is guaranteed at least $50,000. >> Yeah. >> Senate passed it to the house. And so question is the house passive and it says FY27 FY28 50,000 each.
So I think you know we're using conservative estimates on revenue 50,000 that number that we're going to report for our estimate of the average paying tax bill. >> Hey Haley is a conservative number. >> Got a quick question for you.
>> So I'm trying to get this screen sharing thing to work in the main room and can you help me figure that out? I tried to just plug in the sharing key, but it says the host hasn't allowed sharing or
something like that. You're you're on mute, by the way. >> That hasn't gotten me in like so long. >> Um, so you have to >> um log me out of the account like you know like you know your Zoom password,
right? >> Yeah. Yes. >> Okay. So, you have to do two things. Uh, when you're in your Zoom account, probably like on your laptop, you want to add a co-host that says conference room. >> So, you want to go into your settings and under advanced, hit conference room.
>> Okay? >> That'll sync you to the device. And then on the device itself, you just want to log out and then log in as yourself. And then you'll see the meeting pop. >> Okay. So, I have to add a conference room as a
co-host. >> Can I do that when I'm in the meeting right now or >> You're on your laptop, right? >> Yep. >> Yeah, you should be able to do it just from there. >> All right. So, >> um
>> All right. So, I guess do I go to host tools? No. Uh invite and then invite the conference room. Is that now? >> Um, let me pull it up on >> Yep. I think that's it. Okay. Conference room I just invited.
>> Okay. >> All right. Accept. >> So, Susie, I'll edit the last that way I can. >> I think something might be happening. >> Got it. So, >> saying please wait. Okay. >> Host has joined. We've let So, on the
big screen it says, okay, now I admit the conference room. recording in progress. Y >> but I'm getting an echo, so I've gota I think I've just got to mute my laptop. >> Okay. >> Can you hear me? Okay.
>> Um you're still echoing. >> And then you want to turn So when you when you're looking at the conference room like screen, there should be some camera options. So the camera's off and the microphone's off. >> There you go. camera. >> So, AJ, you want to mute your
>> I thought I did. Let's see. >> Okay. But the conference room is still mute. Still muted. So, you just have to unmute the >> Okay. Can you hear me now? >> That's really good. >> Everybody good? >> Yeah. >> All right. I think we figured it. All
right. All right. >> All right. So, uh, I'm going to call the FinCon to order at 6:37 and, um, welcome me every. So, we've got, uh, are we missing anybody? Uh, no, I think we
got a full group. So, I think we've got, um, a bunch of things kind of got like a list of things to do. I don't think all of these are going to require a lot of time, but um I I have communicated a couple of things with the town
moderator. one is um and I hope it was okay to to create this expectation, but I said that we would share the our budget documents no later than April 30th because I figured
we ought to give people at least a week before our budget info session with access to those documents so they can um spend time. >> What was that date again? >> April 30th. So I think what that means
is ideally if we could finalize both the budget document that and when I say the budget I mean the document we're actually going to print out bring to annual town meeting share with every so it's the public facing version of this. If we can finalize that and our annual
report tonight then I think we're in great uh shape to to to meet that deadline. I've also um asked Netty if she would be willing to moderate the info session. She said she would do
that, but she had a strong preference given last year's uh technical difficulties I think she had from her home Wi-Fi. She said she'd prefer if it if it was in person or even hybrid. So,
I wanted to ask you all if you felt like that was a pro. I thought that actually might be a good thing to to actually maybe we could even do this at the library. Maybe a fun >> fun opportunity. I think we probably need a hybrid option if we're going to
do that because >> some people might not be able to physically come. But I >> that we're doing it, right? >> It's the same as the on May 7th. Exactly. >> Yeah. Exactly. She wants to be here and use the tech or be somewhere where she can use the technology.
>> Yeah, exactly. And not have to rely on her home um Wi-Fi. >> Yeah, it looks like the library program that evening. So, >> okay. They do have something. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, then it would be here. That's fine. Um >> 6:30.
>> So, uh I didn't specify a time with her, but uh >> Ben 6:30. >> Yeah, 6:30 sound good to everybody. Our usual meeting time. That may suck. >> And then I think >> And then I think she usually has like a
little thing at the end for any I think it's usually the the sort of whatever the publicly submitted articles. I don't even I can't recall if there are any this year. Uh maybe maybe there are. I'm not sure. But anyway, I think she usually wants to use a little bit of
time at the end of that meeting for to answer questions about that about those. So, um, is everybody comfortable with that? If I tell her we'll do it in person at town hall here, >> Thursday, May 7th. And do we know if anybody else is on schedule for that time?
>> I have no idea. >> Brennan will know. >> He does the calendar for downstairs. >> Okay. Would you be able to check with him? Um, >> so we're talking Thursday, May 7th at uh 6:30. >> Okay. >> All right.
Um All right. That would be great. And then I have a feeling >> calendar. You already looked at the calendar. >> The posted meeting. >> Yeah. >> Nothing there. >> Nothing there. Okay, great. >> Um I have a feeling this this might be
a well attended session. I think there I'm getting I'm sure you guys are hearing some feedback too that there's a lot of not surprisingly just a lot of interest and concern about budget issues and
tax bill issues and so I wouldn't be surprised if if there's a fair amount of interest in in that >> year or two after a big increase the year following a big >> completely completely get it but um >> leave the meeting >> uh I think Haley just turned off her
screen, but I see her on here. She's here. Yeah, >> I don't know what happened. >> I think Netty is uh actually trying to join here. See? >> Um okay. So maybe uh so so some of the things uh I think we
need to do tonight in addition to the annual report, the budget. Um, I think there are some state budget updates that I know George and Susie are pretty plugged into and I was hoping that you guys could give us sort of the latest
scoop on the House version of the cherry sheet, this new quabin bill, what its implications are if it um if it gets passed. I think Susie, you had some followup with Joe Cumberford's office. I was hoping you could fill us in on. All
right. Um, then there's, as I mentioned in my email earlier today, >> we now have a huge snow and ice deficit for this year. It's over $100,000. >> What
>> snow and ice deficit? Um, which we knew, >> but it it I think >> now I think we know the full >> ramifications. And so I just wanted to since it's such a large number, I wanted us to have like some sense of how we're going to deal
with it this year. Is it going to be a combination of reserves and a lineto line transfer? Do we think we'll be able to deal with it that way? I think it's probably too late to have a warrant article, but I don't think we wanted to go that direction anyway because it's FY
26, right? So >> Well, we're using a lot of caption already. >> Yeah. Right. Um, okay. And then, uh, well, it's kind of related to annual report, but Laura, um, has drafted,
uh, what I thought was an excellent letter. I'm really, uh, personally would be excited for us to include it as part of our budget package that we share with, um, with town. So, um, I'm hoping we can go through that
and have a discussion about how we want to use that. Do we want to like literally just attach it to the annual report? Is that or do we want to take the contents of it and fold that into into the annual report? Anyway, we should we should talk about what our plan is with that. So, um so I think
that's uh that's the plan for trying. Am I missing any anything we need to get done? Just minutes. >> And the transfer with um our department to come to straighten something out. So, we'll be fixing that. >> Okay, great. Um, right. So, this is um call wages, I think, or training wages.
I can't one of the two. Um, training wages. Training wages. That's right. >> It's actually written as training, but it should be call wages. Call wages is already over spent, and so they move some out of training just temporarily. >> All in call wages, it'll set everything. >> I see. Got it. Okay. All right. So,
we'll we'll cover that as well. Um, hi Netty. I see you just joined. Uh, I actually right before you you joined the meeting, I um filled everyone in on our conversation about you moderating the
budget info session. Totally appreciate that. I think we're gonna we're thinking we'll do that in person with a Zoom hybrid option and we'll host it here at town hall in uh the select board meeting
room and um we're talking 6:30. So, I'm hoping I see you're on mute, but I'm hoping uh all all that works for for you. Is that that sound good? Good. Sound good. That's perfect. So, town hall 6:30 on
May. >> Yes, >> correct. Exactly. And um we will be definitely >> we will definitely >> be in good shape to to post documents no later than the 30th, if not we might
even be able to do it few days before then. And I my thought is is that we'll we'll do a town announce announcing both the availability of those documents on the website and we'll also announce
the date and time location of the budget info session. And uh and we'll let people know that they can uh they're welcome to attend in person or via Zoom since it will be a hybrid option. But but we'll get the word out
via town announce about that. >> Excellent. And I will make sure to put um to mention that at Saturday's meet the candidates forum as well. >> Okay, great. I'm wondering Netty if you're comfortable in that town announce. Can we
encourage people to write any questions they want to make sure get covered and send those questions directly to you? Is that would you be comfortable fielding those? >> Yes, I would. That would be great. >> Okay. Okay. All right. So, that'll be
the the message that we'll we'll send in that town announces that um they're welcome to submit questions in advance directly to you. And then, you know, if you could do a little bit of just organizing, you know, making sure that
like duplicate questions, you know, basically don't, you know, just you can you can do a little bit of aggregation. Um, whatever you think is appropriate. >> Absolutely. We'll do. >> Okay. Great. Great. >> Thanks, AJ. >> Thanks, Eddie.
Okay. So, um, maybe what we'll look at now is the budget. Uh, let me pop that up. And I think the main updates here are that um, Susie has
cleaned up our notes column. Um, and so maybe we could just kind of go through those, make sure we're all comfortable with whatever annotation we we've done here. And then there was um
one substantive change, which is we've now have a final actual contract amount for the town administrator salary. We where we previously had a placeholder. So that number has gotten plugged in
here. Um, and it our placeholder was pretty close, but I think it was just like uh maybe $1,200 um above the actual contracted amount. So, we did have a small pickup there,
but what wasn't, you know, it was we were pretty close. Um, so that change has been input in here. Uh, that's this number right here. >> Lower than where placeholder, >> correct? The placeholder was 95 >> four.
>> Uh oh. Was it 94? Okay. Yeah. Great. Um so I changed the note here to reflects recent contract negotiation. And then we also put in a note here. TA administrator was given a midyear increase to $90,500
during FY 26. so that people don't assume >> this is the total increase from FY26 to FY27. I think that that's that was a good clarification that uh Haley pointed out. >> Just want to point out before we go too
far that there's no no saying cola because um we we'll just make that statement and don't have to be repeated every time, >> right? There's like 20 of them. It's not worth right. Um, okay. So, that was one substantive change. And then George, you
did a whole bunch of QC work on this. Um, and you found a couple of little um >> mostly on the revenue page. >> On the revenue page. Okay. >> But also on the expense page, I noticed I was looking at the actual 25. >> Uhhuh.
>> Um remember um when we noticed that it was off earlier and I remember you said Jim said, you know, we should look at this and I said, "Oh, it's off 80. It's probably the Fincom reserve. So, we plugged in looked fine. I was looking at it today and I realized there was other stuff. Okay. Like the OPED wasn't there
and the transfer to capital stabilization wasn't there. So, I went back. Okay. >> And I looked at it and I realized the fin should be zero because we used it all up last year. So, I changed to zero and then I was confused. So, Haley got me the accounts report this morning and I went in and I was able to determine
what the differences were. Okay. The the problem is some of the line descriptions in the expense report don't line up with the budget. So when I think it was Haley was creating the FY25, she did the the the capital the two items I just mentioned were both in a single line
with a different title. So there was no way to know what it was, but I added them up and I knew that's what it was. So anyway, so I was able to figure out what the right total is and I went through there was like $30 difference in one place >> that was all FY25 >> FY25 expense. now is accurate. >> Okay, great.
>> And um and I sent it to Haley, right? So Haley, you saw my my explanation as to how how to reconcile that. So next year you'll have what you need to do that, >> right? And then on the revenue, >> so on the revenue, the percentage was the the calculation of the percentage.
You take this year minus last year and you divide it into last year. We were dividing it into this year. We were taking FY27US 26 and dividing it into 27. Okay. >> Easy mistake to make. In fact, I know other town administrators I I don't even know if the town administrator made that mistake, but I know that was a problem
with the town administrator in Sunderland last year. >> Bless her heart. Poor thing. You know, I got discovered. It's an easy mistake to make. >> Yeah. >> And and so um and I I found it kind of by accident because I was doing annual report and I was looking at the percentage increase in revenue,
percentage increase in tax in expenses. I was like, it should be the same. >> Yeah. So that's what Q means. So this was for that whole column of FY27 versus FY26% change. >> Yes, >> that whole Okay, got it. >> And then the other thing I saw I'm sorry.
>> And then the other thing I saw was in the local aid section, you have the pluses and the minuses. >> And a couple of the minus items actually have plus. We're putting the plus signs. I don't know if you can scroll up, AJ to
um >> so see how they're all negatives. >> The 1240 was in as a positive as was I think the 9 to7. >> Oh, >> so all the others were negative. So the difference between those two things combined, flip them, you're only talking
2,000, $3,000. So not a big deal. Okay. >> Um so I fixed that and of course it changed the numbers and I changed the numbers accordingly. >> Okay. Report. >> Oh no. Yeah. >> Yes. Yeah. On the end report. Yes. And those are the only things that I recall, K. Okay. I did double check and make
sure all the formulas on the expense and the actual budget did tie into our bottom line number. Okay. >> Without the subtotals mixed in because sometimes you do a subtotal and you get the wrong. >> Yeah. >> Anyway, and you miss a cell if a new cell was added. That didn't happen. Okay. >> So, I think it's pretty good. >> Yeah. Okay. Great.
>> I mean, that doesn't mean I found everything, but >> Okay. So, that's great. Um maybe what we can do can we should we go through those notes and just make sure um they all make sense to everybody. Okay. So all
right so we we already discussed this one. The first one that comes up is the town administrator salary. Uh so we've got that. Um next one is town administrator expenses which is a $2,100 increase. And we've
added a note that it's added cost at MMA conference. What's the MMA stand for again? >> Math municipal dis association. >> It's the organization is like the head of all fin that pulls together all finance committees.
>> Yeah. All right. So maybe we should just >> Right. Is it mostly the finance committee group? >> It's HR. It's all right. It's everything. Yeah. >> Never mind. >> Okay. Great. >> Finance committ. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yes.
>> All right. Next one is the administrative assessor. So, we just mentioned that it's a new >> hire. Oh, by the way, Haley, did he sign his contract? >> So, he's effectively hired today. >> He is hired. Today was his first day. >> Great. >> We got him on the books. He's getting by.
>> And this time Jay is his >> awesome. >> That's great. And this salary line is is correct that we're seeing here, right? >> Yeah. He that's what he was comfortable with. He didn't want the full 35.
>> He didn't affect health insurance, right? Um it was more like No, it's more for his retirement. >> Right. But it doesn't he's not because >> Oh, no. He's not taking >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Well, that's great. Okay. Um and then next note here is contract increase for the assessor's computer maintenance um uh product. Okay.
And >> yeah, what's what should that say? >> Treasurer. >> Are we Ellen fills in for Ryan and Ryan fills in for Ellen? Like when they're on vacation. I just think it happens so
infrequently that that's why we don't use that line a lot. >> We don't really have a position called the assistant treasurer, right? >> No. >> The idea the the idea years ago was that was going to be the sort of the feeding for the you know when the treasurer left
or when the collector left that was >> that right then we then we could combine the positions and it would just be one. >> Yeah. Most most do. So is it agre is it agreed that they should have zero there?
I mean that could be not recognizing Ellen's potential roles. She might not collect the money but is it okay to say it's vacant or zero? I mean, based on the actuals, >> it could,
>> but I mean, like I like she's going to be out a couple days and he's going to be coming in as assistant collector, >> but it's it's kind of I think you described it as kind of a mutual sort of backup situation, right? Where
they both are available to back >> one another up. >> Yeah. I I don't know what the best title is. >> But when he But when she backs him up, can't she get paid out of her own line? >> Yeah. >> I think that's what happened. >> Right. And then if her own line runs
over Yeah. transfer, >> it's like a duty that each of them have in their existing job description, whether >> so line not needed. Collector, I don't know. Collector covers line not. >> Yeah. Vacant makes it sound like we're
looking for somebody. Yeah. >> Um >> like extension >> was could we say physician no longer needed or something like that or >> wasn't this originally Gabe was Gabe was >> it's a mutual agreement >> when she left wasn't there a need for someone to fill in
>> we've paid her some to train Ryan he came in >> wasn't that what that was position no longer exists >> to be position no longer exists >> we were looking at >> I think that's fine I like Yeah. And you know you could put like covered internally or something like you
know that like it's I mean it doesn't exist but we still have it covered type thing. >> Well and that's the problem here. We could go on forever. Um position no longer exists. Uh town collector coverage treasurer if you want. Right. You think is that what you're saying? Is that even necessary? Yeah.
>> All right. Okay. That's what I suggest. >> Then we can move. >> Okay. All right. uh oped actuarial study. So this is Yeah. Right. This is >> when is that going to happen? >> This year.
>> Yeah. I think it's happening this >> Yeah. I mean that's one of the things we have to analyze and I really want to see the new one because with health insurance going up the way it is, I think it's going to look a lot scarier than >> is that note appropriate balance needed for an actuarial study in FY27?
>> Think so. isn't bumped, but it's been. >> Yeah. >> So, why was it bumped? Because >> you say increase increase needed for >> balance, doesn't it? >> Right. >> What is it? It's a we work towards getting a certain amount of money together. >> It's it's rolled over,
>> right? That's what we're doing each year. >> Yeah. Uh >> if anybody asks what this means, you guys can answer it. >> Okay. Then um town collector additional
four hours per week budgeted. Um I feel like can we say something about as a as approved by the personnel board and select board. >> Yeah.
>> Something like that. Just because I don't want people to think that like >> the fin clown decided, oh treasure should be working four hours a week. Yeah, >> maybe you just put that at the beginning. Approved. >> Yeah, approved by >> personel board approved.
>> Four additional hours. >> Personnel personnel and >> select boards. >> Does the select board vote on it? >> They have to, >> right? Don't they have to approve all of you or no? >> I don't know if that actually made it to
them. So I should just say personnel board then. >> Just say personnel board. >> Okay. Approved. >> Yeah. That's >> additional four hours per week. >> Thank you, Murphy. Maybe the budget is >> Yeah.
Okay. All right. Uh personnel expenses increase requested for staff recognition. >> Comfortable with that? >> Yes. >> All right. Um board of registars expenses right free election schedule
for FY27. All right. Uh dam management consultant uh estimate based off fluctuating prior year actuals. Is that clear enough? I guess could be
based on >> based on fluctuating prior actions. Yeah, I think that works, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh water resources committee expenses committee inactive.
Okay. ZBA uh zoning board uh expenses increases due to rising newspaper advertisement fees. Good. Okay. Um, town buildings equipment maintenance includes new library building costs,
fire alarm, septic pumping, HVAC, carpet cleaning using 5K cash reserves to ease increase. Pretty clear. Okay. Uh, then we have the electricity contracted rate. >> Yeah, I was I wasn't sure about this
one. >> Is that an aggregate? Um, is that because the aggregate rate changed? Well, why would it go up? Because the aggregate rate was went down. >> Know what it was before? >> No, but that's what they Well, I mean, I could look at my email, but that's what they had sent me.
>> I'm not sure we need a note on this line. It's $657. It's 4% increase. >> Let's take it out. >> I don't think anybody's going to be >> there. Okay. >> People know electricity goes. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um, heating increased by a thousand.
Projected increase fuel costs. >> Yeah, >> seems straightforward. Okay. Supplies includes restroom and cleaning supplies for >> I just should I say new library building? Some point we won't need to say new
anymore, but yeah. >> Okay. Um, all right. ADA committee inactive farm and forestry committee committee disbanded. >> So there is a distinction. >> Yeah. What is the distinction? I don't
>> So was there a an actual disbanding and the other one? It's like maybe someday we'll active. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. So that makes sense. All right. Police chief new hire. >> Okay. Expenses that increases subscription fee for body cameras.
>> Yeah, that's the majority. Not all of it, but that's >> most of it. >> Yeah. Um All right. Uh fire department call wages FY26 more calls than anticipated. FY27
increased slightly. >> Increased activity in anticipated increased calls. Is that what we're thinking? How about anticipated FYI27 >> increased activity?
>> Increased activity >> anticipated FY27 increased activity. Okay. All right. Uh >> don't forget to save and period. >> Sorry, say again. >> Save your file key. >> Yes. All right. >> This is the heaven.
>> Yeah, man. Uh, and then fire department maintenance costs for repairs. Wait. Uh, okay. >> You say increased costs. Yeah. >> Yeah. Increased >> or cost for repairs have been
increasing. >> Um, you know, >> increasing costs for repairs. >> Yes. I like that. increasing cost for repairs. And I think, you know, the idea is if people look at the actuals
for these recent years and compare them to these budgeted, it's like this has been the issue we're trying to avoid. So FY25, we budget 11, it actually 21. I guess it's just uh again FY. So like
if we look at the we budgeted $11,000 for FY25, it actually cost 21,000. So we increased 16,400 for FY. >> And just as a point of reference, I know everybody knows this, but if anybody says how come your actual is higher than
your budget, >> and the answer is Vinc Reserve transfers. >> Yeah, I know you guys know it, but all this stuff people ask questions. It's that and we also do end of year lineto line.
>> Oh, that's true, too. It's more than just That's a really good point. >> Okay. Um, the Fogg building inspector line now includes plumbing inspector costs.
um education elementary school using cash reserves for a portion that will re be reimbursed in FY 28 by state circuit breaker. >> Okay. >> And the reason we I I thought of that is because we need advocacy for circuit
breaker and people hear it out here and see it there. Yeah. That's why yeah part of the page >> does do we need to make clear that this relates to the out of district placement? >> I think so I think we'll leave because
it's going to come up on the and uh we'll see it in the rest of the report. >> Okay. All right. Um elementary transportation new contract using 15k cash reserves to ease in this spike. Um
>> everybody knows what a spike is. Yeah. All right. And then um can I rename this to regional? >> Yeah. I don't know why it is that. >> Why? Because it because >> it's regional school >> because it makes it sound like it's one
building, but we like a big part of it is the middle school roof here, right? Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Is it anybody see any problem with me doing that? >> Not at all. >> Not at all. You know the question I wonder is what is it on our >> names have it as
>> yeah exactly all right I will find out >> regional yes is that good that work okay >> all right increase primarily due to firstear debt service of high school track and field and MS roof projects.
>> Yeah. >> Since you're on the second line of text, you couldn't make it say middle school. >> Yeah. AJ, just so you know, on the expense report, it says Ammerst-Pellum debt. >> Okay. >> This is a R. >> Yes.
>> Do you want to do high school, middle school, too? Just >> for consistency. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Great. this question on >> 142 line 142 >> all right >> because these are all explanations I wonder it's so low maybe there's an
explanation for it being so low >> and that would be you know that where the modified statutory is working in our favor for this year the actual cost of the school is much higher than the the increase >> the increase is much higher for the school >> um yeah I mean I wouldn't talk about
methods I'd probably just say due to lower enrollment >> it's not switch the formula It's the formula. It's the formula. The other townsity. The other towns are paying much higher. >> Yeah, they are. But the formula didn't change. It's the same formula we've been using the last three years. >> It's the percentage of it that is in the
mix. >> We're at 100% statutory now. >> Weren't we three years ago? And this year last and this year too. >> Um because of all the guard rail. >> No, that was three. Yeah. >> No, I think we've been at the same method for a couple years. been using the same method
>> bike last year to that under >> the guardrail was not in place last year. >> No, I know and and we went to the rise last year >> or this year 26 to 27. It's not because of the change in the assessment method. >> No, no, but it is it we're benefiting from the method.
>> We are definitely benefiting from the method because we have lower income and we have fewer students. >> It's benefiting from current assessment for a decade. If you just looked at the overall school, what is it? 10%. >> I think I think the point's well taken
because we we we don't want people to assume that the regional school budget is increasing by less than 1%. Right. It's huge, right? It's a big increase. >> It's just that it's an increase that's primarily being
>> shared by the other three towns. Yes. >> Yeah. How do we how do we explain that one line? Um >> I think benefiting current from the current assessment >> methodology I I don't think that's right though. >> It's the for it is the it is a statutory
rolling average. It is >> right but that's not why we're doing better. >> It's working it's working in our favor. >> It is working in our favor but it's not why the increase from 26 to 27 is any lower because we use the same exact method in 26. >> Yeah. >> So what's the reason or the difference? The reason for the difference is
enrollments I think. >> No, no. The overall budget is up 10% or so for the regional school. >> But why assessment not growing? >> Because >> because our share of the students is going down. Everybody else is going up higher than ours. What's what drives the
assessment? >> It has to be it has to be some combination of enrollment and >> and the equity uh factors. Yeah. >> Okay. In a methodology, you could use the word equity. >> Yeah. >> Lower enrollment and and what do you
>> uh I just again I think the method is the same each year. The question is what in the formula has changed year to yearly go down >> driving our share >> our share down. I mean I'm fine with what if you but it is a good point and I actually think before annual town
meeting I think I should talk to Shannon about nailing down a good explanation for why because it's not just us it's Pelum >> took their share >> had a huge increase this year as well relative to Amoris and she
is >> and so I I think I think >> same with leverage leverage leverage is bumped up >> yeah I don't leverage is going up too. So all all three of the other towns have they all have they all seen improve or do they all have they all seen >> Can I make one suggestion?
>> Yeah. >> Because I because we want to make sure that this is like neutral because I've been writing like a like a town meeting guide and I've been really kind of struggling on how do you present something neutrally >> and give the information people need. Could you just give the percentages for
the other towns that of their increases? That way they can see they the voter >> can see what the full range is, but we haven't >> we haven't made an argument that we're we're benefiting from something, right? We've kept the language pretty um even keel.
>> So, so the suggestion would be to show in the note here what the percentage increases are for all four towns. >> I I don't think so because people don't understand why they would be so different. Um, and I think a simpler sentence and especially because the
history in this town is to has been to get to this point. And so >> how about this? I got an idea. How about Shootsbury aortionment of the regional budget decreased in FY27 without >> because >> without getting into the wise and if
people raise their hand, good luck. I won't be there. Well, it's probably enrollment. >> Tell them, right, the factors are enrollment and income. >> Yeah. And but I think I think the the bigger point is that between now and town meeting, I think I want to talk to
Shannon and have a good understanding of what happened specifically in FY27 >> that caused >> significant variability between Helum, Lever, Ammerst, and and Sheesberry. >> Yeah, we stand up. We're basically flat.
Whereas the other three town, >> the other three towns way up. >> Pelum and Shootsbury are outliers here, right? Pelum on the positive side, they went up quite a bit. This >> over 10% >> way more than any of the other towns. And and we >> Yeah.
>> And being able to say to know more precisely than we do right now, is it was it equity factors? Was it in what degree? Yeah. And so leaving this note this way, you don't have to worry about changing the note >> but we will have some
>> based on what she says >> some some explanation that that we we should be able to share. >> Please do share with us too before >> of course. Yeah. >> All right. Is that so everybody comfortable with that then? >> Yep. >> All right. >> One thing about this section is that um I can get school budget from SCES and
put it up in our resources. Right. >> And I wonder if we should put the link to the budget book from ARS up there. Yeah, >> for all those people that want to read a lot. >> I think that's a good idea. >> And not only is that a good idea, if I may right now, you know, we have our folder, our Google folder. >> Yeah.
>> I noticed we have a lot of things in there. One of the things we don't have is the regional in the future, maybe next year. Let's try and put it in there because I was looking for >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, I'll I'll put it in >> emails. >> Um Yeah. Uh >> to your point, AJ, about rolling into what exactly? It's such a big line item
overall. Yes. and to have no impact, no increase. >> I mean, it shows that it's probably good to have a good understanding of >> these if that had been like the other towns. >> Yeah, we match the other towns. That's, you know, >> Yeah. No, you're right. Um, absolutely.
>> Um, I mean, that's a point we we talked about with the SLA, right? Like as bad as this was, >> there were a couple of couple of very important things. >> Yeah. That would have made this significantly worse for us if it hadn't worked out the way it did. Made >> it was work. It took a long time to get
my own. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. So, I think that looks good now. All right. Um, so we are now in public works materials need to purchase covert pipes and signs.
>> Yep, that's what he had in his. >> Okay. Um All right. uh highway department has a lot of machinery and repairs are more costly. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. This is another one. It's like if
you look at the budgeted amounts and the actuals for now three four years in a row we're always we've always been overspending >> and we could always point that out too on these lines. We're doing FY26. We're also making FinCon transfers and we're going to be budget. >> Yeah. So the problem here is really that
the budget we haven't been budgeting that line >> 46% is the increase budget to budget but budget to actual is much lower >> right it's 37 >> I don't know transfer 8,000 >> yeah right you know >> yeah absolutely right
>> and it's not just they're spending more it's things are more costly >> yes >> and they are exposed to a market that's high >> the tools and equipment tool price of tools has risen. It's pretty straightforward. Okay. Clothing stipened
replaces laundry services, reduces cost. Straightforward. >> Okay. Um, now this is or striping. Yeah. Road mark is inflation. >> FY26 price came in higher than budget.
Okay. and catch basin cleanup fee increased for service um today. >> Is this I've always assumed it's catch
basin. Is that is that uh >> it's a catch. It's catching the water. >> It's a grid on it. >> Yeah, it's not catch basin, >> right? >> Is that what it is? Yeah, you're right. It's catch basin. >> I was going to say yeah if I've been a different word. Okay. Uh
>> I'm not sure if that's how you spell baseline, but okay. >> Okay. Department couldn't meet inflated costs in FY20. So this is a note for the subtotal. Is that right? Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Because the department is that I'm thinking
note on a subtotal line. You have a note department couldn't meet inflated costs in >> I don't think we need it because we say that and all the lines above it. >> Yeah. >> Should we drop that? >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. Um,
snow removal. Wow. Uh, increased prices for salt and sand consistently underfunded in recent years. Yeah, that's for sure. >> People understand that. >> Yeah. Um, all right. Rubbish and recycle
falling 5% increase per contract terms sense. All right. Fire station mitigation less services needed. Okay. Water quality includes uh water testing and reporting for
library and lwack. So, can we delete this pest line here now? >> Here's what I want. Well, I can. Is it going to screw everything up? >> No, see that
>> numbering is still good. >> That's in fact nothing. >> Should you spell out LWAC to be consistent? >> Yeah. So, that's lake while uh >> advisory committee. >> All right.
Yeah, that's a good idea. Okay. >> Um, you should think. Yeah. >> If you just double click on a line, it'll just It's okay. Fine. It's good. >> All right.
>> Yes. And then board of health potential new model placeholder for now. I hope I don't have to explain this. It tell me >> and and I changed the title of it to profession >> professional professional >> health services. >> So we say placeholder for now. We're
just telling everybody we don't know what it's going to be. We're just using our best guess. >> Okay. All right. Um veterans benefits 75% will be reimbured in FY28 using cash reserves for $8,250. Yeah, that's great.
Okay. retirements county less retirement paid out. >> That's what I understand, but I'm not sure if that's true. >> Uh Haley, do you have any advice on this note here? This is this is an amount
we're assessed, right? We get that from >> my understanding. Well, Ryan provided numbers. >> Okay. >> I usually get them from him. Um is it because less retirement was paid out? Maybe we shouldn't put that in. >> Yeah, maybe we don't need a zone. I
don't know. It's a real All right. >> Um, health insurance policy changes have slowed the rise to about 9% >> for FY27. Yeah. And I think we should be
prepared to explain how we got those what those changes in involve. Do you have a good handle on this? >> The OMIC was a big one. They did it right away. And so we've already they they've already they didn't have a fight the way um GIC >> All right.
>> did. >> So weight loss drugs are no longer covered >> expenses are dropping on that. So who knows what will happen. >> Yeah. And and also the deductibles went up >> and deductibles. Okay. >> But one thing I wanted to say about that
line was we're also easing it in with free with cash reserves. I don't note that. Maybe we should. >> Yeah. >> Um we are doing what is it? Uh I forget now. Um
>> $25,000. Okay. Um All right. applying cash reserves >> 25k of cash reserves to
these increase. Is that good? >> Yep. >> Yep. >> All right. the wrong way. >> Uh >> if you just double click like on the line between the 112 and the 113. >> This one here. >> Yeah, just double click that. >> There we go.
>> And it just it gives you >> learn something new. All right. >> OP trust fund hiatus for FY26 payment easing back into operating budget with cash. All right. With cash reserves. Great.
Okay. Um, Medicare tax projected FY27 increase. >> Yeah. I don't know why we need to know that. >> Isn't that what we're doing for every single line? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> He gave us the number. We took it so we
don't have to explain it. >> Yeah. >> If anybody asks, it's based on the salaries. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Oh, that's >> uh insurance and bonds. You can give it an estimate. >> Yeah. Okay. >> So, we know that the 79 is what they're
going to bill us next year. >> Yeah. >> It's good. It's flat. >> All right. That's not flat moment. >> Um, town building maintenance fund hiatus in FY26 restarting with 20K.
>> All right. Great. >> It's not cash reserves right now. >> Correct. And you can delete that little table at the bottom if you want. I mean, ultimately, we don't need that. Yeah, it's just what I use to check FY25. >> Okay, great.
>> All right. So, next question is, can um I forget why we had red font for some of these items.
>> It's the it's the format for the number. And if you don't want red fonts, we I can show you how to do. >> No, that's that's fine. But >> well, the question is, >> so it's >> anything that's not black, you got to be careful. How's it going to print is the question. I saw a blue number somewhere there, too. >> Yeah, there's a few blue members, too. >> All right.
>> Anything that's blue needs to be changed. >> But basically, everything in red is a number that's a gain, right? As opposed to a >> large. So that $7,000 there in blue, that shouldn't be blue. >> Yeah.
Yeah. Haley, do you know will the red print? Okay. >> I mean, we can try it and can always make like a a different copy that we just change the color of so that we don't >> Well, I can we can change the color here now. We could just change the font because you can change the you can edit
the um the number type and there's one where you can have negatives without the red >> just I usually always use the red because I stands out >> um I guess the next question is is
>> could be on white paper on >> the other the other place that this is a problem is doing the annual report. It doesn't do colors on all the pages. So, just do it in black and white. >> Yeah. Should I put everything in?
>> Yeah. So, if you just click P at the very top. Well, all right. Yeah. >> That work? Yeah. >> No, that's not going to work. >> Yeah, >> that's not going to do it. No, what you want to do is you can highlight everything. That's fine. >> Or just that column because that's going to really have negatives. And then, um,
rightclick. >> Uhhuh. and edit format cells and then um numbers and then see the one that has no color. It's sec Yeah, that one. And just make sure your decimal places zero and you
want commas. So click the use column. There you go. And now they won't be red. Probably want to check that out, but should be okay. Yeah, >> okay. Great. >> Save. So then >> wait go down because I think the
percentages might be we might have same thing with percentages. Okay. No, we don't. Okay. Good. >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Good. >> Okay. So then how many years? So this is now let's think about the printed >> right >> version. How many years of >> information do we want to
>> it's sitting on my desk. So we basically last year I think we did 22 to 26. So I think we dropped 22 and it's 23. In fact, I checked that and the way it is now was the way it was. I hid all the other ones. Okay. >> On purpose to remind us. >> All right. So, um
if we >> So, this should fit on one. This should fit. >> Yeah. >> Oh, there's um scroll up a little, please. There's a green highlight on insurance and bonds. >> Oh, yeah.
>> I just saw something red, too. Yeah. >> Oh, because we didn't do that for these. Okay. Take a look. >> This a test. Do you remember how >> fast we never learned this in my life?
>> I didn't. >> All right. >> Right. That's a pretty darn good looking budget. Yeah. For the bottom line. >> All right. And then >> well careful about the print area because you don't want to get your titles. You know how to do that, right Haley?
>> Um I can play around with it. >> Yeah. But >> okay. >> So that you always get the titles on every page. So when the numbers you can always tell. >> All right. >> See how page two you can't see the headings. >> Why?
>> So you have to set titles and then change the print range and then the titles will come on every page. >> Okay. >> Interesting. Call me if you don't. >> Is it really? >> It looks like it. >> Including >> Well, I think he was doing landscape.
>> Oh, no. You're doing >> Yeah, they said landscape. Yeah. >> Right. Which is what I want, right? >> Pages at the end, don't we? >> Oh, that's wrong. >> So, if we Okay, one pages.
>> All right. Um, >> you don't want to buy one. >> Definitely not. >> Uh, so I don't know where you are. I don't use this, so I can't tell you. But there's >> I went and printed this option.
>> Ridiculous thing. I should Oh, I tried to. >> So, it's it's six pages long. >> That makes sense. >> All right. Yeah. And that's good. That's three pieces of paper. >> Yeah. >> All right. All right. Haley, I will send this >> Okay. to you. Um,
>> let's look at the revenue page. Yeah, that's right. Let's show it. >> Yeah, revenue page. I want to see where we're at. >> All right. So, um, make this a little bigger. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. All kinds of
>> We left those last year. I think they printed okay. Yeah. I mean, Haley, if you page and you look and you don't like them, you can always change them, right? >> Blue did not print well on blue paper. >> It's a good point. Oh, we're going to be doing blue paper. >> Well, so do it all black. >> Yeah,
>> but it also is that when it goes to the town report, it has to be black and white. >> All right. Okay. So, it's all >> Okay, great. Um, do we want to keep these because I know
>> that was Can I all of like this? >> Well, the second print and that won't be in the print range. We do because we want to add the other aids and the other chapter. >> Okay. >> State aid as they come in so we can kind of compare what everybody did. >> I think bar.
>> Okay. Great. All right. So, um they'll see everything up till this row here, right? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. And everything else is for for us. Yeah. >> I think people are going to be interested in that table at the bottom when they >> talk about $477.
you can really point out. >> How much of that is library? >> Yeah. The library track and right in the in the middle school roof. I mean that's a third of it. >> Yeah. Right. >> More than a third of it. >> Yeah. >> And everybody remind everybody, you
know, you all approved the library. >> Yeah. Right. >> So you knew this was coming. I mean >> 10 years ago. >> Don't even go. >> Just saying. >> All right. But our bottom line and George, I know you sent me an email that
I didn't fully digest yet about some feedback from the assessor about how >> Yeah. So, using the dollar amount, I know I've been saying we should use a range because we missed it so much last year, but I was thinking about it and I talked to the to Jay, the new assessor, and he said that depreciation is not
going to be that much extra. He said, 'You probably should just go with you what you have and just point out to people that there are various factors affecting these calculations and these are just estimates of scale. This just gives you an idea of how large it'll be. >> Um
mo most people aren't going to be able to equate this number to what they see in the tax their value is not the exact amount of the average >> right and most people I mean for us this is not that simple. It's not that straightforward. So, it's more what we're really doing. And I notice every town when you read the gazette, they're
given this number. They're not doing a range. They're giving a number. They're saying it's a factor. So, >> okay. >> You know, it it gives you the scale. We're being conservative on our revenue estimates, especially if we get to $50,000 for for quin. >> Our 70,000 excess living capacity be
20,000 and the 477 is going to go down accordingly. So, >> right, >> I think we are being conservative. >> Okay. also chapter 70 and the state aid number. I think it's probably ultimately going to be better than what we're using. >> I think typically typically the the um
committee makes it higher than the governor's and we're using the governor's which is the lowest. >> Okay. All right. So that so this is what I think we'll be able to share at annual town meeting is that we are estimating the average single family tax bill to be
uh $7,248 which would be a $477 increase in FY26. >> And this calculation also includes line 66. I know you all know it, but >> yeah, >> the re the additional res the residential rate is higher than the
>> property tax rate above it because of the means testing, >> right? >> Mhm. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. Any um any concerns about this? So, do we usually show the same
number of years as on the as we do on the expense? >> Yes. >> All right. So, I've got to unfreeze. Let's see. >> Yeah. So, I All right. So, we are going to hide up to
Yeah, that's pretty much right. Okay. >> And this should print pretty easily. >> Yeah. All right. So, that >> two pages. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. It'll fit on two. It did last year. >> It might be challenging. Haley,
>> what's happening there? see the little charts in the middle. >> Oh, yeah. You gota you got to select the range. >> Yeah. All right. >> Like you did before. And and and AJ, if you select >> Mhm. >> from property tax levy. Um so row four.
Select from row four. Yeah. Select from there to the >> Okay. >> And then set. >> Let's see if if it's got title already set in it. It probably does to >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, right. So, it's got I can't tell. It's so small, but you can see the
year. >> Yeah. >> On both pages. >> Yeah. So, the title's already set. That's >> great. All right. So, yeah, this will be a two-page document then. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> So, you didn't send it. >> So, Haley, I will send this
to you when we wrap up tonight. >> Okay. Next up, >> um, oh wait, before you pivot away from this, so I like like I said earlier, I've been working on like a meeting guide for temping and I just sent you a document, AJ. If you don't mind sharing
it and opening it, I just want to show you >> show all of you what I was thinking of distributing um before town meeting. So, it just takes it's like, you know, it's just a pie chart showing um you know what what
portion of the budget is paid out. Like if you had a property tax bill of $1,000, what would that $1,000 go to based on different budget categories? >> I see. Okay. Uh all right. So, annual town meeting warrant. This is the document. Yep.
>> Yep. So, if you just scroll straight down or you can look at this, too. Um, >> yeah. >> So, this is just kind of telling people, >> you know, what what's the action that's on the table? What's the summary? What might they need to know to consider something like free cash for example?
It's not free money, right? We know it has just unspent. >> Yeah, that's un and so this will be a handout that is distributed at >> I'll have it printed and up on the website.
>> Okay. And so the idea is that as each article, so for every article there's like a little >> there's a step-by-step guide. >> Interesting. Okay. >> Got it. >> You should fix. >> All right. So I here's what I'm going to
recommend is can I will share this >> with our committee now. Does this have like this? Does it need to be or does this need to be posted before annual town meeting? Is this something you're going to share on the website? >> Do it before.
>> Yeah, >> but it's a little bit more flexible. >> Okay. Because I think I'd like to be for the committee to be able to just review this and >> uh see if they have any >> um suggestions or we should also like a couple of the there's numbers in here. So, we should also
>> Yeah, >> we'll do some um cross referencing with >> Okay. >> the final budget because we've >> article three needs to be updated for dollars. >> Yeah. >> Um right. Yeah. So, his total um dollar amount is has been changed. Uh
>> yeah, this is still a draft war for >> Just want to make sure this Yeah. >> Yeah. I'm reworking the capital. >> Oh, sorry. What? >> Yeah. I was just going to say I like the idea. It kind of reminds me of like the voter guide you get uh in the mail
before like um >> Yeah. >> General general election. It's like our version of that. Okay. So, what were you gonna say about capital items? >> Um, that is still very much draft form because I like I said earlier, I've really been kind of struggling with how do you not advocate for something? How
do you just explain well this is what was received and this is >> kind of the reasoning why. So, that's very much draft. So, I would not go over on anything. Are you just out of curiosity, are are like are the sponsors for each of these capital items like the
department heads are they are they giving you this language or are you sort of >> I pulled that all from the forms actually. I just took the capital um request forms and just pulled all the language from there. >> That's really good. >> Okay, that's great.
>> Um All right. Um okay, that's cool. So I will share this with uh the committee and then um if everybody can go through it and maybe if you have suggestions
can you just email them to me >> and then I'll consolidate everybody's suggestions and send it to to >> Haley. Does that work? >> Haley process. Okay, great. And so um
oh >> go ahead. >> Yes. So this document just for the minutes. So this is a document we're creating to describe each Warren article a brief summary of each Warren article that will be posted on the website. >> It's really hard to know when to
>> I know >> um >> sorry it's like super hard to get cues on when to speak on Zoom when everyone else is in the room. Um so But >> uh nothing. So I just tried to model it after the Friday five. But if you just
scroll to the bottom, so it'll have all the warrant articles and then it'll have some like vocabulary for people and then it talks about parliamentary procedures and then at the very end of it had there's like a little graphic and that kind of shows >> Yeah. the chart you were saying. Okay.
Mhm. >> So that's what it would look like and it would just show you, you know, if you had a only $1,000 in property taxes to pay that that's kind of the breakdown and so it definitely if people can double check the numbers and then there's a chart underneath it that kind
of explains it a little bit more. >> Wow, Haley, that's great. >> Okay, got it. So this is like for every thousand dollar you pay in property taxes, this is where those dollars go to. >> I thought you just took these percentages from the budget. the education is a percentage of
>> Okay, great. All right. So, yeah, I think there's going to be some double-checking the numbers here only because we've made some minor changes to the budget and so we we'll we'll that'll be part of our review for this. But >> I like how you'll be able to separate
out the benefits and insurance. You having a separate separate line for that? Yeah, >> that really ends up >> parts of that are education and general government, so on and so forth, right? But it's nice to be able to separate that. >> Yeah. No, I I like this framing. Yeah.
>> Isn't it amazing how little debt service is relative to everything else? >> Yeah, I know. Because it feels like >> a very big deal this year, right? Yeah, >> it is. >> Um Yeah. So, there's really like >> one of the messages here is like benefits insurance. That's an item that just it is what it is,
>> right? Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And I think it's >> And to AJ's point, is that the other way to say that? >> It's nonexpressionary. >> Which was the point AJ was making last week. We need to talk about that. Yeah, it's that >> Yeah,
>> you want to get that up. >> All right. Um, okay. This looks cool, Haley. Um, >> really good. So, we'll we'll uh we'll spend some time on this and then uh if I get you any suggestions or feedback
um by Thursday next week, is that that work for your timing? >> Perfect. >> Okay. >> Are we going to meet too soon? >> I think so. Yeah. What about um the cap that that worksheet you have with the capital and then the the
stabilization and cash reserve a cash >> capex? >> Oh, like that's the one that she >> You're asking about sharing it or >> Well, is that part of this package or >> It's not, but our annual report
has has a section of it that basically summarizes that. So maybe that that's a good segue to pull that up. >> Yeah. Yes. At least for us, I think it'd be good at least for us to have an update. >> Yeah. Well, we haven't >> updated version updated version of it that shows that that spreadsheet you've put together. >> Yeah. Yeah. Right.
>> I've got it. I think that's here actually. Yeah. So, it's really valuable, I think. >> Yes. And it's it's simpler on our annual report than it is looking at that schedule. >> Yeah. >> We're all familiar with that schedule, but show that to a green audience, you know, who hasn't seen it as often as we have. >> Jim, you're talking about this.
>> That's exactly right. Where we >> Yeah, exactly that. we have for each capital item. >> Yeah, >> exactly that. >> Yeah. Yeah. All that data is on is that in Google? Is that in Google doc? >> Yeah. So, this is in our Google folder. Um, >> so, uh, it's called the capex document
and you can even look at the last several years. >> I think that's really helpful. >> Yeah. And it and the the super helpful thing about this is at the bottom we can see where our for each of our reserve cash reserves. So capital
stabilization, stabilization and free cap. We can see where what our starting balances were as of actions taken at the last special town meeting that and then all of the things we're considering at annual town meeting total
$425,000 and change. And so this is what it leaves our cash reserves at if all of those things pass at annual town meeting. Is that a quick side note >> that could be on our web page with all of our documents. They don't have to
explain it. They can look at it or not look at it. And and the piece about that is that it's a plan >> and it's planned over multiple years. So if you want to just put it up on our web page with our our I mean the FinCom web page ends up with all the documents as
well as some are on the homepage. >> As long as they can't edit it. >> Yeah. And I don't think we have to print it or, you know, go a great explanation, but I feel for the people that are hunting, >> uh, that's information. >> All right. So, maybe we could print out
a PDF version of this and then post that. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. There's there is one thing on here that's not in the report, and that's the uh greater. >> Yeah. >> Because we're only getting the greater if we get the grant, right? Do >> you hear any that? >> No, we won't know about the grant till
June as always. Yeah. He seemed pretty he seemed pretty positive. >> Feels good about it. And he said, "If I don't get it, I'll wait a year because I'll get it next year." >> Okay, >> that's nice. It's a lot of money.
>> Okay, I'm going to share the annual report. Okay, so let's do this in two steps. One, we'll look at the usual format for the annual report. We'll go through that and then we'll look at Laura's
letter and see if um that should be a part of this package that we want to print and post. Uh okay. So, um George, this this reflects all
last minute changes, please. >> Yeah, it was only thousand bucks. It didn't really change it at all. >> Right. Okay. >> It's um it didn't change at all. You might want to get rid of the yellow. I just highlighted to remind to show everybody I put that back in. >> Okay, great. >> Because I, as I said, now the difference
there is a slight difference between this and what's on the revenue page, but it's not I don't think it's a big deal. >> Okay. >> I'm not at this very moment knowing why, but there is a reason. Oh, yeah. You know what I didn't do? I should have
used 1735 instead of 1734, but I don't use the 1735 for the means test because it wouldn't tie to the above part which calculates in the budget. So that's why there's a difference that does 7243 does not include the means test. >> The means test that's $4 and that's $5
is the difference between or $5. That's the difference between the two. So if anybody says I look in here and I see 7243 and I there's 7248. The answer is we're using we're not using the means testing tax rate. We're using the >> texture. Got it. Um.
All right. So, I should leave it at the 1734. >> Yes. Because that's what ties on our revenue sheet. >> Yes. >> So, that's what that's what this calculation come. Okay. Got it. >> All right. Um All right. So, we've got our pie chart, >> which is sort of another Well, the
expense version is kind of another way to share what Haley has in her document. But anyway, uh all right. So, um, here's our >> and we prepare school sessions in I didn't see it.
>> Oh, well, no. Oh, >> that another year, but I hope it was a good idea. And it's all right if it didn't happen yet. Yeah, >> I got mixed up. I couldn't figure it out. >> Yeah. I mean, given that it's 58% of our budget, it Yeah, it does warrant
All right. So, um, significant operating changes compared to the FY26 budget. Um, got a new item, right?
Uh, yeah, I don't think so. Right. This should be in our towns. The four itallic also. >> What's that? >> The four like is also >> like the number like the >> Yeah, the numbering of the bullets.
Yeah, the bullet. >> Oh, it's should be italicized. >> Control I. >> Yeah. >> So, do you want to change the name of that because you did on the budget spreadsheet? >> Yes. Thank you. ARPs
regional debt, right? All right. Um, so the thing we want to make sure when we talk through these is that these are the the amount of the increases, right?
Um, obviously they're not the budget line amounts, but Okay, got it. >> Right. Budget increase. >> So, some of these have percentages and some don't. I guess oped is cuz we didn't we didn't do any less >> 100%. >> We could you could put that in.
>> Yeah. >> To go back up to the new budget items. Can you spell it maintenance? Because you spell it out in maintenance A2. >> A2 because you spell it out in B8. So >> there's plenty of room for
Okay. uh town employees salary increases including >> this might be a place where we could say cola was 2.59%. >> Yeah, but then do we need a dollar amount? That's
>> Well, that's a 15,000. >> Well, no, the 15,000 >> actually the 15,000 >> it is, is it? >> The 15,000 is only the cola and maybe that's what we should call this town employees cola increases. Yeah, that's what this is, right?
>> Yeah, it is because it says excuse contracted in unions. >> All right. >> Yeah. You know, >> town employees. >> That doesn't have Ellen's extra hours though. Um the actual calculation is probably not
material enough because >> because what I do Haley to get the calculation is I just highlight the column and I change all the 2.59s to zero >> and then I >> I write down what the budget is and then I set it back to 2.59 and I see the
differences between the budgets. So hers >> does go up year to year, but that percentage is really all it's calculating. >> And there's a slight change because of that, but not much. >> Four hours adding per week isn't part of that. >> That's what she was.
>> It's just it's just a percentage change. >> Okay. >> Um and her amount is adjusted. So how is the formula look? Let me just look. How's the formula look in the cell that has her salary? Wolves.
>> Yeah. This is how rumors start. >> All right. Town collector. So when I look at the line, it's a flat amount that doesn't even have a percentage. So hers was didn't change when I did that calculation. >> Okay. So yeah, you know, we're this is just
>> colas and nothing else. >> And do you want to put 2.59 somewhere on that? Yeah. >> Ola increases 2.59. >> How about if I just put it here match the other lines here or town employee colonies?
Yeah, I'm I'm it's I think it's really important because I feel like people this the kind of thing that I I feel like people who are upset about the budget and the increase in their tax bill might
feel like wait what budget's so hard this year why are we giving any increases at all and it's like in the scheme of things to $1500 yeah it's nothing accomplished. >> No. >> Yeah. And and what does it actually
provide in terms of staff morale and >> right? Yeah. All the benefits for >> commitment to commitment to the townation. >> Anyway, so seeing that number I think is important. All right. So notable projected revenue increases decreases.
Okay. In total tax lending >> little extra space there. Actually, you know, I crunched it because I was having trouble with orphans going to the next page. Okay. >> So, I actually messed around. I tightened it up a little only because I didn't want the tables to be like
>> the free cash, you know, AB on one page and C on the other. I don't And you should scroll down and see how that's doing now. >> You put a subtotal line. >> Oh, yeah. So, the emergency dam was going to the next page. So, I tighten things up to keep it all Yeah. Yeah. It
looks like it's >> that's always a challenge. Yes. For me anyways. >> Uhuh. Okay. Um >> um I think I asked for a subtotal line. >> I put them in. So I did that Susie. So if you look at line A, it's got a total at the end and oh A, B, and C should be
B, C, and D at the >> bottom. Good. >> And if you add it up two, >> yeah, I don't know why that's not You might have >> is a a part of it or is it not?
>> Yeah, it's not recognizing. >> It might not. Thank you. >> Yeah, it's not recognizing. That's exactly >> can speak to it directly then. >> Yeah. It must be the way I set it up. >> Yeah, that's but that's that's what we're talking about, right? Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. And so Susie, so total tax levy
increase the 1687 401 154 minus 5 equals 427. >> Yeah. No, that's not where I'm thinking that we need a subtotal. it's down where we're using um cash. >> So in three >> cash reserves >> down below. So there's a difference
between using it in the capital budget and using it in the operating budget. And I feel like we should have a subtotal >> um for the um >> we could do the same thing right after fire truck. We could put um we could put 934 is that's what the number is. I'll
check it but that's what it is. >> So you're saying a subtotal for these items here? Yeah. >> Right. But instead of doing that, >> so it's it's above eight. And >> we could do what we did in the other one where we could put it on line A and just have dash total of 934. You know what
I'm saying? >> Yeah. >> I want one through seven to be totaled up. >> Well, we're not Yeah. Not using cash. >> I do right now. >> But I already know this. It's >> I see. >> Yeah. And I and I feel like the the argument that's going on is how we're using cash reserves and we're
>> right. But that's going to be down lower. You're going to see that. >> Oh, is it down lower? >> Keep going. Keep Oh, wait. Wait. >> No, I guess you're right. Yeah, you don't see it's not broken out. You're
right. Okay. two the subtotal lines for what's in capital cash reserves and what's in operating cash reserves because I think we'll see that we're um increasing some of our reliance. >> Yeah. I mean you could where tractor is
you could put a head in cash for free cash and then and then two through seven and then above firet truck put bings and then just have a fire truck below. You know that's one way to do it. >> It's confusing heavily 800,000 Okay, that sets on.
>> What if it's something like this? Um, >> yes, it does. >> Capital budget funded >> says all funded from cash versus free cash except fire truck. >> Well, what if I what if we did this uh
with uh free cash? Okay. And then >> just >> and then just come >> just at the end. No, no, no. >> How about if I do something like this? Okay. >> And then >> sub total there.
>> Get rid of this. >> Yeah. Or you could put in the funded with free cash on. But yeah, >> funded from borrowing something like that. >> That's a different title. >> Yep.
>> That works. >> Okay. >> You might as well might as well. >> Yeah. I was going to say that take the borrowing. >> Okay. And then excuse me, did you think it was important to total this column? >> I do. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, you could put it at the end of free cash dash 15 at 190. >> Oh, I see what you're saying. Yeah.
You're saying up here, right? >> Yeah. What is it? It's 134. >> Yeah. Like I did with the others. >> Yeah, that looks >> That's clear. >> All right. Um, sorry. What's the amount? 134. 134K.
Yeah, there you go. Something like that. Susie, is that what? >> Yep. Perfect. That's a good idea. >> Get rid of the sentence and get rid of the eight on fire truck. Yeah. Or call it give it a one maybe. >> Do you do we have a idea that funded
from borrowing would be um starts in FY28? >> Yes. >> Should we say that? Okay. >> To begin in FY28. >> Yeah, that's a good point. >> Okay. That's your group. >> All right.
>> How does that line up the rest of them? >> Sorry, say that again. >> How does that line up the rest of the report? >> Oh, yeah. That's going to be an issue, right? >> Well, you can delete a row on. >> So, I don't need this note here, right? >> Yeah. >> All right. >> That's much better. >> And you don't need the note under fire
next to firet truck or >> Yeah, you don't need that, >> right? spaces. >> Lots of spaces. I'm not a fan of the word equipment. >> Okay. >> He's on a spreadsheet.
>> And then you can probably delete the row >> between fire truck. There's two rows. You only need one. >> Yeah. >> See how it looks. >> All right. >> See, this is what I talk about, right? Yeah. Maybe we want that spacing. >> I know. >> Oh, yeah. We got the same. We got an
orphan up there, too. We have an orphan at the top of this page. Yeah. Yeah. Look at that. See, that's the kind of thing that always drives me crazy. >> There's a pigraph one. >> Yeah. Try that. >> You can make the pigraph smaller actually. >> Yep. And then just grab the bottom right
hand corner. Yep. >> Thank god for that undo button. What's going on? >> That's weird. That's weird. You're doing the right thing. See, I don't know why I do that. Uh, but
there's I can be the >> sides, right? Let's see. Um, you should just be able to grab it and move it like >> try grabbing at the very bottom instead of the corner, >> sir. Try grabbing that square at the
bottom. Yeah. See, just push that up. Figure that out. >> Sometimes it does. It changes it a little, but if you just do it one line, it's good >> usually. Wait, I'm trying to remember where I can see the
actual size of this. Let's see. The picture if you click home. There it is. Okay. Yeah. Got it. >> Do >> All right. So, I could even do that a little bigger. >> There you go.
>> Even more. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, that's good, right? >> Yeah. >> Does it help us with this one? Um, no, it does here. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, now we're good. Okay. Right. >> Quick. >> Yeah. But there's no sum um sum total
for operating or you could just put it at the top. Um the the total that's coming just like we did for the other. >> Yeah. But free cash for operating, >> right? Which is what's in the budget. It's what >> uh or free cash. So you're suggesting I give a like a subtotal for this. Yeah.
Just like that. Okay. >> 208 250 or you could even say 208k. >> 208. That's what's >> we want to capitalize the word cash and free cash. Free cash is like a fund or a
a thing. >> Should I underline this? >> Okay, good. >> And then up an A. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Under capital budget free cash. >> Take out the word all from it just is wrong.
>> Free. You mean that? Yeah. You might want to put a space between the dash. It's all right. You know, >> we actually match that with a also just >> Oh, yeah. From free funded uh
the dash. >> Yeah. I mean, just Yeah. >> Yeah. Word of the same exact. Yeah. And also at the end of capital budget hit a carriage return we couldn't have a space between I think we got room to have a space between capital budget and yeah I think that
looks no did we lose anything yeah we didn't bad idea that's why that's why it was the way it was okay >> let me do a quick check and make sure we're still tying to our schedule capital
>> projects impacting FY28 budget reus so George the point about these two items is that they these are projects that have already been approved by prior actions that we're not taking up an annual town meeting but they're Oh, I
see. No, this point is is that why do we say these are impacting the FY28? >> I don't know. >> Because they're impacting FY27. >> We We put that there as a committee, right? I That's >> Yeah. I think at one point we thought maybe that these weren't actually
>> Oh, that's right. And then you looked it up and you found them. >> Yeah. All right. So, we get rid of this, right? >> Well, and actually, we were also thinking the fire truck. >> Yeah, that's right. >> That's what we put that now. So >> yeah, that's right. >> So we don't need
>> this. They put the school there. >> 77. That's good. >> All right. >> Okay. Update. Upcoming potential capital projects. Parking lot repaving town hall. Okay. Building repairs. Turn
a little bit too fast. Okay. And then risks and opportunities. Oh, is the trash contract upcoming that go? >> Yeah. Future >> back up.
>> I don't think it's it's not it's risk and opportunities. Yeah, probably a risk. Yes. You know, >> um >> it was a big risk, right? >> Yeah. And we got a she's got >> Mel put out a survey to try and get everybody's >> put her thumb in the window on this one.
>> Oh, I didn't see that. >> Uh, it's in the newsletter that come out to your house, too. Got it. >> And you can go online and fill it out. All right. >> Maybe put it under health insurance. >> It's kind of real. >> Yeah.
>> Okay. So, um, new trash and recycling or I guess current trash >> and recycling contract expires. >> Yeah.
>> FY28, right? End of FY27. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> End of FY27. Okay. Do I need to say will need to negotiate new contract or alternative. No, it's right. Yeah.
>> Okay. Uh >> dump it in the woods. >> Oh, and the other thing that's not in here is the um >> um salary. >> Oh,
>> right. That's right. >> Do we think that's material? I mean is that going to be >> somewhere we need to be saying that we it might especially might show up that soon. >> So um
>> it's not really risk >> risk uh I guess it is in the sense that something that would impact future budgets. >> Don't say anything and then bring it up.
That's not the right sequence. Yeah. I So can we say something like >> personnel >> personnel board conducting comprehensive salary >> salary job descriptions and hours
>> right? Um where should this go? Maybe seven seven. No, I think it goes above the school. >> Go under. Yeah, that's >> on here. Okay. Personnel board
>> to review. >> Uh, town employee job descriptions and salaries. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Yeah, that's good. >> Yeah.
>> Um, do we need to limit that to because you don't do that for school personnel, right? It's basically >> no town. >> How do we say >> okay? >> Yeah, I think it's Yeah. Um,
all right. >> Actually, speaking of the school, >> yeah, >> will negotiating their contract. >> Yeah, that's right. >> Another risk. three. Uh, should we put that in here? Yeah, >> bring the opportunity status.
>> I wonder if maybe we should just have a section that was like the one we just deleted, you know, not a risk or an opportunity, just upcoming activities that could affect the budget. >> Yeah.
>> Without because of positive negative >> if I'm Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. Because if I was >> making it more neutral >> if I'm Yes. If I'm an employee of the school, why is that a risk that you're paying increase? >> So what would we what would we >> future? >> I would even give it.
>> How about anticipated? >> The whole title is called risks and opportunity. >> Yeah, I would I would make a new section. I would make section seven um >> opportunity >> the new seven. >> Well, we just name the one like what >> make this. Yeah, >> because I mean I think we can maybe
>> start saying that again. If you scroll up like what did we name six like so potential capital projects like upcoming like >> upcoming potential operating activities. Yeah. >> Operating budget >> impactors or what's a better word
>> influence >> upcoming operating >> budget drivers. Yeah, >> operating budget, you know, upcoming activities that impact the operating budget. Upcoming
>> activity upcoming operating budget, >> but again, things that will impact it >> upcoming impacts on operating budget. Yeah. >> First, >> it's a winner. >> Budget. Okay. And so then the items are
shame when that happens. Um, >> yeah, you may have typed them already, right? Yeah. So, we said >> number six. >> Number six and put it up there. >> Elementary school contract. >> What about police contract? Is that
coming up? The uh >> Yeah, that is coming up. Uh, off the top of my head, I don't remember if it's this year or next year, though. >> Contract negotiation or >> Yeah, >> it's a negotiation.
>> Okay. Um, >> and the police contract negotiation. I'm not sure if that's this year or >> AJ, you don't want to delete the word elementary school. I think you want Oh, you're right. >> Yeah, that was a little bit. personal contracts are continuously being
>> yeah negotiated. >> So is the trash and recycling thing is that a a risk put it up there. >> Yeah. I think that's versus a risk. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I mean maybe it's opportunity we save money >> you know it's a pup situation.
>> I know wake up the right word >> for this section. Yeah, I said it's >> impact. >> I don't have a problem with that to describe fees. >> Oh, I just maybe potential is the only
thing I might add to it like we do above it. >> Upcoming potential impacts on operating. No, not there. >> Oh, >> in number seven. >> Oh, I see. >> See how six says upcoming potential. >> Okay. Um,
>> the margin's off. >> Yeah, I'll fix that. But are we missing anything from this list? >> We should. >> Um, >> um, anything going on at this at the regional school that might be neutral?
>> Well, we got the right we have the um the working groups. I guess that doesn't count here. >> That's an opportunity. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Is it uh I know that's all I can I know something
about >> the a potential well should we say something about our health insurance >> that's provider >> number three >> okay so yeah >> yeah it's a risk >> uh is there anything
maybe that's it I mean upcoming this year what projects do we have going on in town from from the board's perspective different. >> Yeah, that's funny. >> Projects not not meaning. >> I want to get rid of the space uh a
couple spaces between I know it's nitpicky. See in number seven the gap between the seven and the word upcoming. >> See how it is in six out in space. >> Well, yeah, seven's out in space and the upcoming the U is see how the U is how the A is indented or one above. I it's
you can fix that. >> This is good. Somebody has been. >> All right. I see what you're saying. Yeah. >> We just like Yeah, that looks fun. >> Yeah, I got you there. >> All right. >> All right. So then risks and opport >> risks and opportunities. We didn't we
don't need to take anything out, right? Because I already did that. Uh >> a number >> opportunities include um the rural >> I think it does. But before we go to before we go to opportunities. >> Yeah. Before we get to opportunities,
number E and number five, >> Chapter 7 funding policies are not benefiting our local schools. They don't want >> Yeah. >> Um, Chapter 70 funding policies are still not benefiting our local schools. It doesn't matter.
>> But, you know, it's it's continue. It's a I want to say this has been a continuing issue. have not >> have not >> been have have not benefited >> schools are no longer keeping pace with our school cost. Yes.
>> Yeah. Our local schools are no longer Yeah. with increasing school costs. >> That's all charter school. That's good. Uh >> this is so
So Risa, one thing on this I I don't want to if we were to include it, I'd want to frame it right, but like there's a certain the kind of instability created by a single out of district placement. Like
there's it's a it's like one one of the things we're realizing this year, right, is that one placement can have a significant impact. So, it's not just that it's it's a cost driver. It's the fact that there's it's
impossible to plan for, right? I mean, like we >> that's one thing we're trying to plan for. Is it under opportunities or are we going to create a special um suspense station? >> So, we should definitely add that here potential.
>> I'm trying to find out because the first step apparently is the school committee needs to vote it. If we intend to do this at our se in our fall um special town meeting, I need to get them to take that vote before they leave for the sign
because they don't start right up. They start up in September. Yeah. >> Which is too late for getting onto that warrant, >> right? >> So, is that what I should be doing? >> I think so. Because even if even if they can
approve it as a concept, it's whether we do it or not like if as long as they >> Yeah. Well, I I need to give them the language and they need to vote it in a vote in a meeting and that. So I I've been just figured that out because I could see how those calendars don't match.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. So we can word Smith, but we should make sure it gets added to that list >> because then it's to still try to get it in the September meeting. Yeah. Okay. >> Um, >> so that that addresses the instability
piece a little bit. >> Yes, it does. >> And also that the funding train doesn't land in the right timing. So it's a way of holding that money so we can use it. >> Right. Is it worth me adding a a bullet to this saying something like out of
district >> placements or >> required out of district? Yes. Required mandatory >> required or mandate. Mandatory >> mandated. >> What do we like better? >> Mandated. >> Mandated
out of district placements um impact budget and are difficult to plan for or something like that. Yeah, I guess I have a little anxiety
about that because you're sort of holding up that particular piece. Yeah. And that's a person and I know so >> and I'm not sure that we want to. >> So maybe it's just enough to >> mandated student services might be just a more general because I mean like well as the district placement in this case
like I mean like there's other things that we're required to give other students like this particular cost is high but >> well and is it the transportation part of it more than the >> No. Transportation is huge. It's both. >> It is. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> The biggest piece is the school, but
transportation is definitely material. >> Yeah. >> It's a Well, so that's still part of the mandated student services. Yeah. That includes transportation. >> I think that's well said. >> Okay. So, uh, so we're comfortable with this then. Mandated student services. >> Yeah. >> Impact budget and our difficult plan.
Okay. >> All right. Uh >> oh. Change it to a 50-year building. >> Well, where's that? >> Oh, yeah. >> Got to keep adding. >> We should increment it every year just for fun. >> It was 93.
>> It was 93 94 we did work. So, it's actually Do the math. But it's not 53. >> Well, that's the the most recent edition, >> right? >> And renovation. >> It was really renovation because they went through the whole building. >> 53 because so am I.
>> It's 50 plus, but it wasn't 40 plus. >> Am I also 50? >> You're 40 plus. >> We are. Should we add a risk says um
in recent years have used excess levy capac or something about our excess levy capacity >> we're getting yeah >> diminishing we're getting close to what all the other channels around us they're struggling with we don't >> diminishing excess
>> well I don't know I guess that's a risk but the reality is we're only going down 70,000 this year and >> right but there's a there's the beginning of a two-year trend now right where we've used >> we we've been building up for years and years >> and as a long
range planning concept the point is is that we we >> can't rely on this indefinite right at some point >> overnight >> yeah especially when it's in combination with cash reserves have been going s down >> yeah stabilization's been going down
>> the combination objection >> and everything's going up. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, we're okay with leaving that in there. >> So, which line was it? >> This is 13. Uh, I just added it to the bottom. That's living capacity. >> Yeah.
>> Yep. >> All right. Um, any other things that should be added to this or >> it's that's a lot to absorb. Yeah, there's a whole >> Do we include in here the uh we talked about it's doing some long range
planning. >> Yeah. So that's under opportunities. >> Okay. You have it there. >> Yeah. Or we had it somewhere. Uh >> yeah, you know one range for like the schools but not every Yeah. >> Well, you might I know it's in our
number five but we we need to say that we're doing it for ourselves. Capital plan like Yeah. Updating the longrange capital. >> It's Yeah. I mean, why is that there? Updating the longrange capital plan
isn't a risk. >> That's actually an opportunity you talked about. I don't need to know legal expenses. Take that one out. >> Yeah. I was going to ask about that anymore. >> Yeah. There's noation next.
>> And I also think Yeah, that's not a risk. Yeah, >> that's not a risk. That's yeah >> but should we add it to opportunities that the >> not really it's something we should be doing. >> So the this concept that we have committed to developing a long range plan so
>> yeah but what what are risks and opportunities? The risk and opportunities to the operating budget. I don't know how a long range plan is going to affect future costs >> plus or minus it's going to help us make better. >> I'm not saying not to do it. It's absolutely that's I think the key is
that in theory >> especially when it comes to these big capital projects that's >> an opportunity >> well the re in my mind risks and opportunities are things that can impact the budget and we do lots of stuff in our meetings and we talk about a lot of
things but they're not like if the state changes the law in the quad reservoir >> that's something that happens >> but us doing some advanced planning >> isn't necessarily mean new revenue or new expenses and nothing may come out of it. You know, these are these are things
that could happen in the real world. Yeah, >> that's the way I view it. >> You guys disagree maybe captured somewhere else then. >> So, I I I did add >> I think I want to have it in here somewhere. >> I added a sentence or two about it in the Laura's letter when we get to that.
I >> mean, it makes sense to look at that and then kind of like Yeah. You know, >> come back to this. Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, just >> Well, we could also put that point maybe in the potential impacts on operating budgets. We could put um uh special um special um we we're doing
a number of special projects, right? We're going to be talking to the treasur about how to manage that service. We're going to be talking about how to add money to the stabilization funds now that we can do through the operating budget. >> And we're going to talk about a long-range plan.
>> So, you know, that is something that has potential impacts on the operating budget. So we can put it here without calling it a risk or an opportunity. >> So that would be >> uh good. >> I like not calling it a risk,
>> right? >> Uh >> well, you know, I just look at risk and opportunities as things >> I understand. Yeah. >> Has uh engaged in is >> or think special projects.
>> Yeah. sort of special analysis, special projects and we can even list the ones that we know of >> although such as we could say >> the solar array >> is that >> or developing long range planning tools
>> and by the way the capital plan isn't really finan that's capital planning committee so we don't >> ne it's it's also fin right we're looking at long range budget you definitely >> what's the budget look like five years from Now, what does our cash reserves look like five years from now?
>> Yeah. >> All right. They're they they're going to have to talk to one another in these things. Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. All right. >> But that just excludes the capital planning committee. >> Yeah. >> Now's hanging out. Fine. No, nobody's off the paper. >> Yeah. >> There's one.
>> There always has to be one. Well, you could go to nine and hit enter and then 10 and 11 would be off and that would be okay. You don't have to back nine. >> Yeah. >> Like that. >> Yeah. So that that seems more reasonable. Yeah. Okay. >> So opportunities
>> or we could add another risk >> maybe in return. >> Okay. So the regionalization things here. Okay. >> So we're talking so the payment >> the potential potential opportunity is a
toll booth center. Yeah, looks like I mean we got the quad res on the payment of the taxes and >> that would be >> potential chapter 70 funding reform. I mean everybody's looking at that. >> Maybe put a slash for rel there. >> We have had an increase in chapter 90,
right? I forget what the term is. Do we still need that? I mean, do we still hope they'll increase it more? number one, >> you know, because they already increased it last year, two years ago, and we're
getting much more than we used to get. >> Oh, so we actually already have more. >> Yeah. I'm thinking one I don't know how much more that we can really expect. Okay. >> All right. All right. So the only thing we don't have on this list is
>> point Laura makes in her letter which is about economic >> development like so >> should we opportunity >> I would like it as an opportunity >> well it is an opportunity and we actually talked about setting up a
committee to do that research >> yeah that's critical mixing them >> I would almost put that higher up too although >> potential committee to >> explore economic >> development.
Yeah, I like that. >> Yeah. >> Or economic growth. I think >> the legal fees back in >> So, do we want We don't necessarily care about prioritizing, right? I mean, they're all equally >> on the I don't know. I don't
>> I don't I don't >> I don't read this as like there's any kind of implied ranking of the Z. >> All right, I should get that in a minute. So, we we just added an opportunity. >> I think this graph at the back helpful,
>> right? >> And I think this chart is very helpful. >> tax average tax bill in Ammerst. That's >> yeah, I don't know if we want those. I just stuck them in there so we can look at them and talk about them. I don't But if we put them in, do we have to put some kind of language with it? I don't
know. >> I think it speaks for itself. >> Has a title. >> Yeah, this is this is just >> speaks for itself. Yeah. >> Remember >> at the bottom chart, I had somebody make a comment to me, so we don't have to do an override because you got that thing
going like, wow, that's a summation. And they were just a trick we pulled out from underneath the table and held it up. It's like I won't say who said that. >> I'll tell you what. >> Yeah. >> This is But this was started by Mike
Vfinsky because every year Danny will tell me, "Oh, I still don't get it. I still don't get it." >> Right. So I feel like felt like he was trying. >> He was. But but you know when they read the paper, everybody's talking about overrides, but not us because we have excess loving capacity. Where'd you find
that? We found it there on that chart. We see it from the previous years where the people in the town did their budgets as tight as possible and the people accepted the service level that was there and the thing that's driving it
now is inflation. That is really the biggest. It's the whole change that's happened to our economy and it's not here. And >> well it's it's inflation and it's the revenue side too. >> Yeah. So more who puts out her budget.
>> We can't control inflation or tariffs. Oh, we can. I mean, what? >> So, she she just passed it on to us and we have to own it. We have to have it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, I think that chart is really important and we might
>> need a little bit of a explanation. >> I think the one can we just spend time in this one just before we move just to make sure. So, everybody thinks we should have this. >> Yeah. I think it's really significant. I mean, the things that are important are obviously the differences between the
towns, but also look at the way the curves turn at the end. >> So, here's the thing. If if it were possible to add a proposed FY27
>> data point on this, we would see an even steeper, >> even more spread >> increase. I'm not sure about the spread between the towns probably because of the regional issue but but the point being that we we will see this little
spike that sort of happens in the last couple of years. It will it will continue to spike for FY27. I >> think the trend line is pretty clear anyways and we don't really know what it is for. >> Yeah, that's we're not going to know it for the other channels, right? And you could actually probably like even go back to like >> 11500,
>> but like all of the all of the years on this one just to make it more >> Yeah. >> more clear. >> What was that question? Do we need to go all all the all the way back? >> Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. It's if you I can definitely recreate this with less years if that's what you
>> The only thing I like about seeing those earlier years is that with the exception of with the exception of Pelum, it's like there is a sort of steady >> increase that is feels like okay these were more predictable times or something
like that and then like all of a sudden in the last two three years um >> yeah and you you know It does repeat. >> I like how Shunbury's gap stays the same and actually gets wider towards the end. That kind of is indicative of our excess
levy capacity relative to everybody else's. >> Right. >> Helm lost all theirs. Lever is losing theirs. Ammer had it. >> Why is it I don't follow that this is really the this is >> what the average tax bill is based on what's tell you about excess. Let me ask.
>> Yeah, it does. I mean this this is your average single tax bill and your taxes your tax levy is affected by >> well your tax levy these guys are all taxing at the higher level. >> Yeah I guess you're right. I mean you
can't individually break it out. But the reason we're lower is because we haven't been using our full living capacity. Had we used our full living capacity that purple line would be higher. >> That's that's the key. I think that's the key. We're not using it. >> That's why we're lower. But we're starting to use. >> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Just a caution >> as are the three towns because two three years ago, Helen, Leverett, Shootsbury all had decent amounts of excess loving capacity. Yeah. I mean, I think it's still the case. >> I don't know about Lever, but it is
still the case that like given recent trends, right, we can't sustain this probably for another four or five years, right? Lever can't I mean sorry Pelum can't sustain theirs for another year right they they are way
much closer to override territory than than we are >> like New Salem's there almost every town in the valley is there >> South Hadley >> oh my god but this is a good point because people are reading about this
they're like every town >> seemingly has an override this year why Is it belure town last year? >> You see that is the voters have control over those overrides. They don't see it as having a goal and they they don't have control on how we design the
budget, but they could they could vote against the budget and and I feel like the kind of energy we have in this town has generally been trusting and goes for it. Yeah. But because we don't have that moment like an override for those voters to trot in and cast their ballots,
that's what I think she's really referring to. Yeah. And we see it happening out there. I sure hope Sunderland gets through their squeeze, but they'd be the first. >> Yeah, it's 04 right now. >> Tomorrow, >> right? >> No, I'm saying it's 04 for override votes.
>> Yeah. South's trying to get them. >> Yeah. This time just to get through the next two years. >> Yeah. Um Okay. So, so we like this including this. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> get the >> line graph. What about this?
>> So, by the way, just so everybody knows, the source of that data, I don't think it's on here, but that's directly what's from the DLS website. >> Okay. >> The numbers behind this is all from the DS and it's all supported by >> Right. So, it's apples to apples >> and and factual, right? And it's factual
information. And it can be can be >> if we're challenged on it, we can definitely get the details. >> In fact, I can say >> about the source I mean on it. >> Yeah. >> Um >> what if I >> I can't read it either. I don't even know what it is.
>> Source. What should I say? DLS. >> Uh yeah, I can go to the website. Give you the actual description of the website. >> No, I got to link right to >> that you go to find it. I'll just say one other thing we should just be careful on that one is just kind of accessibility type of thing too and just
making sure that we're kind of falling roughly within some standards of making sure it is >> it's readable basically. Yeah. Yeah. So this will be a printed document so this is not something that's going to be projected at town meeting or anything. I
think people but yeah >> has a color one white tape but >> so it's from the DLS data analytics and resources bureau >> data analytics and resources bureau and it's average single tax family tax
bill and then then and then it's called average single family tax bill. If somebody was to put those things in their >> right, if somebody was to put those things in their browser, they would find this. >> Okay. >> This data. >> Yeah. What about this table? Do we
>> I feel like that's a very important thing. >> Yeah. It just needs um uh a header to explain what it is. I mean, a caption. >> It's very >> um >> tax radio >> really tied to also.
>> It's really shooting tax. It's it's >> how about Sheets property tax trend FY13 to FY26 or something like that. >> It's because it's tax bills and tax tax rate. It's both things.
>> Tax rate is confusing. People all think it's something that it's not. >> It's a tied to the valuation. She's very >> um >> what was the average house in fiscal year
>> historical tax transa >> was the average value of a home in Shootsbury in 2013. >> Well, that's a good question. Something like that. >> Well, it's probably somewhere April I
just >> I just want to just want to look at one thing. What do we think about? >> Yeah. Again, this one you could put the sources, the data analytics
>> and you Yeah, >> let's just pretend it was up in the assessor's office on the chalkboard. >> So, what um >> 7.5 >> Okay. Is this chart just from last year? Is this
>> Yes, I'm thinking >> addition add FY27 >> proposed maybe propose whatever. >> Yeah, you really want me to do that? Okay, I can do that. Yeah, I'll send it to you. >> Okay. >> Uh yeah, I'll do that. >> I think if we're going to include it. >> Yeah, you're right. >> We should put a proposal.
>> Let me, you know, let me do it. I'm going just pull it up on my screen. >> I can even do it now. >> At least if I put it here, I'll remember. >> Okay. So FY27 projected, right? Yeah. And then it was 1734
and what was it? 72 I think. I'm going to put that in for now. >> 7248 and then increase is $477. >> Uh 72. Yeah. So, I'm going to be a
little different because 6763 also had is um with the means testing. >> It's so close. >> Yeah. All right. Well, >> we're talking about $7, right? >> It's 485 is what is the difference
between 6763 and the new number 748. So, it's a little different. Yeah. I mean, you just just explained. >> Yeah. >> If people ask. All right. AJ, I can send this to you. Okay, great. >> Yeah,
>> I'll paste that. You'll email me that table and I'll just cut and paste it. Yeah, I'll leave it open so I don't forget. >> And if I forget, you'll let me know, right? and then so Laura before we dive into this you were saying I think in your email that
you found that this was kind of a common um tool that finance committees >> I mean I just kind of looked at like a you know I mean a sampling of annual town meeting facts and so like a lot of those packs. I kind of opened with just like a letter from the finance committee kind of introducing the budget for the
year type of thing. So >> yeah, >> I I kind of took the talking points that you had and Susie had and kind of like combined them into like a >> into a letter. I mean you could kind of I mean we could take out some of the letter stuff if we didn't like the letter format. >> I I liked everything
in here, but did everybody have a chance? I know I just sent it this afternoon, so maybe let's take a little moment to digest this. And I did check the numbers. I changed a couple of them um uh to reflect kind of last minute
changes. >> Actually change that mandated out of district to student services there. Yeah. Call services, right? These are not discretionary. So that's an important commitment. budget around
rising operating costs and essentially flat. >> So how much school increase for transportation? Oh, I see. Okay, got it. One thing I noticed on the annual report is we I'm just noticing I'm seeing it
now. Oh, maybe we fix it. Never mind. No, we fix it. >> I I like the way you described at the end of the prompting tax lovely >> it's very simple. >> For a complic somewhat complex
>> yeah topic. >> Yes. It's >> funny I gave it was >> Yeah, I like that a lot. That first paragraph is great. So yeah, this is the the description of excess living capacity is
very simple and clear here. Do we do we need to say something about FY how >> cushion is getting smaller? Yes, we're we're doing something similar in FY27 or we're proposing something similar for
FY27. cutting into the cushion. >> So people don't they understand that this this will now be a two-year trend where we've >> that cushion is not unlimited and is currently >> and decreasing
>> and the FY how about if the FY27 budget the proposed budget um Exit further. >> Sure exit further. Good. >> Right. >> Right. But I I liked your idea about a
trend because FY26 and 27. FY26 it went down by 100. Can't do the math. My brain's not working right now. 760. It went down by over $200,000 >> in a two in the current fiscal period. Yeah. It'll be more
>> in a two-year period. I'll calculate it because I got my thing right at it right here. From FY25 to FY27, it's three thou over 300,000. >> Yeah. So, the point there are a couple points about this, right? It's two for
two years now, we will have taken a significant dent out of the accumulated excess levy capacity. And the reason we're not taking an even bigger dent is we've applied cash reserves to >> which means that the
>> amount for for for those during the same period, right? So it's like if we hadn't applied cash reserves, it would be probably more like $500,000. >> Yes. The services are being provided in a bare bones budget. Yeah,
>> I don't feel I feel it's important for us to not have a we in this picture that doesn't acknowledge we're just the number managers >> and we are making important um recommendations but it's a whole effort and um you know because it at one point
we were talking about none of these budgets went up except for the highway because it was always underfunded and it was causing a problem there. But I I feel like somehow we have to make sure we don't get into this we thing because it's really the way we the budget is
functioning >> at this point. There's no reason to believe we're not that it's going to be any better next year. I mean that that's >> the fact that we're using cash guarantees that the trend is going to continue because at some point we're going to have to stop doing that >> financially.
really interesting article today about chief of South Haven and what they're going through. It's worth reading in the Gazette. The town administrator there said as soon as those over rides failed, she got a phone call from the bond agencies. >> Oh yeah. >> And we want to talk to you about your
situation and she quoted 7% as being the amount of free cash you want to have relative to your budget. That's the threshold for them. So I thought that was really interesting stuff. But yeah, they picked up the phone real quick. Yeah. >> Oh. >> So when So when the treasurer tells us
that, that's not a myth. That's not urban legend. Yeah. It's real. >> Yeah. Yeah. Do you think it's on this on this point, do you think it's clear enough to folks that once that excess levy capacity goes to
zero and we have a budget year like this, we have no alternative but to >> the excess. >> Do you think that's like well understood? >> I don't think so. >> We need to make that. I think that that's um premature because I when I looked for I was looking for a number
and I went back to 2008 and I read all of the um warrants and all of the select board reports. 2008 they cut things, they froze things. It was a horrible year and I feel like God, we've lived through horrible years. That was a
really horrible year. And so we don't know what we're really going to have to do. And some of it is coming from the world top down. And you know, is inflation going to quit? I don't know. Um is is the c gas prices going to screw us up in FY27? I don't know. But I don't
think we can say that we can only go down this one road and this one road is going to be deadended when we run out of excess loving capacity. Well, I guess I guess my point is that I I feel like in some ways our
practice in the past of um building that capacity, one of the the sort of unintended consequences is that it makes it harder for people to realize the urgency of this scenario that's playing out like
over the last couple of years because we've been able ble to, you know, rely on that capacity to avoid some of the things. >> People are seeing the increases in their taxes. They're still feeling it. Whether you call an override or not, they're still feeling it. Still on the Yeah,
>> the bottom line is the just the bill. >> Well, just to throw something else out there just >> Well, before I just Well, it's on the same It's on Yeah, it is on this overall topic and it's we've had these two parallel paths exercises going on over months. One is this capital planning
process. >> Yeah. >> And that's a little bit ahead of this other process where we're putting all this the data together for the the budget >> fiscal year 27. >> Right >> now we're coming to some realities as we wrap that process up. >> If we had some of those same realities a
little early on earlier on in the capital planning process, wouldn't we be more aggressive in what we're we think we can handle for capital for this go around? I don't know. My sense is um that process happened and we didn't really
have all of the benefit of where we stand today as far as using >> I'm not sure. >> I don't think in terms of excess levy capacity. No, >> no, no. I just what we're talking about. >> We're talking about all of these. I think I think we're talking about
>> we're talking about levy capacity and that's that's going that's going down. >> So is your talking about our cash reserves. So is your point that the decisions we've made about applying cash reserves to fund the operating budget
were made without the benefit of a full understanding of the capital planning picture. >> Yeah. Or would we have been more rigorous and maybe we would have held off on a couple of these projects >> except for capital planning has been out of cash reserves steadily and that's why
I wanted the subtotal on that child. >> No, no, no. Cap capital has not been used stabilization get out to people. >> We've used stabilization to fund capital projects. >> It was mostly cash was free cash for the last many years. >> Well, I don't know about many years. We
>> we always use it on the smaller table. >> We had capital we have a capital stabilization fund to to support capital. >> So 13 >> we have a stabilization fund to support capital and we've used those out of cash is not high. >> What's that? 133 for CA uh capital CA uh
projects out of cash reserves is not a high number and that's why we still have 8 point something% in free cash out of well we try to get 10 we have 80 point something >> if the fire truck wasn't in there nobody would be talking and so we really did
not outspend our capital using cash reserves are we worried that we're needing cash reserves to fund more of our operating and Would we cut back on the capital? I don't think so. Because so much of what capital is is replacing
machines that have to be repaired and the repair of them is very expensive. >> I guess that's my question. How much is if do we how much what do we mean by we have to? If we don't, what happens? >> Well, we know that the grater took $16,000 and it still has bad tires and
we don't have a grater that works on half the roads and repair >> money. And I don't believe that. >> Well, let's say $800,000. We're going to be paying that for quite a while. That's going to put us in the hole for quite a while. >> And the option and we're sitting here
having a discussion about some things that we're starting to come to real reality on. >> Um, fire trucks cost $800,000. It's it's a it's a shame, but they do. Right. >> That one's overdue by five by >> All I'm saying is given the knowledge we
have today on our overall on overall asset position that means stabilization it means cash reserves and to a lesser extent I think it has to do with levy capacity because that levy capacity yeah we could use that but the
tax rate the debt tax bill goes up so I don't think that's as important. Um and but I I think we have a lot less cushion >> than we realize and I think are we as rigorous as we need to be um given the information we have today.
>> So I I hear what you're saying and I I think I >> rais a question. I I I think I I think I feel that concern a little bit more in the context of hearing about the next few years and some of the big ticket
items that like people have flagged for us that are coming down the road. And I'm I'm a little anxious about how prepared we are as a town for sort of understanding what the implications of all of those costs are going to be and
how they're staged and seek them. We'll plan the seats for some of those challenges or issues today by what the decisions we make today. And if we make a decision today to spend $800,000, it makes it less stable to do some of these other projects. But here here's the other thing to keep in mind is that
is that in terms of and I I feel like this has always been a little bit more con confused but in theory I've always thought that our role as a finance committee is to make recommendations for
how to fund capital expenses that have been >> approved by the capital planning committee. Right? like their responsibility is to vet the worthiness of >> Yeah. Yeah. >> th >> those items. Absolutely. And our role is not to
>> is not to get too involved in whether this is a appropriate expense or not. Like we we kind of have to take their recommendation on face value, right? And talk about how >> I think that's true and I agree with that. But I think we do have a role to
understand our overall asset position, our cash position and what is our wherewithal today to support what range what range of projects. >> That's what the capex pro uh plan says and it says that we're at 8 point something% and we wanted to be at 10 and
we're above at 8%. We're above most towns cash reserves >> and last year we also have a responsibility to look forward and to see we've had a two-year trend. We've had a two-year trend and we don't see a lot of signs that trend is going to change. >> Last year and that trend is going to
change too much. >> And last year in our report upcoming potential capital projects, replace firet truck parking lot repaving. We were aware of all of this and we've been talking about it >> for not just these last six months. I'm not I'm not saying that's not my point.
>> No, it's not your point. You had a question and this answers your question. >> We now we now understand our We didn't >> Your question is if we knew about this stuff when we changed that looking at today's cash reserves a year ago. >> Yeah, >> we weren't looking at today's
stabilization account reserves a year ago. >> Yes, we were because we were talking about trying to stay there 10% and 5%. >> Well, there's no point arguing that. The question is what are we doing with this line right here? Okay, we can argue that another day. >> Yeah. >> Mhm. >> I I've been >> Well, I
that's I think we're way out of scope right now. >> I think we have a responsibility. >> We do. Nobody's arguing with you that. >> But the question is, >> what are we going to say about excess levy capacity? Should we talk about the trend and put more in there and what I wanted to say was
>> somebody's going over the revenue. We do it every year. and it's for me the last couple years, >> but I'm not going to beat annual time when that person is going over revenue. >> You you can point to the excess level of capacity and you can show that trend. It's right there. Everybody's going to
be eyeballing it and you can >> expand on that. Right. That's where you can give people that extra layer of knowledge. >> Yeah. >> And looking at it visually, >> Laura wrote it perfectly. Here's what our levy is. Here's what it could be. The levy limit. And explain people why
that's that way. Yeah. >> And how fortunate we've been to >> Haley. >> Um, so I just I just had a thought, you know, listening to all of this. You know, we the finance committee voted 6 on all the capital items, >> right?
>> So the decision has already been made. However, we feel about the process. You've already made that decision and the only thing we can do is to continue to go forward. you know, if you want to re-examine the capital planning process, you know, I that's why I think I've
suggested before have a joint meeting with the capital planning commission. You know, there there's clearly a disconnect of information um that you know is causing some of these issues because we're not all sitting down together. We've done the finance committee has done a great job
involving all the departments and having those fiscal summits. Like that's a great step. Let's keep doing stuff like that. And we should be doing that even when it's not budget season because the reality is there are also a lot of things that we don't know about that are coming up that we need to take into
consideration. Like for example, I don't think Dave has submitted this, but the salt in the shed at the highway department is rotting out all the wood. and it's almost gotten to the point where he has to take the doors off of the shed because they they're not
supported and they would fall down. I I just think as a town like there's a lot of unknowns. >> Yeah. >> But we can figure those out but we're not going to figure them out if we're keeping in silos if that makes sense. >> Yes. So I got
>> what when you say silos what what what is the what do you see working what do you see working together the capital planning and finance committee >> it's capital planning finance committee select board >> I don't know that I have the answer but I can tell you that it doesn't seem like
the process as it is is working the way >> I'd like to address that >> I'd like to address that as a member of the capital planning committee Laura and I please we haven't been doing reports committee reports >> and the reason we're liaison, we're not
liaison, we're members, >> Laura and I could do a better job of keeping everybody up to date and we can go beyond here's who came to us, here's what we're looking at. We can present the capital plan in the fall. We need to
carve out time as a committee and we can do that. And if you're not satisfied that what we're doing is enough, we can always pull in Ellen and everybody else, but the other members of the of the group are going to say the same thing as as us. We know it. So, it's our job. And
maybe maybe we failed at doing that or didn't meet, you know, do it well enough. >> And part of it is, >> you know, we're always so crazy busy. Yeah. When are we going to do it? And maybe, you know, >> are already jam-packed, right? and we're
meeting every week. >> So, Haley, I you're 100% right there. There is the communication has not been what it should be. But it doesn't mean we have to drag all five committee members from the capital planning. If you're there and Laura is there and I'm there at the capital planning meetings
and the three of us together could clearly easily >> keep everybody here a breast. And I think the number one thing there is going to be getting that schedule in place. So, so I do have a related suggestion which is that one of the things we know is is happening, right?
The FinCom is developing a long set of long range planning tools that George has made a ton of progress on. Haley, you've been working on it as well. I've we had a couple meetings that I participated in. So, and this summer, I
think, is is the opportunity for us to actually launch that and share it with the full committee and start using it. Okay. So that's happening. Capital planning is, as we've been told, is doing like is is do is is redoing their their cap long-term capital plan. >> Never meet again.
>> So So both of these exercises are happening independently. I think there's an important opportunity for I think those committees and the select board to get together at some point maybe late summer >> shoot for August >> when we've all kind of we have these
sort of products ready to share and communicate and then have a meeting with those a kind of three a joint three committee meeting to really look at what what what is the picture for the next
five 10 years. Um what are the concerns take essentially doing a fresh look at this risks and opportunities list that we have here that we know is missing some stuff because we just haven't completed the the work of these this of doing this long range planning
>> and the school um central office is writing um a list of um school maintenance on a calendar of what they think is going to come up. And we have buildings. Our buildings committee has some list. One
of the things is capital plan did not include buildings like that and it didn't have those. So then we get yell then people get excited because there's new expenses in these other places. There are new expenses in other places. We can hear about them a little bit but
we it can't all we don't have it all together. And so, yes, we have we have 10 um not we have 12% of our cash reserves still holding and part of that is to help meet things that we didn't
see coming and and there's has been some more state support for um the highway stuff, but I think that there are lots of projects at our on our capital plan, but they affect our capital spending. >> Yeah. So, I don't know, Haley, do you
think that >> that concept of like pulling the three boards together maybe late summer to talk specifically not about FY28 at that point, but like a five like what
what are the big issues and anticipated concerns for the next 5 to 10 years, something like that, and bringing whatever the results of whatever work these committees are doing independently in the next few months. to to pull those that information together.
>> Yeah, I think that's a that's a great start. And I you're right, George. I mean, it's not like we have to do like joint meetings all the time, but maybe just a little bit more regular than we're doing now because it's easy for things to get lost in the shuffle. >> Yeah, we don't meet the capital planning.
>> Well, capital planning whole process comes in pretty late for us. And I think if we could get that piece a little earlier um then we will not be quite so blown out at the end because it came in March this time March 17th actually I
think. >> Yeah it was. I mean part of that was we moved the meeting back because we had conflicts >> all volunteers and I feel like there's a piece here that's missing. These are what people who devote their time can figure out and the information is a lot and it keeps changing. So, I don't know
that we can invent new time, but I would say that we've been trying um we have a February sub then February 1 deadline, but it's very hard for that committee to get it all together in and get it to us any sooner, but it does rev us up and
this town meeting is earlier. Okay? So, all of these things push around and it's not that people don't try or aren't trying hard enough. And if we think the answer is to schedule more meetings, I'll tell you that's not the best answer. >> It's not what I like. If that means if
you mean by a meeting meaning meeting like like uh finance committee working on a a five-year plan or capital >> that's going to take meetings, isn't it? >> Well, I I think it's an important meeting. Well, >> I I think I think the capital planning team doing the same thing and coming up
with a five-year plan is really important. And I think the three teams to together, the capital planning, select board, select board >> and finance committee getting together, those are meetings. But I think they're important steps given the situation we find ourselves in today.
>> I see they are, but I I feel like um planning to have more meetings is a good solution, but I'll tell you there's a hard part to that. And so George knows why it took a while to get to this year's capital plan. >> This year was challenging. There was a lot going on and it was all moving parts.
>> I I still think that it's the it's the connection is here. The three of us can eliminate the need for another meeting if we can carve out the time here. >> Yeah. No, I think >> if Ellen wants to join, I can tell them it's on the agenda. If Ellen and they and Michael want to join, >> Yeah. >> they can come.
>> No. And you're you're right that we used to we used to do a more routine job of committee of having committee updates at the end of our our meetings and uh we do that. We haven't really done >> it's it's a hard we know it's a hard thing to do. >> Um but I think that one in particular
that the capital planning uh committee updates. >> Yeah. I'm going to reach out to Ellen when I get back from my trip and it's going to be like Ellen, when's our next meeting? We need to work on this. And I'm going to tell her I'm feeling a lot of pressure. >> There's a lot of people pressuring us. I did mention somebody's pressure all. So,
>> it's not really people. It's really the environment we're in that that's driving this, >> right? I don't know. >> It's not It's not that there's people that we were But I'll tell you, we weren't we weren't mugged. We weren't hijacked by anything that happened this year. We knew a lot of this stuff was coming. It's But
>> it's getting harder to plan for this. >> It's just It's been It's been a few years since we've had that kind of a large item on on >> Yeah. fire truck. >> And so that that I feel like that's inevitable that when people see that kind of price tag on something, it's like
>> it's and it it makes sense. Like I it makes people nervous. Yeah. >> They don't talk about what the alternative is. It costs about half of that money to just fix it. And so we should have learned after the library if
you delay it just costs more. It's already been delayed. It's way off its schedule. And so it's so people can be all bent out of shape but they don't have a good alternative and they say we need a plan. We have a plan and we've
exceeded that the limit on that time. Yeah. >> So we we just have to stand those pieces up. >> Yeah. Okay. Let's let's get back to this. >> Uh could I circle back to one thing? Um, I just wanted to say because I I also don't necessarily want to sign up for
tons of extra meetings, but there is one key consideration that if you frontload that work, it gets easier over time. So, we may have more meetings in the short term just to get all the pieces together, but the goal would be at some point that you wouldn't need that kind
of regular engagement because you would just already have all the five-year plans and you just bullet save ourselves. that and and there's that I think you're right, but and I think there's also the point of it that it's just hard to do long range planning or
any kind of special project >> between October and annual town meeting because there's just it's inevitable that we're going to be bogged down with budget annual budget issues during that period of time. like this summer and you
know this time between post annual town meeting and >> except for we had the problem with the special town meeting took a ton of effort on our part right when we were supposed to be wrapping up the last one. >> Yeah, that was rough >> and it's going to happen again.
>> It might. >> But we don't know that that's going to happen again, you know, to be fair. We don't know that yet. Yeah, but I guess the point being that like I I am feeling that that taking the summer as an opportunity
to to to complete development of those tools. I'm feeling the need to get that done because otherwise I feel I I just think >> Yeah. when we're in the heat of the season which is really six months. >> Yeah. >> Um All right. So,
>> the cushion is not unlimited and the FY27 proposed budget shrinks it further. >> I think that I guess that's Yeah. >> Yeah. And we can expand on it like I've said when we're going over revenues. >> Yeah. Okay. Then we get this section. Strategic use of reserves to help offset costs and ease the burden on taxpayers
proposed FY27 budget draws only 28 similar to projected to climb by 29% to 1.06 million. This approach follows a precedent set in 26. >> Wow, I like that L sentence. That's
really >> the financing. >> Yeah, >> reserves are a tool for short-term relief, not long-term. >> You know, it goes back to the point I've been making. Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong, but you know, we're in extraordinary times and requires
extraordinary measures. So, for now, we're taking a risk with our cash with hopes that there's going to be a long-term solution in Chapter 70 and Violet. >> Yeah. So, I'm a big fan of this long-term outlook section because I feel like we haven't really sent these kinds of
messages as as clearly as this does. So, we recommend them to all departments to commit to a little more than our limited cons. Even with these contributions, Sheets's revenue options are structurally limited in ways that compound these pressures and challenge challenge fiscal
sustainability. While we have a wealth of outdoor and community spaces, we have a very small commercial and industrial tax base and few opportunities for new business development are under current conditions. Would that be current considering
business development under current conditions? >> Yeah. No, that's >> all right. The finance committee believes it is time for Shbury to begin a serious communitywide conversation about economic development. If we want to reduce the pressure on homeowners over time, we need to begin asking where
and how we can thoughtfully and responsibly support investment and new growth in Sheets. >> I I think that's a great Oh, very well. >> That's great. >> So, Laur or was it improved? I mean I
took I mean the points I mean yeah from them and I took the like you know kind of the messages I wrote before and I mean I don't know >> it's really well very well done. >> It's terrific. So I thought I so there were two topics that we talked about at our last
meeting and I was wondering if it was worth adding them because they weren't in I think either of our original bullets because they kind of came organically in the last conversation. So one was about this regionalization opportunity. So we could just take a second to see if this is worth
including. In addition, the finance committee believes it is imperative for the town to actively explore opportunities to regionalize services with neighboring communities. I didn't know if that was too strong statement or >> we so when they did the Collins study for fire department and when they when
we talked about the police department there's not a proven amount of savings in regionalized services and I don't feel like we need to bang that drum in an open way without without a
specific um program that we can have a price tag for Should we actively explore that? Um I don't know. I don't know because I guess I feel like it it and the schools did the same thing. They went through this
process and it's like it's this >> Yeah. >> And so I don't know how to bang that drum. >> You can't I think we shouldn't be closed to those ideas, but they are not a panacea and >> I think money. >> Yeah. I think there's maybe we just look at it different ways too. For example,
you know, maybe we get a big new fire truck, but can we share it with somebody? >> Yes, there is. this and that's right >> and a capitalizing. It's both. That's right. >> Two greater for three. >> I think as far as your you say is this too strong? I'd say the word imperative.
Yeah. Maybe is too much. Finance committee believes um >> the town should pursue should actively explore opportunities. So, the committee believes the town town. >> Well, I want to just suggest that we
take the piece uh regionalized services and figure out if it fits into one of those above paragraphs because I think this is already um a long enough and I don't want it to uh I wonder if the wordization fits into one of those above
paragraphs. I mean, I wonder if I could just kind of like into that last one where, you know, serious about communitywide conversations in economic development, exploring, you know, actively explore, you know, regional service, you know, I mean, just kind of like list off some of the things. >> I I don't know. I I I would want I like
that paragraph because it's very focused on >> a solution >> concepts for for generating you know new opportunities for for for um uh
for um brain is pride um I know I I wouldn't want to change that paragraph >> okay >> given our commercials. I I I feel like I feel like that that con that idea of it's time for us to not just be reactive
but to actually be pro proactive and have a conversation about actually seeking opportunities for commercial development. >> Is this going out in Tom White mainly? >> I think this is going >> with with the annual report. >> Does that go out in the Tom White? >> No,
when it gets posted >> because Susie's point, >> you know, this is getting really big and I I like this paragraph a lot. I think this paragraph is important because somebody asked me that today >> as a matter of fact >> the red the first red one aboutation somebody said >> I just because we because we had a it
came up in our conver I was thinking that I didn't see that reflected anywhere here so that was my thinking and it's just checking with you guys to see if it's if we feel like it's important to be explicit about that people I think by using some examples like this and showing some I think a
positive thing I >> I think people in the community want us do this. >> Yeah, >> I think it's a really strong ender. >> Like I think that's the kind of paragraph you end your thing on >> because the other ones don't have the same punch. The the last one that's in
black before the the red editions. >> You can move that paragraph down below the other because that's probably the last thing you want your reader to think about when they >> you're saying this this paragraph is the one what we want to end with. >> Yeah, I agree with that. >> I think it's a good punch. Yeah, I agree
with that. Yeah. >> Be interesting if different towns finance committees met and because we're all dealing with the same >> so did that we've seen >> too big a thing we probably need to really frame of
>> Yes. >> And I think we've had some good experience on this if you look at the regional school. Um, I don't know what we >> Well, this like to shoot us. >> Well, this Well, >> well, I mean, that was a but that was a dark period, >> but that but it was a productive it was
a productive period I think for us. >> It didn't get productive until we had turnover in the school committee that really helped us a lot. >> Yeah. But I guess in lever too by the way >> and that you know 10 years ago we couldn't even talk to Leard about this kind of thing. Yeah, the whole attitude
and the group of people there just >> because they're not leaving the speed traps at the bottom of the town financial towns these towns are probably more open to these types of things now too. They're they're >> because facing the same kind of challenges. >> Exactly. The the this
financial context has changed dramatically in the last couple years and >> especially rural tax. >> Yeah. And I was thinking about that earlier because it says given our size and limited tax base. It's true for the towns around us. I almost say we shouldn't incorporate that or snitch that in there. But
>> this is a lie. >> The towns around it. We and the towns around us have have shot down all the major ways we could develop economic resources. Yeah. >> We don't want to change, right? >> Not in my backyard. That that's what keeps happening. And I think if we were
talking together more, we'd see that really there. It's not the devil. Yeah, >> we could do something. >> And now we're making the connection between your taxes going up and you wanting to have nothing. >> Why is it going to be any different next year?
>> It won't be. >> I mean, things are less stable now than they were. So, with the >> Yeah, >> that last paragraph up maybe to be the second paragraph. >> So, you're saying this one? >> Uh, okay. So, you need to put it above
>> that I would put it just above right here. Yeah. >> And then the the last one I might move like >> we may not need the last one too. That that >> I like that one too actually. Especially after our last discussion. >> Yeah. I mean I might move that one like
>> it's definitely not not what we want to end with >> the second paragraph. >> Yeah. But >> like so after kind of >> right here you're saying >> yes. So like I mean this is kind of the stuff that we're doing like so we have our town department's doing good things. We're now doing some planning like even with those things like we still have issues. So we need to do
>> actually flows really well. >> Uh more the cooperation and then like economic development. Yeah, I think that >> okay >> good. >> So do we like this? So we'll keep this paragraph here. Is everybody comfortable with that? >> Yes. >> This would be good to have about half
>> this is great. Okay. I mean it is >> does this this sort of tame it down enough I if people felt it was a little too >> advocating too strongly for that concept >> actively explore because now now we're just saying we're not saying
>> we have to do this we're saying we think it's important to explore and have conversations about this >> how about something with the you've got neighboring communities which is enough I don't think because of neighboring communities, you need regionalizing. Um
maybe collaborating just something along the lines of collaborating with re with neighboring communities. >> Regionalization is a kind of a >> it's a it's a it's a hot word. It's a touchy word, >> but that's a good Yeah, that's a good note. >> Resources on sharing
>> services and and capital >> and capital expenses or something. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Together. Okay. Ro service in addition of financing township should actively explore opportunities for collaborating
with neighboring communities of shared resources. Sorry, sharing services. >> Okay. Is that good? >> That is awesome. Beautiful. >> All right. So, um everybody like the idea of having this basically
be um attached to the annual report? >> Yep. >> Yes. >> Okay. And should we give me a better title than that or is it doesn't need a title? It's a letter from the shoot. Three nights. >> Okay. Yeah, that's fine. If it's it's not a report or anything.
>> Did you send that to us, AJ or you? >> Um I did. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> But I'm gonna send I'm gonna send the edited version out to you guys. >> Everything we've got tonight, the budget, the in report. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, I will send to everybody
and Haley the final budget document that's ready to be posted and I'll uh the letter and the annual I think I should just collapse those two doc. Yeah. So, the annual report will start with the letter and then have the the the report.
>> Um so, I'll send that to Buddy. >> Um Haley can >> Yeah. So, Haley, in terms of getting that posted, >> can I can I leave it to you to um or do I need to do something on my end? Uh okay. >> Um I have to have Gail post something
tomorrow morning anyway. >> Okay. >> So, I'll just have her do that. >> And then is it obvious where it gets posted? It gets posted to the fincom. >> They have stuff listed on the homepage and then and it should be on our website page. >> Can we do both places?
The the homepage. Okay, great. >> You can do whatever pages you want. >> Okay. And then what I'll do is is I will because I've done this before, so I know how I I will do a town announce that um directs people to the documents and
>> tells them that we're having an information session on the 7th >> and I'll get the uh SAS school one in line. We talked about doing the CAP X one as a PDF and it goes online.
talked about going for the ars. >> Yeah, >> we might come in. I I could probably do that tomorrow. >> All right. >> So, Haley, can we do the the FinCom transfer at our next meeting on Tuesday?
Does that was it urgent that that happened tonight? Okay, great. All right. Do we want to can we just verify that everybody's okay with I can't remember we had that as an open sad >> that's April 20
28 >> yeah so >> that's 6:30 >> I had it listed as an open date but I think I think we need to right okay does that work for everybody at town >> that's a that's a select board meeting
>> a select board meeting okay Um or can we do remote? Why are we doing in person again? >> People have been liking it. Yeah. >> Oh, okay. >> But we could we could >> I think the 28th we could we could do >> it is more fun being in the same room with you all. I would say I was
>> so much fun. >> You like us that much? >> You're not sick of us yet? >> She's gonna miss it. That's what that's what's going on here. She's like, I'm >> um I >> still >> I can still post for Tuesday night, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. As long as I do
it. >> Do we want to approve the minutes? Do we want to keep the minutes active and up the date on the website? >> I think we're gonna do that on Tuesday. >> Okay. >> 9:30. >> Yeah. Scott. Yeah. And the Bruins are tied. Uh going into the third period multitasking.
>> Are you playing hockey? >> Just started. June, I got to tell you. Not for the Bruins. >> Yeah. Not for the Although I don't know it's tied >> the series one for the Sabers. It's tied one to one and game is tied going third
period. Although it's probably started sabers are good. >> All right. So uh motion to adjurnn >> second all >> all uh I >> I almost take care
>> the Stanley