Hey J. >> Hey George. How's it going? >> I don't think I heard you. >> Oh, can you hear me now? >> Nope. >> I'm not getting any audio. Let me test my audio. Uh,
>> how about Yeah. Try now. >> Can you hear me now? >> Yep. >> Okay, great. >> My my thing came disconnected. >> Gotcha. All right. So, I was just going through Haley's
budget draft. Um, sounds like you gave her some updates earlier today that she >> Yeah, I helped her with the debt service. gave her a couple pointers here and there and >> yeah. >> No, I think she did a pretty good job. >> Yeah, >> I think we got a memo from Shawn Magano
with some with the transportation number on it. Do you recall seeing such a thing? >> I don't. >> All right, that maybe it's my imagination. I could have sworn I saw something somewhere because we don't have that number.
>> Yeah, because that's that's uh blank right now. Yeah. >> Yeah. That's probably the largest one that's empty. >> Yep. And the the regional assessment value that was in there was much larger
than it's going to be. >> Yes. >> But um so I actually put in a different value that in the version I'm going to share that tonight as we're going through. >> Good. Yeah. You know, I actually missed that, but that's a good point. That's that's like the biggest thing.
>> Yeah. It's the level right now it you know it's the level services value which which you know >> is a much smaller increase for us. This is the full budget. What what we had in here was >> yeah what what we have in here is the
the full level services amount not the one that is going to require cuts which we know they're looking into right now. >> All right. home.
At least we're finally getting some snow. I know that makes you happy. >> I'm getting tired. >> You're skiing every day, huh? >> Pretty much. Yes, >> that's impressive. I'm skiing.
>> I was in Montana last week and everybody was complaining about their lack of share. But >> that's going to be a real problem, too. You know, in the summer, they're going to be bone dry. >> Yeah. And we are going to have a major mud
season. >> I know. It's starting next week, I think. >> It's thought we were having gym tonight. Unless you heard otherwise, I doubt if Jim will be here. He's in tiara de Fuego.
>> Oh, okay. Uh, that makes sense then. All right. So, I'm going to call the finance committee to order at 6:31. Um, all right. I think we should start by getting caught up on minutes, which
we've been putting off for a while. And I actually George I I can't remember how far back we need to go. Do you have that? >> Yeah, I do. It's all three meetings in January 7th, 13th, and 27th. >> Okay.
So, let's start with the 7th. All right. Where's my [ __ ] button? Okay, here it is. All right, everybody see that? Okay. Yeah, a little bigger. >> All right, let's see. Let's visit this.
This was Ryan's All right. All right. Okay. Does anybody have any suggestions, questions for George? >> All right. I'll make a motion to approve
the minutes as written. Second. >> Okay. George I. Sorry. No problem. Cashew. I moer. I >> Moss abstain.
Where do I >> That's next one's the 13th. >> And those were the December 16th ones. Like >> Yeah. Actually, now that I'm thinking about this, but you you were saying that it's the minutes that we were supposed
to review at our January meetings that we haven't done yet, right? >> No, the meetings that I mentioned, the 7th, 13th, and 27th are minutes that I've produced. >> Oh, okay. >> That are waiting to be approved. >> All right. So, I think we may have just
approved the the December 16th minutes. That was >> Oh, were you guys looking at December 16th? I was looking at mine. >> Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. I wasn't even looking at your screen. I was looking at my January 7th. >> Yeah, me too. >> My mistake. My mistake. >> Yeah, I didn't do the 16th, right? I
wasn't there. >> You are. >> I was not at the 16th. >> April and Molly were were out. But okay. In any event, those were the minutes that we actually looked at on the 7th, but we're talking about these minutes, I believe.
>> Yes. >> Okay. >> All right. So, let's do another >> Oh, what? 16th. That was the >> Yeah, that that was the meeting with Ryan and >> Oh, yeah. I was there. Right. I I'm sorry. I was thinking of the uh when we met with managers. You're right. I was
there. >> Right. >> All right. Uh >> and I was not >> Yeah, this is the one I thought we were talking about. This one has not been approved yet. >> Yeah. All right. Okay. Any questions or
suggestions? >> It's okay. >> All right. I'll make a motion to approve the January 7th minutes as written. >> Second. Coveris I >> cashew I >> Moer I
>> Moss saying since I wasn't there so I >> and Stein I >> All right great so those minutes are approved so now we can look at the 13th right is that
>> that's correct and I had a couple edits I already A thanks to Susie. So I was going to I'd like to walk through those first. >> Okay. Why don't you tell us? >> So on number one a total request is 191. Total initial request was 191. >> Right.
>> And then if you go down to the to the end of this section you'll see the total highway budget increase is now 35625. So >> they came in asking for one thing and when they left we had increased it by even more. >> Yeah. Okay. Uh
>> the next one is in section three, the elementary school budget request D. >> Yep. >> It should be state revenues, not just revenues. >> Okay. >> Are stagnant. >> And the second sentence, we don't need
um we've covered it in another spot. So the state lowered the rural estimate. We can scratch that whole line >> that out. Okay, got it. And then on F instruction instructions sections overall increases due to higher contractual obligations. So strike the
word costs and I and I put in contractual obligations. >> Okay, >> let me see what else I'm shooting. >> Yeah, that's definitely better. >> All right, then. So, so higher contracted.
What did you say? Higher contract >> contractual obligation. higher contractual obligations. >> Okay. Those are like the step increases that are built into the teachers contract. Yeah. Okay. >> And negotiated, >> right? Okay.
>> And then number and then G. And remember, Susie is the rep to this, so she's definitely got the better language. I replace the the loss of federal grants is the reason for the increase in professional development. I replace that with the professional
development cost increases due to the loss of federal grants. Um the distinction being I I knew it at the time. >> Okay. Can you say that sentence one more time? >> The professional development cost increase is due to the loss of federal
grants. >> Okay. >> It it it's the specific reason why this is down. And there's other things that were affected by federal grants. So we didn't want to make it sound like only professional development was affected by it. >> Okay. So, so just just so that's clear.
So it's the the increase in the um the budget line the operating budget line for professional development was being increased to offset anticipated loss of federal
uh grants. >> Uh it was yes. Okay. It it it because the way they show the budget. Yeah. >> It was lower last year because they were netting it out. Now they don't have it to net out. >> Right. I got it. Okay. >> All right. Um and I
>> I just want to add that in D. Um it's uh revenues are stagnant requiring a greater could be a great contribution from the town but I think the word was greater. >> Okay, you got it. Yes. I think that would be more more appropriate.
>> Maybe. >> Glad you got a sense of humor. >> And I think let me just scroll down. I think Oh, yeah. There's another one. Um, four towns is number four C. Um the second the end of the sentence I
said but it but it has not been determined but a date has not been determined would be better. >> Yeah. >> I think on on I think may maybe they should read
transportation cost of $350 a day for the out of district placement to just Yeah. >> For the out of district. You got it. Yeah. Okay.
All right. Any other suggestions? >> All right. I'll make a motion to approve the minutes from January 13th as amended. >> Second. >> I >> cashew I. >> Moer. I
>> los. >> Great. Okay. All right. So, next up is the next up is the 27th. >> 7th, right? Yeah. >> And I also Susie also sent me changes on
this. So, when you're ready, I can go through those. >> All right. Why don't you go through those first? Yeah. >> Okay. So um uh number one police department in D um two full-time positions and then later on in varying part-time
positions I changed those to officers >> so it would be clear that it doesn't include the chief these are just the officer's positions and that the chief's positions itself would be an additional person so that the department has actually five people not four >> right
>> if it says positions people might mis misconstrue it as the whole department. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And then um um H I'm sorry. Uh number two, financial
snapshot. H I say um that are materially overspending and Susie asked me to also add or underspending their budgets. >> Yes. So yes, not to Haley. Um we'd be
interested to know about those too. >> Okay. >> You know, material of course. And then uh a typo on incentivize on number six. Oops. I misspelled it, so I just corrected the
spelling. And I struck that Susie had re uh recommended being on the uh I had volunteered to be on the uh trash recycling committee. >> Section 4C.
>> Yeah, I forget where that was because I deleted it. Yeah, >> you got it. And by the way, um I saw Merryill today and she was asking us to decide if we were going to have somebody today. I told her there was a chance we wouldn't and she was okay with that, but
>> yeah, >> she did ask me to bring it up. >> I've got on the agenda tonight. >> Okay, good. >> All right. Um Okay. All right. So, uh, any other suggestions on January 27th?
Just wanted to see one thing here. Uh, where was it? Okay. Yeah. Okay. All right. Uh, I'll make a motion to approve the minutes from January 27th as amended. I'll >> second.
I cashew I >> Moer I Moss I >> Twitter I >> I >> All right so we are caught up then right is that it? >> Yeah. >> Great. >> Yes, we're caught up. Yep. I'm trying to
keep up myself right now. All right. So, next up, let's see. I think what we want to do next is take a look at the preliminary budget
that um Haley shared uh earlier today. And we might take a couple of detours during this to like talk about related issues and then come back. But shoot, there we go.
All right. So, I know I'm going to need to make this bigger. Let's see. How's that? >> Getting there. Need >> one more. Maybe. >> Got some old eyes here. >> All right. >> Yeah, >> it's too big.
>> No. Is it? >> No, it's too big. >> Oh, no. No. I'm tell I I I enlarged it on my screen. >> Oh, gotcha. Gotcha. All right. >> Yeah. So, um, let's just m maybe actually Haley and
George, you might want to chime in too. We can just sort of do a big picture overview of kind of what's sort of what categories of things have been input in here and sort of kind of what was the
process for putting this together. So, um, maybe I'll ask a few questions just to clarify that. So um we this is has incorporated the budget proposals from each of the departments that we've met
with already or or that have submitted budgets to you. >> Yep. >> Yeah. And then in the in the few cases where during the department heads meeting with the fincom, we sort of
informally agreed upon an adjustment to their initial proposed budget. Do we feel confident that that's been captured in here? So like the highway being an example. Okay, great. So that's good to know. Um then there was a cherry sheet
estimate uh produced I think at the end of January that looks like it's in here. I double checked that. So all like the chapter 70 um initial estimate is in here at a whopping 1.11%
increase. Um and uh so and all of the other items that we would see on the cherry sheet are in here. Okay. Um, let's think. Are there any other and then a bunch of things that we at least have tentatively
talked about um uh reintro like reintroducing into the budget like the OPED 50k contribution that those kinds of things are in here.
>> Okay. And um let's see. And then in terms of cola, I see that you have a cola increase in here. Can you tell us a little bit about where that's coming from? Is that >> Yes. Um so I met with George and April
today and they showed me a really nice spreadsheet that tracks all of our colas and what the formula is that the town uses. You know that between like one and 4% of an increase. So based on December's numbers, January's aren't out
yet. We factored a cola rate of 2.41. >> So what I just did across the board is to add 2.41. There are some positions that I I just want to double check on the the salary alignment year 2 numbers,
>> right? >> So it could change slightly up, but um but at least there's the the cola part is calculated. And then um um George did help me with the debt. And I got the new growth factor from Jay, our accountant.
And then today Gail gave me um FY25 and FY26 estimates. So that's where I got like the uh local receipt numbers from. >> Okay, great. Uh so all of these values have actually been updated with um from
Gail's uh numbers. Okay, that's great. >> Um, so we have a handful of positions usually at the department head level that are not where we don't apply cola updates
because there are um, uh, negotiated contracts that have increases. Um, have those contract amounts for FY27, have those been input here? Um, so
>> yes, except for mine because I have to negotiate that. But Devon's is in there and then Lenny and Dave, they follow the same cola pattern as the rest of the staff. >> Okay. Terrific. Okay. All right. Well, that's a lot. So, I think this is
actually this is um this is a great um sort of starting draft to look at because I think a lot of the a lot of the updates um have been made. That's great. Um okay, so
let's um should we do kind of um a walk through on revenue or do we want to go right to the uh expense? Well, budget. >> Yeah, >> probably want to start with expenses and make sure we get expenses straightened
out and then we can go to revenue. >> The revenue sheet, I don't think is going to need a lot of work. We're just going to need to adjust for the deficit once we figure out what that is. >> Yeah. Um actually, Haley, do you know when the final
cherry sheet um values when do those get >> issued? Do we know? >> It's a good question. I'm not sure, but I'll look it up. Uh, so what I so what I read was the governors of course came out and that's what we're using right now. The House is due to come out
>> yeah one's April and then the Senate is May. >> Okay. >> I think it's something like that. I think it is a couple months before we're going to get new numbers. >> Okay. So So what what we have in here right now is is very likely going to be what we
will have in our budget at at town meeting. It sounds like um m maybe there'll be an update but okay um all right and then ju if I may just say one thing about that please history has shown the
governor's chapter 70 tends to be the lowest >> of all so for us to go with that the town meeting is probably being conservative and is probably wise >> yeah okay that's good um all right So why don't we kind of go
through this now? So under general government looks like mostly what we've got here are our cola increases. >> Can we can we bring it so that it's not so wide? Like we don't really need to
look at FY23 24. >> Sure. >> Can you >> How far back do we want to look at? Just just >> 25. The actual 25 maybe. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Budget 26.
>> Yeah, that's >> Oh, much better. >> Is that better? Okay. And and in terms of size, are we okay with this, sir? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. >> All right. So, then um All right. So, we've got a a placeholder in here for
the town administrator salary, but we should George, what was our um our what did we do last year to indicate items that needed to be updated? Did we do a little like highlight the sale?
>> Oh, yeah. I would I well, I would put them in the notes column. I would probably >> So, the notes in here, >> yeah, that note is telling us that's a placeholder. So, that's a good note. And Yeah. and I would color it. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Um before you move away from that, there was one error in the FY26 budget which
is that there was so in my contract I had a pay increase mid year but that was not factored into the total TA salary. So we will be short in that line by about I think like 1,200 bucks at the end of the year. >> Okay. Got it. Okay.
>> All right. Um, so we're probably going to want to add a note in here as well because it's going to look like a certain percentage increase, but that's actually >> we should probably communicate that it's actually a smaller increase because the
FY26 value was >> incorrect. Um, okay. Uh and then we have um an increase in the administrator expenses to include the
cost of the MMA conference. Is that the total is this? So is all of this $2,100 the MMA? >> No, there's a little extra in there as well just to have more resources for supplies and like tech expenses.
>> Okay, got it. All right. Uh >> I just flatlined you for income expenses in reserve. >> Yeah. >> On that town accountant line, the one above number 18, we don't need that zero in the difference. That difference formula can go.
>> Okay. >> I don't mean to be nit nitpicky, but you know, be >> when we see stuff. Yeah. We just want to tighten it up. >> Yeah. >> Exactly. >> Okay. So, we've got a um cola increase and okay, so this is one of the things I
also wanted to make sure people were aware of is that we had um we had the the the salary alignment study that the personnel >> board um went through last year and I forget
it was like six or seven positions that were identif Yes, that's correct. >> All right. And so across the board for all of those positions where the personnel board recommended a salary increase, we only implemented half of
that increase in the FY26 budget, right? With Okay. Um so this draft budget here for FY27 also includes the um second
half of that salary alignment adjustment. Is that right, Haley? Yep. Okay. >> Yes. >> And so that so anywhere you did that, you included this in the note there. Okay. Got it. >> I wonder if um
it might be in the version that we I mean ultimately if we want to actually include an amount in that note of the increase that is due to the salary alignment. So that um >> I don't think we did that last year. >> Yeah, we didn't. I don't think
>> but uh but I wonder might >> or it might be useful just to have a record of that. I know we do. Um >> yeah, >> in your spreadsheet, but okay. Uh all right. So that's what's going on with the accountant. Um
okay, assessor. Uh all right. So I was wondering about this. It says cola eligible for the administrative assessor, but there's no >> So, I listed out every position that was
eligible for it. I don't because we haven't had an administrative assessor for this year. >> That's why I just left it flat because >> I don't know. You're kind of starting fresh. >> Yeah. >> Well, we haven't negotiated what he's going to get paid anyways. >> We don't have anything for him yet,
>> right? >> But do we want to have a holder? >> Yeah. So the holder right now is this last is that does that seem like >> a reasonable who knows? >> Yeah, I think so. I mean >> I think so too. Yeah. >> All right.
>> Maybe 36. I don't know. I I think at this point any difference is not going to be material enough. >> Okay. Got it. I wonder if we should strike the cola eligible since like the note here since there isn't a person. >> I would agree with that. >> Yeah. All right. >> Would it make sense to put Oh, right.
because we don't have the hire yet. I was going to say put in the new hire. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um All right. So then and then for the assessor's clerk, we do have So here we have cola eligible, but not the salary alignment because you're
still confirming that. Yeah. >> Yes. So I I did the town accountant, but that was it. So all the subsequent ones that have the note about year 2 salary, I've only factored in the 2.41 cola because I need to go back in and look. So that might be a little confusing now
but it will come. >> Okay. All right. So, so actually there are so this this budget does not include the year 2 salary alignment values. It has notes in here but not not the values
for anybody other than the accountant. Is that accurate? Okay. Got it. >> All right. >> Maybe we should highlight that. >> Yeah. Um you're right. We should uh >> Yeah. the 193. >> So, >> well, are you gonna send this back to
me, AJ? >> I Yeah, sure. I can. Uh, >> okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, there's that. All right. Um, okay.
So then we've got another one. This is the the treasurer. >> Yep. >> Okay. And we potentially have an additional salary alignment for for this position.
Can I ask you guys just I'm not to get off track here, but I just thinking about this and I can't remember if may maybe any of the personnel committee members have a memory of whether the
treasurer was one of those positions in the salary alignment. >> I I'm not sure. I think so. >> I'm looking at last year's. Mhm. >> You got the list. >> And um
yes, the treasurer was salary alignment to market. >> Okay, got it. Um All right. I just you know that position is a little complicated because he has he has that role for
>> assistant collector. >> Yeah. >> Municipalities. Um and he has right he has a he has a kind of an additional role but anyway all right I don't want to get sidetracked now but okay um and then
right the oped audit >> is actuarial studies increasingly that was one of the things he talked to us about all right On row 63, we're missing the difference percentage formula. Just need to copy it
from this row below. >> Yeah. >> Okay. On the collector here, we have a salary increase that's more than the cola. Is that because of a salary alignment
as well or no? >> Um, well, there's a lot of I have the collector is definitely one that should get highlighted because there were issues with it. >> Okay. >> Special town meeting. That's one I really want you to pay attention to. >> Okay. >> All right. So, there's a reason why this
is not the 2.41% increase. Okay. Got it. >> It's basically where I realize I need to just go back and double check. >> Okay. Got it. But Haley, that that FY26 column is after special town meeting, right?
>> Yeah. But I just for the second half of the study, I just want to be double sure of what we had what the math was in the spreadsheet. >> Okay. All right. So anyway, that's flagged to come back to
>> 4549. >> All right. Now we want to town clerk. All right. And then assistant town clerk that increases >> also alignment. >> Also alignment. Okay. Got it. All right. So I'm going to flag that.
I'm also going to add Okay. So, I want to add that note about the salary alignment both to the collector and the assistant, sorry, the >> assistant town clerk. >> Assistant town clerk, right? Okay.
>> Yeah. >> All right. Got it. Okay. All right. This is just a lot of cola stuff. All right. So, custodial wages. All right. So, let's talk about this for a sec. So, you've got
cola increase. We have a a salary alignment. >> And then we have to factor in four additional hours. >> That's for the library. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> All right. So
>> I don't have him down as um a salary alignment person. >> He was >> Oh, yes I do. Here it is. Sorry. There it is. >> Okay. All right. Um,
>> so that's seven. >> And just while we're talking about this, um, there there are going to be a few other um, expense increases
that are going to be coming from the new library building, right? That haven't been shared with you yet. that that we we sort of talked about in our meeting um with Maryanne. Is that That's right. Right. We >> That's missing. >> The other ones not in here yet. Um Okay.
>> No. So, those are going to be stuff like related to supply lines, >> right? >> And things like that. >> All right. We should be aware of that, too. Um Okay. Uh, and then just out of curiosity, so like
electricity, heating, where do the like um where do are those increases being recommended by somebody or is that kind of your >> No, they're just estimates that I tried out a couple different models and like what what we have paid, what our uses
has has been. >> Um, so >> right, got it. >> The best guess. AJ, I got a question about the water resource line. >> Yeah. >> Uh, which line is that? That's >> uh 79. >> Yeah. >> So, I'm wondering if we should have a
note explaining why it's going from going to zero. >> Well, I looked at FY25 and there wasn't any spending. So, I didn't know if that was something that needed to be fund. I don't know what that pertains to. >> And has there been any spending year to date?
>> No. >> No. That committee has not met for several years. >> Okay. All right. So, should we add um >> like pre- pandemic? >> Uh
resources committee expenses >> active or something like that. >> Yeah. >> Or disband. I think we had a term lower down that we used. Well, >> we'll see. We should be consistent whatever we do, but we'll see. >> Okay. I'll come back to that. Yeah.
All right. All right. And then all of these we've just got sort of >> blanket 2% increases on them. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. So line 100 the ADA committee. Should that delete line committee
disband on the farm and forestry committee? >> Farm and forestry, you definitely want to delete because that was disbanded. Um, we don't I don't currently know of anyone except for the town administrator who's on the ADA committee. And since we
have a grant taking care of the assessment, I didn't feel like we needed to fund that line this year. I think we could use it elsewhere. >> Yeah, that's fine. I first thing I'll say is we can't delete it because we had numbers in budgets in previous years. We
can't delete lines until they go to all zero across the years. >> Um but we can change the note to just committee disbanded. And I think that would be the same note for the line above it, the ADA committee, right? >> Do you know if it has to be there
because it's the conduit for specific grants? Well, the reason I'm saying it has to be there is because our total budget amounts would change and we don't want them to be different than what we >> I understand that. But I'm thinking the original reason it was there is because
town just like uh anyways I I believe that in order to receive any kind of funding that was ADA, there had to be >> um a committee which has been only the TA for a while. Mhm. >> Yeah, there should be the committee, but
like I said, there's not been any expenses attributed to that in some time. So, >> but that's been officially disbanded or is it just inactive? >> Active? >> Yeah, >> I don't remember it being disbanded.
Disbanded specifically? >> Probably safer term, inactive. >> No, the one above. No, that one's been disbanded. The farm and forestry has >> That's the one >> that's enacted. >> And should I should that be the same
note for um the uh what was it up here? The water resources? >> Yeah, it's inactive. >> Yeah, >> I think is that what we said? >> Yeah, that makes sense. >> Okay. All right.
So, >> so the police chief, >> yeah, >> we first of all, it's not call eligible. >> Oh, yeah. That's >> so the contract and I we probably want to explain why it's decreasing >> for the voters. We probably want that to
show to print for the voters >> new >> new hire. >> Yeah. And then um and then I can't remember but I'm sure this came from the the the holiday
pay is is flat funded. Is that what was in Okay. >> Yeah. >> budget. Yeah. All right. Um do I have to put a noteligible for longevity bonus? Is that >> right?
Why wouldn't the chief longevity? >> Sorry, I shouldn't put that in then. >> Is he Is he Is he Is it in his contract that he's not eligible? >> Believe so. >> I guess I >> Not this year. Just right. Not this year. >> Yeah. Not eligible
>> by 27 >> or FY27, right? Yeah. I don't think we need a note there, do we? >> Uh, >> no. Because then you have to put it everywhere. >> There's a whole bunch of other people who want >> Yeah, there's a lot of people. And also it looks like we need a formula on that line. AJ, the percentage formula is
missing. >> Uh, you mean down here? Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Got it. >> I know it looks like a goofy number, but it's >> all right. >> This might need a note like just
the No, sorry. The police. >> Yeah. >> No, no, actually, sorry. Doesn't That that that incorporates the the chief. >> Yeah, the chief. Yeah. >> Y Okay. All right. Okay.
>> And another >> worth pausing for a second. We've got a 3% reduction in the police budget. That turn >> Yeah. Because very helpful this year. Yeah. >> All right. And now we're on to fire.
All right. >> Yeah. Same thing with the salary, right? That's not co eligible. >> He is. >> Oh, he is. >> In his contract, he gets the same pay raise as every other employee. So, he'll get a 2.14 or Yeah. 2.41.
Um, so I have a vague memory that um the that we we'd made a few changes or suggested some in our meeting with Lenny, right? Do do those get
incorporated in here as well? Yeah, >> these numbers aren't the numbers from our conversation with him. So I wondered if somebody sat down and negotiated with him or something. Okay. >> Which numbers are I'm finding it
>> that is >> and I know the salary is cola eligible based in the contract but it's still a contract position. I I wonder if we even need the term cola eligible for anybody really. >> Um I mean it was helpful just when I was
doing the spreadsheet so I didn't forget. >> No, I get that. Yeah, I get that. I just >> But I, you know, clean it up. >> I'm Yeah, Haley, I'm thinking in terms of what we're going to present to the town. >> You're right. I mean, I I can appreciate that you'd like to do that, but for me,
this is just me editorializing. Um, we don't want to put too much too many notes on here. We just want to put notes on things where we think people going to ask questions. >> Let's keep them for now, just for um development, and then we'll we'll pull those.
>> Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Just me complaining. All right. >> So on the on the proposals that are in front of us, that's different than what we sat with him. So he had um like the training and call wages. Um
he had them at 30,000 for training and 25 for call wages. So was there a discussion that changed this? I think there was there was a discussion in our meeting with him and I
>> thank those aren't the those aren't well >> those aren't the numbers I have in my notes for the changes >> well what about what's on the website so >> and there is an error in one of them the maintenance is um the maintenance is
1800 I mean 18,000 >> so not 188 eight. >> Okay. So, I wonder if we need to pull the minutes from from our meeting with with Lenny and just review these and
make sure we've got because I I I do have a memory that we we sort of we kind of informally agreed on some adjustments from >> I'm looking at those minutes. >> Yeah. Yeah. If you look at if you look
at what he has on the website, what we have in our Google drive, the 8100, the 18,000, the 188, those are all correct. Training 27,000 and call wages 21,000. I mean, we are updating this with whatever
agreements we come up with. Is that correct? >> Yeah. I think what I did was I I think I I we made changes in that discussion with Lenny and then I saved that uh I
mean I uploaded that budget into our Google Drive that resulted after that. >> Yeah. So these these numbers here do tie to the Google Drive. >> But let's do this. >> I got them from the Google Drive. Yeah. Um, so let's let's uh let's look at the
minutes and we'll just verify um that we've got the right values um based on our discussion, not his original proposal, but >> on the discussion. >> Susie, you took those minutes, right?
>> I I have Yeah, I'm looking at these minutes now, but we'll get get back to it. >> Yeah, I'm gonna I'm gonna for now I'm just going to literally highlight all of the all of the individual lines just to make sure. >> Correct.
>> Okay. >> 27. >> While we're waiting, AJ, we need a formula for the emergency management. >> All right. >> The percentage change. Yeah. Okay. All right. So, we've got an estimate in
here for the dog officer. All right. >> Well, I guess we can't delete the line, but we don't need to do have the expense account because we get the service through um the sheriff's department. >> Okay.
>> And I did confirm with uh Dave that he we can leave the tree warden expense flat. Okay. >> And I also confirm with him because I talked to him today. I also confirmed with him that the uh snow removal wages
can be increased by eligibility by the uh cola. And I guess you probably had the same conversation, huh? >> Yeah. And AJ, I'm going to forward you the email that Lenny sent to me because what he gave me as his revised budget are those numbers in the spreadsheet.
>> Okay. So, if those don't match the minutes, I'll have to change it. >> But that's what's on the Google Drive. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, they do. I I have the minutes. They do match the minutes. Um >> and um Oh, I know. There was just no
bottom line, so then I'm I didn't have a bottom line, but now I do. >> Okay, got it. So all of these lines, we're confident that these reflect what we discussed with Lenny then based on those minutes. >> Great.
>> So I'm going to unhighlight them. Okay. >> And then Okay. So >> the constable is eligible for cola. Uh >> is that right?
Well, she received it last year. >> Yeah, it looks like it. 192 to 196. >> Okay. And then Yeah, it goes up every >> Yeah.
>> Okay. >> Is that a person who works in our town? It's not >> one person. >> Oh, yeah. And then it's done. >> Yeah. >> And in that dog officer um section. Oh, it's an estimate that but that's we
had to switch. And so what's the story on that? Um >> so that's just an estimate for the contract increase with the sheriff's department for next year. >> Sheriff's department. Okay. >> So I should probably highlight that, right? because you're going to that's
going to need to be updated at some point. Okay. All right. So, I added the cola increase for the constable. All right. And then we're on to education.
Okay. So, this reflects the the budget. Susie, has that has the school committee? >> They're meeting on Thursday to vote. >> Okay. And as far as we know, they're voting on this y >> version of the budget that matches this, right? Okay.
>> All right. So big change to what you sent around Haley is I think you you had in here >> the one,950,652 which was the the level services >> bud which is what we had been talking
about before the four towns meeting. Coming out of the four towns meeting, it it sounds like they are looking to fund a budget at the $2 million
cut level, I believe. Okay. Um >> but uh so I actually replaced this value with the the the number that was in their um sort of their their last uh
last regional school committee meeting where they talked about their budget sort of planning for the rest, you know, uh to get and and this the the one version of the budget was the one that included $2 million cuts. And so this is
where I pull that amount from. So that's definitely going to help. Um, >> but we should keep in mind, I'm going to highlight it because obviously that hasn't um that hasn't been uh finalized. And
you know, it wouldn't be a shock if they come back and say, you know, the $2 million of cuts is just not is not going to be doable. only end up finding, you know, uh proposing a budget that's higher. So, but any in any event, that's what's in here right now.
Um, okay. So, there is a placeholder. Sorry, there is not a placeholder, but there we're still waiting on the value for elementary transportation. So, that's a big number. It's going to be,
you know, 80,000 plus. Um, so, uh, we should keep that in mind when we're looking at the the final. >> We might want to put a we might want to put a placeholder in there now, right? Just so we can >> Should we put in last year's? >> Yes, >> I'd increase it by 3%.
It's going to increase. It always does. >> All right. Yeah. >> And I thought I saw we got something. I I could have sworn I see something from Sean in an email, but I I must not have cuz I looked and I couldn't find it. >> Okay.
>> It comes from the region, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, I'm going to put in >> You keep threatening to fully fund it, but I don't know if we're close. >> Okay.
And then this is the this is the um the capital assessment that is on the latest spreadsheet. Yeah. Okay. >> With the track. >> Yes. That's the one that was AJ. You might want to check that at some point,
but it was on Did they at the four towns meeting or >> Yeah, it was an email that you had sent here. I can find it. I'm the one who gave that to Haley because I knew we had that information. Um, let me resend. So, I've got this email.
I think this is the one. >> Won't open. Here we go. Won't scroll. Come on. Here we go. So, I want to check my number. Well, I can go back.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. I've opened the wrong one. It's an email from you that I found that had I think it was the most recent budget. >> Yeah. But you might want to check that AJ because you know you you've got those. So at some point you might want to just let us know.
>> All right. So check >> latest ARPS. >> But what I I did find it this morning and I double checked and the and the middle school roof was in it and that was really the big reason for the increase. >> Yeah. Okay. >> So just clarify for me. Is the track in
that bond? >> Yes. The track too. I'm sorry. >> The track and the roof. Okay. And that's probably a note we're going to want in there for town meeting. >> Yeah. >> Because this is such a, you know, it's doubling. >> So the and the so the roof is eventually
going to get reimbursed though, right? Um so but >> I think it's after the reimbursement. >> So this is Yeah. >> So So this is the amount that >> after 65% >> after Yeah. Okay. Got it. So after the
reimbursement. Got it. Okay. All right. Um All right. Then we get to highway and uh sounds like you had a conversation with the superintendent. So these look like they're
>> Yeah. Yeah. I'm going to I'm going to make a statement to everybody here and that is I have not today gone back to his budget and looked at those numbers but I will do that as liaison and make sure that we did get the numbers in
correctly. They do look correct to me. >> Yeah. >> Budget's going up 10%. So, I'm pretty sure we did get it. And the 10,00 decrease in uniform tells me we did, but I'll double check. And I think everybody who's a liaison should look at
their department and make sure we got the right numbers in here as a double check. That's just something we should do to make sure we're are >> Yeah, >> we're doing okay. >> All right. Um, and let's see.
All right. And so we've got the snow wages in here. Um. >> Yep. And like I said earlier, he he confirmed that that um >> Okay. >> Cola is good. >> All right. Oh, is this snow material then? Sorry.
Just tast >> Yeah, we had that. >> Yeah. 60, right? Okay. >> Right. That's in the minutes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. Uh so what is this PAS mitigation
that's obviously separate from what we funded through through capital. Right. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> We've got debt service for the loan. >> Okay. Got it. I wonder if we can delete that row. It's
never had a value in it, I don't think. >> Let me look. I'm gonna >> Yeah. >> Um, >> it's never had a value. It's been zero since it was created >> in 2020 or before and it's had a zero in every year.
>> Right. >> Okay. >> Yeah. There were two lines originally cuz there was also um the gasoline mitigation and I think originally somehow those two pieces got tangled. >> Well, fire station mitigation is on
there on line 170. >> Oh, 170. Oh, yeah. >> All right. I'm going to make a note, a delete line note, but we'll uh >> for both of those for uh line 173 as well. Well, that's got values in prior
years. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> But we might actually use the water quality line 173 for the water testing that has to be done at the library because that's what that is. >> Good point.
>> Yes. >> All right. Um, we'll use this line. >> Okay, we're water testing. >> Didn't Maryanne give us a a a number for
that? >> Yeah, if we're going to need it, we might want to budget. >> Yeah, >> that's in the >> That's in Where is >> I think it was $5,000, but I can double check. >> Yeah, that sounds right. All
right. Annual storm water. Let's see. water testing and reporting at 4,000 a year. So, should I put that in? >> Yeah. >> All right. water testing and reporting. Okay.
And reporting for the library. Okay. All right. All right. So, Susie, um, do you want to do a little, uh, summary of this county health district? I I saw your email about it. I
think I'm still not 100% clear on >> email. So, first of all, we used to have something called the Eastern County Health something district >> district
>> and then that person um there was Charlie Kaniki and then next was Claudia whatever and she went on to some bigger job. So they haven't had somebody and they engaged some services
um through uh the Valley Health Collaborative in Greenfield >> and which they were also a member and then
they can that Shootsberry's share of the state public health improvement grant goes to Greenfield field. That's the way it is right now. And they provide free supplemental services to us in return. Um,
and then the terms of the state grant have prevented the collaborative in Greenfield from working on a fee for service basis, but the grant runs out at the end of 27. At that point, we will be able to join Greenfield and they will be
able to assess us for services presumably on the same kind of annual fee basis we are now with Irving. Um but then she spoke um with the program director in
Greenfield and that woman recommended that um we go ahead and align with um align go ahead and do this. What what I'm confused about when I read this, it
says the grant runs out at the end of FY27, but this woman's suggesting get on it for FY27 and change the name of the budget line to public health professional services and make that account a revolving fund.
Um, so all of those steps are what the person in Greenfield recommended. Other towns like Sunderland are looking to do the same. Um because once Claudia left, once Claudia left, everybody sort of had everybody sort of had to figure out how to figure out how to solve this problem.
to solve this problem. What I don't What I don't know, she uh see cat was know, she uh see cat was going to talk going to talk to Gail Weiss about it to to Gail Weiss about it to figure out the figure out the revolving fund part and revolving fund part and um I don't have um I don't have a number. So I I would a number. So I I would say use a say use a placeholder
placeholder >> um till the dust settles. Um because >> um till the dust settles. But when it's a revolving fund, does it show up in the operating budget? >> No, because it's not funded by taxes, >> right? It's the grant funds it. Okay.
So, that's the question. It's are we headed for revolving for sure. Are we going >> So, Furcock made that recommendation. >> Uh, no. the person that does Valley Health Collaborative in
Greenfield and Cat has been satisfied with the services when they got left high and dry once Claudia left it. They tried to interview for people and they couldn't find anybody. So then they um and I think the people that were doing the
interview were the eastern um county health district and and I think that may have disappeared. I think what's there now is this valley health collaborative in green field. So, >> so
>> going to revolving >> so you through a revolving account what's the funding mechanism going to be when somebody needs them if uh is it a person in town who need they're doing work for it will be charged and that will go into the fund. No, I believe the
I um um it sounds to me like in the revolving fund it's called public health professional services and the grant from the state goes there and the costs come out of there
>> and enough money comes in from the state to cover all the costs. I guess that's how that works. And you know, this reminds me of how we're all volunteers. Cat Hilton's an administrator, the administrator for public health, but
like the ground keeps shifting. So, she's she I haven't heard back from her. This came in on February 4th. Um yeah, about a week ago. And she was going to follow up with Gail. Um, and if
we need to find if we want to hear more specific models that are already related to this, we can check with some of the other towns that got left high and dry. Well, the what I think
if we know that there's a revenue source outside of the tax bill and tax rate tax levy and we know it's sustainable and will always cover the costs, >> right? >> Revolving fund is the way to go. I think it's an
>> Yeah. So, actually that makes me curious if there was a revenue line somewhere in our budget, maybe under fees or something >> that their money the grant money used to come in. >> Yeah, Gail would know that
>> because it's not a new a new grant, right? It's something we've been >> I think they're going to go with the state public health grant. Um, so I didn't I didn't follow up on this. I've got my I'm in too deep. >> Yeah. Um, so I was waiting for Cat to
find out what the model looks like. And I did tell her, you know, what's helpful is to it's helpful to have a steady service and a model that works and we need to know a number to put in our budget or um here how the revolving fund
will work. Those that's what I told her, but I did not do that work myself. >> All right. What if I just put in 32,000 as a placeholder right now? Um, >> yeah, it's potential pickup if it goes well, but we should have something, right?
>> Yeah, it just >> Well, and it would have I mean, somehow the grant money came to us. >> So, it doesn't necessarily change our economic picture if it was coming in. >> Well, it I would bet that it's in free cash. if it came to us and we weren't,
you know, there's no real place to >> Yeah. I don't see anything on the revenue page that would >> Yeah, it's not a consistent regular thing. And >> and the other thing I would say is if we do decide to not fund this line because >> yeah, >> that grant's coming in. I just want to
make sure that grant is going to be I won't say in perpetuity, but it's going to be sustained over a number of years because the last thing we want to do is take a number out of our budget and have to put it back in, >> right? >> But if if your partner is the state, good luck.
>> Not trustworthy, >> right? They're a terrible D partner. >> Uh if it's a longer explanation, don't bother now. But does does anybody have like just a a sort of general idea of like what kinds of services
are um funded through this line like what >> they do the septic um >> oh >> they do the septic reviews >> I see >> um the plans are submitted and they are
the ones and I don't know what else but I just that >> all right that that's good Okay. All right. Let's uh let's move >> we'll probably do the nurse, too. >> Okay. So, we'll leave this in as a placeholder. Uh
uh potential new model placeholder for now. Okay. Uh all right. Then we've got the library and other culture and recreation. >> Well, I would go up to 188. I I again
187. 188. I'm just being picky, but it looks like the formatting on line 187 isn't consistent with the others. The number formatting, I mean, you know, is it a big deal? No. But I just
>> uh in what way is it not not consistent? >> Well, all there's no spaces after the values. >> It's a different format. >> Yeah, you're right. >> You could just copy the formats from the line. I mean, it's okay. I mean >> Yeah, >> that's just me. Yeah,
>> but it's all the people that read it, too. >> Well, I just I would just copy copy paste special from the line above it or below it. >> All right. >> That way, you don't have to try to figure out what the format is. You can just use the formats that are right there. >> Okay.
>> Minor thing. I >> no problems. All right. So, now we're in culture. Okay. All right. And then here's the debt service.
Okay. And so the new So, we've got the library principle here. This is what Ryan gave us, right? based on >> his recommendation of a 10-year >> yes >> term. Okay. This is the PAS loan. Okay.
Um >> he also gave us that. >> Okay. >> Well, actually he gave us all those numbers. >> Yeah. >> Everything in there. Everything that adds up to the 239 231 came from Ryan except for the 10,000 for the WPAT septic. >> Okay. which came from
the accountant last year who told us that in the previous years we were using >> numbers that were too high. >> We were you I forget what we were using 25,000 or something. She said I just use 10. It's never more than 10. So I think we're safe just leaving it the same. >> Okay. Got it.
>> So I have a question on the PAS loan. That's the one that the town voted at a couple of town meetings. Do we know what is the balance in our PAS funds in terms of the costs we're trying to meet? And
it doesn't change here, but it might mean that we have to prepare to we've talked about whether we have a operating line for PAS or we just do it out of cash reserves. But this fixed
amount only covers a fixed debt and we don't know if we're matching those. >> Yeah. So there's So it's on the accounting report that Gail publishes. Um I'm on it but I don't know. So let me look. P
>> I have it up. Which slide are you looking for? >> Yeah. Past contamination. I think it's on page you can tell me if I got it right. Page 12 of 16. It's at the bottom of the page. 146,000. Is that what you see?
>> Yep. 146,219 >> is what we've spent or have left. >> That's what we >> Yeah. That's our ending balance and we allocated $198,446. So, we've only expent,000.
And this is because it's moved to only twice a year testing and it's slowed down. >> It kind of flows also based on like water table activity in terms of who's getting pinged more um for testing. So
>> what page was that? Excuse me. >> 12 >> 12 And Haley, you might want to look at the row numbers. Um, the line numbers for those two new lines. You'll figure >> Oh, yeah. I Well, I copied and pasted your formula and
>> it didn't work right. Right. Quite right. >> No. No. So, then I was like, I'm just not going to mess with it anymore. >> You'll figure it out. Um, it's probably just referencing the wrong. If you look at how they reference pros, it's possible. I I maybe I can work on and make it more foolproof.
Um, you'll figure it out. >> Well, I've got to learn. Yeah, I'll take a few more stabs. >> And if you don't like it, you can hardcode these yourself. I mean, that's it's your spreadsheet at this point. You don't have to use that. I just can tell you we would add the and subtract lines and these numbers will get all messed
up. So, I tried to make a formula that would just automatically do it, >> but it does. >> Yeah, I really like that formula. >> Yeah. And I'm happy to help you with it if you ever want to. So, the one thing I do want to say, well, I guess AJ, I'm jump jumping the gun, but we're going to talk about the library principle later,
right? >> Yep. Right after this. Um, >> so, but I guess what's important for people to know right now is that two items here, the the principal payment of $117,300
and then the um the interest, where is that? Uh >> 212. 212, right? Uh 42,668. Those come from Ryan's assumption that
we're going to pursue a 10-year uh loan for the project. Um and so if we end up, and this is, I think, a conversation we should have about whether we want to advocate for a
different approach. um a longer term then then those values are going to go down uh in that in that case but we should George has done some research looking at three different options so we should look at that in a minute so yeah
we'll come back to that all right um and then in terms of if I may AJ >> so in terms of total debt service these everything here is numbers that I got from Ryan a month ago when I was asking Ryan
about the library debt service in specifically and he did put the caveat on that email when he sent it to me that these aren't necessarily the final numbers. >> Okay. >> So, I would say to Haley, you probably want to ask him when he thinks he might have it. He might tell you that these
are the final numbers at this point, but this is not necessarily final. I do think it's close >> whatever he finally comes up with, you know, because he might be negotiating or the bond, you know, the bond consultant
might be changing a rate on one or two of them. I don't know what could happen, but it is possible they could change. Also, when he sent that information to me, >> one of the items that is not on there, well, there's two.
There's the broadband loan and that's their responsibility so we don't pick that up. And there was another line called Cleanwater Trust and he had a principal payment of $3,860. I don't know if
>> I don't know what that is because somebody mentioned I think Susie mentioned we right we never Clean Water Trust turned us down. >> Nope. Did not come through. So I don't know why he has a number for them. So I think that needs to be researched or he
needs to be asked about that. >> I thought there was I thought there was sort of two waves of clean water trusts and then that we received the first one but then the second one we were told we were not
an eligible applicant. I don't think those were the clean waterers. >> Asking old people to remember. That's a tough one. I think I don't think we got any of them. I think that we thought we were going to get one and we were headed down that road and then it and then they
canned it all. >> Yeah, got it. Okay, >> that's right. >> I see Haley nodding. So, that sounds like the right explanation. Okay. Yeah. Um, >> so I just want I I just want to reiterate, we want to make sure that if
that's supposed to be in here, if that's real and it needs to be funded by the tax rate, we need to know that and add it. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, um, Haley, can you have a conversation with Ryan about that? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Great. All right. So then under the
miscellaneous we have sounds like Ryan gave us this retirement number. >> I also have to check with him about insurance. >> Okay. Yeah. So this was his recommendation on health insurance. Uh
we've got the OPED um contribution and then Okay. And then this is something I wanted to ask about. So we've got the $40,000
um town building repair/maintenance fund which we didn't fund last year. >> Um >> what's the balance? So, I think we I I I thought it'd be helpful for us to get an
update on what's happening with this fund and if it's what you know um because we we haven't met we haven't had a conversation with the building committee in a while about this and so
um at some point before we finalize our budget I think we want to have a conversation just to see is this the ITE funding level, maybe get a little bit of a report on what we've been spending out of this fund.
Um, and kind of what's on the table for FY27. >> Yeah. >> Um, all right. So, maybe I'll reach out to the um I forget what is it? What's the building? >> Frank. Frank. >> Frank. Yeah. Um I'll reach out to him
and see if he can join us for our next next meeting. >> So So on page 12 >> Mhm. >> there is a line called building renovations. >> Okay. >> And there was 68 686 in it and they've spent
five uh 1,757. So, they've only they've only spent 2.56. >> Okay. >> So, but I do know that they just went through and redid some of the panels um in different buildings and um so they
may this may not include that work. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. I'll have a conversation with with Frank and see if he's available to meet with us and if not at least get some of this information from him. Yeah.
Okay. Uh I'm going to highlight this for now. Sure what we're going to end up doing. Okay. And that um All right. So that that brings us to a grand total of
8,451,000 and change and based on our revenue estimates. So let's look at that real quick. >> Oh, just one thing about the expense page that we didn't mention or maybe I
missed it. Yeah. >> Just that line 228 just for Haley's uh understanding. We we're going to fund that at zero this year. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> We would fund that in years where there's load debt service. This is not one of those years.
>> And then I also just wanted to mention that I had sent you because I didn't want to add too many lines. Um I had sent some additions that I think we should consider. >> Yeah. Um, so why don't we talk about that next
after we just um look at kind of what our current with with with the existing budget what our current gap is right now. So um let's look at the revenue page here. So,
so does this is this come from the assessor or this >> the new growth? >> The the new growth. >> Yeah. >> Yes. He said that he said it might go up because of the utilities. >> Okay.
>> But he won't know that for a while. >> All right. So that's but that's our best estimate at this point. Okay. >> Yeah. All right. Uh, >> unfortunately, >> we've got our debt exclusion for the library.
All right. Uh, this is the the the ARCs capital plan, right? Or >> Yep. Same numbers on the expense page. >> Okay. >> So, that's actually the middle school building, right? >> Um, well, it's it's the it's the region,
right? So, just says senior high building. That's just not true. >> Oh, I see. >> You know, I don't think we need that line. >> Yeah, >> I think that's a hold over. Um, and I also think but Susan, I think makes I think Susie makes a good point. We
probably want to refine the description of uh number 12. What's 2016 new tenure regional cap plan? Let's just call regional >> Yeah. >> regional school capital plan. >> Can I just put ARPS? Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yeah. >> Yeah. As long as it's clear, right? That's all. >> Yeah. >> And I'm looking. We never had put an amount on the senior high building line prior to since FY19. So, I think we can
just delete that row. >> Yeah. Am I going to screw anything up if I just delete this right now? >> I'll delete it. Let's see. All right. Nope. >> Oh my god. It looks like it worked. All right. Great. It's like the most terrifying thing
deleting live spreadsheets >> for sure. >> Okay. Um All right. So, we have all of our cherry sheet. >> Speak. Speaking of terrifying, if we took the um percentage change column P
from the regional capital line and copied it to the library building, would something happen? >> Let's see. Uh >> you know what I'm saying? Because we don't have a percentage increase there. And also it looks like the FY27 to 26 change is
not working. There you go. >> Yeah, there you go. >> All right. >> All right. So, yeah, this looks pretty >> awful. I was pretty happy to see the local
estimates honestly. I mean they actually go up. >> Uh total >> and then okay these are all of our sort of historical record of >> um in the investment income.
One of the ways the state is couching their choices is that they've made a lot more money on investments >> and they don't want to build um a budget an operating budget on that but they
said it over and over um and they're cautionary about it. Um so when we have um where was it? Was it line 643? >> Mhm. >> Is that a line that we should be saying
um different? Where did that in number come from? It's a reduction line. >> Well, interest rates are coming down. So I'm sure that's why it's a reduction. >> And just being conservative thinking that the markets are pretty volatile.
So we can see that the final recap for fif uh for 25 was 54,000. The final recap for 26 was 73,000. Um I'm not sure that we're counting that
line. Well, >> unless it's a different kind of investment income than what the state's riding on. >> Well, we've set the precedent of using this interest income to fund our budget.
>> So, for us to stop doing that is a pretty big loss of revenue. >> No. No. Nobody's suggesting to stop it. In fact, what they're doing is they're saying that number is higher than they expected in the state. >> And so when I see it reduced here,
>> so you're say you're saying they're um they're budgeting sort of healthy increases for FY27 um in some in some of the state budgets that you're looking at. It it it has
been and they are um they're continuing they so when I looked at this report they were saying um you know fair share money is actually coming in higher no that in fact the rich
people did not flee the state but the bigger source that was um new to them was the uh um investment revenue that was coming in I don't remember if they called interest or investment interest
or what, but that number was coming in significantly higher. Um, and they're trying to figure out what's the most reasonable way to budget for budget with it >> and I just don't know that we should be counting on it going down.
>> Did this number come from Ryan the 65? >> It was just an estimate that I made based on Gail's the data that Gail had provided. I mean, we can go up. I just wouldn't want to go, >> you know, I'm just being conservative early on because >> we want to be careful. There's no
question about it. >> Yeah. Do do you you're having a conversation with Ryan about that cleaning water trust thing. Do you want to get just get his take on this and see what he recommends? Yeah. >> Do we see this showing up in our oped
charts? >> Um, yes. the OP well what we see what I can tell you is what I see is we didn't fund OPED in FY 20 >> six but I can tell you the balance between what it was at the beginning of
this year and what it is now has gone up and it's because of interest income and that same thing happens to capital stabilization and stabilization >> in fact if we go back and I haven't done it but if we ever talk about OPED we would we should know how much the annual
income is from interest on that and we'll be able to see the most recent balance and compare it to the July 1 balance and we'll see how much interest it's grown because that's the only thing that changes that account. It's not small. It's it's a decent sized number. It's tens of thousands of dollars.
>> And in fact, the regional school increased what they thought they were going to get in revenue in their budget >> for from interest by a significant amount. You can see it on their chart. Yeah, it's, you know, we've got over a
million dollars. So, you know, at 3% that's 30 grand a year. >> Yeah. >> So, I just lobbyed to make this number after you talked to Ryan. I believe it should be higher. And I >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
Uh Yeah. Yeah, I mean like I can tell you from the region in FY26 they had budgeted $100,000 of interest revenue and for FY27
they're budgeting 380,000. So a huge jump actually >> and she and she said they that their advisors told them it could be higher than that but they were satisfied at that jump >> 300,000. >> All right. So, this this might be a
pickup area here. Um, >> that would be nice. >> Yeah. I don't think it's going to be very large, >> right? >> But we'll get >> I believe it's not going to be a cut. >> Yeah. Right. >> We'll get Ryan's take on it. >> Yeah, that would help.
>> Okay. So this is um so this is what we're looking at here is uh operating budget increasing by just under 9%
or $690,000. We've got revenue estimates about half of that um a little less than that. Uh, so we've got a gap of $386,000. So right now,
>> do we have placeholders in for all the other not mentioned ones? Because that it would be misleading to call it that our operating expenses if we don't have an adequate placeholder in every one of them. >> I thought we did. >> I think we we did put placeholders in.
Um, >> yeah. Where didn't we? >> Yeah, we were trying to. >> Yeah. So I don't think I think the earlier version that you got today um did not include some placeholders. Um
but I think as we were just going through it I think I think we did add them. >> Right. The big ones we did were the transportation for the elementary school and the county the health county. Well those are the big ones. >> Yeah. Yeah. So
>> and we've got a cola in there. >> So we've accounted for that. So, I think this is pretty accurate for a first draft. >> Yeah, definitely. Um, but the bad news is we got a really
significant gap here that So now, >> yeah, >> I was just going to say, AJ, if we we can make that number go to zero by decreasing the um excess levy capacity by that amount
and then we can see what the impact would be on a single family taxpayer. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Before before we go on, did we put all the um library expenses in the other lines? >> No. So, that's that is going where we're
going to have >> some some increases. Uh I don't think they're going to be huge because the biggest one of those was the water testing, I think, and we've got that in here now. Um
>> I think there was security. >> Yeah. Let's see. Um, I'll tell you what some of them were. Uh, so there was water testing and reporting 4,000 a year. There was fire alarm monitoring, $540 a year.
>> Oh, that wasn't the one I was thinking of. Let's see. >> Oh, the window washing. >> They said they were going to cover >> take on, right? >> Yeah. I think Don't you already pay for um security? Like some of these were uh expenses that were new to this
building but that also existed in the previous building. >> I don't know. >> Oh, that's right. >> Because there's also like the cleaning supplies. There's all those things where like I have I don't know what she's anticipating for volume, >> right? And I mean going from zero
bathrooms to three bathrooms is definitely going to be increase in supplies. Um, but like the the fire alarm monitoring, I don't know if the previous building had fire alarm monitoring or if it still needs to have fire alarm monitoring and then this is an additional expense.
>> So, it's definitely on Maryanne's list as a as a new service need. >> So, I definitely think it's a it's a but the question is is does it what was there something similar in place at the old building? So I don't
that I don't know. >> Would some of this increase be offset by including an increase in the interest income? >> No, because it doesn't sound like it's going to come up to more than 10 grand. >> Yeah.
Yeah. Probably not. No. Um Yeah. Because like >> there's like an AED device that's $2,400. I think that was one of the >> every seven years. >> Yeah. >> And the need batteries uh yearly, but
they don't know how much they cost you. Oh, she did say, but I can't You didn't write it down. So, I think they're a couple hundred. They're like not AAA's, they're expensive batteries. >> Oh, >> those were maybe a couple hundred. >> The HVAC system um was going to need
filter changes and that was 5,500. >> Oh, okay. Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. So, I know you we had asked her to um >> Yeah. >> like be more granular in this and send it over and Haley, you have not received that.
>> No. >> Okay. I'll follow up with her. >> Great. Okay. All right. So, they're they're definitely going to be somewhere potentially in the range of like $5,000 worth of new expenses.
>> I'd say more than 5,000. >> Yeah. But we also thought there would could be a decrease in electricity and heating. >> Yeah. But we don't have those kind of numbers right now.
>> Yeah. Okay. Um but I think otherwise I think we're we're pretty close. But again, I want to caution everybody. We have a pretty we have a pretty low estimate in here for the ARPS regional assessment and
that's just based on the conversations that I think have come out of the last four towns meeting. But that I I could it would not shock me if they end up sort of pushing back a little bit and
wanting to, you know, to to to find some kind of compromise between the original level services budget and and what they're working on now. So, >> especially once it reaches the public ear, is that right?
>> Yeah, exactly. and and and the timeline for that is is that there's a budget hearing scheduled for February 26th >> and then I think they are scheduled to vote on a budget of March 24th. So somewhere, you know, somewhere between
now and the budget hearing of the 26th, you know, I'll I'll be keeping tabs, but we we might, you know, we might have some news. So, but um in any event, this is this is what we're looking at at
right now as a um as a a potential gap that we need to fill um with either new cash or some I mean or ask for additional cuts or some something. I don't know. So, >> you're talking about the operating
budget. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And Susie, you said the SCES they're voting >> Thursday. >> Thursday. Okay. >> Okay. >> And the other piece that bothers me is that rural aid does not get set until
October and November. I don't know what the hell they think that does for budgeting. >> Yeah. >> Um >> same thing with chapter 70 and all the other stuff. It's always been that way. >> Well, they project on the cherry sheets. Chapter 70. They do not project rural
aid in any place that you could say it's part of the budget. >> Well, they we Yeah, it doesn't come to us in a preliminary sheet, but it's in her budget. It's in the governor's budget. Got to dig it out. >> It she's talking about it. Um and
actually, I do not think that we heard it from the House Ways and Means or the Senate Ways and Means. So, it's I have to find I got to find out more about it, but it's a hole. It's not something people can build on. >> Um,
>> and then they cut it. And so, the ability to not put it really right in the budget allowed them to do that. >> And this is this is why they use this is why Caitlyn used the low number. >> Yes. But she didn't anticipate a 25%
cut. Nobody did. And so that that piece um you know and this I believe the regional budget does not have a rural aid projection in it. Not even like last
year. >> I don't see it in there. Yeah. >> And that so it makes things distorted >> and they don't apply it to an expense line like they do with school choice. Um, >> I doubt that they would.
>> I I've never heard them refer to rural aid in any of their >> Yeah. >> sort of budget documents. Yeah. >> Right. >> Um, but Susie, just just to just to be clear though, right, whenever that value is
set, um, it goes directly to the school and it's in their school budget, right? It's in our schools. SES has it. Sorry, that's what I meant. >> But I do not think that the regional
school does. That's where this conversation started. And you know, the governor said >> um 20 million up from 12, but it ain't over. >> Yeah. I can ask Hannah, I'm sorry, Anna, because I I was gonna have a
conversation with her and I can ask her to follow up on that to see if >> if there's any way in which Shannon >> uses that >> uses a somewhere in the budgeting process. Yeah.
>> Okay. Um, George, what um, so that gap I can you're you're saying I can put it in here so we can get uh, at least, >> right? Yeah. >> Where would I do that? >> Yeah, let me get out of the minutes. So, what's the number? 386 38.
>> Yeah, >> it's it's 38 >> 729. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, go to um Yeah. So, on the revenue page, let's go to the excess levy capacity. >> And that's up. All right. >> So this >> Yeah. So
>> right. >> Yep. So you want to click on that cell and just put at the very end plus 386 789 >> 3867 >> 89us
>> 729 >> 729. Okay, that's my brain. Um, that should be a plus. And then minus hit. So you wanted to keep the number that was in there and just subtract 386729 from it. >> Oh, I see. Okay, got it. >> And really it's a negative numberative
-617, >> right? And then hit hit the plus. Yeah, exactly. >> And so so give me the number one more time. 37 >> 38 >> 66 >> 3869 >> 729. >> That's what I said.
>> Okay. Yeah. So that would be our new excess levy capacity. So that would basically get picked up by taxpayers. And if you look at line 19, that's basically how much money net tax revenue, that's how much new
money comes to the town and revenue. And that all comes from taxpayers with the exception of 20 coming from new taxpayers. That represents the tax increase for everybody in town. >> So what would that what's an estimate for what that would cost? So, if we go
to the bottom, >> what percent change is that? >> That's a 10 >> 11%. >> $821. >> Now, that number is squishy. That's 77592 squishy, but scalewise,
it's roughly what we're thinking. What's going to happen? >> Yeah, >> we're at that level. Mhm. >> So that's adding to the um average single family, right? 821 >> 821. So >> the average single family for the current at this current in this fiscal
year is $6,770 and we're if this budget was what we brought to town meeting, it would increase to $7,600. >> All right. So obviously big caveat here is that we haven't um we haven't proposed to use any cash
reserves to fund any budget items here which is something we've done >> the last two years >> three years maybe >> all right >> there's no question we're going to have to use cash and you know >> but it's good to have this number >> yeah exactly we need to know what >> and then our excess levy capacity is
down to a little more than a quarter of a million dollars right Yes. And >> we're following >> the same pattern we saw in Pelum. >> I know. I was just saying. >> Yeah. Right. >> Yeah. >> It's not doesn't look good. >> And I'm sure all the other towns are
doing the same. >> Yeah. >> Regional. >> That's right. Ammeris doesn't have any, but we know leverage tax, a single payer tax bill went up the same amount as us last year, 500. So, we know they dug into theirs. We know that Pelum's
>> and I don't believe I mean I'm I'm pretty sure Sheets going into FY27 has significantly more capacity than than um than any of the other towns um
Averse being zero. But >> in my mind the real capacity is in the capacity of the voters to support an increase and what is that number? Right. >> It would also be helpful to look at what are our cash reserves, you know, just to get a sense of out of that what 300, how
much we could potentially use, >> right, >> to offset that. >> He did a capex. >> Yeah. We're we're going to need to look at that um as part of the reviewing the capital planning recommendation.
>> Well, let me let me if I may. Um I updated the capex schedule. It has the current beginning balances of cash in the two stabilization accounts and the free cash account. And it also has all the items that were brought to the
capital planning committee. We haven't we haven't approved any but one. So everything on there is just proposed at this point, but they're all on there. They add up to 2.3 million, but one of them is 1.2 2 million for the
parking lot at the elementary school. That is a wild ass guess. It um there's going to be a study done in the spring to find out what that number really would be. And then another big one is the fire truck. >> Yeah. >> And the third largest thing is the greater in the greater. We're
anticipating that we won't need to use the tax levy to fund any of the greater. We're still waiting to hear about the $250,000 grant, but the hope is we're not going to have to do any there. You said you said use the tax levy, but you mean use or cash reserves for
>> Well, either way, cash reserves or debt. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yes. But so e so the hope is but again we don't know what's going to happen with the the greater grant. But if we get that grant, we won't have to worry about funding that. Okay. and the
fire truck and the parking lot are two items that would not affect FY27 because by the time we take delivery of the truck or by the time they even start the parking lot project, it's going to be into the next year and the debt service won't start till the subsequent years.
So, we're okay with those which leaves us with about $75,000 worth of capital per requests. >> I take that back about $100,000, but only one is large. It's the $75,000 tractor. All of it is manageable, I think, with the stabilization funds.
>> George, do you know if the chapter 90 could cover the um utility tractor or the plow andor and the sprayer? >> Good question. You know, that's a good question. >> There's three pieces of equipment beyond the grater that maybe could come out of chapter 90.
>> I'll check into that. That's a really good question. Yes, I will look into that because that they have a they have a very extensive list of items that qualify and that very well could be one of them.
>> Now, we'll still have to talk to >> Sorry, how much chapter 9 day Monday do we have? >> How much what chapter? Oh, it's huge. We have over 600,000 right now. That's one of the places the state's been plowing money in because it's part of the fair
share transportation roads and all that. And so, um, it's it's a funding stream that's bigger than the towns are used to. And in fact, if they don't have the equipment, they can't do the work. So,
>> yeah. Um, so just to follow up with that question, uh, the over 600,000 might even be closer to 700,000. We know I'll have more coming in next year. We have a big project. It's going to be West Palm Road. It
could be in the $300,000 range, but other than that, he doesn't see the need for that other 300,000 and the additional amount coming in. He's going to he feels like he has plenty. So, he is definitely opening open to using
chapter 90. At the end of the day, it is his choice and he should be I hope he'll be conservative. Um, tractors are on the list. I'm looking at it right now. List of eligible items. Graater, crane, tractor. It's huge list.
>> There's a plow and a sprayer on this list, too. >> Uh, I don't see plow on here. I don't think they allow plows. I think we actually looked into that. >> Okay. And I don't think there's nothing about a sprayer there. >> Well, spreader >> that's definitely a dirt road expense.
That's I mean that's why he wants to use it. It's not spraying apple trees spraying the road, >> right? And and actually chapter 90 doesn't really >> the maintenance of dirt roads are not covered by chapter 90, >> right?
>> But neither is the Well, the greater is a is a dirt road equipment. Well, I I will say this. I will definitely ask the chief about that. I think that's a really good idea. >> And um if he you know, he I would encourage him to be very careful about
how he spends the chapter 90 because once he spends it, he's not going to have it for the roads. But >> that could be a that would be awesome. Then we'd then be in great c uh situation with cash and you know,
we'll have to debate that. >> Yeah. All right. Um, just in the interest of time, I just I want to move us along on a couple things. Um, so I'm gonna send this to you, Haley. >> Okay. >> Um, we'll keep working on it. Um, a big
question I had I wanted to just throw out was was um for you all was was about kind of how far along in this process do we want to be before we
um present it to department heads at this meeting that we've been referring to as the fiscal summit? Um, I mean, do we feel like what we have here is pretty close to what we would feel comfortable sharing
or do we want to have some initial conversations about well, are we going to recommend using cash reserves to fund or Yeah. So like what step what step in the process of developing our FY27 budget do we feel like would be a good
opportunity to go communicate and share information with department heads. I think we need to share with them ASAP. >> I mean we know the situation's not good. I don't see it getting better anytime
soon. what's going to change from these numbers that's significant enough to have us approach this any differently. >> I think the sooner we start telling the managers about the situation we're in, >> the more time they have to think about it. That's my two cents. >> Okay.
>> I think that makes sense. I think also our fiscal summit if we present this information and you know just sort of off the top it could just all come on taxes and this is what it would look like but I think we
want the departments to begin to think what the fiscal message is for town meeting. I mean we don't it's not just us. Um, so when they're wrestling with these kind of numbers, it's I think
it's important that it's not so overwhelming. Although I'm very overwhelmed. I got to say that, especially because this is a repeat of last year and it I don't see why it's going to be different next year. Um so whatever movement we make um there's no
such thing as long-term with all this but I do think we should have the um departments take some take some role in what the message is. Now the message could be some things
have been underfunded for so long we are needing to deal with it. we we're up against some things. Um >> that that definitely feels like it's the case for the highway department in particular. Like >> absolutely that that you know I feel
like we have been overspending several lines and that budget in particular like year after year after year and I think finally this year we're maybe funding that at more appropriate levels but yeah.
So that the difference between we have not put in enough money and we need to do it rather than they're increasing their spending. Those are two really different messages and I think people need to um all of them I mean I feel like the school is is working and if the
region does a $2 million cut they're working at this >> but it still is a budget that is hard to lift and I I just don't want people to say well it's you know our job it is our job but how we present it should also
come from them. No, it's our job, but we rely on them >> for, you know, some of their guidance, their feedback. We rely on them for their numbers. We also want to hear beyond the numbers. >> Yeah.
>> All right. So, when are we going to do this? I think we had we actually have at least I'm looking at our schedule and we have February 24th. >> Y >> as a date. Um, so that that's our placeholder for our our next BINCOM
meeting, but also for the fiscal summit. So, does that does that feel like the right timing to folks? >> Can we be ready? I mean, what do we need to do? >> I think we need to get ready for it. If that takes another meeting, then I think we have to do it because we can't push it down the road. >> Um, >> yeah,
>> we're so close already. It's already close to April. >> Yes. So one suggestion would be if if if we scheduled a meeting for the 17th and we just all we do in that meeting is
you know review any changes to this budget but then plan an agenda for that fiscal summit and and yeah what do we think about that Molly? Um, do we want to have the summit during the daytime so that it's during people's weekdays?
>> Probably, right? >> And also I think uh we don't want to have our meeting at the same time as the select board. >> So I'm I'm I'm thinking that we actually what we could do is we could do our we could have a FinCom meeting on the 17th.
>> Yep. to to plan and then instead of having a FinCom meeting on the 24th in the evening, we could just do our fiscal summit dur during the day, >> right? >> And then if if there's fis if there's fin business that we need to deal with,
maybe we could hang around a little, you know, for for a little bit after that and and and discuss it rather than do a meeting that night. >> Right. So that was at 10 I'm trying to find my old f my folder for that. Was that 10:00 last night? >> That was 10:00 a.m. And would we So last
time I thought we were just doing department heads, but then we also invited committees. Is that the intention for this too? >> I think so. >> Because they'll have to they'll have to post their meetings. >> Yeah. >> I don't know. What do people think? >> Yeah. I think the more people involved,
the better off we are. >> Yeah, I agree with that. >> And this will be in person. >> Yeah. Yep. >> Can we do it at the at the library? Oh, yes. >> Oh, nice idea. >> Awesome. >> Mary, >> if it's on the 24th, I'm not going to be
able to attend during the day. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And the library is not open at 10 o'clock in the morning on Tuesdays, so that's perfect. >> Yeah. I mean, I can't do the 24th either, like during the day. So,
>> okay. >> We can definitely do Zoom. We can do hybrid either at the library or at the town hall. >> Oh, yeah. >> So, at least we could have a recording. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I guess so. For Molly and Laura,
I'm assuming that like it's not about the 24th, it's it's the 10:00 a.m. start. That's the the the problem. >> I mean, I can on some days, I just I can't on that day. >> Okay. >> Same. >> Yeah. I mean, I've got I mean, for instance, I think I could do the 26th.
Um, >> so >> I could also do the 26th day. >> That's a Thursday. >> Let me just look my >> at >> You could do it without me >> in the daytime.
>> Yeah, like at 10 or something. I mean, >> Haley, did you say you can't do that? >> I can't do that day. Okay. >> But that's We got two more on. >> Yeah. >> Right. But I would like to be there. >> Yeah. >> I think it's more important that Haley's
there than me. >> I I think we need Haley there. Yeah, >> we do need Y. >> Um, what about the 25th? Is that >> I Yeah, I can't make the 25th. >> I can't make the 25th. How about the 23rd? >> 23rd works. >> That works.
>> Monday the 23rd. Uh, I could do that. >> And what about Laura and Molly? >> Um, I have a meeting in Northampton at 11,
so I don't think I could be there. I could be there for the first half an hour. >> Could you be Zoom for an hour? >> I could be on Zoom for an hour. >> Okay. I've got >> Yeah. I mean, I can do before 10, but not after 10. So,
>> not after 10. >> Well, nine. We could have it at 9ine. >> Yeah, why not? >> Yeah. Well, does that work for every for >> uh Some staff would have to come in. That was Some staff would need to come in early that day. Usually folks get in
at 10. What about doing it like >> What staff would that be? >> Well, I think we would want the land use clerk there. Wow. >> Who? >> Clerk Mateo. >> Yeah, >> but we could also like think afternoon
like maybe that's better for folks >> because we can do the Zoom but if I remember last time people couldn't hear very well. >> It didn't work is a little different. >> It didn't work great that but it was also the part that didn't work great was breakouts
>> pretending. Yeah. Participating. Um so >> right >> um I mean we may decide but I but it's not obvious that that that would be. So >> would 3:00 work on that if that a three two or three
>> on which day? >> On the 23rd Monday. >> Monday the 23rd >> or the 24th if if the problem was the morning for Laura and Molly. >> Um Monday is better than Tuesday for me.
better than Tuesday for me also. >> Okay, so two o'clock on Monday. Does that work? >> I could do three. Two would Yeah, two is probably not possible. >> How about 3:00 is good? >> Three.
>> Okay, >> Haley, do you think three is is good for >> I think some folks might have to come back, but I think that's an easier ask. >> Yeah. So, the library is open then. So, as long as they don't have a program, we should probably still be able to meet
there. If they have a program, then both we can't meet there and Maryanne wouldn't be able to come, >> right? Okay. >> Um Molly, is that something you could follow up with >> Maryanne? Because I think you were going to check on
uh status for >> Yeah, I can also see if they have anything already on their public schedule. >> Okay. All right. So, sounds like we're zeroing in on Monday, February 23rd at 3 3:00.
>> Yeah. >> Great. Okay. And as many people um as that we can get there is good. >> Yeah. >> And it would be recorded. And are we >> I don't think we need a breakout, but I
do think we need a way to collect um >> messages or or messaging that people can see. And also, I was thinking about um what we send out with this invitation.
Maybe we need something that is um not this full budget with all the lines. >> Yeah. I wonder if we just send um like each each section um salaries and expenses or something like that. Something more compressed.
>> AJ the preliminary format that we were using. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. We might have something Susie that would meet that. >> You mean as part of the the long range? >> Yeah. No. Um remember we had uh it the
schedule who before town meeting you and I reviewed it. I put it together. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. >> That might be the format that Susie would >> Yeah. >> what Susie's recommending. >> And so if we can get that out to them before the meeting,
>> um we have people who will have some feeling but also some information that we can work with. If you're okay with it, AJ, I can use that format and to take what we have here. >> That'd be great. Yeah. And maybe we could even look at that on the 17th.
>> Yeah. Please include me on the budget that you send to Haley and I'll do that. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. For the 17th. Yes, absolutely. I will have it for that. >> All right. I'm going to send the draft that we were we've been modifying as we were talking tonight to the whole committee.
>> Great. So, is that at the same time as a select board meeting? And does that matter on the 17th? >> You do overlap. Assuming you can't do earlier, >> I could do six if that helps. >> Well, no, sorry. I meant like before five.
>> Have to be like, >> how about seven? Is that's less of an overlap with the SB? >> Yeah. >> I'd rather do earlier than later. >> Sorry, say that again. You'd rather do it later. >> Earlier. Yeah.
>> Well, let's just go with 6:30 and >> I think let's stick with our you know we'll just >> join us. >> Yeah. I don't think it's going to be I mean famous last words, but I don't think it's going to be two-hour meeting. I think we're just going to plan an agenda and
whatever follow-up steps are needed for that that meeting. >> And George can have the preliminary format and if and last time AJ you provided a sense of where you felt it should go. So >> yeah. Yeah. So, >> possible to meet at six.
>> Yeah, >> I'll definitely still be in the select board meeting, but I mean like if you don't you don't think you need me there because I would imagine that you don't think it's going to be a long meeting and you start at 6. >> Yeah, >> probably at the very end. We start at
6:30. >> Molly is asking if we could Well, we >> just I have my every other Tuesday night thing and so I have to either skip one or the other. Gotcha. All right. Well, >> does it need to be a meeting? Could it
just be something that we circulate? >> I think we need to have a meeting. >> Yeah. I because I I actually really want to hear about like what are what are some goals that we have for the meet like what do we want >> to accomplish and like what would be
what what would a good outcome for this this fiscal summit be for us? And I'd really like to get kind of thoughts about >> Do we want to try Monday night? Um, which is the >> 16th a holiday. >> Yeah, federal holiday.
>> Oh, >> I mean, I don't care. I'm just saying. >> I don't think that's actually great for me that night. >> So, let's just let's just do, you know, I mean, I I Haley, I'm sure I'll be able
to follow up with you. um you know uh actually not on the 18th but on the 19th. Um >> okay >> and fill you in on you know what the plan is. >> But actually you know what I'm going to do? I think I'm going to call you
>> um I'll call you earlier that day just to okay just about logistics like just to make sure that you know >> invites are have gone out and you know >> okay >> where we're doing and all that stuff. So, the invites can go out now, right?
And and we're just going to get that attending material. And so, in the invite, it can say um materials will be distributed beforehand. >> Right. Okay. >> I don't see a public program at the library that day, but I would want to
confirm with Maryanne before we send out something saying we're meeting there. >> Yeah. Great. Okay. Just so so I get it right in the minutes. So our next meeting is February 17th at 6:30. >> Correct. >> And then we're scheduling attent tentatively scheduling a meeting for
February 23rd at 3 p.m. at the library hybrid. >> Yes, >> it has to be. >> All right. Um I know it's getting late, but there's a a couple of important things. one is I just wanted because I
feel like I'm going to need to follow up with Ryan um if we want to sort of push back on this, but um I want to talk about the the the new library borrowing. Um
and I want to Okay, pull up. So George put together um a spreadsheet that looked at the implications of three different funding models here. Uh where is that?
Okay. Okay. And so these are basically three different um loan terms 10 versus 15 versus 20 years. So just to kind of refresh everybody's memory, we did have
a conversation where we I think there was some consensus that like it might be good to talk about a longer term loan for the the new the library um building borrowing. um to sort of spread the
costs of the building with kind of future um residents as opposed to just those that are going to be here over the next 10 years. And um I think I CCD everybody on an email exchange I had
with Ryan about this. >> Yeah. >> And you know, I don't know. I, you know, I think it's fair to say that he was pretty firm in his recommendation that the 10-year
uh loan term was the most advantageous for Shootsbury. But then I felt like, you know, there wasn't a lot of information in his email about um the justification for that. And so I sent a follow-up email to I actually haven't
heard back from asking Ryan to give us some details on um kind of pros and cons of a 10 versus 15 versus 20-year loan term. And so I
think I think we're at a point where if where I need to kind of gauge how strongly we feel as a committee that that ought to be um something that is investigated more seriously because I think as it stands
right now I think Ryan is inclined to proceed with his initial plan of a of a 10-year loan. So, George, what was your sort of takeaway? Maybe do you want to kind of walk us through what's here? And and then I'm curious what your takeaway is. >> Well, I the one thing I would tell
everybody what Sorry, I'm taking my stuff. Busy hands. One thing I would tell everybody is what Ryan's recommendation, the way Brian is is approaching this is backed by and probably based on advice he's
getting from bond counsel. Yeah, >> I won't speak for him, but you know, he certainly references what they say. One of the things they said was when you borrow, if we borrowed over 20 years, the annual principal payment would be
so low as to not attract investors. There's people buying bonds don't, you know, there's a limit uh there's that's considered too small for them. And so that's what they're saying
is you can't go 20 years. This is what he said. Um I don't know if we can push back on that, but he did indicate we could go 15 years >> and and then there's 10 years. And before I go over tell you show you what's on here, talk about what's on
here. the library in well let's just say 3 four years ago was we went to town to vote on this and what we were telling people because I was involved I did the calculation it wasn't really me but what the library was telling everybody is that the debt
service impact on this average single family home in the first year is $125 that was based on a 20-year note and I don't know if they had talked to the treasur and things have changed changed or they didn't talk to the treasur and we all assumed that 20 years was good.
But um then I saw when I asked for debt numbers that he was using 10 years and immediately picked up on that difference. And so if we went with his 10 years, so now I'm going to reference what we see here on the schedule. Um I summarized the three different
amortization tables that I made. And so you can see the term in the lefth hand column. You can see the total interest costs over the life of the loan under each of those terms. So clearly, as we all know, the longer your loan, the more interest you're going to pay over the
life of the loan. And then you can see the loan payment in year one because that's going to be your highest debt service is always in the first year. Municipal debt is not like mortgage debt and your house where it's the same every year, every month. In municipal debt,
you take the principal off the balance. You recalculate interest in the next year based on that lower balance. And so each year, our debt service is going to decrease if it's a 10-year loan by $4,000 a year. So year two would be $154,000
>> for a 10-year loan. And so you can see for each loan not only what the first year's debt service is in column C, but in column D you'll see annually how much our debt service will go down. And then column E is the tax rate impact in the first year
of the note. So >> what would it be? >> Sure. That's >> No, I was just wondering what what you would estimate that for the second year would be what that was the 150 >> uh for for the second year it would be uh $4,000
times one point would it be like go down like five or six bucks I think. >> Okay, >> I'd have to sit down and think about that more, but I think it basically would go down about five bucks or three bucks or two bucks 15 in 20 years. So the debt service is going to go down
fairly small each year. I mean, $4,000 decrease year-to-year spread across 800 households, not a lot of money. >> It's not going to have be a really big impact on all our towns. But just to show you, get you a sense of how these notes would would um affect our budget.
>> Is the interest rate the same no matter the term? >> Yeah. I'm So, the assumptions I'm using, Susie, are on the lines four, five, and six. the the amount of the loan which is subject to change because we don't know how much we're going to our final borrowing is going to be but this is what Ryan is using right now. This is what Ryan has to borrow right now
actually >> based on what he said. And then the interest rate is 3.5%. Those two assumptions are true for all three periods as is the the loan start date. Now I don't know when the actual payment
is. It might not be on July 1st and that means that some of these estimates are slightly small, but this is just scale-wise. This just gives us a good sense of what the impact of our decisions are. Um I his debt service number I think we saw was 159,000. So
you can see I'm a little short and it's probably because the actual first payment is not made till maybe September, August or September. So the full principal balance is there for a couple months. you know, I some different point during the year, but >> close enough. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Right. Close enough for her grenades. And so in the second section, you can just see those differences between a 10year and a 15 and a 20. So the total interest over the life for a 15-year loan, just so you don't have to
do the math in your head, is the difference between the 328 and the 225 up above is 102. and we're going to pay that much extra in interest over the course of 15 years if we go to a 15-year note as opposed with 10. And then it's 205 at a 20-year. And the same thing is
true for the year first year payment. The difference between the 158 up above and the 119 is 39. And then the difference between the 158 and the 99 of course is 58. So you can see how um what those differences are. And it's the same thing with the differences on the loan
payment decrease and the tax rate impact. So, if we went to a 15-year loan instead of a 10-year loan, then the difference between 174 and 133 is $43. We would be able to take $43 off the uh increase that we might have on the uh
average taxpayer. And then, um I just showed percentages. So, the 102 is 45% of the 225. the 39 in the second column, the 10 the one first year payment decrease is a 25%
lower payment than the 158. That's so those are just the percentages if that I think that makes sense. So I I think the question now for us is do we um do do we as a committee feel strongly
that we want to advocate to Ryan to explore let's say the 15 year I want to respect his professional guidance and you know that the 20 year was not a good option. He seemed he seemed pretty
adamant about that, but he did sort of leave the door open to potentially looking at a 15-year option. So, the question is is do we do we feel strongly that that's that's the direction the the guidance that we would like to give Ryan?
>> Yes. >> Yeah. it's worth looking at. Certainly, >> despite the uh additional interest costs over the course of the the the loan, the life of the loan. I I'm inclined to say yes, but I want to assume >> I I'll say yes as well.
>> Yeah. >> And for the for the obvious reasons, we want to align the loan um the length of the loan with the length of the building. And obviously, we can't do that, but we'll go as far as we can. And people are going to be moving in and out of town. And people who are going to benefit from this in the future should
also help with that initial cost. >> And I I will say in terms of respecting Ryan and his opinion in that of the bond council, you know, if you're bond counsel, you're looking for saving your clients money and you're thinking the lowest cost loans. Why would you do
anything less? They're not necessarily thinking the way we do >> and not thinking about the funding source, the tax base, the way we do. So, >> right. Right. the client is it's not just Shoots
residence in 2026. It's in in this the context of this. It's it's you know the the residents that are here now and those that are going to be here, you know, over the course of the life of this loan. So, I think what I'm going to
do is I'm going to follow up with Ryan. Um, I think one of the things that I think could obviously change my recommendation, potentially our recommendation as a committee, is if he tells us that the interest rate we would
be charged for a 15-year loan is considerably higher than what's available for a 10-year loan. But, but that's the kind of information we don't have right now. And if and I'd like to I'd like to hear that from him before we we make a final recommendation as a
committee. Susie. Susie. >> Um I I wondered if um I have no experience with this, so I wondered if Molly or Laura had a had any comments to contribute. >> I mean, I don't have any experience with this either.
>> I mean, I haven't done building bonds. have done capital library bonds. Um, like in New Mexico, I mean, we I mean, we put them up, but we did it kind of on an annual rolling basis. So, I mean, it was kind of an expected every year that we would have a new a new bond in. So,
I did ask Ryan if, you know, could we change the terms later? He said, "No, you're locked in." >> Right. >> So, there we go. >> And I would I'm in favor of 15%. >> 15 years. Yeah. Mhm. >> The one thing I didn't mention was
>> um this is a debt exclusion override, >> right, >> loan. And that's why column D is so important because as we pay as we pay this off and when we totally pay it off, it's going to come right out of the tax
levy. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I would not want in 15 years if it's a considerably higher interest rate. Um, >> yeah. So, >> yeah.
>> Also, I want to say that um I think that we can look around our town and and know that there's not any big project ahead of us. We waited for the um broadband to go through. The library people did. They didn't want to put it
up at the same time, but I don't know of any other big project that the town needs to face down. So when this goes out of our debt um there's not something waiting to jump in of any size. >> We do the dam will take considerable
amount even after we make these initial emergency repairs which I did check. We cannot use CPA funding for it's going to trigger a response from the state once the initial repair work is done to fully examine the dam and at that point we'll
have to do more structural improvements. Do you have any sense of how much that's going to cost? Yeah. >> Um, well, just to do the emergency work is about $73,000. >> And we'll have to do and that's actually So, there's another layer to all that is
that we may be asked to do an additional like survey of the wetlands. And I have no idea how much that'll cost, but that'll add if they mandate us to do it right now, it'll add to the 73,000. And then down the line it'll also >> that wetland could is the whole
perimeter of the lake. >> Yeah, more or less checking on the water levels because of the the change and what's going to happen with the lake draw down. >> But this is the difference between a million dollars
and a tenth of a million dollars. So >> that's true. But I do want just to make sure people don't forget that is something that >> that's coming. >> It's definitely on my mind. >> Okay, George, can I um Is it okay if I in that email to Ryan I share
>> Oh, yeah. I'm fine with it. >> Planning documents. >> Yeah, just let them know, you know, this is this is just the numbers we ran. We know they're not actual, but >> Right. And I'll make it clear that Yeah. Obvious there's there are assumptions in
here around interest rate and whatnot, but yeah. Okay. Uh George. >> Yeah. Um so I raised my hand finally. Um just to address what the conversation about the dam and and the bigger the broader question before that
there are a lot of things being requested by the cap to the capital planning committee but I don't think anything that's going to have an impact on FY27 and we have debt service on quite a number of items and I do think we also need to do an analysis we don't have to talk about this now but I'm going to
recommend we do an analysis of our long-term debt also So it might be in our best interest to pay off one or two of those items and open up capacity in the operating budget. In other words, if you have an asset and you've paid two
years into it and its debt service is 50,000 a year and the balance, you know, is maybe a h 100,000. I'm just throw that out. Pay that off. get rid of those $250,000 payments in the future and that allows us to finance something else
bigger than that amount we paid off because it's going to be over four or five years. So, if we're smart and it would be great to have the treasur involved in this. >> Yeah. >> Next year, I think we're going to have no problem funding the requests
because all the things that will have to be paid for next fiscal year are relatively small. The tractor is the largest, but we already talked about possibly using chapter 90 to some extent. The parking lot and the fire truck are very big, but they're not
going to really hit us until subsequent years. So, we may have a year or two to take some steps that could help us >> interesting. Really have capacity within our operating budget. All right, that
sounds like a a good a good topic for a a discussion after we've got the budget sort of in good shape and >> during the summer. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And I would want again I think we really need to include the treasur in that conversation. >> Yeah,
>> definitely. Okay. Um so that's good guidance for me. So, I will reach out to Ryan, see if he's open to exploring that, at least getting us the numbers and getting, I guess, a a quote. Um,
uh, all right, a couple of other things. I'm just thinking, so on this recycling RFP committee, my sense is that there's nobody that's super motivated to be involved in that um, process.
It sounds like >> I'm upset that there's only one process here. Only one. I'm I'm not happy with that. So, I'm not going to sign up for it. But I don't know when we can have more than one process. >> Yeah, I think um yeah, I I think we're
well, I think we have more time than we thought we had when we first raised this as an issue that we wanted to explore. um because there is that one-year extension option on the contract. But I
think what I'm going to do is I will follow up with Mel and tell her that um we've got a lot on our plate right now and we're we you know obviously we're we feel totally comfortable with them
managing the RFP process for getting a new bid for for the for at least the you know the trash and hauling option. And then we'll we'll have to you know we'll have to have a conversation down the road about whether we want uh exploration of
any other options. I've come to believe that there's really only one other potentially viable option which would be to see if Leverett is interested in collaborating on um with
Sheetsberry on sort of jointly I guess funding their transfer st their existing transfer station and using it for for both Lever and Sheets residents. to me that's I think is the only
like option that seems worth exploring. Um I don't I the the feedback I got from them around the idea of us creating our own transfer station just was pretty
was yeah a lot of concern about >> another option is for us to do an override specifically for trash. >> So that's definitely a fincom up the alley thing. we can say, "Oh, well, here's what it would cost, right? >> And here's how we would fund it, and
here's how we would propose an override specifically for that." >> I don't understand what you're how that works. >> So, when we did this research back in the late 80s and 90s, we looked at what the override was and what two and a half had added to our income and what the costs had gone up, and we were about
even, but we are not even. the we we took on $60,000 more in the contract when we got a new one and then it's gone up 5% every year. And you could you could say um if the taxpayers want to continue it, it can't just be sucked out
of our operating account again. It I think that is one of the things that put us behind the eightball. >> And so we could say um here's what the RFP looks like. Here's what the contract would be. and the um increases in our
revenue for 2 and a half have not kept up with this. And this is what it would cost in an override to get our operating budget big enough to handle the new contract and everything that's been added since the old one and the old one.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. Um, so yeah, there down the road I think there's there's some more discussion to have about this. Um, in the short term I'm going to let Marilyn know that they that we don't feel strongly that we need finan
representation on their RFP committee. Um, okay. Uh, I'm not there's a longer Pelum school update, I think, but I'm going to give I'm going to save that for future meeting. The short answer is that their
their short-term situation has gotten a little bit clearer and better. Some of you may have followed this in the newspaper. The the superintendent has sort of walked back this proposal to have Pelum send its sixth graders to the new sixth grade academy next year.
They're recommending and the school committee is recommending that Pelum use some of its school choice reserves to fund budget gap for FY27 and potentially for
you you know use that strategy for FY28. >> I'm sorry. Which reserve? >> Their school choice. >> Okay. >> Avenue got like a you know um >> kind kind of the way we use school choice for for specific items in in a
budget. Um and but Pelum is has has is has created a group >> to study sort of the long-term uh plans. Um and I let John know that um
Sheetsbury has sort of had you know started a kind of planning process ourselves to think about you know what our capacity might be to kind of help support you know Pelum students if that's the
direction they feel they need to move >> towards. So he was very happy to hear that and he said he will let this new sort of committee know that at at an appropriate time they ought to talk to
um Sheets about you know kind of what what a potential collaboration might look like. So, I think there's the the there's the pro there's a process that started. There's a group that Haley pulled together. I participated in that to talk about this. Um, it included this
um the superintendent. It included the principal, the finance director for for um um Union 28. Um, and so, you know, I think I think we'll be prepared if this is is a real
opportunity for us and that it's clear that that's not an FY27 opportunity would be probably at the earliest an FY28 um opportunity. So, that's that. Um, okay. Uh, I think the
only other thing Oh, um, Susie, do we need to talk about the boiler repair costs or can we save that for next meeting? >> Yeah, I I think we need to have a meeting with the building committee um to discuss the different between the difference between repairing and
maintaining. They they are faced with $8,000 worth of was it an eight? Yeah. 000 worth of invoices um from Jamrog that were a oc October maybe September, October, November,
December. And clearly um it was repairs, not maintenance. They're not changing filters. They're not simply changing fluids. They are repairing this. And I um let's see. Did I send you the invoices?
Yeah, I forwarded. >> There's a whole bunch of them. Yeah. And um and I feel like we need a clarity of when we expect somebody to repair something or maintain something out of their own budget. This happened with me and Lenny. Lenny's all
of Lenny's expenses were just maintenance. They were no repair dollars. And so the town voted to give him $5,000 for repairs with the um school. Um, I believe with the building committee,
we could plan how maintenance costs are differentiated from repair costs. And then we've talked about the fact that it's a 50-year-old building. Yeah. So, there's going to be repairs. Um, I I do think the issue about having a preferred list of v vendors for repairs is
important. It hasn't happened that I know of. And um somewhat they stayed with the Jamrog cuz they were deep into it. But um it was clear to me from the invoices that Jamro was repairing but not giving a bigger picture. And so they
kept being called back. Um so they weren't saying, "Oh yeah, this this boiler is this old. We need to go ahead and um maintain these things by replacing them before they break." So anyways, I think it's the building committee who would be in charge of
having this discussion because they see all the buildings and they would know that the 50-year-old building probably needs um I could be town money um in a maintenance for items um I mean repairs
for items that happen. >> Okay. All right. Well, I need to have a conversation with the building committee with Frank anyway, so I'll mention >> this to him. >> Okay, >> AJ, that's a really good tiein to some
of the things I'm proposing to add to the budget for >> FY27. Yes. I'm sorry. I forgot to bring that up. >> Oh, that's okay. >> All right. So, >> I know everyone probably wants to leave. Yeah. >> Um >> Um >> but it should be pretty quick.
>> Yeah. So, um, let me pull up your document. Uh, and I believe everybody was sent this. Uh, okay. Yeah. >> So, I'll just start with the two I think
easier ones to digest, which is the deep cleaning that should really be happening >> probably more than by yearly, but I think that's a good starting place. >> Um, you know, someone to do all the carpets. You know, when I started there was >> so much dust and everybody who came in
after the town hall was clean said, "I can breathe easier." >> Um, so I just feel like the building needs a little bit more TLC, a little bit, you know, more than we're giving it now. And um MMA and SUFFK are doing, you know, they do this every year. They have
a municipal finance seminar and I would really like to send Brennan there. I think he has a lot of potential. I think that the town could be using him more effectively. Um it's definitely sharp with numbers. And this would be I think it's a fiveweek course. You work um with
other finance directors from other communities. You're in a cohort. um you go through all the budgeting basics, you know, explaining different revenue sources and >> I took it as part of my training and I really that was actually one of my favorite courses and I didn't think it
would be. Um so I'd like to give him that opportunity. >> And then so a facilities manager is kind of the much bigger ask and actually I did talk to an at this school and she was also very interested in that. So,
that was a whole other separate memo that I had attached. But, um, you know, I think we've gotten to a point where we just can't manage the way that all of our buildings and we really need like a professional. You know, we need somebody
who talks the language, who understands, who can help us make all those long-term plans and keep track of maintenance schedules and inspection schedules and all those other things that are just a lot on other people's plates. >> Do you think that could be shared with
another town? Possibly. >> It could be. or, you know, I mean, 40 hours a week, I think it's justified, but especially if we're going to split it between the town and the school, but we could also look at trimming back the hours, you know, that that's totally
possible. Um, but I just think that, you know, when I got here, it was clear that that wasn't really happening. And I don't know when it last did happen. Um, but this person could work with the buildings committee and be the point
person for all of this. um which I think would be a tremendous asset to the town and you know they'd need a small expense line. We'd probably have to pay for some professional lensure or training. Um but I think the investment
in creating this position will easily save us down the line. I don't know that we would have $8,000 in invoices if we had a facilities person who could have looked at that when they first didn't put the roof over the pipe and all the water came in. you know, there's a lot
of that around town. There's a lot, you know, we talked about it a lot tonight. There's a lot of deferred maintenance. Um, you know, this is a good way to kind of get ahead of all that. So I had a couple thoughts about this
specific um >> so one is was about sort of like I guess a question about um sort of like pro process and >> my I guess my my sort of inclination was
that that like or assumption was that it's sort of a select board um uh sort of area of responsibility to first like review and make a decision
about whether an an entire new position within our town um staff is justified um and needed, you know, and recommended. Um, so and then and then a, you know,
like a fincom role to maybe think through some of the financial implications of that. So I guess I'm I'm wondering if if that was your thinking as well and if you if you thought about presenting this proposal to the select
board. So that that guess >> I have um individually. I've not done this at a meeting. Okay. But individually I've talked with them and they are definitely in agreement that we need to >> create a better process for how we're doing this.
>> Okay. So that's okay. So so so that was one thought I had. I think I I think I would feel more comfortable sort of having this discussion if we had sort of a decision our decision-m authority
saying this is this is something that we are recommending we want to create this position we want to put it in front of town a town meeting and we want to build a budget for it okay so so that's one
thing second thing is I'm wondering if you know we have we do have this town building fund which I'm wondering if maybe some of this cost could be offset
by what we have been contributing a a little bit like not not consistently but certainly in the last few years for a few of the budget years we've been contributing a significant amount of money to a a building maintenance and
repair fund fund and I'm wondering if a portion of that would actually be SP could be spent to fund this position if if that's the direction we end up going. >> I think it's definitely possible. I kind of wanted to bring it here first because
I know the select board is going to say, did you talk to the finance committee? >> Yeah, >> and I'm meeting with you before them. Okay. >> Um but yeah, I mean I think that could definitely be part of it. You know, I know Maryanne has a brand new HVAC system and that's going to need to be
maintained and cleaned and all that and I am not an HVAC expert. I don't think you want me changing the filters. Um, but you know, or I think about the highway department roof and what's our plan for that? That was I think at one point either in the capital plan or in
the decarbonization road map. you know, there's just a lot of there's a lot of work and especially if we're going to be looking at our old library building and not knowing what we're going to do with that. >> Um, you know, this is the type of position that can make things a lot
easier for everybody. I guess I have one other >> thought which is I'm I'm wondering if this is a role that exists in other towns of our size of any of our neighbors like does do does you know
Leverett Helm do they have somebody in this role? I'd be curious to to know that. But that's that's why I was wondering if it could be shared in some way. >> Yeah. >> Well, some places it's just like your c
your custodian takes care of that. So, it might not be the exact same name, >> but um but I can look at that. >> Okay. Um, I think the deep cleaning I'm thinking
that that that probably ought to um I mean I certainly can see the value of that. I'm wondering if there's an existing line that can be bumped up by
the amount needed to cover that every year. And I'm not sure what that would be. If you go up to town government, >> we've got building maintenance in there. >> I mean, yeah, >> it could be. Is that what we were going to use for the library? Carpets and the
windows eventually because then yeah, it would make sense just to buff up >> Yeah. the line. >> So, I guess >> Yeah, there's an equipment maintenance. >> An equipment maintenance, which I feel like is not quite the right, but >> but it's not repairs and there's really nothing else. >> Yeah.
>> Not there anyways. >> Mhm. other general government. Is there anything down there? >> No. >> No, I don't see it either. >> But there is um Wait, what is that $10,000? What is that? Uh
what is that? Feel like there's a 10,000. Oh, that's the repairs. Forget it. Yeah. Um, I mean, I guess we could rename that line repairs and maintenance or something and >> bump it by um, what is it? 20 2500. Uh,
>> 3500. >> Yeah, >> 3500. Yeah, >> I think the mixing of the two is part part of what got confusing about um, the fire >> department and I think it really should be two separate things. Mhm. Well, could
we rename the equipment maintenance to just maintenance? >> Yeah, that could be. >> Yeah. I But you know, we're talking about we're going to be cleaning the windows, the carpets, the deep cleaning. I wonder if there's enough the carpets in the in the library. I wonder if we
should just create a line. >> Yeah. I don't know. >> Yeah, >> I like your idea. Keep it simple. But Sus's point is also true. we start wondering how do these lines morph over time, >> right? >> And we're not really sure what's in them
anymore. >> I don't know. >> Yeah. I guess my my inclination would be to Yeah. to to rename equipment maintenance to just maintenance and and add a note and and bump that from 12,000
to 15,500. But I guess we could we could create a new line as well. >> So just for the minutes, what would we rename that line to? >> Just maintenance. >> Just maintenance. Okay.
>> Yeah. >> Um and I'm I like the idea of um sending Brennan to the municipal Yes. finance seminar. That's not a I feel
like that's not a operating budget thing though, right? Because that it's a one-time >> Yeah, it's a one time thing. So, I'm wondering if we can >> just cash. >> Yeah, use free cash. >> Even fin cash. >> Yeah. Yeah. Either fin reserves or free
cash. >> I I don't know if we can use reserves. I mean, well, if he goes this year, >> Yeah. I think it would start in the next fiscal year. There's a train there's a seminar about it about about all the
dates coming. So there's like an application period and all of that. >> All right. So, I think um I I think I I think it's a good idea and I think you know there's you have a lot on your plate and I'm wondering if
like long term some of the things like updating the fiscal snapshot like you know may maybe that's maybe that's some of these kind >> that's my plan. >> Yeah. some some of these tasks could be um delegated to to him, especially, you
know, if he's if he's has some of this kind of training and and it certainly sounds like he has the capacity. Um so, yeah, I think it's it's a good idea, but I don't think it's something we need to put in the operating budget. We'll figure out a way to fund that. >> Yeah.
>> Okay. So um so so I think there's a follow-up discussion to have about the >> you know the creation of this new facilities manager and um yeah if you could get I think if you could get the select board to sort of
>> deliberate on this and actually maybe take a vote and that'd be helpful for us. >> I can do that. Yeah, because I was looking a lot of the times it's lumped into your highway superintendent job or you have to separate service contract. >> Okay. All right. Anything else?
>> No. >> The FinCon transfers have to be done >> uh for the for highway. >> Yeah, there's two of them. >> Yes. Let me resend that
because I finally got I got it from Dave today. >> Okay. >> Actually, do you um do you want to put them up on the screen if I give you um >> It'll probably crash. Okay. Got no
problem. >> My one at home is not as highowered. Got it. Um, trying to look for the email I sent you, George. >> Oh, I Yeah. Want me to def I definitely have it. >> Okay.
>> Um, >> yeah. >> Well, where? Let me get my bearings straight. Would you like me to? All right. Let me pull it up. >> So, I was Oh, you didn't send this to everybody else. Okay, I can share the screen. >> Yeah, I just you can you can you should
be able to share directly now. >> Yeah, if I can just get my bearings straight. Oh, wait. Oh, there we are. I'm sorry. Yeah, it's because I'm doing the minutes. It I'm all over the place. Okay, so there's the requests.
So, there's two requests. One is for the highway materials line for 6209 and then the other request is for machinery maintenance for 5,000. >> Came in more than he thought. I thought he was talking about 2,000.
>> Oh, I don't remember that. No, I think it was going to be much higher. >> Yeah, I think so. >> And these are um these have already been paid, right? These are >> I think these are what he needs to get through the rest of the year.
>> I see. Got it. Okay. >> He's he we know that the machinery maintenance is at zero. >> And he's been going through a lot of material. >> Yeah. >> And the material costs are higher. I mean actually if you look in bold down
here you can see and this is kind of what we're addressing right in FY27. We're bumping up the machine machinery maintenance line by 42% and the materials line by 30%.
So this is this is what's been happening like every year and so I think we finally are just going to get to a point where we're going to appropriately set these amounts in the budget. >> Yeah. I as far he's I mean he's not going to he needs machinery maintenance.
There's no question about that. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I I'm I'm surprised that it was this low. >> Um >> well that was his I said what do you think you're going to need? He wasn't sure. So, he thought this would be a comfortable number, but I I expect he'll
have to come back again. We don't know what mud season will bring. >> Yeah, he can always come back for more. >> Yeah. >> And you know, we do line item transfers at the end of the year. It might be a small enough difference that we can slide it in that.
>> I don't object to it. It's just that he had said that the the outstanding labor cost on the loader was 1,500 to 2,000. So this is for beyond that. This is for other maintenance. >> Yes. >> Other machines. >> That's true, Susie.
>> All right. >> So, I'm going to make a motion to approve. Uh, I'm going to do both uh two fincom two fincome reserve transfers in the
amount of $6,29 for the highway materials line and $5,000 for the machine machinery maintenance line. And just for everybody, >> just for everybody's information, if if
if we approve this, our fin reserve balance will be about $61,000. >> Okay. >> Second. >> All right. Any discussion? >> I say cashew. I moer. I
>> lost eye. So do I. >> And I >> Okay. Um, so Haley, can we do the uh the docy sign version? That would be great. That >> I like that. >> Oh, yeah. That is great.
>> Yes. Thank you for that. >> All right. >> So, anything else? >> All right. I'm gonna make a motion to adjurnn the finan. Also second >> and third and fourth fifth >> Arvin I cashew I
>> Moer I >> loss I do I >> Stein I >> okay next week we're gonna meet in one week usual time >> just keep meeting >> yeah okay >> take care everyone All right.