29931 is what and I'm not sure how much of that is actually reflected in the salaries here. >> None of it. >> Okay. >> One of the things we did before the last meeting because the personnel board had
not yet voted, >> right? >> We actually removed any salary alignments. Like you can see all of these lines that say remove salary adjustment. All that's done there >> is that we just applied the same 2.59%
cola increase >> to their FY26 salary. We didn't do any. So we do need to put in that. So you said >> yeah it's the the total was 12,29931 but it's on that grid that has where which salary it goes to. We also voted
to um increase the collector's hours four additional hours a week. So that brings her up to 19 hours. And that at her hourly rate is a 659360 increase.
>> 6593 >> 360. I hope I have these right. >> Okay. >> Uh Haley, yes. >> What's that number represent? That's the increase hours the collector um her job
she she's been keeping track of her actual hours. So it it brings it up to um 19 hours a week. She's she's paid for 15 hours a week. So this is an additional 4 hours a week at her 3170
pay scale. >> Okay. So that's 659367. Yeah. So is 6594. >> Does that that's just does that include any cola increase in that or is that
just the the base the increases in her base wages? >> I mean without seeing the spreadsheet I don't >> Yeah. >> I don't know April. I don't feel confident about a number. >> Okay. >> Okay. But that that increase is separate
and apart from the $12,299.31 which is the which are the salary line. >> That's right. >> All right. So, but I guess the point for us just in case we don't get this number those numbers tonight uh is that we have another
>> how many positions? April? >> Seven. >> Seven. Seven positions. And the total amount that I have is 12,000 essentially $12,300. >> Yeah. >> Is the total. >> Okay.
So, basically in this budget, what we have is we're going to we're expecting to this to increase >> about Yeah. 12,000. >> No, no, because the collector also.
Between the two of them, it's $18,892, >> right? >> About about a little under $19,000. >> Yep. >> Okay. Um Haley, just looking at a couple other things that
>> um so there was uh one Oh, so the financial training workshop, I think you had built in >> an increase. Was that what we were talking about sending Brennan to? Yes. Okay. And is that a multi-year commitment or did we already apply that
to the F? >> No. Um and honestly, >> yeah, >> it's uh you have to apply to get in. >> Okay. >> So that's this is that cost is assuming he got into the program and it would only be for five weeks. >> Okay. So, I guess the question then is
is did we already actually vote on a on a fincom transfer to cover that expense? I can't recall. No. No. Okay. >> No. >> Okay. So, that's going to be here. Um, and then I had one more question and
then I'll I'll go to the hands here. Uh, one was >> AJ, I'm gonna send you the personnel board spreadsheet now. >> Oh, you got it. Great. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Okay. And then I we thought that um at our last meeting we noticed that there
was a fairly sizable bump in the board of registars expenses and we flagged that for an explanation from you. We assume that's related to election year. >> That is actually a figure that I got from Susie in an email because it was an election year.
>> Yeah. Okay. That's right. Um so Susie mentioned that. So that explains that um COG number. We didn't >> number. So, our evaluation went up because
how they base their formula is off of um like gross annual income. And so, because we have a higher income base for our town, we get assessed at a higher rate. So, that was why that went up >> a lot. >> Yeah.
>> Assessment from based on population. Is that what you said? >> No. >> No. >> Median household income or what was it? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Based on householding. >> Thank you. >> Changes to our median
household. Okay. >> Did did you So, did did that get communicated to you in an email or anything like that or? >> Yes, I can forward that to you. >> Forward that. It would be great to see if and I'm just curious how they actually
calculated because this is the sort of first I'm hearing of like a a very significant change what looks like a very significant change in our our median household income statistics. But uh Molly then Oh yeah, go ahead. I just
was going to say I just talked to Chris. Uh it should be four it should be 12 hours per week inclusive of the additional four for the library. So that's what we should be calculating his pay based on. >> Okay. So wait uh
>> understand that. So that's uh so >> because I there are some documents I found that said he worked 10 hours and other documents that said he worked eight and then a couple that said he worked 8 to 10 but he is saying he does
eight hours at the town hall and four hours at the library. >> Okay. Done. All right. So I think we actually budgeted him for five hours at the library. So, I I don't think we need to make it doesn't sound like we need to make any changes to that line, right? Other than the salary alignment.
>> Mhm. >> Okay. All right. Um, let me go to Molly, then Susie, and then we'll pull up that salary adjustment spreadsheet. Molly. >> Um, so I'm not quite sure, you know, how this whole process works.
this being my first year. But I was just remembering when we talked to um Dave from the highway department that he was saying that the highway uniform and I like we have increased his budget quite a bit and for you know snow removal and the whatever the stuff that makes the
roads better makes a lot of sense and I don't want to be like nickel and dimeming but he did say that his highway uniforms budget was like a holdover from when they had like laundered uniforms and that this next and that this year they were able to buy a lot of stuff and next year all that they needed were like
boots. And so I'm wondering I I think there's only three of them. >> Yeah. >> And $3,000 seems like like a lot to spend on boots. And maybe we could reduce that budget line to like a thousand, which would still be very generous for boots. >> It's It's not It sounds like a lot, but
for good work boots, it really >> they are quite expensive. >> I realize that. But for three guys, I mean, even if they bought So if they each bought $200 boots, two pairs of them, that would still be a lot closer to a thousand than
to 3,000 boots. >> But he did lower the budget line. >> He took I think a thousand off. >> Yeah. I mean, I I met with him on this, you know, put his budget together, his lay on. They were always having their clothes
washed. And what he wanted what he said was the the la the laundrying was not very convenient. The company wasn't doing well. He said, "I'm better off their clothes don't last more than a year anyways. So, it's actually cheaper to just replace their clothes than it is
to keep washing them." And so, I think it's more than boots. I think it's >> probably pants too because he buys the shirt >> in the jackets, you know, the yellow shirts because they say >> I might be remembering our discussion. That's fine. >> Yeah, I think I think he would object to
us going to a thousand and I don't think it would be enough. And um it would be a burden on the workers uh the employees. >> Yeah, just to give you it looks like the FY25 total spend was $4,932.
The FY26 budget was $4,000 and the FY27 budget's $3,000. So that's a little bit of background. >> Yeah. From 26 to 27, it's really a policy change. >> Okay. Uh >> could I just ask one more time just for
the minutes, how many hours are we going to increase the town collectors? >> Four. >> Four per week. Okay. Thank you. >> So it'll be 19 a week. Thank you. >> And Susie, >> so I I need to clarify again. The
financial training for Brennan, is that happening in FY26? >> No. >> No. >> Okay. It's going to happen in FY27. And the other suggestion I made is that it come out of the select board expenses because this is a person that supports
the select board and would improve his ability to do that. So take it out of their expense line >> without adding it in. >> Right. >> So this wasn't in the budget.
>> They they don't usually expend all their expenses. I've looked at the reports >> and it's not an ongoing cost. I mean it's a one-time cost. So right you don't need to like build it in for future. Right. >> Isn't so let's see. Uh which line is
that? Uh >> it's the line six for select board expenses. >> That's that's the select board expenses. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So that's >> but I would say >> Yeah. >> Yeah. But I mean they select board
expenses gets used for a lot of different things particularly overflow for like if our postage doesn't work or if we have a ticket expense. So I I don't know. I think it would be better. Like I said, I mean, we may not need that 950, if he doesn't get into the
program, then it would be a non-issue and we wouldn't be using it. But I can't say that going into FY27 with the way that costs are rising and what I think our future technology needs and printing needs and postage needs will be that I
would be comfortable not adding extra funds for that. I think it's a very lowcost expenditure and it's very much in line with personal board or personal bylaws that say that we, you know, would set aside funds for um staff training if it's available.
>> Then I suggest it come out of transfer reserve. It's not an ongoing expense. So I don't think it should be there. >> Well, we could use C. Yeah, that's >> that's actually a good point. This is not a recurring expense, Haley. Right. This is like on thing. Yeah. So,
>> so then so if I come I guess I just want to know just for the future too like so if I come to you with just a oneoff are you always going to want that to come out of an a different transfer or I mean I would think that it would be built into the budget and then maybe not built
in again next year because we have it flagged as a separate cost but I just want to know how you typically do things tonight. >> Yeah. >> I'm sorry. What was that? I guess I didn't catch that. >> We could go it at let's not work on that
tonight. We could just uh wait till something comes up and and start dealing with it, but it's hard to make a policy tonight when we're trying to get this thing nailed down. >> I was just asking about passes, but yeah. >> Yeah. Well, just along that same lines, um we do
like police training for example, wouldn't that be sort of a similar kind of uh you know, as a one-off? We might send somebody to a police academy. uh for a year. That's a oneoff. So, how do we how do we manage that? >> That's a very significant expense. It's not like this one.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, that's usually built into the the police wages um line, I believe. Uh um so I think you know I I think yeah
generally speaking the the pro when we have when we have a what what we know is going to be a one-off expense >> and a one-time expense when we add it to the operating budget it becomes part of the sort of baseline
>> budget that we then work from >> next year. Now, in theory, yes, we could make a note that says, >> well, this was specifically an FY27 budget. So, you know, somewhere we make a notation that when we get for FY28, we're going to reduce that. But the
reality is is that it's very hard, I think, to to to to ensure that we're actually going to drop the budget. And I think, you know, there's always the danger that we're going to sort of get push back because
we're making what looks like a budget cut to some to some line that belongs to some some entity or some department when in fact what the reason we're doing it is because it was just a onetime expense. So >> that's true. Well, I think I had first asked to just do it as a separate line
and then it got suggested to bundle it into expenses. >> Yeah. So >> yeah, I'm inclined to to to recommend that we do a fin comp transfer for for that. It's a it's a small amount as well. Um George and then Susie.
>> Um yeah, so answer the question. A lot of times when we have small one-times, we just have a warn article for the dollar amount and it gets voted on the top floor. I I don't necessarily uh think that's a great idea. Warn articles take time. We get a lot of conversation. This is not one of those things that I think we should be burning the taxpayers
with, but I think that's the way we normally handle these. And and I was al also make the point that AJ made. You don't want to put things in the budget and forget about them and end up becoming a part of it. >> And then the third thing I was going to say about it is um um I don't like using Reserve because it's really for
emergencies and unforeseen expenses and I don't like to use it as a way to fund lines. So I know it's kind of a conundrum. I'm not saying I got the answer. Yeah, >> those are my issues. >> I think what we could do is um assume it
comes out of select board expenses. So far they've spent 34% and then if they run out of money for unforeseen expenses, we can do a finome transfer. >> I like that. >> That makes sense. >> That would work. >> Okay. All right. In that case, then I
think what I'm going to do is return this number to $2,500. Um, let's document for the minutes that again again I think everybody felt strongly that this was a good idea to to
build Brennan's capacity uh by sending him to this. So, we should definitely do that and we should utilize the select board expense line and if at some point during FY27 that line looks
like it's going to get over spent um we can do a fincom transfer to uh to to make that adjustment. Okay, >> you got it in the minutes. >> Okay. Uh, Haley, can can you
uh share with me the uh the personnel board spreadsheet? >> I did. I you >> I see it now. Yeah. >> All right. So, let me share this. All right. Let's make this a lot bigger. Okay. So, let's see what we're looking
at. >> One step backwards. We lost a little on the right. >> Okay. >> Just one step. Yeah. >> There you go. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So, this says custodian eight hours. Yeah,
>> but maybe that needs to be updated. >> Yeah, >> but I don't know how the numbers trick out >> because it's 10 hours, right? >> No, 12 >> 12 hours. >> Yeah. >> Well, >> is this the right tab? Like, I mean, is there another tab? Maybe because this
one does say FY25 on it. >> Oh, good point. Yay. We'll be >> No, that's the right tab. >> That was just FY25 was the base rate for what they were looking at. So the and then it was broken down into two parts. So the first phase was FY26 raise then
FY27 raise. >> That's what this is here. This is the FY this is part two. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So So the custodial wage line that we have Yeah, >> that that number is way small. Anyway,
so I don't know what this $8,832. I mean, we've got $15,000 in there right now. So, I think this is before this was just this was applying those adjustments to the FY20. I see what you're saying. Yeah. To the FY25. Is there more information over on the
right? >> No. >> All right. So, let's deal with that one. Let's let's deal with the other ones first because I think that one's complicated. Um, so accountant, let's see.
So, this already has both the the salary adjustment and the cola adjustment built into it. That's right. >> So, I can just take that number. Town accountant. It's going from 28,000 20
to 39. Is that right? 39,775. >> Wow. That's what we've >> That seems like a very big increase. >> This is >> because last year reading this >> last year with the 50% increase was
>> 2,671. So, how do we get all the way to that? >> Is it possible that's the full-time rate and the person is not >> No, she's working full-time. >> Yeah, >> she's 20 hours. >> 20 hours. >> Is it possible that that's the full
alignment and not half? You know, that's 50%. >> Yeah, I see. I can barely read the numbers. I get it. >> All right. So, that's year one. >> Do we have last year's adjustment scheme sheet? >> Isn't that what these are? >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Well, I'm but last year's amounted to 10 Oh, I see. There's a there's a new one in there. Oh, the collectors because last year was $10,000. This year it's all right. Never mind. >> All right.
So, this So, the cola 2.59 >> and that's multiplied by T7. So that's So this is the pay rate. Sheets pay rate plus cola plus 50% of the salary adjustment I assume,
right? Yeah. Uh okay. And that's the hours. >> Yeah. >> But doesn't this already have the cola in it? I would assume from this header here that it says Sheetsberry pay rate plus
cola plus 50%. >> I think that was year one. That was a 3% cola for last year. >> I see. Okay, got it. So, we take that, we add 88 cents for the f the 2.59% cola. That
gets us to this number. Okay. FY27 shoots very rate next cola. >> What does that what does that mean? >> Well, what we did was we we did half of
the the adjustment last year. So half. So there's the 50% adjustment additional and the 2.59 cola. That's where that came from. >> Well, we're positive we're not adding the cola in here twice, right? I mean,
because I would have thought that this >> What's what what's the 88 cents plus >> 83 and 88? >> All right. So this is 88 cents is >> last year's.
>> Yeah. >> Is that possible that >> the 88 cents you're adding it? >> Okay. So here's what it is. This number is last year's hourly pay rate which included cola and
half of the salary adjustment. >> This is just adding >> the cola >> the cola portion. >> Okay. And this is the cola. >> And then this then adds >> that other >> half of the Okay.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. So then this is translating that to 20 hours. >> That's right. >> Times 52. But why would that be such a a much
bigger jump this year than last year? >> Well, last what what's the jump this year? 764. >> The jump? >> No, no, no. That's >> that's an annual. That's not the jump. >> What is it possible that the number we
have in the budget isn't accurate for her salary? >> This is the accountant, >> right? Um, we can look at the accountants line for actual versus budget in 20
five. Well, no, that won't work. Never mind. No, that won't help. >> I just I I think I think what we need is who who's responsible for updating this spreadsheet? you know, who worked on it? Like, was
there >> Yeah, we did it. The personnel board did this. >> I like the way you guys did it. Okay, >> that's right. >> I feel like we need somebody to kind of walk us through the >> what we did. Yes. >> Um, >> okay. So,
so let me see if I can get this right. I just want to say that in the in our current budget, we list the town accountant for FY27 at 2802. >> Yeah. And and that just took their
budget, her budget, I mean her uh salary last year and applied just >> 2.59. >> So AJ, when you click on the 39775, there's a formula in there. Can you see the formula and what the formula is doing? Yeah, that's taking x7. So that's
taking this weekly >> right >> weight and multiplying it by 52 weeks. >> All right. So then how do we get the weekly number? >> So the weekly number is >> W 3825* >> 20 >> times 20. >> That's right.
>> And then >> and we know in her is a 20our position. Okay. >> That's right. So what we have here is the the 2.5 59% cola.
Then add that to the rate that she had and then add the other 50% of her pay raise of the adjustments
comes to 38.25. Can we take her current pay rate and time and figure out what it should be for this year to see if budget is what I'm doing right now. This year she's being paid at a 27313 rate.
>> 27,313 will be this year. >> Yeah. I mean, so using this formula, so this pay rate of $33.84, 84, which I believe is what you what this >> that's right
>> was what she was entitled to last year. If I multiply that by 20 hours a week times 52 weeks, her salary should be $35,193 and what she was budgeted for was the what Jim just said, $27,313.
>> Yeah. For this year. Yeah. What what if >> and she spent and paid at that rate through through uh three twothirds of the year. >> Wow. >> All right. >> Let's go to another line. See if >> Yeah. Let's see. >> I see a similar trend with the uh
>> Is it all these? >> Yeah. >> The uh >> assessor clerk. >> Yeah, that one. The same kind of a bump. >> Which one are we looking at? the assessor clerk. >> Assessor clerk. >> Well, that's going to be really
screwing. >> So, that last year's amount was 18,933. Uh, >> this is based on 25 hours. >> So, I have to log off. >> Okay. But I did want to say this this
spreadsheet is certainly confusing and I the um the personnel board also decided last night to do a summertime review of job descriptions and potentially increase people's salaries, you know, to look at their hours, what
what hours they're actually working because I'm not sure that that number of hours is accurate. This is might be a tangent, but is accurate for the accountant. She's only in two days a week. >> She's not doing 10our days. >> Yeah. >> So, I'm not sure. >> So, where did that number come from?
>> I'm not sure. >> Um, >> okay. So, and the assessor clerk is certainly working that number of hours. >> I do know some of these numbers were from the Furcog, but I don't think the Furcog was given correct information.
So, I think that if that's what we pulled it from, that's not necessarily accurate. Okay. >> That has been an issue. >> Yeah. >> Well, I would say also I'm looking at an old one and she was working 15 hours a week. >> Yeah. I was I was thinking that line
looks like it's but even even then it's not exactly like I tried to plug in what if this was based on 15 hours and that suggests that her amount for FY26 should have been 26,000. So it's not exactly
>> that's more in line with what we budget for her. It's more in line, but it's still not problem. >> There is no problem. So, I'm gonna make a recommendation. I don't think we're ready to do these salary adjustments. I think this sounds like >> a full
>> a fall special town meeting thing potentially. Um >> well that that was what we were thinking of for you know sort of looking at how many hours are people actually working and you know
sort of looking reexamining all the job descriptions that was for special town meeting in the fall but this I am not sure where this the these hour these these numbers don't make sense do they >> no I yeah I just don't I don't think I
think my recommendation would be that that the personnel board take the summer to do a couple of different things. Evaluate the actual hours that are budgeted for each of these employees to make sure
that we're making the right assumptions about that and and then actually finish this second wave of salary adjustments. >> Yeah. >> I don't know. Uh, Molly,
>> I mean, I I'm a little confused because I feel like we should know how much people are working and how much we're paying them now and that this shouldn't be so hard. >> No, you're that >> we have that, Molly.
>> I hear that. Except that then you're saying, well, this person doesn't work 20 hours and so >> Yeah. Well, I I think part of the confusion I I do actually go, but I'll say one more thing. Um, when I looked at the budget spreadsheet, I think if you go back to the fiscal year budget
spreadsheet and you click on the like I forget what it's called, which is called salaries or something like that that information. >> No, no. On the original spreadsheet we looked at, if you go quickly to that. >> All right, I'm going to go to that right
now. Uh, I think you're talking about this. >> Yes, that's the one. >> This one or this salaries one? >> That's exactly the one. And I don't know like if you look at this confused me when I first started here. Like some of these positions don't have hours. So,
I'm not sure. Like, I don't know who put this together in the past, but like it it's very complicated and it was very tedious to even get like some sort of sense when I first started, >> right? >> Cuz like they have Cat Hilton in Oh, no.
She's not in But like why, you know, why is Cat Hilton in there? We don't pay her. >> Yes. >> No, she does get paid. >> Does she? >> Yes. >> Out of what line? And there's a some sort of grant or some sort of
>> you can ask her. It's not out of our but it's it's not >> it's not in the operating budget. Right. >> Right. >> So So I'll I'll end on that. That was certainly something um >> Yeah. I think we'll have to look at >> Yeah. And I think it makes sense Haley
if you and I meet and actually look at the hours. I mean I was assuming these were accurate hours. Um, and how what are people actually working is, you know, does their time card show that time sheet?
>> It'll show how much they worked. >> I'm not sure I understand your question totally. >> Well, yeah. How many hours are we budgeting for each person? It's like I thought that those numbers were accurate, the ones that we had. >> Yeah. And it's not.
>> They might have. It's clearly not because even when we look at last year's calculation for the accountant, if I if I multiply this value by 20 hours a week times 52 weeks, that's a much that's a a
higher significantly higher salary than what we actually budgeted. So, >> okay, >> this this sheet is not tracking with >> no >> even for FY26 is not tracking with um what's actually in our budget for this
year, let alone FY27. >> Before Haley leaves, >> I'd like to address this. Um Haley, I think you're 100% right. I think this is more complicated than it needs to be. I think that it's really drives the expense budget lines, the salary lines
and the expense budget. So, it's really determining which one of of these are in there is certainly an important step. And I think the second step is working with the treasurer to get the proper amount for each >> employee. Um, I mean, the way it was set
up was so that we could put the cola in, right? And it just automatically gets everybody properly. Obviously, that's what we want to do. But I do think it needs rework. There's no question when I handed it to you, you may not recall, but I mentioned to you that was something that was definitely going to need a rework. >> Um, you know, it it's it you know, it
went back a couple town administrators have have worked with that and it's morphed over the years and I think it is time and I bet you there's a way to really tighten it up. But I do think your best bet is the treasurer. He knows who everybody's salary. He knows who's working for us and what they get paid. >> Yeah.
>> All right. So, I'll cross reference that and meet with you, April. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> That's not the only reason I have my hand up. >> All right. >> Oh, okay. >> Sure. >> I'll see you later, though. I'm going to duck out now. Okay. >> All right. Take care. >> You know, my the only thing I wanted to
say is it does make sense if there's going to be a summer project to um do a deep dive into every into all the positions. It makes sense not to to do something now. But we missed the opportunity to
adjust salaries for FY27. Yeah. So we can have a special town meeting maybe in September. If we get it soon enough, we might be able to get those in the budget, but people would have already been paid. So there'll be a retroactive paycheck. If the if the special time meeting happens too late and the tax
rate has been set, then we're stuck, >> right? >> So just considerations in the terms of the timing. >> Yeah. I I will just say I I I if we're going to do these adjustments and apply them to the FY27 budget, I
want us to feel very confident about the calculations that went in to >> Yeah. >> that went into that. And I and I I don't think we're >> I don't think we have them. No. >> And I'm sorry about that. I thought we had the correct
>> hours. Um but I didn't crossch checkck with with the budget while we were doing this. >> Right. Yeah. I think uh so okay. So so does that mean for for for now we are not going to do anything to these
positions other than apply >> cola >> 2.59% cola. Is that yeah >> sound right to people? >> Yeah. And keep the um the notation. >> Okay. So the only one that that might not apply to is we we do have to figure
out the collector, right? Because that was a separate issue where we were applying um we're adding four was it five hours or >> four >> four hours at 3170 an hour was 659360. >> Okay. So, sorry. Tell tell me the uh the
>> It's the hourly rate is uh 3170, but that's the adjusted hourly rate. >> Okay. >> That's post that's after the salary adjustment. >> Yes, that's correct. >> Okay. Um >> so it might and the amount comes out for
$6,59360. >> All right. So it looks like So it looks like the collector line in here does kind of line up with what we had in our FY27
like a placeholder. But >> which is weird because all we did all I did to this line is is just add the 2.59% cola. But this this number is basically within $20 from
what's on the salary alignment sheet. So So Ellen's going from 15 hours to 19. Is that >> That's correct. >> Okay. >> At 3170 an hour.
time 3170 an hour times 52 weeks. So that would be $31,319. So that should be about a $6,600 increase. >> So I'm getting 5,821.
Um is that is that because we haven't al we need to also apply a cola? Uh I think the cola is >> wrapped up into it. >> It was wrapped up into it. So just make a notation. We'll I will double check on that. >> All right.
>> Um >> All right. Uh cola eligible additional four hours per week budgeted. April is check. >> Yeah.
>> Okay. All right. So, I'm going to leave it as is for now then with this $31,320. Okay. All right. Um Jim, I your hand was up earlier. Do you do you still have something? >> Yeah. I just want to make sure I'm on
the same page or same understanding. You mentioned earlier um 2.59 to be added for now. Just for now as a placeholder. >> Uh but that's you've already got that in there, right? Correct. Correct. So for all of these positions except the collector,
>> the accountant, assessor's clerk, assistant town clerk, custodian, town clerk, and treasurer, >> all we're doing at this point right now is we're just applying a 2.59% cola. >> Yeah. >> To their you've got that built in. You
got that built into the current version >> that's built into here. The one thing that's not is the custodial. And so I think Uh, see? All right. So, this should just be
this 1.0259. Okay. All right. Right. So the custodial wages is only increasing by 2.59%. Right? Because we already built in >> hourly increase. Okay. So then all
right. So then this should be this should be good. Okay. So let's see where we are. Um we've got a gap of $10,970. So I'm going to have to take that from
here. Uh 10,000. Would I say 500? No. >> I'm glad I'm not the only one. >> 10,000 >> 980. >> 10,980. >> Okay.
>> I think you want want to go plus on that. >> Yeah, of course. I do the same thing every time. Adrian, >> I know. >> Uh, all right. So, we are using All right. $10. What did I
offer? 10 bucks. Okay. going the wrong direction. Happens every time. All right. >> All right. >> Now you got it. >> Okay. All right. So, and what did I Okay. So, we've what
what have we done? We've adjusted the health insurance line. We applied just a cola to all of these six or seven uh salary lines. We added additional hours for the collector.
We took out the uh financial workshop, municipal finance workshop for Brennan. We um what else have we got? uh >> we were reducing uh the the uh the
amount of money that we were taking out of reserve, >> right? So we we >> the amount of cash reserves we're applying to the health insurance line from 50 to $25,000. Okay. All of those changes bring us down
to $490 increase in the average single family tax bill. So Susie, >> two things. One is I I can't remember where we've been on this, but I did get the language that Irving used to create
an educational um stabilization fund, sped stabilization fund. >> I'm not sure um if you create it if you have to add any money into it in that year. I I it's it's a a long language
warrant article. Um so I'll have to I'll have to help some have somebody help me read it. But I I don't know if you need to put money in it in the first year and I don't know if we're still on track to put it in this year's ATM
>> as a warrant article. >> What What is just out of curiosity, what does Irving contribute? Do we know? Um Uh I don't think I know that I can find out. >> All right.
>> So that's that's one thing and the other thing is on our revenue page um the amount from investment income got changed and we don't know if that was um clearly um what the town what the FINCOM wanted.
>> Okay. And so that is >> I don't know which one >> let's see >> it's towards the end local estimated receipts invest there it is 943 >> right so >> we talked around about this first it was
really reduced and I had an objection to that um we can have a discussion >> who so who increased did you do that you didn't do that AJ >> I think we did it as a discussion Um, >> not to that number.
>> Not to >> No, I'm sure we didn't. Um, if we look at the minutes, I would have object I mean I personally would object to that number, but >> so we didn't talk to you didn't talk to Ryan about this. >> No, >> I think Haley adjusted it because it
came after >> meeting where she had the budget. >> So, should I ask Ryan for a recommendation about >> Okay. So, I asked Ryan. >> Okay. And at the point where I asked Ryan, it was when there was a 12% decrease. And I said, "That didn't seem
right to me." And he said, "Well, I think that could be okay. Um, the less cash is on hand to collect the investment in uh income and interest
rates are going down. Um, and so I think I sent maybe I sent you AJ a thing saying um not the reduced amount which was 65 >> maybe about 69 or 70. >> I see. Okay.
>> But I I think we um I mean the other argument is OPE is doing fine and it's doing fine because it gets investment income and the state is doing very well in investment income. Um, so I'm not I'm not so um ready to
>> OPED at this point has a higher balance than our free cash and it also or close but they can invest more aggressively because they invest for the long term. >> They can't they're not allowed to do that I don't believe >> okay >> with the free cash.
>> Okay. So, could we agree on a number like uh >> 70 >> plus 70? If 73 was last year and we think it's not going to be so good, could we do
70,000? >> Yeah. >> So, what I'm sorry, what was it last year? >> It was 73. It came in at 73. >> What was this originally budgeted at >> before we'd made it 70?
>> Um, it was it though we we saw a budget that said it would be at 65,000 and it was a 12% decrease. And I said, "Really?" >> Right. >> So now we're considering that. I think that might have I don't know if it was a
misprint. I don't know that there was any real ne need to move it down 12%. So, how about moving it down 4%. >> Yeah. >> I think interest rates are lower and we have less cash on hand to invest. >> Yeah.
>> Likely. >> Yeah. >> Right. With interest rates likely to decrease. >> Yeah. In the chaos world, we don't know what what really happened. >> That right. >> Should we put the cost of fuel up?
>> I know. >> It is. >> That's not Yeah, that's not going >> Oh, God. Yes. >> I'd be okay with 70 grand. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. I think that >> So, that changes our revenue picture a little bit. >> And AJ's got to figure out whether to
put in a plus or a minus five. >> So, this time I am Yeah, I'm adding five. right? >> Yeah. All right. All right. So, we're just under $500 now, but we wanted to do a lot better. I
mean, it's, you know, >> Yes. >> And with April's point that 500 and 500 is a,000. Wait till Pelum tries to roll out their budget. It's going to be a thousand plus whatever they think this year is. I mean, we really are ahead of
some games and we and I suggest we do a comparative table to help people see that at town meeting. >> Yeah, that's definitely going to be that's going to be as important if not more important than last. >> I'm sorry. So, I'm going to put that Can I put that? Should I put that in the minutes? What did you think we should
do, Susie? So >> I think we should uh make a comparative table of um maybe last year and well and what we know about people's proposed FY27 to show the increase in different towns on the tax average single family.
>> Oh, so a compar a town comparative. >> Yeah, exactly. >> And I have that data um I downloaded from DLS. So we could certainly I could show at one of our meetings what I have and how we can use that. >> Yep. I actually already compare us to
the other towns in the region. >> But then I think what we can also do is we can we can mine the media accounts on our various town budgets that are being
presented at annual town meetings and see where our FY27 projected increase how it compares to other other communities. >> Yes. which is which we have done in the last couple years. Um, but I think it's
going to be even more important to do that this year. Molly, oh, you're muted. Yeah. >> Okay. Um, Northampton has a special education stabilization fund that they started
last year, I think, >> and they fund it through their um, Medicare reimbursement line or Medicaid, whichever one. I saw it go by on the thing. And for us, I don't think that would be enough. >> Yeah. >> Because it looked like it was $12,000,
but um, just as what another city is doing. >> Interesting. Okay. It can be built up over time, you know. >> Yeah. >> So, Susie, the you you found their document, their description. >> I have the warrant article Irving used
to get it passed. >> And so, that was to actually create the fund >> the Yeah. initially. And then and there's a question as to whether we whether we need to actually make a contribution at the same time as creating the fund.
>> Yeah. Right. I'll get that in. And is the school committee going to review that in one of their meetings? >> Uh, yeah. I didn't even we we had talked about it. I And then I talked to Caitlyn um Anderson May to get to find out how
we would do it and she suggested looking up the Irving number. And when I look at this one for Irving, it was submitted by the school committee finance and the finance committee recommended it. So yeah, it should be talked to. Maybe we'll do it in the fall.
Well, yeah. I mean, one of the things I want to ask about was the rural aid >> and this this additional amount of rural aid that we might get from the governor's budget, possibly more with the lobbying that's going on. Is that going to go directly to the school or is
the school going to share with the town and lower their budget to some extent, not necessarily the full extent? and are they didn't seem amendable to the idea of using any of the rural aid. Was it rural aid school
choice? You're talking about the school choice. >> Yeah, you're right. I am thinking of school choice because that was my question. Could they would would they still be amendable to that? Where are they on that? Do you know? Has there been >> Yeah, so they they have school choice in there. um they're trying to decrease the
amount of school choice they use to match the revenue that's coming in. They don't they're they've over spent it and they don't want to keep doing that. So there's not it's not holding back against the town. It's holding back against the uh possible revenue
shortfall that's going to keep coming. Um the rural aid, I believe, just goes into the school. um they had it as a line item that they spent out for different costs in their budget. So what I believe I do believe we need to sit
and talk about how this all works. Um I believe what happens is they put that in and meet some of their expenses and it lowers their assessment to the town and when the town has a lower assessment from the school it's able to make some
choices um elsewhere. They may choose to increase some expenses that they've been squeezing out. I don't know. It needs to be a discussion. >> Okay. >> All right. >> But the regional school, I don't believe
has I don't know where they're at on this. Um, it would be the same scenario, but I think two in 25 I asked the region if they were using their rural aid in
their figuring and I don't remember that I got an answer and I don't know what they did for FY26 and um I've made a table of what the allocations have been for the SCES and for the region and if it goes in the
direction that we are lobbying for it will be a significant amount of money and so we we need to sort of get a handle on how to interpret it and how to listen to each other and figure out a plan. >> Yeah, I would I would think that, you
know, we're going to find out what the region thinks they might do with it this weekend, but I would think that any additional revenue that they receive, they're going to want to decrease the level of cuts that they make. and that our assessments are pretty much in hand, >> right? >> Is what I would expect.
>> That's true. I'd say that's true. >> Especially because in both pe well both people's response was this is not reliable revenue. You can't build an operating budget on this. And sure enough, the the state cut it 25% this
year. So they're right. They're not a trustworthy partner. I'm just um Susie, I'm just reading an email that Shannon sent us like a year ago because you had raised this question about >> Yeah.
>> does the does the region actually budget and this was her response. >> We do receive rural school aid at the region over the past few years. Rural school aid was once around 80 to $90,000. They have slowly increased it, but it is always a question of how much
it will be for the next year depending on how the governor's budget shapes out and if this is something they will continue to support. It only started in 2019 to my understanding. In 2019 and 2020, I don't believe we counted RSA in
our budget because it was so new. We were unsure if we would receive it in another year. However, for the past few years since then, we did account for RSA in our budget. In FY26, I have yet to account for it as it is a grant that is
not guaranteed. Dr. Z has expressed trepidation to use to using potential one-time funds to support our operating budget. Although supporting the operating budget is allowed per the gu their guidelines, the priority of RSA is to promote increased efforts of regional
collaboration, consolidation, or other strategies to improve long-term operational efficiency and effectiveness. So, it's not clear. It sounds like it's at least at some in some years they've accounted for it in the budget, but maybe not in others. I don't know what
they ended up doing in FY26. >> It's a good question. We should find out. their allocation in FY26 was 194,000 and the year before before they cut it
>> before the state made the cut it was um 248,000. I'm rounding those numbers off. Um so it's not nothing. And if they really go ahead and do what there's been asked to do and said they would do it would be significant money because these are only
numbers that are a fifth of the of 60 million. Yeah. >> Got it. Okay. All right. Um, so I think I think we've done all the work we can do tonight on the actual budget here. Um,
>> yeah. I just had one question. Is the library the money the amount plugged in there um the 10 year or the 15year? >> It's the 15-year. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Did you get any more discussion with Ryan on that?
>> So, he has um I think I can't recall if I updated you on this. So, he's um I I wouldn't say reluctantly, but I think he's he's on board with our recommendation to
>> um to to to move to a 15-year term. So, yeah, he's he supports that. he does not support the the 20-year idea, which I don't think >> that said, AJ, I would recommend that we go back to the interest portion of that. >> Yeah.
>> And raise the number just slightly because I think the interest number, I lowered it and I should not have because I think they think that uh um the debt service schedule that Ryan puts together is based on >> payment being made at the end of the year, not the beginning. So, the first
year's interest is going to be the same as it was whether it's 15 or 20 years. >> Do we have the >> the uh >> I have it. I'll get it for you. >> Okay. >> Um, also, is Ryan going to send us a final debt service schedule? Because he
had sent me one in the context of a different conversation. He didn't necessarily and he said he put the caveat on it. This may be this is subject to change. it. He thought it was pretty solid, but it was subject to change. >> Okay.
>> So, >> that would be my only concern. >> Yeah. >> Is that we just confirm from him the debt service portion of our budget and then maybe that's it. AJ, take a copy of it, send this and say, "This is what we're using. Does this agree with what
um you're expecting next year?" >> Yeah. Okay. Uh Jim, >> yeah. I just going to suggest uh based on this little bit of discussion, why not have Ryan come in and spend a little bit of time with us maybe the next meeting to go over, you know, what
George is talking about as well as the pros and cons of 10 versus 15, >> you know, unless unless you're pretty certain that he's all on board and there's really no need to go to have the discussion on 15. >> Yeah. I mean, I I think Yeah, I think he is on board. Um, but I mean I think if
we want >> him to lay it out for us, um, I can invite him. >> Yeah. I mean, I just think it's it's a pretty big part. It's a pretty big deal. Um, it probably wouldn't be bad to hear from him a little bit. >> Okay. >> 15 before we move on and I forget.
>> Yeah. >> It's 42,668. >> Okay. >> 42,668. >> Yes. >> Interest payment, right? >> Yeah. >> Just the interest. the principal still stays as what it was. >> Yeah. >> Okay.
>> Do we know if um so when we ask him to look at what we understand, we're also asking him to check the interest rate he thinks he can get because we had 3.5, right? >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> It's the the schedule he sent that we've
that he's shared with George is what where all these numbers come from. So I think the question for him is is there are there any updates to that that we need to be aware of? >> Yeah. Are there any updates to it? And you know definitely and a sent that schedule to you and um do we have the
right numbers for the 15-year loan? >> Yeah. Well, yeah, I think yeah, I mean based on my conversation with Yes, we do have the right number on the principal, right? Which is the only number that changes. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, I don't know that we need him
to come in because we're just making sure that the numbers we have are going and and we've already crossed the the barrier of 15. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Unless he I might it might be good to hear what his logic is on the pluses
and minuses of the two the two options. >> Yeah. If you know that if that would be helpful, I I'm I'm certainly willing to ask him to come. >> Um Okay. All right. So, I think I think we've done everything we can on this
budget. I'll I'll send this to everybody. Um when we wrap up, um what I did want to do is just review the schedule with you all because um we are definitely on a much tighter
timeline this year than um than we have been. So, as as I mentioned earlier, um the select board and Haley want us to meet with them on the 31st to finalize the warrant. Um that would
give them a week to do any I think last minute adjustments. Um, I to be honest with you, I'm not entirely sure why if the warrant gets posted on the 23rd, why we need to meet
with them like 3 weeks earlier, but anyway, that >> it's possible that they're going to want to have feedback into the final budget that we do. >> It could be >> it could be more than just we want to see the budget so we can make the Warren article. >> That that it could be, but I I've asked a couple times and it sounds like
they're pretty firm about that. So I think we need to work backwards from that which based on on on kind of I think we've got pretty much you know fe March 24th we've got to actually
finalize and vote on a budget. Um and if we're not ready on the 24th then we're going to have to be ready someday between that and the 31st. I guess we could always meet on the 30th or something like that if if we needed to.
But um so I'm assuming that capital planning will have met, right? They're they're you guys are meeting this week or >> Yeah, we're hoping to meet with uh that well AJ, we were hoping um the capital planning was hoping to meet with the finance committee on the 17th of March.
>> 17th of March. >> Yeah. So we were going to be meeting with the highway chief tomorrow. There was a mixup. We're not going to be able to, but we're going to have our meeting. We're going to settle all the items except the highway items and we're going to meet with him on Monday or Tuesday. So, we'll be ready for March 17th.
>> Okay. Got it. All right. >> Yeah. So, if you can give us a time, I mean, you want us to be there at 6:30 or 7? >> Yeah. So, that's Okay. So, then I think the meeting schedule then is So, I I think I mentioned this email. I unfortunately cannot meet a week from
tonight. So the 10th is out, but um I I think you know there's a four towns meeting on what is 14th >> 14th. >> So one question is is do we feel like we
need to meet before that meeting? Normally I would say absolutely. this year. I feel like for Sheetsberry things are a little less complicated at the region, but I I'll leave it up to you guys um whether you think we ought to
meet sometime next week in advance of the four towns meeting. >> Yeah. >> Is the region going to vote on the budget before the four town meeting? >> Yeah. >> No. Um >> I >> Let's see. Uh, I'll tell you they they
sent a schedule. Uh, or they posted a schedule. Let me see where that is. So, I know that they are they have their public budget hearing on >> That's what it is. >> Yeah. So, that is I'll tell you exactly.
Uh >> their budget hearing is on the 10th. >> 10th, right? >> Yeah. So a week from tonight. So we will, you know, um, and the budget that they have posted
to that meeting, uh, has us at, you know, that the amount that we we've got in our budget right now, which is the, um, the 73% increase for us.
So hopefully that's you know that that's the budget we're going to be talking about at that four towns meeting. But uh CZ >> um I have two other things. So finish the schedule. >> Uh Jim, yeah regarding this Well, this
is regarding the that same meeting. I agree with you AJ. I think you unless we know something different uh before that meeting there's no need for us to meet for any additional prep. Uh the one caveat I'd have is if we get some additional
updated budget that looks different than what we would have expected and we see the need maybe discuss. >> Okay. >> Uh so without additional information I think we're good to go. >> Okay. So why don't I do this? Can can we keep March 11th as an open slot that we
potentially um can meet if if if something important happens on the regional budget front or uh any other significant news regarding our our FY27 budget. >> That's a Wednesday
because AJ can't make Tuesday. >> So I can't do the Tuesday. So that would be Wednesday, March 11th. >> Yeah. Is that is that >> I can't make any of them. So, >> okay. >> I'm just telling you right now I won't be at either. >> Okay. >> Uh
>> traveling. >> What about others? >> Okay. For me, >> I work on Wednesdays, but I'm done by seven, so I can just log on. >> All right. So, again, I'm not sure we're going to need it, but I'd like to have it as an option if if if something
important comes up. >> Okay. Uh so then that means um we meet with capital planning on the 17th, the 24th. We vote on a final budget warrant
articles. We then meet with the select board on the 31st to present the budget to them. They will uh I guess they'll vote on it on the 7th of April. It gets posted on the 23rd. We
do a public information session on the Thursday before annual town meeting which is May 7th and annual town meeting is on the 9th. Does that sound like a reasonable timeline?
>> Okay. Ambitious, but All right. Uh Susie, you had a couple. >> Yeah. Three things now. Um one is on our budget. We have a placeholder for the TA and we also had basically a placeholder
for the holiday hours for the police. And I would like to be able to have clearer numbers on that. Um because when we put in a large placeholder, it puts it in taxes and then we get it back in cash reserves. And I I don't I don't think we need to do that or I don't
think that's the best. >> Which positions, Susie? The TA has a placeholder and the holiday hours for the police. I do know that they promoted Curtis Maguire up to sergeant and I
don't know how that will affect their um projected salaries but um really all of this most much of this year half of the year they only had two officers the chief the chief and the officer. So, um
I don't know. So, that means some revenue will come back. And the chief was um pegged as a placeholder at 93,000 and that's not how it played out. So, I just don't want to I want to look carefully at the placeholders and I don't know what the
plan is. The select board probably knows the plan for Haley's salary, but I I'd like it to be closer as close to accurate as we can get. So those are two budget numbers that may change once we get better numbers.
>> So I can call the select board and just find out where they are in the process of negotiating that. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And then um there was one other thing but the other
other thing is that um I am very busy doing this rural aid effort to get it on the radar of the legislature. We have uh Laura and I have done communications.
We have the basic outline of um from the fiscal summit but I cannot work on this now. And do we need to talk to the town? Yeah, I think we do because, you know, we had the department um meeting and the
the school didn't get invited. So, that's a problem. Um I talked to Brennan about why that happened. So, they also didn't get the um summit information before the meeting, which is not good. But um I think we should communicate
with the town and I don't know what information it should come out of the fiscal summit that would be make it an easy communication to write up and get out and when do we want that to get out. So one one option
Susie is that we could do since it's a different kind of timeline this year than in LA in in previous years >> always basically had to do our public information session like two days before town meeting. We might be in a position to do that
>> earlier in the process than we have done the last few years. >> Yeah. in which case you know we can we can prepare something and and you know as part of that public presentation. >> So no written one for right now just plan on earlier presentation and I don't
know. Yeah. And you know we could do you know I mean we could actually provide you know the annual report and that could include doesn't have to look exactly the same way it has the last few years and that could have some what
whatever important context that we want to share with people. So you know that there would be I think an opportunity to do both um you know a a you know a presentation and also have some written document that
gets made available to the public before that. >> Okay. I wonder if we would tell them that that's the plan just so that it doesn't get abandoned. >> Yeah. Um and and maybe that's what we should do.
And so you could project to them what our timeline for communication is. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Great. Uh being who? >> The public. >> I I I want to talk about placeholders as
well. >> I'm glad Susie brought it up. I think there's two other lines that I know of that are open. The school transportation number, I don't think we ever got a final number on that. >> So, where did we get that number from? >> I think it's a placeholder.
>> I think I think we get it from I think we get it from finance directorate in the town of Ammerst. It might >> Is that something Haley is supposed to find out? >> I think she did. I think the number that's in here came from her. So, somebody shared it with her, but I can ask her if there's
>> Yeah, maybe. There was a point where I know she didn't know what the number was or sure how to get it. And yeah, it says here, am I right? Doesn't it say placeholder on your notes? >> Let's see. Uh >> maybe the note didn't get right.
>> I think she just increased it by 3% to be safe. >> Oh, no. That's not how it goes. >> Yep. I think you're right. Yeah. >> Yeah. I don't think she had the final number. Then the other one was we had talked about going to um we talked about
going to uh a revolving fund, >> right, Susie? You have information regarding the board healthcare. I'm sorry, health >> board of health. >> Yes, >> I can tell you about that. It's not it's not a revolving fund. You do revolving funds if there was a lot of fees coming
in from their work and you want to direct those fees into their budget, but that's not what it is. So we just So right now we have last year's amount and it's still in negotiation and I cuz this budget is so wacky I would go ahead and
stick with last year's number but we may they may need to come to us for the fincom reserve because they don't have a number yet and um we'll just I it might only be a couple thousand it that they didn't anticipate. I don't know. We
don't know. >> Okay. So the placeholder in there right now is 32,000 which is basically >> last year >> there last year. >> Right. >> All right. Were there any other placeholders, George, that you wanted to flag? >> Oh, I I don't think so. Here, let me
take a quick look. >> Um, we because they were highlighted in yellow. >> Um, no. High school bun. Dog officer. Did we ever figure that one out? I got a
I got a >> I did ask her to check that because it's the sheriff's department. Isn't that something crazy >> that got changed last year? >> Okay. >> Yeah, I think that's the only other one. I'm I'm almost to the top. >> Yeah, the dog officer is the only other
one that we're unsure of. >> Okay. So, I'm going to ask Haley about the school transportation number and the dog officer. Okay. All right, Jim. >> Yeah, you might already be planning to do this, but just want to make sure we
all get your updated version of this the spreadsheet. >> Yep. I'll send this when we wrap up >> and the schedule of meetings. I get them all written down. >> Yeah, I'll send >> Yeah. And that can you I mean Yeah. Okay. And right now you have the budget. You
adjusted the excess levy capacity and you're in balance. the budget you're gonna send. >> I think I'm I I still Yes, I am actually. Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So, I'll send this document and
the schedule. All right. Um God, we still have this fin comp transfer, but I don't know that we have the the details on it. Well, we we lost the person who probably has it. >> Yeah. All right. So,
>> well, which one is that? Is that the school one? >> The school one? Yeah. >> Yeah. Well, I have the numbers for the school one. Should we go ahead and vote on that or do I do we need is >> the thing the thing that the thing that might be the debate is you know at what
point do we say to them this is your maintenance cost and what point do we say this is the town repairing a freight an old system that's breaking down and right now in FY26 the school budget is covering the additional cost for the out of district
placement um and um That's just another factor in looking at how we decide this. But I believe looking at the Jamrog stuff, this is um a system that is failing. And it's not that they didn't
replace filters and do those kinds of things. So I would move that we uh appropriate that money. Um which is eight. I have that number. I'll look it up. uh in in invoices to Jamrog um we
transfer that from free cash into um the school. >> Yeah. So when you pull up that number, I think we should vote on it tonight and and I'll let Haley know that we approved it. And worst case scenario, if something's
>> off or it's actually a different number, then you know, we can always resend it at our next meeting. and then >> all right >> both different but at least this way she'll be you know assuming it's the right number she'll be set up to go >> uh Jim yeah how much money are we
looking at for this >> 8,000 something I'm working on >> pulling up the exact number >> okay >> yeah I just I guess the only part with this is how have we done this in the past is gemrog's been around doing this work quite a while how have we managed these kind of expenses historically
>> well last spring the school got a bunch of these and the and it was more like to the tune of 16,000 and they covered them. Um, and they used funds from different sources to meet that because they knew that we were at the end of our year and it was a difficult year. Um,
but it's not the model of saying repairs for broken down things should come out of the town budget, which the town does do repairs for other um departments, other places.
>> Yeah, I guess that's where I would be. I I would think normally repair is part of a budget and that's usually uh usually would come out of out of the budget the budget line >> like it has like it has in the past. >> I think maintenance does but I don't
think everybody has equally done the repairs. >> I mean we've definitely done fin reserve transfers for like emergency repairs at the school. Uh >> yeah, a lot. >> Yeah, we've done a bunch of those. So,
>> would that be would that be an option too to use the the fincom reserve? >> I think that's what we're discussing. Yeah. Is and I I think that's proposal is to is to fund it right now. >> I thought I heard Yeah, I thought I heard Susie say free cash.
>> Oh, sorry. I might have. I didn't mean that. So, you know, for me it's how have we been budgeting it year-over-year? I mean, is there a line in their budget for that? >> Mhm. >> Well, they have maintenance. They don't
have when systems break down. And when we present at town meeting, our report says these are expenses that are going to come from having a building that's 50 years old. And and it's not maintenance. It's it's it is the breaking down of a
system. >> Yeah. >> And they don't put that in their budget. >> They have um a maintenance budget and um they replaced a door in the building along with this and that um and fixed it. And so there's certain things that
are more about maintenance. And I feel like we should have a buildings committee discussion so that they can help define these things. Yeah. >> Um, so the the total on these five invoices is $8,2655. >> How much again?
>> $8,2655. >> Okay. Do we know how how their maintenance line how that's holding up right now through twothirds of the year? Um I could find out but the other piece is
that when they come to the end of this year they need to cover the out of district placement and I that's another piece that they're dealing with >> and the issue >> and would that would that come out of the same kind of line or would that be a different line? >> I don't know what limitations they have
for moving money around. I don't know. >> No, >> they can they they have total control. They have a budget of $2 million and they can spend it any way they like. They do not have to spend it the way they show it to us. >> Right. >> So they can move money around lines.
>> Yeah. They they they just spend they just they build their budget based on the numbers that they show us and they come up with a dollar amount. >> But I and I suppose they have individual lines. I'm sure the finance director uses individual lines. But as far as how
they spend through the course of the year, they can fire all the teachers and spend it all on educational instructional things. I mean, they really can or not buy instructional and hire somebody. I don't know that we have any say in that at all of other than the dollar amount we get them at the bottom.
>> Would it be worth would it be worth going back to them and asking where they are and whether they have the ability right now to take on this this bill? So when they did that last spring, it hammered um some of the um revenues in they use
some school choice. Oh, did they use school choice? >> They use some different things. So then we have had a discussion about where this is all coming from and how to view it. So they asked for this to be covered
by Fincom reserve. Um, and this is the second set of jam rug and that has led to the big discussion about having the maintenance person blah blah blah. So there's there's some attempts to solve this, but I actually think one attempt
should be that we talk with the buildings committee to help sort out what they I mean they made a huge schedule of what's out there and some of its repairs and some of its maintenance and some of it's fixing up a mess that's they inherited. So, um, I think we need
some clarity instead of us looking at each one and trying to figure this out. We could have a a plan. >> George, >> yeah, I'll just point out that um, in fiscal 25 and in fiscal 24, they spent their whole budget. In the past, they
haven't always, but in recent years, things have been tight. So, they have been spending their whole budget. So, you know, we could wait till June to see how they're spending, but if they're asking for the money, Susie, I I believe that means they think they're not going to have enough money to get out of this year
>> because they know they're wrestling down that out of district one that started in January. That's a big thing. They're wrestling with that. >> Okay. Uh, all right. >> And I don't think that jam rug situation
has been resolved, but the heat is on. I did check. They're having heat this winter. It's good to have heat >> anyway. Even the mild ones. >> Yeah. So I mean I I guess my feeling is like we have
um I feel like this is what our fincom reserves reserve fund this is why what it exists for right is our sort of extraordinary unforeseen expenditures. It's not it's not a
maintenance issue. It's an emergency repair kind of issue. Um so I don't know. This to me this seems like it's obviously a significant expense, but it does seem that it's
appropriate to to utilize the the FINCOM reserves for this. And I'm fairly confident that that's precisely what we've done in the past with a number of kind of emergency repairs that have, you know, have had to take place in the school. So,
>> I'm going to make a motion to um approve a transfer of $8,2655 from the FinCom Reserve Fund to the school uh expense line for the purpose of
paying these Jamrog bills. >> Second. >> Okay. Uh any other discussion about that? >> I uh is it me? Cashew I >> Moer I
>> Mossi. Uh so I >> Stein Eye >> Walton I >> Okay, >> I'll let them know. >> And so yeah, I'll I'll also follow up with Haley. >> Yes, >> she does the the docy sign paperwork for that. Um,
>> so, so if I may real quick, 806 >> 8206 >> 06 >> 55 >> 55. Yeah. And I wrote that in the minutes, but I'm actually in the spreadsheet where we keep track of FinCom. So, FinCom reserves are now 529
$52,984. >> All right. Um, great. Helps to not have a ton of legal bills uh this year. >> Yeah. >> All right. Uh, >> it's still early. Still early, AJ. >> Right. Yeah. Not.
>> Um, okay. So, what else do we It's creeping up on nine. What else do we need to do? Should we talk about minutes? >> Yes. >> Get them out of the way. Okay. So, we have uh two minutes, I think. >> Yeah. >> No, we got three. >> Three. Okay. So, what's the first one?
Not the night. >> All right. So, the first one is um the oldest one is February 10th. Okay. >> And I don't I I don't think we approved these, right? Let me go to the 20.
>> I don't have it. I don't think we approved it either. >> Yeah. I don't seem to have any adjustments for this one, Susie, which is quite un like unlike unusual for you, but >> maybe you sent them to me and I lost them, but I don't think so.
>> Oh. So I had a mark on um B I mean 2D and I wanted that sentence. It says salary market alignments to be determined by the personnel board and I wanted it to say the second half of them
second half of the salary adjustments. >> So the second half I think that's a good statement. the second half >> salary market >> the FY25 salary adjustments 26 >> it's the 20 that was for 26 and 27 so
yeah 26 >> so the second half of the FY26 salary market alignments for six positions to be determined okay done >> y and then um that's all I All right. This just reminded me that I've got to
ask Ryan about this Clean Water Trust debt. >> Oh, that's right. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Good thinking. That's a good catch, AJ. >> Yeah. So, all right. I'm reaching out to him anyway about the the death schedule.
So >> Okay. Did we Did we vote? >> Are we ready to vote? >> Uh I think I think we're ready to vote. Yeah. So I'll make a motion to approve the February 10th minutes as amended. >> Second. >> All right. >> I cash I
>> Moer I. >> Moss I >> So I >> Stein I. >> Walton I. >> Sorry about that. Um the next one is February 19th and the first thing we'll do is go through um Sus's recommended
adjustments. >> Let me pull that up. If everybody's ready, when everybody's ready. >> Okay. >> Um, so, um, review draft budget number one. Uh, D, change the wording to say the town may
need to increase the library expense line by $150. And then line F, the Council of Government Assessments for COG increase. Oh, this is an addition. This is something I missed. So basically I'm adding a sentence that says the council
of government assessment increase of 554 54% will need to be explained and we we got the explanation in today's meeting as everybody knows >> but I did add that line because it did come up and I missed it. Um
and then h the very last sentence very end library building operating cost. So I I I inserted the word operating and then um >> the right minutes here. This is >> October. >> It added a by adding
>> I gota Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. You're right. It's that was G before. Sorry. >> I understand now. Yep. >> Yeah, that was G before. So yeah. And then the next the next one is in of course there's one in every section. um discuss discussion regarding 2B
number six. >> Um Susie said the 5,000 was to was specifically for the HVAC, >> but now I don't think >> I was think maybe we should change it to mostly. Is that correct? Mostly HVAC.
>> Well, the HVAC part is 5,500. So, I I thought that was why we discussed um that particular minute, but I might be wrong. >> I I I I don't think we specified a spec a particular
library cost. I think we just said, >> okay, >> there are some new expenses related to the the library building. Let's apply $5,000. >> All right. So, I won't I'll leave it as is then. >> Leave it as is. >> Number 3B. Um, at the very end, will we need
Proposition 2 and a half overrides? Uh, Susie wanted to note in the near future. I'm not sure that's a good idea or not. We don't really know how far out in the future. We know that, you know, that's my take. >> Yeah.
>> So, you want to insert the word near >> in 3B. >> Yes. I I guess in terms of minutes being about telling the public what we're talking about, we we the the getting ready for the summit, we were saying that this is about a near change, not
not like way out in the future, but that's why I want I thought maybe near future. >> Well, and especially because it says we will if the trend continues, we will use up our levy capacity. >> Yeah. And so then like once that happens, we would need an override,
right? >> Yes, that's >> Yeah, I think it's fair to say near future because I think I think the situation looked even more dire than it does right now. I think we we were talking about using like over
$200,000 in excess levy capacity for >> Okay, you got it. Near future it is. Um the next one is on on row F. Susie was wondering what I meant by headcounts. So, I thought I'd add to it the abbreviation new positions. >> Yes. >> When we talk about new headcounts, you
know, this was the conversation about whether we should have a facilities manager. >> Oh, okay. Oh, I get it. Now, >> we decide and we decided in general that we don't support any new headcounts. >> Okay, got it. >> So, I'm just going to put in brackets new positions behind that so that the word headcount is or I could just say
any new positions and get rid of the word headcount. >> Yeah, up to you. >> Yeah. for do we need to put for clary would put in for this budget cycle or or something along that line >> that's probably a good idea for >> okay will not support new headc counts
for FY27 >> sound good >> and new pos new positions makes a lot more sense because then you don't have to explain what headcounts mean >> yeah that's okay I'll just get rid of the word headcounts that's just my language that I use I use
okay yep you got it will not support new positions for FY27. Done. >> And the other suggestion I made is that um in the attendance part in the heading, it says absent none and non-members attending none. But the fact
that Haley wasn't here, I feel could she she could be listed as absent instead of none. >> Yeah. Do do we usually put her under non-members attending or >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> That's why I don't that's why I don't
include her under absent because she's not technically I mean is she technically or exeicio? I mean >> she's not really a member of the committee. That's why I >> used to call Becky exeicio and we moved her to non-member. >> So you all right?
>> Yeah. We we usually we usually try to make sure these meetings are in line with her schedule, right? So it's it almost she is expected to be maybe Susie's the words are right the exeicio >> well and we don't need that in the
minutes exeicio I that's the log that's the logic for putting her in the minutes. So I justification so >> I'll do it >> if it sounds like everybody thinks we should. So, it's done. >> Absent Hilly Bolton- town administrator.
>> Okay. Anything else? >> All right. I'll make a motion to approve the February 19th minutes as amended. >> Second. >> I cashew I.
>> Moer. I >> do I >> I >> Walton I >> and then we have the minutes of the fiscal summit 23rd.
And again um I have some preliminary adjustments or preliminary edits. And so the first edit would be now that I see that AJ has it up um
>> uh K the under section one K my language definitely could have been better. So the second half uh tax impact of revenue problem, I changed it to say dependence on residential taxes and low growth are not accept adequate to cover cost
increases. >> Okay. So the fincom considers the tax impact a revenue problem, dependence on residential taxes and low growth are not adequate to cover cost increases. >> Okay.
>> And then uh number three a the word state state pilot. I just need to add an e and that's it. Uh I suggest for 2B that where it says organized actions in
the state for rural um and you have education and since the whole thing is really called rural school aid. I thought it should be school aid to raise and to um to raise this aid to um
60 million to remediate inequities. That's that's their whole point. or to address inequities >> address okay >> of current education funding or something
>> change the word aid to funding >> okay so did did you want me to change the first part organized actions in state for rural education >> let's call it rural school aid because there's other ones >> okay >> other actions for other parts of the
formula >> and the school is not going to be in brackets. It's going to be for rural school aid. Okay. To raise this aid to 60 million to address inequities of current education funding. Okay. >> Yeah. >> What about uh 2D?
Uh I wonder that you mean residence there as opposed to residents. >> Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. Yes. >> Okay. Spell check didn't catch that one. >> Uh well, yeah, the spell check's going to think it's right.
So anyways, uh um >> so so how should I spell it, Jim? >> Uh it's R E S I D N Ts. >> Yeah, >> thank you. Res, >> right? Residence. Oh, that Yeah, right.
Okay. Yeah, because I spelled residential up above wrong, too, by the way. But I fixed that, too. Okay, got it. >> And you fixed state pilot. Okay, think that's it. Thanks for doing all that work, George. >> You're welcome.
>> Yeah. Yes. >> Yeah. It's not always fun, but >> No, >> it's important. So, I take it important. I treat it that way. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So, I'll make a motion to approve the minutes from February 23rd as
amended. >> Second. >> Second. George Aroness I >> Gashu I >> Moer I >> Moss I >> and Stein I >> Walton I
>> Great anything else >> please. No, I think what I'm going to do is um I will um if I I might post a meeting for >> Good idea >> just in case and then worst case scenario if if nothing comes up between
now and then um you know I'll I'll cancel that meeting but at least we'll have it in case we need it. >> So March 11th at 6:30. >> Yeah. Although April, you said you're not free until 7. Is that right? That's
correct. >> So, we could just post it for 7 o'clock >> or like >> sure. >> Okay. All right. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And I won't be able to attend that meeting. >> Okay.
>> March 11th. Okay. >> You have a lot of things that you've listed that you're going to track down and it may change our picture. >> Yeah. So, I am contacting uh Ryan
uh to to verify the debt schedule >> and also ask him about um attending our next meeting. Um, I'm going to talk to Haley, let her know about our fincom transfer that we
voted on, see if she has any information about two of the placeholders in the budget, school transportation and dog officer. Um, and then, uh, I'll I'll contact the select board to see if they have a
timeline for when Haley's uh, or the TA's salary is going to be >> defined, >> approved. And uh, and I'm going to post a meeting for March 11th at 7:00. >> And what was the story with the county
health district? It's going to stay at the placeholder of 32,000. It might be a little low. We'll be >> Oh, that's right. They haven't finalized it yet. >> Yeah. >> Right. Okay. Got it. >> Okay.
>> All right. If >> Yes. >> If there's nothing else, then I'll make a motion to adjourn our meeting. >> I'll second that. >> Our eye. >> Cashew. I >> moer. I >> Moss. I
>> photo I >> Walton I >> All right. >> All right. Thanks, guys. I'm going to email everyone the budget now and the schedule. >> And the schedule. Thank you. >> Thank you, AJ. >> Thank you. All right. Everybody good night. You all have a nice evening.
>> Good night.